WO2023187058A1

WO2023187058A1 - Cooking system, cooking device, and method for operating a cooking system

Info

Publication number: WO2023187058A1
Application number: PCT/EP2023/058296
Authority: WO
Inventors: Begoña CALVO CALZADA; Jorge GRASA ORUS; Miguel Angel Martinez Barca; Carlos Sagües Blázquiz; Sergio Llorente Gil; Carlos Franco Gutierrez; Teresa Del Carmen Marzo Alvarez; Julio Rivera Peman; Iulen CABEZA GIL; Jara Maria MOYA PEREZ
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeräte GmbH
Priority date: 2022-03-31
Filing date: 2023-03-30
Publication date: 2023-10-05

Abstract

In order to improve a cooking status detection and a comfort function, the invention relates to a cooking system (10a-b), in particular a hob-type cooking system, comprising an analysis environment (16a-b) which is designed to carry out a detection process (102a-b) in order to detect the cooking status of a food (18a-b), in particular the food temperature, on the basis of at least one food characteristic of the food (18a-b).

Description

Cooking system, cooking device and method for operating a cooking system

State of the art

The invention relates to a cooking system according to claim 1, a cooking appliance for a cooking system according to claim 12 and a method for operating a cooking system according to claim 13.

Cooking devices, in particular ovens, with integrated meat probes for measuring meat temperature are already known from the prior art. The disadvantage of the already known meat probes is that they have to be inserted/inserted into the meat by hand in order to measure the meat temperature. However, wireless sensors for magnetic attachment to a cooking utensil, for example a pot, for measuring the temperature of the cooking utensil and/or a food item to be cooked, for example meat, are also already known. In an operating state, the wireless sensor detects infrared radiation which emanates from the food to be cooked in the operating state.

The object of the invention is, in particular, to provide a generic device with improved properties with regard to determining the cooking status and comfort. The object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claims 1, 12 and 13, while advantageous refinements and developments of the invention can be found in the subclaims.

Advantages of the invention

The invention relates to a cooking system, in particular a cooking system, with an analysis environment which is intended to carry out a determination process for determining a cooking status of a food, in particular a food temperature, based on at least one food parameter of the food.

Through such a configuration, determining the cooking status of at least one food item as well as comfort in terms of operator and/or user comfort can be improved. An analysis environment can be used to access additional and, in particular, re expensive sensor units, such as temperature sensors and/or roasting skewers, for detecting and/or determining the cooking status of the food are dispensed with. In addition, the cooking status of the food can be determined in a simple, quick and/or cost-effective manner. In addition, effort can be reduced and a high level of reliability can still be achieved when determining the cooking status. This in turn can reduce costs and increase efficiency, for example with regard to product and/or work and/or manufacturing and/or cost and/or performance efficiency. Furthermore, an inexpensive and/or compact design of a cooking system can be provided.

The cooking system is intended for use and/or arrangement in a household, in particular a kitchen. The cooking system can be designed, for example, as an oven system, microwave system, steam device system and/or grill system. The cooking system is preferably designed as a hob system and particularly preferably as an induction hob system. The cooking system can have a variety of units and/or devices that can be used for processing and/or storing food. In particular, the cooking system has at least one food preparation area in which at least the food can be prepared, advantageously through a cooking process.

The cooking appliance system preferably has a cooking appliance. The cooking appliance can be designed, for example, as an oven, microwave, steamer and/or grill. The cooking appliance is preferably designed as a hob and particularly preferably as an induction hob. It is proposed that the cooking device has a heating unit for heating the food. The heating unit is advantageously an induction heating unit. In particular, the cooking appliance forms at least a subassembly of the cooking appliance system. However, it would also be conceivable that the cooking appliance system consists of the cooking appliance, namely the cooking appliance system is designed as a cooking appliance, in particular only of the cooking appliance. In addition, the cooking system can, for example, have at least one extraction unit and/or at least one sensor unit and/or at least one cover unit and/or mounting plate and/or worktop. In particular, the cooking appliance has the food preparation area. The cooking appliance can carry out the cooking process to prepare, namely to cook, the food. If the cooking device is the oven, the food preparation area may be inside located in a sleeve of the oven. Alternatively and/or additionally, if the cooking device is the hob, the food preparation area can be located on a support plate of the hob.

It would also be conceivable for the cooking system to have at least one piece of household furniture, in particular in which the cooking appliance could be arranged. The household furniture can be designed, for example, as a cabinet, in particular as a food storage cabinet and/or a spice rack. The household furniture can be part of the kitchen.

