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A controller and method of controlling an integrated beverage blending system comprising: a controller for menu selection; an ice portion control module; an ingredient module; a dispensing apparatus in communication with the ice portion control module and the ingredient module, wherein the ice and t

A controller and method of controlling an integrated beverage blending system comprising: a controller for menu selection; an ice portion control module; an ingredient module; a dispensing apparatus in communication with the ice portion control module and the ingredient module, wherein the ice and the ingredient are dispensed into a beverage container via the dispensing apparatus; and at least one blender/mixer/cleaner module which blends and/or mixes the ice and the ingredient in the beverage container, thereby producing the beverage; wherein, upon removal of the beverage container from the blender/mixer/cleaner module, the blender/mixer/cleaner module initiates a cleaning mode.

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1. A controller for an integrated beverage system that comprises a dispensing module that dispenses ice and one or more other ingredients according to a recipe script executed by the controller into a container and a blending/mixing module that blends and/or mixes said ice and said one or more other

1. A controller for an integrated beverage system that comprises a dispensing module that dispenses ice and one or more other ingredients according to a recipe script executed by the controller into a container and a blending/mixing module that blends and/or mixes said ice and said one or more other ingredients in said container using at least a blender blade, said controller comprising: a controller apparatus that controls said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare a first beverage in a first container and a second beverage in a second container concurrently and sequentially. 2. The controller of claim 1, wherein said controller apparatus controls said dispensing module to dispense a first set of said one or more other ingredients for said first beverage into said first container and then controls said blending/mixing module to blend and/or mix said first set in said first container and simultaneously or sequentially controls said dispensing module to start dispensing a second set of said one or more other ingredients for said second beverage into said second container. 3. The controller of claim 1, wherein said each of said first and second containers are beverage cups used for combined blending and serving. 4. The controller of claim 1, wherein said controller apparatus controls said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module based on beverage requests received from a user operated entry device. 5. The controller of claim 1, wherein said one or more other ingredients are selected from the group consisting of: water, flavor and additive. 6. The controller of claim 1, wherein said controller apparatus monitors conditions of said integrated beverage system via connections to one or more sensors of said integrated beverage system. 7. The controller of claim 1, wherein said integrated beverage system further comprises an ice maker, and wherein said controller apparatus controls said dispensing module to deliver said ice to at least one of said first container and said second containers. 8. The controller of claim 1, wherein said dispensing module comprises a plurality of storage containers, wherein said plurality of said other ingredients are stored in separate ones of said plurality of storage containers, and wherein said controller apparatus controls said dispensing module to deliver at least one of said plurality of said other ingredients from a corresponding storage container to said first container or said second container. 9. The controller of claim 8, wherein said plurality of storage containers are flexible bags. 10. The controller of claim 8, wherein said dispensing module further comprises a single dispensing nozzle for said plurality of storage containers, wherein said controller apparatus controls said dispensing module to deliver a selection of said other ingredients from said separate ones of said plurality of storage containers via separate delivery paths to said nozzle for dispensing to said first container or said second container. 11. The controller of claim 1, wherein said recipe script comprises a first recipe script and a second recipe script, and wherein said controller apparatus comprises a plurality of micro-controllers that control said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare said first beverage and said second beverage based on said first recipe script and said second recipe script, respectively. 12. The controller of claim 11, wherein said first recipe script comprises such selectable elements as a beverage container size, a user selected beverage, optional fluid types and quantities, optional additive types and quantities, blender profiles, optional mixer profiles, operator instructions for the different additives and a first ingredient, and wherein at least one of said micro-controllers, based on said beverage container size, said first ingredient and said user selected beverage, controls said dispenser module to portion said first ingredient. 13. The controller of claim 11, wherein said micro-controllers comprise: a first micro-controller that responds to user data entered via a user entry device to provide said first and second recipe scripts; anda second micro-controller that uses said first and second recipe scripts to control said dispensing module in the dispensing of a first set of said other ingredients into said first container and a second set of said other ingredients into said second container, respectively; anda third micro-controller that uses said first and second recipe scripts to blend and/or mix said first and second sets of other ingredients in said first and second containers to produce said first and second beverages, respectively. 14. The controller of claim 13, wherein said blending/mixing module further comprises a door and at least one position sensor, wherein said position sensor is selected from the group consisting of: spindle assembly home, door open, and spindle assembly home and door open. 15. The controller of claim 13, wherein said blending/mixing module further comprises a cleaning assembly, and wherein said third micro-controller using said first or second script operates said cleaning assembly to inject a cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid into a blending/mixing module after said first or second beverage has been removed therefrom. 16. The controller of claim 1, wherein said blending/mixing module is a first blending/mixing module, wherein said integrated beverage system further comprises a second blending/mixing module, and wherein said controller apparatus executes a program to concurrently prepare said first and second beverages by controlling said first and second blending/mixing modules to time share said dispensing module. 