JPH11262649A - Mixing device and method, and beverage feeding device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an original beverage only for himself suited to various tastes of personal users without indicating the components, etc., in detail. SOLUTION: Personal information (sex, age, height, weight, etc.), of a user is inputted by an information input part 2, and based on the obtained personal information, the beverage, etc., suited to a taste of the user are mixed at a mixing part 6 to be presented to the user. Also, the outside information (temperature, etc., in the outside) is detected with a detection part 3 and the obtained outside information is added, and a mixing ratio of the components of the beverage, etc., may be decided.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for mixing beverages and the like, and more particularly to a beverage supply apparatus such as a vending machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional beverage mixing apparatus, there has been an apparatus that pours an undiluted solution of a beverage, water, hot water and the like into a container such as a paper cup and mixes them. This device can be used to specify the taste according to the user's taste, such as “koi”, “light”, “sugar increase”, “no sugar”, etc., by pressing a predetermined button, operating a lever, etc. Can be done by

[0003]

By the way, in recent years, the tastes of users have been diversified, and there has been a tendency for users to seek “more drinks that are more personal” or “original drinks for oneself”. In addition, there is a tendency to require not only the components of the beverage to be "our own original" but also the beverage containers to be "their own original".

[0004] These tendencies indicate that the user is not only interested in the taste and ingredients of the beverage, but also seeks entertainment from drinking the beverage itself.

[0005] In order to create an original beverage meeting such new needs, it is essential to reflect the preferences of individual users in detail.

[0006] However, the conventional beverage mixing apparatus described above has a problem that if the user's preferences are to be reflected in detail, the designation method becomes complicated, and much labor is required.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to solve these problems and to provide a beverage or the like more suited to the user's taste without requiring the user to specify complicated components.

[0008]

According to the present invention, in mixing two or more components (such as ingredients of a beverage), the components are mixed based on the personal information of the input user. 4, 5, 7), it is possible to provide a beverage or the like that matches the taste of the user, and it is not necessary for the user to finely specify the components.

Here, "user's personal information" refers to the user's gender, age, height, weight, and the user's degree of fatigue at the time of input.

Further, external information (current time, external temperature, etc.) at the time of mixing the beverage or the like is also reflected in the mixing of the beverage or the like (claims 3 and 6). Providing suitable beverages and the like can be performed.

[0011]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a beverage vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.
It is built into the housing and has two health drinks: a healthy drink that considers health, and an original drink that reflects the tastes of the user.
Types can be sold.

The medium input port 1 is a part for inputting a medium as a price for a beverage. What is accepted here is not limited to cash (money or paper money), but may be a medium containing information on the value of money such as a prepaid card. In addition, if it is not necessary to collect the price of the beverage from each user every time, a configuration without the medium inlet 1 can be adopted.

The information input unit 2 receives designation of a type of beverage or input of personal information of a user. The information input unit 2 can be configured using a known input device such as a button, a keyboard, and a touch panel. Alternatively, when the user's personal information is recorded on the card, the card reader may be used for the information input unit 2 to input the personal information. Further, it is assumed that selection of whether to provide a healthy beverage or an original beverage is also performed by the information input unit 2. The information input unit 2 corresponds to the "information input means" in claims 1 and 7.

The detecting section 3 detects external information. For example, the detection unit 3 is configured by a known temperature sensor or the like, and can detect a current air temperature or the like. In addition, a known humidity sensor or the like can be provided as needed. Furthermore, a clock (not shown) is built in the detection unit 3, and the current time can be known from the clock. This detector 3
Corresponds to the “detection means” in claim 3.

The display unit 4 displays an operation instruction for the user,
Various information such as components of the beverage mixture is displayed.

The storage unit 5 stores beverage containers and materials. For the container, for example, a paper cup or the like is used, and for the material, a predetermined stock solution (a stock solution of a coffee, a stock solution of a cocktail, a stock solution of a cola, or the like is considered), hot water, water, carbonated water, ice, or the like is used.

