Heating cooker

By positioning markers at the outer edge of the top plate on detachable display members with deformable shapes, the cooking appliance improves detection accuracy and maintains design aesthetics, addressing the challenges of narrow marker intervals and design constraints.

JP7706393B2Active Publication Date: 2025-07-11RINNAI CORP
View PDF 6 Cites 0 Cited by

Patent Information

Application Number
JP2022020638
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2022-02-14
Publication Date
2025-07-11
Estimated Expiration
2042-02-14

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Conventional cooking appliances face challenges in accurately detecting the position of the top plate due to narrow marker intervals, which impairs detection accuracy and designability, and impose design constraints on marker shape and position.

Method used

The cooking appliance features markers arranged at the outer peripheral edge of the top plate on detachable marker display members, allowing wider intervals and easier detection, while maintaining designability by using deformable marker shapes that facilitate image analysis.

Benefits of technology

This configuration enhances detection accuracy of the top plate position and prevents design constraints, ensuring precise installation of the imaging unit without affecting the appliance's aesthetics.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

Smart Images

  • Figure 0007706393000001
    Figure 0007706393000001
  • Figure 0007706393000002
    Figure 0007706393000002
  • Figure 0007706393000003
    Figure 0007706393000003
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

To provide a cooker that is advantageous in enhancing detection accuracy when detecting a position of a top plate on the basis of marker information at the time of installation of an imaging unit, and is capable of preventing designability of the top plate from being impaired, and preventing designing from being restricted in shape and position of a marker in setting the marker.SOLUTION: A cooker includes: a top plate 9 having cooking stove burners 15a-15c for heating a material F to be cooked placed above the top plate; a plurality of markers 13a-13d disposed on an outer peripheral edge part of the top plate 9; a camera 29 installed at a position away from the top plate 9 for imaging the top plate 9; a marker information extraction part 39 for extracting marker information on the markers 13a-13d included in the image captured by the camera 29; and a camera installation state determination part 33 for determining an installation state of the camera 29 on the basis of the marker information. The markers 13a-13d are integrally provided to marker display members 130a-130d installed so as to be attached to / detached from the top plate 9.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cooking appliance.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an example of a conventional cooking appliance. This cooking appliance includes a top plate, a marker, a photographing unit, a marker information extraction unit, and a photographing unit installation state determination unit.

[0003] The top plate has a heating unit for heating an object to be cooked placed thereon. A plurality of markers are provided on the upper surface of the top plate. The photographing unit is installed at a position away from the top plate and photographs the top plate. The marker information extraction unit extracts marker information included in the image photographed by the photographing unit. The photographing unit installation state determination unit determines that the installation state of the photographing unit is abnormal when the marker information is not included within a specified range of the image in a specified state.

[0004] This cooking appliance photographs the top plate by the photographing unit and monitors the cooking status of the object to be cooked. Further, this cooking appliance determines whether the installation state of the photographing unit is abnormal during installation of the photographing unit or during cooking of the object to be cooked.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] By the way, at the time of installing the photographing unit, it is necessary to install the photographing unit so that the position and the photographing direction with respect to the top plate are correct. For this purpose, it is necessary to accurately detect the position of the top plate based on the marker information. In this regard, when detecting them from a plurality of marker positions in the marker information, a wider interval between the markers is advantageous for improving the detection accuracy.

[0007] However, in the above-described conventional cooking heater, since the three ring-shaped markers are respectively arranged in the three heating coils as heating parts, the intervals between the markers are relatively narrow. For this reason, it is difficult to accurately detect the position of the top plate from this marker information.

[0008] Also, in the above-described conventional cooking heater, the three ring-shaped markers are printed on the top plate. When printing the markers on the top plate, there is a risk of impairing the designability of the top plate, and there are also design constraints in terms of the marker shape and marker position.

