PREPARATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A SYSTEM FOR PREPARING AT LEAST ONE FOOD

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for preparing at least one food item, comprising a cooking chamber in which the food item can be prepared, and comprising an energy unit for supplying electromagnetic energy into the cooking chamber as a function of cooking data of the at least one food item, thereby bringing the at least one food item into an edible state. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating such a system for preparing at least one food item.

[0002] In conventional food preparation appliances, such as a microwave or oven, food can generally only be heated uniformly. Regardless of its size, weight, or type, food is heated uniformly using conventional methods, such as top / bottom heat, convection (oven), or microwave radiation, even if the food is divided into a main course, such as meat, and one or more side dishes, such as rice or potatoes, and requires different temperatures or cooking times to be cooked or heated simultaneously.

[0003] Conventional microwaves heat food using a magnetron, or the energy of electromagnetic waves generated by a magnetron. A microwave oven has a static frequency and a static phase of the electromagnetic waves, resulting in distinct temperature zones within the cooking chamber. To heat the food as evenly as possible, a microwave oven uses a turntable and / or some kind of stirrer / ceiling fan to distribute the waves throughout the cooking chamber. The depth of microwave penetration depends on the density of the food. Therefore, loose dishes, such as products made from ground meat, mashed potatoes, etc., heat up faster in the microwave than dense dishes of the same mass, such as a solid piece of meat, lasagna, etc.The disadvantage of such microwaves is that some components of the heated food become very hot, while other components, such as meat in particular, become lukewarm at best when heated at the same time.

[0004] In conventional ovens with circulating air and / or top and bottom heat, the different components of a dish are also all exposed to the same heat, which also means that some components of the dish to be heated are heated more than others due to their type, size, weight and, in particular, their density.

[0005] WO 2015 / 196218 A1 discloses a system for preparing at least one food according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0006] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to remedy the existing disadvantages of the aforementioned conventional food preparation appliances. In particular, a system for preparing at least one food and a method for operating a system for preparing at least one food are to be created, which, when heating dishes or foodstuffs with different food ingredients, enable all food ingredients or foodstuffs to reach a defined, in particular the same, cooking state and the same consumption temperature simultaneously. The system and the method are intended to make it possible to create a homogeneous temperature distribution in different food ingredients or foodstuffs of a cooking item without moving the cooking item.

[0007] The object is achieved by the claims. The object of the invention is achieved by a system for preparing at least one foodstuff having the features of claim 1 and by a method for operating a system for preparing at least one foodstuff having the features of claim 10. Further features and details of the invention emerge from the subclaims, the description and the drawings. Features and details described in connection with the system according to the invention naturally also apply in connection with the method according to the invention and vice versa, so that with regard to the disclosure of the individual aspects of the invention, reciprocal reference is and can always be made.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the invention, the object is achieved by a system for preparing at least one food. The system has a cooking chamber in which the food, i.e. the dish or the item to be cooked, can be prepared. Furthermore, the system has an energy unit in order to supply electromagnetic energy into the cooking chamber as a function of cooking data of the at least one food, which is specified for the at least one food, whereby the at least one food can be brought into an edible state. Furthermore, the system is characterized in that the energy unit has at least two spaced-apart transmitting antennas which can be controlled by at least one high-frequency signal generator of the system and which are designed to emit energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation in the microwave range into the cooking chamber based on this control.

[0009] Such a system for preparing at least one food item makes it possible to bring one food item to be heated, or several different food items to be heated together as a cooking item, to a defined, in particular the same, cooking state and the same serving temperature simultaneously. The system makes it possible to create a homogeneous temperature distribution in different food components or food items of a cooking item without moving the food. All different food items, such as meat as the main course and rice and peas as two different side dishes, which are placed together in the cooking chamber, preferably on a plate, can be brought to the same cooking state and the same serving temperature by the system at the same time. This is achieved by the special energy unit. This has at least two or more spaced-apart transmitting antennas.The at least two transmitting antennas can be controlled by at least one high-frequency signal generator of the system's energy unit. The high-frequency signal generator can, for example, have multiple outputs. The at least one high-frequency signal generator transmits energy into an oscillating circuit, whereby a magnetic field builds up around a conductor. The transmitting antennas radiate the energy into the cooking chamber in the form of electromagnetic waves with a specific and determinable frequency. A system is preferred in which each transmitting antenna can be controlled by a respective high-frequency signal generator. Each individual transmitting antenna is designed to emit energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation in the microwave range into the cooking chamber based on the control of the high-frequency signal generator(s). The at least one high-frequency signal generator is preferably designed to emit a constant signal, in particular a signal at 2.35 to 2.45 GHz.The high-frequency signal generators emit high-frequency sinusoidal oscillations. The high-frequency signal generators offer the possibility of frequency and amplitude modulation. Furthermore, the control allows the phases of the electromagnetic waves to be individually determined or adjusted for each transmitting antenna.

[0010] By providing at least two transmitting antennas spaced apart from one another, electromagnetic waves are periodically emitted into the cooking chamber at at least two locations. These waves collide, causing interference. This can lead to an amplification or attenuation of the electromagnetic radiation. This means that, depending on how many transmitting antennas emit electromagnetic radiation into the cooking chamber, radiation zones or areas can be created in which the electromagnetic radiation is very high, and radiation zones or areas can be created in which the electromagnetic radiation is lower. This effect can be exploited according to the invention. This means that with the help of the system, certain areas or zones within the cooking chamber can be irradiated more strongly than other areas or zones.For example, foods with a high density, such as meat, can be irradiated more strongly and / or for longer in the cooking chamber than foods with a low density, such as vegetables. By providing two, but preferably more than two transmitting antennas, which are arranged on the cooking chamber in such a way that they emit their electromagnetic radiation into the cooking chamber and thus in the direction of foods that are positioned in the cooking chamber for heating, two or more different irradiation zones can be created in the cooking chamber. As a result, different foods that are positioned in the cooking chamber for heating at the same time can be exposed to different intensities of electromagnetic radiation.This in turn means that different foods, such as meat, pasta and peas, all reach the same cooking state and the same consumption temperature at the same time.

[0011] The heating of food is based on the dielectric effect. The food contains polar molecules. Such molecules have an uneven distribution of positive and negative charges. This means that there are regions within the molecules where more positive charges predominate and regions where more negative charges are present. When such molecules are irradiated with electromagnetic waves, they arrange themselves according to the field lines of the electromagnetic field. If the electromagnetic field changes its polarity, they rotate around themselves to realign themselves. This means that the charge carriers in the molecules in the food can only follow the directional changes of the high-frequency field with some delay, which increases the internal energy in the food and thus its temperature.

[0012] The energy unit of the system according to the invention enables the supply of electromagnetic energy into the cooking chamber, depending on the cooking data of the at least one food item, which allows the at least one food item to be brought to a edible state. If several food items need to be heated, which is usually the case with traditional dishes, the energy unit enables all foods to reach their cooking state and the same serving temperature simultaneously.

[0013] The more transmitting antennas and the more high-frequency signal generators there are, the more different irradiation zones can be created within the cooking chamber, allowing a variety of different foods to be cooked at the same time.

[0014] It is conceivable that the at least two transmitting antennas are supplied with power by one and the same high-frequency signal generator. This then has several separate outputs. The transmitting antennas and the high-frequency signal generator are preferably connected by means of a conductor, i.e. an electrically conductive cable. The high-frequency signal generator emits a constant signal to the transmitting antennas. Depending on how these are switched on and off, the radiation characteristics of the electromagnetic radiation in the cooking chamber can be influenced. However, a power unit in which each transmitting antenna is connected to its own high-frequency signal generator is preferred. This means that the radiation characteristics can be influenced not only by the transmitting antennas themselves, but also by the high-frequency signal generators by switching them on and off.

