Food product timing system

• US 20040056761A1
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Published: 03/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marmon Foodservice Technologies Incorporated (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Prince Castle LLC (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Veltrop, Loren Jay, Thorne, Richard Lowell, Vaseloff, Dennis John
• Granted Patent: US 7,258,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/309.16
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 10/06 for restaurant service systems table equipment A47G ; dirty crockery transport in association with crockery washing machines A47L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 39/006 for either storing and preparing or for preparing food on serving trays, e.g. heating, thawing, preserving
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/082 on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination

Abstract

A food timing system is disclosed that includes a number of timer modules associated with food holding devices in a restaurant. The timer modules are connected in a network for communicating information about the food being held in food holding compartments of the food holding devices. Each timer module includes a plurality of timers, with each timer being associated with a food holding compartment of a food holding device. The timers measure the holding time of food in each food holding compartment and are capable of transferring the holding time to another timer when the food is transferred to a holding compartment associated with the other timer.

Claims

1. A food holding device comprising:

a plurality of holding compartments adapted to receive food products, each holding compartment capable of maintaining a temperature of an associated food product;

a plurality of timers, each timer associated with a holding compartment and adapted to measure the holding period of the food product in the associated holding compartment;

a plurality of display devices, each display device associated with a holding compartment and adapted to display information about the associated holding compartment including information about the food product therein;

a plurality of timer status indicators, each timer status indicator associated with a timer and adapted to indicate a status of the associated timer; and

a plurality of timer buttons, each button associated with a timer and operatively coupled to the associated timer.

2. The food holding device of claim 1, each timer status indicator comprising a first indication indicating that an associated holding compartment is ready to receive a food product and the associated timer is not active, a plurality of timing indications indicating that the associated holding compartment is holding a food product and the associated timer is measuring the holding period of the food product therein, and a second indication indicating that the food product in the associated holding compartment has expired.

3. The food holding device of claim 2, the plurality of timing indications comprising a third indication indicating that a food product in an associated holding compartment has been held for the longest time relative to the holding times for the same type of food product in other holding compartments of the food holding device, a fourth indication indicating that another holding compartment is holding the same type of food product that has been held for a longer time, fifth and sixth indications indicating that a food product in an associated holding compartment will soon expire, and a seventh indication indicating that the associated holding compartment in not active.

4. The food holding device of claim 1, further comprising a programming system adapted to receive input including information about food products and operational parameters for each of the timers, the programming system further including a programming display device and an input device, wherein the programming system is opertively coupled to the holding compartments, the display devices, the timers, the timer status indicators and the timer buttons.

5. The food holding device of claim 1, further comprising:

a food menu containing information about food products including at least the identity of each food product, a holding time for each food product and a cook time for each food product;

a plurality of activity menus, wherein each activity menu includes a selectable group of food products from the food menu; and

a group selection button adapted to provide user selection of an activity menu, wherein selection of an activity menu makes available information about the food products in the selected activity menu to the display devices, timers and timer status indicators.

6. The food holding device of claim 1, further comprising a transfer button adapted to initiate transfer of a food product from a first holding compartment to a destination holding compartment, wherein the timers are operatively coupled and adapted to transfer the holding period of the food product from a timer associated with the origin holding compartment to a timer associated with the destination holding compartment when the food product in the origin holding compartment is transferred to the destination holding compartment.

7. The food holding device of claim 1, wherein the display devices are adapted to display alphanumeric information.

8. The food holding device of claim 1, wherein the display devices are adapted to display graphic information.

9. The food holding device of claim 1, wherein the display devices are arranged in a display block, the arrangement of the display devices in the display block corresponding to the arrangement of the holding compartments in the food holding device, further wherein the position of a first display device relative to a second display device in the display block corresponds to the position of a first holding compartment associated with the first display device relative to a second holding compartment associated with the second display device.

10. The food holding device of claim 9, further comprising visual indicators indicating the association of each of the display devices with an associated holding compartment.

11. The food holding device of claim 1, wherein each display device is arranged near an associated holding compartment wherein the position of the display device relative to the associated holding compartment indicates the display device is associated with the holding compartment.

12. The food holding device of claim 11, further comprising visual indicators indicating the association of each of the plurality of the display devices with an associated holding compartment.

