Method and apparatus for setting a target browning level on a household cooking appliance

Abstract

A method (S1-S6) for setting a target browning degree of a culinary object (G) comprises the following steps: recording (S2) an image (P) of a cooking chamber of a domestic cooking appliance (1) containing the culinary object (G); displaying (S3) the image on a screen (S); defining (S4, S5) a user-selectable image measurement area (C; CUR) in the displayed image (P); and specifying (S6) a target browning degree for the selected image measurement area (C; CUR). An apparatus (1, SP, DB) for carrying out the method comprises: a domestic cooking appliance (1) with a cooking chamber (2); at least one camera (5) directed towards the cooking chamber (2); at least one screen (S, 7, 9) on which the image (P) recorded by the at least one camera (5) can be displayed; at least one operator interface (7, 9) for defining a user-selectable image measurement area in the displayed image and for specifying a target browning degree; and a data processing device (6) for carrying out a cooking process taking into account the target browning degree. The invention is particularly advantageously applicable in ovens.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for setting a target browning degree, comprising the following steps: recording an image of a cooking chamber of a domestic cooking appliance; defining an image measurement region in the displayed image; and specifying a target browning degree for the selected image measurement region. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out the method, comprising: a domestic cooking appliance with a cooking chamber; at least one camera directed toward the cooking chamber; at least one screen on which images recorded by the at least one camera can be displayed; at least one operator interface and a data processing device for carrying out a cooking process taking into account the target browning degree. The invention can be applied in particular advantageously in ovens. Background Art

[0002] EP3477206A1 discloses a cooking appliance comprising: a cooking chamber; an image generating device for detecting an image of food within the cooking chamber; a data processing device in communication with the image generating device and comprising a software module configured to receive the detected image from the image generating device and calculate the degree of browning; and an operator interface configured to display a visual scale indicating the degree of browning. In one embodiment, the cooking appliance comprises a selection device configured to enable a user to set a target degree of browning for the food.

[0003] US20130092145 A1 discloses a stove comprising: a cooking chamber configured to accommodate food products, an operator interface configured to display information associated with a process for cooking, first and second energy sources, and a cooking control system. The first energy source supplies primary heat (Primaerwaerme) for the food product, and the second energy source supplies secondary heat (Sekundaerwaerme). The cooking control system can be coupled to the first and second energy sources according to operation. The cooking control system can include a processing circuit configured to enable an operator to make a browning control selection via the operator interface in such a way that the operator provides an operator instruction for a selected control console displayed on the operator interface. The selected control console can be selected based on the cooking mode of the stove. The selection of the browning control system can provide control parameters so that heat is applied directly to the food product via the second energy source. In one embodiment, the cooking mode is a mode from a first mode and from a second mode, wherein the operator can select a plurality of control parameters including air temperature, air flow speed and time, and wherein the operator can select a browning degree, wherein the control parameters are then automatically determined based on the selected browning degree.

[0004] WO 2009 / 026895 A2 discloses a method for setting a work program to be carried out in the interior of a cooking appliance, the method comprising at least one cooking program and / or at least one cleaning program, wherein at least one parameter of a plurality of parameters or at least one display and operating device can be set, wherein the parameter, the settable value of the parameter and the set value are at least temporarily displayed in a visual manner on the display and operating device. In one embodiment, a plurality of external cooked degrees can be visualized to set further first cooking parameters, or a plurality of browning setting ranges of a browning scale can be displayed, wherein the number and / or color of the browning setting ranges are preferably determined depending on the selected cooking type, the selected portion, the installation location of the cooking appliance and / or the operating language of the cooking appliance.

[0005] DE 102016215550 A1 discloses a method for determining the degree of browning of cooked food in a cooking chamber of a domestic gas appliance, the domestic cooking appliance having a camera directed at the cooking chamber and a light source for illuminating the cooking chamber, wherein a reference image is captured by means of the camera, a first measurement image is captured at a first brightness of the light source, a second measurement image is captured at a second brightness of the light source, a difference image is generated from the first measurement image and the second measurement image, and the difference image is compared with the reference image.

