IE20070936U1 - Improvements in and relating to cooking methods and a cooking apparatus for use with same - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present invention relates to a cooking control method performed by a cooking apparatus for a food item. The method comprises obtaining a unique identitier and memory of the cooking apparatus. [fa record ol‘ the unique identifier is located in the memory. then the cooking data to cook the food item. Otherwise a cooking process based on the cooking data to cook the food item is performed. Accordingly, cooking data for a given instance ofa food item can only be used once in order to activate a cooking process performed by the cooking apparatus. The present imention also features product recall as well as the ability to track food item sales via a cooking data communications system. |l“igurc l]

Description

The present invention relates to a cooking apparatus and method. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for cooking at least one food item, and a cooking apparatus for use with the cooking method.

Various types of ovens for cooking food items are known. With certain categories of ovens operatives are required to manually interact with oven controls in order provide the necessary input to the oven so that it will cook a food item as is required. Such ovens can also include pre-programmed or stored cooking processes for various food items so that to cook a food item an operative needs to manually select an appropriate cooking process based on the type of food item to be cooked.

Other categories of oven are adapted to receive the required input through the use of bar codes attached to a food item, the bar code encoding cooking instructions for the food item. These ovens typically comprise or are coupled to a bar code reader which is used to scan the bar code so that a cooking process based on the encoded cooking instructions can then be performed by the oven.

However, in commercial environments, such as retail outlets, it would be desirable to be able to implement a cooking method using a cooking apparatus having functionality going beyond the basic input mechanisms described above. It is a therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved cooking method and apparatus.

It is acknowledged that the term ‘comprise’ may, under varying jurisdictions be provided with either an exclusive or inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted explicitly, the term comprise shall have an inclusive meaning — i.e. that it may be taken to mean an inclusion of not only the listed components it directly references, but also other non-specified components. Accordingly, the term ‘comprise’ is to be attributed with as broader interpretation as possible within any given jurisdiction and this rationale should also be used when the terms ‘comprised’ and/or ‘comprising’ are used.

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent form the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

According to the invention, there is provided a cooking method comprising the steps of: preparing a food item to be cooked; packaging the food item; applying a unique identifier and cooking information for the food item on the packaging, and when the food item is to be cooked, the steps are performed of: reading the unique identifier and the cooking information; using the unique identifier to determine whether a cooking process based on the cooking information is to be performed by a cooking apparatus, wherein, if it is determined that the cooking process is to be performed then storing the unique identifier in storage means and cooking the food item according to the cooking process.

In another embodiment of the invention, the step of determining whether to perform the cooking process comprises checking for the presence of the unique identifier in the storage means.

In another embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the step of converting the cooking information into a cooking process to be performed by the cooking apparatus when it is determined that the cooking process is to be performed.

In another embodiment of the invention, if the presence of the unique identifier is detected in the record then the cooking apparatus does not perform the cooking process and the food item is not cooked.

In another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises applying food item status information on the packaging.

Preferably, the food item status information comprises one or more of: a food item sell by date, a brand identifier for the food item and a food item batch identifier. in another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises the step of transmitting food item status data to a central communications controller.

Preferably, the food item status data includes information indicating that the food item corresponding to the unique identifier has been cooked. in another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises the step of adjusting the cooking process to compensate for a variation in voltage received to power the cooking apparatus from a predefined input voltage range.

In another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises the step of adjusting the cooking process to compensate for a variation in temperature in a cooking cavity of the cooking apparatus from a predefined cooking temperature range for the food item.

In another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises the step of adjusting the cooking process to compensate for a variation in weight of a food item to be cooked from a predefined cooking weight range for the food item.

In another embodiment of the invention, the method comprises generating a combination cooking process when the unique identifiers for two or more food items are read, the combination cooking process enabling the two or more food items to be cooked at the same time by the cooking apparatus.

In another embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises generating a bar code encoding the unique identifier and the cooking information.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises generating a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag storing the unique identifier and the cooking information.

In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking apparatus for cooking a food item according to the cooking method, the cooking apparatus comprising: reading means for reading a unique identifier and cooking information on packaging applied to the food item; cooking control means for processing the unique identifier to determine whether a cooking process based on the cooking information is to be performed; storage means for storing the unique identifier in a record if it is determined that the cooking process is to be performed, and driving means for cooking the food item according to the cooking process.

