Wireless Beverage Dispensing Spout for Bartender Mobility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beverage dispensing systems for liquor bottles require bottles to be tethered to a computer via an electrical cable, limiting the area where drinks can be prepared and altering the normal serving process, necessitating a more unobtrusive control and monitoring solution.
Innovation Solution
A wireless beverage dispensing system comprising a pour spout with a transceiver and controller that communicates with a server interface worn by the bartender, allowing for wireless authorization and control of liquor dispensing, including adjustable pour times based on temperature, tilt, and remaining volume, enabling precise and efficient dispensing without cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a cable-connected actuator ring system is used to control beverage dispensing, then precise control and monitoring of liquor dispensing is achieved, but the bartender's movement is restricted and normal serving practices are altered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control functionality from the fixed actuator ring system and relocates it to a portable device carried by the bartender. This allows the bartender to move freely while maintaining wireless communication with the spout, resolving the contradiction between precise control and bartender mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a wireless communication intermediary (radio frequency transceiver) between the bartender's portable device and the spout controller. This intermediary enables precise control signals to be transmitted wirelessly, eliminating the physical cable constraint while maintaining control precision.
2Measurement precision
If a fixed actuator ring system is used for beverage dispensing control, then accurate billing and inventory tracking is enabled, but the preparation area is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the control system from its fixed location and portables it, allowing the bartender to move to different preparation areas while maintaining accurate control and monitoring of dispensing for billing and inventory purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical cable connection with wireless communication, eliminating the physical constraint on movement area while maintaining the precision needed for accurate billing and inventory tracking.
3Ease of operation
If traditional free pouring is used, then bartender flexibility is maintained, but consistent drink quality and accurate portion control cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides automated portion control through wireless communication between the bartender's portable device and the spout controller, which automatically regulates flow rate and duration to ensure consistent portions while maintaining bartender flexibility in choosing what to pour.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the spout controller communicates dispensing data back to the portable device, allowing real-time monitoring and adjustment to ensure consistent portion sizes while maintaining operational flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A pour spout, for attaching to a bottle, has a first wireless transceiver and a valve for selectively controlling flow of a beverage from the bottle. A server interface, adapted to be carried by a person who serves beverages, has a second wireless transceiver. A control unit is provided to wirelessly communicate with the second transceiver. In one mode, the pour spout transmits a spout identifier to the server interface, which responds by transmitting the spout identifier and a server identifier to the control unit. The control unit responds with a reply transmission causing the server interface to command the pour spout to open the valve. In another mode, a person selects a cocktail, that results in the control unit sending designations of a plurality of liquor ingredients to the server interface. The server interface controls dispensing each of the plurality of liquor ingredients.