Abstract: A control system for a culinary instrument includes an order management module configured to generate parameters for a user interface. The control system includes an order prioritization module configured to assign priorities to orders based on a set of prioritization rules, which establish a sequence of the set of orders. The control system includes an order wait time module configured to estimate wait times for the orders. The order wait time module estimates wait times for the orders based on a current status of the culinary instrument and a model of predicted interruptions of the culinary instrument. The order management module is configured to transform the user interface by the parameters in response to the estimated wait times. The control system includes an instrument control module configured to control the culinary instrument to prepare a food item specified by an order specified as next by the sequence.

Abstract: A system for controlling a culinary instrument includes a component data structure storing, for at least some culinary components, a culinary attribute. A menu data structure stores, for each of multiple items, a set of constituent components. An order interface module receives an item selection by a user and a set of adjustments to the selected item. Each element of the set describes an amount modification of a corresponding culinary component. An order feedback module uses a first set of rules to assess the set of adjustments based on the corresponding culinary attributes. In response to the assessment, the order feedback module selectively provides feedback to the user regarding limitations on the set of adjustments. A control transformation module uses a second set of rules to transform the adjusted selected item into a set of instrument control instructions for control of the culinary instrument, which autonomously performs the instructions.

Abstract: A system for cooking a food product may include a base, a hub, a plurality of cooking plates, a plurality of wipers, a spatula assembly, a backstop, an infrared (IR) sensor, and a proximity sensor. The hub may rotate relative to the base. The cooking plates are rotatable with the hub among a plurality of cooking stations. The wipers extend outward from a periphery of the hub. The backstop may be fixed relative to the base and may include one or more additional wipers contacting one or more of the cooking plates. The spatula assembly may cooperate with the backstop to pick up the food product from the one of the cooking stations. The IR sensor may measure a temperature of the food product on one of the cooking plates. The proximity sensor may detect a position of the food product on one of the cooking plates.

Abstract: A system for cooking a food product may include a base, a hub, a plurality of cooking plates, a plurality of wipers, a spatula assembly, a backstop, an infrared (IR) sensor, and a proximity sensor. The hub may rotate relative to the base. The cooking plates are rotatable with the hub among a plurality of cooking stations. The wipers extend outward from a periphery of the hub. The backstop may be fixed relative to the base and may include one or more additional wipers contacting one or more of the cooking plates. The spatula assembly may cooperate with the backstop to pick up the food product from the one of the cooking stations. The IR sensor may measure a temperature of the food product on one of the cooking plates. The proximity sensor may detect a position of the food product on one of the cooking plates.

Abstract: A system includes a food dispenser, a cooking surface, and an arm assembly. The arm assembly is configured to receive a food product from the food dispenser and transport the food product to the cooking surface. The arm assembly includes an arm portion, an actuator, a cylinder, and a piston. The actuator drives rotation of the arm portion about a first rotational axis. The cylinder is attached to the arm portion and is rotatable relative to the arm portion about a second rotational axis. The piston is axially movable within the cylinder. The piston includes multiple stages. At least one of the stages is movable axially relative to another of the stages between a first position and a second position.

Abstract: A system includes a carriage configured to transport a foodstuff along a path of movement. A bag dispenser positions a bag into the path of movement. A paddle includes a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an actuator. The paddle rotates about a pivot point proximate to the trailing edge. The actuator adjusts the paddle from retracted to extended, which increases the distance from the leading edge to the trailing edge. The leading edge of the paddle is configured to move into a mouth of the bag as the actuator is adjusted from retracted to extended. While the leading edge is in the extended position, the paddle rotates about the pivot point in response to movement of the carriage and the foodstuff. The rotation opens the mouth of the bag such that continued movement of the carriage and the foodstuff moves the foodstuff into the bag.

Abstract: A temperature sensing device for a heating surface for food products includes a temperature probe configured to be coupled to the heating surface and to generate an electrical signal indicative of a temperature of the heating surface. The device includes a controller in electrical communication with the temperature probe. The device includes a wireless transmitter in electrical communication with the controller. The controller is configured to read the electrical signal from the temperature probe and to provide an output signal to the wireless transmitter. The wireless transmitter is configured to wirelessly transmit a temperature signal to a transceiver based on the output signal. The wireless transmitter is configured to wirelessly receive energy. The controller is configured to be powered by the received energy from the wireless transmitter.

