Automatic beverage dispenser system and beverage dispenser

Abstract

To provide an automatic beverage providing system that enables a user to select a beverage providing machine, providing a beverage for the user, through a terminal.SOLUTION: An automatic beverage providing system 101 comprises a plurality of beverage providing machines 3 and a control server 1. A beverage providing machine 3 pours a beverage into a container to provide the beverage for a user 10. The control server 1 is connected to the beverage providing machine 3 through a network 9, and controls the beverage providing machine 3 and also accepts access by the user 10 through a user terminal 7 connected to the network 9. The control server 1 further accepts a choice of one of the plurality of beverage providing machines 3, made by the user 10 whose access is accepted, through the user terminal 7, and makes the selected beverage providing machine 3 to provide a beverage.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automatic beverage dispenser system and a beverage dispenser. [Background technology]

[0002] Various vending machines that dispense beverages have been known for some time. In addition to those that dispense beverages sealed in containers such as bottles or cans, vending machines that dispense beverages to users by pouring them into open containers such as cups are also known (e.g., Non-Patent Document 1). However, all of these vending machines are limited to a system in which a user stands in front of the machine and presses a selection button on the machine to receive a beverage.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an automatic beverage supply system in which beverage vending machines installed in various locations are connected to a server via a network, and users can exchange information with the server via their mobile terminals. However, although Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which a user receives information about the vending machines from the server to their mobile terminal, it does not disclose a technology in which a user can select a vending machine from which to receive a beverage via their mobile terminal. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6905777 [Non-patent literature]

[0005] [Non-Patent Document 1] Echigo Sake Museum Ponshukan Echigo Yuzawa Store website (https: / / www.google.com / maps / uv?pb=!1s0x601e02254ee9e789%3A0x51157bc0f2b482e5!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipMcxVYMx-2H_hDjct-TX3pfekCObI1Cap6Akc-Z% 3Dw260-h175-nk-no!5z44G944KT44GX44KF6aSoIOWIqeOBjemFkiAtIEdvb2dsZSDmpJzntKI!15sCgIgAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1 QipPxXBl-GHPs3klV_jpZQU8tfaJRCnesDqCqubJU&hl=ja&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjs__3gpKj8AhVrnFYBHd5cCrQQ7ZgBKAB6BAgIEAI) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present inventors have considered that, in today's world where the use of terminals such as smartphones is widespread, it would be convenient if users could use their terminals to select a beverage dispenser and receive a beverage. The present invention has been made in consideration of such problems, and one aspect of the present invention aims to provide an automatic beverage dispenser system that allows a user to select, via a terminal, a beverage dispenser from which to receive a beverage. Another aspect of the present invention aims to provide a beverage dispenser that can be incorporated into the automatic beverage dispenser system of the present invention. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention provides an automatic beverage dispenser system comprising: a plurality of beverage dispensers that dispense beverages to users by pouring beverages into containers; and a control server connected to the plurality of beverage dispensers via a network, controlling the plurality of beverage dispensers and accepting access from users via user terminals connected to the network. The control server accepts a selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers via the user terminal by the user who has accepted the access, and causes the selected beverage dispenser to dispense the beverage.

[0008] According to this configuration, a user can receive a beverage from a desired beverage dispenser by accessing the control server through a user terminal. Note that the user terminal need only be a terminal operated by the user and does not need to be owned by the user.

[0009] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic beverage dispenser system according to the first aspect, wherein each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a personal identification data acquisition unit that acquires, when the beverage dispenser is selected, personal identification data, which is a predetermined type of data associated with a person in front of the beverage dispenser and capable of identifying the person. Based on the personal identification data acquired by the selected beverage dispenser, the server or the selected beverage dispenser authenticates that the person in front of the selected beverage dispenser is the user who selected the beverage dispenser, and detects that the authenticated person is within a predetermined area in front of the selected beverage dispenser. The selected beverage dispenser dispenses the beverage only if the person in front of the selected beverage dispenser is authenticated as the user who selected the selected beverage dispenser and is detected to be within the predetermined area in front of the selected beverage dispenser.

[0010] This configuration prevents the beverage dispenser from mistakenly serving a beverage to anyone other than the user who selected the beverage dispenser, and also prevents the beverage dispenser from mistakenly serving a beverage when the user who selected the beverage dispenser is not present within a predetermined area in front of the beverage dispenser.

[0011] According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the automatic beverage dispenser system according to the second aspect, the control server has a user registration unit that registers a user accessing through the network as a registered user on condition that the user inputs predetermined user registration data, and accepts selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers only if the user accessing through the network is the registered user. The personal identification data is facial image data. The user registration data includes facial image data of the user to be registered. The personal identification data acquisition unit has a camera that captures a facial image of the person to generate facial image data of the person. The server or the selected beverage dispenser performs the authentication by comparing the facial image data obtained by capturing an image with the camera of the selected beverage dispenser with registered facial image data of the user who made the selection.

[0012] According to this configuration, the user does not need to hold anything special in his / her hand, and can obtain user authentication that he / she is the user who selected the beverage dispenser simply by standing in front of the selected beverage dispenser.

[0013] A fourth aspect of the present invention is an automatic beverage dispenser system according to the third aspect, wherein the server or the selected beverage dispenser detects that the facial image of the person captured by the camera and authenticated is equal to or larger than a predetermined size within the camera's field of view, thereby detecting that the authenticated person is within the predetermined area in front of the selected beverage dispenser.

[0014] With this configuration, it is possible to easily detect whether the authenticated person is within a specified area in front of the selected beverage dispenser using facial image data obtained by capturing an image with a camera.

[0015] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the automatic beverage dispenser system according to the second aspect, the control server transmits user identification data capable of identifying the user to the user terminal of the user who made the selection. The personal identification data acquisition unit of the selected beverage dispenser acquires the received user identification data output by the user terminal of the user who made the selection as the personal identification data. The server or the selected beverage dispenser performs the authentication by comparing the personal identification data acquired by the personal identification data acquisition unit of the selected beverage dispenser with the user identification data transmitted to the user terminal of the user who made the selection.

[0016] According to this configuration, a user can be authenticated as the user who selected the beverage dispenser by being in front of the selected beverage dispenser, without having to register his or her facial image data in advance. The user identification data may be, for example, a two-dimensional barcode, a numeric string, a character string, or a random number generated each time a user makes a selection, which is unique to each user. For example, the user outputs the user identification data received on his or her user terminal to the screen of the user terminal, and the personal identification data acquisition unit has a camera and acquires the output user identification data as personal identification data using the camera. As another example, the user outputs the user identification data received on his or her user terminal as audio using a speaker, and the personal identification data acquisition unit has a microphone and acquires the output user identification data as personal identification data using the microphone.

[0017] A sixth aspect of the present invention is an automatic beverage dispenser system according to the fifth aspect, wherein the server or the selected beverage dispenser detects the position where the user terminal of the user who made the selection outputs the user identification data, thereby detecting that the authenticated person is within the specified area in front of the selected beverage dispenser.

[0018] With this configuration, it is possible to easily detect whether the authenticated person is within a predetermined area in front of the selected beverage dispenser by detecting the position where the user identification data is output. The detection of the position where the user identification data is output can be performed, for example, by the person identification data acquisition unit having a camera and detecting the size of the user identification data output on the screen of the user terminal within the camera's field of view. As another example, the person identification data acquisition unit can be performed by having a stereo microphone and detecting the spatial position where the user identification data is output as sound by the speaker of the user terminal.

[0019] According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic beverage dispenser system according to the first aspect, wherein each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a beverage dispenser identification code that identifies it from the others. The control server causes the selected beverage dispenser to dispense a beverage only when the user who selected the beverage dispenser reads the beverage dispenser identification code of the selected beverage dispenser using the user terminal and receives image data transmitted via the network. This configuration prevents a person other than the user who selected the beverage dispenser from mistakenly receiving a beverage from the beverage dispenser.

[0020] According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic beverage dispenser system according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a light-emitting device that emits light, and the control server causes the light-emitting device of a selected beverage dispenser to emit light. With this configuration, the user can confirm the beverage dispenser he or she has selected by the emitted light.

[0021] A ninth aspect of the present invention is an automatic beverage dispensing system according to the eighth aspect, wherein the control server controls the light emitting devices to realize a light effect by emitting the light in synchronization with each other among at least one group of beverage dispensing machines among the plurality of beverage dispensing machines, and when one of the at least one group of beverage dispensing machines is selected by a user and the light emitting device of the selected beverage dispensing machine is caused to emit light, the light effect is stopped.

[0022] According to this configuration, by arranging a group of beverage dispensers close to each other, a light effect is realized for all of the beverage dispensers. Furthermore, when a beverage dispenser selected by a user emits light to notify the user that it is the selected beverage dispenser, the light effect stops, so that the notification to the user is not interrupted. The light effect between the beverage dispensers in the group may be performed before or after any of the beverage dispensers is selected.

[0023] According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the automatic beverage dispenser system according to the first aspect, each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a camera that captures an image of a front view. Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers or the control server has an image determination unit that determines whether an image captured by the camera is an image of a person. The selected beverage dispenser dispenses a beverage only if it determines that the image captured by its own camera is an image of a person. This configuration prevents the beverage dispenser from mistakenly dispensing a beverage when no one is in front of the selected beverage dispenser.

[0024] According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the automatic beverage dispenser system according to the tenth aspect, when the image determination unit determines that the image taken by the camera is an image of a person, it further determines whether the person is an adult. The selected beverage dispenser dispenses a beverage only if the image taken by its own camera is determined to be an image of an adult. According to this configuration, when the beverage contains alcohol, the beverage dispenser is prevented from dispensing the beverage to a person who is not an adult.

[0025] A twelfth aspect of the present invention is an automatic beverage dispenser system according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects, wherein each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a camera that captures images of the front. Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers or the control server has a container position determination unit that determines, based on images captured by the camera, whether a container that can pour a beverage is in a predetermined position from which a beverage can be poured. The selected beverage dispenser dispenses a beverage only if it determines, based on images captured by its own camera, that the container that can pour a beverage is in the predetermined position. This configuration prevents the beverage dispenser from mistakenly dispensing a beverage when a container into which a beverage can be poured is not in a predetermined position into which a beverage can be poured.

[0026] A thirteenth aspect of the present invention is the automatic beverage dispenser system according to the twelfth aspect, wherein the selected beverage dispenser has a pour amount determination unit that determines whether a predetermined amount of beverage has been poured based on an image of the beverage poured into the container taken by the camera carried by the selected beverage dispenser. Furthermore, when the selected beverage dispenser determines from the image taken by the camera that the predetermined amount of beverage has been poured, it stops dispensing the beverage. This configuration allows the user to pour a predetermined amount of beverage into the container.

[0027] A fourteenth aspect of the present invention is an automatic beverage dispenser system according to any one of the first to thirteenth aspects, wherein the control server, in response to a request from the user accessing the system through the user terminal, returns list data to the user terminal of the requesting user, the list data displaying a list of one or more facilities in which the plurality of beverage dispensers are installed and the types of beverages served by the one or more beverage dispensers installed in each of the one or more facilities. The user can select one of the plurality of beverage dispensers by displaying the returned list data on the user terminal and accepting the user's selection of the facility and the type of beverage on the list data displayed on the screen.

[0028] According to this configuration, the user can select the desired beverage dispenser by operating the list data displayed on the screen of the terminal.

[0029] According to a fifteenth aspect of the present invention, in the automatic beverage dispenser system according to the first aspect, the control server has a user registration unit that registers a user accessing through the network as a registered user on condition that the user enters predetermined user registration data, and accepts selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers only if the user accessing through the network is a registered user. The control server further has a billing unit that bills the user who makes the selection.

[0030] With this configuration, the user is automatically billed. Billing can be performed directly by the control server, or indirectly by transmitting the necessary billing information to a billing server managed by a billing service provider.

[0031] According to a 16th aspect of the present invention, in the automatic beverage dispenser system according to the 15th aspect, the control server further includes an administrator registration unit that registers a beverage dispenser manager who manages one or more of the plurality of beverage dispensers as a registered administrator on the condition that the manager provides predetermined administrator registration data including information identifying the one or more beverage dispensers that the manager manages. If the selected beverage dispenser is a beverage dispenser managed by the registered administrator, the billing unit transfers all or part of the amount billed to the user to the account of the registered administrator who manages the selected beverage dispenser.

[0032] According to this configuration, all or part of the amount charged to the user is automatically paid to the registered manager who manages the beverage dispenser selected by the user. The beverage dispenser manager may be registered by the beverage dispenser manager accessing the control server via a network, or by the beverage dispenser manager providing manager information to the manager of the control server. Remittance to the registered manager may be made directly by the control server, or indirectly by transmitting the necessary billing information to a billing server managed by a billing service provider.

