Heating cooking system

Abstract

A heating cooking system is provided. The heating cooking system is capable of accurately performing work control of a heating section of a heating cooker in accordance with the presence condition of a user in the periphery of a kitchen device including the heating cooker and a sink. In the work of the heating section (4) of the heating cooker (3) of the kitchen device (2), in a case where a state in which no person is detected in a monitoring target region (AR) continues for a prescribed time (T1), or in a case where a state in which a person is detected in a region other than a heating cooker periphery region (ar1) in the monitoring target region (AR) and no person is detected in the heating cooker periphery region (ar1) continues for a prescribed time (T3), the heating cooking system (1) reduces the heating amount of the heating section (4).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to a heating cooking system. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the past, for example, disclosed in Patent Literature 1, a system having a function of preventing forgetting to turn off a stove as a combustion device is known. In this system, communication connection based on Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be made between the stove and a portable terminal such as a smartphone held by a user. Also, in the operation of the heating portion of the stove (in the combustion operation), when the signal strength of the communication between the stove and the portable terminal detected on the stove side is less than a threshold value for a prescribed time, the situation that the forgetting to turn off state has occurred is notified from the stove to the portable terminal of the user via an external server.

[0003] PRIOR ART DOCUMENTS

[0004] PATENT LITERATURE

[0005] Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-22127 SUMMARY

[0006] PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

[0007] In the system disclosed in Patent Literature 1, when the user leaves the stove while placing his or her own portable terminal near the stove, it is recognized that the user is present near the stove. Further, it leads to the fact that the forgetting to turn off function cannot effectively function.

[0008] In addition, in the operation of the heating portion of the stove, when the user is preparing food materials using the cooking table on the stove side, the sink, or the like, it is sometimes forgotten to confirm the state of the cooking material in the heating, to perform the operation (stirring, etc.) required for the cooking material for a long time. In such a case, when the system disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is used, since the user is not notified or the like, it is easy to cause the situation of excessive heating, overflow, scorching, or the like of the cooking material. Further, it is easy to cause the user to take action in a hurry.

[0009] The present application was completed in view of the above background, and aims to provide a heating cooking system capable of accurately performing the operation control of the heating portion of the heating cooker in accordance with the presence situation of the user in the periphery of the kitchen equipment including the heating cooker and the sink.

[0010] MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEMS

[0011] The heating cooking system of the present application is a heating cooking system provided with a kitchen equipment including a heating cooker and a sink, characterized by comprising:

[0012] a person detection unit configured to detect whether a person is present in a monitoring target area, and to detect presence of the person in a manner capable of distinguishing whether the person present in the monitoring target area is present in a heating cooker peripheral area or in an area other than the heating cooker peripheral area, wherein the monitoring target area is an area in the vicinity of each of the heating cooker and the sink set around the kitchen device, and the heating cooker peripheral area is an area of the periphery of the heating cooker in the monitoring target area; and

[0013] a heating amount limiting processing unit configured to reduce a heating amount of a heating unit of the heating cooker or limit the heating amount of the heating unit to a heating amount equal to or less than a predetermined value in a case where a state in which no person is detected to be present in the monitoring target area, i.e., a first state, continues for a first predetermined time, or in a case where a state in which a person is detected to be present in an area other than the heating cooker peripheral area in the monitoring target area and no person is detected to be present in the heating cooker peripheral area, i.e., a second state, continues for a second predetermined time, during operation of the heating unit of the heating cooker (first aspect of the invention).

[0014] According to the invention, in a case where a state in which no person is detected to be present in a monitoring target area, i.e., a first state, continues for a first predetermined time, during operation of a heating unit of a heating cooker, the heating amount of the heating unit is reduced or limited to a heating amount equal to or less than a predetermined value, and thus, even in a case where a user forgets that cooking is being performed by the operation of the heating unit after the user leaves the monitoring target area around the kitchen device, it is possible to prevent a situation in which overcooking, overflow, burning, or the like of a cooking object occurs prematurely.

[0015] In addition, in a case where a state in which a person is detected to be present in an area other than the heating cooker peripheral area in the monitoring target area and no person is detected to be present in the heating cooker peripheral area, i.e., a second state, continues for a second predetermined time, during operation of the heating unit of the heating cooker, it is also possible to reduce the heating amount of the heating unit or limit the heating amount to a heating amount equal to or less than a predetermined value. Thus, when a user performs a preparatory work or the like for cooking ingredients in an area other than the heating cooker peripheral area in the monitoring target area, even if the timing at which the user confirms the state of a cooking object being heated and performs an operation (stirring or the like) required for the cooking object is somewhat delayed, it is possible to prevent a situation in which overcooking, overflow, burning, or the like of the cooking object occurs prematurely.

[0016] In addition, even in a case where the first state or the second state continues, the heating amount of the heating unit is not reduced or limited until the first predetermined time or the second predetermined time elapses, and thus, it is possible to prevent an unnecessary delay in the progress of the heating and cooking of the cooking object.

