Beverage forming system with remote user interface

Abstract

A beverage forming system in which a user interface is adapted to allow a user to control a plurality of different beverage machines having different functionalities. The user may be associated with a plurality of different machines, and the user interface may be adapted to adjust the display of information to the user and the options for controlling the operation of the beverage machine based on the functional set of the beverage machine. In some cases, only those stored brewing parameter sets that are compatible with the beverage machine may be displayed for selection by the user.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 904,797, filed on September 24, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. background Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to beverage forming systems, such as coffee brewing machines, for forming coffee beverages using a liquid.

[0004] Related technologies

[0005] Beverage forming systems that use liquids (such as water) to form beverages are well known. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication 2008 / 0134902 discloses a beverage forming system that heats water in a reservoir and pneumatically delivers the heated water to a brewing chamber to make a coffee beverage or other beverage. U.S. Patent 7,398,726 discloses another beverage forming system that delivers heated water from a distribution box to a brewing chamber by pneumatically propelling water from a metering tank. U.S. Patent Application Publications 2009 / 0120299 and 2008 / 0092746, and U.S. Patents 3,511,166, 3,958,502, 4,602,145, 4,263,498, and 8,037,811 disclose other system types in which water in a heater tank or heat exchanger is forced out of the tank and toward a beverage making station by introducing unheated water into the tank / exchanger. Summary of the invention

[0006] In one aspect of the present invention, a beverage forming system includes a beverage machine adapted to dispense beverages and having a set of functions for forming beverages. For example, the machine may have functions such as a set of different beverage volumes (e.g., 6 ounces, 8 ounces, 10 ounces, etc.) that the beverage machine can dispense; a set of different beverage temperatures at which beverages can be dispensed; a set of different beverage concentrations at which beverages can be dispensed; an option to dispense beverages onto ice; an option to whip beverages; an option to mix air with beverages; a set of different liquid pressures that the beverage machine can use to form beverages; a function to automatically deliver beverage ingredients to a beverage forming station; an automatic on / off function; and / or a delayed or predetermined beverage dispensing feature (e.g., dispensing beverages at 6 a.m.). The system may also include a remote computer system that communicates with the beverage machine and is adapted to receive information from the beverage machine and send information to the beverage machine. For example, a manufacturer of a beverage machine may operate a remote computer system (such as an Internet server) that receives information about dispensed beverages, machine operating parameters, etc. from the machine and may provide information to the machine, such as instructions for dispensing beverages. The remote computer system may include a memory storing information about the association between the beverage machine and the user. For example, a specific user may be associated with a specific beverage machine, such as a beverage machine located at the user's home or workplace. The system may also include a portable user device having a user interface that is programmed and adapted to provide information to the user and receive information about the operation of the beverage machine from the user. As an example, the portable user device may be a smart phone, a tablet or other computer device including software to implement a user interface, through which the user can receive and provide information. The user interface may communicate with the remote computer system and be adapted to enable the user to control the operation of a plurality of different beverage machines with different function sets for forming a beverage. Therefore, for example, the user interface may be adapted to work with a plurality of different beverage machines, which include machines with great differences in the ability to form a beverage. The user interface may be adapted to adjust the display of information given to the user based on the ability set of the beverage machine and the information about the association between the beverage machine and the user and adjust the options for controlling the operation of the beverage machine. Therefore, if a user is associated with two or more beverage machines with different functions for forming a beverage, the user interface may adjust its operation for the user based on which machine the user wishes to control. Alternatively, if the beverage machine associated with the user has an update in functionality, the user interface may adapt its operation based on the change in functionality of the machine. These changes in the operation of the user interface may be implemented without requiring an update to the software of the user interface.

[0007] In some cases, the information about the association between the beverage machine and the user includes: identification information of the beverage machine, which uniquely identifies the beverage machine from multiple other beverage machines; and an indication of the function set of the beverage machine for forming a beverage. As an example, the beverage machines may each be assigned a unique code or other identifier (e.g., an identifier made by a manufacturer) that is unique to the beverage machine and different from all other machines, even between machines of the same model or with the same function set. In some cases, the information about the association between the beverage machine and the user includes information that uniquely identifies the user from multiple other users, such as a user name, a mailing address, or other information that can uniquely identify the user from all other users.

[0008] In one embodiment, the beverage machine is a first beverage machine having a first function set for forming a beverage, and the system also includes a second beverage machine having a second function set. The information about the association between the beverage machine and the user may include information associating both the first beverage machine and the second beverage machine with the user, and the user interface may be adapted to provide different displays of information to the user based on the first function set and the second function set and provide different options for controlling the operation of each of the first beverage machine and the second beverage machine.

[0009] In some embodiments, a beverage machine uses a brewing parameter set to form a beverage, wherein at least one of the brewing parameters is adjustable, and a user interface may be adapted to provide an option to adjust the at least one brewing parameter based on the functional set of the beverage machine. For example, the at least one brewing parameter may include a beverage volume, and the user interface may provide an option to adjust the beverage volume, which is limited to the beverage volume that the beverage machine can distribute. In some embodiments, the user interface is adapted to display a plurality of stored brewing parameter sets that can be selected by a user for forming a beverage. The brewing parameter sets may be different from each other, and at least one of the brewing parameter sets may include brewing parameters with values ​​that are incompatible with the functions of the beverage machine. The user interface may be adapted to display only brewing parameter sets including all brewing parameters with values ​​that are compatible with the functional set of the beverage machine for user selection. For example, the user interface may access a plurality of beverage recipes including parameters such as beverage volume, temperature, ingredients for forming a beverage, etc. Some of the recipes may be incompatible with the beverage machine, for example, the beverage may be whipped when the beverage machine does not include a whipper. In the case where the recipe is incompatible with the beverage machine, the user interface may not display those recipes for selection. In some embodiments, selection of a brewing parameter set by a user via a user interface causes the beverage machine to dispense a beverage using the selected brewing parameter set. The stored brewing parameter sets may include a user-defined brewing parameter set defined by a user, for example, a user may store a recipe including user-preferred parameters (such as a favorite beverage volume, temperature, etc.). Similarly, or additionally, a plurality of stored brewing parameter sets may include a recommended brewing parameter set, which is defined by an entity managing a remote computer system. For example, a manufacturer of a beverage ingredient may perform experiments and / or market research to identify an optimal parameter set for making a beverage using the beverage ingredient. Such a recommended parameter set may be provided to the user interface for user selection.

