Coffee roasting apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed in one embodiment of the present invention is a coffee roasting apparatus comprising: a roasting chamber for roasting coffee beans; a wave guide having one end positioned inside the roasting chamber and the other end positioned outside the roasting chamber so as to transmit sound inside the roasting chamber to the outside of the roasting chamber; and a sound sensor for collecting the sound inside the roasting chamber transmitted by the wave guide.

Description

coffee roasting device

[0001] The present invention relates to a coffee roasting device.

[0002] Coffee is a beloved beverage for many. While coffee has a wide range of characteristics, including flavor, aroma, and mentally stimulating properties, its common characteristic stems from the coffee bean.

[0003] Coffee roasting is the process of heating green coffee beans for a specific period of time to transform them into brown or black beans. This process alters the internal components and characteristics of the beans, shaping the coffee's flavor and aroma. Therefore, roasting is a crucial step in determining the quality of coffee beans.

[0004] The degree of coffee roasting is determined by the roaster's judgment. Control of the roasting process also relies on the operator, so significant variations in bean quality can occur depending on the operator's experience and skill level.

[0005] The present invention provides a coffee roasting device capable of obtaining coffee beans of uniform quality regardless of the skill level of the operator.

[0006] The problems addressed by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above. Other problems and advantages of the present invention not mentioned above can be understood through the following description and will be more clearly understood through the embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, it will be appreciated that the problems and advantages addressed by the present invention can be realized by the means and combinations thereof set forth in the claims.

[0007] One embodiment of the present invention discloses a coffee roasting device including a roasting chamber for roasting coffee beans, a wave guide having one end positioned within the roasting chamber and the other end positioned outside the roasting chamber to transmit sound inside the roasting chamber to the outside of the roasting chamber, and an acoustic sensor for collecting sound inside the roasting chamber transmitted by the wave guide.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present invention, since the sound generated during coffee roasting can be easily heard by the worker, it can be helpful in controlling the coffee roasting process.

[0009] In addition, the color plate can be replaced or changed independently from the coffee roasting device in all coffee roasting devices, so it can be easily applied to coffee roasting devices that are already installed and in operation.

[0010] More objective and consistent coffee roasting process judgment and control through mechanical and statistical processing can contribute to improving the productivity of coffee beans and the quality of the results, regardless of the skill level of the operator.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a coffee roasting device according to one embodiment.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a side view schematically illustrating a color zone of the coffee roasting device of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment.

[0013] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the functions of a signal processing device.

[0014] FIGS. 4A and 4B are exemplary graphs of the time waveform and frequency of an acoustic signal generated in a coffee roasting device in a coffee roasting process according to one embodiment.

[0015] FIG. 5 is an example graph of applying a band-pass filter to the frequency of an acoustic signal generated in a coffee roasting device during a coffee roasting process according to one embodiment.

[0016] FIG. 6 is an example graph of applying a high-pass filter to the frequency of an acoustic signal generated in a coffee roasting device during a coffee roasting process according to one embodiment.

[0017] FIGS. 7A and 7B are exemplary graphs of an acoustic signal before and after applying a high pass filter to an acoustic signal in which a first crack occurs in a coffee roasting process according to one embodiment.

[0018] FIGS. 8A and 8B are exemplary graphs of acoustic signals before and after applying a high pass filter to an acoustic signal generated during a second crack in a coffee roasting process according to one embodiment.

[0019] One embodiment of the present invention discloses a coffee roasting device including a roasting chamber for roasting coffee beans, a wave guide having one end positioned within the roasting chamber and the other end positioned outside the roasting chamber to transmit sound inside the roasting chamber to the outside of the roasting chamber, and an acoustic sensor for collecting sound inside the roasting chamber transmitted by the wave guide.

[0020] In the present embodiment, the coffee roasting device may further include a trier that is connectable to the roasting chamber, and the waveguide may be positioned within the trier along the longitudinal direction of the trier.

[0021] In this embodiment, a signal processing device that receives and processes an acoustic signal collected by the acoustic sensor may be further included.

