Systems and methods for providing container special effects

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2026021946-A1
Application number	US-202519265328-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 10, 2025
Priority date	Jul 16, 2024
Publication date	Jan 22, 2026
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods described herein include food/beverage containers configured to generate special effects based on changes in capacitance levels associated with substances being provided by the food/beverage containers. For example, a food/beverage container may include sensors configured to detect a change in a capacitance associated with a food/beverage substance in or on the food/beverage container. Further, the food/beverage container may include a special effects system configured to generate one or more special effects for the food/beverage container. The special effects system includes a processing system and a memory, the memory encoded with instructions configured to be executed by the processing system to cause the special effects system to receive sensor data indicative of the change in the capacitance, determine the one or more special effects to be generated by the food/beverage container based on the sensor data, and generate the one or more special effects on the food/beverage container.

First claim

1 . A food/beverage container, comprising:
one or more sensors configured to detect a change in a capacitance associated with a food/beverage substance in or on the food/beverage container, wherein the change in capacitance is caused by contact between the food/beverage substance and an external capacitive object; and a special effects system configured to generate one or more special effects for the food/beverage container, wherein the special effects system comprises a processing system and a memory, and wherein the memory is encoded with instructions configured to be executed by the processing system to cause the special effects system to:
receive sensor data indicative of the change in the capacitance;
determine the one or more special effects to be generated by the food/beverage container based on the sensor data; and
generate the one or more special effects on the food/beverage container.

2 . The food/beverage container of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are configured to be executed by the processing system to cause the processing system to generate the one or more special effects via one or more light sources of the food/beverage container, one or more audio devices of the food/beverage container, one or more haptic devices of the food/beverage container, or any combination thereof.

3 . The food/beverage container of claim 1 , wherein the one or more special effects comprise one or more visual effects, one or more audio effects, one or more haptic effects, or any combination thereof.

4 . The food/beverage container of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured to detect the change in the capacitance based on contact with a capacitive object.

5 . The food/beverage container of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are configured to be executed by the processing system to cause the processing system to:
generate a first set of special effects of the one or more special effects based on a first capacitance level; and generate a second set of special effects of the one or more special effects based on a second capacitance level.

6 . The food/beverage container of claim 1 , wherein the food/beverage substance comprises a liquid or a solid food.

7 . The food/beverage container of claim 1 , wherein the food/beverage container is a beverage container.

8 . The food/beverage container of claim 1 , wherein the food/beverage container is a food container.

9 . A food/beverage container, comprising:
special effects circuitry comprising:
one or more special effects devices configured to output one or more special effects;
a circuit board;
a power source;
one or more sensors to detect a capacitance level caused by contact between a food/beverage substance and an external capacitive object;
one or more resistors; and
a controller configured to receive sensor data indicative of the capacitance level via the one or more sensors and to output the one or more special effects via the one or more special effects devices based at least in part on the sensor data.

10 . The food/beverage container of claim 9 , wherein the one or more special effects devices comprise one or more light sources.

11 . The food/beverage container of claim 9 , wherein the one or more special effects devices comprise one or more audio devices.

12 . The food/beverage container of claim 9 , wherein the one or more special effects devices comprise one or more haptic devices.

13 . The food/beverage container of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a conductive material.

14 . A special effects system, comprising:
one or more sensors configured to detect a change in a capacitance level associated with food being supported by a food container; a controller, wherein the controller comprises processing circuitry configured to:
receive sensor data indicative of the change in the capacitance level;
determine one or more special effects based on the sensor data; and
generate the one or more special effects via one or more audio devices, one or more light sources, one or more haptic devices, or any combination thereof, of the food container.

15 . The special effects system of claim 14 , wherein at least one sensor of the one or more sensors comprises a capacitive sensor.

16 . The special effects system of claim 14 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured to detect a placement of the one or more sensors on one or more capacitive pads on a surface.

17 . The special effects system of claim 16 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate the one or more special effects in response to the placement of the one or more sensors on the one or more capacitive pads.

18 . The special effects system of claim 16 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
generate a first set of special effects of the one or more special effects based on placement of the one or more sensors on a first capacitive pad of the one or more capacitive pads; and generate a second set of special effects of the one or more special effects based on placement of the one or more sensors on a second capacitive pad of the one or more capacitive pads.

19 . The special effects system of claim 14 , wherein the capacitance level is within a particular range of capacitance.

20 . The special effects system of claim 19 , wherein the one or more sensors is configured to detect the change in the capacitance level based on the capacitance level increasing above the particular range of capacitance.

Assignees

• Universal City Studios Llc

Inventors

• Jeromin Aaron Chandler

Classifications

• B65D51/245

  provided with decoration, information or contents indicating devices, labels (B65D81/366 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65D51/248 Primary

  the closure being provided with transient audible or visual signaling means, e.g. for indicating dispensing, or other illuminating or acoustic devices, e.g. whistles (B65D55/026, B65D55/028 take precedence; for indicating incorrect storage B65D79/02) · CPC title

• A47G19/025

  with means for amusing or giving information to the user · CPC title

• A47G19/2227

  with means for amusing or giving information to the user (A47G23/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47G2200/08

  Illumination · CPC title