RU2773110C2 - Device for beverage making with capsule identification - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: beverage making.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to a device for making and dispensing a beverage, a combination of a device and a capsule with a beverage ingredient, a method for making and dispensing a beverage from a capsule with a beverage ingredient, using a device, as well as the use of a capsule. The device for making and dispensing a beverage, such as tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, milk, soup or baby food, contains an extraction unit for extracting the capsule with a beverage ingredient to form the specified beverage. The unit has the first part and the second part, which are made with the possibility of movement relatively to each other between a remote position for inserting and/or removing the capsule and a close position, in which the first and the second parts limit an extraction chamber for fixing and extracting the capsule. At least one of the specified parts has a device for opening the capsule and/or at least one of the specified parts has a hole for the flow of liquid intended for mixing with the ingredient contained in the capsule. The device also contains a control unit for controlling the extraction unit to perform capsule extraction. The control unit is powered by a power supply network. The device additionally contains an output channel for dispensing the specified beverage formed by capsule extraction into a user’s container located in the area for placing a receiving vessel, and a color identification module for identifying the color of the capsule inserted into the specified device. The color identification module includes a color sensor to detect a color sample of at least part of the surface of such a capsule. The color identification module is made with the possibility of comparison of the specified color sample with at least one color standard by: calculating a color distance between a typical color vector of the specified color sample and a reference color vector of the specified at least one color standard, calculating a chromaticity value between a typical chromatic vector of the specified color sample and a reference chromatic vector of the specified at least one color standard, calculating a quantitative indicator using the specified color distance and the specified chromaticity value to determine the correspondence between the specified color sample and the specified at least one color standard.

EFFECT: improvement of the dispensing of a beverage by devices that automatically identify capsules.

16 cl, 11 dwg

Description

Scope of the invention

The field of application of the invention relates to devices for preparing a drink, in which capsules with an ingredient of the prepared drink are used. The field of application of the invention relates in particular to devices for preparing a beverage using capsules, which are capable of automatically recognizing the type of capsule inserted into the device, for example to adapt the beverage preparation parameters to the recognized type of capsule.

For the purposes of this specification, the term "beverage" is intended to include any liquid substance consumed by a person, such as tea, coffee, hot or cold chocolate, milk, soup, baby food, and the like. By "capsule" is meant a container containing a pre-portioned beverage ingredient, such as a flavoring or aroma ingredient, in a package of any material, in particular an airtight package, such as plastic or aluminum, in recyclable and/or biodegradable packages of any shape. and structures including soft containers or rigid cartridges containing the ingredient. The capsule may contain an amount of an ingredient for preparing a single serving of a drink or a plurality of servings of a drink.

Prerequisites for the creation of the invention

Some beverage preparation devices use capsules that contain ingredients to be extracted or dissolved and/or ingredients that are stored and automatically dispensed in the device or otherwise added at the time of preparation of the drink. Some beverage preparation devices are equipped with filling devices that include a liquid pump, typically water, which pumps liquid from a source of water, either cold or heated by heating devices such as a thermoblock or the like.

In particular, in the field of coffee preparation, devices are widely used in which a capsule containing beverage ingredients is inserted into the brewing device.

Designs of brewing devices have been developed that facilitate the insertion of a “fresh” capsule and the removal of a used capsule. Generally, brewers comprise two parts with relative mobility to move from a capsule insertion/removal position to a capsule ingredient brewing position.

The movable part of the brewer can be manually driven as described in WO 2009/043630, WO 01/15581, WO 02/43541, WO 2010/015427, WO 2010/128109, WO 2011/144719 and WO 2012/032019. Various handle configurations are described in EP 1867260, WO 2005/004683, WO 2007/135136, WO 2008/138710, WO 2009/074550, WO 2009/074553, WO 2009/074555, WO9 2009/0745057, WO /037806, WO 2011/042400, WO 2011/042401 and WO 2011/144720. The use of such devices in beverage preparation devices is described in WO 2009/074550, WO2011/144719, EP2014195046, EP2014195048 and EP2014195067.

The movable part of the cooking device can be driven by a motor. For example, such a system is described in EP 1 767 129. In this case, the user does not need to make physical efforts to open or close the cooking device. The brewer comprises a capsule insertion channel provided with a protective door installed in the movable part of the brewer by means of a switch to detect unwanted presence of a finger in the channel when closing and to prevent injury due to pinching. Alternative caps for the capsule insertion channel are described in WO 2012/093107 and WO 2013/127906. Various motorized systems are described in WO 2012/025258, WO 2012/025259 and WO 2013/127476.

Various systems are described in the art for enabling user interaction with such devices, for supplying operating instructions to the device or receiving feedback information from it, which are, for example, mentioned in the following sources: AT 410 377, CH 682 798, DE 44 29 353, DE 202 00 419, De 20 2006 019 039, De 2007 008 590, EP 1 448 084, EP 1 676 509, EP 08155851.2, FR 2 624 844, GB 2 397 510, US 4,377.049, US 4,458,735, US 4,554,419, US 4.767,632, US 4,954,697, US 5,312,020, US 5,335,705, US 5,372,061, US 5,375,508, US 5, 645,230, US 5, 685,435, US 5,731,981, US 5,836,236, US 5,959,869, US 6,182,555, US 6,354,341, US 6,759,072, US 2007/0157820, WO 97/ 25634 WO 99/50172 WO 2004/030435 WO 2004/030438 WO 2006/063645 WO 2006/090183 WO 2007/003062 WO 2007/003990 138820, WO 2010/003932, WO 2011/144720 and WO 2012/032019.

To improve the usability of the device, it is possible to automatically identify the capsule fed into the device and then automatically process and extract the capsule, as described in WO 2012/123440, for example.

WO 2012/049426 A2 describes a system comprising a beverage preparation device connected via the Internet to a remote server. The device registers the characteristics of the capsule supplied to the device, such as its color, and sends them to a remote server, which determines the type of capsule.

There is still a need to improve beverage dispensing devices that automatically and reliably identify capsules.

US 2012/123440 describes a barcode scanner with a color image sensor that can use, for example, RGB or YUV color image signals from the sensor to decode a barcode, in particular to detect barcode boundaries in a captured image.

Statement of the Invention

The invention relates to a beverage preparation device. The beverage preparation device may be intended for domestic or industrial use.

This appliance can be used to make coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa, milk, soup, baby food, etc.

The preparation of a beverage typically involves mixing a plurality of beverage ingredients, such as water and milk powder, and/or extracting the beverage ingredient, such as an extract from ground coffee or tea, using water. One or more of these ingredients may be supplied as a free-flowing and/or agglomerated powder and/or in liquid form, in particular as a concentrate. Such an ingredient can be mixed with a carrier liquid or a diluent liquid, such as water, to form a beverage. Typically, a predetermined amount of beverage corresponding to a serving (eg, one serving) is prepared and dispensed at the user's request. The volume of such a portion may range from 25 to 200 ml and even up to 300 or 400 ml, for example the volume to fill a cup, depending on the type of beverage. The drinks that are prepared and served can be selected from ristretto, espresso, lungo, cappuccino, latte macchiato, latte, americano, tea, etc. In particular, the coffee machine may be configured to dispense espresso, for example, with an adjustable volume of 20 to 60 ml per serving, and/or with the possibility of dispensing lungo, for example, with a volume in the range of 70 to 150 ml per serving.

