Drinkware and plateware and active temperature control module for same

Abstract

An active temperature control module can be used with drinkware and plateware devices. The drinkware can be a mug made of metal, and optionally coated with a ceramic material. The active thermal control module can optionally be removably coupleable to a surface of the drinkware or plateware device. The module can include at least one heating element that can thermally communicate with a surface of the drinkware or plateware device to thereby effect heat transfer through the base to food stuff (e.g., a solid food, a liquid food) in the drinkware or plateware device. The module can include at least one sensor configured to sense a parameter of the foodstuff, and at least one power storage element configured to provide power to the at least one heating element. The module can include control circuitry configured to control operation of the one or more heating elements, and a transceiver configured to transmit operating information of the module to a remote electronic device and to receive operating instructions from the remote electronic device. Optionally, the module can include a heat transfer pack that can thermally communicate with the at least one heating element, and which can be interposed between the at least one heating element and a surface of the drinkware or plateware device.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An actively heated temperature control module for plateware, serverware or drinkware, comprising:
 a module body that houses one or more heat transfer elements, circuitry configured to control the operation of the one or more heating or cooling elements, and one or more batteries operable to provide power to one or both of the circuitry and the one or more heating or cooling elements; and   a heat transfer pack attached to the module body, the heat transfer pack configured to protrude from a top surface of the module body, the heat transfer pack comprising a thermally conductive material and in thermal communication with the one or more heating or cooling elements, the heat transfer pack being configured to deform to conform to at least a portion of a drinkware, plateware or serverware device placed thereon irrespective of a shape of the drinkware, plateware or serverware device,   wherein the circuitry is configured to control the operation of the one or more heating or cooling elements to heat or cool the heat transfer pack to in turn heat or cool the drinkware, plateware or serverware device placed on the heat transfer pack.   
     
     
         3 . The module of  claim 2 , wherein the heat transfer pack is flexible. 
     
     
         4 . The module of  claim 2 , wherein the thermally conductive material is a thermally conductive gel. 
     
     
         5 . The module of  claim 2 , wherein the thermally conductive material is a thermal gap pad material. 
     
     
         6 . The module of  claim 2 , wherein the module body further comprises a wireless transmitter configured to transmit information of the module to a remote electronic device and a wireless receiver configured to receive information from the remote electronic device. 
     
     
         7 . The module of  claim 6 , wherein the wireless transmitter and wireless receiver form part of a wireless transceiver. 
     
     
         8 . An actively heated temperature control module for plateware, serverware or drinkware, comprising:
 a module comprising
 a body that houses one or more heating or cooling elements and circuitry configured to control the operation of the one or more heating or cooling elements, and 
 a heat transfer pack configured to protrude from a top portion of the body, the heat transfer pack comprising a thermally conductive material and in thermal communication with the one or more heating or cooling elements, the heat transfer pack being configured to deform to conform to at least a portion of a drinkware, plateware or serverware device placed thereon irrespective of a shape of the drinkware, plateware or serverware device, 
   wherein the circuitry is configured to control the operation of the one or more heating or cooling elements to heat or cool the heat transfer pack such that the heat transfer pack heats or cools the drinkware, plateware or serverware device placed on the heat transfer pack.   
     
     
         9 . The module of  claim 8 , wherein the body further houses one or more batteries operable to provide power to one or both of the circuitry and the one or more heating or cooling elements. 
     
     
         10 . The module of  claim 8 , wherein the heat transfer pack is flexible. 
     
     
         11 . The module of  claim 8 , wherein the thermally conductive material is a thermally conductive gel. 
     
     
         12 . The module of  claim 8 , wherein the thermally conductive material is a thermal gap pad material. 
     
     
         13 . The module of  claim 8 , wherein the body further houses a wireless transmitter configured to transmit information of the module to a remote electronic device and a wireless receiver configured to receive information from the remote electronic device. 
     
     
         14 . The module of  claim 13 , wherein the wireless transmitter and wireless receiver form part of a wireless transceiver. 
     
     
         15 . In combination with a drinkware, plateware or serverware device, an actively heated temperature control module, comprising:
 a module comprising a body that houses one or more heating or cooling elements, circuitry configured to control the operation of the one or more heating or cooling elements, and one or more batteries that provide power to one or both of the circuitry and one or more heating or cooling elements, the module further comprising a heat transfer pack comprising a thermally conductive material in thermal communication with the one or more heating or cooling elements, the heat transfer pack being configured to deform to conform to at least a portion of the drinkware, plateware or serverware device when placed on the heat transfer pack, irrespective of a shape of the drinkware, plateware or serverware device,   wherein the circuitry controls the operation of the one or more heating or cooling elements to heat or cool the heat transfer pack such that the heat transfer pack heats or cools the drinkware, plateware or serverware device when disposed on the heat transfer pack.   
     
     
         16 . The combination of  claim 15 , wherein the heat transfer pack is flexible. 
     
     
         17 . The combination of  claim 15 , wherein the thermally conductive material is a thermally conductive gel. 
     
     
         18 . The combination of  claim 15 , wherein the thermally conductive material is a thermal gap pad material. 
     
     
         19 . The combination of  claim 15 , wherein the body further houses a wireless transmitter configured to transmit information of the module to a remote electronic device and a wireless receiver configured to receive information from the remote electronic device. 
     
     
         20 . The combination of  claim 19 , wherein the wireless transmitter and wireless receiver form part of a wireless transceiver.