GB2442223A

GB2442223A - Customised vending control

Info

Publication number: GB2442223A
Application number: GB0618957A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Robert Fletcher
Original assignee: Mars Inc
Current assignee: Mars Inc
Priority date: 2006-09-26
Filing date: 2006-09-26
Publication date: 2008-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 2026-09-26
Also published as: GB0618957D0; GB2442223B

Abstract

Systems and methods for customising the control of beverage dispensing systems, including an interface for receiving user instructions, logic configured to determine ingredient quantities from stored historical data, gradually adjusting ingredient quantities, adding new beverage programs from external memory devices or remote network sources, placing orders remotely over a network and varying the display of available programs based on external variables such as environmental conditions.

Description

I

CUSTOMISED VENDING CONTROL

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to systems and methods for customising beverage dispensing systems and the control of such systems. In particular, it concerns the control of ingredient quantities in beverage portions, making additional beverage programs available to users, the remote control of beverage dispensing systems and the customisation of the beverage system's display, based on external variables.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Ordinarily, during a vend cycle of a beverage dispensing system, a user selects a beverage type from a plurality of beverage types available at the system, whereupon the system prepares and dispenses a portion of the selected beverage type according to a predetermined program. in some systems, upon selecting a beverage type the user then selects his or her desired program from the different programs available at the system. For example, a user who selects the beverage type "tea" might then select between the options ularge tea" and "small tea". The selected program may also determine whether additional ingredients such as milk and sugar are added to the beverage, for example the same user might select the program corresponding to a large tea, with milk and without sugar.

A problem with existing beverage dispensing systems is that a user is not free to fully customise the preparation of his beverage to his particular taste. Instead, he is restricted to a general set of programs available at the system and these programs' fixed parameters. Other than choosing between the limited number of programs available, the user has no way of customising the preparation of his drink, or its composition.

I

Many users desire heafthy beverages but are not prepared to compromise on taste. Such users may be accustomed to drinks that contain one or more ingredients, such as caffeine, salt or sugar, in a quantity that the user wishes to change. However, since the user of a conventional beverage dispensing system is restricted to the programs pre-loaded in that system, the user is not able to set a custom level of the ingredient in his beverage. As such, the only option available to a user is often an extreme change in the quantity of that ingredient -a switch from fully caffeinated coffee to decaffeinated coffee, or from all sugar to all artificial sweetener, for example. This dramatic change in ingredient quantity may be so unpalatable to the user that he or she is discouraged from changing the ingredient quantities.

A further problem that faces a user of conventional beverage dispensing systems is that the restriction of choice to those programs that have been pre-loaded on the system leads to inconsistency in the beverages that are available at different systems. A user who regularly orders a beverage according to a preferred program available at his local beverage dispensing system may find that program has not been loaded onto another beverage dispensing system, where he is forced to choose between programs for other beverages that he finds less appealing.

Yet another problem with conventional beverage dispensing systems is that a user must be present at such a system in order to instruct the system to prepare his beverage according to one of a limited number of programs available at the system. However, the dispensing of a beverage is not instant and the user must wait whilst it is prepared. Not only is this wait inconvenient to a user, but the desire to reduce waiting times encourages the use of faster brewing techniques that compromise the quality of the beverage.

A still further problem with conventional beverage dispensing systems is that the manner in which available beverage choices are presented to a user is fixed, whereas the user's selection of a beverage typically changes according to a number of factors. As a result, beverage choices are frequently presented to the user in a manner that is not consistent with the user's current preferences and tastes.

It is an aim of the present invention to address the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of dispensing a portion of a beverage, in a beverage dispensing system, said beverage containing a first ingredient and said method comprising: receMng an instruction from a user to dispense a portion of said beverage; determining historical data and a target quantity associated with said user; based on said historical data and said target quantity, determining a desired quantity of said first ingredient; preparing and dispensing a portion of said beverage, said portion comprising said first ingredient in the desired quantity.

The present invention also provides a beverage dispensing system for dispensing a portion of a beverage to a user, said beverage containing a first ingredient and said system comprising: an interface for receiving an instruction from said user to dispense a portion of said beverage comprising a first ingredient; memory in which is stored historical data and a target quantity associated with said user; logic configured to determine a desired quantity of said first ingredient based on said stored historical data and target quantity and to configure preparation and dispensing means to dispense a portion of said beverage portion comprising said first ingredient in the desired quantity.

A gradual transition in the quantity of the first ingredient in the beverage enables a significant overall change in quantity to be realised with little or no perceptible change in taste between consecutive portions. This gradual change is advantageous to the user who wishes to switch to a healthier beverage but also seeks to avoid a sudden change in the taste of his beverage.