The food can be any food that can be cooked, which in particular can be arranged in and/or on the cooking appliance and/or can be used with the cooking appliance and/or can be processed and/or processed and/or prepared. For example, the food is vegetables, fruit, fish or preferably meat. The food can be cooked using cooking utensils and can be prepared. In particular, the cooking utensils can be used to cook the food with the cooking appliance. For example, the cooking utensils can be arranged in the cooking appliance, in particular the oven, and/or can be placed on the cooking appliance, in particular the hob.

The analysis environment can be part of a control environment of the cooking system or designed as such. In particular, the analysis environment differs from a sensor unit, such as a roasting spit or a meat probe, for measuring the cooking status of the food, in particular the food temperature. The analysis environment is intended to carry out the determination process for determining the cooking status of the food based on the food parameter. In particular, the control environment is intended to start the determination process. In the determination process, the cooking status of the food, in particular the food temperature, is determined based on at least the food characteristic of the food. In the procedure for operating the cooking system, at least the investigative process is carried out.

In particular, the control environment includes a cooking appliance control unit. The cooking appliance control unit is advantageously part of the cooking appliance. In at least the operating state, the cooking appliance control unit can be provided to control the heating unit, in particular at least one heating element of the heating unit, to cook the food and/or to regulate. Furthermore, the cooking appliance control unit could be provided to control and/or regulate the heating unit, in particular at least the heating element of the heating unit, for heating the cooking utensil in which the food is arranged and/or can be arranged. If the cooking appliance is a hob, the cooking appliance control unit can be designed as a hob control unit. Alternatively and/or additionally, it would be conceivable that if the cooking appliance is an oven or a combination of oven and hob, the cooking appliance control unit is an oven control unit or a control unit for controlling and/or regulating the oven and the hob. A “control unit” is to be understood as meaning an electronic unit which is preferably at least partially integrated in a control and/or regulating unit of the hob and which is intended to control and/or regulate at least the heating unit. Preferably, the control unit comprises a computing unit and in particular, in addition to the computing unit, a storage unit with a control and/or regulation program stored therein, which is intended to be executed by the computing unit.

The cooking appliance, in particular the hob, advantageously has a cooking appliance operator interface. The cooking appliance operator interface can be provided for input and/or output from and/or to the operator. The cooking appliance operator interface can interact with the cooking appliance control unit. By means of the cooking appliance operator interface, the cooking appliance can, for example, be switched on and/or off and/or the heating unit can be operated. The operator could use the cooking appliance operator interface to control and/or regulate a heating power of the heating unit and/or heating power density of the heating unit and/or a temperature of the heating unit and/or the cooking utensils for cooking the food.

It would be conceivable that the cooking appliance at least partially has the analysis environment. The investigation process could possibly be carried out by the cooking device. The cooking device control unit could be intended to at least start the determination process in order to determine the cooking status of the food based on the food parameter.

If the cooking system includes an external unit which at least partially has the analysis environment, comfort, in terms of operator and/or user comfort, as well as efficiency can be further increased. In addition, costs can be saves and by means of an analysis environment which is at least partially arranged in the external unit, the external unit can be used to determine the cooking status of the food. This means that additional and particularly expensive sensor units, such as temperature sensors and/or roasting skewers, for detecting and/or determining the cooking status of the food can be dispensed with. Furthermore, flexibility for an operator and/or user can be increased.

The external unit is preferably intended to communicate with the cooking appliance. The cooking appliance can have a communication interface for communication with at least the external unit. Furthermore, the external unit can have a further communication interface for communication with at least the cooking appliance. The communication interface and/or the further communication interface can/can be provided for wired and/or wireless communication. The communication interface and the further communication interface can communicate with one another, for example, using a UWB, LAN, WLAN, WPAN, infrared, NFC, ZigBee, and/or Bluetooth connection.

The control environment may include a control unit of the external device. The control unit of the external unit can be intended to control and/or regulate the analysis environment and/or the further communication interface. The control unit of the external unit could be intended to at least start the determination process to determine the cooking status of the food based on the food parameter. It would also be conceivable that heating of at least the food by the heating unit of the cooking appliance could be controlled and/or regulated by means of the control unit of the external unit.

The external unit could be a terminal device, such as a computer, in particular a desktop computer, and/or a laptop and/or a convertible. In order to further increase flexibility and convenience in terms of operator and/or user comfort, it is proposed that the external unit is designed as a mobile device. In addition, existing, advantageously mobile external units, such as cell phones and/or tablets, can preferably be used at least to determine the cooking status of a food. This in turn allows costs to be reduced and a compact and/or inexpensive cooking system to be provided. The external unit designed as a mobile device could be, for example, a remote control. The mobile device is advantageous, for example, a cell phone and/or a tablet and/or a phablet and/or a personal digital assistant (PDA). The external unit is preferably a multimedia unit. In particular, the multimedia unit is a unit that is intended to provide information and/or content from digital media. The digital media, in particular electronically coded media, could be, for example, at least one animation and/or an audio and/or a photograph and/or a graphic and/or a text and/or a video.

