Embodiments include systems and methods for heating materials, including heating materials for cooking and soldering. A representative system and method for cooking food includes passing electric current through the food, sensing a characteristic of the food, and modulating the electric current in response to the characteristic of the food to achieve a selected internal temperature of the food. The system and method can include searing the food with hot oil or photons directed at the surface of the food. A representative system and method for heating a material includes modulating a plurality of semiconductor light sources to emit photons toward the material, measuring a temperature of the material, and modulating the plurality of semiconductor light sources in response to the temperature of the material. The material can include solder and the method can include heating solder in a reflow soldering process.

A body of a thermometer (1001), a first location to be measured (1002), a second location to be measured (1003) and a third installation location (1004) is established by the thermometer management system. Further, communication lines (1005) are connected to network units at each location to be measured. Network units relay the sensor output from a sensor part to the communication lines. A sensor part is fixed to an object to be measured and sends a sensor output in response to the temperature of the object to be measured. A network unit has a radio frequency identifier (RFID) reader and transmits to the thermometer body commands and the like stored in the memory of an RFID card in response to approach of the RFID card arranged corresponding to a location to be measured. The thermometer body receives the commands and the like and performs predetermined operations.

A remote temperature monitoring system includes a first unit operatively connected to one or more temperature sensors for sensing the temperature of one or more materials or food items being cooked or heated. The first unit transmits the sensed temperature to a second unit that is located remotely from the first unit during heating. The second unit is programmable with the desired temperature and/or heating parameters of the item. By monitoring the temperature status of the item over time, the system determines when the food has reached the desired temperature or degree of cooking, and notifies the user.

A heat radiation-resistant NTC temperature sensor comprises a measurement rod which is in contact with a plane of an object to be measured. A cavity for accommodating a thermistor is provided in an axial direction of the measurement rod, and the thermistor is in close contact with an upper wall of the cavity of the measurement rod. The thermistor is connected to an external detection device through a wire. The temperature sensor can be used for temperature measurement of a pan bottom, and it has an accurate temperature measurement and a high reaction speed, and it can prevent surrounding heat radiation from affecting the temperature measurement.

According to the embodiments of the present invention, a wireless communication used in a kitchen environment can be supervised and improved as a consequence of the supervision and indication. A sensor device (350) that communicates with a household appliance e.g. a kitchen hob (300) via a wireless communication line (360) can be used for automated cooking processes, and the kitchen hob (100) comprises an indicator (480) to indicate the received signal strength of a wireless signal. A receiver (485) can be used to generate signal strength information for the indicator (480). A user is readily informed and can take corrective measures, once no proper wireless signal is available. Also, a feedback to a user can be given at the sensor device (350) by light or vibrating signals in order to take corrective measures.

A thermometer for a grill, including a body portion having a display panel disposed on a front side of the body portion, a graduated temperature scale disposed on the display panel, the temperature scale indicating a range of temperatures from a low temperature to a high temperature, an indicator needle that is pivotable with respect to the body portion so as to pivotably move relative to the temperature scale, thereby indicating an internal temperature of the grill, a first display portion that extends from a first temperature to a second temperature on the temperature scale, thereby defining a first temperature range therebetween, the first display portion being a first color, and a sensor probe extending outwardly from a back side of the body portion, wherein the body portion is disposed on an outer surface of the grill and the sensor probe extends into an interior of the grill.

A cooktop appliance includes a gas burner disposed on a panel of the cooktop appliance and a grate with a plurality of fingers positioned above the gas burner. The plurality of fingers includes a sensor finger. A temperature sensor is mounted to the sensor finger of the plurality of fingers of the grate. The temperature sensor includes a first temperature probe extending above a top surface of the sensor finger at a first end of the sensor finger and a second temperature probe positioned within the sensor finger between the top surface of the sensor finger and a bottom surface of the sensor finger.

A system to warm contents in a tray is provided. The system includes an induction heating system a resting surface, and a temperature detector disposed upon the resting surface such that a pan that is disposed upon the resting surface contacts the temperature detector. The temperature detector includes an RTD and associated wiring, a first housing that receives the RTD, and a grommet disposed around the first housing. The temperature detector additionally includes a cylindrical second housing that supports and receives a portion of the first housing therewith and through a first end of the second housing. The grommet includes an arcuate portion that is biased in a direction upwardly from the resting surface, the arcuate portion comprises a central opening through which the first housing extends, wherein the central opening defines an inner circular surface that is disposed between the first and second housings.

A temperature monitoring and control system is provided. The system includes a plurality of temperature sensors for obtaining temperature readings of food items. The system is scalable and configurable with each sensor being capable of functioning as an individual sensor and/or as part of a grouping of sensors. The system is configured to obtain a variety of information, such as ambient air temperature, dwell time of food items, moisture levels, and the like, thereby enabling the system to recognize current and future temperature concerns. The system provides audio and visual warnings and visual displays. In some embodiments, the system performs one or more physical operation based on one or more detected condition. The system is further configured to distinguish between accurate temperature readings and inaccurate temperature readings and/or to otherwise determine if an obstacle is preventing a temperature sensor from obtaining an accurate temperature reading.

A method to determine a temperature of a product, the method includes: determining a dielectric constant as a function of a core-, surface-, and/or average-temperature correlation ε(T) of at least one product and storing the dielectric constant in a computer means; locating the product between a microwave-radiometry-antenna and a microwave-radiometry-receiver and measuring the dielectric properties of the product; selecting the correlation ε(T) that corresponds to the product whose dielectric properties have been measured, and calculating the core-, surface-, and/or average-temperature of the product using the dielectric constant correlation ε(T).