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Title:
FOOD PROCESSING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2015/171630
Kind Code:
A4
Abstract:
Systems, apparatus, and methods for food processing management. A cook list may be displayed on a master control user interface and a cooking device user interface. Food cook recipes may be selected for cooking different food types according to respective cook recipes. Transfer of cooked food from a cooking device to a food holding apparatus may be monitored for transfer delay. Cooked food subject to transfer delay may cause at least one of turbo boost heating in the food holding apparatus, denial of entry into the food holding apparatus, and requirement to cook replacement food.

Inventors:
REESE ROBERT J (US)
WANN BENJAMIN KINGBAY (US)
DEVILLE CANYON (US)
LOY JOSHUA LEE (US)
DELANEY ORD LIEF (US)
SHEI STEVEN M (US)
THISSEN RAFAEL K (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2015/029273
Publication Date:
May 19, 2016
Filing Date:
May 05, 2015
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
DUKE MFG CO (US)
International Classes:
G06Q10/06; A47J36/32; G06Q10/08; G06Q50/12
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
EVERDING, William, R. et al. (100 North Broadway17th Floo, St. Louis Missouri, US)
Download PDF:
Claims:
AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 30 March 2016 (30.03.2016)

1. A food cooking system comprising:

a master control system including a processor, a tangible storage medium stormg processor executable instructions, and a master control user interface displaying a variable cook list listing at least one food item type to be cooked, the variable cook list changing based on need for food, the variable cook list having a highest priority position for indicating a food item type of highest priority to be cooked, and

a cooking device operative!}' connected to the master control system, the cooking device being configured for cooking the at least one food item type, the cooking device including a processor, a tangible storage medium storing processor executable instructions, and a user interface, the cooking device user interface displaying the variable cook list listing the at !east one food item type to be cooked, the cooking device user interface including at least one cook recipe button for causing the cooking device to execute a cook recipe associated with the at least one food item type to cook the at least one food item type.

2. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the variable cook list displayed by the master control user interface and the cooking device user interface lists at least a first food item type and a second food item type, the first food item type or the second food item type being in the highest priority position based on need for the first and second food item types.

3. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 1 wherein changes to the variable cook list are updated on the master control user interface and the cooking device user interface substantially simultaneousl .

4. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cooking device is a first cooking device and the master control user interface displays a master cook list including multiple cook list sections associated with different cooking devices, one of said cook list sections including the variable cook list for said first cooking device.

5. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cooking device user interface has a recipe button section including the at least one cook recipe button, the recipe

1 button section changing in appearance as a function of the food item type in the highest priority position of the vanabie cook list.

6. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 5 wherein the at least one cook recipe button changes in appearance as a function of the food item type in the highest priority position of the variable cook list.

7. A food cookmg system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the at least one cook recipe button changes in appearance by flashing to draw attention of a user.

8. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the at least one cook recipe button changes color as a function of the food item type in the highest priority position of the variable cook list.

9. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 5 wherein the at least one cook recipe button includes a series of cook recipe buttons associated with respective recipes for cooking different food items types, the appearance of the series of cook recipe buttons changing as a function of the food item type in the highest priority position of the variable cook list.

10. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 9 wherein the recipe button section changes in appearance to emphasize to the user the cook recipe button associated with a cook recipe for cooking she food item type in the highest priority position on the variable cook list.

1 1. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 10 wherein he recipe button section is separate from the variable cook list.

12. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 1 wherein an aspect of the cooking device user interface other than the variable cook list changes as a function of the food item listed in the highest priority position.

13. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the cooking device user interface comprises a touch screen display displaying the variable cook list and having the at least one cook recipe button.

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14. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one cook recipe button is positioned next to the variable cook list.

15. A food cooking system as set forth in claim I wherein the cooking device user interlace is mounted on the cooking device.

16. A food cooking system as set forth in claim Ϊ wherein the master control system monitors inventory of cooked food items cooked by the cooking device and varies the variable cook list as a function of the inventory of the cooked food items cooked by the cooking device.

17. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 1 wherein at least one of the master control user interface and the cooking device user interface is configured for changing a stored cook recipe for a food item type.

