ADAPTING A RECIPE

Abstract

A recipe contains at least one instruction for preparing an assigned quantity of at least one ingredient, in order to prepare a dish. A method for adapting the recipe includes the following steps: registering the at least one ingredient; determining a food chemical function of the ingredient; replacing the ingredient in the recipe with an alternative ingredient; and adapting the recipe such that the food chemical function that has been determined is fulfilled by at least one ingredient of the recipe.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A method of adapting a recipe, the recipe including at least one instruction for processing an assigned quantity of at least one ingredient to prepare a dish, the method comprising the following steps: registering the at least one ingredient; determining a food chemistry function of the at least one ingredient; replacing the at least one ingredient in the recipe with an alternative ingredient; and adapting the recipe such that the food chemistry function of the at least one ingredient is fulfilled by at least one ingredient included in the recipe.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one ingredient fulfils a further food-technological function and the adapting step comprises adapting the recipe to suppress the further food-technological function.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the at least one ingredient in the recipe fulfils multiple food-technological functions and the method comprises registering at least one function to be fulfilled by the adapted recipe or to be suppressed by the adapted recipe.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the adapting step comprises changing an assigned quantity of at least one further ingredient in the recipe.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein the adapting step comprises changing an instruction included in the recipe.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein the food chemistry function comprises a modification of at least one substance contained in an ingredient.

18. The method according to claim 12, which comprises determining the food chemistry function of at least one of the ingredient or the alternative ingredient based on a taxonomy.

19. The method according to claim 12, which comprises determining at least one alternative ingredient which can be used to replace the at least one ingredient.

20. The method according to claim 12, which comprises adapting an alternative ingredient, a quantity of the alternative ingredient, a quantity of any of the ingredients or one of the instructions based on an ontology of the ingredients.

21. A device for adapting a recipe, wherein the recipe comprises at least one instruction for processing an assigned quantity of at least one ingredient to prepare a dish, the device comprising the following: an interface for registering the at least one ingredient; a processing facility which is configured to: determine a food chemistry function of the ingredient; replace the ingredient in the recipe with an alternative ingredient; and adapt the recipe such that the food chemistry function determined for the ingredient is fulfilled by at least one ingredient included in the recipe.

22. An electronic kitchen assistant for assisting a user with cooking, the kitchen assistant comprising: a device according to claim 21; an output unit for outputting the recipe; an input unit for receiving a request to replace an ingredient of the recipe with an alternative ingredient; and a communications unit for requesting information from a central point on the internet.

Description

[0027] The invention is described in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary device;

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram of an exemplary method; and

[0030] FIG. 3 shows exemplary ontologies.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a device 100 for adapting a recipe. The device 100 preferably comprises a processing facility 105, which can be connected by means of a first interface 110 to a first storage unit 115, a second storage unit 120 and/or a third storage unit 125. Two or more of the storage units 115-130 can be integrated with one another and each storage unit 115-130 can also be assigned a dedicated first interface 110. The processing facility 105 can be connected to an interaction facility 135 by means of a second interface 130.

[0032] The first storage unit 115 is preferably designed for the storage of one or more recipes 140, which are described in more detail below, for example with reference to FIG. 2. The first storage unit 115 can also be located remotely from the device 100 and be connected for example by means of a network. The network can comprise for example the internet, a private network or a mobile radio network. The first interface 110 can be connected to the network so that the processing facility 105 has access to the recipe 140.

[0033] The second storage unit 120 is preferably designed for the storage of a taxonomy 145 of ingredients. An ingredient can be a component of a dish, which can be prepared based on the information in a recipe 140, as set out in more detail below. The taxonomy 145 can allow a grouping or classification of ingredients in respect of one or more predetermined criteria. Thus one or more different ingredients can be found for a predetermined ingredient, being in the same class in respect of a predetermined criterion or being similar to the predetermined ingredient in a predetermined manner. In a further embodiment ii the taxonomy 145 can also be organized hierarchically. The taxonomy 145 can also assist a determination of the similarity or class of an ingredient in respect of multiple criteria.

[0034] A taxonomy 145 can for example divide different fruits into botanical classes in respect of a first criterion, into different color classes in respect of a second criterion or into classes of similar cooking times or recommended cooking temperatures in respect of a third criterion. The taxonomy 145 can be organized as a multidimensional table or as a network of inputs allowing a dynamic determination of classes as a function of a search. The taxonomy here is preferably optimized with regard to request efficiency and/or required storage. In one variant the second storage unit 120 can also be arranged remotely from the device 100 and be connected to the processing facility 105 for example by means of a network and the first interface 110.

