Beverage machines using capsule imaging

Abstract

A beverage machine arranged to image at least part of a capsule held by a beverage forming station of the machine. Components of the beverage forming station may be movable between open and closed positions, and portions of the capsule may be imaged when the components of the forming station are between the open and closed positions. Capsule images may only be captured when the forming station components are moved towards the closed position, and image data is discarded if the forming station is moved towards the open position before beverage formation.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 904,805, filed on September 24, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] Features of the present invention relate to beverage machines and, more particularly, to beverage machines arranged to image at least a portion of a capsule held by the machine. Background Art

[0004] Beverage machines are widely used to make beverages using capsules containing ingredients such as coffee grounds, tea leaves, and / or other soluble and / or insoluble raw materials. Such beverage machines can generally be used with capsules containing a variety of different ingredients to make different beverages such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate, flavored mixed beverages, flavored carbonated beverages, etc. Some beverage machines (such as the beverage machine described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,818) are capable of reading a label on a capsule to identify preparation instructions for preparing a beverage using the capsule. Summary of the invention

[0005] Aspects of the present invention relate to a beverage machine comprising a beverage forming station, the beverage forming station comprising a capsule holder arranged to hold a capsule containing a capsule ingredient for forming a beverage. The beverage forming station comprises at least one portion movable between an open and a closed position, the open position being a position in which the capsule can be provided to the capsule holder, and the closed position being a position in which the capsule is at least partially surrounded and can be used to form a beverage. For example, a cover of the forming station may be arranged to cooperate with the capsule holder to at least partially surround the capsule held by the capsule holder when the cover and the capsule holder are in the closed position. The cover and the capsule holder may be movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position, in which the capsule can be received into the capsule holder. For example, the cover may be pivotally mounted to a housing of the beverage machine so as to be movable relative to the capsule holder between an open and a closed position. The machine may include a precursor liquid supply comprising components to supply a precursor liquid for forming a beverage with the capsule ingredient, for example, a liquid regulator may heat and / or cool water or other precursor liquid, and a pump may provide heated / cooled liquid under pressure to the capsule held by the capsule holder to form a beverage. An imaging device may be associated with the forming station (e.g. mounted to the cover) and arranged to capture an image of a portion of the capsule in the capsule holder, and the control circuit may be arranged to control the imaging device to capture an image of a portion of the capsule in the capsule holder when at least one component of the forming station is between an open and a closed position (e.g. when the cover and the capsule holder are between the open and closed positions). For example, the control circuit may be arranged to control the imaging device to image a portion of the capsule only when the cover and the capsule holder are moved relative to each other towards the closed position. In one embodiment, the control circuit is arranged to control the imaging device to image a portion of the capsule only when the cover is moved towards the closed position. By imaging a portion of the capsule when a component of the forming station is moved towards the closed position, the machine can help ensure that the capsule image accurately represents the capsule that is actually used to form the beverage, and reduce any delay required to image the capsule and process the image (e.g., decode any machine-readable markings on the capsule to determine beverage preparation parameters, such as water temperature, beverage volume, etc.). In a particular embodiment, the cover is configured to be in a horizontal position when in the closed position, and at an angle above the horizontal position when in the open position. The imaging device may be mounted to the lid and have an optical axis that is oriented vertically downward when the lid is between a certain angle above the horizontal position in the open position and a horizontal position. The control circuit may control the imaging device to image a portion of the capsule when the optical axis is oriented vertically downward (i.e., when the lid is between the open and closed positions).

[0006] In some embodiments, the imaging device is arranged to capture an image of a portion of the cover of the capsule. The cover of the capsule may include a machine-readable mark, the machine-readable mark including a barcode, alphanumeric text and / or an emblem, and the captured image may include one or more marks in the mark. For example, the machine-readable mark may include a barcode and alphanumeric text, and the captured image includes the barcode and alphanumeric text. The control circuit may be adapted to decode the barcode and alphanumeric text from the image, for example, the barcode may include information about the type of beverage to be made using the capsule, the beverage preparation parameters to be used by the beverage machine, the manufacturer's name, and the like. The alphanumeric text may include the beverage type, brand name, authentication code, and the like. In some embodiments, the beverage machine may include a user interface, the user interface includes a display, and the control circuit may be adapted to present visual information about the capsule in the capsule holder on the display based on the image of the portion of the capsule. For example, the control circuit may display the type of beverage being made using the capsule, as well as other information, such as the volume and / or concentration of the recommended beverage, the option for the user to adjust the volume or other parameters (such as temperature, concentration, etc.). Such information may be displayed before or when a component of the beverage forming station, such as a cover, reaches the closed position.If the image reveals that no capsule is present in the capsule holder, information about the absence of a capsule may be displayed.

