Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGEMENT OF SUBSTANCES
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the management of substance
inventory.
More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for
monitoring the
consumption of substances and maintaining inventory.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Monitoring the use and consumption of substances is an integral element
of many
industries. This is particularly true in the food and beverage industry, where
the
monitoring of inventory is critical to financial success. Inventory is an
essential element in
the food and beverage industry, as a relatively large inventory of specific
substances are
carried that are susceptible to changes in demand based on the day of the
week, season,
holidays and specific occasions. The average consumption of substances in a
bar or a
restaurant can fluctuate dramatically. There is a need to not only monitor the
use and
consumption of substances, but to acquire data of such use and reliably
anticipate future
consumption and modify the inventory so as to avoid running out of substances
during
peak times.
[0003] It is often hard to assess the level of inventory of substances, for
example liquids, at
various time points. Consumption of liquids varies throughout specific time
points, and as
such, liquids are consumed at various rates. Furthermore, visual assessment of
the
substances is often inaccurate as the substances are housed in various sized
and shaped
containers, which can distort the users understanding of the consumption rate
and amount
remaining. Often, the containers which house the liquid substance are
comprised of non-
transparent material, thereby limiting the user from determining the amount of
substance
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remaining. Understanding of the consumption of substances is an essential
element in
many industries as it provides the users an ability to not only determine the
rate of
consumption, but effectively determine the size of inventory and order
requirements prior
to running out of a specific substance.
[0004] The monitoring of the use and consumption of substances is particularly
relevant in
the food and beverage industry. Bar and restaurant owners have a need to
monitor the
amount of liquor, beer, wine and food consumed in a night. The monitoring is
not only
necessary to determine the amount of substances sold and the subsequent
revenue
generated, it is also necessary to ensure stock. Stock needs to be acquired
prior to the
inventory running out. Orders for additional stock can often take days, and
depending on
the substance, weeks to deliver, making the monitoring of the consumption of
substances
vital to the operation of a bar or restaurant.
[0005] The food and beverage industry is heavily dependent on the revenue
generated
from the sale of liquor, beer, and wine. These consumable substances are sold
at a price per
unit volume. Over the day, the amount of consumption of liquor, beer, and wine
heavily
dictates the revenue generated throughout the day. As employees in the bar
industry are at
the point of sale, they are responsible for obtaining payment for the
consumable
substances. Each employee, at the end of their shift, is required to cash out.
The cash out
procedure involves inventorying the amount of liquor, beer, and wine consumed,
or
dispensed, and providing the cash value of the consumption to the bar. Often,
this involves
the employee having to utilize a number of methods in order to obtain an
accurate amount
of consumed substances. The employee is required to not only calculate the
amount of
substances consumed but determine the cost of the consumed substance based on
the bar
assigned value. This is often time consuming and can be altered with ease,
which will affect
the revenue generated by the bar.
[0006] Running out of stock is inefficient and leads to a loss of revenue and
potential loss of
repeat clientele. Clientele can be very particular with the substance they are
consuming. If
the bar or the restaurant is unable to provide the client with the specific
liquor, beer, wine
or food of choice due to running out of stock, then the client will most
likely stop ordering
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additional drinks and will be less likely to return at some point in the
future. Stock
inventory is routinely assessed, wherein the employee or a manager accounts
for all of the
substances and determines whether additional substances need to be purchased.
The
purchasing is often dependent on the employee's understanding of the
consumption, time
of year, and the time needed for delivery of the consumable substances. Bars
and
restaurants are particularly vulnerable to changes in the demands of
consumable products,
based on seasonal fluctuations, holidays, and population statistics. These
trends can often
be predicted and prepared for if the consumption rates are followed through
data
acquisition and analysis. It is also inefficient to overstock all consumable
substances, due to
the cost and space restrictions within the bar or restaurant.
[0007] Various attempts have been made to provide an efficient use and means
and devices
for inventorying substances. Methods and devices such as US Patent No.
6,450,406
(Brown); US Patent Application No. 2005/0000737 (Fox); and, US Patent No.
5,837,944
(Herot) provide such examples of managing and inventorying consumable
substances.
[0008] Brown discloses a portable, integrated scanner apparatus that scans and
weights
bottles of liquor within a bar inventory. The data obtained by the apparatus
is stored and a
software program calculates the inventory, stock amounts and profits. Brown
discloses a
manner in which the apparatus monitors the consumption of substances thorough
a weigh
scale. A scale weighs the bottled substances and a scanner reads a UPC code to
associate
said weight to a particular substance. The information is stored on the scale
and is
assessed on a remote computer. Brown fails to disclose a manner of
continuously
monitoring the inventory, thereby allowing the user to know not only how many
ounces of
the substance remain within the container, but how many containers were
consumed.
Furthermore, Brown fails to assess the resultant data and formulate trends
that allows the
bar to accurately predict consumption of substances in the future, and based
on the trend,
automatically order stock if current stock is deemed insufficient to fill the
current need.
[0009] Fox discloses a commodity management apparatus designed to weigh kegs
in the
bar for an accurate inventory control system for determining the amount of
draught being
dispensed and amount remaining. Fox provides for a convenient, controlled, and
accurate
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method and documentation of the draught beer being dispensed. Fox allows the
owners of
the bar or restaurant a more thorough and productive decision-making process
in placing
accurate orders. The mechanism of reordering is placed on the owner/manager to
assume
the amount that will be consumed. To determine the amount of substance
remaining
within the keg, the user is required to physically attend at the location of
the keg and read
the input window as to the amount of beer left in ounces. Fox fails to provide
a continuous
monitoring system that can effectively assess the pour rate, and the amount of
beer pour
per glass. Furthermore, Fox fails to provide accurate information to the
bartender at the
point of sale, which is essential in determining when the keg is close to
being empty and
when a barback needs to replace the existing keg. Finally, Fox fails to
collect the data,
which is necessary to determine consumption trends, an element essential for
predicting
future consumption.
[0010] Herot discloses a beverage measuring system for simultaneously
measuring and
displaying the temperature and the amount of beverage remaining within a keg.
The
device includes an electronic scale, a thermometer and a digital display which
displays the
number of servings of the beverage remaining within the keg and the
temperature. Herot,
by measuring the weight of the keg assesses the amount of substance remaining,
which is
converted into the amount of pours remaining through an algorithm. The
algorithm can be
modified based on the size of glass used in dispensing the beer within the
keg. Herot fails
to provide accurate flow rate information to the bartender, only the amount of
beer glasses
which remain. This can be problematic when there is a pour over, or foaming.
The
resultant information on the amount of beer glasses remaining will be
inaccurate. Herot
also fails to provide an effective system of assessing the amount of draught
beer consumed,
which is necessary to determine the revenue generated. Furthermore, and
similarly to Fox,
Herot fails to collect the data on beer consumption, which is necessary to
determine
consumption trends, an element essential for predicting future consumption.
[0011] One of skill in the art would know that for a given establishment such
as a bar or a
restaurant, there may be tens if not hundreds of possible food and beverage
substances
which need to be monitored. Furthermore, there is a need to constantly
correlate data from
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other subsystems within such an establishment for processing and determination
as
necessary. For example, there may be a need to correlate weight data with
billing data to
determine if fraud is taking place. There may also be a need to correlate
weight data with
inventory data to determine if new orders need to be made. As one of skill in
the art would
appreciate, the data sets needed to perform such operations may be large in
size, possibly
in the gigabyte (GB) range. Also, so as to ensure efficient operation of the
establishment,
the data to perform this processing would need to be as up-to-date as possible
and these
operations would need to be automated, to ensure accurate reflection of the
current
business state of the establishment. Therefore, there is a need to collect and
process large
amounts of data to ensure efficient operation of the establishment and make
determinations as necessary.
[0012] There is a need for a system and method of accurately and continuously
live
monitoring the consumption of the consumable product, for assessing the
revenue
generated through the consumption of each consumable product, and to control
the
inventory based on various factors to ensure that stock does not run out.
SUMMARY
[0013] A further understanding of the functional and advantageous aspects of
the invention
can be realized by reference to the following detailed description and
drawings.
[0014] An object of the present disclosure is to provide an inventory
monitoring device for
collecting data for inventory analysis and acquisition of stock. A further
object of the present
disclosure is to provide a method for monitoring and maintaining a stock of
substances.
