Operation of household appliance having at least one process chamber camera

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (S1-S5) for operating a domestic appliance (1) having a treatment chamber (2) and at least one treatment chamber camera (6) with at least one variable camera setting, in which method a plurality of images are generated (S4) by means of the at least one treatment chamber camera (6) in a temporally offset (t0-t7), at least two of the images are used for at least two different targets (Z1-Z3), at least one camera setting of at least one processing chamber camera (6) being varied (S2, S3) depending on the target. The invention further relates to a household appliance (1), in particular a household cooking appliance, comprising a processing chamber (2) and at least one processing chamber camera (6) with at least one variable camera setting, the household appliance (1) being designed to carry out the method (S1-S5).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a method for operating a household appliance having a treatment chamber and at least one treatment chamber camera, in which a plurality of images are generated with the aid of the at least one treatment chamber camera in a time-staggered manner, and at least two of the images are used for at least two different image-based objects. The invention also relates to a household appliance having a treatment chamber and at least one treatment chamber camera with at least one variable camera setting, wherein the household appliance is set up to carry out the method. The invention can be used particularly advantageously on a household cooking appliance, in particular a stove, in particular a baking oven. Background Art

[0002] Household appliances with a cooking chamber and at least one cooking chamber camera, such as ovens with a cooking chamber camera or refrigerators with a cooling chamber camera (so-called CiF, “Camera-in-Fridge”) are known in principle. In particular, it is known in cooking appliances to detect the position of cooking items by image-assisted analysis and then to determine the degree of browning of the cooking items from the image cutout showing the cooking items. It is also known to determine the type of cooking item by image analysis. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and in particular to provide a constructionally particularly easy to implement possibility for using an image of a treatment chamber, in particular a cooking chamber, of a domestic appliance for different purposes.

[0004] This object is achieved according to the features of the independent claim. Preferred embodiments can be gathered in particular from the dependent claims.

[0005] This object is achieved by a method for operating a domestic appliance having a treatment chamber and at least one treatment chamber camera with at least one variable camera setting, in which method:

[0006] - generating a plurality of images offset in time by means of at least one process chamber camera, and

[0007] - at least two of the images are for at least two different objects, wherein

[0008] - target-dependently changing at least one camera setting of at least one process chamber camera.

[0009] The advantage achieved thereby is that the same camera can be used to provide images for different image use targets with respectively optimized camera settings. This in turn allows a cost reduction compared to an arrangement in which different cameras or camera hardware are provided for different targets. Thus, also in the case of target-specific image use, a loss of precision or a loss of quality can be advantageously avoided. A further advantage is that if the quality of the image is only as high as required for the respective target, the storage space and the computing power can be kept low. In addition, new image-based targets can be added in an advantageous manner using a software update without impairing the performance of existing targets.

[0010] The method makes full use of the fact that camera settings or image parameters, such as light intensity, color channels, number of pixels and / or image resolution, have a significant influence on the image processing algorithms that use them. Furthermore, it is made full use of the fact that the maximum sampling rate of a camera is usually higher than the interval duration of image capture required for a specific target in a household appliance. Therefore, camera settings can be reused between a plurality of settings or setting schemes, so that images are captured with different camera settings for different targets.

[0011] The treatment chamber is provided for treating objects to be treated by the household appliance, such as food, dishes, clothes, etc., for example, cooking, cleaning, cooling, etc. The treatment chamber can have, for example, a loading opening on the front side that can be closed by means of a door. The treatment chamber camera is set up and arranged to record images of the treatment chamber, in particular also of the objects present in the treatment chamber. The household appliance can have one or more cameras.

[0012] The processing room camera is in particular a camera based on image points or pixels, in particular a digital camera. One improvement is that the digital camera is a color camera, that is, it captures color images, such as RGB or HSV images. At least one camera setting of the camera can be changed in particular by means of a control device of the household appliance. The capture of the image can be triggered, for example, by means of a control device. One improvement is that the camera has a data processing device, which is used for image post-processing, for example, for image compression, setting color depth, etc. One improvement is that the data processing device for image post-processing is an independent unit or integrated into other functional units of the household appliance, such as the control device of the household appliance. In this case, the camera can also be regarded as a distributed system ("system camera"), in which the image capture and image post-processing for obtaining the final image are distributed in multiple components of the household appliance in terms of location. "Camera settings" can be understood in particular as settings about the image capture itself (for example, exposure time) and / or settings at the data processing device for image post-processing (for example, compression level). The process chamber camera can be located in the process chamber, for example arranged on a wall of the process chamber, for example arranged on the ceiling side or the door side, or it can be arranged outside the process chamber and look into the process chamber, for example through a viewing window, such as a door window or a porthole.

