Food preparation

• US 9,872,345 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2009
• Issued: 01/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joliet 2010 Limited
• Original Assignee: Goji Limited
• Inventors: Ben-Shmuel, Eran, Bilchinsky, Alexander, Damari, Udi, Einav, Omer, Rousso, Benny, Ben-Haim, Shlomo
• Primary Examiner(s): Angwin, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): CALVETTI, FREDERICK F
• Application Number:
  US12/457,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20090236335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,150 Days
• Field of Search: 219703, 219709, 219710, 219711, 219712, 219717, 219718, 219687, 219746, 219748, 219754, 219730-735
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/01 using microwaves or dielectric heating
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/26 by irradiation without heating
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/363 the materials not being transported through or in the apparatus with or without shaping, e.g. in form of powder, granules, or flakes
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/365 Thawing subsequent to freezing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2203/10 Transponders
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3435 Package specially adapted for defrosting the contents by microwave heating
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3447 Heat attenuators, blocking agents or heat insulators for temperature control
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3487 Reflection, Absorption and Transmission [RAT] properties of the microwave reactive package
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3491 attached to the side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 2581/3493 attached to the base surface
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/3453 Rigid containers, e.g. trays, bottles, boxes, cups
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/02 Refrigerators including a heater
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2600/06 Controlling according to a predetermined profile
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 31/005 Combined cooling and heating devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6402 Aspects relating to the microwave cavity
• 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 6/645 using temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6455 the sensors being infrared detectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/686 Circuits comprising a signal generator and power amplifier, e.g. using solid state oscillators
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/687 : for cooking
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/688 : for thawing
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/70 : Feed lines
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/705 : using microwave tuning
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/72 : Radiators or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/808 : Microwave heating adapted for vending machines
• 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

Devices and methods for RF heating of food, using techniques which allow uniformity and/or controlled non-uniformity.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dielectrically heating a product using radio frequency (RF) energy, comprising:

an interface configured to;

receive an identifier from a machine readable element associated with the product; and

at least one processor configured to;

use the identifier to access and retrieve processing information from a remote location with respect to the apparatus;

receive feedback relating to an input efficiency as a function of frequency;

determine an instruction for processing the product by RF energy based on the processing information and the feedback; and

cause the product to be processed based on the determined instruction,

wherein the processing information comprises at least one of;

a quantity of inputs for transmitting RF energy;

a phase of at least one of the inputs;

multiple frequencies to be used for transmitting RF energy;

a power level associated with at least one of the multiple frequencies;

a frequency/power/time triplet;

s parameters;

or

information relating to RF energy absorption by the product as a function of frequency.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the feedback includes transfer coefficients associated with at least two of a plurality of frequencies.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing information includes at least one script for dynamically adjusting at least one heating parameter, the at least one script comprising at least one heating instruction.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the heating parameters include at least one of:

a transmitted frequency;

a power transmitted at a frequency;

a time period of power transmission at a frequency;

or

a movement of the product.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing information include information indicating an amount of energy to be absorbed by the product, and the at least one processor is configured to calculate the amount of energy absorbed by the product based on the input efficiency.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the machine readable element is configured to allow at least a portion of the machine readable element to change in response to the RF energy used to heat the object.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing information includes at least one of:

an indication of a content of the product;

a suggested treatment of the product;

a heating instruction for processing the product;

a script for dynamically adjusting at least one processing parameter, the script comprising at least one heating instruction;

or

an indication of an amount of energy to be absorbed by the product.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identifier includes an index key for accessing the processing information at the remote location.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the feedback comprises at least one of:

reflection coefficients,

transfer coefficients,

reflected RF power to a first feed,

coupled RF power, coupled from a first feed to at least a second feed,

an efficiency of RF energy transferred into the product,

a dielectric constant, or

an amount of RF energy absorbed by the product.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the product is a food item.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instruction for processing the product includes at least one of:

a transmitted frequency;

power transmitted at a frequency;

a time period of power transmission at a frequency;

or

a movement of the product.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to receive the feedback periodically during the processing of the product and to determine the instruction for processing the product based on the periodically received feedback.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the machine readable element is attached to the product.

24. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing information includes a decision to be made according to food state, wherein the food state is determined based on the feedback.

25. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the feedback indicates at least one of the following changes in the heated product:

a phase change;

a heat constant change;

or

a dielectric change.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the feedback includes reflection coefficients associated with at least two of a plurality of frequencies.

9. A method, implemented by a processor, for dielectrically heating a product using radio frequency (RF) energy, comprising:

receiving an identifier from a machine readable element associated with the product;

accessing, based on the identifier, a remote location with respect to the processor to retrieve processing information;

receiving feedback relating to an input efficiency as a function of frequency;

determining, by the processor, an instruction for processing the product by RF energy based on the processing information and the feedback; and

causing the product to be processed based on the determined instruction,

wherein the processing information comprises at least one of;

a quantity of inputs for transmitting RF energy;

a phase of at least one of the inputs;

multiple frequencies to be used for transmitting RF energy;

a power level associated with at least one of the multiple frequencies;

a frequency/power/time triplet;

s parameters;

or

information relating to RF energy absorption by the product as a function of frequency.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the processing information includes:

at least one script for dynamically adjusting at least one heating parameter, the at least one script comprising at least one heating instruction.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the heating parameters include at least one of:

a transmitted frequency;

a power transmitted at a frequency;

a time period of power transmission at a frequency;

or

a movement of the product.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

exposing the machine readable element to RF energy used for heating the product, wherein at least a portion of the machine readable element is configured to change in response to the exposure.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the processing information includes at least one of:

an indication of a content of the product;

a suggested treatment of the product;

a heating instruction for processing the product;

a script for dynamically adjusting at least one processing parameter, the script comprising at least one heating instruction;

or

an indication of an amount of energy to be absorbed by the product.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the identifier includes an index key for accessing the processing information at the remote location.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the feedback includes transfer coefficients associated with at least two of a plurality of frequencies.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein the instruction for processing the product includes at least one of:

a transmitted frequency;

power transmitted at a frequency;

a time period of power transmission;

or

a movement of the product.

21. The method of claim 9, wherein the feedback comprises at least one of:

reflection coefficients,

transfer coefficients,

reflected RF power to a first feed,

coupled RF power to at least a second feed,

an efficiency of RF energy transferred into the product,

a dielectric constant, or

an amount of RF energy absorbed by the product.

23. The method of claim 9, wherein the machine readable element is attached to the product.

28. The method of claim 9, wherein the feedback includes reflection coefficients associated with at least two of a plurality of frequencies.

31. The method of claim 9, wherein the processing information includes information indicating an amount of energy to be absorbed by the product, and the processor is configured to calculate the amount of energy absorbed by the product based on the input efficiency comprised in the feedback.

26. An apparatus for dielectrically heating a product using radio frequency (RF) energy, comprising:

an interface configured to;

receive an identifier from a machine readable element associated with the product; and

at least one processor configured to;

use the identifier to access and retrieve at least one script from a remote location with respect to the apparatus, wherein the at least one script includes instructions for processing the product by RF energy according to food state;

receive feedback relating to an input efficiency as a function of frequency;

determine the food state based on the feedback;

determine an instruction for processing the product by RF energy based on the determined food state and the at least one script; and

cause the product to be processed based on the determined instruction.

29. An apparatus for dielectrically heating a product using radio frequency (RF) energy, comprising:

an interface configured to;

receive an identifier from a machine readable element associated with the product; and

at least one processor configured to;

use the identifier to access and retrieve processing information from a remote location with respect to the apparatus;

receive feedback relating to an input efficiency as a function of frequency;

determine an instruction for processing the product by RF energy based on the processing information and the feedback; and

cause the product to be processed based on the determined instruction,

wherein the instruction comprises at least one of;

a quantity of inputs for transmitting RF energy;

a phase of at least one of the inputs;

multiple frequencies to be used for transmitting RF energy;

a power level associated with at least one of the multiple frequencies;

or

a frequency/power/time triplet.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the instruction comprises at least one of:

a quantity of inputs for transmitting RF energy;

or

a phase of at least one of the inputs.