Cooking apparatus

Abstract

Predictive cooking systems and methods are disclosed. A representative system can include a cooking device that is submersible in a container of fluid and a memory device that stores instructions for causing a processor to receive information and determine a heater setpoint temperature and an on-time. The processor can receive information indicative of one or more characteristics of food to be cooked in the fluid and a desired food temperature. The processor can execute a control process that can include sending instructions for controlling a heater, obtaining a temperature measurement of the fluid from a temperature sensor, determining a power measurement delivered to the heater, determining a constant related to a corresponding physical characteristic of the fluid and / or the container based on at least one of the temperature measurement and the power measurement, and determining a food temperature of the food.

Description

[0001] This divisional application is a divisional application of Chinese patent application No. 201980056187.8, filed on August 29, 2019, entitled "Cooking Apparatus". Technical Field

[0002] This technology relates to a cooking device. Background Technology

[0003] Sous sous vide is a cooking method where food is sealed in a plastic bag and then placed in a hot water bath until it reaches the desired internal temperature. The temperature of the hot water bath is typically much lower than that used for cooking in an oven or on a stovetop. While sous sous vide does generally take longer than conventional methods, it cooks moist food evenly, ensuring that the inside of the food is cooked properly without overcooking the outside.

[0004] In traditional cooking methods, heat flows from a burner to a pan, then into the food, or the elements of an oven heat the air around the food. Because the air in an oven and the metal in a pan are much hotter than the desired internal temperature of the food, more of the food is cooked on the outside, so heating must be stopped at the right time. These traditional cooking methods have a narrow time window for properly heating food. If heating is stopped too early or too late, the food is either overcooked or undercooked. However, when cooking with water instead of an oven or pan, the water temperature can be set precisely to bring the food to its optimal temperature without needing to stop heating at exactly the right time. Therefore, the time window for the food to reach the desired temperature is much wider. However, current methods for setting fluid temperatures result in longer cooking times. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The object of this invention is to address one or more of the disadvantages discussed above, or at least to provide a usable alternative to the cooking methods mentioned above.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for cooking food in a fluid, the method comprising the following steps:

[0007] Receive food information indicating one or more properties of the food to be cooked in the fluid;

[0008] Receive the desired food temperature;

[0009] Receive information relating to a predetermined acceptable temperature gradient for the entire food;

[0010] The heater used to heat the fluid is controlled based on heater control information related to the setpoint temperature and the heater's operating period;

[0011] Obtain temperature measurement values;

[0012] Facilitates the determination of power measurements transmitted to the heater;

[0013] Based on at least one of the temperature measurement and the power measurement, facilitate the determination of one or more process parameters related to one or more corresponding physical properties of the environment surrounding the food;

[0014] Based on the one or more process parameters, the temperature measurement and / or the power measurement, an estimate of the food temperature of the food is determined.

[0015] Based on the food temperature, the one or more process parameters, the temperature measurement, and / or the power measurement, updated heater control information is determined such that:

[0016] The food substantially reaches the desired food temperature while maintaining or not exceeding the predetermined acceptable temperature gradient throughout the food; and

[0017] After the heater's operating period, the fluid is substantially cooled to the desired food temperature within a predetermined time period, and the food substantially reaches the desired food temperature within the predetermined time period; and

[0018] The heater is controlled according to the updated heater control information until the food temperature substantially reaches the desired food temperature.

[0019] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a cooking apparatus for cooking food in a container using the method of the first aspect, the cooking apparatus being in energetic communication with a fluid in the container for cooking the food, the cooking apparatus comprising:

[0020] The heater used to heat the fluid;

[0021] A temperature sensor used to provide the temperature measurement value;

[0022] At least one memory device for storing executable instructions for operating the cooking apparatus; and

[0023] At least one processor adapted to execute the executable instructions to perform the method of the first aspect. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Embodiments of the representative predictive cooking systems and methods described herein can be better understood by referring to the following detailed descriptions in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate only preferred embodiments, and in the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate the same or functionally similar elements:

[0025] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a predictive cooking system according to some embodiments of the present technology is shown;

[0026] Figure 2A It is an isometric view of a representative cooking apparatus;

[0027] Figure 2B yes Figure 2A The cooking apparatus shown is a front view.

[0028] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of a processor-based predictive cooking system according to some embodiments of the present technology;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating an operational method for determining a cooking procedure according to some embodiments of the present technology;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a representative operation method of a processor-based predictive cooking system according to some embodiments of the present technology;

[0031] Figure 6A It is a graph showing the temperature of the fluid bath and the core temperature of the food over time during conventional and predictive cooking processes;

[0032] Figure 6B It is shown that... Figure 6A The graph shown represents the power input to the heater over time corresponding to the cooking temperature.

[0033] Figure 7 It is a diagram of a representative application's user input interface;

[0034] Figure 8 It is a diagram of a representative application status interface;

[0035] Figure 9 It is a block diagram showing an overview of a device on which some implementation schemes can be operated;

[0036] Figure 10 It is a block diagram illustrating an overview of the environment in which some implementation schemes can be operated; and

[0037] Figure 11 This is a block diagram illustrating components that can be used in a system employing the disclosed technology in some embodiments.

[0038] Figure 12 It is an isometric view of a representative alternative cooking device.

[0039] The headings provided herein are for convenience only and do not necessarily affect the scope of the embodiments. Furthermore, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the drawings may be increased or decreased to aid in understanding the embodiments. In addition, while the disclosed technology allows for various modifications and alternatives, specific embodiments have been illustrated by way of example in the drawings and described in detail below. However, it is not intended to unnecessarily limit the described embodiments. Rather, the embodiments are intended to cover all suitable modifications, combinations, equivalents, and / or alternatives to the technology that falls within the scope of this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0040] Overview

[0041] Methods and systems for predicting cooking are disclosed. The disclosed techniques can be used to estimate various unknown process parameters related to the cooking environment. For example, in a sous-vide cooking environment, the size and shape of the container, the mass and volume of the fluid, the thermal conductivity of the container, evaporation losses, and food characteristics are examples of process parameters that may be unknown.

[0042] In some implementations, these parameters are determined by solving a physical model based on measured changes in the temperature of the fluid, the heating element, and / or the known power delivered to the fluid by the heater. Data on how the fluid temperature responds to a known power input over time can be used to estimate constants in the physical model. The physical model can then be used to predict future fluid temperatures by iterating the model forward over time. Thus, the core temperature of the food being cooked and the temperature gradient from the surface to the center of the food can be predicted. Based on these predictions, the setpoint temperature the heater attempts to reach and the heater's operating time can be optimized to cook the food as quickly as possible or complete cooking at a selected time of day without exceeding an acceptable temperature gradient.

