Cooking device and operation method of the same

Abstract

A cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a cooking vessel configured to accommodate a cooking object, a heating unit configured to heat the cooking vessel, and a control circuit configured to control the output of the heating unit to perform a cooking process for cooking a cooking object, wherein the cooking process includes a soaking process for infiltrating water into the cooking object, a boiling process for heating the cooking object, and a steaming process for homogenizing the cooking object, and the control circuit may be configured to control the heating unit such that, in at least one of the soaking process, the boiling process, and the steaming process, the output of the heating unit according to the power saving mode is lower than the output of the heating unit according to the normal mode.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The technical concept of the present disclosure relates to a cooking appliance and a method of operating the same, and specifically, to a cooking appliance and a method of operating the cooking appliance for reducing power consumption by adjusting the output of a heating unit. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, cooking appliances such as electric rice cookers can determine the number of servings of food contained in a cooking container and provide different amounts of heating according to the determined number of servings in order to provide optimal cooking and / or warming functions.

[0003] Meanwhile, power consumption may increase to provide optimal cooking and / or warming functions. Therefore, there is a growing need to reduce power consumption while maintaining cooking and / or warming functions at a certain level or higher. The problem to be solved

[0004] The technical concept of the present disclosure relates to a cooking appliance and a method of operating the cooking appliance for reducing power consumption by adjusting the output of the heating unit. means of solving the problem

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, a cooking device according to one aspect of the technical concept of the present disclosure comprises a cooking vessel configured to accommodate a cooking object, a heating unit configured to heat the cooking vessel, and a control circuit configured to control the output of the heating unit to perform a cooking process for cooking a cooking object, wherein the cooking process includes a soaking process for infiltrating water into the cooking object, a boiling process for heating the cooking object, and a steaming process for homogenizing the cooking object, and the control circuit may be configured to control the heating unit such that, in at least one of the soaking process, the boiling process, and the steaming process, the output of the heating unit according to the power saving mode is lower than the output of the heating unit according to the general mode.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, a method of operation of a cooking device according to one aspect of the technical concept of the present disclosure may include the steps of: turning off an upper heater located at the top of a cooking vessel containing a cooking object in a power-saving mode, a side heater located at the side of the cooking vessel, and a main heater located at the bottom of the cooking vessel to perform a soaking process for infiltrating water into the cooking object; performing a first boiling process for heating the cooking object based on a first output of the main heater in a power-saving mode; performing a second boiling process based on a second output of the main heater lower than the first output in a power-saving mode; turning off the upper heater in a power-saving mode to perform a steaming process for homogenizing the cooking object; and turning off the upper heater in a power-saving mode to perform a warming process for maintaining the temperature of the cooking object. Effects of the invention

[0007] A cooking appliance according to the technical concept of the present disclosure can reduce the power consumed for cooking and / or keeping warm by adjusting the output of the heating unit according to the cooking process and / or keeping warm process in order to reduce power consumption.

[0008] In addition, a cooking appliance according to the technical concept of the present disclosure can reduce the power consumed in cooking by adjusting the output of the heating unit according to the cooking process according to the weight of the object to be cooked.

[0009] In addition, a cooking device according to the technical concept of the present disclosure can reduce the power consumed for warming by adjusting the output of the heating unit according to the cooking process during the warming process. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0010] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a cooking apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a cooking apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a timing diagram for explaining the cooking process and the warming process of a cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 4a and FIGS. 4b are timing diagrams for explaining the cooking process of a cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of a cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a timing diagram for explaining the heat retention process of a cooking appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a timing diagram for explaining the cooking process and the warming process of a cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of a cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a home network according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0011] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a cooking apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013] Referring to FIG. 1, the cooking device (100) may include a temperature sensor (10), a control circuit (20), and a heating unit (30). The temperature sensor (10) may include an upper temperature sensor (11) and a lower temperature sensor (12). The heating unit (30) may include an upper heater (31), a side heater (32), and a main heater (33).

[0014] The control circuit (20) can control the output of at least one of the upper heater (31), the side heater (32), and the main heater (33). The control circuit (20) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can control the temperature by controlling the output of at least one of the upper heater (31), the side heater (32), and the main heater (33). For example, the control circuit (20) can control the output of at least one of the upper heater (31), the side heater (32), and the main heater (33) based on temperature information received from at least one of the upper temperature sensor (11) and the lower temperature sensor (12). For example, the control circuit (20) can control the temperature of the upper heater (31) based on the upper temperature sensor (11). As an example, the control circuit (20) can control the side heater (32) and the main heater (33) based on the lower temperature sensor (12). However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the control circuit (20) according to the present disclosure can control the output of the heating unit (30) according to a predetermined algorithm regardless of the temperature information measured from the temperature sensor (10). As the output of the heating unit (30) increases, the amount of heat applied to the cooking container and the object to be cooked contained in the cooking container may increase, but the power consumption may increase due to the increase in the output of the heating unit (30). The control circuit (20) can control the output of the heating unit (30) to properly cook the object to be cooked while minimizing power consumption.

[0015] The cooking object may include rice, water, etc. In the present disclosure, the control circuit (20) controlling the output of the heating unit (30) may mean controlling the output of at least one of the main heater (33), side heater (32), and upper heater (31) included in the heating unit (30). In the present disclosure, the output of the heating unit (30) may mean the sum of the outputs of the main heater (33), side heater (32), and upper heater (31), respectively. Additionally, the control circuit (20) controlling the heating unit (30) may mean controlling at least one of the main heater (33), side heater (32), and upper heater (31).