[0033] According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the automatic beverage dispenser system according to the fifteenth or sixteenth aspect, each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a remaining amount detector that detects when the beverage to be dispensed is exhausted, and notifies the control server when the remaining amount is detected while the beverage is being dispensed. When the control server receives a notification of the remaining amount from a selected beverage dispenser, it exempts the user who made the selection from being charged.

[0034] According to this configuration, if the remaining amount is used up while the beverage dispenser is dispensing a beverage and the amount of beverage dispensed does not reach a predetermined amount, the charge can be waived, thereby improving the service to the user.

[0035] An 18th aspect of the present invention is an automatic beverage dispenser system according to any one of the first to seventeenth aspects, wherein the control server accepts a selection of two or more of the plurality of beverage dispensers by the user who has accepted the access, and also accepts instructions regarding the amount or ratio of beverage to be dispensed by each selected beverage dispenser, and causes the two or more selected beverage dispensers to dispense the beverage in the instructed amount or ratio. This configuration allows the user to blend their preferred types of beverages in the amounts or ratios they prefer.

[0036] A 19th aspect of the present invention is an automatic beverage dispenser system according to any one of the first to eighteenth aspects, wherein the control server accepts a selection of two or more of the plurality of beverage dispensers by the user who has received the access, and is capable of setting a random mode in which one of the two or more selected beverage dispensers is randomly selected to dispense the beverage. According to this configuration, by using two or more beverage dispensers arranged close to each other, the user can be provided with a beverage selected at random.

[0037] A twentieth aspect of the present invention is an automatic beverage dispenser system according to any one of the first to nineteenth aspects, wherein each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a temperature regulator for adjusting the temperature of the beverage to be dispensed. The control server individually controls the temperature regulators of the plurality of beverage dispensers to individually set the temperature of the beverage to be dispensed. This configuration makes it possible to set the temperature of a beverage depending on, for example, the type of beverage, the weather, the season, etc. It also makes it possible to set different temperatures for the same type of beverage.

[0038] A 21st aspect of the present invention is an automatic beverage dispenser system according to the 20th aspect, in which the control server accepts input of data representing at least one of the type of beverage and the weather of the location of each of the plurality of beverage dispensers, and sets the temperature of the beverage to be dispensed according to the accepted data. According to this configuration, the temperature of the beverage is automatically set according to at least one of the type of beverage and the weather.

[0039] A 22nd aspect of the present invention is an automatic beverage dispenser system according to any one of the 1st to 21st aspects, wherein each of the plurality of beverage dispensers includes a beverage container storage chamber for storing a beverage container for holding a beverage to be dispensed and having an opening / closing lid that allows the beverage container to be inserted and removed, a lock that releasably holds the opening / closing lid in a closed position, and a lock sensor that detects locking and unlocking of the lock. Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers notifies the control server of the locking and unlocking detected by the lock sensor. The control server either suspends user selection of the beverage dispenser that notified the unlocking until the locking is notified, or waits to notify the beverage dispenser until the locking is notified. This configuration can prevent the user's selection from being transmitted to the beverage dispenser while the beverage container stored in the beverage dispenser is being replaced.

[0040] A 23rd aspect of the present invention is an automatic beverage dispenser system according to the 22nd aspect, wherein each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a switch for selecting and canceling a continuous mode in which the contents of the beverage container are dispensed continuously.

[0041] According to this configuration, in each beverage dispenser, the beverage to be dispensed is replaced with cleaning liquid, and by operating in continuous mode, the flow path through which the beverage passes can be cleaned with the cleaning liquid. Note that the continuous mode can be stopped by operating a switch to cancel the continuous mode.

[0042] A 24th aspect of the present invention is an automatic beverage dispenser system according to the 17th aspect, in which the beverage exhaustion detector has electrodes arranged to surround the beverage flow path, and detects the beverage exhaustion by a change in capacitance within the flow path detected by the electrodes. According to this configuration, it is possible to detect the remaining amount being exhausted with a simple structure.

[0043] A 25th aspect of the present invention is a beverage dispenser that provides a beverage to a user by pouring the beverage into a container, and the beverage dispenser is any one of the plurality of beverage dispensers provided in an automatic beverage dispenser system according to any one of the first to 24th aspects. A beverage dispenser having this configuration can be used as a beverage dispenser included in an automatic beverage dispenser system according to each aspect of the present invention. [Effects of the Invention]

[0044] As described above, one aspect of the present invention provides an automatic beverage dispenser system that allows a user to select a beverage dispenser from which to receive a beverage via a terminal. Another aspect of the present invention provides a beverage dispenser that can be incorporated into the automatic beverage dispenser system of the present invention. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0045] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an automatic beverage dispenser system according to one embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of a control server, an administrator terminal, and a user terminal in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 3] 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a software configuration of the control server of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the appearance of the beverage dispenser of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 2 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of an operation procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system of FIG. 1. [Figure 6]2A to 2C are screen diagrams illustrating examples of login screens displayed on the user terminal and the administrator terminal of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] 1. FIG. 4 is a screen diagram illustrating an example of an administrator registration screen displayed on the administrator terminal of FIG. [Figure 8] 1. FIG. 4 is a screen diagram illustrating an example of a beverage registration screen displayed on the administrator terminal of FIG. [Figure 9] 2 is a screen diagram illustrating an example of a user registration screen displayed on the user terminal of FIG. 1. [Figure 10] 2 is a screen diagram illustrating an example of a product selection screen displayed on the user terminal of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 11] 2 is a screen diagram illustrating an example of a product selection screen displayed on the user terminal of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 12] 2 is a screen diagram illustrating an example of a product selection screen displayed on the user terminal of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 13] 1. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operations of face image detection and proximity detection performed by the beverage dispenser of FIG. [Figure 14] 1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating another operation procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system of FIG. [Figure 15] 15 is a front view showing an example of the arrangement of the beverage dispenser that realizes the operation procedure of FIG. 14. [Figure 16] 1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating yet another operational procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system of FIG. [Figure 17] 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of the beverage dispenser of FIG. 1. [Figure 18] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the beverage dispenser of FIG. 1. [Figure 19] 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operation principle of a pump provided in the beverage dispenser of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 20] 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view illustrating the structure of a remaining amount sensor included in the beverage dispenser of FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 21] 1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating yet another operational procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system of FIG. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of a beverage dispenser that realizes the operation procedure of FIG. 21. [Figure 23] 1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating yet another operational procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system of FIG. [Figure 24] 24 is a functional block diagram illustrating a software configuration of a control server that realizes the operation procedure of FIG. 23. [Figure 25] 1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating yet another operational procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system of FIG. [Figure 26] 26 is a schematic explanatory diagram illustrating the light emission pattern of the beverage dispenser in the operation procedure of FIG. 25. [Figure 27] 1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating yet another operational procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system of FIG. [Figure 28] 1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating yet another operational procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system of FIG. [Figure 29] 29 is an operation explanatory diagram illustrating the operation of detecting a two-dimensional barcode and detecting proximity by the beverage dispenser in the operation procedure of FIG. 28. [Figure 30] 1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating yet another operational procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system of FIG. [Figure 31] 31 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the appearance of a beverage dispenser that realizes the operation procedure of FIG. 30. [Figure 32] 1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating yet another operational procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system of FIG. [Figure 33] 1. FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram illustrating yet another operational procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system of FIG. [Figure 34] FIG. 34 is a functional block diagram illustrating a software configuration of a control server that realizes the operation procedure of FIG. 33. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] [1. System configuration example] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the configuration of an automated beverage dispenser system according to one embodiment of the present invention. This automated beverage dispenser system 101 includes a control server 1 and multiple beverage dispensers. These devices 1 and 3 are connected to each other via a network 9 such as the Internet. The automated beverage dispenser system 101 is also connected via network 9 to a billing server 31 managed by a billing service provider and a bank server 33 managed by a bank.

[0047] An administrator refers to, for example, an operator, manager, or person in charge of managing a facility such as an izakaya, a restaurant, or an outdoor event venue. One or more beverage dispensers 3 are installed in each administrator's facility. Each administrator uses an administrator terminal 5 to access the control server 1, billing server 31, and bank server 33 via network 9. Users 10, who are customers of each facility, use user terminals 7 to access the control server 1, billing server 31, and bank server 33 via network 9.

[0048] The beverages provided to users 10 by beverage dispensers 3 can be a wide variety of beverages, such as alcoholic beverages, juice, coffee, tea, and drinking water. In the facility shown in the figure, it is assumed that sake will be served. Multiple beverage dispensers 3 are installed in each facility so that users 10 can enjoy tastings of multiple brands of sake. Users 10 can use user terminals 7 to select and sample a brand offered by their favorite beverage dispenser 3 at their favorite facility.

[0049] By registering in advance with control server 1 and billing server 31 via user terminal 7, user 10 can have the cost of drinks automatically deducted from his / her bank account. By registering in advance with control server 1 and billing server 31 via administrator terminal 5, an administrator can automatically receive the cost of drinks into his / her account, and can have the usage fees for the beverage dispensers 3 under his / her management automatically paid from his / her account to the account of the administrator of control server 1. The usage fees may be paid as a portion each time user 10 pays the cost of a drink, or a predetermined amount corresponding to the number of beverage dispensers 3 under his / her management may be paid periodically, such as monthly.

[0050] In this way, with the automatic beverage dispenser system 101, the entire process from the user 10's selection of a beverage to the beverage dispenser and billing is carried out automatically without the intervention of the facility manager. This saves the facility manager time and effort. Note that beverages are not limited to being provided for a fee, but may be provided free of charge without the user having to pay. Similarly, payment of the usage fee for the beverage dispenser 3 by the manager is not required.

[0051] 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the hardware configuration of the control server 1, the administrator terminal 5, and the user terminal 7. A device 102 represents the control server 1, the administrator terminal 5, and the user terminal 7. In the illustrated example, the device 102 is configured similarly to a personal computer, and includes a main circuit section 12, an input device 11, a display device 13, and a hard disk drive (HDD) 14. The main circuit section 12 also includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 21, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 22, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 23, an interface (I / F) 24, and a reading device 25.

[0052] The CPU 21 executes programs stored in the ROM 22 and RAM 23. The ROM 22 stores, for example, a basic input / output system (BIOS) that starts up an operating system (OS) and configures hardware immediately after starting up the devices 1, 5, and 7. The OS, applications, and the like stored in the hard disk drive 14 are loaded into the RAM 23 as needed and are then executed by the CPU 21. The RAM 23 is also used as a work memory for temporarily storing data generated when the CPU 21 executes processing.

[0053] The interface (I / F) 24 has an IDE (Integrated Device Electronics) controller, a LAN controller, an input / output controller, etc. (not shown), and external devices such as the input device 11 are connected to the CPU 21 through these circuits. The CPU 21, ROM 22, RAM 23, and interface 24 are connected to one another through a bus line 26.

[0054] The input device 11 includes, for example, a keyboard and a mouse, and is a device for an operator to manually input data. The display device 13 is, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) device, and is a device for displaying image data as a visible image. The hard disk drive 14 stores an OS, applications, etc., as well as data required for processing. Instead of the hard disk drive 14, other non-volatile storage media such as semiconductor memory can also be used. The reading device 25 is a device for reading contents recorded on a recording medium 27, such as a CD-ROM, on which programs and data are recorded. The device 102 is connected to a wide-area network 9 ( FIG. 1 ), such as the Internet, via, for example, a LAN 15, and realizes communication using, for example, the TCP / IP protocol. The LAN 15 is connected to a bus line 26 via a LAN controller included in the interface 24, and is connected to the network 9 via a router (not shown).

[0055] A cloud server can also be used as the control server 1. The administrator terminal 5 and the user terminal 7 can also be mobile terminals such as smartphones. The administrator can exchange data with the control server 1 by downloading an administrator application from the control server 1 to the administrator terminal 5 and operating the administrator application. The administrator can log in to the administrator application by entering predetermined login data such as an ID and password on any terminal on which the administrator application is installed, regardless of whether the terminal is owned by the administrator himself / herself, and can operate the administrator application. This allows the control server 1 to recognize the administrator regardless of the terminal used by the administrator. Thus, the administrator terminal 5 is not limited to a terminal owned by the administrator. To enable the administrator to log in to the administrator application, the administrator can register login data, etc., in advance on the administrator application.

[0056] The same applies to the user terminal 7. User 10 can exchange data with the control server 1 by downloading a user application from the control server 1 to the user terminal 7 and operating the user application. User 10 can log in to the user application by entering specified login data on any device on which the user application is installed, regardless of whether it is a device owned by the user 10, and can operate the user application. This allows the control server 1 to recognize user 10 regardless of the device used by user 10. In this way, the user terminal 7 is not limited to a device owned by user 10. To enable user 10 to log in to the user application, user 10 can pre-register login data, etc. on the user application. Furthermore, if the control server 1 does not need to identify user 10, such as when automatic billing of user 10 is not required, pre-registration by user 10 may be omitted.

