Kitchen equipment and kitchen equipment information management system

Abstract

To provide kitchen equipment capable of providing information on dishes prepared in a specified region, and to provide a kitchen equipment information management system capable of enhancing the competitiveness of restaurants belonging to restaurant chains and individual restaurants by grasping the fast-selling dishes prepared in a specified region.SOLUTION: Kitchen equipment 1 comprises an information input part 13 for users to enter cooking-related information, which is related to dishes, and a location information acquisition part 15 for acquiring location information of the kitchen equipment 1, the kitchen equipment 1 transmitting the cooking-related information and the location information to an external device. Furthermore, a kitchen equipment information management system comprises the kitchen equipment 1 and a management part (server 30), the kitchen equipment 1 and the management part being configured to communicate with each other, the management part receiving the cooking-related information and the location information and performing predetermined processing based on both information.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to kitchen equipment used in the food service industry and the like, and a kitchen equipment information management system for managing information on kitchen equipment.

Background Art

[0002] Recently, the shortage of labor has become serious in the food service industry. In addition to the labor shortage, especially in the business format of operating a restaurant chain, ensuring the quality of dishes is essential. That is, in each store of a restaurant chain, it is required to provide dishes of a certain quality in all stores located at different locations. In order to solve such labor shortages and quality assurance, the development of kitchen equipment capable of automatic cooking has been promoted.

[0003] Furthermore, with the impact of the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus and the change in lifestyle, the preferences of customers are also changing. In order to maintain the competitiveness of restaurant chains and individual stores, it is important to increase the variety of dishes (menus) provided or change the previous menus according to the latest preferences of customers. Since the preferences of customers are also affected by the characteristics of the region (for example, food culture and regional trends), it is preferable to consider regionality in the menus to be added or changed.

[0004] As a technology related to automatic cooking, for example, an autonomous cooking device for automatically preparing food according to a recipe file, the cooking device includes an outer shell for storing a cooking unit, and an input / output device accessible from the outer shell. The input / output device receives a selection of a specific recipe file from a plurality of recipe files, and the specific recipe file includes at least image sensor data corresponding to different stages of food preparation. A cooking unit including a container and a heating element, the cooking unit starts a cooking part of food preparation. An image sensor for capturing an image of the food being cooked for comparison with a reference image. A control unit electrically coupled to the input / output device and including a processor and a memory device. The control unit includes an image analysis module for comparing one or more of the captured images with one or more reference images from the specific recipe file. The control unit includes an optimal cooking time module for estimating the remaining cooking time based on the image comparison. The cooking unit ends the cooking part of food preparation in response to the remaining cooking time. An autonomous cooking device is known. (Patent Document 1)

[0005] According to Patent Document 1, it is possible to determine an optimal cooking time for different stages of cooking by using computer vision and intelligence in food preparation.

[0006] In addition, a stove having a plurality of heating units and capable of performing automatic cooking for each heating unit, a user terminal device communicable with the stove and connected to a network, and recipe information in which cooking content including control data for automatic cooking of the stove and identification information of the heating unit to be used in the automatic cooking are recorded is provided to the user terminal device via the network. A heating cooking system comprising a server device, wherein the user terminal device includes a recipe registration unit that registers recipe information selected by the user from the recipe information provided by the server device, and a transmission control unit that transmits the recipe information registered in the recipe registration unit to the stove. The stove includes a recipe information distributor that distributes the recipe information transmitted from the user terminal device to each heating unit, a recipe information storage unit that stores the recipe information distributed to each heating unit by the recipe information distributor for each heating unit, a recipe selection operation unit for a user to perform an operation of selecting desired recipe information from the recipe information stored in the recipe information storage unit, and a cooking control unit that performs automatic cooking using the control data recorded in the recipe information selected by the recipe selection operation unit. A heating cooking system is known. (Patent Document 2)

[0007] According to Patent Document 2, it is said that it is possible to provide a heating cooking system that is easy to use for automatic cooking using recipe information obtained from a server device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0008]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Disclosure of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0009] In the technologies disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, automatic cooking is configured based on recipe information acquired from a server or the like. However, these patent documents do not mention at all the effective utilization of the relevance between recipe information such as ingredients and the name of the dish created based on the recipe information and the region (location information) where the dish is created. Thus, in the prior art, it is difficult for operators or cooks of a restaurant chain, individual stores, etc. to grasp what kind of dishes are being cooked in the region where the restaurant chain has stores, the region where an individual store conducts business, the region where a mobile store moves, etc., that is, the trend of customer preferences and the best-selling dishes.

[0010] The present invention has been devised to solve such problems of the prior art, and its object is to provide information on dishes cooked in a predetermined region and to contribute to the collection and analysis of information on dishes, and a kitchen appliance capable of grasping the best-selling dishes of dishes cooked in a predetermined region and improving the competitiveness of stores belonging to a restaurant chain or individual restaurant stores.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] The present invention made to solve the above problems is a kitchen appliance used for cooking, comprising an information input unit for a user to input cooking-related information related to a dish, and a position information acquisition unit for acquiring position information, and is a kitchen appliance that transmits the cooking-related information and the position information to the outside. Thereby, it becomes possible to provide information on dishes cooked in a predetermined region to the outside and contribute to the collection and analysis of information on dishes.

[0012] Further, the present invention includes a device state detection unit that detects the state of the kitchen device, and the device state information detected by the device state detection unit includes at least one of information regarding temperature, humidity, acceleration, and odor. The device state information or an abnormality of the kitchen device determined based on the device state information is transmitted to the outside. As a result, it becomes possible to manage information on abnormalities or failures that occur in the kitchen device with an external device.

[0013] Further, in the present invention, the cooking-related information includes either the name of the dish or an operation instruction for the kitchen device, or information regarding ingredients, cooking temperature, and cooking time. As a result, regardless of the type of kitchen device such as a multi-cooker (a cooker having a programming function for setting different heating temperatures, heating times, etc. for various ingredients when the name of the dish is specified), a semi-multi-cooker (a cooker that manually sets the cooking temperature and cooking time and performs cooking when ingredients are specified), or a single-function device, it is possible to provide information regarding the dishes being cooked in a predetermined area to the outside and contribute to the collection and analysis of information regarding the dishes.

[0014] Further, in the present invention, the position information is information based on GPS positioning or GNSS positioning. As a result, the position information of the kitchen device can be easily obtained.

[0015] Further, the present invention includes a kitchen device and a management unit, the kitchen device and the management unit are configured to be able to communicate with each other, and the management unit is a kitchen device information management system that receives the cooking-related information and the position information and executes predetermined processing based on these pieces of information. As a result, it becomes possible to grasp the best-selling dishes being cooked in a predetermined area.

[0016] Further, in the present invention, when the management unit includes information on food ingredients, cooking temperature, and cooking time in the cooking-related information, the management unit estimates the name of the dish from the cooking-related information. As a result, even if the kitchen device is a semi-multi-cooker, it is possible to obtain information substantially equivalent to that of a multi-cooker.

[0017] Further, in the present invention, there are a plurality of the kitchen devices, and the management unit extracts the cooking-related information in a predetermined area based on the position information of the plurality of kitchen devices. As a result, it becomes possible to grasp the best-selling dishes being cooked in a predetermined area.

[0018] Further, in the present invention, a kitchen device and a management unit are provided, the kitchen device and the management unit are configured to be able to communicate with each other, and the management unit executes a predetermined process based on the received device status information. As a result, functions such as failure response of the kitchen device, estimation of the residual value of the kitchen device, and tracking of the kitchen device can be realized.

[0019] Further, in the present invention, the management unit determines the presence or absence of an abnormality in the kitchen device based on the device status information. As a result, the quality of the service in the kitchen device information management system is improved.

[0020] Further, in the present invention, the management unit calculates the monetary value of the kitchen device based on the device status information and the position information. As a result, it becomes possible to estimate the appropriate residual value of the kitchen device.

