User-customized food automatic cooking method and device

Abstract

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for automatically cooking user-customized food using an apparatus including N modules (N is a natural number equal to or greater than 3) is disclosed. The present invention enables user-customized food to be cooked automatically and easily.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically cooking user-customized food, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for providing an automated cooking service that automatically cooks and prepares a finished product without requiring a user to perform a separate cooking operation. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, food service businesses prepare ordered menu items themselves or through a professional cook such as a chef, so when the person in charge of preparing the menu changes, it is not uncommon for the taste to vary.

[0003] Meanwhile, in recent years, securing all personnel, including professional chefs, has become extremely difficult in the restaurant industry, and this has become a serious issue. Even if personnel can be secured, labor costs have risen significantly compared to the past, and in many cases, deducting labor costs from sales leaves almost no actual profit. Furthermore, there are frequent cases of employees suddenly not showing up to work or suddenly quitting their jobs without notice, causing increasing burdens and anxiety for restaurant operators. As a result, in the worst cases, some restaurant operators are forced to go out of business, and this has developed into a social problem.

[0004] In recent years, automated robots equipped with artificial intelligence have begun to be introduced to assist restaurant operations in some areas. However, these robots are not used for cooking, but rather for serving food in the dining area, and the current situation is that cooking is still dependent on human labor.

[0005] Nevertheless, the introduction of automated robots has been solving the problem of serving food in dining halls, and it is true that they are rapidly becoming more widespread. As many food and beverage businesses are actively introducing them, there is a growing need to try introducing automated robots in the field of cooking as well. This invention is concerned with this problem. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The technical problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a method and device for automatically cooking user-customized food by applying an automated robot to the cooking field, which has maintenance costs significantly lower than labor costs and is completely free from the possibility of absenteeism or resignation without notice.

[0007] Another technical problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a method and device for automatically cooking user-customized food, which can provide an automated cooking service in which an automated robot that generates order information cooks food fully automatically to obtain a finished product, without any manual cooking process.

[0008] The technical problems of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other technical problems not described will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above technical objective, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for automatically cooking user-customized food using an apparatus including N (N is a natural number equal to or greater than 3) modules includes: (a) a first step of generating order information corresponding to an order content input by a user, the order information including menu information that is information generated regarding a menu that the user intends to order; (b) a second step of sending a first control command to a first module among the N modules based on the generated order information, the first control command being a container discharge command; and (c) a second step of sending a first control command to a first module among the N modules based on the menu information included in the generated order information, the first control command being a container discharge command. (d) a fourth step of transmitting an Nth control command to an Nth module among the N modules based on the generated order information, the Nth control command being a container lifting command; wherein each of the first control command to the N-1th control command includes a conveyor belt control command for driving a conveyor belt included in the module receiving the respective control command to move the container a predetermined distance toward an adjacent module.

[0010] According to one embodiment, each of the second module to the N-1th module includes M (M is a natural number greater than or equal to 2) ingredient dispensing units that store ingredients and dispense the ingredients into the container, and in this case, each of the second control command to the N-1th control command may include one or more ingredient dispensing commands that drive any one or more of the M ingredient dispensing units included in the module receiving the respective control command to dispense ingredients into the container.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the ingredient discharge command can be sent to one or more of the M ingredient discharge units included in each of the second module to the N-1th module based on the menu information, and not sent to the remaining ingredient discharge units.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the predetermined distance by which the container is moved in the direction of the adjacent module in accordance with the conveyor belt control command may be the distance from the current position of the container to the nearest food dispensing unit that received the food dispensing command in the direction of the adjacent module.

[0013] According to one embodiment, if the user orders one of the preset menus, the menu information may be preset recipe information corresponding to the menu, or if the user orders a customized menu that is not a preset menu, the menu information may be recipe information regarding one or more types of ingredients selected by the user himself / herself to cook the customized menu. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention as described above, food can be automatically prepared by simply receiving an order from a user, generating order information including recipe information, and transmitting control commands to only the modules necessary to prepare the menu item ordered by the user based on the generated order information. This has the effect of making it possible to operate a food service business without employing professional chefs, which incurs high labor costs.

[0015] Furthermore, even if each module includes multiple food ingredient dispensing units, the control commands received by the module include food ingredient dispensing commands that are sent only to food ingredient dispensing units that require food ingredient dispensing, thereby preventing the situation in which unintended ingredients are dispensed, and having the effect of allowing food customized for the user to be cooked effectively.

[0016] Furthermore, the control commands received by each module include a conveyor belt control command for moving the container, which sequentially moves the container to the food dispensing unit that is requested to dispense the food. The control command for the module containing the food dispensing unit that finally dispenses the food includes a conveyor belt control command for automatically moving the container to the final module, and the control command for the final module includes a lifting command for providing the container with the finished food to the user. This has the effect of enabling food to be cooked fully automatically and a finished product to be obtained without any manual intervention in the cooking process.

[0017] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those described above, and other effects not described above will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the overall configuration of a modular automated cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a cooking module in a modular automated cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram showing the interior of a storage section of a food ingredient dispensing unit in a modular automated cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the operation principle and concept of the first container moving unit in the modular automated cooking apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a container supply module in a modular automated cooking apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1 is a diagram showing a food refrigeration section of a container supply module in a modular automated cooking apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 7]3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating how the lifting module receives a container from the cooking module and lifts it to the outside in the modular automated cooking apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 1 is a diagram showing an example of a modular automated cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which modules are freely arranged. FIG. [Figure 9] 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a food refrigeration section in a modular automated cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 10] 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of a modular automated cooking device according to a first embodiment of the present invention from a software perspective. [Figure 11] 10 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps of a method for automatically preparing user-customized food products according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Advantages and features of the present invention, as well as methods for achieving them, will become apparent from the following embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth below, and can be realized in various forms. These embodiments are provided solely to complete the disclosure of the present invention and to fully convey the scope of the present invention to those skilled in the art. The present invention is defined solely by the scope of the claims. Note that the same reference numerals refer to the same elements throughout the specification.

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in this specification may be used in a manner commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Furthermore, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should not be interpreted ideally or excessively unless otherwise clearly defined. The terms used in this specification are intended to describe the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, the singular form includes the plural form unless otherwise specified in the phrase.

[0021] Terms such as "first" and "second" are used to distinguish one component from another and do not limit the scope of rights. For example, the first component may be named the second component, and similarly, the second component may be named the first component.