[0010] The user interface can be used to control the operation of the beverage machine through direct communication between the portable user devices, or through indirect communication with the remote computer system. For example, the portable user device can be adapted to send user commands provided by the user via the user interface to the remote computer system for controlling the operation of the beverage machine, and the remote computer system can be adapted to send commands to the beverage machine based on the user commands.

[0011] The beverage machine may be arranged to have any suitable set of components, and in one embodiment, includes a liquid supply arranged to provide a liquid for forming a beverage, a beverage forming station arranged to hold a beverage raw material for mixing with the liquid to form a beverage, and a liquid regulator arranged to heat or cool the liquid provided to the beverage forming station. As an example, the liquid supply may include a water storage tank or reservoir, a pump for moving water, a pipeline for conveying a water flow or other liquid flow, a flow meter and / or other sensor for detecting the liquid, a valve for controlling the flow, and the like. The beverage forming station may hold a beverage capsule containing a beverage raw material (such as a coffee base that forms a coffee beverage when mixed with water). The liquid regulator may include a heater tank or an inline heater including a resistive heater, or a cooling system arranged to cool the liquid provided to the forming station. The control circuit may be arranged to control the liquid supply and the liquid regulator to automatically operate according to a brewing parameter set, thereby using the beverage raw material held by the beverage forming station to form a beverage. As in the above example, the machine may have a function set, and the user interface may be adapted to provide the user with the option to adjust one or more brewing parameters to have only values ​​that are compatible with the function set of the beverage machine.

[0012] In some cases, the control circuit includes a reader to read a tag associated with a capsule held by the beverage forming station and determine at least one of the brewing parameter sets based on the tag. For example, some beverage boxes may include a barcode, RFID tag, or other readable tag containing information related to the beverage ingredients in the box (such as brewing parameters to be used, identification of the type of beverage to be made using the box, etc.).

[0013] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Various aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to the following drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like elements, and in which:

[0015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a beverage machine with a user interface located at a beverage forming station in an illustrative embodiment;

[0016] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a beverage machine connected to a remote computer and a user device via a network in an illustrative embodiment;

[0017] Figure 3 is a view of a portable device user interface including adjustable brewing parameters for a first beverage machine having a first function set.

[0018] Figure 4is a view of a portable device user interface including adjustable brewing parameters for a second beverage machine having a second function set.

[0019] Figure 5 is a view of a portable device user interface including a selectable brewing parameter set for a first beverage machine.

[0020] Figure 6 is a view of a portable device user interface including a selectable brewing parameter set for a first beverage machine; and

[0021] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of components of a beverage machine in an illustrative embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] It should be understood that various aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings showing illustrative embodiments. The illustrative embodiments described herein are not necessarily intended to illustrate all embodiments according to the present invention, but are used to describe some illustrative embodiments. For example, various aspects of the present invention are described by reference to specific user interface arrangements, but various aspects of the present invention are not limited to the user interface arrangements described herein. Therefore, in view of the illustrative embodiments, various aspects of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted narrowly. In addition, it should be understood that various aspects of the present invention can be used alone or in any suitable combination with other aspects of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 1 A perspective view of a beverage machine 100 in an illustrative embodiment that may be used in embodiments of the present invention is shown. For purposes herein, the beverage machine 100 may be used to form any suitable beverage, such as tea, coffee, other infusion-type beverages, carbonated beverages, beverages formed from liquid or powdered concentrates, soups, juices or other beverages made from dry ingredients, or other beverages. As will be appreciated, the beverage machine may produce hot beverages and / or cold beverages. Figure 1In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the machine 100 is arranged to form a coffee or tea beverage (e.g., as a beverage brewing machine). As is known in the art, a beverage capsule (such as a beverage capsule 1) can be provided to the machine 100 and the beverage capsule can be used to form a beverage that is dispensed into a container 2 (such as a user's cup, glass bottle or other container). The capsule 1 can be provided to a beverage forming station 11 of the beverage machine 100 manually or automatically. For example, the beverage forming station 11 can include a capsule holder 12, which is exposed to receive the capsule 1 when a user (or machine controller) operates a handle or other actuator 14 to open the forming station 11 (e.g., by moving a cover or other covering 13 relative to the capsule holder 12). With the capsule 1 placed in the capsule holder 12, the capsule holder 12 and the cover 13 can be moved relative to each other to at least partially surround the capsule 1, for example, so that water or other precursor liquid can be introduced into the capsule 1 to form a beverage. For example, with the capsule 1 held in the beverage forming station 11, the capsule 1 may be pierced to form an inlet and an outlet through which, respectively, water or other precursor liquid enters the capsule 1 and the beverage exits the capsule 1. U.S. Patent 8,361,527 describes capsules and systems for introducing liquids into the capsule that may be used in embodiments of the present invention and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0024] The user can receive information from and / or provide information to the beverage machine 100 via a user interface 17 on the machine housing 10, which may include a display, a button, a switch, a touch screen, and / or other elements for displaying and receiving information. As described in more detail below, the user can interact with the user interface 17 to adjust one or more brewing parameters used by the machine 100 to form a beverage. Such parameters may include beverage volume, temperature, concentration, time period, carbonation level, the moment when the beverage will be dispensed (predetermined brewing or dispensing) in the future, and any other suitable settings used by the machine to form a beverage. Adjusting the "concentration" of the beverage can be performed in different ways, such as using additional beverage raw materials exceeding the standard amount to form the beverage, using water below the standard amount to form the beverage, using a higher water pressure or steam pressure than the standard level to form the beverage (for example, espresso is made using water or steam at a higher pressure than drip coffee), and other ways. In the illustrative embodiment below, adjusting the "concentration" of the beverage is accomplished by adjusting the flow rate of water to the beverage forming station: a slower flow rate provides a longer contact time between the water and the beverage raw materials, thereby increasing the "concentration" of the dispensed beverage. However, features of the present invention may be employed with any technique to adjust beverage strength.

