Container and code of system for preparing a beverage or foodstuff

1. A container for a foodstuff or beverage preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff preparation material and comprising a code encoding preparation information, the code comprising:

a data sequence having a plurality of marker locations, whereby said marker locations either comprise or do not comprise a marker as a variable to at least partially encode the preparation information therein, with adjacent marker locations separated by a distance of Δx; and

at least one locator marker to enable location of the data sequence of the code, the locator marker having a read distance X2, which is distinct from a read distance X1 of the data markers to enable a locator marker to be identified, and wherein the read distance X2 of the at least one locator marker is related to the distance(s) Δx between the plurality of marker locations of the data sequence, such that the X2 distance determines the arrangement of the marker locations.

2. The container according to claim 1 , wherein X2=ƒ(Δx), wherein ƒ comprises a multiple of the Δx distances, or the summation of a multiple of X1 distances and a multiple of Δx′ distances, whereby Δx=Δx′+X1, and Δx′ is the gap between the marker locations.

3. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the markers of the data sequence and locator markers comprise are rectangular, whereby the markers of the data sequence comprise one or more of the following dimensions: a length of 5 mm-1.5 mm and a width of 2 mm-0.3 mm.

4. The container according to claim 1 , wherein adjacent marker locations of the data sequence are equally spaced such that Δx is a fixed amount, and adjacent marker locations are at least 20% of a width of a marker location apart.

5. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the markers of the code are arranged sequentially to each other and radially aligned on a single circumferentially extending line, which extends about an axis of rotation of the container or other rotational axis on a surface thereof.

6. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the markers of the code are formed by electrically conductive portions.

7. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the code is formed on a surface of the container or on an attachment, which is attached thereto.

8. The container according to claim 1 , wherein the container comprises at least one of the following:

a capsule;

a packet; and

a receptacle for consumption of the beverage or foodstuff therefrom.

9. A beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, said preparation machine comprising:

a preparation unit to receive a container according to claim 1 and to prepare a beverage or foodstuff therefrom;

a code processing system operable to read a code of said container to obtain encoded preparation information and process the encoded preparation information to decode said information; and

a control system operable to control the preparation unit using said decoded preparation information.

10. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 9 , wherein the code processing system is configured to process the encoded preparation information to locate one or more code reads therein by locating a locator marker that has a characteristic read distance X2, which is distinct from the read distance X1 of the markers of the data sequence, and is further configured to:

locate from said locator marker and associated data sequence; and

determine the presence of a marker at each marker location of the data sequence.

11. An attachment configured for attachment to a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine according to claim 9 , the attachment comprising:

a carrier carrying on a surface thereof a code comprising:

a data sequence having a plurality of marker locations, whereby said marker locations either comprise or do not comprise a marker as a variable to at least partially encode the preparation information therein, with adjacent marker locations separated by a distance of Δx; and

at least one locator marker to enable location of the data sequence of the code, the locator marker having a read distance X2, which is distinct from a read distance X1 of the data markers to enable a locator marker to be identified; and

an attachment member for attachment to said machine.

12. A method of preparing a beverage or foodstuff, comprising:

attaching the attachment of claim 11 to a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, wherein the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine comprises a preparation unit, a code processing system, and a control system;

inserting a container in the preparation unit of the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, wherein the preparation unit receives the container to prepare a beverage or foodstuff therefrom, wherein the code processing system of the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine operates to read the code of the attachment to obtain encoded preparation information and processes the encoded preparation information to decode the information, and wherein the control system of the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine operates to control the preparation unit using the decoded preparation information.

13. A beverage or foodstuff preparation system comprising:

a container according to claim 1 ; and

a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine comprising:

a preparation unit to receive the container and to prepare a beverage or foodstuff therefrom;

a code processing system operable to read a code of the container to obtain encoded preparation information and process the encoded preparation information to decode the information; and

a control system operable to control the preparation unit using the decoded preparation information.

14. A method of preparing a beverage or foodstuff using the system according to claim 13 , the method comprising:

reading a code of a container to obtain encoded preparation information;

processing the encoded preparation information to decode said information; and

controlling a preparation operation using said preparation information.

15. An attachment configured for attachment to the container of according to claim 1 , the attachment comprising:

a carrier carrying on a surface thereof code encoding preparation information; and

an attachment member for attachment to said container.

16. A method of preparing a beverage or foodstuff, comprising:

inserting the container of claim 1 in a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, wherein the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine comprises a preparation unit to receive the container and to prepare a beverage or foodstuff therefrom, wherein a code processing system of the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine operates to read a code of the container to obtain encoded preparation information and processes the encoded preparation information to decode the information, and wherein a control system of the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine operates to control the preparation unit using the decoded preparation information.

17. A computer program for a processor of a code processing system of a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, wherein the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine comprises a preparation unit to receive the container and to prepare a beverage or foodstuff therefrom, a code processing system operable to read a code of the container to obtain encoded preparation information and process the encoded preparation information to decode the information, and a control system operable to control the preparation unit using the decoded preparation information, the computer program comprising program code to:

obtain encoded preparation information of a code of a container according to claim 1 ; and

process the encoded preparation information to decode said information.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising the computer program according to claim 17 .