The device of the invention has a unit for extracting a capsule with a beverage ingredient to prepare a beverage. The block has a first part and a second part, which are made with the possibility of relative movement between a remote position for insertion and/or removal of the capsule and a close position for fixing and extracting such a capsule. In a close position, the first and second parts, as a rule, limit the extraction chamber.

The capsule may include a capsule body, such as a substantially straight or conical body. The capsule may have a circular peripheral annular flange, such as a flexible or rigid flange, extending from a peripheral portion, such as an edge or surface, of the capsule body. The capsule may contain a flavoring ingredient for making tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, milk, soup, or baby food.

At least one of the first and second parts may define an ingredient receiving cavity, for example in a capsule, such as a conical cavity, such as a conical or pyramidal cavity, or a straight cavity, such as a cylindrical or trapezoidal cavity. Such a cavity may extend along an axis that is substantially collinear with the direction of relative movement of the first and second parts. Subsequently, the extraction chamber is limited on one side by such a cavity.

Another part of these first and second parts may be defined by another cavity, or may include an extraction plate, such as a plate provided with piercing elements to open the flow surface of the capsule, or a non-penetrating plate to interact with the flow surface of the capsule, which has been previously opened or which is self-opening. .

Examples of extraction chambers are described in WO 2008/037642 and WO 2013/026843.

At least one of these parts may have a capsule opening device, such as one or more capsule piercing devices.

The capsule may also include a self-opening mechanism. Self-closing capsules are, for example, described in CH 605 293 and WO 03/059778.

In the case of closed capsules, the first and second parts may include tools for opening the capsule, such as blades and/or a tearing tool, such as a tearing profile plate, such as known among Nespresso™ devices or described in EP 0 512 470, EP 2 068 684 and WO 2014/076041, as well as in the sources cited in these documents.

At least one of the parts may have an opening for the inflow of liquid intended for mixing with the ingredient located in such a capsule.

The device includes a control unit for controlling the extraction unit in order to extract such a capsule. The control unit can be powered from the mains, for example, using an electrical cord.

The device has an outlet channel for dispensing a beverage formed by extracting such a capsule into a user container, such as a cup or mug, which is located in the area for receiving the receiving vessel.

The flavored beverage can be prepared by circulating (using a liquid transfer device, such as a pump) a carrier liquid, such as water, in a flavoring liquid capsule by exposing the flavoring ingredient contained in the capsule, for example, along an extraction direction, which may be substantially , parallel to the direction of relative movement of the first and second parts, or to the longitudinal or central direction of extraction.

For example, the user's container may be placed on the support of the beverage collection receptacle.

The receiving vessel support may be formed by an external placement support on which such a device is located.

The support of the receiving vessel may be formed by a support that is part of the device, for example, a movable or removable support of the device.

The area for receiving the receiving vessel may be associated with a support for the capacity of the device, designed to support such a capacity of the user under the outlet channel. The support may be: associated with a collection tray, such as a collection tray supporting the support; and/or is movable relative to the housing vertically under the outlet channel and/or at a distance under the outlet channel to enable placement of user containers of different heights under the outlet channel. Examples of suitable container supports are described in EP 0 549 887, EP 1 440 639, EP 1 731 065, EP 1 867 260, US 5,161,455, US 5,353,692, WO 2009/074557, WO 2009/074559, WO 2009/0745259, WO 2009/074559, WO 2009/113 WO 2009/113 WO 2009/113 2009/113 /154492, WO 2012/007313, WO 2013/186339, WO 2016/096705, WO 2016/096706 and WO 2016/096707.

In embodiments, the outlet channel may be attached to, or formed by, or installed on, or installed in:

- a device head that has an extended position in which the outlet port is located above the area for receiving the receiving vessel, and a retracted position in which the outlet channel is pushed inside the outer main body of the device, for example, the head of the device is moved in and out of the main body using at least one of the first and second parts or using an actuator controlled by a control unit; and/or

- a movable beverage guide that has a beverage dispensing configuration to dispense a beverage into the receiving receptacle area and a beverage flow stop configuration to prevent beverage dispensing into the receptacle receiving area, for example by dripping off beverage residues from the guide through the edge of the guide into a waste receptacle, such as a beverage guide, movable between a dispensing configuration and a stop configuration by at least one of the first and second parts, or by some (or above) device head, or with using an actuator controlled by a control unit.

For example, the device is equipped with a device head as described in WO 2017/037212 and WO 2017/037215.

Examples of suitable waste receptacles for practicing the present invention are described in EP 1867260, WO 2009/074559, WO 2009/135869, WO 2010/128109, WO 2011/086087, WO 2011/086088, PCT/EP2017/050237 and WO 2017/037212.

The fluid guide may be completely hidden in the main body and/or head of the device.

Details of fluid guides suitable or adaptable for the practice of the present invention are found in WO 2006/050769, WO 2012/072758, WO 2013/127907, WO 2016/083488 and WO 2017/037212.

The extraction unit may include a capsule feeder for delivering a capsule to the extraction chamber, the feeder having a capsule dispenser with a release configuration for releasing such a capsule from the feeder towards the extraction chamber and a holding configuration for holding such a capsule on distance from the extraction chamber.

The capsule dispenser may be formed by a mechanical and/or magnetic capsule closure, such as a capsule holder, for example, which is shaped to complement or match at least a portion of the external shape of such a capsule.

The capsule holder may have a capsule closure that is movable, such as rotatable and/or translational, between a position blocking movement towards the extraction chamber and a position allowing movement towards the extraction chamber.

The capsule holder may have an actuator for switching from a holding position to a release position and vice versa, such as an actuator controlled by a control unit.

Immediately after the release of the capsule in the direction of extraction, the capsule dispenser can be changed from the release configuration to the hold configuration so that the extraction chamber is only accessed when the capsule is to be released.

Detailed information on suitable capsule dispensers can be found in WO 2012/126971, WO 2014/056641, WO 2014/056642 and WO 2015/086371.

The capsule delivery device may include a conduit for directing such a capsule to the extraction chamber in a predetermined orientation of the capsule for entry into the extraction chamber, such as a conduit associated with a capsule immobilization device for immobilizing such a capsule between the first and second parts in their remote position before moving relative to their close position.

The interaction between the first and second parts (and optionally the channel for guiding the capsule) and the ingredient capsule can be of the type described in WO 2005/004683, WO 2007/135135, WO 2007/135136, WO 2008/037642 and WO 2013/026856.

The control unit can control the capsule dispenser to release such a capsule from the dispenser when the first and second parts are in the remote position or move to the remote position, to enter such a capsule into the extraction chamber when the first and second parts are moved back to their close position. .

The control unit may control the capsule dispenser to keep such a capsule in the dispenser and away from the extraction chamber when the first and second parts are:

- in a close position or make a relative movement to this position; or

- at a remote position and are about to make a relative movement to a close position so as to leave insufficient time to place such a capsule, if it were released from the dispenser, into the extraction chamber before the first and second parts reach the close position.

The capsule dispenser may include a capsule sensor coupled to or associated with a control unit, the control unit being configured to bring the capsule dispenser into or to be held in its hold configuration when the capsule sensor detects the absence of such a capsule from the capsule dispenser. or in it. Examples of capsule sensors are given, for example, in WO 2012/123440, WO 2014/147128, WO 2015/173285, WO 2015/173289, WO 2015/173292, WO 2016/005352 and WO 2016/005417.

