EP2647916A1

EP2647916A1 - Method of controlling an oven and oven control system

Info

Publication number: EP2647916A1
Application number: EP13157403.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Laura Nicolini
Original assignee: Franke Technology and Trademark Ltd
Current assignee: Franke Technology and Trademark Ltd
Priority date: 2012-04-04
Filing date: 2013-03-01
Publication date: 2013-10-09
Also published as: CA2811842A1

Abstract

We propose a method of controlling an oven (30) by means of a multi-purpose portable digital device (20), such as a smartphone or a personal digital assistant or a tablet personal computer, wherein said portable digital device has both wireless internet connectivity and wireless connectivity with the oven, comprising: a) executing a dedicated software app (23) on the portable digital device, b) providing, by means of said app, a choice of cooking recipes to a user, c) sending recipe data corresponding to a user's choice of recipes from the portable digital device to the oven, said recipe data comprising at least one the following data elements: cooking time, cooking temperature, cooking position inside the oven, cooking program or function, d) storing the recipe data in a temporary memory (33) provided at the oven and e) sending confirmation data from the oven to the portable digital device, thus enabling setting the oven according to the recipe data and further enabling starting the oven either by means of the portable digital device by sending corresponding control data from the portable digital device to the oven or by manually selecting a start control function at the oven, and f) providing, by means of said app or at the oven, a data storage control function for permanently saving the recipe data stored inside the temporary memory within a permanent memory (34) provided at the oven. We further propose an oven control system (10) which is able to operate in accordance with said method.

Description

The present invention relates to a method of controlling an oven by means of a multi-purpose portable digital device, such as a smartphone or a personal digital assistant or a tablet personal computer, wherein said portable digital device has both wireless internet connectivity and wireless connectivity with the oven.
The present invention further relates to an oven control system comprising at least a multiple-purpose portable digital device and an oven.
In connection with modern kitchen appliances, electronic controls are widely used. Based on this technology, the present applicant introduced the concept of an automatic cooking system in the oven range. In the context of the present description, an "automatic cooking system" is an oven which is devised to cook 3 or 4 different courses at the same time, managing by itself, by using dedicated processor means, cooking time, cooking functions and cooking temperature, thus saving time and energy. The automatic cooking system (hereinafter referred to as oven) manages cooking time, cooking functions and cooking temperature by itself while helping unskilled users to cook specific courses in the best way.
The above-described oven functionalities are also referred to as "complete menu" functionality and "preset recipes" functionality. Due to the preset recipes, the above-described functionalities rely on the use of an internal memory capacity installed in the oven. However, it could be seen as a drawback of the existing concept that memory capacity of the oven's electronic control is limited in size and that it is difficult to extend or update said memory at reasonable cost.
Furthermore, the actual control operations have to be carried out by the user directly at the oven which only presents a relatively small control panel. In this way, it is generally not possible to display further information about food preparation or the combination of individual dishes to form a complete menu to an unskilled user.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a method of controlling an oven and a corresponding oven control system which does not suffer from the above-described disadvantage of memory size limitation and which is able to provide further information to (unskilled) users in connection with food preparation, combination of dishes, or the like. Furthermore, remote control of oven shall be enabled.
This object is achieved by means of a method of controlling an oven with the features of appended claim 1. The object is further achieved by an oven control system with the features of appended claim 13. Advantageous further embodiments of the inventive method and the inventive system are defined in dependent claims 2 through 12 and 13-14, respectively. The wording of said claims is herewith incorporated by reference in the present description in order to avoid repetition of text.
According to the invention, the method of controlling an oven by means of a multi-purpose portable digital device, such as a smartphone or a personal digital assistant or a tablet personal computer, wherein said portable digital device has both wireless internet connectivity and wireless connectivity with the oven, comprises:

a) executing a dedicated software application or program (app) on the portable digital device
b) providing, by means of said app, a choice of cooking recipes to a user
c) sending recipe data corresponding to a user's choice of recipes from the portable digital device to the oven, said recipe data comprising at least one the following data elements: cooking time, cooking temperature, cooking position inside the oven, cooking program or function
d) storing the recipe data in a temporary memory provided at the oven and
e) sending confirmation data from the oven to the portable digital device, thus enabling setting the oven according to the recipe data and further enabling starting the oven either by means of the portable digital device by sending corresponding control data from the portable digital device to the oven or by manually selecting a start control function at the oven, and
f) providing, by means of said app or at the oven, a data storage control function for permanently saving the recipe data stored inside the temporary memory within a permanent memory provided at the oven.

