Support and capsule for preparing a beverage by centrifugation, system and method for preparing a beverage by centrifugation

Technical field:

[0001] The invention relates to the field of beverage preparation, in particular using capsules containing a component for preparing a beverage in a beverage preparation machine. The present invention relates in particular to optical code carriers adapted to store capsule-related information, capsules associated with or having an embedded code carrier, reading and processing assemblies for reading and using such information to prepare a beverage.

Basics of the invention:

[0002] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "beverage" is intended to include all liquids intended for human consumption, such as coffee, tea, hot or cold chocolate, milk, soup, baby food or the like. The term "capsule" is intended to mean any pre-portioned ingredient or combination of ingredients (hereinafter referred to as "ingredient") within a closing packaging made of any suitable material, such as, for example, plastic, aluminum, recycling and / or biodegradable material, and combinations thereof, including is a soft container or rigid container containing this ingredient.

[0003] Some beverage preparation machines use capsules containing an ingredient to be extracted or to dissolve and / or an ingredient that is stored and dispensed automatically in the machine or is added when the beverage is prepared. Some beverage preparation machines contain liquid filling means that include a liquid pump, usually water, which pumps liquid from a water source that is cold or actually heated by heating means, for example a thermoblock or other similar element. Some beverage preparation machines are configured to prepare drinks using a centrifugal extraction process. The principle of operation is mainly to provide the beverage ingredient in the capsule container, introduce the liquid into the container and rotate the container at high speed to ensure interaction of the liquid with the powder to form a liquid pressure gradient in the container, the pressure gradually increasing from the center towards the periphery of the container. As the liquid passes through the coffee bed, the coffee compounds are extracted and a liquid extract is obtained that flows around the periphery of the container.

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[0004] Typically, it is convenient to offer the user a series of different types of capsules containing different ingredients (e.g., different coffee blends) with specific taste properties for the preparation of various beverages (e.g., different types of coffee) using the same machine. Beverage properties can be changed by changing the capsule content (e.g., coffee weight, various grades, and the like) and by adjusting key machine parameters such as liquid volume or temperature delivered, rotational speed, pump pressure. Therefore, there is a need to identify the type of capsule placed in the beverage preparation machine to allow the brewing parameters to be adapted to the type of capsule inserted. In addition, it may also be desirable for the capsules to have additional information embedded, e.g., safety related information, such as expiration date or manufacturing data, such as lot numbers.

[0005] WO2010 / 026053 relates to a device for the controlled production of beverages using centrifugal forces. The capsule may contain a bar code placed on the outer surface of the capsule, which allows detection of the type of capsule and / or the type of ingredients contained in the capsule to apply a predefined extraction profile for the prepared beverage.

[0006] It is known in the prior art, for example from document EP1764015A1, to locally print an identification bar code on a small area of ​​a circular crown of a coffee wafer intended for use in conventional, non-centrifugal coffee brewing systems. Said systems comprise a bar code reader for reading the identification bar code on the capsule. Bar code readers or scanners are electronic devices containing a light source, a lens and a light sensor that translates optical impulses into electrical ones. They generally contain a light emitting diode / laser diode or a sensor similar to that used in cameras. Bar code readers in a beverage preparation machine are adapted to read the bar code either by moving the sensor element through the bars (by moving / changing the position of the source light beam to scan the entire code) or by taking a picture of the whole code at the same time using a photosensitive matrix.

[0007] The use of such barcode readers is not adapted for use in the context of a centrifugal extraction system having a rotary brewing unit. The use of bar code readers having moving parts, such as scanning elements, can pose serious reliability problems as it is likely to be exposed to a demanding environment with cyclical vibrations and the presence of hot steam when placed in close proximity to the rotating brewing unit. Barcode readers with a photographic sensor should be positioned so that they are able to take a picture of the entire barcode. Consequently, all code must be directly visible to the reader. Since the amount of free space available in the rotating brewing unit for the code reader is quite limited, it is generally not possible to meet the visibility requirement.

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V11848EN01 / KK [0008] Regardless of the type of bar code reader used, the geometric configuration of the rotary brewing units in centrifugal extraction-based systems prevents the bar code reader from reading the code distributed over a large portion of the capsule: as a consequence, the bar code dimensions are very limited, which leads to very a small amount of encoded information for a given read reliability level, typically only about 20 bits. In addition, barcode readers are quite expensive.

[0009] Reliable reading of the code printed on the capsule when the capsule is placed in the rotary brewing unit involves reliable recognition of the symbol sequence forming said code, in particular in the difficult environment of the rotary brewing unit. In addition, the code should also be legible without the reader knowing the location and / or orientation of the capsule in which the capsule has been placed in the capsule holder. Traditional bar codes and other optical coding elements known in the art for capsules do not meet these requirements.

[0010] Concurrent International Patent Application PCT / EP11 / 057670 relates to a carrier adapted to be connected or to be part of a capsule for preparing a drink. This carrier includes a section on which at least one sequence of symbols is represented, so that each symbol can be sequentially read by the reading device of the external device, while the capsule is rotated about the axis of rotation, each sequence encoding a set of information about the capsule . Such an invention makes a large amount of encoded information available, e.g. about 100 bits of redundant or non-redundant information, without the use of bar code readers having moving elements, such as scanning elements, which can pose serious reliability problems. Another advantage is also the ability to read the code carrier by rotating the capsule when the capsule is in position in the brewing position in the rotating capsule holder.