[0025] The machine 100 may use a set of one or more brewing parameters to form a beverage, and the brewing parameter set may include beverage-specific parameters that can be defined for each specific beverage, and / or configuration-type parameters, each configuration-type parameter having a value that is widely used for all or a large number of beverages formed by the machine 100. The beverage-specific parameters and / or configuration-type parameters may be adjusted by the user, although if adjustable, they may be adjusted in different ways. For example, the user may select or at least have the ability to adjust the beverage-specific parameters for each beverage. Examples of such parameters include beverage volume and / or concentration, although other parameters are also possible. In some embodiments, the user interface 17 may have one or more buttons or other features that enable the user to select the desired values ​​of beverage volume, concentration, etc. each time a beverage is formed, and then instruct the machine 100 to start the beverage forming process, such as by pressing a "brew button" or otherwise providing an indication of starting beverage formation. In response, the machine 100 will dispense the beverage using the brewing parameter set.

[0026] While the user may also have the ability to adjust configuration-type parameters, the process for adjusting such parameters may be different from the process for adjusting beverage-specific parameters, for example, because configuration-type parameters are generally not intended to be adjustable for every beverage forming process. Examples of parameters of this type are beverage temperature and the pressure of the liquid used to form the beverage. (It should be understood, however, that this is not an exhaustive list, and in some embodiments, beverage temperature and liquid pressure may be beverage-specific parameters. The same is true for beverage volume and strength, which in some machines 100 may be configuration-type parameters.) In many coffee brewing machines, the machine 100 is configured to heat water to a specific beverage temperature for delivery to a beverage forming station, for example, for mixing with beverage ingredients. (As used herein, "beverage temperature" refers to the temperature of the liquid used to form the beverage and / or the temperature of the dispensed beverage. The actual temperature of the dispensed beverage may be the same as or different from (e.g., lower than) the temperature of the liquid used to form the beverage, for example, because, in some cases, ingredients at the beverage forming station may cool the liquid at least to some extent. Thus, it should be understood that "beverage temperature" refers to the target heating or cooling temperature for a water heater or other liquid conditioner that provides liquid to form the beverage, as well as the target or expected temperature of the dispensed liquid.) For example, many coffee brewers are configured to deliver water to the beverage forming station at a predefined temperature of about 195 degrees Fahrenheit. Some coffee brewers allow the user to adjust the target heating or beverage temperature, for example, to compensate for the high altitude location where the brewer is used, and in order to do so, the user may be instructed to interact with the user interface 17 in a non-standard manner. As just one example, the user may be instructed to simultaneously press two user interface buttons that are not normally pressed at the same time, such as a lighting on / off button and a 10-ounce beverage volume button. This may cause the machine 100 to enter a mode in which the user can adjust the beverage temperature. Thus, profile-type parameters may be adjustable by the user, but not in a standard manner, nor are they intended to be adjusted for every beverage formation cycle.

[0027] In some cases, the beverage machine 100 may be arranged to define a brewing parameter set that at least initially has default values ​​for each beverage forming process. As an example, each time a beverage is made using the machine 100, the values ​​of the beverage parameters may be selected and used to form the beverage unless changed by the user. Typically, configuration type parameters will have the same default values ​​for each beverage forming process, and this may also be true for beverage specific parameters. The default settings for the brewing parameters may be retrieved from a memory or otherwise determined. In some cases, at least some of the default settings for the brewing parameters may be determined by the controller based on at least one characteristic identified from the capsule 1 to be used to form the beverage. For example, if Figure 1As schematically shown in FIG. 1 , the beverage forming station 11 includes a reading device 15 arranged to capture an image of a portion of the capsule 1 or otherwise read or identify a characteristic of the capsule 1. In some cases, the capsule may include one or more machine-readable indicia, such as alphanumeric text, a logo, a barcode (e.g., a 2D or 3D barcode), an RFID tag, an inductive element, a magnetic stripe or other element, an optical sensing element (e.g., visible or invisible text, graphics, color), a physical structure, or other indicia arranged to indicate a characteristic of the capsule. The characteristic indicated by the indicia on the capsule 1 may include a manufacturer's name or location, a brand name or logo, a type of beverage ingredient in the capsule or a beverage to be prepared using the capsule, instructions and / or machine settings to be used when preparing a beverage using the capsule, an authentication code, or other information that allows the machine 100 to operate using the capsule, etc. Based on the characteristics of the capsule 1 identified by the controller 16, the controller 16 may determine default values ​​for one or more brewing parameters, at least some of which are adjustable by a user before or during the beverage is dispensed.

[0028] In some cases, the reading device 15 and the controller 16 may fail to identify the characteristics of the capsule held by the forming station of the machine 100. This may occur for various reasons, such as there may be no capsule 1 held by the forming station 11, the capsule 1 held by the forming station 11 does not include a readable indicia (e.g., the capsule may not include readable text, a barcode, etc.), and / or the capsule 1 may have a readable indicia (such as a barcode), but the reading device 15 may not be able to properly read the indicia (e.g., because the indicia is obscured by dust or other foreign matter, is damaged, has a format that the reading device 15 cannot decode, etc.). In such cases, the controller 16 may adjust one or more brewing parameters to define the manner in which a subsequent beverage is dispensed. Furthermore, in some cases, the brewing parameters adjusted by the controller 16 in response to the failure to identify the characteristics of the capsule may not be adjustable by the user. This may be done for various reasons, including providing rapid dispensing of hot water, ensuring that the capsule is used to form a beverage at the appropriate temperature or other conditions, helping to ensure that the capsule is used to form a beverage with a reduced likelihood of brewing problems, and other reasons. For example, the failure of the controller 16 to identify the characteristics of the capsule may indicate that the capsule is not present in the forming station 11. Thus, the controller 16 may set the strength parameter to a "weak" setting, by which the machine 100 dispenses hot or cooled water to the forming station at a relatively high flow rate, and without any intermittent or pulsed delivery that may be used for a higher strength setting. That is, the absence of a capsule in the beverage forming station may be interpreted as an indication that the user wishes the machine 100 to dispense plain hot water, not mixed with any beverage ingredients, at the forming station 11. As a result, the "strength" setting may not be useful in such circumstances, and the controller 16 may adjust the strength setting for the beverage dispensing operation to a weak or other suitable setting that results in dispensing hot water at a relatively fast flow rate. The controller 16 may adjust the strength parameter to a suitable "weak" or other setting corresponding to a relatively fast dispensing flow rate, even if the user has previously set or attempted to adjust the strength brewing parameter to some different value (e.g., when strength is a configuration type parameter).