[0043] In traditional sous vide cooking, the fluid temperature is raised to a setpoint corresponding to the desired food temperature and maintained at that temperature until the food essentially reaches the desired temperature, resulting in a small temperature gradient (if any) throughout the food. By accepting a small temperature gradient within the food, the fact that hot water heats food faster than cold water can significantly shorten the heating time in sous vide cooking. Similarly, in fluids other than water, such as air in an oven or toaster, the higher air temperature raises the surface temperature of the food, thus significantly shortening the heating time. The disclosed cooking apparatus controls the heater at a setpoint temperature higher than the conventional sous vide setpoint temperature, and then controls the heater at a lower setpoint temperature, thereby cooling the fluid back to the desired food temperature. Likewise, when the fluid is air or air and water vapor, the predictive cooking system can raise the temperature and / or change the relative humidity (if the apparatus can control the humidity) to accelerate cooking, and then adjust the temperature and / or relative humidity to maintain the desired final temperature for a longer period.

[0044] General description

[0045] Various examples of the systems and methods described above will now be described in further detail. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and description of these examples. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the techniques discussed herein can be practiced without many of these details. Similarly, those skilled in the art will understand that the techniques may include many other features not described in detail herein. Furthermore, some well-known structures or functions may be omitted from the description or described in detail below to avoid unnecessarily confusing the related descriptions.

[0046] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a predictive cooking system 100 according to a representative embodiment is shown. The predictive cooking system 100 may include a cooking appliance 102, one or more processors 108, and one or more memory devices 110 communicatively connected together via one or more communication channels, such as a communication network 112. A client computing device 106 can communicate with the system 100 via the communication network 112 to provide input to the system. For example, a user can use the client computing device 106 to provide desired food temperature, acceptable temperature gradient of the whole food, food characteristics (e.g., type, weight, thickness, shape), and container information related to container characteristics (e.g., size, shape, volume).

[0047] Cooking appliance 102 may include a container 104 containing a fluid 10, such as water, and a cooking device 200, such as a hot immersion circulator or sous vibrator, at least partially submerged in the fluid 10. In some embodiments, cooking appliance 102 may include an information label 114 and a lid 105 configured to cover the container 104 to help control heat loss and evaporation of the liquid 10. In the illustrated example, food 12, such as steak, may be placed in a resealable plastic bag 14 and placed in the liquid 10. When the cooking device 200 heats the liquid 10, food 12 can be cooked according to predictive cooking methods disclosed herein. In other embodiments, cooking appliance 102 may include, for example, an oven or a pressure cooker. In these embodiments, cooking appliances essentially include cooking devices, wherein an oven includes a container 104 containing fluid 10, the container being an oven chamber, and the fluid being air and / or steam within the oven chamber. Other examples of cooking appliances that essentially include cooking devices are convection ovens or pressure cookers with humidity control.

[0048] like Figure 2A As shown, the cooking apparatus 200 may include a housing 202 and a container 104 adapted for attaching the cooking apparatus 200 to the container 104. Figure 1 The mounting clip 208 of the cooking appliance 200 is used. The housing 202 may house the heater 210 and sensors, such as a temperature sensor 211, a pressure sensor 212, and / or a humidity sensor. In embodiments where the cooking appliance 200 includes a container 104, the cooking appliance 200 may include a second pressure sensor (not shown) to provide a container pressure measurement indicating the pressure in the container 104. Further reference... Figure 2B The housing 202 may house an electric motor 215 operatively coupled to an impeller 216 to circulate liquid 10 through inlet 220, through heater 210, and out through outlet 222. The cooking appliance 200 may include a processor 213 and a memory device 214 (which may be monolithically integrated with the processor). The cooking appliance 200 may also include control buttons 204 (e.g., on / off), indicator lights 206, and / or a user interface 205.

[0049] Figure 3 This is a flowchart illustrating an operation method 300 of a processor-based predictive cooking system according to some embodiments of the present technology. Method 300 begins at 302. For example, method 300 may respond to client computing device 106 ( Figure 1 It can be started by activating a specific application on the cooking device 200, or by using the control buttons 204 and / or the user interface 205 of the cooking device 200. Figure 2A and 2B And so it began.

[0050] At 304, the system receives information indicating one or more characteristics of the food 12. For example, in the case of meat (e.g., steak 12), the system may receive information relating to type, cut, thickness, shape, weight, quantity, etc. Although apparatus, systems, and methods are described herein with respect to the preparation of meat products, the disclosed techniques can be used to prepare other types of foods, such as fish, vegetables, puddings, and custards, to name just a few.

[0051] At 306, the system sends an initial heating command to the cooking appliance 200 to begin heating the fluid 10 ( Figure 1 ) and for example through temperature and pressure sensors 211 / 212 ( Figure 2A and 2B The system obtains measurement values. Alternatively, the initial heating command can be set by the user. In some implementations, the system can receive geolocation (e.g., GPS) information from the user device to determine the altitude based on the geolocation rather than the pressure sensor 212. Figure 2A Alternatively, in addition to the pressure sensor, atmospheric pressure may be estimated based on the altitude of the geographical location. In some embodiments, the cooking appliance 200 includes a humidity sensor to provide a measurement of the humidity in the container. In other embodiments, the cooking appliance 200 includes a second pressure sensor to provide a measurement of the container pressure, where, for embodiments where the cooking appliance 200 includes a container, the pressure in the container may differ from the ambient pressure measured by pressure sensor 212 or the pressure estimated based on geographical location information. The pressure transmitted to heater 210 may also be determined using calculations based on the current, voltage, and / or pulse width input to the cooking appliance. Figure 2A The power measurement value of fluid 10 and container 104. In some embodiments, the initial heating command can be determined based on previous measurements and calculations, for example, the previous measurements and calculations can be used to estimate the power of fluid 10 and container 104. Figure 1 The starting point of the physical properties of ).

[0052] At 308, the system can determine the relationship between the fluid 10 and the container 104 based on the temperature change relative to the power delivered to the heater 210 (Figure 2). Figure 1 One or more process parameters related to the corresponding physical characteristics of the system. The system can use least squares, Kalman filtering, or other similar mathematical methods to fit the physical model to the measured data to estimate or determine process parameters, such as fluid mass / volume c1, container thermal conductivity to the environment c2, the difference between air temperature and dew point c3, and evaporation loss to the environment c4 (collectively referred to as c). i For example, in some implementations, the system may use the following physical model to determine the relationship between the fluid 10 and the container 104 (). Figure 1 The constants related to the corresponding physical properties of )

[0053]

[0054] Where P(t) is the power transferred to heater 210 as a function of time (t), F(t) is the energy entering food 12 as a function of time (t), T(t) is the temperature of the fluid as a function of time (t), H(T(t)) is the specific humidity at the surface of the fluid as a function of time (t), and c i ≥0 can be changed promptly. For example, changes in process parameters over time can be achieved using process noise in sigma-point Kalman filtering or weights in least-squares fitting. Note that c1∝V 流体 -1 .