[0022] As used herein, references to "comprises" and / or "comprising" components, steps, operations, and / or elements do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, operations, and / or elements.

[0023] On the other hand, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and application examples described above, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims, and these modifications should not be understood as being distinct from the technical idea and prospects of the present invention.

[0024] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of the overall configuration of a modular automated cooking device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] The modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a device that, when ingredients are supplied by a user, performs an automated cooking process of adding ingredients required for a finished product into a container without any additional cooking action by the user, and provides the finished product to the user.

[0026] The modular automated cooking apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a cooking module 100, a container replenishing module 200, and a lifting module 300 to perform an automated cooking process.

[0027] The cooking module 100 is a module that can discharge ingredients required for a finished product in the direction in which the container is placed, and can also perform cooking operations (for example, preparation, chopping, shaking, etc.) as needed.

[0028] Since the number of such cooking modules 100 may vary depending on the size of the cooking facility (e.g., store), the menu category, or any user selection, in this specification, the modular automated cooking apparatus 10 can be said to include M (M is a positive integer) cooking modules 100.

[0029] As its name suggests, the container supply module 200 is a module that supplies containers to the cooking module 100 so that ingredients cooked by the cooking module 100 can be served in the containers.

[0030] The lifting module 300 is a module that lifts a finished product (cooked product), i.e., a product with ingredients placed in a container, from inside the modular automated cooking device 10 to the outside of the modular automated cooking device 10 in order to provide the finished product to the user.

[0031] The cooking module 100, the container supply module 200, and the lifting module 300 will be described in detail below, but first, the cooking module 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the cooking module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Referring to FIG. 2, the cooking module 100 may include a first frame 110, an ingredient dispensing unit 120 and an ingredient moving part 130 to perform cooking functions in an automated cooking process.

[0034] The first frame 110 has a predetermined shape and can serve as the skeleton or body of the cooking module 100.

[0035] The first frame 110 may have a cubic (or cube) shape as shown in FIG. 2, but is not limited to this. The shape of the first frame 110 can be changed depending on the store space, user preferences, marketing, and the arrangement of the components included in the cooking module 100. Furthermore, the first frame 110 can be designed so that the user can change the shape according to their preferences by assembling or reconfiguring each section that makes up the first frame 110.

[0036] The first frame 110 may be designed to be connectable or coupleable with other first frames 110. That is, the first frame 110 of the first cooking module 100 and the first frame 110 of the second cooking module 100 may be configured to be connectable or coupleable with each other so that the first cooking module 100 and the second cooking module 100 can be organically connected.

[0037] Additionally, the material of the first frame 110 may include insulating or heat-retaining materials such as polyurethane foam, polyisocyanurate, polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene (XPS), etc. to maintain the freshness of food stored within the cooking module 100.

[0038] The food dispensing unit 120 is a component arranged within the first frame part 110, and serves to store food supplied by the user and dispense the stored food or cooked food in the direction of the container.

[0039] Such a food ingredient dispensing unit may include a storage section 121 and a dispensing section 122 to perform the above functions.

[0040] The storage unit 121 is a component that provides a space inside the cooking module 100 where ingredients supplied by the user can be stored.

[0041] The top end of the storage section 121 is designed to be openable or closable so that a user can easily add ingredients to the storage section 121 .

[0042] At least one surface of the storage section 121 includes an inclined surface, and when a user supplies food to the upper end side of the storage section 121, the food naturally rolls down the inclined surface to the lower end of the storage section, and the food is stacked sequentially from the lower end of the storage section 121.

[0043] The angle of inclination of the inclined surface of the storage unit 121 can be changed depending on the size and shape of the cooking module 100, and the inclined surface of the storage unit 121 may be provided with a non-slip material so that ingredients can roll off smoothly and be loaded. Furthermore, the surface of the inclined surface may be textured, and the shape of the inclined surface may have a bead pattern or a rib pattern.

[0044] For reference, the term "bead" here refers to a continuous pattern of small rounded shapes formed mainly from fluid or textured materials such as rubber, plastic, and cement, and is a surface pattern that prevents slipping or is used when moving loads, while the term "rib" refers to a shape used to reinforce or separate specific areas, and is a pattern that protrudes from a flat surface.

[0045] Furthermore, a volume detection sensor (not shown) that can check the remaining amount of ingredients inside may be provided inside storage unit 121. Such a volume detection sensor serves to detect and measure the volume of ingredients inside storage unit 121, and if the detected data value (volume value) is equal to or less than a predetermined appropriate remaining amount, it can also send a message to the user notifying them that more ingredients need to be supplied.

[0046] The volume detection sensor can detect the volume inside storage unit 121 by utilizing volume detection technology such as laser, ultrasonic wave, or infrared light, and when ingredients are supplied into storage unit 121, the volume detection sensor detects this, measures the actual volume inside storage unit 121, and determines whether the volume value of the supplied ingredients is equal to or greater than a predetermined appropriate remaining amount, thereby confirming whether the user has supplied the appropriate amount of ingredients. Furthermore, the volume detection sensor may be configured to allow the user to check the amount of ingredients remaining in the storage unit in real time at any time via the volume detection sensor.

[0047] Such storage unit 121 not only serves to store ingredients, but also to transfer the stored ingredients to discharge unit 122, which will be described later. The principles and concepts of how storage unit 121 transfers ingredients to discharge unit 122 will be described in more detail below with reference to FIG. 3.

[0048] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the interior of the storage section 121 of the food material discharge unit 120 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 3, the food ingredient dispensing unit 120 may include a spiral-shaped shaft portion 123 located inside the storage portion 121 and a motor portion 124 that powers the shaft portion 123.

[0050] When the motor unit 124 applies power to the shaft unit 123, the shaft unit 123 rotates and pushes the ingredients stored in the storage unit 121 in the direction D where the discharge unit 120 is located, so that the discharge unit 122 can discharge the ingredients stored in the storage unit 121.

[0051] The rotation speed or number of revolutions per second of the shaft portion 123 may be changeable depending on the type of food material stored in the storage portion 121. For example, food material such as lettuce may be damaged (e.g., crushed or cut) by the high-speed rotation of the shaft portion 123, so when lettuce is stored in the storage portion 121, the rotation speed of the shaft portion 123 may be set slower than that of other food materials. On the other hand, in the case of food material with a small cross-sectional area such as peanuts or olives, if the rotation speed is slow or the number of revolutions per second is low, there is a risk that the food material will only circulate within the storage portion 121 and will not be transported sufficiently. Therefore, when food material with a small cross-sectional area such as peanuts or olives is stored, the rotation speed of the shaft portion 123 may be set fast and the number of revolutions per second may be set high.

