JPH0333974B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (a) Field of Application of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] This invention relates to a microwave oven, and particularly relates to a microwave oven that combines a microwave heating method and a convection heating method controlled by a microcomputer. .

[Prior Art] In order to cook a wide variety of foods and accommodate a wide range of menus, microwave ovens use a combination of microwave heating methods, convection heating methods (forced hot air circulation heating), etc. By operating a large number of cooking keys and timers provided on the operation panel, a wide variety of combinations of heating methods and cooking procedures (cooking programs) can be set.

The microwave oven user then operates the operation panel to obtain the desired cooking menu, either based on memory from experience or the cooking program shown in a cookbook. Cooking keys and timers are set.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The conventional microwave oven described above has the following problems to be solved.

(1) As the menu items to be prepared become wider and more varied,
It becomes difficult to set a cooking program based on memory from experience, and food may be cooked with the wrong program.

(2) Reading the bookmarks and setting the cooking program becomes a tedious task for the user if the menu becomes complicated.

(3) Monitoring the progress of complex cooking programs increases the amount of time the user is confined near the microwave oven.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and provides a microwave oven that allows a user to easily set their favorite menu without error and to monitor the progress of cooking from a remote location.

(b) Structure of the invention The structure of this invention will be explained using FIG. 1
Reference numeral 01 denotes a reading means for optically reading a cooking menu program code written in the form of a bar code on a book, etc.; 102 a first oscillation means for converting the program code from the reading means 101 into an infrared signal and oscillating it; 103; is the first oscillation means 102
first receiving means for receiving the program code by means of an infrared signal from and converting it into an electrical signal;
04 is a first storage means that stores in advance many types of cooking procedures corresponding to many menus, that is, cooking program tables; 105 stores cooking programs corresponding to program codes output from the first receiving means 103 in the first storage means 104; Calling means 106 calls out the cooking program from the cooking program table and outputs the program contents as time passes; 106 is a microwave heating and convection heating means for heating the food in the heating chamber; 107 follows the cooking program from the calling means 105; 108 is a second oscillation means that converts the output from the calling means 105 into an infrared signal and oscillates it; 109 receives the signal of the second oscillation means 108 and converts it into an electric signal. 110 is a second storage means that stores in advance display items corresponding to the contents of each program in the cooking program table of the first storage means; 111 is a second reception means 1 for outputting the output;
It is a display means that reads display items corresponding to the cooking program from 09 from the second storage means 110 and displays the contents, and the first reception means 103, the first
Storage means 104, calling means 105, heating means 10
6. The control means 107 and the second oscillation means 108 are housed in the microwave oven body 112, and the reading means 10
1. First oscillating means 102, second receiving means 109,
The second storage means 110 and the display means 111 are housed in the remote control section 113.

Preferably, the reading means 101 uses known optical means or magnetic means. The first oscillation means 102 and the second oscillation means 108 may be a known ultrasonic oscillator or electromagnetic wave oscillator. The display on the display means 111 is performed using a fluorescent display tube or a liquid crystal display, but it may also be performed using a sounding body such as a speaker. In some cases, signals may be exchanged between the microwave oven main body 112 and the remote control unit 113 by a wired method using a cable or the like.

Further, the remote control section 113 is provided with an input key and a calculation means, and the calories corresponding to the menu read from the reading means 101 are calculated and displayed on the display means 11.
1 or input the desired calorie value using the input key to display the amount of food to be cooked, and also specify the cooking program code corresponding to the amount and call it from the program table of the first storage means 104. It can also be configured as follows.

Note that the remote control section 113 may be housed in a storage section provided in the microwave oven main body section 112. Further, the reading means 101 can be further separated from the remote control section.

Next, the operation of this invention will be explained using FIG. The program code for the cooking menu is determined from the barcode written on the cookbook by the remote control unit 11.
3, the contents are transmitted to the microwave oven body 112 by an infrared signal, and the corresponding cooking program is transmitted to the microwave oven body 11.
The cooking program table is called out from among the cooking program tables stored in advance in the storage means 104 of No. 2. The food is heated and cooked according to the called cooking program, and the cooking program is controlled by the remote control unit 113 by infrared signals over time.
transmitted to. In accordance with the cooking program, the remote control section 113 calls up display items stored in advance from the storage means 110 and displays the progress of the cooking program.

In this manner, according to the present invention, the microwave oven can easily and automatically set even the cooking procedure of a complicated cooking menu without requiring the user to operate the input keys, and the microwave oven can easily and automatically set the cooking procedure by the user. Procedures cannot be set incorrectly. Furthermore, since the progress of cooking is sequentially displayed on a remote control unit placed at the user's hand, the user is no longer confined near the microwave oven itself.