Particularly preferably, a program and/or an app is installed on the external unit, which at least partially, advantageously completely, forms the analysis environment and is intended to at least determine the cooking status of the food. The program and/or the app can be a program and/or app specifically designed and/or programmed for at least the determination of the cooking status, which can in particular be installed on the external unit by the operator. It would also be conceivable that the program and/or the app are already pre-installed on the external unit, for example ex works.

The term “intended” here and below is intended to mean specifically programmed, designed and/or equipped. The fact that an object is intended for a specific function should be understood to mean that the object fulfills and/or executes this specific function in at least one application and/or operating state.

It is further suggested that the analysis environment applies a machine learning algorithm in the discovery process. In this way, comfort, namely user and/or operator comfort, can be further increased and a particularly precise and, in particular, novel cooking status determination can be provided. Furthermore, an advantageously accurate and/or meaningful cooking status of the food can be determined using the machine learning algorithm by conclusively analyzing at least one food parameter of a food. Furthermore, efficiency can be increased, namely in terms of product and/or work and/or cost and/or performance efficiency. In the determination process, the analysis environment can determine the cooking status of the food using the machine learning algorithm. The machine learning algorithm can be applied by the cooking appliance control unit and/or by the external unit control unit. It would also be conceivable for the control environment, in particular the analysis environment, to have an external server, which in particular is designed differently from the external unit and the cooking appliance. In the discovery process, the external server could apply the machine learning algorithm. It would be conceivable that the cooking appliance control unit and/or the external unit for determining the cooking status of the food communicates with a server in the determination process.

The server is advantageously part of a database environment and can be at least partially designed as a private and/or public server, for example as a private and/or public server on the Internet. The external server can also be designed as a server in a cloud, in particular a private and/or public one. Preferably, the database environment is designed as a dedicated computer system or as at least part of a dedicated computer system. The external server may execute the determination process to determine the cooking status of the food based on at least the food parameter. By means of the communication interface and/or the further communication interface, the server can communicate with the cooking appliance and/or the external unit. The external server could determine the cooking status of the food and transmit it to the external unit and/or the cooking device for further processing. Alternatively, the analysis environment can determine the cooking status of the food without any communication and/or interaction with the external server.

In particular, the machine learning algorithm is a machine learning algorithm known to those skilled in the art for determining a cooking status. In particular, the machine learning algorithm is based on machine learning and is an application of artificial intelligence (AI).

The machine learning algorithm can already be trained ex works. In order to continually optimize the determination of a cooking status when operating a cooking system and/or adapt it to the needs of an operator and thus further increase comfort, in terms of operator and/or user comfort, as well as efficiency, it is proposed that machine learning Algorithm is self-learning. In addition, a determination process for determining the cooking status can be optimized. For example, can new cooking statuses can be recognized and learned due to new and/or different treatments and/or processing of food.

The machine learning algorithm can be trainable while the cooking system is operating. The self-learning process could follow the symbolic approach, in which knowledge, both examples and induced rules, are explicitly represented. It could be supervised or unsupervised learning. In supervised learning, the algorithm can learn a function from given pairs of inputs and outputs. During learning, a “teacher”, for example the operator, could provide the correct function value for an input. In particular, the goal of supervised learning is to train the algorithm to create associations after several calculations with different inputs and outputs. It would be conceivable for the operator to use the cooking appliance operator interface to inform the cooking appliance control unit whether and/or how well the determined cooking status corresponds to an actual actual cooking status of the food. Using feedback from the operator, the machine learning algorithm could further optimize and improve itself.

Furthermore, the machine learning algorithm could be self-learning based on a neural network. The external server could communicate with the neural network. In particular, the machine learning algorithm is a deep learning algorithm. The self-learning process could be done using the non-symbolic approach. With the non-symbolic approach, the neural network can be “trained” to behave in a predictable manner, but this does not allow any insight into the learned solutions, with the knowledge being implicitly represented.