[0007] In some cases, the beverage machine may send capsule image data to a remote computer (such as a network server), which may analyze the image data and send information back to the beverage machine, for example, about beverage machine parameters, information to be displayed to the user on the machine, etc. In some cases, when the beverage machine is not connected to the network, the beverage machine may decode the machine-readable indicia included in the capsule image. Otherwise, the machine may not decode the indicia, but may rely on the remote server to perform the decoding, etc.

[0008] In some embodiments, the imaging device includes a component to facilitate imaging of the capsule portion, such as an illumination element arranged to illuminate the portion of the capsule. The control circuit may be arranged to control the illumination element to illuminate the portion of the capsule only when the lid and the capsule holder are between the open and closed positions. Otherwise, the illumination element may be deactivated.

[0009] Aspects also relate to determining the user's need for capsule replenishment based on beverage machine use and past purchase history. That is, the beverage machine and / or remote server can track the user's consumption of capsules, compare the value with the user's past capsule purchase history, and determine whether the user's capsule supply is below a threshold (e.g., below a week's capsule amount). Consumption can be determined based on capsule image data, which is captured and / or sent to a remote computer by a beverage machine. For example, the remote computer can count the number of capsule images acquired by the beverage machine to determine the number of capsules that have been used. The remote computer can also process the capsule image data to determine not only the number of capsules that have been used, but also the type of capsule. In other examples, the remote computer does not need to use or receive capsule image data in order to track consumption. That is, the remote computer can track capsule consumption without knowing the identity of the capsule (e.g., brand or beverage ingredients). For example, the remote computer can use beverage preparation parameters to determine the number of beverage preparation events at the beverage machine, and can extrapolate the number of capsules that have been used from the value.

[0010] In these examples, the remote computer may notify the user when the user's capsule supply is below a threshold. For example, the remote computer may send a notification to the user to purchase additional capsules, or may send a notification to the user that capsules will be automatically shipped to the user (e.g., if the user already has an automatic subscription to purchase capsules).

[0011] According to one embodiment, a system for evaluating the use of a beverage machine is disclosed. The beverage machine includes a capsule holder arranged to hold a capsule containing an ingredient and use the capsule ingredient to form a beverage; the capsule holder is arranged to operate with a plurality of different types of capsules; a precursor liquid supply including components to supply a precursor liquid for forming a beverage with the capsule ingredient; and a control circuit arranged to control the components of the precursor liquid supply to form a beverage using the capsule in the capsule holder, the control circuit including a beverage machine data module arranged to combine and send a communication to a remote computer system via a network for each beverage preparation operation, the communication including information about beverage preparation parameters used to make the beverage during the beverage preparation operation. The remote computer system comprises a communication interface arranged to receive communications regarding beverage preparation operations, including beverage preparation parameters, the communication interface not receiving information from the beverage machine regarding identity information of capsules used by the beverage machine; a memory arranged to store beverage preparation parameters for each beverage preparation operation and to store information regarding historical capsule purchases associated with the beverage machine; and an order processing module arranged to direct sending a quotation for the purchase or shipment of a particular type of capsule to a user associated with the beverage machine based on the historical capsule purchase information and the beverage preparation parameter information of the beverage machine.

[0012] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Various aspects of the present invention are described with reference to the following drawings, in which like reference numerals represent like elements, and in which:

[0014] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a beverage machine having an imaging device located at a beverage forming station in an illustrative embodiment;

[0015] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 a schematic diagram of a beverage forming station in an embodiment showing a capsule imaging system;

[0016] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 a side view of an embodiment illustrating the point at which a capsule portion is imaged based on the position of the lid;

[0017] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 a side view of an embodiment showing the cover in a closed position;

[0018] Figure 5is a side view of a beverage forming station in which the capsule holder and the cover are movable relative to the beverage machine housing.

