Cooking apparatus and control method of same

Abstract

A cooking apparatus, according to the present disclosure, comprises: a cooking chamber that accommodates a food item; a camera; and a control unit that, on the basis of the fact that the food item is accommodated in the cooking chamber and is in a cooking operation, acquires a plurality of images of an interior of the cooking chamber by means of the camera, compares the plurality of images to identify image changes for respective regions, assigns contamination weights to the respective regions on the basis of the image changes, and performs a cleaning operation on the basis of completion of the cooking operation and the contamination weights, wherein each image of the plurality of images includes a plurality of regions.

Description

Cooking appliances and methods for controlling cooking appliances

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cooking appliance and a method for controlling the cooking appliance.

[0002] In general, a cooking appliance is a device that cooks food by having a cooking chamber, a heating device that applies heat to the cooking chamber, and a circulation fan that circulates the heat generated by the heating device within the cooking chamber.

[0003] Cooking appliances are devices that seal and heat food for cooking. They can generally be categorized as electric, gas, or electronic based on their heat source. Electric ovens use heaters as their heat source, while gas ovens and microwave ovens use gas heat and the frictional heat of water molecules caused by high-frequency waves, respectively.

[0004] In general, a cooking appliance includes a main body having an exterior appearance and an open front to form a cooking chamber into which food to be cooked is placed, a door installed on the front of the main body to selectively open and close the cooking chamber, and a control panel installed on the front of the main body to allow the user to set a desired cooking course or various conditions necessary for cooking.

[0005] Users often worry about when to clean their kitchen. Frequent high-temperature cleaning can cause damage to the cookware due to the intense heat. If cleaning is not done for a long time, grease builds up, making it difficult to clean thoroughly even with steam cleaning.

[0006] Therefore, it is necessary to keep the interior of the cooking utensil clean by performing the optimal cleaning process at an appropriate time that is appropriate to the actual level of contamination inside the cooking room.

[0007] The present disclosure provides a cooking appliance and a method for controlling the cooking appliance, which can clean a cooking room with an optimal cleaning process at an appropriate cleaning time by assigning and accumulating a contamination level weight based on a contamination location and contamination level identified from an image change inside the cooking room.

[0008] The technical problems to be achieved in this document are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0009] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a cooking appliance includes: a cooking chamber for accommodating food; a camera; and a control unit for acquiring a plurality of images of the interior of the cooking chamber by the camera based on the food being accommodated in the cooking chamber and undergoing a cooking process, comparing the plurality of images to identify image changes for each region, assigning a contamination weight to each region based on the image changes, and performing a cleaning process based on completion of the cooking process and the contamination weight; wherein each image of the plurality of images may include a plurality of regions.

[0010] A control method of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises: a control method of a cooking appliance including a cooking chamber for accommodating food and a camera, the control method comprising: acquiring a plurality of images of the inside of the cooking chamber by the camera based on the food being accommodated in the cooking chamber and undergoing a cooking process; comparing the plurality of images to identify image changes for each region; assigning a contamination weight to each region based on the image changes; and performing a cleaning process based on completion of the cooking process and the contamination weight; wherein each image of the plurality of images may include a plurality of regions.

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0012] FIG. 2 is a front view of an example of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a control block diagram of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a flowchart of a method for controlling a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0015] FIG. 5 illustrates multiple images of the interior of a cooking chamber acquired by a camera while a cooking process is in progress in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0016] FIG. 6 illustrates identifying an image change area in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0017] FIG. 7 illustrates determining whether an image change area is a cooking area or an uncooked area in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0018] FIG. 8 illustrates that different contamination weights are given to the cooking area and the non-cooking area among the image change areas in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0019] FIG. 9 illustrates that, in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment, when the location of the image change area is a cooking area, a contamination weight is assigned according to the location of the image change area.

[0020] FIG. 10 illustrates accumulated contamination weights in an image change area in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0021] FIG. 11 illustrates a method of correcting the range of contamination weights assigned to an image change area according to the type of cooking in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0022] FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a flowchart for explaining how to perform a cleaning process by further considering the number of times and the time for performing the cooking process in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0023] Fig. 13 illustrates another example of a flowchart of a method for controlling a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 14 illustrates an example of a flowchart for explaining performing a cleaning process in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0025] The embodiments described in this document and the configurations illustrated in the drawings are merely preferred examples of the disclosed invention, and there may be various modified examples that can replace the embodiments and drawings of this specification at the time of filing of this application.

[0026] The terminology used in this document is for the purpose of describing embodiments and is not intended to limit and / or restrict the disclosed invention.

[0027] For example, in this specification, a singular expression may include a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0028] In this document, each of the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" may include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof.

[0029] The term "and / or" includes any combination of a plurality of related described elements or any one of a plurality of related described elements. For example, "A and / or B" may include only "A," only "B," or both "A and B."

[0030] Additionally, terms such as “include” or “have” are intended to express the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the specification, but do not exclude the possibility of the additional presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0031] When a component is said to be “connected,” “coupled,” “supported,” or “in contact with” another component, this includes not only cases where the components are directly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact, but also cases where the components are indirectly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact through a third component.

[0032] When we say that a component is "on" another component, this includes not only cases where the component is in contact with the other component, but also cases where there is another component between the two components.

[0033] Meanwhile, the terms "front", "back", "left", "right", "upper", "lower", etc. used in the following description are defined based on the drawing, but the shape and position of each component are not limited by the above terms. For example, the front side may be defined as the +X side, and the rear side may be defined as the -X side. For example, based on the drawing, the right side may be defined as the +Y side, and the left side may be defined as the -Y side. For example, based on the drawing, the upper side may be defined as the +Z side, and the lower side may be defined as the -Z side.

[0034] Additionally, terms that include ordinal numbers, such as “first,” “second,” etc., are used to distinguish one component from another, and do not limit one component.

[0035] Additionally, terms such as "~part", "~device", "~block", "~absence", and "~module" may refer to a unit that processes at least one function or operation. For example, the terms may refer to at least one piece of hardware such as an FPGA (field-programmable gate array) / ASIC (application specific integrated circuit), at least one piece of software stored in memory, or at least one process processed by a processor.

[0036] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the disclosed invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The same reference numbers or symbols used in the attached drawings may represent parts or components that perform substantially the same functions.

[0037] The operating principle and embodiments of the present disclosure are described below with reference to the attached drawings.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view of an example of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0039] A cooking appliance (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure may include a cooktop that heats a cooking container containing food using electricity or gas, an oven such as a gas oven or an electric oven, a microwave heating device (hereinafter referred to as a microwave oven), a microwave oven with a hood (Over The Range, OTR), a gas grill or an electric grill, etc.

[0040] The cooking appliance (1) may include a main body (100). The main body (100) may form the exterior of the cooking appliance (1).

[0041] In the present disclosure, the main body (100) can form a cooking chamber (120) that accommodates food (hereinafter referred to as food) of the cooking appliance (1).

[0042] The cooking appliance (1) may include at least one input device (52) and a display (51).

[0043] For example, the main body (100) may be provided with at least one input device (52) and a display (51).

[0044] In one embodiment, at least one input device (52) may include a power button.

[0045] The power button may be a button for turning on or off the power of the cooking appliance (1) or various components of the cooking appliance (1).

[0046] For example, the power button may be a button for turning the display (51) on and / or off.

[0047] The example of at least one input device (52) is not limited thereto, and any configuration capable of converting sensory information received from a user into an electrical signal may be employed as at least one input device (52).

[0048] If the display (51) is implemented as a touch display, the display (51) may also be an example of at least one input device.

[0049] The display (51) may include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, an indicator, and a light emitting diode (LED) panel.