[0029] As another example, the beverage machine 100 may be arranged to operate using a variety of different capsules, including capsules for forming cold or iced beverages and hot beverages. Some of these capsules may be adapted to be used at a specific water temperature or at least a water temperature below a threshold temperature, for example, a capsule intended to be used to make an iced beverage may be arranged to work with water at a temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. If the controller 16 cannot identify the characteristics of the capsule 1 (e.g., the marking on the capsule 1 cannot be properly read), the controller 16 may adjust one or more brewing parameters to take into account the capsule characteristics, such as being unable to withstand high temperatures. Therefore, when the characteristics of the capsule 1 cannot be identified, the controller 16 may adjust the beverage temperature to a suitable setting, such as 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. As mentioned above, the controller 16 may adjust the configuration type brewing parameters (such as beverage temperature) or beverage specific parameters in response to failure to identify the capsule characteristics, and the adjustments made by the controller 16 cannot be overwritten or otherwise changed by the user. For example, if the characteristics of the capsule 1 cannot be identified, the controller 16 may be adapted to adjust the beverage volume to no more than 12 ounces. Doing so can help ensure that beverages that meet consumer taste requirements are dispensed. For example, the beverage machine 100 can be arranged to dispense beverages up to 24 ounces in volume, but only when using a specially configured capsule 1, a beverage of 14-24 ounces in volume can be dispensed. Otherwise, the capsule 1 most commonly used with the machine 100 can be arranged to form a beverage of no more than 12 ounces. If the controller 16 cannot recognize the characteristics of the capsule 1, the controller 16 can adjust the beverage volume to 12 ounces (assuming that the capsule is a more commonly used capsule configured for 12 ounces of beverages or less), and the brewing parameter setting may not be adjustable by the user, at least not to a value higher than 12 ounces.

[0030] As another example, the machine 100 may be arranged to form a beverage by delivering water to the forming station 11 at different pressures, for example, a relatively higher pressure for use with an espresso-type capsule, a relatively lower pressure for use with a drip-type coffee capsule. As will be appreciated, a capsule arranged for use with relatively low pressure water or steam may not be able to withstand pressures suitable for forming espresso. If the controller 16 is unable to identify the characteristics of the capsule 1, the controller 16 may adjust the fluid pressure brewing parameters to not exceed a threshold, such as a pressure at or below a level that a drip-type coffee capsule can withstand. In this way, if a drip-type capsule is located in the forming station 11 when the characteristics of the capsule cannot be identified, the capsule will not be exposed to an unsuitably high pressure.

[0031] In some embodiments, the controller 16 may be arranged to use a default brewing parameter set to form a beverage upon identifying the characteristics of the capsule. That is, while the user may be able to adjust one or more of the values ​​of the default brewing parameter set, in the absence of such adjustment, the controller will use the default settings to form a beverage using a capsule having the identified characteristics. The default brewing parameter set may be determined by the controller 16 using a collection of parameter values ​​stored (e.g., in a database corresponding to the type of capsule held by the forming station 11), parameter values ​​obtained from markings on the capsule 1, parameter values ​​from a user's preference settings, etc., as well as parameter values ​​from a combination of such sources. For example, the default brewing parameter set may include a beverage temperature obtained from a configuration type parameter database storage of the controller 16, and a beverage volume obtained from a user preference, which user preference may also be stored in a memory of the controller 16 or elsewhere. If the characteristics of the capsule cannot be identified, one or more of the brewing parameters in the default set may be adjusted by the controller 16, for example, by retrieving one or more brewing parameters of the adjusted parameter set from the memory of the controller 16 to be used instead of the corresponding brewing parameters in the default set. The adjusted brewing parameters determined by the controller 16 may be used in place of the user-set brewing parameters, whether the user-set brewing parameters are profile-type parameters or beverage-specific parameters.

[0032] Note that although the functions of the user interface 17 discussed above are implemented on the beverage machine 100, the same or similar functions may be implemented on another device, such as a user's smartphone, tablet or other device, wherein the other portable device is arranged to display control information to the user and accept user commands to adjust brewing parameters or for other machine operation control. As an example, an application running on the user's smartphone may provide information and receive commands from the user in the same or similar manner as described above, thereby enabling the user to control the operation of the beverage machine 100. Thus, the user can select between multiple stored brewing parameter sets, adjust one or more brewing parameters, and cause the beverage machine 100 to dispense a beverage using the adjusted parameters via the smartphone or other remote device. The smartphone or other remote device may communicate directly with the controller 16 of the beverage machine 100 (e.g., via a local network), or indirectly with the controller 16 (e.g., via a remote server or other device and a network such as the Internet).

[0033] Figure 2An illustrative beverage forming system is shown by which a beverage machine 100 can communicate with a remote computer 30 (such as a computer server operated by the manufacturer of the machine 100) and a portable user device 31 (such as a smart phone) via a network 32. In some embodiments, the controller 16, the remote computer 30, and the user device 31 include communication interfaces arranged to receive and send information about the machine 100 (such as brewing parameter information, operating instructions, messages for display to a user, capsule data (e.g., capsule image data or other indicia), etc. In some embodiments, the beverage machine 100 is configured to read a capsule indicia (e.g., via the controller 16) and send beverage preparation parameters to the remote computer 30 and / or user device 31, for example, the capsule indicia data and beverage preparation parameters may be sent to the remote computer 30 and / or user device 31 before, during, or after the beverage is dispensed. Sending such information prior to dispensing may allow the user and / or remote server to make adjustments to the brewing parameters or recommendations for adjustments prior to dispensing. Sending such information during or after dispensing can allow the user and / or remote server to track capsule usage, determine when the beverage was dispensed and which brewing parameters were used, etc., and thus, can enable the user and / or server to enhance the overall beverage experience. In some embodiments, the beverage preparation parameters recorded and / or sent by the beverage machine include the day of the week, the time of day, the size of the prepared beverage (e.g., volume), the water temperature, the strength of the formed beverage (e.g., strong, medium, weak), the type of beverage formed, and / or other device settings (e.g., power settings, whether air is introduced into the precursor liquid during beverage formation, the carbonation level of the beverage, the location of the beverage machine during the preparation of the beverage, or the identity of the user associated with the preparation of the beverage). The controller 16 can be configured to decode the capsule marking, for example, to allow the characteristics of the capsule to be sent to the user device 31 or the remote server 30. As will be understood, in such embodiments, the imaging device may include an image decoder (e.g., a barcode reader, optical character recognition software, and / or other image analysis functions). The beverage machine 100 has a one-way communication with the remote computer 30 and / or the user device 31 via the network 32. That is, the machine 100 may communicate with the remote computer 30 and / or user device 31, but may not receive communications from the remote computer 30 and / or user device 31. The remote computer 30 and / or user device 31 may have two-way communication capabilities with the machine 100 and / or other devices connected to the network 30, for example, the computer 30 may be arranged to send communications directly to the user device 31 (e.g., to the user's phone or email). The beverage machine 100 may also be arranged to have two-way communication with the remote computer 30 and / or user device 31 (e.g., send communications to the remote computer and receive communications from the remote computer).For example, the remote computer 30 may send information to the machine 100 about a message displayed on the user interface 17 on the machine 100. In other embodiments, the remote computer 30 may send decoded indicia (e.g., beverage preparation parameters) back to the machine 100, which the machine 100 may then use to prepare a beverage. The beverage machine 100 may be connected to the network 32 via a wireless connection 34a and / or a wired connection 34b (e.g., via an Ethernet cable).