[0019] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 a side view of a beverage forming station of FIG. 1 with components of the forming station between open and closed positions;

[0020] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a beverage machine connected to a remote computer via a network in an illustrative embodiment; and

[0021] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of components of a beverage machine in an illustrative embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] It should be understood that 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, aspects of the present invention are described with reference to specific capsule arrangements, but aspects of the present invention are not limited to the capsule arrangements described herein. Therefore, in view of the illustrative embodiments, aspects of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted narrowly. In addition, it should be understood that 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 incorporating aspects 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 an 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) may be provided to the machine 100 and the beverage capsule may be used to form a beverage stored in a container 2 (such as a user's cup, glass bottle or other container). The capsule 1 may be provided to a beverage forming station 11 of the beverage machine 100 manually or automatically. For example, the beverage forming station 11 may 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 move 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 may 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 water or other precursor liquid enters the capsule 1 and the beverage leaves the capsule 1, respectively. U.S. Patent 8,361,527 describes capsules and systems for introducing liquids into capsules that may be used in embodiments of the present invention and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. A user may receive information from and / or provide information to the beverage machine 100 via the user interface 17, which may include a display, buttons, a touch screen, and / or other elements for displaying and receiving information.

[0024] According to one aspect, Figure 2 As schematically shown in FIG. 1 , the beverage forming station 11 includes an imaging device 15 arranged to capture an image of a portion of the capsule 1. In some cases, the imaged portion of the capsule may include one or more machine-readable indicia 7, such as alphanumeric text, a barcode (e.g., a 2D or 3D barcode), an RFID tag, an inductive element, a magnetic strip or other element, an optical sensing element (e.g., visible or invisible text, graphics, color), a physical structure, or other markings arranged to indicate a characteristic of the capsule. The characteristics indicated by the indicia 7 on the capsule 1 may include a manufacturer's name or location, a brand name or logo, the type of beverage ingredients in the capsule or the beverage to be made 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, and the like. In some embodiments, as Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 , the imaging device 15 is mounted on the cover 13 of the beverage forming station 11 and is arranged to capture an image of the top or part of the cover 25 of the capsule 1. Of course, other parts of the capsule may be imaged and the imaged part does not necessarily include the marking 7. The image captured by the imaging device 15 may include one or more markings 7 on the capsule 1, for example, the image may include the following: Figure 2In some embodiments, the imaging device 15 can capture an image of the entire cover 25 of the capsule 1. The imaging device 15 can be arranged to capture two or more images of a portion of the capsule 1, such as by scanning across the cover 25 of the capsule, and the imaging device 15 can include two or more image sensors, such as cameras or other image sensors for visible light, infrared light, ultraviolet light or other electromagnetic radiation. Multiple sensors can be used to image the area in the capsule 1, for example, the images captured by the multiple sensors can be stitched together to form a single image or used in other ways. The imaging device 15 can include an illumination device, such as one or more LEDs or other devices, to illuminate the portion of the capsule 1 being imaged. Such illumination devices can be placed in any suitable manner, for example, to illuminate the portion of the capsule 1, so that the desired image of the capsule portion can be captured. When imaging in a dark area or otherwise at a low level of ambient light, and / or for making the mark 7 or other features on the capsule 1 emit detectable obvious features, illumination may be useful. For example, the capsule 1 may include fluorescent paint or other elements that emit visible or other light when illuminated at a specific wavelength or set of wavelengths. The imaging device 15 may thus activate such features through the lighting device and, in response, capture an image of the light emitted by the capsule 1. The imaging device 15 may include a photocell or other light level sensor to detect whether the lighting device should be operated, for example, if the ambient light level is below a threshold, then a portion of the capsule may be illuminated. The imaging device 15 may also include other optical components, such as one or more lenses, light diffusers, filters, reflectors, light pipes, etc., used to illuminate portions of the capsule or receive and transmit imaging light.

