Cooking oil deterioration level determination device, cooking oil deterioration level determination device, cooking oil deterioration level determination method, and fryer

Abstract

Provided are a cooking oil degradation degree determining device, a cooking oil degradation degree determination processing device, a cooking oil degradation degree determination method, and a fryer with which it is possible for the degree of degradation of frying oil to be accurately determined, regardless of the environment around the fryer.　This cooking oil degradation degree determining device for determining the degree of degradation of frying oil Y is provided with a fryer 2 including an oil tank 21 in which the frying oil Y is stored, and a color sample 23 on which a change in the color of the frying oil Y is displayed stepwise, a video camera 42 for capturing an oil surface image of the frying oil Y, and a controller 5 for performing degradation degree determination processing to determine the degree of degradation of the frying oil Y on the basis of a captured image captured by the video camera 42, wherein: the color sample 23 is disposed in a position contained in the same angle of view of the video camera 42 as the angle of view of the oil surface image; and the controller 5, 5A, 6 determines the degree of degradation of the frying oil Y by comparing the color of the surface of the frying oil Y with each color displayed on the color sample 23.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an edible oil deterioration level determination device, an edible oil deterioration level determination device, an edible oil deterioration level determination method, and a fryer for determining the deterioration level of edible oil stored in an oil tank of a fryer used for cooking fried foods. [Background technology]

[0002] In order to maintain the quality of fried foods, it is necessary to properly manage the cooking oil (hereinafter referred to as "frying oil") used when cooking fried foods (hereinafter referred to as "frying cooking"). Conventionally, when determining when to discard (replace) frying oil, a method has been known that determines the degree of deterioration of frying oil (hereinafter referred to as "deterioration degree") based on indicators such as the odor and color of the frying oil, which change over time.

[0003] For example, a common method for assessing the deterioration of frying oil based on its color is for an assessor (usually a user of the frying oil) to compare the frying oil drawn from the oil tank of a fryer with a color chart that displays the color change of cooking oil in stages. However, this type of assessment method is often subjective to the assessor's subjectivity.

[0004] Therefore, as a method for objectively determining the degree of deterioration of frying oil without relying on the subjectivity of the assessor, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method in which the amount of bubbles that form on the surface of frying oil during frying is detected by illuminance, and the degree of change in the detected illuminance is used as an index to detect the degree of deterioration in the quality of the frying oil. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-182624 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the method described in Patent Document 1 is affected by the surrounding environment that illuminates the surface of the frying oil, and the brightness of the lighting installed around the fryer affects the accuracy of the detected illuminance. To prevent this effect, it is necessary to maintain the illuminance around the fryer at an illuminance appropriate for determining the degree of deterioration. In other words, the method described in Patent Document 1 requires that the brightness of the area where the fryer is installed be adjusted in advance, making it less versatile for determining the degree of deterioration based on the illuminance of the surface of frying oil.

[0007] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide an edible oil deterioration level determination device, an edible oil deterioration level determination processing device, an edible oil deterioration level determination method, and a fryer that can accurately determine the degree of deterioration of frying oil regardless of the environment surrounding the fryer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a cooking oil deterioration degree determination device for determining the deterioration degree of cooking oil used in deep-frying for cooking fried foods, the device comprising: an oil tank in which the cooking oil is stored; a color sample that displays a stepwise change in the color of the cooking oil; a fryer that performs the deep-frying of food materials placed in the oil tank; an imaging device that captures an oil surface image that is an image of the surface of the cooking oil; and a controller that performs a deterioration degree determination process that determines the deterioration degree of the cooking oil based on the image captured by the imaging device, the color sample being positioned within the same angle of view as the angle of view of the oil surface image of the imaging device. The controller distinguishes between the oil surface image and a color sample image that is an image of the color sample from the captured image captured by the imaging device, extracts the color of the surface of the edible oil from the distinguished oil surface image, and extracts a plurality of colors displayed on the color sample from the distinguished color sample image, compares the extracted color of the surface of the edible oil with each of the plurality of colors of the color sample, determines which of the plurality of colors of the color sample the color of the surface of the edible oil corresponds to, and determines the degree of deterioration of the edible oil based on the color of the color sample that is determined to correspond to the color of the surface of the edible oil. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, the deterioration level of frying oil can be accurately determined regardless of the environment around the fryer. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become clear from the description of the following embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a kitchen where deep-frying is performed. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a controller according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram showing functions of a controller according to the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by a controller according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing functions of a controller according to a second embodiment. [Figure 6] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by a controller according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram showing functions of a controller according to a third embodiment. [Figure 8] 10 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by a controller according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The cooking oil deterioration level determining device according to each embodiment of the present invention is a device that determines the deterioration level of cooking oil used when cooking fried foods such as fried chicken, croquettes, French fries, etc. In the following description, cooking fried foods will be referred to as "frying cooking" and cooking oil used for frying cooking will be referred to as "frying oil."

[0012] <Kitchen 1 Configuration> First, an example of the configuration of a kitchen 1, which is assumed to be an environment in which deep-frying is performed, will be described with reference to FIG.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a kitchen 1 where deep-frying is performed.