The oven control system according to the invention comprises:

multi-purpose portable digital device, such as a smartphone or a personal digital assistant or a tablet personal computer, wherein said portable digital device has wireless internet connectivity;
an oven, said oven comprising: an oven control unit for controlling, preferably independently for different cooking positions inside the oven, at least one the following oven parameters: cooking time, cooking temperature, cooking program or function; a wireless communication module for wireless connectivity with the portable digital device; a temporary memory; and a permanent memory;
a dedicated software application or program (app) for execution on the portable digital device;

the portable digital device, by means of said app, is devised for providing a choice of cooking recipes to a user;
the portable digital device, by means of said app, is devised for sending recipe data corresponding to a user's choice of recipes from the portable digital device to the oven, said recipe data comprising at least one the following data elements: cooking time, cooking temperature, cooking position inside the oven, cooking program or function;
the oven is devised for storing the recipe data in the temporary memory;
the oven is devised for sending confirmation data from the oven to the portable digital device, thus enabling setting the oven according to the recipe data;
the oven is devised for manually selecting a start control function for starting the oven in accordance with said settings on a control panel, preferably a touch-sensitive control-panel, provided at the oven and/or the portable digital device is devised, by means of said app, for starting the oven by means of the portable digital device in accordance with said settings by sending corresponding control data from the portable digital device to the oven; and
the oven and/or the portable digital device, by means of said app, is/are devised for providing a data storage control function for permanently saving the recipe data stored inside the temporary memory within the permanent memory.