The mixing section 6 puts the beverage ingredients stored in the storage section 5 into a container. Specifically, by pouring the undiluted solution, hot water, water, and the like at a predetermined ratio into the container, the mixed beverage is put into the container.

The transport section 7 transports the beverage container to the mixing section 6 and outputs a container containing the mixed beverage to the output section 8.

The output unit 8 is an outlet for a user to receive a container containing the mixed beverage.

The control section 9 performs overall control. In addition, the components and the mixing ratio when mixing the beverage are determined. Rules for mixing beverages (details will be described later)
Is stored in a memory (not shown) in the control unit 9. The control unit 9 corresponds to “determining means” in claim 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, a flowchart for operating the vending machine of FIG. 1 will be described.

First, in step S1, the user inserts money from the medium insertion slot 1.

Next, in step S2, personal information of the user is input from the information input unit 2. There are various possibilities for what to input. For example, gender (male or female), age, height (unit: cm), weight (unit: kg), degree of fatigue (for example, 1 out of 5 levels)・ Choice or not of coffee and its degree (for example, 5
(Select one from the stages.)-It is conceivable that the user inputs whether or not the user likes alcohol and the degree (for example, one from five stages).

FIG. 3 shows an example of the input instruction screen. In this case, it is conceivable to perform input in a touch panel format by touching a screen displayed on the display unit 4, but a format in which a button or the like is separately provided may be used.

The age input is as shown in FIG.
The input may be selected from options such as "0-20 years old", "20-50 years old", "50 years old or older", or a form for inputting numerical values such as height and weight. In addition, it is preferable to control the input screen so that a question as to whether or not the user likes alcohol is asked only to a user whose age is 20 or older.

After completing the input of the personal information, the user selects between the health drink and the original drink. FIG. 4 shows an example of a screen for instructing selection input.

In step S3, it is checked whether the user has selected a healthy drink or an original drink. If a healthy beverage is selected, the process proceeds to step S4. If an original beverage is selected, step S4 is skipped and the process proceeds to step S5.

In step S4, the external information is detected by the detector 3. There are various types of what can be specifically detected, but as an example, detection of the current time, weather, and the like can be considered.

In step S5, the controller 9 determines the mixing ratio of the beverage. Although various rules for mixing can be considered, it is possible to determine, for example, as follows using a value input from the information input unit 2 (and in the case of preparing a health drink, external information detected by the detection unit 3). it can.

First, when mixing health drinks: If the age is equal to or higher than a certain value (for example, 50 or higher), the sugar content is reduced. -If the difference between the height value and the weight value is 110 or less, it is regarded as being slightly obese and the sugar content is reduced.・ If the degree of fatigue is 3 or more in 5 stages, add more vitamin.・ If the current temperature is below a certain level (for example, below 10 ° C)
If so, provide a hot drink (80 ° C or higher). It will be mixed according to such rules.

In mixing the original beverage, if the user is a male, the carbonic acid is strengthened.・ If the user is a woman, reduce carbonation. If the user's age is 50 or more, reduce the density. If the user likes coffee and the degree is 4 or more in 5 stages, add a large amount of coffee components. If the user is 20 years old or older and likes alcohol, and the degree is 4 or more in 5 stages, add more alcohol components. It will be mixed according to such rules.

In step S6, the mixing result is displayed on the display unit 4, and the user is asked for confirmation. As an example, FIG. 5 shows an example of the confirmation screen after determining the mixing ratio of the alcoholic beverage 10 mg, the coffee component 10 mg, and the original beverage having reduced carbonic acid.

In this case, if "many alcohol" is pressed, 5
It is set so that mg alcohol increases and if "alcohol less" is pressed, 5 mg alcohol decreases. Also,
The setting is made so that pressing "more coffee component" increases the 5 mg coffee component, and pressing "less coffee component" decreases the 5 mg coffee component.

