Claims:1. A control mechanism for an automated appliance (100), comprising:
a rotatable shaft (302);
a first locking structure (307) and a second locking structure (311);
a first gear (403) coupled to the rotatable shaft (302) using the first locking structure (307);
a motor gear (408) disposed in an engaged position with the first gear (403) when the automated appliance (100) is operating in an automated mode;
a knob socket (312) coupled to the rotatable shaft (302) using the second locking structure (311); and
a knob (313) that is operatively coupled to the rotatable shaft (302), wherein the first gear (403) is adapted to move linearly and disengage from the motor gear (408) upon application of an axial force on the knob (313) to override the automated mode and selectively switch the automated appliance (100) to a manual mode, and wherein the first gear (403) and the motor gear (408) revert to the engaged position upon removal of the axial force to switch the automated appliance (100) to the automated mode.
2. The control mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotatable shaft (302) comprises a first groove (308) having a first position (305) and a second position (306) and a second groove (309) having a first position (305) and a second position (306).
3. The control mechanism as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first locking structure (307) is adapted to slide between the first position (305) and the second position (306) associated with the first groove (308), and wherein movement of the first locking structure (307) from the first position (305) to the second position (306) of the first groove (308) causes the knob socket (312) to move from the first position (305) to the second position (306) of the first groove (308).
4. The control mechanism for an automated appliance as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second locking structure (311) is adapted to slide between the first and second position (305 and 306) associated with the second groove (309), and wherein movement of the second locking structure (311) from the first position (305) to the second position (306) of the second groove (309) causes the first gear (403) to move from the first position (305) to the second position (306) of the second groove (309).
5. The control mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second locking structure (311) is positioned in the second position (306) of the first groove (308) of the rotatable shaft (302) and the first locking structure (307) is positioned in the second position (306) of the second groove (309) of the rotatable shaft (302) when the axial force is exerted on the knob (313) to operate the automated appliance (100) in manual mode.
6. The control mechanism as claimed in claim 3, wherein the second locking structure (311) operatively coupled to the knob socket (312) is positioned in the first position (305) of the first groove (308) of the rotatable shaft (302) and the first locking structure (307) operatively coupled to the first gear (403) is positioned in the first position (305) of the second groove (309) of the rotatable shaft (302) when the automated appliance (100) is switched to the automated mode.
7. The control mechanism as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a compression device (303), connected to the first gear (403) and the motor gear (408), wherein the compression device (303) is configured to maintain the first gear (403) and the motor gear (408) in the engaged position.
8. An automated appliance (100) with a control mechanism, wherein the control mechanism comprises:
a first gear (403) and a second gear (406);
a motor gear (408) configured to remain in a meshed position with the first gear (403), wherein the motor gear (408) is configured to rotate the first gear (403) when the motor gear (408) is actuated by a power supply device (409);
a control knob (401) operatively coupled to the first gear (403), wherein the first gear (403) is configured to move linearly and disengage from the motor gear (408) upon application of an axial force on the control knob (401) to override an automated mode of the automated appliance (100) and selectively switch the automated appliance (100) to a corresponding manual mode;
an encoder gear (411) disposed in a meshed position with the second gear (406) and adapted to rotate along with the second gear (411) when the automated appliance (100) is overridden to operate in the automated mode to the manual mode, wherein a position of the control knob (401) is determined based on a rotation of the encoder gear (411) and the second gear (406) pair;
a communication unit (506) configured to communicatively couple the automated appliance (100) to a remote device (510); and
a microcontroller (501) operatively coupled to the communication unit (506) and configured to interact with the remote device (510) through the communication unit (506).
9. The automated appliance (100) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the microcontroller (501) is configured to switch the automated appliance (100) between the manual mode and the automated mode upon receiving confirmation from an authorized user of the automated appliance (100).
10. The automated appliance (100) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the automated appliance is a cooking device, a refrigerator, a mixer, a heater, an air-conditioner or an industrial appliance.
11. The automated appliance (100) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the automated appliance is a cooking device (100) that comprises of one or more burners (702, 703, 704, 705).
12. The automated appliance (100) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the remote device (510) is configured to communicate a user input to the microcontroller (501) to set the flame intensity at low, medium or high, or switch off the cooking device (100), wherein the microcontroller (501) is configured to receive a measured position of the control knob (401) from the encoder (508), and wherein the microcontroller (501) is configured to cause a rotation of the control knob (401) from the measured position to a new position based on the received input.
13. The automated appliance (100) as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cooking device (100) comprises one or more of:
an optical sensor (503) that is configured to capture one or more of a video feed and an image of the cooking device (100) and surroundings thereof;
a database (513) that stores reference images of authorized users permitted to operate the cooking device (100), wherein the database (513) is operatively coupled to the microcontroller (501);
a data analyzing module (514) configured to compare one or more of the captured images against one or more reference images from the database (513); and
a timing circuitry that is configured to measure a duration of operation of the cooking device (100).
14. The automated appliance (100) as claimed in claim 13, wherein the optical sensor (503) is configured to provide a live video feed of the cooking process to the remote device (510), wherein the data analyzing module (514) is configured to determine if the cooking device (100) is operated by an authorized user, wherein the microcontroller (501) is configured to disable manual overriding of the automated mode by one authorized user when a second authorized user is remotely operating the cooking device (100), or combinations thereof.
