Mobile Alert System for Beverage Dispenser Ingredient Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current beverage and food dispensers have limited capacity for storing ingredients and provide inadequate notifications for empty cartridges, leading to inefficient operations and customer dissatisfaction.

Innovation Solution

A system that includes sensors to monitor ingredient levels, a processing unit to execute machine-readable instructions, and a communication network to notify operators through mobile devices about low or sold-out ingredients, as well as dispenser failures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If visual display notifications are used on the dispenser, then operators can see the status of ingredients, but notifications only occur when ingredients are already empty causing customer dissatisfaction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification timingVSAvoidresponse time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by sending notifications to operators' mobile devices before ingredients are completely depleted. Sensors detect low ingredient levels and trigger advance alerts, allowing operators to restock during non-peak hours rather than waiting for visual displays to show empty containers during customer service hours.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary communication channel (mobile device notifications) between the dispenser sensor system and the operator. This intermediary enables direct, immediate communication of ingredient status without requiring operator presence at the dispenser or customer observation, bridging the gap between detection and response.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If operators manually check ingredient levels frequently, then they can ensure ingredients are restocked, but operational efficiency decreases during busy periods

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveingredient availabilityVSAvoidoperational efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables self-service monitoring where the sensor-equipped dispenser automatically tracks its own ingredient levels and communicates status to operators. This eliminates the need for operators to manually check each container, allowing the system to monitor itself continuously without diverting operator attention from customer service during busy periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements continuous feedback through sensors that constantly monitor ingredient levels and automatically communicate status changes to operators' mobile devices. This real-time feedback loop replaces manual checking, providing reliable ingredient availability information without requiring operator time investment, thus maintaining both reliability and productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Reliability

If the dispenser capacity is increased to store more ingredients, then ingredient availability improves, but the device complexity and space requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveingredient availabilityVSAvoidstorage capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses preliminary action through predictive notifications to prevent ingredient depletion before it occurs. By alerting operators when levels are low rather than waiting for containers to empty, the system maintains high ingredient availability with existing storage capacity, eliminating the need to increase dispenser size or complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Loss of information

If visual notifications are displayed on the dispenser, then operators receive alerts, but customers are the first to notice empty ingredients causing dissatisfaction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveingredient status informationVSAvoidcustomer dissatisfaction

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses mobile device notifications as an intermediary communication channel that directly reaches operators without requiring visual display at the dispenser. This intermediary ensures ingredient status information is delivered to operators privately and immediately, preventing the situation where customers must visually inspect containers to discover empty ingredients.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by notifying operators of low ingredient levels before customers can observe empty containers. This advance notification allows operators to restock during non-peak hours, preventing customer dissatisfaction by ensuring ingredients are replenished before depletion becomes visible to customers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3912952B1Proactive dispenser to operator mobile alert system

Publication Date: 2025.06.11 THE COCA COLA CO

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AI summary

A system comprising: a mobile electronic device (210, 400) configured to receive data via a communications channel (120, 133) from a dispenser (102, 202); and a mobile application (130) executing on the mobile electronic device (400), the mobile application (130) configured to: receive, from the dispenser (102, 202) via the communications channel, one or more data messages (208) indicative of available beverages being offered to be dispensed by the dispenser (102, 202); and display data indicating current levels of ingredients for producing the available beverages being offered to be dispensed by the dispenser.