Refrigerator that displays beverage images, reads beverage data files and produces beverages

• US 20050178144A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Inventors: Crisp, Harry Lee III
• Granted Patent: US 7,032,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/389
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0057 Carbonators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0858 using compression systems
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/082 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00036 for use with or in refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/0006 Manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/0006 responsive to coded information provided on the neck or spout of the storage container, e.g. bar-code, magnets or transponder
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/126 Water cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2323/023 Door in door constructions
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/803 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing

Abstract

A refrigerator having a beverage dispenser, a display device and a plurality of beverage data files. The refrigerator dispenses beverages such as soda, juice and punch. The refrigerator receives and stores beverage data files, and the display device graphically represents data related to the different types of available beverages. Based on this information, the user can select a desirable beverage, and the refrigerator dispenses the selected beverage.

Claims

1. A refrigerator comprising:

a housing including a refrigeration compartment;

at least one door supported by the housing, the door providing access to the refrigeration compartment;

a display device supported by the housing;

a drink supply container holder supported by the housing, the drink supply container holder configured to removably hold a plurality of removable drink supply containers, each of the drink supply containers having a drink supply outlet valve, wherein each of the drink supply containers can contain a variable volume of drink syrup, and the drink syrup in each of the drink supply containers can have a different flavor, each of the different flavored drink syrups associated with a different beverage;

at least one water line supported by the housing;

at least one water valve fluidly connected to the water line;

a plurality of actuators supported by the housing, including;

(a) one actuator operable to enable the drink supply outlet valve to switch between an open position and a closed position; and

(b) another actuator operable to enable the water valve to switch between an open position and a closed position;

at least one input device enabling a user to provide an input;

at least one processor operatively coupled to the display device, the actuators and the input device;

a memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to;

(a) cause the display device to display a plurality of different images, each of the images associated with a different one of beverages;

(b) enable different events to occur that are associated with different ones of the beverages;

(c) read at least one beverage data file after one of the events occurs, said beverage data file having data relating to one of the beverages;

(d) cause the display device to graphically indicate at least a portion of said data relating to said beverage;

(e) enable the user to input a request for said beverage using the input device;

(f) cause a portion of the drink syrup of one of the drink supply containers to flow to a beverage collector, the flavor of said drink syrup associated with the requested beverage; and

(g) cause water from the water line to flow to the beverage collector.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein each of the images includes an image selected from the group consisting of text, a symbol, a drawing, artwork and a picture.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the beverage data file read by the processor includes consumer information, and the memory device stores a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to cause the display device to graphically represent at least a portion of the consumer information.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the beverage data file read by the processor includes price information, and the memory device stores a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to cause the display device to graphically represent at least a portion of the price information.

5. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the beverage data file read by the processor includes nutrition information, and the memory device stores a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to cause the display device to graphically represent at least a portion of the nutrition information.

6. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the input device includes a touch screen operable with the display device.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1, which includes a data port operatively coupled to the processor, the data port operable to receive beverage data files and store the received beverage data files in the memory device.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7, which includes a communication device operatively coupled to the processor, the communication device enabling a computer, operating over a network, to send beverage data files to the data port which the processor then stores in the memory device.

9. A refrigerator comprising:

a housing including a refrigeration compartment;

at least one door supported by the housing, the door providing access to the refrigeration compartment;

a display device supported by the housing;

a drink supply container holder supported by the housing, the drink supply container holder configured to removably hold a plurality of removable drink supply containers, each of the drink supply containers having a drink supply outlet valve, wherein each of the drink supply containers can contain a variable volume of drink syrup, and the drink syrup in each of the drink supply containers can have a different flavor, each of the different flavored drink syrups associated with a different beverage;

at least one water line supported by the housing;

at least one water valve fluidly connected to the water line;

a plurality of actuators supported by the housing, including;

(a) one actuator operable to enable the drink supply outlet valve to switch between an open position and a closed position; and