[0006] In the known browning measurement, it is automatically determined which area of ​​the extracted image is to be used as the image measurement area or "reference area" in order to determine the degree of browning. This is called the "classification" or "segmentation" problem and is one of the greatest requirements for automatic browning detection. To date, complex AI (artificial intelligence) algorithms based on machine learning ("machine learning") have mostly been used for this purpose. Such algorithms are difficult to develop and require high computing power. In the case of implementation in domestic cooking appliances, this in turn leads to high costs for the associated data processing devices. However, especially in the case of complex (particularly uneven) cooking products, even if such AI algorithms are implemented at high cost, the determination of the appropriate image measurement area is often unsatisfactory. Therefore, when using AI algorithms to determine the image measurement area, the cooking results are often not browned enough to satisfy the user. Summary of the invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and in particular to provide an improved possibility for achieving a desired degree of browning of cooked food during the cooking process.

[0008] This task is solved according to the technical solution disclosed in this application. Advantageous implementation forms are also disclosed in this application.

[0009] This object is achieved by a method for setting a target browning degree of a food to be cooked, the method comprising the following steps:

[0010] - taking an image of a cooking chamber of a household cooking appliance containing food to be cooked;

[0011] - displaying said image on a screen; and

[0012] - defining user-selectable image measurement areas in the displayed image; and

[0013] - For the selected image measurement area, specify a target browning degree.

[0014] By making the image measurement area selectable or prescriptible by the user for determining the actual degree of browning, the following advantages are achieved: the degree of browning can be determined in a targeted manner depending on the cooking product that is decisive or most important for the user to achieve the desired cooking result and / or depending on the area that is decisive or most important for the user to achieve the desired cooking result. In particular, a specific cooking product or a specific cooking product area can be selected in a targeted manner by the user and then reliably if:

[0015] - the cooked food has an uneven color distribution and / or shows a distinctly different browning process in certain areas, such as marbled cakes, pizza with various toppings, sautéed vegetables, etc.;

[0016] - the dish has different foods or food components, such as chicken with French fries;

[0017] - the shape of the food is complex, which results in a very different illumination of the food, such as bread;

[0018] - browning of the cooking mat during the cooking process is visible, such as baking paper; and / or

[0019] - Use colored (especially brown to black) cooking containers, such as baking pans, etc.;

[0020] - or there are other complex cooking items.

[0021] This again dispenses with the automatic determination of the image measurement region, which is complex in terms of development and computing and is still often prone to errors. For example, in the case of chicken with French fries, the user can determine whether the cooking process is to be controlled based on the degree of browning of the chicken or the French fries, and can position the image measurement region exactly on the chicken or the French fries. The method is therefore based on the idea of ​​letting the user decide where in the recorded image the degree of browning is to be determined.

[0022] The image can be recorded by a camera, possibly from a group of multiple available cameras which record the cooked food, for example, from different angles.

[0023] Defining a user-selectable image measurement region in the displayed image thus includes the possibility that the user himself can define an image measurement region for determining the degree of browning.

[0024] The target browning degree for the selected image measurement area can be specified by the user and / or automatically, for example based on a target browning degree stored in a database or a calculated target browning degree. For example, the user can set the target browning degree via a percentage scale or a color scale, for example with the aid of a so-called slider. Automatic specification can be performed, for example, depending on a cooking program or depending on a value previously stored on the user side. In general, methods known to this effect can be used to determine the target browning degree.

[0025] The method may be provided with the step of: - carrying out a cooking process taking into account a target browning degree. The method may then also be regarded as a method for operating a household cooking appliance or as a method for carrying out a cooking process or a cooking procedure. The cooking process taking into account a target browning degree may be carried out according to any known and suitable method and using an image measurement area selected by a user as a reference area. In particular, known methods may then be used in order to determine how the browning degree is determined in the image measurement area, when the actual browning degree has reached the target browning degree and which action is then triggered (e.g. stopping the cooking process, cooling the cooking chamber, outputting a message to the user, etc.).

