U.S. patent application number 11/130314 was filed with the patent office on 2005-11-17 for lighting system for beverage dispenser.
Invention is credited to Manisco, Todd.
Application Number | 20050252933 11/130314 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35308440 |
Filed Date | 2005-11-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050252933 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Manisco, Todd |
November 17, 2005 |
Lighting system for beverage dispenser
Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, a lighting system for
an ice/beverage dispenser visually identifies various states of
operation of the dispenser. The dispenser is of a type that can be
operated to selectively dispense any one of a variety of beverages
as well as beverage flavoring bonus syrups. The dispenser has
beverage and bonus syrup dispensing nozzles and a control panel on
which are a first plurality of switches for actuation by a user to
dispense selected beverages and a second plurality of switches for
actuation by the user to dispense selected flavors of bonus syrups.
Light sources illuminate the switches and the illumination,
sequence of illumination and intensity of the light sources are
controlled in a manner to visually identify to the user the various
states of operation of the dispenser.
Inventors: |
Manisco, Todd; (St. Charles,
IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PYLE & PIONTEK
221 N. LASELLE STREET
SUITE 850
CHICAGO
IL
60601
US
|
Family ID: |
35308440 |
Appl. No.: |
11/130314 |
Filed: |
May 16, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60571697 |
May 17, 2004 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
222/113 ;
222/129.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B67D 1/0888
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/113 ;
222/129.1 |
International
Class: |
B65D 005/66 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An ice and beverage dispenser, comprising: a control panel on a
housing of said dispenser; means on said control panel for being
controlled by a user to operate said dispenser in first and second
states where beverages and flavored syrups are respectively
dispensed by said dispenser; means for operating said dispenser in
a third state where ice is dispensed by said dispenser; and means
for visibly indicating to a user the state of said dispenser.
2. An ice and beverage dispenser as in claim 1, wherein said
visibly indicating means generates visual indications of said
dispenser being in said first, second and third states and of said
dispenser being in a fourth state where said dispenser is in
standby or idle.
3. An ice and beverage dispenser as in claim 2, wherein said means
on said control panel for being controlled by the user comprises: a
first plurality of switches for being actuated by the user to
operate said dispenser in said first state in which a beverage
associated with an actuated switch of said first plurality is
dispensed; a second plurality of switches for being actuated by the
user to operate said dispenser in said second state in which a
flavored syrup associated with an actuated switch of said second
plurality is dispensed, and wherein said means for visibly
indicating comprises: illuminator means; and means for controlling
said illuminator means to visibly indicate to the user the state of
said dispenser.
4. An ice and beverage dispenser as in claim 3, wherein said
illuminator means is visible on said control panel.
5. An ice and beverage dispenser as in claim 3, wherein said
illuminator means illuminates said switches of said first and
second pluralities of switches.
6. An ice and beverage dispenser as in claim 3, wherein said
illuminator means provides illumination around said switches of
said first and second pluralities of switches.
7. An ice and beverage dispenser as in claim 3, wherein said
controlling means controls said illuminator means to provide first,
second, third and fourth visible indications when said dispenser is
in said respective first, second, third and fourth states.
8. An ice and beverage dispenser as in claim 7, wherein said first,
second, third and fourth visible indications are visibly distinct
one from the other.
9. An ice and beverage dispenser as in claim 3, wherein said means
for controlling is responsive to an absence of actuation of
switches of said first and second pluralities and to an absence of
dispensing of ice to control said illuminator means to visibly
indicate that said dispenser is in said fourth state.
10. A method of operating an ice and beverage dispenser, comprising
the steps of: operating the dispenser in a first state in which
beverage is dispensed; operating the dispenser in a second state in
which flavored syrup is dispensed; operating the dispenser in a
third state in which ice is dispensed; and visibly indicating to a
user the state of the dispenser.
11. A method as in claim 10, wherein said visibly indicating step
comprises generating visual indications of the dispenser being in
the first, second and third states and in a fourth state where the
dispenser is in standby or idle.
12. A method as in claim 11, wherein said visibly indicating step
comprises the steps of: providing illuminators on the dispenser;
and controlling the illuminators to visibly indicate the state of
the dispenser.
13. A method as in claim 12, wherein the dispenser has a first
plurality of switches for being actuated to operate the dispenser
in the first state in which beverage is dispensed, a second
plurality of switches for being actuated to operate the dispenser
in the second state in which flavored syrup is dispensed, and a
control panel for mounting the first and second pluralities of
switches, wherein said providing step provides illuminators at the
control panel.
