JP7724455B2 - Beverage Supply System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a beverage supply system.

A beverage dispenser equipped with a reading device that reads information recorded on an electronic tag, which is a recording medium, is known. In this beverage dispenser, the reading device reads information recorded on an electronic tag attached to a container, and based on that information, if the selected beverage and dispensed amount can be purchased at the charge amount and container size specified from the information recorded on the recording medium, the beverage is dispensed into the container.
In such a beverage dispenser, the container is placed at a predetermined position where the beverage dispensed from the beverage dispenser can be poured, and the transceiver is provided at a position where it can read the recording medium of the container placed at the predetermined position.

Special table 2016-529576 publication

However, in conventional beverage dispensers, the electromagnetic waves and radio waves used by the transmitter/receiver to read information from a recording medium are transmitted while being diffused, so there is a risk that the transmitter/receiver may read the recording medium of a container even if the container is placed in a position other than the designated position.

The present invention provides a beverage dispenser that can prevent a transceiver from reading a recording medium of a container that is placed in a position different from a position where a beverage can be dispensed.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a beverage supply system and a beverage supply device that can provide a beverage corresponding to a container by utilizing information recorded on an electronic tag read by a reading device.

The present invention is a beverage supply system comprising: a beverage supply device having a reading device that reads container information from a recording medium on a container and supplies a beverage to the container; an information terminal that selects a desired beverage and transmits order information corresponding to the beverage; and a server that, when receiving the order information transmitted by the information terminal, links the order information to the container information of the container and stores it; when the container is set in the beverage supply device, the beverage supply device transmits the container information of the container read by the reading device to the server, and supplies the desired beverage corresponding to the order information to the container set in the beverage supply device in accordance with the order information linked to the container information of the container received from the server.

This invention prevents the transceiver from reading the recording medium of a container placed in a position other than the position from which a beverage can be dispensed, and allows a predetermined beverage to be dispensed into the container simply by placing the container.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a configuration of a beverage supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a beverage supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a reading device of the beverage dispenser; IV-IV cross-sectional view of FIG. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of a tray unit of the beverage dispenser according to the present embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a first beverage supply system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a second beverage supply system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the shielding member of the beverage dispenser of the present embodiment; A diagram showing the flow of tumbler registration for the beverage supply system A diagram showing the display screen during the tumbler registration flow FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a menu selection flow of the first beverage supply system of the present embodiment. A diagram showing the display screen during the menu selection flow Figure 10 shows another display screen during the same menu selection flow FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a part of a beverage supply flow of the first beverage supply system of the present embodiment. FIG. 10 shows another part of the beverage supply flow FIG. 10 shows another part of the beverage supply flow FIG. 10 shows a part of the display screen during the beverage supply flow. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another part of the display screen during the beverage supply flow. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another part of the display screen during the beverage supply flow. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a beverage supply sequence of the first beverage supply system of the present embodiment. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another display screen in the first beverage supply system of the present embodiment.

The first invention is a beverage supply system comprising a beverage supply device that supplies beverages to containers equipped with a communicable recording medium, and a server that transmits beverage information to the beverage supply device. The beverage supply device comprises a transceiver unit that transmits and receives information to and from the container's recording medium, and a communications unit that transmits information received by the transceiver unit from the container's recording medium and information about the beverage supply device to the server and receives the beverage information from the server. The server comprises a memory unit that stores the beverage information to be supplied to the container, and a control unit that detects beverage information to be supplied to the container that corresponds to the information received from the container's recording medium from the beverage supply device, and transmits the beverage information to the beverage supply device.

With this beverage supply system, customers can receive pre-registered menu items from the beverage supply device where the container is placed.

This means that customers can easily receive their products without having to go through the ordering process at a store that has a beverage dispenser.

The second invention is a beverage supply system comprising a beverage supply device equipped with a device ID for supplying beverages to containers, and a server connected to the beverage supply device via a network, wherein the beverage supply device has means for reading the container ID from a communicable storage medium equipped in the container and transmitting the container ID and device ID to the server, the server has means for detecting order information corresponding to the container ID and transmitting the detected order information to the beverage supply device corresponding to the device ID, and the beverage supply device has means for providing the container with a product according to the received order information.

With this beverage supply system, customers can receive pre-registered menu items from the beverage supply device where the container is placed.

The third invention is a beverage supply device that supplies a beverage to a container equipped with a communication-capable recording medium used in the first and second inventions, and includes an installation section in which the container is installed, a transmitting/receiving section that is provided below the installation section and transmits and receives information to and from the recording medium, and a shielding section that is located away from the installation section and shields communication between the recording medium and the transmitting/receiving section.
According to this, when the container is placed in a position away from the position where the beverage is supplied, the shielding member can block the radio waves or electromagnetic waves emitted from the reading device, thereby shielding the container from the radio waves or electromagnetic waves.

This allows the beverage dispenser to prevent the information on the recording medium from being read when the container is placed in a position other than the designated position.

A fourth invention is a beverage supply method for supplying a beverage to a container equipped with a communicable storage medium, comprising the steps of: a beverage supply device reading a container ID from the communicable storage medium equipped in the container; a beverage supply device transmitting the container ID and device ID to a server; a server detecting order information corresponding to the container ID; a server transmitting the detected order information to a beverage supply device corresponding to the device ID; and a beverage supply device providing a product to the container according to the order information received.

With this method, simply by placing the container in the beverage dispenser, the beverage dispenser can dispense a pre-registered menu item into the container.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a front view showing the configuration of a beverage dispenser 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The beverage dispenser 1 of this embodiment is a so-called beverage dispenser installed in stores such as convenience stores, restaurants, or drink bars, and is specifically a device that extracts coffee or other beverages and pours them into a designated container such as a cup. The beverage dispenser 1 of this embodiment uses a beverage container 70 as a dedicated container for pouring the beverage.

As shown in Figure 1, the beverage dispenser 1 comprises a device main body 2 and a tray unit 10.

The device main body 2 is a box-shaped housing that houses various mechanisms for supplying beverages and communication devices for communicating with external networks. In this embodiment, the device main body 2 houses various extraction mechanisms for extracting coffee beverages, such as a drive motor, mill, filter, cylinder, and hot water tank, as well as various supply mechanisms for supplying the extracted coffee beverages, such as a pump and supply piping, and a control device 11 (Figure 6) that controls these extraction and supply mechanisms and communicates with external servers, etc.

These brewing and supply mechanisms are substantially the same as the coffee beverage brewing and supply mechanisms commonly known as beverage dispensers.

A beverage supply nozzle 3 is provided approximately in the center of the front face (front surface) of the device main body 2. The beverage supply nozzle 3 functions as a beverage discharge section that discharges the beverage extracted inside the device main body 2, and is connected to the beverage supply nozzle 3 with a supply pipe of a supply mechanism housed inside the device main body 2. A discharge port 4 is formed at the lower end of the beverage supply nozzle 3. In the beverage supply device 1, the extracted beverage is discharged downward through the discharge port 4 of the beverage supply nozzle 3 along the vertical direction of the device main body 2.

