A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus includes a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid, and a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of additives into the consumable liquid. The dispensing assembly includes multiple apertures structured and arranged to retain vessels containing the additives to be dispensed into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus also includes a level sensor disposed within the container assembly that determines a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly. In certain embodiments, one or more positive displacement pumping mechanisms are configured to pump additive liquid from additive containers into a beverage chamber.

The systems and methods provide a container assembly comprising: a container having a known storage capacity for storing a liquid; an additive dispensing assembly, the additive dispensing assembly dispensing variable, non-zero quantities of one or more additives into the liquid stored in the container; one or more vessels that each contain one of the additives, of the one or more additives, to be dispensed into the liquid; and a gas dispensing assembly, the gas dispensing assembly releasing a gas into the liquid stored in the container, and the gas dispensing assembly including: an onboard gas tank; a valve assembly; and a gas outlet, and the valve assembly controlling flow of gas from the onboard gas tank, through the valve assembly, and to the gas outlet so as to output the gas into the liquid; and wherein the valve assembly, to perform the controlling the flow of gas, is movable between: an open position, in which flow of gas is allowed to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet; and a closed position in which the flow of gas is prevented to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet.

A method of operating a beverage preparation machine that permits automated preparation of a variety of beverages. A plurality of stations add ingredients to a beverage container and process the contents directly in the container in some embodiments. Parallel preparation of more than one beverage may be performed in some embodiments. A robotic arm moves the beverage container to the stations. The robotic arm may include a weight sensor as part of controlling the addition of ingredients.

The systems and methods provide a container assembly comprising: a container having a known storage capacity for storing a liquid; an additive dispensing assembly, the additive dispensing assembly dispensing variable, non-zero quantities of one or more additives into the liquid stored in the container; one or more vessels that each contain one of the additives, of the one or more additives, to be dispensed into the liquid; and a gas dispensing assembly, the gas dispensing assembly releasing a gas into the liquid stored in the container, and the gas dispensing assembly including: an onboard gas tank; a valve assembly; and a gas outlet, and the valve assembly controlling flow of gas from the onboard gas tank, through the valve assembly, and to the gas outlet so as to output the gas into the liquid; and wherein the valve assembly, to perform the controlling the flow of gas, is movable between: an open position, in which flow of gas is allowed to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet; and a closed position in which the flow of gas is prevented to flow from the onboard gas tank to the gas outlet.

A beverage apparatus, the beverage apparatus being hand-holdable by a user of the beverage apparatus to be portable, can include a beverage chamber housing that includes a chamber for storing a consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus can include a dispensing assembly that includes a receptacle. The receptacle can retain a vessel. The vessel can include an electronic tag and can contain an additive. The dispensing assembly can be operatively controllable by a controller to output the additive from the vessel into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus can include one or more sensors, devices, or assemblies that can be used to detect a volume of liquid in the chamber or a liquid level in the chamber. The beverage apparatus can include an apparatus computer processor portion (ACP) and an apparatus database portion.

The embodiments disclose a method of an intelligent beverage kiosk system for customized beverage preparation including preparing customized beverage selections for meeting a consumer's taste, recording a member's customized beverage selection for reducing member beverage delivery wait time, creating a member smart beverage cup with layered component compartment modules for downloading and ordering a member customized beverage selection, ordering member customized beverage selections using a wireless intelligent beverage kiosk application for reducing ordering time for a customized beverage selection and adjusting intelligent beverage kiosk window height for facilitating beverage delivery for drive-thru vehicle pickup.

A portable, self-contained beverage apparatus includes a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid, and a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of additives into the consumable liquid. The dispensing assembly includes multiple apertures structured and arranged to retain vessels containing the additives to be dispensed into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus also includes a level sensor disposed within the container assembly that determines a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly. In certain embodiments, one or more positive displacement pumping mechanisms are configured to pump additive liquid from additive containers into a beverage chamber.

A beverage apparatus, the beverage apparatus being hand-holdable by a user of the beverage apparatus to be portable, can include a beverage chamber housing that includes a chamber for storing a consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus can include a dispensing assembly that includes a receptacle. The receptacle can retain a vessel. The vessel can include an electronic tag and can contain an additive. The dispensing assembly can be operatively controllable by a controller to output the additive from the vessel into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus can include one or more sensors, devices, or assemblies that can be used to detect a volume of liquid in the chamber or a liquid level in the chamber. The beverage apparatus can include an apparatus processing portion (ACP) and an apparatus database portion. The beverage apparatus of the disclosure can include various additional features.

A beverage apparatus hand-holdable by a user to be portable, can include a beverage chamber housing that includes a chamber for storing a consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus can include a dispensing assembly that includes a receptacle. The receptacle can retain a vessel. The vessel can include an electronic tag and can contain an additive. The dispensing assembly can be operatively controllable by a controller to output the additive from the vessel into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus can include one or more sensors, devices, or assemblies that can be used to detect a volume of liquid in the chamber or a liquid level in the chamber. The beverage apparatus can include an apparatus computer processor portion (ACP) and an apparatus database portion.

Provided is a portable, self-contained beverage apparatus. The beverage apparatus includes a container assembly having a known storage capacity for storing a consumable liquid, and a dispensing assembly disposed within the container assembly that dispenses variable, non-zero quantities of additives into the consumable liquid. The dispensing assembly includes multiple apertures structured and arranged to retain vessels containing the additives to be dispensed into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus also includes a level sensor disposed within the container assembly that determines a consumable liquid level of the consumable liquid stored in the container assembly.