Camera-Based Cookware Identification for Automatic Care Guidance

Solution Overview

Problem

Users of cooking appliances often struggle to identify and properly use various types of cookware, leading to accidental damage and improper care, which affects the cookware's lifespan and food quality.

Innovation Solution

A cooking assembly that includes a camera and controller system, which captures images of the cookware and automatically provides care information based on its identification, allowing for guided use without requiring direct user input or knowledge of the cookware's characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a camera and controller system is added to automatically identify cookware and provide care information, then user guidance and cookware protection are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecookware protectionVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables the cookware to effectively 'identify itself' through automatic image capture and analysis. The camera assembly automatically captures images of the cookware, and the controller automatically processes these images to identify the cookware type and provide appropriate care information, eliminating the need for manual user input or knowledge about the cookware characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical identification processes with an optical system. Instead of requiring users to physically examine or input information about cookware, the system uses a camera to capture visual data and a controller to process this data, substituting optical and electronic processes for manual mechanical interaction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Ease of operation

If automatic cookware identification is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser guidanceVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables the cookware to effectively 'identify itself' through automatic image capture and analysis. The camera assembly automatically captures images of the cookware, and the controller automatically processes these images to identify the cookware type and provide appropriate care information, eliminating the need for manual user input or knowledge about the cookware characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The camera assembly and controller serve as intermediaries between the user and the cookware. Instead of requiring direct user knowledge or interaction with the cookware's identifying features, the system introduces these components that automatically capture, process, and interpret visual data about the cookware, providing care information without requiring direct user expertise.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20220159792A1Cooking assemblies and methods of operation based on detected cookware

Publication Date: 2022.05.19 HAIER US APPLIANCE SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

A cooking assembly or method of operating the same may include features for receiving an image signal from a camera assembly of a cooking zone; identifying a cookware item based on the received image signal; and initiating, automatically, care information according to the identified cookware.