[0057] The beverage dispenser 3 also has a built-in computer. The built-in computer may be configured as, for example, an embedded microcomputer, as exemplified by the main circuit section 12 in Figure 2. In this case, a program that defines the operation of the CPU 21 is stored in the ROM 22.

[0058] Figure 3 is a functional block diagram illustrating the software configuration of the control server 1. As mentioned above, the control server 1 is a computer device, but by loading a control server program, it operates equivalently to a device with the hardware configuration illustrated in the block diagram of Figure 3. In the illustrated example, the control server 1 has an administrator application providing unit 41, a user application providing unit 43, an administrator registration unit 45, a user registration unit 47, an order processing unit 49, a user authentication unit 51, and a billing unit 55.

[0059] The administrator application providing unit 41 provides an administrator application to the administrator terminal 5 in response to a request from the administrator via the administrator terminal 5. The user application providing unit 43 provides a user application to the user terminal 7 in response to a request from the user 10 via the user terminal 7.

[0060] The administrator registration unit 45 accepts and registers administrator registration data transmitted by the administrator via the administrator terminal 5. Registration is performed, for example, by recording the administrator registration data in a storage medium such as the HDD 14 (see FIG. 2) of the control server 1. The administrator registration data includes information such as model numbers that identify the beverage dispensers 3 installed in the facilities managed by the administrator. The user registration unit 47 accepts and registers user registration data transmitted by the user 10 via the user terminal 7. Similar to administrator registration, registration is performed by recording the user registration data in a storage medium possessed by the control server 1.

[0061] The order processing unit 49 accepts an order for a beverage from one of the beverage dispensers 3 made by the user 10 via the user terminal 7, and causes the corresponding beverage dispenser 3 to dispense the beverage. The user authentication unit 51 authenticates that the person who is about to receive a beverage from the beverage dispenser 3 selected by the order is the user who placed the order.

[0062] The billing unit 55 charges the user 10 for the provision of the beverage, and returns the fee to the manager who manages the beverage dispenser 3 that provided the beverage. The billing unit 55 also charges the manager a usage fee for the beverage dispenser 3, etc., as necessary, and returns the charged usage fee, etc., to the manager of the control server 1.

[0063] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating an example of the appearance of beverage dispenser 3. The beverage dispenser 3 in the illustrated example is a vertically elongated, approximately rectangular box-like structure capable of storing beverage containers 61, which are bottles for storing sake, in storage chamber 63. A main body 64 of beverage dispenser 3 has an opening on the front except for the upper end, and an openable / closable lid 65 that can freely open and close and covers this opening is attached to main body 64. Openable / closable lid 65 allows beverage container 61 to be replaced. Openable / closable lid 65 can be locked with a lock 67 to prevent user 10 from accidentally opening it.

[0064] A container holder 71 is provided on the top of the opening / closing lid 65 for placing a container 69 for receiving a beverage. A spout 73 for pouring a beverage into the container 69 protrudes from the upper end of the front surface of the main body 64 above the opening / closing lid 65. The beverage dispenser 3 incorporates a pump driven by an electric motor, and the pump pumps the beverage contained in the beverage container 61 and dispenses it from the spout 73. The pump stops when a predetermined amount of beverage has been dispensed.

[0065] The upper end of the front face of the main body 64 is further provided with a camera 75 for capturing images of the front and a light-emitting device 77 such as an LED (light-emitting diode). The camera 75 is provided to enable user authentication by capturing an image of the face of a person standing in front of the beverage dispenser 3. The light-emitting device 77 is provided to notify the user 10 who has selected the beverage dispenser 3 of the selected beverage dispenser 3 by emitting light. Figure 4 shows the lens of the camera 75 and the light-transmitting window of the light-emitting device 77.

[0066] An in-facility number 79 for identifying multiple beverage dispensers 3 installed within the same facility is also attached to the upper front edge of the main body 64. A beverage dispenser identification code 81 for identifying all beverage dispensers 3 across facilities may also be attached to the upper front edge of the main body 64. In the illustrated example, the beverage dispenser identification code 81 is a two-dimensional barcode.

[0067] [2. System operation example 1] 5 is a sequence diagram illustrating an example of the operation procedure of automatic beverage dispenser system 101. In order for a facility manager to allow users 10 to use beverage dispensers 3 installed in the facility he or she manages, the manager performs administrator registration in advance with the administrator of control server 1, i.e., the operator of automatic beverage dispenser system 101. To do this, the facility manager requests an administrator application from control server 1 via administrator terminal 5 (S1).

[0068] The beverage dispenser 3 installed by the facility manager may be purchased or rented from the operator of the automatic beverage dispenser system 101, or may be independently procured by the facility manager as a beverage dispenser 3 having specifications that allow it to receive the services of the control server 1. In either case, the operator of the automatic beverage dispenser system 101 can also establish a business structure in which the usage fee for the control server 1 is paid by the facility manager.

[0069] When the control server 1 receives the request, it sends the administrator application to the administrator terminal 5 (S3). When the administrator terminal 5 receives the transmitted administrator application, it stores it in a launchable state (i.e., installs it) on a storage medium such as the HDD 14 (see FIG. 2) (S5). After the installation is complete, the administrator launches the administrator application to register himself as an administrator (S7).

[0070] Fig. 6 shows an example of a login screen that is displayed on the display device 13 (see Fig. 2) of the administrator terminal 5 when the administrator application is launched. The login screen shown in the example is in a well-known format, and if registration has already been completed, the administrator can log in by entering his / her ID and password and clicking the "Login" button. An administrator who has not yet registered can register a new account by clicking the "New Registration" button (S9; see Fig. 5). If registration has already been completed and the registered details need to be changed, the registered details can be changed by clicking the "New Registration" button.

[0071] 7 shows an example of the administrator data registration screen that is displayed on the display device 13 after clicking the "New Registration" button. The administrator enters various administrator registration data on this registration screen. In the illustrated example, the administrator registration data includes the ID and password used for login, various data related to the administrator and facility, as well as the name of the billing agency used for billing and payment to the administrator, the billing agency ID, the billing agency account, and the name and number of the bank account.

[0072] Once the input is complete, the administrator can click the "Send" button to send the input data to the control server 1 (S11; see Figure 5). When the transmission of the administrator registration data illustrated in Figure 7 is completed or the "Skip" button is clicked, the beverage data registration screen illustrated in Figure 8 is displayed. The beverage data registration screen is a screen for registering beverage data, which is data related to the beverage dispenser 3 managed by the administrator. The beverage data is part of the administrator registration data.

[0073] On the beverage data registration screen shown in the figure, the administrator can enter the model number of the beverage dispenser 3, the type of beverage, the product name or brand, and the unit price of the beverage for each beverage dispenser 3 that he or she manages within the facility (S9; see Figure 5).

[0074] The model number of the beverage dispenser 3 is a code for identifying all beverage dispensers 3 connected to the control server 1 across individual facilities. The beverage type is a category of beverage, such as sake, whiskey, coffee, juice, etc. The product name or brand is the product name or brand, such as sake or coffee.

[0075] The administrator arbitrarily assigns numbers such as 1, 2, 3, etc. to the beverage dispensers 3 under his / her management (see Figures 1 and 4), and then inputs data such as the type of beverage for each number. The registration screen shown in the figure can be scrolled to display all beverage dispensers 3 under the administrator's management. The numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) of the beverage dispensers 3 within the facility can be added by clicking the "Add" button, and can be deleted by clicking the "Delete" button. Once the required beverage data has been entered, the entered beverage data can be sent to the control server 1 as administrator registration data by clicking the "Submit" button (S11; see Figure 5).

[0076] The control server 1 receives the transmitted administrator registration data and records it as registration data on a recording medium such as the HDD 14 (see FIG. 2) (S13; see FIG. 5). When transmission of the administrator registration data is complete, the administrator closes the administrator application (S15; see FIG. 5).

[0077] Tables 1 and 2 show examples of the data structure of administrator registration data registered by the control server 1. In the example of Table 1, an administrator ID (administrator identifier) ​​that identifies the administrator is assigned by the control server 1 to each registered administrator. Using the assigned administrator ID as a key, various attribute data of the administrator, such as the facility name, administrator name, login ID, password, etc., are stored in association with the administrator ID. The administrator attribute data is based on data entered by the administrator on the administrator data registration screen shown in FIG. 7. Note that the names, facility names, and product names listed in Tables 1 to 4 and FIG. 12 below are all fictitious.

[0078] [Table 1]

[0079] Table 2 illustrates an example of the data structure of beverage data among the administrator registration data. In the example of Table 2, a beverage dispenser ID (beverage dispenser identifier) ​​that identifies the beverage dispenser 3 is assigned by the control server 1 to each registered beverage dispenser 3. Using the assigned beverage dispenser ID as a key, various attribute data of the beverage dispenser 3, such as an address on a storage medium such as HDD 14 that stores the beverage dispenser identification code 81, the beverage dispenser model number, the administrator ID of the administrator who manages the beverage dispenser 3, the facility number 79 of the beverage dispenser 3, the beverage type, the beverage product name, and the unit price, are stored in association with the beverage dispenser ID. The facility number 79, the beverage type, the product name, and the unit price are based on data entered by the administrator on the beverage data registration screen illustrated in FIG. 8.

[0080] [Table 2]

[0081] In order to use the control server 1 and the beverage dispensers 3 installed in various facilities, the user 10 must first register with the administrator of the control server 1, i.e., the operator of the automatic beverage dispenser system 101. To do so, the user 10 requests a user application from the control server 1 via the user terminal 7 (S17), as illustrated in FIG. Upon receiving the request, the control server 1 sends the user application to the user terminal 7 (S19). Upon receiving the transmitted user application, the user terminal 7 stores it in a launchable state (i.e., installs it) on a storage medium such as the HDD 14 (see FIG. 2) (S21). After the installation is complete, the user 10 launches the user application to register (S23).

[0082] Figure 6 also shows an example of a login screen that is displayed on the display device 13 (see Figure 2) of the user terminal 7 when the user application is launched. If registration has already been completed, the user 10 can log in by entering their ID and password and clicking the "Login" button. If the user 10 has not yet registered, they can register by clicking the "New Registration" button (S25; see Figure 5). If the user has already registered and wants to change the registered information, they can do so by clicking the "New Registration" button.

[0083] FIG. 9 illustrates a user data registration screen displayed on display device 13 after clicking the "New Registration" button. User 10 inputs various user registration data on this registration screen. In the illustrated example, the user registration data includes an ID and password used for logging in, various data related to user 10, as well as the name of the billing institution used to bill user 10, the billing institution ID, the billing institution account, and the name and number of the bank account. In the illustrated example, the data related to user 10 includes the address and date of birth of user 10, as well as facial image data. In the illustrated example, facial image data can be input by pasting it into a predetermined frame on the user data registration screen.

[0084] Once the input is complete, the user 10 can click the "Send" button to send the input data to the control server 1 (S27; see FIG. 5). The control server 1 receives the sent user registration data and records it as registration data on a recording medium such as the HDD 14 (see FIG. 2) (S29; see FIG. 5). Once the user 10 has finished sending the user registration data, they close the user application (S31; see FIG. 5).

[0085] Table 3 illustrates an example of the data structure of user registration data registered by the control server 1. In the example of Table 3, a user ID (user identifier) ​​that identifies the user 10 is assigned by the control server 1 to each registered user 10. Using the assigned user ID as a key, various attribute data of the user 10, such as the user's name, login ID, password, facial image data address, and two-dimensional barcode address, are stored in association with the user ID. Attribute data other than the facial image data address and two-dimensional barcode address are based on data entered by the user 10 on the user data registration screen illustrated in FIG. 9. The facial image data address is an address on a storage medium, such as the HDD 14 of the control server 1, where the facial image data entered by the user 10 on the user data registration screen illustrated in FIG. 9 is stored. The two-dimensional barcode address is an address on a storage medium, such as the HDD 14, of a two-dimensional barcode generated by the control server 1 for each user ID. Since both the facial image data and the two-dimensional barcode are used to authenticate the user 10, it is sufficient to store only one of them.

[0086] [Table 3]

[0087] When user 10 orders a beverage provided by a desired beverage dispenser 3 at a desired facility, user 10 launches a user application (S33), as exemplified in Fig. 5. When the user application is launched, a login screen, as exemplified in Fig. 6, appears on display device 13 of user terminal 7 (see Fig. 2). When user 10 logs in by entering an ID and password on this login screen and clicking the "Login" button, a beverage ordering screen appears on display device 13 (S35). In the illustrated example, the login operation corresponds to selecting the beverage ordering screen of the user application (S35).