[0016] A cooking device (100) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may operate in a power-saving mode that consumes relatively less power than a general mode (or may be referred to as a standard mode). The cooking device (100) may operate in a power-saving mode according to the user's selection, and in the power-saving mode, the cooking device (100) may cook and keep warm a cooking object with less power than that consumed in the general mode by controlling the output of the heating unit (30). In the present disclosure, the process of cooking a cooking object may be referred to as a cooking process, and the process of maintaining the temperature of the cooked cooking object above a certain level may be referred to as a keeping process. Additionally, the cooking process and keeping process according to the power-saving mode may be referred to as a power-saving cooking process and a power-saving keeping process, and the cooking process and keeping process according to the general mode may be referred to as a general cooking process and a general keeping process.

[0017] A cooking device (100) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can determine the weight of a cooking object in a power-saving mode and can control the output of a heating unit (30) according to user input in a power-saving mode according to the weight of the cooking object. For example, the cooking device (100) can cook and / or keep warm a cooking object that is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold weight (e.g., a weight corresponding to a cooking object of 2 servings or more) by controlling the output of the heating unit (30) according to a first power-saving mode, and can cook and / or keep warm a cooking object that is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold weight by controlling the output of the heating unit (30) according to a second power-saving mode.

[0018] The cooking process may include a plurality of detailed processes. The plurality of detailed processes may be a soaking process, a boiling process, and a steaming process. That is, the cooking process may include a soaking process, a boiling process, and a steaming process. The boiling process according to the present disclosure may include a first boiling process and a second boiling process as described below. The cooking process according to one embodiment may further include a resting process. The cooking device (100) according to the present disclosure may control the power consumed by controlling the output of the heating unit (30) during at least one of the plurality of detailed processes included in the cooking process. For example, the cooking device (100) may turn off the heating unit (30) during the soaking process according to the power saving mode. Accordingly, the output of the heating unit (30) may be 0 during the soaking process according to the power saving mode. In addition, the cooking device (100) according to the present disclosure can reduce power consumption by controlling the output of the heating unit (30) during the warming process according to the power saving mode. More details will be described later with reference to FIG. 3 and below.

[0019] Although not illustrated in FIG. 1 for convenience of explanation, the cooking device (100) may further include a pressure sensor, an input unit, a display unit, etc. The pressure sensor can generate pressure information including a pressure sensing value by sensing the internal pressure of the cooking container. The input unit can receive user input and may include a plurality of input buttons and / or a smart dial for receiving various user inputs. For example, the user input may be a touch input indicating the initiation of a cooking operation, selection of a cooking operation, or reservation of a cooking operation. The input unit can detect touch input according to various methods, including pressure-sensitive methods and capacitive methods. When the input unit obtains a setting input from the user, the input unit can generate an input signal corresponding to the setting input and transmit the input signal to the control circuit (20). For example, the input unit may be equipped with an operation unit such as a button, a jog dial, or a touch screen related to the operation of the cooking device (100), so that the user can input a desired function through the operation unit. The input unit may further include an operation unit for selecting a cooking mode among a plurality of cooking modes. The input unit can obtain a setting input for selecting a cooking mode from a user, and the input unit can generate a signal corresponding to the setting input and transmit it to a control circuit (20). For example, the user can select a power saving mode or a normal mode through the input unit, and the cooking device (100) according to the present disclosure can cook a cooking target according to the selected mode. In an exemplary embodiment, the input unit and the display unit (130) can be implemented together as a touch screen.

[0020] The display unit may display status information, setting information, or information corresponding to user input of the cooking device (100). For example, the display unit may be implemented as at least one of various display devices including LCD, PDP, TFT LCD, OLED, etc. As described above, in an exemplary embodiment, the input unit and the display unit may be implemented as a single unit. In addition, in one embodiment, the cooking device (100) may further include a microphone capable of receiving a voice signal and / or a speaker capable of outputting an audio signal. For example, the display unit may display the mode currently being performed by the cooking device (100) among a plurality of modes, and may display whether the execution of the mode is completed. For example, the display unit may display whether a cooking process for cooking a food item is being performed, or whether a warming process for keeping cooked rice warm is being performed. In addition, the display unit according to the present disclosure may display whether the cooking device (100) is performing a cooking process in a normal mode or a cooking process in a power-saving mode. In addition, the display unit according to the present disclosure can indicate whether the cooking device (100) is performing a warming process in a normal mode or a warming process in a power-saving mode.

[0021] The cooking device (100) according to the present disclosure can reduce the power consumed in the cooking process by controlling the heating unit (30) such that, in at least one of the soaking process, boiling process, and steaming process, the output of the heating unit (30) in the power-saving mode is lower than the output of the heating unit (30) in the normal mode.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a drawing showing a cooking apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] Figure 2 can be understood by referring to Figure 1, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 2, the upper temperature sensor (11) and upper heater (31) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may be located on the upper part of the cooking container (or the lid of the cooking appliance (100), and the lower temperature sensor (12) may be in contact with the bottom of the cooking container. The side heater (32) may be located on the side of the cooking container of the cooking appliance (100) and may be in contact with the side. The main heater (33) may be in contact with the bottom of the cooking container of the cooking appliance (100). That is, the main heater (33) may be located at the bottom of the cooking container. Additionally, as shown in FIG. 2, the main heater (33) may be in contact with the bottom of the cooking container of the cooking appliance (100) as well as a part of the side.