The control unit may be configured to control the actuator so that the first and second parts are moved by the actuator: from a proximate position to a remote position, and from a remote position to a proximate position after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, for example, starting from a beverage start event, such as, for example, capsule detection, capsule recognition, user activation of the user interface of the device, and the like. or a combination thereof, for example after a predetermined period of time in the range of 3 to 15 seconds, namely 5 to 12 seconds, for example 7 to 10 seconds.

Examples of such parts that perform relative movement by means of an actuator (for example, a motor) are described in EP 1767129, WO 2012/025258, WO 2012/025259, WO 2013/127476 and WO 2014/056641.

For example, the first part and the second part are made with the possibility of relative movement, essentially, along a straight axis by means of an actuator from a close to a remote position and/or vice versa.

The device may include a liquid supply device for supplying a liquid, such as water, to the extraction chamber, the liquid supply device being connected to and controlled by a control unit to supply such liquid to the extraction chamber and interrupt such supply automatically and/or manually by means of a user interface connected to the control unit and/or upon detection of the removal of such a receiving vessel by a detection device. For example, a fluid delivery device includes one or more of: a source of said fluid, such as a fluid tank or a fluid connector for connecting to an external fluid source; one or more liquid tubes for directing such liquid into the extraction chamber; liquid transfer devices such as a pump, such as a solenoid pump (reciprocating piston pump), or a peristaltic pump or a diaphragm pump, for pumping such liquid into the extraction chamber; and a thermal conditioner, such as a heater and/or a cooler, such as an in-line thermal conditioner, such as an in-line flow conditioner, for thermal conditioning such a fluid.

Examples of suitable fluid sources, such as tanks or connecting devices, are described in WO 2016/005349, EP2015194020.2, PCT/EP2017/050237 and references cited herein.

The thermal air conditioner may be a boiler, thermoblock or instantaneous heater (ODH), such as the ODH type described in EP 1 253 844, EP 1 380 243 and EP 1 809 151.

Examples of pumps and their applications in beverage preparation devices are described in WO 2009/150030, WO 2010/108700, WO 2011/107574 and WO 2013/098173.

The control unit may be configured to control the liquid supply device to automatically supply liquid to the extraction chamber when:

- the first and second parts have reached their close position, while the capsule is located in the extraction chamber after moving the parts from the remote to the close position in order to combine said liquid with the ingredient in the capsule and form a drink for dispensing through the outlet channel, optionally after detection with some (or the above) capsule sensor for supplying such a capsule to the block; and/or

- the first and second parts have reached their close position, but there is no capsule in the extraction chamber to wash or clean at least part of the block and optionally the outlet channel, and the liquid supply device, for example, is configured to supply liquid with a temperature for rinsing or cleaning, which is different from the temperature of such a liquid to form a drink, for example by brewing.

In a particular embodiment, cold or chilled beverages are also provided.

The control unit may be configured to control the liquid supply device so as not to automatically supply liquid to the extraction chamber when the first and second parts have reached their close position, but there is no (for example, detected or recognized) capsule in the extraction chamber. For example, the control unit is configured to control the liquid supply device to supply liquid to the extraction chamber upon detecting an appropriate manual user input on a user interface connected to the control unit.

The control unit may have an extraction completion control program that starts automatically when the liquid supply is interrupted (for example, when a predefined extraction process is completed or an error is detected during its execution) to:

- immediate relative movement of the first and second parts to their remote position to remove any capsule from the position between the first and second parts; or

- maintaining the first and second parts in a close position for a predetermined period of time, for example, in the range from 1 to 5 s, namely from 2 to 3 s, in order to be able to enter the request manually, for example, through a user interface connected to the control unit, to supply, by means of a liquid supply device, an additional amount of liquid to the extraction chamber, and also, in the absence of such a manual request within a predetermined period of time, to move the first and second parts relative to their remote position, to remove any capsule from a position between the first and the second part, for example, to remove such a capsule in the collector of used capsules formed by some (or the above) waste receptacle.

For example, before moving the first and second parts to their close position, the parts may remain in their remote position for a predetermined period of time, namely, for a period of time in the range from 1 to 6 s, for example, from 2 to 4 s, to enable insertion a new capsule between the first and second parts before moving them relative to a close position with the new capsule located in the extraction chamber to extract the new capsule.

Thus, the user may request that two (or more) beverages (eg, a double espresso) be dispensed into the same user container.

In accordance with the invention, the device includes:

- an extraction unit for extracting a capsule with a beverage ingredient to form a beverage, wherein, for example, the unit has a first part and a second part, which are made with the possibility of relative movement between a remote position for inserting and/or removing the capsule and a close position, such as a close position, in which the first and second parts define the extraction chamber, for fixing and extracting such a capsule, while optionally at least one of the parts has a device for opening the capsule, for example one or more devices for piercing the capsule, and/or at least one of the parts has an opening for the inflow of liquid intended for mixing with the ingredient in such a capsule;

- a control unit for controlling the extraction unit to extract such a capsule, such as a control unit powered from the mains, for example by means of an electric cord;

- an outlet for dispensing a beverage formed by extracting such a capsule into a user container, such as a cup or mug, located in a receiving receptacle accommodating area, for example on a receptacle support, such as an external accommodating support, on which such a device is located, or a device support, such as a movable or removable device support, for collecting the beverage,

a color recognition module for recognizing a color of a capsule inserted into the device, the color recognition module including a color sensor for detecting a color sample of at least a portion of the surface of such a capsule;

wherein the color recognition module is configured to compare the color sample with at least one color reference by:

- calculating the color distance between the typical color vector of the color sample and the reference color vector of at least one color sample,

- calculating the amount of chromaticity between the typical chromatic vector of the color sample and the reference chromatic vector of at least one color sample,

- calculating a score using the color distance and the chromaticity value to determine the correspondence between the color sample and at least one color reference.

The use of both color distance and chroma value in determining the correspondence between a color sample and at least one color reference allows for more accurate and reliable color recognition across a wide range of color references for bright colors as well as for dark colors.

The color recognition module is preferably configured to calculate a generic chromatic vector from the generic color vector. The sample color vector and the reference color vector are preferably 3D RGB vectors.

In preferred embodiments, the color recognition module is configured to calculate the scoring by calculating the luminance level of the color sample and estimating the color distance and chroma value with the appropriate balance factors determined based on the luminance level.

The device preferably includes a capsule recognition position in which the capsule is placed, typically held by holding means, while the color recognition module analyzes its color. The capsule recognition position preferably includes holding means for holding the capsule in front of the color recognition module, in particular in front of its color sensor, in order to allow the color of the capsule to be sampled by the color recognition module.

In preferred embodiments, the implementation of the color recognition module is configured to calculate the color distance by calculating the Euclidean distance between the sample color vector and the reference color vector; and calculating a chromaticity value by calculating the Euclidean distance between the generic chromatic vector and the reference chromatic vector.

The color recognition module is preferably configured to compare the color sample with the plurality of color references by calculating a plurality of scores to determine a match between the color sample and each color reference of the plurality of color references.

The color recognition module is preferably configured to recognize the capsule based on the color reference of the plurality of color references that best matches the color sample.

The color recognition module is, for example, configured to determine a match between the color sample and the color reference if the score is below or equal to a threshold value, and to determine a lack of match between the color sample and the color reference if the score is greater than the threshold.

The device may further include a capsule detector for detecting the presence of a capsule placed on or approaching the capsule dispenser of the device and triggering color recognition by the color recognition module.

The apparatus may further include a material detector for recognizing the material of a capsule placed on or approaching the capsule feeder of the apparatus, wherein information from the material detector is, for example, used in conjunction with the output of a color recognition module as an additional criterion for recognizing the type of capsule. .