[0013] “Using the image for a specific purpose” is understood in particular to mean that the image is used for a specific function of the cooking appliance using the image. “Purpose” can also be referred to as (cooking appliance) function, application, application area, use purpose or application target.

[0014] In one embodiment, the at least one camera setting includes at least one camera setting from the following group: image resolution, compression level, color depth, white balance, sensor gain, gamma correction, file format of the image (e.g. PNG, GIF and / or RGB-, HSV-, NC′F images, etc.), use of a flash device or flash, lens settings (if the process chamber camera has a settable lens) and / or exposure time. However, the at least one camera setting is not limited thereto and can include still further camera settings.

[0015] At least one camera setting can be fixedly predefined for at least one object, in particular always the same for this object. At least one camera setting can be predefined for at least one object for the current cooking process as a function of at least one further variable, such as the type of processing, the type of cooking product and / or the presence of a specific object (such as baking paper) in the cooking chamber.

[0016] The image resolution can correspond, for example, to a common image resolution of a sensor element of a camera, such as a CMOS sensor, for example 1024×768 pixels. The image resolution can also correspond, for example, to an image resolution calculated by image post-processing, for example 640×480 pixels. The low resolution advantageously reduces the time required for image processing, the data size, and the amount of data transmission.

[0017] The degree of compression can be zero (no compression) or greater than zero (compressed image). In the following, a degree of compression of zero is also referred to as no compression or no compression. Compression can be achieved by means of suitable methods known in principle, such as JPEG, MPEG, PNG, WebP lossless, GIF, etc., wherein the degree of compression or the number of pixels can usually be set. However, it is also feasible to choose only between no compression and compression to a specific image size or number of pixels. The compression can be lossless or lossy. The duration, data size and data transmission volume for image processing can be reduced in an advantageous manner by a predetermined degree of compression (not equal to zero). In addition, it can be achieved by a predetermined degree of compression (not equal to zero) that, in particular if the predetermined degree of compression is selected in such a way that sufficient image information is available for the execution of a specific goal, for example, then image information relevant to determining the state of the cooking product is not lost.

[0018] By reducing the color depth, the time required for image processing, the data size and the data transmission volume can also be reduced in an advantageous manner.

[0019] It can be advantageous, for example, to set the white balance and / or the exposure time to the same value for the image acquisition for a specific purpose in order to produce a set of similar images that are particularly good within the same cooking process. This is particularly advantageous when acquiring images for determining the degree or progression of browning. A further advantage is that the camera settings can adapt such images particularly easily to the training data, so that the images can also be easily used by an artificial intelligence system.

[0020] One configuration consists in that the domestic appliance is a domestic cooking appliance, in particular a stove, in particular a baking oven, the preparation chamber is a cooking chamber, and the preparation chamber camera is a cooking chamber camera.

[0021] In one embodiment, the different targets include at least two targets from the following groups:

[0022] - geometric recognition of the food in the cooking chamber;

[0023] - recognition of the food in the cooking chamber with regard to its contents;

[0024] - Recognition of the status of the food in the cooking chamber;

[0025] - Detection of dirt in the cooking chamber;

[0026] - identification of the insertion plane on which the food is to be cooked;

[0027] - displaying at least one image to the user;

[0028] - Pre-storage for later data analysis. This advantageously includes many possibilities for using a camera with optimized camera settings.

[0029] The geometric identification of the cooking object in the cooking chamber is understood in particular to mean which image region in the image reflects the cooking object. This is particularly convenient for identifying the state of the cooking object in the cooking chamber.

[0030] The term "recognition of the food present in the cooking cabinet with regard to its contents" means, in particular, what type of food is to be recognized ("automatic food recognition").

[0031] Recognizing the state of the food in the cooking chamber means, in particular, identifying the cooking state or stage of the food, such as whether it is still thawing, cooking, fully cooked, etc., or, in particular in the case of dough, whether the dough is still in its fermentation stage or its browning stage, etc.

