Described herein is an automated beverage dispensing system for dispensing a beverage into a cup based on an order. The automated beverage dispenser may include a conveyor and a plurality of functional stations along the conveyor route. Exemplary stations include a cup singulation or placement station, an ice dispensing station, a beverage dispensing station, and a sealing station for covering the top of the cup with a liquid tight film. Related methods are described.

A cup dispensing system in an automated dispensing beverage dispensing system receives a first supply of cups at a first dispensing assembly with a first selective release device and receives a second supply of cups at a second dispensing assembly with a second selective release device. The first and second dispensing assemblies respectively coincide with first and second indexed locations on a cup conveyance system. The cup dispensing system operates to dispense a first cup from the first dispensing assembly to the first indexed location and a second cup from the second dispensing assembly to the second indexed location.

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.

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.

In one embodiment, the present disclosure includes a cloud computer system for controlling a plurality of remote devices comprising a cloud server including a cloud based operating system comprising a data model stored in a computer memory. The data model includes commands that may be performed by a plurality of remote devices in a remote system and, for each remote device, one or more operations for triggering processes executed by the remote device. The cloud based operating system generates a set of instructions from the plurality of commands and corresponding operations to control a portion of the remote devices to perform a task.

In one embodiment, a cloud computer system is disclosed for controlling a plurality of remote devices comprising a cloud server including a cloud based operating system comprising a data model stored in a computer memory. The data model includes commands performed by a plurality of remote devices in a remote system and, for each remote device, one or more operations for triggering processes executed by the remote device. The cloud based operating system generates a set of instructions from the plurality of commands and corresponding operations to control a portion of the remote devices to perform a task.

A beverage production system, comprising a cup dispensing station configured to dispense cups, a beverage dispensing station configured to dispense a beverage, and a turntable assembly. The turntable assembly comprising a central axis, an inner turntable including a first row of cup receptacles, and an outer turntable including a second row of cup receptacles. The outer turntable is disposed circumferentially about the inner turntable, and the outer turntable is configured to rotate about the central axis to align the cup receptacles of the second row with the cup dispensing station and the beverage dispensing station. The turntable assembly is configured to align an opening in a cup receptacle in the second row with an opening in a cup receptacle in the first row. A slide assembly includes an arm configured to slide a cup positioned in the cup receptacle in the second row into the aligned opening of the cup receptacle in the first row.

A beverage production system, comprising a cup dispensing station configured to dispense cups, a beverage dispensing station configured to dispense a beverage, and a turntable assembly. The turntable assembly comprising a central axis, an inner turntable including a first row of cup receptacles, and an outer turntable including a second row of cup receptacles. The outer turntable is disposed circumferentially about the inner turntable, and the outer turntable is configured to rotate about the central axis to align the cup receptacles of the second row with the cup dispensing station and the beverage dispensing station. The turntable assembly is configured to align an opening in a cup receptacle in the second row with an opening in a cup receptacle in the first row. A slide assembly includes an arm configured to slide a cup positioned in the cup receptacle in the second row into the aligned opening of the cup receptacle in the first row.

Systems for providing on-demand cup dispensing for food service are provided herein. A system includes a food request module configured to receive a request for food service for a customer. The system further includes a cup source configured to hold one or more cups. The system further includes a cup printer configured to print at least one of order information or personalization information based on the food service on a sidewall of a first cup. The system further includes a cup filler configured to fill the printed first cup with a consumable based on the food service. The system further includes a cup closer configured to at least partially close the open end of the filled first cup. The system further includes one or more cup transfer elements for transferring the first cup between the cup printer, the cup filler, and the cup closer.

A beverage dispensing machine includes a countertop for a conveyor that carries a plurality of cup holders around a track. A front side of the beverage dispenser machine is accessible by an operator to remove cups from the plurality of cup holders. A cup tower has a plurality of cup dispenser tubes that are each configured to hold a respective stack of cups. A cup grabber is movable up and down into and between a raised position in which the cup grabber is positioned to grab a cup from one of the stacks of cups and place a cup into one of the plurality of cup holders.