[0022] In this embodiment, the sound inside the roasting chamber may include a cracking sound of the coffee beans generated during the roasting process of the coffee beans, and the signal processing device may reduce background noise in the collected sound signal and amplify the cracking sound.

[0023] In this embodiment, the signal processing device can determine at least one of the number of coffee beans in which cracks have occurred, whether cracks have occurred in a group of coffee beans, and the end point of coffee roasting based on the collected acoustic signals.

[0024] In this embodiment, the signal processing device can diagnose the coffee roasting process status from the collected acoustic signal based on artificial intelligence learning.

[0025] In this embodiment, the signal processing device can determine the first crack time based on the crack sound, and the first crack time can be a time at which at least two crack sounds occur within 1 second after the first crack sound.

[0026] In this embodiment, the signal processing device can determine the time elapsed from the determined first crack point as the coffee roasting end point.

[0027] In this embodiment, the signal processing device can generate a control command to stop the operation of the roasting chamber at the end point of the coffee roasting.

[0028] In this embodiment, the signal processing device counts the number of times the cracking sound of the coffee beans occurs, and if the number of times the cracking sound of the counted coffee beans occurs is 70% or more of the total number of coffee beans put into the roasting chamber, it can be determined that the coffee roasting is finished.

[0029] In this embodiment, the signal processing device can generate a coffee roasting device failure notification signal when an acoustic signal corresponding to an acoustic signal generated when a coffee roasting device fails is generated from the collected acoustic signals.

[0030] In this embodiment, a terminal device may further be included that receives information processed by the signal processing device and manages a coffee roasting process using the received information.

[0031] In this embodiment, the terminal device may be a wireless terminal device.

[0032] The present invention is susceptible to various modifications and embodiments. Specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention to specific embodiments, but rather to encompass all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and technical scope of the present invention. In describing the present invention, detailed descriptions of related known technologies will be omitted if they are deemed to obscure the gist of the present invention.

[0033] Terms such as "first" and "second" may be used to describe various components, but the components should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another.

[0034] The terminology used in this application is solely for the purpose of describing specific embodiments and is not intended to limit the present invention. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Furthermore, in each drawing, components are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically depicted for convenience and clarity of explanation, and the sizes of each component do not entirely reflect their actual sizes.

[0035] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein may be used in their common sense to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should not be interpreted ideally or excessively unless explicitly defined otherwise.

[0036] In the description of each component, when it is described as being formed on or under, on and under include both those formed directly or through the intervention of other components, and the standards for on and under are explained based on the drawings.

[0037] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. In describing with reference to the attached drawings, identical or corresponding components are assigned the same drawing numbers, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0038] The fact that one embodiment of the present invention includes the configurations listed above does not mean that it consists only of these configurations, but rather that it basically includes these configurations, and that it may include other configurations (e.g., a widely known technology in coffee roasting devices), but a detailed description of the known technology is omitted as it may obscure the gist of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of a coffee roasting device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view schematically illustrating a color band of the coffee roasting device of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment, FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the functions of a signal processing device according to an embodiment in blocks, FIGS. 4A and 4B are graphs illustrating time waveforms and frequencies of an acoustic signal generated in a coffee roasting device during a coffee roasting process according to an embodiment, FIG. 5 is an exemplary graph illustrating application of a band-pass filter to the frequency of an acoustic signal generated in a coffee roasting device during a coffee roasting process according to an embodiment, and FIG. 6 is an exemplary graph illustrating application of a high-pass filter to the frequency of an acoustic signal generated in a coffee roasting device during a coffee roasting process according to an embodiment. FIGS. 7A and 7B are exemplary graphs illustrating acoustic signals before and after application of a high-pass filter to an acoustic signal in which a first crack occurs during a coffee roasting process according to an embodiment. FIGS. 8A and 8B are exemplary graphs of acoustic signals before and after applying a high pass filter to an acoustic signal generated during a second crack in a coffee roasting process according to one embodiment.

