Providing sensory feedback indicating an operating mode of an interpretive bios machine

• US 8,570,177 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2011
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microwave Science JV, LLC
• Original Assignee: Microwave Science JV, LLC
• Inventors: Drucker, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US13/227,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20120056748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 340/584, 340/640, 340/643, 340/655, 340/815.4, 219/200
• US Class Current: 340/584
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6438 allowing the recording of a program of operation of the microwave heating apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6441 allowing the input of coded operation instructions, e.g. bar code reader

Abstract

Technologies are described herein for providing sensory feedback to users of microwave oven or other thermal process stream device indicating operation in an interpretive language architecture mode. An indication is received through a device data entry mechanism that the interpretive language architecture mode of the device is to be initiated. Sensory feedback is provided indicating that the device is operating in the interpretive language architecture mode and that input data comprising a predetermined code for interpretation by the interpretive language architecture is expected. The sensory feedback may comprise flashing or illumination of specific keys on a keypad of the device data entry mechanism and may continue through entry of the input data comprising the predetermined code until completion of the resulting thermal process in the device.

Claims

1. An interpretive language architecture controlled process stream device, the device comprising:

a device data entry mechanism for receiving an externally derived predetermined code;

a controller having a memory, the controller operatively disposed intermediate the device data entry mechanism and a means for controlling operational features of the device;

an operating system stored in the memory and operative to orchestrate a transfer of energy through a process stream of the device to a specimen; and

an interpretive BIOS machine and a work manager integral the operating system and operative to cause the controller to receive the externally derived predetermined code from the device data entry mechanism, interpret the externally derived predetermined code, transform the code into user-independent functional commands for the device, and initiate the process stream using the user-independent functional commands, while providing sensory feedback to a user through the device data entry mechanism indicating that the device is operating in an interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode beginning from a reception of an indication that the interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode is to be initiated, through entry of input data comprising the externally derived predetermined code, and thereafter continuing through the process stream.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device data entry mechanism comprises a keypad.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the indication that the interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode is to be initiated comprises an indication that the user has pressed a mode function key associated with the interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode on the keypad.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein providing the sensory feedback comprises illuminating lights disposed behind numeric keys and the mode function key associated with the interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode on the keypad, while leaving other of the keys on the keypad un-illuminated.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the mode function key associated with the interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode on the keypad remains illuminated throughout the process stream.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the process stream device comprises a microwave oven and wherein the specimen comprises a food package.

7. A method of providing sensory feedback to a user of a thermal process stream device of a current device operating mode for receiving data input, the method comprising:

receiving an indication that a device operating mode of the thermal process stream device is to be initiated;

providing sensory feedback to the user indicating that the thermal process stream device is operating in the device operating mode and that input data specific to the device operating mode is expected;

receiving user-entered input data for the device operating mode;

receiving an indication that the user-entered input data is complete; and

upon receiving the indication that the user-entered input data is complete, removing the sensory feedback to the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the indication that the device operating mode of the thermal process stream device is to be initiated, the user-entered input data for the device operating mode, and the indication that the user-entered input data is complete is received through a device data entry mechanism, and wherein the sensory feedback is provided to the user through the device data entry mechanism.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the device data entry mechanism comprises a keypad.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving an indication that the device operating mode of the thermal process stream device is to be initiated comprises receiving an indication that the user has pressed a mode function key on the keypad.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the sensory feedback comprises continuously flashing lights disposed behind those keys on the keypad to be utilized by the user for entering the input data for the device operating mode and continuously flashing a light disposed behind a mode function key on the keypad associated with the device operating mode, while leaving other of the keys on the keypad un-illuminated.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the device operating mode comprises an interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS mode, and wherein the user-entered input data comprises a code associated with a specimen intended to be interpreted by a BIOS machine and/or work manager controlled thermal process stream device to produce user-independent functional commands for controlling the thermal process stream device to perform work on the specimen.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the thermal process stream device comprises a microwave oven and wherein the specimen comprises a food package.

14. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a controller of a process stream device, cause the process stream device to:

receive an indication that an interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode of the process stream device is to be initiated;

provide sensory feedback to a user of the process stream device indicating that the interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode is active and that input data comprising a predetermined code associated with a specimen upon which to perform work is expected, wherein the predetermined code is intended to be interpreted by a BIOS machine and/or work manager of the process stream device to produce user-independent functional commands for controlling the process stream device;

receive user-entered input data comprising the predetermined code;

receive an indication that the user-entered input data is complete; and

initiate the user-independent functional commands in the process stream device to perform work on the specimen.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising computer-executable instructions that cause the process stream device to remove the sensory feedback to the user.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the indication that the interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode is to be initiated and the predetermined code are received through a keypad of a device data entry mechanism of the process stream device, and wherein the sensory feedback is provided to the user through the device data entry mechanism.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein receiving the indication that the interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode is to be initiated comprises receiving an indication that the user has pressed a mode function key associated with the interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode on the keypad.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein providing the sensory feedback comprises illuminating lights disposed behind numeric keys and a mode function key associated with the interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode on the keypad, while leaving other of the keys on the keypad un-illuminated.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the mode function key associated with the interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode on the keypad remains illuminated throughout an operation of performing work on the specimen in the interpretive language architecture with interpretive BIOS machine mode of the process stream device.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the process stream device comprises a microwave oven and wherein the specimen comprises a food package.