Some embodiments of the invention provide a system for monitoring liquid consumption
at one or more establishments. At each establishment, the system includes one or
more spouts and a local computer. Each spout is mounted on a liquid container.
Also, each spout generates data regarding the amount of liquid poured from the
spout's container. The local computer at each establishment collects data generated
by the spouts at the establishment. In some embodiments, a wireless network links
the local computer and the spouts at each establishment. The system also includes
an external computer that gathers the data collected by the local computers of
the establishments monitored by the system. In some embodiments, the external computer
is located outside of all the establishments, while in other embodiments this computer
is located within one of the establishments. Some embodiments of the invention
provide a free-pour spout. This spout mounts on an open orifice of a liquid container
and measures the amount of liquid poured from the liquid container. This spout
has a housing and a passageway defined within the housing. It also has a detection
circuit that detects fluid flow through the passageway. In addition, this spout
has a measuring circuit that generates data relating to fluid flow when the detection
circuit detects fluid flow through the passageway.
