1. A cooking apparatus, comprising:
a top cover comprising a first fluid reservoir having a flexible bottom surface;
a bottom cover disposed beneath said top cover, said bottom cover comprising a second fluid reservoir having a flexible top surface;
a liquid heating unit in fluid communication with said first and second fluid reservoirs;
a vacuum seal washer disposed between said bottom cover and said top cover; and
an air vacuum unit in fluid communication with a void formed between said top cover and said bottom cover when said top cover is closed against said bottom cover;
wherein said air vacuum unit is not in fluid communication with said first and second fluid reservoirs and said flexible bottom surface of fluid reservoir in said top cover and said flexible top surface of said fluid reservoir in said bottom cover displace toward one another when said air vacuum unit removes air from said void formed between said top cover and said bottom cover.
2. The cooking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a heating fluid contained in said first and second fluid reservoirs.
3. The cooking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a food thickness sensor adapted to measure a thickness of a food item placed between said bottom surface and said top surface.
4. The cooking apparatus of claim 2, wherein said liquid heating unit comprises a pump configured to circulate said heating fluid through said first fluid reservoir.
5. The cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein when a food item is placed between said flexible top surface of said fluid reservoir in said bottom cover and said flexible bottom surface of said fluid reservoir in said top cover and said top cover is closed against said bottom cover, said air vacuum unit causes said flexible bottom surface to contact the food item.
6. The cooking apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a system control unit adapted to control a cooking temperature and a cooking time duration.
7. The cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein said liquid heating unit comprises a resistive heating element.
8. The cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first fluid reservoir comprises a serpentine fluid path.
9. The cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second fluid reservoir comprises a serpentine fluid path.
10. The cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein said bottom cover further comprises said liquid heating unit.
11. The cooking apparatus of claim 1, wherein said bottom cover further comprises said air vacuum unit.
12. A cooking apparatus, comprising:
a top cover comprising a first fluid reservoir having a flexible bottom surface;
a bottom cover disposed beneath said top cover, said bottom cover comprising a second fluid reservoir having a flexible top surface;
a first liquid heating unit in fluid communication with said first fluid reservoir;
a second liquid heating unit in fluid communication with said second fluid reservoir;
a vacuum seal washer disposed between said bottom cover and said top cover; and
an air vacuum unit in fluid communication with a void formed between said top cover and said bottom cover when said top cover is closed against said bottom cover;
wherein said air vacuum unit is not in fluid communication with either of said first and second fluid reservoirs and said flexible bottom surface of said top cover and said flexible top surface of said bottom cover displace toward one another when said air vacuum unit removes air from said void formed between said top cover and said bottom cover.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-22. (canceled)
23. A system for providing a token for reinsertion within a television distribution network subsequent to a prior insertion of said token by another token insertion apparatus, said system comprising:
a database in communication with a first data stream server, said database configured to store data confirming that said first data stream server previously caused a token to be inserted into a television data stream within a television distribution network; and
a second data stream server in communication with said database, said second data stream server configured to:
receive from said database said data confirming that said first data stream server previously caused said token to be inserted into said television data stream; and
in response to receipt of said data, cause said token to be reinserted within said television distribution system, said reinsertion comprising insertion of said token into a broadcast television data stream for broadcast to a plurality of set top boxes within said television distribution network, said token for causing said plurality of set top boxes to monitor for and process responses from users of said set top boxes.
24. The system of claim 23, wherein said second data stream server comprises a packet generator for generating packets for broadcast over said television distribution network to said plurality of set top boxes, wherein said packets comprise token data associated with said token.
25. The system of claim 24, wherein the packet generator provides said packets for insertion into a private data section or packetized elementary stream associated with a program of a transport stream and being representative of television content broadcast over the television distribution network.
26. The system of claim 24, further comprising a multiplexer coupled to the packet generator for multiplexing said packets comprising said token data with television content for broadcast to said plurality of set top boxes over the television distribution network.
27. The system according to claim 24, wherein the token data comprises data representative of a network location of the packet generator.
28. The system according to claim 24, wherein the token data comprises data representative of an application or script that the set top box can execute.
29. The system according to claim 28, wherein said application or script is an EBIF application or script.
30. The system according to claim 24, further comprising a time stamp for stamping data packets carrying token data to mark portions of television content with timing information.
31. The system according to claim 23, further comprising a monitor in communication with said plurality of set top boxes for receiving data from said plurality of set top boxes regarding said token broadcast to said plurality of set top boxes over said television distribution network.
32. The system according to claim 31, wherein said monitor is in communication with said plurality of set top boxes via a back channel in said television distribution network.
33. The system of claim 23, wherein said token is associated with television content in said broadcast television data stream.
34. The system of claim 23, further comprising said plurality of set top boxes configured to receive said broadcast television data stream and said responses from said users of said set top boxes.
35. The system according to claim 23, further comprising a feedback monitor for monitoring the broadcast television data stream being broadcast to the set-top boxes for verifying that the reinserted token is associated with respective content, and for reporting successful reinsertion of said token to a content provider.
36. The system according to claim 23, wherein said second data stream server is further configured to provide a token for insertion into a broadcast television data stream for broadcast to said plurality of set top boxes over said television network in response to an input from a VANC decoder.
37. The system according to claim 23, wherein said second data stream server is further configured to provide a token for insertion into a broadcast television data stream for broadcast to said plurality of set top boxes over said television network in response to an input from a television station automation system.