[0052] Returning to the description of FIG. 2, the discharge unit 122 and the first container transfer unit 130, which are components of the cooking module 100, will now be described.

[0053] The discharge unit 122 is a component disposed on one side of the storage unit 121, and can discharge the food material stored in the storage unit 121 to the outside by selectively opening and closing a discharge port.

[0054] The method for opening and closing the outlet may be a method in which a cap-shaped member covers or opens the entire surface of the outlet, but is not limited to this. Any method for opening and closing the outlet that belongs to the technical field of the present invention can be applied to the method for opening and closing the outlet of the present invention.

[0055] The area of ​​the discharge outlet can vary depending on the type of food stored in storage section 121, and the material of discharge section 122 may be stainless steel, which is highly hygienic and clean, as it is a structure that food comes into contact with and moves through it, and the material of the discharge outlet may be a plastic material that is highly durable to prevent damage to the food during the discharge process, but can also prevent damage or deterioration to the food even when it comes into contact with it.

[0056] The angle and position of discharge unit 122 can be adjusted according to the characteristics of the ingredients, and such adjustment can be performed based on a user's arbitrary operation or learned data. For example, spherical ingredients such as cherry tomatoes (cherry tomatoes) will naturally roll out of the discharge port without the user having to adjust the angle of discharge unit 122. However, relatively light and voluminous ingredients such as lettuce and salad require adjustment of the angle of discharge unit 122 to be discharged out of the discharge port. For this reason, food discharge unit 120 can identify ingredients present in storage unit 121, calculate the angle and position of discharge unit 122 that will allow the identified ingredients to be easily discharged based on the characteristics of the identified ingredients (e.g., shape, volume, weight, etc.), and adjust discharge unit 122 to the calculated angle and position.

[0057] N (N is a positive integer) food ingredient dispensing units 120 including the above-mentioned components may be arranged within one cooking module 100, and each of the N food ingredient dispensing units 120 may store a different food ingredient (e.g., lettuce, tomato, olives, etc.).

[0058] Meanwhile, cooking module 100 performs operations such as cooking stored ingredients and serving them in containers, and in order to perform these operations without user intervention, it is necessary to receive containers from container supply module 200 before and after the cooking operation, and after the ingredients are dispensed into the containers, the containers must be transported to lifting unit 300, which will be described later. Therefore, cooking module 100 may include a first container moving unit 130 that receives containers from container supply module 200 and transports the finished products to lifting unit 300.

[0059] The first container moving section 130 may include a first conveyor belt 131 and a weight detection sensor 132 to receive containers from the container replenishing module 200 and transport the finished products to the lifting section 300.

[0060] The first conveyor belt 131 is arranged in front of each of the N or more food ingredient dispensing units 120, and is made up of N pieces corresponding to the food ingredient dispensing units 120, and functions to move the container to the next food ingredient dispensing unit 120 in the order.

[0061] The weight detection sensors 132 are arranged on each of the N or more first conveyor belts 131 and serve to detect the weight of the containers arranged on the first conveyor belts 131.

[0062] The weight detection sensor 132 detects the weight of the container and the ingredients contained in the container, and in the present invention, the weight detected by the weight detection sensor 132 can be used as a data resource for determining whether a fixed amount of ingredients is contained in the container, or as a data resource for determining whether the container should be moved to the next ingredient discharge unit 120 in the sequence, which contains ingredients other than those contained previously.

[0063] In addition, the first conveyor belt 131 may include a position detection unit (not shown) and a position adjustment drive unit (not shown) that can finely adjust the position of the container so that the ingredients discharged by the discharge unit are accurately and precisely placed in the container.

[0064] The position detection unit serves to detect the area within the surface area of ​​the first conveyor belt 131 that the container is currently in contact with, thereby being able to confirm the current position of the container on the first conveyor belt 131.

[0065] In addition, the position detection unit detects the angle or position of the discharge unit 122 and calculates the optimal position at which the container can accurately and precisely accommodate the ingredients discharged by the discharge unit, and this calculated optimal position is transmitted to the position adjustment drive unit.

[0066] The position adjustment drive unit receives the optimal position calculated by the position detection unit for the container to accurately and precisely accommodate the ingredients discharged by the discharge unit, and automatically adjusts the position of the container so that the container can reach that optimal position.

[0067] The first container moving unit 130 operates the first conveyor belt 131 based on the weight detected by the weight detection sensor 132, and moves the container by the operated first conveyor belt 131. The operating principle and concept of the first container moving unit 130 will be explained in more detail with reference to Figure 4.

[0068] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the operating principle and concept of the first container moving unit 130 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and shows the cooking module 100 cooking a specific finished product using 50g of lettuce and 50g of tomato as ingredients.

[0069] To explain an example of how the cooking module 100 cooks the specific finished product based on Figure 4, the cooking module 100 in Figure 4 is assumed to have N food ingredient dispensing units 120 arranged therein, tomatoes stored in the storage section 121 of the first food ingredient dispensing unit 120-1, lettuce stored in the storage section 121 of the second food ingredient dispensing unit 120-2, and a container placed on the 1-1 conveyor belt 131-1 located in front of the first food ingredient dispensing unit 120-1.

[0070] 4, cooking module 100 is configured so that first ingredient dispensing unit 120-1 dispenses tomatoes stored in storage unit 121 via dispenser 122 to prepare a finished product. When weight detection sensor 132 detects a weight equivalent to the sum of the weight of the fixed amount of tomatoes (50 g) and the weight of the container (α), cooking module 100 determines that the fixed amount of tomatoes has been placed in the container by first ingredient dispensing unit 120-1. Based on this determination, the dispensing operation of first ingredient dispensing unit 120-1 is stopped, and the operation of first ingredient dispensing unit 120-1 is controlled so that the container is moved to first ingredient dispensing unit 120-2, which is located in front of second ingredient dispensing unit 120-2, which is the next ingredient to be dispensed, lettuce.

