Continuously monitored core temperature sensor and method

• US 9,411,989 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2012
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miele & CIE KG
• Original Assignee: Convotherm Elektrogerate GMBH (Ali Holding Srl)
• Inventors: Wild, Hannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Girma, Fekadeselassie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foxx, Chico A
• Application Number:
  US13/721,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20140028445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/082 on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/16 Sensors measuring the temperature of products
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 1/024 for remote indication
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/0008 General problems related to the reading of electronic memory record carriers, independent of its reading method, e.g. power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00 Individual registration on entry or exit
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/1427 with transmitter-receiver for distance detection
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0247 System arrangements wherein the alarm criteria uses signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system that provides notice of a lost signal. A wireless device and a control device employ radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, which uses radio frequency signals to communicate with one another via communication link having a reception range. The control device transmits a signal to the wireless device via the communication link. The wireless device responds by transmitting a return signal via the communication link. The control device processes the return signal to determine if the wireless device is within the reception range, if not, the control device provides an audible, written or visual alarm.

Claims

1. A system for continually monitoring a parameter in food service equipment, said system comprising:

a wireless device attached to said food service equipment, wherein said wireless device has a sensor that continually monitors said parameter and a transmitter/receiver; and

a control device attached to said food service equipment, wherein said control device has a tracking feature that monitors and processes information received from said transmitter/receiver of said wireless device and a transmitter/receiver,

wherein said control device and said wireless device communicate with one another via a communication link that has a reception range;

wherein said control device broadcasts a signal via said communication link to said wireless device,

wherein said wireless device obtains a measurement of said parameter and broadcasts a signal via said communication link to said control device,

wherein said signal broadcast by said wireless device includes said measurement of said parameter, and

wherein said signals from said control device and signals from said wireless device are broadcast at a fast enough rate such that consecutive signals broadcast from said wireless device indicate motion of said wireless device, and wherein said tracking feature of said control device processes consecutive signals broadcast by said wireless device to obtain said measurement of said parameter and determine if said wireless device is within said reception range, and provide an alert if said wireless device is not in said reception range, or if there is no return signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said control device determines if said wireless device is within said reception range based on whether a characteristic of said signals broadcast from said wireless device has reached a predetermined value.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said characteristic of said signals broadcast from said wireless device is selected from the group consisting of:

signal strength, amplitude, phase, angular phase shift, and interference.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said alert is selected from the group consisting of:

audible, written, visual, text messages, electronic data interchange, and internet protocols.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said signals from said control device and said signals from said wireless device are a ping signal and a pong signal, respectively.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said food service equipment is selected from the group consisting of:

oven, grill, broiler, food warmer, food display, ice making equipment, refrigeration equipment, beverage dispensing equipment, steamers, convection ovens, combination ovens, kettles, braising pans, skillets, freezer, serving lines, filtration equipment, pasta cookers, ranges, broilers, griddles, induction, conveyers, dishwasher, impinger, toaster, microwave, microwave combination oven, mixer, prep table, reach in coolers.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

temperature, humidity, pressure, barcode signal, video signal, aroma, gas-air composite, lambda value, oxygen sensor, pH value, alkaline value, conductance, color, density, weight, volume, length, mass, time, electric current, light intensity and force.

8. A method for continually monitoring a parameter in food service equipment, the method comprising:

monitoring said parameter of said food service equipment with a wireless device attached to said food service equipment, wherein said wireless device has a transmitter/receiver;

broadcasting signals from a control device attached to said food service equipment via a communication link that has a reception range to said wireless device, wherein said control device has a transmitter/receiver and a tracking feature that monitors and processes information received from said transmitter/receiver of said wireless device;

receiving said signals broadcast from said control device by said wireless device;

obtaining a measurement of said parameter by said wireless device;

broadcasting from said wireless device a signals via said communication link to said control device, wherein said signals broadcast from said wireless device includes said measurement of said parameter;

receiving said signals broadcast from said wireless device by said control device, wherein said signals from said control device and signals from said wireless device are broadcast at a fast enough rate such that consecutive signals broadcast from said wireless device indicate motion of said wireless device, and wherein said tracking feature of said control device processes consecutive signals broadcast by said wireless device;

processing by said control device said signals broadcast from said wireless device to obtain said measurement of said parameter and determine if said wireless device is within said reception range; and

providing an alert if said signals broadcast from said wireless device indicate that said wireless device is not within said reception range, or if there are no signals from said wireless device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said control device determines if said wireless device is within said reception range based on whether a characteristic of said signals broadcast from said wireless device has reached a predetermined value.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said characteristic of said signals broadcast from said wireless device is selected from the group consisting of:

signal strength, amplitude, phase, angular phase shift, and interference.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein said alert is selected from the group consisting of:

audible, written, visual, text messages, electronic data interchange, and internet protocols.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein said signals broadcast from said control device and said signals broadcast from said wireless device are a ping signal and a pong signal, respectively.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein said food service equipment is selected from the group consisting of:

oven, grill, broiler, food warmer, food display, ice making equipment, refrigeration equipment, beverage dispensing equipment, steamers, convection ovens, combination ovens, kettles, braising pans, skillets, freezer, serving lines, filtration equipment, pasta cookers, ranges, broilers, griddles, induction, conveyers, dishwasher, impinger, toaster, microwave, microwave combination oven, mixer, prep table, reach in coolers.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

temperature, humidity, pressure, barcode signal, video signal, aroma, gas-air composite, lambda value, oxygen sensor, pH value, alkaline value, conductance, color, density, weight, volume, length, mass, time, electric current, light intensity and force.