[0015] By adjusting the number of transmitting antennas and their arrangement within the cooking chamber, and by controlling the transmitting antennas via the high-frequency signal generator(s) or directly controlling the transmitting antennas, for example, by switching the transmitting antennas on and off, individual irradiation zones or temperature zones can be created within the cooking chamber that are precisely tailored to the cooking requirements of the food items positioned within the cooking chamber. This makes it possible to heat all food items positioned within the cooking chamber to the same defined cooking state and the same serving temperature at the same time.

[0016] According to a preferred further development of the invention, a system can be provided in which at least one of the transmitting antennas, or preferably each transmitting antenna, is technically assigned a power amplifier for amplifying the electromagnetic radiation of the respective transmitting antenna. The power amplifiers enable the modulated input radio-frequency signal to be reproduced at the transmitting antenna output in an amplified manner without any power losses. The power amplifier(s) can be designed as non-linear or linear power amplifiers. In particular, the power amplifiers can be designed in such a way that they enable control, in particular amplification, of the radiated power.

[0017] According to the invention, the system has a control unit that controls the activation of each transmitting antenna by the at least one high-frequency signal generator. Of course, two or more control units can also be provided. Particularly preferably, each transmitting antenna is connected to a high-frequency signal generator assigned to it. The control unit can activate each individual high-frequency signal generator, i.e. switch it on and off. This allows the control unit to determine when a transmitting antenna emits electromagnetic radiation or not. However, the control unit can also directly activate the transmitting antennas as required and switch them on or off accordingly. In particular, the irradiation time of each transmitting antenna can be controlled and the phases of the electromagnetic waves can be changed by the at least one control unit.

[0018] The at least one control unit thus enables the supply of electromagnetic radiation into the cooking chamber, depending on the cooking data of the at least one food item, as specified for the at least one food item. This means that the control unit influences or controls the irradiation zones or temperature zones within the cooking chamber by determining whether and which transmitting antenna emits electromagnetic radiation and when. This allows the system, knowing the exact position of the individual food items in the cooking chamber, to allocate specific irradiation to each food item, so that all food items positioned in the cooking chamber can reach their desired cooking state and the same serving temperature simultaneously.

[0019] According to a further preferred development of the invention, a system can be provided in which the control unit is designed to switch at least one transmitting antenna or each transmitting antenna on and off individually or in groups to control the emission of electromagnetic radiation and / or in which the control unit is designed to switch at least one high-frequency signal transmitter of the system on and off to emit signals to the at least one transmitting antenna. This means that, depending on requirements, the at least one control unit can selectively switch individual transmitting antennas or high-frequency signal transmitters, in the event that each transmitting antenna is assigned its own high-frequency signal transmitter, or groups of transmitting antennas or high-frequency signal transmitters on and off. The control unit can thereby influence the radiation characteristics of each transmitting antenna and thus the temperature zones present in the cooking chamber during heating of the food.This allows so-called hot spots to be created within the cooking chamber, which can be used as a precautionary measure to heat denser foods. By specifically controlling the electromagnetic radiation of the transmitting antennas, each different food item positioned in the cooking chamber for heating can be assigned a specific electromagnetic radiation.

[0020] In a system, it can preferably be provided that the at least one transmitting antenna or each transmitting antenna and / or the high-frequency signal generator(s) can be controlled by the control unit in such a way that, in order to form irradiation zones or temperature zones in the cooking chamber, predetermined constructive interference or destructive interference of the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transmitting antennas occurs in the cooking chamber. This means that the at least one control unit can control the radiation characteristic of each transmitting antenna in such a way that either constructive interference or destructive interference of the electromagnetic radiation or waves occurs in predetermined areas within the cooking chamber.By specifically controlling the transmitting antennas and / or the high-frequency signal generators, the at least one control unit can determine where in the cooking chamber the electromagnetic radiation is amplified by interference and where it is weakened. This allows targeted creation of so-called hot spots where a high temperature level prevails in order to heat foods that heat up more slowly due to their type, size, and weight more intensely. Accordingly, irradiation zones or temperature zones can be created where a low or medium temperature level prevails in order to heat foods that heat up quickly due to their type, size, and weight more slowly.

[0021] The transmitting antennas are preferably arranged on the cooking chamber in such a way that the food positioned in the cooking chamber can be irradiated from as many sides as possible. The number of transmitting antennas provided is also flexible. For example, four or more transmitting antennas can be arranged in the upper area of ​​the cooking chamber, irradiating the food from above or diagonally from above. However, it is also conceivable for transmitting antennas to be arranged on the side or in the lower area of ​​the cooking chamber in order to irradiate the food from the side or from below. The cooking chamber is hermetically sealed during irradiation and thus forms a closed structure. An opening is provided for adding and removing food. This opening can be closed during heating to prevent electromagnetic radiation from escaping from the cooking chamber.

[0022] According to a further preferred development of the invention, a system can be provided in which at least one transmitting antenna or several transmitting antennas in the system can be moved individually or in groups relative to the cooking chamber by means of one or more drives, in particular two- or three-dimensionally. This makes it possible to change the position of one or more transmitting antennas. This makes it possible, on the one hand, to change the distance of one or the other transmitting antenna from the food. On the other hand, this influences the phases and thus the interference of the electromagnetic waves, which in turn makes it possible to change the shape of the irradiation zones or the temperature zones. The drives can in particular be motors, for example servo motors or linear motors. The movement, in particular the displacement, of transmitting antennas can, for example, concentrate the introduced energy, i.e.of electromagnetic radiation. Transmitting antennas can be positioned in such a way that specific beam cones or beam lobes are generated in which a high temperature level prevails.

[0023] Furthermore, a system can be provided with an adjustment device, in particular a touchscreen, for entering input variables of the at least one food item or the cooking chamber, that the adjustment device is coupled to the control unit in a data-communicating manner for transmitting the entered input variables to the control unit, and that the control unit is designed to use the transmitting antennas to generate different irradiation zones and irradiation times within the cooking chamber that are adapted to the at least one food item on the basis of the transmitted input variables of the at least one food item. The adjustment device enables the user of the system to actively intervene in the subsequent heating process. This means that the user can communicate a plurality of different input variables to the system, for example via a touchscreen, i.e. a screen with touch input.This allows the user to specify exactly what food is positioned where in the cooking chamber and how these foods can be irradiated separately and specifically. The setting device is preferably designed to input at least one of the following parameters of the at least one food as an input variable for the control unit: . Type Size Weight Density Quantity Position in the cooking chamber Target temperature

[0024] Additionally or alternatively, the setting device can be configured to input the electromagnetic radiation input for various irradiation zones or temperature zones within the cooking chamber. To ensure that the input variables reach the control unit, the setting device is connected to the control unit via a data communication link. This can be done wired or wirelessly. Based on the transmitted input variables of at least one food item, the control unit determines how intensively and for how long the corresponding food item should be irradiated with electromagnetic radiation by the various transmitting antennas and adjusts the irradiation zones and irradiation times as required by controlling the transmitting antennas and / or the high-frequency signal generators.This ensures that all foods in the cooking chamber that are to be heated at the same time are cooked to the same serving temperature at the same time. The user can also use the settings device to specify which zones should be irradiated and how. In particular, they can determine which temperature should prevail in which zones of the cooking chamber during subsequent heating. This requires a certain amount of cooperation from the user, as they then have to position the individual foods accordingly in the cooking chamber so that they are all cooked at the same time. If, for example, the user only wants to heat water in a glass, they can use the settings device to specify that only a specific zone in the cooking chamber, in which they position the glass, should be intensively irradiated in order to save energy.

[0025] According to a further preferred development of the invention, a system can be provided with an object recognition system for automatically determining at least one of the following parameters of the at least one food as an input variable for the control unit: Size Density Number Position in the cooking chamber, that the object recognition for transmitting the automatically determined input variables to the control unit is coupled to the control unit in a data-communicating manner and that the control unit is designed to generate, by means of the transmitting antennas, different irradiation zones and irradiation times within the cooking chamber that are adapted to the at least one food item on the basis of the transmitted input variables of the at least one food item.