A further advantage is that the change in quantity is controlled by the beverage dispensing system, rather than by the user. Thus, the user relieved of the burden of remembering both his desired quantity of the first ingredient and the quantities present in earlier portions, and then calculating the quantity that should be present in the current portion. Additionally, the automatic adjustment of ingredient quantities may be performed in increments so small as to be burdensome or impossible when performed by a user. A human user could not be expected, for example, to accurately measure and dispense a 0.1 g increase in sugar. Automatic adjustment of the ingredient quantities also relieves the user of the temptation to avoid changing, or reverse a previous change, in ingredient quantities, reducing the willpower required to ultimately arrive the desired quantity.

The first ingredient may be a substance that many users wish to reduce for reasons of health and it is desirable that they should be controlled.

The first ingredient may also be water. Varying the quantity of water is particularly useful when a user desires to change the concentration of a beverage portion dispensed by, for example, a single-pack type dispenser (such as those available under the Registered Trade Mark FLAVIA from Four Square, Basingstoke, UK) or an in-cup type dispenser (such as those available under the Registered Trade Mark KLIX from Four Square, Basingstoke, UK), but the quantity of other ingredients is fixed. In the case of a single-filter pack type dispenser, or other filter-based dispensers, a change in the quantity of water may affect not only the overall concentration of the beverage portion, but also the quantity of particular other ingredients that are delivered from the filter by the flow of water.

The beverage may comprise a second ingredient, the quantity of which is varied in inverse proportionality to the first ingredient. This is particularly useful when a user wishes to effect a gradual replacement of one ingredient with another. The first and second ingredients may be, for example, a carbohydrate sweetener an artificial sweetener.

The method may further comprise the step of identifying the user. This is particularly useful when a single beverage dispensing system is shared by a plurality of users, to prevent one user from being dispensed a drink with S ingredient quantities based on the target quantity and historical data of another user.

The historical data may be read from a remote storage location. The use of a remote storage location enables a user's up-to-date historical information to be provided to a beverage dispensing system when that system was not the last to dispense a beverage portion to that user. As such, the use of remote storage is particularly advantageous when a user uses more than one beverage dispensing system.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a beverage dispensing system, said system comprising: an internal memory for storing programs for preparing beverages; an interface for coupling said internal memory to an external memory device; and logic configured to copy at least one beverage preparation program from a portable memory device coupled to the interface to the internal memory.

The present invention also provides a method of customising a beverage dispensing system, comprising: interrogating a user as to the desired parameters of a beverage preparation program; based on said interrogation, selecting at least one beverage preparation program from a plurality of programs; downloading said selected at least one program onto an external memory device; and copying said at least one program from the external memory device to an internal memory of said beverage dispensing system.

Copying beverage preparation programs from a portable memory device has the advantage that it widens the choice of beverages available to a user of the system, since the user is no longer limited by the range beverage preparation programs that are pre-loaded into the system's internal memory. Using the present system, an administrator can easily update the range of beverage selection programs available at the system with new programs stored on the portable memory device.

Copying programs from a personal memory device is not only useful for updating the selection of programs that are available at the system. It also permits users to carry their preferred programs with them. Thus, a user arriving at an unfamiliar beverage dispensing system can be sure that his preferred program will be available to him, since he is able to copy it to the system from his portable storage device. The copy at the dispensing system may be stored long enough to dispense a beverage portion in accordance with the program and then deleted, or it may remain resident in the system's internal memory to be made available to subsequent users.

The logic may be further configured automatically copy the at least one beverage preparation program to the internal memory. Copying the program automatically reduces the burden on the user, who needs only to interface the portable memory device with the system.

In a further embodiment, the at least one beverage preparation program comprises a default program and the logic is further configured to cause the system to automatically prepare and dispense a beverage according to this default program and in response to detection of the external memory device at the interface. This further reduces the burden upon the user when the user desires simply that a beverage portion to be prepared according to his preferred program, which he has stored on his own portable storage device.

The interface may be a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, permitting program information to be stored on many existing USB-cornpatible storage devices, such as flash drives, digital music players and digital cameras. Alternatively, the interface may be a smart card reader and the external memory device a smart card (such as those available under the Registered Trade Mark KLIX from Four Square, Basingstoke, UK).

In another aspect, the present invention provide a system for dispensing beverage portions comprising: a beverage dispensing system for preparing and dispensing a portion of a beverage according to a beverage preparation program; a host computer, configured to receive user selection of a first beverage preparation program and cause the beverage dispensing system to prepare a beverage portion according to said first beverage preparation program; and a network across which the beverage dispensing system and host computer are communicatively linked.

