A control method of a steam rice cooker and a steam rice cooker

Abstract

This invention discloses a control method for a steam rice cooker and a steam rice cooker. The steam rice cooker includes a cooker body and a pot inner pot. The cooker body has a steam generator and a cavity for placing the pot inner pot. A temperature measuring module and a bottom heating plate are disposed at the bottom of the cavity. The steam duct outlet of the steam generator is disposed opposite to the temperature measuring module. The control method includes: acquiring the sampling temperature of the temperature measuring module when the steam rice cooker enters the working state; determining the temperature change state based on the sampling value; and determining the pot inner pot's placement state based on the temperature change state. This effectively avoids machine damage caused by the lack of pot inner pot heating, improves machine safety performance, and allows the machine to operate normally after the protection action is executed, making it convenient for users.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of steam rice cookers, and more specifically to a control method for a steam rice cooker and a steam rice cooker. Background Technology

[0002] With the improvement of living standards, various types of steam rice cookers, such as pressure cookers and electric rice cookers, are becoming increasingly common in daily life.

[0003] Rice cookers are a common cooking appliance. Most existing rice cookers include a pot body, an inner pot, a cavity for holding the pot, and a heating element. Currently, rice cookers on the market can be broadly divided into heating plate type rice cookers and IH type rice cookers. Generally, only IH type products have an inner pot detection function, which can alert the user and stop heating if the inner pot is not placed during use due to user error, preventing problems caused by dry burning due to an empty pot.

[0004] However, rice cookers with heating elements generally lack a pot detection function. In the event of dry burning without a pot, the heat generated by the heating element will accumulate inside the product, causing a rapid rise in internal temperature. Therefore, a fuse is typically used to protect the pot by breaking the internal circuit. However, after the dry-burn protection is activated, the machine cannot automatically recover and requires repair or replacement of parts to return to normal operation. Furthermore, if the fuse fails, the machine cannot protect itself in the event of dry burning without a pot, and continued heating could pose a safety hazard.

[0005] Therefore, existing protection schemes for dry-burning without a pot cannot automatically recover from the protective action. In severe cases, the machine may fail to perform the protection action, potentially causing safety issues and hindering convenient reuse. Therefore, effectively preventing machine damage caused by the lack of a pot, improving machine safety performance, and ensuring the machine can function normally after the protection action is performed for user convenience have become urgent problems to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the technical problem described in the background section that the protection mechanism for dry burning without a pot cannot automatically recover from the protection action, and in severe cases the machine cannot perform the protection action, which may cause safety issues, this invention proposes a control method for a steam rice cooker and a steam rice cooker.

[0007] According to a first aspect, this application discloses a control method for a steam rice cooker, the steam rice cooker comprising: a cooker body and a pot inner liner, the cooker body having a steam generator and a accommodating cavity for placing the pot inner liner, a temperature measuring module and a bottom heating plate being disposed at the bottom of the accommodating cavity, and the steam duct outlet of the steam generator being disposed opposite to the temperature measuring module; the control method comprising: controlling the steam generator to operate when the steam rice cooker enters the working state, acquiring the sampling temperature of the temperature measuring module; determining the temperature change state based on the sampling value; and determining the pot inner liner being placed in position based on the temperature change state.

[0008] Optionally, when it is detected that the inner pot is not in place, the steam generator is controlled to stop working, and the drying program is executed at the first power through the bottom heating plate.

[0009] Optionally, when the pot is detected to be in place, the steam generator is controlled to perform a heating operation; the drying program is executed by the bottom heating plate at a second power, where the first power is less than the second power.

[0010] Optionally, the step of determining the temperature change state based on the sampled value includes: acquiring a first temperature sampled value when the steam rice cooker enters the working state and a second temperature sampled value when it has been working for a first preset time; calculating the difference between the second temperature sampled value and the first temperature sampled value; determining whether the difference is greater than a first preset value; and confirming that the inner pot is not in place when the difference is greater than the first preset value.

[0011] Optionally, determining the temperature change state based on the sampled value includes: determining whether the first temperature sampled value is within a first preset range; when the first temperature sampled value is within the first preset range, proceeding to the step of calculating the difference between the second temperature sampled value and the first temperature sampled value.

[0012] Optionally, determining the temperature change state based on the sampled value includes: statistically analyzing the temperature change curve within a second preset time period after the steam rice cooker enters the working state; determining whether the temperature change curve matches a preset temperature change curve, the preset temperature change curve including the temperature curve collected by the temperature measuring module when the inner pot is placed; and confirming that the inner pot is placed in place when they match.

