Cooking Appliance Vibration Sensing for Multi-Heater Process Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated cooking appliances lack effective and precise control over the cooking process, particularly for elderly, disabled, and young users, as they fail to accurately detect and respond to mechanical and acoustic signals generated during cooking, leading to safety concerns and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
The integration of a 3-axis accelerometer to detect and convert mechanical and acoustic vibrations into electric signals, allowing for precise control of the cooking process by analyzing 3D vibration modes and noise patterns, enabling deterministic control of cooking processes even with multiple heating elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional vibration sensors or microphones are used to detect cooking process signals, then the device can identify basic cooking states, but the measurement precision and reliability are insufficient for accurate automated control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the vibration detection into three orthogonal components (x, y, z axes) using a 3-axis accelerometer. Each axis independently measures vibration in a specific direction, allowing the system to capture complete 3D vibration characteristics. This segmentation enables precise identification of cooking states by analyzing vibration patterns from multiple dimensions simultaneously, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional single-axis or 2D vibration sensing to 3D vibration measurement by incorporating all three spatial dimensions. This dimensional expansion allows the system to distinguish between different types of vibrations (e.g., boiling vs. simmering, vessel placement vs. cooking) that would be indistinguishable with fewer sensors, thereby achieving high measurement precision without requiring multiple separate sensors.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heating elements are used to provide cooking flexibility, then the device can handle diverse cooking requirements, but controlling which element to activate becomes complex and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the 3-axis accelerometer continuously monitors vibration signals, and the control unit analyzes these signals to determine the current cooking state and vessel position. Based on this real-time feedback, the control unit automatically selects and activates the appropriate heating element. This closed-loop control system eliminates the complexity of manual selection and ensures the correct heating element is always activated, resolving the contradiction between cooking flexibility and control complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs automatic identification and selection of heating elements based on vibration pattern recognition. The control unit autonomously determines which heating element should be activated by analyzing the 3D vibration data, without requiring user intervention or complex control interfaces. This self-service approach simplifies the control system while maintaining high adaptability for different cooking scenarios.
3Ease of operation
If automated control is implemented to improve safety and convenience for elderly and disabled users, then ease of operation improves, but the system requires sophisticated sensing and control capabilities that increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the cooking appliance to automatically monitor and control the cooking process without user intervention. The 3-axis accelerometer continuously detects vibration patterns, and the control unit autonomously adjusts heating element activation based on detected cooking states. This self-service automation provides full convenience for elderly and disabled users while using a relatively simple sensor system (single 3-axis accelerometer), thereby achieving ease of operation without excessive device complexity.
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 solution provides enhanced safety and efficiency by accurately determining the cooking process phases and controlling heating elements, reducing the risk of accidents and energy wastage, while allowing for precise control of cooking processes with multiple heating elements.
Implementation Method 1
The sensor (1) of mechanical or acoustic vibrations is a 3-axis accelerometer (1A), capable to detect vibrations in three dimensions and to convert them into the electric signals
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An automated cooking appliance comprises at least one sensor (1) of mechanical or acoustic vibrations, which is a 3D accelerometer (1A), operating in three dimensions and converting them into electric signals. The cooking appliance can comprise a cooking plate (2) and/or an oven (4). At least one heating device (3) is mounted beneath the cooking plate and/or in the oven. One or more vibration sensors (1, 1A) are mounted on the corners of the bottom side of the cooking plate, in physical contact with the plate. Two sensors (1, 1A) are mounted diagonally on two opposite corners, while three or four sensors (1, 1A) are mounted on three or four corners of the cooking plate, respectively. Preferably all sensors (1) are the 3D accelerometers (1A). Optionally at least one sensor (1) is a microphone (1M), capable to detect audible sounds and/or ultrasounds and to convert them into electric signals. This microphone (1M) can be placed on the side wall, ceiling, bottom or door of the oven, or under the plate. It can be connected acoustically with the interior of the oven by an acoustic channel (5). All vibration/acoustic sensors (1, 1A, 1M) are connected through the analogue or digital filter (6) to the processing unit (7) provided with the memory (8). The output of the processing unit is connected to the control unit (9) controlling the cooking appliance. The filtered signals are compared with the waveforms stored in the memory (8). A method of automated control of the cooking process is proposed, where the identification of the controlled heater mounted beneath the cooking plate when more than one heating device is switched-on is based on selective switching-off and switching-on of the heating devices for short periods of time that do not disturb the food processing, with simultaneous analysis of registered vibration/acoustic signals. The phase of the cooking process is determined from temporal evolution of the 3D vector of vibration/acoustic signal and/or from the temporal evolution of the waveforms extracted from the 3D vector analysed in the time domain.