Proactive dispenser to operator mobile alert system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11613456-B2
Application number	US-202117404922-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2021
Priority date	Sep 8, 2016
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

A consumable item dispenser and method may include an ingredient storage unit configured to store a consumable ingredient used to produce consumable items by the dispenser. A sensor may be configured to sense an amount of consumable ingredient remaining to be dispensed. An input/output unit may be configured to communicate data over a communications network. A processing unit may be in communication with the sensor, and be configured to authenticate an electronic device associated with an operator and register the electronic device associated with the operator. A determination as to whether an amount of the ingredient in the ingredient storage unit is at or below a threshold level. The processing unit may generate a notification indicative that the ingredient is at or below a threshold level, and communicate the notification to the operator in response to being generated.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a mobile electronic device configured to receive data via a communications channel from a dispenser, the mobile electronic device associated with an operator authorized to service the dispenser; and
a mobile application executing on the mobile electronic device, the mobile application configured to:
receive authentication data to authenticate the operator as being authorized to service the dispenser;
receive, from the dispenser via the communications channel responsive to authentication of the operator as being authorized to service the dispenser, one or more data messages indicative of available beverages being offered to be dispensed by the dispenser and current levels of ingredients for producing the available beverages; and
display data indicating the current levels of ingredients for producing the available beverages being offered to be dispensed by the dispenser.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile electronic device is further configured to:
communicate an authentication signal to the dispenser; and
communicate, after an authentication process, a registration signal to the dispenser.

3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein the mobile application is further configured to receive information from an operator during a registration process.

4. The system according to claim 3 , wherein the mobile electronic device is further configured to automatically communicate with the dispenser when within local communication or a geographic proximity of the dispenser responsive to registering with the dispenser.

5. The system according to claim 4 , wherein the mobile electronic device is further configured to receive a digital cookie from the dispenser indicating that the mobile electronic device is authenticated and registered with the dispenser.

6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile application is further configured to receive a notification from the dispenser, and present the notification to a user of the mobile electronic device.

7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile application is further configured to provide one or more options on a user interface for receiving notifications, the one or more options comprising at least one of a sold out option, a software option, a nightly job option, a work order received option, a repair completed option, a boil water alert option, a content update option, or a recipe poured option.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile application is further configured to generate a notification indicating that an ingredient for an available beverage needs to be replaced based on the data.

9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the data messages include data indicative of ingredients having a level below a threshold level.

10. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile application is further configured to display a user interface including a pour history or consumption history for the beverage dispenser.

11. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile application is further configured to display a user interface for inventory management and ordering, the user interface including one or more soft-buttons for ordering replacement ingredients.

12. A method comprising:
receiving, by a mobile electronic device executing a mobile application via a communications channel from a dispenser, authentication data to authenticate an operator associated with the mobile electronic device as being authorized to service the dispenser;
receiving, by the mobile electronic device via the communications channel from the dispenser responsive to authentication of the operator as being authorized to service the dispenser, one or more data messages indicative of available beverages being offered to be dispensed by the dispense and current levels of ingredients for producing the available beverages; and
displaying, by the mobile application, data illustrating the current levels of ingredients being offered to be dispensed by the dispenser.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising displaying, by the mobile application, a user interface including a pour history or consumption history for the beverage dispenser.

14. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising displaying, by the mobile application, a user interface for inventory management and ordering, the user interface including one or more soft-buttons for ordering replacement ingredients.

15. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising generating, by the mobile application, a notification indicating that an ingredient for an available beverage needs to be replaced based on the data.

16. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising:
communicating, by the mobile electronic device, an authentication signal to the dispenser; and
communicating, after an authentication process, a registration signal to the dispenser.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising receiving, by the mobile electronic device, information from an operator during a registration process.

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising automatically communicating, by the mobile electronic device, one or more signals with the dispenser when within local communication or a geographic proximity of the dispenser responsive to registering with the dispenser.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising receiving, by the mobile electronic device, a digital cookie from the dispenser indicating that the mobile electronic device is authenticated and registered with the dispenser.

20. The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing, by the mobile applications, one or more options on a user interface for receiving notifications, the one or more options comprising at least one of a sold out option, a software option, a nightly job option, a work order received option, a repair completed option, a boil water alert option, a content update option, or a recipe poured option.

Assignees

• Coca Cola Co

Inventors

• Joshi Udayan
• Katz Marc
• Arnwine Matthew
• Harrison Scott

Classifications

• G07F13/065

  for drink preparation · CPC title

• B67D1/0871

  Level gauges for beverage storage containers (level indicators in general G01F) · CPC title

• G07F9/026

  for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty · CPC title

• B67D1/0888 Primary

  Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means) · CPC title

• B67D1/0022 Primary

  the apparatus comprising means for automatically controlling the amount to be dispensed · CPC title