Draft beer supply chain systems and methods
Supply chain systems and methods are disclosed for monitoring fluid levels in liquid containers, such as kegs. Embodiments include sensors that fit within a keg's false bottom, measure the weight of the keg, and transmit the weight information to a computer database via a wireless network. Other embodiments include an RFID device with information about a characteristic of the liquid within a keg (such as brand and/or type of beer) that may be attached to the keg and paired with the sensor so the sensor can transmit information about the characteristic of the liquid in the keg. In alternate embodiments, the sensor's transmitter is short range and an uplink/gateway is used to receive information from the sensor and relay that sensor's information to a broader wireless network. Multiple containers in close proximity may each be fitted with an RFID device and sensor and communicate their individual information to the database.
1. A method, comprising:
positioning a toroidal sensor at the bottom of a keg, wherein the toroidal sensor is positioned entirely outside of the keg, wherein the toroidal sensor is sized to fit within a cavity defined by an underside of the keg, and wherein the toroidal sensor comprises:
at least one weight sensor; and
a receiver configured to receive encoded information relating to a brand, a name,
a brew type, or combinations thereof, of liquid contained in the keg;
receiving the encoded information relating to the brand, the name, the brew type, or combinations thereof at the receiver;
weighing the keg with the at least one weight sensor; and
separately from the receiving of the encoded information, transmitting information related to a weight of the keg and the brand the name, the brew type, or combinations thereof, to a computer database via a wireless network.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the encoded information relating to a brand, a name, a brew type, or combinations thereof is received form an RFID tag, the method further comprising:
positioning the RFID tag within one (1) foot of the toroidal sensor, and wherein said transferring information occurs after said positioning the RFID tag;
determining a quantity of fluid in the keg using the information related to the weight of the keg;
transmitting information related to the quantity of fluid in the keg to a user interface; and
receiving information with the toroidal sensor from the computer database via the wireless network.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said positioning the RFID tag includes attaching the RFID tag to the keg.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the toroidal sensor is positioned such that it does not extend outside a lip forming a bottom of the keg.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
pairing a source of the encoded information with the toroidal sensor.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said pairing comprises:
bringing the source of the encoded information into physical proximity of the toroidal sensor, and
depressing a button on the toroidal sensor while the source of the encoded information is in physical proximity of the toroidal sensor.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the encoded information further includes information relating to a location of the keg.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: receiving information with the receiver from the computer database via the wireless network.
9. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
positioning a plurality of toroidal sensors including the toroidal sensor, each toroidal sensor positioned at a bottom of a respective keg of a plurality of kegs including the keg;
receiving encoded information relating to a brand, a name, a brew type, or combinations thereof of liquid in the kegs at respective receivers included in each of the toroidal sensors;
weighing each of the plurality of kegs with respective at least one weight sensor included in each of the toroidal sensors; and
transmitting information related to the weight of each of the plurality of kegs and the encoded information from the toroidal sensors to a computer database via a wireless network.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein each of the toroidal sensors transmits the information to an uplink/gateway, and wherein the uplink/gateway transmits the information to the wireless network.
11. An apparatus, comprising:
a toroidal sensor adapted to fit entirely outside of a keg and within an inner diameter of a bottom of the keg, the toroidal sensor protruding below the bottom when the keg is upright, the toroidal sensor including:
an abutment surface adapted to abut a bottom surface of the keg and support the keg above a support surface when the toroidal sensor is fit within the bottom and placed on the support surface;
at least one weight sensor configured and adapted to measure a weight of the keg when the toroidal sensor is fit within the bottom and placed on the support surface;
a receiver configured to receives encoded information related to a brand, a name, a brew type, or combinations thereof of liquid in the keg; and
a device configured to receive information from the receiver and from the at least one weight sensor, wherein the device is configured to transmit information received from the receiver and the at least one weight sensor to a wireless network.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein:
the receiver is configured to receive the encoded information from an RFID tag attached to the keg when the receiver and the RFID are within one (1) foot of one another;
the toroidal sensor further includes three (3) additional weight sensors configured and adapted to measure the weight of the keg when the toroidal sensor is positioned within the inner diameter of the keg bottom and placed on the support surface;
the toroidal sensor further includes a pairing button and a pairing light, wherein said pairing light is configured to illuminate when the receiver pairs with the RFID tag; and
the toroidal sensor further includes a battery compartment configured to store a battery and connect the battery to power the weight sensors, receiver, and device.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the receiver receives the encoded information from an RFID tag attached to the keg when the receiver and the RFID tag are within one (1) foot of one another.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the toroidal sensor further includes three (3) additional weight sensors configured and adapted to measure the weight of a keg when the toroidal sensor is fit within the keg bottom and placed on the support surface.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the toroidal sensor is adapted to fit in the bottom such that it does not extend outside a lip forming the bottom of the keg.
16. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the toroidal sensor includes a pairing button and a pairing indicator, wherein said pairing indicator is configured to indicate when the receiver pairs with an RFID tag encoded with the encoded information.
17. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the encoded information further includes information about a location of the keg.
18. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the toroidal sensor is removable from the bottom.
19. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the toroidal sensor includes a battery compartment configured to store a battery and connect the battery to power the at least one weight sensor, receiver and transmitter.
20. A system, comprising:
a plurality of toroidal sensors each fitting within a bottom of a respective keg, each sensor being positioned entirely outside the keg and sized to fit within a cavity defined by an underside of the keg, and each sensor including:
at least one weight sensor configured and adapted to measure a weight of the keg;
a receiver configured to receive encoded information related to a brand, a name, a brew type, or combinations thereof of liquid in the keg; and
a transmitter configured to transmit information received from the receiver and the at least one weight sensor to a wireless network;
a computer database configured to receive and store information from the plurality of sensors via the wireless network; and
a computing device programmed to receive alerts based on the information from the plurality of sensors regarding beer or wine inventory across kegs having the plurality of sensors fit in their respective keg bottoms.
21. The system of claim 20 , wherein each of the plurality of toroidal sensors includes the receiver configured to receive the encoded information from an RFID tag attachable by hand to a hand hold aperture in the respective keg.
22. The system of claim 21 , wherein teach of the plurality of toroidal sensors are configured and adapted to be positioned and removed from inside the respective keg bottoms by hand.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein each of the plurality of toroidal sensors are doughnut-shaped.
24. The system of claim 20 , wherein the computing device is further programmed to present a near-real-time view of beer or wine depletion across kegs having the plurality of toroidal sensors positioned in their respective keg bottoms, wherein the near-real-time view is based on the information from the plurality of toroidal sensors.