Smart container dispenser and tracking system
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G06F-007/08
B67D-001/12
G06Q-010/08
B67D-001/08
출원번호
US-0585087
(2014-12-29)
등록번호
US-9334150
(2016-05-10)
발명자
/ 주소
Ost, Stephen D.
Pedersoli, Maher
출원인 / 주소
Ost, Stephen D.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
5인용 특허 :
4
초록▼
Beverage containers with attached or connected RFID tag. The RFID tag exciter is placed in or near the beverage dispenser for energizing the RFID tag and for discerning information therefrom. The information stored in the beverage containers is used to track it, record the consumable beverage types
Beverage containers with attached or connected RFID tag. The RFID tag exciter is placed in or near the beverage dispenser for energizing the RFID tag and for discerning information therefrom. The information stored in the beverage containers is used to track it, record the consumable beverage types with which the containers are filled, the number of times the containers are filled, and the records of the types of beverages with which the containers are filled. The combination of different RFID tags is read and translated to identify a particular beverage container. The identity of the beverage container is entered into a smart mobile device application to track, record, and create customized drink selections associated with the identity of the beverage container. The records of the customized beverages are sent to the user's smart mobile device from a computer system connected via wired or wireless communication with the beverage dispensing system.
대표청구항▼
1. A smart liquid dispensing system (122) comprising: a. a plurality of containers (11), capable of holding liquids, having a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag (13) and a Quick Response (QR) code (12) disposed thereon, the RFID tag (13) configured to encode a unique pre-set ID,b. a liquid di
1. A smart liquid dispensing system (122) comprising: a. a plurality of containers (11), capable of holding liquids, having a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag (13) and a Quick Response (QR) code (12) disposed thereon, the RFID tag (13) configured to encode a unique pre-set ID,b. a liquid dispensing apparatus (85), adapted to communicate with an RFID tag, capable of dispensing at least one liquid, capable of selectively controlling which liquids may be dispensed, capable of detecting a customer approaching, andc. an inventory manager (82), operatively connected to the liquid dispensing system, configured to store a plurality of unique pre-set IDs corresponding to the containers (11), wherein when a customer holding the container (11) approaches the dispensing system (122), the liquid dispensing system activates a sensor that reads the RFID tag (13) on the container (11), whereupon the liquid dispensing apparatus sends the RFID tag data to the inventory manager (82), whereupon the inventory manager decodes the RFID data to extract the unique pre-set ID of the container, whereupon the inventory manager compares the pre-set ID to the plurality of pre-set IDs stored in memory, whereupon if there is a match for the pre-set ID (125), the inventory manager directs the liquid dispensing apparatus to dispense a liquid (1213); wherein the liquid dispensing apparatus (85) comprises: a. a dispenser housing (146), wherein a size and shape of the housing is configured to accommodate a size and shape of the container,b. a host controller board (141),c. a display screen (142), operatively connected to the host controller board,d. a dispenser head (145), disposed above the dispenser housing (146),e. a dispenser head electronics (143), operatively connected to the host controller board (141), capable of operating at least one valve (144) to dispense a precise amount of liquid from a storage container (147),f. at least one valve (144) for dispensing liquids, operatively connected to the dispenser head electronics (143), the storage container (147), and to the dispenser head (145),g. at least one storage container (147) for storing a liquid to be dispensed, where each container is operatively connected to one valve (144), wherein when the value is opened, the liquid is dispensed from the storage container,h. an input/output board (148), operatively connected to the host controller board (141),i. an input device (149), operatively connected to the input/output board, capable of receiving a customer's input,j. a container detection mechanism (1410), operatively connected to the input/output board (148),k. a radio frequency identification reader board (1411), operatively connected to the input/output board (148),l. a radio frequency identification exciter antenna (1412), operatively connected to the RFID reader board (1411),m. a communications adapter (1413), operatively connected to the host controller board (141) and the inventory manager (82), wherein when customer places the container (11) in the dispenser housing (146), the container detection mechanism (1410) is activated, whereupon the input/output board (148) sends a signal to the host controller board (141), whereupon the host controller board directs the RFID reader board (1411) to excite the RFID antenna/exciter (1412), whereupon the RFID antenna excites the RFID tag (13) in the container (11), whereupon the RFID reader antenna (1412) receives a signal from the RFID tag (13) in the container, whereupon the RFID signal is decoded by the RFID reader board (1411), whereupon the RFID data is communicated to the host controller board (141), whereupon the host controller board sends the RFID data to the inventory manager (82) via the communications adapter (1413), whereupon the RFID tag of the container is verified by the inventory manager (82), whereupon the host controller (141) receives a verification indication from the inventory manager, whereupon the host controller (141) displays a list of options on the display screen (142), wherein the customer selects a liquid using the input device (149), wherein the selection is routed to the input/output board (148) and to the host controller board (141), whereupon the host controller board controls the dispenser head electronics (143) to activate an appropriate valve (144) to dispense a precise amount of the selected liquid, whereupon the liquid flows from the storage container (147) to the dispenser head (145) and is dispensed into the container (11), wherein when the container detection mechanism (1410) is deactivated, the host controller board (141) directs the dispenser head to close the valve (144), whereupon the dispenser head (145) stops pouring. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag data contains a serving size for the liquid to be dispensed, wherein the inventory manager directs the host controller to dispense a specified amount of liquid corresponding to the serving size, wherein if the allotted size has been reached, the host controller directs the dispenser head electronics to close the valve. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications card may be an Ethernet card, Wi-Fi receiver, Bluetooth receiver, Firewire adapter, or other means for communicating between a computer systems. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the container detection mechanism is a proximity sensor, lever actuator, or button. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device is a keypad, a set of buttons aligned with items on the display screen, a touch screen, a joystick, a mouse, or other means of input as is known in the art. 6. The system of claim 1, where the dispensing apparatus further comprises an alignment device constructed to accommodate and align the container (11) relative to the dispenser head of the liquid dispensing apparatus. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the liquid dispensing apparatus (85) further comprises a means for creating a customized beverage, wherein the host controller board is equipped to display a menu system for customizing a drink (1211) on the display screen, wherein the customer selects options from the menu system using the input device (1212), whereupon the host controller board receives the customized options from the input/output board, whereupon the host controller board determines precise amounts of a plurality of liquids to be dispensed for each customized drink, whereupon the host controller board controls the dispenser head electronics to create the customized drink by dispensing precise amounts of selected liquids into the container (1213), wherein the inventory manager stores the customized options and associates them with the pre-set ID of the container (1216). 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the system further comprises: a. a first soda machine server (95), operatively connected to the beverage dispensing apparatus (85), configured to store a plurality of pre-set IDs corresponding to the containers (11), configured to store a list of customized drink selections associated with each pre-set ID, andb. an application server (96), operatively connected to the soda machine server (95), configured to store a plurality of unique pre-set IDs corresponding to the containers (11), configured to store a list of customized drink selections associated with each pre-set ID, capable of communicating with a plurality of other soda machine servers (95) at other locations, wherein when the customer creates a customized drink on the liquid dispensing apparatus (85), the soda machine server stores the customized drink options (1215), and associates the customized drink with the RFID data of the container (1216), whereupon the soda machine server (95) shares the customized drink and unique pre-set ID with the application server (96), wherein when the customer approaches a second beverage dispensing apparatus (85) at a second location with the container (11), the inventory manager of the second beverage dispensing apparatus communicates the pre-set ID of the container (11) to the soda machine server (95), whereupon the soda machine server communicates the pre-set ID to the application server (96), whereupon the application server determines whether the cup is new or reused (128), whereupon if the cup is reused, the application server retrieves any customized beverage options stored on the application server (129), whereupon the customized drink options are communicated back to the second soda machine server and liquid dispensing apparatus (85), whereupon the customized drink options are displayed on the display screen as options within the menu system (129), whereupon the customer may select any previously created customized drink (1210) or create a new drink (1212), whereupon the host controller board receives the customized drink options from the inventory manager, whereupon host controller board controls the dispenser head electronics to create the customized drink by dispensing precise amounts of selected liquids into the container (1213). 