Method for preparing a cooking product, cooking device, and cooking device system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in selecting a desired cooking result due to limitations in monitoring and controlling cooking processes in existing cooking appliances, which lack effective visualization and automation of cooking states.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize a camera to capture and process images of cooking products, generating virtual images showing future cooking states, allowing users to select desired outcomes and automatically adjust cooking parameters for precise control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a camera captures images and generates virtual images showing future cooking states, then user convenience and visualization capability are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A data processing facility acts as an intermediary between the camera and the user interface. The camera captures images which are transmitted to the data processing facility that generates virtual images showing future cooking states. This intermediary handles the complex image processing and prediction algorithms, keeping the cooking appliance itself relatively simple while still providing advanced visualization capabilities to users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates virtual copies or representations of future cooking states through generated images. Instead of requiring users to physically check on food at multiple time points, the system generates predictive visual copies of what the cooking product will look like at future times, allowing users to select desired outcomes without adding physical complexity to the cooking process itself.
2Manufacturing precision
If virtual images showing future cooking states are generated and displayed, then cooking control precision is improved, but loss of time for processing images increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary image processing and generates virtual images showing future cooking states before the actual cooking process completes. By pre-generating these predictive visualizations, the system allows users to make informed decisions about cooking parameters in advance, improving control precision without requiring time-consuming analysis during critical cooking phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback loop where images captured during cooking are continuously processed to generate updated virtual images showing predicted future states. This feedback mechanism allows users to adjust cooking parameters based on real-time predictions, improving cooking control precision while the automated nature of the feedback process minimizes manual time investment.
3Extent of automation
If automatic adjustment of cooking parameters based on virtual image selection is implemented, then cooking process automation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service automation where the cooking appliance automatically adjusts its own cooking parameters based on user selection of virtual images. Once a user selects a desired future cooking state from generated virtual images, the system autonomously modifies cooking parameters (temperature, time, power levels) to achieve that state, reducing the need for continuous manual intervention while maintaining manageable device complexity through automated decision-making algorithms.
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for preparing a cooking product, an image is captured of a cooking product by a camera, and a virtual image of the cooking product is provided to show a cooking state of the cooking product as captured by the image at a later cooking time.