JP4032988B2 - kitchenware - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cooking utensil suitable for use as an electric rice cooker.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally known electric rice cookers are configured to notify the time of rice cooking completion by sound, and are configured such that the remaining time until the completion of rice cooking is displayed on the liquid crystal display as necessary. Further, there is a function timer that emits a continuous sound that ends at a predetermined time when the predetermined time is reached, and a function timer that allows the remaining time to be determined by changing the sound at 1 minute intervals. Is disclosed. In this document, an example in which a function timer is used for a microwave oven is also shown. For example, when the cooking time is set to 10 minutes, a continuous sound of about 3 minutes is reproduced with a start timing after 7 minutes of cooking start, and the power of the microwave is turned off after the reproduction is completed.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-150491
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, the time required for cooking rice is 45 minutes or 60 minutes or a relatively long time, during which other cooking can be performed. In this case, it is desirable to determine the cooking start timing so that cooking is completed simultaneously with the completion of cooking. However, in an electric rice cooker in which the remaining time until the completion of rice cooking is displayed on the liquid crystal display, it is necessary to check the liquid crystal display one by one in order to know the time until rice cooking is completed, and to determine the timing for starting cooking. In addition, it is conceivable to apply a function timer described in Patent Document 1 that reproduces a continuous sound of about 3 minutes after 7 minutes from the start of cooking to an electric rice cooker. In this case, the reproduction start timing of the continuous sound is determined by the reproduction time (3 minutes), and it is difficult to determine the timing at which a plurality of cooking starts.
This invention is made | formed in view of the situation mentioned above, and aims at providing the cooking utensil which can alert | report the timing of various cooking start appropriately.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized by having the following configuration. The parentheses are examples.
In the cooking utensil according to claim 1, the musical sound data storage means for storing one or a plurality of musical sound data, and a desired setting timing before the end of cooking are set to be independent of the reproduction time of each musical sound data. A pattern in which a plurality of set timings and tone data selected from the tone data and reproduced in accordance with the set timings are set as one pattern, and the pattern is input corresponding to weekdays or holidays Input means; pattern setting means for automatically setting the pattern according to weekdays or holidays; and notification means (SP24) for reproducing the corresponding musical sound data at each setting timing of the set pattern. It is characterized by that.
Furthermore, in the configuration according to claim 2, in the cooking utensil according to claim 1, whether or not the set musical sound data is repeatedly reproduced before the next set timing for the pattern. It further has a repeat reproduction setting means for setting .
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
1. Structure of Embodiment The structure of the electric rice cooker which is one Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated with reference to FIG.
In the figure, 10 is a rice cooker, which heats the kettle by the heat generated by the nichrome wire. 20 is a rice cooking control part, and controls rice cooking start time so that it may cook in set time, or controls a heating state. Reference numeral 30 denotes a timer that measures the time and generates an arrival signal when the set time is reached. The timer 30 has a rice cooking timer function and a musical sound timer function, and a rice cooking completion time is set in the rice cooking timer function. Further, a plurality of times are set in the musical tone timer function, and respective arrival signals are generated. Reference numeral 40 denotes a musical sound reproducing unit which reproduces musical sounds. A speaker 45 converts an electric signal into mechanical vibration and emits sound. Reference numeral 50 denotes an input unit, which includes a numeric keypad, up / down / left / right movement keys, and an “ENTER” key. Reference numeral 60 denotes an external interface, which is configured so that a memory card can be freely attached and detached, and musical tone data (melody data) is taken in via the memory card. By using a memory card, it is possible to capture and play the latest hit songs as well as the songs previously stored in the ROM. Note that the reproduction time of the musical sound data may be appropriate, but in the present embodiment, the maximum data is about 1 minute. Reference numeral 70 denotes a display unit, which includes a liquid crystal display panel. A CPU 80 controls each unit. A RAM 82 is used as a work memory. A ROM 84 stores a program for assisting musical tone reproduction processing, various parameters, preset musical tone data (including voice data), and the like. Each unit exchanges instructions and data via the bus line 90. An electric rice cooker (cooking utensil) 100 is configured by the above elements.
