EP4051962A1

EP4051962A1 - Determining a target processing state of a cooking product to be treated

Info

Publication number: EP4051962A1
Application number: EP20793674.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hans-Martin Eiter; Josef Pfeiffer; Eckehard Reinwald
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2019-10-29
Filing date: 2020-10-20
Publication date: 2022-09-07
Also published as: CN114641226A; DE102019216682A1; US20240107638A1; WO2021083738A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (S0-S6, S13) which is used to determine a target processing state of at least one cooking product (B) to be treated by means of a cooking device (1). According to the method, a user is provided a set of images of the cooking product (B) in different processing states for selection, respective measurement signatures are stored for each image, and if a user selects one of the images, the cooking device (1) assumes (S4) the measurement signature corresponding to the selected image as the target measurement signature. Another method (S0-S22) is used to operate a cooking device (1), wherein a cooking process is carried out until a target processing state assumed by means of the method for determining the target processing state is reached (S7, S8, S10). The cooking device (1) has a cooking chamber (4), at least one sensor (4) connected to the cooking chamber (4), and a data processing device (7), and the cooking device is designed to carry out the method (S0-S22). The invention can be advantageously used in particular on baking ovens with at least one cooking chamber camera, in particular in order to determine or select the degree of browning of the cooking product.

Description

Determining a target processing state of a product to be cooked

The invention relates to a method for setting a target processing state of at least one item to be cooked to be treated by means of a cooking appliance. The invention also relates to a method for operating a cooking appliance, in which a cooking operation is carried out until an accepted target processing state is reached. The invention further relates to a cooking device, having a cooking space, at least one sensor connected to the cooking space, and a data processing device, the cooking device being set up to carry out the method. The invention also relates to a computer program product. The invention is particularly advantageously applicable to baking ovens with at least one cooking chamber camera, in particular for determining or selecting a degree of browning of food.

Previous proposals for describing a target degree of browning of food include levels such as "light", "medium", "dark", a scale value (e.g. between 0% and 100%) or a color gradient (e.g. from white to brown to black). However, the browning and the associated crassness are highly individual and subjective properties of a food, which disadvantageously often cannot be adequately described with, for example, "light", "medium" or "dark". Especially for inhomogeneous foods with different surface components such as pizza, casseroles or cakes, it is usually not possible to assign a uniform color or brightness value to the entire dish, i.e. that a surface with differently colored components does not have a single brown value (color or discrete value) than Target value is assignable. In addition, the target browning level is specific for groups of dishes: a "medium" browned sponge cake dough has different color and brightness values than a "medium" browned chicken. Even within a dish category, e.g. within chicken or cakes in tins, different target values are necessary depending on the recipe, e.g. chicken seasoned with salt and pepper vs. seasoned with soy sauce.

EP 3 477 206 A1 discloses a cooking appliance with a cooking chamber, an image generating device for recording an image of a food item within the cooking chamber, a data processing device which is connected to the 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

2

Imaging device is in communication and includes a software module configured to receive the captured image from the imaging device and calculate a tan level and a user interface configured to display a visual scale of the tan level. The cooking appliance can be equipped with a selection device which is configured so that a user can set a target browning level for the food. The user interface can be configured to display a target image of the food based on the target browning level.

US 20130092145 A1 discloses an oven comprising: a cooking cavity configured to receive a food product; a user interface configured to display information associated with processes used to cook the food product; a first energy source that provides primary heating of the food product placed in the cooking space; a second source of energy that browns the food product; and a cooking controller operatively coupled to the first and second power sources, the cooking controller including processing circuitry configured to enable an operator to make a browning control selection via the user interface by viewing a selected control panel that is on the user interface, providing operator instructions wherein the selected control panel is selected based on a cooking mode of the oven, and wherein the browning control selection provides control parameters to direct the supply of heat to the food product via the second energy source. The cooking mode can be one of a first mode in which the operator can select several of the control parameters including air temperature, air speed and time, and a second mode in which the operator can select a browning level and the control parameters are automatically determined based on the selected browning level.

