Abstract: An induction hob comprising a plurality of induction coils (12, 14, 16, 18); drive circuitry (22, 24) for powering the induction coils; a user interface (26) connected with the drive circuitry; and a housing which supports the induction coils, the drive circuitry and the user interface; and characterized in that the housing comprises a bottom part (10) made of molded plastic comprising mounting means for the mounting of the induction coils (14, 16, 18, 20), the drive circuitry (22, 24) and the user interface (26).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating an induction hob (1), the induction hob (1) comprising a power circuit portion (2) with at least one switching element adapted to provide pulsed electric power to an induction coil (3) and a control entity (4) for controlling operating parameters of the switching element, the method comprising the steps of: performing a control loop with control cycles in order to detect coupling changes between the induction coil (3) and a piece of cookware, said control cycles comprising the steps of: o receiving frequency information (fcurr) and power information (Pcurr) at said control entity (4); o calculating at least one relation coefficient (Ds?, Ds?) based on said frequency information (fcurr) and said power information (Pcurr); and o comparing said relation coefficient (Ds?, Ds?) with a relation coefficient boundary, thereby de-riving a comparison result; deciding, based on the comparison result, whether to: o perform a new control cycle of said control loop or whether

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 present invention relates to an induction cooking hob (10) including at least one cooking area (12), wherein the cooking area (12) comprises at least three induction coils (14). The induction coils (14) of at least one cooking area (12) are arranged side-by-side and in series. Each induction coil (14) of at least one cooking area (12) has an elongated shape. The longitudinal axes of the induction coils (14) within one cooking area (12) are arranged in parallel. Each induction coil (14) of 10 the cooking area (12) is associated with a dedicated induction generator (16). The induction generators (16) are connected or connectable to at least one current line (18). The induction generators (16) are connected to and controlled or controllable by at least one control unit (20). Requested powers (rP) for each used induction generator (16) are adjusted or adjustable independent from each other by a user interface (22). Instant powers (iP) of the induction generators (16) within a cycle pattern (T1, T2, . . .

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling a cooking zone (16) of an induction cooking hob, wherein said cooking zone (16) comprises at least one induction coil (16) and is supplied by a generator (14) including a power switch. The method is performed by controlling the power switch by a gate driving signal (18) including a deactivation pulse length (Toff) and an activation pulse length (Ton). A switching period (T) of the gate driving signal (18) is given by the sum of the activation pulse length (Ton) and deactivation pulse length (Toff). A driving frequency (f) of the power switch is the reciprocal value of said switching period (T). The deactivation pulse length (Toff) depends on the resistance (28) and the inductance (30) of the induction coil (16). The activation pulse length (Ton) is varied according to a requested power for the cooking zone (16). A series of constant activation pulse length (Ton) is activated in order to determine the optimal deactivation pulse length (Toff).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling a first cooking zone (18) and a second cooking zone (20) of an induction cooking hob, wherein each cooking zone (18, 20) is supplied by a corresponding generator (14, 16), and wherein the method comprises the steps of inputting a requested power (P1, P2) for each cooking zone (18, 20), activating a one-zone mode, if the requested power (P1, P2) for one cooking zone (18, 20) is bigger than zero and the requested power (P1, P2) for the other one cooking zone (18, 20) is zero, and activating a two-zones mode, if the requested powers (P1, P2) for both cooking zones (18, 20) are bigger than zero. If the two-zones mode is activated, then an algorithm (48, 50, 52, 54) is selected from a set of algorithms (48, 50, 52, 54) in dependence of the requested powers (P1, P2) for the cooking zones (18, 20).

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 present invention relates to a fastening system for a heating element (22) of a cooking hob, in particular for an induction coil (22) of an induction cooking hob. The fastening system comprises at least three fastening elements comprising a main body connectable or connected to a support structure, particularly to a bottom and/or side wall of the cooking hob. Further, the present invention relates to a heating element (22) for a cooking hob. Moreover, the present invention relates to a cooking hob.

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: An induction coil for an induction heating appliance is disclosed. The induction coil includes at least one base plate and at least one winding arrangement. The winding arrangement includes at least one portion of high winding concentration and at least one portion of low winding concentration. The winding arrangement includes at least two coils. The base plate is arranged above one or more winding arrangements. The base plate includes at least one conductive portion and at least one non-conductive portion. At least one conductive portion of the base plate is arranged above at least one portion of high winding concentration of the winding arrangement. At least one non-conductive portion of the base plate is arranged above at least one portion of low winding concentration of the winding arrangement.

