DE102017010242A1 - Device and computer program element for displaying the core temperature of food - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device with:
a core temperature probe,
a selection device for selecting a foodstuff (14) from a plurality of available foodstuffs,
- a screen and
a processing device which, in response to a core temperature detected by the core temperature probe, displays the selected food (14) on the screen in the cooking stage (26) corresponding to the detected core temperature.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of detection and display of the core temperature of food, in particular food in the cooking process. The core temperature is the temperature that prevails in the middle of a food or a roast. For the measurement of the core temperature during frying or low-temperature cooking, a core temperature sensor or a frying thermometer is typically used. Both mechanical and electronic core temperature probes are known. In both cases, the detected core temperature is displayed in a common temperature unit, for example ° C or ° F. From the core temperature displayed in this way, the chef can close the cooking stage that has just reached the food being cooked. For example, it can be assumed that a beef fillet has reached the "medium" state when the core temperature is in the range of 56 to 58 ° C. A disadvantage of this known procedure is that one has to know which state is associated with certain technical terms such as "Rare", "Blue Rare", "Medium Rare", "Medium", "Medium Well" or "Well Done" is, and that one must also know or look up the associated temperature ranges.

Based on this well-known prior art, the present invention has the object to provide a device and a computer program element, which in each case allow people without special knowledge of technical terms and temperature ranges, the advantages of the core temperature detection can use in a simple manner ,

• - einem Kerntemperaturfühler,
• - einer Auswahleinrichtung zur Auswahl eines Lebensmittels aus einer Mehrzahl von zur Auswahl stehenden Lebensmitteln,
• - einem Bildschirm und
• - einer Verarbeitungseinrichtung, die als Antwort auf eine mit dem Kerntemperaturfühler erfasste Kerntemperatur das ausgewählte Lebensmittel auf dem Bildschirm in der Garstufe darstellt, die mit der erfassten Kerntemperatur korrespondiert.

The invention solves this problem on the one hand by a device with:

• a core temperature probe,
• a selection device for selecting a food from a plurality of available foods,
• - a screen and
• a processing device that, in response to a core temperature detected by the core temperature probe, displays the selected food on the screen in the cooking level that corresponds to the detected core temperature.

• - Anbieten einer Mehrzahl von zur Auswahl stehenden Lebensmitteln auf einem Bildschirm,
• - Erfassen eines von einem Benutzer mit Hilfe einer Auswahleinrichtung aus den zur Auswahl stehenden Lebensmitteln ausgewählten Lebensmittels,
• - Erfassen einer Kerntemperatur des ausgewählten Lebensmittels mit einem Kerntemperaturfühler,
• - Ermitteln einer mit der erfassten Kerntemperatur für das ausgewählte Lebensmittel korrespondierenden Garstufe und
• - Darstellen des ausgewählten Lebensmittels in der ermittelten Garstufe auf dem Bildschirm.

Furthermore, the invention achieves the above-mentioned object by a computer program element which, when executed by a processing device, performs the following method steps:

• Offering a plurality of food choices on a screen,
• Detecting a foodstuff selected by a user by means of a selection device from the foodstuffs available for selection,
• Detecting a core temperature of the selected food with a core temperature sensor,
• Determining a cooking level corresponding to the detected core temperature for the selected food and
• - Display the selected food in the determined cooking level on the screen.

The solution according to the invention also allows persons without special knowledge to use the advantages of core temperature detection because the current state of the food in the cooking process via the core temperature detection is displayed to you as if the food in the cooking process were being cut at the point at which the actual temperature sensor of the core temperature sensor is currently located. It is of course possible to additionally display the detected core temperature in one of the usual temperature units and / or display a precisely applicable technical term for the achieved cooking level of the food in the cooking process. In this way, a certain learning effect can additionally result for the user. Although it is of course conceivable that the device according to the invention is completely realized by a separate device having all the necessary components, it is considered particularly advantageous if a smartphone and a core temperature sensor coupled thereto together form the device according to the invention.