[0021] Further, in the present invention, when the position information is no longer included in a predetermined range, or when the temporal change of the position information becomes larger than a predetermined range, the management unit issues a predetermined notification to the outside and transmits the position information. As a result, the user can grasp that the kitchen device has suffered a theft, and further, based on the position information, it becomes possible to track the location of the kitchen device.

[0022] Further, the present invention includes a kitchen appliance including an information input unit for a user to input cooking-related information related to cooking, a position information acquisition unit for acquiring position information, and an information terminal for receiving the cooking-related information from the kitchen appliance by short-range wireless communication, and a management unit. The information terminal and the management unit are configured to be communicable with each other. The information terminal transmits the cooking-related information and the position information to the management unit, and the management unit executes a predetermined process based on the received cooking-related information and the position information. This is a kitchen appliance information management system. Thereby, it is possible to provide information on the dishes being cooked in a predetermined area and contribute to the collection and analysis of information related to the dishes.

Advantages of the Invention

[0023] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to grasp the trend of customer preferences in a region, grasp the best-selling dishes being cooked in a predetermined region, and improve the competitiveness of stores belonging to a restaurant chain or individual restaurant stores.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0025] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram showing the configuration of a kitchen equipment information management system S1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The kitchen equipment information management system S1 includes a kitchen equipment group 3, an information terminal 2, a customer terminal 40, and a server 30. The kitchen equipment group 3 has at least one, and each kitchen equipment group 3 includes at least one kitchen equipment 1. Here, the first kitchen equipment group G1 includes the first kitchen equipment G1_1 to the Nth kitchen equipment G1_N of G1 (N is a natural number), the second kitchen equipment group G2 includes one first kitchen equipment G2_1 of G2, and the Mth kitchen equipment group GM (M is a natural number) includes the first kitchen equipment GM_1 to the Xth kitchen equipment GM_X of GM (X is a natural number).

[0026] Here, it is assumed that the plurality of kitchen equipment 1 included in the first kitchen equipment group G1 and the Mth kitchen equipment group GM belong to, for example, one restaurant chain, and may be installed within the same store, or may be installed in stores at different locations. Also, it is assumed that the kitchen equipment 1 included in the second kitchen equipment group G2 belongs to, for example, a small-scale privately-owned restaurant store. Of course, a single privately-owned restaurant store may include a plurality of kitchen equipment 1.

[0027] The kitchen equipment 1 preferably has a programming function (automatic cooking function) for setting different heating temperatures, heating times, etc. for various ingredients when specifying the name of the dish, and can handle various cooking methods and dishes (menus) with a single unit, that is, a so-called multi-cooker. However, it may also be a cooker that specifies the ingredients and manually sets the cooking temperature and cooking time (a part of which may be automatic) to perform cooking (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a "semi-multi-cooker"). Note that the kitchen equipment 1 may be a single-function device in which the name of the dish to be cooked is substantially fixed to one. Also, the kitchen equipment 1 may have the function of a multi-cooker for some dishes and the function of a semi-multi-cooker for other dishes.

[0028] Here, examples of the multi-cooker and semi-multi-cooker include steam convection oven, conveyor oven, conveyor toaster, multi-purpose grill, rotisserie oven, range, oven, convection oven, steamer, sous vide cooker, griller, salamander, fryer, smokeless wagon, baking oven, etc. Examples of single-function devices include pizza oven, sweet potato roaster, soup kettle, oden pot, hot spring egg cooker, dumpling roaster, rice cooker, etc.

[0029] The information terminal 2 is, for example, a mobile information terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, or a PC (Personal Computer), and includes a user interface such as an input unit and a display unit (not shown), a control unit, a storage unit, etc. Here, the storage unit stores in advance a group ID corresponding to each food service chain or an individual food service store operated privately, and the device ID of the kitchen device 1 owned and managed by the group.

[0030] As shown in the figure, the G1 information terminal G1_TM corresponds to the first group G1 of kitchen devices, the G2 information terminal G2_TM corresponds to the second group G2 of kitchen devices, and the GM information terminal GM_TM corresponds to the Mth group GM of kitchen devices. Each information terminal 2 is used by the operator of the food service chain, the manager, the manager of each individual store of the food service chain or the individual store, or the cook, chef, etc. (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "user"). Note that there is at least one information terminal 2 associated with each kitchen device group 3, and there may be a plurality of them. In particular, when the kitchen device group 3 forms a food service chain and includes a plurality of stores, it is preferable that the information terminal 2 is provided for each store, and the information terminals 2 for each store may be capable of transmitting and receiving information (for example, information related to orders) to and from each other. When the kitchen device 1 is provided with an information display unit 14 or an information input unit 13 (see FIG. 2), the information display unit 14 and the information input unit 13 may be used in place of or together with the input unit and the display unit of the information terminal 2.

[0031] The customer terminal 40, like the information terminal 2, is a portable information terminal such as a smartphone or a tablet terminal, or a PC. The customer terminal 40 is used, for example, by a customer who wants to take out (take home) the food of a specific store when placing an order or the like.

[0032] The server 30 is a known computer system that functions as a management unit, and is composed of a server control unit 30a and a server storage unit 30b. The server 30 is installed and managed by a manufacturer that manufactures and sells the kitchen device 1, an organization that manages the server 30, an organization that operates the kitchen device information management system S1, etc. (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "organization, etc."). The organization, etc. provides the recipient of the kitchen device 1 with information on how to use the kitchen device 1 or the kitchen device information management system S1, recipes, answers to questions about ingredients, or information on new dishes, etc., and provides maintenance and inspection services including when the kitchen device 1 breaks down or an abnormality occurs. Note that the management unit may be composed of a plurality of servers 30, and a part or all of them may be installed either in the country or abroad.

[0033] The server control unit 30a includes an arithmetic unit composed of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) etc. not shown in the figure, and a storage unit composed of a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random access memory), etc., and controls each component of the server 30. The server storage unit 30b includes a large-capacity storage composed of a RAID (Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks) etc. together with a ROM and a RAM. Note that the server 30 acquires time information from an NTP (Network Time Protocol) server not shown in the figure.

[0034] In the server storage unit 30b, · A device ID representing the kitchen device 1 · The name, product number, and manufacturing number of the kitchen device 1 corresponding to the device ID · A group ID representing the kitchen device group 3 · The name of the kitchen equipment group 3 corresponding to the group ID (the name of a restaurant chain or an individual store) · A device type flag indicating the type of the kitchen equipment 1 (multi-cooker, semi-multi-cooker, single-function device) · When the type of the kitchen equipment 1 is a single-function device, a product name ID corresponding to the product name of the dish cooked by the kitchen equipment 1 (NULL in the case of a multi-cooker or a semi-multi-cooker) · The location information (latitude and longitude) of the kitchen equipment 1 · The place name information corresponding to the location information · The total operating time of the kitchen equipment 1 · The device state profile when the kitchen equipment 1 executes a cooking process · The abnormality and failure history of the kitchen equipment 1 · A store form flag indicating whether the kitchen equipment 1 is installed in a mobile store or a fixed store etc. are stored (some are pre-stored), and a device database is constructed

[0035] Also, in the server storage unit 30b, · The device ID described above · A product name ID representing the product name of a dish · The time information when the cooking of the dish started (cooking start time) · The time information when the same cooking ended (cooking end time. It may include the year, month, and day including the cooking start time) · The operating time of the kitchen equipment 1 when cooking the dish of the product name etc. are stored, and a cooking database is constructed. Note that the device ID, group ID, and product name ID described above are regarded as unique identification information, and these IDs (identifiers) and the device type flag are predetermined by the organization etc. described above

[0036] Also, in the server storage unit 30b, · Product name ID · The product name of the dish corresponding to the product name ID · The category of the dish such as local cuisine, Western food, and Japanese food corresponding to the product name ID A product name database storing [the relevant information] has been constructed. The product name of the dish and the category of the dish are predetermined by the organization or the like. The product name ID is a so-called primary key. Once the product name ID is determined, the product name of the dish and the category of the dish associated with it are also determined.

