RU2801239C2 - Beverage preparation device with capsule recognition - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: beverage equipment.

SUBSTANCE: device (1) for preparing and dispensing a beverage (2) has: a capsule extraction unit (10), having a first part (11) and a second part (12), which are made with the possibility of relative movement between the remote position for inserting the capsule (3) and a close position for the extraction of such a capsule (3); a control unit (40) for controlling the extraction unit (10) to extract such a capsule (3); an outlet channel (20) for dispensing said beverage (2) formed by extracting such a capsule (3) into a user's container (4) located in the receiving container area; and a capsule recognition mechanism (30) connected to the control unit (40) for color recognition of at least a portion of the capsule inserted into the device (1).

EFFECT: effective performance.

16 cl, 14 dwg

Description

The field of technology to which the invention belongs

The field of application of the invention relates to devices for preparing a drink, in which capsules with an ingredient of the prepared drink are used. The field of application of the invention relates in particular to devices for preparing a beverage using capsules, which are capable of automatically recognizing the type of capsule inserted into the device, for example, to adapt the parameters for preparing a drink to the recognized type of capsule.

For the purposes of this specification, the term "beverage" is intended to include any liquid substance intended for human consumption, such as tea, coffee, hot or cold chocolate, milk, soup, baby food, and the like. A "capsule" is intended to contain a pre-portioned beverage ingredient, such as a flavoring ingredient, in a package of any material, in particular airtight packaging such as plastic or aluminium, in recyclable and/or biodegradable packages of any shape and structure, including those containing ingredient soft containers or rigid cartridges. The capsule may contain an amount of an ingredient for preparing a single serving of a drink or a plurality of servings of a drink.

State of the art

Some beverage preparation devices use capsules that contain ingredients to be extracted or dissolved and/or ingredients that are stored and automatically dispensed in the device or otherwise added at the time of preparation of the drink. Some beverage preparation devices are equipped with filling devices that include a liquid pump, typically water, which pumps liquid from a source of water, either cold or heated by heating devices such as a thermoblock or the like.

Particularly in the field of coffee preparation, devices are widely used in which a capsule containing beverage ingredients is inserted into a brewing device.

Designs of cooking chambers have been developed to facilitate the insertion of a new capsule and the removal of a used capsule. As a rule, the cooking chambers contain two parts made with the possibility of relative movement from the position for inserting/removing the capsule to the position for cooking the ingredient in the capsule.

The moving part of the cooking chamber can be manually driven as described in WO 2009/043630, WO 01/15581, WO 02/43541, WO 2010/015427, WO 2010/128109, WO 2011/144719 and WO 2012/032019. Various handle configurations are described in EP 1867260, WO 2005/004683, WO 2007/135136, WO 2008/138710, WO 2009/074550, WO 2009/074553, WO 2009/074555, WO 2009/074557 WO 2009/074559, WO 2010 /037806, WO 2011/042400, WO 2011/042401 and WO 2011/144720. The use of such devices in beverage preparation devices is described in WO 2009/074550, WO 2011/144719, EP2014195046, EP2014195048 and EP2014195067.

The moving part of the cooking chamber can be driven by a motor. For example, such a system is described in EP 1 767 129. In this case, the user does not need to make physical efforts to open or close the cooking chamber. The brewer comprises a capsule insertion channel provided with a protective door installed in the movable part of the brewer by means of a switch to detect unwanted presence of a finger in the channel when closing and to prevent injury due to pinching. Alternative caps for the capsule insertion channel are described in WO 2012/093107 and WO 2013/127906. Various motorized systems are described in WO 2012/025258, WO 2012/025259 and WO 2013/127476.

Various systems are described in the art for enabling the user to interact with such devices, for equipping the device with operating instructions or receiving feedback information from it, which, for example, are mentioned in the following sources: AT 410 377, CH 682 798, DE 44 29 353, DE 202 00 419, DE 20 2006 019 039, DE 2007 008 590, EP 1448084, EP 1676509, EP 08155851.2, FR 2624844, GB 2397510, US 4,377,049 4,458,735 US 4,554,419 US 4,767,632 US 4,954,697, US 5,312,020, US 5,335,705, US 5,372,061, US 5,375,508, US 5,645,230, US 5,685,435, US 5,731,981, US 5,836,236, US 5,959,869, US 6 .182.555 /50172, WO2004/030435, WO2004/030438, WO2006/063645, WO2006/090183, WO2007/003062, WO2007/003990, WO2008/104751, WO2008/13 8710, WO2008/138820, WO2010 /003932, WO 2011/144720 and WO 2012/032019.

To improve the usability of the device, it is possible to automatically identify the capsule fed into the device and then automatically process and extract the capsule, as for example described in WO 2012/123440.

WO 2012/049426 A2 describes a system comprising a beverage preparation device connected via the Internet to a remote server. The device registers the characteristics of the capsule supplied to the device, such as its color, and sends them to a remote server, which determines the type of capsule.

There is still a need to improve beverage dispensing devices that automatically and reliably identify capsules.

US 2012/123440 describes a barcode scanner with a color image sensor that can use, for example, RGB or YUV color image signals from the sensor to decode a barcode, in particular to detect barcode boundaries in a captured image.

Disclosure of invention

The invention relates to a beverage preparation device. The beverage preparation device may be intended for domestic or industrial use.

This appliance can be used to make coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa, milk, soup, baby food, etc.

The preparation of a beverage typically involves mixing a plurality of beverage ingredients, such as water and milk powder, and/or infusing the beverage ingredient, such as steeping ground coffee or tea, using water. One or more of these ingredients may be provided as a free-flowing and/or agglomerated powder and/or as a liquid, in particular as a concentrate. Such an ingredient can be mixed with a carrier liquid or a diluent liquid, such as water, to form a beverage. Typically, preparation and dispensing of a predetermined amount of beverage corresponding to a serving (eg, one serving) occurs at the user's request. The volume of such a portion may range from 25 to 200 ml and even up to 300 or 400 ml, for example the volume to fill a cup (depending on the type of drink). The drinks that are prepared and served can be selected from ristretto, espresso, lungo, cappuccino, latte macchiato, latte, americano, tea, etc. In particular, the coffee machine can be configured to dispense espresso, for example, with an adjustable serving volume from 20 to 60 ml, and/or with the possibility of dispensing lungo, for example, with a serving volume in the range of 70 to 150 ml.

The device of the invention has a unit for extracting a capsule with a beverage ingredient to prepare a beverage. The block has a first part and a second part, which are made with the possibility of relative movement between a remote position for insertion and/or removal of the capsule and a close position for fixing and extracting such a capsule. In a close position, the first and second parts, as a rule, limit the extraction chamber.

The capsule may include a capsule body, such as a substantially straight or conical body. The capsule may have a circular peripheral annular flange, such as a flexible or rigid flange, extending from a peripheral portion, such as an edge or surface, of the capsule body. The capsule may contain a flavoring ingredient for making tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, milk, soup, or baby food.

At least one of the first and second parts may define a cavity for receiving an ingredient, for example in a capsule, such as a conical cavity, such as a conical or pyramidal cavity, or a straight cavity, such as a cylindrical or trapezoidal cavity. Such a cavity may extend along an axis that is substantially collinear with the direction of relative movement of the first and second parts. Subsequently, the extraction chamber is limited on one side by such a cavity.

Another part of these first and second parts may be defined by another cavity, or may include an extraction plate, such as a plate provided with piercing elements to open the flow surface of the capsule, or a non-penetrating plate to interact with the flow surface of the capsule, which is pre-opened or which is self-opening. .

Examples of extraction chambers are described in WO 2008/037642 and WO 2013/026843.

At least one of these parts may have a capsule opening device, such as one or more capsule piercing devices.

The capsule may also include a self-opening mechanism. Self-opening capsules are, for example, described in CH 605 293 and WO 03/059778.

In the case of closed capsules, the first and second parts may include tools for opening the capsule, such as blades and/or a tearing tool, such as a tearing profile plate, such as known among Nespresso™ devices or described in EP 0 512 470, EP 2 068 684 and WO 2014/076041, as well as in the sources cited in these documents.

At least one of the parts may have an opening for the inflow of liquid intended for mixing with the ingredient located in such a capsule.

The device includes a control unit for controlling the extraction unit in order to extract such a capsule. The control unit can be powered from the mains, for example, using an electrical cord.

The device has an outlet channel for dispensing a beverage formed by extracting such a capsule into a user's receiving vessel, such as a cup or mug, which is located in the area for receiving the receiving vessel.

The flavored beverage can be prepared by circulating (using a liquid transfer device, such as a pump) a carrier liquid, such as water, in a capsule to flavor the liquid by exposing the flavoring ingredient contained in the capsule, for example, along the direction of extraction, which may be essentially parallel to the direction of relative movement of the first and second parts, or to the longitudinal or central direction of extraction.

For example, the user's receptacle may be placed on a receptacle support to collect a beverage.

