HK1035845A - Improved food appliance and a coding system therefor - Google Patents

Description

Improved food utensil and coding system thereof

This application is a partial continuation of serial No.08/915,654 filed on 21/8/1997, which was a partial continuation of serial No.08/346,432 filed on 29/11/1994 (now us patent No.5,704,277).

The present invention relates to an improved food appliance, and more particularly to a universal food appliance having an encoding system for program control and incorporating features for program updates that may be implemented by an end user.

An embodiment of a food appliance in the form of a bread maker with a coding system is disclosed in us patent No.5,704,277. The programming means receives the materials required in the given program (e.g., ingredients of the selected type of bread to be baked) according to one of the given programs provided and then initiates the operation.

Bread makers comprising toasters of the kind described below are currently known, comprising: an electric heater arranged at the bottom; a roasting pan as a container provided inside the oven for containing ingredients therein; a stirrer for stirring and kneading ingredients in the baking tray; and a motor for driving the agitator in a prescribed manner.

Bread makers are also known which are capable of storing a plurality of programs and allowing a user to select one of the programs in order to toast a desired type of bread. These procedures typically involve a number of complex steps, such as mixing selected ingredients and controlling the baking temperature. With these prior art bread makers, the user must carefully read the recipe to determine the necessary steps before setting the appropriate program.

Some bread makers are pre-programmed so that a user can automatically perform a program associated with a given bread type by simply determining the type of bread desired to be baked.

In order to allow the user to specify the type of bread to be baked, some bread makers are designed to display the type of bread that can be specified when powered on. An indicator is first displayed at a default position, for example next to the name of the bread type most often selected, which indicator moves one position at a time when the user operates the "SELECT" button until finally reaching a position next to the desired bread type.

In addition, some existing bread makers are provided with the same number of push buttons as the different types of bread that can be baked therethrough, and require the user to push a button corresponding to the desired type of bread. However, with prior art bread makers, the number of programs a user can select from is limited, since the screen of the display device is not large and the control panel of the machine cannot accommodate too many buttons.

Furthermore, with existing bread makers, the user must carefully add the required ingredients (such as flour, sugar, salt, yeast). In other words, the prior art bread makers are inefficient in energy use, inconvenient to use, and do not significantly increase the selection of different bread types that can be baked.

The existing bread makers and other programmable devices have limited preset program settings according to which the machine can operate. That is, all the procedures that can be performed by a bread maker or other similar appliance are factory loaded. If a new recipe requires a different procedure, the user can best approximate this procedure by selecting the closest existing preset program. In many cases, users will have to purchase new types of machines in order to have newer features and processes.

Furthermore, the food cooking appliances of the prior art tend to be task specific and single use. For example, bread makers are used exclusively for making bread, rice cookers are used exclusively for cooking rice, ovens are used exclusively for grilling, and conventional ovens, microwave ovens or convection ovens are used for general or specific types of baking, burning, etc.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose food utensil with a program control that can be updated to replace a plurality of special purpose utensils.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a food appliance with a coding system wherein new recipes or pre-mixed ingredient compositions can be associated with a predetermined program.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a system with program instructions (reteire) that can be updated by a user in the field.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new coding system for programming devices such as bread makers or other food appliances that allows a user to select one of a large number of different types of products and to automate the machine according to the program appropriate for the selected product.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a coding system which is less error prone when used by a user in providing ingredients for a particular product.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose food appliance that can operate as a bread maker or other special purpose machine and is equipped with the improved coding system described above.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a food implement that can efficiently store a large number of programs.

The above and other objects are achieved in an improved bread maker of the present invention which is similar to prior art bread makers and is characterized by including an oven having a heater therein; a bakeware adapted to contain ingredients therein and disposed within the oven; a stirrer for stirring and kneading ingredients in the baking tray; and a motor for driving the agitator in a specific manner. And also includes an air circulation device, such as a centrifugal fan, for causing air within the oven to move upwardly through the fan and circulate downwardly around the grill pan.

A coding system embodying the present invention that is capable of achieving the above and other objects is associated with a machine characterized by being capable of being adapted to selectively perform any of a plurality of tasks according to a program, and using specific materials also associated with the selected task. An example of such a machine is a bread maker programmed to make different types of bread by using different ingredient mixes. Each product that can be obtained by such a machine is assigned a different code and a table is provided as indicating means for indicating what code has been assigned to each product that can be made or processed by the machine and the user specifies the product to be obtained or processed by entering the corresponding code. The materials used by the machine to make a specific type of product or to perform a specific process can be provided in the form of pre-mixed groups using corresponding codes clearly printed on the machine, so that the user is relieved of the trouble of mixing the required ingredients himself/herself. The user may specify a code corresponding to a desired product by directly forming the code on numeric or alphanumeric keys, or by causing available codes to appear sequentially one by one on a display device and pressing a process (process) start button when the code corresponding to the desired product or process is displayed.