[0037] Furthermore, the server storage unit 30b stores a learned model (dish name model) in which ingredients and cooking conditions (e.g., cooking temperature, cooking time) are associated with the product name of the dish and learned. For example, when the ingredient is beef, various dishes are created depending on the cooking temperature and cooking time. For steak, after browning the surface of the meat, it is cooked at a high temperature (approximately 180°C) for a short time (3 - 10 minutes) using a preheated oven. For roast beef, it is cooked at a relatively low temperature (approximately 140 - 160°C) for a long time (about 20 - 30 minutes / kg). For bolognese, where the meat is minced finely and simmered with tomato sauce for a long time, it is cooked at a low temperature for 2 - 3 hours. The dish name model is a model that has been learned in advance by relating the ingredients, cooking temperature, cooking time (including the operation profile described later) used for such dishes to the product name of the dish. When ingredients, cooking temperature, and cooking time are input into the dish name model, the product name of the dish is output (estimated). Of course, the dish name model can be learned by adding variables such as spices, and the user can input information such as the spices during cooking.

[0038] Each kitchen appliance 1, information terminal 2, customer terminal 40, and server 30 that make up each kitchen appliance group 3 are connected to the network 50 and exchange information with each other. As the network 50, for example, the Internet can be used, but a part of the network 50 may be a LAN (Local Area Network) constructed in the store or a WAN (Wide Area Network) constructed across stores.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a block configuration diagram showing an example of the configuration of the kitchen appliance 1. Here, a steam convection oven is exemplified as the kitchen appliance 1. The steam convection oven is a multi-cooker used for cooking the food ingredient 23 by baking, steaming, frying, boiling, cooking rice, boiling, or a combination of two or more of these. Note that, as described above, the kitchen appliance 1 is not limited to a steam convection oven.

[0040] The kitchen appliance 1 includes a first control unit 10, a first storage unit 11, a first communication unit 12, an information input unit 13, an information display unit 14, a position information acquisition unit 15, a heating unit 16, a steam generation unit 17, a cleaning unit 18, a device state detection unit 19, and a cooking chamber 20. The cooking chamber 20 is an area for cooking food ingredients 23, which is installed in the kitchen appliance 1. The cooking chamber 20 is provided with a rack 21, and cooking containers 22 such as hotel pans for accommodating the food ingredients 23 are removably placed on the rack 21.

[0041] The heating unit 16 includes, for example, a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger uses electric heat or combustion heat as a heat source, exchanges the heat of the heat source with air, and heats the inside of the cooking chamber 20. The steam generation unit 17 includes a steam generator that generates water vapor and supplies high-temperature water vapor to the cooking chamber 20. The heating unit 16 and the steam generation unit 17 provide an oven function using only hot air, a steam function using only steam, and a combination function using hot air and steam. The cleaning unit 18 uses cleaning water containing a detergent to clean dirt such as oil that scatters from the cooking container 22 and adheres to the cooking chamber 20 when heating and cooking various food ingredients 23.

[0042] The first control unit 10 is composed of a processor such as a CPU and operates according to a control program stored in a first storage unit 11 composed of a ROM, a RAM, etc. The first control unit 10 and other components are connected by a bus 24 or the like, and the first control unit 10 controls other components via the bus 24 or the like and executes functions such as cooking of food 23 and cleaning inside the cabinet. Further, the first storage unit 11 includes a non-volatile memory (such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory)). The non-volatile memory stores a device ID which is a unique identifier representing the kitchen appliance 1. Furthermore, the non-volatile memory stores time-series operation information (operation profile) regarding the heating temperature by the heating unit 16, the temperature of the steam generated by the steam generation unit 17, and the amount of steam during the period from the start to the end of cooking, for each dish to be cooked. Note that the operation information may include information representing the start of cooking, information representing the end of cooking, the operation time from the start to the end of cooking, the integrated operation time obtained by integrating the operation time, and other information representing the intermittent or continuous operation of the cooking cabinet 20.

[0043] The information display unit 14 is composed of, for example, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode). Various information such as the name of the dish, operation information, and information regarding the cleaning of the cooking cabinet 20 is displayed on the information display unit 14 using characters and images. Further, an information input unit 13 composed of, for example, a touch panel or the like is provided superimposed on the information display unit 14. The information input unit 13 is used for information input based on the operations of the user. The information input unit 13 may further include a code input unit (not shown) for inputting a barcode or the like. Of course, the information display unit 14 and the information input unit 13 may be configured separately. Also, the information display unit 14 and the information input unit 13 may be replaced by the display unit and the input unit of the information terminal 2 (see FIG. 1).

[0044] The first communication unit 12 is equipped with a first communication module (not shown) compliant with wireless communication standards such as LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-M (Long Term Evolution - Machine), 4G, and 5G. The kitchen appliance 1 is connected to the network 50 via the first communication unit 12. Of course, the first communication module may be configured to comply with the WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) standard, and the kitchen appliance 1 may be connected to the network 50 via a wireless router or the like (not shown). Further, the kitchen appliance 1 is equipped with a second communication module compliant with a short-range wireless standard such as BLE. By connecting the second communication module to the information terminal 2 (see FIG. 1), the kitchen appliance 1 may be connected to the network 50 via the information terminal 2.

[0045] Also, each kitchen appliance 1 belonging to the same kitchen appliance group 3 may exchange information with each other among the kitchen appliances 1 installed within at least the communication range of short-range wireless communication (for example, within the same store). For example, in the first kitchen appliance group G1 (see FIG. 1), the information output by the second kitchen appliance G1_2 to the Nth kitchen appliance G1_N of G1 may be aggregated to the first kitchen appliance G1_1 of G1, and the first kitchen appliance G1_1 of G1 may be connected to the network 50. At this time, the route through which the information is transmitted is kitchen appliance 1 → another kitchen appliance 1 as the external of the kitchen appliance 1 → server 30. Thereby, the cost for constructing the kitchen appliance information management system S1 and the communication cost during operation can be reduced.

[0046] In addition, each kitchen appliance 1 belonging to the same kitchen appliance group 3 may exchange information with each other among information terminals 2 installed at least within the communication range of short-range wireless communication. For example, the information output by the G1 first kitchen appliance G1_1 to the G1 Nth kitchen appliance G1_N included in the kitchen appliance first group G1 may be aggregated by the G1 information terminal G1_TM, and the G1 information terminal G1_TM may be connected to the network 50. At this time, the route through which information is transmitted is kitchen appliance 1 → information terminal 2 as the external of the kitchen appliance 1 → server 30. Also with this configuration, the cost for constructing the kitchen appliance information management system S1 and the communication cost during operation can be reduced.

[0047] The position information acquisition unit 15 is composed of a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver or a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver, and acquires the position information of the location where the kitchen appliance 1 is installed. That is, the position information is information based on GPS positioning or GNSS positioning, and thereby, the position information of the kitchen appliance 1 can be acquired. Note that GNSS receives signals from positioning systems such as GLONASS (Globalnaya Navigazionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema), Beidou, and Galileo in addition to GPS, and calculates position information using the signals received from each satellite. Thereby, a measurement accuracy of 1 to 2 meters can be obtained in an open space.

[0048] The device state detection unit 19 includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an odor sensor (which may be a gas sensor for detecting a predetermined gas), and an acceleration sensor for detecting the state of the kitchen device 1. The temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, and the odor sensor measure the internal environment of the storage compartment 20, such as the temperature, humidity, and odor inside the storage compartment. Note that the odor sensor may detect the odor of the space where the kitchen device 1 is installed. The acceleration sensor detects the acceleration applied to the kitchen device 1. Here, as the temperature sensor, a resistance temperature detector (RTD), a thermocouple, an infrared temperature sensor, etc. can be used. Also, as the humidity sensor, a capacitive humidity sensor, a resistive humidity sensor, etc. can be used. Further, as the odor sensor, a metal oxide semiconductor sensor, a conductive polymer sensor, a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), etc. can be used. Also, as the acceleration sensor, for example, a triaxial acceleration sensor, and / or a gyro sensor can be used.

