Abstract: The invention relates to an oscillation unit, in particular oscillation circuit (2), more in particular quasi-resonant oscillation circuit, for generating heating power for an induction cooking appliance (1), in particular for a domestic induction cooking appliance and/or an induction hob, the oscillation unit comprising a resonant tank (30), in particular a resonant circuit, for generating an electrical and/or magnetic field and/or heating power, the resonant tank (30) in particular connected to a first node (21), an, in particular single, switching element (35) connected to the resonant tank (30), in particular by the first node (21), and driven with switching signals for oscillating the resonant tank (30), a measuring unit (40) for measuring a first electrical parameter of the resonant tank (30), in particular for measuring a voltage (VCE)t more in particular for measuring a node voltage (VCE) of the first node (21), and an estimating unit (45) for estimating a second electrical parameter, in particular an

Abstract: Method to control a quasi-resonant inverter (13) in an induction cooking appliance (1) provided with induction heating coil (4). The quasi-resonant inverter (13) comprises a switching device (21) electrically connected to the induction heating coil (4) by a node (20) having a first voltage (VC(t)) which is indicative of the voltage across the power switching device (21). The method comprising the steps of: providing to the switching device (21) an enabling signal (K1) comprising a plurality of pulses, in order to switch-on and switch-off said switching device (21) for a switch-on period (tON) and a switch-off period (tOFF), determining a second voltage (VCmin) indicative of the minimum value of the first voltage (VC(t)) during the switch- off period (tOFF), regulating the switch-off period (tOFF) based on the second voltage (VCmin), and regulating the enabling signal (K1) based on the regulated switch-off period (tOFF).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling an induction cooking hob, wherein said method comprises an operation mode for estimating the energy efficiency (EE), and wherein said operation mode includes the steps of: a) estimating (12) the dissipated electric energy (ED) of the induction cooking hob, b) comparing (14) the dissipated electric energy (ED) with a threshold value (EDthr) for said dissipated electric energy (ED), c) maintaining (16) the current working parameters of the induction cooking hob, if the dissipated electric energy (ED) is not bigger than the threshold value (EDthr), d) changing (18) the current working parameters, if the dissipated electric energy (ED) is bigger than the threshold value (EDthr), and e) repeating the steps a) and b) and then c) or d), respectively, after a predetermined time period.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling a cooking appliance (1) with a temperature sensor (5), the cooking appliance (1) comprising at least one heating power transferring element (2) for heating a cookware item (3) placed on a cooking support (4), the method comprising the steps of: —Gathering temperature information related to the cookware item (3) or its content with the temperature sensor (5) at or in the cookware item (3), —after a heat-up process, gathering information regarding a power reduction action initiated by a user input; —evaluating temperature information provided by the temperature sensor (5), said temperature information being correlated with the temperature of the cookware item (3) or the cookware content; —providing temperature lock information to the user if the variation of the temperature of the cookware item (3) or the cookware content is within a certain temperature variation range; —after providing temperature lock information, receiving temperature lock confirmation from t

Abstract: A cooking hob includes at least one heating power transferring element with multiple concentrically arranged windings, one or more heating power energy units for powering the windings, a control unit that controls the heating power energy units, and detection means that determines the coverage of the windings by a cookware item. The control unit balances the heat provided to the cookware item by determining a rescaled electric power for the windings based on power requests and information regarding the coverage of the windings and establishes an operating cycle by determining a duty cycle for one or more windings. The duty cycle defines the activation time of the respective winding and is chosen such that the mean electric power provided to the respective winding within the operating cycle is equal or essentially equal to the rescaled electric power associated with the winding.

Abstract: An induction cooking hob includes a control unit and at least one cooking zone. The cooking zone includes at least three induction coils. At least one first group of one or more induction coils and at least one second group of two or more induction coils of the at least one cooking zone are alternatingly activatable or activated by a control unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cooking hob comprising at least one heating power transferring element (2) including multiple concentrically arranged windings (2.1-2.n), one or more heating power energy units (3.1-3.n) for powering said windings (2.1-2.n) of the heating power transferring element (2) and a control unit (4) configured to control said one or more heating power energy units (3.1-3.n), wherein the cooking hob (1) comprises detection means configured to determine the coverage of the windings (2.1-2.n) of the heating power transferring element (1) by a cookware item (5), wherein the control unit (4) is configured to balance the heat provided to the cookware item (5) by determining a rescaled electric power for the windings (2.1-2.n) of the heating power transferring element (2) based on power requests and information regarding the coverage of the windings (2.1-2.n) and to establish an operating cycle by determining a duty cycle for one or more windings (2.1-2.