[0017] According to the first application, therefore, the operation control of the heating section of the heating cooker can be accurately performed in accordance with the presence condition of the user in the vicinity of the kitchen appliance including the heating cooker and the sink.

[0018] In the first aspect of the above application, it is preferable that the second prescribed time be set to a time longer than the first prescribed time (second aspect of the application).

[0019] Thus, even in the case where the user is not present in the vicinity of the heating cooker, in the condition where the user is present in the monitoring target area in the vicinity of the kitchen appliance, i.e., in the condition where the user can quickly approach the heating cooker, it is possible to prevent the reduction or restriction of the heating amount of the heating section too early. Furthermore, it is possible to prevent the progress of the heating cooking of the cooking object from being delayed as much as possible.

[0020] In the first or second aspect of the above application, it is preferable that the heating amount restriction processing section be configured to gradually reduce the heating amount of the heating section of the heating cooker during the continuation of the first state after the first prescribed time has elapsed in the operation of the heating section of the heating cooker (third aspect of the application).

[0021] In the first to third aspects of the above application, it is preferable that the heating amount restriction processing section be configured to gradually reduce the heating amount of the heating section of the heating cooker during the continuation of the second state after the second prescribed time has elapsed in the operation of the heating section of the heating cooker (fourth aspect of the application).

[0022] According to the third or fourth aspect of the application, in the continuation of the first state after the first prescribed time has elapsed or in the continuation of the second state after the second prescribed time has elapsed, it is possible to suppress the progress of the heating cooking of the cooking object from being delayed as much as possible and to prevent the occurrence of excessive heating, overflow, scorching, or the like of the cooking object too early.

[0023] In the first to fourth aspects of the above application, it is preferable that the heating amount restriction processing section be configured to, in the state where the heating amount of the heating section is reduced or restricted to a heating amount below a prescribed value after the second state has continued for the second prescribed time, restore the heating amount of the heating section to the heating amount before the second state has continued for the second prescribed time in the case where the presence of a person in the vicinity of the heating cooker is detected (fifth aspect of the application).

[0024] Thus, when the user performs a preparation work or the like of cooking food in a region other than the heating cooking peripheral region in the monitoring target region, even in a case where the heating amount of the heating section is reduced or limited to a heating amount of a prescribed value or less in accordance with the second state continuing for a second prescribed time, the user only needs to return to the heating cooking peripheral region, and the heating amount of the heating section does not need to be adjusted by the user, and the original heating amount (the heating amount before the second prescribed time elapses from the second state) can be automatically restored. Thus, convenience can be improved.

[0025] In the above-described first to fifth aspects of the application, it is preferable that the heating amount limiting processing section be configured to stop the operation of the heating section in the case where the first state continues for a third prescribed time further after the first state continues for the first prescribed time (sixth aspect of the application).

[0026] Thus, in the operation of the heating section of the heating cooking appliance, in the case where the user is away from the monitoring target region in the periphery of the kitchen device for a long time, the operation of the heating section is stopped, and thus, it is possible to prevent excessive heating, overflow, scorching, or the like of the cooked food with high reliability.

[0027] In the above-described first to sixth aspects of the application, it is preferable that the processing of the heating amount limiting processing section not be performed in the operation of the heating section in the automatic cooking mode in which the operation control of the heating section is automatically performed (seventh aspect of the application).

[0028] Thus, the automatic cooking of the cooked food can be appropriately performed regardless of whether the user is present in the monitoring target region in the periphery of the kitchen device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0029] Figure 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a heating cooking system according to an embodiment of the application.

[0030] Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the relevant configuration of the control of the heating cooking system according to the embodiment.

[0031] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the processing of the control device shown in Figure 2

[0032] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the processing of the control device shown in Figure 2

[0033] SYMBOL DESCRIPTION

[0034] ​​1 … heating cooking system, 2 … kitchen equipment, 3 … heating cooker, 4 … cooktop burner (heating section), 7a … operation control section (heating amount restriction processing section), 7b … person detection section, 12 … sink. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Hereinafter, the present application will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 An embodiment of the present application will be described. With reference to Figure 1 The heating cooking system 1 of the present embodiment is provided with: the heating cooker 3; the kitchen equipment 2 provided with the cooking table 11 and the sink 12; and the camera 21. Herein, the camera 21 is installed on the ventilation device 20 provided above the heating cooker 10.

[0036] The kitchen equipment 2 is, for example, an integrated kitchen provided with the heating cooker 3, the cooking table 11, and the sink 12 integrally. In the kitchen equipment 2 of the illustrated example, the heating cooker 3, the cooking table 11, and the sink 12 are arranged in a line, and a cabinet 13 is attached to the back surface side of the cooking table 11 and the sink 12.

