Display of remaining cooking time in a cooking appliance with residual heat utilization

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for displaying the remaining cooking time during a cooking process in a cooking appliance (2) comprising a heating element (6), a detection element (8) for detecting at least one parameter of the cooking process, a processing unit (10) for calculating the remaining cooking time based on the at least one detected parameter, and a display device (12) for displaying at least the remaining cooking time. During a first phase (I) of the cooking process, the at least one parameter (P) is continuously detected and the displayed remaining cooking time is continuously updated. It is proposed to switch off the heating element (6) at a predetermined control time (t1) in order to utilize residual heat for cooking the food (5), and during a second phase (II) of the cooking process to set and display one of the remaining cooking times calculated in the first phase (I).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for displaying the remaining cooking time during a cooking process in a cooking appliance comprising a cooking chamber for receiving food, a heating device for heating the cooking chamber, a detection device for detecting at least one parameter of the cooking process, a processing unit for calculating the remaining cooking time based on the at least one detected parameter, and a display device for displaying at least the remaining cooking time, wherein, during a first phase of the cooking process, the at least one parameter is continuously detected and the displayed remaining cooking time is continuously recalculated and updated based on the current at least one parameter. A corresponding cooking appliance is also part of the present invention.

[0002] Sensor-controlled assistance programs are increasingly used in cooking appliances. These programs monitor the cooking process by continuously recording parameters such as temperature and humidity in the cooking chamber, and / or the temperature and / or browning level of the food. A processing unit or control unit uses these parameters to predict the cooking time or remaining cooking time. The remaining cooking time displayed on the appliance's screen reflects the current progress of the cooking process and counts down continuously. This remaining cooking time is particularly helpful for users, ensuring that the prepared dish is cooked to perfection and served on time, without requiring constant monitoring.An example of a cooking appliance in which the remaining cooking time is continuously calculated and displayed based on a measured core temperature is described in DE 42 17 943 A1.

[0003] Furthermore, it has been shown that the energy consumption of a cooking process can be optimized by utilizing residual heat. This involves reducing or switching off the heating power towards the end of the cooking process and using the heat remaining in the cooking appliance to finish cooking the food.

[0004] Combining the remaining cooking time display and residual heat utilization can lead to problems. Reducing the heating element during residual heat utilization interferes with the cooking process. This can cause significant changes in the measured parameters within a relatively short time, negatively impacting the remaining cooking time prediction. For example, a measured core temperature might temporarily stagnate due to the decreasing oven temperature, causing the remaining cooking time based on the core temperature to continuously increase. If the user can no longer rely on the displayed remaining cooking time, it loses its convenience function, and the user will have to monitor or intervene in the cooking process themselves.

[0005] The invention thus addresses the problem of providing an improved method for displaying the remaining cooking time during a cooking process in a cooking appliance of the type mentioned above, in particular one in which a remaining time prediction and residual heat utilization can be better combined. Furthermore, a cooking appliance of the type mentioned above is to be provided that is configured to carry out such a method.

[0006] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a method with the features of claim 1 and a cooking appliance with the features of claim 8. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are described in the following dependent claims.

[0007] The method according to the invention is characterized in that the heating device is automatically switched off or reduced at a predetermined control time, which is before the end of the remaining cooking time, in order to use residual heat present in the cooking appliance to cook the food, and that during a second phase of the cooking process following the first phase, one of the remaining cooking times calculated in the first phase, preferably the remaining cooking time last calculated in the first phase, is set and displayed.

[0008] The continuous update of the remaining cooking time forecast, which is available during the first phase, is terminated when the second phase begins. This limits the impact of changes or fluctuations in at least one recorded parameter on the remaining cooking time during the second phase of the cooking process. This helps prevent a stall or stagnation in the remaining cooking time, which can be caused by changes or fluctuations in at least one recorded parameter, particularly during residual heat utilization. Using the remaining cooking time last calculated in the first phase can be useful to ensure the most up-to-date data is available. Other remaining cooking time values, especially those calculated towards the end of the first phase, may also be appropriate in certain cases.

[0009] The continuous update of the remaining cooking time in the first phase of the cooking process can be time-interval controlled. This means the update can occur at defined time intervals, regardless of whether the measured value of at least one parameter has changed. Alternatively or additionally, the continuous update of the remaining cooking time in the first phase of the cooking process can be threshold-controlled. This means the update occurs when the measured value of at least one parameter has increased or decreased by a specific absolute or relative value.