13. A food timing system comprising:

a centralized processor;

a centralized memory;

a plurality of food holding devices, each of the plurality of holding devices comprising;

a plurality of holding compartments adapted to receive food products, each holding compartment capable of maintaining a temperature of an associated food product;

a plurality of timers, each timer associated with a holding compartment and adapted to measure the holding period of the food product in the associated holding compartment;

a plurality of display devices, each display device associated with a holding compartment and adapted to display information about the associated holding compartment including information about the food product therein;

a plurality of timer status indicators, each timer status indicator associated with a timer and adapted to indicate the status of the associated timer; and

a plurality of timer buttons, each button associated with a timer and operatively coupled to the associated timer; and

a transfer button adapted to initiate transfer of a food product from an origin holding compartment to a destination holding compartment; and

wherein the centralized processor, the centralized memory and the plurality of food holding devices are operatively coupled in a network and adapted to share information, and wherein the food holding devices are adapted to transfer the holding period of a food product from a timer associated with the origin holding compartment to a timer associated with the destination holding compartment when the food product in the origin holding compartment is transferred to the destination holding compartment.

14. The food timing system of claim 13, wherein the origin holding compartment and the destination holding compartment are in the same food holding device.

15. The food timing system of claim 13, wherein the origin holding compartment and the destination holding compartment are in different food holding devices.

16. The food timing system of claim 13, each timer status indicator comprising a first indication indicating that an associated holding compartment is ready to receive a food product and the associated timer is not active, a plurality of timing indications indicating that the associated holding compartment is holding a food product and the associated timer is measuring the holding period of the food product therein, and a second indication indicating that a food product in the associated holding compartment has expired.

17. The food timing system of claim 16, the plurality of timing indications comprising a third indication indicating that a food product in an associated holding compartment has been held for the longest time relative to the holding times for the same type of food product in other holding compartments of the food timing system, a fourth indication indicating that another holding compartment is holding the same type of food product that has been held for a longer time, fifth and sixth indications indicating that a food product in an associated holding compartment will soon expire, and a seventh indication indicating that the associated holding compartment is not active.

18. The food timing system of claim 13, each food holding device further comprising a programming system adapted to receive input including information about food products and operational parameters for each of the holding compartments of the food holding device, the programming system further including a programming display device and an input device, wherein the programming system is opertively coupled to the holding compartments, the display devices, the timers, the timer status indicators and the timer buttons of the food holding device.

19. The food timing system of claim 13, each food holding device further comprising:

a food menu containing information about food products including at least the identity of each food product, a holding time for each food product and a cook time for each food product;

a plurality of activity menus, wherein each activity menu includes a selectable group of food products from the food menu; and

a group selection button adapted to provide user selection of an activity menu, wherein selection of an activity menu makes available information about the food products in the selected activity menu to the display devices, timers and timer status indicators.

20. The food timing system of claim 13, wherein the display devices are adapted to display alphanumeric information.

21. The food timing system of claim 13, wherein the display devices are adapted to display graphic information.

22. The food timing system of claim 13, wherein the display devices are arranged in a display block, the arrangement of the display devices in the display block corresponding to the arrangement of the holding compartments in a food holding device, further wherein the position of a first display device relative to a second display device in the display block corresponds to the position of a first holding compartment associated with the first display device relative to a second holding compartment associated with the second display device.

23. The food timing system of claim 22, further comprising visual indicators indicating the association of each of the display devices with an associated holding compartment.

24. The food timing system of claim 13, wherein each display device is arranged near an associated holding compartment wherein the position of the display device relative to the associated holding compartment indicates the display device is associated with the holding compartment.

25. The food timing system of claim 24, further comprising visual indicators indicating the association of each of the plurality of the display devices with an associated holding compartment.

26. The food timing system of claim 13, wherein the network coupling the centralized processor, the centralized memory and the plurality of food holding devices is a wired network.

27. The food timing system of claim 13, wherein the network coupling the centralized processor, the centralized memory and the plurality of food holding devices is a wireless network.

28. The food timing system of claim 13, wherein the food timing system further comprises at least one mobile computing platform, wherein the mobile computing platform is adapted to remotely communicate with the food timing system.

29. A timer system for use with a food preparation device:

a plurality of timers, each timer associated with a holding compartment of the food preparation device and adapted to measure the holding period of a food product therein;

a plurality of display devices, each display device associated with a holding compartment of the food preparation device and adapted to display information about the holding compartment including at least the identity of the food product therein;

a plurality of timer status indicators, each timer status indicator associated with a timer and adapted to indicate a status of the associated timer; and

a plurality of timer buttons, each button associated with a timer and operatively coupled to the associated timer.