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the selected liquids are dispensed into the container (11) in a specific order. 10. The system of claim 8, wherein the soda machine server (95) and inventory manager (82) are implemented on the same computer system. 11. The system of claim 8, wherein the RFID tag is encoded with a maximum number of uses for a container (11), wherein the number of uses is stored on the application server (96) and associated with the pre-set ID, wherein when the maximum number of uses for the container is exceeded, only a water only option is made available on the display screen (82) of the liquid dispensing apparatus (85). 12. The system of claim 8, wherein the RFID tag is encoded with information about a maximum amount of liquid that may be dispensed over multiple reuses of the container (11), wherein the amount of liquid dispensed thus far is stored on the application server (96) and associated with the pre-set ID, wherein the customer may use the container repeatedly until the amount of liquid dispensed reaches the maximum limit for the container (11), wherein on the last use, the dispenser head is controlled to precisely dispense the allowed amount of liquid remaining for the container (11). 13. The system of claim 8, wherein the application server is configured to transmit monetary charges between dispenser owning establishments, wherein the application server stores the vendor codes corresponding to various establishments, wherein when a customer makes a purchase at a first establishment, the RFID (13) of the container (11) is activated, wherein the vendor code of the first establishment is stored in the RFID tag data of the container (11), and wherein when the customer uses the container (11) to dispense a beverage at a second establishment, the vendor code is extracted from the RFID tag data by the soda machine server (95) at the second establishment, wherein the soda machine server (95) matches the vendor code against the vendor code at its establishment, and if the vendor code does not match, the soda machine server transmits a charge to the application server (96), wherein the charge includes the vendor code of the first establishment and the monetary amount, wherein the application server bills the first establishment for the purchase made at the second establishment. 14. The system of claim 8, wherein the system further comprises a mobile device application comprising: a. a code for displaying an entry screen with a prompt button to scan a QR code,b. a code for scanning a QR code, using a camera operatively connected to the mobile device,c. a code for displaying a manual entry form for a container code,d. a code for receiving a QR code via manual entry by the user,e. a code for extracting data from the QR code related to the container, including a unique vendor code, liquid category code, container size, and unique pre-set ID,f. a code for storing the container QR code in memory,g. a code for transmitting a container's QR code to the application server via a wireless interface,h. a code for receiving a list of customized beverage options from the application server,i. a code for displaying a list of customized beverages, andj. a code for sharing one or more customized beverages using a social media application interface, wherein a customer using the mobile application (132) scans the QR code disposed upon the container (133), wherein the mobile application extracts the unique pre-set ID of the container from the QR code (12), whereupon the mobile application sends the pre-set ID to an application server and the soda machine server (134), whereupon the application server and soda machine server determine if the pre-set ID is found (135), wherein if the ID is not found the ID is rejected (136) and the application returns (137), wherein if the ID is found the application server and soda machine server search for customized drink selections associated with the ID (138), wherein if the app server and soda machine server find any customized drink selections associated with the pre-set ID, the application server (96) and soda machine server (95) return the list of customized drinks to the mobile application (1310), whereupon the list of customized drinks is displayed to the customer (1311), wherein the customer may share the customized drinks on a social media application (1312). 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the customer may add, edit, or delete customized beverage options, whereupon the modified data is updated in the application server (96), whereupon the modified customizations are retrieved from the application server and made available on the display screen (82) the next time the customer approaches a beverage dispensing apparatus with the container (11).
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (4)
Segiet, William W.; Gray, Alex L.; Ubidia, Fernando A.; Stein, Aaron M.; Lewis, John F., Beverage dispense valve controlled by wireless technology.
Hyde, Roderick A.; Ishikawa, Muriel Y.; Kare, Jordin T.; Leuthardt, Eric C.; Levien, Royce A.; Lord, Richard T.; Lord, Robert W.; Malamud, Mark A.; Tegreene, Clarence T.; Whitmer, Charles; Wood, Jr., Lowell L.; Wood, Victoria Y. H.; Myhrvold, Nathan P.; Sweeney, Elizabeth A., Quantified-self machines and circuits reflexively related to kiosk systems and associated food-and-nutrition machines and circuits.
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