[0015] Thus by one broad aspect of the present invention, a system is provided
for real-time
monitoring of a consumption of a plurality of substances comprising a
monitoring device,
wherein the monitoring device measures a weight of one of the plurality of
substances; and
a database and a processing subsystem coupled to each other via one or more
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interconnections, wherein the database stores one or more calculation data
related to the
plurality of substances, wherein the one or more calculation data comprises at
least one of:
one or more density or specific gravity data; one or more revenue data; one or
more cost
data; and one or more inventory data; the monitoring device transmits a
measurement data
related to the weight of the substance via the one or more interconnections to
the processing
subsystem; and the processing subsystem: receives the transmitted measurement
data via
the one or more interconnections; retrieves at least one portion of the one or
more
calculation data from the database via the one or more interconnections; and
determines,
based on at least one portion of the measurement data and the at least one
portion of the one
or more calculation data, at least one of: a volume of the one of the
plurality of substances; a
generated revenue related to the one of the plurality of substances; a cost of
consumption
related to the one of the plurality of substances; and a remaining stock of
the one of the
plurality of substances.
[0016] By another broad aspect of the present invention, a system is provided
for real-time
monitoring of a consumption of a plurality of substances comprising: a
monitoring device,
wherein the monitoring device measures a fill level of one of the plurality of
substances; and
a database and a processing subsystem coupled to each other via one or more
interconnections, wherein the database stores one or more calculation data
related to the
plurality of substances, wherein: the one or more calculation data comprises
at least one of:
one or more density or specific gravity data; one or more revenue data; one or
more cost
data; and one or more inventory data; the monitoring device transmits a
measurement data
related to the fill level via the one or more interconnections to the
processing subsystem;
and the processing subsystem: receives the transmitted measurement data via
the one or
more interconnections; retrieves at least one portion of the one or more
calculation data
from the database via the one or more interconnections; and determines, based
on a least
one portion of the measurement data and the at least one portion of the one or
more
calculation data, at least one of: a volume of the one of the plurality of
substances; a generated
revenue related to the one of the plurality of substances; a cost of
consumption related to the
one of the plurality of substances; and a remaining stock of the one of the
plurality of
substances.
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[0017] By another broad aspect of the present invention, a system is provided
to enable real-
time monitoring of a consumption of a plurality of beverages comprising: one
or more
monitoring devices, wherein: the one or more monitoring devices comprise at
least one keg
monitoring device or at least one tabletop monitoring device; and the one or
more
monitoring devices measure one or more weights corresponding to one or more
containers
holding one or more volumes of one or more of said plurality of beverages; a
database and a
processing subsystem coupled to each other via one or more interconnections,
wherein: the
database stores one or more calculation data related to the plurality of
beverages, wherein
the one or more calculation data comprises at least one of: one or more
density data; one or
more revenue data; one or more cost data; and one or more inventory data; a
first of the one
or more monitoring devices transmits a measurement data related to a first of
the one or
more weights to the processing subsystem via the one or more interconnections;
and the
processing subsystem: receives the transmitted measurement data; retrieves at
least one
portion of the one or more calculation data from the database via the one or
more
interconnections; and calculates, based on at least one portion of the
measurement data and
the at least one portion of the one or more calculation data, at least one of:
a first of the one
or more volumes of the one of said plurality of beverages; a generated revenue
related to the
one of the plurality of beverages; a cost of consumption related to the one of
the plurality of
beverages; and a remaining stock of the one of the plurality of beverages.
[0018] By a further broad aspect of the present invention, a method is
provided for live
monitoring a sale of a substance comprising: storing one or more calculation
data related to
a plurality of substances on a database; scanning one of the plurality of
substances to identify
the substance; transmitting a measurement data related to the weight of the
substance to a
processing subsystem; retrieving at least one portion of the one or more
calculation data
from the database by the processing subsystem; determining, based on at least
one portion
of the measurement data and the retrieved at least one portion of the one or
more calculation
data, at least one of: a volume of the one of said plurality of substances; a
generated revenue
related to the one of the plurality of substances; a cost of consumption
related to the one of
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the plurality of substances; and a remaining stock of the one of the plurality
of substances.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] Embodiments disclosed herein will be more fully understood from the
following detailed
description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a monitoring
system of
the present disclosure.
[0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a user
device of the
present disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of an example embodiment of a
consumption
analysis subsystem.
[0023] FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a tabletop inventory
monitoring
device, according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the tabletop inventory
monitoring device
shown in FIG. 4;
[0025] FIG. 6 illustrates an aerial view of the tabletop inventory monitoring
device housing
base, according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the tabletop inventory
monitoring device
housing lid, according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the tabletop inventory
monitoring device
lacking the scale plate and the scale housing lid, according to one embodiment
of the
present invention;
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[0028] FIG. 9 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a keg inventory
monitoring
device, according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 10 illustrates an perspective view of a weigh scale feet,
according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0030] FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of a seal of a tabletop
inventory monitoring
device according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0031] FIG. 12 illustrates a perspective view of a load sensor, according to
one embodiment
of the present invention;
[0032] FIG. 13 illustrates a transparent perspective view of a table top unit,
according to
one embodiment of the present invention;
[0033] FIG. 14 is a flowchart for an embodiment of a method of management of
liquor wine
substances; according to one embodiment of the present invention; and,
[0034] FIG. 15 is a flowchart for an embodiment of a method of management of
draught
beer substances; according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0035] FIG. 16 illustrates a user interface to enter a substance inventory,
according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0036] FIG. 17 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface to enter an
inventory count;
[0037] FIG. 18 illustrates a user interface for an inventory control list,
according to one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0038] FIG. 19 illustrates a further embodiment of a user interface of the
present invention;
[0039] FIG. 20 illustrates a further embodiment of a user interface of the
present invention;
[0040] FIG. 21 illustrates a further embodiment of a user interface of the
present invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0041] The present disclosure provides a system and method for management of
substances intended to overcome at least some of the limitations of
conventional
management practice. The systems and methods described herein allow a user to
monitor
and manage the use and consumption of substances, while providing the ability
to
accurately predict and order stock for future consumption. The system and
method for
management of substances herein is described for use in the restaurant and bar
industry,
wherein substances monitored are food, liquors, wines, spirits and beers. A
worker skilled
in the relevant art would appreciate that the system and method for management
of
substances can be applied to other industries wherein substances are consumed.
Such
examples of industries include, but are not limited to, the pharmaceutical
industry,
chemical industry and fuel industry. Furthermore, the system and method of
management
of substances can be extended to any substance housed within a container that
is measured
by weight. In the bar and restaurant this can include, but is not limited to,
juices, bottled
still and sparkling water, cooking sauces and oils, and cleaning products.
[0042] The system and method for management of substances described herein
relate to
the monitoring of the consumption and use of food, liquor, wine, and beer.
Referring to
FIG. 1, an example system 101 is illustrated. Interconnections 103 perform the
function of
communicatively coupling the various components of system 101 to each other.
Interconnections 103 may be implemented in a variety of ways. For example, in
some
embodiments, interconnections 103 comprise one or more networks. In some of
these
embodiments, one or more of these one or more networks comprise one or more
subnetworks. The one or more networks comprise, for example, wireless
networks, wired
networks, Ethernet networks, local area networks, metropolitan area networks
and optical
networks. In some embodiments, the one or more networks comprise at least one
of a
private network such as a virtual private network, or a public network such as
the Internet.
In some embodiments, interconnections 103 also comprise one or more direct
connections
between the components of system 101. Various wired or wireless communications
protocols known to those of skill in the art may be used to implement
interconnections
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103. These include, for example, near field communications (NFC), Wi-Fi,
BLUETOOTHC),
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), 3G, Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5G and
Universal
Serial Bus (USB).
[0043] Monitoring devices 105 measure either a weight of a container housing a
substance,
or a remaining volume of the substance within the container. Two examples of a
monitoring
device 105 are a tabletop inventory monitoring device and a keg monitoring
device. These
will be described in more detail later in the disclosure. In some embodiments,
monitoring
devices 105 are communicatively coupled to the rest of system 101 via
interconnections
103. In other embodiments, monitoring devices 105 are coupled to the rest of
system 101
via intermediary devices. An example of an intermediary device will be
described below.
