Modular food holding system

Abstract

A modular food holding system includes a plurality of individual modularized food holding chambers, each of the plurality of food holding chambers being physically and communicatively removably connected to one another. Each of the food holding chambers includes a food holding cavity and at least one of a heating element and/or a cooling element for heating or cooling the food holding cavity. A chamber base is physically and communicatively removably connected to one of the food holding chambers and operation of at least one food holding chamber is controlled by the chamber base.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A modular food holding system, comprising:
 a plurality of removable food holding chambers, each food holding chamber including a cavity for holding food;   a master base directly or indirectly communicatively connected to each of the plurality of food holding chambers;   a central controller communicatively connected to the plurality of food holding chambers through the master base, wherein the central controller is configured to:
 present a graphical representation of information associated with the plurality of food holding chambers to a user via a display; 
 receive communication signals from each of the plurality of food holding chambers via the master base; 
 determine a context of one or more of the plurality of food holding chambers based upon the communication signals received; and 
 adjust the graphical representation based upon the context to present an adjusted graphical representation to the user via the display. 
   
     
     
         2 . The modular food holding system of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation indicates a physical configuration of the plurality of food holding chambers within the modular food holding system. 
     
     
         3 . The modular food holding system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of food holding chambers includes a newly connected chamber;   the communication signals include data from the newly connected chamber;   the context is associated with the addition of the newly connected chamber; and   the adjusted graphical representation includes an indicator of the newly connected chamber.   
     
     
         4 . The modular food holding system of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the graphical representation is a pictorial representation of the plurality of food holding chambers other than the newly connected chamber;   the adjusted graphical representation is a pictorial representation of the plurality of food holding chamber that includes a pictorial representation of the newly connected chamber; and   the pictorial representation of the newly connected chamber is graphically highlighted.   
     
     
         5 . The modular food holding system of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical representation includes an indicator of a type of food held in at least one of the plurality of food holding chambers. 
     
     
         6 . The modular food holding system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the communication signals include sensor data from one or more sensors disposed within one of the plurality of food holding chambers, which sensor data indicates an environmental condition within the corresponding food holding chamber;   the context includes the environmental condition within the corresponding food holding chamber; and   the adjusted graphical representation includes an indication of a change in the environmental condition within the corresponding food holding chamber.   
     
     
         7 . The modular food holding system of  claim 1 , wherein the central controller is further configured to:
 receive an input from the user indicating a selection of a menu option associated with one of the plurality of food holding chambers;   generate a control command to set at least one operating parameter used by a unit controller of the corresponding food holding chamber; and   communicate the control command to the corresponding food holding chamber through the master base.   
     
     
         8 . The modular food holding system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the central controller is further configured to receive an input from the user indicating a selection of an option associated with one of the plurality of food holding chambers;   the central controller further determines the context based in part upon the option selected by the user; and   the adjusted graphical representation includes an adjustment to the information associated with the plurality of food holding chambers based upon the option selected by the user.   
     
     
         9 . A central controller for controlling a modular food holding system having a plurality of removable food holding chambers, each food holding chamber including a cavity for holding food and being communicatively connected to the central controller through a master base, the central controller comprising:
 one or more processors;   a display communicatively connected to the one or more processors;   a communication module communicatively connected to the one or more processors and configured to communicate with the master base or with the plurality of food holding units through the master base;   a program memory communicatively connected to the one or more processors and storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processor, cause the one or more processors to:
 present a graphical representation of information associated with the plurality of food holding chambers to a user via the display; 
 receive communication signals from each of the plurality of food holding chambers via the communication module and the master base; 
 determine a context of one or more of the plurality of food holding chambers based upon the communication signals received; and 
 adjust the graphical representation based upon the context to present an adjusted graphical representation to the user via the display. 
   
     
     
         10 . The central controller of  claim 9 , wherein the graphical representation indicates a physical configuration of the plurality of food holding chambers within the modular food holding system. 
     
     
         11 . The central controller of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the plurality of food holding chambers includes a newly connected chamber;   the communication signals include data from the newly connected chamber;   the context is associated with the addition of the newly connected chamber; and   the adjusted graphical representation includes an indicator of the newly connected chamber.   
     
     
         12 . The central controller of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the graphical representation is a pictorial representation of the plurality of food holding chambers other than the newly connected chamber;   the adjusted graphical representation is a pictorial representation of the plurality of food holding chamber that includes a pictorial representation of the newly connected chamber; and   the pictorial representation of the newly connected chamber is graphically highlighted.   
     
     
         13 . The central controller of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the communication signals include sensor data from one or more sensors disposed within one of the plurality of food holding chambers, which sensor data indicates an environmental condition within the corresponding food holding chamber;   the context includes the environmental condition within the corresponding food holding chamber; and   the adjusted graphical representation includes an indication of a change in the environmental condition within the corresponding food holding chamber.   
     
     
         14 . A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing executable instructions for controlling a modular food holding system having a plurality of removable food holding chambers, each food holding chamber including a cavity for holding food and being communicatively connected to a central controller through a master base, which executable instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the central controller, cause the central controller to:
 present a graphical representation of information associated with the plurality of food holding chambers to a user via a display;   receive communication signals from each of the plurality of food holding chambers via the master base;   determine a context of one or more of the plurality of food holding chambers based upon the communication signals received; and   adjust the graphical representation based upon the context to present an adjusted graphical representation to the user via the display.   
     
     
         15 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the graphical representation indicates a physical configuration of the plurality of food holding chambers within the modular food holding system. 
     
     
         16 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the plurality of food holding chambers includes a newly connected chamber;   the communication signals include data from the newly connected chamber;   the context is associated with the addition of the newly connected chamber; and   the adjusted graphical representation includes an indicator of the newly connected chamber.   
     
     
         17 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the graphical representation is a pictorial representation of the plurality of food holding chambers other than the newly connected chamber;   the adjusted graphical representation is a pictorial representation of the plurality of food holding chamber that includes a pictorial representation of the newly connected chamber; and   the pictorial representation of the newly connected chamber is graphically highlighted.   
     
     
         18 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the communication signals include sensor data from one or more sensors disposed within one of the plurality of food holding chambers, which sensor data indicates an environmental condition within the corresponding food holding chamber;   the context includes the environmental condition within the corresponding food holding chamber; and   the adjusted graphical representation includes an indication of a change in the environmental condition within the corresponding food holding chamber.   
     
     
         19 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the central controller to:
 receive an input from the user indicating a selection of a menu option associated with one of the plurality of food holding chambers;   generate a control command to set at least one operating parameter used by a unit controller of the corresponding food holding chamber; and   communicate the control command to the corresponding food holding chamber through the master base.   
     
     
         20 . The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the executable instructions further cause the central controller to receive an input from the user indicating a selection of an option associated with one of the plurality of food holding chambers, and wherein:
 the context is further determined based in part upon the option selected by the user; and   the adjusted graphical representation includes an adjustment to the information associated with the plurality of food holding chambers based upon the option selected by the user.