[0025] A cooking device (100) according to the present disclosure may control the output of at least one of an upper heater (31), a side heater (32), and a main heater (33) to reduce the power consumed for cooking and / or keeping warm of a cooking object. Although the cooking device (100) is illustrated in FIG. 2 as including an upper heater (31), a side heater (32), and a main heater (33) to illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cooking device (100) according to the present disclosure may include at least one of an upper heater (31), a side heater (32), and a main heater (33).

[0026] FIG. 3 is a timing diagram for explaining the cooking process and the warming process of a cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a timing diagram of the upper heater output, side heater output, and main heater output according to the first energy-saving cooking process and the first energy-saving warming process. The soaking process, first boiling process, resting process, second boiling process, and steaming process shown in FIG. 3 are included in the cooking process according to the energy-saving mode (i.e., the first energy-saving cooking process).

[0028] Referring to FIG. 3, the first energy-saving cooking process can be performed from the first time point (t1) to the sixth time point (t6), and the first energy-saving warming process can be performed from the sixth time point (t6) to the seventh time point (t7). Additionally, the first energy-saving cooking process may include a soaking process (from the first time point (t1) to the second time point (t2), a first boiling process (from the second time point (t2) to the third time point (t3)), a resting process (from the third time point (t3) to the fourth time point (t4)), a second boiling process (from the fourth time point (t4) to the fifth time point (t5)), and a steaming process (from the fifth time point (t5) to the sixth time point (t6).

[0029] The first energy-saving cooking process and the first energy-saving warming process illustrated in FIG. 3 refer to a cooking appliance according to the present disclosure performing cooking and warming according to an energy-saving mode. In FIG. 3, the interval between the first time point (t1) to the sixth time point (t6) may be understood as being the same, but this is for convenience of explanation, and the time required for each of the multiple detailed processes included in the first energy-saving cooking process may differ from one another. Furthermore, the outputs of the upper heater, side heater, and main heater, respectively, illustrated in FIG. 3 are exemplary for the sake of understanding, and the intensity of the output, the period of the output (which may be referred to as the duty ratio in the present disclosure), and the form of the output, etc., of the outputs of the upper heater, side heater, and main heater, respectively, according to the present disclosure are not limited to those illustrated in FIG. 3.

[0030] The soaking process may refer to a process of sufficiently penetrating water into a food item contained in a cooking container in order to cook the food item. In the soaking process according to the power-saving mode (i.e., the soaking process in the power-saving mode), the cooking appliance according to the present disclosure may control the heating unit by turning off the heating unit so that the output of the heating unit becomes zero. The cooking appliance according to the present disclosure may perform the soaking process for a sufficient period of time so that the water inside the food item may become saturated. For example, the cooking appliance may perform the soaking process according to the first power-saving cooking process for a period of approximately 30 minutes so that the water inside the food item may become saturated. The cooking appliance according to the present disclosure may not consume power during the soaking process by controlling the heating unit so that the output of the heater becomes zero during the soaking process. In the soaking process according to the normal mode, the output of the heating unit may not be zero. Therefore, as it operates in the power-saving mode according to the present disclosure, the power consumed in the cooking process may be reduced.

[0031] The boiling process may refer to an operation of heating the object to be cooked and the water so that their temperatures rise above the boiling point. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the boiling process may include a first boiling process and a second boiling process. The output of the heating unit in the first boiling process according to the power saving mode may be lower than the output of the heating unit in the first boiling process according to the normal mode. Additionally, the output of the heating unit in the second boiling process according to the power saving mode may be lower than the output of the heating unit in the second boiling process according to the normal mode. Additionally, the output of the heating unit in the first boiling process according to the power saving mode may be higher than the output of the heating unit in the second boiling process according to the power saving mode.

[0032] Specifically, referring to FIG. 3, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can control the output of the upper heater to be zero during the first boiling process according to the power saving mode, and can control the output of the side heater and the main heater to a minimum. Accordingly, the output of the heating unit during the first boiling process according to the power saving mode may be lower than the output of the heating unit during the first boiling process according to the normal mode. Therefore, power consumption may be reduced in the power saving mode. When the water inside the object to be cooked reaches a saturated state through the soaking operation described above, the first boiling process and the second boiling process can be performed with a minimum amount of heating heat. Accordingly, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can reduce power consumption by controlling the output of the upper heater to be zero during the first boiling process according to the power saving mode as described above, and by minimizing the output of the side heater and the main heater. For example, in a boiling process according to the power saving mode, the cooking appliance can consume less power compared to a boiling process according to the normal mode by controlling the output of the side heater and the output of the main heater, respectively, to a variable output of about 60-70% or less of the maximum output. In addition, since the output of the upper heater in the first boiling process according to the normal mode may not be zero, the cooking appliance according to the present disclosure can reduce power consumption through a first boiling process according to the power saving mode.

[0033] The cooking appliance according to the present disclosure can control the upper heater and the side heater so that the output of the upper heater and the output of the side heater become zero during the secondary boiling process according to the power saving mode, and can control the output of the main heater to a minimum. Since the output of the upper heater and the output of the side heater may not be zero during the secondary boiling process according to the normal mode, the cooking appliance according to the present disclosure can consume power through the secondary boiling process according to the power saving mode. In addition, since the output of the main heater during the secondary boiling process according to the power saving mode may be lower than the output of the main heater during the secondary boiling process according to the normal mode, the cooking appliance can reduce power consumption through the power saving mode.