WO 2009/026895 A2 discloses a method for setting a work program to be run in an interior of a cooking appliance, comprising at least one cooking program and / or at least one cleaning program, in which at least one parameter of a large number of parameters can be set using at least one display and operating device, characterized in that the parameter 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

3 the adjustable values of the parameter and the set value are at least temporarily displayed in a visualized manner on the display and operating device. In a variant, the change in the parameter is continuously or gradually displayed visually at least temporarily while the work program is running. Another variant is that each set parameter can be stored in the form of its visual representation, in particular in a picture gallery, or, in particular for a cookbook, a hygiene certificate or a menu, printed out or, in particular wirelessly, sent, preferably in each case with the information of the selected work program.

It is the object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and in particular to provide a particularly intuitive and understandable option for setting a processing state of food, in particular the degree of browning or roasting of the surfaces of the food.

This object is achieved according to the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

The object is achieved by a method for setting or determining a target processing status of at least one item of food to be treated by means of a cooking appliance, in which a user is provided with a set of images of a cooking item in different processing statuses for selection, the images being stored with respective measurement signatures, and if a user selects one of the images, the cooking appliance adopts the measurement signature associated with the selected image as the target measurement signature.

This has the advantage that instead of abstract scales that are difficult to understand (degree of browning, color value, etc.), processing results such as browning, color change, rising, etc. are visualized in an easily understandable manner and offered for selection. The user only needs to use the set of images to select the image that comes closest to the desired processing state (ie, the target processing state), and the associated target measurement signature is adopted for the cooking process without the user having to go through a further definition 2019P02800

WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

4 of the target processing state needs to be dealt with. This makes use of the fact that the "translation" of the selected image into a technically evaluable target state is defined by the target measurement signature. The adoption of the target measurement signature thus corresponds to the determination, setting or selection of the target processing state.

A "target processing state" is understood to mean, in particular, a target state of a product to be cooked that is viewed as desired by a user, for example in relation to: a surface color of the product to be cooked (for example a degree of browning, a color change (for example from light green to dark green, from green to brown etc. ), possibly also in areas, a change in the brightness of the food, possibly also in areas, a surface quality, e.g. cracking of crust, formation of bubbles, etc., a volume of the food (e.g. with rising yeast dough) and / or a food temperature, etc.

A "measurement signature" is in particular at least one measurement value depicting the processing status (e.g. an average degree of browning, a cooking space temperature, an oxygen content in the cooking space, etc.), a group of measurement values (e.g. a pixel-like image of the food) and / or at least one of them Derived or calculated value (for example a histogram of pixel values, a degree of browning, etc.) understood. The measurement signature thus corresponds to a representative of a processing state that can be determined by measurement, in particular by means of the cooking appliance. The measurement signature can additionally have at least one status variable of the cooking device, e.g. a device type, a set type of heating, preheating, a door open status (e.g. door open / door closed), etc. predetermined type of food etc. are based.

The adopted target measurement signature can be compared with an actual measurement signature during a cooking process. The measurement signature can be determined using methods that are known in principle. The measurement signature can consequently have a single value 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

5 or exist as an n-tuple or n-dimensional vector that has been calculated from several measured values.

It is a further development that the cooking appliance is a domestic cooking appliance. It is a further development that the cooking appliance has a cooking space. It is a further development that the cooking device is an oven, microwave device, steam treatment device or any combination thereof, e.g. an oven with microwave functionality.

The food to be treated can be or comprise at least one foodstuff, foodstuff, dish and / or dish, for example.

The set of images of the item to be cooked can in particular be present as an image sequence which includes images of the item to be cooked that were recorded with increasing processing time. The image sequence can be present, for example, as a time-lapse sequence.

The set of images and optionally also the associated measurement signatures can be generated, for example, by a manufacturer of the cooking device, a manufacturer of the food, publishers of cookbooks / recipes, a user of the cooking device himself and / or by other users ("user community") be.

Providing the set of images for selection can include the images being displayed on a screen and being selectable by the user. It is particularly user-friendly if the images are offered for selection on a touch-sensitive screen and can be selected by touching them. The images can be displayed on the screen e.g. simultaneously or by scrolling, swiping, etc. The screen can be a screen of the cooking device or a screen of a user terminal such as a smartphone, tablet PC, laptop, desktop PC, intelligent accessory (e.g. an intelligent clock or smart watch, etc.). The image selection can therefore generally only take place on the cooking appliance, only on one user terminal, or on both.

