Processor control of solute extraction system

Abstract

The brewing system disclosed herein includes a moving inlet nozzle for use in intermixing hot water and coffee in a coffee cartridge. The inlet nozzle may include one or more flow ports that inject hot water into an inner chamber of the coffee cartridge at select angles, locations and pressures to create the desired fluidized mixture of hot water and beverage medium.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A brewing device, comprising:
 a beverage head configured to selectively receive and be in contact with a sealed beverage cartridge comprising a slurry within a receptacle of the beverage head when the beverage head is in a first position, the slurry comprising a quantity of beverage medium;   a moveable inlet nozzle, configured to deliver at least one solvent to the slurry when the beverage head is in a second position such that at least one solution comprising at least a portion of the at least one solvent and at least a portion of one solute of the slurry is created;   an outlet conduit, coupled to the receptacle, in which the outlet conduit is configured to direct at least a portion of the at least one solution external to the beverage head; and   a processor, coupled to the inlet nozzle, for controlling a selective movement of the inlet nozzle while the inlet nozzle is proximate the slurry for at least a portion of the time the at least one solvent is being delivered to the slurry.   
     
     
         2 . The brewing device of  claim 1 , wherein a movement of the movable inlet nozzle is a rotation of the inlet nozzle. 
     
     
         3 . The brewing device of  claim 1 , wherein a movement of the movable inlet nozzle is a nutation of the movable inlet nozzle. 
     
     
         4 . The brewing device of  claim 1 , wherein a movement of the movable inlet nozzle is a vibration of the movable inlet nozzle. 
     
     
         5 . The brewing device of  claim 1 , wherein the movable inlet nozzle is configured to contact an inner volume of the sealed beverage cartridge. 
     
     
         6 . The brewing device of  claim 1 , wherein the sealed beverage cartridge is a single-serve sealed beverage cartridge. 
     
     
         7 . The brewing device of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle is configured to hold the sealed beverage cartridge substantially stationary with respect to the device for at least a portion of the time that the at least first solvent is delivered. 
     
     
         8 . The brewing device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to move the movable inlet nozzle to agitate the quantity of beverage medium while the movable inlet nozzle is coupled to an inner volume of the sealed beverage cartridge. 
     
     
         9 . The brewing device of  claim 1 , wherein the movable inlet nozzle further comprises a plurality of flow ports. 
     
     
         10 . The brewing device of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of flow ports are staggered on a length of the inlet nozzle. 
     
     
         11 . The brewing device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to control a speed of the movement of the movable inlet nozzle. 
     
     
         12 . A device, comprising:
 a receptacle, configured to selectively receive and be in contact with a sealed beverage cartridge comprising a quantity of beverage medium;   a movable inlet nozzle, configured to deliver at least one solvent to the quantity of beverage medium when the sealed beverage cartridge is in contact with the receptacle, such that at least one solution comprising at least a portion of the at least one solvent and at least a portion of one solute of the quantity of beverage medium is created, such that the quantity of beverage medium and the at least one solvent are in contact for at least a first period of time to extract the at least one solute into the at least one solution; and   a processor for selectively controlling movement of the moveable inlet nozzle with respect to the beverage medium while the inlet nozzle is proximate the quantity of beverage medium for at least a portion of the time the at least one solvent is being delivered to the quantity of beverage medium.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein a movement of the movable inlet nozzle is a rotation of the inlet nozzle. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein a movement of the movable inlet nozzle is a nutation of the movable inlet nozzle. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein a movement of the movable inlet nozzle is a vibration of the movable inlet nozzle. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the movable inlet nozzle is configured to contact an inner volume of the sealed beverage cartridge. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the sealed beverage cartridge is a single-serve sealed beverage cartridge. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the receptacle is configured to hold the sealed beverage cartridge substantially stationary with respect to the device for at least a portion of the time that the at least first solvent is delivered. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to move the movable inlet nozzle to agitate the quantity of beverage medium while the movable inlet nozzle is coupled to an inner volume of the sealed beverage cartridge. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to control a speed of the movement of the movable inlet nozzle.