(b) another actuator operable to enable the water valve to switch between an open position and a closed position;

at least one input device enabling a user to provide an input;

a data port;

at least one processor operatively coupled to the display device, the actuators, the input device and the data port;

a memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to;

(a) use the data port to receive a plurality of different beverage data files associated with a plurality of different ones of the beverages;

(b) store the received beverage data files in the memory device;

(c) cause the display device to display a plurality of different images, each of the images associated with a different one of beverages;

(d) enable at least one event to occur, said event associated with one of the beverages;

(e) read the beverage data file associated with said beverage, said beverage data file having data relating to said beverage;

(f) cause the display device to graphically indicate at least a portion of said data relating to said beverage;

(g) enable the user to input a request for said beverage using the input device;

(h) cause a portion of the drink syrup of one of the drink supply containers to flow to a beverage collector; and

(i) cause water from the water line to flow to the beverage collector.

10. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein each of the images includes an image selected from the group consisting of text, a symbol, a drawing, artwork and a picture.

11. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the beverage data file read by the processor includes consumer information, and the memory device stores a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to cause the display device to graphically represent at least a portion of the consumer information.

12. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the beverage data file read by the processor includes price information, and the memory device stores a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to cause the display device to graphically represent at least a portion of the price information.

13. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the beverage data file read by the processor includes nutrition information, and the memory device stores a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to cause the display device to graphically represent at least a portion of the nutrition information.

14. The refrigerator of claim 9, wherein the input device includes a touch screen operable with the display device.

15. The refrigerator of claim 9, which includes a communication device operatively coupled to the processor, the communication device enabling a computer, operating over a network, to send the beverage data files to the data port.

16. A refrigerator comprising:

a housing including a refrigeration compartment;

at least one door supported by the housing, the door providing access to the refrigeration compartment;

a display device supported by the housing;

a drink supply container holder supported by the housing, the drink supply container holder configured to removably hold a plurality of removable drink supply containers, each of the drink supply containers having a drink supply outlet valve, wherein each of the drink supply containers can contain a variable volume of drink syrup, and the drink syrup in each of the drink supply containers can have a different flavor, each of the different flavored drink syrups associated with a different beverage;

at least one water line supported by the housing;

at least one water valve fluidly connected to the water line;

a plurality of actuators supported by the housing, including;

(a) one actuator operable to enable the drink supply outlet valve to switch between an open position and a closed position; and

(b) another actuator operable to enable the water valve to switch between an open position and a closed position;

at least one input device enabling a user to provide an input;

a communication device operatively coupled to a network;

at least one processor operatively coupled to the display device, the actuators, the input device and the communication device;

a memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to;

(a) download, over the network, a plurality of different beverage data files associated with a plurality of different ones of the beverages;

(b) store the downloaded beverage data files in the memory device;

(c) cause the display device to display a plurality of different images, each of the images associated with a different one of beverages;

(d) enable at least one event to occur, said event associated with one of the beverages;

(e) read the beverage data file associated with said beverage, said beverage data file having data relating to said beverage;

(f) cause the display device to graphically indicate at least a portion of said data relating to said beverage;

(g) enable the user to input a request for said beverage using the input device;

(h) cause a portion of the drink syrup of one of the drink supply containers to flow to a beverage collector, the flavor of said drink syrup associated with the requested beverage; and

(i) cause water from the water line to flow to the beverage collector; and

a support member supported by the housing, the support member configured to support the beverage collector.

17. The refrigerator of claim 16, wherein each of the images includes an image selected from the group consisting of text, a symbol, a drawing, artwork and a picture.

18. The refrigerator of claim 16, wherein the beverage data file read by the processor includes consumer information, and the memory device stores a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to cause the display device to graphically represent at least a portion of the consumer information.

19. The refrigerator of claim 16, wherein the beverage data file read by the processor includes price information, and the memory device stores a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to cause the display device to graphically represent at least a portion of the price information.

20. The refrigerator of claim 16, wherein the beverage data file read by the processor includes nutrition information, and the memory device stores a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to cause the display device to graphically represent at least a portion of the nutrition information.