EP1639327A2

EP1639327A2 - Electronic scales

Info

Publication number: EP1639327A2
Application number: EP04705119A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hugh Charles Armstrong Wright
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-01-24
Filing date: 2004-01-26
Publication date: 2006-03-29
Also published as: WO2004065916A3; WO2004065916A2

Abstract

An inter-active electronic scale (A) comprises a weighing means (11), a software-controlled micro-processor (50), a memory (8), means (4) for communicating information to a user, and command means (2), the weighing means (11), the memory means (8), the communication means (4) and the command means (2) being operably connected to the micro-processor (50). The memory includes sets of instructions and/or product information, and operation of the software causes recipe and/or product information to be communicated from the memory to the user. Upon placing an amount of a product onto the weighing means (11) the scale (A) calculates whether the amount of product matches the amount required by the instructions, and if it does the scale indicates to the user that the amount is the required amount and moves on to the next step in the recipe.

Description

Electronic Scales

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to electronic scales, and in particular to electronic scales including a memory function.

Background of the Invention In the preparation of food it is common to use a number of ingredients. Often it is necessary to weigh some or all of the ingredients required for a given recipe. In some circumstances, the weighing of ingredients forms only one part of a recipe. It is often necessary to mix ingredients in a particular order, to apply a processing step to one or more ingredients prior to mixing, or to mix some ingredients and apply a processing step to the mixed ingredients prior to adding some or all of the remaining ingredients.

Traditionally, a person following a recipe will have a set of scales and the recipe to hand, reading and following the various steps from the recipe as he goes along.

This presents a number of problems. First, it is necessary to have a recipe. Recipes are usually obtained from books, information printed on food product packaging, sellers of foodstuffs, and by word of mouth. It is of course necessary to store such recipes. This is commonly done on paper, in the case of books on pages within outer covers, on food packaging, on flyers, or on an odd scrap of paper. In the case of recipes printed on food packaging, if it is desired to keep the recipe for future use, it is necessary to copy the recipe onto another piece of paper, which may be a page of a book, or an individual piece of paper.

Whilst food preparation areas are required to be clean, the preparation of food can be quite messy, due to the nature of the food items being used in any recipe. For instance, in the preparation of a recipe, blood from meat may be deposited in the food preparation area, as might fine particles of flour, and smears of greasy substances such as butter, lard or oil. Paper, the usual material on which recipes are recorded, is not particularly resilient to a food preparation environment. Often recipe books, which are expensive items, may be spoiled, requiring them to be replaced, as may recipes recorded on individual items of papers . In the case of individual items of paper, it may not be possible to replace a recipe, if it was acquired with a food item, since such recipes are often published for only a limited duration.

Recipes recorded on paper are not in general accessible to blind people. They can only use recipes which have been translated into brail, or recorded on a tape as a sound recording. In the case of a recipe in brail, this is even more likely to be damaged than a printed recipe, since the person preparing the foodstuff, and therefore reading the recipe is likely to have dirty hands at times when it is necessary to read the recipe, thereby making the paper upon which the recipe is recorded dirty.

A further problem associated with food preparation, and in particular the preparation of food in the home, is that whilst people are generally interested in food, many people, especially young adults, are not confident in cooking. Whilst they would like to cook food which they read about or see on television programmes, they do not believe they have the competence to cook it . WO82/03445 discloses a display unit of a cooking apparatus for selectively displaying image signals from several image signal sources .

W093/22731 discloses an electronic memory device to record, classify, update and read out data relative to domestic purchases, particularly the kind, quantity, volume or weight of products necessary to the making of a cooking recipe. The device comprises a casing provided with a display screen and function keys to input, output and manage lists of recipes and products, and a computing unit with a digital keyboard comprising arithmetical function keys. WO02/077534 discloses a cooking related information providing system, which stores recipe data and analyses historic use of recipes in order to generate a new recommended recipe based on the historic use of recipes. US 2002/0009016 discloses an apparatus and method for a smart kitchen and kitchen appliance in which a recipe is recorded electronically and displayed on a screen.

US 4,840,239 discloses a scale which is programmed to convert volumetric measurements to gravimetric measurements. GB 2,251,960 discloses a food preparation and cooking system in which cooking devices such as a weighing machine, mixer, and oven are coupled to a computer, the computer receiving recipe details on a data carrier such as a magnetic card. JP 2000065632 discloses a scale having a dial, with a recipe printed on the dial .

Whilst it is known from the prior art to store recipe information electronically, it is not known to provide electronic scales which are interactive with a cook in the performance of a recipe. It would therefore be desirable to develop a set of scales which would make food preparation simpler and decrease the requirement for keeping recipes stored on paper.

Summary of the Invention According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic scale according to Claim 1.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of preparing a product according to Claim 17.