In this case, the computer program element according to the invention may be an app that is installed on the smartphone.

Advantageous embodiments and modifications of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

With regard to the device according to the invention, it can furthermore be provided that the selection device can also be used to select the thickness of the selected food. The computer program element according to the invention, when executed by the processing device, then performs the following further method step: querying the thickness of the selected food. Without the invention being limited to the food meat, the state of each cooking state depends For example, for steaks on the thickness of the piece of meat. In addition, it is possible with a known thickness of the meat piece and the course of the core temperature over time to close the applied cooking technique, so that, for example, the cross section of a steak can be displayed particularly realistic, if the necessary image material is present or can be produced. Of course, if the thickness of the selected food is known, it may also be possible to present the selected food in the actual thickness, or at least with appropriate proportions.

Both with regard to the device according to the invention and with regard to the computer program element according to the invention, it is considered particularly advantageous if the core temperature is detected at least approximately continuously and the changing cooking level is displayed at least pseudocontinuously. By approximately continuous in this context is meant that the core temperature is detected at a relatively high clock rate, which may be in the range of 0.5 to 2 seconds, for example. By at least pseudo-continuous is meant here that the representation is made in such a way that the transition of the individual images is not perceived by the human eye or at least barely perceived. For example, if the food selected is a steak, the presentation may be designed to display the steak in a sectional manner from the raw to the desired final state in the manner of a video.

According to a particularly preferred development, it is provided both in the device according to the invention and in the computer program element according to the invention that an evaluation device is used to query whether the actually found cooking level of the selected food, such as the cooking level shown last, was more advanced or not yet so far. These ratings can be transmitted to the manufacturer, for example, for product development, for example via the Internet and / or via a mobile network.

In this context, it is considered to be particularly advantageous to use the machine learning evaluations made by the evaluator. In this way, the representation over time, for example, to the respective screen and / or the respective core temperature probe can be adjusted.

Both with regard to the device according to the invention and with regard to the computer program element according to the invention it can be provided that image material for displaying a selected food is downloaded, for example via the Internet and / or a mobile radio network. The image material is preferably provided by the manufacturer of the device or the provider of the computer program element available, for example using a central database.

The possibility explained above is particularly useful if it is provided that further foods can be downloaded to expand the food available for selection. In this way, adaptation to regional and / or national eating habits is possible.

An embodiment of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

• 1 eine Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung, bei der ein Kerntemperaturfühler über eine Bluetooth-Verbindung mit einem Smartphone gekoppelt ist, wobei bei diesem Beispiel die Kerntemperatur eines Steaks erfasst wird, das sich auf einem Grill mit geöffnetem Deckel befindet, und wobei das erfindungsgemäße Computerprogramm-Element in Form einer auf dem Smartphone installierten App vorliegt;
• 2 die Anordnung von 1 mit geschlossenem Grilldeckel;
• 3 ein Beispiel für das Anbieten einer Mehrzahl von zur Auswahl stehenden Lebensmitteln;
• 4 die Darstellung eines Steaks als ausgewähltes Lebensmittel im Schnitt und im Garzustand „Blue Rare“;
• 5 die Darstellung eines Steaks als ausgewähltes Lebensmittel im Schnitt und im Garzustand „Rare“;
• 6 die Darstellung eines Steaks als ausgewähltes Lebensmittel im Schnitt und im Garzustand „Medium Rare“;
• 7 die Darstellung eines Steaks als ausgewähltes Lebensmittel im Schnitt und im Garzustand „Medium“;
• 8 die Darstellung eines Steaks als ausgewähltes Lebensmittel im Schnitt und im Garzustand „Medium Well“;
• 9 die Darstellung eines Steaks als ausgewähltes Lebensmittel im Schnitt und im Garzustand „Well Done“; und
• 10 ein Beispiel für eine Bewertungseinrichtung.