[0040] First, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a coffee roasting device (100) according to the present invention may include a roasting chamber (110), a waveguide (120) for transmitting sound inside the roasting chamber (110) to the outside of the roasting chamber (110), and an acoustic sensor (130) for collecting sound inside the roasting chamber (110) transmitted by the waveguide (120). In addition, the coffee roasting device (100) may further include a colorimeter (140) for checking the degree of roasting of coffee beans, a signal processing device (150) for receiving and processing an acoustic signal collected by the acoustic sensor (130), a speaker (160) for outputting an acoustic signal processed by the signal processing device (150), and a terminal device (170) for receiving information processed by the signal processing device (150) and managing a coffee roasting process with the information.

[0041] The roasting chamber (110) is a room where coffee beans are supplied and roasting of the coffee beans is performed.

[0042] The waveguide (120) is a tube that connects the roasting chamber (110) and the acoustic sensor (130), transmits sound waves in a size and shape that does not disturb the internal thermal environment, and can be cooled in the middle of the transmission path to reduce the heat transmitted to the acoustic sensor (130).

[0043] The waveguide (120) has one end positioned inside the roasting chamber (110) and the other end positioned outside the roasting chamber (110), so that it can transmit sound inside the roasting chamber (110) to the outside of the roasting chamber (110).

[0044] Additionally, the waveguide (120) may include a cooling unit (122). For example, the cooling unit (122) may surround at least a portion of the waveguide (120) exposed to the outside of the roasting chamber (110), and a coolant or the like may flow through the cooling unit (122). Accordingly, the waveguide (120) heated inside the roasting chamber (110) may be cooled to transmit a stable sound to the acoustic sensor (130).

[0045] An acoustic sensor (130) is a device that detects, distinguishes, and measures the physical quantity or changes in sound and reports them as a constant signal. The acoustic sensor (130) can detect the cracking sound, which is an important sound during coffee roasting.

[0046] Acoustic signals such as primary and secondary cracks that occur during the coffee roasting process can be important signals that indicate changes in the condition of coffee beans.

[0047] The onset or end of cracking is a critical milestone in controlling the coffee roasting process, and how this is assessed can have a significant impact on the quality of the final product. The large quantity of coffee beans collected within the roasting chamber is not uniform, so variations can occur during each process, and process assessments can vary depending on the operator. Mechanical and statistical assessment of coffee roasting conditions can improve coffee productivity and final product quality by providing a more objective and consistent process.

[0048] The beginning and end of the crack are crucial control points in coffee roasting, where rapid flavor development occurs. The crack, an indicator of the progress of the coffee roasting process, is something workers in the coffee roasting field focus on listening for.

[0049] However, it can be difficult to judge the exact moment of crack with the naked eye of the worker, as not all coffee beans explode at the same time, and the crack can be made even more difficult to hear by the noise of the coffee roasting equipment, the noise of the beans colliding with the roasting chamber, or the fact that some coffee roasting equipment is very well insulated.

[0050] To better hear the crack sound, most conventional methods install a microphone, a typical acoustic sensor, inside or outside the roasting chamber to obtain a signal, analyze it in the time series or frequency domain, and compare the result with a reference signal to determine whether a crack has occurred.

[0051] However, it is difficult for an acoustic sensor installed outside the roasting chamber to obtain acoustic signals generated inside the shielded roasting chamber in an environment where motors, fans, etc. are operating, and it is also not easy to install an acoustic sensor that can operate for a long time inside a roasting chamber at a temperature exceeding at least 220˚C.

[0052] The present invention has one end of a waveguide (120) connected to the interior of a roasting chamber (110), and the other end extending outside the roasting chamber (110), so that sound generated during coffee roasting can be transmitted to the outside. In addition, by using the waveguide (120), the acoustic sensor (130) can be protected from heat generated in the roasting chamber (110).

[0053] For example, the acoustic sensor (130) may include a microphone and may collect and amplify sound inside the roasting chamber (110) transmitted from the waveguide (120).

[0054] The coffee roasting device (100) may further include a scoop (140) that can be connected to the roasting chamber (110). The scoop (140) is a tool that allows several coffee beans to be taken out during the coffee roasting process to observe the degree of roasting. A hole into which a collection portion (144) of the scoop (140) can be inserted may be formed in the roasting chamber (110).

