U.S. patent application number 14/860340 was filed with the patent office on 2016-06-23 for local storage and conditioning system for nutritional substances.
The applicant listed for this patent is Eugenio MINVIELLE. Invention is credited to Eugenio MINVIELLE.
Application Number | 20160180739 14/860340 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49515116 |
Filed Date | 2016-06-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160180739 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
MINVIELLE; Eugenio |
June 23, 2016 |
LOCAL STORAGE AND CONDITIONING SYSTEM FOR NUTRITIONAL
SUBSTANCES
Abstract
Nutritional substance systems and methods are disclosed enabling
the tracking and communication of changes in nutritional,
organoleptic, and aesthetic values of nutritional substances, and
further enabling the adaptive storage and adaptive conditioning of
nutritional substances.
Inventors: |
MINVIELLE; Eugenio; (Rye,
NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MINVIELLE; Eugenio |
Rye |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
49515116 |
Appl. No.: |
14/860340 |
Filed: |
September 21, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13931733 |
Jun 28, 2013 |
9171061 |
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14860340 |
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13560965 |
Jul 27, 2012 |
8490862 |
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13931733 |
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13485863 |
May 31, 2012 |
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13560965 |
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13602040 |
Aug 31, 2012 |
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13931733 |
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13485866 |
May 31, 2012 |
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13602040 |
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13684113 |
Nov 21, 2012 |
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13931733 |
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13485863 |
May 31, 2012 |
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13684113 |
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61625002 |
Apr 16, 2012 |
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61625010 |
Apr 16, 2012 |
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61624745 |
Apr 16, 2012 |
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61624765 |
Apr 16, 2012 |
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61624788 |
Apr 16, 2012 |
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61624992 |
Apr 16, 2012 |
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61625002 |
Apr 16, 2012 |
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61625010 |
Apr 16, 2012 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
434/127 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 19/3462 20130101;
G09B 19/06 20130101; A23V 2002/00 20130101; G06F 19/324 20130101;
G06F 16/30 20190101; G16H 20/60 20180101; G06F 19/3475 20130101;
A23L 5/30 20160801; A23P 10/00 20160801; G09B 5/02 20130101; G09B
19/0092 20130101; A23V 2002/00 20130101; A23V 2300/24 20130101 |
International
Class: |
G09B 19/00 20060101
G09B019/00; G09B 5/02 20060101 G09B005/02 |
Claims
1. A dynamic nutritional substance identification system
comprising: sensors for sensing physical attributes of a
nutritional substance; and a library comprising datasets of the
physical attributes referenced to known nutritional substances at
known nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic states, wherein
sensed physical attributes are compared with the datasets to
determine a matching dataset; and a consumer interface for
communicating a dynamic nutritional value responsive to the
matching dataset.
2. A dynamic nutritional substance identification system according
to claim 1 wherein the sensors are part of, integrated into, added
to, or compatible with a nutritional substance conditioning
system.
3. A dynamic nutritional substance identification system according
to claim 1 wherein the sensors are part of, integrated into, added
to, or compatible with a nutritional substance local storage
environment, container, or coupon.
4. A dynamic nutritional substance identification system according
to claim 1 wherein the sensors are part of, integrated into, added
to, or compatible with a smartphone.
5. A dynamic appliance for tracking changes in nutritional,
organoleptic, or aesthetic values of nutritional substances,
comprising: a local storage system or conditioner for a nutritional
substance; an appliance controller for tracking a change in
nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the nutritional
substance, and an appliance sensor for detecting a dynamic
information identifier provided with the nutritional substance,
wherein the dynamic information identifier is referenced to
information regarding the change in nutritional, organoleptic, or
aesthetic value, or information regarding origin and creation of
the nutritional substance.
6. A dynamic appliance for tracking changes in nutritional,
organoleptic, or aesthetic values of nutritional substances
according to claim 5, wherein said tracking enables an improvement,
maintenance, or minimization of degradation of the nutritional,
organoleptic, or aesthetic value.
7. A dynamic appliance for tracking changes in nutritional,
organoleptic, or aesthetic values of nutritional substances
according to claim 5, wherein said tracking enables determination
of compliance, or non-compliance, with general consumer
requirements, or with a specific consumer's requirements.
8. A dynamic appliance for tracking changes in nutritional,
organoleptic, or aesthetic values of nutritional substances
according to claim 5, wherein said tracking enables the nutritional
substance to be adaptively stored responsive to the change in
nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value.
9. A dynamic appliance for tracking changes in nutritional,
organoleptic, or aesthetic values of nutritional substances
according to claim 5, wherein said tracking enables the nutritional
substance to be adaptively conditioned responsive to the change in
nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value.
10. A conditioning system for nutritional substances comprising: a
controller for detecting values of physical attributes of a
nutritional substance and a consumer's input regarding the
nutritional substance; sensors for sensing the values of physical
attributes of the nutritional substance; and a library comprising
datasets of the physical attributes referenced to known nutritional
substances at known nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic states,
wherein sensed physical attributes are compared with the datasets
to determine a matching dataset; and an input panel for acquiring
the consumer's input, wherein the controller provides an adaptive
conditioning sequence responsive to the matching dataset and the
consumer's input.
11. A conditioning system for nutritional substances according to
claim 10 wherein: the adaptive conditioning sequence is
communicated to the consumer.
12. A conditioning system for nutritional substances according to
claim 10 wherein: the adaptive conditioning sequence is implemented
by the controller.
13. An appliance system for tracking changes in nutritional,
organoleptic, or aesthetic values of nutritional substances,
comprising: a dynamic appliance controller for tracking a change in
nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the nutritional
substance and detecting a dynamic information identifier provided
with the nutritional substance; and a local storage or conditioning
appliance for the nutritional substance, wherein the local storage
or conditioning appliance is compatible with the dynamic appliance
controller, wherein the dynamic information identifier is
referenced to information regarding the change in nutritional,
organoleptic, or aesthetic value or information regarding origin
and creation of the nutritional substance.
Description
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 13/560,965, titled TRANSFORMATION SYSTEM FOR
NUTRITIONAL SUBSTANCES, filed Jul. 27, 2012, which is a
continuation of Utility application Ser. No. 13/485,863 filed May
31, 2012 (Attorney Docket No. 053883-032), which, in turn, claims
the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
61/625,002, filed Apr. 16, 2012; and U.S. Provisional Patent
Application 61/625,010, filed Apr. 16, 2012, the contents of which
are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[0002] This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 13/602,040, titled CONDITIONING SYSTEM
FOR NUTRITIONAL SUBSTANCES, filed Aug. 31, 2012, which is a
continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/485,866, filed
May 31, 2012, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application
No. 61/624,745, filed Apr. 16, 2012, U.S. Provisional Application
No. 61/624,765, filed Apr. 16, 2012, and U.S. Provisional
Application No. 61/624,788, filed Apr. 16, 2012, the contents of
which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[0003] This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 13/684,113, titled TRANSFORMATION
SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZATION OF NUTRITIONAL SUBSTANCES AT CONSUMPTION,
filed Nov. 21, 2012, which is a continuation of Utility application
Ser. No. 13/485,863 filed May 31, 2012 (Attorney Docket No.
053883-032), which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 61/624,992 filed Apr. 16, 2012; U.S.
Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/625,002, filed Apr. 16,
2012; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/625,010, filed
Apr. 16, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by
reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present inventions relate to local storage and
conditioning of nutritional substances in conjunction with the
collection, transmission, and use of information regarding a
current nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the
nutritional substance.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Nutritional substances are traditionally grown (plants),
raised (animals) or synthesized (synthetic compounds).
Additionally, nutritional substances can be found in a wild,
non-cultivated form, which can be caught or collected. While the
collectors and creators of nutritional substances generally obtain
and/or generate information about the source, history, caloric
content and/or nutritional content of their products, they
generally do not pass such information along to the users of their
products. One reason is the nutritional substance industries have
tended to act like "silo" industries. Each group in the food and
beverage industry: growers, packagers, processors, distributors,
retailers, and preparers work separately, and either shares no
information, or very little information, between themselves. There
is generally no consumer access to, and little traceability of,
information regarding the creation and/or origin, preservation,
processing, preparation, or consumption of nutritional substances.
It would be desirable for such information be available to the
consumers of nutritional substances, as well as all participants in
the food and beverage industry--the nutritional substance supply
system.
[0006] While the nutritional substance supply system has endeavored
over the last 50 years to increase the caloric content of
nutritional substances produced (which has helped reduce starvation
in developing countries, but has led to obesity and other problems
in developed countries), maintaining, or increasing, the
nutritional content of nutritional substances has been a lower
priority and is done in a synthetic manner. Caloric content refers
to the energy in nutritional substances, commonly measured in
calories. The caloric content could be represented as sugars and/or
carbohydrates in the nutritional substances. The nutritional
content, also referred to herein as nutritional value, of foods and
beverages, as used herein, refers to the non-caloric content of
these nutritional substances which are beneficial to the organisms
which consume these nutritional substances. For example, the
nutritional content of a nutritional substance could include
vitamins, minerals, proteins, and other non-caloric components
which are necessary, or at least beneficial, to the organism
consuming the nutritional substances.
[0007] While there has recently been greater attention by consumer
organizations, health organizations and the public to the
nutritional content of foods and beverages, the food and beverage
industry has been slow in responding to this attention. One reason
for this may be that since the food and beverage industry operates
as silos of those who create nutritional substances, those who
preserve and transport nutritional substances, those who transform
nutritional substances, and those who finally prepare the
nutritional substances for consumption by the consumer, there has
been no system wide coordination or management of nutritional
content, and no practical way for creators, preservers,
transformers, and conditioners to update labeling content for
nutritional substances. While each of these silo industries may be
able to maintain or increase the nutritional content of the foods
and beverages they handle, each silo industry has only limited
information and control of the nutritional substances they receive,
and the nutritional substances they pass along, and the limited
information in their control provides little utility beyond
tracking product inventory and predetermined expiration dates.
[0008] As consumers better understand their need for nutritional
substances with higher nutritional content, they will start
demanding that the food and beverage industry offer products which
include higher nutritional content, and/or at least information
regarding nutritional content of such products, as well as
information regarding the source, creation and other origin
information for the nutritional substance. In fact, consumers are
already willing to pay higher prices for higher nutritional
content. This can be seen at high-end grocery stores which offer
organic, minimally processed, fresh, non-adulterated nutritional
substances. Further, as societies and governments seek to improve
their constituents' health and lower healthcare costs, incentives
and/or mandates will be given to the food and beverage industry to
track, maintain, and/or increase the nutritional content of
nutritional substances they handle. There will be a need, not only
within each food and beverage industry silo to maintain or improve
the nutritional content of their products, but an industry-wide
solution to allow the management of nutritional content across the
entire cycle from creation to consumption. In order to manage the
nutritional content of nutritional substances across the entire
cycle from creation to consumption, the nutritional substance
industry will need to identify, track, measure, estimate, preserve,
transform, condition, and record nutritional content for
nutritional substances. Of particular importance is the
measurement, estimation, and tracking of changes to the nutritional
content of a nutritional substance from creation to consumption.
This information could be used, not only by the consumer in
selecting particular nutritional substances to consume, but could
be used by the other food and beverage industry silos, including
creation, preservation, transformation, and conditioning, to make
decisions on how to create, handle and process nutritional
substances. Additionally, those who sell nutritional substances to
consumers, such as restaurants and grocery stores, could
communicate perceived qualitative values of the nutritional
substance in their efforts to market and position their nutritional
substance products. Further, a determinant of price of the
nutritional substance could be particular nutritional,
organoleptic, or aesthetic values, and if changes to those values
are perceived as desirable. For example, if a desirable value has
been maintained, improved, or minimally degraded, it could be
marketed as a premium product. Still further, a system allowing
creators, preservers, transformers, and conditioners of nutritional
substances to update labeling content to reflect the most current
information about the nutritional substance would provide consumers
with the information they need to make informed decisions regarding
the nutritional substances they purchase and consume. Such
information updates could include nutritional, organoleptic, or
aesthetic values of the nutritional substance, and may further
include information regarding the source, creation and other origin
information for the nutritional substance.
[0009] For example, the grower of sweet corn generally only
provides basic information as the variety and grade of its corn to
the packager, who preserves and ships the corn to a producer for
use in a ready-to-eat dinner. The packager may only tell the
producer that the corn has been frozen as loose kernels of sweet
corn. The producer may only provide the consumer with rudimentary
instructions how to cook or reheat the ready-to-eat dinner in a
microwave oven, toaster oven or conventional oven, and only tell
the consumer that the dinner contains whole kernel corn among the
various items in the dinner. Finally, the consumer of the dinner
will likely keep her opinions on the quality of the dinner to
herself, unless it was an especially bad experience, where she
might contact the producer's customer support program to complain.
Very minimal, or no, information on the nutritional content of the
ready-to-eat dinner is passed along to the consumer. The consumer
knows essentially nothing about changes (generally a degradation,
but could be a maintenance or even an improvement) to the
nutritional content of the sweet corn from creation, processing,
packaging, cooking, preservation, preparation by consumer, and
finally consumption by the consumer. The consumer is even more
unlikely to be aware of possible changes to labeling content that a
creator, preserver, transformer, or conditioner may just have
become be aware of, such as changes in information about
nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values of the nutritional
substance or changes in information regarding the source, creation
and other origin information about the nutritional substance. If
communicated, such changes to labeling content could affect a
purchasing preference or consumption preference of a consumer.
Further, if communicated, such changes to labeling content could
affect the health, safety, and wellbeing of the consumer. It is
also clear that such changes would best be communicated rapidly and
by a means readily utilized by a consumer.
[0010] Consumers' needs are changing as consumers are demanding
healthier foods, such as "organic foods." Consumers are also asking
for more information about the nutritional substances they consume,
such as specific characteristics' relating not only to nutritional
content, but to allergens or digestive intolerances. For example,
nutritional substances which contain lactose, gluten, nuts, dyes,
etc. need to be avoided by certain consumers. However, the producer
of the ready-to-eat dinner, in the prior example, has very little
information to share other than possibly the source of the elements
of the ready-to-eat dinner and its processing steps in preparing
the dinner. Generally, the producer of the ready-to-eat dinner does
not know the nutritional content and organoleptic state and
aesthetic condition of the product after it has been reheated or
cooked by the consumer, cannot predict changes to these properties,
and cannot inform a consumer of this information to enable the
consumer to better meet their needs. For example, the consumer may
want to know what proportion of desired organoleptic properties or
values, desired nutritional content or values, or desired aesthetic
properties or values of the corn in the ready-to-cat dinner remain
after cooking or reheating, and the change in the desired
nutritional content or values, the desired organoleptic properties
or values, or the desired aesthetic properties or values (usually a
degradation, but could be a maintenance or even improvement). There
is a need to preserve, measure, estimate, store and/or transmit
information regarding such nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic
values, including changes to these values, throughout the
nutritional substance supply system. Given the opportunity and a
system capable of receiving and processing real time consumer
feedback and updates regarding changes in the nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of nutritional substances,
consumers can even play a role in updating dynamic information
about the nutritional substances they have purchased and/or
prepared for consumption, such that the information is available
and useful to others in the nutritional substance supply system.
Ideally, equipment for local storage of nutritional substances by
consumers, such as any food preparation appliance, storage
location, portable container, tray, bag, and so forth, could
interact with nutritional substance products to provide such
consumer feedback and updates. Ideally, equipment for conditioning
of nutritional substances by consumers, such as any food
preparation appliance, oven, toaster, blender, stove top, grill,
microwave, and so forth, could interact with nutritional substance
products to provide such consumer feedback and updates. Further,
equipment for local storage of medicament products by consumers,
such as any medicine cabinet, storage location, portable container,
tray, bag, and so forth, could interact with the medicament product
to provide such consumer feedback and updates.
[0011] The caloric and nutritional content information for a
prepared food that is provided to the consumer is often minimal.
For example, when sugar is listed in the ingredient list, the
consumer generally does receive any information about the source of
the sugar, which can come from a variety of plants, such as
sugarcane, beets, or corn, which will affect its nutritional
content. Conversely, some nutritional information that is provided
to consumers is so detailed, the consumer can do little with it.
For example, this of ingredients is from a nutritional label on a
consumer product: Vitamins--A 355 IU 7%, E 0.8 mg 4%, K 0.5 mcg,
1%, Thiamin 0.6 mg 43%, Riboflavin 0.3 mg 20%, Niacin 6.0 mg 30%,
B6 1.0 mg 52%, Foliate 31.5 mcg 8%, Pantothenic 7%; Minerals
Calcium 11.61%, Iron 4.5 mg 25%, Phosphorus 349 mg 35%, Potassium
476 mg 14%, Sodium 58.1 mg 2%, Zinc 3.7 mg 24%, Copper 0.5 mg 26%,
Manganese 0.8 mg 40%, Selenium 25.7 mcg 37%; Carbohydrate 123 g,
Dietary fiber 12.1 g, Saturated fat 7.9 g. Monosaturated Fat 2.1 g,
Polysaturated Fat 3.6 g, Omega 3 fatty acids 108 g, Omega 6 fatty
acids 3481, Ash 2.0 g and Water 17.2 g. (%=Daily Value). There is a
need to provide information about nutritional substances in a
meaningful manner. Such information needs to be presented in a
manner that meets the specific needs of a particular consumer. For
example, consumers with a medical condition, such as diabetes,
would want to track specific information regarding nutritional
values associated with sugar and other nutrients in the foods and
beverages they consume, and would benefit further from knowing
changes in these values or having tools to quickly indicate or
estimate these changes in a retrospective, current, or prospective
fashion, and even tools to report these changes, or impressions of
these changes, in a real-time fashion. Consumers would want to
track medicaments for specific requirements, changes in their
medicinal values, degradation, and for potential interactions with
other medicaments and nutritional substances they are consuming or
planning to consume.
[0012] In fact, each silo in the food and beverage industry already
creates and tracks some information, including caloric and
nutritional information, about their product internally. For
example, the farmer who grew the corn knows the variety of the
seed, condition of the soil, the source of the water, the
fertilizers and pesticides used, and can measure the caloric and
nutritional content at creation. The packager of the corn knows
when it was picked, how it was transported to the packaging plant,
how the corn was preserved and packaged before being sent to the
ready-to-eat dinner producer, when it was delivered to the
producer, and what degradation to caloric and nutritional content
has occurred. The producer knows the source of each element of the
ready-to-eat dinner, how it was processed, including the recipe
followed, and how it was preserved and packaged for the consumer.
Not only does such a producer know what degradation to caloric and
nutritional content occurred, the producer can modify its
processing and post-processing preservation to minimally affect
nutritional content. The preparation of the nutritional substance
for consumption can also degrade the nutritional content of
nutritional substances. Finally, the consumer knows how she
prepared the dinner, what condiments were added, and whether she
did or did not enjoy it.
[0013] If there was a mechanism to share this information, the
quality of the nutritional substances, including caloric and
nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic value, could be preserved
and improved. Consumers could be better informed about nutritional
substances they select and consume, including the state, and
changes in the state, of the nutritional substance throughout its
lifecycle from creation to consumption. The efficiency and cost
effectiveness of nutritional substances could also be improved.
Feedback within the entire chain from creator to consumer could
provide a closed-loop system that could improve quality (taste,
appearance, and caloric and nutritional content), efficiency, value
and profit. For example, in the milk supply chain, at least 10% of
the milk produced is wasted due to safety margins included in
product expiration dates. The use of more accurate tracking
information, measured quality (including nutritional content)
information, and historical environmental information could
substantially reduce such waste. Collecting, preserving, measuring
and/or tracking information about a nutritional substance in the
nutritional substance supply system, would allow needed
accountability. There would be nothing to hide.
[0014] As consumers are demanding more information about what they
consume, they are asking for products that have higher nutritional
content and more closely match good nutritional requirements, and
would like nutritional products to actually meet their specific
nutritional requirements. While grocery stores, restaurants, and
all those who process and sell food and beverages may obtain some
information from current nutritional substance tracking systems,
such as labels, these current systems can provide only limited
information.
[0015] Current packaging materials for nutritional substances
include plastics, paper, cardboard, glass, and synthetic materials.
Generally, the packaging material is chosen by the producer to best
preserve the quality of the nutritional substance until used by the
customer. In some cases, the packaging may include some information
regarding type of nutritional substance, identity of the producer,
and the country of origin. Such packaging generally does not
transmit source information of the nutritional substance, such as
creation information, current or historic information as to the
external conditions of the packaged nutritional substance, or
current or historic information as to the internal conditions of
the packaged nutritional substance.
[0016] Traditional food processors take nutritional substances from
producers and transform them into nutritional substances for
consumption by consumers. While they have some knowledge of the
nutritional substances they purchase, and make such selections to
meet the needs of the consumers, they generally do not transmit
that information along to consumers, nor change the way they
transform the nutritional substances based on the history or
current condition of the nutritional substances they receive for
transformation.
[0017] Consumers of nutritional substances are sometimes given
options on how to prepare nutritional substances they have obtained
from the store, such as different cooking devices: microwave ovens,
conventional ovens, etc., and/or limited taste preferences such as
crunchy or soft. However, if the consumer desires to prepare a
specific recipe, they must obtain all the proper ingredients
themselves, as well as prepare the recipe themselves including
which cooking appliances need to be used. Further, the consumer has
no way of knowing the history or current condition of the
nutritional substances they obtain for preparing a desired recipe.
