BEVERAGE DISPENSER AND METHOD FOR DISPENSING BEVERAGES - Patent application

Abstract

The beverage dispenser includes a housing and a base liquid nozzle disposed on the housing and configured to dispense a base liquid. The beverage dispenser further includes an additive nozzle disposed on the housing and configured to dispense an additive. The beverage dispenser includes a user interface disposed on the housing, the user interface configured to receive a first selection of at least one of a base liquid, a temperature of the base liquid, and a carbonation level of the base liquid, and a second selection of the additive. The beverage dispenser is configured to dispense the base liquid from the base liquid nozzle based on the first selection, and the additive nozzle is configured to dispense the additive based on the second selection.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The embodiments described herein generally relate to beverage dispensers for dispensing custom beverages. Specifically, the embodiments described herein relate to beverage dispensers for dispensing custom beverages that include a base liquid having selectable temperatures, carbonation levels, volumes, and optionally additives. [Background technology]

[0002] Beverage dispensers are used to dispense beverages into containers on an on-demand basis. Beverage dispensers, such as fountain beverage dispensers, are commonly used in commercial environments such as restaurants, bars, theaters, sporting venues, and convenience stores, among others. Such beverage dispensers may dispense beverages from a storage reservoir or may combine flavorings with a base liquid at the time of dispensing. A user can operate the beverage dispenser by placing a cup under the beverage dispensing nozzle, selecting a desired beverage using an interface of the beverage dispenser, and selecting to dispense the beverage by pressing a button or by operating a lever for a period of time and visually determining when the desired amount of beverage has been dispensed, etc. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Some embodiments described herein relate to a beverage dispenser including a housing, a base liquid nozzle disposed on the housing and configured to dispense a base liquid, and an additive nozzle disposed on the housing and configured to dispense an additive. The beverage dispenser further includes a user interface disposed on the housing, the user interface configured to receive a first selection of a base liquid and a temperature or carbonation level of the base liquid and a second selection of an additive, the beverage dispenser configured to prepare and dispense the base liquid from the base liquid nozzle based on the first selection, and the additive nozzle configured to dispense the additive based on the second selection.

[0004] In any of the various embodiments described herein, the beverage dispenser may be further configured to receive a selection of the volume of base liquid to be dispensed.

[0005] In any of the various embodiments described herein, the user interface may include a touch screen display configured to display a plurality of selectable options. In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser may further include a biometric sensor configured to determine an identity of a user, the plurality of selectable options being based on the identity of the user.

[0006] In any of the various embodiments described herein, the beverage dispenser may further include a carbonator configured to carbonate the base liquid, and the beverage dispenser may provide a dose of carbon dioxide to the carbonator based on a selected carbonation level.

[0007] In any of the various embodiments described herein, the beverage dispenser may include a heat exchanger configured to cool the base liquid.

[0008] In any of the various embodiments described herein, the beverage dispenser may include a heating device configured to heat the base liquid.

[0009] In any of the various embodiments described herein, the housing may define a storage compartment for removably receiving a consumable for operating the beverage dispenser, the consumable being selected from a carbon dioxide tank, a filter cartridge, and an additive container. In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser may further include an indicator configured to indicate an amount of the consumable remaining within the beverage dispenser.

[0010] In any of the various embodiments described herein, the housing of the beverage dispenser may include one or more removable panels.

[0011] Some embodiments described herein relate to a beverage dispenser including a housing, a base liquid nozzle configured to dispense a base liquid, and a user interface configured to receive a selection including the base liquid and at least one of a temperature of the base liquid and a carbonation level of the base liquid. The beverage dispenser further includes an additive dispenser including an additive nozzle disposed on the housing, a holder configured to removably receive an additive container, and a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense a dose of the additive from the additive container via the additive nozzle.

[0012] In any of the various embodiments described herein, the user interface may be configured to receive a selection of an amount of beverage to be dispensed. In some embodiments, the additive dispenser may be configured to dispense an amount of additive based on a selected volume of base liquid.

[0013] In any of the various embodiments described herein, the user interface may be configured to display selectable options based on the identity of the user.

[0014] Some embodiments described herein relate to a method of dispensing a beverage from a beverage dispenser, the method including receiving, by the beverage dispenser, a selection of a temperature or carbonation level of a base liquid, receiving, by the beverage dispenser, a volume of the base liquid to be dispensed, and receiving, by the beverage dispenser, a command to dispense the selected base liquid, the method further including at least one of refrigerating or heating, by the beverage dispenser, the base liquid to a selected temperature, delivering a dose of carbon dioxide into a carbonator of the beverage dispenser based on the selected carbonation level, and dispensing the selected volume of the base liquid at the selected temperature or carbonation level.

[0015] In any of the various embodiments described herein, the method may further include receiving, by the beverage dispenser, a selection of an additive. In some embodiments, the method further includes dispensing a volume of the selected additive based on the selected volume of the base liquid.

[0016] In any of the various embodiments described herein, receiving the selection of the base liquid further includes receiving the selection from a mobile electronic device.

[0017] In any of the various embodiments described herein, the method further includes displaying selectable options of the base liquid on a user interface of the beverage dispenser, hi some embodiments, the method includes detecting an identity of a user, and the selectable options displayed on the user interface are based on the identity of the user. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate the disclosure and, together with the specification, further serve to explain the principles of the disclosure and to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the disclosure. [Figure 1]1 shows a perspective view of a beverage dispenser according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view of the beverage dispenser of FIG. 1 with a removable panel. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the beverage dispenser of FIG. 1 with the door in an open position, illustrating the storage compartment of the beverage dispenser. [Figure 4] 1 shows a schematic diagram of components of a beverage dispenser according to an embodiment; [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates a user interface of a beverage dispenser, according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 illustrates a user interface of a beverage dispenser, according to an embodiment. [Figure 7] 1 shows a schematic diagram of components of a beverage dispenser according to an embodiment; [Figure 8] 1 illustrates a portion of an additive delivery mechanism according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] 1 illustrates an exemplary method of dispensing a beverage from a beverage dispenser. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stand-alone additive dispenser according to an embodiment. [Figure 11] 11 shows a diagram of an additive dispensing mechanism of the additive dispenser of FIG. 10 in an embodiment. [Figure 12] 11 shows a perspective view of the additive dispenser of FIG. 10 with a user interface. [Figure 13] 1 shows a schematic diagram of components of an additive dispenser according to an embodiment. [Figure 14] 1 shows a schematic block diagram of an exemplary computer system on which embodiments may be implemented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] Reference will now be made in detail to representative embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the following description is not intended to limit the embodiments to one preferred embodiment. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that may be included within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

[0020] Beverage dispensers are used to dispense beverages on an on-demand basis. However, many beverage dispensers do not allow customization of the dispensed beverage, but simply allow the user to select the type of beverage to dispense. Consumers increasingly desire the ability to customize beverages to suit their tastes and preferences. In addition to selecting the type of beverage, consumers may desire to select the beverage's temperature, carbonation level, and amount of flavoring. However, beverage dispensers generally do not provide consumers with such flexibility to customize beverages.

[0021] Furthermore, beverage dispensers may rely on bulky carbonation tanks, complex water filtration systems, and bag-in-box (BiB) for storing flavorings. Such beverage dispensers may be large and bulky, and as a result, may not be suitable for use in a home or office environment. Furthermore, consumers may have difficulty operating and maintaining such beverage dispensers and may have difficulty determining when and whether components of the beverage dispenser should be replaced. When replacement of components is required, such components may not be readily available for purchase. When components need to be replaced, consumers may lack the tools and experience to replace the components and may require assistance from a qualified technician to remove and replace the used components. The need for a technician to assist in replacing components may result in extended periods of time when the beverage dispenser is out of service before being serviced, and repairs may be costly.