[0013] Optionally, determining the temperature change state based on the sampled value includes: determining whether the temperature is in a steady state within a third preset time period; when the temperature is in a steady state, determining whether the steady-state temperature is the same as a second preset temperature; when the steady-state temperature is the same as the second preset temperature, confirming that the inner pot is not in place.

[0014] Optionally, an alarm signal is output when it is determined that the inner pot is not in place.

[0015] Optionally, the steam outlet of the steam duct is oriented towards the bottom heating plate.

[0016] According to a second aspect, this application provides a steam rice cooker, including a cooker body and a pot inner liner. The cooker body has a steam generator and a accommodating cavity for placing the pot inner liner. A temperature measuring module is provided at the bottom of the accommodating cavity, and the steam outlet of the steam generator is disposed opposite to the temperature measuring module. The steam rice cooker also includes a processor, a memory, and execution instructions stored in the memory. The execution instructions are configured to enable the steam rice cooker to perform the control method described above when executed by the processor.

[0017] In this embodiment, the steam rice cooker includes a cooker body and a pot inner liner. The cooker body has a steam generator and a cavity for placing the pot inner liner. A temperature measuring module and a bottom heating plate are disposed at the bottom of the cavity. The steam duct outlet of the steam generator is positioned opposite to the temperature measuring module. When the steam rice cooker enters the working state, the sampling temperature of the temperature measuring module is acquired. The temperature change state is determined based on the sampling temperature. When the steam rice cooker enters the working state, steam heating is activated. The steam duct outlet is positioned opposite to the temperature measuring module. At this time, without the pot inner liner, the steam emitted by the steam generator heats the temperature measuring module by directly contacting it or flowing to the temperature measuring module through the bottom heating plate. The temperature sampling value will change drastically at this time, and the temperature change state is determined to be an abrupt change state based on the sampling temperature. When the pot inner liner is placed, the steam will not directly contact the bottom temperature measuring head when it is emitted. The temperature sampling value will change steadily based on the heating operation. Therefore, the temperature change state is determined by detecting the sampling temperature of the temperature measuring module, thus determining the pot inner liner's proper placement. It will not damage the fuse, and solves the problem that the existing protection scheme for dry burning without a pot cannot be automatically restored when the protection machine is activated, which can effectively improve the safety performance of the steam rice cooker. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this invention, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and are used to explain the invention, but do not constitute an undue limitation of the invention. In the drawings:

[0019] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a heating control method for a steam rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of a steam rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 3This is a temperature change curve of a glass inner pot and a metal inner pot in a steam rice cooker in operation, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 A temperature change curve of a steam rice cooker in operation without a pot inner liner according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5 A schematic diagram comparing the temperature change curves of a glass inner pot, a metal inner pot, and a rice cooker without an inner pot in the working state of a steam rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the steam rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Reference numerals: 11. Pot body; 12. Containing cavity; 13. Pot inner liner; 14. Bottom heating plate; 15. Temperature measuring module; 16. Steam generator; 161. Steam pipe outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To provide a clearer understanding of the technical features, objectives, and effects of the present invention, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals indicate components with the same or similar structures but the same function.

[0027] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein, and therefore the scope of protection of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0028] As described in the background section, existing protection schemes for dry burning without a pot cannot automatically recover from the protective action of the machine. In severe cases, the machine may fail to perform the protection action, which may cause safety problems and cannot be easily reused.