[0037] The heating cooker 3 is, for example, an embedded gas cooktop provided with a plurality of cooktop burners 4 as heating sections on the upper surface of the heating cooker 3. Around each of the cooktop burners 4, a trivet 5 for placing a cooking container is arranged. In addition, although not illustrated, an operation section for performing an operation of ignition, extinguishment, and fire adjustment of each of the cooktop burners 4, and an operation section for performing a setting operation and the like related to the operation of each of the cooktop burners 4 in an automatic cooking mode are provided on the front surface of the heating cooker 3.

[0038] Here, the operation of each of the cooktop burners 4 in the automatic cooking mode more specifically refers to: an operation of automatically performing adjustment of the heating amount (fire adjustment) of each of the cooktop burners 4, extinguishment, or a timing operation of performing a heating operation (burning operation) of each of the cooktop burners 4 for a user-specified time, and the like, according to a cooking menu selected by the user.

[0039] Note that the kitchen equipment 2 is not limited to an integrated kitchen, and can be a separate kitchen equipment. In addition, the heating cooker 3 is not limited to a gas cooktop, and can be, for example, an IH cooking heater. In addition, the heating cooker 3 is not limited to an embedded heating cooker, and can be a stationary heating cooker (for example, a table-top cooktop). In addition, the arrangement of the heating cooker 3, the cooking table 11, and the sink 12 in the kitchen equipment 2 is not limited to arrangement in a line, and can be, for example, arrangement in an L-shape or arrangement in a U-shape.

[0040] Although detailed illustration is omitted, the ventilation device 20 is a hooded ventilation device (so-called range hood). Also, the camera 21 is installed on the hood of the ventilation device 20 in a manner that enables the camera 21 to capture the monitoring target region AR, and the monitoring target region AR is set in the periphery of the kitchen device 2 in the manner described below.

[0041] The monitoring target region AR described above is a region that serves as a detection target for detecting the presence or absence of a person in order to execute the operation control of the heating cooker 3 described later, and is referred to as a person detection target region AR hereinafter. The person detection target region AR refers to a region in the periphery of the kitchen device 2 that can be considered to be the main presence place of a user who performs cooking work.

[0042] In the present embodiment, for example, a region on the front side (front face side) of the kitchen device 2 in the periphery of the kitchen device 2 is set (defined) as the person detection target region AR. More specifically, for example, when the kitchen device 2 is viewed from above, the person detection target region AR is set as a region from the front end face of the kitchen device 2 to a position that is away from the front face by a prescribed distance. Also, the camera 21 is installed at an appropriate position (for example, near the end portion of the cooking table 11) of the hood of the ventilation device 20 in a manner that the person detection target region AR is included in the capturing region of the camera 21.

[0043] In addition, a heating cooker periphery region arl that is a region (heating cooker periphery region) in the periphery of the heating cooker 3 is set (defined) in the person detection target region AR. The heating cooker periphery region arl refers to a region that can be considered to be the main presence place of a user who performs cooking work when the user performs various operations on the heating cooker 3 or a cooking object (including a cooking vessel) disposed on the heating cooker 3 (for example, adjustment of the heating amount of the cooktop burner 4, stirring of a cooking object, and the like). In the present embodiment, for example, a region on the front face of the heating cooker 3 in the person detection target region AR (region indicated by a dot in FIG. 2) is set as the heating cooker periphery region arl. Figure 1

[0044] As a supplementary note, in the case where there is a space in which a user who performs cooking work can move on the side or on the back face of the kitchen device 2, the person detection target region AR can also include one or both of a region on the side and a region on the back face of the kitchen device 2. For example, as exemplified in the kitchen device 2 in Figure 1

[0045] ​​In addition, in a case where the person detection target region AR includes a region on the side or back side of the heating cooker 3, the heating cooker peripheral region arl can include not only a region on the front side of the heating cooker 3 but also a region on the side or back side of the heating cooker 3. However, it can be considered that the frequency of occurrence of a situation in which the user performing the cooking operation performs some operation on the heating cooker 3 or the cooking object placed above the heating cooker 3 from the side or back side of the heating cooker 3 is low, and thus the region on the side and the region on the back side of the heating cooker 3 can also be removed from the heating cooker peripheral region arl.

[0046] In addition, the heating cooker peripheral region arl can also include a part of a region on the front side of the kitchen device 2 other than the heating cooker 3 (a region close to the heating cooker 3). For example, in the kitchen device 2 illustrated in FIG. 1, a part of a region on the front side of the cooking table 11 close to the heating cooker 3 can also be included in the heating cooker peripheral region arl. Figure 1 In the kitchen device 2 illustrated in FIG. 1, a part of a region on the front side of the cooking table 11 close to the heating cooker 3 can also be included in the heating cooker peripheral region arl.

[0047] Next, the configuration of the control device 7 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. Figure 2 The control device 7 is mounted on the heating cooker 3, and has a function of performing operation control of the heating cooker 3 and the like. The control device 7 is constituted by one or more electronic circuit units including a processor such as a microcomputer, a memory, an interface circuit, and the like, for example.

