Storage plate for use as a storage support for a beverage container in or on a beverage preparation device, beverage preparation device and method for determining a parameter of a beverage container placed on a storage plate of a beverage preparation device

Abstract

The invention relates to a storage plate (160) for use as a storage support for a beverage container (155) in or on a beverage preparation device (100), wherein the storage plate (160) comprises, at least in a container storage area (185), a surface with surface structures (165) that are straight within a tolerance range and / or a surface layer (440) that has a reflectivity of at most half of the light irradiated onto the storage plate (160).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a storage plate for use as a storage support for a beverage container in or on a beverage preparation device, a beverage preparation device and a method for determining a parameter of a beverage container placed on a storage plate of a beverage preparation device according to the main claims.

[0002] In some beverage preparation devices, a camera is installed below the spout, which faces the storage area. The containers are placed onto this camera to be filled with a beverage by the beverage preparation device. These storage areas can be transparent or opaque, white, black, or colored. Furthermore, a light source (or fiber optic cable) can be installed below the spout to illuminate the container for easier identification. Depending on the installation location and time of day, the entire system can also be illuminated by room lighting or daylight or sunlight. However, this can cause problems when recognizing container parameters, especially when light reflections make it difficult to clearly assign pixels in a camera image to the container or the storage area below it.

[0003] The approach presented here aims to provide an improved storage plate for use as a storage support for a beverage container in or on a beverage preparation device, an improved beverage preparation device and an improved method for determining a parameter of a beverage container placed on a storage plate of a beverage preparation device.

[0004] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a storage plate for use as a support for a beverage container in or on a beverage preparation device, a beverage preparation device, and a method for determining a parameter of a beverage container placed on a storage plate of a beverage preparation device, having the features of the main claims. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are set out in the following subclaims.

[0005] The approach presented here creates a storage plate for use as a storage support for a beverage container in or on a beverage preparation device, wherein the storage plate comprises, at least in a container storage area, a surface with surface structures that are straight within a tolerance range and / or a surface layer that has a reflectivity of at most half of the light irradiated onto the storage plate.

[0006] In the present case, a storage plate can be understood as a plate-shaped element which is used on or in a beverage preparation device, for example a coffee machine, in order to place a vessel, for example a cup, on this storage plate in order to then dispense the beverage into the vessel. This storage plate can be removed, for example, from the beverage preparation device or a drip tray in order to be cleaned separately. A vessel storage area can be understood as an area on this storage plate on or in which the vessel is placed or is intended to be placed. A surface structure can be understood as, for example, an elevation or a recess which runs or is arranged straight or linearly across the storage plate, for example in the form of a rib.For example, several of the surface structures can be aligned parallel to one another within a tolerance range of, for example, 10 degrees. A cross-shaped or grid-shaped elevation or recess, for example, consisting of several intersecting straight or linear surface structures, is also conceivable. A surface layer can be understood, for example, as a layer on a side of the storage tray facing or capable of facing a beverage outlet of the beverage preparation device, which has reduced reflectivity, so that, for example, a maximum of half of the light scattered onto this layer is reflected.

[0007] The advantages achievable with the invention are that the containers for holding the beverage or corresponding parameters of these containers can be clearly identified by a camera of the beverage preparation device when using such a storage plate. The storage surface does not reflect light in such a way that the camera is dazzled, and the surroundings are not mirrored within it. This prevents, for example, the usually circular edge of the container from becoming an ellipse in the image, which would result in the volume of the container being calculated incorrectly. Furthermore, the structure of the storage surface can prevent errors with containers, and the base for the containers can be designed to be tip-proof. If these conditions are not met, image recognition is difficult and error-prone.

[0008] According to a favorable embodiment of the approach presented here, the surface layer can be formed by a lacquer layer, an anodized layer, an etched structure, and / or a ground structure, in particular wherein the roughness of the surface layer comprises more than half a wavelength of visible light and / or has a roughness of more than 100 nanometers or more than 250 nanometers. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that such a surface layer can be produced technically simply and cost-effectively and, at the same time, exhibits a desired low reflection property.