A discharge button 5 is provided on the front of the device main body 2, above the beverage supply nozzle 3. When this discharge button 5 is pressed, the beverage extracted by the extraction mechanism is discharged downward through the discharge port 4 of the beverage supply nozzle 3.

A display panel 6 is provided on the front of the device main body 2 above the discharge button 5. This display panel 6 functions as a display unit that displays information about the status of the beverage dispenser 1, menus that the beverage dispenser 1 can provide, information read from the beverage container 70, etc.

The display panel 6 may be a touch panel. In this case, the display panel 6 may be configured to allow touch operations to cause the extracted beverage to be dispensed from the beverage dispense nozzle 3. In this case, the dispense button 5 does not necessarily have to be physically provided.

For example, instead of the display panel 6, a communication terminal capable of communicating with the beverage dispenser 1 may be used. In this case, physical buttons such as the dispense button 5 and the display panel 6 are omitted, and the beverage dispenser 1 is operated via the communication terminal.

The display panel 6 also functions as a display unit that displays images sent from a server connected via an external network, and as an operation unit that sends control signals to the server.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the beverage dispenser 1.

As shown in Figure 2, a reading device housing 7 is provided on the front of the device main body 2, below the beverage supply nozzle 3. The reading device housing 7 is box-shaped with an open top, and is provided so that its longitudinal direction extends from the front of the device main body 2 toward the front, along the front-to-rear direction of the device main body 2. This reading device housing 7 is located approximately in the center of the width direction of the front of the device main body 2.

In this embodiment, the reading device housing 7 is provided at the lower end of the front surface of the device main body 2, and its bottom surface is formed continuously with the bottom surface of the device main body 2. In other words, the bottom surface of the reading device housing 7 contacts the mounting surface on which the device main body 2 is placed. Furthermore, the reading device housing 7 is located directly below the beverage supply nozzle 3.

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the reading device 40.

The reading device housing section 7 houses the reading device 40.

The reading device 40 is a device equipped with a contactless reading mechanism that reads information recorded on a recording medium that records predetermined information, such as an electronic tag such as an NFC tag or RFID tag, or an IC tag. The reading device 40 performs short-range wireless communication with the recording medium in accordance with a predetermined standard, and reads information from the recording medium. The reading device 40 transmits the read information to the control device 11 housed inside the device main body 2. In other words, the reading device 40 functions as a transmitter/receiver.

As shown in FIG. 3, the reading device 40 of this embodiment has a reading device main body 41 formed in the shape of a flat rectangular parallelepiped, and a cover member 49 that covers the reading device main body 41.

The reading device main body 41 houses a processor 44, which consists of a CPU, MPU, etc. The processor 44 functions as a control unit that performs various controls on the reading device 40.

Each reading device 40 is provided with a device antenna 42, which is a planar antenna formed in a flat shape along one of its upper surfaces. The device antenna 42 emits radio waves or electromagnetic waves for communication (for reading information). Note that the device antenna 42 is not limited to a planar antenna and may also be a coil.

A conductor 46 extends from the end of the reading device body 41, and this conductor 46 is connected to the control device 11.

The reading device 40 does not necessarily have to be equipped with a cover member 49. In this case, the reading device main body 41 is directly housed in the reading device housing section 7.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 1, and Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the tray unit 10.

As shown in Figure 4, the tray unit 10 is attached to the front of the device main body 2 and positioned below the beverage supply nozzle 3. As shown in Figure 5, the tray unit 10 comprises a roughly tub-shaped drip tray 20, a flat mounting plate 30 that covers the top surface of the drip tray 20, and a shielding member 50 that covers the top surface of the mounting plate 30 and the front surface of the drip tray 20, and is formed as a box-like structure overall.

In this embodiment, the drip tray 20 and the mounting plate 30 are both made of resin, and the shielding member 50 is made of metal.

The mounting plate 30 is a flat member whose longitudinal dimension is approximately the same as the width dimension of the front surface of the device body 2, and which covers the entire top surface of the drip tray 20. A drain hole 32 is provided in approximately the center of the mounting plate 30, and a mesh-like draining section 34 is provided around the drain hole 32. This draining section 34 is located directly below the beverage supply nozzle 3. In this embodiment, the drain hole 32 is also located directly below the discharge port 4.

When the tray unit 10 is attached to the front of the device main body 2, the drain hole 32 and drain section 34 are located directly below the outlet 4 of the beverage supply nozzle 3.

In this embodiment, when a beverage is poured from the beverage dispenser 1, the beverage container 70 is placed on the top surface of the draining section 34.

The drip tray 20 is a component that receives and collects the beverage that spills out of the beverage container 70 or splashes when the beverage is poured into the beverage container 70 from the beverage dispenser 1. The drip tray 20 has a storage space V1 inside and is shaped like a tank with an open top.

Like the mounting plate 30, the drip tray 20 is formed so that its longitudinal dimension is approximately the same as the width dimension of the front surface of the device main body 2. The drip tray 20 is attached to the device main body 2 so that one side wall 21 formed along the longitudinal direction of the drip tray 20 abuts the lower edge of the front surface of the device main body 2.

The drip tray 20 has a covering portion 26 formed by the bottom portion 24 protruding toward the storage space V1 at approximately the center of its length, with the covering portion 26 being raised by a predetermined height.

The covering portion 26 is formed in a generally rectangular shape in a plan view, and one longitudinal end of the covering portion 26 is connected to the side wall 21, while the other end is positioned close to the side wall 25, which is positioned opposite the side wall 21.

The upper surface of the covering portion 26 is provided with a pair of inclined surfaces 28 that slope from a top 27 located approximately in the center of the drip tray 20 in the longitudinal direction and extending along the entire length of the drip tray 20 toward the bottom 24 on both sides along the longitudinal direction of the drip tray 20. These inclined surfaces 28 slope downward from the top 27 in the vertical direction of the drip tray 20 (the depth direction of the storage space V1). These inclined surfaces 28 are formed along the entire longitudinal direction of the covering portion 26.

In other words, the upper surface of the covering portion 26 is formed in a so-called gable roof shape, with a pair of inclined surfaces 28 connected at the apex 27.

It is desirable that the top surface of the covering portion 26, consisting of the top portion 27 and the pair of inclined surfaces 28, be treated with a water-repellent coating or finish.

In addition, the covering portion 26 is formed to have a height dimension such that its top portion 27 does not come into contact with the mounting plate 30 within the storage space V1.

The bottom 24 protrudes upward to form the covering portion 26, forming a storage space V2 below the covering portion 26. The upper part of this storage space V2 is covered by the covering portion 26, and the lower part is open.

