Container with a code encoding a sequence of foodstuff or beverage preparation operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11518606-B2
Application number	US-201816636793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2018
Priority date	Aug 8, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

Container for a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff material comprises a code encoding preparation information, in particular preparation information for a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine to prepare a beverage or a foodstuff with beverage or foodstuff material contained in the container, the code comprising a reference portion and a data portion. The reference portion comprises at least one reference configuration defining a virtual reference line. The data portion comprises a virtual encoding line intersecting the virtual reference line at a virtual intersection point and a sequence of data units comprising at least two data units aligned at a distance from each other along the virtual encoding line for encoding a sequence of operations of the preparation information. Each data unit of the sequence of data units encodes an operation of the sequence of operations, wherein a relative position of each data unit in the sequence of data units encodes a nature of the encoded operation and wherein a distance between the data unit and the virtual intersection point and/or a distance between the data unit and another data unit of the sequence of data units or of another sequence of data units encodes a value of a condition for the performance of the encoded operation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of encoding preparation information, the method comprising forming a code on:
a container for a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff material; or
an attachment for attachment to the container or to a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine;
the method comprising:
forming at least one reference configuration defining a virtual reference line of the code;
defining a virtual encoding line intersecting the virtual reference line at an intersection point;
forming a sequence of data units comprising at least two data units aligned at a distance from each other along the virtual encoding line for encoding a sequence of operations of the preparation information, each data unit of the sequence of data units encoding an operation of the sequence of operations; and
a relative position of each data unit in the sequence of data units encodes a nature of the operation and wherein a distance between each data unit and the intersection point and/or a distance between each data unit and another data unit encodes a value of a condition for a performance of the operation.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the virtual encoding line is a closed line, and the distance between each data unit and the intersection point and/or the distance between each data unit and another data unit of the sequence of data units or of another sequence of data units is an angular distance measured from a center point.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the operation is one of a group of operations comprising:
starting injecting a liquid in the container; stopping injecting the liquid in the container; opening a spout in fluid connection with the container; closing a spout in fluid connection with the container; starting mixing the beverage or foodstuff material contained in the container; and stopping mixing the beverage or foodstuff material contained in the container.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the condition for the performance of the operation is selected from the group consisting of:
a duration, a volume, a temperature, a current intensity, and a voltage.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the code has a peripheral length of 600-1600 μm.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a plurality of the codes arranged in a tessellating configuration.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reference configuration comprises three reference units arranged at a vertices of a virtual triangle.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the operation comprises extracting the beverage or foodstuff material from the container.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the code is configured to be processed by a code processing subsystem, wherein the code processing subsystem comprises an image capturing device and an image processing device, and wherein the method further comprises:
capturing, by the image capturing device, a digital image of the code; and
decoding, by the image processing device, the code of the digital image.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the digital image comprises a black and white image, and wherein the image capturing device comprises an infrared image capturing device.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the code processing subsystem further comprises an output device, and wherein the method further comprises:
outputting, by the output device, the preparation information decoded from the code to a processing subsystem of the beverage preparation machine or the foodstuff preparation machine.

Assignees

• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Noth Andre
• Jarisch Christian
• Talon Christian

Classifications

• G06K1/00

  Methods or arrangements for marking the record carrier in digital fashion · CPC title

• A47J31/4492

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

• G06K19/06037

  multi-dimensional coding · CPC title

• G06K7/1421

  Circular bar codes · CPC title

• B65D85/8058 Primary

  Coding means for the contents · CPC title