[0009] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when detecting the position of the top plate based on marker information at the time of installing the imaging unit, it is advantageous for enhancing the detection accuracy, and moreover, it does not impair the designability of the top plate when setting the markers, nor does it cause design constraints in terms of the marker shape and marker position. An object to be solved is to provide a cooking heater.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0010] The cooking heater of the present invention includes a top plate having a heating part for heating an object to be cooked placed thereon, a plurality of markers arranged at an outer peripheral edge portion of the top plate, an imaging unit installed at a position away from the top plate for imaging the top plate, a marker information extraction unit for extracting marker information regarding the markers included in the image captured by the imaging unit, and an imaging unit installation state determination unit for determining the installation state of the imaging unit based on the marker information, The marker is characterized in that it is integrally provided on a marker display member detachably installed with respect to the top plate.

[0011] In the cooking heater of the present invention, since each marker is arranged at the outer peripheral edge of the top plate, the interval between the markers is wider than the case where each marker is arranged in the central region of the top plate or the like. Therefore, when the photographing unit installation state determination unit detects the position of the top plate from the marker information, for example, it is advantageous for improving the detection accuracy.

[0012] Further, the marker is integrally provided on a marker display member detachably installed on the top plate. Therefore, when the marker is not required, the marker can be removed from the top plate together with the marker display member. Thus, the marker does not impair the designability of the top plate, and there are no design constraints in terms of the marker shape and marker position.

[0013] Therefore, in the cooking heater of the present invention, when detecting the position of the top plate based on the marker information at the time of installing the photographing unit, it is advantageous for improving the detection accuracy, and moreover, it does not impair the designability of the top plate when setting the marker, and there are no design constraints in terms of the marker shape and marker position.

[0014] The photographing unit installation state determination unit preferably determines whether or not a predetermined number of markers are respectively arranged at predetermined setting positions based on the marker information.

[0015] For example, if the number of markers in the marker information matches the predetermined number of settings and each marker position in the marker information matches the predetermined setting position, the photographing unit installation state determination unit determines that a predetermined number of markers are respectively arranged at the predetermined setting positions on the top plate. In this case, the photographing unit installation state determination unit can determine that the installation state of the photographing unit is normal.

[0016] On the other hand, when the photographing unit installation state determination unit determines that a predetermined number of markers are not arranged at the predetermined setting positions, it can be determined that the marker is in an abnormal installation state or the photographing unit is in an abnormal installation state.

[0017] The planar shape of the marker arranged on the top plate, as viewed from a direction perpendicular to the top plate, is a deformed shape deformed from a predetermined regular shape, and it is preferable that the marker shape in the marker information included in the image captured by the imaging unit with a normal installation state is a regular shape or a substantially regular shape.

[0018] In this case, since the marker shape in the marker information is a regular shape or a substantially regular shape, compared with the case where the marker shape is a deformed shape, image analysis becomes easier, which is advantageous for shortening the analysis time.

[0019] The upper surface of the marker display member attached to the top plate is an inclined upper surface inclined with respect to the top plate, and it is preferable that the marker is represented on the inclined upper surface.

[0020] In this case, since the marker may be represented on the inclined upper surface in a regular shape or a substantially regular shape, marker display becomes easy.

[0021] The upper surface of the marker display member attached to the top plate is a parallel upper surface parallel to the top plate, the marker is represented on the parallel upper surface as a deformed shape, and it is preferable that the regular shape is a perfect circle and the deformed shape is an ellipse.

[0022] In this case, since it is only necessary to perform image analysis on a perfect circle or a substantially perfect circle, the analysis becomes easy, which is advantageous for shortening the analysis time.

Advantages of the Invention

[0023] In the cooking heater of the present invention, when detecting the position of the top plate based on marker information during the installation of the imaging unit, it is advantageous for improving the detection accuracy, and moreover, it does not impair the designability of the top plate when setting the marker, nor does it cause restrictions in terms of design on the marker shape and marker position.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0024]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Figure 14

Figure 15

Figure 16

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] Hereinafter, Example 1 and Example 2 embodying the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0026] (Example 1) As shown in FIG. 1, the cooking appliance 1 of Example 1 is a built-in gas stove integrally incorporated in a cooking table 5 along a wall 3 of a kitchen.