[0010] For the purposes of this invention, suitable cooking appliances include, in particular, ovens, steam cookers, microwave ovens and / or combination ovens with steam cooking and / or microwave functions. The cooking appliance according to the invention can be designed as a household appliance for use in private households or as a commercial appliance for professional use.

[0011] The cooking chamber can be closed, in particular by a door which, when open, allows access to or placement of the food being cooked. The cooking appliance is equipped with a control unit for setting an operating mode or selecting a cooking program and / or selecting specific parameters of the operating mode or cooking program. The cooking appliance's processing unit is designed to receive the parameter data acquired by the sensor and to calculate the remaining cooking time based on this data. The processing unit can be integrated into the cooking appliance's control unit, which also controls the heating element, taking into account the selected operating mode or cooking program. The control unit controls the display and ensures that the calculated remaining cooking time is shown on it.The control unit can be a physical component of the cooking appliance, but it can also be partially housed in a portable device or on external program storage. The display for the remaining cooking time can either be integrated directly into the cooking appliance or implemented on an external device that is connected to the cooking appliance via communication technology. Such a device could be, for example, a computer, tablet, or smartphone, on which the remaining cooking time is displayed in real time via a corresponding app or web interface.

[0012] The remaining cooking time is calculated taking into account the planned use of residual heat at the end of the cooking process. In this case, the remaining cooking time is generally longer than without residual heat utilization. Under controlled conditions, the remaining cooking time can be empirically determined, particularly depending on the type and quantity of food being cooked, as well as the operating mode and cooking programs, and stored in or accessible from the cooking appliance. Furthermore, data can be continuously collected during operation, allowing for further optimization of the empirically stored remaining cooking time values.

[0013] A further advantage of the invention is that established methods for calculating the remaining cooking time, which are based on the behavior of the food being cooked and / or the cooking appliance without utilizing residual heat, can still be applied, although minor adjustments may be necessary to extend the remaining cooking time. Methods such as the slope triangle method, tangent method, scaling models, or machine learning models (e.g., regression models, tree-based models, neural networks), as well as combinations thereof, can be used to calculate the remaining cooking time prediction.

[0014] To calculate the remaining cooking time, at least one recorded parameter of the cooking process is taken into account, particularly in real time. The temporal profile of the parameter, as well as its related slope and curvature, can also be analyzed and included. According to one embodiment of the invention, a parameter of the cooking process is determined as a parameter of the cooking appliance and / or a parameter of the food being cooked. A parameter of the cooking appliance can be, for example, a temperature in the cooking chamber and / or a temperature in the heating element, a quantity of heat in the cooking chamber and / or a quantity of heat in the heating element, and / or a humidity level in the cooking chamber. A parameter of the food being cooked can be, for example, a temperature of the food being cooked, preferably a core temperature and / or a surface temperature, a size of the food being cooked, and / or a degree of browning of the food.

[0015] To record the aforementioned parameters, the monitoring device can be equipped with various types of sensors. Temperature sensors, such as semiconductor temperature sensors, are suitable for measuring the temperature in the cooking chamber or heating element. The core temperature of the food being cooked can be measured using a penetration probe, while the surface temperature can be measured using one or more infrared sensors or an infrared camera. Capacitive or resistive humidity sensors can be used to monitor the humidity in the cooking chamber. Additionally, cameras, particularly infrared cameras, time-of-flight cameras (ToF cameras), or spectral cameras, could be used to determine, for example, the size or browning of the food being cooked.

[0016] In addition to the variable parameters detected by sensors, preset or user-selected parameters of the cooking program or operating mode, such as the type of food being cooked, the initial temperature, and the desired degree of doneness (e.g., target core temperature or target browning), can also be taken into account when calculating the remaining cooking time. Furthermore, deviations or differences between the detected variable parameters and the preset or selected parameters, such as the difference between the current core temperature and the target core temperature, can be factored into the calculation of the remaining cooking time.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the start time of the second phase of the cooking process is within an interval of ± 1 minute around the control time. Thus, the initiation of the second phase of the cooking process and the start of residual heat utilization can occur essentially simultaneously or in rapid succession. This offers significant advantages, since fluctuations in the at least one monitored parameter, which are to be expected during residual heat utilization, either have no effect or only a minimal effect on the remaining cooking time in the second phase of the cooking process. In this way, a stagnation of the remaining cooking time can be prevented or at least mitigated.

