Automatic timing device and method for monitoring working state of Italian coffee machine
By identifying the vibration signal of the coffee machine's water pump using an accelerometer and controller, the problem of inaccurate pre-infusion timing in espresso machines has been solved, providing a low-cost, high-precision automatic timing solution suitable for a variety of coffee machines.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-13
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-07
AI Technical Summary
Existing technology makes it difficult to accurately determine the pre-infusion stage of an espresso machine in noisy environments, resulting in inaccurate timing. Furthermore, high-end espresso machines are expensive and cannot be widely adopted.
An accelerometer and controller are used to identify the vibration signal of the coffee machine's water pump. Through Fourier transform and filtering, the pump's start and stop states are automatically identified, enabling non-contact timing.
It enables low-cost, accurate timing on any brand of coffee machine, has strong anti-interference capabilities, requires no additional user operation, and is suitable for home and commercial settings.
Smart Images
Figure CN121795757A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of coffee brewing aids technology, specifically to an automatic timing device and monitoring method for monitoring the working status of an espresso machine. Background Technology
[0002] The extraction quality of espresso relies heavily on precise control of process parameters, with the duration of pre-infusion and high-pressure extraction being key factors. Pre-infusion refers to the process of slowly wetting the coffee puck with low water pressure before applying full pressure; the precise timing of its start and end is crucial for the uniformity of subsequent extraction and the final flavor.
[0003] Currently, baristas typically rely on several methods to determine the start and end of the pre-infusion stage: first, by listening to changes in the sound of the coffee machine's pump starting; and second, by observing the moment the coffee drips from the bottom of the portafilter. However, in a noisy coffee shop environment, auditory judgment is easily distracted; while visual judgment is delayed, and in cases where the water flow is slow during the pre-infusion stage, the first drop of coffee falls much later than the actual start time of the pump, leading to inaccurate timing.
[0004] Some existing smart coffee scales have built-in timers, but their timing operation still requires manual triggering (such as by touching the screen). While some high-end coffee machines integrate automatic timing functions, these machines are expensive and not accessible to the vast majority of existing traditional coffee machine users. Therefore, the market urgently needs a low-cost, high-precision solution that can work with any brand and model of espresso machine and can automatically and accurately identify each stage of the extraction process. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide an automatic timing device and method that can automatically and accurately identify the working status of the water pump in an espresso machine and display it intuitively.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: In a first aspect, the present invention provides an automatic timing device for monitoring the operating status of an espresso machine, comprising a controller, a user interface, and an accelerometer. The accelerometer is electrically connected to the controller and is used to collect vibration signals from the platform on which it is located. The user interface is electrically connected to the controller. The controller is configured to: receive vibration signals from the accelerometer; identify the operating status of the water pump of the espresso machine based on the vibration signals; when the water pump is detected to transition from a stopped state to a started state, control a timer to start timing; when the water pump is detected to transition from a started state to a stopped state, control the timer to stop timing; and control the user interface to display the timing result of the timer.
[0007] Preferably, the controller identifies the operating status of the water pump of the espresso machine based on the vibration signal, specifically including: converting the vibration signal into a frequency domain signal and extracting the extreme points in the frequency domain signal; detecting the continuity and stability of the extreme points; and determining whether the water pump is in a start-up state or a stop state based on the continuity and stability of the extreme points.
[0008] Preferably, the method for converting the vibration signal into a frequency domain signal is Fourier transform.
[0009] Preferably, the controller further filters the vibration signal before or after converting it into a frequency domain signal.
[0010] Preferably, the user interface includes a display device for outputting information in a visual form.
[0011] Preferably, the automatic timing device is an electronic scale. It provides weighing and timing functions through a single device.
[0012] Preferably, the automatic timing device is a mobile smart terminal. It utilizes the accelerometer sensor and powerful processing capabilities built into mobile smart terminals such as smartphones to perform the automatic timing function.
[0013] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for monitoring the working status of an espresso machine, comprising: acquiring vibration signals of the platform on which the espresso machine is located through an accelerometer; identifying the working status of the water pump of the espresso machine based on the vibration signals; controlling a timer to start timing when the water pump is detected to change from a stopped state to a started state; controlling the timer to stop timing when the water pump is detected to change from a started state to a stopped state; and displaying the timing result of the timer.
[0014] Preferably, identifying the working state of the water pump of the espresso machine based on the vibration signal includes: converting the vibration signal into a frequency domain signal and extracting the extreme points in the frequency domain signal; detecting the continuity and stability of the extreme points; and determining whether the water pump is in a start-up state or a stop state based on the continuity and stability of the extreme points.
[0015] Preferably, the method for converting the vibration signal into a frequency domain signal is Fourier transform.
[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: 1. Non-contact coffee machine status detection: No physical or communication connection with the coffee machine is required, so it can be used with any brand and model of semi-automatic espresso machine on the market (as long as its water pump vibrates when it is working), which greatly reduces the user's usage threshold and cost.