[0011] However, there is still a need to improve the pattern and / or structure of the code depicted on the medium in order to increase reading reliability under the particular conditions present in a centrifugal beverage preparation machine using beverage preparation capsules. There is still a need for a code capsule that can be reliably read by a code reader without knowing the location and / or the positioning of said code when the capsule is placed in the rotary capsule holder of a centrifugal extraction system.

Brief description of the invention [0012] The object of the invention is to provide means for storing, reading and processing information regarding a capsule, in particular information for identifying said capsule inside a machine and for obtaining or reading information for adjusting the operating parameters of a machine and / or controlling parameters for preparation a drink using said capsule.

Another purpose is to provide a capsule having such means incorporated.

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V11848EN01 / KK [0013] Another goal is to control optimal conditions for preparing a drink.

[0014] Another object is to provide a solution for reliable reading of information about the capsule with a sensor located in the machine, for example in the processing module / brewing unit of the machine, where the available spaces are quite limited and difficult environmental conditions prevail (residual ingredients, presence of vapors and liquids, ..).

[0015] One or more of these objectives is achieved by a capsule, carrier, device or method according to an independent (independent) claim (s). The dependent claims present additional solutions for these purposes and / or additional benefits.

[0016] More specifically, according to a first embodiment, the invention relates to a code carrier adapted to associate or be part of a capsule intended for delivering a drink in a beverage preparation device by centrifuging the capsule. The carrier comprises code formed by at least a first symbol sequence and a second symbol sequence. The code is represented on the carrier so that each symbol is sequentially readable by the reading assembly of the external reading device while the capsule is set into rotation about the axis of rotation. The first sequence comprises at least one first preliminary symbol sequence and at least one first sequence of given symbols. The second sequence comprises at least one second preliminary symbol sequence and at least one second symbol sequence of the given symbols. The first initial sequence is different from the second initial sequence.

[0017] By using sequentially readable symbols when rotating the capsule, the amount of encoded data can be increased and / or the area covered by each symbol can be enlarged, improving overall reading reliability. The term "sequentially" should be understood to mean that one or a limited number of symbols (less than the number of symbols contained in each sequence) are read at a given time: for example, each symbol can be read separately. Consequently, at least one reading of all the symbols contained in all sequences in the carrier should be made by the reading assembly on the rotation of the capsule 360 ​​degrees around its axis of rotation.

[0018] The first pre-sequence and the second pre-sequence allow to determine which symbols belong to the first sequence and which belong to the second sequence, without knowing the angular configuration of the code carrier when it is placed in the beverage preparation machine. In addition, more reliable detection of said critical information for code decoding can be obtained by using different first preliminary sequences and second preliminary sequences.

[0019] For example, the first preliminary sequence may comprise a first 6-bit sequence PA = '10101010', a second 6-bit sequence PB = '010101'. The first sequence may begin with the first PA sequence, then the first D1 block containing the F1 data block having n1 bits with parity check bits. The second sequence may start with the second PB sequence, then the second D2 block containing the F2 data block having n2 bits with parity check bits. The position of the first and second sequences can then be determined by using an algorithm to identify the pattern PA - X1 - PB - X2, where X1 is any sequence of n1 bits, X2 is

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V11848PL01 / KK any sequence of n2 bits. For example, you can use the Equal Bits filter (Number of

Equal Bits (NEB)).

[0020] The code may contain more than two sequences, for example four or five symbol sequences. In this case, at least two different pre-sequences are used, but preferably each pre-sequence is selected to be different from the other pre-sequences.

[0021] In particular, the information set may contain information for recognizing the type associated with the capsule and / or one or a combination of elements from the following list:

• information on the parameters for preparing a drink using the capsule, such as optimal rotation speed, temperature of water entering the capsule, temperature of the beverage collector outside the capsule, flow rate of water entering the capsule, sequence of operations in the preparation process and others;

• information for obtaining local and / or remote parameters for making a drink using the capsule, for example an identifier that identifies the type of capsule;

• information on the manufacture of the capsule, such as production batch identifier, production date, recommended consumption date, expiry date and others;

• information for local and / or remote obtaining of information related to capsule production.

[0022] The symbols arranged in the sequences are used to represent data carrying a set of information about the capsule. For example, each sequence may represent the total number of bits. Each symbol can encode one or several binary bits. Data can also be represented by transitions between symbols. The symbols can be arranged in sequence using a modulation scheme, for example, linear coding, such as, for example, Manchester type coding.

[0023] Each symbol may be represented in the section by a unit having a measurable feature that can be read by the measuring assembly, the measurable feature changing depending on the value transmitted by said symbol. Each symbol can be printed and / or embossed. The shape of the symbols can be selected from the following non-exhaustive list: arched segments, segments that are individually rectilinear, but extend along at least part of the segment, dots, polygons, geometric shapes. The symbols can be read by an optical sensor included in the reading unit, the color and / or shape of each symbol being selected according to the value of said symbol. Symbols may be printed with ink that is not visible to the human eye in natural light, for example UV-visible ink. Symbols can be printed or embossed in a pattern that has surfaces that have different reflective and / or light absorbing properties. This pattern may include first surfaces having inclined reflecting or absorbing features and second surfaces having flat reflecting or reflecting features. You can choose other variable physical properties to distinguish each symbol, for example, color, reflection coefficient, opacity, level of light absorption, magnetic field, resistivity, capacity and more.