Still further, the consumer has no way of knowing how to change or
modify the conditioning process to achieve desired nutritional,
organoleptic, and aesthetic properties after preparation. Consumers
locally store, condition, and consume nutritional substances they
acquire, but have no way to change the way they locally store,
condition, and consume the nutritional substances based on the
history or current condition of the nutritional substances.
[0018] An important issue in the creation, preservation,
transformation, conditioning, and consumption of nutritional
substances are the changes that occur in nutritional substances due
to a variety of internal and external factors. Because nutritional
substances are composed of biological, organic, and/or chemical
compounds, they are generally subject to degradation. This
degradation generally reduces the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic values of nutritional substances. While not always true,
nutritional substances are best consumed at their point of
creation. However, being able to consume nutritional substances at
the farm, at the slaughterhouse, at the fishery, or at the food
processing plant is at least inconvenient, if not impossible.
Currently, the food and beverage industry attempts to minimize the
loss of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value, often
through the use of additives or preservatives and often through
freezing the nutritional substance, and/or attempts to hide this
loss of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value from
consumers. Consumers are left are provided with virtually no tools
to help them in their attempts to determine and minimize the loss
of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of the
nutritional substances they acquire, locally store, condition, and
consume.
[0019] Overall, the examples herein of some prior or related
systems and their associated limitations are intended to be
illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of existing or
prior systems will become apparent to those of skill in the art
upon reading the following Detailed Description.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0020] It is an object of the present invention to track changes of
nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of a nutritional
substance, and to minimize and/or track degradation of said values,
and collect, store, and transmit information regarding these
changes or degradation, and information related to origin and
creation of the nutritional substance, from creation through
consumption, including all phases of preservation, transformation,
local storage and conditioning.
[0021] It is an object of the present invention to provide
appliances and equipment to track changes of nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of a nutritional substance,
and to minimize and/or track degradation of said values, and/or
collect, store, and/or transmit information regarding these changes
or degradation, and information related to origin and creation of
the nutritional substance, during the local storage and
conditioning of the nutritional substance.
[0022] It is an object of the present invention to modify or adapt
the local storage and conditioning of a nutritional substance to
maintain and/or minimize degradation of and/or improve nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of the nutritional
substance.
[0023] It is an object of the present invention that information
related to changes or degradation of nutritional, organoleptic,
and/or aesthetic values, including current nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or information related to
the origin and creation of a nutritional substance, can be utilized
during local storage and conditioning of the nutritional substance
to confirm compliance, or non-compliance, with general consumer
requirements, or with a specific consumer's requirements, regarding
nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or regarding
origin and creation of the nutritional substance.
[0024] It is an object of the present invention that information
related to changes or degradation of nutritional, organoleptic,
and/or aesthetic values, including current nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, can be used to adaptively
condition the nutritional substance so as to maintain and/or
minimize degradation of and/or improve nutritional, organoleptic,
or aesthetic values of the adaptively conditioned nutritional
substance.
[0025] It is an object of the present invention that information
collected by sensors of, or sensors communicating with, a
conditioning appliance can collect all types of physical attribute
data by sensing a nutritional substance, and that the nutritional
substance can be identified and its current nutritional,
organoleptic, and aesthetic state determined, by comparing the
sensed data to a library of data for known nutritional substances
at known nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic states, and
further that the nutritional substance can be adaptively
conditioned responsive to: its current nutritional, organoleptic,
and aesthetic state; and consumer input received through a consumer
interface of the conditioning appliance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0026] In an embodiment of the present invention, a system is
provided for the tracking of changes of nutritional, organoleptic,
and/or aesthetic values of a nutritional substance, wherein the
system may collect, store, and transmit information regarding the
changes of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of
the nutritional substance, and information related to origin and
creation of the nutritional substance, from creation through
consumption, including all phases of preservation, transformation,
local storage and conditioning.
[0027] In an embodiment of the present invention, a system is
provided for the tracking of changes of nutritional, organoleptic,
and/or aesthetic values of a nutritional substance, wherein the
system may collect, store, and transmit information regarding the
changes of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of
the nutritional substance, and information related to origin and
creation of the nutritional substance, during local storage and
conditioning of the nutritional substance.
[0028] In an embodiment of the present invention, local storage
appliances and equipment are provided to track changes of
nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of a nutritional
substance, and to minimize and/or track degradation of said values,
and/or collect, store, and/or transmit information regarding these
changes or degradation, and information related to origin and
creation of the nutritional substance, during the local storage of
the nutritional substance prior to conditioning or consumption of
the nutritional substance.
[0029] In an embodiment of the present invention, local storage and
conditioning of a nutritional substance is modified or adapted to
maintain and/or minimize degradation of and/or improve nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of the nutritional
substance.
[0030] In an embodiment of the present invention, during local
storage or conditioning of a nutritional substance, information
related to changes or degradation of nutritional, organoleptic,
and/or aesthetic values, including current nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or information related to
the origin and creation of the nutritional substance, is compared
with general consumer requirements, or with a specific consumer's
requirements, to confirm compliance, or non-compliance, regarding
nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or regarding
origin and creation of the nutritional substance.
[0031] In an embodiment of the present invention, information
related to changes or degradation of nutritional, organoleptic,
and/or aesthetic values, including current nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, is used to determine
adaptive conditioning parameters responsive to said changes or
degradation or current values, to adaptively condition the
nutritional substance so as to maintain and/or minimize degradation
of and/or improve nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic values of
the adaptively conditioned nutritional substance.
[0032] In an embodiment of the present invention, sensors of, or
sensors communicating with, a conditioning appliance can collect
all types of nutritional substance physical attribute data by
sensing a nutritional substance, whereby the nutritional substance
is identified and its current nutritional, organoleptic, and
aesthetic state determined, by comparing the sensed data to a
library of physical attribute data for known nutritional substances
at known nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic states, and the
conditioning appliance further adaptively conditions the
nutritional substance responsive to: its current nutritional,
organoleptic, and aesthetic state; and consumer input received
through a consumer interface of the conditioning appliance.
[0033] In an embodiment of the present invention information
regarding a change of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
value of nutritional substances, collectively and individually
referred to herein as .DELTA.N, is: measured or collected or
calculated or created or estimated or indicated or determined in
any suitable manner, stored and/or tracked and/or transmitted
and/or processed prior to transformation and/or following
transformation, during preservation, and during local storage and
conditioning, such that the degradation of specific nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values can be minimized and specific
residual nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value can be
optimized. A change of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
value may not occur, in which case .DELTA.N would be zero. The
change of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value may be
a degradation, in which case .DELTA.N would be negative. The change
of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value may be an
improvement, in which case .DELTA.N would be positive.
[0034] In an embodiment of the present invention, a system is
provided for the creation, collection, storage, transmission,
and/or processing of information regarding nutritional substances
so as to improve, maintain, or minimize degradation of nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of nutritional substances.
Additionally, the present invention provides such information for
use by the creators, preservers, transformers, conditioners, and
consumers of nutritional substances. The nutritional information
creation, preservation, and transmission system of the present
invention should allow the nutritional substance supply system to
improve its ability to minimize degradation of nutritional,
organoleptic and/or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance,
and/or inform the consumer about such degradation. The ultimate
goal of the nutritional substance supply system is to minimize
degradation of nutritional, organoleptic and/or aesthetic values,
or as it relates to .DELTA.N, minimize the negative magnitude of
.DELTA.N. However, an interim goal should be providing consumers
with significant information regarding any change, particularly
degradation, of nutritional, organoleptic and/or aesthetic values
of nutritional substances consumers select, locally store,
condition, and consume, the .DELTA.N, such that desired information
regarding specific residual nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic values can be ascertained using the .DELTA.N. Entities
within the nutritional substance supply system who provide such
.DELTA.N information regarding nutritional substances, particularly
regarding degradation, will be able to differentiate their products
from those who obscure and/or hide such information. Entities
within the nutritional substance supply system who provide local
storage environments, local storage containers, and conditioning
appliances enabling the tracking and use of .DELTA.N information
will be able to differentiate their products from those that do not
track and utilize .DELTA.N information. Additionally, such entities
should be able to charge a premium for products which either
maintain their nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value,
or supply more complete information about changes in their
nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value, the
.DELTA.N.
[0035] Other advantages and features will become apparent from the
following description and claims. It should be understood that the
description and specific examples are intended for purposes of
illustration only and not intended to limit the scope of the
present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0036] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, exemplify the embodiments
of the present invention and, together with the description, serve
to explain and illustrate principles of the invention. The drawings
are intended to illustrate major features of the exemplary
embodiments in a diagrammatic manner. The drawings are not intended
to depict every feature of actual embodiments nor relative
dimensions of the depicted elements, and are not drawn to
scale.
[0037] FIG. 1 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a
nutritional substance supply system relating to the present
invention.
[0038] FIG. 2 shows a graph representing a value of a nutritional
substance which changes according to a change of condition for the
nutritional substance.
[0039] FIG. 3 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a
transformation module according to the present invention.
[0040] FIG. 4 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a
transformation module according to the present invention.
[0041] FIG. 5 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a
transformation module according to the present invention.
[0042] FIG. 6 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a
conditioning module according to the present invention.
[0043] FIG. 7 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a
conditioning module according to the present invention.
[0044] FIG. 8 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a
conditioning module according to the present invention.
[0045] FIG. 9 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a
conditioning module according to the present invention.
[0046] FIG. 10 shows a graph representing a value of a nutritional
substance which changes according to changes in multiple conditions
for the nutritional substance.
[0047] FIG. 11 shows a graph representing a value of a nutritional
substance which changes according to changes in multiple conditions
for the nutritional substance.
[0048] FIG. 12 shows a schematic functional block diagram of a
conditioning module according to the present invention.
[0049] FIGS. 13a and 13b show formats according to the present
invention by which a .DELTA.N, and related residual and initial
nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values, may be
expressed.
[0050] In the drawings, the same reference numbers and any acronyms
identify elements or acts with the same or similar structure or
functionality for ease of understanding and convenience. To easily
identify the discussion of any particular element or act, the most
significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the
Figure number in which that element is first introduced.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0051] Various examples of the invention will now be described. The
following description provides specific details for a thorough
understanding and enabling description of these examples. One
skilled in the relevant art will understand, however, that the
invention may be practiced without many of these details. Likewise,
one skilled in the relevant art will also understand that the
invention can include many other obvious features not described in
detail herein. Additionally, some well-known structures or
functions may not be shown or described in detail below, so as to
avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description.
[0052] The terminology used below is to be interpreted in its
broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in
conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific
examples of the invention. Indeed, certain terms may even be
emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be
interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and
specifically defined as such in this Detailed Description
section.
[0053] The following discussion provides a brief, general
description of a representative environment in which the invention
can be implemented. Although not required, aspects of the invention
may be described below in the general context of
computer-executable instructions, such as routines executed by a
general-purpose data processing device (e.g., a server computer or
a personal computer). Those skilled in the relevant art will
appreciate that the invention can be practiced with other
communications, data processing, or computer system configurations,
including: wireless devices, Internet appliances, hand-held devices
(including personal digital assistants (PDAs)), wearable computers,
all manner of cellular or mobile phones, multi-processor systems,
microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, set-top
boxes, network PCs, mini-computers, mainframe computers, and the
like. Indeed, the terms "controller," "computer," "server," and the
like are used interchangeably herein, and may refer to any of the
above devices and systems.
[0054] While aspects of the invention, such as certain functions,
are described as being performed exclusively on a single device,
the invention can also be practiced in distributed environments
where functions or modules are shared among disparate processing
devices. The disparate processing devices are linked through a
communications network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN), Wide
Area Network (WAN), or the Internet. In a distributed computing
environment, program modules may be located in both local and
remote memory storage devices.
[0055] Aspects of the invention may be stored or distributed on
tangible computer-readable media, including magnetically or
optically readable computer discs, hard-wired or preprogrammed
chips (e.g., EEPROM semiconductor chips), nanotechnology memory,
biological memory, or other data storage media. Alternatively,
computer implemented instructions, data structures, screen
displays, and other data related to the invention may be
distributed over the Internet or over other networks (including
wireless networks), on a propagated signal on a propagation medium
(e.g., an electromagnetic wave(s), a sound wave, etc.) over a
period of time. In some implementations, the data may be provided
on any analog or digital network (packet switched, circuit
switched, or other scheme).
[0056] In some instances, the interconnection between modules is
the internet, allowing the modules (with, for example, WiFi
capability) to access web content offered through various web
servers. The network may be any type of cellular, IP-based or
converged telecommunications network, including but not limited to
Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Time Division
Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA),
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDM), General
Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE),
Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS), Worldwide Interoperability for
Microwave Access (WiMAX), Universal Mobile Telecommunications
System (UMTS), Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO), Long Term Evolution
(LTE), Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB). Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP), Unlicensed Mobile Access (UMA), etc.
[0057] The modules in the systems can be understood to be
integrated in some instances and in particular embodiments, only
particular modules may be interconnected.
[0058] FIG. 1 shows the components of a nutritional substance
industry 10. It should be understood that this could be the food
and beverage ecosystem for human consumption, but could also be the
feed industry for animal consumption, such as the pet food
industry. A goal of the present invention for nutritional substance
industry 10 is to create, preserve, transform and trace the change
in nutritional, organoleptic and/or aesthetic values of nutritional
substances, collectively and individually also referred to herein
as .DELTA.N, through their creation, preservation, transformation,
conditioning and consumption. While the nutritional substance
industry 10 can be composed of many companies or businesses, it can
also be integrated into combinations of business serving many
roles, or can be one business or even individual. Since .DELTA.N is
a measure of the change in a value of a nutritional substance,
knowledge of a prior value (or state) of a nutritional substance
and the .DELTA.N value will provide knowledge of the changed value
(or state) of a nutritional substance, and can further provide the
ability to estimate a change in value (or state).
[0059] Module 200 is the creation module. This can be a system,
organization, or individual which creates and/or originates
nutritional substances. Examples of this module include a farm
which grows produce; a ranch which raises beef; an aquaculture farm
for growing shrimp; a factory that synthesizes nutritional
compounds; a collector of wild truffles; or a deep sea crab
trawler.
[0060] Preservation module 300, described in co-pending application
U.S. Ser. No. 13/888,353, titled "Preservation System for
Nutritional Substances", and incorporated in its entirety by
reference herein, is a preservation system for storing, preserving
and protecting the nutritional substances created by creation
module 200. Once the nutritional substance has been created,
generally, it will need to be packaged in some manner for its
transition to other modules in the nutritional substances industry
10. While preservation module 300 is shown in a particular position
in the nutritional substance industry 10, following the creation
module 200, it should be understood that the preservation module
300 actually can be placed anywhere nutritional substances need to
be stored and preserved during their transition from creation to
consumption. It is understood that a nutritional substance may
experience more than one preservation event, and that such
preservation events may include the local storage of the
nutritional substance, such as by a consumer prior to conditioning
or consumption.
[0061] A specific aspect of the present invention in achieving its
goal related to .DELTA.N information is to provide a system that
tracks .DELTA.N information during local storage or local
preservation of a nutritional substance by a consumer. It is
understood that a nutritional substance may experience more than
one preservation event, and that such preservation events may
include any known form of local storage or local preservation of a
nutritional substance prior to conditioning and/or consumption,
hereinafter referred to as local storage. Such local storage may
take many forms, such as the storage of refrigerated items in a
refrigerator, the storage of frozen items in a freezer, the storage
of wine bottles in a wine-rack, the storage of canned or dry goods
in a pantry, the storage of bread in a bread drawer, the storage of
fruit in a counter top tray, and any other form of local
nutritional substance storage known to those skilled in the art. It
is understood that the present inventions include the local storage
of consumable items such as medicaments, for example, medicaments
stored in a refrigerator, medicaments stored in a medicine cabinet,
or medicaments stored in any other known fashion.
[0062] Local storage according to the present invention can be
enabled by local storage environments according to the present
invention, such as a refrigerator, drawer, cabinet, portable
cooler, and any other type of storage environment, wherein the
local storage environment is provided with the same capabilities as
the preservation module. In addition; local storage according to
the present invention can be enabled by local storage containers
according to the present invention, such as storage bags, trays,
resealable storage-ware, jars, boxes, bottles, and any other type
of storage environment, wherein the local storage container is
provided with the same capabilities as the preservation module. In
a further embodiment of the present invention, currently known
traditional formats of storage environments and storage containers
are enabled to provide local storage according to the present
invention by being coupled with a coupon, hereinafter referred to
as a local storage coupon, wherein the local storage coupon
provides a traditional storage environment or traditional storage
container with the same capabilities as the preservation module.
The local storage coupon can be attachment to, placed within, or in
any known fashion coupled with, any known formats of traditional
storage environments and traditional storage containers.
[0063] Transformation module 400 is a nutritional substance
processing system, such as a manufacturer who processes raw
materials such as grains into breakfast cereals. Transformation
module 400 could also be a ready-to-eat dinner manufacturer who
receives the components, or ingredients, also referred to herein as
component nutritional substances, for a ready-to-eat dinner from
preservation module 300 and prepares them into a frozen dinner.
While transformation module 400 is depicted as one module, it will
be understood that nutritional substances may be transformed by a
number of transformation modules 400 on their path to
consumption.
[0064] Conditioning module 500 is a consumer preparation system for
preparing the nutritional substance immediately before consumption
by the consumer. Conditioning module 500 can be a microwave oven, a
blender, a toaster, a convection oven, a cook, etc. It can also be
systems used by commercial establishments to prepare nutritional
substance for consumers such as a restaurant, an espresso maker,
pizza oven, and other devices located at businesses which provide
nutritional substances to consumers. Such nutritional substances
could be for consumption at the business or for the consumer to
take out from the business. Conditioning module 500 can also be a
combination of any of these devices used to prepare nutritional
substances for consumption by consumers.
[0065] Consumer module 600 collects information from the living
entity which consumes the nutritional substance which has passed
through the various modules from creation to consumption. The
consumer can be a human being, but could also be an animal, such as
pets, zoo animals and livestock, which are they themselves
nutritional substances for other consumption chains. Consumers
could also be plant life which consumes nutritional substances to
grow.
[0066] Information module 100 receives and transmits information
regarding a nutritional substance between each of the modules in
the nutritional substance industry 10 including, the creation
module 200, the preservation module 300, the transformation module
400, the conditioning module 500, and the consumer module 600. The
nutritional substance information module 100 can be an
interconnecting information transmission system which allows the
transmission of information between various modules. Information
module 100 contains a database, also referred to herein as a
dynamic nutritional value database, where the information regarding
the nutritional substance resides, particularly .DELTA.N for the
nutritional substance. Information module 100 may also contain a
massive database of physical attributes of known nutritional
substances at known nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic
states, also referred to herein as nutritional substance attribute
library, which can be utilized for determining the identity and
current nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic state of a
nutritional substance. Information module 100 can be connected to
the other modules by a variety of communication systems, such as
paper, computer networks, the internet and telecommunication
systems, such as wireless telecommunication systems. In a system
capable of receiving and processing real time consumer feedback and
updates regarding changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic value of nutritional substances, or .DELTA.N, consumers
can even play a role in updating a dynamic nutritional value
database with observed or measured information about the
nutritional substances they have purchased and/or prepared for
consumption, so that the information is available and useful to
others in the nutritional substance supply system, such as through
reports reflecting the consumer input or through modification of
.DELTA.N.
[0067] In an embodiment of the present invention, such consumer
feedback and updates related to .DELTA.N information are provided
during the local storage of a nutritional substance. In a preferred
embodiment, such consumer feedback and updates related to .DELTA.N
information are obtained through, or provided by, local storage
environments, local storage containers, and local storage coupons
according to the present invention.
[0068] FIG. 2 is a graph showing the function of how a nutritional,
organoleptic, or aesthetic value of a nutritional substance varies
over the change in a condition of the nutritional substance.
Plotted on the vertical axis of this graph can be either the
nutritional value, organoleptic value, or even the aesthetic value
of a nutritional substance. Plotted on the horizontal axis can be
the change in condition of the nutritional substance over a
variable such as time, temperature, location, and/or exposure to
environmental conditions. This exposure to environmental conditions
can include: exposure to air, including the air pressure and
partial pressures of oxygen, carbon dioxide, water, or ozone;
airborne chemicals, pollutants, allergens, dust, smoke,
carcinogens, radioactive isotopes, or combustion byproducts;
exposure to moisture; exposure to energy such as mechanical impact,
mechanical vibration, irradiation, heat, or sunlight; or exposure
to materials such as packaging. The function plotted as nutritional
substance A could show a .DELTA.N for milk, such as. the
degradation of a nutritional value of milk over time. Any point on
this curve can be compared to another point to measure and/or
describe the change in nutritional value, or the .DELTA.N of
nutritional substance A. The plot of the degradation in the same
nutritional value of nutritional substance B, also milk, describes
the change in nutritional value, or the .DELTA.N of nutritional
substance B, a nutritional substance which starts out with a higher
nutritional value than nutritional substance A, but degrades over
time more quickly than nutritional substance A.
