A material dispensing device includes: a target nozzle for dispensing a target material to a target container; a pump arranged to operably extract the target material from the material container and to operably push the target material to flow toward the target nozzle; a material drainage port; a flow direction switch device, coupled with the target nozzle and the material drainage port, and arranged to operably receive the target material; and a control circuit. When the material dispensing device needs to output the target material to the target container, if the control circuit determines that a quality of the target material inside the material dispensing device is acceptable, the control circuit controls the flow direction switch device to guide the target material to flow toward the target nozzle, so as to dispense the target material into the target container through the target nozzle.

A refrigerator is provided, including a cabinet formed with at least one refrigerated compartment and a door pivotally mounted to the cabinet via a hollow hinge to selectively open and close at least a portion of the refrigerated compartment. A water heater is mounted on an exterior surface of the cabinet about the hollow hinge and configured to heat water supplied from the refrigerator. A hot water dispenser is positioned on the door that is configured to dispense hot water supplied from the water heater into a receiver vessel, and a hot water conduit is guided through the hollow hinge and extending from the water heater to the hot water dispenser to supply the hot water from the heater to the dispenser. A method of dispensing hot water is also provided. The method utilizes at least two distinct, user-initiated steps to permit the dispensing of hot water.

A liquid discharge control method includes acquiring a cup height of a cup in response to detecting that a cup is placed in a preset position, controlling a liquid outlet to open for liquid discharge in response to receiving a liquid discharge instruction; acquiring a real-time liquid level height in the cup during the liquid discharge, and controlling the liquid outlet to open or close based on the cup height and the real-time liquid level height.

The embodiments herein disclose methods and systems for automatic dispensing of liquid, and more particularly to dispensing a liquid shots and pre-filled liquid beverages based on user requirement. Embodiment herein disclose methods and systems for automatic dispensing of liquid shots of pre-defined cup size. Embodiments herein disclose methods and systems for avoiding the wastage of beverages based on user requirements.

Methods and systems for accurately and securely dispensing high value beverages are presented herein. A beverage distribution system includes one or more replaceable beverage cartridges mounted to a beverage dispensing device. Each of the beverage cartridges includes a fluid reservoir with an output port, an output control valve, a flowmeter, and a local controller. The local controller receives signals from the flow meter and determines a cumulative amount of beverage fluid dispensed from the beverage cartridge based on the received signals. In one embodiment, the beverage dispensing device includes a fluid pump and a master controller. The master controller also estimates the cumulative amount of beverage fluid dispensed from each beverage cartridge based on control commands communicated to each beverage cartridge. If a difference between the estimated cumulative amounts of fluid dispensed from a beverage cartridge exceeds a predetermined threshold value, an alert is generated.