Patent Description:
The process of steaming milk is well known part of creating certain café beverages. In most applications, a steam wand is immersed into a milk or milk product that is held within a container assembly. The steam can heat the milk and by varying the depth of the steam wand in the milk the user can generate froth in and/or over the milk. The heated and frothed milk can be added to beverage ingredients (e.g., espresso) to create certain café beverages. While such known techniques are useful, there is a continued desire to improve the quality of the final milk product and the process of creating the milk product. Further relevant prior art is described in <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, and <CIT>.

Various embodiments are depicted in the accompanying drawings for illustrative purposes, and should in no way be interpreted as limiting the scope of the embodiments. Various features of different disclosed embodiments can be combined to form additional embodiments, which are part of this disclosure. For solving the aforementioned problem, a beverage foaming system is provided having the features defined in claim <NUM>.

Various beverage preparation systems and methods are described below to illustrate various examples that may achieve one or more desired improvements. These examples are only illustrative and not intended in any way to restrict the general disclosure presented and the various aspects and features of this disclosure. The general principles described herein may be applied to embodiments and applications other than those discussed herein without departing from the scope as defined by the appended claims. Indeed, this disclosure is not limited to the particular embodiments shown, but is instead to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features that are disclosed or suggested herein. In many of the embodiments described herein, the beverage preparation system is described as heating and/or creating foam within milk or a milk product by adding steam and/or air to the milk or milk product. However, it should be appreciated that certain features and aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein may be applicable to other beverages besides milk or milk product and thus the description herein is not limited to milk or milk products. In addition, certain embodiments are directed to a method and apparatus that utilizes temperature to estimate the volume of liquid contained within a container. In certain embodiments, such methods can be utilized and applied to beverage preparation systems configured in different manners.

Although certain aspects, advantages, and features are described herein, it is not necessary that any particular embodiment include or achieve any or all of those aspects, advantages, and features. Some embodiments may not achieve the advantages described herein, but may achieve other advantages instead. Any structure, feature, or step in any embodiment can be used in place of, or in addition to, any structure, feature, or step in any other embodiment, or omitted. This disclosure contemplates all combinations of features from the various disclosed embodiments.

<FIG> illustrates an embodiment of a beverage preparation system <NUM>. To facilitate presentation, the system <NUM> is discussed in the context of foaming milk and/or a milk product that can be used to create café beverages such as, for example, a latte or cappuccino. However as noted above, certain features and aspects of the disclosure can be applied in other contexts as well, such as heating and/or creating foam in other types of products and/or creating other types of liquid food products, which may include beverages, soups, broths, creams, purées, and the like.

As illustrated, the system <NUM> can include a container assembly <NUM>. In the embodiment illustrated in <FIG>, the container assembly includes a pitcher <NUM>. In various configurations, the pitcher <NUM> may be implemented in a variety of forms, such as a cup, jug, carafe, decanter, or any suitable apparatus for containing a liquid. The pitcher <NUM> may be constructed from a variety of materials including glass, plastic, metal, and other generally non-permeable materials suitable for holding liquid. In certain embodiments, the pitcher <NUM>, or indeed, the entire container assembly <NUM>, may be made from stainless steel, or another suitable metal. The pitcher <NUM> can include a handle <NUM>. In certain configurations, the handle <NUM> may be disposed on the exterior of the container assembly <NUM>. In this manner, the handle <NUM> may facilitate transport and handling of the container assembly <NUM>. As depicted in <FIG>, the pitcher <NUM> further includes a generally open first or upper end <NUM> through which a liquid may be introduced into the interior of the container assembly <NUM>.

As further depicted in <FIG>, a closed second or lower end <NUM> is disposed generally opposite the open first or upper end <NUM>. The closed lower end <NUM> of the pitcher <NUM> can be coupled to a base assembly <NUM> (also referred herein as "base"). The base assembly <NUM> can house certain components of the container assembly <NUM>.

Also depicted in <FIG> is a temperature sensor <NUM>. In various configurations, the temperature sensor <NUM> may be disposed such that the temperature sensor <NUM> is in fluid communication with the interior of the pitcher <NUM>, such that temperature sensor <NUM> may detect the temperature of a fluid residing within the interior of the pitcher <NUM>. For instance, as depicted in <FIG>, the temperature sensor <NUM> is disposed within the interior of the pitcher <NUM> generally near or within the closed lower end <NUM>. However, it will be appreciated that the placement of the temperature sensor <NUM> is not so limited. For instance, in various configurations, the temperature sensor <NUM> may be disposed within the base assembly <NUM>, as depicted in <FIG>. In certain configurations, the temperature sensor <NUM> may be disposed along a sidewall of the pitcher <NUM>, as depicted in <FIG>. In still further embodiments, the temperature sensor <NUM> can be coupled to a separate element such as a probe or wand that is inserted into the pitcher <NUM>. In certain configurations, the temperature sensor <NUM> may further include a wireless transmitter configured to transmit information relating the temperature of the product contained within the container assembly <NUM>.

Temperature sensor <NUM> may be leveraged to provide additional capabilities to the beverage preparation system <NUM>. For instance, in some embodiments, the system <NUM> can be configured to prevent the initiation of an aeration and/or heating operation if communication with the temperature sensor <NUM> cannot be established. Likewise, the system <NUM> can be configured to terminate an ongoing aeration and/or heating operation if communication with the temperature sensor <NUM> is interrupted. Similarly, in certain configurations, the system <NUM> can be configured to modify the parameters of an ongoing aeration and/or heating operation based on detected characteristics of the liquid residing within the interior of container assembly <NUM>. In various configurations, the system <NUM> may be configured to automatically modify the parameters of an ongoing aeration and/or heating operation if the temperature of the liquid residing within the interior of container assembly <NUM> exceeds operational parameters. For instance, system <NUM> may be configured to automatically reduce the rate of steam flow where temperature sensor <NUM> reports that the temperature of the liquid residing within the interior of container assembly <NUM> is near boiling. In a similar manner, system <NUM> may automatically increase the rate of steam flow where temperature sensor <NUM> reports that the temperature of the liquid residing within the interior of container assembly <NUM> is not increasing at a sufficient rate. In various configurations, beverage preparation system <NUM> may automatically optimize a given procedure to account for variations in the production process, such as variable volumes of fluid residing within the interior of container assembly <NUM>, as will be explained more fully below.

The container assembly <NUM> is supported by the base assembly <NUM> on the platform <NUM>. It will be appreciated that platform <NUM> may support additional components of the beverage preparation system <NUM>. For instance, as illustrated in <FIG>, platform <NUM> may support one or more of a user interface <NUM> and a display <NUM>, among other possible components. Moreover, the steam supply system <NUM>, which may include both the steam source <NUM> and the air supply <NUM>, can be positioned below or partially below the platform <NUM>, as depicted in <FIG> and <FIG>. Accordingly, in certain implementations, a user of the system <NUM> may utilize the user interface <NUM> to selected desired finished beverage characteristics, such as temperature and degree of aeration, while the actual components of the steam supply system <NUM> can be positioned below the platform <NUM> and out of view of the user. Nevertheless, the user may monitor the activity of the various components of the steam supply system <NUM> through display <NUM>. Since the steam supply system <NUM> may be housed beneath the platform <NUM>, base assembly <NUM> may be configured to allow a flow of air and/or steam to pass from the steam supply system <NUM> disposed beneath the platform <NUM>, into the container assembly <NUM> above the platform, as best depicted in <FIG>.

