Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BLENDER HAVING USER OPERATED DRINK PROGRAM
MODIFYING AND COPYING PROCESSOR
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Patent Application Serial
No.
09/311,104 filed May 12, 1999.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates in general to appliances used to process food
and
drinks. More particularly, the present invention pertains to food and drink
blenders
having a plurality of programmable blend operations selectively actuated by
the user.
More specifically, the present invention relates to such blenders where the
program-
mable blend operations may be loaded, changed and copied by the user without
the use
of an external device such as a computer.
BACKGROUND ART
Appliances to facilitate the processing of food and drink ingredients have
become
ubiquitous in both commercial and residential settings. Such appliances are
particularly
useful where there are a variety of-operations to be performed repeatedly with
accuracy
and precision, such as with the blending of drinks in commercial
establishments like bars
and restaurants.
Originally drink blenders required the user to manually start and stop the
blender
motor, leaving the quality of the blend and resulting drink, and the
consistency of the
mixture, to the skill of the user and chance. Moreover, the motor included
within these
blenders had a single operating speed that was too fast for some blends and
too slow for
others, making quality blends and consistent mixtures even more difficult for
the user to
manually achieve.
User selectable motor speed controls and timers were incorporated into
blenders to
facilitate greater consistency from drink to drink, but the user had to reset
the controls
each time a different kind of drink was to be made, and most times a different
ingredient
was added.
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More recently, digital electronics has made it feasible for blenders to
include
memory in which is stored the different motor speeds and operating intervals
required
for making a plurality of kinds of drinks. These digitally controlled blenders
kept user
control activity to a minimum by furnishing a separate button for each kind of
drink
whose program (called a "drink program" or "blend program") was stored in
memory. A
user simply pressed the button corresponding to the desired kind of drink, and
pushed a
start button to commence blenciing of a drink. The resulting drinks were the
same no
matter who made it, or when or where it was made. The fast, consistent,
reliable and
complete mixing performed by these blending units were welcomed by both
commercial
and residential users.
From time to time changes in user taste or preference, or changes in location
of a
blender used in commercial food service, has given rise to a desire or need to
change a
drink program or substitute programming for different kinds of drinks. A like
need also
might arise from corruption or loss of preprogrammed drink operation stored in
memory
such as from electrical failure. In the past, modification or replacement of
drink
programming required that the unit be returned to the manufacturer because
disassembly
was needed, precluding reprogramming outside the manufacturer's facility
(i.e., in the
field). A user could not modify or replace one or more drink programs at the
user's site.
More recently, however, machines that may allow for a limited extent of
program
entry by the user may have become commercially available. The models
"Copacabana"
and "ipanema" from Gaggia Espanola, S.A. of Barcelona Spain are machines for
the
making of espresso and cappuccino drinks. These machines appear to read
information
encoded by an external programming device onto a magnetic strip adhered to a
plastic
card, much the same as an Automated Teller Machine reads information off a
credit
card. The model "ABC Blender" from the Blendtec division of K-TEC of Orem Utah
connects via a serial programming port to an extemal computer from which drink
programs may be entered.
Both the Gaggia Esponola drink machine and the ABC Blender require an external
device such as a computer to enter, modify or duplicate the drink programs.
Generally,
such additional, sometimes specialized equipment is not available to or
convenient for
the user. As a result, this makes uneconomical and often precludes user
modification of
existing drink programs and the creation of new drink programs, and prevents
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distribution of such programs to other blenders at the same or related sites.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an appliance
for
processing of food and drink ingredients having a plurality of preprogrammable
blend
programs, in which the blend programs allow programming for multiple
ingredient
blends requiring a plurality of intervals of motor operation at different
velocities and
accelerations.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an appliance, as set
forth
above, in which the blend programs may be changed by the user, and the
modified blend
programs saved to nonvolatile memory, using only the appliance itself.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an appliance,
as set
forth above, in which user changes to blend programs may include modification
of any
drink mix characteristic or the ice content of any drink including ice, using
only the
appliance itself.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an appliance, as
set forth
above, in which entirely new blend programs may be created by the user, and
the new
blend programs saved to nonvolatile memory, using only the appliance itself.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an appliance, as
set forth
above, in which the user may duplicate the blend programs for use in other
blenders or as
backup, using only the appliance itself.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an appliance,
as set
forth above, in which the user may copy selected blend programs to a transfer
mechanism such as physical media, using only the appliance itself.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention over existing
prior
art forms will become more apparent and fully understood from the following
description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In general, a programm.able blender for executing a blend program includes a
blending assembly for blending ingredients, memory including a first blend
program
having a plurality of operating segments with variable blend program operating
characteristics, input means for user selection of a first operating
characteristic to be
modified and the modification magnitude, and a processor. The processor
receives the
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blend program from the memo ,ry and the user selection from the input means,
modifies
the first operating characteristic in accordance with the user selection, and
controls
operation of the blending assembly in accordance with the modified blend
program.
