Replication of dishes with a robotized cooker

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge lies in accurately replicating a one-pot dish in real time or almost real time on remote, robotized slave cookers, which face different initial cooking conditions compared to a robotized master cooker.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves a data-processing system that monitors and controls the replication of a one-pot dish by adhering to the cooking thermograph of the master cooker, shifting it in time for each slave cooker, and adjusting ingredient and spice dispensing accordingly to ensure identical chemical transformation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If real-time replication of dishes is performed on remote slave cookers, then dish quality consistency is improved, but the complexity of coordinating different initial cooking conditions worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedish quality consistencyVSAvoidcoordination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates a digital copy of the master cooker's thermograph (temperature-time curve) and transmits it to slave cookers. Each slave cooker replicates the dish by following its copied thermograph, ensuring identical thermal processing despite different initial conditions. This copying approach simplifies coordination by providing a universal reference that automatically adapts to local conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system adjusts cooking parameters dynamically based on the thermograph data. Each slave cooker modifies its heating power, ingredient addition timing, and other parameters to match the temperature evolution curve of the master cooker. This parameter adaptation allows precise replication while accounting for variations in initial cooking conditions at different locations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If thermal processing is adjusted to comply with master cooker's chemical transformation, then dish replication accuracy is improved, but the control system complexity worsens

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedish replication accuracyVSAvoidcontrol system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the actual temperature evolution at slave cookers and comparing it with the target thermograph from the master cooker. The control system automatically adjusts heating power and processing parameters to minimize deviations, ensuring that chemical transformations match the original dish. This closed-loop feedback simplifies the control complexity by providing automatic correction mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Manufacturing precision

If time-shifted ingredient dispensing is implemented for each slave cooker, then thermalization accuracy is improved, but the synchronization requirements worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermalization accuracyVSAvoidsynchronization delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calculation of the optimal time shift for each slave cooker based on its specific initial conditions (ambient temperature, cooker characteristics, ingredient temperatures). This pre-computed time offset is applied to the thermograph before transmission, allowing each slave cooker to synchronize ingredient dispensing and heating actions without real-time delays. This preliminary action eliminates synchronization delays while maintaining thermalization accuracy.

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 approach allows for precise replication of the dish on remote slave cookers, maintaining the quality and chemical transformation of the original dish prepared on the master cooker, even with different initial conditions.

Implementation Method 1

a heating element (18.0, 18.i) with the information on delivered cooking power P c (t)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Implementation Method 2

the thermal processing of all ingredients and spices in a way, that fully complies with and that is identical to the chemical transformation of the ingredients and spices

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

a device for measurement of actual cooking temperature T c (t)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermocouple effect: Thermocouple

Implementation Method 4

a robotized spice dispenser with spice/seasoning containers (13.1, 13.2, ..., 13.L), where their statuses are saved as a device status of ingredient compartments and spice containers I j (t)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical actuation: Mechanical Force

Implementation Method 5

a mixer drive with water dispenser processed as the related device status M(t)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical stirring: Stirring

Data Source

PatentEP4149333B1Replication of dishes with a robotized cooker
Publication Date: 2025.06.04 GAMMA CHEF D O O
  • EP4149333B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4149333B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4149333B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4B

AI summary

The invention discloses a method of operating data-processing system consisting of at least one server (30), one robotized master cooker (10.0) and one or more robotized slave cookers (10.i), mutually networked, used for monitoring the replication of a one-pot dish prepared on the robotized master cooker (10.0) and in real time on one or several, remotely located, identical robotized slave cookers (10.i). The method is based on a power regulation and control P c,i (t) of all slave cookers (10.1) in order to replicate the thermograph T c,0 (t) of the master cooker (10.0) to satisfy T c,i (t´+Δt i )=T(t') c,0 , where each Δt i defines the time difference in cooking processes. In the simplest version, the control can be executed by the linear response: P c,i (t)=P c,0 (t-Δt i )+A·(T c,0 (t-Δt i )-T c,i (t)), with A as empirically selected constant.