In another embodiment of the invention, the cooking control means is adapted to search the storage means for the presence of the unique identifier, and if the unique identifier is not located in the storage means then the cooking process is performed by the cooking apparatus.

In another embodiment of the invention, the storage means is locally coupled to the cooking control means.

Alternatively, the storage means is remotely coupled to the cooking control means. in another embodiment of the invention, the cooking apparatus further comprises conversion means for converting the cooking information into the cooking process performed by the driving means.

Preferably, the cooking information comprises one or more of: cooking apparatus compatibility data; combination cooking data; temperature range data; weight range data; cooking apparatus power level data, and stage cooking data. in another embodiment of the invention, the unique identifier and cooking information are encoded in a barcode.

Alternatively, the unique identifier and cooking information are stored in a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag securable to the packaging. in another embodiment of the invention, the cooking apparatus comprises voltage compensation means for adjusting the cooking process to compensate for a variation in voltage input received by the cooking apparatus from a predefined voltage range.

Preferably, the cooking apparatus comprises voltage sensing means to determine voltage input received by the cooking apparatus. in another embodiment of the invention, the cooking apparatus comprises temperature compensation means for adjusting the cooking process to compensate for a variation in temperature in a cooking cavity of the cooking apparatus from a predefined cooking temperature range for the food item.

Preferably, the cooking apparatus comprises temperature sensing means to determine the temperature within the cooking cavity and the variation in the temperature in the cooking cavity from the predefined cooking temperature range.

In another embodiment of the invention, the cooking apparatus comprises food weight compensation means for adjusting the cooking process to compensate for a variation in weight of a food item from a predefined cooking weight range for the food item.

Preferably, the cooking apparatus comprises weight sensing means to determine the weight of the food item and the variation in the weight of the food item from the predefined cooking weight range for the food item.

In another embodiment of the invention, the conversion means is further adapted to generate a combination cooking process when the unique identifier and the cooking information for two or more food items are read, the combination cooking process enabling the two or more food items to be cooked at the same time by the cooking apparatus.

In a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cooking data communications system comprising: at least one cooking apparatus coupled to a central communications controller via a communications network, and at least one user computer coupled to the central communications controller, wherein, the central communications controller is adapted for controlling data communications between the at least one cooking apparatus and the at least one user computer. in another embodiment of the invention, each cooking apparatus comprises means to transmit and receive data from the central communications controller.

Preferably, the central communications system is a web-server and communications between each cooking apparatus and the central communications controller is via the Internet. in another embodiment of the invention, the cooking apparatus comprises a GSM/GPRS modem to enable communications with the central communications controller.

Preferably, the cooking apparatus transmits data to the central communications controller indicating that a food item has been cooked.

Preferably, the central communications controller transmits signals to the cooking apparatus to record that a food item has been recalled.

Esinssfi The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a flow diagram showing the steps in a cooking method according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a block schematic of components in a cooking apparatus for use in performing the cooking method according to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is block schematic showing a cooking data communications system according to a further aspect of the present invention, the cooking system comprising a plurality of the cooking apparatus of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a stylised schematic showing the cooking data communications system of Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a screenshot of a user interface for generating barcodes for use with the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Fig. 1, there is shown a flow diagram providing the steps in a cooking method according to the present invention. At step 1, a food item to be cooked is prepared. This step will involve numerous sub—stages, including the selection of ingredients, the preparation of those ingredients as well as any initial pre- cooking of the food item and the performance of checks on the food item to ensure that it conforms with any quality assurance requirements which may be necessary. At step 2, the prepared food item is packaged.

At step 3, a bar code encoding a unique identifier and cooking information for the food item is generated, and at step 4, the barcode is applied on the packaging. The unique identifier will be understood to be an encoded serial number which is unique to the instance of the food item. The cooking information applied to the packaging includes cooking apparatus compatibility data, combination cooking data, temperature range data, weight range data, cooking apparatus power level data, and stage cooking data. .7 3 «fl Compatibility data describe how a food item can be cooked together with other items, for example some items must be cooked individually, others can be cooked in combination with only certain other product types, and others may be cooked only in specified cooking apparatus which are suitable having regard to the nature of the food item. The cooking information is computed according to the specific characteristics of the food item being cooked, including the food item ingredients, fat content sugar content, ratio of fats to solids, water content, particle size, density, quid, and overall shape, weight and size of the food item. Also applied on the packaging is food item status information which may comprise one or more of a food item sell by date, a brand identifier for the food item and/or a food item batch identifier. This information may also be encoded in a radio- frequency identification (RFID) tag storing the unique identifier, the cooking information and the food item status information. Such an RFID tag may also be applied to the food item packaging.