[0022] In addition, beverage dispensers often dispense base liquid and additives from the same dispensing nozzle. However, additives with high dilution factors (e.g., 100:1 or more) often contain volatile aromatic compounds that may linger in the dispensing line even after dispensing is complete. When beverage dispensers use nozzles to dispense base liquids and also high dilution factor additives, cross-contamination of undesirable flavors may occur. Therefore, it is desirable to store additives dispensed by nozzles separate from those used to dispense base liquids in a container in the dispenser to reduce or eliminate cross-contamination of additive flavors.

[0023] Therefore, there is a need for a beverage dispenser for dispensing custom beverages that is compact, suitable for use in a home or office environment, and easy for a user to operate and maintain.

[0024] Some embodiments described herein relate to a beverage dispenser that includes a user interface for selecting a custom beverage that includes a base liquid of a desired temperature, carbonation level, or both, a selected beverage volume, and optionally an additive. In this manner, a user can select and dispense a custom beverage every time a beverage is dispensed. Some embodiments relate to a beverage dispenser that has replaceable consumables that include a carbon dioxide tank, a filter cartridge, and an additive container. In this manner, the beverage dispenser is easy to operate and maintain by a user without assistance from a skilled technician to replace components of the system. Some embodiments described herein relate to a beverage dispenser that includes an additive dispenser configured to determine and dispense a dose of an additive to achieve a proper dilution of the additive in the base liquid. In this manner, a user does not need to manually add the additive and guess the proper amount of additive to use by trial and error.

[0025] As used herein, the term "base liquid" may refer to a consumable liquid to which one or more additives may be added. For example, the base liquid may be static water, among others.

[0026] As used herein, the term "additives" may refer to beverage ingredients such as liquid or solid forms (e.g., granular or powdered forms). Additives may include syrups, concentrates, flavors, enhancers, sweeteners, or nutrients, among others.

[0027] Some embodiments relate to a beverage dispenser 100 for dispensing custom beverages, as shown in FIG. 1 for example. The beverage dispenser 100 may have a compact configuration and may be configured to be placed on a countertop, such as a kitchen counter. The beverage dispenser 100 may include a housing 110 that encloses components of the beverage dispenser 100. The beverage dispenser 100 may include a door 120 for providing access to a storage compartment, as described in further detail below. The beverage dispenser 100 may include a user interface 130 configured to receive user input for selection of a custom beverage. The beverage dispenser 100 may include one or more nozzles 140, 160 for dispensing a base liquid and additives. The nozzles 140, 160 may extend from the housing 110, such as from a front wall 114 of the housing 110.

[0028] In some embodiments, the base liquid nozzle 140 is used to dispense a selected base liquid, and a separate additive nozzle 160 is used to dispense an additive. The base liquid nozzle 140 and the additive nozzle 160 may be separate and independent from one another. Furthermore, the base liquid nozzle 140 and the additive nozzle 160 may be spaced apart from one another and located in separate portions of the housing 110. In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser 100 may include multiple base liquid nozzles 140, multiple additive nozzles 160, or multiple base liquid nozzles 140 and additive nozzles 160. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the beverage dispenser 100 includes one base liquid nozzle 140 and two additive nozzles 160. In such embodiments, each additive nozzle 160 may be configured to dispense a different additive. For example, the first additive nozzle 160 may dispense lime flavoring and the second additive nozzle 160 may dispense grape flavoring. However, in some embodiments, each additive nozzle 160 may dispense the same additive.

[0029] In some embodiments, the base liquid nozzle 140 may be disposed on the front wall 114 of the housing 110 at the top end 113 of the housing 110 toward the first side 116 of the housing 110. The base liquid nozzle 140 may extend outwardly from the front wall 114 of the housing 110 and may define a container receiving area 144 below the base liquid nozzle 140 such that a consumer may place a beverage container within the container receiving area 144 to fill the beverage container via the base liquid nozzle 140. The additive nozzle 160 may be disposed on the front wall 114 of the housing 110 and may extend outwardly from the housing 110 to define a second container receiving area 164 below the additive nozzle 160. In some embodiments, the additive nozzle 160 may be disposed on the front wall 114 toward the second side 118 of the housing 110 below the user interface 130.

[0030] In operation, a base liquid may be dispensed into the beverage container from the base liquid nozzle 140 and an additive may be dispensed into the beverage container from the additive nozzle 160, whereby the base liquid and the additive mix within the beverage container. Alternatively, an additive may be dispensed into the beverage container and then the base liquid may be dispensed into the container, whereby as the base liquid is dispensed, it mixes with the additive already in the container.

[0031] The user interface 130 of the beverage dispenser 100 may be disposed on the front wall 114 of the housing 110 for easy access by a user. In some embodiments, the user interface 130 may include a display 138 for displaying selectable beverage options among other information as described herein. The display 138 may include a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light emitting diode (LED) display, a quantum dot display (QLED), an organic LED (OLED) display, a plasma display panel, an alphanumeric display, or an electronic ink display, among others. The user interface 130 may include one or more input devices, such as buttons, dials, knobs, levers, switches, and the like, for receiving user input. In some embodiments, the user interface 130 may include a touch screen display that functions as an input device for receiving touch input. The user interface 130 may enable selection of a base liquid, a temperature of the base liquid, a level of carbonation of the base liquid, a volume of the base liquid, and may further be used for selection of additives, as described in more detail herein. The beverage dispenser 100 may also include one or more input devices 142, 162 on each nozzle 140, 160, such as a push button, a touch button (capacitive sensor), or a proximity sensor, for dispensing base liquid or additives from the respective nozzle 140, 160.

[0032] In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser 100 may include one or more panels 190 removably securable to the housing 110, for example as shown in FIG. 2. The removable panels 190 may include any of a variety of colors, patterns, textures, designs, and images thereon. The removable panels 190 may be selected to match the decor or style of the room in which the beverage dispenser 100 is installed, or may be selected to match the owner's style and preferences. For example, the panels 190 may include a solid color configured to match the color scheme of the room in which the beverage dispenser 100 is located. The panels 190 may resemble wood or have a wood grain. The panels 190 may include a metallic appearance, such as brushed or polished metal. The panels 190 may include an image, such as a photographic image. In an embodiment having multiple removable panels 190, one photographic image may cover multiple removable panels 190, such that the assembled panels 190 depict a complete image.

[0033] In FIG. 2, the beverage dispenser 100 is shown as having four panels 190A, 190B, 190C, 190D removably secured to the front wall 114 of the housing 110. However, it is understood that in other embodiments, there may be additional or fewer panels 190. The housing 110 may include fasteners 198 for removably securing the panels 190 to the housing 110. In some embodiments, the fasteners 198 may be located at corners of each panel 190. In some embodiments, the fasteners 198 may be magnetic, or the fasteners 198 of each panel 190 may engage with fasteners of the housing 110 by a mating connection, which may be a snap fit, a friction fit, a press fit, or the like.