The receiving vessel support may be formed by an external placement support on which such a device is located.

The support of the receiving vessel may be formed by a support that is part of the device, for example, a movable or removable support of the device.

The area for receiving the receiving vessel may be associated with a support for the capacity of the device, designed to support such a capacity of the user under the outlet channel. The support may be: associated with a collection tray, such as a collection tray supporting the support; and/or is movable vertically relative to the housing under the outlet channel and/or at a distance under the outlet channel to enable placement of user containers of different heights under the outlet channel. Examples of suitable container supports are described in EP 0 549 887, EP 1 440 639, EP 1 731 065, EP 1 867 260, US 5,161,455, US 5,353,692, WO 2009/074557, WO 2009/074559, WO 2 009/135869, WO 2011 /154492, WO 2012/007313, WO 2013/186339, WO 2016/096705, WO 2016/096706 and WO 2016/096707.

In embodiments, the outlet channel may be attached to, or formed by, or installed on, or installed in:

- a device head that has an extended position in which the outlet port is located above the area for receiving the receiving vessel, and a retracted position in which the outlet channel is pushed inside the outer main body of the device, for example, the head of the device is moved in and out of the main body using at least one of the first and second parts or using an actuator controlled by a control unit; and/or

- a movable beverage guide that has a beverage dispensing configuration to dispense beverage into the receiving receptacle area and a beverage flow stop configuration to prevent beverage dispensing into the receptacle receiving area, for example by dripping off beverage residues from the guide through the edge of the guide into a waste receptacle, such as a beverage guide, movable between a dispensing configuration and a stop configuration by at least one of the first and second parts, or by some (or above) device head, or with using an actuator controlled by a control unit.

For example, the device is equipped with a device head as described in WO 2017/037212 and WO 2017/037215.

Examples of suitable waste receptacles for practicing the present invention are described in EP 1867260, WO 2009/074559, WO 2009/135869, WO 2010/128109, WO 2011/086087, WO 2011/086088, PCT/EP2017/050237 and WO 2017 /037212.

The fluid guide may be completely hidden in the main body and/or head of the device.

Details of fluid guides suitable or adaptable for the practice of the present invention are found in WO 2006/050769, WO 2012/072758, WO 2013/127907, WO 2016/083488 and WO 2017/037212.

The extraction unit may include a capsule delivery device for delivering a capsule to the extraction chamber, the delivery device having a capsule dispenser with a release configuration for releasing such a capsule from the delivery device towards the extraction chamber and a holding configuration for holding such a capsule on distance from the extraction chamber.

The capsule dispenser may be formed by a mechanical and/or magnetic capsule closure, such as a capsule holder, for example, which is shaped to complement or conform to at least a portion of the external shape of such a capsule.

The capsule holder may have a capsule closure that is movable, such as rotatable and/or translational, between a position blocking movement towards the extraction chamber and a position allowing movement towards the extraction chamber.

The capsule holder may have an actuator for switching from a holding position to a release position and vice versa, such as an actuator controlled by a control unit.

Immediately after the release of the capsule in the direction of extraction, the capsule dispenser can be changed from the release configuration to the hold configuration so that the extraction chamber is only accessed when the capsule is to be released.

Detailed information on suitable capsule dispensers can be found in WO 2012/126971, WO 2014/056641, WO 2014/056642 and WO 2015/086371.

The capsule delivery device may include a conduit for directing such a capsule to the extraction chamber in a predetermined orientation of the capsule for entry into the extraction chamber, such as a conduit associated with a capsule immobilization device for immobilizing such a capsule between the first and second parts in their distant position before relative movement to their close position.

The interaction between the first and second parts (and optionally the channel for guiding the capsule) and the ingredient capsule can be of the type described in WO 2005/004683, WO 2007/135135, WO 2007/135136, WO 2008/037642 and WO 2013/026856.

The control unit may control the capsule dispenser to release such a capsule from the dispenser when the first and second parts are in the remote position or move to the remote position, to enter such a capsule into the extraction chamber when the first and second parts are moved back to the close position.

The control unit may control the capsule dispenser to keep such a capsule in the dispenser and away from the extraction chamber when the first and second parts are:

- in a close position or make a relative movement to this position; or

- at a remote position and are about to make a relative movement to a close position so as to leave insufficient time to place such a capsule, if it were released from the dispenser, into the extraction chamber before the first and second parts reach the close position.

The capsule dispenser may include a capsule sensor coupled to or associated with a control unit, the control unit being configured to bring the capsule dispenser into a hold or hold configuration when the capsule sensor detects the absence of such a capsule from the capsule dispenser, or in him. Examples of capsule sensors are given, for example, in WO 2012/123440, WO 2014/147128, WO 2015/173285, WO 2015/173289, WO 2015/173292, WO 2016/005352 and WO 2016/005417.

The control unit may be configured to control the actuator such that the first and second parts move by means of the actuator: from a proximate position to a remote position and from a remote position to a proximate position after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, for example, starting from the moment the preparation of the beverage is started, such as, for example, capsule detection, capsule recognition, user activation of the user interface of the device, and the like. or a combination thereof, eg a predetermined time period in the range of 3 to 15 s, namely 5 to 12 s, eg 7 to 10 s.

Examples of such parts that perform relative movement by means of an actuator (for example, a motor) are described in EP 1767129, WO 2012/025258, WO 2012/025259, WO 2013/127476 and WO 2014/056641.

For example, the first part and the second part are made with the possibility of relative movement, essentially, along a straight axis by means of an actuator from a close to a remote position and/or vice versa.

The device may include a liquid supply device for supplying a liquid, such as water, to the extraction chamber, the liquid supply device being connected to and controlled by a control unit to supply such liquid to the extraction chamber and interrupt such supply automatically and/or manually by means of a user interface connected to the control unit and/or upon detection of the removal of such a receiving vessel by a detection device. For example, the fluid delivery device includes one or more of: a source of said fluid, such as a fluid tank or a fluid connector for connecting to an external fluid source; one or more liquid tubes for directing such liquid into the extraction chamber; liquid transfer devices such as a pump, such as a solenoid pump (reciprocating piston pump), or a peristaltic pump or diaphragm pump, for pumping such liquid into the extraction chamber; and a thermal conditioner, such as a heater and/or a cooler, such as an in-line thermal conditioner, such as an in-line flow conditioner, for thermal conditioning such a fluid.

Examples of suitable sources of liquid, such as tanks or connecting devices, are described in WO 2016/005349, EP2015194020.2, PCT/EP2017/050237, as well as in the sources cited in these documents.

The temperature conditioner may be a boiler, or a thermal block, or an instantaneous heater (ODH), such as the ODH type described in EP 1 253 844, EP 1 380 243 and EP 1 809 151.

Examples of pumps and their applications in beverage preparation devices are described in WO 2009/150030, WO 2010/108700, WO 2011/107574 and WO 2013/098173.

The control unit may be configured to control the liquid supply device to automatically supply liquid to the extraction chamber when:

- the first and second parts have reached their close position, while the capsule is located in the extraction chamber after moving the parts from the remote to the close position in order to combine said liquid with the ingredient in the capsule and form a drink for dispensing through the outlet channel, optionally after detection with some (or the above) capsule sensor for supplying such a capsule to the block; and/or

- the first and second parts have reached their close position, but there is no capsule in the extraction chamber to wash or clean at least part of the block and optionally the outlet channel, and the liquid supply device, for example, is configured to supply liquid with a temperature for rinsing or cleaning, which is different from the temperature of such a liquid to form a drink, for example by brewing.

In a particular embodiment, cold or chilled beverages are also provided.

The control unit may be configured to control the liquid supply device so as not to automatically supply liquid to the extraction chamber when the first and second parts have reached their close position, but there is no (for example, detected or recognized) capsule in the extraction chamber. For example, the control unit is configured to control the liquid supply device to supply liquid to the extraction chamber upon detecting an appropriate manual user input on a user interface connected to the control unit.

The control unit may have an extraction completion control program that starts automatically when the liquid supply is interrupted (for example, when a predefined extraction process is completed or an error is detected during its execution) to:

- immediate relative movement of the first and second parts to their remote position to remove any capsule from the position between the first and second parts; or

- maintaining the first and second parts in a close position for a predetermined period of time, for example, in the range from 1 to 5 s, namely from 2 to 3 s, in order to be able to enter the request manually, for example, through a user interface connected to the control unit, to supply, by means of a liquid supply device, an additional amount of liquid to the extraction chamber, and also, in the absence of such a manually entered request within a predetermined period of time, to move the first and second parts relative to their remote position, to remove any capsule from a position between the first and the second part, for example, to remove such a capsule in the collector of used capsules formed by some (or the above) waste receptacle.

For example, before moving the first and second parts to their proximate position, the parts may remain in their remote position for a predetermined period of time, namely for a period of time in the range of 1 to 6 seconds, such as 2 to 4 seconds, to allow insertion of a new capsules between the first and second parts before moving them relative to a close position with the new capsule located in the extraction chamber to extract the new capsule.