[0014] Kitchen 1 is located within a store such as a convenience store or supermarket. Kitchen 1 is equipped with deep-frying equipment, such as an electric fryer 2, for preparing fried food X to be sold to customers. Fryer 2 is configured to include an oil tank 21, rectangular in top view, for storing frying oil Y, and a housing 22 for accommodating oil tank 21.

[0015] An outer side portion 221 of the housing 22 is provided with a plurality of switches 22A as a setting operation unit for setting the temperature of the frying oil Y and the details of frying cooking for each type of fried food X. As shown enlarged in FIG. 1 , a scale 24 for indicating the depth of the oil vat 21 is provided on the wall surface of the oil vat 21, which corresponds to the inner wall surface of the housing 22. The scale 24 identifies the position of the surface of the frying oil Y stored in the oil vat 21 and is used to measure the amount of oil. Specifically, the scale 24 is captured together with an oil surface image captured (photographed) by a video camera 42, which will be described later, and is used to determine the height of the oil surface of the frying oil Y. Therefore, the scale 24 may be located on any surface of the inner wall surface of the housing 22, and there is no limitation on the location, as long as it can be used to measure the amount of oil using the image captured by the video camera 42.

[0016] When deep-frying, the cook first places food X into the frying basket 3 having the handle 30, and hooks the handle 30 onto the upper edge 222 of the housing 22 so that the food X in the frying basket 3 is immersed in frying oil Y heated to a temperature suitable for deep-frying. At the same time, or around the same time, the cook presses one of the switches 22A corresponding to the type of food X to be deep-fried.

[0017] Next, the fryer 2 identifies the switch 22A operated by the cook, and when the frying time associated with the operated switch 22A has elapsed, notifies the cook that the food is fried. At the same time, the frying basket 3 containing the fried food X automatically rises from the oil tank 21, and the fried food X is lifted from the frying oil. Methods for notifying the cook that the fried food X is fried include, for example, outputting a buzzer sound from a speaker in the fryer 2, or displaying a message on a monitor 41 installed on the wall 10A near the fryer 2. In other words, the speaker and monitor 41 are one aspect of a notification device.

[0018] When the cook senses that the fried food X is fried, he or she lifts the frying basket 3 out of the oil tank 21 and removes the fried food X from the frying basket 3. In this case, the fryer 2 may be provided with a drive mechanism to automatically lift the frying basket 3 out of the oil tank 21.

[0019] 1, the side where the cook stands, i.e., the side from which the handle 30 of the fry basket 3 set in the oil vat 21 extends, is the "front side" of the oil vat 21, and the opposite side is the "rear side." The direction that intersects with the depth direction of the oil vat 21 is the "left-right direction."

[0020] The fryer 2 is provided with a color sample 23 that simulates the stages of color change over time of the frying oil Y. The color sample 23 is a color scale based on color difference measurements such as Gardner or Lovibond, and corresponds to a sample used when visually evaluating the degree of yellowing of the frying oil Y.

[0021] The color sample 23 shown in Fig. 1 is configured by arranging rectangular areas formed by seven colors corresponding to the most yellowed (dark) colors 11 to 17 out of 18 different colors corresponding to the Gardner scale yellowness values ​​1 to 18 in order of color intensity. The color sample 23 may be disposed on any one of the upper edges 222 of the housing 22, but may also be disposed on both the left and right sides of the oil tank 21 as shown in Fig. 1. There are no particular limitations on the number of colors displayed or the display format of the color sample 23, as long as it displays at least the scale yellowness values ​​required to determine the degree of deterioration of the frying oil Y.

[0022] 1, the number and placement of the color samples 23 may be, for example, placed on the front and back sides of the oil vat 21 on the upper edge 222 of the housing 22, or on all four sides surrounding the oil vat 21, or on any one side. However, because there is a possibility that the color samples 23 may be soiled by splashes of frying oil Y during deep-frying, it is desirable that the color samples 23 be placed at least on one side and the other side (the side opposite the one side) of the oil vat 21.

[0023] In the kitchen 1, a video camera 42 as an imaging device for capturing an oil surface image, which is an image of the surface of the frying oil Y in the oil vat 21, and a lighting fixture 43 arranged adjacent to the video camera 42 for simultaneously illuminating the surface of the frying oil Y and the color sample 23 (at the same illuminance) are installed on the ceiling 10B above the oil vat 21.

[0024] The video camera 42 is set at a fixed angle of view that allows it to continuously capture images of the surface of the frying oil Y in the oil vat 21, and is installed in a state adjusted so that the focus is on the surface of the oil vat 21. In Figure 1, the range of the adjusted angle of view of the video camera 42 is indicated by a dashed line.

[0025] 1, the surface of the frying oil Y, the color sample 23, and the scale 24 are included within the angle of view, which is the range captured by the video camera 42. In other words, the color sample 23 and the scale 24 are both located in positions that are included within the same angle of view as the angle of view for capturing an image of the oil surface by the video camera 42 (in FIG. 1, the color sample 23 is located on both the left and right sides of the oil vat 21, and the scale 24 is located on the left inner surface of the housing 22).

[0026] Therefore, the image captured by the video camera 42 includes an oil surface image, a color sample image which is an image of the color sample 23, and a scale image which is an image of the scale 24. By comparing the scale image with the oil surface image, the position of the oil surface of the frying oil Y is identified, and the amount of oil stored in the oil tank 21 is measured from the position of the oil surface.