[0027] In this embodiment, the user side standing facing the cooking appliance 1 and trying to use the cooking appliance 1 is defined as the front side or the front of the cooking appliance 1, and the wall 3 side is defined as the back side or the rear of the cooking appliance 1. The left and right of the cooking appliance 1 are defined such that the left when the user trying to use the cooking appliance 1 faces the cooking appliance 1 is the left of the cooking appliance 1.

[0028] The cooking appliance 1 includes a stove body 7, a top plate 9, a camera module 11, and four markers 13a to 13d.

[0029] The cooking appliance 1 is a so-called three-burner stove. The top plate 9 covers the upper surface of the stove body 7. On the top plate 9, three stove burners 15a, 15b, and 15c are arranged at the positions of the vertices of an isosceles triangle. That is, the stove burner 15a is arranged at the left position on the front side of the top plate 9, the stove burner 15b is arranged at the right position on the front side of the top plate 9, and the stove burner 15c is arranged at the central position on the rear side of the top plate 9. The stove burner 15c is located at the center of the width of the top plate 9 in the left-right direction. These stove burners 15a to 15c are heating parts for heating the object to be cooked F placed thereon by combustion of fuel gas.

[0030] Inside the cooking range main body 7, a grill 17 is provided, and on the front surface of the cooking range main body 7, an operation unit 19 for operating the heating power etc. of each cooking range burner 15a to 15c and the grill 17 is provided.

[0031] At the center position on the front side of the top plate 9, a notification unit 21 composed of a liquid crystal display device is provided. The notification unit 21 receives a signal from the first communication control unit 27 of the first control device 23 described later and displays information such as the determination result of the camera installation state determination unit 33 of the second control device 31 described later.

[0032] On the outer peripheral edge of the top plate 9, four marker display members 130a, 130b, 130c, and 130d are arranged. Each of the marker display members 130a to 130d is arranged at the four corners of the top plate 9. That is, the marker display member 130a is arranged at the left end of the front end of the top plate 9, the marker display member 130b is arranged at the right end of the front end of the top plate 9, the marker display member 130c is arranged at the left end of the rear end of the top plate 9, and the marker display member 130d is arranged at the right end of the rear end of the top plate 9.

[0033] On the upper surface of the top plate 9, a frame portion 9a surrounding the outer peripheral edge of the top plate 9 stands upright. Each of the marker display members 130a to 130d is placed on the top plate 9 while being positioned by abutting against the inside of two intersecting sides of the frame portion 9a. That is, each of the marker display members 130a to 130d is detachably installed with respect to the top plate 9.

[0034] Each of the marker display members 130a to 130d is formed of a plate-shaped resin molded body having a rectangular outer shape and a certain thickness. That is, in each of the marker display members 130a to 130d, in a state of being placed on the top plate 9, the upper surfaces of the marker display members 130a to 130d are parallel upper surfaces 131a to 131d parallel to the top plate 9. And markers 13a to 13d are respectively printed and displayed on these parallel upper surfaces 131a to 131d.

[0035] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the ellipses of the markers 13a to 13d are deformed shapes from a perfect circle as a regular shape. That is, the planar shapes of the markers 13a to 13d when viewed from directly above in the direction perpendicular to the top plate 9 of the respective marker display members 130a to 130d installed on the top plate 9 are ellipses as deformed shapes each deformed by a predetermined amount from a perfect circle as a regular shape. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4 which is a schematic diagram of an image taken from directly above the top plate 9, each of the markers 13a to 13d as marker information included in this image forms an ellipse as a deformed shape deformed by a predetermined amount from a perfect circle as a regular shape.

