# US 2020/0404751 A1 · Solid state rf oven with context awareness > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0404751 A1 - Document ID: US20200404751A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/901,288 - Filed: 2020-06-15 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-19 - Assignees: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Applicants: Illinois Tool Works Inc. - Inventors: Christopher Hopper - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200404751A1 ## CPC - H05B 6/6435: {Aspects relating to the user interface of the microwave heating apparatus} - H05B 6/705: {using microwave tuning} - H05B 6/6467: {using detectors with R.F. transmitters} - H05B 6/647: {Aspects related to microwave heating combined with other heating techniques} - H05B 6/6473: {combined with convection heating (H05B6/6485 takes precedence)} - H05B 6/68: for monitoring or control - H05B 6/686: {Circuits comprising a signal generator and power amplifier, e.g. using solid state oscillators} - Y02B 40/00: Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS ## Abstract An oven may include a cooking chamber configured to receive a food product, a radio frequency (RF) heating system configured to provide RF energy into the cooking chamber using solid state electronic components to heat the food product, and a context awareness engine. The context awareness engine may include processing circuitry configured to receive RF signature data (including measurements of at least forward power and reflected power) associated with provision of RF energy into the cooking chamber, and to correlate an RF signature with a phenomenon observed with respect to the food product to define a signature profile for the phenomenon observed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An oven comprising: a cooking chamber configured to receive a food product; and a radio frequency (RF) heating system configured to provide RF energy into the cooking chamber using solid state electronic components to heat the food product; and a context awareness engine comprising processing circuitry configured to: receive RF signature data associated with provision of RF energy into the cooking chamber, the RF signature data including measurements of at least forward power (Pfwd) and reflected power (Pref1), and correlate an RF signature with a phenomenon observed with respect to the food product to define a signature profile for the phenomenon observed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The oven of claim 1, wherein the phenomenon observed is correlated with the RF signature automatically by machine learning. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The oven of claim 1, wherein the phenomenon observed is correlated with the RF signature manually by an operator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The oven of claim 1, wherein receiving the RF signature data comprises receiving the RF signature data in real time, and wherein correlating the RF signature with the phenomenon observed is also performed in real time during a cooking operation involving the oven. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The oven of claim 1, wherein receiving the RF signature data comprises receiving the RF signature data as previously recorded data, and wherein correlating the RF signature with the phenomenon observed is also performed post hoc relative to a cooking operation during which the RF signature data was generated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The oven of claim 5, wherein the previously recorded data was recorded on a different oven. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The oven of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: receive current RF signature data responsive to a cooking operation being performed on the food product in the cooking chamber; perform a comparison of the current RF signature data to a library of signature profiles; and classify context information based on the comparison. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The oven of claim 7, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: perform a function execution associated with the context information classified. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The oven of claim 8, wherein performing the function execution comprises initiating a change in frequency or phase of the RF energy provided into the cooking chamber. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The oven of claim 8, wherein performing the function execution comprises stopping the provision of the RF energy into the cooking chamber. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The oven of claim 8, wherein performing the function execution comprises providing a notification to an operator of the oven. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The oven of claim 8, wherein performing the function execution comprises initiating a change in a temperature setting for the cooking chamber. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The oven of claim 8, wherein performing the function execution comprises initiating a change in air flow into the cooking chamber. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The oven of claim 7, wherein classifying context information comprises determining a symmetric or non-symmetric load placement for the food product. ### Claim 15 (depends on 7) The oven of claim 7, wherein classifying context information comprises determining an occurrence of a phase change in the food product. ### Claim 16 (depends on 7) The oven of claim 7, wherein classifying context information comprises determining a temperature of each component of a multi-component instance of the food product. ### Claim 17 (depends on 7) The oven of claim 7, wherein classifying context information comprises determining a type of cookware supporting the food product. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The oven of claim 17, wherein classifying context information further comprises determining a location of the food product or the cookware within the cooking chamber. ### Claim 19 A method of operating an oven having a cooking chamber configured to receive a food product, the oven having a radio frequency (RF) heating system configured to provide RF energy into the cooking chamber using solid state electronic components to heat the food product, the method comprising: receiving current RF signature data responsive to a cooking operation being performed on the food product in the cooking chamber; performing a comparison of the current RF signature data to a library of signature profiles; and classifying context information based on the comparison. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises performing a function execution associated with the context information classified.