Also provided is a method of dispensing beverage portions comprising: receiving user selection, at a host computer, of a first beverage preparation program; in response to said user selection, causing a beverage dispensing system communicatively coupled to the host computer across a network to prepare and dispense a beverage portion according to said first beverage preparation program.

There are several advantages associated with the reception of the user selection at a host computer. For example, it permits a user to initiate the preparation of a beverage portion prior to his or her presence at the beverage dispensing system. A user in an office environment, therefore, could therefore select a beverage program at the workstation at which he is working and arrange for the beverage portion to be dispensed in advance of his arrive at the beverage dispensing system, which may be located remote from his workstation, in a cafeteria, for example. Since the beverage portion can be prepared and dispensed whilst the user is travelling between his workstation and the cafeteria, it can be ready for consumption by the user immediately upon his or her arnval in the cafeteria.

Some embodiments further comprise a database of beverage preparation programs, with the host computer configured to receive user selection of the first beverage preparation program from the database and, in response to the selection, the first beverage preparation program is uploaded from the database to the beverage dispensing system via the host computer. Thus a user is able to select a program, at the computer and from the database, that is not already available at the beverage dispensing system, knowing that it will uploaded to the beverage dispensing system in order to dispense his beverage.

Thus a further advantage of receiving the user selection at the host computer is that it permits users to select between beverage preparation programs that are available at the host computer but not selectable locally at the beverage preparation system.

A plurality of beverage dispensing systems may be communicatively linked to the host computer across the network. In this way, a user may select a beverage preparation program safe in the knowledge that the most appropriate beverage dispensing system will be charged with dispensing the beverage. This may involve presenting a plurality of beverage preparation programs available at the plurality of beverage systems to the user at the host computer, where user selection of the first beverage preparation program from the plurality of available programs causes selection of a beverage dispensing system at which the first program is available and causes the beverage portion to be dispensed at the selected beverage system.

The host computer may cause the beverage to be dispensed at a preselected time. This can be used to automate beverage dispensing at times when a user consistently desires a particular beverage, or to impose a delay on an order placed at the host computer. In this way, it can be ensured that the dispensed beverage portion is both already ready for collection and freshly prepared and dispensed at the moment the user amves at the beverage dispensing system.

The host computer may cause the beverage dispensing system to prepare a plurality of beverage portions according to said first beverage preparation program. In this way, a host computer enables a beverage dispensing system to be used to dispense a round of drinks, even when the beverage dispensing system does not have its own round functions.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a beverage dispensing system, said system comprising: an internal memory for storing programs for preparing beverages; a display for presenting said programs to a user; logic for controlling said display; an interface for receiving user selection of one of said programs; and means for preparing and dispensing a beverage according to said selected program, wherein said logic is configured to present said programs based on at least one variable that is external to the beverage dispensing system.

Also provided is a method of dispensing a portion of a beverage, said method comprising: presenting programs for preparing beverages to a user; receiving user selection of one of said programs; and preparing and dispensing a beverage according to said selected program, wherein said programs are displayed based on at least one variable that is external to the beverage dispensing system.

A user's preferred beverage is dependent upon a number of factors. These factors include the personal tastes of the user, the time of day, the day of the week and the time of year. The user's choice of beverage may be further influenced by environmental factors such as temperature. Thus, the same user who favours strong, hot coffee on a cold Monday morning in winter might instead opt for a cold fruit drink on a hot Friday afternoon in summer. ft is desirable to control the display of the various programs based upon external influencing factors in order to provide a customised presentation that is adapted to a user's anticipated preferences.

A first set of said programs may be presented more prominently than the other programs, the first set being based on the at least one external variable.

The emphasis of particular programs is advantageous from the point of view of both the user and the supplier of the beverage dispensing system. Based on external variables, the system can determine which drinks are likely to most appeal to the user and present these more prominently to improve their ease of selection. Thus, programs that are likely to appeal to the user may be emphasised, easing the user's identification of desirable programs by reducing the seek' time required to identify them from amongst the other programs on offer. At the same time, the prominent presentation of programs that the system determines to be particularly desirable permits the introduction of a user to beverages that he or she might otherwise not sample. For example, on sensing a particularly low ambient temperature at a mealtime, the system may emphasise a hot soup program in order that it is noticed by users who might otherwise have overlooked it. Since the user is likely to be both hungry and cold, he or she is likely to find the hot soup satisfying and will be encouraged to seek out the soup program In the future. Thus, the timely prominent display of particular programs assists the supplier both in marketing particular beverages to the user and more generally encourages users to widen their choice of beverages.

Displaying a program more prominently can be achieved in number of ways, including emboldening or animating a representation of the program, and presenting it earlier in a menu.

