IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
UP-0502220
(2006-08-10)
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등록번호 |
US-7734373
(2010-06-29)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Sudolcan, David C.
- Chadwell, Thomas J.
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
2 |
초록
▼
A method and apparatus wherein traditional design methodologies directed toward obtaining minimized component costs are largely set aside in favor of mass customization, reduced design and ownership costs, and shorter design cycles. The distributed architecture contemplates widespread distribution o
A method and apparatus wherein traditional design methodologies directed toward obtaining minimized component costs are largely set aside in favor of mass customization, reduced design and ownership costs, and shorter design cycles. The distributed architecture contemplates widespread distribution of monitoring and control functions for most device-specific hardware under the direction of a CPU module. In implementation of the distributed architecture, various component modules are placed in communication with the CPU module through at least one and preferably multiple communication busses.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. A food/beverage dispenser, comprising: a housing; a first food/beverage source; a second food/beverage source; a CPU module disposed in the housing, wherein the CPU module monitors and/or controls operations for the food beverage dispenser; a first component module disposed i
What is claimed is: 1. A food/beverage dispenser, comprising: a housing; a first food/beverage source; a second food/beverage source; a CPU module disposed in the housing, wherein the CPU module monitors and/or controls operations for the food beverage dispenser; a first component module disposed in the housing, the first component module comprising a first component module microcontroller coupled with the CPU module through a first component module bus and a first component module valve coupled with the first food/product source, wherein, when the CPU module issues via the first component module bus a first component module address and instructions, the first component module microcontroller receives the first component module address and instructions and responsive thereto controls the first component module valve to regulate the delivery of food/beverage from the first food/beverage source exterior to the housing; and a second component module disposed in the housing, the second component module comprising a second component module microcontroller coupled with the first component module through a second component module bus and a second component module valve coupled with the second food/product source, wherein, when the CPU module issues via the first component module bus a second component module address and instructions, the first component module microcontroller ignores the second component module address and instructions such that the second component module address and instructions are transmitted from the first component module to the second component module via the second component module bus, further wherein the second component module microcontroller receives the second component module address and instructions and responsive thereto controls the second component module valve to regulate the delivery of food/beverage from the second food/beverage source exterior to the housing. 2. The food/beverage dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising: a third component module disposed in the housing, the third component module comprising a third component module microcontroller coupled with the CPU module through a third component module bus, wherein the third component module microcontroller controls the receipt of user input into the food/beverage dispenser. 3. The food/beverage dispenser according to claim 2, further comprising: a fourth component module disposed in the housing, the fourth component module comprising a fourth component module microcontroller coupled with the CPU module through a fourth component module bus and a pump coupled with the first food/beverage source, wherein, responsive to instructions received from the CPU module, the fourth component module microcontroller controls the pump to regulate the delivery of food/beverage from the first food/beverage source to the first component module valve. 4. The food/beverage dispenser according to claim 1, further comprising: a third food/beverage source; and a third component module disposed in the housing, the third component module comprising a third component module microcontroller coupled with the second component module through a third component module bus and a third component module valve coupled with the third food/product source, wherein, when the CPU module issues via the first component module bus a third component module address and instructions, the first component module microcontroller ignores the third component module address and instructions such that the third component module address and instructions are transmitted from the first component module to the second component module via the second component module bus, further wherein the second component module microcontroller ignores the third component module address and instructions such that the third component module address and instructions are transmitted from the second component module to the third component module via the third component module bus, still further wherein the third component module microcontroller receives the third component module address and instructions and responsive thereto controls the third component module valve to regulate the delivery of food/beverage from the third food/beverage source exterior to the housing. 5. The food/beverage dispenser according to claim 1, wherein: the first component module further comprises a bus interface that controls access to the CPU module for the first component module microcontroller; and the second component module further comprises a bus interface that controls access to the CPU module for the second component module microcontroller. 6. The food/beverage dispenser according to claim 5, wherein the third component module connects further comprises a bus interface that controls access to the CPU module for the third component module microcontroller. 