Abstract: A system includes a food dispenser, a cooking surface, and an arm assembly. The arm assembly is configured to receive a food product from the food dispenser and transport the food product to the cooking surface. The arm assembly includes an arm portion, an actuator, a cylinder, and a piston. The actuator drives rotation of the arm portion about a first rotational axis. The cylinder is attached to the arm portion and is rotatable relative to the arm portion about a second rotational axis. The piston is axially movable within the cylinder. The piston includes multiple stages. At least one of the stages is movable axially relative to another of the stages between a first position and a second position.

Abstract: A system for dispensing toppings onto a topping vehicle may include a hopper platform, hoppers, a retaining plate, a blade, and a hopper-advancing pin. The hoppers each include a hopper bracket slidably engaging the hopper platform. The blade is mounted on the retaining plate and may reciprocate relative to the retaining plate. The hopper-advancing pin is movable relative to the hoppers between deployed and stowed positions. The hopper-advancing pin may engage one of the hopper brackets in the deployed position such that movement of the retaining plate between retracted and extended positions causes movement of the hopper bracket and a respective hopper along a length of the hopper platform. The hopper-advancing pin may be disengaged from the hopper brackets in the stowed position to allow movement of the retaining plate between the retracted and extended positions without causing movement of the hopper brackets.

Abstract: In response to a first condition in a first subsystem of a robot, a controller halts operation of the first subsystem; transmits a set command specifying a first notification to an interface system; obtains status information from the interface system; and, in response to the status information indicating that the first notification has a cleared status, resumes operation of the first subsystem. The interface system maintains a set of active notifications and tracks a set of devices configured to receive notifications. Each of the devices is associated with a respective operator. In response to receiving the set command, the interface system: adds the first notification to the set of active notifications; determines a subset of devices to receive the first notification; wirelessly transmits the first notification to the subset; and, in response to receiving a clear message specifying the first notification, sets the first notification to the cleared status.

Abstract: A system for dispensing toppings onto a topping vehicle may include a hopper platform, hoppers, a retaining plate, a blade, and a hopper-advancing pin. The hoppers each include a hopper bracket slidably engaging the hopper platform. The blade is mounted on the retaining plate and may reciprocate relative to the retaining plate. The hopper-advancing pin is movable relative to the hoppers between deployed and stowed positions. The hopper-advancing pin may engage one of the hopper brackets in the deployed position such that movement of the retaining plate between retracted and extended positions causes movement of the hopper bracket and a respective hopper along a length of the hopper platform. The hopper-advancing pin may be disengaged from the hopper brackets in the deployed stowed position to allow movement of the retaining plate between the retracted and extended positions without causing movement of the hopper brackets.

Abstract: In response to a first condition in a first subsystem of a robot, a controller halts operation of the first subsystem; transmits a set command specifying a first notification to an interface system; obtains status information from the interface system; and, in response to the status information indicating that the first notification has a cleared status, resumes operation of the first subsystem. The interface system maintains a set of active notifications and tracks a set of devices configured to receive notifications. Each of the devices is associated with a respective operator. In response to receiving the set command, the interface system: adds the first notification to the set of active notifications; determines a subset of devices to receive the first notification; wirelessly transmits the first notification to the subset; and, in response to receiving a clear message specifying the first notification, sets the first notification to the cleared status.

Abstract: A method of fulfilling custom food orders includes obtaining feedback from a user through an ordering application. The feedback relates to a first food item of a first food order following fulfillment of the first food order. The first food item includes a first ingredient. The method includes determining a preferred variation associated with the first ingredient based on the feedback and a first recipe used to make the first food item. The method includes updating a taste profile associated with the user based on the preferred variation. The method includes receiving, from the user, a second food order including a second food item. The method includes retrieving a second recipe associated with the second food item. The method includes selectively modifying the second recipe based on the taste profile. The method includes controlling a food assembly apparatus to prepare the second food item according to the second recipe.