Thus, the user may request that two (or more) beverages (eg, a double espresso) be dispensed into the same user container.

In accordance with the invention, the device includes:

- an extraction unit for extracting a capsule with a beverage ingredient to form a beverage, wherein, for example, the unit has a first part and a second part, which are made with the possibility of relative movement between a remote position for insertion and/or removal of the capsule and a close position, such as a close position, in which the first and second parts define the extraction chamber, for fixing and extracting such a capsule, while optionally at least one of the parts has a device for opening the capsule, for example one or more devices for piercing the capsule, and/or at least one of the parts has an opening for the inflow of liquid intended for mixing with the ingredient in such a capsule;

- a control unit for controlling the extraction unit to extract such a capsule, such as a control unit powered from the mains, for example by means of an electric cord;

- an outlet for dispensing a beverage formed by extracting such a capsule into a user container, such as a cup or mug, located in a receiving receptacle accommodating area, for example on a receptacle support, such as an external accommodating support, on which such a device is located, or a device support, such as a movable or removable device support, for collecting the beverage,

a color recognition module for recognizing a color of a capsule inserted into the device, the color recognition module including a color sensor for detecting a color sample of at least a portion of the surface of such a capsule;

wherein the color recognition module is configured to compare the color sample with at least one color reference by:

- calculation of the typical HSL color vector of the color sample;

- calculating a hue value between the hue component of the HSL sample color vector and the hue component of the HSL reference color vector of at least one color sample,

- calculating the saturation value between the saturation component of the typical HSL color vector and the saturation component of the reference HSL color vector;

- calculating the lightness value between the lightness component of the typical HSL color vector and the lightness component of the reference HSL color vector;

- calculating the HSL score using the hue value, the saturation value and the lightness value to determine the correspondence between the color of the sample and at least one color standard.

Calculating the HSL score from the hue, saturation, and lightness values between the HSL vectors allows for reliable color recognition even within colors that may be close to each other. Experiments have shown that the device according to the present invention achieves reliable color recognition in a wide range of colors even sometimes under harsh conditions such as the interior of a beverage preparation device.

The device color recognition module, for example, is configured to calculate an HSL sample color vector from a sample color sample RGB color vector.

The color recognition module is, for example, configured to calculate the HSL score by calculating the darkness level and the desaturation level of the color sample, and weighting the hue value, the saturation value, and the lightness value with the respective HSL weighting factors determined based on the darkness level and/or the level. reducing saturation, to minimize the influence of possibly unreliably calculated values on the resulting HSL score.

In embodiments, the color recognition module is configured to calculate a second score indicative of a value between the color sample and the at least one color reference. The second score is used as a second check if the calculation of the HSL score or HSL scores does not recognize the color and therefore determine the type of the selected capsule with sufficient probability.

The second score is, for example, an RGB score, and the color recognition module is, for example, configured to calculate the RGB score by:

- calculating the color distance between the typical RGB color vector of the color sample and the reference RGB color vector of at least one color sample,

- calculating the amount of chromaticity between the typical chromatic vector of the color sample and the reference chromatic vector of at least one color sample,

- calculating a score using the color distance and the chromaticity value to determine the correspondence between the color sample and at least one color reference.

Calculating an RGB score, for example, involves calculating the luminance level of a color sample and judging the color distance and chroma value using the respective balance factors determined based on the luminance level.

The color recognition module is, for example, configured to calculate a second score if a match between the color sample and the at least one color reference cannot be determined from the HSL score. The second score is, for example, calculated if the HSL score for a particular color sample is below the first predetermined HSL score threshold.

In embodiments, if all HSL scores for a particular color sample exceed a second predetermined HSL score threshold, then the sampled capsule is determined to be of an unknown type, for example. A second score is then calculated, for example, only if one or more HSL scores are between the first HSL score threshold and the second HSL score threshold, to check if the color sample actually matches the one or more color references resulting in the same quantitative indicators of HSL. Preferably, the second scores are calculated for only a subset of the color references that result in such HSL scores. If one or more second scores are, for example, below a predetermined second score threshold, then the selected capsule is considered to be of the type corresponding to, for example, a color reference that results in the lowest second score.

The beverage preparation device preferably includes a capsule recognition position with holding means for holding the capsule in front of the color recognition module so as to allow the color of the capsule to be sampled by the color recognition module.

In embodiments, the color recognition module is configured to compare a color sample to a plurality of color samples by calculating a plurality of HSL scores to determine a match between said color sample and each color sample of said plurality of color samples.

The color recognition module, for example, is configured to recognize the capsule based on a color reference that best matches the color sample.

The color recognition module is, for example, configured to determine a match between a color sample and a color reference if the HSL score is below or equal to a threshold value, and to determine a lack of match between said color sample and said color reference if the HSL score is greater than the threshold value.

The device may further include a capsule detector for detecting the presence of a capsule placed on or approaching the capsule dispenser of the device and triggering color recognition by the color recognition module.

The device may further comprise a material detector for detecting the material of a capsule placed on or approaching the capsule feeder of the device.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to the combination of a device according to any of the preceding claims and a capsule, such as one that is in the extraction chamber of the device, or one that is handled by the capsule feeder of the device.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for preparing and dispensing a beverage from a capsule in a device as defined above, comprising: inserting a capsule into said device; determining the color of the sample at least part of the surface of the capsule; comparing the sample color with at least one color standard by:

- calculation of the typical HSL color vector of the color sample;

calculating a hue value between a hue component of the generic HSL color vector and a hue component of the reference HSL color vector of at least one color template;

- calculating the saturation value between the saturation component of the typical HSL color vector and the saturation component of the reference HSL color vector;

- calculating the lightness value between the lightness component of the typical HSL color vector and the lightness component of the reference HSL color vector;

- calculating the HSL score using the hue value, the saturation value and the lightness value to determine the correspondence between the color of the sample and at least one color standard,

recognizing the type of capsule based on the result of the comparison; relative movement of the first and second parts to their remote position; feeding the capsule to the extraction unit; relative movement of the first and second parts to their close position to position the capsule in the extraction chamber; extracting the capsule in the extraction chamber using extraction parameters determined based on the recognizable type of capsule to prepare a beverage; and dispensing the prepared beverage through the outlet channel.

Another aspect of the invention relates to the use of a capsule for: a device as defined above; forming a combination as defined above; or performing a method as defined above; wherein the type of capsule is determined by:

- determining the color of the sample at least part of the surface of the capsule,

- comparing the color of the sample with at least one color standard by:

○ calculation of the typical HSL color vector of the color sample,

○ calculating a hue value between the hue component of the HSL sample color vector and the hue component of the HSL reference color vector of at least one color sample,

○ calculating the saturation value between the saturation component of the generic HSL color vector and the saturation component of the reference HSL color vector;

○ calculating the lightness value between the lightness component of the generic HSL color vector and the lightness component of the reference HSL color vector;

○ calculating the HSL score using the hue value, saturation value, and lightness value to determine the correspondence between the color of the sample and at least one color reference;

extracting the capsule in the beverage preparation extraction chamber using the extraction parameters determined based on the recognizable capsule type.

Brief description of the drawings

The following is a description of the invention with reference to schematic drawings, on which:

- in Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention;

- in Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1, with a capsule to be recognized and fed towards the extraction chamber of the device, and a user's container;

- in Fig. 3 shows the device and capsule shown in FIG. 2 with the first and second parts having been moved from their relatively close position to their relatively distant position;

- in Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the device and capsule shown in FIG. 3, with the capsule released to move towards the extraction chamber; And

- in Fig. 5 shows the device and capsule shown in FIG. 4, with the released capsule immobilized between the first and second parts in their remote position;

- in Fig. 6 shows the device and capsule shown in FIG. 5, wherein the first and second parts have moved relative to their proximate position to form an extraction chamber in which the capsule is placed, the liquid supply device supplying liquid to the extraction chamber to mix with the flavoring ingredient in the capsule and dispense it into the user's container through the outlet. channel;

- in Fig. 7 shows the device and capsule shown in FIG. 6 after the capsule has been extracted and after the relative movement of the first and second parts to their remote position, the capsule being ejected into the waste container and no new capsule being fed towards the extraction chamber of the device;

- in Fig. 8 is a variation of the device and capsule shown in FIG. 7, according to which a new capsule is fed towards the extraction chamber of the device when the extracted capsule is ejected;

- in Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a color recognition module according to the present invention;

- in Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the color recognition module shown in FIG. 9 and a recognizable capsule;

- in Fig. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a color recognition method according to the present invention;

- in Fig. 12 shows the relationship between the weighting factors used to calculate the HSL score in accordance with the present invention, depending on the values of the saturation and lightness components for a typical HSL color vector;

- in Fig. 13 shows the relationship between the hue weight used to calculate the HSL score in accordance with the present invention as a function of the values of the saturation and lightness components for a typical HSL color vector;

- in Fig. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an alternative color recognition method in accordance with the present invention.