[0032] Detection of contamination in the cooking chamber can be understood in particular to mean that it should be detected to what extent a cooking chamber wall, a surface of a cooking chamber lighting device exposed to the cooking chamber (e.g. a protective window of the light source or the light source itself, e.g. a surface of a light conductor of the light source exposed to the cooking chamber) and / or a surface of a camera (e.g. a lens thereof) exposed to the cooking chamber are soiled, e.g. covered with grease.

[0033] The identification of the insertion plane on which the cooking items are located can be understood in particular to mean that it is to be identified on which of a plurality of possible insertion planes a cooking item carrier carrying the cooking items is to be inserted or placed.

[0034] Displaying images to a user can be understood in particular to mean that one or more images are to be displayed to the user from a display, for example in the form of a single image, a group of images or in the form of an image sequence (e.g. a video, for example images recorded in a time-spaced manner during a cooking process, also in the form of a time-lapse video). The display can be a display of a domestic appliance or a display of an external instance (e.g. a smartphone, a tablet) or the like.

[0035] Pre-storage for data analysis can be understood in particular to mean that an image or a sequence of images is to be analyzed. Such data analysis can be performed at a later point in time during the cooking process. For pre-storage for data analysis, one or more images can be stored in a data memory of the household appliance or in an external data memory. The data analysis can be used, for example, to detect the presence of a user, to train an artificial intelligence system, etc.

[0036] In one embodiment, the state of the food in the cooking chamber includes at least one state from the following group: the degree of browning on the surface of the food and / or the volume or volume change of the food. This is particularly advantageous for determining the current degree of cooking and / or for determining the end of the cooking time.

[0037] One embodiment is to generate at least one image for the first purpose, which has a high resolution, no image compression and an automatically set exposure time. This is advantageous, for example, if the first purpose is to display an image with high quality to a user and / or to use the image for determining the cooking product.

[0038] One embodiment is to generate a plurality of images with a high resolution, a predetermined degree of compression and an automatically set exposure time in order to create an image sequence. This has the advantage that an image sequence with a small amount of data can be generated, wherein the individual images are particularly easy to recognize for a user.

[0039] One embodiment is to generate at least one image for detecting the state of the cooking product, which image has a low resolution, a predetermined degree of compression, a predetermined exposure time and a predetermined white balance. The low resolution advantageously reduces the duration for image processing, the data size and the amount of data transmission. The predetermined degree of compression advantageously ensures that the degree of compression is not increased to such an extent that image information relevant for determining the state of the cooking product is lost. The predetermined exposure time and / or the predetermined white balance advantageously ensure that a set of similar images can be generated that are particularly good within the same cooking process. This is particularly advantageous when recording images for determining the degree or progress of browning.

[0040] One embodiment is that, for the purpose of identifying the insertion plane on which the cooking item is located, at least one image is generated which has a low resolution, a predetermined degree of compression and a reduced color depth. The low resolution and the reduced color depth advantageously reduce the time required for image processing, the data size and the amount of data transmission. The predetermined degree of compression advantageously ensures that image information relevant for determining the state of the cooking item is not lost. The exposure time can be automatically set or predetermined.

[0041] One embodiment is to generate the image generated for identifying the insertion plane as a grayscale image. This can advantageously further reduce the time, data size and data transmission volume for image processing, especially if an algorithm is used in which no color information is required to determine the insertion height.

[0042] One embodiment is to generate at least one image with a predetermined resolution, a predetermined degree of compression and a reduced color depth for detecting contamination in the cooking chamber. When detecting contamination in the cooking chamber, for example, there may be high brightness fluctuations between an empty cooking chamber with darker walls and a cooking chamber in which the push-in surface is covered with baking paper, for example due to the contents of the cooking chamber. In order to take this into account, for example, a plurality of images can be recorded with different exposure times. The exposure time can be automatically set or predetermined.

[0043] One development consists in generating a so-called HDR (“High Dynamic Range”) image from a series of images with different exposure times. In this case, the time intervals between the images captured for this purpose are advantageously short. This can be achieved, for example, by capturing images without delay times between the image captures.

[0044] A further development is to store at least one image for data analysis. In particular, images can be stored for all objects or only for at least one of the objects for data analysis.

[0045] One configuration consists in generating at least one image with a low resolution, a predefined degree of compression and / or a predefined exposure time for preliminary storage for data analysis.

[0046] One embodiment consists in transmitting at least one of the generated images to an external instance, for example a smartphone, a network server and / or a cloud computing machine, in order to be stored in advance for a later data analysis.

