Internet related appliances

• US 6,550,681 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2000
• Issued: 04/22/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. DBA GE Appliances (Haier Group Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Tiemann, Jerome Johnson, Vosburgh, Kirby Gannett, Ross, John Anderson Fergus, Hedengren, Kristina Helena Valborg
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WALSH, DANIEL I
• Application Number:
  US09/497,355
• Time in Patent Office: 1,174 Days
• Field of Search: 235/462.13, 235/462.15, 235/494, 235/470, 235/473, 235/472.01, 219/714, 219/10.55 B, 219/702, 219/506, 219/720, 700/15
• US Class Current: 235/462.13
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6438 allowing the recording of a program of operation of the microwave heating apparatus

Abstract

A cooking apparatus includes a scanning device for reading a tag disposed upon a cooking item, which tag includes cooking instructions, and a network connection for receiving updated information relative to a respective cooking item. Circuitry is coupled to the scanning device and to the network connection for updated and implementing the cooking instructions.

Claims

1. A cooking apparatus comprising:

a scanning device for reading a tag disposed upon a cooking item, which tag includes cooking instructions;

an Internet connection for receiving updated information related to a respective cooking item; and

circuitry coupled to said scanning device and to said Internet connection for updating and implementing said cooking instructions and cooking said cooking item according to said cooking instructions;

wherein said circuitry includes a translation table that utilizes a combination of read only memory and random access memory and said read only memory is factory set with cooking instructions and said random access memory is updated via said Internet connection.

2. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said tag is a barcode and said scanning device is a photodetector for reading said barcode.

3. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cooking item is a prepackaged microwave food item.

4. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cooking item is a container for boiling a boilable product of a known amount.

5. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said random access memory is updated because of new product releases, corrections to cooking instructions, product recalls or allergy alerts.

6. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said memory is non-volatile programmable memory.

7. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said barcode is a barcode having at least one user removable portion to vary cooing instructions.

8. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said user removal portions are removable tapes that cover portions of said barcode.

9. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a display for displaying information about a respective cooking item.

10. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein said information includes an ingredient list for a cooking item.

11. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein said ingredient list is periodically updated via said network connection.

12. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 10, wherein ingredients that often cause allergic reactions are highlighted on said display.

13. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 10, further comprising an input device.

14. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said input device is used to pre-load a list of allergic ingredients and the cooking apparatus identifies the presence of said allergic ingredients.

15. A cooking apparatus comprising:

a scanning device for reading a tag disposed upon a cooking item, which tag includes cooking instructions;

an Internet connection for receiving updated information related to a respective cooking item; and

circuitry coupled to said scanning device and to said Internet connection for updating and implementing said cooking instructions and cooking said cooking item according to said cooking instructions wherein said scanning device is a photodetector for reading a barcode and said barcode is a barcode having at least one user removable portion to vary cooking instructions.

16. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 15, wherein said user removal portions are removable tapes that cover portions of said barcode.

17. A cooking apparatus comprising:

a scanning device for reading a tag disposed upon a cooking item, which tag includes cooking instructions;

an Internet connection for receiving updated information related to a respective cooking item; and

circuitry coupled to said scanning device and to said Internet connection for updating and implementing said cooking instructions and cooking said cooking item according to said cooking instructions further comprising a display for displaying information about a respective cooking item wherein said information includes an ingredient list for a cooking item wherein said ingredient list is periodically updated via said Internet connection.

18. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 17, wherein ingredients that often cause allergic reactions are highlighted on said display.

19. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 17, further comprising an input device.

20. A cooking apparatus in accordance with claim 19, wherein said input device is used to pre-load a list of allergic ingredients and the cooking apparatus identifies the presence of said allergic ingredients.