30. The timer system of claim 29, each timer status indicator comprising a first indication indicating that an associated holding compartment is ready to receive a food product and the associated timer is not active, a plurality of timing indications indicating that the associated holding compartment is holding a food product and the associated timer is measuring the holding period of the food product, and a second indication indicating that a food product in an associated holding compartment has expired.

31. The timer system of claim 30, the plurality of timing indications comprising a third indication indicating that a food product in an associated holding compartment has been held for the longest time relative to the holding times for the same type of food product in other holding compartments of the food preparation device, a fourth indication indicating that another holding compartment is holding the same type of food product that has been held for a longer time, fifth and sixth indications indicating that a food product in an associated holding compartment will soon expire, and a seventh indication indicating that the associated holding compartment in not active.

32. The timer system of claim 29, further comprising a programming system adapted to receive input including information about food products and operational parameters for each of the holding compartments of the food preparation device, the programming system further including a programming display device and an input device, wherein the programming system is opertively coupled to each of the holding compartments of the food preparation device, the display devices, the timers, the timer status indicators and the timer buttons.

33. The timer system of claim 29, further comprising:

a food menu containing information about food products including at least the identity of each food product, a holding time for each food product and a cook time for each food product;

a plurality of activity menus, wherein each activity menu includes a selectable group of food products from the food menu; and

a group selection button adapted to provide user selection of an activity menu, wherein selection of an activity menu makes available information about the food products in the selected activity menu to the display devices, timers and timer status indicators.

34. The timer system of claim 29, further comprising:

a transfer button adapted to initiate transfer of a food product from an origin holding compartment of the food preparation device to a desitnation holding compartment of the food preparation device, wherein the plurality of timers of the timer system are operatively coupled and adapted to transfer the holding period of a food product from a timer associated with the origin holding compartment to a timer associated with the destination holding compartment when the food product in the origin holding compartment is transferred to the destination holding compartment.

35. The timer system of claim 29, wherein the display devices are adapted to display alphanumeric information.

36. The timer system of claim 29, wherein the display devices are adapted to display graphic information.

37. The timer system of claim 29, wherein the display devices are arranged in a display block, the arrangement of the display devices in the display block corresponding to the arrangement of the holding compartments in the food preparation device, further wherein the position of a first display device relative to a second display device in the display block corresponds to the position of a first holding compartment associated with the first display device relative to a second holding compartment associated with the second display device.

38. The timer system of claim 37, further comprising visual indicators indicating the association of each of the display devices with an associated holding compartment.

39. The timer system of claim 29, wherein each display device is arranged near an associated holding compartment of the food preparation device, further wherein the position of the display device relative to the associated holding compartment indicates the display device is associated with the holding compartment.

40. The timer system of claim 39, further comprising visual indicators indicating the association of each of the display devices with an associated holding compartment.

41. A food timing system for use in a food preparation area comprising:

a plurality of food preparation devices including food cooking and food storage devices, each of the food preparation devices comprising holding compartments;

a plurality of timer modules, each timer module associated with a food preparation device and comprising;

a processor;

a memory;

a plurality of timers, each timer associated with a holding compartment of the food preparation device and adapted to measure the holding period of a food product therein;

a plurality of display devices, each display device associated with a holding compartment of the food preparation device and adapted to display information about the holding compartment;

a plurality of timer status indicators, each timer status indicator associated with a timer and adapted to indicate a status of the associated timer; and

a plurality of timer buttons, each button associated with a timer and operatively coupled to the associated timer; and

a transfer button adapted to initiate transfer of a food product from an origin holding compartment to a destination holding compartment; and

wherein the timer modules are operatively coupled in a network and adapted to share information, and wherein the timer modules are adapted to transfer the holding period of a food product from a timer associated with the origin holding compartment to a timer associated with the destination holding compartment when the food product in the origin holding compartment is transferred to the destination holding compartment.

42. The food timing system of claim 41, wherein the origin holding compartment and the destination holding compartment are in the same food preparation device.

43. The food timing system of claim 41, wherein the origin holding compartment and the destination holding compartment are in different food preparation devices.

