Systems and methods for facilitating consumer-dispenser interactions

• US 9,051,162 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Issued: 06/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Peters, Dan, Tran, Son V., Newman, David R., Antao, Leonard F., Slagley, David O., Kolls, H. Brock
• Primary Examiner(s): HAQ, NAEEM U
• Application Number:
  US12/204,494
• Publication Number:
  US 20090070234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,469 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/26.2, 705/26.25, 705/26.3, 705/26.35, 705/26.4, 705 2641- 2644, 705/26.5, 705 2661- 2664, 705/26.7, 705/26.8, 705/26.81, 705/26.82, 705/26.9, 705/27.1, 705/27.2, 426/433, 222/129.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00089 Remote control means, e.g. by electromagnetic signals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention can include systems and methods for consumer-dispenser interactions. In one embodiment, a product dispenser is provided. The product dispenser can include a user interface operable to interact with a consumer and receive at least one input from the consumer. The product dispenser can also include a controller comprising a set of instructions operable to receive a request from a consumer to dispense a custom product. In addition, the controller can further comprise a set of instructions operable to present via the user interface a at least one of a list of selectable product ingredients or adjustable product formulation parameters. Moreover, the controller can further comprise a set of instructions operable to dispense a product based at least in part on one or more of the selectable ingredients or selected formulation parameters.

Claims

1. A beverage dispenser comprising:

a user interface operable to interact with a consumer and receive at least one input from the consumer; and

a controller comprising a set of instructions operable to;

receive, from the consumer, a selection of a post-mix beverage with a fixed beverage formulation, the beverage formulation comprising at least one concentrate, a liquid sweetener, and a diluent;

receive, from the consumer, a request to modify the beverage formulation;

present via the user interface, in response to the request, options to modify the beverage formulation through the addition of ingredients to the beverage formulation;

present, via the user interface, options to modify a formulation factor of the beverage formulation, the formulation factor comprising a liquid sweetener proportion or a flavor proportion;

receive, from the consumer, modifications to the beverage formulation or modifications to the formulation factor;

select, based at least in part on the modifications to the beverage formulation or modifications to the formulation factor, at least one dispensing concentrate from a plurality of concentrates, the at least one dispensing concentrate configured to be mixed with the liquid sweetener at or before dispensing; and

dispense a custom beverage to the consumer via at least one nozzle at the beverage dispenser based at least in part on the consumer modifications received by the dispenser from the consumer, wherein the custom beverage is mixed about the at least one nozzle of the beverage dispenser during dispensing.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the request from the consumer to modify the beverage formulation comprises at least one of information received via the user interface associated with the product dispenser, a scanned machine readable code, information received from a RFID tag, a communication received from a client-type device, or a communication received from a wireless communication device.

3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a set of instructions operable to receive information associated with the consumer, wherein the information comprises previously stored formulation factors.

4. The dispenser of claim 3, wherein information associated with the consumer further comprises identification information associated with the consumer, and the controller further comprises a set of instructions operable to retrieve a user profile associated with the consumer.

5. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a set of instructions operable to present, via the user interface, options to add at least one nutritional additive to the beverage formulation.

6. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a set of instructions operable to store one or more formulation factors input by a consumer.

7. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein information associated with the consumer comprises a code received from the consumer, and the set of instructions is further operable to retrieve a profile associated with the consumer.

8. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a set of instructions operable to store a recipe associated with the dispensed custom beverage in a profile associated with the consumer.

9. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a set of instructions operable to:

provide consumer access to a profile associated with the consumer over a network; and

receive one or more formulation factors from the consumer via the network.

