Automated preparation and dispensation of food and beverage products

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system includes: a robotic arm assembly; a plurality of components arranged around the robotic arm assembly and positioned within reach of the robotic arm assembly; and a controller configured to control operation of the robotic arm assembly within the system. Each of the plurality of components is configured to either: store ingredients under predetermined environmental conditions; store food preparation tools; dispense ingredients; blend, cook, or assemble ingredients into a completed food item; provide cleaning functionality to the system and/or components thereof; provide user access to completed food items; or display information relevant to a food item or preparation thereof to users. Methods of using such systems to prepare and dispense food items are also disclosed, and generally include translating recipes into instructions executable by the robotic arm assembly and/or components of the system, communicating such instructions to the robotic arm assembly, and executing such instructions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A self-contained, fully-automated food preparation and dispensing system, comprising:
 a robotic arm assembly;   a plurality of components arranged around the robotic arm assembly and positioned within reach of the robotic arm assembly, wherein each of the plurality of components is configured to either:
 store ingredients under predetermined environmental conditions; 
 store food preparation tools; 
 dispense ingredients; 
 blend, cook, or assemble ingredients into a completed food item; 
 provide cleaning functionality to the system and/or components thereof; 
 provide user access to completed food items; or 
 display information relevant to a food item or preparation thereof to users; and 
   a controller configured to control operation of the robotic arm assembly within the system.   
     
     
         2 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of components comprise:
 at least one storage component configured to store at least one of: ingredients under predetermined environmental conditions and tools for preparing or creating food items;   at least one preparation component configured to either blend, cook, or assemble the ingredients into a completed food item;   at least one dispensing component configured to dispense the ingredients, wherein the ingredients include at least one of: solid ingredients and liquid ingredients;   at least one cleaning component configured to clean, or facilitate cleaning of, other components of the system; and   at least one customer interaction and order pickup component.   
     
     
         3 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one storage component comprises at least one of a freezer and a refrigerator. 
     
     
         4 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one storage component comprises a humidity-controlled container. 
     
     
         5 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one storage component comprises an organized, labeled holding unit configured to store tools for preparing or creating food items. 
     
     
         6 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one preparation component comprises at least one of a blender, a stove, and an oven. 
     
     
         7 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one dispensing component comprises a vane system. 
     
     
         8 . The system as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the vane system comprises a cylindrical container partitioned into a plurality of sections by one or more vanes, and wherein at least one surface of the cylindrical container is characterized by a texture or pattern configured to minimize adhesion of ingredients to the at least one surface of the cylindrical container. 
     
     
         9 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one cleaning component comprises at least one of a sink and a dishwasher; and wherein the at least one cleaning component is coupled to either:
 a facility plumbing infrastructure; or   one or more standalone clean water tanks and one or more gray water tanks.   
     
     
         10 . The system as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the at least one customer interaction and order pickup component comprises:
 a secured pickup area or container configured to prevent contamination of the system by users retrieving completed food items from the secured pickup area; and   a display configured to display information relating to:   available food items;   suggested food items for a given user;   food items being prepared; and   completed food items.   
     
     
         11 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of components has associated therewith at least one sensor and at least one control. 
     
     
         12 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one sensor associated with each respective one of the plurality of components is selected from:
 a pressure sensor;   a temperature sensor;   a humidity sensor;   a vibration sensor;   a torque sensor;   an optical sensor;   a light sensor;   an electrical sensor;   a time measuring device;   a volume-measuring device; and   a weight-measuring device.   
     
     
         13 . The system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the at least one control associated with each respective one of the plurality of components is selected from:
 a piston;   a pump;   a vacuum   a servo;   a stepper motor;   a timing control;   a power control;   an agitator;   an interlock; and   a slew rate control.   
     
     
         14 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises at least two cameras configured to recognize objects within the system and determine at least one of: an absolute location of the recognized object within the system; and a relative location of the recognized object with respect to the robotic arm assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the controller is communicatively coupled to an operating system configured to translate instructions of a traditional recipe into instructions interpretable by the controller to cause the robotic arm assembly to perform a series of operations and prepare or create a completed food item. 
     
     
         16 . The system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the system is communicatively coupled to a cloud-based management component configured to:
 manage one or more recipes according to individual users and associated preferences, restrictions or nutritional goals; and   communicate user preferences or restrictions to the system for altering a process of preparing a food item in accordance with the user preferences or restrictions.   
     
     
         17 . A method of preparing and delivering a food item using a self-contained, fully-automated food preparation and dispensing system, comprising:
 a robotic arm assembly;   a plurality of components arranged around the robotic arm assembly, each of the plurality of components being positioned within reach of the robotic arm assembly and capable of performing one or more processes;   a recipe comprising instructions regarding:
 one or more ingredients to be included in the food item; 
 a respective quantity of each of the ingredients; and 
 one or more steps for combining and preparing the ingredients to form the food item; and 
   a control system configured to manage the plurality of components; and   wherein the method comprises:
 translating the instructions provided in the recipe into instructions executable by the robotic arm assembly and some or all of the plurality of components; 
 communicating the instructions executable by the robotic arm assembly and some or all of the plurality of components to the robotic arm assembly; and 
 executing the instructions executable by the robotic arm assembly and some or all of the plurality of components to form the food item. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein translating the instructions provided in the recipe into instructions executable by the robotic arm assembly and some or all of the plurality of components comprises:
 converting units of measure expressed in the recipe into units of measure capable of being precisely delivered using the robotic arm assembly;   selecting from among the plurality of components an optimal set of components to carry out the instructions provided in the recipe;   selecting from among a plurality of processes configured to be performed by one or more of the optimal set of components, an optimal set of processes to employ in carrying out the instructions provided in the recipe; and   distributing the optimal set of processes across the optimal set of components, wherein the robotic arm assembly and the control system act as integrators of the optimal set of processes and the optimal set of components.   
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 18 , wherein forming the food item comprises:
 using the robotic arm to deliver the ingredients in the respective quantities specified by the recipe to some or all of the optimal set of components; and   performing the optimal set of processes using the robotic arm assembly and the optimal set of components to form the food item; and   the method further comprising delivering the food item to a consumer.   
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 19 , comprising receiving user input and adjusting either or both of:
 an amount of one or more of the ingredients delivered by the robotic arm assembly to the some or all of the optimal set of components; and   the optimal set of processes; and   wherein the adjusting is based on the user input.   
     
     
         21 . The method as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising: identifying each of the plurality of components and respective capabilities thereof; and
 wherein translating the instructions provided in the recipe into instructions executable by the robotic arm assembly and some or all of the plurality of components is based at least in part on the capabilities of each of the plurality of components.   
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in  claim 17 , further comprising managing multiplex preparation and delivery of multiple completed food items corresponding to at least partially similar recipes using an operating system of the self-contained, fully-automated food preparation and dispensing system.