Heating cooker

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a heating cooker that can execute a cooking step including a fermentation step for fermenting an object to be heated. A heating cooker according to the present disclosure comprises: a heating chamber that accommodates an object to be heated; a heating unit that heats the object to be heated accommodated in the heating chamber; an odor detection unit that detects an odor of the object to be heated and outputs detection information; and a control unit. The control unit stores an output pattern of the odor detection unit according to the cooking state of the object to be heated, and compares the detection information detected by the odor detection unit with the output pattern to determine the state of the object to be heated. The control unit generates control information corresponding to the state of the object to be heated, and controls the heating unit according to the control information.

Description

heating cooker

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cooking device for heating food.

[0002] Patent Literature 1 discloses a cooking system that detects odors emitted from an object to be heated and cooks the object. This cooking system includes an odor sensor that detects odors emitted during cooking and an output device that outputs the cooking completion status based on the odor detected by the odor sensor.

[0003] The output device includes a cooking information acquisition unit, a determination unit, an odor information acquisition unit, and an output unit.

[0004] The cooking information acquisition unit acquires information about the cooking method, information about the ingredients, and information about the cooking result desired by the user. The determination unit determines the value to be detected by the odor sensor when the cooking is complete.

[0005] The odor information acquisition unit acquires output information, which is information about the odor detected by the odor sensor. The output unit outputs the cooking doneness status according to the output information and the reached value.

[0006] Patent Literature 2 discloses a cooking device that detects multiple odors present around an object to be heated, executes predetermined control based on the detected information, and cooks the object to be heated. This cooking device includes a sensor unit, a determination unit, and a cooking control unit.

[0007] The sensor unit includes multiple detection elements that detect the amount of odor-causing substances present in the air surrounding the food. The determination unit determines the odor emanating from the food based on the multiple detection signals output from the sensor unit. The cooking control unit continuously obtains the results of the food odor determination, and executes predetermined control if the odor emanating from the food transitions in a pre-registered pattern after heating of the food begins.

[0008] Patent Document 3 discloses an automatic bread maker equipped with a fermentation process for fermenting bread dough. Non-Patent Document 1 discloses information on the increase or decrease in aroma components that accompany the fermentation of bread dough.

[0009] Japanese Patent No. 6726375 International Publication No. 2019 / 187672 Japanese Patent No. 4572760

[0010] Toshihide NAKAMURA, Satoru TOMITA and Katsuichi SAITO, Metabolite Profiling in Dough During Fermentation Food Science and Technology Research, 24 (3), 509-517, 2018

[0011] The present disclosure provides a cooking device that can always complete cooking of an object to be heated in the same state by determining the state of the object to be heated based on the smell emitted from the object and changing the control information for cooking the object to be heated according to the state.

[0012] The present disclosure relates to a cooking device capable of performing a cooking process including a fermentation process for fermenting an object to be heated. The cooking device according to the present disclosure includes a heating chamber that accommodates the object to be heated, a heating unit that heats the object accommodated in the heating chamber, an odor detection unit that detects the odor of the object to be heated and outputs detection information, and a control unit. The control unit stores an output pattern of the odor detection unit according to the cooking state of the object to be heated, and compares the detection information detected by the odor detection unit with the output pattern to determine the state of the object to be heated. The control unit generates control information according to the state of the object to be heated and controls the heating unit according to the control information.

[0013] The cooking device according to the present disclosure determines the state of the food to be heated based on the smell emitted from the food, and can change the control information for cooking the food according to the state while cooking, thereby ensuring that the food is always cooked in the same state.

[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a cooking device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the cooking device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an odor detection unit in the cooking device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing a cooking process of the cooking device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a graph showing odor detection timing superimposed on a time-varying output signal of a predetermined sensor element extracted as a sample from the odor detection unit in the cooking device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a graph showing an odor pattern represented by an output signal of a predetermined sensor element extracted as a sample from the odor detection unit in the cooking device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart for explaining the odor determination operation in the kneading process in the cooking device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the odor determination operation in the fermentation process in the cooking device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a cooking device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the cooking device according to the second embodiment.

[0015] (Knowledge that forms the basis of the present disclosure) At the time the inventors came up with the present disclosure, there was technology that determined the state of an object to be heated based on the smell emitted from the object, and notified the user whether the object had been cooked to the desired finish state.

[0016] According to this technology, if the reported result shows that the cooking of the heated food is not in the state desired by the user, the user can perform a special operation on the cooking appliance to complete the cooking of the heated food in the desired state.

[0017] However, it is not easy for the user to set the amount of heat or the heating time based on the notified result, and if the setting is inappropriate, the cooking of the heated food may not be completed in the desired state.

[0018] There is also a technology that detects odors around the food at predetermined time intervals after cooking of the food starts, and if the detected odor emission pattern matches the odor emission pattern pre-registered in the cooking appliance, executes predetermined control to cook the food, thereby allowing the food to be cooked appropriately.

[0019] However, the conditions for cooking the food to be heated are not necessarily constant, and include, for example, the amount, temperature, state, and type of the food to be heated, the state of the cooking device such as the temperature, the temperature and humidity of the cooking space, and changes in these values ​​over time.

[0020] Due to these differences in conditions, the odor generation pattern detected during cooking of the heated food also varies for each cooking. As a result, the detected odor generation pattern may not follow the odor generation pattern pre-registered in the cooking appliance. In such cases, the specified control cannot be executed, and the cooking of the heated food cannot proceed properly.

[0021] In automatic bread makers, there is a technology in which the ingredients in a container are kneaded in a kneading unit to form dough, and the dough is fermented for a predetermined time while controlling the temperature of the container, allowing the automatic bread maker to create bakeable dough from the ingredients.

[0022] However, the conditions for making bread dough are not necessarily constant and vary from one cooking to another, such as the amount, temperature, state, and type of ingredients (flour, yeast, water, etc.), the temperature of the automatic bread machine, the temperature and humidity of the cooking space, and changes in these values ​​over time during the fermentation process.

[0023] Furthermore, yeast breaks down the sugars contained in the dough, such as sucrose and starch, causing the dough to ferment. For this reason, the fermentation of bread dough generally takes more than two hours. In other words, the fermentation state of the dough varies depending on the above-mentioned conditions, and the time it takes to reach the desired fermentation state varies.

[0024] In an automatic bread maker, if the time required to make bread dough is set to a predetermined time, the cooking process will transition to the baking process even if the dough has not yet reached the desired fermentation state, resulting in variations in the baked bread. Specifically, the fermentation of the dough may or may not be completed within the fermentation process time included in the sequence control information for the automatic bread maker's bread making course.

[0025] In both of the above cases, the cooking process shifts to the baking process after a certain time has passed. As a result, the bread is baked inconsistently, resulting in undesirable results such as "the bread does not rise," "the bread rises too much," "the bread is sunken," or "the top of the dough is white and hard like a lump."

[0026] Meanwhile, the baker judges the fermentation state of the dough by visually inspecting the rise of the dough and by touch, etc. When the baker determines that the dough has reached the desired fermentation state, he releases the gas generated in the dough as the yeast ferments, and finishes the dough to the desired fermentation state.

[0027] However, it is difficult to incorporate such a technique into a conventional automatic bread maker for home use. The inventors have devised the subject matter of the present disclosure to solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0028] The present disclosure aims to provide a heating cooker that can always complete cooking of a heated object in the same condition by changing control information for the heated object according to the state of the heated object determined based on the smell emitted from the heated object.