The basic idea underlying the present invention consists of integrating a customized electronic control with an integrated wireless connectivity module, e.g. a WiFi module, an internet connectivity module or the like into the automatic cooking system (oven), whereby the oven is enabled to communicate in wireless fashion with a portable digital device, e.g. smartphone, tablet PC, PDA or the like. In this way, owing to said specific or dedicated software application (also referred to as "app"), it is possible to control the oven in respect of cooking activities by means of the portable digital device.
It should be noted that the inventive concept is not limited to a particular platform, such as Apple, Microsoft (Windows), Android or the like, but can be extended to any type of multi-purpose portable digital device with wireless connectivity.
The inventive concept is based on the fact that functionality of portable digital devices, e.g. smartphones, generally is much more powerful than the oven's internal electronic control: while said electronic control is generally closed to extension or updating, portable digital devices with wireless connectivity can be connected to the world wide web (the internet), so that there is virtually no limitation on memory space, and improvements or updates are available in continuous fashion.
Furthermore, portable digital devices, such as smartphones or tablets, offer a unique opportunity to control the oven: they allow to choose individual dishes or even complete menus from within a huge offer of recipes in a user-friendly environment, e.g. the living room and/or the garden or even from outside the house, and they can then be used to set and control the oven accordingly by sending detailed cooking instructions (recipe data) to the oven in wireless fashion.
This new functionality of the multi-purpose portable digital device can be provided by means of said dedicated software application, which is available from corresponding application stores, either for free or against payment. Once installed on the portable digital device, the user will be able to control the oven through said portable digital device.
In practice, the user will run said dedicated software application on the portable digital device. Said application is devised to provide the user with a choice of cooking recipes, from which the user will choose the kind of dish or dishes he or she would like to cook. The portable digital device will than send recipe data corresponding to a user's choice of recipes to the oven, wherein the recipe data comprises at least one of the following data elements: cooking time, cooking temperature, cooking position (tray level inside the oven), cooking program or cooking function. The recipe data are stored in a temporary memory provided at the oven, and the oven will send confirmation data to the portable digital device. In this way, it is possible to set the oven according to the recipe data. It is further possible to start the oven either by means of the portable digital device by sending corresponding control data from the portable digital device to the oven or by manually selecting a start control function at the oven. In other words: once the oven is set according to the received recipe data, it can be started either by remote control from the portable digital device or by manual operation at the oven - for reason of security.
Furthermore, the invention provides a data storage control function which enables permanently saving the recipe data stored inside the temporary memory of the oven within a permanent memory provided at the oven. In this way said recipe data, which had been received in wireless fashion at the oven and which had been stored in a temporary memory, can be transferred to said permanent memory so that it is permanently available at the oven for any later operation according to the same recipe data. This means that the oven can be operated at any later time according to said recipe data regardless of whether a multi-purpose portable digital device is used or not, since the data is permanently stored at the oven.
As already stated further up, said data storage control function can be provided either by means of said software application, i.e. at the portable digital device, or at the oven itself. For instance, the user is able to transfer recipe data from the oven's temporary memory to permanent memory by means of the portable digital device, i.e. in wireless fashion from a remote location.
A further embodiment of the method according to the invention comprises providing, by means of said software application, a timer functionality to the user, setting said timer in accordance with the cooking time of method step c) and starting said timer in connection with sending the control data for starting the oven in step e). In this way, when the cooking process is started, the portable digital device can be used as a timer which will indicate to the user, optically and/or acoustically, whenever the dish or a particular dish from a complete menu is finished.
A further embodiment of the method according to the invention comprises accessing, by means of said software application or at the oven, the permanent memory provide at the oven for editing, copying, renaming, deleting and/or activating any recipe data item stored inside the permanent memory. In this way, the user is allowed to browse the oven's permanent memory, either directly at the oven or by remote control via the portable digital device, for editing, moving, copying, renaming, deleting and/or activating recipe data. This can further facilitate usage of the oven.
A further embodiment of the method according to the present invention comprises, in connection with method step b), downloading cooking recipes on the portable digital device from a dedicated recipe download address on the internet. In this way, the recipe database on the portable digital device can be kept up to date easily. However, as appreciated by any person skilled in the art, it is not necessary to keep a large recipe database on the portable digital device, because available memory space could be a limiting factor. It may be preferred to consult recipes which are stored in a database associated with a corresponding server computer and only to download such recipe data onto the portable digital device, which recipe data is eventually to be transferred to the oven.
A corresponding further embodiment of the control system in accordance with the present invention comprises a dedicated download address on the internet, preferably a download server, for providing recipes for download onto the portable digital device and/or for providing said software application for download onto the portable digital device.
A further embodiment of the method according to the present invention comprises, in connection with step b), providing by means of said software application a search functionality to the user, said search functionality enabling user input and using said input to limit recipe choice based on at least one of the following parameters: recipe ingredients, number of people, season, type of dish, available time, estimated costs, number of dishes in recipe, cuisine style or the like. This provides an easy way for the user to browse through the recipe database based on particular criteria, e.g. when preparing a vegetarian dish, a dish comprising cheese or the like.
A further embodiment of the method in accordance with the present invention specifies that the recipe data in method step c) comprises a plurality of data sets, each on which comprises a number of said data elements, wherein each data set corresponds to a different dish or course in a larger menu. As already indicated above, the inventive method can be used to control the oven during preparation of a complete menu consisting of a plurality of dishes or courses. The recipe data corresponding to the user's choice of recipes will then comprise said plurality of data sets, wherein each data set represents a different dish or course. Within each of said data sets, a number of data elements according to method step c) can be specified, e.g. cooking time, cooking temperature or the like.
A further embodiment of the method in accordance with the present invention comprises providing, by means of said software application, a shopping list functionality to the user, said shopping list functionality enabling user input and using said input to establish a list of cooking ingredients required for preparing a selected recipe. Using said shopping list functionality, the user may then purchase the required ingredients and/or mark on said list those ingredients which have already been purchased or which had been previously on stock.
A further embodiment of the method according to the present invention specifies that such shopping list functionality enables additional user input in connection with available cooking ingredients and uses said additional input to limit the list of cooking ingredients to missing ingredients required for preparing the selected recipe, as already stated above.
A further embodiment of the method according to the present invention comprises providing said wireless connectivity between the oven and the portable digital device by means of a wireless protocol compliant to WiFi standard. However, as obvious for a person skilled in the art, the present invention is not limited to the use of a wireless protocol compliant to WiFi standard and can be worked by means of any other suitable wireless connectivity protocol, e.g. an internet connectivity protocol.
A further embodiment of the method in accordance with the present invention comprises providing said wireless connectivity between the oven and the portable digital device over the internet. This enables controlling the oven from a remote location. Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the inventive method, said wireless connectivity between the oven and the portable device can be provided by means of an ad-hoc network or - alternatively - by means of a pre-existing infrastructure network involving a router.
Providing wireless connectivity by means of an infrastructure network enables continuous interrogation of the oven's functions and may provide emergency routines in case of anomalies, e.g. power blackout or the like. The proposed control method or control system may comprise a time limit for resuming oven operations after blackout, based on the assumption that cooking must not be resumed after a certain time due to loss of temperature inside the oven.
A further embodiment of the system in accordance with the present invention specifies that the oven and/or the portable digital device, by means of said software application, is/are devised for providing at least one of the respective additional functionalities according to any embodiment of the inventive method, as detailed above.
According to the basic concept of the present invention, the oven, with its temporary memory, functions as a kind of "flight recorder", which continuously protocols the oven parameters. The resulting protocol data will generally be highly unstructured and relatively large in size so that it may be preferred, in the context of a further embodiment of the present invention, to structurize said data and to reduce said data in size before transmission to the portable digital device in the context of said data storage control function. To achieve this, a suitable data converter may be integrated at the oven. Alternatively, unstructured data could be send from oven to portable digital device, wherein said portable digital device may then comprise said converter for structurizing said data.
Further embodiments and additional advantages of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the attached drawings.

Fig. 1: shows a schematic representation of an oven control system according to the present invention;
Fig. 2: shows, by means of a graphical illustration, the content of a data communication between the portable digital device and the oven in the context of the present invention;
Fig. 3: shows a schematic representation of recipe data handling and usage in an oven control system according to the invention;
Fig. 4: shows schematically the saving of recipe data in the permanent memory of the oven in the context of the present invention;
Figs. 5a-i: show different contents of the display unit of a portable digital device for controlling, by means of a software application running on the portable digital device, an oven in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