[0009] Another advantageous embodiment of the approach proposed here is one in which elevations and / or depressions and / or surface structures in the vessel placement area are at the same height from the base of the tray within a tolerance range. For example, these elevations and / or surface structures can deviate within a maximum tolerance range of ten percent. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that vessels placed on such surface structures or elevations or the base can stand very securely on the tray.

[0010] Structures of the vessel placed on the storage plate can be detected particularly reliably if, according to one embodiment, a central region is free of at least one arcuate and / or circular structure on a surface, in particular free of an arcuate and / or circular structure having a radius of at least 5 centimeters. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that arcuate and / or circular structures in the central region, for example in the vessel placement area, can be interpreted solely as part of the vessel, so that identification of the vessel positioned on a selection configured in this way from a recorded image can be made significantly easier. Curves on the edges of the storage plate are considerably less problematic for such detection.

[0011] With regard to simple cleaning, according to a further embodiment of the approach presented here, an insert element can be provided, wherein the insert element has at least one insert element structure, in particular wherein the at least one insert element structure is aligned parallel or at right angles to the surface structures of the storage plate within a tolerance range. In the present case, an insert element can be understood as an element which can be inserted into the storage plate in a special area, in particular in the vessel storage area, and removed again, so that, for example, this insert element can be cleaned without completely cleaning the storage plate. Such an embodiment of the approach proposed here offers the advantage that, even when using special or separate insert elements, quick, simple and clear recognition and / orDetermination of the parameters of the beverage container is made possible. Specifically, the arrangement of the insert element structure, which is parallel and / or perpendicular to the surface structures of the storage tray and / or is also aligned straight or in a line, also supports the clear recognition or determination of the parameters of the beverage container positioned on the storage tray.

[0012] Another advantageous embodiment of the approach proposed here is one in which the insert element is removable in the vessel storage area and / or comprises a different material than the material of the storage plate. For example, the storage plate can be made of metal or comprise this material, whereas the insert element is made of a plastic material, or vice versa. Such an embodiment offers the advantage of producing the storage plate and / or the insert element cost-effectively, so that worn elements or parts can also be replaced cost-effectively.

[0013] Particularly advantageous is an embodiment of the approach proposed here as a beverage preparation device with a variant of a storage tray presented here, a camera for capturing an image of a container placed on the storage tray, and a variant of a control unit presented here. Such an embodiment allows the aforementioned advantages to be realized quickly and efficiently.

[0014] According to a further embodiment of the approach presented here, a drip tray can also be provided in or on the beverage preparation device, onto which the storage plate is placed, wherein an inner wall of the drip tray opposite the storage plate comprises a surface with straight surface structures within a tolerance range and / or a surface layer that has a reflectivity of at most half of the light irradiated onto the storage plate. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that, especially when a transparent material is selected for the storage plate and / or the insert element, a camera can identify the corresponding surface structures on the inner wall of the drip tray through this cover plate / or the insert element, thus also significantly facilitating or improving the recording of a parameter of the beverage container.

[0015] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the approach proposed here is one in which a dispensing unit or outlet is provided for dispensing a beverage into a beverage container placed on the storage plate, wherein a lighting unit is provided to illuminate the beverage container placed on the storage plate. In particular, in combination with a camera for capturing an image of a beverage container placed on the storage plate, a parameter of a beverage container placed on the storage plate can thus be determined in a technically simple and efficient manner.

[0016] Furthermore, an embodiment of the approach proposed here is advantageous as a method for determining a parameter of a beverage container placed on a storage plate of a variant of a beverage preparation device presented here, the method comprising the following steps: - Reading an image of the beverage container placed on a storage tray; and - Determine the parameter of the beverage container placed on the storage plate of the beverage preparation device using the image.

[0017] By evaluating the image, the parameters of the vessel can now be determined very easily by distinguishing between curved and / or circular structures belonging to the beverage vessel and linear or straight structures of the storage plate.

[0018] Particularly advantageous is an embodiment of the approach presented here in which, in the reading step, the image is read in which was captured with a deactivated lighting unit, and in which, in the reading step, a further image of the beverage container placed on the storage plate is read in which was captured with the lighting unit activated, and in which, in the determining step, the parameter is determined using the image and the further image.

