Control system for cooking apparatus

• US 4,742,455 A
• Filed: 03/17/1986
• Issued: 05/03/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Technology Licensing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Food Automation Service Techniques Incorporated
• Inventors: Schreyer, William M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Atkinson, Charles E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hayes, Gail O.
• Application Number:
  US06/840,362
• Time in Patent Office: 778 Days
• Field of Search: 364/400, 364/557, 99/325, 99/403, 99/DIG. 10
• US Class Current: 700/90
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/1266 Control devices, e.g. to control temperature, level or quality of the frying liquid
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1951 with control of the working time of a temperature controlling device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 99/10 Temperature responsive

Abstract

A control system for cooking apparatus and which includes a programmed digital microcomputer responsive to a plurality of user selectable product keys individually capable of setting the cooking temperature at individually selected values and the cooking times at individually selected values.

Claims

1. A control system for cooking apparatus comprising means for simultaneously running a plurality of cooking subroutines to cook different products associated with each subroutine, said means including:

a plurality of means for optionally selecting a desired program subroutine such that a plurality of program subroutines for a plurality of optionally selected products can run simultaneously;

means responsive to one of said one of optionally selected subroutines for attempting to set a parameter of the apparatus at a selected value in accordance with said optionally selected subroutine;

means coupled to said attempting means for determining whether said parameter has been set at said selected value by a previously optionally selected subroutine in the apparatus;

first register means coupled to said determining means for setting said parameter at said selected value;

means for interrupting said one desired program subroutine if the parameter has been set by another previously optionally selected and currently running subroutine and is not within a predetermined operating range of said selected value of the parameter as attempted to be set;

means for proceeding with the balance of said desired optionally selected subroutine;

second register means responsive to said desired optionally selected subroutine for storing timing information relating to the cooking process;

means responsive to said second register means for decrementing said second register means as the cooking process continues; and

means responsive to said second register means for determining whether the cooking process is complete.

2. A control system in accordance with claim 1, in which said plurality of means for optionally selecting a desired program subroutine comprises a plurality of means for individually optionally selecting individual desired program subroutines for individual optionally selected products, and which control system includes a plurality of means individually responsive to said individual optionally selected subroutines for attempting to set a parameter of the apparatus at a selected value in accordance with said individual optionally selected subroutines, and a plurality of means individually coupled to said attempting means for determining whether said parameter has been set at said selected value by a previously optionally selected subroutine in the apparatus.

3. A control system in accordance with claim 1, in which said apparatus includes a cooking medium and said parameter is the temperature of said cooking medium.

4. A control system in accordance with claim 3, which includes means for displaying the temperature of said medium.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 which includes means for displaying the status of said parameter.

6. A control system for cooking apparatus comprising means for simultaneously running a plurality of cookin subroutines to cook different products associated with each subroutine, said means including:

a plurality of means for optionally selecting a desired program subroutine such that a plurality of program subroutines for a plurality of optionally selected products can run simultaneously;

means responsive to one of the optionally selected subroutines for attempting to set a parameter of the apparatus at a selected value in accordance with said optionally selected subroutine;

first means coupled to said attempting means for determining whether the parameter has been set at said selected value by a previously optionally selected subroutine in the apparatus;

second means for determining whether the parameter set at said selected value by a previously optionally selected subroutine is operating within a predetermined operating range of said selected value of the parameter as attempted to be set;

means for interrupting said one desired program subroutine if the parameter has been set by another previously optionally selected and currently running subroutine and is not within said predetermined operating range of said selected value of the parameter as attempted to be set;

means responsive to said second determining means for continuing with the balance of said desired optionally selected subroutine;

register means responsive to said desired optionally selected subroutine for storing timing information relating to the cooking process;

means responsive to said register means for decrementing said register means as the cooking process continues; and

means responsive to said register means for determining whether the cooking process is complete.