# US 11,440,784 B2 · Automated dispensing system for customized beverages

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- Number: US 11,440,784 B2
- Document ID: US11440784B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/248,210
- Filed: 2021-01-14
- Published: 2021-07-22
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2020-01-16
- Assignees: Starbucks Corporation
- Applicants: Starbucks Corporation
- Inventors: Natarajan Venkatakrishnan; Andrew Corlett; Jonathan Levey; Brandon Michael Roberts
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440784B2

## CPC

- B67D 1/0037: {based on volumetric dosing}
- B67D 1/0079: {having their own dispensing means}
- B67D 1/0078: {Ingredient cartridges}
- B67D 1/07: Cleaning beverage-dispensing apparatus {(B67D1/0834, B67D1/0837 take precedence)}
- B67D 1/0882: {Devices for controlling the dispensing conditions}
- B67D 1/0888: {Means comprising electronic circuitry (e.g. control panels, switching or controlling means)}
- B67D 1/10: Pump mechanism (in general F04)
- B67D 1/12: Flow or pressure control devices or systems {, e.g. valves, gas pressure control, level control in storage containers}
- G06Q 20/085: {involving remote charge determination or related payment systems}
- G06Q 20/18: involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
- G06Q 20/202: {Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR}
- G06Q 20/203: {Inventory monitoring}
- G06Q 20/209: {Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output}
- G07F 9/026: {for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty}
- G07F 13/025: {wherein the volume is determined during delivery}
- G07F 13/065: {for drink preparation}
- B67D 1/0892: {the beverage container being stored in a rack or shelf}
- B67D 2001/0091: {Component storage means}
- B67D 2001/0097: {using a pump}
- B67D 2001/082: {arranged in parallel}
- B67D 2210/00034: Modules
- B67D 2210/00089: Remote control means, e.g. by electromagnetic signals
- B67D 2210/0012: related to concentrate handling
- B67D 2210/0016: Adapted for dispensing high viscosity products
- B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})

## Abstract

The disclosure generally relates to an automated modular dispensing platform for creating customized beverages (e.g., using various sauces, syrups, sweeteners, colors and/or flavors added to a base beverage). The automated dispensing platform may simultaneously aggregate beverage modifiers or ingredients (e.g., sweetener, flavor, and/or color) and facilitate automated, efficient cleaning cycles for modular beverage dispensers.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A dispensing system comprising:
a plurality of modular dispensers, each of the plurality of modular dispensers is configured to store an ingredient, each of the modular dispensers including a dispensing spout for dispensing the ingredient into a vessel placed underneath the dispensing spout;
a controller within a housing, the controller configured to communicate instructions to the plurality of modular dispensers, the instructions including a quantity of the ingredient to be dispensed from the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers;
wherein each of the plurality of modular dispensers comprises a display.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the ingredient stored in the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers is identified by a user using a user input device on the dispensing system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the ingredient stored in the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers is identified by a user an external device remote from the dispensing system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the ingredient stored in the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers is identified by a sensing device.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The dispensing system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of modular dispensers comprises a pump system having a motor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The dispensing system of claim 5, wherein when a speed of the motor is above an operating limit, the pump is configured to continually pump until the speed of the motor falls below the operating limit.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The dispensing system of claim 1, further comprising a common power supply within the housing, the common power supply configured to supply power to each of the plurality of modular dispensers.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modular dispensers comprises a first modular dispenser and a second modular dispenser, and wherein the controller is configured to communicate instructions to the first modular dispenser to dispense a first quantity of the ingredient in the first modular dispenser and communicate instructions to the second modular dispenser to dispense a second quantity of the ingredient in the second modular dispenser.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the controller receives an instruction from a point of sale system.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to display one or more light indicators indicative of the quantity of the ingredient to be dispensed.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to numerically display the quantity of the ingredient to be dispensed.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to indicate a sequence for dispensing ingredient from the at least one of the plurality of modular dispensers.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The dispensing system of claim 1, wherein the dispensing system comprises a single display on the housing.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The dispensing system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of modular dispensers comprises a pump.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The dispensing system of claim 14, wherein the pump is a positive displacement pump.