[0027] Specifically, when the video camera 42 is set up so that it is focused on the oil surface, the position of the color sample 23 is preferably within a focusing range such that the color sample image captured by the video camera 42 is not blurred; the same applies to the position of the scale 24.

[0028] Here, the monitor 41 and the video camera 42 are each connected to a controller serving as a deterioration level determination processing device that performs a deterioration level determination process to determine the deterioration level of the frying oil Y. The controller determines the deterioration level of the frying oil Y based on the captured image data output from the video camera 42, and outputs a display signal indicating the determination result to the monitor 41. In accordance with the display signal output from the controller, the monitor 41 displays the deterioration level of the frying oil Y, a message indicating that it is time to discard the frying oil, and the like. The specific configuration of the controller will be described later for each embodiment.

[0029] While the video camera 42 is attached to the ceiling 10B in FIG. 1 , this is not limiting and the camera may be attached to, for example, the wall 10A side, as long as it is positioned above the oil vat 21 and capable of capturing images of the oil surface. The imaging device does not necessarily have to be the video camera 42 that captures moving images, but may be, for example, a still camera that captures still images. When a still camera is used, it may be operated to automatically capture images of the oil surface intermittently. Furthermore, the video camera 42 does not necessarily need to capture images of the scale 24 along with the surface of the frying oil Y and the color sample 23; the scale 24 may be captured using an imaging device other than the video camera 42.

[0030] 1, lighting fixture 43 is attached to ceiling 10B adjacent to video camera 42, but this is not limiting and lighting fixture 43 may be attached to wall 10A, for example, as long as it is held above oil vat 21 in a state where it can illuminate the surface of frying oil Y and color sample 23 with the same illuminance, that is, so that the surface of frying oil Y and color sample 23 are positioned within the dashed line area shown in Fig. 1. Furthermore, monitor 41 does not necessarily have to be attached to wall 10A, and its location can be changed as needed to suit the layout of kitchen 1.

[0031] In this kitchen 1, while deep-frying is being performed using a fryer 2, the degree of deterioration of the frying oil Y can be determined simultaneously using a cooking oil deterioration determination device equipped with the fryer 2 to which a color sample 23 is attached, a video camera 42 that captures images of the surface of the frying oil Y stored in the oil tank 21 and the color sample 23 at the same angle of view, and a controller 5 that performs a process to determine the degree of deterioration of the frying oil Y.

[0032] First Embodiment The controller 5 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0033] (Controller 5 configuration) First, the configuration of the controller 5 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0034] Fig. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the controller 5 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 3 is a functional block diagram showing the functions of the controller 5 according to the first embodiment.

[0035] The controller 5 has a function of receiving captured images, including an oil surface image as an image of the surface of the frying oil Y and a color sample image as an image of the color sample 23, from the video camera 42 directly or indirectly via an external storage medium, or even from a remote location via a communication line, as input data, and outputting the result of the assessment of the deterioration level of the frying oil Y as output data. The controller 5 also has a function of notifying an external party such as a user of the assessment result.

[0036] 2, the controller 5 includes, as hardware resources, a central processing unit (CPU) 500A, a random access memory (RAM) 500B, a read only memory (ROM) 500C, a hard disk drive (HDD) 500D, and an interface (I / F) 500E. These devices are connected to each other via a common bus 500F.

[0037] The CPU 500A controls the overall operation of the controller 5. The RAM 500B is a volatile storage medium that allows high-speed reading and writing of information, and is used, for example, as a work area when the CPU 500A processes image information. The ROM 500C is a read-only non-volatile storage medium that stores programs such as firmware.

[0038] The HDD 500D is a non-volatile storage medium that can read and write information and has a large storage capacity, and stores an OS (Operating System), control programs for executing various information processing operations (described later), and application programs, etc. The HDD 500D can be substituted with any type of device, for example, an SSD (Solid State Drive), as long as it functions as a non-volatile storage medium and realizes the functions of storing and managing information.

[0039] The I / F 500E is a connection interface with a communication network, and is connected to a video camera 42 that captures images including an oil surface image and a color sample image, a monitor 41 that displays a user interface, and the like.

[0040] The controller 5 having such a hardware configuration is an information processing device that realizes processing functions by using the arithmetic functions of the CPU 500A to process control programs stored in the ROM 500C and control programs and application programs loaded into the RAM 500B from a storage medium such as the HDD 500D. Execution of these information processes constitutes a software control unit including various functional modules in the controller 5. Functional blocks that realize the functions of the controller 5 are formed by combining the software control unit configured in this way with hardware resources including the configurations described above.

[0041] In this embodiment, the controller 5 is described as a computer configured by a combination of software and hardware, but this is not limited to this. For example, as an example of another computer configuration, an integrated circuit that realizes the functions of a control program executed on the flyer 2 side may be used.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 3, the controller 5 includes an image acquisition unit 50, an image identification unit 51, a color extraction unit 52, a color judgment unit 53, a deterioration degree judgment unit 54, a disposal time determination unit 55, a memory unit 56, and an alarm unit 57.