The invention also relates to the combination of the device described above and a capsule, for example such a capsule which is in the extraction chamber of the device or such a capsule which is handled by the device's capsule delivery device.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for preparing and dispensing a beverage from a capsule in a device as defined above, comprising: inserting a capsule into said device; determining the color of the sample at least part of the surface of the capsule; comparing the sample color with at least one color standard by:

- calculating the color distance between the typical color vector of the color sample and the reference color vector of at least one color sample,

- calculating the amount of chromaticity between the typical chromatic vector of the color sample and the reference chromatic vector of at least one color sample,

- calculating a quantitative indicator using the color distance and the amount of chromaticity to determine the correspondence between the color of the sample and at least one color standard;

recognizing the type of capsule based on the result of the comparison; relative movement of the first and second parts to their remote position; feeding the capsule to the extraction unit; relative movement of the first and second parts to their close position to position the capsule in the extraction chamber; extracting the capsule in the extraction chamber using extraction parameters determined based on the recognizable type of capsule to prepare a beverage; and dispensing the prepared beverage through the outlet channel.

Another aspect of the invention relates to the use of a capsule for: a device as defined above; forming a combination as defined above; or performing a method as defined above; wherein the type of capsule is determined by:

- determining the color of the sample at least part of the surface of the capsule;

- comparing the color of the sample with at least one color standard by:

○ calculating the color distance between the sample color sample color vector and the reference color vector of at least one color sample;

○ calculating a chroma value between the generic chromatic vector of the color sample and the reference chromatic vector of at least one color sample;

○ calculating a score using the color distance and chroma value to determine the correspondence between the sample color and at least one capsule color reference;

extracting the capsule in the beverage preparation extraction chamber using the extraction parameters determined based on the recognizable capsule type.

Brief description of graphic materials

The following is a description of the invention with reference to schematic drawings:

in fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention;

in fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1, with a capsule to be recognized and fed towards the extraction chamber of the device, and a user's container;

in fig. 3 shows the device and capsule shown in FIG. 2 with the first and second parts having been moved from their relatively close position to their relatively distant position;

in fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the device and capsule shown in FIG. 3, with the capsule released to move towards the extraction chamber; and

in fig. 5 shows the device and capsule shown in FIG. 4, with the released capsule immobilized between the first and second parts in their remote position;

in fig. 6 shows the device and capsule shown in FIG. 5, wherein the first and second parts have moved relative to their proximate position to form an extraction chamber in which the capsule is placed, the liquid supply device supplying liquid to the extraction chamber to mix with the flavoring ingredient in the capsule and dispense it into the user's container through the outlet. channel;

in fig. 7 shows the device and capsule shown in FIG. 6 after the capsule has been extracted and after the relative movement of the first and second parts to their remote position, the capsule being ejected into the waste container and no new capsule being fed towards the extraction chamber of the device;

in fig. 8 is a variation of the device and capsule shown in FIG. 7, according to which a new capsule is fed towards the extraction chamber of the device when the extracted capsule is ejected;

in fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a color recognition module according to the invention and a capsule to be recognized;

in fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the color recognition module shown in FIG. 9.

Detailed description

In FIG. 1-8 show an embodiment of a beverage preparation device 1 according to the invention for preparing and dispensing a beverage 2 such as tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, milk, soup or baby food. The ingredient may be presented in the form of an ingredient capsule 3, for example, of the type described above in the "Scope of the Invention" section.

The sequence shown in Fig. 1-8 illustrates the sequence of preparation of a drink in the device 1 from the supply of capsule 3 with the ingredient to the removal of capsule 3 after preparation of the drink.

Device 1 includes an extraction unit 10 for extracting a capsule 3 with a beverage ingredient to form a beverage 2. The extraction unit 10, for example, has a first part 11 and a second part 12 that are movable relative to the removed position for insertion and/or removal capsule 3 and a close position, such as a close position in which the first and second parts 11, 12 define the extraction chamber 100, for fixing and extracting such a capsule 3. For example, at least one of the parts 11, 12 has a device for opening the capsule, for example, one or more devices for piercing the capsule, and/or at least one of these parts 11, 12 has an opening for the influx of a liquid intended for mixing with the ingredient contained in such a capsule 3.

The device 1 includes a control unit 40 shown schematically in FIG. 2 to 8 to control the extraction unit 10 to extract the capsule 3. The control unit 40 can be powered from a mains supply, such as an electrical cord 45, or from a direct current source such as a battery such as a car battery or a portable battery. , or the device's battery.

The device 1 has an outlet 20 for dispensing a beverage 2 formed by extracting such a capsule 3 into a user container 4 such as a cup or mug located in an area for receiving a receptacle to collect the drink 2. Such an area may be on the support 5 , 6 receiving receptacle, such as an external support 5 for placement on which such a device 1 is located, or a support 6 of the device, for example, a movable or removable support 6 of the device, for example, a support 6 of the device, which is located on the external support 5 for placement or on top of it .

In embodiments, the outlet channel 20 is, for example, attached to, or formed by, or mounted on, or mounted in the head 21 of the device, which has an extended position in which the outlet channel 20 is positioned above the receiving receptacle area, and the stowed position, in which the outlet channel 20 is pushed inside the outer main body 14 of the device. The head 21 of the device can be moved inward into the body 14 and outward by means of at least one of the first and second parts 11, 12 or by means of an actuator controlled by a control unit.

The outlet 20 may be attached to, or formed by, or mounted on, or mounted in a movable beverage guide 22 which has the beverage dispensing configuration shown, for example, in FIG. 6 to dispense the beverage 2 into the receiving receptacle area, and the configuration for stopping the flow of the beverage, shown for example in FIG. 2 to prevent the beverage from being dispensed into the receiving receptacle area, for example by dripping the remaining beverage from the guide piece 22 over the edge 23 of the guide piece into the waste receptacle 60 . The guide piece 22 can be moved between a dispensing configuration and a stop configuration by at least one of the first and second parts 11, 12, or by some (or above) device head 21, or by an actuator controlled by a control unit.

The extraction unit 10 includes an actuator 13 configured to relative move the first and second parts 11, 12 between their relatively distant and close positions. The actuator 13 is connected to the control unit 40 and is controlled by it for the relative movement of the first and second parts 11, 12.

The control unit 40 is connected to an input device to start and/or control the extraction unit 10 . According to the present invention, the input device includes, for example, a user interface 41 and a color recognition module 8 for recognizing the type of capsule 3 ready to be inserted into the extraction unit 10. The input device optionally further includes a capsule sensor for detecting the presence of a capsule 3 located in and/or approaching the extraction unit 10 .

The extraction unit 10 may include a capsule feeder 15 for delivering capsule 3 to the extraction chamber 100. The capsule feeder 15 may have a capsule dispenser 151 with a release configuration for releasing the capsule 3 from the capsule feeder 15 toward the extraction chamber. 100 and a holding configuration for holding the capsule 3 away from the extraction chamber 100. The capsule delivery device 15 may include a mechanical and/or magnetic capsule closure, such as a capsule holder 151, such as corresponding to at least a portion of the outer shape of the capsule 3 .

The capsule delivery device 15 may have a channel 152 (FIG. 4) for directing the capsule 3 to the extraction chamber 100 in a predetermined orientation of the capsule for entry into the extraction chamber 100, such as a channel 152 associated with a capsule immobilization device for immobilization. capsule 3 between the first and second parts 11, 12 in their remote position (Fig. 5) before moving relative to each other in their close position (Fig. 6).