[0055] In some implementations, information related to fluid 10 and container 104 can be input by the user. Figure 1 For example, the user can provide the dimensions (e.g., length, width, and / or height) and / or container material of container 104, such as glass, metal, or insulating material. This information can be used to refine the physical model by replacing certain process parameters with known process parameters. In some embodiments, the characteristics of container 104 may be known to the system and / or only need to be identified by name, number, or barcode located on the container, for example, or predetermined by the manufacturer. The user can enter the name or number using client computing device 106, or scan the barcode from label 114 located on container 104 using a camera. The system can retrieve all necessary data from memory (e.g., memory 110) associated with the identified container.

[0056] At 310, the system can roughly estimate the temperature of food 12 in the following way:

[0057]

[0058]

[0059]

[0060] Where τ (0≤r≤R, t≥t0) is an estimate of the food temperature, and t0 is the time the food is added, slow-cooked at a low temperature, or cooked in a pressure cooker. When cooking in an oven, an additional term is added to the right side of Equation 4 to account for water vapor that evaporates from and condenses on the food surface. α=k / (ρc p ) is thermal diffusivity, k is thermal conductivity, ρ is density, and c is density. p ρ is the specific heat, 2R is the characteristic thickness, 0≤β≤2 is the characteristic shape, h is the surface heat transfer coefficient, and τ0≈5℃ is the initial temperature. Constants α, k, ρ, and c are also present. pThe selection is based on the type and cut of food. For example, regardless of whether the food is beef or pork, and whether it is steak or tenderloin. Based on the temperature distribution, the system can estimate the change in the food's energy. Considering the temperature distribution curve and β, the system performs numerical integration or quadrating to estimate the energy. The characteristic shape β describes how heat is transferred from the food boundary and can vary between 0 and 2. If the food is viewed relative to three axes (i.e., x, y, and z), a value close to zero indicates that heat comes from + / -x rather than y or z, a value close to 1 indicates that heat comes from + / -x and + / -y rather than z, and a value close to 2 indicates that heat comes from all directions. In other words, β represents the characteristic dimension of the food's heat transfer system minus one.

[0061] When cooking multiple foods simultaneously, the system can use the average thickness of the foods and their total combined weight. In some implementations, the system assumes all items are roughly the same. In other cases, if the items have different shapes, the system can adjust the algorithm to allow for longer heating times, thereby reducing the chances of undercooking or overcooking.

[0062] In some implementations, the system can be accessed via client device 106 ( Figure 1 The system receives shape information related to the food. For example, the client device's camera can be used to capture an image (e.g., via an available augmented reality toolkit) that is related to a characteristic shape parameter β of the food. The β parameter is characterized by different shapes, namely planes, cylinders, and spheres / cubes, with values ​​between 0 and 2. In some embodiments, the system can draw a bounding box around the food, such that the dimensions of the box, e.g., x, y, z, can be used to estimate the characteristic shape parameter β of the food.

[0063] In some implementations, the shape of the food to be cooked can be matched with images of similar food shapes presented in a user application. In some implementations, the system can detect food using deep learning from a database of labeled images based on a photograph of the food to be cooked. In some implementations, image data techniques can be used to determine the fat content of the food by using the average color derived from photographs of the food (e.g., the CIELAB color space).

[0064] At 400, the system can estimate an optimized cooking program (e.g., heater setpoint temperature and heater on-time). The optimized cooking program attempts to heat the center of the food while maintaining or not exceeding a predetermined acceptable temperature gradient across the entire food; exceeding this gradient could overcook the outer edges of the food while attempting to heat the center. Similarly, the optimized cooking program attempts to determine a setpoint temperature and heater operating time such that the food substantially reaches the desired food temperature while maintaining or not exceeding a predetermined acceptable temperature gradient across the entire food; and after the heater operating time, the fluid substantially cools to the desired food temperature within a predetermined time period, and the food substantially reaches the desired food temperature within the predetermined time period. This can be referred to as an aggressive constraint, which tells how hot the edges of the food can become. See below for reference. Figure 4 A more complete description of the optimization process 400.

[0065] At 312, executable instructions (e.g., a cooking program) for controlling the heater can be sent to the cooking apparatus. These instructions contain heater control information related to the setpoint temperature and heater operating time. Once the cooking program is sent to the cooking apparatus, the method can return to 308 to periodically (e.g., every 10-300 seconds) update the container / fluid process parameters, determine the food temperature, and determine updated heater control information for the resulting optimized cooking program. The heating rate of the fluid slows down over time due to heat loss through conduction through the container and evaporation from the fluid's surface. Therefore, the system can periodically recalculate the setpoint temperature and heater operating time to account for changes in the cooking environment.

[0066] At 314, the method may terminate, for example, when the food reaches a desired food temperature. For example, the desired food temperature may be the selected center temperature of the food corresponding to a steak's "raw" to "well-done" result. In some embodiments, the system can be accessed via client computing device 106 ( Figure 1 Instructions from users that food received should be pasteurized or sterilized. In these cases, the fluid and food can be maintained at the desired food temperature for a desired time period, i.e., within the pasteurization time frame, based on known pasteurization time and temperature gauges. In some cases, the heater can be controlled based on a higher setpoint temperature for at least a short time period to ensure pasteurization or sterilization is achieved.

[0067] Food can be added to the fluid before, during, or after the initial heating command is sent to the cooking appliance at 306, at 320. For example, food can be added to the fluid at 308 or 400. The system can receive an indication from the user that food has been added to the fluid via the client computing device 106. In some embodiments, the system can detect when food has been added by monitoring changes in the fluid temperature relative to the power delivered to the heater. For example, if the fluid temperature, as indicated by temperature measurements, begins to rise at a slower rate than previously determined, it can be inferred that food has been added to the fluid. If the user adds food before the fluid reaches a setpoint temperature, the system can detect this and adjust accordingly. In some embodiments, the system uses a prediction-correction algorithm to monitor deviations from predictions, thereby detecting food addition and other user events (e.g., adding water).

