1. An apparatus for toasting food items comprising:
an inlet for receiving food items;
an outlet for discharging the food items after they are toasted;
a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet, the toasting chamber defining at least one toasting path, the toasting chamber having at least one platen arranged along the path, at least one conveyor extending along the path, a means for impingement heating located along the path, and at least one infra-red heating element disposed along the path;
said at least one platen being positioned sequentially along the path with said at least one infra-red heating element so that food items traveling along the path are exposed to said at least one platen and said at least one infra-red heating element individually; and
a means for activating and controlling the conveyor to move the food items through the path.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a housing.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein there is more than one inlet.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein there are two horizontal inlets at the rear of the housing and the path includes a horizontal portion, the two inlets each coupled to horizontal portion of the path.
5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the means for impingement heating includes a fan encased within the housing, the fan adapted to blow air across the path, and a metal reflector is arranged adjacent the infra-red heating element so that the reflector radiates heat and warms the air as it blows across the path.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising at least one baffle which directs the blowing air across the food item and the conveyor belt so as to further toast the food item and prevent heat loss.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a receiving tray coupled to the outlet and wherein the receiving tray includes a foil heater plate to retain the heat in the food item.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, the toasting chamber defines two toasting paths, the toasting chamber having a platen arranged along each of the paths.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the apparatus includes a first inlet and second inlet for receiving food items, each inlet includes a respective platen arranged along the respective path, the first inlet has a first dimensions and the second inlet has a second dimension different from the first dimension so as to allow for different size food products to move across the respective platen surfaces.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the platens will be heated by an embedded heating element.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein there are eight infrared heating elements.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for activating and the controlling the conveyor includes a motor with gears of differing sizes, and means for regulating the speed of the motor, so as to move the attached conveyor belts at differing speeds.
13. An apparatus for toasting food items comprising:
a housing including at least two vertical inlets at the top of the housing to accept food items of differing size and shapes, and an outlet for discharging the food items after they are toasted;
a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet, the toasting chamber defining at least one toasting path, the toasting chamber having at least one platen arranged along the path, at least one conveyor extending along the path, a means for impingement heating located along the path, and at least one infra-red heating element disposed along the path;
said pathway including a vertical portion where the two inlets are each coupled to a vertical portion of the pathway; and
a means for activating and controlling the conveyor to move the food items through the path.
14. An apparatus for toasting food items comprising:
a housing including two horizontal inlets in a rear of the housing and an outlet for discharging the food items after they are toasted;
a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet, the toasting chamber of defining at lest one toasting path, the toasting chamber having at least one platen arranged along the path, at least one conveyor extending along the path, a means for impingement heating located along the path, and at least one infra-red heating element disposed along the path;
said pathway including a horizontal portion where the two horizontal inlets are each coupled to the horizontal portion of the pathway and allow for the loading of muffins and bagels into the housing and onto the conveyor so as to avoid the at least platen; and
a means for activating and controlling the conveyor to move the food items through the path.
15. An apparatus for toasting food items comprising:
an inlet for receiving food items;
an outlet for discharging the food items after they are toasted;
a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet, the toasting chamber defining at least one toasting path, the toasting chamber having at least one platen arranged along the path, two horizontal wire conveyors and one vertical wire conveyor extending along the path, a means for impingement heating located along the path, and at least one infra-red heating element disposed along the path;
a metal plate inserted adjacent the horizontal wire conveyors to reflect and radiate heat from the infra-red heaters onto the food items; and
a means for activating and controlling the conveyor to move the food items through the path.
16. An apparatus for toasting food items comprising:
an inlet for receiving food items;
an outlet for discharging the food items after they are toasted;
a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet, the toasting chamber defining at least one toasting path, the toasting chamber having at least one platen arranged along the path, at least one conveyor extending along the path, a means for impingement heating located along the path, and at least one infra-red heating element disposed along the path; and
a means for activating and controlling the conveyor to move the food items through the path including two motors with gears of differing sizes, and means for regulating the speed of the motors, so as to move the attached conveyor belts at differing speeds.