Implementation of the invention

In FIG. 1-8 show an embodiment of a beverage preparation device 1 according to the invention for preparing and dispensing a beverage 2 such as tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, milk, soup or baby food. The ingredient may be presented in the form of an ingredient capsule 3, for example, of the type described above in the "Scope of the Invention" section.

The sequence shown in Fig. 1-8 illustrates the sequence of preparation of a drink in the device 1 from the supply of capsule 3 with the ingredient to the removal of capsule 3 after preparation of the drink.

Device 1 includes an extraction unit 10 for extracting a capsule 3 with a beverage ingredient to form a beverage 2. The extraction unit 10, for example, has a first part 11 and a second part 12 that are movable relative to the removed position for insertion and/or removal capsule 3 and a close position, such as a close position in which the first and second parts 11, 12 define the extraction chamber 100, for fixing and extracting such a capsule 3. For example, at least one of the parts 11, 12 has a device for opening the capsule, for example, one or more devices for piercing the capsule, and/or at least one of these parts 11, 12 has an opening for the influx of a liquid intended for mixing with the ingredient contained in such a capsule 3.

The device 1 includes a control unit 40 shown schematically in FIG. 2 to 8 to control the extraction unit 10 to extract the capsule 3. The control unit 40 can be powered from a mains supply, such as an electrical cord 45, or from a direct current source such as a battery such as a car battery or a portable battery. , or the device's battery.

The device 1 has an outlet 20 for dispensing a beverage 2 formed by extracting such a capsule 3 into a user container 4, such as a cup or mug, located in an area for accommodating a receiving vessel in order to collect the beverage 2. Such an area may be on the support 5 , 6 receiving receptacle, such as an external support 5 for placement on which such a device 1 is located, or a support 6 of the device, for example, a movable or removable support 6 of the device, for example, a support 6 of the device, which is located on the external support 5 for placement or on top of it .

In embodiments, the outlet channel 20 is, for example, attached to, or formed by, or mounted on, or mounted in the head 21 of the device, which has an extended position in which the outlet channel 20 is positioned above the receiving receptacle area, and the stowed position, in which the outlet channel 20 is pushed inside the outer main body 14 of the device. The head 21 of the device can be moved inward into the body 14 and outward by at least one of the first and second parts 11, 12 or by an actuator controlled by a control unit.

The outlet 20 may be attached to, or formed by, or mounted on, or mounted in a movable beverage guide 22 which has the beverage dispensing configuration shown, for example, in FIG. 6 to dispense the beverage 2 into the receiving receptacle area, and the configuration for stopping the flow of the beverage, shown for example in FIG. 2 to prevent the beverage from being dispensed into the receiving receptacle area, for example by dripping the remaining beverage from the guide piece 22 over the edge 23 of the guide piece into the waste receptacle 60 . The guide piece 22 can be moved between a dispensing configuration and a stop configuration by at least one of the first and second parts 11, 12, or by some (or above) device head 21, or by an actuator controlled by a control unit.

The extraction unit 10 includes an actuator 13 configured to relative move the first and second parts 11, 12 between their relatively distant and close positions. The actuator 13 is connected to the control unit 40 and is controlled by it for the relative movement of the first and second parts 11, 12.

The control unit 40 is connected to an input device to start and/or control the extraction unit 10 . According to the present invention, the input device includes, for example, a user interface 41 and a color recognition module 8 for recognizing the type of capsule 3 ready to be inserted into the extraction unit 10. The input device optionally further includes a capsule sensor for detecting the presence of a capsule 3 located in and/or approaching the extraction unit 10 .

The extraction unit 10 may include a capsule feeder 15 for feeding the capsule 3 into the extraction chamber 100. The capsule feeder 15 may have a capsule dispenser 151 with a release configuration for releasing the capsule 3 from the capsule feeder 15 towards the extraction chamber. 100 and a holding configuration for holding the capsule 3 away from the extraction chamber 100. The capsule delivery device 15 may include a mechanical and/or magnetic capsule closure, such as a capsule holder 151, such as corresponding to at least a portion of the outer shape of the capsule 3 .

The capsule delivery device 15 may have a channel 152 (FIG. 4) for guiding the capsule 3 towards the extraction chamber 100 in a predetermined orientation of the capsule for entry into the extraction chamber 100, such as a channel 152 associated with a capsule immobilization device for immobilizing the capsule. 3 between the first and second parts 11, 12 in their remote position (FIG. 5) before moving relative to each other to their close position (FIG. 6).

The control unit 40 can control the capsule dispenser 151 to release such a capsule 3 from the dispenser 15 when the first and second parts 11, 12 are in the remote position (FIG. 4) or when they are moved to the remote position, to enter the capsule 3 into extraction chamber 100 when the first and second parts 11, 12 are moved back to their close position (FIG. 6).

The control unit 40 can control the capsule dispenser 151 to hold the capsule 3 in the dispenser 15 and away from the extraction chamber 100 when the first and second parts 11, 12 are: in close position or moving towards it (FIG. 2); or at a remote position and are about to move to a close position so as to leave insufficient time for the capsule 3, if released from the dispenser 151, to be placed in the extraction chamber 100 before the first and second parts 11, 12 reach the close position.

Optionally, the capsule dispenser 15 may include or be associated with a capsule sensor coupled to the control unit 40, which, for example, is configured to bring the capsule dispenser 151 into its hold or hold configuration when the capsule sensor detects the absence of such a capsule. 3 on or in the capsule dispenser 151 (FIG. 7).

The control unit 40 may be configured to control the actuator 13 so that the first and second portions 11, 12 are moved by the actuator 13 from a remote position to a proximate position after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, starting from a beverage start event such as, for example, detecting a capsule, recognizing a capsule, activating the device's user interface by the user, or reaching a remote position, or a combination thereof (FIGS. 2-6); For example, the predetermined time period is in the range of 3 to 15 seconds, namely 5 to 12 seconds, such as 7 to 10 seconds.

The extraction unit 10 may include a liquid supply device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 for supplying liquid, such as water, to the extraction chamber 100 (FIG. 2). The liquid supply device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 can be connected to and controlled by the control unit 40 to supply liquid to the extraction chamber 100 and interrupt such supply, for example, automatically and/or manually through the user interface 41 connected to the unit 40 management.

For example, the fluid supply device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 includes one or more of: a fluid source 50, such as a fluid tank or fluid connector, for connecting to an external fluid source; one or more liquid tubes 51, 52 for directing liquid into the extraction chamber 100; a liquid pumping device 53, such as a pump, for pumping liquid into the extraction chamber 100; and a thermal conditioner 54, such as a heater and/or cooler, such as an in-line thermal conditioner, such as an in-line inline conditioner, for thermal fluid conditioning.

The control unit 40 may be configured to control the liquid supply device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 to automatically supply liquid to the extraction chamber 100 when the first and second parts 11, 12 reach their close position where the capsule 3 is placed in the extraction chamber. chamber 100 while moving the first and second parts 11, 12 from the remote to the close position to combine the liquid with the ingredient contained in the capsule 3 and form a drink 2 for dispensing through the outlet channel 20. See FIG. 6.

The control unit 40 may be configured to control the liquid supply device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 to automatically supply liquid to the extraction chamber 100 when the first and second parts 11, 12 have reached their close position, but in the extraction chamber 100 any capsule is missing to wash or clean at least a portion of the extraction unit 10 and optionally the outlet 20. For example, the liquid supply device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 is configured to supply a liquid at a temperature for washing or cleaning, which is different from the temperature of such a beverage formation liquid, for example by brewing.

In a particular embodiment, cold or chilled beverages are also provided.

The control unit 40 may be configured to control the liquid supply device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 so as not to automatically supply liquid to the extraction chamber 100 when the first and second parts 11, 12 have reached their close position, but in the extraction chamber 100 missing any capsule. For example, the control unit 40 is configured to control the liquid supply device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 to supply liquid to the extraction chamber 100 upon detecting an appropriate manual user input on the user interface 41 connected to the control unit 40.

In accordance with the present invention, the device 1 includes a color recognition module 8 connected to the control unit 40 and configured to recognize the type of capsule 3 supplied or ready to be supplied to the extraction chamber 100. As described in more detail below, the color recognition module 8 recognizes the type of capsule 3 by recognizing the color of at least a portion of the surface of the capsule 3. The control unit 40 is preferably configured to control the liquid supply device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 in accordance with the liquid supply program associated with the type, such as the supply program liquid with one or more controlled parameters of the supplied liquid, selected from the temperature of the liquid, flow rate, pressure and volume, which (s) is (s) constant (s) or variable (s) during the extraction of the recognizable capsule 3. For example, the type may be selected from a plurality of capsule types extractable in the extraction chamber 100 and associated with a color reference stored in an internal or external storage medium connected or connected to the control unit 40.

The color recognition module 8 is preferably located in the vicinity of the capsule dispenser 15 and, more specifically, in the vicinity of, around and/or in the capsule dispenser 151 .