With continued reference to <FIG>, the base assembly <NUM> may be configured to allow a flow of steam and/or air to flow from beneath platform <NUM> into container assembly <NUM> above platform <NUM> through nozzle <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the nozzle <NUM> may be disposed within base assembly <NUM>, but configured to extend into container assembly <NUM> through an opening <NUM> disposed on the generally closed lower end <NUM> of container assembly <NUM>. The opening <NUM>, through which the nozzle extends, can be configured to include a sealing member (e.g., an O-ring, gasket, or other type of seal) configured to provide a generally liquid-tight seal between the container assembly <NUM> and the base assembly <NUM>. As best shown in <FIG>, the second end <NUM> of the container assembly <NUM> comprises the opening <NUM>, though which the nozzle <NUM> extends. On the opposite side of opening <NUM>, nozzle <NUM> rests on the valve seat <NUM>. In this manner, valve seat <NUM> can provide an interface that connects the nozzle <NUM> to a steam supply system <NUM> (also referred to as "steam supply" or "steam supply unit"), which may be configured to include at least one of a steam source <NUM> and an air source <NUM>. In certain arrangements, steam and/or air can flow up through the valve seat <NUM>, into the nozzle <NUM>, and then into the interior of the container assembly <NUM> to heat and/or aerate liquid (e.g., milk or a milk product) contained within the container assembly <NUM>. Advantageously, a liquid tight seal may be formed between nozzle <NUM> and valve seat <NUM> to prevent fluid resident in the container assembly <NUM> from escaping out of the bottom end <NUM> through the opening <NUM> towards base assembly <NUM>.

Depicted in <FIG> is a detailed view of the bottom end <NUM> (e.g., bottom) of the container assembly <NUM>, including the nozzle <NUM>. The nozzle can be formed of an elastomeric material and in some embodiments can be formed of a single piece of elastomeric material. As shown in <FIG>, the nozzle <NUM> can have a first or upper end <NUM> that extends into the interior of the container assembly <NUM>. The upper end <NUM> of nozzle <NUM> may be rounded. The nozzle <NUM> may further include a second or bottom end <NUM>, which can form an opening at the bottom of the base assembly <NUM>. The bottom end of the nozzle <NUM> can form a gasket <NUM>, which can mate with a top surface <NUM> of the corresponding valve seat <NUM> in the platform <NUM>, best seen in <FIG>. In certain embodiments, the nozzle <NUM> can include the slits or apertures <NUM> that in certain embodiments can function as one-way valves. Thus, the liquid in the interior of the pitcher <NUM> can be inhibited or prevented from escaping out of the second or bottom end <NUM> of pitcher <NUM> when disengaged from the base assembly <NUM>.

Depicted in <FIG> is a close-up view of an embodiment of the slits <NUM> discussed above. In some embodiments, the slits <NUM> allow gas and vapor received into the nozzle <NUM> to proceed into the interior of container assembly <NUM>. As depicted in <FIG>, the slits <NUM> can be oriented to direct the flow of gas and vapor substantially horizontally outwards. In various additional configurations, the slits <NUM> can be configured to direct the flow of gas and vapor substantially downwards towards the bottom end <NUM>, and perimeter of the pitcher <NUM> and can be in the form of downward slits <NUM> formed in the wall <NUM> of the nozzle <NUM>. Directing the flow of steam and/or air may allow the liquid residing in the container assembly <NUM> to be heated and/or aerated in a more uniform manner.

As shown in <FIG>, the nozzle <NUM> can include apertures which can comprise slits <NUM> through which air and/or steam may flow into the interior of container assembly <NUM>. Likewise, depicted in <FIG> is a side view of nozzle <NUM> where the slits <NUM> can be seen. The slits <NUM> can be configured to open or "crack" at a selected pressure. For instance, in some embodiments, the nozzle <NUM> can be configured to inhibit the flow of gas or until the flow has reached a certain minimum threshold pressure by modifying the size and configuration of the various slits <NUM> disposed on nozzle <NUM>. Thus, in certain embodiments, the slits <NUM> remain closed until the pressure increases above a threshold value. Once the pressure exceeds the threshold value, the slits <NUM> can open to allow steam and/or air to enter the container assembly. In one embodiment, the threshold pressure for opening the slits <NUM> is about <NUM> psi. In this manner, the nozzle <NUM> can operate as a check valve that only allows steam and/or air to enter into the container assembly <NUM> if the pressure in the nozzle <NUM> exceeds a certain threshold. For instance, as depicted in <FIG>, the nozzle <NUM> includes a plurality of slits <NUM> that are configured to crack open at a selected pressure. Likewise, <FIG> depicts the plurality of slits <NUM> cracked open in response to a flow of air and/or steam of sufficient pressure. In the illustrated embodiment of <FIG>, the slits <NUM> can have horizontal axis and can extend at a <NUM> degree orientation on the nozzle <NUM>.

As noted above, in <FIG>, the slit <NUM> is disposed along a horizontal axis but can extend along a <NUM> degree orientation on the nozzle <NUM>. In modified embodiments, the slits <NUM> can direct flow downwards as mentioned above, upwardly and/or horizontally. Such slits <NUM> can also extend along the nozzle at <NUM> degrees orientation along the nozzle, vertically and/or horizontally in various embodiments. In this manner, the flow of steam from steam source <NUM>, and the flow of air from air source <NUM>, may be controlled and directed by the nozzle as the flow proceeds into the interior of container assembly <NUM>.

To further control the flow of steam and/or air, various additional valves may be implemented within steam supply system <NUM>. For instance, in various configurations, the steam source <NUM> can be provided with a steam valve <NUM> to control the amount of steam flowing into a steam supply conduit <NUM>. In one configuration, the steam valve <NUM> may be a proportional solenoid valve. In a similar manner, the air source <NUM> can be provided with an air valve <NUM>, which may be used to control the amount of air flowing through an air supply conduit <NUM>. In certain configurations, the air valve <NUM> may be a needle valve. However, it will be appreciated that either of the steam valve <NUM> or the air valve <NUM> may be implemented in a variety of mechanisms suitable for permitting, modulating, restricting, or terminating a flow of a gas and/or vapor through a conduit. For instance, air valve <NUM> or steam valve <NUM> may comprise ball valves, diaphragm valves, butterfly valves, relief valves, gate valves, and any other suitable implementation.

