# US 2013/0156902 A1 · Cooking medium level monitoring systems, methods, and fryer apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0156902 A1 - Document ID: US20130156902A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/326,158 - Filed: 2011-12-14 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-14 - Inventors: Manouchehr SHIRALI; David WINTER; Trent ABNEY - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130156902A1 ## CPC - A47J 37/1266: {Control devices, e.g. to control temperature, level or quality of the frying liquid} - A47J: KITCHEN EQUIPMENT; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; APPARATUS FOR MAKING BEVERAGES ## Abstract A cooking medium level monitoring system includes a cooking vessel, which holds cooking media therein; a heating mechanism that transmits heat to cooking media in the cooking vessel in a first operation state; and temperature sensors for providing data corresponding to sensed temperatures. The temperature sensors include a first temperature sensor disposed at a first level of the cooking vessel and a second temperature sensor disposed at a second level of the cooking vessel above the first level. Further, a controller receives data from the temperature sensors, calculates a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor, and switches to a second operation state, in which the heating mechanism is deactivated, in response to the temperature differential being greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than a second threshold. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cooking medium level monitoring system, comprising: a cooking vessel configured to hold cooking media therein; a heating mechanism configured to transmit heat to cooking media in the cooking vessel in a first operation state; a plurality of temperature sensors providing data corresponding to sensed temperatures, comprising: a first temperature sensor disposed at a first level of the cooking vessel, and a second temperature sensor disposed at a second level of the cooking vessel above the first level of the cooking vessel; and a controller configured to: receive data from said plurality of temperature sensors, calculate a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor based on the received data, and switch to a second operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than a second threshold; wherein the heating mechanism is deactivated in the second operation state. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cooking medium level monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to switch to a third operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be greater than or equal to the second threshold; and wherein the heating mechanism is deactivated and an alarm is activated in the third operation state. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cooking medium level monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the second temperature sensor is disposed at a predetermined acceptable minimum level of cooking medium held in the cooking vessel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The cooking medium level monitoring system of claim 3, wherein the predetermined acceptable minimum level of cooking medium is above the heating mechanism. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cooking medium level monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the heating mechanism comprises a plurality of heating elements and the first temperature sensor is disposed between two of the plurality of heating elements. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The cooking medium level monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to enter an initialization state in response to an applied power level changing from an off or standby level to an operational level; and wherein, in the initialization state, the controller is configured to receive data from the plurality of temperature sensors, calculate a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor based on the received data, and switch to one of: the first operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be less than the first threshold, the second operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than the second threshold, and the third operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be greater than or equal to the second threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The cooking medium level monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to switch from the second operation state or the third operation state to the first operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be less than a third threshold, wherein the third threshold is less than the first threshold. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The cooking medium level monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to switch from the third operation state to the second operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be less than a fourth threshold, wherein the fourth threshold is less than the second threshold and greater than the first threshold. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The cooking medium level monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of temperature sensors further comprises a third temperature sensor disposed at a third level of the cooking vessel above the second level of the cooking vessel. ### Claim 10 A fryer apparatus, comprising: a cooking vessel configured to hold cooking media therein; a heating mechanism configured to transmit heat to cooking media in the cooking vessel in a first operation state; a plurality of temperature sensors providing data corresponding to sensed temperature, comprising: a first temperature sensor disposed at a first level of the cooking vessel, and a second temperature sensor disposed at a second level of the cooking vessel above the first level of the cooking vessel; and a controller configured to: receive data from said plurality of temperature sensors, calculate a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor based on the received data, and switch to a second operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than a second threshold; wherein the heating mechanism is deactivated in the second operation state. ### Claim 11 A method for monitoring the level of cooking media held in a cooking vessel, comprising: receiving data from a plurality of temperature sensors, the plurality of temperature sensors comprising: a first temperature sensor disposed at a first level of the cooking vessel, and a second temperature sensor disposed at a second level of the cooking vessel above the first level of the cooking vessel; calculating a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor based on the received data; and switching from a first operation state to a second operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be greater than or equal to a first threshold and less than a second threshold; wherein a heating mechanism transmits heat to the cooking media held in the cooking vessel in the first operation state, and the heating mechanism is deactivated in the second operation state. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: switching to a third operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be greater than or equal to the second threshold; and wherein the heating mechanism is deactivated and an alarm is activated in the third operation state. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: initializing monitoring of the level of cooking media held in the cooking vessel in response to an applied power level changing from an off or standby level to an operational level; wherein, the initializing step comprises: receiving data from said plurality of temperature sensors; calculating a temperature differential between the first temperature sensor and the second temperature sensor based on the received data; and switching to one of: the first operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be less than the first threshold, the second operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be greater than or equal to the first threshold and less than the second threshold, and the third operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be greater than or equal to the second threshold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: switching from the second operation state or the third operation state to the first operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be less than a third threshold, wherein the third threshold is less than the first threshold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: switching from the third operation state to the second operation state in response to the temperature differential being calculated to be less than a fourth threshold, wherein the fourth threshold is less than the second threshold and greater than the first threshold.