Further, in the microwave oven of the present invention, the remote control unit includes a reading means for reading a cooking program by scanning a code such as a bar code, a display means for displaying the amount of food and a calorie value, and an input for inputting an arbitrary calorie value. a key input means for calculating the amount of food corresponding to the input calorie value and displaying it on the display means; The main body of the microwave oven receives the signal, calls a cooking program corresponding to the amount corresponding to the input calorie value, and performs cooking.

[Example] The present invention will be described in detail below based on the example shown in the drawings. Note that this invention is not limited to this.

In FIG. 2, numeral 1 indicates a cookbook, on which are written a menu title 2, cooking contents 3, and a bar code 4 representing a cooking program code.

In a remote control box 5 in which remote control units are assembled into a hand-held box shape, 6 is a barcode 4 reading unit;
8 is an infrared signal oscillator, 8 is an infrared receiver, 9 is a liquid crystal display board, 10 is a speaker, and 11 is a grip for carrying the remote control box 5.

In FIG. 3 showing the microwave oven main body 12,
13 is a door of a heating chamber in which food is cooked; 14 is a storage section for the remote control box 5; 15 is an infrared receiving section; and 16 is an infrared transmitting section.

In Figure 4, 17 is RAM, ROM and
A microcomputer 18 having a built-in CPU is an interface for transmitting and receiving signals between the microcomputer 17, the reading section 6, the oscillating section 7, the receiving section 8, the display section 9, and the sounding section 10. Also 1
5 is an infrared receiving section, 16 is an infrared oscillating section, 21 is a control section for driving a magnetron 22 and a heater 23 as food heating means, 19 is a microcomputer, and 20 is an interface for connecting each of the above sections and the microcomputer 19. be.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained. The reading section 6 of the remote control box 5 reads the cooking program code of the menu written as a bar code on the cookbook 1 corresponding to the menu contents, converts it into an electric signal, and outputs it. The output of the reading section 6 is processed by the microcomputer 17, and converted into an infrared signal by the oscillation section 7, which is then oscillated. A flowchart showing the processing contents of this microcomputer 17 is shown in FIG. That is, when the user brings the reading unit 6 close to the barcode 4 and presses the reading start key (not shown), reading starts immediately, and after 2 seconds, the reading is completed and oscillation starts and the sound is emitted from the speaker 10 of the sounding part. Generates a warning sound. The cooking program code continues to be transmitted repeatedly over many cycles and is stopped after 3 seconds. Then, the user is informed by a warning sound from the speaker 10 that the oscillation has stopped.

The receiving section 15 of the microwave oven main body 12 is the oscillating section 7
The cooking program code in the form of an infrared signal is received, converted into an electric signal, and input into the microcomputer 19. In the microcomputer 19, the CPU operates to call up the cooking program designated by the received and input cooking program code from the cooking program table stored in its ROM, and execute the cooking order accordingly. It is output to the control section 21. The control unit 21 controls the outputs of the magnetron 22 and heater 23 according to the cooking program.

On the other hand, this called cooking program is also output from the computer 19 to the oscillator 16. It is transmitted by the oscillator 16 as an infrared signal to the receiver 8 of the remote control box and input to the computer 17 . The cooking program also includes a display program that corresponds to the elapsed time during cooking.
In microcomputer 17, the CPU operates,
From the table of various display items stored in the ROM, display items corresponding to the progress of the received and input cooking program are called up and outputted to the display section 9 and the sound generation section 10. An example of the displayed contents is shown in FIG. This display has a liquid crystal display with bowl line symbols 3 on its upper edge indicating the progress of the cooking program.
5 and a slim line symbol 36, in the center of which are displayed letters and numbers that indicate the content of cooking, placement of food, remaining cooking time, etc. Figure 6a shows that at the start of cooking, the cooking program to be executed from now on is a 3-stage (step) cooking process using the bowl dry symbol 35, and in Figure 6b, the cooking program is in the second stage. The slim line symbol 36 indicates that heating is progressing to 70% of the heating time, and at the same time, text indicates that there are 6 minutes of remaining heating time. When one stage is completed, the speaker will emit a warning sound and the display will show the contents of the completed stage (PREHEAT OVER, PREHEAT OVER,
CONVECTION OVER or DEFROST
OVER, etc.) and user cooking operations required for the next stage (PLACE FOOD, TURN, etc.)
OVER, etc.).