[0035] The third storage unit 125 is preferably designed for the storage of an ontology 150. The ontology 150 establishes relationships between terms and is organized such that a framework of terms can be displayed. The third storage unit 125 can also be arranged remotely from the device 100 and be connected to the processing facility 105 for example by means of a network and the first interface 110.

[0036] The interaction facility 135 is preferably designed for interaction with a person. To this end an inputting of information to the person and/or an outputting of information to the person can be assisted. The information can be exchanged optically, acoustically and/or haptically. In one embodiment the interaction facility 125 comprises a touch screen, as known for mobile telephones (smart phones). Further parts of the device 100 can be covered by the telephone or smart phone, in particular one or more of the storage units 115-125 and/or the first interface 100, which can in particular comprise a wireless communications facility, for example for the use of a mobile radio network, WLAN or Bluetooth.

[0037] In a further embodiment the interaction facility 135 comprises a projector for projecting information onto a surface, in particular a work surface or wall. Such a variant is known as a projection and interaction (PAI) facility, which can comprise a projector for projecting an image onto the surface and a scanning facility for determining a position of an object, in particular a hand of the user, in relation to the projected image. The user can thus influence for example a projected display of a recipe 140 interactively. A further variant is known as a digital assistant (Mykie), a device which can be positioned on a work surface for example and which can assist interaction by means of gestures, mimicry or verbal expression. Further parts of the device 100 can also be integrated with the interaction facility 135 in such variants.

[0038] The interaction facility 100 is designed for use in a household context, in particular in a kitchen. The interaction facility 100 allows a user preferably to select, adapt and more preferably display a recipe 140 such that said user can prepare a dish according to the information in the recipe 140.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary recipe 140, based on which a method 200 is also described in the following. The recipe 140 represents an instruction for the preparation of a dish 205, which is preferably suitable for human consumption. The recipe 140 does not necessarily have to comprise a cooking operation; rather it can comprise the preparation of any dish 205, for example even a beverage, baked goods or a cooking product.

[0040] The recipe 140 generally comprises information about a number of required ingredients 210, an ingredient generally being assigned a required quantity 215. An ingredient 210 preferably comprises a food or a product that can be consumed by a human, at least some of which is later included in the dish 205. An ingredient 210 can itself be a dish 205 and can be produced using a recipe 140. For example an ingredient 210 can comprise a fruit, vegetable, spice, fat, meat, wine or stock.

[0041] The recipe 140 also preferably comprises one or more instructions 220, each of which specifies the manner in which an ingredient 210 is to be processed, treated, cooked, mixed or combined with another ingredient 210. An instruction 220 can also relate for example to the removal of an ingredient 210 or a part thereof from an intermediate product or the resting of an intermediate product. An intermediate product can be the result of a previous instruction 220. In this sense a finished dish 205 can also be seen as an intermediate product. A plurality of instructions 220 that are standard or non-standard in a kitchen is possible. The recipe 140 can also comprise a reference to working material or cooking appliances to be used to carry out an instruction 220, for example a food processor such as a mixer, an oven, cooker or microwave oven.

[0042] In a step 245 the recipe 140 can be registered for the execution of the recipe 140. In a step 250 a list of required ingredients 210 can then be created and optionally supplied to a user. The quantities 215 assigned to the ingredients 210 can also be supplied. The user can select from the ingredients 210 one that they wish to swap for an alternative ingredient 225. In a step 255 the selection of the ingredient 210 can be determined by the user.

[0043] In a step 260 one or more alternative ingredients 210 can be determined, which are suitable as replacements for the ingredient 210. One or more food technology functions of the ingredient 210 in the recipe 140 can be determined and the alternative ingredients 225 can preferably be determined such that they can fulfil at least one of the determined functions. A number of alternative ingredients 210 or combinations of alternative ingredients 210 can also be determined, from which the user can select one. The user can also specify an alternative ingredient 210 they wish to use.

[0044] Replacing the ingredient 210 with one or more alternative ingredients 225 can upset the balance of the recipe 140. For example all the intended food technology functions in the recipe 140 may no longer be fulfilled, the instructions 220 relating to ingredients 210, 225 may be incongruous or nonsensical or the original ratios of quantities of ingredients 210 may be disrupted. The recipe 140 can be adapted in order to control the impact of swapping the ingredient 210 for the at least one alternative ingredient 225. In particular a quantity 215 of a further ingredient 210 and/or an instruction 220 in the recipe 140 can be adapted. Adaptation can be performed such that at least one of the determined functions is fulfilled when the recipe 140 is implemented. A reasoner in particular can be used, which adapts the recipe automatically with the aid of the ontologies.