[0026] In one embodiment, the step of defining the image measurement region comprises positioning the image measurement region on the screen in a user-guided manner. This makes it possible to define or define the image measurement region particularly easily. In this embodiment, the user can displace at least the image measurement region on the screen (in the x and y directions). For example, the image measurement region can be predefined as a cursor (Cursor) or a cursor window / cursor region that can be displaced on the screen.

[0027] One embodiment provides that the user-guided definition of the image measurement area includes: positioning the image measurement area on the screen in a touch-guided and / or control panel-guided manner. This greatly simplifies the positioning of the image measurement area. In the case of touch-guided positioning, the image measurement area is positioned by touching the touch-sensitive screen, for example, by the user tapping the area on the screen with a finger at which the image measurement area is to be positioned, by pulling the cursor / cursor area to the desired position, etc. The cursor / cursor area can be automatically adopted as the image measurement area or can only be adopted as the image measurement area after confirmation by the user. In the case of control panel-guided positioning, the cursor can be moved on the screen with the aid of the control panel (for example, by moving a joystick, activating cursor keys, etc.). The screen does not need to be a touch-sensitive screen in this case.

[0028] One embodiment provides that the image measurement region can be changed on the user side, for example in terms of its shape and / or size. This allows the image measurement region to be adapted even more precisely to the user's wishes. For example, by means of a two-finger gesture ("pinching"), a square or circular image measurement region can be reduced or enlarged by the user. The shape of the image measurement region, for example the side ratio of a rectangle, the shape from an ellipse to a circle, etc. can also be changed.

[0029] One construction scheme is to define the image measurement area

[0030] - for an image region selected by the user, automatically determining a mode region which includes this image region, and

[0031] - The pattern area is adopted as the image measurement area.

[0032] The following advantages are achieved by this: image measurement areas with complex shapes or contours can also be easily defined or specified by the user. The pattern area can be automatically adopted as the image measurement area, or it can be adopted as the image measurement area only after the user confirms it. This construction scheme does not require complicated AI algorithms, but can, for example, use methods for pattern recognition that are known from the field of image processing and can be implemented relatively simply. For example, in the captured image, the user can select an object that is recognizable to the user (such as a chicken) by tapping the associated touch-sensitive screen, and then the contour of the chicken in the image is determined by pattern recognition. The user can then confirm or reject the contour. With confirmation, the pattern area defined by the contour is adopted as the image measurement area.

[0033] The image area selected on the user side may be an image position of a pixel or may be an area including a plurality of pixels, for example, the image position of the pixel is calculated according to the touch area of ​​the finger.

[0034] It is also possible that, based on the image, a pattern recognition is first automatically performed, which results in one or more pattern areas displayed in the image. The user can now select the desired pattern area by tapping or otherwise determining, which can then be adopted as the image measurement area.

[0035] One extension is that the user can select the way to define the image measurement area, that is, can for example switch between definition based on cursor / cursor area and image pattern recognition. If the user is not satisfied with the result of image pattern recognition, he can switch to definition based on cursor / cursor area, or vice versa.

[0036] In one embodiment, the automatic pattern recognition includes pattern matching with a pattern database in which image patterns associated with predetermined culinary objects are stored. This further simplifies the automatic determination of useful pattern regions that correspond to the determined culinary objects. For example, a plurality of reference patterns associated with chicken can be stored in the pattern database, and the pattern region can be defined in the currently captured image based on or with the aid of these reference patterns.

[0037] One embodiment is that a user-selectable image measurement region is first automatically selected and adopted after user confirmation or the lack of user confirmation within a predetermined image duration (which is also interpreted as user confirmation). This can improve user friendliness. If the user recognizes that the automatically selected image measurement region is suitable, the user can simply confirm the image measurement region, can not perform any action at all for a predetermined duration, or can simply go to the next action step (for example, inputting the degree of browning). The automatic selection of the image measurement region can abandon the use of complex AI algorithms and can, for example, represent the image center or a region surrounding the image center. If the user does not like the automatic selection, he can change the image measurement region as described above, for example, change the image measurement region in terms of its position, shape and / or size.

