Automated food material management method and device using cooking robot

Abstract

According to an embodiment of the present application, an automated food material management method and device using at least one cooking robot are provided. The method may comprise the steps of: checking a required weight for each of a plurality of food materials on the basis of an expected sales volume for each menu item during a predetermined reference period; measuring the actual use weight of the food materials input for each menu item during cooking of the menu item by the cooking robot; and generating comparison data for an expected consumption amount and an actual consumption amount for each food material on the basis of the accumulated actual use weight and the required weight for each food material.

Description

Automated food ingredient management method and device using a cooking robot

[0001] The present application relates to an automated food material management method and device using a cooking robot.

[0002] Traditional restaurant owners cooked the food directly to customers' orders. Beyond their cooking duties, these restaurant owners also had to perform additional tasks like staff management and store management. This often led to exhaustion and the constant, inefficient work of running a restaurant, resulting in lower incomes relative to the workload.

[0003] To address some of these issues, kiosks were developed to manage customer orders, and cooking robots were developed to assist restaurant owners in their cooking. However, kiosks simply reduced the burden of ordering, while cooking robots were expensive to install and required a relatively large amount of space, making them difficult for small business owners to utilize.

[0004] Recently, as technological development progresses, relatively low-cost cooking robots are being introduced, but so far, cooking robots have only performed a simple role of supporting cooking, and it has been difficult to completely relieve the user's workload because the user has to directly participate in the cooking.

[0005] Meanwhile, in the restaurant industry, efficient inventory management of ingredients is directly linked to store profitability. To this end, automated programs for ingredient ordering and inventory management are being introduced. However, technology for automatically managing ingredients in conjunction with cooking robots in stores utilizing such systems remains largely unavailable.

[0006] The present application was derived with the above problems in mind, and was invented to not only solve the technical problems discussed above, but also provide additional technical elements that cannot be easily devised by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field.

[0007] The purpose of this application is to provide an automated food material management method and device using a cooking robot.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present application, an automated food ingredient management method using at least one cooking robot is provided. The method may include: a step of confirming a required weight for each of a plurality of food ingredients based on an expected sales quantity for each menu during a predetermined reference period; a step of measuring an actual consumption weight of the food ingredients added for each menu during the cooking process of the menu using the cooking robot; and a step of generating comparison data on the predicted consumption amount and the actual consumption amount for each food ingredient based on the accumulated actual consumption weight and the required weight for each food ingredient.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present application, an automated food ingredient management method using at least one cooking robot is provided. The method may include: a step of obtaining a recipe for at least one menu, wherein the recipe includes information on a required weight of each ingredient used in cooking the menu; a step of measuring an actual usage weight of at least one ingredient during a cooking process of the menu using the cooking robot; a step of calculating a weighing error rate by comparing the required weight of each ingredient with the actual usage weight; and a step of adjusting at least one of an input speed and an input angle of a dispenser unit of the cooking robot that inputs the ingredient, the weighing error rate of which is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value.

[0010] A computer program is provided according to an embodiment of the present application. The program can be stored on a recording medium to execute a method according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present application, an automated food ingredient management device using at least one cooking robot is provided. The device comprises at least one processor; and a memory storing a program executable by the processor, wherein the processor, by executing the program, verifies a required weight for each of a plurality of food ingredients based on an expected sales quantity for each menu during a predetermined reference period, measures an actual usage weight of the food ingredients input for each menu during the cooking process of the menu using the cooking robot, and generates comparison data on the predicted consumption amount and the actual consumption amount for each food ingredient based on the accumulated actual usage weight and the required weight for each food ingredient.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present application, an automated food ingredient management device using at least one cooking robot is provided. The device obtains a recipe for at least one menu, wherein the recipe includes information on a required weight of each ingredient used in cooking the menu, measures an actual usage weight of at least one ingredient during a cooking process of the menu using the cooking robot, compares the required weight of each ingredient with the actual usage weight to calculate a weighing error rate, and adjusts at least one of an input speed and an input angle of a dispenser unit of the cooking robot that inputs the ingredient whose weighing error rate is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value.

[0013] According to embodiments of the present application, by comparing the actual measured usage weight of ingredients through a cooking robot with the required weight for each menu, automated ingredient management such as ingredient-specific inventory management, cost management and profit analysis, and inventory depletion prediction can be effectively performed for a store using a cooking robot.

[0014] According to embodiments of the present application, by automatically adjusting the operation of the dispenser unit based on a weighing error and / or a weighing time, problems such as increased cost and deterioration of cooking quality due to weighing errors can be prevented.

[0015] The effects that can be obtained from the embodiments of the present application are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present application belongs from the description below.