[0050] In one embodiment, the display (51) may be implemented as a touch pad, touch screen, or the like to receive user input.

[0051] The display (51) can display various screens for interaction between the user and the cooking appliance (1).

[0052] A cooking appliance (1) may include an inner case (112) in which a cooking chamber (120) is formed inside. The inner case (112) may be provided inside an outer case (111) of a main body (100) described later. Specifically, the inner case (112) may be placed inside the outer case (111) and may be coupled to the outer case (111).

[0053] The cooking chamber (120) may be formed to have an open front so that food can be brought in and out. The inner case (112) may include a front opening (112a) formed to allow food to be brought in and out of the cooking chamber (120). One side of the main body (100) where the front opening (112a) is formed is defined as the front of the main body (100).

[0054] For example, the inner case (112) can be formed to have a box shape with an open front.

[0055] The inner wall of the inner case (112) may be coated to prevent corrosion of the inner wall of the inner case (112) due to condensation that may occur during the condensation process of water vapor or moisture contained in the food itself. The inner wall of the inner case (112) may be dried by heat generated during the food cooking process.

[0056] Inside the cooking chamber (120), a tray (122) on which food or a container containing food can be placed, and a rack (121) supporting the tray (122) may be provided. For example, the tray (122) may be provided so as to be detachable from the rack (121). For example, the rack (121) may be provided on the left inner wall or the right inner wall of the inner case (112).

[0057] The cooking appliance (1) may include a heater (126) configured to provide heat to the interior of the cooking chamber (120). For example, the heater (126) may include a gas burner configured to generate heat by burning gaseous fuel. However, the type of components included in the cooking appliance (1) to heat food inside the cooking chamber (120) are not limited thereto, and the cooking appliance (1) may include a magnetron that emits electromagnetic waves into the interior of the cooking chamber (120) to generate heat by the rotation of water molecules inside the food, a lighting device that emits light into the interior of the cooking chamber (120) to illuminate the inside of the food, a steam generator that supplies steam into the interior of the cooking chamber (120), etc.

[0058] The cooking appliance (1) may include a convection fan (125) provided to circulate air inside the cooking chamber (120). The convection fan (125) may receive rotational force from a fan motor and rotate to circulate air inside the cooking chamber (120). As the air inside the cooking chamber (120) is circulated by the convection fan (125), heat generated by the heater (126) may be evenly transferred inside the cooking chamber (120). For example, the convection fan (125) may be placed at the rear of the cooking chamber (120), but its location is not limited thereto.

[0059] The cooking appliance (1) may include an outer case (111). Various components of the cooking appliance (1) may be accommodated inside the outer case (111). The outer case (111) may be arranged to surround the upper surface, lower surface, rear surface, left surface, right surface, etc. of the inner case (112) from the outside.

[0060] An insulating material (not shown) may be provided between the inner case (112) and the outer case (111) to prevent heat inside the cooking chamber (120) from being released to the outside of the main body (100). For example, the insulating material may include materials such as glass fiber or asbestos.

[0061] The outer case (111) may include a front frame (111a). The front frame (211a) may be provided at the front portion of the main body (100). The front frame (111a) may form at least a portion of the front of the main body (100). When the door (130) closes the cooking chamber (120), the front frame (111a) may be covered by the door (130).

[0062] The front frame (111a) can be formed in the shape of a frame having an opening. The front frame (111a) can be formed in the shape of a frame surrounding the front opening (112a).

[0063] For example, the inner case (112) can be coupled to the front frame (111a). A portion of the front side of the inner case (112) can be coupled to the front frame (111a).

[0064] The outer case (111) may include a rear panel positioned at the rear of the cooking appliance (1). The rear panel may form at least a portion of the rear exterior of the cooking appliance (1). Various components, including electrical components such as a gas supply pipe, a printed circuit board for control, a heater (126), and a convection fan (125), may be mounted on the rear panel.

[0065] In addition, the outer case (111) may include a left panel forming the left side of the cooking appliance (1), a right panel forming the right side of the cooking appliance (1), a base forming the bottom of the cooking appliance (1), etc.

[0066] The cooking appliance (1) may include an electrical compartment provided inside the main body (100) and in which various electrical components are arranged. The electrical compartment may be formed to be separated from the cooking compartment (120). The electrical compartment may be formed on the inside of the outer case (111). The electrical compartment may be formed on the outside of the inner case (112). For example, the electrical compartment may accommodate components such as a printed circuit board, a cooling fan module, and a lever device on which electronic components for controlling the operation of various components of the cooking appliance (1) are mounted.

[0067] The door (130) may include a handle (132) that is provided so that a user can grip it to open and close the door (130). In order for the user to easily open and close the door (130), the handle (132) may be placed adjacent to a part of the door (130) opposite to the rotation axis of the door (130). Although FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment in which the handle (132) is provided on the front side of the door (130), the present invention is not limited thereto, and the handle (132) may be provided at various locations on the door (130). The 'front side of the door (130)' mentioned here means one side of the door (130) in the X direction when the door (130) is closing the cooking chamber (120).

[0068] The door (130) may include a transparent portion (133) that is formed transparently so that a user can see into the inside of the cooking chamber (120) even when the door (130) closes the cooking chamber (120). The transparent portion (133) may include various transparent materials such as glass. For example, the transparent portion (133) may include a plurality of glass plates that are spaced apart from each other and form an insulating space therebetween so as to prevent heat inside the cooking chamber (120) from being transferred to the outside of the door (130) through the transparent portion (133).

[0069] The cooking appliance (1) may include a hinge (140) connecting the main body (100) and the door (130). The hinge (140) may support the door (130) so as to be rotatable. The hinge (140) may be coupled to the main body (100) and the door (130), respectively. The door (130) may be coupled to the main body (100) by the hinge (140).

[0070] For example, the hinge (140) can be mounted on the lower part of the main body (100).

[0071] For example, the hinge (140) may include a pair of hinges (140).

[0072] The cooking appliance (1) may include a latch (110). The latch (110) may be configured to support the door (130) or not support the door (130). Specifically, the latch (110) may support the door (130) to prevent the door (130) from being opened when the cooking compartment (120) is closed by the door (130), or may release the door (130) so that the door (130) can be opened. The expression "the latch (210) releases the door (130)" means that the latch (110) is separated from the door (130) and does not support the door (130) that is closing the cooking compartment (120).

[0073] The cooking appliance (1) may include a door hole (131a) formed so that a portion of the latch (110) can be inserted.

[0074] FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a control block diagram of a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0075] Referring to FIG. 3, the cooking appliance (1) may include a user interface device (50), a camera (60), a fan (125), a heater (126), a steam generator (127), a communication unit (128), and / or a control unit (200). The control unit (200) is electrically connected to components of the cooking appliance (1) and may control the components of the cooking appliance (1).

[0076] The user interface device (50) can enable the user and the cooking appliance (1) to interact with each other.

[0077] The user interface device (50) may include a display (51) and an input device (52).

[0078] The input device (52) can receive user input.

[0079] The input device (52) may include a start / select button, a dial, a stop / cancel button, an auto-cook button, a cleaning button and / or a dial.

[0080] The Start / Select button can receive commands to select the setting selected by the dial and to start cooking.

[0081] The stop / cancel button can receive a command to cancel the setting selected by the dial and a command to stop cooking.

[0082] The AutoCook button can receive commands to input information about the dish. If the user is unsure about the recipe, the AutoCook button allows them to input information about the dish they wish to cook.

[0083] The cleaning button can receive a command to clean the interior of the cooking chamber (120).

[0084] In various embodiments, the input device (52) may include a communication unit (128), in that user input may be received from an external device (e.g., a smartphone, a server) via the communication unit (128).