[0068] Figure 4 This is a flowchart illustrating a representative method 400 for determining updated heater control information for an optimized cooking program according to some embodiments of the present technology. The system predicts the results of multiple temperature setpoints. The system can predict the temperature results of each setpoint forward in time, solving thermal equations (e.g., Equation 2) at multiple time steps, thereby predicting the temperature distribution curve of the food and the heat added to the food over time. Kalman filtering can be used to estimate different heat fluxes to calculate the fluid temperature at the next time step. In some embodiments, a shooting method can be used to create an effective cooking program that heats the center of the food to a desired food temperature while maintaining or not exceeding an acceptable temperature gradient constraint (e.g., an aggression factor). The fluid temperature of the effective cooking program will match the center temperature within a predetermined time period during which the food is first sufficiently heated. In embodiments where the fluid is air and the heat capacity of the heating element exceeds the heat capacity of the fluid, the heating element temperature of the effective cooking program will match the center temperature within a predetermined time period during which the food is first sufficiently heated. Preferably, the predetermined time period is between 10 seconds and 300 seconds. The effective cooking program can then be searched to obtain the cooking program with the shortest cooking time. In some implementations, users can select a final product with less uniform heating (e.g., a high temperature gradient and / or an error in the center temperature) to shorten the cooking time, or select food for which a predetermined acceptable temperature gradient should be higher to achieve better cooking results. The system can provide feedback to the user, warning them that shortening the cooking time may affect the final characteristics of the food.

[0069] At 402, the optimization procedure begins according to operation method 300 ( Figure 3During the process, the measurements of how the fluid is heated, as well as the user input as described above, include the desired food or core temperature T0 of the food, and the acceptable temperature gradient of the entire food, i.e., the temperature gradient from the surface to the center of the food.

[0070] At 404, the method selects a setpoint temperature for evaluation. The optimization process searches all possible temperature setpoints—the temperature to which the cooking apparatus attempts to heat the fluid, after which the fluid is cooled to the user's desired food temperature based on updated heater control information, just as the core temperature of the food rises to said temperature.

[0071] In section 406, the optimization procedure calculates the heater operating time given a selected setpoint temperature. The heater operating time is the time it takes for the cooking apparatus to change its setpoint from the initially selected setpoint temperature to the desired temperature T0, which, according to the currently disclosed principles, is typically higher than the desired food temperature T0. The optimization procedure steps the system state forward in time: in each step, the fluid temperature, fluid volume / mass, and the temperature distribution profile of the food are determined (using the determined fluid temperature).

[0072] In some implementations, the heater operating period can be estimated as the time it takes for the food surface to reach its maximum value or for the food center to reach a predetermined threshold. Due to the heat capacity of the fluid and / or heating element, the food will continue to heat after the setpoint temperature has decreased from the setpoint temperature to the user's desired food temperature (e.g., lag effect). This is considered the heating or cooking time, which is typically longer than the heater operating period and is the time it takes for the food center to be estimated as T0 – δ (δ = acceptable change in desired center temperature). The algorithm attempts to optimize the heating time. In some implementations, the heating time can be estimated using a shooting method as discussed above.

[0073] At step 408, the algorithm may stop for several reasons. For example, the setpoint temperature used in the previous step might be within ε of the temperature setpoint that gave the optimal heating time. This ε may depend on the current state or estimate of the system; for instance, if optimization is performed every N seconds (e.g., 10–300 seconds) and the fluid will not reach T0 within N seconds, any setpoint temperature equal to or higher than T0 will produce the same result. Once the stopping condition is met, the optimization procedure returns to step 404 to evaluate another setpoint temperature.

[0074] At 410, once all setpoint temperatures have been evaluated, the optimization procedure searches for acceptable setpoint temperatures to find one with the optimal cooking time. The optimal cooking time can be the shortest possible time or a program completed within a user-selected time period in the future or within a user-selected time period of the day. In some implementations, a binomial or bounded Newton algorithm, a direct search algorithm, or a gradient-based search algorithm can be used to search for the setpoint temperature to select one that meets the requirements of the optimized cooking program. At 412, once the optimal setpoint temperature has been selected, the setpoint temperature and heater operating time are returned to operating method 300 to be communicated to the cooking apparatus at 312. Figure 3 ).

[0075] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a representative operation method 500 of a processor-based predictive cooking system 100 according to some embodiments of the present technology. This method can be stored in any data storage device of the cooking apparatus, such as the on-chip memory of the processor; alternatively, at least some of the methods can be executed by a user device. This method can be applied not only to apparatus 200 but also to other cooking apparatuses.

[0076] Method 500 begins at 502. For example, method 500 may respond to client computing device 106 ( Figure 1 It can be started by activating a specific application on the cooking device 200, or by using the control buttons 204 and / or the user interface 205 of the cooking device 200. Figure 2A and 2BThe process begins at 504. At 504, the system may receive information indicating one or more characteristics of the food 12 to be cooked (e.g., in the fluid 10). At 506, the system may receive information regarding the desired food temperature and a predetermined acceptable temperature gradient for the entire food 12. At 508, the system performs a process involving sending instructions for controlling the heater 210 (which may be a heater having a heating element located in the container of the fluid 10). The instructions may include information regarding a setpoint temperature and the heater's operating period. At 510, temperature measurements (e.g., temperature measurements of the fluid 10 and / or the heater 210) may be obtained from the temperature sensor 211. At 512, power measurements transmitted to the heater 210 may be determined. At 514, one or more constants relating to one or more corresponding physical characteristics (e.g., physical characteristics of at least one of the fluid 10 and the container 104) may be determined based on at least one of the temperature and power measurements. At 516, the food temperature of the food 12 may be determined. At 518, a setpoint temperature and heater operating period can be determined by solving, for example, a fluid temperature that brings food 12 to a desired food temperature while maintaining or not exceeding a predetermined acceptable temperature gradient for the entire food 12; and the fluid temperature, after the heater operating period, causes fluid 10 to substantially cool to the desired food temperature within a predetermined time period, and food 12 substantially reaches the desired food temperature within the predetermined time period. The process (e.g., 508-518) can be repeated once or multiple times until the food temperature reaches the desired food temperature, at which point method process 500 ends at 520.

[0077] Figure 6A Graph 600 shows the temperature of the fluid bath and the core temperature of the food over time during conventional (dashed line) and predicted (solid line) cooking processes. In conventional sous-vide cooking, the fluid temperature 602 rises to a set point (e.g., 55°C) and remains at that temperature, at least until the food 606 reaches, for example, within 2°C of the set point temperature (line 610), which is also the desired food temperature. In the example shown, this occurs within approximately 96 minutes (line 614).