[0036] The ellipses of the markers 13a and 13b arranged at the front end of the top plate 9 and the ellipses of the markers 13c and 13d arranged at the rear end of the top plate 9 have different amounts of deformation from a perfect circle. The ellipses of the markers 13c and 13d have a longer major axis length and a larger amount of deformation from a perfect circle than the ellipses of the markers 13a and 13b. Also, the inclination angle θ1 of the major axis of the ellipse of the markers 13a and 13b with respect to the long side at the front end of the top plate 9 is 45 degrees, and the inclination angle θ2 of the major axis of the ellipse of the markers 13c and 13d with respect to the long side at the front end of the top plate 9 is 30 degrees.

[0037] And, as shown in FIG. 6 which is a schematic diagram of an image taken from behind the top plate 9 by a camera 29 described later in a normal installation state, each of the markers 13a to 13d as marker information included in the image taken by the camera 29 in a normal installation state forms a perfect circle as a regular shape or a substantially perfect circle as a substantially regular shape.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 3, a first control device 23 is provided inside the stove main body 7. The first control device 23 has a stove control unit 25 and a first communication control unit 27. The first communication control unit 27 is connected by wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) to a second communication control unit 35 of a second control device 31 described later, receives a signal from the second communication control unit 35, and transmits the signal to the notification unit 21 and the like. The stove control unit 25 adjusts the firing power of the stove burners 15a to 15c based on signals from the operation unit 19 and the first communication control unit 27 and the like.

[0039] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the camera module 11 is installed on the wall 3 at a position above and behind the top plate 9 and away from it. The camera module 11 is located within the lateral width of the top plate 9. A range hood (not shown) is installed above the camera module 11 on the wall 3. The camera module 11 may be installed within this range hood or on the ceiling.

[0040] The mounting position of the camera module 11 with respect to the wall 3 can be finely adjusted by a mounting member (not shown). Also, the shooting direction of the camera 29, which will be described later, can be finely adjusted for the camera module 11.

[0041] The camera module 11 has a camera 29 and a second control device 31. The camera 29 is connected to the second control device 31. The camera 29 is located at the center of the lateral width of the top plate 9. The camera 29 corresponds to the shooting unit and can shoot the entire top plate 9. As the camera 29, a digital CCD camera or the like can be adopted. The camera 29 may also be a video camera capable of shooting videos.

[0042] The second control device 31 has a camera installation state determination unit 33 and a second communication control unit 35. The camera installation state determination unit 33 further has an image processing unit 37 and a marker information extraction unit 39. The camera installation state determination unit 33 corresponds to the shooting unit installation state determination unit.

[0043] The image processing unit 37 acquires the image captured by the camera 29 and performs edge processing on the acquired image by grayscale conversion, edge extraction, binarization, etc.

[0044] The marker information extraction unit 39 extracts the marker information included in the image edge-processed by the image processing unit 37. Specifically, the marker information extraction unit 39 performs a Hough transform on the edge-processed image to extract marker candidates. If the marker extraction value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value Mv, it can be determined that the degree of circle coincidence is high, and it is determined as a marker.

[0045] The camera installation state determination unit 33 determines whether a predetermined number of markers are respectively arranged at predetermined set positions based on the marker information obtained by the marker information extraction unit 39. Thereby, the camera installation state determination unit 33 determines whether the installation states of the respective marker display members 130a to 130d are abnormal, and also determines whether the installation state of the camera 29 is abnormal.

[0046] That is, if the number of markers in the marker information matches the predetermined set number and each marker position in the marker information respectively matches the predetermined set position, the camera installation state determination unit 33 determines that a predetermined number of markers are respectively arranged at the predetermined set positions on the top plate 9. In this case, the camera installation state determination unit 33 determines that the installation states of the markers 13a to 13d and the camera 29 are normal.