[0029] The steam rice cooker used in this application can be as follows: Figure 1As shown, the device includes a pot body 11 and a pot inner 13. The pot body 11 has a steam generator 16 and a receiving cavity 12 for housing the pot inner 13. A temperature measuring module 15 and a bottom heating plate 14 are arranged at the bottom of the receiving cavity 12. The steam generator 16 is provided with a steam pipe outlet 161, which is arranged opposite to the temperature measuring module 15. Specifically, the steam pipe outlet 161 can face the temperature measuring module 15. Since the steam output from the steam pipe outlet 161 has a high temperature, if the steam pipe outlet 161 faces the temperature measuring module 15, it may damage the temperature measuring module 15. Therefore, the direction of the steam pipe outlet 161 can also avoid the temperature measuring module 15 and face the bottom heating plate 14. In both of the above-described methods of setting the steam conduit outlet 161, when the pot liner 13 is not placed, the steam generator 16 directly sprays steam through the steam conduit outlet 161 to directly contact the temperature measuring module 15 or flows to the temperature measuring module 15 through the bottom heating plate 14. When the pot liner 13 is placed, the bottom heating plate 14 and the steam generator 16 jointly heat the pot liner 13. When the pot liner 13 is in place and the bottom heating plate 14 and the steam generator 16 are heating the pot liner 13 simultaneously, due to the different thermal conductivity between air and the pot liner material, the temperature change state is determined to be the normal operating state based on the temperature sampling value measured by the temperature measuring module 15. When the pot liner 13 is not in place, the steam generator 16 directly sprays steam through the steam conduit outlet 161, which directly contacts the temperature measuring module 15 or flows to the temperature measuring module 15 through the bottom heating plate 14. At this time, the temperature of the temperature measuring module 15 changes drastically, and the temperature change state is determined to be the abrupt change state based on the temperature sampling value measured by the temperature measuring module 15.

[0030] As an exemplary embodiment, the temperature measuring module 15 is typically used to detect the temperature of the inner pot. Therefore, the installation position of the temperature measuring module 15 is often a certain distance from heat sources such as the bottom heating plate or heating wire. In a non-steam rice cooker, the temperature measuring module 15 detects the temperature of the inner pot when the inner pot 13 is in place, and detects the temperature inside the accommodating cavity 12 when the inner pot 13 is not in place. Since air is a poor conductor of heat, the difference in the temperature detected by the temperature measuring module 15 and the temperature change when the inner pot 13 is in place and not in place is not significant. Therefore, in a non-steam rice cooker, the temperature of the temperature measuring module 15 cannot be used to detect whether the inner pot is in place.

[0031] In this embodiment, a lid is also provided on the top of the cooker body 11, and a steam generator is disposed inside the cooker body 11, introducing steam into the accommodating cavity 12 through a steam conduit. In some steam rice cookers, a transparent viewing window is also provided on the side of the cooker body 11 or on the top of the cooker body 11 (e.g., on the lid) for easy observation of the cooking process. This allows the user to conveniently observe the cooking process inside the steam rice cooker in real time. A control panel is also provided inside the cooker body 11. This control panel can be used to control the execution of the cooking program and to implement the control methods of the steam rice cooker, such as detecting whether the inner pot 13 is in place.

[0032] Based on a steam rice cooker, this application provides a control method for a steam rice cooker.

[0033] like Figure 2 The control method for the steam rice cooker may include the following steps:

[0034] S11. Obtain the sampling temperature from the temperature measuring module. In this embodiment, when the steam rice cooker enters the working state, the steam generator starts working and outputs high-temperature steam through the steam pipe. The outlet of the steam pipe is positioned opposite to the temperature measuring module. The steam output from the steam pipe is a direct heat source, which can heat the inner pot and the food inside. When the inner pot is not placed, the steam generator directly sprays steam from the steam pipe outlet to contact the temperature measuring module or flows to the temperature measuring module through the bottom heating plate. Therefore, after the steam rice cooker enters the working state, the temperature detected by the temperature measuring module can be obtained in real time.

[0035] S12. Determine the temperature change state based on the sampled values. As an exemplary embodiment, in a steam rice cooker, the steam pipe outlet and the temperature measuring module are positioned opposite each other. When the inner pot is placed, high-temperature steam acts as a heat source to heat the food and the inner pot. The heating source for the temperature measuring module is the inner pot, and its temperature changes follow the temperature changes of the food or the inner pot. When the inner pot is not placed, the steam generator directly sprays steam through the steam pipe outlet. The steam directly contacts the temperature measuring module or flows to the temperature measuring module through the bottom heating plate. There is little or no medium between the steam pipe outlet and the temperature measuring module. Therefore, the temperature measuring module is directly heated by the high-temperature steam, and its temperature change is more drastic compared to when there is a medium such as food or the inner pot. Therefore, after obtaining the sampled temperature from the temperature measuring module, the temperature value can be analyzed by methods such as taking extreme values, calculating the temperature change per unit time, or calculating the average rate of temperature rise to determine whether the temperature change is in a relatively stable or abrupt state.

[0036] S13. Determine the pot's placement status based on temperature changes. When the pot is in its proper position, the temperature change is relatively stable due to the combination of the pot and the food. However, when the pot is not in its proper position, the high-temperature steam directly heats the temperature measuring module, resulting in more drastic temperature changes. Therefore, the placement status of the pot can be determined based on the temperature changes.