[0018] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the predetermined control point is located within the last 5% to 25% of the total cooking time, preferably within the last 10% to 20%. This enables the desired cooking result to be achieved while simultaneously optimizing energy use, since the heating function remains active for most of the cooking process. The optimal time for starting residual heat utilization depends on the properties of the food being cooked and the amount of energy stored in the cooking appliance. Heavy or bulky foods generally require later use of residual heat to achieve good cooking results. In contrast, smaller foods can allow for earlier use of residual heat. At the same time, the greater the amount of heat stored in the cooking appliance, the earlier the transition to residual heat utilization can occur.

[0019] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the remaining cooking time in the second phase of the cooking process is displayed with a higher degree of accuracy than in the first phase. For example, while in the first phase the remaining cooking time is displayed only in minutes due to greater uncertainties, in the second phase, due to lower uncertainties, it can be displayed in minutes and seconds. This allows the user of the cooking appliance to plan the time more precisely.

[0020] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the remaining cooking time last calculated in the first phase is fixed once in the second phase and displayed until the end of the cooking process, without being updated again. In other words, the cooking process switches from a sensor-controlled phase (first phase) to a purely time-controlled phase (second phase). With the initiation of the second phase, the remaining cooking time is thus fixed like a countdown, and the cooking process ends when the remaining cooking time has elapsed. In this case, a fluctuation of the detected parameter in the second phase no longer affects the remaining cooking time, so that no stagnation of the remaining cooking time can occur.

[0021] In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, during the second phase, at least one parameter continues to be continuously monitored. When a predetermined threshold for this parameter is exceeded or fallen below, the remaining cooking time is recalculated, set, and displayed, particularly once, based on this parameter. This allows the displayed remaining cooking time to be corrected as soon as a significant discrepancy between the measured parameter and a target value indicates that the displayed time deviates considerably from the calculated remaining cooking time. For example, the remaining cooking time can be reduced by a few minutes if the core temperature has risen faster than expected. The thresholds are set in such a way that no continuous updates occur, as in the first phase of the cooking process.If, in the first phase of the cooking process, the remaining cooking time is not updated solely at fixed intervals but is triggered, at least in part, by exceeding or falling below threshold values, then the threshold values ​​in the second phase must be set considerably more generously than those in the first phase. In other words, threshold values ​​with a greater tolerance are used for the second phase than in the first. Preferably, the aforementioned correction of the remaining cooking time occurs only once in the second phase. Preferably, the user is informed of the correction of the remaining cooking time, for example, by a warning message on the display or an acoustic signal.

[0022] The cooking appliance according to the invention comprises a cooking chamber for receiving food to be cooked, a heating device for heating the cooking chamber, a detection device for detecting at least one parameter of the cooking process, a processing unit for calculating the remaining cooking time based on the at least one detected parameter, and a display device for displaying at least the remaining cooking time. The cooking appliance according to the invention is designed to carry out the method according to the invention.

[0023] The cooking appliance according to the invention therefore also benefits from the advantages relevant to the method according to the invention.

[0024] An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It shows Fig. 1 an embodiment of a cooking appliance according to the invention and Fig. 2 a sketch of a temperature-time diagram of a cooking process according to an embodiment of a method according to the invention, as carried out with the cooking device according to the invention. Fig. 1 can be carried out.

[0025] With reference to Fig. 1 features the cooking appliance 2 according to the invention: - a cooking chamber 4 for holding food 5, - a heating device 6a, 6b, 6c for heating the cooking chamber 4, - a recording device 8 for recording at least one parameter P of the cooking process, - a computing unit 10 for calculating the remaining cooking time of the cooking process based on at least one recorded parameter P, as well as - a display device 12 for displaying at least the remaining cooking time.