[0055] Referring to FIG. 2, the roasting tray (140) may include a handle (142) that can be held by a worker, a collection portion (144) that is connected to the handle (142) and inserted into the roasting chamber (110) to collect a portion of the coffee beans being roasted, and a stopper (146) between the handle (142) and the collection portion (144).

[0056] The handle (142) is located outside the roasting chamber (110) and may be formed of a material with low thermal conductivity so that it can be maintained at a temperature that can be directly manipulated by hand during coffee roasting. For example, the handle (142) may be made of wood or a polymer material.

[0057] The collection unit (144) is connected to the handle (142) and can be inserted into the roasting chamber (110). The collection unit (144) has a concave shape and collects several coffee beans being roasted, thereby allowing the operator to check the degree of roasting.

[0058] When the roasting chamber (110) is connected to the roasting chamber (110), the collection member (144) can be inserted into the roasting chamber (110) so that the concave portion faces downwards. If the concave portion of the collection member (144) faces downwards, when the collection member (144) is connected so that the concave portion faces upwards of the roasting chamber (110), coffee beans are contained in the concave portion of the collection member (144), which can prevent the coffee beans from being roasted evenly.

[0059] The worker can take out a few coffee beans from the sampler (140) to check the degree of roasting of the coffee beans. The worker can turn the sampler (140) inside the roasting chamber (110) so that the concave part of the collection part (144) faces upwards and determine the degree of roasting using the coffee beans contained in the collection part (144).

[0060] The stopper (146) between the handle (142) and the collection part (144) may be formed larger than the hole formed in the roasting chamber (110) to prevent the roasting part (140) from excessively entering the inside of the roasting chamber (110) when the collection part (144) is inserted into the roasting chamber (110).

[0061] The waveguide (120) may be positioned within the sintering chamber (140). In one embodiment, a hole may be formed within the handle (142) of the sintering chamber (140), and the waveguide (120) may be positioned to penetrate the hole. In addition, an acoustic sensor (130) connected to the waveguide (120) may be installed at the end of the handle (142). Meanwhile, the sintering chamber may be included in various coffee roasting devices, but may be replaced, changed, etc. independently of the coffee roasting device. In addition, as described above, since the handle (142) is formed of a material such as a polymer or wood with low thermal conductivity, it is easy to form a hole extending along the length of the handle (142). Therefore, the waveguide (120) according to the present invention may be easily installed in the sintering chamber of a coffee roasting device that is already installed and in operation, and as a result, the sound inside the roasting chamber (110) may be easily recognized from the outside.

[0062] The roasting chamber (140) inserted into the hole may be positioned higher than the upper surface of the coffee beans. That is, the roasting chamber (110) may be advantageously used for collecting sound inside the roasting chamber (110) by positioning the roasting chamber (140) so that it does not come into direct contact with the coffee beans being roasted.

[0063] The coffee roasting device (100) may further include a signal processing device (150) that receives and processes an acoustic signal collected from an acoustic sensor (130), and the signal processing device (150) may be located outside the roasting chamber (110).

[0064] The signal processing device (150) can remove, reduce or offset ambient noise signals, such as roasting drum driving noise and blower operating noise, that interfere with the operator's ability to detect important sounds, such as cracking sounds, and send the signals to the speaker (160) so that the operator can easily hear important sounds, such as cracking sounds.

[0065] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the functions of a signal processing device (150).

[0066] The signal processing device (150) may include a preamplifier (152), a processor (154), and an amplifier (156). The acoustic signal collected by the acoustic sensor (130) may be amplified in the preamplifier (152) and then transmitted to the processor (154) to remove, reduce, or cancel out ambient noise, and then transmitted to the amplifier (156) to be amplified. In addition, the processor (154) may analyze the amplified signal to determine the number of coffee beans in which cracks have occurred, whether cracks have occurred in a group of coffee beans, and the end point of coffee roasting.

[0067] The preamplifier (152) may be a control amplifier that processes audio signals through small-signal amplification of internal circuits. The preamplifier (152) may be an amplifier that processes small signals that require a separate amplifier to be connected to sufficiently amplify the audio signal before sound can be heard through a speaker.

[0068] The processor (154) can reduce, eliminate, or offset other ambient noises, such as the noise of the roasting drum operation and the noise of coffee beans hitting the roasting chamber, in addition to sounds that are important for judging the coffee roasting status, such as the cracking sound.

[0069] That is, the processor (154) can control the overall operation of processing the acoustic signal acquired from the acoustic sensor (130). The processor (154) can control the operation of the signal processing device (150) by executing programs stored in the signal processing device (150).

[0070] The processor (154) may be implemented using at least one of application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and other electrical units for performing functions.

[0071] The amplifier (156) is a device that increases the amplitude of an input signal and outputs it. By amplifying the signal from which the processor (154) has removed, reduced, and offset surrounding noise, the signal processing device (150) can diagnose the state of the coffee roasting process. The configuration for diagnosing the state of the roasting process by analyzing the signal amplified by the amplifier (156) will be described later.

[0072] FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B are exemplary graphs showing the time waveform and frequency of an acoustic signal generated when a coffee roasting device is operated. FIG. 4A is a graph showing the time waveform, and FIG. 4B is a graph showing the frequency spectrum. In general, noise generated from a roasting drum and a blower may have only specific frequency components because the roasting drum and the blower operate constantly with a uniform rotational speed, etc. during the coffee roasting process. The processor (154) can reduce the ambient noise by filtering to remove or reduce only this specific frequency component.

[0073] In the coffee roasting process, important sounds such as cracking sounds are generated in the form of impulse noise in which all frequency components exist, so a processor (154) for removing peak components of ambient noise may be applied not only to a band-pass filter, which is a filter that removes components below a certain frequency and components above a certain frequency from an input signal and outputs the output, but also to a high-pass filter, which removes low-pass frequencies below a certain frequency from an input signal.

[0074] Figure 5 is an example graph showing the application of a band-pass filter that removes and outputs the frequency ranges 0 to a (Hz) and b to c (Hz), which are the frequency ranges where ambient noise is mainly distributed. The red solid line represents the frequency characteristics of the band-pass filter applied by the processor (154) of the present invention.

[0075] Figure 6 is an example graph showing the application of a high-pass filter that removes and outputs the 0 to d (Hz) frequency range, which is the frequency range where ambient noise is mainly distributed. The red solid line represents the frequency characteristics of the high-pass filter applied by the processor (154) of the present invention.

[0076] Figures 7a and 7b are exemplary graphs of acoustic signals before and after applying a high-pass filter to an acoustic signal in which a first crack occurs during a coffee roasting process. Figure 7a shows the acoustic signal before applying the high-pass filter, and Figure 7b shows the acoustic signal after applying a 2 kHz high-pass filter.

[0077] Figures 8a and 8b are exemplary graphs of acoustic signals before and after applying a high-pass filter to the acoustic signal generated during the second crack in the coffee roasting process. Figure 8a shows the acoustic signal before applying the high-pass filter, and Figure 8b shows the acoustic signal after applying the 2 kHz high-pass filter.

[0078] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the processor (154) can cancel out ambient noise using an active noise cancellation (ANC) technique. Active noise cancellation is a noise-cancelling function and a technique for blocking noise using a technical method. The active noise cancellation technique collects ambient sounds from a microphone, which can be an example of an acoustic sensor, reverses the phase of the waves of the collected sounds, and then transmits the reversed sounds to a speaker to cause destructive interference with the ambient noise, thereby blocking the ambient noise. Since the ambient noise in the coffee roasting process is constant and has peak characteristics, an active noise control technique that measures sound and cancels out ambient noise can be applied in the initial stage of coffee roasting when cracks do not occur. The initial stage of coffee roasting can be, for example, the time before the first crack of the coffee beans is heard after the start of roasting.

[0079] A typical active noise control method uses a reference microphone, an error microphone, and a control speaker. However, in the present method, since only the speaker input signal input to the speaker, which is an example of an output unit, needs to be controlled, an error microphone, and a control speaker, other than the existing measurement microphone, which is an example of an acoustic sensor, may not be provided. Instead, a signal processing device (150) according to an embodiment of the present invention may be provided with a preamplifier (152), a processor (154), and an amplifier (156) for active noise control.

