Method, apparatus, and system for monitoring amount of liquid poured from liquid containers

Abstract

Some embodiments of the invention provide a system for monitoring liquid consumption at one or more establishments. At each establishment, the system includes one or more spouts and a local computer. Each spout is mounted on a liquid container. Also, each spout generates data regarding the amount of liquid poured from the spout's container. The local computer at each establishment collects data generated by the spouts at the establishment. In some embodiments, a wireless network links the local computer and the spouts at each establishment. The system also includes an external computer that gathers the data collected by the local computers of the establishments monitored by the system. In some embodiments, the external computer is located outside of all the establishments, while in other embodiments this computer is located within one of the establishments. Some embodiments of the invention provide a free-pour spout. This spout mounts on an open orifice of a liquid container and measures the amount of liquid poured from the liquid container. This spout has a housing and a passageway defined within the housing. It also has a detection circuit that detects fluid flow through the passageway. In addition, this spout has a measuring circuit that generates data relating to fluid flow when the detection circuit detects fluid flow through the passageway.

1 - 58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . A method for measuring the amount of liquid poured from a liquid container, the method comprising:
 a) detecting a mounting of a spout to the liquid container, wherein the spout has a passageway through which fluid in the container can pour out of the container, wherein the passageway has a plurality of dimensional attributes that ensure laminar fluid flow through the passageway when the spout is rotated by a first particular angle;   b) detecting the tilting of the liquid container by at least a first tilting angle; and   c) generating data relating to fluid flow after detecting the tilting of the liquid container by at least the first tilting angle.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein detecting the tilting of the liquid container further comprises determining whether the liquid container has remained tilted by at least the first tilting angle for a threshold period of time. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein generating data relating to fluid flow comprises:
 generating a time measurement when the liquid container remains tilted by at least the first tilting angle for a threshold time period, wherein the time measurement represents an estimate of the time that liquid was flowing through the passageway.   
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61  further comprising transmitting the generated time measurement. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62  further comprising transmitting, with each time measurement, an identifier that uniquely specifies a pouring event associated with the time measurement. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the identifier is a sequence number. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 63  further comprising transmitting, with each time measurement, a spout identifier that identifies the spout. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the time measurement is derived from at least two time intervals relating to fluid flow. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the time measurement is the sum of the two time intervals relating to fluid flow. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the time measurement is the weighted sum of the two time intervals relating to fluid flow. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein one time interval is a pour initiation period during which fluid begins to pour through the spout's passageway, and another time interval is a full-pour period during which fluid freely pours through the spout's passageway. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 69 , wherein during the full pour period the fluid flow is laminar. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein another time interval is a pour completion period during which fluid flow through the spout's passageway is not laminar. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the passageway has a length and a diameter, and the ratio of the length and the diameter is no more than a particular value. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 72 , wherein the particular value is 20. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein detecting tilting of the liquid container comprises generating a first signal that is active when the liquid container is tilted by at least the first tilting angle. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein detecting the tilting of the liquid container is not performed by the spout. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein generating data relating to fluid flow is not performed by the spout. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein detecting the tilting of the liquid container is performed by an apparatus coupled to the liquid container. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the dimensional attributes of the passageway ensure laminar fluid flow when the spout is rotated by a second particular angle.