With continued reference to <FIG>, the steam supply conduit <NUM> and the air supply conduit <NUM> can be connected to a main supply conduit <NUM> by a T-connection <NUM>. In turn, the main supply conduit <NUM> may be connected to the valve seat <NUM> to facilitate the introduction of steam and/or air into the container assembly <NUM> through the nozzle <NUM>. As best seen in <FIG>, within the T-connection <NUM>, a one-way valve <NUM> can be provided at the outlet to the air supply conduit <NUM>. In one embodiment, the one-way valve <NUM> is in a duck-bill valve. The one-way valve <NUM> can prevent steam from the steam source <NUM> from flowing down the air supply conduit <NUM> towards the air source <NUM>. In the embodiment depicted, the one-way valve <NUM> is positioned within the T-connection <NUM> near or below the inlet to the air and steam supply conduit of T-connection <NUM>. By positioning, the one-way valve <NUM> within the T-connection near or below the inlet to the air and steam supply conduit, lingering air that may be resident in the T-connection, as well as air resident in the steam and air conduit <NUM>, can optionally be purged from the passageway, as will be explained in more detail below. Such an arrangement helps to prevent the formation of undesirable large air bubbles in the container assembly <NUM>.

The air and steam conduit <NUM> can extend upwardly through the valve seat <NUM> to form a steam outlet <NUM> at the upper surface <NUM> of the base assembly <NUM>. In certain configurations, the valve seat <NUM> can also form an exhaust path <NUM>. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in <FIG>, the exhaust path <NUM> is formed by an annular gap <NUM> that extends around the main supply conduit <NUM> forming an exhaust inlet on the base assembly <NUM> through the valve seat <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the exhaust path <NUM> can be connected to an exhaust fitting <NUM>, which in turn is connected to an exhaust conduit <NUM>. The exhaust conduit <NUM> may be opened or closed to facilitate or inhibit the flow of steam and/or air into the exhaust path <NUM> using the exhaust valve <NUM>. The exhaust valve <NUM> may be used to close the pathway to the exhaust conduit <NUM>, thereby producing a build-up of pressure within the steam and air conduit <NUM>. In a similar manner, the exhaust valve <NUM> may opened to allow steam, air, or a combination thereof, to flow into the exhaust path <NUM>, thereby reducing the pressure in the steam and air conduit <NUM>.

Advantageously, the foregoing configuration allows air to be purged from the main supply conduit <NUM> either before or after operation of the system <NUM> by leveraging the interaction between the nozzle <NUM>, apertures <NUM>, and exhaust path <NUM>. For instance, when the pinch valve <NUM> in the exhaust conduit <NUM> is in an open position, the steam and/or air flowing up from through the steam and air conduit <NUM> will not "crack" open the openings in the valve. In this manner, steam and air is directed up towards the nozzle <NUM> and then down through the annular exhaust gap <NUM>, through the exhaust conduit <NUM>. Conversely, when the valve <NUM> in the exhaust conduit <NUM> is closed, pressure at the nozzle <NUM> will increase until the apertures <NUM> in the nozzle "crack" or open. In this manner, the exhaust valve <NUM> can be used in conjunction with slits <NUM> of nozzle <NUM> to allow steam and air conduit <NUM> to be purged of latent air or steam resident in the pathways from previous operation cycles. For example, by routing the flow of steam and/or air away from the nozzle <NUM>, the air resident in the air and steam conduit <NUM> may be expelled from the passageway. Afterwards, the exhaust valve <NUM> can be closed to begin directing higher pressure steam and air to the container assembly <NUM>. In various configurations, system <NUM> may be configured to automatically purge the main supply conduit <NUM> of latent gas and/or vapor prior to the initialization of an aeration and/or heating operation, or after an aeration and/or heating operation has been completed.

The platform <NUM> can include a display <NUM>, as depicted in <FIG>. The display <NUM> may be implemented in a wide variety of configurations. For instance, in one embodiment, the display <NUM> can comprise a gauge with one or more dials. In other embodiments, the display <NUM> can be located in other positions, and in certain embodiments, can be remote from the container assembly <NUM> or platform <NUM>. The display <NUM> can display information regarding various physical properties of the liquid residing within container assembly <NUM>. For instance, the display <NUM> can display the temperature of the liquid residing within the container assembly <NUM>, as detected by temperature sensor <NUM>. Similarly, the display <NUM> may display information regarding duration or amount of air, steam, or a combination thereof delivered to the container assembly <NUM>.

In certain configurations, the display <NUM> can be viewed by a user of the system to observe certain characteristics of the liquid residing in the container assembly <NUM>. For instance, the display <NUM> may be configured to depict the temperature of the liquid residing in the container assembly <NUM>, as reported by temperature sensor <NUM>. Likewise, in certain configurations, the display <NUM> can be configured to display the duration of air or steam delivery. For instance, in certain configurations the display <NUM> can be configured to activate when a flow of air is initiated through the T-connection <NUM> to display the duration of air delivery.

Display <NUM> is depicted in <FIG> as a gauge. <FIG> also illustrates the display <NUM>, which in the illustrated embodiment can be in the form of a gauge with two dials <NUM>, <NUM> (described in more detail below). The gauge <NUM> may display various characteristics of the liquid residing in the container assembly. For instance, the gauge in <FIG> is configured to include a temperature dial <NUM> and time dial <NUM>. Specifically, the temperature dial <NUM> is configured to depict the temperature of the liquid residing in dispensing unit, for instance, as detected by temperature sensor <NUM>. Likewise, the time dial <NUM> is configured to depict the air pump's duration of operation. By referencing display <NUM>, it is possible for a user of the system to determine if the optimal temperature of the liquid residing in the container assembly <NUM> has been reached, and to estimate the foam characteristics of the liquid based on the air pump's displayed period of activity. However, the display <NUM> may be implemented in a variety of manners to show various additional characteristics of the liquid. For instance, the display <NUM> may be configured to depict the pressure of the liquid residing in dispensing unit. In addition, in modified arrangements, the dials can be replaced with digital displays or bars or other visual indicators.

Platform <NUM> may also include a user interface <NUM>. The user interface <NUM> can allow a user to control operation of the system <NUM> to alter the physical characteristics of a liquid residing within container assembly <NUM>. For instance, in certain configurations, the user interface <NUM> can be manipulated to module, regulate, or otherwise control a flow of steam and/or air from the steam supply system <NUM> into the container assembly <NUM>. The flow of steam and/or air may heat and/or aerate the liquid residing in the container assembly <NUM>. In some embodiments, the user interface <NUM> may present a user with a simplified control scheme that allows a user to select desired characteristics of the finished beverage, and the system <NUM> may automatically initiate an appropriate heating and/or aeration protocol to achieve the desired characteristics without further user intervention.