[0069] In this example, where nutritional substance A and
nutritional substance B are milk, this .DELTA.N information
regarding the nutritional substance degradation profile of each
milk could be used by the consumer in the selection and/or
consumption of the milk. If the consumer has this information at
time zero when selecting a milk product for purchase, the consumer
could consider when the consumer plans to consume the milk, whether
that is on one occasion or multiple occasions. For example, if the
consumer planned to consume the milk prior to the point when the
curve represented by nutritional substance B crosses the curve
represented by nutritional substance A, then the consumer should
choose the milk represented by nutritional substance B because it
has a higher nutritional value until it crosses the curve
represented by nutritional substance A. However, if the consumer
expects to consume at least some of the milk at a point in time
after the time when the curve represented by nutritional substance
B crosses the curve represented by nutritional substance A, then
the consumer might choose to select the milk represented by the
nutritional substance A, even though milk represented by
nutritional substance A has a lower nutritional value than the milk
represented by nutritional substance B at an earlier time. This
change to a desired nutritional value in a nutritional substance
over a change in a condition of the nutritional substance described
in FIG. 2 can be measured and/or controlled throughout nutritional
substance supply system 10 in FIG. 1. This example demonstrates how
dynamically generated information regarding a .DELTA.N of a
nutritional substance, in this case a change in nutritional value
of milk, can be used to understand a rate at which that nutritional
value changes or degrades; when that nutritional value expires; and
a residual nutritional value of the nutritional substance over a
change in a condition of the nutritional substance, in this example
a change in time. This .DELTA.N information could further be used
to determine a best consumption date for nutritional substance A
and B, which could be different from each other depending upon the
dynamically generated information generated for each.
[0070] FIG. 10 is a graph showing the function of how a
nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of a nutritional
substance varies over a change in time and a change in a second
condition, the storage temperature of the nutritional substance. It
is understood that change in time and change in storage temperature
are offered by way of example, and are in no way limiting to the
types on condition changes to which the present inventions may be
applied. As an example, the change in a nutritional property of
milk is shown over a period of time including its preservation at
the supermarket and a subsequent period of time including its local
storage in a consumer's refrigerator, which is a local storage
environment according to the present invention. The graph shows
that the milk is preserved at a first temperature, Temperature 1,
for a first period of time indicated as 0 to 1, while at the
supermarket. The milk is purchased by a consumer at time 1, and
subsequently stored at a second temperature, Temperature 2, for a
second period of time indicated as 1 to 3, during local storage in
the refrigerator, which is a local storage environment according to
the present invention. It is noted that Temperature 2 is greater
than Temperature 1, and accordingly the shape of the graph changes
at point A when the milk is taken from Temperature 1 and stored at
Temperature 2. As in the preservation module, the local storage
environment can identify the milk stored within it by reading or
scanning its dynamic information identifier (or by the consumer
entering it), can communicate with the nutritional substance
information module, and accordingly can determine the milk's
.DELTA.N prior to placement within the refrigerator, and continue
to track the milk's .DELTA.N while in the refrigerator. The
refrigerator is provided with a consumer interface, such as a
screen, keyboard, sound system, or any known consumer interface.
The consumer interface enables the refrigerator to communicate to
the consumer that it contains the particular carton of milk,
information related to .DELTA.N, including current nutritional,
organoleptic, and aesthetic values of the milk, and when the milk
will reach a minimum acceptable nutritional, organoleptic, or
aesthetic value, indicated by "Minimum" on the vertical axis of the
graph. The minimum acceptable values may be automatically provided
by the information module, may be provided by the consumer through
the consumer interface, or may be the higher of the two values. In
this case the consumer can see how the nutritional value of the
milk has degraded prior to purchasing it, and can continue to see
how the nutritional value degrades during local storage after its
purchase, and when it will reach its minimum acceptable nutritional
value. For example, at the time indicated as 2, the consumer can
determine the residual nutritional value of the milk, corresponding
to point B and "Residual" on the vertical axis of the graph.
Further, the consumer can determine the milk's nutritional value
will reach a minimum acceptable level at time 3, as indicated by
"Minimum" on the vertical axis of the graph, thus knowing the
window of time in which the milk will maintain an acceptable
nutritional level, as indicated by time 1 to 3. Further, the
refrigerator can notify the consumer through its consumer interface
when the milk's nutritional value has reached or fallen below the
minimum acceptable value.
[0071] In fact, if the consumer knows the internal temperature of
his own refrigerator prior to purchasing the milk, he can predict
the degradation of nutritional value of the milk that will occur
after he purchases it and locally stores it in his refrigerator,
thus knowing the window of time in which it will maintain an
acceptable nutritional level, as indicated by time 1 to 3. For
example, the consumer may utilize an application on his smartphone
to store, or even monitor, the internal temperature of his
refrigerator. When he goes to the supermarket, he could scan the
milk's dynamic information identifier with his smartphone, and the
application can communicate with the nutritional substance
information module to determine a current .DELTA.N, and predict the
.DELTA.N of the milk when stored in his refrigerator. Further, the
consumer may utilize such an application on his smartphone to
store, or even monitor, the internal conditions of various local
storage environments, local storage containers, and local storage
coupons. In this way, when he goes to the supermarket, he can scan
the dynamic information identifier of a wide variety of nutritional
substances with his smartphone, and the application can communicate
with the nutritional substance information module to determine a
current .DELTA.N, and predict the .DELTA.N of the nutritional
substance when stored in the corresponding local storage
environment or local storage container.
[0072] FIG. 11 is a graph showing the function of how a
nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of a nutritional
substance varies over a change in time and multiple changes in a
second condition, the storage temperature of the nutritional
substance. It is understood that change in time and change in
storage temperature are offered by way of example, and are in no
way limiting to the types on condition changes to which the present
inventions may be applied. In this example, the change in a
nutritional property of potato salad is shown over a period of time
including its preservation at the supermarket and a subsequent
period of time including its local storage in a consumer's
refrigerator, which is a local storage environment according to the
present invention, and subsequent storage in the consumer's picnic
cooler, which contains a local storage coupon according to the
present invention. The graph shows that the potato salad is
preserved at a first temperature, Temperature 1, for a first period
of time indicated as 0 to 1, while at the supermarket. The potato
salad is purchased by a consumer at time 1, and subsequently stored
at a second temperature, Temperature 2, for a second period of time
indicated as 1 to 2, during local storage in the consumer's
refrigerator, which is a local storage environment according to the
present invention. It is noted that Temperature 2 is greater than
Temperature 1, and accordingly the shape of the graph changes at
point A when the potato salad is taken from Temperature 1 and
stored at Temperature 2. As in the preservation module, the local
storage environment can identify the potato salad stored within it
by reading or scanning its dynamic information identifier (or by
the consumer entering it), can communicate with the nutritional
substance information module, and accordingly can determine the
potato salad's .DELTA.N prior to placement within the refrigerator,
and continue to track the potato salad's .DELTA.N while in the
refrigerator. The refrigerator is provided with a consumer
interface, such as a screen, keyboard, sound system, or any known
consumer interface. The consumer interface enables the refrigerator
to communicate to the consumer that it contains the particular
container of potato salad, information related to .DELTA.N,
including current nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values
of the potato salad while stored in the refrigerator. At time 2,
the potato salad is taken from the refrigerator and placed inside
the consumer's traditional picnic cooler, along with a coupon
according to the present invention, where it is stored at
Temperature 3, for a period of time indicated as 2 to 4. It is
noted that Temperature 3 is greater than Temperature 2, and
accordingly the shape of the graph changes at point B when the
potato salad is taken from Temperature 2 and stored at Temperature
3. The local storage coupon can identify the potato salad stored
within it by reading or scanning its dynamic information identifier
(or by the consumer entering it), can communicate with the
nutritional substance information module, and accordingly can
determine the potato salad's .DELTA.N prior to placement within the
cooler, and continue to track the potato salad's .DELTA.N while in
the cooler. The coupon is provided with a consumer interface, such
as a screen, keyboard, sound system, or any known consumer
interface, or alternatively, an application on the consumer's
smartphone can enable the coupon to communicate with the smartphone
such that the smartphone acts as the consumer interface. The
consumer interface enables the coupon to communicate to the
consumer that the cooler contains the particular container of
potato salad, information related to .DELTA.N, including current
nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values of the potato salad
while stored in the cooler, and when the potato salad will reach a
minimum acceptable nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value,
indicated by "Minimum" on the vertical axis of the graph. The
minimum acceptable values may be automatically provided by the
information module, may be provided by the consumer through the
consumer interface, or may be the higher of the two values. In this
case the consumer can see how the nutritional value of the potato
salad has degraded prior to placing it in the cooler with the
coupon, and can continue to see how the nutritional value degrades
during local storage in the cooler, and when it will reach its
minimum acceptable nutritional value. For example, at the time
indicated as 3, the consumer can determine the residual nutritional
value of the potato salad, corresponding to point C and "Residual"
on the vertical axis of the graph. Further, the consumer can
determine the potato salad's nutritional value will reach a minimum
acceptable level at time 4, as indicated by "Minimum" on the
vertical axis of the graph, thus knowing the window of time in
which the potato salad in the cooler will maintain an acceptable
nutritional level, as indicated by time 2 to 4. Further, the coupon
can notify the consumer through the consumer interface when the
potato salad's nutritional value has reached or fallen below the
minimum acceptable value.
[0073] It is understood that local storage environments according
to the present invention can comprise any local storage environment
for a nutritional substance provided with the features enabling it
to identify a dynamic information identifier on the nutritional
substance, track one or more conditions related to a .DELTA.N of
the nutritional substance, communicate with the nutritional
substance information module, determine a current .DELTA.N, track
and predict the .DELTA.N of the nutritional substance while stored
therein, and communicate information related to the .DELTA.N to a
consumer. Examples of such local storage environments include, but
are not limited to: a pantry capable of identifying a dynamic
information identifier on canned or bottled goods and tracking one
or more conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the canned or bottled
goods, such as time and storage temperature; a shelf capable of
identifying a dynamic information identifier on dry goods and
tracking one or more conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the dry
goods, such as time and storage humidity; a vegetable bin capable
of identifying a dynamic information identifier on vegetables and
tracking one or more conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the
vegetables, such as time, storage temperature, and storage
humidity; a drawer capable of identifying a dynamic information
identifier on fruit and tracking one or more conditions related to
a .DELTA.N of the fruit, such as time, storage temperature, and
exposure to light; a medicine cabinet capable of identifying a
dynamic information identifier on medicaments and tracking one or
more conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the medicaments, such as
time, storage temperature, storage humidity, and exposure to light.
These local storage environments may be provided with a consumer
interface, such as a screen, keyboard, sound system, or any known
consumer interface. The consumer interface enables the local
storage environment to communicate to the consumer that it contains
a particular nutritional substance, information related to its
.DELTA.N, including current nutritional, organoleptic, and
aesthetic values of the nutritional substance while stored in the
local storage environment.
[0074] It is understood that local storage containers according to
the present invention can comprise any local storage container for
a nutritional substance provided with the features enabling it to
identify a dynamic information identifier on the nutritional
substance, track one or more conditions related to a .DELTA.N of
the nutritional substance, communicate with the nutritional
substance information module, determine a current .DELTA.N, track
and predict the .DELTA.N of the nutritional substance while stored
therein, and communicate information related to the .DELTA.N to a
consumer. Examples of such local storage containers include, but
are not limited to: a plastic, sealable container capable of
identifying a dynamic information identifier on dry goods and
tracking one or more conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the dry
goods, such as time and storage humidity; a tray capable of
identifying a dynamic information identifier on fruit and tracking
one or more conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the fruit, such as
time, storage temperature, and exposure to light; a rescalable bag
capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on
vegetables and tracking one or more conditions related to a
.DELTA.N of the vegetables, such as time, storage temperature, and
storage humidity; a purse capable of identifying a dynamic
information identifier a medicament and tracking one or more
conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the medicament, such as time,
storage temperature, storage humidity, and exposure to light; a
picnic cooler capable of identifying a dynamic information
identifier on potato salad and tracking one or more conditions
related to a .DELTA.N of the potato salad, such as time and storage
temperature. These local storage containers may be provided with a
consumer interface, such as a screen, keyboard, sound system, or
any known consumer interface. The consumer interface enables the
local storage container to communicate to the consumer that it
contains a particular nutritional substance, information related to
its .DELTA.N, including current nutritional, organoleptic, and
aesthetic values of the nutritional substance while stored in the
local storage container.
[0075] It is understood that local storage coupons according to the
present invention can comprise any form of tag, badge, transponder,
label, or any other device, individually and collectively referred
to herein as a coupon, placed in proximity to a traditional local
storage environment or traditional local storage container, and
capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on a
nutritional substance stored in the traditional local storage
environment or traditional local storage container, tracking one or
more conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the nutritional substance,
communicating with the nutritional substance information module,
determining a current .DELTA.N, tracking and predicting the
.DELTA.N of the nutritional substance, and communicate information
related to the .DELTA.N to a consumer. Examples of such local
storage coupons include, but are not limited to: a coupon placed in
a plastic container with dry good, wherein the coupon is capable of
identifying a dynamic information identifier on dry goods and
tracking one or more conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the dry
goods, such as time and storage humidity; a coupon placed on a tray
for holding fruit, wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a
dynamic information identifier on fruit and tracking one or more
conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the fruit, such as time,
storage temperature, and exposure to light; a coupon placed within
a resealable vegetable bag, wherein the coupon is capable of
identifying a dynamic information identifier on vegetables and
tracking one or more conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the
vegetables, such as time, storage temperature, and storage
humidity, a coupon placed within a purse, wherein the coupon is
capable of identifying a dynamic information identifier on a
medicament placed within the purse and tracking one or more
conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the medicament, such as time,
storage temperature, storage humidity, and exposure to light; a
coupon attached to the inner surface of a picnic cooler, wherein
the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information
identifier on potato salad stored in the cooler and tracking one or
more conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the potato salad, such as
time and storage temperature; a coupon hung in a pantry, wherein
the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information
identifier on canned or bottled goods and tracking one or more
conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the canned or bottled goods,
such as time and storage temperature; a coupon attached to a shelf,
wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information
identifier on dry goods and tracking one or more conditions related
to a .DELTA.N of the dry goods, such as time and storage humidity;
a coupon attached to an inner surface of a vegetable bin, wherein
the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information
identifier on vegetables and tracking one or more conditions
related to a .DELTA.N of the vegetables, such as time, storage
temperature, and storage humidity; a coupon placed within a drawer,
wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a dynamic information
identifier on fruit and tracking one or more conditions related to
a .DELTA.N of the fruit, such as time, storage temperature, and
exposure to light; a coupon attached to the inner surface of a
medicine cabinet, wherein the coupon is capable of identifying a
dynamic information identifier on medicaments and track one or more
conditions related to a .DELTA.N of the medicaments, such as time,
storage temperature, storage humidity, and exposure to light.
[0076] In FIG. 1, Creation module 200 can dynamically encode
nutritional substances to enable the tracking of changes in
nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of the
nutritional substance, or .DELTA.N. This dynamic encoding, also
referred to herein as a dynamic information identifier, can replace
and/or complement existing nutritional substance marking systems
such as barcodes, labels, and/or ink markings. This dynamic
encoding, or dynamic information identifier, can be used to make
nutritional substance information from creation module 200
available to information module 100 for use by preservation module
300, transformation module 400, conditioning module 500, and/or
consumption module 600, which includes the ultimate consumer of the
nutritional substance. One method of marking the nutritional
substance with a dynamic information identifier by creation module
200, or any other module in nutritional supply system 10, could
include an electronic tagging system, such as the tagging system
manufactured by Kovio of San Jose, Calif., USA. Such thin film
chips can be used not only for tracking nutritional substances, but
can include components to measure attributes of nutritional
substances, and record and transmit such information. Such
information may be readable by a reader including a satellite-based
system. Such a satellite-based nutritional substance information
tracking system could comprise a network of satellites with
coverage of some or all the surface of the earth, so as to allow
the dynamic nutritional value database of information module 100
real time, or near real time updates about a .DELTA.N of a
particular nutritional substance.
[0077] Preservation module 300 includes packers and shippers of
nutritional substances. The tracking of changes in nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, or a .DELTA.N, during the
preservation period within preservation module 300 allows for
dynamic expiration dates for nutritional substances. For example,
expiration dates for dairy products are currently based generally
only on time using assumptions regarding minimal conditions at
which dairy products are maintained. This extrapolated expiration
date is based on a worst-case scenario for when the product becomes
unsafe to consume during the preservation period. In reality, the
degradation of dairy products may be significantly less than this
worst-case. If preservation module 300 could measure or derive the
actual degradation information such as .DELTA.N, an actual
expiration date, referred to herein as a dynamic expiration date,
can be determined dynamically, and could be significantly later in
time than an extrapolated expiration date. This would allow the
nutritional substance supply system to dispose of fewer products
due to expiration dates. This ability to dynamically generate
expiration dates for nutritional substances is of particular
significance when nutritional substances contain few or no
preservatives. Such products are highly valued throughout
nutritional substance supply system 10, including consumers who are
willing to pay a premium for nutritional substances with few or no
preservatives.
[0078] It should be noted that a dynamic expiration date need not
be indicated numerically (i.e., as a numerical date) but could be
indicated symbolically as by the use of colors--such as green,
yellow and red employed on semaphores--or other designations. In
those instances, the dynamic expiration date would not be
interpreted literally but, rather, as a dynamically-determined
advisory date. In practice a dynamic expiration date will be
provided for at least one component of a single or multi-component
nutritional substance. For multi-component nutritional substances,
the dynamic expiration date could be interpreted as a "best` date
for consumption for particular components.
[0079] By law, in many localities, food processors such as those in
transformation module 400 are required to provide nutritional
substance information regarding their products. Often, this
information takes the form of a nutritional table applied to the
packaging of the nutritional substance. Currently, the information
in this nutritional table is based on averages or minimums for
their typical product. Using the nutritional substance information
from information module 100 provided by creation module 200,
preservation module 300, and/or information from the transformation
of the nutritional substance by transformation module 400, and
consumer feedback and updates related to .DELTA.N, preferably
obtained through or provided by local storage environments, local
storage containers, and local storage coupons according to the
present invention, the food processor could include a dynamically
generated nutritional value table, also referred to herein as a
dynamic nutritional value table, for the actual nutritional
substance being supplied to a consumer and further being locally
stored by the consumer. The information in such a dynamic
nutritional value table could be used by conditioning module 500 in
the preparation of the nutritional substance, and/or used by
consumption module 600, so as to allow the ultimate consumer the
ability to select the most desirable nutritional substance which
meets their needs, and/or to track information regarding
nutritional substances consumed.
[0080] Information about changes in nutritional, organoleptic,
and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substances, or .DELTA.N, is
particularly useful in the conditioning module 500 of the present
invention, as it allows knowing, or estimating, the
pre-conditioning state of the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic values of the nutritional substance, including the
changes in nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values
occurring during local storage of the nutritional substance, and
further allows for estimation of a .DELTA.N associated with
proposed conditioning parameters. The conditioning module 500 can
therefore create conditioning parameters, such as by modifying
existing or baseline conditioning parameters, to deliver desired
nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values after
conditioning. The pre-conditioning state of the nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of a nutritional substance is
not tracked or provided to the consumer by existing conditioners,
nor is the .DELTA.N expected from a proposed conditioning tracked
or provided to the consumer either before or after conditioning.
However, using information provided by information module 100 from
creation module 200, preservation module 300, transformation module
400, and consumer feedback and updates related to .DELTA.N,
preferably obtained through or provided by local storage
environments, local storage containers, and local storage coupons
according to the present invention, and/or information measured or
generated by conditioning module 500, and/or consumer input
provided through the conditioning module 500, conditioning module
500 could provide the consumer with the actual, and/or estimated
change in nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of the
nutritional substance, or .DELTA.N.
[0081] An important benefit provided by local storage environments,
local storage containers, and local storage coupons of the present
invention is that consumer feedback and updates related to
.DELTA.N, such as observed or measured information of, or related
to, a .DELTA.N during local storage of the nutritional substance is
obtained through, or provided by, the local storage environments,
containers, and coupons. In this way consumer feedback and updates
related to a .DELTA.N during local storage of a nutritional
substance can play a role in updating the dynamic nutritional value
information about the nutritional substances consumers have
purchased and placed in local storage, such as through modification
of .DELTA.N. Such information regarding the change to nutritional,
organoleptic and/or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance,
or .DELTA.N, could be provided not only to a consumer through the
consumption module 600 and conditioning module 500, but could also
be provided to information module 100 for use by creation module
200, preservation module 300, transformation module 400, so as to
track, and possibly improve nutritional substances throughout the
entire nutritional substance supply system 10.
[0082] The information regarding nutritional substances provided by
information module 100 to consumption module 600 can replace or
complement existing information sources such as recipe books, food
databases like www.epicurious.com, and Epicurious apps. Through the
use of specific information regarding a nutritional substance from
information module 100, consumers can use consumption module 600 to
select nutritional substances according to nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values. This will further allow
consumers to make informed decisions regarding nutritional
substance additives, preservatives, genetic modifications, origins,
traceability, and other nutritional substance attributes that may
also be tracked through the information module 100. This
information can be provided by consumption module 600 through
personal computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, and/or
smartphones. Software running on these devices can include
dedicated computer programs, modules within general programs,
and/or smartphone apps. An example of such a smartphone app
regarding nutritional substances is the iOS ShopNoGMO from the
institute for Responsible Technology. This iPhone app allows
consumers access to information regarding non-genetically modified
organisms they may select. Additionally, consumption module 600 may
provide information for the consumer to operate conditioning module
500 in such a manner as to optimize nutritional, organoleptic,
and/or aesthetic values of a nutritional substance and/or component
nutritional substances thereof, according to the consumer's needs
or preference or according to target values established by the
provider of the nutritional substance, such as the transformer,
and/or minimize degradation of, preserve, or improve nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of a nutritional substance
and/or component nutritional substances thereof.
[0083] Through the use of nutritional substance information
available from information module 100 nutritional substance supply
system 10 can track nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
value. Using this information, nutritional substances travelling
through nutritional substance supply system 10 can be dynamically
valued and priced according to nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic values. For example, nutritional substances with longer
dynamic expiration dates (longer shelf life) may be more highly
valued than nutritional substances with shorter expiration dates.