Emphasising desirable programs by presenting them earlier in a menu is particularly advantageous from a user's point of view since it reduces the time taken for the user to identify the program and advantageous for the supplier, who can force the user to consider the early menu choices when the user may be seeking other programs (e.g. by scrolling past the prominent program).

The logic may also be configured to present only a second set of said programs, the second set being based on the at least one external variable.

Limiting the choice of programs based on the external variable can be used to simplify selection of a program and reduce clutter at the interface. Similarly, it may be desirable to actively prevent users from selecting certain programs when particular conditions are met. For example, certain beverages may be more expensive to prepare than others and their programs may therefore, when used in systems that do not require payment, be limited to certain privileged users or to particular times of day.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. I is a schematic diagram of a beverage dispensing system according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of dispensing a portion of a beverage using the beverage dispensing system of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a beverage dispensing system according to the present invention, coupled to an external memory device.

Fig. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of customising the beverage dispensing system of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of dispensing beverage portions using the beverage dispensing system of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a system for dispensing beverage portions according to the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of dispensing beverage portions using the system of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram of a beverage dispensing system according to the present invention.

Fig. 0 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of dispensing a portion of a beverage using the system of Fig. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Fig. I shows a beverage dispensing system 100 comprising an interface 110 for receiving user instructions, a memory 120 storing historical data and a target quantity of a first ingredient, and logic 130. In preferred embodiments, the interface 110 is a or a touch-screen or a liquid crystal display with associated user-accessible buttons, but any suitable interface may be used. The logic 130 may comprise hardware, software, or any combination of the two and is configured to determine a desired quantity of a first ingredient based on the historical data and target quantity stored in the memory 120 and to configure a preparing and dispensing means (not shown) to dispense a portion of a beverage containing the first ingredient in the desired quantity.

Fig. 2 shows a method 200 of preparing a beverage using the system 100 of Fig. I. First, the interface 110 receives 210 a user instruction to prepare a particular beverage, containing a first ingredient. The first ingredient may be any ingredient of the beverage, but is preferably one of sweetener, whitener, water, salt and caffeine. The first ingredient may alternatively be water.

The user is then identified 220. The user may identify himself via the interface 110, for example by entering a user ID and (optionally) a password or by presenting a smartcard (such as those available under the Registered Trade Mark CLIX from Four Square, Basingstoke, UK) or other memory device storing data that identifies the user. Other methods of identifying 220 the user may also be used, such as reading biometric data from the user.

Once the user has been identified 220, historical data and a target quantity are determined 230. The historical data and target quantity are read from a memory that may be internal to the system dispensing the beverage. Alternatively, the memory 120 may be read from an external memory, for example a memory located on a smart card or other memory device canied by the user and usable with other beverage dispensing systems, or from a database located at a remote location and accessible by the beverage dispensing system 100 over a communications link.

The historical data comprises the quantity of the first ingredient in at least the portion of the beverage that was most recently prepared for the user. It may further comprise quantities of the first ingredient in still ea,lier dispensed portions of the beverage, and/or in dispensed portions of other beverages. If no portions of the beverage have been dispensed, the historical data can be initialised, for example to the quantity of the first ingredient that is traditionally dispensed in a portion of the beverage.

The target quantity is a quantity of the first ingredient to which the user wishes ultimately to increase or decrease the amount of first ingredient in dispensed portions of the beverage. For example, where the first ingredient is caffeine, the user may wish to reduce the caffeine in each portion to zero, in which case the target quantity would be zero. The target quantity may be defined by the user using the interface 110.

Next, the logic 130 determines 240 a desired quantity of the first ingredient The desired quantity is the amount of the first ingredient that will be present in the beverage portion dispensed to the user. There are many suitable functions for determining the desired quantity, but in preferred embodiments it is calculated as a function of the historical data and the target quantity. In one embodiment the desired quantity is calculated as being 10% closer to the target quantity than in the most recently dispensed portion. For example, in the case where a user has defined a target quantity of 20 mg of caffeine and the previous portion contained 70 mg, the desired quantity is calculated as -((70 -20) x 10%) =65 mg caffeine. The desired quantity in successive portions may alternatively be determined as a linear function, for example a mg reduction in caffeine for each portion until the target value has been reached. It is preferred that, regardless of the particular function used, the change in the first ingredient between successive portions is small enough to be substantially undetectable by taste.

Once the desired quantity has been determined 240, the logic 130 configures the preparing and dispensing means using the desired quantity. A beverage portion containing the desired quantity of the first ingredient is then dispensed 250.

In a further embodiment, the beverage comprises a second ingredient, the quantity of which is varied in inverse proportionality to the quantity of the first ingredient. For example, a 10 % reduction in the quantity of sugar in a beverage portion may be balanced by a 10 % increase in the quantity of an artificial sweetener.

