Automated kitchen system for assisting human worker prepare food
Inventors
Ryan W. Sinnet 🙋♂️
Robert Anderson
Patent No.
US 12,135,533 B2
Issued
Abstract
An automated kitchen assistant system inspects a food preparation area in the kitchen environment using a plurality of sensors or cameras. A trained model computes the identity and the location of the food item. In embodiments, the food items are on a grill, and the automated kitchen assistant system is operable to compute the time remaining to remove or flip each of the food items. The output may further be utilized to command a robotic arm, kitchen worker, or otherwise assist in food preparation. Related methods are also described.
The Problem We Solved
Restaurant kitchens face two major challenges that lead to inconsistent food quality and wasted time:
Cooking Timing Errors: Kitchen staff juggle multiple tasks and often miss the perfect moment to flip or remove food items from the grill, resulting in inconsistent cooking.
Inefficient Workflows: Traditional kitchen setups make it difficult to manage multiple orders simultaneously, leading to delays, mistakes, and food waste.
The Innovation
We developed a smart kitchen assistant system that “watches” the cooking area and helps staff prepare food more accurately:
Smart Eyes in the Kitchen: The system uses multiple cameras (regular and infrared) mounted above the cooking area to see and recognize different food items on the grill.
Food Tracking Technology: Special software can identify specific foods (burgers, steaks, chicken, etc.) and keep track of them even when temporarily hidden by a cook’s hand or cooking tools.
Smart Timing Assistant: The system calculates cooking times for each item and alerts the cook exactly when to flip or remove food from the grill.
Works With People: Unlike fully automated solutions, this system assists human cooks rather than replacing them, providing guidance through displays that show what needs attention.
Scope of the Patent
The patent covers:
A system using multiple cameras to monitor cooking areas
Software that identifies and tracks food items during cooking
Methods for maintaining awareness of items even when temporarily hidden
Technology that determines when food items need attention
Flexible implementation with or without robotic assistance
Various ways to communicate cooking instructions to kitchen staff
Why It Matters
This innovation solves real problems that affect food quality and restaurant efficiency:
Consistent Food Quality: Customers get properly cooked food every time, regardless of how busy the kitchen is.
Reduced Waste: Fewer cooking errors means less food thrown away due to overcooking or other mistakes.
Increased Efficiency: Kitchen staff can handle more orders simultaneously without becoming overwhelmed.
Adaptable Solution: The system works in existing kitchens without major renovation, making it practical for widespread adoption.
Bridges the Gap: Unlike fully automated kitchens (which are expensive and inflexible), this system enhances human capabilities while maintaining the craft of cooking.
A robotic kitchen system for preparing food items in combination with at least one kitchen appliance such as a fryer comprises an automated bin assembly, a robotic arm, and a basket held by the robotic arm. The automated bin assembly comprises at least one automated bin for holding the food items. A camera or sensor array collects image data of the food items in the bin(s). A central processor is operable to compute and provide directions to the first robotic arm and automated bin assembly based on the image data and stored data to (a) move the robotic arm to the bin; (b) actuate the bin to drop the food items from the bin into the basket; (c) and to move the basket into the fryer all without human interaction. Related methods are also described.
The Problem We Solved
Commercial kitchens are dangerous places where hot oil, busy workers, and sharp tools create hazards daily. When adding robots to this environment, traditional approaches require either slowing down the robot when humans are nearby or creating completely separate work zones. Both solutions hurt efficiency. Slowed robots can’t operate at full capacity, while separate zones require workers to constantly move between areas to hand off food. We needed a system that would allow humans and robots to work simultaneously at full speed, maintain a complete safety barrier, and enable smooth food transfer without workflow disruptions.
The Innovation
We invented a smart bin system that creates a physical barrier between humans and robots. Workers place food into bins that stick through a window in a protective shield. The robot then positions a basket underneath the bin, the bin automatically rotates to dump the food into the basket, and the robot moves the basket to the fryer to cook. When cooking is finished, the robot dumps the food onto a chute that slides the cooked food out to another area where it can be sorted and packaged.
Scope of the Patent
The patent covers the entire automated cooking system including:
The rotating bins that accept food from humans and dump it to robots
The safety shield design with windows for bins and cooked food
The robotic arm that positions baskets and handles cooking
The computer vision system that identifies food types
The scheduling system that optimizes cooking
The sorting system that delivers cooked food to appropriate holding areas
Why It Matters
This innovation solves multiple problems at once:
It keeps workers completely separated from robots and dangerous equipment
It eliminates the need for workers to handle heavy fry baskets or work near hot oil
It reduces food contamination by minimizing human contact with food
It improves kitchen efficiency by automating repetitive tasks
It’s modular and can be expanded to handle different menu items
The bin system is one of very few practical ways to safely transfer food between humans and robots in a commercial kitchen environment. This makes the patent particularly valuable as restaurants increasingly adopt automation to address labor challenges and improve consistency.