[0016] To facilitate a more thorough understanding of the drawings cited in this application, a brief description of each drawing is provided.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining an automated food material management system using a cooking robot according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0018] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an automated food material management device using a cooking robot according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0019] Figures 3 to 6 are flowcharts of an automated food material management method using a cooking robot according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0020] Figures 7 to 9 are drawings for explaining the dispenser part of the cooking robot in the embodiment of the present application.

[0021] FIGS. 10 to 14 are drawings exemplarily showing food material management information provided by the method according to FIGS. 3 to 6.

[0022] The technical concept of this application is susceptible to various modifications and embodiments. Specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail. However, this is not intended to limit the technical concept of this application to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives fall within the scope of the technical concept of this application.

[0023] In explaining the technical idea of ​​this application, if it is determined that a detailed description of a related known technology may unnecessarily obscure the gist of this application, the detailed description is omitted.

[0024] The terminology used in this specification is for the purpose of describing embodiments and is not intended to limit or restrict the present application. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Furthermore, numbers used in this specification (e.g., "first," "second," etc.) are merely identifiers used to distinguish one component from another.

[0025] When a part in this specification is said to be connected to another part, this includes not only direct connections but also indirect connections with other components intervening. Furthermore, when a part is said to include a component, this does not exclude other components, but rather implies the inclusion of additional components, unless otherwise specifically stated.

[0026] Furthermore, the term "or" in this application is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or." That is, unless otherwise specified or clear from context, "X utilizes A or B" is intended to mean either of the natural inclusive permutations. That is, if X utilizes A; X utilizes B; or X utilizes both A and B, "X utilizes A or B" can apply to any of the above cases. Furthermore, the term "and / or" as used herein should be understood to refer to and encompass all possible combinations of one or more of the associated configurations listed.

[0027] In addition, terms such as “~part”, “~device”, “~sub-subject”, and “~module” described in the present application mean a unit that processes at least one function or operation, which may be implemented by hardware or software or a combination of hardware and software, such as a processor, a microprocessor, a microcontroller, a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), an accelerated processor unit (APU), a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

[0028] It should be noted that the distinction between components in this application is merely a distinction based on the primary function of each component. In other words, two or more components described below may be combined into a single component, or a single component may be further subdivided into two or more components with more detailed functions. Furthermore, each component described below may, in addition to its own primary function, additionally perform some or all of the functions of other components. It should also be noted that some of the primary functions of each component may be exclusively performed by other components.

[0029]

[0030] The method according to the embodiment of the present application may be performed on a personal computer, workstation, server computer device, etc. having computing capabilities, or may be performed on a separate device for the same.

[0031] Additionally, the method may be performed on one or more computing devices. For example, at least one or more steps of the method according to an embodiment of the present application may be performed on a client device, and other steps may be performed on a server device. In such a case, the client device and the server device may be connected via a network to transmit and receive computational results. Alternatively, the method may be performed using distributed computing technology.

[0032]

[0033] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present application will be described in detail one by one.

[0034]

[0035] FIG. 1 is a drawing for explaining an automated food material management system using a cooking robot according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 1, the food material management system (1000) may include at least one cooking robot (110), an administrator terminal (120), and an ingredient management device (200) connected to the cooking robot (110) and / or the administrator terminal (120) via a network.

[0037] At least one cooking robot (110) is installed in a store such as a restaurant or canteen and controls each component (e.g., a robot arm, a cooking cell, a heating unit, a dispenser unit, etc.) according to a program or user input to automatically perform the steps of inputting ingredients, measuring, cooking, packaging, etc., thereby cooking at least one menu. According to an embodiment, at least some of the plurality of cooking robots (110) may be installed in different stores.

[0038] The cooking robot (110) may include at least one dispenser unit for feeding ingredients into a cooking container according to a set recipe for each menu or a user's input. In particular, the dispenser unit may be controlled to feed ingredients in an amount equal to a set required weight according to the recipe for each menu. In addition, the cooking robot (110) may measure the actual weight of ingredients used for each menu or accumulated over a certain period of time by measuring the weight of ingredients fed through the dispenser unit. The actual weight of ingredients used and the inventory amount according to the use of ingredients, which are measured or measured by each cooking robot (110), may be transmitted to a connected food management device (200) via wired or wireless communication.

[0039] The manager terminal (120) refers to a terminal used by a store manager who cooks and sells food menus using a cooking robot (110) installed in the store. The manager terminal (120) may be directly connected to the cooking robot (110) via wired or wireless communication, or may be indirectly connected via a food ingredient management device (200) or a separate server device. The store manager can use the manager terminal (120) to check information about the status (operating status, breakdown, etc.) and cooking status (cooking status by menu, sales status, cost of each ingredient, ingredient inventory, etc.) of the cooking robot (110) installed in the store. In addition, various information such as ingredient inventory and actual consumption transmitted from the food ingredient management device (200) may be provided to the manager terminal (120), and a dedicated application for displaying such information may be installed on the manager terminal (120).