[0048] The control device 7 can perform wired or wireless communication with the camera 21, and by the communication, can appropriately acquire a captured image (still image or moving image) of the camera 21. In addition, the control device 7 is input with an operation signal of an operation portion (omitted from illustration) of the heating cooker 3, and is input with a detection signal of a plurality of sensors (omitted from illustration) provided in the heating cooker 3.

[0049] Further, the control device 7 includes, as a function realized by a mounted hardware configuration and a program (software configuration), a function of an operation control section 7a that controls the heating operation (combustion operation) of each burner 4, and a function of a person detection section 7b that detects the presence or absence of a person in the person detection target region AR based on a captured image of the camera 21.

[0050] Although detailed illustration is omitted, the operation control of each burner 4 performed by the operation control section 7a is performed by controlling the operation of a solenoid valve for opening and closing a fuel supply path that supplies fuel to each burner 4, and a flow control valve for adjusting the fuel supply amount to each burner 4, and an ignition device. The operation control section 7a includes a function as the heating amount restriction processing section in the present application.

[0051] Further, the person detection section 7b can detect whether or not a person is present in the person detection target region AR based on the captured image of the camera 21 and using a publicly known image processing in a manner to distinguish the heating cooker peripheral region arl from a region other than the heating cooker peripheral region arl.

[0052] As a supplementary note, the control device 7 can also be configured to acquire the captured image of the camera 21 via a control device (not shown) of the ventilation device 20, for example. Further, the camera 21 can also be provided at a position other than the ventilation device 20, such as a wall, a ceiling, or the like. Further, a plurality of cameras can also capture mutually different regions in the person detection target region AR, and the control device 7 can acquire these captured images.

[0053] Next, the flowcharts of Figure 3 and Figure 4 explain the work control of the heating cooker 3 corresponding to whether or not a person is detected to be present in the person detection target region AR. When the heating operation (burning operation) in any of the stove burners 4 of the heating cooker 3 is started, the control device 7 executes the processing shown in the flowcharts of Figure 3 and Figure 4 . Note that in the following description, if no particular mention is made of "stove burner 4", it means the stove burner 4 in the heating operation (in the burning operation).

[0054] First, in step (STEP) 1, the control device 7 determines whether or not the heating operation of the stove burner 4 is an operation in the automatic cooking mode (automatic cooking operation). In the case where the determination result of this step 1 is affirmative, the processing starting from step (STEP) 2 is executed. As for this processing, it will be described later.

[0055] Further, in the case where the determination result of step 1 is negative, the control device 7 executes the processing starting from step (STEP) 4. In this step 4, the control device 7 starts the processing of detecting whether or not a person is present in the person detection target region AR by the person detection section 7b.

[0056] Further, the control device 7 determines in step (STEP) 5 whether or not the heating operation of the stove burner 4 has ended, and in the case where the determination result thereof is affirmative, ends the processing of the flowcharts of Figure 3 and Figure 4 . Note that the case where the determination result of step 5 is affirmative is not limited to the case where the user performs the extinguishing operation on the stove burner 4, but also includes the case where the control device 7 forcibly extinguishes the stove burner 4 in accordance with a prescribed kind of abnormality occurring in the heating cooker 3.

[0057] If the judgment result in step 5 is negative (the stove burner 4 is in continuous heating operation), the control device 7 will then determine in step 6 whether the human detection unit 7b has detected the presence of a person in the human detection target area AR.

[0058] Here, a user performing various operations on the food being heated by the stove burner 4 (such as stirring the food), checking the state of the food, and preparing the ingredients, etc., is doing these cooking operations in the human detection target area AR around the kitchen equipment 2. When a user performing such cooking operations is present in the human detection target area AR, this situation will be detected by the human detection unit 7b, and then the judgment result of step 6 will be affirmative.

[0059] In this case, control device 7 then... Figure 4 In step (STEP) 18, it is determined whether the first timer and the second timer are in progress. Both the first timer and the second timer are timers that time the duration of the state in which no user is present in the AR human detection target area, and are timers that are started in steps (STEP) 8 and 15, respectively, as described later.

[0060] Furthermore, if the determination result in step 18 is affirmative, after stopping the timing of the first timer and the second timer in step (STEP) 19, the control device 7 executes the processing starting from step (STEP) 20. Conversely, if the determination result in step 18 is negative, the processing starting from step 20 is executed while keeping the timing of the first timer and the second timer stopped.

[0061] In step 20, the control device 7 determines whether the human detection unit 7b has detected the presence of a person in the heating cooker perimeter area ar1. Here, the user is present in the heating cooker perimeter area ar1 if the user is adjusting the heating amount (firepower) of the stove burner 4, performing various operations on the food being heated by the stove burner 4, or checking the status of the cooking unit, and the determination result in step 20 is affirmative.

[0062] In this case, the control device 7 then determines in step (STEP) 21 whether the third timer is in a timing state. This third timer is a timer that times the duration during which the user is not present in the area ar1 surrounding the heating cooker.