In particular, the food parameter is a parameter that characterizes the food and/or describes at least one property of the food. The food parameter advantageously includes an initial state of the food before cooking, in particular before the cooking process. Alternatively and/or additionally, the food parameter can include, in particular describe and/or characterize, an actual state of the food during the cooking process. The food parameter can, for example, be a temperature, in particular an initial temperature or an actual temperature, and/or a consistency, in particular an initial consistency or an actual consistency, and/or a type of food, for example, fish, vegetables, fruit or meat such as beef, chicken, pork, lamb or the like. It would also be conceivable that the food parameter has a property of the food, such as frozen or thawed or tough, hard, soft, solid, dry, oily or the like. Furthermore, the food parameter can include a value which describes whether the operator has added fat, such as oil, butter, margarine or the like, to cook the food and as a result the food is oily and/or fatty. In particular, the food parameter includes a value of how much fat, for example oil, butter, margarine or the like, is/was added to the food.

So that a particularly precise determination of the cooking status of a food and thereby a high level of convenience can be provided, it is proposed that the food parameter includes a food geometry, such as a food shape, and/or food dimensions.

In particular, the food parameter includes a food structure. The food parameter advantageously includes a thickness and/or depth and/or width and/or length of the food.

The food parameter particularly preferably includes a target final state of the food. In particular, the target final state is a state of the food preferred by the operator after the cooking process. The target final state advantageously includes a target consistency of the food and/or a target temperature of the food and/or a target degree of doneness, such as, for example, well done, almost done, half done, medium, almost raw, rare, English , almost-bloody, pink, light pink, raw, or the like. In particular, the analysis environment is intended to determine the cooking status of the food based on the target final state and at least the food geometry and/or at least the food dimensions. The cooking status particularly preferably corresponds to the target final state, in particular during and/or after the cooking process. In particular, when determining the cooking status, in particular during the cooking process, the analysis environment is intended to compare an actual cooking status of the food with the food parameter, preferably the target final state.

The cooking status may include a food temperature of the food. In particular, the cooking status includes a food temperature in a center of the food by means of. Alternatively and/or additionally, the cooking status may include a consistency and/or degree of doneness of the food, such as well done, almost done, medium, English, rare or the like. Particularly preferably, the operator can set and/or select the target final state, for example the target temperature and/or the target consistency and/or the target degree of doneness or the like.

If the cooking system has a detection unit which is intended to detect at least the food parameter in a detection process, comfort and efficiency can be further increased. In addition, determining the cooking status can be optimized and the cooking process of a food can be advantageously improved. Furthermore, a cooking process can be adapted to the needs and/or wishes of an operator. In addition, at least an initial state of the food and/or a target final state of the food can be detected by means of a detection unit.

The detection unit can detect at least the food characteristic of the food in at least the food preparation area. In particular, if the food is in the food preparation area, the detection unit detects at least the food characteristic. The detection unit is advantageously provided for detecting at least one property of the food, in particular correlated with the food parameter, for example an object color of the food. The detection unit could, for example, include an infrared sensor and/or a sensor for the length and/or width and/or height dimension of the food and/or a sensor for object measurement, in particular food measurement, and/or a color sensor for detecting at least the food parameter.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the detection unit comprises at least one control element for inputting the food parameter by an operator. This can improve comfort and provide an operator with the option of manual and/or acoustic adjustment and/or selection of at least the food parameter.

The control element could be an acoustically and/or manually actuated element. It would be conceivable that the control element could acoustically detect the food parameter from the operator using a voice function. That is preferred Control element provided for manual entry of the food parameter. The operator could use the control element to select at least one food parameter from a large number of food parameters. The operator could at least select the food parameter. Alternatively and/or additionally, the operator could use the control element to set the food parameter, for example by typing and/or drawing it.

In order to further increase comfort, namely operator and/or user comfort, it is proposed that the detection unit comprises at least one optical sensor. This advantageously eliminates the need for an operator to manually enter a food parameter, thereby reducing effort and increasing flexibility.

Alternatively, it would also be conceivable for the detection unit to comprise either the optical sensor or the control element. The detection unit preferably has the optical sensor and at least the control element. In order to further increase comfort and flexibility, the operator could independently decide and choose whether the detection of at least the food parameter should take place using the optical sensor or using the control element.

The detection element can have a laser scanner, an infrared sensor, a CCD sensor and/or advantageously a camera. The optical sensor is preferably designed as the camera. The detection unit, in particular the optical sensor and/or the control element, could be part of the cooking appliance and/or another unit of the cooking appliance system, such as the extraction unit. The optical sensor and/or the control element could/could be arranged in the extraction unit and/or the household furniture. It would be conceivable that the cooking appliance operator interface has the control element.

