Computer system for maintaining current and predicting future food needs

Abstract

A computer system ( 10 ) is provided which includes an electronic cash registers ( 11 ) electronically coupled to a cooking station monitor ( 12 ) and input ( 13 ), and a manager's station monitor ( 15 ), input ( 16 ), and printer ( 17 ). The system instructs the cook to initiate a cooking process in response to the number of items on hand and items currently being cooked in view of the number of items typically desired to have on hand at a particular time of the day.

1. A computer system for determining and transmitting cooking commencement instruction for selected food items at time intervals to supply future needs of the selected food items, comprising:
 programmable memory;  
 a cooking station monitor;  
 a table of selected food items stored on said programmable memory;  
 a table of desired quantities of the selected food items at desired time intervals relating to said table of selected food items, said table of desired quantities at desired time intervals being stored on said programmable memory;  
 a table of cooking time to prepare intervals relating to said table of selected food items, said table of cooking time to prepare intervals being stored on said programmable memory;  
 a variable quantity of processed selected food items stored on said programmable memory;  
 clock means for establishing a current time;  
 control means for initiating a cooking instruction to said cooking station monitor in response to a selected relation between the current time and said table of desired quantities of the selected food items at desired time intervals and said table of cooking time to prepare intervals, and a selected relation between the variable quantity of selected food items and said table of desired quantities of selected food items at desired time intervals,  
   wherein the variable quantity of processed selected food items is updated by a wasted food registration means for any waste food items.    
 
     
     
       2. The computer system of  claim 1  wherein said control means initiates the cooking instruction to said cooking station monitor upon the current time being equal to or less than the desired time interval with said table of desired quantities of the selected food items at desired time interval minus a preparation time interval associated with each selected food item. 
     
     
       3. The computer system of  claim 1  wherein said control means further establishes the cooking instruction upon the quantities of processed selected food items being less than the desired quantities within said table of desired quantities of the selected food items at desired time intervals. 
     
     
       4. The computer system of  claim 1  further comprising a variable quantity of food items presently cooking, and said variable quantities of processed food items includes said variable quantity of food items presently cooking. 
     
     
       5. The computer system of  claim 1  further comprising a cash register and wherein said control means subtracts a number of said selected food items manually entered upon said cash register from said variable quantity of selected food items stored on said programmable memory. 
     
     
       6. The computer system of  claim 1  further comprising a table of number of food items to be cooked at a time stored on said programmable memory and relating to said table of selected food items. 
     
     
       7. A computer system for determining and transmitting cooking times for selected food items at time intervals to predict future needs of the selected food items, comprising:
 programmable memory;  
 a table of selected food items stored on said programmable memory;  
 a table of desired quantities of the selected food items at desired time intervals relating to said table of selected food items, said table of desired quantities at desired time intervals being stored on said programmable memory;  
 a variable quantity of processed selected food items stored on said programmable memory;  
 clock means for establishing a current time;  
 control means for initiating a cooking instruction in response to a selected relationship between the current time and said table of desired quantities of the selected food items at desired time intervals, and a selected relationship between the variable quantity of processed selected food items and said table of desired quantity of processed selected food items at desired time intervals,  
   wherein the variable quantity of processed selected food items is updated by a wasted food registration means for any waste food items.    
 
     
     
       8. The computer system of  claim 7  further comprising a table of cooking time to prepare intervals relating to said table of selected food items, said table of cooking time to prepare intervals being stored on said programmable memory, whereby said control means for initiating a cooking instruction to said cooking station monitor does so in response to a selected relation between the current time and said table of desired quantities of the selected food items at desired time intervals and said table of cooking time to prepare intervals. 
     
     
       9. The computer system of  claim 7  wherein said control means initiates the cooking instruction to said cooking station monitor upon the current time being equal to or less than the desired time interval with said table of desired quantities of the selected food items at desired time interval minus a preparation time interval associated with each selected food item. 
     
     
       10. The computer system of  claim 7  wherein said control means further establishes the cooking instruction upon the variable quantity of processed selected food items being less than the desired quantities within said table of desired quantities of the selected food items at desired time intervals. 
     
     
       11. The computer system of  claim 7  further comprising a variable quantity of food items presently cooking, and said variable quantity of processed food items includes said variable quantity of food items presently cooking. 
     
     
       12. The computer system of  claim 7  further comprising a cash register and wherein said control means subtracts a number of said selected food items manually entered upon said cash register from said variable quantity of processed selected food items stored on said programmable memory. 
     
     
       13. The computer system of  claim 7  further comprising a table of number of food items to be cooked at a time stored on said programmable memory and relating to said table of selected food items. 
     
     
       14. A food preparation scheduling system for predicting future food needs comprising:
   a processor;        a programmable memory coupled to the processor for storing tables of information about food items, the tables of information including desired quantities of selected food items at desired time intervals, cooking times for selected food items, and variable quantities of selected food items;        a table of selected food items stored on said programmable memory;        a table of desired quantities of the selected food items at desired time intervals relating to the table of selected food items, the table of desired quantities at desired time intervals being stored on said programmable memory;        a table of cooking time to prepare intervals relating to the table of selected food items, the table of cooking time to prepare intervals being stored on said programmable memory;        a first user interface operationally coupled to the processor and the programmable memory, the first user interface including a controller adapted to initiate cooking instructions to a cooking station monitor in response to a selected relation between a current time and the table of desired quantities of the selected food items at desired time intervals and the table of cooking time to prepare intervals, and a selected relation between the variable quantities of selected food items and the table of desired quantities of selected food items at desired time intervals;        a second user interface operationally coupled to the processor and the programmable memory and adapted to receive a cooking commencement command; and        a clock for establishing the current time,        wherein the variable quantity of processed selected food items is updated by a wasted food registration means for any waste food items.      
     
     
       15. The food preparation scheduling system of  claim 14 , further comprising an order receiving interface operationally coupled to the processor and the programmable memory and adapted to receive orders for food items and update the information about food items including the variable quantities of processed food items.  
     
     
       16. The food preparation scheduling system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor upon receiving an order for a selected number of a selected food item from the order receiving interface subtracts the selected number of the selected food item from the variable quantities of processed food items for the selected food item.  
     
     
       17. The food preparation scheduling system of  claim 14 , wherein the first user interface comprises an input device and an output device.  
     
     
       18. The food preparation scheduling system of  claim 17 , wherein the output device is a display.  
     
     
       19. The food preparation scheduling system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor initiates a cooking instruction for a selected food item to the first user interface upon the current time of day being equal to or less than a time value in the desired quantities of food items at desired time intervals for the selected food item minus the cooking time for the selected food item.  
     
     
       20. The food preparation scheduling system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor initiates a cooking instruction for a selected food item to the first user interface upon the variable quantities of processed food items for the selected food item being less than a desired quantity of the selected food item in the desired quantities of food items at desired time intervals.  
     
     
       21. The food preparation scheduling system of  claim 14 , wherein the variable quantities of processed food items include a sum comprising quantities of processed food items on- hand and quantities of food items presently cooking.    
     
     
       22. The food preparation scheduling system of  claim 14 , the information about food items further including a number of food items to be cooked.