Control of an extractor hood

Abstract

Method (300) for controlling an extractor hood (110) mounted above a hob (105), the method (300) comprising the following steps: - determining (305) a vapor development on the hob (105); - activating (340) a fan (130) of the extractor hood (110); - determining (325) a first position relative to the cooking surface (105) at which vapors (125) are released; - determining (330) a second position relative to the extractor hood (110) at which the vapors (125) arrive; and - controlling (345) at least one air guide element (135) of the extractor hood (110) so that more air is sucked in in the region of the second position.

Description

The present invention relates to a fume extraction hood for use in a kitchen in a household. In particular, the invention relates to a method for controlling the extractor hood.A vapor extraction hood is configured to suck away, optionally filter and transport away vapour which rises from a hob. The extractor hood is usually mounted above the hob. In order not to restrict a freedom of movement of an operator in the head region, a suction region of the extractor hood can be set obliquely or smaller than the hob. In order nevertheless to achieve good extraction of vapours and to limit the power required for this purpose of a fan, it has been proposed to provide an air guide element with which it is possible to control from where the extractor hood extracts vapours. It is thus possible to prevent air from being drawn in through an area in which no vapour is present or under which no vapour source is present on the hob. The control of the intake region is usually effected manually.WO 2020 / 104 401 A1 discloses an extractor hood having an air inlet region which has a plurality of inlet openings for air from the outside, wherein the inlet openings are configured for the admission of air from different directions or at different locations. DE 10 2017 203 080 A1 describes a communicatively connected system comprising a cooker and a lighting device. The lighting device has an adjusting device for varying the output of light on the basis of information received from the oven. DE 10 2020 210 477 A1 relates to a method for operating an extractor device which predicts a quantity of vapour and controls the extractor device accordingly.DE 10 2019,000 693 A1 discloses a vapor extraction system with an extraction screen, the spatial position of which can be changed. CH 707 522 B1 describes a further system comprising a hob and a vapor outlet. EP 2 570 735 B1 discloses a vapor extraction system having a plasma source. DE 10 2020 124 064 A1 and DE 10 2012 024 975 A1 propose two further extractor hoods. WO 2022 / 037 886 A1 discloses a method for optically determining an operating state of a hob.EP 1 669 679 B1 proposes a fume extraction hood in which a movable air duct is installed. The air conduction can be adjusted by binary linking activations of burners mounted under the extractor hood.However, the control of such a fume extraction hood is still inflexible and does not take into account that the emission of heat at a predetermined position of the hob does not necessarily correlate with the release of vapour at the same point.It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved technique for controlling a fume hood. The invention achieves this object by means of the subject matter of the independent claims. Dependent claims represent preferred embodiments.According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling an extractor hood mounted above a hob comprises steps of determining a development of vapour on the hob; activating a fan of the extractor hood; determining a first position with respect to the hob at which vapour is released; determining a second position with respect to the extractor hood at which the vapour arrives; and actuating at least one air guide element of the extractor hood such that more air is drawn in in in the region of the second position.The development of vapour on the hob can be evaluated both with respect to the first position and with respect to a periphery or a type of the liberated vapour. The extractor hood can thereby be controlled in an improved manner in such a way that vapour is extracted efficiently and economically. Power provided by the fan may be minimized. An energy absorbed by the extractor hood can thereby be reduced. Noise nuisance from the extractor hood can be minimized.It is preferred that the at least one air guide element of the extractor hood is controlled in such a way that at the same time air is sucked in to a reduced extent from a position on the extractor hood at which no vapour arrives from the hob.If the extractor hood comprises, for example, two horizontally offset inlet regions for air from the region of the hob, wherein vapours only arrive at one of the regions, then it can be ensured that air is sucked into the fan only through this region and the other region is closed. In one embodiment, only one air guide element is provided, which can open or close a plurality of inlet regions; in another embodiment, a plurality of air guide elements are provided, which can be assigned, for example, to different, predetermined inlet regions on the extractor hood. Other air guidance strategies with deviating positions or functions of air guidance elements are likewise possible. A plurality of fans can also be provided, the activations of which can be controlled as a function of positions of the air guide elements. In yet another embodiment, a fan may be used as the air guide member. A fan can be switched on or off or can be controlled in its power in multiple stages or in an analogous manner.The determination of the second position on the basis of the first position makes it possible to take account of a geometry of the arrangement between the hob and the extractor hood. It can be taken into account in particular that the extractor hood usually cannot be mounted as large as the hob or offset with respect to the