Dispensing system and user interface

• US 9,218,704 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2012
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Inventors: Lim, Stephen, Sisler, Christine J., Badimon, Mathieu R., d'Amore, Massimo F., Durham, Mikel, Flohr, Camiel, Vail, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): TITCOMB, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US13/664,848
• Publication Number:
  US 20130106690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0017 the apparatus comprising means for automatically controlling the amount to be dispensed
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0872 Aesthetics, advertising
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0878 Safety, warning or controlling devices B67D1/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0888 Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/065 for drink preparation

Abstract

A dispensing system may be configured to dispense a custom product based on a user selection. The user selection may be provided via a user interface of the dispensing system. The user interface may simultaneously display selectable icons for the available types of products (e.g., types of beverages) and other icons for modifying a chosen product (e.g., a flavoring or additive to a beverage, such as a sweetener or a cherry flavoring). The user interface may receive input from a user in order for the user to select a custom product (e.g., a custom drink) and the dispensing system may dispense the custom product to the user.

Claims

1. A dispenser comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer readable media storing computer-executable instructions configured to, with the one or more processors, cause the dispenser to;

provide a display screen that is arranged to allow a user to select and cause dispensing of a custom beverage using a progression starting from a top region of the display screen and ending at a bottom region of the display screen, wherein the display screen includes;

a first region comprising a plurality of icons, the plurality of icons forming a part of a rotating carousel in the first region, the plurality of icons representing all of the brands of beverages available for dispensing from the dispenser;

a second region comprising a plurality of modifier buttons that represent flavorings or additives available for dispensing from the dispenser as part of the custom beverage; and

a third region comprising a pour button that causes the dispenser to dispense the custom beverage.

2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the first region is located above the second region and the third region in the display screen, and the second region is located above the third region in the display screen.

3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the display screen comprises a touch screen.

4. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the first region, the second region, and the third region are simultaneously displayed.

5. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein the one or more computer readable media further stores computer-executable instructions configured to, with the one or more processors, cause the dispenser to:

receive a selection of a first icon of the plurality of icons, the first icon representing a brand of beverage;

receive an actuation of a first modifier button of the plurality of modifier buttons, the first modifier button representing a flavoring;

receive an actuation of the pour button;

as a response to actuation of the pour button, cause a user-selected beverage to be dispensed by the dispenser, the user-selected beverage including the brand of beverage and the flavoring.

6. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein icons appearing in front of the rotating carousel represent historically most popular selections for that dispenser.

7. A dispenser comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer readable media storing computer-executable instructions configured to, with the one or more processors, cause the dispenser to;

provide a display screen that is arranged to allow a user to select and cause dispensing of a custom beverage using a progression starting from a top region of the display screen and ending at a bottom region of the display screen, wherein the display screen includes;

a first region comprising a plurality of icons that represent brands of beverages available for dispensing from the dispenser as part of the custom beverage;

a second region comprising a plurality of modifier buttons that represent flavorings or additives available for dispensing from the dispenser as part of the custom beverage; and

a third region comprising a pour button that causes the dispenser to dispense the custom beverage;

wherein the plurality of icons includes a first icon that overlaps a second icon while simultaneously displaying all brands of beverages available for dispensing from the dispenser.

8. A dispenser comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer readable media storing computer-executable instructions configured to, with the one or more processors, cause the dispenser to;

provide a display screen that is arranged to allow a user to select and cause dispensing of a custom beverage using a progression starting from a top region of the display screen and ending at a bottom region of the display screen, wherein the display screen includes;

a first region comprising a plurality of icons that represent brands of beverages available for dispensing from the dispenser as part of the custom beverage;

a second region comprising a plurality of modifier buttons that represent flavorings or additives available for dispensing from the dispenser as part of the custom beverage; and

a third region comprising a pour button that causes the dispenser to dispense the custom beverage;

wherein the display screen includes a fourth region, the fourth region comprising a plurality of buttons, each of the plurality of buttons describing a desired property for brands of beverages that are visible in the first region.

9. The dispenser of claim 8, wherein the dispenser further comprises one or more mixing chambers, an ingredient system and a doser unit.

10. A method comprising:

displaying, in a first region of a touch screen of a dispenser, a rotating carousel of selectable icons, the carousel of selectable icons representing a plurality of selectable products;

receiving a selection of a first selectable icon of the plurality of selectable icons via an interaction with the rotating carousel;

in response to the selection of the first selectable icon, modifying the rotating carousel at least in part by moving the first selectable icon to a different location in the rotating carousel;

receiving a command to rotate the rotating carousel;

in response to the command to rotate the rotating carousel, rotating the rotating carousel; and

at least partially causing the dispenser to dispense a product based on a selected one of the plurality of selectable icons.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the plurality of selectable products represent types or brands of products available for dispensing from the dispenser.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the products available for dispensing from the dispenser are beverages.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprises:

displaying, in a second region of the touch screen that is below the first region, one or more buttons representing modifiers that can be added to an available product when the available product is being dispensed by the dispenser;

receiving a selection of a first button of the one or more buttons via input from the user, wherein the first button represents a flavoring or additive;

wherein the first selectable icon represents a brand of beverage, and wherein at least partially causing the dispenser to dispense a product based on a selected one of the plurality of selectable icons includes at least partially causing the dispenser to dispense a custom beverage comprising the brand of beverage and the flavoring or additive.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first location represents a front of the rotating carousel, and an icon that is at the front of the rotating carousel is displayed with a size that is greater than the other icons of the carousel of selectable icons.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein adjacent icons of the rotating carousel overlap each other.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein at least partially causing the dispenser to dispense a product based on a selected one of the plurality of selectable icons includes dispensing the product using one or more mixing chambers of the dispenser, an ingredient system of the dispenser and a doser unit of the dispenser.