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V11848EN01 / KK [0024] The code may include error detection information or error correction information relating in particular to data. Information for error detection may include repetition codes, parity bits, checksums, cyclic redundancy codes, cryptographic data for a hash function, and more. The information for error correction may include error correction codes, forward error correction codes, in particular convolution codes or block codes.

[0025] At least one first data symbol sequence and at least one second data symbol sequence may contain the same information. Therefore, error checking can be performed, for example, by comparison, while parts of the code with errors can be processed appropriately. Therefore, this solution increases the likelihood of reading the code successfully if some parts of the sequence were illegible.

[0026] In an embodiment, the first initial sequence of symbols is formed by a plurality of first initial sub-sequences, wherein said multiple first initial sub-sequences are arranged in a first sequence according to a first pattern. The second initial sequence of symbols is formed by a plurality of second pre-sequences, said multiple second pre-sequences being arranged in a second sequence according to a second pattern. In particular, the first pattern and the second pattern may be identical.

[0027] For example, the first initial PA sequence is formed by the first four initial subsequences: PA1 = '10 ', PA2 = '01' PA3 = '10 ', PA4 = '01'. The first block D1 contains the first four subblocks D11, D12, D13, D14 forming the data block F1 having n1 bits with parity check bits. The first sequence may be as follows: PA1 D11 PA2 D12 PA3 D13 PA4 D14. The second initial PB sequence is made up of four second initial sequences: PA1 = '01 ', PA2 = '10', PA3 = '01 ', PA4 = '10'. The first block D2 contains the first 4 subblocks D21, D22, D23, D24, forming a data block F2 having n2 bits with parity check bits. The second sequence may be: PB1 D21 PB2 D22 PB3 D23 PB4 D24. The location of the first and second sequences can then be determined by using an algorithm to identify the pattern PA1 - X - PA2 - X - PA3 - X - PA4 - PB1 - X - PB2 - X - PB3 - X - PB4, where X is any sequence of bits . For example, you can use the Equal Bit Number (NEB) filter.

[0028] Preferably, the first preliminary symbol sequence and the second preliminary symbol sequence may be selected / set to minimize the number of Equal bits in the series in the code.

[0029] The code preferably contains at least 100 symbols.

[0030] The code may be arranged along at least eighth part of the perimeter and preferably around the entire perimeter of the carrier.

[0031] According to a second embodiment, the invention relates to a capsule for delivering a drink in a centrifugal beverage preparation device comprising a flange-like rim comprising a code carrier according to the first embodiment.

[0032] According to a third embodiment, the invention relates to a beverage preparation system from a capsule according to the second embodiment, and further comprises a beverage preparation device having capsule-holding means and rotary driving means for rotating the holding means and capsule

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V11848PL01 / KK around said axis of rotation. The beverage preparation device further includes a reading unit configured to decode the code represented on the code carrier:

• by separately reading each code symbol while driving the rotary drive means such that the capsule makes at least one revolution; and • by searching, in the symbols read, at least one first preliminary sequence and a second preliminary sequence;

By identifying the location of at least one first sequence and at least one second sequence, respectively.

[0033] According to a fourth embodiment, the invention relates to a method of reading a code on a capsule according to a second embodiment, in a beverage preparation device comprising capsule holding means for holding the capsule and rotary driving means for making the holding means and the capsule rotate about said axis of rotation; wherein the beverage preparation device further comprises a reading unit. The method comprises the following steps:

• separately reading, using the reading unit, each code symbol while driving the rotary drive means so that the capsule makes at least one complete revolution; and • searching in the symbols to read at least one first initial sequence and a second initial sequence;

• identifying the location of at least one first sequence and at least one second sequence, respectively.

Brief Description of the Figures [0034] The present invention will be better understood by the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, which are given as non-limiting examples of embodiments of the invention, namely:

- Fig. 1 illustrates the basic principle of centrifugal extraction;

- Figures 2a, 2b illustrate an embodiment of a centrifuge chamber with a capsule holder;

- Figures 3a, 3b, 3c illustrate an embodiment of a set of capsules according to the invention;

- Fig. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a code support according to the invention;

- Fig. 5 illustrates an alternative sequence positioning on the capsule, in particular when placed on the underside of the capsule as well as the capsule placed in the capsule holder of the extraction device;

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Fig. 6 illustrates a graphical representation of an example of NEB filter results on code with a common header used throughout the code sequence;

Fig. 7 illustrates a graphical representation of an example of an NEB filter result on a code according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 shows a graphical representation of the number of identical bits in series for a code according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description [0035] Fig. 1 illustrates an example of a system 1 for making beverages as described in WO2010 / 026053, in which a capsule according to the invention can be used.

[0036] The centrifugal unit 2 comprises a centrifuge chamber 3 for exerting centrifugal forces on the beverage ingredient and liquid inside the capsule. The centrifuge chamber 3 may comprise a capsule holder and a capsule located therein. The centrifugal unit is connected to driving means 5 such as a rotary motor. The centrifugal unit comprises a collecting part and an outlet 35. Below the outlet, a reservoir 48 for collecting the extracted beverage can be arranged. The system further comprises liquid supply means, such as a water tank 6 and a liquid circuit 4. Heating means 31 located in the tank or along the liquid circuit may also be present. The liquid supply means may further comprise a pump 7 connected to the tank. Flow restriction means 19 are provided to limit the flow of the centrifuged liquid that leaves the capsule. The system may further include a flow meter, such as a turbine flow meter 8 for controlling the flow rate of water supplied to the centrifuge chamber 3. A meter 11 can be connected to the turbine flow meter 8 to enable analysis of the generated data pulse 10. The analyzed data is then transferred to processor 12 According to what has been said, the actual actual liquid flow rate in the liquid cycle can be calculated in real time 4. A user interface 13 may be present enabling the user to enter information that is transmitted to the control unit 9. Further system characteristics can be found in WO2010 / 026053.

