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A programmable cooking system has a programming mode for reading an identifying code on a food product and for storing a user selected recipe as a function of the code. The system also has a cooking mode for reading an identifying code on a food product and for recalling and implementing a recipe st

A programmable cooking system has a programming mode for reading an identifying code on a food product and for storing a user selected recipe as a function of the code. The system also has a cooking mode for reading an identifying code on a food product and for recalling and implementing a recipe stored for the code during the programming mode. The system includes an optical code reader for reading the code. A keypad is used by the operator to input recipes during the programming mode and to input cooking variables during the cooking mode. A microprocessor stores and recalls the identifying codes and recipes in a compressed format and controls the operation of a cooking device, such as a microwave oven.

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1. A programmable cooking system for use with a cooking device and a plurality of food products, each food product bearing an identifying code, said cooking system comprising: a memory; means for reading the identifying code on a selected one of the food products; user programmable means for in

1. A programmable cooking system for use with a cooking device and a plurality of food products, each food product bearing an identifying code, said cooking system comprising: a memory; means for reading the identifying code on a selected one of the food products; user programmable means for inputting into the memory a sequence of cooking instructions corresponding to the identifying code read by the reading means; means for recalling the sequence of cooking instructions from the memory which corresponds to an identifying code read by the reading means; and means for controlling the operation of the cooking device as a function of the sequence of cooking instructions recalled by the recalling means; wherein said cooking system has two modes of operation: a programming mode wherein the identifying code on each of the selected food products is read by the reading means and a separate sequence of cooking instructions is input into the memory via the user programmable means so that each identifying code corresponds to a separate sequence of cooking instructions in the memory; and a cooking mode wherein the identifying code on a selected food product is read by the reading means and the corresponding sequence of cooking instructions is recalled from the memory by the recalling means for use by the controlling means in controlling the operation of the cooking device according to said cooking instructions. 2. The cooking system of claim 1 wherein the reading means further comprises an optical code reader. 3. The cooking system of claim 1 wherein the reading means further comprises means for reading a universal product code printed on the selected food product. 4. The cooking system of claim 1 wherein the user programmable means further comprises means for entering a base amount of food to be cooked in a set of cooking instructions; wherein the controlling means further comprises means for inputting a value representative of the actual amount of food to be cooked in a given operation of the cooking device; and wherein the controlling means controls the cooking device as a function of the base amount and the actual amount. 5. The cooking system of claim 4 wherein the reading means further comprises an optical code reader. 6. The cooking system of claim 4 wherein the reading means further comprises means for reading a universal product code printed on the selected food product. 7. The cooking system of claim 4 wherein the user programmable means further comprises means for compressing the sequences of cooking instructions and for inputting them into the memory in a compressed format, and wherein the recalling means further comprises means for recalling the sequences of cooking instructions in a compressed format and for expanding them into a format compatible for use by the controlling means in controlling the cooking device. 8. The cooking system of claim 4 wherein the memory further comprises a table of memory locations for storing a cooking time period and a power setting for each sequence of cooking instructions. 9. The cooking system of claim 1 wherein the user programmable means further comprises means for compressing the sequences of cooking instructions and for inputting them into the memory in a compressed format, and wherein the recalling means further comprises means for recalling the sequences of cooking instructions in a compressed format and for expanding them into a format compatible for use by the controlling means in controlling the cooking device. 10. The cooking system of claim 1 wherein the memory further comprises a table of memory locations for storing a cooking time period and a power setting for each sequence of cooking instructions. 