Additionally, nutritional substances with higher nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values may be more highly valued,
not just by the consumer, but also by each entity within
nutritional substance supply system 10. This is because each entity
will want to start with a nutritional substance with higher
nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value before it
performs its function and passes the nutritional substance along to
the next entity. Therefore, both the starting nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value and the .DELTA.N associated
with those values are important factors in determining or
estimating an actual, or residual, nutritional, organoleptic,
and/or aesthetic value of a nutritional substance, and accordingly
are important factors in establishing dynamically valued and priced
nutritional substances.
[0084] The use of local storage environments, local storage
containers, and local storage coupons according to the present
invention makes information related to a .DELTA.N of a locally
stored nutritional substance available to information module 100,
so that information available from information module 100 can
enable a consumer, or any entity inside or outside the nutritional
substance supply system 10, to track nutritional, organoleptic,
and/or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance during its
local storage. It is understood that such local storage includes
local storage by any entity that prepares or otherwise conditions
nutritional substances for consumption by a consumer, and could
include the consumer's residence, a restaurant, a hospital, a
sports arena, a vending machine, or any other known entity
providing nutritional substances for consumption.
[0085] During the period of implementation of the present
inventions, there will be nutritional substances being marketed
including those benefiting from the tracking of dynamic nutritional
information such as .DELTA.N, also referred to herein as
information-enabled nutritional substances, and nutritional
substances which do not benefit from the tracking of dynamic
nutritional information such as .DELTA.N, which are not information
enabled and are referred to herein as dumb nutritional substances.
Information-enabled nutritional substances would be available in
virtual internet marketplaces, as well as traditional marketplaces.
Because of information provided by information-enabled nutritional
substances, entities within the nutritional substance supply system
10, including consumers, would be able to review and select
information-enabled nutritional substances for purchase. It should
be expected that, initially, the information-enabled nutritional
substances would enjoy a higher market value and price than dumb
nutritional substances. However, as information-enabled nutritional
substances become more the norm, the cost savings from less waste
due to degradation of information-enabled nutritional substances
could lead to their price actually becoming less than dumb
nutritional substances.
[0086] For example, the producer of a ready-to-eat dinner would
prefer to use corn of a high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic value in the production of its product, the ready-to-eat
dinner, so as to produce a premium product of high nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value. Depending upon the levels of
the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values, the
ready-to-eat dinner producer may be able to charge a premium price
and/or differentiate its product from that of other producers. When
selecting the corn to be used in the ready-to-eat dinner, the
producer will seek corn of high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic value from preservation module 300 that meets its
requirements for nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value.
The packager/shipper of preservation module 300 would also be able
to charge a premium for corn which has high nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values. And finally, the
packager/shipper of preservation module 300 will select corn of
high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value from the
grower of creation module 200, who will also be able to charge a
premium for corn of high nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic values.
[0087] Further, the consumer of the ready-to-eat dinner may want
to, or in the case of a restaurant, cafeteria, or other regulated
eating establishment, may be required to, track the nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value of the corn during the local
storage of the ready-to-eat dinner. The local storage environments,
local storage containers, and local storage coupons of the present
invention enable such tracking by making information related to
.DELTA.N during local storage available to information module 100
for updating the dynamic nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic
values of a nutritional substance.
[0088] The change to nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
value for a nutritional substance, or .DELTA.N, tracked through
nutritional substance supply system 10 through nutritional
substance information from information module 100 can be preferably
determined from measured information. However, some or all such
nutritional substance .DELTA.N information may be derived through
measurements of environmental conditions of the nutritional
substance as it travelled through nutritional substance supply
system 10. Additionally, some or all of the nutritional substance
.DELTA.N information can be derived from .DELTA.N data of other
nutritional substances which have travelled through nutritional
substance supply system 10. Nutritional substance .DELTA.N
information can also be derived from laboratory experiments
performed on other nutritional substances, which may approximate
conditions and/or processes to which the actual nutritional
substance has been exposed.
[0089] For example, laboratory experiments can be performed on
bananas to determine effect on or change in nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic value, or .DELTA.N, for a variety of
environmental conditions bananas may be exposed to during packaging
and shipment in preservation module 300. Using this experimental
data, tables and/or algorithms could be developed which would
predict the level of change of nutritional, organoleptic, and/or
aesthetic values, or .DELTA.N, for a particular banana based upon
information collected regarding the environmental conditions to
which the banana was exposed during its time in preservation module
300. While the ultimate goal for nutritional substance supply
system 10 would be the actual measurement of nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values to determine .DELTA.N, use of
derived nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values from
experimental data to determine .DELTA.N would allow improved
logistics planning because it provides the ability to prospectively
estimate changes to nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
values, or .DELTA.N, and because it allows more accurate tracking
of changes to nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values,
or .DELTA.N, while technology and systems are put in place to allow
actual measurement.
[0090] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of transformation module 400 of
the present invention. Transformation module 400 includes
transformer 410, which acts upon nutritional substance 420, and
information transmission module 430. When transformer 410 receives
a nutritional substance 420, information transmission module 430
also receives, or retrieves information about the particular
nutritional substance 420 that is to be transformed. This
information can include creation information, preservation
information, packaging information, shipping information, and
possibly previous transformation information. After nutritional
substance 420 has been transformed by transformer 410, such
information is passed along with the transformed nutritional
substance 420 by the information transmission module 430.
[0091] For example, sweet corn that arrives for processing by
transformer 410 has information associated with it, including the
corn variety, where it was planted, when it was planted, when it
was picked, the soil it was grown in, the water used for
irrigation, and the fertilizers and pesticides that were used
during its growth. There may also be information on nutritional
and/or organoleptic and/or aesthetic values of the corn when it was
preserved for shipment. This information may be stored in the
labeling of the corn. However, it may be stored in a database
maintained by the grower, shipper, or the nutritional substances
industry, also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value
database. Such information could be accessed by means of
telecommunications systems, such as wireless telecommunication
systems.
[0092] Additionally, the corn may have information associated with
it regarding how it was preserved for shipment from the farm to
transformation module 400. Such information may include historical
information on the environment exterior the container it was
shipped in, internal conditions of the container and actual
information about the corn during the shipment. Additionally, if
the preservation system acted upon such information in preserving
the corn, information about the preservation measures may also be
available. Such information may be stored in the preservation
system. However, it may be stored in a database maintained by the
grower, shipper, or the nutritional substances industry, also
referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database. Such
information could be accessed by means of telecommunications
systems, such as wireless telecommunication systems.
[0093] In the example where the nutritional substance 420 is corn,
transformer 410 removes the husk and the silk from the corn. It
then separates the kernels from the cob, washes the kernels, and
cooks them. Finally, transformer 410 packages the cooked corn in a
can and labels the can. The label on the can may contain all the
information provided to information transmission module 430.
Preferably, this information is referenced by a dynamic encode or
tag, herein referred to as a dynamic information identifier, which
identifies the information regarding the corn in the can that is
being transmitted by information transmission module 430.
[0094] In practice, information transmission module 430 would
receive the information regarding the nutritional substance 420
from a database that is being used to track the corn during its
journey from the farm to the consumer. When transformer 410
transforms nutritional substance 420, information transmission
module 430 retrieves the appropriate information from the database
and transmits it to another database. Alternatively, the
information retrieved by transmission module 430 would be
transmitted back to the original database, noting that the
transformation had occurred. Preferably, the information regarding
the corn retrieved by transmission module 430 would simply be
appended with the information that the transformation had occurred.
Such databases are individually and collectively referred to herein
as a dynamic nutritional value database.
[0095] If the nutritional substance 420 can no longer be tracked by
the reference information or dynamic information identifier that
accompanied the nutritional substance from the creator, then new
reference information or a new dynamic information identifier may
be created. For example, if the corn is combined with lima beans in
the transformer 410, to make succotash, then the information for
each may be combined and assigned a new reference number or a new
dynamic information identifier. Preferably, a new entry is created
in the dynamic nutritional value database, with references to the
information related to the corn and the information related to the
lima beans.
[0096] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of transformation module 400 of
the present invention. Transformation module 400 includes
transformer 410, which acts upon nutritional substance 420, and
information transmission module 430. When transformer 410 receives
a nutritional substance 420, information transmission module 430
also receives, or retrieves information about the particular
nutritional substance 420 that is to be transformed. This
information can include creation information, packaging
information, shipping information, and possibly previous
transformation information. After nutritional substance 420 has
been transformed by transformer 410, such information is passed
along with the transformed nutritional substance 420 by the
information transmission module 430, along with specific
information relating to the transformation done by transformer
410.
[0097] For example, sweet corn that arrives for processing by
transformer 410 has information associated with it, including the
corn variety, where it was planted, when it was planted, when it
was picked, the soil it was grown in, the water used for
irrigation, and the fertilizers and pesticides that were used
during its growth. There may also be information on nutritional,
organoleptic and aesthetic values of the corn when it was preserved
for shipment. This information may be stored in the labeling of the
corn. However, it may be stored in a dynamic nutritional value
database maintained by the grower, shipper, or the nutritional
substances industry. Such information could be accessed by
telecommunications systems, such as wireless telecommunication
systems.
[0098] Additionally, the corn may have information associated with
it regarding how it was preserved for shipment from the farm to
transformation module 400. Such information may include historical
information on the environment exterior the container it was
shipped in, internal conditions of the container and actual
information about the corn during the shipment. Additionally, if
the preservation system acted upon such information in preserving
the corn, information about the preservation measures may also be
available. Such information may be stored in the preservation
system. However, it may be stored in a dynamic nutritional value
database maintained by the grower, shipper, or the nutritional
substances industry. Such information could be accessed by means of
telecommunications systems, such as wireless telecommunication
systems.
[0099] In the example where the nutritional substance 420 is corn,
transformer 410 removes the husk and the silk from the corn. It
then separates the kernels from the cob, washes the kernels, and
cooks them. Finally, transformer 410 packages the cooked corn in a
can and labels the can.
[0100] During this transformation of the nutritional substance 420
by transformer 410, information about the transformation can be
captured by transformer 410 and sent to information transmission
module 430. This information can include how the transformation was
accomplished; including information on the transformer used, the
recipe implemented by transformer 410, and the settings for
transformer 410 when the transformation occurred. Additionally, any
information created during the transformation by transformer 410
can be sent to the information transmission module 430. This could
include measured information, such as the actual cooking
temperature, length of time of each of the steps, or weight or
volume measurements. Additionally, this information could include
measured aesthetic, organoleptic and nutritional values.
[0101] The label on the can may contain all the information
provided to information transmission module 430. Preferably, this
information is referenced by a dynamic information identifier which
identifies the information regarding the corn in the can that is
being transmitted by information transmission module 430.
[0102] In practice, information transmission module 430 would
receive the information regarding the nutritional substance 420
from a database that is being used to track the corn during its
journey from the farm to the consumer. When transformer 410
transforms nutritional substance 420, information transmission
module 430 retrieves the appropriate information from the database,
appends it with the information from transformer 410 regarding the
transformation, and transmits it to another database.
Alternatively, such information would be transmitted back to the
original database, including the transformation information.
Preferably, the information regarding the corn would simply be
appended with the information from transformer 410 about the
transformation. Such databases are individually and collectively
referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database
[0103] If the nutritional substance 420 can no longer be tracked by
the reference information or a dynamic information identifier that
accompanied the nutritional substance from the creator, then new
reference information or a new dynamic information identifier may
be created. For example, if the corn is combined with lima beans in
the transformer 410, to make succotash, then the information for
each may be combined and assigned a new reference number or a new
dynamic information identifier. Preferably, a new entry is created
in the dynamic nutritional value database, with references to the
information related to the corn and the information related to the
lima beans.
[0104] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of transformation module 400 of
the present invention. Transformation module 400 includes
transformer 410, which acts upon nutritional substance 420, and
information transmission module 430. When transformer 410 receives
a nutritional substance 420, information transmission module 430
also receives, or retrieves information about the particular
nutritional substance 420 that is to be transformed. This
information can include creation information, packaging
information, shipping information, and possibly previous
transformation information. This information is used by transformer
410 to dynamically modify the transformation, the process referred
to herein as adaptive transformation. After nutritional substance
420 has been transformed by transformer 410, such information is
passed along with the transformed nutritional substance 420 by the
information transmission module 430, along with specific
information relating to the adaptive transformation done by
transformer 410.
[0105] For example, sweet corn that arrives for processing by
transformer 410 has origination information associated with it,
including the corn variety, where it was planted, when it was
planted, when it was picked, the soil it was grown in, the water
used for irrigation, and the fertilizers and pesticides that were
used during its growth. There may also be source information on
nutritional, organoleptic and aesthetic values of the corn when it
was preserved for shipment. This information may be stored in the
labeling of the corn. However, it may be stored in a dynamic
nutritional value database maintained by the grower, shipper, or
the nutritional substances industry. Such information could be
accessed by telecommunications systems, such as wireless
telecommunication systems.
[0106] Additionally, the corn may have information associated with
it regarding how it was preserved for shipment from the farm to
transformation module 400. Such information may include historical
information on the environment exterior the container it was
shipped in, internal conditions of the container and actual
information about the corn during the shipment. Additionally, if
the preservation system acted upon such information in preserving
the corn, information about the preservation measures may also be
available. Such information may be stored in the preservation
system. However, it may be stored in a database maintained by the
grower, shipper, or the nutritional substances industry, also
referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database. Such
information could be accessed by means of telecommunications
systems, such as wireless telecommunication systems.
[0107] Any, or all, of this information can be provided to
transformer 410 by information transmission module 430. Transformer
410 can dynamically modify its transformation of nutritional
substance 420 in response to such information to adaptively
transform the nutritional substance in order to preserver or
improve or minimize the degradation of the nutritional,
organoleptic and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substance
420.
[0108] In the example where the nutritional substance 420 is corn,
transformer 410 removes the husk and the silk from the corn. It
then separates the kernels from the cob, washes the kernels, and
cooks them. In response to the information provided by information
transmission module 430, transformer can dynamically modify the
cooking temperature and time. For example, if transformer 410
receives information that indicates that the corn is low in certain
desirable nutrients, it might lower the cooking temperature and
time to preserve those nutrients, thus achieving a more desirable
nutritional value related to those specific nutrients in the
transformed nutritional substance. However, if transformer 410
receives information that indicates that the corn is high in tough
starches, it might raise the cooking temperature and time to soften
the corn, thus achieving a more desirable organoleptic value
related to the texture of the transformed nutritional substance.
Finally, transformer 410 packages the cooked corn in a can and
labels the can.
[0109] Additionally, transformer 410 can modify its transformation
of the nutritional substance in response to measured attributes of
the particular nutritional substance 420 being transformed. For
example, transformer 410 can measure the color of the corn to be
processed, and in response make adjustment to the transformation to
preserve or enhance the color of the transformed corn, thus
achieving a more desirable aesthetic value related to the
appearance of the transformed nutritional substance.
[0110] During this adaptive transformation of the nutritional
substance 420 by transformer 410, information about the
transformation can be captured by transformer 410 and sent to
information transmission module 430. This information can include
how the transformation was accomplished; including information on
any dynamic transformation modifications in response to information
about the particular nutritional substance to be transformed, the
recipe implemented by transformer 410, and the settings for
transformer 410 when the transformation occurred. Additionally, any
information created during the transformation by transformer 410
can be sent to the information transmission module 430. This could
include measured information, such as the actual cooking
temperature, length of time of each of the steps. Additionally,
this information could include measured organoleptic, aesthetic,
and nutritional information, weight, and physical dimension.
[0111] The label on the packaging may contain all the information
provided to information transmission module 430. Preferably, this
information is referenced by a dynamic information identifier which
identifies the information regarding the nutritional substance in
the packaging that is being transmitted by information transmission
module 430.
[0112] In practice, information transmission module 430 would
utilize a dynamic information identifier provided with the
nutritional substance to retrieve and receive the information
regarding the nutritional substance 420 from a database that is
being used to track the corn during its journey from the farm to
the consumer. When transformer 410 transforms nutritional substance
420, information transmission module 430 retrieves the appropriate
information from the database, appends it with the information from
transformer 410 regarding the transformation, and transmits it to
another database. Alternatively, such information would be
transmitted back to the original database, including the
transformation information. Preferably, the information regarding
the corn would simply be appended with the information from
transformer 410 about the transformation. Such databases are
individually and collectively referred to herein as a dynamic
nutritional value database.
[0113] If the nutritional substance 420 can no longer be tracked by
the reference information or dynamic information identifier that
accompanied the nutritional substance from the creator, then new
reference information or a new dynamic information identifier may
be created. For example, if the corn is combined with lima beans in
the transformer 410, to make succotash, then the information for
each may be combined and assigned a new reference number or a new
dynamic information identifier. Preferably, a new entry is created
in the dynamic nutritional value database, with references to the
information related to the corn and the information related to the
lima beans.
[0114] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of conditioner module 500 of the
present invention. Conditioner system 510 receives nutritional
substance 520 for conditioning before it is delivered to consumer
540. Controller 530 is operably connected to conditioner system
510. In fact, controller 530 may be integrated within conditioner
system 510, or provided as a separate device, shown in FIG. 3.
[0115] In an embodiment of the present invention, conditioner 570
is provided without controller 530, however it is provided in a
format to be compatible with controller 530. Such a conditioner is
also referred to herein as an information capable conditioner. In
contrast, traditional conditioners, also referred to herein as dumb
conditioners, are not information capable, are not compatible with
controller 530, and accordingly will always be dumb conditioners.
As information enabled nutritional substances and conditioning
systems according to the present invention are increasingly
available, dumb conditioners will become increasingly obsolete.
[0116] Information capable conditioners may be provided in a
variety of configurations known to those skilled in the art, and
the examples offered herein are for purposed of illustration and
not intended to be limiting in any way. In one example of an
information capable conditioner, it is provided with traditional
functionality, that is, it will interact with nutritional
substances in a traditional fashion, whether the nutritional
substance is information enabled or not. However, the information
capable conditioner is compatible with separately available
controller 530, such that at any time during or after the
manufacture and sale of the information capable conditioner,
controller 530 may be coupled with the information capable
conditioner to enable the full functionality and benefit of
conditioner module 500. Information capable conditioners provide
appliance manufacturers and consumers great flexibility, and will
not become obsolete like dumb conditioners.
[0117] The coupling of controller 530 to the information capable
conditioner may take any physical and/or communication format known
to those skilled in the art. These may include, but are not limited
to: an information capable conditioner provided with Bluetooth, or
other wireless near-field communication capability, to communicate
with a communication-compatible controller 530 which may be any of
a completely separate unit, an externally attachable unit, and an
internally placed unit; an information capable conditioner provided
with a USB port, or other electronic communication capability, to
communicate with a communication-compatible controller 530 which
may be any of a completely separate unit, an externally attachable
unit, and an internally placed unit; an information capable
conditioner provided with a fiber optic port, or other optical
communication capability, to communicate with a
communication-compatible controller 530 which may be any of a
completely separate unit, an externally attachable unit, and an
internally placed unit; or an information capable conditioner
provided with WiFi, or other wireless communication capability, to
communicate with a WiFi compatible controller 530 which may be any
of a completely separate unit, an externally attachable unit, and
an internally placed unit. It is understood that the controller 530
may be provided with its own consumer interface, may communicate
and be operated through the consumer interface provided with the
information capable conditioner, or a combination of both.
[0118] When conditioner system 510 receives nutritional substance
520 for conditioning, nutritional substance reader 590 either
receives information regarding nutritional substance 520 and
provides it to controller 530, which is the case if the nutritional
substance 520 contains a label which includes the information about
nutritional substance 520, and/or the nutritional substance reader
590 receives reference information allowing retrieval of the
information and provides it to controller 530, which is the case if
the nutritional substance 520 is associated with, or provided with
a dynamic information identifier. In the case where nutritional
substance 520 contains a label which includes the desired
information about nutritional substance 520, nutritional substance
reader 590 reads this information, provides it to controller 530,
which makes it available to consumer 540 by means of consumer
interface 560.
[0119] For example, if nutritional substance 520 is a ready-to-eat
frozen dinner which needs to be heated by conditioner system 510,
nutritional substance reader 590 would read a label on nutritional
substance 520, thereby receiving the information regarding
nutritional substance 520, and then provide the information to
controller 530. This information could include creation information
as to the creation of the various components which constitute the
ready-to-eat dinner. This information could include information
about where and how the corn in the ready-to-eat dinner was grown,
including the corn seed used, where it was planted, how it was
planted, how it was irrigated, when it was picked, and information
on fertilizers and pesticides used during its growth. Additionally,
this information could include the cattle lineage, health,
immunization, dietary supplements that were fed to the cattle that
was slaughtered to obtain the beef in the ready-to-eat dinner.
[0120] The information from a label on nutritional substance 520
could also include information on how the components were preserved
for shipment from the form or slaughterhouse on their path to the
nutritional substance transformer who prepared the ready-to-eat
dinner. Additional information could include how the nutritional
substance transformer transformed the components into the
ready-to-eat dinner, such as recipe used, additives to the dinner,
and actual measured conditions during the transformation into the
ready-to-eat dinner.
[0121] While such information could be stored on a label located on
the packaging for nutritional substance 520 so as to be read by
nutritional substance reader 590, provided to controller 530, and
provided to consumer interface 560 for display to consumer 540,
preferably, the label on the nutritional substance package includes
reference information, such as a dynamic information identifier,
which is read by nutritional substance reader 590 and provided to
controller 530 that allows controller 530 to retrieve the
information about nutritional substance 520 from nutritional
substance database 550. Further, linking consumer feedback and
updates regarding observed or measured changes in the nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substances
would provide for virtually real time updates of .DELTA.N
information from the actual consumer.