[0037] Figs. 3a, 3b and 3c refer to an embodiment of the capsule set 2A, 2B, 2C. The capsules preferably comprise a body 22, a rim 23 and an upper wall element, respectively lid 24. The lid 24 may be a perforated membrane or an aperture wall. As a result, the lid 24 and body 22 surround the housing, respectively a compartment of 26 components. As shown in the figures, the lid 24 is preferably connected to the inner annular portion R of the rim 23, which is preferably between 1 and 5 mm.

[0038] The rim is not necessarily horizontal as illustrated. It may be slightly bent. The periphery 23 of the capsule preferably extends outwardly in a substantially orthogonal (as illustrated) or slightly inclined (if said) direction relative to the Z axis of rotation of the capsule. Thus, the axis

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V11848EN01 / KK rotation Z represents the axis of rotation during centrifugation of the capsule in the brewing device and in particular is identical to the axis of rotation Z of the capsule holder 32 during centrifugation of the capsule in the brewing device.

[0039] It should be understood that the illustrated embodiment is only an exemplary embodiment, and the capsules, in particular the body 22 of the capsule, can take a variety of embodiments.

[0040] The body 22 of the respective capsule has a single convex portion 25a, 25b, 25c with variable depth d1, d2, d3, respectively. Thus, part 25a, 25b, 25c may also be a truncated or partially cylindrical part.

[0041] Therefore, capsules 2A, 2B, 2C preferably contain different volumes, but preferably have the same insert diameter "D". The capsule of Fig. 3a shows the low-volume capsule 2A, while the capsules of Figs. 3B and 3C represent the larger-volume capsules 2B and 2C, respectively. The diameter "D" of the insertion is here defined on the intersection line between the lower surface of the rim 23 and the upper part of the body 22. However, there may also be another reference diameter for the capsule in the device.

[0042] The low-volume capsule 2A preferably contains an amount of extraction component, for example ground coffee, less than the amount for the 2B, 2C high-volume capsules. Hence, the small 2A capsule is intended for making small coffee between 10 ml and 60 ml with ground coffee between 4 and 8 grams. The larger capsule 2B is for preparing medium coffee, for example between 60 and 120 ml, and the largest capsule is for preparing large coffee, for example 120 and 500 ml. Furthermore, the medium coffee capsule 2B may contain an amount of ground coffee between 6 and 15 grams, and the large coffee capsule 2C may contain an amount of ground coffee between 8 and 30 grams.

[0043] Furthermore, the capsules in the kit according to the invention may contain different mixtures of roasted and ground coffee or coffees of different origin and / or having different roasting and / or grinding properties.

[0044] The capsule is designed to rotate around the Z axis. This Z axis passes perpendicular through the center of the lid, which is in the form of a disk. The Z axis comes out in the middle of the bottom of the body. This Z axis will help define the concept of "circumference", which is a circular path located on the capsule and having the Z axis as the reference axis. This circumference may be on the lid, for example on the lid or on a part of the body, such as a flange-like rim. The lid may be liquid impermeable before being placed in the device, or it may be liquid permeable through small holes or pores present in the center and / or periphery of the lid.

[0045] Hence, the term bottom surface of the rim 23 refers to the section of the rim 23 which is located outside the closure formed by the body and the lid and is visible when the capsule is laid on its side where its body is visible.

[0046] Further characteristics of the capsules or capsule set can be found in documents WO 2011/0069830, WO 2010/0066705 or WO2011 / 0092301.

[0047] An embodiment of the centrifuge chamber 3 with the capsule holder 32 is illustrated in Figs. 2a and 2b. The capsule holder 32 generally forms a cylindrical or conical wide recess provided with

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V11848PL01 / KK the upper opening for inserting the capsule and the lower closing part of the container. The hole has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the body 22 of the capsule. The outline of the opening matches the outline of the periphery 23 of the capsule configured to rest on the edge of the opening when the capsule is inserted. Consequently, the rim 23 of the capsule rests at least partially on the receiving portion 34 of the capsule holder 32. The bottom bottom is provided with a cylindrical shaft 33 attached perpendicular to the center of the bottom outer surface. The capsule holder 32 rotates about the central Z axis of the shaft 33.

[0048] An optical reading unit 100 is also represented in Figs. 2a and 2b. The optical reading unit 100 is configured to provide an output containing information regarding the level of reflection of the lower rim surface 23 of the capsule based on the receiving portion 34 of the capsule holder 32. The optical reading unit is configured to perform optical measurements of the bottom surface of the rim 23 through the capsule holder 32, to be more precise, through the side wall of the cylindrical or conically shaped capsule holder 32. Alternatively, the output signal may contain differential information, e.g., differences in reflection coefficient over time or information regarding contrast. The output signal can be analog, for example it can be a voltage signal that changes with the information measured over time. The output signal may be a digital signal, for example a binary signal containing numerical data related to information measured over time.