[0071] The second ingredient dispensing unit 120-2 then dispenses the lettuce into a container positioned on the first-second conveyor belt 131-2. When the weight detection sensor 132 detects a weight equivalent to the total weight of the fixed amount of lettuce (50 g), the fixed amount of tomatoes (50 g), and the container (α), the cooking module 100 determines that the fixed amount of tomatoes has been placed in the container by the second ingredient dispensing unit 120-2. Based on this determination, the dispensing operation of the second ingredient dispensing unit 120-2 is stopped, and the operation of the first-second conveyor belt 131-2 is controlled so that the container is moved to the first-third conveyor belt 131-3, which is located in front of the next ingredient dispensing unit 120-2, from which the next ingredient, lettuce, will be dispensed.

[0072] The overall configuration and operating principle of the cooking module 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention have been described in detail above.

[0073] Next, the overall configuration of the container replenishing module 200 and the lifting module 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0074] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the container replenishing module 200 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0075] Referring to FIG. 5, the container replenishing module 200 may include a second frame section 210 , a container loading section 220 and a second container moving section 230 .

[0076] The second frame portion 210 is configured to be connectable or matable with the first frame portion of the cooking module 100, allowing the automated cooking device of the present invention to be utilized in a "modular" configuration.

[0077] The second frame portion 210 may have the same shape, material, and size as the first frame portion 210, but the container replenishing module 200 does not need to have the shape, material, or size necessary to maintain freshness, because, unlike the cooking module 100, the container replenishing module 200 does not contain any food ingredients that need to be kept fresh. For example, even if the first frame portion 210 of the cooking module 100 is made of a heat-retaining or insulating material, the container replenishing module 200 may be made of a different material than a heat-retaining or insulating material, because it does not contain any temperature-sensitive food ingredients or components closely related to temperature inside.

[0078] The container loading section 220 is a configuration located inside the second frame section 210, and is literally a component in which containers are loaded.

[0079] The container loading unit 220 can discharge containers corresponding to the number of orders or the number of containers required for cooking.

[0080] The second container moving unit 230 includes at least one second conveyor belt located in front of the container loading unit 220, and serves to move the containers discharged from the container loading unit 220.

[0081] The container supply module 200 having such a configuration ejects the containers loaded in the container loading section 220 onto the second conveyor belt at the start of cooking, and by driving the second conveyor belt, moves the containers to the first conveyor belt 131 of the cooking module 100 adjacent to the container supply module 200, making it possible to supply containers to the cooking module 100 without user intervention.

[0082] On the other hand, as mentioned above, since the cooking module 100 stores ingredients, in order to maintain the freshness of the stored ingredients, the material of the first frame 110 may be a heat-retaining material that maintains temperature or a heat-insulating material that blocks heat.

[0083] However, if first frame 110 is made of a heat-retaining material that maintains temperature and a heat-insulating material that blocks heat, this only has the effect of slowing the rate at which food ingredients deviate from the optimum temperature for maintaining freshness, and it is not possible to consistently maintain the optimum temperature necessary for maintaining freshness. For this reason, container replenishment module 200 includes food refrigeration section 240 that can maintain the optimum temperature for maintaining freshness of food ingredients. Food refrigeration section 240 will be described below with reference to Figure 6.

[0084] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the food refrigerating section 240 of the container replenishing module 200 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0085] Referring to FIG. 6, the food refrigeration section 240 is disposed within the container supply module 200 and may include a cold air outlet (not shown) that emits cold air to maintain the temperature of the food stored in the storage section 121 below a certain level.

[0086] This food refrigeration section 240 is arranged so that the cold air ejection section faces the direction in which the food discharge unit 120 is arranged in the cooking module 100, and is configured so that when cold air is ejected, it can easily reach the food discharge unit 120.

[0087] The temperature and frequency of the cold air emitted from the cold air outlet can be adjusted by the user, and the user can customize and set the temperature or frequency of the cold air based on the optimal temperature suitable for maintaining the freshness of each ingredient.

[0088] Hereinafter, a lifting module 300 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

[0089] The direct cooking operation of the method and apparatus 10 for automatically cooking user-customized food according to the first embodiment of the present invention may be performed inside the first frame 110 of the cooking module 100 to prevent contact with users (e.g., store operators, customers) and the intrusion of external unsanitary factors (e.g., dust, bacteria).

[0090] Therefore, in order to deliver the finished product completed by the cooking module 100 to the user, a module is required to transport the finished product located inside the first frame 110 of the cooking module 100 to the outside, and the module that performs this role is the lifting module 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0091] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing how the lifting module 300 according to the first embodiment of the present invention receives a container from the cooking module 100 and lifts it to the outside.

[0092] Referring to FIG. 7, the lifting module 300 may include a third frame section 310, a third container transfer section 320 and a lifting section 330.

[0093] The third frame portion 310 is configured to be connectable to the first frame portion 110 of the cooking module 100, and like the second frame portion 210, allows the automated cooking device of the present invention to be used in a "modular" configuration. In other words, in the method and apparatus 10 for automated cooking of user-customized food according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the first to third frame portions 110, 210, 310 of the cooking module 100, the container supply module 200, and the lifting module 300, respectively, are configured to be connectable to each other, allowing the user to freely change the number, arrangement order, and orientation of the modules.

[0094] These technical features relating to the connection or coupling between the first to third frame units 110, 210, 310 allow users to freely adjust the layout of the method and apparatus for automatic cooking of customized food 10 according to their marketing and preferences without being restricted by installation space. For example, as shown in Fig. 8, users can freely connect the first to third frame units 110, 210, 310 provided on the cooking module 100, the container supply module 200, and the lifting unit 300, respectively, to arrange the method and apparatus for automatic cooking of customized food 10 in a horizontal (-), vertical (|), L-shaped, or U-shaped configuration according to the user's store space, marketing, and preferences.

[0095] The third container moving section 320 is located inside the third frame section 310l and may include a third conveyor belt for receiving containers that have passed through the final unit of the N or more food ingredient dispensing units 120 included in the cooking module 100 from the first conveyor belt.

[0096] The lifting section 330 is a component that lifts (raises) the container received from the third conveyor belt to the outside of the third frame section 310.

[0097] The lifting portion 330 is typically made of steel or a reinforced metal material and is durable so that it can lift the container stably.

[0098] The lifting unit 330 may employ a hydraulic lifting method that uses a hydraulic cylinder to lift the container, a pneumatic lifting method that uses compressed air to lift the container, or an electric lifting method that uses an electric motor or servo system to lift the container to the outside of the third frame unit 310.