[0063] Furthermore, if the determination result in step 21 is affirmative, the control device 7 then stops the third timer in step (STEP) 22 and executes the command again. Figure 3the processing from Step 5 onward. In addition, in the case where the result of the determination in Step 21 is negative, the control device 7 executes again the processing from Step 5 onward with the counting of the third timer being stopped. Figure 3 the processing from Step 5 onward.

[0064] As a supplementary note, in the case where the result of the determination in Step 21 is positive, in the case where the heating capacity of the cooktop burner 4 is lower than the initial heating capacity due to the processing of Step (STEP) 26 described later, the heating capacity of the cooktop burner 4 can be further returned to the original heating capacity (the heating capacity before the processing of Step 26 is executed) in Step 22.

[0065] On the other hand, in the case where the user moves from the heating cooking appliance peripheral area arl to the person detection target area AR (the area of the front of the cooking table 11 or the sink 12) outside thereof, the result of the determination in Step 20 described above becomes negative because the user is not present in the heating cooking appliance peripheral area arl. In this case, the control device 7 then determines in Step (STEP) 23 whether the third timer is counting.

[0066] And, in the case where the result of the determination in Step 23 is negative (the case after the user has just moved from the heating cooking appliance peripheral area arl to the person detection target area AR outside thereof), the control device 7 starts the third timer (the counting of the third timer is started) after resetting the counting value of the third timer (initialized to zero) in Step (STEP) 24. Then, the control device 7 executes the processing from Step (STEP) 25 onward. In the case where the result of the determination in Step 23 is positive, the control device 7 executes the processing from Step 25 onward with the counting of the third timer being continued.

[0067] In Step 25, the control device 7 determines whether the counting value of the third timer has reached a prescribed time T3. The prescribed time T3 is, for example, 3 minutes, which corresponds to the second prescribed time in the present application. And, in the case where the result of the determination in Step 25 is negative, i.e., in the case where the duration of the state in which the user is not present in the heating cooking appliance peripheral area arl is less than the prescribed time T3 (3 minutes), the control device 7 executes again the processing of Step 5. Figure 3

[0068] In addition, in the case where the result of the determination in Step 25 is positive, i.e., in the case where the duration of the state in which the user is not present in the heating cooking appliance peripheral area arl has reached the prescribed time T3 (3 minutes), it is possible that the user is performing an operation such as the preparation of cooking ingredients in the person detection target area AR outside the heating cooking appliance peripheral area arl, and cannot immediately move to the front of the heating cooking appliance 3 due to the performance of the operation, or it is possible that the user has forgotten the heating cooking of the cooking object. ​

[0069] Therefore, in this case, in step 26, the control device 7 controls the fuel supply amount supplied to the stove burner 4 by the operation control section 7a so that the heating capacity (fire power) of the stove burner 4 is reduced by one level. However, in the case where the heating capacity of the stove burner 4 becomes the lower limit value of the heating capacity variable range, the heating capacity of the stove burner 4 is maintained at the heating capacity of the lower limit value. Also, in step 26, the control device 7 starts the third timer on the basis of the reset timing value of the third timer as in step 24. Next, the control device 7 executes the process from step 5 onward again. Figure 3

[0070] Note that, in step 26, notification information that prompts the user's attention can also be output in the form of an alarm sound, a voice, or display information, or the like from the heating cooker 3 or a portable terminal (smartphone or the like) held by the user.

[0071] Returning to Figure 3 , in the case where the determination result of step 5 is negative, that is, in the case where the user moves from the person detection target region AR to another place (a place outside the person detection target region AR) and no person exists in the person detection target region AR, the control device 7 next determines whether or not a timer that times the duration of the state in which no user exists in the person detection target region AR, that is, the first timer, is in operation in step (STEP) 7.

[0072] Also, in the case where the determination result of step 7 is negative (the case immediately after the user moves from the person detection target region AR to another place), the control device 7 starts the first timer (begins timing by the first timer) after resetting the timing value of the first timer (initializes to zero) in step 8. Next, the control device 7 executes the process from step (STEP) 9 onward. In the case where the determination result of step 7 is positive, the control device 7 executes the process from step 9 onward in a state in which the timing of the first timer is continued.

[0073] In step 9, the control device 7 determines whether or not the timing value of the first timer reaches a prescribed time Tl. This prescribed time Tl is a time shorter than the above-described prescribed time T3 related to the timing value of the above-described third timer, and is, for example, 1 minute. This prescribed time Tl corresponds to the first prescribed time in the present application.

[0074] In the case where the determination result of this step 9 is positive, that is, in the case where the duration of the state in which no user exists in the person detection target region AR reaches the prescribed time Tl (1 minute), it is possible that the user forgot that the cooking is being heated after leaving the person detection target region AR.

[0075] ​Therefore, in this case, the control device 7 controls the fuel supply amount to the cooktop burner 4 in the next step (STEP) 10 so as to decrease the heating capacity (fire power) of the cooktop burner 4 by one level in a range above the lower limit value, similarly to the above step 26. Also, in the step 10, the control device 7 starts the first timer on the basis of resetting the counted value of the first timer similarly to the step 8. Next, the control device 7 executes the process from the step (STEP) 14.