[0034] The remote computer 30 may be configured to track the number of capsules consumed by the user or the machine 100 (e.g., the number of capsules used and / or the type of capsules used). In some embodiments, the remote computer may track consumption by tracking the parameter information sent by the capsule and / or beverage machine to the computer. The remote computer may be configured to determine the user's need for capsule replenishment based on the user's consumption and past purchase history. In some embodiments, the remote computer determines when the user needs capsule replenishment by determining when the user's current capsule reserve falls below a threshold amount (e.g., less than a week's worth of capsules). In some embodiments, the remote computer determines the user's current capsule reserve (e.g., the remaining number of unused capsules) by comparing the number of capsules purchased by the consumer (e.g., such as purchased from a beverage machine manufacturer via an e-commerce website) with the number of capsules consumed by the user. The remote computer may also determine whether the number of remaining capsules falls below a threshold amount. The remote computer may run an algorithm to perform such calculations.

[0035] In some embodiments, the portable user device 31 has a user interface that is programmed and adapted to provide information to the user and receive information about the operation of the beverage machine from the user. In some cases, the user device user interface can be adapted to enable the user to control the operation of multiple different beverage machines, each of which has a different set of functions for forming a beverage. For example, different beverage machines can have different abilities to form a beverage, for example, some coffee brewers can dispense beverages with a volume of 6 ounces to 24 ounces, while another coffee brewer can dispense beverages with a volume of only 10 ounces to 14 ounces. In other cases, a coffee brewer can use water or steam with a pressure of 1-2psi to 150psi, while another coffee brewer can use a water pressure of only 1-2psi. The user device user interface can be adapted to adjust its information display to the user and adjust the options for controlling the operation of the beverage machine based on the set of functions that the beverage machine has. This adjustment in the operation of the user device user interface can be made based on the information about the association between the user and one or more beverage machines. Such association information may be stored in a memory of the remote computer 30, for example, which is established when a user installs the beverage machine 100 at home or other location.

[0036] The set of functions that a beverage machine may have includes various adjustable and non-adjustable features or parameters, including: a set of different beverage volumes that the beverage machine may dispense; a set of different beverage temperatures at which beverages may be dispensed; a set of different beverage strengths at which beverages may be dispensed; an option to dispense beverages over ice; an option to whip beverages; a set of carbonation levels for beverages; an option to mix air with beverages; a set of different liquid pressures that the beverage machine may use to form beverages; functionality to automatically deliver beverage ingredients to a beverage forming station; an automatic on / off function; and a delayed or scheduled beverage dispensing feature. This list is not exhaustive, and the beverage machine may (or may not) have other functions to enable the user device user interface to adjust its operation, such as display of information and options for controlling the operation of the beverage machine.

[0037] The information associating the beverage machine with the user may include the information of the beverage machine that uniquely identifies the beverage machine from multiple other beverage machines, no matter the multiple other beverage machines are the same or different types or models. For example, the manufacturer of the beverage machine can sell beverage machines of different models, wherein different models have different function sets for forming beverages. However, beverage machines of the same model may have the same function set. The association information may uniquely identify the beverage machine from multiple other beverage machines, or even from those machines with the same model, or may uniquely identify the beverage machine from machines of different model types (but not the same model). The association information may include the indication of the function set that the beverage machine is used to form the beverage, for example, the remote computer 30 may store the information indicating the function that the beverage machine 100 has, so that the user device 31 user interface can adjust the operation accordingly. The association information may also include the information that uniquely identifies the user from multiple other users. Therefore, about one or more beverage machines, or a machine with a specific function set, each user may be uniquely identified.

[0038] As discussed above, the beverage machine may use a brewing parameter set to form a beverage, and at least one of the brewing parameters may be adjustable. The user device user interface may provide the user with an option to adjust at least one brewing parameter, and may do so based on a functionality set of the beverage machine associated with the user. For example, Figure 3A user interface 4 that can be provided by a portable user device 31 for a particular beverage machine 100 is shown. The user can cause the user interface 4 to be presented on the user device 31, for example, by clicking on or otherwise activating an application (e.g., a stored set of instructions executable by a data processor) on the user device 31. Alternatively, the user's interaction with the beverage machine 100 (such as placing a capsule 1 in a forming station 11) can cause the user interface 4 to be presented. The user interface 4 can display information about the identity of the beverage machine 100 associated with the user, for example, "kitchen-model A" in the machine identifier area in this case. Of course, any name, logo or other identifier information can be provided to the associated beverage machine 100. In this case, the user names the beverage machine 100 using a logo indicating the location of the machine 100 ("kitchen") and the model of the machine ("model A"). In the case where the user is associated with more than one machine, this can help the user confirm that the correct machine is being controlled via the user interface 4. Because the operation of the user interface 4 is controlled based on the user's association with a particular beverage machine, the user interface 4 may provide the user with the ability to control another associated beverage machine, for example, by pressing a button 42 that causes the user interface 4 to display a list of beverage machines that are associated with the user and that can be selected (for example, by clicking, pressing, or otherwise interacting with the user interface 4). Figure 4 A situation is shown in which a user has pressed the machine change button 42 and selected a different machine associated with that user (ie, having the label "Pantry—Model B" indicated in the machine identifier area 41).