[0088] The facility and product list screens illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 12 are examples of beverage ordering screens. In the illustrated example, when a login operation is performed, a first facility and product list screen illustrated in FIG. 10 is first displayed on display device 13. This screen allows user 10 to select the administrative district in which the desired facility is located from among all prefectures across the country. When user 10 clicks, for example, "Osaka Prefecture" on the displayed map, a second facility and product list screen including a map of Osaka Prefecture is displayed, as illustrated in FIG. 11. When user 10 clicks a desired area on the map of Osaka Prefecture, for example, "Osaka City," a third facility and product list screen listing facilities located in Osaka City is displayed, as illustrated in FIG. 12.

[0089] The facility and product list screen shown in the figure displays the name, address, and contact information of facilities such as stores, as well as the facility number 79 (see Figure 4) of the beverage dispenser 3 installed in each facility, the type of beverage served, product name, unit price, etc. The facility and product list data shown in Figure 12 may be constantly updated, so to ensure that the latest data is always displayed, for example, each time user 10 selects a desired area such as "Osaka City," the user application sends a request to control server 1, and the control server 1 sends the latest facility and product list data for the selected area to user terminal 7. On the facility and product list screen shown in the figure, the display of the facility and product list can be scrolled up or down by clicking the up or down scroll buttons so that data on all facilities installed in the selected "Osaka City" can be viewed.

[0090] User 10 can select the desired beverage dispenser 3 by clicking the "Select" field in the facility / product list. The clicked "Select" field changes color to indicate that a selection has been made. At the same time, the price for the order is displayed in the lower left corner of the screen. When user 10 clicks the "Order" button after making a selection, order data is sent from user terminal 7 to control server 1 (S37; see Figure 5). The order data includes, for example, user 10's user ID (see Table 3), the administrator ID of the administrator who manages the facility selected by user 10 (see Table 1), and the beverage dispenser ID of the beverage dispenser 3 that dispenses the beverage selected by user 10 (see Table 2). The user ID is stored in the user application that user 10 launched and logged in to. Alternatively, upon user 10 logging in, the user ID is sent from control server 1 to user terminal 7 so that user 10 can use it in the user application. The administrator ID and beverage dispenser ID are not displayed on the facility / product list screen shown in Figure 12, but are included in the facility / product list data sent from the control server 1 to the user terminal 7, in association with the facility name, facility number 79, etc.

[0091] The above example shows the facility and product list screens being displayed in the order of Figures 10 to 12, but when the user 10 transmits current location data from the user terminal 7 to the control server 1, the control server 1 may transmit the facility and product list data to the user terminal 7 so that one or more facilities closest to the current location of the user 10 are displayed on the facility and product list screen of Figure 12.

[0092] On the facility / product list screen illustrated in FIG. 12, user 10 can select not only a single beverage but also a blend of multiple beverages. To select a blend of multiple beverages, user 10 first clicks the “Blend” button located in the lower right corner of the screen. Clicking the “Blend” button switches the facility / product selection mode from the normal (default) “Single” mode to “Blend” mode. At the same time, the color of the “Blend” button changes, indicating that “Blend” mode is active. In the illustrated example, user 10 clicks the two “Select” fields corresponding to beverage dispensers 3 numbered 02 and 04 installed in “Izakaya ▽○” to select two types of beverages served by these beverage dispensers 3. The clicked “Select” field changes color to indicate that a selection has been made. As an example, the multiple types of beverages that can be selected in “Blend” mode are limited to beverages served by beverage dispensers 3 within the same facility.

[0093] By default, the blend ratio of two beverages is set to equal, i.e., 50% each. User 10 can gradually increase or decrease the blend ratio by clicking one of the selected "Select" columns and then clicking the "Blend Ratio" arrow button on the right side of the screen. When two beverages are selected, adjusting the blend ratio of one beverage automatically adjusts the other's blend ratio so that the total adds up to 100%. When three or more beverages are selected, adjusting the blend ratio of one beverage automatically adjusts the remaining blend ratios so that the total adds up to 100% while maintaining the relative proportions of the other beverages. In this way, user 10 can easily set the blend ratio regardless of the number of beverages selected. For example, this functionality is built into the user application itself. The price display field at the bottom left of the screen displays the price according to the blend ratio each time the blend ratio is changed.

[0094] User 10 can also return the selection mode to "single item" mode by clicking the "single item" button. If user 10 clicks the "order" button while the selection mode remains in "blend" mode, order data including the administrator ID (see Table 1) of the administrator who manages the facility selected by user 10, the beverage dispenser IDs (see Table 2) of the multiple beverage dispensers 3 that provide the beverage selected by user 10, and the set blend ratio are sent from user terminal 7 to control server 1.

[0095] On the facility / product list screen shown in FIG. 12, the user 10 can randomly select one of multiple beverages available at the same facility, with the control server 1 being responsible for that selection. The user 10 can change the selection mode to this "random" mode by clicking the "Random" button located in the lower right corner of the screen. The color of the "Random" button changes as soon as the selection mode is set to "Random." When the user 10 sets the "Random" mode and selects any one of the "Select" fields corresponding to the desired facility, the color of the "Select" fields corresponding to all beverage dispensers 3 in that facility changes. When the user 10 clicks the "Order" button, order data including data instructing the "Random" mode, along with the administrator ID (see Table 1) of the administrator who manages the facility selected by the user 10, is transmitted from the user terminal 7 to the control server 1.

[0096] As described above, the facility / product list screen shown in Figure 12 has three selection modes for selecting facilities and products: single, blend, and random. The corresponding "single," "blend," and "random" buttons change color between standby (inactive) and setting (active), allowing the user to see at a glance which selection mode is set. Of the three selection modes, the "single" mode is set as the default.

[0097] In FIG. 5, the processing after the order data transmission process (S37) is exemplified when an order is made in "single item" mode. The processing when an order is made in "blend" mode is exemplified in FIG. 14, which will be described later. Furthermore, the processing when an order is made in "random" mode is exemplified in FIG. 16, which will be described later.

[0098] Returning to FIG. 5, when order data is sent from user terminal 7 to control server 1 (S37), control server 1 sends selection data to the beverage dispenser 3 selected by the order data (S39). Control server 1 can identify the beverage dispenser 3 to which the selection data should be sent, for example, based on the administrator ID and beverage dispenser ID included in the order data. As described above, FIG. 5 assumes that user 10 has ordered in "single item" mode, so the selection data is sent to only one beverage dispenser 3. The beverage dispenser 3 that receives the selection data turns on light-emitting device 77 (S41). By emitting light, light-emitting device 77 notifies user 10 that the beverage dispenser 3 has received an order.

[0099] When the beverage dispenser 3 receives the selection data, it transmits facial image data of the person in front, obtained by capturing an image of the front with the camera 75 (S43), to the control server 1 (S45). FIG. 13 is an operation explanatory diagram illustrating the operations of facial image detection and proximity detection by the beverage dispenser 3. As illustrated in FIG. 13(a), the beverage dispenser 3 may recognize a person's face in an image captured by the camera 75, crop the facial image data as illustrated by a rectangular frame, and transmit it to the control server 1, or it may transmit the entire captured data of the front image. In the latter case, the facial image data is extracted on the side of the control server 1 that receives the image data. In either case, the facial image data is transmitted from the beverage dispenser 3 to the control server 1.

[0100] When the control server 1 receives the transmitted facial image data, it performs user authentication (S47). The user authentication (S47) is performed by comparing the received facial image data or facial image data extracted from the received image data with user facial image data associated with the user 10 who placed the order, among the user registration data (see Table 3) registered in the control server 1. The control server 1 can identify the user 10 who placed the order based on the user ID included in the order data (S37) sent from the user 10, and can search for the corresponding facial image data from the user registration data (see Table 3). If the user authentication is successful (yes in S49), the control server 1 transmits a notification (provision permission notification) to the beverage dispenser 3 permitting the provision of a beverage (S50). The control server 1 repeats the user authentication (S47) while the authentication is not successful (no in S49).

[0101] Meanwhile, while the beverage dispenser 3 does not receive a service permission notice from the control server 1 (no in S51), it continues to capture a new facial image (S43) and transmit the captured image to the control server 1 (S45). When the beverage dispenser 3 receives a service permission notice (yes in S51), it performs proximity detection (S53). The proximity detection (S53) detects whether a person who has already been authenticated as the user 10 who placed the order is approaching within a predetermined area in front of the beverage dispenser 3. As illustrated in FIG. 13(b), proximity detection can be performed indirectly and simply by detecting whether the size of the facial image, illustrated by a rectangular frame, exceeds a predetermined standard. Proximity detection is repeatedly performed together with image capture (S43) until detection is successful (no in S53). Note that the camera 75 may be a still image camera or a video camera. If it is a video camera, image capture (S43) can be repeated as the loop is repeated by continuously capturing images.

[0102] If proximity detection is successful (yes in S53), the beverage dispenser 3 performs container detection (S55). Container detection (S55) is performed to detect whether a container 69 (see FIG. 4), such as a cup, into which a beverage can be poured, is positioned on the container receptacle 71. Container detection can be performed by detecting whether the container 69, illustrated by a rectangular frame in FIG. 13(b), is positioned in a predetermined position corresponding to the position where the container is placed on the container receptacle 71. It can also simultaneously detect whether the container 69 has a shape suitable for pouring a beverage into, for example, a shape with a wide open mouth like a cup. Container detection is repeatedly performed together with image capture (S43) and proximity detection (S53) until detection is successful (no in S55).

[0103] If the container detection is successful (yes in S55), the beverage dispenser 3 starts providing the beverage (S57). That is, the beverage dispenser 3 starts a built-in pump to draw the beverage contained in the beverage container 61 (see FIG. 4) and start pouring the beverage from the spout 73 into the container 69 placed on the container receptacle 71. The beverage dispenser 3 has a built-in remaining amount sensor that detects whether or not there is any beverage remaining in the beverage container 61. When the remaining amount sensor detects that the beverage is exhausted (yes in S59), the beverage dispenser 3 notifies the control server 1 that the beverage is exhausted (S61). The beverage dispenser 3 continues to provide the beverage (no in S63) until the beverage to be provided reaches a predetermined amount (yes in S63) as long as the remaining amount sensor does not detect that the beverage is exhausted (no in S59). If the remaining amount of beverage is consumed before the predetermined amount is reached (yes in S59), or if the predetermined amount has been served (yes in S63), the beverage dispenser 3 stops the pump and ends serving of the beverage (S65). When the beverage dispenser 3 has finished serving the beverage, it notifies the control server 1 that serving of the beverage has finished (S67), and causes the light-emitting device 77 to stop emitting light (S69).

[0104] When the control server 1 receives a beverage supply completion notification (S67), if it has not received a remaining amount exhaustion notification (no in S71), it creates billing data and sends it to the billing server 31 (S73). The billing data includes, for example, the beverage supply fee, the billing institution account and bank account data (see Table 3) of the user 10 who placed the order, and the billing institution account and bank account data (see Tables 1 and 2) of the administrator of the beverage dispenser 3. Based on the received billing data, the billing server 31 sends debit data to the bank server 33 of the user 10 (S75) to debit, for example, the beverage supply fee from the account of the user 10, and also sends transfer data to the bank server 33 of the administrator of the beverage dispenser 3 (S77) to transfer the same amount to the administrator's account. The billing server 31 may also debit a portion of the amount transferred to the administrator's account and transfer it to the bank account of the administrator of the control server 1, i.e., the operator of the automatic beverage dispenser system 101.

[0105] On the other hand, if the control server 1 has received a notification that the remaining amount has been consumed (yes in S71), it does not send the billing data to the billing server 31 and exempts the user 10 from the billing. This is a kind of "extra" customer service from the manager of the beverage dispenser 3 to the user 10. After the user 10 has finished ordering a beverage (S37), he or she can close the user application (S79).

[0106] [3. System operation example 2] FIG. 14 is a sequence diagram illustrating another operational procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system 101. FIG. 14 illustrates the processing flow when the user 10 places an order in "blend" mode on the facility / product list screen illustrated in FIG. 12. In FIG. 14, the processing flow from when the user 10 starts the user application (S33) to when the user selects the beverage order screen (S35) is the same as the processing flow illustrated in FIG. 5. As an example, as illustrated in FIG. 12, it is assumed that the user 10 selects the "blend" mode on the facility / product list screen and selects two types of beverages to be served by the beverage dispensers 3 numbered 02 and 04 installed at "Izakaya ▽○."