[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, unnecessary explanations, such as explanations of known matters, will be omitted. Furthermore, substantially identical configurations will be assigned the same reference numerals and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0030] First Embodiment Hereinafter, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0031] [1-1. Configuration] [1-1-1. Configuration of the automatic bread maker 1a] In the first embodiment, the cooking device 1 is a home-use automatic bread maker 1a. The object 2 to be heated is bread-making ingredients and bread dough.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an automatic bread maker 1a, which is a cooking device 1 according to embodiment 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the automatic bread maker 1a includes a heating chamber 3 and a main body 4. The heating chamber 3 is a container that holds bread ingredients such as flour, sugar, salt, dry yeast, and water. The main body 4 houses the container. The lid 5 is disposed at an opening of the main body 4 and covers this opening in an openable and closable manner. The heating unit 6 is disposed to cover the outside of the container and indirectly heats the bread ingredients via the container.

[0033] The kneading motor 7 is disposed below the container inside the main body 4. The kneading motor 7 has a rotating shaft 8 that passes through the bottom of the container. A kneading blade 9 is detachably disposed at the tip of the rotating shaft 8. The kneading motor 7, rotating shaft 8, and kneading blade 9 constitute a kneading unit 10.

[0034] When the kneading motor 7 rotates, the kneading blade 9 rotates via the rotary shaft 8. This causes the bread-making ingredients contained in the container to be kneaded to form bread dough.

[0035] The temperature detection unit 11 is disposed inside the main body 4 in contact with the outside of the container, and indirectly detects the temperature of the bread ingredients or dough via the container. Hereinafter, the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 11 will be referred to as the detected temperature of the temperature detection unit 11. The temperature detection unit 11 transmits the detected temperature to the control unit 110. The detailed configuration and operation of the control unit 110 will be described later.

[0036] The lid 5 is provided with an operation unit 12, which includes operation switches, and an alarm unit 13, which includes a liquid crystal display panel, a speaker, etc., located on its top surface. The user can operate the operation unit 12 to select a bread making course for the automatic bread maker 1a and set the desired baked state of the bread. After setting the course, when the user presses a start key included in the operation switches, the control unit 110 starts cooking using the automatic bread maker 1a.

[0037] The notification unit 13 is controlled by the control unit 110 and notifies the user by voice or display of the determination results made by the determination unit 111 (see FIG. 2 ), which will be described later, and the progress of the cooking steps included in the bread making course. In the first embodiment, the notification unit 13 is attached to the automatic bread maker 1a. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The notification unit 13 may be, for example, a portable information terminal such as a smartphone connected to the automatic bread maker 1a via a server or the like.

[0038] An odor detection unit 210 is disposed inside the lid 5 so that its detection surface faces the bread ingredients or dough inside the container, allowing the odor detection unit 210 to efficiently detect volatile components, i.e., odors, emitted from the bread ingredients or dough rising or circulating inside the container.

[0039] In the present disclosure, the installation location of odor detection unit 210 is not limited to this. For example, odor detection unit 210 may be disposed on an exhaust path (not shown in the first embodiment) that exhausts heat and the like from inside the container to the outside of automatic bread maker 1 a.

[0040] Furthermore, to improve the measurement accuracy of odor detection unit 210, air containing volatile components inside the container and outside air may be alternately flowed through the exhaust path. In this case, automatic bread maker 1a may be equipped with an intake path for introducing outside air into the exhaust path, an air pump, and a solenoid valve for switching the flow path. This allows the air inside the container and outside air to alternately flow through odor detection unit 210.

[0041] The odor detection unit 210 detects multiple volatile components emitted from the breadmaking ingredients or dough in the container and transmits an odor pattern that indicates the characteristics of the detected volatile components to the determination unit 111. The odor pattern is composed of a complex of multiple electrical signals corresponding to the multiple detected volatile components. The detailed configurations and operations of the odor detection unit 210 and the determination unit 111 will be described later.

[0042] The configuration of the control unit 110 will be described using Figure 2. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the automatic bread maker 1a according to embodiment 1. As shown in Figure 2, the control unit 110 is disposed inside the lid 5, and includes a determination unit 111, a storage unit 112, a control information generation unit 113, and a time measurement unit 114.

[0043] The storage unit 112 stores predetermined sequence control information, odor patterns, etc. corresponding to the cooking steps included in each of the multiple bread making courses. The storage unit 112 also stores the odor patterns detected by the odor detection unit 210 and the control information generated by the control information generation unit 113.

[0044] The time measurement unit 114 measures the process time of the cooking process, the heating time of the heating unit 6, the time required for the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 11 to reach a predetermined temperature, the rotation time of the kneading motor 7, etc. By comparing this information with predetermined sequence control information stored in the memory unit 112, it is possible to grasp the progress of the cooking process included in the bread making course.

[0045] The determination unit 111 determines the state of the bread-making ingredients or dough by comparing the odor pattern transmitted from the odor detection unit 210 with an odor pattern corresponding to the cooking step included in the bread-making course selected by the operation unit 12, among the odor patterns pre-stored in the memory unit 112. If the determination unit 111 determines that the state of the bread-making ingredients or dough is not as intended, it transmits the determination result to the control information generation unit 113.

[0046] Based on the determination result, the control information generator 113 generates control information for controlling the bread ingredients or dough to a predetermined state. The control information is, for example, changes to parameters included in the sequence control information, such as the process time, the output of the heating unit 6, the heating time of the heating unit 6, the temperature detected by the temperature detector 11, the rotation speed of the kneading motor 7, and the driving time of the kneading motor 7.

[0047] The control unit 110 transmits the generated control information to the heating unit 6 or the kneading motor 7. The heating unit 6 or the kneading motor 7 heats or kneads the bread ingredients or dough based on the transmitted control information.

[0048] If the determination unit 111 determines that there is no difference between the two compared odor patterns, the control information generation unit 113 does not generate control information. In this case, the automatic bread maker 1a automatically performs the processes from fermentation to baking of the bread ingredients or dough based on predetermined sequence control information corresponding to the cooking steps included in the bread making course pre-stored in the memory unit 112.

[0049] 3, the odor detection unit 210 will be described. As described above, the odor detection unit 210 detects volatile components that are generated when breadmaking ingredients or bread dough are cooked.

[0050] Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of odor detection unit 210 in the cooking appliance according to embodiment 1. As shown in Fig. 3, odor detection unit 210 is an odor sensor including a plurality of sensor elements 211. A sensitive film 213 that forms a pair with sensor element 211 is applied to a surface 212 of each of the plurality of sensor elements 211. In embodiment 1, 16 sensor elements 211 are arranged in 4 rows and 4 columns to form one odor sensor.

[0051] The sensitive film 213 has the property of adsorbing volatile components. When a specific volatile component is adsorbed by the sensitive film 213, the electrical characteristics of the sensor element 211 to which the sensitive film 213 is applied, such as a change in the resonant frequency and the electrical resistance value, change.

[0052] After the volatile components are adsorbed, the volatile components adsorbed on the sensitive film 213 are desorbed by, for example, "raising the temperature of the sensor element 211" or "exposing the sensor element 211 to air." This causes the electrical characteristics of the sensor element 211 to return to the state before adsorption. By repeating the adsorption and desorption of the volatile components as described above, each of the 16 sensor elements 211 outputs a unique pulse-like signal. The 16 sensitive films 213 are of different types.

[0053] In the first embodiment, each of the 16 sensitive membranes 213 is paired with a corresponding one of the 16 sensor elements 211. The 16 sensitive membranes 213 are of different types. The volatile components generated during cooking include multiple volatile components. When each of the 16 sensitive membranes 213 adsorbs a specific volatile component among the multiple volatile components, the sensor element corresponding to that sensitive membrane outputs a predetermined signal. These signals from the 16 sensor elements 211 are transmitted to the determination unit 111 via the signal cable 214 as an odor pattern, which will be described later.

[0054] Generally, during cooking, a single volatile component is not generated, but multiple volatile components are generated simultaneously depending on the cooking environment, the state of the food, the heating of the food, etc. In the first embodiment, during fermentation of the bread dough, various volatile components are generated simultaneously, such as carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol, which are the main components, as well as higher alcohols and esters that contribute to the flavor of the bread.