[0076] In addition, in the case where the result of the judgment in the step 9 is negative, that is, in the case where the duration of the state where the user is not present in the person detection target region AR is less than the prescribed time Tl (1 minute), the control device 7 next judges in the step 11 whether the above third timer is in counting.

[0077] Here, the state where the user is not present in the person detection target region AR is also the state where the user is not present in the heating-cooker peripheral region arl. Therefore, for example, in the case where the user moves from the heating-cooker peripheral region arl to the person detection target region AR outside thereof and further moves to the outside of the person detection target region AR, in the step 11, the third timer is in the state where it is in counting, and the result of the judgment in the step 11 is affirmative. In addition, in the case where the user moves from the heating-cooker peripheral region arl to a place outside the person detection target region AR without passing through the person detection target region AR outside the heating-cooker peripheral region arl, the result of the judgment in the step 11 is negative.

[0078] Also, in the case where the result of the judgment in the step 11 is negative, the control device 7 executes the process from the step 14. In addition, in the case where the result of the judgment in the step 11 is affirmative, the control device 7 next executes the process of judging whether the counted value of the third timer reaches the above prescribed time T3 (3 minutes) in the step 12 (the same judgment process as the above step 25).

[0079] In the case where the result of the judgment in the step 12 is negative (the case where the duration of the state where the user is not present in the heating-cooker peripheral region arl does not reach the prescribed time T3 (3 minutes)), the control device 7 executes the process from the step 14.

[0080] In addition, in the case where the result of the determination in step 12 is affirmative (in the case where the duration of the state in which the user is not present in the vicinity of the heating cooker arl reaches the prescribed time T3 (3 minutes)), the control device 7 next controls the fuel supply amount to the furnace burner 4 so that the heating amount (fire power) of the furnace burner 4 is reduced by one level in a range above the lower limit value in step 13, similarly to the above-mentioned step 26. Also, in step 13, the control device 7 stops the counting of the third timer. The control device 7 next executes the processing from step 14.

[0081] Note that, in step 10 or step 13, notification information that prompts the user's attention can also be output in the form of an alarm sound, a voice, or display information, etc. from the heating cooker 3 or a portable terminal (smartphone, etc.) held by the user, similarly to the case of the above-mentioned step 26.

[0082] In step 14, the control device 7 determines whether or not the second timer is counting, where the second timer is a timer that counts the duration of the state in which the user is not present in the person detection target region AR. Also, in the case where the result of the determination in step 14 is negative (in the case where the user has just moved from the person detection target region AR to another place), the control device 7, after resetting the count value of the second timer (initialized to zero) in step (STEP) 15, starts the second timer (the second timer starts counting). The control device 7 next executes the processing from step (STEP) 16. In the case where the result of the determination in step 14 is affirmative, the control device 7 executes the processing from step 16 in a state in which the counting of the second timer continues.

[0083] In step 16, the control device 7 determines whether or not the count value of the second timer reaches a prescribed time T2. This prescribed time T2 is a time longer than the prescribed time Tl (1 minute) related to the count value of the above-mentioned first timer, and the prescribed time T3 (3 minutes) related to the count value of the above-mentioned third timer, and T2 is, for example, 15 minutes. This prescribed time T2 corresponds to the third prescribed time in the present application.

[0084] In the case where the result of the determination in this step 16 is negative (in the case where the duration of the state in which the user is not present in the person detection target region AR is less than the prescribed time T2 (15 minutes)), the control device 7 executes the processing from the above-mentioned step 4 again.

[0085] Further, in a case where the result of the determination in step 16 is affirmative (in a case where the duration of the state in which the user is not present in the person detection target region AR reaches the prescribed time T2 (15 minutes)), the likelihood that the user forgot that the heating cooking of the cooked food is being performed is high because the duration of the state in which the user is not present in the person detection target region AR is long.

[0086] Therefore, in this case, the control device 7 then performs, in step (STEP) 17, control to close a solenoid valve (omitted from illustration) that opens and closes a fuel supply path that supplies fuel to the hearth burner 4 by the operation control section 7a, and forcibly stops the heating operation (combustion operation) of the hearth burner 4. Also, in step 17, because the duration of the state in which no person is present in the person detection target region AR is long, the control device 7 outputs error notification information indicating that the heating operation of the hearth burner 4 is forcibly stopped in the form of an alarm sound, a voice, or display information, or the like, from the heating cooker 3 or a portable terminal (a smartphone or the like) held by the user. Then, the control device 7 ends the processing of the flowchart of Figure 3 and Figure 4 .

[0087] Further, in a case where the result of the determination in step 1 above is affirmative (in a case where the heating operation of the hearth burner 4 is the heating operation in the automatic cooking mode), the control device 7 then performs, in step 2, determination processing of whether or not the automatic cooking mode is ended.

