AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on

14 January 2019 (14.01 .2019)

[Claim 1] 1. A device for preparing a liquid food item for consumption, the

device comprising:

an inner surface defining a liquid holding volume;

an outer surface, the outer surface and inner surface forming an orifice of the liquid holding volume;

a heating element configured on the inner surface;

a thermal sensor configured to sense a temperature of the liquid holding volume;

a mixer device, the mixer device comprising a mixing element disposed within the liquid holding volume;

a liquid volume sensor; and

a processor, the processor coupled to a memory, the thermal sensor, the heating element, the liquid volume sensor, and a power source, the processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory, the instructions comprising:

receiving an instruction to prepare a liquid food item within the liquid holding volume;

in response to receiving the instruction to prepare the liquid food item within the liquid holding volume, preparing the liquid food item for consumption, wherein preparing the liquid food item for consumption comprises:

determining, based at least in part on data provided by the liquid volume sensor, a volume of liquid food item in the liquid holding volume;

calculating, based at least in part on the determined volume, a mixer signal for powering the mixer device,

powering, with the power source, the mixer device by the mixer signal, wherein powering the mixer device comprises engaging the mixing element thereby causing the mixing element to rotate within the liquid holding volume;

measuring, using the thermal sensor, a first temperature of the liquid food item within the liquid holding volume;

determining whether the first temperature is at a consumption temperature;

in response to determining that the first temperature is not at the consumption temperature: powering, with the power source, the heating element;

measuring, using the thermal sensor, a second temperature of the liquid food item within the liquid holding volume;

determining whether the second temperature of the liquid food item is at the consumption temperature; and

in response to determining that the second temperature of the liquid food item is at the consumption temperature, discontinuing preparing the liquid food item for consumption.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the inner surface defining the liquid holding volume is an inner surface of an inner shell, the inner shell including an inner shell outer surface opposite the inner surface of the inner shell; and

the outer surface is an outer surface of an outer shell, the outer shell comprising an outer shell inner surface opposite the outer surface of the outer shell, the outer shell being sleeved over the inner shell and defining an insulation compartment between the inner sleeve outer surface and the outer sleeve inner surface.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the insulation compartment comprises a vacuum chamber.

4. The device of claim 1, further comprising a button configured on the outer surface of the device, the button coupled to the processor, wherein receiving an instruction to heat a liquid within the liquid holding volume comprises receiving an indication that the button has been engaged.

5.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising an orientation sensor configured on the device and coupled to the processor, the orientation sensor configured to sense an orientation of the device, wherein the instructions further comprise:

sensing, using the orientation sensor, an orientation of the device; determining whether the orientation of the container is an acceptable orientation for the device for preparation of a liquid food item, and in response to determining that the orientation is not an acceptable orientation for the device for preparation of a liquid food item, discontinuing preparation of the liquid food item.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a cap sensor adjacent to the orifice of the liquid holding volume, the cap sensor configured to sense the presence of a cap covering the orifice, wherein the in- structions further comprise:

determining, using the cap sensor, whether a cap is covering the orifice; in response to determining that no cap is covering the orifice, discontinuing preparation of the liquid food item.

[Claim 8] 8. The device of claim 1, further comprising a cap sensor adjacent to the orifice of the liquid holding volume, the cap sensor configured to sense a cap covering the orifice, wherein the instructions further comprise:

determining, using the cap sensor, an identifier associated with a cap covering the orifice;

determining whether the identifier associated with the cap is associated with preparation of a liquid food item; and

in response to determining that the cap is not associated with preparation of a liquid food item, discontinuing preparation of the liquid food item.

[Claim 9] 9. The device of claim 1, wherein the mixer device comprises a stirrer magnetically coupled to a motor of the mixer device, and wherein powering the mixer device comprises powering the motor.

[Claim 10] 10. A container comprising:

an inner shell having an inner surface defining a liquid holding volume and an outer surface opposite of the inner surface;

an outer shell having inner and outer surfaces, the outer shell being sleeved over the inner shell and defining an insulation compartment between the inner surface of the outer shell and the outer surface of the inner shell, and the outer shell and the inner shell forming an orifice to the liquid holding volume at their juncture;

a heating element configured on the inner surface of the inner shell; a thermal sensor configured to measure a temperature of a liquid in the liquid holding volume;

a volume sensor configured on the container; and a processor coupled to a memory, the thermal sensor, the heating element, the volume sensor, and a power source, the processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory, the instructions comprising:

receiving an instruction to prepare a liquid,

measuring, using the volume sensor, a volume of the liquid in the liquid holding volume;

determining whether the volume is less than a minimum volume; in response to determining that the volume is not less than the

minimum volume:

preparing the liquid, wherein preparing the liquid comprises:

measuring, using the thermal sensor, a first temperature of a liquid in the liquid holding volume;

determining whether the first temperature is greater than or equal to a consumption temperature;

in response to determining that the first temperature is not greater than or equal to the consumption temperature:

powering the heating element;

measuring, using the thermal sensor, a second temperature of the liquid;

determining whether the second temperature of the liquid is greater than or equal to the consumption temperature;

in response to determining that the second temperature of the liquid is greater than or equal to the consumption temperature:

discontinuing preparation of the liquid, wherein discontinuing preparation of the liquid comprises refraining from powering the heating element.

