Turkish Coffee Machine With Grounds Pattern Reading

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing coffee machines that prepare Turkish coffee do not have the capability to read and interpret the coffee grounds for fortune-telling, which is a traditional practice after drinking Turkish coffee.

Innovation Solution

A coffee machine equipped with a coffee grounds fortune teller device that includes a camera to scan and interpret the coffee grounds on the cup and saucer, using a control unit to match the patterns with stored symbols and provide an interpretation to the user, along with a movement mechanism, temperature sensor, and alarm system to facilitate the process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a coffee machine is equipped with fortune-telling functionality, then the user experience is enhanced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefortune-telling functionalityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the fortune-telling device with the coffee machine by integrating the camera, control unit, and telling means into the existing coffee preparation system. The coffee machine serves dual purposes: preparing Turkish coffee and providing fortune-telling services through the integrated ground-reading device.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The coffee machine is designed to perform multiple functions: it can prepare Turkish coffee using traditional methods and also provide fortune-telling capabilities by analyzing coffee grounds. This multi-functionality allows a single device to serve both coffee preparation and entertainment/divination purposes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If a camera and movement mechanism are added to scan the entire inner surface, then the measurement precision of coffee ground marks is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoffee ground marks detectionVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a movement mechanism that can rotate the camera or the cup/saucer to dynamically scan the entire inner surface. This dynamic scanning approach allows comprehensive coverage of the coffee ground marks without requiring a complex fixed multi-camera system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The camera captures optical images of the coffee ground marks, creating visual copies that can be analyzed by the control unit. This optical copying method enables precise detection and interpretation of the ground patterns without direct physical contact or complex mechanical scanning of the grounds themselves.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Loss of information

If the camera scans all figures including very small marks, then the interpretation completeness is improved, but the processing load increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterpretation completenessVSAvoidprocessing load
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit applies different processing strategies to different regions and sizes of coffee ground marks. It selectively analyzes figures based on their size and significance, focusing computational resources on larger, more meaningful patterns while filtering out noise from very small marks that contribute little to the overall interpretation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs partial scanning by excluding figures below a specific size threshold from detailed evaluation. This selective approach prevents the processing load from becoming excessive while still capturing the essential interpretive information from significant coffee ground patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP2671479B1A coffee machine
Publication Date: 2016.04.06 ARCELIK AS
  • EP2671479B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2671479B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a coffee machine (1) that comprises a coffee grounds fortune teller device (2) that maintains the containers like the coffee cup (F) and the saucer (P) placed on the coffee cup (F) to be positioned appropriately for reading fortunes after drinking Turkish coffee, reading and interpreting the coffee grounds (T) marks settled and dried on the coffee cup (F) and saucer (P) that form certain figures and presents these interpretations to the user thereby reading the fortunes of the user.