Method and apparatus for automatically cooking user-customized food
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Solution Overview
Problem
The restaurant industry faces challenges with labor shortages and high labor costs for professional cooks, leading to inconsistent food quality and operational inefficiencies, while existing automated robots are primarily used for serving and not cooking.
Innovation Solution
A modular automated cooking apparatus comprising modules for ingredient storage, discharge, and conveyor systems, controlled by AI, that autonomously prepares user-customized meals without human intervention, using precise control commands for ingredient handling and conveyor movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If professional cooks are hired to prepare meals, then food quality and taste can be maintained, but labor costs increase significantly and labor shortages occur
Solution Approach 1:
The cooking system performs cooking operations autonomously without human intervention. The controller automatically controls the cooking apparatus to prepare meals based on stored cooking data, eliminating the need for human cooks to perform repetitive cooking tasks while maintaining consistent food quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces human cooks with an automated control system that uses controllers and cooking data to manage the cooking process. This substitution of human mechanical operations with automated control systems resolves the contradiction by maintaining food quality consistency while eliminating labor costs and shortages.
2Productivity
If automated robots are introduced for serving, then serving efficiency improves, but cooking processes still require human intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The automated cooking system is designed to perform multiple functions including ingredient preparation, cooking, and coordination with serving processes. This multi-functional automation extends the scope of robotic applications from merely serving to encompassing the entire food preparation workflow.
Solution Approach 2:
The system stores cooking data in advance and prepares ingredients and cooking sequences beforehand. This preliminary automation of cooking processes complements the serving robots, creating a fully automated workflow from preparation to service without human intervention at any stage.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple ingredient discharge units are used, then ingredient handling capability increases, but unintended ingredient discharge may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The controller receives information from sensors that detect the presence and type of ingredients in each discharge unit. This feedback mechanism allows the system to accurately control which ingredients are discharged and in what quantities, preventing unintended discharge while maintaining high ingredient handling capability through multiple specialized discharge units.
Solution Approach 2:
Each ingredient discharge unit is configured with specific properties and controls tailored to its designated ingredient type. This localized optimization ensures that each unit operates with high precision for its specific function, maintaining overall system reliability while providing versatile ingredient handling across multiple units.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments relate to a method of providing a cooking automation service that cooks a finished product without a user performing a separate cooking action, and an apparatus therefor. The method may include (a) a first step of generating order information corresponding to order details input by a user; (b) a second step of transmitting a first control command to a first module among the N modules according to the generated order information; (c) a third step of respectively transmitting a second control command to an (N-1)th control command to one or more of a second module to an (N-1)th module among the N modules; and (d) a fourth step of transmitting an N-th control command to an N-th module among the N modules.