7. A food/beverage dispenser, comprising: a housing; a CPU module disposed in the housing, wherein the CPU module monitors and/or controls operations for the food beverage dispenser; a first component module disposed in the housing, the first component module comprising a first component module microcontroller coupled with the CPU module through a first component module bus and a first component module component, wherein, when the CPU module issues via the first component module bus a first component module address and instructions, the first component module microcontroller receives the first component module address and instructions and responsive thereto controls the first component module component to execute an operation of the food/beverage dispenser; and a second component module disposed in the housing, the second component module comprising a second component module microcontroller coupled with the first component module through a second component module bus and a second component module component, wherein, when the CPU module issues via the first component module bus a second component module address and instructions, the first component module microcontroller ignores the second component module address and instructions such that the second component module address and instructions are transmitted from the first component module to the second component module via the second component module bus, further wherein the second component module microcontroller receives the second component module address and instructions and responsive thereto controls the second component module component to execute an operation of the food/beverage dispenser. 8. The food/beverage dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the first component module component comprises a valve coupled with a first food/beverage source, further wherein, responsive to the first component module address and instructions, the first component module microcontroller controls the valve to regulate the delivery of food/beverage from the first food/beverage source exterior to the housing. 9. The food/beverage dispenser according to claim 8, wherein the second component module component comprises a valve coupled with a second food/beverage source, further wherein, responsive to the second component module address and instructions, the second component module microcontroller controls the valve to regulate the delivery of food/beverage from the first food/beverage source exterior to the housing. 10. The food/beverage dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the first component module component comprises a user interface that receives user input and transmits the user input to the CPU module via the first component module bus. 11. The food/beverage dispenser according to claim 10, wherein the second component module component comprises a valve coupled with a food/beverage source, further wherein, responsive to the user input, the CPU module issues the second component module address and instructions, still further wherein the second component module microcontroller receives the second component module address and instructions and responsive thereto controls the valve to regulate the delivery of food/beverage from the food/beverage source exterior to the housing. 12. The food/beverage dispenser according to claim 7, further comprising: a third component module disposed in the housing, the third component module comprising a third component module microcontroller coupled with the second component module through a third component module bus and a third component module component, wherein, when the CPU module issues via the first component module bus a third component module address and instructions, the first component module microcontroller ignores the third component module address and instructions such that the third component module address and instructions are transmitted from the first component module to the second component module via the second component module bus, further wherein the second component module microcontroller ignores the third component module address and instructions such that the third component module address and instructions are transmitted from the second component module to the third component module via the third component module bus, still further wherein the third component module microcontroller receives the third component module address and instructions and responsive thereto controls the third component module component to execute an operation of the food/beverage dispenser. 13. The food/beverage dispenser according to claim 12, wherein the third component module further comprises a bus interface that controls access to the CPU module for the third component module microcontroller. 14. The food/beverage dispenser according to claim 7, wherein: the first component module further comprises a bus interface that controls access to the CPU module for the first component module microcontroller; and the second component module further comprises a bus interface that controls access to the CPU module for the second component module microcontroller. 15. The distributed architecture for a food/beverage dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the CPU module comprises a microcontroller for executing programming instructions that facilitate operations for the food/beverage dispenser. 16. The distributed architecture for a food/beverage dispenser according to claim 15, wherein the CPU module comprises a ROM for storing the application code executed by the microcontroller in facilitating operations for the food/beverage dispenser. 17. The distributed architecture for a food/beverage dispenser according to claim 16, wherein the CPU module comprises a RAM for storing variables required by the microcontroller in executing the programming instructions that facilitate the operations for the food/beverage dispenser. 18. The distributed architecture for a food/beverage dispenser according to claim 17, wherein the CPU module comprises a non-volatile memory for storing configuration information required by the microcontroller to execute application code stored in the ROM. 19. The distributed architecture for a food/beverage dispenser according to claim 18, wherein the non-volatile memory stores historical information for the food/beverage dispenser. 20. The distributed architecture for a food/beverage dispenser according to claim 7, wherein the CPU module comprises an auxiliary communications interface that interfaces the CPU module with external devices. 21. The distributed architecture for a food/beverage dispenser according to claim 7, further comprising a power module for supplying power to the CPU module, the power supply module selected from a group of different sized power supply modules.
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