The control unit 40 may have an extraction completion control program that runs automatically when the liquid supply is interrupted (for example, when a predetermined extraction process is completed or an error is detected during its execution) to:

- immediate relative movement of the first and second parts 11, 12 to their remote position in order to remove any capsule 3 from the position between the first and second parts 11, 12; or

- maintaining the first and second parts 11, 12 in close position for a predetermined period of time, for example in the range from 1 to 5 s, such as from 2 to 3 s, in order to be able to enter a manual request, for example through a user interface 41 connected to the unit 40 control to apply by means of the device 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 to supply additional liquid to the extraction chamber 100, and also, in the absence of such a manual request within the specified predetermined period of time, for the relative movement of the first and second parts 11, 12 to their removed position to remove any capsule 3 from the position between the first and second parts 11, 12, for example, to remove such capsule 3 into the used capsule collector 60 formed by some (or above) waste receptacle 60.

Before moving the first and second parts 11, 12 to their proximate position, the first and second parts 11, 12 may optionally remain in their remote position for a predetermined period of time, such as a period of time ranging from 1 to 6 s, for example from 2 to 4 s, to enable the insertion of a new capsule 3 between the first and second parts 11, 12 before their relative movement into a close position with the new capsule 3 located in the extraction chamber 100 to extract a new capsule 3.

During application, the following steps can be carried out (FIGS. 1-6):

- placing the receiving vessel 4 in the area for receiving the receiving vessel;

- placing the capsule 3 on the capsule feeder 15;

- recognition of the type of capsule 3 module 8 color recognition;

- relative movement of the first and second parts 11, 12 to their remote position automatically, semi-automatically or manually;

- feeding the capsule 3 into the extraction unit 10;

- the relative movement of the first and second parts 11, 12 in their close position to position the capsule 3 in the extraction chamber 100;

- extracting the capsule 3 in the extraction chamber 100 using the extraction parameters determined on the basis of the recognizable type of the capsule 3 to prepare beverage 2; And

- delivery of the prepared drink 2 through the outlet channel 20 into the container 4.

In accordance with the invention, the recognition module 8 is configured to determine the type of capsule 3 inserted into or placed on the device 1, for example, capsule 3 placed by the user on the capsule dispenser 15, by recognizing the color of at least a portion of the capsule 3.

The device 1 typically extracts different types of capsules to prepare different drinks and/or different types of drinks. Different types of capsules capable of being extracted in the extraction chamber 100, for example, correspond to different ingredients contained therein and/or different conditioning conditions for the ingredients. In embodiments, each type of capsule corresponds to a particular type of coffee that differs from the coffee contained in other types of capsules, for example, but not exclusively, in one or more of origin, roast, grind, amount contained in the capsule, and/or content caffeine. Alternatively or in combination with this, the different types of capsules extractable in the device 1 correspond to the ingredients for the preparation of various beverages such as, for example, coffee, milk, soup, infant formula, tea, cold drinks, and the like.

Preferably, each type of capsule is associated with a particular color reference of at least a portion of the capsule 3, which allows, for example, the user to visually distinguish different types of capsules. Data representing such color references, such as reference color vectors, typically at least one reference vector per color reference, is preferably stored in an internal or external data storage device connected or configured to be connected to the control unit 40 and/or module 8 recognition.

The device 1 may be configured to extract each capsule 3 using preparation parameters specific to a particular type of capsule 3. For example, the preparation parameters include one or more of carrier liquid temperature, carrier liquid volume, extraction time, liquid pressure - carrier, type of carrier liquid, number of successive preparation steps, and the like. The preparation parameters used for each type of capsules made with the possibility of extraction in the device 1 are preferably stored in an internal or external storage device connected or configured to be connected to the control unit 40 and/or color recognition module 8. Appropriate cooking parameters are selected based on the type of capsule 3 detected by the color recognition module 8 and used by the control unit 40 to control the extraction of the recognized capsule 3.

The device 1 can also be configured to store and/or transmit to an external server information about the type of each capsule extracted in the device in order to, for example, control the consumption of capsules on the device 1.

As shown in FIG. 9, the color recognition module 8 includes a light source 82, such as a white LED or any other suitable light source, preferably with a known and defined spectrum, and a color sensor 81, such as an RGB sensor. The color recognition module 8 preferably further includes a controller 83, such as, but not limited to, an ASIC or programmable microcontroller, to control the light source 82 and the color sensor 81, for example, to turn the light source 82 on and off and/or to receive and signal processing from the color sensor 81. The light source 82, color sensor 81 and controller 83 are preferably attached, for example soldered, to an electronic board 80, typically a printed circuit board, providing them with the necessary power and data connection and/or wiring in a known manner. The controller 83 is preferably connected to and controlled by the control unit 40 of the device 1.

Preferably, the color recognition module 8 comprises a light guide 89 for directing the light emitted by the light source 82 to the target location and for limiting the light received by the color sensor 81 preferably to the light reflected by the object located at the target location in order to avoid detection of stray light, for example environmental light. The light guide 89, for example, is in the form of a cover connected, for example, attached, to the electronic board 80 and at least partially covering the light source 82 and/or the color sensor 81. The lid includes, for example, holes or other guiding means for directing light to and from the target location. In the example shown, cavities are formed in the cover above each of the color sensor 81 and the light source 82, which are open on the upper side. The inner walls of the cavities are preferably shaped to avoid reflection within the cavities, which can result in erroneous illumination of an object placed at the target location and/or erroneous determination of the color of the light reflected by said object.

In embodiments, the color recognition module 8 further comprises a temperature sensor, not shown in the figures, for measuring the temperature of the light source 82 and/or the ambient temperature in its immediate vicinity. The temperature sensor is preferably directly or indirectly attached to the electronic board 80. The measured temperature can then be used, for example, by the controller 83 or directly by the color sensor 81, to correct the characteristics of a certain color, taking into account possible changes in the characteristics of the light emitted by the light source 82 due to the temperature of the source. 82 lights. The light source 82 is, for example, a LED emitting white light, the characteristics of which, for example its intensity and/or spectrum, preferably depend in a known manner on the temperature of the source. Thus, the measured temperature of the light source 81 and/or around it allows you to correct the effect of these changes on the characteristics of a particular color.

Optionally, the device 1 includes a capsule detector 84 for detecting a capsule placed on or approaching the capsule dispenser. The capsule detector 84, for example, is contained in a color recognition module 8 attached, preferably soldered, to the electronic board 80. However, other arrangements of the capsule detector are possible within the scope of the present invention. Capsule detector 84 may be of any suitable type, such as a presence and/or motion detector, such as an infrared (IR) detector, an inductive and/or resistive detector, a mechanical switching element, and the like. The capsule detector 84 is controlled, for example, by the controller 83 of the color recognition module 8, or is controlled directly by the control unit of the device.

In embodiments, the device 1 further includes a material detector, which is not shown in the figures, for detecting capsule material placed on or approaching the capsule dispenser. The material detector is, for example, an inductor or a resistive element that recognizes the metal body of the capsule. The output of the material detector, for example, is transmitted to the controller 83 and used in conjunction with the output of the color recognition module 8 as an additional criterion for determining the type of capsule placed on or approaching the capsule dispenser. The material detector may be an additional detector in addition to the optional capsule detector 84, or a separate detector, such as an inductive, capacitive or resistive detector, it can be used as a capsule detector and a material detector.

In FIG. 10 shows the capsule 3 placed in the device capsule delivery device 15 prior to its introduction into the device's extraction chamber. The color recognition module 8 is preferably connected to or part of the capsule delivery device 15 . The color recognition module 8 is attached to, for example, the capsule holder 151 and is positioned so that the light emitted by the light source is directed to the surface of the capsule 3 placed in the capsule dispenser 15 and so that at least a portion of the light of the light source is reflected by the surface. capsule 3 and goes to the color sensor.

In the example shown, the color recognition module 8 is attached below the capsule receiving surface of the capsule holder 151. A window is formed in the preferably opaque material of the capsule holder 151, which is combined with holes in the light guide of the color recognition module 8 to allow light emitted by the light source to reach at least a portion of the surface of the capsule 3 placed on the capsule holder 151 and to allow light to be received. reflected by the specified surface by the color sensor.

The window formed in the preferably light-tight material of the capsule holder 151 is preferably covered with a light-transparent material to protect the elements of the color recognition module 8, in particular the color sensor, the light source and the optional capsule detector, from external mechanical aggression, such as, but not exclusively, being hit dirt, foreign objects into the window of the capsule holder 151, etc. In embodiments, the capsule receiving surface of the capsule holder 151 is covered with a translucent skin 153 made, for example, of a rigid translucent plastic material and shaped, for example, molded, to match the shape of the surface of the capsule 3 to ensure that the capsule 3 is in a stable position with the correct position. its placement on the holder 151 capsules. In embodiments, the lid 153 is additionally slightly tinted to at least partially hide the color recognition module 8 and its elements from the view of the user of the device and at the same time not significantly interfere with the color recognition module 8 of the color recognition module 8 from determining the color of the capsule 3.