The side wall 21 has an opening 23 that is roughly the same shape as the cross section of the storage space V2. As described above, one longitudinal end of the covering portion 26 is connected to the side wall 21, so that one longitudinal end of the storage space V2 is in communication with the opening 23. Therefore, the storage space V2 is in communication with the outside of the device main body 2 via the opening 23.

As described above, the tray unit 10 is removably attached to the device body 2 so that one side wall 21 formed along the longitudinal direction of the drip tray 20 abuts the lower edge of the front surface of the device body 2. The bottom surface of the drip tray 20 attached to the device body 2 is arranged to abut the surface on which the device body 2 is placed.

At this time, the reading device housing section 7 and the reading device 40 are both housed in the housing space V2 with their upper surfaces covered by the covering section 26. Also, at this time, the device antenna 42 provided on the reading device 40 is positioned so as to be parallel to the mounting plate 30.

The reading device housing unit 7 and the reading device 40 are housed in the housing space V2 by being inserted through the opening 23. The reading device housing unit 7 and the reading device 40 can be removed from the housing space V2 by passing them through the opening 23.

In this way, the reading device storage section 7 and the reading device 40 can be moved in and out of the storage space V2 through the opening 23, so the tray unit 10 can be removed from the device main body 2 by pulling it out in the front-to-rear direction of the device main body 2.

As shown in Figure 5, the shielding member 50 is formed by bending a metal plate into a generally L-shape when viewed from the side, and functions as a shielding portion.

As described above, this shielding member 50 has a flat upper plate portion 52 that covers the upper surface of the mounting plate 30, and a flat front plate portion 54 that covers the entire side wall 25 that forms the front surface of the drip tray 20.

For this reason, when attached to the device main body 2, the shielding member 50 forms the top and front surfaces of the tray unit 10.

An opening 56 is provided approximately in the center of the upper plate portion 52.

This opening 56 is located directly below the beverage supply nozzle 3. In this embodiment, the center of the opening 56 is located directly below the discharge port 4. Therefore, when the shielding member 50 covers the mounting plate 30, a predetermined portion of the upper surface of the draining section 34 is exposed from the opening 56, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. Hereinafter, this predetermined portion of the upper surface of the draining section 34 exposed from the opening 56 will be referred to as the installation section 36. This installation section 36 is located directly below the beverage supply nozzle 3.

In this embodiment, the opening 56 is formed in a generally circular shape with a predetermined inner diameter when viewed from above. The inner diameter of the opening 56 is dimensioned so that the size of the opening 56 is larger than or generally the same as the bottom surface 74 of the beverage container 70. Therefore, when the beverage container 70 is poured from the beverage dispenser 1, the bottom of the beverage container 70 is inserted into the opening 56, and the beverage container 70 is placed on the mounting portion 36 of the mounting plate 30.

The beverage container 70 is a specific container into which a beverage is poured from the beverage dispenser 1. This beverage container 70 is, for example, a tumbler, a portable mug, a water bottle, a disposable cup, a pot, etc. In this embodiment, the beverage container 70 is configured as a so-called tumbler, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4.

As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, an information tag 72 is provided on the bottom of the beverage container 70. This information tag 72 is a recording medium that records predetermined information, such as an electronic tag such as an NFC tag or an RFID tag, or an IC tag. In this embodiment, this information tag 72 forms the bottom surface 74 of the beverage container 70. In this embodiment, the bottom surface 74 is formed in a substantially circular shape in a plan view, and the diameter of the bottom surface 74 is formed to be smaller than the inner diameter of the opening 56.

The information tag 72 is equipped with a planar antenna 76. This planar antenna 76 is formed in a flat plate shape and functions as a communication unit that receives or emits radio waves, electromagnetic waves, etc. This planar antenna 76 is positioned so that it is parallel to the bottom surface of the beverage container 70.

As mentioned above, the device antenna 42 provided on the reading device 40 is positioned parallel to the mounting plate 30.

For this reason, when the beverage container 70 is placed on the installation section 36, the planar antenna 76 provided on the information tag 72 is positioned approximately parallel to the device antenna 42 provided on the reading device 40.

The size of the top surface of this planar antenna 76 is smaller than the size of the bottom surface 74. Note that the information tag 72 is not limited to having a planar antenna 76 as a communication unit, and may also have, for example, a coil or the like.

In this embodiment, the beverage container 70 has a serial number corresponding to the information tag 72 printed on its periphery, for example. This is not limited to a serial number, and may be, for example, a two-dimensional code.

In this embodiment, the beverage container 70 is a tumbler made of resin. However, this is not limited to this, and the beverage container 70 may be made of various materials such as paper, ceramic, glass, metal, etc.

If the beverage container 70 is made of metal, the information tag 72 is preferably attached to the bottom of the beverage container 70, using a rubber material or the like, and spaced a few millimeters (mm) from the metal surface of the beverage container 70. Alternatively, a metal-compatible tag may be used as the information tag 72.

Figure 6 is a diagram showing the general configuration of a beverage supply system 100, of which the beverage supply device of this embodiment is a part.

Next, we will explain the beverage supply system 100 as an example of a system in which the beverage supply device 1 of this embodiment is used.

The beverage supply system 100 of this embodiment is a system that enables appropriate provision of beverages to a user U. As shown in FIG. 6, the beverage supply system 100 includes a beverage supply device 1, a server 60, a beverage container 70, and an information terminal 80. In this embodiment, a case is described in which one beverage supply device 1, one server 60, etc. are provided, but this is not limited to this, and the beverage supply system 100 may include multiple devices of each type. For example, FIG. 7 shows another example of a beverage supply system, depicting a beverage supply system 200 in which the beverage supply devices 1, 1A, and 1B of this embodiment are connected to the same network.

As described above, the beverage dispenser 1 includes a control device 11. The control device 11 includes a computer having a processor such as a CPU or MPU, and memory devices such as ROM or RAM. The control device 11 also includes a device control unit 8 and an overall control unit 9.

The device control unit 8 controls the operation of various device mechanisms, such as the extraction mechanism and supply mechanism housed in the device main body 2.

The overall control unit 9 acquires information read by the reading device 40, sends and receives various information to and from the server 60 via the communication network 90, controls the display of the display panel 6, and controls the device control unit 8.

The server 60 stores a database for identifying beverage containers 70, and transmits and receives information related to the database to and from the beverage supply device 1 and the information terminal 80 via the communication network 90.

The server 60 may also be integrated into the beverage dispenser 1.

The information terminal 80 is a mobile terminal carried by the user U that is capable of communicating with the server 60 to send and receive predetermined information. The information terminal 80 is, for example, a mobile phone, smartphone, tablet, etc. This information terminal 80 is capable of executing a predetermined application program related to the beverage supply system 100.