[0034] A resting process may be located between a first boiling process and a second boiling process. A resting process may refer to a period during which there is no heating of the cooking vessel. During a resting process according to the power saving mode, the cooking device according to the present disclosure may control the upper heater, the side heater, and the main heater, respectively, so that the output of each of the upper heater, the side heater, and the main heater becomes zero. By placing the resting process between the first boiling process and the second boiling process, the state of the cooking object may be stabilized. Here, stabilization of the state of the cooking object may mean equalizing the state of the cooking object adjacent to the surface of the cooking vessel and the cooking object not adjacent to the surface of the cooking vessel among all cooking objects. In a power saving mode according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the resting process may be included as shown in FIG. 3, but the resting process may be excluded depending on the user's selection or the weight of the cooking object. For example, if the weight of the object to be cooked is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold weight (e.g., a weight of two servings or less), the cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure may omit the resting process according to the power saving mode.

[0035] The steaming process refers to a process of stopping the heating operation or reducing the heating to homogenize the object to be cooked. As the steaming process is prolonged, moisture between the rice grains may evaporate. A cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can control the side heater and the main heater so that the output of the side heater and the output of the main heater become zero during the steaming process, and can minimize the output of the upper heater. Through this, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can reduce power consumption. The cooking device can control the output cycle and / or intensity of the upper heater to minimize the output of the upper heater during the steaming process. A cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can control the output cycle and / or intensity of the upper heater according to the weight of the object to be cooked during the steaming process. For example, the cooking device can control the upper heater so that the output of the upper heater becomes zero during the steaming process according to the power saving mode when the weight of the object to be cooked is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold weight (e.g., a weight corresponding to 80% of the maximum capacity of the cooking container).

[0036] The warming process may refer to a state in which the temperature of the cooked food is maintained at a target temperature. In the warming process, the cooking device may control the output of the heating unit according to a constant duty ratio, as illustrated in FIG. 3. That is, the output of the heating unit may be turned on / off at a constant cycle. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the duty ratio of the heating unit output may be adjusted as necessary.

[0037] A cooking appliance according to the present disclosure can control the heating unit such that the output of the heating unit in the warming process according to the energy-saving mode is lower than the output of the heating unit in the warming process according to the normal mode. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the cooking appliance can control the output of the upper heater so that the output of the upper heater becomes zero in the warming process according to the energy-saving mode, and can control the output of the side heater and the main heater so that the outputs of the side heater and the main heater, respectively, are minimized. Since the output of the upper heater in the warming process according to the normal mode may not be zero, the cooking appliance according to the present disclosure can reduce power consumption by operating in the energy-saving mode.

[0038] As described above, the cooking appliance according to the present disclosure can operate in a normal mode and a power-saving mode, and the cooking appliance can cook and / or keep warm a cooking object with lower power than when the cooking and / or keeping warm process is performed in a normal mode by performing the cooking and / or keeping warm process through the power-saving mode.

[0039] In the first energy-saving cooking process illustrated in FIG. 3 and the second energy-saving cooking process described below, ordinal numbers such as 'first' and 'second' are intended to subdivide and distinguish the energy-saving modes from one another, and are not intended to limit the importance or precedence of the processes according to the energy-saving mode. For example, an appropriate energy-saving mode may be performed depending on the weight of the object to be cooked. For example, in the cooking device according to the present disclosure, the first energy-saving cooking process may be performed when the weight of the object to be cooked is less than or equal to a predetermined threshold weight, and the second energy-saving cooking process may be performed when the weight of the object to be cooked exceeds a predetermined threshold weight. In this regard, details will be described below with reference to FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b.

[0040] FIGS. 4a and FIGS. 4b are timing diagrams for explaining the cooking process of a cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] FIGS. 4a and FIGS. 4b may be described later with reference to FIGS. 3, and overlapping content is omitted.

[0042] FIG. 4a illustrates the first energy-saving cooking process of FIG. 3, and the first energy-saving cooking process can be performed when the weight of the object to be cooked is less than or equal to a predetermined critical weight. The second energy-saving cooking process, described later with reference to FIG. 4b, can be performed when the weight of the object to be cooked exceeds a predetermined critical weight. FIG. 4b can be understood in comparison with FIG. 3 and FIG. 4b.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 4a, as described above, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can control the upper heater, the side heater, and the main heater, respectively, so that the upper heater output, the side heater output, and the main heater output each become 0 during the soaking process according to the first energy-saving cooking process. As described above, since at least one heater can be controlled to heat the object to be cooked during the soaking process according to the normal mode, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can reduce the power consumed in the cooking process through the soaking process according to the first energy-saving cooking process.

[0044] As described above, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can control the upper heater so that the output of the upper heater becomes zero during the first boiling process according to the first energy-saving cooking process, and can control the side heater and the main heater so that the output of the side heater and the output of the main heater, respectively, are minimized. For example, as shown in FIG. 4a, the cooking device can control the side heater so that the output of the side heater becomes the first side output (WS_1), and can control the main heater so that the output of the main heater becomes the first main output (WI_1). As described above, the first side output (WS_1) and the first main output (WI_1), respectively, may correspond to 60% to 70% of the maximum output of the side heater and the main heater, respectively. The cooking device can control the upper heater and the side heater, respectively, so that the output of the upper heater and the output of the side heater, respectively, become zero during the second boiling process according to the first energy-saving cooking process, and can control the main heater so that the output of the main heater becomes the second main output (WI_2). The second main output (WI_2) may be lower than the first main output (WI_1). Additionally, the first main output (WI_1) may be lower than the output of the main heater in the first boiling process according to the normal mode. As described above, by allowing water to saturate the inside of the object to be cooked through the soaking process according to the power saving mode, the cooking appliance can minimize the output of the heater in the first boiling process and the second boiling process, and accordingly, minimize power consumption.