<FIG> depicts a user interface <NUM> that can be used to regulate the flow of gas and/or vapor through the system <NUM>. As depicted in <FIG>, the user interface <NUM> can be implemented as a dial or knob having a plurality of predefined selection points. In the embodiment depicted in <FIG>, user interface <NUM> has three predefined selection points consisting of: Latte/Flat White <NUM>, Cappuccino <NUM>, and No Foam <NUM>. However, it will be appreciated that a wide assortment of possible demarcation points may be implemented in a variety of different orders without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. For instance, in various configurations, the predefined selection points may comprise "No Foam," "Light Foam," "Medium Foam," and "Heavy Foam," among a wide variety other possible configurations. In this manner, a user of system <NUM> may manipulate the user interface <NUM> to select a preferred temperature and aeration profile. In turn, the beverage preparation system <NUM> may automatically control the operation of the steam source <NUM>, steam valve <NUM>, air source <NUM>, air valve <NUM>, T-connection valve <NUM>, and exhaust valve <NUM> to optimize the flow of steam and/or air into the interior of container assembly <NUM> to obtain the desired finished beverage characteristics, through the implementation of a control system <NUM>, as will be discussed more fully below.

Depicted in <FIG> are views of the control knob <NUM> in certain operational positions. As discussed above, a user of the system 10b may use the control knob <NUM> to initiate, halt, modulate, or otherwise regulate the flow of gas and/or vapor into the dispensing unit. In other configurations, a user of the system <NUM> may manipulate control knob <NUM> to select desired finished beverage characteristics, and the system <NUM> may be configured to automatically initiate an appropriate steaming and/or aeration profile to arrive at the desired characteristics. In this manner, a user of the system may ensure that liquid residing in container assembly exhibits certain desired characteristics, such as a preferred temperature and foam characteristics.

The control knob depicted in <FIG> is set to a first position <NUM> out of a plurality of positions. Position <NUM> is labeled "No Foam," and may relate to a heating operation having little or no air flow which might otherwise contribute to aeration. In various embodiments, the system <NUM> can be configured to initiate a flow of steam into the interior of the container assembly <NUM>, while preventing a flow of air from proceeding into the interior of container assembly <NUM> by modulating the air supply valve <NUM> to prevent the flow of air from entering the main supply conduit <NUM>. When in position <NUM>, system <NUM> may be configured to deliver a moderate steam flow to prevent inducing a turbulent flow in the liquid which might otherwise contribute to the formation of a foam layer.

The control knob depicted in <FIG> is set to a second position <NUM> out of a plurality of positions. Position <NUM> is labeled "Cappuccino. " Cappuccino beverages are typically associated with a thick, rich layer of foam overlaying the beverage. Accordingly, in contrast with position <NUM>, in position <NUM> the system can be associated with a heating and aeration profile configured to impart a substantial layer of foam into the finished beverage. For instance, in position <NUM>, the system may be configured to permit a flow of steam coupled with a large volume of air to proceed into the interior of container assembly <NUM>. In other configurations, the flow of air may be permitted to proceed into the interior of container assembly <NUM> for a prolonged period of time. For instance, the flow of air may be initiated when the beverage has reached an initial aeration temperature, and allowed to proceed until the beverage has reached a final aeration temperature. In various configurations, the initial aeration temperature may be about <NUM> °F, about <NUM> °F, about <NUM> °F, or any value therein. Likewise, the flow of air may be terminated when the temperature of the beverage reaches a final aeration temperature, such as about <NUM> °F, about <NUM> °F, about <NUM> °F, about <NUM> °F, or any value therein. In this manner, a beverage having a large volume of foam may be produced. Similarly, when in position <NUM>, the system may be configured to permit a turbulent flow of steam to enter the container assembly to contribute to the aeration. In various additional configurations, alternate mechanisms for imparting a desired degree of aeration may be employed. For instance, in one configuration, an air sensor may be utilized to monitor the flow of air entering the interior of the container assembly <NUM>. In this manner, the flow of air may be halted once the air flow sensor has reported that a specified volume of air has been delivered into the interior of the container assembly <NUM>. The specified volume of air may be dependent upon a variety of factors including the desired degree of aeration, and the beverage size. In still further configurations, the system may be configured to deliver a flow of air at a specified flow rate for a specified period of time before halting the flow of air, wherein the specified period of time may be increased or decreased depending on the desired degree of aeration, and the beverage size. Likewise, in various configurations, the specified flow rate may also depend on the desired degree of aeration and beverage size, or in other configurations, a constant air flow rate may be employed and only the flow time is varied.

Likewise, as depicted in <FIG>, the control knob can be oriented to a third position <NUM> out of a plurality of positions. Position <NUM> is labeled "Latte/Flat White. " When in the position <NUM> of the plurality of positions, the system can be configured to deliver an intermediate flow of steam and air to yield a heated and aerated beverage having a moderate layer of foam, relative to positions <NUM> and <NUM>. To produce a beverage having a moderate degree of foam, the system <NUM> may be configured to permit a flow of steam and air to proceed into the interior of the container assembly <NUM>. The system <NUM> may modulate the flow of air, such that a moderate degree of aeration is achieved. For instance, the system <NUM> may be configured to deliver a flow of steam, coupled with an intermediate flow of air, relative to positions <NUM> and <NUM>. For instance, an intermediate flow of air may be less than the flow of air delivered by the system <NUM> when position <NUM> is selected, but greater than the flow of air when position <NUM> is selected. In the same or different embodiments, the system <NUM> may be configured to produce an intermediate degree of aeration by allowing the flow of air to begin at a greater initial aeration temperature, and persist until the beverage reaches a lower final aeration temperature, relative to position <NUM>. For instance, in various configurations, the system <NUM> may be configured to permit a flow of air to initiate when the beverage reaches an initial aeration temperature of about <NUM> °F, about <NUM> °F, about <NUM> °F, or any value therein. Likewise, the flow of air may be allowed to persist until the temperature of the beverage reaches a final aeration temperature such as about <NUM> °F, about <NUM> °F, about <NUM> °F, about <NUM> °F, or any value therein. In various additional configurations, alternate mechanisms for imparting a desired degree of aeration may be employed. For instance, in one configuration, an air sensor may be utilized to monitor the flow of air entering the interior of the container assembly <NUM>. In this manner, the flow of air may be halted once the air flow sensor has reported that a specified volume of air has been delivered into the interior of the container assembly <NUM>. The specified volume of air may be dependent upon a variety of factors including the desired degree of aeration, and the beverage size. In still further configurations, the system may be configured to deliver a flow of air at a specified flow rate for a specified period of time before halting the flow of air, wherein the specified period of time may be increased or decreased depending on the desired degree of aeration, and the beverage size. Likewise, in various configurations, the specified flow rate may also depend on the desired degree of aeration and beverage size, or in other configurations, a constant air flow rate may be employed and only the flow time is varied.