Fig. 1 shows a schematical representation of an oven control system 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The oven control system 10 comprises a multi-purpose portable digital device 20, which can take the form of a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or a tablet personal computer (tablet PC), without limitation. The portable digital device 20 comprises a display unit 21 in operative connection with digital data processing means (processor) 22, which processing means 22 are devised and adapted for execution of at least one particular software application (app) 23, which application 23 will be discussed in more detail below. In this context, the portable digital device 20 may, in practice, also comprise at least one memory unit for storing the application 23 and/or other software/data which is used/generated during operation of the portable digital device 20. For reason of clarity, such memory is not depicted in Fig. 1, since this common knowledge for a person skilled in the art.
In operative connection with processor 22, the portable digital device 20 further comprises wireless connectivity means 24, which are devised and adapted to establish a wireless data communication with further entities of the oven control system 10, as will become clear from the following description. Said wireless connectivity means 24 comprise antenna means 25, as depicted schematically in Fig. 1.
Within display unit 21, the processor 22, by means of application 23, generates and displays so-called soft keys 26a-c, which are usually devised as touch-sensitive areas and which are used for providing user input and corresponding user input data to the portable digital device 20 for use within the oven control system 10. As known to a person skilled in the art, it is possible to create virtually any number, size, type, form, etc. of said soft keys 26a-c. User input is usually generated by manipulating said soft keys 26a-c, e.g. sliders or buttons with the fingertip or by means of a stylus. In Fig. 1, this is illustrated at reference number 27.
The oven control system 10 further comprises an oven 30 with an oven chamber 31. Other typical components of the oven 30, such as an electrical heating element, fan, grill or the like, have not been depicted for reason of clarity. Within the oven chamber 31, the oven 30 comprises a plurality of tray levels illustrated by means of dashed lines 31 a-d. Functioning of the oven 30 is controlled by means of processor means 32 which are in operative connection with the oven chamber 31 for controlling cooking conditions within the oven chamber 31 individually for said tray levels 31a-d, at least as far as cooking temperature and/or cooking mode/functionality is concerned. In this context, cooking mode/functionality may comprise features such as use of fan, use of grill, upper/lower heating, temperature setting or the like, as known to a person skilled in the art. Basically, which such type of oven 30 it is possible to adapt cooking conditions individually for each tray level 31 a-d.
The oven 30 further comprises, in operative connection with processor means 32, a temporary memory 33 and a permanent memory 34, the function of which will be described below. In operative connection with said temporary memory 34, there are provided wireless connectivity means 35 with antenna means 36, which basically correspond to means 24, 25 as already described farther up.
In operative connection with said processor means 32, the oven 30 further comprises a user control unit 37 for manual control by a user, which user is depicted at reference numeral 38 (cf. reference numeral 27). The user control unit 37 comprises a display 37a and a user control element 37b.
As further depicted in Fig. 1, wireless connectivity between the portable digital device 20 and the oven 30 can be established directly by using said wireless connectivity means 24 and 35, respectively. This is illustrated by means of arrow A1 in Fig. 1. Alternatively, wireless connectivity between the portable digital device 20 and the oven 30 is established via a computer network 40, such as the internet. In this case, the connection between the portable digital device 20 and the oven 30 is illustrated by means of dashed-dotted arrows A2, A2'.
Furthermore, the oven control system 10 comprises a server computer 50 with server means 51 and associated database 52, so that wireless communication is possible, via network 40, at least between the server 50 and the portable digital device 20, as depicted by arrows A3 and A3'. Server computer 50 (with database 52) is associated with a unique address in said network 40, e.g. a URL.
Basic functionality of the oven control system 10 according to Fig. 1 is as follows:
The application 23 and, once said application 23 is installed on the portable digital advice 20, corresponding data can be downloaded from server 50 onto portable digital device 20. This comprises, in particular, recipe data, which recipe data can then be used for controlling the oven 30 by means of the portable digital device 20. To this end, the user selects recipe data on the portable digital device 20 by means of soft keys 26a-c and user input 27, and activates transfer of said data from the portable digital device 20 to the oven 30 in wireless fashion, whereupon said data is received by the oven 30, stored in temporary memory 33, so that said data is available for controlling the oven 30 by means of processor 32. If desired by the user, said data stored in temporary memory 33 can, by means of corresponding user control input, either at the oven 30 or by using device 20, be transferred to permanent memory 34, thus being available at the oven 30 for control thereof independent of using the portable digital device 20.
