Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
  • H05B6/00—Heating by electric, magnetic or electromagnetic fields
  • H05B6/02—Induction heating
  • H05B6/10—Induction heating apparatus, other than furnaces, for specific applications
  • H05B6/12—Cooking devices
  • H05B6/1209—Cooking devices induction cooking plates or the like and devices to be used in combination with them
  • H05B6/1236—Cooking devices induction cooking plates or the like and devices to be used in combination with them adapted to induce current in a coil to supply power to a device and electrical heating devices powered in this way
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • H05B—ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL
  • H05B2213/00—Aspects relating both to resistive heating and to induction heating, covered by H05B3/00 and H05B6/00
  • H05B2213/06—Cook-top or cookware capable of communicating with each other

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an induction cooking appliance, a wireless kitchen appliance, and a wireless communication system including these appliances.
• the present invention more particularly relates to a communication technique for communicating information from an induction cooking appliance to a wireless kitchen appliance, and a corresponding computer program for controlling a wireless system having the same.
• Wireless kitchen appliances which are operable on induction cooking appliances by inductive power transmission are generally known.
• Wireless kitchen appliances are either passive appliances such as cookwares more specifically such as pots, pans and the like, or active appliances such as kettles, toasters, mixers and the like.
• Induction cooking appliances used in combination with wireless kitchen appliances are typically provided with wireless communication means for communicating with the wireless kitchen appliances.
• the establishment of a wireless communication between an induction cooking appliance and a wireless kitchen appliance is indispensable in view of exchanging error messages and commands for controlling the appliance functions.
• JP 2010-282862 A discloses an induction cooking device which comprises a wireless communication circuit for performing radio transmission to another device.
• the induction cooking device and the other device each includes a modulator circuit, a demodulator circuit, and a communication aerial.
• Radio equipment is generally susceptible to interferences. Consequently, data transfer may be disturbed from time to time resulting in unexpected malfunctioning or even damages. Such occurrences seriously degrade consumer satisfaction.
• an induction cooking appliance equipped with an RF transmitter/receiver has potentially more sources for hardware error. Hence, the manufacturing process as well as any maintenance work becomes more labor and cost intensive.
• An objective of the present invention is to provide an uncomplicated and a reliable technique for establishing a wireless communication between an induction cooking appliance and a wireless kitchen appliance that overcomes the aforementioned problems of the prior art.
• the induction cooking appliance comprises at least one induction coil for producing, when supplied with a driving signal, a time-varying electromagnetic field for inductively powering a wireless kitchen appliance, a user interface for receiving a user input for setting an operational state of the induction coil, and a control unit which has a normal mode for inductively powering the wireless kitchen appliance and a communication mode for transferring information (data) to the wireless kitchen appliance while inductively powering the wireless kitchen appliance.
• the control unit is configured to generate, in the normal mode, in accordance with an operational state input by the user via the user interface, a driving signal for the induction coil, and to supply, in the normal mode, the generated driving signal to the induction coil, and to generate, in the communication mode, for a duration of a communication interval, an altered driving signal for transferring information to the wireless kitchen appliance via the induction coil, by using an encoding scheme for encoding the driving signal in accordance with a transferred information and to supply, in the communication mode, the altered driving signal to the induction coil.
• a wireless communication is enabled between an induction cooking appliance and a wireless kitchen appliance without necessitating additional radio equipment. Since the altered driving signal differs from the driving signal only by the encoded information, a smooth operation is ensured between the modes.
• the wireless kitchen appliance comprises a receiver induction coil for sensing a time-varying electromagnetic field produced by an induction coil of an induction cooking appliance, an energy measurement unit for measuring a temporal regime of energy transmitted by the sensed time-varying magnetic field from the induction coil to the receiver coil and/or a frequency measurement unit for measuring a frequency of the sensed time-varying electromagnetic field and a wireless control unit configured to decode an information transferred via the induction coil to the receiver induction coil, through analyzing the measurement result by using a decoding scheme corresponding to the encoding scheme implemented by the induction cooking appliance of the present invention.
• the driving signal has an interval T1 of a uniform pulse train with a specified pulse period and a void interval T2 which alternatingly follow each other for regulating a power transmission from the induction coil to the active or passive appliance.