10. A method for operating a beverage dispenser, comprising:

receiving a selection from a consumer of a post-mix beverage with a fixed beverage formulation, the beverage formulation comprising at least one concentrate, a liquid sweetener, and a diluent;

receiving a request from the consumer to customize the beverage formulation to dispense a custom beverage;

in response to the request, presenting options to modify the beverage formulation through the addition of ingredients to the beverage formulation;

presenting options to modify a formulation parameter of the selected post-mix beverage, the formulation parameters comprising at least one of a ratio of two or more ingredients, a volume, or a portion of an ingredient in the custom beverage product;

presenting options to modify a formulation factor of the selected post-mix beverage, the formulation factors comprising at least one of a sweetener proportion, a flavor proportion, or a carbonation level of the custom beverage product;

selecting, based at least in part on the modifications to the beverage formulation, the formulation parameters, and the formulation factors, at least one dispensing concentrate from a plurality of concentrates, the at least one dispensing concentrate configured to be mixed with the liquid sweetener at or before dispensing; and

dispensing a custom beverage via at least one nozzle at the beverage dispenser based at least in part on the modifications received from the consumer, wherein the custom beverage is mixed about the at least one nozzle of the beverage dispenser during dispensing.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the request from the consumer to dispense the custom beverage comprises at least one of receiving information via a user interface associated with the product dispenser, scanning a machine readable code, receiving information from a RFID tag, receiving a communication from a client-type device, or receiving a communication from a wireless communication device.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising

receiving information associated with the consumer, wherein the information comprises previously stored formulation parameters or formulation factors.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving information associated with the consumer further comprises receiving a code from the consumer, and retrieving a profile associated with the consumer.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving information associated with the consumer further comprises receiving identification information associated with the consumer, and retrieving a user profile associated with the consumer.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein formulation parameter further comprises at least one nutritional additive.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

storing one or more formulation parameters or formulation factors input by a consumer.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising

storing a recipe associated with the dispensed custom beverage in a profile associated with the consumer.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing consumer access to a profile associated with the consumer over a network; and

receiving an input to one or more formulation parameters or formulation factors from the consumer.

19. A method for operating a beverage dispenser, comprising:

receiving information associated with a consumer, the receiving comprising scanning a machine readable code;

based at least in part on the information associated with the consumer, presenting via a user interface associated with the beverage dispenser options to modify a post-mix beverage with a fixed beverage formulation comprising at least one concentrate, a liquid sweetener, and a diluent, wherein the options to modify the post-mix beverage comprise the addition of ingredients to the beverage formulation, options to modify a formulation parameter of the post-mix beverage, the formulation parameters comprising at least one of a ratio of two or more ingredients, a volume, or a portion of an ingredient in the custom beverage product, and options to modify a formulation factor of the post-mix beverage, the formulation factors comprising a sweetener proportion or a flavor proportion; and

dispensing the custom beverage via at least one nozzle at the beverage dispenser based at least in part on the modification options selected by the consumer, wherein the custom beverage is mixed about the at least one nozzle of the beverage dispenser during dispensing.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving information associated with the consumer comprises at least one of accessing a profile associated with the consumer, receiving consumer information from a remote server or data storage device, receiving information via a user interface associated with the product dispenser, receiving information from a RFID tag, receiving a communication from a client-type device, or receiving a communication from a wireless communication device.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein formulation parameter further comprises at least one nutritional additive.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

providing consumer access to a profile associated with the consumer via a network, wherein the profile comprises one or more formulation parameters or formulation factors selected by the consumer; and

storing any changes to the profile.

23. A product dispenser comprising:

a user interface operable to interact with a consumer and receive at least one input from the consumer; and

a controller comprising a set of instructions operable to;

receive information associated with the consumer;

based at least in part on the information associated with the consumer, present via the user interface options to customize a post-mix beverage with a fixed beverage formulation comprising at least one concentrate, a liquid sweetener, and a diluent, wherein the options to modify the post-mix beverage comprise the addition of ingredients to the beverage formulation, options to modify a formulation parameter of the post-mix beverage, the formulation parameters comprising at least one of a ratio of two or more ingredients of a custom beverage, a volume, or a portion of an ingredient in the custom beverage, and options to modify a formulation factor of the post-mix beverage, the formulation factors comprising at least one of a sweetener proportion, a flavor proportion, or a carbonation level of the custom beverage; and

dispense the custom beverage product via at least one nozzle at the product dispenser based at least in part on the modification options selected by the consumer, wherein the custom beverage is mixed about the at least one nozzle of the beverage dispenser during dispensing.

24. The dispenser of claim 23, wherein the controller further comprises a set of instructions operable to receive via a network information from a profile associated with the consumer, wherein the profile comprises one or more formulation parameters or formulation factors previously selected by the consumer.