Fig. 3 shows a beverage dispensing system 300 comprising an internal memory for storing programs for dispensing beverages, an interface 320 for coupling the internal memory 310 to an external memory device 340 and logic 330 configured to copy at least one beverage preparation program from the memory 350 of a coupled portable memory device 340 to the internal memory 310 of the beverage dispensing system.

The interface 320 may be any interface suitable for coupling to a portable memory device. In particular, the interface 320 may be a USB interface or a smartcard reader.

The external memory device 340 can be any device capable of storing beverage preparation programs. Although preferably a smartcard or USB flash drive, the external memory device 340 may be a consumer electronic device having a primary function that is unrelated to beverage dispensing. Examples of such consumer electronic devices are digital cameras, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA's) and personal media players.

Fig. 4 shows a method 400 of customising the system 300 of Fig. 3. In a first step, the user is interrogated 410 as to the desired parameters of a beverage dispensing program. Such parameters may include the beverage type (e.g. tea or coffee), portion size, concentration, additives (e.g. milk and sugar), etc. This interrogation is performed remote from the beverage dispensing system 300, for example at a personal computer or at another beverage dispensing system.

Based on the interrogation 410 of the user, at least one beverage program is selected 420 from a plurality of programs. For example, if the interrogation determines that the user desires strong black coffee with sugar, all or some of the programs meeting these parameters are selected. In the case where no programs meet the user's parameters, at least one closest match' program can be selected, satisfying the parameters as bestas possible. The selected programs are then downloaded 430 to the external memory device 340.

The logic 330 of the beverage dispensing system 300 is configured to detect 440 coupling of the external memory device 340 via the interlace 320 of the beverage dispensing system 300. On detecting 440 the coupling, the logic 330 automatically initiates 450 copying 460 of the programs stored in the memory 350 of the external memory device 340 to the internal memory 310 of the beverage dispensing system. Once the programs have been copied 460 to the internal memory 310, they can be selected by a user of the beverage dispensing device.

It is preferred that the programs copied into the internal memory 310 remain after the external memory device 340 is decoupled from the beverage dispensing system 300. However, in some embodiments the copied programs may be deleted on removal of the external memory device 340 in order that an excessive number of programs do not accumulate in the internal memory 310.

In the latter case, copied programs would be available for user selection only whilst the external memory device 340 remains coupled via the interlace 320.

Fig. 5 shows a method similar to that of Fig. 4 but including a number of additional steps. The first additional step is the designation 510 one of the programs downloaded to the external memory device 340 as a default program.

Although Fig. 5 shows an embodiment in which a downloaded program is designated 510 as the default, the program could be designated as such prior to the downloading step. in a second additional step, in response to the detection 440 of the coupling of the external memory device 340 and once the program(s) have been copied 460 from the external memory device 340 to the internal memory 310, the logic 330 of the beverage dispensing system automatically causes 520 a beverage portion to be prepared and dispensed according to the default program. Once the beverage portion has been dispensed, the default program may either be deleted from the internal memory 310, or may remain in the Internal memory 310 to be made available to subsequent users.

Fig. 6 shows a system 600 for dispensing beverage portions, wherein beverage dispensing systems 610 are communicatively linked to a host computer 620 across a network 640. The host computer is configured to receive user selection of a beverage preparation program from a database 630 and cause one of the beverage dispensing systems 610 to prepare a beverage portion according to the selected program.

Fig. 7 shows a method of dispensing a beverage portion using the system of Fig. 6. First, the user is presented 710, at the host computer 620, with the programs available from the database 630. The host computer 620 receives 720 user selection of a first of these programs, which is uploaded 730 to one of the beverage dispensing systems 610. The host computer 620 then causes 740 the beverage dispensing system 610 to which the program was uploaded 730 to prepare and dispense a portion of the beverage according to the uploaded program.

The beverage dispensing system 610 to which the first program is uploaded may be selected by the user at the host computer 620, or may be determined automatically. For example, the host computer 62Omay automatically select the beverage dispensing system 610 closest to the host computer 620 that is capable of preparing a beverage portion according to the selected first program.

For example, when beverage dispensing systems 610a, 610b and 610c are at increasingly distant locations from the host computer 620, and only systems 610b and 610c have ingredients for preparing hot chocolate, a user selecting a hot chocolate program at the host computer 620 will be informed by the host computer that his beverage will be dispensed at system 610b (the closest system able to prepare hot chocolate). Other algorithms for determining the dispensing system 610 may also be used, including selecting the system 610 with the shortest queue of beverage orders.