[0047] On the other hand, when the camera installation state determination unit 33 determines that a predetermined number of markers are not arranged at the predetermined set positions, it determines that it is an abnormal marker installation state or an abnormal camera installation state. For example, when the number of markers on the top plate 9 is insufficient, or when there are a predetermined number of markers on the top plate 9 but the positional relationship between the respective markers is not the predetermined set positional relationship, it is determined to be an abnormal marker installation state. Also, for example, when there are a predetermined number of markers on the top plate 9 and the positional relationship between the respective markers is the predetermined set positional relationship, but each marker is not arranged at the predetermined set position, that is, when each of the predetermined number of markers is in a normal positional relationship and is tilted as a whole while maintaining the normal positional relationship, or is shifted in the vertical or horizontal direction, etc., it is determined to be an abnormal camera installation state where the shooting direction of the camera 29 is shifted.

[0048] The second communication control unit 35 transmits a signal including the information determined by the camera installation state determination unit 33 to the first communication control unit 27 of the first control device 23.

[0049] When the cooking appliance 1 configured as described above is first installed in the kitchen, the operator assembles the stove body 7 and the top plate 9 to the cooking table 5 and temporarily installs the camera module 11 on the wall 3. An example of the correction process for the camera position and the like for properly installing the camera 29 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 12. Note that the correction process for the camera position and the like is performed not only when the cooking appliance 1 is first installed in the kitchen but also when the camera module 11 is reinstalled on the wall 3 due to a failure or the like.

[0050] When the initial setting mode is started by a setting switch (not shown) provided in the stove body 7 or the camera module 11, as shown in FIG. 8, the notification unit 21 is caused to display "Please place markers at the four corners of the top plate" by a signal from the first communication control unit 27 of the first control device 23. In accordance with this, the operator places the marker display members 130a to 130d at the four corners of the top plate 9.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 7, when the initial setting mode is started, the camera 29 of the camera module 11 captures an image of the top plate 9 (step S1). The captured image is sent from the camera 29 to the camera installation state determination unit 33 of the second control device 31. In the camera installation state determination unit 33, the image processing unit 37 performs predetermined edge processing on the sent image and sends the edge-processed image to the marker information extraction unit 39.

[0052] The marker information extraction unit 39 extracts marker candidates included in the edge-processed image (step S2). That is, the marker candidates are extracted in descending order of the marker extraction value from the image. Then, it is determined whether the marker extraction value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value Mv. If the marker extraction value is equal to or greater than the predetermined value Mv, the marker candidate is determined as a marker. This marker determination process is repeated, and it is determined whether the number of determined markers matches a predetermined set number Mn (step S3).

[0053] For example, as shown in the schematic diagram of the captured image in FIG. 9, when the marker display member 130c is not installed at the left end of the rear end of the top plate 9 and there is no marker 13c that should originally be in the captured image, at step S3, it is determined that the number of confirmed markers is 3, and it is determined that there is a marker shortage. Also, for example, when it is determined at step S3 that the number of confirmed markers is 5, it can be determined that, for example, a foreign object that is misrecognized as a marker exists on the top plate 9. In the case of these abnormal marker installation states, information as abnormal notification 1 is transmitted to the notification unit 21 via the second communication control unit 35 and the first communication control unit 27 (step S4). As shown in FIG. 10, at the notification unit 21, "The marker could not be recognized. Please reinstall the marker. Do not place anything other than the marker on the top plate." is displayed as abnormal notification 1.

[0054] At step S3, when the number of confirmed markers matches the predetermined set number Mn, the marker positions are analyzed (step S5), and it is determined whether the marker positions are correct (step S6). Note that the marker positions can be determined, for example, by examining the slopes of the lines connecting adjacent markers respectively.

[0055] For example, if all of the four markers confirmed at step 3 are at the predetermined set positions, it is determined that the markers are in a normal installation state and the camera is in a normal installation state. In this case, the camera installation state determination unit 33 determines that the installation state of the camera 29 is normal, and the initial setting mode ends.