44. The food timing system of claim 41, each timer status indicator comprising a first indication indicating that an associated holding compartment is ready to receive a food product and the associated timer is not active, a plurality of timing indications indicating that the associated holding compartment is holding a food product and the associated timer is measuring the holding period of the food product therein, and a second indication indicating that the food product in the associated holding compartment has expired.

45. The food timing system of claim 44, the plurality of timing indications comprising a third indication indicating that a food product in the associated holding compartment has been held for the longest time relative to the holding times for the same type of food product in other holding compartments, a fourth indication indicating that another holding compartment is holding the same type of food product that has been held for a longer time, fifth and sixth indications indicating that a food product in an associated holding compartment will soon expire, and a seventh indication indicating that the associated holding compartment in not active.

46. The food timing system of claim 41, each timer system further comprising a programming system adapted to receive input including information about food products and operational parameters for each holding compartment in an associated food preparation device, the programming system further including a programming display device and an input device, wherein the programming system is opertively coupled to the holding compartments of the associated food preparation device, the associated display devices of the food preparation device, the associated timers of the food preparation device, the associated timer status indicators of the food preparation device and the associated timer buttons of the food preparation device.

47. The food timing system of claim 41, the food timer system further comprising:

a food menu containing information about food products including at least the identity of each food product, a holding time for each food product and a cook time for each food product;

a plurality of activity menus, wherein each activity menu includes a selectable group of food products from the food menu; and

a group selection button adapted to provide user selection of an activity menu, wherein selection of an activity menu makes available information about the food products in the selected activity menu to the display devices, timers and timer status indicators.

48. The food timing system of claim 41, wherein the display devices are adapted to display alphanumeric information.

49. The food timing system of claim 41, wherein the display devices are adapted to display graphic information.

50. The food timing system of claim 41, wherein the display devices for each food timer system are arranged in a display block, the arrangement of the display devices in the display block corresponding to the arrangement of holding compartments of an associated food preparation device, further wherein the position of a first display device relative to a second display device in the display block corresponds to the position of a first holding compartment associated with the first display device relative to a second holding compartment associated with the second display device.

51. The food timing system of claim 50, further comprising visual indicators indicating the association of each of the display devices with an associated holding compartments in a food preparation device.

52. The food timing system of claim 41, wherein each display device is arranged near an associated holding compartment wherein the position of the display device relative to the associated holding compartment indicates the display device is associated with the holding compartment.

53. The food timing system of claim 52, further comprising visual indicators indicating the association of each of the plurality of the display devices with an associated holding compartment.

54. The food timing system of claim 41, wherein the network coupling the timer modules is a wired network.

55. The food timing system of claim 41, wherein the network coupling the timer modules is a wireless network.

56. The food timing system of claim 41, wherein the food timing system further comprises at least one mobile computing platform, wherein the mobile computing platform is adapted to remotely communicate with the food timing system.

57. A method for holding food products comprising the steps of:

programming a timer module associated with a food holding device comprising a plurality of holding compartments adapted to hold food products, the programming causing assignment of information about a food product to a holding compartment, the assignment causing the information about the food product to be displayed on a display device associated with the holding compartment;

placing the food product in the holding compartment;

the holding compartment maintaining a temperature of the food product; and

activating a timer of the timer module associated with the holding compartment to measure a holding period for the food product in the holding compartment, the timer causing a timer status indicator to indicate a status of the food product in the holding compartment.

58. The method of claim 57 further comprising:

activating a transfer mode of the timer module to initiate the transfer of a food product from an origin holding compartment to a destination holding compartment;

selecting the origin holding compartment from one of the holding compartments in the food holding device, the selecting causing the display device associated with the origin holding compartment to indicate the food product in the origin holding compartment has been selected for transfer;

transferring the food product from the origin holding compartment to the destination holding compartment; and

activating a timer associated with the destination holding compartment causing information about the food product in the origin holding compartment to be transferred to the timer of the destination holding compartment, the information including a holding time of the food product in the origin holding compartment, wherein activating the timer associated with the destination holding compartment causes the information about the transferred food product to be displayed on a display device associated with the destination holding compartment, further causing the timer associated with the destination holding compartment to measure the holding time of the food product from the holding time transferred from the origin holding compartment, and causing a timer status indicator associated with the destination holding compartment to indicate a status of the food product in the destination holding compartment.