Liquid heating control method and system

Abstract

The invention discloses a control method for liquid heating of a cooking container. The method comprises the following steps: acquiring a target temperature; controlling a heating device to heat liquid in the cooking device at constant heating power according to the heating instruction; when the temperature of the liquid reaches the target temperature, the heating device is controlled to conduct heating at the maintaining power; the maintaining power is used for maintaining the temperature of the liquid at the target temperature. The invention further comprises a control device for liquid heating of the cooking container, a computer readable storage medium, a control system for liquid heating of the cooking container, the cooking device and a control method of the cooking device.

Description

Liquid heating control method and system Technical Field

[0001] This specification relates to the technical field of cooking equipment, and in particular to a control method and system for liquid heating. Background Art

[0002] Modernist cuisine has seen the emergence of a new way to cook and preserve food - sous vide. Sous vide allows chefs or users to store their food and reheat it later without losing any of the delicate flavors and textures of the food. Using sous vide, users can heat food to the exact temperature they want and for the precise time they desire. Equally important, the heating can be very even, so every part of the food reaches the same temperature. In particular, the core temperature can be easily and precisely controlled, thereby controlling the flavor and texture of the food.

[0003] The principles of sous vide cooking outlined above indicate that temperature and time are key factors influencing food flavor and texture. To achieve the desired flavor and texture, while ensuring repeatable cooking results, the sous vide cooking device must provide a stable and uniform low-temperature cooking environment and maintain this temperature stability and uniformity over an extended period. This has long been a technical challenge for sous vide cooking devices.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] An embodiment of the present specification provides a control method for heating liquid in a cooking container, the method comprising: obtaining a target temperature; controlling a heating device to heat liquid in the cooking device according to a heating instruction; when the liquid reaches the target temperature, controlling the heating device to heat at a maintenance power; the maintenance power is used to maintain the temperature of the liquid at the target temperature.

[0006] In some embodiments, the method further includes: obtaining a heating rate of the liquid before the temperature is raised to the target temperature; and determining the maintenance power according to the heating rate.

[0007] In some embodiments, determining the maintenance power based on the heating rate includes: determining the heat dissipation power of the liquid after it is heated to the target temperature based on the heating rate; and determining the maintenance power based on the heat dissipation power.

[0008] In some embodiments, determining the maintenance power according to the heating rate further comprises: determining the maintenance power according to the heating rate, the volume of the liquid and / or the ambient temperature.

[0009] In some embodiments, obtaining the heating rate of the liquid before it is heated to the target temperature includes: obtaining heating information of the liquid before it is heated to the target temperature; and determining the heating rate of the liquid before it is heated to the target temperature based on the heating information.

[0010] In some embodiments, the heating information includes temperature values ​​corresponding to the liquid at at least two moments; determining the heating rate of the liquid before it is heated to the target temperature based on the heating information includes: determining the heating rate based on the temperature values ​​corresponding to the at least two moments.

[0011] In some embodiments, the method further includes: determining a change trend of a maintenance temperature of the liquid after the temperature is raised to a target temperature; and adjusting the maintenance power according to the change trend of the maintenance temperature.

[0012] In some embodiments, adjusting the maintenance power according to the change trend of the maintenance temperature includes adjusting the maintenance power to a constant power in a temperature rising stage when the maintenance temperature is lower than a second temperature threshold.

[0013] In some embodiments, the heating rate includes a first heating rate and a second heating rate, and determining the maintenance work according to the heating rate includes determining the maintenance power according to the first heating rate and the second heating rate.

[0014] In some embodiments, the heating device includes a rated power, and the maintenance power is determined according to the rated power, the first heating rate, and the second heating rate.

[0015] In some embodiments, determining the changing trend of the maintenance temperature of the liquid after it is heated to the target temperature includes: obtaining the temperature values ​​corresponding to at least two moments in the stage after the liquid is heated to the target temperature; and determining the changing trend of the maintenance temperature based on the temperature values ​​corresponding to the at least two moments.

[0016] In some embodiments, the time interval between two adjacent moments in the at least two moments ranges from 3 milliseconds to 10 milliseconds.

[0017] In some embodiments, the changing trend of the maintenance temperature is opposite to the adjusting trend of the maintenance power.

[0018] In some embodiments, the maintenance power is adjusted according to the changing trend of the maintenance temperature, including: when the changing trend of the maintenance temperature is temperature increase, the current maintenance power is reduced by a preset power step to serve as the adjusted maintenance power; when the changing trend of the maintenance temperature is temperature decrease, the current maintenance power is increased by a preset power step to serve as the adjusted maintenance power.

[0019] In some embodiments, the temperature values ​​of the liquid corresponding to at least two moments are acquired by a temperature sensor.

[0020] In some embodiments, the liquid is stored in a liquid tank, and the temperature sensor is located in the liquid tank.

[0021] In some embodiments, the liquid is stored in a liquid storage tank, the liquid storage tank is connected to a circulation pipeline, and the liquid circulates in the circulation pipeline; the temperature sensor is located at the liquid inlet side of the circulation pipeline.

[0022] In some embodiments, a heating device is provided in the circulation pipeline; and the temperature sensor is located in the pipeline between the liquid inlet of the circulation pipeline and the heating device.

[0023] In some embodiments, the liquid is used to heat food in a cooking device; the method further includes: obtaining a target temperature through a terminal device.

[0024] In some embodiments, the method further includes: obtaining a preset cooking time through a terminal device; when the liquid reaches the target temperature, controlling the heating device to maintain power for heating, including: controlling the heating device to maintain power for heating until the preset cooking time is reached.

[0025] An embodiment of the present specification also provides a control device for heating liquid in a cooking device, the device comprising at least one processor and at least one memory, the at least one memory being used to store computer instructions; when the at least one processor executes the computer instructions, the processor is configured to: obtain a target temperature; control a heating device to heat the liquid in the cooking device according to the heating instructions; when the liquid reaches the target temperature, control the heating device to heat it at a maintenance power; the maintenance power is used to maintain the temperature of the liquid at the target temperature.

[0026] An embodiment of this specification further provides a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the storage medium stores computer instructions. When a computer reads the computer instructions in the storage medium, the computer executes any one of the methods described above.

[0027] An embodiment of the present specification also provides a control system for heating liquid in a cooking device, the system comprising: a temperature increase module for controlling a heating device to heat the liquid according to a heating instruction; a constant temperature module for controlling the heating device to heat the liquid at a maintenance power when the liquid reaches a target temperature; the maintenance power is used to maintain the temperature of the liquid at the target temperature.

[0028] This specification also provides a cooking device, which includes a liquid storage tank and a heating device; the heating device is used to heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank; the heating device has a first heating mode and a second heating mode; in the first heating mode, the heating device heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank at full power; in the second heating mode, the heating device heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank at maintenance power; the heating device switches between the first heating mode and the second heating mode according to the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank.

[0029] In some embodiments, when the temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank reaches a target temperature, the heating device switches from the first heating mode to the second heating mode.

[0030] In some embodiments, the target temperature includes a first temperature threshold and a second temperature threshold. When the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank rises to the first temperature threshold, the heating device switches from the first heating mode to the second heating mode; when the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank drops to the second temperature threshold, the heating device switches from the second heating mode to the first heating mode.

[0031] In some embodiments, the maintenance power is determined by a heating rate in the first heating mode; wherein the heating rate includes a first heating rate and a second heating rate.

[0032] In some embodiments, the heating device includes a rated power, and the rated power is used to determine an initial power of the maintenance power together with the first heating rate and the second heating rate.

[0033] In some embodiments, the maintenance power is further determined by the volume of the liquid in the liquid tank and / or the temperature of the environment in which the liquid tank is located.

[0034] In some embodiments, the maintenance power in the second heating mode can also be adjusted according to the temperature change trend of the liquid in the liquid storage tank; when the temperature change trend of the liquid in the liquid storage tank is an increase in temperature, the current maintenance power is reduced; when the temperature change trend of the liquid in the liquid storage tank is a decrease in temperature, the current maintenance power is increased.

[0035] In some embodiments, the maintenance power in the second heating mode has an initial power, and the maintenance power is determined by integrating the initial power, the current actual temperature difference, and the historical temperature difference.

[0036] In some embodiments, the maintenance power in the second heating mode can also be adjusted according to the changing trend of the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank relative to the target temperature; when the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank is higher than the target temperature, the current maintenance power is reduced; when the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank is lower than the target temperature, the current maintenance power is increased.

[0037] In some embodiments, the cooking device further includes a circulation pipeline having a liquid inlet side and a liquid outlet side connected to the liquid storage tank; the cooking device further includes a temperature sensor, which is arranged on the liquid inlet side.

[0038] In some embodiments, the method is executed by at least one processor, and the method includes: obtaining a target temperature set for a cooking device; determining a heating rate based on the target temperature and the volume of a liquid storage tank in the cooking device; determining a maintenance power based on the heating rate; and when the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank reaches the target temperature, controlling the heating device to operate at the maintenance power. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] This specification will be further described in the form of exemplary embodiments, which will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are not limiting, and in these embodiments, the same numbers represent the same structures, wherein:

[0040] FIG1 is an exemplary framework diagram of a cooking device according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0041] FIG2 is a diagram illustrating exemplary hardware and / or software of a cooking device according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0042] FIG3 is an exemplary flow chart of a liquid heating control method according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0043] FIG4 is another flow chart of a liquid heating control method according to some embodiments of the present specification;

[0044] FIG. 5 is an exemplary module diagram of a liquid heating control system according to some embodiments of the present specification. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this specification, the following briefly describes the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are merely examples or embodiments of this specification. Those skilled in the art can apply this specification to other similar scenarios based on these drawings without inventive effort. Unless otherwise apparent from the context or otherwise noted, the same reference numerals in the figures represent the same structure or operation.

[0046] It should be understood that the terms "system," "device," "unit," and / or "module" used herein are a method for distinguishing different components, elements, parts, portions, or assemblies at different levels. However, if other terms can achieve the same purpose, the terms may be replaced by other expressions.

[0047] As used in this specification and claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," "an," and / or "the" do not refer to the singular but also include the plural. Generally speaking, the terms "comprises" and "include" only indicate the inclusion of the steps and elements specifically identified, and these steps and elements do not constitute an exclusive list. A method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0048] Flowcharts are used throughout this specification to illustrate the operations performed by systems according to embodiments of this specification. It should be understood that preceding or following operations do not necessarily need to be performed in exact order. Instead, the steps may be processed in reverse order or simultaneously. Furthermore, other operations may be added to these processes, or one or more operations may be removed from these processes.

[0049] The liquid heating control system described in one or more embodiments of this specification can be applied to a cooking device. A cooking device can be a cooking appliance that performs cooking operations according to a preset cooking program and controllably adjusts cooking parameters to cook ingredients. In some embodiments, the cooking device may include, but is not limited to, a slow cooker, a steamer, a rice cooker, or any combination thereof. A slow cooker may include, but is not limited to, a slow cook stick, a slow cooker, or the like. In some embodiments, a slow cooker may refer to a cooking device that uses a low-temperature cooking method to cook ingredients. For example, a vacuum bag containing ingredients can be evacuated using a vacuum evacuator. The evacuated bag can then be placed into a liquid storage tank, where the liquid in the tank is heated by a heating device, thereby slow cooking the ingredients. Slow cooking of ingredients can refer to cooking the ingredients at a low temperature (e.g., approximately 60°C) for an extended period of time (e.g., more than two hours). The following uses a slow cooker as an example to illustrate one or more embodiments of this specification. Figure 1 is an exemplary schematic diagram of a cooking device according to some embodiments of this specification. In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 can be used alone. In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 can also be used in conjunction with a temperature probe, a vacuum machine, a vacuum bag, or other cooking devices. In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 can also be used in conjunction with a portable device (e.g., a mobile phone, a watch, or a computer) to enable control of the cooking device 100 from the portable device. For example, the cooking device 100 can be connected to other cooking devices or portable devices via a cloud server to transmit or synchronize data, thereby achieving data sharing. The shared data can be displayed on the display component of the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 can also send device information related to the operation of the cooking device 100 to a device management platform, which can monitor whether the cooking device 100 is capable of normal operation. The device information may include one or more of device status information (e.g., device power-on time, device power-off time, device usage frequency), hardware status information (e.g., hardware failure information), communication status information (e.g., communication failure information), and battery status information (e.g., battery charge level). In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 can be connected to the Internet. The networked cooking device 100 can obtain recipes from a server, a portable device, or other cooking devices and browse them on the cooking device 100. When the cooking device 100 is disconnected from the Internet, the locally stored recipes can be browsed.

[0050] In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 may include a liquid storage module 110 , a heating module 120 , a processing control module 130 , a detection module 140 , an information input / output module 150 , and a memory 160 .