17. The controller of claim 16, wherein said recipe script comprises a first recipe script and a second recipe script, and wherein said integrated beverage system further comprises an interactive display, and wherein said program causes said controller apparatus to present a series of interactive screens on said display, to respond to user entries via said interactive screens to define first and second sets of ingredients for said first and second beverages, to provide said first recipe script and said second recipe script for said first and second beverages, respectively, and to use said first and second recipe scripts to control said dispensing module to dispense said first and second sets of ingredients into said first container and said second container, respectively, on a time shared basis. 18. A controller for an integrated beverage system that comprises a dispensing module that dispenses one or more ingredients into a container and a blending/mixing module that blends and/or mixes said ingredients in said container using at least a blender blade, said controller comprising: a controller apparatus that controls said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare a first beverage in a first container and a second beverage in a second container concurrently and sequentially, wherein said controller apparatus controls said dispensing module to dispense ice and fluid simultaneously or in a layered manner with a layer of ice first and then a layer of fluid and optionally by another layer of ice and/or fluid. 19. A controller for an integrated beverage system that comprises a dispensing module that dispenses one or more ingredients into a container and a blending/mixing module that blends and/or mixes said ingredients in said container using at least a blender blade, said controller comprising: a controller apparatus that controls said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare a first beverage in a first container and a second beverage in a second container concurrently and sequentially, wherein said controller apparatus controls said dispensing module to dispense ice and fluid simultaneously or in a layered manner with a layer of fluid first and then a layer of ice and optionally by another layer of fluid and/or ice. 20. A controller for an integrated beverage system that comprises a dispensing module that dispenses one or more ingredients into a container and a blending/mixing module that blends and/or mixes said ingredients in said container, said controller comprising: a controller apparatus that controls said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare a first beverage in a first container and a second beverage in a second container concurrently or sequentially,wherein said controller apparatus comprises a plurality of micro-controllers that control said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare said first beverage and said second beverage based on a first recipe script and a second recipe script, respectively,wherein said micro-controllers comprise:a first micro-controller that responds to user data entered via a user ent device to provide said first and second recipe scripts; anda second micro-controller that uses said first and second recipe scripts to control said dispensing module in the dispensing of a first set of said ingredients into said first container and a second set of said ingredients into said second container, respectively; anda third micro-controller that uses said first and second recipe scripts to blend and/or mix said first and second sets of ingredients in said first and second containers to produce said first and second beverages, respectively, wherein said blending/mixing module comprises a spindle assembly that is rotatable and that is movable substantially vertically into and out of said first container or said second container, and wherein said third micro-controller uses said first recipe script or said second recipe script to drive a first motor that rotates said spindle assembly and a second motor that moves said spindle assembly vertically. 21. The controller of claim 20, wherein one of said ingredients is ice, wherein said third micro-controller uses said first recipe script or said second recipe script to rotate said spindle assembly in a first manner to chop an ice particle size from coarse to fine and/or in a second manner leaves the ice in a coarse particle size. 22. The controller of claim 20, wherein said first recipe script or said second recipe script includes a size of said first container or said second container, a speed and dwell time for each of a plurality of blending levels in said beverage container, and wherein said third micro-controller uses said first recipe script or said second recipe script to control the movement of said spindle assembly substantially vertically to each of said levels and to rotate a blade at each level with the speed and for the dwell time for that level according to said first recipe script or said second recipe script. 23. A controller for an integrated beverage system that comprises a dispensing module that dispenses one or more ingredients into a container and a blending/mixing module that blends and/or mixes said ingredients in said container, said controller comprising: a controller apparatus that controls said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare a first beverage in a first container and a second beverage in a second container concurrently or sequentially,wherein said controller apparatus comprises a plurality of micro-controllers that control said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare said first beverage and said second beverage based on a first script and a second recipe script, respectively,wherein said micro-controllers comprise:a first micro-controller that responds to user data entered via a user ent device provide said first and second recipe scripts; anda second micro-controller that uses said first and second recipe scripts to control said dispensing module in the dispensing of a first set of said ingredients into said first container and a second set of said ingredients into said second container, respectively; anda third micro-controller that uses said first and second recipe scripts to blend and/or mix said first and second sets of ingredients in said first and second containers to produce said first and second beverages, respectively,wherein said blending/mixing module further comprises a cleaning assembly, and wherein said third micro-controller using said first or second script operates said cleaning assembly to inject a cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid into a blending/mixing module after said first or second beverage has been removed therefrom,wherein said cleaning assembly comprises a spray device located to inject said cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid, a cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid valve and an air valve in communication with a delivery conduit to said spray device, and wherein said third micro-controller uses said first recipe script or said second recipe script to operate said cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid valve to provide said cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid to said spray device via a conduit and said air valve to inject air into said conduit to increase a velocity of flow of said cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid in said blending/mixing module. 