[0025] like Figure 2As shown in , the imaging device 15 is operatively coupled to a controller 16, which includes control circuitry adapted to control the operation of the imaging device 15, receive image data from the imaging device 15, perform image processing, decoding or other operations on the image data, and / or control other components of the beverage machine 100. In some embodiments, the controller 16 activates the imaging device 15 to capture an image of at least a portion of the capsule when the capsule is in the capsule holder 12. In some embodiments, the imaging device 15 captures an image of the capsule when components of the beverage forming station 11 are moved relative to each other to at least partially surround the capsule. For example, an image may be captured when a user interacts with the actuator 14 to move the cover 13 from an open position to a closed position relative to the capsule holder 12. In other embodiments, the controller 16 may control the imaging device 15 to capture an image during beverage formation (e.g., after the capsule has been partially surrounded by the forming station 11 and water or other liquid is introduced into the capsule to form the beverage). The imaging device 15 may also be controlled to capture images when beverage formation has been completed (eg after one brewing cycle), or when components of the beverage forming station 11 are moved out of covering the capsule.

[0026] In some embodiments, the controller 16 may activate the imaging device 15 to capture an image based on a trigger mechanism or trigger criteria. In some embodiments, the trigger mechanism may detect the closing of the forming station 11, and in response, the controller 16 may control the imaging device 15 to capture an image of at least a portion of the capsule 1. By capturing an image of the capsule 1 while the capsule 1 is enclosed at the forming station 11, the controller 16 may ensure that the imaged capsule 1 corresponds to a capsule that is subsequently used to form a beverage, or even allow the controller 16 to detect that the capsule 1 is not present in the capsule holder 12. For example, if the capsule 1 is imaged before the forming station 11 begins to move to enclose the capsule 1, the user may replace the imaged capsule 1 with another capsule and then close the forming station 11. In this case, the controller 16 will not have an image of the capsule 1 that is actually used to form the beverage. In contrast, by imaging the capsule 1 while the capsule 1 is enclosed by the forming station 11 (e.g., when the capsule holder 12 and the cover 13 or other forming station components are moved from an open position to a closed position relative to each other), the controller 16 may better ensure that the captured image correctly corresponds to the capsule that is subsequently used to form the beverage. Furthermore, imaging the capsule while one or more components of the forming station 11 are moving to surround the capsule 1 allows the controller 16 to receive image data before the forming station 11 is closed. This allows the controller 16 to take appropriate action before or shortly after the forming station 11 is closed, such as decoding the image data, presenting brewing options to the user on the user interface 17, etc. This can reduce waiting time that the user may have to endure if the capsule 1 is imaged after it is surrounded at the forming station 11. In some embodiments, the controller 16 may include one or more sensors for detecting not only movement of the forming station 11 components to the closed position, but also movement of the forming station 11 components to the open position. For example, this can allow the controller 16 to detect that the cover 13 is moving to the closed position and trigger the imaging device 15 to capture an image of a portion of the capsule, and if the controller 16 detects that the cover 13 is moving to the open position (e.g., allowing the capsule 1 to be removed before forming a beverage), the controller 16 can discard the image data. By capturing and using image data only when the forming station 11 is moving to the closed position, the controller 16 can ensure that appropriate image data corresponds to a beverage that is subsequently formed.

[0027] In some embodiments, the controller 16 may control the imaging device 15 to capture an image of the capsule 1 when the imaging device 15 is correctly positioned relative to the capsule 1. This may be accomplished in different ways, such as by detecting the relative position of the imaging device 15 and the capsule 1, the position of the imaging device 15 relative to other parts of the beverage machine 100, and / or the position of a component of the beverage machine 100 to which the imaging device 15 is attached. For example, Figure 3An arrangement of an imaging device 15 mounted to a lid 13 of a beverage forming station 11 is shown. The lid 13 is movable between an open and closed position relative to the capsule holder 12. In this embodiment, the imaging device 15 has an optical sensor having an optical axis 15a extending generally downward and away from the lid 13. The optical axis 15a is a general route along which the imaging device 15 receives light information (e.g., field of view) for capturing an image. The imaging device 15 is arranged so that the best quality image of the capsule 1 is captured when the optical axis 15a is generally perpendicular to the lid 25 of the capsule 1. Therefore, the controller 16 may control the imaging device 15 to capture an image of the capsule 1 when the optical axis 15a is perpendicular to the lid 25 of the capsule 1. The determination of when the optical axis 15a is perpendicular to the lid 25 of the capsule 1 may be performed in different ways. For example, the trigger mechanism may include a sensor that detects when the lid 13 is at a specific angle relative to the rest of the housing of the beverage machine 100, the specific angle corresponding to the optical axis 15a being oriented vertically. When the controller 16 determines that the cover 13 is at a particular angle (and optionally moves toward the closed position), the controller 16 may cause the imaging device 15 to capture an image of the capsule 1. The sensor may be a Hall effect sensor, a potentiometer, an encoder, an accelerometer, or other suitable device for detecting the position of the cover 13. Alternatively, the sensor may detect the position of the imaging device 15 relative to the capsule 1, for example, the imaging device 15 is directly above the cover 25 of the capsule 1, which may trigger image capture. In another embodiment, the imaging device 15 may repeatedly capture image data when the cover 13 moves toward the closed position, and the controller 16 may determine which captured image includes the desired image of the capsule 1, for example, by image analysis of the image data, which reveals a specific image including suitable characteristics indicating the capsule cover 25.

