Object Processing State Sensing Using RF Radiation

• US 20130080098A1
• Filed: 08/30/2012
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Goji Limited
• Original Assignee: Goji Limited
• Inventors: Libman, Avner, Yaari, Igal, HADAD, Sharon, Ben Haim, Yuval
• Application Number:
  US13/599,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20130080098A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/66
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 22/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of microwaves or radio waves, i.e. electromagnetic waves with a wavelength of one millimetre or more G01N3/00 - G01N17/00, G01N24/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/00 Investigating or analysing materials by the use of electric, electrochemical, or magnetic means G01N3/00 – G01N25/00 take precedence; measurement or testing of electric or magnetic variables or of electric or magnetic properties of materials G01R
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/04 by investigating resistance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6441 allowing the input of coded operation instructions, e.g. bar code reader
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6467 using detectors with R.F. transmitters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6473 combined with convection heating H05B6/6485 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6482 combined with radiant heating, e.g. infrared heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6485 further combined with convection heating
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/688 for thawing
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/705 using microwave tuning
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

An apparatus for determining a correlation of a processing state of an object with RF feedback received from an energy application zone during processing of the object in the energy application zone may include at least one detector configured to detect the RF feedback from the energy application zone. The apparatus may also include at least one controller configured to receive from the at least one detector the RF feedback; receive an indication of one or more processing states of the object (e.g., as indicated by at least one processing state indicator); and determine a correlation between the received RF feedback and the one or more processing states.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining a correlation of a processing state of an object, indicated by at least one processing state indicator, with RF feedback received from an energy application zone during processing of the object in the energy application zone, the apparatus comprising:

at least one detector, configured to detect the RF feedback from the energy application zone; and

at least one controller, configured to;

receive from the at least one detector the RF feedback;

receive an indication of one or more processing states of the object; and

determine a correlation between the received RF feedback and the one or more processing states.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to record the correlation between received RF feedback values and the indicated processing states.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the indication of the processing state of the object is received from the processing state indicator.

4. An apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising at least one radiating element configured to apply RF energy to the energy application zone, and wherein the RF feedback are detected by the detector in response to RF energy application by the at least one radiating element.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one detector is associated with the at least one radiating element.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one processing state indicator.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing state indicator comprises at least one sensor configured to sense a variable indicative of the processing state of the object.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing state indicator comprises a first user interface configured to receive from a user an indication of the processing state of the object.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a second user interface, configured to display a representation indicative of the processing state associated with the object.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second user interface is configured to display an image associated with the RF feedback.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first user interface is configured to display a representation indicative of the processing state associated with the object.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second user interface is configured to provide an audio representation indicative of the processing state associated with the object.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the representation indicative of the processing state of the object comprises a representation of the RF feedback detected by the detector.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the energy application zone and at least one heat source configured to heat the object.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the energy application zone and at least one RF source configured to supply RF energy for processing the object.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to cause application of RF energy at a first power level to heat the object and cause application of RF energy at a second power level to generate the RF feedback, wherein the first power level is higher than the second power level.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing states of the object include an initial state of the object.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory, and wherein the at least one controller is configured to record the correlation on the memory.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one controller is further configured to record the correlation on a machine readable element associated with the object.

20. A method of determining a correlation between a processing state of an object and RF feedback, comprising:

processing the object;

receiving indication of one or more processing states of the object during the processing of the object;

applying RF energy to an energy application zone and receiving RF feedback from the energy application zone during the processing of the object; and

determining a correlation between the RF feedback and the one or more processing states of the object.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising recording the correlation between the RF feedback and the one or more processing states of the object.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving from a sensor values of a variable indicative of the at least one processing state of the object.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising receiving through a user interface an indication indicative of the one or more processing states of the object.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein receiving an indication indicative of the one or more processing state of the object comprises receiving an indication of at least one of a phase of the object, a physical property of the object, or a chemical property of the object.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein the object includes a food item and the processing states include cooking states of the object.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein recording the correlation comprises recording on a memory associated with a controller associated with the energy application zone.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein recording the correlation comprises recording on a machine readable element associated with at least one of the object.

28. The method of claim 20, further comprising controlling processing of an exemplar of the object based on the correlation.

29. The method of claim 20, further comprising displaying an indication of the one or more processing state of the object.

30. The method of claim 20, further comprising displaying a representation of the RF feedback received from the energy application zone.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein displaying includes visual displaying.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein displaying includes providing an audio displaying.

33. The method of claim 30, wherein displaying includes visual displaying.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein displaying includes providing an audio displaying.

35. The method of claim 20, wherein the RF feedback includes an EM energy absorbability indicator of the object.