[0043] The image acquisition unit 50 acquires captured images captured by the video camera 42, i.e., image data including oil surface images and color sample images (hereinafter simply referred to as "captured image data"). For example, if the input image of the fry basket 3 is a moving image, the image acquisition unit 50 separates the image into frames that make up the moving image (for example, for a 30 fps moving image, images every 1 / 30 seconds) and acquires each frame as captured image data. Furthermore, if the input image of the fry basket 3 is a still image, the image acquisition unit 50 acquires the input still image itself as captured image data.

[0044] The image discrimination unit 51 discriminates between an oil surface image and a color sample image from the captured image data acquired by the image acquisition unit 50. Specifically, the image discrimination unit 51 extracts the outline of the fry basket 3 from the captured image data acquired by the image acquisition unit 50, and acquires only the inside of the extracted outline as the oil surface image. The image discrimination unit 51 also extracts the outer edge of the color sample 23 from the captured image data acquired by the image acquisition unit 50, and acquires the color sample image from the image inside the extracted outer edge.

[0045] Furthermore, the image discrimination unit 51 discriminates between an oil surface image and a scale image from the captured image data acquired by the image acquisition unit 50. The scale image discriminated by the image discrimination unit 51 is used as measurement data for calculating the amount of oil in the oil tank 21, and is output to, for example, the monitor 41. That is, this measurement data is also used as data for displaying the amount of oil on the monitor 41.

[0046] The color extraction unit 52 calculates the RGB values ​​of the pixels (each pixel) constituting the oil surface image from the oil surface image identified by the image identification unit 51. The color extraction unit 52 then calculates the average value of the RGB values ​​of the pixels, and sets this as the RGB value of the surface of the frying oil Y captured at a certain timing. The color extraction unit 52 also calculates the RGB values ​​constituting each of the multiple different colors (seven colors corresponding to Gardner scale yellowness values ​​11 to 17) displayed on the color sample 23 from the color sample image identified by the image identification unit 51. That is, the color extraction unit 52 calculates the average value of the RGB values ​​of the pixels constituting the image of each rectangular area constituting the color sample 23 as the RGB value of that area. Therefore, the color extraction unit 52 extracts the multiple (seven) RGB values ​​displayed on the color sample 23, and also extracts the RGB values ​​of the oil surface image captured simultaneously with the color sample image.

[0047] In order to extract the surface color of the frying oil Y with higher accuracy, the color extraction unit 52 may extract RGB values ​​of pixels constituting the surface image of the portion of the small dish attached to the frying basket 3 from the oil surface image. For example, a shallow white dish is attached to the upper edge of the frying basket 3. When the fried food X is fried and the frying basket 3 rises, some of the frying oil Y in the oil vat 21 is scooped into the small dish. The frying oil Y filled in the shallow dish is shallower than the frying oil Y in the deep oil vat 21, so its color appears more clearly. More specifically, in the case of frying oil Y in the deep oil vat 21, i.e., when the depth of the frying oil Y is deep, as the frying oil Y deteriorates and its color becomes darker, the RGB values ​​of the oil surface image plateau and no change is observed. On the other hand, in the case of frying oil Y filled in a shallow dish, i.e., when the depth of the frying oil Y is shallow, the color of the frying oil Y can be accurately determined from the numerical RGB values ​​of the surface image of the portion filled in the small dish, even if the frying oil Y deteriorates and its color becomes darker. Furthermore, the method for analyzing the surface color of the frying oil Y and the multiple different colors displayed on the color sample 23 does not necessarily have to be the RGB method, and other analysis methods, such as wavelength analysis of still images or videos captured by the video camera 42, may also be used.

[0048] The color determination unit 53 compares the RGB values ​​of the surface of the frying oil Y extracted by the color extraction unit 52 with the multiple RGB values ​​of the color sample 23, and determines which of the multiple different colors of the color sample 23 the color of the surface of the frying oil Y corresponds to. Note that in comparing the RGB values ​​of the surface of the frying oil Y with the multiple RGB values ​​of the color sample 23, the RGB values ​​of the surface of the frying oil Y do not need to exactly match any of the multiple RGB values ​​of the color sample 23; the color of the color sample 23 having the RGB values ​​closest to the RGB values ​​of the surface of the frying oil Y can be used as the determination result.

[0049] The deterioration degree determination unit 54 determines the deterioration degree of the frying oil Y based on the color of the color sample 23 determined by the color determination unit 53 to correspond to the surface color of the frying oil Y. For example, if the surface color of the frying oil Y corresponds to a color corresponding to Gardner scale yellowness value 11 in the color sample 23, the deterioration degree of the frying oil Y is 50%, and if it corresponds to a color corresponding to Gardner scale yellowness value 17 in the color sample 23, the deterioration degree of the frying oil Y is 100%.

[0050] The relationship between the Gardner scale yellowness value and the deterioration degree (%) of frying oil Y is stored in advance in the storage unit 56, and can be changed as appropriate depending on the use of frying oil Y and the needs of the cook. For example, in the above example, the deterioration degree was set to 50% for the color corresponding to Gardner scale yellowness value 11, but the deterioration degree is not limited to this, and may be set to 40%, 65%, or the like.