It is a feature of the present invention to allow a food appliance to run a new program added outside of its existing program instruction system. This is achieved by providing the user with means (facility) to transfer the new program to the food implement.

In one embodiment of the invention, the new or updated program is transferred through a standard data port, such as a parallel port, serial port or infrared port, mounted on the food appliance.

In another embodiment, the new or updated program is transferred through a memory port of a removable memory card.

Another feature of the present invention is to integrate multiple functions into a multi-purpose appliance that operates under the control of a renewable program. Thus, one multi-purpose machine or appliance can replace several dedicated machines. This is accomplished by incorporating a hard component common to multiple dedicated food machines in a single multi-purpose appliance.

A certain degree of economy can be achieved since different special food machines have many components in common. Repetition can be avoided when only the common features of these components are included in the multi-purpose food appliance.

A further advantage is that the versatility of using food appliances allows for improved optimal fit and handling that is not possible with conventional special appliances. Since the multi-purpose food appliance is rich in various functional feature setting capabilities, it is particularly suitable for providing a user with a means for program update even after the food appliance leaves the factory.

It is another feature of the present invention to provide a food appliance running a program, a portion of which allows for modification by a set of parameters. This is accomplished by having program execution respond to a set of process parameters. In this way, the multiple functions of the food appliance can be greatly increased without the need for inefficiencies to store many similar programs that may differ only in some minor respects.

In one embodiment of the invention, a code from the above-described encoding system is used to identify a given program that operates with a given set of values assigned to an associated set of process parameters.

In another embodiment, an arrangement of command systems for predetermined values of process parameters (i.e., a set command system for a process parameter) is encoded. In this way, the user need only enter program code to call out the desired program and parameter code from the predetermined instruction system to specify the desired process parameter settings.

In another embodiment, the set of process parameters can be specified by a user entering a desired value for each process parameter. For example, all things being equal, the user can modify the duration or temperature of one or more cycles of the program.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a bread maker embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an encoding system that is incorporated into a bread maker to implement the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the operation of the encoding system of FIG. 2 by the control device;

FIG. 4 is a display condition after the display device of FIG. 2 is reset;

FIG. 5A illustrates one embodiment of a multi-purpose food appliance with a removable memory;

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a multi-purpose food appliance in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of a multi-purpose food appliance with a removable memory;

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates an example of a look-up table for process parameter settings; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a table in which a code represents a combination of parameterization and process parameter settings according to a preferred embodiment.

Figure 1 shows a bread maker 15 embodying the present invention and comprising components known from prior art bread makers of a similar type to those referred to. Cooking cavity 50, which includes an electric heater disposed near the bottom, is disposed within housing structure 54. The housing structure 54 is provided with an openable lid door 56 to enable a baking pan 58 for containing bread ingredients therein to be removably disposed within the interior of the baking cavity 50. Adjacent to, but separated from, the baking cavity 50 in the housing structure 54 by a cavity dividing wall 80, there is a motor cavity 60 containing a stirring motor 62 whose drive shaft is in moving communication with a stirring drive shaft 64 by means of a belt 66. By activating the agitator motor 62 in a controlled manner, agitator blades (not shown) mounted on an agitator drive shaft 64 for agitating, kneading and mixing the contents of the baking pan 58 can be driven in a prescribed manner, such as alternately in clockwise and counterclockwise directions.

Also included in motor cavity 60 is a fan motor 68 for a centrifugal fan 70 which is within cooking cavity 50 but separated from cooking plate 58 by dividing wall 72. The dividing wall 72 has an upper window 82 provided above the centrifugal fan 70 and a lower inlet 84 provided below the centrifugal fan 70. When fan motor 68 drives centrifugal fan 70, the air that has been heated by heater 52 is forced upwardly through the space between dividing wall 72 and the dividing wall that separates cooking cavity 50 from motor cavity 60, as indicated by the upwardly directed arrows in FIG. 1. The hot air pushed upward is forced to be directed toward the baking tray 58 through the upper windows 82, flows downward around the baking tray 58 as shown by the downward arrows in fig. 1, and is then drawn toward the centrifugal fan 70 through the lower inlet 84. In this manner, heated air within cooking cavity 50 is caused to circulate therein as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1 around baking pan 58, rather than being released from cooking cavity 50 as is the case with prior art bread makers of this type. As a result, the heat energy is more efficiently utilized by the convection currents that are realized in the bread maker of the present invention, so that up to 2.0 pounds of wheat bread and 2.5 pounds of white bread can be baked at an energy that is required to bake approximately 1.5 pounds of bread than in prior art bread makers of comparable design. Further, since the forced air circulation according to the present invention has a good effect of uniformly distributing the temperature through the baking tray 58, it is possible to obtain a more delicious bread having an improved structure.

