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 determine a heating sequence (e.g., logical instructions) to drive the heating system. The control system can then execute the heating sequence. The heating sequence can include an instruction to adjust, based on a trigger event detectable by the control system, the spectral power distribution of wireless waves emitted from a heating element in the heating system.

A method and device utilizing infrared energy for heating objects, while providing energy control and enabling a decrease radiative heat flux (or intensity) of the infrared energy. An infrared emission device providing reduction of radiative heat flux or intensity from a primary emitter according to the invention may comprise a heat source, a primary emitter that emits infrared radiation of a first wavelength, and a secondary emitter that is spaced apart from the primary emitter. The secondary emitter receives infrared radiation emitted from the primary emitter and emits infrared radiation. The secondary emitter is constructed and arranged to emit infrared radiation having a wavelength that is longer than the infrared radiation of the first wavelength.

A method and device utilizing infrared energy for heating objects, while providing energy control and enabling a decrease radiative heat flux (or intensity) of the infrared energy. An infrared emission device providing reduction of radiative heat flux or intensity from a primary emitter according to the invention may comprise a heat source, a primary emitter that emits infrared radiation of a first wavelength, and a secondary emitter that is spaced apart from the primary emitter. The secondary emitter receives infrared radiation emitted from the primary emitter and emits infrared radiation. The secondary emitter is constructed and arranged to emit infrared radiation having a wavelength that is longer than the infrared radiation of the first wavelength.

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 determine a heating sequence (e.g., logical instructions) to drive the heating system. The control system can then execute the heating sequence. The heating sequence can include an instruction to adjust, based on a trigger event detectable by the control system, the spectral power distribution of wireless waves emitted from a heating element in the heating system.

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 determine a heating sequence (e.g., logical instructions) to drive the heating system. The control system can then execute the heating sequence. The heating sequence can include an instruction to adjust, based on a trigger event detectable by the control system, the spectral power distribution of wireless waves emitted from a heating element in the heating system.

A distributed, self-organizing environment conditioning system with adaptive and learning behaviors that provide localized and targeted climate conditioning such as, but not limited to, temperature and humidity control in indoor and outdoor settings and more particularly, to extensible networked multi-modal autonomous systems of heating units working together to efficiently target objects for selective environmental control.

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 determine a heating sequence (e.g., logical instructions) to drive the heating system. The control system can then execute the heating sequence. The heating sequence can include an instruction to adjust, based on a trigger event detectable by the control system, the spectral power distribution of wireless waves emitted from a heating element in the heating system.

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 determine a heating sequence (e.g., logical instructions) to drive the heating system. The control system can then execute the heating sequence. The heating sequence can include an instruction to adjust, based on a trigger event detectable by the control system, the spectral power distribution of wireless waves emitted from a heating element in the heating system.

A cooking appliance including a cooktop including a plurality of heating zones, each heating zone heated by at least one heating element; an image capture device directed toward the cooktop; and a controller operably connected to the image capture device and the at least one heating element, wherein the controller is configured to perform an operation. The operation includes receiving one or more inputs relating to a cooking operation; receiving an image signal of the cooktop via the image capture device after receiving the one or more inputs, the image signal including a cookware item; identifying a size of the cookware item in the received image signal; adjusting one or more parameters of the cooking operation based on the identified size of the cookware item; and initiating the cooking operation based on the one or more adjusted parameters.

A cooking appliance including a cooktop including a plurality of heating zones, each heating zone heated by at least one heating element; an image capture device directed toward the cooktop; and a controller operably connected to the image capture device and the at least one heating element, wherein the controller is configured to perform an operation. The operation includes receiving one or more inputs relating to a cooking operation; receiving an image signal of the cooktop via the image capture device after receiving the one or more inputs, the image signal including a cookware item; identifying a size of the cookware item in the received image signal; adjusting one or more parameters of the cooking operation based on the identified size of the cookware item; and initiating the cooking operation based on the one or more adjusted parameters.