[0049] In the embodiment of Figs. 2a and 2b, the reading assembly 100 includes a light emitter 103 for emitting a source light beam 105a and a light receiver 102 for receiving the reflected light beam 105b.

[0050] Typically, the light emitter 103 is a light emitting diode or laser diode emitting infrared light, in particular light with a wavelength of 850 nm. Typically, the light receiver 103 is a photodiode adapted to convert the received light beam into a current or voltage signal.

[0051] The reading assembly 100 also includes processor means 106 comprising a circuit board with a processor, sensor signal amplifier, signal filters and circuits for coupling said processor means 106 with a light emitter 103, a light receiver 102 and a machine control unit 9.

[0052] The light emitter 103, the light receiver 102 and the processor means 106 are held in position by a substrate 101 rigidly attached to the machine frame. The reading assembly 100 stands in position during the extraction process and is not rotated unlike the capsule holder 32.

[0053] In particular, the light emitter 103 is arranged such that the source light beam 105a is generally oriented along a line L intersecting at a fixed point F the plane P containing the receiving portion 34 of the capsule holder 32, said plane P having a normal line N passing through through point F. The fixed point F determines the absolute position in space where the source light beam 105a is to impinge on the reflecting surface: the position of the fixed point F remains unchanged when the capsule holder is rotated. The reading assembly may include focusing means 104 using, for example, apertures, lenses and / or prisms for more effective

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V11848EN01 / KK convergence of the source light beam 105 at a fixed point F of the bottom surface of the capsule lid placed in the capsule holder 32. In particular, the source light beam 105 can be focused so as to illuminate the disk centered practically on the fixed point F and having a diameter d.

[0054] The reading assembly 100 is configured such that the angle Θε between the line L and the normal line N is in the range between 2 ° and 10 °, in particular between 4 ° and 5 °, as shown in Fig. 2a . Consequently, when the reflecting surface is located at point F, the reflected light beam 105b is generally oriented along the line L 'crossing the fixed point F, with the angle θR between line L' and the normal line N being between 2 ° and 10 °, and in in particular between 4 ° and 5 °, as shown in Fig. 2a. The light receiver 102 is disposed on the substrate 101 so as to at least partially collect the reflected light beam 105b, generally oriented along the line L '. The focusing means 104 can also be configured to focus the reflected light beam 105b more efficiently to the receiver 102. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2a, 2b, point F, line L and line L 'are coplanar. In another embodiment, point F, line L and line L 'are not coplanar: for example, a plane passing through point F and line F and a plane passing through point F and line L' are located at an angle of virtually 90 °, eliminating direct reflection and allowing obtaining a more reliable reading system with less noise.

[0055] The capsule holder 32 is adapted to allow partial transmission of the source light beam 105a along the line L to point F. For example, the sidewall forming a cylindrical or conically shaped wide recess of the capsule holder is configured so that it is not opaque to infrared light. Said sidewall can be made of a plastic base material that is translucent for infrared and has entrance surfaces that allow infrared light to enter.

[0056] Consequently, when the capsule is positioned in the capsule holder 32, the light beam 105a falls on the lower periphery of said capsule at point F, before forming the reflected light beam 105b. In this embodiment, the reflected light beam 105b passes through the wall of the capsule holder up to the light receiver 102.

The section of the bottom surface of the rim 23 of the capsule located in the capsule holder 32, highlighted at F by the light beam 105, changes over time only when the capsule holder 34 is set in rotation. Thus, it is necessary to fully rotate the capsule holder 32 so that the source light beam 105 illuminates the entire annular section of the bottom surface of the rim.

[0058] The output signal can be calculated or generated by measuring in time the intensity of the reflected light beam and, if possible, by comparing its intensity with that of the source light beam. The output signal can be calculated or generated by determining the change in time of the intensity of the reflected light beam.

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V11848EN01 / KK [0059] The capsule of the invention comprises at least one optically read code carrier.

The code support may be part of a flange-like rim. The symbols are represented on an optically read code carrier.

[0060] The symbols are arranged in at least one sequence, said sequence encoding a set of information on the capsule. Each symbol is used to encode a specific value.

[0061] In particular, the information set of at least one of the sequences may contain information for recognizing the type associated with the capsule and / or one or a combination of elements from the following list:

• information regarding the parameters for preparing a beverage using the capsule, such as, for example, the optimum rotational speeds, the temperature of the water entering the capsule, the temperature of the beverage collector outside the capsule, the flow rate of water entering the capsule, the sequence of operations during the preparation process and the like;

• information for obtaining, locally and / or remotely, parameters for preparing a drink using the capsule, for example an identifier that allows recognizing the type of capsule;

• information on the manufacture of the capsule, such as production batch identifier, production date, recommended consumption date, expiry date and the like;

• information to obtain, locally and / or remotely, information on capsule production.

[0062] The symbols are located at least 1/8 of the circumference of the annular support, preferably around the entire circumference of the annular support. The code may contain consecutive arched segments. These symbols may also include consecutive segments that are individually rectilinear but extend along at least part of the circumference.

[0063] The sequence is preferably repeated along the perimeter to ensure reliable reading. The sequence is repeated at least twice on the circumference. Preferably, the sequence is repeated three to six times on the circumference. Repetition of the sequence means that the same sequence is duplicated and the subsequent sequences are arranged in series along the perimeter so that when the capsule is rotated 360 degrees, the same sequence can be detected or read more than once.