14. A method as in claim 13, wherein said providing step provides
illuminators at the control panel in association with the switches
of the first and second pluralities.
15. A method as in claim 14, wherein said providing step provides
illuminators around individual ones of the switches of the first
and second pluralities.
16. A method as in claim 13, wherein said controlling step is
responsive to actuation of switches of the first and second
pluralities to control said providing step to visibly indicate the
first and second states of the dispenser.
17. A method as in claim 12, wherein said controlling step controls
the illuminators to provide first, second, third and fourth visible
indications when the dispenser is in the respective first, second,
third and fourth states.
18. A method as in claim 17, wherein the first, second, third and
fourth visible indications are visibly distinct one from the
other.
19. A method as in claim 13, wherein said controlling step is
responsive to an absence of actuation of switches of the first and
second pluralities and to an absence of ice dispense to control the
illuminators to visibly indicate the fourth state of the dispenser.
Description
[0001] This application claims benefit of provisional application
Ser. No. 06/571,697, filed May 17, 2004.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates in general to beverage
dispensers, and in particular to self-serve beverage
dispensers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Beverage dispensers deliver chilled flavored concentrate
syrup and chilled diluent for the syrup to post-mix beverage
dispensing valves where the beverage components are mixed together
in proper proportions and dispensed a into a cup. The diluent may
be carbonated or non-carbonated water depending whether a
carbonated or non-carbonated drink is to be serve, and the beverage
dispenser is normally fluid coupled to a number of sources of
concentrate syrup flavors, so that a variety of different beverages
may be served. A control panel located on the front of the
dispenser above the dispensing valves is normally used to provide
an interface with which a user interacts to select and dispense a
desired beverage. The control panel enables a user to conveniently
operate the beverage dispenser and may include push-button switches
for being actuated by the user to select a particular beverage to
be dispensed.
[0004] A beverage dispenser typically has more than one and up to
about twelve beverage dispensing valves. A dispensing valve may be
dedicated to serving a single beverage flavor or adapted to
dispense a variety of different flavors through a single nozzle.
For the situation where a valve dispenses a single flavor, a lever
may be provided below the valve nozzle for rearward displacement by
a cup to actuate the valve to dispense a beverage until the cup is
removed and the lever released. Where a valve dispenses multiple
flavors from a single nozzle, push-buttons on the control panel,
each associated with a different flavor, are typically used to
operate the dispenser to serve a selected beverage. In this case, a
cup is positioned beneath the nozzle and one or more buttons is
pressed to dispense one or more flavors of concentrate beverage
syrup and diluent into the cup. While in the past beverage
dispensing machines were usually operated by restaurant employees
to dispense and serve drinks to customers, it is becoming common
practice to place beverage dispensers at locations where they can
be accessed by restaurant patrons to permit self-service of
beverages.
[0005] Restaurant employees are trained in the use of beverage
dispensers, but operation of a beverage dispenser does not
necessarily come intuitively to restaurant patrons. This is
particularly true where the dispenser is of a type having a control
panel with customer actuated push-buttons and multi-flavor
dispensing nozzles, as compared to a dispenser having beverage
dispensing valves that are each labeled with the name of and
dedicated to dispensing a single beverage in response to rearward
displacement of a lever located below the valve. In addition, with
pushbutton actuated dispensers further customer confusion can arise
where the dispenser is also adapted to dispense both core brand
beverages and bonus flavored syrups, since the arrangement requires
the presence of additional push-buttons on the control panel,
adding to customer confusion and sometimes discouraging an
inexperienced user from even attempting to operate the
dispenser.
[0006] For beverage dispensers intended for self-serve use, it
would be desirable to provide means for visually guiding a user
through a beverage dispensing process. It would also be desirable
if the visual display were attractively configured to increase
customer interest in the dispenser and fountain beverages served by
the dispenser.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a
self-serve beverage dispenser with a lighting display that visually
guides restaurant patrons through the process of dispensing
selected beverages.