A blender for executing a blend program includes a blending assembly for
blending ingredients, a first memory resident in the blender for storing a
blend program,
a second memory in operative association with the blender for storing the
blend
program, and a processor resident in the blender receiving the blend program
and
selectively copying the blend program from the first memory to the second
memory and
from the second memory to the first memory.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. I is a perspective view of an exemplary blender in accordance with the
present
invention.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the exemplary user interface and display of the
blender
shown in Fig. 1, depicting six numbered buttons for the selection of drink
programs
stored in blender memory.
Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the blender lower housing, depicting a slot for the
insertion of a drink program memory key card.
Fig. 4 is a partial bottom view of the blender lower housing illustrated in
Fig. 3,
depicting in break-away an interior section of the slot for insertion of a
drink program
memory key card.
Fig. 5 is a top view of an exemplary drink program memory key card in
accordance
with the present invention.
Fig. 6 is a graph of blender motor speed verses time for an euemplary drink
program having four operatin,g segments each with different motor speeds; ramp
rates
and durations.
Fig. 7 is a block diagram of an exemplary blender control in accordance with
the
present invention, and includes a diagrammatic presentation of an exemplary
blender
motor.
Fig. 8 is a top-level flow chart of an exemplary blender control program in
accordance with the present invention.
Fig. 9 is a top-level flow chart of four exemplary operating routines included
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within the exemplary blender control shown in Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 is a top-level flow chart of an exemplary key card test routine
included
within the exemplary blender control program shown in Fig. 8.
Fig. 11 is a top-level flow chart of an exemplary blend program copy select
routine
included within the exemplary blender control program shown in Fig. 8.
Fig. 12 is a top-level flow chart of an exemplary routine fbr modifying or
selecting
new blend program characteristics in blend programs. This routine is included
within
the exemplary blender control program shown in Fig. 8.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An exemplary blender control in accordance with the present invention is
indicated
generally by the numeral 10 in Fig. 7, and may work with a variety of food and
drink
blenders. One such blender is shown in perspective in Fig. 1, and is indicated
generally
by the numeral 20. Blender 20 includes a housing 21 having a lower housing
member
22, a user interface and display 24, and a blending assembly including a motor
25 (seen
in Fig. 7).
User interface and display 24, best shown in Fig. 2, includes a plurality of
user
input pushbuttons (hereinafter referred to as "buttons") for the selection,
modification
and creation of drink programs stored in blender memory. These include a
plurality of
numbered momentary buttons 30 (individually referred to as buttons 31 - 36).
User
interface and display 24 further includes a start/stop button 37, a speed
change button 38,
a blender motor pulse button 39, a display 40 and a mode select button 41.
Start/stop
button 37, speed change button 38 and pulse button 39, allow manual control of
blender
motor 25 by the user, including starting, stopping, incremental speed
increases and
decreases, and high and low speed pulsing, all as is well known in the art.
Display 40
may be any display capability of presentation of the desired messages, such as
a two line,
sixteen character vacuum fluorescent display. Mode select button 41 may be
used to
initiate a program routine for user entry of drink program characteristic
modifications or
creation of new drink programs, as further discussed hereinafter.
Fig. 5 presents a top view of exemplary memory media such as drink program
memory key card in accordance with the present invention, indicated generally
by the
numera150, and in operative association with blender 20. The exemplary key
card 50
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shown in Fig. 5 is a rectangular shaped printed circuit board large enough to
carry a
drink program key memory integrated circuit 51 (hereinafter referred to as
"IC" 51,
discussed further hereinafter) and be conveniently handled by a user, say
about 5/8 inch
(1.59 cm) by 2.5 inches (6.35 cm). Key card 50 includes on one narrow end a
conventional edge connector 52 for engagement with, and electrically
connecting the
circuit on key card 50 to, a mating key socket interface discussed further
hereinafter.