[0085] Each button and / or dial may include a visual indicator (e.g., a phrase, an icon, etc.) that may indicate its function.

[0086] Here, terms such as "button" and "dial" can be replaced with "input device" in the sense that they receive user input. Furthermore, input devices such as "button" and "dial" can be replaced with various types of input devices.

[0087] For example, a button or dial may be replaced with a UI element (User Interface Element), a tact switch, a push switch, a slide switch, a toggle switch, a micro switch, a touch switch, a touch pad, a touch screen, a jog dial, and / or a microphone.

[0088] The input device (52) may include, for example, a tact switch, a push switch, a slide switch, a toggle switch, a micro switch, a touch switch, a touch pad, a touch screen, a jog dial, and / or a microphone.

[0089] The display (51) can transmit various information related to the operation of the cooking appliance (1) to the user by generating sensory information.

[0090] For example, the display (51) can transmit information related to the operating time of the cooking appliance (1), the settings of the cooking appliance (1), etc. to the user. Information related to the operation of the cooking appliance (1) can be output by a display, an indicator, a voice, etc. The display (51) can include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) panel, an indicator, a light emitting diode (LED) panel, a speaker, etc.

[0091] The display (51) can display information related to the operation of the cooking appliance (1). The display (51) can display information input by the user or information provided to the user on various screens.

[0092] The user interface device (50) can receive user input for selecting a cooking operation and / or a cleaning operation.

[0093] The control unit (200) can control the operation of the cooking appliance (1) by processing commands received through the input device (52).

[0094] The camera (60) may be installed on the upper part of the cooking chamber (120) or on the side of the cooking chamber (120). Specifically, the camera (60) may be installed on the ceiling or side wall of the inner case (112).

[0095] The camera (60) can acquire images inside the cooking chamber (120). For example, if the camera (60) is mounted on the ceiling of the cooking chamber (120), the images acquired by the camera (60) can include images of the four walls (upper, lower, left, and right walls) of the cooking chamber (120) and an image of the floor surface containing the food.

[0096] The camera (60) can transmit images inside the cooking chamber (120) to the control unit (200). The control unit (200) can identify the contamination level for each location inside the cooking chamber (120) based on the images inside the cooking chamber (120) acquired by the camera (60). In addition, the control unit (200) can identify information about the food based on the images of the food among the images inside the cooking chamber (120).

[0097] The camera (60) can collect information on food stored inside the kitchen (120).

[0098] The camera (60) can measure the degree of browning of food in the cooking chamber (120). For example, the camera (60) can collect information related to the degree of browning of food.

[0099] The camera (60) can transmit information related to the browning degree of the food to the control unit (200). The information related to the browning degree of the food may include image information, color information, steam information, etc. of the cooking chamber (120) where the food is placed.

[0100] The browning degree of the food being measured by the camera (60) may not only be directly measured by the camera (60), but the camera (60) may also transmit information related to the browning degree of the food being cooked to the control unit (200). This may also include the browning degree of the food being identified based on information related to the browning degree of the food being cooked by the control unit (200).

[0101] For example, the control unit (200) can identify browning information of a food item included in an image acquired by the camera (60) using a learning model and / or a lookup table.

[0102] The control unit (200) may use the learning model, which may include using the learning model stored in the cooking device (1) and / or using the learning model stored in an external device (e.g., a server) via the communication unit (128).

[0103] The learning model includes an artificial intelligence model. The learning model may be generated through machine learning and / or deep learning. The learning model may be generated by a server and stored in the memory (202) of the cooking device (1). The learning algorithm may include, for example, supervised learning, unsupervised learning, semi-supervised learning, or reinforcement learning, but is not limited to the examples provided.

[0104] The learning model may include multiple artificial neural network layers. The artificial neural network may include, but is not limited to, a deep neural network (DNN), a convolutional neural network (CNN), a recurrent neural network (RNN), a restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), a deep belief network (DBN), a bidirectional recurrent deep neural network (BRDNN), and / or deep Q-networks. In addition to, or alternatively to, a hardware structure, the artificial intelligence model may include a software structure.

[0105] According to various embodiments, the control unit (200) may acquire information about the food contained in the image acquired by the camera (60) using a learning model. The information about the food may include the type of the food, the size of the food, the weight of the food, and / or the recipe for the food.

[0106] A plurality of sensors (70) can collect information related to the cooking appliance (1).

[0107] The plurality of sensors (70) may include a temperature sensor (71) that measures the temperature of the cooking chamber (120).

[0108] The temperature sensor (71) can be installed at various locations inside the main body (100). The temperature sensor (71) can transmit an electrical signal corresponding to the detected temperature to the control unit (200). The control unit (200) can control at least one of the heater (126) and the fan (125) based on the temperature of the cooking chamber (120) measured by the temperature sensor (71).

[0109] The plurality of sensors (70) may include a tray sensor (72) that detects a tray (122).

[0110] The tray sensor (72) can collect information related to whether the tray (122) is mounted.

[0111] The tray sensor (72) can detect whether the tray (122) is placed on the rack (221) for placing the tray (122). The tray sensor (72) can detect the tray (122) in various ways. For example, the tray sensor (72) can be implemented as a capacitance sensor, a weight sensor, an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, etc.

[0112] In addition, the plurality of sensors (70) may include various sensors. For example, the cooking appliance (1) may include a current sensor and a voltage sensor. The current sensor may measure the current applied to the electronic components of the cooking appliance (1). The voltage sensor may measure the voltage applied to the electronic components of the cooking appliance (1).

[0113] Depending on the various embodiments, the plurality of sensors (70) may not include some of the sensors described above.

[0114] The fan (125) can circulate air in the cooking chamber (120).

[0115] The fan (125) may also be referred to as a convection fan (125) from the perspective that it transfers air heated by the heater (126) to the food through convection. As the air inside the cooking chamber (120) is circulated by the convection fan (125), the heat generated by the heater (126) can be evenly transferred inside the cooking chamber (120).

[0116] The control unit (200) can control the operation of the fan (125).

[0117] For example, the control unit (200) can turn on the fan (125). The control unit (200) can turn off the fan (125).

[0118] Turning on the fan (125) may include changing the fan (125) from an off state to an on state.

[0119] Turning off the fan (125) may include changing the fan (125) from an on state to an off state.

[0120] According to various embodiments, the control unit (200) can adjust the rotation speed and rotation time of the fan (125) according to the type, number, size, cooking course, and / or cleaning process of the food.

[0121] The heater (126) can heat the air in the chamber (50).

[0122] The heater (126) may include a light wave heater and / or an electric heater.

[0123] The control unit (200) can control the operation of the heater (126).

[0124] For example, the control unit (200) can turn on the heater (126). The control unit (200) can turn off the heater (126). The control unit (200) can control the heater (126) to turn on / off.

[0125] Turning on the heater (126) may include changing the heater (126) from an off state to an on state.

[0126] Turning off the heater (126) may include changing the heater (126) in an on state or a heater (126) under on / off control to an off state.

[0127] Controlling the heater (126) on / off may include repeatedly controlling the heater (120) on / off to achieve a predetermined function (e.g., maintaining the temperature of the cooking chamber (120)).

[0128] According to various embodiments, the control unit (200) can adjust the heating level and heating time of the heater (126) according to the type, number, size, cooking course, and / or cleaning process of the food.

[0129] The steam generator (127) can supply steam into the interior of the cooking chamber (120).

[0130] A steam generator (127) can generate steam by heating water stored in a water tank.

[0131] The control unit (200) can control the operation of the steam generator (127).

[0132] For example, the control unit (200) can turn on the steam generator (127). The control unit (200) can turn off the steam generator (127). The control unit (200) can control the steam generator (127) to turn on / off.

