Edible AR Marker Printing System for Personalized Food Decoration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for decorating food products, such as cakes, often require manual skill, pre-made decorative items with long lead times, or automated systems that lack personalization and flexibility, leading to inventory management challenges and limited customization options.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a local control device and graphical user interface for selecting and printing images onto edible media, allowing users to access a central database via the internet, combine licensed and non-licensed digital images, and include augmented reality markers for interactive content, enabling personalized and efficient decoration of edible products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If pre-made decorative items are produced in bulk and inventoried, then decoration availability is improved, but inventory management complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates digital copies of decorative images that can be stored and reproduced on demand without physical inventory. Users can access a database of licensed images and print them onto edible media as needed, eliminating the need to maintain physical stock of decorative items while maintaining unlimited availability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical inventory system with a digital information system. Instead of physically storing and managing decorative items, the system stores digital images in a database and reproduces them through printing technology, substituting physical inventory management with digital data management.
2Productivity
If automated printing systems are implemented, then decoration speed is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The printing system is designed to be multi-functional, serving both as an automated decoration machine and as a user-friendly printing device. It can handle various image formats, work with different edible media types, and provide both automated and manual operation modes, reducing the need for multiple specialized systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces a computer as an intermediary between the user and the printing mechanism. The computer handles image processing, print queue management, and communication with the printer, simplifying the overall system architecture by separating control functions from execution functions.
3Adaptability or versatility
If licensed images are made available online, then customization options are improved, but image access control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms through user authentication and licensing verification. When users attempt to access or print licensed images, the system verifies their authorization status and provides appropriate feedback, either granting access or denying the request. This automated feedback loop simplifies access control by replacing manual verification processes.
Solution Approach 2:
Users can independently manage their own image access rights through the system. The licensing system automatically tracks which users have permission to use which images, and users can access their authorized images without requiring manual intervention from administrators, making the access control system self-managing.
Data Source
AI summary
An augmented reality system for a food product includes an edible media or a food product decoration with an embedded augmented reality marker and a related application for a mobile device. The application presents augmented reality content associated with the augmented reality marker. The application permits access to the augmented reality content in response to detection of the application recognizing the embedded augmented reality marker.