As best seen in Figs. 3 and 4, blender 20 includes integrally formed in its
lower
housing member 22 a slot 55 into which the user inserts key card 50 until its
edge con-
nector 52 engages and seats in the mating socket to be described further
hereinafter. Slot
55 may include a ramp 56 or other, mechanical feature as might: occur to one
of ordinary
skill in the arts, that would facilitate the correct orientation and seating
of edge connector
52 to its mating socket.
The present invention allows for storage and reprogramming of drink programs
having a plurality of operating segments. Fig. 6 presents a graph of blender
motor speed
verses time for an exemplary drink program having four operating segments each
with
different, variable operating characteristics. The speed of blender motor 25
is increased
from zero at time zero to some preselected first velocity at time t,. Blender
motor 25
operates at the first velocity until time t2. The time interval from time zero
to tZ may be
referred to as segment 1, and the rate at which the speed of blender motor 25
increases
from time zero to time t, may be refeired to as the segment 1 ramp rate. Ramp
rates,
target velocities, and operating durations are selected in a similar manner
and shown for
the remaining segments 2, 3 and 4 with time intervals t3, t4, ts, t6, t7, and
ta.
Referring now to Fig. 7, exemplary blender control 10 can be seen to broadly
include a power board 55 receiving power from a conventional power source 56
such as
60 Hz, 120 V, a microcontroller board 60 and the drink program memory key card
50
noted hereinbefore. Microcontroller board 60 includes a microcontroller 61
having a
processor 62 and nonvolatile microcontroller memory 63, and communicates data
and
control information via bus 66 with an input/output (hereinafter referred to
as "UO") port
67, an edge connector key socket 68 for receiving and mating with drink
program
memory key card 50, and drink program base memory 10.
Power board 55 fumishes all required power to blender control 10 and blender
motor 25. Power board 55 also. receives signals a characteristic of which
provides
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periodic information about the temperature and speed of blender motor 25 from
a
thermocouple or other thermal sensor, and a tachometer or other rotational
velocity
sensor in operative association with blender motor 25, and furnishes those
signals to
microcontroller board 60 and processor 62.
Microcontroller 61 may be any microcontroller whose processor 62 and memory
63 are suitable for blender control in accordance with the present invention.
Memory 63
stores the blender control program described herein, and may also store a
backup copy of
an original or start drink program. UO port 67 may be any conventional
communication
port to permit manufacturer communication with microcontroller 61 and the
loading of
the desired original or start drink program into microcontroller memory 63.
Drink
program base memory 70, resident in blender 20, may be any conventional,
nonvolatile
memory with sufficient capacity to store the desired drink program data. Key
socket 68
may include a conventional current sensor whereby as soon it receives and
mates with
drink program memory key card 50, processor 62 is automatically alerted via
interrupt or
other means known to the skilled artisan.
Figs. 8 and 9 present top-level flow charts for an exemplary algorithm
executed by
blender control 10 in accordance with the present invention. More
particularly, Fig. 8
depicts an. exemplary main control routine whose operation is begun at start
80 and first
performs a general powerup initialization of hardware at step 81. This process
may
include, among other things, a clearing of display 40 and any volatile
microcontroller
operating memory, and a check and display of current blender motor 25
temperature.
Initialization step 81 may further include reset of any software programming
flags used
for control purposes to their chosen default state. A default powerup message
may be
displayed in step 82, such as the manufacturer's name and the name and version
of the
drink program currently residing in base memory 70.
Next the status of key socket 68 and any drink program memory card engaged
therewith is examined in an exemplary key card test routine 120 shown in Fig.
10.
(Circled letters presented in the flow chart figures designate points of
interconnect
between the figures.) More particularly, first the current loop connected to a
conductor
within key socket 68 is tested in step 121 to see if no drink program memory
card 50 is
mated therewith and if a first flag is set, signifying that a blend program
has been copied
between base memory 70 and the key card 50 currently engaged with key socket
68.
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This test insures that a user may, where desired, recopy a drink program
between base
memory 70 and multiple key cards 50, the latter of which may be used to
distribute blend
programs to other blenders.. If both conditions are met, flag 1 is reset in
step 122 before
operation continues.
If both conditions are not met, or after flag one is reset, the current loop
connected
to a conductor within key socket 68 is tested in step 83 to see if drink
program memory
key card 50 is mated therewith and if a first flag is not set, signifying that
a blend
program has not been copied between base memory 70 and the key card currently
engaged with key socket interface 68. If so, the contents of its memory are
selectively
sampled in block 84 using any of the techniques well known to the skilled
artisan to
determine if the drink program data is in good condition. If so, the user is
given an
opportunity to copy blend programs between the drink program memory in key
card 50
and base memory 70 in blender 10. An exemplary copy select routine 125 by
which this
selection is made, is shown in Fig. 11.