[0028] although Figure 4 The cover 13 is shown in a closed position in which the capsule 1 is at least partially enclosed to form a beverage, but with the optical axis 15a perpendicular to the cover 25 of the capsule 1. Figure 3The position of the cover in the image may be an open position (e.g., the farthest extent that the cover 13 can move from the closed position) or may be between the open and closed positions. Thus, the imaging device 15 may be positioned at an optimal position or other desired position relative to the capsule so as to image the capsule when the cover 13 is in the open position, or the imaging device 15 may be better positioned so as to image the capsule when the cover 13 is located at a position between the open and closed positions. It is also noted that although in this embodiment, the imaging device 15 is arranged to capture the desired image of the capsule when the optical axis 15a is perpendicular to the capsule cover 25, this is not necessary in all embodiments. Alternatively, the imaging device 15 may be controlled to image the capsule when the optical axis 15a is located at other angles relative to the capsule cover 25 or other capsule parts. In addition, the triggering of the imaging device to capture the image of the capsule 1 does not need to have any association with the optical axis of the image sensor, and the imaging device 15 does not need to have an optical axis at all. Alternatively, the imaging device 15 may capture the image of the capsule 1 for a range of specific positions or relative positions of the components of the forming station 11 receiving the capsule 1 (such as the relative positions of the cover 13 and the capsule holder 12).

[0029] Figure 5 and Figure 6 Another beverage forming station 11 arrangement is shown in which both the cover 13 and the capsule holder 12 are movable relative to the housing 10 of the beverage machine 100. Details regarding the operation of the beverage forming station 11, including the movement of the cover 13 and the capsule holder 12, are provided in US Pat. No. 7,347,138, which is incorporated herein by reference. Figure 5 The forming station 11 is shown in an open position in which a capsule may be placed by a user into the forwardly tilted capsule holder 1. An imaging device 15 is mounted to the cover 13, for example adjacent to an inlet probe 28 arranged to introduce liquid into the capsule 1 to form a beverage. Figure 5 In the embodiment of the present invention, the optical axis 15a or other field of view of the imaging device 15 is directed generally downwards, but not towards the area where the capsules are received by the forming station 11 in the open position. However, when the user operates the handle 14 to move the forming station 11 towards the closed position, the capsule holder 12 is rotated backwards and the cover 13 is pivoted downwards. Figure 6The forming station 11 is shown at a point between the open and closed positions, and in the forming station 11, the imaging device 15 field of view is directed toward the lid 25 of the capsule 1 in the capsule holder 12. At this point, the imaging device 15 may capture one or more images of the capsule 1, for example, triggered by a sensor detecting the position of the lid 13 relative to the housing 10, by a sensor detecting the position of the lid 13 relative to the capsule holder 12, by a sensor detecting the position of the imaging device 15 relative to the capsule 1, or by other arrangements. As in the above examples, the imaging device 15 may be controlled to capture one or more images of the capsule 1 only when the forming station 11 is moved toward the closed position, and any captured images may be discarded if the forming station 11 is moved toward the open position before forming a beverage. The direction of movement of the forming station component(s) may be detected by any suitable sensor, such as a rotary encoder detecting rotation of the lid 13, an accelerometer mounted to the lid 13 and / or the capsule holder 12, etc.