[0037] In this embodiment, the steam rice cooker includes a cooker body and a pot inner liner. The cooker body has a steam generator and a cavity for placing the pot inner liner. A temperature measuring module and a bottom heating plate are arranged at the bottom of the cavity. The steam pipe outlet of the steam generator is positioned opposite to the temperature measuring module. When the steam rice cooker enters the working state, the sampling temperature of the temperature measuring module is acquired. The temperature change state is determined based on the sampling temperature. When the steam rice cooker enters the working state, steam heating is activated. The steam pipe outlet is positioned opposite to the temperature measuring module. At this time, without the pot inner liner, the steam generator directly sprays steam through the steam pipe outlet, which directly contacts the temperature measuring module or flows to the temperature measuring module through the bottom heating plate. When the steam is sprayed out, it directly contacts the temperature measuring module, and the temperature sampling value will change drastically. The temperature change state is determined to be an abrupt change state based on the sampling temperature. When the pot inner liner is placed, the steam will not directly contact the bottom temperature measuring head when it is sprayed out. The temperature sampling value will change steadily based on the heating operation. Therefore, the temperature change state is determined by detecting the sampling temperature of the temperature measuring module, and the pot inner liner placement state is determined. It will not damage the fuse, and solves the problem that the existing protection scheme for dry burning without a pot cannot be automatically restored when the protection machine is activated, which can effectively improve the safety performance of the steam rice cooker.

[0038] Steam is generated by the steam generator when determining if the inner pot is properly positioned. This steam is then ejected through the steam pipe outlet, resulting in a high moisture content in the inner pot cavity. This moisture easily condenses on the cavity walls, causing excessive dampness. The resulting condensation can drip into the electronic components at the bottom, potentially damaging them. Furthermore, for steam rice cookers with a transparent window, the condensation can easily form water vapor, affecting visibility. Therefore, performing a drying program after determining if the inner pot is properly positioned prevents damage to the components from condensation or moisture, and quickly restores good visibility through the transparent window, facilitating observation of the steam rice cooker's operating status.

[0039] As an optional embodiment, to prevent reduced equipment reliability and visual impact caused by water vapor condensation, the steam generator is stopped when the pot is detected not being placed properly, and the drying program is executed at a first power via the bottom heating plate. During the drying program, controlling the bottom heating plate to heat at a high power may cause overheating and damage, or even melt the plate. Therefore, to prevent damage to the bottom heating plate when the pot is not placed, the steam generator is stopped, and the drying program is executed at a lower first power via the bottom heating plate. As an exemplary embodiment, the first power can be a constant power, for example, it can be one-quarter or half power heating. It can also be an average power over a period of time, for example, the average power of intermittent heating at a preset power.

[0040] For example, intermittent heating can be achieved by adjusting the temperature of the bottom heating element. For instance, a fuse can be provided on the bottom heating element to limit its maximum operating temperature. When the bottom heating element exceeds the maximum operating temperature, the fuse melts, stopping heating; when the bottom heating element falls below the maximum temperature, heating continues. Optionally, a temperature controller can be provided on the bottom heating element to limit its maximum operating temperature. As an exemplary embodiment, when the temperature controller detects that the bottom heating element has exceeded the maximum operating temperature, heating stops; when it detects that the bottom heating element has fallen below the maximum temperature, heating continues. Intermittent heating is achieved through the above method.

[0041] When performing the drying program without placing the inner pot, the bottom heating plate is in a dry-burning state. If the power is too high, the plate may melt, causing a safety hazard. Therefore, the bottom heating plate is heated with a smaller constant power or intermittently to control the temperature rise rate and amplitude of the bottom heating plate, so as to avoid thermal damage or melting of the bottom heating plate.

[0042] As an optional embodiment, upon detecting the placement of the inner pot, the steam generator is controlled to perform a heating operation; a drying program is executed via the bottom heating plate at a second power, where the first power is less than the second power. For example, the second power can be a higher power or full power. Because of the presence of the inner pot, even with high-power heating, most of the heat in the bottom heating plate will be absorbed by the inner pot or the food, preventing overheating of the bottom heating plate. Furthermore, the inner pot, after absorbing heat, can also heat the water adhering to the inner wall of the accommodating cavity. For steam rice cookers with a transparent viewing window, this accelerates the drying of condensation on the window. Simultaneously, it allows for rapid temperature rise to the initial heating temperature of the food and shortens the execution time of the drying program, enhancing the drying effect. When the temperature sampling value does not change drastically, i.e., the temperature change state is within the normal operating range, it indicates that the inner pot has been correctly placed.

