EP1518075B1 - Cooking appliance comprising a memory unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A domestic cooking appliance, which can be conveniently controlled. The appliance includes at least one heating element and a control device. The control device with a write unit for logging process parameters in a memory unit and a read unit for reading out the logged process parameters operate together to at least partially control a cooking process in the appliance.

Description

From the DE 296 05 567 U1 is a cooktop with a plurality of heating elements and a control device and a storage unit known. In one embodiment, it is provided that electrical, nonvolatile storage means are provided for storing additional characteristic curves and / or cycle times of modified characteristic curves and / or cycle times which are permanently stored in an EEPROM. This ensures that different cooking and / or baking times, heating and / or cooking / Fortkochtemperaturen and the like can be stored.

The entry of changed settings is made via suitable up / down keys. This can initially selected any temperature and then released by pressing a corresponding program button a desired mode, or it is first set the mode and then any temperature. The EP 0798 516A discloses the features of the preamble. The object of the invention is to provide a cooktop, in particular with increased comfort. The object is achieved by the features of claim 1, while advantageous embodiments and modifications of the invention can be taken from the dependent claims.

It is proposed a cooktop, which has at least one heating element and a control device and a writing unit via the process sections of a process process parameters are at least partially logged automatically in a memory unit, and which includes a reading unit with which the logged process parameters from the memory unit can be read , wherein at least characteristic quantities can be output via an output unit over a process section duration and via a heating output in the process section, and the process parameters can be used by the control device for the at least partially automated control of a process. Processes can be conveniently stored and then easily reviewed, identified and selected. Under parameters about a given in a process section heat output to be in this context Temperature values, power values, such as wattages, abstract power levels, such as values between zero and nine, etc. understood.

If the individual units can be output one after the other to the process sections via the output unit, on the one hand the processes can be illustrated particularly clearly, in particular for identification, and cost-effective output units can be achieved.

The parameters relating to the process sections can be executed manually in succession, and / or the control device automatically outputs the parameters via the output unit in succession to the process sections in at least one operating state. In the latter case, manual inputs for the output of the parameters can be at least largely avoided and the comfort can be increased again.

If the control device outputs at least individual characteristic values prior to a start of an at least partially automated process along protocoled process parameters for identifying the process via the output unit, it can be easily, quickly and easily recognized by an operator whether the stored process parameters match, for example, the cooking preparation he has planned ,

If at least one further parameter can be input to stored process parameters via an input unit and stored in the memory unit, the assignment and identification can be further simplified and the cooking result further improved with the logged process parameters. The input can be done acoustically, for example via a speech recognition, and / or via keys, toggles, etc. With the additionally inputable parameter, various aspects that appear reasonable to the person skilled in the art can be described in more detail, such as a prepared food, a cooking result, cooking instructions, ingredients, times of introduction of ingredients and their condition before and / or after the process, handling of a Lids, an advantageous stirring behavior, etc.

If at least one logged process parameter can be changed via an input unit before and / or during an automated process sequence, the operator can advantageously carry out a fine-tuning and the process to specific boundary conditions In order to avoid additional components at least largely, the input unit for input of at least one further parameter and / or the input unit for changing at least one logged process parameter advantageously at least one piece with an already Standard existing input unit for controlling the heating element to be executed.

Instead of prior to starting an automated process, characteristic variables can also be output via the output unit in particular to process parameters currently being logged after a performed process, so that the operator can check the logged process parameters. If the result of the process and / or correspondingly the logged process parameters did not correspond to the expectations of the operator, a function can be provided with which the operator can prevent a permanent storage of the currently logged process parameters or correct the logged process parameters.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that at least one logged process parameter can be automatically optimized via an arithmetic unit with regard to at least one criterion, such as, for example, energy consumption, vitamin content, etc., as a result of which improved processes can be achieved. For this purpose, corresponding maps and / or algorithms can be stored in the memory unit.

About the output unit, the characteristics can be audible, especially in the form of a language, and / or visually output. If the characteristic quantities can be output via the output unit by means of a diagram having at least two coordinates, a particularly clear representation can be achieved.

In a further embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the output unit has at least one additional function in addition to the function of outputting the characteristics. Additional components and associated assembly and costs can be at least largely avoided. It is particularly advantageous if an already existing output unit for outputting currently set temperature values, power levels, time values, etc., is at least largely integral with the output unit for outputting the characteristic quantities.

If the output unit comprises at least one display element which has seven segments for representing a number from zero to nine, a cost-effective output unit can be achieved with which the characteristics can be displayed in a clearly visible manner.

In order to always ensure a clear application, the number of process sections that can be logged is limited to a number less than 10. Furthermore, the logging time is advantageously limited to a time span of less than two hours.

Further advantages emerge from the following description of the drawing. In the drawings, embodiments of the invention are shown. The drawing, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. The person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and combine them into meaningful further combinations.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a section of a cooking hob shown schematically from above with a sensor control on a cover page of the cooktop and

Fig. 2

a rotary knob of an alternative hob.