[0088] Here, in the heating operation of the hearth burner 4 in the automatic cooking mode, adjustment of the heating amount (power) of the hearth burner 4, and stopping of the heating operation (extinguishing) are automatically performed. Therefore, in the execution of the heating operation of the hearth burner 4 in the automatic cooking mode, the control device 7 does not perform the processing from step (STEP) 6 above until the result of the determination in step 2 is affirmative (until the automatic cooking mode is ended), and repeatedly performs the determination processing of step 2 in order.

[0089] Also, in a case where the result of the determination in step 2 is affirmative, the control device 7 then determines, in step (STEP) 3, whether or not the heating operation of the hearth burner 4 is ended (whether or not the hearth burner 4 is extinguished). In a case where the heating operation of the hearth burner 4 in the automatic cooking mode is normally ended, the heating operation of the hearth burner 4 is automatically stopped, and therefore the result of the determination in step 3 is affirmative. In this case, the control device 7 ends the processing of the flowchart of Figure 3 and Figure 4 .

[0090] On the other hand, for example, in a case where the user stops the heating operation of the cooktop burner 4 in the automatic cooking mode midway, the determination result of Step 3 can sometimes become affirmative. In this case, since the cooktop burner 4 performs the normal heating operation, the control device 7 executes the processing from Step 4 described above.

[0091] In the present embodiment, the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 executed by the control device 7 of the heating cooker 3 as described above. Thereby, when the state where the user is absent from the person detection target region AR continues for a prescribed time Tl (1 minute) related to the timing value of the first timer or more, the heating amount of the cooktop burner 4 is gradually reduced in stages within a range above the lower limit value each time the prescribed time Tl elapses. Further, when the state where the user is absent from the person detection target region AR continues for a prescribed time T2 (15 minutes) related to the timing value of the second timer or more, the heating operation of the cooktop burner 4 is automatically stopped (the cooktop burner 4 is turned off). Figure 3 Figure 4 In the present embodiment, the processing shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6 executed by the control device 7 of the heating cooker 3 as described above. Thereby, when the state where the user is absent from the person detection target region AR continues for a prescribed time Tl (1 minute) related to the timing value of the first timer or more, the heating amount of the cooktop burner 4 is gradually reduced in stages within a range above the lower limit value each time the prescribed time Tl elapses. Further, when the state where the user is absent from the person detection target region AR continues for a prescribed time T2 (15 minutes) related to the timing value of the second timer or more, the heating operation of the cooktop burner 4 is automatically stopped (the cooktop burner 4 is turned off).

[0092] Therefore, even in a case where the user forgets that the heating cooking is being performed after moving from the person detection target region AR to another place during the cooking of the heating operation of the cooktop burner 4, it is possible to effectively prevent the occurrence of excessive heating, burning, overflow, or the like of the cooking material. Further, since the reduction of the heating amount of the cooktop burner 4 is gradually performed in stages, it is possible to prevent the heating amount of the cooktop burner 4 from being prematurely and excessively limited, and to perform the heating cooking of the cooking material.

[0093] Further, when the state where the user is absent from the heating cooker peripheral region arl within the person detection target region AR (the state where the user is present outside the heating cooker peripheral region arl of the person detection target region AR) continues for a prescribed time T3 (3 minutes) related to the timing value of the third timer or more, the heating amount of the cooktop burner 4 is gradually reduced in stages within a range above the lower limit value each time the prescribed time T3 elapses.

[0094] Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of excessive heating, burning, overflow, or the like of the cooking material even in a case where the user is bothered by the cooking work such as the preparation of the cooking material in the region of the front side of the cooking table 11 or the sink 12 (the person detection target region AR outside the heating cooker peripheral region arl) during the cooking of the heating operation of the cooktop burner 4, and further in a case where the user cannot immediately perform the confirmation of the state of the cooking material in heating, the operation (stirring of the cooking material, or the like) required to be performed on the cooking material, or the adjustment of the heating amount of the cooktop burner 4.

[0095] ​In addition, in this case, the prescribed time T3 (3 minutes) related to the timing value of the third timer is set to a time longer than the prescribed time Tl (1 minute) related to the timing value of the first timer, and thus the reduction in the heating amount of the cooktop burner 4 corresponding to the timing of the third timer is performed in a slower manner (in a manner in which the reduction amount per unit time of the heating amount is smaller) than the reduction in the heating amount of the cooktop burner 4 corresponding to the timing of the first timer. Therefore, the user can prevent the progress of the heating cooking of the cooked food from being delayed as much as possible during the period in which the user performs the work of preparing the food materials and the like in the vicinity of the heating cooker 3 (the person detection target region AR on the front side of the cooking table 11 or the sink 12).

[0096] In addition, during the heating operation of the cooktop burner 4 in the automatic cooking mode, the control to reduce the heating amount of the cooktop burner 4 depending on the presence or absence of a person in the person detection target region AR is not performed, and thus the automatic cooking can be normally completed even in a state in which the user is away from the person detection target region AR.

