GB2347602A

GB2347602A - Microwave oven with reminder function

Info

Publication number: GB2347602A
Application number: GB0001143A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chong-Mo Chung
Original assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: Samsung Electronics Co Ltd
Priority date: 1999-01-19
Filing date: 2000-01-18
Publication date: 2000-09-06
Anticipated expiration: 2020-01-18
Also published as: KR20000051132A; GB2347602B; JP2000220834A; CN1262414A; GB0001143D0

Abstract

A microwave oven has a reminder/message function additionally controlled by microprocessor which controls the cooking process so that for example, a user can be reminded of some event not related to the cooking function of the oven, such as television programme or the need to make a telephone call. To this end, the control panel 110 of the oven is provided with dedicated keys for selecting the type reminded/message needed ie TV reminder, phone number, message, calendar, schedule or memo and a display 170 for instructing a user to enter the information necessary for the reminder type selected. An audible alarm 180 may be included.

Description

Microwave Oven with Reminder Function Description The present invention relates to a microwave oven.

Microwave ovens and their use for heating and cooking food are well known.

Typically, a microwave oven has controls by which a user can set various cooking parameters, e. g. time and power. A display is also often provided for displaying the instructions entered by a user and the progress of cooking using characters and/or numerals..

Figure 1 is a block diagram of known electronic microwave oven.

As shown in Figure 1, the microwave oven includes a keypad 10, a detecting section 20, a microcomputer 30, a memory 40, a driving section 50, a microwave generating section 60 and a display section 70.

The keypad 10 includes a key-membrane or contact switches. The user inputs the cooking time and identifies the food type by pressing the buttons on the keypad 10, which is formed on the front panel of the microwave oven. The detecting section 20 includes a plurality of sensors, e. g. for sensing the weight of the food to be cooked or heated and for sensing the temperature in a cooking chamber. The detecting section 20 outputs are supplied to the microcomputer 30. The memory 40 stores the information which is processed by the microcomputer 30 and the data which has been previously programmed into it. The driving section 50 drives the microwave generating section 60 under the control of the microcomputer 30. The display section 70 includes a light emitting diode (LED) and a liquid crystal display (LCD) for displaying the data stored in the memory 40 to the user under the control of the microcomputer 30.

The known microwave oven described above, however, has a rather low efficiency because the user is only able to interact with for setting and monitoring the current heating or cooking process. Consequently, the capabilities of the microcomputer 30 are underutilised.

According to the present invention, there is provided a microwave oven comprising a display, control input means and processing means, wherein the processing means is configured to control the oven for cooking in response cooking data entered using the control input means and to display user-entered information at a userdetermined time on the display.

Preferably, a microwave oven according to the present invention includes audible alarm means and the processing means is configured to cause the audible alarm means to sound an alarm signal when the user-determined time is reached.

Preferably, the control input means includes means for identifying a plurality of classes of user-entered information and the control means is configured to be responsive to operation of the means for identifying a plurality of classes to display on the display user-directions tailored to the class indentified thereby.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to Figures 2 to 6 of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram of a known electronic microwave oven; Figure 2 is a block diagram of a microwave oven according to the present invention ; Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the keypad of the oven of Figure 2 ; Figures 4 and 5 are flowcharts illustrating a control method for the microwave oven of Figure 2; and Figure 6 shows an example of a message displayed on the oven of Figure 2..

Referring to Figure 2, a microwave oven according to the present invention includes a keypad 110 having a first keypad section 110a and a second keypad section 110b, a detecting section 120, a microcomputer 130, a memory 140, a driving section 150, a microwave generating section 160, a display section 170 and an alarm driving section 180.

A user inputs basic function control data, i. e. data relating to cooking time and food type, by using the first keypad section 110a and inputs data relating to additional functions and a desired message using the second keypad section 110b. The detecting section 120 detects the weight of the food to be cooked and the temperature in the cooking chamber. The microcomputer 130 reponds to input data to control the oven for its heating and other functions.. The memory 140 stores data to the cooking function and the additional function. The memory 140 for storing data related to the other functions is re-writable, preferably flash memory. The driving section 150 drives the microwave generating section 160 under the control of the microcomputer 130 so that the microwaves ar the correct power level are produced for the correct time.. The display section 170 displays information relating to the cooking function of the microwave oven and a message, if any, related to another function. The alarm driving section 180 generates an audible alarm when a message relating to a non-cooking function appears on the display so that the user is made aware of the arrival of a message. The alarm driving section 180 is controlled by the microcomputer 130 and generates the alarm for a shart period, e. g. from a few seconds to several minutes, according a preference entered by the user.