[0039] Figure 3 The user interface 4 in presents the user with the option of adjusting three brewing parameters (i.e., volume, strength, and temperature), although other parameters may provide options for adjustment, or at least indications of values ​​for forming a beverage. In this case, the brewing parameters may be adjusted using a slider element 43 movable along a track 44, for example, movement of the slider element 43 up or down on the track 44 may adjust the corresponding brewing parameter value up or down. Numeric indications (e.g., numbers corresponding to a set volume or temperature), icons, or other information may also be displayed. Of course, the brewing parameters may be adjusted in other ways, such as by the user typing in a value, clicking up / down arrows, selecting a displayed value, and so on. As mentioned above, the options for adjusting the brewing parameter controls on the user interface 4 may be based on the feature set of the beverage machine 100. In Figure 3In the example of , the beverage machine 100 has the ability to use different volume, strength, and temperature values, and thus the user can adjust them. The limits and / or increments of the adjusted values ​​may depend on the function set of the beverage machine, for example, the maximum and / or minimum volume, strength, temperature, etc. values ​​may be adjusted based on the functionality of the machine 100. In this example, the machine 100 is not capable of adopting the temperature setting at the uppermost end of the track 44, and therefore, this portion of the track 44 is shown in dotted lines and the slider element 43 cannot be moved by the user to this upper area of ​​the track 44. However, other approaches may be taken, for example, for one brewing machine having an upper temperature limit of 197 degrees Fahrenheit and for another brewing machine having an upper temperature limit of 190 degrees Fahrenheit, Figure 3 The maximum or limit value of the temperature setting in the user interface 4 may correspond to the upper end of the track 44. In the case where a beverage machine brewing parameter is not adjustable, the user interface 4 may adjust the operation to not allow adjustment of the parameter. Figure 4 In the example of FIG. 4 , the beverage machine 100 “Pantry—Model B” does not have the function of adjusting the beverage temperature, and therefore the temperature is not displayed on the user interface 4. This method can be used for beverage-specific parameters, as well as for configuration-type parameters. Alternatively, the user can use a different method for adjusting the beverage-specific parameters to adjust the configuration-type parameters, such as by pressing a setting button 45, which causes the user interface 4 to present an interface that allows the user to adjust the beverage temperature or other configuration-type parameters (e.g., including, for example, Figure 3 Slider layout, or other elements in .

[0040] The brewing parameters may initially have default values, as discussed above, and one way these default values ​​can be at least partially defined is by the user selecting from one of a plurality of stored brewing parameter sets. The brewing parameters may be selected by pressing a recipe button 47 or otherwise interacting with the user interface 4 to generate a list of brewing parameter sets (e.g., similar to Figure 5 ), the user can cause the user interface 4 to present a plurality of selectable brewing parameter sets. The displayed brewing parameter sets selectable by the user differ from one another (e.g. have at least one different value for the brewing parameter), and only those comprising all brewing parameters with values ​​compatible with the functional set of the beverage machine are displayed. That is, brewing parameter sets having brewing parameters with values ​​incompatible with the functional set of the beverage machine are not displayed. In this way, the user cannot select a brewing parameter set that cannot be implemented by the beverage machine. Figure 5 In the example of FIG. 4 , three brewing parameter sets 48 b are displayed along with the “custom” set 48 a. Selecting the custom set 48 a may present a display similar to Figure 34 , wherein the brewing parameters have default values, but the user is able to set the brewing parameters in any way. Selecting one of the other brewing parameter sets 48 b will result in selection of the corresponding brewing parameters, for example, by highlighting the set 48 b. The displayed brewing parameter set 48 b may include a summary of at least some of the parameter values, for example, indicating volume, strength and temperature in a qualitative and / or quantitative manner, so the user is able to quickly assess which set may be needed. If the user selects a different beverage machine with a different set of functions, the brewing parameter sets selectable by the user will change based on whether the brewing parameter set has parameter values ​​that are compatible with the functionality of the machine. For example, in Figure 6 , the user has changed to the associated machine "Pantry—Model B" and, therefore, one of the brewing parameter sets is no longer displayed because the "Pantry—Model B" machine cannot use that parameter set, for example, because that parameter set includes a beverage temperature that is higher than that which can be used by that machine. Figure 5 and Figure 6 The example in FIG. 4 shows a "recommended" brewing parameter set or a brewing parameter set defined by the manufacturer or other entity associated with the beverage machine and / or the entity managing the remote computer 30, as well as a user "favorite" defined by the user. The user can save the brewing parameter set by setting the parameter values ​​appropriately and then pressing the "favorite" button 49 (see FIG. 4 ) which causes the user interface 4 to save the brewing parameter set. Figure 3 ), to define a favorite brewing parameter set. The user may be able to name or otherwise associate a tag with the brewing parameter set, for example, User Favorites 3.

[0041] In some embodiments, the order in which brewing parameter sets and / or display sets are displayed for selection may be adjusted based on various factors. For example, a brewing parameter set that a user has collected may be a parameter set that the user prefers or a parameter set that is often used in the afternoon but not in the morning. Therefore, if the current time of day is afternoon, this particular brewing parameter set may be presented at the top of the list. As another example, a coffee roaster may have a brewing parameter set that is specifically designed for a particular type of coffee. If the beverage machine recognizes a mark on a capsule corresponding to this particular type of coffee (or the user indicates that this type of coffee is to be made), the user interface 4 may display the specially designed brewing parameter set at the top of the list or highlight it in some other way. Other options for adjusting the display and selection of brewing parameter sets are possible, for example, brewing parameter sets that are particularly popular in one region of the country may be highlighted or specifically presented for selection, or brewing parameter sets that are frequently selected by users may be specifically presented, and so on.

[0042] With the brewing parameters set as desired, the user can cause the beverage machine 100 to dispense the beverage by pressing the start or "brew button" 46. This can cause the user device 31 to send a command to the remote computer 30 to start dispensing, and in response, the computer 30 can send a command to the beverage machine 100 to start dispensing the beverage. Alternatively, the user can interact with the user interface 4 to cause dispensing of the beverage to occur at a future time, for example, by selecting Figure 3 The "Schedule Brew" button 51 allows the user to define the time of day when the beverage should be dispensed. Figure 3 The machine associated with the preset brew feature has a preset brew feature and therefore the preset brew button 51 is displayed, but Figure 4 The associated machine does not have a predetermined brewing characteristic, and therefore Figure 4 The predetermined brewing button 51 is not included. Figure 3 The associated machine 100 also has the ability to set automatic on / off times, and therefore includes an automatic on / off button 52 that allows the user to select the time of day at which the machine 100 will automatically turn on or off. Figure 4 The machine associated with does not have this function, and therefore the user interface does not include this button. These are just a few examples of different machine functions, and different machines may include other functions and cause different operations of the user interface 4.