[0051] Furthermore, if the amount of frying oil Y in the oil tank 21 changes due to refueling or adding oil, the color of the frying oil Y will appear differently (specifically, the greater the amount of oil, the darker the color of the frying oil Y will appear). Therefore, a correction may be made according to the amount of oil (for example, if the amount of oil is large, a color corresponding to a Gardner scale yellowness value of 16 will be considered to indicate 100% deterioration, and if the amount of oil is small, a color corresponding to a Gardner scale yellowness value of 13 will be considered to indicate 100% deterioration).

[0052] Specifically, first, the controller 5 pre-stores the relationship between the number of graduations on the scale 24 and the amount of oil in the frying oil Y as oil amount data in the memory unit 56. Next, the number of graduations above the oil surface of the frying oil Y is detected based on the scale image captured by the video camera 42. The current amount of oil in the frying oil Y is measured based on the detected number of graduations and the oil amount data stored in the memory unit 56. The controller 5 then corrects the relationship between the Gardner scale yellowness value stored in the memory unit 56 and the deterioration level of the frying oil Y according to the measured oil amount.

[0053] The disposal time determination unit 55 determines whether or not the frying oil Y needs to be replaced, i.e., whether or not it is time to discard the frying oil Y, based on the deterioration level of the frying oil Y determined by the deterioration level determination unit 54. The relationship between the deterioration level (%) of the frying oil Y and the disposal time is stored in advance in the memory unit 56. For example, the time to discard the frying oil may be determined when the deterioration level is 100% or when the deterioration level is 85%.

[0054] The notification unit 57 outputs a display signal indicating the deterioration level of the frying oil Y determined by the deterioration level determination unit 54 to the monitor 41. The monitor 41 displays, for example, "The current deterioration level of the frying oil Y is XX%." Furthermore, when the disposal time determination unit 55 determines that the frying oil Y needs to be disposed of, the notification unit 57 outputs a display signal indicating this to the monitor 41. The monitor 41 displays, for example, "Please replace the frying oil Y."

[0055] In this way, the controller 5 can determine the degree of deterioration of the frying oil Y by comparing the color of the surface of the frying oil Y with the multiple colors of the color sample 23 based on the oil surface image and color sample image contained in the captured image taken by the video camera 42, and therefore can accurately determine the degree of deterioration of the frying oil Y regardless of the environment surrounding the fryer 2.

[0056] Furthermore, by arranging the color sample 23 at a position that is included in the focal range of the oil surface image within the same angle of view as the video camera 42 for the oil surface image, it is possible to match the imaging conditions between the oil surface image and the color sample image when comparing the color of the surface of the frying oil Y with the multiple colors of the color sample 23, thereby further improving the accuracy of determining the deterioration level of the frying oil Y. In addition, by simultaneously illuminating the surface of the frying oil Y and the color sample 23 with the lighting fixture 43, the illuminance of their surroundings can be made uniform, thereby eliminating the problem of the fryer 2 being affected by the brightness of its surroundings.

[0057] (Processing within controller 5) Next, a specific flow of processing executed within the controller 5 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0058] 4 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by the controller 5 according to the first embodiment. Note that the processing described below is executed repeatedly at predetermined time intervals while the controller 5 is operating. The same applies to the second and third embodiments.

[0059] First, the image acquisition unit 50 acquires the captured image captured by the video camera 42 in the imaging step as captured image data (step S501). Next, the image identification unit 51 identifies an oil surface image and a color sample image from the captured image data acquired in step S501 (step S502; image identification step).

[0060] Next, the color extraction unit 52 extracts the RGB values ​​of the surface of the frying oil Y from the oil surface image identified in step S502 (the average value of the RGB values ​​of each pixel constituting the oil surface image) and multiple RGB values ​​displayed on the color sample 23 from the color sample image identified in step S502 (the average value of the RGB values ​​of each pixel constituting the color corresponding to each Gardner scale yellowness value) (step S503; color extraction step). Subsequently, the color judgment unit 53 compares the RGB values ​​of the surface of the frying oil Y extracted in step S503 with the multiple RGB values ​​of the color sample 23, and judges which of the multiple RGB values ​​of the color sample 23 the RGB value of the surface of the frying oil Y corresponds to (step S504; color judgment step).

[0061] Next, the deterioration level determination unit 54 determines the deterioration level of the frying oil Y based on the RGB values ​​of the color sample 23 determined in step S504 to correspond to the RGB values ​​of the surface of the frying oil Y (step S505; deterioration level determination step). Subsequently, the disposal time determination unit 55 determines whether or not the frying oil Y needs to be disposed of based on the deterioration level of the frying oil Y determined in step S505 (step S506; disposal determination step).

[0062] If it is determined in step S506 that the frying oil Y needs to be disposed of (step S506 / YES), the notification unit 57 outputs to the monitor 41 a display signal indicating the degree of deterioration of the frying oil Y determined in step S505 and that it is time to discard the frying oil Y (step S507).

[0063] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S506 that disposal of the frying oil Y is not yet necessary (step S506 / NO), the notification unit 57 outputs a display signal indicating only the degree of deterioration of the frying oil Y determined in step S505 to the monitor 41 (step S508).

[0064] After the processing of steps S507 and S508 is executed, the controller 5 then determines the termination condition for terminating this series of processing (e.g., turning off the power of the fryer 2) (step S509), and if the termination condition is met, the processing in the controller 5 ends (step S509 / YES), and if the termination condition is not met, the controller 5 returns to step S501 and repeats the processing (step S509 / NO).