[0019] Specifically by evaluating the two images, in one case where the placed beverage container is illuminated and in the other case this container is not illuminated but only the ambient light field is incident, contrasts can be clearly determined compared to the storage plate located under the beverage container, which then make it technically easy to determine the parameter(s) of the beverage container.

[0020] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the approach proposed here is one in which, in the determination step, a current fill level of the beverage container, a volume of the beverage container, and / or a position of the beverage container on the storage plate is determined as a parameter. Such an embodiment offers the advantage that the determination of this type of parameter can be used very advantageously for further control of the beverage preparation device and is also technically very simple to implement.

[0021] The approach presented here further provides a control unit configured to perform, control, or implement the steps of a variant of a method presented here in corresponding devices. This embodiment of the invention in the form of a device also allows the problem underlying the invention to be solved quickly and efficiently.

[0022] The control unit can be designed to read in input signals and to determine and provide output signals using the input signals. An input signal can, for example, represent a sensor signal that can be read in via an input interface of the control unit. An output signal can represent a control signal or a data signal that can be provided at an output interface of the control unit. The control unit can be designed to determine the output signals using a processing rule implemented in hardware or software. For example, the control unit can comprise a logic circuit, an integrated circuit, or a software module and can, for example, be implemented as a discrete component or be comprised of a discrete component.

[0023] Also advantageous is a computer program product or computer program with program code that can be stored on a machine-readable carrier or storage medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory, or an optical memory. If the program product or program is executed on a computer or a control unit, the program product or program can be used to carry out, implement, and / or control the steps of the method according to one of the embodiments described here.

[0024] Although the approach described is based on a household appliance, the approach described here can be used accordingly in connection with a commercial or professional device, for example a medical device, such as a cleaning or disinfection device, a small-scale sterilizer, a large-scale disinfector or a container washing system.

[0025] An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It shows Fig. 1 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a beverage preparation device; Fig. 2 a schematic representation of an outlet of the beverage preparation device and the lighting units; Fig. 3 shows a further variant of a vessel storage area of a storage plate of a beverage preparation device; Fig. 4a-d representations of different embodiments of a storage plate; Fig. 5 shows a representation of a further embodiment of the storage plate; Fig. 6 shows a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for determining a parameter of a beverage container placed on a storage plate of a variant of a beverage preparation device presented here; and Fig. 7 a representation of a block diagram of a control unit for determining a parameter of a beverage container placed on a storage plate of a variant of a beverage preparation device presented here.

[0026] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a beverage preparation device 100. The beverage preparation device 100 comprises a control device or a control unit 105 in order to control the functions or components of the Fig. 1, which, however, is not shown in detail for reasons of clarity. To perform such control of the components of the beverage preparation device 100, the control device or control unit can receive or read corresponding inputs from a user of the beverage preparation device 100 via an operating and / or display unit 110.

[0027] The beverage preparation device 100 can be used according to the Fig. 1 can be designed as a coffee machine. For this purpose, the beverage preparation device 100 comprises a bean container 115 in which, for example, coffee beans are stored. From the bean container 115, the Fig. 1, the coffee beans not shown are transported, for example, into a grinder 120, in which ground coffee powder is produced from the coffee beans, which is then further conveyed or transported, for example, into a brewing unit 125.

[0028] In addition, the beverage preparation device 100 comprises a water tank 130, from which water 135 is pumped by a pump 140 into a heating block 145, in which the water is then heated accordingly and fed to the brewing unit 125. In the brewing unit 125, the coffee powder obtained from the grinder 120 is then brewed into a coffee with the heated water and dispensed via the outlet or outlets or beverage outlet 150 into a beverage container 155, which is placed on a storage plate 160 according to an embodiment of the approach presented here.As will be described in more detail below, the storage plate 160 comprises surface structures 165 which are essentially linear or straight, so that, for example, a camera 170 of the beverage preparation device 100 can capture an image which depicts an upper edge 175 of the beverage vessel 155 and, from this image, the parameters of the vessel 155 can be very easily identified in the control unit 105 based on the curved and / or circular shape of the upper edge 175 from the linear or straight surface structures 165 of the storage plate 160. In order to achieve improved evaluation and / or improved contrast representation of the beverage vessel 155, a lighting device 180 can also be provided in the region of the outlet 150 in order to illuminate a vessel storage area 185 in which the vessel 155 is placed on the storage plate 160. In order to achieve improved evaluation and / orTo enable detection of the upper edge 175 of the vessel 155, the camera 170 can also capture two images of the vessel 155, with the lighting unit 180 deactivated for one image and the lighting unit 180 activated for another image. In this way, light influences from the environment of the beverage preparation device 100 can be effectively detected, for example, when sunlight falls on the cover plate 160 and causes corresponding reflections, which can disrupt the detection of the upper edge 175 by an evaluation unit connected to the camera 170.

