Optical Food Recognition and Distance Sensing for Cooking Cycle Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking devices for commercial use are complex and prone to frequent repairs, and lack a reliable method to ensure that food is cooked according to the correct cycle and quality standards, often resulting in undercooked or improperly cooked food being served.
Innovation Solution
A cooking device equipped with a digital optical recognition system and a distance sensor that captures images of the food for recognition and placement, selecting the appropriate cooking cycle, and determining the quality of the cooked food by comparing images to a database of properly cooked food, ensuring correct cooking and quality standards are met.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If complex inspection systems with multiple sensors and recognition devices are used, then measurement precision and reliability improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection system is divided into separate functional modules: a digital optical recognition device for capturing images and identifying food items, and a distance sensor for detecting food placement. This segmentation allows each module to perform its specific function with high precision while keeping the overall system manageable and maintainable.
2Reliability
If multiple sensors and recognition devices are integrated, then reliability of cooking cycle selection improves, but ease of repair deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses independent, modular sensor units (optical recognition device and distance sensor) that can be individually tested and replaced. This modularity improves reliability through redundancy while maintaining ease of repair, as malfunctioning components can be isolated and swapped without affecting the entire system.
3Manufacturing precision
If image capture and comparison systems are used to verify cooking quality, then manufacturing precision of cooked food improves, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system captures images of the food before cooking and stores them as reference data. During and after cooking, the system quickly compares actual food appearance against these pre-stored references to verify cooking quality. This preliminary preparation of reference data enables rapid verification without adding significant time to the cooking process.
4Productivity
If automated recognition and verification systems are implemented, then productivity improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooking device automatically captures images, identifies food items, selects appropriate cooking cycles, and verifies cooking quality without operator intervention. The system serves itself by integrating the optical recognition device and distance sensor directly into the cooking apparatus, enabling automated operation while maintaining relatively simple system architecture.
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
The system significantly reduces cooking errors, ensuring that food is cooked correctly and meets quality standards, thereby preventing the serving of undercooked food and simplifying the operation of commercial cooking devices.
Implementation Method 1
a digital optical recognition device for capturing a series of product images for the purpose of food product to be cooked recognition
Implementation Method 2
a distance sensor for detecting the level of placement of a food product carrier placed in the cooking chamber
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed are cooking devices having inspection systems including: a distance sensor and a digital optical recognition device. The distance sensor detects the position of the food product placed in the cooking device and the digital optical recognition device captures a series of images for the purpose of food product recognition. Once the food product is recognized, the operator is provided with the correct cooking cycle/program for the position and type of food product placed in the cooking device. The inspection systems also ensure that the food product has been properly cooked at the end of the cooking cycle/program. The inspection systems ensure: (1) the food product is correctly recognized; (2) the cooking cycle/program is correctly selected; (3) the correct cooking cycle/program is followed to completion and (4) the quality of the cooked food product meets expected standards.