[0043] When the inner pot is detected as properly positioned, the steam generator is activated to begin heating. With both the steam generator and the bottom heating plate simultaneously heating the inner pot, the food can be quickly heated to its initial temperature. At the same time, the steam from the generator heats the inner pot, and the combined effect of the steam generator and the bottom heating plate shortens the drying process time, enhances the drying effect, and more quickly resolves the issue of water accumulation in the relatively cooler inner pot cavity during the detection phase. This water could potentially seep into components such as the bottom circuit board, corroding it and posing a safety hazard. Furthermore, it quickly eliminates the problem of water adhering to the transparent viewing window, affecting the observation of the steam rice cooker's operating status, thus improving the machine's safety and facilitating monitoring of its operation.

[0044] Because steam is generated by the steam generator when determining whether the pot is properly positioned, and is ejected through the steam pipe outlet, the temperature rise differs depending on whether the pot is positioned or not during the heating operation performed by the bottom heating plate within a first preset time period. Therefore, the temperature change can be determined by the temperature difference over a time interval, for example:

[0045] The system acquires a first temperature sample value when the steam rice cooker enters the working state and a second temperature sample value after a first preset working time; calculates the difference between the second temperature sample value and the first temperature sample value; determines whether the difference is greater than a first preset value; when the difference is greater than or equal to the first preset value, it is considered that the temperature change state is a sudden change state, and it is confirmed that the inner pot is not placed; when the difference is less than the first preset value, it is considered that the temperature change state is a normal working state, and it is considered that the inner pot is placed in place.

[0046] The AD value of the temperature detected by the temperature sensing module is obtained by reading the corresponding temperature-resistance AD ​​value lookup table. Optionally, the temperature sensing module can be an NTC, and the AD value of the temperature detected by the temperature sensing module can be calculated using the voltage or resistance to AD value conversion formula. See Table 1 for an example; Table 1 shows the AD value data of the bottom temperature when working with a metal pot, a glass pot, and without a pot:

[0047] Table 1

[0048] time / 0min 1min 2min 3min 4min Glass gallbladder 13 14 17 22 28 Metal Gallbladder 17 18 21 26 33 Linerless 12 47 63 71 83

[0049] Alternatively, refer to Table 2 for the bottom temperature AD values ​​when using metal liner, glass liner, and linerless operation. Starting with an initial temperature AD value of 0, the bottom temperature AD value is recorded every 1 minute to obtain the rise in bottom temperature AD value under different conditions:

[0050] Table 2

[0051]

[0052]

[0053] For example, a structure is built using Table 1 and Table 2 as follows: Figures 3-5 The temperature AD value curve of the temperature measuring module is shown, where, Figure 3 The temperature change curves of the glass inner pot and the metal inner pot are shown when the steam rice cooker is in operation. Figure 4 The graph shows the temperature change curve when the rice cooker is in operation without a pot inner liner. Figure 5 A schematic diagram showing the temperature change curves of a rice cooker with a glass inner pot, a metal inner pot, and no inner pot is presented when the rice cooker is in operation.

[0054] Based on this, as an exemplary embodiment, the temperature AD value change curve within a second preset time period after the steam rice cooker enters the working state is statistically analyzed; it is then determined whether the temperature AD value change curve matches a preset cooking curve. When the temperature AD value change curve matches the preset cooking curve, the temperature change state is considered to be in normal working state, confirming that the inner pot is placed correctly; when the temperature AD value change curve does not match the preset cooking curve, the temperature change state is considered to be in a sudden change state, confirming that the inner pot is not placed correctly.