[0043] Figure 7 A schematic block diagram of various components that may be included in a beverage machine 100 in an illustrative embodiment is shown. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the beverage forming device 100 may be configured in a variety of different ways, and therefore, aspects of the present invention should not be narrowly understood as relating to only one type of beverage forming device. In this embodiment, water or other precursor liquids may be provided by a liquid supply to be mixed with beverage ingredients at the beverage forming station 11. Beverage ingredients (such as coffee grounds, tea leaves, mixed drink powder, etc.) may be provided in the capsule 1, or not provided in the capsule 1, and the beverage produced by mixing the liquid with the beverage ingredients may be dispensed into the container 2 via the beverage outlet.

[0044] The liquid supply in this embodiment controls the volume of liquid provided to the beverage forming station 11 by filling the tank to a liquid dispensing level 159 and then pressurizing the tank 152 with an air pump 154 ​​so that the liquid in the tank 152 is forced out of the conduit 156 and into the beverage forming station 11. The volume of liquid delivered to the beverage forming station 11 is equal to the volume in the tank 152 between the liquid delivery level 159 and the post-delivery level 158 at the bottom of the conduit 156 in the tank 152. Since there is one delivery level 159 in this embodiment, one volume can be provided to the beverage forming station 11. However, two or more delivery levels may be used.

[0045] In this embodiment, the liquid supply provides liquid to the tank 152 via a valve 151 coupled to a source W. The source W may have any suitable arrangement, for example, the liquid may be provided from a movable or fixed storage tank, a tap water supply, or other source. Thus, in some cases, the temperature of the liquid provided to the tank 152 may vary greatly depending on various factors, such as the time of year, the temperature of the room in which the machine 100 is located, etc. For example, if the source W is a reservoir filled by a user, the temperature of the liquid in the reservoir may vary between room temperature (e.g., if the liquid has been in the reservoir for a long time) and a lower temperature (e.g., if the reservoir has just been filled with water dispensed from a tap).

[0046] In this embodiment, to provide liquid to the tank 152, the valve 151 is controlled by the control circuit 16 to open and close to provide the desired volume of liquid to the tank 152. For example, if the tank 152 is empty or at a post-dispensing level 158, the valve 151 may be opened until a conductive probe or other level sensor 157 provides a signal to the control circuit 16 indicating when the liquid reaches the dispensing level 159. In response to the liquid level sensor 157 detecting liquid at the sensor 157, the control circuit 16 may close the valve 151. Of course, other arrangements are possible, such as using a pump to move liquid from a storage reservoir to the tank 152.

[0047] Although in this embodiment, the liquid level sensor includes a conductive probe that can contact the liquid in the tank 152 and provide a signal (e.g., a change in resistance) indicating that the liquid in the tank 152 is present at the corresponding dispensing level 159, the liquid level sensor can also be arranged in other ways. For example, the sensor can include a micro switch with an attached float that rises with the liquid level in the tank 152 to activate the switch. In another embodiment, the liquid level sensor can detect a change in capacitance associated with one or more liquid levels in the tank; an optical emitter / sensor arrangement (such as an LED and a photodiode) can be used to detect changes in liquid level; a pressure sensor can be used; a floating magnet and a Hall effect sensor can be used to detect changes in liquid level; and other ways. Therefore, the liquid level sensor is not necessarily limited to a conductive probe configuration. In addition, the liquid level sensor can include two or more different types of sensors to detect different liquid levels in the tank. For example, a pressure sensor can be used to detect that the liquid is at a dispensing level (e.g., a completely full tank 152 can coincide with a surge in pressure in the tank 152), although a conductive probe can be used to detect that the liquid is at other dispensing levels 159.

[0048] Moreover, it is not necessary to use a level sensor to fill the tank to the dispensing level 159. Alternatively, other techniques may be used to appropriately fill the tank 152, such as opening the valve 151 for a defined period of time that is found to correspond to the tank 152 being substantially filled to the desired level. Of course, other arrangements for providing liquid to the tank 152 are possible, such as by a pump (e.g., a centrifugal pump, a piston pump, an electromagnetic pump, a diaphragm pump, etc.), a gravity feed, or other arrangements, and the manner in which the tank is filled to the dispensing level 159 may depend on the manner in which the liquid is provided to the tank. For example, control of the volume of liquid provided to fill the tank 152 to the dispensing level 159 may be performed by running the pump for a predetermined time, detecting the flow rate or volume of liquid entering the tank 152 (e.g., using a flow meter), operating the pump for a desired number of cycles (such as where the pump is arranged to deliver a known volume of liquid in each cycle), using a pressure sensor to detect a pressure rise in the tank 152, or using any other feasible technique.

[0049] The liquid in the tank 152 may be heated by a heating element 153, the operation of which is controlled by the control circuit 16 using input from a temperature sensor or other suitable input. In addition, the tank 152 may be arranged as an inline or continuous flow heater having a relatively small volume, for example, a tube with an associated heating element to heat the liquid in the tube. Of course, heating of the liquid is not necessary, and alternatively (or additionally), the device 100 may include a refrigerator to cool the liquid, may include a carbonator to carbonate the liquid, or otherwise condition the liquid by changing the volume of the liquid in the tank 152. (Generally speaking, a component of a liquid supply that heats, cools, carbonates, or otherwise conditions the liquid supplied to the beverage forming station 11 is referred to as a "liquid conditioner.")

[0050] In this embodiment, liquid may be expelled from the tank 152 by an air pump 154 ​​that operates to force air into the tank 152 to pressurize the tank and force the liquid to flow in the conduit 156 to the beverage forming station 11. Since the conduit extends downwardly to the tank 152, the volume of liquid delivered to the forming station 11 is defined as the volume in the tank 152 between the dispense level 159 and the bottom end of the conduit 156. Again, liquid may be caused to flow from the tank 152 to the beverage forming station 11 in other ways. For example, a pump may be used to pump liquid from the tank 152 to the forming station 11, a pump may force liquid into the tank 152 that moves liquid in the tank to the forming station 11, liquid may be allowed to flow out of the tank 152 by gravity, and other ways. The volume of liquid delivered from the tank to the forming station 11 may be controlled based on the volume of liquid forced into the tank 152, which may be detected by a flow meter, pump cycles, etc. A vent 155 that can be opened or closed to vent the tank 152 may be provided to allow the tank 152 to be filled without causing a significant increase in pressure in the tank 152, and to allow liquid to be delivered from the tank 152 by pressurizing the tank using the air pump 154. In this embodiment, the vent 155 is not actually controlled by the control circuit 16, but is always kept open, with an orifice of appropriate size to allow venting for filling the tank 152, and to increase air pressure in the tank 152 to allow liquid to be delivered. Other flow control features may also be provided, such as a check valve or other flow controller capable of preventing backflow in a conduit located between the source W and the tank 152, or between the tank 152 and the beverage forming station 11.

