Modular holding bin having individually configurable food holding modules

• US 10,136,762 B2
• Filed: 10/18/2016
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marmon Foodservice Technologies Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Prince Castle LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Laub, Christine Suen, Touchette, Paul Gerard, Veltrop, Loren J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mikels, Matthew
• Application Number:
  US15/297,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20180103804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 235375, 235383, 235385, 235435, 235439, 235454, 235487, 235492
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/02 Dish-warmers; Devices to keep food hot
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0646 Configuration or reconfiguration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0676 the address being position dependent
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/37 using a physical-position-dependent priority, e.g. daisy chain, round robin or token passing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4247 on a daisy chain bus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0052 Assignment of addresses or identifiers to the modules of a bus system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A modular food holding bin has multiple food holding units or bins, which can be connected and disconnected from each other in multiple different configurations. Each bin can be set to its own temperature, independently of the others.

Claims

1. In a modular food holding bin having a plurality of individually addressable and individually controllable food holding units, a computer-implemented method of detecting and controlling the food holding units, the method comprising:

transmitting an interrogation message on a line conductor that extends between a controller and a first physical location of a plurality of physical locations in the modular holding bin, wherein a corresponding food holding unit is located at the first physical location and receives the interrogation message;

in response to receiving the interrogation message, the corresponding food holding unit transmitting an address request message onto a first bus, the first bus extending from a master controller of the modular holding bin to the plurality of physical locations in the modular holding bin, the first bus being a multi-master, multi-point communication protocol bus, the address request messaging being transmitted on the first bus to the master controller;

determining, at the master controller, an address assignment for the corresponding food holding unit at the first physical location, in response to receiving the address request message at the master controller; and

transmitting an address assignment message to the corresponding food holding unit at the first physical location, the address assignment message being transmitted onto the first bus by the master controller, and enabling the corresponding food holding unit at the first physical location to thereafter selectively communicate with the master controller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receipt of the address assignment message enables the master controller to conduct bi-directional communications with the corresponding food holding unit over the first bus.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that no food holding unit is installed in the first physical location when no response to the interrogation message is received at the master controller.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after the corresponding food holding unit at the first physical location receives the address assignment message, transmitting a second interrogation message from the corresponding food holding unit at the first physical location to a second physical location in the modular holding bin, where a second food holding unit can be installed, the second interrogation message being transmitted on a second line connection between the food holding unit at the first physical location and the second physical location, the line connection and the second line connection being electrically isolated from each other;

after the second interrogation message is transmitted to the second physical location, transmitting a second address request message onto the first bus to the master controller;

determining, at the master controller, a second address assignment for the second food holding unit at the second physical location, in response to receipt of the second address request message from the second food holding unit; and

transmitting a second address assignment message to the second food holding unit at the second physical location, the second address assignment message being transmitted onto the first bus by the master controller, and enabling the second food holding unit at the second physical location to thereafter selectively communicate with the master controller.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a food holding unit to be installed at the first physical location is performed by the controller for the first bus.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the modular holding bin comprises the master controller and a plurality of expansion controllers, and wherein each expansion controller is a bus controller for a corresponding bus that extends between each expansion controller and a plurality of food holding units connect to that expansion controller through an isolated peripheral bus.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

conducting bi-directional communications between the master controller and a plurality of food holding units installed in a plurality of different locations, using corresponding addresses assigned and transmitted to each food holding unit by the master controller.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the interrogation message is a DC voltage.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-master, multi-point communication protocol of the first bus is a CAN communications protocol.