[0065] If the captured image data is acquired as a moving image in step S501, the controller 5 may classify the acquired moving image every 1 / 30 seconds and perform the processes of steps S502 to S506 for the image of each separated frame. That is, the controller 5 may perform the process of step S507 or step S508 depending on the determination result of step S506 for the image of each separated frame.

[0066] Alternatively, the controller 5 may execute the processes from step S502 to step S506 for the multiple frames that have been distinguished, and when the number of times that it is determined in step S506 that discarding is necessary exceeds a predetermined threshold, execute the processes from step S502 to step S506. In this case, the number of consecutive "YES" determinations in step S506 may be used as an index.

[0067] Second Embodiment Next, a controller 5A according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0068] Fig. 5 is a functional block diagram showing the functions of a controller 5A according to the second embodiment. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by the controller 5A according to the second embodiment. In Figs. 5 and 6, components common to those described for the controller 5 according to the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. The same applies to the third embodiment below.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 5, the controller 5A according to this embodiment includes an image acquisition unit 50, an image identification unit 51, a color extraction unit 52, a color judgment unit 53, a deterioration degree judgment unit 54, a time measurement unit 58, a disposal time estimation unit 59, a memory unit 56A, and an alarm unit 57A.

[0070] As shown in FIG. 6, the processes from step S501 to step S504 executed in the controller 5A are the same as the processes from step S501 to step S504 executed in the controller 5 according to the first embodiment.

[0071] If the controller 5A determines in step S504 that the RGB value of the surface of the frying oil Y corresponds to any one of the RGB values ​​of the color sample 23, the process proceeds to step S505, and the time measurement unit 58 measures time (step S511). The time measurement unit 58 measures the time it takes for the color of the color sample 23, which the color judgment unit 53 has determined to correspond to the color of the surface of the frying oil Y, to change, i.e., the time it takes for the Gardner scale yellowness value to change from 11 to 12 to 13, and so on.

[0072] Then, the disposal time estimation unit 59 estimates the time to discard the frying oil Y based on the time (time change) measured by the time measurement unit 58 (step S512; disposal estimation step). The relationship between the time of color change of the color sample 23 measured by the time measurement unit 58 and the time until the time to discard the frying oil Y is stored in advance in the memory unit 56A.

[0073] Next, the notification unit 57A outputs a display signal indicating the deterioration level of the frying oil Y determined in step S505 and the estimated disposal time of the frying oil Y estimated in step S512 to the monitor 41 (step S513), and if the termination condition is satisfied (step S509 / YES), the processing in the controller 5A ends. For example, the monitor 41 displays "The estimated disposal time of the frying oil Y is xx hours from now."

[0074] In this way, the controller 5A of this embodiment not only determines the degree of deterioration of the frying oil Y, but also estimates the time to discard it, thereby making it possible to notify cooks and managers of the fryer 2 in advance of the timing to replace the frying oil Y.

[0075] Third Embodiment Next, a controller 6 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0076] Fig. 7 is a functional block diagram showing the functions of the controller 6 according to the third embodiment. Fig. 8 is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by the controller 6 according to the third embodiment.

[0077] As shown in FIG. 7, the controller 6 according to this embodiment includes an image acquisition unit 50, an image identification unit 51, an area division unit 61, a color extraction unit 62, a color judgment unit 63, a most numerous color detection unit 64, a deterioration degree judgment unit 65, a disposal time determination unit 66, a memory unit 67, and an alarm unit 68.

[0078] The region dividing unit 61 divides the oil surface image identified from the captured image data acquired by the image acquiring unit 50 into two-dimensional regions to acquire a plurality of oil surface region images. Then, each of the plurality of oil surface region images is passed to the color extracting unit 62.

[0079] The color extraction unit 62 calculates the RGB values ​​of the pixels (each pixel) constituting each of the multiple oil surface region images acquired by the region division unit 61, and sets the average value of the calculated RGB values ​​as the RGB value of the oil surface region image. That is, multiple RGB values ​​are acquired from an image of the surface of the frying oil Y captured at a certain timing. Furthermore, similar to the color extraction unit 52 according to the first embodiment, the color extraction unit 62 extracts multiple (seven) RGB values ​​displayed on the color sample 23 from the color sample image identified by the image identification unit 51.

[0080] The color determination unit 63 compares the RGB values ​​of each oil surface region image, which are the RGB values ​​of the surface of the frying oil Y extracted by the color extraction unit 62, with the multiple RGB values ​​of the color sample 23, and determines which of the multiple different colors of the color sample 23 the color of each oil surface region image corresponds to. Note that in comparing the RGB values ​​of the surface of the frying oil Y with the multiple RGB values ​​of the color sample 23, the RGB values ​​of the surface of the frying oil Y do not need to exactly match any of the multiple RGB values ​​of the color sample 23; the color of the color sample 23 having the RGB value closest to the RGB value of the surface of the frying oil Y can be used as the determination result.

[0081] The most frequent color detection unit 64 detects the RGB value of the color sample 23 that most frequently corresponds to the RGB values ​​of each oil surface region image determined by the color determination unit 63. In other words, the most frequent color detection unit 64 detects the most frequent RGB value from the number of oil surface color images that correspond to each RGB value of the color sample 23.

