Method and Apparatus for Controlling Coffee Bean Roasting

摘要

A system and method for roasting coffee beans, or similar products, is disclosed. In an aspect the invention includes an acoustic sensor, such as a microphone, which senses the acoustic emissions or “cracks” made by the coffee beans during the roasting process. The acoustic emissions are translated in the system and method to signals that are processed, including in some aspects using frequency domain processing, so as to control the roasting process and achieve a desired final product. The acoustic emissions can also be used to determine if the coffee beans are caffeinated or decaffeinated.

主权项

1. A method for controlling coffee roasting, the method comprising:
heating coffee beans in a coffee roasting chamber of a coffee roaster; using a microphone, detecting a measured acoustic energy emitted from the coffee roasting chamber; in a real-time microprocessor-based controller, receiving as an input a first signal representing the measured acoustic energy; in the controller, determining if the measured acoustic energy is within a tolerance of a reference acoustical profile, the reference acoustical profile including reference acoustical characteristics of a reference coffee roasting process; in the controller, generating a control signal if the measured acoustic energy is outside the tolerance of the reference acoustical profile; and transmitting the control signal from the controller to the coffee roaster, the control signal to adjust a temperature of the coffee roasting chamber.