[0064] Referring to Fig. 4, an embodiment 60a of a code support is illustrated. The code carrier 60a occupies the defined rim width 23 of the capsule. The rim 23 of the capsule may comprise a substantially inner annular portion forming the carrier 60a and an outer (unencoded) curled portion. However, it may be that the entire width of the rim will be occupied by the carrier 60a, in particular if the bottom surface of the rim can be made substantially flat. This position is particularly advantageous because it offers both a large area for placing symbols and is less susceptible to damage caused by the processing module, in particular by the pyramidal plate, as well as falling out components. Consequently, both the amount of encoded information and the reading reliability are improved. In this embodiment, the code support 60a includes 160 symbols,

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V11848PL01 / KK with each symbol encoding 1 bit of information. Because the symbols are adjacent, each symbol has an arc length of 2.25 °.

[0065] Referring to Fig. 5, an embodiment 60b of a code support is illustrated in a top view. The code carrier 60b is adapted to be associated or to be part of the capsule so that it is set in rotation when the capsule is rotated about its Z axis by the centrifugal unit 2. The receiving section of the capsule is the bottom surface of the rim 23 of the capsule. As illustrated in Fig. 5, the code support may be a ring having a peripheral portion on which at least one symbol sequence is represented so that the user may place it on the periphery of the capsule before entering it into the brewing unit of the beverage preparation machine. Consequently, the capsule without built-in information storage means can be modified by mounting such a carrier to add such information. When the carrier is a separate part, it can simply be added to the capsule without additional attachment means, whereby the user ensures that the carrier will be correctly positioned when inserted into the brewing unit or the shapes and dimensions of the carrier will prevent it from moving relative to the capsule after assembly. The code carrier 30b may also include additional attachment means for rigidly fixing said element to the receiving section of the capsule, such as glue or mechanical means, to assist the fixed position of the carrier relative to the capsule after assembly. As also mentioned, the code carrier 60b may be part of the rim itself, e.g. integrated into the capsule structure.

[0066] Each symbol is adapted to be measured by the reading unit 100 when the capsule is placed in the capsule holder and when said symbol is aligned with the source light beam 105a at point F. More specifically, each different symbol represents the level of reflection coefficient of the source light beam 105a changing with the value of said symbol. Each symbol has different reflecting and / or absorbing properties for the source light beam 105a.

[0067] Since the reading assembly 100 is adapted to measure only the properties of the illuminated code carrier section, the capsule must be rotated by the driving means until the source light beam illuminates all the symbols contained in the code. Typically, the speed for reading the code may be between 0.1 and 2000 rpm.

Example 1 - Inadequate code header for an optical code carrier having at least two sequences read during rotation [0068] The following table 1 shows an example of a sequence of 15 binary symbols:

Table 1

<td colspan="4">S1</td>

<td>P1</td><td>F11</td><td>F12</td><td>F13</td>

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<td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td>

[0069] The S1 sequence of Table 1 begins with a 6-bit header. The P1 header corresponds to the known stored bit sequence, in this example "10101010". Then the sequence contains three data blocks, F11, F12, F13. Each block of data starts with a value of 2 bits and ends with a parity bit. Table 2 shows an example of reading the code containing the S1 sequence followed by the S2 sequence:

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Table 2

<td colspan="15">S1</td><td colspan="15">S2</td><td colspan="2">S1</td>

<td colspan="6">P1</td><td colspan="3">F11</td><td colspan="3">F12</td><td colspan="3">F13</td><td colspan="6">P1</td><td colspan="3">F11</td><td colspan="3">F12</td><td colspan="3">F13</td><td colspan="2">P1</td>

<td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td>

EP3047765 B1

V11848EN01 / KK [0070] The reading begins on the third bits of the first S1 sequence, after the start of the P1 header. Therefore, at least one complete revolution of the optical code carrier is needed to read all symbols of each sequence.

[0071] After collecting all the symbols, it is necessary to rebuild each sequence, in particular by determining the position of the headers. You can use the matching filtering method to perform this task. For example, in the following example, the Equal Bit Number (NEB) filter was applied to the bits read, using header P1 as the matching pattern '101010'. This filtering method consists in adding up the successive read bits for each window, said window having the same length as the matching pattern, the number of bits that are common with the matching pattern bits. For a six-bit P1 header, the maximum NEB filter is 6 when the read window bits match those of the P1 header.

[0072] The result can be further improved by calculating the contrast between the NEB filter results, for example by calculating the difference between the NEB filter result at a given window position and the NEB filter result at a subsequent window position. The greater the contrast, the better.

