Method of operating a beverage brewer

Abstract

A beverage brewer ( 10 ) with a controller ( 14 ) that automatically disables selected brewer functions unless enabled by an enablement code that enables use that is only sufficient to brew a preselected quantity of beverage by mixing the brew ingredient ( 18 ) with water has a reader ( 54, 56, 58, 56, 59, 62 ) for communicating with and reading the enablement code ( 86 ) from a smart card, card with magnetic strip or other data carrying medium (FIGS. 4 and 5 ). The enablement card when used by a delivery employee has codes for multiple customers, etc. that is used by the delivery employee to enable the brewers to brew the brew ingredient that is being delivered but no more to avoid brewing of ingredient not provided by the distributor of the brew ingredient. Alternatively, one card ( 52 ) is used for each location or each brewer and may only be used with the location or brewer that is indicated. The controller ( 14 ) is capable of disabling the brewer function, the hot water function, or both, the bypass function, the brewing function or all in response to overuse or in response to the passage of time without required maintenance. The individual enablement code medium may be attached to the container of the brew ingredient permanently or detachably, mailed to the customer with billing, etc. or the enablement code may be entered manually or via a communication modem associated with the brewer ( 10 ). When a smart card or magnetic stripe card is used, then the brewer may write to the card the amount of brewer usage or hot water usage which information can later be downloaded to a billing computer at the home office of the distributor in addition to, or in lieu of, automatic disablement of the brewer functions when they exceed preselected maximum amounts.

1 . A method of operating a beverage brewer, comprising the steps of:
 automatically measuring the amount of use of the beverage brewer;   automatically disabling the brewer at least in part in response to a measured amount of use exceeding a preselected amount of permitted use.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  including the step of selectively changing the preselected amount of permitted use. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  in which the step of changing the preselected amount of permitted use includes the steps of
 storing the preselected amount of use in a memory,   receiving a code from an external source, and   changing the preselected amount of use stored in memory in accordance with the code.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  in which the code is unique to a single brewer and may not be used to change the preselected amount of use stored in another brewer. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2  in which the step of selectively changing includes the steps of
 delivering a quantity of brew ingredient to a site at which the brewer is located for use in the brewer to produce a brewed beverage,   delivering a code carrying medium to the site,   reading the code from the code carrying medium, and   changing the preselected amount of permitted use in accordance with the code read from the code-carrying medium.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  in which the steps of delivering a quantity and delivering a code-carrying medium are performed substantially simultaneously. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  in which the quantity of brew ingredient is delivered in a container and the code-carrying medium is carried by the container. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5  in which the code-carrying medium is visible from the outside of the container. 
   
   
       9 . The method of claim  15  in which the code-carrying medium is protectively contained within the container. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 5  in which the code is printed on a surface of the container that is visible from the outside of the container. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 5  in which the code-carrying medium is detachably connected to the container.