15. The automated appliance (100) as claimed in claim 13, wherein the cooking device (100) comprises one or more of:
an audio sensor (515) that is configured to determine a count of whistles generated by a vessel placed on the cooking device (100);
a flame sensor (509) configured to detect an intensity of the flame of the cooking device (100).
a fuel sensor (504) configured to detect leakage of fuel supplied to the cooking device (100); and
a motion sensor (512) configured to detect presence of an individual within a specified distance from the cooking device (100) for a specified duration of time.
16. The automated appliance (100) as claimed in claim 13, wherein the audio sensor (515) is configured to monitor one or more whistles generated by a vessel, wherein the audio sensor (515) transmits the information to the microcontroller (501) to remotely control the operation of the cooking device (100).
17. The automated appliance (100) as claimed in claim 15, wherein the microcontroller (501) is configured to transmit alerts to the remote device (510) when the microcontroller (501) detects an emergency situation, wherein the emergency situation comprises one or more of a leakage of fuel, attempt at unauthorized access to the cooking device (100), fire, and malfunctioning of the cooking device (100). , Description:

BACKGROUND

[0001] Embodiments of the present specification relate generally to a connected appliance, and more particularly to a remotely operable automated stove.
[0002] Information technology has pervaded all aspects of life. The advent of digital computing and Internet of Things (IoT), has led to interoperability and intelligence in connected devices. Particularly, IoT has found applications in wide range of areas such as health, agriculture, industry, home, kitchen, and so on.
[0003] For example, a number of smart gadgets, from cooking devices to kitchenware, leverage IoT technology to allow consumers to indulge their increasing interest in culinary arts in a smart connected kitchen. With growing interest in the culinary arts, present day kitchens with different kinds of automated and intelligent cooking devices have become the main hub in a home.
[0004] Chinese patent application number CN103982924 describes a cooking stove with sensors for sensing high pressure fuel flow and attain a balanced control of the cooking process. The fuel stove has an intelligent control device, which includes a microprocessor, a display module, a delay setting module, high-pressure airflow sensor module, and a fuel control module. The display module located on the surface of the stove and the high pressure air flow sensor module is installed on the stove. The stove can also be controlled via applications residing on mobile devices.
[0005] US patent application US20160051078 describes methods for automated control of various steps of a cooking process, such as, controlling activation and heating of the cooking equipment. The cooking apparatus includes a position sensor comprising of an encoder gear for detecting a rotational position of the user-manipulatable cover to provide positional feedback information. The cooking apparatus further includes a camera to observe and communicate information to the cooking system.
[0006] Further, Indian patent application IN219187 describes a cooking system used to control the fuel flow of a domestic fuel stove by employing two modes, namely whistle mode and timer mode. In the whistle mode, after the required number of whistles is achieved, the fuel flow to the stove is stopped by use of a solenoid valve. In the timer mode, the user can set the duration of time for which the stove remains operational. After the set time, the stove is switched off automatically.
[0007] Such automated cooking systems and methods, however, do not provide sufficient control over their mode of operation. For example, in circumstances where technical failure occurs or an emergency situation arises, there is no overriding mechanism for switching between automated and manual modes in the existing cooking systems. Therefore, there arises a need for such a cooking system that intelligently switches control between automated and manual modes based on identified usage scenarios. Additionally, it is desirable to develop a system that ensures safety and availability of a multitude of sophisticated functions, while also providing a user with greater control over the operation of the system.

SUMMARY

[0008] According to one objective of the present disclosure, a control mechanism for an automated appliance is presented. The control mechanism includes a rotatable shaft, a first locking structure and a second locking structure, a first gear coupled to the rotatable shaft using the first locking structure, and a motor gear disposed in an engaged position with the first gear when the appliance is operating in an automated mode. The control mechanism further includes a knob socket that is coupled to the rotatable shaft using the second locking structure, and a knob that is operatively coupled to the shaft, where the first gear coupled to the shaft moves linearly and disengages from the motor gear upon application of an axial force on the knob to override the automated mode and selectively switch the appliance to a manual mode, and where the first gear and the motor gear revert to the engaged position upon removal of the axial force to switch the appliance to the automated mode. The rotatable shaft includes a first groove having a first position and a second position and a second groove having a first position and a second position.
[0009] According to another objective of the present disclosure, the first locking structure may slide between the first position and the second position associated with the first groove. The movement of the first locking structure from the first position to the second position of the first groove may cause the knob socket to move from the first position to the second position of the first groove. Further, the second locking structure may slide between the first position and the second position associated with the second groove. The movement of the second locking structure from the first position to the second position of the second groove may cause the first gear to move from the first position to the second position of the second groove. Further, the second locking structure moves to the second position of the first groove of the shaft and the first locking structure moves to the second position of the second groove of the shaft when the axial force is exerted on the knob to operate the automated appliance in manual mode.