The second keypad section 1lobs the microcomputer 130, the memory 140, the display section 170, and the alarm driving section 180 function as a message centre.

The second keypad section 1 lob is formed integrally formed with the first keypad section 110a on the same panel. However, the is not essential and the two keypad sections may comprise separate keypads, although this wastes space. Also, in the interests of space efficiency, the memory 140 and the display section 170 are integrated together in the same subunit.

Referring to Figure 3, a menu pad 111 is formed in the upper region of the panel and has various buttons arranged thereon for cooking menus such as POP for pop corn, BEV for beverages, REHEAT for reheating, VEG for vegetables, etc. In parallel with the cooking menu buttons, service menu buttons such as T. V. for television program, SCH for schedule, TEL for telephone number, MSG for message, etc. are formed on the menu pad 111. An alphanumeric keypad 112 is formed on the middle region and includes a clear button CLEAR and a start button START related with the cooking function of the microwave oven. The clear button CLEAR serves as a delete button DEL and the start button START serves and an enter ENTER button for the other functions of the oven. A function button FN, a clock button Clock, a sound button Sound, which are related to the additional functions of the microwave oven, and a timer button TIMER related to the cooking function of the microwave oven are located along the bottom of the panel.

When a user wants to use the microwave oven for cooking, the user switches on the oven and presses a select cooking control button on the menu pad 111. Next, the user inputs the appropriate cooking time for the food, using the alphanumeric keypad 112, and presses the timer button TIMER to set the cooking time. Then, the user presses the start button START on the alphanumeric keypad 112 to start the cooking operation of the microwave oven.

Referring to Figures 4 to 6, while the microwave oven is operating, the date and time are displayed on the display section 170 (Step S10). After checking the displayed date and the time, the user can input an indication that date and time are to be changed. The microcomputer 130 determines whether the date and time are to be changed (Step S20) and, if so, the microcomputer 130 determines whether the input of the new date and time has been completed (Step S30). If the microcomputer 130 determines that the input of the new date and time has been completed, the microcomputer 130 stores the new date and time in the memory 140 (Step S40) to, in effect, reset the microwave oven's clock so that the correct time will be displayed in future.

Next, the microcomputer 130 determines whether the function button FN for selecting the additional function modes has been pressed (Step S50). If yes, the microcomputer 130 sets the corresponding function mode, while displaying appropriate information on the display section 170, including requesting the user to select a service (Step S60). The user selects the desired service by pressing the corresponding service menu button. The microcomputer 130 determines which service menu button has been pressed (Step S70), and sets the mode accordingly, while displaying a request for the user to input details for the selected service and the options available on the display section 170 (Step S80).

As described above, the service menu buttons include a television programme button TV, a message button MSG, a telephone number button TEL, a calender button CLDR, a schedule button SCH and a memorandum button MEMO. If the television programme button TV is pressed, the user is requested, by means of the display section 270, to enter details such as transmission date, transmission time, channel, etc., sequentially. The user then inputs these details.

If the message service menu MSG is pressed, the user is requested, by means of the display section 270, to enter the message contents and name of recipient.

If the schedule menu SCH is pressed, the user is requested, by means of the display section 270, to enter the appointment time and place, etc.

The microcomputer 130 determines whether the details for the required function have been entered in the correct sequence (Step S90). Taking the television programme function, for example, the microcomputer 130 determines whether the programme title, transmission date, transmission time and channel have been entered. If yes, the microcomputer 130 displays the details entered for the user to check (Step S100). Then, the microcomputer 130 determines whether the alarm function has been selected (Step S110) and, if so, the microcomputer 130 displays an indication that the alarm function has been selected (Step S120) and stores the entered details with the selected alarm sound in the memory 140 when it determines that the enter button ENTER has been pressed (Step S130).

After the details of a television programme have been stored, the microcomputer 140 monitors the passing of time (Step S140). Then, when it is determined (Step S150) that the entered transmission time, or apredetermined period, e. g. 5 minutes, before that time, the programme details, i. e., program title, air date, air time, and channel, etc., stored at Step S130 are displayed by the microcomputer 130 using the display section 170 (Step S160). If the alarm function has been selected, the alarm sound is generated while the programme details are being displayed.

Figure 6 shows one example of the details displayed, in which a message is displayed. By the alarm sound, the user is made aware of the display of entered data on the display section 170 of the microwave oven and the microcomputer 130 determines whether the delete button DEL has been pushed (Step S170). If yes, the microcomputer 130 deletes the displayed details (Step S180). If not, the microcomputer 130 maintains the display of the details of S160.

Although the television programme example is explained in detail, it will be noted that the alarm function is also applied to the other services such as message, schedule, memorandum, and so on, so that the alarm sound is likewise generated while the details entered for a function are displayed at the user-designated time.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the information related to the additional service functions are outputted and displayed in addition to the basic function, i. e., the cooking function of the microwave oven, on the user's designated time, the microwave oven is further enabled to serve as an information transferring medium. Accordingly, the efficiency of the microwave oven is improved, and the user has a convenience when using the microwave oven.

Claims

Claims 1. A microwave oven comprising a display, control input means and processing means, wherein the processing means is configured to control the oven for cooking in response cooking data entered using the control input means and to display userentered information at a user-determined time on the display.
2. A microwave oven according to claim 1 or 2, including audible alarm means, wherein the processing means is configured to cause the audible alarm means to sound an alarm signal when the user-determined time is reached.
3. A microwave oven according to claim 1, wherein the control input means includes means for identifying a plurality of classes of user-entered information and the control means is configured to be responsive to operation of the means for identifying a plurality of classes to display on the display user-directions tailored to the class indentified thereby.
4. A microwave oven comprising a message centre for inputting and storing information related to a cooking function and additional service functions of the microwave oven, and for outputting and displaying the stored information on a designated time.
5. The microwave oven as claimed in claim 4, wherein the additional service functions are processes of storing and/or displaying a television program, a message, a telephone number, a calender, a schedule, a memorandum, etc.
6. A microwave oven having a first button manipulating section, a microcomputer, and a display section for inputting information related to a cooking function, comprising : a second button manipulating section for inputting information related to additional service functions in addition to the cooking function of the microwave oven; storing means for storing the information related to the additional service functions which are inputted by the second button manipulating section; display means for displaying the information related to the additional service functions; and controlling means for storing the information related to the additional service functions inputted by the inputting means, and for reading the information related to the additional service functions from the storing means and then for displaying the information related to the additional service functions on the display means on the designated time, wherein the microwave oven is enabled to transfer and/or display various information in addition to the information related to the cooking function.
7. The microwave oven as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second button manipulating section comprises a service function button for setting a functional mode for the additional service functions, and a plurality of service menu buttons for selecting the additional service menus.
8. The microwave oven as claimed in claim 9, wherein the service menus comprise a television program, a message, a telephone number, a calender, a schedule, and a memorandum.
9. The microwave oven as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second button manipulating section is integrally formed with the first button manipulating section on a same panel in a manner that the second button manipulating section serves as the first button manipulating section and vice versa.
10. The microwave oven as claimed in claim 6, wherein the storing means comprises a flash memory.
11. The microwave oven as claimed in claim 6, wherein the display section serves as the display means.
12. The microwave oven as claimed in claim 6, further comprising alarming means for alarming a user when the information related to the additional service functions are outputted.
13. A control method for a microwave oven having a message centre for providing a plurality of additional service functions in addition to a cooking function, comprising the steps of: a) setting date and time for outputting the information of the additional service functions ; b) setting a functional mode for the additional service functions by the button manipulation of the user, and displaying information requesting a user to input his/her selected service menu; c) setting the functional mode corresponding to the selective service menu, and displaying information requesting a user to input details of the selected service menu that are outputted in the set functional mode; d) storing the inputted details of the service menu; and e) counting the time, and then outputting and displaying the details of the service menu on the outputting time designated in the step a).
14. The control method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the service menus comprise a television program, a message, a telephone number, a calender, a schedule, or a memorandum.
15. The control method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the step d) comprises an alarming function selecting step for selecting the function of generating an alarming sound when the details of the service menu are generated in the step e).
16. A microwave oven substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.