[0045] A further replacement of an ingredient 210 can then be made or the recipe 140 can be implemented. For implementation in a step 265 one or more ingredients 210, 225 can be processed by carrying out a corresponding instruction 220. Further processing steps can then follow with further ingredients 210, 225 and/or intermediate products. In a step 270 the desired dish 205 can be completed from the application of an instruction 220. Implementation of the recipe 140 is generally reserved for a person but can be partially or wholly automated. Preparation of the dish 205 according to the recipe 140 by a person can be assisted, in particular by means of context-sensitive provision of information relating in each instance to an instruction 220 to be implemented. A user can thus be guided or accompanied through the implementation of the recipe 140 step by step.

[0046] FIG. 3 shows graphic representations of exemplary ontologies. A first ontology 302 relates to a recipe 140, a second ontology 304 relates to a chemical property of an ingredient 210 and a third ontology 306 relates to an ingredient 210. Terms 308 are shown by boxes and relationships 310 between terms 308 are shown correspondingly by connections. The terms 308 each comprise a category (light text on dark background) and one or more instances (dark text on light background). The first ontology 302 uses terms 312-345 and relationships 402-428; the second ontology 304 terms 360-377 and relationships 440-456; the third ontology 306 terms 380-389 and relationships 460-466. An example of the adaptation of a recipe 140 is set out in the following based on the illustrated ontologies 302-306.

[0047] A recipe 140 for a dish 205 in the form of a muffin contains the ingredient 210 honey. A user preparing the muffin 205 wishes to reduce the sugar content of the muffin 205. A system 100 performing a method 200 can recommend replacing the honey 210 with stevia and mashed banana as alternative ingredients 225. Appropriate quantities 215 of the alternative ingredients 225 can ii be determined and supplied. The recommendations can be derived from chemical properties, inferred ratios and further information relating to honey 210, referred to here as food chemistry functions.

[0048] The ontologies 302-306 can be used to research chemical properties of honey 210: [0049] “sweetness”: derived from the inherent sweetness of honey 210 and its components [0050] “weight”: based on the significant quantity 215 of honey 210 in the recipe 140 in relation to the total quantity of all the ingredients 210 the contribution of honey cannot be ignored. A quantity 215 of honey 210 left out must be replaced with other ingredients 210, 225 to provide muffins 205 of a similar weight. [0051] brown color: as honey 210 contains reducing sugars and a baking process 220 involves a high temperature, the Maillard reaction takes place at high speed, making the muffins 205 brown. It should be noted that this is not an inherent function of honey 210 but is only observed in a finished muffin 205 due to the heating process 220. [0052] “moistness”: as honey 210 contains a high proportion of hygroscopic sugars, it binds moisture during baking and storage of the muffins 205.

[0053] If an ingredient 210 is to be replaced, all the food technology functions of the original ingredient 210 should be brought about where possible by one or more alternative ingredients 225. [0054] As sweetness is a dominant property of the muffin 205, a search for an alternative ingredient 225 can start with this property. [0055] The ingredient 210 stevia has the function of “sweetness” and can therefore possibly be used as an alternative ingredient 225 for honey 210. [0056] The quantity 215 of stevia 225 is determined on the basis of respective sweetness indices. If for example the available stevia 225 is 30 times sweeter than honey 210, a 30 times smaller quantity 215 than of honey 210 should be used. [0057] The other functions of honey 210 relating to the muffin 205 are not yet fulfilled. Mashed banana 225 is selected as a second alternative ingredient 225, as banana 225 can fulfil two as yet unfulfilled functions of honey 210. [0058] Banana 225 can bring about a brown coloration as it can contain polyphenol oxidase and polyphenols. When the cell structure of the banana 225 is destroyed, these two substances react with one another and with oxygen in the air, resulting in the fruit browning reaction of the banana 225. [0059] Banana 225 contains a lot of water and can contribute to the moistness of the finished muffin 205. [0060] As the quantity 215 of stevia is already determined, the quantity 215 of banana 225 should be determined so that together with the quantity 215 of stevia 225 it makes up the quantity 215 of honey 210. The quantity 215 of banana 225 can be determined taking different susceptibilities of the alternative ingredients 225 to weight loss when warmed into account.

