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) generating a duration of time that the liquid container remains tilted by at least a tilting angle, wherein generating the duration is performed by an apparatus physically coupled to the liquid container; and   b) transmitting the duration.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the apparatus is a spout. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60 , wherein the spout is mounted on an open orifice of the liquid container. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the duration comprises a summation of time interval measurements. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein each time interval measurement is 100 milliseconds. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 62 , wherein the time interval measurements are weighted time interval measurements. 
     
     
         65 . A method for measuring the amount of liquid poured from a liquid container, the method comprising:
 a) generating data for a pour event, wherein the data is generated by a device physically coupled to the liquid container; and   b) transmitting the data multiple times.   
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the data comprises time data. 
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the time data is a duration. 
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 65  further comprising generating data for an engage event. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 68  further comprising transmitting the data for the engage event multiple times. 
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the generated data is transmitted multiple times at random intervals. 
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 65  further comprising receiving the transmitted data multiple times. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 71  further comprising discarding identical copies of the data. 
     
     
         73 . A method of measuring the amount of liquid poured from a liquid container, the method comprising:
 a) generating data regarding the flow of liquid from the liquid container; and   b) transmitting data, wherein the transmitted data comprises the generated data and a unique sequence number,   
       wherein the generating and the transmitting are performed by a device physically coupled to the liquid container. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein the transmitted data further comprises a serial number identifying the device. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 73 , wherein the transmitted data further comprises an event identifier that specifies a type of event. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein the event identifier specifies a pour event. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein the event identifier specifies an engage event. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 75 , wherein the event identifier specifies a disengage event.