Beverage or foodstuff container consumption monitoring method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024346445-A1
Application number	US-202418640509-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 19, 2024
Priority date	Nov 27, 2015
Publication date	Oct 17, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for monitoring beverage or foodstuff container consumption includes: deriving, at a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, container consumption information; and updating, using the consumption information, stock state information. The stock state information contains information detailing an amount of containers at a location of the machine. The method also includes obtaining, at an electronic device external to the machine, the updated stock state information; and/or receiving, on the electronic device from a remote resource over a network, stock order information which includes information detailing an amount of containers purchased by a user. The method further includes updating the stock state information using the stock order information; and displaying, at the electronic device, the amount of stock derived from the updated stock state information.

First claim

1 . A beverage or foodstuff preparation machine comprising:
a container processing subsystem to process a beverage or foodstuff container to prepare a beverage or foodstuff therefrom: a control subsystem to control the container processing subsystem to prepare the beverage or foodstuff; a consumption monitoring subsystem configured to monitor consumption of containers by the container processing subsystem and to determine therefrom container consumption information relating to the consumption; a networking subsystem comprising a network interface for communication with an external electronic device over a network, and the consumption monitoring subsystem is configured to: store stock state information, which comprise information relating to an amount of containers at a location of the machine; update the stock state information using the consumption information; receive, via the networking subsystem, stock order information, which comprises information detailing an amount of containers purchased by a user and to further update the stock state information using the stock order information; and transmit, via the networking subsystem, the further updated stock state information to the electronic device.

2 . The beverage or foodstuff preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the consumption monitoring subsystem is configured to:
receive, via the networking subsystem, a first stock order identifier which is associated with stock order information; and store the identifier as a second stock order identifier or as one of a plurality of second stock identifiers.

3 . The beverage or foodstuff preparation machine of claim 2 , wherein the consumption monitoring subsystem is configured to transmit, via the networking subsystem, the stored second stock order identifier to the electronic device in response to a request from the device or upon achieving a network connection to the device.

4 . The beverage or foodstuff preparation machine according to claim 1 , wherein the consumption monitoring subsystem is configured to:
receive from the electronic device, via the networking subsystem, stock state correction information, which comprises information detailing a manual correction to the stock state information; and correct the stock state information using the stock state correction information.

5 . The beverage or foodstuff preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the consumption monitoring subsystem comprises a container detection sensor arranged at a container ejection channel of the container processing subsystem, the sensor to detect spent containers ejected from the container processing subsystem, whereby the consumption monitoring subsystem is operable to update the consumption information using a signal from the sensor.

6 . The beverage or foodstuff preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the networking interface is a wireless interface or a near field communication interface.

7 . A computer program executable on an electronic device, the program comprising instructions for:
obtaining, via a networking subsystem of the device, a network connection to a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine; obtaining, from the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, stock state information which comprises an amount of the actual stock of containers at a location of the machine or information for determining the stock state information and determining the stock state information therefrom; and effecting the display of the amount of stock on a display subsystem of the electronic device.

8 . The computer program of claim 7 , wherein the computer program is configured to:
obtain, from a remote resource via the networking subsystem, stock order information, which comprises an amount of containers purchased by a user; and transmit, via the networking subsystem, the information to the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine.

9 . The computer program of claim 8 , wherein the computer program is configured to:
obtain, from the remote resource via the networking subsystem, a first stock order identifier, which is associated with the stock order information; obtain, from the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine via the networking subsystem, a second stock order identifier; determine if the identifiers are different; if different, then effect the transmission of both the first stock order identifier and the associated stock order information received from the remote resource to the machine.

10 . The computer program of claim 9 , wherein if the identifiers are different the computer program is configured to:
prior to performing the transmissions, effect the obtaining of a response from a user via an input/output subsystem of the electronic device to confirm whether the stock order is to be associated with the machine; if confirmed, then execute the transmission of the first stock order identifier and associated stock order information; and transmit only the first stock order identifier.

11 . The computer program of claim 7 , wherein the computer program is configured to:
obtain an input via an input/output subsystem of the electronic device for manual adjustment of the stock state information and derive therefrom stock state correction information; and effect the transmission of the stock state correction information to the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine for update of the stock state information stored thereon.

12 . The computer program of claim 7 , wherein the computer program is configured to:
obtain from an input/output subsystem of the electronic device a user request to order an amount of containers; connect to a remote resource; effect ordering of the amount from the remote resource; and obtain from the resource associated stock order information and an optional first stock order identifier associated therewith.

13 . The computer program of claim 7 , wherein the computer program is configured to:
compare, using the stock state information, the amount of the actual stock of containers to a predetermined value; determine if the stock state is below the value; and if below, then effect the provision of a notification to a user via the input/output subsystem of the electronic device.

14 . A method for monitoring beverage or foodstuff container consumption, the method comprising:
deriving, at a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, container consumption information; updating, using the consumption information, stock state information comprising information detailing an amount of containers at a location of the machine; obtaining, at an electronic device external the machine, the updated stock state information; and displaying at the electronic device the amount of stock derived from the updated stock state information.

15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising, prior to display at the electronic device of the amount of stock:
obtaining, on the electronic device, stock order information comprising information detailing an amount of containers purchased by a user; and
updating the stock state information using the stock order information.

16 . The method of claim 14 further comprising:
obtaining, on the electronic device a first stock order identifier, which is associated with stock order information;
comparing the first stock order identifier to a second stock order identifier stored on the electronic device or the machine;
determining if the identifiers are different, and if different:
storing the first stock order identifier as the second stock order identifier or as a further second stock order identifier on eith

Assignees

• Nestle Sa

Inventors

• Magatti Marco

Classifications

• G07F13/10

  with associated dispensing of containers, e.g. cups or other articles · CPC title

• G07F9/026

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

• A47J31/5255

  of flow rate · CPC title

• A47J31/5253

  of temperature · CPC title

• A47J31/525

  the electronic control being based on monitoring of specific process parameters · CPC title