Method, apparatus, and system for monitoring amount of liquid poured from liquid containers
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0845250
(2004-05-13)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
10 |
초록
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Some embodiments of the invention provide a system for monitoring liquid consumption at one or more establishments. At each establishment, the system includes one or more spouts and a local computer. Each spout is mounted on a liquid container. Also, each spout generates data regarding the amount of
Some embodiments of the invention provide a system for monitoring liquid consumption at one or more establishments. At each establishment, the system includes one or more spouts and a local computer. Each spout is mounted on a liquid container. Also, each spout generates data regarding the amount of liquid poured from the spout's container. The local computer at each establishment collects data generated by the spouts at the establishment. In some embodiments, a wireless network links the local computer and the spouts at each establishment. The system also includes an external computer that gathers the data collected by the local computers of the establishments monitored by the system. In some embodiments, the external computer is located outside of all the establishments, while in other embodiments this computer is located within one of the establishments. Some embodiments of the invention provide a free-pour spout. This spout mounts on an open orifice of a liquid container and measures the amount of liquid poured from the liquid container. This spout has a housing and a passageway defined within the housing. It also has a detection circuit that detects fluid flow through the passageway. In addition, this spout has a measuring circuit that generates data relating to fluid flow when the detection circuit detects fluid flow through the passageway.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. A method of measuring the amount of liquid poured from a liquid container, the method comprising: a) mounting a spout on the liquid container, wherein the spout has a passageway through which fluid in the container can pour out of the container, wherein the passageway has a p
What is claimed is: 1. A method of measuring the amount of liquid poured from a liquid container, the method comprising: a) mounting a spout on the liquid container, wherein the spout has a passageway through which fluid in the container can pour out of the container, wherein the passageway has a plurality of dimensional attributes that ensure laminar fluid flow through the passageway when the spout is rotated by a first particular angle, wherein the dimensional attributes of the passageway ensure laminar fluid flow when the spout is rotated by a second particular angle; b) detecting fluid flow through the passageway; and c) generating data relating to fluid flow after detecting fluid flow through the passageway. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting fluid flow comprises detecting the tilting of the spout by at least a first angle. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein generating data relating to fluid flow comprises: generating a time measurement when the spout remains tilted by at least the first angle for a threshold time period, wherein the time measurement represents an estimate of the time that liquid was flowing through the passageway. 4. The method of claim 3 further comprising: before generating the time measurement, determining whether the spout has remained tilted by at least the first angle for the threshold period. 5. The method of claim 3 further comprising transmitting the generated time measurement. 6. The method of claim 5 further comprising transmitting, with each time measurement, an identifier that uniquely specifies a pouring event associated with the time measurement. 7. The method of claim 6 wherein the identifier is a sequence number. 8. The method of claim 6 further comprising transmitting, with each time measurement, a spout identifier that identifies the spout. 9. The method of claim 2, wherein the time measurement is derived from at least two time intervals relating to fluid flow. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the time measurement is the sum of the two time intervals relating to fluid flow. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the time measurement is the weighted sum of the two time intervals relating to fluid flow. 12. The method of claim 9, wherein one time interval is a pour-initiation period during which fluid begins to pour through the spout's passageway, and another time interval is a full-pour period during which fluid freely pours through the spout's passageway. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein during the full-pour period the fluid flow is laminar. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein another time interval is a pour-completion period during which fluid flow through the spout's passageway is not laminar. 15. The method of claim 2, wherein detecting tilting of the spout comprises generating a first signal that is active when the spout is tilted by at least the first angle. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting tilting of the spout further comprises using a tilt switch that closes when the spout is tilted by at least a first angle, wherein the closing of the tilt switch makes the first signal active and the opening of the tilt switch makes the first signal inactive. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the passageway has a length and a diameter, and the ratio of the length and the diameter is no more than a particular value. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the particular value is 20.
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (10)
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Frank Michael S. (414 S. Craig St. ; Suite 283 Pittsburgh PA 15213) Garrett R. Patrick (Pittsburgh PA), Card-controlled beverage distribution system.
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Peckels Arganious E. (Ogilvie MN), Electronic dispensing heads.
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Reams Barry A. (Schaumburg IL) Clem Lyle W. (Algonquin IL), Flow-meter data collection and processing system.
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Phallen, Iver J.; Vogt, Douglas N.; Comfort, Robert; Jezuit, Jr., Richard J.; Messing, David C.; McIlhagga, Scott; Carroll, David J., High speed beverage dispensing method and apparatus.
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Maiefski Romaine R. (1035 Golden Rd. Encinitas CA 92024) Puglisi Albert J. (Escondido CA), Liquid metering and dispensing system.
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Williamson Robert D. (7350 NW. First Ct. Pembroke Pines FL 33024), Method and apparatus for beverage dispensing control and quantity monitoring.
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Peckels Arganious E. (R.R. 2 ; Box 489 Ogilvie MN 56358), Method and apparatus for manual dispensing from discrete vessels with electronic system control and dispensing data gene.
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Suo-Anttila, Tap, Variance alerting dispenser system and variance detector apparatus and method.
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Kolls, H. Brock, Vending machine control system having access to the internet for the purposes of transacting e-mail, e-commerce, and e-business, and for conducting vending transactions.
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Mogadam Masoud M. ; Pracher Timothy J., Wireless liquid portion and inventory control system.
이 특허를 인용한 특허 (5)
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Heatherly, Richard B.; Morton, Michael; Nichols-Roy, David, Dosing spout and system.
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Teller, David, ID proximity monitoring of inventory objects.
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Temko, Seth W.; Raczynski, Walter V.; Zimnicki, Charles L., Methods, apparatuses, and systems for measuring the amount of material dispensed from a container using an accelerometer.
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Temko, Seth W.; Zimnicki, Charles L.; Raczynski, Walter V., Methods, apparatuses, and systems for measuring the amount of material dispensed from a container using an accelerometer.
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Brower, Charles J., Spout apparatus, systems and methods.
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