Patent ID: 8492681

Claim:
A method of monitoring a cooking appliance having a oven cavity, at least one heating element, a controller and a display for cooking food during a cooking operation having multiple operating stages, said method comprising: initiating a first operating stage of said cooking appliance, wherein said first operating stage of the cooking appliance is a preheat stage; presenting on said display a first series of images indicating operation of the cooking appliance in the first operating stage; initiating a second operating stage of said cooking appliance; presenting on said display a second series of images indicating operation of the cooking appliance in the second operating stage, wherein said first series of images is distinct from said second series of images such that a user can distinguish between the first and second operating stages of the cooking appliance, even from a distance, based on a particular series of images being displayed, with each of the first and second series of images being displayed as an animation throughout a respective one of the first and second operating stages; and repeatedly displaying said first series of images during said preheat stage of the cooking appliance, wherein said first series of images is repeatedly displayed progressively faster as the preheat stage progresses.