It would be conceivable that the detection unit is advantageously in operative connection with the cooking appliance and/or the household furniture and/or another unit of the cooking system, such as the extractor unit, and is preferably at least partially, in particular completely, in the household furniture and/or the cooking appliance and/ or the other unit of the cooking system, such as the extraction unit, is an integrated unit. The detection unit is advantageously a portable detection device. Ness. For example, the detection unit could include a web camera or be designed as such.

If the external unit at least partially has the detection unit, comfort, flexibility and efficiency can be optimized. In addition, existing external units, such as cell phones and/or tablets, can preferably be used at least to record a food parameter of a food. This in turn allows costs to be reduced and a compact and/or inexpensive cooking system to be provided.

The optical sensor is particularly preferably a camera of the external unit. Using the optical sensor of the external unit, the food could be detected in the detection process, for example photographed and/or filmed, in order to at least detect the food parameter. Preferably, the control element is part of a display of the external unit. The display is preferably designed as a touch-sensitive display, preferably as a touch display. The display could be an OLED display, in particular an AMOLED display, or a display with, for example, at least one backlight, in particular an LC display. In particular, the display has a large number of display elements, which could be designed, for example, as liquid crystal segments or LEDs, in particular OLEDs. The display elements advantageously comprise at least one material which is self-illuminating, for example an electroluminescent material which, in particular, itself emits light in an operating state of the display, in particular in at least the operating state. The display elements preferably form a TFT matrix. The display advantageously has a TFT interface, in particular a thin-film transistor.

In particular, the display is intended to display at least one piece of information, advantageously at least the food parameter. The display could also be used to display the large number of food parameters, from which the operator can select the food parameter that corresponds to the food. The operator could set the food parameter on the touch display, for example by typing and/or drawing it. Preferably, the operator sets or selects the desired final state of the food in the detection process, in particular by means of the detection unit. In addition to detecting at least the food parameter, the detection unit can also be provided for detecting a cooking parameter. The cooking parameter can include, for example, a cooking utensil temperature and/or a setting of the heating unit, at least for heating the food.

The cooking system advantageously has an output unit for outputting at least the food parameter and/or the cooking status of the food. The output unit could be an acoustic and/or optical output unit for acoustically and/or optically outputting at least the cooking status to the operator. The output unit can be part of the cooking appliance and/or the external unit. For example, the cooking status could be output to the operator using the cooking appliance operator interface. The cooking status is preferably output via the display, in particular the touch display, of the external unit. It would also be conceivable that the camera of the external unit could be provided, in particular using augmented reality (AR), for visualizing the food and/or the cooking status of the food and/or the food parameter. In particular, the output unit outputs at least the cooking status in an output process. The method for operating the cooking system advantageously includes the dispensing process. With regard to the time course of the procedure, the output process advantageously takes place after the determination process.

If the analysis environment carries out the determination process on a recurring basis, in particular automatically, a cooking status determination can be further optimized, preferably made more precise, and thus in turn comfort and efficiency can be increased.

The analysis environment preferably determines the cooking status of the food during the cooking process. The detection unit preferably records the food characteristic of the food at least before the cooking process for cooking the food starts. It would also be conceivable for the determination unit to carry out the determination process on a recurring basis, in particular automatically, advantageously during the cooking process. In particular, the control environment, preferably the cooking appliance control unit and/or the control unit of the external unit, carries out the detection process on a recurring basis, in particular automatically. In particular, the control environment is intended to start the acquisition process. The recording process, the determination process and the output process particularly preferably take place during the cooking process, especially recurring over time. The detection process and at least the determination process are preferably repeated automatically until the cooking status corresponds to the target final state of the food.

In addition, the invention relates to a method for operating a cooking system, in particular a cooking system, comprising a determination process in which a cooking status of the food, in particular a food temperature, is determined based on a food parameter of a food. Such an operating method can provide operation of a cooking system with improved properties in terms of comfort, in particular user and/or operating comfort, as well as optimized cooking status determination.

The method for operating the cooking system can have several process steps and/or sub-steps. In particular, the method for operating the cooking system includes, in addition to the determination process, at least the acquisition process and at least the output process.

The cooking system and/or the cooking device and/or the method should not be limited to the application and embodiment described above. In particular, the cooking system and/or the cooking device and/or the method can have a number of individual elements, components, units and method steps that deviate from the number of individual elements, components, units and method steps mentioned herein in order to fulfill a function described herein. In addition, in the value ranges specified in this document, values that lie within the specified limits should also be considered disclosed and can be used in any way.

drawings

Further advantages result from the following drawing description. Two exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings. The drawings, description and claims contain numerous features in combination. The person skilled in the art will also expediently consider the features individually and combine them into further sensible combinations. Show it:

1 shows a cooking system with a cooking appliance, an external unit and with a detection unit, the external unit at least partially having the detection unit,

Fig. 2 shows a schematically illustrated method for operating the cooking system according to Figure 1 and

Fig. 3 shows a cooking system with a cooking device, an external unit and a detection unit in an alternative embodiment.