The control unit 40 can control the capsule dispenser 151 to release such a capsule 3 from the dispenser 15 when the first and second parts 11, 12 are in the removed position (FIG. 4) or when they are moved to the removed position, to enter the capsule 3 into extraction chamber 100 when the first and second parts 11, 12 are moved back to their close position (FIG. 6).

The control unit 40 can control the capsule dispenser 151 to keep the capsule 3 in the dispenser 15 and away from the extraction chamber 100 when the first and second parts 11, 12 are: in close position or moving towards it (FIG. 2); or at a remote position and are about to move to a close position so as to leave insufficient time for the capsule 3, if released from the dispenser 151, to be placed in the extraction chamber 100 before the first and second parts 11, 12 reach the close position.

Optionally, the capsule dispenser 15 may include or be associated with a capsule sensor connected to the control unit 40, which, for example, is configured to bring the capsule dispenser 151 into its hold or hold configuration when the capsule sensor detects the absence of such a capsule. 3 on or in the capsule dispenser 151 (FIG. 7).

The control unit 40 may be configured to control the actuator 13 so that the first and second portions 11, 12 are moved by the actuator 13 from a remote position to a proximate position after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, starting from a beverage start event such as, for example, detecting a capsule, recognizing a capsule, activating the device's user interface by the user, or reaching a remote position, or a combination thereof (FIGS. 2-6); For example, the predetermined time period is in the range of 3 to 15 seconds, namely 5 to 12 seconds, such as 7 to 10 seconds.

The extraction unit 10 may include a liquid supply device 50,51,52,53,54 for supplying liquid, such as water, to the extraction chamber 100 (FIG. 2). The liquid supply device 50,51,52,53,54 can be connected to and controlled by the control unit 40 to supply liquid to the extraction chamber 100 and interrupt such supply, for example, automatically and/or manually through a user interface 41 connected to the unit 40 management.

For example, the fluid delivery device 50,51,52,53,54 includes one or more of: a fluid source 50, such as a fluid tank or a fluid connector, for connecting to an external fluid source; one or more liquid tubes 51,52 for directing liquid into the extraction chamber 100; a liquid pumping device 53, such as a pump, for pumping liquid into the extraction chamber 100; and a thermal conditioner 54, such as a heater and/or cooler, such as an in-line thermal conditioner, such as an in-line flow conditioner, for thermal conditioning of the fluid.

The control unit 40 may be configured to control the liquid supply device 50,51,52,53,54 to automatically supply liquid to the extraction chamber 100 when the first and second parts 11, 12 reach their close position where the capsule 3 is placed in the extraction chamber. chamber 100 while moving the first and second parts 11, 12 from the remote to the close position to combine the liquid with the ingredient contained in the capsule 3 and form a drink 2 for dispensing through the outlet channel 20. See FIG. 6.

The control unit 40 may be configured to control the liquid supply device 50,51,52,53,54 to automatically supply liquid to the extraction chamber 100 when the first and second parts 11, 12 have reached their close position, but in the extraction chamber 100 any capsule is missing to wash or clean at least a portion of the extraction unit 10 and optionally the outlet 20. For example, the liquid supply device 50,51,52,53,54 is configured to supply a liquid at a temperature for washing or cleaning, which is different from the temperature of such a beverage formation liquid, for example by brewing.

In a particular embodiment, cold or chilled beverages are also provided.

The control unit 40 may be configured to control the liquid supply device 50,51,52,53,54 so as not to automatically supply liquid to the extraction chamber 100 when the first and second parts 11, 12 have reached their close position, but in the extraction chamber 100 missing any capsule. For example, the control unit 40 is configured to control the liquid supply device 50,51,52,53,54 to supply liquid to the extraction chamber 100 upon detecting a corresponding manual user input on the user interface 41 connected to the control unit 40.

In accordance with the present invention, the device 1 includes a color recognition module 8 connected to the control unit 40 and configured to recognize the type of capsule 3 supplied or ready to be supplied to the extraction chamber 100. As described in more detail below, the color recognition module 8 recognizes the type of capsule 3 by recognizing the color of at least a portion of the surface of the capsule 3. The control unit 40 is preferably configured to control the liquid supply device 50,51,52,53,54 in accordance with the liquid supply program associated with the type, such as the supply program liquid with one or more controlled parameters of the supplied liquid, selected from the temperature of the liquid, flow rate, pressure and volume, which (s) is (s) constant (s) or variable (s) during the extraction of the recognizable capsule 3. For example, the type may be selected from a variety of types of capsules made with the possibility of extraction in the extraction chamber pe 100 and associated with a color reference stored in an internal or external data storage means connected or configured to be connected to the control unit 40 .

The color recognition module 8 is preferably located in the vicinity of the capsule dispenser 15 and, more specifically, in the vicinity of, around and/or in the capsule dispenser 151 .

The control unit 40 may have an extraction completion control program that runs automatically when the liquid supply is interrupted (for example, when a predetermined extraction process is completed or an error is detected during its execution) to:

- immediate relative movement of the first and second parts 11, 12 to their remote position in order to remove any capsule 3 from the position between the first and second parts 11, 12; or

- maintaining the first and second parts 11, 12 in close position for a predetermined period of time, for example in the range from 1 to 5 s, such as from 2 to 3 s, in order to be able to enter a manual request, for example through a user interface 41 connected to control unit 40 to supply, by means of the liquid supply device 50,51,52,53,54, additional liquid to the extraction chamber 100, and also, in the absence of such a manual request within the specified predetermined period of time, for the relative movement of the first and the second parts 11, 12 to their removed position to remove any capsule 3 from the position between the first and second parts 11, 12, for example, to remove such a capsule 3 into the used capsule collector 60 formed by some (or above) waste receptacle 60.

Before moving the first and second parts 11, 12 to their close position, the first and second parts 11, 12 may optionally remain in their remote position for a predetermined period of time, such as a period of time ranging from 1 to 6 s, for example, from 2 to 4 s, to enable the insertion of a new capsule 3 between the first and second parts 11, 12 before their relative movement into a close position with the new capsule 3 located in the extraction chamber 100 to extract a new capsule 3.

During application, the following steps can be carried out (FIGS. 1-6):

- placing the receiving vessel 4 in the area for receiving the receiving vessel;

- placing the capsule 3 on the capsule feeder 15;

- recognition of the type of capsule 3 module 8 color recognition;

- relative movement of the first and second parts 11, 12 to their remote position automatically, semi-automatically or manually;

- feeding the capsule 3 into the extraction unit 10;

- the relative movement of the first and second parts 11, 12 in their close position to position the capsule 3 in the extraction chamber 100;

- extracting the capsule 3 in the extraction chamber 100 using the extraction parameters determined on the basis of the recognizable type of capsule 3 to prepare beverage 2; and

- delivery of the prepared drink 2 through the outlet channel 20 into the container 4.

In accordance with the invention, the recognition module 8 is configured to determine the type of capsule 3 inserted into or placed on the device 1, for example, capsule 3 placed by the user on the capsule dispenser 15, by recognizing the color of at least a portion of the capsule 3.

The device 1 typically extracts different types of capsules to prepare different drinks and/or different types of drinks. Different types of capsules capable of being extracted in the extraction chamber 100, for example, correspond to different ingredients contained therein and/or different conditioning conditions for the ingredients. In embodiments, each type of capsule corresponds to a particular type of coffee that differs from the coffee contained in other types of capsules, for example, but not exclusively, in one or more of origin, roast, grind, amount contained in the capsule, and/or content caffeine. Alternatively or in combination with this, the different types of capsules extractable in the device 1 correspond to the ingredients for the preparation of various beverages such as, for example, coffee, milk, soup, infant formula, tea, cold drinks, and the like.