[0045] As described above, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can control the side heater and the main heater, respectively, so that their outputs become zero during the steaming process according to the first energy-saving cooking process, and can control the upper heater so that its output is minimized. For example, the cooking device can control the upper heater so that its output becomes the first upper output (WT_1), as shown in FIG. 4a. Additionally, the cooking device can control the upper heater so that its output cycle becomes the energy-saving cycle (ED), as shown in FIG. 4a. The energy-saving cycle (ED) may be longer than the general cycle (SD) described later with reference to FIG. 7. The energy-saving cycle (ED) may refer to the output cycle of the upper heater according to the energy-saving mode, and the general cycle (SD) may refer to the output cycle of the upper heater according to the general mode. For example, the general cycle (SD) may be 1 / 16 of the energy-saving cycle (ED).

[0046] Referring to FIG. 4b, the second energy-saving cooking process can be performed from the first time point (t1') to the sixth time point (t6'). The second energy-saving cooking process may include a soaking process (from the first time point (t1') to the second time point (t2'), a first boiling process (from the second time point (t2') to the third time point (t3'), a resting process (from the third time point (t3') to the fourth time point (t4'), a second boiling process (from the fourth time point (t4') to the fifth time point (t5')), and a steaming process (from the fifth time point (t5') to the sixth time point (t6'). As described above, the second energy-saving cooking process is a cooking process according to the energy-saving mode and can be performed when the weight of the object to be cooked exceeds a predetermined critical weight. The first energy-saving cooking process and the second energy-saving cooking process illustrated in FIGS. 4a and FIGS. 4b, respectively, are merely intended to explain that the energy-saving mode in the present disclosure may be subdivided according to the weight of the object to be cooked, and that an appropriate energy-saving cooking process may be selected according to the weight of the object to be cooked, and that there may be relative differences such as the output of the heating unit, the output cycle, and the output time, and the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Accordingly, it will be understood that the cooking device according to the present disclosure can perform an appropriate energy-saving cooking process among a plurality of energy-saving cooking processes according to the weight of the object to be cooked.

[0047] As the weight of the object to be cooked increases, the time required for the soaking process may increase. Therefore, the soaking process (t1' to t2') illustrated in FIG. 4b may take more time than the soaking process (t1 to t2) illustrated in FIG. 4a. For example, as described above, when the weight of the object to be cooked is below a critical weight, the cooking appliance may perform a first energy-saving cooking process according to the energy-saving mode, and the soaking process according to the first energy-saving cooking process may be performed for 15 minutes. On the other hand, when the weight of the object to be cooked exceeds the critical weight, the cooking appliance may perform a second energy-saving cooking process according to the energy-saving mode, and the soaking process according to the second energy-saving cooking process may be performed for longer than 15 minutes. For example, the soaking process according to the second energy-saving cooking process may be determined according to the weight of the object to be cooked within the range of 15 minutes to 30 minutes. For example, the time required for the soaking process according to the energy-saving cooking process may be increased or decreased in 3-minute increments depending on the weight of the object to be cooked, and according to the embodiment, the time for the soaking process according to the energy-saving cooking process may be increased or decreased by the user's selection.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 4b, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can control the side heater so that the output of the side heater becomes the first side output (WS_1') in the first boiling process according to the second energy-saving cooking process, and can control the main heater so that the output of the main heater becomes the first main output (WI_1'). Additionally, referring to FIG. 4b, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can control the main heater so that the output of the main heater becomes the second main output (WI_2') in the second boiling process.

[0049] Comparing FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b, the first side output (WS_1'), the first main output (WI_1'), and the second main output (WI_2') illustrated in FIG. 4b may each be higher than the first side output (WS_1), the first main output (WI_1), and the second main output (WI_2) illustrated in FIG. 4a. That is, as the weight of the object to be cooked increases, the output of the heating unit in the boiling process may increase. However, the cooking device according to the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and as described above, the output of the heater in the boiling process may remain the same even though the weight of the object to be cooked increases as the soaking process is sufficiently performed. Even if the weight of the object to be cooked increases, the output of the heater in the boiling process according to the power-saving mode may be lower than the output of the heater in the boiling process according to the normal mode.

[0050] As the weight of the object to be cooked increases, the time required for the resting process may increase. Therefore, more time may be required for the resting process (t3' to t4') illustrated in FIG. 4b than for the resting process (t3 to t4) illustrated in FIG. 4a. For example, if the weight of the object to be cooked is less than or equal to a predetermined first threshold weight (e.g., 2 servings), the cooking appliance may not perform the resting process as described above in power-saving mode. On the other hand, if the weight of the object to be cooked exceeds the first threshold weight and is less than or equal to the second threshold weight (e.g., 3 servings), the cooking appliance may perform the resting process according to the first power-saving cooking process as illustrated in FIG. 4a in power-saving mode. If the weight of the object to be cooked exceeds the second threshold weight, the cooking appliance may perform the resting process according to the second power-saving cooking process as illustrated in FIG. 4b in power-saving mode. As mentioned above, the resting process according to the power saving mode may vary depending on the weight of the object to be cooked, and the weight of the object to be cooked may be measured through a weight sensor included in the cooking appliance or entered by the user.