[0107] When user 10 clicks the "Order" button, order data is sent to control server 1 (S81). The order data is multiple-beverage order data that includes the beverage dispenser IDs (see Table 2) of the two selected beverage dispensers 3 and the set blend ratio. When control server 1 receives the order data, it transmits selection data to the two beverage dispensers 3 selected by the order data (S83). The selection data includes the amount of beverage to be served by the destination beverage dispenser 3 based on the blend ratio. Each of the two beverage dispensers 3 that received the selection data and control server 1 executes the same process as the process following the light emission start (S41) illustrated in FIG. 5. For each corresponding beverage dispenser 3, control server 1 performs user authentication (S47), determines whether the authentication was successful (S49), and sends a notification of permission to serve (S50).

[0108] FIG. 15 is a schematic explanatory diagram illustrating the light-emitting modes of the beverage dispensers 3 in the operational procedure of FIG. 14. In the illustrated example, of four beverage dispensers 3 installed in a facility selected by the user 10, the beverage dispensers 3 having facility numbers 79 of "2" and "4" are selected by the user 10, and the light-emitting devices 77 of the selected beverage dispensers 3 are illuminated. In the illustrated example, the four beverage dispensers 3 are installed on a beverage dispenser installation stand 20 for easy use by the user 10. The user 10 proceeds to the illuminated beverage dispensers 3 in order and receives beverages from each beverage dispenser 3 in a container 69 in an amount according to the blend ratio. This allows the user 10 to enjoy a beverage of the desired type blended at the desired blend ratio.

[0109] Returning to Figure 14, when the control server 1 receives notifications of beverage supply completion from the two beverage dispensers 3 (S67), it executes billing processing (S73). In the billing processing, the price of the blended beverage, which is displayed in the lower left of the facility / product list screen in Figure 12 and is included in the order data (S81), is included in the billing data (S73). If the control server 1 has received a beverage supply exhaustion notification (S61) from at least one of the two beverage dispensers 3, it does not execute billing processing (S73).

[0110] [4. System operation example 3] FIG. 16 is a sequence diagram illustrating another operational procedure of automatic beverage dispenser system 101. FIG. 16 illustrates the processing flow when user 10 places an order in "random" mode on the facility / product list screen illustrated in FIG. 12. In FIG. 16, the processing flow from when user 10 launches the user application (S33) to when user 10 selects the beverage order screen (S35) is the same as the processing flow illustrated in FIG. 5. As an example, it is assumed that user 10 selects "Izakaya ▽○" as the facility that provides beverages on the facility / product list screen illustrated in FIG. 12 and selects "random" mode.

[0111] When user 10 clicks the "Order" button, order data is sent to control server 1 (S85). The order data includes the administrator ID of the selected "Izakaya ▽○" (see Table 1) and data instructing the "Random" mode. Upon receiving the order data, control server 1 randomly selects one of the four beverage dispensers 3 installed at "Izakaya ▽○" selected by the order data and transmits the selection data to the selected beverage dispenser 3 (S87). By referencing the beverage data shown in Table 2, control server 1 can identify the beverage dispenser IDs of the four beverage dispensers 3 from the administrator ID included in the order data, and can select one of them using, for example, pseudo-random numbers. The selection data is the same as the selection data when the "Single Item" mode is selected, as shown in FIG. 5. The control server 1 and the beverage dispenser 3 that received the selection data perform the same processing as that shown in FIG. 5, starting with the light emission (S41).

[0112] [5. Beverage serving machine configuration example] Fig. 17 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of the beverage dispenser 3. Fig. 18 is a block diagram illustrating the structure of the beverage dispenser 3. In addition to the camera 75 and light emitting device 77 already described, the beverage dispenser 3 has a pump 83, a pump drive unit 85, a remaining amount sensor 87, a flush button 89, a lock sensor 91, a control unit 93, a communication unit 95, and a cooling / heating unit 97.

[0113] A suction pipe 141 is inserted into a beverage container 61 that is filled with beverage and is to be newly stored in the storage chamber 63. This operation is performed, for example, by a manager who installs and manages the beverage dispenser 3 in his or her facility. The suction pipe 141 and the spout 73 are connected by a connecting pipe 143. The connecting pipe 143 is made of a flexible and elastic material such as synthetic rubber. A pump 83 acts on the connecting pipe 143 to draw out the beverage contained in the beverage container 61 and pour it through the spout 73 into a container 69 placed on the container holder 71. The pump 83 is driven by a pump drive unit 85. A remaining amount sensor 87 is installed in the spout 73. The remaining amount sensor 87 detects when the beverage container 61 is empty and beverage no longer passes through the spout 73.

[0114] The flush button 89 is a switch for continuously operating the pump 83. Instead of the beverage container 61, a cleaning liquid container for storing cleaning liquid is placed in the storage chamber 63, and by pressing the flush button 89, the cleaning liquid is continuously pumped out. This makes it possible to clean the beverage path from the suction pipe 141 to the spout 73. For example, pressing the flush button 89 again stops the operation of the pump 83. Cleaning is a task performed by the manager of the beverage dispenser 3, and the flush button 89 is installed inside the storage chamber 63, for example, on the inner wall surface of the side wall of the main body 64 (not shown) to prevent the user 10 from accidentally touching the flush button 89.

[0115] The lock sensor 91 is a sensor that monitors the locking state of the lock 67 (see FIG. 4) installed on the opening / closing cover 65. The lock sensor 91 is installed, for example, on the inner wall surface of the side wall of the main body 64, at a position close to the lock 67.

[0116] The control unit 93 receives signals from and controls various elements of the beverage dispenser 3. The communication unit 95 mediates the exchange of data between the control unit 93 and the control server 1, thereby enabling communication between the beverage dispenser 3 and the control server 1. The cooling / heating unit 97 adjusts the temperature of the storage chamber 63 by cooling or heating the storage chamber 63.

[0117] The pump drive unit 85, the control unit 93, and the communication unit 95 are, for example, mounted on the inner wall surface of the ceiling wall of the main body 64 via a circuit board 147. A power supply (not shown) that supplies power to various elements of the beverage dispenser 3 is further mounted on the circuit board 147. The cooling / heating unit 97 is mounted on the inner wall surface of the rear wall so as to face an air vent 149 that opens into the rear wall of the main body 64.

[0118] The control unit 93 includes a computer. As already mentioned, the computer structure of the control unit 93 is, for example, an embedded microcomputer. The control unit 93 operates in accordance with a control unit program, thereby operating equivalently to a device having the hardware configuration exemplified by the block diagram of the control unit 93 in FIG. 18. In the illustrated example, the control unit 93 includes a face image data acquisition unit 121, a proximity detection unit 123, a temperature control unit 125, a pump control unit 127, a remaining amount depletion detection unit 129, a container position determination unit 131, a light-emitting device control unit 133, and a lock detection unit 135.

[0119] Facial image data acquisition unit 121 controls camera 75 and detects a person's facial image from image data obtained by camera 75 capturing an image of the area in front of beverage dispenser 3. Proximity detection unit 123 detects that a person whose facial image has been detected is approaching beverage dispenser 3 to within a predetermined range that allows beverage dispenser 3 to dispense a beverage. Temperature control unit 125 adjusts the temperature of storage chamber 63 by controlling cooling / heating unit 97. Pump control unit 127 controls the operation of a motor (not shown) that drives pump 83 via pump drive unit 85.

[0120] The remaining amount depletion detection unit 129 detects that the remaining beverage in the beverage container 61 has been depleted by receiving a detection signal from the remaining amount sensor 87. The container position determination unit 131 determines whether the container 69 is in a predetermined position placed on the container receiver 71 based on image data obtained by capturing an image with the camera 75. The light emitting device control unit 133 causes the light emitting device 77 to flash. The lock detection unit 135 detects whether the lock 67 is locked or unlocked by receiving a monitor signal from the lock sensor 91.

[0121] FIG. 19 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the operating principle of pump 83. In the illustrated pump 83, a number of rollers 155 are arranged around a rotating disk 153 connected to a rotating shaft 151 of a motor (not shown), and each roller 155 is rotatably supported. The rollers 155 press a flexible connecting tube 143 against the arc-shaped wall surface of a pressing member 157. When the rotating disk 153 is rotated by the motor, the gap in the connecting tube 143 sandwiched between the rollers 155 is squeezed in one direction. As a result, the beverage contained in the beverage container 61 is pumped out and delivered to the spout 73. The amount of beverage dispensed can be adjusted to a predetermined amount by adjusting the rotational speed of the rotating disk 153. Pump 83 is hygienic because none of its parts come into contact with the beverage flowing through the connecting tube 143.

[0122] FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional perspective view illustrating the structure of the remaining amount sensor 87. The remaining amount sensor 87 in the illustrated example detects whether fluid is passing through the spout 73 by monitoring the capacitance of the spout 73. For this purpose, the remaining amount sensor 87 has a pair of arc-shaped electrode plates 161, 162 arranged on the outer periphery of the tubular spout 73, facing each other with insulators 163, 164 sandwiched between them. The electrode plates 161, 162 are covered by a tubular insulator 167. Electric wires 165, 166 are connected to the electrode plates 161, 162, respectively. The electric wires 165, 166 pass through the insulator 167 and are led outward from the insulator 167. The electric wires 165, 166 are connected to the control unit 93.

[0123] The control unit 93's liquid-out detector 129 includes a device (not shown) that measures the capacitance between the wires 165, 166 and detects whether or not there is liquid in the spout 73 based on the magnitude of the measured capacitance. The capacitance between the wires 165, 166 can be easily measured, for example, by applying an AC voltage to the wires 165, 166 and measuring the current. The larger the capacitance and the higher the frequency of the AC voltage, the larger the current that flows. If there is no fluid in the spout 73 even though the pump 83 is operating, the liquid-out detector 129 can determine that the beverage container 61 is empty. The liquid sensor 87 is hygienic because none of its components come into contact with the beverage flowing through the spout 73.

[0124] [6. System operation example 4] Figure 21 is a sequence diagram illustrating another operational procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system 101. In the operational procedure illustrated in Figure 5, the control server 1 performed user authentication (S47), whereas in Figure 21, the beverage dispenser 3 that is to provide a beverage to the user 10 in accordance with the selection of the user 10 performs user authentication (S91) instead of the control server 1. To enable this operation, the control unit 93 of the beverage dispenser 3 has a user authentication unit 136, as illustrated in the block diagram of Figure 22. The control server 1 illustrated in Figure 3 does not need to have the user authentication unit 51.

[0125] In Fig. 21, the user 10 starts the user application (S33), selects the beverage order screen (S35), and orders the desired beverage on the facility and product list screen shown in Fig. 12. The process flow is the same as the corresponding process flow shown in Fig. 5. When the user 10 clicks the "Order" button on the facility and product list screen shown in Fig. 12, the order data is sent to the control server 1 (S37).

[0126] When the control server 1 receives the order data (S37), it transmits selection data to the beverage dispenser 3 selected by the order data (S90). The selection data is accompanied by facial image data of the user 10 who placed the order. The control server 1 can identify the user 10 who placed the order based on the user ID included in the order data (S37) sent by the user 10, and can search for the corresponding facial image data from the user registration data (see Table 3).

[0127] The beverage machine 3, having received the selection data, turns on the light-emitting device 77 (S41). Next, the beverage machine 3 captures an image of the area ahead using the camera 75 (S43). Next, the beverage machine 3 performs user authentication (S91) by comparing the facial image data of the person in front obtained by the image capture with the facial image data accompanying the selection data (S90). The beverage machine 3 repeats facial image capture (S43) and user authentication (S91) while user authentication is not successful (no in S93). If user authentication is successful (yes in S93), the beverage machine 3 performs proximity detection (S53). Proximity detection is repeatedly performed together with image capture (S43) and user authentication (S91) until detection is successful (no in S53). The processing after proximity detection (S53) is the same as the processing after proximity detection (S53) in FIG. 5.

[0128] [7. System operation example 5] Fig. 23 is a sequence diagram illustrating another operational procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system 101. In the operational procedure illustrated in Fig. 5, the beverage dispenser 3 performs proximity detection (S53) and container detection (S55), whereas in the operational procedure illustrated in Fig. 23, the control server 1 performs proximity detection (S97) and container detection (S98) instead of the beverage dispenser 3. To enable this operation, as illustrated in Fig. 24, the control server 1 has a proximity detection unit 53 and a container position determination unit 54. Furthermore, the control unit 93 of the beverage dispenser 3 illustrated in Fig. 18 may not have the proximity detection unit 123 and the container position determination unit 131.

[0129] In Fig. 23, the user 10 starts a user application using the user terminal 7 (S33), selects a beverage order screen (S35), and orders a desired beverage on the facility and product list screen shown in Fig. 12. The process flow is the same as the corresponding process flow shown in Fig. 5. When the user 10 clicks the "Order" button on the facility and product list screen shown in Fig. 12, order data is sent from the user terminal 7 to the control server 1 (S37).

