A dielectric constant estimation device which can estimate a dielectric constant of an object with high accuracy in a non-contact state even when a shape of the object is indefinite, and a microwave heating device equipped with the dielectric constant estimation device. The dielectric constant estimation device includes a transmitting antenna and a receiving antenna which can switch a polarized wave of an electromagnetic wave between a TE wave and a TM wave. Based on a reflected wave of the TE wave and a reflected wave of the TM wave from the object, the dielectric constant estimation device calculates a TM/TE reflection ratio, and compares the calculated TM/TE reflection ratio and dielectric constant data of theoretical values stored in a memory part in advance in the form of database with each other so that a dielectric constant of the object is estimated.

This disclosure relates to a microwave heating device and a method for operating a microwave heating device, in particular to heat at least one product inside a heating chamber of the device. The microwave heating device comprises at least two radiating portions that are adapted to radiate microwaves to the heating chamber and can be operated according to a plurality of operational configurations that differ in frequency and/or in phase shift(s) between the radiated microwaves. A learning procedure can be executed by sequentially operating the at least two radiating portions in several operational configurations. Energy efficiency data are calculated for those operational configurations. An operating frequency can be selected via an algorithm that optimizes a mathematical function based on energy efficiency data. An operational configuration with a maximum energy efficiency at the selected operating frequency may be taken as a reference. A heating procedure can be executed by sequentially operating the at least two radiating portions in operational configurations having the selected operating frequency and respective phase shift(s) that are chosen around the respective phase shift(s) of the reference operational configuration.

A device for cooking by heating comprises: a heating unit for heating food that is accommodated in a cooking cavity, a setting unit for setting a heating control content of the heating unit, a display unit for displaying the heating control content set by setting unit, and a display controller for controlling display on the display unit. Moreover, the device for cooking by heating comprises: an image capturing unit for capturing the inside of the cooking cavity, and a storage unit for storing an image captured by image capturing unit and the heating control content set by setting unit in a correspondence table in association with each other. The display controller controls display so as to display images stored in the storage unit in a list on the display unit, and the setting unit sets, based on selection of an image from the list, the associated heating control content in the correspondence table in the storage unit

An instrument for performing microwave-assisted reactions and an associated method are disclosed. The instrument typically includes (i) a microwave-radiation source, (ii) a cavity, (iii) a waveguide in microwave communication with the microwave-radiation source and the cavity, (iv) at least one reaction-vessel sensor for determining the number and/or type of reaction vessels positioned within the cavity, (v) an interface, and (vi) a computer controller. The computer controller is typically in communication with the interface, the microwave-radiation source, and the reaction-vessel sensor. The computer controller is typically capable of determining the output of the microwave-radiation source in response to the number and/or type of reaction vessels positioned within the cavity.

Technologies for controlling a cooking appliance include receiving a cooking recipe from a computing device. The cooking recipe defines one or more cooking steps and each cooking step includes executable instructions that are executable by the cooking appliance to cause the cooking appliance to perform the associated cooking step. The cooking appliance may execute the instructions of each cooking step to perform the cooking recipe. The recipe may include digital rights management features, may be encrypted, and may include additional information such as an ingredient list. The cooking appliance may provide instructions, such as audible instructions, to a user while cooking the recipe. The user may also generate a cooking recipe using the cooking appliance and share the cooking recipe with other users.

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.

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.

A cooking apparatus includes an input interface configured to receive a control command for an operation of the cooking apparatus, a communication interface configured to communicate with a terminal device, a memory configured to store information related to limitation of a cooking operation received from the terminal device, and a processor configured to perform the input control command based on the information related to the limitation of the cooking operation, and the processor is configured to, based on a cooking operation command being received via the input interface in a cooking operation limitation state set according to the information related to the limitation of the cooking operation, control the communication interface to request the terminal device for release of the limitation of the cooking operation, and based on a release command being received from the terminal device, perform the input cooking operation command.

A cooking apparatus according to one embodiment includes a cooking chamber including a plurality of cooking regions, a plurality of heaters configured to heat at least one cooking region among the plurality of cooking regions, an inputter configured to receive a command related to cooking from a user, a display, and a controller configured to control the plurality of heaters and the display, wherein, while cooking is being performed in some cooking regions among the plurality of cooking regions, the controller may control the display to display other cooking regions in which additional cooking is performable.

Technologies for controlling a cooking appliance include receiving a cooking recipe from a computing device. The cooking recipe defines one or more cooking steps and each cooking step includes executable instructions that are executable by the cooking appliance to cause the cooking appliance to perform the associated cooking step. The cooking appliance may execute the instructions of each cooking step to perform the cooking recipe. The recipe may include digital rights management features, may be encrypted, and may include additional information such as an ingredient list. The cooking appliance may provide instructions, such as audible instructions, to a user while cooking the recipe. The user may also generate a cooking recipe using the cooking appliance and share the cooking recipe with other users.