Mobile Acceleration Sensor for Cooking State Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking assistance systems lack ease of use and precision in monitoring cooking states, leading to potential overcooking, boiling dry, and unsafe operating conditions due to inadequate detection of cooking states.
Innovation Solution
A cooking assistance system employing a mobile acceleration sensor and control unit that analyzes vibration signals to predict imminent cooking states, preventing overcooking and boiling dry by adjusting heating output, and includes a holding device for secure attachment to cooking vessels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed sensor unit is integrated into the cooking appliance, then measurement reliability is improved, but device complexity and difficulty of adaptation to different cooking vessels increases
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement system is segmented into a portable measuring unit that can be detached and attached to different cooking vessels. This separates the sensing function from the fixed cooking appliance, allowing the sensor to be positioned optimally on each vessel while keeping the processing unit stationary.
Solution Approach 2:
A portable measuring unit acts as an intermediary between the cooking vessel and the control system. This intermediate device can be easily attached to different vessels and transferred between them, providing reliable measurements without requiring complex integration into each appliance.
2Ease of operation
If a portable measuring unit is used, then ease of operation and adaptability improves, but measurement precision and stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The measuring unit is pre-equipped with all necessary sensors and processing capabilities before use. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the unit is attached to a cooking vessel, it immediately begins accurate measurements without requiring complex setup or calibration procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable measuring unit is designed with universal attachment capabilities that work with different cooking vessel types. It integrates multiple sensing functions in one device, maintaining measurement precision across various applications while simplifying operation.
3Manufacturing precision
If continuous monitoring of cooking state is implemented, then cooking precision improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs periodic measurements of cooking state rather than continuous monitoring. The control unit evaluates cooking progress at regular intervals based on sensor data, maintaining cooking precision while reducing energy consumption by keeping the system in low-power states between measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The measuring unit automatically monitors and evaluates cooking state without requiring constant user intervention or high-power processing. The system self-regulates by processing data only when changes in cooking state are detected, optimizing the balance between precision and energy use.
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 user convenience by precise control of heating units, reduces the risk of overcooking and boiling dry, and minimizes cleaning needs by automatically adjusting cooking parameters based on signal analysis.
Implementation Method 1
The invention makes use of the vibrations occurring during at least one heating operation in a cooking vessel on the base or on the side wall, which are caused in particular by the formation and bursting of steam bubbles.
Data Source
AI summary
The system has a control unit (12), and a mobile measuring unit (14) comprising an acceleration sensor for detecting oscillation of a cooking container (46) that is arranged on a heating zone (38). The control unit is designed to detect cooking condition of heated food (16) based on time course of acceleration signal measured by the measuring unit. The measuring unit has a holding device for holding the measuring unit at the cooking container. The holding device has magnets and a rigid bracket that is suspended at an upper edge of the cooking container. An independent claim is also included for a method for contactless determination of cooking condition.