[0055] In some scenarios, users may add ingredients that are either above or below room temperature to the inner pot. For ingredients above room temperature, the initial temperature change detected by the temperature measuring module upon placement of the inner pot may be drastic, potentially leading to misjudgment. Therefore, to avoid misjudgment, as an exemplary embodiment, the initial temperature can be detected upon entering the working state. Typically, after the inner pot is placed, the initial temperature detected by the temperature measuring module upon entering the working state should be around room temperature. When adding high-temperature or low-temperature ingredients, the initial temperature detected by the temperature measuring module will be higher or lower than room temperature. Therefore, before proceeding to the step of calculating the difference between the second temperature sampling value and the first temperature sampling value, it is determined whether the first temperature sampling value is within a first preset range. If the first temperature sampling value is within the first preset range, the step of calculating the difference between the second temperature sampling value and the first temperature sampling value proceeds. If the first temperature sampling value is not within the first preset range, it can be determined that the inner pot is in place. The first preset range is the room temperature range, which, for example, can be 15℃-40℃.

[0056] As an alternative approach, when adding high-temperature ingredients to the pot, the temperature of the ingredients or the pot itself will inevitably be less than 100°C. However, the steam generated by the steam generator is often at a higher temperature, for example, between 100°C and 130°C. Therefore, the pot's placement can be determined by the steady-state temperature reached by the temperature sensing module. For example, after entering the working state, it is determined whether the temperature change has reached a steady state. When a steady state is reached, the temperature sensing module detects that the temperature value is stable or fluctuates within a small range. Therefore, when the average temperature values ​​detected over multiple adjacent time periods are relatively close, a steady state can be considered reached. When the temperature change reaches a steady state, the steady-state temperature value is obtained. It is then determined whether the steady-state temperature value is greater than a third preset value. When the steady-state temperature value is greater than the third preset value, it is confirmed that the pot is not placed correctly. The third preset value can be a temperature value of approximately 100°C. When the steady-state temperature exceeds the third preset value, it indicates that the steam directly heats the temperature sensing module, causing its steady-state temperature to approach the steam temperature. Therefore, it can be determined that the pot is not placed correctly. When the steady-state temperature is less than 100℃, it can be assumed that the inner pot contains food at a relatively high temperature, thus confirming that the inner pot is in place.

[0057] In existing technologies, internal protection is typically achieved by setting up a fuse to break the circuit. When the temperature overheats, the fuse melts directly, breaking the circuit. While this protects the machine, it also damages its structure.

[0058] Therefore, to protect the equipment without damaging its structure, an alarm signal can be output, for example, when it is determined that the inner pot is not in place. When the alarm signal is output, the steam generator and the bottom heating plate can be controlled to stop heating. The alarm signal alerts the user that there is no inner pot, and simultaneously stops heating to protect the machine.

[0059] Following the steps outlined above, heating stops simultaneously with the output of an alarm signal. After heating ceases, the temperature gradually decreases, preventing structural damage such as fuse blowout. Furthermore, since no structural damage occurs, the alarm signal output and heating stop procedure can be repeated the next time heating occurs without a pot, without the need for component replacement. This effectively prevents machine damage caused by a lack of a pot, improves machine safety, and allows the machine to resume normal operation after the protective action, thus facilitating user convenience.

[0060] This application also proposes a steam rice cooker, comprising: a cooker body and a pot inner liner. The cooker body has a steam generator and a accommodating cavity for housing the pot inner liner. A temperature measuring module is disposed at the bottom of the accommodating cavity, and the steam outlet of the steam duct of the steam generator is disposed opposite to the temperature measuring module. See also Figure 6As shown, the steam rice cooker also includes a processor, a memory, and execution instructions stored in the memory. The execution instructions are configured to enable the inner pot of the steam rice cooker to perform the control method of the steam rice cooker when executed by the processor.

[0061] In addition, the steam rice cooker allows for the inclusion of other hardware required for its operation. The memory may include main memory and non-volatile memory, providing the processor with execution instructions and data. For example, the main memory may be high-speed random-access memory (RAM), and the non-volatile memory may be at least one disk storage device.

[0062] The bus is used to connect the processor, memory, and network interface together. This bus can be an ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) bus, a PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) bus, an EISA (Extended Industry Standard Architecture) bus, etc. Buses can be divided into address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of representation, Figure 6 The symbol is represented by a single double-headed arrow, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0063] In one feasible embodiment of the steam rice cooker described above, the processor can first read the corresponding execution instructions from non-volatile memory into memory before running them, or it can first obtain the corresponding execution instructions from other devices before running them. When the processor executes the execution instructions stored in memory, it can implement any of the control methods for the steam rice cooker disclosed above.