The code system according to the invention will be described below for a bread maker such as that described with reference to fig. 1, but it is equally well applicable to many other types of programmable devices adapted to operate according to any one of a number of programs, each of which may be associated with a different type of product such as bread, by loading the ingredients etc. required for the selected program.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a bread maker 15 equipped with a coding system according to the invention, the coding system comprising a table 16; a memory device 17 which stores a number of programs and can be considered as a part of a central processor 18 as a control device for controlling the general operation of the bread maker 15; also included is a control panel 25 which is equipped with a display device 30, such as a liquid crystal display, and a number of switches and buttons as input devices, including a "STOP/RESET" button 31, a "COLOR" button 32 for selecting between normal and light bread COLORs, and a "START" button 33 for initiating a baking cycle in accordance with the selected program. An important feature of the present invention is that the bread types that can be baked or the processes that can be performed by the bread maker 15 are each assigned a code, which is preferably numeric but may also be alphabetic or alphanumeric. As a practical example, the numerical codes "10", "20" and "60" are assigned to indicate not only the "basic bread", "wholemeal bread" and "kneading" process, respectively, but also to indicate the corresponding programs stored in the memory means 17 and to be invoked by the control means 18 for controlling the operation of the bread maker 15 for baking the basic bread, baking the wholemeal bread and performing a predetermined kneading process, respectively.

Table 16 is used to show the user what code has been specified for each type of bread or process that is selectable. For example, all specifiable codes are listed in one column and the bread and processes corresponding to the codes in the first column are listed in another column.

According to a preferred method of using the coding system described above, the ingredients used to make each type of bread listed in table 16 are available in a set of pre-mixes, shown schematically at 19. Each set is clearly marked with a code (i.e. a program followed by the control means 18) representing the type of bread that can be baked or the process that can be performed. This method is advantageous because it reduces the possibility of errors by the user when pouring the ingredients into the baking pan 58 of the bread maker 15 and avoids the user's trouble preparing the desired ingredient mix.

The process of selecting the type of bread to be baked or the bread to be executed and designated to the control device 18 by a code will be described below with reference to the schematic diagram of fig. 2 and the flowchart of fig. 3.

According to the most practical embodiment of the invention, the most commonly used programs or programs considered to be the most commonly used programs are treated as default programs. Since the basic type of bread with a common color is usually selected most frequently, the procedure for baking the basic bread is defined as a default procedure such that when the STOP/RESET button 31 is pressed to RESET the control device 18 (YES at step S1), the code "10" corresponding to basic break is automatically selected. Thus, after the reset, the display on the display device 30 will be as shown in fig. 4 (step S2).

The control panel is equipped with an UP button 34 and a DOWN button 35 for changing the designated program. The codes assigned to the different bread types and processes are arranged in order (for example, in ascending order if the codes are numeric), so that each time the UP button 34 or the DOWN button 35 is pressed (YES in step S3 or S5), the control device 18 sequentially selects a program corresponding to the next code forward or backward, respectively, and causes the new code corresponding to the newly selected program and the name of the selected corresponding bread or process type to be displayed on the display device 30 (steps S4 or S6). Similarly, if the COLOR button is pressed (YES in step S7), the selected COLOR is changed from NORMAL to LIGHT, or from LIGHT to NORMAL, and the display on the display device 30 is also changed from NORMAL to LIGHT, or from LIGHT to NORMAL (step S8). When one of the codes or the bread color (normal or light) has been selected at that time, and the START button is pressed (YES at step S9), the control device 18 STARTs operating the bread maker 15 according to the selected one of the stored programs (step S10).