[0130] When the control server 1 receives the order data (S37), it transmits selection data to the beverage dispenser 3 selected by the order data (S39). The beverage dispenser 3 that has received the selection data turns on the light-emitting device 77 (S41) and captures an image of the area ahead with the camera 75 (S43). The beverage dispenser 3 then transmits the image data obtained by the image capture to the control server 1 (S94). Upon receiving the transmitted image data, the control server 1 extracts facial image data of the person from the image data and performs user authentication (S95). As long as authentication is not successful (no in S96), the control server 1 repeats receiving the image data (S94) and performing user authentication (S95). The user authentication (S95) is performed by comparing the extracted facial image data with user facial image data associated with the user 10 who placed the order, among the user registration data (see Table 3) registered in the control server 1.

[0131] If user authentication is successful (yes in S96), control server 1 performs proximity detection (S97). Similar to proximity detection (S53) illustrated in FIG. 5, proximity detection (S97) detects that a person who has already been authenticated as user 10 who placed an order is approaching within a predetermined area in front of beverage dispenser 3. Proximity detection (S97) can be performed indirectly and simply by detecting that the size of a facial image, illustrated by a rectangular frame, exceeds a predetermined standard, as illustrated in FIG. 13(b). Proximity detection is repeatedly performed together with image data reception (S94) and user authentication (S95) until detection is successful (no in S97).

[0132] If proximity detection is successful (yes in S97), the control server 1 performs container detection (S98). Container detection (S98), like the container detection (S55) illustrated in FIG. 5, detects whether a container 69 (see FIG. 4), such as a cup, into which a beverage can be poured, is placed on the container receptacle 71. Container detection can be performed by detecting whether the container 69, illustrated by a rectangular frame in FIG. 13(b), is in a predetermined position corresponding to the position where the container is placed on the container receptacle 71. Container detection is repeatedly performed (no in S98) together with user authentication (S95) and proximity detection (S97) until detection is successful (yes in S98).

[0133] If the container detection is successful (yes in S98), the control server 1 transmits a service permission notice to the beverage dispenser 3 (S92). The beverage dispenser 3 repeatedly takes an image (S43) and transmits image data (S94) while it has not received the service permission notice (no in S99). If the beverage dispenser 3 receives the service permission notice (yes in S99), it starts serving beverages (S57). The operations after the start of beverage serving (S57) are the same as the operations after the start of beverage serving (S57) illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0134] [8. System operation example 6] FIG. 25 is a sequence diagram illustrating another operational procedure of the automatic beverage dispenser system 101. In the operational procedure illustrated in FIG. 25, the control server 1 receives order data from the user terminal 7 (S37). Before transmitting selection data to the selected beverage dispenser 3 (S39), the control server 1 transmits a synchronized light-emitting control signal to all beverage dispensers 3 belonging to the facility where the selected beverage dispenser 3 is installed (S121). Based on the administrator ID or beverage dispenser ID included in the order data, the control server 1 can select the beverage dispensers 3 managed by the same administrator by referencing the beverage data registered by the control server 1 (see Table 2). Upon receiving the synchronized light-emitting control signal (S121), the group of beverage dispensers 3 flash their light-emitting devices 77 in synchronization with one another (S123).

[0135] 26 illustrates an example in which a group of beverage dispensers 3 installed in the same facility emit light in synchronization. In the illustrated example, only two of the light-emitting devices 77 of eight beverage dispensers 3 are lit at the same time, and the lit light-emitting devices 77 move in a circular motion around the eight beverage dispensers 3. This type of light effect notifies user 10 that an order has been placed at a beverage dispenser 3 in the facility, and also conveys to user 10 a message of welcome from the facility manager.

[0136] Returning to FIG. 25, after the synchronous light emission (S123) continues for a predetermined time, control server 1 transmits selection data to the beverage dispenser 3 selected by the order data (S39) and stops transmitting the synchronous light emission control signal. As a result, the group of beverage dispensers 3 stop synchronous light emission, and only the selected beverage dispenser 3 turns on the light-emitting device 77 (S41). The operation of automatic beverage dispenser system 101 after the light-emitting device 77 starts to light up (S41) is the same as the operation after the light-emitting device 77 starts to light up (S41) as illustrated in FIG. 5. Note that the synchronous light-emission control signal (S121) from control server 1 may be transmitted to all beverage dispensers 3 installed in the facility, regardless of the receipt of the order data (S37), for example, based on an instruction from the facility manager via the manager terminal 5.

[0137] [9. System operation example 7] Figure 27 is a sequence diagram illustrating another operational procedure of automatic beverage dispenser system 101. The operational procedure illustrated in Figure 27 illustrates the flow of operation of automatic beverage dispenser system 101 when the operating mode of beverage dispenser 3 is not the normal operating mode but a cleaning mode. The cleaning mode is an operating mode in which the beverage path from suction pipe 141 of beverage dispenser 3 to spout 73 is cleaned.

[0138] To operate the beverage dispenser 3 in the cleaning mode, the manager of the beverage dispenser 3 first unlocks the lock 67 (S131). When the lock 67 is unlocked, the beverage dispenser 3 detects the unlocking by the lock detection unit 135 and notifies the control server 1 of an operation suspension (S133). When the control server 1 receives the operation suspension notification, it temporarily suspends sending a selection signal to the selected beverage dispenser 3 (S39), even if it receives order data (S37) from the user terminal 7 that selects the beverage dispenser 3 that sent the operation suspension notification.

[0139] After unlocking (S131), the manager opens the opening / closing lid 65 (see FIG. 17) and removes the beverage container 61 from the storage room 63. The manager places a container such as a bottle containing cleaning liquid (including cleaning water) in the storage room 63 instead of the beverage container 61, and then inserts the suction pipe 141 into the container. The manager then presses the flush button 89 (S135) to start the pump 83. As a result, the cleaning liquid is pumped out and discharged from the spout 73, thereby cleaning the beverage path (S137). It is advisable to connect a hose or the like to the spout 73 in advance, for example, to direct the cleaning liquid to a predetermined drainage container or drainage equipment.

[0140] The pump 83 continues to operate (no in S139) until an instruction to end the cleaning is given, for example, by pressing the cleaning button 89 again (yes in S139). When an instruction to end the cleaning is given (yes in S139), the manager places a beverage container 61 in the storage room 63 instead of the container containing the cleaning liquid, and inserts the suction pipe 141 into the beverage container 61 (S141). Thereafter, the manager closes the opening / closing lid 65 and locks the lock 67 (S143). Once locked (S143), the beverage dispenser 3 notifies the control server 1 of the resumption of operation (S145).

[0141] As long as the control server 1 does not receive the operation restart notification (no in S147), even if it receives order data (S37), it refrains from sending the selection data (S39) to the beverage dispenser 3 that sent the operation stop notification (S133). When the control server 1 receives the operation restart notification (S145) (yes in S147), it sends the reserved selection data to the selected beverage dispenser 3 (S39). The beverage dispenser 3 that has received the selection data causes the light-emitting device 77 to emit light (S41). The subsequent operation flow is the same as the operation flow after the start of light emission (S41) illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0142] The control server 1 may not allow the user 10 to select the beverage dispenser 3 that sent the operation stop notice (S133) on the facility / product list screen illustrated in Fig. 12. For example, on the facility / product list screen illustrated in Fig. 12, the facility number 79 or the like of the beverage dispenser 3 that sent the operation stop notice (S133) can be displayed in a different color than usual, so that even if the user 10 clicks on the "select" field for that beverage dispenser 3, the selection cannot be accepted.

[0143] [10. System operation example 8] Fig. 28 is a sequence diagram illustrating another operational procedure of automatic beverage dispenser system 101. In the operational procedure illustrated in Fig. 5, facial image data of user 10 was used for user authentication (S47). In contrast, in the operational procedure illustrated in Fig. 28, a two-dimensional barcode assigned to user 10 is used for user authentication (S157) as data for identifying user 10.

[0144] In the operational procedure illustrated in Fig. 28, the control server 1 assigns a two-dimensional barcode to each registered user (S29) as data for identifying each user (see Table 3). In the operational procedure illustrated in Fig. 28, similar to the operational procedure illustrated in Fig. 5, the user 10 starts a user application using the user terminal 7 (S33), selects a beverage order screen (S35), and orders a desired beverage on the facility / product list screen illustrated in Fig. 12. The order data is then sent from the user terminal 7 to the control server 1 (S37).

[0145] When the control server 1 receives the order data (S37), it transmits selection data to the beverage dispenser 3 selected by the order data (S151). The selection data (S151) includes a two-dimensional barcode of the user 10 who placed the order. The control server 1 can search for the two-dimensional barcode included in the order data (S37) that corresponds to the user ID of the user 10 who placed the order from the user registration data (see Table 3) registered by the control server 1. Instead of generating a two-dimensional barcode in advance and including it in the user registration data, the control server 1 may generate a two-dimensional barcode corresponding to the user ID each time it receives order data (S37).

[0146] The beverage dispenser 3 that has received the selection data turns on the light-emitting device 77 (S41). The control server 1 also transmits the two-dimensional barcode of the user 10 who placed the order to the user terminal 7 (S152). When the user terminal 7 receives the two-dimensional barcode, the user 10 causes the received two-dimensional barcode to be displayed on the display device 13 (see FIG. 2) of the user terminal 7 (S153). The beverage dispenser 3 that has started emitting light (S41) activates the camera 75 to capture an image in front of it (S155). When the user 10 stands in front of the beverage dispenser 3 that they selected, with the display device 13 of the user terminal 7 facing forward, the two-dimensional barcode displayed on the display device 13 appears in the image captured by the camera 75 of the beverage dispenser 3 (S155).

[0147] FIG. 29 is an operational explanatory diagram illustrating the detection of a two-dimensional barcode and the proximity detection operation by the beverage dispenser 3. As illustrated in FIG. 29(a), the beverage dispenser 3 recognizes a two-dimensional barcode in an image captured by the camera 75. The beverage dispenser 3 performs user authentication (S157) by comparing the recognized two-dimensional barcode with the two-dimensional barcode of the user 10 who placed the order, which was sent in the selection data (S151). The user authentication (S157) is intended to verify that the person in front of the beverage dispenser 3 is the user 10 who placed the order.

[0148] Returning to FIG. 28, as long as authentication is not successful (no in S159), the beverage dispenser 3 repeats image capture (S155) and user authentication (S157). If user authentication is successful (yes in S159), the beverage dispenser 3 executes proximity detection (S161). Proximity detection (S161) detects whether a person who has already been authenticated as the user 10 who placed the order is approaching within a predetermined area in front of the beverage dispenser 3. Proximity detection (S161) can be performed indirectly and simply by detecting whether the size of a two-dimensional barcode, illustrated by a rectangular frame, exceeds a predetermined standard, as exemplified in FIG. 29(b). Proximity detection (S161) is repeatedly executed together with image capture (S155) and user authentication (S157) as long as detection is not successful (no in S161).

[0149] If proximity detection is successful (yes in S161), the beverage dispenser 3 performs container detection (S55). Container detection (S55), like the container detection (S55) illustrated in Fig. 5, is to detect that a container 69 (see Fig. 4) into which a beverage can be poured, such as a cup, is located in a position where it is placed on the container receptacle 71. Container detection (S55) can be performed by detecting that the position of the container 69, illustrated by a rectangular frame, is located in a predetermined position corresponding to the position where it is placed on the container receptacle 71, as illustrated in Fig. 29(b).

[0150] While the container detection (S55) is not successful (no in S55), it is repeatedly executed together with the image capture (S155), user authentication (S157), and proximity detection (S161). If the container detection is successful (yes in S55), the beverage dispenser 3 starts dispensing a beverage (S57). The subsequent operation procedure is the same as the operation procedure after the start of beverage dispensing (S57) illustrated in FIG. 5.

[0151] [11. System operation example 9] Figure 30 is a sequence diagram illustrating another operational procedure of automatic beverage dispenser system 101. In the operational procedure illustrated in Figure 30, user 10 who has ordered a beverage uses his / her user terminal 7 to capture an image of beverage dispenser identification code 81, such as a two-dimensional barcode, of beverage dispenser 3 that will dispense the ordered beverage, and transmits the captured image data to control server 1, thereby authenticating that the person in front of beverage dispenser 3 is user 10 who ordered the beverage dispensed by this beverage dispenser 3. Therefore, the user registration data (see Table 3) may not include either facial image data or a two-dimensional barcode of user 10.

[0152] In the operational procedure illustrated in FIG. 30, similar to the operational procedure illustrated in FIG. 5, user 10 launches a user application using user terminal 7 (S33), selects a beverage order screen (S35), and orders a desired beverage. Order data is then sent from user terminal 7 to control server 1 (S37). Upon receiving the order data, control server 1 transmits selection data to the beverage dispenser 3 selected by the order data (S39). The beverage dispenser 3 that has received the selection data turns on light-emitting device 77 (S41). Having ordered a beverage, user 10 stands in front of the beverage dispenser 3 that will dispense the ordered beverage, and uses user terminal 7 to capture an image of beverage dispenser identification code 81 of beverage dispenser 3 on the user application used for ordering (S171).