[0044] User device 104 is associated with user 109. User device 104 is, for
example a
smartwatch, smartphone, tablet, laptop, or any appropriate computing and
network-enabled
device. An embodiment of user device 104 is shown in FIG. 2. Processor 104-1
performs
processing functions and operations necessary for the operation of mobile
device 104, using
data and programs stored in storage 104-2. An example of such a program is
application or
"app" 104-4 which will be discussed in more detail below. App 104-4 allows
user 109 to
interact with the rest of system 101. Display 104-3 performs the function of
displaying data
and information for user 109. Input devices 104-5 allow user 109 to enter
information. This
includes, for example, devices such as a touch screen, mouse, keypad,
keyboard, microphone,
camera, video camera and so on. In one embodiment, display 104-3 is a
touchscreen which
means it is also part of input devices 104-5. Communications module 104-6
allows user
device 104 to communicate with devices and networks external to user device
104. For
example, user device 104 communicates with the other components of system 101
via
interconnections 103 and communications module 104-6. Communications module
104-6
supports one or more wired or wireless communications via protocols and
technologies such
as BLUETOOTHC), Wi-Fi, Near Field Communications (NFC), Radio Frequency
Identification
(RFID), 3G, Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5G, Universal Serial Bus (USB) and
other protocols
and technologies known to those of skill in the art. Sensors 104-7 perform
functions to sense
or detect environmental or locational parameters. Sensors 104-7 include, for
example,
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accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, barometers, Global Positioning
System (GPS),
proximity sensors and ambient light sensors. The components of user device 104
are
coupled to each other as shown in FIG. 2.
[0045] Returning to FIG. 1, billing subsystem 106 operates to assist the bar
or restaurant
with the management of customer billing. Billing subsystem 106 performs
functions such
as generation of customer bills, collections of payments from customers which
includes, for
example, receiving debit and credit card payments. In some embodiments,
billing
subsystem 106 is implemented using software. In other embodiments, billing
subsystem
106 is implemented using a combination of hardware and software. Billing
subsystem 106
is coupled to the other components of system 101 via interconnections 103.
[0046] Inventory management subsystem 102 operates to assist the bar or
restaurant with
management of stock or inventory held by the bar or restaurant. Examples of
functions
performed by inventory management subsystem 102 include, for example,
- recording current amounts of inventory
- determining remaining stock of, for example, a food or beverage item
- determining threshold levels of inventory needed for the bar or
restaurant to function for
a given period of time based on, for example, historical consumption patterns
- determining time to exhaustion of inventory based on, for example,
determination of
remaining stock and historical consumption data, and
- determining whether there is a need to transmit requests for orders of
food or beverage
or other supplies based on the determination of the remaining stock.
In some embodiments, these functions are performed in conjunction with one or
more
components of system 101. For example, in some embodiments inventory
management
subsystem 102 works together with consumption analysis subsystem 107 to
determine
remaining stock, threshold levels or whether there is a need to transmit
requests for orders
of food or beverage. In some embodiments, these functions are performed using
predictive
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analytics. In some embodiments, these functions are performed using artificial
intelligence
(AI) or machine learning (ML) techniques.
[0047] In some embodiments, inventory management subsystem 102 is implemented
using
software. In other embodiments, inventory management subsystem 102 is
implemented
using a combination of hardware and software. Inventory management subsystem
102 is
communicatively coupled to the other components of system 101 via
interconnections
103.
[0048] Consumption analysis subsystem 107 determines, calculates and records
past,
current and future consumption of substances within the bar or restaurant. An
example
detailed embodiment of consumption analysis subsystem 107 is shown in FIG. 3.
[0049] In FIG. 3, analysis subsystem interconnection 233 connects the various
components
of consumption analysis subsystem 107 to each other. In one embodiment,
interconnection
233 is implemented using, for example, network technologies known to those in
the art.
These include, for example, wireless networks, wired networks, Ethernet
networks, local
area networks, metropolitan area networks and optical networks. In one
embodiment,
interconnection 233 comprises one or more subnetworks. In another embodiment,
interconnection 233 comprises other technologies to connect multiple
components to each
other including, for example, buses, coaxial cables, USB connections and so
on.
[0050] Communications subsystem 234 receives information from, and transmits
information to, the other components of system 101 via interconnections 103.
[0051] Database 232 stores information and data for use by consumption
analysis
subsystem 107. This information comprises, for example:
- Measurement data received from monitoring devices 105;
- Calibration data corresponding to each of the monitoring devices 105;
- Device identifiers corresponding to each of the monitoring devices 105;
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- Container identifiers corresponding to containers of food or beverage
items;
- Consumption data calculated based on the received measurement data;
- Nutritional data;
- Type of substance;
- One or more calculation data related to food and beverages sold within
the bar or
restaurant comprising at least one of:
o Density or specific gravity data for conversion of weights to volumes and
volumes to weights;
o Revenue data, including, for example, prices per volume or weight of a
substance;
o Cost data, including, for example, supplier cost per volume or weight of
a
substance;
o Inventory data;
o Temperature data related to temperature of one or more parts of the bar
or
restaurant or kegs or fridges, and
o Distance data related to distance of lines from a container to a tap.
- Storage of authentication data such as usernames and passwords to enable
users to
log in via app 104-4.
[0052] As will be explained further below, users such as user 109 can input
data to database
232 using, for example, app 104-4 running on user device 104. In other
embodiments, data
is uploaded to database 232 from other components of system 101 such as third
party
systems 108 and vendor subsystems 110.
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[0053] In one embodiment, database 232 further comprises a database server.
The database
server receives one or more commands from, for example, processing subsystem
230-1 to
230-N and communication subsystem 234, and translates these commands into
appropriate
database language commands to retrieve and store data into database 232. In
one
embodiment, database 232 is implemented using one or more database languages
known to
those of skill in the art, including, for example, Structured Query Language
(SQL). In a further
embodiment, database 232 stores data for a plurality of users. Then, there may
be a need to
keep the set of data related to each user separate from the data relating to
the other users.
For example, in some embodiments a server or bartender is restricted to
viewing
measurement and consumption data related to only his or her shifts, while a
manager may
be able to view a larger data set comprising, for example, measurement and
consumption
data for all server and bartender shifts. To achieve this, in some
embodiments, database 232
is partitioned so that data related to each user is separate from the other
users. In some
embodiments, each user has an account with a login and a password or other
appropriate
security measures to ensure that they are only able to access their data, and
unauthorized
access of their data is prohibited. In a further embodiment, when data is
entered into
database 232, associated metadata is added so as to make it more easily
searchable. In a
further embodiment, the associated metadata comprises one or more tags. In yet
another
embodiment, database 232 presents an interface to enable the entering of
search queries. In
some embodiments, the data stored within database 232 is encrypted for
security reasons.
In further embodiments, other privacy-enhancing data security techniques are
employed to
protect database 232.
[0054] Processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N perform processing and analysis
within
consumption analysis subsystem 107 using one or more algorithms and programs
residing
on consumption analysis subsystem 107; data received from communications
subsystem
234 and one or more portions of calculation data and/or other data retrieved
from
database 232. The algorithms and programs are stored in, for example,
- database 232 as explained above, or
- within processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N
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[0055] Examples of operations performed by processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-
N
include but are not limited to:
- Calculation of consumption data based on measurement data received from
communications subsystem 234;
- Determination of at least one of
o a volume of a beverage
o revenue generated related to a beverage
o a cost associated with the consumption of a beverage and
o a remaining stock of a beverage
based on the received measurement data and retrieved calculation data stored
in
database 232;
- Determination of volume of foam based on the temperature and distance
data stored in
database 232;
- Determination of a volume of spillage based on the determination of
volume of foam;
- Determination of time to exhaustion of a food or beverage item based on
determination
of remaining stock of the food or beverage item and historical consumption
data;
- Determination of occurrence of fraud events based on comparison of
billing data
received from billing subsystem 106;
- Determination of false pour events as will be further detailed below; and
- Alerting of user 109 via transmission of alerts to app 104-4 running on
user device 104.
[0056] In some embodiments, these operations are performed by processing
subsystems
230-1 to 230-N in conjunction with one or more other components of system 101.
For
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example, in some embodiments, processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N work
together with
inventory management subsystem 102 to determine the remaining stock of a food
or
beverage item. In some embodiments, this determination of remaining stock is
then used to
determine a time to exhaustion of the food or beverage item based on
historical consumption
data retrieved from database 232. In other embodiments, processing subsystems
230-1 to
230-N receive billing data from billing subsystem 106 via interconnections 103
and
communications subsystem 234 and determine the occurrence of fraud events
based on
comparison of the received billing data and the determined generated revenue.
[0057] Various implementations are possible for consumption analysis subsystem
107 and
its components. In one embodiment, consumption analysis subsystem 107 is
implemented
using a cloud-based approach. In another embodiment, consumption analysis
subsystem
107 is implemented across one or more facilities, where each of the components
are
located in different facilities and interconnection 233 is then a network-
based connection.
In a further embodiment, consumption analysis subsystem 107 is implemented
within a
single server or computer. In a further embodiment, consumption analysis
subsystem 107
is implemented across multiple servers or computers. In yet another
embodiment,
consumption analysis subsystem 107 is implemented in software. In another
embodiment,
consumption analysis subsystem 107 is implemented using a combination of
software and
hardware.