hob. It can also be taken into account in which distance above the hob the extractor hood is arranged. It is therefore preferred that the second position is determined on the basis of a distance, a size ratio and / or an offset of the extractor hood with respect to the hob. These parameters can be determined once and then used as predetermined constants. Alternatively, a periodic or continuous determination can also be made.The determination can be carried out using means of the Euclidean geometry. For this purpose, an imaging of the first position into the second position can be carried out, for example, by means of a linear combination or on the basis of an imaging matrix. In another embodiment, a predetermined mapping between first and second positions may be used. The mapping can be tabulated, for example, or learned based on past uses or observations.The second position does not necessarily correspond to a region at which the extraction of vapour on the extractor hood can be directly controlled. In this case, the extraction can be controlled by one or more regions lying close to the second position. In an embodiment, two air guide members are provided to control suction of air at two different predetermined second positions. In this case, both air guidance elements can be controlled if the vapour arrives at both second positions or in a region between the two second positions.A degree to which air is drawn in at a second position may be binary, multistage, or analogously controllable. Opening degrees of both air guidance elements can be unequal if the vapour arrives more strongly in one of the regions and more weakly in the other region. Thus, different volume flows of sucked-in air can be controlled at both second positions.Several variants are presented below with which it is possible to determine where the first position is on the hob and optionally a strength or quality of the liberated vapours. It should be noted that the variants may also be combined with one another, for example in order to increase determination quality or accuracy.In a first variant, the first position is determined on the basis of an operating state of the hob. The operating state can comprise at which first position how much heat is dissipated to a cooking item. In general, it can be assumed that more vapour development is to be expected when more heat is converted. The operating state can also comprise information about cookware, for example the diameter or volume of a pot used. A material of the cookware can likewise be included from the operating state, for example if an induction hearth treats a cast iron pan differently than a pot made of stainless steel with a copper core.A time profile of the heat emission on the basis of the operating state can also be taken into account. For example, a heating process during which no vapour is released can be taken into account. The hob can allow dynamic positioning of items to be cooked or cookware. In this case, the cookware can only be displaced to predetermined positions or else freely. The operating state can comprise an update of a first position, for example, if a pot is moved on the hob. The extractor hood can be controlled as a function of this information.In a second variant, the first position can also be determined on the basis of a cooking recipe which is implemented using the hob. The cooking recipe can be in digital form and usually comprises quantities and working steps for processing predetermined ingredients into a food or a dish. The cooking recipe information may be used to determine, for example, that a sauce is reduced, pasta is cooked in abundant water, meat is fried in a flat vessel, or vegetables are gently steamed. From such activities, it can be derived in each case how strong a development of turf is and / or what quality of turf is produced. For example, a distinction can be made between aromatic and nonaromatic or fatty and aqueous vapours. The cooking recipe can comprise information about a processed amount of ingredients so that the amount of liberated vapour can be evaluated in an improved manner. In addition, the release of vapour can be qualified in an improved manner on the basis of the operating state of the hob. The control of the extractor hood can take this information into account.In a further preferred third variant, the first position is determined on the basis of a sensory scan of the hob. A sensor for the scanning can be mounted in the area of the extractor hood. From this position, the first position can be determined with high accuracy. In addition, a quality and / or an amount of liberated vapour can be determined by means of the sensor. Thus, the control of the extractor hood can be based on information determined by sensors.It is furthermore preferred that the scanning takes place by means of a camera attached to the extractor hood. The camera can operate in the visible light spectrum or additionally cover a non-visible, for example infrared spectral range. Multiple cameras may also be used to determine the first position. The cameras may be mounted at different locations or allow different scans, for example with respect to the spectral range.Two or more of the approaches described herein may also be combined with one another. For example, information about two parallel cooking steps can be contained in a cooking recipe, which are implemented by means of the hob. By means of the camera, it can be determined which of the steps is carried out at which first position of the hob. For example, a large pot of water can be easily recognized and distinguished from a small pan based on a camera image. In one embodiment, cooking instruments are detected, and in another embodiment, a content of a cooking instrument may also be detected. This information can be combined with the operating state of the hob, which can comprise a thermal output provided in each case at the first positions, such that a location of origin, a volume flow or a quality of liberated vapours