[0008] Another object is to provide such a beverage dispenser in
which the visual display creates customer interest both in the
dispenser and fountain beverages served by the dispenser.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In accordance with the present invention, an ice and
beverage dispenser comprises a control panel on a housing of the
dispenser, and means on the control panel for being controlled by a
user to operate the dispenser in first and second states where
beverages and flavored syrups are respectively dispensed by the
dispenser Also included are means for operating the dispenser in a
third state where ice is dispensed by the dispenser, and means for
visibly indicating to a user the state of the dispenser. In
addition to visibly indicating the first, second and states of the
dispenser, the visibly indicating means also indicates the
dispenser being in a fourth state where the dispenser is in standby
or idle.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the ice and beverage dispenser,
the means on the control panel for being controlled by the user
comprises a first plurality of switches for being actuated by the
user to operate the dispenser in the first state in which a
beverage associated with an actuated switch of the first plurality
is dispensed, and a second plurality of switches for being actuated
by the user to operate the dispenser in the second state in which a
flavored syrup associated with an actuated switch of the second
plurality is dispensed. Further, the means for visibly indicating
comprises illuminator means, and means for controlling the
illuminator means to visibly indicate to the user the state of the
dispenser.
[0011] The illuminator means is visible on the control panel and
may illuminate the switches of the first and second pluralities of
switches, advantageously by providing illumination around the
switches of the first and second pluralities. The controlling means
controls the illuminator means to provide first, second, third and
fourth visible indications when the dispenser is in the respective
first, second, third and fourth states, and the first, second,
third and fourth visible indications desirably are visibly distinct
one from the other. The means for controlling is responsive to an
absence of actuation of switches of the first and second
pluralities and to the absence of a dispensing of ice to control
the illuminator means to visibly indicate that the dispenser is in
the fourth state.
[0012] The invention also contemplates a method of operating an ice
and beverage dispenser, comprising the steps of operating the
dispenser in a first state in which beverage is dispensed,
operating the dispenser in a second state in which flavored syrup
is dispensed, operating the dispenser in a third state in which ice
is dispensed, and visibly indicating to a user the state of the
dispenser.
[0013] In a preferred practice of the method, the visibly
indicating step comprises generating visual indications of the
dispenser being in the first, second and third states as well as in
a fourth state where the dispenser is in standby or idle. The
visibly indicating step comprises the steps of providing
illuminators on the dispenser, and controlling the illuminators to
visibly indicate the state of the dispenser. The dispenser has a
first plurality of switches for being actuated to operate the
dispenser in the first state in which beverage is dispensed, a
second plurality of switches for being actuated to operate the
dispenser in the second state in which flavored syrup is dispensed,
and a control panel for mounting the first and second pluralities
of switches, and the providing step provides illuminators at the
control panel. The illuminators at the control panel are in
association with the switches of the first and second pluralities,
and may be around individual ones of the switches of the first and
second pluralities. The controlling step is responsive to actuation
of switches of the first and second pluralities to control the
providing step to visibly indicate the first and second states of
the dispenser, and advantageously the controlling step controls the
illuminators to provide first, second, third and fourth visible
indications when the dispenser is in the respective first, second,
third and fourth states. The first, second, third and fourth
visible indications are visibly distinct one from the other, and
the controlling step is responsive to an absence of actuation of
switches of the first and second pluralities and to an absence of
ice dispense to control the illuminators to visibly indicate the
fourth state of the dispenser.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an ice/beverage dispenser of
a type with which a visual light display system according to the
present invention may advantageously be used;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of a control panel and of
dispensing nozzles of the dispenser of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a flow
diagram of the operation of the visual light display system of the
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] The present invention may be embodied in an ice and beverage
dispenser of a type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and indicated generally
at 20. The dispenser 20 includes an outer housing 22, a
merchandising cover 24 and a removable ice bin cover 26. A
plurality of multi-beverage dispensing nozzles 28 and bonus flavor
concentrate syrup dispensing nozzles 29 is secured to a front of
the dispenser above a drip tray 30 and in front of and adjacent a
splash panel 32. An ice dispensing chute 34 is secured to the front
of the dispenser 20 centrally of the valves 28 and above the drip
tray 30. Although not shown, the ice/beverage dispenser 20 has an
ice retaining bin or hopper within an upper part of the housing 22.
To chill beverage liquids for serving, the dispenser may use a
mechanical chiller, although more advantageously it may employ a
cold plate located within a lower part of the housing 22 beneath
the ice retaining bin, with the ice retaining bin then having an
opening in a lower surface thereof through which ice gravitates
from the bin onto and in heat exchange contact with the cold plate.