[0058] Some restaurants have a plurality of locations, and therefore have a
need for
monitoring and management over a plurality of locations. In some embodiments,
a
plurality of systems such as system 101 is implemented at each location, and
data is
transmitted from each location to a back-office system. Then data such as:
- Brand, location and product performance across the plurality of locations
- Levels of inventory across the plurality of locations, comprising, for
example:
o States of kegs across the plurality of locations,
o Levels of bottles
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- Staff performance across the plurality of locations;
- Top selling products across the plurality of locations;
- Top performing locations;
- Worst selling products; and
- Worst performing locations;
is collected and analyzed so as to provide vital information and improve
profitability. In
some embodiments, the back-office system is comprised of a cluster of globally
distributed
remote servers, all interconnected to work together to increase performance,
reliability,
scalability and accessibility.
[0059] Returning to FIG. 1, vendor subsystems 110 are subsystems owned by
vendors such
as food and beverage suppliers. Other components of system 101 send orders or
requests
to these vendor subsystems using interconnections 103.
[0060] Third party subsystems 108 are subsystems provided by organizations
other than
vendors outside of the bar or the restaurant. Examples include:
- Subsystems owned by, for example, payment processor organizations; and
- Subsystems provided by Government regulatory bodies.
[0061] As explained previously, two examples of a monitoring device 105 are a
tabletop
inventory monitoring device and a keg monitoring device. The tabletop
inventory
monitoring device is designed for mounting on a tabletop and is used to, for
example,
measure either the weight or remaining volume of substance within containers
such as
bottles and jars.
[0062] FIGS. 4 - 8 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a tabletop inventory
monitoring
device 420. The tabletop inventory monitoring device 420 enables continuous
monitoring
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of the consumption of substances such as liquor, wine, and beer which are
stored in
containers such as bottles and jars, over a period of time.
[0063] In some embodiments, the tabletop inventory monitoring device 420
records
measurement data related to the weight of a container holding a substance.
This
measurement data is used to determine consumption of the substance within the
container
within a period of time. The determination of consumption is carried out, for
example, by
processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N.
[0064] An example of measurement of consumption within a bartender shift using
tabletop
inventory monitoring device 420 is as follows: At the start of a shift, for
every bottle of
liquor, wine and beer, user 109 such as a bartender scans a unique identifier
associated
with the bottle using scanning camera 445. This identifier is, for example, a
UPC, EAN, and
QR code. The scanned identifier data is transmitted to database 232, where it
is checked
against stored container identifier data by, for example, processing
subsystems 230-1 to
230-N to identify the substance within the bottle.
[0065] The bartender then places each bottle of liquor, or wine onto the scale
plate 430 to
determine the starting weight of each substance. This initial measurement data
is
transmitted to processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N using interconnections
103.
[0066] At the end of the shift, the bartender weighs the bottles of liquor,
and wine using
tabletop inventory monitoring device 420. This final measurement data is
transmitted to
processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N using interconnections 103. A detailed
description
of a method of management of liquor and wine substances will be described
further below.
[0067] The processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N perform one or more of the
following
operations using the initial and final transmitted measurement data:
- Determination of consumption of the substance during the shift. In some
embodiments,
as part of this determination, the processing subsystems converts weight to
volume to
determine volume of the substance consumed. This is done using, for example,
density
data corresponding to the substance and stored in database 232. The determined
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consumption is stored in, for example, database 232.
- Determination of revenue generated during the shift based on the above
determination of
the consumption of the substance and, for example, price data stored in
database 232.
The generated revenue is stored in, for example, database 232.
- Determination of the occurrence of a fraud event based on a comparison of
the
determined revenue generated with billing data received from billing subsystem
106, or
comparison of the revenue generated with consumption data received from the
consumption analysis subsystem 107.
- Determination of the cost of the consumption of the substance during the
shift based on
the above determination of the consumption of the substance and, for example,
cost data
stored in database 232.
- Determination of the remaining stock of the substance based on the above
determination
of the consumption. In some embodiments, this is carried out in conjunction
with
inventory management subsystem 102.
- Determination of the time to exhaustion of the remaining stock based on
the above
determination of the remaining stock and past consumption data stored in
database 232.
In some embodiments, this is carried out in conjunction with inventory
management
subsystem 102;
- Trend analysis;
- Staff management and enterprise management.
[0068] The data from one or more of the above operations is stored in database
232.
[0069] Similarly, the tabletop inventory monitoring device 420 can monitor the
consumption of bottled beer. Referring to FIG. 5, as bottles of beer are
purchased by the
consumer, the bartender scans an identifier such as a UPC code of each bottle
with the
scanning camera 445. The tabletop inventory monitoring device 420 recognizes
the
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identifier belonging to a specific bottle of beer and stores the number of
bottles scanned.
At the end of the shift, the data collected by the tabletop inventory
monitoring device 420
is sent to processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N where the information on the
number of
bottles scanned or sold are computed by processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N.
Processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N can then perform one or more of the
determinations detailed above.
[0070] Referring again to FIG. 4, in other embodiments, the tabletop inventory
monitoring
device 420 is incorporated within a bar rail, on liquor display shelves, or in
wine storage
areas. Tabletop inventory monitoring device 420 together with processing
subsystems
230-1 to 230-N assist in providing accurate and real time monitoring of the
consumption
of the liquors. This is accomplished through the use of individual weigh
scales for
individual liquor bottles or through a single large scale measuring the weight
of multiple
bottles at once. As consumption occurs, the loss of weight is assigned to a
specific bottle
either through the use of a bottle specific scale, or through a system of
identifying what
bottle was removed from a large single scale. The system can include but is
not limited to:
UPC or other identifier scanning cameras, motion sensors, levers that account
for removal
and insertion bottles. A worker skilled in the relevant art can appreciate the
various
elements that can be used to track movement of bottles, which can also include
the use of
specific trackers attached to the individual bottles. The enablement of a real
time or live
bar rail monitoring system helps maintain the integrity of the bar rail for
managers, as it
assists in effectively monitoring and controlling the revenue that is
generated from the
consumption of the fastest selling liquor in a bar or restaurant.
[0071] With reference to FIG. 5, a perspective view of the tabletop inventory
monitoring
device is shown for an example embodiment where the identifier is a UPC code.
The weigh
scale plate 430 is shown on top of the device, with the scanning camera 445
located within
the UPC reader port 452.
[0072] The scale housing 425 is comprised of a scale housing base 450, as
further
illustrated in FIG. 6 and FIG. 8, and the scale housing lid 455 as further
illustrated in FIG. 7.
A worker skilled in the relevant art would appreciate that the scale housing
425 can be
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comprised of various elements and can be either unique to the tabletop
inventory
monitoring device, or a generic element. A worker skilled in the relevant art
would also
appreciate that the role of the scale housing 425 entails housing the unique
elements while
providing a region or a port where the scanning camera 445 can read
identifiers such as
UPC codes and an aperture for the weigh scale (not shown) can interact with
the bottles
housing the liquor or wine.
[0073] With reference to FIG. 6, the scale housing base 450 is shown. The
scale housing
contains a UPC reader port (not shown) and numerous channels 453 and columns
454.
The UPC reader port (not shown) provides a location for the placement of the
scanning
camera (not shown) that is on the outer surface of the scale housing 425,
which allows the
camera to read the UPC codes of the liquor or wine bottles. Additional
apertures are
located throughout the scale housing base which provide additional ports for
connection to
a power source or connection point to other tabletop inventory monitoring
devices or
external scanners (not shown). The numerous channels 453 provide for specific
locations
for the placement of various internal elements of the tabletop inventory
monitoring device.
These elements include but are not limited to: a battery; a processor; a
wireless
transmitting device for connection to interconnections 103 of FIG. 1 and
thereby the other
components of system 101; and a weighing mechanism; an analog to digital (AID)
converter; and a scanning camera. The AID converter serves to convert analog
data into
digital data before transmission over interconnections 103, so as to enable
transmission
over an extended distance. The columns 454 interact with the elements of the
scale
housing lid 455 in order to provide connection points.
[0074] With reference to FIG. 7, the scale housing lid 455 is shown. The scale
housing lid
455 contains a scale aperture 456 which provides a unobstructed connection
with the
weigh scale plate (not shown) and the weighing device (not shown).
Additionally, a UPC
reader port 452 can be seen, which connects to the UPC reader port of the
scale housing
base (not shown).
