Dynamic process control

• US 20040154316A1
• Filed: 02/07/2003
• Published: 08/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: W. Health L.P.
• Original Assignee: Moobella LLC
• Inventors: Kateman, Paul R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,907,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/60
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/08 Batch production A23G9/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/228 Arrangement and mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 13/06 with selective dispensing of different fluids or materials or mixtures thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines

Abstract

A method and apparatus for defining the processing of an ingredient of a manufactured product, particularly one that is manufactured “one-the-spot” to a consumer'"'"'s specification, such as ice cream, among other products. A tag encoded on a container for the product carries indicia that, directly or indirectly, define one or more formulations for the product. Apparatus into which the ingredient is loaded sets the processing of ingredients in accordance with the formulations so specified. By connecting the apparatus which is to process the ingredients to a control station, the formulations may be changed at will.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling the processing of an ingredient of a manufactured product, comprising a container for the ingredient and a tag associated with the container and specifying at least one parameter for controlling the processing of said ingredient.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said tag directly specifies a plurality of parameters for controlling said processing.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said tag indirectly specifies a plurality of parameters for controlling said processing.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said process comprises a food manufacturing process.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said process comprises a process for manufacturing a frozen food in an individual-sized serving to a consumer essentially contemporaneous with the request for such serving by the consumer.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said tag comprises a scannable data source for setting the processing of a machine into which said container is loaded for producing said product.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 in which said process comprises a process for manufacturing a frozen food in an individual-sized serving to a consumer essentially contemporaneous with the request for such serving by the consumer.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 which includes a communications link to a control station for exchanging with said station information specific to the contents of said container.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said link carries from said control to a machine in which said container is to be processed information specific to said container for controlling the processing of the contents of said container.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which said information is changeable over the period of use or storage of said container so that the contents of said container can be subject to different formulations as said contents are used.

11. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said link carries to said control from a machine in which said container is to be processed information specific to said container and its processing by said machine.

12. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said communications link includes a communications network

13. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which said network comprises the internet.

21. A method according to claim 12 in which said product comprises ice cream.

38. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said tag comprises an electronically readable chip.

14. A method for controlling the manufacture of a product that is processed on the spot to a desired overall specification, comprising encoding a container containing an ingredient for said product with information associated with a formulation to be used in producing said product.

15. A method according to claim 14 in which said encoding is embedded in a tag on said container.

16. A method according to claim 15 in which said encoding is imprinted on said container.

17. A method according to claim 15 in which said encoding is in the form of optically readable characters.

18. A method according to claim 15 in which said encoding is in the form of magnetically readable characters.

19. A method according to claim 14 in which said product comprises a neutral base product.

20. A method according to claim 19 in which said product comprises a dairy product.

22. A method according to claim 14 in which said information comprises information describing a formulation for said product.

23. A method according to claim 14 in which said information comprises information describing a formulation in which said ingredient is used.

24. A method according to claim 14 in which said information comprises information describing proportions of such ingredient to be used with other ingredients in producing said product.

25. A method according to claim 14 in which said information comprises information describing physical processing conditions for such ingredient to be used in producing said product.

26. A method according to claim 14 which includes the step of exchanging with a control unit information related to processing said product.

27. A method according to claim 26 in which said control unit supplies to a machine in which said product is processed one or more formulations for said product.

28. A method according to claim 26 in which said control unit receives from a machine in which said product is processed information concerning the manufacture of said product.

29. A method according to claim 28 in which said information comprises information concerning the amount of an ingredient that has been consumed.

30. A method according to claim 28 in which said information comprises information concerning the amount of an ingredient that remains unconsumed.

31. Apparatus for controlling the processing of an ingredient of a product to be manufactured, comprising

A. a central station having a database associated therewith for specifying at least one parameter that specifies the manufacture of an article at one or more manufacturing stations, said database including information identifying processing parameters associated with specific containers of ingredients to be processed;

and

B. a transmission link connecting said central station with a plurality of remote manufacturing stations, said link being operable to transmit to one or more of said manufacturing stations information from said database to control the processing of one or more ingredients of the product being manufactured.

32. Apparatus according to claim 31 in which each said manufacturing station includes a reader that extract from tags associated with at least some of said containers information concerning the processing to which the contained ingredient is to undergo.

33. Apparatus according to claim 32 in which said tag supplies information concerning the processing of said ingredient by said machine.

34. Apparatus according to claim 32 in which said information comprises at least some of the processing parameters of the process to be applied to said ingredient.

35. Apparatus according to claim 32 in which said information comprises a pointer to a specification for the processing of said ingredient.

36. Apparatus according to claim 32 in which said tag comprises an optically scannable bar code.

37. Apparatus according to claim 32 in which said tag comprises an electronically scannable strip.

39. Apparatus for controlling the processing of an ingredient of a finished product, comprising a machine having a controller directly responsive to external control inputs encoded on at least one of the containers of ingredients supplied to said machine to thereby form an end product at least partially in accordance with said control inputs.

40. Apparatus according to claim 39 in which said encoding is supplied in the form of a tag on said container.

41. Apparatus according to claim 40 in which said tag supplies information concerning the processing of said ingredient by said machine.

42. Apparatus according to claim 41 in which said information comprises at least some of the processing parameters of the process to be applied to said ingredient.

43. Apparatus according to claim 41 in which said information comprises a pointer to a specification for the processing of said ingredient.

44. Apparatus according to claim 41 in which said tag comprises an optically scannable bar code.

45. Apparatus according to claim 41 in which said tag comprises an electronically scannable strip.

46. Apparatus according to claim 39 in which said controller includes a master program for processing ingredients supplied to said machine, said program receiving at least one control input from said ingredient container to specifically define the processing of said ingredient.