17. An apparatus for toasting food items comprising:
a housing including at least two vertical inlets at the top of the housing to accept food items of differing size and shapes and an outlet for discharging the foot items after they are toasted;
a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet, the toasting chamber defining at least one toasting path, the toasting chamber having at least one conveyor extending along the path, at least one platen extending along the path, and a means for impingement heating of the food items disposed therein;
said pathway including a vertical portion where the two inlets are each coupled to the vertical portion of the pathway; and
a means for activating and controlling the conveyor belt to move the food items through the path.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a receiving tray coupled to the outlet and wherein the receiving tray includes a foil heater plate to retain the heat in the food item.
19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the means for activating and controlling the conveyor includes a motor with gears of differing sizes, and means for regulating the speed of the motor, so as to move the attached conveyor belts at differing speeds.
20. An apparatus for toasting food items comprising:
a housing including two horizontal inlets in a rear of the housing and an outlet for discharging the foot items after they are toasted;
a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet, the toasting chamber defining at least one toasting path, the toasting chamber having at least one conveyor extending along the path, at least one platen extending along the path, and a means for impingement heating of the food items disposed therein;
said pathway including a horizontal portion where the two horizontal inlets are each coupled to the horizontal portion of the pathway and allow for the loading of muffins and bagels into the housing and onto the conveyor so as to avoid the at least one platen; and
a means for activating and controlling the conveyor belt to move the food items through the path.
21. An apparatus for toasting food items comprising:
an inlet for receiving food items;
an outlet for discharging the foot items after they are toasted;
a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet, the toasting chamber defining at least one toasting path, the toasting chamber having two horizontal wire conveyors and one vertical wire conveyor extending along the path, at least one platen extending along the path, and a means for impingement heating of the food items disposed therein:
a metal plate inserted adjacent the horizontal wire conveyors to reflect and radiate heat from an infra-red heater element onto the foot item; and
a means for activating and controlling the conveyor belt to move the food items through the path.
22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the apparatus includes a housing.
23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein there is more than one inlet.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein there are at least two vertical inlets at the top of the housing to accept food items of differing size and shapes, the two inlets each coupled to a vertical portion of the pathway.
25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein there are two horizontal inlets at the rear of the housing and the path includes a horizontal portion, the two inlets each coupled to the horizontal portion of the path.
26. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein, the toasting chamber defines two toasting paths, the toasting chamber having a platen arranged along each of the paths.
27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the apparatus includes a first inlet and second inlet for receiving food items, each inlet includes a respective platen arranged along the respective path, the first inlet has a first dimension and the second inlet has a second dimension different from the first dimension so as to allow for difference size food products to move across the respective platen surfaces.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the platen will be heated by an embedded heating element.
29. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the means for impingement heating includes a fan encased within the housing, the fan adapted to below air across the path, and a metal reflector is arranged adjacent the infra-red heating element so that the reflector radiates heat and warms the air as it blows across the path.
30. The apparatus of claim 29 further comprising at least one baffle which directs the blowing air across the food item and the conveyor belt so as to further toast the food item and prevent heat loss.
31. An apparatus for toasting food items comprising:
an inlet for receiving food items;
an outlet for discharging the food items after they are toasted;
a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet, the toasting chamber defining at least one toasting path, the toasting chamber having at least one conveyor extending along the path, at least one platen extending along the path, and a means for impingement heating of the food items disposed therein; and
a means for activating and controlling the conveyor belt to move the food items through the path including two motors with gears of differing sizes, and means for regulating the speed of the motors, so as to move the attached conveyor belts at differing speeds.
32. An apparatus for toasting food items comprising:
an inlet for receiving food items;
an outlet for discharging the foot items after they are toasted;
a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet, the toasting chamber defining at least one toasting path, the toasting chamber having at least one platen arranged along the path, at least one conveyor extending along the path, and at least one infra-red heating element disposed along the path;
said at least one platen being positioned sequentially along the path with said at least one infra-red heating element so that food items traveling along the path are exposed to said at least one platen and said at least one infra-red heating element individually; and
a means for activating and controlling the conveyor to move the food items through the path.
33. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the apparatus includes a housing.
34. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein there is more than one inlet.
35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein there are two horizontal inlets an the rear of the housing and the path includes a horizontal portion, the two inlets each coupled to the horizontal portion of the path.