Fig. 1 shows a cooktop with four heating points 20, 21, of the four heating points 20, 21 only two are shown. The heating stations 20, 21 are each associated with a heating element 10, 11, which are arranged below a cover side of the cooktop. Furthermore, the cooktop has a control device 12, which has an integrated writing unit 13, an integrated memory unit 14, an integrated reading unit 15 and an integrated computing unit 38.

The heating elements 10, 11 can be controlled by a user via a sensor control 22 on the cover side of the cooktop and via the control device 12. With a first so-called on / off sensor 37, the sensor controller 22 can be switched on and off. If the sensor control 22 is switched on, a signal light 31 lights up above the sensor 37. For each heating point 20, 21 can be activated when the sensor control is switched on 22 via two sensors 24, 24 ', 25, 25', 26, 26 ', 27, 27', a heating stage can be set, and that with a marked "plus" sensor 24 ', 25', 26 ', 27th Increases the respective heating level and with a marked "minus" sensor 24, 25, 26, 27, the respective heating level can be reduced. The heating level selected by the operator is displayed to the operator via a display element 19a, 19b, 19e, 19f with seven light segments assigned to the corresponding heating point 20, 21, with numbers 9 to 9 being able to be represented by the display elements 19a, 19b, 19e, 19f are.

In addition, the cooktop on a timer unit, via which can be set, how long a heating point 20, 21 to be operated with a certain heat level. The timer unit comprises two sensors 28, 28 'on the top of the cooking hob, over which the operator can set a certain heating time, a sensor 28' marked "plus" to extend the heating time and a sensor marked "minus" 28 to shorten the heating time. The selected heating time is displayed in two display elements 19c, 19d, each with seven light segments. Furthermore, the operator is signaled by signal lights 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d for which heating point 20, 21 the timer unit is activated, the signal lights 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d respectively being arranged above the display elements 19a, 19b, 19e, 19f.

If process parameters are to be automatically logged via the writing unit 13 in the storage unit 14 for process sections of a cooking process, the operator must touch a sensor 29 labeled "M" for longer than 0.5 seconds. Subsequently, the logging readiness or recording readiness is displayed to the operator by illuminating a signal light 30 labeled "REC". In addition, a signal lamp 32a, 32b, 32c or 32d of the last activated heating element 10, 11 flashes, wherein the signal lamps 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d assigned to the heating elements 10, 11 respectively next to the display elements associated with the heating elements 10, 11 19a, 19b, 19e, 19f are arranged. If a heating element 10 or 11 is activated only after the actuation of the sensor 29, the signal light 32a, 32b, 32c or 32d associated with the heating element 10 or 11 immediately starts to flash when the heating element 10 or 11 is activated. The recording begins 5 seconds after the reading unit 15 has been activated by the operator or 5 seconds after the subsequent activation of a heating element 10 or 11, if at the time of activation of the reading unit 15 no heating element 10 or 11 is activated yet. The process section duration of the individual process sections is recorded with a resolution of 10 seconds, although other resolutions that appear reasonable to those skilled in the art are also conceivable.

If the cooktop has a function by means of which a prevailing temperature can be kept constant, as is the case in particular with induction heating elements, the reading unit 15 displays the times at which the function is activated and deactivated and the corresponding temperature for the automated control of a subsequent one Process logs.

In order to always ensure a clear logging of a process, only the logging of a single process is allowed by the control device 12 at the same time. In an attempt to log a second process on a second heating element 10 or 11 in parallel with a first process on a first heating element 10 or 11, the signal light 32a, 32b, 32c associated with the second heating element 10 or 11 flashes marked "M" or 32d three times to signal the operator that logging of the second process is denied.

Record-ready is interrupted when the operator again touches the sensor 29 for more than 0.5 seconds, activates the sensor 37, sets the cooking level to zero, or exceeds a maximum number of process sections or a maximum recording time. The number of recordable process sections is advantageously limited to 5 and the recording time is limited to 99 minutes. If the recording standby mode is interrupted, the signal lamp 30 labeled "REC" and the signal lamp 32a, 32b, 32c or 32d marked "M" are extinguished.

If the stored process parameters are to be read out of the memory unit 14 via the reading unit 15 and used by the control device 12 for the automated control of a cooking process, the operator must use the sensors 24, 24 ', 25, 25 marked "plus" and "minus"', 26, 26' or 27, 27 'of the heating station 20 or 21 to be selected simultaneously or touching the sensor M marked "M" for less than 0.5 sec. Before or after the activation of a heating element 10, 11. The signal lamps 23a, 23b, 23c or 23d and 32a, 32b, 32c or 32d associated with the selected heating element 10 or 11 begin to light up.

Prior to the start of the automated cooking process along the logged process parameters, the control device 12 to identify the cooking process successively to the process sections each a parameter over the process section duration and a parameter on the selected heat output in the process section via the output unit 16, namely for each process section. 2 The process section duration in minutes and the display element 19a, 19b, 19e or 19f associated with the selected heating element 10, 11 indicate the heating stage in the display elements 19c, 19d.