[0082] As shown in FIG. 8, the processing from step S501 to step S502 executed in the controller 6 is similar to the processing from step S501 to step S502 executed in the controller 5 according to the first embodiment and the controller 5A according to the second embodiment.

[0083] In the controller 6, when the oil surface image and the color sample image are identified from the captured image data in step S502, the region dividing unit 61 divides the oil surface image into a plurality of regions (step S601; region dividing step).

[0084] Next, the color extraction unit 62 extracts the average value of the RGB values ​​in each region (oil surface region image) divided in step S601, and extracts multiple RGB values ​​displayed on the color sample 23 from the color sample image identified in step S502 (step S602; color extraction step).

[0085] Next, the color judgment unit 63 judges which RGB value in each oil surface area image extracted in step S602 corresponds to among the multiple RGB values ​​of the color sample 23 also extracted in step S602 (step S603; color judgment step).

[0086] Then, the most color detection unit 64 detects the surface of frying oil Y in each region. Of the RGB values ​​of the color samples 23 that have been determined to correspond to the RGB values ​​of the surface, the RGB value of the color sample 23 that corresponds most frequently is detected (step S604).

[0087] For example, assume that the oil surface image is divided into nine regions (regions 1 to 9) in step S601, and the RGB values ​​of the surface of frying oil Y in each of regions 1 to 5 are determined in step S603 to have a Gardner scale yellowness value of 12, the RGB values ​​of the surface of frying oil Y in each of regions 6 and 8 are determined to have a Gardner scale yellowness value of 17, the RGB value of the surface of frying oil Y in region 7 is determined to have a Gardner scale yellowness value of 11, and the RGB value of the surface of frying oil Y in region 9 is determined to have a Gardner scale yellowness value of 16. In this case, in step S604, most common color detection unit 64 detects Gardner scale yellowness value 12 as the most common color, since it has been determined to correspond to the RGB values ​​of the surface of frying oil Y in the five most common regions (regions 1 to 5).

[0088] Ideally, the RGB values ​​of all of the multiple oil surface region images should be the same, as this is considered to indicate that the state of the frying oil Y is uniform. However, assuming that the controller 6 acquires oil surface images over time and calculates the RGB values ​​at each acquisition timing, it is considered that fluctuations will occur in the color of the frying oil Y at each acquisition timing. Therefore, in this embodiment, the controller 6 divides the surface of the frying oil Y into virtual regions and determines the color of the surface of the frying oil Y by majority vote of the RGB values ​​of each region.

[0089] Next, the deterioration level determination unit 65 determines the deterioration level of the frying oil Y based on the RGB values ​​of the color sample 23 as the most common color detected in step S604 (step S605; deterioration level determination step). As in the first embodiment, the relationship between the RGB values ​​(Gardner scale yellowness values) of the color sample 23 and the deterioration level (%) of the frying oil Y is stored in advance in the storage unit 67.

[0090] Next, the disposal time determination unit 66 determines whether or not disposal of the frying oil Y is necessary based on the deterioration level of the frying oil Y determined in step S605 (step S606). As in the first embodiment, the relationship between the deterioration level (%) of the frying oil Y and the disposal time is stored in advance in the storage unit 67.

[0091] If it is determined in step S606 that the frying oil Y needs to be discarded (step S606 / YES), a display signal indicating the degree of deterioration of the frying oil Y determined in step S605 and that it is time to discard it is output to the monitor 41 (step S607), and if the termination condition is met (step S509 / YES), the processing in the controller 6 ends.

[0092] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S606 that disposal of the frying oil Y is not yet necessary (step S606 / NO), a display signal indicating only the degree of deterioration of the frying oil Y determined in step S605 is output to the monitor 41 (step S608), and if the termination condition is met (step S509 / YES), the processing in the controller 6 ends.

[0093] In this way, the controller 6 according to this embodiment divides the oil surface image into a plurality of regions and determines the deterioration level of the frying oil Y based on the RGB value of the color sample 23 that most frequently matches the RGB values ​​of the surface of the frying oil Y in each region, so that the deterioration level of the frying oil Y can be determined with high accuracy even when there is unevenness in the color of the surface of the frying oil Y. Note that the greater the number of regions divided by the region dividing unit 61, i.e., the more finely the oil surface image is divided, the more accurately the deterioration level of the frying oil Y can be determined.

[0094] Note that the controllers 5 and 6 according to the first to third embodiments may be connected to the video camera 42 or the monitor 41 via a communication network and operated at a remote location, or may be provided inside the housing of the video camera 42 or the monitor 41. The communication network may be either wired or wireless, and there is no limitation on the communication method.

