OPTICAL QUALITY CONTROL METHODS

• US 20170079471A1
• Filed: 12/02/2016
• Published: 03/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Welbilt Deutschland GmbH (Ali Holding Srl)
• Original Assignee: Convotherm Elektrogerate GMBH (Ali Holding Srl)
• Inventors: Riefenstein, Lutz
• Granted Patent: US 11,622,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/10 General methods of cooking foods, e.g. by roasting or frying
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 36/00 Parts, details or accessories of cooking-vessels A47J27/00 - A47J33/00 take precedence insofar as these parts, details or accessories are restricted to a particular kind of cooking-vessel provided for in a single one of these groups
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/085 on baking ovens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/22 Matching criteria, e.g. proximity measures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30128 Food products
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/001 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 25/00 Circuitry of solid-state image sensors [SSIS]; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6435 Aspects relating to the user interface of the microwave heating apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6447 Method of operation or details of the microwave heating apparatus related to the use of detectors or sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6455 the sensors being infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/687 for cooking

Abstract

Disclosed are cooking methods using 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 methods also ensure that the food product has been properly cooked at the end of the cooking cycle/program. The methods 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.

Claims

1. A method of operating a cooking device to select a cooking cycle/program for food to be cooked in the cooking device, the cooking device comprised of a housing, a cooking chamber, a door for accessing and closing the cooking chamber, at least one mechanism for receiving and holding at least one food product carrier at a predetermined level, and an inspection system comprised of:

a distance sensor, a digital optical recognition device and stored images of food to be cooked, the method comprising the steps of;

activating the distance sensor;

detecting the at least one food product carrier by the distance sensor;

determining the level of the at least one food product carrier placement in the cooking chamber by the distance sensor;

capturing images of a food product on the at least one food product carrier by the digital optical recognition device;

comparing the captured food product images to the stored food product images by the inspection system;

selecting a cooking cycle/program associated with the food product based on the comparison by the inspection system; and

starting the cooking cycle/program associated with the food product.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distance sensor performs the further step of focusing the optical product recognition device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the digital optical recognition device further comprises an optical temperature sensor or IR sensor that measures the temperature of the surface of the food to be cooked.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distance sensor and digital optical recognition device are disposed above an opening to the cooking chamber.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distance sensor is disposed below and digital optical recognition device is disposed above an opening to the cooking chamber.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distance sensor and digital optical recognition device are disposed in the cooking chamber.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the digital optical recognition device comprises an electronic image sensor.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the digital optical recognition device comprises a CCD sensor or a CMOS sensor.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the digital optical recognition device further comprises an optical temperature sensor or IR sensor.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a controller and memory.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the memory contains stored images of food to be cooked, wherein the controller receives the captured images of the food to be cooked, wherein the controller compares the captured images to the stored images, and wherein the controller identifies the food to be cooked based upon the comparison.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the memory contains cooking cycle/programs for food to be cooked, wherein the cooking cycle/programs are stored in association with data relating to the location of placement of the food to be cooked in the cooking chamber, and wherein the controller selects a cooking cycle/program for the food to be cooked.

13. A method of determining whether food cooked in a cooking device has been properly cooked, the cooking device comprised of a housing, a cooking chamber, a door for accessing and closing the cooking chamber, at least one mechanism for receiving and holding at least one food product carrier at a predetermined level, and an inspection system comprised of a digital optical recognition device and stored images of properly cooked food, the method comprising the steps of:

signaling that a cooking cycle/program is finished by the inspection system;

removing the cooked food from the cooking chamber;

capturing images of the cooked food product by the digital optical recognition device;

comparing the captured images of cooked food product to the stored images; and

determining, based on the comparison, whether the cooked food product has been properly cooked.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of cooking cycles/programs are operating concurrently and wherein, upon signaling that a cooking cycle/program is finished, provides a warning if an incorrect food product is removed from the cooking chamber.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of determining whether an incorrect food product is removed from the cooking chamber, wherein the step of determining is performed by the distance sensor.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the digital optical recognition device further comprises an optical temperature sensor or IR sensor that measures the temperature of the surface of the cooked food.