[0056] On the other hand, for example, as shown in the schematic diagram of the captured image with the tilted top plate 9 in FIG. 11, although there are four markers 13a to 13d which are the predetermined set number, if any of the markers is not arranged at the predetermined set position, it can be determined that the markers are in a normal installation state and the camera is in an abnormal installation state.

[0057] In this case, information as the abnormality notification 2 is transmitted to the notification unit 21 via the second communication control unit 35 and the first communication control unit 27 (step S7). As shown in FIG. 12, in the notification unit 21, "The inclination of the camera has been detected. Please reinstall the camera." is displayed as the abnormality notification 2. Then, the camera installation state determination unit 33 determines that the installation state of the camera 29 is abnormal, and the initial setting mode ends abnormally.

[0058] In this cooking heater 1, since the markers 13a to 13d are arranged at the outer peripheral edge of the top plate 9, the interval between the markers 13a to 13d is wider than the case where the markers 13a to 13d are arranged in the central region of the top plate 9 or the like. Therefore, when the camera installation state determination unit 33 detects the position of the top plate 9 from the marker information, for example, it is advantageous to improve the detection accuracy.

[0059] Also, since the markers 13a to 13d are arranged at the outer peripheral edge of the top plate 9, the possibility that a foreign object having a shape similar to the marker exists near the marker is low. Therefore, it is advantageous to prevent misrecognition of the marker.

[0060] Further, the markers 13a to 13d are provided integrally with marker display members 130a to 130d detachably installed on the top plate 9. Therefore, when the markers 13a to 13d are not required, the markers 13a to 13d can be removed from the top plate 9 together with the marker display members 130a to 130d. Thus, the markers 13a to 13d do not impair the designability of the top plate 9, and there are no design constraints on the marker shape and marker position.

[0061] Therefore, in this cooking heater 1, when detecting the position of the top plate 9 based on the marker information at the time of installing the camera module 11, it is advantageous to improve the detection accuracy, and moreover, the designability of the top plate 9 is not impaired when setting the markers 13a to 13d, and there are no design constraints on the marker shape and marker position.

[0062] In particular, in this cooking appliance 1, the shapes of the markers 13a to 13d are elliptical shapes each deformed by a predetermined amount from a perfect circle so that the marker shape in the marker information included in the image captured by the normally installed camera 29 is a perfect circle as the regular shape. For this reason, the shapes of the markers 13a to 13d in the marker information extracted from the captured image are perfect circles or substantially perfect circles, so that the image analysis becomes easy and the analysis time can be shortened.

[0063] (Example 2) In the cooking appliance 1 of Example 2, the configurations of the markers 13a to 13d and the marker display members 130a to 130d are changed.

[0064] FIG. 14 shows a schematic diagram of an image obtained by photographing the marker display members 130a and 130b installed on the front side of the top plate 9 from directly above the top plate 9, and FIG. 15 shows a schematic diagram of an image obtained by photographing the marker display members 130c and 130d installed on the back side of the top plate 9 from directly above the top plate 9. FIG. 16 shows a schematic diagram of an image obtained by photographing the marker display members 130a to 130d from the rear of the top plate 9 with the normally installed camera 29.

[0065] As shown in FIGS. 13, 14, and 16, the upper surface of the marker display member 130a installed at the left end of the front end of the top plate 9 is an inclined upper surface 132a, and a perfect circle marker 13a as the regular shape is printed and displayed on the inclined upper surface 132a. The inclination direction and inclination angle of the inclined upper surface 132a of the marker display member 130a are set so that the shape of the marker 13a in the marker information included in the image captured by the normally installed camera 29 is a perfect circle or a substantially perfect circle. That is, the camera 29 is positioned on the normal line to the inclined upper surface 132a.