A further development is that the measurement signatures assigned to the respective images are based on at least one measurement that was carried out during or at a short time interval from the respective image recording. 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

6th

In one embodiment, the measurement signature is or has been generated by means of at least one image of the item to be cooked. The image is therefore included in the creation of the measurement signature. In other words, the image of the food to be cooked represents an input data set of measured values for calculating the measurement signature. This embodiment has the advantage that the measurement signature can map typical optically defined target processing states such as degree of browning, degree of roasting, etc. particularly reliably and precisely. The embodiment can be used particularly advantageously if the cooking appliance has at least one optical sensor such as a cooking chamber camera or another image recording device for recording images of the food to be cooked in the cooking chamber. A cooking chamber camera is understood, in particular, to be a camera directed into the cooking chamber, which is therefore set up to record images from the cooking chamber. The cooking chamber camera can be a camera integrated into the cooking appliance or a camera that is present outside the housing and directed through a door window into the cooking chamber.

It is a further development that the measurement signature is the image itself. In a development, the achievement of the target measurement signature during a cooking process can be determined by comparing images with actual images of the food to be cooked. This further development has the advantage that the image corresponds to the measurement signature and therefore no separate measurement signature needs to be generated or stored.

The measurement signature can alternatively or additionally be at least one variable derived from the values of the pixels, for example an image channel-based histogram of the pixels (e.g. an RGB, HVB, NCS histogram, etc.), one from the pixels - possibly by area or segment - Certain degree of browning and / or roasting, a height of the item to be cooked determined from the image, a volume of the item to be cooked determined from the image, a spectral vector, feature vector, result of a so-called "machine learning" model, or a determined from the image any combination of these.

It is an alternative to the additional embodiment that the measurement signature is or has been generated at least by means of a non-optical sensor connected to a cooking chamber of a cooking appliance. This has the advantage that, in a further development, the method can also be used with cooking appliances that do not have a cooking chamber camera. 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

7th

The desired target processing status is selected using images, but the measurement signature is created without entering image data. In the case of cooking appliances that have at least one cooking chamber camera, the advantage is achieved that reaching a target processing state can be determined particularly reliably. A non-optical sensor connected to a cooking space of the cooking appliance can be understood to mean a sensor that is arranged in the cooking space, protrudes into the cooking space, is connected to the cooking space in terms of ventilation or can otherwise measure properties of the food and / or the cooking space.

It is a further development that a non-optical sensor has at least one sensor from the group

Oven temperature sensor,

Core temperature sensor,

Humidity sensor (e.g. lambda sensor),

Oxygen sensor (e.g. lambda sensor), chemical sensor for detecting specified chemical substances in the air of the cooking space. The corresponding sensor measurement data can be used as input variables for calculating the measurement signature. The chemical sensor can, for example, detect volatile substances that are typically released by the food to be cooked when they are browned.

In general, the measurement signature can therefore be calculated based on one or more of the above-mentioned optical and / or non-optical measured variables.

In one embodiment, an initial measurement signature is determined on the basis of an image of the item to be cooked. This has the advantage that a remaining cooking time can be determined by linking the initial measurement signature with the target measurement signature. The link can include a comparison of the target measurement signature with the initial measurement signature. In particular, empirically determined values can be stored for calculating the remaining cooking time, for example in the form of a lookup table. 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

8th

It is an embodiment that at least one new image ("preview image") is generated from the set of images of the item to be cooked by means of image processing, which shows a more advanced processing state of the item than each of the images of the previous set, the at least one preview image to a user Selection is provided and, if a preview image is selected, the measurement signature associated with this preview image is calculated. As a result, a user is given the opportunity to choose a processing state that is even further advanced than shown in the selectable images. The preview image can be generated, for example, using what is known as the "auto-encoder method". The measurement signature associated with the selected preview image can be used as the target measurement signature for a subsequent cooking process. These pairs of preview image and measurement signature generated for it can be added to the existing set, possibly together with information about a time offset to the last image or measurement signature of the existing set.

However, it is also possible to treat a food beyond the most advanced processing state of the existing set of images and then take a picture at a desired subsequent point in time (e.g. when the cooking device is switched off or when the food is removed) and the associated measurement signature is generated . This pair of image and measurement signature can then be added to the existing sentence, possibly together with information about the time offset to the last image or measurement signature of the existing sentence. This has the advantage that no preview image needs to be generated.