Description of the exemplary embodiments

The following figures are schematic and not true to scale representations.

Figure 1 shows a cooking system 10a, which in the present case is designed as a hob system. In this exemplary embodiment, the hob system is an induction hob system. Alternatively and/or additionally, the cooking system could also be designed as an oven system, microwave system, steam device system and/or grill system. The cooking system 10a has a cooking device 12a. The cooking appliance 12a is in the present case designed accordingly as a hob. In this exemplary embodiment, the cooking appliance 10a designed as a hob is an induction hob. Alternatively and/or additionally, a classic hob with a resistance heating unit would also be conceivable.

The cooking system 10a includes a set-up plate 80a for setting up at least one cooking utensil 36a. In this exemplary embodiment, the mounting plate 80a is designed as a hob plate and is part of the cooking appliance 12a, which is designed as a hob. Alternatively and/or additionally, the support plate 80a could be designed at least in sections as a worktop, specifically as a kitchen worktop. It would be conceivable that the cooking appliance 12a is at least partially integrated into a piece of household furniture and/or is at least partially arranged under the stand plate 80a designed as a kitchen worktop (not shown). The mounting plate 80a forms a cooking surface for setting up at least the cooking utensils 36a. In this exemplary embodiment, the cooking utensil 36a is designed as a pan. The cooking utensil 36a is used for preparation, namely for cooking at least one food 18a can be arranged. Figure 1 shows the food 18a arranged in the cooking utensil 36a. The food 18a could be, for example, vegetables, fruit or fish. In the present case, the food 18a is, for example, a piece of meat.

The cooking system 10a has an external unit 14a. In the present case, the external unit 14a is designed as a mobile device 34a. The external unit 14a could be a remote control and/or a cell phone and/or a laptop. In this exemplary embodiment, the external unit 14a is a tablet.

For control and/or regulation, the cooking system 10a has a control environment 70a. The cooking appliance 12a and/or the external unit 14a can at least partially have the control environment 70a. In the present case, the cooking appliance 12a has a cooking appliance control unit 74a. The cooking appliance control unit 74a is part of the control environment 70a. The cooking appliance control unit 74a is intended to control and/or regulate the cooking appliance 12a. The cooking appliance 12a has a heating unit 30a for heating at least the food 18a. In the present case, the control environment 70a, namely the cooking appliance control unit 74a, is intended to control and/or regulate at least the heating unit 30a. In the present case, the cooking appliance 12a has a cooking appliance operator interface 72a. The cooking appliance operator interface 72a is intended for input and/or output from and/or to an operator (see FIG. 1).

The external unit 14a has a control unit 76a. The control unit 76a of the external unit 14a is part of the control environment 70a. The control unit 76a is intended to control and/or regulate the external unit 14a. It would be conceivable that heating of at least the food 18a by the heating unit 30a could be controlled and/or regulated by means of the control unit 76a of the external unit 14a.

For communication between the cooking appliance 12a and at least the external unit 14a, the cooking appliance 12a has a communication interface 82a. In the present case, the communication interface 82a is part of the cooking appliance operator interface 72a. Furthermore, the external unit 14a has a further communication interface 84a. In the present case, the further communication interface 84a is part of the control unit 76a of the external unit 14a. The communication interface 82a and the further communication interface 84a are intended to communicate with each other, namely with via a wired and/or wireless connection, such as via a UWB, LAN, WLAN, WPAN, infrared, NFC, ZigBee, and/or Bluetooth connection.

The cooking system 10a is intended to carry out a cooking process for cooking at least the food 18a. In order to increase comfort and efficiency, the cooking system 10a has an analysis environment 16a, which is intended to carry out a determination process 102a for determining a cooking status of the food 18a, for example a food temperature, based on at least one food parameter of the food 18a. The analysis environment 16a differs from a sensor unit, such as a spit or a meat probe, for measuring the cooking status of the food 18a. For example, the cooking status includes a food temperature of the food 18a, and advantageously a food temperature in a center of the food 18a. Alternatively and/or additionally, the cooking status may include a consistency and/or degree of doneness of the food 18a, such as well done, almost done, medium, English, rare or the like.