[0122] Nutritional substance database 550 could be a database
maintained by the transformer of nutritional substance 520 for
access by consumers of such nutritional substance 520 to track or
estimate changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
values of those nutritional substances, as well as any other
information about the nutritional substance that can be tracked,
including but not limited to the examples previously described.
However, preferably, nutritional substance database 550 is a
database maintained by the nutritional substance industry for all
such information regarding nutritional substances grown, raised,
preserved, transformed, conditioned and consumed by consumer 540,
in which case it is the database contained within information
module 100 and also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional
value database.
[0123] It is important to note that while FIGS. 6-9 of various
embodiments of the present invention show nutritional substance
database 550 as part of the conditioner module 500, they are in no
way limited to this interpretation. It is understood that this
convention is only one way of illustrating the inventions described
herein, and it is further understood that this is in no way
limiting to the scope of the present invention. The same is
understood for recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and
nutritional substance industry database 558.
[0124] In an alternate embodiment of the present invention,
controller 530, in addition to providing information regarding
nutritional substance 520 to consumer 540, also receives
information from conditioner system 510 on how nutritional
substance 520 was conditioned. Additionally, conditioner system 510
may also measure or sense information about nutritional substance
520 during its conditioning by conditioner system 510, and provide
such information to controller 530, so that such information could
also be provided to consumer 540, via consumer interface 560.
Further, the controller 530 can receive information from the
consumer via consumer interface 560 regarding observed or measured
changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values
of nutritional substances before or after conditioning, to provide
virtually real time updates of .DELTA.N information from the actual
consumer, for use by the controller and/or transmission to the
nutritional substance database 550.
[0125] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
controller 530 organizes and correlates the information it receives
regarding nutritional substance 520 from the various sources of
such information, including nutritional substance database 550 and
conditioner system 510, and presents such information through
consumer interface 560 to consumer 540 in a manner useful to
consumer 540. For example, such information may be provided in a
manner that assists consumer 540 in understanding how nutritional
substance 520 meets consumer's 540 nutritional needs. It could
organize information regarding nutritional substance 520 to track
consumer's 540 weight loss program. Controller 530 could have
access to, or maintain, information regarding consumer 540, so as
to track and assist consumer 540 in meeting their specific
nutritional needs.
[0126] In another embodiment of the present invention conditioner
system 510 could be a plurality of conditioner devices which can be
selectively operated by controller 530 to prepare nutritional
substance 520. Conditioner system 510 can be either a single
conditioning device, such as a microwave oven, conventional oven,
toaster, blender, steamer, stovetop, or human cook. Conditioner
system 510 may be a plurality of conditioners 570. In the case
where a plurality of conditioners 570 comprise conditioner system
510, nutritional substance 520 may be manually or automatically
transferred between conditioners 570 for eventual transfer to
consumer 540.
[0127] Nutritional substance reader 590 may be an automatic reader
such as a barcode reader or RFID sensor which receives information
from nutritional substance 520 or a reference code from nutritional
substance 520, such as a dynamic information identifier associated
with, or provided with the nutritional substance 520, and provides
this information to controller 530. Nutritional substance reader
590 might also be a manual entry system where the reference code,
such as a dynamic information identifier associated with, or
provided with the nutritional substance 520, is manually entered
into nutritional substance reader 590 for use by controller 530, or
may alternatively be manually entered into consumer interface 560
for use by controller 530.
[0128] Nutritional substance database 550 could be a flat database,
relational database or, preferably, a multi-dimensional database.
Nutritional substance database 550 could be local but, preferably,
it would be located remotely, such as on the internet, and accessed
via a telecommunication system, such as a wireless
telecommunication system. Controller 530 can be implemented using a
computing device, such as a micro-controller, micro-processor,
personal computer, or tablet computer. Controller 530 could be
integrated to include nutritional substance reader 590, consumer
interface 560, and/or nutritional substance database 550.
Additionally, controller 530 may be integrated in conditioner
system 510, including integration into conditioner 570.
[0129] It is important to note that while FIGS. 6-8 of various
embodiments of the present invention show nutritional substance
database 550 as part of the conditioner module 500, they are in no
way limited to this interpretation. It is understood that this
convention is only one way of illustrating the inventions described
herein, and it is further understood that this is in no way
limiting to the scope of the present invention. The same is
understood for recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and
nutritional substance industry database 558. For example, any of
nutritional substance database 550, recipe database 555, consumer
database 580, and nutritional substance industry database 558 can
be contained within information module 100 or within conditioner
module 500.
[0130] Consumer interface 560 can be implemented as a display
device mounted on controller 530, conditioner system 510, or
conditioner 570. However, consumer interface 560 is preferably a
tablet computer, personal computer, personal assistant, or smart
phone, running appropriate software, such as an app.
[0131] While conditioner module 500 can be located in the
consumer's home, conditioner module 500 may be located at a
restaurant or other food service establishment for use in preparing
nutritional substances 520 for consumers who patronize such an
establishment. Additionally, conditioner module 500 could be
located at a nutritional substance seller such as a grocery store
or health food store for preparation of nutritional substances 520
purchased by consumers at such an establishment. It could be
foreseen that conditioner modules 500 could become standalone
businesses where consumers select nutritional substances for
preparation at the establishment or removal from the establishment
for consumption elsewhere.
[0132] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of conditioning module 500 of the
present invention. Conditioner system 510 receives nutritional
substance 520 for conditioning before it is delivered to consumer
540. Controller 530 is operably connected to conditioner system
510. In fact, controller 530 may be integrated within conditioner
system 510, although in FIG. 7, it is shown as a separate device.
When conditioner system 510 receives nutritional substance 520 for
conditioning, nutritional substance reader 590 either receives
information regarding nutritional substance 520 and provides it to
controller 530, which is the case if the nutritional substance 520
contains a label which includes the information about nutritional
substance 520, and/or the nutritional substance reader 590 receives
reference information, such as a dynamic information identifier,
and provides it to controller 530, allowing retrieval of the
information about nutritional substance 520 from nutritional
substance database 550, which is the case when the nutritional
substance is associated with, or provided with, a dynamic
information identifier. In the case where nutritional substance 520
contains a label which includes information about nutritional
substance 520, nutritional substance reader 590 reads this
information, provides it to controller 530 and makes it available
to consumer 540 by means of consumer interface 560.
[0133] In an embodiment of the present invention, conditioner
system 510 comprises conditioner 570. Conditioner 570 is a
conditioning apparatus which can perform a number of operations on
nutritional substance 520, separately and/or at the same time. For
example, conditioner 570 could be a combination microwave oven,
convection oven, grill, and conventional oven. Controller 530 could
operate conditioner 570 to execute a sequence of conditioning
cycles on nutritional substance 520 to complete its
conditioning.
[0134] For example, if nutritional substance 520 is a whole frozen
turkey to be prepared for dinner, consumer 540 would place the
turkey in conditioner 570, the combination cooking unit suggested
above. Controller 530 would receive and/or create a protocol of
conditioning cycles. Such a protocol could be read by nutritional
substance reader 590 from a label on nutritional substance 520.
Alternately, a protocol of conditioning cycles could be obtained
from nutritional substance database 550 through reference
information, such as a dynamic information identifier, obtained by
nutritional substance reader 590 from nutritional substance 520.
For example, a label on the turkey, could be read by nutritional
substance reader 590, providing reference information for the
turkey, such as a dynamic information identifier, which controller
530 uses to obtain a conditioning protocol for the turkey from
nutritional substance database 550.
[0135] An example of such a conditioning protocol for a frozen
turkey could be to operate conditioner 570, the combination cooking
unit, in the following fashion. First, controller 530 instructs
conditioner 570 to use the microwave function of the combination
cooking unit to defrost the turkey according to the conditioning
protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance
database 550 and possibly according to conditioner information
provided by conditioner 570, such as the weight of the turkey and
information regarding the defrosting process as measured by
conditioner 570. Following defrosting of the turkey, controller 530
next instructs the combination cooking unit to operate as a
convection oven to cook the turkey, according to the conditioning
protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance
database 550, for a sufficient length of time so as to ensure that
the turkey reaches the proper internal temperature to meet safety
requirements, and to maximize organoleptic and/or nutritional
properties. Alternatively, the conditioning protocol obtained for
the turkey from nutritional substance database 550 may depend upon
a direct measurement of the internal temperature of the turkey, or
a combination of measured temperature and time. Following the
convection oven cooking of the turkey, controller 530 could
instruct the combination cooking unit to grill the turkey,
according to the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from
nutritional substance database 550, for a sufficient period of time
to create a desirable golden and crispy skin. Alternatively, the
conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional
substance database 550 may depend upon a direct measurement by an
optical sensor of external aesthetic values of the turkey such as
color, change of color, texture, or change of texture.
Alternatively, the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey
from nutritional substance database 550 may depend upon a direct
measurement by an infrared sensor of the surface temperature of the
turkey, or a combination time, measured aesthetic values, and/or
measured surface temperature. Finally, controller 530 could
instruct the combination cooking unit to use all three cooking
functions at the same time to prepare the turkey for optimal
consumption according to the conditioning protocol obtained for the
turkey from nutritional substance database 550.
[0136] Alternately, conditioner system 510 could be composed of a
plurality of conditioners 570. While an automated system for moving
a nutritional substance between such conditioners would be optimal,
conditioner system 510 could be operated manually by consumer 540
from instructions provided by the controller 530 to consumer
interface 560. In this embodiment, controller 530 could provide
consumer 540 with instructions as to where to move the turkey after
each step in the conditioning protocol. In this example, controller
530 instructs consumer 540 through consumer interface 560 to first
place the frozen turkey in conditioner 570, a microwave oven.
Controller 530 instructs the microwave oven to defrost the turkey
based on information possibly provided by nutritional substance
reader 590, nutritional substance database 550 and/or conditioner
570. Upon completion of defrosting by the microwave oven,
controller 530 could instruct consumer 540 through interface 560 to
move the defrosted turkey from the microwave oven to another
conditioner 570, a convection oven. Controller 530 would operate
the convection oven to cook the turkey for a sufficient length of
time so as to ensure that the turkey reaches the proper internal
temperature to meet safety requirements, and to maximize
organoleptic and/or nutritional properties. Finally, following the
cooking cycle in the convection oven, controller 530 could instruct
consumer 540 through consumer interface 560 to move the turkey from
the convection oven to another conditioner 570, a grill. Controller
530 would operate the grill so as to grill the turkey for a
sufficient period of time to create a desirable golden and crispy
skin.
[0137] Alternately, conditioner system 510 could be composed of a
plurality of conditioners 570; and a consumer 540 (which would
include any individuals preparing the turkey for consumption),
fulfilling additional conditioner rolls, as will be explained.
While an automated system for moving a nutritional substance
between such conditioners would be optimal, conditioner system 510
could be operated manually by consumer 540 from instructions
provided by a consumer interface 560, which in this case could be a
handheld device such as a cellular phone, tablet computer, PDA, or
any other device useful for communicating with nutritional
substance database 550 and the consumer 540. The handheld device
additionally fulfills the roll of nutritional substance reader 590
and controller 530. For example, the consumer 540 can utilize a
camera function of the handheld device to read a barcode, or QR
code, on or associated with the turkey, wherein the code provides a
dynamic information identifier. The handheld device can then use
the dynamic information identifier to retrieve information
regarding the turkey from nutritional substance database 550. In
this example, consumer 540 utilizes the handheld device to read a
barcode (or any other readable code) on the turkey, the barcode
containing a dynamic information identifier associated with
information regarding the turkey within the nutritional substance
database 550. The consumer 540 uses the handheld device to retrieve
and review a conditioning protocol from nutritional substance
database 550, and is accordingly instructed as to where to move the
turkey for each step in the conditioning protocol and further
instructed on the conditioning parameters required for each step of
the conditioning protocol. In this example, consumer 540 retrieves
and reviews a conditioning protocol from nutritional substance
database 550 using the handheld device and is instructed to first
place the frozen turkey in conditioner 570, a microwave oven, and
further instructed on conditioning parameters for the microwave
oven to defrost the turkey based. Consumer 540 is instructed that
upon completion of defrosting by the microwave oven, the turkey is
to be moved to another conditioner 570, a convection oven. Consumer
540 is further instructed on conditioning parameters for the
convection oven to cook the turkey for a sufficient length of time
so as to ensure that the turkey reaches the proper internal
temperature to meet safety requirements, and to maximize
organoleptic and/or nutritional properties. Finally, consumer 540
is instructed that upon completion of cooking by the convection
oven, the turkey is to be moved to another conditioner 570, a
grill, and further instructed on conditioning parameters for the
grill so as to grill the turkey for a sufficient period of time to
create a desirable golden and crispy skin.
[0138] In the case where conditioner system 510 is a plurality of
conditioners 570, it would also be possible for controller 530 to
manage conditioners 570 within conditioner system 510 so as to
produce a complete meal. For example, controller 530 could select
conditioning protocols which would maximize the use of each
conditioner 570. For example, in a meal comprising a turkey, home
baked bread, and acorn squash, controller 530 could stage and
operate the microwave oven, convection oven, and grill to minimize
preparation time for the meal by determining which item should be
cooked in which conditioner 570, in which order, to maximize usage
of each conditioner 570 in conditioning system 510. In this
example, while the turkey is being defrosted in the microwave oven,
controller 530 could instruct consumer 540 through interface 560 to
place the bread dough in the convection oven and the acorn squash
on the grill. Following the defrosting of the turkey, when the
turkey is moved to the convection oven, which finished baking the
bread, the bread could be moved to the grill for browning, and the
acorn squash could be moved to microwave oven to keep warm until
the entire meal is ready.
[0139] For example, if nutritional substance 520 is a ready-to-eat
frozen dinner which needs to be heated by conditioner system 510,
nutritional substance reader 590 would read a label on nutritional
substance 520, thereby receiving information regarding nutritional
substance 520, and then provide the information to controller 530.
This information could include creation information as to the
creation of the various components which constitute the
ready-to-eat dinner. This information could include information
about where and how the corn in the ready-to-eat dinner was grown,
including the corn seed used, where it was planted, how it was
planted, how it was irrigated, when it was picked, and information
on fertilizers and pesticides used during its growth. Additionally,
this information could include the cattle lineage, health,
immunization, dietary supplements that were fed to the cattle that
was slaughtered to obtain the beef in the ready-to-eat dinner.
[0140] The information from a label on nutritional substance 520
could also include information on how the components were preserved
for shipment from the farm or slaughterhouse on their path to the
nutritional substance transformer who prepared the ready-to-eat
dinner. Additional information could include how the nutritional
substance transformer transformed the components into the
ready-to-eat dinner, such as recipe used, additives to the dinner,
and actual measured conditions during the transformation into the
ready-to-eat dinner.
[0141] While such information could be stored on a label located on
the packaging for nutritional substance 520 so as to be read by
nutritional substance reader 590, provided to controller 530, and
provided to consumer interface 560 for display to consumer 540,
preferably, the label on the nutritional substance package includes
reference information, such as a dynamic information identifier,
which is read by nutritional substance reader 590 and provided to
controller 530 that allows controller 530 to retrieve the
information about nutritional substance 520 from nutritional
substance database 550. Further, linking consumer feedback and
updates regarding observed or measured changes in the nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substances
would provide for virtually real time updates of .DELTA.N
information from the actual consumer.
[0142] Nutritional substance database 550 could be a database
maintained by the transformer of nutritional substance 520 for
access by consumers of such nutritional substance 520 to track or
estimate changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
values of those nutritional substances, as well as any other
information about the nutritional substance that can be tracked,
including but not limited to the examples previously described.
However, preferably, nutritional substance database 550 is a
database within information module 100 that is maintained by the
nutritional substance industry for all such information regarding
nutritional substances grown, raised, preserved, transformed,
conditioned and consumed by consumer 540, in which case it is the
database contained within information module 100 and also referred
to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database.
[0143] In an alternate embodiment of the present invention,
controller 530, in addition to providing information regarding
nutritional substance 520 to consumer 540, also receives
information from conditioner system 510 on how nutritional
substance 520 was conditioned. Additionally, conditioner system 510
may also measure or sense information about nutritional substance
520 during its conditioning by conditioner system 510, and provide
such information to controller 530, so that such information could
also be provided to consumer 540, via consumer interface 560.
[0144] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
controller 530 organizes and correlates the information it receives
regarding nutritional substance 520 from the various sources of
such information, including nutritional substance database 550 and
conditioner system 510, and presents such information through
consumer interface 560 to consumer 540 in a manner useful to
consumer 540. For example, such information may be provided in a
manner that assists consumer 540 in understanding how nutritional
substance 520 meets consumer's 540 nutritional needs before or
after conditioning, or how it meets the consumer's needs based on
various proposed conditioning parameters. It could organize
information regarding nutritional substance 520 to track consumer's
540 weight loss program. Controller 530 could have access to, or
maintain, information regarding consumer 540, so as to track and
assist consumer 540 in meeting their specific nutritional
needs.
[0145] In another embodiment of the present invention conditioner
system 510 could be a plurality of conditioner devices which can be
selectively operated by controller 530 to prepare nutritional
substance 520. Conditioner system 510 can be either a single
conditioning device, such as a microwave oven, conventional oven,
toaster, blender, steamer, stovetop, or human cook. Conditioner
system 510 may be a plurality of conditioners 570. In the case
where a plurality of conditioners 570 comprise conditioner system
510, nutritional substance 520 may be manually or automatically
transferred between conditioners 570 for eventual transfer to
consumer 540.
[0146] Nutritional substance reader 590 may be an automatic reader
such as a barcode reader or RFID sensor which receives information
from nutritional substance 520 or a reference code from nutritional
substance 520, such as a dynamic information identifier, and
provides this information to controller 530. Nutritional substance
reader 590 might also be a manual entry system where the reference
code, such as a dynamic information identifier associated with, or
provided with the nutritional substance 520 is manually entered
into nutritional substance reader 590 for controller 530.
[0147] Nutritional substance database 550 could be a flat database,
relational database or, preferably, a multi-dimensional database.
Nutritional substance database 550 could be local but, preferably,
it would be located remotely, such as on the internet, and accessed
via a telecommunication system, such as a wireless
telecommunication system. Controller 530 can be implemented using a
computing device, such as a micro-controller, micro-processor,
personal computer, or tablet computer. Controller 530 could be
integrated to include nutritional substance reader 590, consumer
interface 560, and/or nutritional substance database 550.
Additionally, controller 530 may be integrated in conditioner
system 510, including integration into conditioner 570.
[0148] It is important to note that while FIGS. 6-9 of various
embodiments of the present invention show nutritional substance
database 550 as part of the conditioner module 500, they are in no
way limited to this interpretation. It is understood that this
convention is only one way of illustrating the inventions described
herein, and it is further understood that this is in no way
limiting to the scope of the present invention. The same is
understood for recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and
nutritional substance industry database 558. For example, any of
nutritional substance database 550, recipe database 555, consumer
database 580, and nutritional substance industry database 558 can
be contained within information module 100 or within conditioner
module 500.
[0149] Consumer interface 560 can be implemented as a display
device mounted on controller 530, conditioner system 510, or
conditioner 570. However, consumer interface 560 is preferably a
tablet computer, personal computer, personal assistant, or smart
phone, running appropriate software, such as an app.
[0150] While conditioner module 500 can be located in the
consumer's home, conditioner module 500 may be located at a
restaurant or other food service establishment for use in preparing
nutritional substances 520 for consumers who patronize such an
establishment. Additionally, conditioner module 500 could be
located at a nutritional substance seller such as a grocery store
or health food store for preparation of nutritional substances 520
purchased by consumers at such an establishment. It could be
foreseen that conditioner modules 500 could become standalone
businesses where consumers select nutritional substances for
preparation at the establishment or removal from the establishment
for consumption elsewhere.
[0151] Additionally, controller 530 uses nutritional substance
information retrieved by nutritional substance reader 590 from
nutritional substance 520, or retrieved from nutritional substance
database 550 using reference information obtained by nutritional
substance reader 590 from nutritional substance 520, to dynamically
modify the operation of conditioner system 510 to maintain
organoleptic and nutritional properties of nutritional substance
520. For example, if the nutritional substance 520 is a
ready-to-eat dinner, controller 530 could modify the instructions
to conditioner system 530 in response to information regarding the
corn used in the ready-to-eat dinner such that a temperature and
cooking duration can be modified to affect the organoleptic,
nutritional, taste, and/or appearance of the corn.
[0152] In an embodiment of the present invention, the label on
nutritional substance 520 could contain the conditioning
instructions for nutritional substance 520, or a reference, such as
a dynamic information identifier, to such conditioning instructions
in nutritional substance database 550. In operation, this would
allow controller 530 to obtain information about nutritional
substance 520 on how to dynamically operate conditioner system 510
to condition nutritional substance 520, without consumer
intervention. Additionally, conditioning instructions for
nutritional substance 520 could be provided for a variety of
different conditioner systems 510, or conditioners 570, and
controller could select the proper conditioning instructions.
[0153] In a further embodiment of the present invention,
nutritional substance reader 590 and/or conditioner system 510
measures or senses information about the current state of
nutritional substance 520 and provides such information to
controller 530 to allow controller 530 to dynamically modify
operation of conditioner system 510.