It is a further development that images of a product to be cooked are stored and can be called up linked to their measurement signatures. This has the advantage that images that can be selected by a user for a large number of items to be cooked can be stored in at least one database. The sets of images stored in the at least one database can include images generated by a manufacturer of the cooking appliance, a manufacturer of the food, publishers of cookbooks / recipes, a user of the cooking appliance himself and / or images generated by other users ("user community"), for example . For example, a manufacturer of the cooking appliance can have experimentally generated image sequences with corresponding measurement signatures for certain items to be cooked and make this data available to users of cooking appliances in the database. The at least one database can be in the cooking device, in a user terminal (for example a mobile user terminal such as a 2019P02800

WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

9

Smartphone, tablet PC, laptop PC, “smart watch” etc. and / or also desktop PC) and / or can be integrated in a network server and / or can be present as a cloud-based database.

In the event that a cooking device has at least one cooking chamber camera, a particularly advantageous development is that the set of images of the cooking device is created during a cooking process and is stored in a retrievable manner with the associated measurement signatures. In this way, a cooking product treatment created individually by a user can be provided for repeated cooking processes, if necessary also shared with other users. The measurement signatures can be created by means of the cooking device itself or by means of an external entity such as a network server, a cloud computer, a user terminal, etc.

One embodiment is that the set of images of the food to be cooked is made available to the user for selection on a user interface of the cooking device and / or on a device external to the cooking device, which can in particular be coupled to the cooking device for data purposes. In this way, a particularly user-friendly selection can be made available. It is a further development that the selection is offered to the user via an application program or "app" running on a mobile user terminal. After selecting the image representing the desired processing state, the measurement signature can be transferred from the database to the cooking appliance by means of the application program. For the particularly simple design of the cooking appliance and / or the user terminal, it is advantageous if the database is held on a network server or in the so-called “cloud”.

It is a further development that at least one operating setting of the cooking appliance is or is stored linked to the set of images. This advantageously makes a prediction of the remaining cooking time even more reliable and / or reaching the target processing state can be determined even more precisely. Another advantage is that a user is not only offered the set of images for selection, but can also call up or display operating settings of the cooking appliance that are particularly suitable for a cooking process. The at least one operating setting can be made by a user of the cooking appliance, other users, a manufacturer of the cooking appliance, manufacturers of items to be cooked and / or by 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

10

Editors of cookbooks / recipes, etc. can be entered or provided. The at least one operating setting of the cooking appliance can include, for example, a cooking level, an activated operating mode, an activation or selection of a specific cooking program, etc. The operating mode can, for example, include information about at least one heating element activated for this purpose (e.g. bottom heating, top heating, hot air, grill heating element, etc.), activation and power of a microwave device, etc.

It is a further development that a last selected image is stored in the stored set of images in a marked manner. This has the advantage that a user can particularly easily recognize and select this image for selecting a target processing state. This is particularly advantageous if the target processing state selected last represents a processing result that was successful for the user.

The object is also achieved by a method for operating a cooking appliance, in which a cooking operation or cooking process is carried out until a target processing state adopted by means of the method as described above is reached. This method can be implemented analogously to the above method and has the same advantages.

The achievement of the target processing state can be determined, for example, by a comparison between an actual measurement signature determined during the cooking process with the target measurement signature.

A further development is that if an actual measurement signature determined or calculated during a cooking process matches the target measurement signature at least within predefined limits or tolerances, at least one action is triggered. This action can include, for example, outputting a message to a user, ending the cooking process, switching to a warming mode, and so on. Outputting a message to a user can output a "speaking" message on a screen of the cooking appliance, outputting a message (eg an SMS) to a user terminal, outputting a signal tone on the cooking appliance and / or outputting an optical signal the cooking appliance (e.g. flashing a signal lamp), etc. 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

11

In one embodiment, the cooking appliance is equipped with at least one optical sensor (for example at least one cooking chamber camera), an actual measurement signature is determined using at least one image of the food to be cooked during a cooking process, and the actual measurement signature is linked to the target Measurement signature a remaining cooking time is determined. This can be done in the same way as the link with the initial measurement signature.

In one embodiment, a progress indicator is generated by linking the initial measurement signature, the actual measurement signature and the target measurement signature. This has the advantage that a user has an even better overview of the progress of processing the food. The progress display can, for example, be a bar display, the end points of which correspond to the initial measurement signature or the initial processing status and the target measurement signature or the target processing status.

The object is also achieved by a cooking device having a cooking space, at least one sensor connected to the cooking space and a data processing device, the cooking device, in particular its data processing device, being set up to carry out a method as above. The cooking appliance can be designed analogously to the above method and has the same advantages.

In a further development, the cooking appliance has at least one sensor from the group

Cooking chamber camera,

Oven temperature sensor,

Core temperature sensor,

Humidity sensor (e.g. lambda sensor),

Oxygen sensor (eg lambda sensor), chemical sensor for detecting predetermined chemical substances in the air of the cooking space. 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

12th

The cooking appliance can have at least one user interface with a screen for displaying and selecting the images of the sentences.

The cooking device can be equipped with at least one communication device for data communication with external entities, for example a WLAN, Bluetooth, Ethernet, cellular module, etc. This has the advantage that the cooking device is connected to external entities such as user terminals, network servers, cloud - Computers, external databases can be linked in terms of data technology. Specifically, after the user has selected an item to be cooked, the cooking appliance can download an associated set of images from an external database and then offer it for selection. The measurement signatures can be downloaded together with the images, or the associated measurement signature is only downloaded after selecting an image and adopted as the target measurement signature. This enables a particularly simple and inexpensive implementation of the method.

The object is also achieved by a system having a cooking device as described above, which is equipped with a communication device for data communication with external entities, and having at least one device external to the cooking device, which can be coupled in particular to the cooking device via the communication device. The external device can be, for example, a user terminal, a network server, a cloud computer, an external database, etc. The system can be designed analogously to the above method and the cooking device and has the same advantages.

It is a further development that the system, the cooking device, a user terminal, in particular mobile user terminal such as a smartphone, tablet PC, smart watch, etc., and a network-based database (e.g. a cloud-based database, a database integrated in a network server or the like) .) having. This has the advantage that a particularly user-friendly process sequence can be implemented. In particular, this development enables a user to select a specific item to be cooked (possibly in the form of a recipe) for treatment after calling up an application program on his mobile user terminal, 2019P02800

WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

13 then a set of images belonging to the food to be cooked is loaded from a network-supported database onto the mobile user terminal and displayed to a user for selection, after selection by the user a corresponding measurement signature, possibly with associated operating settings, directly from the database or indirectly via the mobile User terminal is transferred to the cooking device, the received measurement signature is adopted as the target measurement signature on the cooking device, possibly together with the associated operating settings, on the cooking device a cooking process is carried out in which an actual measurement signature is continuously compared with the target measurement signature and, if the actual measurement signature matches the target measurement signature at least within specified limits or tolerances, at least one action is triggered.

The object is also achieved by a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by at least one data processing device, cause it to execute a method as described above. The computer program product can include an app that can be run on a user terminal and / or a program that runs on a data processing device of the cooking device.

The properties, features and advantages of this invention described above and the manner in which they are achieved will become clearer and more clearly understandable in connection with the following schematic description of an exemplary embodiment which is explained in more detail in connection with the drawings.

1 shows a sketch of a system with a cooking device equipped with a communication device for data communication with external entities, as well as with at least one device external to the cooking device, which can be coupled to the cooking device via the communication device; and

2 shows a method sequence for operating the system. 2019P02800

WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

14th

1 shows a sketch of a system 1 to 10 with a cooking device in the form of an oven 1, an external device, in particular a user terminal as here in the form of a smartphone 2, and an external device in the form of at least one network-supported database 3. The oven 1 has a heatable cooking chamber 4, a cooking chamber camera 5 directed into the cooking chamber 4, a communication device 6 in the form of a WLAN, Bluetooth or Ethernet module, a data processing device in the form of a central control device 7 and a user interface 8 with a screen 9. The smartphone 2 can be linked for data purposes to the database 3 via a network N such as the Internet. The smartphone 2 can also be coupled in terms of data technology via the network N and / or directly to the communication device 6. Furthermore, the communication device 6 can be coupled to the database 3 via the network N in terms of data technology. In the cooking space 4, food in the form of a roast chicken B is placed on a food support 10 on a specific cooking level.

The database 3 can comprise several databases, e.g. a database of a manufacturer of the baking oven 1, a database of a producer of the fried chicken B, a recipe database of a publisher and / or a user's own database.

2 shows a process sequence for operating the system 1 to 10 in the event that a user wants to prepare a known item to be cooked, namely the roast chicken B here, in the oven 1.

For this purpose, the user starts a corresponding computer program product or part thereof in a step SO in the form of an application program or "app" on the smartphone 2. Alternatively, any other suitable user terminal, a tablet PC, laptop PC, desktop PC, can be used instead of the smartphone etc. can be used. In one variant, in addition or as an alternative to using a user terminal, communication with the user and / or the control of the process sequence can take place via the user interface 8 of the oven 1.

In an optional step S1, the user searches a list, a photo album or the like of known cooking products for the entry “fried chicken” in the app and selects this 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

15 then off. Alternatively, the user can initiate a search query using voice control. Alternatively, the food to be cooked can be automatically recognized as fried chicken B.

In a step S2, the app causes - if available - an image sequence of a broiler chicken B in different processing states to be made available for selection from the at least one database 3. In the case of fried chicken B, the processing status typically corresponds to a degree of browning.

In a step S3, the image sequence is made available to the user for selection on the smartphone 2. The images of the image sequence can be displayed individually, as a group, as a time-lapse video, etc.

If the smartphone 2 determines in a step S4 that one of the images has been selected, it causes the measurement signature (here: the degree of browning) linked to the selected image in the database 3 to be transferred to the oven 1 . The oven 1 then accepts the transmitted measurement signature as the target measurement signature.

In an optional step S5, the smartphone 2 retrieves additional information linked to the selected broiler B in the database, in particular operating settings, of the oven 1, e.g. a preferred shelf level, a preferred cooking space temperature, a preferred selection of radiators or operating modes, etc. In According to a further development, the operating setting can also be transferred to the oven 1 and automatically adopted by it, so that a user does not need to set this operating setting on the oven himself.

Before or at the start of a cooking process, a user can select, within the framework of the application program, an image that corresponds as closely as possible to the initial processing state of the fried chicken, which is indicated here as an optional step S6. The selection can be made on the basis of the downloaded images of the set. Alternatively, the user can take a picture of the still untreated fried chicken B using the smartphone 2. In another variant, the user can take a picture of the as yet untreated fried chicken B by means of the cooking chamber camera 5. The initial measurement signature linked to this image can be stored in the oven 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

16

1 calculated or calculated externally and then transferred to oven 1.

In a step S7, a user starts a cooking process controlled by the control device 7 for baking the fried chicken B. This allows the oven 1 to be heated to a set cooking space temperature, for example by means of a set heating element (not shown). The operating settings can be made manually by a user or automatically adopted from the database 3 for the fried chicken B selected in step S1 if these operating settings have also been transferred to the oven 1.

In step S7, the cooking chamber camera 5 takes pictures of the fried chicken B at time intervals (e.g. of 10 s, 30 s, 1 min, etc.). An actual measurement signature is generated for each image by means of the control device 7 or a computer external to the device. Here, for example, an actual degree of browning can be calculated in a basically known manner from the brightness and / or from a color change of the surface of the fried chicken B and compared with the target degree of browning taken from the database 3.

The images can generally be recorded equidistantly in time or variable in time, for example event-controlled. In a further development, images that follow one another can only be recorded or only used for the method if they have sufficiently different degrees of processing, e.g. degree of browning. This can be implemented in such a way that the set of images only includes images in which images immediately following one another in time have a sufficiently different measurement signature.

If the target browning level has not yet been reached ("N"), the cooking process will continue. If the target degree of browning is reached ("Y"), an action is triggered in a step S8 by means of the control device 7, for example the heating element is switched off and / or at least one message or message is output to the user. The action can include switching off the heating element or a transition to a warming mode at a low oven temperature. 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

17th

In step S7, a remaining cooking time can optionally be determined by linking the initial measurement signature determined in step S6 with the actual measurement signature and / or the target measurement signature.

In an optional step S9, the user can choose whether he would like to carry out further actions. If this is not the case ("N"), the cooking process is finally ended in a step S10. If the action carried out in step S8 included switching off the radiators, they remain switched off. If the action carried out in step S8 included a transition to a warming mode at a low cooking space temperature, the heating elements are now switched off. As an alternative or in addition, opening the door of the cooking space 4 can be viewed as a wish of the user to end the cooking process. The radiators can also be switched off when the door is opened.

If, on the other hand, the user wishes to carry out further actions ("Y"), he is given the choice in step S11 as to whether he (a) wants to save the previously performed cooking process as a new item to be cooked or whether he (b) wants to start subsequent cooking. The user may want to save the previously carried out cooking process as a new item to be cooked, e.g. in the event that the fried chicken B has undergone a special treatment compared to the food selected on the smartphone 2 (e.g. additional steam treatment) and / or has been specially prepared ( has been coated with a barbecue sauce, for example). Post-cooking may be desired, for example, if the highest degree of browning that can be selected from the images has proven to be insufficient.

If the user has selected the storage as a new item to be cooked in step S11 ("J1"), in a step S12 a new set of images is automatically generated from the images generated during the cooking process and saved together with the respective measurement signatures (here: degrees of browning) stored in the database, especially after the user has given a new name (eg "barbecue fried chicken"). Optionally, information that is automatically queried or entered by a user, such as operating parameters, preparation instructions, recipes, etc., can also be stored in the database 3. The data stored in the database 3 can be released in a variant for searching and saving by other users (“community”). It then branches back to step S9. 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

18th

If the user has selected post-cooking in step S11, the cooking process can be continued in step S13 with renewed heating, namely until the user interrupts the cooking process himself, a post-cooking time set by the user has expired or a degree of browning calculated as part of post-cooking using preview images has been reached has been. It then branches back to step S9.

In a further development, the cooking chamber camera 5 takes pictures of the fried chicken B at time intervals (e.g. of 10 s, 30 s, 1 min, etc.) during the post-cooking process. If, after branching back to step S9, the user selects that he would like to save the previously performed cooking process as a new item to be cooked, the images and measurement signatures generated during the post-cooking process can be attached to the images and measurement signatures generated during the regular cooking process in step S7.

In a further development, the cooking chamber camera 5 takes a picture of the fried chicken B when the post-cooking process is aborted (by the user or when the post-cooking time has elapsed) and attaches this image with the associated measurement signature to the images and measurement signatures generated during the regular cooking process in step S7, and automatically or after user confirmation. In particular, this image can be stored together with information that this image corresponded to a target measurement signature in the cooking process.

In a further development, preview images with a higher degree of browning are calculated or simulated and offered for selection in the context of post-cooking. If a user selects a specific preview image, the degree of browning is calculated from this as the target measurement signature and used for the post-cooking process. The calculation of the preview image can in particular be calculated on the basis of the images removed during the cooking process in step S7.

Optionally, in a step S20, a user can start a cooking process, for example for baking the fried chicken B, without prior image-based selection of a target processing state, for example by manually setting operating settings (for example an operating mode and a target cooking space temperature). 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

19th

In a step S21, the cooking process is carried out until it is ended manually by a user or after the end of a cooking time set at the start in step S20 in a step S22.

In a further development, in step S21 - analogously to step S7 - pictures of the fried chicken B are recorded by means of the cooking chamber camera 5 at time intervals (e.g. of 10 s, 30 s, 1 min, etc.). A measurement signature is generated for each image by means of the control device 7 or a computer external to the device. Here, for example, a degree of browning can be calculated in a basically known way from the brightness and / or from a change in color of the surface of the fried chicken B. The recording of the images or the image sequence can be initiated automatically or it can be specified by a user in step S20. When the cooking process is ended in step S22, the image recording is then also ended.

Step S9 can be followed by step S22 if an image sequence with associated measurement signatures has been generated in step S21 during the cooking process.

The method described has the following advantages, among others:

- Instead of abstract scales that are difficult to understand (e.g. regarding the degree of tanning), tanning results are visualized in an easily understandable manner for the user.

- The user can easily set a reproducible degree of browning or roasting of the surface of the food.

- The reproducibility of the cooking results based on the measurement signature prevents the food from browning over.

- Recipes with a predefined tanning process and a device control can easily be linked.

- A display of the remaining cooking time, etc. (e.g. via status bar or as a time value) is possible during the baking process, since if the initial measurement signature and / or the actual measurement signature are known, the deviation from the target measurement signature is known.

- User feedback on baking results can be used to improve existing models. 2019P02800

WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

20th

The cooking chamber camera has a sensible sensor function.

It goes without saying that the present invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiment shown.

In this way, the recorded images can also be used as measurement signatures themselves, as a result of which there is no need to calculate separate measurement signatures.

Furthermore, a vector generated by means of a "machine learning" algorithm, for example, can be used as the measurement signature. The respective images of the sentence and, if necessary, further measurement data can be used as input variables of the machine learning algorithm.

Advantageously, expanded control options for dishes can also be provided if the oven has additional, non-optical sensors, in that, for example, a core temperature, an oxygen content, etc. is also recorded and adhered to in relation to the result. The measured values of the non-optical sensors can be included in the measurement signature, but do not need it. The measured values of the non-optical sensors can generally be monitored in addition to or in parallel to the measurement signature for reaching tolerance or target states.

In general, "a", "a" etc. can be understood as a singular or a plurality, in particular in the sense of "at least one" or "one or more" etc., as long as this is not explicitly excluded, for example by the expression " exactly one "etc.

A number can also include exactly the specified number as well as a customary tolerance range, as long as this is not explicitly excluded. 2019P02800

WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

21

List of reference symbols

1 oven

2 smartphone 3 database

4 cooking space

5 Cooking chamber camera

6 communication device 7 control device 8 user interface

9 screen

10 Food carriers B Roast chicken N Network S0-S22 Process steps

Claims

2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485 22 PATENT CLAIMS

1. Method (S0-S6, S13) for determining a target processing status of at least one item to be cooked (B) to be treated by means of a cooking appliance (1), in which a set of images of the item to be cooked (B) in different processing statuses is made available to a user for selection is, the images are stored with respective measurement signatures, and if a user selects one of the images, the cooking appliance (1) accepts the measurement signature associated with the selected image as the target measurement signature (S4).

2. The method (S0-S6, S13) according to claim 1, in which the measurement signature has been generated by means of at least one image of the item to be cooked (1).

3. The method (S0-S6, S13) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the measurement signature has been generated at least by means of a non-optical sensor connected to a cooking chamber of a cooking appliance (1).

4. The method (S0-S6, S13) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one preview image is generated from the set of images of the item to be cooked by means of image processing, which shows a more advanced processing state of the item than each of the images of the set , the at least one preview image is provided to a user for selection and, if a preview image is selected, the measurement signature associated with this preview image is calculated (S13).

5. The method (S0-S6, S13) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the user receives the set of images of the food (B) on a user interface of the cooking device (B) and / or on a device external to the cooking device (1) (2), which can be coupled with the cooking appliance (1) in terms of data, is made available for selection (S2). 2019P02800 WO 2021/083738 PCT / EP2020 / 079485

23

6. The method (S0-S6) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which an image of the item to be cooked (B) is used to determine an initial measurement signature (S6) and a remaining cooking time is determined by linking the initial measurement signature with the target measurement signature .

7. Method (S0-S22) for operating a cooking appliance (1), in which a cooking process is carried out until a target measurement signature provided by means of the method according to one of the preceding claims is reached (S7, S8, S10).

8. The method (S0-S22) according to claim 7, in which the cooking appliance (1) is equipped with at least one optical sensor (5) for recording images of the food (B), based on at least one image of the food (B) recorded during a cooking process ( B) an actual measurement signature is determined and a remaining cooking time is determined by linking the actual measurement signature with the target measurement signature.

9. The method (S0-S22) according to claims 6 to 8, in which a remaining cooking time is determined and / or a progress display is generated by means of a link between the initial processing status, the actual processing status and the target processing status.

10. Cooking device (1), comprising a cooking space (4), at least one sensor (4) connected to the cooking space (4) and a data processing device (7), the cooking device (1) being set up to implement a method (S0-S22 ) to carry out according to one of the preceding claims.

11. System (1, 2, 3), comprising a cooking device (1) according to claim 10, which is equipped with a communication device (6) for data communication with external entities (2, 3), as well as at least one to the cooking device (1) external device (2, 3) which can be coupled with the cooking device (1) via the communication device (6) in terms of data technology.

12. Computer program product, comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by at least one data processing device (2, 7), cause it to execute a method (S0-S22) according to one of claims 1 to 9.