At step 5, when the food item is to be cooked by a cooking apparatus, such as an oven, the unique identifier and the cooking information are initially read by a reader coupled to the cooking apparatus. At step 6, the unique identifier is used to determine whether a cooking process based on the cooking information is to be performed by the cooking apparatus. Such a determination involves, at step 7, scanning a record in a storage means associated with the cooking apparatus for the presence of the read unique identifier. if the unique identifier is located in the storage means this indicates that the unique identifier has previously been read by the cooking apparatus, and that therefore a food item corresponding to that unique identifier has been cooked on a previous occasion.

Thus, if the presence of the unique identifier is detected at step 7, then the cooking apparatus does not perform the cooking process, with the result that the food item is not cooked at step 8. Conversely, if the unique identifier is not located in the storage means at step 7, then it is determined that the cooking process is to be performed. A record of the unique identifier in then stored in the storage means at step 9, and the cooking information is converted into a cooking process to be performed by the cooking apparatus at step 10. The food item is then cooked according to the cooking process at step 11. If unique identifiers for two or more food items are read, and both identifiers are not located in the storage means during the determination step 6, then the cooking apparatus may also generate a combination cooking process enabling the two or more food items to be cooked at the same time by the cooking apparatus.

W@?ss3$ Once the food item has been cooked, food item status data is transmitted at step 12 to a central communications controller. Such food item status data will include information indicating that the food item corresponding to the unique identifier has been cooked.

With reference to Fig. 2, shown are components in a cooking apparatus 20 for use when performing the cooking method according to Fig. 1. The cooking apparatus 20 comprises reading means 22 for reading a unique identifier and cooking information on packaging applied to the food item. The reading means 22 may be formed as a barcode scanner.

Also shown is cooking control means 24, which operates as a central processor for the cooking apparatus and processes the unique identifier to determine whether a cooking process based on the cooking information is to be performed. The cooking apparatus also includes driving means 26 which drives a magnetron for cooking a food item according to the cooking information encoded in the barcode on the food item packaging.

The cooking control means 24 is further coupled to cooking information conversion means 28 for converting the cooking information encoded in the barcode into the cooking process performed by the driving means 26. The cooking information conversion means 28 is further adapted to generate a combination cooking process when the unique identifier and the cooking information for two or more food items are read, the combination cooking process enabling the two or more food items to be cooked at the same time by the cooking apparatus. Also shown is storage means 30 for storing a unique identifier encoded in a barcode if it is determined that the cooking process is to be performed. The storage means 30 may be locally coupled to the cooking control means 24 or may alternatively be located remotely and thus connected to the cooking apparatus 20 via a communications network. The cooking apparatus 20 will also include a user interface 32 which is formed as an operator panel and includes external switches and a visual display means.

Although not shown, it will be understood that the cooking apparatus 20 also includes a main body which defines an external appearance of the cooking apparatus, a cooking cavity in the main body in which is cooked a food item and a door for closing the cooking cavity The cooking apparatus 20 further includes voltage compensation means 34 for adjusting the cooking process to compensate for a variation in voltage input received by the cooking apparatus 20 from a predefined voltage range. To enable such functionality the cooking apparatus 20 also comprises voltage sensing means 36 to determine voltage input received by the cooking apparatus 20. Also shown is temperature compensation means 38 for adjusting the cooking process to compensate for a variation in temperature in a cooking cavity of the cooking apparatus from a predefined cooking temperature range for the food item. Use of temperature sensing means 40, in conjunction with the cooking control means 24 may be used to determine the operating temperature within the cooking cavity and therefore the variation in the temperature in the cooking cavity from the predefined cooking temperature range. Additionally, the cooking apparatus 20 comprises food weight compensation means 42 for adjusting the cooking process to compensate for a variation in weight of a food item from a predefined cooking weight range for the food item. To determine the weight of the food item and the variation in the weight of the food item from the predefined cooking weight range for the food item the cooking apparatus comprises weight sensing means 44.