[0099] In addition, the lifting unit 330 can adjust the lifting speed depending on the characteristics of the finished product to be lifted. For example, if the lifting unit 330 is provided with a weight detection sensor, and it is determined that the finished product to be lifted is heavy based on the weight acquired from the weight detection sensor, it can assume that the container contains a large amount of ingredients and relatively reduce the lifting speed to prevent the ingredients from falling out of the container.

[0100] The lifting module 300 having such a configuration can determine the time when it receives a container and executes driving to accurately transport the container outside the third frame. Specifically, the third conveyor belt of the lifting section 330 is provided with a container arrival detection sensor that detects that a container that has passed through the final unit among the N or more food ingredient dispensing units 120 has arrived at the third conveyor belt, allowing the third conveyor belt to hand over the container to the lifting section 330.

[0101] The above describes a method and apparatus 10 for automatically cooking customized food products according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

[0102] Next, with reference to FIG. 9, a method and apparatus 10' for automatically cooking customized food according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0103] As mentioned above, each of the M cooking modules 100 may store different ingredients, and in order to maintain the freshness of these ingredients, an ingredient refrigeration section 240 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is provided in the container supply module 200.

[0104] However, the optimum temperatures required to maintain the freshness of these ingredients may differ, and even if the optimum temperatures required to maintain freshness are the same for all ingredients stored in the M cooking modules 100, there may be a difference in freshness between ingredients stored in a cooking module 100 adjacent to the ingredient refrigeration unit 240 according to the first embodiment of the present invention and other ingredients. For this reason, the automatic user-customized food cooking method and apparatus 10' according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes an ingredient refrigeration unit 240' disposed in each of the N cooking modules 100.

[0105] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a food ingredient refrigerating section 240' in the modular automated cooking device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0106] Referring to FIG. 9, in the modular automated cooking device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the food refrigerating units 240' may be disposed at the top ends of the M cooking modules 100, respectively.

[0107] Such food refrigeration units 240' are arranged in each of the M cooking modules 100, and can blow out cool air to maintain the temperature of the food stored inside the cooking module 100 below a certain level.

[0108] For example, assuming that the first cooking module 100-1 is provided with three food ingredient dispensing units 120 and the same food ingredients are stored in the three food ingredient dispensing units 120, the food ingredient refrigeration section 240' can spray cold air of the same first temperature throughout the interior of the first cooking module 100-1 to maintain the temperature of the food ingredients stored in each of the three food ingredient dispensing units 120 below a certain level.

[0109] However, the cooking module 100 may be provided with N food ingredient dispensing units 120 storing different food ingredients, and the optimal temperatures required to maintain the freshness of the food ingredients stored in the N food ingredient dispensing units 120 may be different. For this reason, the food ingredient refrigeration section 240' is provided in each of the M cooking modules 100, and can spray cool air of different temperatures to each of the N food ingredient dispensing units 120 provided in the cooking module 100.

[0110] For example, assuming that the second cooking module 100-2 is provided with three food ingredient dispensing units 120 and the three food ingredient dispensing units 120 store different food ingredients, the food ingredient refrigeration section 240' can customize and maintain the optimal temperature for maintaining the freshness of the food ingredients stored in each of the three food ingredient dispensing units 120 by spraying cold air of a first temperature, a second temperature, and a third temperature to each of the three food ingredient dispensing units 120.

[0111] The above explanation based on Figures 1 to 9 is about the hardware aspects of the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Below, we will start explaining the software aspects of the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0112] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of the overall configuration of the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention from a software perspective.

[0113] However, this is merely a preferred embodiment for achieving the object of the present invention, and it goes without saying that some components may be added or deleted as necessary, and the role performed by one component may be performed together with other components.

[0114] The modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention may include a processor 11, a network interface 12, a memory 13, a storage 14, and a data bus 17 connecting these, but it goes without saying that it may further include other components necessary to achieve the objectives of the present invention.

[0115] The processor 11 controls the overall operation of each component. The processor 11 may be a central processing unit (CPU), a microprocessor unit (MPU), a microcontroller unit (MCU), or any of the types of artificial intelligence processors widely known in the art to which the present invention pertains. The processor 11 may also execute calculations for at least one application or program for executing the method for automatically preparing customized food according to the second embodiment of the present invention. To this end, the processor 11 may include an artificial intelligence model having a predetermined structure, which will be described later.

[0116] The network interface 12 supports wired / wireless internet communication for the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and is also compatible with other known communication methods. Therefore, the network interface 12 may be configured to include a corresponding communication module.

[0117] The memory 13 stores various information, instructions and / or data, and can load one or more computer programs 15 from the storage 14 to execute the method for automatically preparing customized food according to the second embodiment of the present invention. While FIG. 10 shows RAM as an example of the memory 13, it is not limited thereto, and various storage media can be used as the memory 13.

[0118] The storage 14 can non-temporarily store one or more computer programs 15 and large amounts of network information 16. Such storage 14 may be a non-volatile memory such as a read only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read only memory (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable read only memory (EEPROM), a flash memory, a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), a removable disk, or any other form of computer-readable recording medium commonly known in the art to which the present invention pertains.

[0119] The computer program 15 is loaded into the memory 13 and can execute the following steps by one or more processors 11: (A) a first step of generating order information corresponding to the order content input by the user, the order information including menu information that is information generated regarding the menu that the user wishes to order; (B) a second step of sending a first control command to a first module among the N modules based on the generated order information, the first control command being a container ejection command; (C) a third step of sending one of the second control command to one or more of the second module to the (N-1)th module among the N modules, respectively, based on the menu information included in the generated order information; and (D) a fourth step of sending an Nth control command to the Nth module among the N modules based on the generated order information, the Nth control command being a container lifting command.

[0120] The series of operations performed by the computer program 15 briefly described above can be considered as one function of the computer program 15, and a more detailed description will be provided in the description of the method for automatically cooking user-customized food according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[0121] The data bus 17 functions as a path for transferring instructions and / or information between the processor 11, network interface 12, memory 13 and storage 14 described above.

[0122] The modular automated cooking apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, briefly described above, may be in the form of an independent device, for example, the electronic device shown in FIG. 1. The electronic device is not limited to a device that is fixedly installed in a specific location, but may also be a portable device that is easily carried and moved. Hereinafter, a method for automatically cooking customized food according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described, assuming that the modular automated cooking apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is in the form shown in FIG. 1.