To fill the hopper with ice, the cover 26 may be removed or, more
conveniently, be provided with a removable lid over an ice drop
hole, such that the lid may be removed for manual pouring of ice
through the ice drop hole into the hopper. Alternatively, the
dispenser 20 may be provided with an icemaker for making ice pieces
for automatic introduction into the ice retaining bin. As is
understood, the ice bin has a forward ice outlet opening controlled
by a gate and through which ice to be dispensed exits the bin under
the influence of an agitator in the bin for flow into, through and
out of the ice dispensing chute 34 into a cup located below the
chute.
[0017] The ice/beverage dispenser 20 includes a front control
panel, indicated generally at 36, located above the multi-beverage
dispensing nozzles 28 and bonus flavor syrup dispensing nozzles 29,
and below the merchandising cover 24, with which customers interact
to select particular core brand beverages and bonus flavor syrups
for dispensing into a cup. The control panel 36 is provided with a
number of push-button switches for operation by users to select one
or more core brand beverages and/or one or more bonus flavor syrups
for their drinks. The dispensing nozzles 28 and 29 are fluid
coupled to valves in the dispenser 20, which in the case of the
valves for delivering beverages to the nozzles 28 are post-mix
valves, and the valves in turn are fluid coupled to supplies of
concentrate core brand beverage syrup, diluents and concentrate
bonus flavor syrups. The diluents are normally supplies of
carbonated and non-carbonated or plain water, which are mixed with
core brand concentrate beverage syrups by the post-mix valves to
enable the dispensing of core brand beverages into cups, all in a
manner well understood in the art.
[0018] Above each multi-flavor core brand beverage dispensing
nozzle 28, the control panel 36 is provided with an associated
group, indicated generally at 38, of core brand beverage dispensing
push-button switches 40. In addition, above each multi-flavor bonus
syrup dispensing nozzle 29, the control panel 36 is provided with
an associated group, indicated generally at 42, of bonus flavor
syrup dispensing push-button switches 44. As is understood, each
group 38 push-button switch 40 is labeled with a particular brand
of beverage to be dispensed from the below associated dispensing
nozzle 28 upon actuation of a selected push-button switch 40, and
each group 42 push button switch 44 is labeled with a particular
bonus flavor syrup to be dispensed from the below associated
dispensing nozzle 29 upon actuation of a selected push-button
switch 44. Each button of the push-button switches 40 and 44 is
generally translucent and illuminated from behind by any suitable
illuminator. If the push-button switches 40 and 44 each carry a
centrally located opaque label identifying the core brand beverage
or bonus flavor to be dispensed, visible illumination provided by
the illuminators will appear as halos surrounding the switches.
[0019] In accordance with the invention, the beverage dispenser 20
has a lighting system for controlling the illuminators to visibly
illuminate the control panel push-button switches 40 and 44 in a
manner to create increased customer interest in the dispenser and
beverages served by the dispenser and also to help guide customers
in the dispensing of desired beverages. The lighting scheme is
intended to create increased fountain beverage sales through the
display of bright colors and lighting for improved merchandising
and high core brand beverage density in a small counter footprint.
The dispenser 20, with its push-button control panel 38, is highly
flexible and user friendly in that users have the option of
creating drinks to suit their tastes and also are guided through
the beverage creation process. The dispenser provides customers
with the option of dispensing core brand beverages and/or bonus
flavor syrups into their cups, depending upon customer preferences.
The dispenser also accommodates more than one core brand beverage
and more than one bonus flavor syrup being dispensed for each
individual drink.
[0020] To enhance merchandising of the dispenser 20 and to guide a
customer through a drink creation process, the invention
contemplates that the dispenser incorporate a suitable controller,
such as a microprocessor, for controlling and driving operation of
the illuminators or lights, which may be a plurality of
multi-colored light emitting diodes (LEDs) that are located behind
and illuminate each push-button switch 40 and 44 The LEDs light
into the back of a translucent push-button of each switch, with
each pushbutton being provided with a generally centrally located
opaque core brand beverage or bonus syrup flavor label on its front
that identifies the particular beverage or bonus flavor syrup to be
dispensed when the button is pushed. The light emitted through the
buttons thus glows around a perimeter 45 of the button and appears
as a halo around the labels.