Brief Description of the Drawings In the drawings, which by way of example illustrate a preferred embodiment of an electronic scale according to the invention:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic representation of an electronic scale; and

FIGURE 2 is a block diagram illustrating the electronic components and layout of the scale; and

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown an electronic scale, which in the example is a flat-bed electronic scale A having a flat-bed weighing surface 11. The scale A includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen 4, upon which recipes, and ingredients and method steps thereof are displayed. A back light 6 is provided to assist in illumination of the screen, which can be useful in poor light conditions. The scale is controlled by computer software.

In the example, text 3 indicates that the recipe selected is for shortbread, with text 5 indicating that the ingredients for step 1 of the method are plain flour in the quantity of 250 grams. In the text 5, the quantity of plain flour i.e. 250 grams is repeated, and below the text "Press select next" appears. The repeated weight of ingredient (250) grams) appears when 250 grams of the ingredients, plain flour, has been placed on the flat-bed weighing surface 11. The instruction "Press select next" appears when the previous instruction "Step 1 plain flour" has been accomplished. A light may be illuminated or a sound emitted to indicate that the step has been accomplished. The scale also includes a select button 7 for selecting a required function from a menu which is displayed on the LCD screen, and a cursor button 2, which is used to move a cursor on the LCD screen 4 in order to scroll through and select recipes, ingredients, the functions of the scale, etc. The scale A further comprises a "mode" button 6, and a

"zero" button 10. The "mode" button is used for changing the scale and the information therefore displayed, between metric and imperial, or between liquid and mass. The "zero" button is depressed to calibrate the scale to zero when an item, which is not itself an ingredient, is placed on the scale, for example, it may be desirable to place a mixing bowl on the scale, and put all ingredients into that mixing bowl.

The scale includes a memory card reader 13 for reading information stored on a memory card 8, or on a memory chip 9 which is mounted on the memory card 8.

The scale A is provided with a jack plug 12 for connection of the scale to a power supply.

The scale A includes a micro-processor which, in conjunction with the computer software, controls operation of the scale. Figure 2 illustrates the micro processor, and the input and output devices connected thereto. A single chip micro-processor 50 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 51, an analogue-to-digital converter 52, an MPEG video decoder 53, a pulse width modulated (PWM) output 54, a digital input/output interface 55 including a "wake on keypress" circuit 56, and a DSP voice recognition module 57.

Input means connected to the single chip microprocessor 50 comprise an input amplifier 58 which is connected to a microphone 59, a weight sensor 60, a DC power supply 71, a wireless communications module 63, for example conforming to 802.11 LAN or Bluetooth protocols, a flash card reader 64 which corresponds to the memory card reader 13 illustrated in Figure 1, and a keypad assembly 67. In operation, the input microphone 58 and amplifier 57 are used in conjunction with the DSP voice recognition software 57 to provide a voice operation facility for the electronic scale A. The output amplifier 61 receives an output signal from the single chip processor 50, the amplifier driving the loudspeaker 62. An audible output is particularly useful in that ingredients and/or method steps can be transmitted to the cook as sound. This has three benefits. Firstly, communication by sound is much easier for visually impaired people. Second, the cook can move more freely around the working environment, rather than constantly returning to a recipe book. Third, some or all of the method steps of the recipe may be recorded as a sound recording by a renowned chef . The facility to effectively be tutored in the preparation of a particular dish by a renowned chef can assist in raising the confidence of the cook who is actually preparing the dish.

The wireless module 63 allows the electronic scale A to communicate with other electronic devices which are suitably located, with no requirement for cabling between the scale A and such other devices. For example, the method steps of a recipe may require the pre-heating of an oven in which the dish is to be cooked. The method step of the recipe consisting of switching on the oven to reach a certain temperature may be commanded by the single chip processor. Also, for example in the kneading of a bread mixture, a machine suitably equipped for kneading may be operated for a required period of time by the single chip microprocessor 50 via the wireless module 63.

Flashcard reader 64 is connected to the single chip microprocessor 50 by a data bus over which data is transferred.

The reader 64 receives flash cards on which recipes and other information relevant to cookery is recorded, for example facts about food stuffs. This information is read by the reader 64, processed by the single chip processor 50 and transmitted to the cook via the LCD panel 69 and/or the loudspeaker 62.

The keypad assembly includes a cursor 68 which is used to operate the menu displayed on the LCD display panel 69, and is used for example to switch between imperial and metric measurements, or between mass and volume, to zero the electronic scale, etc. The keypad assembly 67 communicates with the single chip processor 50 by means of a key scan data bus 66.