[0029] It is also conceivable for the storage plate 160 to have a surface layer that substantially absorbs incident light or allows reflection of less than half of the incident light. In this way, an improvement in the detection of the upper edge 175 of the vessel 155 can be achieved.

[0030] Fig. 2 shows a schematic representation of the outlet 150 of the beverage preparation device 100 and the lighting units 180, which are designed to emit light in a certain light cone area 200, wherein this light cone area 200 advantageously encompasses the vessel storage area 185. This vessel storage area 185 thus forms part of the storage plate 160, although it is also conceivable for this vessel storage area 185 to be formed by an insert element 210, which can be removed, for example, from the storage plate 160 and / or comprises a different material than the storage plate 160. In this way, for example, significant wear of the material in the vessel storage area 185 can be counteracted by the fact that the insert element 210 can be replaced separately, rather than the entire storage plate 160 having to be replaced.

[0031] Fig. 3 shows a further variant of a vessel storage area 185 of a storage plate 160 of a beverage preparation device 100, wherein two vessels 155 are now placed in this vessel storage area 185. For dispensing the beverage through the outlet, the position of these two vessels 155 is advantageously detected based on the position of the upper edge 175. This enables the correct dispensing of the beverage into each of the vessels 155 or the issuance of a warning if one or both vessels 155 are not positioned correctly, and the beverage would therefore not be dispensed into the respective vessels 155.

[0032] In the partial figures of the Fig. 4 shows different embodiments of a storage plate 160. Here, in the Fig. 4a shows an illustration of an embodiment of a storage plate 160 in which linear or straight surface structures 165 are provided, which are also arranged in a grid-like manner, for example. It can be seen that the Fig. 4a is free of curved and / or circular elements or structures in the central region that would encourage confusion with the upper edge 175 of the vessel 155 as shown in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is shown.

[0033] In the Fig. 4b also shows a representation of a further embodiment of a storage plate 160, wherein now linear or straight surface structures 165 are provided, so that a line-shaped overall surface structure is formed from the surface structures 165. This embodiment of the storage plate 160 also enables a simple and unambiguous determination of the upper edge 175 of the vessel 155 placed on this storage plate 160, as shown in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 is shown.

[0034] It is also conceivable that the storage plate 160 is made of a transparent material and placed on a collecting tray 400, into which, for example, when cleaning the beverage preparation device 100 according to the Fig. 1 dispensed water can flow. In this case, the surface structures 165 may no longer be clearly recognizable, thus preventing recognition of the upper edge 175 of the vessel 155 placed on the storage plate 160 as shown in Fig. 1 no longer functions properly. To avoid such a scenario, one or more corresponding surface structures 420 can be provided on an inner wall 410 of the collecting tray 400, which, for example, are also straight or linear or even cross-shaped. In this case, for example, the Fig. 4b, the camera not shown can look through the transparent material of the storage plate 160 and also recognize the surface structures 420 on the inner wall 410 of the collecting tray 400 and thus more easily identify the upper edge 175 of the vessel 155 placed on the storage plate 460.