[0010] According to another objective of the present disclosure, the second locking structure operatively coupled to the knob socket moves to the first position of the first groove of the shaft and the first locking structure operatively coupled to the first gear moves to the first position of the second groove of the shaft when the appliance reverts to the automated mode by removal of the axial force. Further, a compression device may connect the first gear to the motor gear such that the first gear and the motor gear are maintained in the engaged position.
[0011] According to another objective of the present disclosure, an automated appliance with a control mechanism is presented. The control mechanism includes a first and a second gear, and a motor gear, which remains in a meshed position with the first gear. The motor gear moves the first gear when actuated by a power supply device. The appliance further includes a control knob unit operatively coupled to the first gear, where the first gear moves linearly and disengages from the motor gear upon application of an axial force on the control knob unit to override the automated mode and selectively switch the appliance to a manual mode. It also includes an encoder gear meshed with the second gear, and the encoder gear translates an input to the appliance in the relative position of the control knob unit. The automated appliance includes a communication unit to connect the automated appliance to a remote device and a microcontroller operatively coupled to the communication unit to communicate data between the automated appliance and the remote device.
[0012] According to another objective of the present disclosure, the automated appliance may be a cooking device, a refrigerator, a mixer, a television, a heater, or an air-conditioner. Further, the automated appliance may be a cooking device with one or more burners. Further, the remote device may provide input to the microcontroller to set the flame intensity at low, medium or high, or switch off the cooking device. The microcontroller is configured to receive a measured position of the control knob (401) from the encoder (508). The microcontroller (501) is further configured to cause a rotation of the control knob (401) from the measured position to a new position based on the received input.
[0013] According to another objective of the present disclosure, the cooking device may include one or more of an optical sensor to capture a video feed and/or an image of the cooking device, a timing circuitry to measure a duration of the operation of the cooking device, an audio sensor to determine a count of whistles of a vessel placed on the cooking device, a flame sensor to detect the intensity of the flame of the cooking device, a fuel sensor to detect leakage of fuel supplied to the cooking device, and a temperature sensor to measure temperature of the cooking device and regulate the temperature according to an input.
[0014] Additional features and advantages will be readily apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0015] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the claimed subject matter will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings provided to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the claims, wherein like designations denote like elements in the drawings.
[0016] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the automated appliance including components that enable the appliance to be selectively switched between automatic and manual modes of operation, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0017] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary order of assembly of the mechanical parts of the automated appliance, which enable manual mode of operation of the automated appliance by overriding the automatic mode of operation of the automated appliance, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0018] FIG. 3A illustrates a graphical representation of an exemplary configuration of a portion of a switching mechanism in the automated appliance when the automated appliance to is operating in the automatic mode, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0019] FIG. 3B illustrates a graphical representation of an exemplary configuration of the portion of the switching mechanism depicted in FIG. 3A when the automated appliance is operating in the manual mode, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0020] FIG. 4A illustrates a graphical representation of exemplary mechanical components of the switching mechanism in an engaged position, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0021] FIG. 4B illustrates a graphical representation of exemplary mechanical components of the switching mechanism in a disengaged position, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 5 illustrates a schematic representation of an exemplary processing unit coupled to one or more subsystems and/or devices associated with the automated appliance, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 6A illustrates a graphical representation of an exemplary user interface for an application running on a user device used for controlling the functioning of the automated appliance, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 6B illustrates a graphical representation of another exemplary user interface for the application running on the user device for controlling the functioning of the automated appliance, according to an embodiment of the present system.
[0025] FIG. 7 depicts a schematic representation of an exemplary system architecture for automatic control of the automated appliance, according to an embodiment of the present system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] The following description presents illustrative embodiments directed to a remotely operable automated appliance. The appliance may be selectively operated in an automatic mode and a manual mode by a user, for example, via use of an application stored on an associated user device such as a smartphone. The automated appliance may be configured to operate in the manual mode by allowing the user to override the automatic mode in certain specified scenarios. The automated appliance is further provided with a processing unit such as a microcontroller, wherein the processing unit is configured to control the operations of the automated appliance in the automatic mode. The automated appliance is further configured to allow the user to monitor the operations of the automated appliance remotely via a live feed from the automated appliance using an application stored on a user device. The automated appliance is also provided with safety features using various sensors to ensure safety of the operations performed by the automated appliance when operated in the automatic mode and the manual mode.
[0027] The embodiments of the present automated appliance allow a user to take over control of the automated appliance from the automatic mode of operation and switch the automated appliance to run in manual mode of operation. For instance, in case of an emergency situation, the automated appliance is configured to switch to an automatic mode of operation, whereas the automated appliance is configured to allow a user to switch the appliance to manual mode of operation for customized operation of the appliance. The mechanism used for switching between automatic mode and manual mode of operation of the automated appliance is explained in greater detail in the subsequent sections.
[0028] It may be noted that embodiments of the present system may be implemented to switch operation of any connected appliance that includes a knob-based control between an automated and a manual mode. However, for clarity, the embodiments are described herein with reference to an automated cooking device, the parts of the cooking device, and the mechanisms of selective operation of the cooking device in an automated and manual mode. It may also be noted that the exemplary embodiments are explained herein with reference to a cooking device with three burners. However, in other embodiments, the cooking device may include any number of burners. Further, the cooking device may include fewer or greater number of the mechanical components based on the number of the burners used in the cooking device.