[0026] Object recognition allows the system to automatically recognize foods. This is extremely beneficial for users. They do not need to enter input variables via the setting device; instead, the object recognition system itself determines at least some of the food's input variables. Object recognition can support the setting device. This makes entering input variables much easier for the user. The object recognition system can be linked to the setting device via data communication. For example, the object recognition system can display some of the input variables it has determined on a screen on the setting device. The user can then supplement missing input variables or insert additional input variables. The ability to recognize the position of individual foods in the cooking chamber is particularly beneficial for users.

[0027] The object recognition system preferably comprises at least one camera. Alternatively or in addition to the at least one camera, the object recognition system may comprise one or more sensors that can, for example, detect the position or size of a food item. The sensors may be optical sensors, for example. Furthermore, capacitive sensors, such as pressure sensors, inductive sensors, such as force sensors, or mechanical sensors, such as scales, may be provided. All of these sensors serve to recognize the food items. The object recognition system is coupled to the control unit for data communication in order to transmit the automatically determined input variables to the control unit.This allows the control unit to receive all relevant input variables about the food positioned in the cooking chamber, on the basis of which the control unit can determine what the irradiation characteristics should be in order to ensure that all food positioned in the cooking chamber reaches its cooking state at the same time and has the same consumption temperature.

[0028] Furthermore, according to a further development of the invention, a system can be provided which has a determining device for determining the weight of the at least one food item, which determining device is coupled to the control unit for data communication in order to transmit the determined weight of the at least one food item, and which control unit is designed to automatically generate, by means of the transmitting antennas, different irradiation zones and irradiation times within the cooking chamber, adapted to the weight of the at least one food item, based on the transmitted weight of the at least one food item. The determining device can be arranged differently depending on the system. For example, the determining device can be placed outside the cooking chamber.Alternatively, the determining device can be arranged in the lower region of the cooking chamber in order to determine the weight of the food immediately after it has been positioned in the cooking chamber. The determining device can be designed to determine the tare weight of the food based on a previously detected weight of a food carrier, such as a plate. The determining device can, for example, comprise a weighing device. In addition, the determining device can comprise a recognition device for recognizing at least one food carrier that can be coupled to the system. The weight of the food placed on the food carrier can be calculated via a computer unit that is coupled to the recognition device and the determining device.Through the data-communicating connection between the detection device and the control unit, the weight data can be forwarded to the control unit, which can then draw conclusions about the required irradiation. The detection device can be divided into segments to allow the weight of individual food items to be determined using a suitably designed food carrier. The detection device can be a code scanner, a camera, an NFC module, or a magnetic switching module for detecting the food carrier.

[0029] Another preferred system can have a database that is coupled to the control unit for data communication and from which cooking data can be read by the control unit based on the input variables of the at least one food item. The database can comprise a storage device in which input variables of food items can be stored for comparison. The system, in particular the database, can further have a communication device for obtaining food-specific data and input variables via the Internet or another wired or wireless network. The control unit can use the database to determine cooking data for the corresponding food items, so that, based on the cooking data, the energy unit can be controlled accordingly in order to individually determine the required irradiation by the transmitting antennas for each food item.The system may include a comparison device that is connected to the control unit via data transmission. This allows the control unit to compare input parameters with reference parameters from the database to determine the exact cooking parameters for each food item.

[0030] As already explained above, the cooking chamber is hermetically sealed during the electromagnetic irradiation and thus forms a closed structure. For example, the cooking chamber can be delimited by a housing, in particular a cuboid-shaped housing, of the system. The housing has a floor, side walls, and a ceiling. For access to the cooking chamber, the housing preferably has an openable and closable door. The door is preferably pivotably mounted on the housing. The transmitting antennas are preferably arranged on the housing, in particular fastened, in such a way that the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transmitting antennas can be emitted into the cooking chamber enclosed by the housing. The high-frequency signal generators and the power amplifiers can also be fastened to the housing. The transmitting antennas are preferably arranged on the ceiling of the housing.They can also be arranged alternatively or additionally on the side walls or the floor. The same applies to the high-frequency signal generators and power amplifiers.

[0031] According to a further system, it can be provided that this is a cooking device, in particular a food preparation appliance, which has the cooking chamber and / or the energy unit and / or the object recognition and / or the setting device and / or the determination device and / or the database and / or the comparison device, in particular that the cooking device is an oven. The system can additionally have a grill and / or heating coils for generating top and / or bottom heat and / or a heat source with a fan for generating circulating air. This allows food of any kind to be heated easily, cost-effectively and quickly for consumption. In particular, such a system can bring a dish containing different foodstuffs to an optimal cooking state for all of these foodstuffs of the one dish at the same time.

[0032] The cooking device itself preferably also has walls that can enclose the cooking chamber, the energy unit, the object detection, the setting device, the determination device, the database and / or the comparison device.

[0033] The system described above is designed to bring food to a perfectly cooked state. The system allows for a uniform temperature distribution throughout the food, eliminating the need for a turntable or other moving devices to distribute the energy throughout the cooking chamber during heating.

[0034] The basis for creating different temperature zones within the cooking chamber is high-energy radio technology. In contrast to a microwave, which has only a single generating element and therefore results in a fixed temperature distribution, the electromagnetic radiation from the system's multiple transmitting antennas makes it possible to concentrate energy and thus create different irradiation or temperature zones within the cooking chamber. Using a preferably matrix-like structure of high-frequency signal generators, possibly power amplifiers, and transmitting antennas that emit electromagnetic waves, different foods can be individually heated simultaneously. An array of transmitting antennas capable of emitting electromagnetic energy generated by one or more high-frequency signal generators is preferably mounted under the ceiling of the cooking chamber housing.By selectively combining the various transmitting antennas, i.e., by selectively switching individual transmitting antennas or, if necessary, the high-frequency signal generators on or off, it is possible to create different irradiation zones and thus temperature ranges within the cooking chamber using constructive and destructive interference based on the superposition principle. The temperature distribution within the cooking chamber can be controlled as needed by at least one control unit.

[0035] The transmitting antennas, preferably located above the cooking chamber, can either be statically mounted or adjusted along one or more axes using suitable drives, particularly servomotors. Using the adjustable transmitting antennas, the concentration of the applied energy can be increased or different radiation cones or beams can be formed (beamforming).

[0036] The system described above is designed to change the phase, amplitude, and / or frequency of the electromagnetic wave emitted by a transmitting antenna. This can be controlled by the control unit. In particular, the frequency, phase, and amplitude of a emitted electromagnetic wave can be influenced by a high-frequency signal generator and / or by a power amplifier associated with a transmitting antenna. Generally speaking, the lower the frequency of an electromagnetic wave used for cooking, the greater the penetration depth, but also the lower the absorption. At too high a frequency, the penetration depth is small, and only the surface of the food is heated.

[0037] To both heat the interior of the food and crisp the exterior, different frequency ranges and / or different heating elements are required. This can be achieved by a system that additionally features a grill and / or heating coils for top and / or bottom heat and / or a heat source with a fan.

[0038] According to a particularly preferred further development of the invention, a system can be provided in which at least one of the transmitting antennas of the energy unit or at least one additional transmitting antenna of the energy unit, which can be controlled by at least one high-frequency signal transmitter of the system or by at least one additional high-frequency signal transmitter of the system, is designed to emit energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation in the terahertz range into the cooking chamber based on this control. Such a system can cover both the microwave frequency range, i.e. in particular the frequency range from 2 GHz to 3 GHz, for cooking the food from the inside, and the terahertz range, i.e. in particular the frequency range from 1 THz to 10 THz, for frying the food from the outside.This allows different foods to be cooked to an optimal level at the same time or almost at the same time and also to be fried until crispy.