As mentioned above, server computer 50 provides, via network 40, the application data corresponding to application 23 to the portable digital device 20. Once the application 23 is installed on the portable digital device 20, server computer 50 can be used to provide, e.g. at regular download intervals, recipe update data to application 23 and portable digital device 20, respectively, so that the user can choose from a virtually unlimited selection of cooking recipes. It is further possible to provide an upload functionality so that the user can upload his or her own recipes, which have been created by means of application 23, to server computer 50 and database 52, respectively, for sharing with other users. Alternatively, the data is stored in database 52 only, and is only accessed by portable digital device 20 via application 23 in a browser-like fashion.
Fig. 2 illustrates, in graphical fashion, data which is transferred from the portable digital device 20 in wireless fashion to oven 30, e.g. via wireless connection A1 or via wireless connection A2, A2' (cf. Fig. 1).
In the precise example according to Fig. 2 the recipe/control data refers to a dish called "Italian cannelloni", this name being included in the data by means of an identifier in text format depicted at reference numeral "(1)". The data further comprise the tray level for said recipe, in this case tray level L4 as depicted at reference numeral "(5)". This information corresponds to one of the tray levels 31a-d as depicted in Fig. 1. At reference numeral "(2)", a particular cooking function for the present dish is specified, i.e. quick cooking in the present case. Reference numerals "(3-4)" denote cooking time (12 min) and cooking temperature (220°C) at tray level L4 specified above.
In practice, the invention is not limited to a particular type of dish or to a particular number of dishes, provided that the oven 30 comprises a sufficient number of tray levels. Basically, for every tray level 31a-d (Fig. 1) provided in cooking chamber 31 of oven 30 a data set corresponding to the example of Fig. 2 can be selected by the user by means of portable digital device 20 and application 23 and then be transferred to oven 30 for setting and controlling the oven accordingly. It should be noted that the graphical illustration of Fig. 2 indicates further possible cooking functions, cooking times, cooking temperatures, etc., which could be used for controlling the oven 30 in accordance with different recipe data (different dishes).
The data communication in accordance with Fig. 2 for providing said recipe/control data from the portable digital device 20 to the oven 30 is also referred to as "push communication". Reciprocally, there is a corresponding "pull communication" from the oven 30 to the portable digital device 20 during which the oven 30 will send the following information to the portable digital device 20: during the pairing of portable digital device 20 and oven 30, oven product model and version data; upon receipt of the recipe/control data according to Fig. 2, recipe receival confirmation data; and upon receipt of corresponding control information from the portable digital device, which is to be explained below, cooking start information data for enabling/activating a countdown timer functionality of application 23.
As already detailed above, information exchange between portable digital device 20 and oven 30 according to Fig. 1 can be established in direct fashion (arrow A1) or indirectly via network 40 (the internet), as depicted by arrows A2, A2'. In this context, a corresponding IT infrastructure involving a router can be used for establishing wireless connectivity between the portable digital device 20 and the oven 30. Alternatively, the portable digital device 20 and the oven can communicate over a so-called ad-hoc connection, as known to a person skilled in the art of wireless digital communication. At least the wireless connectivity means 24 and 35, respectively, as depicted in Fig. 1, are devised accordingly.
Fig. 3 illustrates the use of data within the oven control system 10 depicted in Fig. 1, without explicitly showing all physical entities involved in this process, which entities have already been described in detail farther up.
In Fig. 3, reference numeral 100 refers to data received at the oven 30 from the portable digital device 20, i.e. from application 23. Said information 100 is therefore in Fig. 3 also referred to as "app information". The flash symbol 101 in Fig. 3 corresponds to the wireless connection between portable digital device 20 and oven 30, which connection had been denoted A1 and A2, A3', respectively, in Fig. 1. As already detailed above, the data/information 100 is stored in the oven's temporary memory 33. The oven 30 then confirms data receipt to portable digital device 20. In this way, the following steps in connection with Fig. 3 can be carried out either by means of the portable digital device by using corresponding soft keys 26a-c on display unit 21 in connection with user input 27, or by using the control unit 37 on the oven 30 itself.
At reference numeral 102 in Fig. 3 recipe receival is confirmed in graphical fashion to the user, either on display unit 21 of portable digital device 20 and/or on display 37a of control unit 37. The user then chooses, at reference numeral 27 and 38 according to Fig. 1, respectively, either to save the recipe ("SAVE") or to execute it ("EXECUTE"). In the latter case, the user is then informed, either at 21 and/or at 37, to bake on indicated level, i.e. insert the dish to be prepared at a corresponding tray level, to confirm this action and then to start the cooking process - either by means of a corresponding soft key 26a-c or by using control element 37b. This is indicated at reference numeral 103 in Fig. 3. The corresponding process ends at reference numeral 104.
By choosing the SAVE option, the user is led to an instance (memory folder) denoted "my own recipes" in Fig. 3 (reference numeral 105). At this stage, a list of recipe storing positions in permanent memory 34 (cf. Fig. 1) is presented to the user - as before, either at 21 or at 37a. In practice, recipe storing space in permanent memory 34 will be limited, e.g. to ten recipes. At reference numeral 106a is depicted a situation, wherein recipe storage space in permanent memory 34 has not been filled completely, as denoted by entries "BLANK". The user can then, by means of soft key 26a-c and/or input element 37b, choose a memory position for saving the recipe (highlighted field in Fig. 3 at reference numeral 106a) and then confirm his/her choice by choosing "OK".