[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of certain exemplary mechanical components constituting a connected appliance including components that enable the appliance to be selectively switched between automatic and manual modes of operation. In the “automatic mode of operation,” the connected appliance is configured to operate automatically in a selected mode as per stored instructions. In the “manual mode of operation,” the connected appliance allows overriding of the stored instructions and allows a user to selectively configure the operations of the connected appliance in certain predefined scenarios. In one embodiment, the connected appliance is programmed to operate in the automatic mode of operation by default unless and until a user employs a novel switching mechanism to switch to the manual mode. An embodiment of the connected appliance and the corresponding mechanism used to intelligently switch between an automatic and manual mode is described herein with reference to a connected cooking device (100).
[0030] In an exemplary embodiment, the cooking device (100) comprises of a knob (101), which is configured for operating the cooking device (100) manually. Generally, a position of the knob (101) corresponds to a determined volume of a fuel supply available to the cooking device (100) at a particular instant of time. The knob (101) is connected to the cooking device (100) by a top cover (102), which is configured to provide safety to the user from sparking, leakage of the fuel, and any damage caused thereof. The cooking device (100) further includes a knob socket (103) positioned adjacent to the top cover (102). The knob socket (103) includes a shaft (115) to which the knob (101) is attached. In the present embodiment, the shaft (115) comprises of two grooves that enable a rotational movement of the knob socket (103) and a first shaft gear (104) from a first rotational position to a second rotational position. The movement of the knob socket (103) and the first shaft gear (104) enables or disables the switching mechanism that switches the cooking device (100) between the automatic mode and the manual mode of operation. Although the present embodiment describes use of the shaft (115), in alternative embodiments, other mechanical equivalents for the shaft (115), such as splines or concentric cylinders, may be used.
[0031] In one embodiment, the first shaft gear (104) is attached to a motor gear (105) that is configured to provide motor power to the first shaft gear (104). The first shaft gear (104) and the motor gear (105) are configured to remain in an engaged position by means of a compression spring (106). The compression spring (106) enables engagement and disengagement function of the first shaft gear (104) and the motor gear (105) during the switching mechanism between automatic mode and manual mode of operation of the cooking device (100). Specifically, in default position, the compression spring (106) may keep the first shaft gear (104) engaged with the motor gear (105), while allowing the cooking device (100) to operate in the automatic mode. However, pushing the knob (101) in a selected direction causes compression of the compression spring (106), which allows the first shaft gear (104) to move in the selected direction. Movement of the first shaft gear (104) by a determined distance in the selected direction disengages the first shaft gear (104) from the motor gear (105), thereby switching the cooking device (100) to a manual operating mode.
[0032] Further, in one embodiment, the cooking device (100) includes an encoder (107) that is positioned adjacent to the compression spring (106) and is configured to detect the position of the knob (101). Moreover, the cooking device (100) also includes an encoder gear (117) meshed with the second shaft gear (113). The encoder (107) detects the position of the second shaft gear (113), where the encoder gear (117) determines a rotational position of the knob (101) to identify a selected amount of fuel, for example corresponding to low, medium or high flame, being supplied to the cooking device (100) via a fuel valve (123). In certain embodiments, the encoder gear (117) is operatively coupled to a motor (118) that is configured to aid in regulating the fuel supply through the fuel valve (123) based on the determined rotational position of the knob (101). Further, the cooking device (100) includes a bearing (109) that supports the shaft (115) so as to allow the shaft (115) to rotate smoothly based on a rotational position of the knob (101) measured by encoder gear (117). In certain embodiments, a fastener (108), for instance, including a flexible fastening material such as a circlips, C -clip, snap ring, or any other such fastener, is configured to hold the shaft (115) in its respective position when user applies axial force on the knob (101) that acts on the shaft (115).
[0033] Further, the cooking device (100) includes a power supply means (111), for example a metal plate or insulated cables or wires, configured to channel a common electrical supply to the cooking device 100. In one embodiment, the cooking device (100) further includes a limit switch (112) that is actuated by an actuator (116), for example, a screw or a fastener, provided on the second shaft gear (113). The automatic or manual toggling of the knob (101) to regulate fuel supply from the fuel valve (123) to the cooking device (100) causes the second shaft gear (113) and the encoder gear (117) to move by a relative distance. Such relative movement between the second shaft gear (113) and the encoder gear (117) causes a corresponding movement of the actuator (116), which in turn, actuates the limit switch (112). Particularly, the limit switch (112) is configured to provide a feedback that is proportional to the relative shift between the second shaft gear (113) and the encoder gear (117). The feedback, in turn, is used to configure the position of the fuel valve (123) to reflect the rotational position of the knob (101) and supply the fuel at a desired rate to the cooking device (100).