[0038] One embodiment is to automatically track the image measurement area during the cooking process. This has the advantage that the image measurement area corresponds at least to a large extent to the image measurement area selected by the user even if the position of the cooking object and / or its shape changes. For example, a change in the position of the cooking object can be caused by the user stirring or turning the cooking object. The change in shape can, for example, include the rise of the dough.

[0039] In particular, the method sequence can be carried out as follows:

[0040] - The user loads the food into the cooking chamber of the oven, for example;

[0041] - automatically recording an image of the cooking chamber with the aid of the oven, the image showing the food being cooked;

[0042] - the oven sends the image to a preferably touch-sensitive oven screen and / or to a preferably touch-sensitive screen of a user terminal device;

[0043] - the user defines the image measurement area by tapping on the image area or the like; whereupon subsequently from the position of the finger a predefined (e.g. square or circular) image measurement area is superimposed on the image. For example, the image measurement area can be centered around the pixel position defined at the time of the tap or the like. Alternatively, by the tap, an image mode area can be automatically generated, which image mode area includes the position of the finger on the image. Alternatively, the user can be offered an automatically generated image measurement area, e.g. a square or circular image measurement area, e.g. in the center of the image, which image measurement area only needs to be confirmed by the user;

[0044] After the image measurement region has been defined or specified, a browning scale can be automatically calculated and displayed in a manner known in principle based on the content of the image measurement region, and the user can set the desired degree of browning according to the browning scale;

[0045] - Next, the cooking process is carried out until the desired degree of browning is achieved, which can be carried out in a manner known in principle.

[0046] If the user moves the cooking object during the cooking process or the cooking object moves itself (e.g., dough rises), in a further development, the movement can be followed by an algorithm and the image measurement area can be tracked accordingly. Thus, the user does not need to select a new image measurement area.

[0047] The object is also achieved by a device which is designed to carry out the method as described above and which has:

[0048] - domestic cooking appliances with a cooking chamber,

[0049] - at least one camera directed towards the cooking chamber,

[0050] - at least one screen on which pictures taken by at least one camera can be displayed,

[0051] - at least one operator interface configured to define a user-selectable image measurement area in the displayed image and to specify a target browning degree, and

[0052] A data processing device which is designed to carry out a cooking process taking into account a target degree of browning.

[0053] The device can be designed similarly to the method and has the same advantages.

[0054] The domestic cooking appliance can be, for example, a stove, in particular an oven, a microwave appliance, a steam treatment device or any combination thereof, for example, a stove with microwave and / or steam treatment functions.

[0055] The camera can be integrated into the domestic cooking appliance and can be directed through the cooking chamber wall into the cooking chamber. Alternatively or additionally, the camera can be arranged outside the cooking chamber and can be directed through a viewing window of a door that closes the cooking chamber from the outside, for example. In this case, the camera can be a removable camera.

[0056] The screen can be a touch-sensitive screen, which enables particularly simple operation. The operator interface is then especially integrated into the screen, or the screen also serves as an operator interface.

[0057] However, the screen can also be a non-touch-sensitive screen, the image measurement area of ​​which can be set via a separate operator interface. For example, the operator interface can have an operating panel (e.g. sensor key), for example a cursor key cross, a joystick, etc. For example, the non-touch-sensitive screen and the operator interface can occupy different areas on the control panel of the household appliance.

[0058] The operator interface and screen together may also be referred to as a user interface.

[0059] The image may be displayed on a screen, or may be displayed on multiple screens simultaneously.

[0060] In one embodiment, the camera and the screen are color-coded, ie, they are color cameras and color screens, which makes it particularly easy to define the image measurement area and to define the degree of browning.

[0061] One embodiment is that the device is a domestic cooking appliance. This has the advantage that the domestic cooking appliance can carry out the method autonomously without requiring a connection to a network for this purpose, but it can have a connection to a network. In this embodiment, the domestic cooking appliance has a screen and an operator interface (optionally integrated into a touch-sensitive screen) for carrying out the method, which can be part of an operating panel. The data processing device can correspond to the control device of the cooking appliance, or a central control device of the cooking appliance can also be set up to carry out the method.

