Methods and systems for secure, metered beverage dispensing

A method comprising:

• opening an output valve fluidically coupled to an output port of a fluid reservoir including an initial amount of beverage fluid;
• measuring a flowrate of the beverage fluid passing through the output port;
• generating output signals indicative of an amount of liquid dispensed from the output port of the fluid reservoir based on the measured flowrate;
• determining a first cumulative amount of beverage fluid dispensed through the output port based on the output signals;
• communicating a control signal to the output valve that causes the output valve to close when the first cumulative amount of beverage fluid exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
• communicating a control command that causes a metered amount of fluid to be dispensed from the output port of the fluid reservoir;
• determining a second cumulative amount of beverage fluid dispensed from the output port based on the control command;
• determining a difference between the first and second cumulative amounts of beverage fluid dispensed from the output port;
• and
• communicating an indication of a discrepancy between the first and second cumulative amounts of beverage fluid when the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

A beverage distribution system comprising:

• one or more beverage cartridges, each of the one or more beverage cartridges comprising:
• a fluid reservoir including an output port and an initial amount of beverage fluid within the fluid reservoir;
• an output valve fluidically coupled to the output port, wherein the beverage fluid passes through the output valve after exiting the fluid reservoir through the output port;
• a flow meter fluidically coupled to the output port, wherein the beverage fluid passes through the flowmeter after exiting the fluid reservoir through the output port, the flow meter configured to generate output signals indicative of an amount of liquid dispensed from the output port of the fluid reservoir;
• a first non-transitory, computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
• receive the output signals from the flow meter;
• determine a first cumulative amount of beverage fluid dispensed from the beverage cartridge based on the output signals;
• communicate a control signal to the output valve that causes the output valve to close when the first cumulative amount of beverage fluid exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
• a beverage dispensing device, the one or more beverage cartridges removably coupled to the beverage dispensing device, the beverage dispensing device comprising:
• a second non-transitory, computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
• communicate a control command that causes a metered amount of fluid to be dispensed from the beverage dispensing device;
• determine a second cumulative amount of beverage fluid dispensed from each of the one or more beverage cartridges based on the control command;
• determine a difference between the first and second cumulative amounts of fluid dispensed from each of the one or more beverage cartridges;
• and
• communicate an indication of a discrepancy between the first and second cumulative amounts of beverage fluid when the difference exceeds a predetermined threshold value.