[0064] Those skilled in the art will understand that the above can be applied to a processor, or implemented using a processor. For example, a processor is an integrated circuit chip with the ability to process signals. In the process of the processor executing the above method for determining whether the inner pot of a steam rice cooker is placed, each step of the above-described control method for a steam rice cooker can be completed by integrated logic circuits in hardware form or instructions in software form within the processor. Furthermore, the processor can be a general-purpose processor, such as a Central Processing Unit (CPU), Network Processor (NP), Digital Signal Processor (DSP), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, microprocessors, and any other conventional processor.

[0065] Those skilled in the art will also understand that the steps of the above-described embodiments of the control method for the steam rice cooker can be executed by a hardware decoding processor, or by a combination of hardware and software modules within the decoding processor. The software modules can reside in random access memory, flash memory, read-only memory, programmable read-only memory, electrically erasable programmable memory, registers, or other mature storage media in the art. This storage medium is located in memory, and the processor reads the information from the memory and then combines it with its hardware to execute the steps of the above-described embodiments of the control method for the steam rice cooker.

[0066] The technical solutions of this disclosure have been described in conjunction with the preceding embodiments. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of this disclosure is not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the technical principles of this disclosure, those skilled in the art can disassemble and combine the technical solutions in the above embodiments, and can also make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features. Any changes, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the technical concept and / or technical principles of this disclosure will fall within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0067] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the system embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments.

[0068] The above are merely embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be included within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A control method for a steam rice cooker, characterized in that, The steam rice cooker includes a cooker body and a pot inner liner. The cooker body has a steam generator and a cavity for housing the pot inner liner. A temperature measuring module and a bottom heating plate are arranged at the bottom of the cavity. The steam pipe outlet of the steam generator is positioned opposite to the temperature measuring module. When the pot inner liner is not placed inside, the steam emitted by the steam generator through the steam pipe outlet directly contacts the temperature measuring module. The control method includes: When the steam rice cooker enters the working state, the steam generator is controlled to work and the sampling temperature of the temperature measuring module is obtained; Determine the temperature change state based on the sampled values; The placement of the inner pot is determined based on the temperature change. The sides of the pot body and the sides of the accommodating cavity are provided with transparent viewing windows; when it is detected that the inner pot is not placed in place, the steam generator is controlled to stop working and the drying program is executed by the bottom heating plate at the first power; when it is detected that the inner pot is placed in place, the steam generator is controlled to perform a heating operation and the drying program is executed by the bottom heating plate at the second power, wherein the first power is less than the second power.

2. The control method for a steam rice cooker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the temperature change state based on the sampled value includes: Acquire the first temperature sampling value when the steam rice cooker enters the working state and the second temperature sampling value when it has been working for a first preset time; Calculate the difference between the second temperature sample value and the first temperature sample value; Determine whether the difference is greater than a first preset value; When the difference is greater than the first preset value, it is confirmed that the inner pot is not in place.

3. The control method for a steam rice cooker as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The step of determining the temperature change state based on the sampled value includes: Determine whether the first temperature sample value is within a first preset range; When the first temperature sample value is within the first preset range, proceed to the step of calculating the difference between the second temperature sample value and the first temperature sample value.

4. The control method for a steam rice cooker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the temperature change state based on the sampled value includes: The temperature change curve within a second preset time period after the steam rice cooker enters the working state is statistically analyzed. Determine whether the temperature change curve matches a preset temperature change curve, the preset temperature change curve including the temperature curve collected by the temperature measuring module when the pot is placed; During the matching process, confirm that the inner pot is in place.

5. The control method for a steam rice cooker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the temperature change state based on the sampled value includes: Determine whether the temperature is in a steady state within a third preset time period; When the temperature is in a steady state, determine whether the steady-state temperature is the same as the second preset temperature; When the steady-state temperature is the same as the second preset temperature, it is confirmed that the inner pot is not in place.

6. The control method for a steam rice cooker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: An alarm signal is output when it is determined that the inner pot is not in place.

7. The control method for a steam rice cooker as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The steam outlet of the steam duct is oriented towards the bottom heating plate.

8. A steam rice cooker, characterized in that, The rice cooker includes a cooker body and a pot inner. The cooker body has a steam generator and a cavity for housing the pot inner. A temperature measuring module is provided at the bottom of the cavity. The steam outlet of the steam duct of the steam generator is disposed opposite to the temperature measuring module. The rice cooker also includes a processor, a memory, and execution instructions stored in the memory. The execution instructions are configured to enable the rice cooker to perform the control method of the rice cooker according to any one of claims 1-7 when executed by the processor.

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