Abstract: The invention relates to a power module, preferably induction module for powering one, two, three, four, at least one, at least two, at least three or at least four heating element (s), preferably electrical, radiant and/or induction heating elements, more preferably induction coils (3), of a cooking appliance, preferably a cooking hob, more preferably a radiant or induction hob (1), the power module (10) at least comprising: —one, two or at least two heating power units (11), in particular three or at least three heating power units, more in particular four or at least four heating power units, preferably heating frequency units and/or induction generators (11), each for providing power, in particular electrical power, to one, two, three, at least one, at least two or at least three heating elements (3); —one or at least one controller (12) for controlling the heating power unit(s) (11); —a communication interface (13) for coupling the power module (10) with one or at least one user interface (5); —wherein,

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling an induction hob (1), the induction hob (1) comprising a plurality of induction coils (3) and two or more power units (4), each power unit (4) being coupled with one or more induction coils (3), wherein a cooking zone is formed by associating one or more induction coils (3) to a coil group (6.1-6.4), the method comprising the steps of: —defining one or more coil groups (6.1-6.4), each coil group (6.1-6.4) being associated with one or more induction coils (3); —calculating a relative power value or relative electrical parameter value of each coil group (6.1-6.4) based on a maximum power value or maximum electrical parameter value, the maximum power value being the power value of the coil group with the highest power request, respectively, the maximum electrical parameter value being an electrical parameter value of the coil group (6.1-6.4) with the highest power request; —calculating, for each coil group (6.1-6.

Abstract: The invention relates to a power module, preferably induction module for powering one, two, three, four, at least one, at least two, at least three or at least four heating element (s), preferably electrical, radiant and/or induction heating elements, more preferably induction coils (3), of a cooking appliance, preferably a cooking hob, more preferably a radiant or induction hob (1), the power module (10) at least comprising:—one, two or at least two heating power units (11), in particular three or at least three heating power units, more in particular four or at least four heating power units, preferably heating frequency units and/or induction generators (11), each for providing power, in particular electrical power, to one, two, three, at least one, at least two or at least three heating elements (3);—one or at least one controller (12) for controlling the heating power unit(s) (11);—a communication interface (13) for coupling the power module (10) with one or at least one user interface (5);—wherein, in p

Abstract: Contacts of a relay may glue together during operation. This state may be measured and a controller may issue a pulse width-modulated signal at a certain duty cycle and frequency in order to vibrate the relay contacts to make them open again. Once this is the case, the process is stopped. This process may be repeated a certain number of times, and if successfully degluing is not possible, a notification may be generated. Also after a certain number of degluing cycles, a signal may be generated to indicate replacement of the relay.

Abstract: An induction cooking hob comprising a control unit and at least one cooking zone, wherein the cooking zone includes at least three induction coils, and wherein at least one first group of one or more induction coils, and at least one second group of two or more induction coils of said at least one cooking zone are alternatingly activatable or activated by the control unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for controlling an induction hob (1), the induction hob (1) comprising a plurality of induction coils (3) and two or more power units (4), each power unit (4) being coupled with one or more induction coils (3), wherein a cooking zone is formed by associating one or more induction coils (3) to a coil group (6.1-6.4), the method comprising the steps of: —defining one or more coil groups (6.1-6.4), each coil group (6.1-6.4) being associated with one or more induction coils (3); —calculating a relative power value or relative electrical parameter value of each coil group (6.1-6.4) based on a maximum power value or maximum electrical parameter value, the maximum power value being the power value of the coil group with the highest power request, respectively, the maximum electrical parameter value being an electrical parameter value of the coil group (6.1-6.4) with the highest power request; —calculating, for each coil group (6.1-6.

Abstract: An induction module powers one or more induction coils. It includes an induction generator; a controller; and a communication interface for coupling with a user interface. The controller is adapted to operate the induction module according to first and a second configuration modes, wherein in the first configuration mode the induction module is configured to directly communicate with the user interface, and in the second configuration mode, the induction module is adapted to be operated either according to a master module or a slave module configuration. In the master module configuration, the induction module is configured to receive user interface information from the user interface and provide operation information to a slave induction module. In the slave module configuration, the induction module is configured to receive operation information from a master induction module and operate the induction generator according to that operation information.

Abstract: The invention relates to an induction module for powering one or more induction coils (3) of an induction hob (1), the induction module (10) at least comprising: —an induction generator (11) for providing electrical power to an induction coil (3); —a controller (12) for controlling the induction generator (11); —a communication interface (13) for coupling the induction module (10) with a user interface (5); wherein the controller (12) is adapted to operate the induction module (10) at least according to a first and a second configuration mode, wherein in the first configuration mode, the induction module (10) is configured to directly communicate with the user interface (5), and wherein in said second configuration mode, the induction module (10) is adapted to be operated either according to master module or slave module configuration, wherein in master module configuration, the induction module (10) is configured to receive user interface information from the user interface (5) and provide operation informat

Abstract: Contacts of a relay may glue together during operation. This state may be measured and a controller may issue a pulse width-modulated signal at a certain duty cycle and frequency in order to vibrate the relay contacts to make them open again. Once this is the case, the process is stopped. This process may be repeated a certain number of times, and if successfully degluing is not possible, a notification may be generated. Also after a certain number of degluing cycles, a signal may be generated to indicate replacement of the relay.