CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2018/066934, filed on Jun. 25, 2018, which claims priority to European Patent Application No. 17185291.6, filed on Aug. 8, 2017, the entire contents of which are being incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a beverage and/or foodstuff preparation system for preparing beverages and/or foodstuffs from containers such as coffee capsules. The present invention relates in particular to codes arranged on the containers, which encode preparation information to be read by a machine of the system.

BACKGROUND ART

Increasingly, systems for the preparation of beverages or foodstuffs are configured to operate using containers that comprise single-servings of beverage or foodstuff material, e.g. coffee, tea, ice cream, yoghurt. A machine of such a system may be configured for preparation by processing said material in the container, e.g. with the addition of fluid, such as milk or water, and the application of mixing thereto. Such a machine is disclosed in WO 2014/067987. Alternatively, the machine may be configured for preparation by at least partially extracting an ingredient of the material from the container, e.g. by dissolution or brewing. Examples of such machines are provided in EP 2393404 A1, EP 2470053 A1, WO 2009/113035.

The increased popularity of these machines may be partly attributed to enhanced user convenience compared to a conventional preparation machine, e.g. compared to a manually operated stove-top espresso maker or cafetière (French press).

It may also be partly attributed to an enhanced preparation process, wherein preparation information specific to the container and/or material therein is: encoded in a code on the container; read by the machine; decoded; and used by the machine to optimise the preparation process. In particular, the preparation information may comprise operational parameters of the machine, such as, for example but not exclusively: fluid temperature; preparation duration; mixing conditions; fluid volume; and fluid pressure.

Accordingly, there is a need to code preparation information on the container. Various codes have been developed. An example is provided in EP 2594171 A1, wherein a periphery of a flange of a capsule comprises a code arranged thereon. The code comprises a sequence of symbols that can be printed on the capsule during manufacture. A drawback of such a code is that its encoding density is limited, i.e. the amount of preparation information that it can encode is limited. A further drawback is that the code is highly visible and may be considered aesthetically displeasing. EP2525691 A1 discloses a container with a 2D barcode, which has a higher albeit limited encoding density.

Thus in spite of the considerable effort already invested in the development of said systems further improvements are desirable.

Accordingly, an aim of the present invention is to provide a system and a container with a code allowing for a high density of preparation information.

Another aim of the present invention is to provide a system and a container with a code having a minimal visual impact on the container's appearance.

Still another aim of the present invention is to provide a system and a container with a code allowing encoding one or more sequences of operations of the preparation information in an efficient manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These aims and other advantages are achieved by a container for a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff material and comprising a code encoding preparation information, in particular preparation information for a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine to prepare a beverage or a foodstuff with beverage or foodstuff material contained in said container, the code comprising a reference portion and a data portion, the reference portion comprising at least one reference configuration defining a virtual reference line, the data portion comprising a virtual encoding line intersecting the virtual reference line at a virtual intersection point and a sequence of data units comprising at least two data units aligned at a distance from each other along the virtual encoding line for encoding a sequence of operations of the preparation information, each data unit of the sequence of data units encoding an operation of the sequence of operations, wherein a relative position of each data unit in the sequence of data units encodes a nature of the corresponding operation and wherein a distance between each data unit and the virtual intersection point and/or a distance between each data unit and another, for example an adjacent, data unit of the sequence of data units or of another sequence of data units encodes a value of a condition for the performance of the corresponding operation.

In embodiments, the virtual encoding line is closed, preferably elliptic such as for example circular, and the distance between each data unit and the virtual intersection point and/or the distance between each data unit and an adjacent data unit of the sequence of data units is an angular distance measured from a centre point, for example a geometric centre point, of the encoding line.

The operation is for example, but not exclusively, one of: starting injecting a liquid in the container, stopping injecting a liquid in the container, opening a spout of or in fluid connection with the container, closing a spout of or in fluid connection with the container, starting mixing beverage or foodstuff material contained in the container, stopping mixing beverage or foodstuff material contained in the container.

The condition for the performance of an operation is for example, but not exclusively, one of: a duration, a volume, a temperature.

In embodiments, the data portion of the code comprises a further virtual encoding line comprising a further sequence of data units for encoding a further sequence of operations of said preparation information, i.e. the data portion of the code comprises two virtual encoding lines, each virtual encoding line of said two virtual encoding lines comprising a sequence of data units, for encoding two sequences of operations of said preparation information. The two sequences of operations, i.e. the sequence of operation and the further sequence of operations, are for example to be performed simultaneously.

The data portion of the code may comprise one or more additional virtual encoding lines with data units for encoding additional parameter values of the preparation information, for example for encoding a preparation temperature value, the values of pump configuration parameters for the pump of a preparation machine, etc.

In embodiments, the data portion of the code further comprises discrete positions that each may or may not comprise a further data unit as binary units for encoding at least part of one or more further parameters of said preparation information. At least part of the discrete positions for example encode a parameter for decoding said sequence of data units, for example a parameter indicating an encoding scheme amongst several possible encoding scheme used for encoding preparation information in the particular code.

In embodiments, the reference configuration for example comprises three reference units arranged at the vertices of a virtual triangle, for example a virtual right-angled triangle.

In order to minimize the visual impact of the code on the container's appearance, the code is preferably very small and for example has a peripheral length of 600-1600 μm.