[0039] Furthermore, according to a further development of the invention, a system can be provided in which at least one of the transmitting antennas has a radiation funnel for the directed radiation of the electromagnetic radiation, in which this at least one transmitting antenna is mounted so as to be pivotable about a rotation axis, and in which this at least one transmitting antenna is coupled to the control unit in a data-communicating manner for control by the control unit. The radiation of the electromagnetic radiation from a transmitting antenna can be controlled by means of a radiation funnel. In particular, the emitted electromagnetic radiation can be directed specifically at a certain area within the cooking chamber and thus at a selected food item. This allows each individual food item to be heated even more individually.By pivoting the radiation funnels, the orientation of the emitted electromagnetic radiation can be adjusted as required.

[0040] According to a further aspect of the present invention, the object is achieved by a method for operating a system according to the first aspect of the invention, as described above. The method comprises the following steps: At least one food item is positioned in the cooking chamber of the system, the at least two spaced-apart transmitting antennas are controlled by the at least one high-frequency signal transmitter, based on the control by the at least one high-frequency signal transmitter, the transmitting antennas emit energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation into the cooking chamber of the system, wherein the control of the at least one high-frequency signal transmitter and / or the at least one transmitting antenna takes place as a function of cooking data of the at least one food item, whereby the at least one food item is brought into an edible state.

[0041] The method according to the invention brings about the same advantages as have been described in detail with reference to the system according to the invention according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0042] One or more foods, for example a main course such as meat, and two side dishes such as peas and dumplings, are positioned in the cooking chamber of the system. The transmitting antennas are then controlled by the at least one high-frequency signal transmitter, preferably by one high-frequency signal transmitter each. The at least one high-frequency signal transmitter transmits energy, i.e. magnetic field energy, to the transmitting antennas. The transmitting antennas emit this energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation into the cooking chamber of the system. Since several transmitting antennas are controlled, they each emit electromagnetic radiation in the form of electromagnetic waves in the direction of the food positioned in the cooking chamber. This means that the radiated electromagnetic waves from each transmitting antenna propagate in the cooking chamber towards the food. The electromagnetic waves from the various transmitting antennas interfere with one another in the cooking chamber.Depending on the wavelength and phase of the waves, when and from where the electromagnetic waves are emitted by the various transmitting antennas, and when and where they meet in the cooking chamber, destructive or constructive interference occurs. This means that the superposition of the electromagnetic waves in the cooking chamber can amplified or reduced the electromagnetic radiation in certain areas. This makes it possible to create radiation zones with different radiation intensities within the cooking chamber. In so-called hot spots, the electromagnetic radiation and thus the temperature level are high, while in other radiation zones, lower electromagnetic radiation and a lower temperature level prevail.

[0043] By controlling the transmitting antennas via the at least one high-frequency signal generator, the at least one food item is irradiated with electromagnetic radiation with varying intensities depending on the cooking data. This can be controlled in the method in such a way that, overall, the different foods that are irradiated in parallel reach the same cooking state and the same consumption temperature at the same time. Using this method, dishes containing different foods can be heated in such a way that they are all equally hot at the same time and have reached an optimal cooking state for each food item. Heating food in this way offers a user a significant advantage compared to conventional heating of food using a microwave.In a microwave, different foods in a meal would be cooked to varying degrees and at different temperatures after the heating process. For example, while a watery side dish like peas would be very hot, a slice of thick meat would be merely lukewarm.

[0044] According to a preferred further development of the invention, a method can be provided in which, depending on the energy required for the at least one food item, the power amplifier of the at least one transmitting antenna amplifies the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the at least one transmitting antenna. The power amplifier can amplify the amplitude of the signal sent to the transmitting antenna and thereby change the characteristics of the emitted electromagnetic radiation or the electromagnetic waves. Depending on how the power amplifier changes the incoming signal, the interference pattern of the superposition of the electromagnetic waves from different transmitting antennas in the cooking chamber also changes. This meansThis method allows the intensity of radiation in specific zones within the cooking chamber to be varied by specifically controlling one or more power amplifiers, depending on the heating requirements of the food and its cooking data. The transmitting antennas, the high-frequency signal generators, and / or the power amplifiers are preferably controlled by the system's control unit.

[0045] Particularly preferably, a method can provide for input variables of the at least one food item to be passed to the control unit of the system, such that the control unit controls the energy required to heat the at least one food item by switching the transmitting antennas and / or high-frequency signal generators on and off, with each transmitting antenna being technically assigned a high-frequency signal generator. This means that the control unit of the system receives the input variables of a food item. The input variables can be the name, size, weight, density, quantity, position of the food item in the cooking chamber and / or the target temperature, etc. Using this data, the control unit can control the transmitting antennas and / or the high-frequency signal generators in such a way that optimal irradiation by electromagnetic waves is achieved for the respective food item in the cooking chamber.If several food items with different input parameters are positioned in the system's cooking chamber at the same time, the control unit controls the transmitting antennas and / or the high-frequency signal generators and, if applicable, the power amplifiers in such a way that an irradiation characteristic is created within the cooking chamber that ensures that the different foods reach the same cooking state and the same serving temperature after the same irradiation time. To do this, the control unit selectively switches the transmitting antennas and / or the high-frequency signal generators on and off according to the cooking data for each food item. By switching the transmitting antennas and / or the high-frequency signal generators on and off, the control unit actively influences the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the transmitting antennas and thus the different temperature zones distributed within the cooking chamber.

[0046] Preferably, a method can further be provided for the control unit to read cooking data of the at least one food item from the system's database based on the input variables of the at least one food item and, based on this cooking data, to generate irradiation zones and irradiation times within the cooking chamber adapted to the at least one food item by appropriately targeting the transmitting antennas and / or the high-frequency signal generators. The control unit thereby receives precise information for controlling the energy unit, i.e., controlling the transmitting antennas, the high-frequency signal generators and / or, if applicable, the power amplifiers. The cooking data for a food item can be different. Ie.If only a single food item is to be heated, the control unit reads the corresponding cooking data from the database using the input variables for this one food item and then controls the energy unit based on this read cooking data. However, if two or more different food items are to be heated in parallel, the control unit must control the energy unit accordingly. This means that in this case the control unit reads out different cooking data for the respective food items than if only a single food item is to be heated. The database ideally contains cooking data for every known food item, but also cooking data for every possible combination of two or more food items.

[0047] The transmitting antennas, the line amplifiers and / or the high-frequency signal transmitters of the system can be controlled by the control unit, in particular switched on and off, in such a way that, based on a superposition principle, irradiation zones and irradiation times adapted to the food positioned there, in particular temperature ranges adapted to the food, are generated by constructive interference and destructive interference of the waves of the electromagnetic radiation of the transmitting antennas in the cooking chamber.

[0048] Preferably, a method can further provide for the input variables of the food and / or the cooking chamber to be entered via the setting device, in particular the touchscreen, and transmitted to the control unit, and / or for the system to automatically determine the input variables of the food and / or the cooking chamber based on object recognition and / or the determination device and transmit them to the control unit. A user can actively enter input variables of the food and / or the cooking chamber into the system via the setting device. This allows the user to specify how heavy a particular food item is and where they have positioned it in the system's cooking chamber. Furthermore, the user can also directly specify, regardless of the food item, what temperature distribution they would like to have in the cooking chamber. This is advantageous if the user knows exactly the required heating data for the food they have placed.On the other hand, a method is advantageous which automatically determines the input variables of the food to be heated. This is done by object recognition and / or the detection device. This means that by means of object recognition and / or the detection device, the system can automatically determine the input variables of the food to be heated and / or the cooking chamber and forward them to the control unit. This saves the user from having to know the input variables of the food. In particular, it is very difficult for a user to determine certain input variables such as weight, density or size themselves. The system's object recognition automatically detects the food or the input variables of a food. The object recognition can also be linked to the system's setting device for data communication.For example, the object recognition system can display some of the input variables it has determined to the user on a screen of the setting device. The user can then supplement missing input variables or insert additional input variables using the setting device. To detect the input variables, the object recognition system preferably uses one or more cameras and / or one or more sensors of the system. After automatically detecting the input variables of the food(s), the object recognition system forwards the input variables to the control unit via a data connection.The control unit thus receives all relevant input variables about the food positioned in the cooking chamber and then determines, in particular by reading cooking data based on the input variables, what the irradiation characteristics should be in order to bring all food positioned in the cooking chamber to the same cooking state and the same consumption temperature at the same time.