As shown in fig. 2, the control panel 25 is further equipped with a TIMER button (TIMER) for inputting a TIMER setting operation mode for setting a TIMER (not shown); a CLOCK button (CLOCK) for inputting a CLOCK setting operation mode to set a CLOCK (not shown); an hour button (HR) and a minute button (MIN) for setting the hour and minute in the timer and the clock setting mode, respectively; a SET button (SET) for setting a timer or a clock; and light emitting diodes labeled TIMER, OPERATION and COMPLETE to indicate that the control is in TIMER set mode, that the baking OPERATION is ongoing or that the baking OPERATION is COMPLETE, respectively. These and similar buttons and diodes have been used in prior art panelboard machines, the function of which is well known to the user.

Thus, they are shown in FIG. 2 but are not described in detail here.

The invention has been described above with reference to a few examples only. These examples are, however, illustrative and not restrictive. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the disclosed examples. For example, the coding system of the present invention need not be associated with a panel maker, or more generally a food machine, but may be associated with any programmable device that allows a user to select one of a plurality of programs and to so operate in accordance with the selected program using specific materials associated with the program. Although specific encoding methods are shown above, it is not necessary that they be arranged in a sequence such that they appear one after the other in the display device in that order, either in a forward or backward direction, allowing the user to decide whether to select one of the displayed options. The control panel may be equipped with numeric or alphanumeric keys to allow the user to form a numeric or alphanumeric code to directly invoke the desired program.

Multipurpose appliance with updatable program

The above coding system allows individual programs from a program instruction system preset in the machine to be efficiently identified and accessed. Another advantage is that the user can easily invoke the correct procedure in the machine by simply entering the code when the pre-mixed set of food ingredients is marked with the appropriate code.

However, even if a large program instruction system is preset to the machine at the time of manufacture, such a situation still occurs: when a user may wish to use a new recipe or new pre-mix of food ingredients, a new program not found in existing machine program instruction systems needs to be used.

It is a feature of the present invention to allow a machine or appliance to run a new program added outside of its existing program instruction system. This is achieved by providing the user with means to transfer a new program to the appliance.

Another feature of the present invention is the incorporation of multiple functions into the operation of the multi-purpose appliance under updatable program control. Thus, one multi-purpose machine or appliance can replace several dedicated machines.

FIG. 5A shows one embodiment of a multi-purpose food appliance 115 with a removable memory. This embodiment has a housing 154 with a front opening door 156. The housing encloses a food processing chamber accessible through an open door. On the housing is a control panel 125 with a display through which a user can interact with the food service 115. In this example, the multi-purpose food appliance is capable of functioning as an oven, a microwave oven, and a panel maker.

Fig. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in fig. 5A. The cavity 150 is formed within a housing structure 154. Within the cavity are a pair of bottom and top electrical heating elements 153, 155. A rack or carriage 157 is removably mounted in the cavity to support the food being processed, the rack resting on a fulcrum 159 on the wall of the cavity. The appliance can function much like a barbecue grill by selectively energizing either the top heating element 153 or the bottom heating element 155 or both.

Adjacent to the cavity 150 within the housing structure 154 but separated therefrom by a cavity wall 180 is a motor cavity 160. The motor housing contains a centrifugal fan 170. The centrifugal fan 170 draws air from the chamber through an inlet 182 near the bottom opening of the chamber wall 180 and blows it back into the chamber through an outlet 184 near the top opening of the chamber wall 180. When the centrifugal fan 170 is operated in combination with the heating element 152, the food appliance functions as a conventional oven.

Between the top wall 151 of the cavity and the housing structure is an optional magnetron 161 for providing a source of microwaves which are injected into the cavity from the top wall 151 through a port. The motor chamber 160 also contains a drive motor 162 having a motor gearbox wheel in moving communication with a drive shaft 164 extending through the bottom wall of the chamber to the chamber by means of a drive belt 166. A turntable is detachably mounted on the drive shaft so that food placed on the turntable can be driven in a prescribed manner by energizing the drive motor 162 in a controlled manner. When the magnetron is operated in combination with the rotating table, the food appliance functions as a microwave oven.

In addition, a bread tray 158 for containing ingredients therein is detachably disposed in the cavity 150, and a stirring blade in the bread tray is engaged with the driving gearbox wheel 164. In this way, the ingredients for making bread contained in the bread tray can be stirred, kneaded and mixed by the action of the stirring blade driven by the driving gearbox. In this way, the food appliance functions as a bread maker.

It can be seen that the multi-functional food appliance is capable of operating as a different dedicated food machine.

Fig. 6 is a schematic block diagram of a multi-functional food implement according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In general, the multi-functional food utensil 115 includes a plurality of hard components that are controlled by the utensil controller 200.

The plurality of hard components may include one or more motor drives 210, depending on the configuration. For example, in a microwave oven mode, a motor is used to drive the turntable so that the food being supported is more uniformly irradiated with microwaves. When operating in the oven mode, one of the motor drives is used to rotate the rack so that when food is exposed to a locally positioned heating element, the food rotating thereon can be heated more evenly on each side. In the bread making mode of operation, one of the motor drives is used to rotate the mixing and kneading blades within the baking pan, as described in the previous section.

Similarly, depending on the arrangement, the plurality of hard components described above may comprise one or more heater elements 212, such as heating elements 153, 155 shown in FIG. 5B. These heater elements may be rotated individually or in combination for grilling, baking, broiling, self-cleaning, and the like.

When the food appliance comprises a pan for containing food ingredients, the heater element enables it to operate in a simmering mode similar to a pot-shaped pan. When the dish portion is filled with water and the food is supported above the water surface, the food appliance can then operate as a steamer.

Similarly, depending on the arrangement, the plurality of hard components may comprise a magnetron 214, such as the magnetron 161 shown in FIG. 5B. In the microwave oven mode of operation, a magnetron is used to generate microwave heating within the cavity.

Similarly, depending on the arrangement, the plurality of hard components described above may include one or more fans 216, such as the centrifugal fan 170 shown in FIG. 5B. For example, in a normal oven or bread making mode of operation, a fan is used to circulate hot air in the cavity.

Similarly, the plurality of hardware components described above may include one or more fan solenoids 218, depending on the arrangement. Solenoids are commonly used to open or close valves or ducts and to actuate various mechanisms.

Similarly, the various hard components described above may include other electromechanical transducers 220, depending on the arrangement. United states patent application "bread maker with improved temperature and humidity control" filed on the same day as the present patent application by Simon k.c. yung, is incorporated herein by reference. Improved temperature and humidity control is described in conjunction with the disclosure wherein an ultrasonic hygrometer is a component within the bread making cavity.

A number of hardware components are controlled by the hardware control unit 240. The power supply supplies power to a plurality of hardware components under the control of the hardware control unit 240. While FIG. 6 shows several specific hard components, it should be understood that various hard components can alternatively be implemented. Other hard components not shown are also contemplated. On the other hand, not all illustrated hardware components need to be implemented simultaneously.

The intelligence of the appliance controller is provided by a microprocessor 250 executing code and programs stored in a non-volatile memory (NVM)252 and a Random Access Memory (RAM) 254. The microprocessor, NVM and RAM communicate with each other via a bus (not shown). In one embodiment, the NVM is in the form of a read-Only memory (ROM). The memory stores firmware and a pre-set program instruction system that is initially shipped with the appliance. In another embodiment, the NVM is in the form of EEPROM or flash (flash) EEPROM memory that essentially provides a rewritable mass storage. The RAM is typically used as a scratch patch memory when the microprocessor executes programs.

It is another feature of the present invention to provide for updating of the program instruction system in the appliance. This is achieved by the function of exchanging data with the controller of the appliance.

In one embodiment, the new program is transferred through a memory port that can mount a removable memory card that the user can insert into the appliance.

The appliance optionally includes a non-volatile memory interface 260 that interfaces with microprocessor 250 on the one hand, and a removable memory card 264 on the other hand via a card connector 262. The memory card 264 is a non-volatile memory (non-volatile) such as a ROM, EPROM, EEPROM or preferably a standard flash memory card currently being introduced in other consumer products such as digital still cameras, digital voice recorders, and cellular telephones and hand-held devices. Other possible non-volatile memories include magnetic and optical disks.

Since removable memory cards are portable from host to host and are being standardized, they can be readily used to exchange data between various hosts. For example, new or updated programs for appliances may be generated by a manufacturer or other developer and distributed to customers on a ROM or flash memory card. The new bread recipe, implemented in the pre-mixed ingredient set, may be provided in a new bread making program stored in a flash memory card or floppy disk. In the latter case, the program on the floppy disk may be transferred to the flash card by means of a Personal Computer (PC). Alternatively, the program may be downloaded from a website by the customer and saved into a flash card inserted into a PC. The flash card is then transferred to the general-purpose appliance to update or add to the existing program therein.

In another embodiment, the updating of the program command system in the appliance is accomplished through a standard data port 295, such as a parallel port, serial port, or infrared port mounted on the food appliance.

Microprocessor 250 communicates with hardware control unit 240 via digital interface 242 which is connected to appliance controller internal bus 270. The digital interface 242 provides conversion between analog and digital signals and enables the microprocessor to control the hardware control unit 240.