• the ratio of T2/T1 is determined in accordance with a power to be transmitted by the induction coil.
• the altered driving signal is obtained by altering duration of the intervals T1 and/or T2 and/or a pulse period of said uniform pulse train of the driving signal.
• the altered duration of intervals T1 and T2 and the altered pulse period together are used as a basis for defining the encoding scheme for said information to be transferred.
• the altered driving signal is obtained by shortening or prolonging the interval T1 of the driving signal by an interval Tp1 of a similarly shaped uniform pulse train with the specified pulse period and/or by prolonging or shortening the interval T2 of the driving signal by a void interval Tp2 with no pulse train.
• the altered driving signal is obtained by generating the driving signal with at least one of a plurality pulse periods which are discretely separated from each other, each being different than the specified pulse period, respectively for at least one of a plurality of intervals T3 within the interval T1 of the driving signal.
• each of the intervals T3 has a similarly shaped uniform pulse train with said different pulse period.
• the altered driving signal is obtained by generating the driving signal with at least one of a plurality of discretely separated pulse periods, each being different than the specified pulse period, respectively for at least one of a plurality of interval T3 of a similarly shaped uniform pulse train with said different pulse period within an interval Tp1.
• the intervals Tp1 and Tp2, the intervals T3 embedded into the intervals T1 and Tp1, and the set of discretely separated pulse periods of the intervals T3, specifically define the encoding scheme.
• these are separately or in combination used to define commands in the wireless communication of the present invention for controlling the appliance functions.
• the information to be transferred represents at least one of an operation state of the appliance such a maloperation, an operational state which has been input by the user, an operational state currently executed by the appliance, and any related commands.
• the present invention also provides a computer program for controlling a wireless system comprising the induction cooking appliance and the wireless kitchen appliance of the present invention.
• the codes of the computer program of the present are respectively installed on a microprocessor-controlled induction cooking appliance and a microprocessor-controlled wireless kitchen appliance.
• Figure 1 - is a schematic block diagram of a wireless system having an induction cooking appliance and a wireless kitchen appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 2 - is a schematic block diagram of a wireless system having an induction cooking appliance and a wireless kitchen appliance according to another embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 3 - is a schematic diagram of a driving signal supplied to an induction coil of the induction cooking appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 4 - is a schematic diagram of another driving signal supplied to the induction coil of the induction cooking appliance according to another embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 5 - is a schematic diagram of a driving signal which has been encoded with information to be transferred via the induction coil of the induction cooking appliance to the wireless kitchen appliance according another embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 6 - is a schematic diagram of another driving signal which has been encoded with information to be transferred via the induction coil of the induction cooking appliance to the wireless kitchen appliance according another embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 7 - is a schematic diagram of another driving signal which has been encoded with information to be transferred via the induction coil of the induction cooking appliance to the wireless kitchen appliance according another embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 8 - is a schematic diagram of another driving signal which has been encoded with information to be transferred via the induction coil of the induction cooking appliance to the wireless kitchen appliance according another embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 9 - is a schematic diagram of another driving signal which has been encoded with information to be transferred via the induction coil of the induction cooking appliance to the wireless kitchen appliance according another embodiment of the present invention.
• the induction cooking appliance (1) comprises at least one induction coil (2) for producing, when supplied with a driving signal, a time-varying electromagnetic field for inductively powering a wireless kitchen appliance (3) which may be an active or passive kitchen appliance and a user interface (4) for receiving a user input for setting an operational state of the induction coil (2) (Figs. 1 and 2).
• the induction cooking appliance (1) further comprises a control unit (5) which has a normal mode for inductively powering the wireless kitchen appliance (3) and a communication mode for transferring information to the wireless kitchen appliance (3) while inductively powering the wireless kitchen appliance (3) (Figs. 1 and 2).
• the control unit (5) is configured to generate, in the normal mode, in accordance with the operational state, a driving signal for the induction coil (2), and to supply, in the normal mode, the generated driving signal to the induction coil (2) (Figs. 3 and 4).
