Systems and methods for providing portion control programming in a product forming dispenser

• US 9,014,846 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2012
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Newman, David Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US13/652,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20130037565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 700/236, 700/239, 700/240, 700/231, 700/233
• US Class Current: 700/233
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0037 based on volumetric dosing
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0041 Fully automated cocktail bars, i.e. apparatuses combining the use of packaged beverages, pre-mix and post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0878 Safety, warning or controlling devices B67D1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0882 Devices for controlling the dispensing conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1293 Means for changing the ratio by acting on commands
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0811 provided with coded information
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/082 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/0827 Bags in box
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00089 Remote control means, e.g. by electromagnetic signals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0324 With control of flow by a condition or characteristic of a fluid

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods for configuring portion control for a dispenser apparatus. A plurality of beverage ingredients may be associated with the dispenser apparatus, and a plurality of selectable beverages may be formed from the plurality of beverage ingredients. Input for one or more preferences associated with portion control may be received. Stored information associated with at least one of the plurality of selectable beverages may be accessed. At least one portion control for at least one of the plurality of selectable beverages may be determined based at least in part on at least a portion of the received input and at least a portion of the accessed information.

Claims

1. A method for providing portion control dispenses from a beverage dispenser apparatus, the method comprising:

entering a portion control programming mode;

in response to entering the portion control programming mode, receiving, by the beverage dispenser apparatus, an input at a user interface comprising a plurality of customer preferences, wherein the plurality of customer preferences are associated with a customer'"'"'s settings of portion control dispenses of one or more different beverage types; and

configuring the beverage dispenser apparatus for at least one portion control dispense based at least in part on the received input, wherein at least one portion control parameter is determined for the dispense of a selected beverage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one portion control dispense comprises a plurality of portion control dispenses for dispensing multiple beverages.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one portion control dispense comprises a plurality of portion control dispenses for multiple cup sizes for one or more beverages.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of customer preferences associated with the customer'"'"'s settings of portion control dispenses comprise at least one of the following:

an amount of ratio of ice, a type of ice, a desired top-off for a portion control dispense, a time delay, or a correction for a dispense.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the at least one portion control parameter is further determined for the dispense of multiple beverages by configuring the beverage dispenser apparatus to dispense the multiple beverages in multiple sizes.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the at least one portion control parameter prior to receiving a request to dispense the selected beverage or during processing of a request to dispense the selected beverage.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing one or more additional stored parameters associated with the selected beverage, wherein the one or more additional stored parameters comprise at least one characteristic associated with the selected beverage; and

wherein the configuring the beverage dispenser apparatus for the at least one portion control dispense is further based at least in part on the one or more additional stored parameters.

8. A beverage dispenser apparatus comprising:

a memory device operable to store computer-executable instructions; and

a controller operable to execute the computer-executable instructions operable to;

enter a portion control programming mode;

in response to enter the portion control programming mode, an receive input at a user interface comprising a plurality of customer preferences, wherein the plurality of customer preferences are associated with a customer'"'"'s settings of portion control dispenses of one or more different beverage types; and

configure the beverage dispenser apparatus for at least one portion control dispense based at least in part on the received input, wherein at least one portion control parameter is determined for the dispense of a selected beverage.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one portion control dispense comprises a plurality of portion control dispenses for dispensing multiple beverages.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one portion control dispense comprises a plurality of portion control dispenses for multiple cup sizes for one or more beverages.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of customer preferences associated with the customer'"'"'s settings portion control dispenses comprise at least one of the following:

an amount of ratio of ice, a type of ice, a desired top-off for a portion control dispense, a time delay, or a correction for a dispense.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further operable to execute the computer-executable instructions operable to:

determine, based at least in part on the received input, at least one portion control parameter used to dispense multiple beverages; and

further configure the beverage dispenser apparatus to dispense the multiple beverages in multiple sizes.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further operable to execute the computer-executable instructions operable to:

determine the at least one portion control parameter prior to receiving a request to dispense the selected beverage or during processing of a request to dispense the selected beverage.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is further operable to execute the computer-executable instructions operable to:

access one or more additional stored parameters associated with the selected beverage, wherein the one or more additional stored parameters comprise at least one characteristic associated with the selected beverage; and

wherein the computer-executable instructions operable to configure the beverage dispenser apparatus for the at least one portion control dispense further comprises computer-executable instructions operable to configure the beverage dispenser apparatus for the at least one portion control dispense based at least in part on the one or more additional stored parameters.

15. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions that in response to execution by one or more processors, configures the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

entering a portion control programming mode;

in response to entering the portion control programming mode, receiving, by a beverage dispenser apparatus, an input at a user interface comprising a plurality of customer preferences, wherein the plurality of customer preferences are associated with the customer'"'"'s settings of portion control dispenses of one or more different beverage types; and

configuring the beverage dispenser apparatus for at least one portion control dispense based at least in part on the received input, wherein at least one portion control parameter is determined for the dispense of a selected beverage.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions further configure the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

determining, based at least in part on the received input, at least one portion control parameter used to dispense multiple beverages; and

further configuring the beverage dispenser apparatus to dispense the multiple beverages in multiple sizes.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions further configure the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

determining the at least one portion control parameter prior to receiving a request to dispense the selected beverage or during processing of a request to dispense the selected beverage.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions further configure the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

accessing one or more additional stored parameters associated with the selected beverage, wherein the one or more additional stored parameters comprise at least one characteristic associated with the selected beverage; and

wherein the computer-executable instructions operable to configure the beverage dispenser apparatus for the at least one portion control dispense further comprises computer-executable instructions operable to configure the beverage dispenser apparatus for the at least one portion control dispense based at least in part on the one or more additional stored parameters.