[0049] Furthermore, a method is preferred in which, in order to crisp up the outer region of the at least one food item, at least one of the transmitting antennas or at least one additional transmitting antenna is controlled by one of the high-frequency signal transmitters of the system or by at least one additional high-frequency signal transmitter in such a way that the at least one of the transmitting antennas or the at least one additional transmitting antenna emits energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation in the terahertz range, in particular in a frequency range from 300 GHz to 10 THz, into the cooking chamber. As a result, the system is suitable both for cooking the food from the inside in the microwave frequency range, ie in particular in the frequency range from 2 GHz to 3 GHz, and for frying the food from the outside in the terahertz range, ie in particular in the frequency range from 1 THz to 10 THz.Using such a process, the various foods can be cooked to an optimal level at the same time or almost at the same time and can also be fried until crispy.

[0050] Furthermore, a method is advantageous in which at least one of the transmitting antennas or in which several transmitting antennas are moved in groups by control by the control unit, in particular two- or three-dimensionally, and / or pivoted about a rotation axis. This allows the distance between transmitting antennas to be changed. This influences the phases of the electromagnetic waves relative to one another. By shifting the transmitting antennas relative to one another, the irradiation characteristics in the cooking chamber can be changed. The constructive and destructive interference between the electromagnetic waves of the various transmitting antennas is changed by changing the position of each transmitting antenna. The control unit can adjust the transmitting antennas so that optimal irradiation can be achieved for the food, in order to bring it to the same cooking state and the same consumption temperature at the same time.By controlling the radiation funnels of the transmitting antennas, if present, the control unit can concentrate the radiation from each antenna on a specific zone in the cooking chamber and thus on a specific food item. This allows each individual food item to be heated even more individually. The pivoting of the radiation funnels allows the orientation of the emitted electromagnetic radiation to be adjusted as needed.

[0051] The method according to the invention for operating a system for preparing at least one food product can be carried out with a system as described above, wherein the described device features of the system can be modified into corresponding method steps or can be carried out as corresponding method steps.

[0052] Further measures improving the invention will become apparent from the following description of various embodiments of the invention, which are schematically illustrated in the figures. All features and / or advantages apparent from the claims, the description, or the drawings, including structural details and spatial arrangements, may be essential to the invention both individually and in various combinations.

[0053] They show schematically: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a system for preparing at least one food, Figure 2 shows the system according to Fig. 1 with representation of the electromagnetic radiation of a transmitting antenna, Figure 3 the system according to Fig. 1 with representation of the electromagnetic radiation of all transmitting antennas, Figure 4 the system according to Fig. 1 with representation of the electromagnetic radiation of a transmitting antenna by means of a radiation funnel, Figure 5 in a plan view of a food carrier with various foodstuffs, Figure 6 a perspective view of a second embodiment of a system for preparing at least one foodstuff, Figure 7 the system according to Fig. 1 with additional representation of power amplifiers on the transmitting antennas, Figure 8 the system according to Fig. 7 with additional representation of a control unit of the system, Figure 9 the cooking chamber of the system according to Fig. 1 , Figure 10the system according to Fig. 8 with additional representation of a database and a data interface of the system, Figure 11 the system according to Fig. 1 with representation of an additional transmitting antenna and an additional high-frequency signal generator, Figure 12 the cooking chamber of the system according to Fig. 1 with drives for changing the transmitting antennas, Figure 13 shows a constructive interference of the electromagnetic waves of two transmitting antennas, Figure 14 shows a destructive interference of the electromagnetic waves of two transmitting antennas, Figure 15 shows a side view of an irradiation of a foodstuff, Figure 16 shows a side view of a system according to a third embodiment of the present invention with additional heating means, Figure 17 shows a side view of a system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention showing an irradiation hot spot, Figure 18 shows a side view of a system according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention with object recognition, a determination device and a database, and Figure 19 shows an illustration of the method for operating a system for preparing at least one foodstuff.

[0054] Elements with the same function and mode of action are listed in the Figuren 1 bis 19 each provided with the same reference numerals.

[0055] Fig. 1 schematically shows a system 100 according to the invention for preparing at least one food item 1. The system 100 has a cooking chamber 10 in which the food item 1, here in the form of a chicken, can be positioned. Ideally, the food item(s) 1, 2, 3 are placed on a special, metal-free food carrier 7, which is not shown in detail here. The food carrier 7 is preferably a plate which is divided into sections for different food items 1, 2, 3. Such a food carrier 7 is in Fig. 5 shown.

[0056] The system 100 comprises an energy unit 20, which is configured to supply a specific amount of electromagnetic energy to the food 1 into the cooking chamber 10 depending on cooking data 4, 5, 6 of at least one food item 1, 2, 3, here the chicken 1, whereby the at least one food item 1, 2, 3 can be brought into a edible state. The energy unit 20 comprises at least two spaced-apart transmitting antennas, here four transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33, which can be controlled by at least one high-frequency signal generator, here by a high-frequency signal generator 40 of the energy unit 20 of the system 100. Based on this control, the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 emit energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation 80 in the microwave range into the cooking chamber 10. The emission of electromagnetic radiation 80 is in Fig. 2 shown as an example for one of the transmitting antennas 30. That is, the high-frequency signal generator 40 transmits energy into an oscillating circuit, whereby a magnetic field is built up around the conductors 70, 71, 72, 73, which is transmitted via the conductors 70, 71, 72, 73 to the respective transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33. The high-frequency signal generator 40 transmits a constant signal, in particular a signal with 2.35 to 2.45 GHz, to the respective transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33. The high-frequency signal generator 40 transmits high-frequency sinusoidal oscillations and offers the possibility of frequency and amplitude modulation.

[0057] As an alternative to the system 100 according to Fig. 1 A system 100 may be advantageous which does not have a single high-frequency signal generator 40, but rather a separate high-frequency signal generator 40, 41, 42, 43 for each transmitting antenna 30, 31, 32, 33. Such a system 100 is shown in Fig. 6 shown. All four transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 can each be controlled by a high-frequency signal generator 40, 41, 42, 43 of the energy unit 20 of the system 100. Each high-frequency signal generator 40, 41, 42, 43 transmits energy into an oscillating circuit, whereby a magnetic field is built up on the respective conductors 70, 71, 72, 73. The transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 radiate the energy into the cooking chamber 10 in the form of electromagnetic waves with a specific frequency in the microwave range. Each high-frequency signal generator 40, 41, 42, 43 is preferably designed to emit a constant signal, in particular a signal at 2.35 to 2.45 GHz. The high-frequency signal generators 40, 41, 42, and 43 emit high-frequency sinusoidal oscillations. All high-frequency signal generators 40, 41, 42, and 43 offer the option of frequency and amplitude modulation. This allows for targeted phase shifts and thus interference between the electromagnetic waves.

[0058] The system 100 is preferably designed as a cooking device and has a setting device 23, in particular a touchscreen, for entering input variables of the at least one food item 1, 2, 3 or the cooking chamber 10. Furthermore, the user of the system 100 can view information about the system 100, the heating process, and / or the input variables of each food item 1, 2, 3 on the setting device 23.