[0017] 2. More accurate timing: Timing starts directly from the start of the water pump, recording the entire extraction process from water penetrating the coffee puck to coffee dripping, improving timing accuracy.
[0018] 3. Strong anti-interference capability: Through frequency domain analysis and pattern recognition, it effectively distinguishes between the vibration of the coffee machine during operation and the vibration of human / environmental interference, reducing false triggering.
[0019] 4. Simple structure and low cost: It only requires integrating the accelerometer and processing algorithm into the existing electronic scale, or executing the corresponding monitoring method in mobile smart terminals such as mobile phones and tablets, without modifying the coffee machine or adding complex communication modules.
[0020] 5. Enhanced user experience: No additional operation or device pairing is required from the user. The machine automatically recognizes the coffee machine's working status and starts timing, making it suitable for both home and commercial settings. Attached Figure Description
[0021] Figure 1 This is a system structure block diagram of the electronic scale in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a scenario where an electronic scale is used in conjunction with an espresso machine, as described in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the monitoring method in an embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] Figure 4 A three-dimensional spectrum of time, frequency, and amplitude when an espresso machine is in operation.
[0025] Figure 5 A two-dimensional time-frequency diagram of an espresso machine in operation.
[0026] Figure 6A three-dimensional spectrum of time-frequency-amplitude for human-induced or environmental vibrations not caused by the operation of a coffee machine.
[0027] Figure 7 Two-dimensional time-frequency diagram of human-induced or environmental vibrations caused by non-coffee machine operation.
[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1-Electronic scale; 11-Controller; 12-User interface; 13-Acceleration sensor; 14-Weighing sensor; 2-Espresso machine; 3-Rigid platform. Detailed Implementation
[0029] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.
[0030] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an electronic scale 1 for monitoring the operating status of an espresso machine. The electronic scale 1 includes a controller 11, a user interface 12, an accelerometer 13, and a weighing sensor 14. The electronic scale 1 and the espresso machine 2 are independently mounted on the same rigid platform 3. This platform can be a kitchen countertop, a coffee bar counter, or a dedicated coffee-making mat. The accelerometer 13 is used to collect vibration signals transmitted through the structure of the rigid platform 3. In this embodiment, the weighing function of the electronic scale 1 is not essential in this monitoring application, or its weighing data is not involved in the judgment process of the pump's operating status. The core of this solution lies in using vibration signals for status identification.
[0031] The controller 11 is the core processing unit of the electronic scale 1, and can be an MCU (microcontroller unit) or a CPU. The user interface 12 can be specifically implemented as a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode display (OLED), or a status indicator light group composed of several indicator lights. The accelerometer 13 is preferably a MEMS (microelectromechanical system) triaxial accelerometer, which can sensitively capture minute vibrations of the platform in the X, Y, and Z directions. The weighing sensor 14 is used for weighing, such as measuring the weight of coffee beans added to the espresso machine in a single batch, or measuring the weight of the coffee cup 4 and the liquid inside it.
[0032] The controller 11 is electrically connected to the user interface 12, the accelerometer 13, and the weighing sensor 14, and executes pre-stored program instructions to achieve the following functions.
[0033] like Figure 3 As shown, the method for monitoring the working status of an espresso machine is as follows: When the user starts the espresso machine 2 to extract coffee, its water pump (whether a vibratory pump or a rotary pump) generates specific mechanical vibrations, which are transmitted to the electronic scale 1 via the rigid platform 3. The accelerometer 13 continuously collects these vibration signals and sends them to the controller 11.
[0034] The controller 11 performs a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) on a segment of time-domain vibration signal (e.g., data from the most recent second), converting it into a frequency-domain signal to obtain the frequency distribution map (spectrum) of the vibration energy. It then continuously analyzes the spectrum across multiple time windows to obtain results such as... Figure 4 The three-dimensional spectrum diagram of time-frequency-amplitude is shown.
[0035] In the frequency spectrum, when an espresso machine's water pump is operating stably, it will produce a continuous, stable, and significantly higher energy peak (spectral peak) near its inherent operating frequency (e.g., 50Hz or 100Hz, depending on the pump type and power supply) than the background noise. The amplitude of this peak will remain stable at a high level, rather than fluctuating randomly. Figure 5 The continuous highlighted vertical lines in the two-dimensional time-frequency plot are shown.
[0036] By detecting the continuity and stability of these extreme points, the start-up and stop status of the water pump can be determined. For vibrations caused by human factors or the environment other than the coffee machine's operation (manifested as a chaotic spectral distribution, such as...),... Figure 6 , Figure 7 As shown), controller 11 does not process the data to avoid misjudgment.
[0037] The recognition algorithm of controller 11 includes: Extracting extreme points: Find the extreme point with the largest amplitude within the preset characteristic frequency range of the water pump (e.g., 30-150Hz).
