Code and container of system for preparing a beverage or foodstuff

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10595669-B2
Application number	US-201615569119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 23, 2016
Priority date	Apr 30, 2015
Publication date	Mar 24, 2020
Grant date	Mar 24, 2020

Abstract

A container for a foodstuff or beverage preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff preparation material and comprising on a surface thereof a code encoding preparation information, the code comprising a reference portion and a data portion: the reference portion comprising a linear arrangement of at least two reference units defining a reference line r, the data portion having an encoding area comprising at least one data unit, wherein said data unit is arranged on an encoding line D that intersects the reference line r, the data unit occupies any continuous distance d along the encoding line D within the bounds of the encoding area as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter of the preparation information, whereby said encoding line D is linear and arranged orthogonal to the reference line r.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A container for a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, the container containing beverage or foodstuff material and comprising a code encoding preparation information, the code comprising a reference portion and a data portion:
the reference portion comprising an arrangement of at least two reference units to define a reference line r;
the data portion having an encoding area comprising a data unit, wherein the data unit is arranged on an encoding line D that intersects the reference line r, the data unit is arranged any continuous distance d extending along the encoding line D from the intersection of the encoding line D and the reference line r within bounds of the encoding area, the continuous distance d encoding a value of a parameter of the preparation information, whereby said encoding line D is linear and arranged orthogonal to the reference line r.

2. The container of claim 1 , wherein the code has a peripheral length of 600-1600 μm.

3. The container of claim 1 , wherein the reference portion comprises a reference line orientation identifier, the reference line orientation identifier is without an associated encoding line D and a data unit.

4. The container of claim 1 , wherein the encoding line D intersects the reference line r at a reference position, the reference position absent a reference unit, whereby the reference position is arranged at a predetermined distance along the reference line r.

5. The container of claim 4 , wherein a portion of the encoding area is bounded by the reference line r or overlaps the reference line r.

6. The container of claim 1 , wherein the encoding line D intersects the reference line r at a reference position, whereby the reference position comprises a reference unit.

7. The container of claim 1 , wherein the data unit further encodes metadata associated with the parameter of the preparation information, the metadata being encoded discretely to enable identification of the parameter of the preparation information and/or a property associated with the parameter of the preparation information.

8. The container of claim 7 , wherein a unit length of the data unit is selected from one of a plurality of predetermined data unit lengths as a variable to encode the metadata.

9. The container of claim 7 , wherein an offset of a center of the data unit from the encoding line D along a linear line, the linear line at a point of intersection with the encoding line D is orthogonal thereto, is selected from one of a plurality of predetermined offsets as a variable to encode the metadata.

10. The container of claim 7 , wherein a plurality of data units are arranged along the encoding line D, whereby each data unit encodes a separate parameter, and each data unit is identifiable by said metadata.

11. The container of claim 7 , wherein the data unit is in a shape selected from the group consisting of triangular, polygon, square and parallelogram, and the shape of the data unit encodes the metadata.

12. The container of claim 1 , wherein the code is formed on a surface of the container or on an attachment configured for attachment to the container.

13. The container of claim 1 , wherein the container has a form selected from the group consisting of: a capsule; a packet; a receptacle for consumption of the beverage or foodstuff therefrom; and a collapsible container.

14. The container of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of data units are arranged along the encoding line D, whereby the distance d encoding the parameter of the preparation information is an average of the distances of the plurality of data units from the reference line r.

15. A beverage or foodstuff preparation system comprising: a container containing beverage or foodstuff material and comprising a code encoding preparation information, the code comprising a reference portion and a data portion:
the reference portion comprising an arrangement of at least two reference units to define a reference line r; the data portion having an encoding area comprising a data unit, wherein the data unit is arranged on an encoding line D that intersects the reference line r, the data unit is arranged any continuous distance d extending along the encoding line D from the intersection from the intersection of the encoding line D and the reference line r within bounds of the encoding area, the continuous distance d encoding a value of a parameter of the preparation information, whereby said encoding line D is linear and arranged orthogonal to the reference line r;
a preparation unit configured to receive the container and to prepare the beverage or foodstuff therefrom;
a code processing system operable to: obtain a digital image of the code of the container;
process the digital image to decode the encoded preparation information; and
a control system operable to control the preparation unit using said decoded preparation information.

16. The beverage or foodstuff preparation system of claim 15 , wherein the code processing subsystem is configured to locate the at least two reference units and the data unit of the code; identify the at least two reference units and determine therefrom the reference line r; determine for the data unit a distance d along the encoding line D from the reference line r; and convert the distance d into an actual value of a parameter V p , using a stored relationship between the parameter V p and the distance d.

17. A method of encoding preparation information, the method comprising forming a code on:
a container for a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, the container containing beverage or foodstuff material; or an attachment configured for attachment to said container or a beverage of foodstuff preparation machine,
the method further comprising:
arranging at least two reference units for defining a reference line r of a reference portion; and
at least partially encoding a value of a parameter of the preparation information with a data portion of the code by arranging a data unit on an encoding line D that intersects the reference line r at an intersection point, the data unit being arranged any continuous distance d extending along the encoding line D from the intersection point, the continuous distance d encoding the value of a parameter of the preparation information, whereby the encoding line D is linear and is arranged orthogonal the reference line r at the intersection point.

Assignees

• Nestec Sa
• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Noth Andre

Classifications

• A47J31/002

  following a specific operational sequence, e.g. for improving the taste of the extraction product · CPC title

• A47J31/4492 Primary

  Means to read code provided on ingredient pod or cartridge · CPC title

• B65D85/8043

  Packages adapted to allow liquid to pass through the contents (B65D85/808 takes precedence; filters or reusable cartridges for coffee or tea makers, not used as packages A47J31/06) · CPC title

• B65D85/8058

  Coding means for the contents · CPC title