Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device and method of controlling the same is provided herein. The cooking device includes a cavity in which a food load is placed and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into the cavity for heating the food load. A controller is provided and is configured to: (a) measure resonances in the cavity; (b) generate a resonance map resulting from the measured resonances; (c) conditionally repeat steps (a) and (b); (d) detect a melting state of the food load based on variations between the resonance maps; and (e) adjust a power level of the electromagnetic radiation in response to detection of the melting state.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device and method of controlling the same is provided herein. The cooking device includes a cavity in which a liquid is placed and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into the cavity for heating the liquid. A controller is provided and is configured to analyze forward and backward power at the plurality of RF feeds to calculate efficiency; determine and monitor a coefficient of variation of the efficiency; detect a heating state in the liquid based on changes in the coefficient of variation; and adjust a power level of the electromagnetic radiation in response to detection of the heating state.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device and method of controlling the same is provided herein. The cooking device has a cavity in which popcorn is placed and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into the cavity for popping the popcorn. A controller is provided and is configured to: analyze forward and backward power at the plurality of RF feeds to calculate efficiency; determine and monitor a coefficient of variation of the efficiency; detect a popping state of the popcorn based on changes in the coefficient of variation; and adjust a power level of the electromagnetic radiation in response to detection of the popping state.

Abstract: A method for identifying a cooking level of a food load in an electromagnetic cooking device is disclosed. The method includes controlling a frequency and a phase of a first RF signal and a second RF signal and amplifying the first RF signal and the second RF signal thereby generating a first RF feed and a second RF feed. The method further includes emitting the first RF feed and the second RF feed into an enclosed cavity to heat a food load and measuring at least one reflection signal. The method further includes calculating a Q-factor for the enclosed cavity based on the reflection signal, monitoring the Q-factor, and identifying a change in the Q-factor exceeding a predetermined change threshold. In response to identifying the change exceeding the predetermined change threshold, a cooking level for the food load is identified.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device is provided having a controller and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into an enclosed cavity to heat up a food load. The controller is configured to: (a) cause the generation of RF excitations at a specified frequency and phase shifts from each of the plurality of RF feeds for a predetermined time period; (b) during the predetermined time period: measure and analyze the backward power at the plurality of RF feeds to calculate efficiency, determine a coefficient of variation in the efficiency, and monitor the coefficient of variation to identify possible changes in a characteristic of the food load; and (c) repeatedly perform steps (a) and (b) until such time that a possible change is identified in a characteristic of the food load based on changes in the coefficient of variation. The characteristic may be the volume of the food load.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device and method of controlling the same is provided herein. The cooking device has a cavity in which a liquid is placed and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into the cavity for heating the liquid. A controller is provided and is configured to: analyze forward and backward power at the plurality of RF feeds to calculate efficiency; determine and monitor a coefficient of variation of the efficiency; detect a specified temperature of the liquid based on changes in the coefficient of variation; and adjust a power level of the electromagnetic radiation in response to detection of the specified temperature.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device and method of controlling the same is provided herein. The cooking device has a cavity in which a liquid is placed and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into the cavity for heating the liquid. A controller is provided and is configured to: analyze forward and backward power at the plurality of RF feeds to calculate efficiency; determine and monitor a coefficient of variation of the efficiency; detect a boiling state in the liquid based on changes in the coefficient of variation; and adjust a power level of the electromagnetic radiation in response to detection of the boiling state to prevent the liquid from splattering.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device is provided having a controller and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into an enclosed cavity to heat up a food load. The controller is configured to: select a heating target; generate a heating strategy to determine a sequence of desired heating patterns; cause the RF feeds to output an RF signal to thereby excite the enclosed cavity; monitor the created heating patterns to measure resonances in the enclosed cavity and store a map of efficiency in frequency and phase domains from which the controller identifies resonant modes and Q-factors associated therewith; continue to monitor the created heating patterns and store maps of efficiency in the frequency and phase domains until a specified change is detected in at least one Q-factor; and when the specified change in the at least one Q-factor is identified, stop cooking the food load.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device is disclosed. The device comprises an enclosed cavity configured to receive a food load and a plurality of amplifiers configured to amplify a first RF signal and a second RF signal thereby supplying the RF signals to the enclosed cavity. A controller is in communication with the plurality of amplifiers. The controller is configured to control the first RF signal and the second RF signal along a stirring path between a first approximate resonant mode and a second approximate resonant mode of the enclosed cavity. Each of the resonance modes comprises a frequency and phase shift between the first RF signal and the second RF signal.