Automated dispensing system for customized beverages

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023021411-A1
Application number	US-202217938167-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 5, 2022
Priority date	Jan 16, 2020
Publication date	Jan 26, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosure generally relates to an automated modular dispensing platform for creating customized beverages (e.g., using various sauces, syrups, sweeteners, colors and/or flavors added to a base beverage). The automated dispensing platform may simultaneously aggregate beverage modifiers or ingredients (e.g., sweetener, flavor, and/or color) and facilitate automated, efficient cleaning cycles for modular beverage dispensers.

First claim

1 . A dispensing system comprising:
a housing; a plurality of modular dispensers configured to interface with the housing, each of the plurality of modular dispensers comprises a user input device; and a main controller within the housing, the main controller configured to communicate instructions to at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers to dispense ingredient.

2 . A The dispensing system of claim 1 , wherein the user input device enables the user to select an ingredient stored in each of the plurality of modular dispensers.

3 . A The dispensing system of claim 2 , wherein the main controller is configured to receive instructions from a network interface for each of the plurality of modular dispensers based on the selected ingredient.

4 . A The dispensing system of claim 3 , wherein the instructions received from the network interface include a pump variable for dispensing the selected ingredient from each of the plurality of modular dispensers.

5 . A The dispensing system of any one of claim 1 , wherein the user input device enables the user to adjust a quantity of the ingredient to be dispensed.

6 . A The dispensing system of claim 5 , wherein upon actuation of the user input device, the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers dispenses the ingredient.

7 . A The dispensing system of claim 6 , wherein each actuation of the user input device is configured to dispense a single pump of the ingredient from the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers.

8 . A The dispensing system of claim 6 , wherein each actuation of the user input device is configured to dispense multiple pumps of the ingredient from the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers.

9 . A dispensing system comprising:
a housing; a plurality of modular dispensers configured to interface with the housing, each of the plurality of modular dispensers is configured to store an ingredient; a main controller within the housing, the main controller configured to communicate instructions to at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers, the instructions including a pump variable for cleaning the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers.

10 . A The dispensing system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of modular dispensers comprises a first modular dispenser and a second modular dispenser, and wherein the controller is configured to communicate instructions including a first pump variable to the first modular dispenser and communicate instructions including a second pump variable to the second modular dispenser.

11 . (canceled)

12 . (canceled)

13 . (canceled)

14 . (canceled)

15 . (canceled)

16 . An automated order fulfillment system comprising:
a store production controller configured to receive food and beverage order information from a point of sale system and to separate each food and beverage item ordered into separate individual item orders comprising the name of the food or beverage item and any modifier information; an aggregator communicatively coupled to the store production controller and to an automated dispensing system, wherein the aggregator is configured to:
receive an individual item order from the store production controller;
display an icon on a display screen of the aggregator corresponding to an item identified from the individual item order;
receive a user selection of the icon via touch screen interaction with the display screen; and
send instructions to the automated dispensing system to prepare and dispense the item identified from the individual item order upon receipt of the user selection of the icon corresponding to the item.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the aggregator is configured to communicate with the store production controller via a wireless communication network.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the aggregator is configured to communicate with the automated dispensing system over a serial communications bus.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the aggregator is further configured to send information corresponding to the individual beverage item order to a label printer communicatively coupled to the aggregator.

20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the automated dispensing system comprises a plurality of modular dispensers each configured to dispense a particular ingredient.

21 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the aggregator comprises a processor and software containing instructions stored in memory on a non-transitory storage medium, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions.

Assignees

• Starbucks Corp

Inventors

• Venkatakrishnan Natarajan
• Corlett Andrew
• Levey Jonathan
• Roberts Brandon Michael

Classifications

• B67D2001/0097

  using a pump · CPC title

• B67D1/0037 Primary

  based on volumetric dosing · CPC title

• B67D1/0078

  Ingredient cartridges · CPC title

• G07F13/065

  for drink preparation · CPC title

• B67D1/0888

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