[0133] Turning on the steam generator (127) may include changing the steam generator (127) from an off state to an on state.

[0134] Turning off the steam generator (127) may include turning off the steam generator (127) that is on or under on / off control.

[0135] According to various embodiments, the control unit (200) can adjust the steam temperature, steam time, and / or steam amount of the steam generator (127) according to the type, number, size, cooking course, and / or cleaning process of the food to be cooked.

[0136] The communication unit (128) can communicate with external devices (e.g., servers, user devices, and / or home appliances) via wires and / or wirelessly.

[0137] The communication unit (128) may include at least one of a short-range communication module or a long-range communication module.

[0138] The communication unit (128) can transmit data to an external device or receive data from an external device. For example, the communication unit (128) can establish communication with a server, a user device, and / or other home appliances, and transmit and receive various types of data.

[0139] To this end, the communication unit (128) may support the establishment of a direct (e.g., wired) communication channel or a wireless communication channel between external devices, and the performance of communication through the established communication channel. According to one embodiment, the communication unit (128) may include a wireless communication module (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module, or a power line communication module). Among these communication modules, a corresponding communication module may communicate with the external device through a first network (e.g., a short-range communication network such as Bluetooth, wireless fidelity (WiFi) direct, or infrared data association (IrDA)) or a second network (e.g., a long-range communication network such as a legacy cellular network, a 5G network, a next-generation communication network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., a LAN or WAN)). These different types of communication modules may be integrated into a single component (e.g., a single chip) or implemented as multiple separate components (e.g., multiple chips).

[0140] The short-range wireless communication module may include, but is not limited to, a Bluetooth communication module, a BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication module, a near field communication module, a WLAN (Wi-Fi) communication module, a Zigbee communication module, an infrared (IrDA, infrared Data Association) communication module, a WFD (Wi-Fi Direct) communication module, an UWB (ultrawideband) communication module, an Ant+ communication module, a microwave (uWave) communication module, etc.

[0141] The long-distance communication module may include a communication module that performs various types of long-distance communication and may include a mobile communication unit. The mobile communication unit transmits and receives wireless signals with at least one of a base station, an external terminal, and a server on a mobile communication network.

[0142] In one embodiment, the communication unit (128) can communicate with external devices such as a server, a user device, and other home appliances via a surrounding access point (AP). The access point (AP) can connect a local area network (LAN) to which the cooking appliance (1), other home appliances, and / or user devices are connected to a wide area network (WAN) to which the server is connected. The cooking appliance (1), other home appliances, and / or user devices can be connected to the server via the wide area network (WAN).

[0143] The control unit (200) can receive recipe information from an external device through the communication unit (128). The control unit (200) can receive a command for controlling the cooking device (1) from the external device through the communication unit (128). The control unit (200) can receive information on food to be cooked from the external device through the communication unit (128).

[0144] The control unit (200) may include a processor (201) and a memory (202). The processor (201) may be hardware and include logic circuits and arithmetic circuits. The processor (201) may control electrically connected components of the cooking device (1) using programs, instructions, and / or data stored in the memory (202) for the operation of the cooking device (1). The control unit (200) may be implemented as a control circuit including circuit elements such as capacitors, inductors, and resistors. The processor (201) and the memory (202) may be implemented as separate chips or as a single chip. In addition, the control unit (200) may include a plurality of processors and a plurality of memories.

[0145] The memory (202) can store programs, applications, and / or data for the operation of the cooking appliance (1), and can store data generated by the processor (201). The memory (202) can include non-volatile memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) and flash memory for storing data for a long period of time. The memory (202) can include volatile memory such as S-RAM (Static Random Access Memory) and D-RAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) for temporarily storing data.

[0146] In one embodiment, the control unit (200) can control various configurations of the cooking appliance (1) according to various cooking courses.

[0147] The control unit (200) can identify an image change area by comparing multiple images acquired by the camera (60) while the cooking process is in progress, assign a contamination weight to the image change area based on the location of the image change area, and perform a first cleaning process or a second cleaning process based on the contamination weight assigned to the image change area when the cooking process is completed.

[0148] The components of the cooking appliance (1) are not limited to those described above. The cooking appliance (1) may further include various components in addition to the components described above, and some of the components described above may be omitted.

[0149] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a flowchart of a method for controlling a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0150] Referring to FIG. 4, the control unit (200) can acquire multiple images of the inside of the cooking chamber (120) containing the food through the camera (60) while the cooking process is in progress (300).

[0151] FIG. 5 illustrates multiple images of the interior of a cooking chamber acquired by a camera while a cooking process is in progress in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0152] Referring to FIG. 5, an image of the inside of the cooking room (120) can be acquired periodically or when a specific event occurs through a camera (60) installed inside the cooking room (120).

[0153] The camera (60) may be installed in a position where it can evenly capture all walls of the cooking room (120). For example, the camera (60) may be installed on the ceiling of the cooking room (120). The image acquired by the camera (60) mounted on the ceiling may include images of the four walls (upper, lower, left, and right walls) of the cooking room (120) and an image of the floor including the food (OB).

[0154] The camera (60) can acquire continuous images inside the cooking chamber (120) while the cooking process is in progress.

[0155] The plurality of images (400, 410) acquired by the camera (60) may include images of consecutive frames.

[0156] The plurality of images (400) may include an image of a previous frame (previous image) (410) and an image of a current frame (current image) (420).

[0157] The camera (60) can transmit multiple images (400) inside the kitchen (120) to the control unit (200).

[0158] The control unit (200) can receive and acquire multiple images (400) of the inside of the cooking room (120) transmitted by the camera (60).

[0159] Referring again to FIG. 4, the control unit (200) can identify an image change area (510) by comparing the acquired multiple images (400) (310).

[0160] The control unit (200) can identify an image change area corresponding to a location where the image has changed by comparing the previous image (410) and the current image (420) while the cooking process is in progress.

[0161] The color or shape of the food may change during cooking. Furthermore, substances such as sauce that flow or protrude from the food may adhere to the walls inside the cooking chamber (120). By comparing the previous image (410) and the current image (420) during the cooking process, the image change areas where changes in the food and the walls occur can be identified.

[0162] FIG. 6 illustrates identifying an image change area in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0163] Referring to FIG. 6, the control unit (200) can identify an image change area (510) corresponding to a location where the image has changed among the entire image area (500) by comparing the previous image (410) and the current image (420) while the cooking process is in progress.

[0164] The control unit (200) can identify an image change area (510) in the entire image area (500) based on the difference in pixel information of the same area on the previous image (410) and the current image (420).

[0165] More specifically, the control unit (200) may perform a preprocessing process to improve the quality of the acquired images before analyzing them. The control unit (200) may perform noise removal, lighting correction, distortion correction, etc. through the preprocessing process.

[0166] The control unit (200) can compare the previous image (410) and the current image (420) on a pixel-by-pixel basis after image preprocessing. In this process, the control unit (200) can detect changes by calculating the difference between the color value and brightness value of each pixel.

[0167] The control unit (200) can generate a difference image representing the difference between a previous image (410) and a current image (420). A portion of the difference image where pixel values ​​are significantly different may be an area where the image is suspected to have changed.

[0168] The control unit (200) can identify an image change area (510) by detecting pixels in the difference image that have changed by more than a threshold value. In this process, a binary thresholding technique can be used.

[0169] The control unit (200) can block pixels where changes are detected and are adjacent to each other into one image change area (510).

[0170] The control unit (200) can identify an image change area (510) in the entire image area (500). The control unit (200) can identify position change information, size change information, color change information, and pixel change information of the image change area (510).