[0154] In an additional embodiment of the present invention,
consumer 540 provides information regarding their needs and/or
desires with regard to the nutritional substance 520 to consumer
interface 560. Consumer interface 560 provides this information to
controller 530 so as to allow controller 530 to dynamically modify
conditioning parameters used by conditioner system 510 in the
conditioning of nutritional substance 520, or to request from
nutritional substance database 550 dynamically modified
conditioning parameters to be used by conditioner system 510 in the
conditioning of nutritional substance 520. Consumer's 540 needs
and/or desires could include nutritional parameters, taste
parameters, aesthetic parameters. For example, consumer 540 may
have needs for certain nutrients which are present in nutritional
substance 520 prior to conditioning. Controller 530 could modify
operation of conditioner system 510 so as to preserve such
nutrients. For example, conditioner system 500 can cook the
nutritional substance at a lower temperature and/or for a shorter
duration so as to minimize nutrient loss. The consumer's 540 needs
and/or desires may be related to particular nutritional,
organoleptic, an/or aesthetic values, and may additionally be
related to other nutritional substance attributes that are
retrievable through the nutritional substance database 550 using a
dynamic information identifier, such as nutritional substance
additives, preservatives, genetic modifications, origins, and
traceability. Further, the consumer's needs and/or desires could be
part of a consumer profile provided to the controller 530 through
the consumer interface 560 or otherwise available to controller
530. The consumer's needs and/or desires could be exclusionary in
nature, for example no products of animal origin, no peanuts or
peanut-derived products, no farm raised products, no pork products,
or no imported products. In these cases, the nutritional substance
database 550 could provide information that would prevent the
consumer from preparing and/or consuming products that the consumer
cannot, should not, or prefers not to consume.
[0155] The consumer's 540 organoleptic and/or aesthetic desires
could include how rare or well done they prefer a particular
nutritional substance to be prepared. For example, consumer 540 may
prefer his vegetables to be crisp or pasta to be prepared al dente.
With such information provided by consumer 540 to controller 530
through consumer interface 560, controller 530 can dynamically
modify operation of conditioner system 510 responsive to the
consumer information and provide a nutritional substance according
to the consumer's desires.
[0156] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention,
controller 530 receives information regarding the history of
nutritional substance 520, current information on nutritional
substance 520, and consumer 540 needs and/or desires, and
dynamically modifies operation of conditioner system 510 responsive
to the information so as to provide a nutritional substance
according to the consumer's needs and/or desires. For example, if
nutritional substance 520 is a steak, controller 530 would receive
reference information regarding the steak, nutritional substance
520, from nutritional substance reader 590. Controller 530 would
use this reference information to obtain information about the
steak from nutritional substance database 550. Controller 530 could
also receive current information about the steak from nutritional
substance reader 590 and/or conditioner 510. Additionally,
controller 530 could receive consumer 540 preferences from consumer
interface 560. Finally, controller 530 could receive information
from conditioner system 510 during the conditioning of the steak,
nutritional substance 520. Using some or all of such information,
controller 530 would dynamically modify the cooking of the steak to
preserve, optimize, or enhance organoleptic, nutritional, and
aesthetic properties to meet consumer 540 needs. For example, the
steak could be cooked slowly to preserve iron levels within the
meat, and also cooked to well-done to meet consumer's 540
taste.
[0157] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of conditioning module 500 of the
present invention. Conditioner system 510 receives nutritional
substance 520 for conditioning before it is delivered to consumer
540. Controller 530 is operably connected to conditioner system
510. In fact, controller 530 may be integrated within conditioner
system 510, although in FIG. 5, it is shown as a separate device.
When conditioner system 510 receives nutritional substance 520 for
conditioning, nutritional substance reader 590 either receives
information regarding nutritional substance 520 and provides it to
controller 530, which is the case if the nutritional substance 520
contains a label which includes the information about nutritional
substance 520, and/or the nutritional substance reader 590 receives
reference information, such as a dynamic information identifier,
and provides it to controller 530, allowing retrieval of the
information about nutritional substance 520 from nutritional
substance database 550, which is the case when the nutritional
substance is associated with, or provided with, a dynamic
information identifier. In the case where nutritional substance 520
contains a label which includes information about nutritional
substance 520, nutritional substance reader 590 reads this
information, provides it to controller 530 and makes it available
to consumer 540 by means of consumer interface 560.
[0158] In an embodiment of the present invention, conditioner
system 510 comprises conditioner 570. Conditioner 570 is a
conditioning apparatus which can perform a number of operations on
nutritional substance 520, separately and/or at the same time. For
example, conditioner 570 could be a combination microwave oven,
convection oven, grill, and conventional oven. Controller 530 could
operate conditioner 570 to execute a sequence of conditioning
cycles on nutritional substance 520 to complete its
conditioning.
[0159] For example, if nutritional substance 520 is a whole frozen
turkey to be prepared for dinner, consumer 540 would place the
turkey in conditioner 570, the combination cooking unit suggested
above. Controller 530 would receive and/or create a protocol of
conditioning cycles. Such a protocol could be read by nutritional
substance reader 590 from a label on nutritional substance 520.
Alternately, a protocol of conditioning cycles could be obtained
from nutritional substance database 550 through reference
information such as a dynamic information identifier, obtained by
nutritional substance reader 590 from nutritional substance 520.
For example, a label on the turkey could be read by nutritional
substance reader 590, providing reference information for the
turkey, such as a dynamic information identifier, which controller
530 uses to obtain a conditioning protocol for the turkey from
nutritional substance database 550.
[0160] An example of such a conditioning protocol for a frozen
turkey could be to operate conditioner 570, the combination cooking
unit in the following fashion. First, controller 530 instructs
conditioner 570 to use the microwave function of the combination
cooking unit to defrost the turkey according to the conditioning
protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance
database 550 and possibly according to conditioner information
provided by conditioner 570, such as the weight of the turkey and
information regarding the defrosting process as measured by
conditioner 570. Following defrosting of the turkey, controller 530
next instructs the combination cooking unit to operate as a
convection oven to cook the turkey, according to the conditioning
protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional substance
database 550, for a sufficient length of time so as to ensure that
the turkey reaches the proper internal temperature to meet safety
requirements, and to maximize organoleptic and/or nutritional
properties. Alternatively, the conditioning protocol obtained for
the turkey from nutritional substance database 550 may depend upon
a direct measurement of the internal temperature of the turkey, or
a combination of measured temperature and time. Following the
convection oven cooking of the turkey, controller 530 could
instruct the combination cooking unit to grill the turkey,
according to the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from
nutritional substance database 550, for a sufficient period of time
to create a desirable golden and crispy skin. Alternatively, the
conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey from nutritional
substance database 550 may depend upon a direct measurement by an
optical sensor of external aesthetic values of the turkey such as
color, change of color, texture, or change of texture.
Alternatively, the conditioning protocol obtained for the turkey
from nutritional substance database 550 may depend upon a direct
measurement by an infrared sensor of the surface temperature of the
turkey, or a combination time, measured aesthetic values, and/or
measured surface temperature. Finally, controller 530 could
instruct the combination cooking unit to use all three cooking
functions at the same time to prepare the turkey for optimal
consumption according to the conditioning protocol obtained for the
turkey from nutritional substance database 550.
[0161] Alternately, conditioner system 510 could be composed of a
plurality of conditioners 570. While an automated system for moving
a nutritional substance between such conditioners would be optimal,
conditioner system 510 could be operated manually by consumer 540
from instructions provided by the controller 530 to consumer
interface 560. In this embodiment, controller 530 could provide
consumer 540 with instructions as to where to move the turkey after
each step in the conditioning protocol. In this example, controller
530 instructs consumer 540 through consumer interface 560 to first
place the frozen turkey in conditioner 570, a microwave oven.
Controller 530 instructs the microwave oven to defrost the turkey
based on information possibly provided by nutritional substance
reader 590, nutritional substance database 550 and/or conditioner
570. Upon completion of defrosting by the microwave oven,
controller 530 could instruct consumer 540 through interface 560 to
move the defrosted turkey from the microwave oven to another
conditioner 570, a convection oven. Controller 530 would operate
the convection oven to cook the turkey for a sufficient length of
time so as to ensure that the turkey reaches the proper internal
temperature to meet safety requirements, and to maximize
organoleptic and/or nutritional properties. Finally, following the
cooking cycle in the convection oven, controller 530 could instruct
consumer 540 through consumer interface 560 to move the turkey from
the convection oven to another conditioner 570, a grill. Controller
530 would operate the grill so as to grill the turkey for a
sufficient period of time to create a desirable golden and crispy
skin.
[0162] Alternately, conditioner system 510 could be composed of a
plurality of conditioners 570; and a consumer 540 (which would
include any individuals preparing the turkey for consumption),
fulfilling additional conditioner rolls, as will be explained.
While an automated system for moving a nutritional substance
between such conditioners would be optimal, conditioner system 510
could be operated manually by consumer 540 from instructions
provided by a consumer interface 560, which in this case could be a
handheld device such as a cellular phone, tablet computer, PDA, or
any other device useful for communicating with nutritional
substance database 550 and the consumer 540. The handheld device
additionally fulfills the roll of nutritional substance reader 590
and controller 530. For example, the consumer 540 can utilize a
camera function of the handheld device to read a barcode, or QR
code, on or associated with the turkey, wherein the code provides a
dynamic information identifier. The handheld device can then use
the dynamic information identifier to retrieve information
regarding the turkey from nutritional substance database 550. In
this example, consumer 540 utilizes the handheld device to read a
barcode (or any other readable code) on the turkey, the barcode
containing a dynamic information identifier associated with
information regarding the turkey within the nutritional substance
database 550. The consumer 540 uses the handheld device to retrieve
and review a conditioning protocol from nutritional substance
database 550, and is accordingly instructed as to where to move the
turkey for each step in the conditioning protocol and further
instructed on the conditioning parameters required for each step of
the conditioning protocol. In this example, consumer 540 retrieves
and reviews a conditioning protocol from nutritional substance
database 550 using the handheld device and is instructed to first
place the frozen turkey in conditioner 570, a microwave oven, and
further instructed on conditioning parameters for the microwave
oven to defrost the turkey based. Consumer 540 is instructed that
upon completion of defrosting by the microwave oven, the turkey is
to be moved to another conditioner 570, a convection oven. Consumer
540 is further instructed on conditioning parameters for the
convection oven to cook the turkey for a sufficient length of time
so as to ensure that the turkey reaches the proper internal
temperature to meet safety requirements, and to maximize
organoleptic and/or nutritional properties. Finally, consumer 540
is instructed that upon completion of cooking by the convection
oven, the turkey is to be moved to another conditioner 570, a
grill, and further instructed on conditioning parameters for the
grill so as to grill the turkey for a sufficient period of time to
create a desirable golden and crispy skin.
[0163] In the case where conditioner system 510 is a plurality of
conditioners 570, it would also be possible for controller 530 to
manage conditioners 570 within conditioner system 510 so as to
produce a complete meal. For example, controller 530 could select
conditioning protocols which would maximize the use of each
conditioner 570. For example, in a meal comprising a turkey, home
baked bread, and acorn squash, controller 530 could stage and
operate the microwave oven, convection oven, and grill to minimize
preparation time for the meal by determining which item should be
cooked in which conditioner 570, in which order, to maximize usage
of each conditioner 570 in conditioning system 510. In this
example, while the turkey is being defrosted in the microwave oven,
controller 530 could instruct consumer 540 through interface 560 to
place the bread dough in the convection oven and the acorn squash
on the grill. Following the defrosting of the turkey, when the
turkey is moved to the convection oven, which finished baking the
bread, the bread could be moved to the grill for browning, and the
acorn squash could be moved to microwave oven to keep warm, until
the entire meal is ready.
[0164] For example, if nutritional substance 520 is a ready-to-eat
frozen dinner which needs to be heated by conditioner system 510,
nutritional substance reader 590 would read a label on nutritional
substance 520 thereby receiving information regarding nutritional
substance 520, and then provide the information to controller 530.
This information could include creation information as to the
creation of the various components which constitute the
ready-to-eat dinner. This information could include information
about where and how the corn in the ready-to-eat dinner was grown,
including the corn seed used, where it was planted, how it was
planted, how it was irrigated, when it was picked, and information
on fertilizers and pesticides used during its growth. Additionally,
this information could include the cattle lineage, health,
immunization, dietary supplements that were fed to the cattle that
was slaughtered to obtain the beef in the ready-to-eat dinner.
[0165] The information from a label on nutritional substance 520
could also include information on how the components were preserved
for shipment from the farm or slaughterhouse on their path to the
nutritional substance transformer who prepared the ready-to-eat
dinner. Additional information could include how the nutritional
substance transformer transformed the components into the
ready-to-eat dinner, such as recipe used, additives to the dinner,
and actual measured conditions during the transformation into the
ready-to-eat dinner.
[0166] While such information could be stored on a label located on
the packaging for nutritional substance 520 so as to be read by
nutritional substance reader 590, provided to controller 530, and
provided to consumer interface 560 for display to consumer 540,
preferably, the label on the nutritional substance package includes
reference information, such as a dynamic information identifier,
which is read by nutritional substance reader 590 and provided to
controller 530 that allows controller 530 to retrieve the
information about nutritional substance 520 from nutritional
substance database 550. Further, linking consumer feedback and
updates regarding observed or measured changes in the nutritional,
organoleptic, and/or aesthetic values of nutritional substances
would provide for virtually real time updates of .DELTA.N
information from the actual consumer.
[0167] Nutritional substance database 550 could be a database
maintained by the transformer of nutritional substance 520 for
access by consumers of such nutritional substance 520 to track or
estimate changes in the nutritional, organoleptic, and/or aesthetic
values of those nutritional substances, as well as any other
information about the nutritional substance that can be tracked,
including but not limited to the examples previously described.
However, preferably, nutritional substance database 550 is a
database within information module 100 that is maintained by the
nutritional substance industry for all such information regarding
nutritional substances grown, raised, preserved, transformed,
conditioned and consumed by consumer 540, in which case it is the
database contained within information module 100 and also referred
to herein as a dynamic nutritional value database.
[0168] In an alternate embodiment of the present invention,
controller 530, in addition to providing information regarding
nutritional substance 520 to consumer 540, also receives
information from conditioner system 510 on how nutritional
substance 520 was conditioned. Additionally, conditioner system 510
may also measure or sense information about nutritional substance
520 during its conditioning by conditioner system 510, and provide
such information to controller 530, so that such information could
also be provided to consumer 540, via consumer interface 560.
[0169] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
controller 530 organizes and correlates the information it receives
regarding nutritional substance 520 from the various sources of
such information, including nutritional substance database 550 and
conditioner system 510, and presents such information through
consumer interface 560 to consumer 540 in a manner useful to
consumer 540. For example, such information may be provided in a
manner that assists consumer 540 in understanding how nutritional
substance 520 meets consumer's 540 nutritional needs before or
after conditioning, or how it meets the consumer's needs based on
various proposed conditioning parameters. It could organize
information regarding nutritional substance 520 to track consumer's
540 weight loss program. Controller 530 could have access to, or
maintain, information regarding consumer 540, so as to track and
assist consumer 540 in meeting their specific nutritional
needs.
[0170] In another embodiment of the present invention conditioner
system 510 could be a plurality of conditioner devices which can be
selectively operated by controller 530 to prepare nutritional
substance 520. Conditioner system 510 can be either a single
conditioning device, such as a microwave oven, conventional oven,
toaster, blender, steamer, stovetop, or human cook. Conditioner
system 510 may be a plurality of conditioners 570. In the case
where a plurality of conditioners 570 comprise conditioner system
510, nutritional substance 520 may be manually or automatically
transferred between conditioners 570 for eventual transfer to
consumer 540.
[0171] Nutritional substance reader 590 may be an automatic reader
such as a barcode reader or RFID sensor which receives information
from nutritional substance 520 or a reference code from nutritional
substance 520, such as a dynamic information identifier, and
provides this information to controller 530. Nutritional substance
reader 590 might also be a manual entry system where the reference
code, such as a dynamic information identifier associated with, or
provided with the nutritional substance 520 is manually entered
into nutritional substance reader 590 for controller 530.
[0172] Nutritional substance database 550 could be a flat database,
relational database or, preferably, a multi-dimensional database.
Nutritional substance database 550 could be local but, preferably,
it would be located remotely, such as on the internet, and accessed
via a telecommunication system, such as a wireless
telecommunication system. Controller 530 can be implemented using a
computing device, such as a micro-controller, micro-processor,
personal computer, or tablet computer. Controller 530 could be
integrated to include nutritional substance reader 590, consumer
interface 560, and/or nutritional substance database 550.
Additionally, controller 530 may be integrated in conditioner
system 510, including integration into conditioner 570.
[0173] It is important to note that while FIGS. 6-9 of various
embodiments of the present invention show nutritional substance
database 550 as part of the conditioner module 500, they are in no
way limited to this interpretation. It is understood that this
convention is only one way of illustrating the inventions described
herein, and it is further understood that this is in no way
limiting to the scope of the present invention. The same is
understood for recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and
nutritional substance industry database 558. For example, any of
nutritional substance database 550, recipe database 555, consumer
database 580, and nutritional substance industry database 558 can
be contained within information module 100 or within conditioner
module 500.
[0174] Consumer interface 560 can be implemented as a display
device mounted on controller 530, conditioner system 510, or
conditioner 570. However, consumer interface 560 is preferably a
tablet computer, personal computer, personal assistant, or smart
phone, running appropriate software, such as an app.
[0175] While conditioner module 500 can be located in the
consumer's home, conditioner module 500 may be located at a
restaurant or other food service establishment for use in preparing
nutritional substances 520 for consumers who patronize such an
establishment. Additionally, conditioner module 500 could be
located at a nutritional substance seller such as a grocery store
or health food store for preparation of nutritional substances 520
purchased by consumers at such an establishment. It could be
foreseen that conditioner modules 500 could become standalone
businesses where consumers select nutritional substances for
preparation at the establishment or removal from the establishment
for consumption elsewhere.
[0176] Additionally, controller 530 uses nutritional substance
information retrieved by nutritional substance reader 590 from
nutritional substance 420, or retrieved from nutritional substance
database 550 using reference information obtained by nutritional
substance reader 590 from nutritional substance 420, to dynamically
modify the operation of conditioner system 510 to maintain
nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic properties of nutritional
substance 420. For example, if the nutritional substance 420 is a
ready-to-eat dinner, controller 530 could modify the instructions
to conditioner system 530 in response to source and .DELTA.N
information regarding corn used in the ready-to-cat dinner such
that a temperature and cooking duration can be modified to affect
the nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic properties of the corn.
Further, the modified conditioning parameters may be directly
intended to optimize a nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic
property of the corn targeted by the transformer of the
ready-to-eat dinner during transformation.
[0177] In an embodiment of the present invention, the label on
nutritional substance 420 could contain the conditioning
instructions for nutritional substance 420, or a reference, such as
a dynamic information identifier, to such conditioning instructions
in nutritional substance database 550. In operation, this would
allow controller 530 to obtain information about nutritional
substance 420 on how to dynamically operate conditioner system 510
to condition nutritional substance 420, without consumer
intervention. Additionally, conditioning instructions for
nutritional substance 420 could be provided for a variety of
different conditioner systems 510, or conditioners 570, and
controller could select the proper conditioning instructions. The
dynamic operation of conditioner system 510 may be directly
intended to optimize a nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic
property of the nutritional substance targeted by the transformer
of the nutritional substance during transformation.
[0178] In a further embodiment of the present invention,
nutritional substance reader 590 and/or conditioner system 510
measures or senses information about the current state of
nutritional substance 520 and provides such information to
controller 530 to allow controller 530 to dynamically modify
operation of conditioner system 510.
[0179] In an additional embodiment of the present invention,
consumer 540 provides information regarding their needs and/or
desires with regard to the nutritional substance 520 to consumer
interface 560. Consumer interface 560 provides this information to
controller 530 so as to allow controller 530 to dynamically modify
conditioning parameters used by conditioner system 510 in the
conditioning of nutritional substance 520, or to request from
nutritional substance database 550 dynamically modified
conditioning parameters to be used by conditioner system 510 in the
conditioning of nutritional substance 520. Consumer's 540 needs
and/or desires could include nutritional parameters, taste
parameters, aesthetic parameters. For example, consumer 540 may
have needs for certain nutrients which are present in nutritional
substance 520 prior to conditioning. Controller 530 could modify
operation of conditioner system 510 so as to preserve such
nutrients. For example, conditioner system 500 can cook the
nutritional substance at a lower temperature and/or for a shorter
duration so as to minimize nutrient loss. The consumer's 540 needs
and/or desires may be related to particular nutritional,
organoleptic, an/or aesthetic values, and may additionally be
related to other nutritional substance attributes that are
retrievable through the nutritional substance database 550 using a
dynamic information identifier, such as nutritional substance
additives, preservatives, genetic modifications, origins, and
traceability. Further, the consumer's needs and/or desires could be
part of a consumer profile provided to the controller 530 through
the consumer interface 560 or otherwise available to controller
530. The consumer's needs and/or desires could be exclusionary in
nature, for example no products of animal origin, no peanuts or
peanut-derived products, no farm raised products, no pork products,
no horsemeat products, or no imported products. In these cases, the
nutritional substance database 550 could provide information that
would prevent the consumer from preparing and/or consuming products
that the consumer cannot, should not, or prefers not to
consume.