The communication network 90 connects each device included in the beverage supply system 100, such as the beverage supply device 1, server 60, and information terminal 80, so that they can communicate data with each other. The communication network 90 is a communication line that includes a dedicated line, a public line network, a mobile wireless communication network, a LAN (Local Area Network) line, etc., and may also include devices such as routers and wireless communication access points. The connection between each device included in the beverage supply system 100 and the communication network 90 may be wireless or wired.

Next, we will explain the operation of this embodiment.

In the beverage supply system 100 of this embodiment, first, the user U prepares a beverage container 70 and accesses the server 60 by operating a specific application program executed on the information terminal 80. The user U then registers their own information along with the serial number printed on the beverage container 70. Next, the user U operates the application program to order the desired beverage from the menu. The order details are sent to the server 60 and stored there.

The user U then places the beverage container 70 in the beverage dispenser 1 at the location where the beverage dispenser 1 is installed. Specifically, the user places the beverage container 70 on the installation portion 36 of the installation plate 30. At this time, the bottom of the beverage container 70 is inserted into the opening 56.

This positions the beverage container 70 below the outlet 4 of the beverage supply nozzle 3.

As described above, when the beverage container 70 is placed on the installation section 36, the planar antenna 76 of the information tag 72 is positioned approximately parallel to the device antenna 42 of the reading device 40. This allows the user U to place the beverage container 70 on the installation section 36 without specifying the circumferential position of the beverage container 70. In other words, the user U can place the beverage container 70 on the installation section 36 without having to worry about the orientation of the side of the beverage container 70 or performing any extra actions.

The opening 56 also functions as a marker to make it easier for the user U to position the beverage container 70 directly below the outlet 4 of the beverage supply nozzle 3.

As described above, when the beverage container 70 is placed on the installation section 36, the reading device 40 located approximately directly below the beverage container 70 communicates with the information tag 72 and reads the information recorded on the information tag 72. The read information is acquired by the overall control unit 9, which then transmits the information to the server 60.

The server 60 links the information to the serial number from the database and sends the order details to the beverage supply device 1.

The overall control unit 9 receives the order details and displays them on the display panel 6. The user U checks the order details on the display panel 6, and if they are the same as the details ordered via the information terminal 80, presses the discharge button 5. When this discharge button 5 is pressed, the machine control unit 8 activates the extraction mechanism and supply mechanism, which causes the beverage to be dispensed from the discharge outlet 4 of the beverage supply nozzle 3 and poured into the beverage container 70.

However, in this control flow, it is possible to omit the step in which the user U presses the dispense button 5. In other words, the beverage may be dispensed as soon as the overall control unit 9 receives the order details from the server 60. Automatic payment for the beverage sale may also be performed in this control flow.

In this case, communication between the reading device 40 and the information tag 72 is established, so the beverage container 70 is securely placed below the beverage supply nozzle 3. Therefore, even if the beverage is dispensed without waiting for the user U to press the dispense button 5, the beverage will be reliably poured into the beverage container 70 without soiling the tray unit 10 or its surroundings.

In this way, with the beverage supply system 100, the user U can easily receive a beverage by simply placing the beverage container 70 on the beverage supply device 1 without having to perform various operations related to ordering or paying within the store.

As described above, the beverage supply system 100 makes it possible to omit the step of pressing the discharge button 5. In this case, the user U only needs to place the beverage container 70 on the beverage supply device 1, and can receive a beverage without touching the beverage supply device 1. In other words, the beverage supply system 100 allows the user U to instruct the beverage supply device 1 to dispense a beverage without touching it.

When a beverage is poured from the beverage dispenser 1 into the beverage container 70, the beverage dispensed from the outlet 4 of the beverage dispense nozzle 3 may spill out of the beverage container 70. The spilled beverage flows into the storage space V1 of the drip tray 20 via the drain hole 32 and drainer 34.

As described above, the reading device 40 is housed in the storage space V2 below the drip tray 20. The reading device 40 reads the information on the information tag 72 via short-range wireless communication. Therefore, if a liquid such as a beverage is present between the information tag 72 and the reading device 40, the liquid may attenuate the radio or electromagnetic waves of the short-range wireless communication between the reading device 40 and the information tag 72, potentially preventing the reading device 40 from obtaining the desired information.

In this embodiment, the covering portion 26 that covers the reading device 40 has an upper surface formed in a so-called gable roof shape, with a pair of inclined surfaces 28 connected at the apex 27.

As a result, any liquid, such as a beverage, that flows onto the top surface of the covering portion 26 flows down the inclined surface 28 to the bottom 24 of the drip tray 20. This prevents the liquid, such as a beverage, from accumulating between the information tag 72 and the reading device 40. This also prevents the reading device 40 from being prevented from reading the information on the information tag 72.

In this embodiment, liquids such as beverages that may be present between the information tag 72 and the reading device 40 include, in addition to the beverage itself, liquids (mainly rinse liquid) used to clean various parts of the beverage dispenser 1, particularly the beverage dispenser nozzle 3, and the like, and rinse water remaining after removing and cleaning the drip tray 20, etc.

As described above, the reading device 40 is housed in the storage space V2 below the drip tray 20 and reads the information on the information tag 72 via short-range wireless communication.

The reading device 40 emits radio waves or electromagnetic waves for communication (information reading) upward from the device antenna 42. These radio waves or electromagnetic waves propagate upward while diffusing from the device antenna 42, which is the emission point. For this reason, there is a risk that the beverage container 70 may be read even if it is positioned away from below the outlet 4 of the beverage supply nozzle 3.

In this embodiment, the upper surface of the mounting plate 30 is covered by the upper plate portion 52 of the shielding member 50, and the shielding member 50 blocks radio waves or electromagnetic waves emitted from the reading device 40. In other words, the shielding member 50 shields the upper surface side of the mounting plate 30 from radio waves or electromagnetic waves emitted from the reading device 40.

As described above, the upper plate portion 52 has an opening 56. The opening 56 is preferably formed so that its size is equal to or larger than the bottom surface 74 of the beverage container 70. In other words, the opening 56 is preferably formed so that its size is equal to or larger than the planar antenna 76 of the information tag 72. This allows the opening 56 to more reliably transmit radio waves or electromagnetic waves of a strength that enables the reading device 40 to read the information on the information tag 72 from the reading device 40 to the upper surface of the upper plate portion 52.

In this way, radio waves or electromagnetic waves emitted from the reading device 40 pass through this opening 56 and are transmitted from the reading device 40 to the upper surface of the upper plate portion 52. The reading device 40 can then read the information on the information tag 72 via short-range wireless communication through the opening 56. In other words, the reading device 40 can read the information on the information tag 72 when the bottom surface 74 of the beverage container 70, or more specifically, the planar antenna 76 of the information tag 72, is positioned inside the opening 56.

This allows the reading device 40 to read the information on the information tag 72 only when the beverage container 70 is placed directly below the beverage supply nozzle 3.