[0040] The food ingredient management device (200) can generate comparison data between the predicted consumption amount and the actual consumption amount for each ingredient based on data on the required weight of each ingredient for each menu automatically cooked by at least one cooking robot (110) and the actual consumption weight of each ingredient measured or measured by the cooking robot (110). In an embodiment, such comparison data can be generated based on each cooking robot (110) or menu.

[0041] In addition, the food ingredient management device (200) can calculate the remaining inventory by comparing the accumulated usage weight of each ingredient with the initial inventory amount, and can calculate the cooking quantity for each menu based on the remaining inventory amount. In addition, if the remaining inventory amount is below a certain level, the food ingredient management device (200) can provide an inventory shortage alarm for the corresponding ingredient to each cooking robot (110) or the manager terminal (120) of the store where the cooking robot (110) is installed.

[0042] In addition, the food material management device (200) can obtain a weighing error rate and / or a weighing time between the required weight and the actual use weight for each food material, and transmit a control signal for automatic adjustment of the food material input speed and angle of the dispenser part of the cooking robot (110) to the cooking robot (110).

[0043] In addition, the food ingredient management device (200) obtains cost trend information for each manufacturer for each food ingredient, calculates the cost ratio for each food ingredient in each menu based on the actual consumption amount and cost trend information for each food ingredient, and can automatically recommend a replacement recipe that can replace a food ingredient with a high cost ratio with a substitute food ingredient. The replacement recipe includes information on at least one substitute food ingredient, a substitute manufacturer, and the cost of the substitute food ingredient, and the replacement recipe can be transmitted to the manager terminal (120) of the store selling the corresponding menu, or to a cooking robot (110).

[0044] The configuration of the system (1000) illustrated in FIG. 1 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to the embodiments of the present application.

[0045]

[0046] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an automated food material management device using a cooking robot according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 2, the food management device (200) may include a communication unit (210), an input unit (220), a memory (230), and a processor (240).

[0048] The communication unit (210) can receive or transmit data from inside or outside. The communication unit (210) can include a wired or wireless communication unit. When the communication unit (210) includes a wired communication unit, the communication unit (210) can include one or more components that enable communication through a Local Area Network (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN), a Value Added Network (VAN), a mobile radio communication network, a satellite communication network, and a combination thereof. In addition, when the communication unit (210) includes a wireless communication unit, the communication unit (210) can wirelessly transmit and receive data or signals using cellular communication, a wireless LAN (e.g., Wi-Fi), etc. In an embodiment, the communication unit (210) can transmit and receive data or signals with an external device or an external server under the control of the processor (240).

[0049] The input unit (220) can receive various user commands through external manipulation. For this purpose, the input unit (220) may include or be connected to one or more input devices. For example, the input unit (220) may be connected to various input interfaces, such as a keypad or mouse, to receive user commands. For this purpose, the input unit (220) may include an interface, such as a Thunderbolt port, as well as a USB port. In addition, the input unit (220) may include or be combined with various input devices, such as a touchscreen or buttons, to receive external user commands.

[0050] The memory (230) can store programs and / or program commands for the operation of the processor (240), and can temporarily or permanently store input / output data. The memory (230) can include at least one type of storage medium among flash memory type, hard disk type, multimedia card micro type, card type memory (e.g., SD or XD memory, etc.), RAM, SRAM, ROM, EEPROM, PROM, magnetic memory, magnetic disk, and optical disk.

[0051] Additionally, the memory (230) can store various algorithms and can store various data, programs (one or more instructions), applications, software, commands, codes, etc. for driving and controlling the food management device (200).

[0052] The processor (240) can control the overall operation of the food management device (200). The processor (240) can execute one or more programs or software stored in the memory (230). The processor (240) may refer to a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or a dedicated processor (240) on which methods according to embodiments of the present application are performed.

[0053] In an embodiment, the processor (240) may check the required weight for each of a plurality of ingredients based on the expected sales quantity for each menu during a predetermined reference period, measure the actual usage weight for each ingredient input for each menu during the cooking process of the menu using the cooking robot, and generate comparison data for the predicted consumption amount and the actual consumption amount for each ingredient based on the accumulated actual usage weight and required weight for each ingredient.

