The present application describes a product dispenser. The product dispenser may include at least one macro-ingredient source, at least one micro-ingredient source positioned about the dispenser, a diluent source, a dispensing valve, a number of pumps or metering devices, and a user interface. The user interface receives a request for a product type and instructs the pumps or metering devices to dispense a predetermined type and ratio of macro-ingredients, micro-ingredients, and diluent to the dispensing valve for a predetermined flow rate.

A method and computer program product for defining a PWM drive signal having a defined voltage potential. The PWM drive signal has a plurality of on portions and a plurality of off portions that define a first duty cycle for regulating, at least in part, a flow rate of a pump assembly. At least a portion of the on portions of the PWM drive signal are pulse width modulated to define a second duty cycle for the at least a portion of the on portions of the PWM drive signal. The second duty cycle regulates, at least in part, the percentage of the defined voltage potential applied to the pump assembly.

A beverage supply device is provided with: physical buttons for receiving an indicator operation indicating that a beverage selected from among the plurality of types of beverages is to be supplied; a control unit that causes a selected beverage to be discharged from a predetermined nozzle while one of the physical buttons is receiving an indicator operation; and a storage unit that stores the number of sales for each beverage. The control unit increases the number of sales for a beverage by one sale when the same beverage is supplied continuously and the interval during which the beverage is supplied continuously is longer than a predetermined period. The control unit does not increase the number of sales for a beverage when the interval during which the beverage is supplied continuously is shorter than a predetermined period.

A method of controlling operation of a beverage dispenser, includes the following steps: selecting a water recipe from a plurality of water recipes, wherein each water recipe defines a set concentration of minerals to be solved in the water and wherein the water is mineralized based on the water recipe by adding minerals by a mineralization device; verifying, whether the user is allowed to adjust a user adjustable a property of the water to be mineralized by the mineralization device according to water recipe, wherein the user adjustable property comprises at least one of a set temperature of the water to be mineralized and a set carbonization of the water to be mineralized; preparing the water by at least one water preparation element according to the user adjustable property; and outputting the mineralized water to a user vessel; and further includes at least one of the following steps: activating on a display a temperature user interface element for adapting the temperature of the water to be mineralized in a predetermined temperature range, if the user is allowed to adapt the set temperature within the predetermined temperature range; and activating on the display a carbonization user interface element for adapting the set carbonization of the water to be mineralized in a predetermined CO2 concentration range, if the user is allowed to adapt the set carbonization within the predetermined CO2 concentration range.

The present application provides a beverage dispenser for dispensing a number of different beverages to a consumer. The beverage dispenser may include a graphical user interface for the consumer to make a beverage selection, a nozzle to dispense the beverage selection, and a consumer demographic identification system to determine one or more demographic characteristics of the consumer without individually identifying the consumer.

A beverage supplementation device for a beverage dispenser, adapted to supplement a beverage flowing from a beverage source to a beverage sink with a plurality of supplementation fluids includes a plurality of beverage conduits, wherein each beverage conduit includes a beverage inlet that is adapted to be coupled to the same beverage source supplying beverage to be supplemented, and wherein each beverage conduit includes an outlet; and at least two supplementation conduits, wherein each supplementation conduit has a supplementation inlet adapted to be coupled to a supplementation source providing at least one supplementation fluid, wherein each supplementation conduit is coupled with a different supplementation source and wherein each supplementation conduit includes an outlet; wherein the outlet of each supplementation conduit is connected to a different beverage conduit; and wherein the outlets of the beverage conduits are coupled with the same beverage sink.

A method and computer program product for defining a PWM drive signal having a defined voltage potential. The PWM drive signal has a plurality of on portions and a plurality of off portions that define a first duty cycle for regulating, at least in part, a flow rate of a pump assembly. At least a portion of the on portions of the PWM drive signal are pulse width modulated to define a second duty cycle for the at least a portion of the on portions of the PWM drive signal. The second duty cycle regulates, at least in part, the percentage of the defined voltage potential applied to the pump assembly.

A dispenser is configured to dispense food products at varying nutritive levels by dispensing a combination of sweeteners in a predetermined ratio from a plurality of sweetener sources. Using a predetermined combination of sweeteners in a predetermined ratio for a selected nutritive level for a given product ensures that the dispensed product will have a desirable flavor profile while at the same time providing increased consumer choice. A combination of caloric, mid-calorie, low calorie, and/or non-caloric sweeteners may be dispensed to produce a food product with a specified caloric level or nutritive level. For a given nutritive level selected, the product dispenser may dispense different combinations of sweeteners and/or different ratios of sweeteners for different brands or products to be dispensed. Likewise, for a given brand or product, the product dispenser may dispense different combinations of sweeteners and/or different ratios of sweeteners for different selected nutritive levels.

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed that, in some aspects, provide for a cost-reduced touch sensitive user interface including a static printed display. The methods and systems may include providing illumination to guide a user through interaction with a touch sensitive user interface. The methods and systems may include a configurable printed display. Further aspects are disclosed providing use of a cost-reduced touch user interface in a beverage dispensing apparatus.

Examples disclosed herein relate to conduits, devices, systems and methods, which may include a dispensing device including a valve configured to interact with an inlet stream, the inlet stream having a first pressure, the valve having an outlet area with an outlet stream, the outlet stream having a second pressure; and a solenoid configured to interact with the outlet stream.