can be determined in an improved manner.In a further embodiment, the extractor hood can be controlled in preparation for an imminent cooking step. For example, it can be determined on the basis of the cooking recipe that fish is to be fried, and it can be determined by means of the sensor and / or on the basis of the operating state of the hob that a pan is brought quickly to high temperature for this purpose. The extractor hood can already begin extraction of vapour which can emerge from the ladle before the fish is inserted into the ladle. In particular, vapours which become exposed to a greater extent immediately after the cooking material has been placed in the hot ladle can be treated in a special way in a predictive manner.It is furthermore proposed that not only the first position but also a quality or quantity of liberated vapour is determined and taken into account in the control of the extractor hood.In one embodiment, the strength of vapour rising at the first position is determined. The strength may comprise a volume flow and / or a density of the vapours. The density may comprise a size and / or number of particles or droplets per volume. In particular in the case of a high volume flow, a direction in which the vapour develops can additionally be taken into account. For example, if a pot with a lid is used which comprises an outlet provided for this purpose, then vapour can be ejected obliquely or almost horizontally. The extractor hood can be controlled depending on the specific thickness and / or direction of the vapour.In a further embodiment, a type of vapour rising at the first position is determined. The species may comprise, for example, a degree of moisture or fatiness. It may also be determined whether or to what extent the turf comprises vegetable or animal constituents. The air guide element or the fan can be controlled accordingly. In general, the more strongly the vapour can be sucked off, the more strongly they are suitable for soiling the environment of the hob or the more easily they are perceived as unpleasant by a person. This can apply, for example, to odor nuisance during or after cooking.In yet another embodiment, an extent of a source of vapour is determined at the first position. Vapour can spread differently when released on a larger or smaller area. The air guide element or the fan can be controlled accordingly in order to suck off the liberated vapours in an improved manner.According to a further aspect of the present invention, a range hood for attachment above a hob comprises a device for determining a development of vapour on the hob; a fan; at least one air guide element for air through the range hood; and a control device. The control device is configured to activate the fan, to determine a first position with respect to the hob at which the vapour is released; to determine a second position with respect to the extractor hood at which the vapour arrives; and to actuate the at least one air guide element of the extractor hood in such a way that air is increasingly drawn in in in the region of the second position.The control device may be configured to partially or completely execute a method described herein. For this purpose, the control device can be electronically embodied and comprise, for example, a programmable microcomputer or microcontroller, and the method can be present in the form of a computer program product having program code means. The computer program product can also be stored on a computer-readable data carrier. Features or advantages of the method can be transferred to the device or vice versa.Non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures, in which: FIG. 1 shows a hob and a fume extraction hood; FIG. 2 shows an exemplary implementation of coordinates; and FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram of a methodis.FIG. 1 shows a system 100 comprising a hob 105 and a fume extraction hood 110. The system 100 is exemplified by a kitchen as may be found in a household. Optionally, an interaction device 115 which comprises information about a cooking recipe converted by means of the hob 105 can also be part of the system 100.Cookware 120 can be arranged on cooktop 105 and heated to prepare food. This can result in vapour 125 which is to be sucked up through the extractor hood 110. It is proposed to control the extractor hood 110 depending on a position, an amount and / or a quality of liberated vapour 125.The extractor hood 110 comprises a fan 130 and at least one controllable air guide element 135. A control device 140 is configured to control the fan 130 and the air guide members 135. In this case, a volume flow of air effected by means of the fan 130 can be controlled in one stage, in multiple stages or analogously. Opening degrees or positions of the air guide elements 135 can likewise be controllable in one stage, in multiple stages or analogously. An air guide element 135 may be configured to allow or prevent the intake of air from a predetermined position on the extractor hood 110. Other controls are however also conceivable; for example, a mixing of different air flows within the extractor hood 110 can be controlled by means of an air guide element 135. An air guide member 135 may be disposed upstream or downstream of the fan 130.The controller 140 may use different sources to determine the release of vapour on the hob 105. For example, a sensor 145 can be provided in order to detect the hob 105 or cookware 120 placed thereon. The sensor 145 can also be configured for detecting ascending or arriving wafers 125. In one embodiment, the sensor 145 includes a camera. In another embodiment, another sensor can also be used, for example in the manner of a smoke detector, in order to determine a loading of air with particles or droplets. Various sensors 145 may also be provided. A sensor 145 may be configured to determine a quality of the wafers 125 and may include, for example, a volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor.By