The LCD panel 69 includes a backlight invertor 70, which serves to illuminate the display in poor light conditions . The single chip processor includes and MPEG video decoder 53 enabling the single chip processor 50 to communicate with the LCD display 69 via the LCD data bus 72. Tables I and II provide a flow diagram to illustrate an example of use of the electronic scale. Upon switching on the electronic scale A, the system enters a recipe display mode and displays a menu index. The cook then selects the method of cooking, for example by hand, using a blender, using a mixer or a bread maker. Each time the cursor key 2, 68 is depressed, the next class of method is highlighted. By depressing the select button 1, one of the methods of cooking is selected, and a step-by-step guide is displayed on the LCD panel 69 for a number of different product types, for example pastry, breads, doughs, egg dishes. One of the product types is selected using the cursor key 2, 68 and select button 1 in the manner described above. The selection of a product type displays an index of class of recipes, for example pastries, short pastry, sweet pastry, savoury, puff pastry. Selection of a class of recipes, using the cursor key and select button, generates another display screen in which are recipe options for one class of recipe, e.g. short pastry. The options displayed in Figure 3 are short pastry, very short, medium, normal, stored recipes (own recipe 1, own recipe 2), etc. Selection of the required item, e.g. short pastry, moves to a screen in which the cook selects the quantity of short pastry to be prepared, for example 500 grams for 4 portions, 800 grams for 6 portions, 1000 grams for 10 portions. One of the quantities is selected, again using the cursor and select key, displays a summary of information regarding the method, recipe, quantity and ingredients. In Table II, the method is by hand, the recipe is for short pastry, the quantity is 500 grams for 4 portions, the ingredients are 500 grams of plain flour, 2 grams of salt, 250 grams of butter and 1.5 medium eggs or liquid mass.

Once the recipe has been chosen, the software commands that depression of the cursor alone causes the display of either the next or the previous step of the recipe.

Therefore, with the recipe summary displayed, depression of the cursor key to move forward displays the first step and the accompanying text, which in Table II is, "place vessel on weighing surface and press zero button" . Having done this the cook depresses the cursor to move forward to step 2. In Table II, the text accompanying step 2 is, "weigh 500 gram plain white flour". As the cook carries out step 2, i.e. measures out 500 gram plain white flour, a text indicating measured weight appears on the LCD panel , and when the desired weight is measured, a warning light may be illuminated, or a buzzer sound. The software may be designed such that as one weighing step is completed, the display moves on to the next step and so on.

When step 4 is complete, the software moves on to step 5 , in which the next method step is displayed on the LCD panel . In Table II, step 5 consists of rubbing in butter. The step of rubbing in butter may be accompanied by a hint, such as, "crumb to a breadcrumb texture" . The hint may be transmitted as text on the LCD display, or as an audible message via the loudspeaker 62. The cook uses the cursor to move on to step 6. In step

6 the method requires the 1.5 eggs or 15ml egg mass to be added to the mixture resulting from step 5. Having completed step 6, the cook uses the cursor to move on to step 7.

The text for step 7 appears on the screen. In Table II, the step is that of stirring in egg until the pastry comes together. The cook uses the cursor to move on to step 8 when step 7 has been accomplished.

The text for step 8 appears on the LCD panel 69, the step being that of allowing the mixture to rest for 20 minutes before use.

The electronic scale of the invention also provides a learning function, whereby the cooks own recipes can be stored in the memory of the scale .

In one mode of the learning function, the cook would work through the menu until the screen for entering a recipe is reached. The cook would then be asked to enter the category of the recipe, e.g. bread, and then the name of the recipe, e.g. white bread. The menu then brings up an inter-active screen in which the cook can enter names of ingredients, quantities of ingredients, and method steps, which are each stored in the scale memory.

In another mode of the learning function, the cook uses the scale to generate the "quantity" data. This is particularly useful for a cook who is experimenting with a recipe. Rather than having to weigh out an ingredient, write down the "quantity", and then enter that quantity into the memory, the cook simply presses "enter" on the keypad 67 when he considers the quantity on the scale to be sufficient. Some cooks may use this function without viewing the quantity of ingredient displayed on the screen 4.

The invention provides a particularly useful kitchen aid. Recipe information is stored in a manner which is more resilient to damage than a paper recipe book, or a scrap of paper on which a recipe has been written, the space required for storing recipe books can be used for other purposes, the time taken for cooking can be reduced as it is not necessary for the cook to wash his hands each time he needs to turn the pages of a recipe book. Furthermore, for the inexperienced cook, the electronic scale of the invention provides a simple means of providing instruction in how to cook, whereas for the more experienced cook, the electronic scale provides a particularly useful tool for recording recipes and recording experimental recipes .

Whilst the invention has been described in relation to cookery, the interactive electronic scale would be equally useful in other areas where scales are used for measuring quantities of different products, and those products are subjected to some process steps, for example in laboratories for the performance of experiments with experiment information stored on a memory card, and the experiment carried out in the same inter-active manner as described above with reference to cookery.