[0047] One design solution is that, for example, during a cooking process or a cleaning process (such as pyrolysis, catalytic self-cleaning or manual cleaning)

[0048] - decide to take images for a specific target,

[0049] - provide or call up camera settings that are specific to the object,

[0050] - configuring at least one process chamber camera according to the provided camera settings,

[0051] - generating (in particular recording and, if necessary, post-processing) an image, and

[0052] - Provide the resulting images for use with specific objectives.

[0053] For this purpose, each image acquisition object can be assigned a specific set of camera settings, which are stored in a retrievable manner in a data memory and are thus available.

[0054] Providing the generated image for a specific purpose can include: adapting the control of the cooking process or the cleaning process based on the generated image and, if necessary, additional images generated for the same purpose, for example: adapting at least one cooking parameter (such as the cooking chamber temperature), ending the cooking process when the end of the cooking time is reached, switching between cooking stages with different cooking parameter settings, etc.

[0055] One development consists in storing the object of the image recording as additional information about the respective image. This makes it possible to advantageously classify the images according to the object in the data memory and analyze them specifically in a target manner. One development consists in storing the camera settings used for the respective object in association with the image, for example as metadata.

[0056] This object is also achieved by a household appliance having a treatment chamber and at least one treatment chamber camera with at least one variable camera setting, wherein the household appliance is designed to carry out the method as described above. The household appliance can be designed similarly to the method and has the same advantages.

[0057] The household appliance, in particular a household cooking appliance, in particular an oven, may have a microwave and / or steam processing function and / or an automatic self-cleaning function (pyrolysis, catalytic self-cleaning, etc.). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] The above-described performance, features and advantages of the present invention and the methods and means for achieving them become clearer and easier to understand in conjunction with the following schematic description of an embodiment, which is explained in more detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Among them:

[0059] Figure 1 A simplified sketch of a household appliance in the form of an oven is shown in a cross-sectional view in side view;

[0060] Figure 2 A timeline showing possible image acquisition time points with respect to time t; and

[0061] Figure 3 A possible embodiment of the method according to the invention is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0062] Figure 1 The simplified schematic diagram of a cooking appliance in the form of a baking oven 1 is shown in a sectional view in a side view. For this purpose, the baking oven 1 has a cooking chamber 2, the front loading opening of which can be closed by a pivotable door 3. The cooking chamber 2 has a plurality of insertion planes E1 to E3, into which a cooking material carrier T, such as a baking tray or a grid tray, can be inserted. The cooking material G can be placed on the cooking material carrier T, here on the insertion plane E2. The baking oven 1 also has a control device 4 for executing operating sequences, such as cooking sequences and cleaning sequences, as indicated here by the electric bottom heating element 5 shown by way of example.

[0063] The control device 4 is also configured, for example programmed, as a data processing device for carrying out the method. For this purpose, a cooking chamber camera 6 in the form of a digital color camera is connected to the control device 4 in terms of data technology and can in particular record images from the cooking chamber 2 and transmit them to the control device 4. The lens 7 of the camera 6 on the lens side is exposed to the cooking chamber 2. In a further development, the lens with the lens 7 can be set, for example, in terms of focus and / or image width, etc.

[0064] The baking oven 1 furthermore has an operating panel 8 with a particularly touch-sensitive display (“touchscreen”), on which, in a further development, the image recorded by the camera 6 or a cutout of the image can also be displayed.

[0065] The oven 1 can also be equipped with a communication module 9, through which data (especially included in images or image data) can be transmitted from the control device to an external instance (such as a user terminal), especially to a mobile user terminal (such as a smartphone P or a tablet computer, etc.) and / or to a network server N or a cloud computing server. The communication module 9 can include, for example, an Ethernet module, a WLAN module, a Bluetooth module, etc.

[0066] Figure 2 The timeline shows, for example, the time t with the aid of Figure 1 The cooking chamber camera 6 can produce feasible image capture time points. Exemplarily, here should be for three different targets Z i To generate images, where i = 1, ..., 3, for example

[0067] Objective Z1: Detecting contamination of the cooking cabinet 2 by recording images before or at the beginning of the cooking process with a predefined resolution, a predefined degree of compression, an automatically set exposure time and with reduced color depth.

