Beverage preparation machine comprising location system
A beverage preparation machine for preparing at least one beverage from a beverage material includes a modem for communication with a remote resource such as a server, and is configured to send machine remote management data to the remote resource. The machine comprises location system configured for automatic geolocation of the machine, and is configured to send to the remote resource location information determined by the location system. This for example makes it possible to confirm or correct the location of a machine, to correct mistakes that can occur when a machine is installed or moved, or to take appropriate measures when a machine is stolen. In another embodiment, a system includes such a beverage preparation machine and a remote resource with which it is configured to communicate. In a further embodiment, a method is provided for remote management of a beverage preparation machine.
1. A beverage preparation machine for preparing a beverage, the machine comprising: a communication interface for communication with a remote resource;
a location system configured for automatic geolocation of the machine, and in that the location system is configured to transmit to the remote resource, via the communication interface, location information determined by said location system; and
wherein the device is configured to perform a comparison between a location of the machine issued from a database comprising human entered location data and the location information determined by the location system.
2. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 , wherein the communication interface comprises a wireless modem configured to communicate over a cellular network, the location system being configured to provide location information based on multilateration in the cellular network.
3. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 1 , wherein the location system comprises a satellite-based positioning system.
4. The beverage preparation machine according to claim 3 , wherein the location system comprises a Global Positioning System.
5. A system for beverage preparation comprising a beverage preparation machine, the machine comprising: a communication interface for communication with a remote resource, and a location system configured for automatic geolocation of the machine, and in that the location system is configured to transmit to the remote resource, via the communication interface, location information determined by said location system; and a remote resource to which the machine is configured to send location information, wherein the remote resource hosts a database comprising a human entered location of the machine, and wherein the system is configured for comparing the location of the machine from the database and a location determined by the location system.
6. The system according to claim 5 , configured so that, if a discrepancy between the location of the machine from the database and a location determined by the location system is detected, then:
if the location from the database is judged to have been input incorrectly or to be out of date, the system allows an operator at said remote resource to enter a corrected location or to accept the location sent by the machine; and
if the machine does not determine a machine location correctly due to an error with its location system, the system uses the location of the machine from the database.
7. A method of remote management of a beverage preparation machine, the machine for preparing a beverage and comprising a communication interface for communication with a remote resource and being configured to transmit location information to the remote resource, the method comprising:
obtaining automatic location information from a location system of the machine;
using the location information for a remote management operation of the machine; and
wherein the remote management operation comprises a comparison between the location of the machine issued from a database comprising human entered location data and a location determined by the location system.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein a discrepancy is detected when a distance between the location of the machine from the database and a location determined by the location system exceeds a predefined threshold.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the threshold is set to:
between 500 m and 20 km, if the automatic geolocation of the machine relies on multilateration in a cellular network;
between 100 m and 1 km, if the automatic geolocation of the machine uses a satellite-based positioning system.
10. The method according to claim 8 , in which the management operation comprises, if a discrepancy between the location of the machine from the database and a location determined by the location system is detected:
if the location from the database is judged to have been input incorrectly or to be out of date, allowing an operator at said remote resource to enter a corrected location or to accept the location sent by the machine; and
if the machine does not determine a machine location correctly due to an error with its location system, using the location of the machine from the database.
11. The method according to claim 8 , in which if a discrepancy between the location of the machine from the database and a location determined by the location system is detected and if the machine is judged to have been moved without authorisation, then the machine is remotely disabled, and/or a warning item is sent to the machine and displayed on an end user interface thereof.
12. The method according to claim 7 , in which the location information is sent by the machine upon reception of a request from the remote resource, and/or at predetermined time intervals.
13. The method according to claim 7 , in which remote management data is transmitted from the machine, the data being selected from the group consisting of: data requesting maintenance/repair machine; data to diagnose a fault of the machine; and data related to consumption of beverage material or other consumable used by the machine.