Preferably, each type of capsule is associated with a particular color reference of at least a portion of the capsule 3, which allows, for example, the user to visually distinguish different types of capsules. Data representing such color references, such as reference color vectors, typically one reference vector per color reference, is preferably stored in an internal or external data storage device connected or configured to be connected to the control unit 40 and/or recognition module 8.

The device 1 may be configured to extract each capsule 3 using preparation parameters specific to a particular type of capsule 3. For example, the preparation parameters include one or more of carrier liquid temperature, carrier liquid volume, extraction time, liquid pressure - carrier, type of carrier liquid, series of successive preparation steps, and the like. The preparation parameters used for each type of capsules made with the possibility of extraction in the device 1 are preferably stored in an internal or external storage device connected or configured to be connected to the control unit 40 and/or color recognition module 8. Appropriate cooking parameters are selected based on the type of capsule 3 determined by the color recognition module 8 and used by the control unit 40 to control the extraction of the recognized capsule 3.

The device 1 can also be configured to store and/or transmit to an external server information about the type of each capsule extracted in the device in order to, for example, control the consumption of capsules on the device 1.

As shown in FIG. 9, the color recognition module 8 includes a light source 82, such as a white LED or any other suitable light source, preferably with a known and defined spectrum, and a color sensor 81, such as an RGB sensor. The color recognition module 8 preferably further includes a controller 83, such as, but not limited to, an ASIC or programmable microcontroller, to control the light source 82 and the color sensor 81, for example, to turn the light source 82 on and off and/or to receive and signal processing from the color sensor 81. Light source 82, color sensor 81 and controller 83 are preferably attached, for example soldered, to an electronic board 80, typically a printed circuit board, providing them with the necessary power and data connection and/or wiring in a known manner. The controller 83 is preferably connected to and controlled by the control unit 40 of the device 1.

Preferably, the color recognition module 8 further includes a light guide 89 for directing the light emitted by the light source 82 to the target location and for limiting the light received by the color sensor 81, preferably to light reflected by an object located at the target location, in order to avoid detection of the spurious light, such as ambient light. The light guide 89, for example, is in the form of a cover connected, for example, attached, to the electronic board 80 and at least partially covering the light source 82 and/or the color sensor 81. The lid includes, for example, holes or other guiding means for directing light to and from the target location. In the example shown, cavities are formed in the cover above each of the color sensor 81 and the light source 82, which are open on the upper side. The inner walls of the cavities are preferably shaped to avoid reflections within the cavities, which can result in erroneous illumination of an object placed at the target location and/or erroneous determination of the color of the light reflected by said object.

Optionally, the device 1 includes a capsule detector 84 for detecting a capsule placed on or approaching the capsule dispenser. The capsule detector 84, for example, is contained in a color recognition module 8 attached, preferably soldered, to the electronic board 80. However, other arrangements of the capsule detector are possible within the scope of the present invention. Capsule detector 84 may be of any suitable type, such as a presence and/or motion detector, such as an infrared (IR) detector, an inductive and/or resistive detector, a mechanical switching element, and the like. The capsule detector 84 is controlled, for example, by the controller 83 of the color recognition module 8, or is controlled directly by the control unit of the device.

In embodiments, the device 1 further includes a material detector, which is not shown in the figures, for detecting capsule material placed on or approaching the capsule dispenser. The material detector is, for example, an inductor or a resistive element that recognizes the metal body of the capsule. The output of the material detector, for example, is transmitted to the controller 83 and used in conjunction with the output of the color recognition module 8 as an additional criterion for determining the type of capsule placed on or approaching the capsule dispenser. The material detector may be an additional detector in addition to the optional capsule detector 84, or a separate detector, such as an inductive, capacitive or resistive detector, it can be used as a capsule detector and a material detector.

In FIG. 10 shows the capsule 3 placed in the device capsule delivery device 15 prior to its introduction into the device's extraction chamber. The color recognition module 8 is preferably connected to or part of the capsule delivery device 15 . The color recognition module 8 is attached to, for example, the capsule holder 151 and is positioned so that the light emitted by the light source 82 is directed to the surface of the capsule 3 placed in the capsule feeder 15 and so that at least part of the light of the light source 82 reflected by the surface of the capsule 3 and directed to the color sensor 81.

In the example shown, the color recognition module 8 is attached below the capsule receiving surface of the capsule holder 151. A window is formed in the preferably opaque material of the capsule holder 151, which is combined with holes in the light guide 89 of the color recognition module 8 to allow light emitted by the light source 82 to reach at least a portion of the surface of the capsule 3 placed on the capsule holder 151 and to provide receiving light reflected from said surface by the color sensor 81 .

The window formed in the preferably opaque material of the capsule holder 151 is preferably covered with a translucent material to protect the elements of the color recognition module 8, in particular the color sensor 81, the light source 82 and the optional capsule detector 84, from external mechanical aggression, such as, but not exclusively, the ingress of dirt, foreign objects into the window of the capsule holder 151, etc. In embodiments, the capsule receiving surface of the capsule holder 151 is covered with a translucent skin 153 made, for example, of a rigid translucent plastic material and shaped, for example, molded, to match the shape of the surface of the capsule 3 to ensure that the capsule 3 is in a stable position with the correct position. its placement on the holder 151 capsules. In embodiments, the lid 153 is additionally slightly tinted to at least partially hide the color recognition module 8 and its elements from the view of the user of the device and at the same time not significantly interfere with the color recognition module 8 of the color recognition module 8 from determining the color of the capsule 3.

In embodiments, when capsule 3 is approached and/or placed in capsule dispenser 15, optional capsule detector 84 detects the presence of capsule 3 and sends an appropriate signal to controller 83 and/or device control unit which activates light source 82 to illuminate at least part of the surface of the capsule 3, placed on the holder 151 capsules. The color sensor 81 is in turn activated to determine the color sample of the capsule 3 based on the light reflected by said surface and received by the color sensor 81 . Then the color sample is compared with one or more known color standards, for example, using the controller 83 of the color recognition module 8 and/or the control unit of the device to determine the correspondence between the specified color sample and at least one color standard. In an alternative embodiment, in particular if the device does not include a capsule detector, the recognition module 8, in particular the light source 82 and the color sensor 81, is activated by activating the user, for example, the user interface of the device, for example, by activating the beverage preparation command .

Preferably, the color sensor 81 is an RGB (Red-Green-Blue) sensor that provides three initial values Rr, Gr, Br representing the primary color distribution in the input light received by the sensor's photodiodes. These three initial values are typically the result of integrating the received light into the respective frequency bands over a set period of time. The integration time is set, for example, to 200 ms. The output values Rr, Gr, Br are represented, for example, on 19 bits and can take a value from 0 to 524287.

In FIG. 11 schematically shows an embodiment of the color recognition method of the invention.

In the first step 71, the color sensor 81 detects, as explained above, a color sample of at least a portion of the surface of the capsule placed in the capsule dispenser of the device, and generates an initial sample color vector of three initial values Rr, Gr, Br characterizing the detected color sample.

In the next step 72, the original sample color vector is corrected with one or more device-specific calibration vectors, in particular, taking into account the actual characteristics of the color recognition module, and stored in the memory of the color recognition module or a memory accessible to the color recognition module, for example, in a storage device 84 built into or accessible to the controller 83.

