A beverage dispensing system comprising a dispensing device including a dispensing valve for dispensing a beverage, an actuator for initiating the dispensing of said beverage through said valve, a display screen having a user interface being coupled to said dispensing device, wireless communication
A beverage dispensing system comprising a dispensing device including a dispensing valve for dispensing a beverage, an actuator for initiating the dispensing of said beverage through said valve, a display screen having a user interface being coupled to said dispensing device, wireless communication electronics coupled to said beverage dispensing system and adapted to communicate with a wireless transponder and a controller functionally connected to said at least one dispensing valve, said display screen and said wireless communication electronics.
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1. A beverage dispensing system comprising: a dispensing device including at least one dispensing valve for dispensing at least one member of the group consisting of ice and a beverage;an actuator for initiating the dispensing of said at least one of ice and a beverage through said valve;a wireless
1. A beverage dispensing system comprising: a dispensing device including at least one dispensing valve for dispensing at least one member of the group consisting of ice and a beverage;an actuator for initiating the dispensing of said at least one of ice and a beverage through said valve;a wireless transponder;wireless communication electronics coupled to said dispensing device and adapted to detect and to communicate with the wireless transponder, the wireless communication electronics comprising an antenna;a controller functionally connected to said actuator and said wireless communication electronics;a drip tray, wherein the antenna is disposed within the drip tray and orientated horizontally so as to span a width of the drip tray and span across one or more open heads of the dispensing device;wherein, upon the sending of a signal to said controller, the controller activates said wireless communication electronics and initiates detection of the wireless transponder, and wherein upon the sending of said signal the controller also activates the actuator;wherein said controller calculates a volume of the dispensed beverage and allows multiple dispensations from said actuator of a same or different type of the dispensed beverage if a volume-capacity of said at least one of ice and beverage has not been reached. 2. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said wireless communication electronics includes an RFID reader. 3. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said transponder is present on an object selected from the group consisting of a card and a container. 4. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, wherein said transponder contains user information selected from the group consisting of name of user, container size, user preferences, point of sale, point of initial sale, validity of a container, and reward point status. 5. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1 wherein the transponder is selected from the group consisting of a read-only RFID tag and a read/write RFID tag. 6. A method for dispensing at least one of ice and a beverage from a beverage dispensing system including a dispensing device with at least one dispensing valve for dispensing at least one of ice and a beverage, an actuator for initiating the dispensing of said beverage through said valve, a display screen, wireless communication electronics and a controller, said method comprising: detecting the presence of a beverage container within a predetermined area of said dispensing device;searching for a RFID tag within a read field;displaying an exhibit on said display screen, said exhibit being a first screen if an RFID tag was detected and a second screen if an RFID tag was not detected in said read field;verifying validity of said RFID tag or payment information and determining a verified amount of at least one of ice and a beverage to dispense;opening said valve to allow dispensing of said at least one of ice and a beverage when said actuator is engaged;calculating, by said controller, a volume of the dispensed beverage and opening said valve to allow multiple dispensations from said actuator of a same or different type of the dispensed beverage if a volume-capacity of said at least one of ice and beverage has not been reached;closing said valve following the dispensing of the verified amount of said at least one of ice and a beverage. 7. The method of claim 6 further comprising: modifying information read from said RFID tag and writing said modified information back onto said tag. 8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of modifying information includes recording the type and amount of beverage purchased. 9. A beverage dispensing system comprising: a dispensing device including at least one dispensing valve for dispensing at least one of ice and a beverage;an actuator for initiating the dispensing of said at least one of ice and a beverage through said at least one dispensing valve;a display screen;wireless communication electronics coupled to said dispensing device and adapted to detect and to communicate with a wireless transponder, the wireless communication electronics comprising an antenna;a controller functionally connected to said at least one dispensing valve, said display screen and said wireless communication electronics;a drip tray including the antenna, wherein the antenna is orientated horizontally so as to span across one or more open heads of the dispensing device;wherein, when said transponder is detected by the wireless communication electronics, the controller activates the actuator and initiates dispensing of said at least one of ice and a beverage;wherein said controller calculates a volume of the dispensed beverage and allows multiple dispensations from said actuator of a same or different type of the dispensed beverage if a volume-capacity of said at least one of ice and beverage has not been reached. 