[0153] When the image of the beverage dispenser identification code 81 is captured, the user terminal 7, through the operation of the running user application, sends the image data of the captured beverage dispenser identification code 81, along with the user ID, to the control server 1 (S173). When the control server 1 receives the image data of the beverage dispenser identification code 81 along with the user ID, it searches the beverage data registered by the control server 1 (see Table 2) for the beverage dispenser identification code 81 that corresponds to the beverage dispenser ID included in the previous order data containing the same user ID, and performs identification code authentication by comparing the found beverage dispenser identification code 81 with the received beverage dispenser identification code 81 (S175). Since identification code authentication verifies that the two beverage dispenser identification codes 81 being compared are the same, it constitutes a form of user authentication that authenticates that the person in front of the beverage dispenser machine 3 is user 10 who ordered the beverage served by that beverage dispenser machine 3.

[0154] The identification code authentication is performed by the user authentication unit 51 in the control server 1 illustrated in FIG. 3. The identification code authentication (S175) is repeated until authentication is successful (no in S177). If authentication is successful, the control server 1 transmits a notification permitting the serving of a beverage to the beverage dispenser 3 (S179). The beverage dispenser 3 waits to receive the serving permission notification (S179) (S181) and waits for an instruction from the user 10 to start serving a beverage (S183).

[0155] In the operation example of Fig. 30, for example, as illustrated in Fig. 31, a beverage serving start button 301 for instructing the start of beverage serving is provided on the upper end of the front surface of main body 64 of beverage dispenser 3. In the illustrated example, beverage serving start button 301 is provided in place of camera 75 illustrated in Fig. 4.

[0156] When the user 10 presses the beverage serving start button 301 (yes in S183), the beverage dispenser 3 starts the pump 83 and starts serving the beverage (S57). The subsequent operation procedure is the same as the operation procedure after beverage serving starts (S57) illustrated in Fig. 5. As described above, in the operation procedure illustrated in Fig. 30, the beverage dispenser 3 does not need to have a camera 75.

[0157] [12. System operation example 10] Fig. 32 is a sequence diagram illustrating another operational procedure of automatic beverage dispenser system 101. The operational procedure illustrated in Fig. 32 verifies that a person is in front of beverage dispenser 3 and that the person is an adult, and then dispenses a beverage. Therefore, the user registration data (see Table 3) does not require either facial image data or a two-dimensional barcode of user 10.

[0158] In the operational procedure illustrated in FIG. 32, similar to the operational procedure illustrated in FIG. 5, when a user 10 starts a user application using a user terminal 7 (S33), selects a beverage order screen (S35), and orders a desired beverage, order data is sent from the user terminal 7 to the control server 1 (S37). When the control server 1 receives the order data, it transmits selection data to the beverage dispenser 3 selected by the order data (S39). Upon receiving the selection data, the beverage dispenser 3 turns on the light-emitting device 77 (S41) and captures an image of the area in front of it using the camera 75 (S43). Image data obtained by the image capture is sent to the control server 1 (S45). If a person is in front of the beverage dispenser 3, facial image data of that person is sent to the control server 1 (S45).

[0159] When the control server 1 receives the facial image data (S45), it performs adult authentication (S191). Adult authentication is a process of authenticating that the person corresponding to the facial image data is an adult, based on the facial image data, using, for example, trained artificial intelligence. The artificial intelligence used may be built into the control server 1, or may be built on a server provided by a business entity other than the operator of the automatic beverage dispenser system 101 so that the control server 1 can access it via the network 9. Adult authentication (S191) is repeated until authentication is successful (no in S193).

[0160] If the authentication is successful (yes in S193), the control server 1 returns a notification that permission to serve beverages to the beverage machine 3 (S195). The beverage machine 3 repeats capturing images (S43) until it receives the permission notification (no in S197). The operation procedure after the beverage machine 3 receives the permission notification (yes in S197) is the same as the operation procedure after the beverage machine 3 receives the permission notification (yes in S51), as shown in FIG. 5.

[0161] The control server 1 performs adult authentication (S191) after receiving the facial image data (S45) only if the type of beverage ordered by the user 10 is an alcoholic beverage, and if not, may return a beverage serving permission notice (S195) to the beverage dispenser 3 without performing adult authentication (S191).The control server 1 can determine whether the beverage selected by the user 10 is an alcoholic beverage or not by identifying the beverage type included in the registered beverage data (see Table 2) based on the beverage dispenser ID included in the order data (S37).

[0162] In order for the control server 1 to perform adult authentication, an "adult authentication unit" can be incorporated into the control server 1, whose functional blocks are illustrated in FIG. 3. The "adult authentication unit" performs operations, for example, from adult authentication (S191) to sending a notification of permission to serve (S195). The adult authentication (S191) may be performed by the beverage dispenser 3 instead of by the control server 1. To achieve this operation, the "adult authentication unit" can be added to the control unit 93, whose functional blocks are illustrated in FIG. 18.

[0163] [13. System operation example 11] Fig. 33 is a sequence diagram illustrating another operational procedure of automatic beverage dispensing system 101. In the operational procedure illustrated in Fig. 33, control server 1 acquires temperature condition data for beverages dispensed by beverage dispenser 3 from server 201 installed by the beverage maker, acquires weather data for the region where beverage dispenser 3 is installed from weather data server 203 that provides weather data for various regions, and controls the temperature of storage compartment 63 of beverage dispenser 3 to an optimum level based on the acquired data. Beverage maker server 201 and weather data server 203 are connected to network 9 illustrated in Fig. 1 so as to be accessible by control server 1. To enable the operational procedure illustrated in Fig. 33, control server 1 includes temperature condition setting unit 205 and temperature data generation unit 207, as illustrated in the functional block diagram of Fig. 34, for example.

[0164] In the operational procedure illustrated in FIG. 33, the control server 1 accesses the beverage manufacturer server 201 by referencing the registered beverage data (see Table 2) to request data specifying the temperature conditions for a beverage associated with a newly added beverage dispenser 3 or a beverage that has replaced an already registered beverage dispenser 3 (S201). The request data (S201) is sent to the beverage manufacturer's server 201 along with the product name of the beverage. In response to the request, the beverage manufacturer server 201 returns temperature condition data for the product with the product name attached to the request data to the control server 1 (S203). The temperature condition data includes the optimal temperature for the product according to weather conditions specified by, for example, a combination of (sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy), (cold, cool, warm, hot), and (humid, moderate, dry). The control server 1 stores the received temperature condition data together with the registered beverage data (see Table 2) (S205). The operations from requesting temperature condition data (S201) to storing temperature condition data (S205) are executed by the temperature condition setting unit 205, for example.

[0165] The control server 1 further accesses the weather data server 203 to request weather data for the location where the beverage dispenser 3 corresponding to the beverage dispenser ID is installed, based on the address of the facility where the beverage dispenser 3 is installed, for each beverage dispenser ID included in the registered beverage data (S207). The request (S207) includes data indicating the location where the beverage dispenser 3 is installed. Upon receiving the request (S207), the weather data server 203 returns weather data corresponding to the location data included in the request to the control server 1 (S209). The control server 1 generates temperature data based on the temperature condition data included in the registered beverage data (see Table 2) and the received weather data (S211). Thereafter, the control server 1 transmits the generated temperature data to the corresponding beverage dispenser 3 (S213). The operations from the weather data request (S207) to the temperature data transmission (S213) are executed by, for example, the temperature data generation unit 207.

[0166] When the beverage dispenser 3 receives the temperature data (S213), it adjusts the temperature of the storage chamber 63 to the optimum temperature indicated by the received temperature data (S215). The control server 1 repeatedly executes the weather data request (S207), weather data reception (S209), temperature data generation (S211), and temperature data transmission (S213) for all beverage dispenser IDs included in the registered beverage data (see Table 2) every time a predetermined time period has elapsed (yes in S217). In this way, beverages dispensed by the beverage dispenser 3 registered in the control server 1 are maintained at an optimum temperature that takes into account weather conditions.

[0167] Instead of adding and storing temperature condition data to Table 2, the control server 1 may record temperature condition data having the data structure shown in Table 4 as registered data separate from Table 2. The temperature condition data shown in Table 4 stores the manufacturer name, product ID (product identifier) ​​identifying the product, product name, address of source of data such as temperature condition data, and the obtained temperature condition data in association with a manufacturer ID (manufacturer identifier) ​​identifying the manufacturer. The manufacturer ID and product ID are assigned, for example, by the control server 1. The manufacturer ID and product ID are also added to the beverage data in Table 2. As a result, Table 2 and Table 4 are associated with each other.

[0168] [Table 4]

[0169] When a new product is registered in the data in Table 2, data related to the new product is added to Table 4. Control server 1 sends a temperature condition data request (S201) for the newly added product to beverage maker server 201 based on the data acquisition address in Table 4, and records the returned temperature condition data (S203) in the temperature condition data item of Table 4. By storing the temperature condition data exemplified in Table 4 in this way, control server 1 only needs to obtain temperature condition data from beverage maker server 201 when a new product is registered. Even if a new beverage dispenser 3 is added or a new beverage is replaced with a new product for an already registered beverage dispenser 3, if the product to be provided by the beverage dispenser 3 is already registered in Table 4, control server 1 can obtain the temperature condition data associated with the product by referring to Table 4 without sending a temperature condition data request (S201) to beverage maker server 201.

[0170] [14.Other Examples] (1) In the above-described "System Operation Example 8" (see FIG. 28), a two-dimensional barcode identifying the user 10 was used for user authentication (S157). However, it is also possible to use a form other than a two-dimensional barcode as the user identification data identifying the user 10. For example, it is possible to identify one billion users 10 using 30-bit binary data. The control server 1 may store such user identification data in the user registration data (see Table 2) (S29), and transmit the user identification data to the beverage dispenser 3 (S151) and also to the user terminal 7 (S152).

[0171] A user application running on the user terminal 7 can incorporate a modulation module that, in response to a user 10's operation, modulates an audio carrier signal with user identification data and outputs the resulting audio through a speaker. The beverage dispenser 3 illustrated in FIG. 18 incorporates a microphone that detects the audio output from the user terminal 7, and the control unit 93 of the beverage dispenser 3 can incorporate a user authentication unit, as in "System Operation Example 8," as well as a demodulation unit that reconstructs user identification data by demodulating the audio signal obtained by the microphone. This allows user authentication (S157) to be performed by comparing the user identification data sent from the control server 1 with the user identification data obtained by demodulation.

[0172] By installing microphones at three or more locations spaced apart in the beverage dispenser 3, the beverage dispenser 3 can measure the distance between itself and the user terminal 7 held by the user 10. By incorporating a distance measurement unit that performs distance measurement by voice into the control unit 93, the beverage dispenser 3 can also perform proximity detection (S161).

[0173] (2) In the above-described system operation examples, the amount of beverage dispensed into the container 69 is adjusted by adjusting the rotational speed of the motor that drives the pump 83 (see the description in reference to FIG. 19 ). Alternatively, a dispensed volume detector that detects when the container 69 is full from an image of the container 69 captured by the camera 75 can be incorporated into the control unit 93 of the beverage dispenser 3. When the dispensed volume detector detects fullness, the pump control unit 127 stops the pump 83. This configuration example is particularly effective when the container 69 is a container with a predetermined capacity provided by the facility manager. Furthermore, when the container 69 is translucent and the light-receiving window of the camera 75 is positioned so as to face the side of the container 69 placed on the container receiver 71, it is also possible to measure the volume of beverage that is less than full. [Explanation of symbols]

[0174] 1 Control server, 3 Beverage dispenser, 5 Administrator terminal, 7 User terminal, 9 Network, 10 User, 11 Input device, 12 Main circuit section, 13 Display device, 14 Hard disk drive (HDD), 15 LAN, 20 Beverage dispenser installation stand, 21 CPU, 22 ROM, 23 RAM, 24 Interface, 25 Reading device, 26 Bus line, 31 Billing server, 33 Bank server, 41 Administrator application provision section, 43 User application provision section, 45 Administrator registration section, 47 User registration section, 49 Order processing section, 51 User authentication section, 53 Proximity detection section, 54 Container position determination section, 55 Billing section, 61 Beverage container, 63 Storage room (beverage container storage room), 64 Main body, 65 Opening and closing lid, 67 Lock, 69 Container, 71 Container holder, 73 Spout, 75 Camera, 77 Light-emitting device, 79 Facility number, 81 Beverage dispenser identification code, 83 Pump, 85 Pump drive unit, 87 Remaining amount sensor (remaining amount exhaustion detector), 89 Cleaning button (switch), 91 Lock sensor, 93 Control unit, 95 Communication unit, 97 Cooling and heating unit (temperature regulator), 101 Automatic beverage dispenser system, 121 Face image data acquisition unit, 123 Proximity detection unit, 125 Temperature control unit, 127 Pump control unit, 129 Remaining amount exhaustion detection unit, 131 Container position determination unit, 133 Light-emitting device control unit, 135 Lock detection unit, 136 User authentication unit, 141 Suction pipe, 143 Connecting pipe, 147 Circuit board, 149 Vent, 151 Rotating shaft, 153 Turntable, 155 Roller, 157 Pressing member, 161, 162 Electrode plate, 163, 164 Insulator, 165, 166 Electric wire, 167 Insulator, 205 Temperature condition setting unit, 207 Temperature data generation unit, 301 Beverage serving start button.