[0051] As the weight of the object to be cooked increases, the output of the heater and / or the output cycle of the heater may increase during the steaming process. Comparing FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b, in the steaming process according to the second energy-saving cooking process shown in FIG. 4b, the cooking device can control the upper heater so that the output of the upper heater becomes zero. As the amount of the object to be cooked decreases (i.e., as the weight decreases), there is a tendency for more water condensation to occur on the top of the cooking container. Therefore, the cooking device can control the output of the upper heater to prevent water condensation. At this time, when the weight of the object to be cooked is less than a certain weight (e.g., 2 servings), the cooking device can control the output of the upper heater to perform the steaming process according to the first energy-saving cooking process as shown in FIG. 4a. On the other hand, when the weight of the object to be cooked is greater than a certain weight (e.g., a weight corresponding to 80% of the maximum capacity of the cooking container), condensation on the top of the cooking container may hardly occur, so the cooking device can perform a steaming process according to the second energy-saving cooking process as illustrated in FIG. 4b. That is, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can control the upper heater so that the output of the upper heater becomes zero in order to perform a steaming process according to the second energy-saving cooking process when the weight of the object to be cooked is greater than a certain weight. Accordingly, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can reduce the power consumed in the cooking process by minimizing the output of the upper heater as described above.

[0052] FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of a cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] Referring to FIG. 5, in step S100, the cooking appliance according to the present disclosure can select an energy-saving cooking process. An energy-saving cooking process refers to a cooking process according to an energy-saving mode.

[0054] In step S200, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can determine the weight of the object to be cooked. The cooking device according to the present disclosure can control the output and / or cycle of the heater for each detailed process included in the energy-saving cooking process according to the weight of the object to be cooked. For example, as described above, as the weight of the object to be cooked increases, the time consumed in the soaking process may increase, and the output of the heater in the steaming process may be controlled to be close to zero.

[0055] In step S300, the cooking device according to the present disclosure may select a power-saving mode based on the determined weight. For example, the first power-saving cooking process may be understood as being in accordance with the first power-saving mode, and the second power-saving cooking process may be understood as being in accordance with the second power-saving mode. The power-saving mode may be selected based on the weight of the object to be cooked. As described above with reference to FIGS. 4a and 4b, the cooking device according to the present disclosure may control the output of a heater for each detailed process included in the cooking process to minimize power consumption corresponding to the weight of the object to be cooked, while minimizing the degradation of the cooking function. For example, as described above with reference to FIGS. 4a and 4b, either the first power-saving cooking process or the second power-saving cooking process may be selected based on the weight of the object to be cooked. However, the aforementioned first energy-saving cooking process and second energy-saving cooking process are exemplary for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the present disclosure, and the number of energy-saving cooking processes according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may be greater depending on the degree of subdivision of the weight of the object to be cooked.

[0056] In step S400, the cooking appliance according to the present disclosure can perform an energy-saving cooking process according to a selected energy-saving mode.

[0057] In step S500, the cooking appliance according to the present disclosure can perform an energy-saving warming process after the energy-saving cooking process is performed.

[0058] FIG. 6 is a timing diagram for explaining the heat retention process of a cooking appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] FIG. 6 illustrates in detail the first energy-saving warming process of FIG. 3. FIG. 6 can be understood through the foregoing with reference to FIG. 3, and redundant content may be omitted. FIG. 6 illustrates the first energy-saving warming process performed after the energy-saving cooking process according to the energy-saving mode. On the other hand, FIG. 7, described later, illustrates the second energy-saving warming process performed after the general cooking process according to the general mode.

[0060] A cooking device according to the present disclosure can control the upper heater so that the output of the upper heater becomes zero during a first energy-saving and warming process, and can control the side heater and the main heater so that the outputs of the side heater and the main heater, respectively, are minimized. For example, referring to FIG. 6, the cooking device can control the side heater and the main heater, respectively, so that during a portion (t6 to t7) of the first energy-saving and warming process (t6 to t8), the outputs of the side heater and the main heater, respectively, become a second side output (WS_2) and a third main output (WI_3). Each of the second side output (WS_2) and the third main output (WI_3) may be less than or equal to the first side output (WS_1 and WS_1') and the second main output (WI_2 and WI_2') described above with reference to FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b, respectively.

[0061] However, the above-described examples are intended to aid in understanding the present disclosure and are not limited thereto, and the output of the heating unit may vary depending on the target warming time and warming temperature. For example, when the warming time (e.g., time corresponding to t6 to t8 in FIG. 6) is set to 2 hours, the cooking device may control the side heater and the main heater so that the warming function can be performed through the output of the side heater and the main heater for about 20 to 30 minutes (e.g., time corresponding to t6 to t7 in FIG. 6).

[0062] Although FIG. 6 illustrates a cooking device according to the present disclosure controlling the output of the upper heater to be zero during the energy-saving and warming process, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. A cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure can control the upper heater to a variable output to prevent condensation on the upper part of the cooking container during the energy-saving and warming process, thereby controlling the upper heater so that a minimum amount of heat can be applied to the upper part of the cooking container.

[0063] FIG. 7 is a timing diagram for explaining the cooking process and the warming process of a cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0064] Figure 7 can be understood by referring to the foregoing with reference to Figures 3 and 6.

[0065] FIG. 7 illustrates a second energy-saving warming process performed after a general cooking process according to a general mode. That is, unlike the first energy-saving warming process shown in FIG. 6, the second energy-saving warming process of FIG. 7 can be performed after a general cooking process according to a general mode.