[0075] With reference to FIG. 8 and according to one embodiment, the tabletop
inventory
monitoring device 420 is shown without the scale housing lid and the weigh
scale. The
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scale housing lid and the weigh scale have been removed to depict the inner
working of the
tabletop inventory monitoring device 420. The tabletop inventory monitoring
device 420
contains a scanning camera 445, a battery 435, and a weigh scale mechanism 456
housed
within the scale housing. A worker skilled in the relevant art would
appreciate the various
elements that can be incorporated into the tabletop inventory monitoring
device 420.
[0076] With reference to FIG. 9 and according to one embodiment, the keg
inventory
monitoring device 900 is shown. The keg inventory monitoring device 900
enables
continuous monitoring of the consumption of substances stored in larger
containers, such
as kegs or barrels, over a period of time.
[0077] The keg inventory monitoring device 900 is comprised of: a top plate
905,
separated from a bottom plate 935 by a keg scale housing 920. At each of the
four corners
of the keg inventory monitoring device 900, there are arranged the following
components:
a seal 910, a load sensor 940, a foot 945, a magnet 915, a locating ring 925
and an insert
930. When assembled, each different component should be substantially
coplanar. In the
four corners, the vertical arrangement of the component centers should also be
substantially coplanar. Further, the vertical planes should be substantially
orthogonal to
the horizontal planes. In practice the coplanar nature of the planes and the
orthogonal
relationship to each other will not be perfect and any deviation will result
in measurement
error. The of the keg inventory monitoring device design minimizes this error.
[0078] The keg scale housing 920 attaches to the underside of the top plate
905, for
example with screws. Inside the keg scale housing 920 is an area for
electronics (not
shown) which convert the analog differential signals from the load sensors 940
into a
digital code. A path is provided to allow a cable to connect the electronics
to a remote
device for data collection. In each of the four corners of the keg scale
housing 920 is a
pocket 950 in which a foot 945, a load sensor 940 and a seal 910 sit.
[0079] Each load sensor 940 attaches to the electronics. The arrangement of
the load
sensors 940 inside the keg scale housing 920 is constructed such that the
center of the load
points (not shown) of the load sensors 940 are arranged in a square. Each foot
945 is
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exactly on the center of this load point. A square arrangement is required
because of the
nature of performing a differential measurement of load sensors 940. A
deviation from a
square arrangement will result in measurement error. If the load is off-center
and the load
point arrangement is square, a simpler compensation factor can be applied than
would
otherwise be required with a non-square arrangement.
[0080] The top side of the top plate 905 is the platform on which the
container (for
example a keg) being weighed sits. The keg scale housing 920 is attached to
the underside
of the top plate, for example with screws. The top plate and thus the applied
load ultimately
rest on the four feet 945 at the corners of the top plate 905. Consequently,
the top plate
905 material should be of sufficient rigidity so as not to deform or bow under
the
maximum applied load. Any significant deformation would result in measurement
error.
[0081] The top side of the bottom plate 935 provides a flat rigid surface upon
which the
four feet rest. In order for the most accurate weight measurements to be made,
the bottom
of the feet 945 and thus the load sensors 940 must be substantially coplanar.
The bottom
plate 935 provides this coplanar surface allowing the entire keg inventory
monitoring
device to be placed on rough and/or uneven surfaces. The four locating rings
925 and
inserts 930 are attached to the topside of the bottom plate 935 by, for
example, screws.
The bottom plate 935 requires rigidity so as to not deform easily and provide
a consistent
coplanar surface. However, since the underside of the bottom plate 935 is
mostly resting
on a surface, it could be less rigid and/or of a different material than the
top plate 905.
[0082] Referring to FIG. 10, the foot 945 provides the sensor in the keg
inventory
monitoring device 900. The topside 1021 of the foot 945 when mated with the
load
sensor 940 sits exactly in the center of the load point (not shown) of the
load sensor.
Placing a load on the keg inventory monitoring device 900 generates a downward
force
1023 through the center of each foot 945. An equal but opposite force upwards
1023,
which is referred to as a normal force, is also generated. The load sensor 940
(which is a
strain gauge), is a transducer and converts the normal force 1023 to an analog
electrical
signal, which in combination with the other three load sensors 940 can be
measured and
the applied weight or force deduced. If the bottom of the feet 1027 do not
rest on a
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coplanar surface then the normal force 1023 in each foot will be different,
resulting in
measurement error. In the bottom of the foot 1027 is a magnet pocket 1025 for
a magnet
915 which magnetically couples with the locating ring insert 930. If a load is
placed exactly
in the center of the scale, each foot 945 will sense exactly one quarter of
the applied force.
Any deviation from a square arrangement of the feet 945, and thus the load
points of the
load sensors 940, will result in more force being applied to one or more of
the feet 945
and less to others. This will result in measurement error.
[0083] The four locating rings 925 and inserts 930 are attached to the topside
of the
bottom plate 935 by for example screws. The foot 945 sits inside the circular
aperture of
the locating ring 925. The magnet 915 in the bottom of the foot 1027
magnetically couples
to the insert 930. The insert 930 sits between the locating ring 925 and the
top side of the
bottom plate 935. The insert 930 should be ferromagnetic since the material
used for the
bottom plate is not. The combination of the magnetic attraction coupling the
feet 945 to
the insert 930 and the height of the circular aperture of the locating ring
925 lock the top
and bottom parts of the assembly together. During events such as keg changes
or a scale
being bumped, locking the top and bottom parts of the assembly together
ensures that they
cannot slide apart easily, thus maintaining the keg inventory monitoring
device 900
integrity.
[0084] In order for the normal force 1023 to be sensed, the foot 945 and load
sensor 940
need to press against something. This cannot be the underside of the top plate
905
because the center part of the load sensor 940, called the bridge, flexes
upwards with
applied force. There would be nowhere for it to flex if it sat flat against
the plate. The seal
910 sits between the load sensor 940 and the underside of the top plate 905.
Referring to
FIG. 11, the pocket 1131 of the seal 910 provides a space into which the load
sensor 940
bridge can flex. The outer edge 1133 of the seal 910 fixes the outer edge of
the load sensor
940 in place.
[0085] Referring to FIG. 12, an embodiment of a load sensor 940 is shown. When
a force is
applied to the load point 1235 of the load sensor 940, the resistors embedded
in the epoxy
1237 deform, changing their resistance away from the nominal unloaded value.
The outer
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edge 1241 of the load sensor 940 is fixed in place. The bridge 1239 of the
load sensor 940
flexes downwards in response to an applied force. Four load sensors 940 are
connected
together in an electrical configuration referred to as a Wheatstone bridge to
minimize
errors due to differences in the individual load sensors. When connected in
this manner
load sensors 940 are called a load cell. If an excitation voltage is applied
to the load
cell and the return signal is measured, the difference is proportional to the
applied force.
[0086] A weighing scale must normally be calibrated before use in order to
determine
certain constants that will be used with an equation to convert the digital
code output by
the scale into an actual weight. For various reasons a scale with no weight on
it will never
report exactly zero (ie no weight). However, the difference from zero is used
calculate the
weight on the scale. During calibration the digital code output by the scale
with no weight
is recorded. This is called the zero point. It represents the weight of the
scale parts above
the sensors and the inherent offset of the sensors. Subsequent calculations
subtract the
zero point from the current digital code to arrive at a value which represents
only the
weight actually on the scale. However, over time the zero point of a scale may
drift. This
could be due to a number of factors including: repositioning the scale; scale
is not level;
change in temperature affecting physical scale parts, sensors, and
electronics; noise due to
electromagnetic interference affecting sensors and electronics; noise inherent
in the
electronic measuring circuit; wear of physical scale parts; break-in or wear
of the sensors;
and hysteresis effect of the sensors.
[0087] All of these effects add up cumulatively and an increase in count by
one error may
be offset by a decrease in another. However, whether or not the error
introduced matters
depends on the desired accuracy, precision, and repeatability required of the
weighing
scale. In standard weighing scales, the operator before using the scale to
weigh an object
will tare the scale with no weight on it. This is called the tare count. It
represents the
difference between the zero point and the current digital code output by the
scale. Subsequent calculations subtract this value as well from the digital
code.
[0088] Normally an operator will tare a scale by pressing a button or tapping
the scale
platform in a specific manner. In the case of the Keg Scale the location of
the scale, the
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weight of the objects being put on the scale, and the general construction of
the scale make
operator taring impractical. Further, the accuracy, precision, and
repeatability required of
the scale is significant such that the error introduced by zero point drift
cannot be ignored.
