Gateway Server for Beverage Flow Data Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flow meter networks for beverage dispensation systems are not well-suited for integrated management and monitoring of multiple geographically diverse business enterprises, lacking real-time cumulative flow indications, high integration levels, and accessibility to external networks, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs in inventory tracking and sales monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A distributed intelligent system with gateway servers that receive meter data from local flow meter networks and selectively distribute it to subscriber stations, enabling real-time reconciliation and generating consumption patterns, and consumer models, while eliminating the need for dedicated host computers at each location.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional flow meter systems with dedicated host computers are used at each location, then local flow data can be processed and monitored, but system complexity and operational costs increase significantly across multiple geographically diverse locations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the host computer functionality from each local flow meter system and consolidates it into a centralized server. Local flow meter subsystems only perform signal conditioning and data collection, while the centralized server handles all complex processing, reconciliation, and monitoring functions. This extraction eliminates the need for dedicated host computers at each location, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining real-time monitoring capability through networked communication.
Solution Approach 2:
The centralized server performs multiple functions that were previously distributed across separate host computers at each location. It handles flow data collection from multiple geographically diverse locations, real-time reconciliation of flow and sales data, consumption pattern analysis, and provides a unified interface for monitoring across the entire beverage dispensation network. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require multiple dedicated systems into a single versatile platform.
2Loss of information
If separate host computers are deployed at each point-of-sale location, then local inventory tracking can be performed, but monetary losses increase due to duplicated equipment and increased operational costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the inventory tracking and flow monitoring functions into a single centralized server that processes data from all locations simultaneously. Instead of maintaining separate host computers at each point-of-sale location, the system combines all flow meter data and sales data in one centralized platform, eliminating redundancy and reducing operational costs while maintaining accurate real-time inventory tracking through comprehensive data collection and processing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If flow meter systems are not integrated with external networks, then local operations can be maintained independently, but accessibility to remote networks and centralized management is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized server acts as an intermediary between the flow meter subsystems and external networks. It receives flow data from local flow meters, performs necessary processing and reconciliation, and then communicates with external networks on behalf of the flow meter systems. This intermediary approach enables network accessibility and centralized management without requiring each individual flow meter subsystem to have direct network integration capabilities, simplifying the overall integration requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A distributed intelligent system. The distributed network includes at least one gateway server configured for receiving meter data from one or more nodes of a distributed meter network and at least one subscriber station in communication with the at least one gateway server via a communication network. The at least one gateway server is further configured to selectively distribute the received meter data to the at least one subscriber station in accordance with a policy.