Method of operating a cooking appliance, control unit and cooking appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016003484-A1
Application number	US-201414768572-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 5, 2014
Priority date	Mar 8, 2013
Publication date	Jan 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of operating a cooking zone ( 2 ) of a cooking appliance ( 1 ). The method includes determining an actual temperature value representative of an actual temperature of an item ( 6 ) to be heated; determining a power level (I) set on a user control device ( 3 ); and calculating a rectified power level (II) based on the actual temperature value, the actual power level (I) and a preset setpoint temperature. The rectified power level (II) is configured to remove differences between the actual temperature value and setpoint temperature and the rectified power level (II) is indicated on a user display ( 9, 4 ).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . Method of operating a cooking zone ( 2 ) of a cooking appliance ( 1 ), comprising
determining an actual temperature value representative of an actual temperature of an item ( 6 ) to be heated; determining a power level (I) set on a user control device ( 3 ); calculating a rectified power level (II) based on the actual temperature value, the power level (I) and a preset setpoint temperature, wherein the rectified power level (II) is configured to remove differences between the actual temperature value and setpoint temperature; and optionally indicating the rectified power level (II) on a user interface ( 9 ).

2 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the actual temperature comprises at least one of
directly measuring the temperature of the item ( 6 ) to be heated via a temperature probe ( 7 ), and measuring at least one of a secondary temperature of cookware ( 5 ) containing the item ( 6 ) to be heated and a secondary temperature of the cooking zone ( 2 ), and calculating the actual temperature from the at least one measured secondary temperature.

3 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein determining the actual power level (I) comprises detecting an operating position, in particular rotational position, of a power control device ( 3 ) configured to control the power level of the cooking zone ( 2 ).

4 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein calculating the rectified power level (II) comprises calculating a rectified operational position, in particular rectified rotational position, of a/the power control device ( 3 ) configured to control the power level of the cooking zone ( 2 ).

5 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein indicating the rectified power level (II) comprises showing the rectified power level (II) on user interface ( 9 ) implemented at a/the control device ( 3 ) configured to control the power level of the cooking zone ( 2 ).

6 . Method according to claim 5 wherein indicating the rectified power level (II) comprises showing the rectified operational position (II) of a/the control device ( 3 ) on a user interface ( 9 ) implemented at the control device ( 3 ) configured to control the power level to the cooking zone ( 2 ).

7 . Method according to claim 5 , wherein indicating the rectified power level (II) comprises showing a direction of operation ( 11 ) required for transferring the control device ( 3 ) to a position corresponding to the rectified power level (II).

8 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein indicating the rectified power level (II) comprises outputting an acoustical signal.

9 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein indicating the rectified power level (II) comprises highlighting an actual control device position indicator ( 9 ) according to a predefined modality, wherein the highlighting modality preferably is configured to represent a direction of actuation required for transferring the control device ( 3 ) to the rectified power level (II) or rectified operational position.

10 . Method according to claim 1 , wherein the rectified power level (II), in particular rectified operational position, is automatically set by a controller ( 8 ) of the cooking appliance ( 1 ), in particular cooking zone ( 2 ).

11 . Method according to claim 10 , wherein the controller ( 8 ) is configured to issue a user validation request, preferably on the user interface ( 4 ), and to set the rectified power level (II) only upon receiving a positive user validation signal.

12 . Control unit adapted to control the operation of a cooking zone ( 2 ) of a cooking appliance ( 1 ), wherein the control unit comprises a controller ( 8 ) configured to execute a method according to claim 1 .

13 . Cooking appliance ( 1 ), comprising at least one cooking zone ( 2 ), a user control device ( 3 , 4 ), a control unit and a user visual interface ( 4 , 9 ), wherein a controller ( 8 ) of the control unit is connected to at least the user control interface ( 3 , 4 ) and user visual interface ( 4 , 9 ) and configured such that it can execute a method according to claim 1 .

14 . Cooking appliance ( 1 ) according to claim 13 , comprising at least one temperature probe ( 7 ) configured for at least one of measuring an actual temperature of an item ( 6 ) to be heated within a cookware and/or on a cooking surface ( 5 ) placed on the cooking zone ( 2 ) of the cooking appliance ( 1 ), and configured for measuring a temperature of the cookware and/or cooking surface or of the item ( 6 ) placed on the cooking zone ( 2 ), wherein the controller ( 8 ) is connected to the at least one temperature probe ( 7 ) for receiving actual temperature values used for calculating the rectified power level (II).

15 . Cooking appliance ( 1 ) according to claim 13 , further comprising an encoder configured for measuring or determining a power level (I), in particular a control position or turning position, of a/the control device ( 3 ), wherein the controller ( 8 ) is connected to the encoder for receiving actual power levels (I) of the control device ( 3 ) used for calculating the rectified power level (II).

Assignees

• Electrolux Appliances AB

Inventors

• Spanò Fabio
• Guardigli Nicola

Classifications

• A23L1/01

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• F24C3/126 Primary

  on ranges · CPC title

• F24C7/083 Primary

  on tops, hot plates · CPC title

• F24C7/087

  of electric circuits regulating heat · CPC title

• F24C7/088

  on stoves · CPC title