In the present case, the food parameter is a parameter which characterizes the food 18a and/or describes at least one property of the food 18a. The food parameter includes an initial state of the food 18a before cooking, namely before the cooking process. Alternatively and/or additionally, the food parameter can include, namely describe and/or characterize, an actual state of the food 18a during the cooking process. The food parameter includes, for example, a temperature, namely an initial temperature or an actual temperature, and/or a consistency, namely an initial consistency or an actual consistency, and/or a type of food 18a. In this exemplary embodiment, the type of food 18a is meat. It would also be conceivable that the food parameter has a property of the food 18a, such as frozen or thawed or tough, hard, soft, solid, dry, oily or the like. Furthermore, the food parameter can include a value which describes whether the operator has added fat, such as oil, butter, margarine or the like, to cook the food 18a and thereby the food 18a is oily and / or fatty. In the present case, the food parameter includes a food geometry and/or a food dimension. Here, the food parameter includes a food structure, a thickness and/or depth and/or width and/or length of the food 18a. In addition, the food parameter can also include a target final state of the food 18a. The target final state is a state of the food 18a preferred by the operator after the cooking process. Optimally, the cooking status corresponds to the target final state during and/or after the cooking process.

Furthermore, the cooking system 10a has a detection unit 20a, which is intended to detect at least the food parameter in a detection process 100a. Before the determination process 102a is discussed in detail, the acquisition process 100a will first be described. At this point, reference is made to FIG. 2, in which a method for operating the cooking system 10a can be seen. The method for operating the cooking system 10a can have several method steps. In the present case, the method includes the determination process 102a and at least the detection process 100a. With regard to the time course of the method, the acquisition process 100a takes place before the determination process 102a.

The detection of at least the food parameter by means of the detection unit 20a can be done in different ways. In the present exemplary embodiment, the detection unit 20a has at least one control element 26a for inputting the food parameter by the operator. Using the control element 26a, the operator can set and/or select at least the food parameter. Figure 1 makes it clear that in the present case the external unit 14a at least partially has the detection unit 20a. In this exemplary embodiment, a display 88a of the external unit 14a includes the control element 26a or is designed as such. The display 88a is in the present case designed as a touch display. The operator can set and/or select at least the food parameter via the display 88a, namely the control element 26a.

Figure 1 shows how the operator sets the food parameter, specifically a geometry and/or size of the food 18a, specifically for the food 18a designed as meat, using the control element 26a. In the present case, the operator sets a dimension of the food 18a as an example. Additionally and/or Alternatively, it would also be conceivable for the operator to set and/or select further properties of the food 18a, which are part of the food parameter. Furthermore, in the detection process 100a, in the present case using the control element 26a, the operator sets and/or selects the target final state of the food 18a (not shown).

Additionally and/or alternatively, it would also be conceivable for the cooking appliance 12a to at least partially have the detection unit 20a. For example, the cooking appliance operator interface 72a could have the control element 26a. The operator could set and/or select at least the food parameter using the cooking appliance operator interface 72a. In addition, it would also be conceivable that another unit of the cooking system 10a, such as a withdrawal unit of the cooking system 10a, at least partially has the detection unit 20a (not shown).

After recording at least the food parameter, the control environment 70a, namely the cooking appliance control unit 74a and/or the control unit 76a of the external unit 14a, is intended to start the determination process 102a. The control environment 70a transmits the food parameter to the analysis environment 16a. The analysis environment 16a is intended to use a machine learning algorithm in the determination process 102a. Using the machine learning algorithm, the cooking status of the food 18a is determined in the determination process 102a based on the food parameter.

It would be conceivable that the analysis environment 16a accesses an external server in the determination process 102a and uses the external server to determine the cooking status of the food 18a. The machine learning algorithm may be applied by the external server. The machine learning algorithm could be stored in the external server 18a. Furthermore, it would alternatively and/or additionally also be conceivable for the cooking appliance 102a to at least partially have the analysis environment and carry out the determination process 102a. The machine learning algorithm could be stored in the cooking device 12a. In the present embodiment, the external entity at least partially comprises the analysis environment and performs the discovery process 102a. The machine learning algorithm is stored in the external unit 14a and is used in the determination process 102a to determine the cooking status. In this case, the machine learning algorithm is self-learning. At- For example, the machine learning algorithm can be self-learning based on a neural network.

According to Figure 2 it can be seen that with regard to a time course of the method for operating the cooking system 10a, an output process 104a takes place after the determination process 102a.

The cooking system 10a has an output unit 86a. The output unit 86a is an acoustic and/or optical output unit 86a for outputting at least the cooking status of the food 18a to the operator. In the present case, the output unit 86a is also intended to output the food parameter to the operator. The output unit 86a can be part of the cooking appliance 12a. For example, the cooking appliance operator interface 72a can at least partially have the output unit 86a. In this exemplary embodiment, the external unit 14a at least partially has the output unit 86a. In the present case, the output takes place via at least the display 88a of the external unit 14a.