[0066] Referring to FIG. 7, the outputs of the upper heater, side heater, and main heater, respectively, in the soaking process (t_1 to t_2), first boiling process (t_2 to t_3), second boiling process (t_3 to t_4), and steaming process (t_4 to t_5) included in the general cooking process (t_1 to t_5) according to the general mode, may be higher than the outputs of the upper heater, side heater, and main heater according to the power saving mode. For example, the second upper output (WT_2), third side output (WS_3), and fourth main output (WT_4) of FIG. 7 may each be higher than the corresponding outputs shown in FIG. 4a and FIG. 4b, respectively. That is, the second upper output (WT_2) of FIG. 7 may be higher than the first upper output (WT_1 of FIG. 4a), the third side output (WS_3) of FIG. 7 may be higher than the first side output (WS_1 of FIG. 4a and WS_1' of FIG. 4b), and the fourth main output (WI_4) of FIG. 7 may be higher than the first main output (WI_1 of FIG. 4a and WI_1' of FIG. 4b). The general cooking process according to the general mode differs from the aforementioned energy-saving cooking process only in the output intensity and / or cycle of the heater according to the detailed process and the time required for the detailed process, but the sequence of the process and the purpose of the process may be the same. Therefore, since the general cooking process can be understood by referring to the above-mentioned content, a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0067] As described above, FIG. 7 illustrates a second energy-saving warming process performed after a normal cooking process. As described above, the output of the heater may be higher in the normal cooking process than in the energy-saving cooking process. Therefore, after the cooking process is completed, the temperature of the cooking vessel may be higher in the normal cooking process than in the energy-saving cooking process. Accordingly, in the warming process to maintain the temperature of the cooking vessel at a certain level, the output of the heater may differ depending on whether the cooking process performed prior to the warming process was in the normal mode or the energy-saving mode. For example, if the cooking process is performed in the normal mode, the cooking device may perform the warming process based on a lower heater output than when the cooking process is performed in the energy-saving mode.

[0068] Referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 6 together, the fourth side output (WS_4) and the fifth main output (WU_5) in the second energy-saving warming process (t_5 to t_7) shown in FIG. 7 may each be lower than the second side output (WS_2) and the third main output (WI_3) in the first energy-saving warming process shown in FIG. 6. That is, since the amount of additional heat required to maintain a certain temperature for a certain period of time in the cooking vessel may be less in the second energy-saving warming process than in the first energy-saving warming process, the cooking device according to the present disclosure may perform the second energy-saving warming process performed after the general cooking process based on a lower heater output than in the first energy-saving warming process performed after the energy-saving cooking process.

[0069] Referring to FIGS. 7 and FIGS. 6, since the additional heat required to keep the food being cooked warm may be less in the second energy-saving warming process than in the first energy-saving warming process, the output time of the heater may be shorter in the second energy-saving warming process than in the first energy-saving warming process. That is, the fifth time point (t5) to the sixth time point (t6) of FIGS. 7 may be shorter than the sixth time point (t6) to the seventh time point (t7) of FIGS. 6. The cooking device according to the present disclosure may operate in a warming mode to minimize power consumption adaptively or according to the user's selection, depending on the mode in which the cooking process is performed, and accordingly, the power consumed in the warming process may be reduced.

[0070] The output intensity, output cycle, and output time of the heaters illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4a, 4b, 6, and 7 are exemplary for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the present disclosure, and the output intensity, output cycle, and output time of the heaters according to the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may vary depending on the detailed process. For example, although the output of the main heater in each of the annealing process, the first boiling process, and the second boiling process of FIG. 7 is illustrated as the fourth main output (WI_4), the output of the main heater may vary from one another in each of the annealing process, the first boiling process, and the second boiling process.

[0071] FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of a cooking device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0072] Figure 8 can be understood through the foregoing with reference to Figure 7.

[0073] Referring to FIG. 8, in step S600, the cooking appliance according to the present disclosure can perform an energy-saving warming process as the energy-saving warming process is selected. For example, the energy-saving warming process can be selected according to the user's selection, and the cooking appliance can perform the energy-saving warming process.

[0074] In step S700, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can determine whether an energy-saving cooking process has been performed. Prior to performing an energy-saving warming process, the cooking device according to the present disclosure can determine whether the cooking process was performed according to an energy-saving mode or a normal mode.

[0075] In step S800, the cooking appliance according to the present disclosure may perform a first energy-saving warming process when an energy-saving cooking process is performed. In step S900, the cooking appliance may perform a second energy-saving warming process when a warming cooking process is performed. The first energy-saving warming process and the second energy-saving warming process can be understood through the foregoing description with reference to FIG. 7.

[0076] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a home network according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0077] Referring to FIG. 9, a home network (10) may include a cooking appliance (100), an access point (AP) (300), and a user terminal (400). The home network (10) may be established through a network connection between the access point (300) and the cooking appliance (100), and control of the home network (10) may be performed through the user terminal (400). In the present disclosure, the cooking appliance (100) may be exemplified as a rice cooker, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Also, for convenience of explanation, only one cooking appliance (100) is shown, but the home network (100) may include a plurality of electronic devices.

[0078] The access point (300) can relay a communication network (i.e., a network) that provides communication services and a user. In an exemplary embodiment, the access point (300) can extend a wired communication network into a wireless communication network. In an exemplary embodiment, the access point (300) can function as a router or gateway that further extends a wireless communication network that has already been extended from a wired communication network. According to an exemplary embodiment, the access point (300) can access a server by connecting to the World Wide Web. According to an exemplary embodiment, the access point (300) can communicate with a cooking device (100) and a user terminal (400).