[0021] The LEDs function in distinct modes. One mode occurs when
the dispenser 20 has been idle for a selected period and is not
being used, in which case the LEDs or illuminators are controlled
to illuminate the control panel switches 40 and 44 in a visually
identifiable standby mode. Other mode occur when ice is dispensed,
when a pushbutton switch 40 is actuated to operate the dispenser to
delivering a core brand beverage or when a pushbutton switch 44 is
actuated to operate the dispenser to dispense a bonus flavor syrup.
In other words, depending upon the state of the dispenser, the LEDs
are controlled to illuminate the control panel switches 40 and 44
in visually unique and identifiable manners that represent the
state of operation of the dispenser. The manner of illumination of
the push-button switches 40 and 44 to represent the various
different states of the dispenser is not critical to practice of
the invention, it being understood that unique and different
manners of illumination of the switches by the LEDs may be selected
for use in identifying each different state of the dispenser.
[0022] With reference to FIG. 3, at a box 46 a controller for the
LEDs drives or illuminates the LEDs in a standby mode when the
dispenser 20 is not in use, for example when it has been idle for
at least a selected time-out period. It is contemplated that for
the standby mode the controller drive, e.g., illuminate and control
the intensity of illumination and the color of, the LEDs in either
random or preset patterns. This light event or visual lighting
display may be characterized, for example, by causing selected ones
or all of the LEDs to fade in and out and to morph between various
colors, with the controller varying the power provided to each LED
to create blends of different colors and brightness for each.
Standby mode of the LEDs is intended to visually develop customer
interest in the dispenser 20 and the beverages it serves.
[0023] Upon occurrence of any one of four states of the
ice/beverage dispenser 20, comprising dispensing ice, dispensing a
core brand beverage, dispensing bonus flavor syrup and being idle,
an associated an associated and unique active mode of illumination
of the LEDs is initiated by the controller. Beginning at the box
46, with the dispenser 20 in an idle state and the LEDs being
driven or illuminated by the controller in a manner representing
standby mode of the dispenser 20, a first active mode of the LEDs
is commenced by the controller upon sensing at a box 48 the
dispensing of ice from the dispenser. Upon sensing of ice dispense,
at a box 50 the first active mode lighting event is initiated in
which, for example, the LEDs may be driven to alternately
illuminate and flash between the core brand beverage pushbutton
switches 40 and the bonus flavor syrup push-button switches 44. All
bonus flavor syrup buttons could simultaneously light and then all
core brand beverage buttons could simultaneously light alternately
during the illumination cycle in the first active mode of the LEDs.
The first active mode then continues until one of three events
occur, comprising actuation by a user of any pushbutton switch 40,
actuation of any push-button switch 44 or timing out of a selected
period without any push-button switch having been actuated. If a
user does not make a selection of a core brand beverage or syrup
flavor and the controller therefore does not sense actuation of a
push-button switch 40 or 44 before the end of the time-out period,
at a box 52 the controller discontinues driving the LEDs in the
first active mode and at the box 46 returns to driving the LEDs in
the standby mode. However, if before the end of the time-out period
a push button switch 40 or 44 is actuated, at a box 54 the
controller senses whether it is a switch 40 for a core brand
beverage or at a box 56 if it is a switch 44 for bonus flavor
syrup. If it is sensed that a core brand beverage switch 40 was
pressed to dispense a selected core brand beverage into a
customer's cup held below the associated dispensing nozzle 28, at a
box 58 the controller terminates the first active mode of the LEDs
and changes the lighting event to a second active mode in which,
for example, the buttons of all of the core brand beverage switches
40 are continuously lighted and the buttons of all of the bonus
flavor syrup switches 44 are alternately illuminated or flashed. On
the other hand, if at the box 56 the controller senses that a bonus
flavor syrup switch 44 was pressed to dispense a selected bonus
flavor syrup into a cup held below a dispensing nozzle 29, at a box
62 the controller terminates the first active mode of the LEDs and
changes the lighting event to a third active mode in which, for
example, the buttons of all of the bonus flavor switches 44 are
continuously lighted while the buttons of all of the core beverage
switches 40 are alternately illuminated or flashed.
[0024] If after an initial actuation of a core brand switch 40 no
further switches are actuated for the selected time-out period,
then at a box 64 the controller discontinues driving the LEDs in
the second active mode and at the box 46 returns to driving the
LEDs in the standby mode. Similarly, if after an initial actuation
of a bonus flavor switch 44 no further switches are actuated for
the selected time-out period, then at a box 66 the controller
discontinues driving the LEDs in the third active mode and at the
box 46 returns to driving the LEDs in the standby mode. On the
other hand, if a core brand switch 40 has initially been actuated
and before the end of the time-out period, while the LEDs are still
being driven in the second active mode, at a box 68 a bonus flavor
syrup switch 44 is actuated, then at a box 70 the controller
interrupts driving the LEDs in the second active mode and commences
driving the LEDs in the third active mode where the bonus flavor
switches 44 are continuously illuminated and the core brand
beverage switches 40 are alternately illuminated or flashed.
