Kraft Foods R & D, Inc.

Koninklijke Douwe Egberts B.v.

Gary Burton-Wilcock

Brent Guard

Simon Carr

Paul John Newcombe

David Paul Short

A coffee brewing apparatus comprises a corresponding coffee brewer as well as a sensor that is configured and arranged to sense food components as used by that means for brewing coffee beverages. This coffee brewing apparatus then further comprises an external network interface that is configured and arranged to facilitate interfacing with a remote resource (or resources). The coffee brewing apparatus can further comprise an end user interface and a processor that is operably coupled to the sensor, the external network interface, and the end user interface and that is configured and arranged to independently use information regarding food components as are used by the means for brewing coffee beverages to facilitate obtaining corresponding responsive information from the remote resource and to then present that information to an end user via the end user interface.

Coffee brewer and a corresponding network-based method and apparatus

A beverage preparation machine of the type which uses pre-packed cartridges of beverage ingredients. The cartridges may be designed so that air becomes entrained so as to produce a desired foam or crema. Air inlets are provided in an outlet nozzle to allow air to enter the beverage preparation machine and so be available for entrainment. Advantageously, the air inlets extend through the sides of the nozzle in an elevated position at a widened portion of the nozzle. This reduces the flow of beverage into and through the air inlets, aiding cleanliness.

Beverage preparation machines

A method of operating a beverage preparation machine, the beverage preparation machine being of the type comprising a brewer comprising: a reservoir containing water; a delivery head for receiving in use a cartridge containing one or more beverage ingredients; a pump for pumping water from said reservoir to said delivery head; a primary heater for heating the water contained in said reservoir; a secondary heater in between the reservoir and the delivery head; a controller for controlling energization of the primary heater and the secondary heater; and wherein the controller operates to prevent energization of the primary heater simultaneous with energization of the secondary heater. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed and methods and apparatus utilizing first and second brewers.

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Kidlington, United Kingdom

Gary Burton-Wilcock