[0051] The liquid storage module 110 can be used to store liquid. In some embodiments, the liquid storage module 110 may include a liquid storage tank, in which the liquid is stored. The liquid storage tank may be a box with a top opening, through which the liquid is injected into the liquid storage tank. The top of the liquid storage tank may also be provided with a box cover that matches the top opening to achieve a sealed liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 may include a liquid circulation system (also referred to as the cooking device 100's large circulation system or first circulation system) disposed between the liquid storage module 110 and the heating module 120. The cooking device 100's large circulation system may be composed of the liquid circulation system (also referred to as the second circulation system) of the liquid storage module 110 and the circulation piping of the heating module 120. The cooking device 100's large circulation system enables liquid circulation between the liquid storage tank and the main unit of the cooking device 100 (the circulation piping of the heating module 120 is disposed in the main unit). In some embodiments, the liquid storage tank may include an inlet and an outlet, each of which is connected to the water outlet and water inlet of the main unit, and thus to the circulation pipeline of the heating module 120, thereby enabling liquid to circulate between the liquid storage tank and the main unit. In some embodiments, the inlet and outlet of the liquid storage tank may be located on the same and / or different sidewalls of the liquid storage tank. For example, the inlet and outlet of the liquid storage tank may be two openings located on the outside of the same sidewall of the liquid storage tank.

[0052] In some embodiments, the liquid in the liquid storage tank may include, but is not limited to, water or other liquids. Other liquids may include edible liquids (e.g., beverages such as beverages, coffee, etc.). In some embodiments, the liquid storage module 110 may be communicatively connected to other modules of the cooking device 100 (e.g., the heating module 120, the processing and control module 130, the detection module 140, etc.). For example, the liquid storage module 110 may be connected to the processing and control module 130, and the processing and control module 130 may control the on / off of the liquid circulation system of the liquid storage module 110.

[0053] The heating module 120 can be used to heat the liquid. In some embodiments, the heating module 120 may include a heating device. The heating device may refer to a component that can heat the liquid and / or the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the heating module 120 may include a heating component (for example, a heating base) that directly heats the liquid storage tank. For example, the heating module 120 may include a heating base disposed at the bottom of the liquid storage tank, and the heating base can directly heat the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the heating module 120 may also include a heating component (for example, a heating tube, a heating wire, a heating rod, etc.) that directly heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank. For example, the heating module 120 may include a heating rod disposed in the liquid storage tank, and the heating rod can directly heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank.

[0054] In some embodiments, in order to make the heating of the liquid in the liquid storage tank more uniform, the heating module 120 may include a circulation pipeline. In some embodiments, the circulation pipeline may include a pipe connected between the liquid storage module 110 and the host. In some embodiments, the circulation pipeline may also include a pipe arranged in the host. In some embodiments, the heating module 120 may be arranged in the host, and the circulation pipeline of the heating module 120 may serve as the liquid circulation system of the host. The circulation pipeline of the heating module 120 and the liquid circulation system of the liquid storage module 110 together constitute the large circulation system of the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, when the heating module 120 includes a circulation pipeline, the heating device of the heating module 120 may be a heating pipe arranged in the circulation pipeline. When the liquid flows through the heating pipe in the circulation pipeline, the heating pipe generates heat and transfers heat to the liquid. The liquid then carries the heat back to the liquid storage tank. The liquid in the liquid storage tank circulates between the circulation pipeline and the liquid storage tank, thereby achieving the heating of the liquid in the liquid storage tank. Specifically, one end of the circulation line (also referred to as the liquid inlet side) is connected to the outlet of the liquid storage tank, and the other end of the circulation line (also referred to as the liquid outlet side) is connected to the inlet of the liquid storage tank. The liquid in the liquid storage tank flows from the outlet of the liquid storage tank through the liquid inlet side of the circulation line into the circulation line, and flows from the liquid outlet side of the circulation line back to the liquid storage tank through the inlet of the liquid storage tank, thereby realizing the circulation of the liquid in the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, when the heating module 120 includes a circulation line, the heating device of the heating module 120 can also be a heating element provided in the circulation line. In some embodiments, the heating device can directly heat the liquid in the circulation line, and a certain part of the pipe in the circulation line is a heating pipe. During the circulation process, the liquid in the heating pipe section is always in a heated state, and the heat is brought back to the liquid storage tank under the action of the circulation flow. In some embodiments, the heating device can also heat the liquid in the circulation pipeline by heating the pipe wall of the circulation pipeline. The heating device can be a heat sink arranged on the pipe wall of a certain part of the circulation pipeline. The heat dissipated by the heat sink is transferred to the liquid in the pipeline through the pipeline.

[0055] The liquid is heated through the circulation pipeline, and the heated liquid flows back to the liquid storage tank and can fully exchange heat with the liquid in the liquid storage tank. During the circulation and heat exchange process of the liquid, the heating power of the heating module 120 (that is, the heat generated by the heating module 120) can be evenly released into the liquid, thereby improving the uniformity of the liquid temperature in the liquid storage tank.

[0056] In some embodiments, the heating module 120 and the processing control module 130 can be communicatively connected to implement the transmission of information instructions between the processing control module 130 and the heating module 120. The information instructions here may include, but are not limited to, control instructions (e.g., start instructions and stop instructions for the heating device), data instructions (e.g., heating power of the heating device), etc.

[0057] In some embodiments, when heating the liquid, the heating module 120 can adjust the heating power of the heating device to precisely control the liquid temperature. For example, when the heating power of the heating device is set to a higher level, the liquid temperature rises faster; when the heating power of the heating device is set to a lower level, the liquid temperature rises slower. In some embodiments, the liquid can be heated by the heating device initially using full power. When the liquid reaches or approaches a preset temperature, the heating device stops heating. After stopping heating, the liquid temperature drops. When the liquid temperature falls below a preset temperature threshold, the heating device resumes heating. Using this heating method, where heating stops when the liquid reaches or approaches a preset temperature and begins when the liquid reaches a lower temperature threshold, heat is transferred to the liquid during the initial heating phase at a lower temperature and then stops when the liquid reaches the desired temperature. This results in a significant difference in the amount of heat received by the liquid during the cooking process, leading to significant temperature fluctuations.

[0058] In some embodiments, after the liquid is heated from its current temperature to a preset temperature (referred to as the heating stage), the heating device may not stop heating, but instead continue heating using a different heating power to maintain the liquid temperature at the preset temperature (referred to as the constant temperature stage). The "other, lower heating power" refers to a heating power lower than the heating power used in the heating stage. In some embodiments, the liquid temperature may remain unchanged (or decrease) when the heating power of the heating device is lower. This is because the liquid spontaneously dissipates heat when in an ambient space. When the amount of heat applied to the liquid by the heating device is equal to (or less than) the amount of heat dissipated by the liquid, the liquid temperature may not change (or decrease), i.e., the liquid temperature may remain at the preset temperature. Therefore, the heating power of the heating device can be appropriately set and adjusted based on the required liquid temperature. For example, in some embodiments, at the beginning of the cooking process, the heating power of the heating device can be set higher, with the heating device heating the liquid at a first power (e.g., full power). Once the liquid temperature reaches the preset temperature, the heating power of the heating device can be reduced to a second power (e.g., maintenance power).

[0059] In some embodiments, the heating device heats the liquid at different stages (e.g., the heating stage and the constant temperature stage) at different powers (e.g., constant power or maintenance power), which can make the temperature fluctuation of the liquid at different stages different, thereby meeting the cooking needs of the cooking device 100. For example, when the heating device heats the liquid at the maintenance power in the constant temperature stage, the difference in the amount of heat received by the liquid in the liquid storage module 110 at different times can be small, thereby making the temperature fluctuation of the liquid small. For another example, when the heating device heats the liquid at full power in the heating stage, the liquid can be heated faster. At the same time, in the constant temperature stage, the heating device continues to heat the liquid, which can ensure that the heating device can continuously transfer heat to the liquid, thereby improving the uniformity of the liquid temperature in the liquid storage tank.

[0060] In some embodiments, the heating device may have a first heating mode and a second heating mode. When the heating device is in different heating modes, the heating power of the heating device is different. In some embodiments, when the heating device is in the first heating mode, the heating device may heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank at a constant power; when the heating device is in the second heating mode, the heating device may heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank at a maintained power; the heating device may switch the cooking device 100 between the first heating mode and the second heating mode according to the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, when the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank does not reach a preset temperature, the heating mode of the heating device may be set to the first heating mode; when the temperature of the liquid reaches the preset temperature, the processing control module 130 may control the heating mode of the heating device to switch from the first heating mode to the second heating mode.

[0061] The processing and control module 130 can be connected to other modules in the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the processing and control module 130 can control the operating status of other modules in the cooking device 100 (e.g., the heating module 120, the detection module 140, and the information input / output module 150). For example, the processing and control module 130 can send control instructions to the heating module 120 to control the heating module 120. In some embodiments, the processing and control module 130 can control the operating status of the heating module 120. The operating status of the heating module 120 may include, but is not limited to, starting or stopping the heating device, the heating power of the heating module 120, and the like. For example, the processing and control module 130 can send a start instruction (or stop instruction) to the heating module 120 to start (or stop) heating. In some embodiments, the processing and control module 130 can also send control instructions to the heating module 120 to control the heating power of the heating module 120. For example, the processing and control module 130 can send a power adjustment instruction to the heating module 120 to switch the heating mode of the heating module 120 between a first heating mode and a second heating mode. In some embodiments, the processing control module 130 can send a control instruction to the heating module 120 to activate the circulation pipeline of the heating module 120 (i.e., start liquid circulation). The large circulation system of the cooking device 100 can be activated before the heating module 120 starts heating to prevent the heating device from drying out.

[0062] In some embodiments, the processing and control module 130 may also be used to control the operating state of the cooking device 100. For example, the processing and control module 130 may send a start command (or stop command) to the cooking device 100 to start (or stop) the cooking process. In some embodiments, the processing and control module 130 may also be used to control the operating time of the cooking device 100. For example, when the operating time of the cooking device 100 reaches a preset operating time, the processing and control module 130 may send a control command to the cooking device 100 to shut down the cooking device 100, thereby preventing excessive cooking time.

[0063] In some embodiments, the processing control module 130 can be used to control data communication between the various modules of the cooking device 100. For example, the processing control module 130 can control access to the memory 160 by other modules. In some embodiments, the processing control module 130 can process data from other modules of the cooking device 100 (e.g., the detection module 140 and the information input / output module 150). For example, the processing control module 130 can process the liquid temperature detected by the temperature sensor in the detection module 140. In some embodiments, the data processed by the processing control module 130 can be stored in the memory 160. In some embodiments, the processing control module 130 can also process instructions or operations from the information input / output module 150.

[0064] The detection module 140 can be used to detect information related to the cooking device 100. The information related to the cooking device 100 can include information related to the various modules of the cooking device 100 and / or information related to the cooking process of the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the information related to the cooking device 100 can include, but is not limited to, one or more of temperature information, position information, status information, time information, and input / output information. Temperature information can include the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage module 110. Position information can include the location information of components (e.g., liquid storage tanks, circulation pipelines, etc.) included in the various modules of the cooking device 100. Status information can include communication status information and operating status information of the various modules of the cooking device 100. Time information can include time-related parameter information, such as the operating time of the cooking device 100 and the preset cooking process time. Input / output module information can include information input by the user (or information obtained by the cooking device 100 from other devices) and information output by the cooking device 100 via a display device.

[0065] In some embodiments, the detection module 140 and the processing control module 130 may be in communication with each other. Information related to the cooking device 100 detected by the detection module 140 may be transmitted to the processing control module 130 for data processing.

[0066] In some embodiments, the detection module 140 may include sensors. These sensors can detect information related to the cooking device 100. For example, a temperature sensor can detect the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank. Another example is a position sensor that can detect the position of a detected object. The information related to the cooking device 100 detected by the sensors can be transmitted to the processing and control module 130 for data processing, enabling the processing and control module 130 to better control the operating status of other modules.

[0067] In some embodiments, the detection module 140 may include a temperature sensor. The processing and control module 130 may control the operating state of the heating module 120 (e.g., the operating mode or heating mode of the heating device) based on the liquid temperature detected by the temperature sensor. In some embodiments, the detection module 140 may detect the temperature values ​​of the liquid at different times, and the processing and control module 130 may analyze and process the temperature values ​​to obtain liquid temperature information, and then send corresponding control instructions to the heating module 120 based on the obtained liquid temperature information. For example, the processing and control module 130 may control the heating device to heat in a first heating mode or a second heating mode based on the analysis results. The liquid temperature information may be information reflecting the temperature change of the liquid. In some embodiments, the liquid temperature information may include the current temperature of the liquid, the temperature difference between different times, the rate of change of the liquid temperature, etc. In some embodiments, the rate of change of the liquid temperature may be the time it takes for the temperature to rise by a certain number of degrees (e.g., one degree, two degrees, etc.). In some embodiments, the rate of change of the liquid temperature may also be the number of degrees the liquid temperature rises or falls within a certain period of time (e.g., 2 seconds, 5 seconds, etc.).