Fig. 3 shows a cooking data communications system 50 according to a further aspect of the present invention. The cooking data communications system 50 comprises a plurality of ovens 52, each oven being one of the cooking apparatus shown in Fig. 2. Each cooking apparatus 52 is coupled to a central communications controller 54 via a communications network 56. A plurality of user computers 58 are coupled to the central communications controller 54 such that the central communications controller 54 is adapted for controlling data communications between the cooking apparatuses 52 and the user computers 58. Each cooking apparatus 52 comprises means, such as a GSM/GPRS data modem, to transmit and receive data to and from the central communications controller 54. In the instance shown, the central communications controller 54 is a web- server and communications between each cooking apparatus and the central communications system is via the Internet.

The cooking data communications system 50 facilitates the transmission of food item status data from each cooking apparatus 52 to the central communications controller 54.

Such data may be used by the central communications controller 54 to update information stored relating to a food item, such as that a food item has been cooked. Additionally, the central communications controller 54 is adapted to transmit data to each cooking apparatus, such as if a food item has been recalled.

Fig. 4 is stylised schematic of Fig. 3. and shows multiple cooking apparatus, formed as “ liorosif ovens 60, which communicate via a cell—phone provider’s existing GSM/GPRS network 62 and the Internet 64 to a central web server 66. The web sewer 66 comprises software 68 which runs on computer hardware 70. The software 68 contains or is connected to a database 72 which stores the current state and history of the system of ovens 60 and their transactions (such as orders, deliveries, invoices, faults and the like.). The web server 66 is accessed by multiple end-users 74 via any lntemet enabled computer using an Internet browser. Access to specific information may also be is limited with the use of authentication means, such as account username / password prompts. End users can therefore hide pertinent data or generate orders, delivery dockets, invoices and/or reports. End-users may include distribution staff responsible for supplying the food items and the retailers in whose premises the ovens 60 are installed. Also shown is web administrator 76 which has access to the web server 66 in the same way as user computers 74, but using a special account which grants administrator privileges. It will be understood that an administrator 76 is a concept that describes a user with special privileges. Optionally, distributors 78 are provided with a GSM enabled tag reader 80 so that packaged food items can be automatically tracked during distribution.

A further feature relates to the mechanism by which the barcodes are made available to operatives for application to food item packaging. Once the required cooking information has been established for a particular food item or range of food items, this information is fixed and applied to a range of similar products of varying weights within a weight band. The cooking information is fixed and stored on the web-server 66. In operation, a manufacturer requests a set of barcodes from the web-server 66 and inputs certain fields such as best before date and batch number. A user interface 82 providing such functionality is shown in Fig. 5. The web-server 66 thus assigns a unique identifier to each barcode and then the web-server authorises these barcodes and sends them to the manufacturer. The manufacturer prints and applies the barcodes to the packaging of a food item. The manufacturer then scans the barcodes to verify them and this verification data is sent back to the web-server where it is cross-referenced with the earlier request for the barcode from the manufacturer. The web-server 66 deems these barcodes to be in distribution so that once the barcode is read by a reader associated with the cooking apparatus it is either recorded as cooked, rejected, or recalled. Such food item status information is transmitted to the server to facilitate automatic tracking of food items until the time they are either recalled or cooked at a retail outlet premises. unsold food items that may be in storage or currently being distributed.

The web-server 66 also facilitates the generation of pertinent reports, including retailer, delivery docket, retailer invoice, order, fault and status reports on all retailers by region and on all distributors.

The web-server 66 is also adapted to provide a real—time diagnostics interface to each oven 60, and this includes the ability to take control of the oven and to receive information concerning its pertinent parameters such as cavity temperature, well-being of heating elements and the like. Additional background diagnostics are carried on each oven periodically and data concerning the status of an oven is transmitted to the administrator 76.

The present invention thus provides additional functionality over the prior art cooking apparatus, and significant advantages are conferred in a cooking method which uses such a cooking apparatus.

