Method for controlling the blending of drinks

1. A method of operating a drink-blending machine to change the operational speed of an ice-shaver motor comprising the steps of:

initiating operation of an ice-shaving process;

providing shaved ice to a pitcher;

setting the operational speed of the ice-shaver motor to a default speed plus a potential adjustment factor;

determining an ice-shaving rate for the ice-shaving process;

if the ice-shaving rate is not within a specified range, then determining the adjustment factor; and

using the adjustment factor in repeat operations of the drink-blending machine.

2. A method of operating a drink-blending machine according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

before said step of providing shaved ice to the pitcher, determining a tare weight for the pitcher and liquid contained therein;

after said step of providing shaved ice to the pitcher, if a weight difference is not greater than or equal to a specified weight of shaved ice, then iteratively performing the following steps a and b:

a. determining a current sample weight;

b. subtracting the tare weight from the current sample weight to determine the weight difference; and

deactivating the ice-shaving process.

3. A method of operating a drink-blending machine according to claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:

initiating operation of a blending process after said step of deactivating the ice-shaving process.

4. A method of operating a drink-blending machine to change the operational speed of an ice-shaver motor comprising the steps of:

initiating operation an ice-shaving process;

providing shaved ice to a pitcher;

setting the operational speed of the ice-shaver motor to a default speed plus an adjustment factor;

iteratively repeating steps a, b, c, and d until a weight difference is greater than a specified weight of shaved ice;

a. determining an ice-shaving rate per cycle;

b. determining a current sample weight;

c. subtracting the tare weight from the current sample weight to determine the weight difference;

d. if the ice-shaving rate per cycle is not within a specified range, then determining an intermediary adjustment factor;

determining the adjustment factor using the intermediary adjustment factors;

using the adjustment factor in repeat operations of the drink-blending machine; and

deactivating the ice-shaving process.

5. A method of operating a drink-blending machine according to claim 4 , further comprising:

initiating operation of a blending process after said step of deactivating the ice-shaving process.

6. A method of operating a drink-blending machine to change the operational speed of an ice-shaver motor comprising the steps of:

initiating operation an ice-shaving process;

providing shaved ice to a pitcher;

setting the operational speed of the ice-shaver motor;

iteratively repeating steps e, f, g, and h until a weight difference is greater than a specified weight of shaved ice:

e. determining an ice-shaving rate per cycle;

f. determining a current sample weight;

g. subtracting the tare weight from the current sample weight to determine the weight difference;

h. continually adjusting the operational speed of the ice-shaver motor according to an amount of ice-shaving rate error per cycle;

deactivating the ice-shaving process.

7. A method of operating a drink-blending machine according to claim 6 , further comprising the step of:

before continually adjusting the operational speed of the ice-shaver motor, determining the amount of ice-shaving rate error per cycle by subtracting the ice-shaving rate per cycle from a desired cycle ice-shaving rate.

8. A method of operating a drink-blending machine according to claim 7 , wherein the step of continually adjusting the operational speed of the ice-shaver motor minimizes the amount of ice-shaving rate error per cycle.

9. A method of operating a drink-blending machine according to claim 8 , further comprising:

initiating operation of a blending process after said step of deactivating the ice-shaving process.