[0079] In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a user terminal (400) may communicate with a cooking device (100) using any one of a short-range communication network including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee, or a mobile communication network including a 3rd generation to 5th generation mobile communication network (3G to 5G) as a first network. In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, an access point (300) may communicate with a cooking device (100) using any one of a short-range communication network including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee, or a mobile communication network including a 3rd generation to 5th generation mobile communication network (3G to 5G) as a second network. Here, the first network and the second network may be different from each other. However, this is a logical distinction for the sake of clarity of description, and it will be understood that the first network and the second network may transmit and receive packets, which are the basic units of data, using different frequency bands or different channels of substantially the same network (e.g., Wi-Fi). In an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, the cooking device (100) may receive a user's selection of a normal mode or a power-saving mode from a user terminal (400). The cooking device (100) may operate in a normal mode or a power-saving mode based on the received mode information. The cooking device (100) may operate in a power-saving mode to cook and / or keep warm a cooking object by minimizing power consumption as described above.

[0080] The technical concept of the present disclosure described above is not limited to the aforementioned embodiments and attached drawings. Furthermore, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various substitutions, modifications, and changes are possible within the scope of the technical concept of the present disclosure.

Claims

Claim 1 A cooking appliance configured to operate in one of a general mode and a power-saving mode, comprising: a cooking container configured to receive a cooking object; a heating unit configured to heat the cooking container; and a control circuit configured to control the output of the heating unit to perform a cooking process for cooking the cooking object, wherein the cooking process includes a soaking process for penetrating water into the cooking object, a boiling process for heating the cooking object, and a steaming process for homogenizing the cooking object, and wherein the control circuit is configured to control the heating unit such that, in at least one of the soaking process, the boiling process, and the steaming process, the output of the heating unit according to the power-saving mode is lower than the output of the heating unit according to the general mode. Claim 2 A cooking appliance according to claim 1, wherein in the power saving mode, the control circuit controls the heating unit so that the heating unit is turned off during the soaking process. Claim 3 A cooking device according to paragraph 2, characterized in that, in the power saving mode, the control circuit is configured to set the soaking time differently according to the weight of the object to be cooked. Claim 4 A cooking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the boiling process includes a first boiling process and a second boiling process, and in the power saving mode, the control circuit is configured to control the heating unit such that the output of the heating unit in the second boiling process is lower than the output of the heating unit in the first boiling process. Claim 5 A cooking apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that, in the power saving mode, the control circuit is configured to perform a resting process to stabilize the state of the cooking object by controlling the heating unit to turn off between the first boiling process and the second boiling process when the weight of the cooking object is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold weight. Claim 6 A cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit includes an upper heater located at the top of the cooking vessel, and the control circuit controls the upper heater such that the output cycle of the upper heater in the steaming process according to the power-saving mode is longer than the output cycle of the upper heater in the steaming process according to the general mode. Claim 7 A cooking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit includes an upper heater located at the top of the cooking vessel, and in the power saving mode, the control circuit is configured to control the upper heater so that the upper heater is turned off when the weight of the object to be cooked is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold weight. Claim 8 A cooking apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heating unit comprises an upper heater located at the top of the cooking vessel, and in the power saving mode, the control circuit is configured to control the output of the heating unit to perform a warming process to maintain the temperature of the object to be cooked after the cooking process is performed, and to control the heating unit so that the upper heater is turned off. Claim 9 A cooking appliance according to claim 8, characterized in that, in the power saving mode, the control circuit is configured to control the heating unit such that the output of the heating unit is lower when the cooking process is performed in normal mode than when the cooking process is performed in power saving mode. Claim 10 A method of operation of a cooking appliance configured to operate in one of a general mode and a power-saving mode, comprising: a step of, in the power-saving mode, turning off an upper heater located at the top of a cooking container that accommodates a cooking object, a side heater located at the side of the cooking container, and a main heater located at the bottom of the cooking container to perform a soaking process for infiltrating water into the cooking object; a step of, in the power-saving mode, performing a first boiling process for heating the cooking object based on a first output of the main heater; a step of, in the power-saving mode, performing a second boiling process based on a second output of the main heater that is lower than the first output; a step of, in the power-saving mode, turning off the upper heater to perform a steaming process for homogenizing the cooking object; and a step of, in the power-saving mode, turning off the upper heater to perform a warming process for maintaining the temperature of the cooking object. Claim 11 A method of operation of a cooking apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a step of determining the weight of the object to be cooked, and wherein the step of performing the soaking process is characterized by performing the soaking process for a longer period as the weight of the object to be cooked increases. Claim 12 A method of operation of a cooking device according to claim 10, further comprising: a step of determining the weight of the object to be cooked; and a step of performing a resting process to stabilize the state of the object to be cooked when the weight of the object to be cooked is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold weight in the power saving mode, wherein the step of performing the resting process is performed between the step of performing the first boiling process and the step of performing the second boiling process, and wherein each of the upper heater, the side heater, and the main heater is turned off. Claim 13 A method of operation of a cooking device according to claim 10, wherein the step of performing the steaming process is characterized in that the output cycle of the upper heater in the steaming process according to the energy-saving mode is longer than the output cycle of the upper heater in the steaming process according to the general mode. Claim 14 A method of operation of a cooking device according to claim 10, further comprising a step of determining the weight of the object to be cooked, and wherein the step of performing the steaming process is characterized by turning off the upper heater to perform the steaming process when the weight of the object to be cooked is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold weight.

Images