The provision of a cooking apparatus that stores only the unique identifiers that have been read for each food item ensures that a cooking process will only be activated when food items bearing a previously unread unique identifier are read by the reader. Accordingly, encoded cooking information for a food item can only be used once in order to activate a cooking process performed by the cooking apparatus. If an operative attempts to re—use a previously read barcode to cook a food item then the cooking apparatus will not activate the cooking process according to the encoded cooking information for a second time.

Instead, the cooking apparatus will generate a visual and/or audible signal or message on the user interface of the cooking apparatus to the effect that the food item has already been cooked. Furthermore, the cooking apparatus may reject a food item for cooking it the present date is beyond the food items sell by date, if the item has been recalled by the manufacturer, if an attempt is made to cook more than one food item wherein the food items are incompatible and thus unable to be cooked together, if the brand of the food is unable to be cooked in the oven or if an attempt is made to cook too many food items together.

The use of a storage means which stores the unique identifiers for the cooked food items further contributes to this feature. Once the cooking process has been completed the cooking apparatus only retains in the storage memory the unique identifier of the food item and references this record to ensure that a cooking process is initiated for the unique identifier only once.

The application of a unique identifier for each food item ensures that each food item is uniquely traceable within the system. This enables features such as product recall as well as the ability to track food item sales via the cooking data communications system.

Additional advantages follow from the compensation features described above, including that a cooking process will automatically be adjusted depending on the input voltage variation from a predefined range. If there is a temperature loss in the cooking cavity, such as if the cooking apparatus door is opened during the cooking process a correction factor is applied to compensate for lost energy. If two or more food items are scanned then an appropriate correction is made to the cooking process. Each food item also has associated cooking instructions which includes a cook index. Such a cook index being specific to the type (composition) of a food item and enables products of different weights of the same composition, or similar composition to be cooked according to the index number. Such an index number will be encoded in the cooking instructions to cook the food item as required.

Once that cooking process is complete the oven only records in memory that the event has taken place, and this is done by recording the unique identifier. Such a feature also allows for regular changes to be made to the cooking processes which are to be performed by the cooking apparatus since all cooking information is encoded in the barcode applied to the lfarcss Etifia packaging, and it is this information which is dynamically converted into a cooking process by conversion means associated with the cooking apparatus.

Each food item also has a cook index number and this is printed on the packaging or a food item tag. Such a cook index number is specific to the type (composition) of a food item and enables products of different weights of the same composition, or similar composition to be cooked according to the index number. A food item may be manually cooked by inputting the cook index number on an input keypad provided on the cooking apparatus. To initiate a cooking process according to the bar code on the food item packaging, the index number is thus inputted into the keypad by an operative. To activate the keypad to facilitate its use for receiving the index number an approval code is first transmitted to the cooking apparatus (such as from a system administrator), the approval code encoding a set of instructions to allow activation of the key pad. in the event that the reader is unsuitable or the connection between the reader and the cooking apparatus controller is broken, then the use of the cook index number can be used to manually cook a food item. Use of cook index in manual mode is a temporary measure only and oven will default to automatic mode on oven shutdown.

It will be understood that a suitable cooking apparatus for use with the present invention would be a small commercial oven with combination microwave and convection cooking.

The cooking elements may comprise two fan-assisted convection elements and one microwave magnetron. These are controlled by a main circuit board which connects to a smaller display board carrying a bespoke VFD (vacuum fluorescent display) and an interface to two front-panel membrane switch sub-assemblies. The present invention requires modification to such an oven so that it can be controlled by the contents of a food item barcode or RFID tag, and so that it can exchange data with the central communications control for the purposes of stock control and diagnostics. Communications for the cooking data communication system for the present invention utilise a GPRS service supported by GSM cell-phone providers. The cooking apparatus is thus an automatic commercial oven which is adapted to interpret cooking information affixed to food items to be cooked and initiate a customised cooking process for that food item. The cooking apparatus also comprises a cooking control means which utilise a modem to communicate stock, recall and diagnostics data with the central communications controller. The use of unique identifiers provides the means for facilitating a system in which provides for distribution tracking, raising orders, delivery dockets, invoices and other such reports, and diagnostics aids. fitzctl It will be understood that the central communications controller attendant in the cooking data communications system comprise computing hardware, database software and a web-based user interface, either shared between all end users or replicated for each end user.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciate that additions and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof.

MACLACHLAN & DONALDSON, Applicants’ Agents, Merrion Square, DUBLIN 2.