[0068] Objective Z2: Generate an image sequence by generating a plurality of images with high resolution, a predefined degree of compression and an automatically set exposure time at time points t1, t3, t4, t5 and t7, etc., which are particularly equidistant in time. These images can be stored, for example, in a data memory of the baking oven 1 (for example in a data memory of the control device 4) and played back on the display of the operating panel 8 and / or after being transferred to the smartphone P via the communication module 9, depending on the user's wishes.

[0069] Objective Z3: Controlling the cooking process by browning detection, in particular for determining the end point of the cooking time by generating multiple images with low resolution, a predetermined degree of compression, a predetermined exposure time and a predetermined white balance at time points t2 and t6, etc., which are particularly equidistant in time, and for ending the cooking process when the end point of the cooking time is reached.

[0070] Figure 3 A possible embodiment of the method according to the invention is shown and is explained in more detail by way of example with reference to a baking oven 1 .

[0071] In the method, in step S1 a decision is made by means of the control device 4 to use the cooking chamber camera 6 at a time t i Generates the target Z for the assigned i , for example, to control a cooking process according to target Z3.

[0072] In step S2, the control device 4 reads out the target Z from the associated camera settings which are available in an internal data memory (not shown) if necessary. i and transmits it to the cooking chamber camera 6. For the object Z3, the camera settings can be, for example: a certain image resolution that is the same for all images for the object Z3 and is lower than the highest possible image resolution; a predetermined degree of compression that is the same for all images for the object Z3 and is greater than zero; and / or a predetermined white balance that is the same for all images for the object Z3.

[0073] In step S3, the cooking chamber camera 6 is arranged according to the camera setting.

[0074] In step S4, an image is generated by means of the cooking chamber camera 6. Image generation can include, in particular, image recording by means of an image sensor of the cooking chamber camera 6 and image post-processing of the raw image recorded by the image sensor. Image post-processing can be performed in the cooking chamber camera 6, for example in a data processing device of the cooking chamber camera, or in other components of the oven, such as the control device 4.

[0075] In step S5, the generated image is provided to the control device 4 for use in a specific target Z i , in that the images generated are transmitted from the cooking chamber camera 6 to the control device 4 , for example in order to control the cooking process by browning detection based on the images recorded only at the times t2 and t6 .

[0076] Then the branch returns to step S1.

[0077] This method corresponds to a kind of “multiplexing” of the camera settings of the cooking chamber camera 6 depending on the purpose for which the images are used.

[0078] It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments shown.

[0079] For example, an image can be recorded before or at the beginning of a cooking process in order to determine the insertion plane E1-E3 into which the cooking material carrier T is inserted. The control device 4 can then, for example, change the heating power introduced into the heating elements of the cooking chamber 2, such as the bottom heating element 4, at least one top heating element, a hot air heater, etc., depending on the selected insertion plane E1-E3.

[0080] For example, an image can be recorded before or at the beginning of a cooking process in order to determine the position of the cooking product 6 in the image. In a variant, only the pixels showing the cooking product G can then be evaluated to determine the state of the cooking product G.

[0081] Furthermore, for example, an image can be recorded before or at the beginning of the cooking process in order to determine the type of the cooking product 6, such as chicken, bread dough, pizza, etc. The control device 4 can then be set up, for example, to automatically adapt the cooking process to the identified type of the cooking product G, such as adapting the cooking chamber temperature and its course, etc. The recognition of the cooking product can be achieved with the help of artificial intelligence methods, such as by using a neural network. For this purpose, it is particularly advantageous to determine the position of the cooking product 6 in the image in advance.

[0082] Furthermore, in addition or as an alternative to the degree of browning, images can be recorded in order to determine the volume or volume change of the cooked product G. This is particularly advantageous in the case of dough, such as bread dough, in order to differentiate between a fermentation phase and a browning phase. The control device 4 can then be designed, for example, to automatically adapt the cooking process to the detected phase or phase end.

[0083] In general, especially in the sense of “at least one” or “one or more” etc., “a”, “an” etc. can be understood as singular or plural, unless this is explicitly excluded, for example by expressing “exactly one” etc.

[0084] Quantity specifications may also include the exact quantity specified and also customary tolerance ranges, unless this is explicitly excluded.

[0085] List of reference numerals:

[0086] 1 oven

[0087] 2 Cooking room

[0088] 3 doors

[0089] 4 Control device

[0090] 5 bottom heating element

[0091] 6Cooking room camera

[0092] 7 Lenses

[0093] 8 Operation panel with display

[0094] 9Communication Module

[0095] E1-E3 push into plane

[0096] G Cooking

[0097] N Network Server

[0098] P Smartphone

[0099] S1-S5 Method Steps

[0100] t time

[0101] t i The time point used to generate the image

[0102] T Cooking Carrier

[0103] Z i Target.

