Assisted cooking calibration optimizer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11838144-B2
Application number	US-202217575113-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 13, 2022
Priority date	Jan 13, 2022
Publication date	Dec 5, 2023
Grant date	Dec 5, 2023

Abstract

A method for calibrating an induction cooking device includes capturing image data representing a cooking vessel and processing the image data to identify one or more features. The method further includes comparing the image data representing the cooking vessel to a library of stored image data of calibrated cookware. In response to identifying stored image data in the library that matches the one or more features, the method accesses preconfigured calibration data and configures the operation of the induction cooking device based on the preconfigured calibration data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A cooking device comprising:
a cooking surface configured to support a cooking vessel;
at least one heating element disposed beneath the cooking surface and configured to generate heat in the cooking vessel;
a communication circuit in communication with a database; and
a controller in communication with a driving circuit of the at least one heating element and the communication circuit, the controller configured to:
access a calibration routine for the cooking vessel;
in response to the calibration routine, receive calibration data for the cooking vessel from the database;
configure the operation of the at least one heating element for the cooking vessel in response to the calibration data;
communicate with at least one temperature sensor, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is configured to detect a temperature of the cooking surface proximate to the at least one heating element; and
monitor the at least one temperature sensor and identify a temperature response of the cooking vessel in response to a plurality of driving frequencies of the at least one heating element.

2. The cooking device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a mobile device comprising a camera in communication with the database.

3. The cooking device according to claim 2 , wherein the camera is configured to capture image data depicting the cooking vessel.

4. The cooking device according to claim 3 , wherein the mobile device is configured to communicate the image data depicting the cooking vessel to the database.

5. The cooking device according to claim 4 , wherein the database is a remote server configured to identify the calibration data for the cooking vessel in response to the image data.

6. The cooking device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
process the calibration routine for the cooking vessel, wherein the calibration routine comprises controlling the driving circuit to activate the plurality of driving frequencies of at least one induction coil.

7. The cooking device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
identify the temperature response of the cooking vessel in response to the plurality of driving frequencies and identify the calibration data as a plurality of calibration coefficients relating the driving frequencies to the temperature response.

8. The cooking device according to claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
communicate the calibration data to the database, wherein the calibration data is saved in a database identifying the calibration data associated with the image data depicting the cooking vessel.

9. A method for calibrating an induction cooking device comprising:
capturing image data representing a cooking vessel;
processing the image data to identify one or more features;
comparing the image data representing the cooking vessel to a library of stored image data of calibrated cookware;
in response to identifying stored image data in the library that matches the one or more features, accessing preconfigured calibration data relating a temperature of the cooking vessel to one or more driving frequencies of the induction cooking device;
configuring the operation of the induction cooking device based on the preconfigured calibration data; and
in response to failing to identify stored image data in the library that matches the one or more features, initiating a local calibration procedure for the cooking vessel heated on the induction cooking device.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising:
generating local calibration data based on the local calibration procedure for the cooking vessel, the local calibration procedure comprising capturing temperature data at the one or more driving frequencies.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
communicating the image data representing the cooking vessel and the local calibration data to the library of stored image data of calibrated cookware.

12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
storing the image data representing the cooking vessel and the local calibration data in the library of stored image data as the preconfigured calibration data.

13. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the local calibration procedure further comprises:
communicating with a temperature sensor, where the temperature sensor is configured to collect temperature readings;
identifying a temperature response of the cooking vessel to the one or more driving frequencies and corresponding temperature readings from the temperature sensor; and
identifying calibration data relating the one or more driving frequencies to the temperature response.

14. A system for assisted calibration of an induction cooking device comprising:
a mobile device in communication with a database and comprising a camera configured to capture image data depicting a cooking vessel, wherein calibration data for the cooking vessel is accessed by the mobile device based on the image data; and
a cooking appliance comprising a control module in communication with the database via a communication interface, wherein the control module receives the calibration data and loads the calibration data from a calibration procedure, wherein the calibration procedure identifies an approximate temperature response of the cooking vessel in response to a heating output from at least one cooking hob of the cooking appliance and the calibration data comprises information relating a temperature of the cooking vessel to a driving frequency of the cooking appliance.

15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein an identification of the cooking vessel is completed based on the image data, and the calibration data is selected from a database based on the identification.

16. The system according to claim 14 , wherein an application operating on the mobile device controls the capture of the image data, a retrieval of the calibration data from the database and a storage of the calibration data in a user profile, and wherein the calibration data is communicated to the control module of the cooking appliance from the database.

17. The system according to claim 14 , wherein the control module is further configured to control an automated heating process for a food load identified in a predetermined recipe based on the calibration data.

18. The system according to claim 14 , further comprising:
in response to failing to identify the cooking vessel based on the image data, the control module processes a calibration routine, during which the control module:
activates a plurality of driving frequencies of at least one induction coil;
communicates with a temperature sensor to identify a temperature response of the cooking vessel to the plurality of driving frequencies; and
determines the calibration data relating the temperature response of the cooking vessel to the driving frequencies.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Boccotti Alessandro
• Caruso Alessandro
• Moroni Stefano
• Vehslage David R

Classifications

• H04L12/282 Primary

  based on user interaction within the home (receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204) · CPC title

• G06F16/55

  Clustering; Classification · CPC title

• G06F16/583

  using metadata automatically derived from the content · CPC title

• H04L67/125

  involving control of end-device applications over a network · CPC title

• H04L2012/285

  Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators · CPC title