[0062] One extension is that the device is a system that includes a household cooking appliance as a system component. The construction scheme is that the screen and the operator interface are components of a user terminal device (such as a smartphone, tablet PCs, desktop PCs, notebooks, etc.), and the household cooking appliance has a communication interface with the user terminal device for transmitting data related to the method. This has the following advantages: the image measurement area and the target browning degree can be defined or specified in a particularly user-friendly manner on the user terminal device. In order to carry out the method, a corresponding application ("App") can be installed on the user terminal device. The household cooking appliance can also have a screen and an operator interface, or the screen and the operator interface can be omitted.

[0063] One embodiment provides that the pattern database is stored in a network-supported data storage device, for example in the so-called “cloud.” This makes it possible to save storage space in the domestic cooking appliance.

[0064] In one embodiment, the device comprises a network-supported image processing device for defining at least a user-selectable image measurement region in the displayed image by means of automatic pattern recognition. However, the automatic pattern recognition can also be performed by means of a user terminal and / or a domestic cooking appliance.

[0065] If the domestic cooking appliance has a communication interface for transmitting data related to the method, it is also possible in principle for the domestic cooking appliance to selectively carry out the method autonomously or for at least parts of the method to be carried out on a computer-supported entity. This may depend, for example, on whether the user wants to carry out the definition of the user-selectable image measurement area on the user terminal. This also includes the case where the definition of the user-selectable image measurement area is carried out on the screen of the domestic cooking appliance (e.g. for the user to check, change and / or confirm the image measurement area calculated by the automatic pattern recognition), but the computing power for the automatic pattern recognition itself is carried out by means of a network-supported image processing device (e.g. a network server or a cloud computer), if necessary by means of a network-supported pattern database. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0066] The above-described characteristics, features and advantages of the present invention and the ways and methods for achieving these characteristics, features and advantages become clearer and easier to understand in conjunction with the following illustrative description of the embodiments, which are explained in more detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0067] Figure 1 A possible method flow for operating a domestic cooking appliance including setting a target browning degree is shown;

[0068] Figure 2 A cooking item is shown being introduced into a cooking chamber of a domestic cooking appliance;

[0069] Figure 3 An image of a cooked food recorded with the aid of a household cooking appliance is shown on a touch-sensitive screen;

[0070] Figure 4 A first sub-step for selecting an image measurement area on the user side is shown;

[0071] Figure 5 A second sub-step for selecting an image measurement area on the user side is shown; and

[0072] Figure 6 An alternative second sub-step for selecting an image measurement area on the user side is shown;

[0073] Figure 7 The schematic diagram of a device for carrying out the method is shown as a sectional illustration in a side view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0074] Figure 1 A possible method flow for operating a domestic cooking appliance, such as an oven 1 (see Figure 7 ) in the form of.

[0075] In step S1, the user loads the cooking object G into the cooking chamber 2 of the oven 1. Figure 2 As schematically shown in FIG. 1 , the cooked food G may include, for example, a chicken H lying on a colored baking tray B and potato slices K or French fries arranged around it. It is only unreliable to determine an image measurement region suitable for high user satisfaction completely automatically, or even using complex AI algorithms, it is impossible to determine an image measurement region suitable for high user satisfaction.

[0076] In step S2, the camera 5 of the oven 1 (see Figure 7) to capture an image P of the cooking chamber 2, which image P shows the baking tray B, the cooking object G, and its surroundings in the present invention. Figure 3 , such an image P is schematically shown.

[0077] In step S3, the image P is sent to a touch-sensitive screen S, for example the screen 7 of the oven 1 and / or the screen 9 of a user terminal device such as a smartphone SP (see Figure 7 ) and is displayed there, as in Figure 4 As schematically shown in .