[0049] Note that, as the device state detection unit 19, an imaging unit (not shown) composed of a camera or the like for photographing the inside of the storage compartment 20 may be used. The imaging unit captures a photographed image of the inner wall surface of the storage compartment 20 and an image of a cooking container 22 such as a hotel pan. In this case, a still image may be captured before, during, or after cooking, or a moving image from the start to the end of cooking may be captured.

[0050] Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the kitchen device information management system S1. Hereinafter, with reference to Figures 3, 1, and 2, the operation of the kitchen device information management system S1 will be described. Here, it is assumed that the main power supply of the kitchen device 1 is turned on. When starting cooking, first, the user (here, a cook or a chef) inputs cooking-related information to the kitchen device 1. As a result, the first control unit 10 acquires the cooking-related information (ST01). Note that, if the kitchen device 1 is a single-function device, the process of ST01 may be omitted.

[0051] When the kitchen appliance 1 for performing cooking is a multi-cooker, the user operates the information input unit 13 to input the name of the dish to be cooked (for example, the names of menus such as hamburger steak, shrimp gratin, and Peking duck). Here, the first control unit 10 may display a list of dish names on the information display unit 14, and the user may select the dish name from the list. That is, when the kitchen appliance 1 is a multi-cooker, the cooking-related information is composed of the names of the dishes.

[0052] When the kitchen appliance 1 for performing cooking is a semi-multi-cooker, the user inputs the ingredients of the dish (for example, the names of ingredients such as beef, pork, chicken, fish, etc.) into the information input unit 13, and further sets the cooking temperature and cooking time in the cooking chamber 20. Here, the first control unit 10 may display a list of cooking materials (ingredients) on the information display unit 14, and the user may select the ingredients from the list. That is, when the kitchen appliance 1 is a semi-multi-cooker, the cooking-related information is composed of information on ingredients, cooking temperature, and cooking time.

[0053] In addition, when the above-described dish name model is constructed in the first storage unit 11 of the kitchen appliance 1, or when the first control unit 10 accesses the dish name model constructed in the server storage unit 30b to obtain the dish name from the ingredients, cooking temperature, and cooking time, the cooking-related information is composed of the dish name.

[0054] The cooking-related information (here, the name of the dish) input or selected by the user is converted into a product name ID by the first control unit 10 and temporarily stored in the first storage unit 11. Hereinafter, it will be continued to be described on the assumption that the kitchen appliance 1 is a multi-cooker (steam convection oven) and the cooking-related information includes the "name of the dish". The user sets the cooking container 22 containing the food ingredient 23 in the cooking chamber 20, and then operates a cooking start button (not shown) or the like to instruct the start of cooking. As a result, the first control unit 10 acquires an instruction to start cooking (ST02). The first control unit 10 that has received the instruction extracts an operation profile corresponding to the name of the dish from the non-volatile memory included in the first storage unit 11, and based on the operation profile, controls the heating unit 16 and / or the steam generation unit 17 to start the cooking process (ST03).

[0055] Furthermore, the first control unit 10 acquires the position information of the kitchen appliance 1 from the position information acquisition unit 15. Then, it extracts the device ID from the first storage unit 11, adds the device ID to the position information to generate device position information. And it transmits the device position information to the server 30 via the first communication unit 12 and the network 50 (ST04). The server control unit 30a (see FIG. 1) extracts the device ID from the received device position information and searches the device database constructed in the server storage unit 30b (see FIG. 1). Then, it stores the position information in the record corresponding to the device ID (ST05). Furthermore, the server control unit 30a accesses a predetermined GIS (Geographic Information System) to perform geocoding and converts the position information into place name information. And it stores the place name information in the record corresponding to the device ID. That is, the position information (including the place name information) of the kitchen appliance 1 is stored and accumulated in the device database.

[0056] Note that the first control unit 10, the first storage unit 11, the first communication unit 12, and the position information acquisition unit 15 may be driven by a backup power source (battery) built in the kitchen appliance 1. In this case, even when the main power supply of the kitchen appliance 1 is OFF, the first control unit 10 can transmit the device position information to the server 30 at a predetermined cycle.

[0057] Next, the first control unit 10 acquires the device ID and the product name ID from the first storage unit 11, adds the device ID to the product name ID to generate device cooking-related information. Then, the first control unit 10 transmits the device cooking-related information to the server 30 (ST06). When the server control unit 30a receives the received device cooking-related information, it accesses the above-described NFP to acquire time information (here, the cooking start time). Then, the server control unit 30a generates a new record in the cooking database constructed in the server storage unit 30b, and stores the device cooking-related information (device ID, product name ID), the product name of the dish corresponding to the product name ID, and the cooking start time in the record (ST07). That is, the cooking-related information (dish product name) of the kitchen device 1 is accumulated in the cooking database. Note that the device cooking-related information may include the above-described operation profile. In this case, the server control unit 30a stores the operation profile in the cooking database (the newly generated record described above).

[0058] Note that when adopting a configuration in which information (device ID, location information, cooking-related information, device status information, etc., which will be described later) output by each kitchen device 1 included in the kitchen device group 3 is aggregated in the information terminal 2 belonging to the kitchen device group 3 and transmitted to the outside (here, the server 30), each kitchen device 1 and the information terminal 2 are within the communication range of short-range wireless communication, and it is considered that each kitchen device 1 and the information terminal 2 are installed in the same store. That is, these location information are regarded as substantially the same. In such a mode, instead of the location information of each kitchen device 1, the location information acquired by the information terminal 2 may be transmitted to the server 30. In this case, the location information acquisition unit 15 is included in the information terminal 2.

[0059] As described above, the kitchen appliance information management system S1 of this embodiment includes a kitchen appliance 1 including an information input unit 13 for a user to input cooking-related information related to cooking, a position information acquisition unit 15 for acquiring position information, and an information terminal 2 that receives cooking-related information from the kitchen appliance 1 by short-range wireless communication, and a management unit (server 30). The information terminal 2 and the management unit are configured to be able to communicate with each other. The information terminal 2 transmits the cooking-related information and the position information to the management unit, and the management unit executes a predetermined process (described later) based on the received cooking-related information and position information. As a result, it is possible to provide information on the dishes being cooked in a predetermined area and contribute to the collection and analysis of information related to the dishes.

[0060] The above-described example has been described assuming that the kitchen appliance 1 is a multi-cooker and the cooking-related information includes a product name ID (i.e., the name of the dish). Hereinafter, the case where the kitchen appliance 1 is a semi-multi-cooker or a single-function appliance will be described. When the server control unit 30a acquires the device position information in ST05, the server control unit 30a searches the device database based on the device ID included in the device position information and extracts the device type flag corresponding to the device ID. Then, based on the device type flag, the type of the kitchen appliance 1 (multi-cooker, semi-multi-cooker, single-function appliance) is determined.

[0061] First, when the kitchen appliance 1 is a semi-multi-cooker, the cooking-related information includes information on ingredients, cooking temperature, and cooking time. The cooking-related information may include the above-described operation profile. When the server control unit 30a receives the cooking-related information, it inputs a combination (data set) of ingredients, cooking temperature, and cooking time into the dish name model stored in the server storage unit 30b, and acquires the product name ID and the name of the dish as the output (estimation result). When the kitchen appliance 1 is a semi-multi-cooker, the product name ID and the name of the dish thus obtained are stored in the cooking database together with the device ID and the cooking start time (ST07).

[0062] In this way, in the kitchen appliance information management system S1 of this embodiment, when the management unit (server 30) determines that the cooking-related information includes information on ingredients, cooking temperature, and cooking time, the management unit estimates the name of the dish from the cooking-related information. As a result, even if the kitchen appliance 1 is a semi-multi-cooker, it is possible to obtain information (the name of the dish) substantially equivalent to that of a multi-cooker.