[0068] In some embodiments, the detection module 140 can detect the temperature of the liquid during the heating stage. The heating stage can be the stage before the liquid is heated to the target temperature. The target temperature can be a preset liquid temperature. The target temperature can be set according to cooking requirements (for example, the requirements of cooking ingredients). In some embodiments, when the liquid is in the heating stage, the detection module 140 can detect the temperature of the liquid in real time, and the processing control module 130 can adaptively adjust the heating power of the heating module 120 based on the liquid temperature information detected by the detection module 140. For example, when the liquid temperature value detected by the temperature sensor is lower than the target temperature, the processing control module 130 can control the heating mode of the heating device to the first heating mode, so that the heating device heats the liquid at a constant power.

[0069] In some embodiments, the detection module 140 can also detect the temperature of the liquid in the constant temperature stage. The constant temperature stage can be a stage after the liquid reaches the target temperature. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid in the constant temperature stage can be maintained at the target temperature (or a temperature near it). In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid in the constant temperature stage can also fluctuate around the target temperature (or a temperature near it). In some embodiments, when the liquid temperature value detected by the temperature sensor reaches the target temperature, the processing control module 130 can control the heating mode of the heating device to the second heating mode so that the heating device heats the liquid at a maintenance power.

[0070] In some embodiments, the detection module 140 may include a pressure sensor. The pressure sensor can detect the pressure value of the object being measured. The object being measured here can be a power device (for example, a water pump), a liquid storage tank, a circulation pipeline, etc. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor can detect the internal pressure of the power device, the internal pressure of the pipeline through which the liquid flows, the hydraulic pressure in the liquid storage tank, etc. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor can also detect the in-place status of the object being measured (for example, a liquid storage tank or other accessories). For example, the pressure sensor can be used to detect whether the inside of the pipeline through which the liquid flows is blocked, or to detect whether the pipeline through which the liquid flows is leaking. In some embodiments, the pressure sensor can be one or more of a resistance strain gauge pressure sensor, a semiconductor strain gauge pressure sensor, a piezoresistive pressure sensor, an inductive pressure sensor, a capacitive pressure sensor, a resonant pressure sensor, an optical fiber pressure sensor, a capacitive acceleration sensor, etc.

[0071] In some embodiments, the detection module 140 may include a position sensor. The position sensor can detect the position information of the object being measured. The object being measured may include a liquid tank, a main unit, the connection structure between the liquid tank and the main unit (e.g., a circulation line), etc. In some embodiments, the position sensor may be a contact sensor that generates a signal when two objects come into contact and squeeze each other. For example, the position sensor may be a travel switch or a two-dimensional matrix position sensor. In some embodiments, the position sensor may also be a proximity sensor that generates a signal when two objects approach a preset distance. For example, the position sensor may be an electromagnetic, photoelectric, differential transformer, eddy current, capacitive, reed switch, ultrasonic, Hall effect, or other proximity sensor. In some embodiments, a photoelectric position sensor may be used to detect whether the liquid tank is positioned in a preset position. In some embodiments, a photoelectric position sensor may be used to detect the position status of the connection structure between the main unit and the liquid tank. In some embodiments, the detection module 140 may also include multiple different types of sensors, such as a flow sensor and a flow velocity sensor.

[0072] The information input / output module 150 can be used to input or output signals, data, or information. The information input / output module 150 can connect to or communicate with other modules in the cooking device 100. Other modules in the cooking device 100 can connect to or communicate with each other through the information input / output module 150. The information input / output module 150 can be a wired USB interface, a serial communication interface, a parallel communication port, or a wireless Bluetooth, infrared, radio frequency identification (RFID), wireless local area network authentication and privacy infrastructure (WAPI), general packet radio service (GPRS), code division multiple access (CDMA), etc., or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the information input / output module 150 can be connected to a network and obtain information through the network. For example, the information input / output module 150 can obtain the liquid temperature detected by the temperature sensor from the detection module 140 through the network and output the liquid temperature. In some embodiments, the information input / output module 150 may include VCC, GND, RS-232, RS-485 (e.g., RS485-A, RS485-B), and a universal network interface, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the information input / output module 150 may encode the transmitted signal using one or more encoding schemes. The encoding schemes may include phase encoding, non-return-to-zero encoding, differential Manchester encoding, or any combination thereof.

[0073] Memory 160 can store data / information related to cooking device 100. In some embodiments, memory 160 can store preset information related to cooking device 100, such as a target temperature for the liquid, a preset cooking time, etc. In some embodiments, memory 160 can also store data / information used to determine cooking parameters during the cooking process. For example, memory 160 can store temperature thresholds (e.g., a first temperature threshold and a second temperature threshold) used to determine the changing trend of the liquid temperature (e.g., the maintenance temperature) during the constant temperature phase. For another example, memory 160 can also store a first correspondence table used to determine the maintenance power of the heating device during the constant temperature phase, and a second correspondence table used to determine the liquid heating rate during the temperature increase phase. In some embodiments, memory 160 can include high-speed random access memory, non-volatile memory, etc. The non-volatile memory can be one or more disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid-state storage devices. In some embodiments, memory 160 can also include memory remote from the processor, such as a network attached memory accessed via the RF circuitry or external ports of cooking device 100 and a communication network. In some embodiments, the communication network may be the Internet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WLAN), a storage area network (SAN), etc., or a combination thereof.

[0074] It should be noted that the above description of the cooking device is for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the one or more embodiments of this specification to the scope of the embodiments described. It is understood that those skilled in the art, after understanding the principles of the system, may make various modifications or changes to the various modules without departing from these principles. However, such modifications and changes remain within the scope of this specification.

[0075] FIG2 is a diagram illustrating exemplary hardware and / or software of a cooking device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 may include a control component 210, a processor 220, a sensor 230, an input / output component 240, a display component 250, a power supply component 260, and an internal communication bus 270.

[0076] The control component 210 can be used to control data communication between the various components of the cooking device 100. For example, the control component 210 can control access to a memory (e.g., memory 160) by other components. In some embodiments, the control component 210 can be disposed in a processing control module (e.g., processing control module 130) of the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the control component 210 can include a peripheral device interface. The peripheral device interface can be used to connect the control component 210 to a peripheral device to enable communication between the control component 210 and the peripheral device.

[0077] The processor 220 can process data from other modules / components in the cooking device 100. For example, the processor can process relevant data detected by sensors in the detection module 140 (e.g., liquid temperature detected by a temperature sensor, position data of a circulation pipeline detected by a position sensor). In some embodiments, the processing control module (e.g., the processing control module 130) of the cooking device 100 can be the processor 220. In some embodiments, the processor 220 can include a microcontroller, a microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computer (RISC), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an application-specific instruction set processor (ASIP), a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a physical processing unit (PPU), a microcontroller unit, a digital signal processor (DSP), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), an advanced reduced instruction set computer (ARM), a programmable logic device, any circuit and processor capable of performing one or more functions, or any combination thereof.

[0078] The sensor 230 can be used to detect information of the object being measured (for example, liquid, liquid storage tank, circulation pipeline, etc.). The sensor 230 can be set in the detection module (for example, detection module 140) of the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the sensor 230 may include one or more different types of sensors, for example, temperature sensors, pressure sensors, position sensors, etc. Different types of sensors can detect type information corresponding to different objects being measured (for example, temperature information, pressure information, position information, etc.). The information of the object being measured detected by the sensor can be converted into an electrical signal that can be detected and sent to the processor 220 for processing. The result of data processing can be transmitted to the control component 210 so that the control component 210 can control the operating status of other modules / components of the cooking device 100 according to the processing results. For more information about the sensor, please refer to Figure 1 and its related description.

[0079] The input / output assembly (I / O assembly) 240 can be used to input or output signals, data, or information. The I / O assembly 240 can be located in an information input / output module (e.g., information input / output module 150) of the cooking device 100. The I / O assembly 240 can provide an interface between the input / output peripherals of the cooking device 100 and the peripheral device interface of the control assembly 210. In some embodiments, the input / output peripherals can include the display assembly 250, a position sensor, a lighting assembly, and other input / control devices. In some embodiments, the I / O assembly 240 can include controllers corresponding to the input / output peripherals, such as a display controller, a position sensor controller, a lighting controller, and one or more other input controllers. In some embodiments, one or more controllers in the I / O assembly 240 can receive and send electrical signals to and from the input / output peripherals. Furthermore, one or more other input controllers can receive and send electrical signals to and from other input / control devices. In some embodiments, the other input / control devices can include physical buttons (e.g., push buttons, rocker buttons, or touch buttons), slider switches, joysticks, and the like. In some embodiments, other input / control devices may also include a physical button for emergency cooking stop. In some embodiments, other input / control devices may also include a self-locking key, such as a child lock or other key to prevent misoperation.

[0080] The display assembly 250 can display information / data about the cooking device 100. For example, the display assembly 250 can display recipe information for the cooking device 100. For another example, the display assembly 250 can display temperature information (e.g., target temperature, maintenance temperature) of the liquid in the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the display assembly 250 can include a display screen. The display screen can provide an output interface between the cooking device 100 and the user. The display screen can display electronic files on the screen through a specific transmission device and then reflect them to the human eye. In some embodiments, the display screen can include a cathode ray tube display (CRT), a plasma display (PDP), a liquid crystal display (LCD), etc. In some embodiments, the display assembly 250 can also include a touch screen, which can provide an input / output interface between the device 500 and the user. In some embodiments, the touch screen can include a resistive screen, a surface acoustic wave screen, an infrared touch screen, an optical touch screen, a capacitive screen, or an inductive display device such as a nanofilm.

[0081] The power supply assembly 260 can provide power to various components of the cooking device 100 (e.g., the display assembly 250, the lighting assembly, etc.). In some embodiments, the power supply assembly 260 can include a power management system, one or more power sources (e.g., batteries or alternating current (AC)), a charging system, a power failure detection circuit, a power converter or inverter, a power status indicator (e.g., a light-emitting diode (LED)), etc. In some embodiments, the power supply assembly 260 can also include any other components associated with power generation, management, and distribution.

[0082] Internal communication bus 270 enables data communication between various components in cooking device 100. For example, processor 220 can send data to memory 160 or other hardware such as input / output component 240 via internal communication bus 270. In some embodiments, internal communication bus 270 may be an Industrial Standard Industrial Bus (ISA) bus, an Extended Industrial Standard Industrial Bus (EISA) bus, a Video Electronics Standard (VESA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, or the like. In some embodiments, internal communication bus 270 may be used to connect various modules (e.g., heating module 510, constant temperature module 520) in liquid heating control system 500 shown in FIG. 5 .

[0083] In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 may further include other hardware / software devices, such as a lighting component, a touch component, and a tactile feedback component. The lighting component may be a visual element. In some embodiments, the lighting component may include a visual element for indicating the cooking status and device status of the cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the lighting component may also include indicator lights or fault status alarm lights for indicating the status of components such as the power supply, CPU, liquid flow through the pipeline, heating (or cooling). In some embodiments, the lighting component may also include a visual lighting element for facilitating observation of the structure or component status of the cooking device 100 when the ambient light is poor. The touch component may detect contact between the user and the display component 250 or other touch-sensitive devices (e.g., touch buttons, touch pads).

[0084] The haptic feedback component may include a software component for generating instructions in response to user interactions with cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the haptic feedback component may include one or more haptic output generators capable of generating haptic outputs at one or more locations on cooking device 100.

[0085] It should be noted that the hardware and / or software components included in cooking device 100 are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit this specification to the illustrated embodiments. It is understood that those skilled in the art, after understanding the principles of the system, may add, delete, or combine various hardware and / or software components without departing from these principles. For example, cooking device 100 may include a text input component for entering cooking parameters (e.g., target temperature, heating power, temperature threshold, etc.), and such modifications are within the scope of this specification.

[0086] In some embodiments, when cooking device 100 utilizes heating module 120 to heat liquid, the heating system's inherent hysteresis can cause significant fluctuations in the absolute temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank. Furthermore, because the heating module utilizes continuous, high-power heating, this can result in uneven heat distribution to the liquid tank, leading to uneven liquid temperatures within the tank. To address these issues of uneven and large temperature fluctuations during the liquid heating process, one or more embodiments of this specification provide a liquid heating control method, as detailed in Figures 2-3 and the related descriptions.

[0087] FIG3 is an exemplary flow chart of a liquid heating control method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG3 , process 300 may include:

[0088] Step 310: Obtain target temperature.

[0089] In some embodiments, this step may be performed by processor 220. In some embodiments, processor 220 may obtain a target temperature for the liquid in a cooking device (e.g., cooking device 100). In some embodiments, the target temperature may be the heating temperature of the liquid in the cooking device. For example, when cooking a certain ingredient, cooking device 100 may heat the ingredient in the liquid for two hours at 60 degrees Celsius. The target temperature of the liquid is 60 degrees Celsius. In some embodiments, the target temperature may be a preset liquid temperature. The target temperature may be set based on cooking requirements (e.g., the requirements of the ingredients being cooked). For example, the target temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank of cooking device 100 may vary depending on the ingredient being cooked. In some embodiments, the target temperature may be obtained through user input on a terminal device. In some embodiments, the terminal device may be an operating interface provided on cooking device 100 (e.g., a host). In some embodiments, the terminal device may also be an operating interface on a mobile device (e.g., a mobile phone) that is communicatively connected to cooking device 100. In some embodiments, the information entered by the operator on the terminal device may include a numerical value directly input for the target temperature. In some embodiments, the information entered by the operator on the terminal device may also include other information that can correspond to the target temperature. For example, an operator can select a favorite recipe on the terminal device, and based on the selected recipe, the processor can automatically determine the corresponding target temperature. Another example is that an operator can select the type of ingredients to be cooked and the desired texture on the terminal device, and the processor can automatically determine the corresponding target temperature based on the ingredient type and texture.