An automated kitchen assistant system inspects a food preparation area in the kitchen environment using a novel sensor combination. The combination of sensors includes an Infrared (IR) camera that generates IR image data and at least one secondary sensor that generates secondary image data. The IR image data and secondary image data are processed to obtain combined image data. A trained convolutional neural network is employed to automatically compute an output based on the combined image data. The output includes information about the identity and the location of the food item. The output may further be utilized to command a robotic arm, kitchen worker, or otherwise assist in food preparation. Related methods are also described.
We developed a system that uses multiple cameras with different viewpoints of the kitchen work area, rather than requiring specialized infrared sensors. This multi-camera approach:
Transforms image data from different cameras into a single unified reference frame
Accurately identifies food items and continuously tracks their position
Updates location information based on prior knowledge and optional human input
Integrates with recipe data to generate appropriate food preparation commands
Communicates instructions to either human workers or robotic systems
The system can effectively “see” the entire kitchen workspace from multiple angles, creating a more complete understanding of the cooking environment than would be possible with a single camera.
Scope of the Patent
This patent expands the coverage established in my earlier landmark patent (US-10919144-B2: Multi-sensor array including an IR camera as part of an automated kitchen assistant system for recognizing and preparing food and related methods). While the original patent required an IR camera combined with visible light cameras, this continuation broadens protection to include systems using multiple standard cameras viewing the workspace from different angles. The patent claims a complete system that transforms data from multiple viewpoints into a unified reference frame, identifies food items, tracks them continuously, and generates appropriate preparation commands.
This strategic continuation ensures comprehensive protection for the most practical and effective approaches to kitchen automation, making it difficult for competitors to design around our intellectual property. The patent covers both purely vision-based systems and hybrid approaches, providing flexibility in implementation while maintaining broad protection.
Why It Matters
This technology offers significant advantages for commercial kitchens:
More flexible implementation options that don’t require specialized infrared sensors
Potentially lower hardware costs while maintaining robust food recognition
Continuous tracking of food items as they move through the preparation process
Seamless integration with both robotic systems and human kitchen staff
Improved consistency and accuracy in food preparation
Together with the original IR-based patent, this continuation establishes a strong patent family that protects the fundamental approaches to vision-based kitchen automation, positioning this technology as an essential building block for the future of commercial food preparation.
Key Differences in the Continuation Patent
This present continuation patent broadens the scope of the original invention by replacing the specific requirement for an IR camera with a more general approach using multiple cameras with different viewpoints. The key innovation here is:
Instead of requiring an IR camera + visible light camera combination, this patent claims a system using two cameras with different views of the working area
The patent focuses on transforming data from both cameras into a single frame of reference
It places greater emphasis on continuously updating location information and tracking food items
It explicitly includes the display interface for human workers as part of the claimed system
Why This Is Strategically Valuable
This continuation patent is extremely valuable because:
Expanded Protection: It broadens your intellectual property coverage beyond just IR-based systems to include any multi-camera kitchen automation system that transforms different viewpoints into a single frame of reference.
Alternative Implementation Path: It provides legal protection for implementations that might not use IR cameras but still need to accurately identify and track food items in a kitchen environment.
Defensive Strategy: By claiming both IR-based and non-IR-based approaches, you’ve effectively blocked competitors from working around your original patent by simply removing the IR camera.
More Flexible Implementation: This continuation allows for potentially less expensive implementations that use only standard cameras rather than specialized IR sensors.
Combined Patent Family Value
Together, these two patents form a powerful patent family that covers:
The use of IR + visible cameras for food recognition (original patent)
The use of multiple cameras with different viewpoints for food recognition (continuation)
The transformation of data from different sensors into a unified coordinate system
The continuous tracking of food items during preparation
The integration with both robotic systems and human workers
This comprehensive coverage makes it difficult for competitors to design around your intellectual property in the kitchen automation space, which significantly increases the value of your patent portfolio.
Modular robotic food preparation system and related methods
Inventors
Ryan W. Sinnet 🙋♂️
Robert Anderson
William Werst
David Zito
Patent No.