18. A food cooking system as set forth in claim 17 wherein the cook recipe comprises a number of different cook cycle phases and wherein, for each cook cycle phase, a cook time and a cook temperature are selectively modifiable.

1.9. A food cooking system as set. forth in claim 1 wherein the master control system and die cooking device communicate with each other such that at least some information displayed on the master control user interiace is displayed on the cooking device user interface, the at least some information including: at least one of transfer delay alerts, cook recipe changes, fault conditions, fault history, and energy usage.

20. A food preparation control module comprising:

a master control system including a processor and a tangible storage medium having processor executable instructions,

said master control system including a first display for displaying information relating to food items to be cooked by cooking apparatus and to be held by food holding apparatus, and a food preparation a ara us control system including a processor and. a tangible storage medium having processor executable instructions,

said food preparation apparatus control system including a second display, and

3 said master control system and said food preparation apparatus control system being in communication with each other such that at least some information displayed on the first display is displayed on the second display.

21 , A cooked food transfer management control system for managing transfer of cooked food in a food preparation establishment, the cooked food transfer management control system including:

a food cooking device configured for cooking food,

a cooked food holding apparatus having at least one cooked food holding Iocation for holding cooked food from the food cooking device, the at least one cooked food holding location including a heat-generating device configured for holding the cooked food at a holding temperature at the at least one cooked food holding location,

a cooked food transfer management controller configured for managing transfer of cooked food from the food cooking device to the cooked food holding apparatus,

a tangible storage medium storing therein a predetermined threshold cooked food transfer time for transferring cooked food from the cooking device to the cooked food holding apparatus, the tangible storage medium having cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions stored therein, said instructions, when executed by the cooked food transfer management controller, detenmning an actual cooked food transfer time elapsed before the cooked food is held at the at least one cooked food holding iocation and determining a cooked food transfer delay as a function of the predetermined threshold cooked food tr ansfer time and the actual cooked food transfer time.

22, A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 21 wherein the tangible storage medium has cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions stored therein for determining the cooked food transfer delay as a function of the actual cooked food transfer time exceedin the predetermined threshold cooked food transfer time.

23, A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 21 wherein the cooked food transfer management controller records the cooked food transfer delay in the tangible storage medium.

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24. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 21 wherein the tangible storage medium stores a default cooked food holding cycle heating recipe for operating the heat-generating device for holding the cooked food for a cooked food holding cycle, and wherein the tangible storage medium has cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions stored therein for modifying the cooked food default holding cycle heating recipe as a function of the cooked food transfer delay.

25. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth hi claim 24 wherein the tangible storage medium has cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions stored therein for modifying the default cooked food holding cycle heating recipe to provide a boost of heat at or near the beginning of the cooked food holding cycle for boosting the temperature of the cooked food.

26. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 24 wherein the cooked food transfer management controller requests user input whether to modify the default cooked food holding cycle heating recipe, and as a function of the user input, modifies the default cooked food holding cycle heating recipe.

27. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 21 further comprising a user interface configured for receiving user input for entering cooked food in the at least one cooked, food holding location, the tangible storage medium including cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions for. as a function of the cooked food transfer delay, denying entry of the cooked food in the cooked food holding apparatus via the user interface.

28. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 27 wherein the user interface is configured for receiving user input for entering cooked food at. the at least one cooked food holding location, and the tangible storage medium includes cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions for denying entry of the cooked food at tiie at least one cooked food holding location at least until cooking of replacement food is initiated.

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29. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 27 wherein the user interface is configured for receiving user input for entering cooked food at the at least one cooked food holding location, and the tangible storage medium includes cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions for denying entry of the cooked food at the at least one cooked food holding location at least until cooking of replacement food is complete.

30. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 21 further comprising a user interface configured for displaying instructions, the tangible storage medium including cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions for, as a function of the cooked food transfer delay, displaying an instruction to waste the cooked food.

31. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 21 further comprising a user interface configured for displaying instructions, the tangible storage medium including cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions for displaying an instruction on the user interface to cook replacement food.

32. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 21 wherein the cooked food transfer management controller is a component of a master control system, the cooked food transfer management control system further including a cooked food holding apparatus control system, the cooked food transfer management controller being operatively connected to the cooked food holding apparatus control system.

33. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 21 wherein the cooked food transfer management controller is a component of a master control system, the cooked food transfer management control system further including a cooking device control system, the cooked food transfer management controller being operatively connected to the cooking device control system.

34. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the tangible storage medium has cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions stored therein for determining the actual cooked food transfer time as a function of a cooking complete signal indicating cooking of the food is complete.

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35. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 21 wherein the tangible storage medium has cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions stored therein for determining the actual cooked food transfer time as a function of a cooking initiated Signal indicating cooking of the food has been initiated.

36. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 21 wherein the tangible storage medium has cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions stored therein for determining the actual cooked food transfer time as a function of a holding signal indicating the cooked food is held at the at least one cooked food holding location.

37. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 21 further comprising a user interface configured for receiving user input, and wherein the tangible storage medium has cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions stored therein for determining the actual cooked food transfer time as a function of user input via the user interface.

38. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 21 wherein the at least one cooked food holding location comprises a plurality of cooked food holding locations, and the food transfer management control system further comprises a user interface including a plurality of holding location displays associated with respecti ve cooked food holding locations for displaying information associated with the respective cooked food holding locations, the plurality of holding location displays being arranged in an array corresponding to an arrangement of the respective cooked food holding locations, and the holding location displays being positioned in the array corresponding to positions of the respective cooked food holding locations in the arrangement.

39. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 38 wherein the holding location displays are configured for receiving user input, and wherein the tangible storage medium has cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions stored therein for determining the actual cooked food transfer time as a function of user input at a holding location display.

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40. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 39 wherein the holding location displays display a food type indicator indicating a type of cooked food to be held at the respective holding locations, and the cooked food transfer management controller determines the actual cooked food transfer time as a function of user input at a holding location display displaying a food type indicator representing the cooked food type being transferred from tlte cooking device,

41. A cooked food transfer management control system as set forth in claim 38 wherein the holding location displays are configured for displaying a food type indicator indicating a type of cooked food to be held at the respective holding locations and configured for receiving user input for entering cooked food at a holding location, and wherein the tangible storage medium includes cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions for, as a function of the transfer delay, denying entry of the cooked food in the cooked food holding apparatus via a holding location display displaying a food type indicator representative of the food type cooked.

42. A computer executable method for managing transfer of cooked food in a food preparation establishment, the method including

cooking food with a food cooking device,

operating a cooked food transfer management controller to monitor actual cooked food transfer time elapsed before the cooked food is held at a cooked food holding location of a cooked food holding apparatus,

determining, with the cooked food transfer management controller, a cooked food transfer delay as a function of a comparison of the actual cooked food transfer time and a predetermined threshold cooked food transfer time.

43. A cooked food transfer management control system for managing transfer of cooked food from a food cooking device to a food holding apparatus, the food holding apparatus having at least one cooked food holding location for holding cooked food from the food cooking device, the at least one cooked food holding location including a heat-generating device configured for holding the cooked food at a holding temperature at the at least one cooked food holding location, the cooked food transfer management control system including:

8 a cooked food transfer management controller configured for managing transfer of cooked food from the food cooking device to the cooked food holding apparatus,

a tangible storage medium storing therein a predetermined threshold cooked food transfer time for transferring cooked food from the cooking device to the cooked food holding apparatus, the tangible storage medium having cooked food transfer management controller executable instructions stored therein, said instructions, when executed by the cooked food transfer management controller, determining an actual cooked food transfer time elapsed before tiie cooked food is held at the at least one food holding location and determining a cooked food transfer delay as a function of the predetermined threshold cooked food transfer time and the actual cooked food transfer time.

44. A heat control for use with a food holding unit having at least one heating compartment for holding pre-cooked food previously cooked by a food cooking device, the food holding unit including a heat source associated with the at least one heating compartment for holding the pre-cooked food at a selected temperature, the heat control including

a heat control processor for controlling operation of the heat source to deliver heat to the pre-cooked food in the heating compartment,

heat control processor executable instructions for controlling the operation of the heat source according to a programmed holding cycle heating recipe to deliver heat to the pre-cooked food in the holding compartment for a holding cycle,

heat control processor executable instructions for modifying the programmed holding cycle heating recipe as a function of a time between cooking of the food being complete and the food being placed in the food holding unit.

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