BEVERAGE OR FOODSTUFF CONTAINER CONSUMPTION MONITORING METHOD

1 . A beverage or foodstuff preparation machine comprising:

a container processing subsystem to process a beverage or foodstuff container to prepare a beverage or foodstuff therefrom:

a control subsystem to control the container processing subsystem to prepare the beverage or foodstuff;

a consumption monitoring subsystem configured to monitor consumption of containers by the container processing subsystem and to determine therefrom container consumption information relating to said consumption;

a networking subsystem comprising a network interface for communication with an external electronic device over a network, and

the consumption monitoring subsystem is configured to: store stock state information, which comprise information relating to an amount of containers at a location of the machine; to update the stock state information using the consumption information; receive, via the networking subsystem, stock order information, which comprises information detailing an amount of containers purchased by a user and to further update the stock state information using the stock order information; and to transmit, via the networking subsystem, the further updated stock state information to said electronic device.

2 . The beverage or foodstuff preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the consumption monitoring subsystem is configured to: receive, via the networking subsystem, a first stock order identifier which is associated with stock order information; and to store said identifier as a second stock order identifier or as one of a plurality of second stock identifiers.

3 . The beverage or foodstuff preparation machine of claim 2 , wherein the consumption monitoring subsystem is configured to transmit, via the networking subsystem, the or each stored second stock order identifier to the electronic device in response to a request from the device or upon achieving a network connection to the device.

4 . The beverage or foodstuff preparation machine according to claim 1 , wherein the consumption monitoring subsystem is configured to receive from the electronic device, via the networking subsystem, stock state correction information, which comprise information detailing a manual correction to the stock state information and to correct the stock state information using the stock state correction information.

5 . The beverage or foodstuff preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the consumption monitoring subsystem comprises a container detection sensor arranged at a container ejection channel of the container processing subsystem, the sensor to detect spent containers ejected from the container processing subsystem, whereby the consumption monitoring subsystem is operable to update the consumption information using a signal from the sensor.

6 . The beverage or foodstuff preparation machine of claim 1 , wherein the networking interface is a wireless interface or a near field communication interface.

7 . A computer program executable on an electronic device, the program comprising instructions for:

obtaining, via a networking subsystem of the device, a network connection to a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine;

obtaining, from the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, stock state information, which comprises relating to an amount of the actual stock of containers at a location of the machine or information for determining the stock state information and determine the stock state information therefrom; and

effecting the display of said amount of stock on a display subsystem of the electronic device.

8 . The computer program of claim 7 , wherein the computer program is configured to:

obtain, from a remote resource via the networking subsystem, stock order information, which comprises an amount of containers purchased by a user; and transmit, via the networking subsystem said information to the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine.

9 . The computer program of claim 8 , wherein the computer program is configured to:

obtain, from the remote resource via the networking subsystem, a first stock order identifier, which is associated with said stock order information;

obtain, from the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine via the networking subsystem, a second stock order identifier;

determine if the identifiers are different;

if different then to effect the transmission of both the first stock order identifier and the associated stock order information received from the remote resource to said machine.

10 . The computer program of claim 9 , wherein if the identifiers are different the computer program is configured to:

prior to performing said transmissions, effect the obtaining of a response from a user via an input/output subsystem of the electronic device to confirm whether the stock order is to be associated with the machine;

if confirmed then to execute the transmission of the first stock order identifier and associated stock order information; and

to transmit only the first stock order identifier.

11 . The computer program of claim 7 , wherein the computer program is configured to:

obtain an input via an input/output subsystem of the electronic device for manual adjustment of the stock state information and derive therefrom stock state correction information; and

effect the transmission of the stock state correction information to the beverage or foodstuff preparation machine for update of the stock state information stored thereon.

12 . The computer program of claim 7 , wherein the computer program is configured to:

obtain from an input/output subsystem of the electronic device a user request to order an amount of containers; connect to a remote resource; effect ordering of said amount from the remote resource; and

obtain from the resource associated stock order information and an optional first stock order identifier associated therewith.

13 . The computer program of claim 7 , wherein the computer program is configured to:

compare, using the stock state information, the amount of the actual stock of containers to a predetermined value;

determine if the stock state is below said value; and

if below then effect the provision of a notification to a user via the input/output subsystem of the electronic device.

14 - 15 . (canceled)

16 . A method for monitoring beverage or foodstuff container consumption comprising:

deriving, at a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, container consumption information;

updating, using the consumption information, stock state information, wherein the stock state information comprise information detailing an amount of containers at a location of the machine,

obtaining at an electronic device external the machine the updated stock state information; and

displaying at the electronic device the amount of stock derived from the updated stock state information.

17 . The method of claim 16 further comprising, prior to display at the electronic device of the amount of stock:

obtaining on the electronic device stock order information, which comprises information detailing an amount of containers purchased by a user; and

updating the stock state information using the stock order information.

18 . The method of claim 16 further comprising:

obtaining, on the electronic device a first stock order identifier, which is associated with stock order information;

comparing the first stock order identifier to a second stock order identifier stored on the electronic device or said machine;

determining if the identifiers are different, and if different:

storing the first stock order identifier as the second stock order identifier or as a further second stock order identifier on either the electronic device or the said machine; and

updating the stock state information using the stock order information associated with the first stock order identifier.

19 . The method of claim 18 further comprising, prior to storing the first stock order identifier as the second stock order identifier or as a further second stock order identifier;

obtaining a response from a user of said machine or the device confirming that the stock order associated with the first identifier is to be associated with the machine;

if confirmed then;

storing the first stock order identifier as the second stock order identifier or as a further second stock order identifier and updating the stock state information using the stock order information associated with the first stock order identifier; and

else only storing the first stock order identifier as the second stock order identifier or as a further second stock order identifier.

20 . The method of claim 16 further comprising:

receiving an input from a user for manual adjustment of the stock state information and deriving therefrom stock state correction information;

updating of the stock state information using the stock state correction information; and

displaying the updated stock state information.

21 . The method of claim 16 further comprising:

receiving a user request to order an amount of containers;

connecting the electronic device over a computer network to a remote resource;

ordering the amount of containers from the remote resource; and

obtaining at the electronic device, associated stock order information and/or a first stock order identifier.

22 . The method of claim 16 further comprising:

comparing, using the stock state information, an amount of the actual stock of containers at a location of the machine to a predetermined value;

determining if the stock state is below the value; and

if below then displaying of a notification to a user.