Copy select routine 125 begins in step 126 with presentation on display 40 of
a
selection message such as "Press I to copy program to blender. Press 2 to copy
program
to media." In this instance if the user presses drink program 1 button 31, the
blend
program currently resident in base memory 70 will be copied to the drink
program
memory in key card 50, and if'the user presses drink program 2 button 32, the
copy will
be in the opposite direction. Of course, any button may be preselected and
programmed
to enter these choices, and the preselected buttons tested in steps 127 and
128 to
ascertain the user's choice.
In the present example, if drink program 1 button 31 is found in step 127 to
have
been pressed, then in step 129 the blend program currently resident in base
memory 70 is
copied to the drink program memory in key card 50, flag 1 is set and, as seen
back in
Fig. 8, a program "saved" message is presented on display 40 in step 88. If
neither drink
program buttons 31 or 32 are pressed, no further action is taken and
subsequent steps are
presented back in Fig. 8. If drink program 2 button 32 is found in step 128 to
have been
pressed, then (again as seen back in Fig. 8) the data may be further checked
in step 85,
again using any of the techniques well known to the skilled artisan to
determine if the
drink program data in key card 50 is the same as that currently in drink
program base
memory 70. If not, a new drink program message may be presented on display 40
as
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shown in block 86, the new drink program copied in step 87 from IC 51 in
memory key
card 50 to base memory 70, and, in block 88, a "saved" message displayed.
A "ready" message is displayed in step 90 if there is no key card 50 engaged
with
key socket 68 (step 83), if the drink program data content of IC 51 in memory
key card
50 is corrupt (step 84), if the drink program in IC 51 is the same as the
drink program in
base memory 70 (step 85), if the user elects to not copy the drink program by
not
pressing any preselected button (step 128), or after a new drink program
"saved"
message has been displayed (step 88).
Once the "ready" message is displayed, a user can perform any appropriate
blender
operation, such as selection and execution of one of the drink programs by
pressing the
corresponding button 31 - 36, starting or stopping blender motor 25 operation
with
start/stop button 37, adjusting the speed of blender motor 25 with speed
change button
38, or pulsing blender motor 25 with pulse button 39. The desired scan key
routines are
performed in step 91, and all buttons tested for actuation in step 92. If a
button is
pressed, the user is given an opportunity to modify any drink mix
characteristic or the ice
content of any drink including ice, and to create new blend programs or blend
program
segments. An exemplary program routine 130 by which such modifications or
creations
are made, is shown in Fig. 11. In this routine the user sequentially selects
the desired
drink program, drink program segment, characteristic and magnitude of change.
Program routine 130 begins in step 131 with a test to determine whether the
correct combination of buttons preselected to initiate the program routine
have been
pressed in the preselected mamier. Requiring the user activation of two or
more buttons
consecutively will help mininiize the accidental or inadvertent entry into
program routine
130, a desirable protection because this routine permanently alters blend
programs and
may not be suitable for operation by all users. Indeed, security may be
further enhanced
by inclusion of an additional button whose sole function is to allow entry
into program
routine 130 when pressed in sequence with other buttons having multiple
functions.
Mode select button 41 serves this function in the exemplary blender described
herein.
If the correct combination of buttons preselected to initiate program routine
130
have not been pressed, but some other button has been pressed, then the
selected routine
is called and executed in step 93, as seen back in Fig. 8. If no button is
found actuated in
step 92, upon completioq of the selected routine in step 93, or upon
completion of
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program routine 130, the primary main control routine is repeated beginning
with step
83.
Returning to program routine 130 shown in Fig. 11, display 40 presents in step
132
an identification of the current drink program, drink program segment, and
characteristic, such as segment motor speed, time, ramp rate or ice amount.
Default
selections may be presented until the user makes other choices by execution of
program
routine 130. Next, scan key routines are executed in step 133 and the buttons
tested in
step 134, as was performed in steps 91 and 92, respectively. If no button has
been
pressed, the display is refreshed in step 132 and keys again tested until a
button press is
detected. If a button has been pressed, the button is tested in step 137 to
ascertain
whether it was one of the drink program buttons, signifying a user selection
of a blend
program to be modified or replaced. If not, then the user does not wish to
perform a
program change, and the primary main control routine is repeated beginning
with key
card test routine 120.
