Turkish coffee maker equipped with an AI-based tasseography system

Abstract

This invention is an end-to-end artificial intelligence-based Turkish coffee fortune-telling (tasseography) method that utilizes a circuit board incorporated into a Turkish coffee maker and a custom-designed coffee cup with a unique QR code on the handle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention is an end-to-end artificial intelligence-based Turkish coffee divination (tasseography) method that utilizes a circuit board incorporated in a Turkish coffee maker and a custom-designed coffee cup having a QR code (registered trademark) unique to the handle.

Background Art

[0002] Turkish coffee is the world's oldest brewing method and an important element of Turkish culture. For centuries, coffee divination has also been an integral part of this culture. The recognition of the cultural and social importance of Turkish coffee stems from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declaring Turkish coffee as "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity" on December 5, 2013. In respect of this recognition, "World Turkish Coffee Day" is celebrated every December. In modern Turkey, Turkish coffee is often enjoyed as a form of entertainment or, due to its cultural importance and various associated beliefs, in combination with coffee divination. However, since not everyone has the skill of coffee divination, most consumers either rely on a capable friend or pay a private diviner for assistance. However, it is very often the case that Turkish coffee consumers cannot find someone to read the fortune of their coffee. On the other hand, travelers visiting Turkey show considerable interest in Turkish coffee and divination. The mysterious aspect of coffee divination often attracts the attention of travelers more than the coffee itself. As a result, Turkish coffee is frequently consumed solely for the purpose of divination. Regardless of the motivation, the appeal of Turkish coffee and divination has been steadily increasing year by year. However, upon returning to their home countries, it becomes almost impossible for travelers to find a coffee diviner or even a place that offers Turkish coffee itself.

[0003] In recent years, various digital technologies and applications have been used to provide coffee fortune-telling services in Turkey. Some popular services establish online connections between consumers and coffee fortune tellers. However, because there are no standard regulations for such applications, users often receive inappropriate services regarding fortune-telling and may even become victims of fraud. Furthermore, coffee fortune-telling enthusiasts are often asked to pay exorbitant fees for the service. Another obstacle is the language barrier. Most coffee fortune tellers are Turkish, and therefore the primary language used in their services is Turkish. This limits access to coffee fortune telling for consumers who do not speak Turkish, both within and outside of Turkey. [Overview of the project]

[0004] The objective of this invention is to enable cafes, bars, and restaurants (venues) in any country, regardless of location or native language, to offer customers a standardized, reliable, and entertaining coffee fortune-telling service. This service does not require the venue to employ or contract with a fortune teller. The only thing required for the service realized by this invention is a dedicated Turkish coffee maker. Furthermore, venues do not need to replace their existing Turkish coffee makers, unless they are electronic devices.

[0005] This invention aims to contribute to the popularization and increased consumption of Turkish coffee, which is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Furthermore, it aims to create multifaceted added value, directly or indirectly, related to Turkish coffee and its rich culture.

[0006] In this regard, the object of the present invention is as follows: • Increasing the presence and sales of Turkish coffee in the global beverage industry • To facilitate access to coffee fortune-telling services using digital technology, software, and artificial intelligence, and to enable fortune-telling services in languages ​​other than Turkish. • By ensuring that Turkish coffee fortune-telling is conducted according to centuries-old traditions and other established standards, we meet the needs of consumers seeking entertainment and accurate fortune-telling services. • Prevent unnecessary payments for coffee fortune-telling. • Standardize the quality of coffee-based fortune telling to prevent consumers from being deceived by fraudulent fortune tellers. The product to which this invention applies is shown in the attached drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] A workflow diagram illustrating the system of the present invention. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram of the product used in the system of the present invention. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram of a coffee cup. [Figure 4] A schematic diagram showing how the image of the coffee grounds inside the cup is flattened using stereo projection, taking into account the original design of the cup.

[0008] The meaning of the numbers in these diagrams is as follows: 1. Coffee machine 2. Server 3. Circuit board 4. Coffee cup 4.1. QR Code 5. Smartphone

[0009] In this invention, a custom-designed circuit board (3), developed through embedded engineering, is incorporated into a suitable Turkish coffee maker (1) to provide a fortune-telling service. This board primarily functions as a counter and is mounted on the Turkish coffee machine, fully integrating with it. The circuit board is equipped with a WiFi transmitter, and when connected to a suitable modem, it transmits the number of Turkish coffees brewed by the machine (coffee count) and their respective timestamps (day, hour, minute) to a system server (2) via the internet. This data is permanently stored on a dedicated server for the system of this invention.

