Customized identification of ingredients in a storage system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12303074-B2
Application number	US-202318129689-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2023
Priority date	Mar 31, 2023
Publication date	May 20, 2025
Grant date	May 20, 2025

Abstract

A method for use with an ingredient storage system having a plurality of receptacles configured to store ingredients can include obtaining food-selection data indicating a meal. The method can include obtaining ingredient data indicating a set of ingredients for the meal. The method can include obtaining synchronization data indicating a cooking time for each ingredient of the set of ingredients. The method can include selecting, based on the synchronization data, target ingredients for the meal. The target ingredients can comprise a first ingredient and a second ingredient. The method can include activating a first and a second indicator in response to the selecting the target ingredients. The first indicator can correspond to a first receptacle of the plurality of receptacles. The first receptacle can store the first ingredient. The second indicator can correspond to a second receptacle of the plurality of receptacles. The second receptacle can store the second ingredient.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for use with an ingredient storage system having a plurality of receptacles configured to store ingredients, the method comprising:
obtaining food-selection data of a user, the food-selection data indicating a meal;
obtaining, based on the food-selection data, ingredient data indicating a set of ingredients for the meal;
obtaining synchronization data indicating a cooking time for each ingredient of the set of ingredients;
selecting, based at least in part on the synchronization data, target ingredients for the meal, the target ingredients comprising a first ingredient and a second ingredient, wherein the synchronization data indicates a first cooking time for the first ingredient and a second cooking time for the second ingredient, and wherein the selecting the target ingredients comprises determining that the first cooking time is within a predetermined range of the second cooking time; and
in response to the selecting the target ingredients:
activating a first indicator corresponding to a first receptacle of the plurality of receptacles, the first receptacle storing the first ingredient; and
activating a second indicator corresponding to a second receptacle of the plurality of receptacles, the second receptacle storing the second ingredient.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first receptacle is configured to store a plurality of units of the first ingredient.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the second receptacle is configured to store a plurality of containers with the second ingredient.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining the food-selection data comprises reading, by an optical device of the ingredient storage system, an optical code displayed on a user device.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the optical code is a quick response code.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activating the first indicator comprises modifying a visual indicator corresponding to the first receptacle.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activating the first indicator comprises initiating an audible indicator corresponding to the first receptacle.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining the food-selection data comprises obtaining speech data corresponding to speech of the user.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first ingredient is stored in containers in the first receptacle, wherein the containers are stacked vertically in the first receptacle.

10. A system comprising: an ingredient storage system having a plurality of receptacles configured to store ingredients; one or more processors; and one or more computer-readable storage media storing program instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, are configured to cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
obtaining food-selection data of a user, the food-selection data indicating a meal;
obtaining, based on the food-selection data, ingredient data indicating a set of ingredients for the meal;
obtaining synchronization data indicating a cooking time for each ingredient of the set of ingredients;
selecting, based at least in part on the synchronization data, target ingredients for the meal, the target ingredients comprising a first ingredient and a second ingredient, wherein the synchronization data indicates a first cooking time for the first ingredient and a second cooking time for the second ingredient, and wherein the selecting the target ingredients comprises determining that the first cooking time is within a predetermined range of the second cooking time; and
in response to the selecting the target ingredients:
activating a first indicator corresponding to a first receptacle of the plurality of receptacles, the first receptacle storing the first ingredient; and
activating a second indicator corresponding to a second receptacle of the plurality of receptacles, the second receptacle storing the second ingredient.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the first receptacle is configured to store a plurality of units of the first ingredient.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the obtaining the food-selection data comprises reading, by an optical device of the ingredient storage system, an optical code displayed on a user device.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the activating the first indicator comprises modifying a visual indicator corresponding to the first receptacle.

14. The system of claim 10 , wherein the activating the first indicator comprises initiating an audible indicator corresponding to the first receptacle.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of receptacles is arranged vertically.

16. A computer program product comprising one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising instructions configured to cause one or more processors to perform a method for use with an ingredient storage system having a plurality of receptacles configured to store ingredients, the method comprising:
obtaining food-selection data of a user, the food-selection data indicating a meal;
obtaining, based on the food-selection data, ingredient data indicating a set of ingredients for the meal;
obtaining synchronization data indicating a cooking time for each ingredient of the set of ingredients;
selecting, based at least in part on the synchronization data, target ingredients for the meal, the target ingredients comprising a first ingredient and a second ingredient, wherein the synchronization data indicates a first cooking time for the first ingredient and a second cooking time for the second ingredient, and wherein the selecting the target ingredients comprises determining that the first cooking time is within a predetermined range of the second cooking time; and
in response to the selecting the target ingredients:
activating a first indicator corresponding to a first receptacle of the plurality of receptacles, the first receptacle storing the first ingredient; and
activating a second indicator corresponding to a second receptacle of the plurality of receptacles, the second receptacle storing the second ingredient.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the first receptacle is configured to store a plurality of units of the first ingredient.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the obtaining the food-selection data comprises reading, by an optical device of the ingredient storage system, an optical code displayed on a user device.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the activating the first indicator comprises modifying a visual indicator corresponding to the first receptacle.

20. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of receptacles is arranged horizontally.

Assignees

• Gen Mills Inc

Inventors

• Wang Wenyi
• Arlinghaus Mark E

Classifications

• A47J36/32 Primary

  Time-controlled igniting mechanisms or alarm devices · CPC title

• G08B5/00

  Visible signalling systems, e.g. visible personal calling systems or remote indication of seats occupied · CPC title

• A47J47/00 Primary

  Kitchen containers, stands or the like, not provided for in other groups of this subclass; Cutting-boards, e.g. for bread {(bowls for food processors A47J43/0727)} · CPC title