[0034] In some embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 2, the first panel 190A may be disposed on the first side 116 of the housing 110 and extend between the top end 113 and the bottom end 115 of the housing 110. The first panel 190A may include a notch 192A for accommodating the base fluid nozzle 140. The second panel 190B may be disposed on an opposite second side 118 of the housing 110, such as in an area below the user interface 130. The second panel 190B may be disposed on a door of the housing 110. The second panel 190B may include a notch 192B for accommodating the additive nozzle 160. The third panel 190C may be disposed along the top end 113 of the housing 110 and extend from the first side 116 to the second side 118 of the housing 110. The fourth panel 190D may be disposed along the bottom edge 115 of the housing 110 and extends from the first side 116 to the second side 118 of the housing 110.

[0035] The beverage dispenser 100 may include a storage compartment 102 for storing consumable parts ("consumables") 200, as shown, for example, in FIG. 3. The consumables 200 may include, for example, a carbon dioxide tank 210, a filter cartridge 220, and an additive container 230. The storage compartment 102 may be defined by a housing 110 and may be removably covered by a door 120 of the housing 110. The door 120 may be movably connected to the housing 110 and may be movable from a closed position in which the storage compartment 102 is not accessible by a user to an open position in which the storage compartment 102 and the consumables 200 therein are accessible to a user. The door 120 may be movably connected to the housing 110 via a hinge. However, in some embodiments, the door 120 may be slidably connected to the housing 110 via a track or the like, or the door 120 may be completely removable from the housing 110. In FIG. 3, the door 120 is shown as forming part of a front wall 114 of the housing 110. However, in alternative embodiments, the door 120 may be located in other locations on the housing 110, such as on a lateral sidewall or a rear wall of the beverage dispenser 100. In some embodiments, the door 120 may include a user interface 130 and an additive dispenser 600 disposed thereon.

[0036] The consumables 200 used by the beverage dispenser 100 may be off-the-shelf components that may be easily removed from and installed in the beverage dispenser 100 by a user without skilled technician assistance. In some embodiments, the consumables 200 may be removed and installed without the use of tools. In this manner, consumers may easily operate and maintain the beverage dispenser 100. The storage compartment 102 may be configured to receive a carbon dioxide tank 210 for use in providing carbon dioxide to a carbonator of the beverage dispenser 100. The storage compartment 102 may include a first area 104 for receiving the carbon dioxide tank 210 and may include a connection 105 for removably connecting to the carbon dioxide tank 210 for fluidly communicating the carbon dioxide with the carbonator of the beverage dispenser 100. The connection 105 may include threads for receiving threads of the carbon dioxide tank 210, thereby allowing the carbon dioxide tank 210 to be removed and installed without tools. The storage compartment 102 may include a second area 106 for receiving the filter cartridge 220. The storage compartment 102 may include a connection 107 for removably placing the filter cartridge 220 in fluid communication with a base liquid supply line for filtering a base liquid, e.g., water, supplied to and dispensed by the beverage dispenser 100. In this manner, the carbon dioxide tank 210 and the filter cartridge 220 may be easily removed and replaced by a user.

[0037] In some embodiments, the storage compartment 102 may receive and store one or more additive containers 230. In some embodiments, the door 120 of the beverage dispenser 100 may include an additive dispenser 600 having a holder for receiving the additive container 230. The door 120 may include a connection 628 for fluidly connecting the additive container 230 to the additive nozzle 160. In some embodiments, the storage compartment 102 may include additional storage areas for storing extra consumables, among other components.

[0038] The beverage dispenser 100 may be configured to detect or track the life or remaining quantity of each consumable 200. The beverage dispenser 100 may be configured to provide an indication of the remaining life or quantity of the consumable. The beverage dispenser 100 may provide an indication or warning to the user when a consumable level is low or depleted. For example, the beverage dispenser 100 may illuminate an indicator light on the user interface 130 to indicate that a particular consumable is low or depleted. To indicate that a consumable is low or depleted, the beverage dispenser 100 may display a message on the display 138, play an audible warning such as a sound, or send an alert or message such as a push notification, text message, email, etc. to a user's mobile electronic device 300 (see, e.g., FIG. 6 ) in communication with the beverage dispenser 100.

[0039] The carbon dioxide tank 210 may store a known amount of carbon dioxide, and the beverage dispenser 100 may store in memory an initial amount of carbon dioxide in the carbon dioxide tank 210, e.g., weight or volume. The initial amount of carbon dioxide may be input by a user, such as via the user interface 130. Alternatively, the sensor 170 of the beverage dispenser 100 may read markings on the carbon dioxide tank 210 to automatically determine the amount of carbon dioxide in the tank 210. Because the beverage dispenser 100 is configured to dispense a fixed amount of carbon dioxide, the beverage dispenser 100 may track the amount of carbon dioxide remaining in the carbon dioxide tank 210, such as by tracking the weight of the carbon dioxide tank 210 over time. The beverage dispenser 100 may provide an alert when the amount of carbon dioxide remaining in the carbon dioxide tank 210 reaches or falls below a predetermined level. For example, the beverage dispenser 100 may provide an alert when the amount of carbon dioxide in the tank is 20%, 10%, or 5% of the initial amount of carbon dioxide in the carbon dioxide tank 210.

[0040] The filter cartridge 220 may have a lifespan based on duration or capacity. The beverage dispenser 100 may store the time or date the filter cartridge 220 was installed. The date and time of installation may be entered by a user, such as via the user interface 130. Alternatively, the beverage dispenser 100 may include a sensor 170 for reading indicia, such as a barcode or QR code, on the filter cartridge 220 to automatically determine the capacity, usable life, or both of the filter cartridge. The beverage dispenser 100 may provide an indication to replace the filter cartridge 220 after a predetermined period of time, such as, for example, six months from the installation date. The beverage dispenser 100 may track the amount of water dispensed and filtered by the filter cartridge 220. The beverage dispenser 100 may provide an indication to replace the filter cartridge 220 when the amount of water passed through the filter cartridge, i.e., the capacity, reaches a predetermined level, such as, for example, 5000 liters. The beverage dispenser 100 may provide an alert to replace the filter cartridge 220 when either the filter life or capacity is reached or is about to be reached. The beverage dispenser 100 may be configured to provide a warning just before the filter life or capacity is reached (e.g., when the filter cartridge reaches 80%, 90%, or 95% of its capacity or usable life) to provide a user with time to replace the filter cartridge 220 before it reaches the end of its usable life.

[0041] The additive container 230 may contain a known amount of additive, for example 4 oz. The beverage dispenser 100 may store an initial amount of additive entered by a user via the user interface 130. Alternatively, the sensor 170 may read indicia on the additive container 230 to automatically determine the initial amount of additive in the additive container 230. As the beverage dispenser 100 dispenses metered doses of additive, the beverage dispenser 100 may track or estimate the amount of additive remaining at any given time. If the amount of additive falls below a predetermined level, such as 20%, 10%, or 5% of the initial amount of additive, the beverage dispenser 100 may provide a warning to the user, as described above.

[0042] The beverage dispenser 100 may provide a warning or indication when the level of the consumable 200 is low and may even provide a recommendation to order a new consumable to replace the depleted consumable. In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser 100 may automatically order a replacement consumable when the beverage dispenser 100 determines that the consumable is low or depleted. In this way, the user does not have to personally purchase and order the consumable. Automatic ordering of replacement consumables may be a setting that the user can activate or deactivate as desired. The setting may be stored, for example, in a user account or profile.