[0059] Fig. 3 shows schematically the system 100 according to Fig. 1 with representation of the electromagnetic radiation 80 of all four transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33. The electromagnetic waves of the individual transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 interfere with one another in the cooking chamber 10, resulting in the formation of different irradiation zones 85 within the cooking chamber 85. This results in constructive and destructive interference between the electromagnetic waves of the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33. This means that by superimposing the electromagnetic waves in the cooking chamber 100, the electromagnetic radiation 80 can be amplified or reduced in certain areas. Irradiation zones 85 with different irradiation intensities can thus be created within the cooking chamber 10.In so-called hot spots 86, the electromagnetic radiation 80 and thus the temperature level are high, while in other irradiation zones 85, lower electromagnetic radiation 80 and a lower temperature level prevail.

[0060] The electromagnetic waves of the individual transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 that travel toward the walls of the cooking chamber 10 are reflected up to 800 times, causing interference. However, this is not shown in the figures.

[0061] Fig. 4 shows schematically the system 100 according to Fig. 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation 80 of a transmitting antenna 30 is directed by means of a radiation funnel 34. Preferably, however, all transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 have their own radiation funnel 34 for the directed radiation of the electromagnetic radiation. The radiation funnel 34 can be used to control the radiation of the electromagnetic radiation 80 of the transmitting antenna 30. In particular, the emitted electromagnetic radiation 80 can be specifically directed at a specific area within the cooking chamber 10 and thus at the selected food item 1. This allows each individual food item 1, 2, 3 to be heated even more individually. Due to the pivotability of the radiation funnel 34, the orientation of the emitted electromagnetic radiation 80 can be adjusted as required.

[0062] In Fig. 5 1 shows a schematic plan view of a food carrier 7 with various foods 1, 2, 3. The food carrier 7 is preferably divided into defined sections. In this example, the food carrier 7 is divided into four equal-sized areas. Advantageously, the food carrier 7 can only be arranged in a very specific orientation in the cooking chamber 10, so that the arrangement of the food carrier 7 is coordinated with the arrangement of the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33. The foods 1, 2, 3 have different input variables, such as type, size, weight, and density. Therefore, they require different electromagnetic irradiation in the cooking chamber 10 in order to be brought to the same cooking state and the same consumption temperature at the same time. This can be done by the system 100.

[0063] In Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the system 100 according to Fig. 1 with additional representation of power amplifiers 50, 51, 52, 53 on the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33. This means that each transmitting antenna 30, 31, 32, 33 is technically assigned a power amplifier 50, 51, 52, 53 for amplifying the electromagnetic radiation 80 of the respective transmitting antenna 30, 31, 32, 33. The power amplifiers 50, 51, 52, 53 enable the modulated input radio-frequency signal to be reproduced at the transmitting antenna output in an amplified manner without any power losses. The power amplifiers 50, 51, 52, 53 can be designed as non-linear or linear power amplifiers. In particular, the power amplifiers 50, 51, 52, 53 can be designed in such a way that they enable control, in particular amplification, of the radiated power.

[0064] Fig. 8 shows schematically in a perspective view the system 100 according to Fig. 7 with additional representation of a control unit 60 of the system 100. The control unit 60 controls the activation of each transmitting antenna 30, 31, 32, 33 by the at least one high-frequency signal generator 40, 41, 42, 43. Two or more control units 60 can also be provided. Particularly preferably, each transmitting antenna 30, 31, 32, 33 is connected to a high-frequency signal generator 40, 41, 42, 43 assigned to it. The control unit 60 can activate each individual high-frequency signal generator 40, 41, 42, 43, i.e., switch it on and off. The control unit 60 thereby determines when a transmitting antenna 30, 31, 32, 33 emits electromagnetic radiation 80 or not. Depending on requirements, the control unit 80 can also directly control the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 and switch them on or off accordingly. In particular, the irradiation time of each transmitting antenna 30, 31, 32, 33 can be controlled by the at least one control unit 60.The control unit 60 enables, depending on cooking data 4, 5, 6 of the at least one food item 1, 2, 3, to supply electromagnetic radiation 80 into the cooking chamber 10, specified for the at least one food item 1, 2, 3. This means that the control unit 60 influences or controls the irradiation zones 85 or temperature zones within the cooking chamber 10 by determining whether and which transmitting antenna 30, 31, 32, 33 emits electromagnetic radiation 80 and when. As a result, the system 100, knowing the exact position of the individual food items 1, 2, 3 in the cooking chamber 10, can allocate specific irradiation to each food item 1, 2, 3, so that all food items 1, 2, 3 positioned in the cooking chamber 10 reach their cooking state and the same consumption temperature simultaneously.The control unit 60 is connected wirelessly or by cable to the high-frequency signal transmitters 40, 41, 42, 43 and / or the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 in order to control the high-frequency signal transmitters 40, 41, 42, 43 and / or the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33.

[0065] Fig. 9 shows schematically in a perspective view the cooking chamber 10 of the system 100 according to Fig. 1 The cooking chamber 10 is hermetically sealed during the electromagnetic irradiation and thus forms a closed structure. The cooking chamber 10 has a housing, in particular a cuboid-shaped housing. The housing has a floor 11, side walls 12 and a ceiling 13. A door (not shown in detail) is provided for access to the cooking chamber 100. The door is preferably pivotably mounted on the housing. The transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 can be arranged anywhere on the cooking chamber 10, in particular on the housing of the cooking chamber 10. For example, transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 can be attached to the side walls 12, the floor 11 and the ceiling 13. The more distributed the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 are arranged, the better the food 1, 2, 3 can be irradiated from all sides by the electromagnetic radiation 80.The housing can have an extension to the boundary of the cooking chamber 10, in which other elements of the system are arranged, in particular enclosed. The high-frequency signal transmitters 40, 41, 42, 43 and the power amplifiers 50, 51, 52, 53 can also be attached to the housing. However, the transmitting antennas are preferably arranged on the ceiling 30, 31, 32, 33 of the housing. This provides the most protection and minimizes the risk of dirt accumulation. However, they can also be arranged alternatively or additionally on the side walls 12 or the floor 11. The same applies to the high-frequency signal transmitters 40, 41, 42, 43 and the power amplifiers 50, 51, 52, 53.

[0066] Fig. 8 shows schematically the system according to Fig. 8 with additional representation of a database 29 and a data interface 26 of the system 100. The database 29 is coupled to the at least one control unit 60 for data communication, so that the control unit 60 can read cooking data 4, 5, 6 based on input variables of the at least one food item 1, 2, 3. The database 29 can comprise a storage device in which input variables of food items 1, 2, 3 can be stored for comparison. The system 100, in particular the database 29, can further have a data interface 26, in particular in the form of a communication device, for obtaining food-specific data and input variables via the Internet or another wired or wireless network. Via the database 29, the control unit 60 can determine cooking data 4, 5, 6 of the corresponding food 1, 2, 3 in order to control the energy unit 20 accordingly based on the cooking data 4, 5, 6, iethe high-frequency signal generators 40, 41, 42, 43 and / or the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 in order to individually determine the required electromagnetic irradiation 80 by the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 for each food item 1, 2, 3. The system 100 can further comprise a comparison device (not shown in detail) that is connected to the control unit 60 via data transmission, wirelessly or by cable. In this way, the control unit 60 can compare input variables with comparison variables from the database 29 in order to determine the exact cooking data 4, 5, 6 for each food item 1, 2, 3.