Abstract: A method for dispensing toppings onto topping vehicles includes: indexing a first topping vehicle to a first position adjacent a first topping module, the first topping module including a first hopper containing a first topping of a first topping type; indexing a second topping vehicle to a second position adjacent a second topping module including a second hopper containing a second topping of a second topping type; retracting a first blade of the first topping module; advancing the first blade through the first topping; retracting a first retaining plate to dispense a topping slice from the first topping onto the first topping vehicle according to a first topping order for the first topping vehicle specifying the first topping type, the first retaining plate offset from the first blade opposite the first hopper; advancing the first retaining plate; and indexing the first topping vehicle to the second position.

Abstract: A method of fulfilling custom food orders includes obtaining feedback from a user through an ordering application. The feedback relates to a first food item of a first food order following fulfillment of the first food order. The first food item includes a first ingredient. The method includes determining a preferred variation associated with the first ingredient based on the feedback and a first recipe used to make the first food item. The method includes updating a taste profile associated with the user based on the preferred variation. The method includes receiving, from the user, a second food order including a second food item. The method includes retrieving a second recipe associated with the second food item. The method includes selectively modifying the second recipe based on the taste profile. The method includes controlling a food assembly apparatus to prepare the second food item according to the second recipe.

Abstract: A method for fulfilling custom food orders includes: in response to request for a custom food order from a patron through an ordering portal executing on a computing device, retrieving a location of the computing device; identifying a set of food assembly apparatuses within a threshold distance of the location of the computing device; aggregating a list of ingredients currently loaded into the set of food assembly apparatuses; in response to selection of a particular ingredient in the list of ingredients for the custom food order, removing ingredients, from the list of ingredients, unique to a food assembly apparatus not currently loaded with the particular ingredient; selecting a particular food assembly apparatus, from the set, currently loaded with a set of ingredients specified in the custom food order; and inserting the custom food order into a food order queue assigned to the particular food assembly apparatus.

Abstract: A method for handling foodstuffs according to temperature exposure within an automated foodstuff assembly apparatus includes receiving, at a topping module, a hopper carrying topping samples. The topping samples are all the same type of topping. The method includes monitoring temperatures corresponding to the topping samples. Monitoring includes making first temperature measurements corresponding to one of the topping samples and making second temperature measurements corresponding to another one of the topping samples. The method includes maintaining a set of timers associated with the first temperature measurements and the second temperature measurements. The method includes, in response to at least one timer in the set of timers expiring, selectively preventing dispensation of a topping sample of the topping samples.

Abstract: One variation of a method for dispensing toppings onto topping vehicles includes: indexing a first topping vehicle to a first position adjacent a first topping module, the first topping module including a first hopper containing a first topping of a first topping type; indexing a second topping vehicle to a second position adjacent a second topping module including a second hopper containing a second topping of a second topping type; retracting a first blade of the first topping module; advancing the first blade through the first topping; retracting a first retaining plate to dispense a topping slice from the first topping onto the first topping vehicle according to a first topping order for the first topping vehicle specifying the first topping type, the first retaining plate offset from the first blade opposite the first hopper; advancing the first retaining plate; and indexing the first topping vehicle to the second position.

Abstract: A system includes a conveyor that transports a carriage carrying a foodstuff along a path. A bag dispenser contains multiple bags and moves a first bag into the path. A paddle includes a hinge at a trailing edge of the paddle. The paddle includes an actuator that moves a leading edge of the paddle relative to the trailing edge between retracted and extended positions. The leading edge of the paddle moves into a mouth of the first bag as the leading edge is moved from the retracted to the extended position. While the paddle is in the extended position, movement of the carriage and the foodstuff underneath the paddle rotates the leading edge of the paddle about the hinge to open the mouth of the first bag such that continued movement of the carriage and the foodstuff moves the foodstuff through the mouth and into the first bag.

Abstract: One variation of a method for fulfilling custom food orders includes: in response to request for a custom food order from a patron through an ordering portal executing on a computing device, retrieving a location of the computing device; identifying a set of food assembly apparatuses within a threshold distance of the location of the computing device; aggregating a list of ingredients currently loaded into the set of food assembly apparatuses; in response to selection of a particular ingredient in the list of ingredients for the custom food order, removing ingredients, from the list of ingredients, unique to a food assembly apparatus not currently loaded with the particular ingredient; selecting a particular food assembly apparatus, from the set, currently loaded with a set of ingredients specified in the custom food order; and inserting the custom food order into a food order queue assigned to the particular food assembly apparatus.