[0043] In some embodiments, the user interface 130 of the beverage dispenser 100 may include an input device including one or more physical buttons, as shown, for example, in FIG. 4. The physical buttons may be operated by a user to select a beverage and additives to be dispensed by the beverage dispenser 100. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the user interface 130 includes a beverage selector 132 in the form of a dial that the user can rotate to select a beverage. The selection may include a base liquid and at least one of a carbonation level and a temperature of the base liquid. For example, different rotational positions of the beverage selector 132 may correspond to different carbonation levels, e.g., lightly fizzy, medium fizzy, or strongly fizzy base liquids. The different rotational positions may correspond to temperatures of the base liquid, e.g., ice cold, refrigerated, ambient, lukewarm, warm, hot, very hot, or hot boiling. It is understood that additional or fewer carbonation and temperature options may be available than shown in FIG. 4. In some embodiments, a user may select to dispense water at any temperature and carbonation level. In some embodiments, still water may be dispensed at any temperature, however, if carbonated water is selected (e.g., light, medium, or strong sparkling), the temperature is set by the beverage dispenser 100 to a temperature of 41°F (5°C) or less to maintain the desired carbonation level.

[0044] The user interface 130 may include markings 139 indicating the selection at each position of the beverage selector 132. For example, the markings 139 may include text to describe the selection, i.e., "medium sparkling," "light sparkling," "ice cold," "chilled," etc. The carbonation selection may be qualitative, such as light carbonation, medium carbonation, or strong carbonation. Similarly, the temperature selection may be qualitative, such as ice cold, refrigerated, ambient, lukewarm, warm, hot, very hot, hot boiling, etc. In some embodiments, the selection may be quantitative. The markings 139 may include numbers to indicate the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius, or to indicate the carbonation level by specifying the amount of carbon dioxide to be added. In some embodiments, the markings 139 may include graphics or images to represent the selection, such as different numbers of bubbles to indicate the carbonation level, or thermometers filled to different levels to indicate different temperatures, ice cubes to represent a cold selection, fire or flames to represent a hot selection, among others.

[0045] The user interface 130 may further include a volume selector 134 for selecting a volume of the base liquid to be dispensed. The volume selector 134 may also be a dial having rotational positions corresponding to different volumes of the base liquid to be dispensed. However, the volume selector 134 may include another type of input device. In FIG. 4, for example, the volume selector 134 is shown as a slider. The user interface 130 shows volume selections in 4 oz increments ranging from 4 oz to 36 oz. However, in other embodiments, lesser or greater volumes of the base liquid may be dispensed and the increments between the volume selections may be different. In some embodiments, the user interface 130 may include text to qualitatively indicate the volume, such as splash, small, medium, or large pour. In some embodiments, the user interface 130 may specify the volume quantitatively, such as 4 oz, 8 oz, 12 oz, etc. In some embodiments, the user interface 130 may include graphics or images showing the beverage level in the cup or container to represent the volume to be dispensed.

[0046] The user interface 130 may display information regarding the levels of consumables within the beverage dispenser 100, as described herein. The user interface 130 may include indicators 136 that correspond to the amount of carbon dioxide in the carbon dioxide tank, the life of the filter cartridge, and the amount of additive remaining in the additive container. For example, the indicators 136 may include one or more lights (e.g., LEDs) that are illuminated to represent the level or amount of each consumable remaining.

[0047] The user interface 130 may further include an input device, e.g., a dispense button, for dispensing a selected base liquid in a selected volume. Alternatively, another portion of the beverage dispenser 100, such as a base liquid nozzle, may include a dispense button, e.g., see button 142 in FIG. 1, that is operable to dispense a selected base liquid in a selected volume.

[0048] In some embodiments, the user interface 130 may not include a display to provide a simplified user interface 130 and reduce manufacturing costs of the beverage dispenser 100. In some embodiments, the user interface 130 may include a combination of physical buttons and a display. For example, the beverage selector 132 may be a dial, and the beverage options at different rotational positions of the dial may be shown on a display surrounding the dial. In this manner, the display may be updated to customize the selections displayed at each rotational position of the dial.

[0049] In some embodiments, the user interface 130 may include a limited number of input devices to provide a user with a simple and easy-to-use interface for selecting and dispensing a beverage. For example, the user interface may include a base liquid selector for selecting a base liquid at a desired temperature and / or carbonation level, a volume selector for selecting a volume of the base liquid to be dispensed, and an additive selector for selecting an additive to be dispensed. The user interface may include a pour or dispense button, or the pour or dispense button may be located on a separate portion of the beverage dispenser 100, such as on the nozzles 140, 160. In this manner, a user may easily select and dispense a beverage without having to navigate a series of separate menus or screens, which a user may find tedious or inconvenient.

[0050] In some embodiments, the user interface may include a display 138, such as a touch screen display, as shown in FIG. 5. The display 138 may show a graphical user interface (GUI) 400 for selecting a base liquid. Similar to FIG. 4, the GUI 400 may include selections for a base liquid and at least one of a carbonation level and a temperature of the base liquid. As shown in FIG. 5, the selections may be presented as a series of icons or tiles 410 including carbonation level options (e.g., light carbonation, medium carbonation, or strong carbonation) and temperature level options (e.g., ice cold, refrigerated, ambient, tepid, warm, hot, very hot, and hot boil). As discussed above, the selections may be qualitative or quantitative and may include markings or symbols, or a combination thereof. For example, the tile 410 may include the text "Hot Boil" and include an image of three flames to represent hot boil.

[0051] The volume selections may also include icons or tiles 420 indicating different volumes of the beverage to be dispensed, such as 4 oz, 8 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz, 20 oz, 24 oz, 28 oz, 32 oz, or a maximum volume selection. The volumes may be qualitative or quantitative, may include markings, or a combination thereof.

[0052] In some embodiments, tiles corresponding to popular or preferred selections may be larger in size than tiles corresponding to less popular or less preferred selections. For example, if the beverage dispenser 100 determines that a user (or a particular user) generally selects to dispense chilled still water and rarely selects iced carbonated water, the chilled still water tile may be shown in the display in a larger size than the iced carbonated water tile. Further, if a user generally selects to dispense 12 oz volumes and rarely selects to dispense 4 oz volumes, the 12 oz volume icon or tile may be displayed larger or more prominently than the 4 oz icon or tile. In some embodiments, the size of the icon or tile may be proportional to how frequently the icon or tile is selected. Alternatively, if the GUI 400 presents a list of beverage selections, the popular or preferred selections may be presented at the top of the list and the less popular selections may be presented at the bottom of the list. The list may be presented in a ranked order based on how frequently each option is selected.

[0053] The additive selection may be indicated via additive tiles 430. In some embodiments, each additive tile 430 may be located on a portion of the display 138 closest to a corresponding additive nozzle 160 of the beverage dispenser 100 that dispenses the selected additive. For example, a first additive tile may be located on the display 138 in a position directly above the additive nozzle 160 that dispenses the first additive, and a second additive tile 430 may be located on the display 138 in a position directly above the additive nozzle that dispenses the second additive.

[0054] The GUI 400 may further include information regarding the levels of consumables in the beverage dispenser 100. The GUI 400 may include consumable tiles 440 corresponding to the level of carbon dioxide in the carbon dioxide tank, the life of the filter cartridge, and the amount of additive in the additive container. The GUI 400 may display a graphical representation of the carbon dioxide, the life of the filter cartridge, or the amount of additive (e.g., a partially filled container). The GUI 400 may display an estimate of the amount of time remaining in the filter's life, such as days remaining. The GUI 400 may display an estimate of the remaining CO2 and the remaining additive, such as a percentage of the initial CO2 or additive level, respectively.

