A networked system for providing and maintaining a set of liquid dispenser stations is described. The fluid dispensers communicate with a managing/supervisory cloud server via an interposed base station. The fluid dispensers communicate locally with the base station via wireless communication network links. The base station operates as an accumulator of status/usage information provided by the dispenser stations and bridge for passing information and control commands between the cloud server and the individual dispenser stations. The dispenser stations are configured with control processors (controllers) to facilitate performing a variety of local control operations associated with dispensing liquids that have been cooled (or heated) prior to dispensing by the dispenser stations. Additionally, the dispenser stations cooperatively operate with the cloud server (via the base station) to support a variety of real time control and maintenance operations relating to the dispenser stations operating at potentially thousands of distinct geographic locations.

A product dispenser is configured to dispense products subject to a warning and products not subject to a warning, the product dispenser further configured to transmit a product warning notice only in response to a request to dispense a product subject to the warning. In another embodiment, a product dispenser is configured to dispense a food or beverage product and provide information indicative of an attribute of the food or beverage product, such as nutrition facts, as it is being dispensed. In another embodiment, a product dispenser is configured to enable a user to request a customized product from the product dispenser, to determine a first profile for the customized product blend, compare the first profile to a second profile, and reformulate the customized product blend to a dispensed product blend comprising a third profile approximating the second idealized profile.

A product dispenser is configured to dispense products subject to a warning and products not subject to a warning, the product dispenser further configured to transmit a product warning notice only in response to a request to dispense a product subject to the warning. In another embodiment, a product dispenser is configured to dispense a food or beverage product and provide information indicative of an attribute of the food or beverage product, such as nutrition facts, as it is being dispensed. In another embodiment, a product dispenser is configured to enable a user to request a customized product from the product dispenser, to determine a first profile for the customized product blend, compare the first profile to a second profile, and reformulate the customized product blend to a dispensed product blend comprising a third profile approximating the second idealized profile.

A beverage preparation machine includes first and second cameras for capturing first and second images of a receptacle. The beverage preparation machine further includes a control unit configured to determine a receptacle volume based on the first and second images and to determine a beverage volume to be dispensed based on the receptacle volume and the selected filling level or percentage. Regardless of the shape, volume, and/or material of the receptacle, the filling level or percentage for dispensing the beverage can be freely selected via a user interface.

A vending machine comprising multiple subsystems typically including container receiving, container cleaning, container storage, container filling, container vending, a computer system, and a user interface. A vending machine for dispensing, receiving, cleaning and/or filling containers comprising container receiving means for receiving a first container, container cleaning means for cleaning the first container, container dispensing means for dispensing the first container, and container filling means for filling the first container or a second container.

A vending machine comprising multiple subsystems typically including container receiving, container cleaning, container storage, container filling, container vending, a computer system, and a user interface. A vending machine for dispensing, receiving, cleaning and/or filling containers comprising container receiving means for receiving a first container, container cleaning means for cleaning the first container, container dispensing means for dispensing the first container, and container filling means for filling the first container or a second container.

A networked system for providing and maintaining a set of liquid dispenser stations is described. The fluid dispensers communicate with a managing/supervisory cloud server via an interposed base station. The fluid dispensers communicate locally with the base station via wireless communication network links. The base station operates as an accumulator of status/usage information provided by the dispenser stations and bridge for passing information and control commands between the cloud server and the individual dispenser stations. The dispenser stations are configured with control processors (controllers) to facilitate performing a variety of local control operations associated with dispensing liquids that have been cooled (or heated) prior to dispensing by the dispenser stations. Additionally, the dispenser stations cooperatively operate with the cloud server (via the base station) to support a variety of real time control and maintenance operations relating to the dispenser stations operating at potentially thousands of distinct geographic locations.

A networked system for providing and maintaining a set of liquid dispenser stations is described. The fluid dispensers communicate with a managing/supervisory cloud server via an interposed base station. The fluid dispensers communicate locally with the base station via wireless communication network links. The base station operates as an accumulator of status/usage information provided by the dispenser stations and bridge for passing information and control commands between the cloud server and the individual dispenser stations. The dispenser stations are configured with control processors (controllers) to facilitate performing a variety of local control operations associated with dispensing liquids that have been cooled (or heated) prior to dispensing by the dispenser stations. Additionally, the dispenser stations cooperatively operate with the cloud server (via the base station) to support a variety of real time control and maintenance operations relating to the dispenser stations operating at potentially thousands of distinct geographic locations.

A product dispenser is configured to dispense products subject to a warning and products not subject to a warning, the product dispenser further configured to transmit a product warning notice only in response to a request to dispense a product subject to the warning. In another embodiment, a product dispenser is configured to dispense a food or beverage product and provide information indicative of an attribute of the food or beverage product, such as nutrition facts, as it is being dispensed. In another embodiment, a product dispenser is configured to enable a user to request a customized product from the product dispenser, to determine a first profile for the customized product blend, compare the first profile to a second profile, and reformulate the customized product blend to a dispensed product blend comprising a third profile approximating the second idealized profile.

A product dispenser is configured to dispense products subject to a warning and products not subject to a warning, the product dispenser further configured to transmit a product warning notice only in response to a request to dispense a product subject to the warning. In another embodiment, a product dispenser is configured to dispense a food or beverage product and provide information indicative of an attribute of the food or beverage product, such as nutrition facts, as it is being dispensed. In another embodiment, a product dispenser is configured to enable a user to request a customized product from the product dispenser, to determine a first profile for the customized product blend, compare the first profile to a second profile, and reformulate the customized product blend to a dispensed product blend comprising a third profile approximating the second idealized profile.