[0063] Further, when the kitchen appliance 1 is a single-function device, when the server control unit 30a receives the device cooking-related information in ST06, it searches the device database based on the device ID included in the device cooking-related information, and obtains the product name ID from the device database. Then, the product name ID and the name of the dish associated with the product name ID are stored in the cooking database together with the device ID and the cooking start time (ST07). When the kitchen appliance 1 is a single-function device, in the process of ST06, the product name ID in the device cooking-related information is set to NULL and transmitted to the server 30. That is, the server control unit 30a replaces NULL with the product name ID corresponding to the single-function device and stores it in the cooking database.

[0064] At this time, a cooking start button or the like that instructs the start of cooking (that is, inputs an operation instruction to the kitchen appliance 1) functions as an information input unit 13 that substantially inputs cooking-related information (product name ID, here NULL). That is, the cooking-related information includes an operation instruction for the kitchen appliance 1.

[0065] In this way, the kitchen appliance 1 of this embodiment includes an information input unit 13 for a user of the kitchen appliance 1 to input cooking-related information related to cooking, and a position information acquisition unit 15 for acquiring the position information of the kitchen appliance 1, and transmits the cooking-related information and the position information to the outside (server 30 or information terminal 2). As a result, the kitchen appliance 1 can provide information on the dishes being cooked in a predetermined area to the outside, contributing to the collection and analysis of information related to the dishes.

[0066] In addition, in the kitchen appliance 1 of the present embodiment, the cooking-related information includes either the name of the dish (in the case of a multi-cooker) or the operation instruction for the kitchen appliance (in the case of a single-function appliance), or information regarding ingredients, cooking temperature, and cooking time (in the case of a semi-multi-cooker). As a result, regardless of the type of the kitchen appliance 1 such as a multi-cooker, a semi-multi-cooker, or a single-function appliance, it is possible to provide information regarding the dishes being cooked in a predetermined area to the outside and contribute to the collection and analysis of information regarding the dishes.

[0067] While the cooking process is in progress, the first control unit 10 transmits the output of the device state detection unit 19 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "device state information") converted into digital data to the server 30 (ST08). At this time, at least the device ID is transmitted together. As described above, the device state detection unit 19 includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, an odor sensor, and an acceleration sensor. The server control unit 30a determines whether an abnormality or a failure has occurred in the kitchen appliance 1 based on the received device state information (ST09). Further, the server control unit 30a creates a time-series device state profile based on at least the outputs of the temperature sensor and the humidity sensor among the device state information. Then, the device state profile is stored in the device database in association with the device ID. Of course, the device state profile may be created by the kitchen appliance 1 (the first control unit 10) and transmitted to the server 30 together with the device ID. In this case as well, the device state profile is stored in the device database.

[0068] The server control unit 30a compares the outputs of the temperature sensor and humidity sensor (which may be the device state profile) with the above-described operation profile. For example, when the detected temperature or humidity exceeds a predetermined range and is in a high-temperature (low-temperature) or high-humidity (low-humidity) state that continues for a predetermined time, it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the cooking oven 20 or a failure has occurred in the kitchen appliance 1. Also, based on the output of the odor sensor, when the space where the cooking oven 20 or the kitchen appliance 1 is installed contains a combustible gas component, it is similarly determined that there is an abnormality. Further, when the detected acceleration exceeds a predetermined value, it is determined that vibration due to an explosion or the like has occurred in the cooking oven 20, or an unexpected event such as an earthquake or theft has occurred. Of course, the determination as to whether such an abnormality has occurred may be made by the kitchen appliance 1. In this case, the state of the kitchen appliance 1 (indicating that there is an abnormality) determined based on the device state information is transmitted to the server 30 together with the device ID.

[0069] As described above, the kitchen appliance 1 of this embodiment includes a device state detection unit 19 that detects the state of the kitchen appliance 1. The device state information detected by the device state detection unit 19 includes at least one of information regarding temperature, humidity, acceleration, and odor. The kitchen appliance 1 transmits the device state information or an abnormality of the kitchen appliance 1 determined based on the device state information to the outside (here, the server 30). As a result, it becomes possible to manage information on abnormalities or failures that occur in the kitchen appliance 1 by an external device.

[0070] When it is determined that an abnormality or a failure (hereinafter sometimes referred to as an "error") has occurred (Yes in ST09), the server control unit 30a adds and updates an event indicating that there is an abnormality to the abnormality / failure history of the device database (ST10), and further transmits a message indicating that an abnormality has occurred to the kitchen appliance 1 or the information terminal 2 (ST11). The first control unit 10 that has received a message indicating that an error has occurred via the first communication unit 12 displays the message on the information display unit 14, and the information terminal 2 that has received this displays the message on a display unit (not shown) (ST12). Then, the first control unit 10 stops the operation of the heating unit 16 or the steam generation unit 17 (ST13) and ends the process.

[0071] When there is no abnormality or failure in the kitchen appliance 1 (No in ST09), the server control unit 30a waits for a signal indicating that cooking has been completed to be transmitted from the kitchen appliance 1 (ST14). In the kitchen appliance 1, the first control unit 10 executes a cooking process based on the operation profile, and when the cooking is completed, it transmits a cooking completion report to the server 30. When the server control unit 30a determines that the cooking has been completed in the kitchen appliance 1 based on the cooking completion report (Yes in ST14), it acquires time information from the NTP server and stores this as the cooking end time in the cooking database (ST15). Next, the server control unit 30a calculates the operating time of the kitchen appliance 1 based on the cooking start time and the cooking end time, and also stores this in the cooking database (ST16). Further, the server control unit 30a retrieves the total operating time of the kitchen appliance 1 from the device database, adds the operating time obtained in ST16 to this, and stores the updated total operating time in the device database (ST17). Then the process ends. On the other hand, when the cooking has not been completed (No in ST14), the process moves to ST09.

[0072] Note that the presence or absence of an abnormality or failure in the kitchen appliance 1 may be determined by the first control unit 10 of the kitchen appliance 1 based on the output of the device state detection unit 19, and this determination result may be transmitted to the server 30. And the server 30 may transfer the said determination result to the information terminal 2. Also, after starting the cooking process in ST03, the first control unit 10 may be configured to transmit device position information and device cooking-related information in response to a request signal transmitted from the server 30 (server control unit 30a).

[0073] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a first example of information displayed on the information terminal 2. Hereinafter, the description will continue with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 in combination with FIG. 4. As described above, in the server 30 as the management unit, an equipment database, a cooking database, and a product name database are constructed. In the equipment database, for a plurality of kitchen appliances 1, an equipment ID representing the kitchen appliance 1, a name of the kitchen appliance 1 corresponding to the equipment ID, a group ID representing the kitchen appliance group 3, a name of the kitchen appliance group 3 corresponding to the group ID, an equipment type flag indicating the type of the kitchen appliance 1, a product name ID corresponding to the product name of the dish cooked by the kitchen appliance 1 when the type of the kitchen appliance 1 is a single-function device, the location information (latitude / longitude) of the kitchen appliance 1, the place name information corresponding to the location information, the total operating time of the kitchen appliance 1, the equipment state profile when the kitchen appliance 1 executes a cooking process, the abnormality / failure history of the kitchen appliance 1, a store form flag indicating whether the kitchen appliance 1 is installed in a mobile store or a fixed store, etc. are stored.

[0074] In addition, in the cooking database, an equipment ID, a product name ID representing the product name of the dish, the time information (cooking start time) when the cooking of the dish starts, the time information (cooking end time, which may include the year, month, and day including the cooking start time) when the cooking ends, the operating time of the kitchen appliance 1 when the dish of the product name is cooked, etc. are stored.

[0075] In addition, in the product name database, a product name ID, the product name of the dish corresponding to the product name ID, the category of the dish such as local cuisine, Western food, Japanese food corresponding to the product name ID are stored. Here, in the equipment database, the records increase or decrease as the number of kitchen appliances 1 to be managed increases or decreases, and the content of the record corresponding to a specific kitchen appliance 1 is updated every time cooking is performed. In addition, in the cooking database, the records increase every time cooking is performed by the kitchen appliance 1 to be managed. In addition, in the product name database, records are added as the product names of the dishes cooked by the kitchen appliance 1 increase or decrease.