[0055] The GUI 400 may display additional information such as environmental information 442 including local time, date, and weather (e.g., current temperature, precipitation, forecast, etc.). The GUI 400 may further display a greeting. The greeting may be personalized based on the user's identity. The beverage dispenser 100 may detect the user by biometric recognition, such as facial recognition, and may display a personalized greeting (e.g., "Welcome Asleander") if the user's identity is known, such as when the beverage dispenser recognizes the user via biometric recognition or when the user accesses the beverage dispenser 100 using a user profile. If the user's identity is not known, the beverage dispenser 100 may display a greeting specific to the new customer or may prompt the user to create a user profile.

[0056] In some embodiments, the GUI 400 may be arranged such that beverage selections may occupy a first portion of the display 138, volume selections may occupy a second portion of the display 138, additive selections may occupy a third portion of the display 138, and consumable and other information may occupy a fourth portion of the display 138. The selections may be grouped together for easy access by the user. Additionally, the selections may be arranged from left to right or top to bottom to guide the user through a series of selections in an intuitive manner.

[0057] In some embodiments, the user interface 130 and GUI 400 of the beverage dispenser 100 may be customized based on the identity of the user. A user may create a user profile that is stored or accessible by the beverage dispenser 100. The user profile may include user information such as biometric information, preferred or common beverage and volume selections, dispensed beverage history, settings, and preferences, among other information. As described, a user's common selections may be displayed more prominently, such as in a larger or taller size, in a list of available selections. In some embodiments, the user interface 130 may include adjustable settings for the beverage dispenser 100. Settings may include language, units of measurement, currency, lighting settings (e.g., brightness, color, dimming timer), volume, auto-ordering of consumables, or enabling / disabling of advertising, among others.

[0058] In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser 100 may allow a user to set or modify the base liquid and volume selections displayed on the user interface. For example, a default "hot water" setting may correspond to a temperature of 80° F., and the user may adjust the hot water setting to correspond to 90° F. instead. Additionally, the user may choose to add or remove selections from the display on the user interface 130. For example, the user interface 130 may display six temperature options by default, and the user may choose to add or remove one or more of the default temperature options based on the preferences used.

[0059] In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser 100 may store previously selected or dispensed beverages in memory. After selecting and dispensing a base liquid, the user may subsequently press the dispense button to dispense the previously dispensed base liquid without selecting the base liquid or volume again. Thus, the beverage dispenser 100 may default to selecting and dispensing the previously dispensed base liquid. Alternatively, the user may be required to select a base liquid, and the previously dispensed base liquid may be prominently displayed in the list of selectable options, such as by including the previously dispensed base liquid as a large tile, or by listing the base liquid at the top of the list of options. This may be useful for users in a home environment who frequently dispense the same base liquid, or for users in a commercial environment (e.g., a waiter or waitress) who may have to quickly fill multiple cups with the same base liquid. However, in some embodiments, when the previously dispensed base liquid is hot, the hot base liquid may only be stored for a predetermined period of time, such as one minute. This may help prevent a user from accidentally dispensing a hot liquid, which may cause harm to the user.

[0060] In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser 100 may be configured to provide advertising, commercials, or promotional materials, such as visual and audio information referred to as "advertising." The beverage dispenser 100 may display advertisements on the display 138 of the user interface 130. The advertisements may be associated with consumables 200, such as carbon dioxide tanks 210, filter cartridges 220, and additive containers 230, among other products, or may be associated with the removable panel 190. The beverage dispenser 100 may play advertisements during a dispensing operation while the user is waiting for the selected beverage to be dispensed. In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser 100 may play advertisements when the beverage dispenser 100 is not being used, such as to attract a user.

[0061] The beverage dispenser 100 may include a setting to enable or disable advertising. The setting for enabling or disabling advertising may be a setting in a user profile. When advertising is enabled, the user may be offered promotions or discounts, such as discounts on consumables of the beverage dispenser 100.

[0062] The beverage dispenser 100 may include a control unit 150 configured to control the operation of the beverage dispenser 100, as shown in FIG. 6. The control unit 150 may be in communication with the user interface 130 to receive user input at the user interface 130. The control unit 150 may control the operation of the beverage dispenser 100 to prepare and dispense a base liquid having a temperature, carbonation level, and volume selected by the user. Thus, the control unit 150 may further control the operation of pumps, valves, etc., to direct the flow of fluids within the beverage dispenser 100, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. The control unit 150 may further control the operation of the additive dispenser 600 to the additive selected by the user.

[0063] The beverage dispenser 100 may include a transceiver 155 for communicating with an external device. The transceiver 155 may be configured to transmit and receive wireless communications. The beverage dispenser 100 may communicate with a mobile electronic device 300, such as to receive a base liquid, volume, and additive selection from a user, or may communicate with a technician's mobile electronic device. The mobile electronic device 300 may include a smartphone, tablet, laptop, computer, smartwatch, among other electronic devices. The mobile electronic device 300 may execute a mobile software application configured to communicate with the beverage dispenser 100. The software may include a set of instructions that, when executed by the mobile electronic device 300, causes a display of the device to show a graphical user interface for receiving a selection of a beverage to be dispensed. The graphical user interface displayed on the mobile electronic device 300 may be a graphical user interface for selecting a beverage, as described above with respect to the GUI 400.

[0064] The transceiver 155 of the beverage dispenser 100 can communicate with a remote external server or computer 350, such as a cloud server, to receive software updates and patches, among other information. The beverage dispenser 100 can transmit information via the transceiver 155, such as system information, usage information, consumable status and replacement needs, operational information, error or safety information, and user information, which may be anonymized.

[0065] In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser 100 may include an audio unit 180, such as a speaker for playing audio, and a microphone for detecting audio information, such as a user's speech. In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser 100 may receive a selection as described herein via detecting the user's speech. For example, the user may speak aloud a selection displayed on the user interface, such as "dose medium sparkling water," and the audio unit 180 may detect the user's speech and dispense the base liquid based on the user's speech. Additionally, the beverage dispenser 100 may play a message or instruction to the user, such as a greeting, or provide instructions to guide the user through the beverage selection. The beverage dispenser 100 may play audio to confirm when a selection is made, provide entertainment, or otherwise add interest to the dispensing operation.

[0066] In some embodiments, one or more sensors 170 may detect information regarding the operation of the beverage dispenser 100. In some embodiments, the sensors 170 may be configured to detect the presence or absence of a consumable, or may detect the amount or level of a consumable within the beverage dispenser 100.

[0067] In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser 100 may include one or more biometric sensors 175. The biometric sensor 175 may be used to perform biometric recognition of a user, such as facial recognition. In such embodiments, the biometric sensor 175 may include an optical sensor, such as one or more cameras, configured to detect a face or facial features, such as the user's eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows, ears, distances between facial features, dimensions of facial features, and proportions of facial features. Further, the biometric sensor 175 may determine the identity of the user, and the user interface 130 may display a user interface based on the identity of the user. In some embodiments, the user interface 130 may be off or idle when a user is not present, as determined by the biometric sensor 175, and may be turned on and display a greeting or display beverage options when the presence of a user is detected.

[0068] In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser 100 may selectively enable access to certain features or functions depending on the identity of the user. The features and functions may be default settings or may be changed by a user of the beverage dispenser 100, such as the dispenser owner or a technician. For example, if the beverage dispenser 100 determines that the user is a child, the ability to dispense hot beverages may be disabled to prevent burns to the child. The beverage dispenser 100 may determine that the user is a child, for example, by facial recognition as described herein or based on the user's selected user profile as described herein. The child's settings or permissions may be set by a parent or caregiver, and a parent may choose to disable a child's access to dispense additives such as sugar, or to disable a child's access to carbonated beverages, while allowing access to still water.