[Claim 11] 11. The container of claim 10, wherein the memory contains further instructions executable by the processor including:

measuring, using the volume sensor, a volume of the liquid in the liquid holding volume;

determining whether the volume is less than a minimum volume; and in response to determining that the volume is less than the minimum volume, discontinuing preparation of the liquid.

[Claim 12] 12. The container of claim 10, further comprising a cap sensor coupled to the processor, the cap sensor configured to detect a presence of a cap on the orifice, wherein the memory contains further instructions executable by the processor including:

determining, using the cap sensor, whether a cap is present on the orifice; and

in response to determining that the cap is not present on the orifice, discontinuing preparation of the liquid.

[Claim 13] 13. The container of claim 10, further comprising a mixer element configured on the inner surface of the inner shell and magnetically coupled to a motor, the motor coupled to the processor and configured to cause the mixer element to rotate when a mixing signal is applied to the motor, wherein the memory contains further instructions executable by the processor including:

powering the motor with a mixing signal, thereby causing the mixer element to rotate.

[Claim 14] 14. The container of claim 10, further comprising:

a mixer element configured on the inner surface of the inner shell and magnetically coupled to a motor, the motor coupled to the processor and configured to cause the mixer element to rotate when a mixing signal is applied to the motor, and

wherein the memory contains further instructions executable by the processor including:

measuring, using the volume sensor, a volume of the liquid in the liquid holding volume;

determining a mixing signal based at least in part on the measured volume; and

powering the motor with the mixing signal.

[Claim 15] 15. The container of claim 10, further comprising an orientation sensor, the orientation sensor coupled to the processor, wherein the memory contains further instructions executable by the processor including: determining, using the orientation sensor, an orientation of the container; and

in response to determining that the orientation is not within a predetermined buffer range from upright, discontinuing preparation of the liquid.

[Claim 16] 16. The container of claim 10, further comprising a mixing element configured on the inner surface of the inner shell and magnetically coupled to a motor, the motor coupled to the processor and configured to cause the mixing element to rotate when a mixing signal is applied to the motor, wherein the motor comprises a mixing plate configured to rotate, wherein the mixing plate comprises multiple magnets of alternating polarity, wherein the memory contains further instructions executable by the processor including:

powering the motor with a mixing signal, wherein powering the motor with the mixing signal causes the mixing plate to rotate, wherein the rotation of the mixing plate causes the mixing element to rotate.

[Claim 17] 17. The container of claim 10, further comprising a cap sensor coupled to the processor, the cap sensor configured to detect an identifier associated with a cap covering the orifice, wherein the memory contains further instructions executable by the processor including:

receiving, using the cap sensor, the identifier associated with the cap when the cap covers the orifice;

comparing the received identifier to a predefined identifier associated with a predefined type of cap; and

discontinuing preparation of the liquid if the received identifier is not equivalent to the predefined identifier.

[Claim 18] 18. A container for maintaining liquid at a storage temperature and heating the liquid to a consumption temperature, the container comprising:

an inner shell having an inner surface defining a liquid holding volume and an outer surface opposite of the inner surface;

an outer shell having inner and outer surfaces, the outer shell being sleeved over the inner shell and defining an insulation compartment between the outer shell and the inner shell,

wherein the outer shell and inner shell are configured to meet at a junction defining an orifice of the liquid holding volume;

a battery coupled to a heating element;

a thermal sensor configured on the inner shell, the thermal sensor configured to measure a temperature;

a volume sensor configured on the inner shell, the volume sensor configured to measure a volume of liquid in the liquid holding volume; a cap sensor configured to detect a presence of a cap at the orifice of the liquid holding volume;

an orientation sensor configured on the container, the orientation sensor configured to generate orientation data associated with an orientation of the container;

the heating element configured on the inner surface of the inner shell; and

a processor coupled to a memory, the processor coupled to the battery, the thermal sensor, the volume sensor, the cap sensor, the orientation sensor, and the heating element.

[Claim 19] 19. The container of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory, the instructions comprising: measuring the temperature of a liquid in the liquid holding volume by the thermal sensor;

measuring a volume of the liquid in the liquid holding volume by the volume sensor;

detecting a presence and a type of cap covering the orifice of the liquid holding volume;

measuring an orientation of the container by the orientation sensor; preparing the liquid in the liquid holding volume, wherein preparing the liquid comprises powering the heating element.

[Claim 20] 20. The container of claim 18, further comprising a mixer device, the mixer device comprising a mixer motor coupled to a mixing element configured to rotate in the liquid holding volume, wherein the processor is configured to execute instructions stored in the memory, the instructions comprising:

receiving an instruction to prepare a liquid in the liquid holding volume;

measuring, using the volume sensor, a volume of the liquid;

calculating, based at least in part on the measured volume of the liquid, a mixing signal for powering the mixer motor;

powering the mixer motor using the mixing signal.