[0055] As described above, when each of the sensitive films 213 adsorbs a specific volatile component corresponding to that sensitive film, the sensor element corresponding to that sensitive film outputs a predetermined signal. That is, the odor detection unit 210 outputs an odor pattern that is a composite of the output signals of the multiple sensor elements 211 (see FIG. 6 described below). The determination unit 111 compares this odor pattern with odor patterns pre-stored in the memory unit 112 to determine the fermentation state of the bread-making ingredients or dough.

[0056] The ratio of output signals from the multiple sensor elements 211 in one odor pattern does not depend on the amount of bread ingredients or dough. Specifically, the amount of volatile components from dough differs between a one-loaf loaf and a half-loaf loaf. However, the ratio of output signals from the multiple sensor elements 211 that make up the odor pattern does not differ between a one-loaf loaf and a half-loaf loaf. In other words, during the cooking process, the fermentation state of the bread ingredients or dough can be determined based on the odor pattern, regardless of the amount of dough.

[0057] In the first embodiment, the odor detection unit 210 has 16 sensor elements 211. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, when distinguishing between multiple similar bread making courses or multiple similar cooking steps in a single bread making course, or when distinguishing between multiple bread making ingredients or doughs with different odor characteristics, the number of sensor elements 211 may be 60 or more.

[0058] For odor detection equivalent to the human sense of smell, the number of sensor elements 211 may be set to 400, which is the same as the number of human olfactory receptors. For precise odor detection, the number of sensor elements 211 may be set to 800 or more. In this case, the detection ability of the odor detection unit 210 will be comparable to that of a dog's sense of smell.

[0059] In the first embodiment, the multiple sensitive films 213 are of different types. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the same type of sensitive film 213 may be applied to some parts of the sensor element 211, and differences in the response characteristics of each sensor element 211 may be detected.

[0060] In the first embodiment, the odor detection unit 210 is an odor sensor including multiple sensor elements 211. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the odor detection unit 210 may be configured with a combination of two or more odor sensors having different detection characteristics, and the odor patterns detected by each odor sensor may be transmitted to the determination unit 111.

[0061] The greater the number of sensor elements 211, the greater the number of output signals that make up the odor pattern. This complicates the creation of odor pattern data pre-stored in the memory unit 112 and newly stored odor pattern data. In this case, artificial intelligence (AI) may be used to create the pattern data.

[0062] The user inputs their judgment of the bread's doneness into the automatic bread maker 1a, and the AI ​​recognizes the correlation between the odor pattern detected by the odor detection unit 210 and the finished bread ingredients or dough. This creates odor pattern data, which is then stored in the memory unit 112.

[0063] In the first embodiment, data is stored in the storage unit 112 included in the automatic bread maker 1a. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the automatic bread maker 1a may have a communication function to store data on the cloud.

[0064] [1-1-3. Cooking Processes of the Automatic Bread Maker 1a] The cooking processes of the automatic bread maker 1a will be described using Figure 4. Figure 4 is a timing chart of the cooking processes of the automatic bread maker 1a. As shown in Figure 4, the cooking processes included in a typical bread making course include a kneading process, a first proofing process, a second proofing process, and a baking process.

[0065] The kneading process is a process for making bread dough from bread ingredients. The bread ingredients include flour, sugar, salt, dry yeast, water, etc. In the kneading process, the bread ingredients are kneaded and mixed using a kneading blade 9 driven by a kneading motor 7. In the first embodiment, kneading and mixing using the kneading blade 9 are performed in stages. Specifically, as shown in waveform (C) of FIG. 4, two rounds of kneading and mixing are performed, and a "resting" period is performed in which the kneading motor 7 is not operated during the remaining time. In the first embodiment, the number of mixing rounds is set to two, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The number of mixing rounds is determined according to the cooking process included in the selected bread making course.

[0066] In the kneading process, the temperature of the ingredients is controlled so that they are mixed at a predetermined temperature. As shown in waveforms (A) and (B) in Figure 4, the control unit 110 controls the heating unit 6 to heat the heating chamber 3 based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 11, and maintains the temperature of the ingredients at a predetermined first temperature T1 (usually around 25°C) until the time measured by the time measurement unit 114 reaches a predetermined first time t1 (usually around 60 minutes).

[0067] If the detected temperature reaches the first temperature T1 before the measured time reaches the first time t1, the control unit 110 controls the heating unit 6 to maintain the detected temperature at the first temperature T1.

[0068] As described above, gluten is generated by kneading, mixing, and leaving the dough at temperatures close to those of the ambient air, and the bread-making ingredients become elastic and stretchable dough.

[0069] After the kneading step is completed, the cooking process moves to the first proofing step. In the first proofing step, the container is heated by the heating unit 6 until the temperature of the dough reaches a predetermined second temperature T2 (usually around 30°C) to promote yeast fermentation, based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 11, as shown in waveforms (A) and (B) in Figure 4.

[0070] After the detected temperature reaches the second temperature T2, the control unit 110 controls the heating unit 6 to maintain the detected temperature at the second temperature T2 for a period from a predetermined second time t2 to a predetermined third time t3 (usually around 90 minutes).

[0071] This promotes the fermentation of the yeast contained in the dough, generating gases containing various volatile components such as methyl alcohol and carbon dioxide inside the dough. The generated gases are retained by the gluten in the dough, causing the dough to rise.

[0072] The kneading of the dough with the kneading blade 9 is carried out during the period from the second time t2 to the third time t3 after the dough temperature has been heated to the second temperature T2. In the first embodiment, the dough is kneaded three times, as shown by waveform (C) in Figure 4. This allows the carbon dioxide gas bubbles to be uniformly distributed in the dough, allowing the dough to rise uniformly and stably.

[0073] In addition, some of the carbon dioxide gas is expelled from the dough, and new air is introduced into the dough, promoting further fermentation of the yeast. By repeating this process, the dough made in the first fermentation step is firm and prevents excessive expansion. In the first embodiment, the dough is kneaded three times, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. The number of kneading times is determined according to the cooking steps included in the selected bread-making course.

[0074] After the first rise step is completed, the cooking process moves to the second rise step. In the second rise step, the container is heated by the heating unit 6 until the temperature of the dough reaches a predetermined third temperature T3 (usually around 35°C) to promote yeast rise, based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 11, as shown in waveforms (A) and (B) in Figure 4.

[0075] After the detected temperature reaches the third temperature T3, the control unit 110 controls the heating unit 6 to maintain the detected temperature at the third temperature T3 for a period from a predetermined fourth time t4 to a predetermined fifth time t5 (usually around 45 minutes). In this way, the bread dough finished in the first fermentation step is fermented again.

[0076] This produces various volatile components such as higher alcohols, esters, and acids that give bread flavor in the dough, softening the gluten and producing bread dough that cooks well and has good elasticity.

[0077] In the first embodiment, the dough is not kneaded in the second rising step, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. Whether or not the dough is kneaded in the second rising step is determined depending on the cooking steps included in the selected bread-making course.

[0078] After the second rising step is completed, the cooking process moves to the baking step. In the baking step, the container is heated by the heating unit 6 until the temperature of the dough reaches a predetermined fourth temperature T4 (usually around 150°C) for baking the dough, based on the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 11, as shown in waveforms (A) and (B) in Figure 4.

[0079] After the detected temperature reaches the fourth temperature T4, the control unit 110 controls the heating unit 6 to maintain the detected temperature at the fourth temperature T4 for a predetermined period from a sixth time t6 to a seventh time t7 (usually about 40 minutes), thereby baking the bread dough.

[0080] From the kneading process to the second rising process, volatile components are generated from the dough as it rises. After the ingredients are formed into the dough, the volatile components generated from the dough change over time. Before the ingredients are formed into the dough, and when not much time has passed since the dough was formed, volatile components specific to the ingredients, such as flour, butter, and yeast, are generated.