[0054] In an embodiment, the processor (240) may obtain cost trend information for each ingredient by manufacturer, and based on the actual consumption amount and cost trend information for each ingredient, recommend an alternative recipe for at least one menu item. Here, the alternative recipe may include information on at least one alternative ingredient, an alternative manufacturer, and the cost of the alternative ingredient.

[0055] In the embodiment, the processor (240) may obtain cost trend information for each manufacturer for each food ingredient, and may calculate the cost ratio for each food ingredient for each menu based on the actual consumption amount and cost trend information for each food ingredient.

[0056] In an embodiment, the processor (240) calculates the usage rate and remaining inventory for each ingredient based on the initial inventory amount for each ingredient and the actual consumption amount for each ingredient, and compares the remaining inventory amount for each ingredient with the actual usage weight of the ingredient for each menu to calculate the possible cooking quantity for each menu.

[0057] In an embodiment, the processor (240) may obtain a recipe for at least one menu, measure the actual use weight of at least one ingredient during the cooking process of the menu through the cooking robot, compare the required weight of each ingredient with the actual use weight to calculate a measurement error rate, and adjust at least one of the input speed and the input angle of the dispenser unit of the cooking robot that inputs the ingredient whose measurement error rate is greater than a predetermined standard. Here, the recipe may include information on the required weight of each ingredient used in cooking the menu.

[0058] In an embodiment, the dispenser unit dispenses food ingredients over a plurality of dispense time zones set at different dispense speeds, and the processor (240) can change the dispense speed of some of the plurality of dispense time zones.

[0059] In an embodiment, the dispenser unit includes a storage unit that stores food ingredients and has a discharge unit formed in one area; and a rotary unit that rotates inside the storage unit to distribute the stored food ingredients and deliver them to the discharge unit, thereby dispensing the food ingredients; and the processor (240) can adjust at least one of the rotation speed of the rotary unit and the inclination of the discharge unit.

[0060] In an embodiment, the processor (240) may obtain the weighing time required for each food ingredient fed through the dispenser unit to reach a required weight, and may provide a stock shortage notification for food ingredients whose weighing time is longer than a predetermined standard time.

[0061] In an embodiment, the processor (240) can adjust at least one of the injection speed and injection angle of the dispenser unit for food ingredients whose measuring time is longer than a reference time.

[0062] In an embodiment, the dispenser unit may further include at least one of a camera sensor and a volume sensor for determining the stock amount of food ingredients received in the storage unit.

[0063] The configuration of the food material management device (200) illustrated in FIG. 2 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to the embodiment of the present application.

[0064]

[0065] Figure 3 is a flowchart of an automated food material management method using a cooking robot according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0066] At step S310, the food ingredient management device (200) can determine the required weight for each of a plurality of food ingredients based on the expected sales quantity for each menu during a predetermined standard period of time in a store using a cooking robot (110). The standard period can be variously set to one day, three days, or one week.

[0067] For example, if the device (200) transmits the expected sales quantity for each menu during a reference period to the food ingredient management device (200) through the cooking robot (110) and / or the manager terminal (120) in each store, the device can calculate the required weight of the food ingredient corresponding to the expected sales quantity by referring to the recipe information for each menu.

[0068] Meanwhile, although not shown, the method (300) may further include a step of recommending an expected sales quantity appropriate for each store. For example, the food material management device (200) may be implemented to obtain information regarding the location of the store, surrounding facilities, floating population, commercial district, etc. from its own database or a database built on an external server, and to recommend an expected sales quantity for a reference period based on this. In addition, for example, the food material management device (200) may be implemented to search for information regarding a second store having a similar location, commercial district, etc. to the first store, and to recommend an expected sales quantity to the first store based on actual sales quantity information for each menu of the second store.

[0069] Next, in step S320, the food ingredient management device (200) can measure the actual weight of ingredients used for each menu during the cooking process of the menu through the cooking robot (110).

[0070] For example, the actual weight of ingredients used can be measured by measuring the weight of each ingredient fed from the dispenser unit into the cooking container during the cooking process of the menu through the cooking robot (110) using a load cell or the like.

[0071] Next, in step S330, the food management device (200) can generate comparison data on the predicted consumption amount and the actual consumption amount for each food ingredient based on the accumulated actual usage weight and required weight for each food ingredient.

[0072] That is, the cooking robot (110) is controlled to input the required weight of ingredients according to the recipe of each menu through the dispenser unit, but since the ingredients have different properties such as size and viscosity, the actual weight of the ingredients input during the cooking process of the menu may be more or less than the required weight. Accordingly, the food ingredient management device (200) accumulates the actual used weight of each ingredient received from the cooking robot (110) to calculate the actual consumption amount of the ingredients, and generates comparison data that compares the required weight of each ingredient for each menu with the accumulated predicted consumption amount, and provides the data to the manager terminal (120).