Claims (44)

CLAIMS:

1. A cooking control method performable by a cooking apparatus on a food item comprising the steps of: obtaining a unique identifier and cooking data for the food item, and checking for a record of the unique identifier in a memory of the cooking apparatus, and if a record of the unique identifier is located in the memory then a cooking process is not performed by the cooking apparatus and the food item is not cooked, but, if a record of the unique identifier is not located in the memory, then performing the step of: controlling the cooking apparatus to perform a cooking process based on the cooking data to cook the food item.

2. A cooking control method as claimed in Claim 1, comprising the further step of storing the unique identifier in the memory of the cooking apparatus.

3. A cooking control method as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, further comprising checking for a record of the unique identifier in memory of any of a plurality of cooking apparatuses linked together via a communications network.

4. A cooking control method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising checking for a record of the unique identifier in a memory of a central communications server linked to the cooking apparatus.

5. A cookery control method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising controlling the cooking apparatus to shut down if a food item that has been placed in and cooked by the cooking apparatus is not removed from the cooking apparatus within a predetermined amount of time.

6. A cooking control method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the method comprises the step of encoding the unique identifier and the cooking data in a barcode applied to packaging of the food item.

7. A cooking control method as claimed in Claim 6, in which the unique identifier and cooking data are supplied to the cooking apparatus by reading the barcode with a barcode reader of the cooking apparatus.

8. A cooking method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the method comprises the further steps of generating a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag for storing the unique identifier and the cooking information and applying the RFID tag to the food item.

9. A cooking control method as claimed in Claim 8, in which the unique identifier and cooking data are supplied to the cooking apparatus by data transmission from the RFID tag to a radio frequency transceiver of the cooking apparatus.

10. A cooking control method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the unique identifier and cooking data are supplied to the cooking apparatus from a wired or wireless transmission network coupled to a computing server.

11. A cooking control method as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the unique identifier and cooking data are supplied to the cooking apparatus using an input keypad of the cooking apparatus.

12. A cooking control method as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising the step of generating food item status information for the food item, the food item status information comprises one or more of: a food item sell by date, a brand identifier for the food item, a food item batch identifier and a serial code number.

13. A cooking control method as claimed in Claim 12, in which the food item status information is encoded in a barcode or stored in an RFID tag applied to the food item.

14. A cooking control method as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising the further step of controlling the cooking apparatus to adjust the cooking process to compensate for a variation in voltage received to power the cooking apparatus from a predefined input voltage range.

15. A cooking control method as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising the further step of controlling the cooking apparatus to adjust the cooking process to compensate for a variation in temperature in a cooking cavity of the cooking apparatus from a predefined cooking temperature range for the food item.

16. A cooking control method as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising the further step of controlling the cooking apparatus to adjust the cooking process to compensate for a variation in weight of the food item to be cooked from a predefined cooking weight range for the food item.

17. A cooking control method as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising the further step of controlling the cooking apparatus to generate a combination cooking process when the unique identifiers for two or more food items are obtained, the combination cooking process enabling the two or more food items to be cooked at the same time by the cooking apparatus.

18. A cooking apparatus for a food item comprising: input means for obtaining a unique identifier and cooking data for the food item, and cooking control means for checking for a record of the unique identifier in a memory of the cooking apparatus, and if a record of the unique identifier is located in the memory then the cooking control means is adapted to control the cooking apparatus so that a cooking process is not performed and the food item is not cooked, but if a record of the unique identifier is not located in the memory, the cooking control means is adapted to control the cooking apparatus to perform a cooking process based on the cooking data to cook the food item.

19. A cooking apparatus as claimed in Claim 18, in which the cooking control means is adapted to store the obtained unique identifier in the memory of the cooking apparatus.

20. A cooking apparatus as claimed in Claim 18 or Claim 19, in which the cooking control means is adapted to cause the cooking apparatus to shut down if a food item that has been cooked is not removed from the cooking apparatus within a predetermined amount of time.

21. A cooking apparatus as claimed in any on of Claims 18 to 20, in which the input means comprises one or more of: a barcode reader for reading a barcode encoding the unique identifier and cooking data applied to packaging for the food item; a radio frequency transceiver means for receiving the unique identifier and the cooking information from a radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag applied to the food item; a input keypad located on the cooking apparatus, and a data input port for receiving the unique identifier and cooking data via a wired or wireless transmission network coupled between the cooking apparatus and a computing server.

