Beverage dispenser including an improved electronic control system

A beverage dispenser, comprising:

• beverage dispenser components, comprising at least:
• a user interface,
• a dispensing valve, and
• a valve interface for regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve;
• and
• an electronic control system, comprising:
• a microcontroller for monitoring the user interface and for activating the valve interface responsive to user input, thereby regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve,
• a program memory including firmware for controlling the microcontroller, and
• an interface to permit communication with external devices.

A beverage dispenser, comprising:

• beverage dispenser components, comprising at least:
• a user interface,
• a dispensing valve, and
• a valve interface for regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve;
• and
• an electronic control system, comprising:
• a microcontroller for monitoring the user interface and for activating the valve interface responsive to user input, thereby regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve,
• a program memory including firmware for controlling the microcontroller, and
• a device interface that permits the electronic control system to monitor and control a wide variety of devices attached to the beverage dispenser.

A beverage dispenser, comprising:

• beverage dispenser components, comprising at least:
• a user interface,
• a dispensing valve, and
• a valve interface for regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve;
• and
• an electronic control system, comprising:
• a microcontroller for monitoring the user interface and for activating the valve interface responsive to user input, thereby regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve,
• a program memory including firmware for controlling the microcontroller, and
• a modem to permit communication with remotely located external devices.

A method of designing a beverage dispenser or re-configuring an existing beverage dispenser, comprising the steps of:

• providing beverage dispenser components, comprising at least:
• a user interface,
• a dispensing valve, and
• a valve interface for regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve;
• providing an electronic control system, comprising:
• a microcontroller for monitoring the user interface and for activating the valve interface responsive to user input, thereby regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve, and
• a program memory including supervisory control firmware, dispenser tasks firmware, and low level drivers firmware for controlling the microcontroller;
• and
• modifying the low level drivers firmware to interface the microcontroller with the beverage dispenser components.

A method of receiving user input into a beverage dispenser, comprising the steps of:

• providing a beverage dispenser, comprising:
• a push-button switch, and
• an electronic control system, comprising:
• a microcontroller for controlling the push-button switch, and
• a program memory including a switch state machine for controlling the microcontroller, wherein the switch state machine includes an off state and an on state;
• calling the switch state machine to assume control of the microcontroller;
• monitoring in the off state for the depression of the push button switch;
• changing from the off state to the on state upon the depression of the push-button switch;
• receiving in the on state via the push button switch user input for use by the beverage dispenser;
• changing from the on state to the off state upon the release of the push-button switch;
• and
• relinquishing control of the microcontroller when there has been no change of state, immediately upon a change of state, or upon the expiration of a preset time period.

A method of outputting information from a beverage dispenser to a user, comprising the steps of:

• providing a beverage dispenser, comprising:
• a user interface device, and
• an electronic control system, comprising:
• a microcontroller for controlling the user interface device, and
• a program memory including a user interface state machine for controlling the microcontroller, wherein the user interface state machine includes an activate state and a deactivate state;
• calling the user interface state machine to assume control of the microcontroller;
• monitoring in the activate state for a condition requiring the activation of the user interface device;
• activating the user interface device upon the detection of a condition requiring the activation of the user interface device;
• changing from the activate state to the deactivate state after activating the user interface device;
• monitoring in the deactivate state for a condition requiring the deactivation of the user interface device;
• deactivating the user interface device upon the detection of a condition requiring the deactivation of the user interface device;
• changing from the deactivate state to the activate state after deactivating the user interface device;
• and
• relinquishing control of the microcontroller when there has been no change of state, immediately upon a change of state, or upon the expiration of a preset time period.

