Patent Publication Number: US-2016222334-A1

Title: Fermentation monitoring device and method for monitoring a fermentation process

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority of Taiwanese Application Ho. 104103728, filed on Feb. 4, 2015. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The disclosure relates to a fermentation monitoring device and a method tor monitoring a fermentation process that is to be implemented by the fermentation monitoring device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A fermentation process typically involves putting certain ingredients into a sealed space, in order to produce a desired product (e.g., wine, beer, yogurt, etc.). In the fermentation process, chemical reactions occur and convert specific molecules (e.g., carbohydrate) into other molecules (e.g., alcohol). 
     During the fermentation process, one or more environment parameters inside the sealed space may need to be closely monitored. Moreover, a time to complete the fermentation process may vary widely based on the desired product and the condition of the sealed space. 
     SUMMARY 
     One object of the disclosure is to provide a fermentation monitoring device that is configured to automatically monitor a fermentation process occurring in a bottle. 
     According to the disclosure, the fermentation monitoring device includes a cap body, a detecting unit and a processor. 
     The cap body is for sealing an opening of the bottle. The cap body and the bottle cooperate to define a fermentation space. 
     The detecting unit is disposed at the cap body, and is configured to continuously monitor at least one environment parameter in the fermentation space by detecting a value of the at least one environment parameter. 
     The processor is disposed at the cap body and is coupled to the detecting unit. The processor is operable, in response to receipt of an activation signal, to: 
     estimate when the fermentation process is to be completed, based on the value of the at least one environment parameter detected by the processor; 
     determine whether the value of the at least one environment parameter is within a predetermined range; and 
     generate an alert response when it is determined that the value of the at least one environment parameter is out of the predetermined, range. 
     Another object of the disclosure is to provide a method for monitoring a fermentation process occurring in a bottle, the method to be implemented by a fermentation monitoring device that seals an opening of the bottle and that includes a processor and a detecting unit. The method includes the steps of: 
     a) continuously detecting, by the detecting unit, a value of at least one environment parameter in a fermentation space that is defined cooperatively by the fermentation monitoring device and the bottle; 
     b) estimating, by the processor, when the fermentation process is to be completed based on the value of the at least one environment parameter detected in step a); 
     c) determining, by the processor, whether the value of the at least one environment parameter detected in step a) is within a predetermined range; and 
     d) generating, by the processor, an alert response when it is determined that the value of the at least one environment parameter is out of the predetermined range. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent in the following detailed description of the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which; 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a fermentation monitoring device according to one embodiment of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the fermentation monitoring device according to one embodiment of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating components of the fermentation monitoring device according to one embodiment of the disclosure; and 
         FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating steps of a method for monitoring a fermentation process, according to one embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a fermentation monitoring device  1  according to one embodiment of the disclosure. The fermentation monitoring device  1  may be embodied using a bottle cap that is made to seal an opening of a bottle  100 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , when the fermentation monitoring device  1  seals the opening of the bottle  100 , the fermentation monitoring device  1  and the bottle  100  cooperatively define a fermentation space. 
     The fermentation monitoring device  1  includes a cap body  10 , a processor  11  disposed at the cap body  10 , a detecting unit  12 , a weight scale  126 , a pressure valve  131 , an ultraviolet (UV) anti-bacterial light source  132  (see  FIG. 2 ), a power unit  14  (see  FIG. 3 ), and a storage  15 . 
     The detecting unit  12  is coupled to the processor  11 , and includes a plurality of detecting components for respectively monitoring a plurality of environment parameters by detecting values of the environment parameters. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, the detecting unit  12  includes an air pressure detecting component  121  for detecting a value of an air pressure in the fermentation space, a temperature detecting component  122  for detecting a value of a temperature in the fermentation space, a carbon dioxide detecting component  123  for detecting a value of a carbon dioxide concentration in the fermentation space, an acidity detecting component  124  for detecting a value of an acidity of a solution in the fermentation space, and an alcohol detecting component  125  for detecting a value of an alcohol concentration in the fermentation space. The acidity detecting component  124  extends from the cap body  10  into the fermentation space (as best depicted in  FIG. 1 ), and the other detecting components may be disposed in the cap body  10  and become exposed, as seen in.  FIG. 2  (which is a top view of the fermentation monitoring device  1 ). 
     The pressure control valve  131  is disposed at the cap body  10 , and may be controlled to open or close in order to control the air pressure in the fermentation space. 
     The UV anti-bacterial light source  132  is disposed at the cap body  10 , and may be controlled to activate in order to irradiate the fermentation space. 
     The power unit  14  provides the power required for operations of the other components of the fermentation monitoring device  1 . In this embodiment, the power unit  14  may be recharged wirelessly via an external power source. 
     The storage  15  is coupled to the processor  11 , and stores information regarding the environment parameters therein. Specifically, the storage  15  stores a predetermined range associated with each of the environment parameters. 