[0034] In certain embodiments, the cooking device (100) also includes a housing (110) that encloses the assembly of one or more components. In one embodiment, the housing (110) is thermally sealed and comprises of a flame resistant material, such as Polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) or Aluminum, that is capable of operating at high temperature. The housing (110) includes a motor cap (119) attached to the motor (118), where the motor cap (119) provides a safety covering to the motor (118) to protect the user in case of fuel leakage or spark, or such other emergency situations. A bottom cover (120), similar to the top cover (102), is attached to the housing (110), where the bottom cover (120) provides a protective covering to the cooking device (100). A motor cap lid (121) is connected to the side position of the bottom cover (120), and the motor cap lid (121) covers electric wiring exiting through the motor cap (119). The cooking device (100) is positioned within a main frame (122). The main frame (122) includes the fuel valve (123) that is configured to provide fuel inlet to the cooking device (100) based on a position of the knob (101) actuated automatically or by the user. In certain embodiments, the main frame (122) further comprises of a processing unit (124) configured to control operation of various components of the cooking device (100) intelligently in different scenarios.
[0035] FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an exemplary order of assembly of the mechanical parts of the automated appliance, which enable manual mode of operation of the automated appliance by overriding the automatic mode of operation of the automated appliance. As previously noted with reference to FIG. 1, the cooking device (100) is switched to the manual mode by actuating a knob (213) that is connected to a knob socket (211) and is configured to control the rate of supply of fuel to the cooking device (100) in response to the actuation. The knob socket (211) is further attached to a shaft (202). The shaft (202) is provided with an opening (201), where the opening (201) functions as input for fuel through the fuel valve (124). The shaft (202) further comprises of a first groove (204) and a second groove (203) positioned at one end (205) of the shaft (202). A bearing (206) is connected to the shaft (202), where the bearing (206) is configured to provide stable rotational movement to the shaft (202) based on an input by the user, where the input may be provided by the user manually by pushing the knob (213) or through an application running on a user device. The rotational movement changes position of the shaft (202), thereby leading to change in position of the knob (213).
[0036] The cooking device (100) includes a compression spring (207) that connects the bearing (206) with a shaft gear (209). The shaft gear (209) is provided with a first locking structure (208), where the first locking structure (208) is configured to slide and fix into the second groove (203) of the shaft (202) when the user manually pushes the knob (213) to switch the cooking device (100) from automated mode to manual mode of operation. A knob socket (212) is connected to the shaft gear (209), where the knob socket (212) comprises of an opening (210) for attaching the shaft (202) to the knob socket (212). The knob socket (212) further comprises of a second locking structure (211), where the second locking structure (211) is configured to slide and fix into the first groove (204) of the shaft (202). Upon fixing of the second locking structure (211) to the first groove (204), the shaft (202) aligns and moves with the knob (213) when a user rotates the knob (213) by exerting a rotational force on the knob (213).
[0037] FIGs. 3A and 3B depict exemplary graphical representations of a switching mechanism for switching the cooking device (100) between an automatic mode and a manual mode of operation. Particularly, FIG. 3A illustrates an exemplary graphical representation (300) of a knob socket (312) and a shaft gear (310) in an engaged position. The knob socket (312) and the shaft gear (310) remain in the engaged position during automatic mode of operation of the cooking device (100). To that end, the knob socket (312) is provided with a second locking structure (311) and the shaft gear (310) is provided with a first locking structure (307). Additionally, the shaft (302) comprises of a first groove (308) and a second groove (309). In one embodiment, the first groove (308) and the second groove (309) are designed with specific dimensions to enable the first locking structure (307) and the second locking structure (311) to slide into the respective first and second grooves (308) and (309), thereby engaging the shaft gear (310) with the knob socket (312). Particularly, in the engaged position, the second locking structure (311) is positioned at a first position (305) in the first groove (308) of the shaft (302) and the first locking structure (307) is positioned at a first position (305) in the second groove (309) of the shaft (302). A compression spring (304) maintains the shaft gear (310) and the knob socket (312) in the engaged position when the cooking device (100) is operating in the automated mode.
[0038] In certain embodiments, the shaft (302) includes a fuel supply valve (301) configured to supply fuel to the cooking device (100) at a desired rate selected by adjusting the knob (313), and in turn, the knob socket (312). The provision of two different grooves (308) and (309) in the shaft (302) engages the knob socket (312) and the shaft gear (310) such that a rotation of the knob (313) causes a proportional rotation of the fuel supply valve (301), thus regulating a rate of fuel supply to the cooking device (100) in the engaged position.
[0039] Further, FIG. 3B illustrates an exemplary graphical representation (314) of the knob socket (312) and the shaft gear (310) in a disengaged position. When an external axial force is applied on the knob (313) by a user, the shaft gear (310) and the knob socket (312) are separated from each other, and the user is allowed to operate the cooking device (100) manually. Particularly, upon exertion of the external axial force on the knob (313), the second locking structure (311) slides from the first position (305) to a second position (306) in the first groove (308) of the shaft (302). In a similar manner, the first locking structure (307) slides from a first position (305) to a second position (306) in the second groove (309) of the shaft (302). Sliding of the first and second locking structure (307) and (311) causes the shaft gear (310) to disengage from the knob socket (312), enabling the shaft (302) to rotate when the user rotates the knob (313) to manually control operation of the cooking device (100). Rotation of the knob (313) in a desired direction according to input of the user causes a corresponding rotation of the fuel valve (301) in the same direction. When the knob (313) is released by the user, the compression spring (304) reverts the shaft gear (310) and the knob socket (312) to the engaged or locked position to switch the cooking device (100) to the automated mode. However, unlike other automated cooking devices, the cooking device (100) is configured to intelligently toggle the cooking device (100) between the automated and manual modes based on certain conditions identified by an associated processing unit such as the processing unit (124) of FIG. 1.