means of a first interface 150, the control device 140 can be connected to the hob 105 or to a control device included therein. Via the first interface 150, the control device 140 can determine an operating state of the hob 105. The operating state can in particular comprise information on the location of the surface of the hob 105 at which heat is provided, how large the area is and how strong the heat provided is. Optionally, the hob 105 can be configured to determine a condition of cookware 120, in particular if the hob 105 operates with induction technology. For example, a material, type, mass, or size of cookware 120 may be determinable. This information can also be provided via the first interface 150.Further optionally, a second interface 155 is provided, via which the interaction device 115 can be connected. The interaction device 115 is shown by way of example as a tablet computer or smartphone; in fact, the interaction device 115 can be embodied in any other desired manner. The interaction device 115 is configured to guide a user through processing steps of the cooking recipe when a cooking recipe is converted. The cooking recipe usually comprises information about amounts of ingredients to be processed as well as processing steps to be carried out. A processing step comprising the hob 105 can comprise further information, for example a setting of the hob 105 to be made, an effect to be achieved, an anticipated duration or a cookware 120 to be used. The information can also relate to a configuration of the cookware 120, for example whether or not a pot lid is placed on top.FIG. 2 shows an exemplary implementation of coordinates between a hob 105 and a range hood 110. A top view of an exemplary hob 105 is shown in a lower region, and a corresponding view of an exemplary extractor hood 110 is shown in an upper region. Conceptually, the illustrated range hood 110 can be slid over the illustrated cooktop 105 to estimate how vapour 125 propagates between the cooktop 105 and the range hood 110.A first exemplary coordinate system 205 is defined with respect to the hob 105 and a second exemplary coordinate system 210 with respect to the extractor hood 110. Both coordinate systems 205, 210 are Cartesian with coordinate axes running parallel to one another in pairs and extend in the horizontal plane. An origin of a coordinate system 205, 210 is selected, for example, in the centroid of the respective element 105, 110.Four cooking zones 215 are provided on the hob 105. Four inlet regions 220 are provided on the extractor hood 110, the arrangement of which does not have to correspond to that of the hobs 105. The location and number of cooking zones 215 and inlet areas 220 are to be considered exemplary. How much air flows through an inlet region 220 can be controlled by means of the control device 140 by controlling the fan 130 and / or an air guide element 135.It is proposed to map a first position, determined with respect to the first coordinate system 205, at which the wafers 125 are released, to a second position, defined with respect to the second coordinate system 210, at which the wafers 125 arrive. The extractor hood 110 is then to be controlled in such a way that the incoming vapours can be extracted as efficiently as possible through the extractor hood 110. To this end, an air flow through one inlet region 220 that is close to the second position is to be increased, and an air flow through another inlet region 220 that is further away is to be decreased depending on its distance to the second position.Even if different sources of vapours 125 are located at different first positions of the hob 105, the extractor hood 110 can be controlled in such a way that vapours arriving from both sources are taken into account and extracted efficiently. In particular, it can be taken into account that the wafers 125 from the different sources can overlap one another and arrive in a blended manner at a second position.FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram of a method 300 for controlling a range hood 110. The method can be carried out in particular by means of a system 100.In a step 305, a release of vapour 125 on the hob 105 can be determined. For this purpose, different approaches are conceivable, of which a plurality can also be combined with one another.In a step 310, information from the hob 105 can be detected via the first interface 150. The information can comprise, in particular, an operating state of the hob 105. Based on the operating condition, one or more sources of turf 125 as well as their positions relative to the cooktop 105 may be determined. In addition, a strength of the water vapor may be estimated by considering an input power. Optionally, a size, type or condition of cookware 120 can also be taken into account.In a step 315, the hob 105, a cookware 120 standing thereon or a content of the cookware 120 can be scanned by means of a sensor 145. In this way, too, it is possible to determine a position of a source of vapour 125 with respect to the hob 105. Additionally, an amount, quality, or flow direction of vapor 125 may be detected.In a step 320, information about a cooking recipe can be acquired, which is prepared with the aid of the hob 105. The information may comprise a processed ingredient, an amount of the ingredient, or a processing step. The processing step is preferably carried out using the hob 105. In addition, the cooking recipe can comprise an indication as to at which point in time the start of the release of vapour 125 at a position is to be expected and / or when the release of vapour 125 is presumably ended.The collected information can be collected, matched to one another, fused and / or checked for plausibility in step 305.In a step 325, a first position with respect to the hob 105 can be determined at which the vapours 125 are released. In a step 330, a second position with respect to the extractor hood 110 can be determined on the basis of the first position, at which position