[0069] The beverage dispenser 100 may include various components for preparing and dispensing base liquid and additives, as shown, for example, in FIG. 7. In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser 100 includes an inlet 504 for connecting to a source of base liquid 500, which may flow through the beverage dispenser 100 and its units via one or more supply lines 506. The inlet 504 may be in communication with a filter cartridge 220 of the beverage dispenser 100 to remove contaminants from the base liquid. The base liquid supply line 506 may further be in communication with a hot water heater 510 configured to store and heat the water to be dispensed. The base liquid supply line 506 may also be in communication with a heat exchanger 520 configured to reduce the temperature of the base liquid from the ambient temperature, i.e., to cool or refrigerate the base liquid. In some embodiments, the base liquid supply line 506 may include one or more splitters and valves to direct the base liquid to either the hot water heater 510 or the heat exchanger 520, or both.

[0070] In some embodiments, the hot water heater 510 may include a tank configured to receive a quantity of base liquid and a heating element configured to increase the temperature of the quantity of base liquid held in the hot water tank. The heating element may include, for example, an electrical resistance heating element. The hot water heater 510 may include a temperature sensor configured to monitor the temperature of the base liquid in the hot water tank. The hot water heater 510 may be configured to heat water to a selected temperature for the base liquid. In some embodiments, dispensing the beverage at a high temperature may include heating water to a desired temperature in the hot water heater 510. Alternatively, the hot water heater 510 may be configured to heat the base liquid to a set temperature, and the heated base liquid may be mixed with the ambient temperature base liquid to reduce the temperature of the base liquid to the selected temperature.

[0071] In some embodiments, the heat exchanger 520 may include a vessel filled with a heat exchange fluid, such as water, and a chiller coil may be disposed within the vessel and immersed in the heat exchange fluid. The base liquid flows through the chiller coil to remove heat from the base liquid and cool the base liquid to a desired temperature. In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser 100 may mix a refrigerated base liquid with a base liquid at an ambient temperature to provide a base liquid at a selected temperature. The mixing of the refrigerated base liquid with the ambient base liquid to prepare a base liquid at a desired temperature may occur at a dispensing nozzle. In other embodiments, the base liquid may be chilled to a desired temperature by adjusting the operation of the heat exchanger 520, for example, by varying the rate at which the base liquid flows through the heat exchanger 520 or by increasing the residence time of the base liquid in the heat exchanger 520.

[0072] The beverage dispenser 100 may include a carbonator 530 configured to carbonate the base liquid. The carbonator 530 may be in communication with the carbon dioxide tank 210 to receive carbon dioxide from the carbon dioxide tank 210. The carbonator 530 may be in communication with the heat exchanger 520 such that a cooled or refrigerated base liquid is provided to the carbonator 530. However, in some embodiments, the carbonator 530 may be disposed within the heat exchanger 520 or formed as part of the heat exchanger 520. For example, the carbonator 530 may be an in-line carbonator and may be disposed within a tank of heat exchange fluid of the heat exchanger 520. The carbonator 530 may be in communication with the base liquid nozzle 140 for dispensing the beverage.

[0073] The beverage dispenser 100 may include an additive dispenser 600 that includes one or more additive containers 230, each in communication with a respective additive nozzle 160. The additives may have a high concentration such that a small amount of the additive may be combined with the base liquid to provide a flavored beverage having a desired flavor and taste. For example, the additives may have a base liquid to additive dilution ratio of 100:1, 200:1, 300:1, or 400:1. Using a high concentration of additives helps to conserve space, but consumers may find it difficult to properly dose high concentrations of additives. To help users dispense the proper dose, the beverage dispenser may dispense a fixed dose of additive, but some consumers may want to customize the level of flavor in the beverage. Therefore, it is desirable to provide an additive dispenser that uses high concentrations of additives while still allowing users to customize their beverages.

[0074] In some embodiments, the additive dispenser 600 may include a dispensing mechanism 620 for dispensing an additive from the additive container 230 by the additive nozzle 160, for example as shown in FIG. 3. In some embodiments, the dispensing mechanism 620 may include a movable holder 622 (see, for example, FIG. 8) configured to support the additive container 230. The dispensing mechanism 620 may include a connection 628 for communicating the additive container 230 with the additive nozzle. The connection 628 may engage an open top end of the additive container by a threaded connection or the like. The dispensing mechanism 620 may include a pump 630 secured to an opening of the additive container 230, such as the open top end of the additive container 230. The pump 630 is in fluid communication with the additive nozzle 160. The dispensing mechanism 620 may include a drive mechanism, such as a motor, for actuating the pump 630 to move the holder 622 along the longitudinal axis to reciprocate the additive container 230 up and down, thereby providing the additive to the additive nozzle 160 for dispensing. Each stroke (up and down movement) of the dispensing mechanism 620 corresponds to dispensing a fixed amount of additive from the additive container 230 so that the additive can be dispensed in precise amounts based on the number of strokes of the dispensing mechanism 620.

[0075] In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8, the dispensing mechanism 620 may include a rotatable disk 624 that rotates about a horizontal axis X and is driven by a drive mechanism such as a motor. A linkage 626 has a first end movably connected to a portion of the disk 624 away from the center of the disk 624 and a second end movably connected to a holder 622. The linkage 626 converts the rotational motion of the disk 624 into linear motion of the holder 622 and the additive container 230 thereon along a longitudinal axis Z perpendicular to the horizontal axis. The circular motion of the disk 624 may provide smooth operation of the dispensing mechanism 620. However, in some embodiments, the holder 622 may be driven by a linear actuator such as a solenoid.

[0076] Once an additive is selected for dispensing, such as via a user interface, the beverage dispenser 100 can automatically determine the dose of additive to be dispensed based on the selected volume of base liquid and the dilution ratio of the selected additive. For example, if a consumer selects to dispense 12 oz of cold still water and selects an additive having a dilution ratio of 100:1, the additive dispenser 600 can dispense 0.12 oz of additive. Further, if it is known that each stroke of the dispensing mechanism 620 dispenses 0.02 oz of additive, the beverage dispenser 100 can cause the additive dispenser 600 to complete 6 strokes to dispense 0.12 oz of additive.

[0077] A user may dispense an additive by operating a dispense button 162. The beverage dispenser 100 may include a dispense button 162 on or adjacent to the additive nozzle 160 or on the user interface 130. If the user wishes to dispense additional flavoring, the user may press the dispense button 162 a second or subsequent time. After the initial additive dose is dispensed, each subsequent press of the dispense button 162 may correspond to dispensing a fixed amount of additive. Continuing with the example above, the first press of the dispense button 162 may dispense a volume of additive determined based on the volume of base liquid selected and the dilution ratio of the additive, and each subsequent press may dispense 0.04 oz of additive, allowing the user to customize the level of flavor in the beverage.

