Patent ID: 7019638

Claim:
A system for gathering food information and communicating the food information to a data collection apparatus via at least one of a plurality of communications technologies, the system comprising: (a) a plurality of remote units, each remote unit including: a sensor device that detects data indicative of a particular food condition; and an output that propagates signals indicative of the detected data; and (b) a translator unit for relaying data indicative of particular food conditions to a data collection apparatus, the translator unit including: at least one remote unit interface that receives signals propagated by the outputs of the remote units; a wireless transmitter, connected to the at least one remote unit interface, for wirelessly transmitting signals indicative of the detected data received from the plurality of remote units; and an output adapter, connected to the remote unit interface, for electrically communicating, over an external electrical conductor physically connected to the output adapter, signals indicative of the detected data received from the plurality of remote units.