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8, in which the user can modify the amount of food and calorie value of the program written in the book.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 24 denotes an input key unit including input keys 25 to 30, which is connected to the microcomputer 17 via an interface 18. 25 is a transmission key for instructing the oscillation unit 7 to transmit;
26 reads the calorie value of the food item stored in the ROM of the computer 17 in advance from the food item and quantity written in the cooking program code input from the reading unit, and causes the display unit to calculate the calorie value. Calorie check key 27 to display the user's preferred calorie number key 29
and decimal point key 30, and 28 is a calorie specification key used when specifying the amount desired by the user (e.g.
This is a quantity designation key for specifying (0.5 servings, 1.5 servings, 3 servings, etc.) using numbers and decimal point keys 29 and 30. The other configuration is as shown in FIG. The operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 will be explained using the flowchart in FIG. 8.
First, a case will be described in which the user wants to correct the cooking amount based on the menu written on the menu by knowing its calorie value.

At the same time as the cooking program code on the menu is read, the amount is displayed on the display section 9. When the user presses the calorie check key 26, the calories of the food for that amount are displayed. Next, when the user presses the calorie designation key 27 and the number and decimal keys (ten keys) 29, 30 to input a desired calorie value, the amount corresponding to the input calorie is displayed. The user confirms this and presses the send key 25. The signal is input to the microwave oven body 12, and a program corresponding to the amount corresponding to the calorie is called from the cooking program table in the ROM of the computer 19, and cooking is performed in accordance with the program.

If a calorie check or calorie specification is not to be performed, by pressing the transmission key 25, the cooking program code as written on the cookbook is oscillated. Next, a case will be described in which it is desired to correct the cooking amount of the menu written in the menu. First, read the cooking program on the menu and the amount will be displayed. Press the quantity specification key 28, numbers, and decimal point keys (numeric keypad) 29, 30 to set the desired quantity (0.5
If you specify the amount (for 1 person, 1.5 people, etc.), the amount will be displayed, so confirm it and press the send key 25. Accordingly, the microwave oven main body performs corresponding cooking. Further, at this time, before pressing the send key 25, it is also possible to press the calorie check key 26 to display the calorie value for the designated amount, and further to correct the calorie value as described above.

Furthermore, although the remote control box 5 was configured in a box shape in the above-mentioned embodiment, it is configured in the shape of a wristwatch as shown in FIG. Alternatively, it may be constructed in the form of a pendant as shown in FIG. Further, if the microwave oven is configured as an installation type as shown in FIG. 9c and installed on a table or the like, there is an advantage that signals can be reliably exchanged with the main body of the microwave oven by infrared rays. In this case, as shown in FIG.
2 is preferably rotatably mounted on the remote control unit body 33.

(C) Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, a microwave oven that is easy to use is provided, in which a complicated cooking program can be easily set without error, and the cooking status can be transmitted to a user who is far away. Furthermore, according to this invention,
When the user enters the desired calorie value, the amount of food corresponding to this calorie value will be displayed, and the cooking program corresponding to that calorie value will be automatically set. By simply installing the device in the device, food with the user's preferred calorie value can be easily prepared in just the right amount or amount.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of this invention.
2 and 3 are perspective views showing an embodiment of this invention, FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of this invention, FIG. 5 is a flowchart explaining a part of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 a, b, c are explanatory diagrams showing the display section of FIG. 4, FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a flowchart of FIG. 7, and FIGS. 9 a, b , c are perspective views showing various configuration examples of the remote control section of the present invention. 5... Remote control box, 6... Reading section, 7, 16...
...Oscillating section, 8, 15...Receiving section, 9...Display section,
10... Sound generation part, 12... Microwave oven body part, 1
7,19...Microcomputer, 18,20
...Interface.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A microwave oven main unit and a remote control unit, the remote control unit transmits set cooking conditions to the microwave oven main unit by a wireless signal, and the main unit is stored in advance. In a microwave oven configured to perform cooking by calling a program corresponding to a received signal from a cooking program, a remote control section has a reading means for reading the cooking program by scanning a code such as a bar code, and a reading means for reading the cooking program by scanning a code such as a bar code, and the amount and amount of food. A display means for displaying a calorie value, a key input means for inputting an arbitrary calorie value, a calculation means for calculating the amount of food corresponding to the input calorie value and displaying it on the display means, and a read cooking program. and the calculated quantity, and the microwave oven body receives the signal and calls a cooking program corresponding to the quantity corresponding to the input calorie value. A microwave oven characterized by cooking.