Diagnostic data interchange

Abstract

The present invention provides a bi-directional communication network which provides monitoring, data collection, and control of food service industry operations. The system includes a computer and control logic implemented by the computer which may be configured to perform various tasks. A communication network may be provided linking the computer with equipment and appliances having a microprocessor based controller capable of communicating with the system. In one embodiment, the system automatically verifies the performance of equipment-related manual tasks in food preparation. In another embodiment, the system schedules the maintenance of a plurality of kitchen appliances. In another embodiment, the system provides a hold timer for tracking the hold time of cooked food products and determines when the hold time elapses. In yet another embodiment, the system manages the inventory of cooked food products in a food preparation establishment.

1 - 47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . A method for controlling a plurality of kitchen appliances in a networked control system, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of kitchen appliances;   providing a control center communicating with each kitchen appliances of said plurality kitchen appliances across a communication network;   the control center determining the actual usage each of said kitchen appliances;   the control center determining when at least one of said plurality of kitchen appliances will require cooking medium maintenance;   the control center determining the current inventory of each food product available for present and future customer demand;   the control center determining the projected demand for additional food product to be prepared in the future;   the control center determining an availability of said kitchen appliances capable of preparing said food product;   the control center determining how many of said kitchen appliances are necessary to meet said projected demand as a function of the current inventory; determined current and future demand, and determined maintenance; and   the control center determining whether said kitchen appliances of said plurality of kitchen appliances requiring cooking medium maintenance shall commence said maintenance operation by comparing the amount of food product required and the availability of said plurality kitchen appliances to meet said food preparation requirements.   
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , further comprising the step of signaling an employee to commence the cooking medium maintenance as a function of the determination that the kitchen appliances shall commence said maintenance operation. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49  wherein said signaling is displayed on a monitor visible to said employee. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 49  wherein said signaling is displayed on said kitchen appliances where cooking medium maintenance is to be performed. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 48  further comprising the step of generating a control signal to allow an automated maintenance operation to commence on said kitchen appliances for which it is determined that maintenance shall commence. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 48  further comprising the step of providing the control center in a same physical location as at least one of the kitchen appliances. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the Kitchen appliance is one of a deep fryer, a refractory oven, a baking oven, a rotisserie, infra-red oven, a combination oven and a refrigerator. 
     
     
         55 . A method for controlling a plurality of kitchen appliances in a networked control system, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of kitchen appliances;   providing a control center communicating with each kitchen appliances of said plurality kitchen appliances across a communication network;   the control center determining an actual usage of each of said plurality of kitchen appliances;   the control center determining when at least one of said plurality of kitchen appliances will require maintenance;   the control center determining a current and a future demand for a plurality of food products prepared in said plurality of kitchen appliances;   the control center determining a number of said kitchen appliances necessary to satisfy the current and the future demand for said food products as a function of at least one of the determination of the actual usage of each of said plurality of kitchen appliances and the determination when at least one of said plurality of kitchen appliances will require maintenance; and   the control center utilizing a control logic, and determining whether to turn any respective one said kitchen appliances of said plurality of kitchen appliances on or off as a function of number of said kitchen appliances necessary to satisfy the current and the future demand for said food products and the amount of actual usage of said kitchen appliances.   
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising the step of signaling an employee to turn said kitchen appliances on or off. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 56  wherein said signaling is displayed on a monitor visible to said employee. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 56  wherein said signaling is displayed on said kitchen appliances which is to be turned on or off. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising generating a control signal switch said kitchen appliances on or off. 
     
     
         60 . A method for selecting which of a plurality of kitchen appliances in a networked control system should be used to prepare a food product, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of kitchen appliances;   providing a control center communicating with each kitchen appliances of said plurality kitchen appliances across a communication network;   the control center determining a current and a future demand for a plurality of food products;   the control center determining a number of said kitchen appliances currently available to prepare said food product; and   utilizing a control logic communicating across said communication network for determining which of said kitchen appliances should be utilized as a function of the determination of said kitchen appliances currently available and the determination of the current and the future demand for a plurality of food products.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60  further comprising the step of signaling an employee which of said plurality of kitchen appliances should be utilized. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein said signaling is displayed on a monitor visible to said employee. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein said signaling is displayed on said kitchen appliances which the control logic selects to use. 
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 60 , further comprising the step of generating a control signal to a selected currently available kitchen appliances to perform the food product preparation. 
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 64 , further comprising the step of determining whether the signaling was utilized by the employee. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , further comprising the step of collecting data on an employee action for management reporting. 
     