Claims

1. A method (S1-S5) for operating a domestic appliance (1) having a treatment chamber (2) and at least one treatment chamber camera (6) with at least one variable camera setting, in which method: - generating (S4) a plurality of images offset in time (t0-t7) by means of the at least one process chamber camera (6), and - at least two of said images are for at least two different objects (Z1-Z3), in, - Target-dependently changing (S2, S3) at least one camera setting of the at least one process chamber camera (6).

2. The method (S1-S5) according to claim 1, wherein: The at least one camera setting comprises at least one camera setting from the following group: - Image resolution; - degree of compression; - Color depth; - White balance; - sensor gain; -Exposure time; - Gamma correction; - The file format of the image; - the use of flash devices; - Lens setting, if the process chamber camera (6) has a settable lens (7).

3. The method (S1-S5) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The domestic appliance (1) is a domestic cooking appliance, in particular a stove, the treatment chamber (2) is a cooking chamber, and the treatment chamber camera (6) is a cooking chamber camera.

4. The method (S1-S5) according to claim 3, wherein: The different objectives (Z1 -Z3) includes at least two targets (Z1-Z3) from the following groups: - geometrical recognition of the food (G) located in the cooking chamber; - recognition of the food (G) in the cooking chamber with regard to its contents; - identification (Z3) of the state of the food (G) in the cooking chamber (2); - detection of dirt in the cooking chamber (Z1); - identification of the insertion plane (E1-E3) on which the culinary object (G) is located; - displaying at least one image (Z2) to a user; - Pre-save for data analysis.

5. The method (S1-S5) according to claim 4, wherein: The state of the food (G) in the cooking chamber (2) includes at least one state from the following group: - the degree of browning (Z3) at the surface of the cooked food (G); - the volume or volume change of the culinary product (G).

6. The method (S1-S5) according to any one of claims 2 and 3 and claims 4 and 5, wherein: Generate at least one image for the target that: - With high resolution, - no image compression, and - With automatically set exposure time.

7. The method (S1-S5) according to any one of claims 2 and 3 and claims 4 to 6, wherein: A plurality of images are generated (S2, S3) in order to create an image sequence (Z2), the images having: -high resolution, - a predetermined degree of compression, and - Automatically set exposure time.

8. The method (S1-S5) according to any one of claims 2 and 3 and claims 4 to 7, wherein: In order to identify the state (Z3) of the culinary product (G), at least one image is generated (S2, S3), the image having: - low resolution, - a predetermined degree of compression, - a predetermined exposure time, and - Predefined white balance.

9. The method (S1-S5) according to any one of claims 2 and 3 and claims 4 to 8, wherein: In order to identify the insertion plane on which the culinary object is located, at least one image is generated, which has: - low resolution, - a predetermined degree of compression, and - Reduced color depth.

10. The method (S1-S5) according to claim 9, wherein: The image generated for identifying the thrust plane is stored as a grayscale image.

11. The method (S1-S5) according to any one of claims 2 and 3 and claims 4 to 10, wherein: In order to detect dirt (Z1) in the cooking chamber (G), at least one image is generated (S2, S3), the image having: - a pre-defined resolution, - a predetermined degree of compression, and - Automatically set exposure time, and - Reduced color depth.

12. The method (S1-S5) according to any one of claims 2 and 3 and claims 4 to 11, wherein: At least one image is generated for pre-storage for later data analysis, the image having: - low resolution, - a predetermined degree of compression, and - A predefined exposure time.

13. The method (S1-S5) according to claim 12, wherein: At least one of the generated images is transmitted to an external instance (P, N) for preliminary storage for later data analysis.

14. The method (S1-S5) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: - decide to generate (S1) an image for a specific target, - providing (S2) camera settings associated with the specific object, - configuring (S3) the at least one camera according to the provided camera settings, - generating (S4) said image, and - providing (S5) the generated image for said specific target.

15. A domestic appliance (1), in particular a domestic cooking appliance, comprising a treatment chamber (2) and at least one treatment chamber camera (6) with at least one variable camera setting, wherein: The domestic appliance (1) is configured to carry out a method (S1-S5) according to any one of the preceding claims.

Images