It will be appreciated that a variety of control mechanisms can be employed without deviating from the scope of the present disclosure. For instance, in various configurations, the region between positions <NUM> and <NUM> may be an analog region wherein an incremental adjustment in the dial may result in an incremental adjustment in the flow rate of air. For instance, in certain embodiments, the control knob may be rotated continuously between position <NUM> and <NUM>, resulting in a correspondingly continuous increase in the rate of air flow. Likewise, in various configurations, the region between positions <NUM> and <NUM> may be an analog region wherein an incremental adjustment in the dial may result in an incremental adjustment in the flow rate of air. In one configuration, the control knob may be rotated continuously between position <NUM> and <NUM>, resulting in a correspondingly continuous decrease in the rate of air flow. In this manner, it will be appreciated that a user may be provided with a precise degree of control over the desired aeration characteristics without requiring additional preconfigured settings or additional demarcated positions which might otherwise add undue complexity to the beverage production process.

Depicted in <FIG> is a schematic view of the beverage preparation system <NUM> which has been described above. Accordingly, corresponding components of the beverage preparation system <NUM> shown in <FIG> are provided with the same reference numbers as found above and reference can be made to the description above. As shown in <FIG>, the beverage preparation system <NUM> includes the container assembly <NUM> that can be removably interfaced with base <NUM> supported by seat <NUM> on platform <NUM>. as shown in <FIG>, the user interface <NUM> may be coupled with a control system <NUM>, which in turn may be connected or otherwise coupled to the aforementioned valves to facilitate automatic operation of the beverage preparation system <NUM>.

As noted above, the user interface <NUM> allows a user to control certain aspects and operations of the beverage preparation system <NUM>. The user interface <NUM> can be implemented in a variety of configurations, such as one or more dials, knobs, levers, buttons, switches, touchscreens, or other suitable control schemes. The user interface <NUM> may be in communication with, or otherwise coupled to one or more of the valves discussed above. For instance, in certain configurations, the user interface <NUM> may be mechanically coupled to at least one of the steam valve <NUM>, the air valve <NUM>, the T-connection valve <NUM>, and/or the exhaust valve <NUM> to control or regulate the flow of steam and/or air into the container assembly <NUM>. In other embodiments, user interface <NUM> may be coupled with the control system <NUM>, and in turn, the control system <NUM> may control the action of the various components of steam supply system <NUM>.

The control system <NUM> and/or any components thereof may include a computer or a computer readable storage medium or computer readable memory that has stored thereon executable instructions and there can be one or more processors in communication with the computer readable memory that are configured to execute the instructions to implement the operation and implement the various methods and processes described herein. The control system can include computing device that can generally include computer-executable instructions, where the instructions may be executable by one or more computing devices. Computer-executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted from computer programs created using a variety of programming languages and/or technologies, including, without limitation, and either alone or in combination, Java, C, C++, Visual Basic, Java Script, Perl, etc. In general, a processor (e.g., a microprocessor) receives instructions, e.g., from a memory, a computer-readable medium, etc., and executes these instructions, thereby performing one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein. Such instructions and other data may be stored and transmitted using a variety of computer-readable media. A computer-readable media (also referred to as a processor-readable medium or computer readable memory) includes any non-transitory (e.g., tangible) medium that participates in providing data (e.g., instructions) that may be read by a computer (e.g., by a processor of a computer).

The control system <NUM> can be coupled to one or more of the display <NUM>, user interface <NUM>, and various components of the steam supply system <NUM>, such as the air valve <NUM>. In this manner, the control system <NUM> is able to transmit information relating to the status of the air valve <NUM> to the display <NUM>. Advantageously, this allows the display <NUM> to display how long air valve <NUM> has permitted a flow of air to enter steam and air conduit <NUM>. In a similar manner, the control system <NUM> can be coupled to one or more of steam valve <NUM>, or exhaust valve <NUM> to monitor and transmit the duration of actuation, thereby allowing a user of the system <NUM> to determine how long a flow of steam has been allowed to persist, or how long a flow of steam and/or air has been allowed to travel into the exhaust path <NUM>.

Likewise, in the embodiment depicted in <FIG>, the user interface <NUM> is in communication with the control system <NUM>. As discussed above, the control system <NUM> can be configured to control operation of the steam valve <NUM>, the air valve <NUM>, the T-connection valve <NUM>, and the exhaust valve <NUM>. In this manner, the flow of steam and/or air into the container assembly <NUM> can be controlled by manipulating the user interface <NUM>, which can transmit the user's selection to control system <NUM>. In turn, control system <NUM> may automatically control the appropriate valves in order to control the supply of air and steam provided to the interior of the container assembly <NUM> to achieve the desired characteristics in the finished beverage. For instance, user input received through the user interface <NUM> may be communicated to the control system <NUM>. In response, the control system <NUM> may automatically open or close the steam valve <NUM> to increase, decrease, or halt the flow of steam into the T-connection <NUM>. Likewise, control system <NUM> may automatically modulate the air valve <NUM> to increase, decrease, or halt the flow of air into the T-connection <NUM>. Similarly, user input received through user interface <NUM> may be transmitted to the control system <NUM> which may in turn modulate the exhaust valve <NUM> disposed within exhaust conduit <NUM> to control the rate at which steam and/or air is allowed to flow away from nozzle <NUM>, towards the exhaust. Furthermore, in various configurations, the control system <NUM> can control activation of the air source <NUM> or the steam source <NUM>. For example, in some configurations, the air source <NUM> can be an air pump, which is controlled by the control system <NUM>. Likewise, in some configurations, the steam source <NUM> can be a steam pump under control of the control system <NUM>. In this manner, it is possible for a user of the system <NUM> to activate or deactivate one or more of the air source <NUM> and the steam source <NUM> through control system <NUM> by manipulating the user interface <NUM>.

In various implementations, the interior of container assembly <NUM> may be configured to receive a number of different volumes of a liquid in order to produce beverages or other liquid food products of varying volumes. However, as will be appreciated, a preconfigured steaming or aeration profile may not produce the desired temperature or aeration characteristics for all volumes of a liquid food product. For instance, in various implementations where a large volume of liquid is supplied to the interior of the container assembly <NUM>, the steaming and aeration protocols may not supply a sufficient flow of steam and/or air into the interior of container assembly <NUM>. By way of example, the flow of steam may be insufficient to increase the temperature of the large volume of liquid food product by the desired degree, and the flow of air may be insufficient to impart the desired degree of aeration into the large volume of fluid. Likewise, where a small volume of liquid has been introduced into the interior of container assembly <NUM>, a preconfigured flow of steam may allow for a rapid introduction of steam which may result in the temperature of the liquid rising too rapidly. Similarly, a preconfigured aeration protocol may allow for a rapid introduction of air, which may result in over-aerating the relatively small volume of liquid. As such, it will be appreciated that a preconfigured steaming and aeration protocol may not be equally effective across a range of beverage volumes. While it may be possible to customize the protocol prior to each steaming and/or aeration operation, such methods are cumbersome and introduce unnecessary complexity.

