JPH0426806Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] <Technical field> The present invention relates to a control device for a heater such as a microwave oven, a gas range, or an electric oven, and is particularly suitable for a commercial microwave oven used in a fast food chain store, etc. It is something.

<Prior Art> Commercial microwave ovens are microwave ovens mainly used in hamburger chain stores and other fast food chains that sell simple stand-up and take-out foods such as hot dogs. This has a structure as shown in FIG. 5, for example. In this figure, 51 is a display window that displays information about the cooking sequence program that is executing cooking. As the display element, a liquid crystal, a fluorescent tube, etc. are used. The information includes the key number specifying the currently running program and the remaining heating time. 52 is a dedicated key for exclusively addressing each menu. Reference numeral 53 denotes a start key, which starts the operation of the microwave oven according to the program addressed by the dedicated key 52.
54 is the key number shown on the display window 51, and 55a is the remaining heating time. 52a is the key number displayed on the left end of the dedicated key 52, 52b is the menu name display area,
Similarly, 52c is a keypad (input key).

The characteristics of the food provided by this first food chain store are that it narrows down the food genre to specific items such as hamburgers, and that it is delivered within a short period of time (within 3 minutes, 5 minutes, etc.) after receiving the customer's order. The goal is to provide the

Reflecting the demands of such cooking sites, the microwave ovens used here are equipped with cooking programs specific to the foods sold in stores, so that they can be easily operated. There is. A characteristic of fast food is that the food items are narrowed down, but even in that case, there are differences in the sub-ingredients added to the main ingredient (burgers with cheese, etc.), or depending on the size of the customer's appetite, such as jumbo, starfish, and mini. A menu lineup is provided so that you can make selections within a relatively narrow range. For this reason, about 5 to 10 types of dedicated programs are prepared for commercial microwave ovens. In many cases, the microwave oven control device has a dedicated key for each menu, and by pressing this key, you can choose from among about 10 programmed cooking sequences.
Simply select what you need at that moment and use this operation and the cooking start key to easily cook the menu that the customer desires. Being able to prepare a microwave cooking program with a single keystroke was essential in the fast food industry, where every minute counts. The ability to complete preparation of a cooking program with a single key operation as described above has so far been achieved by preparing the cooking program in the control device as a ROM memory.

However, the above-mentioned conventional commercial microwave oven has the following problems that need to be solved.

(b) Since we give customers a range of options, albeit within a narrow range, there may be menus that appear frequently (highly used) and menus that do not appear often (used less frequently). That is, cooking programs that are not often used may also be generated.

(b) If a store develops a new menu, existing programs cannot be used.

(c) For microwave oven manufacturers, if they receive small orders from a variety of vendors, they will incur losses in program development.

As mentioned above, consumers have accepted the standardization of fast food, but today's consumers living in affluent societies still have an essential tendency to seek options, and their diet is becoming a food option. First food chains are also destined to create new menus to differentiate themselves from other chains, and there is a need for commercial microwave ovens that can accommodate this trend.

<Purpose> The present invention realizes discrimination between frequently used cooking sequence programs and infrequently used cooking sequence programs, makes it possible to grasp best-selling menus, and also allows registration of new programs and registration of unused programs. The object of the present invention is to provide a control device for a heater such as a microwave oven, which allows erasure to be performed easily.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention stores a plurality of cooking sequence programs in a RAM memory, and executes each program stored in the RAM memory using a dedicated key 52 exclusively assigned to the address of each program. In the heater control device configured to be operated by the operation, a plurality of program modules (ROM module or battery back-up RAM module 56a, 56b...) in which a plurality of mutually different cooking sequence programs P are stored. can be replaced in the registration section (writing section) of the RAM memory,
The central processing unit CPU has a function of transferring and registering (loading) a desired program P of the program module to a desired address of the RAM memory;
The dedicated key 52 has a function of registering the number of times N2 of use of each program P in the RAM memory is registered in the RAM memory, and a function of confirming the number of times of use of each program.
A function to display the display through the operation of the screen has been added.

In the above configuration, since cooking sequence programs can be exchanged from a plurality of program modules to the RAM memory, new programs can be easily registered in the RAM memory and unused programs can be deleted.

In addition, since the usage frequency of each program in RAM memory can be displayed on the display, it is possible to keep track of the best-selling menu items. This serves as a material purchasing guideline.

<Example> An example of the control device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

The embodiment of the present invention is based on the conventional commercial microwave oven control device shown in FIG. 5 with some modifications, so common parts will be explained with reference to the conventional type.

On the operation panel of the control device section in FIG.
Reference numeral 1 denotes a display window that displays information about the cooking sequence program that is executing cooking. As the display element, a liquid crystal, a fluorescent tube, etc. are used. The information includes the key number specifying the currently running program and the remaining heating time.

52 is a dedicated key for exclusively addressing each menu. 53 is the start key, special key 5
The operation of the microwave oven is started by the program addressed in step 2. 54 is the key number shown on the display window 51;
5a [see FIGS. 5 and 3c] is the remaining heating time. 52a is the same key number, 52
Similarly, b is a menu name display area, and 52c is a keypad (input key).

56a, 56b... have the cooking program in ROM and are built-in or battery-backed.
It has multiple modules (external memory) for cooking sequences built into RAM. Reference numeral 57 indicates a module attachment portion to the main body of the control device, and an access panel that opens and closes when the modules 56, 56b are attached or detached is shown as an external appearance.

58 is a count call key (COUNT) for inputting a command to call up the number of times each dedicated key 52 is used (menu cooking number) from the memory and display it on the display window 51.
CALL key).

In Figures 1 and 2, 59 is a program input key (MENU ENTRY key) that inputs data to the RAM according to instructions from the central processing unit CPU of the microcomputer.
This command instructs to transfer (load) the cooking sequence program P to the modules 56a and 56b.

60 is the program code output key (MENU
CALL key), this tells you what kind of program P is stored in the RAM address corresponding to each dedicated key 52, and reads the code N of that program.
3 is displayed on the display window 51 to instruct execution of VERIFY to determine whether the contents of the program and the menu name written on the menu label L of the dedicated key 52 correspond correctly.

By adding the count call key 58, program input key 59, and program code output key 60, the following information is added to the display window 51.

(A) As shown in FIG. 4a, the code number N3 of the program registered at the memory address N1 corresponding to each dedicated key 52.

(B) Number of uses for each dedicated key 52 (menu cooking number N2).

The symbol displayed between the key number 54 and the numerical information is 3 vertical ◆ in case (A) above, and 2 vertical ◆ in case (B), depending on the content to be accessed. If you program the ROM that controls the display so that it changes, you can definitely tell which access (A) or (B) is being executed.

Furthermore, the microwave oven adopting the present invention as described above does not have a cooking sequence built into the control device.
As shown in Figure 2, it is equipped with RAM memory that can be registered by the user. Further, as shown in FIG. 4d, the cooking sequence is supplied as external storage means such as a cooking sequence ROM module or battery backup RAM modules 56a and 56b. Microwave oven and module 56a, 5
A user who has purchased 6b registers a sequence in the following manner.

In FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, first, a module program (a module containing the maximum number of sequences out of 10 sequences) that is the base of the sequence configuration is registered.

This case corresponds to replacing the entire program (simple SWAP) as shown in Figure 4c. First, open the module access panel provided on the module mounting portion 57 of the control device, and install the module 5.
Attach 6a. Next, press the program input key (MENU ENTRY key) 59 once. As a result, the program input mode is selected in the microcomputer that constitutes the control device. Program input key 59 again
Press (MENU ENTRY key).

As a result of the above, replacement of all programs (simple SWAP) is selected as the input method, and program registration is executed.

As a result, as shown in Figure 4a, the
The program registered in the ROM module at address 1 of the RAM memory or the program registered at address 1 of the battery backup RAM module 56a is
Thereafter, registration of all programs is executed in the same way by associating the addresses on the RAM side and the module 56a side.

Next, we will explain how to replace a certain location in RAM memory with a program in another module. In this case, the programs are registered in order starting from the one at address 1 in the module, as shown in FIGS. 4a and 4c.

(1) After replacing module 56a with module 56b, press the program input key (MENU
ENTRY key) Press 59 once.

(2) Press once the first key of the dedicated keys 52 for program replacement. For example, in FIG. 4a, the dedicated key 52 with key number 6 is pressed.

(3) Press program input key (MENU ENTRY key) 59 again.

This causes the programs registered after a certain location on the RAM memory built into the control device to be replaced.

Next, we will explain how to replace the program at a specific address on the RAM memory with the program at a specific address (specific program) on the ROM module or battery backup RAM module.

This method is a complex Merge shown in Figure 4b.
It is a registration. This method is for replacing only the programs that have been used less often as a result of the cooking frequency check shown later with new programs (FIGS. 3a and 3d).