11. An automatic cooking system for use with a plurality of food products, each baring an identifying code, said cooking system comprising: a cooking device; a memory; an optical code reader for reading the identifying codes on a selected one of the food products; user programmable means for inputting into the memory a sequence of cooking instructions corresponding to the identifying code read by the optical code reader; means for recalling the sequence of cooking instructions from the memory which corresponds to an identifying code read by the optical code reader; and means for controlling the operation of the cooking device as a function of the sequence of cooking instructions recalled by the recalling means; wherein said cooking system has two modes of operation; a programming mode wherein the identifying code on each of the selected food products is read by the reading means and a separate sequence of cooking instructions is input into the memory via the user programmable means so that each identifying code corresponds to a separate sequence of cooking instructions in the memory; and a cooking mode wherein the identifying code on a selected food product is read by the reading means and the corresponding sequence of cooking instructions is recalled from the memory by the recalling means for use by the controlling means in controlling the operation of the cooking device according to said cooking instructions. 12. The cooking system of claim 11 wherein the cooking device further comprises a microwave oven. 13. The cooking system of claim 11 wherein the cooking device further comprises a convection oven. 14. The cooking system of claim 11 wherein the reading means further comprises an optical code reader. 15. The cooking system of claim 11 wherein the reading means further comprises means for reading a universal product code printed on the selected food product. 16. The cooking system of claim 11 wherein the user programmable means further comprises means for entering a base amount of food to be cooked in a set of cooking instructions; wherein the controlling means further comprises means for inputting a value representative of the actual amount of food to be cooked in a given operation of the cooking device; and wherein the controlling means controls the cooking device as a function of the base amount and the actual amount. 17. The cooking system of claim 16 wherein the reading means further comprises an optical code reader. 18. The cooking system of claim 16 wherein the reading means further comprises means for reading a universal product printed on the selected food product. 19. The cooking system of claim 16 wherein the user programmable means further comprises means for compressing the sequences of cooking instructions and for inputting them into the memory in a compressed format, and wherein the recalling means further comprises means for recalling the sequences of cooking instructions in a compressed format and for expanding them into a format compatible for use by the controlling means in controlling the operation of the cooking device. 20. The cooking system of claim 16 wherein the memory further comprises a table of memory locations for storing a cooking time period and a power setting for each sequence of cooking instructions. 21. The cooking system of claim 11 wherein the user programmable means further comprises means for compressing the sequences of cooking instructions and for inputting them into the memory in a compressed format, and wherein the recalling means further comprises means for recalling the sequences of cooking instructions in a compressed format and for expanding them into a format compatible for use by the controlling means in controlling the operation of the cooking device. 22. The cooking system of claim 11 wherein the memory further comprises a table of memory locations for storing a cooking time period and a power setting for each sequence of cooking instructions. 23. A programmable cooking system for use with a plurality of food products, each bearing an identifying code, said cooking system comprising: a cooking device having controls for controlling the operation of the cooking device; an optical code reader for reading the identifying code on a selected one of the food products; a keypad; a memory; and a microprocessor including an input connected to the optical code reader, the keypad and the memory, and having an output connected to the memory and the controls and having a programming mode and an operating mode; wherein said microprocessor in the programming mode stores in memory identifying codes read by the optical code reader and corresponding cooking instructions input via the keypad by an operator; and wherein said microprocessor in the cooking mode retrieves from the memory cooking instructions corresponding to an identifying code read by the optical code reader, said microprocessor controlling the controls of the cooking device in accordance with retrieved cooking instructions whereby the operator stores in the memory cooking instructions corresponding to a particular identifying code and the operation of the cooking device is controlled in response to cooking instructions corresponding to the particular identifying code read by the optical code reader. 24. The cooking system of claim 23 wherein the cooking device further comprises a microwave oven. 25. The cooking system of claim 23 wherein the cooking device further comprises a convection oven. 26. The cooking system of claim 23 wherein the optical code reader further comprises an optical code reader. 27. The cooking system of claim 23 wherein the optical code reader further comprises means for reading a universal product code printed on the selected food product. 28. The cooking system of claim 23 wherein the microprocessor further comprises means for compressing the sequences of cooking instructions and for inputting them into the memory in a compressed format, and wherein the microprocessor further comprises means for recalling the sequences of cooking instructions in a compressed format and for expanding them into a compatible format for controlling the controls of the cooking device. 29. The cooking system of claim 23 wherein the memory further comprises a table of memory locations for storing a cooking time period and a power setting for each cooking instruction input via the keypad.