[0040] FIGs. 4A and 4B illustrate a graphical representation of exemplary mechanical components of the cooking device (100) that is configured to operate in automated and manual modes of operation, respectively. Particularly, FIG. 4A illustrates an exemplary graphical representation (400) of the mechanical components, wherein a first shaft gear (403) remains engaged with a motor gear (408) when the cooking device (100) is operating in the automated mode. Specifically, the cooking device (100) includes a compression spring (404) and a bearing (405) to keep the first shaft gear (403) and the motor gear (408) in the engaged position when the cooking device (100) is operating in the automated mode. The motor gear (408), in turn, is operatively coupled to a motor (409) that provides power to the motor gear (408) to rotate. Rotation of the motor gear (408) causes a corresponding rotation of the first shaft gear (403), which is disposed in meshed position with the motor gear (408). An encoder gear (411), attached to an encoder (410), remains in an engaged position with a second shaft gear (406). In certain embodiments, the second shaft gear (406) rotates and causes the encoder gear (411) to move. The encoder (410), in turn, rotates with the encoder gear (411).
[0041] FIG. 4B illustrates an exemplary graphical representation (412) of the mechanical components, wherein the first shaft gear (403) is disposed in a disengaged position with the motor gear (408) when the cooking device (100) is operating in the manual mode. When the knob (401) is pressed by exerting a force or pressure, the knob socket (402) pushes the first shaft gear (403) to move linearly such that the first shaft gear (403) is disengaged from the motor gear (408). Disengagement of the first shaft gear (403) from the motor gear (408) enables the shaft (407) to rotate when the user rotates the knob (401) to control the cooking device (100) manually. As the knob (401) rotates, the fuel valve (123) also rotates in a corresponding direction. When the knob (401) is released by the user, the compression spring (404) is configured to revert the first shaft gear (403) and the motor gear (408) to the engaged or locked state to switch the cooking device (100) to the automated mode.
[0042] Fig. 5 illustrates an exemplary block schematic view of a processing unit (500) of the cooking device (100). In one embodiment, the processing unit (500) corresponds to a microcontroller (501). However, in other embodiments, the processing unit (500) may include any computing device that may be used to process data. In the present embodiment, the microcontroller (501) is configured to communicate with an application (511) running on a user device (510) such as a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop, a desktop computer, or a smartwatch. The application (511) running on the user device (510) transmits the information to the microcontroller (501) over a communications network (506), where the communications network (506) may be a wired and/or wireless communications network. In one embodiment, the application (511) may identify other appliances such as the cooking device (100) connected to the communications network (506) and prompt the user to register the cooking device (100). Alternatively, the user may register the cooking device (100), for example, by sharing an identification code, proximity sensing, or scanning a Quick Response (QR) code available on the cooking device (100). Registration of the cooking device (100) may allow data to be communicated from the user device (510) to and from the cooking device (100) to allow for remote operation of the cooking device (100).
[0043] Additionally, the application (511) may also allow the user to create a user account on the application (511) that defines one or more authorized actions when remotely operating the cooking device (100). In certain embodiments, the user may also provide selective and curated access to the cooking device (100) to other users as desired. Specifically, in one embodiment, the microcontroller (501) may be configured to communicate an operating status of one or more of the burners of the cooking device (100) to the application (511). The user may monitor the received status information and remotely configure one or more functions to be executed by the cooking device (100) by inputting and/or selecting suitable options and/or instructions available via an application (511) interface. Upon receiving the instructions from the user through the application (511) running on the user device (510), the microcontroller (501) reads and executes the instructions.
[0044] In the automatic mode, the cooking device (100) enables the user to provide cooking routines as a set of instructions to the microcontroller (501) over the wireless communication network (506) using the application (511) residing on the user device (510). The application may allow the user to provide inputs such as for decreasing or increasing the flame, adjusting a rate of fuel supply, increasing the duration of the operation of cooking device (100) or turning the cooking device (100) off, to the microcontroller (501). The microcontroller (501) processes the received instructions and executes the cooking routines to prepare a dish in a manner desired by the user.
[0045] Furthermore, the microcontroller (501) may receive input from one or more sensors associated with the cooking device (100). For example, the cooking device (100) includes a flame sensor (509) configured to detect the presence of the flame in the cooking device (100) and transmit the information to the microcontroller (501). The microcontroller (501) receives the information from the flame sensor (509) and raises an alarm or deactivates the fuel supply upon determining predefined conditions indicative of a fire or an emergency situation. Similarly, the cooking device (100) includes a fuel sensor (504) configured to detect any fuel leakage from the cooking device (100) and alert the user in case of detection of leakage by the fuel sensor (504). When the microcontroller (501) receives input from the fuel sensor (504), the microcontroller (501) regulates the fuel valve (123) to mitigate the fuel leakage or other such emergency situation. The microcontroller (501) is configured to engage safety mechanisms (507), such as disabling an ignition mechanism or activating a safety lock for children to prevent accidents, on receipt of inputs from sensors or from the user through the user device (510). The microcontroller (501) is also provided with a power source (502) such as a battery to enable the microcontroller (501) to function in case of an emergency situation such as a fire or power failure.