[0066] Similarly, the upper surface of the marker display member 130b installed at the right end of the front end of the top plate 9 is an inclined upper surface 132b, and a circular marker 13b as a regular shape is printed and displayed on this inclined upper surface 132b. The inclination direction and inclination angle of the inclined upper surface 132b of the marker display member 130b are set so that the shape of the marker 13b in the marker information included in the image captured by the camera 29 in a normal installation state is a perfect circle or a substantially perfect circle. That is, the camera 29 is located on the normal line with respect to the inclined upper surface 132b.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 14, when looking directly down at the marker display member 130a or 130b installed on the top plate 9, the shape of the marker 13a or 13b is an ellipse deformed from a perfect circle by a large predetermined deformation amount. As shown in FIG. 16, each marker 13a or 13b as marker information included in the image captured by the camera 29 in a normal installation state is a perfect circle as a regular shape or a substantially perfect circle as a substantially regular shape.

[0068] Also, as shown in FIGS. 13, 15, and 16, the upper surface of the marker display member 130c installed at the left end of the rear end of the top plate 9 is an inclined upper surface 132c, and a circular marker 13c as a regular shape is printed and displayed on this inclined upper surface 132c. The inclination direction and inclination angle of the inclined upper surface 132c of the marker display member 130c are set so that the shape of the marker 13c in the marker information included in the image captured by the camera 29 in a normal installation state is a perfect circle or a substantially perfect circle. That is, the camera 29 is located on the normal line with respect to the inclined upper surface 132c.

[0069] Similarly, the upper surface of the marker display member 130d installed at the right end of the rear end of the top plate 9 is an inclined upper surface 132d, and a circular marker 13d as a regular shape is printed and displayed on this inclined upper surface 132d. The inclination direction and inclination angle of the inclined upper surface 132d of the marker display member 130d are set so that the shape of the marker 13d in the marker information included in the image captured by the camera 29 in a normal installation state is a perfect circle or a substantially perfect circle. That is, the camera 29 is located on the normal line with respect to the inclined upper surface 132d.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 15, when viewed from directly above the marker display members 130c or 130d installed on the top plate 9, the shape of the markers 13c or 13d is an ellipse deformed from a perfect circle by a small predetermined amount of deformation. As shown in FIG. 16, each of the markers 13c or 13d as marker information included in the image captured by the normally installed camera 29 is a perfect circle as a regular shape or a substantially perfect circle as a substantially regular shape.

[0071] In this cooking heater 1, since circular markers 13a to 13d as regular shapes may be displayed on the inclined upper surfaces 132a to 132d of the marker display members 130a to 130d, the display of the markers 13a to 13d becomes easy, and the markers 13a to 13d can be easily formed.

[0072] Other configurations and effects are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0073] In the above, the present invention has been described with reference to the first and second embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described first and second embodiments, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be appropriately changed and applied without departing from the spirit thereof.

[0074] In the first and second embodiments, the four markers 13a to 13d are arranged at the four corners of the top plate 9, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the four markers 13a to 13d may be arranged at two locations other than both ends of one long side of the top plate 9 and two locations other than both ends of the other long side, or three markers may be arranged at three locations including two locations at both ends of one long side and one location at the center of the other long side, or two markers may be arranged at two locations including one location at the center of one short side and one location at the center of the other short side.

[0075] In Examples 1 and 2, the marker display members 130a to 130d are positioned by inscribing them in two intersecting sides of the frame portion 9a erected on the upper surface of the top plate 9. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, L-shaped vertical wall portions extending downward from the side surfaces of two intersecting sides of each of the marker display members 130a to 130d may be provided, and the marker display members 130a to 130d may be positioned by circumscribing the vertical wall portions on two intersecting sides of the frame portion 9a. Further, the frame portion 9a may be eliminated from the top plate 9, the upper surface of the outer peripheral end portion of the top plate 9 may be made flat, and the L-shaped vertical wall portions provided on the lower surfaces of the marker display members 130a may be circumscribed on the side surfaces of two intersecting sides of the top plate 9 to position the marker display members 130a to 130d.