[0095] The above describes an embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and includes various modifications. For example, the above embodiment has been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to an embodiment including all of the described configurations. Furthermore, it is possible to replace part of the configuration of this embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, or to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of this embodiment. Furthermore, it is possible to add, delete, or replace part of the configuration of this embodiment with other configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0096] 2: Flyer 5: Controller, cooking oil deterioration determination device 21: Oil tank 23: Color sample 42: Video camera (imaging equipment) 43: Lighting equipment 51: Image identification unit 52,62: Color extraction part 53,64: Color judgment section 54,65: Deterioration degree determination section Y: Frying oil (edible oil)

Claims

1. An edible oil deterioration level determination device for determining the deterioration level of edible oil used in deep-frying to cook fried foods, comprising: a fryer having an oil tank in which the edible oil is stored and a color sample that displays a stepwise change in color of the edible oil, and that deep-fries food materials placed in the oil tank; an imaging device for capturing an oil surface image, which is an image of the surface of the edible oil; a controller that performs a deterioration level determination process to determine a deterioration level of the cooking oil based on the image captured by the imaging device, The color sample is placed at a position included in the same angle of view as the angle of view of the oil surface image of the imaging device, The controller Identifying the oil surface image and the color sample image, which is an image of the color sample, from the captured image captured by the imaging device; Extracting the color of the surface of the edible oil from the identified oil surface image and the multiple colors displayed on the color sample from the identified color sample image, comparing the surface color of the extracted edible oil with each of the multiple colors of the color sample; determining which of the multiple colors of the color sample corresponds to the color of the surface of the edible oil; The degree of deterioration of the edible oil is determined based on the color of the color sample that is determined to correspond to the color of the surface of the edible oil. The cooking oil deterioration degree determining device is characterized by the above.

2. The cooking oil deterioration level determining device according to claim 1, The position of the color sample is included in the focus range of the oil surface image of the imaging device. The cooking oil deterioration degree determining device is characterized by the above.

3. The cooking oil deterioration level determining device according to claim 1, The oil tank is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from above, The color samples are arranged at least on one side of the oil tank and on the other side opposite to the one side. The cooking oil deterioration degree determining device is characterized by the above.

4. The cooking oil deterioration level determining device according to claim 1, The apparatus further includes a lighting device that is installed above the oil tank and illuminates the surface of the edible oil and the color sample with the same illuminance. The cooking oil deterioration degree determining device is characterized by the above.

5. The cooking oil deterioration level determining device according to claim 1, The controller Dividing the identified oil surface image into a plurality of regions; extracting RGB values ​​of the surface of the edible oil from each divided region, and extracting a plurality of RGB values ​​displayed on the color sample from the identified color sample image; determining which of the plurality of colors in the color sample corresponds to the RGB value of the color of the surface of the edible oil in each of the extracted regions; Detecting the color of the color sample that is most frequently determined among the colors of the color samples having RGB values ​​determined to correspond to the RGB values ​​of the color of the surface of the edible oil in each region; The degree of deterioration of the edible oil is determined based on the detected color of the color sample. The cooking oil deterioration degree determining device is characterized by the above.

6. The cooking oil deterioration level determining device according to claim 1, The controller Measure the time it takes for the color sample determined to correspond to the color of the surface of the edible oil to change color; Based on the measured time, the time to discard the cooking oil is estimated. The cooking oil deterioration degree determining device is characterized by the above.

7. A deterioration degree determination processing device that performs deterioration degree determination processing to determine the deterioration degree of cooking oil based on an image captured by an imaging device that is installed above an oil tank of a fryer used for deep-frying to cook fried foods and captures an oil surface image, which is an image of the surface of cooking oil stored in the oil tank, and an image identification unit that identifies, from the captured image captured by the imaging device, the oil surface image and a color sample image, which is an image of a color sample that is arranged so as to be included within the same angle of view as the oil surface image and that displays a gradual change in color of the edible oil; a color extraction unit that extracts the color of the surface of the edible oil from the oil surface image identified by the image identification unit and the plurality of colors displayed on the color sample from the color sample image identified by the image identification unit; a color determination unit that compares the color of the surface of the edible oil extracted by the color extraction unit with a plurality of colors of the color sample and determines which of the plurality of colors of the color sample the color of the surface of the edible oil corresponds to; a deterioration degree determining unit that determines the deterioration degree of the cooking oil based on the color of the color sample that is determined by the color determining unit to correspond to the color of the surface of the cooking oil. The cooking oil deterioration degree determination device is characterized by:

8. A method for determining the degree of deterioration of cooking oil stored in an oil tank of a fryer used for deep-frying food, comprising: an imaging step of capturing an oil surface image, which is an image of the surface of the edible oil, using an imaging device installed above the oil tank; an image identification step of identifying the oil surface image and a color sample image, which is an image of a color sample that is arranged so as to be included within the same angle of view as the oil surface image and that displays a stepwise change in color of the edible oil, from the captured images captured in the imaging step; a color extraction step of extracting the color of the surface of the edible oil from the oil surface image identified in the image identification step, and extracting the plurality of colors displayed on the color sample from the color sample image identified in the image identification step; a color determination step of comparing the color of the surface of the edible oil extracted in the color extraction step with a plurality of colors of the color sample to determine which of the plurality of colors of the color sample the color of the surface of the edible oil corresponds to; and a deterioration degree determining step of determining a deterioration degree of the edible oil based on the color of the color sample determined in the color determining step to correspond to the color of the surface of the edible oil. A method for determining the degree of deterioration of cooking oil, comprising:

9. A fryer that cooks fried foods using edible oil, an oil tank in which the edible oil is stored; A color sample showing the color change of the edible oil in stages, The color sample is The imaging device is arranged around the oil vat so as to be included within the same angle of view as an image of the surface of the cooking oil captured by the imaging device installed above the oil vat. A flyer characterized by:

Images