This prevents the beverage dispenser 1 from dispensing a beverage when the beverage container 70 is positioned away from directly below the beverage dispense nozzle 3. In other words, the beverage dispenser 1 can more reliably pour the beverage into the beverage container 70.

The front surface of the drip tray 20 is covered by the front panel 54 of the shielding member 50. This blocks radio waves or electromagnetic waves emitted from the reading device 40 and directed toward the front surface of the drip tray 20. This prevents the information on the information tag 72 from being read by the reading device 40 when the beverage container 70 is positioned in front of the drip tray 20 and tray unit 10.

As described above, according to this embodiment, the beverage dispenser 1 comprises a device main body 2 and a reading device 40 that is disposed below the position where the beverage container 70 is placed when the beverage is dispensed and that reads information recorded on the information tag 72. The beverage dispenser 1 is disposed between the position where the beverage container 70 is placed when the beverage is dispensed and the reading device 40, and is provided with an opening 56 that connects the beverage container 70 side and the reading device 40 side, and is equipped with a shielding member 50 that blocks communication between the information tag 72 and the reading device 40.

As a result, the shielding member 50 blocks radio waves or electromagnetic waves emitted from the reading device 40, shielding the upper surface of the mounting plate 30 from those radio waves or electromagnetic waves. Furthermore, the opening 56 in the shielding member 50 allows radio waves or electromagnetic waves of a strength sufficient for the reading device 40 to read the information on the information tag 72 to be transmitted from the reading device 40 to the upper surface of the upper plate portion 52.

As a result, when the beverage container 70 is placed in a predetermined position, the beverage dispenser 1 can read the information on the information tag 72 via short-range wireless communication.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the device main body 2 is equipped with a beverage supply nozzle 3 that dispenses a beverage into the beverage container 70, and the opening 56 is provided in a position on the shielding member 50 directly below the beverage supply nozzle 3.

As a result, when the beverage container 70 is placed directly below the beverage dispenser nozzle 3, the beverage dispenser 1 can read the information on the information tag 72 via short-range wireless communication. Furthermore, if the pressing of the discharge button 5 is omitted, the beverage dispenser 1 can dispense the beverage by reading the information on the information tag 72 via short-range wireless communication without the user U needing to touch it. The beverage dispenser 1 can pour the beverage into the beverage container 70 without the user U needing to touch it.

As a result, the beverage dispenser 1 can provide beverages to the user U more reliably and without touching them.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the information tag 72 is equipped with a planar antenna 76 that transmits and receives information to and from the information tag 72 reader 40, and the planar antenna 76 is configured to be provided at the bottom of the beverage container 70.

As a result, when the beverage container 70 is placed on the draining section 34, the planar antenna 76 provided on the information tag 72 is positioned inside the opening 56. Therefore, when the beverage container 70 is placed in a predetermined position, the reading device 40 can read the information on the information tag 72 via short-range wireless communication without blocking the radio or electromagnetic waves emitted from the reading device 40.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the size of the opening 56 is configured to be at least equal to or larger than the size of the planar antenna 76.

This allows the reading device 40 to more reliably transmit radio waves or electromagnetic waves of a strength sufficient to read the information on the information tag 72 from the reading device 40 side to the upper surface side of the upper plate portion 52 through the opening 56.

As a result, when the beverage container 70 is placed in a predetermined position, the radio or electromagnetic waves emitted from the reading device 40 are not blocked, allowing the reading device 40 to more reliably read the information on the information tag 72 via short-range wireless communication.

Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the shielding member 50 is made of a metal material.

This allows the shielding member 50 to reliably block radio waves or electromagnetic waves emitted from the reading device 40.

As a result, the shielding member 50 can shield the upper surface of the mounting plate 30 from radio waves or electromagnetic waves emitted from the reading device 40.

In addition, according to this embodiment, the drip tray 20 is provided with a cover 26 that covers the reading device 40 and has a bottom 24 that protrudes upward, and the top surface of the cover 26 is provided with an inclined surface 28.

As a result, liquid such as a beverage dripped onto the upper surface of the covering portion 26 flows toward the bottom 24 of the drip tray 20 according to the inclination of the inclined surface 28. This prevents liquid such as a beverage from accumulating between the information tag 72 and the reading device 40, which could interfere with the reading of the information tag 72 by the reading device 40.

Next, we will explain a modified example of the beverage dispensing device of this embodiment.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a shielding member 150 according to a modified example of this embodiment.

The beverage dispenser 1 of this embodiment may be equipped with a shielding member 150 as shown in FIG. 8 instead of the shielding member 50 described above. The shielding member 150 has substantially the same shape as the shielding member 50 described above. Like the shielding member 50, this shielding member 150 is a plate-shaped member made of metal and has a flat upper plate portion 152 that covers the entire upper surface of the mounting plate 30, and a flat front plate portion 154 that covers the entire side wall 25 that forms the front surface of the drip tray 20.

A draining portion 159 is provided approximately in the center of the upper plate portion 52 of the shielding member 150. This draining portion 159 is formed by providing a mesh member 158 made of numerous metal wires in a through-hole 155 formed in approximately the same size and shape as the opening 56. This draining portion 159 has multiple openings 156 formed in it.

The drainer 159 is located directly below the beverage supply nozzle 3. In this embodiment, the center of the opening 56 is located directly below the outlet 4.

This drainer 159 is strong enough to support a beverage container 70 placed on its top surface.

When a beverage is poured from the beverage dispenser 1 into the beverage container 70, the beverage container 70 is placed on the top surface of the draining portion 159 of the shielding member 50.

Radio waves or electromagnetic waves emitted from the reader 40 pass through the multiple openings 156 and are transmitted from the reader 40 to the upper surface of the upper plate portion 52. The reader 40 can read information from the information tag 72 via short-range wireless communication through the multiple openings 156.

In other words, in this modified example, the draining portion 159 functions as the installation portion, and the portion of the shielding member 150 that is not part of the draining portion 159 functions as the shielding portion.

This allows the beverage supply device 1 to supply beverage to the beverage container 70.

In this way, the reading device 40 can read the information on the information tag 72 when the beverage container 70 is placed directly below the beverage supply nozzle 3, and the beverage supply device 1 is prevented from dispensing a beverage when the beverage container 70 is placed in a position that is not directly below the beverage supply nozzle 3. In other words, the beverage supply device 1 can more reliably pour a beverage into the beverage container 70.

Note that if the beverage dispenser 1 is equipped with the shielding member 150, it does not need to be equipped with the mounting plate 30.

In the above description, the draining portion 159 is formed by providing a metal mesh or wire netting, like the mesh member 158. However, this is not limited to this, and it may also be formed by providing a plurality of closely spaced openings formed by, for example, a punching process. In this case, it is also desirable that the plurality of openings be formed in the shape of slits, which allow the passage of radio waves or electromagnetic waves, which are plane waves, with ease.