[0097] Note that the present application is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and other embodiments can be adopted. For example, the person detection unit 7b is not limited to detecting the presence or absence of a person based on the captured image of the camera 21. The person detection unit 7b may, for example, also detect the presence or absence of a person using infrared rays, ultrasonic waves, visible light, or the like. In addition, the function of the person detection unit 7b is not limited to being implemented by the control device 7 of the heating cooker 3, and the function of the person detection unit 7b can be implemented by a control device provided on a device other than the heating cooker 3, such as the camera 21 or the ventilation device 20.

[0098] In addition, in a case in which the state in which no person is detected to be present in the person detection target region AR continues for a prescribed time Tl or more related to the timing value of the first timer, the reduction in the heating amount of the cooktop burner 4 can be performed every time a time different from the prescribed time Tl elapses instead of being performed every time the prescribed time Tl elapses.

[0099] In addition, for example, the reduction in the heating amount of the cooktop burner 4 can be performed every time a time different from the prescribed time T3 elapses instead of being performed every time the prescribed time T3 elapses in a case in which a person is detected to be present in the person detection target region AR other than the heating cooker surrounding region arl and the state in which no person is detected to be present in the heating cooker surrounding region arl continues for a prescribed time T3 or more related to the timing value of the third timer.

[0100] Further, in the above-described embodiment, in a case where the state where no person is detected to exist in the person detection target region AR continues for a prescribed time Tl or more related to the count value of the above-described first timer (hereinafter, referred to as a first case), and in a case where the state where no person is detected to exist in the heating cooker surrounding region arl continues for a prescribed time T3 or more related to the count value of the above-described third timer while a person is detected to exist in the person detection target region AR outside the heating cooker surrounding region arl (hereinafter, referred to as a second case), the heating amount (fire power) of the furnace burner 4 is reduced by one level in both cases. However, the amount of reduction in the heating amount (fire power) of the burner 4 in the first case can be made different from the amount of reduction in the heating amount (fire power) of the burner 4 in the second case.

[0101] Alternatively, the heating amount of the furnace burner 4 can be limited to a heating amount (for example, a heating amount of a lower limit value or a heating amount near the lower limit value) equal to or less than a prescribed value in both or either of the first case and the second case. More specifically, in both or either of the first case and the second case, when the heating amount of the furnace burner 4 is greater than the prescribed value, the heating amount can be reduced to a heating amount of the prescribed value, and when the heating amount of the furnace burner 4 is a heating amount equal to or less than the prescribed value, the heating amount of the furnace burner 4 can be maintained.

Claims

1. A heating cooking system that has a kitchen device including a heating cooker and a sink, characterized by comprising: a monitoring target area that is an area set around the kitchen device and that includes at least a vicinity of each of the heating cooker and the sink, a heating cooker surrounding area that is an area of a periphery of the heating cooker in the monitoring target area; and a heating amount limiting processing section that, in operation of a heating section of the heating cooker, reduces a heating amount of the heating section or limits the heating amount of the heating section to a heating amount that is equal to or less than a prescribed value, in a case where a first state in which no person is detected in the monitoring target area continues for a first prescribed time or in a case where a second state in which a person is detected in an area other than the heating cooker surrounding area in the monitoring target area and no person is detected in the heating cooker surrounding area continues for a second prescribed time. a person detection section capable of detecting whether a person is present in a monitoring target area and detecting the presence of the person in a manner capable of distinguishing whether the person present in the detection monitoring target area is present in a heating cooker peripheral area or in an area other than the heating cooker peripheral area, wherein 2. The heating cooking system according to claim 1, characterized in that: the second prescribed time is set to a time that is longer than the first prescribed time.

3. The heating cooking system according to claim 1, characterized in that: the heating amount limiting processing section is configured to gradually reduce the heating amount of the heating section in a continuation of the first state after the first state continues for the first prescribed time, in operation of the heating section of the heating cooker.

4. The heating cooking system according to claim 1, characterized in that: the heating amount limiting processing section is configured to gradually reduce the heating amount of the heating section in a continuation of the second state after the second state continues for the second prescribed time, in operation of the heating section of the heating cooker.

5. The heating cooking system according to claim 1, characterized in that: the heating amount limiting processing section is configured to, in a state where the heating amount of the heating section is reduced or limited to a heating amount that is equal to or less than a prescribed value after the second state continues for the second prescribed time, cause the heating amount of the heating section to return to a heating amount before the second state continues for the second prescribed time, in a case where a person is detected in the heating cooker surrounding area.

6. The heating cooking system according to claim 1, characterized in that: the heating amount limiting processing section is configured to, in operation of the heating section of the heating cooker, further stop the operation of the heating section in a case where the first state continues for a third prescribed time after the first state continues for the first prescribed time.

7. The heating cooking system according to claim 1, characterized in that: processing of the heating amount limiting processing section is not performed in operation of the heating section in an automatic cooking mode in which automatic operation control of the heating section is automatically performed. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

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