One or more sensors 280 provide for the detection of various conditions associated with the operation of the appliance. The signals of these sensors on the furnace are received into the hardware control unit 240. In one embodiment, the signal is fed to a local servo circuit that directly controls some of the plurality of hard components. In another embodiment, the signals are made available through a digital interface on the internal bus 270. The microprocessor 250 can then monitor the signals of the sensors and take appropriate action accordingly.

An input/output (I/O) interface 290 also communicates with the microprocessor 250 via the internal bus 270. The I/O interface allows one or more peripheral devices to interact with appliance controller 200 and, more particularly, microprocessor 250. In a preferred embodiment, this peripheral arrangement is a display and input unit 292 (such as control panel 190 shown in FIG. 5B).

In another embodiment, the peripheral device may be externally connected to the appliance and include a television 294 that may be used to display multimedia information. For example, a premix group of ingredients may include a memory card, giving sufficient memory to store a program for running an appliance that is loaded with multimedia files, the program being a video folder that gives cooking instructions for a particular group.

In another embodiment, peripheral devices that are externally connectable to the appliance include a personal computer 296, which is preferably connected to the I/O interface 290 through a standard port 295, either a parallel port or a serial port. This allows multimedia file playback and even more flexible exchange of data and control.

Fig. 7 shows another embodiment of a universal food appliance with a removable memory. This embodiment is substantially similar to the embodiment shown in fig. 5A, except that it has a higher form factor. It has a housing with a face opening door 156. The housing encloses a food processing chamber accessible through the door. On the housing is a control panel 125 with a display through which a user can interact with the food service 115. The higher form factor lends itself to receiving a baking pan with a vertically elongated shaft and engaging the vertically driven gearbox wheel at the bottom of the cavity. When the appliance is operated in a grill mode, the baking tray is replaced by a grill that engages the vertically driven gearbox wheel. In this case, the heating elements are preferably wire elements distributed vertically along the wall of the chamber.

The program in which the improved food implement operates may be a multi-purpose, multi-function food machine. Their basic functions may include radiant heating, microwave heating, mechanical mixing and rotation, and combinations thereof. For example, the improved food appliance is programmable to function as any number of independent machines, such as bread makers, various stoves, rice cookers, and the like. While food appliances with multiple optional hard components are described, not all of the components need to be implemented simultaneously. Similarly, even though several peripheral devices are shown, not all peripheral connections must be made at the same time.

Coding system for process parameters

It is another feature of the present invention to provide a food appliance that allows the process it operates to be modified by a set of parameters. Many processes run by food appliances are similar and differ only in certain parts of the process, the variation being definable by a set of process parameters. For example, the two process differences may only be in the duration or temperature of one of its cycles.

This feature of the invention is achieved by setting the program in the form of parameters, the parameterization program executing its process in response to the setting of a process parameter, i.e. a value assigned to a predetermined set of process parameters. In this way, the program instruction system of the food appliance is greatly increased without the need to store many similar programs.

In one embodiment of the invention, the process parameter settings can be specified by the user directly by entering values for each parameter through the food appliance input device. For example, the user can modify the duration or temperature of one or more program cycles. The input values are stored in a set of registers of the appliance controller. When the program is executed by the food appliance, it refers to the settings corresponding to the program variables.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the previously described encoding schemes for program identification and indication can be used to do the same for identifying and indicating the setting of any process parameter. A look-up table in memory stores a plurality of process parameter settings and their associated codes and indications.

FIG. 8 schematically illustrates an example look-up table 316 for process parameter settings. A set of process parameters can be given by (number of cycles, temperature, duration, …). When certain values are specified for all parameters in the group, the settings of the process parameters are defined. A parameter code may be assigned to each of the predetermined process parameter settings. For example, parameter codes 520 are assigned to process parameter settings (5, 120, 20, …), parameter codes 540 are assigned to process parameter settings (5, 140, 20, …), and so on. The parameter setting look-up table 316 thus contains encoded indications of process parameter settings. Each item optionally contains supplemental information related to the setting, such as a description of the setting. Similar to the table 16 shown in fig. 2, the supplemental information may be conveniently displayed on the display of the food appliance for the user.

Thus, when the associated parameterization program is called up according to its program code and the process parameter settings associated with the program are called up by means of its parameter code, the desired process to be run on the food appliance is selected.