The above-described embodiment is an example of one aspect of the present invention, and any modifications and applications are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the shielding member 50 has an upper plate portion 52 and a front plate portion 54, but this is not limited thereto and the shielding member 50 may be composed of only the upper plate portion 52. In this case, the shielding member 50 may be configured to be attached to the underside of the mounting plate 30.

In this case, the shielding member 50 may be provided by being housed inside the mounting plate 30. In other words, the mounting plate 30 may be formed by insert molding, with the shielding member 50 sandwiched inside.

For example, the shielding member 50 may be formed by coating the surface of a resin material or the like with a metal.

For example, the shielding member 50 is not limited to the front plate portion 54 that covers the front surface of the drip tray 20, but may also include plate portions that cover each of the other side surfaces of the drip tray 20.

Alternatively, for example, the inner diameter of the opening 56 may be formed slightly smaller than the beverage container 70, and the upper surface of the shielding member 50 around the opening 56 may be configured to support the beverage container 70. In this case, the area of the shielding member 50 directly below the beverage supply nozzle 3 functions as a mounting portion. Furthermore, in this case, the mounting plate 30 may be omitted.

Alternatively, for example, the inner diameter of the opening 56 may be formed slightly larger than the beverage container 70, so that the opening 56 fits into the side of the beverage container 70. In this case, the opening 56 functions as an installation portion.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the shielding member 50 is made of a metal material, but this is not limiting and the shielding member 50 may be made of a plate-shaped member with a gel-like liquid sealed inside.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the information tag 72 is provided on the bottom of the beverage container 70, but this is not limiting and it may also be provided on the side.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the mounting plate 30 is provided with drainage holes 32 and draining sections 34, but this is not limited to this. The mounting plate 30 may be formed in any shape as long as liquid such as beverages spilling onto the top surface of the mounting plate 30 can be transferred to the drip tray 20.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the beverage dispenser 1 is a device that dispenses coffee beverages, but it is not limited to this. For example, it may be a device that dispenses beverages such as juice, ice cream, shaved ice, sherbet, shakes, mineral water, or similar foods. In this case, the mechanism housed in the device main body 2 will be appropriate for the beverage or food to be dispensed.

Next, an example of the operation of a beverage supply system using the beverage supply device of this embodiment will be explained using the drawings. Here, we will explain the operation of product selection, payment for the product, and product supply in the beverage supply system 100 shown in Figure 6, in which one beverage supply device is connected to a network.

First, the user U registers his/her beverage container 70 in the server 60 using an application for controlling the beverage dispenser 1. The user U has previously installed this application on his/her information terminal. Figure 10(a) shows the start-up screen of the application.
User U logs in to this app (step S001). The app then moves to the "beverage container registration page" (step S002), and inputs the code of the recording medium attached to beverage container 70 according to the instructions on the displayed screens, such as those shown in Figures 10(b) and 10(c). Alternatively, user U may read the code (container ID) of the recording medium attached to beverage container 70 using the reader function of an information terminal (step S003).

The entered code is transmitted from the information terminal to the server 60 (step S004).
The server 60 checks whether the received code is valid or invalid (step S005). For example, it checks whether the code has already been paid for, whether someone has already registered the code, etc. If the server 60 determines that the code is invalid, it displays a warning screen on the information terminal saying, for example, "Code is invalid" or "Already registered," and then prompts the user to choose whether to enter a different code.

If the server 60 determines that the code is valid, the server 60 designates the beverage container 70 as "my beverage container," associates the code (container ID) with the user U's ID, and stores the code in a storage unit (not shown) (step S006), and transmits the result to the information terminal (step S007). The information terminal notifies the user U by displaying on a display unit (not shown) that the beverage container 70 has been registered with the server 60 (step S008).
In addition, on the "Beverage Container Registration Page," it may be possible to register "photos and registered names of beverage containers" linked to each code (container ID).

If user U has no other beverage containers 70 to register (step S009), he or she closes the "Beverage Container Registration Page" and ends the process.

If the user U wishes to continue to register another beverage container 70, he or she returns to the "beverage container registration page" (step S002) of the app and performs the task of registering beverage container information again.
User U can select a product to purchase by registering the container ID of beverage container 70 in server 60. Product selection is performed using an app on user U's information terminal 80, so the user can complete the product purchase procedure in advance from anywhere and at any time without having to go to a store where beverage dispenser 1 is installed.

Next, the flow of the product purchase procedure will be explained. User U launches the app on information terminal 80, logs in, and displays the "Menu Registration Page." Figure 12(a) is the top screen of the app's "Menu Registration Page." The top screen displays areas for "Hot" and "Ice," which open a menu selection screen, an area that notifies the user whether there are any currently registered menu items (orders), and an area that displays the names of registered beverage containers.

Here, if user U has multiple beverage containers registered with server 60, they will go through the process of selecting a beverage container. When user U selects the area on the top screen that displays the name of the beverage container, server 60 will call up the beverage container code (container ID) that is registered and linked to user U's ID, and send it to information terminal 80. When information terminal 80 receives the beverage container code (container ID), it will display a photo and registered name of the beverage container corresponding to the code (container ID) on the screen of information terminal 80. User U selects the photo and registered name of the beverage container displayed on the screen to decide on the beverage container to use for the product they are about to purchase.

The app's "menu registration page" displays the beverage container 70 to be used, and can also display various other services. For example, it can promote an event such as "Buy 5 drinks, get 1 free!" or display discount coupons for purchasing a combination of products, thereby encouraging user U to make a purchase. These events can be realized by using the app to record user U's product purchase history on the server 60.

User U selects the "HOT" or "ICE" area from the top screen of the "Menu Registration Page" displayed on information terminal 80, and selects the product to purchase from the newly displayed menu screen. Menu screens are displayed separately for hot and iced products. Figure 12(b) is the screen for selecting hot menu items, and Figure 12(c) is the screen for selecting iced menu items. Each screen has a button that allows easy switching to the other screen. Each menu screen displays the "Product Name" and "Price," and by selecting the "Order" area for the product of choice, the "Product Screen" for each product is displayed.

On each of the "product screens" in Figures 13(a) and 13(b), the user selects the size (quantity) of the product to be purchased. In this embodiment, the dispenser on the screen has six different sizes to choose from, and by selecting each screen, the user can select their preferred size, with the price for each size being displayed. When user U selects the "Order Confirmation" area after checking the menu, size, and price to be selected on the "product screen," the app will send the input information, such as the selected product and size, from the information terminal 80 to the server 60.

When the payment procedure is performed before selling the product, i.e., before providing the product from the product providing device to the beverage container 70, the server 60 displays a payment procedure screen on the information terminal 80. The user U performs the payment procedure using the information terminal 80, and when the payment procedure is successfully completed, the server 60 associates the user ID or the code (container ID) of the beverage container 70 with the input information (order information) of the order and registers (records) them.
When the server 60 registers the order information, it sends a signal to the information terminal 80 informing it that the procedure has been completed, and causes the information terminal 80 to display an image on its screen informing it that the order procedure has been completed (FIG. 13(c)).