[0078] In contrast, using the disclosed predictive cooking technology, the fluid temperature 604 can be raised to a level significantly higher than conventional setpoint temperatures. In the illustrated example, the fluid temperature 604 can be raised to approximately 70°C. The fluid is maintained at this temperature during the heater's operating period, in this case, until approximately 30 minutes have passed, at which point the heater is turned off and the fluid cools. The heater remains off, and the fluid continues to cool until the fluid temperature drops to the desired food temperature. Using the disclosed predictive cooking technology, the fluid substantially reaches the desired food temperature within a predetermined time period, and the food 608 substantially reaches the desired food temperature within the predetermined time period. In the illustrated example, the predetermined time period occurs within approximately 50 minutes (line 612), approximately half the time of conventional technology. At this point, the heater can be restarted to maintain the fluid and food at the desired food temperature until the user is ready to serve the food and / or pasteurize the food.

[0079] Figure 6B This is a graph 650 showing the power input to the heater over time in conventional and predictive techniques. The power is expressed as a percentage duty cycle using pulse width modulation (PWM). In conventional sous vide cooking, heater 652 raises the temperature at approximately 100% duty cycle until the setpoint is reached. At this point, the duty cycle is reduced to approximately 25% to maintain the setpoint temperature. Using the disclosed predictive technique, heater 654 can raise the temperature at approximately 100% duty cycle until the fluid substantially reaches a higher setpoint temperature (e.g., 70°C) within acceptable tolerances. At this point, the duty cycle is reduced to approximately 45% to maintain the setpoint temperature. The heater is then turned off (i.e., duty cycle 0%) to allow the fluid to cool to the desired fluid temperature, at which point the heater is turned on at approximately 25% duty cycle to maintain the fluid and food at the desired food temperature.

[0080] Figure 7A representative user interface for receiving various user inputs about the food to be cooked is shown. For example, in screen 1010, the user can select whether the food is fresh or frozen via radio button 1024 or other suitable graphical controls. In the case of a steak, the user can input the thickness of the steak via radio button 1026. Using this initial input, the system can provide a cooking time estimate 1030 corresponding to a conventional sous-vide cooking process. The user can start this process by selecting the start button 1032. However, screen 1010 also provides the user with the option to use a disclosed predictive cooking technology (e.g., Turbo Cook) via the selector switch key 1028. In this case, the user can input additional information on screen 1012. For example, the user can input the approximate shape of the food by selecting the corresponding button 1034. The user can also input the weight of the food via the rotator 1036. These settings can be saved via the save button 1038, at which point screen 1014 can use the disclosed predictive cooking technology to provide an updated estimated cooking time 1040. Screen 1014 may include a next button 1042 to proceed to the next screen. In some implementations, screen 1016 may provide information and instructions 1044 before the cooking process is started via the start button 1046.

[0081] Figure 8 A representative status screen is shown, indicating, for example, the current temperature and remaining cooking time. In the initial status screen 1018, the temperature 1050 and a progress indicator (e.g., a circle) 1052 are provided. An estimated cooking time 1048 is also provided. In some embodiments, various screens may include navigation controls 1054. Screen 1020 provides the remaining time 1056 and the time of day when the food will be ready 1058. Once the food is ready, the system can maintain it at the appropriate temperature until the user is ready to eat. Screen 1022 provides the length of time the food has been held at the finished temperature 1060, and also provides the optimal time up to time 1062.

[0082] In some embodiments, a representative cooking system may include a cooking device that is at least partially immersed in a container of fluid, the device comprising a heater and a temperature sensor, and at least one memory device storing instructions. The instructions may cause at least one processor to: receive information indicating one or more characteristics of a food to be cooked in the fluid; receive a desired food temperature; execute a control process; and repeat the control process once or multiple times until the food temperature reaches the desired food temperature. The control process may include: sending instructions for controlling the heater, the instructions containing information relating to a heater setpoint temperature and a heater on-time; obtaining a temperature measurement of the fluid from the temperature sensor; determining a power measurement transmitted to the heater; determining one or more constants relating to one or more corresponding physical characteristics of at least one of the fluid and the container based on at least one of the temperature and power measurements; determining the food temperature; and determining the heater setpoint temperature and the heater on-time.

[0083] In some implementations, the setpoint temperature and heater operating period can be determined by solving for: the food substantially reaches the desired food temperature while maintaining or not exceeding a predetermined acceptable temperature gradient for the entire food; and after the heater operating period, the fluid substantially cools to the desired food temperature for a predetermined period of time, and the food substantially reaches the desired food temperature for the predetermined period of time. The system can also wirelessly receive information related to the acceptable temperature gradient for the entire food via a user device, such as a mobile phone or tablet. The system can provide feedback to the user device related to the predetermined acceptable temperature gradient. The setpoint temperature and heater start-up time can be determined by solving for the fluid temperature, which causes the food to reach the desired food temperature at a user-specified time while maintaining or not exceeding a predetermined acceptable temperature gradient for the entire food. The system can estimate at least one of container type and container size based on one or more constants, wherein one or more process parameters can include at least one of fluid volume value (c1), container thermal conductivity value (c2), or evaporation loss value (c4). In some implementations, the system can receive at least one of container type and container size. At least one of container type and container size can be received based on name, number, or barcode located on the container. In some implementations, the system can detect when food is placed in the container based on changes in temperature and power measurements. The system can identify whether food was placed in the container before the fluid reached a setpoint temperature and can adjust the setpoint temperature in response. The system can maintain the desired food temperature for a selected pasteurization period based on desired food temperature and information indicating one or more characteristics of the food. The cooking apparatus may include a pressure sensor and / or the system may receive geographic location information from a user device and estimate atmospheric pressure based on the altitude of said geographic location.

[0084] In some embodiments, a representative cooking system may include a cooking apparatus comprising a heater and a temperature or pressure sensor, and at least one memory device storing instructions. The instructions may cause at least one processor to: receive information indicating one or more characteristics of the food to be cooked; receive a desired food temperature; and execute a process. The process may include: sending instructions for controlling the heater, including a setpoint temperature, a heater operating period, or both; obtaining a temperature measurement (T) related to the food being cooked from the sensor; determining a power measurement (P) transmitted to the heater; determining a fluid volume value (c1), a container thermal conductivity value (c2), or an evaporation loss value (c4) by fitting a predetermined physical model to at least the temperature measurement (T) and the power measurement (P); determining the food temperature (τ); and determining the setpoint temperature, the heater operating period, or both.