10. The beverage dispensing system of claim 9, wherein said transponder is part of a member of the group consisting of a beverage container and a card. 11. A method for dispensing at least one of ice and a beverage from a beverage dispensing system including a dispensing device with at least one dispensing valve for dispensing at least one of ice and a beverage, an actuator for initiating the dispensing of said at least one of ice and a beverage through said valve, a display screen, wireless communication electronics and a controller, said method comprising: detecting the presence of a beverage container by depression of a lever;searching for a RFID tag containing information within a read field;displaying an exhibit on said display screen, said exhibit being determined based on the information on said RFID tag;verifying validity of said RFID tag or payment information and determining a verified amount of at least one of ice and a beverage to dispense;opening said valve to allow dispensing of said at least one of ice and a beverage when said actuator is engaged;calculating, by said controller, a volume of the dispensed beverage and opening said valve to allow multiple dispensations from said actuator of a same or different type of the dispensed beverage if a volume-capacity of said at least one of ice and beverage has not been reached;closing said valve following the dispensing of the verified amount of said at least one of ice and a beverage. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein said transponder is part of a member of the group consisting of a beverage container and a card. 13. A beverage dispensing system comprising: a dispensing device including at least one dispensing valve for dispensing at least one of ice and a beverage;an actuator for initiating the dispensing of said at least one of ice and a beverage through said valve;wireless communication electronics coupled to said dispensing device and adapted to communicate with a wireless transponder, the wireless communication electronics comprising an antenna;a controller functionally connected to said at least one dispensing valve, a display screen and said wireless communication electronics;a drip tray, wherein the antenna is disposed within the drip tray so as to span a width of the drip tray and span across one or more open heads of the dispensing device;said controller activating said display screen in response to a signal from the transponder and displaying a first exhibit if a wireless transponder is detected by said wireless communication electronics and displaying a second exhibit if a wireless transponder is not detected by said wireless communication electronics;wherein said controller calculates a volume of the dispensed beverage and allows multiple dispensations from said actuator of a same or different type of the dispensed beverage if a volume-capacity of said at least one of ice and beverage has not been reached. 14. The beverage dispensing system of claim 13, wherein said transponder is part of a member of the group consisting of a beverage container and a card. 15. A system for providing loyalty rewards encouraging use of a beverage dispenser, comprising: a beverage dispensing device including at least one dispensing valve for dispensing at least one of ice and a beverage;a wireless transponder containing user identification, wherein said user identification is associated with a rewards point statuswireless communication electronics coupled to said dispensing device and adapted to detect and communicate with the wireless transponder, the wireless communication electronics comprising an antenna;a drip tray including the antenna, wherein the antenna is capable of spanning a width of the drip tray and capable of spanning across one or more open heads of the beverage dispensing device;wherein, when the wireless communication electronics detect the transponder, the user identification is read by the wireless transponder and the dispensing valve is authorized to dispense at least one of ice and a beverage;wherein a controller is functionally connected to the at least one dispensing valve and is configured to calculate a volume of the dispensed beverage and allow multiple dispensations from the dispensing valve of a same or different type of the dispensed beverage if a volume-capacity of said at least one of ice and beverage has not been reached; andwherein, following dispensation of at least one of ice and a beverage, the rewards point status is updated. 16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a display screen, said display screen notifying a user of the updated rewards point status. 17. The system of claim 15, wherein said rewards point status is recorded on said wireless transponder. 18. The system of claim 15, wherein said wireless transponder is an RFID tag. 19. The system of claim 15, wherein said wireless transponder is on a card. 20. A beverage dispensing system comprising: a dispensing device including at least one dispensing valve for dispensing at least one of ice and a beverage, an actuator for initiating the dispensing of said at least one of ice and a beverage through said valve;a wireless transponder;wireless communication electronics comprising an antenna and coupled to said dispensing device and adapted to detect and to communicate with the wireless transponder;a controller functionally connected to said at least one dispensing valve and said wireless communication electronics; anda drip tray located under the at least one dispensing valve, wherein said antenna is housed in the drip tray and orientated horizontally, the horizontal orientation facilitating the antenna to span a width of the drip tray and to facilitate the antenna spanning across one or more open heads of the dispensing device;wherein said controller calculates a volume of the dispensed beverage and allows multiple dispensations from said actuator of a same or different type of the dispensed beverage if a volume-capacity of said at least one of ice and beverage has not been reached. 21. The beverage dispensing system of claim 1, further comprising at least one member of the group consisting of a lever and a button, wherein depression of said lever or pressing of said button activates a switch that sends said signal to the controller.
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