Further, the intensity of carbonic acid is of three levels, "strong", "weak", and "non-carbonated". When "strongly carbonic" is pressed, the strength is increased by one step, and when "strongly carbonic" is pressed, the strength is weakened by one step. Have been. Here, since the current strength is “weak”, pressing “strongly carbonic” results in “strong” and pressing “weakly carbonic” results in “non-carbonated”.

If the user presses one or more buttons for instructing correction, and then presses the "OK" button, the process returns to step S5, where the specified components are corrected and the mixing ratio of the beverage is determined again. Then, the confirmation screen after the correction is shown in FIG.
Display according to the format.

If the user presses the OK button without instructing correction, the process proceeds to step S7. That is, the beverage is mixed in the mixing unit 6 using the beverage material stored in the storage unit 5.

Then, the process proceeds to step S8, in which the mixed beverage is output from the output unit 8, and the process ends. The list of the mixed components may be output from the output unit 8 simultaneously with the beverage. The list includes a printer (not shown) in the output unit 8.
Or a form in which the beverage is put in a paper cup, and if the container containing the beverage is a paper cup, the form may be printed outside the paper cup and output.

As another embodiment, a form in which a biological information measuring unit (not shown) is incorporated in the information input unit 2 is also conceivable. In this case, the user's pulse, sweat rate, and the like are measured as the biological information, and for this purpose, a known pulse meter, sweat measuring device, or the like is built in the information input unit 2. Then, it is conceivable to prepare a function of mixing drinks by using the measured user's pulse, sweat rate, and the like, and determining a rule such as "provide a cold drink if the user's sweat rate is equal to or more than a certain value". .

When the beverage is output from the output unit 8,
A form in which a user's face image or caricature is simultaneously output to enhance entertainment can be considered. Specifically, a face image or a portrait of the user is printed on a container. At this time, the container is preferably made of a material that can be printed later (made of paper or the like).

In this case, the face image and the portrait of the user can be registered in advance and stored in a memory (not shown) in the control unit 9, and each time a beverage is prepared, a camera and a portrait (not shown) are prepared. The creation unit can capture a face image or create a portrait. Then, a printing unit (not shown) is built in the vending machine, and a face image or a portrait is printed on the container.

It is also conceivable to connect these vending machines via a communication network (whether wired or wireless) and centrally manage information inputted from each vending machine by a network server (not shown). . In this case, a transmitting and receiving unit (not shown) is built in the vending machine, and user information and the like input from the information input unit are transmitted to the network server. Then, there is a use form in which past user information is stored in a network server, and the stored information is referred to as needed.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, personal information of a user is reflected in mixing a beverage or the like, so that it is possible to match the taste of each user without the need for the user to specify components in detail. "My own original drink"
Can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a flow of processing of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an example of an input instruction screen displayed on the display unit 4 of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an example of an input instruction screen displayed on the display unit 4 of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an example of a component confirmation screen displayed on the display unit 4 of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 medium inlet 2 information input unit 3 detection unit 4 display unit 5 storage unit 6 mixing unit 7 transport unit 8 output unit 9 control unit

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A mixing device for mixing two or more components, comprising: information input means for inputting personal information of a user; and said component based on personal information of the user input from said information input means. A mixing device provided with mixing means for mixing. 2. Indicating the components of the mixture to the user, and when the user instructs to correct the component mixture, according to the instruction,
2. The mixing device according to claim 1, wherein the mixing of the components is corrected. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising detecting means for detecting external information, wherein said mixing means reflects external information detected by said detecting means when mixing said components. 3. The mixing device according to 2. 4. A mixing method for mixing two or more components, wherein a personal information of a user is input, and the components are mixed based on the input information. 5. Indicating the components of the mixture to the user, and when the user instructs to correct the component mixture, according to the instruction,
5. The mixing method according to claim 4, wherein the correction of the component mixing is performed. 6. The mixing method according to claim 4, wherein the mixing of the components also reflects external information detected separately. 7. An information input means for inputting personal information of a user, wherein a beverage component is mixed and provided to the user based on the user's personal information input from said information input means. And a beverage supply device.