[0026] The cooking chamber 4 can be closed by a cooking chamber door 14, which, when open, allows the food 5 to be placed inside or access to the food 5. In the present embodiment, the heating device 6a, 6b, 6c comprises a convection heater in the form of a fan 8 equipped with a ring heater, a top heating element 10, and a bottom heating element 12 located below the cooking chamber floor. The sensing device 8 has a probe 8a, which can detect the core temperature of the food 5 as parameter P. In this case, the probe 8a is designed for wireless communication with the rest of the sensing device 8, but it can also be designed for a wired connection. The sensing device 8 is connected to the processing unit 10 via communication technology.The processing unit 10 is designed to receive the parameter data acquired by the acquisition device 8 and to calculate the remaining cooking time based on this data. The processing unit 10 is integrated into a central control unit 13 of the cooking appliance 2. In this case, the display device 12 is part of an operating unit 11 of the cooking appliance 2, via which a user can enter and adjust an operating mode, a cooking program, or individual settings and parameters of the programs. The control unit 13 serves to control the heating device 6a, 6b, 6c, in particular according to the selected operating mode or the set cooking program. The control unit 13 also controls the display device 12 and ensures that the calculated remaining cooking time is displayed on it. The display device 12 can be a screen.

[0027] The remaining cooking time, displayed on the display device 12, indicates the current stage of the cooking process and decreases continuously. This information allows the user to cook the food 5 optimally without having to constantly monitor the cooking process. The cooking device 2 is designed to continuously record at least one parameter P (in this case, the core temperature of the food 5) during a first phase I of the cooking process and to continuously recalculate and update the displayed remaining cooking time based on the current parameter P.

[0028] To optimize the energy consumption of the cooking process, the heating power should be reduced or completely switched off towards the end of the cooking process in order to utilize the residual heat remaining in the cooking appliance 2 for cooking the food 5. The cooking appliance 2 is therefore designed to automatically switch off or reduce the heating element 6a, 6b, 6c at a predetermined control time t1, which is before the end of the remaining cooking time, in order to utilize any residual heat present in the cooking appliance 2 for cooking the food 5.

[0029] In this case, it is to be expected that the measured core temperature will stagnate due to the reduction in heating power. This can lead to the remaining cooking time, calculated and displayed based on the core temperature, being iteratively extended several times, so that the user can no longer rely on it.

[0030] To counteract this negative effect, the cooking device 2 is designed to set and display one of the remaining cooking times calculated in the first phase I, preferably the last remaining cooking time calculated in the first phase I, during a second phase II of the cooking process following the first phase I.

[0031] The continuous updating of the remaining cooking time prediction, which is available during the first phase (Phase I), ends when the second phase (Phase II) begins. This limits the influence of the core temperature on the remaining cooking time in the second phase (Phase II) of the cooking process. The user can therefore rely more heavily on the displayed remaining cooking time.

[0032] Fig.Figure 2 shows a sketch of a diagram in which the temperature T of a cooking process according to an embodiment of a method according to the invention is plotted against time t. The food 5 is placed in the cooking chamber 4, which has been preheated to the cooking chamber temperature TG, at the start time t0. The first phase I of the cooking process begins at the start time t0. In this case, the cooking chamber temperature TG is kept constant throughout the entire first phase I, but may follow a different course depending on the selected operating mode and / or the selected cooking program. The core temperature of the food 5 (measured parameter P) increases monotonically during the first phase I.

[0033] At control time t1, the heating power is switched off. The cooking chamber temperature TG decreases steadily. Residual heat remains in the cooking appliance 2, so the core temperature continues to rise, albeit more moderately than in the first phase I. In this case, control time t1 coincides with the start time t2 of the second phase II of the cooking process, so that with the start of residual heat utilization, the displayed remaining cooking time is also "decoupled" from the measured core temperature. Alternatively, the start time t2 of the second phase II can be within an interval of ± 1 minute around control time t1.

[0034] Phase II ends when the remaining cooking time has elapsed or when the total cooking time tG has been reached. The predetermined control point t1 is preferably located within the last 5% to 25% of the total cooking time tG, and particularly preferably within the last 10% to 20% of the total cooking time tG.

[0035] According to one embodiment of the invention, the remaining cooking time in the second phase II is set once and displayed until the end of the cooking process, without any further update of the remaining cooking time.

[0036] Alternatively, the remaining cooking time can be corrected if there is a significant discrepancy between the measured core temperature and a target core temperature, resulting in a substantial deviation of the displayed remaining cooking time from the time necessary for a good cooking result. According to this alternative embodiment, the core temperature continues to be continuously monitored during the second phase (II), and if a predetermined core temperature threshold is exceeded or fallen below, the remaining cooking time is recalculated, set, and displayed based on the measured core temperature.

[0037] The invention is not limited to the present embodiment. The scope of protection of the invention is defined by the patent claims. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 42 17 943 A1

[0002]

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