Scales, such as for use with cooking appliances
AssigneeBreville USA, Inc.
InventorsAlan Lee Viosca, Matthew Morris Taylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Scales for use with cooking appliances such as pressure cookers, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed herein. In several implementations, a scale includes load cells configured to detect a weight of a cooking appliance placed on the scale and any food therein. The scale can further include temperature sensors positioned proximate to corresponding ones of the load cells and configured to detect the temperature proximate to each of the load cells. A processor within or external to the scale is communicatively coupled to the load cells and the temperature sensors, and is configured to determine the weight of the cooking appliance and food based at least in part on the detected weights and the detected temperatures.
Claims12
A scale comprising:
- multiple load cells, wherein each load cell is configured to detect a weight of an item positioned on the scale and to output a signal indicating the detected weight of the item;
- multiple temperature sensors, wherein each temperature sensor is configured to detect a temperature proximate to a corresponding one of the load cells to thereby determine the temperature of the corresponding load cells;
- and
- a processor communicatively coupled to the load cells and the temperature sensors, wherein the processor is configured to determine a temperature compensated weight of the item positioned on the scale based at least in part on the detected weights and the detected temperatures,
- wherein the processor is configured to receive and process the detected weight and corresponding temperature of each load cell separately to determine the temperature compensated load cell calibration of each load cell separately and the temperature compensated weight of the item;
- wherein the processor compensates for changing temperatures of the load cells by applying one or more predetermined models for temperature-dependency of the load cells;
- and
- wherein the processor estimates the weight of the item by applying a non-linear model for the temperature dependency of the load cells to the signals output from the load cells.
A cooking system comprising;
- a cooking appliance;
- and
- a base, wherein the cooking appliance is configured to be removably positioned on the base and to receive and cook a food product, and wherein the base includes:
- multiple load cells, wherein individual ones of the load cells are configured to detect a weight of the food product and to output a signal indicating the detected weight of the food product;
- multiple temperature sensors, wherein individual ones of the temperature sensors are (a) positioned proximate to a corresponding one of the load cells and (b) configured to detect a temperature proximate to the corresponding one of the load cells;
- and
- a processor communicatively coupled to the load cells and the temperature sensors, wherein the processor is configured to:
- receive the detected weights and the detected temperatures;
- and
- determine a temperature compensated weight of the food product based at least in part on the detected weights and the detected temperatures;
- compensate for changing temperatures of the load cells by applying one or more predetermined models for temperature-dependency of the load cells;
- and
- estimate the weight of the food product by applying a non-linear model for the temperature dependency of the load cells to the signals output from the load cells;
- wherein the processor is configured to receive and process the detected weight and corresponding temperature of each load cell separately to determine the temperature compensated load cell calibration of each load cell separately and the temperature compensated weight of the item.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.