1457 results about "Food preparation" patented technology

An automated food preparation system is described. It allows precise, automated control of the food preparation process, and has the ability to perform an automated cleanup. It comprises at least one manipulator to process and move ingredients, a control system, an autonomously accessible ingredient storage system, and at least one cooking receptacle.

The present disclosure is directed to methods, computer program products, and computer systems for instructing a robot to prepare a food dish by replacing the human chef's movements and actions. Monitoring a human chef is carried out in an instrumented application-specific setting, a standardized robotic kitchen in this instance, and involves using sensors and computers to watch, monitor, record and interpret the motions and actions of the human chef, in order to develop a robot-executable set of commands robust to variations and changes in the environment, capable of allowing a robotic or automated system in a robotic kitchen to prepare the same dish to the standards and quality as the dish prepared by the human chef.

Devices and methods for RF heating of food, using techniques which allow uniformity and/or controlled non-uniformity.

A graphical user interface adapted to enable a user to direct and control a cooking appliance. The graphical user interface generally enables a plurality of cooking appliance operations through associated layers of screens, such as a refrigerate operation, a cook now operation, a cook later operation, etc., and a plurality of cook settings, such as a bake setting, a roast setting, a broil setting, a warm setting, a convection bake setting, a convection roast setting, a convection broil setting, a convection defrost setting, etc. The graphical user interface is adapted to be integrated with and accessible through one or more of the cooking appliance, a handheld device, an Internet-accessible computer, etc.

A device for preparing a fluid food at a desired consumption temperature on demand, comprising two reservoirs of water, a container containing a formula, a data processor and a controller for dispensing water of the correct temperature from each of the reservoirs and the formula from the container into a vessel. Also provided are methods for preparing specialized foods at desired consumption temperatures on demand, and methods for marketing both foods and food-preparation devices.

A method and system for auctioning or sales of deliverable prepared food via the Internet permit customers to purchase or bid on prepared food items. A food preparation and delivery portion of the system includes a delivery vehicle, which may have a mobile kitchen for the preparation of food items en-route. The location of the delivery vehicle is determined from a global positioning system (GPS) receiver in the vehicle or via another location-finding mechanism. Food items with an estimated time of arrival (ETA) is displayed on a web page that provides an interface for purchase or bidding. Bidding may be made for the actual food item purchase or for a scheduled delivery time. Items may be re-auctioned, causing the delivery of a food item to be transferred to another bidder. Audio and/or visual communication with an ordering point and/or delivery vehicle may be provided in the user interface.

Devices and methods for RF heating of food, using techniques which allow uniformity and/or controlled non-uniformity.

A methodology for customers seeking to purchase a meal from a food service vendor such as a restaurant, a cafeteria, or a vending machine, by ordering a food preparation based upon menu-selections. In addition to receiving ordered food, customers receive suggestions for optionally modifying their food orders based upon nutritional benefits and other criteria. Either during real-time customer-ordering or during post-ordering, a food-service vendor presents a customer suggestions specific to a pending tentative or completed order, wherein the customer may enjoy purported nutritional benefits by electing to follow these suggestions and thereby modify the tentative order into a corresponding completed order. Alternatively, the customer may elect to ignore these suggestions, but may nonetheless decide to effect such food-ordering modifications during subsequent visits. The food selection criteria implemented by a food service vendor is independent of individual customer identity and preferences, and are flexible and readily adaptable to accommodate changes such as a food service vendor's marketing strategy, customer-food preferences, discoveries pertaining to nutrition and consequent good health; and may be adapted to a plethora of food service environments. The preferred embodiment contemplates a restaurant environment in which customers typically approach a food-ordering counter and interface with both a menu display and with order-taking personnel. Other embodiments implicate kiosks, vending machines, remote access devices, and locally and remotely-accessed networked computers, wherein customers interact with automated computer-driven devices instead of or in addition to wait-staff or other food service personnel.

A system for direct injection of selected thermal-infrared (IR) wavelength radiation or energy into food items for a wide range of processing purposes is provided. These purposes may include heating, raising or maintaining the temperature of the food articles. The system is especially applicable to operations that require or benefit from the ability to irradiate at specifically selected wavelengths or to pulse or inject the radiation. The system is particularly advantageous when functioning at higher speeds and in a non-contact environment with the target.

Devices and methods for RF heating of food, using techniques which allow uniformity and/or controlled non-uniformity.

A countertop thermoelectric assembly includes a countertop forming a food preparation surface at an upper side thereof, at least one Peltier effect device located below the countertop, a thermal transfer plate located between the countertop and the thermoelectric device, a heat sink in thermal communication with the thermoelectric unit, and a controller to selectively operate the thermoelectric unit to cool and/or warm the food preparation surface formed by the countertop. A first temperature sensor located to provide signals representative of a temperature of the countertop. A second temperature sensor located to provide signals representative of a temperature of the heat sink. A condensation shield is located below the heat sink. A moisture sensor is located to provide signals representative of moisture at the condensation shield. At least one fan is located below the countertop to direct air over the heat sink and/or the condensation shield.