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device and method of controlling the same is provided herein. The cooking device has a cavity in which a liquid is placed and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into the cavity for heating the liquid.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device and method of controlling the same is provided herein. The cooking device includes a cavity in which a liquid is placed and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into the cavity for heating the liquid. A controller is provided and is configured to analyze forward and backward power at the plurality of RF feeds to calculate efficiency; determine and monitor a coefficient of variation of the efficiency; detect a heating state in the liquid based on changes in the coefficient of variation; and adjust a power level of the electromagnetic radiation in response to detection of the heating state.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device and method of controlling the same is provided herein. The cooking device includes a cavity in which a food load is placed and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into the cavity for heating the food load. A controller is provided and is configured to: (a) measure resonances in the cavity; (b) generate a resonance map resulting from the measured resonances; (c) conditionally repeat steps (a) and (b); (d) detect a melting state of the food load based on variations between the resonance maps; and (e) adjust a power level of the electromagnetic radiation in response to detection of the melting state.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device and method of controlling the same is provided herein. The cooking device has a cavity in which popcorn is placed and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into the cavity for popping the popcorn. A controller is provided and is configured to: analyze forward and backward power at the plurality of RF feeds to calculate efficiency; determine and monitor a coefficient of variation of the efficiency; detect a popping state of the popcorn based on changes in the coefficient of variation; and adjust a power level of the electromagnetic radiation in response to detection of the popping state.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device is provided having a controller and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into an enclosed cavity to heat up a food load. The controller is configured to: (a) cause the generation of RF excitations at a specified frequency and phase shifts from each of the plurality of RF feeds for a predetermined time period; (b) during the predetermined time period: measure and analyze the backward power at the plurality of RF feeds to calculate efficiency, determine a coefficient of variation in the efficiency, and monitor the coefficient of variation to identify possible changes in a characteristic of the food load; and (c) repeatedly perform steps (a) and (b) until such time that a possible change is identified in a characteristic of the food load based on changes in the coefficient of variation. The characteristic may be the volume of the food load.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device and method of controlling the same is provided herein. The cooking device has a cavity in which a liquid is placed and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into the cavity for heating the liquid. A controller is provided and is configured to: analyze forward and backward power at the plurality of RF feeds to calculate efficiency; determine and monitor a coefficient of variation of the efficiency; detect a specified temperature of the liquid based on changes in the coefficient of variation; and adjust a power level of the electromagnetic radiation in response to detection of the specified temperature.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device is provided having a controller and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into an enclosed cavity to heat up a food load. The controller is configured to: select a heating target; generate a heating strategy to determine a sequence of desired heating patterns; cause the RF feeds to output an RF signal to thereby excite the enclosed cavity; monitor the created heating patterns to measure resonances in the enclosed cavity and store a map of efficiency in frequency and phase domains from which the controller identifies resonant modes and Q-factors associated therewith; continue to monitor the created heating patterns and store maps of efficiency in the frequency and phase domains until a specified change is detected in at least one Q-factor; and when the specified change in the at least one Q-factor is identified, stop cooking the food load.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device and method of controlling the same is provided herein. The cooking device has a cavity in which popcorn is placed and a plurality of RF feeds configured to introduce electromagnetic radiation into the cavity for popping the popcorn. A controller is provided and is configured to: analyze forward and backward power at the plurality of RF feeds to calculate efficiency; determine and monitor a coefficient of variation of the efficiency; detect a popping state of the popcorn based on changes in the coefficient of variation; and adjust a power level of the electromagnetic radiation in response to detection of the popping state.

Abstract: An electromagnetic cooking device is disclosed. The device comprises an enclosed cavity configured to receive a food load and a plurality of amplifiers configured to amplify a first RF signal and a second RF signal thereby supplying the RF signals to the enclosed cavity. A controller is in communication with the plurality of amplifiers. The controller is configured to control the first RF signal and the second RF signal along a stirring path between a first approximate resonant mode and a second approximate resonant mode of the enclosed cavity. Each of the resonance modes comprises a frequency and phase shift between the first RF signal and the second RF signal.

Abstract: A method for identifying a cooking level of a food load in an electromagnetic cooking device is disclosed. The method comprises controlling a frequency and a phase of a first RF signal and a second RF signal and amplifying the first RF signal and the second RF signal thereby generating a first RF feed and a second RF feed. The method further comprises emitting the first RF feed and the second RF feed into an enclosed cavity to heat a food load and measuring at least one reflection signal. The method further comprises calculating a Q-factor for the enclosed cavity based on the reflection signal, monitoring the Q-factor, and identifying a change in the Q-factor exceeding a predetermined change threshold. In response to identifying the change exceeding the predetermined change threshold, a cooking level for the food load is identified.