Show it:

• 1 an embodiment of the device according to the invention, in which a core temperature sensor is coupled via a Bluetooth connection with a smartphone, in this example, the core temperature of a steak is detected, which is located on a grill with the lid open, and wherein the computer program element according to the invention Form of an app installed on the smartphone;
• 2 the arrangement of 1 with closed grill lid;
• 3 an example of offering a variety of food choices;
• 4 the representation of a steak as a selected food in section and in the "Blue Rare"state;
• 5 the representation of a steak as a selected food in section and in the "Rare"state;
• 6 the representation of a steak as a selected food in section and in the "Medium Rare"state;
• 7 the representation of a steak as a selected food in section and in the "Medium"state;
• 8th the representation of a steak as a selected food in section and in the "Medium Well"state;
• 9 the representation of a steak as a selected food in section and in the "Well Done"state; and
• 10 an example of a rating device.

In the following description of the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similar components.

1 schematically shows a grill 34 who has a grill pan 36 includes, by a grill grate 38 is covered. The grill 34 also has a grill lid 40 up in the presentation of 1 is raised. On the grill grate 38 lies a filet steak 14 , which serves as an example of a selected food in the context of this description. The core temperature of the fillet steak 14 is done using a core temperature probe 10 detected. The core temperature probe 10 has a feeler needle 42 on, whose tip, as indicated by the dashed line, approximately in the middle of the fillet steak 14 to come to rest. The core temperature probe 10 further includes a sensor line 44 with which the feeler needle 42 with a core temperature controller 48 connected is. The illustrated core temperature probe 10 offers the advantage that it can also detect the core temperature of food in a closed grill or oven, because the heat-sensitive core temperature controller 48 may remain outside the closed grill or oven in this embodiment. In particular, when the use in a closed grill or a closed oven is not provided, of course, a core temperature sensor may be used in which the feeler needle and the core temperature controller are formed as an integral. In the illustrated embodiment, the core temperature controller is 48 designed to have a bluetooth connection 52 with a smartphone 50 to be coupled. On the smartphone 50 an app is installed, which is realized by the computer program element according to the invention. The smartphone 50 includes, among other things, a screen 18 and a processing device 20 with a processor, memory and so on. A selection device 12 is in the form of one on the screen 18 indicated selection field indicated by the user with his finger on the screen 18 (which is a touch screen) can be moved up and down.

2 corresponds to the representation of 1 , only that there is the grill lid 40 closed is.

3 shows an example for the display of available food 16 , By way of example, only beef steaks are mentioned there. However, it is clear that there are many more foods to choose from, especially pieces of meat from other species, fish species and so on. Im in 3 In the case shown, the selection field of the selection device became 12 moved to a fillet steak, which, as mentioned, in the present case as an example of the selected food 14 serves.

After the user the fillet steak as a selected food 14 has selected, the display changes from 3 preferably in a mode in which the user selects the appropriate thickness of the selected food 14 can choose. Then, instead of the steak types shown different thicknesses are displayed, for a fillet steak, for example, starting from 0.5 cm in 0.5 cm increments up to 6 cm, each thickness is displayed as a single line, so that the user the appropriate thickness by moving the selector 12 can enter in a simple way. If the thickness of the selected food 14 , in this case of fillet steak 14 , entered, the selected food can 14 where appropriate, not only at the appropriate cooking level, but also at the appropriate thickness.

After the user the feeler needle 42 in the filet steak 14 plugged in and the core temperature probe 10 with the smartphone 50 has coupled, on which runs the app formed by the computer program element according to the invention, with the fillet steak 14 was selected as the selected food, the display changes into the 4 to 9 shown mode.

Accordingly, a cross-sectional view of a fillet steak will be made 14 represented, wherein the representation of the respective cooking level corresponds. In order to represent the current cooking level, it is necessary that of the core temperature probe 10 to be converted into the corresponding state of cooking. This can be done for example by look-up tables that are part of the computer program element or the app.

4 shows the cooking level Blue Rare, 5 the cooking class Rare, 6 the cooking level Medium Rare, 7 the cooking level medium, 8th the cooking level medium well and 9 the cooking level Well Done. Preferably, the representation of the transitions between the individual cooking stages is not abrupt, but continuously in the manner of a video.

