Beverage manufacturing apparatus, server, beverage manufacturing method, information processing method, and program

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional techniques are unable to produce a contained beverage with an applied design using design information transmitted from an external source, such as user-created design information, and fail to apply designs appropriately to beverages, manage associated images, and reward rights holders.

Innovation Solution

A beverage production apparatus with a design receiving unit to apply design information from a terminal, a design application unit to apply designs to beverages or containers, and a server to manage and reward design information, ensuring appropriate application and rights holder compensation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional techniques are used, then beverage production is simple, but design application capability from external sources is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign application capabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a server as an intermediary component that manages design information storage, retrieval, and distribution. The server receives design information from terminal apparatuses, stores it in association with design identifiers, and provides it to beverage production apparatuses, enabling external design application without significantly complicating the core beverage production function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system is segmented into distinct functional modules: terminal apparatuses for design input, server for centralized management, and beverage production apparatuses for application. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, maintaining overall system manageability while enabling complex design application capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If design information is received from external sources, then user customization is enabled, but design management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser customization capabilityVSAvoiddesign management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The server acts as an intermediary that handles all design information management tasks, including receiving designs from users via terminal apparatuses, storing them with unique design identifiers, and distributing appropriate designs to beverage production apparatuses. This centralizes management complexity in a dedicated component rather than distributing it throughout the system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses design identifiers as references or copies that point to actual design information stored on the server. Instead of storing complete design data in multiple locations, the beverage production apparatuses store and transmit only the design identifiers, reducing data redundancy and management complexity while enabling user customization

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Adaptability or versatility

If designs are applied to beverages, then product differentiation is achieved, but application precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedesign application flexibilityVSAvoiddesign application precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies designs to beverages by changing physical parameters of the liquid, such as adding substances that alter color, density, or other visible properties. This allows design information to be translated into tangible beverage characteristics without requiring precise mechanical application, maintaining flexibility while reducing precision requirements

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4600167A1Beverage manufacturing apparatus, server, beverage manufacturing method, information processing method, and program
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 SUNTORY HLDG LTD
  • EP4600167A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4600167A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4600167A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

With conventional techniques, it has not been possible to produce a contained beverage to which a design is applied using design information transmitted from an external source such as a terminal apparatus 3. It is possible to produce a contained beverage to which a design is applied using design information transmitted from an external source, using a beverage production apparatus 1 including: a design receiving unit 121 configured to receive design information transmitted from the terminal apparatus 3; and a design application unit 133 that applies a design to the contained beverage, using the design information.