US 11,940,768 B2
Multi-function cooking apparatus with reproducibility of cooking results
Maximilian Koennings, Zurich (CH); Caroline Cozzone, Horgen (CH); and Stefan Hilgers, Essen (DE)
Assigned to Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH, Wuppertal (DE)
Filed by Vorwerk & Co. Interholding GmbH, Wuppertal (DE)
Filed on Sep. 16, 2016, as Appl. No. 15/267,976.
Claims priority of application No. 15185945 (EP), filed on Sep. 18, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2017/0082996 A1, Mar. 23, 2017
Int. Cl. G05B 19/42 (2006.01); A47J 36/32 (2006.01); A47J 43/046 (2006.01); G05B 19/042 (2006.01)
CPC G05B 19/0426 (2013.01) [A47J 36/321 (2018.08); A47J 43/046 (2013.01); G05B 2219/2642 (2013.01); G05B 2219/2643 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A control system for improving the reproducibility of cooking results of a multi-function cooking apparatus within a predefined tolerance range, the multi-function cooking apparatus including at least two hardware components, each providing at least one cooking function, comprising:
a recipe program interface component configured to access a plurality of recipe programs on a data storage device, wherein a recipe program of the plurality of recipe programs includes recipe program instructions configured to be executed using a combination of the at least two hardware components under predefined operating conditions, wherein the predefined operating conditions include at least one operating parameter setting for a plurality of technical capability parameters of the at least two hardware components, the plurality of technical capability parameters indicating a functioning or a deficiency of a technical capability of each of a corresponding hardware component of the at least two hardware components, and further configured to forward the recipe program instructions to the cooking apparatus;
an operating parameter interface component configured to receive, from at least one sensor associated with the cooking apparatus, actual operating parameter values reflecting actual operating conditions of each of the at least two hardware components;
an operating conditions evaluator component configured to perform an evaluation of the actual operating parameter values, the at least one operating parameter setting, and the plurality of technical capability parameters, to thereby determine, prior to a recipe program instruction of the recipe program instructions being started, an actual technical capability parameter for at least one hardware component of the at least two hardware components, and
in response to the evaluation indicating that the actual technical capability parameter deviates from the predefined operating conditions for the at least one hardware component and indicates a non-compensable deficiency thereof with respect to obtaining an expected, reproducible cooking result associated with the recipe program, the non-compensable deficiency being a technical deficiency regarding a technical capability of the at least one hardware component that prevents the expected reproducible cooking result from occurring, sending instructions to the cooking apparatus to prevent the recipe program instruction from beginning;
in response to the evaluation indicating that the actual technical capability parameter deviates from the predefined operating conditions for the at least one hardware component and indicates a compensable deficiency of the technical capability of the cooking apparatus that triggers a deviation from the expected, reproducible cooking result associated with the particular recipe program, determining compensation instructions for the cooking apparatus according to predefined compensation rules; and
a recipe program adjustment component configured to adjust the recipe program according to the determined compensation instructions to maintain the expected, reproducible cooking result according to at least one recipe adjustment instruction in the compensation instructions.