[0089] The weights being measured by the keg inventory monitoring device 900
are not
continuous over a range of zero to a maximum value. The smallest weight that
will be
measured is equivalent to the weight of the smallest empty container that will
be used with
the keg inventory monitoring device 900. Knowing this weight, the keg
inventory
monitoring device 900 can assume that any digital code of equivalent weight
less than that
of the empty container means there is no weight on the scale. The keg
inventory
monitoring device 900 monitors for this condition and when present it records
the digital
code as the tare value. This is done multiple times a second. When a weight of
more than
the smallest empty container is detected the tare value is no longer updated
and the most
recent value is used in subsequent calculations.
[0090] The keg inventory monitoring device 900 may operate as a continuously
monitoring
system. The measurement of a weight of the keg and the draught beer are
continuously
transmitted to processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N using interconnections
103. This
measurement data is used to determine consumption of the substance within the
keg
within a period of time. The determination of consumption is carried out, for
example, by
processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N.
[0091] The processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N perform one or more of the
following
operations using the transmitted measurement data:
- Determination of consumption of the substance during the shift. In some
embodiments,
as part of this determination, the processing subsystems converts weight to
volume to
determine volume of the substance consumed. This is done using, for example,
density or
specific gravity data corresponding to the substance and stored in database
232. The
determined consumption is stored in, for example, database 232.
- Determination of revenue generated during the shift based on the above
determination of
the consumption of the substance and, for example, price data stored in
database 232.
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The generated revenue is stored in, for example, database 232.
- Determination of the occurrence of a fraud event based on a comparison of
the
determined revenue generated with billing data received from billing subsystem
106.
- Determination of the cost of the consumption of the substance during the
shift based on
the above determination of the consumption of the substance and, for example,
cost data
stored in database 232.
- Determination of the remaining stock of the substance based on the above
determination
of the consumption. In some embodiments, this is carried out in conjunction
with
inventory management subsystem 102.
- Determination of the time to exhaustion of the remaining stock based on
the above
determination of the remaining stock and past consumption data stored in
database 232.
In some embodiments, this is carried out in conjunction with inventory
management
subsystem 102.
[0092] The data from one or more of the above operations is stored in database
232.
[0093] The user, can be apprised of the change in amount of draught beer
remaining in the
keg as the weight of the keg is displayed in real time, for instance on the
display 104-3 of
the user device 104 via app 104-4. As beer is poured, the weight of the keg is
gradually
decreased, which is measured by the keg inventory monitoring device 900 and
displayed
to the bartender. The ability to assess the amount of draught beer poured is
similar to that
of conventional flow rate meters, except the keg inventory monitoring device
is not plagued
with misreading due to increased keg temperatures and foaming.
[0094] The keg inventory monitoring device 900 and the consumption analysis
subsystem
107 may determine the amount of draught beer within the keg based on previous
data
collected and stored in the database 232. For example, the make and style of
beer may be
input using app 104-4 and input devices 104-5 by a user 109, and stored in the
database
232. The processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N, with the data from the database
232 on
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the make and style of beer, will determine the weight of the keg and the
weight of the
draught beer within. The determined weight of draught beer is used to
calculate the
amount of revenue that can be generated. Furthermore, based on the variation
of the
weight in the draught beer, processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N can determine
whether
a new keg was tapped. This provides for an effective and efficient way to
monitor the
stock.
[0095] The consumption analysis subsystem 107 may further provide an accurate
live
monitor of the consumption of beer by differentiating a true pour event, when
beer is
purposely dispensed, from a false pour event. Events such as keg transfer,
tapping a new
keg, or a vibration such as a fridge door closing may produce spurious false
pour events,
because the keg inventory monitor device 900 continuously monitors weight
changes of
the keg and beer. Processing subsystem 230-1 to 230-N, using information
stored in the
database 232 may differentiate a true pour event from a false pour event
through, for
example, performing Fourier analysis of the transmitted time-domain weight
data to
determine the presence of high frequency content which is an indicator of a
false pour
event. . For example, the system detects a false pour event if the keg weight
apparently
decreases and returns very quickly, or if the recorded weight decreases
quickly and then
substantially increases. The consumption analysis subsystem 107 is also able
to adjust
volume calculations by:
- Determining an amount of foam produced when beer is poured, based on
temperature data and distance data related to a distance from a container such
as a
keg to a tap, and
- Determining a volume of spillage based on the determination of foam
produced.
A detailed description of a method of management of kegs will be described
further below.
[0096] As explained previously, in some embodiments, monitoring devices 105
are coupled
to interconnections 103 via an intermediary device. An example is now
detailed, where keg
inventory monitoring device 900 is connected to an intermediary device in the
form of
control unit 1300 shown in FIG. 13. The control unit 1300 serves various
functions with
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regard to keg inventory monitoring device 900. As will be explained further
below, control
unit 1300:
- Supplies keg inventory monitoring device 900 with power;
- Receives analog data from keg inventory monitoring device 900;
- Converts analog data received from keg inventory monitoring device 900 to
digital
data using an analog-to-digital (AID] converter before transmission over
interconnections 103, so as to enable transmission over an extended distance;
and
- Transmits converted digital data received from keg inventory monitoring
device 900
to consumption analysis subsystem 107 where it is, for example, stored in
database
232 or further processed by processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N.
[0097] The control unit 1300 in FIG. 13 is primarily comprised of: box unit
1301; keg
scale connection jacks 1302; a computer processor 1305; an analog to digital
converter
1310; a power management circuit 1320; and a power supply 1325. The box unit
1301 is
a customized box that encloses the control unit 1300 and protects the system
from
external elements. The control unit 1300 may accommodate 8 or up to at least
32 keg
scales, which will each plug into a keg scale connection jack 1302. The
computer processor
1305 may provide a function to identify the specific keg inventory monitoring
device that
is plugged into a given keg scale connection jack 1302, through a digital
identification
associated with the specific keg inventory monitoring device 900.
[0098] The keg scale connection jacks 1302 serve a dual function. Firstly, the
weight data
of the keg placed on the keg inventory monitoring device 900 is transferred to
the control
unit 1300 through the wired connection to the scale connection jack 1302.
Secondly, the
control unit 1300 provides power to the keg inventory monitoring device 900,
which will
subsequently allow the scale to measure the weight of the kegs. A worker
skilled in the
relevant art would appreciate the various mechanisms that could be used to
replace the
corded system requiring the keg scale connection jacks 1302. For example, the
information can be transmitted wirelessly from the keg inventory monitoring
device 900
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to the control unit 1300, and the keg inventory monitoring device could be
powered by a
battery unit. The analog to digital converter 1310 converts the analog data
obtained from
weight measurement of the keg to a digital format prior to transmission over
interconnections 103. In another embodiment, the analog to digital converter
1310 can be
positioned on the keg inventory monitoring device 900 and the digital data is
transferred
directly to the control unit 1300. A worker skilled in the relevant art would
appreciate the
various known mechanisms to convert analog data into digital. The battery
charge boost
1325 and the power management circuit 1320 provide power to the control unit
1300.
The battery charge boost 1325 allows the control unit 1300 to run when the
control unit
1300 is not directly connected to a power source, or in times of a power
outage. The power
management circuit 1320 allows the user to rest the control unit 1300 by
disconnecting
the power for the duration of pressing the power management circuit.
[0099] The control unit 1300, upon receiving the data from the keg inventory
monitoring
device 900 may transfer the data via interconnections 103 to consumption
analysis
subsystem 107 where it is stored in database 232.
[00100] Tracking the consumption of substances may be achieved through an
application such as app 104-4 running on user device 104. App 104-4 is coupled
to the
other components of system 101 in FIG. 1 via user device 104 and
interconnections 103.
User 109 is able to view the output of app 104-4 through, for example, display
104-3; and
interacts with app 104-4 via input devices 104-5 of user device 104. App 104-4
allows
the user to complete functions such as taking inventory using user device 104;
and also for
user 109 to enter data into database 232 of consumption analysis subsystem
107. User
109 inputs data into database 232 such as the cost per unit consumed, the
amount of stock,
the source of new stock, the time required to obtain new stock, and other
elements which
are central to subsequent analysis of the consumption of substances.
[00101] In one embodiment, when user 109 such as a bartender wishes to log
into
app 104-4, the user 109 authenticates themselves or signs in using a username
and
password. A worker skilled in the relevant art would appreciate the various
means of the
bartender authenticating themselves or signing into the account, including but
not limited
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to: face recognition; and, a unique nametag with a unique QR code. Once the
user 109 has
successfully logged into the app 104-4, they are able to view data such as the
inventory
data of the bar or restaurant. In some embodiments, the inventory data is
either viewed on
the cloud or downloaded to user device 104 every time a user starts an
inventory count. In
the embodiments where inventory data is downloaded to user device 104,
inventory data
is only maintained on user device 104 during an active session. Once the
active session is
over, the user submits the completed inventory data to database 232. The need
to update
upon logging into app 104-4 is to ensure new inventory from another user is
accounted
for. Upon completion of inventory, and scanning and weighing active and open
liquor and
wine bottles, an identifier such as the UPC code is scanned, and identified by
processing
subsystems 230-1 to 230-N using data stored in database 232. The
user/bartender will
then place the identified container onto the integrated scale on the table top
monitoring
device. The table top monitoring device then transmits the weight of the
container,
including the contents inside the container, to processing subsystems 230-1 to
230-N.
Processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N then calculates the weight of the
contents inside
the container using a special algorithm that uses identification of the
container to derive
the weight of the container, and therefore can determine the weight of the
contents of the
container, eliminating the weight of the container, also known as the tare
weight. The data
that is used in the algorithm is stored in database 232. In some embodiments,
tare weights
cannot be stored in the system, as bottle sizes and weights can change from
time to time.
Therefore, the algorithm is used to determine the tare weight of the container
at the time of
weighing. A worker skilled in the relevant art would appreciate that the
algorithm can
operate in conjunction with the data stored in the cloud to provide accurate
and reliable
weight readings for the substances contained within the bottles.
[00102] App 104-4 allows user 109 to interact with the other components of
system
101 from user device 104 as necessary. User 109 will log into app 104-4 via
supplying a
password and username. This authentication data is transmitted to database
232, where it
is correlated against existing records and used to identify the role played by
user 109 and
unlocks capabilities based on the authorization levels of user 109. App 104-4
is used by
user 109 to view and display the state of all of the kegs placed on the keg
inventory
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monitoring device. When a keg that is filled with a certain draught beer comes
within a
configurable threshold amount, an alert will be sent to app 104-4 by, for
example,
processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N, indicating the keg will need attention,
and based
on trending sales, will indicate the time it will need to be changed. This
data can be sent to
multiple user devices 104 operating app 104-4. All kegs that are placed on
their own
respective keg inventory monitoring device, will show on app 104-4 how much
contents
remain, will indicate if the respective draught beer of the keg is currently
being poured, and
certain alerts can be configured, for example to alert if a keg tap is left
open.
[00103] With reference to FIG. 14, a method of management of liquor and
wine
substances is shown. In step 1401, tabletop inventory monitoring device 420 is
powered on,
and couples to processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N via interconnections 103.
In step
1403, tabletop inventory monitoring device 420 prompts processing subsystems
230-1 to
230-N to perform a check to determine whether there is a valid lease. In step
1405, app 104-
4 is started up on user device 104, and the user device 104 connects via
interconnections
103 to tabletop inventory monitoring device 420. In step 1409, tabletop
inventory
monitoring device 420 prompts processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N to perform
a check
to determine whether there is a valid subscription. If any one of the checks
in step 1403 or
in step 1409 fail, then in step 1407, either a new subscription is selected or
a credit card is
updated by processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N.
[00104] In step 1411, the user 109 logs in to app 104-4 using, for example
a user
name and a password or one of the other previously described means of signing
into the
account. Processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N determine if the entered
authentication
information is valid. An example is shown in FIG. 14, where in step 1413, a
password
check is performed by processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N. If the password
check fails,
then the user 109 is prompted to re-enter the password. If the password check
succeeds,
then the user 109 progresses to the start of the current point-in-time (PIT)
inventory
process and weighing bottles in step 1415.
[00105] As previously described, user 109 such as a bartender scans a
unique
identifier associated with the bottle using scanning camera 445. An example is
shown in
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step 1417, where the bartender scans a UPC. The identifier data is transmitted
to
consumption analysis subsystem 107, and a check to determine if the substance
corresponding to the identifier can be found in database 232. An example is
shown in step
1419, where a check is performed using the information stored in database 232
to
determine if a UPC can be found. If not, then in step 1423 the user adds
products to the
inventory in database 232 using app 104-4. App 104-4 also allows a user 109 to
include
price/cost of inventory and the sale price of product in database 232.
[00106] If in step 1419, the product is found in database 232, then in step
1421 the
bartender then weighs the bottle to determine the starting weight of each
substance. This
initial measurement data is transmitted to processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-
N using
interconnections 103. The weight of the specific liquor is stored in the
database 232.
Processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N then use one or more algorithms to
determine the
weight and volume of the substance using the one or more calculation data
stored in
database 232 such as bottle weight and specific gravity. The determined weight
and/or
volume is transmitted to user device 104 and provided to app 104-4. This is
performed
until the entire PIT inventory is complete. In some embodiments, the bar or
restaurant may
set up zones of locations such as: front bar; back bar; beer fridge; and
overstock. The
substances available to the different zones will vary and will include but are
not limited to:
open spirits; open wine; active beer bottles; and unopened overstock products.
The active
liquor and wine in all zones are weighed.
[00107] By step 1427, the PIT inventory data is transmitted to processing
subsystems 230-1 to 230-N and also, for example inventory management subsystem
102
in FIG. 1. In step 1429, the user indicates using, for example, app 104-4
whether it is the
start of a shift. If yes, then in steps 1433 and 1435 the process of scanning
identifiers and
weighing is performed for the bar rail, similar to steps 1417 and 1421.
[00108] After the shift starts (step 1437), the system 101 waits for "live"
scans and
weighing in step 1439. If in step 1441 it is determined that the bar rail
needs replenishing,
then the unique identifier of the depleted product is scanned in step 1443. If
in step 1441,
no replenishing is needed then the system 101 returns to step 1439 where it
waits.
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[00109] If the shift is determined to be over in step 1445, then in steps
1447 and
1449 the user scans and weighs the bottles in the live bar rail, similar to
the steps
performed in steps 1433 and 1435. In step 1449, measurement data relating to
the
measured weights are transmitted to processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N. Then
processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N retrieve one or more of the previously
described
calculation data from database 232 to calculate:
- volume of each of the substances consumed,
- generated revenue related to consumption of each of the substances,
- cost related to consumption of each of the substances, and
- remaining stock of each of the substances.
[00110] After all the bottles in the live bar rail have been weighed, a
user returns to
step 1415 and repeats steps 1417 - 1429. Since it is not the start of the
shift, the user then
powers off tabletop inventory monitoring device 420 in step 1431.
[00111] In some embodiments, at the end of the shift, a status report is
provided to
app 104-4 by processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N, which includes but is not
limited to:
bartender counts; total revenue; total missing/over pour/spillage; shopping
list; order
fulfillment; budget; pour cost; and projections. App 104-4 can be directed to
perform
automatic ordering of the liquor, wine, spirits, and wine. The order is made,
and a report is
sent to the manager for approval.
[00112] A large selection of available products are continuously updated on
database
232, and the user can select the inventory from the list. The selection
includes major
brands, their identifiers such as UPC codes, full bottle weight, and density
or specific
gravity.
[00113] In some embodiments, app 104-4 couples to monitoring devices 105
directly
over interconnections 103. App 104-4 couples to each monitoring device to
receive
measurement data from the monitoring device. For example, app 104-4 couples to
a keg
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inventory monitoring device using a full-duplex communications channel,
thereby enabling
continuous and always available feed from each keg in the customer's
establishment. The
keg inventory monitoring device holds the keg on the scale for a live
inventory reading.
[00114] In some embodiments, app 104-4 connects to monitoring devices 105
via
the previously described intermediary unit such as control unit 1300 of FIG.
13. More
than 32 kegs can be connected to a control unit, where the logic and state of
the keg is
processed and calculated.
[00115] With reference to FIG. 15, the method of management of draught beer
in
kegs is illustrated. In step 1501, control unit 1300 is powered on, and
couples to
processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N via interconnections 103. In step 1503,
control
unit 1300 prompts processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N to perform a check to
determine whether there is a valid lease. In step 1505, app 104-4 is started
up on user
device 104, and the user device 104 connects via interconnections 103 to
control unit
1300. In step 1509, control unit 1300 prompts processing subsystems 230-1 to
230-N to
perform a check to determine whether there is a valid subscription. If any one
of the checks
in step 1503 or in step 1509 fail, then in step 1507, either a new
subscription is selected
or a credit card is updated by processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N.
[00116] In step 1511, the user 109 logs in to app 104-4 using, for example
a user
name and a password or one of the other previously described means of signing
into the
account. Processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N determine if the entered
authentication
information is valid. An example is shown in FIG. 15, where in step 1513, a
password
check is performed by processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N. If the password
check fails,
then the user 109 is prompted to re-enter the password. If the password check
succeeds,
then the user 109 progresses to connecting a keg inventory monitoring device
900 to
control unit 1300 and using the calibration data stored in database 232, the
keg inventory
monitoring device 900 is calibrated.