Calibration vectors, for example, include a black balance calibration vector and a white balance calibration vector, which are generated for each device, preferably at the end of the device production line, as soon as the device or at least the capsule dispenser with the color recognition module becomes fully operational. To generate calibration vectors, a color reference sample, such as a black reference sample, is placed on the capsule delivery device, and its color is determined by the color sensor 81, which generates a calibration vector, such as a black balance calibration vector Bref with the corresponding three raw values generated by the sensor on definition stages, such as Bref _red , Bref _green and Bref _red . The same procedure is then preferably repeated using a different color reference sample, such as a white reference sample, to generate a second calibration vector, such as a white balance calibration vector Wref (Wref _red , Wref _green , Wref _red ). The calibration vectors are then stored in memory 84.

Correcting the original sample color vector with device-specific calibration vectors, in particular the black balance calibration vector and the white balance calibration vector generated as described above, makes it possible to compensate for potentially large variations in the determination of colors by individual devices, for example, due to variations in characteristics of each device's light source, color sensor, skin transparency, light guide efficiency, etc. Correcting the original sample color vector based on such device-specific variations allows for reliable and stable capsule color recognition across all devices.

In embodiments, the correction calculation is a calculation, for each original base color value of the original sample color vector, of the normalized distance between the corresponding calibration values of two calibration vectors with an output range of, for example, 0 to 1000. Thus, the corrected sample color vector R, G, B calculated, for example, according to the following formula:

However, other calibration algorithms and/or formulas are possible within the scope of the present invention to correct the captured original sample for device-specific and/or environmental variations such as, for example, stray light and the like.

In the next step 73, the previously corrected sample color vector (R, G, B) is compared, for example, using the controller 83, with at least one reference color vector stored in a look-up table 85 available to the controller 83 or built into it, and preferably, a score representing the magnitude of the difference between the sample color vector and the at least one reference color vector is calculated.

In embodiments, the lookup table includes a plurality of reference color vectors, typically one reference color vector per known capsule type. The sample color vector is preferably compared individually with each reference color vector in lookup table 85 and a score is calculated for each comparison. The reference color vector, which gives, for example, the lowest score, represents the most suitable capsule type. Optionally, if the lowest score exceeds the predetermined maximum score MAX_SCORE, then the comparison step 73 and thus the capsule color recognition process is considered failed and it is considered impossible to determine the type of the corresponding capsule.

In an alternative embodiment, the score is calculated such that the reference color vector that gives the highest score represents the most appropriate capsule type. Then, optionally, if the highest score is below the predetermined minimum score, then the comparison step, and thus the capsule color recognition process, is considered failed and it is considered impossible to determine the type of the corresponding capsule.

The score is, for example, calculated by: calculating the color distance between the sample color vector and the reference color vector; calculating a chroma value between the sample color sample chromatic vector and the color sample reference chromatic vector; adding a color distance and a chroma value, each distance optionally being weighted by an appropriate factor depending on the brightness of the color of the sample, as will be described in more detail below.

In an alternative embodiment, the score is calculated, for example, by subtracting the calculated color distance and the calculated chroma value, each of which may be weighted by an appropriate factor, from the maximum score value.

However, other formulas and/or algorithms are possible within the scope of the present invention, in combination with or alternatively to the above, to calculate a score representing the difference between a color sample and a color reference, based on the calculated color distance and chromaticity value. The score can be calculated, for example, by multiplying and/or dividing the calculated color distance and the chromaticity value by each other, possibly weighting each of them by specific factors, and the like.

The color distance is preferably calculated as the Euclidean distance between the generic color vector and the reference color vector. Thus, the color distance is calculated, for example, according to the following formula:

,

,

where (R, G, B) is the generic color vector and (R _ref , G _ref , B _ref ) is the reference color vector.

The chromaticity value is preferably calculated as the Euclidean distance between the generic chromatic vector of the color sample and the reference chromatic vector of the color sample.

Chromatic vectors are calculated according to the following formulas:

for a typical chromatic vector, according to the following formulas:

for the reference chromatic vector.

Thus, the amount of chromaticity is calculated, for example, according to the following formula:

,

,

where (ChrR, ChrG, ChrB) is the generic chromatic vector and (ChrR _ref , ChrG _ref , ChrB _ref ) is the reference chromatic vector.

However, within the scope of the present invention, other formulas can be used to calculate the color distance and the amount of chromaticity depending, for example, but not necessarily, on the number of measurements of color vectors. For example, one can calculate the Manhattan distance or any other suitable vector distances.

Chromatic vectors are not sensitive to fluctuations in the brightness of the same color, which is often observed in the normal use of the color recognition module of the invention for its intended purpose, for example, due to variations in natural light around the beverage preparation device, variations in the intensity of the light source 82, and the like. Thus, the use of chromatic vectors for color comparison is inherently more reliable than the use of color vectors.

However, there remains a problem with dark colored capsules where the chromaticity varies greatly from one measurement to the next due to the essentially small values of the numerators and denominators of the fractions in the above formulas. Thus, the color distance, in essence, allows you to get more reliable results when comparing samples of dark colors.

Thus, in embodiments, the color distance and the amount of chroma are taken into account differently when calculating the score depending on the brightness of the color sample. For example, for dark colors, the color distance value in the calculated score is more important than the chroma value, while for bright colors, the chroma value is more important than the color distance.

In embodiments, as a result of the comparison step 73, a score based on, for example, color distance and chromaticity value, as well as a weighted sum of said distance and value, is calculated according to the formula:

,

,

where the BalanceColour and BalanceChroma weights are chosen depending on the brightness of the color sample, calculated as follows:

,

,

which is a value representing the brightness or darkness of the color sample.

For example, specific weighting factors can be defined for specific brightness ranges:

if 0 < Lum < Th ₁ , then BalanceColour = Lc, and BalanceChroma = Lch;

if Th ₁ < Lum < Th ₂ , then BalanceColour = Mc, and BalanceChroma = Mch;

if Lum > Th ₂ , then BalanceColour = Hc, and BalanceChroma = Hch;

where Th ₁ and Th ₂ represent the first and second brightness thresholds, respectively; and Lc, Lch, Mc, Mch, Hc, Hch are the specified weight values for the low, medium, and high brightness of the color sample, respectively.

However, other luminance ranges are possible within the scope of the present invention, with appropriate predetermined coefficients for each range, and/or weighting coefficients can be calculated for each comparison step as a function of the luminance value of the color sample. The function may be, for example, linear, exponential, logarithmic, or any other type.

Preferably, for the reasons described above, the BalanceColour weight for low brightness color samples is higher than for high brightness color samples, while the BalanceChroma weight for low brightness samples is lower than for high brightness samples.

Experiments have shown, for example, good results with values of Th ₁ = 70, Th ₂ = 450, Lc = 3, Lch = 0.25, Mc = 0.25, Mch = 2.5, Hc = 0.25 and Hch = 5 .

In embodiments, the color sample is compared in the comparison step 73 with each color reference stored in the lookup table 85 or otherwise known to the beverage preparation device, and a score is calculated from the results of each comparison. In a subsequent decision step 74, based on all calculated score values, a decision is made on the type of capsule, with the color sample with the lowest score from the comparison being taken as the color reference. Thus, it is determined that the type of the analyzed capsule is the type corresponding to the specified color standard. Optionally, if the lowest score exceeds the maximum score, then no comparison is made and the capsule is considered to be of an unknown type.