     The processor  11  may be capable of communicating with an electronic device  2 , and controlled by the electronic device  2  to perform various operations. The communication between the processor  11  and the electronic device  2  may be done using a local area network (LAN), a Bluetooth® communication, or via an intermediate server  3 . The electronic device  2  may be embodied using a smartphone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, etc. 
     The processor  11  maybe operable to implement a method for monitoring a fermentation process that is to be carried out in the bottle  100  (i.e., the fermentation space). That is to say, when a user intends to produce a specific product via the fermentation process, the user may place the associated ingredients inside the bottle  100 , seal the opening of the bottle  100  using the fermentation monitoring device  1 , and control the processor  11  to start monitoring the fermentation process. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates steps of a method for monitoring the fermentation process, according to one embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Before the fermentation process begins, the user may operate the electronic device  2  to transmit a signal to the processor  11 . Specifically, the user may operate the electronic device  2  to execute an application. 
     The application may control the electronic device  2  to display a menu having a plurality of products. Subsequently, the electronic device  2  allows the user to select one of the products that is intended to be produced by the fermentation process. After the user selects one of the products, the electronic device  2  may further display a recipe for the selected one of the products. The recipe may include one or more ingredients, a weight associated with the one or more ingredients, and, in the case that a plurality of ingredients are involved, a specific order in which the ingredients are to be put into the bottle  100 . The weight scale  126  is disposed at a bottom surface of the bottle  100  and coupled to the  11  processor for detecting a weight of content in the bottle  100 . After the ingredient(s) is (are) put in the bottle  100 , the fermentation monitoring device  1  is used to seal the bottle  100  thereby defining the fermentation space. 
     To initiate the method for monitoring the fermentation process, in step S 2 , the user operates the electronic device  2  to input a start signal. In response, the electronic device  2  communicates with the fermentation monitoring device  1  and transmits the start signal to the fermentation monitoring device  1 , indicating that monitoring of the fermentation process is to be started. Based on the user input of the product, the processor  11  of the fermentation monitoring device may determine which ones of the environment parameters are to be monitored, and adjust the predetermined ranges associated with the to-be-monitored ones of the environment parameters based on the user input of the product so that the predetermined ranges is appropriate for the product. 
     In step S 3 , the detecting unit  12  is activated to continuously monitor the relevant environment parameters. 
     Moreover, the processor  11  estimates when the fermentation process is to be completed, based on the values of the environment parameters that are most recently detected. In this embodiment, the processor  11  estimates a time to completion to indicate when the fermentation process is to be completed, and transmits a notification of the time to completion to the electronic device  2  so as to enable the electronic device  2  to count down the time to completion. 
     It is worth noting that in one embodiment, the processor  11  periodically estimates a time to completion. That is done because the values of the environment parameters in the fermentation space may change rapidly during the fermentation process, and by dynamically estimating and updating the time to completion, a more accurate estimation may yield. In some cases, when the value(s) of one or more particular environment parameters (e.g., a concentration of alcohol) reaches a specific level, the processor  11  may determine that the fermentation process is complete. 
     In step S 4 , during the fermentation process, the processor  11  determines whether the value of each of the environment parameters detected in step S 3  is within the associated one of the predetermined ranges. 
     When it is determined that the value of one of the monitored environment parameters is out of the associated one of the predetermined ranges, the processor  11  generates an alert response in step S 5 . The alert response may be transmitted to the electronic device  2  so as to notify the user, such that the user may perform various procedures to rectify the environment parameter(s). 
     The processor  11  may automatically address some of the issues associated with the environment parameter (s) and determined in step S 4 . For example, in step S 6 , when it is determined that the air pressure in the fermentation space is larger than an upper limit of the associated predetermined range, the processor  11  controls the pressure control valve  131  to open so as to decrease the air pressure in the fermentation space. 
     It is noted that, during any stage of the fermentation process, the UV anti-bacterial light source  132  may be activated by the processor  11  in order to irradiate the fermentation space (step S 7 ). In this embodiment, the UV anti-bacterial light source  132  may be activated right after the monitoring of the fermentation process has started. 
     In step S 8 , when the time to completion estimated by the processor  11  becomes zero and/or the processor  11  determines that the fermentation process is complete, the processor  11  may generate a completion signal and transmit the completion signal to the electronic device  2 . Alternatively, when the countdown of the time to completion conducted by the electronic device  2  reaches zero, the electronic device  2  generates an alert to notify the user that the fermentation process has completed. 
     To sum up, the fermentation device  1  and the method for monitoring the fermentation process as described in the disclosure are configured to monitor the environment parameters in the fermentation space, and to provide an alert response when the values of the environment parameters is out of the respective predetermined ranges. Moreover, the fermentation device  1  is configured to estimate the time to completion and to address some of the issues regarding the environment parameters automatically, and is therefore able to provide the user with a more user-friendly environment for executing the fermentation process. 
     While the disclosure has been described in connection with what are considered the exemplary embodiments, it is understood that this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements.