JPH06229557A - Cooking device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an automatic cooking to be carried out without any dispersion in a finished outer appearance of food by a method wherein a surface temperature of the food is accurately measured without being influenced by the kind, shape, number and placement of the food. CONSTITUTION:A heat image sensing means 8 detects a heat image within a cooking chamber 1 in a non-contacted condition and then a food temperature extracting means 9 extracts a shape of a food 2 in response to the detected heat image. In addition, the food temperature extracting means 9 measures a plurality of surface temperature of the food 2. A cooking means 4 is controlled by a control means 6 in response to the surface temperatures. With such an arrangement as above, the surface temperatures of the food 2 can be accurately measured and a free cooking without having any dispersion in the appearance can be carried out.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cooking device for measuring food temperature for the purpose of automatic cooking.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 13, a cooking utensil of this type, for example, a microwave oven, has a cooking table 3 for placing a food 2 in a cooking chamber 1 and cooking for heating the food 2. It is provided with a means 4, a temperature detecting means 5 for detecting the temperature of the food 2 in a non-contact manner, and a control means 6 for controlling the cooking means 4 based on the output of the temperature detecting means 5. Further, the control means 6 is connected to a menu selection means 7 including operation keys for instructing automatic cooking after selecting one menu from a large number of cooking menus.

The cooking table 3 is a turntable which constantly rotates the food 2 (for example, makes one revolution in 10 seconds) when the food 2 is heated by radio waves by the cooking means 4 in order to reduce uneven heating of the food 2.

The cooking means 4 comprises a heater or a magnetron and heats and cooks the food 2 in accordance with the control amount given by the control means 6.

The temperature detecting means 5 is composed of a one-element thermopile type infrared sensor having a wide field of view, is fixed to the ceiling surface or the side wall of the cooking chamber 1, and the cooking table 3 is provided through an opening window.
The thermal energy radiated from the food 2 placed near the center of is detected without contact and converted into temperature. The temperature detecting means 5 measures the voltage output from the infrared sensor and the ambient temperature of the infrared sensor, converts it into the object temperature T, and sends it to the control means 6.

The control means 6 starts the cooking of the food 2 by the cooking means 4 based on the instruction from the menu selection means 7. At the same time, the temperature information output from the temperature detection unit 5 is constantly monitored, and when this temperature reaches a predetermined temperature, the cooking means 4 is caused to finish heating or change the heating pattern according to the menu to be cooked. By doing so, automatic cooking is realized. As an example, the heating and cooking procedure in the control means 6 will be specifically described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in step 141, the elapsed time t is set to 0.
Is cleared, the initialization is performed according to the cooking menu (controlled variable c = c _o, the upper limit of the surface temperature T _s =
T _sm, upper limit = t _m of the elapsed time t). In step 142, the cooking means 4 is heated and cooked by the controlled amount c. Here, the control amount c is c _o constant. Step 143
In detecting the surface temperature T _s, it detected the surface temperature T _{s
Exceeds the} predetermined T _sm , the process proceeds to step 147 and the cooking is ended, but if not, the heating cooking is continued (step 144). Further, the elapsed time t is updated in step 145, and if the elapsed time t exceeds a predetermined t _m , the cooking is ended, but if not, the heating cooking is continued (step 146). In step 147, the output to the cooking means 4 is stopped, that is, the control amount c is cleared to 0 and the cooking is finished.

FIG. 15 shows how the food temperature rises according to this cooking procedure. When the surface temperature T _{s of the} food thus detected reaches T _sm , the cooking is considered to be completed and the cooking is terminated.

[0008]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional configuration, the food temperature detecting means can measure only the average surface temperature of the food placed near the center of the cooking table within the field of view of the infrared sensor. Uneven temperature in the same food cannot be detected.

In addition, the temperature measurement region (field of view range) of the infrared sensor
On the other hand, when the shape of the food is small or the food is placed near the edge of the cooking table, the temperature of the food itself cannot be accurately detected due to the temperature of the cooking table or the like serving as the background.

Further, when the food is put in the container and only the container, not the food, can be seen from the temperature detecting means, or only a part of the food is seen, the surface temperature cannot be accurately measured.

For the above reason, there is a problem that automatic cooking is incomplete and the quality of cooking varies.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and by accurately measuring the surface temperature of the food itself without being influenced by the type, shape, number, and placement of the food, there is no variation in the finished product. It is intended to provide a cooking utensil capable of automatic cooking.

[0013]

In order to achieve the above object, the cooking utensil of the present invention is a cooking device for cooking food placed in a cooking chamber and a thermal image for non-contact detection of a thermal image in the cooking chamber. Detecting means, food temperature extracting means for extracting the shape of the food or container based on the output from the thermal image detecting means, and measuring the surface temperature of the extracted food or container at a plurality of points, and the food temperature extracting means. And a control means for controlling the cooking means based on the surface temperature of the food or the container output from the means.

The food temperature extracting means is provided with a structure for calculating the amount of change with time of the output from the thermal image detecting means and recognizing a region where the amount of change with time is a predetermined value or more as a food or container. .

Alternatively, the food temperature extracting means is provided with a structure for determining the presence or absence of a container for containing food according to the output from the thermal image detecting means and converting the measured surface temperature of the container into the temperature of the food if there is a container. It is a thing.

Alternatively, the food temperature extraction means sharpens the image quality by multiplying the output from each pixel of the thermal image detection means with the output from the neighboring pixels, and then extracts the shape of the food or container to extract the shape of the food or container. It has a structure for measuring the surface temperature.

The control means stops the output to the cooking means or reduces the output amount when the difference between the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature among the surface temperatures of the food or the container at a plurality of locations exceeds a predetermined value. It is equipped with.

Further, the control means is provided with a structure for stopping the output to the cooking means or reducing the output amount when the maximum temperature among the surface temperatures of a plurality of portions of the food or container exceeds a predetermined value. .

Further, the control means is provided with a structure for controlling the output to the cooking means so as to keep the surface temperatures of the food or the container at a plurality of locations within a predetermined range.

[0020]

According to the present invention, the thermal image detecting means detects the two-dimensional thermal image of the whole or a part of the cooking chamber containing the food in a non-contact manner by the thermal image detecting means. A region that is significantly different from the surrounding background temperature is recognized as food, and temperature data only for the region that can be regarded as food is adopted as the food surface temperature. Therefore, the food temperature extracting means removes the temperature of the cooking table or the wall surface of the cooking chamber other than the food contained in the temperature measurement region (field of view range) and measures the surface temperature of the food itself.

Further, the food temperature extracting means is provided with a structure in which the amount of change with time of the output from the thermal image detecting means associated with the heating of the food is calculated, and the region where the amount of change with time of this output is a predetermined value or more is recognized as food. Therefore, the food itself is extracted even when there is not much difference between the food itself and the surface temperature of the cooking table or the wall of the cooking room other than the food. This is because the speed at which the temperature of the food increases due to the heating by the cooking means and the speed at which the temperature of the cooking table or the wall of the cooking chamber other than the food increases.

Further, the food temperature extracting means judges the presence or absence of a container for containing food according to the output from the thermal image detecting means associated with the heating of the food, and if there is a container, the measured surface temperature of the container is taken as the temperature of the food. The conversion reduces the measurement error even when the food is put in the container and only the container, not the food, can be seen from the temperature detecting means or only a part of the food is seen. In other words, the region that can be considered to have a container estimates the temperature of the food itself inside the container based on the surface temperature of the container that is directly detected.

The food temperature extracting means sharpens the image quality by multiplying the output from each pixel of the thermal image detecting means with the output from the neighboring pixels and then extracting the shape of the food or container to extract the shape of the food or container. The blurred thermal image is restored by measuring the surface temperature. Therefore, the shape of the food can be grasped more accurately, and the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature of the food can be measured more accurately.

Especially when the difference between the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature among the surface temperatures of the food or the container at a plurality of points exceeds a predetermined value, the output temperature to the cooking means is stopped or the output amount is reduced to reduce the output temperature of the food. Becomes more uniform. Further, when the maximum temperature among the surface temperatures of a plurality of portions of the food or container exceeds a predetermined value, the output to the cooking means is stopped or the output amount is reduced to prevent the food from being overcooked. Further, since the surface temperature of a plurality of portions of the food or container is maintained within a predetermined range, temperature control for various foods is performed regardless of the type, shape and quantity of the food.

[0025]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. The same components as those in the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals. In the cooking chamber 1 there is a cooking table 3 on which the food 2 is placed. Furthermore, the cooking means 4 for heating and cooking the food 2, the thermal image detecting means 8 for detecting the thermal image of the food 2 in a non-contact manner, and the shape of the food 2 are extracted based on the output from the thermal image detecting means 8 to extract the food 2. It is provided with a food temperature extraction means 9 for measuring the surface temperature at a plurality of points, and a control means 6 for judging the surface temperature of the food 2 based on the output from the food temperature extraction means 9 and controlling the cooking means 4. Further, the control means 6 is connected to a menu selection means 7 including operation keys for instructing automatic cooking after selecting one menu from a large number of cooking menus.

The cooking table 3 is a turntable that constantly rotates the food 2 (for example, makes one revolution in 10 seconds) when the food 2 is heated by the cooking means 4 in order to reduce uneven heating of the food 2.

The cooking means 4 is composed of a heater or a magnetron and heats and cooks the food 2 according to the control amount given by the control means 6.

The thermal image detecting means 8 is composed of a multi-element thermopile type infrared sensor having a wide field of view.
It is fixed to the ceiling surface or side wall of the. A plurality of infrared sensors are arrayed in a one-dimensional array, and by constantly scanning in a direction perpendicular to this array, a wide sidetone region including the food 2 and the cooking table 3 is two-dimensionally heated as shown in FIG. The image is detected in real time. That is, since temperature data for each subdivided pixel is independently obtained from a wide temperature measurement region including the food 2, the cooking table 3, and the floor wall of the cooking chamber 1,
A thermal mosaic image is generated according to the level of temperature (for example, divided into n * m).

The food temperature extracting means 9 extracts the shape of the food 2 based on the output from the thermal image detecting means 8 as shown in FIG. The operation of the food temperature extracting means 9 will be described with reference to FIG. Now, the obtained thermal image has n measurement points in the horizontal direction and m measurement points in the vertical direction, and the temperature of each pixel is T (i, j) (i = 1 to n, j = 1 to 1).
m). Here, the horizontal direction and the vertical direction are for expressing the position of each pixel of the two-dimensional thermal image, and do not necessarily match the vertical and horizontal directions of the cooking chamber 1 and may not be evenly spaced. .

First, a portion where the density (temperature) in the thermal image obtained in step 401 changes abruptly (for example, after spatial differentiation, binarization) is detected. Next, in step 402, the edges are connected so as to form the outline of one significant figure, and the inside and outside are separated. In step 403, the extracted figures (black-painted portions in FIG. 3) having an area of a predetermined value or less are removed as noise, and only those having a predetermined value or more are regarded as food 2. Finally, the average food temperature, the maximum food temperature, the minimum food temperature, the food area, etc. are calculated for the area regarded as the food 2 in step 404. Food 2
As an extraction means of T (1,1), not edge detection,
The temperature of a region clearly different from the food 2 such as T (1, m), T (n, 1), and T (n, m) is set as the background temperature, and a temperature portion significantly higher or lower than this background temperature is set as the food 2. May be considered.

Here, the food 2 is a combination of the food itself and a container in which foods such as plates, trays, cups and sake sake bottles are placed or placed.

The control means 6 causes the cooking means 4 to start cooking the food 2 on the basis of the instruction from the menu selection means 7. At the same time, the food 2 output from the thermal image detection means 8
The temperature information at each point is constantly monitored, and the cooking means 4 is caused to finish heating or change the heating pattern in accordance with the cooking menu and the surface temperature of the food 2.

As an example, the heating and cooking procedure in the control means 6 will be concretely described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. With first clears the elapsed time t and the integration control amount S to 0 at step 501, initialization is performed in accordance with the cooking menu (controlled variable c = c _o, the upper limit value of the controlled variable c =
_cm , the upper limit value of the integrated control amount S = S _m , the upper limit value of the maximum temperature among the surface temperatures of the extracted food 2 at each point (n points) =
T _sm , the upper limit of the difference T _d between the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature = T _dm , and the upper limit of the elapsed time t = t _m ). In step 502, the cooking means 4 is heated and cooked by the controlled variable c. In step 503, the food 2 extracted by the food temperature extraction means 9
Surface temperatures T _s1 , T _s2 ,. ． ． T _sn (assuming n locations) is detected, and the surface temperatures T _s1 , T _s2 ,. ． ． If the maximum temperature of T _sn exceeds a predetermined T sm, the process proceeds to step 513 to finish cooking, but if not, heating cooking is continued (step 504). Further, the surface temperatures T _s1 , T _s1 of the n points of the food 2 detected in step 505
_s2 ,. ． ． Calculates a difference T _d between the maximum and minimum temperatures of T _Sn, if exceeds the T _dm this temperature difference T _d is predetermined (step 506), the controlled variable c to 0 (step 507). Otherwise, the current surface temperature Ts1,
T _s2 ,. ． ． The control amount c is corrected according to T _sn and the elapsed time t (step 508). Control amount correction rules increased if the maximum temperature is small c of example T _s1 through T _sn, average temperature increase small if c large if the c small T _s1 through T _sn, small elapsed time large if c When t is small, c is large, and when it is large, c is small. When the difference Td between the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature is small, c is large, and when it is large, c is small.

[0034]

[Outer 1]

A plurality of conditions such as the above are formulated and fuzzy control is performed. Although the procedure of fuzzy control is not described in detail, it is a general method in which the antecedent part and the consequent part in each conditional expression are defined as membership functions and the control amount c is obtained by the MIN-MAX centroid method. The surface temperature T _s1 , T _s2 ,. ． ． The control amount c may be corrected according to the rate of change of T _sn (that is, time series information). In step 509, the integrated control amount S from the start of cooking is calculated, and if the integrated control amount S exceeds a predetermined S _m , the cooking is ended, but if not, heating cooking is continued (step 510). In step 511, the elapsed time t
Is updated, and the elapsed time t is a predetermined tm
If it exceeds, cooking is ended, but if not, heating cooking is continued (step 512). Finally, in step 513, the output to the cooking means 4 is stopped, that is, the control amount c is cleared to 0 and the cooking is finished.

FIG. 6 shows how the food temperature rises in accordance with this cooking procedure. Surface temperature T of detected food 2
_s1 , T _s2 ,. ． ． Since the control amount c is corrected every moment so that the lowest temperature of the T _sn approaches the highest temperature as the highest temperature approaches the T _sm , the unevenness in heating is obtained at the end of cooking.

By the way, in the operation of the control means 6, heating may be intermittent while adjusting the control amount c so as to keep the food 2 warm (for example, constant at 70 ° C.) after completion of cooking. With this configuration, the entire food can be kept warm even after the completion of cooking. Alternatively, a constraint condition may be set for the heating pattern during cooking according to the cooking menu. Further, the upper limit value _cm of the control amount c, the upper limit value of the integrated control amount S = _Sm , the upper limit value of the maximum temperature =
T _sm , the upper limit value of the difference T _d between the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature = T _{dm, and the} like may not be fixed and may be changed according to the elapsed time.

In the above structure, the thermal image detecting means 8 detects the two-dimensional thermal image of the whole or a part of the cooking chamber 1 including the food 2 in a non-contact manner, and the food temperature extracting means 9 obtains the thermal image. To the food 2
Therefore, the temperature data of only the area that can be regarded as the food 2 is adopted as the food surface temperature. Therefore, the food temperature extracting means 9 detects the food 2 within the temperature measurement region (field of view).
Remove the temperature of the cooking table 3 and the wall surface of the cooking chamber 1 other than
The surface temperature of the food 2 itself is measured. Furthermore, since the control means 6 cooks according to the temperature distribution in the food (the size of the temperature unevenness), the surface temperature of the food 2 itself can be controlled without being affected by the type, shape, number, or placement of the food 2. It has the effect of being able to perform accurate measurements and perform automatic cooking with no variations in workmanship.

In particular, when the difference Td between the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature of the surface temperature Ts of the food 2 exceeds the predetermined value Tdm in the cooking process, the control means 6 sets the control amount c to 0, and the finished temperature of the food is reduced. It has the effect of becoming more uniform. Further, when the maximum temperature or the integrated control amount S of the surface temperature of the food 2 exceeds the predetermined value Tsm to Sm, the cooking is finished, and therefore there is an effect of preventing the food from being overcooked.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. The only difference from the first embodiment is the operation of the food temperature extracting means 9. The food temperature extraction means 9 accumulates the output from the thermal image detection means 8 associated with the heating of the food 2 at regular time intervals as shown in FIG. 7, calculates the rate of change per unit time for each pixel, and changes this A configuration is provided in which a region where the rate (change amount of output with time) is equal to or greater than a predetermined value is recognized as the food 2. In other words, not only from the thermal image of one screen but also from the thermal images of a plurality of screens, the temporal change is captured and the food is extracted. Of course, the food 2 is heated by the cooking means 4 at this time.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, in step 801, the time difference from the previous screen is obtained for each pixel, and step 80
In step 2, only the area having a larger variation than the predetermined value is extracted. In step 803, it is determined whether the extraction result output of the food 2 is necessary or not, and if it is unnecessary, the process returns to step 801 and a new thermal image is calculated again. In step 804, of the extracted figures, those having an area less than or equal to a predetermined value are removed as noise, and only those having a predetermined value or more are regarded as the food 2.
Finally, regarding the area regarded as food 2 in step 805,
The average food temperature, the maximum food temperature, the minimum food temperature, the food area, etc. are calculated. Here, the thermal images may be compared with each other by a large number of thermal images instead of the previous screen.
Further, the food extraction may be completed at the time when the sum total of the change rate (change amount of output with time) in each pixel becomes maximum. It may be combined with the first embodiment.

In the above configuration, even when the food 2 itself and the surface temperature of the cooking table other than the food 2 or the wall surface of the cooking chamber are not so different at the beginning, the food temperature extracting means 9 (using the difference in heating rate ) There is an effect that the food 2 itself is extracted as the heating time passes, and the surface temperature of the food 2 itself can be accurately measured thereafter.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
Will be explained. The only difference from the first embodiment is the operation of the food temperature extracting means 9. The food temperature extraction means 9 is
The presence or absence of a container for containing the food 2 is determined according to the output from the thermal image detecting means 8 accompanying the heating of the food 2, and if there is a container, the measured surface temperature of the container is converted into the temperature of the food 2.

The operation of the food temperature extracting means 9 will be described with reference to FIG. The obtained thermal image is now n horizontally.
, M measurement points in the vertical direction, and the temperature of each pixel is T
(I, j). (I = 1 to n, j = 1 to m) First, a portion where the density (temperature) in the thermal image obtained in step 101 changes rapidly (for example, after spatial differentiation, binarization)
To detect. Next, in step 102, the edges are connected so as to form the outline of one significant figure, and the inside and the outside are separated. In step 103, of the extracted figures (black-painted portions in FIG. 9), those having an area equal to or smaller than a predetermined value are removed as noise, and only those having a predetermined value or more are regarded as the food 2.
Next, the food 2 extracted in step 104 is matched with each basic shape of a rectangle or an ellipse. If the best matching shape is a vertically long rectangle, this shape is regarded as a container, and the detected surface temperature is emphasized and corrected by a predetermined temperature in the direction in which the difference with the background temperature increases (step 10).
5, 106). Because the shape that looks like a vertically long rectangle is tall such as sake sake bottles and milk cups, and the cooking table 3
Forms a surface perpendicular to (like a cylinder or prism)
The possibility of measuring the surface temperature of the container is very high, whereas the thermal image detecting means 8 is attached to the ceiling of the cooking chamber 1 even if the short food 2 is put in the container. Therefore, it is highly likely that the surface temperature of the food 2 itself is measured.

In other words, because of the depression angle, the thermal image detecting means 8 looks at the side container for the tall food 2 and looks at the upper surface of the food 2 itself not covered by the short food 2. This is because As you can see from sake sake, liquid food 2 and tall food 2 are always wrapped in a container instead of standing on the cooking table 3 with the food 2 alone. It is also known that the temperature difference of 1 depends on the degree of heating, the material and thickness of the container, the amount of the food 2, and the like, but has a certain correlation. Finally, with respect to the area regarded as the food 2 in step 107, the average food temperature, the maximum food temperature, the minimum food temperature, the food area, etc. are calculated using the temperature data that has been subjected to the emphasis correction.

The presence / absence of the container may be determined not by the matching with the basic shape, but by the positional relationship between the obtained figure and the cooking table 3 such as obtaining the position of the center of gravity. Further, of the temperature regions which can be clearly divided into two on the same figure, the one closer to the background temperature may be regarded as the container. Further, the correction amount of the temperature difference is not constant, and may be changed according to the shape and size of the extracted figure (= container). Alternatively, as shown in the second embodiment, the temporal change amount of the output from the thermal image detecting means 8 associated with the heating of the food 2 is calculated, and the correction amount is sequentially changed in accordance with the temporal change amount of the output to increase the high value. The accuracy may be improved.

In the above structure, the food temperature extracting means 9 reduces the measurement error even when the food 2 is put in the container and only the container is visible from the temperature detecting means instead of the food 2 or only a part of the food 2 is visible. suppress. In other words, in the area that can be considered as having a container, the surface temperature of the food 2 itself inside the container is estimated based on the surface temperature of the container that is directly detected. The effect is that you can do it.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
2 is used for the explanation. The only difference from the first embodiment is the operation of the food temperature extracting means 9. If only the one-dimensional direction of the output from the thermal image detecting means 8 is taken out, the directional characteristic of each pixel ideally has no gap or overlap with the adjacent pixel as shown in FIG. The relative sensitivity from the position is also 100%. However, in reality, due to the directional characteristics of the infrared sensor itself and the restrictions of the optical system, overlapping with adjacent pixels occurs as shown in FIGS. 11B and 11C. That is, since it also has sensitivity to radiant heat in adjacent pixels, the resulting thermal image is slightly blurred as it is. The food temperature extraction means 9 sharpens the image quality by multiplying the output from each pixel of the thermal image detection means with the output from the neighboring pixels, and then the shape of the food 2 or the container is extracted to extract the shape of the food 2 or the surface of the container. The blurred thermal image is restored by measuring the temperature. Now, the obtained thermal image has n measurement points in the horizontal direction and m measurement points in the vertical direction, and the temperature of each pixel is T (i, j) (i = 1 to n, j = 1 to 1). In case m), spatial filtering is performed on each T (i, j) using an operator as shown in FIG. This corresponds to weakening the influence from the neighboring pixels and sharpening the output from each pixel. This sharpening operation in the food temperature extracting means 9 is executed as a pre-process for the output from the thermal image detecting means 8, and the subsequent operation is the same as that shown in the first embodiment, and therefore will be omitted.

In the above structure, the food temperature extracting means 9 sharpens the thermal image, so that the food 2 and other parts can be more easily identified, and the surface temperature of the food 2 or the container can be measured more accurately.

[0050]

As described above, the cooking appliance of the present invention has the following effects.

(1) Since the food temperature extracting means for measuring the surface temperature of a food or a plurality of portions of the container is provided, temperature unevenness in the same food can be detected. The surface temperature of the food can be accurately detected when the food is present or when the food is placed near the edge of the counter. It can also be applied to the quantity and shape of food.

(2) Even when there is not much difference between the surface temperature of food and that of other foods, the food temperature extracting means calculates the amount of change with time of the output from the thermal image detecting means, and the amount of change with time becomes a predetermined value or more. Since the area in which it is present can be recognized as food, only food can be extracted.

(3) The food temperature extracting means determines the presence or absence of a container according to the output from the thermal image detecting means, and converts the surface temperature of the container into the temperature of the food in the container. Even if it is not possible, the temperature of the food itself inside the container can be estimated from the measured surface temperature of the container.

(4) Since the food temperature extracting means can sharpen the image quality, the food or the region of the container can be accurately extracted even when the obtained thermal image is blurred.

(5) Since the cooking means is controlled so that the difference between the highest temperature and the lowest temperature of a plurality of places does not exceed a predetermined value, automatic cooking can be performed without variations in the finished product.

(6) Since the cooking means is controlled so that the maximum temperature of the surface temperatures at a plurality of points does not exceed a predetermined value, it is possible to prevent the food from being over-burnt or over-cooked.

(7) Since the cooking means is controlled so that the surface temperatures at a plurality of points are maintained within a predetermined range, temperature control is easy.

Therefore, the surface temperature of the food itself can be measured more accurately without being influenced by the type, shape, number, and placement of the food, and the automatic cooking can be performed without variations in the finished product.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a cookware according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a thermal image detection area in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a food extraction result in the example.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the food temperature extracting means in the same embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the control means in the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing changes in control amount and food temperature during cooking in the same example.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a food extraction result in another example of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the food temperature extracting means in the same embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a food extraction result in another example of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the food temperature extracting means in the same embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a view for explaining the operation of the food temperature extracting means in another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an operator for spatial filtering applied to each pixel in the embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram of a cooking utensil in a conventional example.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the control means in the embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing changes in control amount and food temperature during cooking in the same example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Cooking Room 2 Food 4 Cooking Means 6 Controlling Means 8 Thermal Image Detecting Means 9 Food Temperature Extracting Means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masahiro Nitta 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Hideki Terasawa, 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A cooking means for cooking a food placed in a cooking chamber, a thermal image detecting means for detecting a thermal image in the cooking chamber in a non-contact manner, and the food or the food based on an output from the thermal image detecting means. Extracting the shape of the container, food temperature extraction means for measuring the surface temperature of the extracted food or a plurality of points of the container, and the cooking based on the surface temperature of the food or container output from the food temperature extraction means And a control means for controlling the means. 2. The food temperature extracting means calculates the amount of change with time of the output from the thermal image detecting means, and recognizes a region where the amount of change with time is a predetermined value or more as a food or a container. kitchenware. 3. The food temperature extracting means determines the presence or absence of a container for containing the food according to the output from the thermal image detecting means, and if there is the container, the measured surface temperature of the container is the temperature of the food. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, which is converted into. 4. The food temperature extracting means sharpens the image quality by multiplying the output from each pixel of the thermal image detecting means with the output from a neighboring pixel, and then extracting the shape of the food or the container. The surface temperature of food or container is measured.
Cookware described. 5. The control means stops the output to the cooking means or controls the output amount when the difference between the maximum temperature and the minimum temperature among the surface temperatures at a plurality of points of the food or container exceeds a predetermined value. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, wherein the cooking utensil is reduced. 6. The control means stops the output to the cooking means or reduces the output amount when the maximum temperature among the surface temperatures of a plurality of portions of the food or container exceeds a predetermined value. Cookware. 7. The cooking utensil according to claim 1, wherein the control means controls the output to the cooking means so as to maintain the surface temperatures of the food or the container at a plurality of locations within a predetermined range.