[0081] However, as fermentation progresses, the yeast promotes the alcoholic fermentation of the dough, producing volatile components such as methyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. As alcoholic fermentation progresses further, volatile components such as higher alcohols, esters, and acids that give bread its flavor are produced.

[0082] 5 and 6, the detection method of the odor detection unit 210 will be described. For ease of explanation, certain sensor elements Sd, Se, Sf, and Sg selected as samples from the multiple sensor elements 211 that make up the odor detection unit 210 will be used.

[0083] Figure 5 shows the time-dependent changes in the output signals of the sensor elements Sd, Se, Sf, and Sg. The wavy line (Ta) in Figure 5 indicates the timing Ta at which the odor detection unit 210 detects the odor during the initial stage of fermentation in the latter half of the kneading process. The odor detection timing Ta corresponds to the timing of the block arrow (Ta) on the left side of the waveform (A) in Figure 4.

[0084] The wavy line (Tb) in Fig. 5 indicates the odor detection timing Tb in the middle stage of fermentation in the latter half of the first fermentation process. The odor detection timing Tb corresponds to the timing of the central block arrow (Tb) in the waveform (A) in Fig. 4. The wavy line (Tc) in Fig. 5 indicates the odor detection timing Tc in the final stage of fermentation in the latter half of the second fermentation process. The odor detection timing Tc corresponds to the timing of the block arrow (Tc) on the right in the waveform (A) in Fig. 4.

[0085] 6 is a graph showing the odor pattern represented by the output signals of sensor elements Sd, Se, Sf, and Sg. In the early stages of fermentation, a raw odor is generated in large amounts, which are volatile components specific to bread-making ingredients such as flour, butter, and yeast. In this case, the volatile components are detected by sensor elements Sd and Se (see graph (a) in FIG. 6).

[0086] In the middle stage of fermentation after the dough is formed from the bread-making ingredients, volatile components such as ethyl alcohol, isoamyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, ethyl lactate, acetic acid, and lactic acid are generated as the fermentation progresses. These volatile components are detected by the sensor elements Sf and Sg (see graph (b) in FIG. 6).

[0087] At the final stage of fermentation, the volatile components detected by sensor elements Sd and Se at the early stage of fermentation decrease, while the volatile components detected by sensor elements Sf and Sg at the middle stage of fermentation increase (see graph (c) in Figure 6).

[0088] According to Non-Patent Document 1, in addition to the volatile components listed above, 2-methylbutyl acetate and 2-phenylethanol monotonically increase as the fermentation of bread dough progresses, while ethylbenzene monotonically decreases as the fermentation progresses.

[0089] As described above, as the fermentation of the bread dough progresses, some volatile components increase and others decrease. In other words, the detection information detected and output by the odor detection unit 210 forms a unique odor pattern at each stage of the fermentation process.

[0090] That is, graphs (a), (b), and (c) in Figure 6 show odor patterns composed of a composite of output signals from multiple sensor elements 211 detected at the aforementioned odor detection times Ta, Tb, and Tc (see Figure 4), respectively.

[0091] The odor pattern changes from the early stage of fermentation (graph (a) in FIG. 6) to the final stage of fermentation (graph (c) in FIG. 6). In other words, it is possible to recognize based on the odor pattern that the state of the bread dough changes as the fermentation process progresses. The odor detection unit 210 transmits the detected odor pattern to the determination unit 111 at a predetermined timing.

[0092] The automatic bread maker 1a according to the first embodiment is pre-loaded with a plurality of bread making courses. The sequence control information corresponding to the cooking steps included in each bread making course, the types, amounts, and mixing ratios of the ingredients, etc., vary for each bread making course.

[0093] For example, the standard "white bread" course uses only strong flour. The "rye bread" course uses strong flour and rye flour. The "whole wheat bread" course uses whole wheat flour. The "rice bread" course uses wheat flour and cooked rice.

[0094] Generally, there is not much difference in the types of ingredients or mixing ratios used for the "white bread" course, the rich-tasting "pain de mie" course, and the quick-baked "quick bread" course, but the fermentation process time differs.

[0095] For example, when comparing the "white bread" course and the "pain de mie" course, the fermentation process time for the "pain de mie" course is approximately 50 minutes longer than that for the "white bread" course. Specifically, the times for the kneading and fermentation processes are extended so that more aroma components such as organic acids and higher alcohols are produced.

[0096] That is, in the "pain de mie" course, the judgment unit 111 ends the judgment at the time when an odor pattern with a high composition ratio of the output signals of the sensor elements Sf, Sg that detect organic acids and higher alcohols appears at the final stage of fermentation. This allows for the baking of a pain de mie with a richer flavor.

[0097] Comparing the "White Bread" course and the "Quick Bread" course, the fermentation process time for the "Quick Bread" course is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes shorter than that of the "White Bread" course. Specifically, in order to bake bread in a shorter time, the fermentation process time is shortened to the extent that the bread's aroma is not compromised.

[0098] As described above, the volatile components generated during fermentation of bread dough vary depending on the type, amount, and mixing ratio of the breadmaking ingredients used in each breadmaking course, as well as the fermentation time, etc. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the memory unit 112 of the control unit 110 stores multiple odor patterns corresponding to the cooking steps included in the breadmaking course.

[0099] The automatic bread maker 1a according to the first embodiment also includes a cooking menu for cooking amazake (sweet sake) using rice koji. The raw materials for amazake are rice and dried rice koji, and the various volatile components that are generated from the rice and dried rice koji during the fermentation process, such as those resulting from lactic acid fermentation, are different from the volatile components generated from the bread dough. However, as with the multiple bread-making courses described above, the odor patterns generated from the rice and dried rice koji during the amazake fermentation process are stored in advance in the memory unit 112, allowing the determination to be completed.

[0100] [1-2. Operation] The operation and function of the automatic bread maker 1a configured as above will now be described.

[0101] [1-2-1. Odor Determination Operation] The odor determination in the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 7, and 8. FIG.

[0102] The user operates the operation switches of the operation unit 12 to set the bread making course for the automatic bread maker 1a while looking at the liquid crystal display panel of the notification unit 13. In response, the control unit 110 starts the operation of the automatic bread maker 1a based on the predetermined sequence control information associated with the selected bread making course and stored in the memory unit 112.

[0103] First, the operation of odor detection during the kneading process will be described.

[0104] In the kneading process, odor detection is performed at odor detection timing Ta (see FIG. 4 ). The odor detection timing Ta occurs in the latter half of the kneading process. In the kneading process, the breadmaking ingredients are formed into dough, and the dough is left to rest for a sufficient period. At this timing, the control unit 110 determines whether the cooking process can proceed to the next rise process.

[0105] 7 is a flowchart showing the odor detection operation during the kneading process. As shown in Fig. 7, immediately before the odor detection timing Ta (see Fig. 4), the control unit 110 temporarily stops cooking of the ingredients in the automatic bread maker 1a and waits (step S101).

[0106] Specifically, the control unit 110 stops the operation of the heating unit 6 and the kneading motor 7 for a period of time (e.g., 20 to 60 seconds) that allows the temperature of the ingredients to be maintained at the first temperature T1. This allows the state of the ingredients to stabilize before odor detection is performed, allowing accurate odor detection to be performed according to the state of the ingredients.

[0107] In the first embodiment, the cooking of the bread-making ingredients is temporarily stopped before odor detection is performed. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The control unit 110 may continuously perform odor detection and perform odor detection after confirming that the odor pattern is stable.

[0108] At odor detection timing Ta (see FIG. 4), the odor detection unit 210 performs odor detection continuously (for example, for 1 to 60 seconds). The odor detection unit 210 transmits the detected odor pattern to the determination unit 111 (step S102).

[0109] In the first embodiment, the time period for which the odor detection unit 210 continuously detects odors is set to 1 to 60 seconds, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. This time period may be changed depending on, for example, the number of sensor elements 211 or the amount of volatile components generated from the bread-making ingredients at the time of odor detection.

[0110] The determination unit 111 performs odor determination (step S103) by comparing the detected odor pattern with odor patterns previously stored in the memory unit 112 based on the difference or ratio calculated from these odor patterns.

[0111] The determination unit 111 determines whether the detected odor pattern corresponds to the target odor (step S104). Specifically, the determination unit 111 determines whether the difference or ratio is within a predetermined range.

[0112] If the detected odor pattern is within a predetermined range associated with the odor pattern previously stored in the memory unit 112 (Yes in step S104), the judgment unit 111 judges that the fermentation state of the bread-making ingredients formed into the bread dough during the kneading process has been completed as intended, and ends the odor judgment.

[0113] In this case, the odor pattern detected by the odor detection unit 210 is not stored in the memory unit 112. The operation of the control unit 110 for storing the odor pattern and control information in the memory unit 112 will be described later.

[0114] On the other hand, if the result in step S104 is No, the determining unit 111 determines that the dough has not been finished to the desired state in the kneading process.

[0115] In this case, the time measurement unit 114 calculates the odor determination possible time (step S105). Specifically, the odor determination possible time is calculated by subtracting the time required to perform a new odor determination from the difference between the process time of the kneading process and the time from the start of the kneading process to the most recent odor determination.

[0116] The time required to perform a new odor judgment is the time required to perform steps S101, S102, S103, S104 (via the No judgment path), S105, S106 (via the Yes judgment path), S108, S109, and S110.

[0117] Next, the determination unit 111 determines whether or not time remains to perform odor determination (step S106). If the result of step S106 is No, the control unit 110 associates the odor pattern last detected by the odor detection unit 210 with the last generated control information and stores them in the memory unit 112 (step S107), and ends odor determination. If the result of step S106 is Yes, the control information generation unit 113 generates control information (step S108).

[0118] The control unit 110 changes the control information for a predetermined sequence pre-stored in the memory unit 112 to the control information generated by the control information generator 113 (step S109). In the kneading process, the control unit 110 changes the energization time, energization timing, and heating output of the heating unit 6, the rotation speed and drive time of the kneading motor 7, the process time of the kneading process, etc., while maintaining the temperature of the bread-making ingredients at the first temperature T1 (see FIG. 4).

[0119] For example, if the detected amount of volatile components of a particular ingredient among the ingredients is low, the control unit 110 changes the rotation speed of the kneading motor 7 according to the state of the ingredients to promote mixing and kneading of the ingredients.

[0120] The control unit 110 operates the automatic bread maker 1a based on the changed sequence control information (step S110), and puts the automatic bread maker 1a into standby to perform a new odor evaluation (step S101).

[0121] The control unit 110 determines whether the ingredients have been formed into dough and whether the dough has reached the desired fermentation state by the time the kneading process has elapsed (step S104). If the answer is Yes in step S104, the control unit 110 may transition the cooking process to the next step, the first fermentation process, before the process time has elapsed. This shortens the time it takes to bake the bread.

[0122] In this case, the control unit 110 may cause the notification unit 13 to notify that the bread-making ingredients have reached the target state before the process time has elapsed, and then proceed to the next cooking process based on the user's approval. This allows bread to be baked within the time desired by the user.

[0123] The control unit 110 may put the automatic bread maker 1a on standby until the processing time for the kneading process has elapsed. In this case, the control unit 110 continuously checks the state of the dough based on the odor pattern detected during the standby state.

[0124] If the state of the dough changes during standby, the control unit 110 may immediately move the cooking process to the next process to bring the dough to the target state. The control unit 110 may also extend the time of a process other than the current process to adjust it to a time desired by the user.

[0125] If the odor detection unit 210 detects an odor pattern not attributable to the object to be heated 2 during the kneading process, the control unit 110 may cause the notification unit 13 to notify the user of the detection result and then ask the user to decide whether or not to continue operating the automatic bread maker 1a. The memory unit 112 pre-stores data on odor patterns not attributable to the kneading process, such as the smell of burnt dough or an unpleasant odor from a component of the automatic bread maker 1a.

[0126] If the odor detection unit 210 detects an odor pattern that is not caused by the kneading process, the control unit 110 may have the notification unit 13 notify the detection result and then immediately stop the automatic bread maker 1a without requesting a decision from the user.

[0127] The operation of odor detection during the fermentation process will be described below.

[0128] In the kneading process, the food to be cooked is the ingredients or dough. In the fermentation process, the food to be cooked is dough, since the ingredients have already been formed into dough in the kneading process.

[0129] 4, in the first rise step, odor judgment is performed at odor detection timing Tb, and in the second rise step, odor judgment is performed at odor detection timing Tc. Odor detection timings Tb and Tc are in the latter half of the first rise step and the second rise step, respectively. The control unit 110 judges whether the bread dough is in the target rise state at each timing in the two rise steps.

[0130] 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of odor detection in the fermentation process. The operation of odor detection in the first fermentation process and the second fermentation process is almost the same. Therefore, the operation of the first fermentation process will be explained, and matters specific to the second fermentation process will be explained as appropriate.

[0131] As shown in Figure 8, the control unit 110 temporarily stops the dough cooking function of the automatic bread maker 1a immediately before the odor detection timing Tb or Tc (see Figure 4) and puts the automatic bread maker 1a into standby mode (step S201).

[0132] Specifically, in the first rise step, the control unit 110 stops the operation of the heating unit 6 and the kneading motor 7 for a time period (e.g., 20 to 60 seconds) that allows the dough temperature to be maintained at the second temperature T2. In the second rise step, the control unit 110 stops the operation of the heating unit 6 and the kneading motor 7 for a time period (e.g., 20 to 60 seconds) that allows the dough temperature to be maintained at the third temperature T3. This allows the dough to stabilize before odor detection is performed, enabling accurate odor detection to be performed according to the dough state.

[0133] In the first embodiment, odor detection is performed by temporarily stopping the cooking function. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. Odor detection may be performed continuously, and odor detection may be performed after confirming that the detected odor pattern is stable.

[0134] At odor detection timing Tb or Tc (see FIG. 4), the odor detection unit 210 performs odor detection continuously (for example, for 1 to 60 seconds). The odor detection unit 210 transmits the detected odor pattern to the determination unit 111 (step S202).

[0135] In the first embodiment, the time period during which the odor detection unit 210 continuously detects odors is set to 1 to 60 seconds, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. This time period may be changed depending on, for example, the number of sensor elements 211 or the amount of volatile components generated from the dough at the time of odor detection.

[0136] The determination unit 111 performs odor determination (step S203) by comparing the detected odor pattern with odor patterns previously stored in the memory unit 112 based on the difference or ratio calculated from these odor patterns.

[0137] The determination unit 111 determines whether the detected odor pattern corresponds to the desired odor (step S204). Specifically, the determination unit 111 determines whether the difference or ratio is within a predetermined range. A Yes determination in step S204 means that the bread dough has been fermented to the desired state.

[0138] Next, the judgment unit 111 judges whether the odor pattern that was not as intended in the previous process and the control information generated by the control information generation unit 113 are stored in the memory unit 112 (step S210).

[0139] If the odor pattern and control information have been stored in the memory unit 112 in the previous process (Yes in step S210), the determination unit 111 stores the result of determining that the most recent bread dough has been finished as intended in the memory unit 112 in association with the odor pattern and control information stored in the previous process (step S211).The determination unit 111 then terminates the odor determination.

[0140] The preceding process refers to the kneading process in the odor judgment of the first fermentation process, and refers to the kneading process and the first fermentation process in the odor judgment of the second fermentation process. In other words, if there are multiple odor judgments before the process in which the odor judgment is made, all of the multiple odor judgments are considered to be preceding processes.

[0141] If the result of step S210 is No, the judgment unit 111 determines that the bread-making ingredients or dough have been finished as intended from the previous process, and ends the odor judgment without storing the detected odor pattern in the memory unit 112.

[0142] If the detected odor pattern is not within a predetermined range associated with the odor pattern previously stored in the memory unit 112 (No in step S204), the judgment unit 111 determines that the bread dough has not been finished to the desired state during the kneading process.

[0143] In this case, the time measurement unit 114 calculates the odor determination possible time (step S205). Specifically, the odor determination possible time is calculated by subtracting the time required to perform a new odor determination from the difference between the process time of the fermentation process and the time from the start of the fermentation process to the most recent odor determination.

[0144] The time required to perform a new odor judgment is the time required to perform steps S201, S202, S203, S204 (via the No judgment path), S205, S206 (via the Yes judgment path), S207, S208, and S209.

[0145] Next, the determination unit 111 determines whether or not there is time remaining to perform odor determination (step S206).

[0146] If the result of step S206 is No, the judgment unit 111 judges whether the odor pattern that was not as intended in the previous process and the control information generated by the control information generation unit 113 are stored in the memory unit 112 (step S212).

[0147] If the result of step S212 is Yes, the judgment unit 111 stores the result of judging that the most recent bread dough has been finished as intended in the memory unit 112 in association with the odor pattern and control information stored in the previous process (step S213), and ends the odor judgment.

[0148] If the result of step S212 is No, the judgment unit 111 associates the last detected odor pattern with the last generated control information and stores them in the memory unit 112 (step S214), and ends the odor judgment.

[0149] If the result of step S206 is Yes, the control information generator 113 generates control information (step S207).

[0150] The control unit 110 changes the control information for a predetermined sequence pre-stored in the memory unit 112 to the control information generated by the control information generation unit 113 (step S208). In the proofing process, the control unit 110 maintains the temperature of the dough at a second temperature T2 in the first proofing process and at a third temperature T3 in the second proofing process (see FIG. 4). At the same time, the control unit 110 changes at least one parameter, such as the power-on time, power-on timing, and heating output of the heating unit 6, the rotation speed and drive time of the kneading motor 7, the process time of the first proofing process, and the process time of the second proofing process.

[0151] For example, if the control unit 110 determines that the fermentation of the dough is insufficient, it will extend the third time t3 of the first fermentation step or the fifth time t5 of the second fermentation step to promote fermentation. If the control unit 110 determines that the fermentation state of the dough requires degassing, it will change the rotation speed of the kneading motor 7 according to the fermentation state of the dough to degas it.

[0152] The control unit 110 operates the automatic bread maker 1a based on the changed sequence control information (step S209), and puts the automatic bread maker 1a into standby to perform a new odor evaluation (step S201).

[0153] If the control unit 110 determines Yes in step S204 before the process time for the fermentation process has elapsed, the control unit 110 may transition the cooking process to the next process before the process time has elapsed, thereby shortening the time required to bake the bread.

[0154] In this case, the control unit 110 may cause the notification unit 13 to notify that the dough has reached the target state before the process time has elapsed, and then proceed to the next cooking process based on the user's approval. This allows the bread to be baked within the time desired by the user.

[0155] The control unit 110 may put the automatic bread maker 1a on standby until the fermentation process time has elapsed. In this case, the control unit 110 continuously checks the state of the dough based on the odor pattern detected during standby.

[0156] If the state of the dough changes during standby, the control unit 110 may immediately move the cooking process to the next process to bring the dough to the target state. The control unit 110 may also extend the time of a process other than the current process to adjust it to a time desired by the user.

[0157] Even if the fermentation state of the second fermentation step is detected during the first fermentation step, the control unit 110 may cause the notification unit 13 to notify that the bread dough has reached the fermentation state of the second fermentation step during the first fermentation step, and then proceed to the next cooking step based on the user's approval. This allows the bread to be baked at the time desired by the user.

[0158] The control unit 110 may put the automatic bread maker 1a on standby until the process time for the first rise step has elapsed. In this case, the control unit 110 continuously checks the condition of the dough based on the odor pattern detected during standby.

[0159] If the state of the dough changes during standby, the control unit 110 may immediately transition the cooking process to the second rise process to bring the dough to the target state. The control unit 110 may also extend the time of processes other than the second rise process to adjust to the time desired by the user.

[0160] If the odor detection unit 210 detects an odor pattern that is not attributable to the object to be heated 2 in the two fermentation processes, the control unit 110 may cause the notification unit 13 to notify the user of the detection result and then prompt the user to decide whether or not to continue operating the automatic bread maker 1a. The memory unit 112 pre-stores data on odor patterns that are not attributable to the two fermentation processes, such as the smell of burnt bread dough or an unpleasant odor from a component of the automatic bread maker 1a.

[0161] If the odor detection unit 210 detects an odor pattern that is not attributable to the two fermentation processes, the control unit 110 may have the notification unit 13 notify the detection result and then immediately stop the automatic bread maker 1a without requesting a decision from the user.

[0162] The timing of odor detection is not limited to that in the first embodiment. For example, odor detection may be performed multiple times in each process, or may be performed in the first or middle stages of a process. This allows for a more accurate understanding of the fermentation state of the dough. If the fermentation state of the dough is as intended, the control unit 110 can operate the automatic bread maker based on predetermined sequence control information corresponding to the cooking process.

[0163] If the dough is not fermented as intended, the control unit 110 can operate the automatic bread maker 1a while changing the predetermined sequence control information according to the cooking process. This allows the dough to ferment as intended, shortening the baking time and allowing the user to bake bread to the desired finish.

[0164] After the final odor judgment is performed through the above operations, the control unit 110 causes the notification unit 13 to notify the user that the fermentation process is complete, and the cooking process transitions to the baking process. When the baking process is complete, the control unit 110 causes the notification unit 13 to notify the user that the bread-making course is complete. In response to the notification that the fermentation process is complete, the user may remove the fermented dough from the container and bake the bread in an oven.

[0165] [1-2-2. Storage of Odor Pattern and Control Information] The operation of the control unit 110 when the odor pattern and the control information generated by the control information generation unit 113 are stored in the storage unit 112 will be described below.

[0166] When the memory unit 112 stores the odor pattern and the control information generated by the control information generation unit 113 at any step, the control unit 110 causes the notification unit 13 to prompt the user to input a judgment as to whether the finished bread was as desired.

[0167] In response, the user selects one of the following as the judgment result: "good," "passable," "poor," etc. In this example, "good" and "passable" are options for the desired finish, and "poor" is an option for the undesired finish.

[0168] However, the present disclosure is not limited to this example. For example, the user may be prompted to input details of the finished bread. This allows the bread to be baked to a finish that is closer to the user's desired finish.

[0169] When the user determines that the bread is finished as desired, if the same odor pattern is detected again in the same process during the next or subsequent bread-making cooking, the control unit 110 will operate the automatic bread maker 1a based on the control information stored in the memory unit 112 in association with the odor pattern.

[0170] If the user determines that the bread is not finished as desired, and the same odor pattern is detected again in the same process during the next or subsequent bread-making process, the control unit 110 generates control information that is different from the control information associated with the odor pattern and stored in the memory unit 112, and operates the automatic bread maker 1a based on that control information.

[0171] According to the first embodiment, it is possible to obtain various odor patterns according to multiple factors resulting from the fermentation state of the bread dough. These multiple factors include the amount, temperature, condition, and type of ingredients (flour, yeast, water, etc.), as well as the temperature of the automatic bread maker 1a, the temperature and humidity of the cooking space, and the changes in these values ​​over time during the fermentation process.

[0172] This allows the automatic bread maker 1a to accumulate data for making bread with the finish desired by the user, which in turn allows the dough to ferment stably and the bread to be baked with the finish desired by the user stably.

[0173] AI may be utilized as a method for generating control information in association with an odor pattern. Learning data is accumulated in the process of storing the odor pattern and the control information in the memory unit 112, and the AI ​​generates the control information based on the accumulated data.

[0174] AI is particularly effective when the number of sensor elements 211 is 400 or more, which is considered to correspond to the capabilities of human olfactory receptors, or when there are many odor detection timings, as the amount of data required to generate control information increases. In this case, the automatic bread maker 1a may have a communication function and store odor pattern data on the cloud.

[0175] In the first embodiment, an automatic bread maker has been described as an example of the cooking appliance 1. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The present disclosure can also be applied to appliances for making fermented foods such as amazake (sweet sake) and yogurt, and similar effects can be obtained by applying the present disclosure to these appliances.

[0176] [1-1-3. Effects, etc.] The first embodiment is a cooking device 1 that can perform a cooking process including a fermentation process of fermenting an object to be heated 2. The cooking device 1 includes a heating chamber 3 that accommodates the object to be heated 2, a heating unit 6 that heats the object to be heated 2 accommodated in the heating chamber 3, an odor detection unit 210 that detects the odor of the object to be heated 2 and outputs detection information, and a control unit.

[0177] The control unit stores the output pattern of the odor detection unit 210 according to the cooking state of the object to be heated 2, and compares the detection information with the output pattern to determine the state of the object to be heated 2. The control unit generates control information according to the state of the object to be heated 2, and controls the heating unit according to the control information.

[0178] According to this aspect, the fermentation state of the object 2 to be heated is determined based on the smell emitted from the object 2 to be heated, and cooking can be performed while changing the control information for cooking the object 2 in accordance with the state. This allows the cooking appliance 1 to always complete cooking of the object 2 to be heated in the same state.

[0179] In the cooking appliance 1 according to the first embodiment, the odor detection unit 210 performs odor detection at least twice. According to this aspect, the cooking appliance 1 can recognize the state of the object to be heated 2 as cooking progresses, based on the results determined by the multiple odor detections. The cooking appliance 1 appropriately generates control information according to the state of the object to be heated 2, and can always cook the object to be heated 2 in the same state.

[0180] The cooking device 1 according to the first embodiment further includes a kneading unit 10 for kneading the object to be heated 2 accommodated in the heating chamber 3. The odor detection unit 210 detects odors in the fermentation process.

[0181] According to this aspect, the fermentation state of the object to be heated 2 can be accurately recognized based on the result of odor detection. This allows appropriate generation of control information according to the fermentation state of the object to be heated 2, and the object to be heated 2 can always be cooked to the same state. For example, when the cooking appliance 1 recognizes that the bread dough needs to be degassed, it can drive the kneading unit 10 to degas the bread dough.

[0182] In the cooking appliance 1 according to the first embodiment, if the control unit 110 determines that the detection information output by the odor detection unit 210 is the same as the predetermined output pattern stored in the control unit 110 before the process time of the predetermined cooking process in which odor detection is performed has elapsed, the control unit 110 shifts the cooking process to a predetermined next process before the process time of the predetermined cooking process has elapsed. According to this aspect, bread with the finish desired by the user can be baked in a short time.

[0183] In the cooking appliance 1 according to the first embodiment, the control information generated by the control unit 110 includes at least one change in the process time of the cooking process, the output and heating time of the heating unit 6, the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 11, the rotation speed and driving time of the kneading unit 10 (of the kneading motor 7 of the kneading unit 10), etc. According to this aspect, it is possible to appropriately generate control information according to the state of the object 2 to be heated.

[0184] In the cooking appliance 1 according to the first embodiment, the control unit 110 temporarily stops the heating unit 6 and the kneading unit 10 before the odor detection unit 210 performs odor detection. According to this aspect, the state of the object 2 to be heated can be stabilized before odor detection is performed, and odor detection can be performed accurately.

[0185] The cooking appliance 1 according to the first embodiment further includes a notification unit 13 that notifies the user of the progress of the cooking process by voice or display. When the control unit 110 determines that the detection information output by the odor detection unit 210 is not derived from the object to be heated 2 in a predetermined cooking process, the control unit 110 causes the notification unit 13 to notify the user.

[0186] According to this aspect, it is possible to determine that a predetermined situation is not occurring during the cooking process of the heated object 2 based on the result of odor detection, and to notify the user that the cooking appliance 1 is not operating correctly. This allows the user to appropriately decide whether to stop the cooking appliance 1, restart the cooking, or the like.

[0187] In the cooking appliance 1 according to the first embodiment, when the control unit 110 determines that the detection information output by the odor detection unit 210 differs from the predetermined output pattern stored in the control unit 110, the control unit 110 determines whether or not there is time remaining to perform odor detection. According to this aspect, it is possible to determine whether odor detection can be performed repeatedly in a predetermined cooking process.

[0188] In the cooking appliance 1 of the first embodiment, when the control unit 110 determines that there is time remaining to perform odor determination, it generates control information according to the state of the object to be heated 2. According to this aspect, it is possible to repeatedly and appropriately generate control information according to the state of the object to be heated 2 in a predetermined cooking process.

[0189] In the heating cooker 1 according to embodiment 1, when the control unit 110 determines that the detection information output by the odor detection unit 210 is different from the predetermined output pattern stored in the control unit 110, the control unit 110 associates the control information generated by the control unit 110 before the odor determination with the detection information output by the odor detection unit 210 and stores them in the control unit 110.

[0190] According to this aspect, the control unit 110 can accumulate the odor determination results, thereby enhancing the odor determination database. Also, it is possible to omit the generation of control information according to the state of the object to be heated 2.

[0191] Second Embodiment Hereinafter, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0192] [2-1. Configuration] [2-1-1. Configuration of Microwave Oven 1b] In the second embodiment, the cooking appliance 1 is a home microwave oven with an oven function. Hereinafter, the microwave oven with an oven function will be simply referred to as a microwave oven.

[0193] The difference between the first embodiment and the second embodiment is that an odor detection unit 210 including a large number of sensor elements is mounted on a home microwave oven 1b. Explanation of components that operate and function in the same way as in the first embodiment will be omitted.

[0194] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a microwave oven 1b according to embodiment 2. As shown in Fig. 9, microwave oven 1b includes main body 4, heating chamber 3, heating unit 6, and microwave generating unit 14.

[0195] The heating chamber 3 is disposed inside the main body 4 and can accommodate an object to be heated 2 such as bread dough. The heating unit 6 is disposed inside the main body 4 above the heating chamber 3 and is a radiant heater that directly heats the object to be heated 2 (bread dough). The microwave generating unit 14 is, for example, a magnetron for heating the bread dough with microwaves.

[0196] The temperature detection unit 11 is an infrared sensor that is disposed on the upper side of the heating chamber 3 and detects the temperature of the dough. The temperature detected by the temperature detection unit 11 is transmitted to the control unit 110. The detailed configuration and operation of the control unit 110 will be described later.

[0197] Main body 4 has an operation unit 12 and an alarm unit 13, both located on its side. Operation unit 12 is made up of operation switches and the like, and alarm unit 13 is made up of a liquid crystal display panel, a speaker and the like. The user can operate operation unit 12 to select a bread making course for microwave oven 1b and set the desired bread doneness, etc. After setting the course, when the user presses a start key included in the operation switches, control unit 110 starts cooking using microwave oven 1b.

[0198] Notification unit 13 notifies the user of the determination result by determination unit 111 (see FIG. 10 ), which will be described later, and the progress of the bread making course by voice or display. In the second embodiment, notification unit 13 is included in microwave oven 1b. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, notification unit 13 may be included in a portable information terminal such as a smartphone that is connected to microwave oven 1b via a server or the like.