[0080] The active noise control method can be implemented by first amplifying the sound signal obtained from the sound sensor (130) in a preamplifier (152), canceling out the surrounding noise in a processor (154), and amplifying the processed sound signal in an amplifier (156) and sending it to a speaker (160).

[0081] The processor (154) acquires a reference signal used for active noise control during the initial stage of coffee roasting, generates a signal with an opposite phase to the signal, and then generates a control signal with the phase of the reference signal changed so that an error is minimized by overlapping it with a measured acoustic signal, thereby offsetting the surrounding noise by overlapping it with the acoustic signal.

[0082] In addition, as described above, the processor (154) can generate a signal that cancels out ambient noise using a filtering or active noise control method, thereby enabling the signal processing device (150) to easily diagnose the coffee roasting process status. In addition, the amplifier (156) can amplify the signal canceling out ambient noise by the processor (154) and send it to the speaker (160), thereby enabling the worker to hear the cracking sound better. Hereinafter, a configuration for diagnosing the roasting process status by analyzing the signal processed by the processor (154) will be described.

[0083] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the processor (154) of the signal processing device (150) can better determine whether a group of coffee beans has cracked from a signal with ambient noise canceled out from an acoustic signal collected from an acoustic sensor (130). According to one embodiment, in the signals with ambient noise canceled out through a high-pass filter in FIGS. 7B and 8B, it can be seen that peaks that were difficult to identify due to their small size compared to the ambient noise can be better distinguished than the signals in FIGS. 7A and 8A before the high-pass filter was applied.

[0084] The occurrence of cracks can be determined by the number of times peaks with a size greater than a certain level occur in the time waveform of the sound signal after the ambient noise has been canceled out, or by the trend of change in the crest factor (defined as peak / rms).

[0085] Additionally, the processor (154) of the signal processing device (150) can learn the cracks and other emitted sounds generated during the process of heating individual coffee beans using artificial intelligence (AI) technology. An example of artificial intelligence (AI) technology may be deep learning.

[0086] The signal processing device (150) can individually determine the moment when a crack occurs in each coffee bean from the sound signal collected from the sound sensor (130) by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and can count the number of times cracks occur and statistically process them to create a control signal for whether cracks occur or end for a group (lot) of coffee beans, and accordingly, end coffee roasting.

[0087] The signal processing device (150) can determine the first crack time as the time at which at least two crack sounds occur within 1 second after the first crack sound.

[0088] The signal processing device (150) may determine the end point of the first crack as the moment when at least two cracks do not occur per second for three seconds after the first crack. In another embodiment, the signal processing device (150) may determine the end point of the first crack as the moment when the first crack occurs in at least 50% of the coffee beans introduced into the roasting chamber (110).

[0089] The signal processing device (150) can determine the second crack time as the time at which at least two crack sounds occur within 1 second after the first second crack sound after the end of the first crack.

[0090] The signal processing device (150) may determine the end point of the secondary crack as the moment when at least two cracks do not occur per second for three seconds after the second crack. In another embodiment, the signal processing device (150) may determine the end point of the secondary crack as the moment when the second crack occurs in more than 50% of the number of coffee beans introduced into the roasting chamber (110) after the first second crack sound.

[0091] Alternatively, according to another embodiment, the signal processing device (150) can determine the crack point through the processed acquired acoustic signal and artificial intelligence learning.

[0092] As an example, the signal processing device (150) can determine the coffee roasting end point when a preset time elapses from one of the determined first and second crack points or the first and second crack end points. The preset time can be set by the operator and can be, for example, 30 seconds or 1 minute.

[0093] As another example, the signal processing device (150) counts the number of times the cracking sound of coffee beans occurs, and if the number of times the cracking sound of the counted coffee beans occurs is 70% or more of the total number of coffee beans put into the roasting chamber, it can be determined that the coffee roasting is finished.

[0094] The signal processing device (150) can automate the coffee roasting process by reflecting the generated and statistically processed signal into a typical coffee roasting time-temperature process graph or by feeding back a control command to the process, such as to stop the operation of the roasting chamber (110) at the determined coffee roasting end point.

