Beverage Machine Display Remote Programming via Wireless Terminal

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drink preparation machines with display devices lack user customization and programmability, requiring increased storage capacity and complexity, and rely on touchpads for mode switching, increasing manufacturing costs and user selection time.

Innovation Solution

A method for remote programming of drink preparation machine displays using a portable communication terminal, allowing dynamic icon customization and control via wireless communication protocols like WIFI or Bluetooth, enabling users to define and update icon groups and associations with machine functions without hardware modifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If icon groups are stored in machine memory during manufacture, then display customization is possible, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay customizationVSAvoidmachine complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses a mobile device as an external programming interface to create and manage icon group configurations. Instead of storing multiple icon groups in the machine's internal memory, the system copies the necessary configuration data between the mobile device and machine as needed, eliminating the need for large local storage capacity while maintaining full customization capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile device serves as an intermediary between the user and the drink preparation machine. It hosts the programming interface application that creates, stores, and manages icon group configurations, then communicates these configurations to the machine. This externalizes the complexity from the machine to the mobile device, simplifying the machine's hardware requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If touchpad is used for switching between icon groups, then mode switching is enabled, but manufacturing cost and operation time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemode switching capabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the electro-mechanical touchpad interface with a wireless digital communication interface. The mobile device programming interface application transmits icon group selection commands directly to the machine via wireless communication protocols, eliminating the need for physical touchpad hardware and its associated mechanical components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile device serves multiple functions: it acts as both the user's familiar interface for creating and managing icon groups and as the communication terminal for controlling the machine. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for a dedicated touchpad on the machine while maintaining full switching capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple icon groups are stored in machine memory, then user preferences can be displayed, but storage capacity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveicon group storageVSAvoidstorage memory capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of storing multiple complete icon group sets in the machine's limited memory, the system stores icon group configuration data on the mobile device and copies only the necessary information to the machine when needed. This allows unlimited icon group storage on the mobile device while using minimal machine memory.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The patent moves the storage dimension from the machine's internal memory to the external mobile device storage. The mobile device's larger storage capacity handles the bulk of icon group data, while the machine receives only the active configuration set, effectively adding an external storage dimension to the system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3420543B1Method for offset programming of a display of a beverage machine
Publication Date: 2023.12.20 SEB SA
  • EP3420543B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3420543B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP3420543B1 patent drawingFigure 5a~5d

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for remotely programming a display device of a drink preparation machine via a communication terminal. Specifically, the remote programming method is carried out wirelessly via a portable communication terminal. The invention also relates to a computer program product, a communication terminal, and a drink preparation machine that are suitable for implementing said method.