Similarly, if a bonus flavor syrup switch 44 has initially been
actuated and before the end of the time-out period, while the LEDs
are still being driven in the third active mode, a core brand
beverage switch 40 is actuated at a box 72, then at a box 74 the
controller interrupts driving the LEDs in the third active mode and
commences driving the LEDs in the second active mode where the core
brand beverage switches 40 are continuously illuminated and the
bonus flavor switches 44 are alternately illuminated or flashed.
After the core brand beverage switches 40 or the bonus flavor
switches 44 have continuously been illuminated at respective box 74
or 70 for a time-out period, at the box 46 the controller returns
to driving the LEDs in the standby mode.
[0025] If while the ice/beverage dispenser 20 is in an idle state
at the box 46 and the LEDs are being driven in standby mode, at a
box 76 a core brand beverage switch 40 is actuated, then at a box
78 the controller will drive the LEDs in the second active, mode in
which the core brand beverage switches 40 are continuously
illuminated and the bonus flavor syrup switches 44 are alternately
illuminated or flashed. If no further switches 40 or 44 are
actuated by the user before the end of the time-out period, at a
box 80 the controller discontinues driving the LEDs in the second
active mode and at the box 46 returns to driving the LEDs in the
standby mode. If, however, before the end of the time-out period
the user at a box 82 selects a bonus flavor by actuating a bonus
flavor switch 44, then at a box 84 the controller discontinues
driving the LEDs in the second active mode and commences driving
the LEDs in the third active mode where all of the bonus flavor
syrup switches 44 are continuously illuminated and all of the core
brand beverage switches 40 are alternately illuminated or flashed
for the time-out period, following which the at the box 46
controller returns to driving the LEDs in the standby mode.
[0026] On the other hand, if at a box 86 a bonus flavor syrup
switch 44 is actuated while the ice/beverage dispenser 20 is in an
idle state, at a box 88 the controller discontinues driving the
LEDs in the standby mode and commences driving the LEDs in the
third active mode in which the bonus flavor switches 44 are
continuously illuminated and the core brand beverage switches 40
are alternately illuminated or flashed. If no further switches 40
or 44 are actuated by the user before the end of the time-out
period, at a box 90 the controller discontinues driving the LEDs in
the third active mode and at the box 46 returns to driving the LEDs
in the standby mode. However, if before the end of the time-out
period the user at a box 92 selects a core brand beverage by
actuating a core brand beverage switch 44, then at a box 94 the
controller discontinues driving the LEDs in the third active mode
and commences driving the LEDs in the second active mode where all
of the core brand beverage switches 40 are continuously illuminated
and all of the bonus flavor syrup switches 44 are alternately
illuminated or flashed for the time-out period, following which at
the box 46;the controller returns to driving the LEDs in the
standby mode.
[0027] If there is no activity, i.e., no ice dispense or actuation
of a switch 40 or 44, during a period when there is flashing of the
switches 40 or 44, it is contemplated that the controller will
continue to drive the LEDs to flash for a preset time before
beginning the time-out period, and that during the time-out period
the switches will be continuously illuminated before the controller
returns to driving the LEDs in standby mode.
[0028] When either the core brand beverage switches 40 or the bonus
flavor syrup switches 44 are continuously on and respective
dispensing of a core brand beverage or a bonus flavor syrup is
occurring, additional actuation of any push-button switch is
ignored by the LED controller and the LEDs continue to be driven in
the then existing active mode of illumination until the end of the
respective time-out period. Also, ice dispense operations that
occur after initiation of an active mode of the LEDs are ignored by
the controller and the then occurring light event continues as
though ice dispense has not taken place. Further, in the event that
two actuations of the switches 40 and 44 occur in a very short time
frame, the light event initiated by the first actuation is
continued to its conclusion and the subsequent actuation is ignored
by the controller.
[0029] While embodiments of the invention have been described in
detail, various modifications and other embodiments thereof may be
devised by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit
and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *