GB2542159A

GB2542159A - Apparatus, system and method for monitoring volume of beverage dispensed from a tap

Info

Publication number: GB2542159A
Application number: GB1515994.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dudrah Ranjit; Johnston Jason
Original assignee: Global Metal Finishers Ltd
Current assignee: Global Metal Finishers Ltd
Priority date: 2015-09-09
Filing date: 2015-09-09
Publication date: 2017-03-15
Anticipated expiration: 2035-09-09
Also published as: GB2542159B; GB201515994D0

Abstract

A beverage dispensing unit 1 for a tap 2 having a sensor 5, which may be a tilt sensor positioned in the handle, for monitoring the position of the handle. The sensor 5 detects and outputs a signal when the tap is opened and closed and monitors for how long the tap remains open. The sensor may detect when the handle passes a threshold tilt angle. The output signals are triggered by a transition between open to closed and closed to open positions. The sensing module may be powered by a battery or alternatively via an external port. The sensing module may also comprise a wired or wireless communication means. The power source and communication means may share an external port. In another embodiment the time of each opening, closing and duration of opening of tap 2 are logged and an estimate of the volume of beverage dispensed is computed.

Description

APPARATUS. SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING VOLUME OF BEVERAGE DISPENSED FROM A TAP

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to beverage dispensing taps, particularly to beer taps used in a pressure-dispense beverage supply system for draught beer and the like, and to monitoring of the volume of a beverage dispensed by such taps.

Background to the Invention

Beverage dispensing taps, such as beer taps used in a pressure-dispense system for delivering draught beer and the like, are operable to dispense significant quantities of beverage relatively quickly. It may be desirable to monitor, in real-time, the delivery of the beverage being dispensed, whether for up-to-the-minute sales monitoring or stock management purposes or for providing information of general interest to consumers or the public in relation to the consumption of popular beverage brands, for example.

The volume of beverage dispensed may be accurately monitored by physically detecting the volume of beverage dispensed, such as using flow meters, or the volume of beverage remaining, such as by monitoring the weight of kegs of draft beer. However, flow meters must be integrated into the supply line and may be costly to install and difficult to clean and maintain, potentially causing blockages or other problems that may disrupt the supply of beverage. Monitoring the weight of beer kegs is problematic for other reasons, as the kegs are generally heavy and difficult to manoeuvre, and supply must be rapidly switched from one keg to another as each keg is drained in turn.

Objects of embodiments of the present invention include overcoming the aforementioned problems; providing a relatively low-cost, low-maintenance means for monitoring the dispensing of a beverage; and/or providing a means for monitoring the dispensing of a beverage without disturbing the supply line or dispensing means.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a beverage dispense sensing module for a beverage dispensing tap wherein the sensing module comprises a sensor for monitoring the position of a handle of a beverage dispensing tap and is arrangeable to detect when the monitored position transitions between an open position and a closed position of the tap and to provide opening and closing output signals triggered by, respectively, a detected transition from the closed to the open position and a detected transition from the open to the closed position.

The sensor may be a tilt sensor, and the module may be arranged to detect when the handle passes a threshold tilt angle. The sensing module may comprise a handle for a beverage dispensing tap, such as wherein the remainder of the sensing module is housed within the handle.

The sensing module may comprise a power source and an output communication means for communicating the output signals. The power source may comprise a battery, such as housed within the sensing module and/or the handle, and may comprise an external port for receiving a cable connector. The communication means may comprise a wireless antenna, such as a wireless local area network antenna and/or a Bluetooth antenna, and may comprise an external port for receiving a cable connector, such as wherein the power source comprises the same external port as the communication means. The sensing module may comprise means by which it is uniquely identifiable.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a beverage dispensing tap comprising a handle and a sensing module as described above arranged to detect when the position of the handle transitions between an open and a closed position and to provide opening and closing output signals triggered by, respectively, a detected transition from the closed to the open position and a detected transition from the open to the closed position.

The tap is preferably configured for use in a pressure-dispense beverage supply system, such as for the point-of-sale supply of draught beer and the like. The tap may comprise a manually-actuated valve or a solenoid-actuated valve, for example, but is preferably operable to dispense beverage independently of whether or not the sensing module is operational. For example, actuation of the tap is preferably not controlled or influenced in any way, directly or indirectly, by the sensing module.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a monitoring unit for a beverage dispense sensing module as discussed above, wherein the monitoring unit comprises input communication means for receiving signals triggered by the opening and closing of a beverage dispensing tap and is arranged to log at least two of: the time of each opening signal, the time of each closing signal, and the duration from each opening signal to the next closing signal from the same sensing module.

The monitoring unit may be arranged to communicate to a server, such a web server, the logged time and duration or open and close times. Alternatively, it may be arranged to compute, from the times and durations or open and close times logged within specified time periods, an estimate of the volume of beverage dispensed during each said period, and may be arranged to communicate to a server, such a web server, these computed periodic beverage dispense volumes.

The input communication means may comprise a wireless antenna, such as a wireless local area network antenna and/or a Bluetooth antenna, and may comprise an external port for receiving a cable connector. The monitoring unit may comprise a power delivery means arranged to supply power to the sensing module, which may comprise an external port for receiving a cable connector, such as wherein the communication means comprises the same external port as the power delivery means.

The monitoring unit may be arranged to receive the triggered open and close signals from a plurality of sensing modules and to associate each triggered signal with the sensing module from which it originates.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a beverage dispense monitoring system comprising a tap and a monitoring unit according to the second and third aspects of the invention.

The system may comprise a combined power and data cable, such as a USB cable, through which the monitoring unit delivers power to the sensor module and the sensor module provides the triggered output signals to the monitoring unit.

The system may comprise a server, such as a web server, with which the monitoring unit is arranged to communicate, and may comprise a network access point, such as a wired or wireless router, through which the monitoring unit is arranged to communicate with the server. The monitoring unit and/or the server may be arranged to compute, from the times and durations or open and close times logged within specified time periods, an estimate of the volume of beverage dispensed during each said period.

The system may comprise a plurality of said monitoring units arranged to communicate with the same server. The server may be arranged to provide estimates of the beverage volume dispensed during specified time periods based on data aggregated from a selected subset of the monitoring units.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a beverage dispense monitoring method comprising the steps of: providing a beverage dispense monitoring system according to any one of claims 28 to 35; logging at least two of the time of each opening signal, the time of each closing signal, and the duration from each opening signal to the next closing signal from the same sensing module; and computing, from the times and durations or open and close times logged within specified periods of time, an estimate of the volume of beverage dispensed during each said period.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a beverage dispense monitoring method comprising the steps of: monitoring the position of a handle of a beverage dispensing tap; detecting when the monitored position changes between an open and a closed position of the tap; logging at least two of the time of each detected tap opening, the time of each detected tap closing, and the duration from each detected tap opening to the next detected closing of the same tap; computing, from the logged times and durations or open and close times detected within a specified period of time, an estimate of the volume of beverage dispensed by the tap within that period.

The monitoring method of the fifth or sixth aspects may comprise storing the computed values on a server, such as a web server, and may comprise storing the computed values from a plurality of said taps and providing the computed beverage volumes, in aggregate form, for a selected subset of the plurality of taps. For example, the selected subset may consist of taps arranged to dispense the same type and/or brand of beverage, and may consist of taps located within one or more specified venues and/or geographic regions selected from a larger available set of venues or geographic regions across the taps are being monitored.

Each aspect of the invention may incorporate any feature or combination of features from one or more of the other aspects.

Detailed Description of the Invention

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the appended drawing. Figure 1 is a schematic view of part of a beverage-dispense monitoring system.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a beverage is conveyed from a source, such as draught beer from a pressurised keg, to a dispense unit as illustrated in Figure 1. The dispense unit 1 comprises a dispense tap 2 from which beverage is dispensed into a glass, and a clamp 3 by which the unit is secured in place, such as on a bar counter.

The dispense unit 1 is provided with a sensing module for sensing when the tap 2 is actuated. More specifically, the handle of the tap 2 comprises a printed circuit board (PCB) 4 with a level sensor 5 and battery 6 connected thereto. The battery powers the PCB 4 and level sensor 5, and the PCB is arranged to detect, by means of the level sensor, when the handle is tilted from its upright or closed position for dispensing beverage. The beginning and end of a dispensing operation (i.e. open and close events of the dispensing tap) are detected by the handle sensor PCB 4, such as when the level sensor signal, representing the tilt of the handle, passes a predefined threshold.

The sensor module comprising the level sensor 5 and sensor PCB 4 is preferably releasably secured or embedded within the handle of the beverage dispense tap 2, such as within a removable handle shaft. In alternative arrangements, the sensor module may be provided as a modular attachment mountable on the handle. In either case, where the sensor module is provided specifically for use with a predefined beverage product or brand, it may comprise integral branding display elements such as in the form of a traditional pump clip.

When the handle PCB 4 detects the beginning or end of a dispensing operation, it communicates this beginning or end event to a nearby monitoring unit 9 via a communication channel 8 such as a data cable or wireless data connection. The monitoring unit 9 logs each beginning and end event, recording the date and time of the event and the event type itself (i.e. open or close). Since more than one dispensing unit may be monitored using the same system, the monitoring unit 9 also preferably associates each logged event with the respective dispensing unit being monitored, such as using an identification number or hardware address that is unique to each dispensing unit or sensor PCB.

Approximating the beverage flow rate as constant when the tap is open, the logged dispense event data can be used to provide a convenient estimate of the total volume of beverage dispensed by the dispense unit during a given time period, such as within the last hour or during the current day or previous month. Given that flow rates will vary, a significantly more accurate measure of the volume of beverage dispensed might instead be obtained, for example, by means of directly monitoring the remaining mass of the beverage being dispensed or the flow rate in the supply line 7.

However, monitoring actuation of the tap 2 provides several advantages. For example, the monitoring means does not interface with the supply line 7 or come into contact with the beverage being dispensed, and therefore does not require any food-grade flow sensing components or introduce additional complexity to those parts that need to be regularly cleaned or serviced. Furthermore, since a single dispense tap 2 will often be associated with a single type or brand of beverage, monitoring the tap is more convenient than monitoring each of the kegs, in turn, that may be connected to the supply line 7. Moreover, whilst the flow rate may initially be approximated based on typical or assumed values, this approximation may be refined over an extended period of time by fitting the captured dispense event data to sales volume data obtained from another source, such as the volume of a beverage supplied by a brewery, over the same time period, to the venue at which the beverage is being dispensed.

The monitoring unit comprises a PCB and a receiver for the data communication channel 8, and is equipped with a power supply, such as an internal or external 24v DC power adaptor. The data communication channel 8 may be via a wired data connection, such as a USB cable, or may be via a wireless radio-frequency data connection such as using IEEE 802.11-based wireless local area networking (‘Wi-Fi’) and/or Bluetooth wireless networking technology.

Power supply to the sensor PCB 4 may be provided by the battery 6 mounted in the handle of the dispense tap 2 as discussed above. Alternatively, or in addition, power supply to the sensor PCB 4 may be provided from an external power source, such as a USB charger, or from the monitoring unit 9, such as via a dedicated power cable or, preferably, via the same cable that provides the data communication channel 8 between the monitoring unit 9 and sensor PCB 4.

The monitoring unit 9 may be a general-purpose computer or a dedicated microcontroller device, and may be arranged to communicate the logged dispensing event data to locally connected computer and/or a remote web server. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the monitoring unit 9 is connected to a network access point 10, such as a modem and/or router, through which a connection with the web server is established. As will be appreciated, the monitoring unit may be connected to the network access point 10 via USB or Ethernet cable, for example, or may communicate wirelessly with the network access point 10, such as where the access point is a wireless router.

The monitoring unit or the server is arranged to associate the logged dispense event data with a particular beverage product or brand. For example, the monitoring unit 10 may be preconfigured with, or re-configurable to select, a specific product or brand with which a dispense unit associated, i.e. the beverage that the dispense unit 1 is arranged to dispense. Alternatively, the sensor PCB 4 may be provided with identification means, such as an identification code or hardware address, that is specific to a beverage product or brand and/or is registered as such on the web server or a central database with which it communicates.

Thus, the central server or database can store and provide real-time dispensing event data for the beverage product or brand being monitored, based on the operation of dispense units 1 distributed across multiple sites, such as aggregate data for multiple venues within a chain and/or regionally, nationally, or internationally. While the captured data may not necessarily provide a very accurate measure of the true volume of beverage dispensed, since flow rate may vary, it may nevertheless provide a very useful sales indicator of interest to breweries, retailers, entertainment venues, and/or consumers. Furthermore, as the scale of the network of dispensing units increases, the accuracy with which aggregated dispensed beverage volume is estimated may be expected to improve, due to averaging-out or cancelling-out of measurement errors.

In use, the system can thus be used to provide real-time aggregate beverage product sales volume information to interested parties. The data made available to each party may be selected or restricted according to the type of party. For example, a brewery may be provided with access to all of the data collected from its brands, but not for the brands of its competitors, while a chain of venues may be provided with access to the data collected from each of its venues, but only to basic nationally or regionally aggregated data relating to other businesses or venues.

In certain embodiments, consumers at an entertainment venue are informed, via a live feed or digital display, of an estimated sales volume, such as the number of pints or litres sold, of a beverage product or brand that is available for sale at venue. For example, this data may be displayed as a comparison between two or more comparable products or brands, as a comparison between the entertainment venue and its geographical region, and/or as a comparison between two or more geographical regions, such as the respective cities or countries of rival teams participating in a sporting event during which the beverage sales volume data is being displayed. In further embodiments, selected aggregate data of general interest is made available to the public, such as via a social media live feed or live broadcast media, for example as part of the broadcast of a sporting or other entertainment event.

The above embodiments are described by way of example only. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A beverage dispense sensing module for a beverage dispensing tap wherein the sensing module comprises a sensor for monitoring the position of a handle of a beverage dispensing tap and is arrangeable to detect when the monitored position transitions between an open position and a closed position of the tap and to provide opening and closing output signals triggered by, respectively, a detected transition from the closed to the open position and a detected transition from the open to the closed position.

2. A sensing module according to claim 1 wherein the sensor is a tilt sensor.

3. A sensing module according to claim 2 arranged to detect when the handle passes a threshold tilt angle.

4. A sensing module according to any preceding claim comprising a handle for a beverage dispensing tap.

5. A sensing module according to claim 4 wherein the sensing module is housed within the handle.

6. A sensing module according to any preceding claim comprising a power source and an output communication mean for communicating the output signals.

7. A sensing module according to claim 6 wherein the power source comprises an external port for receiving a cable connector.

8. A sensing module according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein the power source comprises a battery, such as housed within the sensing module and/or the handle.

9. A sensing module according to any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein the communication means comprises a radio antenna, such as a wireless local area network antenna and/or a Bluetooth antenna.

10. A sensing module according to any one of claims 6 to 9 wherein the communication means comprises an external port for receiving a cable connector.

11. A sensing module according to claim 10 wherein the power source comprises the same external port as the communication means.

12. A sensing module according to any preceding claim comprising means for uniquely identifying the sensing module.

13. A beverage dispense sensing module substantially as herein described with reference to the appended figure.

14. A beverage dispensing tap comprising a handle and a sensing module according to any preceding claim arranged to detect when the position of the handle transitions between an open and a closed position and to provide opening and closing output signals triggered by, respectively, a detected transition from the closed to the open position and a detected transition from the open to the closed position.

15. A beverage dispensing tap according to claim 14 configured for use in a pressure-dispense beverage supply system.

16. A beverage dispensing tap according to claim 14or claim 15 operable to dispense beverage independently of whether or not the sensing module is operational.

17. A monitoring unit for a beverage dispense sensing module according to any of claims 1 to 13 wherein the monitoring unit comprises input communication means for receiving signals triggered by the opening and closing of a beverage dispensing tap and is arranged to log at least two of: the time of each opening signal, the time of each closing signal, and the duration from each opening signal to the next closing signal from the same sensing module.

