Cooking System Confirmation Workflow to Prevent Remote Effects

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooking systems face challenges in providing convenient cooking process support while preventing remote effects and ensuring intuitive assignment of heating programs to individual hotplates, leading to potential user confusion and safety risks.

Innovation Solution

A method for operating a cooking system that involves sending procedural instructions from a mobile device to a hob, with confirmation requests sent to cooking utensils, allowing users to confirm instructions directly on the utensils via touch-sensitive elements, thereby preventing remote effects and simplifying the assignment of cooking steps to the correct utensils.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If cooking systems use radio transmission for communication between cookware and cooktop, then convenience of cooking process support is improved, but risk of remote effects and safety hazards increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconvenience of cooking process supportVSAvoidremote effects
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a mobile device as an intermediary between the user and the cooking system. The mobile device receives cooking instructions, determines cooking parameters, and communicates with the cooktop through controlled channels. This intermediary layer prevents direct remote control while maintaining cooking process support functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system segments the cooking control process into distinct functional modules: the mobile device handles instruction reception and parameter determination, the cooktop handles execution and confirmation, and the cookware provides status feedback. This segmentation prevents any single component from having remote control capabilities while maintaining overall system convenience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Shape

If controls are integrated into cookware to make cooktops less visually prominent, then aesthetic appearance is improved, but complexity of information exchange between cookware and cooktop increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaesthetic appearanceVSAvoidcomplexity of information exchange
Core Design Contradiction:
ShapeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile device serves multiple functions: it acts as a remote interface for users, a parameter determination unit, a communication bridge between cookware and cooktop, and a coordinator for cooking processes. This multi-functionality reduces the need for complex integrated controls in the cookware itself while maintaining aesthetic appearance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the cooktop sends confirmation requests to the mobile device, and the mobile device coordinates with the cookware to obtain cooking status information. This structured feedback loop simplifies information exchange by using the mobile device as a centralized communication hub rather than requiring direct complex protocols between all components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Ease of operation

If automated cooking programs are provided to simplify cooking process, then ease of operation is improved, but risk of incorrect program assignment to cooking zones increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of cooking processVSAvoidcorrect program assignment
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a confirmation mechanism where the cooktop sends confirmation requests to the mobile device before executing cooking instructions. The mobile device verifies the cooking parameters and ensures correct assignment to cooking zones based on the determined parameters, providing a feedback loop that prevents incorrect program assignment while maintaining automated operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The mobile device performs preliminary determination of cooking parameters before the cooktop executes the cooking program. This preliminary action includes analyzing the cooking instruction, determining appropriate parameters, and verifying correct zone assignment before the actual cooking process begins, thereby ensuring reliability while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This method enhances user convenience by allowing confirmation at the utensil location, reducing the risk of remote effects, and improving the clarity of assigning cooking steps, thus enhancing the safety and efficiency of the cooking process.

Implementation Method 1

communication between cookware and a cooktop or similar appliance via radio transmission, e.g., using transponder technology

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRadio transmission: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

inductively operating at least the first cooking zone of the cooktop

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 3

The goal is for cooktops to become increasingly less visually prominent in the kitchen

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInduction heating: Induction Heating

Data Source

PatentEP4049512B1Method for operating a cooking system, and hob and cookware
Publication Date: 2023.11.29 MIELE & CO KG
  • EP4049512B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4049512B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for operating a cooking system (1, 2, 3), preferably an inductive cooking system (1, 2, 3), wherein the cooking system (1, 2, 3) has a hob (1), cookware (2) and a mobile device (3); the method comprising the steps of: - sending (100) a process instruction from the mobile device (3) to the hob (1), - receiving (200), by the hob (1), the process instruction from the mobile device (3), - sending (250) a confirmation query from the hob (1) to the cookware (2), - in response to a confirmation (600) carried out by a user on the cookware (2), sending (650) a confirmation message from the cookware (2) to the hob (1), and - in response to the hob (1) receiving (700) the confirmation message from the cookware (2), executing (800), by the hob (1), the process instruction from the mobile device (3).