A system is configured to perform an operation that results in increasing a thermal energy of a load. The system includes a radio frequency signal source configured to supply a radio frequency signal, an electrode coupled to the radio frequency signal source, and a variable impedance network that includes at least one variable passive component. The variable impedance network is coupled between the radio frequency signal source and the electrode. The system includes a controller configured to determine an operation duration based upon a configuration of the variable impedance network, and to cause the radio frequency signal source to supply the radio frequency signal for the operation duration.

A defrosting system includes an RF signal source, one or more electrodes proximate to a cavity within which a load to be defrosted is positioned, a transmission path between the RF signal source and the electrode(s), and an impedance matching network electrically coupled along the transmission path between the output of the RF signal source and the electrode(s). The system also includes measurement circuitry coupled to the transmission path and configured to measure one or more parameters that include voltage, current, forward signal power, reflected signal power, and S11 along the transmission path. A system controller is configured to monitor the measurements, and to modify operation of the system when a rate of change of any of the monitored parameter(s) exceeds a predetermined threshold. The impedance matching network may be a single-ended network or a double-ended network.

Systems and methods include a cooking appliance comprising a heating element disposed within a cooking chamber and operable to selectively emit waves at any of a plurality of powers and/or peak wavelengths, a camera operable to capture an image of the cooking chamber, and a computing device operable to supply power to the heating element to vary the power and/or peak wavelength of the emitted waves and generate heat within the cooking chamber, and instruct the camera to capture the image when the heating element is emitting at a stabilized power and/or peak wavelength. The computing device is operable to generate an adjusted captured image by adjusting the captured image with respect to the stabilized power and/or peak wavelength. The computing device comprises feedback components operable to receive the adjusted captured image, extract features, and analyze the one or more features to determine an event, property, measurement and/or status.

A method for operating a cooking appliance having at least one cooking chamber for preparing food includes detecting high-frequency data during a cooking process using at least one high-frequency measuring system. The method further includes deriving at least one cooking parameter characterizing the food from the high-frequency data using at least one processing system. The high-frequency data is processed using at least one self-learning model of machine learning stored in the processing device. The processing device independently derives the cooking parameter from the high-frequency data via the model.

A top hood for covering food in a microwave oven is provided. The top hood (H1) includes a microwave transparent wall structure including a side wall (SW) and top part (TP). The side wall (SW) and top part (TP) define the internal area (IA) covered by the top hood (H1). Attached to the wall structure of the top hood (H1), the top hood (H1) includes a temperature sensor (TS) for measuring the temperature within the internal area (IA) covered by the top hood (H1). The top hood further includes a wireless transmitter (WT) for transmitting the measured temperature information to an external display unit (DU).

Systems and methods include a cooking appliance comprising a heating element disposed within a cooking chamber and operable to selectively emit waves at any of a plurality of powers and/or peak wavelengths, a camera operable to capture an image of the cooking chamber, and a computing device operable to supply power to the heating element to vary the power and/or peak wavelength of the emitted waves and generate heat within the cooking chamber, and instruct the camera to capture the image when the heating element is emitting at a stabilized power and/or peak wavelength. The computing device is operable to generate an adjusted captured image by adjusting the captured image with respect to the stabilized power and/or peak wavelength. The computing device comprises feedback components operable to receive the adjusted captured image, extract features, and analyze the one or more features to determine an event, property, measurement and/or status.

Several embodiments include a cooking instrument. The cooking instrument can include a heating system. The heating system can include one or more heating elements capable of emitting wireless energy into the cooking chamber. The cooking instrument can also include a control system. The control system can executing a heating sequence to drive the heating system, detect, based on an output signal of a sensor, a trigger event, and configure the heating system in response to detecting the trigger event.

A line for heating, drying, disinfecting, pasteurizing and/or sterilizing a substance with an apparatus that includes at least one, preferably a multitude, solid-state radio frequency source(s) and a further heat treatment apparatus. A method for heating, drying, disinfecting, pasteurizing and/or sterilizing a substance with an apparatus that includes at least a solid-state RF energy source microwave heating step and a further heat treatment step.

Apparatus and method for applying RF energy to determine a processing state of an object placed in a cavity, during processing of the object. The method includes applying RF energy to the object during the processing via at least one radiating element, receiving RF feedback from in or around the cavity, said RF feedback being indicative of a dielectric response of the cavity and/or the object to electromagnetic (EM) fields excited in the cavity, mathematically manipulating the RF feedback to obtain computed RF feedback, determining one or more processing states of the object based on a correlation between the computed RF feedback and the one or more processing states of the object, and monitoring the computed RF feedback during the applying to monitor the one or more processing states of the object.

A method of treating a meat-substance containing a bone structure. The bone marrow is coagulated with microwaves generated by a solid-state RF energy source. The microwave heating may be carried out prior to a heat treatment of the meat-substance and/or may be carried out after slaughtering and before the fresh slaughtered meat-substance is frozen.