At reference numeral 106b, there is depicted the case in which all memory positions of permanent memory 34 have already been filled with corresponding recipes 1-10. Again, as detailed above, the user will select a memory position (highlighted) and confirm with "OK". However, in the case depicted at 106b, the recipe previously stored at said position will be overwritten.
Recipe/control data present in temporary memory 33 will be overwritten as soon as any new data (app information 100) is transferred from portable digital device 20 to oven 30, if the previous data has not yet been saved, as explained above, or executed.
It may be preferred that a new cooking activity that occurs (arrival of new recipe/control data at the oven) will overwrite the temporary memory only if the oven has been switched off in the meantime. Alternatively, it is possible to display a message which informs the user that the oven has previously received cooking data so that the user may choose whether or not to overwrite the previously received data.
Of course, it will always be possible to set the oven 30 manually by using manual control unit 37. Corresponding data entered, e.g. at element 37b, will also be stored temporarily in temporary memory 33 and will therefore be available for permanent storage as already described above.
Fig. 4 provides additional information in the context already described in connection with Fig. 3. The individual boxes 200-202 in Fig. 4 depict graphical output to the user, e.g. by means of display unit 21 of portable digital device 20 or by means of display 37a of control unit 37. It should be noted that boxes 202 and 203 correspond to reference numerals 106a and 106b, respectively, which have already been explained farther up in connection with Fig. 3.
As shown at 200, recipe data or cooking settings in temporary memory 33 may be moved by the user to a dedicated area denoted "MY MENU" and highlighted within box 200. Preferably, said dedicated area is a dedicated permanent storage area within the oven's permanent memory 34. As shown at 201, the "MY MENU" menu comprises the selectable entries or folders _RETURN, MY OWN RECIPES, SAVE LAST RECIPE, EXECUTE LAST RECIPE. By choosing _RETURN, the user returns to box 200. By choosing MY OWN RECIPES, the user consult the lists depicted in boxes 202 and 203, respectively. By choosing SAVE LAST RECIPE, the user is able to save the last recipe, as already explained above with reference to Fig. 3. The choice of EXECUTE LAST RECIPE basically leads to steps 103 and 104 as previously described in connection with Fig. 3.
Figures 5a through 5i show exemplary smartphone-style graphical user interfaces (GUI) as generated by means of application 23 and processor 22 on display unit 21 of portable digital device 20. All GUIs comprise multiple input selectors, entry fields, search fields, sliders, buttons, etc., which have been referred to, in Fig. 1, as soft keys 26a-c. All of these user input entry facilities are generated in virtually unlimited fashion by application 23 and are used to provide user input data to the application 23, which input data can then be used as recipe data and/or control data for communication with the oven 30, as detailed above.
Fig. 5a shows a possible GUI 300. It comprises a company logo 301 which may be linked to the corresponding company homepage for accession via internet. Home icon 302 provides a link to a start GUI of the application. 303 denotes a well-known search field for searching a database associated with the application. The corresponding (physical) memory had already been mentioned in connection with the above-described Fig. 1.
In the bottom line 304 of GUI 300, there are, from left to right, icons and related soft keys corresponding to a search function 304a, a favorites list for compiling preferred recipes 304b, a shopping list function 304c, which will be explained in detail below, and a menu icon 304d for adding a recipe or dish to a menu consisting of a plurality of recipes/dishes.
The other menu items or soft keys 305 through 310 provide different access possibilities to the underlying recipe database, which database can either be stored in the portable digital device 20 or which can be accessed online via network 40 (the internet), as explained above with reference to Fig. 1.
Soft key 305 provides access to recipes for complete menus, consisting of a plurality of dishes (starter, main course, dessert, in any combination). Soft key 306 provides access to the recipe database by choosing preferred and/or available ingredients, e.g. cheese and/or spinach. Soft key 307 provides access to the recipe database by means of a seasonal approach (summer dishes, winter dishes,...). Soft key 308 provides access to the recipe database based on specific cuisine styles, e.g. Chinese, Tex-Mex, Italian, or the like. Soft key 309 provides access to the recipe database via user skill level, e.g. beginner, advanced, expert. Soft key 310 provides access to the recipe database based on available cooking time, either in absolute units (minutes, hours) or in relative units (fast, medium, long).
The user chooses individual menu items or inputs data as known from conventional smartphone applications so that a detailed description of these mechanisms can be omitted.
Fig. 5b shows the underlying hierarchical menu layer after choosing soft key 305 in figure 5a. The basic design of the corresponding GUI 400 corresponds to GUI 300 according to Fig. 5a so that the present description will focus on differences only.
New soft key 401 provides a step back functionality in order to return to a previous menu page. Soft keys 402 through 404 allow the user to choose between different menus based on the number of persons to be cooked for. According to Fig. 5b, the user may choose between small (402), medium (403) and large (404) groups or menus.