[00117] When all the keg inventory monitoring devices have been calibrated
(step
1517) a new keg is placed on each keg inventory monitoring device 900 in step
1519. The
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initial measurement data is transmitted to consumption analysis subsystem 107
for
storage in database 232. Upon placement of the new keg on the keg inventory
monitoring
device, processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N will confirm the new keg to the
user 109
via app 104-4. Processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N, based on the data
contained within
the database 232, determine the brand of the draught beer in the keg, whether
the same is
available in stock, and will recommend the same draught beer to replace upon
empty.
[00118] In step 1521 the keg details are configured using app 104-4.
[00119] Once all the kegs have been set up on the keg inventory monitoring
devices
in step 1523, live monitoring begins in step 1525.
[00120] In step 1527, during normal operation of the keg scale, processing
subsystems 230-1 to 230-N will continuously poll keg inventory monitoring
devices 105
for the current weight of the keg, also known as the state of the keg. As the
draught beer is
being consumed, the keg inventory monitoring device will monitor the loss of
weight. As
the bartender pours a draught beer, the keg inventory monitoring device
transmits the
weight at the start and at the end of the pour as part of the measurement data
transmitted
to processing subsystem 230-1 to 230-N. The measurement data or current state
data is
also transmitted to, for example, app 104-4 or other components of system 101
as needed.
In some embodiments, processing subsystem 230-1 to 230-N provides the brand of
draught being poured. At the end of every pour, the bartender is provided with
an end
weight of the keg. The app 104-4 also provides the amount of draught beer
poured into
glass/pitchers and the pour sizes corresponding to the difference in start and
end weight of
the keg. A visual representation of the pouring is also displayed on app 104-
4.
[00121] In step 1529, if the state of the keg is determined by processing
subsystem
230-1 to 230-N to have changed, then the new state data is stored in database
232 in step
1531. If the keg is removed (step 1533), then steps 1519 to 1531 are repeated.
[00122] Step 1531 further comprises sub-steps 1537 to 1545 which are now
discussed in more detail.
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[00123] In step 1537, if there is a change in the state of the keg then a
data analysis is
performed by, for example, processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N. This
includes:
- Receiving the measurement data from the keg inventory monitoring device
900;
- Retrieving one or more of the previously described calculation data from
database
232 to calculate:
o volume of each of the substances consumed,
o generated revenue related to consumption of each of the substances,
o cost related to consumption of each of the substances, and
o remaining stock of each of the substances.
[00124] The data analysis further includes, for example,
- differentiating a true pour event from a false pour event as previously
described;
- adjusting volume calculations taking into account an amount of foam
produced when
beer is poured;
- adjusting for the temperature of the beer using a temperature sensor;
- determining the current fill level of the keg, that is, what percentage
of the capacity of
the keg remains;
[00125] In steps 1539 and 1541, data processing for automatic re-ordering
and
triggering of purchase orders is performed. In some embodiments, user 109 sets
weight
threshold limits using app 104-4. When these thresholds are reached,
processing
subsystems 230-1 to 230-N are prompted to begin data processing for automatic
re-
ordering of draught beers. In some embodiments, the thresholds and prior use
data are
used by processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N to determine when a bar or
restaurant
lacks the number of kegs to manage the predicted consumption rates. Processing
subsystems 230-1 to 230-N will then begin data processing to create an order
for the
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draught beer that has been deemed to be insufficient to handle the predicted
use. In some
embodiments, the threshold is continually varied, based on patterns of
previous use, and is
determined by, for example, predictive analytics or AI/ML techniques. When the
stock of
draught beer is nearing the threshold, which is 25% capacity, or a percentage
set by the
bar/restaurant, the data processing to create an order begins.
[00126] In step 1541, based on the data processing of step 1539, purchase
orders are
triggered. In some embodiments, app 104-4 is used to perform steps 1539 and
1541, that
is, create and trigger a purchase order for reorder of the draught beer based
on usage,
predicted future usage, and based on delivery time. In yet other embodiments,
step 1541
includes a requirement for the bar/restaurant to accept the order prior to it
being
submitted. In some embodiments, the data processing for automatic re-ordering
and
triggering of purchase orders in steps 1539 and 1541 is performed by
processing
subsystems 230-1 to 230-N together with ordering subsystem
[00127] Step 1541 may also include alerting steps. When a keg is determined
to be
close to being emptied, alerts are sent to, for example, app 104-4 or other
systems to
replace the keg. For example, when a keg is at 25% of capacity, an alert is
sent. In some
embodiments, one or more subsequent alerts are configured to be sent as the
keg
approaches 0% capacity. For example, after sending an initial alert when the
keg is at 25%,
subsequent alerts are sent when the keg is at 10% and 5% capacity, thereby
further
providing alerts to the bar/restaurant prior to running out of the draught
beer. If the keg is
not replaced within a user selected time, an alert is sent to the app 104-4 to
indicate
replacement is required. Once the keg is replaced, the time and date is
recorded on the
processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N.
[00128] In step 1543, the order is submitted. In some embodiments, this is
performed via processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N sending an order to vendor
subsystems 110. Upon receipt of the ordered items, inventory is replenished in
step 1545.
[00129] As with liquor and wine, in some embodiments, inventory is loaded
into
database 232 by the user 109 interacting with app 104-4. In other embodiments,
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information is retrieved from vendor subsystems 110 and inputted into database
232. In
this way, a large selection of available products are continuously updated,
and the user
makes appropriate choices using app 104-4. The selection includes major
brands, their
identifiers such as their UPC codes, full keg weight, and specific gravity.
App 104-4 enables
a user to input the data into database 232 from the app 104-4 in case the
substance is not
found in database 232. App 104-4 also allows a manager/owner to include
price/cost of
inventory and the sale price of product on database 232.
[00130] The alerts described in step 1541 are not restricted to alerts for
empty kegs.
Other examples of alerts are provided below:
- Temperature alerts: In some embodiments, the user monitors the
temperature of the
keg using app 104-4 either directly or indirectly via processing subsystems
230-1 to
230-N. If the temperature is outside of the normal range, an alert is sent to
app 104-
4 by, for example, processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N to advise the
bartender of
the issue.
- Over and under-pour alerts: In some embodiments, processing subsystems
230-1 to
230-N transmit alerts to app 104-4 to a user such as a bartender of over or
under
poured. If the processing subsystem 230-1 to 230-N, based on data received
from
the keg inventory monitoring device, determines that the pour has not to have
stopped, an alarm is triggered. The alarm is generally based on the amount of
draught
beer poured in a single pour. The amount is determined by the processing
subsystem
230-1 to 230-N, and is configured to be more than 3 pitchers in weight. The
alarm is
configured to increase in intensity if the loss of continuous weight
continues.
- Alert of object placed on keg: In some embodiments, when processing
subsystem
230-1 to 230-N determines that weight is increasing based on data received
from the
keg inventory monitoring device, it sends an alarm to app 104-4. This increase
in
weight is an indication that an object has been placed on the keg.
- Removal of keg: As the processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N are
continuously
monitoring the weight of the keg, the removal of a keg and the placement of a
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keg will alert processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N as to a dramatic change in
weight, and will alert the bartender in the app 104-4 as to the change of
kegs.
[00131] In general draught beer will generally be consistently placed on
the same line.
However, if a different draught beer is placed on the keg inventory monitoring
device, the
keg lines would be required to be cleaned. If that is the case, the bartender
will be provided
with time to inform processing subsystems 230-1 to 230-N via app 104-4 that a
new
draught beer is being placed into the keg inventory monitoring device.
[00132] In some embodiments, app 104-4 comprises one or more interfaces to
enable the user to interact with one or more components of system 101. Example
interfaces are presented below:
- Interface 2001 in FIG. 16 enables the user to enter a substance
inventory;
- Interface 2101 in FIG. 17 enables the user to enter an inventory number
of stock;
- Interface 2201 in FIG. 18 depicts an inventory control list to enable the
user to make
selections;
- Interface 2301 in FIG. 19 depicts an example of a dashboard for a user
such as a
bartender to close a shift; and
- Examples of visual representations 2401 and 2501 of pourings displayed on
app
104-4 are shown in FIGS. 20 and 21.
[00133] While embodiments of the substance monitoring system and method
have
been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described herein, it will be
appreciated
by those skilled in the art that various modifications, alternate
constructions and
equivalents may be employed.
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