[0073] In an embodiment, the comparison data may include information on the estimated and actual ingredient costs. For example, the ingredient management device (200) may compare the estimated ingredient cost calculated based on the estimated consumption amount for each ingredient with the actual ingredient cost calculated based on the actual consumption amount, and provide information on the extent of the difference in ingredient costs to the manager terminal (120).

[0074] In an embodiment, the comparison data may be generated based on each menu (i.e., comparison data for each ingredient used in each menu) or based on the entire menu (i.e., comparison data for each ingredient used in the entire menu).

[0075] In an embodiment, the comparison data may be provided for the entire reference period of step S310, or may be generated and provided based on various criteria such as daily, weekly, or day of the week.

[0076] In an embodiment, step S330 may include calculating the usage rate and remaining inventory for each ingredient, and calculating the possible cooking quantity for each menu based on the remaining inventory. Specifically, the ingredient management device (200) may calculate the usage rate and remaining inventory for each ingredient based on the initial inventory amount for each ingredient and the actual consumption amount for each ingredient. In addition, the ingredient management device (200) may compare the remaining inventory amount for each ingredient with the actual used weight of the ingredient for each menu to calculate the possible cooking quantity for each menu. Information on the usage rate, remaining inventory amount for each ingredient, and the possible cooking quantity for each menu may be transmitted to the manager terminal (120) and / or the cooking robot (110).

[0077] The method (300) illustrated in FIG. 3 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to embodiments of the present application.

[0078] Figure 4 is a flowchart of an automated food material management method using a cooking robot according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0079] In addition to the method (300) of FIG. 3, the method (400) may further include steps S410 to S430.

[0080] At step S410, the food ingredient management device (200) can obtain cost trend information by manufacturer for each food ingredient. For example, the cost trend information by manufacturer can be obtained from a database built in the food ingredient management device (200) or from a database on an external server. Alternatively, for example, the cost trend information by manufacturer can be obtained through web crawling using an open API.

[0081] Next, at step S420, the food ingredient management device (200) can calculate the cost ratio of each food ingredient for each menu based on the actual consumption amount and cost trend information for each food ingredient. Information on the cost ratio of each food ingredient is transmitted to the cooking robot (110) and / or the manager terminal (120), and the manager can identify food ingredients with a high cost ratio or food ingredients whose cost has increased excessively for each menu.

[0082] Next, in step S430, the food ingredient management device (200) may recommend a replacement recipe for at least one of the menu items based on actual consumption and cost trend information for each ingredient. For example, based on the cost ratios for each ingredient calculated in step S420, a recipe that can replace an ingredient with a high cost ratio may be recommended, or a recipe that can replace an ingredient with an excessively high cost ratio may be recommended.

[0083] In an embodiment, the replacement recipe may include information about at least one replacement ingredient, a replacement manufacturer, and a cost of the replacement ingredient.

[0084] The method (400) illustrated in FIG. 4 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to embodiments of the present application.

[0085]

[0086] Figure 5 is a flowchart of an automated food material management method using a cooking robot according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0087] In step S510, the food ingredient management device (200) can obtain a recipe for at least one menu. Here, the recipe can include information on the required weight of each ingredient used in cooking the menu.

[0088] In an embodiment, step S510 may be performed after step S310 described above with reference to FIG. 3. When an expected sales quantity for at least one menu is received from a store, the food ingredient management device (200) may obtain a recipe for the menu for which the expected sales quantity has been received from its own database or a database of an external server.

[0089] In step S520, the food ingredient management device (200) can measure the actual use weight of at least one food ingredient during the cooking process of the menu through the cooking robot (110).

[0090] For example, the actual weight of ingredients used can be measured by measuring the weight of each ingredient fed from the dispenser unit into the cooking container during the cooking process of the menu through the cooking robot (110) using a load cell or the like.

[0091] Next, in step S530, the food management device (200) can calculate a weighing error rate by comparing the required weight for each food ingredient with the actual use weight.

[0092] As described above, the cooking robot (110) is controlled to insert the required weight of ingredients into the dispenser section to match the recipe of the menu, but since the ingredients have different properties such as size and viscosity, the actual weight of the ingredients inserted during the cooking process of the menu may be more or less than the required weight, and the ingredient management device (200) can compare these to calculate the measurement error rate.

[0093] Next, in step S540, the food management device (200) can adjust at least one of the feeding speed and feeding angle of the dispenser unit of the cooking robot (110) that feeds the food ingredient whose measuring error rate is higher than a predetermined standard. At this time, the adjustment of the feeding speed and feeding angle can change the feeding amount of a specific food ingredient per unit time.