EP3047765 B1

V11848PL01 / KK

Table 3

<td colspan="15">S1</td><td colspan="15">S2</td>

<td colspan="6">P1</td><td colspan="3">F11</td><td colspan="3">F12</td><td colspan="3">F13</td><td colspan="6">P1</td><td colspan="3">F11</td><td colspan="3">F12</td><td colspan="3">F13</td>

<td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td>

<td colspan="30">Filter matched</td>

<td colspan="2">NEB</td><td colspan="28">Window</td>

<td colspan="2"> 5</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 1</td><td>X</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 5</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 2</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 3</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 3</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 2</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 5</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 0</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 6</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 0</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 6</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 0</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 6</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 1</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

<td colspan="2"> 5</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td> 0</td><td> 0</td><td> 1</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td><td>X</td>

EP3047765 B1

V11848EN01 / KK [0073] In this non-working example, a maximum of 6 for the NEB filter was found for the 6-bit sequences beginning with bit 10, bit 12 and bit 14. However, only the 6-bit sequence beginning on bit 14 actually corresponds to the P1 header second period. Even the calculation of the contrast does not solve this problem, because the contrast is higher for 6-bit sequences starting at bit 10 and bit 12. Consequently, such a P1 header is not suitable, in particular because it does not allow to determine the effective position of said header in sequences with certainty. Figure 6 shows an example of the results of a NEB filter on such a code structure.

Example 2 - code header for an optical code carrier having four sequences, read during rotation [0074] The corresponding P header is shown below. The P header is distributed over the sequences shown on the optical code carrier. For example, the P header contains the first 6-bit sequence PA = "101010", the second 6-bit sequence PB = '010101', the third 6-bit sequence PC = '011001' and the fourth 6-bit sequence PD = '100110'.

[0075] The first S1 sequence begins with the first PA sequence, followed by the first D1 block containing three data blocks F11, F12, F13 with parity check bits. The second S2 sequence begins with the second PB sequence, followed by the second D2 block containing three data blocks F21, F22, F23 with parity check bits. The third S3 sequence begins with the third PC sequence, followed by the third D3 block containing three data blocks F11, F12, F13 with parity check bits. The fourth S4 sequence begins with the fourth PD sequence, followed by the fourth D4 block containing three data blocks F21, F22, F23 with their parity check bits. Then the following sequences are presented on the code carrier: PA - F11 - F12 - F13 - PB - F21 - F22 - F23 - PC -F11 - F12 - F13 - PD - F21 F22 - F23. The first block D1, respectively the second block D2, the third block D3, the fourth block D4 contain the number of bits n1, n2, n3 and n4, respectively.

[0076] In order to read all symbols of each sequence, at least one complete turn of the optical code carrier is required.

[0077] The position of the first block D1, second block D2, third block D3 and fourth block D4 was determined by searching the pattern PA - X1 - PB - X2 - PC - X3 - PD - X4 in the bit sequence read by the optical reader, where X1 is any sequence of n1 bits, X2 means any sequence of n2 bits, X3 means any sequence of n3 bits, X4 means any sequence of n4 bits. Thus, not only the bit sequence corresponding to the header bits is searched, but the relative positions of PA, PB, PC, PD are taken into account, which allows for a more reliable and reliable identification of the beginning of each data block.

[0078] For example, the Equal Bit Number (NEB) filter can be applied to the bits read, using the following matching pattern:

EP3047765 B1

V11848PL01 / KK '101010xxxxxxxxx010101xxxxxxxxx011001xxxxxxxxx100110xxxxxxxxx', where x corresponds to any bit and n1 = n2 = n3 = n4 = 9 bits.

[0079] This filter is applied to the read bits, shifting the starting position of the movable filter window from the first read bit to the last read bit. The window position corresponding to the maximum NEB filter value probably corresponds to the beginning of the first S1 sequence. Figure 7 shows an example of the results of a NEB filter for such a code structure.

[0080] It is also possible to calculate the contrast between the NEB filter value for each window position relative to the NEB filter value in subsequent window positions: the window position corresponding to the maximum NEB contrast value will then probably correspond to the beginning of the first S1 sequence.

Example 3 - code header for an optical code carrier having four sequences, read during rotation [0081] The corresponding header P 'is shown below. The header P 'is spread out in the sequences shown on the optical code carrier. For example, header P 'contains the first sequence PA =' 101010 'with a length of 6 bits, the second sequence PB =' 010101 'with a length of 6 bits, the third sequence PC =' 011001 'with a length of 6 bits and the fourth sequence PD =' 100110 'with a length of 6 bits.

[0082] The first PA sequence has three sub-sequences PA1 = '10 ', PA2 = '10', PA3 = '10 '. The second PB sequence contains three subsequences PB1 = '01 ', PB2 = '01', PB3 = '01 '. The third PC sequence has three subsequences PC1 = '01 ', PC2 = '10', PC3 = '01 '. The fourth PD sequence contains three subsequences PD1 = '10', PD2 = '01 ', PD3 = '10'.

[0083] The first S1 sequence is created by the PA1 subsection, then the F1 data block with the parity check bit, the PA2 subsection, then the F2 data block with the parity check bit, the PA3 subsection, then the F3 data block with the parity check bit. The second S2 sequence is created by the PB1 subsection, then the F1 data block with the parity check bit, the PB2 subsection, then the F2 data block with the parity check bit, the PB3 subsection, then the F3 data block with the parity check bit. The third S3 sequence is formed by the PC1 subsection, then the F1 data block with the parity check bit, the PC2 subsection, then the F2 data block with the parity check bit and the PC3 subsection, then the F3 data block with the parity check bit. The fourth S4 sequence is created by the PD1 subsection, then the F1 data block with the parity check bit, the PD2 subsection, then the F2 data block with the parity check bit, the PD3 subsection, then the F3 data block with the parity check bit. Then the following sequences are presented on the code medium:

PA1 - F1 - PA2 - F2 - PA3 -F3 - PB1 - F1 - PB2 - F2 -PB3 - F3 -PC1 - F1 - PC2 - F2 - PC3 - F3 -PD1 - F1 - PD2 F2 - PD3 - F3

EP3047765 B1

V11848EN01 / KK [0084] Data block F1, data block F2, data block F3, data D4 respectively contain the number n1, n2, n3 and n4 bits.