[0046] In addition, the microcontroller (501) receives information from an encoder (508), wherein encoder (508) is a rotary sensor configured to detect the position of the knob (101) and provide a corresponding feedback to the microcontroller (501). Further, the microcontroller (501) may be communicatively coupled to a camera (503) to receive a live or delayed feed of the cooking process. The microcontroller (501), in turn, may transmit the live feed to a display of the user device to allow the user to remotely monitor operation of the cooking device (100).
[0047] The cooking device (100) further enables the user to control the position of the knob (101) intelligently. For instance, in case of an emergency, the microcontroller (501) may automatically turn the flame off the cooking device (100). Alternatively, the user may remotely turn the flame off the cooking device (100) upon receiving an alert from the microcontroller (501) regarding an emergency situation. Similarly, the user may monitor the operation of the cooking device (100) remotely. In certain embodiments, upon detecting that more than one authorized users are attempting to remotely operate the cooking device (100), the microcontroller (501) may provide suitable alerts to one or more users and/or may allow a user access to one or more burners that are not being operated by another authorized user. In certain embodiments, camera (503) captures the image of the user operating the cooking device (100) and sends the image to data analyzing module (514). The data analyzing module (514) parses a database (513) of reference images and determines if the user operating the cooking device (100) is an authorized user. The microcontroller (501) may disable the use of the cooking device (100) by an unauthorized user attempting to access the cooking device (100). In certain embodiment, the microcontroller (501) may disable manual override of a burner being remotely operated by an authorized user, while allowing another authorized user to operate one or more of the remaining burners manually. Alternatively, the user may remotely monitor the progress of the cooking process while the manual operation is disabled to prevent children at home from operating the cooking device (100) manually.
[0048] In certain other embodiments, the user may use the application to allow manual operation of one registered appliance, for example the food processor, while restricting manual override of a connected grill or the cooking device (100). In certain further embodiments, the microcontroller (501) may be configured to identify certain predefined conditions, for example, that are indicative of presence of a fire hazard, proximity of another authorized user, attempt to tamper or access the cooking device (100) in an unauthorized manner by means of one or more associated sensors such as the flame sensor (509) and the camera (503). Upon detecting one or more of these predefined conditions, the microcontroller (501) may be configured to automatically configure the cooking device (100) to operate in a specified mode. For example, upon detecting a manual override when remotely operating the cooking device (100), the microcontroller (501) may alert the remote user and disable the switching mechanism until the remote user provides authorization.
[0049] Similarly, upon determining an emergency condition, the microcontroller (501) may either completely cut-off the electric supply and/or the fuel supply to the cooking device (100), or it may be configured to simply provide an audio, visual, or tactile alert to an authorized user present in the vicinity of the emergency and request selection of suitable action. The microcontroller (501) may be configured to execute the selected action or may switch off the cooking device (100) if no response is received within a designated time. Thus, the cooking device (100) may be configured to intelligently control one or more functions of the cooking device (100) manually or automatically through the application.
[0050] Further, FIGs. 6A and 6B illustrate exemplary graphical representations of a user interface for the application (511) running on the user device (510). Particularly, FIG. 6A illustrates an exemplary graphical representation (600) of a user interface, where a user is provided with several selectable options for controlling the cooking device (100) automatically and remotely. In the present embodiment, the application is described with reference to controlling the cooking device (100) having four burners. In one embodiment, the user may select a burner from the four burner icons displayed on the user device (510). An option for emergency stop (601) of the cooking device (100) is provided in the application. The option for the emergency stop (601) enables the user to turn off the cooking device (100) while the cooking device (100) is functioning. The option for the emergency stop (601) allows the user to remotely switch off the fuel supply to the cooking device (100) in case of any emergency.
[0051] In the present embodiment, when the user selects the first burner (602), the user interface traverses to the next screen, illustrated in the graphical representation (612) depicted in FIG. 6B. The second screen depicted in FIG. 6B provides further options to the user to control the functioning of the cooking device (100). In particular, the user is provided with one or more options to select a manual mode (607) or program mode (608) of operation of the cooking device (100). When the user selects the manual mode (607) of operation option in the application, the user turns on a knob (610) provided in the application to turn on the cooking device (100). The position of the knob (610) on the application translates into the position of the knob (101) on the cooking device (100).
