WO2002065412A2

WO2002065412A2 - System for controlling beverage dispensing machines

Info

Publication number: WO2002065412A2
Application number: PCT/FR2002/000526
Authority: WO
Inventors: Philippe Mermet
Original assignee: Philippe Mermet
Priority date: 2001-02-12
Filing date: 2002-02-12
Publication date: 2002-08-22
Also published as: WO2002065412A3; AU2002237378A1; FR2820864A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a system for controlling machines (2) automatically preparing and dispensing several types of beverages, selected by keys (5). Means (7) detect the actuating of each key (5), and a management module (8) counts the number of times the different keys have been actuated. In a central station (11) the number of times the keys (5) have been actuated is converted into corresponding numbers of units of account, which are added up, the result of the summation enabling assignment of a price taking into account an elementary value assigned to each type of beverage. The invention is applicable to management of coffee machines, for commercial and institutional catering.

Description

Control system for beverage vending machines

The present invention relates to a control system for beverage dispensing machines, in particular machines ensuring the automatic preparation and dispensing of several types of beverages, which can be selected, a typical example being constituted by coffee dispensing machines. This invention thus interests, in particular, the field of commercial catering and collective catering (cafeterias). Even more particularly, the present invention provides a control system suitable for beverage dispensing machines, which comprise a plurality of buttons or keys making it possible to select a type of beverage, distinct by its nature and / or by the quantity dispensed, such machine that can be equipped with a coin acceptor receiving, for example, tokens, for self-service use.

In the current operating mode of such beverage vending machines, the users of these machines (or their central purchasing offices) buy, on the one hand, the material, that is to say these machines, and on the other hand hand, look for a supplier of coffee or other basic materials at the best price. The material thus acquired is not always the most appropriate, in relation to the real needs of the user, and the technical monitoring of the machines is not carried out in the best way. In addition, the user cannot really visualize the volumes sold of each type of drink, and he only has an overall statement of sales, in the form of an accounting document, not protecting him from possible fraud.

The present invention aims to avoid these drawbacks by providing a control system for beverage dispensing machines, allowing more rational operation of these machines, taking into account realistically the diversity of beverages that can be dispensed by the same machine.

To this end, in the system which is the subject of the invention, designed for the control of beverage dispensing machines each comprising a plurality of buttons or keys making it possible to select a type of beverage distinct by its nature and / or by the quantity dispensed, it is planned, in combination:

means for detecting the actuation of each button or key, means for counting the number of actuations of the various buttons or keys,

means for converting the number of actuations of each button or key into a corresponding number of account units, taking account of a basic number of account units assigned to each type of connection,

means for summing the numbers of units of account obtained corresponding respectively to the actuations of the various buttons or keys, and means for allocating a price according to the result of the summation of the numbers of units of account corresponding respectively the actuations of the different buttons or keys. Thus, the invention provides a system which allows perfect control of the operating costs of beverage vending machines, of the type here concerned. The number of drinks of each type, distributed over a given period such as day or month, is perfectly known. Each type of drink is also assigned a number of units of account which takes into account, in particular, the quantity and value of the raw material (such as coffee beans) used for the preparation of this type of drink. drink by machine. The system allows, on the basis of these elements, a realistic invoicing, taking into account not only the total number of units recorded, but also the initial investment, with the possibility of having a decreasing price of the unit depending on the quantities distributed, and to use separate price lists according to the type, more or less perfected, of the machine (examples: simple coffee machine, or with cup warmers, or even with milk refrigerator).

The system, object of the invention, also allows an operator to control, from a central station, a plurality of beverage dispensing machines, placed in separate places, these machines not necessarily being all of the same model. This system makes it possible not only to establish invoicing with a determined periodicity, for example monthly, but also to carry out the interrogation at any time, both by the operator of a fleet of machines and by the user of a given machine, this not only for viewing volumes distributed and statistics, but also to ensure the replenishment and maintenance of machines. According to one embodiment of the control system, object of the invention, there is associated, with the or each beverage dispensing machine, a management module in conjunction with the means for detecting the actuation of each corresponding button or key. to a type of drink, the management module including the means for counting the number of actuations of each button or key, and this management module being connected, by wired or wireless remote communication means, to a central station of control, including the means of converting into number of units of account, the means of summing these numbers of units of account, and the means of awarding a price.

