IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0329366
(2006-01-09)
|
등록번호 |
US-7260504
(2007-08-21)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
7 인용 특허 :
1 |
초록
▼
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
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A method for measuring the amount of liquid poured from a liquid container, the method comprising: a) detecting a tilting of the liquid container by at least a first tilting angle; and b) generating a time measurement for when the liquid container remains tilted by at least t
What is claimed is: 1. A method for measuring the amount of liquid poured from a liquid container, the method comprising: a) detecting a tilting of the liquid container by at least a first tilting angle; and b) generating a time measurement for when the liquid container remains tilted by at least the first tilting angle, wherein generating time is performed by an apparatus physically coupled to the liquid container. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a spout. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the spout is a free-pour spout. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the spout is mounted on the liquid container. 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the spout has a passageway through which fluid in the liquid container can pour out of the liquid container. 6. The method of claim 5, 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. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising of transmitting the time measurement. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the time measurement is transmitted more than once. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the time measurement is transmitted more than once at random intervals. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein a start of the time measurement occurs when an engage switch and a tilt switch are both on. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the engage switch is on when a spout is mounted to the liquid container. 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the tilt switch is on when the liquid container is tilted by the first tilting angle. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the time measurement comprises a plurality of time interval measurements. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the time interval measurements comprises about 100 milliseconds. 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the time interval measurements are weighted time interval measurements. 16. The method of claim 1 further comprising of determining whether a false pour event occurs. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein a false pour event occurs when the liquid container is tilted for less than a pre-determined time. 18. The method of claim 16, wherein a false pour event occurs when the liquid container is tilted at an angle that is less than the first tilted angle. 19. The method of claim 16, wherein the time measurement is not generated after determining that the false pour event occurs. 20. The method of claim 1, further comprising of determining whether the liquid container is empty. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein the liquid container is empty when an engage switch is off. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the liquid container is empty when the time measurement has reached a particular value. 23. A computer readable medium of an apparatus physically coupled to a liquid container, the computer readable medium storing a computer program for measuring the amount of liquid poured from the liquid container, the computer program executable by at least one processor, the computer program comprising sets of instructions for: a) detecting a tilting of the liquid container by at least a first tilting angle; and b) generating a time measurement for when the liquid container remains tilted by at least the first tilting angle. 24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the apparatus is a spout. 25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the spout is a free-pour spout. 26. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the spout is mounted on the liquid container. 27. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the spout has a passageway through which fluid in the liquid container can pour out of the liquid container. 28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, 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. 29. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for transmitting the time measurement. 30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the time measurement is transmitted more than once. 31. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the time measurement is transmitted more than once at random intervals. 32. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein a start of the time measurement occurs when an engage switch and a tilt switch are both on. 33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the engage switch is on when a spout is mounted to the liquid container. 34. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the tilt switch is on when the liquid container is tilted by the first tilting angle. 35. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the time measurement comprises a plurality of time interval measurements. 36. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for determining whether a false pour event occurs. 37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein a false pour event occurs when the liquid container is tilted for less than a pre-determined time. 38. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein a false pour event occurs when the liquid container is tilted at an angle that is less than the first tilted angle. 39. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the time measurement is not generated after determining that the false pour event occurs. 40. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein the computer program further comprises a set of instructions for determining whether the liquid container is empty. 41. The computer readable medium of claim 40, wherein the liquid container is empty when an engage switch is off. 42. The computer readable medium of claim 41, wherein the liquid container is empty when the time measurement has reached a particular value.
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