Patent ID: 9626644
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: G06Q

Claim:
1. A method for monitoring the food quality status and storage location of a prepared food product in a restaurant, the method being implemented by an electronic system having one or more printed circuit boards and a processor, a storage timer in electrical communication with the processor, and a food product status indicator in electrical communication with the processor, each of the processor, storage timer and the food product status indicator being embodied as electrical components mounted on the one or more printed circuit boards of the electronic system, the method comprising the steps of: a. prior to the prepared food product being made available to a patron of the restaurant for consumption, supplying a prepared food product to a storage location, the storage location having associated therewith the food product status indicator mounted on one of the printed circuit boards of the electronic system, the food product status indicator including at least one light emitting diode or liquid crystal display operatively coupled to the processor, the processor selectively controlling the illumination of the at least one light emitting diode or liquid crystal display, the food product status indicator having at least a first state which indicates that the prepared food product is stored at the associated storage location, at least a second state which indicates that the prepared food product is not stored at the associated storage location and at least a third state which indicates that a storage time, which corresponds to a period of time that the food product is stored at the storage location, exceeds an acceptable food product hold time, which corresponds to an acceptable period of time that the food product may be stored at the storage location and is indicative of the food quality of the prepared food product; b. changing by the processor the state of the food product status indicator having the at least one light emitting diode or liquid crystal display associated with the storage location from the second state to the first state in response to the prepared food product being supplied to the storage location; c. initiating by the processor the storage timer mounted on one of the printed circuit boards of the electronic system in response to the food product status indicator having the at least one light emitting diode or liquid crystal display changing from the second state to the first state, the storage timer counting the storage time representative of the duration of time that the prepared food product has been stored at the storage location; d. comparing by the processor the storage time with the acceptable food product hold time; e. changing by the processor the state of the food product status indicator having the at least one light emitting diode or liquid crystal display associated with the storage location to the third state if the storage time exceeds the acceptable food product hold time; and f. changing by the processor the state of the food product status indicator having the at least one light emitting diode or liquid crystal display associated with the storage location from the first state to the second state in response to the storage location no longer containing the prepared food product.