18. A monitoring unit according to claim 17 arranged to communicate to a server, such a web server, the logged time and duration or open and close times.

19. A monitoring unit according to claim 17 arranged to compute, from the times and durations or open and close times logged within specified time periods, an estimate of the volume of beverage dispensed during each said period.

20. A monitoring unit according to claim 19 arranged to communicate to a server, such a web server, the computed periodic beverage dispense volumes.

21. A monitoring unit according to any one of claims 17 to 20 wherein the input communication means comprises a wireless antenna, such as a wireless local area network antenna and/or a Bluetooth antenna.

22. A monitoring unit according to any one of claims 17 to 21 wherein the input communication means comprises an external port for receiving a cable connector.

23. A monitoring unit according to any one of claims 17 to 22 comprising a power delivery means arranged to supply power to the sensing module.

24. A monitoring unit according to claim 23 wherein the power delivery means comprises an external port for receiving a cable connector.

25. A monitoring unit according to claim 24 wherein the communication means comprises the same external port as the power delivery means.

26. A monitoring unit according to any one of claims 17 to 25 arranged to receive the triggered open and close signals from a plurality of sensing modules and to associate each triggered signal with the sensing module from which it originates.

27. A monitoring unit substantially as herein described with reference to the appended figure.

28. A beverage dispense monitoring system comprising a beverage dispensing tap according to any one of claims 14 to 16 and a monitoring unit according to any one of claims 17 to 27, the sensing module of the tap being arranged to communicate with the monitoring unit.

29. A monitoring system according to claim 28 comprising a combined power and data cable, such as a USB cable, through which the monitoring unit delivers power to the sensor module and the sensor module provides the triggered output signals to the monitoring unit.

30. A monitoring system according to claim 28 or claim 29 comprising a server, such as a web server, with which the monitoring unit is arranged to communicate.

31. A monitoring system according to claim 30 comprising a network access point, such as a wired or wireless router, through which the monitoring unit is arranged to communicate with the server.

32. A monitoring system according to claim 30 or claim 31 wherein the monitoring unit and/or the server is arranged to compute, from the times and durations or open and close times logged within specified time periods, an estimate of the volume of beverage dispensed during each said period.

33. A monitoring system according to any one of claims 30 to 32 comprising a plurality of said monitoring units arranged to communicate with the same server.

34. A monitoring system according to claim 33 wherein the server is arranged to provide estimates of the beverage volume dispensed during specified time periods based on data aggregated from a selected subset of the monitoring units.

35. A beverage dispense monitoring system substantially as herein described with reference to the appended figure.

36. A beverage dispense monitoring method comprising the steps of: providing a beverage dispense monitoring system according to any one of claims 28 to 35; logging at least two of the time of each opening signal, the time of each closing signal, and the duration from each opening signal to the next closing signal from the same sensing module; and computing, from the times and durations or open and close times logged within specified periods of time, an estimate of the volume of beverage dispensed during each said period.

37. A beverage dispense monitoring method comprising the steps of: monitoring the position of a handle of a beverage dispensing tap; detecting when the monitored position changes between an open and a closed position of the tap; logging at least two of the time of each detected tap opening, the time of each detected tap closing, and the duration from each detected tap opening to the next detected closing of the same tap; and computing, from the logged times and durations or open and close times detected within a specified period of time, an estimate of the volume of beverage dispensed by the tap within that period.

38. A beverage monitoring method according to claim 36 or claim 37 comprising storing the computed values on a server, such as a web server.

39. A beverage monitoring method according to any one of claims 36 to 38 comprising storing the computed values from a plurality of said taps and providing the computed beverage volumes, in aggregate form, for a selected subset of the plurality of taps.

40. A beverage monitoring method according to claim 39 wherein the selected subset consists of taps: dispensing the same type and/or brand of beverage; and/or located within one or more specified venues and/or geographic regions.

41. A beverage dispense monitoring method substantially as herein described with reference to the appended figure.