Connected Oven Food Recognition With Closed-Loop Cooking Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional ovens lack advanced features for precise control over cooking parameters and user experience, such as real-time monitoring and automatic adjustment of cooking conditions, leading to potential cooking mistakes and inefficient use of space.

Innovation Solution

A connected oven system with integrated sensors, cameras, and processing capabilities that allow for real-time monitoring and adjustment of cooking parameters, automatic identification of food, and dynamic control of heating and convection elements based on recipes or user preferences, while also facilitating social sharing and data-driven cooking improvements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional ovens are used without advanced monitoring and control features, then device complexity is reduced, but cooking precision and reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooking precisionVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements real-time feedback loops where sensors continuously monitor cooking parameters (temperature, humidity, food state) and automatically adjust heating elements and convection fans to maintain optimal cooking conditions, thereby improving cooking precision through closed-loop control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The oven integrates multiple functions including temperature control, humidity control, convection, camera monitoring, and automatic recipe execution into a single device, allowing one complex system to perform diverse cooking tasks with high precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Loss of information

If conventional ovens lack real-time monitoring capabilities, then device complexity is reduced, but loss of information about cooking state increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooking state informationVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The camera system provides continuous visual feedback about the food's cooking state, color, texture, and doneness, allowing the control system to make real-time adjustments and notify users of cooking completion or anomalies without information loss

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual visual inspection and estimation with automated optical sensing and image analysis, using cameras and computer vision algorithms to objectively monitor and communicate cooking state information

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If conventional ovens do not have automatic adjustment capabilities, then ease of operation is reduced, but cooking precision improves

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidcooking precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The oven automatically monitors cooking progress, adjusts parameters, and determines when cooking is complete without user intervention, making the system self-regulating and eliminating the need for users to manually check or adjust settings during cooking

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-loads recipes with optimized cooking parameters and automatically executes them, performing all necessary adjustments in advance and during cooking without requiring user knowledge or manual intervention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Productivity

If conventional ovens lack connected and data-driven features, then productivity is reduced, but device complexity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooking efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The connected oven collects and analyzes cooking data over time, providing feedback to users about cooking performance and enabling continuous optimization of recipes and parameters to improve cooking efficiency and consistency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts cooking parameters based on real-time sensor data and historical performance, optimizing temperature profiles, humidity levels, and timing to improve cooking efficiency and energy utilization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enhances cooking precision, reduces user error, optimizes oven space, and provides a more engaging and efficient cooking experience through real-time monitoring and data-driven adjustments, while enabling social sharing and continuous improvement of cooking techniques.

Implementation Method 1

a heating element arranged within the cooking cavity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

a convection element arranged within the cooking cavity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentUS20230341131A9Connected food preparation system and method of use

Publication Date: 2023.10.26 JUNE LIFE INC

AI summary

A connected oven, including a set of in-cavity sensors and a processor configured to automatically identify foodstuff within the cooking cavity, based on the sensor measurements; and automatically operate the heating element based on the foodstuff identity.