Remote cooking systems and methods

• US 10,559,186 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2019
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products LLC (Weber-Stephen Mexico Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: Weber-Stephen Products LLC (Weber-Stephen Mexico Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Allen, Sr., Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi C
• Application Number:
  US16/504,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20190385432A1
• Time in Patent Office: 218 Days
• Field of Search: 340589, 340584, 34087007, 99342, 426231, 426233, 426509, 374155, 374141, 374149, 374179, 374208
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/00 Parts, details or accessories of cooking-vessels A47J27/00 - A47J33/00 take precedence insofar as these parts, details or accessories are restricted to a particular kind of cooking-vessel provided for in a single one of these groups
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/321 the electronic control being performed over a network, e.g. by means of a handheld device
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0786 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/14 Supports; Fastening devices; Arrangements for mounting thermometers in particular locations
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2207/06 for preparation purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/182 Level alarms, e.g. alarms responsive to variables exceeding a threshold
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/43 using wireless personal area networks [WPAN], e.g. 802.15, 802.15.1, 802.15.4, Bluetooth or ZigBee
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A remote temperature monitoring system includes a first unit operatively connected to one or more temperature sensors for sensing the temperature of one or more materials or food items being cooked or heated. The first unit transmits the sensed temperature to a second unit that is located remotely from the first unit during heating. The second unit is programmable with the desired temperature and/or heating parameters of the item. By monitoring the temperature status of the item over time, the system determines when the food has reached the desired temperature or degree of cooking, and notifies the user.

Claims

1. A temperature monitoring system for monitoring a temperature status of at least one food item, the temperature monitoring system comprising:

a first unit comprising a processing unit and a wireless transmitter positioned within a housing, the processing unit being in communication with the wireless transmitter and further connectable to at least one temperature sensing device external to the housing, the temperature sensing device being placeable at a plurality of locations relative to the food item by which a temperature of the food item is measurable during a cooking operation in a cooking device;

the processing unit being adapted and configured to receive a current temperature from the temperature sensing device and to wirelessly transmit the current temperature over said wireless transmitter; and

a computer application, adapted and configured for installation on at least one second unit, said computer application adapted and configured to receive the wirelessly transmitted current temperature from the processing unit, and further adapted and configured to;

(i) display a user interface, the user interface being divided at least into a detailed information section and a menu bar, the menu bar comprising tabbed categories including a stats category and a recipe category;

(ii) in response to selection of the stats category of the menu bar, display at least one user-selectable cooking item profile, a suggested correct cooking temperature associated with the selected cooking item profile, and the received current temperature in the detailed information section of the user interface; and

(iii) in response to selection of the recipe category of the menu bar, display a plurality of recipes in the detailed information section of the user interface.

2. The temperature monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the computer application is further adapted and configured to calculate an estimated finish time at which the received current temperature will reach the suggested correct cooking temperature, and, in response to selection of the stats category, to display the estimated finish time in the detailed information section of the user interface.

3. The temperature monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the computer application is further adapted and configured to present an alert to a user when the received current temperature has reached the suggested correct cooking temperature.

4. The temperature monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the alert is a visual alert displayed on a screen of the second unit or an audible alert generated on a speaker of the second unit.

5. The temperature monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the processing unit is connectable to the at least one temperature sensing device by a wireless connection.

6. The temperature monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the computer application is further adapted and configured to display, in response to selection of the stats category, a graph displaying the current temperature over a period of time in the detailed information section of the user interface.

7. The temperature monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the computer application is further adapted and configured to retrieve the plurality of recipes displayed in the detailed information section via the internet.

8. The temperature monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the second unit comprises a portable computerized device, comprising a smartphone, computer, or other handheld computing device.

9. The temperature monitoring system of claim 8, wherein the second unit further comprises a display, and the display is a touch screen configured to receive a user selection of the user-selectable cooking item profile.

10. The temperature monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the detailed information section includes at least a featured recipes section and a recipe categories section in response to a user-selection of the recipe category of the menu bar;

and wherein the featured recipes section and the recipe categories section each includes links or buttons configured to allow a user to access the section to view either the featured recipe or view recipes in certain categories, respectively.

11. A method for monitoring the temperature of a food item, comprising the steps of:

using a first unit, the first unit comprising a processing unit and a wireless transmitter positioned within a housing and further connectable to at least one temperature sensing device external to the housing, to measure a temperature of the food item during a cooking operation in a cooking device;

receiving a current temperature from the temperature sending device at the processing unit and wirelessly transmitting the current temperature over the wireless transmitter;

using a computer application, adapted and configured for installation on at least one second unit, to receive the wirelessly transmitted current temperature from the processing unit, and further to;

(i) display a user interface, the user interface being divided at least into a detailed information section and a menu bar, the menu bar comprising tabbed categories including a stats category and a recipe category;

(ii) in response to selection of the stats category of the menu bar, display at least one user-selectable cooking item profile, a suggested correct cooking temperature associated with the selected cooking item profile, and the received current temperature in the detailed information section of the user interface; and

(iii) in response to selection of the recipe category of the menu bar, display a plurality of recipes in the detailed information section of the user interface.

12. The method for monitoring the temperature of a food item of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

using the computer application to calculate an estimated finish time at which the received current temperature will reach the suggested correct cooking temperature, and, in response to selection of the stats category, displaying the estimated finish time in the detailed information section of the user interface.

13. The method for monitoring the temperature of a food item of claim 11, further comprising the step of presenting an alert to a user when the received current temperature has reached the suggested correct cooking temperature.

14. The method for monitoring the temperature of a food item of claim 13, wherein the alert is a visual alert displayed on a screen of the second unit or an audible alert generated on a speaker of the second unit.

15. The method for monitoring the temperature of a food item of claim 13, wherein the processing unit is connectable to the at least one temperature sensing device by a wireless connection.

16. The method for monitoring the temperature of a food item of claim 11, further comprising the step of graphing the current temperature over a period of time in the detailed information section of the user interface, in response to selection of the stats category.

17. The method for monitoring the temperature of a food item of claim 11, further comprising the step of retrieving the plurality of recipes displayed in the detailed information section via the internet.

18. The method for monitoring the temperature of a food item of claim 11, wherein the second unit comprises a portable computerized device, comprising a smartphone, computer, or other handheld computing device.

19. The method for monitoring the temperature of a food item of claim 18, further comprising the step of receiving a user selection of the user-selectable cooking item profile on a touch screen of the second unit.

20. The method for monitoring the temperature of a food item of claim 11, further comprising the step of displaying at least a featured recipes section and a recipe categories section in response to user-selection of the recipe category of the menu bar, wherein the featured recipes section and the recipe categories section each includes links or buttons configured to allow a user to access the section to view either the featured recipe or view recipes in certain categories, respectively.