A method of dispensing a beverage from a beverage dispenser, comprising the steps of:

• providing a beverage dispenser, comprising:
• a dispensing valve,
• a valve interface for regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve, and
• an electronic control system, comprising:
• a microcontroller for controlling the valve interface, thereby regulating the delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve, and
• a program memory including a dispense state machine for controlling the microcontroller, wherein the dispense state machine includes a detect dispense
• calling the dispense state machine to assume control of the microcontroller;
• detecting in the detect dispense state whether a dispense has been requested;
• changing from the detect dispense state to the dispense state upon the request of a dispense;
• activating in the dispense state the valve interface to deliver a beverage from the dispensing valve;
• changing from the dispense state to the dispense over state upon the activation of the valve interface;
• monitoring in the dispense over state whether the dispense request has been discontinued, whether a preset volume of beverage has been dispensed from the dispensing valve, or whether a preset time period has expired;
• changing from the dispense over state to the stop dispense state upon the discontinuing of the dispense request, the dispensing of a preset volume of beverage from the dispensing valve, or the expiration of a preset time period;
• deactivating in the stop dispense state the valve interface to stop delivery of a beverage from the dispensing valve;
• changing from the stop dispense state to the detect dispense state upon the deactivation of the valve interface;
• and
• relinquishing control of the microcontroller when there has been no change of state, immediately upon a change of state, or upon the expiration of a preset time period.

A method of external communication to a beverage dispenser, comprising the steps of:

• providing a beverage dispenser, comprising:
• an electronic control system, comprising:
• an interface to permit communication with an external device;
• a microcontroller for controlling the interface, and
• a program memory including an interface state machine for controlling the microcontroller, wherein the interface state machine includes a message state and a receive state;
• calling the interface state machine to assume control of the microcontroller;
• determining in the message state whether an external device contains information for the beverage dispenser;
• changing from the message state to the receive state when an external device contains information for the beverage dispenser;
• inputting via the interface information from an external device to the beverage dispenser;
• changing from the receive state to the message state upon the completion of information input from an external device to the beverage dispenser;
• and
• relinquishing control of the microcontroller when there has been no change of state, immediately upon a change of state, or upon the expiration of a preset time period.

A method of external communication from a beverage dispenser, comprising the steps of:

• providing a beverage dispenser, comprising:
• an electronic control system, comprising:
• an interface to permit communication with an external device;
• a microcontroller for controlling the interface, and
• a program memory including an interface state machine for controlling the microcontroller, wherein the interface state machine includes a message state and a transmit state;
• calling the interface state machine to assume control of the microcontroller;
• determining in the message state whether the beverage dispenser contains information for an external device;
• changing from the message state to the transmit state when the beverage dispenser contains information for an external device;
• outputting via the interface information from the beverage dispenser to an external device;
• changing from the transmit state to the message state upon the completion of information output from the beverage dispenser to an external device;
• and
• relinquishing control of the microcontroller when there has been no change of state, immediately upon a change of state, or upon the expiration of a preset time period.

A method of remote external communication to a beverage dispenser, comprising the steps of:

• providing a beverage dispenser, comprising:
• an electronic control system, comprising:
• a modem to permit communication with a remote external device;
• a microcontroller for controlling the modem, and
• a program memory including a modem state machine for controlling the microcontroller, wherein the modem state machine includes a message state and a receive state;
• calling the modem state machine to assume control of the microcontroller;
• determining in the message state whether a remote external device contains information for the beverage dispenser;
• changing from the message state to the receive state when a remote external device contains information for the beverage dispenser;
• inputting via the modem information from a remote external device to the beverage dispenser;
• changing from the receive state to the message state upon the completion of information input from a remote external device to the beverage dispenser;
• and
• relinquishing control of the microcontroller when there has been no change of state, immediately upon a change of state, or upon the expiration of a preset time period.

A method of remote external communication from a beverage dispenser, comprising the steps of:

• providing a beverage dispenser, comprising:
• an electronic control system, comprising:
• a modem to permit communication with a remote external device;
• a microcontroller for controlling the modem, and
• a program memory including a modem state machine for controlling the microcontroller, wherein the modem state machine includes a message state and a transmit state;
• calling the modem state machine to assume control of the microcontroller;
• determining in the message state whether the beverage dispenser contains information for a remote external device;
• changing from the message state to the transmit state when the beverage dispenser contains information for a remote external device;
• outputting via the modem information from the beverage dispenser to a remote external device;
• changing from the transmit state to the message state upon the completion of information output from the beverage dispenser to a remote external device;
• and
• relinquishing control of the microcontroller when there has been no change of state, immediately upon a change of state, or upon the expiration of a preset time period.