[0094] That is, for example, when the actual use weight is greater than a predetermined standard ratio, the metering error rate can be reduced by reducing the dispensing speed and / or dispensing angle of the dispenser unit, and conversely, when the actual use weight is less than a predetermined standard ratio, the metering error rate can be reduced by increasing the dispensing speed and / or dispensing angle of the dispenser unit.

[0095] Step S540 can be performed by the food management device (200) generating a control signal for adjusting at least one of the input speed and input angle of the dispenser unit and transmitting the signal to the cooking robot (110).

[0096] In an embodiment, the dispenser unit of the cooking robot (110) may be configured to dispense each ingredient across a plurality of insertion time zones set at different insertion speeds. For example, the dispenser unit may be configured to dispense ingredients across a first insertion time zone having a first insertion speed, a second insertion time zone having a second insertion speed, and a third insertion time zone having a third insertion speed. At this time, the second insertion speed of the second insertion time zone, which is the middle insertion time zone, may be set to be the fastest. However, this is merely exemplary, and the insertion time zones may be set in various ways, such as being configured as 2, according to the ingredient. In addition, for each ingredient, the insertion speed and the length of each insertion time for each insertion time zone may be set differently. In this case, step S540 may be performed by changing the insertion speed of some of the plurality of insertion time zones. For example, the ingredient management device (200) may be implemented to change the insertion speed for the remaining insertion time zones excluding the first insertion time zone.

[0097] The method (500) illustrated in FIG. 5 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to embodiments of the present application.

[0098]

[0099] Figure 6 is a flowchart of an automated food material management method using a cooking robot according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0100] The method (600) may further include steps S610 to S630 in addition to steps S510 and S520 described above with reference to FIG. 5.

[0101] At step S610, the food ingredient management device (200) can obtain the weighing time required for each food ingredient fed through the dispenser unit during the cooking process of the cooking robot (110) to reach the required weight set in the menu recipe. For example, the weighing time can be measured by the cooking robot (110) and transmitted to the food ingredient management device (200).

[0102] Next, in step S620, the food management device (200) can provide a stock shortage notification for food ingredients whose weighing time is longer than a predetermined standard time.

[0103] That is, if the amount of ingredients stored in the storage unit of the dispenser unit decreases below a certain level depending on the cooking of the menu, the time required to input the ingredients may increase. Therefore, in step S620, if the measuring time increases beyond the standard time, it is determined that the stock of ingredients stored in the storage unit of the corresponding dispenser unit is insufficient, and an alarm regarding this may be provided to the cooking robot (110) and / or the manager terminal (120).

[0104] In an embodiment, the cooking robot (110) may be configured to directly determine whether there is insufficient inventory. That is, the cooking robot (110) may be configured to determine whether there is insufficient inventory based on the weighing time and transmit an alarm thereon to the manager terminal (120) and / or the food ingredient management device (200).

[0105] Additionally, in some embodiments, the determination of the stock level of ingredients may be performed via a camera sensor and / or a volume sensor. For example, at least one of a camera sensor and a volume sensor may be installed in the storage section of the dispenser unit, and based on the detection results of such sensors, the cooking robot (110) and / or the ingredient management device (200) may determine whether the stock level is insufficient.

[0106] Next, in step S620, the food management device (200) can adjust at least one of the feeding speed and feeding angle of the dispenser unit for food ingredients whose measuring time is longer than the reference time. At this time, the method of adjusting the feeding speed, etc. can be performed in the same manner as step S540 described above with reference to FIG. 5.

[0107] That is, for ingredients with insufficient stock, the problem of excessive increase in measuring time and overall cooking time can be prevented by increasing the input speed and input angle.

[0108] The method (600) illustrated in FIG. 6 is exemplary, and various configurations may be applied according to embodiments of the present application.

[0109]

[0110] Figures 7 to 9 are drawings for explaining the dispenser part of the cooking robot in the embodiment of the present application.

[0111] Referring to FIGS. 7 to 9, the cooking robot (110) may include a dispenser unit (810) that is controlled to dispense a plurality of ingredients in the amount of weight required for each menu recipe according to a program.

[0112] For example, a plurality of dispenser parts (810) may be arranged in a row in a certain direction, and when a cooking container (10) passes through a plurality of dispenser parts (810) sequentially through a transport part (820), different food ingredients may be fed to the cooking container (10) by the dispenser parts (810).