Advantageously, control system <NUM> may be configured to actively monitor the heating and aeration process, and to automatically adjust the parameters of the process to account for variations between subsequent preparations, such as different finished beverage volumes, and different desired temperatures or foam consistencies. For instance, in some embodiments, control system <NUM> can be communicably coupled to one or more sensors disposed in the interior of container assembly <NUM>. In this manner, control system <NUM> can be configured to automatically adjust the parameters of the process based on detected characteristics of the liquid residing within container assembly <NUM> during the heating and aeration process.

For instance, in one configuration, the control system <NUM> may be communicably coupled with user interface <NUM>, and temperature sensor <NUM>. A user may select a temperature and aeration profile through user interface <NUM>. User interface <NUM> may then transmit the user's selection to control system <NUM>. Control system <NUM> may be configured to implement a routine configured to achieve the desired temperature and aeration profile. Control system <NUM> may determine the initial temperature of the fluid residing within the interior of container assembly <NUM>, as reported by temperature sensor <NUM>. Control system <NUM> may then manipulate steam source <NUM>, and the corresponding check valves and passageways to deliver a flow of steam through steam and air conduit <NUM>, through nozzle <NUM>, and into the interior of container assembly <NUM>. Control system <NUM> may be configured to initiate the flow of steam at a known inlet pressure, known flow rate, and known temperature. Control system <NUM> may then monitor the rate at which the temperature of the liquid residing within the interior of container assembly <NUM> increases. Based on the rate at which the temperature of the liquid continually increases, or the time taken to achieve a second elevated temperature, control system <NUM> may be configured to determine the volume of liquid residing within the interior of container assembly <NUM>. For instance, based on the known rate of flow from steam source <NUM>, the rate at which the temperature of the fluid increased, and the specific heat capacity of the fluid, control system <NUM> is able to calculate the approximate volume of fluid residing within container assembly <NUM> since the rate at which the temperature of the liquid increases is proportional to the volume of the liquid. However, it will be appreciated that a wide variety of techniques exist for estimating the volume of the liquid based on the rate of heating. For instance, in certain configurations, power curves or linear fits may be employed to model the rate of temperature increase. In certain embodiments, look up tables can be used.

Having estimated the volume of liquid residing within the interior of container assembly <NUM>, control system <NUM> may adjust the parameters of the heating and aeration routine to account for the calculated volume of fluid. For instance, control system <NUM> may increase the rate of steam flow to account for larger volumes of fluid, or decrease the rate of steam flow to account for smaller volumes of fluid. In a similar manner, control system <NUM> may increase the rate at which air is delivered into the interior of container assembly <NUM> to account for a larger volume of fluid to be aerated. Likewise, the control system <NUM> may decrease the rate of air flow to account for a smaller volume of fluid to be aerated. Advantageously, in some configurations, control system <NUM> is configured to continuously monitor the steaming and aeration operation, and continuously optimizes the parameters of the routine to achieve the desired characteristics in the finished beverage. It has been found that determining the volume of liquid residing within the interior of container assembly <NUM> in this manner simplifies the overall production process. For instance, since the system is configured to automatically determine the volume of liquid residing within the interior of the container assembly <NUM>, there is no need for the user to manually identify a preferred fill level and to deliver an appropriate volume of liquid, to weigh the liquid to determine an appropriate amount, or to manipulate a preconfigured steaming and/or aeration profile to account for a specific volume of beverage.

In some embodiments, control system <NUM> may be communicably coupled with one or more sensors configured to detect quantifiable characteristics of the liquid residing within the interior of container assembly <NUM>. For instance, in various configurations, control system <NUM> may be communicably coupled with a temperature sensor <NUM>. Advantageously, such a configuration allows the control system <NUM> to monitor the steaming and aeration process, and to automatically perform a predefined routine to achieve a desired temperature or foam consistency. However, it will be appreciated that additional characteristics of the liquid residing within the interior of container assembly <NUM> may be monitored through additional or alternate sensors. For instance, in various configurations, additional sensors may be employed to observe or detect one or more of: the mass of the liquid, pH of the liquid, the pressure of the liquid, the turbidity of the liquid, the current within the liquid, among other characteristics.

After a user selects an option, the control system <NUM> can also be configured to monitor the change in temperature over time, and adjust steam flow characteristics accordingly. For instance, in some configurations, the system <NUM> can detect that the temperature of the liquid residing in the pitcher <NUM> is increasing rapidly. From the rapid temperature increase, the system <NUM> can infer that a small volume of liquid has been introduced into the pitcher <NUM> for heating, and reduce the flow of steam accordingly. Moreover, the system <NUM> can be configured to detect the size or type of pitcher <NUM> currently in use, and to adjust the initial air and/or steam flow values to be used in a particular heating or aeration operation. For instance, the system <NUM> can be configured to detect that a small volume pitcher <NUM> is in use and reduce the initial flow rate of steam and/or air accordingly. Likewise, in certain configurations, the system can detect that a large volume pitcher <NUM> has been placed upon the base assembly <NUM> and automatically increase the flow rate of steam and/or air to accommodate the anticipate larger volume of liquid. In addition, as noted above, in some embodiments, the system <NUM> can be configured to stop and/or prevent the initiation of an aeration and/or heating operation if communication with the temperature sensor is interrupted.

In a similar manner, the system can be configured to perform a wide variety of functions automatically. For instance, in some embodiments, the system can be configured to detect the size of the container assembly <NUM> and choose an appropriate steaming and/or aeration sequence. Similarly, the system can be configured to automatically halt the steaming and/or aeration procedures when a predefined stop-point has been reached. A user may set a predefined temperature, for instance, by rotating a radially mounted dial disposed on the outside perimeter of control apparatus <NUM>. By rotating the radially mounted dial, a user of the system <NUM> may select a preferred shut-off temperature for a particular aeration and heating operation. Likewise, the system can be configured to automatically stop the heating operation once a predefined period of time has been allowed to elapse, or to automatically halt the aeration procedure once a predefined foam characteristic has been achieved. Moreover, the control system <NUM> can be configured to return the aforementioned valves to a default position after the aeration or heating operation has concluded, or after the container assembly <NUM> has been removed from the system <NUM> for a period of time. Likewise, the control system <NUM> can be configured to halt the aeration or heating operation if the control system's communication with the aforementioned valves is interrupted or compromised, or if the user of the system <NUM> attempts to perform a function outside of standard operational parameters, such as removal of pitcher <NUM> during a steaming operation, or a user attempting to exceed predefined temperature or time limits, among other possibilities. In certain embodiments, the control system <NUM> may be programmed with various steaming and/or aeration profiles to facilitate the production of certain beverages.

Although various implementations discussed above allow steam and/or air to be introduced into the interior of container assembly <NUM> through the bottom of the container assembly <NUM>, it will be appreciated by the skilled artisan that the disclosed system <NUM> is not so limited. As depicted in <FIG>, the system can be configured to receive a flow of steam and/or air through the generally open upper end <NUM> of container assembly <NUM>. For instance, as depicted in <FIG>, a steam and/or air wand <NUM> may be inserted into the interior of container assembly <NUM> through the generally open upper end <NUM>. In this manner, the container assembly <NUM> can be used to perform a steaming and/or aeration operation without the use of a base or base assembly configured to provide a flow of steam and/or air through the bottom end of the container assembly <NUM>. Rather, a flow of steam and/or air may be initiated through the steam and/or air wand <NUM>, which may be transported to the location of the container assembly <NUM> where steaming and/or aeration may take place.