TABLE 1

Recipe display mode Menu index First select mode or method each press of the button will move you on to the next task

By hand

Blender

Magic mixer

Bread maker This will determine the text in the step-by-step guide

Displayed on screen for example a list of products

Pastry Breads Batters Egg dishes

Select one from menu. Next an index of recipes will appear

Pastries Short Pastry Sweet pastry Savoury

Puff pastry

Scroll through till you find the pastry required and select

Screen will display various for instance

Short pastry Very short

Medium

Normal

Or stored recipe

Own recipe 1 Own recipe 2

And so on

Select required item

And screen will display

Short pastry Medium

Amount

500 grams for 4 portions

800 grams for 6 portions

1000 grams for 10 portions Select one and the screen turns to step-by-step mode or move cursor back will take you back to previous page. Pressing the mode button changes conversion from metric to imperial

By hand Short pastry medium 500 grams for 4 portions Ingredients

Flour plain 500 grams

Salt 2 grams

Butter 250 grams

Egg VA medium or liquid mass TABLE II

STEP 1 - Place vessel on weighing surface and press zero button

STEP 2 - Weigh 500 grams plain white flour. Weight is displayed opposite desired weight: a light or tone may sound STEP 3 - Add 2 grams salt. Weight is displayed opposite desired weight: a light or tone may sound

STEP 4 - Add 250 grams of butter. Weight is displayed opposite desired weight: a light or tone may sound

STEP 5 - Modes and method display with a helpful hint from author as in rub in butter or crumb to a breadcrumb texture

STEP 6 - Add to vessel 11/2 eggs or 15ml egg mass-, the scales will convert the relevant mass

STEP 7 - Stir in egg till pastry comes together

STEP 8 - Allow to test in fridge for 20 minutes before use.

Claims

1) An inter-active electronic scale comprising a weighing means, a software-controlled micro-processor, a memory, means for communicating information to a user, and command means, the weighing means, the memory means, the communication means and the command means being operably connected to the micro-processor, and wherein the memory includes sets of instructions and/or product information, operation of the software causes recipe and/or product information to be communicated from the memory to the user, and wherein upon placing an amount of a product onto the weighing means the scale calculates whether the amount of product matches the amount required by the instructions, and if it does the scale indicates to the user that the amount is the required amount and moves on to the next step in the recipe.

2) A scale according to Claim 1, wherein the software requires confirmation that a step has been accomplished, and the said confirmation is made by interaction between the user and the command means.

3) A scale according to Claim 1 or 2 , further including a learning mode in which ingredient data and method step data may be stored in the memory.

4) A scale according to Claim 3, arranged so that upon weighing an ingredient with the weighing means the scale measures the weight of said ingredient and said weight is stored in the memory.

5) A scale according to Claim 4, arranged so that upon storing said weight in the memory, the software commands an instruction to name the ingredient to be made via the communication means, and wherein upon communication of a name via the communication means, the said name is stored in the memory.

6) A scale according to any of Claims 3 to 5, wherein in the learn mode the computer software requests the user via the communication means to categorise data input via the command means as a method step, product information, or a hint, and wherein the inputted data is stored in the memory as a method step, product information or a hint, and wherein the software requests the user to confirm the categorisation of the inputted data.

7) A scale according to any preceding claim, wherein said command means comprises a key pad comprising at least two keys, and/or a voice recognition system including a microphone.

8) A scale according to any preceding claim, wherein said communication means comprises a display screen, and/or a loudspeaker.

9) A scale according to any preceding claim, wherein the memory comprises random access memory.

10) A scale according to any preceding claim, wherein said memory comprises an external memory, said external memory comprising a machine readable data storage means, and a reader for reading data recorded on said data storage means.

11) A scale according to Claim 10, wherein data can be read from and/or written to the data storage means.

12) A scale according to any preceding claim, arranged so that the step of moving from a current step to the next instruction in the set of instructions requires input from the user via the command means of at least one confirmation that the current instruction has been carried out .

13) A scale according to any preceding claim, further comprising means for transmitting command data to, and/or receiving command data from, external machines.

14) A scale according to Claim 13, wherein the means for transmitting and/or receiving command data comprises hard wiring or a wireless link.

15) A scale according to Claim 13 or 14, arranged to send instructions to external machines, and to move on to the next instruction in the step of instructions when the current instruction is complete, and record that the instruction step is complete.

16) A scale according to any preceding claim, wherein the sets of instructions comprise recipes, or experiments.

17) A method of preparing a product by following a set of instructions, the method comprising the steps of: i) switching on an electronic scale according to any of Claims 1 to 16; ii) selecting a set of instructions; and iii) carrying out instructions of the said set of instructions.