Once a drink program button has been found to have been pressed in step 137,
display 40 is refreshed and presents in step 139 an identification of the
current drink
program, drink program segment, and characteristic. Having chosen the drink
program
to be modified, the user next selects a drink program segment. Buttons 31-36
may be
preselected to correspond to the segments in a particular drink program. Using
the
example of Fig. 6, there are four segments which may be chosen by pressing
drink
program buttons 1-4, respectively. Thus, in step 140 drink program buttons 1-4
are
tested. If none are pressed, operation returns to step 132. However, if one of
those
buttons are pressed, display 40 is again refreshed and presents in step 141 an
identification of the current drink program, drink program segment, and
characteristic.
Having chosen the drink program and drink program segment to be modified, the
characteristic to be modified or added is next entered. Keys are scanned in
steps 142 and
button presses tested in step 143 as performed in corresponding steps 133 and
134. A
toggle switch such as blender motor pulse button 39 may be conveniently used
to scroll
through and choose among the finite number of characteristics, and a test
performed to
see if that button has been pressed is performed in step 144. If so, in step
145 the
characteristic to be modified is changed to the new selection and presented on
display
40.
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Next the magnitude and polarity of the characteristic change must be entered.
Again, a toggle switch such as speed change button 38 may be conveniently used
to
"select" the desired characteristic by pushing up or down a number of times
correspond-
ing to the magnitude of the desired change or resulting characteristic. Button
39 is tested
in block 147. If pressed, after a preselected timeout period the
characteristic may be
incremented or decremented (step 148) as called for by the user's actuation of
button 39,
display 40 refreshed in step 141 and monitoring of keys for further
characteristic changes
resumed. If, after a preselected timeout period button 38 is not pressed, the
characteristic, segment and program changes may all be saved to the desired
memory
such as base memory 70 (step 149), and monitoring for further program changes
in block
140 resumed.
Top-level flow charts for four exemplary operating routines included within
the
exemplary blender control shown in Fig. 8. are depicted in Fig., 9. Selection
and
execution of one of the drink programs (block 100) is initiated by pressing
the corres-
ponding button 31- 36 in step 101. The chosen drink program is executed and
selected
program characteristics such as current motor speed and remaining time are
displayed in
step 102. While the drink program is executing in block 103 a check is
repeatedly made
to determine if the user has selected another button to override the remainder
of the drink
program. If so, the drink program is =stopped in step 104. Thereafter, and
when the drink
program is finished, the "ready" message is displayed in step 105, and program
execution
returns (block 106) to the main program.
The user may also elect to perform a manual blend cycle or a pulse blend cycle
by
pressing the appropriate user interface 24 button. In those events, the
corresponding
routine is respectively called in steps 110 and 111, and performed in steps
112 and 113.
The user may also elect to restore the default drink program from
microcontroller
memory 63 to drink program base memory 70, again by pressing the appropriate
user
interface 24 button. In that event, the corresponding routine is called in
step 115, and the
copy performed in step 116 followed by the display of a "saved" message in
step 117.
Several variations and modifications should now be evident to or understood by
the skilled artisan. For example, a drink program may have as few as one or as
many
segments as is required for production of the drink for which the program was
created.
Also, in the embodiment of the programmed blender control 10 described herein,
drink
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programs selected for execution by the user are in nonvolatile memory on micro-
computer board 60. However, while not presently preferred, processor 62 may
execute
drink programs directly from a source external to microcontroller board 60,
such as the
drink program memory key card 50. In this instance microcontroller memory 63
and
base memory 70 may be eliminated. Of course, if the external source becomes
unavailable, blender 20 would operate only manually.
It will likewise be appreciated that the interface between microcontroller
board 60
and the drink program memory may be made by any means, wired or wireless,
capable of
transferring the blend programs. Additional examples of suitable wired
interfaces that
could be employed instead of or in addition to an edge connector are an RJ-
type
telephonic connection or a fiber optic, optical connection. Infrared, radio
frequency or
other wireless interfaces also may be substituted for or added to key socket
68.
Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to variations, modifications and
changes in detail, some of which have been expressly stated herein, it is
intended that all
matter described throughout this entire specification or shown in the
accompanying
drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It should
thus be
evident that a device constructed according to the concept of the present
invention, and
reasonably equivalent thereto, will accomplish the objects of the present
invention and
otherwise substantially improve the art of programmable blenders.
