Utensil profile determination system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooking appliances lack effective detection systems for utensil profiles, including presence, movement, and liquid levels, leading to potential hazards such as Dry Pot conditions, which can result in unsafe heat management and inefficient cooking.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing a time of flight (ToF) sensor to detect distances between the cooktop surface, heating element, and utensil, combined with a processor to determine utensil profiles and initiate remedial measures like heat control and alarms, ensuring safe cooking practices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ToF sensor is used to detect utensil profile and movement, then safety monitoring capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ToF sensor is designed to perform multiple functions: detecting utensil presence, determining utensil profile, monitoring liquid levels, and tracking utensil movement. By consolidating these detection capabilities into a single sensor system rather than using separate sensors for each function, the patent improves safety monitoring capability while minimizing the increase in device complexity through multi-functional integration
2Reliability
If continuous monitoring of utensil profile is implemented, then Dry Pot hazard detection is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements continuous monitoring of utensil profile through periodic detection cycles using the ToF sensor. Rather than truly continuous operation, the sensor takes measurements at regular intervals, which provides adequate Dry Pot hazard detection capability while reducing energy consumption compared to constant real-time monitoring. The processor analyzes these periodic measurements to determine utensil presence, profile, and liquid levels
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 effectively monitors utensil profiles to prevent hazards like Dry Pot conditions, ensuring safe and efficient cooking by automatically managing heat and alerting users to potential issues.
Implementation Method 1
The remote sensor may be a time of flight (ToF) sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A utensil profile determination system and method for determining a profile of a utensil used for cooking liquids and foodstuff on a heating element of a cooktop surface are disclosed. Particular distances are determined and considered in forming the profiles, the distances relating to a cooktop surface, heating element, utensil and sensor. The utensil profile may include whether the utensil is present or absent, vertical movement and direction of the vertical movement, and Dry Pot. Certain remedial measures may be implemented as a result of particular utensil profile determinations.