FIG. 9 shows a table 16' that represents a combination of parameterizers and process parameter settings using a single code, according to a preferred embodiment. Table 16' is similar in structure to Table 16 shown in FIG. 2. The single code may be formed by a concatenation of the program code and the parameter code.

In a system comprising a food appliance and a plurality of combination ingredients, the appropriate code or code settings can be marked on each combination of ingredients, similar to the situation described previously, whereupon the same code can be entered into the food appliance in order to call up the appropriate program and process parameter settings to process the ingredients.

While the embodiments of the various aspects of the present invention that have been described are preferred implementations, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications thereto can be made. The apparatus and methods described herein are applicable to multi-purpose food appliances that are capable of operating the appliance in various modes using updatable programs, which modes are typically only available with conventional dedicated food appliances, respectively. Accordingly, the invention is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims.

Claims (45)

1. A food service item, comprising:

a cavity for processing food therein;

one or more heaters disposed inside the chamber;

one or more mechanical actuators disposed inside the cavity;

a controller for controlling operation of the one or more heaters and one or more mechanical actuators;

a first memory for storing a pre-programmed process instruction system;

input means for inputting data to the food appliance, including data specifying a pre-programmed process in the pre-programmed process instruction system;

control means for operating the controller according to a prescribed pre-programmed process; and

means for updating the pre-programmed process instruction system with one or more supplemental pre-programmed processes.

2. The food appliance of claim 1, wherein the means for updating comprises:

a port for receiving the one or more supplemental pre-programmed processes from the outside.

3. The food appliance of claim 2, wherein the port comprises a port selected from the group consisting of a parallel port, a serial port, a universal serial port, and an infrared port.

4. The food appliance of claim 2, wherein the port is a memory port for externally mounting a second memory, the second memory being a removable memory for storing one or more supplemental pre-programmed processes.

5. The food appliance of claim 4, wherein the removable memory comprises a read-only memory.

6. The food appliance of claim 4, wherein the removable memory comprises an EPROM.

7. The food appliance of claim 4, wherein the removable memory comprises EEPROM.

8. The food appliance of claim 4, wherein the removable memory comprises flash EEPROM.

9. The food appliance of claim 4, wherein the removable memory includes a magnetic storage medium.

10. The food appliance of claim 4, wherein the removable memory includes an optical storage medium.

11. The food appliance of claims 1-4, further comprising:

a pan within the cavity for containing an ingredient therein.

12. The food appliance of claims 1-4, further comprising:

a shelf within the cavity for supporting food to be processed.

13. The food appliance of claims 1-4, further comprising:

a magnetron for providing microwave heating within the cavity.

14. The food appliance of claims 1-4, comprising a preprogrammed process that operates the food appliance in a broil mode.

15. The food appliance of claims 1-4, comprising a pre-programmed process to operate the food appliance in a broil mode.

16. The food appliance of claims 1-4, comprising a pre-programmed process of operating the food appliance in a toasting mode.

17. The food appliance of claims 1-4, comprising a pre-programmed process of operating the food appliance in a microwave heating mode.

18. The food appliance of claims 1-4, comprising a preprogrammed process to operate the food appliance as a rotisserie.

19. The food appliance of claims 1-4, comprising a pre-programmed process to operate the food appliance as a bread maker.

20. The food appliance of claims 1-4, comprising a pre-programmed process to operate the food appliance as a rice cooker.

21. The food appliance of claims 1-4, comprising a pre-programmed process of operating the food appliance as a slow cooker.

22. The food appliance of claims 1-4, comprising a pre-programmed process to operate the food appliance as a steamer.

23. The food utensil of claims 1-4, comprising a preprogrammed process to operate the food utensil in a high temperature heating self-cleaning mode.

24. A food implement, comprising:

a cavity for processing food therein;

one or more heaters for heating the chamber;

a controller for controlling operation of the one or more heaters;

a first memory unit for storing a pre-programmed process instruction system;

said pre-programmed process instruction system having at least one parameter dependent upon a set of predetermined process parameters;

a second memory unit for storing specific values for a predetermined set of process parameters;

input means for inputting data to the food appliance, the input data including data specifying a pre-programmed process in the pre-programmed process instruction system; and

control means for operating the controller in accordance with a prescribed pre-programmed process in response to the stored parameter values.

25. The food implement of claim 24, further comprising:

a first look-up table having a plurality of entries, each table associating program code with a respective one of said pre-programmed process instruction systems; and wherein

The input data includes program code specifying an entry in the first look-up table.

26. The food appliance of claim 24, wherein the input data includes specific values for a predetermined set of process parameters.