[0078] An exemplary method of operating the beverage dispenser 700 is shown in FIG. 9. The beverage dispenser may receive a selection of a base liquid (710). Selecting a base liquid may include selecting a base liquid at a desired temperature or carbonation level. The beverage dispenser may receive a volume of the base liquid to be dispensed (720). The beverage dispenser may receive a command to dispense the selected base liquid (730). The beverage dispenser may cool or heat the base liquid to a selected temperature (740). For example, the beverage dispenser may run the base liquid through a heat exchanger or hot water heater to cool or heat the base liquid to the selected temperature. Alternatively, the beverage dispenser may provide a dose of carbon dioxide to a carbonator based on the selected carbonation level (750). The beverage dispenser may then dispense the selected volume of the base liquid at the selected temperature or carbonation level (760). In some embodiments, the beverage dispenser may further receive a selection of an additive (770). The beverage dispenser can dispense a dose of the selected additive based on the selected volume of the base liquid (780). For example, the beverage dispenser can know the dilution ratio of the selected additive and dispense a volume of the additive based on the volume of the selected base liquid to achieve the known dilution ratio. It is understood that the base liquid and additive may be dispensed in any order. For example, a user may select and dispense an additive and then dispense a base liquid, or vice versa. Additionally, a user may not dispense an additive at all.

[0079] Some embodiments described herein relate to an additive dispenser 800 configured as a stand-alone device. While the additive dispenser 600 has been described in connection with the beverage dispenser 100, some embodiments described herein relate to an additive dispenser 800 that is a stand-alone device, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 10-13. The additive dispenser 800 may be configured to dispense a metered amount of an additive selected by a user. In embodiments in which the additive dispenser 800 is a stand-alone device, the additive dispenser 800 may include a housing 810 having a dispensing mechanism 820 (see, e.g., FIG. 11) for dispensing an additive from an additive container and a user interface 830 (see, e.g., FIG. 12) for receiving a selection of an additive and an amount of the additive to be dispensed.

[0080] A housing 810 may enclose the components of the additive dispenser 800. In some embodiments, the housing 810 includes a body 812, a base 814 at a lower end of the body 812, and a head 816 at an upper end of the body 812. The housing 810 may define a storage compartment 802 for receiving the additive container 230. The housing 810 may include a panel 804 removably securable to the housing 810 to enclose the storage compartment 802 and the additive container 230 within the housing 810.

[0081] One or more additive nozzles 840 may be disposed on the head 816 of the additive dispenser 800, for example, on an underside of the head 816. The head 816 may extend from the body 812 of the housing 810 to form a beverage container receiving area 844 between the head 816 and the base 814. In some embodiments, a single additive nozzle 840 may be used to dispense one or more additives and may be in communication with one or more sources of additives. This may help to reduce the number of components and simplify the design of the additive dispenser 800. Alternatively, the additive dispenser 800 may include multiple additive nozzles 840, with each additive nozzle 840 corresponding to a particular additive container. This may help to prevent or minimize flavor crossover.

[0082] A base 814 of the housing 810 may be configured to rest on a support surface, such as a countertop. The base 814 may receive an additive-receiving beverage container thereon. The base 814 may include a recess 815 to facilitate receiving and positioning the beverage container on the additive dispenser 800 in a position below the additive nozzle 840.

[0083] The additive dispenser 800 may include one or more sensors 860 configured to detect the presence of a beverage container in the beverage container receiving area 844. In some embodiments, the sensor 860 may be located on the head 816 of the additive dispenser 800, the sensor 860 may be located on the body 812 of the additive dispenser 800, or both. If a beverage container is not detected by the one or more sensors 860, the additive dispenser 800 may prevent dispensing of the additive to avoid spillage and waste of the additive.

[0084] The additive dispenser 800 may include a dispensing mechanism 820 as shown in FIG. 11. The dispensing mechanism 820 may have the same components and operations as described above with respect to the dispensing mechanism 620. Thus, the dispensing mechanism 820 may include a movable holder 822 for supporting the additive container 230. The holder 822 may be movable via a drive mechanism 821, which may include a motor, operably connected to the holder 822. An upper end of the additive container 230 may be removably secured to a connection 824 of the additive dispenser 800 to place the additive container 230 in fluid communication with an additive nozzle 840, such as via a conduit 825 (shown in dotted lines). The additive dispenser 800 may include a pump 826, such that as the movable holder 822 moves the additive container 230, the pump 826 is actuated to dispense a predetermined amount of additive from the additive container 230.

[0085] The user interface 830 of the additive dispenser 800 may include one or more input devices, such as buttons, levers, knobs, dials, switches, etc., as shown, for example, in FIG. 12. The user interface 830 may include an additive selection input device 832. The additive selection input device 832 may allow for receipt of a selection of an additive, such as additive A or additive B. The user interface 830 may include a volume selection input device 834. The amount of additive dispensed may be selected by a number of drops of additive, such as 1 drop to 6 drops. The additive dispenser 800 may limit the number of drops dispensed, for example, 6 drops being the maximum number of drops selectable, to prevent the user from dispensing too much of an additive, which may produce an unpleasant beverage. In this manner, the additive dispenser 800 assists the user in accurately dispensing small amounts of additive while allowing the user to customize the flavor of the beverage within a predetermined range.

[0086] The additive dispenser 800 may include a display 836 that indicates the selected additive and the selected volume. This may help the user verify that the desired additive and volume are being dispensed. For example, as shown in FIG. 12, the additive dispenser 800 includes a display 836 on the head 816 that indicates "A3," indicating that three drops of additive A have been selected. After the user has selected the additive and amount of additive, the user may operate a dispense input device 838 of the user interface 830 to dispense the selected amount of the selected additive via the additive nozzle 840.

[0087] The additive dispenser 800 may include a control unit 850 in communication with the dispensing mechanism 820, the user interface 830, and the sensor 860, for example as shown in FIG. 13. The control unit 850 may receive user input from the user interface 830 and may operate the dispensing mechanism 820 based on the user input to dispense a selected amount of a selected additive. The control unit 850 may receive information from the sensor 860, determine whether a beverage container is present, and prevent dispensing of an additive if a beverage container is not detected within the beverage container receiving area 844.

[0088] 14 illustrates an exemplary computer system 1400 in which embodiments or parts thereof may be implemented as computer readable code. The control units 150, 850 described herein may be computer systems having all or some of the components of the computer system 1400 for implementing the processes described herein.

[0089] Where programmable logic is used, such logic may be executed on a commercially available processing platform or special purpose device. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that embodiments of the disclosed subject matter may be practiced with a variety of computer system configurations, including multi-core multiprocessor systems, minicomputers, and mainframe computers, computers linked or clustered with distributed functionality, and pervasive or small computers that may be embedded in virtually any device.

[0090] For example, at least one processor device and memory may be used to implement the above embodiments. The processor device may be a single processor, multiple processors, or a combination thereof. The processor device may have one or more processor "cores."

[0091] Various embodiments may be implemented with respect to this example computer system 1400. After reading this specification, it will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art how to implement one or more of the present inventions using other computer systems and / or computer architectures. Although operations may be described as sequential processes, some of the operations may in fact be performed in parallel, concurrently, and / or in a distributed environment, and may be performed by program code stored locally or remotely for access by a single or multi-processor machine. Additionally, in some embodiments, the order of operations may be rearranged without departing from the spirit of the disclosed subject matter.

[0092] The processor unit 1404 may be a dedicated or general purpose processor unit. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the processor unit 1404 may also be a single processor in a multi-core / multi-processor system operating alone or in a cluster of computing devices operating in a cluster or server farm. The processor unit 1404 is connected to a communications infrastructure 1406, such as a bus, message queue, network, or multi-core message passing scheme.

