System and method for monitoring a temperature-related condition

1. A system for monitoring a temperature related condition of an object, the system comprising:

at least one remote unit comprising a remote unit body defined by an annularly-extending side surface, a flat top surface, and a flat bottom surface, where the remote unit body is attachable to a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the object;

a remote unit base removably connectable to the remote unit, the remote unit base having a magnetic portion that is operable to permit removable connection to a heating device;

at least one computing device, positioned within the remote unit body, the at least one computing device comprising at least a processor, a non-transitory memory storage device, and an input-output device configured for wireless communication, wherein the computing device is configured to analyze temperature data measured by the temperature sensor and thereby determine a current temperature related condition and a relation of the current temperature related condition to a pre-set or desired temperature related condition of the object; and

wherein the at least one remote unit includes at least one user interface positioned on the top surface of remote unit body and configured to display a plurality of colored lights, wherein each of said plurality of colored lights corresponds to a different relation of the current temperature related condition to the pre-set or desired temperature related condition.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a control unit remote from the at least one remote unit and configured to deliver instructions to one or more of the at least one remote unit, the at least one computing device, or the at least one user interface, the instructions indicating which of said plurality of colored lights are to be displayed corresponding to the relation of the current temperature related condition to said pre-set or desired temperature related condition.

3. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the object is a food item.

4. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the user interface displays the colored lights using a multi-colored LED.

5. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to display the plurality of colored lights in succession, wherein each successive colored lights is displayed when the temperature related condition of the object is within a respective successive proximity to the pre-set or desired temperature related condition.

6. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to adjust a thermostat operatively connected to the control unit based on the current temperature-related condition, wherein the thermostat is configured to control the temperature of the object.

7. A system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising an LCD display, and wherein the plurality of colored lights is displayed on the LCD display.

8. A system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising one or more light sources for displaying the plurality of colored lights, wherein the one or more light sources are a laser diode, lamp, or bulb.

9. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the user interface displays a green light if the current temperature related condition is at the desired temperature related condition, a blue light if the current temperature related condition is below the desired temperature related condition, and a red light if the current temperature related condition is above the desired temperature related condition.

10. A system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the control unit further comprises a control unit user interface configured, upon the occurrence of a temperature related condition, to display the temperature related condition; and wherein the control unit is further operatively connected to a thermostat and is configured to adjust the thermostat to bring the object to the pre-set or desired temperature related condition.

11. A system as defined in claim 3 , wherein the current temperature related condition is one of (i) the temperature of the food item or (ii) the degree of cooking or cooling of the food item.

12. A system as defined in claim 4 , wherein the multi-colored LED is configured to display a blinking light when the temperature of the object is at the pre-set or desired temperature related condition.

13. A method comprising:

measuring the temperature of an object with a remote unit comprising a remote unit body defined by an annularly-extending side surface, a flat top surface, and a flat bottom surface, where the remote unit body is attachable to a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the object; wherein the remote unit is further removably connectable to a remote unit base, and the remote unit base has a magnetic portion that is operable to permit removable connection of the remote unit base to a heating device;

analyzing temperature data measured by the temperature sensor with a computing device positioned within the remote unit body and thereby determining a temperature related condition of the object and a relation of the current temperature related condition to a pre-set or desired temperature related condition of the object; and

displaying one of a plurality of colored lights on a user interface positioned on the top surface of the remote unit, wherein each of the plurality of colored lights corresponds to a different relation of the current temperature related condition to the pre-set or desired temperature related condition.

14. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising delivering instructions from a location remote from the remote unit, the instructions indicating which of said plurality of colored lights are to be displayed corresponding to the relation of the current temperature related condition to said pre-set or desired temperature related condition.

15. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the object is a food item.

16. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the displaying step includes generating said one of said plurality of colored lights using a multicolor LED.

17. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising displaying the plurality colored lights in succession, wherein each successive colored light is displayed when the temperature related condition of the object is within a respective successive proximity to the pre-set or desired temperature related condition.

18. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising the step of using an LCD display to display the plurality of colored lights.

19. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising the step of using one or more light sources to display the plurality of colored lights, wherein the light sources are a laser diode, lamp, or bulb.

20. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising the step of displaying a green light if the current temperature related condition is at the desired temperature related condition, a blue light if the current temperature related condition is below the desired temperature related condition, and a red light if the current temperature related condition is above the desired temperature related condition.

21. A method as defined in claim 14 , further comprising displaying the temperature related condition at the location remote from the remote unit.

22. A method as defined in claim 15 , wherein the current temperature related condition is one of (i) the temperature of the food item or (ii) the degree of cooking or cooling of the food item.

23. A method as defined in claim 16 , further comprising the step of using the multicolor LED to display a blinking light when the temperature of the object reaches the pre-set or desired temperature related condition.

24. A method as defined in claim 14 , further comprising adjusting the heat or cooling delivered to the object based on the current temperature related condition.