[0123] FIG. 11 is a flow chart illustrating exemplary steps of a method for automatically preparing user-customized food products in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0124] However, this is merely a preferred embodiment for achieving the object of the present invention, and it goes without saying that some steps may be added or deleted as necessary, and some steps may be executed by being included in other steps.

[0125] On the other hand, it is assumed that each step is performed by the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and that the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is in the form of an "independent device." Therefore, the control software provided in the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is to be regarded as synonymous with the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and for ease of explanation, these will all be referred to as "device 10."

[0126] Furthermore, it is assumed that the device 10 is a device including N modules (N is a natural number greater than or equal to 3), and it is hereby made clear that the basic set includes one cooking module 100, one container supply module 200, and one lifting module 300, which are set as the minimum unit for automatically cooking food customized by the user.

[0127] First, the device 10 generates order information corresponding to the order content input by the user, and the order information includes menu information, which is information generated regarding the menu that the user wishes to order (S1110). This is called the first step.

[0128] Device 10 can output control software (including an order receiving function) installed in device 10 to a display means (not shown) or the like, or can receive orders from users through a POS (Point of Sale) device / kiosk or the like linked to device 10. When an order is received from a user, order information corresponding to the input order content is generated. Here, the user may be either a food service business in the case where the food service business receives a customer's order, or a customer in the case where the customer places an order themselves.

[0129] The generated order information includes menu information, which is information generated about the menu that the user wants to order. For example, if there are preset menus A through D, and the user orders menus A and B, the menu information generated about the user will be menus A and B, and may further include preset recipe information about each menu. That is, it may further include a preset recipe for cooking menu A and a preset recipe for cooking menu B.

[0130] On the other hand, depending on the type of restaurant business, a user may order a customized menu of their choice rather than a pre-set menu. In this case, the menu information generated by the device 10 may include recipe information about one or more ingredients selected by the user to prepare the customized menu.

[0131] For example, if a store that sells salads has ten types of vegetables, three types of meat, three types of seafood, and ten types of dressing, a user can select the type of ingredients according to their preferences, and in this case, the selected type of ingredients can become recipe information for the menu item, salad, that the user has ordered.

[0132] Such order information may include not only the menu item (salad) that the user intends to order, and menu information (recipe) related to that menu item, but also other information contained in receipts issued in normal transactions, such as information about the user who placed the order (member / non-member status, orderer number, whether the food is to be taken out, etc.), information about payment (payment location, payment amount, payment date and time, payment method, etc.), and information about the seller (company name, address, representative, business number, etc.). In this case, in addition to automatically cooking food through device 10, it is possible to carry out everything from ordering ingredients to settling the bill, which is necessary for running a restaurant business, thereby providing greater support to the operation of the restaurant business.

[0133] When the order information is generated, the device 10 sends a first control command to a first module among the N modules based on the generated order information, and the first control command is a container discharge command (S1120), which is referred to as the second step.

[0134] Once the order information is generated, the device 10 starts the actual cooking operation, which corresponds to the second step. More specifically, the second step is to send a first control command, which is a container dispensing command, to the first module, where the first module may be the container refill module 200.

[0135] On the other hand, the container discharge command may further include information regarding how many containers to discharge when the user has ordered multiple menu items based on the generated order information, information regarding the time interval between discharging one container and discharging the next container, and information regarding which container to discharge depending on whether or not takeout is required.

[0136] The first module, the container supply module 200, which receives the first control command, discharges the container to the second food ingredient moving section 20, and the explanation regarding this shall be substituted for the explanation of the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above.

[0137] When the first control command is sent to the first module, the container should be dispensed, and then the device 10 sends one of the second control command to one or more of the N modules, from the second module to the N-1th module, based on the menu information included in the generated order information (S1130), which is called the third step.

[0138] As described above, if the first module is a container supply module 200, the module connected thereto is generally considered to be a cooking module 100. Therefore, the second module to the (N-1)th module may also be cooking modules 100. However, not all modules are necessarily cooking modules 100. This is because, depending on the shape of the space in which the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is installed, the modular automated cooking device 10 may not be arranged in a straight line, and cooking modules 100 may be arranged to the left, right, or in the opposite direction along the way. In such cases, a direction-changing module (not shown) for changing direction may be required. However, for convenience of explanation, the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described as being arranged in a straight line as shown in FIG. 1, i.e., not including a direction-changing module (not shown).

[0139] Meanwhile, the second module to the (N-1)th module may be cooking modules 100, and each of these modules may include M (M is a natural number greater than or equal to 2) ingredient dispensing units 120 that store ingredients and dispense the ingredients into a container. In this case, each of the second control command to the (N-1)th control command may include one or more ingredient dispensing commands that drive one or more of the M ingredient dispensing units 120 included in the module receiving the respective control command to dispense ingredients into the container.

[0140] More specifically, such an ingredient discharge command may be sent to one or more of the M ingredient discharge units 120 included in each module from the second module to the N-1th module based on the menu information, and may not be sent to the remaining ingredient discharge units 120. An example will be explained below.

[0141] Assuming that the device 10 includes four cooking modules 100, namely, the second to fifth modules, as shown in FIG. 1, and each cooking module 100 includes three ingredient dispensing units 120, each of the four cooking modules 100 includes three ingredient dispensing units 120, resulting in a total of 12 ingredient dispensing units 120, which are named from the left as the first ingredient dispensing unit 120-1 to the twelfth ingredient dispensing unit 120-12.