[0085] The system may include instructions for causing the processor to repeat the control process one or more times until the food temperature reaches the desired food temperature. In some embodiments, the cooking apparatus is at least partially immersed in a container of fluid. The setpoint temperature and heater operating time can be determined by solving for the fluid temperature, whereby: the food substantially reaches the desired food temperature while maintaining or not exceeding a predetermined acceptable temperature gradient for the entire food; and after the heater operating time, the fluid substantially cools to the desired food temperature for a predetermined time period, and the food substantially reaches the desired food temperature for a predetermined time period. The cooking apparatus may be at least partially immersed in a container of fluid, and the physical model may include Equation 1, where (F) is the energy entering the food, (c3) is the difference depending on the air temperature and dew point, and (H) is the specific humidity at the surface of the fluid. The physical model can be solved using either the least squares method or the Kalman filter method. The food temperature (τ) can be determined by Equations 2-4, where τ (0≤r≤R,t≥t0) is the food temperature, t0 is the time of food addition, and α=k / (ρc p ) is thermal diffusivity, k is thermal conductivity, ρ is density, and c is density. p β is the specific heat, 2R is the characteristic thickness, 0≤β≤2 is the characteristic shape, h is the surface heat transfer coefficient, and τ0 is the initial food temperature. In some embodiments, the setpoint temperature can be greater than the desired food temperature, and the cooking apparatus can be at least partially immersed in the container of fluid.

[0086] In some embodiments, a representative method for heating food may include: receiving information indicating one or more characteristics of the food to be cooked; receiving a desired food temperature; receiving information relating to a predetermined acceptable temperature gradient of the entire food; performing a process; and repeating the process once or multiple times until the food temperature reaches the desired food temperature. The process may include: sending instructions for controlling a heater located near the food to be cooked, including information relating to a setpoint temperature and a heater operating period; obtaining temperature measurements relative to the environment near the food to be cooked; determining power measurements transmitted to the heater; determining one or more process parameters relating to one or more corresponding physical characteristics of the environment surrounding the food based on at least one of the temperature and power measurements; determining an estimate of the food temperature; and determining the setpoint temperature and heater operating period by solving for the fluid temperature, whereby: the food substantially reaches the desired food temperature while maintaining or not exceeding a predetermined acceptable temperature gradient of the entire food; and after the heater operating period, the fluid substantially cools to the desired food temperature for a predetermined period of time, and the food substantially reaches the desired food temperature for a predetermined period of time.

[0087] In some embodiments, the method is used to heat food in a container of fluid, and determining one or more process parameters may include determining at least one of the following: a fluid volume value (c1), a container thermal conductivity value (c2), and an evaporation loss value (c4) by fitting a physical model to at least a temperature measurement (T) and a power measurement (P). The physical model may include Equation 1, where (F) is the energy entering the food, (c3) is the difference between the ambient temperature and the ambient dew point of the ambient atmosphere surrounding the cooking device, and (H) is the specific humidity at the surface of the fluid.

[0088] In other embodiments, cooking appliance 102 may include a convection oven, a convection humidity or steam oven, a convection microwave oven, a heating mixer, a heating stirrer, and a toaster. In these embodiments, container 104 contains fluid 10, such as air with or without moisture; and cooking device 200 is integrated with the cooking appliance, for example, as a heating element in a convection oven, as a microwave generator in a convection microwave oven, or as a heating element in the chamber of a toaster. Cooking device 200 is in fluid communication with liquid 10, which is air in the chamber or chamber, and when cooking device 200 heats liquid 10, food 12 can be cooked according to the predictive cooking methods disclosed herein. In these cases where cooking device 200 is integrated with cooking appliance 102, the size of container 102 can be predetermined and set to be constant at the time of manufacture and does not require user input.

[0089] In other embodiments, the cooking appliance 102 may include a conventional or pressure cooker for use with an induction cooker. In these embodiments, the container 104 contains a fluid 10, such as saturated steam, and the cooking device 200 is an induction heating plate that induction heats the conventional or pressure port. The cooking device 200, as an induction cooker, is in energetic communication with the pot, and thus with the liquid 10, and when the cooking device 200 heats the liquid 10, it can cook the food 12 according to the predictive cooking methods disclosed herein.

[0090] In another embodiment, a cooking apparatus 200 for cooking food in a container 104 containing fluid 10 includes: a temperature sensor 211 for providing temperature measurements, a pressure sensor 212 for providing ambient pressure measurements, a second pressure sensor (not shown) for providing container pressure measurements, and a humidity sensor (not shown) for providing humidity measurements. The temperature sensor 211 may be adapted to provide temperature measurements of fluid 10 and / or heater 210 and / or the heating element of heater 210. The cooking apparatus 200 also includes at least one memory device 110 for storing executable instructions for operating the cooking apparatus 200. The cooking apparatus 200 further includes at least one processor 213 adapted to execute the executable instructions. The processor 213 controls heater 210 to heat fluid 10 based on heater control information relating to a setpoint temperature and heater operating period, wherein the heater optionally includes a heating element. The setpoint temperature is the temperature to which heater 210 attempts to heat fluid 10. The heater operating period is the period of time during which heater 210 is set to operate toward the setpoint temperature.

[0091] Processor 213 is adapted to receive food information indicating one or more characteristics of the food to be cooked in a fluid, as well as the desired food temperature. Similarly, processor 213 is adapted to obtain temperature measurements from temperature sensor 211, ambient pressure measurements from pressure sensor 212, container pressure measurements from a second pressure sensor, and humidity measurements from a humidity sensor.

[0092] Processor 213 is also adapted to facilitate the determination of power measurements delivered to the heater based on heater control information. For example, processor 213 may provide a cloud server (not shown) with the specifications of heater 210, as well as voltage, current, and / or duty cycle information, to determine the power measurements delivered to the heater based on the heater control information. Alternatively, the cloud server may retain and / or access this information based on a previous determination. In another alternative, processor 213 may determine the delivered power measurements based on the heater control information.

[0093] Processor 213 is adapted to facilitate the determination of one or more process parameters relating to one or more corresponding physical properties of at least one of a fluid and a container, based on at least one of temperature measurements and power measurements. For example, processor 213 may provide a cloud server with temperature measurements, power measurements, ambient pressure measurements, container pressure measurements, and / or humidity measurements to determine one or more process parameters. Alternatively, the cloud server may retain and / or access this information based on a prior determination. In another alternative, processor 213 may determine one or more process parameters locally.

[0094] Processor 213 is adapted to facilitate the determination of food temperature based on one or more process parameters, temperature measurements, and / or power measurements. For example, processor 213 may provide one or more process parameters, temperature measurements, power measurements, ambient pressure measurements, container pressure measurements, and / or humidity measurements to a cloud server to determine the food temperature. Alternatively, the cloud server may retain and / or access this information based on a previous determination. In another alternative, processor 213 may determine the food temperature locally.