[0093] The computer system 1400 also includes a main memory 1408, e.g., random access memory (RAM), and may also include a secondary memory 1410. The secondary memory 1410 may include, for example, a hard disk drive 1412 or a removable storage drive 1414. The removable storage drive 1414 may include a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, a flash memory, or the like. The removable storage drive 1414 reads from and / or writes to a removable storage unit 1418 in a well-known manner. The removable storage unit 1418 may include a floppy disk, a magnetic tape, an optical disk, a universal serial bus (USB) drive, or the like, which is read from and written to by the removable storage drive 1414. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the removable storage unit 1418 includes a computer usable storage medium having computer software and / or data stored thereon.

[0094] Computer system 1400 (optionally) includes a display interface 1402 (which can include input and output devices such as a keyboard, mouse, etc.) that transfers graphics, text, and other data to be displayed on a display 1440 from a communications infrastructure 1406 (or from a frame buffer, not shown).

[0095] In alternative implementations, the secondary memory 1410 may include other similar means for allowing computer programs or other instructions to be loaded into the computer system 1400. Such means may include, for example, a removable storage unit 1422 and interface 1420. Examples of such means may include program cartridges and cartridge interfaces (such as those found in video game devices), removable memory chips (such as EPROMs or PROMs) and associated sockets, and other removable storage units 1422 and interfaces 1420 that may transfer software and data from the removable storage unit 1422 to the computer system 1400.

[0096] Computer system 1400 may also include a communications interface 1424. Communications interface 1424 allows software and data to be transferred between computer system 1400 and external devices. Communications interface 1424 may include a modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a communications port, a PCMCIA slot and card, or the like. The software and data transferred through communications interface 1424 may be in the form of signals, which may be electronic, electromagnetic, optical, or other signals that can be received by communications interface 1424. These signals may be provided to communications interface 1424 via communications path 1426. Communications path 1426 carries signals and may be implemented using wire or cable, fiber optics, a phone line, a cellular phone link, an RF link, or other communications channel.

[0097] As used herein, the terms "computer program medium" and "computer usable medium" are used generally to refer to media such as removable storage unit 1418, removable storage unit 1422, and a hard disk installed in hard disk drive 1412. Computer program medium and computer usable medium may also refer to memory, such as main memory 1408 and secondary memory 1410, which may be memory semiconductors (e.g., DRAM, etc.).

[0098] Computer programs (also called computer control logic) are stored in the main memory 1408 and / or the secondary memory 1410. Computer programs may also be received via the communications interface 1424. Such computer programs, when executed, enable the computer system 1400 to implement the embodiments discussed herein. In particular, the computer programs, when executed, enable the processor unit 1404 to implement the processes of the embodiments discussed herein. Thus, such computer programs represent the controller of the computer system 1400. If the embodiments are implemented using software, the software may be stored in a computer program product and loaded into the computer system 1400 using the removable storage drive 1414, the interface 1420, and the hard disk drive 1412, or the communications interface 1424.

[0099] An embodiment of the present invention may also be directed to a computer program product including software stored on any computer usable medium. Such software, when executed on one or more data processing devices, causes the data processing devices to operate as described herein. An embodiment of the present invention may employ any computer usable or computer readable medium. Examples of computer usable media include, but are not limited to, primary storage devices (e.g., any type of random access memory), secondary storage devices (e.g., hard drives, floppy disks, CD ROMs, ZIP disks, tapes, magnetic and optical storage devices, MEMS, nanotechnology storage devices, etc.).

[0100] It should be understood that the Detailed Description section, and not the Summary and Abstract sections, is intended to be used to interpret the claims. The Summary and Abstract sections may set forth one or more, but not all, exemplary embodiments of the invention as contemplated by the inventors, and are thus not intended to limit the scope of the invention and the appended claims in any way.

[0101] The present invention has been described above with the aid of functional building blocks illustrating the implementation of certain functions and their relationships. The boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined herein for the convenience of description. Alternative boundaries may be defined so long as the certain functions and their relationships are appropriately performed.

[0102] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments makes the general nature of the present invention fully apparent, and others may, by applying the knowledge of those skilled in the art, easily modify and / or adapt such specific embodiments to various applications without undue trial and error and without departing from the general concept of the present invention. Such adaptations and modifications are therefore intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and therefore, the phraseology or terminology used herein should be interpreted by those skilled in the art in light of the teaching and guidance used herein.

Claims

1. 1. A beverage dispenser comprising: Housing and a base liquid nozzle disposed on the housing and configured to dispense a base liquid; an additive nozzle disposed on the housing and configured to dispense an additive; a user interface disposed on the housing configured to receive a first selection of at least one of a base liquid, a temperature of the base liquid, and a carbonation level of the base liquid, and a second selection of an additive; The beverage dispenser is configured to dispense the base liquid from the base liquid nozzle based on the first selection, and the additive nozzle is configured to dispense the additive based on the second selection.

2. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , further configured to receive a selection of a volume of the base liquid to be dispensed.

3. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the user interface includes a touch screen display configured to display a plurality of selectable options.

4. The beverage dispenser of claim 3 , further comprising a biometric sensor configured to determine an identity of the user, and wherein the plurality of selectable options are based on the identity of the user.

5. 2. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, wherein the beverage dispenser comprises a carbonator configured to carbonate the base liquid, the beverage dispenser providing doses of carbon dioxide to the carbonator based on the selected carbonation level.

6. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the beverage dispenser comprises a heat exchanger configured to cool the base liquid.

7. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the beverage dispenser comprises a hot water heater configured to heat the base liquid.

8. 2. The beverage dispenser of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a storage compartment for removably receiving consumables for operating the beverage dispenser, the consumables being selected from a carbon dioxide tank, a filter cartridge, and an additive container.

9. The beverage dispenser of claim 8 , further comprising an indicator configured to indicate an amount of the consumable remaining within the beverage dispenser.

10. The beverage dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises one or more removable panels.

11. 1. A beverage dispenser comprising: Housing and a base liquid nozzle configured to dispense a base liquid; a user interface configured to receive a selection including a base liquid and at least one of a temperature of the base liquid and a carbonation level of the base liquid; 1. An additive dispenser comprising: an additive nozzle disposed in the housing; a holder configured to removably receive an additive container; and a dispensing mechanism configured to dispense a dose of an additive from the additive container through the additive nozzle.

12. The beverage dispenser of claim 11 , wherein the user interface is configured to receive a selection of a volume of the base liquid to be dispensed.

13. 13. The beverage dispenser of claim 12, wherein the dose of the additive dispensed by the dispensing mechanism is based on the selected volume of the base liquid.

14. The beverage dispenser of claim 11 , wherein the user interface is configured to display selectable options based on an identity of the user.

15. 1. A method of dispensing a beverage from a beverage dispenser, the method comprising: receiving, by the beverage dispenser, a selection of a base liquid and at least one of a temperature of the base liquid and a carbonation level of the base liquid; receiving a volume of the base liquid to be dispensed by the beverage dispenser; receiving, by the beverage dispenser, a command to dispense the selected base liquid; cooling or heating the base liquid to the selected temperature by the beverage dispenser or providing a dose of carbon dioxide in a carbonator of the beverage dispenser, the dose being based on the selected carbonation level; and dispensing the selected volume of the base liquid at the selected temperature or carbonation level.

16. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving, by the beverage dispenser, a selection of an additive.

17. 17. The method of claim 16, further comprising dispensing the selected dose of additive based on the selected volume of the base liquid.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein receiving a selection of a base liquid comprises receiving the selection from a mobile electronic device.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying selectable options for the base liquid on a user interface of the beverage dispenser.

20. 20. The method of claim 19, further comprising detecting an identity of a user, wherein the selectable options displayed on the user interface are based on the identity of the user.

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