Beverage preparation system and method for increasing the variety of beverages available from a beverage preparation device of the beverage preparation system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Beverage preparation devices, such as capsule machines, have a limited variety of beverage types they can produce due to factory-stored control data sets, necessitating the purchase of new devices for new beverage types, and existing code reading units are not effectively used for expanding functionality due to harsh environments and limited information capacity.
Innovation Solution
A beverage preparation system with a mobile configuration device that reads codes from a separate code carrier, allowing for wireless or wired data transmission of control data sets to the device, enabling the addition or update of control data sets in the device's memory, thus expanding the variety of beverages that can be prepared without requiring complex and error-prone optical code reading units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a code reading unit is mounted in the beverage preparation device to read codes on capsules, then beverage type recognition is enabled, but the harsh environment (dirty, damp, steam) limits code reading reliability and information capacity
Solution Approach 1:
A mobile device serves as an intermediary between the code carrier and the beverage preparation device. The mobile device reads the code in a favorable environment (outside the harsh beverage preparation environment) and transmits the information to the beverage preparation device, thereby avoiding the reliability problems of mounting code reading units directly in the steamy, damp environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/optical code reading system (which requires physical access to the code in harsh conditions) with an electronic data transmission system. The mobile device captures code information and transmits it wirelessly or via connection, substituting the direct optical reading mechanism with a more reliable electronic communication approach.
2Ease of operation
If factory-stored control data sets are used for beverage preparation, then device operation is simple, but the variety of beverage types is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static configuration (fixed factory-stored control data sets) to a dynamic configuration (expandable via mobile device). The beverage preparation device can now adapt its functionality over time by receiving new control data sets and codes, allowing it to evolve with user needs while maintaining simple operation through automatic recognition and selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The beverage preparation device is enhanced with multi-functionality by enabling it to work with multiple types of codes (visual codes, RFID tags, NFC) and multiple sources of control data sets. This universal approach allows the same device to prepare various beverage types using different identification methods, expanding versatility without complicating user operation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If an optical code reading unit is mounted in the beverage preparation device, then code reading is enabled, but the system becomes complex and maintenance-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The code reading functionality is extracted from the beverage preparation device and placed in a separate mobile device. This extraction removes the complexity of mounting and maintaining optical reading units, sensors, and related components from the beverage preparation device, while still enabling code reading capability through the mobile device's camera or scanner.
4Reliability
If code patterns with high redundancy for error detection are used, then code reading accuracy is improved, but the information capacity for user data is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system moves from relying solely on code pattern redundancy (two-dimensional code space) to utilizing additional dimensions for information storage. By combining the code (for identification and error detection) with separate control data sets (stored in the beverage preparation device or transmitted via mobile device), the system achieves both high accuracy and high information capacity by distributing information across multiple dimensions and storage locations.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention includes a beverage preparation system with a beverage preparation device (5) and a mobile configuration device (14). The beverage preparation device (5) comprises a control data set memory (8) for storing beverage-type-specific control data sets (s); a control unit (6) for controlling preparation operating means (11, 12) on the basis of one of the stored usable control data sets (s); and an interface and update unit (9) for receiving control data set basic data (x) from the configuration device (14) and/or an external server device (22) and for adding or updating, based on the received control data set basic data (x), a control data set (s) in the control data set memory (8). The configuration device (14) comprises a code means reading unit (7) for reading out a code means (2) of a code carrier device (1) and for obtaining control data set code information (c) which contains a control data set (s) to be added or updated for the beverage preparation device (5) and corresponding control data set base data (x) are assigned, from the code means (2) read out; and an interface unit (19) for transmitting assigned control data set basic data (x) to the beverage preparation device (5) and/or for data transmission with an external server device (22) for the purpose of providing, for the beverage preparation device (5), control data set basic data ( x).