In embodiments, when capsule 3 is approached and/or placed in capsule dispenser 15, the optional capsule detector detects the presence of capsule 3 and sends an appropriate signal to the controller and/or control unit of the device, which activates a light source to illuminate at least a portion of the capsule surface. 3 placed on the capsule holder 151. The color sensor, in turn, is activated to determine the color sample of the capsule 3 based on the light reflected by said surface and received by the color sensor. Then the color sample is compared with one or more known color standards, for example, using the controller of the color recognition module 8 and/or the control unit of the device to determine the correspondence between the specified color sample and at least one color standard. In an alternative embodiment, in particular if the device does not include a capsule detector, the recognition module 8, in particular the light source and the color sensor, is activated by activating the user, for example, the user interface of the device, for example, by activating the drink preparation command.

Preferably, the color sensor 81 is an RGB (Red-Green-Blue) sensor that provides three initial values Rr, Gr, Br representing the primary color distribution in the input light received by the sensor's photodiodes. These three initial values are typically the result of integrating the received light into the respective frequency bands over a set period of time. The integration time is set, for example, to 200 ms. The output values Rr, Gr, Br are represented, for example, on 19 bits and can take a value from 0 to 524287.

In the block diagram shown in FIG. 11 schematically shows an embodiment of the color recognition method of the invention.

In the sampling step 71, the color sensor 81 determines, for example, as described above, a color sample of at least a portion of the surface of the capsule placed in the capsule feeder of the device, and generates an initial generic color vector. The source sample color vector is, for example, the source sample color vector RGB, the components of which are three original values Rr, Gr, Br characterizing a specific color sample.

In calibration step 72, the original sample color vector (Rr,Gr,Br) is adjusted with one or more calibration vectors, preferably specific to a particular device, such as specific to the actual characteristics of its color recognition engine. The calibration vectors are preferably stored in or accessible to the memory of the color recognition module, for example, in or accessible to the memory 84 of the controller 83.

Calibration vectors, for example, include a black balance calibration vector and a white balance calibration vector, which are generated for each device, preferably at the end of the device production line, as soon as the device or at least the capsule dispenser with the color recognition module becomes fully operational. To generate calibration vectors, a color sample for calibration, such as a black calibration capsule, is placed on the capsule delivery device, and its color is determined by the color sensor 81, which generates a calibration vector, for example, a black balance calibration vector Bcal with the corresponding three original component values, generated by the sensor as a result of determining the color sample for calibration, for example, Bcal _red , Bcal _green and Bcal _blue . The same procedure is then preferably repeated using a different calibration color sample, eg a white calibration sample, to generate a second calibration vector, eg a white balance calibration vector Wcal (Wcal _red ,Wcal _green ,Wcal _blue ). The calibration vectors are then stored in memory 84.

Correcting the original generic color vector with device-specific calibration vectors, in particular the black balance calibration vector and the white balance calibration vector generated as described above, can compensate for potentially large variations in individual device color definitions, e.g. due to variations in characteristics of the light source of each device, the color sensor, the transparency of the skin, the efficiency of the light guide, etc. Correcting the original sample color vector based on such device-specific variations allows for reliable and stable capsule color recognition across all devices.

In embodiments, the correction calculation is a calculation, for each original base color value of the original sample color vector, of a normalized distance relative to the respective calibration values of the two calibration vectors with an output range of, for example, 0.0 to 1.0. Thus, the corrected generic color vector R, G, B is calculated, for example, according to the following formula:

However, other calibration algorithms and/or formulas are possible within the scope of the present invention to correct the captured original sample for device-specific and/or environmental variations such as, for example, stray light, temperature, etc. However, preferably, the calibration algorithm is chosen to produce an adjusted generic RGB color vector containing normalized component values in the range 0.0 to 1.0.

In HSL conversion step 73, the previously calibrated generic RGB (R, G, B) color vector is converted to a generic hue, chroma, saturation, and lightness (HSL) color vector (H, S, L). The HSL color representation is an alternative color representation aimed at more closely matching how human vision perceives the attributes that make up color.

According to the present invention, the RGB to HSL conversion is performed, for example, in the sense that the H (hue), L (lightness) and S (saturation) components of the HSL vector are calculated from the R (red), G (green) and B components. (blue) of a calibrated generic RGB color vector according to the following formulas:

Where , and C is the chrominance component calculated as .

The above formulas are calibrated to give 0-360° hue values and 0-100% saturation and lightness values.

In the HSL comparison step 74, the typical HSL color vector (H, S, L) is compared, for example, by the controller 83, with at least one reference HSL color vector representing a known capsule type. The HSL reference color vector is, for example, stored in or available to the controller 83 lookup table 85, or calculated by the controller 83, for example, from the RGB reference color vector stored in the lookup table 85. In preferred embodiments, the comparison results in an HSL score calculated, representing the magnitude of the difference between the generic HSL color vector and the at least one reference HSL color vector.

Lookup table 85 typically includes a plurality of color reference vectors, typically at least one RGB reference color vector and/or one HSL reference color vector per known capsule type. Preferably, the lookup table includes one RGB reference color vector and one corresponding HSL reference color vector per known capsule type. In an alternative embodiment, the look-up table includes one RGB color reference vector per known capsule type, and the controller 83 and/or other computing means are configured to compute, on demand, an HSL reference color vector from the stored RGB reference color vector using the formulas described above. with respect to step 73 of the HSL conversion.

The sample HSL color vector, for example, is compared individually with each reference HSL color vector of each known capsule type, and an HSL score is calculated from each comparison. Preferably, the HSL score is calculated such that the reference HSL color vector whose comparison to the generic HSL color vector results in the lowest HSL score represents the capsule type closest to the selected capsule type. In an alternative embodiment, the HSL score is calculated such that the reference HSL color vector that produces the highest HSL score represents the most appropriate capsule type.

The HSL score, for example, represents the distance between a generic HSL color vector (H, S, L) and a reference HSL color vector (H _ref , S _ref , L _ref ). This distance is, for example, represented by the DistHue hue value, the DistSat saturation value, and the DistLight lightness value for the H, S, and L components of the HSL vector, respectively. The HSL score is calculated, for example, as a balanced or weighted sum of the individual values DistHue, DistSat and DistLight.

Hue, saturation and lightness values are calculated, for example, according to the following formulae:

i.e. the hue value cannot exceed 180°.

Preferably, the HSL score is then calculated as follows:

The values of the HSL weights, i.e. the hue weight WeightHue, the saturation weight WeightSat and/or the lightness weight WeightLight, preferably depend on the values of the saturation S and/or lightness L components of the typical HSL color vector (H, S, L) .

For example, if the lightness value is low, the saturation calculation becomes very inaccurate because the lightness is represented in the denominator. In the case of low saturation S and low lightness L, the hue calculation becomes very inaccurate. Thus, the HSL weights are preferably chosen to vary with these values in order to minimize the importance of possible inaccurate values in the HSL score.

The HSL weights are calculated, for example, as described below.

First, from the typical HSL color vector (H, S, L), factors indicating the degree of darkness and lack of color in the color sample, the darkness level darkLevel and the desaturation level desatLevel are calculated, respectively, according to the following formulas:

Accordingly, the values of the dark level factor darkLevel and the desaturation level factor desatLevel are preferably normalized such that they are within the range of 0.0 to 1.0. The dark threshold darkThreshold and the desaturation threshold desatThreshold are the L and S values, respectively, below which the corresponding level starts to increase, while the darkness degree darkPower and the desaturation degree desatPower are the corresponding values with which the level increases linearly.

The HSL weights are then calculated as follows:

In the table in Fig. 12 illustrates the relationship between HSL weights and saturation and/or lightness values according to the above formulas. The hueWeight weighting factor is presented in the table in FIG. 12 for a specific case where . In the table in Fig. 13 shows the hue weight hueWeight as a function of saturation S and lightness L in all respective ranges of these components of a typical HSL color vector according to the above formulas.

In embodiments, a sample HSL color vector is compared to a reference HSL color vector of each known capsule type, and an HSL score is calculated from each comparison. The reference HSL color vector resulting in, for example, the lowest score compared to the generic HSL color vector is then considered to represent the sampled color and used in decision block 75 to determine the type of sampled capsule. Optionally, if there is no score below the predetermined maximum HSL score value MAX_HSL_SCORE, then at decision block 75, the sampled capsule is considered to be of an unknown type.

To reduce the number of calculations in the HSL comparison step 74, at least some of the HSL reference color vectors may be excluded from the comparison before the corresponding score is calculated. Thus, for a particular generic HSL color vector, the HSL score can only be computed using a subset of the HSL reference vectors. Exclusion is, for example, performed based on an absolute difference between at least some of the components of the vector that is too large to match.

