An apparatus for producing beverages. The apparatus comprises a dispensing system, a mixing unit, and a control unit comprising a user interface, which interact to prepare a particular beverage when requested by a user. When the control unit receives user input requesting the particular beverage via the user interface, it causes the dispensing system to dispense various ingredients (e.g., fragmented ice, water, flavoring ingredients, milk product) that are mixed by the mixing unit in order to prepare the particular beverage, which is served in a cup. In various embodiments, the apparatus may produce frozen beverages that include fragmented ice (e.g., shaved or crushed ice) as one of their ingredients, such as slush beverages and smoothie beverages, and/or hot beverages that include heated water as one of their ingredients, such as coffee and flavored coffee beverages (e.g., French Vanilla, Mocha, etc.).

A drink producing apparatus includes: a dispensing unit for dispensing carbonized liquid from the drink producing apparatus, a dispensing container, which is formed for receiving a carbonized liquid addable to a drink by the drink producing apparatus, wherein the dispensing container is connected to the dispensing unit of the drink producing apparatus for leading the carbonized liquid from the dispensing container to the dispensing unit, the dispensing unit comprises a dispensing opening, from which the carbonized liquid can be dispensed, a receiving device for receiving a vessel, wherein the carbonized liquid to be dispensed from the dispensing opening can be filled into the vessel, a position variation device, by which a position between the dispensing opening and the receiving device is variable, and a distance setting device, by which a vertical distance between the dispensing opening and a local reference location at or in the vessel is kept constant during the dispensing process of the carbonized liquid.

The invention also relates to a household refrigeration apparatus and to a method for producing and dispensing a mixed drink.

A drink producing apparatus includes: a dispensing unit for dispensing liquid from the drink producing apparatus, a dispensing container, which is formed for receiving a liquid addable to a drink by the drink producing apparatus, wherein the dispensing container is connected to the dispensing unit of the drink producing apparatus for leading the liquid from the dispensing container to the dispensing unit, and the dispensing unit comprises a dispensing opening, from which the liquid can be dispensed into a vessel, a vessel capturing unit for capturing at least one geometric parameter of the vessel. The invention also relates to a household refrigeration apparatus and to a method.

An automatic extraction device may include a displacement measuring unit for measuring the distance to a container by transmitting a measurement signal and then generating the measurement value which corresponds to the distance to the container; a control unit for outputting a water extraction signal if the measurement value is included within the predetermined target distance range and if the measurement value is not changed during the predetermined reference time; and a water extraction cock for supplying fluid to the container by opening a water extraction valve if the water discharge signal is input.

A dispensing system includes one or more digital image capture devices for capturing images in a dispenser well and a digital image analyzer operatively coupled to the digital image capture device(s) for analyzing the images for use in regulating a dispensing operation. The digital image analyzer evaluates digital images captured by the digital image capture device(s) to determine various characteristics of a container placed in the dispensing well, such as the height and position of the container.

A dispensing system includes one or more digital image capture devices for capturing images in a dispenser well and a digital image analyzer operatively coupled to the digital image capture device(s) for analyzing the images for use in regulating a dispensing operation. The digital image analyzer evaluates digital images captured by the digital image capture device(s) to determine various characteristics of a container placed in the dispensing well, such as the height and position of the container.

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.

Systems and methods for controlling the operation of a dispenser system are provided. In particular, one or more sensors associated with the dispenser system may be configured to detect one or more signals indicative of a container proximate the dispenser system and/or a level of water or ice within the container. The dispenser system may include an analog-to-digital converter configured to sample the detected signals at a predetermined sample frequency. The dispenser system may further include a direct memory access controller configured to store the sampled signals in memory without having to rout the sampled signals through a central processing unit associated with dispenser system. The operation of the dispenser system can then be controlled based at least in part on the sampled signals.

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.

Food product dispensing machines and methods for dispensing food product into a cup. The food product dispensing machine includes a cup holder having a target element, a sensor that senses the target element, and a controller. The cup holder is configured to hold a cup such that the cup prevents the sensor from sensing at least a portion of the target element. The controller determines whether a cup is present in the cup holder and/or a size of the cup based on a remaining portion of the target element that is sensed by the sensor when the cup is held by the cup holder. Drive mechanisms are configured to move the first and second cup holders along first and second radial paths, respectively, with respect to the common dispensing position. An indicator is configured to indicate a remaining number of cup dispenses to the user.