Claims

1. a plurality of beverage dispensers that dispense beverages to users by pouring beverages into containers; a control server connected to the plurality of beverage dispensers via a network, controlling the plurality of beverage dispensers, and accepting access from users via user terminals connected to the network; the control server accepts a selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers via the user terminal by the user who has accepted the access, and causes the selected beverage dispenser to dispense the beverage; Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a person identification data acquisition unit that acquires, when the beverage dispenser is selected, person identification data, which is a predetermined type of data associated with a person in front of the beverage dispenser and capable of identifying the person; The control server or the selected beverage dispenser authenticating, based on the person identification data acquired by the selected beverage dispenser, that the person in front of the selected beverage dispenser is the user who selected the beverage dispenser; and Detecting that the authenticated person is within a predetermined area in front of the selected beverage dispenser; An automatic beverage dispenser system in which the selected beverage dispenser dispenses the beverage only when it authenticates that the person in front of it is the user who selected it and detects that the person in front of it is within the specified area in front of it.

2. the control server has a user registration unit that registers a user who accesses the control server through the network as a registered user on the condition that the user inputs predetermined user registration data, and accepts selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers only when the user who accesses the control server through the network is the registered user; the person identification data is face image data, the user registration data includes face image data of the user to be registered; the person identification data acquisition unit has a camera that captures a face image of the person to generate face image data of the person, The automatic beverage dispenser system described in claim 1, wherein the control server or the selected beverage dispenser performs the authentication by comparing the facial image data obtained by capturing an image with the camera possessed by the selected beverage dispenser with the registered facial image data of the user who made the selection.

3. The automatic beverage dispenser system of claim 2, wherein the control server or the selected beverage dispenser detects that the facial image of the person captured by the camera and authenticated is equal to or larger than a predetermined size within the camera's field of view, thereby detecting that the authenticated person is within the predetermined area in front of the selected beverage dispenser.

4. the control server transmits user identification data capable of identifying the user to the user terminal of the user who made the selection; the personal identification data acquisition unit of the selected beverage dispenser acquires, as the personal identification data, the received user identification data output by the user terminal of the user who made the selection; The automatic beverage dispenser system described in claim 1, wherein the control server or the selected beverage dispenser performs the authentication by comparing the personal identification data acquired by the personal identification data acquisition unit possessed by the selected beverage dispenser with the user identification data sent to the user terminal of the user who made the selection.

5. The automatic beverage dispenser system of claim 4, wherein the control server or the selected beverage dispenser detects that the authenticated person is within the specified area in front of the selected beverage dispenser by detecting the position at which the user terminal of the user who made the selection outputs the user identification data.

6. each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a beverage dispenser identification code that distinguishes it from the others; The automatic beverage dispenser system described in claim 1, wherein the control server causes the selected beverage dispenser to dispense a beverage only when the selected user reads the beverage dispenser identification code possessed by the selected beverage dispenser using the user terminal and receives image data transmitted via the network.

7. Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a light-emitting device that emits light; The automatic beverage dispenser system according to claim 1 , wherein the control server causes the light-emitting device of the selected beverage dispenser to emit light.

8. A plurality of beverage dispensers that dispense beverages to users by pouring beverages into containers; a control server connected to the plurality of beverage dispensers via a network, controlling the plurality of beverage dispensers, and accepting access from users via user terminals connected to the network; the control server accepts a selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers via the user terminal by the user who has accepted the access, and causes the selected beverage dispenser to dispense the beverage; Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a light-emitting device that emits light; the control server causes the light-emitting device of the selected beverage dispenser to emit light; The control server controls the light emitting devices to realize a light effect by emitting the light in synchronization with each other among at least one group of the plurality of beverage dispensers, and when a user selects one of the at least one group of beverage dispensers and causes the light emitting device of the selected beverage dispenser to emit light, the control server stops the light effect.

9. Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a camera that photographs what is in front of it, Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers or the control server has an image determination unit that determines whether an image captured by the camera is an image of a person, The automatic beverage dispenser system of claim 1, wherein the selected beverage dispenser dispenses a beverage only if it determines that the image captured by the camera possessed by the selected beverage dispenser is an image of a person.

10. When the image determination unit determines that the image captured by the camera is an image of a person, the image determination unit further determines whether the person is an adult; The automatic beverage dispenser system of claim 9, wherein the selected beverage dispenser dispenses a beverage only if the image captured by the camera possessed by the selected beverage dispenser is determined to be an image of an adult.

11. A plurality of beverage dispensers that dispense beverages to users by pouring beverages into containers; a control server connected to the plurality of beverage dispensers via a network, controlling the plurality of beverage dispensers, and accepting access from users via user terminals connected to the network; the control server accepts a selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers via the user terminal by the user who has accepted the access, and causes the selected beverage dispenser to dispense the beverage; Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a camera that photographs what is in front of it, Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers or the control server has a container position determination unit that determines whether a container into which a beverage can be poured is located at a predetermined position into which a beverage can be poured, based on an image captured by the camera; An automatic beverage dispenser system in which the selected beverage dispenser dispenses a beverage only when it determines, based on an image taken by the camera possessed by the beverage dispenser, that the container into which the beverage can be poured is in the specified position.

12. The selected beverage dispenser has a pour amount determination unit that determines whether a predetermined amount of beverage has been poured based on an image of the beverage poured into the container taken by the camera of the beverage dispenser, The automatic beverage dispenser system according to claim 11, wherein the selected beverage dispenser stops dispensing beverages when it determines from the image captured by the camera that the selected beverage dispenser has dispensed a predetermined amount of beverage.

13. the control server, in response to a request from the user accessing through the user terminal, returns list data to the user terminal of the user who made the request, the list displaying on a screen a list of one or more facilities in which the plurality of beverage dispensers are installed and the types of beverages provided by the one or more beverage dispensers installed in each of the one or more facilities; The automatic beverage dispensing system described in claim 1, wherein the user can select one of the plurality of beverage dispensers by displaying the returned list data on the user terminal screen and accepting the selection of the facility and the type of beverage performed by the user operating the list data displayed on the screen.

14. the control server has a user registration unit that registers a user who accesses the control server through the network as a registered user on the condition that the user inputs predetermined user registration data, and accepts selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers only when the user who accesses the control server through the network is the registered user; The control server The automatic beverage dispenser system according to claim 1 , further comprising: a billing unit that bills the user who makes the selection.

15. A plurality of beverage dispensers that dispense beverages to users by pouring beverages into containers; a control server connected to the plurality of beverage dispensers via a network, controlling the plurality of beverage dispensers, and accepting access from users via user terminals connected to the network; the control server accepts a selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers via the user terminal by the user who has accepted the access, and causes the selected beverage dispenser to dispense the beverage; the control server has a user registration unit that registers a user who accesses the control server through the network as a registered user on the condition that the user inputs predetermined user registration data, and accepts selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers only when the user who accesses the control server through the network is the registered user; The control server a billing unit that bills the user who has made the selection, The control server The system further includes an administrator registration unit that registers a beverage machine manager who manages one or more of the plurality of beverage machines as a registered manager on the condition that the manager provides predetermined administrator registration data including information that identifies the one or more beverage machines that the manager manages, An automatic beverage dispenser system in which, if the selected beverage dispenser is a beverage dispenser managed by a registered manager, the billing unit transfers all or part of the amount charged to the user to the account of the registered manager who manages the selected beverage dispenser.

16. A plurality of beverage dispensers that dispense beverages to users by pouring beverages into containers; a control server connected to the plurality of beverage dispensers via a network, controlling the plurality of beverage dispensers, and accepting access from users via user terminals connected to the network; the control server accepts a selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers via the user terminal by the user who has accepted the access, and causes the selected beverage dispenser to dispense the beverage; the control server has a user registration unit that registers a user who accesses the control server through the network as a registered user on the condition that the user inputs predetermined user registration data, and accepts selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers only when the user who accesses the control server through the network is the registered user; The control server a billing unit that bills the user who has made the selection, Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a remaining amount exhaustion detector that detects when the remaining amount of the beverage to be dispensed is exhausted, and notifies the control server when the remaining amount of the beverage to be dispensed is detected, In this automatic beverage dispenser system, when the control server receives a notification from the selected beverage dispenser that the remaining amount has been consumed, it exempts the user who made the selection from being charged.

17. A plurality of beverage dispensers that dispense beverages to users by pouring beverages into containers; a control server connected to the plurality of beverage dispensers via a network, controlling the plurality of beverage dispensers, and accepting access from users via user terminals connected to the network; the control server accepts a selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers via the user terminal by the user who has accepted the access, and causes the selected beverage dispenser to dispense the beverage; The control server accepts the selection of two or more of the plurality of beverage dispensers by the user who has accepted the access, and also accepts instructions regarding the amount or ratio of the beverage to be dispensed by each selected beverage dispenser, and causes the two or more selected beverage dispensers to dispense the beverage in the instructed amount or ratio.

18. A plurality of beverage dispensers that dispense beverages to users by pouring beverages into containers; a control server connected to the plurality of beverage dispensers via a network, controlling the plurality of beverage dispensers, and accepting access from users via user terminals connected to the network; the control server accepts a selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers via the user terminal by the user who has accepted the access, and causes the selected beverage dispenser to dispense the beverage; The control server accepts a selection of two or more of the plurality of beverage dispensers by the user who has accepted the access, and is capable of setting a random mode in which one of the two or more selected beverage dispensers is randomly selected to dispense the beverage.

19. Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a temperature regulator for adjusting the temperature of a beverage to be dispensed, The automatic beverage dispenser system according to claim 1 , wherein the control server individually controls the temperature regulators of the plurality of beverage dispensers to individually set the temperatures of the beverages to be dispensed.

20. A plurality of beverage dispensers that dispense beverages to users by pouring beverages into containers; a control server connected to the plurality of beverage dispensers via a network, controlling the plurality of beverage dispensers, and accepting access from users via user terminals connected to the network; the control server accepts a selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers via the user terminal by the user who has accepted the access, and causes the selected beverage dispenser to dispense the beverage; Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a temperature regulator for adjusting the temperature of a beverage to be dispensed, the control server individually controls the temperature regulators of the plurality of beverage dispensers to individually set the temperatures of the beverages to be dispensed; An automatic beverage dispenser system in which the control server accepts input of data representing at least one of the type of beverage and the weather at the installation location for each of the plurality of beverage dispensers, and sets the temperature of the beverage to be dispensed in accordance with the accepted data.

21. A plurality of beverage dispensers that dispense beverages to users by pouring beverages into containers; a control server connected to the plurality of beverage dispensers via a network, controlling the plurality of beverage dispensers, and accepting access from users via user terminals connected to the network; the control server accepts a selection of one of the plurality of beverage dispensers via the user terminal by the user who has accepted the access, and causes the selected beverage dispenser to dispense the beverage; Each of the plurality of beverage dispensers includes: a beverage container storage chamber for storing a beverage container for containing a beverage to be served and having an opening / closing lid for enabling the beverage container to be taken in and out; a lock that releasably holds the opening / closing cover in a closed state; a lock sensor that detects the locking and unlocking of the lock, The lock and unlock detected by the lock sensor are transmitted to the control server; The automatic beverage dispenser system, wherein the control server suspends the user's selection of the beverage dispenser that has notified the user of the unlocking until the locking is notified, or waits to notify the beverage dispenser until the locking is notified.

22. 22. The automatic beverage dispenser system of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of beverage dispensers has a switch for selecting and canceling a continuous mode in which the contents of the beverage containers are continuously dispensed.

23. The automatic beverage dispenser system of claim 16, wherein the beverage exhaustion detector has electrodes arranged to surround the beverage flow path, and detects the exhaustion of the beverage by a change in capacitance within the flow path detected by the electrodes.

24. A beverage dispenser that provides a beverage to a user by pouring the beverage into a container, wherein the beverage dispenser is any one of the plurality of beverage dispensers provided in an automatic beverage dispenser system described in any one of claims 1 to 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 16, and 21 to 23.

Images