[0076] The information terminal 2 has a predetermined application software (hereinafter may be referred to as "app"). The app transmits predetermined information to the server 30 based on the instructions of the user. The server control unit 30a accesses each database based on the received information and executes predetermined information processing using the information extracted from the database.

[0077] The app prompts the user to (a) Specify the time period (which may include year, month, and day) for aggregation (b) Specify the name of the region (c) Specify the category of the dish Here, the specification of (b) the name of the region is performed, for example, at the city, town, or village level. Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the user specifies "Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City". Of course, if the above-described GIS system supports region-specific division names, for example, a specification such as "○○ area" may be made. In the information terminal 2, the name of the region is presented, for example, as a pull-down menu, and the user may select the name of the region from the pull-down menu. The same applies to (c) the category of the dish.

[0078] (a) to (c) are specified and transmitted from the information terminal 2 to the server 30 via the network 50. At this time, at least one of the group ID and the device ID stored in the storage unit (not shown) of the information terminal 2 may be transmitted together. The server control unit 30a searches the device database and extracts the device ID of the kitchen device 1 in which (b) the region name contains Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City. Further, the server control unit 30a refers to the cooking database and the product name database for each of the extracted device IDs, and in the product name database, the category of the (c) dish specified matches (the product name database is referred to based on the product name ID in the cooking database), and in the cooking database, a record including the cooking start time or the cooking end time in the time zone for (a) performing the aggregation is extracted. Then, cooking-related information (product name ID (name of the dish)) is extracted from each of the extracted records, a ranking based on the name of the dish is created, and the ranking is transmitted to the information terminal 2. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, map information and a ranking table are displayed on the information terminal 2.

[0079] Here, in FIG. 4, as the time zone for (a) performing the aggregation, December 26, 2023 to December 31, 2023 is specified, and as the category of the (c) dish, local cuisine is specified. Note that the above (a) to (c) are examples, and some or all of these items may be omitted, and further, items other than (a) to (c) may be specified. Specifically, for example, an item such as (d) only self-service restaurant chains may be provided, and the group ID may be transmitted from the information terminal 2 to the server 30. In this case, the server control unit 30a that has received the group ID extracts the record for the group ID from the device database, and it becomes possible to collect and analyze information only for a specific self-service restaurant chain. Note that in the information terminal 2, it is prohibited (i.e., it is not possible to specify or select) to specify other than the group ID stored in advance in the storage unit of the information terminal 2, and measures are taken so that information on self-service restaurant chains (i.e., competitors) associated with other group IDs is not collected and analyzed. This restriction is the same for the device ID, and in the information terminal 2, it is prohibited to transmit an ID other than the device ID stored in advance to the server 30.

[0080] As described above, the kitchen equipment information management system S1 of the present embodiment includes the kitchen equipment 1 and the management unit (server 30), and the kitchen equipment 1 and the management unit are configured to be able to communicate with each other. The management unit receives cooking-related information (here, the name of the dish) and location information, and executes predetermined processing based on these pieces of information.

[0081] Also, in the kitchen equipment information management system S1 of the present embodiment, there are a plurality of kitchen equipment 1, and the management unit (server 30) extracts cooking-related information in a predetermined area based on the location information of the plurality of kitchen equipment 1. As a result, it becomes possible to grasp the best-selling dishes being cooked (or cooked in the past) in a predetermined area.

[0082] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a second example of the information displayed on the information terminal 2. Hereinafter, the description will continue with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and FIG. 5. In the example using FIG. 4, when a specific area is designated from the area presented to the user on the information terminal 2, the ranking of the dishes currently being cooked (or cooked in the past) in the designated area is displayed. On the other hand, FIG. 5 shows an example in which the area can be designated more flexibly. Specifically, the user draws a specified range with a line on the map displayed on the information terminal 2 via the information input unit 13 (for example, a touch panel), and the server control unit 30a totals the names of the dishes being cooked in the designated range.

[0083] Here, (a) the time period for aggregation is specified as December 26, 2023 to December 31, 2023. (b) The area designation is free, and here, the inside of the figure drawn by the user on the map is designated. And (c) as the category of cuisine, Western food is designated. The designations of (a) to (c) are transmitted from the information terminal 2 to the server 30 via the network 50. Here, for the (b) area designation, the server control unit 30a executes processing assuming that the inside of a polygon (polygon) whose vertices are expressed in latitude and longitude is designated. Whether the position information (latitude and longitude) of each kitchen device 1 is inside or outside the designated range can be determined, for example, using the ray casting method. In the ray casting method, a line is drawn from the position information of the kitchen device 1 in an arbitrary direction, and the number of times the line intersects the sides of the polygon is examined. If the number of intersections is odd, the kitchen device 1 is determined to be within the range designated by the user; if it is even, it is determined to be outside the range.

[0084] In this way, the server control unit 30a extracts the kitchen devices 1 included in the designated range and extracts their device IDs. Then, in the same manner as described with reference to FIG. 4, records that match the designated (c) cuisine category and include the cooking start time or cooking end time in the (a) time period for aggregation are extracted. And from each of the extracted records, cooking-related information (product name ID (name of the cuisine)) is extracted, a ranking based on the names of the cuisines is created, and the ranking is transmitted to the information terminal 2. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, map information and a ranking table are displayed on the information terminal 2.

[0085] Incidentally, at this time, in the map information displayed on the information terminal 2, when the kitchen device 1 belongs to a restaurant chain, the kitchen device 1 belonging to the restaurant chain is displayed as "●", while the kitchen device 1 not belonging to the restaurant chain is displayed as "〇", and they may be distinguished from each other. This display distinction is determined by the server control unit 30a searching the device database based on the group ID or device ID transmitted from the information terminal 2 and checking whether the transmitted group ID (or the group ID associated with the transmitted device ID) matches the group ID of each kitchen device 1 stored in the device database.

[0086] Hereinafter, modified examples of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. All of these modified examples are realized by utilizing the position information output by the kitchen device 1 (in some modified examples, it may be the position information output by the information terminal 2 as described above). <Modified Example 1: Selection of Business Locations such as Mobile Stores> As described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the kitchen device information management system S1 of the present invention totals the names of the dishes being cooked (or cooked in the past) in the area specified (or selected) by the user. In the examples of FIGS. 4 and 5, the case where the categories of the dishes are specified as local cuisine and Western food is shown, but for example, it is also possible to rank the categories of the totaled dishes.

[0087] That is, in the information terminal 2, for example, colored "〇" are presented to the user corresponding to categories of dishes such as local cuisine, Western food, Japanese food, and Chinese food. By this, the user can grasp the tendency of the categories of dishes being cooked in the designated area. Here, in the server storage unit 30b, a prediction model is constructed using past information regarding the category of dishes and the names of dishes, past weather information (information regarding weather such as sunny, cloudy, rainy, etc. and information regarding temperature at each time), time information (year, month, day, hour (including day of the week)), etc. The server control unit 30a inputs future weather information, future year, month, day (day of the week), and time based on, for example, a weather forecast, etc. into the prediction model that has been learned by machine learning or the like, and predicts the tendency of the category (name of the dish) of dishes to be cooked in the future. The said prediction is performed, for example, in units of device ID, and by aggregating the prediction results in a predetermined area, the category of dishes to be cooked in the future and the names of dishes are predicted for each area.

[0088] Based on this prediction result, the user determines, for example, the location for operating a mobile store such as a food truck. Furthermore, the user selects the moving route of the mobile store according to the time zone, determines the staying time at a specific location, etc. Furthermore, the name of the best-selling dish at each location may be predicted, and a procurement plan for ingredients at the said mobile store may be formulated. Of course, not only the determination of the business location of the mobile store, but also in cases where a restaurant chain opens a new store, that is, in the formulation of a business plan, the prediction of the category of dishes to be cooked in the future and the names of dishes can be utilized.