[0095] In addition, the signal processing device (150) can learn a sound corresponding to an acoustic signal generated when a coffee roasting device malfunctions from the sound obtained from the acoustic sensor (130), and can determine a malfunction of the coffee roasting device (100) based on this. The signal processing device (150) can generate a coffee roasting device malfunction notification signal when determining a malfunction of the coffee roasting device (100).

[0096] The speaker (160) can output an audio signal processed by the signal processing device (150). The operator can diagnose the status of the coffee roasting process using the audio signal output by the speaker (160).

[0097] The coffee roasting device (100) may further include a terminal device (170) that receives information acquired from the signal processing device (150) and manages the coffee roasting process using the received information. The operator may use the terminal device (170) to start and end the coffee roasting process, check notifications, and check the roasting progress. The terminal device (170) may be, for example, a wireless terminal device.

[0098] Any use of examples or exemplary terms (e.g., "for example," etc.) in the present invention is merely intended to illustrate the invention in detail and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, unless otherwise defined by the claims. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, combinations, and variations can be made, depending on design conditions and factors, within the scope of the appended claims or their equivalents.

[0099] Therefore, the idea of ​​the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, and all scopes equivalent to or equivalently modified from the following claims as well as the claims are considered to fall within the scope of the idea of ​​the present invention.

[0100] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the coffee roasting device can be applied to various industrially applicable devices. In particular, it can be applied to a coffee roasting device that easily controls and determines the coffee roasting process to produce improved results.

Claims

1. Roasting chamber for roasting coffee beans; A waveguide having one end positioned within the roasting chamber and the other end positioned outside the roasting chamber, which transmits sound inside the roasting chamber to the outside of the roasting chamber; and A coffee roasting device comprising an acoustic sensor that collects sound inside the roasting chamber transmitted by the waveguide.

2. In paragraph 1, A coffee roasting device, wherein the above coffee roasting device further comprises a trier that can be coupled to the roasting chamber, and the waveguide is positioned within the trier along the longitudinal direction of the trier.

3. In paragraph 1, A coffee roasting device further comprising a signal processing device that receives and processes an acoustic signal collected from the acoustic sensor.

4. In paragraph 3, The sound inside the roasting chamber includes the cracking sound of the coffee beans generated during the roasting process of the coffee beans, A coffee roasting device, wherein the signal processing device reduces background noise in the collected sound signal and amplifies the crack sound.

5. In paragraph 4, A coffee roasting device, wherein the signal processing device determines at least one of the number of coffee beans in which cracks have occurred, whether cracks have occurred in a group of coffee beans, and the end point of coffee roasting based on the collected acoustic signals.

6. In paragraph 5, A coffee roasting device, wherein the signal processing device diagnoses the coffee roasting process status from the collected acoustic signals based on artificial intelligence learning.

7. In paragraph 6, The signal processing device determines the first crack time based on the crack sound, The coffee roasting device, wherein the first crack point is a point in time at which at least two crack sounds occur within one second after the first crack sound.

8. In paragraph 7, A coffee roasting device, wherein the signal processing device determines that the coffee roasting end point is a predetermined time elapsed from the determined first crack point.

9. In paragraph 8, A coffee roasting device, wherein the signal processing device generates a control command to stop the operation of the roasting chamber at the end point of the coffee roasting.

10. In paragraph 6, A coffee roasting device, wherein the signal processing device counts the number of times the coffee beans make a cracking sound, and determines that the coffee roasting is finished when the number of times the coffee beans make a cracking sound is 70% or more of the total number of coffee beans put into the roasting chamber.

11. In paragraph 6, A coffee roasting device, wherein the signal processing device generates a coffee roasting device failure notification signal when an acoustic signal corresponding to an acoustic signal generated when the coffee roasting device fails is generated from the collected acoustic signals.

12. In paragraph 3, A coffee roasting device further comprising a terminal device that receives information processed by the signal processing device and manages a coffee roasting process using the received information.

13. In paragraph 12, The above terminal device is a wireless terminal device, a coffee roasting device.

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