For example, for selected light-colored capsules, at least some of the HSL reference color vectors may be biased by absolute difference in hue and/or saturation, for example, according to the following criteria:

those. if the selected capsule is a light-colored capsule, and the DistHue hue value of a particular reference HSL color vector exceeds a predetermined threshold, such as 6%, then the corresponding reference HSL color vector is discarded;

those. if the selected capsule is a light color capsule and the DistSat saturation value of a particular HSL reference color exceeds a predetermined threshold, eg 6%, then the corresponding HSL reference color vector is discarded.

Similarly, in the case of black capsules and/or black color references, at least some of the HSL reference color vectors may be deviated from the absolute difference in lightness:

those. a non-black capsule is not compared with a black color standard,

those. the black capsule is not compared to a non-black color standard.

At decision stage 75, a decision is made on the type of selected capsule based on the results of HSL comparison stage 74. The type of capsule selected is defined as the type corresponding to the typical HSL color vector, which resulted in, for example, the lowest HSL score. Optionally, if there is no HSL score, eg, below the maximum HSL score threshold MAX_HSL_SCORE, then the sampled capsule is considered to be of an unknown type.

The result obtained in the decision step 75, i.e. the specific type of capsule, is then preferably transmitted to the control unit of the beverage or food preparation device, which opens the channel 152 to enable the capsule 3 to be inserted into the extraction chamber 100 and to control the various elements of the device. 1, in particular a thermal conditioner 54 and a liquid pumping device 53, for preparing a drink 2 or a food product from the contents of the capsule using parameters specially adapted to the recognized type of capsule.

The calculation and decision steps 72-75 are described in the description text as being performed by the controller 83 of the color recognition module. However, it is within the scope of the present invention to perform at least some of these steps by the control unit 40 of the device 8 or other computing device of the beverage preparation device. The controller 83 of the color recognition module 8 may be, for example, part of the control unit 40 of the beverage preparation device.

The block diagram in FIG. 14 schematically illustrates other embodiments of the color recognition method in accordance with the present invention, in which the additional control step 76 is performed after the HSL comparison step 74 and before the decision step 75. If it is determined in the control step 76 that the HSL comparison step 74 does not give any satisfactory result, i.e., that the decision on the type of selected capsule cannot be made with sufficient certainty based on the result of the HSL comparison step 74, then the second step 77 is performed. comparison using another algorithm to validate or invalidate the result of HSL comparison step 74 . The result of the second comparison step 77 and optionally the result of the HSL comparison step 74 are then used in the decision step 75 to determine the type of capsule selected.

If a clear result is obtained in the HSL comparison step 74, and on this basis a decision can be made about the type of capsule selected, then the control step 76 decides to go directly to the decision step 75 without performing the second comparison step 77.

The criteria for determining whether the second comparison step 77 should be performed or not are, for example, related to the minimum HSL score obtained in the HSL comparison step 74 . For example, if the minimum HSL score exceeds the predetermined maximum HSL score threshold MAX_HSL_SCORE but is below the predetermined clear mismatch threshold OUT_HSL_SCORE, above which the probability that the sampled color matches the color reference is close to zero, then the second comparison stage 77 performs a second check. However, other criteria are possible within the scope of the present invention, alone or in combination. For example, the second comparison stage 77 may be performed if more than one score obtained in the HSL comparison stage 74 is below a predetermined maximum HSL score threshold MAX_HSL_SCORE, or if multiple scores are within a predetermined range, which may be, for example, sign stage 71 samples with deviations.

The second comparison stage 77 may be limited to a comparison between a color sample and one or more color standards corresponding to one or more HSL scores that led to the decision to perform the second comparison, or a comparison of the color sample against a given subset of color samples, or it may involve a comparison of the sample. colors with all color standards known to the device. The determination of the color references with which the color sample is to be compared in the second comparison stage 77, for example, depends on the criteria that led to the second comparison stage 77 being performed.

In the second comparison stage 77, the preferably calibrated generic color vector is compared, for example by the controller 83, with at least one reference color vector stored in a lookup table 85 available to or built into the controller 83, and preferably a second score is calculated, representing the magnitude of the difference between the sample color vector and at least one reference color vector. A low second score, for example, indicates a close match between the generic color vector and the color reference. In an alternative embodiment, a close match is indicated by a high second score.

In embodiments, the second color recognition process in the second comparison stage 77 is performed using an RGB color recognition algorithm.

The RGB color recognition algorithm, for example, means calculating an RGB score by: calculating a color distance between a typical RGB color vector (R, G, B) calibrated in the calibration step 72 and a reference RGB color vector; calculating a chromaticity value between the sample color sample chromatic vector and the color sample reference chromatic vector; adding a color distance and a chroma value, each distance optionally being weighted by an appropriate factor depending on the brightness of the color of the sample, as will be described in more detail below.

In an alternative embodiment, the RGB score is calculated, for example, by subtracting the calculated color distance and the calculated chroma value, each of which may be weighted by an appropriate factor, from the maximum RGB score value.

However, other formulas and/or algorithms are possible within the scope of the present invention, in combination with or alternatively to the above, to calculate a second score, such as an RGB score representing the difference between a color sample and a color reference. The RGB score can be calculated, for example, by multiplying and/or dividing the calculated color distance and chromaticity value by each other, possibly weighting each by specific factors.

The color distance DistColour, for example, is calculated as the Euclidean distance between the generic RGB color vector and the reference RGB color vector. Thus, the color distance is calculated, for example, according to the following formula:

,

where (R, G, B) is the generic RGB color vector and (R _ref , G _ref , B _ref ) is the RGB reference color vector.

The chromaticity value DistChroma is preferably calculated as the Euclidean distance between the generic chromatic vector of the color sample and the reference chromatic vector of the color sample.

Chromatic vectors are calculated according to the following formulas:

for a typical chromatic vector, according to the following formulas:

for the reference chromatic vector.

One chromatic vector of each known color reference is, for example, stored in a look-up table 85. Alternatively, or in combination, the reference chromatic vectors are computed on demand by the color recognition module controller 83 from the corresponding reference RGB color vector.

The chroma value is calculated, for example, according to the following formula:

,

where (ChrR, ChrG, ChrB) is the generic chromatic vector and (ChrR _ref , ChrG _ref , ChrB _ref ) is the reference chromatic vector.

However, within the scope of the present invention, other formulas can be used to calculate the color distance and the amount of chromaticity depending, for example, but not necessarily, on the number of measurements of color vectors. For example, one can calculate the Manhattan distance or any other suitable vector distances.

Chromatic vectors are not sensitive to fluctuations in the brightness of the same color, which is often observed in the normal use of the color recognition module of the invention for its intended purpose, for example, due to variations in natural light around the beverage preparation device, variations in the intensity of the light source, and the like. Thus, using chromatic vectors to compare colors is inherently more reliable than using RGB color vectors.

However, there is a problem with dark capsules where the chromaticity varies greatly from one measurement to the next due to the essentially small values of the numerators and denominators of the fractions in the above formulas. Thus, the DistColour color distance essentially allows for more reliable results when comparing dark color samples.

Thus, in embodiments, the DistColour color distance and the DistChroma chroma value are treated differently when calculating the RGB score depending on the brightness of the color sample. For example, for dark colors, the DistColor distance value in the calculated score is more important than the DistChroma chromaticity value, while for bright colors, the DistChroma chromaticity value is more important than the DistColour color distance.

In embodiments, as a result of the second comparison step 77, the RGB score, for example, based on the DistColour color distance and the DistChroma chroma value, and the weighted sum of said distance and value is calculated according to the formula:

where the BalanceColour and BalanceChroma weights are chosen depending on the brightness of the RGB color sample calculated as follows:

which is a value representing the brightness or darkness of the color sample.

For example, specific weighting factors can be defined for specific brightness ranges:

if 0 < Lum < Th ₁ , then BalanceColour = Lc, and BalanceChroma = Lch;

if Th ₁ < Lum < Th ₂ , then BalanceColour = Mc, and BalanceChroma = Mch;

if Lum > Th ₂ , then BalanceColour = Hc, and BalanceChroma = Hch;

where Th ₁ and Th ₂ represent the first and second brightness thresholds, respectively; and Lc, Lch, Mc, Mch, Hc, Hch are the specified weight values for the low, medium, and high brightness of the color sample, respectively.

However, other luminance ranges are possible within the scope of the present invention, with appropriate predetermined coefficients for each range, and/or weighting coefficients can be calculated for each comparison step as a function of the luminance value of the color sample. The function may be, for example, linear, exponential, logarithmic, or any other type.

Preferably, for the reasons described above, the BalanceColour color weight for low brightness color samples is higher than for high brightness color samples, while the BalanceChroma chroma weight for low brightness samples is lower than for high brightness samples.

Experiments have shown, for example, good results with values of Th ₁ = 70, Th ₂ = 450, Lc = 3, Lch = 0.25, Mc = 0.25, Mch = 2.5, Hc = 0.25 and Hch = 5 .