36. The apparatus of claim 32 further comprising a receiving tray coupled to the outlet and wherein the receiving tray includes a foil heater plate to retain the heat in the food item.
37. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein, the toasting chamber defines two toasting paths, the roasting chamber having a platen arranged along each of the paths.
38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein the apparatus includes a first inlet and second inlet for receiving food items, each inlet includes a respective platen arranged along the respective path, the first inlet has a first dimension and the second inlet has a second dimension different from the first dimension so as to allow for different size food products to move across the respective platen surfaces.
39. The apparatus of claim 38 wherein the platens will be heated by an embedded heating element.
40. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein there are 8 infrared heating elements.
41. The apparatus of claim 32 wherein the means for activating and controlling the conveyor includes a motor with gears of differing sizes, and means for regulating the speed of the motor, so as to move the attached conveyor belts at differing speeds.
42. An apparatus for toasting food items comprising:
a housing including two horizontal inlets in a rear of the housing and an outlet for discharging the food items after they are toasted;
a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet, the toasting chamber defining at least one toasting path, the toasting chamber having at least one platen arranged along the path, at least one conveyor extending along the path, and at least one infra-red heating element disposed along the path;
said pathway including a horizontal portion where the two horizontal inlets allow for the loading of muffins and bagels into the housing and onto a conveyor so as to avoid the at least one platen; and
a means for activating and controlling the conveyor to move the food items through the path.
43. An apparatus for toasting food items comprising:
an inlet for receiving food items;
an outlet for discharging the foot items after they are toasted;
a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet, the toasting chamber defining at least one toasting path, the toasting chamber having at least one platen arranged along the path, two horizontal wire conveyors and one vertical wire conveyor extending along the path, and at least one infra-red heating element disposed along the path;
a metal plate inserted adjacent the horizontal wire conveyors to reflect and radiate heat from the infra-red heaters onto the food items; and
a means for activating and controlling the conveyor to move the food items through the path.
44. An apparatus for toasting food items comprising:
an inlet for receiving food items;
an outlet for discharging the food items after they are toasted;
a toasting chamber located between the inlet and the outlet, the toasting chamber defining at least one toasting path, the toasting chamber having at least one platen arranged along the path, at least one conveyor extending along the path, and at least one infra-red heating element disposed along the path; and
a means for activating and controlling the conveyor to move the food items through the path including two motors with gears of differing sizes, and means for regulating the speed of the motors so as to move the attached conveyor belts at differing speeds.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. In a communication environment having at least a first and a second communication device, said communication devices configured to couple user devices to the network, and a network management system, a system for displaying network performance information, comprising:
a plurality of network performance parameter views, comprising a bit burst analysis view, a network latency view, a data delivery success view and a frame size distribution view, wherein said views are associated with a virtual circuit between the first and the second communication device; and
display means for presenting to a user said plurality of network performance parameter views,
where said bit burst analysis view comprises a plurality of bit burst counters, each of said bit burst counters counting one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of a plurality of burst categories, wherein each of said bit burst counters counts the one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of the plurality of burst categories during a sliding window time interval, the time interval synchronized to begin with detection of the first of the one or more bit bursts.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said display means further comprises a graphical user interface.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein said display means further comprises a graphical user interface.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution information is derived from said first and second communication device by a network management system.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein said virtual circuit is a permanent virtual circuit.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein said virtual circuit is a switched virtual circuit.
7. The system of claim 1,
wherein said plurality of network performance parameter views are collected from said first and said second communication devices.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein said display means presents said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution views simultaneously.
9. A method for displaying network performance parameters in a network comprising a network management system and at least a first and a second communication device, said communication devices configured to couple user devices to the network, the method comprising the steps of:
collecting a plurality of network performance information including bit burst analysis information, network latency information, data delivery success information, and frame size distribution information, each of said plurality associated with a virtual circuit between the first and the second communication device; and
displaying views of said bit burst analysis, said network latency, said data delivery success, and said frame size distribution information,
where said bit burst analysis information comprises a plurality of bit burst counters, each of said bit burst counters counting one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of a plurality of burst categories, wherein each of said bit burst counters counts the one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of the plurality of burst categories during a sliding window time interval, the time interval synchronized to begin with detection of the first of the one or more bit bursts.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of:
collecting in said network management system said plurality of network performance parameter information from said first and said second communication devices.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of displaying said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution views simultaneously.