[0142] The second cooking module 100 is responsible for vegetables, the third cooking module 100 is responsible for meat, the fourth cooking module is responsible for fish, and the fifth cooking module is responsible for dressing. More specifically, the first food ingredient dispensing unit 120-1 is responsible for cabbage, the second food ingredient dispensing unit 120-2 is responsible for tomatoes, the third food ingredient dispensing unit 120-3 is responsible for cucumbers, the fourth food ingredient dispensing unit 120-4 is responsible for diced beef (cubed beef), and the fifth food ingredient dispensing unit 120-5 is responsible for dressings. Assume that ingredient dispensing unit 120-0-5 is responsible for chicken breast, ingredient dispensing unit 120-6 is responsible for pork shoulder, ingredient dispensing unit 120-7 is responsible for grilled sea bream, ingredient dispensing unit 120-8 is responsible for raw salmon, ingredient dispensing unit 120-9 is responsible for grilled salmon, ingredient dispensing unit 120-10 is responsible for oriental dressing, ingredient dispensing unit 120-11 is responsible for lemon dressing, and ingredient dispensing unit 120-12 is responsible for sesame dressing. In this case, if the generated menu information is cabbage / tomato / diced beef / raw salmon / oriental dressing, cooking device 10 sends a second control command to second cooking module 100, a third control command to third cooking module 100, a fourth control command to fourth cooking module 100, and a fifth control command to fifth cooking module 100. Here, the second control command includes an ingredient discharge command for the first ingredient discharge unit 120-1 responsible for cabbage and the second ingredient discharge unit 120-2 responsible for tomatoes, but does not include an ingredient discharge command for the third ingredient discharge unit 120-3; the third control command includes an ingredient discharge command for the fourth ingredient discharge unit 120-4 responsible for diced beef, but does not include ingredient discharge commands for the fifth ingredient discharge unit 120-5 and the sixth ingredient discharge unit 120-6; the fourth control command includes an ingredient discharge command for the eighth ingredient discharge unit 120-8 responsible for raw salmon, but does not include ingredient discharge commands for the seventh ingredient discharge unit 120-7 and the ninth ingredient discharge unit 120-9; and the fifth control command includes an ingredient discharge command for the tenth ingredient discharge unit 120-10 responsible for oriental dressing, but does not include ingredient discharge commands for the eleventh ingredient discharge unit 120-11 and the twelfth ingredient discharge unit 120-12.

[0143] On the other hand, the device 10 may not transmit a control command to a specific cooking module 100, rather than to a specific ingredient dispensing unit 120. That is, if the generated menu information is cabbage / tomato / raw salmon / oriental dressing, there is no need to transmit the third control command to the third cooking module 100, which is responsible for meat, and the control command transmitted will be any one of the second control command to the (N-1)th control command.

[0144] In this way, the automatic cooking method for user-customized food according to the second embodiment of the present invention can individually generate and transmit control commands to the cooking modules 100 responsible for the ingredients needed to cook the menu, more specifically, ingredient discharge commands to the ingredient discharge units 120 responsible for the necessary ingredients among the M ingredient discharge units 120 included in the cooking module 100, regardless of whether the menu that the user wishes to order is a preset menu or a customized menu, thereby making it possible to automatically cook food customized by the user.

[0145] On the other hand, each of the second control command to the N-1th control command that the device 100 sends to the second module to the N-1th module, respectively, and the first control command that the device 100 sends to the first module may include a conveyor belt control command that drives a conveyor belt included in the module receiving each control command to move the container a predetermined distance in the direction of an adjacent module.

[0146] Here, the conveyor belt is a concept that includes the ingredient moving section and the entire configuration for moving the container, and the specified distance may be the distance from the current position of the container to the nearest ingredient dispensing unit 120 that has received the ingredient dispensing command in the direction of the adjacent module.

[0147] This will be explained using the menu information "cabbage / tomato / diced beef / raw salmon / oriental dressing" as an example. The device 10 first transmits a first control command, including a container discharge command, to the first module, causing the first module to discharge the container onto the conveyor belt. Because the first control command includes a conveyor belt control command, the dispensed container is moved to the nearest ingredient discharge unit 120 in the direction of the adjacent module that received the ingredient discharge command, i.e., the first ingredient discharge unit 120-1 responsible for the cabbage. The first ingredient discharge unit 120-1 then dispenses the cabbage into the container based on a second control command, including the ingredient discharge command. After the predetermined weight of cabbage has been dispensed, the second control command includes a conveyor belt control command, causing the container to be moved from the first ingredient discharge unit 120-1 to the nearest ingredient discharge unit 120 in the direction of the adjacent module that received the ingredient discharge command, i.e., the second ingredient discharge unit 120-2 responsible for the tomato. The second ingredient dispensing unit 120-2 then dispenses tomatoes into the container based on the second control command, which includes an ingredient dispensing command. After the predetermined weight of tomatoes has been dispensed, the second control command includes a conveyor belt control command, so the container is moved from the second ingredient dispensing unit 120-2 to the nearest ingredient dispensing unit 120 in the direction of the adjacent module that received the ingredient dispensing command, i.e., the fourth ingredient dispensing unit 120-4, which is responsible for the diced beef. The fourth ingredient dispensing unit 120-4 then dispenses diced beef into the container based on the third control command, which includes an ingredient dispensing command. After the predetermined weight of diced beef has been dispensed, the container is moved from the fourth ingredient dispensing unit 120-4 to the nearest ingredient dispensing unit 120 in the direction of the adjacent module that received the ingredient dispensing command, i.e., the eighth ingredient dispensing unit 120-8, which is responsible for the raw salmon, because the third control command includes a conveyor belt control command. Thereafter, the eighth food ingredient dispensing unit 120-8 dispenses the raw salmon into the container based on the fourth control command including the food ingredient dispensing command.When the predetermined weight of raw salmon has been dispensed, because the fourth control command includes a conveyor belt control command, the container is moved from the eighth ingredient dispensing unit 120-8 to the nearest ingredient dispensing unit 120 that received an ingredient dispensing command in the direction of the adjacent module, i.e., the tenth ingredient dispensing unit 120-10, which is responsible for the oriental dressing. The container is then moved to the tenth ingredient dispensing unit 120-10, which dispenses the oriental dressing into the container based on the fifth control command, which includes the ingredient dispensing command. When the predetermined weight of oriental dressing has been dispensed, the container should then be moved from the tenth ingredient dispensing unit 120-10 to the nearest ingredient dispensing unit 120 that received an ingredient dispensing command in the direction of the adjacent module, but because the cabbage, tomato, diced beef, raw salmon, and oriental dressing have all already been dispensed, there is no ingredient dispensing unit 120 to which the container should be moved.

[0148] In this case, the container needs to be moved to the Nth module (described later). Accordingly, among the second through N-1th control commands transmitted by the device 10 to each of the second through N-1th modules, the control command including the ingredient dispensing command transmitted to the final ingredient dispensing unit 120, which receives the ingredient dispensing command based on the menu information, may include a conveyor belt control command for moving the container to the Nth module. In the above example, the final ingredient dispensing unit 120 is the tenth ingredient dispensing unit 120-10, which is responsible for the oriental dressing, and the ingredient dispensing command transmitted to the tenth ingredient dispensing unit 120-10 is included in the fifth control command. The fifth control command may include a conveyor belt control command for moving the container to the Nth module when the tenth ingredient dispensing unit 120-10 dispenses ingredients and a predetermined weight of ingredients has been dispensed. At this time, the container can be transported through the eleventh ingredient dispensing unit 120-11 and the twelfth ingredient dispensing unit 120-12 to the Nth module, which is the final module.