• the control unit (5) is configured to generate, in the communication mode, for a duration of a communication interval, an altered driving signal for transferring information to the wireless kitchen appliance (3) via the induction coil (2), by using an encoding scheme for encoding the driving signal in accordance with the characteristic of said transferred information, and to supply, in the communication mode, the altered driving signal to the induction coil (2) (Figs. 5 to 9).
• control unit (5) is further configured to generate, in the normal mode, in accordance with the operational state, a driving signal having an interval T1 of a uniform pulse train with a specified pulse period and an interval T2 with no pulse train, for regulating a power to be transmitted by the induction coil (2), wherein the interval T1 and the interval T2 alternatingly follow each other, and to supply, in the normal mode, the generated driving signal to the induction coil (2) (Figs. 1 and 2).
• control unit (5) is further configured to generate, in the communication mode, for the duration of the communication interval, an altered driving signal by altering a duration of the interval T1 of the uniform pulse train and/or a duration of the interval T2 with no pulse train and/or a pulse period of said uniform pulse train of the driving signal in accordance with said transferred information, and to supply, in the communication mode, the altered driving signal to the induction coil (2) (Figs. 5 to 9).
• the altered duration of intervals T1 and T2 and the altered pulse period together define the encoding scheme for said information to be transferred.
• control unit (5) is further configured to generate, in the normal mode, the driving signal to have an interval T1 of a uniform rectangular pulse train with equal pulse width and pulse pause, and an interval T2 with no pulse train, and to supply, in the normal mode, the generated driving signal to the induction coil (2) (Figs. 1 and 2) ).
• the interval T1 and the interval T2 alternatingly follow each other, and a ratio of the interval T2 over the interval T1 is equal to or greater than zero such that T2/T1 ⁇ 0 where T1 > 0.
• the interval T1 ranges between 0.3 seconds to 1.7 seconds, wherein a total duration of the intervals T1 and T2 is set equal to 2 seconds.
• the specified pulse period is 50 kHz, and the duty cycle is 50 %. The present invention is, however, not limited to these specific ranges and parameters.
• control unit (5) is further configured to generate, in the communication mode, in accordance with said transferred information, for the duration of the communication interval, the altered driving signal by shortening or prolonging the interval T1 of the driving signal by an interval Tp1 of a similarly shaped uniform pulse train with the specified pulse period and with equal pulse width and pulse pause, and/or by shortening or prolonging the interval T2 of the driving signal by an interval Tp2 with no pulse train, and to supply, in the communication mode, the altered driving signal to the induction coil (2) (Figs. 5 and 6).
• a total duration of the intervals T1 and Tp1 is equal to 5 seconds, where the interval Tp2 is equal to 0 seconds and the interval T2 is equal to 0.3 seconds.
• the specified pulse period is 50 kHz, and the duty cycle is 50 %.
• a total duration of the intervals T1 and Tp1 is equal to 4 seconds, where the interval Tp2 is equal to 0.1 seconds and the interval T2 is equal to 0.3 seconds.
• the specified pulse period is 50 kHz, and the duty cycle is 50 %.
• control unit (5) is further configured to generate, in the communication mode, in accordance with said transferred information, for the duration of the communication interval, the altered driving signal with at least one of a plurality of discretely separated pulse periods, each being different than the specified pulse period, respectively for at least one of a plurality of intervals T3 of a similarly shaped uniform pulse train with said different pulse period and with equal pulse width and pulse pause within the interval T1 of the driving signal, and to supply, in the communication mode, the altered driving signal to the induction coil (2) (Figs. 7 and 8).
• a sum of the plurality of intervals T3 is equal to or shorter than T1 (Figs. 7 and 8).
• the different pulse periods within the interval T1 or Tp1 include pulse periods which respectively correspond to the frequencies 30 kHz and 40 kHz.
• the interval T3 is equal to 0.5 seconds, and the duty cycle is 50 %.
• control unit (5) is further configured to generate, in the communication mode, for the duration of the communication interval, in accordance with said transferred information, the altered driving signal with at least one of a plurality of discretely separated pulse periods, each being different than the specified pulse period, respectively for at least one of a plurality of interval T3 of a similarly shaped uniform pulse train with said different pulse period and with equal pulse width and pulse pause within the interval Tp1, and to supply, in the communication mode, the altered driving signal to the induction coil (2) (Fig. 9).