[0090] Step 320: Control the heating device to heat the liquid in the cooking device according to the heating instruction.

[0091] In some embodiments, this step may be performed by the control component 210. The control component 210 may send a heating instruction to the heating device, so that the heating device heats the liquid in the cooking device 100.

[0092] In some embodiments, the heating instruction may be a control instruction for controlling the heating device to perform heating. The heating instruction may include startup information for the heating device and heating power information for the heating device. For example, the control component 210 may send startup information for the heating device to the heating device to cause the heating device to heat the liquid. At the same time, the control component 210 may also send heating power information to the heating device to cause the heating device to heat the liquid at a specific heating power. In some embodiments, the control component 210 may control the heating mode of the heating device to be in a first heating mode so that the heating device heats the liquid at full power. Full power may refer to 100% of the rated power of the heating device. When the heating device heats at rated power, it is said that the heating device heats at full power. A heating method in which the heating device heats at less than rated power can also be understood as the heating device not heating at full power. When the heating device heats the liquid at full power, the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank can gradually rise at a relatively fast rate.

[0093] In some embodiments, when the heating device heats the liquid, the heating power of the heating device can be constant or variable. In some embodiments, the heating device can heat the liquid with a constant heating power. In some embodiments, the heating power can also be adjusted in real time according to the temperature change of the liquid during the heating stage to accurately control the temperature of the liquid. In some embodiments, the heating power of the heating device can be adjusted according to the user's usage requirements. Taking a cooking device as an example, the user requires the liquid temperature to rise more slowly to ensure the taste and freshness of the ingredients. In this case, the heating power can be set to a smaller value to meet the user's cooking needs.

[0094] In some embodiments, the heating device can heat the liquid in the cooking device at a constant power. For example, the heating device can heat the liquid in the cooking device at full power. Heating the liquid at a constant power during the temperature rise phase ensures that the variable in the liquid temperature rise process is single. Specifically, the variable in the liquid temperature rise process can only include the liquid temperature rise rate, thereby facilitating the determination of the heat dissipation power during the constant temperature phase based on the liquid temperature rise rate.

[0095] In some embodiments, before the cooking process begins, liquid can be added to the liquid storage tank of the liquid storage module 110. After the liquid is added, the heating device is activated to heat the liquid. In some embodiments, if the cooking device 100 includes a circulation line, the liquid can be allowed to circulate between the liquid storage tank and the circulation line before the heating device is activated to prevent the heating device from drying out.

[0096] In step 330 , when the liquid reaches the target temperature, the heating device is controlled to maintain the power for heating.

[0097] In some embodiments, this step can be performed by the control component 210 and the processor 220. The control component 210 can send a control instruction to the heating device to control the heating device to heat the liquid at a maintenance power. In some embodiments, the maintenance power can be the heating power of the heating device when the temperature of the liquid is maintained at a target temperature (and a temperature near the target temperature). When the heating device heats at the maintenance power, the maintenance power can maintain the temperature of the liquid at the target temperature. In some embodiments, the maintenance power of the heating device can be variable. The magnitude of the maintenance power can be adjusted according to the temperature and / or temperature changes of the liquid in the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, when the liquid reaches the target temperature, the control component 210 can control the heating mode of the heating device to be in a second heating mode so that the heating device heats the liquid at a maintenance power.

[0098] In some embodiments, when the liquid reaches the target temperature, if the heating device stops heating the liquid, the liquid will cool due to its own heat dissipation. Therefore, the heating device needs to continue heating the liquid at a maintenance power to maintain the liquid temperature at the target temperature. When the heating device is heating at a maintenance power, the heat provided to the liquid by the maintenance power is equal to or approximately equal to the heat dissipated by the liquid, thereby maintaining the heat balance of the liquid and ensuring that the liquid temperature remains stable, thereby ensuring that the liquid temperature is maintained at the target temperature.

[0099] In some embodiments, the liquid reaching the target temperature may include the liquid temperature reaching or substantially reaching the target temperature. Substantially reaching the target temperature may mean that the liquid temperature is within a temperature threshold before reaching the target temperature, at which point it is deemed to be substantially reached. In some embodiments, the temperature threshold may be any value within 0.1% of the target temperature. In some embodiments, the temperature threshold may also be any temperature value less than 0.5 degrees. For example, the temperature threshold may be set to 0.2 degrees. In this case, when the liquid temperature reaches within 0.2 degrees below the target temperature, the liquid may be deemed to have reached the target temperature.

[0100] In some embodiments, the maintenance power can be determined based on the heating rate of the liquid in the stage before it is heated to the target temperature (also called the heating stage). In some embodiments, the processor 220 can obtain the heating rate of the liquid in the heating stage. The heating rate can reflect the relationship between the temperature of the liquid in the heating stage and the heating time. In some embodiments, the heating rate of the liquid in the heating stage may include the time required for the liquid temperature to rise by a certain number of degrees (for example, 1 degree, 2 degrees, etc.). For example, the heating rate can be the time required for the liquid temperature to rise by 1 degree. In some embodiments, the heating rate can also refer to the total time it takes for the liquid temperature to rise to the target temperature. In some embodiments, the heating rate of the liquid in the heating stage may also include the number of degrees the liquid temperature rises within a certain period of time (for example, 1 second, 2 seconds, etc.). For example, the heating rate can be the number of degrees the liquid temperature rises within 1 second.

[0101] In some embodiments, the processor 220 can determine the heating rate of the liquid in the heating stage based on the temperature information of the liquid detected by the detection module 140 (e.g., a temperature sensor). In some embodiments, the temperature sensor can detect the liquid temperature corresponding to the liquid at different times, and the processor 220 analyzes the liquid temperature at each time and obtains the heating rate of the liquid in the heating stage based on the analysis results. For example, the processor 220 can obtain the first temperature of the liquid detected by the temperature sensor at the first moment and the second temperature of the liquid detected by the temperature sensor at the second moment, and the heating rate can be determined based on the first moment, the first temperature, the second moment and the second temperature. The heating rate can be expressed as the ratio between the temperature difference between the second temperature and the first temperature and the time difference between the second moment and the first moment. In some embodiments, for more description on how to determine the heating rate, please refer to other parts of this specification.

[0102] In some embodiments, the processor 220 can further determine the maintenance power based on the heating rate. In some embodiments, the processor 220 can determine the heat dissipation power of the liquid in the phase following the temperature rise phase (i.e., the constant temperature phase) based on the heating rate, and further determine the maintenance power based on the heat dissipation power. Heat dissipation power can be used to characterize the amount of heat dissipated by the liquid in the ambient space. In some embodiments, the heat dissipation power of the liquid in the constant temperature phase can be determined based on the heating rate of the liquid in the temperature rise phase. In some embodiments, the heat dissipation power of the liquid in the constant temperature phase can be positively correlated with the rate of change of the liquid in the temperature rise phase (e.g., the time required for the liquid temperature to rise by one degree Celsius). For example, the longer the time required for the liquid temperature to rise by one degree Celsius in the temperature rise phase, the greater the heat dissipation power of the liquid in the constant temperature phase; the shorter the time required for the liquid temperature to rise by one degree Celsius in the temperature rise phase, the lower the heat dissipation power of the liquid in the constant temperature phase. In some embodiments, the processor 220 can also determine the heat dissipation power of the liquid in the constant temperature phase based on the heating rate in the temperature rise phase and the target temperature of the liquid. In some embodiments, the heating rate of the liquid in the temperature rise phase can determine parameters such as the liquid volume, the heating power in the temperature rise phase, and the ambient temperature. The target temperature of the liquid can be directly proportional to the heat dissipation power of the liquid. The higher the target temperature of the liquid, the greater the heat dissipation power of the liquid; the lower the target temperature of the liquid, the smaller the heat dissipation power of the liquid.

[0103] In some embodiments, the processor 220 can control the heating power of the heating device according to a control algorithm. For example, the processor 220 can control the heating device to switch between a first heating mode and a second heating mode according to the control algorithm. The relevant content of the control algorithm is described below.

[0104] In some embodiments, the processor 220 can switch the heating mode of the heating device according to the switching node in the control algorithm. The switching node can refer to the temperature difference node of the liquid temperature relative to the target temperature during the heating process (including the heating stage and the constant temperature stage). For example, the switching node can be a first temperature threshold and / or a second temperature threshold of the target temperature. In some embodiments, the target temperature can be set to a first temperature threshold, which refers to a temperature value that is a certain degree lower than the target temperature (for example, 0.2 degrees, 0.4 degrees, 0.6 degrees, etc.). In this embodiment, the first temperature threshold can be set to 0.2 degrees below the target temperature. During the heating stage, when the liquid temperature rises to the first temperature threshold, for example, when it is 0.2 degrees below the target temperature, the processor 220 can convert the constant power of the heating device (which can be full power) to the power controlled by the PID control algorithm. In some embodiments, the target temperature can also be set to a second temperature threshold, which refers to a temperature value that is a certain degree lower than the target temperature (for example, 0.8 degrees, 1 degree, 2 degrees, etc.). In this embodiment, the second temperature threshold can be set to 1 degree below the target temperature. During the constant temperature phase, when the liquid temperature drops to a second temperature threshold, for example, 1° below the target temperature, the processor 220 can control the heating device to switch from the PID control algorithm back to constant power heating. In some embodiments, the second temperature threshold can be lower than the first temperature threshold to avoid small temperature fluctuations around the first temperature threshold during the constant temperature phase, causing the algorithm to switch continuously. In some embodiments, the heating power during the constant temperature phase can be determined according to the following method: During the temperature rise phase, the energy consumption provided by the constant power of the heating device can be divided into two parts: one part is used to heat the liquid, and the other part is lost due to heat dissipation of the liquid. In the initial stage of the liquid temperature rise, it can be assumed that the liquid temperature is closest to room temperature (i.e., ambient temperature) and the liquid heat dissipation is minimal, almost zero. At this time, it can be understood that the constant power is fully used to heat the liquid. At time t1 when the temperature rise begins, a first temperature rise rate V1 of the liquid temperature is measured. The first temperature rise rate V1 is the maximum temperature rise rate during the temperature rise process. Starting from room temperature, when the liquid temperature reaches the first temperature threshold of the target temperature (e.g., 0.2°C below the target temperature), a second temperature rise rate V2 is measured. Because a portion of the energy provided by the constant power is consumed by liquid heat dissipation when the liquid temperature reaches the first temperature threshold of the target temperature (e.g., 0.2 degrees below the target temperature), the second heating rate V2 is less than the first heating rate V1. In some embodiments, the maintenance power during the constant temperature phase can be determined based on the first heating rate and the second heating rate. For example, the initial power level of the maintenance power during the constant temperature phase can be determined based on the first heating rate and the second heating rate. In another example, the duty cycle of the heating device during the constant temperature phase can be determined based on the first heating rate and the second heating rate.

[0105] In some embodiments, the percentage of (V1-V2) / V1 can be used to measure the heat dissipation power of the liquid. By adjusting the duty cycle of the motor of the heating device to be equal to (V1-V2) / V1, it can be ensured that the liquid can maintain a constant temperature. In some embodiments, the heating power of the heating device in the constant temperature stage can be compensated and controlled using a control algorithm. In some embodiments, the heating device has a rated power, and the maintenance power in the constant temperature stage can be determined based on the rated power, the first heating rate V1 and the second heating rate V2. For example, in the constant temperature stage, the initial duty cycle of the heating device can be set to (V1-V2) / V1. At this time, the initial power of the heating device in the constant temperature stage = rated power * (V1-V2) / V1, and then compensation control is performed using a PID control algorithm. In some embodiments, temperature compensation can be performed based on the current actual temperature difference and the historical temperature difference integral. The current actual temperature difference refers to the difference between the current temperature of the liquid and the target temperature. The historical temperature difference integral may refer to the integral of the actual temperature difference at the beginning of the constant temperature stage.

[0106] In some embodiments, the processor 220 may also determine the heat dissipation power of the liquid based on the heating time of the heating stage. The heating time of the heating stage may refer to the time taken for the liquid to start heating until the liquid temperature reaches the target temperature. In some embodiments, the heat dissipation power of the liquid in the constant temperature stage may be positively correlated with the heating time of the liquid in the heating stage. For example, the longer the heating time of the liquid in the heating stage, the greater the heat dissipation power of the liquid in the constant temperature stage; the shorter the heating time of the liquid in the heating stage, the smaller the heat dissipation power of the liquid in the constant temperature stage. In some embodiments, the processor 220 may determine the maintenance power based on the heat dissipation power of the liquid in the constant temperature stage. In some embodiments, the control component 210 may control the maintenance power of the heating device to be equal to the heat dissipation power of the liquid in the constant temperature stage. When the maintenance power of the heating device is equal to the heat dissipation power of the liquid, the heat dissipated by the liquid is equal to the heat applied to the liquid by the maintenance power, which can keep the heat of the liquid in dynamic equilibrium, thereby maintaining the liquid temperature at the target temperature and ensuring the stability of the liquid temperature.