10 shows an example of a rating device 54 as provided in preferred embodiments of the invention. Similar to the selection device 12 is the evaluation facility 54 formed by a selection box by the user on the screen 18 can be moved. After the user the condition of the finished grilled fillet steak in this case 14 took a look at it with the last one on the screen 18 It can be compared via the evaluation device 54 Enter whether the actual cooking level was as shown, advanced or not yet so far. If the computer program element according to the invention or the corresponding app is capable of learning, the representation of the cooking level of the selected food can 14 be adapted over time to the actually found cooking level. Although the presentation should normally coincide with the encountered Garstufe from the beginning, but it is not excluded that an adaptation to the respective screen 18 and / or the respective core temperature probe 10 is required.

The features of the invention disclosed in the foregoing description, in the drawings and in the claims may be essential to the realization of the invention both individually and in any combination.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Core probe

12

selector

14

Selected food / fillet steak

16

Available foods

18

screen

20

processing device

22

Cooking level Blue-Rare

24

Cooking Level Rare

26

Cooking grade Medium-Rare

28

Cooking level medium

30

Cooking level medium-well

32

Cooking grade Well-Done

34

grill

36

Grill pan

38

grill

40

Grill cover

42

probe needle

44

sensor line

48

Core temperature controller

50

Smartphone

52

Bluetooth connection

54

evaluator

Claims (14)

Device with: a core temperature sensor (10), a selection device (12) for selecting a food (14) from a plurality of available foods (16), - a screen (18) and a processing device (20) which, in response to a core temperature detected by the core temperature probe (10), displays the selected food (14) on the screen (18) in the cooking stage (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32), which corresponds to the detected core temperature. Device after Claim 1 , characterized in that with the selection device (12) and the thickness of the selected food (14) can be selected. Device after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the core temperature is detected at least approximately continuously, and that the changing cooking stage (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32) is shown at least pseudo-continuous. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an evaluation device (54), via which a subsequent assessment can be made as to whether the actual cooking level of the selected food (14) is the same as the cooking level (22, 24, 26 , 28, 30, 32), more advanced or not so far. Device after Claim 4 , characterized in that ratings for machine learning made via the evaluation device (54) are used. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the processing device (20) is adapted to download image material for displaying a selected food (14). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the processing device (20) is adapted to download further foodstuffs for expanding the foodstuffs available for selection (16). A computer program element which, when executed by a processor (20), performs the following steps: - offering a plurality of selectable foods (16) on a screen (18), - capturing one of a user by means of a selector (12) to choose from - detecting a core temperature of the selected food (14) with a core temperature sensor (10), - determining a cooking level (22, 24, 26) corresponding to the detected core temperature for the selected food (14) , 28, 30, 32) and - displaying the selected food (14) in the determined cooking stage (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32) on the screen (18). Computer program element after Claim 8 , characterized in that, when executed by the processing means (20), it performs the following further method step: - interrogating the thickness of the selected food (14). Computer program element after Claim 8 or 9 characterized in that, when executed by the processing means (20), it detects the core temperature at least approximately continuously and the changing cooking stage (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32) is at least pseudo-continuous. Computer program element according to one of Claims 8 to 10 characterized in that, when executed by the processing means (20), it performs the following further method step: - querying, via an evaluator (54), an assessment as to whether the actual cooking level of the selected food (14) is the same last shown cooking stage (22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32), more advanced or not so far was. Computer program element after Claim 11 , characterized in that, when executed by the processing means (20), it uses the machine learning evaluations made through the evaluation means (54). Computer program element according to one of Claims 8 to 12 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT , when executed by the processing means (20), it performs the following further process step: - Downloading image material for displaying a selected food (14). Computer program element according to one of Claims 8 to 12 , characterized in that, when executed by the processing means (20), it carries out the following further method step: - downloading further foodstuffs to expand the foodstuffs of choice (16).

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