• a sum of the plurality of intervals T3 is equal to or shorter than the interval Tp1 (Fig. 9).
• the interval Tp1 and the interval Tp2 separately or in combination correspond to different commands for use in the wireless communication and define the encoding scheme (Figs. 5 and 6).
• the plurality of discretely separated pulse periods and the corresponding plurality of respective intervals T3 such as T3 ⁇ , T3 ⁇ ⁇ etc., separately or in combination correspond to different commands used in the wireless communication and define the encoding scheme (Figs. 7 to 9).
• the information to be transferred represents at least one of a mal operation, an operational state which has been input by the user via the user interface (4) to be executed by the control unit (5), an operational state currently executed by the control unit (5), and any of the above described commands.
• the wireless kitchen appliance (3) comprises a receiver induction coil (6) configured to sense a time-varying electromagnetic field produced by an induction coil (2) of an induction cooking appliance (1), an energy measurement unit (7) configured to measure a temporal regime of energy transmitted by the sensed time-varying magnetic field from said induction coil (2) to said receiver coil (6) or a frequency measurement unit (8) configured to measure a frequency of the sensed time-varying electromagnetic field and a wireless control unit (9) configured to decode an information transferred via the induction coil (2) to the receiver induction coil (6), through analyzing the measurement result by using a decoding scheme corresponding to the encoding scheme implemented by the induction cooking appliance (1) (Figs. 1 and 2).
• the wireless kitchen appliance (3) comprises both an energy measurement unit (7) configured to measure a temporal regime of energy transmitted by the sensed time-varying magnetic field from said induction coil (2) to said receiver coil (6) and a frequency measurement unit (8) configured to measure a frequency of the sensed time-varying electromagnetic field.
• the wireless kitchen appliance (3) further comprises a wireless user interface (10) for audibly and/or visually informing the user on any information transferred by the induction cooking appliance (1) (Figs. 1 and 2).
• the wireless kitchen appliance (3) further comprising a wireless DC power supply unit (11) which includes a rectifier and regulator unit which is electrically connected to said receiver induction coil (6) for producing DC voltage (Figs. 1 and 2).
• the wireless system (12) according to the present invention comprises the induction cooking appliance (1) and the wireless kitchen appliance (3) of the present invention (Figs 1 and 2).
• the computer program according to the present invention is suitable for controlling a wireless system (12) comprising an induction cooking appliance (1) including an induction coil (2), and a control unit (5) and a wireless kitchen appliance (3) including a receiver induction coil (6), an energy measurement unit (7) and/or a frequency measurement unit (8), and a wireless control unit (9) (Figs. 1 and 2).
• the computer program comprises computer executable codes for causing the induction cooking appliance (1), - to generate, in a normal mode, a driving signal for the induction coil (2), - to supply, in the normal mode, the generated driving signal to the induction coil (2) to inductively operate the wireless kitchen appliance (3), - to generate, in a communication mode, for a duration of a communication interval, an altered driving signal for transferring information to the wireless kitchen appliance (3) via the induction coil (2), by using an encoding scheme for encoding the driving signal in accordance with a transferred information and - to supply, in the communication mode, the altered driving signal to the induction coil (2) while inductively powering the wireless kitchen appliance (3).
• the computer program further comprises computer executable codes for causing the wireless kitchen appliance (3), - to sense a time-varying electromagnetic field produced by the induction coil (2) of the induction cooking appliance (1), - to measure a temporal regime of energy transmitted by the sensed the time-varying magnetic field from the induction coil (2) to the receiver coil (6) and/or to measure a frequency of the sensed the time-varying electromagnetic field and - to decode the information transferred via the induction coil (2) to the receiver induction coil (6), through analyzing the measurement result by using a decoding scheme corresponding to the encoding scheme.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Induction Heating Cooking Devices (AREA)

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• 2013
  • 2013-08-29 EP EP13753646.2A patent/EP3039944A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2013-08-29 WO PCT/EP2013/067940 patent/WO2015028076A1/en active Application Filing

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