[0171] In various embodiments, the control unit (200) may apply a deep learning-based image classification and object recognition technique to improve the identification accuracy of the image change area (510). The control unit (200) may train a learning model. The control unit (200) may input a previous image (410) and a current image (420) into the learning model and train the learning model to output a difference image between the two images. For example, a convolutional neural network (CNN) may be used as an artificial neural network when training the learning model. The control unit (200) may input the previous image (410) and the current image (420) into the learning model while the cooking process is in progress. When the previous image (410) and the current image (420) are input, the learning model may generate and output a difference image between the two images. The control unit (200) may identify the image change area (510) from the difference image. In this way, the image change area (510) can be more accurately determined using the learning model.

[0172] Referring back to FIG. 4, the control unit (200) can assign a contamination weight to each region based on the image change of the entire image region (500). The control unit (200) can identify whether the region with the image change is a cooked food region or an uncooked food region. The control unit (200) can increase the contamination weight of the region identified as an uncooked food region more than the contamination weight of the region identified as a cooked food region. In addition, the control unit (200) can assign a contamination weight to each region based on the amount of pixel change corresponding to each region. In addition, the control unit (200) can assign a contamination weight to the region identified as a cooked food region based on the distance between the region identified as a cooked food region and the center of the cooked food region.

[0173] For example, the control unit (200) can assign a contamination weight to the image change area (510) based on the location of the image change area (510) (320).

[0174] The control unit (200) can determine whether the location of the image change area (510) is a cooking area where food is located or a non-cooking area where the cooking area is excluded.

[0175] The control unit (200) can assign different contamination weights depending on whether the image change area (510) is a cooked area or an uncooked area.

[0176] FIG. 7 illustrates determining whether an image change area is a cooking area or an uncooked area in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0177] Referring to FIG. 7, the control unit (200) can determine whether the location of the image change area (510) is a cooking area (600) or an uncooked area (610).

[0178] The cooking area (600) may include an area where the cooking area (OB) is located.

[0179] The cooking area (600) may include an area that includes part or all of the cooking area (OB).

[0180] The cooking area (600) may include an area containing a cooking vessel in which cooking material (OB) is stored.

[0181] The cooking area (600) may be an area that includes only the cooking area (OB). The cooking area (600) may be an area defined along the outer line of the cooking area (OB). The non-cooking area (610) may be an area excluding the cooking area (600) from the entire image area (500).

[0182] FIG. 8 illustrates that in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment, the image change area assigns different contamination weights to the cooking area and the non-cooking area.

[0183] Referring to FIG. 8, the control unit (200) can assign a first contamination weight if the image change area (510) corresponds to the food area (600).

[0184] The control unit (200) can assign a second contamination weight if the image change area (510) corresponds to the non-cooked material area (610).

[0185] The second contamination weight may have a higher value than the first contamination weight. That is, since changes in the food (OB) are not directly related to contamination, the contamination weight of the food area (600) may be assigned a lower value than the contamination weight of the non-food area (610). In addition, the food area (600) may not be assigned a contamination weight or may be assigned a contamination weight of "0."

[0186] In this way, the control unit (200) can assign a greater contamination weight when the image change area (510) corresponds to the non-cooked food area (610) than when the image change area (510) corresponds to the cooked food area (600).

[0187] Meanwhile, if the location of the image change area (510) corresponds to the non-cooked material area (610), the control unit (200) can increase the contamination weight as the amount of change in the pixel value of the image change area (510) increases. In other words, if the contamination level is severe, a higher contamination weight can be applied than if the contamination level is low.

[0188] For example, contamination other than black may be attributed to food and sauce, and thus may be assigned a relatively low contamination weight. New black contamination may be attributed to contamination caused by sauce burning at high temperatures and sticking to the interior, and thus may be assigned a relatively high contamination weight. If black contamination occurs in the current image (420) in addition to the black contamination present in the previous image (410), this may be attributed to additional contamination on top of the existing contamination, and thus may be assigned a higher contamination weight.

[0189] If the image change area (510) corresponds to the non-cooked material area (610), the control unit (200) can assign a basic contamination weight and then assign an additional contamination weight according to the amount of pixel change in the image change area (510).

[0190] For example, it is assumed that the first image change area (511) and the second image change area (512) are located in the non-cooked area (610), and that the pixel change amount of the first image change area (511) is greater than the pixel change amount of the second image change area (512).

[0191] Since the first image change area (511) exists in the non-cooked material area (610), a basic contamination weight of "2" can be assigned, and an additional contamination weight of "4" can be additionally assigned according to the amount of change in pixel values ​​of the first image change area (511). Accordingly, the total contamination weight assigned to the first image change area (511) can be "6". At this time, the greater the amount of pixel change, the higher the additional contamination weight can be assigned.

[0192] Since the second image change area (512) also belongs to the non-cooked material area (610), a basic contamination weight of "2" can be assigned, and an additional contamination weight of "1" can be assigned according to the contamination level of the second image change area (512). Accordingly, the total contamination weight assigned to the second image change area (510) can be "3". For reference, a contamination weight of "0" can be assigned to an area where there is no image change.

[0193] The contamination weighting for the image change area (510) is repeatedly performed by comparing the previous image (410) and the current image (420) while the cooking process is in progress, and the assigned contamination weights can be accumulated in each image change area (510) of the corresponding location.

[0194] FIG. 9 illustrates that, in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment, when the location of the image change area is a cooking area, a contamination weight is assigned according to the location of the image change area.

[0195] Referring to FIG. 9, if the location of the image change area (510) corresponds to the food area (600), the control unit (200) can reduce the contamination weight as the location of the image change area (510) is closer to the center (C) of the food (OB).

[0196] If the location of the image change area (510) is within the food area (600), the control unit (200) can assign a lower contamination weight to the image change area (510) as it moves from the outside of the food (0B) to the center (C).

[0197] For example, if the location of the image change area (510) is outside the food (0B), the contamination weight of the image change area (510) can be assigned "0.3". As the location of the image change area (510) moves from the outside of the food (0B) to the center (C), the contamination weight of the image change area (510) can be assigned lower in the order of "0.2" and "0.1".

[0198] Meanwhile, the control unit (200) can assign a contamination weight to an area covered by the food (OB) when the food (OB) is removed from the cooking chamber (120) after the cooking process is completed.

[0199] More specifically, when the cooking material (OB) is removed by the user after the cooking process is completed, the control unit (200) can compare the current image after the cooking material (OB) is removed with the image before the cooking process starts for the area covered by the cooking material (OB) and assign a higher contamination weight to the area with a greater amount of pixel change.

[0200] Referring again to FIG. 4, the control unit (200) can accumulate at least one contamination weight for each area among the plurality of areas.

[0201] For example, the control unit (200) can accumulate the contamination weight assigned to the image change area (510) while the cooking process is in progress (330).

[0202] While the cooking process is in progress, the contamination weights assigned to each of the same image change areas (510) can be accumulated.

[0203] When there are multiple image change areas (510), the contamination weight assigned to each of the multiple image change areas (510) can be accumulated for each image change area.

[0204] FIG. 10 illustrates accumulated contamination weights in an image change area in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0205] Referring to Figure 10, an example of accumulated contamination weights in multiple image change areas during the cooking process is shown.

[0206] The accumulated contamination weight in the first image change area (710) among the entire image change area (700) may be “12”.

[0207] In the second image change area (720), the accumulated contamination weight may be “7”.

[0208] In the third image change area (730), the accumulated contamination weight may be “11”.

[0209] In the fourth image change area (740), the accumulated contamination weight may be “6”.

[0210] The first image change area (710) to the fourth image change area (740) may be areas located in the non-cooked material area (610).

