Induction-Based Heating Appliances Employing Long Wave Magnetic Communication
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for measuring and controlling the temperature of a heatable object used to warm or cook food, comprising:
- a LWMC transmitter operably connected to the heatable object, for receiving and transmitting information concerning one or more parameters describing the heatable object; and
a LWMC receiver associated with a heater, the LWMC transmitter communicating information concerning one or more of the heatable object parameters to the LWMC receiver, and the LWMC receiver communicating controls to the heater based on the one or more heatable object parameters.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus, methods and systems are provided for measuring and controlling the temperature of a heatable object used to warm or cook food, using transmitters and receivers communicating between each other and/or with heaters, such as induction or direct heaters, using long-wave length magnetic communication (LWMC).
16 Citations
35 Claims
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1. Apparatus for measuring and controlling the temperature of a heatable object used to warm or cook food, comprising:
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a LWMC transmitter operably connected to the heatable object, for receiving and transmitting information concerning one or more parameters describing the heatable object; and a LWMC receiver associated with a heater, the LWMC transmitter communicating information concerning one or more of the heatable object parameters to the LWMC receiver, and the LWMC receiver communicating controls to the heater based on the one or more heatable object parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 30, 31, 32)
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20. Apparatus for measuring and controlling the temperature of a heatable object used to warm or cook food, comprising:
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a magnetic induction heater including a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field, the heater having a LWMC receiver associated with it; the heatable object including a LWMC transmitter; and the heater having a microprocessor operably connected with the LWMC receiver for initiating the heating of the object only upon placement of the object proximal to the heater and in a position for LWMC communication between the transmitter and the receiver, and for controlling operation of the heater in response to information received from the LWMC transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of heating an object containing food, comprising the steps of:
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providing a magnetic induction heater including a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field, the heater having an LWMC receiver associated therewith; providing an object to be magnetically heated, including an induction heatable element and an LWMC transmitter; placing the object proximal to the heater in a location for magnetic induction heating of the element and in a position for LWMC communication between the transmitter and the receiver; and initiating the heating of the object and controlling the operation of the heater in response to the placement of the object and receipt of information from the LWMC transmitter. - View Dependent Claims (25)
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26. A food delivery system, comprising:
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a food-holding container including an induction heatable element; a magnetic induction heater including a magnetic field generator for generating a magnetic field; the heater being operable to heat the element while the element is magnetically coupled with the magnetic field and the element remains within the container; and a temperature controller operable to control the temperature of the element during the course of heating of the element, including a detector operable to detect an induction heater circuit parameter whose magnitude is dependent upon the impedance presented by the heating element when the element is magnetically coupled with the magnetic field, and control circuitry operable to alter the magnetic field strength of the magnetic field in response to the magnitude, or rate of change of the magnitude, of the detected parameter, during the course of heating; wherein the temperature controller communicates with the heater using LWMC magnetic communication.
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27. Apparatus for measuring and controlling the temperature of an object to be heated used to warm or cook food, comprising:
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an LWMC transmitter operably connected to the heatable object; an LWMC receiver associated with a heater, a transmitting coil for receiving a sine wave modulated signal and for transmitting the signal over a magnetic field; a receiving coil for receiving the sine wave modulated signal transmitted by the transmitting coil; electronic circuitry for demodulating the signal received by the receiving coil; and a processor for extracting the temperature of the heatable object from the pulse width of the demodulated signal; wherein the transmitter and the receiver communicate using LWMC.
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28. A detachable apparatus for measuring the temperature of an object to be heated, providing for closed-loop heating control, comprising:
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an item of cookware to be heated, the cookware item having a LWMC transmitter associated with it, the transmitter being capable of communication with a LWMC receiver in communication with heating controls; and a magnetic detachable coupler carrying the transmitter, the coupler permitting removable attachment of the coupler to the heatable object. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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33. Apparatus for measuring and controlling the temperature of a heatable object used to warm or cook food, comprising:
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a LWMC transmitter operably connected to the heatable object, for receiving and transmitting information concerning one or more parameters describing the heatable object; and a LWMC receiver associated with an induction heater, the LWMC transmitter communicating information concerning one or more of the heatable object parameters to the LWMC receiver, and the LWMC receiver communicating controls based on the one or more heatable object parameters to the heater; an induction heater generating an induction field, and a power pickup coil receiving energy from the induction field and powering a temperature sensor coupled to a low frequency oscillator and an amplifier, the oscillator generated a modulated signal amplified by the amplifier and used to drive a low frequency magnetic field transducer coil for generating long wave magnetic communication. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
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Specification