[0089] <Modification Example 2: Alternative Cooking and Transportation of Dishes> As shown in FIG. 1, the kitchen equipment information management system S1 includes a customer terminal 40. The customer operates the customer terminal 40 to order a dish at a specific store. Specifically, the said order is transmitted from the customer terminal 40 to the information terminal 2 of the store via the network 50, and the customer takes out the dish from the store, for example. Note that the order of the dish is not limited to being via the network 50, and may include an order made orally at the store. In response to the order from the customer, cooking starts with the kitchen equipment 1.

[0090] Here, when a large number of orders concentrate on one store that constitutes a food service chain (here, the first group G1 of kitchen equipment), a situation may occur where the kitchen equipment 1 (here, the first kitchen equipment G1_1 of G1) provided by the store (regardless of whether it is a mobile store or a fixed store) cannot execute cooking for all orders. When the kitchen equipment group 3 includes multiple stores, each store may be provided with an information terminal 2. Thus, when the demand exceeds the supply in a specific store, the first store with a tight demand (for example, the store where the first kitchen equipment G1_1 of G1 is installed) uses the information terminal 2 to request proxy cooking from another store (for example, the store where the second kitchen equipment G1_2 of G1 is installed).

[0091] For the request for proxy cooking, first, a proxy cooking request including the equipment ID and the product name ID (the name of the dish) is sent from the information terminal 2 on the requesting side (the side making the request) to the server 30. The server control unit 30a that receives the proxy cooking request extracts the group ID including the equipment ID from the equipment database and extracts other equipment IDs with this group ID attached. Further, the cooking database is searched based on the equipment ID, the equipment IDs including the name of the dish in the cooking database are narrowed down, and further, based on the narrowed-down equipment IDs, it is determined whether the kitchen equipment 1 capable of cooking the ordered dish is currently in operation by referring to the cooking start time and the cooking end time of the kitchen equipment 1. Then, the kitchen equipment 1 capable of cooking the ordered dish is non-operational, that is, candidates for the kitchen equipment 1 capable of proxy cooking are extracted. Then, the server control unit 30a further refers to the location information stored in the equipment database using the equipment ID, extracts the equipment ID with the shortest transportation time or transportation distance from the kitchen equipment 1 on the requesting side, and sends the proxy cooking request to the information terminal 2 on the requested side (the side being requested) with this equipment ID attached.

[0092] In this way, in the kitchen equipment information management system S1 of Modification Example 2, a proxy cooking request is transmitted from the information terminal 2 on the requesting side to the information terminal 2 on the requested side, and the kitchen equipment 1 installed in the store on the requested side cooks the dishes ordered by the customer. Then, the dishes cooked in the store on the requested side are delivered to the store on the requesting side (for example, they may be delivered using the mobile store itself, or they may be delivered individually by employees, etc.) and received by the customer. As a result, for example, when a mobile store is included in a restaurant chain, dishes can be quickly transported to a store with tight demand, and the time until the customer receives the dishes can be shortened.

[0093] <Modification Example 3: Fault Response of Kitchen Equipment 1> As described above, the first control unit 10 of the kitchen equipment 1 transmits the output of the equipment state detection unit 19 to the server 30, and the server control unit 30a determines whether an abnormality or a failure has occurred in the kitchen equipment 1 based on the received equipment state information. Alternatively, the first control unit 10 transmits the state of the kitchen equipment 1 (indicating that an abnormality or a failure has occurred) determined based on the output (equipment state information) of the equipment state detection unit 19 to the server 30. The server control unit 30a notifies the content of the equipment database regarding the kitchen equipment 1 in which an abnormality has occurred, including the equipment ID, to the above-described organization, etc., via a notification unit (not shown). Further, the server control unit 30a selects, based on the position information of the kitchen equipment 1 stored in the equipment database, the facility (the position information is known) such as a service station owned by the organization, etc., that can provide the maintenance and inspection service most quickly, and provides the equipment ID, position information, etc. of the kitchen equipment 1 in which an abnormality or a failure has occurred to the said facility.

[0094] Accordingly, especially when the kitchen appliance 1 is installed in a mobile store, an organization or the like providing maintenance and inspection services can quickly provide on-site services by grasping the location information of the kitchen appliance 1. Conversely, it is also possible to notify users or the like operating in a mobile store of the nearest service station or the like. In this way, in the kitchen appliance information management system S1 of Modification 3, the management unit (server 30) determines the presence or absence of abnormalities in the kitchen appliance 1 based on the equipment status information. As a result, the quality of the services in the kitchen appliance information management system S1 is improved.

[0095] <Modification 4: Estimation of the residual value of the kitchen appliance 1> Even in the market for kitchen appliances 1, since used products are generally cheaper than new products, there are not a few users who choose used products in order to obtain a more high-functional product within their budget. Also, when introducing a certain kitchen appliance 1, there is also a motivation to try it with a used product before purchasing a new one. In transactions in such a used market, the calculation of the buying and selling price is important, and it is necessary to appropriately evaluate the residual value (monetary value) of the kitchen appliance 1 in the calculation of the buying and selling price.

[0096] As described above, the equipment database stores the total operating time of each kitchen appliance 1, the equipment status information when the kitchen appliance 1 executes a cooking process, the history of abnormalities and failures of the kitchen appliance 1, and the location information. The server control unit 30a calculates the residual value of the kitchen appliance 1 based on this information according to the request of the user (for example, the seller). Here, the total operating time of the kitchen appliance 1 becomes one index together with the usage frequency and the holding period, and affects the residual value. That is, the shorter the total operating time, the higher the residual value is calculated. Also, the equipment status information (equipment status profile) recording the temperature of the cooking chamber 20 during cooking or the like can also be an index for evaluating the quality of used products. For example, by comparing the operation profile showing the time-series set temperature of the cooking chamber 20 with the equipment status profile showing the actually measured temperature, a kitchen appliance 1 in which the temperature variation of the equipment status profile is larger than a predetermined range with respect to the set temperature of the operation profile is evaluated as being likely to require future maintenance management to maintain a certain quality, and the residual value is calculated low.

[0097] In addition, the history of abnormalities and failures is also used for calculating the residual value. When abnormalities and failures occur frequently and repairs are carried out each time, due to concerns that the reliability of the kitchen appliance 1 may decrease and a failure may occur again, it will affect the residual value. Also, if there is a failure history, the maintenance cost of that device tends to increase. This indicates the possibility that not only the repair cost but also the operation cost will increase due to maintenance, so this also affects the residual value. That is, the more the history of abnormalities and failures, the lower the residual value of the kitchen appliance 1 is calculated.

[0098] Now, generally speaking, it is said that the residual value of the kitchen appliance 1 is greatly influenced by factors such as the condition of the product, the model year, and the brand. However, when calculating the residual value, it is necessary to consider the transportation cost when the kitchen appliance 1 is removed, etc. In this embodiment, the server control unit 30a calculates the transportation cost to facilities such as the service station owned by the organization, etc., based on the position information of the kitchen appliance 1 to be taken over. Then, the transportation cost is subtracted from the residual value to calculate a new residual value. Note that when the kitchen appliance 1 is installed in a mobile store based on the store form flag, the transportation cost is not subtracted. In this way, the kitchen appliance information management system S1 of Modification 4 enables the management unit (server 30) to calculate the monetary value of the kitchen appliance 1 based on the device status information and the position information. As a result, it becomes possible to estimate the appropriate residual value of the kitchen appliance 1.

[0099] <Modification 5: Tracking of the kitchen appliance 1> In Modification 5, the device status detection unit 19 of the kitchen appliance 1 includes an acceleration sensor, and at least the first control unit 10, the first storage unit 11, the first communication unit 12, the position information acquisition unit 15, and the device status detection unit 19 (here, the acceleration sensor) are driven by a backup power supply (battery) built into the kitchen appliance 1. That is, even when the main power supply of the kitchen appliance 1 is OFF, the first control unit 10 transmits the device status information to the server 30.