Figures 12 and 13 explain the procedure for selecting a menu, but if you select a fixed menu for which the menu is determined on the top screen of Figure 12(a), there is no need to perform any subsequent menu selection operations using the app; simply by placing the beverage container in the beverage supply means, the fixed beverage will always be provided to the beverage container.

Next, the flow for dispensing a beverage product from the beverage dispenser 1 to the beverage container 70 will be explained using Figures 14 to 20. Figures 14, 15, and 16 show a flowchart for dispensing a beverage, and Figures 17, 18, and 19 show screens displayed on the display unit 6 of the beverage dispenser 1 when dispensing a beverage.

User U visits a store where beverage dispenser 1 is installed and places his/her own beverage container 70 at a specific position of beverage dispenser 1, which displays the screen of Fig. 17(a) on display unit 6. In the present embodiment shown in Fig. 6, beverage dispenser 1 is one component of beverage dispenser 1, but in beverage dispenser system 200 shown in Fig. 7, which is composed of multiple beverage dispensers 1, user U can receive a beverage in beverage container 70 no matter which store he/she visits where beverage dispenser 1, beverage dispenser 1A, or beverage dispenser 1B is installed.
In addition, the user U can also purchase a beverage container at the store, and after completing the registration procedure for the purchased beverage container, it can be used in the beverage serving device.

The beverage dispenser 1 reads container information, including a code (container ID), from the beverage container 70's storage medium, for example, an RFID (step S022), and transmits it to the server 60 along with the beverage dispenser 1's device information (device ID, etc.). The container information includes information about the user U's beverage container 70, such as the container ID, the container's material, size (capacity), shape, manufacturing information, etc. The device information also includes information about the beverage dispenser 1 in which the container is installed, such as the device ID, the device's installation location (GPS information, etc.), the name of the store where the device is installed, the device's manufacturing date, and product information for the device.

The server 60 compares the container ID of the received container information with the information stored in the memory unit (step S024). If it is determined that the container ID is registered in the memory unit (determined as "yes" in step S025), the process proceeds to flow (a) of Figure 15. On the other hand, if the container ID does not match the one registered in the memory unit of the server 60, the server 60 sends a signal (image) to the beverage dispenser 1 informing the user that the container ID is not registered (step S026). The beverage dispenser 1 receives the information (image) informing the user that the container ID is not registered, displays the information (image) on the display unit 6, and notifies the user U as shown in Figure 17 (b) (step S027).

Next, the server 60 searches the storage unit for order information linked to the user ID or container ID (step S028). If the server 60 cannot find order information linked to the user ID or container ID, it sends information (image) to the beverage dispenser 1 informing the user U that the order information has not been registered, and the beverage dispenser 1 displays the information (image) on the display unit, informing the user U as shown in Figure 17(c) (step S030). The beverage dispenser 1 then follows flow (c) and again displays the display screen of Figure 17(a) on the display unit 6.

On the other hand, when the server 60 finds the order information linked to the user ID or the container ID, the server 60 transmits the order information to the beverage supply device 1 having the device ID (step S031).
The beverage supply device 1 displays the order information received from the server 60 on the display unit 6 and notifies the user U (step S032). Figure 18 shows examples of the display screen for order information, and for example, as shown in Figure 18(a) for bean-based products made by extracting coffee beans, and as shown in Figure 18(b) for powder-based products made from powder, the product type, product name, size, price, etc. are configured in a design that makes each item easy to recognize at a glance.

Furthermore, the beverage dispenser 1 prompts the user U to press the discharge button 5 by flashing the bottom of each display screen in FIG. 18 for a certain period of time (step S033).
After checking the order information display screen of FIG. 18, user U presses the discharge button 5 of beverage dispenser 1 (step S034).
When the discharge button 5 is pressed, the beverage dispenser 1 starts the operation of dispensing the product and transmits information to the server 60 to start the operation of dispensing the product (continued to flow (b) of FIG. 16).

On the other hand, if the dispense button 5 is not pressed within a certain period of time after the bottom of the screen in Figure 18 starts flashing, the beverage dispenser 1 stops flashing the screen in Figure 18 and enters a state waiting for user U's action (step S034).

FIG. 16 shows a flow in which the beverage supply device 1 supplies the product indicated in the order information to the beverage container 70.
When the beverage dispenser 1 receives information indicating that the dispense button 5 has been pressed and that an operation to dispense a product is to be started, the beverage dispenser 1 starts an operation to prepare and dispense a beverage (step S041).
Server 60 also transmits images suitable for the product supply operation to beverage supply device 1, and beverage supply device 1 displays the received images on display unit 6 as appropriate in accordance with the product supply operation. Figure 19 is an example of an image received and displayed by beverage supply device 1, and when serving bean-based products, images of the grinding process (Figure 19(a)) and the extraction process (Figure 19(b)) are displayed, and when serving powder-based products, images of the pouring process (Figure 19(c)) are displayed.
The user U can know the product supply process of the beverage supply device 1 by looking at the display unit 6 on the display screen showing the state of FIG.

The screen of FIG. 19 is also designed so that the user U can immediately understand the product supply process at a glance.
When the beverage supply device 1 has finished supplying the beverage to the beverage container 70, it transmits supply completion information to the server 60 (step S042). Upon receiving the supply completion information, the server 60 transmits an image notifying the completion of supply shown in Figure 19(d) to the beverage supply device 1, which then displays it on the display unit 6 (step S043). When Figure 19(d) is displayed on the display unit 6, the user U can remove the beverage container 70 from the beverage supply device 1.

The supply end information includes supply end time information, supply size (supply amount), container ID, and device ID, and the server 60 links the container ID and device ID and records them as product sales information (step S044).
By recording the supply end information in the server 60, the relationship between the product sales history, container ID, and device ID can be compiled and used as data for future product sales strategies.

The server 60 can also utilize the recorded supply end information to prevent unauthorized use of the beverage container 70. For example, in order to restrict multiple users from using the same beverage container 70, the server 60 can prohibit use of the beverage container 70 for a certain period of time from the time of use. The server 60 detects the latest supply end time information for the same container ID in the menu information registration flow, and does not accept registration of menu information for which a certain period of time has not passed since the supply end time information, thereby prohibiting use of the same beverage container 70 within a short period of time.
In this embodiment, an example in which the dispense button 5 of the beverage dispenser 1 is used is shown, but it is not necessarily required. For example, the beverage dispenser 1 may start dispensing a beverage after a certain period of time has elapsed after displaying the order information of FIG.