[0035] Fig. 4c shows a representation of a further embodiment of a storage plate 160. Here, the storage plate 160 again comprises the linear or straight surface structures 165 and additionally an insert element 210, as already shown, for example, in the Fig. 2. In order to enable the most unambiguous and simple detection of the upper edge 175 of a vessel 155 placed on the storage plate 160, the insert element 210 should also have corresponding surface structures 430, which are aligned as perpendicularly and / or parallel as possible to the surface structures 165 of the storage plate 160. In this way, the greatest possible contrast to the curved structures of the upper edge 175 of a vessel 155 can be achieved from an image of the camera 170 according to the illustration in Fig. 1, so that this upper edge 175 can be determined as accurately as possible. From such a determined upper edge, the volume can then be determined, for example, or when evaluating the image of a filled vessel 155, a corresponding edge formed within the vessel 155 by the fill level of the liquid contained in the vessel 155 can then also be recognized.

[0036] Fig. Fig. 4d shows a representation of a further embodiment of the storage plate 160 presented here. Here, the storage plate 160 is provided with a surface layer 440, which was formed, for example, by anodizing, a lacquer, or even by etching. By providing such a surface layer 440, the reflection behavior of the storage plate 160 can be changed such that, for example, a maximum of 50 percent of the light irradiated onto the storage plate 160 is reflected, thereby also improving the detection of the upper edge 175 of the vessel 155 according to the Fig. 1 is made possible.

[0037] Fig. 5 shows a representation of a further embodiment of the storage plate 160, wherein it can now be seen that the surface structures 165 have an equal height relative to a base 500 of the storage plate 160 within a tolerance range of, for example, ten percent. The structures 510 of a corresponding insert element 210 can also correspond to the height of the surface structures 165 of the storage plate 160 within this tolerance range. This ensures that the container 155 can be securely placed on the storage plate 160 or the insert element 210 without, for example, tipping over and then spilling the dispensed beverage contained therein.

[0038] Fig. 6 shows a flowchart of an embodiment of a method 600 for determining a parameter P of a beverage vessel placed on a storage tray of a variant of a beverage preparation device presented here. The method comprises a step 610 of reading in an image 612 from the camera 150 of the beverage vessel placed on a storage tray with the lighting unit deactivated and of reading in another image 615 from the camera 150 of the beverage vessel placed on the storage tray with the lighting unit activated. Furthermore, the method 600 comprises a step 620 of determining the parameter P of the beverage vessel placed on the storage tray of the beverage preparation device using the image 612 and the another image 615.

[0039] Fig.7 shows a block diagram of a control unit 105 for determining a parameter P of a beverage container placed on a storage tray of a variant of a beverage preparation device presented here. The control unit 105 has a reading interface 710 for reading an image 612 from the camera 150 of the beverage container placed on a storage tray when the lighting unit 180 is deactivated and for reading another image 615 from the camera 150 of the beverage container placed on the storage tray when the lighting unit 180 is activated. Furthermore, the control unit 105 comprises a determination unit 720 for determining the parameter P of the beverage container placed on the storage tray of the beverage preparation device using the image 612 and the further image 615.

[0040] The parameter P, which represents, for example, a volume of the vessel, a fill level of a beverage in the vessel and / or a position of the vessel on the storage plate 160, can be used, for example, for further control functions or the output of warnings for the control of the beverage preparation device 100.

[0041] In summary, it can be noted that the reflectance of the “material color” of the cover plate should be less than 50%, ideally it is less than 10% for a reflection of light of all visible wavelengths (for example, also as a black, matte insert or black, matte storage surface).

[0042] The degree of reflection depends not only on the color but also on the surface texture. If the surface is very smooth (such as polished metal or a plastic component made from a polished tool), it would act like a mirror, reflecting the reflected portion of the light back toward the light source. To ensure that the reflected light is scattered randomly and diffusely in all directions, the roughness of the support surface should be greater than half the wavelength of the light.

[0043] The remaining portion of the reflected light should reflect diffusely and harmoniously, meaning that individual points or structural components should not reflect excessively, resulting in undesirable "figures." This allows a possible transition from the sheet metal to the plastic insert to be designed harmoniously. The degree of difference in reflection behavior at this point, for example, is a maximum of 10%.

[0044] Furthermore, directional reflection can be taken into account. In this case, light incident from outside or outside the beverage preparation device (e.g., from the side or front) can hit the storage surface in such a way that the reflected rays are reflected back outside the camera's field of view. The periodic structures of the camera during digitization of the analog image then do not overlap with the pattern / structure of the storage surface. This prevents the moiré effect, which can create circles.