[0078] As in Figure 4 As shown in FIG. 1 , in step S4 , the user N may tap the area of ​​the screen S displaying the image P, for example, with his finger, a pen, etc., in the present invention, the image area associated with the chicken H. In FIG.

[0079] Now, in step S5, an image mode area is automatically generated for the tapped image area, which is Figure 5 The outline C of the chicken H is shown in dashed lines in the figure. If the image pattern area corresponds to the image measurement area desired by the user N, for example, by tapping a positive check box ( Figure 5 ), the user N can confirm the image pattern area as an image measurement area; or, if not, by, for example, tapping a negative check box ( Figure 5 ), the user N can discard the image pattern area as the image measurement area. Then, the image measurement area thus corresponds to the confirmed image pattern area C. Alternatively, the user N can place the image measurement area on the potato slice K.

[0080] The image pattern area C can be calculated solely from the image information contained in the image P. In a variant, a comparison can additionally be made with the image information stored in the pattern database DB (see Figure 7 ) is matched to an image pattern in the image P, which is assigned to a determined cooking object G. In this way, at least one image pattern determined in the image P can also better approximate the shape of a known cooking object. In this way, the image pattern of the chicken H can be stored in the pattern database DB, for example, changed according to the viewing angle, part (e.g., a whole chicken, half a chicken, chicken leg, etc.), etc.

[0081] In step S6, a browning scale (not shown) is automatically generated for the selected or defined image measurement area and displayed on the screen S. Based on the browning scale, the user N can input or select a desired target browning degree (in the present invention: of the chicken H). Alternatively, the user N can specify a desired browning degree of the potato slices K.

[0082] In the next step S7 , the cooking process is performed by means of the control device 6 of the oven 1 until the target browning degree is reached, more precisely, the cooking process is performed based on the comparison between the current actual browning degree calculated by means of the image measurement area and the target browning degree.

[0083] In an alternative step S5 that can be performed instead of the step S5 described above, a predetermined image area (“cursor” CUR) is superimposed on the image P on the screen S. For example, by a tap or drag-and-drop movement with a finger, a pen, etc., the cursor CUR can be moved by the user N to the part of the image B at which the user N wants to know the degree of browning in an evaluated manner. Figure 6 As shown in FIG. 1 , the cursor CUR can reproduce the shape and size of the image measurement area, wherein only the position of the cursor CUR then needs to be specified by the user N. The image measurement area thus corresponds to the image area determined by the cursor CUR in the invention. In a variant, the user N can adjust the size and / or shape of the cursor CUR and thereby also the image measurement area.

[0084] In another variation, the cursor CUR may be confirmed by the user at its starting position on the image P (eg, the center of the image), possibly without moving the cursor CUR.

[0085] Confirmation can also be performed by the user not changing the image measurement region C, CUR for a predefined period of time.

[0086] If the user N moves the cooking item G during the cooking process, the movement can be followed by means of the image evaluation algorithm and the image measurement area C, CUR can be correspondingly tracked or adapted to the movement. The user N thus does not need to select a new image measurement area C, CUR.

[0087] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a device 1, SP, DB for carrying out the method is shown as a sectional view in a side view. The device comprises an oven 1, a user terminal device in the form of a smartphone SP and optionally a pattern database DB.

[0088] The oven 1 has a cooking chamber 2, whose front loading opening 3 can be closed by means of a door 4. The cooking chamber 2 can be loaded with cooking goods G in a baking tray B through the loading opening 3. A camera 5 is located in the region of the ceiling of the cooking chamber 2, which is directed from above or obliquely above toward the cooking chamber 2. Optionally, the camera 5 can be located elsewhere. There can also be a plurality of cameras 5. The camera 5 is connected to a touch-sensitive screen 7 (if necessary via a control device 6). The image P captured by the camera 5 can be sent to the screen 7, whereupon the user N can define the image measurement area C, CUR and can set a target browning degree as described above. Based on the selected image measurement area C, CUR and the target browning degree, the control device 6 can control the cooking process (for example, activate a heating element not shown), for example, until the target browning degree is reached. In a variant, the method can be performed autonomously on the oven 1.