[0180] The consumer's 540 nutritional, organoleptic or aesthetic
desires could include how rare or well done they prefer a
particular nutritional substance to be prepared. For example,
consumer 540 may prefer his vegetables to be crisp or pasta to be
prepared al dente. With such information provided by consumer 540
to controller 530 through consumer interface 560, controller 530
can dynamically modify operation of conditioner system 510
responsive to the consumer information and provide a nutritional
substance according to the consumer's desires.
[0181] In an embodiment of the present invention, controller 530
receives information regarding the history of nutritional substance
420, current information on nutritional substance 420, and consumer
540 needs or desires, and dynamically modifies operation of
conditioner system 510 responsive to the information so as to
provide a nutritional substance according to the consumer's needs
or desires. For example, if nutritional substance 420 is a steak,
controller 530 would receive reference information, such as a
dynamic information identifier, regarding the steak, nutritional
substance 420, from nutritional substance reader 590. Controller
530 would use this reference information to obtain information
about the steak from nutritional substance database 550. Controller
530 could also receive current information about the steak from
nutritional substance reader 590 or conditioner 510. Additionally,
controller 530 could receive consumer 540 preferences from consumer
interface 560. Finally, controller 530 could receive information
from conditioner system 510 during the conditioning of the steak,
nutritional substance 420. Using some or all of such information,
controller 530 would dynamically modify the cooking of the steak to
preserve, optimize, or enhance organoleptic, nutritional, and
aesthetic properties to meet the consumer's 540 needs. For example,
the steak could be cooked slowly to preserve iron levels within the
meat, and also cooked to well-done to meet consumer's 540
taste.
[0182] Conditioner system 510 can prepare a nutritional substance
for consumer 540 which contains a plurality of nutritional
substances 520. Conditioner module 500 includes recipe database 555
which is operably connected to controller 530. Recipe database 555
can be part of nutritional substance database 550, or it can be a
stand-alone database. While recipe database 555 can be located
locally, it is preferably accessible to many conditioner modules
500 through a telecommunications system such as the internet,
including wireless telecommunications systems.
[0183] Controller 530 is also preferably connected to consumer
database 580. Consumer database 580 may be additionally connected
to consumer interface 560. Consumer database 580 could include
consumer's 540 organoleptic and nutritional needs, and consumer 540
preferences, and could be in the form of a consumer profile custom
tailored to an individual consumer or selected from a menu of
consumer profiles. Consumer database 580 may receive input
regarding consumer 540 from consumer 540, but could also include
information supplied by consumer's 540 medical records, exercise
records for the consumer's gym, and other information sources.
Consumer database 580 could include information regarding
regulatory actions and/or manufacturer warnings or recalls of
nutritional substances which may be obtained, have been obtained,
or may be prepared or consumed by the consumer. Additionally,
consumer database 580 could include information regarding
consumer's 540 preferences provided by controller 530 for previous
nutritional substance 520 conditionings. Finally, consumer database
580 could include consumer preferences from external sources such
as restaurants and grocery stores where consumer 540 purchases
nutritional substances 520. Finally, consumer database 580 could
include information from consumer module 600, in FIG. 1.
[0184] Consumer database 580 could be a local database maintained
by controller 530 or consumer interface 560. Preferably, consumer
database 580 is part of a nutritional substance industry database
containing such information regarding a plurality of consumers
540.
[0185] For example, controller 530 can operate to select the
necessary ingredients, nutritional substance 420, to prepare a
meal. In this case, nutritional substance 420 could be a plurality
of nutritional substances 420. In operation, consumer 540 could
select a dinner menu using consumer interface 560. Additionally,
consumer 540 could select a specific recipe from recipe database
555 or could select a recipe source within database 555, such as
low salt meals or recipes by a certain well-known chef. Controller
530 could prepare a shopping list for consumer 540 through consumer
interface 560. Alternatively, controller 530 could transmit a
shopping list to a nutritional substance 420 supplier such as a
grocery store, so consumer 540 could pick up such items already
selected or could have such items delivered.
[0186] Alternatively, if instructed by consumer 540 to utilize
nutritional substances on hand, which have been logged into
controller 530 through nutritional substance reader 590, controller
530 could modify or suggest a recipe that used only nutritional
substances 520 available to conditioner module 500. For example, if
consumer 540 instructs conditioner module 500 through conditioner
interface 560 that consumer 540 would like Italian food in the
style of a well-known Italian chef, controller 530 would utilize
information in its various databases to prepare such a meal. In
this case, controller 530 would match its inventory of available
nutritional substances with recipes from the well-known Italian
chef in recipe database 555 and find available recipes. Controller
530 could select a recipe that optimized consumer's 540 needs and
preferences and prepare a meal using conditioner system 510.
Alternatively, controller 530 could present various options to
consumer 540 using consumer interface 560, highlighting features of
each available meal from the standpoint of consumer's 540
nutritional needs and/or preferences.
[0187] In FIG. 9, nutritional substance database 550, recipe
database 555, and consumer database 580 are part of nutritional
substance industry database 558. Controller 530 would communicate
with nutritional substance industry database 558 through a
communication system such as the internet, and preferably a
telecommunications system such as wireless telecommunications. In
such an arrangement, controller 530 could even verify that local
supermarkets have the items in stock, retrieve and transmit a route
to get to the supermarket from the consumer's current location, and
further retrieve and transmit a route to follow within the
supermarket to efficiently obtain the items.
[0188] It is important to note that while FIGS. 6-8 of various
embodiments of the present invention show nutritional substance
database 550 as part of the conditioner module 500, they are in no
way limited to this interpretation. It is understood that this
convention is only one way of illustrating the inventions described
herein, and it is further understood that this is in no way
limiting to the scope of the present invention. The same is
understood for recipe database 555, consumer database 580, and
nutritional substance industry database 558. For example, any of
nutritional substance database 550, recipe database 555, consumer
database 580, and nutritional substance industry database 558 can
be contained within information module 100 or within conditioner
module 500.
[0189] In an embodiment of the present invention, a consumer
wishing to condition a nutritional substance using a conditioning
appliance according to the present invention can determine, and
knowingly affect, the true residual nutritional, organoleptic, or
aesthetic value of the nutritional substance after he puts it in
the conditioning appliance. To do so, the consumer would scan a
dynamic information identifier provided with the nutritional
substance using a scanner provided with the conditioning appliance.
This enables the conditioning appliance's controller to retrieve,
from the nutritional substance industry database, information
related to changes in nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic
values (.DELTA.N information) referenced to the dynamic information
identifier. Thereafter, the conditioning appliance controller can
request and receive input from the consumer by providing options
for the consumer to choose from through a consumer interface, also
referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional substance menu panel,
which may be a panel, screen, keyboard, or any known type of user
interface. The dynamic nutritional substance menu panel provides
the consumer with the ability to input the desired end results for
the residual nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value that
will remain after conditioning, such as by choosing among different
possible end results offered by the dynamic nutritional substance
menu panel. The controller then creates, or retrieves from the
nutritional substance industry database, adaptive conditioning
parameters that are responsive to: the .DELTA.N information
retrieved from the nutritional substance industry database using
the dynamic information identifier; and the consumer input obtained
through the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. These
adaptive conditioning parameters, also referred to herein as an
adaptive preparation sequence, are then communicated to the
consumer for implementation through the dynamic nutritional
substance menu panel, or alternatively, automatically implemented
by the controller.
[0190] For example, the consumer is ready to prepare a macaroni and
cheese entree using a combination microwave, convection, and grill
oven, according to the present invention. Further, the consumer
wants to serve the entree as soon as possible. The consumer first
uses the combination oven's scanner to scan the dynamic information
identifier provided with the macaroni and cheese entree. The
dynamic information identifier may be an optically readable label,
an RFID tag, or any other known format compatible with the
combination oven's scanner, attached to, or incorporated into, the
nutritional substance or its packaging. The combination oven
controller then retrieves the .DELTA.N information referenced to
the dynamic information identifier from the nutritional substance
industry database. The conditioning appliance's controller
additionally requests input from the consumer regarding the desired
residual nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the
macaroni and cheese entree following conditioning, by providing
options for the consumer to choose from through its dynamic
nutritional substance menu panel. It is understood that these
options may be presented in any known fashion, and while particular
presentation forms will be discussed herein, they are in no way
limiting. In this example, the dynamic nutritional substance menu
panel presents options for the consumer to choose from in a format
similar to the options provided by routing and navigation
applications (i.e. "shortest distance", "shortest time", "least
freeway travel", and so forth). For instance, the options provided
by the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel may be "fastest
preparation time", "highest nutritional value", and "crispy
topping" (corresponding to highest organoleptic value for texture).
The consumer can find out more detailed information regarding the
residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will
result from a particular option by selecting that option, whereupon
the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel will provide a summary
of the corresponding residual nutritional, organoleptic, and
aesthetic values, also referred to herein as a nutritional
substance residual value table. The dynamic nutritional substance
menu panel may further provide other useful information, such as,
but not limited to, the corresponding amount of conditioning time
required to achieve the selected option. If the consumer determines
that he is not pleased with his selection based upon the more
detailed information provided through the dynamic nutritional
substance menu panel, particularly the information in the
nutritional substance residual value table, he can return to the
previous screen and choose another option. The consumer can
continue to select options, review the more detailed information in
the corresponding nutritional substance residual value table, as
well as the other useful information provided, until he determines
that an option meets his requirements. Upon determining that an
option meets his needs, particularly needs related to the
information about residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic
values summarized by the nutritional substance residual value
table, the consumer proceeds with the option using the dynamic
nutritional substance menu panel, such as by selecting "proceed".
The conditioning appliance controller then implements the adaptive
preparation sequence, that is, the adaptive conditioning parameters
that are responsive to: the .DELTA.N information it has retrieved
from the nutritional substance industry database using the dynamic
information identifier provided with the macaroni and cheese
entree; and the consumer input obtained through the dynamic
nutritional substance menu panel. The adaptive preparation sequence
assures that the consumer will be provided with a conditioned
macaroni and cheese entree that meets his needs, particularly his
needs related to residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic
values of the conditioned entree.
[0191] In one example of the present invention, the consumer
wishing to prepare the macaroni and cheese entree selects the
"fastest preparation time" option on the dynamic nutritional
substance menu panel, as he needs to eat as soon as possible. The
dynamic nutritional substance menu panel then provides the consumer
with a nutritional substance residual value table showing the
residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will
result from adaptively conditioning the macaroni and cheese entree
with the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence, and
additionally provides the amount of time required to do so. The
consumer determines from the nutritional substance residual value
table that one of the entree's residual nutritional values, for the
purpose of this example, its complex carbohydrate content, will be
20% of its starting value. It is understood that the nutritional
substance residual value table may provide any number of individual
residual nutritional values, such as residual protein content,
residual folic acid content, and so forth, and that those provided
for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also
understood that residual nutritional value may be provided as an
aggregated value based on several independent residual nutritional
values. The consumer may additionally determine from the
nutritional substance residual value table that the entree's
residual organoleptic value for the crispness of its topping after
conditioning, will be 10%, where 0% represents not at all crisp and
100% represents very crisp. It is understood that the nutritional
substance residual value table may provide any number of individual
residual organoleptic values, such as a rating to determine if the
macaroni will be al dente, a rating for overall moistness of the
casserole, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of
this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that
residual organoleptic value may be provided as an aggregated value
based on several independent residual organoleptic values. The
consumer also determines from the dynamic nutritional substance
menu panel that the conditioning will take only 10 minutes. Today,
preparation time is the most important criteria to the consumer, so
he proceeds by placing the macaroni and cheese entree into the
combination oven, closing its door, and selecting the "proceed"
option on the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The
combination oven can now instruct the consumer through its dynamic
nutritional substance menu panel on the various settings and time
requirements to adaptively condition the macaroni and cheese entree
according to the adaptive preparation sequence. Alternatively, the
combination oven's controller can automatically implement the
adaptive preparation sequence, so that the consumer is free to do
other things while the entree is adaptively conditioned. In this
example, the adaptive preparation sequence requires mostly the
application of microwave at high intensity with a few seconds of
grill at the end of the sequence to cause a small amount of
crispness in the topping.
[0192] FIGS. 13a and 13b show formats according to the present
invention by which a .DELTA.N, and related residual and initial
nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values, may be expressed.
The car of corn shown on a microphone stand and labeled "INNIT" in
FIGS. 13a and 13b represents a nutritional, organoleptic, or
aesthetic value associated with a nutritional substance. While any
object may be chosen to represent a nutritional, organoleptic, or
aesthetic value, in a preferred embodiment, the chosen object
corresponds to a logo, symbol, mascot, or other object associated
with a Brand. Such a Brand might be associated with a nutritional
substance information system according to the present inventions, a
Measurement, Inspection, Engineering, Regulatory, Certification, or
other Standard, or any other Brand associated with the nutritional
substance and information industry. The object chosen to represent
a nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value is also referred to
herein as a .DELTA.N meter. In the following examples, the .DELTA.N
meter is the ear of corn shown on a microphone stand and labeled
"INNIT" shown in FIGS. 13a and 13b, and corresponds to the logo of
the provider of a nutritional substance information system
according to the present inventions.
[0193] In FIG. 13a, a .DELTA.N meter according to the present
invention communicates various items regarding a nutritional value,
for instance Vitamin-C value, in a corresponding nutritional
substance, for instance, a carton of orange juice provided with a
dynamic information identifier. A consumer desiring information
regarding Vitamin-C values of the orange juice can use his
smartphone to scan the dynamic information identifier and determine
the desired information. In this example, the information is
presented to the consumer on the screen of his smartphone in the
form of the .DELTA.N meter shown in FIG. 13a. The .DELTA.N meter of
this example communicates symbolically through color, and color
changes, the initial Vitamin-C value, the current Vitamin-C value,
and an expired Vitamin-C value. The values may be shown as relative
values without units of measure, as shown, or may further be
provided with actual units of measure. In this example, the
consumer is provided with a conceptual indicator regarding how much
the Vitamin-C value has degraded relative to its initial value and
where its current Vitamin-C value is relative to the expiration
value of the Vitamin-C.
[0194] In FIG. 13b, a .DELTA.N meter according to the present
invention communicates various items regarding a nutritional value,
for instance Vitamin-C value, in a corresponding nutritional
substance, for instance, a carton of orange juice provided with a
dynamic information identifier. A consumer desiring information
regarding Vitamin-C levels of the orange juice can use his
smartphone to scan the dynamic information identifier and determine
the desired information. In this example, the information is
presented to the consumer on the screen of his smartphone in the
form of the .DELTA.N meter shown in FIG. 13b. The .DELTA.N meter of
this example communicates symbolically through percent fill-level,
and percent fill-level changes, the initial Vitamin-C value, the
current Vitamin-C value, and an expired Vitamin-C value. The values
may be shown as relative values without units of measure, as shown,
or may further be provided with actual units of measure. In this
example, the consumer is provided with a conceptual indicator
regarding how much the Vitamin-C value has degraded relative to its
initial value and where its current Vitamin-C value is relative to
the expiration value of the Vitamin-C.
[0195] On another day, the same consumer is again going to prepare
another one of the same macaroni and cheese entrees in his
combination oven. He remembers that the last time he did, he was
impressed with the speed of preparation, but wished it would have
had higher residual complex carbohydrate values and also wished it
had a more crispy topping. Today he has no time constraints, and is
more interested in the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and
aesthetic values that can be achieved. He scans the dynamic
information identifier with the scanner on his combination oven.
The oven's controller retrieves .DELTA.N information referenced to
the dynamic information identifier from the nutritional substance
industry database and additionally requests input from the consumer
regarding the desired residual nutritional, organoleptic, or
aesthetic value of the macaroni and cheese entree following
conditioning, by providing options for the consumer to choose from
through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The options
are "fastest preparation time", "highest nutritional value", and
"crispy topping". The consumer selects the "highest nutritional
value" option from the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, as
he wants to eat a healthy meal. The dynamic nutritional substance
menu panel then provides the consumer with a nutritional substance
residual value table showing the residual nutritional,
organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will result from adaptively
conditioning the macaroni and cheese entree with the corresponding
adaptive preparation sequence, and additionally provides the amount
of time required to do so. The consumer determines from the
nutritional substance residual value table that one of the entree's
residual nutritional values, for the purpose of this example, its
complex carbohydrate content, will be 80% of its starting value. It
is understood that the nutritional substance residual value table
may provide any number of individual residual nutritional values,
such as residual protein content, residual folic acid content, and
so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example
are in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual
nutritional value may be provided as an aggregated value based on
several independent residual nutritional values. The consumer may
additionally determine from the nutritional substance residual
value table that the entree's residual organoleptic value for the
crispness of its topping after conditioning, will be 30%, where 0%
represents not at all crisp and 100% represents very crisp. It is
understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may
provide any number of individual residual organoleptic values, such
as a rating to determine if the macaroni will be aldente, a rating
for overall moistness of the casserole, and so forth, and that
those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way
limiting. It is also understood that residual organoleptic value
may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent
residual organoleptic values. The consumer also determines from the
dynamic nutritional substance menu panel that the conditioning will
take 40 minutes. Today, residual nutritional value is the most
important criteria to the consumer, so he proceeds by placing the
macaroni and cheese entree into the combination oven, closing its
door, and selecting the "proceed" option on the dynamic nutritional
substance menu panel. The combination oven can now instruct the
consumer through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel on
the various settings and time requirements to adaptively condition
the macaroni and cheese entree according to the corresponding
adaptive preparation sequence. Alternatively, the combination
oven's controller can automatically implement the adaptive
preparation sequence, so that the consumer is free to do other
things while the entree is adaptively conditioned. In this example,
the adaptive preparation sequence requires mostly the application
of convection heat with a minute of grill at the end of the
sequence to cause a small amount of crispness in the topping
without burning the cheese exposed to the grill.
[0196] On yet another day, the same consumer is again going to
prepare another one of the same macaroni and cheese entrees in his
combination oven. He remembers that the last time he did, he was
impressed with the high residual nutritional value of the entree,
but wondered if he could achieve a still more crispy topping while
achieving acceptable residual nutritional value. Today he has no
time constraints, and is more interested in the residual
nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that can be
achieved. He scans the dynamic information identifier with the
scanner on his combination oven. The oven's controller retrieves
.DELTA.N information referenced to the dynamic information
identifier from the nutritional substance industry database and
additionally requests input from the consumer regarding the desired
residual nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the
macaroni and cheese entree following conditioning, by providing
options for the consumer to choose from through a consumer
interface, also referred to herein as a dynamic nutritional
substance menu panel. The options are "fastest preparation time",
"highest nutritional value", and "crispy topping". The consumer
selects the "crispy topping" option from the dynamic nutritional
substance menu panel, as he initially wants to find out what the
residual nutritional value will be if he prepares the entree
according to his organoleptic preference for a crispy topping. The
dynamic nutritional substance menu panel then provides the consumer
with a nutritional substance residual value table showing the
residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will
result from adaptively conditioning the macaroni and cheese entree
with the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence, and
additionally provides the amount of time required to do so. The
consumer determines from the nutritional substance residual value
table that one of the entree's residual nutritional values, for the
purpose of this example, its complex carbohydrate content, will be
75% of its starting value. It is understood that the nutritional
substance residual value table may provide any number of individual
residual nutritional values, such as residual protein content,
residual folic acid content, and so forth, and that those provided
for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also
understood that residual nutritional value may be provided as an
aggregated value based on several independent residual nutritional
values. The consumer may additionally determine from the
nutritional substance residual value table that the entree's
residual organoleptic value for the crispness of its topping after
conditioning, will be 97%, where 0% represents not at all crisp and
100% represents very crisp. It is understood that the nutritional
substance residual value table may provide any number of individual
residual organoleptic values, such as a rating to determine if the
macaroni will be aldente, a rating for overall moistness of the
casserole, and so forth, and that those provided for the purpose of
this example are in no way limiting. It is also understood that
residual organoleptic value may be provided as an aggregated value
based on several independent residual organoleptic values. The
consumer also determines from the dynamic nutritional substance
menu panel that the conditioning will take 90 minutes. Today, the
residual organoleptic value related to the topping crispness is the
most important criteria to the consumer, and he has verified that
he makes only a small sacrifice in the residual nutritional value
to achieve this, so he proceeds by placing the macaroni and cheese
entree into the combination oven, closing its door, and selecting
the "proceed" option on the dynamic nutritional substance menu
panel. The combination oven can now instruct the consumer through
its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel on the various
settings and time requirements to adaptively condition the macaroni
and cheese entree according to the corresponding adaptive
preparation sequence. Alternatively, the combination oven's
controller can automatically implement the adaptive preparation
sequence, so that the consumer is free to do other things while the
entree is adaptively conditioned. In this example, the adaptive
preparation sequence requires mostly the application of low
convection heat with 3 intervals of 1 minute of grill at the end of
the sequence to cause a significant amount of crispness in the
topping.
[0197] FIG. 12 shows an alternate embodiment of a conditioner
module according to the present invention, wherein a conditioner,
also referred to herein as a conditioning appliance, may have
features enabling it to communicate with an alternate database that
facilitates identification of a nutritional substance to be
conditioned without the need for a dynamic information identifier.
Such features may include, but are not limited to, sensors capable
of measuring and collecting data regarding visual appearance,
taste, smell, volatiles, texture, touch, sound, chemical
composition, temperature, weight, volume, density, hardness,
viscosity, surface tension, and any other known physical attribute
of the nutritional substance, and are also referred to herein as
nutritional substance attribute sensors. These may include, but are
not limited to, optical sensors, laser sensors, cameras, electric
noses, microphones, olfactory sensors, surface topography
measurement equipment, three dimensional measuring equipment,
chemical assays, hardness measuring equipment, ultrasound
equipment, impedance detectors, temperature measuring equipment,
weight measurement equipment, and any known sensor capable of
providing data regarding a physical attribute of a nutritional
substance. The alternate database would consist of a massive
library of nutritional substance attribute data, related to the
visual appearance, taste, smell, texture, touch, chemical
composition and any other known physical attributes, referenced to
corresponding nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic states of
known nutritional substances, and is herein referred to as the
nutritional substance attribute library.