[0038] Continuity detection: Analyze the spectrum of multiple time windows continuously to observe whether the extreme point appears continuously at the same or similar frequency positions.
[0039] Stability detection: Determine whether the amplitude of the extreme point remains stable at a high level, rather than fluctuating randomly.
[0040] Preferably, to improve recognition accuracy, the controller 11 can perform digital filtering on the original vibration signal. For example, a bandpass filter can be applied to filter out high-frequency noise (such as knocking or cup collisions) and low-frequency interference (such as the sound of a door closing in the distance or a pedestrian walking by), retaining only the characteristic frequency band that matches the typical operating frequency of an espresso machine pump (e.g., 30Hz - 150Hz). The amplitude of the filtered signal is then compared, thereby significantly improving the anti-interference capability and reliability of the recognition.
[0041] The controller 11 integrates a software timer. When a vibration signal matching the coffee machine's operating characteristics is detected, the timer automatically starts. The total extraction time is displayed in real time on the user interface 12. When the total extraction time reaches the expected value, the user turns off the coffee machine, and the water pump stops working. At this point, when the vibration signal disappears or no longer matches the operating characteristics, the timer stops, thus obtaining the complete "pump running time".
[0042] In summary, this invention, through ingenious hardware and software integration, provides users with a low-cost, high-precision, and universally applicable solution for monitoring the extraction of espresso.
[0043] It should be noted that the above embodiments are described using the electronic scale as an independent device. Those skilled in the art will understand that the core monitoring method of this invention is not limited to a specific hardware carrier.
[0044] For example, the method can also be executed by a mobile terminal (such as a smartphone or tablet). This mobile terminal has a built-in accelerometer and processor. The user simply places the mobile terminal and the espresso machine on the same rigid platform and runs a dedicated application. This application uses the terminal's built-in sensors to collect vibration signals and performs functions such as frequency domain analysis, state recognition, timing, and display as described in the above embodiments.
[0045] For example, the method can also be integrated into the control system of the espresso machine itself. An acceleration sensor can be added inside the espresso machine, or its existing vibration sensor can be reused. The controller of the coffee machine is configured to directly execute the above monitoring method and display the water pump operating status and extraction time on the coffee machine's built-in user interface (such as a touch screen or indicator lights), thereby achieving a fully integrated intelligent monitoring function.
[0046] Therefore, the core of this invention lies in the method of "identifying the state of the coffee machine water pump by analyzing the frequency domain characteristics of platform vibration". Any technical solution that adopts this idea, regardless of how its hardware implementation changes, should fall within the protection scope of this invention.
[0047] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.
Claims
1. An automatic timing device for monitoring the working status of an espresso machine, characterized in that, This includes the controller, user interface, and acceleration sensor; The accelerometer is electrically connected to the controller and is used to collect vibration signals from the platform on which it is located. The user interface is electrically connected to the controller; The controller is configured to: Receive vibration signals from the accelerometer; The working status of the water pump of the espresso machine is identified based on the vibration signal. When the water pump is detected to be changing from a stopped state to a started state, a timer is controlled to start counting. When the pump is detected to switch from a start state to a stop state, the timer is controlled to stop counting. It also controls the user interface to display the timing result of the timer.
2. The automatic timing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller identifies the operating status of the water pump in the espresso machine based on the vibration signal, specifically including: The vibration signal is converted into a frequency domain signal, and the extreme points in the frequency domain signal are extracted. Detect the continuity and stability of the extreme points; The pump's state of operation (start-up or stop) is determined based on the continuity and stability of the extreme points.
3. The automatic timing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The method for converting the vibration signal into a frequency domain signal is Fourier transform.
4. The automatic timing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Before or after converting the vibration signal into a frequency domain signal, the controller also performs filtering processing on the vibration signal.
5. The automatic timing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The user interface includes a display device for outputting information in a visual form.
6. The automatic timing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The automatic timing device is an electronic scale.
7. The automatic timing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The automatic timing device is a mobile smart terminal.
8. A method for monitoring the working status of an espresso machine, characterized in that, The method includes: Vibration signals of the platform where the espresso machine is located are collected using an accelerometer. The working status of the water pump in the espresso machine is identified based on the vibration signal. When the water pump is detected to be changing from a stopped state to a started state, a timer is controlled to start counting. When the pump is detected to switch from a start state to a stop state, the timer is controlled to stop counting. The timing result of the timer is displayed.
9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The operating status of the water pump in the espresso machine is identified based on the vibration signal, including: The vibration signal is converted into a frequency domain signal, and the extreme points in the frequency domain signal are extracted. Detect the continuity and stability of the extreme points; The pump's state of operation (start-up or stop) is determined based on the continuity and stability of the extreme points.
10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The method for converting the vibration signal into a frequency domain signal is Fourier transform.