If the generic RGB color vector is compared to a plurality of reference RGB color vectors in the second comparison stage 77, then the color sample is, for example, considered the color reference for which the second comparison results in the lowest RGB score. Optionally, if the lowest RGB score exceeds the predetermined maximum RGB score threshold MAX_RGB_SCORE, no comparison is performed; the capsule is believed to be of unknown type. In an alternative embodiment, in the second comparison stage 77, the color sample is compared in turn to one color reference and then to another until the resulting RGB score is below a predetermined threshold, or above a threshold in embodiments in which a high RGB score is indicator indicates a match. If there is no RGB score below the specified maximum RGB score threshold MAX_RGB_SCORE, for example, the capsule is considered to be of an unknown type.

In the decision step 75, the decision on the type of selected capsule is made based on the result of the second comparison step 77 and/or the HSL comparison step 74.

If the second comparison stage 77 has not been initiated after the control stage 76, the decision is made based on the result of the HSL comparison stage 74 alone, as further described above.

If the second comparison stage 77 was initiated after the control step 76, the decision is made based on the result of the second comparison stage 77 alone, or on the basis of the result of the second comparison stage 77 together with the result of the HSL comparison step 74 to determine the type of capsule selected. The result of the second comparison stage 77, for example, is used to confirm or cancel the result of the HSL comparison stage 74 that a match or close match between a color sample and a specific color standard is confirmed or canceled by the value of the resulting RGB score.

The result of decision step 75 is that the selected capsule type is determined to be one of the known capsule types, or optionally an unknown type, as described above.

Then, the result obtained in the decision step 75, i. e. the specific type of capsule is preferably transmitted to the control unit of the beverage or food preparation device, which opens the channel 152 to enable the capsule 3 to be inserted into the extraction chamber 100 and to control the various elements of the device 1, in particular the thermal conditioner 54 and the liquid pump 53 , to prepare a drink 2 or a food product from the contents of the capsule using parameters specially adapted to the recognized type of capsule.

In embodiments, the result of the color recognition method is further combined with the output of an optional material detector as an additional criterion for identifying the type of capsule, to, for example, distinguish between capsules that have the same or very similar colors but are made from different materials, such as aluminum and plastic or paper, and possibly containing different ingredients that require different handling by the device.

Claims (42)

1. Device (1) for preparing and dispensing a drink (2), containing: - an extraction unit (10) for extracting a capsule (3) with a beverage ingredient to form said beverage (2), wherein the unit (10) has a first part (11) and a second part (12) that are movable relative to each other between a remote position for insertion and/or removal of the capsule (3) and a close position, such as a close position in which the first and second parts (11, 12) delimit the extraction chamber (100), for fixing and extracting such a capsule (3), while optionally, at least one of said parts (11, 12) has a capsule opening device, such as one or more capsule piercing devices, and/or at least one of said parts (11, 12) has a liquid inflow hole intended for mixing with the ingredient contained in such a capsule (3); - a control unit (40) for controlling the extraction unit (10) in order to extract such a capsule (3), such as a control unit powered from the mains power supply by means of an electric cord (45); - an outlet channel (20) for dispensing said beverage (2) formed by extracting such a capsule (3) into a user's container (4), such as a cup or mug, located in the area for receiving the receiving vessel, on the support (5, 6 ) a receiving vessel, such as an external support (5) for placement on which such a device (1) is located, or such as a support (6) of the device, such as a movable or removable support (6) of the device, for collecting said drink (2) ; - a color recognition module for recognizing the color of a capsule (3) inserted into said device (1), wherein the color recognition module includes a color sensor for detecting a color sample of at least a portion of the surface of such a capsule (3); characterized in that the color recognition module is configured to compare the specified color sample with at least one color standard by: - calculation of the typical HSL color vector of the specified color sample; calculating a hue value between a hue component of an HSL sample color vector and a hue component of an HSL reference color vector of said at least one color reference; - calculating the saturation value between the saturation component of the typical HSL color vector and the saturation component of the reference HSL color vector; - calculating the lightness value between the lightness component of the typical HSL color vector and the lightness component of the reference HSL color vector; - calculating the HSL score using the hue value, saturation value and lightness value to determine the correspondence between said sample color and said at least one color standard. 2. The device according to claim. 1, characterized in that the specified color recognition module is configured to calculate the specified typical HSL color vector from the typical RGB color vector of the specified color sample. 3. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said color recognition module is configured to calculate said HSL score by calculating a darkness level and a desaturation level of said color sample and weighting said hue value, saturation value, and lightness value with the respective HSL weights determined based on the specified darkness level and/or the specified desaturation level. 4. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said color recognition module is configured to calculate a second score indicative of a value between said color sample and at least one color reference. 5. The device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said second score is an RGB score, and wherein said color recognition module is configured to calculate said RGB score by: - calculating the color distance between the typical RGB color vector of the specified color sample and the reference RGB color vector of the specified at least one color sample, - calculating the amount of chromaticity between the typical chromatic vector of the specified color sample and the reference chromatic vector of the specified at least one color sample, - calculating a score using the specified color distance and the specified chromaticity value to determine the correspondence between the specified color sample and the specified at least one color standard. 6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that said color recognition module is configured to calculate said RGB score by calculating the luminance level of said color sample and weighting said color distance and said chromaticity value using appropriate balance factors determined based on said brightness level. 7. The device according to one of paragraphs. 4-6, characterized in that said color recognition module is configured to calculate said second score if a match between the color sample and at least one color reference cannot be determined from said HSL score. 8. The apparatus according to any preceding claim, further including a capsule recognition position with holding means for holding the capsule in front of the color recognition module so as to allow the color recognition module to sample the color of the capsule. 9. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said color recognition module is configured to compare said color sample to a plurality of color references by calculating a plurality of HSL scores to determine a match between said color sample and each color reference of said plurality of color references. 10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that said color recognition module is configured to recognize said capsule (3) based on a color reference of said plurality of color references that best matches the color sample. 11. An apparatus according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said color recognition module is configured to determine a match between said color sample and said color reference if said HSL score is less than or equal to a threshold value, and to determine if there is no match between said color sample and the specified color standard if the specified score exceeds the specified threshold. 12. The device according to any preceding claim, further comprising a capsule detector (84) for detecting the presence of a capsule (3) placed on or approaching the capsule delivery device (15) of said device (1) and triggering color recognition by the recognition module colors. 13. The device according to any preceding claim, further comprising a material detector for detecting the material of the capsule (3) placed on or approaching the capsule delivery device (15) of said device (1). 14. Combination of the device (1) according to any preceding claim and a capsule (3), such as the capsule (3) which is in the extraction chamber (100) of the device, or such as the capsule (3) which is processed by the device (15) to supply capsules of the specified device (1), for the preparation and dispensing of a drink (2). 15. Method for preparing and dispensing a drink (2) from a capsule (3) in a device according to any one of paragraphs. 1-13, including: inserting a capsule (3) into said device (1); determining a color sample of at least part of the surface of said capsule (3); comparing said color sample with at least one color standard by: - calculation of the typical HSL color vector of the specified color sample; - calculating a hue value between a hue component of an HSL sample color vector and a hue component of an HSL reference color vector of said at least one color sample, - calculating the saturation value between the saturation component of the typical HSL color vector and the saturation component of the reference HSL color vector, - calculating the value of lightness between the lightness component of the typical HSL color vector and the lightness component of the reference HSL color vector, calculating the HSL score using a hue value, a saturation value, and a lightness value to determine a match between said sample color and said at least one color reference; recognizing the type of said capsule (3) based on the result of said comparison; moving the first and second parts (11, 12) relative to each other to their remote position; feeding the capsule (3) to the extraction unit (10); moving the first and second parts (11, 12) relative to each other to their close position to position the capsule (3) in the extraction chamber (100); extracting the capsule (3) in the extraction chamber (100) using extraction parameters determined on the basis of the recognizable type of capsule (3) to prepare a beverage (2); and dispensing the prepared beverage (2) through the outlet channel (20). 16. The use of capsule (3) for: device according to any one of paragraphs. 1-13; formation of a combination according to claim 14; or performing the method according to claim 15, wherein the type of said capsule (3) is recognized by: - determining the color sample of at least part of the surface of the specified capsule (3); - comparing said color sample with at least one color standard by: calculating a generic HSL color vector of said color sample, o calculating a hue value between the hue component of the generic HSL color vector and the hue component of the generic HSL color vector of said at least one color template, calculating the saturation value between the saturation component of the generic HSL color vector and the saturation component of the reference HSL color vector, calculating the lightness value between the lightness component of the generic HSL color vector and the lightness component of the reference HSL color vector, calculating an HSL score using a hue value, a saturation value, and a lightness value to determine a match between said sample color and said at least one color reference; extraction of the specified capsule (3) in the extraction chamber (100) for the preparation of the drink (2) using the extraction parameters determined on the basis of the recognizable type of capsule (3).

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