An apparatus and method are disclosed of a wireless system for customers to interact with attendants (e.g waiters) in restaurants. The system provides for a computing system that transmits electronic menus to wireless portable digital assistants (PDA's) and enables customers to place orders and make real-time service requests. For example, the customer is able to select food items from the menus, indicate preparation instructions for each food item, send comments to the attendants, and request drink refills. The customer is able to check on the status of food preparation via the PDA and observe the food being prepared by a camera link. Upon finishing the meal the restaurant can transmit an electronic bill to the customer.

An apparatus and method for controlling the movement of liquids into and out of a container is described. The apparatus includes a main container for holding the food product, a liquid inlet for providing liquid into the main container with the food product, and a liquid outlet for removing liquid from the main container without removing the food product. The apparatus can include a valve attached to the liquid inlet and a valve attached to the liquid outlet for automated regulation of inflow and outflow of the liquid from the main container. The apparatus also includes a heater associated with the main container for automated heating of the main container including the food/liquid, and a controller for automatically regulating the inflow/outflow of the liquid from the main container. The apparatus can be designed as a cleanable, portable, fully automated appliance for sprouting, rinsing, soaking, cooking, etc. food products.

The present invention relates to an air-based flyer (10) apparatus comprising a food preparation chamber (140) comprising an outer wall (11), an inner wall (14) defining a food receiving space (141) with an air inlet (142) and an air discharge opening (145), and a circulation channel (113) defined between the outer wall (11) and the inner wall (14). The apparatus also comprises an air heater (13) for heating air in the food preparation chamber (140), a fan (192) for moving a flow of hot air successively through the air inlet (142), the food receiving space (141), the discharge opening (145), and the channel (113). The apparatus also comprises a steam generator (12) comprising at least one nozzle (127) extending into the food receiving space (141) for spraying temperature-controlled steam (18) onto the food; and a controller (15) adapted to control the steam generator to spray steam to food placed in the food receiving space (141) for a first predetermined period, and to control the air heater (13) and the fan (192) to circulate hot air to the food for a subsequent second predetermined period. This apparatus allows keeping the tenderness or crunchiness of the food during subsequent hot air cooking.

A combination for preparing a food product and method of using the combination are disclosed. The combination includes a housing supporting a cooking chamber, which communicates with a flavor enhancement chamber. The cooking chamber and the flavor enhancement chamber are selectively and independently controlled by an automated controller. In using the combination, a user provides the food product, places a flavor enhancement substance within the flavor enhancement chamber, arranges the food product on a preparation rack, and position the rack with the food within the cooking chamber. With the food positioned within the combination, the user programs parameters for a food preparation cycle into an operating code resident in the automated controller. Upon activation by the user, the controller executes the operating code. In response, the flavor enhancement chamber releases a flavor enhancement for impregnation into the food product, and the cooking chamber completes preparation of the food product.

A system for preparation of high quality and healthy food by automatic means is provided. The system includes one or more sections for carrying out the one or more operations required for the preparation of food. The food is prepared using automated or semi-automated processes using one or more processing devices.

The present invention discloses a refrigerator inventory management method using a mobile phone. The inventory management method of the present invention includes updating, at the refrigerator, storage information on items stored in the refrigerator by scanning RF tags attached to the items whenever a door of the refrigerator is opened, transmitting the storage information to a mobile terminal, updating the storage information stored in the mobile terminal with the storage information transmitted from the refrigerator, and displaying, comparatively, the items of the updated storage information and items for the specific list set by a user or registering the items included in the specific list but not in the updated storage information as purchase information. In another aspectif there is a recipe for food preparation available from a website, the mobile terminal registers the items included in the recipe but which are not in the updated storage information as purchase information.

The present application relates to an air based fryer (1) for preparing food ingredients. The air based fryer comprises a food preparation chamber (2), an air heater (3) for heating air in the food preparation chamber (2) and a fan (4) for circulating a flow of hot air in the food preparation chamber (2). The air-based fryer (1) further comprises a fluid inlet (5) for the introduction of a fluid directly into the circulating flow of hot air. This solution allows increasing the humidity of the flow of hot air results in superior quality food in terms of taste, texture, and aesthetics and increases the versatility of the air-based flyer.

A customer of an Automated Food Preparation Machine communicates via telephone to a remotely located human order taker who negotiates a food order from a menu that is accessible to the customer and then via the Internet, the order taker obtains control of the remotely located Automated Food Preparation Machine and activates it to produce an ordered menu item.

The application relates to an apparatus for preparing food. The apparatus includes a housing (1), a food preparation chamber (4) in the housing (1) having an inner wall (5) defining a food receiving space (6) with an air entry aperture (10) and an air discharge aperture (13), a fan (14) for moving a flow of hot air successively through the air entry aperture (10), the food receiving space (6) and the air discharge aperture (13), and an air guide passage (7) for returning the flow of air from the air discharge aperture (13) towards the air entry aperture (10) separate from the food receiving space (6). The housing (1) comprising a cooling air channel (30) and a hot air vent (20) for exhausting the flow of hot air from the food preparation chamber (4) to outside the housing (1) with a constricted section (29) having a reduced cross-sectional area such that a venturi effect is generated in the hot air vent (20). An outlet (35) to the cooling air channel (30) communicates with the hot air vent (20) at the constricted section (29) such that a region of low pressure is formed at the outlet (35) and a flow of cooling air is drawn along the cooling air channel (30) and into the hot air vent (20).