System and method of powering and communicating with accessories

The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to measure a physical attribute of fluid in the accessory.

The system of claim 7, wherein the physical attribute is temperature, density and/or turbidity of the fluid.

The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data is encoded by the controller of the accessory prior to being transmitted to the first coil and the encoded data is decoded by the first controller of the kitchen device.

The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein:

• the second coil and the controller of the accessory are attached to a bottom wall of the accessory, or
• the second coil and the controller of the accessory are housed in a handle of the accessory, or
• the second coil is located at a lower end of the accessory and the controller of the accessory is located at an opposite upper end of the accessory.

The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the accessory includes an identifier located therein, the identifier configured to allow the accessory to be identified by the kitchen device.

The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the accessory includes a power storage device that is configured to store power when the electrical power is received by the second coil from the first coil.

The system of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the system includes a radio frequency (RF) or Bluetooth (BT) module to transmit and/or receive the data from the at least one sensor.

A kitchen device configured to power and communicate with an associated accessory, the kitchen device comprising:

• a first coil configured to be inductively coupled with a second coil located in the accessory and to transmit electrical power to the second coil,
• wherein, when the first and second coils are inductively coupled, the first coil is configured to receive data from at least one sensor located in the accessory via the second coil, the data relating to a physical attribute.

A method of operating a kitchen device and an associated accessory, the method comprising:

• locating the accessory adjacent the kitchen device to inductively couple a first coil of the kitchen device and a second coil of the accessory;
• transmitting, to the first coil via the second coil, data from at least one sensor located in the accessory, the data relating to a physical attribute;
• determining a water level in the accessory and, when the data indicates that there is no water in the accessory, powering down the kitchen device, or, when the data indicates that the accessory contains water, heating the water by powering up an induction coil of the kitchen device.