A frozen cooling fluid monitoring system, comprising:

• a first probe immersed in a cooling fluid;
• a second probe immersed in the cooling fluid;
• a ground probe immersed in the cooling fluid;
• a controller coupled with the first probe and the second probe, wherein the controller outputs a pulse signal received at the first probe and the second probe, whereby, when both the first probe and the second probe are submerged in frozen cooling fluid, the controller receives a pulse signal indicating a sufficient amount of frozen cooling fluid, and, when the first probe is submerged in frozen cooling fluid and the second probe is immersed in unfrozen cooling fluid, the pulse signal is attenuated to ground via the ground probe indicating to the controller an insufficient amount of frozen cooling fluid.

A method of controlling a refrigeration unit of a beverage dispenser, comprising the steps of:

• providing a beverage dispenser, comprising:
• a refrigeration unit including a frozen cooling fluid monitoring system;
• and
• an electronic control system, comprising:
• a refrigeration control to permit interfacing with the refrigeration unit;
• a microcontroller for controlling the refrigeration control, and
• a program memory including a refrigeration state machine for controlling the microcontroller, wherein the refrigeration state machine includes an off state, an unfrozen probes state, an on state, a frozen probes state;
• calling the refrigeration state machine to assume control of the microcontroller;
• deactivating in the off state the refrigeration unit via the refrigeration control;
• changing from the off state to the unfrozen probes state;
• determining in the unfrozen probes state via the frozen cooling fluid monitoring system when there is insufficient frozen cooling fluid;
• changing from the unfrozen probes state to the on state when the frozen cooling fluid monitoring system registers that there is insufficient frozen cooling fluid;
• activating in the on state the refrigeration unit via the refrigeration control;
• changing from the on state to the frozen probes state;
• determining in the frozen probes state via the frozen cooling fluid monitoring system when there is sufficient frozen cooling fluid;
• changing from the frozen probes state to the off state when the frozen cooling fluid monitoring system registers that there is sufficient frozen cooling fluid;
• and
• relinquishing control of the microcontroller when there has been no change of state, immediately upon a change of state, or upon the expiration of a preset time period.

A liquid level monitoring system, comprising:

• a first probe extending into a liquid container;
• a second probe extending into the liquid container;
• a ground probe attached to the liquid container;
• a controller coupled with the first probe and the second probe, wherein the controller outputs a pulse signal received at the first probe and the second probe, whereby, when both the first probe and the second probe are not contacted by liquid in the liquid container, the controller receives a pulse signal indicating an insufficient amount of liquid in the liquid container, and, when both the first probe and the second probe are contacted by liquid in the liquid container, the pulse signal is attenuated to ground via the ground probe indicating to the controller a sufficient amount of liquid in the liquid container.

A method of controlling a carbonation system of a beverage dispenser, comprising the steps of:

• providing a beverage dispenser, comprising:
• a carbonation system including a liquid level monitoring system;
• and
• an electronic control system, comprising:
• a carbonation control to permit interfacing with the carbonation system;
• a microcontroller for controlling the carbonation control, and
• a program memory including a carbonation state machine for controlling the microcontroller, wherein the refrigeration state machine includes an off state, a probes exposed state, an on state, a probes unexposed state;
• calling the carbonation state machine to assume control of the microcontroller;
• deactivating in the off state a pump of the carbonation system via the carbonation control;
• changing from the off state to the probes exposed state;
• determining in the probes exposed state via the liquid level monitoring system when there is insufficient liquid in the carbonation system;
• changing from the probes exposed state to the on state when the liquid level monitoring system registers that there is insufficient liquid in the carbonation system;
• activating in the on state the pump of the carbonation system via the carbonation control;
• changing from the on state to the probes unexposed state;
• determining in the probes unexposed state via the liquid level monitoring system when there is sufficient liquid in the carbonation system;
• changing from the probes unexposed state to the off state when the liquid level monitoring system registers that there is sufficient liquid in the carbonation system;
• and
• relinquishing control of the microcontroller when there has been no change of state, immediately upon a change of state, or upon the expiration of a preset time period.