[0198] At this juncture it can be understood that a nutritional,
organoleptic or aesthetic value of a nutritional substance can be
indicated by its olfactory values. Typically, but not necessarily,
olfactory values are detectable by the human sense of smell.
However, nutritional substance may emit or produce gaseous
components that are not detectable or discernable by the human
sense of smell but, nevertheless, may be indicative of particular
nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic state of the nutritional
substance. In addition, olfactory values can be indicative of
contamination or adulteration of nutritional substances by other
substances.
[0199] It is understood that the utilization of the nutritional
substance attribute sensors according to the present invention can
provide beneficial information regarding adulteration or
mislabeling of nutritional substances.
[0200] In an example of a conditioning appliance equipped with
nutritional substance attribute sensors, a consumer places a turkey
breast in a combination microwave, convection, and grill oven
equipped with nutritional substance attribute sensors. The
nutritional substance attribute sensors collect a variety of
physical attribute data from the turkey breast. The conditioning
appliance's controller then transmits the physical attribute data
collected to the nutritional substance industry database, for
comparison to the nutritional substance attribute library contained
therein. It is understood that while FIG. 12 shows the nutritional
substance industry database as part of the conditioner module, it
may reside in the information module. It is further understood that
while the nutritional substance attribute library is shown as part
of the nutritional substance industry database, this only for the
purposes of example and not intended to be limiting in any way, and
it may reside within the information module or may exist as an
independent database. When a match is found for the physical
attribute data collected from the turkey breast placed in the
conditioning appliance, the nutritional substance industry database
can determine that the matching nutritional substance attribute
library dataset corresponds to a turkey breast with known
nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values, and that it weighs
2 pounds and is at a temperature of 40 deg. F. Thereafter, the
conditioning appliance controller can request input from the
consumer by providing options for the consumer to choose from
through a consumer interface, also referred to herein as a dynamic
nutritional substance menu panel, which may be a panel, screen,
keyboard, or any known type of user interface. The dynamic
nutritional substance menu panel provides the consumer with the
ability to input the desired end results for the residual
nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value that will remain
after conditioning, such as by choosing among different possible
end results offered by the dynamic nutritional substance menu
panel. The controller then creates, or retrieves from the
nutritional substance industry database, adaptive conditioning
parameters that are responsive to: the nutritional, organoleptic,
and aesthetic value information retrieved from the nutritional
substance industry database using the nutritional substance
attribute library; and the consumer input obtained through the
dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. These adaptive
conditioning parameters, also referred to herein as adaptive
preparation sequence, are then communicated to the consumer for
implementation through the dynamic nutritional substance menu
panel, or alternatively, automatically implemented by the
controller.
[0201] In the above example, the consumer is ready to prepare a
turkey breast using a combination microwave, convection, and grill
oven equipped with nutritional substance attribute sensors. The
consumer places the turkey breast in the combination oven, where
the oven's nutritional substance attribute sensors sense various
physical attribute data from the turkey breast. The combination
oven controller then transmits the sensed attribute data to the
nutritional substance industry database for comparison to the
nutritional substance attribute library. The nutritional substance
industry database determines that the sensed data matches the
nutritional substance attribute library dataset corresponding to
turkey breast having specific nutritional, organoleptic, and
aesthetic values, and also determines that its weight and
temperature. The conditioning appliance's controller additionally
requests input from the consumer regarding the desired residual
nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the turkey breast
following conditioning, by providing options for the consumer to
choose from through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel.
It is understood that these options may be presented in any known
fashion, and while particular presentation forms will be discussed
herein, they are in no way limiting. In this example, the dynamic
nutritional substance menu panel presents options for the consumer
to choose from in a format similar to the options provided by
routing and navigation applications (i.e. "shortest distance",
"shortest time", "least freeway travel", and so forth). For
instance, the options provided by the dynamic nutritional substance
menu panel may be "fastest preparation time", "highest nutritional
value", and "tender" (corresponding to highest residual
organoleptic value for texture). The consumer can find out more
detailed information regarding the residual nutritional,
organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will result from a
particular option by selecting that option, whereupon the dynamic
nutritional substance menu panel will provide a summary of the
corresponding residual nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic
values, also referred to herein as a nutritional substance residual
value table. The dynamic nutritional substance menu panel may
further provide other useful information, such as, but not limited
to, the corresponding amount of conditioning time required to
achieve the selected option. If the consumer determines that he is
not pleased with his selection based upon the more detailed
information provided through the dynamic nutritional substance menu
panel, particularly the information in the nutritional substance
residual value table, he can return to the previous screen and
choose another option. The consumer can continue to select options,
review the more detailed information in the nutritional substance
residual value table, as well as the other useful information
provided, until he determines that an option meets his
requirements. Upon determining that an option meets his needs,
particularly needs related to the information about residual
nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values summarized by the
nutritional substance residual value table, the consumer can
proceed with the option by using the dynamic nutritional substance
menu panel, such as by selecting "proceed". The conditioning
appliance controller then implements adaptive conditioning
parameters that are responsive to: the information it has retrieved
from the nutritional substance industry database by comparing
sensed physical attribute data to the nutritional substance
attribute library; and the consumer input obtained through the
dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. These adaptive
conditioning parameters, also referred to herein as adaptive
preparation sequence, assure that the consumer will be provided
with an adaptively conditioned turkey breast that meets his needs,
particularly his needs related to residual nutritional,
organoleptic, and aesthetic values of the adaptively conditioned
turkey breast.
[0202] In one example of the present invention, the consumer
wishing to prepare the turkey breast selects the "fastest
preparation time" option on the dynamic nutritional substance menu
panel, as he needs to cat as soon as possible. The dynamic
nutritional substance menu panel then provides the consumer with a
nutritional substance residual value table showing the residual
nutritional, organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will result
from adaptively conditioning the turkey breast with the
corresponding adaptive preparation sequence, and additionally
provides the amount of time required to do so. The consumer
determines from the nutritional substance residual value table that
one of the turkey breast's residual nutritional values, for the
purpose of this example, its residual protein content, will be 60%
of its starting value. It is understood that the nutritional
substance residual value table may provide any number of individual
residual nutritional values, such as residual complex carbohydrate
content, residual fat content, residual folic acid content, and so
forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are
in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual nutritional
value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several
independent residual nutritional values. The consumer may
additionally determine from the nutritional substance residual
value table that the turkey breast's residual organoleptic value
for tenderness after conditioning will be 10%, where 0% represents
not at all tender and 100% represents very tender. It is understood
that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any
number of individual residual organoleptic values, such as a rating
to determine if the turkey breast will be well done, a rating for
overall moistness of the turkey breast, and so forth, and that
those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way
limiting. It is also understood that residual organoleptic value
may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent
residual organoleptic values. The consumer also determines from the
dynamic nutritional substance menu panel that the adaptive
conditioning will take only 8 minutes. Today, preparation time is
the most important criteria to the consumer, so he proceeds by
selecting the "proceed" option on the dynamic nutritional substance
menu panel. The combination oven can now instruct the consumer
through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel on the various
settings and time requirements to adaptively condition the turkey
breast according to the corresponding adaptive preparation
sequence. Alternatively, the combination oven's controller can
automatically implement the adaptive preparation sequence, so that
the consumer is free to do other things while the turkey breast is
adaptively conditioned. In this example, the adaptive preparation
sequence requires mostly the application of microwave at high
intensity with a few seconds of grill at the end of the sequence to
cause a small amount of crispness in the skin.
[0203] On another day, the same consumer is again going to prepare
a similar turkey breast in his combination oven. He remembers that
the last time he did, he was impressed with the speed of
preparation, but wished it would have had higher residual protein
value and also wished it had been more tender. Today he has no time
constraints, and is more interested in the residual nutritional,
organoleptic, and aesthetic values that can be achieved. He places
the turkey breast in the combination oven, where the oven's
nutritional substance attribute sensors sense various physical
attribute data from the turkey breast. The conditioning appliance's
controller then transmits the physical attribute data collected to
the nutritional substance industry database, for comparison to the
nutritional substance attribute library contained therein. When a
match is found for the physical attribute data collected from the
turkey breast, the nutritional substance industry database can
determine that the matching nutritional substance attribute library
dataset corresponds to a turkey breast with known nutritional,
organoleptic, and aesthetic values, and that it weighs 2.2 pounds
and is at a temperature of 42 deg. F. The controller additionally
requests input from the consumer regarding the desired residual
nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the turkey breast
following conditioning, by providing options for the consumer to
choose from through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel.
The options are "fastest preparation time", "highest nutritional
value", and "tender". The consumer selects the "highest nutritional
value" option from the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, as
he wants to eat a healthy meal. The dynamic nutritional substance
menu panel then provides the consumer with a nutritional substance
residual value table showing the residual nutritional,
organoleptic, and aesthetic values that will result from adaptively
conditioning the turkey breast with the corresponding adaptive
preparation sequence, and additionally provides the amount of time
required to do so. The consumer determines from the nutritional
substance residual value table that one of the turkey breast's
residual nutritional values, for the purpose of this example, its
protein content, will be 90% of its starting value. It is
understood that the nutritional substance residual value table may
provide any number of individual residual nutritional values, such
as residual complex carbohydrate content, residual folic acid
content, residual fat content, and so forth, and that those
provided for the purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It
is also understood that residual nutritional value may be provided
as an aggregated value based on several independent residual
nutritional values. The consumer may additionally determine from
the nutritional substance residual value table that the turkey
breast's residual organoleptic value for tenderness after
conditioning will be 50%, where 0% represents not at all tender and
100% represents very tender. It is understood that the nutritional
substance residual value table may provide any number of individual
residual organoleptic values, such as a rating to determine if the
turkey breast will be well done, a rating for overall moistness of
the turkey breast, and so forth, and that those provided for the
purpose of this example are in no way limiting. It is also
understood that residual organoleptic value may be provided as an
aggregated value based on several independent residual organoleptic
values. The consumer also determines from the dynamic nutritional
substance menu panel that the conditioning will take 40 minutes.
Today, residual nutritional value is the most important criteria to
the consumer, so he proceeds by selecting the "proceed" option on
the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel. The combination oven
can now instruct the consumer through its dynamic nutritional
substance menu panel on the various settings and time requirements
to adaptively condition the turkey breast according to the
corresponding adaptive preparation sequence. Alternatively, the
combination oven's controller can automatically implement the
adaptive preparation sequence, so that the consumer is free to do
other things while the turkey breast is adaptively conditioned. In
this example, the adaptive preparation sequence requires mostly the
application of convection heat with two minutes of grill at the end
of the sequence to cause a small amount of crispness in the skin
without burning the skin exposed to the grill.
[0204] On yet another day, the same consumer is again going to
prepare a similar turkey breast in his combination oven. He
remembers that the last time he did this he was impressed with the
high residual nutritional value of the turkey breast, but wondered
if he could achieve a still more tender turkey breast with
acceptable residual nutritional values. Today he has no time
constraints, and is more interested in the residual nutritional,
organoleptic, and aesthetic values that can be achieved. He places
the turkey breast in the combination oven, where the oven's
nutritional substance attribute sensors sense various physical
attribute data from the turkey breast. The conditioning appliance's
controller then transmits the physical attribute data collected to
the nutritional substance industry database, for comparison to the
nutritional substance attribute library contained therein. When a
match is found for the physical attribute data collected from the
turkey breast, the nutritional substance industry database can
determine that the matching nutritional substance attribute library
dataset corresponds to a turkey breast with known nutritional,
organoleptic, and aesthetic values, and that it weighs 2.1 pounds
and is at a temperature of 41 deg. F. The controller additionally
requests input from the consumer regarding the desired residual
nutritional, organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the turkey breast
following conditioning, by providing options for the consumer to
choose from through its dynamic nutritional substance menu panel.
The options are "fastest preparation time", "highest nutritional
value", and "tender". The consumer selects the "tender" option from
the dynamic nutritional substance menu panel, as he prefers to eat
a tender piece of turkey breast if he can determine that it is
still a healthy meal. The dynamic nutritional substance menu panel
then provides the consumer with a nutritional substance residual
value table showing the residual nutritional, organoleptic, and
aesthetic values that will result from adaptively conditioning the
turkey breast with the corresponding adaptive preparation sequence,
and additionally provides the amount of time required to do so. The
consumer determines from the nutritional substance residual value
table that one of the turkey breast's residual nutritional values,
for the purpose of this example, its residual protein content, will
be 88% of its starting value. It is understood that the nutritional
substance residual value table may provide any number of individual
residual nutritional values, such as residual complex carbohydrate
content, residual folic acid content, residual fat content, and so
forth, and that those provided for the purpose of this example are
in no way limiting. It is also understood that residual nutritional
value may be provided as an aggregated value based on several
independent residual nutritional values. The consumer may
additionally determine from the nutritional substance residual
value table that the turkey breast's residual organoleptic value
for tenderness after conditioning will be 98%, where 0% represents
not at all tender and 100% represents very tender. It is understood
that the nutritional substance residual value table may provide any
number of individual residual organoleptic values, such as a rating
to determine if the turkey breast will be well done, a rating for
overall moistness of the turkey breast, and so forth, and that
those provided for the purpose of this example are in no way
limiting. It is also understood that residual organoleptic value
may be provided as an aggregated value based on several independent
residual organoleptic values. The consumer also determines from the
dynamic nutritional substance menu panel that the conditioning will
take 80 minutes. Today, residual organoleptic value, specifically
tenderness, is the most important criteria to the consumer, so he
proceeds by selecting the "proceed" option on the dynamic
nutritional substance menu panel. The combination oven can now
instruct the consumer through its dynamic nutritional substance
menu panel on the various settings and time requirements to
adaptively condition the turkey breast according to the
corresponding adaptive preparation sequence. Alternatively, the
combination oven's controller can automatically implement the
adaptive preparation sequence, so that the consumer is free to do
other things while the turkey breast is adaptively conditioned. In
this example, the adaptive preparation sequence requires mostly the
application of low convection heat with two cycles of 3 minutes of
grill at the end of the sequence to cause a moderate amount of
crispness in the skin.
[0205] In an embodiment of the present invention, conditioner 570
is provided without controller 530 and nutritional substance
attribute sensors 591, however it is provided in a format to be
compatible with controller 530 and nutritional substance attribute
sensors 591. Such a conditioner is also referred to herein as an
information and sensing capable conditioner. In contrast,
traditional conditioners, also referred to herein as dumb
conditioners, are not information and sensing capable, are not
compatible with controller 530 and nutritional attribute sensors
591, and accordingly will always be dumb conditioners. As
information and sensing enabled conditioning systems according to
the present invention are increasingly available, dumb conditioners
will become increasingly obsolete.
[0206] Information and sensing capable conditioners may be provided
in a variety of configurations known to those skilled in the art,
and the examples offered herein are for purposed of illustration
and not intended to be limiting in any way. In one example of an
information and sensing capable conditioner, it is provided with
traditional functionality, that is, it will interact with
nutritional substances in a traditional fashion. However, the
information and sensing capable conditioner is compatible with
separately available controller 530 and nutritional substance
attribute sensors 591, such that at any time during or after the
manufacture and sale of the information and sensing capable
conditioner, controller 530 and nutritional substance attribute
sensors 591 may be coupled with the information and sensing capable
conditioner to enable the full functionality and benefit of
conditioner module 500. Information and sensing capable
conditioners provide appliance manufacturers and consumers great
flexibility, and will not become obsolete like dumb
conditioners.
[0207] The coupling of controller 530 and nutritional attribute
sensors 591 to the information and sensing capable conditioner may
take any physical and/or communication format known to those
skilled in the art. These may include, but are not limited to: an
information and sensing capable conditioner provided with
Bluetooth, or other wireless near-field communication capability,
to communicate with a communication-compatible controller 530,
wherein nutritional substance attribute sensors 591 are coupled
with, or in communication with, controller 530. The controller 530
may be any of a completely separate unit, an externally attachable
unit, and an internally placed unit, while portions of the
nutritional substance attribute sensors may be positioned in
proximity to, on, or within the conditioner 570, such as in ports
or windows provided with the information and sensing capable
conditioner; an information and sensing capable conditioner
provided with a USB port, or other electrical communication
capability, to communicate with a communication-compatible
controller 530, wherein nutritional substance attribute sensors 591
are coupled with, or in communication with, controller 530. The
controller 530 may be any of a completely separate unit, an
externally attachable unit, and an internally placed unit, while
portions of the nutritional substance attribute sensors may be
positioned in proximity to, on, or within the information and
sensing capable conditioner, such as in ports or windows provided
with the information and sensing capable conditioner; an
information and sensing capable conditioner provided with a fiber
optic port, or other optical communication capability, to
communicate with a communication-compatible controller 530, wherein
nutritional substance attribute sensors 591 are coupled with, or in
communication with, controller 530. The controller 530 may be any
of a completely separate unit, an externally attachable unit, and
an internally placed unit, while portions of the nutritional
substance attribute sensors may be positioned in proximity to, on,
or within the information and sensing capable conditioner, such as
in ports or windows provided with the information and sensing
capable conditioner; or an information and sensing capable
conditioner provided with WiFi, or other wireless communication
capability, to communicate with a WiFi compatible controller 530,
wherein nutritional substance attribute sensors 591 are coupled
with, or in communication with, controller 530. The controller 530
may be any of a completely separate unit, an externally attachable
unit, and an internally placed unit, while portions of the
nutritional substance attribute sensors may be positioned in
proximity to, on, or within the conditioner 570, such as in ports
or windows provided with the information and sensing capable
conditioner. It is understood that the controller 530 may be
provided with its own consumer interface, may communicate and be
operated through the consumer interface provided with the
information and sensing capable conditioner, or a combination of
both.
[0208] It is understood that nutritional substance attribute
sensors according to the present inventions, can beneficially be
provided with, or combined with, other nutritional substance
modules, including transformation, preservation, and consumer
modules. For example, the nutritional substance attribute sensors
could be provided with the local storage environments, containers,
and coupons described herein. Nutritional substance attribute
sensors, or at least a portion of the nutritional substance
attribute sensor, could be provided with or incorporated into the
package of any pre-packaged nutritional substance, such that a
consumer may interrogate the package without disrupting its
integrity to obtain information related to a nutritional,
organoleptic, or aesthetic value of the nutritional substance
contained therein. Further, nutritional substance attribute
sensors, or at least a portion of the nutritional substance
attribute sensor, could be provided with, coupled to, or
incorporated into smartphones. This would enable a wide array of
users and scenarios wherein nutritional substances can be
identified and their current nutritional, organoleptic, and
aesthetic state can be determined.
[0209] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout
the description and the claims, the words "comprise," "comprising,"
and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense (i.e., to
say, in the sense of "including, but not limited to"), as opposed
to an exclusive or exhaustive sense. As used herein, the terms
"connected," "coupled," or any variant thereof means any connection
or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more
elements. Such a coupling or connection between the elements can be
physical, logical, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the
words "herein," "above," "below," and words of similar import, when
used in this application, refer to this application as a whole and
not to any particular portions of this application. Where the
context permits, words in the above Detailed Description using the
singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular
number respectively. The word "or," in reference to a list of two
or more items, covers all of the following interpretations of the
word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list,
and any combination of the items in the list.
[0210] The above Detailed Description of examples of the invention
is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the
precise form disclosed above. While specific examples for the
invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various
equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the
invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize.
While processes or blocks are presented in a given order in this
application, alternative implementations may perform routines
having steps performed in a different order, or employ systems
having blocks in a different order. Some processes or blocks may be
deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/or modified to
provide alternative or sub-combinations. Also, while processes or
blocks are at times shown as being performed in series, these
processes or blocks may instead be performed or implemented in
parallel, or may be performed at different times. Further any
specific numbers noted herein are only examples. It is understood
that alternative implementations may employ differing values or
ranges.
[0211] The various illustrations and teachings provided herein can
also be applied to systems other than the system described above.
The elements and acts of the various examples described above can
be combined to provide further implementations of the
invention.
[0212] Any patents and applications and other references noted
above, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing
papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the
invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems,
functions, and concepts included in such references to provide
further implementations of the invention.
[0213] These and other changes can be made to the invention in
light of the above Detailed Description. While the above
description describes certain examples of the invention, and
describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the
above appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways.
Details of the system may vary considerably in its specific
implementation, while still being encompassed by the invention
disclosed herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when
describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not
be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to
be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects
of the invention with which that terminology is associated. In
general, the terms used in the following claims should not be
construed to limit the invention to the specific examples disclosed
in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section
explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the
invention encompasses not only the disclosed examples, but also all
equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention under
the claims.
[0214] While certain aspects of the invention are presented below
in certain claim forms, the applicant contemplates the various
aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms. For example,
while only one aspect of the invention is recited as a
means-plus-function claim under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.112, sixth
paragraph, other aspects may likewise be embodied as a
means-plus-function claim, or in other forms, such as being
embodied in a computer-readable medium. Any claims intended to be
treated under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.112, 6 will begin with the words
"means for." Accordingly, the applicant reserves the right to add
additional claims after filing the application to pursue such
additional claim forms for other aspects of the invention.
* * * * *
References