In the case of a plurality of beverage dispensing machines, operated simultaneously by the same user, the management modules associated respectively with these things are advantageously connected in a loop. The remote communication means can be constituted by a telephone line connected to the management module by means of a modem, and transmit to the central control station the information relating to the number of actuations of the keys or buttons corresponding to the various types. drinks. The central station, constituted in particular by a computer, ensures the accounting of the units, and the invoicing, by periodically interrogating the or each management module, associated with a beverage dispensing machine. To carry out its task, the central station also includes a memory responsible for tariff grids.

The invention will in any case be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended schematic drawing showing, by way of example, an embodiment of this control system for beverage vending machines, and illustrating how this system works:

Figure 1 shows, very schematically, a coffee machine equipped to be operated with the system object of the invention;

Figure 2 is a block diagram of a system according to the invention, simultaneously controlling several coffee machines;

Figure 3 is a simplified flowchart of the operation of this control system. FIG. 1 represents, very schematically, a beverage dispensing machine, generally designated by the reference 2. This machine comprises, in its upper part, a reservoir of coffee beans 3, and in its lower part, a grid 4 receiving the cups to be filled. A set of programmable keys 5 makes it possible to select the type of drink desired, which can be distinguished by the nature of the drink, and / or by the quantity of drink dispensed each time the corresponding key is pressed. For example, in the case of a machine equipped with four keys 5, these keys can correspond respectively to the automatic preparation and distribution by the machine 2, of:

- an “espresso” type coffee; - two “espresso” type coffees;

- a so-called "tight" coffee;

- a "long" coffee.

It is clear that, depending on the type of drink selected, the machine 2 carries out the preparation using a variable quantity of coffee beans 3. In the example illustrated, the machine 2 is equipped with a coin mechanism

6, for example with tokens, allowing self-service use.

Each key 5 of the machine 2 is associated with a detector 7, connected to a management unit 8 associated with this machine 2. Thus, the management unit 8 determines the number of presses exerted on each key 5, and the number total presses of keys 5, during a given period, such as a day or a month. In addition, the management unit 8 can store the number of presses, for example over a period of three years.

Referring to FIG. 2, the management module 8 associated with the machine 2 is connected, via a modem 9, to a telephone line 10 leading to a central control station, constituted by a computer 11.

In the case of a plurality of machines 2, as also shown in FIG. 2, the respective management modules 8 of these machines 2 are connected in a loop, as indicated in 12, to allow the control of all the machines 2 by the same central station 11. It will be noted here that not only the number of machines 2 can be variable, but that these machines 2 are not necessarily all identical to each other.

The central station 11 periodically interrogates the management module

8 of the or each machine 2, via the telephone line 10. From the numbers of presses recorded by the management module 8, the central station 11 establishes invoicing, the invoices being able to be edited by a printer 13. The flow diagram of FIG. 3 illustrates, for a management module 8, therefore for a machine 2, the accounting operations carried out by the system.

The machine 2 comprising four keys 5 (in the example considered), the management module 8 determines the respective number of actuations ni, n2, n3, n4 of these keys, as well as the total number n of key actuations, equal to: n = ni + n2 + n 3 + n4.

In the central station 11, to which these different numbers of actuations are transmitted, each number of actuations ni, n2, n3, n4 of a key 5 is converted into a corresponding number of units of account. For this purpose, a basic number of units of account is assigned to each type of drink beforehand, taking into account in particular the quantity of raw material (coffee beans 3) necessary for its preparation. For example, the unit of account corresponds to the quantity of coffee beans (typically: 7.5 grams) necessary for the preparation of a "small" cup; thus, to a “large” cup requiring 9 grams of coffee, it corresponds to an elementary number of 1, 2 unit of account.