[0113] At this time, the dispenser unit (810) may include a storage unit (811) for storing food ingredients, a discharge unit (812) formed in one area of ​​the storage unit (811) and having an inlet for inserting food ingredients, a rotary unit (813) that rotates inside the storage unit (811) to distribute the stored food ingredients and deliver them to the discharge unit (812), thereby inserting the food ingredients into the cooking container (10), and a power unit (814) that applies rotational force to the rotary unit (813). In an embodiment, the storage unit (811) may be equipped with a camera sensor (815) and / or a volume sensor (816) for checking the inventory amount of food ingredients.

[0114] In addition, the transport unit (820) may include a conveyor belt (821) that sequentially moves the cooking containers (10) and a weight detection unit (822) for measuring the weight of the food ingredients fed from each dispenser unit (810). For example, the weight detection unit (822) may be implemented through a load cell.

[0115] When the cooking container (10) moves through the conveyor belt (821) and is aligned with the discharge portion (812) of a specific dispenser portion (810), the rotary portion (813) rotates to start feeding the food ingredients, and the weight detection portion (822) measures the actual weight of the food ingredients fed (i.e., the actual use weight).

[0116] Meanwhile, steps S540 of FIG. 5 and S630 of FIG. 6 can be performed by adjusting at least one of the rotation speed of the rotary part (813) and the inclination of the discharge part (812). That is, by increasing or decreasing the rotation speed of the rotary part (813), the feeding speed of the food material can be adjusted, and as illustrated in FIG. 9, by changing the angle of the discharge part (812), the feeding angle can be adjusted.

[0117]

[0118] FIGS. 10 to 14 are drawings exemplarily showing food material management information provided by the method according to FIGS. 3 to 6.

[0119] The food management information illustrated in FIGS. 10 to 14 can be provided through a predetermined user interface on the display unit of the manager terminal (120) or cooking robot (110).

[0120] First, referring to FIG. 10, when a store manager inputs the expected sales quantity for each menu using a manager terminal (120), etc., the food ingredient management device (200) can calculate and provide the weight and cost of the necessary food ingredients for each menu or for all menus.

[0121] In addition, referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the actual consumption amount can be calculated by accumulating the actual weight of the measured ingredients during the cooking process of the cooking robot (110), and this can be compared with the predicted consumption amount, and information on the measurement error rate and measurement time for each ingredient can also be provided. In addition, the expected ingredient cost for each menu according to the measurement error and the actual ingredient cost can be compared to provide comparative information.

[0122] In addition, referring to Figure 13, the cooking quantity for each menu can be calculated and provided by comparing the remaining inventory for each ingredient and the actual use weight (or required weight).

[0123] Additionally, referring to FIG. 14, information regarding the average weighing error, average weighing time, and individual weighing time for each ingredient included in each dispenser unit may be provided. The store manager may check the information via the manager terminal (120) and / or the cooking robot (110) and transmit a signal requesting adjustment of the dispenser unit to the ingredient management device (200).

[0124]

[0125] The method according to the embodiment of the present application may be implemented in the form of program commands that can be executed through various computer means and recorded on a computer-readable medium. The computer-readable medium may include program commands, data files, data structures, etc., alone or in combination. The program commands recorded on the medium may be those specially designed and configured for the present application or may be those known and available to those skilled in the art of computer software. Examples of computer-readable recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks, and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs and DVDs, magneto-optical media such as floptical disks, and hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program commands such as ROMs, RAMs, and flash memories. Examples of program commands include not only machine language codes generated by a compiler, but also high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter, etc.

[0126] Additionally, the methods according to the disclosed embodiments may be provided as a computer program product. The computer program product may be traded as a product between a seller and a buyer.

[0127] A computer program product may include a software program and a computer-readable storage medium on which the software program is stored. For example, a computer program product may include a product in the form of a software program (e.g., a downloadable app) distributed electronically by an electronic device manufacturer or through an electronic marketplace (e.g., Google Play Store, App Store). For electronic distribution, at least a portion of the software program may be stored on a storage medium or temporarily created. In this case, the storage medium may be a storage medium of a manufacturer's server, an electronic marketplace server, or a relay server that temporarily stores the software program.

[0128] In a system comprising a server and a client device, the computer program product may include a storage medium of the server or a storage medium of the client device. Alternatively, if a third device (e.g., a smartphone) exists that communicates with the server or the client device, the computer program product may include a storage medium of the third device. Alternatively, the computer program product may include a software program itself that is transmitted from the server to the client device or the third device, or from the third device to the client device.

[0129] In this case, one of the server, the client device, and the third device may execute the computer program product to perform the method according to the disclosed embodiments. Alternatively, two or more of the server, the client device, and the third device may execute the computer program product to perform the method according to the disclosed embodiments in a distributed manner.