In addition, in this embodiment, an example has been described in which the payment procedure is performed when the selection menu information is selected (step S019 in Figure 11), but it may also be performed immediately before the beverage dispenser 1 dispenses a beverage, or after the beverage has been dispensed. In either case, the server 60 executes the payment process upon receiving a signal from the beverage dispenser 1. The cost of the service may be calculated based on the number of drinks consumed, or may be an all-you-can-drink fixed fee for a specific period of time.

User U can also use the information terminal 80 to stop using a registered beverage container. From the app's "Menu Registration Page," select the "My Tumbler" area on the top page of Figure 12(a) to select a beverage container and delete the registration. Furthermore, from the app's "Tumbler Stop Page," user U can stop using a registered beverage container by entering or selecting the container ID of the container they want to stop using.

In addition, in this embodiment, the procedure from menu registration to beverage serving for one registered beverage container on the "Menu Registration Page" has been explained, but the selection of beverage containers does not need to be limited to one; multiple selections may be made. This allows user U to link order information to each container ID, and allows them to select the beverage container they want to use when serving the beverage.

Figure 20 is a sequence diagram of the beverage supply system 100. It shows the operational relationship between the information terminal 80, server 60, and beverage supply device 1 in chronological order.

First, the information terminal 80 starts the app, logs in, and transmits information about the recording medium of the beverage container 70 to the server 60. The server 60 registers the information about the recording medium. Here, the information about the recording medium of the beverage container 70, i.e., the container ID of the beverage container 70, is registered with the server 60.
When the beverage container 70 is registered, the information terminal 80 selects the product to be purchased from the menu and transmits the selected product to the server 60. The server 60 executes the payment procedure for the selected menu item, and upon confirming that payment is possible, registers the selected menu item as order information.

The server 60 notifies the information terminal that the order information has been registered, and the user U confirms on the information terminal that the order information has been registered.

Next, when user U places beverage container 70 in beverage provision device 1, beverage provision device 1 reads information such as the container ID from the beverage container's 70 recording medium and transmits it to server 60 along with information about beverage provision device 1 (device ID, etc.). Server 60 compares the container ID information to confirm whether it is recorded. If the beverage container has not been registered in advance, it transmits an image indicating that it is not registered to beverage provision device 1, which is displayed on display unit 6. If the beverage container has been registered in advance, it searches for the registered menu, which is the order information related to the container ID.

The server 60 transmits the found registered menu to the beverage provision device 1 of the device ID. The beverage provision device 1 displays the registered menu on the display unit 6. When the user U checks the displayed registered menu and presses the discharge button 5 of the beverage provision device 1, the beverage provision device 1 provides (sells) the product of the registered menu to the beverage container 70.
When the beverage serving device 1 has finished serving the beverage of the registered menu to the beverage container 70, it transmits sales end information to the server 60. The server 60 registers the sales end information in association with the container ID.

As described above, in the beverage supply system of this embodiment, a container ID that identifies a beverage container is registered on the server, and a menu of products to be purchased linked to the container ID is registered as order information. This allows a customer to receive a beverage simply by placing a beverage container in a beverage supply device that constitutes this beverage supply system. Furthermore, since the beverage supply device that constitutes this beverage supply system transmits its own device ID along with the container ID to the server, even if multiple beverage supply devices are connected to the beverage supply system, the registered menu can be provided without mistaking the beverage supply device that contains the beverage container.

Furthermore, by linking and managing the user U and the beverage container, the server 60 can provide various services to the user U. Figure 21 is a diagram illustrating an example of such a service. By recording the number of beverages dispensed into the beverage container, the server 60 can notify the user U's information terminal linked to the beverage container of event information when a specific number is reached. Figure 21(a) shows the display screen of event information sent from the server 60 when the user U purchases the 100th cup of a specific product. When the user U sees this display screen and selects it, they can subsequently receive coupon information such as that shown in Figure 21(b).

As described above, the beverage dispenser according to the present invention is equipped with a reading device that reads information recorded on a recording medium, and is suitable for use as a beverage dispenser that dispenses beverages into containers equipped with a recording medium on which predetermined information is recorded.

Furthermore, the beverage supply system according to the present invention is not limited to beverages, but may also be used for food or other items. The effects of the present invention can also be achieved with items that have the function of holding items, such as cases, baskets, or bags that contain recording media, instead of beverage containers.

1 Beverage supply device 2 Device main body (main body)
3. Beverage supply nozzle (beverage discharge part)
4 Discharge port 30 Placement plate 34, 159 Draining section (installation section)
36 Installation unit 40 Reading device (transmitting/receiving unit)
50, 150 Shielding member 56, 156 Opening 70 Beverage container (container)
72 Information tag (recording medium)
76 Planar antenna 80 Information terminal 90 Communication network 100, 200 Beverage supply system

Claims (10)

a beverage supply device having a reading device for reading container information from a recording medium of the container and supplying a beverage to the container;
an information terminal for selecting a desired beverage and transmitting order information corresponding to the beverage;
a server that , when receiving the order information transmitted by the information terminal, associates the order information with container information of the container and stores the associated information ;
When the container is set in the beverage supply device, the beverage supply device transmits the container information of the container read by the reading device to a server, and supplies the desired beverage corresponding to the order information to the container set in the beverage supply device in accordance with the order information linked to the container information of the container received from the server .
Beverage supply system. The beverage dispenser includes a dispense button;
the beverage dispenser receives the order information from the server when the container is set in the beverage dispenser, and dispenses the desired beverage corresponding to the order information into the container when the dispense button is pressed;
The beverage delivery system of claim 1 . the container is set in the beverage supply device, and when a certain time has elapsed, the desired beverage corresponding to the order information is supplied to the container;
The beverage delivery system of claim 1 . The server executes a payment process,
When the container is set in the beverage supply device and it is determined that payment is possible, the desired beverage is supplied to the container.
The beverage delivery system of claim 1 . The beverage supply device includes a display unit,
The server checks whether the container information of the container read by the reading device and transmitted from the reading device has been registered in advance, and if it has not been registered in advance , outputs information to a display unit of the beverage supply device to notify that the information of the recording medium has not been registered in advance .
The beverage delivery system of claim 1 . The server records information on the end of supply of the beverage;
The server outputs to the beverage supply device information prohibiting the supply of beverage to a container that is the same as the container information of the container included in the supply end information within a certain time period from the supply end time in the supply end information.
The beverage delivery system of claim 1 . the information terminal has a display screen for displaying a beverage container registration page, and registers information about the recording medium according to a procedure instructed on the beverage container registration page.
The beverage delivery system of claim 1 . For each of the plurality of containers, information on different recording media can be registered according to a procedure instructed on the beverage container registration page.
The beverage delivery system of claim 7 . the information terminal has a display screen for displaying a menu registration page, and the user selects the desired beverage in accordance with a procedure instructed on the menu registration page.
The beverage delivery system of claim 1 . When a fixed menu is selected from the display screen of the menu registration page, the beverage supply device supplies the beverage of the fixed menu to the container.
10. The beverage delivery system of claim 9 .