More generally, the different types of drinks are respectively assigned elementary numbers of account units k1, k2, k3, k4. Consequently, the central station 11 will calculate, for each type of drink, a number of account units N1, N2, N3, N4 given by the multiplications:

- N1 = k1. or

- N2 ≈ k2. n2 - N3 = k3. n3

. N4 = k4. n4

(the four numbers k1, k2, k3, k4 constituting as many weighting coefficients).

These numbers of units N1, N2, N3, N4 which correspond respectively to the types of drinks, and which translate the quantities distributed, are added together to obtain a total number N of units of account: N = N1 + N2 + N3 + N4.

Finally, invoicing is established, to establish a price P from the total number N of account units, and from tariff grids G stored. These price grids G make it possible to determine an invoice price P which is not simply proportional to the total number of account units N, but which can also take into account: - the quantities distributed by a machine 2 or by a set of machines, with a certain degression for an increasing volume;

- the types of machine concerned, therefore the operator's initial investment.

Insofar as the number of units of account is proportional to the quantity of coffee beans dosed for each type of drink delivered, the system also allows an evaluation of the quantity (by mass) of coffee, as basic material , consumed by a given machine.

One would not depart from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims:

- by replacing the wired link, between the management module associated with the machine and the central station, by a wireless link, such as those used in the field of mobile telephony, or by a link using a network of the "Internet" type ";

- by distributing the functions differently between the management module and the central station, for example by determining and also accounting for the units of account in the management module;

- by adapting the system to machines with more or less numerous buttons or keys, corresponding to more or less numerous types of drinks;

- by devoting the system to vending machines for drinks of all kinds: coffee, café au lait, tea, etc.

Claims

1. Control system for beverage dispensing machines, in particular machines ensuring the automatic preparation and distribution of several types of beverages, each machine (2) comprising a plurality of buttons or keys (5) making it possible to select a type of beverage distinct by its nature and / or by the quantity distributed, characterized in that it comprises, in combination:

- means for detecting (7) the actuation of each button or key (5),

means for counting the number (ni, n2, n3, n4) of actuation of the buttons or keys (5),

means for converting the number of actuations (ni, n2, n3, n4) of each button or key (5) into a corresponding number of account units (N1, N2, N3, N4), taking account of a basic number of units of account (k1, k2, k3, k4) assigned to each type of drink,

means for summing the numbers of units of account obtained (N1, N2, N3, N4) corresponding respectively to the actuations of the various buttons or keys (5), and

means for allocating a price (P), as a function of the result (N) of the summation of the numbers of units of account (N1, N2, N3, N4) corresponding respectively to the actuations of the various buttons or keys ( 5).

2. Control system for beverage vending machines according to claim 1, characterized in that it is associated, with the or each beverage dispensing machine (2), a management module (8) in connection with the detection means (7) of the actuation of each button or key (5), corresponding to a type of drink, the management module (8) including the means for counting the number of actuations (ni, n2, n3, n4) of each button or key (5), and this management module (8) being connected, by remote communication means (10) wired or wireless, to a central control station (11), including the means for converting into number of units of account (N1, N2, N3, N4), the means of summing these numbers of units of account (N1, N2, N3, N4) and the means of awarding a price (P) .

3. Control system for beverage vending machines according to claim 2, characterized in that, in the case of a plurality of machines (2) vending machines, the management modules (8) associated respectively with these machines are connected in a loop (12)

4. System for controlling beverage vending machines according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the remote communication means consist of a telephone line (10) connected to the management module (8) by a modem (9) .

5. control system for beverage vending machines according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the central station is constituted by a computer (11), which periodically interrogates the or each management module (8), associated with a machine (2) for dispensing beverages, the central station further comprising a memory responsible for the tariff grids (G).

6. Control system for beverage vending machines according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by its application to coffee vending machines (2) for commercial catering and collective catering, in particular machines (2 ) equipped with a coin mechanism (6) for self-service use.