Beverage dispensing system with automated water filter recommendation

Abstract

A device and mechanism for recommending a water filter in a beverage dispenser is described. A sensor senses qualities of unfiltered water. Another sensor senses qualities of a flavorant container, such as the flavorant contained within the container. Based on the quality of the unfiltered water and the particular flavored beverage desired, the device will recommend a water filter to optimize the flavor of the beverage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of recommending a water filter type for use on an appliance with a beverage dispenser, the method comprising:
 a. receiving supply water at a water inlet which supplies water to the beverage dispenser of the appliance;   b. sensing a quality of the supply water with and outputting an electrical water quality signal from a water quality sensor in the appliance operatively connected to the supply water, the water quality signal related to the sensed quality of the supply water;   c. determining a recommended water filter type with and outputting an electrical filter signal from an electrical circuit in the appliance, the filter signal based on the water quality signal; and   d. visually communicating the recommended water filter type with an electrically-powered display on the appliance based on the filter signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a. connecting a flavorant container to the beverage dispenser; 
 b. sensing a quality of the flavorant container with and outputting an electrical flavorant container signal from a flavorant container sensor in the appliance, the flavorant container signal related to the sensed quality of the flavorant container; and 
 c. basing the determination of the recommended water filter type by the electrical circuit in part on the flavorant container signal. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the recommended water filter type is selected from a plurality of water filter types differing from each other in at least one water filtering property related to affecting a characteristic of a beverage. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the beverage comprises:
 a. water filtered by the water filter; or 
 b. water filtered by the water filter mixed with a flavorant. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the flavorant comprises:
 a. a liquid flavorant; 
 b. a powdered flavorant; 
 c. coffee; 
 d. tea; 
 e. hot cocoa; 
 f. lemonade. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 a. the appliance is a refrigerator or a stand-alone beverage dispenser machine with a user interface related to user control of selection and dispensing of the beverage; and 
 b. the electrical circuit comprises a processor having data storage or access to a plurality of water filter types available for recommendation. 
 
     
     
         7 . A method of recommending a water filter type for use on an appliance with a beverage dispenser, the method comprising:
 a. receiving supply water at a water inlet which supplies water to the beverage dispenser of the appliance;   b. connecting a flavorant container to the beverage dispenser;   c. sensing a quality of the flavorant container with and outputting an electrical flavorant container signal from a flavorant container sensor in the appliance, the flavorant container signal related to the sensed quality of the flavorant container;   d. determining a recommended water filer type with and outputting an electrical flavorant container signal from an electrical circuit in the appliance based on the flavorant container signal;   e. visually communicating the recommended water filter type with an electrically-powered display on the appliance based on the flavorant container signal.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the sensed quality of the flavorant container is an indicator of a flavor of a flavorant in the flavorant container. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 a. sensing a quality of the supply water with and outputting an electrical water quality signal from a water quality sensor in the appliance operatively connected to the supply water, the water quality signal related to the sensed quality of the supply water; and 
 b. basing the determination of the recommended water filter type with and outputting an electrical filter signal from an electrical circuit in the appliance, the filter signal in part on the water quality signal. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the recommended water type is selected from a plurality of water filter types differing from each other in at least one water filtering property related to affecting a characteristic of the beverage comprising water mixed with a flavorant. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the water is mixed with the flavorant in a beverage container. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the water is mixed with the flavorant in the flavorant container. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the sensed quality of the flavorant container comprises:
 a. machine-readable indicia on the flavorant container; 
 b. machine-recognized indicia on the flavorant container; or 
 c. machine-recognized form factor of the flavorant container; 
 d. machine recognized characteristic of the material of the flavorant container. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 7  wherein:
 a. the appliance is a refrigerator or a stand-alone beverage dispenser machine with a user interface related to user control of selection and dispensing of the beverage; and 
 b. the electrical circuit comprises a processor having data storage or access to a plurality of water filter types available for recommendation. 
 
     
     
         15 . A beverage dispensing apparatus comprising:
 a. a water inlet adapted for connection of the beverage dispensing apparatus to a source of supply water;   b. a water pathway from the water inlet to a dispensing outlet of the beverage dispensing apparatus;   c. a removable water filter in operable connection to the water pathway between the inlet and the dispensing outlet, the water filter having an inlet that receives supply water and an outlet that directs filtered water into the water pathway upstream from the dispensing outlet;   d. a water quality sensor in the water pathway upstream from the water filter that detects a quality of the unfiltered water; and   e. a water filter indicator display operatively connected to the water quality sensor that displays an indication of a recommended water filter based on a detected quality of the unfiltered water.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  further comprising an electrical circuit comprising a processor operatively connected to the water quality sensor and the water filter indicator display and having logic and data storage or access related to a plurality of water filter types available for recommendation on the water filter indicator display. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the logic or data is related to optimization of flavor of a beverage. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the beverage comprises water filtered by the water filter. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the beverage comprises water filtered by the water filter and a flavorant from a refillable or disposable flavorant container adapted to hold single or multiple doses of flavorant. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 15  in combination with a refrigerator with a user interface related to user control of selection and dispensing of the beverage.