[0107] In some embodiments, the maintenance power can also be determined by looking up a table. In some embodiments, the maintenance power can be determined based on a preset first correspondence table and a heating rate. The first correspondence table can reflect the correspondence between the heating rate and the maintenance power. In some embodiments, the first correspondence table can be a preset correspondence table between the heating rate and the maintenance power. After the processor 220 obtains the heating rate in the heating stage, it can find the maintenance power corresponding to the heating rate in the preset first correspondence table based on the value of the heating rate. In some embodiments, the preset first correspondence table can be obtained by testing.

[0108] In some embodiments, the maintenance power can also be determined based on the heating rate, the volume of the liquid, and / or the ambient temperature. In some embodiments, the maintenance power of the heating device can be directly proportional to the heating rate of the liquid. The greater the heating rate of the liquid, the greater the maintenance power of the heating device; the lower the heating rate of the liquid, the lower the maintenance power of the heating device. In some embodiments, the heating rate here can refer to the first temperature increase rate V1 of the liquid temperature measured at time t1 when the temperature increase begins.

[0109] The volume of the liquid may refer to the current volume of the liquid in the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the volume of the liquid may be different in different application scenarios. For example, in the cooking device 100, the volume of liquid that needs to be added to the liquid storage tank is different due to different ingredients being cooked. In some embodiments, the maintenance power of the heating device may be directly proportional to the volume of the liquid. The larger the volume of the liquid, the greater the maintenance power of the heating device; the smaller the volume of the liquid, the smaller the maintenance power of the heating device. In some embodiments, the volume of the liquid may affect the heating rate of the liquid, and the heating rate of the liquid may be used to characterize the volume of the liquid.

[0110] The ambient temperature may refer to the temperature of the space in which the cooking device 100 and / or the liquid storage tank is currently located. In some embodiments, the ambient temperature may refer to room temperature. In some embodiments, the closer the ambient temperature is to the liquid temperature, the less heat flow between the liquid and the environment (e.g., the less heat the liquid dissipates into the environment), the lower the heat dissipation power of the liquid, and the lower the maintenance power required to maintain a stable temperature. The greater the difference between the ambient temperature and the liquid temperature, the greater the heat flow between the liquid and the environment (e.g., the more heat the liquid dissipates into the environment), the greater the heat dissipation power of the liquid, and the greater the maintenance power required to maintain a stable temperature. In some embodiments, the maintenance power of the heating device may have a certain relationship with the ambient temperature. For example, under certain conditions (e.g., liquid volume, target temperature, etc.), the closer the target temperature is to the ambient temperature, the lower the maintenance power of the heating device; the greater the difference between the target temperature and the ambient temperature, the higher the maintenance power of the heating device. In some embodiments, the ambient temperature may affect the heating rate of the liquid, and the heating rate of the liquid may be used to represent the ambient temperature.

[0111] In some embodiments, the maintenance power can also be determined based on a user input. The user can input the maintenance power through a terminal device (e.g., an operating interface on a host computer or a mobile phone). For example, the user can input an appropriate maintenance power based on the ingredients (e.g., the degree of processing). In some embodiments, the user can input a first power and a second power through the terminal device. The first power serves as the heating power for the liquid during the heating phase, and the second power serves as the heating power for the liquid during the constant temperature phase (i.e., the second power serves as the maintenance power). In some embodiments, at the beginning of the cooking process, the control component 210 can control the heating device to heat the liquid at the first power. Once the liquid temperature reaches the target temperature, the control component 210 controls the heating device to switch from the first power to the second power, heating the liquid at the second power. That is, during the heating phase, the heating device heats the liquid at the first power input by the user; during the constant temperature phase, the heating device heats the liquid at the second power input by the user. In some embodiments, the first power can be the rated power of the heating device. In some embodiments, the second power is less than the first power.

[0112] In some embodiments, during the constant temperature phase, the heating device heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank at a maintenance power to maintain the temperature of the liquid at a target temperature. In some embodiments, the actual temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank during the constant temperature phase may fluctuate due to various reasons. To more accurately control the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank and maintain the target temperature as closely as possible, some embodiments of this specification also detect the actual temperature of the liquid during the constant temperature phase and adjust the current maintenance power based on the detection result. See steps 340 and 350 for further description.

[0113] Step 340 , determining a change trend of the temperature maintenance in the stage after the liquid is heated to the target temperature (also called the constant temperature stage).

[0114] In some embodiments, this step may be performed by processor 220. In some embodiments, when the liquid is in a constant temperature phase, it is generally desirable to maintain the temperature of the liquid at a target temperature to maintain the liquid in a constant temperature state. However, in reality, since the liquid dissipates heat in the ambient space, the actual temperature of the liquid may vary relative to the target temperature, thereby generating a temperature variation trend. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the temperature variation trend of the liquid and then adjust the maintenance power of the liquid in the constant temperature phase based on the temperature variation trend to ensure temperature stability of the liquid in the constant temperature phase.

[0115] In some embodiments, the maintained temperature may refer to the actual temperature of the liquid during the constant temperature phase. The maintained temperature trend may refer to the change in the maintained temperature of the liquid relative to the target temperature within a preset time step (e.g., 1 second). The maintained temperature trend may include a temperature increase trend, a temperature decrease trend, and a temperature unchanged trend. A temperature increase trend may refer to an increase in the maintained temperature of the liquid relative to the target temperature within a preset time step. A temperature decrease trend may refer to a decrease in the maintained temperature of the liquid relative to the target temperature within a preset time step. A temperature unchanged may refer to no change in the maintained temperature of the liquid relative to the target temperature within a preset time period. In some embodiments, the maintained temperature trend may be determined based on the relationship between the change in the maintained temperature within a preset time step and a preset amplitude threshold. If the change in the maintained temperature within a preset time step exceeds a preset amplitude threshold range, the maintained temperature may be considered to have a change trend. Furthermore, based on the change in the maintained temperature relative to the target temperature, the maintained temperature trend may be determined as either a temperature increase trend or a temperature decrease trend. If the change in the maintained temperature within a preset time step is within a preset amplitude threshold range, the maintained temperature may be considered to have no change trend; in this case, the maintained temperature has not changed relative to the target temperature. In some embodiments, when the maintenance temperature does not change relative to the target temperature, the maintenance temperature is the same or approximately the same as the target temperature. Maintaining the temperature does not change relative to the target temperature may mean that the change in the liquid maintenance temperature relative to the target temperature within a preset time step is small (for example, within a preset amplitude threshold range). In some embodiments, the preset amplitude threshold can be set according to the actual needs of the user and the application scenario. For example, if the demand for the accuracy of maintaining the temperature is high, the preset amplitude threshold can be set to be smaller. Conversely, if the demand for the accuracy of maintaining the temperature is high, the preset amplitude threshold can be set to be larger. As an example only, the range of the preset amplitude threshold can be 0.3° to 2°. In some embodiments, the preset time step can be a preset time interval for judging the trend of change in the maintenance temperature, for example, 1 millisecond, 10 milliseconds, 100 milliseconds, etc.

[0116] In some embodiments, the changing trend of the maintained temperature can be determined based on the maintained temperature values ​​corresponding to at least two moments of the liquid in the constant temperature stage detected by the temperature sensor. In some embodiments, determining the changing trend of the maintained temperature of the liquid in the constant temperature stage may include: obtaining the temperature values ​​corresponding to at least two moments of the liquid in the constant temperature stage, and determining the changing trend of the maintained temperature based on the temperature values ​​corresponding to the at least two moments. In some embodiments, the temperature values ​​corresponding to at least two moments of the constant temperature stage can be detected by the temperature sensor, and then the changing trend of the maintained temperature can be determined based on the temperature difference between the temperature values ​​corresponding to adjacent moments of the at least two moments. In some embodiments, the time interval between two adjacent moments of the at least two moments may range from 2 milliseconds to 10 milliseconds. In some embodiments, the time interval between two adjacent moments of the at least two moments may range from 3 milliseconds to 10 milliseconds. In some embodiments, the time interval between two adjacent moments of the at least two moments may range from 5 milliseconds to 7 milliseconds.

[0117] Taking the temperature sensor detecting the temperature values ​​corresponding to two moments as an example, the processor 220 can obtain the first temperature value corresponding to the liquid at the first moment and the second temperature value corresponding to the liquid at the second moment, and determine the change trend of the maintenance temperature based on the temperature difference between the second temperature value and the first temperature value. If the temperature difference between the second temperature value and the first temperature value is positive (or exceeds the preset amplitude threshold range), it can be determined that the change trend of the maintenance temperature is a temperature increase trend; if the difference between the second temperature value and the first temperature value is negative (or exceeds the preset amplitude threshold range), it can be determined that the change trend of the maintenance temperature is a temperature decrease trend; if the difference between the second temperature value and the first temperature value is zero (or within the preset amplitude threshold range), it can be determined that the maintenance temperature has no change trend, that is, no change. It can be understood that the first moment should be before the second moment, that is, the first moment is before the second moment.

[0118] Step 350: Adjust the maintenance power according to the change trend of the maintenance temperature.

[0119] In some embodiments, this step can be performed by the processor 220 and the control component 210. In some embodiments, the maintenance power can also be dynamically adjusted. This is because when the maintenance power is used to maintain the maintenance temperature of the liquid, the maintenance temperature may also change. At this time, the maintenance power can be adjusted according to the changing trend of the liquid maintenance temperature to ensure that the maintenance temperature of the liquid can be maintained at the target temperature, thereby improving the accuracy of the liquid maintenance temperature. In some embodiments, the maintenance power is used to maintain the liquid temperature at the target temperature. When the maintenance temperature of the liquid changes in the constant temperature stage, the maintenance power can be adjusted to change the amount of heat applied to the liquid by the heating device, thereby adjusting the maintenance temperature of the liquid. Therefore, the maintenance power can be adjusted according to the changing trend of the maintenance temperature.

[0120] In some embodiments, the changing trend of the maintenance temperature is opposite to the regulating trend of the maintenance power. The regulating trend of the maintenance power may include a power increase trend and a power decrease trend. In some embodiments, the changing trend of the maintenance temperature is opposite to the regulating trend of the maintenance power, which can be understood as follows: when the changing trend of the maintenance temperature is a temperature increase trend, the regulating trend of the maintenance power should be a power decrease trend; when the changing trend of the maintenance temperature is a temperature decrease trend, the regulating trend of the maintenance power should be a power increase trend. In some embodiments, when the changing trend of the maintenance temperature is a temperature increase trend, it means that the heat applied to the liquid by the current maintenance power is greater than the heat dissipated by the liquid (it can also be understood that the maintenance power of the heating device is greater than the heat dissipation power of the liquid itself). At this time, the maintenance power can be reduced so that the heat applied to the liquid by the reduced maintenance power is approximately equal to the heat dissipated by the liquid, thereby ensuring that the maintenance dimension of the liquid is maintained at the target temperature. Similarly, when the trend of change in the maintenance temperature is a trend of decreasing temperature, it means that the heat applied to the liquid by the current maintenance power is less than the heat dissipated by the liquid (it can also be understood that the maintenance power of the heating device is less than the heat dissipation power of the liquid itself). At this time, the maintenance power can be increased so that the heat applied to the liquid by the increased maintenance power is approximately equal to the heat dissipated by the liquid, thereby ensuring that the maintenance dimension of the liquid is maintained at the target temperature.

[0121] In some embodiments, the adjustment trend of the maintenance power may also include a constant power. When the maintenance temperature does not have a changing trend, that is, the maintenance temperature remains constant relative to the target temperature or the change range is within a preset amplitude threshold, it indicates that the heat applied to the liquid by the current maintenance power is approximately equal to the heat dissipated by the liquid (it can also be understood that the maintenance power of the heating device is approximately equal to the heat dissipation power of the liquid itself). In this case, the maintenance power does not need to be adjusted.

[0122] In some embodiments, the holding power can be adjusted based on a preset power step size. For example, the holding power can be increased by increasing the preset power step size based on the current holding power. For another example, the holding power can be decreased by decreasing the preset power step size based on the current holding power. In some embodiments, the preset power step size can be a unit power value used to adjust the holding power.

[0123] In some embodiments, the process of adjusting the maintenance power according to the trend of the change in the maintenance temperature is described in detail below. After the processor 220 determines the trend of the change in the maintenance temperature, if the trend of the change in the maintenance temperature is an increase in temperature, the current maintenance power can be reduced by a preset power step to obtain the adjusted maintenance power, and the adjusted maintenance power is used to heat the liquid; if the trend of the change in the maintenance temperature is a decrease in temperature, the current maintenance power can be increased by a preset power step to obtain the adjusted maintenance power, and the adjusted maintenance power is used to heat the liquid.

