A system and method for defrosting or heating are presented. A radio frequency (RF) signal source provides, through a transmission path, an RF signal to an electrode that is proximate to a cavity of a defrosting system. A rate of change of a ratio of a reflected RF power measurement and a forward RF power measurement along the transmission path is determined to have transitioned from a relatively high value to a relatively low value. At a point in time when the determination is made, the RF signal is provided to the electrode for an additional time duration beyond the point in time, and provision of the RF signal to the electrode is ceased when the additional time duration has expired.

A disclosed apparatus for sensing and processing an object in a cavity (104) comprises a sensing RF source (110) and a sensing antenna (112), and a processing RF source (120) and a processing antenna (122). The sensing RF source is configured to generate low power RF radiation at a first frequency range and the sensing antenna is configured to feed the cavity with RF radiation generated by the low power RF source. The processing RF source is configured to generate high power RF radiation at a second frequency range, and the processing antenna is configured to feed the cavity with RF radiation generated by the processing RF source. A protecting system (130) configured to protect the sensing RF source from RF radiation generated by the processing RF source may be provided.

Approaches relating to electronic ovens are disclosed. One approach involves an electronic oven with a heating chamber and an energy source that is coupled to an injection port in the heating chamber for introducing an application of energy into the chamber. The electronic oven also comprises a control system to adjust a distribution of the application of energy in the heating chamber, and a set of radio frequency (RF) responsive sensors in the heating chamber. Each RF responsive sensor in the set of RF responsive sensors directly responds to the application of energy in the heating chamber. The control system includes a machine learning system. The control system uses data from each RF responsive sensor in the set of RF responsive sensors to create a set of training data. The control system uses the set of training data to train the machine learning system.

A heat-cooking device includes shape information reading and analyzing unit (204), information storage unit (205), and controller (203). In a case where shape information read by shape information reading and analyzing unit (204) has been registered in information storage unit (205), the heat-cooking device performs heating control based on heating control information registered in information storage unit (205) with being associated with the shape information. In a case where the shape information read by shape information reading and analyzing unit (204) has not been registered in information storage unit (205), a shape of a label attached to an object to be heated or a character printed on the label is read from an image taken by imaging unit (202), and the heat-cooking device performs heating control based information thus read.

A food preparation appliance includes a processing mechanism, a thermal element, a sensor positioned to acquire identifying data regarding identifying characteristics of a food product to be processed by the food preparation appliance, and a processing circuit. The processing circuit is configured to receive the identifying data from the sensor, identify a type of the food product based on the identifying data, and automatically set a predefined operating parameter of at least one of the processing mechanism and the thermal element to provide target processing of the food product based on the type and the identifying characteristics.

Method and systems related to improved human-machine interfaces for electronic ovens are disclosed. Different methods for displaying information to the user are disclosed. Different methods for dividing segmentation and identification tasks between a user and a control system are disclosed. In one example, an electronic oven includes a touch display, a heating chamber for heating an item, a light sensor having a field of view of at least a portion of the heating chamber, and a microwave energy source coupled to the heating chamber. The oven also includes a computer-readable medium that stores instructions to display the portion of the heating chamber as an image on the touch display using information from the light sensor, and process a touch input on the image.

A selective heating device comprises a chamber configured to contain a target to be at least partially heated, an active electromagnetic (EM) element to generate an electromagnetic field in the chamber and a passive EM element in the chamber. The passive EM element is capable of electromagnetically coupling to the active element. The active EM element and passive EM element are controllable to selectively heat a portion of the target.

An oven may include a cooking chamber configured to receive a food product, a convective heating system configured to provide heated air into the cooking chamber, a radio frequency (RF) heating system configured to provide RF energy into the cooking chamber using solid state electronic components, and control electronics configured to control the convective heating system and the RF heating system. The control electronics may further control a user interface configured to define one or more control consoles. At least one of the control consoles may enable a user to select a cooking program. The user interface may further provide a single indicator showing a graphical representation of current progress relative to a representation of a full commitment of time to complete the selected cooking program. The single indicator may further provide a selectable operator that is operable to control progress toward completing the selected cooking program.

A high-frequency heating apparatus includes: a heating chamber for accommodating a load; a microwave source; at least one radiator; a temperature detector; and a controller. The microwave source generates a microwave and adjusts the frequency and output of the microwave. The at least one radiator radiates a microwave into the heating chamber. The temperature detector detects the temperature in the heating chamber. The controller causes the microwave source to adjust the output of the microwave based on the temperature profile that defines the temperature change in the load, and the temperature in the heating chamber. According to this aspect, food can be heated in accordance with the temperature profile appropriate for the cooking recipe, thereby ensuring the quality of cooked food.

A food preparation appliance includes a housing, a conveyor, a thermal element, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a third sensor. The housing defines an inlet, an outlet, and a processing zone between the inlet and the outlet. The conveyor is configured to move a food product from the inlet, through the processing zone, and to the outlet. The thermal element is positioned within the processing zone. The first sensor is positioned proximate the inlet of the housing and along a lateral side of the conveyor or along a first cantilever arm extending laterally across the conveyor. The second sensor is positioned within the processing zone. The third sensor is positioned proximate the outlet of the housing and along a lateral side of the conveyor or along a second cantilever arm extending laterally across the conveyor.