Abstract: An ice-cream maker comprising: a body having a rotatable paddle; a cooling chamber supported by the body for receiving an ice-cream mixture, the paddle being adapted to move through the ice-cream mixture; a sensor module for detecting a hardness measure of the ice-cream mixture; a processor module coupled to the sensor module for receiving a signal indicative of the hardness measure, the processor module being adapted to control the operation of the paddle. After the ice-cream mixture has reached a selected hardness, the processor module periodically operates paddle to churn the mixture to substantially maintain the mixture at the selected hardness. Before introduction of the mixture, the processor module can operate a cooling element to pre-cool the cooling chamber.

Abstract: An motorised base apparatus for selectively receiving an appliance. The apparatus comprising: a control interface; an appliance coupling element; an appliance sensor element; an appliance retaining mechanism; and a processor element. The processor element being coupled to the appliance sensor element for receiving data indicative of the selectively received appliance. The processor element being coupled to the control interface for adapting the interface in response to the identified appliance.

Abstract: A compacting auger for ground coffee has an automatic cut off that responds to either timing signals or to the torque resistance to the augur offered by the coffee that has been compacted. The automation of the cut off increases the consistency of compaction and reduces the amount of skill required to compact ground coffee for making espresso.

Abstract: A cooking appliance and method, the appliance including: at least one temperature controlled heating element; a user interface for enabling a user to select a predefined subject for cooking; and a processor module that maintains a cooking data for cooking the selected predefined subject, and provides prompts to the user during cooking. The cooking data can be indicative of a cooking sequence or procedure. A cookware sensor can automatically identifying cookware being used.

Abstract: An apparatus for grinding coffee. The apparatus including: a grinder mechanism; a ground discharge region; a user control for enabling a user to select grind preferences; a display element for displaying data indicative of user inputs to the user control; a processor element coupled to the user control and a display element for controlling operation of the grinder mechanism. The apparatus being adapted to provides fine control over grind size and dispense discreet doses according to a users preference and control inputs; and display depictions representing a range of coffee grinder functions.

Abstract: A hand held stick mixer device has a motor housing, a stem and a blade housing. The blade housing has an interior sidewall below the floor having a distance across a transverse axis that is smaller than a distance across a perpendicular axis.

Abstract: A tea maker comprises a vessel in which is located a conveyor. The conveyor, preferably vertically, transports a carriage. The conveyor and a carriage are surrounded by a tube and are protected from the water in the vessel. An enclosed basket is coupled to the carriage. An external user interface allows a user to select brewing parameters such as the type of beverage brewed, the brewing temperature, and the steeping time. The selection is sent to a processor. The processor then encodes the selection into a control data for the heating assembly or the conveyor.

Abstract: There is provided a toaster grill having a lower housing that supports a lower cooking surface and an upper housing that supports an upper cooking surface. The upper housing pivots with respect to a “U” shaped frame that is hinged with respect to the lower cooking surface. A locking hinge allows the pivoting motion of the frame to be automatically arrested in an intermediate orientation between the fully closed and fully open grill orientations. The locking hinge automatically resets when the upper housing is rotated from the fully open grill orientation to the fully closed orientation.

Abstract: An espresso machine has a built-in coffee grinder. An electrical switch toggles between a one cup dose and a two cup dose, The switch works in conjunction with a dose strength adjustment. Alteration of the dose strength adjustment alters the dose strength for both the one cup of two cup dose settings. The internal coffee grinder dispenses into a portafilter that is held in a hand free support cradle. In some embodiments, the upper burr head of the grinder is retained by a bracket. The combination of upper burr head and bracket allows the upper burr head to removed and replaced without having to re-set the grind size.

Abstract: A distributed software system of communicating software components can be tested for undesirable behavior. A specification of a component can be substituted in place of the component when testing a model of the distributed software system. Thus, the system can be checked to see if it exhibits undesirable behavior without having code for all components of the system. Also, a component can be checked to see if it is in conformance with its specification. If models built with respective components and substituted specifications indicate that the system does not exhibit undesirable behavior, and the components conform to their specifications, then a system assembled from the components will not exhibit the undesirable behavior. Thus, collaborative testing can be achieved, even if no one entity has access to code for the entire distributed system.

Abstract: There is provided a toaster grill having a lower housing that supports a lower cooking surface and an upper housing that supports an upper cooking surface. The upper housing pivots with respect to a “U” shaped frame that is hinged with respect to the lower cooking surface. A locking hinge allows the pivoting motion of the frame to be automatically arrested in an intermediate orientation between the fully closed and fully open grill orientations. The locking hinge automatically resets when the upper housing is rotated from the fully open grill orientation to the fully closed orientation.

Abstract: A tea maker comprises a vessel in which is located a conveyor. The conveyor, preferably vertically, transports a carriage. The conveyor and a carriage are surrounded by a tube and are protected from the water in the vessel. An enclosed basket coupled to the carriage. An external user interface allows a user to select brewing parameters such as the type of beverage brewed, the brewing temperature, and the steeping time. The selection is sent to a processor. The processor then encodes the selection into a control data for the heating assembly or the conveyor.