US 11,577,401 B2
Issued
Abstract
A modular robotic kitchen system is conveniently adaptable to perform a wide range of cooking applications. The modular robotic kitchen system can include a plurality of discrete modular units organized in a small footprint such that multiple types of cooking applications can be performed without a need to replace the modular units. Exemplary modular units include an ingredient module, robotic arm module, assembly and packaging module, and warming module. Optionally a transport unit or sled moves the modules into position. The modular kitchen system includes a central processor operable to carry out different cooking applications upon downloading software corresponding to the specific cooking application and without retooling the existing modules. Related methods are also described.
The Problem We Solved
Commercial kitchens face major challenges with high labor costs, inconsistent food quality, food safety concerns, and wasted ingredients. Traditional kitchen automation has been limited to single-purpose machines that take up too much space, cost too much, and still require extensive human involvement. These isolated solutions don’t work together or adapt to different cooking needs without expensive retooling.
The Innovation
We devised a modular robotic kitchen system where different components work together seamlessly. The system includes:
Robotic arms that can handle food preparation tasks
Modular carts for ingredients, assembly, and packaging
Smart temperature monitoring system that ensures food safety
Vision systems that can identify food items and their proper cooking state
Central computer brain that coordinates everything and learns over time
Unlike fixed automation, the described system can be quickly reconfigured by simply downloading new software – no hardware changes needed. The modules can be arranged to fit any kitchen layout, and the robots can work with standard kitchen equipment like fryers and grills.
Scope of the Patent
This patent covers the entire modular kitchen system as well as specific innovations like:
The overall modular cart architecture and how the components work together
Temperature testing methods using a smart probe that identifies the thickest part of food
Special food packaging designed for robot handling
Scheduling systems that coordinate kitchen activities based on predicted demand
Safety features that allow robots and humans to work together
Why It Matters
This system tackles the biggest challenges facing restaurants today. It reduces labor costs while improving consistency and food safety. By predicting demand and optimizing production, it cuts down on food waste.
Unlike previous automation attempts, this system can truly transform a commercial kitchen by handling most preparation tasks while adapting to changing menus and requirements. The modular approach means restaurants can start small and add capabilities over time, making advanced kitchen robotics accessible to more businesses.
As restaurants continue to struggle with staffing shortages and rising costs, this innovation offers a practical path to more efficient, consistent, and profitable operations.
Robotic sled-enhanced food preparation system and related methods
Inventors
David Zito
Ryan W. Sinnet 🙋♂️
Robert Anderson
Grant Stafford
Sean Olson
Patent No.
US 11,351,673 B2
Issued
Abstract
A robotic sled-enhanced food preparation system includes a robotic kitchen assistant operable to determine and to perform food preparation steps, and an autonomous mobile sled operable to supply the robotic kitchen assistant with ingredients and supplies. The robotic kitchen assistant includes a scheduling engine to evaluate food inventory levels and automatically determine when to replenish the food inventories using the sled if the food inventory levels are insufficient to complete the food preparation steps. Related methods are also described.
The Problem We Solved
Restaurant kitchens face major challenges with food preparation, inventory management, and labor costs. Traditional kitchen automation typically focuses on single cooking tasks, leaving the logistics of moving ingredients and managing inventory to human workers. Even automated cooking equipment still requires constant human monitoring to replenish ingredients and remove waste, creating inefficiencies and potential for human error.
The Innovation
This patent describes an intelligent kitchen system that combines a robotic kitchen assistant with an autonomous mobile sled. In the concept, the robotic arm would handle cooking tasks while the mobile sled would automatically transport ingredients from storage areas to the cooking station as needed. The system would continuously monitor inventory levels and use smart algorithms to predict when supplies will run low, automatically dispatching the sled to retrieve more ingredients before they run out. The sled could also transport the entire robotic cooking station to different areas of the kitchen as needed.
Scope of the Patent
The patent covers a complete restaurant automation system including:
A robotic kitchen assistant with tools for food preparation
An autonomous mobile sled for transporting ingredients and equipment
Standardized food containers that work with both robots and humans
A scheduling engine that predicts demand and manages inventory
Methods for automatically replenishing ingredients
Safety barriers that protect workers and display information
Systems for waste collection and removal
Why It Matters
This patent represents a conceptual approach to transforming kitchen operations by addressing the entire workflow, not just isolated cooking tasks. While this system was never built, the patent secures intellectual property for a solution that could potentially reduce labor costs and human error while improving food consistency and kitchen efficiency. The mobile aspect of the concept is particularly important as it addresses the movement problem that limits traditional fixed cooking robots. This patent protects a theoretical framework for restaurant automation that could work alongside human staff while handling many of the repetitive logistical tasks that consume valuable worker time.