Food preparation device

Abstract

A food preparation device or system which includes the following: (i) a base dimensioned to hold food containers and includes a first opening to receive the food containers and a second opening; (ii) an extraction mechanism to extract food items from each container in the base, through the second opening and to a preparation receptacle; (iii) a heating mechanism in the preparation receptacle; and (iv) one or more processors and memory containing instructions that, when executed cause the food preparation device or system to prepare the food items for consumption.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a housing, the housing comprising:
 a base including a first opening located on a front side of the base, the first opening dimensioned to receive a set of food containers of a pre-determined dimension; 
 an extraction mechanism to extract a food item from the set of food containers, the extraction mechanism including at least one of a vacuum pump or an injector; 
 a preparation receptacle, positioned to receive the food item extracted from the set of food containers; 
 a heating mechanism to control a temperature of the preparation receptacle; and 
 a processing resource to:
 control the extraction mechanism to extract the food item from each food container in the set of the food containers; and 
 control the temperature of the heating mechanism. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the base is dimensioned to retain the set of food containers. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing resource is further to:
 identify a recipe;   determine each food container of a set of food containers that include food items specified in the recipe;   verify the set of food containers are positioned in the base; and   verify the food item in the set of food containers match each of the specified food items in the recipe.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a top segment operatively coupled to the base dimensioned to receive, from the base, the set of food containers.   
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the top segment further includes an outlet. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the extraction mechanism is provided with the top segment and wherein the extraction mechanism extracts a food item from the set of food containers through the outlet when the set of food containers is received by the top segment from the base. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 4 , further comprising
 a motorized rod extending from the top segment into the preparation receptacle.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the processing resource controls the motorized rod in stirring or mixing the specified food items extracted from the food container. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the motorized rod includes a base segment, a joint, and an end segment, the end segment configured to move in multiple directions about the joint within the preparation receptacle. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing resource controls a temperature of the heating mechanism based on the recipe. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the extraction mechanism includes an air injection, liquid injection, or tilting mechanism that pushes the food item out of the food container. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a movement mechanism that moves the food container into engagement with the extraction mechanism.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the movement mechanism includes a conveyer system that lifts or lowers the food container upwards or downwards into engagement with the extraction mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing resource receives the recipe from one of (i) a computer of a user, or (ii) a network resource. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface that receives input from a user, including input that identifies at least one of (i) a portion of the recipe, or (ii) a network source for the recipe. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a memory resource that stores information about the food container, including the food item included in the food container. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the processing resource parses the recipe for food items, and to identify each food container of the set of food containers that match each food item of the food items specified in the recipe. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an optical reader, and wherein the processing resource receives input from the optical reader to verify that the food container of the set of food containers is received opening. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the processing resource is further to:
 determine a sequence for introducing food items from the recipe into the preparation receptacle.   
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein the processing resource is further to:
 provide an output to indicate an order for how each food container in the set of food containers are received within the base based on the sequence.