[0007]
2. Operation of Embodiment The electric rice cooker 100 according to the present embodiment notifies the start time of each cooking by emitting a melody so that a plurality of other cooking operations are completed simultaneously with the rice cooking end time of the electric rice cooker, for example. It is configured as follows. In order to realize this function, the operation of the electric rice cooker 100 includes a setting process for setting a plurality of musical sounds and notification times, and a musical sound reproduction process for reproducing the musical sounds. In the setting process, a tone or the like is set for each cooking number that specifies each cooking. For example, assume that the preparation of miso soup is started in the remaining 15 minutes until the end of cooking, and the preparation of grilled fish must be started in the remaining 10 minutes. In this case, the scheduled cooking time for cooking number “1” is set to “15” minutes, and the scheduled cooking time for cooking number “2” is set to “10” minutes. Hereinafter, the operation of the setting process will be described with reference to FIG. 2, and the operation of the musical tone reproduction process will be described with reference to FIG.
[0008]
(1) Setting process When the user performs a predetermined operation using the up / down / left / right movement keys and the “ENTER” key, the routine of FIG. 2 is started.
In step SP11, a time setting screen is displayed. Then, the scheduled cooking time corresponding to the displayed cooking number is set by the user using the numeric keypad. In the example described above, “15” is set as the estimated cooking time for the cooking number “1”. And a process progresses to step SP12 and it is determined whether all the cooking time setting processes were completed. If “setting complete” is not selected with the up / down / left / right movement keys and the “ENTER” key, “NO” is determined, and the process returns to step SP11 to display the time setting screen for the next cooking number. And in the above-mentioned example, "10" minutes are set as cooking schedule time of cooking number "2" at the time of execution after the 2nd time. On the other hand, if “setting complete” is selected, “YES” is determined. Then, the process proceeds to step SP13.
[0009]
In step SP13, a melody selection screen is displayed, and the melody corresponding to the cooking number is selected from the melody stored in the memory card or ROM 84 by the up / down / left / right movement keys and the “ENTER” key. Then, the process proceeds to step SP14 to determine whether or not the melody selection is completed. If the melody selection has not been completed for all the cooking numbers for which the estimated cooking time has been input, it is determined as “NO”, and the process returns to step SP13 to continue the melody selection. On the other hand, if the melody selection has been completed for all the cooking numbers, “YES” is determined, and the process proceeds to step SP15.
[0010]
In step SP15, a repeated playback setting screen is displayed. Here, when a maximum of about 1 minute of a melody is emitted, it is set whether or not to repeat the reproduction until the next melody is emitted. According to the above-described example, when the repeated reproduction of the cooking number “1” is set, the song B corresponding to the cooking number “2” corresponds to the cooking number “1” for 5 minutes until a maximum of 1 minute is reproduced. The song A to be played will be played five times. When the repeated reproduction setting is performed, the process proceeds to step SP16, and it is determined whether or not the repeated reproduction setting process is completed. If the setting has not been completed for all the cooking numbers, it is determined as “NO” and the process returns to step SP15. On the other hand, if the setting has been completed for all cooking numbers, “YES” is determined, and this routine ends.
[0011]
(2) Operation of musical tone reproduction processing The rice cooking time, which is the time from the current time to the rice cooking end time, is set in the rice cooking timer function, and the cooking number rearrangement is performed by pressing the rice cooking start switch. The value of the cooking time input corresponding to the cooking number is randomly input from a large value to a small value. Therefore, rearrangement of the cooking numbers is performed in advance in order to reproduce the musical tones in the order of the large cooking time. That is, cooking with the largest cooking time is set to the cooking number “1”. And the timer function for rice cooking and the routine of FIG. 3 are started.
[0012]
In FIG. 3, when the process proceeds to step SP <b> 21, the melody to be reproduced first is temporarily stored in the RAM 82. And each of the time which each cooking scheduled time was subtracted from the rice cooking time is set to the timer function for musical sounds. In other words, the time obtained by subtracting the scheduled cooking time from the cooking end time, that is, the notification time is determined. Then, the process proceeds to step SP22.