[0067] The Fig. 13 und 14 show constructive interference or constructive interference of the electromagnetic waves of two transmitting antennas 30, 31 of a system 100. The control unit 60 can control the radiation characteristics of each transmitting antenna 30, 31, 32, 33 such that either constructive interference or destructive interference of electromagnetic radiation 80 or waves occurs in predetermined areas within the cooking chamber 10. This means that the control unit 60 determines, by specifically controlling the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 and / or the high-frequency signal generators 40, 41, 42, 43, where in the cooking chamber 10 the electromagnetic radiation 80 is amplified by interference and where it is weakened. Fig. 15 It is shown schematically how the electromagnetic waves propagate in the cooking chamber 10 towards the food 1. This allows the targeted creation of so-called hot spots 86, see Fig. 17 . A high temperature level prevails in the hot spots 86 in order to heat food items 1, 2, and 3, which heat up more slowly due to their type, size, weight, and thus their density, more intensively. Irradiation zones or temperature zones can be created accordingly, in which a low or medium temperature level prevails in order to heat food items 1, 2, and 3, which heat up quickly due to their type, size, and weight, more slowly. By a targeted combination of the various transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33, i.e. a targeted switching on or off of the individual transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 or, if applicable, the high-frequency signal generators 40, 41, 42, 43, it is possible to generate different irradiation zones 85 and thus temperature ranges within the cooking chamber 10 using constructive and destructive interference based on the superposition principle.The temperature distribution within the cooking chamber 10 can thus be controlled as required by the at least one control unit 60.

[0068] Fig. 16 shows a schematic side view of a system 100 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this system 100 for preparing at least one food item 1, 2, 3, additional heating means are provided for heating the food items 1, 2, 3. By means of the electromagnetic irradiation 80 of the food items 1, 2, 3, these can be brought to a cooking state. In order to heat both the inside of a food item, ie the food items 1, 2, 3, and to fry the outside of a food item until crispy, different frequency ranges or different heating elements / heating means are necessary. This is achieved in the system 100 according to Fig. 16 This is achieved by additionally providing a grill 95 and / or heating coils 95 for generating top and / or bottom heat and / or a heat source 97 with a fan 98. Systems 100 which have only one or two of these additional heating elements / heating means 95, 96, 97, 98 are of course also advantageous.

[0069] In Fig. 18 1 shows a schematic side view of a system 100 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the system 100 has an object recognition unit 25, a determination device 28, and a database 29. The object recognition unit 25 is designed to automatically determine at least one of the following parameters of the at least one food item 1, 2, 3 as an input variable for the control unit 60: - size, - density, - number, - position of the food item 1, 2, 3 in the cooking chamber. Furthermore, the object recognition unit 25 is coupled to the control unit 60 in a data-communicating manner in order to transmit the automatically determined input variables to the control unit 60.In this way, the control unit 60 can receive all relevant input variables about the food items 1, 2, 3 positioned in the cooking chamber 10, on the basis of which the control unit 60 can determine what the irradiation characteristics should be during the subsequent heating in the cooking chamber 10 in order to ensure that all food items 1, 2, 3 positioned in the cooking chamber 10 reach their cooking state at the same time and have the same consumption temperature.

[0070] The user needs to enter no or only a few input variables into the system 100 via the setting device 23. The object recognition 25 itself determines at least some of the input variables of a food item 1, 2, 3. This makes entering the input variables significantly easier for the user. The object recognition 25 is preferably coupled to the setting device 23 for data communication. The system 100 can thus display some of the input variables determined by the object recognition 25 to the user on a screen of the setting device 23. The user then supplements missing input variables or inserts additional input variables. In particular, the detection of the position of the individual food items 1, 2, 3 in the cooking chamber 10 is a great relief for the user.

[0071] The object recognition system 25 comprises at least one camera. Alternatively or in addition to the at least one camera, the object recognition system 25 may comprise one or more sensors that can detect, for example, the position or size of a food item 1, 2, 3.

[0072] The System 100 according to Fig. 18 further preferably comprises a determining device 28 for determining the weight of the at least one food item 1, 2, 3. The determining device 28 is coupled to the at least one control unit 60 in a data-communicating manner for transmitting the determined weight of the at least one food item 1, 2, 3. The control unit 60 is in turn designed to automatically generate, by means of the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33, different irradiation zones 85 and irradiation times within the cooking chamber 10 based on the transmitted weight of the at least one food item 1, 2, 3, adapted to the weight of the at least one food item 1, 2, 3. The determining device 28 can be arranged differently depending on the system 100. Thus, the determining device 28 can be placed outside the cooking chamber 10, but also inside the cooking chamber 10.In particular, the determination device 28, as shown, can be arranged in the lower region of the cooking chamber 10 in order to determine the weight of the food items 1, 2, 3 immediately after their positioning in the cooking chamber 10. The determination device 28 is preferably a weighing device. The determination device 28 can be divided into segments in order to be able to determine the weights of individual food items 1, 2, 3, preferably selectively or sequentially, using a correspondingly designed food carrier 7.

[0073] Fig. 19 shows a schematic representation of the method for operating a device for preparing at least one food 1, 2, 3. First, input variables of the at least one food 1, 2, 3 are determined by the determination device 28 and / or the object recognition 25. The determined input variables are forwarded to the at least one control unit 60. This can read cooking data 4, 5, 6 from a database 100 of the system 100 based on the input variables of the at least one food 1, 2, 3. The database 29 can also be part of a network, a computer on the Internet, to which the control unit 60 can access. Based on the cooking data 4, 5, 6, the control unit 60 controls the energy unit 20, i.e.at least one high-frequency signal generator 40, 41, 42, 43 and / or the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 in order to provide the required electromagnetic radiation 80 through the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 individually for each food item 1, 2, 3. In addition, the control unit 60 can control power amplifiers 50, 51, 52, 53 of the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33, if present, in order to amplify the amplitude of the signal sent to the transmitting antennas 30, 31, 32, 33 and thereby change or influence the characteristics of the emitted electromagnetic radiation 80 or the electromagnetic waves. Bezugszeichenliste

[0074] 1First food 2Second food 3Third food 4Cooking data of the first food 5Cooking data of the second food 6Cooking data of the third food 7Food carrier 10Cooking chamber 11Floor 12Side walls 13Ceiling 20Energy unit 23Adjustment device 25Object detection 26Data interface 28Determination device 29Database 30Transmitting antenna 31Transmitting antenna 32Transmitting antenna 33Transmitting antenna 34Radiation cone 35Drive 36Drive 37Drive 38Drive 39Additional transmitting antenna 40High-frequency signal generator 41High-frequency signal generator 42High-frequency signal generator 43High-frequency signal generator 45Additional high-frequency signal generator 50Power amplifier 51Power amplifier 52Power amplifier 53Power amplifier 60Control unit 70Ladder 71Ladder 72Ladder 73Ladder 80Electromagnetic radiation 85Irradiation zones / temperature zones 86Hot spot 90constructive interference 91destructive interference 95Grill 96Heating coils 97Heat source 98Fan 100System

Claims

1. System (100) for the preparation of at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3), comprising a cooking chamber (10) in which the foodstuff (1, 2, 3) can be prepared, an energy unit (20) for supplying electromagnetic energy specified for the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) into the cooking chamber (10) as a function of cooking data (4, 5, 6) of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3), as a result of which the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) can be brought into an edible state, characterized in that the energy unit (20) has at least two spaced-apart transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) which can be controlled by at least one high-frequency signal transmitter (40, 41, 42, 43) of the energy unit (20) of the system (100) and which are designed to emit energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation (80) in the microwave range into the cooking chamber (10) on the basis of this control, and in that the system (100) has at least one control unit (60) which controls the actuation of each transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) by the at least one radio frequency signal transmitter (40, 41, 42, 43), wherein the control unit (60) is designed for this purpose, to control at least one transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) or each transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) and / or the high-frequency signal transmitters (40, 41, 42, 43) in such a way that predetermined constructive interferences (90) or destructive interferences (91) of the electromagnetic radiations (80) emitted by the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) result in the cooking chamber (10) in order to form irradiation zones and / or temperature zones (85) in the cooking chamber (10), and wherein the control unit (60) is designed for this purpose, to control the radiation characteristics of each transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) in such a way that either constructive interference or destructive interference of the electromagnetic radiation (80) occurs in predetermined areas within the cooking chamber (10).

