# US 2017/0162073 A1 · Systems, articles and methods related to providing customized cooking instruction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0162073 A1 - Document ID: US20170162073A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/432,790 - Filed: 2017-02-14 - Published: 2017-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-07 - Assignees: Chefsteps, Inc. - Applicants: ChefSteps, Inc. - Inventors: Christopher Charles Young; Douglas Baldwin; Michael Natkin; Nelson Timothy Salazar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170162073A1 ## CPC - G09B 19/00: Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass (teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26) - G09B 5/02: with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip - G09B 5/06: with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied - G09B 5/065: {Combinations of audio and video presentations, e.g. videotapes, videodiscs, television systems} - G09B 19/0092: {Nutrition} - G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B) ## Abstract Systems, methods, and articles to provide customized cooking instructions to users via a communications device. The user is provided with audio/visual prompts depicting one or more ending characteristics of a food product, such as texture or doneness. The user provides a selection of the one or more ending characteristics according to the user's preferences. A processor-based device determines one or more output food preparation parameters based on the user's selection of the one or more ending characteristics for the food product. The one or more determined output food preparation parameters are provided to a communication device of the user so that the user may cook the food product according to the output food preparation parameters. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operation in a processor-based food preparation guidance system, the method comprising: receiving, via a communications device, a request for preparation guidance for a food product; in response to the received request, causing at least one of a first set of at least two graphical prompts to be displayed by the communications device, each of the graphical prompts in the first set of at least two graphical prompts depicting a respective gradation of at least one first characteristic of the food product, the respective gradations being different from one another; receiving, via the communications device, a selection of one of the gradations of the at least one first characteristic of the food product; and determining at least one food preparation parameter for the food product based at least in part on the received selection of one of the gradations of the at least one first characteristic of the food product. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: causing the at least one food preparation parameter to be displayed by the communications device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein receiving a selection of one of the gradations of the at least one first characteristic of the food product comprises receiving, via a communications device, a selection of one of the gradations by a processor-based food preparation guidance system over a data network, and determining at least one food preparation parameter comprises determining at least one food preparation parameter by the food preparation guidance system, and wherein causing the at least one food preparation parameter to be displayed by the communications device comprises sending, by the food preparation guidance system, data comprising the at least one food preparation parameter to the communications device over the data network. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein causing at least one of a first set of at least two graphical prompts to be displayed by the communications device comprises causing at least one of a first set of at least two graphical prompts to be displayed by the communications device, each of the graphical prompts in the first set of at least two graphical prompts depicting respective different textures, consistencies, or doneness for the food product. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a selection of one of the gradations of the at least one first characteristic of the food product comprises receiving, via a communications device, a selection of one of the gradations by a processor-based food preparation guidance system over a data network, and determining at least one food preparation parameter comprises determining at least one food preparation parameter by the food preparation guidance system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein causing at least one of a first set of at least two graphical prompts to be displayed by the communications device comprises causing at least one of a first set of images or videos to be displayed by the communications device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein determining at least one food preparation parameter for the food product comprises determine at least one of a cooking temperature or a cooking time for the food product. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: subsequent to determining at least one food preparation parameter for the food product, causing at least one supplemental prompt to be displayed by the communications device; receiving, via the communications device, a response to the at least one supplemental prompt; and determining at least one food preparation parameter for the food product based at least in part on the received response to the supplemental prompt. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein causing at least one supplemental prompt to be displayed by the communications device comprises causing at least one supplemental prompt to be displayed by the communications device, the at least one supplemental prompt relating to at least one of a physical characteristic of the food product, an environmental condition, a food preparation condition, a size of the food product, a shape of the food product, a class of the food product, a temperature of the food product, an altitude, a geographic location, or a cooking method. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein determining at least one food preparation parameter for the food product comprises determining a time and a duration for cooking the food product in a water bath. ### Claim 11 A processor-based food preparation guidance system, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one nontransitory processor-readable medium, communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and which stores at least one of processor-executable instructions or data, wherein in use the at least one processor: receives a request for preparation guidance for a food product; in response to the received request, causes at least one of a first set of at least two graphical prompts to be displayed by a display of a communications device, each of the graphical prompts in the first set of at least two graphical prompts depicting a respective gradation of at least one first characteristic of the food product, the respective gradations being different from one another; receives a selection of one of the gradations of the at least one first characteristic of the food product; and determines at least one food preparation parameter for the food product based at least in part on the received selection of one of the gradations of the at least one first characteristic of the food product. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The processor-based food preparation guidance system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor: causes the at least one food preparation parameter to be displayed by the display of the communications device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The processor-based food preparation guidance system of claim 12 wherein the at least one processor: receives, via the communications device, a selection of one of the gradations over a data network; and sends data comprising the at least one food preparation parameter to the communications device over the data network. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The processor-based food preparation guidance system of claim 12 wherein each of the graphical prompts in the first set of at least two graphical prompts depicts respective different textures, consistencies, or doneness for the food product. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The processor-based food preparation guidance system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor: receives a selection of one of the gradations from the communications device over a data network. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The processor-based food preparation guidance system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor: causes at least one of a first set of videos to be displayed by the communications device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The processor-based food preparation guidance system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor: determines at least one of a cooking temperature or a cooking time for the food product. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The processor-based food preparation guidance system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor: causes at least one supplemental prompt to be displayed by the display of the communications device; receives a response to the at least one supplemental prompt; and determines at least one food preparation parameter for the food product based at least in part on the received response to the supplemental prompt. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The processor-based food preparation guidance system of claim 18 wherein the at least one supplemental prompt relates to at least one of a physical characteristic of the food product, an environmental condition, a food preparation condition, a size of the food product, a shape of the food product, a class of the food product, a temperature of the food product, an altitude, a geographic location, or a cooking method. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The processor-based food preparation guidance system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor: determines a time and a duration for cooking the food product in a water bath. ### Claim 21 (depends on 11) The processor-based food preparation guidance system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor: causes at least one of a first set of images or videos to be displayed by the communications device. ### Claim 22 A method of operation in a processor-based food preparation guidance system, the method comprising: receiving, at the food preparation guidance system via a communications device over a data network, a selection of a gradation of at least one first characteristic of a food product, the selection based at least in part on a prompt output by a display of the communications device, wherein the prompt visually depicts the at least one first characteristic of the food product; identifying at least one food preparation parameter for the food product based at least in part on the received selection of the gradation of the at least one first characteristic of the food product; and sending the at least one food preparation parameter to the communications device over the data network. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22 wherein identifying at least one food preparation parameter for the food product comprises identifying at least one food preparation parameter for the food product utilizing at least one of: a simulation, a model, a lookup table, or an analytical or numerically solvable equation.