[0013]
In step SP22, it is determined whether or not an arrival signal has been received from the musical tone timer function. If the arrival signal is not received from the musical tone timer function, it is determined as “NO”, and the process proceeds to step SP23.
[0014]
In step SP23, it is determined whether rice cooking has been completed. If the arrival signal is not received from the rice cooking timer function, “NO” is determined, and the process returns to step SP22 to determine again whether the arrival signal is received from the musical sound timer function. Thereafter, the loop of steps SP22 and SP23 is repeated. If the arrival signal is received from the musical sound timer function, “YES” is determined in step SP22, and the process proceeds to step SP24.
[0015]
In step SP24, the set melody is reproduced. That is, the melody temporarily stored in step SP21 is reproduced for a maximum of about 1 minute. And a process returns to step SP22 and the presence or absence of reception of an arrival signal is determined again. If repeat playback is set in step SP15, melody playback is repeated in step SP24. Moreover, in step SP23, if the arrival signal is received from the rice cooking timer function, it will determine with "YES" and this routine will be complete | finished.
[0016]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the notification timing can be set independently from the reproduction time of the melody, the melody can be reproduced at an appropriate timing according to the type of dish. Thereby, cooking can be completed exactly by the end of rice cooking, without checking every time. In addition, when almost the same dish is made at the same time every day like breakfast, once set, it is not necessary to reset again and again. Furthermore, when the cook himself sets the music, it becomes possible to listen to the favorite music and cooking becomes fun.
[0017]
3. Modifications The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, various modifications are possible as follows, and all are included in the scope of the present invention.
(1) In the above embodiment, the melody is selected / reproduced to notify the time, but a human voice may be selected / reproduced instead. For example, when the cooking start time is reached, a voice such as “Please start preparing grilled fish” can be reproduced. As a data format of melody or human voice, any format such as PCM data or MIDI data can be used.
(2) In the above embodiment, the melody and cooking time are set manually. However, if the pattern can be formed on weekdays or holidays, the pattern is input once and then automatically set. Good.
(3) In the said embodiment, although the electric rice cooker 100 itself alert | reported the cooking timing, an external apparatus may alert | report. In this case, PCM data, MIDI data, or the like is supplied from the electric rice cooker 100 to the external device, and the sound is emitted from the external device. Moreover, you may make it alert | report time even if it exists in the place which is distant by connecting the electric rice cooker 100 and this external apparatus via a radio | wireless or a network.
(4) In the above embodiment, the musical tone data stored in the ROM or the memory card is read and reproduced. However, the interface has a separate interface that can be connected to an external computer or a terminal device such as a mobile phone. You may make it reproduce a new music by taking in data and memorize | storing it in the predetermined area of RAM.
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the configuration of the present invention, the user sets one or more desired setting timings before the end of cooking, and the corresponding musical sound data is reproduced at each setting timing. The other work can be started by the reproduction, and the other work can be finished by the end of cooking.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an electric rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of setting processing.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a melody playback process.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Rice cooking part, 20 ... Rice cooking control part, 30 ... Timer, 40 ... Music sound reproduction part, 45 ... Speaker, 50 ... Input part, 60 ... External interface, 70 ... Display part, 80 ... CPU, 82 ... RAM, 84 ... ROM, 90 ... Bus line, 100 ... Electric rice cooker (cooking utensil)

Claims (2)

Music data storage means for storing one or more music data;
One or more desired setting timings before the end of cooking are set independently from the reproduction time of each musical tone data, and musical tones selected from the musical tone data and reproduced in accordance with the respective setting timings Pattern input means for setting the data as one pattern and inputting the pattern corresponding to weekdays or holidays;
Pattern setting means for automatically setting the pattern according to weekdays or holidays;
A cooking utensil comprising: notification means for reproducing the corresponding musical sound data at each setting timing of the set pattern . Repeat playback setting means for setting whether or not the set musical sound data is repeatedly played back until the next set timing for the pattern
The cooking utensil according to claim 1 , further comprising:

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