[0124] In some embodiments, the preset power step size of the maintenance power may not be a fixed value, but may be dynamically adjustable. For example, if the liquid's maintenance temperature varies significantly relative to the target temperature, and adjusting the maintenance power using the current preset power step size is insufficient to maintain the liquid's maintenance temperature at the target temperature, the preset power step size of the maintenance power may be increased. It should be noted that when adjusting the maintenance power, the current maintenance power may be increased or decreased by a predetermined multiple of the preset power step size to adjust the maintenance power.

[0125] In some embodiments, the maintenance power can also be adjusted with a specific power step according to the magnitude of the change in the liquid maintenance temperature relative to the target temperature. In some embodiments, when the magnitude of the change in the maintenance temperature relative to the target temperature exceeds a first threshold, the first power step can be used as a preset power step for adjusting the maintenance power, and the current maintenance power is reduced / increased by the first power step as the adjusted maintenance power. In some embodiments, when the magnitude of the change in the maintenance temperature relative to the target temperature exceeds a second threshold, the second power step can be used as a preset power step for adjusting the maintenance power, and the current maintenance power is reduced / increased by the second power step as the adjusted maintenance power. The first threshold is less than the second threshold. The first power step is less than the second power step. In some embodiments, more thresholds for measuring the magnitude of the change in the maintenance temperature relative to the target temperature can also be set, for example, a third threshold, a fourth threshold, etc., and then the corresponding power step (for example, the third power step, the fourth power step) can be used as the preset power step for adjusting the maintenance power according to different thresholds.

[0126] In some embodiments, using a preset power step to adjust the maintenance power can avoid excessive adjustment of the maintenance power at one time, which may cause a large change in the maintenance temperature. This can improve the accuracy of the maintenance temperature and reduce the volatility of the maintenance temperature.

[0127] It should be noted that the above description of process 300 is for illustration and purpose only and does not limit the scope of this specification. Those skilled in the art may, under the guidance of this specification, make various modifications and alterations to process 300. For example, one or more steps may be added or removed from process 300. However, such modifications and alterations remain within the scope of this specification. For example, in some embodiments, steps 340 and 350 may be omitted.

[0128] In some embodiments, the heating rate of the liquid during the heating phase can be determined based on parameter information of the liquid during the heating phase. The parameter information of the liquid during the heating phase can include heating information (e.g., heating power, temperature information), environmental information (e.g., ambient temperature), liquid parameter information (e.g., liquid volume), etc. The heating rate of the liquid during the heating phase is described below.

[0129] In some embodiments, obtaining the heating rate of the liquid during the heating phase may include: Step 10: Obtaining heating information of the liquid during the heating phase. In some embodiments, the processor 220 may obtain the heating information of the liquid during the heating phase. The heating information may be temperature information of the liquid during the heating phase. In some embodiments, the heating information may include temperature values ​​of the liquid at at least two moments in time. The temperature values ​​of the liquid at at least two moments in time may be obtained by a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor may detect the temperature values ​​of the liquid at multiple moments in time at regular time intervals (e.g., 0.1 seconds, 0.01 seconds, etc.) and transmit the temperature values ​​of the liquid at multiple moments in time to the processor 220 for analysis and processing. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor may be located inside the liquid storage tank. Preferably, to ensure that the liquid temperature value detected by the temperature sensor is closer to the average temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank, the temperature sensor may be located at the center of the liquid in the liquid storage tank. In other embodiments, the temperature sensor may be located elsewhere, such as at the outlet or inlet of the liquid storage tank, at the water inlet of the circulation pipeline, or on the water inlet pipe of the circulation pipeline. More information about the temperature sensor can be found elsewhere in this specification. In some embodiments, the heating information may also be the heating time information of the liquid during the temperature rising stage. The heating information may include the time taken for the liquid temperature to rise from a first temperature to a second temperature. The first temperature and the second temperature may be pre-set liquid temperatures. For example, the first temperature may be the initial temperature of the liquid, and the second temperature may be the target temperature of the liquid. In this case, the heating time information may refer to the time taken for the liquid temperature to rise from the initial temperature to the target temperature. The initial temperature of the liquid refers to the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank before heating. In some embodiments, the heating information may also include the time taken for the liquid temperature to rise by a certain number of degrees (e.g., 1 degree, 10 degrees, etc.).

[0130] In some embodiments, obtaining the heating rate of the liquid during the temperature rising stage may further include step 20: determining the heating rate of the liquid during the temperature rising stage according to the heating information.

[0131] In some embodiments, the processor 220 can determine the heating rate of the liquid in the heating stage based on the heating information. In some embodiments, the heating rate of the liquid in the heating stage can be determined based on the temperature values ​​corresponding to the liquid at at least two moments. For example, the processor 220 obtains the first temperature value corresponding to the liquid at the first moment and the second temperature value corresponding to the liquid at the second moment detected by the temperature sensor, and then determines the heating rate of the liquid based on the ratio between the temperature difference between the second temperature value and the first temperature value and the time difference between the second moment and the first moment. In some embodiments, the processor 220 can also determine the heating rate of the liquid in the heating stage based on the heating time information. For example, the processor 220 can determine the heating rate of the liquid in the heating stage based on the time taken for the liquid temperature to rise from the initial temperature to the target temperature.

[0132] In some embodiments, the heating rate of the liquid during the heating phase can also be obtained through other methods, such as table lookup. In some embodiments, the heating rate of the liquid during the heating phase can be determined based on a preset second correspondence table and the target temperature, initial temperature, and liquid volume of the liquid. In some embodiments, a temperature sensor can detect the initial temperature of the liquid before heating, and the processor 220 can obtain the initial temperature of the liquid detected by the temperature sensor. In some embodiments, the ambient temperature (e.g., room temperature) can also be considered the initial temperature of the liquid. In some embodiments, the volume of the liquid can be roughly determined based on the volume of the liquid storage tank. For example, a scale can be provided on the sidewall of the liquid storage tank, and the liquid volume can be determined based on the scale values ​​corresponding to the liquid level and the size of the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the liquid volume can also be determined based on user selection or a default volume. In some embodiments, the liquid volume can also be determined based on a sensor (e.g., a liquid level position sensor). In some embodiments, the preset second correspondence table can reflect the correspondence between the target temperature, initial temperature, and liquid volume of the liquid and the heating rate. Based on the target temperature, initial temperature, and liquid volume of the liquid, the processor 220 can find the corresponding heating rate under these parameters in the preset second correspondence table. In some embodiments, the preset second correspondence table can be obtained through testing.

[0133] In some embodiments, the temperature information of the liquid, for example, the temperature values ​​corresponding to the liquid at at least two moments, can be obtained using a temperature sensor. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor can detect the temperature value of the liquid at any moment. The processor 220 can obtain the temperature value of the liquid detected by the temperature sensor and analyze and process the temperature value to obtain corresponding information (for example, a heating rate). For example, the processor 220 can respectively obtain a first temperature value corresponding to the liquid at a first moment and a second temperature value corresponding to the liquid at a second moment detected by the temperature sensor. The processor 220 analyzes and processes the first moment, the first temperature value, the second moment, and the second temperature value to determine the heating rate of the liquid.

[0134] In some embodiments, the liquid is stored in a liquid tank, and a temperature sensor can be located inside the liquid tank to detect the temperature of the liquid. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor can be located at any location inside the liquid tank. In some embodiments, when the heating device heats the liquid, the temperature of the liquid at different locations in the liquid tank may vary slightly. In this case, in order to make the liquid temperature detected by the temperature sensor closer to the average temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank, the temperature sensor can be located at the center of the liquid in the liquid tank. In some embodiments, the liquid temperature data detected by the temperature sensor located at the center of the liquid in the liquid tank can be used for analysis and processing by the processor 220, for example, for analysis and processing by the processor 220 to determine the heating rate of the liquid during the heating phase, the maintenance power of the heating device during the constant temperature phase, etc. In some embodiments, the temperature data detected by temperature sensors located at other locations in the liquid tank can also be used for analysis and processing by the processor 220.

[0135] In some embodiments, there may be multiple temperature sensors so that the temperature sensors can more accurately detect the actual temperature of the liquid. In some embodiments, multiple temperature sensors may be located at different locations in the liquid storage tank and / or the circulation pipeline. Different locations in the liquid storage tank may include the center of the liquid storage tank, locations near the inlet / outlet of the liquid storage tank, locations near the corners of the liquid storage tank, etc. Different locations in the circulation pipeline may include the liquid inlet / outlet side of the circulation pipeline, locations in the circulation pipeline away from / close to the heating device, etc. In some embodiments, the liquid temperature detected by a temperature sensor at any location may be used as temperature data for analysis and processing by the processor 220. In some embodiments, the average (or weighted average) of the liquid temperatures detected by temperature sensors at different locations may also be used as temperature data for analysis and processing by the processor 220. In some embodiments, when the liquid is stored in the liquid storage tank, the liquid storage tank may be connected to a circulation pipeline, and the liquid circulates in the circulation pipeline. For example, the circulation pipeline may be a curved tubular structure, with ports on both sides of the tubular structure connected to the liquid storage tank. One side of the circulation pipeline (also called the liquid inlet side) is connected to the outlet of the liquid storage tank, and the other side of the circulation pipeline (also called the liquid outlet side) is connected to the inlet of the liquid storage tank. The liquid in the liquid storage tank flows from the outlet through the liquid inlet side of the circulation pipeline into the circulation pipeline, and flows from the liquid outlet side of the circulation pipeline through the inlet of the liquid storage tank back to the liquid storage tank, thereby realizing the circulation of liquid in the circulation pipeline and the liquid storage tank.

[0136] In some embodiments, a heating device (e.g., a heating pipe) can be provided in the circulation line. As the liquid flows in the circulation line, the heating device can heat the liquid in the circulation line, and the heated liquid flows back to the liquid storage tank, thereby achieving circulation heating of the liquid in the liquid storage tank. By heating the liquid in the liquid storage tank through liquid circulation, the heating power of the heating device (i.e., the heat generated by the heating device) can be evenly released into the liquid, thereby improving the uniformity of the liquid temperature in the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 can first circulate the liquid between the circulation line and the liquid storage tank before activating the heating device, thereby preventing the heating device from drying out.

[0137] In some embodiments, to ensure that the liquid temperature detected by the temperature sensor more closely matches the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank, the temperature sensor can be positioned at the liquid inlet of the circulation pipeline. In some embodiments, the temperature sensor can also be positioned in the pipeline between the liquid inlet of the circulation pipeline and the heating device. It is understood that the temperature values ​​detected by temperature sensors located in different locations may vary.

[0138] In some embodiments, temperature sensors located at different locations can be used to determine if there is a problem with the liquid heating control system. For example, two temperature sensors at the liquid inlet and outlet of the circulation pipeline can each detect the temperature of the liquid at a corresponding location. If the difference between the temperature values ​​detected by the two temperature sensors is too large, there may be a problem with the liquid heating control system.

[0139] The following uses the liquid heating control method described in the embodiment of this specification as an example of application to a cooking device to specifically illustrate how liquid is used in a cooking device to heat food.

[0140] FIG4 is another flow chart of a liquid heating control method according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG4 , process 400 may include:

[0141] Step 410: heating the liquid.

[0142] In some embodiments, this step can be performed by controlling the heating device by the control component 210. In some embodiments, the temperature of the liquid can be room temperature before being heated. The temperature of the liquid can depend on the temperature of the environment in which the liquid is located (i.e., the ambient temperature).

[0143] In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 may obtain a target temperature and a preset cooking time for the liquid before cooking. In some embodiments, the cooking device 100 may obtain the target temperature and the preset cooking time based on specific parameters input by the user on a terminal device. In some embodiments, the target temperature and the preset cooking time may also be directly obtained based on a cooking recipe.

[0144] In some embodiments, the heating device can heat the liquid at a constant heating power. The constant heating power can be a pre-set value or a power value input by the user through a terminal device. For example, the constant heating power can be the rated power of the heating device. In another example, the constant heating power can be a heating power input by the user. The heating method of the heating device for heating the liquid has been described above and will not be repeated here.

[0145] Step 420: Obtain the heating rate during the heating phase.

[0146] In some embodiments, this step can be performed by the processor 220. In some embodiments, the heating rate can be determined based on the heating information of the liquid in the heating stage (for example, the temperature values ​​corresponding to the liquid at at least two moments). For example, the processor 220 can obtain the temperature values ​​corresponding to two adjacent moments detected by the temperature sensor, and then determine the heating rate of the liquid in the heating stage based on the temperature values ​​corresponding to the two adjacent moments. Specifically, the processor 220 can determine the time required for the temperature to rise by 1 degree (or the temperature rise per unit time) based on the temperature values ​​corresponding to the two adjacent moments, thereby determining the heating rate of the liquid in the heating stage. For more methods for determining the heating rate, please refer to the description in other parts of this specification.

[0147] Step 430: Determine whether the liquid temperature reaches the target temperature.