In an alternative embodiment, the user selects from programs that are already available at the beverage dispensing systems 610. In this embodiment, each beverage dispensing system 610 on the network 640 communicates details of its available programs to the host computer 620 for presentation to the user.

Dispensing may then be restricted to the beverage dispensing system 610 at which a selected program is already available, but preferably the selected program may be uploaded to any of the dispensing systems 610 that is capable of preparing a beverage portion acconiing to the program.

In further embodiments, the host computer 620 may cause the beverage to be dispensed at a predetermined time. This may take the form of scheduling, for example in order that a particular beverage is automatically dispensed at a particular beverage dispensing system 610 at a predetermined discrete or repeating time. For example, a user may configure the system 600 such that the beverage preparation system 610 closest to his workspace dispenses the user's favourite beverage at 8:55 every day from Monday to Friday.

Alternatively, the host computer 620 may delay dispensing of the beverage for a predetermined period of time. For example, when a user at the host computer 620 requests that a beverage portion be dispensed at a beverage dispensing system 610 4 minutes walk from the host computer 620 and it is known that the beverage dispensing system 620 will take 30 seconds to dispense the beverage potion, the host computer 620 may delay beverage dispensing by 3'A minutes in order that the beverage portion will have been freshly dispensed when the user anives at the beverage dispensing system to collect the beverage portion.

The host computer 620 may be further configured to permit the selection of more than one beverage portion to be prepared at a single beverage dispensing system 610, even when round buying or queuing functionality is not available at the beverage dispensing system. In order to achieve this, multiple single-potion orders may be buffered at the host computer 620 with each order only sent to the beverage dispensing system 610 upon completion of the previous one.

Fig. 8 shows a beverage dispensing system 800 that includes an internal memory 810 for storing programs for preparing beverages, a display 840 for presenting the stored programs to a user, logic 830 for controlling the display 840, an interface 820 for receiving user selection of one of the programs, and means 850 for preparing and dispensing a beverage according to the program.

The logic 830 is configured to present the programs based on at least one variable that is external to the beverage dispensing system. The at least one external variable may include (but is not limited to) the ambient temperature, the current date, the identity of the user, the time of day or any combination of these.

The term external variable is used to describe any measurable parameter that is not internal to the beverage dispensing system 800. Thus, external variables will include parameters such as time and date, environmental and climatic conditions, the location of the beverage dispensing system 800, information relating to the user (identity, demographic information, etc.), and so on. Any parameter that could still be measured in the absence of the beverage dispensing system 800 is an external variable.

Fig. 9 shows a method 900 of dispensing a beverage portion using the beverage dispensing system 800 of Fig. 8. The method 900 begins by presenting 910, on display 840, programs stored in the internal memory 810. The logic 830 controls the display in such a way that the programs are displayed based on at least one external variable. User selection of a first of the presented programs is received 920 via the interface 820 and beverage preparing and dispensing means 850 prepare and dispense 930 a beverage portion in accordance with the selected first program.

Preferably, the logic 830 is configured to predict likely and unlikely program selections based on the at least one external variable. The display 840 may then be controlled in such a v that likely program selections are presented prominently to the user, with unlikely program choices presented less prominently and in some embodiments even concealed from the user.

The logic 830 may use the at least one external variable in other ways to determine how the programs are presented to the user. For example, the logic 830 may be configured limit the display of more expensive programs to certain times of day, or to conceal programs for beverages that are high in sugar from users identified as diabetic.

When the logic 830 is configured to present a first set of the programs more prominently, this can be achieved in a number of ways. For example, representations of the programs may be enlarged or emboldened relative to other representations, or may be animated or presented earlier in a menu.

Basing the order of programs in a menu on the one or more external variables is a particularly preferred embodiment.

The logic 830 may be configured to present only a second set of said programs, the programs belonging to the second set being selected based on the at least one external variable.

The above embodiments have been described by way of example only. Many other embodiments falling within the scope of the accompanying claims will be apparent to the skilled reader.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing a portion of a beverage, in a beverage dispensing system, said beverage containing a first ingredient and said method comprising: receiving an instruction from a user to dispense a portion of said beverage; determining historical data and a target quantity associated with said user based on said historical data and said target quantity, determining a desired quantity of said first ingredient; preparing and dispensing a portion of said beverage, said portion comprising said first ingredient in the desired quantity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the historical data comprises a previous quantity of said first ingredient present in the last portion of said beverage dispensed to said user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said desired quantity lies between the previous quantity and the target quantity.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the desired quantity is greater than the previous quantity.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the desired quantity is less than the previous quantity.

6. The method of any preceding claim wherein the first ingredient is one of sweetener, whitener, water (i.e. dilution), salt and caffeine.

7. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the beverage comprises a second ingredient, the quantity of which decreases in inverse proportionality to the first ingredient.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first ingredient is a carbohydrate sweetener and the second ingredient is an artificial sweetener.

9. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising the step of identifying the user.

10. The method of any preceding claim, further comprising the step of reading said historical data from a remote storage location.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said remote storage location is a iS storage device associated with the user.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote storage device is a remote computer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the remote storage device comprises a database.

14. A beverage dispensing system for dispensing a portion of a beverage to a user, said beverage containing a first ingredient and said system comprising: an interface for receiving an instruction from said user to dispense a portion of said beverage comprising a first ingredient; memory in which is stored historical data and a target quantity associated with said user; logic configured to determine a desired quantity of said first ingredient based on said stored historical data and target quantity and to configure preparation and dispensing means to dispense a portion of said beverage portion comprising said first ingredient in the desired quantity.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the historical data comprises a previous quantity of said first ingredient present in the last portion of said beverage dispensed to said user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said desired quantity lies between the previous quantity and the target quantity.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the desired quantity is greater than the previous quantity.

18. The system of claim 16, whereIn the desired quantity is less than the previous quantity.

19. The system of any of claims 14 to 18 wherein the first ingredient is one of sweetener, whitener, water (i.e. dilution), salt and caffeine.

20. The system of any of claims 14 to 19, wherein the beverage comprises a second ingredient, the quantity of which decreases in inverse proportionality to the first ingredient.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the first ingredient is a carbohydrate sweetener and the second ingredient is an artificial sweetener.

22. The system of any of claims 14 to 21, wherein said logic comprises the logic for identifying the user.

23. The system of any of claims 14 to 22, wherein the memory is a remote memory.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the memory is a storage device associated with the user.

25. A beverage dispensing system, said system comprising: an internal memory for storing programs for preparing beverages; an interface for coupling said internal memory to an external memory device; and logic configured to copy at least one beverage preparation program from an external memory device coupled to the interface to the internal memory.

26. The beverage dispensing system of claim 25, wherein the logic is further configured to: detect the coupling of the external memory device to the interface; and in response to said detection, automatically copy the at least one beverage preparation program to the Internal memory.

27. The beverage dispensing system of claim 26, wherein said at least one beverage preparation program includes a default program and wherein the logic is further configured to cause the system to automatically prepare and dispense a beverage according to the default program in response to said detection.

28. The beverage dispensing system of any of claims 25 to 27, wherein the interface is a Universal Serial Bus interface.

29. The beverage dispensing system of any of claims 25 to 27, wherein the interface is a smart card reader and the external memory device is a smart card.

30. The beverage dispensing system of any of claims 25 to 29, when configured to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 13.

31. A method of customising a beverage dispensing system, comprising: interrogating a user as to the desired parameters of a beverage preparation program; based on said interrogation, selecting at least one beverage preparation program from a plurality of programs; downloading said selected at least one program onto an external memory device; and copying said at least one program from the external memory device to an internal memory of said beverage dispensing system.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising: detecting the coupling of said external memory device to an interface of said beverage dispensing system; automatically initiating said copying step in response to said detection.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising: designating one of said at least one selected programs as a default program; detecting the coupling of an external memory device to an interface of said system; in response to said detecting, automatically preparing and dispensing a beverage according to said default program.

34. The method of any of claims 31 to 33, wherein the interface is a Universal Serial Bus interface.

35. The method of any of claims 26 to 33, wherein the interface is a smart card reader and the external memory device is a smart card.

36. The method of any of claims 26 to 35, further comprising dispensing a portion of a beverage according to the method of any of claims 1 to 13.

37. A system for dispensing beverage portions comprising: a beverage dispensing system for preparing and dispensing a portion of a beverage according to a beverage preparation program; a host computer, configured to receive user selection of a first beverage preparation program and cause the beverage dispensing system to prepare a beverage portion according to said first beverage preparation program; and a network across which the beverage dispensing system and host computer are communicatively linked.

38. The system of claim 37, further comprising a database of beverage preparation programs, wherein: the host computer is configured to receive user selection of the first beverage preparation program from the database; and in response to said selection; the first beverage preparation program is uploaded from the database to the beverage dispensing system via the host computer.

39. The system of claim 37 or claim 38, wherein the system comprises a plurality of beverage dispensing systems communicatively linked to the host computer across the network.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein a plurality beverage preparation programs available at the plurality of beverage systems are presented to the user at the host computer, and wherein said user selection of the first beverage preparation program from the plurality of available programs causes selection of a beverage dispensing system at which the first program is available and causes the beverage portion to be dispensed at the selected beverage system.