[0051] The beverage forming station 11 may use any beverage making ingredients, such as coffee grounds, tea, mixed flavored drinks, or other beverage media, for example, with or without the beverage medium contained in the capsule 1. Alternatively, the beverage forming station 11 may simply serve as an outlet for heated, cooled, or otherwise conditioned water or other liquid, for example, where the beverage medium is contained in the container 2. Once the liquid delivery from the tank 156 to the station 11 is completed, the air pump 154 ​​(or other air pump) may be operated to force air into the conduit 156 to at least partially clear the liquid from the beverage forming station 11.

[0052] The operation of the valve 151, the air pump 154, and other components of the device 100 may be controlled by the control circuit 16, which may include, for example, a programmed processor and / or other data processing device along with suitable software or other operating instructions, one or more memories (including non-transitory storage media that may store software and / or other operating instructions), temperature and level sensors, pressure sensors, input / output interfaces (such as a user interface 17), communication buses or other links, displays, switches, relays, triacs, or other components required to perform the desired input / output or other functions. As discussed above, the user interface 17 may be arranged in any suitable manner and include any suitable components for providing information to and / or receiving information from a user, such as buttons, a touch screen, a voice command module (including a microphone for receiving audio information from a user, and suitable software for interpreting the audio information as voice commands), a visual display, one or more indicator lights, a speaker, and the like.

[0053] Having thus described several aspects of at least one embodiment of the present invention, it will be appreciated that various changes, modifications and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such changes, modifications and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure and are intended to fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and accompanying drawings are intended only as examples.

Claims

1. A beverage forming system comprising: a beverage machine adapted to dispense a beverage, the beverage machine having a function set for forming a beverage; a remote computer system in communication with the beverage machine and adapted to receive information from and send information to the beverage machine, the remote computer system including a memory storing information regarding an association between the beverage machine and a user; as well as A portable user device having a user interface programmed and adapted to provide information to the user and receive information from the user regarding the operation of the beverage machine, the user interface communicating with the remote computer system and adapted to enable the user to control the operation of a plurality of different beverage machines having different sets of functions for forming beverages, the user interface adapted to adjust the display of information to the user and adjust options for controlling the operation of the beverage machine based on the set of functions of the beverage machine and the information regarding the association between the beverage machine and the user.

2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that The functionality of the beverage machine includes at least one of: a set of different beverage volumes that the beverage machine can dispense; a set of different beverage temperatures at which beverages can be dispensed; and a set of different beverage strengths at which beverages can be dispensed.

3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that The feature set of the beverage machine includes at least one of the following: an option to dispense the beverage over ice; an option to whip the beverage; an option to mix air with the beverage; a set of different liquid pressures that the beverage machine can use to form a beverage; the ability to automatically deliver beverage ingredients to a beverage forming station; an automatic on / off function; and a delayed or scheduled beverage dispensing feature.

4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that The information regarding the association between the beverage machine and the user comprises: identification information of the beverage machine, the identification information uniquely identifying the beverage machine from a plurality of other beverage machines; and an indication of the set of functions of the beverage machine for forming a beverage.

5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that The information regarding the association between the beverage machine and the user comprises information uniquely identifying the user from a plurality of other users.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein: The beverage machine is a first beverage machine having a first function set for forming a beverage, further comprising a second beverage machine having a second function set, and wherein the information about the association between the beverage machine and the user comprises information associating both the first beverage machine and the second beverage machine with the user, and wherein the user interface is adapted to provide different information displays to the user and to provide different options for controlling the operation of each of the first beverage machine and the second beverage machine based on the first function set and the second function set.

7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that The beverage machine uses a brewing parameter set to form a beverage, wherein at least one of the brewing parameters is adjustable, and wherein the user interface is adapted to provide an option to adjust the at least one brewing parameter based on the functionality set of the beverage machine.

8. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that The at least one brewing parameter includes a beverage volume, and the user interface provides an option to adjust the beverage volume, the option being limited to beverage volumes that can be dispensed by the beverage machine.

9. The system according to claim 7, characterized in that The user interface is adapted to display a plurality of stored brewing parameter sets selectable by the user for forming a beverage, the brewing parameter sets being different from one another and at least one of the brewing parameter sets comprising brewing parameters having values ​​incompatible with a function of the beverage machine, the user interface being adapted to display only the brewing parameter sets comprising all brewing parameters having values ​​compatible with the function set of the beverage machine for selection by the user.

10. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that Selection of a brewing parameter set by the user via the user interface causes the beverage machine to dispense a beverage using the selected brewing parameter set.

11. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that The plurality of stored brewing parameter sets includes a user defined brewing parameter set defined by the user.

12. The system according to claim 9, characterized in that The plurality of stored brewing parameter sets includes a recommended brewing parameter set defined by an entity managing the remote computer system.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein: The portable user device is adapted to send to the remote computer system user commands provided by a user via the user interface for controlling the operation of the beverage machine, and the remote computer system is adapted to send commands to the beverage machine based on the user commands.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein: The beverage machine comprises: a liquid supply arranged to provide liquid for forming a beverage; a beverage forming station arranged to hold beverage material for mixing with the liquid to form a beverage; a liquid regulator arranged to heat or cool the liquid provided to the beverage forming station; and A control circuit is arranged to control the liquid supply and the liquid regulator to operate automatically according to a set of brewing parameters.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein: The user interface is adapted to provide the user with an option to adjust one or more brewing parameters to have only values ​​that are compatible with the function set of the beverage machine.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein: The control circuit comprises a reader to read an indicia associated with a capsule held by the beverage forming station and to determine at least one of the brewing parameter sets based on the indicia.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein: The portable user device is not capable of communicating directly with the beverage machine to control the dispensing of the beverage.

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