[0211] For example, an image change area with an accumulated contamination weight of "10" or higher may be determined to be a heavily contaminated area. The first image change area (710) with an accumulated contamination weight of "12" and the third image change area (730) with an accumulated contamination weight of "11" may correspond to this. The first image change area (710) and the third image change area (730) may be contaminated areas where contaminants have turned black due to high temperature burning during the cooking process or where black contamination has continuously occurred and stuck to the existing black contamination.

[0212] The fifth image change area (750) may have an accumulated contamination weight of “2”.

[0213] The sixth image change area (760) may have an accumulated contamination weight of “2”.

[0214] The accumulated contamination weight in the 7th image change area (770) may be “2”.

[0215] The accumulated contamination weight in the 8th image change area (780) may be “1”.

[0216] The fifth image change area (750) to the eighth image change area (780) may be areas located in the cooking area (600).

[0217] FIG. 11 illustrates a method of correcting the range of contamination weights assigned to an image change area according to the type of cooking in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0218] Referring to FIG. 11, the control unit (200) can correct the accumulated contamination weight in the corresponding image change area.

[0219] The control unit (200) can correct the accumulated contamination weight in the image change area (510) when cooking information for the food (OB) is input or selected by the user through the user interface device (50).

[0220] The control unit (200) can correct the accumulated contamination weight in the corresponding image change area using a contamination weight correction table corresponding to cooking information.

[0221] The control unit (200) uses a contamination weight correction table corresponding to cooking information used in the current cooking process to determine whether the contamination weight accumulated in the corresponding image change area is within the possible contamination weight range on the correction table, and can correct it to be within the possible contamination weight range.

[0222] As shown in Fig. 11, when the cooking name is A, the setting mode is a, the required time is 25 minutes, the setting temperature is 230°C, and the size of the food is “medium,” it is assumed that the possible accumulated contamination weight range is “8” to “12.”

[0223] If the accumulated contamination weight of the corresponding image change area is "14", it is outside the possible accumulated contamination weight range of "8" to "12", so the accumulated contamination weight of the corresponding image change area can be corrected from "14" to a value within "8" to "12".

[0224] Similarly, if the cooking name is B, the setting mode is b, the required time is 7 minutes, the setting temperature is 240℃, and the size of the food is "medium", the possible accumulated contamination weight range is assumed to be "3" to "5".

[0225] If the accumulated contamination weight of the corresponding image change area is "6", it is outside the possible accumulated contamination weight range of "3" to "5", so the accumulated contamination weight of the corresponding image change area can be corrected from "6" to a value within "3" to "5".

[0226] Referring again to FIG. 4, when the cooking process is completed, the control unit (200) can perform the first cleaning process or the second cleaning process based on the accumulated contamination weight in the image change area (510) (340).

[0227] The first cleaning process may be a hot air cleaning process that drives a heater (126) that supplies heat to the inside of the cooking chamber (120).

[0228] The second cleaning process may be a steam cleaning process that drives a steam generator (127) that supplies steam inside the cooking chamber (120).

[0229] When the cooking process is completed, the control unit (200) can identify multiple contaminated areas among multiple image change areas, each of which has an accumulated contamination weight greater than a predetermined weight. For example, an image change area with an accumulated contamination weight greater than "10", indicating a heavily contaminated area, can be identified as a contaminated area.

[0230] The control unit (200) can add up the accumulated contamination weights of multiple contamination areas. For example, the accumulated contamination weights of all image change areas with a cumulative contamination weight of "10" or more can be added up.

[0231] The control unit (200) can determine the cleaning process as a hot air cleaning process if the accumulated contamination weight is greater than or equal to a first preset value. Referring to Fig. 10, the accumulated contamination weights of the first image change area (710) and the third image change area (730) with an accumulated contamination weight of "10" or greater are all added together. The accumulated contamination weight is 23 (12+11). If the accumulated contamination weight of 23 is greater than or equal to 20, which is a first preset value, for example, it can be determined that a hot air cleaning process is necessary.

[0232] The control unit (200) may perform a hot air cleaning process when performing a cleaning process. At this time, the control unit (200) may perform the hot air cleaning process based on whether the number of times the cooking process is performed is greater than or equal to a preset number of times, or whether the single or accumulated cooking time is greater than or equal to a preset time.

[0233] For example, the control unit (200) can perform a hot air cleaning process in response to the number of times the cooking process is performed being greater than or equal to a preset number of times and the time it takes for the cooking process to be performed being greater than or equal to a preset time.

[0234] Meanwhile, the control unit (200) can add up the accumulated contamination weights in all of the multiple image change areas and perform a steam cleaning process based on whether the added contamination weight is greater than or equal to a preset second setting value. Referring to Fig. 10, all accumulated contamination weights in the entire image change area (700) are added up. The added contamination weight is 43 (12+7+11+6+2+2+2+1). If the added contamination weight of 43 is greater than or equal to the preset second setting value of 30, for example, it can be determined that a steam cleaning process is necessary.

[0235] Even if the conditions for performing the steam cleaning process are satisfied, the control unit (200) can perform the hot air cleaning process with priority over the steam cleaning process if the conditions for performing the hot air cleaning process are satisfied.

[0236] That is, the control unit (200) can identify a plurality of contaminated areas among a plurality of image change areas, wherein the accumulated contamination weights in the corresponding image change areas are greater than or equal to a predetermined weight, add up the accumulated contamination weights in the plurality of contaminated areas to obtain a first value, and add up the accumulated contamination weights in all of the plurality of image change areas to obtain a second value. At this time, the control unit (200) can perform a hot air cleaning process based on the first value being greater than or equal to a preset first setting value, and can perform a steam cleaning process based on the second value being greater than or equal to a preset second setting value. However, even if the second value is greater than or equal to the preset second setting value, the hot air cleaning process can be performed if the first value is greater than or equal to the preset first setting value.

[0237] FIG. 12 illustrates an example of a flowchart for explaining how to perform a cleaning process by further considering the number of times and the time for performing the cooking process in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0238] Referring to FIG. 12, the control unit (200) may add up at least one pollution weight for each area among a plurality of areas, or may add up pollution weights of areas included in at least one area.

[0239] For example, when the cooking process is completed (1000), the control unit (200) can add up all accumulated contamination weights in the entire image change area (7000) (1100).

[0240] The control unit (200) can determine whether the combined contamination weight is greater than or equal to a first reference value. The first reference value may be a reference value used to determine whether steam cleaning is required within the cooking chamber (120).

[0241] If the combined contamination weight is greater than or equal to the first reference value (1200, example), the control unit (200) can determine whether the number of times the cooking process has been performed is greater than or equal to a preset number of times (1300).

[0242] If the number of times the cooking process has been performed is greater than or equal to a preset number of times (1300, example), the control unit (200) can determine whether the time for which the cooking process has been performed is greater than or equal to a preset time (1400).

[0243] If the time for which the cooking process has been performed is longer than the preset time (1400, for example), the control unit (200)

[0244] The control unit (200) can add up the accumulated contamination weights of multiple contamination areas (1500). The multiple contamination areas may be image change areas within the entire image change area (700) in which the accumulated contamination weights in the corresponding image change area are greater than or equal to a predetermined weight. For example, referring to FIG. 10, the multiple contamination areas may be image change areas (710, 730) in which the accumulated contamination weights indicating areas with severe contamination are greater than or equal to "10."

[0245] The control unit (200) can determine whether the accumulated contamination weights in multiple contamination areas are equal to or greater than a second reference value (1600). The second reference value may be a reference value used to determine whether hot air cleaning is required within the cooking chamber (120).

[0246] The control unit (200) can perform a hot air cleaning process (1700) if the combined combined contamination weight is greater than or equal to the second reference value (1600, example).