[0149] When any one of the second control command to the (N-1)th control command has been transmitted, the device 10 transmits the Nth control command to the Nth module among the N modules based on the last generated order information. This Nth control command is a container lifting command (S1140), which is referred to as the fourth step.

[0150] The Nth module among the N modules is the final module and may be the lifting module 300. Therefore, the Nth control command sent to the Nth module may be a lifting command to lift the container so that it can be provided to the user. A detailed description of this may be found in the description of the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0151] The above describes a method for automatically cooking user-customized food according to a second embodiment of the present invention. According to the present invention, food can be automatically cooked by simply receiving order details from a user, generating order information including recipe information, and then transmitting control commands based on the generated order information to only the modules required to cook the menu item ordered by the user. This has the advantage of enabling restaurants to operate without employing expensive professional chefs. Furthermore, even if each module includes multiple ingredient dispensing units 120, the control commands received by each module include ingredient dispensing commands sent only to ingredient dispensing units 120 that require ingredient dispensing. This prevents unintended ingredient dispensing and allows for efficient cooking of user-customized food. Furthermore, the control commands received by each module include conveyor belt control commands for moving containers, which sequentially move containers to ingredient dispensing units 120 that require ingredient dispensing. Furthermore, the control commands for the module including the food dispensing unit 120 that finally dispenses the food ingredients include a conveyor belt control command that automatically moves the container to the final module, and the control command for the final module further includes a lifting command that enables the container filled with the finished food to be provided to the user. This makes it possible to fully automatically cook food and obtain a finished product without any manual intervention in the cooking process.

[0152] Meanwhile, the method for automatically cooking customized food according to the second embodiment of the present invention may further include a step of periodically shaking the food ingredient dispensing unit 120 to disperse the stored ingredients, a step of setting the time (e.g., several seconds or several minutes) to wait after starting cooking a first menu item before starting cooking the next menu item when the generated order information includes multiple menu items, a step of setting the time to measure the weight of the ingredients dispensed into the container to determine whether the weight has reached a predetermined value, and a step of setting the lifting height and speed when lifting the cooked food. All of these are functions described above for the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0153] Finally, the modular automated cooking apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention and the method for automatically cooking user-customized food according to the second embodiment of the present invention can be realized as a computer program stored in a computer-readable medium according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In this case, in combination with a computer device, the program includes a first step of (AA) generating order information corresponding to the order content input by a user, the order information including menu information generated regarding a menu item that the user wishes to order; (BB) transmitting a first control command to a first module among the N modules based on the generated order information, the first control command being a container discharge command; and a second step of (CC) transmitting a first control command to a first module among the N modules based on the menu information included in the generated order information. (DD) sending an Nth control command to the Nth module among the N modules based on the generated order information, the Nth control command being a container lifting command; and (DD) sending an Nth control command to the Nth module among the N modules based on the generated order information, the Nth control command being a container lifting command. To avoid duplication, detailed descriptions will be omitted, but it goes without saying that all technical features applied to the modular automated cooking device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention and the automatic cooking method for user-customized food according to the second embodiment of the present invention can also be applied to the computer program stored in a computer-readable medium according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[0154] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be easily modified into other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and are not limiting.

Claims

1. a first frame portion having a predetermined shape; N or more (N is a positive integer) food material discharge units, each of which includes a storage section located inside the first frame section and storing food material, and a discharge section disposed on one side of the storage section and discharging the food material stored in the storage section by selectively opening and closing a discharge port; a first container moving unit including: N or more first conveyor belts, each positioned in front of the N or more food ingredient dispensing units, for moving the container to the next food ingredient dispensing unit in the sequence; and weight detection sensors, each positioned on the N or more first conveyor belts, for detecting the weight of the container placed on the first conveyor belt; A modular cooking automation device including M or more cooking modules (M is a positive integer), The first conveyor belt comprises: a position detection unit that detects the area of ​​the surface area of ​​the first conveyor belt that the container is currently in contact with to confirm the position of the container, detects the angle or position of the discharge unit, and calculates the optimal position for the container to accurately and precisely accommodate the food material discharged by the discharge unit; an adjustment drive unit that receives the optimum position calculated by the position detection unit and automatically adjusts the position of the container so that the container can reach the optimum position; Including, The storage unit is The storage section includes an inclined surface configured so that the food material rolls down toward the lower end thereof and is sequentially loaded from the lower end thereof, The modular cooking automation device includes: a container supply module including a second frame portion and configured to supply containers to the cooking module; a lifting module including a third frame portion for receiving a container from the cooking module and lifting it outward; further comprising The container replenishing module, the M cooking modules, and the lifting module are The first frame portion, the second frame portion, and the third frame portion can be connected to each other and arranged in any one of a horizontal (-), a vertical (|), an L-shape, and a U-shape according to the user's space. Modular cooking automation device.

2. The food ingredient discharge unit is a spiral shaft portion located within the reservoir; a motor unit that applies power to the shaft unit; further comprising When the motor unit applies power to the shaft unit, the shaft unit rotates and pushes out the food stored in the storage unit toward the discharge unit. The modular cooking automation device according to claim 1 .

3. The second frame portion included in the container supply module includes: a first frame portion of the cooking module; The container refill module includes: a container loading section located inside the second frame section and having containers loaded therein; a second container moving unit including at least one second conveyor belt located in front of the container loading unit; further comprising At the start of cooking, the containers loaded in the container loading section are dropped onto the second conveyor belt, and the second conveyor belt is driven so that the containers are moved to the first conveyor belt of the adjacent cooking module. The modular cooking automation device according to claim 1 .

4. The third frame portion included in the lifting module includes: a first frame portion of the cooking module; The lifting module comprises: a third container moving unit located inside the third frame unit and including a third conveyor belt that receives, from the first conveyor belt, containers that have passed through a final unit among the N or more food ingredient dispensing units included in the cooking module; a lifting unit that lifts the received container to the outside of the third frame unit; further comprising: The modular cooking automation device according to claim 1 .

5. The container refill module includes: a food refrigeration unit including a cold air outlet for blowing cold air to maintain the temperature of the food stored in the storage unit below a certain level; further comprising The food refrigeration section The cold air ejection unit is arranged in a direction in which the food material discharge unit is arranged. The modular cooking automation device according to claim 3 .

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