The code is for example formed on a surface of the container or on an attachment, which is attached thereto.

In embodiments, the container comprises a plurality of such codes arranged in a tessellating manner.

These aims and other advantages are achieved also by an attachment configured for attachment to a container for a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff material, the attachment comprising an attachment member for attachment to the container, and a carrier carrying a code encoding preparation information, in particular preparation information for a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine to prepare a beverage or a foodstuff with beverage or foodstuff material contained in the container. The code comprises a reference portion and a data portion, the reference portion comprising at least one reference configuration defining a virtual reference line, the data portion comprising a virtual encoding line intersecting the virtual reference line at a virtual intersection point and a sequence of data units comprising at least two data units aligned at a distance from each other along the virtual encoding line for encoding a sequence of operations of the preparation information, each data unit of the sequence of data units encoding an operation of the sequence of operations, wherein a relative position of each data unit in the sequence of data units encodes a nature of the corresponding operation and wherein a distance between each data unit and the virtual intersection point and/or a distance between each data unit and another, for example an adjacent, data unit of the sequence of data units or of another sequence of data units encodes a value of a condition for the performance of the corresponding operation.

These aims and other advantages are achieved also by a beverage preparation system or foodstuff preparation system comprising a container as described above and a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine, the preparation machine comprising a container processing subsystem to receive the container and to prepare a beverage or foodstuff therefrom, a code processing subsystem operable to obtain a digital image of the code of the container; process the digital image to decode the encoded preparation information, a control subsystem operable to control the container processing subsystem using the decoded preparation information, wherein the code processing subsystem is preferably configured to decode the encoded preparation information by identifying the reference configuration and determining therefrom the virtual reference line, determining the virtual encoding line from the virtual reference line and measuring distances between each data unit of the sequence of data units and the virtual intersection point and/or between each data units of the sequence of data units and another, for example adjacent, data unit of the sequence of data units or of another sequence of data units; decoding a sequence of operations of the preparation information from these distances.

These aims and other advantages are achieved also by an attachment configured for attachment to a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine, the preparation machine comprising a container processing subsystem to receive a container containing beverage or foodstuff material and to prepare a beverage or foodstuff therefrom, a code processing subsystem operable to obtain a digital image of a code, process the digital image to decode preparation information encoded in the code, a control subsystem operable to control the container processing subsystem using the decoded preparation information, wherein the attachment comprises an attachment member for attachment to the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, a carrier carrying a code encoding preparation information, the code comprising a reference portion and a data portion, the reference portion comprising at least one reference configuration defining a virtual reference line, the data portion comprising a virtual encoding line intersecting the virtual reference line at a virtual intersection point and a sequence of data units comprising at least two data units aligned at a distance from each other along the virtual encoding line for encoding a sequence of operations of the preparation information, each data unit of the sequence of data units encoding an operation of the sequence of operations, wherein a relative position of the data unit in the sequence of data units encodes a nature of the operation and wherein a distance between the data unit and the virtual intersection point and/or a distance between the data unit and another, for example an adjacent, data unit of the sequence of data units or of another sequence of data units encodes a value of a condition for the performance of the operation.

These aims and other advantages are furthermore achieved by a method of preparing a beverage or foodstuff using a preparation system as described above, the method comprising placing the container in the container processing system, obtaining a digital image of the code of the container and processing the digital image to decode the encoded preparation information with the code processing subsystem, controlling the container processing subsystem with the control subsystem using a sequence of operations of the decoded preparation information, wherein the decoding of the encoded preparation information comprises identifying the reference configuration and determining therefrom the virtual reference line, determining the virtual encoding line from the virtual reference line and measuring distances between each data unit of the sequence of data units and the virtual intersection point and/or between each data unit of the sequence of data units and another, for example adjacent, data unit of the sequence of data units or of another sequence of data units, decoding the sequence of operations of the preparation information from the distances.

In embodiments, the invention also relates to the use of a code for preparing a foodstuff or beverage according to the method described above and using a preparation system as previously described.

These aims and other advantages of the invention are achieved also by a method of encoding preparation information, the method comprising forming a code on a container for a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff material or on an attachment for attachment to such a container or to a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine, the method comprising forming at least one reference configuration defining a virtual reference line of the code, defining a virtual encoding line intersecting the virtual reference line at a virtual intersection point and forming a sequence of data units comprising at least two data units aligned at a distance from each other along the virtual encoding line for encoding a sequence of operations of the preparation information, each data unit of the sequence of data units encoding an operation of the sequence of operations, wherein a relative position of the data unit in the sequence of data units encodes a nature of the operation and wherein a distance between the data unit and the intersection point and/or a distance between the data unit and another, for example an adjacent, data unit of the sequence of data units or of another sequence of data units encodes a value of a condition for the performance of the operation.

These aims and other advantages are furthermore achieved by a computer program executable on one or more processors of a code processing subsystem of a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine, the computer program executable to process a digital image of a code of a container according to the invention to decode encoded preparation information, wherein the decoding preferably comprises identifying the reference configuration and determining therefrom the virtual reference line, determining the virtual encoding line from the virtual reference line and measuring distances between each data unit of the sequence of data units and the intersection point and/or between each data unit of the sequence of data units and another, for example adjacent, data unit of the sequence of data units or of another sequence of data units, decoding the sequence of operations of the preparation information from these distances, and/or by a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising such a computer program.