[0061] This example shows that ingredients 201, 225 can fulfil different food chemistry functions in different contexts. These can be divided into:

[0062] 1. Functions determined by chemical properties of an ingredient 210, 225;

[0063] 2. Functions determined by a chemical reaction of an ingredient 210, 225 with another ingredient 210, 225 or a surrounding substance; and

[0064] 3. Functions determined by chemical properties in combination with external conditions. The conditions can relate in particular to a mechanical and/or thermal treatment mode.

[0065] Some of the embodiments described here can have the advantage that a user can swap some ingredients of a recipe spontaneously while cooking, for example because they are not available at the time, and it is still ensured that the user is advised by means of information technology so that the end result of the recipe will be successful. With the aid of formalized knowledge of cooking associations, for example in the form of ontologies and reasoning, the system can preferably counteract possible sources of error due to lack of competence on the part of the user.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0066] 100 Device

[0067] 105 Processing facility

[0068] 110 First interface

[0069] 115 First storage unit (recipe)

[0070] 120 Second storage unit (taxonomy)

[0071] 125 Third storage unit (ontology)

[0072] 130 Second interface

[0073] 135 Interaction facility

[0074] 140 Recipe

[0075] 145 Taxonomy

[0076] 150 Ontology

[0077] 200 Method

[0078] 205 Dish

[0079] 210 Ingredient

[0080] 215 Quantity

[0081] 220 Instruction

[0082] 225 Alternative ingredient

[0083] 245 Register recipe

[0084] 250 Supply list

[0085] 255 Determine selection of an ingredient

[0086] 260 Swap ingredient, adapt recipe

[0087] 265 Process

[0088] 270 Complete dish

[0089] 302 First ontology

[0090] 304 Second ontology

[0091] 306 Third ontology

[0092] 308 Term

[0093] 310 Relationship

[0094] 312 Recipe category

[0095] 314 Recipe

[0096] 316 Muffin

[0097] 318 Preparation mode

[0098] 320 Bake

[0099] 322 Has ingredient

[0100] 324 Honey

[0101] 326 Quantity according to recipe

[0102] 328 20%

[0103] 330 Temperature

[0104] 332 180° C.

[0105] 334 Food chemistry properties

[0106] 336 Reduce sugar

[0107] 338 Hygroscopic

[0108] 340 Sweetness

[0109] 342 Sweetness index

[0110] 344 1

[0111] 346 Function in finished dish

[0112] 348 Sweetness

[0113] 350 Weight/quantity

[0114] 352 Brown color

[0115] 354 Moistness

[0116] 360 Food chemistry properties

[0117] 361 Contains polyphenol oxidase

[0118] 362 Contains polyphenols

[0119] 363 Ingredient

[0120] 364 Banana

[0121] 365 Nutritional property

[0122] 366 Water content

[0123] 367 Nutritional value

[0124] 368 70%

[0125] 369 Ingredient function

[0126] 370 Brown color

[0127] 371 Moistness

[0128] 372 Ingredient with state

[0129] 373 Mashed banana

[0130] 374 State

[0131] 375 Mashed

[0132] 376 Ingredient family

[0133] 377 Fruit

[0134] 380 Ingredient

[0135] 381 Stevia

[0136] 382 Ingredient with state

[0137] 383 Stevia powder

[0138] 384 Ingredient property

[0139] 385 Sweetness

[0140] 386 Food chemistry properties

[0141] 387 Sweetness

[0142] 388 Sweetness index

[0143] 389 30

[0144] 402 Has context

[0145] 404 Has preparation mode

[0146] 406 Has ingredient

[0147] 408 Has temperature

[0148] 410 Required function for present recipe

[0149] 412 Has function in finished dish

[0150] 414 Has quantity

[0151] 416 Made from

[0152] 418 Triggers function

[0153] 420 Maillard reaction due to high temperature and presence of reduced sugar

[0154] 424 Has food chemistry properties

[0155] 426 Has sweetness index 428 Hygroscopic response binds water

[0156] 440 Has food chemistry property

[0157] 442 Has nutritional property

[0158] 444 Has value

[0159] 446 Made from

[0160] 448 Brought about by combination

[0161] 450 Has function

[0162] 452 Has ingredient

[0163] 454 Has state

[0164] 456 Belongs to family

[0165] 460 Has basic ingredient

[0166] 462 Has function

[0167] 464 Has food chemistry property

[0168] 466 Has sweetness index