In an alternative embodiment, in the comparison step 73, the color sample is compared in turn to one color reference and then to another until the resulting score is below a predetermined threshold, or above a threshold in embodiments where a high score indicates for a match. In the subsequent decision step 74, the color sample is considered to be the last compared color sample, i. e. the first color reference for which this score was either below or above the threshold. Thus, it is determined that the type of the analyzed capsule is the type corresponding to the specified color standard. If no comparison results in a score that satisfies the specified condition, the comparison fails and the capsule is considered to be of unknown type.

The above comparison methods can be combined to, for example, ignore color targets that cause computed score values to exceed a predetermined threshold, and then compare score values using the remaining color targets with each other to determine the best possible match corresponding to, for example, the lowest score value.

Then, the result obtained in the decision step 74, i. e. a certain type of capsule is preferably transmitted to the control unit of the beverage preparation device, which opens the channel 152 to enable the capsule 3 to be inserted into the extraction chamber 100 and to control the various elements of the device 1, in particular the thermal conditioner 54 and the device 53 for pumping liquid, to prepare beverage 2 using parameters specially adapted to the recognized type of capsule.

The original color vector correction step 72, the comparison step 73, and the decision step 74 as described above are essentially performed by the controller 83 of the color recognition module 8. However, one or more of the steps described above may be performed by other computing units of the device (1). In particular, some or all of the steps described above can be carried out, for example, by the color sensor 81 and/or by the control unit 40 of the beverage preparation device 1 .

In embodiments, the result of the color recognition method is further combined with the output of an optional material detector as an additional criterion for identifying the type of capsule, in order to, for example, distinguish between capsules that have the same or very similar colors but are made from different materials, such as aluminum and plastic. or paper, and possibly containing different ingredients that require different processing by the device.

Claims (35)

1. A device (1) for preparing and dispensing a drink (2) such as tea, coffee, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, milk, soup or baby food, containing: - an extraction unit (10) for extracting a capsule (3) with a beverage ingredient to form said beverage (2), wherein the unit (10) has a first part (11) and a second part (12) that are movable relative to each other between a remote position for insertion and/or removal of the capsule (3) and a close position in which the first and second parts (11, 12) limit the extraction chamber (100) for fixing and extracting the capsule (3), wherein at least one of said parts (11, 12) have a device for opening the capsule and/or at least one of said parts (11, 12) has a hole for the inflow of liquid to be mixed with the ingredient in the capsule (3); - a control unit (40) for controlling the extraction unit (10) in order to extract the capsule (3), while the control unit is powered from the power supply network; - an outlet channel (20) for dispensing said beverage (2) formed by extracting the capsule (3) into the user's container (4) located in the area for receiving the receiving vessel; - a color recognition module for recognizing the color of a capsule (3) inserted into said device (1), wherein the color recognition module includes a color sensor for detecting a color sample of at least a portion of the surface of such a capsule (3); characterized in that the color recognition module is configured to compare the specified color sample with at least one color standard by: - calculating the color distance between the typical color vector of the specified color sample and the reference color vector of the specified at least one color sample, - calculating the amount of chromaticity between the typical chromatic vector of the specified color sample and the reference chromatic vector of the specified at least one color sample, - calculating a score using the specified color distance and the specified chromaticity value to determine the correspondence between the specified color sample and the specified at least one color standard. 2. The device according to claim 1, in which the device for opening the capsule contains one or more devices for piercing the capsule, the control unit is powered by the mains power supply using an electric cord (45), the user's container (4) is a cup or mug; the area for receiving the receiving vessel is located on the support (5, 6) of the receiving vessel, for example, the external support (5) for placement, on which the device (1) is located, or the support (6) of the device, for example, a movable or removable support (6) of the device, to collect the specified drink (2). 3. The apparatus of claim 1 or 2, wherein said color recognition module is configured to compute said generic chromatic vector based on said generic color vector. 4. The device according to any one of paragraphs. 1-3, wherein said sample color vector and said reference color vector are 3D RGB vectors. 5. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said color recognition module is configured to calculate said score by calculating a luminance level of said color sample and estimating said color distance and said chroma value using respective balance factors determined based on specified brightness level. 6. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 further including a capsule recognition position with holding means for holding the capsule in front of the color recognition module so as to allow the color recognition module to sample the color of the capsule. 7. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said color recognition module is configured to calculate said color distance by calculating the Euclidean distance between said generic color vector and said reference color vector, and calculating said chromaticity value by calculating the Euclidean distance between said a generic chromatic vector and a specified reference chromatic vector. 8. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said color recognition module is configured to compare said color sample to a plurality of color references by calculating a plurality of scores to determine a match between said color sample and each color reference of said plurality of color references. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said color recognition module is configured to recognize said capsule (3) based on a color reference of said plurality of color references that best matches the color sample. 10. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein said color recognition module is configured to determine a match between said color sample and said color reference if the score is below or equal to a threshold value, and determine if there is no match between said color sample and the specified color standard if the specified score exceeds the specified threshold. 11. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further including a capsule detector (84) for detecting the presence of a capsule (3) placed on the device (15) for supplying the capsule of said device (1) or approaching it, and start color recognition by the color recognition module. 12. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising a material detector for detecting the material of a capsule (3) placed on or approaching the capsule delivery device (15) of said device (1). 13. Combination of a beverage preparation and dispensing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12 and a capsule (3) with a beverage ingredient. 14. Combination according to claim 13, in which the capsule (3) is located in the extraction chamber (100) of the device or the capsule (3) is processed by the device (15) to supply the capsule of said device (1). 15. A method for preparing and dispensing a drink (2) from a capsule (3) with a drink ingredient using a device according to any one of paragraphs. 1-12, including: inserting a capsule (3) into said device (1); determining a color sample of at least part of the surface of said capsule (3); comparing said color sample with at least one color standard by: - calculating the color distance between the typical color vector of the specified color sample and the reference color vector of the specified at least one color sample, - calculating the amount of chromaticity between the typical chromatic vector of the specified color sample and the reference chromatic vector of the specified at least one color sample, - calculating a score using the specified color distance and the specified chroma value to determine the correspondence between the specified color sample and the specified at least one color standard; recognizing the type of said capsule (3) based on the result of said comparison; moving the first and second parts (11, 12) to their remote position; feeding the capsule (3) to the extraction unit (10); moving the first and second parts (11, 12) to their close position to position the capsule (3) in the extraction chamber (100); extracting the capsule (3) in the extraction chamber (100) using extraction parameters determined on the basis of the recognizable type of capsule (3) to prepare a beverage (2); and dispensing the prepared beverage (2) through the outlet channel (20). 16. The use of capsule (3) for the device according to any one of claims. 1-12, forming a combination according to claim 13 or performing the method according to claim 15, wherein the type of said capsule (3) is determined by: - determining the color sample of at least part of the surface of the specified capsule (3); - comparing said color sample with at least one color standard by: - calculating the color distance between the typical color vector of the specified color sample and the reference color vector of the specified at least one color sample, - calculating the amount of chromaticity between the typical chromatic vector of the specified color sample and the reference chromatic vector of the specified at least one color sample, - calculating a quantitative indicator using the specified color distance and the specified value of chromaticity to determine the correspondence between the specified color sample and the specified at least one color standard of the capsule (3); - extraction of the specified capsule (3) in the extraction chamber (100) for the preparation of the drink (2) using the extraction parameters determined on the basis of the recognizable type of capsule (3).

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