An induction heating apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure includes a coil; an inverter unit configured to have a switching device turned on and off to supply power to the coil; a first controller configured to generate a first threshold current based on information about a coil current flowing in the coil and an input voltage applied to the coil, and generate a clock signal by comparing the coil current with the first threshold current; and a switch driver configured to generate a switch driving signal to turn on or off the switching device of the inverter unit by dividing a frequency of the clock signal.

Induction cooktops and operational methods are provided herein. A method of determining presence of compatible cookware on an induction cooktop can include receiving a request to heat the induction cooktop, controlling at least one switching device to induce a current within an assumed piece of cookware with an induction coil of the induction cooktop, sensing a voltage associated with the at least one switching device, the voltage being proportional to current flowing in the induction coil, determining that the sensed voltage includes one or more voltage spikes above a first threshold, and determining that the assumed piece of cookware is absent when the sensed voltage includes the one or more voltage spikes.

There is provided an apparatus for heating a pot of food or beverage, the apparatus comprising at least one receptacle (20), each receptacle for temporarily receiving a pot of food or beverage to be heated. Each receptacle comprises a base (22), sidewalls (24), and an opening opposite from the base (22) for receiving the pot; a heater element (43) mounted to the sidewalls; a temperature sensor (45) mounted to the base; a pot sensor (40, 41) for detecting whether or not a pot is present in the receptacle; and a controller connected to the heater element, temperature sensor, and pot sensor. The controller is configured to control the heater element in response to the pot sensor and temperature sensor.

The present disclosure relates to an induction heating device and a method for controlling the same. In accordance with the present disclosure, first, inductive sensing is periodically performed to detect a specific object with inductive heating property. Next, current sensing of the specific object having the inductive heating property is performed to again check whether the specific object has the inductive heating property. Thus, when the user simply places the loaded object on the device, the device may allow the user to quickly and intuitively confirm whether the corresponding loaded object has the inductive heating property.

An induction heating device includes: a first board including a first working coil, a first inverter configured to apply a resonant current to the first working coil, a first current transformer configured to adjusting a magnitude of the first resonant current, a first control unit configured to control the first inverter; and a second board including a second working coil, a second inverter configured to apply a resonant current to the second working coil, a second current transformer configured to adjust a magnitude of the second resonant current, a first relay configured to selectively connect the second working coil to the second current transformer or to the first working coil, a second relay configured to selectively connect the second working coil to the first working coil or to the second resonant capacitor, and a second control unit configure to control the second inverter, the first relay, and the second relay.

The present invention relates to an induction cooking hob (10) with a plurality of induction coils (16). The induction cooking hob (10) comprises a cooking surface (12) and a control unit. The cooking surface (12) includes a cover plate. The induction coils (16) are arranged side-by-side according to a predetermined scheme and below the cover plate. At least one induction coil (16) is marked by an identification symbol (18). The identification symbol (18) includes a first element (20) and a second element (22), wherein the first element (20) extends beyond the diameter of the corresponding induction coil (16) and the second element (22) marks the diameter of said induction coil (16).

Disclosed are an induction heating device and a vessel sensing method of the induction heating device. The induction heating device determines whether a vessel is present in a heating region corresponding to a working coil using two sensing methods. In more detail, the induction heating device determines whether a vessel is present in the heating region by sequentially performing first vessel sensing based on a resonance current value of the working coil and second vessel sensing based on a sensing value obtained by a vessel sensor. It is possible to precisely sense a vessel by applying the two sensing methods as described above.

Provided is a table top including: an upper plate, which is constituted by a plate-shaped non-magnetic member so as to support an electronic or cooking device placed thereon; an energy supply module, which is disposed under the upper plate so as to supply energy to the electronic or cooking device; at least one light source configured to generate light; and at least one light-transmissive portion, which is provided in the upper plate and through which the light generated by the light source is transmitted; and at least one light guide configured to guide the light, generated by the light source, to the light-transmissive portion, wherein the at least one light guide allows at least a portion of the light, generated by the light source, to be emitted upward from the upper plate through the light-transmissive portion.

A smart table is disclosed. The smart table includes a plate, an inverter configured to convert direct current (DC) power into alternative current (AC) power and to supply the AC power, a coil unit disposed below the plate and including a plurality of working coils heated by the AC power, a radio frequency identification (RFID) reader configured to recognize an RFID tag of a home appliance placed on the plate and to receive information on the home appliance from the RFID tag, and a processor configured to drive one or more of the plurality of working coils as wireless power transmission coils to perform control to transmit wireless power to the home appliance based on the received information.

An induction cooking hob and a method for heating food as well as a computer program product are disclosed. Based on information of a micro-electromechanical system (1500) in combination with a temperature sensor associated to a heating zone, vibrations can be detected and a heating zone associated with the boiling substance can be properly discriminated from one supporting a pot having a non-boiling substance in it. Subsequent simmering of the substance can be automatically effected. An indication will be provided to a user (1680), and an automated function can be started (1610) including boiling and subsequent simmering, respectively indication of a boiling substance on any of the heating zones on an induction hob (1000).