[0148] In some embodiments, this step can be performed by processor 220. In some embodiments, a temperature sensor can detect the temperature of the liquid in real time. Processor 220 obtains the liquid temperature value detected by the temperature sensor and compares the liquid temperature value with the target temperature to determine whether the liquid temperature has reached the target temperature. Processor 220 further controls cooking device 100 to perform specific steps based on the determination result. In some embodiments, if the liquid temperature has reached the target temperature, cooking device 100 executes step 440 to determine the maintenance power; if the liquid temperature has not reached the target temperature, cooking device 100 executes step 410 to heat the liquid. In some embodiments, if the liquid temperature has not reached the target temperature, steps 410, 420, and 430 can be performed in a loop until the liquid temperature reaches the target temperature.

[0149] Step 440: Determine the maintenance power.

[0150] In some embodiments, this step may be performed by processor 220. In some embodiments, the maintenance power may be determined based on the heating rate of the liquid during the heating phase. For example, processor 220 may determine the maintenance power based on the heating rate and a preset first correspondence table. Control assembly 210 controls the heating device to continue heating the liquid at the maintenance power to maintain the liquid at the target temperature.

[0151] Step 450: Determine whether the change trend of the liquid's maintained temperature is a temperature increase.

[0152] In some embodiments, this step can be performed by processor 220. In some embodiments, a temperature sensor can detect the liquid's maintenance temperature. Processor 220 obtains the maintenance temperature detected by the temperature sensor and, based on the relationship between the maintenance temperature and the target temperature, determines whether the liquid's maintenance temperature trend is increasing. Processor 220 further controls cooking device 100 to perform specific steps based on the determination of the maintenance temperature trend. In some embodiments, if the liquid's maintenance temperature trend is increasing, cooking device 100 executes step 460 to reduce the maintenance power. Otherwise, cooking device 100 executes step 470 to determine whether the maintenance temperature trend is decreasing.

[0153] Step 460: Reduce the maintenance power of the heating device.

[0154] In some embodiments, this step can be performed by control component 210. In some embodiments, when the liquid's maintained temperature trend is increasing, control component 210 can send a control instruction to the heating device to reduce the heating device's maintenance power. For example, control component 210 can control the heating device to reduce the current maintenance power by a preset power step size to set the adjusted maintenance power, and then continue to heat the liquid at the adjusted maintenance power. For more information on adjusting the maintenance power, please refer to other sections of this specification.

[0155] Step 470: Determine whether the change trend of the liquid maintenance temperature is a temperature drop.

[0156] In some embodiments, this step can be performed by processor 220. In some embodiments, a temperature sensor can detect the liquid's maintenance temperature. Processor 220 obtains the maintenance temperature detected by the temperature sensor and, based on the relationship between the maintenance temperature and the target temperature, determines whether the liquid's maintenance temperature trend is decreasing. Processor 220 further controls cooking device 100 to perform specific steps based on the determination of the maintenance temperature trend. In some embodiments, if the liquid's maintenance temperature trend is decreasing, cooking device 100 executes step 480 to increase the maintenance power. Otherwise, cooking device 100 executes step 490, does not adjust the maintenance power, and instead determines whether the cooking time has expired.

[0157] Step 480: Increase the maintenance power of the heating device.

[0158] In some embodiments, this step can be performed by control component 210. In some embodiments, when the liquid's maintained temperature trend is decreasing, control component 210 can send a control instruction to the heating device to increase the heating device's maintenance power. For example, control component 210 can control the heating device to increase the current maintenance power by a preset power step size to serve as the adjusted maintenance power, and continue heating the liquid at the adjusted maintenance power. For more information on adjusting the maintenance power, please refer to other sections of this specification.

[0159] Step 490: Determine whether the current cooking time reaches the preset cooking time.

[0160] In some embodiments, this step may be performed by processor 220. In some embodiments, processor 220 may obtain the current cooking time of cooking device 100 and determine whether the current cooking time has reached the preset cooking time based on the relative magnitude between the current cooking time and the preset cooking time. In some embodiments, if the current cooking time has reached the preset cooking time, the cooking process ends; if the current cooking time has not reached the preset cooking time, step 450 is executed. In some embodiments, when the cooking time of cooking device 100 has not reached the preset cooking time, steps 450, 460, 470, 480, and 490 may be executed in a loop until the cooking time of cooking device 100 reaches the preset cooking time.

[0161] It should be noted that the above description of process 400 is for illustration and purpose only and does not limit the scope of application of this specification. Those skilled in the art may make various modifications and alterations to process 400 under the guidance of this specification. However, such modifications and alterations are still within the scope of this specification.

[0162] FIG5 is an exemplary module diagram of a liquid heating control system according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG5 , the liquid heating control system 500 may include a temperature increasing module 510 and a constant temperature module 520 .

[0163] In some embodiments, the temperature increasing module 510 can be used to control the heating device to heat the liquid in the cooking device according to the heating instruction.

[0164] In some embodiments, the constant temperature module 520 can be used to control the heating device to heat at a maintenance power when the liquid reaches the target temperature; the maintenance power is used to maintain the temperature of the liquid at the target temperature.

[0165] In some embodiments, the constant temperature module 520 can obtain the heating rate of the liquid in the stage before it is heated to the target temperature (that is, the heating stage), and determine the maintenance power based on the heating rate. In some embodiments, the constant temperature module 520 can determine the heat dissipation power of the liquid in the stage after it is heated to the target temperature (that is, the constant temperature stage) based on the heating rate, and determine the maintenance power based on the heat dissipation power. For example, the maintenance power can be equal to the heat dissipation power. In some embodiments, the constant temperature module 520 can also determine the maintenance power based on a preset first correspondence table and the heating rate. In some embodiments, the constant temperature module 520 can also determine the maintenance power based on the heating rate, the volume of the liquid and / or the ambient temperature.

[0166] In some embodiments, the heating module 510 can obtain heating information of the liquid before it is heated to the target temperature, and determine the heating rate of the liquid before it is heated to the target temperature based on the heating information. In some embodiments, the heating module 510 can determine the heating rate based on temperature values ​​corresponding to at least two moments. In some embodiments, the heating module 510 can also determine the heating rate of the liquid before it is heated to the target temperature based on a preset second correspondence table and the target temperature.

[0167] In some embodiments, the constant temperature module 520 can adjust the maintenance power according to the trend of changes in the maintenance temperature. In some embodiments, the constant temperature module 520 can obtain the temperature values ​​corresponding to at least two moments in the stage after the liquid is heated to the target temperature (that is, the constant temperature stage), and determine the trend of changes in the maintenance temperature based on the temperature values ​​corresponding to at least two moments. In some embodiments, when the trend of changes in the maintenance temperature is an increase in temperature, the constant temperature module 520 can reduce the current maintenance power by a preset power step as the adjusted maintenance power; when the trend of changes in the maintenance temperature is a decrease in temperature, the constant temperature module 520 can increase the current maintenance power by a preset power step as the adjusted maintenance power.

[0168] For more details about the liquid heating control system 500 and its modules, reference may be made to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 and their related descriptions.

[0169] It should be understood that the liquid heating control system and its modules shown in Figure 5 can be implemented in various ways. For example, in some embodiments, the liquid heating control system and its modules can be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of software and hardware. Among them, the hardware part can be implemented using dedicated logic; the software part can be stored in a storage medium and executed by an appropriate instruction execution system, such as a microprocessor or dedicated design hardware. Those skilled in the art will understand that the above-mentioned methods and systems can be implemented using computer-executable instructions and / or contained in processor control code, for example, such as a carrier medium such as a disk, CD or DVD-ROM, a programmable memory such as a read-only memory (firmware), or a data carrier such as an optical or electronic signal carrier. Such code is provided on the system and its modules of this specification. Not only can the hardware circuits such as ultra-large-scale integrated circuits or gate arrays, semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate arrays, programmable logic devices, etc. be implemented, they can also be implemented using software executed by various types of processors, and can also be implemented by a combination of the above-mentioned hardware circuits and software (for example, firmware).

[0170] It should be noted that the above description of the system and its modules is for convenience only and does not limit this specification to the embodiments described. It is understood that those skilled in the art, after understanding the principles of the system, may arbitrarily combine the modules or form subsystems connected to other modules without departing from these principles. For example, in some embodiments, constant temperature module 520 may be divided into two separate modules. Such variations are within the scope of this specification.

[0171] In some embodiments, this specification provides a control device for heating liquid in a cooking device. The device includes at least one processor (e.g., processor 220) and at least one memory (e.g., memory 160). The at least one memory 160 can be used to store computer instructions. When the at least one processor 220 executes the computer instructions, the processor 220 can be configured to: obtain a target temperature; control a heating device to heat liquid in the cooking device according to the heating instructions; when the liquid reaches the target temperature, control the heating device to maintain power for heating; and maintain power to maintain the temperature of the liquid at the target temperature. For more information about the operations of the processor 220 executing corresponding instructions, please refer to other parts of this specification, such as Figures 1-4 and their related descriptions.

[0172] In some embodiments, this specification provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions. When a computer reads the computer instructions from the storage medium, the computer executes at least one method described in one or more embodiments of this specification. For more information about how a computer executes the methods described in this specification, see other sections of this specification, such as Figures 1-4 and their related descriptions.

[0173] In some embodiments, the present specification provides a cooking device comprising a liquid tank and a heating device. The heating device is configured to heat liquid in the liquid tank. The heating device may have a first heating mode and a second heating mode. In the first heating mode, the heating device heats the liquid in the liquid tank at full power. In the second heating mode, the heating device heats the liquid in the liquid tank at a maintenance power. The heating device switches the cooking device between the first and second heating modes based on the temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank. In some embodiments, the heating device may be in the first heating mode when the temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank has not reached a target temperature. When the temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank reaches the target temperature, the heating device may switch from the first heating mode to the second heating mode. In some embodiments, the target temperature may include a first temperature threshold and a second temperature threshold. When the temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank rises to the first temperature threshold, the heating device switches from the first heating mode to the second heating mode. When the temperature of the liquid in the liquid tank drops to the second temperature threshold, the heating device switches from the second heating mode to the first heating mode. In some embodiments, the maintenance power may be determined by a heating rate in the first heating mode. In some embodiments, the heating rate may include a first temperature ramp rate and a second temperature ramp rate. In some embodiments, the maintenance power can also be determined by the volume of liquid in the tank and / or the temperature of the environment in which the tank is located. In some embodiments, the maintenance power in the second heating mode can be adjusted based on the temperature trend of the liquid in the tank. When the temperature trend of the liquid in the tank is increasing, the current maintenance power can be reduced; when the temperature trend of the liquid in the tank is decreasing, the current maintenance power can be increased. In some embodiments, the maintenance power in the second heating mode can have an initial power, which is determined by integrating the initial power, the current actual temperature difference, and the historical temperature difference. In some embodiments, the heating device includes a rated power, which is used to determine the initial power of the maintenance power in conjunction with the first and second heating rates. In some embodiments, the maintenance power in the second heating mode can also be adjusted based on the temperature trend of the liquid in the tank relative to the target temperature. When the temperature of the liquid in the tank is above the target temperature, the current maintenance power can be reduced; when the temperature of the liquid in the tank is below the target temperature, the current maintenance power can be increased. In some embodiments, the cooking device may further include a circulation line having a liquid inlet and a liquid outlet connected to the liquid storage tank; the cooking device may also include a temperature sensor disposed at the liquid inlet. For more information about the cooking device, please refer to the previous description and will not be repeated here.

[0174] In some embodiments, embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for controlling a cooking device, executed by at least one processor (e.g., processor 220). The method may include: obtaining a target temperature set for the cooking device; determining a heating rate based on the target temperature and the volume of a liquid storage tank in the cooking device; determining a maintenance power based on the heating rate; and controlling the heating device to operate at the maintenance power when the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank reaches the target temperature. In some embodiments, the volume of the liquid storage tank in the cooking device may refer to the volume of the internal space of the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, the volume of the liquid storage tank may be used to approximate the volume of the liquid in the liquid storage tank. In some embodiments, determining the heating rate based on the target temperature and the volume of the liquid storage tank in the cooking device may include a table lookup. For example, processor 220 may determine the heating rate based on the target temperature, the volume of the liquid storage tank in the cooking device, and a second correspondence table. In some embodiments, the heating rate is determined based on the target temperature and the volume of the liquid storage tank in the cooking device. In some embodiments, determining the maintenance power based on the heating rate may include a table lookup. For example, processor 220 may determine the maintenance power based on the heating rate and a first correspondence table. In some embodiments, the maintenance power is determined based on the heating rate. In some embodiments, after the heating device is operated at a maintenance power, the method may further include: adjusting the maintenance power according to the temperature change trend of the liquid in the liquid storage tank within a preset time (i.e., a preset time step). In some embodiments, when the temperature change trend of the liquid in the liquid storage tank within the preset time is rising, the current maintenance power may be reduced; when the temperature change trend of the liquid in the liquid storage tank within the preset time is falling, the current maintenance power may be increased. In some embodiments, the current maintenance power may be adjusted according to a preset power step. For example, when the temperature change trend of the liquid in the liquid storage tank within the preset time is rising, the current maintenance power may be reduced by a preset power step as the adjusted maintenance power; when the temperature change trend of the liquid in the liquid storage tank within the preset time is falling, the current maintenance power may be increased by a preset power step as the adjusted maintenance power. For more details about the control method of the cooking device 100, please refer to the previous description and will not be repeated here.