GUI 500 according to Fig. 5c is an exemplary menu page for medium-sized complete menus (soft key 403 in Fig. 5b). Soft keys 501 through 504 allow the user the choose between starters, main courses, vegetables and desserts, in that order. In connection with each of the soft keys 501 through 504 there is an indication (a number) of how many particular dishes or recipes are available in the database.
GUI 600 according to Fig. 5d provides a choice of main courses, after having selected soft key 502 in Fig. 5c. As known to a person skilled in the art, the display may be scrolled in order to access all individual items associated with a particular menu page. In Fig. 5d, soft keys 601 through 604 are associated with individual main course recipes and indicate, by way of example, with reference to soft key 603 the recipe name 603a, the cooking time 603b, the number of calories (per serving) 603c and the level of difficulty 603d.
By selecting a particular soft key 601-604, the user may access the complete recipe, including ingredients, preparation, recommended side dishes, drinks etc. By selecting the soft key "menu" (cf. Fig. 5a, reference numeral 304d), a particular course can be added to a menu list in order to compose a complete menu.
This is depicted in Fig. 5e in connection with GUI 700 which represents a complete menu as composed by the user ("my menu"). Soft keys 701 through 703 represent the individual dishes or recipes comprised in the menu. Note that the main course according to soft key 702 corresponds to the recipe associated with soft key 601 in Fig. 5d. It should also be noted that in connection with icon or soft key 304d an additional indicator 304d' shows that three recipes or dishes are comprised in the present menu. Soft key 704 is denoted "ready to bake". It is programmed to take the user to the next GUI 800 described in connection with figure 5f.
It should also be noted that in connection with GUI 500 depicted in Fig. 5c, only those dishes or recipes are accessible via soft keys 501 through 504, which are compatible with those dishes or recipes already added to the menu as indicated by means of indicated 304d'. Limitations may arise from use of a particular oven type (limited number of tray levels and/or cooking functions, or the like), from non-compatible cooking times, etc.
GUI 800 depicted in Fig. 5f provides the user with oven-related information on where to place the baking sheets or cooking trays inside the oven chamber 31 (Fig. 1). In the present example, one tray has to be inserted at level 2, one tray has to be inserted at level 4 and one tray has to be inserted at level 6. The only available soft key 801 according to Fig. 5f will activate sending control data from the portable digital device to the oven in order to transfer the recipe data from the portable digital device to the oven and to start the cooking. It should be noted, that the function of transferring recipe data from the portable digital device to the oven may alternatively be associated with soft key 704 according to Fig. 5e. In this way, the recipe data is transferred first, and the control data for starting the oven is transferred at a later time, i.e. by selecting soft key 801 on GUI 800.
As already described above, the oven, by means of said pull communication, will notify the portable digital device that the cooking process has started. The application 23 (Fig. 1) will then count down respective timers in connection with each recipe or dish in order to inform the user of the end of the cooking process. This is depicted in exemplary fashion in Fig. 5g (GUI 900). At reference numeral 901 is depicted a timer showing hours, minutes and seconds. At reference numeral 902 is depicted a text information message for the user, which may be supplemented by an acoustic and/or vibrational alarm.
In connection with Fig. 5f it should be noted that starting the oven may require, in addition to selecting soft key 801, the use of element 37b (Fig. 1) located on the oven 30 in order to start the cooking process, for reason of security. The oven 30 will then send a corresponding signal back to the portable digital device 20, which signal is used to start the timer countdown as described above.
Fig. 5h shows a further GUI 1000 accessible by choosing soft key 306 according to Fig. 5a. Via search field 303 (cf. Fig. 5a) the user may search the recipe database for recipes with specified ingredients, e.g. spinach or cheese. In addition, GUI 1000 provides soft keys 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004,... associated with individual ingredients for selection by the user. The next GUI (accessible after selection of the "OK" soft key 1005) in Fig. 5h will then limit the user's choice to dishes or recipes which comprise the specified ingredients.
Finally, Fig. 5i illustrates, in exemplary fashion, the shopping list function as already mentioned in connection with soft key 304c of Fig. 5a.
Selecting soft key 304c in connection with any recipe/dish or menu will generate a list of ingredients (shopping list) in connection with that particular dish/recipe or menu, as depicted by means of GUI 1100 in Fig. 5i. Taking, for example, the first line of GUI 1100, the user is provided with the ingredient's name 1101 together with the required quantity (reference numeral 1102). Check box 1103 allows the user to indicate whether or not a specific ingredient is already available and/or has already been purchased.
It should be noted that by accessing permanently stored recipes, as described in connection with Fig. 3 or Fig. 4, the user is enable to delete, move, or rename recipes within said list of permanently stored recipes. This can be achieved either by direct manual input at the oven 30 (Fig. 1), at reference numeral 37, and/or by complete wireless control by means of portable digital device 20 and application 23.
It should further be noted that at least some of elements 32 through 37 of oven 30 according to Fig. 1 may be devised in form of an installation unit for upgrading an existing oven 30. Typically, such an existing oven 30 would already comprise processor 32, a memory unit 33 and/or 34 and input unit 37 so that only wireless connectivity means 35, 36 would have to be added (possibly in connection with a software/firmware update at least of processor 32).

