Abstract: Escutcheons for a temperature-controlled food holding cabinet are removable and field replaceable by the use of interlocking keys and keyholes that hold the escutcheon in place and align the escutcheon to electrical connectors. The escutcheons are provided with illuminated user interfaces. A key formed on either the escutcheon or chassis of the cabinet, engages a corresponding keyhole formed on either the cabinet chassis or the escutcheon.

Abstract: The temperature of shelves used in a food holding cabinet are measured using a transistor. The voltage across a PN junction being known to be temperature dependent, the shelf temperature can be inferred from a calculated temperature of a PN junction of a transistor thermally coupled to a heated or refrigerated shelf. No calibration of the measurement device is required since the PN junction voltage, current and temperature relationship is well known.

Abstract: The temperature of shelves used in a food holding cabinet are measured using a transistor. The voltage across a PN junction being known to be temperature dependent, the shelf temperature can be inferred from a calculated temperature of a PN junction of a transistor thermally coupled to a heated or refrigerated shelf. No calibration of the measurement device is required since the PN junction voltage, current and temperature relationship is well known.

Abstract: A food warming cabinet keeps food warm and on display in serving trays using infrared heaters instead of hot water. The infrared heaters are located below the trays and direct IR at the trays. In an alternate embodiment, the IR heaters can also conduct heat into the trays. Using IR instead of water saves energy because it shortens warm-up time. Using IR also eliminates contaminated water and enables separate and individual temperature control of each tray. Tray temperature is maintained under computer control using contact or optical/IR temperature sensors.

Abstract: A food product steamer includes rotatable platforms that can be covered and uncovered by one or more rotatable, concave hoods. In a first position for the platform(s), the platform(s) supports a food product over a steam-emitting opening above a steam generator. In a first position for the hood, the hood covers the food product such that steam from the steam generator is trapped within the hood to steam the food product. In a second, open position, the hood is rotated where it can receive the food product when the food product slides or falls off the platform as the platform is rotated from its first position to a second, elevated position. At least one embodiment enables food products to be removed from either side of the steam generating base by using a double-acting hinge.

Abstract: One embodiment of a food heating device includes a platen (101) and an opening (103) disposed in the platen (101). The opening (103) is arranged and sized to receive a food product (203) from a first side of the platen (101) and to output the food product (203) to a second side of the platen (101). Alternative embodiments involve diagonally guiding a food product (203) along a different arrangements of platens (801, 901, 1001, 1101, 1401).

Abstract: A universal food holding cabinet has multiple compartments, the temperatures of which are under software control by microprocessors or microcontrollers located on power supply circuit boards for corresponding compartments. Each compartment can have different temperature control requirements with different requirements being met by different programs in different processors, or different operating parameters for the same program. The cabinet is configured to prevent the power supply boards from being installed incorrectly, to provide an address to a power supply circuit board when it is installed and by which a power supply circuit can be addressed by a master controller to receive downloads of executable instructions and/or data.

Abstract: A universal food holding cabinet has multiple compartments, the temperatures of which are under software control by microprocessors or microcontrollers located on power supply circuit boards for corresponding compartments. Each compartment can have different temperature control requirements with different requirements being met by a different program in different processors, or different operating parameters for the same program. The cabinet is configured to prevent the power supply boards from being installed incorrectly, to provide an address to a power supply circuit board when it is installed and by which a power supply circuit can be addressed by a master controller.

Abstract: Bezels or escutcheons for a temperature-controlled food holding cabinet are removable and field replaceable by the use of interlocking tabs and detents that hold the escutcheon in place and align the escutcheon to electrical connectors. A tab formed on either the escutcheon or chassis of the cabinet, engages a corresponding detent formed on either the cabinet chassis or the escutcheon. Two tabs and detents are preferably used. One tab engages a corresponding detent with an interference fit.

Abstract: A video encoding method, a video encoder, and a Personal Video Recorder (PVR) are disclosed. The PVR includes: a first video decoder for decoding an input MPEG-2 video signal, calculating reference picture information of the MPEG-2 video signal and a motion vector of a reference picture, and outputting the calculated result; a first video encoder for encoding the decoded MPEG-2 video signal into a H.264 video signal using the motion vector and the reference picture information generated from the first video decoder; and a storage unit for storing the H.264 video signal generated from the first video encoder. Therefore, the PVR can effectively transcode the MPEG-2 format image into the H.264 format image, can display a desired image or video signal without deterioration of an image quality, and can quickly transform a compression format of the image into another format.