the liberated vapours 125 arrive. For this determination, a geometric constellation of the hob 105 with respect to the extractor hood 110 can be taken into account. Furthermore, an expansion of the source, i.e. an effective size of cookware 120, a released volume flow of vapours 125 or a mixing of different volume flows of vapours 125 from different first positions can be taken into account.In a step 335, a guidance of exhaust air through the extractor hood 110 can be determined. For this purpose, it can be determined which inlet region 220 can be used for the extraction of incoming vapor 125.In a step 340, the fan 130 may be controlled to provide a predetermined flow rate of air through the extractor hood 110. In a step 345, an air guide element 135 can be controlled in a coordinated manner in order to open or close an air channel within the extractor hood 110 to a predetermined degree. The aim of the control is to control an air flow through the extractor hood 110 which is sufficient to suck in and transport away the incoming vapours 125, but at the same time runs as far as possible only through inlet regions 220 through which incoming vapours 125 can be conveyed.A strength of the air flow through the extractor hood 110 may be influenced by a user. Thus, for example, in particular in the case of a briefly occurring or olfactory aggressive generation of vapour 125, an increased air flow can be controlled, while in the case of a relatively long-lasting cooking process, a lower air flow is controlled.It should be noted that controlling the flow of air through the extractor hood 110 may also take into account a quality of the vapours 125. If, for example, it is known that the vapours 125 are increasingly fatty, in particular based on animal fat, the vapours 125 can be conducted through an activated carbon filter to an increased extent. If, on the other hand, the vapours 125 comprise mainly aqueous constituents, they can be conducted in an amplified manner through a water separator, for example based on a labyrinth filter. Corresponding guides of air streams or partial streams can be controlled by means of controlling a corresponding air guide element 135 and / or fan 130.Reference numerals denote reference numerals100 System 105 Hob 110 Extractor hood 115 Interaction device 120 Cookware 125 Vapour 130 Fan 135 Air guide element 140 Control device 145 Sensor 150 First interface 155 Second interface 205 First coordinate system 210 Second coordinate system 215 Cooking zone 220 Inlet region 300 Method 305 Determining a development of vapour on the hob 310 Information from the hob capture 315 Hob scan 320 Recipe information capture 325 Vapour source determine 330 Coordinates transpose 335 Exhaust air guide determine 340 Fan control 345 Air guide element control

Claims

Method (300) for controlling an extractor hood (110) which is mounted above a hob (105), wherein the method (300) comprises the following steps: - determining (305) a development of vapour on the hob (105); - activating (340) a fan (130) of the extractor hood (110); - determining (325) a first position with respect to the hob (105) at which vapour (125) is released; - determining (330) a second position with respect to the extractor hood (110) at which the vapour (125) arrives; and - actuating (345) at least one air guide element (135) of the extractor hood (110), such that more air is drawn in in in the region of the second position.Method (300) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one air guide element (135) of the extractor hood (110) is controlled in such a way that air is sucked in to a reduced extent from a position on the extractor hood (110) at which no vapour (125) arrives from the hob (105).Method (300) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second position is determined on the basis of a distance, a size ratio and / or an offset of the extractor hood (110) with respect to the hob (105).Method (300) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein two air guiding elements (135) are provided to control a suction of air at two different predetermined second positions; wherein both air guiding elements (135) are controlled if the wafers (125) arrive at both second positions or in a region between the two second positions.The method (300) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first position is determined based on an operating state of the hob (105).The method (300) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the first position is determined based on a cooking recipe being implemented using the cooktop (105).The method (300) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first position is determined based on a sensory scan of the hob (105).Method (300) according to claim 7, wherein the scanning is carried out by means of a camera attached to the extractor hood (110).Method (300) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the strength of vapour (125) rising at the first position is determined.Method (300) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a type of vapour (125) rising at the first position is determined.The method (300) of any preceding claim, wherein an extent of a source of vapour (125) is determined at the first position.Extractor hood (110) for attachment above a hob (105), wherein the extractor hood (110) comprises: - a device for determining a development of vapour on the hob (105); - a fan (130); - at least one air guide element (135) for air through the extractor hood (110); and - a control device (140) which is configured to activate the fan (130); to determine a first position with respect to the hob (105) at which vapour (125) is released; to determine a second position with respect to the extractor hood (110) at which the vapour (125) arrives; and to actuate the at least one air guide element (135) of the extractor hood (110) in such a way that more air is drawn in in in in the region of the second position.

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