Abstract: A device that defrosts, warms and/or cooks items such as food in a temperature controlled circulating liquid is described. Embodiments of the device are particularly useful for sous vide cooking that uses relatively low temperatures and long cooking times. The active components including a pump and heater are placed in a self-contained base unit. When the base unit and the liquid-containing vessel or carafe are engaged, the liquid in the carafe is actively circulated by the pump in the base unit. The liquid is also heated as required as it flows through the base unit. Embodiments of the invention that are designed for the consumer can include an easily detachable, lightweight carafe that can be conveniently filled, emptied and cleaned while detached from the base unit. The detachable carafe can be designed with no electrical components so that it can be immersed in water for cleaning.

Abstract: A device useful for slowly heating food and a method of slowly heating food to defrost, warm and/or cook using a temperature controlled circulating liquid are described. Embodiments of the device are particularly useful for the sous vide method of cooking that uses relatively low temperatures and long cooking times. The active components including a pump and heater are placed in a self-contained base unit. When the base unit and the liquid-containing vessel or carafe are engaged, the liquid in the carafe is actively circulated by the pump in the base unit to maintain a homogenous temperature. The liquid is heated as required as it flows through the base unit.

Abstract: A device useful for slowly heating food and a method of slowly heating food to defrost, warm and/or cook using a temperature controlled circulating liquid are described. Embodiments of the device are particularly useful for the sous vide method of cooking that uses relatively low temperatures and long cooking times. The active components including a pump and heater are placed in a self-contained base unit. When the base unit and the liquid-containing vessel or carafe are engaged, the liquid in the carafe is actively circulated by the pump in the base unit to maintain a homogenous temperature. The liquid is heated as required as it flows through the base unit.

Abstract: A device that defrosts, warms and/or cooks items such as food in a temperature controlled circulating liquid is described. Embodiments of the device are particularly useful for sous vide cooking that uses relatively low temperatures and long cooking times. The active components including a pump and heater are placed in a self-contained base unit. When the base unit and the liquid-containing vessel or carafe are engaged, the liquid in the carafe is actively circulated by the pump in the base unit. The liquid is also heated as required as it flows through the base unit. Embodiments of the invention that are designed for the consumer can include an easily detachable, lightweight carafe that can be conveniently filled, emptied and cleaned while detached from the base unit. The detachable carafe can be designed with no electrical components so that it can be immersed in water for cleaning.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for retrieving and presenting visual and audible information to an individual. Audio source signals from each channel of a stereophonic audio source are processed by a microcontroller-controlled circuit that also receives commands from a programmer. The commands from the programmer cause the generation of pulsed control signals for each channel. The pulsed control signals continuously contain only low audio frequencies. The audio source signals are processed so that their spectral frequencies are translated above the low audio frequency range of the pulsed control signals and inverted. The pulsed control signals for each channel are then added to the corresponding processed audio source signals to produce two combined audio signals. The combined audio signals are then recorded on a compact disc which may be read.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for storing and presenting visual and audible information to an individual. Audio source signals from a stereophonic audio source are processed by a microcontroller-controlled circuit that also receives commands from a programmer. The programmer commands cause the generation of pulsed low audio frequency control signals for each channel. The audio source signals are processed so that their frequencies are translated above the low audio frequency range of the pulsed control signals and inverted. The pulsed control signals are then added to the corresponding processed audio source signals to produce two combined audio signals which are then recorded on a compact disc. To replay the recorded information, the recorded combined audio signals are read from the compact disc. The pulsed control signals and processed audio source signals are separated by filtering and the processed audio source signals are reprocessed to recreate the original audio source signals.