27. The food implement of claim 25, wherein:

a plurality of predetermined process parameter settings are respectively given by predetermined values assigned to each process parameter of the predetermined set of process parameters;

the input data includes data specifying one of the plurality of predetermined process parameter settings; and

a control device operates the controller in accordance with a prescribed preprogrammed process in response to prescribed predetermined process parameter settings.

28. The food implement of claim 27, further comprising:

a second look-up table having a plurality of entries, the table associating a process parameter code with one of the predetermined process parameter settings; and wherein

The input data includes a process parameter code specifying an entry in the second look-up table.

29. The food service appliance of claim 28, wherein the plurality of entries of the look-up table further each include a descriptor associated with its predetermined course.

30. An automatic cooking system comprising:

a set of ingredients for cooking a plurality of sets of ingredients therefrom;

a cooking appliance for processing the ingredient set, the cooking appliance further comprising:

a set of instructions for a pre-programmed process, at least one of said pre-programmed process instruction systems being dependent upon a set of predetermined process parameters;

a container for containing the ingredient group therein;

input means for inputting a code to select an appropriate pre-programmed process in said pre-programmed process instruction system and to select an appropriate value for said set of pre-programmed process parameters; and

a controller for executing a selected preprogrammed process in response to selecting a value for the set of predetermined process parameters to process the set of ingredients within the container; and wherein

The ingredient group further includes indicia of the code.

31. A method of enabling a food implement to operate a selectable pre-programmed process from a pre-programmed process instruction system, the method comprising:

associating each pre-programmed process in the system of programmed process instructions with a code;

storing the pre-programmed process with its associated code in a memory;

providing an input device on the food appliance for entering a code to call up an associated pre-programmed process in the pre-programmed process instruction system; and

a controller is provided on the food implement for performing a selected pre-programmed process.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the code has a format comprising a numeric code.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the code has a format comprising an alphanumeric code.

34. The method of claims 31-33, further comprising:

displaying on a display a description of the input code and the associated pre-programmed process.

35. A method of enabling a food implement to process a set of ingredients according to a pre-programmed process selectable from a pre-programmed process instruction system, the method comprising:

associating each pre-programmed process in the system of programmed process instructions with a code;

storing the pre-programmed process with its associated code in a memory;

assigning a code associated with the predetermined pre-programmed process to the ingredient group;

providing an input device on said food implement for entering a code to call up a predetermined pre-programmed process in said pre-programmed process instruction system; and

a controller is provided on the food implement for performing a predetermined pre-programmed course of selections of the ingredients.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the code has a format comprising a numeric code.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the code has a format comprising an alphanumeric code.

38. The method as in claims 35-37, further comprising:

displaying on a display a description of the input code and the associated pre-programmed process.

39. The food appliance of any of claims 24-29, further comprising:

one or more mechanical actuators disposed inside the cavity; and

wherein said controller also controls the operation of said one or more mechanical actuators.

40. A food implement, comprising:

a cavity for processing food therein;

one or more mechanical actuators disposed within the cavity;

a controller for controlling the operation of the one or more mechanical actuators;

a first memory unit for storing a pre-programmed process instruction system;

said pre-programmed process instruction system having at least one parameter dependent upon a set of predetermined process parameters;

a second memory unit for storing specific values for a predetermined set of process parameters;

input means for inputting data to the food appliance, the input data including data specifying a pre-programmed process in the pre-programmed process instruction system; and

control means for operating the controller in accordance with a prescribed pre-programmed process in response to the stored parameter values.

41. The food implement of claim 40, further comprising:

a first look-up table having a plurality of entries, each table associating program code with a respective one of said pre-programmed process instruction systems; and wherein

The input data includes program code specifying an entry in the first look-up table.

42. The food appliance of claim 40, wherein the input data includes specific values for a predetermined set of process parameters.

43. The food implement of claim 41, wherein:

a plurality of predetermined process parameter settings are respectively given by predetermined values assigned to each process parameter of the predetermined set of process parameters;

the input data includes data specifying one of the plurality of predetermined process parameter settings; and

a control device operates the controller in accordance with a prescribed preprogrammed process in response to prescribed predetermined process parameter settings.

44. The food implement of claim 43, further comprising:

a second look-up table having a plurality of entries, the table associating a process parameter code with one of the predetermined process parameter settings; and wherein

The input data includes a process parameter code specifying an entry in the second look-up table.

45. The food service appliance of claim 44, wherein the plurality of entries of the look-up table further each include a descriptor associated with its predetermined course.