Abstract: A dual-sided, conveyor toaster provides operator-adjustable conveyors that are also operator removable. The removable conveyor assemblies are chain driven and removably supported in the toaster by re-positionable mounting mechanisms embodied as either adjustable pins that engage fixed slots or adjustable slots that engage fixed pins. Fixed pins can be located on the conveyor and engage adjustable slots in the toaster; adjustable pins can be located on the toaster and engage fixed slots on the conveyor. The conveyor assemblies use non-marring plates to urge food products against the heated platen surfaces and to carry the food products across the platen.

Abstract: A video decoding system is provided. When a DDR SDRAM is used as an external memory, MBs are rearranged and then stored to minimize memory access operations for the MBs at the DDR SDRAM and unnecessary additional word read operations caused by a DDR characteristic. Accordingly, the video decoding system can efficiently perform a memory access operation on MBs for video display and frame decoding by the video decoder. Specifically, the decoding system can reduce the total video decoding time, thereby allowing a surplus memory use time for additional functions of a digital broadcasting receiver.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing images includes a de-multiplexer, a first decoder, a thumbnail generator and an encoder. The de-multiplexer receives a data stream, the de-multiplexer de-multiplexing a video signal and a channel information from the data stream. A first decoder decodes the video signal to provide a decoded video signal including at least one of Predicted frame, (P-frame), Intra frame (I-frame) or Bi-directional frame (B-frame). The thumbnail generator is coupled to the first decoder, and the thumbnail generator generates at least one of a still picture thumbnail or a moving picture thumbnail based on the decoded video signal. The still picture thumbnail and the moving picture thumbnail have at least one of a smaller resolution or a smaller data size than the decoded video signal. The encoder is coupled to the thumbnail generator and the de-multiplexer.

Abstract: A food heating device (100) includes a first conveyor (107) having a first thermally-conductive belt (105) and a second conveyor (107) having a second thermally-conductive belt (105). A first platen (101) is disposed on a first side of the first thermally-conductive belt (105) and a second platen (103) disposed on a first side of the second thermally-conductive belt (105). The first conveyor (107) and the second conveyor (107) are arranged and spaced to transport a food product (201, 203, 205) between a second side of the first thermally-conductive belt (105) and a second side of the second thermally-conductive belt (105).

Abstract: One embodiment of a food heating device includes a platen (101) and an opening (103) disposed in the platen (101). The opening (103) is arranged and sized to receive a food product (203) from a first side of the platen (101) and to output the food product (203) to a second side of the platen (101). Alternative embodiments involve diagonally guiding a food product (203) along a different arrangements of platens (801, 901, 1001, 1101, 1401).

Abstract: In one embodiment, a food heating device includes a first platen and a first conveyor arranged and spaced to transport a food product between the first platen (501) and the first conveyor (503). A second platen (501) and a second conveyor (503) arranged and spaced to transport the food product (203) between the second platen (501) and the second conveyor (503). A first end of the first platen (501) is disposed near a first end of the second conveyor (503) and a first end of the first conveyor (503) is disposed near a first end of the second platen (501) such that the food product (203) is automatically transferred from the first platen (501) to the second platen (501).

Abstract: A food heating device includes a platen (101) and a pair of conveyor segments (103). A first conveyor segment is arranged and spaced to transport a food product (201, 203, 205) between a first side of the platen (101) and the first conveyor segment (103). A second conveyor segment (103/703/903) is arranged and spaced to transport the food product between a second side of the platen (101) and the second conveyor segment (103/703/903). A transfer device (505/705) may be disposed at one end of the platen (101) such that the transfer device transfers the food product (203) from the first side of the platen (101) to the second side of the platen (101).

Abstract: A food heating device usable as a toaster, fryer or warmer uses a metal plate having separately heated regions separated by a thermal break. The separately heated regions use separately energized and controlled heating elements embedded to the material from which the metal plate is made. One region can be kept hot while the other region is shut off or kept at a lower temperature until demand requires both sides to be heated. Separating the regions by a thermal break reduces heat transfer from the hot side to the cool side.