Microwave oven multiview silhouette volume calculation for mass estimation
First Claim
1. A microwave heating apparatus comprising:
- a cavity arranged to receive a load;
at least one microwave generator configured to feed a plurality of microwaves into the cavity;
at least one image-capturing device; and
a control unit adapted to;
obtain load volume information of the load within the cavity based on information recorded by the image-capturing device about at least one portion of the load, wherein the control is adapted to convert the information recorded by the image-capturing device into a plurality of two-dimensional silhouette images of the load and combine the plurality of two-dimensional silhouette images of the load to determine the load volume information;
obtain load density information using at least one of a user input and information recorded by the image-capturing device about at least one portion of the load;
determine load mass information based upon the load volume information and the load density information;
determine a heating pattern based upon the load mass information; and
control the at least one microwave generator to provide the heating pattern within the cavity.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microwave heating apparatus includes a cavity arranged to receive a load. At least one microwave generator is configured to feed a plurality of microwaves into the cavity. At least one image-capturing device and a control unit is adapted to obtain load volume information of the load within the cavity based on information recorded by the image-capturing device about at least one portion of the load, obtain load density information using at least one of a user input and information recorded by the image-capturing device about at least one portion of the load, determine load mass information based upon the load volume information and the load density information, determine a heating pattern based upon the load mass information and control the at least one microwave generator to provide the heating pattern within the cavity.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A microwave heating apparatus comprising:
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a cavity arranged to receive a load; at least one microwave generator configured to feed a plurality of microwaves into the cavity; at least one image-capturing device; and a control unit adapted to; obtain load volume information of the load within the cavity based on information recorded by the image-capturing device about at least one portion of the load, wherein the control is adapted to convert the information recorded by the image-capturing device into a plurality of two-dimensional silhouette images of the load and combine the plurality of two-dimensional silhouette images of the load to determine the load volume information; obtain load density information using at least one of a user input and information recorded by the image-capturing device about at least one portion of the load; determine load mass information based upon the load volume information and the load density information; determine a heating pattern based upon the load mass information; and control the at least one microwave generator to provide the heating pattern within the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of heating a load in a cavity using microwaves, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a load identity for a load placed within a cavity; obtaining a load volume for the load using a plurality of images captured by at least one image-capturing device, wherein a control is adapted to pixelate the plurality of images into a plurality of pixels, and wherein the control is adapted to combine at least a portion of the plurality of pixels to define the load volume; using the load identity to determine a load density; determining a load mass using the load volume and corresponding load density; determining a heating pattern for the load based upon at least the load mass; and heating the load within the cavity using the determined heating pattern. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 19)
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15. A method of heating a load in a cavity using microwaves, the method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining a plurality of images using at least one image-capturing device, wherein the at least one image capturing device is adapted to capture a plurality of load silhouettes; obtaining a load identity for a load placed within a cavity; separating the load into at least one usable doneness region and at least one non-usable doneness region using the plurality of load silhouettes; determining a heating pattern of a microwave generator for heating, wherein the heating pattern is based upon the load identity and the at least one usable doneness region; heating the load within the cavity using the determined heating pattern; and terminating the heating pattern when a control determines that at least a portion of the at least one usable doneness region includes at least a portion of the usable doneness region is substantially similar to a corresponding stored doneness characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 20)
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Specification