[0076] In Examples 1 and 2, the markers 13a to 13d are displayed on the marker display members 130a to 130d by printing. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the markers 13a to 13d may be formed by making the markers 13a to 13d protrude or sink by providing uneven shapes on the upper surfaces of the marker display members 130a to 130d and forming the markers 13a to 13d by three-dimensional display.

[0077] In Examples 1 and 2, the marker display members 130a to 130d are constituted by resin molded bodies. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a label seal or the like may be adopted instead of the resin molded body.

[0078] In Examples 1 and 2, each of the markers 13a to 13d is displayed on the marker display members 130a to 130d, respectively. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a plurality of markers may be displayed by printing or the like at predetermined positions of each of the marker display members in a strip plate shape or the like.

[0079] In Examples 1 and 2, a perfect circle is adopted as the regular shape of the markers 13a to 13d. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the markers 13a to 13d may be displayed so that a star shape or a polygon becomes the regular shape. Further, in addition to the shape, the markers may be displayed by letters, patterns, colors, or the like.

[0080] In Examples 1 and 2, a liquid crystal display device disposed at the central position on the front side of the top plate 9 was adopted as the notification unit 21. However, for example, a liquid crystal display device or the like may be installed on the front surface of the stove body 7, or various information may be notified by voice output using a speaker or the like built in the cooking heater. Further, various information may be notified to a portable terminal device such as a smartphone or a tablet personal computer carried by an operator using wireless communication.

[0081] In Examples 1 and 2, the present invention was applied to a gas stove in which the heating units are the stove burners 15a to 15c, but the present invention may be applied to an electric stove such as an IH stove. In this case, for example, a plurality of markers may be displayed by printing or the like at predetermined positions on a single sheet-like marker display member.

Industrial Applicability

[0082] The present invention can be used, for example, in a kitchen of a house or kitchen equipment of a facility.

Explanation of Signs

[0083] 1... Cooking heater 9... Top plate 11... Camera module 13a to 13d... Markers 130a to 130d... Marker display members 131a to 131d... Parallel upper surfaces 132a to 132d... Inclined upper surfaces 15a to 15c... Stove burners (heating units) 29... Camera (imaging unit) 33... Camera installation state determination unit (imaging unit installation state determination unit) 39... Marker information extraction unit F... Object to be cooked

Claims

1. A top plate having a heating unit for heating an object to be cooked placed thereon, a plurality of markers arranged at the outer peripheral edge of the top plate, a photographing unit installed at a position away from the top plate for photographing the top plate, a marker information extraction unit for extracting marker information regarding the markers included in the image photographed by the photographing unit, and a photographing unit installation state determination unit for determining the installation state of the photographing unit based on the marker information, wherein the marker is integrally provided on a marker display member detachably installed on the top plate. The cooking heater is characterized by this.

2. The cooking heater according to claim 1, wherein the photographing unit installation state determination unit determines whether a predetermined number of the markers are respectively arranged at predetermined set positions based on the marker information.

3. The planar shape of the marker installed on the top plate as viewed from the vertical direction with respect to the top plate is a deformed shape deformed from a predetermined regular shape, and the marker shape in the marker information included in the image photographed by the photographing unit in a normal installation state is the regular shape or a substantially regular shape. The cooking heater according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The upper surface of the marker display member attached to the top plate is an inclined upper surface inclined with respect to the top plate, and the marker is represented on the inclined upper surface as the regular shape. The cooking heater according to claim 3.

5. The upper surface of the marker display member attached to the top plate is a parallel upper surface parallel to the top plate, the marker is represented on the parallel upper surface as the deformed shape, and the regular shape is a perfect circle and the deformed shape is an ellipse. The cooking heater according to claim 3.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

  • Device and method for detecting coordinate

    JP1996335136A

  • Heating cooker

    JP2019061793A

  • Heating cooker

    JP2019192355A

  • Gas cooking stove system

    JP2021076294A

  • Gas cooking stove system

    JP2021081149A