[0030] According to another aspect, the beverage machine 100 is configured to transmit capsule image data to a remote computer. Figure 7 As shown in , the machine 100 can transmit data to the remote computer 30 via the network 32. In some embodiments, the remote computer 30 includes a communication interface arranged to receive capsule image data (e.g., undecoded capsule image data). The remote computer may also include a memory arranged to store data (e.g., decoded tags). In some embodiments, the controller 16 is arranged to send capsule image data to the remote computer 30 during the beverage formation cycle or after the beverage formation cycle is completed (e.g., during or after the brewing cycle). As will be understood, the controller 16 may include a data module and / or a communication interface arranged to send capsule image data to the remote computer 30. The controller 16 may also be arranged to store capsule image data in a memory of the beverage machine 100 after beverage formation is completed, and then send the capsule image data from the memory to the remote computer 30. For example, if the beverage machine does not have a network connection (e.g., an Ethernet cable has been unplugged or a wireless connection has been interrupted), the controller 16 may store the capsule image data until the machine has reestablished a network connection, at which time the capsule image data will be sent to the remote computer 30. As will be appreciated, in some embodiments, the beverage machine may not be configured to store capsule image data in memory, in which case the capsule image data may be discarded by the beverage machine (eg, if there is no network connection).

[0031] According to another aspect, the beverage machine 100 is configured to capture and send beverage preparation parameters to the remote computer 30 (e.g., via the controller 16). In some embodiments, the controller is arranged to send both capsule image data and beverage preparation parameters to the remote computer 30. As will be appreciated, in other embodiments, the controller 16 may be arranged to send only capsule image data or only beverage preparation parameters to the remote computer 30. In some embodiments, the beverage preparation parameters recorded by the beverage machine include the day of the week, the time of day, the size (e.g., volume) of the prepared beverage, the water temperature, the strength (e.g., strong, medium, weak) of the beverage formed, 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). In some embodiments, as with the capsule image data, the controller 16 is arranged to send the beverage preparation parameters to the remote computer when the beverage formation cycle is completed (e.g., after the brewing cycle). In other embodiments, the beverage preparation parameters may be stored in a memory and sent to the remote computer thereafter. In yet another embodiment, the controller 16 may be configured to discard the beverage preparation parameters if the device is not connected to a network.

[0032] According to yet another aspect, the beverage machine 100 is arranged to send undecoded capsule image data to a remote computer (e.g., a remote server), which will decode the indicia stored in the capsule image data and store the decoded indicia (e.g., storing the type of capsule or the beverage material in the capsule). That is, in some embodiments, the beverage machine does not decode the capsule indicia by itself. Instead, the device simply captures an image of a portion of the capsule and sends the raw capsule image data to the remote computer for processing. Figure 7 As shown in , the machine 100 may send undecoded capsule image data to a remote computer 30 via a network 32 (eg, the Internet and / or other wired or wireless network, whether local or not).

[0033] In other embodiments, the machine 100 may be configured to decode the capsule indicia. As will be appreciated, 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 functionality). In such embodiments, once a network connection is reestablished, the decoded indicia may be sent to a remote computer.

[0034] The beverage machine 100 may have one-way communication with the remote computer 30 via the network 32. That is, the machine 100 may communicate with the remote computer 30, but may not receive communications from the remote computer 30. The remote computer 30 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 (e.g., to the user's phone or email). The beverage machine may also be arranged to have two-way communication with the remote computer (e.g., sending communications to the remote computer and receiving communications from the remote computer). For example, the remote computer may send information about a message displayed on the user interface 17 on the machine 100 to the machine 100. In other embodiments, the remote server 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.