41. The system of any of claims 37 to 40, wherein the host computer causes the beverage to be dispensed at a preselected time.

42. The system of any of claims 37 to 41, wherein the host computer causes the beverage dispensing system to prepare a plurality of beverage portions according to said first beverage preparation program.

43. The system of any of claims 37 to 41, when programmed to carry out the method of any of claims I to 13.

44. A method of dispensing beverage portions comprising: receiving user selection, at a host computer, of a first beverage preparation program; in response to said user selection, causing a beverage dispensing system communicatively coupled to the host computer across a network to prepare and dispense a beverage portion according to said first beverage preparation program.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising: receiving user selection, at the host computer, of the first beverage preparation program from a database of beverage preparation programs; and in response to said selection; uploading the first beverage preparation program via the host computer to the beverage dispensing system.

46. The method of claim 44 or claim 45, wherein a plurality of beverage dispensing systems are communicatively linked to the host computer across the network.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising presented beverage preparation programs available at the plurality of beverage systems to the user at the host computer, and wherein said user selection comprises a user selecting a beverage dispensing system at which said first beverage dispensing program is available arid causing said beverage portion to be dispensed at said selected beverage dispensing system.

48. The method of any of claims 44 to 47, causing said beverage dispensing system to dispense a beverage portion comprises causing the beverage dispensing system to dispense a beverage portion at a preselected time.

49. The method of any of claims 44 to 48, wherein causing said beverage dispensing system to dispense a beverage portion comprises causing the beverage dispensing system to dispense a plurality of beverage portions.

50. The method of any of claims 44 to 49, wherein causing said beverage dispensing system to dispense a beverage comprises causing the dispensing system to dispense a beverage according to the method of any of claims Ito 13. to

51. A beverage dispensing system, said system comprising: an internal memory for storing programs for preparing beverages: a display for presenting said programs to a user logic for controlling said display: an interface for receiving user selection of one of said programs; and means for preparing and dispensing a beverage according to said selected program, wherein said logic is configured to present said programs based on at least one variable that is external to the beverage dispensing system.

52. The beverage dispensing system of claim 51, wherein said at least one external variable comprises the ambient temperature.

53. The beverage dispensing system of claim 51 or claim 52, wherein said at least one external variable comprises the current date.

54. The beverage dispensing system of any of claims 51 to 53, wherein said at least one external variable comprises the identity of the user.

55. The beverage dispensing system of any of claims 51 to 54, wherein said at least one external variable comprises the time of day.

56. The beverage dispensing system of any of claims 51 to 55, wherein said logic is configured to display of a first set of said programs more prominently than the other programs, wherein said first set is based on said at least one external variable.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein presenting a program more prominently comprises emboldening a representation of said program in a display.

58. The method of claim 56 or claim 57, wherein presenting a program more prominently comprises presenting said program earlier in a menu.

59. The method of any of claims 56 to 58, wherein presenting a program more prominently comprises animating a representation of said program in a display.

60. The method of any of claims 56 to 59 only a second set of said programs is displayed, said second set being based on said at least one external variable.

61. The beverage dispensing system of any of claims 51 to 60, wherein said logic is configured to display only a second set of said programs, wherein said second set is based on said at least one external variable.

62. The beverage dispensing system of any of claims 51 to 61, when configured to perform the method of any of claims I to 13.

63. A method of dispensing a portion of a beverage, said method comprising: presenting programs for preparing beverages to a user; receiving user selection of one of said programs; and preparing and dispensing a beverage according to said selected program, wherein said programs are displayed based on at least one variable that is external to the beverage dispensing system.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein said at least one external variable comprises the ambient temperature.

65. The method of claim 63 or claim 64, wherein said at least one external variable comprises the current date.

66. The method of any of claims 63 to 65, wherein said at least one external variable compnses the identity of the user.

67. The method of any of claims 63 to 66, wherein said at least one external variable comprises the time of day.

68. The method any of claims 63 to 67, whereIn a first set of said programs are presented more prominently than the programs not in the first set, said first set being based on said at least one external variable.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein presenting a program more prominently comprises emboldening a representation of said program in a display.

70. The method of claim 68 or claim 69, wherein presenting a program more prominently comprises presenting said program earlier in a menu.

71. The method of any of claims 68 to 70, wherein presenting a program more prominently comprises animating a representation of said program in a display.

72. The method of any of claims 68 to 71 only a second set of said programs is displayed, said second set being based on said at least one external variable.

73. The method of any of claims 63 to 72, wherein only a second set of said programs is presented to the user, said second set being based on said at least one external variable.

74. The method of any of claims 63 to 72, wherein the beverage is dispensed according to a portion of a beverage according to the method of any of claims Ito 13.