24. The controller of claim 23, wherein said cleaning assembly comprises a spindle assembly, and wherein said third micro-controller responds to said first or second script to lower said spindle assembly into interior of said blender/mixer module to enhance a coverage of said cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid within said blending/mixing module. 25. The controller of claim 24, wherein said cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid is selected from the group consisting of: water, detergent and/or sanitizing fluid. 26. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for controlling an integrated beverage system that comprises a dispensing module that dispenses ice and one or more other ingredients according to a recipe script into a container and a blending/mixing module that blends and/or mixes said ingredients in said container using at least a blender blade, said non-transitory computer readable medium comprising: executable with a computer apparatus instructions of said program to control said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare a first beverage in a first container and a second beverage in a second container concurrently and sequentially. 27. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, further comprising: an executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for controlling said dispensing module to dispense a first set of said one or more other ingredients for said first beverage into said first container;an executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for controlling said blending/mixing module to blend and/or mix said first set of said other ingredients in said first container; andan executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for simultaneously controlling said dispensing module to start dispensing a second set of said one or more other ingredients for said second beverage into said second container while said first set of said other ingredients is blending in said blending/mixing module. 28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein said first container and said second containers are beverage cups. 29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module are controlled based on beverage requests received from a user operated entry device. 30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein said one or more other ingredients are selected from the group consisting of: water, at least one flavor, and at least one additive. 31. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, further comprising wherein said controller apparatus monitors conditions of said integrated beverage system via connections to one or more sensors of said integrated beverage system. 32. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein said integrated beverage system further comprises an ice maker, and wherein said dispensing module is controlled to deliver said ice to at least of said first container and said second container. 33. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein said dispensing module comprises a plurality of storage containers, wherein a plurality of said other ingredients is stored in separate ones of said plurality of storage containers, and further comprising an executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for controlling said dispensing module to deliver at least one of said plurality of other ingredients from a corresponding storage container to said first container or said second container. 34. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein said plurality of storage containers are flexible bags. 35. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein said dispensing module further comprises at least one dispensing nozzle for said plurality of storage containers, and further comprising an executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for controlling said dispensing module to deliver a selection of said other ingredients from said separate ones of said plurality of storage containers via separate delivery paths to said nozzle for dispensing to said first container or said second container. 36. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein said recipe script comprises a first recipe script and a second recipe script, and wherein said controller apparatus comprises a plurality of micro-controllers, further comprising controlling said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare said first beverage and second beverage based on said first recipe script and said second recipe script, respectively. 37. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein said first recipe script comprises a beverage container size, a user selected beverage, and a first ingredient, and wherein at least one of said micro-controllers, based on said beverage container size, said first ingredient and said user selected beverage, controls said dispenser module to portion said first ingredient. 38. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein said blending/mixing module is a first blending/mixing module, wherein said integrated beverage system further comprises a second blending/mixing module, and further comprising an executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for concurrently preparing said first and second beverages by controlling said first and second blending/mixing modules to time share said dispensing module. 39. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 38, wherein said recipe script comprises a first recipe script and a second recipe script, and wherein said integrated beverage system further comprises an interactive display, and further comprising an executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program to present a series of interactive screens on said display, to respond to user entries via said interactive screens to define first and second sets of ingredients for said first and second beverages, to provide a first script and a second script for said first and second beverages, respectively, and to use said first and second scripts to control said dispensing module to dispense said first and second sets of ingredients into a first container and a second container, respectively, on a time shared basis. 40. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for controlling an integrated beverage system that comprises a dispensing module that dispenses one or more ingredients into a container and a blending/mixing module that blends and/or mixes said ingredients in said container using at least a blender blade, said non-transitory computer readable medium comprising: executable with a computer apparatus instructions of said program to control said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare a first beverage in a first container and a second beverage in a second container concurrently and sequentially; and executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for controlling said dispensing module to dispense ice and fluid simultaneously or in a layered manner with a layer of ice first and then a layer of fluid and optionally by another layer of ice and/or fluid. 41. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for controlling an integrated beverage system that comprises a dispensing module that dispenses one or more ingredients into a container and a blending/mixing module that blends and/or mixes said ingredients in said container using at least a blender blade, said non-transitory computer readable medium comprising: executable with a computer apparatus instructions of said program to control said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare a first beverage in a first container and a second beverage in a second container concurrently and sequentially; and executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for controlling said dispensing module to dispense ice and fluid simultaneously or in a layered manner with a layer of fluid first and then a layer of ice and optionally by another layer of fluid and/or ice. 42. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for controlling an integrated beverage system that comprises a dispensing module that dispenses one or more selected ingredients into a container and a blending/mixing module that blends and/or mixes said ingredients in said container, said non-transitory computer readable medium comprising: executable with a computer apparatus instructions of said program to control said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare a first beverage in a first container and a second beverage in a second container concurrently or sequentially, wherein said controller apparatus comprises a plurality of micro-controllers, controlling said dispensing module and said blending/mixing module to prepare said first beverage and second beverage based on a first recipe script and a second recipe script, respectively, wherein said micro-controllers comprise a first micro-controller, a second micro-controller and a third micro-controller, and further comprising:an executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for using said first micro-controller that responds to user data entered via a user entry device to provide said first and second recipe scripts; andan executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for using said second micro-controller that uses said first and second recipe scripts to control said dispensing module in the dispensing of a first set of said ingredients into said first container and a second set of said ingredients into said second container, respectively; andan executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for using said third micro-controller that uses said first and second recipe scripts to blend and/or mix said first and second sets of ingredients in said first and second containers to produce said first and second beverages, respectively. 43. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein said blending/mixing module comprises a spindle assembly that is rotatable and that is movable vertically into and out of said first container or said second container, and further comprising an executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for using said third micro-controller with said first recipe script or second recipe script to drive a first motor that rotates said spindle assembly and a second motor that moves said spindle assembly vertically. 44. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 43, wherein one of said ingredients is ice, and further comprising an executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for using said third micro-controller with said first or second script to rotate said spindle assembly in a first manner chop an ice particle size from coarse to fine and/or in a second manner leaves the ice in a coarse particle size. 45. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 43, wherein said first or second script includes a size of said beverage container, a speed and dwell time for each of a plurality of blending levels in said beverage container, and further comprising with said third micro-controller using said first recipe script or said second recipe script to move said spindle assembly vertically to each of said levels and to rotate said spindle assembly at each level with the speed and for the dwell time for that level according to said first recipe script or said second recipe script. 46. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein said blending/mixing module further comprises a door and a position sensor, wherein said position sensor is selected from the group consisting of: spindle assembly home, door open, and spindle assembly home and door open. 47. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein said blending/mixing module further comprises a cleaning assembly, and further comprising an executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for using said third micro-controller with said first recipe script or said second recipe script to operate said cleaning assembly to inject a cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid into a blender/mixer module after said first beverage or said second beverage has been removed therefrom. 48. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 47, wherein said cleaning assembly comprises a spray device located to inject a cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid, a cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid valve and an air valve in communication with a delivery conduit to said spray device, and further comprising an executable with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for using said third micro-controller with said first recipe script or said second recipe script to operate said cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid valve to provide said cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid to said spray device via a conduit and said air valve to inject air into said conduit to increase a velocity of flow of said cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid in said blending/mixing module. 49. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 48, further comprising executing with said computer apparatus instructions of said program for using said third micro-controller in response to said first recipe script or said second recipe script to lower said spindle assembly into said blending/mixing module to enhance a coverage of said cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid within a volume of one of said first and second containers after a corresponding beverage has been removed. 50. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 49, wherein said cleaning and/or sanitizing fluid is selected from the group consisting of: water, detergent, and sanitizing fluid.