[0035] In some embodiments, the beverage machine 100 is connected to the network 32 via a wireless connection 34a and / or a wired connection 34b (e.g., via an Ethernet cable). In some embodiments, the beverage machine may have a built-in wireless card that allows the device to be wirelessly connected to the network 32. The beverage machine 100 may also be connected to a wireless adapter (e.g., a dongle) that allows the device to establish a wireless connection with the network 32. In some embodiments, the user connects the beverage machine to the network 32 (e.g., so that the machine can send capsule image data to the remote computer 30). In one example, the user connects the machine to the network 32 by plugging an Ethernet cable into a port on the device. In another example, the user connects the beverage machine to the network 32 by enabling a wireless connection. That is, the user can use a peripheral device (e.g., a smartphone) to enable the wireless connection of the device to the network 32. In such embodiments, the user can use a smartphone application that has instructions on how to configure the wireless connection and / or has software for loading onto the beverage machine. In other embodiments, the user enables the wireless connection by simply pressing a button on the beverage machine.

[0036] According to some embodiments, the user may opt-in to allow the beverage machine to send information (e.g., capsule image data and / or beverage preparation parameters) to a remote computer via a network. In such embodiments, the user may opt-in by downloading an application on a peripheral device (e.g., a smartphone application) and / or by filling out a form with name, phone number, email address, when the device was purchased, etc.

[0037] According to another aspect, the remote computer is configured to track the number of capsules consumed by the user (e.g., the number of capsules used and / or the type of capsules used). In some embodiments, the remote computer can track consumption by tracking the number of capsule image data sent by the beverage machine to the computer. That is, the remote computer can count the number of capsules imaged by the device. In another embodiment, the remote computer can count the information extracted from the decoded mark to track consumption. That is, the remote computer can count the number of capsules of each type used by the user. In yet another embodiment, the remote computer tracks consumption without first identifying the capsule (e.g., without first imaging the capsule to know the characteristics of the capsule). In such embodiments, the number of capsules used by the user can be calculated using beverage preparation parameters. For example, the number of capsules used can be extrapolated from the number of beverage preparation cycles run by the beverage forming device.

[0038] According to another embodiment, the remote computer is 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 supply 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 supply (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.

[0039] Figure 8 A schematic block diagram of various components that may be included in a beverage machine 100 in an illustrative embodiment is shown. Those skilled in the art will appreciate 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 interpreted as only relating to 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 or may not be 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.

[0040] 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 by means of the 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.

[0041] 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 removable 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).

[0042] To provide liquid to the tank 152 in this embodiment, 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 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.

[0043] 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; a light 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., completely filling the tank 152 may coincide with a sharp rise in pressure in the tank 152), although a conductive probe can be used to detect that the liquid is at other dispensing levels 159.

[0044] 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); detecting a pressure rise in the tank 152 using a pressure sensor; or using any other feasible technique.

[0045] The liquid in the tank 152 may be heated by means of 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. Of course, heating of the liquid is not necessary, and alternatively (or additionally), the apparatus 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, components of a liquid supply that heat, cool, carbonate, or otherwise condition the liquid supplied to the beverage forming station 11 are referred to as "liquid conditioners.")

[0046] In this embodiment, liquid can be discharged from the tank 152 by an air pump 154, which operates to force air into the tank 152 to pressurize the tank and force the liquid to flow within the conduit 156 to the beverage forming station 11. Since the conduit extends downward into the tank 152, the volume of liquid delivered to the forming station 11 is defined as the volume in the tank 152 between the dispensing level 159 and the bottom end of the conduit 156. Once again, liquid can be caused to flow from the tank 152 to the beverage forming station 11 in other ways. For example, a pump can be used to pump the liquid from the tank 152 to the forming station 11, the liquid can be allowed to flow out of the tank 152 by gravity, and other ways. A vent 155 that can be opened or closed to vent the tank 152 can 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 ventilation for filling the tank 152 and increase air pressure in the tank 152 to allow liquid delivery. Other flow control features may also be provided, such as a check valve or other flow controller capable of preventing backflow in the conduit between the source W and the tank 152, or between the tank 152 and the beverage forming station 11.

[0047] 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.

[0048] The operation of the valve 151, the air pump 154 ​​and other components of the device 100 can be controlled by the control circuit 16, for example, the control circuit 16 may include a programmed processor and / or other data processing device together with appropriate software or other operating instructions, one or more memories (including non-volatile storage media that can store software and / or other operating instructions), temperature and liquid level sensors, pressure sensors, input / output interfaces, communication buses or other links, displays, switches, relays, triacs, or other components required to perform the desired input / output or other functions.

[0049] 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 by way of example only.