2. System (100) according to claim 1, wherein a power amplifier (50, 51, 52, 53) for amplifying the electromagnetic radiation (80) of the respective transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) is operatively assigned to at least one of the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) or to each transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) and / or in that the control unit (60) is designed to switch at least one transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) or each transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) on and off individually or in groups in order to control the emission of the electromagnetic radiation (80), and / or in that the control unit (60) is designed to switch at least one radio-frequency signal transmitter (40, 41, 42, 43) of the system (100) on and off in order to emit signals to the at least one transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33).

3. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) or a plurality of transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) in the system (100) can be moved relative to the cooking chamber (10) individually or in groups by means of one or more drives (35, 36, 37, 38), in particular in two or three dimensions.

4. System (100) according to any of the preceding claims 2 and 3, wherein the system (100) has a setting device (23), in particular a touch screen, for entering input variables of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) or of the cooking chamber (10), in that the setting device (23) is coupled to the control unit (60) in a data-communicating manner for transmitting the input variables entered to the control unit (60), and in that the control unit (60) is designed to generate different irradiation zones (85) and irradiation times within the cooking chamber (10) adapted to the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) by the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) on the basis of the transmitted input variables of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3), in particular in that the setting device (23) is designed for inputting at least one of the following parameters of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) as an input variable for the control unit (60): - kind - size - weight - density - quantity - position in the cooking chamber (10) - target temperature, and / or in that the setting device (23) is designed for entering the input of the electromagnetic radiation (80) for different irradiation zones or temperature zones (85) within the cooking chamber (10).

5. System (100) according to any one of the preceding claims 2 to 4, wherein the system (100) has an object recognition unit (25) for automatically determining at least one of the following parameters of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) as an input variable for the control unit (60): - size - density - quantity - position in the cooking chamber (10), in that the object recognition unit (25) is coupled to the control unit (60) in a data-communicating manner for transmitting the automatically determined input variables to the control unit (60), and in that the control unit (60) is designed to generate different irradiation zones (85) and irradiation times within the cooking chamber (10), adapted to the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3), by means of the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) on the basis of the transmitted input variables of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3).

6. System (100) according to any one of the preceding claims 2 to 5, wherein the system (100) comprises a determining device (28) for determining the weight of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3), in that the determining device (28) for transmitting the determined weight of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) is coupled to the control unit (60) in a data-communicating manner, and in that the control unit (60) is designed to automatically generate different irradiation zones (85) and irradiation times within the cooking chamber (10), adapted to the weight of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3), by means of the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) on the basis of the transmitted weight of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3).

7. System (100) according to any one of the preceding claims 2 to 6, the system (100) having a database (29) which is coupled to the control unit (60) in a data-communicating manner and from which cooking data (4, 5, 6) can be read out by the control unit (60) on the basis of the input variables of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) and / or in that the system (100) is a cooking device which has the cooking chamber (10) and / or the energy unit (20) and / or the object recognition unit (25) and / or the setting device (23) and / or the detection device (28), in particular in that the cooking device is an oven.

8. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) of the energy unit (20) or at least one additional transmitting antenna (39) of the energy unit (20), which can be controlled by at least one high-frequency signal transmitter (40, 41, 42, 43) of the system (100) or by at least one additional high-frequency signal transmitter (45) of the system (100), is designed to emit energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation (80) in the terahertz range into the cooking chamber (10) based on this control, and / or in that at least one of the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) has a radiation funnel (34) for directional radiation of the electromagnetic radiation (80), in that this at least one transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) is mounted pivotably about an axis of rotation and in that this at least one transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) is coupled to the control unit (60) in a data-communicating manner for actuation by the control unit (60).

9. System (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the system (100) additionally comprises a grill (95) and / or heating coils (96) for generating top and / or bottom heat and / or a heat source (97) with a fan (98).

10. Method of operating a system (100) for preparing at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by the following process steps: - at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) is positioned in the cooking chamber (10) of the system (100), - the at least two spaced-apart transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) are controlled by the at least one high-frequency signal transmitter (40, 41, 42, 43), - based on the activation by the at least one high-frequency signal transmitter (40, 41, 42, 43), the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) emit energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation (80) into the cooking chamber (10) of the system (100), wherein the activation of the at least one high-frequency signal transmitter (40, 41, 42, 43) and / or the at least one transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) being activated as a function of cooking data (4, 5, 6) of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3), as a result of which the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) is brought into an edible state, - wherein at least one transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) or each transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) and / or the high-frequency signal transmitters (40, 41, 42, 43) is / are controlled by a control unit (60) in such a way that, in order to form irradiation zones or temperature zones (85) in the cooking chamber (10), predetermined constructive interferences (90) or destructive interferences (91) of the electromagnetic radiation (80) emitted by the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) occur in the cooking chamber (10).

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein the power amplifier (50, 51, 52, 53) of the at least one transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) amplifies the electromagnetic radiation (80) emitted by the at least one transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33), depending on the requirement for the energy to be supplied to the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3).

12. Method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein input variables of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) are fed to the control unit (60) of the system (100), that the control unit (60) supplies the energy required for heating the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) by switching the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) on and off and / or by switching high-frequency signal transmitters (40, 41, 42, 43) on and off, wherein each transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33) receives a respective high-frequency signal from the control unit (60), 31, 32, 33) and / or by switching high-frequency signal transmitters (40, 41, 42, 43) on and off, wherein a respective high-frequency signal transmitter (40, 41, 42, 43) is operatively associated with each transmitting antenna (30, 31, 32, 33).

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the control unit (60) reads out the cooking data (4, 5, 6) of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) in the database (29) of the system (100) on the basis of the input variables of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) and, on the basis of this cooking data (3, 4, 5) and generates irradiation zones (85) and irradiation times adapted to the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3) within the cooking chamber (10) by the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) by means of correspondingly targeted activation of the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) and / or the high-frequency signal transmitters (40, 41, 42, 43).

14. Method according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the control unit (60) controls the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33), the power amplifiers (50, 51, 52, 53) and / or the high-frequency signal transmitters (40, 41, 42, 43) of the system (100) in such a way, in particular they are switched on and off by the control unit (60), that by means of a superposition principle through constructive interference (90) and destructive interference (91) of the waves of the electromagnetic radiation (80) of the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) in the cooking chamber (10), irradiation zones (85) and irradiation times, in particular temperature ranges adapted to the foodstuffs (1, 2, 3) positioned therein, are generated.

15. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 10 to 14, wherein the input variables of the foodstuff (1, 2, 3) and / or of the cooking chamber (10) are entered via the setting device (23), in particular the touch screen, and passed to the control unit (60) and / or that the input variables of the foodstuff (1, 2, 3) and / or of the cooking chamber (10) are automatically determined by the system (100) by means of the object recognition unit (25) and / or the determination device (28) and passed to the control unit (60).

16. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 10 to 15, wherein at least one of the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) or at least one additional transmitting antenna (39) are being controlled by one of the high-frequency signal transmitters (40, 41, 42, 43) of the system (100) or by at least one additional high-frequency signal transmitter (45) in such a way for crisping the outer region of the at least one foodstuff (1, 2, 3), that the at least one of the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) or the at least one additional transmitting antenna (39) emits energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation in the terahertz range, in particular in a frequency range from 300 GHz to 10 THz, into the cooking chamber (10).

17. Method according to any one of the preceding claims 10 to 16, wherein at least one of the transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) or a plurality of transmitting antennas (30, 31, 32, 33) is / are moved in groups by actuation by the control unit (60), in particular in two or three dimensions, and / or pivoted about an axis of rotation.