[0095] Processor 213 is adapted to facilitate the determination of updated heater control information based on food temperature, one or more process parameters, temperature measurements, and / or power measurements. For example, processor 213 may provide food temperature, one or more process parameters, temperature measurements, power measurements, ambient pressure measurements, container pressure measurements, and / or humidity measurements to a cloud server to determine updated heater control information. Alternatively, the cloud server may retain and / or access this information based on a previous determination. In another alternative, processor 213 may determine the updated heater control information locally.

[0096] The processor 213 is also adapted to control the heater 210 according to the updated heater control information until the food temperature substantially reaches the desired food temperature.

[0097] Processor 213 is also adapted to receive container information indicating at least one of container type and container size of container 104. Processor 213 is adapted to facilitate the determination of one or more process parameters based at least on the container information. The container information may be contained in a name, number, or barcode located on container 104.

[0098] In some embodiments, the cooking apparatus 200 may include a container 104. In some embodiments, the cooking apparatus 200 includes a heater 210.

[0099] Applicable Systems

[0100] The techniques disclosed herein can be embodied in dedicated hardware (e.g., circuit systems), programmable circuit systems properly programmed with software and / or firmware, or a combination of dedicated circuit systems and programmable circuit systems. Therefore, embodiments may include machine-readable media on which instructions are stored, which can be used to cause a computer, microprocessor, processor, and / or microcontroller (or other electronic device) to perform a process. Machine-readable media may include, but are not limited to, optical discs, compressed optical disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), magneto-optical discs, ROM, random access memory (RAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic cards or optical cards, flash memory, or other types of media / machine-readable media suitable for storing electronic instructions.

[0101] Figure 1 In this document, network 112 can be a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), but it can also be other wired or wireless networks. Network 112 can be the Internet or some other public or private network. Client computing device 106 can connect to network 112 via a network interface, such as via wired or wireless communication. The techniques disclosed herein can be implemented on one or more processors. For example, the system can be implemented on one or more network processors 108, cooking appliance processor 213, the processor of the associated client computing device 106, or any suitable combination thereof.

[0102] Several implementation schemes are discussed in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Now, referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 9 This is a block diagram illustrating an overview of an apparatus on which some embodiments of the disclosed technology can be operated. The apparatus may include hardware components of a device 700 for determining an optimal cooking program. Device 700 may include one or more input devices 720 that provide input to a CPU (processor) 710 to notify it of actions. These actions are typically mediated by a hardware controller that interprets signals received from the input devices and transmits the information to the CPU 710 using a communication protocol. Input devices 720 include, for example, a mouse, keyboard, touchscreen, infrared sensor, touchpad, wearable input device, camera- or image-based input device, microphone, or other user input device.

[0103] CPU 710 can be a single processing unit or multiple processing units within a device, or distributed across multiple devices. For example, CPU 710 can be connected to other hardware devices via a bus such as a PCI bus or a SCSI bus. CPU 710 can communicate with a hardware controller for a device such as display 730. Display 730 can be used to display text and graphics. In some instances, display 730 provides visual feedback to the user, including graphics and text. In some embodiments, display 730 includes an input device as part of the display, such as when the input device is a touchscreen or equipped with an eye orientation monitoring system. In some embodiments, the display is separate from the input device. Examples of display devices include: LCD screens; LED screens; projection, holographic, or augmented reality displays (e.g., head-up displays or head-mounted displays); and so on. Other I / O devices 740 can also be connected to the processor, such as network cards, video cards, sound cards, USB, FireWire or other external devices, cameras, printers, speakers, CD-ROM drives, DVD drives, disk drives, or Blu-ray devices.

[0104] In some embodiments, device 700 also includes a communication device capable of communicating wirelessly or via a wired connection with network nodes. The communication device can communicate with another device or server via a network using, for example, a TCP / IP protocol. Device 700 can utilize the communication device to distribute tasks across multiple network devices.

[0105] CPU 710 can access memory 750. The memory includes one or more of various hardware devices for volatile and non-volatile storage, and may include read-only memory and writable memory. For example, the memory may include random access memory (RAM), CPU registers, read-only memory (ROM), and writable non-volatile memory such as flash memory, hard disk drive, floppy disk, CD, DVD, magnetic storage device, tape drive, device buffer, etc. The memory is not a propagating signal separate from the underlying hardware; therefore, the memory is non-transitory. Memory 750 may include program memory 760 storing programs and software such as operating system 762, predictive cooking platform 764, and other applications 766. Memory 750 may also include data memory 770, which may contain user preferences such as start time, finish time, and meat tenderness, which can be provided to program memory 760 or any element of device 700.

[0106] Some implementations can operate with a wide range of other general-purpose or special-purpose computing system environments or configurations. Examples of well-known computing systems, environments, and / or configurations that can be used with the technology include, but are not limited to, personal computers, server computers, handheld or laptop devices, cellular phones, mobile phones, wearable electronic devices, game consoles, tablet computers, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based systems, set-top boxes, programmable consumer electronic devices, network PCs, microcomputers, mainframe computers, and distributed computing environments that include any of the above systems or devices.

[0107] Figure 10 This is a block diagram illustrating an overview of an environment 800 in which some embodiments of the disclosed technology can be operated. Environment 800 may include one or more client computing devices 805A-D, instances of which may include device 700. Client computing devices 805 can operate in a network environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers (e.g., server computing devices 810) via network 830.

[0108] In some embodiments, server computing device 810 may be an edge server that receives client requests and coordinates the fulfillment of those requests through other servers, such as servers 820A-C. Server computing devices 810 and 820 may include computing systems, such as device 700. Although each server computing device 810 and 820 logically appears as a single server, the server computing devices may each constitute a distributed computing environment, comprising multiple computing devices located in the same physical location or geographically different physical locations. In some embodiments, each server computing device 820 corresponds to a group of servers.

[0109] Client computing device 805 and server computing devices 810 and 820 can each act as a server or client for other server / client devices. Server 810 can connect to database 815. Servers 820A-C can each connect to corresponding databases 825A-C. As discussed above, each server 820 can correspond to a group of servers, and each of these servers can share a database or have its own database. Databases 815 and 825 can store (e.g., store) information such as start time, finish time, and user preferences. Although databases 815 and 825 logically appear as a single unit, databases 815 and 825 can each be a distributed computing environment containing multiple computing devices, which can be located within their respective servers or in the same physical location or in geographically different physical locations.

[0110] Network 830 can be a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), but it can also be other wired or wireless networks. Network 830 can be the Internet or some other public or private network. Client computing device 805 can connect to network 830 via a network interface, for example, via wired or wireless communication. Although the connection between server 810 and server 820 is shown as a separate connection, these connections can be any type of LAN, WAN, wired or wireless network, including network 830 or a separate public or private network.