In order to increase convenience and optimize cooking status determination, the analysis environment 16a carries out the determination process 102a, preferably automatically, on a recurring basis. In this exemplary embodiment, at least the determination process 102a takes place during the cooking process. It would also be conceivable for the detection unit 20a to carry out the detection process 100a on a recurring basis, preferably automatically, in the present case during the cooking process. The control environment 70a is intended to control and/or regulate the detection unit 20a and, preferably automatically, to start the detection process 100a on a recurring basis. The detection process 100a, the determination process 102a and the output process 104a can be carried out during the cooking process in this exemplary embodiment. In particular, the detection process 100a and/or at least the determination process 102a preferably repeats itself automatically until the cooking status corresponds to the target final state of the food 18a. According to Figure 2, the detection process 100a and the determination process 102a and at least the output process 104a are repeated automatically until the cooking status corresponds to the target final state of the food 18a. A further exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. The following descriptions are essentially limited to the differences between the exemplary embodiments, with reference being made to the description of the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 2 with regard to the same components, features and functions. To distinguish between the exemplary embodiments, the letter a in the reference numbers of the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 1 to 2 is replaced by the letter b in the reference numbers of the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3. With regard to components with the same designation, in particular with regard to components with the same reference numerals, reference can in principle also be made to the drawings and/or the description of exemplary embodiment a of FIGS. 1 to 2.

Figure 3 shows a cooking appliance system 10b in an alternative embodiment. The cooking appliance system 10b has an external unit 14b and a cooking appliance 12b. Furthermore, the cooking system 10b has a detection unit 20b. The detection unit 20b in the present exemplary embodiment differs from the detection unit 20a of the exemplary embodiment a in that the detection unit 20b in the present case comprises at least one optical sensor 28b. The optical sensor 28b is intended to detect at least the food parameter. In the present case, the optical sensor 28b is designed separately from the external unit 14b and the cooking appliance 12b. Alternatively, the optical sensor 28b could also be part of the external unit 14b and/or the cooking appliance 12b. The optical sensor 28b could possibly be designed as a camera of the external unit 14b.

Reference symbols

10 cooking system

12 cooking device

14 External unit

16 Analysis Environment

18 foods

20 detection unit

26 control element

28 Optical sensor

30 heating unit

34 mobile device

36 cooking dishes

70 Control Environment

72 cooking appliance operator interface

74 cooking appliance control unit

76 control unit

80 mounting plate

82 communication interface

84 communication interface

86 output unit

88 displays

100 capture process

102 investigative process

104 output process

Claims

Expectations

1. Cooking system (10a-b), in particular cooking system, with an analysis environment (16a-b), which is intended to be based on a determination process (102a-b) for determining a cooking status of a food (18a-b), in particular a food temperature on at least one food parameter of the food (18a-b).

2. Cooking system (10a-b) according to claim 1, characterized in that the analysis environment (16a-b) uses a machine learning algorithm in the determination process (102a-b).

3. Cooking system (10a-b) according to claim 2, characterized in that the machine learning algorithm is self-learning.

4. Cooking system (10a-b) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food parameter comprises a food geometry and / or food dimension.

5. Cooking system (10a-b) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a detection unit (20a-b), which is intended to detect at least the food parameter in a detection process (100a-b).

6. Cooking system (10a-b) according to claim 5, characterized in that the detection unit (20a-b) comprises at least one control element (26a) for inputting the food parameter by an operator.

7. Cooking system (10a-b) according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the detection unit (20a-b) comprises at least one optical sensor (28b).

8. Cooking system (10a-b) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the analysis environment (16a-b) carries out the determination process (102a-b) on a recurring basis.

9. Cooking system (10a-b) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an external unit (14a-b) which at least partially has the analysis environment (16a-b).

10. Cooking system (10a-b) according to claim 9, characterized in that the external unit (14a-b) is designed as a mobile device (34a-b).

11. Cooking system (10a-b) at least according to claims 5 and 9, characterized in that the external unit (14a-b) at least partially has the detection unit (20a-b).

12. Cooking appliance (12a-b), in particular hob, for a cooking system (10a-b) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooking appliance (12a-b) has a heating unit (30a-b) for heating at least the food (18a-b ) having.

13. A method for operating a cooking system (10a-b), in particular cooking system, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 11, comprising a determination process (102a-b), in which a cooking status of the food (18a-b) is determined based on a food parameter of a food (18a-b). Food (18a-b), in particular a food temperature, is determined.