Programmable weighing scale that tracks completion time for a process step for multiple concurrent processes
First Claim
1. A weighing apparatus for directing processes involving perishable items of interest, comprising:
- a display;
a main interface presented on said display, said main interface having a plurality of presets, each of which leads to a process control interface associated with a perishable item of interest;
a process control interface presented on said display upon selection of an associated preset, said process control interface having a plurality of selectable process steps, said process steps including process data relating to a process involving said perishable item of interest, said process defined in a process file that includes;
(a) product identifier data,(b) process step identifier data for each of a plurality of process steps for preparing said perishable item,(c) start time data for a process step,(d) duration or end time data for a process step; and
a controller and associated software configured to direct said process defined by said process steps, said software including said process file and utilized by said controller;
(1) to guide a user through performing a plurality of process steps for each of a plurality of processes;
(2) to compare said start time data and said duration or end time data for each of said process steps to determine when items for said processes need to move to a next process step; and
(3) to provide during said start time and said duration or end time for a process step of a second one of said plurality of processes an alert to a user of said apparatus using at least said display of said weighing apparatus when an item for a first one of said plurality of processes needs to move to a next process step.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Food service workers prepare a number of items throughout the day at a food counter, so the workers may need to track process steps for entirely different processes that are running concurrently. For example, the worker may need to remove a pizza from an oven one moment, and remove breadstick dough from a refrigerator one minute later. A programmable weighing scale guides users through process steps of a process, and tracks completion time of process steps for multiple processes, and alerts a food service worker when a next step in one of multiple, concurrently running processes needs to be completed. Because data stored for each process can be selected throughout, for example, an entire working day, the controller of the weighing scale can track timing requirements for each step of each process. The weighing apparatus is independent of other apparatuses used in completing the process steps (e.g., refrigerators, ovens, mixers, etc.), so it can track process steps that involve various apparatuses that may be needed to complete the processes. An alert for one process step associated with one process can be presented within the duration of an entirely different process step for an entirely different process.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A weighing apparatus for directing processes involving perishable items of interest, comprising:
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a display; a main interface presented on said display, said main interface having a plurality of presets, each of which leads to a process control interface associated with a perishable item of interest; a process control interface presented on said display upon selection of an associated preset, said process control interface having a plurality of selectable process steps, said process steps including process data relating to a process involving said perishable item of interest, said process defined in a process file that includes; (a) product identifier data, (b) process step identifier data for each of a plurality of process steps for preparing said perishable item, (c) start time data for a process step, (d) duration or end time data for a process step; and a controller and associated software configured to direct said process defined by said process steps, said software including said process file and utilized by said controller; (1) to guide a user through performing a plurality of process steps for each of a plurality of processes; (2) to compare said start time data and said duration or end time data for each of said process steps to determine when items for said processes need to move to a next process step; and (3) to provide during said start time and said duration or end time for a process step of a second one of said plurality of processes an alert to a user of said apparatus using at least said display of said weighing apparatus when an item for a first one of said plurality of processes needs to move to a next process step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for creating and directing processes that use a plurality of perishable items of interest, comprising:
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a weighing apparatus, said weighing apparatus further comprising; a display, a main interface presented on said display, said main interface having a plurality of page presets, at least one item preset associated with each of said plurality of page presets, said at least one item preset associated with a perishable item of interest and displayable on said display, a process control interface associated with each of said item presets for said plurality of page presets, said process control interface presented on said display upon selection of an associated item preset, said process control interface having a plurality of selectable process steps that include process data relating to a process involving a perishable item of interest, said process data contained in an editable process file that includes; (a) product identifier data, (b) process step identifier data for each of a plurality of process steps for preparing said perishable item, (c) start time data for a process step, (d) duration or end time data for a process step; and a controller and associated software configured to direct said process defined by said process steps, said controller utilizing said process data of said process file; (1) to guide a user through performing a plurality of process steps for each of a plurality of processes; (2) to compare said start time data and said duration data for each of said process steps to determine when to provide an alert; and (3) to provide during a start time and an end time for a process step of a second one of said plurality of processes an alert to a user of said system within the duration of a process step for a first one of said plurality of processes; a means for creating process files; and a database of process files in communication with said controller and associated software, each process file containing process data for a process that may be directed by said weighing apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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15. A method for controlling a plurality of processes involving perishable items of interest comprising:
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providing a weighing apparatus having a display; providing said weighing apparatus with a controller and associated software configured to direct preparation of said perishable item of interest according to steps of said process; providing a process file containing process data defining steps of said process, said process data utilized by said controller of said weighing apparatus to guide a user through performing said steps of said process, said process data including; (a) a product identifier, (b) a process step identifier, (c) a start time for the process step, and (d) a duration or end time for the process step, displaying on said display of said weighing apparatus a main interface having a plurality of page presets; receiving user selections of a plurality of said plurality of page presets; in response to each user selection, displaying at least one item preset associated with each of said selected page presets; receiving user selections of a plurality of item presets corresponding to a perishable item of interest; in response to each user selection, displaying on said display of said weighing apparatus a process control interface associated with said item preset, said process control interface displaying said steps of said process as defined in said process file; selecting a process step; using data displayed as a result of selecting said process step as a guide to performing said process step; and providing within the duration of a process step for a second one of said plurality of processes an alert to a user of said weighing apparatus within the duration of a given process step for a first one of said plurality of processes using at least said display of said weighing apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25)
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Specification