[0085] To read all symbols of each sequence, at least one complete turn of the optical code carrier is required.

[0086] The position of data block F1, second block F2 and third block F3 in each of the sequences S1, S2, S3, S4 was determined by searching the pattern:

PA1 -X1 - PA2 -X2 - PA3 -X3 - PB1 - X1 - PB2 - X2 - PB3 -X3 - PC1 -X1-PC2 - X2 - PC3 -X3 -PD1 - X1 - PD2 - X2 -PD3 -X3 in bit sequence read by the optical reader, where X1 means any sequence containing n1 bits, X2 means any sequence containing n2 bits, and X3 means any sequence containing n3 bits.

[0087] Therefore, not only the bit sequence corresponding to the bits from the header is searched, but the relative positions of each PA, PB, PC, PD subsection are also taken into account, which allows for a more reliable and reliable identification of the beginning of each data block. In addition, by separating and decomposing headers into smaller sequences, information coding can be optimized by minimizing the number of identical bits in a series (EBS). Figure 8 shows the number of identical bits in series for this code structure.

[0088] For example, the Equal Bit Number (NEB) filter can be applied to the bits read, using the following matching pattern:

'10xxx10xxx10xxx01xxx01xxx01xxx01xxx10xxx01xxx10xxx01xxx10xxx', where x corresponds to any bit and n1 = n2 = n3 = 3 bits.

[0089] The filter is applied to the read bits, shifting the start position of the movable filter window from the first read bit to the last read bit. The window position corresponding to the maximum NEB filter value probably corresponds to the beginning of the first S1 sequence.

[0090] It is also possible to calculate the contrast between the NEB filter value for each window position and the NEB filter value in the next window position: the window position corresponding to the maximum NEB contrast value will then probably correspond to the beginning of the first S1 sequence.

[0091] An example that can be combined with any previous disclosure is described in the following paragraphs.

&amp; 1. The code carrier (60a, 60b) adapted to attach to or form part of a capsule intended for delivering a drink in a beverage preparation device by centrifuging the capsule, the carrier comprising a code formed by at least a first sequence of symbols and a second sequence of symbols, said code being represented on a carrier so that each symbol is read sequentially by the reading unit of the external reading device, when the capsule is rotated about an axis

EP3047765 B1

V11848EN01 / KK, the first sequence comprising at least one first preliminary symbol sequence and at least one first data symbol sequence;

the second sequence comprises at least one second preliminary symbol sequence and at least one second data symbol sequence;

wherein the first initial sequence is separate from the second initial sequence.

62. The code carrier according to &amp; 1, in which the code contains information about error detection or error correction.

63. The code support according to any of &amp; 1 or &amp; 2, wherein at least one first data symbol sequence and at least one second data symbol sequence contain the same information.

64. A code support according to any one of the previous &amp;, wherein the first initial symbol sequence is formed by a plurality of first initial sub-sequences, wherein said multiple first initial sub-sequences are arranged according to a first pattern in the first sequence, and wherein the second initial symbol sequence is formed by a plurality of second preliminary subsequences, wherein said multiple second initial subsequences are arranged according to a second pattern in the second sequence.

65. The code carrier according to &amp; 4, in which the first pattern and the second pattern are identical.

66. A code support according to any one of the previous &amp;, wherein the first initial symbol sequence and the second initial symbol sequence are set to minimize the number of equal bits in the code series.

67. Code carrier according to any of the previous &amp;, in which the code contains at least 100 symbols.

68. A code support according to any of the preceding &amp;, wherein the code is arranged along at least one-eighth of the perimeter of the code support.

69. The code carrier according to any of the previous &amp;, in which the code is arranged over the entire perimeter of the code carrier.

610. Capsule intended for delivering a beverage in a beverage preparation device by centrifugation, comprising a flange-type rim containing a code carrier according to any of the previous &amp;.

611. A beverage preparation system, comprising the capsule according to the previous &amp;, and further comprising a beverage preparation device; the device comprising a capsule holding means (32) for holding the capsule and rotatable driving means (5) for making the holding means and the capsule rotate about said axis of rotation; wherein the beverage preparation device further comprises a reading unit (100) configured to decode the code shown on the code support:

• by separately reading each code symbol when driving the rotary drive means (5) so that the capsule performs at least one complete revolution; and • by searching, in the symbols read, at least one first preliminary sequence and a second preliminary sequence;

EP3047765 B1

V11848EN01 / KK • by identifying the location of at least one first sequence and at least one second sequence, respectively.

&amp; 12. The code reading method on the capsule according to the previous &amp; 10, in a beverage preparation device comprising the capsule holding means (32) for holding the capsule and rotary driving means (5) for making the holding means and the capsule rotate about said axis of rotation; wherein the beverage preparation device further comprises a reading unit (100), characterized in that the method comprises the following step:

• separately reading, using the reading unit (100), each code symbol while driving the rotary drive means (5) so that the capsule makes at least one full turn; and • searching in the symbols to read at least one first initial sequence and a second initial sequence;

• identifying the location of at least one first sequence and at least one second sequence, respectively.