[0130] For example, a server (e.g., a cloud server or an artificial intelligence server, etc.) may execute a computer program product stored on the server, thereby controlling a client device in communication with the server to perform a method according to the disclosed embodiments.

[0131]

[0132] Although the embodiments have been described in detail above, the scope of the present application is not limited thereto, and various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art using the basic concept of the present application defined in the following claims also fall within the scope of the present application.

Claims

1. An automated food material management method using at least one cooking robot, A step of confirming the required weight for each of a plurality of food ingredients based on the expected sales quantity for each menu during a given standard period; A step of measuring the actual weight used for the ingredients input for each menu during the cooking process of the menu using the cooking robot; and A method comprising a step of generating comparative data on predicted consumption amount and actual consumption amount for each food ingredient based on the accumulated actual usage weight and the required weight for each of the above food ingredients.

2. In paragraph 1, A step of obtaining cost trend information by manufacturer for each of the above ingredients; and Based on the actual consumption amount and cost trend information for each ingredient, a step of recommending an alternative recipe for at least one of the menus is further included. A method wherein the substitute recipe includes information about at least one substitute ingredient, a substitute manufacturer, and a cost of the substitute ingredient.

3. In paragraph 1, A step of obtaining cost trend information by manufacturer for each of the above ingredients; and A method further comprising a step of calculating the cost ratio of each ingredient of each menu based on the actual consumption amount and cost trend information for each ingredient.

4. In paragraph 1, The step of generating the above comparison data is: A step of calculating the usage rate and remaining inventory for each food ingredient based on the initial inventory amount for each food ingredient and the actual consumption amount for each food ingredient; and A method comprising a step of calculating the cooking quantity for each menu by comparing the remaining inventory amount for each ingredient with the actual used weight of each ingredient for each menu.

5. An automated food material management method using at least one cooking robot, A step of obtaining a recipe for at least one menu, wherein the recipe includes information on the required weight of each ingredient used in cooking the menu; A step of measuring the actual weight used of at least one of the ingredients during the cooking process of the menu using the cooking robot; A step of calculating a weighing error rate by comparing the required weight for each ingredient with the actual used weight; and A method comprising a step of adjusting at least one of the feeding speed and feeding angle of the dispenser unit of the cooking robot that feeds the food ingredient whose measuring error rate is greater than a predetermined standard value.

6. In paragraph 5, The above dispenser section dispenses the food ingredients over multiple injection time ranges set at different injection speeds, A method wherein the step of adjusting at least one of the above injection speed and injection angle is performed by changing the injection speed of some of the plurality of injection time regions.

7. In paragraph 6, The above dispenser part, A storage unit that stores the above ingredients and has a discharge unit formed in one area; and a rotary unit that rotates inside the storage unit to distribute the stored ingredients and deliver them to the discharge unit, thereby dispensing the ingredients. The step of adjusting at least one of the inclination of the above injection speed and injection angle is: A method performed by adjusting at least one of the rotational speed of the rotary part and the inclination of the discharge part.

8. In paragraph 5, A step of obtaining the weighing time required for each of the food ingredients fed through the dispenser unit to reach the required weight; and A method further comprising the step of providing a stock shortage notification for the food ingredient whose weighing time is longer than a predetermined standard time.

9. In paragraph 7, A method further comprising a step of adjusting at least one of the injection speed and injection angle of the dispenser unit for the food ingredient for which the measuring time is longer than the reference time.

10. In paragraph 7, A method wherein the dispenser unit further includes at least one of a camera sensor and a volume sensor for determining the stock amount of the food ingredients received in the storage unit.

11. A computer program stored in a recording medium for executing a method according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 10.

12. An automated food material management device using at least one cooking robot, at least one processor; and A memory for storing a program executable by the processor, The above processor, by executing the above program, verifies the required weight for each of a plurality of ingredients based on the expected sales quantity for each menu during a predetermined standard period, measures the actual usage weight of the ingredients input for each menu during the cooking process of the menu through the cooking robot, and generates comparison data on the predicted consumption amount and the actual consumption amount for each ingredient based on the accumulated actual usage weight and the required weight for each ingredient.

13. An automated food material management device using at least one cooking robot, at least one processor; and A memory for storing a program executable by the processor, The above processor, by executing the program, obtains a recipe for at least one menu, wherein the recipe includes information on the required weight of each ingredient used in cooking the menu, measures the actual use weight of at least one ingredient during the cooking process of the menu using the cooking robot, compares the required weight of each ingredient with the actual use weight to calculate a weighing error rate, and adjusts at least one of the feeding speed and feeding angle of the dispenser unit of the cooking robot that feeds the ingredient for which the feeding error rate is equal to or greater than a predetermined reference value.

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