Claims

A method of controlling an oven (30) by means of a multi-purpose portable digital device (20), such as a smartphone or a personal digital assistant or a tablet personal computer, wherein said portable digital device has both wireless internet connectivity and wireless connectivity with the oven,
comprising:
a) executing a dedicated software app (23) on the portable digital device

b) providing, by means of said app, a choice of cooking recipes to a user

c) sending recipe data corresponding to a user's choice of recipes from the portable digital device to the oven, said recipe data comprising at least one the following data elements: cooking time (3), cooking temperature (4), cooking position (5) inside the oven, cooking program or function (2)

d) storing the recipe data in a temporary memory (33) provided at the oven and

e) sending confirmation data from the oven to the portable digital device, thus enabling setting the oven according to the recipe data and further enabling starting the oven either by means of the portable digital device by sending corresponding control data from the portable digital device to the oven or by manually selecting a start control function at the oven, and

f) providing, by means of said app or at the oven, a data storage control function for permanently saving the recipe data stored inside the temporary memory within a permanent memory (34) provided at the oven.
The method of claim 1,
further comprising:
providing, by means of said app (23), a timer functionality (900) to the user, setting said timer (901) in accordance with the cooking time (3) of step c) and starting said timer in connection with sending the control data for starting the oven (30) in step e).
The method of claim 1 or 2,
further comprising:
accessing, by means of said app (23) or at the oven (30), the permanent memory (34) provided at the oven for copying, renaming, deleting and/or activating a recipe data item stored inside the permanent memory (34).
The method of any one of claims 1 through 3,
further comprising:
in connection with step b), downloading cooking recipes on the portable digital device (20) from a dedicated recipe download address (50) on the internet (40).
The method of any one of claims 1 through 4,
further comprising:
in connection with step b), providing, by means of said app (23), a search functionality (303) to the user, said search functionality enabling user input and using said input to limit recipe choice based on at least one of the following parameters: recipe ingredients, number of people, season, type of dish, available time, estimated costs, number of dishes in recipe.
The method of any one of claims 1 through 5,
wherein
the recipe data in step c) comprises a plurality of data sets, each of which comprises a number of said data elements (1-5), wherein each data set corresponds to a different dish or course within a larger menu.
The method of any one of claims 1 through 6,
further comprising:
providing, by means of said app (23), a shopping list functionality (304c) to the user, said shopping list functionality enabling user input and using said input to establish a list of cooking ingredients required for preparing a selected recipe.
The method of claim 7,
wherein
said shopping list functionality enables additional user input in connection with available cooking ingredients and uses said additional input to limit the list of cooking ingredients to missing ingredients required for preparing the selected recipe.
The method of any one of claims 1 through 8,
further comprising:
providing said wireless connectivity between the oven (30) and the portable digital device (20) by means of a wireless protocol compliant to WiFi standard.
The method of any one of claims 1 through 9,
further comprising:
providing said wireless connectivity between the oven (30) and the portable digital device (20) over the internet (40).
The method of any one of claims 1 through 10,
further comprising:
providing said wireless connectivity between the oven (30) and the portable digital device (20) by means of an ad-hoc network.
The method of any one of claims 1 through 10,
further comprising:
providing said wireless connectivity between the oven (30) and the portable digital device (20) by means of a pre-existing infrastructure network.
An oven control system (10), comprising:
- multi-purpose portable digital device (20), such as a smartphone or a personal digital assistant or a tablet personal computer, wherein said portable digital device has wireless internet connectivity;

- an oven (30), said oven comprising: an oven control unit (32) for controlling, preferably independently for different cooking positions (31a-d) inside the oven, at least one the following oven parameters: cooking time (3), cooking temperature (4), cooking program (2) or function; a wireless communication module (35, 36) for wireless connectivity with the portable digital device; a temporary memory (33); and a permanent memory (34);

- a dedicated software app (23) for execution on the portable digital device;
wherein:
- the portable digital device (20), by means of said app (23), is devised for providing a choice of cooking recipes to a user;

- the portable digital device (20), by means of said app (23), is devised for sending recipe data corresponding to a user's choice of recipes from the portable digital device (20) to the oven (30), said recipe data comprising at least one the following data elements: cooking time (3), cooking temperature (4), cooking position (31a-d) inside the oven, cooking program or function (2);

- the oven (30) is devised for storing the recipe data in the temporary memory (33);

- the oven (30) is devised for sending confirmation data from the oven (30) to the portable digital device (20), thus enabling setting the oven (30) according to the recipe data;

- the oven (30) is devised for manually selecting a start control function for starting the oven (30) in accordance with said settings on a control panel provided at the oven, and/or the portable digital device (20), by means of said app, is devised for starting the oven by means of the portable digital device (20) in accordance with said settings by sending corresponding control data from the portable digital device (20) to the oven (30); and

- the oven (30) and/or the portable digital device (20), by means of said app (23), is devised for providing a data storage control function for permanently saving the recipe data stored inside the temporary memory (33) within the permanent memory (34).
The system of claim 13,
further comprising:
a dedicated download address on the internet, preferably a download server (50), for providing recipes for download onto the portable digital device (20) and/or for providing said app (23) for download onto the portable digital device (20).
The system of claim 13 or 14,
wherein
the oven (30) and/or the portable digital device (20), by means of said app (23), is devised for providing at least one of the respective additional functionalities according to any one of claims 1 through 12.