     
         67 . A method for determining capability of a food preparation location to prepare a food product, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of kitchen appliances;   providing a control center communicating with each kitchen appliances of said plurality kitchen appliances across a communication network;   said control center having a database containing information collected from said kitchen appliances;   determining the food products capable of being prepared in each of said kitchen appliances based on said information; and   a remote database receiving said information for determining whether said food product can be prepared at said location with the existing kitchen appliances.   
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67  comprising the method for determining the current and future demand for at least one of said food products and for determining the number of said kitchen appliances necessary at said location to satisfy the current and future demand for said food product. 
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 67  where said capacity data is collected and accessible without being present at said food preparation location. 
     
     
         70 . A method for controlling a plurality of kitchen appliances in a networked control system, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of kitchen appliances;   providing a control center communicating with each kitchen appliances of said plurality kitchen appliances across a communication network;   the control center storing data indicating the energy consumption of each of said kitchen appliances;   the control center determining a current and a future demand for a plurality of food products;   the control center determining the number of said kitchen appliances necessary to satisfy the current and the future demand for said food products;   the control center determining when the use to prepare a food product of at least one of said kitchen appliances will occur; and   utilizing a control logic communicating across said communication network to control each kitchen appliance of said plurality of kitchen appliances by at least one of sequencing when each of said kitchen appliances is turned on and limiting which of said plurality of kitchen appliances may be simultaneously utilized.   
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 70 , wherein said control logic signals at least one of said kitchen appliances to turn off. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 70  further comprising the step of signaling an employee which of said kitchen appliances should be turned on. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 72  where said signaling is displayed on a monitor visible to said employee. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 72  where said signaling is displayed on said kitchen appliances which the control logic selects to use. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 70  further comprising the step of determining whether a kitchen appliance selected by the control logic was utilized by an employee. 
     
     
         76 . A method for controlling a plurality of kitchen appliances in a networked control system, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of kitchen appliances;   providing a control center communicating with each kitchen appliances of said plurality kitchen appliances across a communication network;   the control center storing data indicating the energy consumption of each of said kitchen appliances;   the control center determining whether each of said kitchen appliances are currently turned on or turned off;   the control center determining whether each of said kitchen appliances is currently being used to prepare a food product; and   utilizing a control logic communicating across said communication network to control each kitchen appliance of said plurality of kitchen appliances by turning off non-essential kitchen appliances to limit the instantaneous energy consumption in the restaurant.   
     
     
         77 . A method for controlling a plurality of kitchen appliances in a networked control system, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of kitchen appliances;   providing a control center communicating with each kitchen appliances of said plurality kitchen appliances across a communication network;   the control center storing data indicating the cooking profiles stored in each of said kitchen appliances; and   utilizing a control logic communicating across said communication network to change the cooking profiles in each kitchen appliance of said plurality of kitchen appliances by setting the cooking parameters of said kitchen appliance with the cooking profiles stored in the control center.   
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 77 , wherein said control logic responds to a mismatch between the cooking parameters retrieved from said kitchen appliance and the cooking profile data stored in the control center by generating notifications. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 78  where said notifications are transmitted by wireless communications means or over the internet to locations remote from the restaurant. 
     
     
         80 . A method for controlling a plurality of kitchen appliances in a networked control system, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a plurality of kitchen appliances;   providing a control center communicating with each kitchen appliances of said plurality kitchen appliances across a communication network;   the control center storing data indicating the cooking profiles stored in each of said kitchen appliances;   utilizing a control logic communicating across said communication network to compare the cooking profiles in each kitchen appliance of said plurality of kitchen appliances with the cooking profiles stored in the control center; and   said control logic responsive to a mismatch between the cooking parameters retrieved from said kitchen appliance and the cooking profile data stored in the control center by storing the event information in a database.   
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 80  where said database containing said event information is located remote from the restaurant.