Interactive recipe preparation using interactive cooking device to communicate with kitchen appliances

• US 8,419,434 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2008
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Do, Lydia Mai, Grigsby, Travis M., Nesbitt, Pamela Ann, Seacat, Lisa Anne
• Primary Examiner(s): Gishnock, Nikolai A
• Application Number:
  US12/103,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20090258331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,827 Days
• Field of Search: 434/127, 219/385, 219/391
• US Class Current: 434/127
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays

Abstract

A user selects a recipe from a list of recipes. Preparation steps corresponding to the selected recipe are retrieved from a data store, such as a database. Each of the retrieved preparation steps is displayed sequentially to the user on a horizontal surface display that is included in an interactive cooking preparation device. During at least one preparation step, a selected kitchen appliance is identified, such as a configurable burner surface. The identified preparation step also includes one or more appliance parameters that correspond to the selected kitchen appliance. The selected kitchen appliance is controlled by sending one or more signals from the interactive cooking preparation device to the selected kitchen appliance. At least one of the signals sent to the appliance includes one of the appliance parameters.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

selecting, by a user, a recipe from a plurality of recipes;

retrieving, from a data store, a plurality of preparation steps corresponding to the selected recipe;

sequentially displaying each of the plurality of retrieved preparation steps to the user on a display that is included in an interactive cooking preparation device;

identifying a retrieved preparation step that includes a selected kitchen appliance, wherein the selected kitchen appliance is a configurable burner surface, the identified preparation step including one or more appliance parameters that correspond to the configurable burner surface;

retrieving a size and a shape of an implement placed on the configurable burner surface;

allocating, within the configurable burner surface, a plurality of burner elements according to the retrieved size and shape, wherein the burner elements are controlled by a plurality of switches; and

activating the plurality of switches corresponding to the allocated burner elements.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of switches are adjustable and the method further comprising:

retrieving a requested temperature value included in the retrieved preparation step;

monitoring a surface temperature of the allocated burner elements;

comparing the monitored surface temperature with the requested temperature value;

lowering a setting of the plurality of switches to decrease heat from the allocated burner elements in response to the comparison revealing that the surface temperature is greater than the requested temperature value; and

raising a setting of the plurality of switches to increase heat from the allocated burner elements in response to the comparison revealing that the surface temperature is less than the requested temperature value.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

visually highlighting an area of the display that is proximate to the configurable burner surface, the visual highlight directing the user to the allocated burner elements; and

displaying an instruction on the display included in the interactive cooking preparation device to place the implement on the allocated burner elements.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

detecting the size and the shape of the implement using one or more sensors included in the interactive cooking preparation device when the implement is placed on an area of the display.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

displaying a visual object on the display, wherein the visual object visually connects the area of the display where the implement has been placed and the allocated burner elements; and

displaying an instruction on the display screen to place the implement on the allocated burner elements.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

activating the selected kitchen appliance with a first signal;

setting a timer corresponding to a preparation time included in the retrieved preparation step when the activating is performed; and

deactivating the identified kitchen appliance with a second signal when the timer has expired.

7. An information handling system that is an interactive cooking preparation device, the information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by at least one of the processors;

a nonvolatile storage device accessible by at least one of the processors;

a display that is accessible by at least one of the processors;

one or more hardware interfaces that connect the interactive cooking preparation device with one or more kitchen appliances;

a data store stored on the nonvolatile storage device that includes a plurality of recipes and a plurality of preparation steps for one or more of the recipes; and

a set of instructions which are loaded into the memory and executed by at least one of the processors in order to perform actions of;

receiving a selection, from a user, a recipe selected from the plurality of recipes;

retrieving, from the data store, the plurality of preparation steps corresponding to the selected recipe;

sequentially displaying each of the plurality of retrieved preparation steps to the user on the display;

identifying a retrieved preparation step that includes a selected kitchen appliance, wherein the selected kitchen appliance is a configurable burner surface, the identified preparation step including one or more appliance parameters that correspond to the configurable burner surface;

selecting one of the hardware interfaces that connects the interactive cooking preparation device with the selected kitchen appliance;

retrieving a size and a shape of an implement placed on the configurable burner surface;

allocating, within the configurable burner surface, a plurality of burner elements according to the retrieved size and shape, wherein the burner elements are controlled by a plurality of switches; and

activating the plurality of switches corresponding to the allocated burner elements.

8. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of switches are adjustable and wherein the instructions executed by at least one of the processors perform additional actions comprising:

retrieving a requested temperature value included in the retrieved preparation step;

monitoring a surface temperature of the allocated burner elements;

comparing the monitored surface temperature with the requested temperature value;

lowering a setting of the plurality of switches to decrease heat from the allocated burner elements in response to the comparison revealing that the surface temperature is greater than the requested temperature value; and

raising a setting of the plurality of switches to increase heat from the allocated burner elements in response to the comparison revealing that the surface temperature is less than the requested temperature value.

9. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein the instructions executed by at least one of the processors perform additional actions comprising:

visually highlighting an area of the display that is proximate to the configurable burner surface, the visual highlight directing the user to the allocated burner elements; and

displaying an instruction on the display included in the interactive cooking preparation device to place the implement on the allocated burner elements.

10. The information handling system of claim 9 wherein the instructions executed by at least one of the processors perform additional actions comprising:

detecting the size and the shape of the implement using one or more sensors included in the interactive cooking preparation device when the implement is placed on an area of the display.

11. The information handling system of claim 10 wherein the instructions executed by at least one of the processors perform additional actions comprising:

displaying a visual object on the display, wherein the visual object visually connects the area of the display where the implement has been placed and the allocated burner elements; and

displaying an instruction on the display screen to place the implement on the allocated burner elements.

12. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein the instructions executed by at least one of the processors perform additional actions comprising:

activating the selected kitchen appliance with a first signal;

setting a timer corresponding to a preparation time included in the retrieved preparation step when the activating is performed; and

deactivating the identified kitchen appliance with a second signal when the timer has expired.

16. The computer program product of claim 11 further comprising functional descriptive material that causes the information handling system to perform additional actions that include:

detecting the size and the shape of the implement using one or more sensors included in the interactive cooking preparation device when the implement is placed on an area of the display;

displaying a visual object on the display, wherein the visual object visually connects the area of the display where the implement has been placed and the allocated burner elements; and

displaying an instruction on the display screen to place the implement on the allocated burner elements.

13. A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by an information handling system, causes the information handling system to perform actions that include:

selecting, by a user, a recipe from a plurality of recipes;

retrieving, from a data store, a plurality of preparation steps corresponding to the selected recipe;

sequentially displaying each of the plurality of retrieved preparation steps to the user on a display that is included in an interactive cooking preparation device;

identifying a retrieved preparation step that includes a selected kitchen appliance, wherein the selected kitchen appliance is a configurable burner surface, the identified preparation step including one or more appliance parameters that correspond to the configurable burner surface;

retrieving a size and a shape of an implement placed on the configurable burner surface;

allocating, within the configurable burner surface, a plurality of burner elements according to the retrieved size and shape, wherein the burner elements are controlled by a plurality of switches; and

activating the plurality of switches corresponding to the allocated burner elements.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 wherein the plurality of switches are adjustable and further comprising functional descriptive material that causes the information handling system to perform additional actions that include:

retrieving a requested temperature value included in the retrieved preparation step;

monitoring a surface temperature of the allocated burner elements;

comparing the monitored surface temperature with the requested temperature value;

lowering a setting of the plurality of switches to decrease heat from the allocated burner elements in response to the comparison revealing that the surface temperature is greater than the requested temperature value; and

raising a setting of the plurality of switches to increase heat from the allocated burner elements in response to the comparison revealing that the surface temperature is less than the requested temperature value.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising functional descriptive material that causes the information handling system to perform additional actions that include:

visually highlighting an area of the display that is proximate to the configurable burner surface, the visual highlight directing the user to the allocated burner elements; and

displaying an instruction on the display included in the interactive cooking preparation device to place the implement on the allocated burner elements.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising functional descriptive material that causes the information handling system to perform additional actions that include:

activating the selected kitchen appliance with a first signal;

setting a timer corresponding to a preparation time included in the retrieved preparation step when the activating is performed; and

deactivating the identified kitchen appliance with a second signal when the timer has expired.