38. The system according to claim 23, further comprising:
a trigger mechanism in communication with said second data stream server, said trigger mechanism operative to receive an input from a live operator associated with a television facility;
wherein said second data stream server is further configured to:
receive a signal indicating that said live operator associated with said television facility has provided said input to said trigger mechanism; and
in response to receipt of said signal, provide a token for insertion into said broadcast television data stream for broadcast to said plurality of set top boxes over said television distribution network.
39. The system according to claim 23, wherein:
said database is configured to store data confirming that said first data stream server previously caused a playlist of tokens to be inserted into a television data stream within a television distribution network; and
said second data stream server is configured to cause said playlist of tokens to be reinserted within said television distribution system in response to receipt of said data from said database, said reinsertion comprising insertion of said tokens into said broadcast television data stream for broadcast to said plurality of set top boxes within said television distribution network.
40. The system of claim 39, wherein:
said first data stream server previously caused said playlist of tokens to be inserted into said television data stream in response to a plurality of triggers;
said data confirming that said first data stream server previously caused said playlist of tokens to be inserted into said television data stream comprises a sequence and schedule for insertion of said playlist of tokens; and
and said second data stream server is configured to cause, based on said data comprising said sequence and schedule, said playlist of tokens to be reinserted within said television distribution system in response to a single trigger.
41. The system of claim 23, further comprising said first data stream server, wherein said first data stream server is located upstream of said second data stream server in said television distribution network.
42. The system of claim 23, wherein:
said first data stream server caused said token to be inserted into said television data stream in association with a television advertisement;
said data confirming that said first data stream server previously caused said token to be inserted into said television data stream comprises a schedule for insertion of said token in association with said television advertisement; and
said second data stream server is configured to cause, based on said data comprising said schedule, said token to be inserted into said broadcast television data stream in association with said television advertisement for broadcast over the television distribution network to said plurality of set top boxes.
43. The system of claim 23, wherein:
said first data stream server caused said token to be inserted into said television data stream in association with television content in response to a live operator input;
said data confirming that said first data stream server previously caused said token to be inserted into said television data stream comprises a schedule for insertion of said token in association with said television content; and
said second data stream server is configured to cause, based on said data comprising said schedule, said token to be inserted into said broadcast television data stream in association with said television content for broadcast over the television distribution network to said plurality of set top boxes.
44. A method for providing a token for reinsertion within a television distribution network subsequent to a prior insertion of said token by another token insertion apparatus, said method comprising:
storing, in a database in communication with a first data stream server, data confirming that said first data stream server previously caused a token to be inserted into a television data stream within a television distribution network;
receiving, by a second data stream server in communication with said database, said data confirming that said first data stream server previously caused said token to be inserted into said television data stream; and
in response to receipt of said data, causing by said second data stream server said token to be reinserted within said television distribution system, said reinsertion comprising insertion of said token into a broadcast television data stream for broadcast to a plurality of set top boxes within said television distribution network, said token for causing said plurality of set top boxes to monitor for and process responses from users of said set top boxes.
45. The method according to claim 44, further comprising receiving, with a monitor in communication with said plurality of set top boxes, data from said plurality of set top boxes regarding said token broadcast to said plurality of set top boxes over said television distribution network.
46. The method according to claim 45, wherein said receiving with said monitor comprises receiving said data over a back channel in said television network.
47. The method of claim 44, wherein said token is associated with television content in said broadcast television data stream.
48. The method of claim 44, wherein:
said storing data comprises storing data confirming that said first data stream server previously caused a playlist of tokens to be inserted into a television data stream within a television distribution network; and
said causing said reinsertion comprises causing said playlist of tokens to be reinserted within said television distribution system in response to receipt of said data from said database, said reinsertion comprising insertion of said tokens into said broadcast television data stream for broadcast to said plurality of set top boxes within said television distribution network.
49. The method of claim 48, wherein:
said first data stream server previously caused said playlist of tokens to be inserted into said television data stream in response to a plurality of triggers;
said data confirming that said first data stream server previously caused said playlist of tokens to be inserted into said television data stream comprises a sequence and schedule for insertion of said playlist of tokens; and
said causing said reinsertion by said second data stream server comprises causing, based on said data comprising said sequence and schedule, said reinsertion of said playlist of tokens by said second data stream server in response to a single trigger received by said second data stream server.
50. The method of claim 44, further comprising causing by said first data stream server said token to be inserted into said television data stream within said television distribution network, wherein said first data stream server is located upstream of said second data stream server in said television distribution network.
51. The method of claim 44, wherein:
said first data stream server caused said token to be inserted into said television data stream in association with a television advertisement;
said data confirming that said first data stream server previously caused said token to be inserted into said television data stream comprises a schedule for insertion of said token in association with said television advertisement; and
said causing said token to be inserted into said broadcast television data stream comprises causing, by said second data stream server based on said data comprising said schedule, said token to be inserted into said broadcast television data stream in association with said television advertisement for broadcast over the television distribution network to said plurality of set top boxes.
52. The method of claim 44, wherein:
said first data stream server caused said token to be inserted into said television data stream in association with television content in response to a live operator input;
said data confirming that said first data stream server previously caused said token to be inserted into said television data stream comprises a schedule for insertion of said token in association with said television content; and
said causing said token to be inserted into said broadcast television data stream comprises causing, by said second data stream server based on said data, said token to be inserted into said broadcast television data stream in association with said television content for broadcast over the television distribution network to said plurality of set top boxes.