Automatic Coffee Machine Flavor Control via Taste Parameter Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Fully automatic coffee machines in the catering sector lack user-friendly settings for adjusting coffee taste, relying on technician preferences and limited parameter adjustments such as weight, brewing temperature, and grinding, with no direct adjustment options for taste.
Innovation Solution
A method for configuring a fully automatic coffee machine that allows users to input taste parameters like acidity, bitterness, saltiness, fullness, and finish, which are evaluated to control machine parameters like contact pressure, grinding, brewing temperature, water supply, and pre-infusion, enabling personalized coffee settings through a user-friendly interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If machine parameters are set by service technician based on individual experience, then the machine can be commissioned or maintained, but the taste adjustment lacks systematic approach and user control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a database as an intermediary between the user's taste preferences and the machine's technical parameters. The database stores pre-calculated relationships between taste descriptors (e.g., acidic, bitter, full-bodied) and corresponding machine settings (contact pressure, temperature, water supply). When a user selects taste parameters, the control unit queries the database to automatically determine the appropriate technical settings, eliminating the need for users to understand complex machine parameters while maintaining systematic and reproducible taste control.
2Adaptability or versatility
If user adjusts only limited parameters like weight and brewing temperature, then operation remains simple, but direct taste adjustment is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the control interface from direct technical parameters (contact pressure, temperature, water flow rate) to sensory parameters (acidic, bitter, salty, full-bodied, aftertaste). The control unit handles the complex parameter transformations by querying the database for corresponding technical settings. This allows users to directly adjust taste characteristics without needing to understand or manually coordinate multiple technical parameters, achieving both versatility in taste customization and ease of operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If extensive machine parameters like contact pressure are made adjustable, then taste control improves, but device complexity and user knowledge requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically translating user-selected taste parameters into appropriate machine settings through the database. The control unit independently determines the required contact pressure, temperature, and water supply parameters based on the stored relationships in the database, without requiring user intervention or understanding of the complex interdependencies between parameters. This enables extensive flavor configuration capability while keeping the user interface simple and the control system autonomous.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The method involves evaluating an input by a control unit (2) based on comparison of input flavor parameters (X1-Xn) with a predefined dataset, which comprises a control parameter for controlling components (3.1-3.m) of an automatic coffee machine based on the input flavor parameter. The components of the automatic coffee machine are controlled by the control unit using the control parameter that is determined during evaluation. Coffee beverage is manually selected at an input unit (1) of the automatic coffee machine before manual selection of the flavor parameters. : An independent claim is also included for an automatic coffee machine comprising an input unit. USE : Method for configuring an automatic coffee machine that is utilized for producing beverage e.g. cappuccino, espresso, latte macchiato, coffee, and mocha (all claimed), in gastronomical areas. ADVANTAGE : The components of the automatic coffee machine are controlled by the control unit with the control parameter that is determined during evaluation of the input, thus enabling user-friendly and simple adjustment of flavor of the coffee beverage without maladjustments. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS : The drawing shows a schematic block diagram illustrating an input and control principle. A : Data signals X1-Xn : Flavor parameters 1 : Input unit of automatic coffee machine 2 : Control unit 3.1-3.m : Components of automatic coffee machine.