Rumor: Keurig Testing RFID Reader and Chips in Next Generation Single-Cup Brewers?

A picture from the FCC filing of a Keurig brewer with a
RFID chip reader in it.

Chris over at Engadget has sent word that Keurig may be planning to use RFID chips in their brewers given a recent FCC filing. While the FCC filing is just that - hey we're using RFID chips and just experimenting, it does make us think about the purpose of an RFID reader and RFID chips in a Keurig single serve coffee brewer that uses K-Cups.

1. If they're using it to read something about each K-Cup - they could use this for brew temperature, length of brew, amount of water etc. much like the Tassimo system uses bar codes to tell the brewer how to prepare each beverage.
2. An RFID reader might also mean making sure any K-Cup used with the brewer also has an RFID chip. This would make it very difficult to use after market devices that allow for use of your own coffee or even K-Cups not made and sold by Keurig partners. This seems more likely given the patents on K-Cups running out in the coming years, and Keurig would want to protect the K-Cup system.
3. An RFID reader and chip would also be great for the commercial brewers allowing for employees with a chip to use the Keurig brewer in their office.
4. An RFID reader and chip given to each household member might be able to remember the coffee preference of each coffee drinker if you could also program the RFID chips for each member of your coffee household.

Whatever the use the RFID reader is going to be used for in the future is unknown, but it does show Keurig is going to continually innovate and move forward into the single serve coffee future with new technology. We'll have more details as we find them on this story, but for now it's just a rumor on next gen use and a FCC filing mixed with speculation on the intended use as the filing omits the company secrets it doesn't want the filing to disclose.

Full filing at OET List Exhibits Report

Read More in: Keurig Vue & V-Cups | Single Serve Coffee Rumors

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