<FIG> illustrates an example method <NUM> related to various beverage preparation systems. The method begins at block <NUM>. In various configurations, the method may begin by obtaining, preparing, or otherwise providing a serving of a beverage to be heated and/or aerated. In the same or different embodiment, the method may begin by providing a clean, empty container assembly <NUM> to interface with base assembly <NUM> so that the heating and/or aeration operation may proceed.

At block <NUM>, a serving of the beverage may be introduced into the container assembly <NUM>. This can be performed when the container assembly <NUM> is removably coupled with the base <NUM>. Some embodiments include receiving, in the container assembly <NUM>, at least about <NUM> serving of beverage. Some embodiments include receiving, in the container assembly <NUM>, at least about <NUM> of beverage, though the precise amounts may be varied widely within the scope of this disclosure. For instance, certain variants include filling a substantial volume of the container assembly <NUM> with the beverage, such as at least about: <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>%, <NUM>%, percentages between the aforementioned percentages, or other percentages. In various configurations, the beverage may be introduced into the interior of the container assembly <NUM> through the generally open first or upper end <NUM>. Once the serving of beverage has been introduced into the interior of container assembly <NUM>, the serving of beverage is retained by the generally closed lower end <NUM> of the container assembly <NUM>.

Once the beverage has been introduced into the interior of container assembly <NUM>, the method <NUM> can include selecting certain finished beverage characteristics. For instance, in the method depicted in <FIG>, the method may comprise selecting a finished foam type, as depicted at block <NUM>. However, it will be appreciated that a wide array of finished beverage characteristics may be selected. For instance, in various configurations, a user may select a preferred finished beverage temperature. Once the finished beverage characteristics have been selected, control system <NUM> can be configured to initiate a flow of air, steam, or a combination thereof, into the container assembly <NUM> to heat and/or aerate a beverage residing inside, as further shown at block <NUM>. For example, a user may manipulate user interface <NUM> to a position <NUM>, <NUM>, or <NUM>. Based on the user's selection, the system can be configured to deliver an appropriate flow of steam and/or air. In some embodiments, the container assembly <NUM> can receive a flow of steam from a steam source <NUM>, such as through the operation of one or more check valves as described above, allowing the steam to flow through at least some, or substantially all, of the depth of the liquid residing in the container assembly <NUM>. Accordingly, heat may be transferred from the steam into the beverage residing within the container assembly <NUM>. Likewise, a flow of air may be permitted to enter the interior of container assembly <NUM> to aerate the beverage residing therein.

Advantageously, the system can be configured to monitor the steaming and/or aeration process, and automatically adjust or otherwise optimize the various parameters of the steaming and/or heating operation to ensure the desired finished beverage characteristics are obtained. For instance, as indicated at block <NUM>, the system can be configured to determine a first temperature of the beverage at a first time, such as immediately prior to initializing the heating and/or aeration operation, immediately after initializing the heating and/or aeration operation, or after the heating and/or aeration operation has been allowed to persist for a period of time such as about <NUM> second, about <NUM> seconds, about <NUM> seconds, about <NUM> seconds, about <NUM> seconds, about <NUM> seconds, about <NUM> seconds, about <NUM> seconds, or about <NUM> minute. The system can be configured to determine an initial temperature of the beverage with reference to, for instance, a temperature sensor <NUM> disposed within the interior of the container assembly <NUM>. It will be appreciated that additional characteristics in addition to temperature may be monitored as well.

After an initial temperature has been determined, the system can be configured to determine a second temperature at a second time, as depicted at block <NUM>. For instance, in various configurations, the system can be configured to determine a second temperature after a predefined period of time has elapsed since the first temperature was determined. By way of example, the system can be configured to determine a second temperature about <NUM> second after the first temperature was determined. In various additional configurations, the second temperature may be determined about <NUM> seconds, about <NUM> seconds, about <NUM> seconds, about <NUM> seconds, about <NUM> seconds, about <NUM> seconds, about <NUM> seconds, or about <NUM> minute after the first temperature was determined. In this manner, a rate of heating can be determined by control system <NUM>.

Based on the rate of heating determined by control system <NUM>, the system <NUM> can be configured to modulate the flow of steam and/or air based on the rate of heating, as shown at block <NUM>. For instance, where the temperature of the beverage is raising quickly, it can be determined that a small volume of beverage has been introduced, and the control system <NUM> can automatically adjust steam supply system <NUM> to reduce the flow of air and/or steam flowing into the interior of container assembly <NUM> to account for the small volume of beverage. Conversely, where the temperature is not increasing as quickly as anticipated, control system <NUM> may determine that a large volume of beverage has been introduced, and accordingly increase the rate at which steam and/or air are delivered into the interior of container assembly <NUM> to account for the large volume of beverage.

Once the desired temperature or form characteristics are achieved, the flow of steam and/or air into the container assembly <NUM> may be terminated, as shown at block <NUM>. In some embodiments, the system <NUM> can be configured to automatically halt the flow of steam once a predefined temperature has been reached, or has been allowed to persist for a predefined period of time. For instance, in some embodiments the flow of steam may be allowed to persist for a period of about <NUM> seconds, <NUM> seconds, <NUM> seconds, <NUM> seconds, <NUM> seconds, <NUM> seconds, or any value therein. Alternatively, in certain configurations, the system can be configured to automatically halt the flow of steam once a predefined temperature has been reached, such as about <NUM> °F, <NUM> °F, <NUM> °F, <NUM> °F, <NUM> °F, <NUM> °F, <NUM> °F, <NUM> °F, <NUM> °F, <NUM> °F, <NUM> °F, <NUM> °F, or any value therein. In additional variants, the system <NUM> can be configured to automatically halt the flow of air once a desired consistency has been achieved.

In some embodiments, the method <NUM> includes dispensing the beverage from the container assembly into a suitable receptacle, as depicted at block <NUM>. To facilitate dispensing the beverage, container assembly <NUM> may be removed from base assembly <NUM> and transported to any suitable location. For instance, a barista may transport the container assembly to a customer to deliver a serving of a beverage.

As illustrated, the method <NUM> can include a decision block <NUM>, which can ask whether there are additional beverage servings to be prepared and/or dispensed. If the answer is yes, then the method <NUM> can return to block <NUM> to introduce additional beverage into the container assembly and the method <NUM> can continue. In some embodiments, if the answer to the decision block <NUM> is no, then the method <NUM> ends at block <NUM>.