Abstract: A method for controlling a cooking hob including induction coils, wherein a heating process includes time cycles subdivided into time slots. The method includes: setting a requested power for each induction coil to be activated by a user, defining a group of induction coils that have the same requested power, determining a number of time slots given by the number of different requested powers, activating all groups of induction coils to be activated during a first time slot at a same current power for a calculated duration, and activating a part of groups of induction coils to be activated during a further time slot at the same current powers in each time slot for a calculated duration if more than one group of induction coils are defined, so that an average current power of each induction coil within the time cycle corresponds with the requested power for the induction coil.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for exchanging information between a household appliance (1) and a mobile device (2), the method comprising the steps of: providing optical information at a graphical user interface (3) of the household appliance (1) (S10); preferably, aligning the mobile device (2) with respect to the household appliance (1) based on one or more markers (4) displayed at a graphical user interface (5) of the mobile device (2) or based on a time-invariant portion of provided optical information (S11); receiving optical information at the mobile device (2) by capturing said optical information provided at the household appliance (1) by a camera (6) of the mobile device (2) (S12); processing said received optical information at the mobile device (1) in order to derive an information message included in said received optical information (S13); providing said information message or information associated with said information message at a user interface of the mobile device (2) (S14).

Abstract: Induction hob comprising an AC power input (2) and a power conversion entity (3) adapted to provide high frequency electric current to an induction coil, wherein an electromagnetic filtering section (1) is provided between said AC power input (2) and said power conversion entity (3), said electromagnetic filtering section (1) comprising common mode filtering means and differential mode filtering means, wherein said electromagnetic filtering section (1) comprises a closed magnetic core element (4) around which at least two coils (5, 6) are provided, said closed magnetic core element (4) and said coils (5, 6) providing said common mode filtering means, and wherein said differential mode filtering means are adapted to enable a direct magnetic flux between the coil ends (5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 6.2) of each coil (5, 6) in order to obtain differential mode filtering effect.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for calibrating a power control loop of an induction hob (1), the induction hob (1) comprising a power stage (10) including at least one induction element (21), a measurement unit (12) and a control unit (11), the method comprising the steps of: —coupling the at least one induction element (21) with a reference load; —powering the power stage (10) at predefined working conditions by means of said control unit (11); —deriving a measurement value being indicative for the power transferred from the power stage (10) to the reference load by means of said measurement unit (12); —providing the measurement value to the control unit (11); —calculating a correction value based on the measurement value and a reference value; —storing the correction value in a storage entity in order to modify measurement values provided by the measurement unit (12) based on the correction value when operating the induction hob (1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a connecting element (10) for connecting a heating energy generating element (24) to a carrier element (26) of a cooking hob. The connecting element (10) includes an engagement portion (12) connectable to a receiving portion of the heating energy generating element (24) and/or the carrier element (26). Further, the present invention relates a cooking hob with a heating energy generating element (24) and a carrier element (26).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a connecting element (10) for connecting an induction coil (24) to a coil carrier (26) of an induction cooking hob. The connecting element (10) is made of an elastic material and formed as a single-piece part. The connecting element (10) includes a first snap-fit portion (12) connectable to a cut-out of the induction coil (24), so that the snap-fit portion (12) and the cut-out form a snap-in mechanism. The connecting element (10) includes a spring portion (14) arrangeable between the induction coil (24) and the coil carrier (26), so that the spring portion (14) provides a distance between the induction coil (24) and the coil carrier (26). The connecting element (10) includes at least one groove (16) enclosing at least partially the connecting element (10). The groove (16) is engageable with the cut-out of the induction coil (24). The connecting element (10) includes a second snap-fit portion (18) extending opposite to the first snap-fit portion (12).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for controlling a cooking process by using a liquid in a cooking vessel, for example a cooking pot, upon a cooking hob (20). Said method comprises a step of determining a cooking parameter of the liquid in the cooking vessel at a predetermined time (tB; tBP); a step of adjusting a heating power density (P) of a cooking zone of the cooking hob (20) for transferring a heating power (P) to the cooking vessel placed on said cooking zone; and a step of reducing the heating power density (P) transferred to the cooking vessel from an initial power (iP) to a simmering power (PS). Further, the present invention relates to a cooking vessel for the cooking hob (20). Moreover, the present invention relates to a cooking appliance for performing the cooking process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an induction cooking hob (10) with an integrated down-draft hood. The down-draft hood includes at least one downstream channel (40) extending from an air inlet (18) to an air outlet (36). The air inlet (18) is arranged within and/or beside a cooking panel (12) of the induction cooking hob (10). The air outlet (36) is arranged in a bottom wall and/or side wall of a chassis of the induction cooking hob (10). At least one heat sink (28) is arranged in and/or at the down-stream channel (40). The heat sink (28) is thermally connected to at least one power circuit for at least one induction generator. The heat sink (28) provides a heat exchange between the power circuit and an air stream through the downstream channel (40), so that the power circuit is cooled down.

Abstract: A method for checking functions of fans includes starting a normal operation mode, evaluating a fan monitoring signal depending on the fans' speeds, and starting a dynamic fan checking routine. If the monitoring signal is smaller than a lock threshold value, normal operation proceeds. If the monitoring signal is bigger than the lock threshold value, a multiple-fan checking routine is started. During each fan test the corresponding fan is activated for a predetermined time period, while the other fans are deactivated during the time period, and the monitoring signal is compared with the lock threshold value and a disconnecting threshold value. If the monitoring signal is bigger than the lock threshold value, the corresponding fan is locked and an error is detected. If the monitoring signal is smaller than the disconnecting threshold value, the corresponding fan is disconnected and an error is detected.