[0010] The invention also includes custom-designed Turkish coffee cups (4) with individual QR codes (4.1) on the handles. For the fortune-telling service of the present invention to function, Turkish coffee must be served in these custom cups with QR codes (4.1). To make these custom cups available to consumers, they are manufactured and shipped (delivered) to venues that offer the fortune-telling service of the present invention to customers. In the process of delivering the cups to the venues, the QR codes of the delivered cups, the product ID of the coffee maker, and other relevant commercial information of the retailer (store) are recorded on the system's server using specially developed coding and a user interface (UI). The server then correlates these, so that the system can match and associate the coffee in each cup with the specific machine used to brew it and the venue where it is served.

[0011] In the system of the present invention, the customer orders Turkish coffee before their fortune-telling session. The quantity of each order and the timestamp of extraction by the coffee maker are recorded and transmitted to the system's server via a WiFi-enabled circuit board (3) incorporated into the coffee machine (1).

[0012] In the system outlined in this invention, once the customer (user) has finished drinking Turkish coffee, they must turn upside down the coffee cup (4) on which a QR code is printed to prepare for the fortune-telling session. The cup must be cooled so that the coffee grounds settle and form abstract shapes and patterns within the cup that will form the basis of the fortune-telling. After the cup has cooled, the user is asked to start the fortune-telling session by scanning the QR code (4.1) on the cup using their smartphone (5). This function can be performed on any smartphone, regardless of brand or operating system.

[0013] By scanning the QR code (4.1) with a smartphone, the user is directed to an AI-powered chatbot application specifically designed for the fortune-telling service of the present invention. This chatbot can be accessed via an iOS or Android mobile app, or a web application that can run on any mobile browser. The user receives the entire fortune-telling service through this chatbot application.

[0014] During the initial interaction with the chatbot, the user is provided with detailed information about Turkish coffee and coffee-based fortune-telling. The chatbot then guides the user through the necessary steps to receive their fortune.

[0015] In this regard, the chatbot asks the user to take a photo of the top of their coffee cup (4) and upload it to the chat. The user needs to make sure that the coffee grounds in the cup and the QR code (4.1) on the handle are visible in the uploaded photo.

[0016] As the next step, the chatbot will ask the user to take a selfie and upload it to the chat again.

[0017] After these two steps, the chatbot asks about the user's relationship status. This is because it is an important input for the coffee fortune-telling. When the relationship status is provided, it is saved on the server as a tag associated with the user's profile.

[0018] When the user uploads a photo of a coffee cup, it is stored on the system's server. Once it is successfully stored, the present invention scans the uploaded image of the coffee cup by using AI-enabled computer vision software and technology to verify the QR code (registered trademark) printed on the cup. The purpose of this verification is to confirm that the coffee was made by the dedicated coffee machine and custom-designed cup of the present invention.

[0019] If the QR code cannot be verified, the fortune-telling service is rejected and the user is notified that the session cannot proceed.

[0020] If the QR code is verified, the image of the coffee cup (6) is digitized using the 3D mesh modeling method with the assistance of a special algorithm and software. The resulting 3D digital image of the cup containing coffee powder is sent to the user as a URL link via the chatbot. Thereby, the user can examine the digitized cup in detail on the screen of the smartphone.

[0021] At the same time, using the "stereo projection" method, the system flattens and digitizes the coffee powder in the cup. This "stereo projection" utilizes a mathematical model developed based on the original design of the cup of the present invention.

[0022] In the next step, digitized images of coffee cups and their sediment are scanned by artificial intelligence-assisted computer vision to detect and identify abstract shapes and patterns created by the coffee sediment in the cups, related to centuries-old traditional coffee divination practices. This image processing relies on MPEG-7 Shape Matching, assisted by custom software that takes into account a unique dataset of symbols, shapes, and patterns related to coffee divination. The detected symbols, shapes, and patterns are tagged and stored on the system's server as part of the user's profile, ultimately used to generate the fortune-telling text.

[0023] In parallel, uploaded user selfies are scanned, and the customer's gender, age, and emotional state are assessed via AI-powered computer vision. The output is also tagged and stored as part of the user's profile on the server.

[0024] In the final step, all tags acquired and stored in the user profile are sent to a dedicated natural language processing (NLP) server that has been promptly engineered for the system and fortune-telling service of the present invention.