[0247] Meanwhile, the control unit (200) may perform a steam cleaning process (1800) if the number of times the cooking process has been performed is less than a preset number of times (1300, no), if the time for performing the cooking process is less than a preset time (1400, no), or if the combined contamination weight obtained by adding up the contamination weights accumulated in multiple contamination areas is less than the second reference value (1600, no).

[0248] Fig. 13 illustrates another example of a flowchart of a method for controlling a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0249] Referring to FIG. 13, the control unit (200) can acquire multiple images of the inside of the cooking chamber (120) containing the food through the camera (60) while the cooking process is in progress (2000).

[0250] The control unit (200) can acquire the previous image (410) and the current image (420), which are continuous images of the inside of the cooking chamber (120) while the cooking process is in progress, through the camera (60).

[0251] The control unit (200) can identify an image change area (510) corresponding to a location where the image has changed among the entire image area (500) by comparing the previous image (410) and the current image (420) while the cooking process is in progress (2100).

[0252] The control unit (200) can assign a contamination weight to the image change area (510) based on the location, color, and / or pixel information of the image change area (510) (2200).

[0253] For example, the control unit (200) can determine whether the location of the image change area (510) is a cooked area or an uncooked area, and if the image change area (510) corresponds to the uncooked area (610), a greater contamination weight can be assigned to it than if the image change area (510) corresponds to the cooked area (600). In addition, if the location of the image change area (510) corresponds to the uncooked area (610), the control unit (200) can assign a higher contamination weight as the amount of change in the pixel value of the image change area (510) is greater. In other words, if the contamination level is severe, a higher contamination weight can be assigned to it than if the contamination level is low.

[0254] When the cooking process is completed, the control unit (200) can perform the first cleaning process or the second cleaning process based on the contamination weight assigned to the image change area (510) (2300).

[0255] The first cleaning process may be a hot air cleaning process that drives a heater (126) that supplies heat to the inside of the cooking chamber (120). The second cleaning process may be a steam cleaning process that drives a steam generator (127) that supplies steam to the inside of the cooking chamber (120).

[0256] The control unit (200) can perform a hot air cleaning process if the contamination weight assigned to the image change area (510) is greater than or equal to the first weight for performing a hot air cleaning process. At this time, the hot air cleaning process can be performed if there is no food in the cooking chamber (120).

[0257] The control unit (200) can perform a steam cleaning process if the contamination weight assigned to the image change area (510) is greater than or equal to the second weight and less than the first weight for performing a steam cleaning process. In this case, the steam cleaning process can be performed if there is no food in the cooking chamber (120).

[0258] The control unit (200) can determine that a hot air cleaning process is necessary regardless of the contamination weights assigned to other image change areas (510) if, among the plurality of image change areas (510), there is an image change area (510) having a contamination weight greater than or equal to the first weight. That is, if the contamination level of a specific image change area is considerably high, it can be determined that a hot air cleaning process is necessary without having to assign contamination weights to other image change areas. At this time, the contamination weight assigned to the image change area (510) may be a value obtained by accumulating the contamination weights twice or more during the cooking process or may be a contamination weight assigned once. Even if the contamination weight assigned to the image change area (510) is greater than or equal to the first weight, it can be determined that a hot air cleaning process is necessary.

[0259] Meanwhile, even if there is an image change area (510) among multiple image change areas (510) in which a contamination weight assigned once or a contamination weight accumulated twice or more is less than the first weight, the control unit (200) can add up the contamination weights assigned once or the contamination weights accumulated twice or more to the image change areas adjacent to the image change area (510) and determine whether a hot air cleaning process or a steam cleaning process is necessary based on the added contamination weights.

[0260] FIG. 14 illustrates an example of a flowchart for explaining performing a cleaning process in a cooking appliance according to one embodiment.

[0261] Referring to FIG. 14, the control unit (200) may receive a user input for executing cleaning, perform a determined cleaning process (hot air cleaning process or steam cleaning process) when the current time corresponds to a preset cleaning time set by the user, or when the current time corresponds to an unused time determined based on the usage pattern of the cooking appliance.

[0262] The control unit (200) can determine whether a user input for cleaning execution has been received through the user interface device (50) (3000).

[0263] The control unit (200) can determine whether the cleaning time has been set by the user (3100).

[0264] If the cleaning time has been set by the user (3100, example), the control unit (200) can determine whether the current time is the set cleaning time (3200).

[0265] The control unit (200) can perform the determined cleaning process if the current time is the set cleaning time (3200, example).

[0266] Meanwhile, the control unit (200) can determine whether the current time is an unused time determined based on the usage pattern of the cooking appliance (3400) if the cleaning time is not set by the user (3100, No).

[0267] The control unit (200) can perform the determined cleaning process (hot air cleaning process or steam cleaning process) (3300) if the current time is an unused time determined based on the usage pattern of the cooking appliance (3400, example).

[0268] According to the present disclosure, rather than simply comparing images before and after cooking or based on the accumulated number of cooking times, the optimal cleaning process suitable for the actual contamination level is determined by assigning and accumulating contamination level weights to the location and contamination level of real-time image changes, and the cleaning process can be performed at an appropriate time, thereby automatically maintaining the interior of the cooking chamber in a clean state.

[0269] A cooking appliance (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a cooking chamber (120) for accommodating food; a camera (60); and a control unit (200) for acquiring a plurality of images of the interior of the cooking chamber (120) by the camera (60) based on the food being accommodated in the cooking chamber (120) and undergoing a cooking process, comparing the plurality of images to identify image changes for each region, assigning a contamination weight to each region based on the image changes, and performing a cleaning process based on completion of the cooking process and the contamination weight; wherein each image of the plurality of images may include a plurality of regions.

[0270] The control unit (200) identifies whether the area where the image change occurs is a cooked area or an uncooked area, and the contamination weight may be greater for an area identified as an uncooked area than for an area identified as a cooked area.

[0271] Assigning the contamination weight may include assigning the contamination weight based on the amount of change in pixels corresponding to each area.

[0272] The control unit (200) identifies whether the area where the image change occurs is a cooking area or an uncooked area, and the contamination weight for the area identified as the cooking area may be based on the distance between the area identified as the cooking area and the center of the cooking area.

[0273] The above cleaning process may include at least one of a hot air cleaning process that supplies heat into the inside of the cooking chamber (120) or a steam cleaning process that supplies steam into the inside of the cooking chamber (120).

[0274] The control unit (200) may accumulate at least one contamination weight for each area among the plurality of areas, identify at least one contamination area based on the accumulated contamination weight being greater than or equal to a predetermined weight, add up the accumulated contamination weights of all of the at least one contamination area, and perform the hot air cleaning process based on the accumulated contamination weight being greater than or equal to a first preset value.

[0275] Performing the above cleaning process may include performing the hot air cleaning process based on the number of times the cooking process is performed being a preset number of times or more, or the single or accumulated cooking time being a preset time or more.

[0276] The control unit (200) may add up at least one contamination weight for each area among a plurality of areas, or add up the contamination weights of areas included in the at least one area, and perform the steam cleaning process based on the fact that the added contamination weight is equal to or greater than a preset second setting value.

[0277] The above control unit (200) can perform the hot air cleaning process prior to the steam cleaning process based on the conditions of both the hot air cleaning process and the steam cleaning process being satisfied.

[0278] The control unit (200) may perform the cleaning process based on at least one of receiving a user input for cleaning, a current time corresponding to a preset cleaning time set by a user, or a current time corresponding to an unused time identified based on a usage pattern of the cooking appliance (1).

