US 12,006,133 B2
Code and container of system for preparing a beverage or foodstuff
Andre Noth, Pully (CH); and Christian Jarisch, Lutry (CH)
Assigned to Societe des Produits Nestle S.A., Vevey (CH)
Filed by Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vevey (CH)
Filed on Aug. 2, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/229,326.
Application 18/229,326 is a continuation of application No. 16/078,972, granted, now 11,760,560, previously published as PCT/EP2017/054155, filed on Feb. 23, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 16156864 (EP), filed on Feb. 23, 2016; application No. 16156870 (EP), filed on Feb. 23, 2016; and application No. 16196876 (EP), filed on Nov. 2, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2024/0025633 A1, Jan. 25, 2024
Int. Cl. G06K 19/06 (2006.01); A47J 31/44 (2006.01); B65D 85/804 (2006.01)
CPC B65D 85/8043 (2013.01) [A47J 31/4492 (2013.01); G06K 19/06168 (2013.01); B65D 2203/00 (2013.01); B65D 2203/12 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Container for a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff material and comprising a code encoding preparation information, the code comprising a reference portion and a data portion:
the reference portion comprising reference units defining a reference line r, the reference units being arranged with a configuration preferably selected from a group comprising a triangle, in particular a right angled triangle or an isosceles triangle, a square and/or other polygon comprising up to 8 vertices, wherein the configuration:
defines a reference point from which the reference line r extends, the reference point being preferably at least one selected from a group comprising a centre of symmetry, a centroid and/or a reference unit, of said configuration;
uniquely defines a single direction in which the reference line r extends, the direction being preferably at least one selected from a group comprising a line of symmetry, one or more reference units, a line parallel to a line extending through one or more reference units, of the configuration;
the data portion comprising a data unit, wherein said data unit is arranged on an encoding line D that intersects the reference line r, the data unit is arranged a distance d from said intersection along the encoding line D as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter of the preparation information,
whereby said encoding line D is circular and is arranged with a tangent thereto orthogonal the reference line r at said intersection point,
wherein the configuration is located entirely within a locus defined by the or each encoding line D; and
wherein the direction of the reference line r is further defined by or corrected with at least one of:
a data unit at one of a plurality of discrete positions arranged within a planform of the code and external the locus defined by the or each encoding line D, whereby said discrete positions either comprise or do not comprise a unit, preferably as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter of the preparation information;
a like configuration of reference units of another code, preferably of an adjacent code, wherein
the reference line r is for example arranged to extend though a reference point defined by the configuration of said another code or at a known offset from a reference point defined by the configuration of said another code.