(1) Press program input key (MENU ENTRY key) 59.

(2) Press the special key to change the program.

(3) Press the dedicated key as many times as there are module addresses for the new program. (If the number of addresses is 8, press it only 8 times.) Next, we will explain how to check whether the registered program is registered correctly. [3rd
Figure b, Figure 4 d].

As shown in Figure 4d, the ROM module or battery backup RAM module 5
A built-in program list is attached to 6a. Each program is given a program code N3. By calling the registered program code N3 and displaying it on the display window 51, the contents of the registered program can be checked for each dedicated key 52. The steps are: (1) Program output key (MENU CALL key)
Press 60.

(2) Press the dedicated key 52 you want to check.

To explain using the example shown in Figure 3b, when you press the MENU CALL key 60, a "?" appears on the left end of the window 51.
A mark will appear and you will be asked to specify a dedicated key number. When special key No. 4 is pressed, "4" is displayed instead of the "?" mark, and "141" of program code N3 is displayed to the right of "◆ Vertical 3 pieces". Fourth
According to the program list on the module in figure d, this is a cheeseburger.

Next, a method of checking the number of uses of each dedicated key will be explained.

Although not specifically noted in Figure 2, the number of uses N2
The count starts when the execution of the program specified by the dedicated key 52 is completed and a drive signal is sent to the electronic buzzer to issue a completion notification signal.
A signal is sent to the memory address of the above program,
It is assumed that a count is recorded as a record of one use.

The procedure for checking the count number is as shown in Figure 3d. (1) Press the COUNT CALL key (COUNT CALL
key) 58. Now, ``◆2 vertical'' symbols will appear on the display. A “?” appears to the left of this symbol to prompt the user to specify the number of the dedicated key 52.

(2) When the special key 52 with key number 6 is pressed, the "?" becomes "6" and the number of uses "125" is displayed on the right side of "◆2 vertically".

<Effect of the invention> As is clear from the above explanation, in the present invention, a plurality of program modules storing a plurality of mutually different cooking sequence programs are used.
It is said that it can be replaced in the registration section of RAM memory,
The central processing unit has a function of transferring and registering a desired program of the program module to a desired address of the RAM memory, a function of registering the number of times each program in the RAM memory is used, and a function of registering the number of times each program is used in the RAM memory. A function is added to display the confirmation of the number of times on the display through the operation of the dedicated key.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the following effects can be expected.

(1) Cooking sequence programs can be preset by simply installing the module.

(2) Cooking can also be done with a simple operation such as pressing a dedicated key with a menu name and then pressing the start key.

(3) You can easily check the usage frequency of preset programs.

(4) Programs that are used infrequently can be replaced with simple operations (module replacement and address specification).

That is, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a cooking program registration system that satisfies the contradictory demands of simplifying the loading and unloading of programs and being able to accommodate flexible options within a given memory. In addition, the information on the frequency of use of the programs provided by this system not only serves as food material purchasing guidelines for first food chain stores that use commercial microwave ovens that have adopted this system, but also provides information on new first food products. It may also indicate the timing of development.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the microwave oven control unit according to the embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a block circuit diagram, and Fig. 3 is a block circuit diagram.
Figures a to d are schematic diagrams for explaining operation, Figures 4a and 4b are also explanatory diagrams for Merge registration, Figure 4c is a flowchart, Figure 4d is a perspective view of the module exterior, and Figure 5 The figure is a perspective view of a control device of a conventional microwave oven. 51... Display window, 52... Dedicated key, 52a... Key number, 52b... Menu name display area, 52c... Key pad (input key), 53... Start key, 54... Display window, 56a , 56b...ROM module, 57...Module attachment part, 58
...Count number call key (COUNT CALL
key), 59...Program input key (MENU
ENTRY key), 60...Program code output key (MENU CALL key).

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A plurality of cooking sequence programs are stored in a RAM memory, and each program stored in the RAM memory is executed by operating a dedicated key exclusively assigned to the address of each program. In the heater control device configured as such, a plurality of program modules storing a plurality of mutually different cooking sequence programs are connected to the heater controller.
The central processing unit has a function of transferring and registering a desired program of the program module to a desired address of the RAM memory, and a function of registering the number of times each program in the RAM memory has been used. A control device for a heater, characterized in that it has a function of registering it in a memory, and a function of displaying a confirmation of the number of times each program has been used on a display through operation of the dedicated key.