As described above, beverage preparation system <NUM> may be used to prepare a wide assortment of café style beverages. For instance, in some embodiments, a user may introduce a portion of milk through the first end <NUM> of pitcher <NUM>, disposed atop base assembly <NUM>. In this manner, the liquid may be stored within container assembly <NUM>. In some embodiments, additional modifications may be made to the liquid while it is resident within pitcher <NUM>. For instance, in certain configurations it may be desirable to incorporate one or more shots of espresso into the beverage residing therein.

Once a desired amount of liquid has been introduced into container assembly <NUM>, a user of the system <NUM> may manipulate the user interface <NUM> to select preferred heating and aeration characteristics, and the system <NUM> may be configured to automatically initiate an appropriate flow of air and/or steam into the interior of the container assembly <NUM>.

Once a flow of steam and/or air has been initiated into the container assembly <NUM>, the control system <NUM> can be configured to monitor the progress of the heating and/or aeration protocol, and automatically adjust the parameters to optimize the operation. For instance, the system can be configured to intermittently or continuously monitor the temperature of the beverage to determine a rate at which the temperature of the beverage is increasing. Based on the rate at which steam and air are introduced into the interior of the container assembly <NUM>, and further based on the rate at which the temperature of the beverage is increasing, the control system <NUM> can be configured to estimate the volume of beverage residing within the interior of container assembly <NUM> and manipulate the flow of air and/or steam to ensure that the desired finished beverage characteristics are achieved.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, in some configurations, at least one of the base <NUM> or seat <NUM> may be equipped with one or more magnets <NUM> to facilitate placement of the base <NUM> on the seat <NUM>. For instance, in certain configurations, a first magnet 171a may be incorporated in the base <NUM>. Likewise, a second magnet 171b may be incorporated in the seat <NUM>. In certain configurations, the polarity of the magnet 171a disposed in the base may be opposite the polarity of the magnet 171b disposed in the seat <NUM>, as depicted in <FIG>. In this manner, incorrect orientation of the base <NUM> when placed on seat <NUM> can be prevented. In certain configurations, a plurality of magnets <NUM> may be disposed within base <NUM> and/or seat <NUM>. For instance, in some configurations, at least two magnets 171a are incorporated in the base <NUM>, and at least two magnets 171b are incorporated in seat <NUM>, as depicted in <FIG>. In some embodiments, magnets can also be used to detect the presence of the pitcher <NUM> on the base <NUM>. For instance, in certain configurations, a third magnet <NUM> may be disposed within the pitcher <NUM>. A corresponding magnetic proximity sensor <NUM> may be disposed within seat <NUM>. In this manner, the presence or absence of the pitcher <NUM> can be detected by the system <NUM>. Advantageously, this allows the system <NUM> to detect the absence of pitcher <NUM>, and prevent the flow of air and or steam when the pitcher <NUM> is not housed on the seat <NUM>. In this manner, it is further possible for the system to automatically halt the heating and/or aeration operation if the pitcher <NUM> is removed from the seat <NUM>.

As used herein, the term "beverage" has its ordinary and customary meaning, and includes, among other things, any edible liquid or substantially liquid substance or product having a flowing quality (e.g., juices, coffee beverages, teas, frozen yogurt, beer, wine, cocktails, liqueurs, spirits, cider, soft drinks, flavored water, energy drinks, soups, broths, combinations of the same, or the like).

Unless otherwise explicitly stated, articles such as "a" or "an" should generally be interpreted to include one or more described items. Accordingly, phrases such as "a device configured to" are intended to include one or more recited devices. Such one or more recited devices can also be collectively configured to carry out the stated recitations. For example, "a processor configured to carry out recitations A, B, and C" can include a first processor configured to carry out recitation A working in conjunction with a second processor configured to carry out recitations B and C.

Likewise, the terms "some," "certain," and the like are synonymous and are used in an open-ended fashion.

The terms "approximately," "about," and "substantially" as used herein represent an amount close to the stated amount that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, in some embodiments, as the context may dictate, the terms "approximately", "about", and "substantially" may refer to an amount that is within less than or equal to <NUM>% of the stated amount. The term "generally" as used herein represents a value, amount, or characteristic that predominantly includes, or tends toward, a particular value, amount, or characteristic. As an example, in certain embodiments, as the context may dictate, the term "generally parallel" can refer to something that departs from exactly parallel by less than or equal to <NUM> degrees and/or the term "generally perpendicular" can refer to something that departs from exactly perpendicular by less than or equal to <NUM> degrees.

Overall, the language of the claims is to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the claims. The claims are not to be limited to the non-exclusive embodiments and examples that are illustrated and described in this disclosure, or that are discussed during the prosecution of the application.

Also, although there may be some embodiments within the scope of this disclosure that are not expressly recited above or elsewhere herein, this disclosure contemplates and includes all embodiments within the scope of the appended claims.

Furthermore, certain features that are described in this disclosure in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations, one or more features from a claimed combination can, in some cases, be excised from the combination, and the combination may be claimed as a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

For purposes of this disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and features are described herein. Not necessarily all such aspects, advantages, and features may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. For example, some embodiments of any of the various disclosed systems include the container assembly and/or include pluralities of the container assembly; some embodiments do not include the container assembly. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves one advantage or a group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

Some embodiments have been described in connection with the accompanying drawings. The figures are drawn to scale where appropriate, but such scale should not be interpreted to be limiting. Distances, angles, etc. are merely illustrative and do not necessarily bear an exact relationship to actual dimensions and layout of the devices illustrated. Further, the disclosure herein of any particular feature, aspect, method, property, characteristic, quality, attribute, element, or the like in connection with various embodiments can be used in all other embodiments set forth herein. Also, any methods described herein may be practiced using any device suitable for performing the recited steps.

Moreover, while components and operations may be depicted in the drawings or described in the specification in a particular arrangement or order, such components and operations need not be arranged and performed in the particular arrangement and order shown, nor in sequential order, nor include all of the components and operations, to achieve desirable results. Other components and operations that are not depicted or described can be incorporated in the embodiments and examples.

Claim 1:
A beverage foaming system (<NUM>) comprising:
a container assembly (<NUM>) having an interior configured to receive a volume of liquid;
a steam supply unit (<NUM>) in communication with the interior of the container assembly (<NUM>) ;
one or more valves (<NUM>, <NUM>) configured to control a flow from the steam supply unit (<NUM>) to the interior of the container assembly (<NUM>);
a temperature sensor (<NUM>); and
a control system (<NUM>) operatively connected to a user interface (<NUM>), the one or more valves (<NUM>, <NUM>), and the temperature sensor;
wherein the control system (<NUM>) is configured to receive a user selection including a type of foam and, in response to at least one signal from the temperature sensor (<NUM>), estimate a volume of fluid within the container assembly (<NUM>) based upon the signal from the temperature sensor (<NUM>) and control an amount of steam from the steam supply unit (<NUM>) delivered to the interior of the container assembly (<NUM>) based on the user selection including the type of foam and the estimated volume of fluid.