12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:
collecting the plurality of network performance information from the first communication device over a first secondary management channel and from the second communication device over a second secondary management channel.
13. The method of claim 9, wherein said virtual circuit is a permanent virtual circuit.
14. The method of claim 9, wherein said virtual circuit is a switched virtual circuit.
15. The method of claim 9, wherein said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution information is derived from said first and second communication device by a network management system.
16. A computer readable medium having a program for displaying network performance parameters in a network comprising a network management system and at least two communication devices, said communication devices configured to couple user devices to the network, the program comprising logic configured to perform the steps of:
collecting a plurality of network performance information including bit burst analysis information, network latency information, data delivery success information, and frame size distribution information, each of said plurality associated with a virtual circuit between the first and the second communication device; and
displaying views of said bit burst analysis, said network latency, said data delivery success, and said frame size distribution information,
where said bit burst analysis information comprises a plurality of bit burst counters, each of said bit burst counters counting one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of a plurality of burst categories, wherein each of said bit burst counters counts the one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of the plurality of burst categories during a sliding window time interval, the time interval synchronized to begin with detection of the first of the one or more bit bursts.
17. The program of claim 16, further comprising logic configured to perform the step of:
collecting in said network management system said plurality of network performance parameter views from said first and said second communication devices.
18. The program of claim 16, further comprising logic configured to perform the step of displaying said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution views simultaneously.
19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising the step of:
collecting the plurality of network performance information from the first communication device over a first secondary management channel and from the second communication device over a second secondary management channel.
20. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein said virtual circuit is a permanent virtual circuit.
21. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein said virtual circuit is a switched virtual circuit.
22. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution information is derived from said first and second communication device by a network management system.
23. A system for displaying network performance parameters, comprising:
means for collecting, from a first and a second communication device, bit burst analysis information, network latency information, data delivery success information and frame size distribution information associated with a virtual circuit between the first and the second communication device, said first and second communication device each being configured to couple at least one user device to the network; and
display means for displaying said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution information,
where said bit burst analysis information comprises a plurality of bit burst counters, each of said bit burst counters counting one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of a plurality of burst categories, wherein each of said bit burst counters counts the one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of the plurality of burst categories during a sliding window time interval, the time interval synchronized to begin with detection of the first of the one or more bit bursts.
24. The system of claim 23, wherein said display means further comprises a graphical user interface.
25. The system of claim 23, wherein said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution information is derived from said first and second communication device by a network management system.
26. The system of claim 23, wherein said virtual circuit is a permanent virtual circuit.
27. The system of claim 23, wherein said virtual circuit is a switched virtual circuit.
28. The system of claim 23, further comprising:
means for collecting the information from the first communication device over a first secondary management channel and from the second communication device over a second secondary management channel.
29. A system for displaying network performance parameters associated with a first and a second communication device, comprising:
a poller means for polling the first and the second communication device for a plurality of network performance information comprising bit burst analysis information, network latency information, data delivery success information, and frame size distribution information, each of said plurality associated with a virtual circuit between the first and the second communication device, the first and second communication device being configured to couple at least one user device to the network;
an analyzer means for producing a report of the plurality of network performance information; and
a display module means for displaying the report, wherein each of said bit burst counters counts the one or more bit bursts that was placed into one of the plurality of burst categories during a sliding window time interval, the time interval synchronized to begin with detection of the first of the one or more bit bursts.
30. The system of claim 29, wherein the poller is further configured to poll the first communication device over a first secondary management channel and to poll the second communication device over a second secondary management channel.
31. The system of claim 29, further comprising:
a statistics database configured to store the plurality of network performance information.
32. The system of claim 29, further comprising:
a formatter configured to prepare the report for visual presentation.
33. The system of claim 29, further comprising:
means for setting the rate at which the poller operates.
34. The system of claim 29, wherein said virtual circuit is a permanent virtual circuit.
35. The system of claim 29, wherein said virtual circuit is a switched virtual circuit.
36. The system of claim 29, wherein said display module means displays said bit burst analysis, network latency, data delivery success and frame size distribution information simultaneously.