[0052] When the user selects the program mode (608) of operation of the cooking device (100), the user is presented with options for controlling the cooking device (100). In the automated mode, the user has access to a plurality of customizable options such as selecting the flame intensity from the listed options, that is low flame, medium flame and high flame. Further, availability of multiple options for automated operation of the cooking device (100) may enable the user to operate the cooking device (100) in timer mode (606), whistle mode (605) or dual mode. The timer mode (606) allows the user to select a duration of time for which the user wants the cooking device (100) to perform the cooking operation. The whistle mode (605) enables the user to select a number of whistles for which the user wants the cooking device (100) to perform the cooking operation. The user is further allowed to select timer mode (606) and whistle mode (605) simultaneously by providing input for timer mode (606) combined with whistle mode (605) and turn on the start option (611) for the cooking process to begin. Once the input operation provided by the user is executed by the cooking device (100), the cooking device (100) may be automatically turned off. The application further provides an option to fetch live streaming of the cooking process from the cooking device (100) to the user device (510) by selecting the camera icon (603) from the options list. Similarly, the user may alter other settings by selecting the settings option (609) displayed in the user interface of the application. For example, the settings option (609) may allow the user to customize criteria that are verified for identifying various predefined conditions, and the intelligently executing corresponding instructions once these conditions are identified.
[0053] It may be noted that the intelligent functioning of various components of the cooking device (100) may be achieved by any desired architecture. An exemplary architecture (700) for controlling operation of the cooking device (100) in different scenarios is described in detail with reference to FIG. 7. Particularly, FIG.7 illustrates a block schematic diagram of an exemplary system architecture (700) for a processing unit such as a microcontroller (701) for use in automatic control of the cooking device (100). In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 7, the cooking device (100) is provided with four burners, wherein a microcontroller (701) is configured to control the first burner (702), second burner (703), third burner (704) and the fourth burner (705). In the present embodiment, the microcontroller (701) is configured to follow a master-slave approach, wherein the microcontroller (701) is configured to be the master controller and the first, second, third and fourth burners (702, 703, 704 and 705) are configured as the slaves. However, in other embodiments, the burners (702, 703, 704 and 705) may be controlled in a distributed manner by the microcontroller (701) and one or more local or remote processing units. In one embodiment, the microcontroller (701) controls the functioning of the first, second, third and fourth burners (702, 703, 704 and 705) by transmitting suitable instructions over a wired and/or a wireless communications network (506), for example, based on measured values provided by the sensors associated with the cooking device (100), for instance, flame sensor (509) and fuel sensor (504).
[0054] In certain embodiments, the cooking device (100) is connected to the wireless communications network (506) (see FIG. 5) to remotely control operation of the cooking device (100). The user is allowed to provide instructions to the cooking device (100) using an application (511) running on a user device (510) connected to the cooking device (100), wherein the user device (510) is connected to the wireless communications network (506). In the present embodiment, the centralized master slave architecture (700) is described. However, other embodiments may include distributed control, for instance, such that one authorized person may control one burner and second authorized person may control another burner.
[0055] In one embodiment, the cooking device (100) is provided with a motion sensor (512) where the motion sensor (512) is configured to detect the presence of an individual within a specified distance of the cooking device (100) for a specified time. In case of detection of absence of an individual for the specified time in the proximity, the cooking device (100) is automatically turned off to ensure safety when the user is not monitoring the cooking device (100). In another embodiment, safety mechanisms (507) such as an ignition auto cutoff mechanism, a software-based safety lock feature that disables manual override, or the like, is provided in the cooking device (100) to prevent children from turning on the cooking device (100). Thus, the safety mechanism (507) may be activated when the motor power to the motor gear (408) is cut off. The safety mechanism (507) allows the user to turn on the cooking device (100) when an authorized user provides the confirmation to the cooking device (100) to override the safety mechanism (507).
[0056] In yet another embodiment, the application (511) on the user device (510) is provided with an option to alert the user with text messages or notification messages upon occurrence of an emergency situation. The application (511) further enables the user to provide access to the user to control the operation of the cooking device (100) remotely by selecting and adding a contact to the access list in the application (511). In another embodiment, the cooking device (100) is provided with a speech recognition function wherein the user is enabled to provide inputs to the cooking device (100) through speech. Specifically, the user is allowed to provide instructions to turn on, turn off, or change flame intensity by giving verbal instructions to the cooking device (100).
[0057] Embodiments described herein present an automated appliance with a selective control mechanism, where the automated mode of operation of the automated appliance may be seamlessly switched to manual mode when a user exerts a force on the knob of the automated appliance. The automated appliance allows the user to control the operations of the appliance remotely via an application running on a user device. The user may provide instructions to the automated appliance using the application, such as cooking of a particular food item, when the automated appliance is a cooking device. The cooking device may have cuisines stored in an associated memory from which the user can select and program the cooking device accordingly. The cooking device may also be provided with safety mechanisms such as child safety lock, flame sensors, fuel sensors and motion sensors to mitigate any hazard that may arise in emergency situations such as leakage of fuel or a child operating the cooking device. The cooking device may further allow the user to monitor the cooking device remotely through the live feed of the cooking process. The user may also be notified through alerts and message notifications about the status of the cooking process or of any emergency situation by the microcontroller and/or the user device.
[0058] Although specific features of various embodiments of the present systems and methods may be shown in and/or described with respect to some drawings and not in others, this is only for convenience. It is to be understood that the described features, structures, and/or characteristics may be combined and/or used interchangeably in any suitable manner in the various embodiments.
[0059] While only certain features of the present systems and methods have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the claimed invention.