[0100] When the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor exceeds a predetermined value, the first control unit 10 determines that a large vibration has occurred in the kitchen appliance 1. In the above example, when the user starts the cooking process, the first control unit 10 transmits the position information (device position information including the device ID) to the server 30 (see ST04 in FIG. 3). However, in Modification 5, when the first control unit 10 determines that a large vibration has occurred in the kitchen appliance 1 when the cooking process is not being executed (during non-operation) in the kitchen appliance 1, it periodically (for example, at a one-minute interval) transmits the device position information to the server 30. At this time, information including a "vibration present" flag is transmitted together with the device position information.

[0101] When the server control unit 30a receives information including the "vibration present" flag, it refers to the store form flag stored in the device database and determines whether the target kitchen appliance 1 belongs to a mobile store or a fixed store. If the kitchen appliance 1 belongs to a mobile store, the process ends. On the other hand, if the kitchen appliance 1 belongs to a fixed store, the server control unit 30a extracts the position information of the kitchen appliance 1 from the received device position information, and based on the local position information (for example, the position information at the time when the kitchen appliance 1 is (was) executing the cooking process or the position information obtained before receiving the "vibration present" flag), if the newly received position information is not included in a predetermined range, or if the temporal change in the position information becomes larger than a predetermined range, it is determined that the kitchen appliance 1 has been stolen and moved. Then, it notifies the information terminal 2 associated with the kitchen appliance group 3 to which the kitchen appliance 1 belongs to that effect. Further, it transmits the position information of the kitchen appliance 1 to the information terminal 2.

[0102] In this way, in the kitchen appliance information management system S1 of Modification 5, when the position information is not included in a predetermined range or when the temporal change in the position information becomes larger than a predetermined range, the management unit (server 30) issues a predetermined notification to the outside (here, the information terminal 2) and transmits the position information. As a result, the user can grasp that the kitchen appliance 1 has been stolen, and further, based on the position information, it becomes possible to track the location of the kitchen appliance 1.

[0103] In addition, the kitchen equipment information management systems S1 of Modification Examples 3 to 5 include a kitchen device 1 and a management unit (server 30), and the kitchen device 1 and the management unit are configured to be able to communicate with each other. The management unit executes predetermined processing based on the received device status information. Thereby, functions such as failure response of the kitchen device 1, estimation of the residual value of the kitchen device 1, and tracking of the location of the kitchen device 1 can be realized.

[0104] Recently, the popularity of automatic cookers has been increasing even in ordinary households. In an automatic cooker, according to a recipe shown in a predetermined application installed on a personal terminal such as a smartphone, the prepared ingredients are put into a cooking utensil, and when the start button of the application is tapped, automatic cooking is executed. The present invention can be applied not only to the kitchen device 1 used in the food service industry but also to such cooking devices used in ordinary households. In this case, the cooking-related information input to the automatic cooker (or a personal terminal associated with the automatic cooker) and the location information of the automatic cooker (or the personal terminal) are transmitted to the server 30, the above-described processing is executed by the server control unit 30a, and the processing result is transmitted to the personal terminal, and for example, the information in FIGS. 4 and 5 is displayed. In addition, by utilizing the location information, services such as home delivery of food ingredients according to a recipe can be smoothly performed.

[0105] That is, the present invention may be rephrased as a cooking device used for cooking, comprising an information input unit 13 for a user to input cooking-related information related to cooking and a location information acquisition unit 15 for acquiring location information, and characterized by transmitting the cooking-related information and the location information to the outside. In this case, the above-described kitchen equipment information management system S1 functions as a cooking equipment information management system. Of course, the configuration may be such that cooking-related information is input to a personal terminal.

[0106] Furthermore, the present invention can be rephrased as a cooking equipment information management system including a cooking equipment 1 including an information input unit 13 for a user to input cooking-related information related to cooking, an information terminal 2 (personal terminal) including a position information acquisition unit 15 for acquiring position information and receiving cooking-related information from the cooking equipment by short-range wireless communication, and a management unit (server 30). The information terminal 2 and the management unit are configured to be able to communicate with each other. The information terminal 2 transmits cooking-related information and position information to the management unit, and the management unit executes predetermined processing based on the received cooking-related information and position information.

[0107] As described above, the kitchen equipment 1 and the kitchen equipment information management system S1 according to the present invention have been described in detail based on specific embodiments. However, these embodiments are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. For example, the processing sharing of the first control unit 10 of the kitchen equipment 1, the server control unit 30a of the server 30, and the information terminal 2 may be determined as appropriate. In the example described above, the function of the management unit is described as being borne by the server 30. However, when the kitchen equipment information management system S1 is small-scale, the information terminal 2 may constitute the management unit.

[0108] Regarding the acquisition of position information during theft, for example, the user may operate the information terminal 2 to transmit the fact of theft to the server 30, and in response, the server control unit 30a may be configured to transmit the position information to the information terminal 2. Thus, even when the kitchen equipment 1 in a mobile store is stolen together with the vehicle, the user can utilize the position information of the kitchen equipment 1.

Industrial Applicability

[0109] The kitchen equipment 1 and the kitchen equipment information management system S1 according to the present invention can grasp the dishes being cooked in a predetermined area and improve the competitiveness of restaurant stores. Therefore, they can be widely used in the restaurant industry, including restaurant chains and individually operated restaurants.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0110] 1 Kitchen equipment 2 Information terminal 3 Kitchen appliance group 10 First control unit 15 Position information acquisition unit 19 Equipment state detection unit 30 Server 30a Server control unit 30b Server storage unit 50 Network S1 Kitchen appliance information management system

Claims

1. A kitchen appliance used for cooking, comprising an information input unit for a user to input cooking-related information related to cooking, and a position information acquisition unit for acquiring position information, characterized in that the cooking-related information and the position information are transmitted to the outside.

2. comprising a device state detection unit for detecting the state of the kitchen appliance, wherein the device state information detected by the device state detection unit includes at least one of information related to temperature, humidity, acceleration, and smell, the kitchen appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the device state information or an abnormality of the kitchen appliance determined based on the device state information is transmitted to the outside.

3. The kitchen appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the cooking-related information includes either the name of the dish or an operation instruction for the kitchen appliance, or information related to ingredients, cooking temperature, and cooking time.

4. The kitchen appliance according to claim 1, characterized in that the position information is information based on GPS positioning or GNSS positioning.

5. A kitchen appliance information management system comprising the kitchen appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 4, and a management unit, characterized in that the kitchen appliance and the management unit are configured to be communicable with each other, and the management unit receives the cooking-related information and the position information, and executes a predetermined process based on these information.

6. The management unit The kitchen appliance information management system according to claim 5, characterized in that when the cooking-related information includes information related to ingredients, cooking temperature, and cooking time, the management unit estimates the name of the dish from the cooking-related information.

7. wherein there are a plurality of the kitchen appliances, and the management unit extracts the cooking-related information in a predetermined area based on the position information of the plurality of kitchen appliances.

8. A kitchen appliance information management system comprising the kitchen appliance according to claim 2, and a management unit, characterized in that the kitchen appliance and the management unit are configured to be communicable with each other, and the management unit executes a predetermined process based on the received device state information.

9. The management unit The kitchen appliance information management system according to claim 8, characterized in that the management unit determines the presence or absence of an abnormality of the kitchen appliance based on the device state information.

10. The management unit The kitchen equipment information management system according to claim 8, characterized in that the monetary value of the kitchen equipment is calculated based on the machine state information and the position information.

11. The management unit When the position information is no longer included in a predetermined range, or when the temporal change of the position information becomes larger than a predetermined range, issues a predetermined notification to the outside and transmits the position information. The kitchen equipment information management system according to claim 5, characterized in that.

12. A kitchen appliance including an information input unit for a user to input cooking-related information related to cooking, An information terminal including a position information acquisition unit for acquiring position information and receiving the cooking-related information from the kitchen appliance by short-range wireless communication, A management unit, Comprising: The information terminal and the management unit are configured to be able to communicate with each other, The information terminal transmits the cooking-related information and the position information to the management unit, The management unit executes predetermined processing based on the received cooking-related information and the position information. The kitchen equipment information management system is characterized in that.

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