After the short overview, the control device 12 controls the selected heating element 10 or 11 automatically along the logged process parameters, wherein in the display element 19a, 19b, 19e or 19f of the heating element 10 or 11, the respective present heating stage and in the display elements 19c, 19d, the remaining total time Cooking process is displayed. During the automated cooking process, the heating level and the process section duration can not be changed by the operator via the sensor controller 22.

During the automated cooking process, if the operator touches the timer unit sensor 28 marked "Minus", the operator will be shown the remaining heating time with the current heat setting or the remaining process duration for 3 seconds. When the operator touches the "plus" sensor 28 ', the user is presented with the heat level and the process duration of the subsequent process section. If the sensor 28 'is actuated twice in succession, the operator is informed about the heating stage and the process section duration of the next but one process section, etc.

At the end of the cooking process, a beep is output via a loudspeaker 33 and zeros are displayed in the display elements 19c, 19d.

The stored process parameters associated with a heating element 10 or 11 may be deleted from the memory unit 14 by activating the reading unit 15 at the heating stage, zero of the heating element 10 or 11.

Instead of or next to the first output unit 16, an alternative output unit 17 may be provided. In Fig. 1 is on the side facing away from the first output unit 16 side of the on / off sensor 37, a second, formed by a so-called touch screen input and output unit 17 indicated, can be entered via the further characteristics and stored in the memory unit 14. About the input and output unit 17, a microphone not shown in detail activated and it can be assigned to a stored process via speech recognition a name that before the start of the automated process acoustically via the speaker 33 and visually on the screen of the input and output unit 17th is issued. In addition, cooking results as well as recipe suggestions and other comments about speech recognition can be entered and output acoustically as well as visually.

Furthermore, characteristic quantities can be output via the input and output unit 17 by means of a diagram 18 having a time coordinate and a power coordinate.

Furthermore, individual input process parameters can be changed via the input and output unit 17 and optimized, in particular with regard to certain criteria, with regard to energy consumption and vitamin content. For this purpose, different maps are stored in the memory unit 14, with which the stored process parameters are adjusted by means of the arithmetic unit 38 of the control device 12.

The solution according to the invention is in addition to the hob shown in all, the expert considered suitable cooktops applicable, and in particular for hobs, the heating elements via piezo sensors and / or rotary knob are controllable. In Fig. 2 is a rotary knob 34 of a heating element of a cooktop shown. The activation and deactivation of a writing and reading unit via the rotary knob 34 is described below by way of example, with respect to further sequences and functions in principle to the description of the exemplary embodiment in FIG Fig. 1 can be referenced.

To activate the writing unit, the rotary knob 34 is rotated in a rotational position or a so-called memory position, in which a mark 35 on the rotary knob 34 between a numeral zero and nine applied on a front side of a cooking appliance Scale 36 comes to rest. The memory position is marked in the scale 36 with an arrow 39. Subsequently, the rotary knob 34 is pressed for more than 0.5 sec.

The writing unit can be disabled via the rotary knob 34 by the rotary knob 34 is rotated back to its zero position or when this is rotated out of its memory position, then rotated back into the memory position and left in this longer than 5 sec.

To start the reading unit and thus an automated process along logged process parameters, the rotary knob 34 is rotated to its memory position. The process can be interrupted via the rotary knob 34 by being turned out of its memory position during the process.

reference numeral

10

heating element

11

heating element

12

control device

13

write unit

14

storage unit

15

reader

16

output unit

17

Input and output unit

18

diagram

19

display element

20

heating position

21

heating position

22

sensor control

23

signal light

24

sensor

25

sensor

26

sensor

27

sensor

28

sensor

29

sensor

30

signal light

31

signal light

32

signal light

33

speaker

34

rotary knob

35

mark

36

scale

37

sensor

38

computer unit

39

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Claims (5)

1. Cooker hob with at least one heating element (10, 11) and a control device (12) as well as a reading unit (15), by which logged process parameters can be read out of a memory unit (14), wherein the process parameters are usable by way of the control device (12) for at least partial automated control of a process, as well as a writing unit (13), characterised in that the process parameters can be logged at least partly automatically in the memory unit (14) by way of the writing unit (13) for process segments of a process, wherein at least variables about a process section duration and about a heat output, which is delivered in the process section, can be output by way of an output unit (16, 17).
2. Cooker hob according to claim 1, characterised in that at least individual variables can be output in succession by way of the output unit (16, 17) for the process segments.
3. Cooker hob according to claim 2, characterised in that the control device (12) in at least one operating state can automatically output the variables by way of the output unit (16) in succession for the process segments.
4. Cooker hob according to claim 3, characterised in that the control device (12) can output, by way of the output unit (16), at least individual variables prior to a start of at least partly automated process along logged process parameters for identification of the process.
5. Cooker hob according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least one further variable can be input by way of an input unit (17) for stored process parameters and can be stored in the memory unit (14).

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