Beverage dispensing system with social media capabilities

• US 9,721,060 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2012
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Original Assignee: PepsiCo Incorporated
• Inventors: Chung, Terry Tae-Il, Leshem, Matti Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Long, Fonya
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHORTER, RASHIDA R
• Application Number:
  US13/692,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20130096715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,702 Days
• Field of Search: 705 1426
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/384 using social networks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/386 using messaging services or messaging apps using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS G06Q20/3255
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/387 Payment using discounts or coupons relating to marketing G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method is provided comprising receiving instructions at a first device. The instructions may correspond to an item transaction. The item may be a food product. The item transaction may comprise an item gift. The method may comprise generating a code based on the instructions received at the first device for the item transaction. The method may comprise generating a message at the first device. The method may comprise transmitting the code and the message from the first device to a second device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving instructions at a first device from a first user, the instructions corresponding to an item transaction, the item being a food product comprising a beverage and the item transaction comprising an item gift;

generating a code by a processor based on the instructions received at the first device for the item transaction;

generating a personalized message from the first user through a user interface at the first device;

transmitting the code and the personalized message from the first device to a second device of a second user;

providing a beverage dispenser location application to the second user for installation on a mobile device of the second user;

transmitting, via the beverage dispenser location application, to the second user the location of the beverage dispenser nearest the mobile device of the second user;

reading the code by a reader, wherein the reader corresponds to a beverage dispenser; and

dispensing of the item by the beverage dispenser, wherein the first device is selected from the group consisting of a kiosk terminal, a social media computer, a computer terminal, and a mobile device, wherein the code corresponds to instructions for dispensing of the item by the dispenser.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at a third device the generated code, and based on receipt of the generated code displaying the personalized message and delivering the item gift.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the third device is the first device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the code is selected from the group consisting of a number code, an alphanumeric code, and a code detectable by the reader, wherein the reader is a scanner.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises an interface, the interface selected from the group consisting of a touch screen interface, a keyboard interface, a voice recognition interface, and a gesture-recognition interface.

6. A method comprising:

generating by a processor a code, the code corresponding to instructions for an item transaction from a first user, the item comprising a beverage and the item transaction being an item gift;

receiving the code at a device;

based on the received code, displaying a personalized message from the first user and delivering the item gift;

providing a beverage dispenser location application to a second user for installation on a mobile device of the second user; and

transmitting, via the beverage dispenser location application, to the second user the location of the beverage dispenser nearest the mobile device of the second user;

reading the code by a reader, wherein the reader corresponds to a beverage dispenser; and

dispensing of the item by the beverage dispenser corresponding to the code, wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of a kiosk terminal, a social media computer, a computer terminal, and a mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the reader is a scanner.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising automatically dispensing of the item from the beverage dispenser upon detecting of the code by the scanner.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the received code is a first code, the method further comprising placing a second code on a cup, the second code corresponding to the first code, detecting the second code on the cup when the cup is placed under a nozzle of the beverage dispenser, and dispensing into the cup the item corresponding to the second code by the beverage dispenser.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first code is the same as the second code.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second code is selected from the group consisting of a bar code, an ultraviolet ink code, and an RFID code.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the code is selected from the group consisting of a number code, an alphanumeric code, and a code detectable by the reader, wherein the reader is a scanner.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the device comprises an interface, the interface selected from the group consisting of a touch screen interface, a keyboard interface, a voice recognition interface, and a gesture-recognition interface.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising placing the code on a cup, detecting the code on the cup by the reader when the cup is placed under a nozzle of the beverage dispenser, and dispensing into the cup the item corresponding to the code.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a user preference at a social media computer;

automatically generating by a processor a message and an associated code based on the user preference;

automatically transmitting the message and the associated code to the user, the message and associated code corresponding to an item promotion, wherein the item comprises a beverage and the code is detectable by a reader and corresponds to instructions for dispensing of the item by a beverage dispenser, wherein the reader corresponds to the beverage dispenser;

providing a beverage dispenser location application to a user for installation on a mobile device of the user; and

transmitting, via the beverage dispenser location application, to the user the location of the beverage dispenser nearest the mobile device of the user;

reading the code by the reader; and

dispensing of the item by the beverage dispenser based on the instructions.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of a text message, an audio message, a graphic message, and a video message.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of automatically transmitting comprises transmitting the message when a mobile device of the user is detected within a predetermined distance of a predetermined location.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the code is selected from the group consisting of a number code, an alphanumeric code, and a code detectable by a reader, wherein the reader is a scanner.

18. An apparatus comprising:

a first device, the first device comprising

a transmitter;

a receiver configured to receive instructions corresponding to an item transaction from a first user, the item being a food product comprising a beverage and the item transaction being an item gift;

a memory;

a processor, the processor coupled to the memory for executing instructions comprising;

generating a code based on the instructions received at the first device for the item transaction from the first user;

generating a personalized message from the first user through a user interface at the first device; and

automatically transmitting the code and the personalized message from the device to a second device of a second user;

automatically transmitting a location of a beverage dispenser nearest a mobile device of the second user,

wherein the code is detectable by a reader, wherein the first device is selected from the group consisting of a kiosk terminal, a social media computer, a computer terminal, and a mobile device;

a reader configured to read the code; and

a beverage dispenser configured to dispense the beverage in accordance with the code read by the reader, wherein the reader corresponds to the beverage dispenser.

23. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the code is selected from the group consisting of a number code, an alphanumeric code, and a code detectable by a reader, wherein the reader is a scanner.

24. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the personalized message is selected from the group consisting of a text message, an audio message, a graphic message, and a video message.

19. An apparatus comprising a social media computer, the social media computer comprising a memory, and a processor, the processor coupled to the memory for executing instructions comprising:

receiving a user preference at the social media computer;

automatically generating a message and an associated code based on the user preference;

automatically transmitting the message and the associated code to the user and location of a beverage dispenser nearest a mobile device of the user, the message and associated code corresponding to an item promotion; and

a reader configured to read the code; and

a beverage dispenser configured to dispense the food item in accordance with the code read by the reader, wherein the reader corresponds to the beverage dispenser.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the message is selected from the group consisting of a text message, an audio message, a graphic message, and a video message.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising a controller, the controller configured to dispense an appropriate amount of at least two beverage ingredients to a dispenser head of the beverage dispenser in accordance with the code read by the reader.