[0175] It should be noted that the heating power of the heating device described in the embodiments of this specification may be the average heating power of the heating device. The average heating power of the heating device can be calculated based on the duty cycle of the on-time and off-time of the heating device. For example, when the liquid is in the temperature rising stage, the duty cycle of the on-time and off-time of the heating device may be 100%. At this time, the heating power is the actual output power of the heating device. For another example, when the liquid is in the constant temperature stage, the duty cycle of the on-time and off-time of the heating device may be less than 100%. By adjusting the duty cycle, the average heating power of the heating device can be adjusted.

[0176] While the basic concepts have been described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the detailed disclosure is merely illustrative and does not limit this specification. Although not explicitly stated herein, various modifications, improvements, and revisions to this specification may be made by those skilled in the art. Such modifications, improvements, and revisions are suggested in this specification and remain within the spirit and scope of the exemplary embodiments of this specification.

[0177] This specification also uses specific terms to describe the embodiments of this specification. For example, "one embodiment," "an embodiment," and / or "some embodiments" refer to a feature, structure, or characteristic associated with at least one embodiment of this specification. Therefore, it should be emphasized and noted that references to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "an alternative embodiment" two or more times in different locations in this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, certain features, structures, or characteristics of one or more embodiments of this specification may be appropriately combined.

[0178] In addition, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various aspects of this specification may be illustrated and described by a number of patentable categories or situations, including any new and useful process, machine, product or combination of substances, or any new and useful improvements thereto. Accordingly, various aspects of this specification may be performed entirely by hardware, entirely by software (including firmware, resident software, microcode, etc.), or by a combination of hardware and software. The above hardware or software may be referred to as "data blocks", "modules", "engines", "units", "components" or "systems". In addition, various aspects of this specification may be represented as a computer product located in one or more computer-readable media, which includes computer-readable program code.

[0179] A computer storage medium may include a propagated data signal embodying the computer program code, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. The propagated signal may be in a variety of forms, including electromagnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer storage medium may be any computer-readable medium other than a computer-readable storage medium that can be connected to an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device to communicate, propagate, or transfer the program for use. The program code on the computer storage medium may be transmitted via any suitable medium, including radio, cable, fiber optic cable, RF, or similar media, or any combination of these.

[0180] The computer program code required for the operation of the various parts of this specification can be written in any one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Java, Scala, Smalltalk, Eiffel, JADE, Emerald, C++, C#, VB.NET, Python, etc., conventional procedural programming languages ​​such as C, Visual Basic, Fortran 2003, Perl, COBOL 2002, PHP, ABAP, dynamic programming languages ​​such as Python, Ruby and Groovy, or other programming languages. The program code can be run entirely on the user's computer, or as a separate software package on the user's computer, or partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or processing device. In the latter case, the remote computer can be connected to the user's computer through any network form, such as a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or connected to an external computer (e.g., via the Internet), or in a cloud computing environment, or used as a service such as software as a service (SaaS).

[0181] In addition, unless expressly stated in the claims, the order of the processing elements and sequences, the use of alphanumeric characters, or the use of other names described in this specification are not intended to limit the order of the processes and methods of this specification. Although the above disclosure discusses some embodiments of the invention that are currently considered useful through various examples, it should be understood that such details are for illustrative purposes only, and the appended claims are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, the claims are intended to cover all modifications and equivalent combinations that are consistent with the spirit and scope of the embodiments of this specification. For example, although the system components described above can be implemented by hardware devices, they can also be implemented only by software solutions, such as installing the described system on an existing processing device or mobile device.

[0182] Similarly, it should be noted that, in order to simplify the presentation of this specification and thus facilitate understanding of one or more embodiments of the invention, the foregoing descriptions of the embodiments of this specification sometimes combine multiple features into a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof. However, this disclosure method does not imply that the subject matter of this specification requires more features than those recited in the claims. In fact, an embodiment may have fewer features than all of the features of a single disclosed embodiment.

[0183] In some embodiments, numbers are used to describe the quantity of components and attributes. It should be understood that such numbers used in the description of the embodiments are modified by the modifiers "about", "approximately" or "substantially" in some examples. Unless otherwise stated, "about", "approximately" or "substantially" indicate that the numbers are allowed to vary by ±20%. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the numerical parameters used in the description and claims are approximate values, which may change according to the required characteristics of individual embodiments. In some embodiments, the numerical parameters should take into account the specified significant digits and adopt the general method of retaining digits. Although the numerical domains and parameters used to confirm the breadth of their range in some embodiments of this specification are approximate values, in specific embodiments, the settings of such numerical values ​​are as accurate as possible within the feasible range.

[0184] Each patent, patent application, patent application publication, and other materials, such as articles, books, specifications, publications, and documents, cited in this specification is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. This includes application history documents that are inconsistent with or conflict with the content of this specification, as well as documents (currently or subsequently attached to this specification) that limit the broadest scope of the claims of this specification. It should be noted that if the descriptions, definitions, and / or terminology used in the accompanying materials are inconsistent or conflicting with the content of this specification, the descriptions, definitions, and / or terminology used in this specification will control.

[0185] Finally, it should be understood that the embodiments described in this specification are intended only to illustrate the principles of the embodiments of this specification. Other variations may also fall within the scope of this specification. Therefore, by way of example and not limitation, alternative configurations of the embodiments of this specification may be considered consistent with the teachings of this specification. Accordingly, the embodiments of this specification are not limited to the embodiments explicitly described and illustrated in this specification.

Claims

1. A method for controlling liquid heating in a cooking container, characterized in that: The method comprises: Get the target temperature; controlling the heating device to heat the liquid in the cooking device at a constant heating power according to the heating instruction; When the liquid reaches the target temperature, the heating device is controlled to perform heating at a maintenance power; the maintenance power is used to maintain the temperature of the liquid at the target temperature.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further comprises: Obtaining a heating rate of the liquid before the temperature is raised to the target temperature; The maintenance power is determined according to the heating rate.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that Determining the maintenance power according to the heating rate includes: determining the heat dissipation power after the liquid is heated to the target temperature according to the heating rate; The maintenance power is determined according to the heat dissipation power.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The determining the maintenance power according to the heating rate further comprises: The maintenance power is determined according to the heating rate, the volume of the liquid and / or the ambient temperature.

5. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The step of obtaining the heating rate of the liquid before the liquid is heated to the target temperature comprises: Acquiring heating information of the liquid before the temperature is raised to the target temperature; A heating rate for a stage before the temperature of the liquid is raised to a target temperature is determined according to the heating information.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that The heating information includes temperature values ​​corresponding to the liquid at at least two moments; determining the heating rate of the liquid before it is heated to the target temperature based on the heating information includes: determining the heating rate based on the temperature values ​​corresponding to the at least two moments.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that The method further includes: determining a change trend of the maintenance temperature of the liquid after the temperature is raised to the target temperature; The maintenance power is adjusted according to the change trend of the maintenance temperature.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The adjusting the maintenance power according to the change trend of the maintenance temperature includes: When the maintenance temperature is lower than a second temperature threshold, the maintenance power is adjusted to a constant power in the temperature rising stage.

9. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that The heating rate includes a first heating rate and a second heating rate, and determining the maintenance work according to the heating rates includes: The maintenance power is determined according to the first heating rate and the second heating rate.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The heating device includes a rated power, and the maintenance power is determined according to the rated power, the first heating rate, and the second heating rate.

11. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that Determining the change trend of the maintenance temperature of the liquid after the temperature is raised to the target temperature includes: Obtaining temperature values ​​corresponding to at least two moments in the stage after the liquid is heated to the target temperature; A change trend of the maintenance temperature is determined according to the temperature values ​​corresponding to the at least two moments.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that The time interval between two adjacent moments in the at least two moments ranges from 3 milliseconds to 10 milliseconds.

13. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that The variation trend of the maintenance temperature is opposite to the regulation trend of the maintenance power.

14. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that Adjusting the maintenance power according to a change trend of the maintenance temperature includes: When the change trend of the maintenance temperature is an increase in temperature, reducing the current maintenance power by a preset power step to serve as the adjusted maintenance power; When the variation trend of the maintenance temperature is a temperature drop, the current maintenance power is increased by a preset power step to serve as the adjusted maintenance power.

15. The method according to claim 6 or 12, characterized in that The temperature values ​​of the liquid corresponding to at least two moments are acquired by a temperature sensor.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that The liquid is stored in a liquid storage tank, and the temperature sensor is located in the liquid storage tank.

17. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that The liquid is stored in a liquid storage tank, which is connected to a circulation pipeline. The liquid circulates in the circulation pipeline. The temperature sensor is located at the liquid inlet side of the circulation pipeline.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that A heating device is provided in the circulation pipeline; and the temperature sensor is located in the pipeline between the liquid inlet of the circulation pipeline and the heating device.

19. The method according to claim 1, wherein The liquid is used to heat food in a cooking device; the method further comprises: Get the target temperature through the terminal device.

20. The method according to claim 19, characterized in that The method further comprises: Obtain preset cooking time through the terminal device; When the liquid reaches the target temperature, controlling the heating device to maintain power for heating includes: controlling the heating device to maintain power for heating until the preset cooking time is reached.

21. A control device for heating liquid in a cooking device, characterized in that: The apparatus includes at least one processor and at least one memory, wherein the at least one memory is configured to store computer instructions; when the at least one processor executes the computer instructions, the processor is configured to: Get the target temperature; controlling the heating device to heat the liquid in the cooking device according to the heating instruction; When the liquid reaches the target temperature, the heating device is controlled to perform heating at a maintenance power; the maintenance power is used to maintain the temperature of the liquid at the target temperature.

22. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer instructions, wherein when a computer reads the computer instructions in the storage medium, the computer executes the method according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

23. A control system for liquid heating of a cooking device, characterized in that: The system comprises: A heating module is used to control the heating device to heat the liquid according to the heating instruction; The constant temperature module is used to control the heating device to heat at a maintenance power when the liquid reaches the target temperature; the maintenance power is used to maintain the temperature of the liquid at the target temperature.

24. A cooking device comprising a liquid storage tank and a heating device; the heating device is used to heat the liquid in the liquid storage tank; The heating device has a first heating mode and a second heating mode; in the first heating mode, the heating device heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank at full power; in the second heating mode, the heating device heats the liquid in the liquid storage tank at maintenance power; the heating device switches between the first heating mode and the second heating mode according to the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank.

25. The cooking device according to claim 24, characterized in that When the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank reaches a target temperature, the heating device switches from the first heating mode to the second heating mode.

26. The cooking device according to claim 25, characterized in that The target temperature includes a first temperature threshold and a second temperature threshold. When the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank rises to the first temperature threshold, the heating device switches from the first heating mode to the second heating mode; when the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank drops to the second temperature threshold, the heating device switches from the second heating mode to the first heating mode.

27. The cooking device according to claim 24, wherein The maintenance power is determined by a heating rate in the first heating mode; wherein the heating rate includes a first temperature rising rate and a second temperature rising rate.

28. The cooking device according to claim 27, wherein The heating device includes a rated power, and the rated power is used to determine an initial power of the maintenance power together with the first heating rate and the second heating rate.

29. The cooking device according to claim 27, wherein The maintenance power is also determined by the volume of the liquid in the liquid storage tank and / or the temperature of the environment in which the liquid storage tank is located.

30. The cooking device according to claim 24, wherein The maintenance power in the second heating mode may also be adjusted according to a change trend of the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank; When the temperature change trend of the liquid in the liquid storage tank is an increase in temperature, reducing the current maintenance power; When the temperature change trend of the liquid in the liquid storage tank is a temperature drop, the current maintenance power is increased.

31. The cooking device according to claim 30, wherein The maintenance power in the second heating mode has an initial power, and the maintenance power is determined by integrating the initial power, the current actual temperature difference, and the historical temperature difference.

32. The cooking device according to claim 24, wherein The maintenance power in the second heating mode may also be adjusted according to a trend of a change in the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank relative to the target temperature; When the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank is higher than the target temperature, the current maintenance power is reduced; when the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank is lower than the target temperature, the current maintenance power is increased.

33. The cooking device according to claim 25, 39 or 32, characterized in that: The cooking device further includes a circulation pipeline having a liquid inlet side and a liquid outlet side communicated with the liquid storage tank; the cooking device further includes a temperature sensor, which is arranged on the liquid inlet side.

34. A method for controlling a cooking device, characterized in that: The method is executed by at least one processor, and includes: obtaining a target temperature set for the cooking device; Determine the heating rate based on the target temperature and the volume of the liquid storage tank in the cooking device; A maintenance power is determined according to the heating rate; and when the temperature of the liquid in the liquid storage tank reaches the target temperature, the heating device is controlled to operate at the maintenance power.

Images