[0279] A control method of a cooking appliance (1) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a cooking chamber (120) for accommodating food and a camera (60), the control method comprising: acquiring a plurality of images of the inside of the cooking chamber by the camera based on the food being accommodated in the cooking chamber and undergoing a cooking process; comparing the plurality of images to identify image changes for each region; assigning a contamination weight to each region based on the image changes; and performing a cleaning process based on completion of the cooking process and the contamination weight; wherein each image of the plurality of images may include a plurality of regions.

[0280] Assigning the contamination weight further includes identifying whether the area where the image change occurs is a cooked area or an uncooked area, and the contamination weight may be greater for an area identified as an uncooked area than for an area identified as a cooked area.

[0281] Assigning the contamination weight may further include assigning the contamination weight based on the amount of change in pixels corresponding to each area.

[0282] Assigning the contamination weight further includes identifying whether the area where the image change occurs is a cooking area or an uncooked area, and the contamination weight for the area identified as the cooking area may be based on the distance between the area identified as the cooking area and the center of the cooking area.

[0283] The above cleaning process may include at least one of a hot air cleaning process that supplies heat to the inside of the cooking chamber or a steam cleaning process that supplies steam to the inside of the cooking chamber.

[0284] The method may further include accumulating at least one contamination weight for each area among the plurality of areas, identifying at least one contamination area based on the accumulated contamination weight being greater than or equal to a predetermined weight, summing up the accumulated contamination weights of all of the at least one contamination area, and performing the hot air cleaning process based on the summed contamination weight being greater than or equal to a first preset value.

[0285] Performing the above cleaning process may further include performing the hot air cleaning process based on the number of times the cooking process is performed being a preset number of times or more, or the single or accumulated cooking time being a preset time or more.

[0286] The method may further include adding up at least one contamination weight for each area among the plurality of areas, or adding up contamination weights of areas included in the at least one area, and performing the steam cleaning process based on the fact that the added contamination weight is equal to or greater than a preset second setting value.

[0287] It may further include performing the hot air cleaning process prior to the steam cleaning process based on the conditions of both the hot air cleaning process and the steam cleaning process being satisfied.

[0288] The cleaning process may further include performing the cleaning operation based on at least one of receiving a user input for cleaning, a current time corresponding to a preset cleaning time set by a user, or a current time corresponding to an unused time identified based on a usage pattern of the cooking appliance.

[0289] Meanwhile, the disclosed embodiments may be implemented in the form of a recording medium storing computer-executable instructions. The instructions may be stored in the form of program code, and when executed by a processor, may generate program modules to perform the operations of the disclosed embodiments. The recording medium may be implemented as a computer-readable recording medium.

[0290] Computer-readable storage media include all types of storage media that store instructions that can be deciphered by a computer. Examples include read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic tape, magnetic disks, flash memory, and optical data storage devices.

[0291] Additionally, a computer-readable recording medium may be provided in the form of a non-transitory storage medium. Here, the term "non-transitory storage medium" simply means a tangible device that does not contain signals (e.g., electromagnetic waves). This term does not distinguish between cases where data is permanently stored in the storage medium and cases where data is temporarily stored. For example, a "non-transitory storage medium" may include a buffer in which data is temporarily stored.

[0292] According to one embodiment, the method according to various embodiments disclosed in the present document may be provided as included in a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer. The computer program product may be distributed in the form of a machine-readable recording medium (e.g., compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM)), or may be distributed online (e.g., downloaded or uploaded) via an application store (e.g., Play Store™) or directly between two user devices (e.g., smartphones). In the case of online distribution, at least a portion of the computer program product (e.g., a downloadable app) may be temporarily stored or temporarily generated on a machine-readable recording medium, such as the memory of a manufacturer's server, an application store's server, or an intermediary server.

[0293] The disclosed embodiments have been described with reference to the attached drawings as described above. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be implemented in forms other than the disclosed embodiments without altering the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. The disclosed embodiments are illustrative and should not be construed as limiting.

Claims

A kitchen that accommodates food; camera; and A plurality of images of the inside of the cooking chamber are acquired by the camera based on the food being received in the cooking chamber and being cooked, Compare the above multiple images to identify image changes for each area, Based on the above image changes, a contamination weight is assigned to each area, A control unit that performs a cleaning process based on the completion of the above cooking process and the above contamination weighting; A cooking appliance wherein each image of the plurality of images includes a plurality of areas. In the first paragraph, The above control unit, Identify whether the area with the above image change is a cooked area or an uncooked area, The above contamination weighting is greater for the area identified as the non-cooking area than for the area identified as the cooking area. In the first paragraph, A cooking appliance in which assigning the contamination level weight includes assigning the contamination level weight based on the amount of change in pixels corresponding to each area. In the first paragraph, The above control unit, Identify whether the area with the above image change is a cooked area or an uncooked area, A cooking appliance in which the contamination weight for the area identified as the cooking area is based on the distance between the area identified as the cooking area and the center of the cooking area. In the first paragraph, A cooking appliance wherein the cleaning process includes at least one of a hot air cleaning process that supplies heat to the inside of the cooking chamber or a steam cleaning process that supplies steam to the inside of the cooking chamber. In paragraph 5, The above control unit, For at least one of the above multiple areas, at least one pollution weight for each area is accumulated for each area, Identifying at least one polluted area based on the above accumulated pollution level weight being greater than a predetermined weight, Summing the accumulated pollution level weights of all of the above at least one pollution area, A cooking appliance that performs the hot air cleaning process based on the above-mentioned combined contamination level weight being greater than or equal to a preset first value. In paragraph 5, A cooking appliance in which performing the above cleaning process includes performing the hot air cleaning process based on the number of times the cooking process is performed being a preset number of times or more or the single or accumulated cooking time being a preset time or more. In paragraph 5, The above control unit, For at least one of the above multiple areas, at least one pollution weight for each area is added for each area, or the pollution weights of areas included in the at least one area are added, A cooking appliance that performs the steam cleaning process based on the above-described combined contamination weight being greater than or equal to a preset second set value. In paragraph 5, The above control unit, A cooking appliance that performs the hot air cleaning process prior to the steam cleaning process based on the conditions of both the hot air cleaning process and the steam cleaning process being satisfied. In the first paragraph, The above control unit, A cooking appliance that performs the cleaning process based on at least one of: receiving a user input for cleaning, a current time corresponding to a preset cleaning time set by a user, or a current time corresponding to an unused time identified based on a usage pattern of the cooking appliance. In a control method of a cooking appliance including a cooking chamber and a camera for accommodating food, A plurality of images of the inside of the cooking chamber are acquired by the camera based on the food being received in the cooking chamber and being cooked; Compare the above multiple images to identify image changes for each area; Based on the above image changes, a contamination weight is assigned to each area; Comprising: performing a cleaning process based on the completion of the above cooking process and the above contamination weighting; A control method for a cooking appliance, wherein each image of the plurality of images includes a plurality of areas. In Article 11, Assigning the above pollution weights is: Further comprising identifying whether the area where the image change occurs is a cooked area or an uncooked area, A control method for a cooking appliance in which the contamination level weight is greater for an area identified as a non-cooking area than for an area identified as a cooking area. In Article 11, Assigning the above pollution weights is: A control method for a cooking appliance further comprising assigning a contamination weight based on the amount of change in pixels corresponding to each of the above areas. In Article 11, Assigning the above pollution weights is: Further comprising identifying whether the area where the image change occurs is a cooked area or an uncooked area, A control method for a cooking appliance, wherein the contamination weight for the area identified as the above cooking area is based on the distance between the area identified as the cooking area and the center of the cooking area. In Article 11, A control method for a cooking appliance, wherein the cleaning process includes at least one of a hot air cleaning process that supplies heat to the inside of the cooking chamber or a steam cleaning process that supplies steam to the inside of the cooking chamber.

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