22. A cooking apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 21, in which the cooking control means is adapted to check for a record of the unique identifier in memory of any of a plurality of cooking apparatuses linked together via a communications network.

23. A cooking control method as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 22, in which the cooking control means is adapted to check for a record of the unique identifier in a memory of a central communications server linked to the cooking apparatus.

24. A cooking apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 18 to 23, further comprising conversion means for converting the cooking data into the cooking process performed by the cooking apparatus.

25. A cooking apparatus as claimed in Claim 24, in which the conversion means is further adapted to automatically generate a combination cooking process when the unique identifiers for two or more food items are read, the combination cooking process enabling lE@.l:«*r;t 5 the two or more food items to be cooked at the same time by the cooking apparatus.

26. A cooking apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 18 to 25, further comprising voltage sensing means to sense voltage input being received by cooking apparatus and to determine a variation between the sensed voltage from a predefined input voltage range required to power the cooking apparatus.

27. A cooking apparatus as claimed in Claim 26, further comprising voltage compensation means for automatically adjusting the cooking process to compensate for the variation in input voltage.

28. A cooking apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 18 to 27, further comprising temperature sensing means to sense a temperature in a cooking cavity of the cooking apparatus and to determine a variation between the sensed temperature from a cooking temperature range in the cooking data for the food item.

29. A cooking apparatus as claimed in Claim 28, further comprising temperature compensation means for automatically adjusting the cooking process to compensate for a variation in the temperature.

30. A cooking apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 18 to 29, in which the cooking apparatus further comprises weight sensing means to determine a weight of the food item and a variation in the weight of the food item from a weight range in the cooking data for the food item.

31. A cooking apparatus as claimed in Claim 30, further comprising food weight compensation means for automatically adjusting the cooking process to compensate for the variation in weight of the food item.

32. A cooking apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 18 to 31, in which the cooking data comprises one or more of: cooking apparatus compatibility data; combination cooking data; 35 21 lfotwrts temperature range data; weight range data; cooking apparatus power level data, and stage cooking data.

33. A cooking apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 32, in which the memory of the cooking apparatus is coupled locally to the cooking control means.

34. A cooking apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 18 to 32, in which the memory of the cooking apparatus is coupled remotely from the cooking control means.

35. A cooking data communications system comprising at least one cooking apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 18 to 34, in which the or each cooking apparatus is coupled to a central communications server via a communications network, and at least one user computer is coupled to the central communications server, and wherein, the central communications server is adapted for controlling data communications between each cooking apparatus and user computer.

36. A cooking data communications system as claimed in Claim 35, in which each cooking apparatus is adapted transmit and receive data from the central communications controller.

37. A cooking data communications system as claimed in Claim 35 or Claim 36, in which the central communications system is a web-server and communications between each cooking apparatus and the central communications controller is via the Internet.

38. A cooking data communications system as claimed in any one of Claims 35 to 37, 22 iii: W in which the cooking apparatus comprises a GSM/GPRS modem to enable communications with the central communications server.

39. A cooking data communications system as claimed in any one of Claims 35 to 38, in which the cooking apparatus transmits the unique identifiers for all food items that have been cooked to the central communications server.

40. A cooking data communications system as claimed in any one of Claims 35 to 39, in which the central communications server is adapted to transmit a record comprising a unique identifier for a recalled food item into the memory of each cooking apparatus coupled to the network so that a cooking process is not able to be performed by any cooking apparatus in the network for the recalled food item.

41. A cooking data communications system as claimed in any one of Claims 35 to 40, in which the central communications server is adapted to transmit amended cooking data to the memory of each cooking apparatus coupled to the network so that a cooking process performed by the cooking apparatus is based on the amended cooking data instead of the cooking data originally applied to the food item.

42. A cooking control method substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

43. A cooking apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

44. A cooking data communications system substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. MACLACHLAN & DONALDSON, Applicants’ Agents, 47 Merrion Square, Apply barcode to package Read unique identifier Determine whether to apply cooking process Scan storage means for unique identifier #- Generate unique identifier and cooking information Q)! ON