Claims

1. A beverage machine, comprising: a capsule holder arranged to hold a capsule containing capsule ingredients to form a beverage, a cover arranged to cooperate with the capsule holder to at least partially surround the capsule held by the capsule holder when the cover and the capsule holder are in a closed position, the cover being movable relative to the capsule holder between an open position in which the capsule can be received into the capsule holder and the closed position, a precursor liquid supply comprising components to supply a precursor liquid for forming the beverage with the capsule ingredients, an imaging device mounted to the cover and arranged to capture an image of a portion of the capsule in the capsule holder, the imaging device comprising an illumination element arranged to illuminate the portion of the capsule, and and a control circuit arranged to control the imaging device to capture an image of a portion of the capsule in the capsule holder when the lid and the capsule holder are between the open position and the closed position, and to control the illumination element to illuminate the portion of the capsule only when the lid and the capsule holder are between the open position and the closed position.

2. The machine according to claim 1, characterized in that The cover is movable relative to the capsule holder between an open position and a closed position.

3. The machine according to claim 2, characterized in that The cover is in a horizontal position when in the closed position, and is at an angle above the horizontal position when in the open position.

4. The machine according to claim 3, characterized in that The imaging device has an optical axis oriented vertically downward when the cover is between the angle above the horizontal position and the horizontal position, and the control circuit is arranged to control the imaging device to image the portion of the capsule when the optical axis is oriented vertically downward.

5. The machine according to claim 2, characterized in that The control circuit is arranged to control the imaging device to image the portion of the capsule only when the cover is moved towards the closed position.

6. The machine according to claim 1, characterized in that The control circuit is arranged to control the imaging device to image the portion of the capsule only when the cover and the capsule holder are moved relative to each other towards the closed position.

7. The machine according to claim 1, characterized in that The imaging device is arranged to capture an image of a portion of the lid of the capsule.

8. The machine according to claim 7, characterized in that The cap of the capsule comprises machine-readable indicia comprising a barcode, alphanumeric text or a logo.

9. The machine according to claim 8, characterized in that The machine-readable indicia includes a bar code and alphanumeric text, and the image includes the bar code and alphanumeric text.

10. The machine according to claim 9, characterized in that The control circuit is adapted to decode the barcode and alphanumeric text from the image.

11. The machine according to claim 9, characterized in that The beverage machine is arranged to decode the machine-readable indicia when the beverage machine is not connected to a network.

12. The machine of claim 1, further comprising a user interface, the user interface comprising a display, and wherein the control circuit is adapted to present visual information about the capsule in the capsule holder on the display based on the image of the portion of the capsule.

13. The machine according to claim 12, characterized in that The control circuit is arranged to control the imaging device to image the portion of the capsule only when the lid and the capsule holder are moved relative to each other towards the closed position, and wherein the control circuit is adapted to present the visual information on the display when the lid and the capsule holder reach the closed position.

14. A beverage machine, comprising: A beverage forming station comprising a capsule holder arranged to hold a capsule containing capsule ingredients for forming a beverage, the beverage forming station comprising at least one component movable between an open position, in which the capsule can be provided to the capsule holder, and a closed position, in which the capsule is at least partially enclosed and can be used to form a beverage, a precursor liquid supply comprising components to supply a precursor liquid for forming the beverage with the capsule ingredients, an imaging device arranged to capture an image of a portion of the capsule held by the beverage forming station, the imaging device comprising a lighting element arranged to illuminate the portion of the capsule, and a control circuit arranged to control the imaging device to capture the image of the portion of the capsule when the at least one component of the beverage forming station is between the open position and the closed position, and to control the lighting element to illuminate the portion of the capsule only when the at least one component of the beverage forming station is between the open position and the closed position.

15. The machine according to claim 14, characterized in that The control circuit is arranged to cause the imaging device to capture the image only when the at least one component is moved towards the closed position.

16. The machine according to claim 14, characterized in that The beverage forming station comprises a cover arranged to cooperate with the capsule holder to at least partially enclose the capsule held by the capsule holder when the cover and the capsule holder are in the closed position, the cover being movable towards the open position in which the capsule can be received into the capsule holder.

17. The machine according to claim 16, characterized in that The imaging device is mounted to the cover.

Images