[0111] Figure 11 This is a block diagram illustrating component 900 that can be used in a system employing the disclosed technology in some embodiments. Component 900 includes hardware 902, general-purpose software 920, and special-purpose components 940. As discussed above, systems implementing the disclosed technology can use various hardware, including processing units 904 (e.g., CPU, GPU, APU, etc.), working memory 906, storage memory 908, and input / output devices 910. Component 900 can be implemented in a client computing device, such as client computing device 805, or on a server computing device, such as server computing devices 810 or 820.

[0112] General-purpose software 920 may include various application programs, including an operating system 922, a local program 924, and a basic input / output system (BIOS) 926. Special-purpose component 940 may be a sub-component of the general-purpose software application 920, such as the local program 924. Special-purpose component 940 may include a variable module 944, an optimal cooking program estimation module 946, a thermal control module 948, and components that can be used for data transmission and control of the special-purpose component, such as an interface 942. In some embodiments, component 900 may reside in a computing system distributed across multiple computing devices, or it may be an interface to a server-based application that executes one or more of the special-purpose components 940.

[0113] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above description can be modified in various ways. Figure 9-11 The components shown are those in each of the flowcharts discussed above. For example, the order of logic can be rearranged, sub-steps can be executed in parallel, the logic shown can be omitted, other logic can be included, and so on. In some implementations, one or more of the components described above can perform one or more of the processes described below.

[0114] In this specification, references to "an embodiment" or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this disclosure. The appearance of the phrase "in an embodiment" at various points throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the exact same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments. Furthermore, various features that may be demonstrated by some embodiments but not by others are described. Similarly, various features that may be requirements of some embodiments but not by others are described.

[0115] The terms used in this specification generally have their general meaning in the art within the context of this disclosure and in the specific context in which each term is used. It should be understood that the same thing may be described in more than one way. Therefore, alternative languages ​​and synonyms may be used for any one or more of the terms discussed herein, and no particular meaning is assigned to the terms regardless of whether they are detailed or discussed herein. Synonyms for certain terms are provided. The description of one or more synonyms does not preclude the use of other synonyms. Examples of use anywhere in this specification (including examples of any terms discussed herein) are merely illustrative and are not intended to further limit the scope and meaning of this disclosure or any illustrative terms. Likewise, this disclosure is not limited to the various embodiments given in this specification. Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. In case of conflict, this document (including definitions) shall prevail.

[0116] The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide other embodiments. All U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications, and non-patent publications referenced and / or listed in the application data sheets herein, including U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 116,460, filed August 29, 2018, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Where necessary, aspects of these embodiments may be modified to provide further embodiments using various patent, application, and publication perspectives.

Claims

1. A method for cooking food in a fluid using an oven, wherein the fluid is air or steam, the method comprising the steps of: Receive food information indicating one or more properties of the food to be cooked in the fluid; Receive the desired food temperature; Receive information relating to a predetermined acceptable temperature gradient for the entire food; The heater for heating the fluid in the oven is controlled based on heater control information related to the setpoint temperature and the heater operating period; Obtain temperature measurement values; Facilitates the determination of power measurements transmitted to the heater; Based on at least one of the temperature measurement and the power measurement, facilitate the determination of one or more process parameters related to one or more corresponding physical characteristics of the environment surrounding the food located in the oven chamber of the oven; Based on the one or more process parameters, the temperature measurement and / or the power measurement, an estimate of the food temperature of the food is determined. Based on the food temperature, the one or more process parameters, the temperature measurement, and / or the power measurement, updated heater control information is determined such that: The food reaches the desired food temperature while maintaining or not exceeding the predetermined acceptable temperature gradient across the entire food; and After the heater operates for a period of time, the fluid in the oven chamber is cooled to the desired food temperature within a predetermined time period, and the food reaches the desired food temperature within the predetermined time period. as well as The heater is controlled according to the updated heater control information until the food temperature reaches the desired food temperature.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps: The information relating to the predetermined acceptable temperature gradient of the entire food is received wirelessly via a user device, wherein the user device includes a mobile phone or a tablet computer.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the following steps: Provide the user device with feedback information related to the predetermined acceptable temperature gradient.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined time period includes a user-specified time.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps: Changes in the temperature measurement and the power measurement are detected to determine that the food has been placed in the oven chamber.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the following steps: In response to determining that the food was placed in the oven chamber before the temperature measurement indicated that the fluid had reached the setpoint temperature, the updated heater control information is determined.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps: Based on the desired food temperature and the information indicating one or more characteristics of the food, the pasteurization time period is determined; and Facilitates the determination of updated heater control information to control the heater to maintain the food temperature at the desired food temperature during the pasteurization period.

8. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the following steps: Receive geographic location information from the user device, and determine an estimated ambient atmospheric pressure based on the altitude of the geographic location; and The estimated ambient atmospheric pressure is used at least to facilitate the determination of the one or more process parameters.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps: Measurements of the ambient atmosphere are obtained from pressure sensors; and At least ambient atmospheric pressure measurements should be used to facilitate the determination of the one or more process parameters.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the following steps: Obtain humidity measurements from a humidity sensor; and The humidity measurements are used at least to facilitate the determination of the one or more process parameters.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the setpoint temperature is higher than the desired food temperature.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature measurement includes the temperature measurement of the fluid.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature measurement includes the temperature measurement of the heating element of the heater.

14. An oven for cooking food using the method of claim 1, the oven comprising: An oven chamber for receiving the food; A heater for heating a fluid, either air or steam, inside the oven chamber; A temperature sensor used to provide the temperature measurement value; At least one memory device for storing executable instructions for operating the oven; as well as At least one processor adapted to execute the executable instructions to perform the method of claim 1.

15. The oven of claim 14, wherein the instruction further causes the oven to: Information relating to a predetermined acceptable temperature gradient of the entire food is received via a wireless communication interface.

16. The oven of claim 14, wherein the instruction further causes the oven to: Feedback information related to the predetermined acceptable temperature gradient is provided via the oven's user interface.

17. The oven of claim 14, wherein the predetermined time period includes a user-specified time.

18. The oven of claim 14, wherein the instruction further causes the oven to: The oven detects whether food has been placed inside by measuring changes in temperature and power.

19. The oven of claim 14, wherein the instruction further causes the oven to: In response to detecting that food has been placed in the oven before the temperature measurement indicates that the environment inside the oven has reached the setpoint temperature, updated heater control information is determined.

20. The oven of claim 14, wherein the instruction further causes the oven to: The pasteurization time period is determined based on the desired food temperature and food information; and Determine the updated heater control information to control the heater to maintain the food temperature at the desired food temperature during the pasteurization period.

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