[0199] Odor detection unit 210 is disposed in exhaust path 15, which exhausts heat and other substances from inside heating chamber 3 to the outside of microwave oven 1b. This allows odor detection unit 210 to efficiently detect volatile components generated from bread dough rising or circulating inside heating chamber 3.

[0200] In the present disclosure, the location of the odor detection unit 210 is not limited to this, and may be any location where it can detect the volatile components (odor) emitted from the bread dough. For example, the odor detection unit 210 may be disposed at the outlet of the exhaust path 15.

[0201] Furthermore, to improve the measurement accuracy of odor detection unit 210, air containing volatile components inside heating chamber 3 and outside air may be alternately flowed through exhaust path 15. In this case, microwave oven 1b may be provided with an introduction path for introducing outside air into exhaust path 15, an air pump, and a solenoid valve for switching the flow path. This allows the air inside heating chamber 3 and outside air to alternately flow through odor detection unit 210.

[0202] The odor detection unit 210 detects multiple volatile components emitted from the bread dough in the heating chamber 3 and transmits an odor pattern indicating the characteristics of the detected volatile components to the determination unit 111. The odor pattern is composed of a complex of multiple electrical signals corresponding to the multiple detected volatile components. The configurations and operations of the odor detection unit 210 and the determination unit 111 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

[0203] The configuration of control unit 110 will be described using Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of microwave oven 1b according to embodiment 2. As shown in Fig. 10, control unit 110 is arranged inside main body 4, and includes determination unit 111, storage unit 112, control information generation unit 113, and time measurement unit 114.

[0204] The storage unit 112 stores predetermined sequence control information, odor patterns, etc. corresponding to the cooking steps included in each of the multiple bread making courses. The storage unit 112 also stores the odor patterns detected by the odor detection unit 210 and the control information generated by the control information generation unit 113.

[0205] Time measurement unit 114 measures the process time of the cooking process, the heating time of heating unit 6, the time it takes for the temperature detected by temperature detection unit 11 to reach a predetermined temperature, the operating time of the magnetron, etc. By comparing this information with predetermined sequence control information stored in memory unit 112, it is possible to grasp the progress of the cooking process included in the bread making course.

[0206] The determination unit 111 determines the state of the dough by comparing the odor pattern transmitted from the odor detection unit 210 with an odor pattern corresponding to the cooking step included in the bread-making course selected by the operation unit 12, among the odor patterns pre-stored in the memory unit 112. If the determination unit 111 determines that the state of the dough is not as intended, it transmits the determination result to the control information generation unit 113.

[0207] Based on the determination result, the control information generator 113 generates control information for controlling the dough to a predetermined state. The control information is, for example, changes to the process time, the output of the heating unit 6, the heating time of the heating unit 6, the temperature detected by the temperature detector 11, the magnetron output, the magnetron operating time, etc., which are included in the sequence control information.

[0208] The control unit 110 transmits the generated control information to the heating unit 6 or the magnetron. The heating unit 6 or the magnetron heats the dough based on the transmitted control information.

[0209] If determination unit 111 determines that there is no difference between the two compared odor patterns, control information generation unit 113 does not generate control information. In this case, microwave oven 1b automatically performs the processes from fermentation to baking of bread ingredients or bread dough based on predetermined sequence control information corresponding to the cooking steps included in the bread making course pre-stored in memory unit 112.

[0210] [2-2. Operation] The operation and function of the microwave oven 1b configured as above will now be described.

[0211] After placing the dough in the heating chamber 3, the user operates the operation unit 12 to select a dough fermentation course from the bread-making courses of the microwave oven 1b. The dough fermentation course includes a first fermentation step and a second fermentation step. The user again operates the operation unit 12 to set the temperatures for the first fermentation step and the second fermentation step. After setting the temperatures, when the user presses the start key included in the operation unit 12, the control unit 110 starts the dough fermentation course using the microwave oven 1b.

[0212] If microwave oven 1b does not have odor detection unit 210, the user sets the amount of dough and the fermentation times for the first and second fermentation steps according to the recipe book. However, in embodiment 2, the first and second fermentation steps are completed based on the odor detection, so there is no need to set the fermentation times.

[0213] Once these fermentation steps have begun, the progress and termination of the fermentation process of the bread dough is determined based on the odor determination, as in the first embodiment.

[0214] In the second embodiment, a microwave oven 1b has been described as an example of the cooking appliance 1. However, the present disclosure is not limited to this. The present disclosure can also be applied to, for example, an electric oven, a gas oven, or a dedicated incubator or thermo-hygrostat for fermenting food, and similar effects can be obtained by applying the present disclosure to these appliances.

[0215] [2-3. Effects, etc.] Microwave oven 1b according to embodiment 2 determines the fermentation state based on the output of odor detection unit 210, and proceeds or ends the fermentation process depending on the determination result. According to this aspect, even if cooking conditions such as the amount, temperature, state, and type of ingredients (flour, yeast, water, etc.), the state of microwave oven 1b such as temperature, the temperature and humidity of the cooking space, and changes in these values ​​over time during the fermentation process are different, fermentation can always be finished in the same way.

[0216] The present disclosure is applicable to a cooking device that heats and ferments food.

[0217] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Cooking device 1a Automatic bread maker 1b Microwave oven 2 Object to be heated 3 Heating chamber 4 Main body 5 Lid 6 Heating section 7 Kneading motor 8 Rotating shaft 9 Kneading blade 10 Kneading section 11 Temperature detection section 12 Operation section 13 Notification section 14 Microwave generation section 15 Exhaust path 110 Control section 111 Determination section 112 Memory section 113 Control information generation section 114 Time measurement section 210 Odor detection section 211, Sd, Se, Sf, Sg Sensor element 212 Surface 213 Sensitive film 214 Signal cable

Claims

1. A cooking device capable of performing a cooking process including a fermentation process for fermenting a heated object, comprising: a heating chamber configured to accommodate the heated object; a heating unit configured to heat the heated object accommodated in the heating chamber; an odor detection unit configured to detect the odor of the heated object and output detection information; and a control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to: store an output pattern of the odor detection unit according to a cooking state of the heated object; compare the detection information with the output pattern to determine the state of the heated object; generate control information according to the state of the heated object; and control the heating unit according to the control information.

2. The cooking device according to claim 1, wherein the odor detection unit is configured to perform the odor detection at least twice.

3. The heating cooker according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a kneading unit configured to knead the heated material contained in the heating chamber, and the odor detection unit configured to perform the odor detection during the fermentation process.

4. The heating cooker of claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to execute a next step of a specified cooking process before the process time of the specified cooking process in which the odor detection is performed has elapsed if the control unit determines that the detection information output by the odor detection unit is the same as a specified output pattern stored in the control unit before the process time of the specified cooking process has elapsed.

5. The heating cooker of claim 3, wherein the control information generated by the control unit includes at least one of: changing the process time of the cooking process; changing the output and heating time of the heating unit; changing the detected temperature in the temperature detection unit; and changing the rotation speed and drive time of the kneading unit.

6. The cooking device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to temporarily stop the heating unit and the kneading unit before the odor detection unit performs the odor detection.

7. A heating cooker as described in claim 3, further comprising an alarm unit configured to notify a user of the progress of the cooking process by voice or display, wherein the control unit is configured to cause the alarm unit to execute an alarm to the user when it determines that the detection information output by the odor detection unit is detection information not derived from the heated object in the cooking process.

8. The heating cooker of claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to determine whether or not there is time remaining to perform the odor judgment when it determines that the detection information output by the odor detection unit is different from a predetermined output pattern stored in the control unit.

9. The cooking device according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is configured to generate the control information according to a state of the object to be heated when it is determined that there is time remaining for making the determination.

10. The heating cooker described in claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to store, when it determines that the detection information output by the odor detection unit is different from the predetermined output pattern stored in the control unit, the control information generated by the control unit before the odor determination in association with the detection information output by the odor detection unit.

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