[0045] Since both the camera and the storage area have a line grid, this effect is avoided by making the structure of the storage area coarse enough to be captured by the camera resolution. To ensure that the structures in the image are coarse enough, the camera resolution is large enough in relation to the camera resolution and the camera distance. An upper insert does not have the same periodic pattern as the larger storage area below it, and both (insert, storage area) are spaced less than 5 mm apart (since camera installation is subject to tolerances, this could otherwise also lead to moiré patterns depending on the camera's viewing angle).

Claims

[1] Storage plate (160) for use as a storage support for a beverage container (155) in or on a beverage preparation device (100), wherein the storage plate (160) comprises, at least in a container storage area (185), a surface with surface structures (165) that are straight within a tolerance range and / or a surface layer (440) that has a reflectivity of at most half of the light irradiated onto the storage plate (160). [2] Storage plate (160) according to claim 1, wherein the surface layer (440) is formed by a lacquer layer, an anodizing layer, an etching structure and / or a grinding structure, in particular wherein a roughness of the surface of the surface layer (440) comprises more than half a wavelength of visible light and / or has more than 100 nanometers. [3] Storage plate (160) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein elevations and / or depressions and / or the surface structures (165) have an equal height from a bottom of the storage plate (160) within a tolerance range in the vessel storage area (185). [4] Storage plate (160) according to one of the preceding claims, which is free of at least one arcuate and / or circular structure on a surface in a central region, in particular free of an arcuate and / or circular structure having a radius of at least 5 centimeters. [5] Storage plate (160) according to one of the preceding claims, with an insert element (210), wherein the insert element (210) has at least one insert element structure (430), in particular wherein the at least one insert element structure (430) is aligned parallel or perpendicular to surface structures (165) of the storage plate (160) within a tolerance range and / or wherein the insert element is removable in the vessel storage area (185) and / or or has a different material than the material of the storage plate (160). [6] Method (600) for determining a parameter (P) of a beverage container (155) placed on a storage plate (160) of a beverage preparation device (100), the method (600) comprising the following steps: - reading (610) an image (612) of the beverage container (155) placed on a storage plate (160); and - Determining (620) the parameter (P) of the beverage container (155) placed on the storage plate (160) of the beverage preparation device (100) using the image (612). [7] Method (600) according to claim 6, wherein in the step (610) of reading in the image (612) which was captured with a deactivated lighting unit (180) is read in and wherein in the step (610) of reading in a further image (615) of the beverage container (155) placed on the storage plate (160), which was captured with the lighting unit (180) activated, is read in and wherein in the step of determining (620) the parameter (P) is determined using the image (612) and the further image (615). [8] Method (600) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein in the step (620) of determining, a current filling level of the beverage container (155), a volume of the beverage container (155) and / or a position of the beverage container (155) on the storage plate (160) is determined as a parameter (P). [9] Control unit (105) which is designed to carry out and / or control the steps (610, 620) of the method (600) according to one of the preceding claims 6 to 8 in corresponding units (710, 720). [10] Computer program product with program code for carrying out the method (600) according to one of claims 6 to 8, when the computer program product is executed on a control unit (105) according to claim 9. [11] A machine-readable storage medium on which a computer program product according to claim 10 is stored. [12] Beverage preparation device (100) with a storage plate (160) according to one of claims 1 to 5, a camera (170) for capturing an image (612) of a vessel (155) placed on the storage plate (160) and a control unit (105) according to claim 9. [13] Beverage preparation device (100) according to claim 12, with a drip tray (400) on which the storage plate (160) is placed, wherein an inner wall (410) of the drip tray (400) opposite the storage plate (160) comprises a surface with surface structures (165) that are straight within a tolerance range and / or a surface layer that has a reflectivity of at most half of the light irradiated onto the storage plate (160). [14] Beverage preparation device (100) according to claim 12 or 13, comprising a dispensing unit (150) for dispensing a beverage into a beverage container (155) placed on the storage plate (160), wherein a lighting unit (180) is provided for illuminating the beverage container (155) placed on the storage plate (160).

Images