[0025] Upon receiving a tag, the NLP server first matches the shape / symbol / pattern to its respective meaning in traditional coffee divination. Using artificial intelligence-powered natural language generation (NLG), the NLP server then generates a personalized divination text (interpretation) based on the meaning of the shape / symbol / pattern detected in the user's cup, as well as all of the user's other profile tags, including gender, age, mood, and relationship status.

[0026] This text generation takes into account the "prompts" stored in the NLP server. The personalized fortune-telling text is stored on the server and shared with the customer via the chatbot.

[0027] If necessary, the text can be translated into any language chosen by the customer.

Claims

1. The specifications of the Turkish coffee maker, which integrates an artificial intelligence-based tasseography system, are characterized by the following: - When Turkish coffee is ordered, the time and the amount of coffee made by the coffee maker are transmitted to the server via a circuit board (3) integrated with the coffee machine (1) and stored in the server. - After ordering Turkish coffee, the customer (user) drinks their coffee and, as required by traditional coffee divination, turns the coffee cup (4) with the QR code (registered trademark) upside down and waits for it to cool. Once the cup has cooled, it is returned, and the user scans the QR code (4.1) on the coffee cup with their smartphone (5). - After scanning a QR code (4.1) using their smartphone (5), the user is directed to an AI-driven chatbot (messaging) application. This application is either hosted on a website or available as an iOS / Android mobile application specifically designed and developed for the fortune-telling service of the present invention. - Upon initiating a conversation with the chatbot, the user is provided with detailed information about Turkish coffee and coffee fortune-telling. The chatbot then guides the user through the necessary steps required to obtain an interpretation. - The user is first instructed by the chatbot to take a photo of the coffee cup (4) they just consumed and upload it to the chat. The user is then asked to confirm that the coffee grounds in the cup and the QR code (4.1) on the handle are visible in the uploaded photo. Next, the user is asked by the chatbot to take a selfie and upload it to the chat. When a selfie image is uploaded, it is saved to the server. - Relationship status is an important factor in the coffee fortune-telling, so the chatbot prompts the user to provide their relationship status. Once provided, this data is stored on the system's server as a tag associated with the user's profile. - In the backend, when a user uploads a photo of a coffee cup, it is stored on the system's server. At this point, in order to verify the QR code printed on the cup, the present invention scans the uploaded image of the coffee cup by using AI-enabled computer vision software and technology. The purpose of this verification is to confirm that the coffee was made by the dedicated coffee machine of the present invention and served in the required cup of the present invention. - If the QR code cannot be verified, the fortune-telling service will end, and the user will be notified that the session will not proceed. - If the QR code is verified, the image of the coffee cup (6) is digitized using a 3D mesh modeling method with the help of special algorithms and software. The resulting 3D digital image of the cup containing the coffee grounds is sent to the user as a URL link via the chatbot. This allows the user to examine the digitized cup in detail on their smartphone screen. The system then flattens and digitizes an image of the coffee grounds inside the cup using a "stereo projection" method that utilizes a mathematical model developed based on the original design of the cup. - A flattened image of the cup and the coffee sediment within it is scanned by AI-assisted computer vision. During this process, abstract shapes and patterns related to traditional coffee divination are detected. The detected symbols, shapes, and patterns are then tagged and stored on server (2) in order to generate the fortune-telling text. - User-uploaded selfie images are scanned via artificial intelligence-supported computer vision to assess the customer's gender, age, and emotional state. The output is also tagged as the user's profile and stored on server(2) for use in interpretation. - Upon receiving a tag, the natural language processing (NLP) server first matches the shape / symbol / pattern to its respective meaning in the traditional coffee divination practice. - Using artificial intelligence-powered natural language generation (NLG), the NLP server generates personalized fortune-telling text (interpretation) based on the meaning of shapes / symbols / patterns detected within the user's cup, as well as the user's profile tags consisting of gender, age, mood, and relationship status. This text generation takes into account "prompts" stored in the NLP server. - The personalized fortune-telling text is then stored on a server and shared with the customer via their smartphone. - If necessary, the text can be translated into any language of the customer's choice.

2. A Turkish coffee maker integrated with artificial intelligence-based tasseography as described in claim 1, characterized by the following: - The coffee maker (1) includes a custom integrated circuit board (3) for recording and storing each prepared Turkish coffee along with its respective preparation time. This data is then sent to the system server (2) via the internet. - To understand which cafe / bar / restaurant, machine, and cup the coffee is being served in, Turkish coffee cups (4) with QR codes (4.1) are matched with the system's server (2).

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