[0089] In an alternative or additional second variant, the oven 1 can be wirelessly connected to the smartphone SP via a communication module 8 (e.g. a Bluetooth and / or WLAN module). The smartphone also has a touch-sensitive screen 9 via which the above method steps S3 to S6 can be carried out, more precisely instead of or in addition to the screen 7 of the oven 1.

[0090] The oven 1 and / or the smartphone SP may be connected to the pattern database DB via a network NW (eg, the Internet).

[0091] Of course, the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown.

[0092] Generally speaking, two or more image measurement areas can also be defined by the user, and the same or different browning target values ​​can be assigned to these image measurement areas. For example, when the actual browning degree of one or more of these image measurement areas reaches the associated target browning degree, the next cooking process can be ended.

[0093] Generally speaking, “a”, “an” etc. may be understood as single or plural, especially in the sense of “at least one” or “one or more” etc., as long as this is not explicitly excluded, for example by expressing “exactly one” etc.

[0094] Reference numerals list

[0095] 1 oven

[0096] 2 Cooking room

[0097] 3 Loading opening

[0098] 4 doors

[0099] 5. Camera

[0100] 6 Control device

[0101] 7 Oven's touch-sensitive screen

[0102] 8 Communication module

[0103] 9. Touch-sensitive screens of smartphones

[0104] B. Baking tray

[0105] C Profile

[0106] CUR Cursor

[0107] DB mode database

[0108] G Cooking

[0109] H Chicken

[0110] K Potato Chips

[0111] N users

[0112] NW Network

[0113] P Cooking cabinet image

[0114] S Touch-sensitive screen

[0115] S1-S7 Method Steps

[0116] SP smartphone.

Claims

1. A method for setting a target browning degree of a cooked object (G), comprising the following steps: - taking (S2) an image (P) from a cooking chamber of a domestic cooking appliance (1) containing said cooking object (G); - displaying (S3) said image (P) on a screen (S); - defining (S4, S5) a user-selectable image measurement region (C; CUR) in the displayed image (P); and - for the selected image measurement area (C; CUR), specifying (S6) a target browning degree, in, To define the image measurement region (C; CUR), - for an image area selected on the user side, automatically determining a pattern area including said image area, and - the pattern area is adopted as the image measurement area (C; CUR), The automatic pattern recognition comprises pattern matching with a pattern database (DB), in which image patterns associated with predetermined culinary objects (G) are stored.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The step of defining (S4, S5) said image measurement region (C; CUR) comprises positioning said image measurement region (C; CUR) on said screen (S) in a user-guided manner.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein: The user-guided definition of the image measurement region (C; CUR) comprises touch-guided and / or operating panel-guided positioning of the image measurement region (C; CUR) on the screen (S).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The image measurement area (C; CUR) can be changed on the user side.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: A user-selectable image measurement region (C; CUR) is first automatically selected and adopted after a user confirmation or after no user confirmation occurs within a predefined time period.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: During the subsequent cooking process (S7), the image measurement area (C; CUR) is automatically tracked.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The target browning degree is set (S6) on the user side.

8. A device configured to carry out the method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: - a domestic cooking appliance (1) having a cooking chamber (2), - at least one camera (5) directed towards the cooking chamber (2), - at least one screen (S) on which the images (P) captured by the at least one camera (5) can be displayed, at least one operator interface (7, 9) for defining a user-selectable image measurement region (C; CUR) in the displayed image (P) and for specifying a target browning degree, - Data processing means (6) for executing the cooking process taking into account said target browning degree.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein: The device is a domestic cooking appliance (1).

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein: The screen (S) and the operator interface (7, 9) are components of a user terminal (SP), and the domestic cooking appliance (1) has a communication interface (8) connected to the user terminal (SP) for transmitting data related to the method.

11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein: The pattern database (DB) is stored in a network supported data storage.

12. The apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein: The device comprises network supported image processing means for defining the user selectable image measurement region (C; CUR) in the displayed image (P) by means of automatic pattern recognition.

Images