JPH0620420B2 - Microcomputer controlled rice cooker - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a microcomputer-controlled rice cooker, and more particularly to a microcomputer-controlled rice cooker that facilitates selection operation of various functions equipped.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, for the purpose of deliciously cooking rice, the temperature of the rice cooking pot is measured by a controller equipped with a temperature sensor and a microcomputer, and the temperature or temperature rise data is input to the microcomputer to determine the rice cooking capacity. As a result, a microcomputer-controlled automatic rice cooker has been developed that is capable of performing appropriate power control according to the rice cooking capacity. An automatic rice cooker that cooks rice under microcomputer control is a program that controls the microcomputer in sequence to sequentially absorb water, determine the capacity of cooked rice, cook up, maintain boiling, first unevenness, additional cooking, and second unevenness. The rice cooking process such as the cooking process and the heat retention process is controlled, and the rice is cooked in the optimum state. In this way, in the microcomputer-controlled rice cooker, the control of the rice cooking process can be finely controlled by the program control. Therefore, by providing multiple programs for the rice cooking control pattern, multifunctional rice, early cooked rice, timer cooked rice, notification of when to eat, washing, etc. It can be equipped with various convenient functions such as ready-to-eat rice.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

By the way, multifunctional rice, early rice, timer reserved rice,
2. Description of the Related Art In a microcomputer-controlled rice cooker having various convenient functions such as reporting when to eat, cooking immediately after washing, etc., a selection operation unit is provided to select various functions provided. The user performs an operation of selecting a predetermined function using the selection operation unit. When various functions provided in the microcomputer-controlled rice cooker increase, the operation of selecting a function to be used becomes complicated, and there is a problem that an error operation is likely to occur in the function selecting operation when selecting a predetermined function.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems.

An object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of simultaneously displaying a combination of time display, rice type and operation guidance in a microcomputer-controlled rice cooker according to a setting.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of improving the operability of the function selection operation unit in the microcomputer-controlled rice cooker.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a technique capable of displaying as much information as possible on a character display device having a limited number of characters that can be displayed in a microcomputer-controlled rice cooker.

The above and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be apparent from the description of this specification and the accompanying drawings.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In a microcomputer-controlled rice cooker that controls rice cooking by microcomputer control, a character display is provided along the outer circumference of the shoulder of the rice cooker body, and the character display has a time display, a rice type display, and operation guidance. A display unit is provided, each of which is composed of a liquid crystal dot matrix display module, and operation key switches such as a time display unit, a rice cooking type display unit and an operation guidance display unit are arranged in parallel with the character display unit in the center. It is characterized in that it is provided with means for simultaneously displaying respective combinations of time display, rice cooking type and operation guidance according to settings.

[Action]

According to the above-mentioned means, the character display unit provided on the upper portion of the rice cooker body and the display control unit for displaying the operation guidance in characters on the character display unit are provided. The character display section is arranged at the upper part of the rice cooker body at a position where the user can easily see it. On the character display part, the operation guidance is displayed in characters by the display control means, and the next operation guidance is displayed in characters corresponding to the user's key operation, and a display showing the function set in the rice cooker. The data is displayed in text. This allows the user to see what the user should do by looking at the operation guidance displayed in characters on the character display section, and what functions should be set by looking at the characters in the display data on the character display section. I can know. For this reason, the operation when using the rice cooker becomes easy, and erroneous operations do not occur. Further, as the operation guidance displayed on the character display section, a method of coping with the abnormal state and a display instructing the operation are displayed, so that the operation becomes more convenient and easy.

That is, simultaneous display of each combination of the time display, rice cooking type, and operation guidance according to the setting has good operability and visibility, and the selection operation of each function can be reliably performed, which is extremely convenient. .

〔Example〕

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the external appearance of a microcomputer-controlled rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a rice cooker body, 2 is a lid portion of the rice cooker body 1, and 3 is a body portion of the rice cooker body 1. The main body 3 includes an inner pot, an inner pot container for storing the inner pot, a rice cooker at the bottom of the inner pot, a temperature sensor provided in contact with the bottom of the inner pot, a control unit incorporating a microcomputer, a heat retaining heater, etc. Is provided inside. Reference numeral 4 is a function selection operation unit, and 5 is a character display, both of which are provided along the outer circumference of the shoulder portion of the rice cooker body 1.

In the function selection operation unit 4, with the character display 5 at the center,
Operation key switches 7a to 7f such as a time display section, a rice cooking type display section, and an operation guidance display section are arranged in parallel on the left and right.

On the left side of the character display device 5, an hour key switch 7a for operating a time digit, a minute key switch 7b for operating a minute digit, a reservation key switch 7c for instructing a reservation, and a menu key switch 7d for instructing a rice cooking menu on the right side. A start key switch 7e for instructing the start of the rice cooking operation or the reserved rice cooking operation, and a cancel key switch 7f for canceling each operation are provided. The character display 5 is provided with a time display section, a rice cooking type display section, and an operation guidance display section.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing a character display portion of the function selection operation unit in an enlarged manner. In FIG. 2, 5 is a character display, 5a is an operation guidance display, 5d is a rice cooking type display, and 5e is a time display. As the character display 5, for example, a liquid crystal dot matrix display module having a plurality of character display digits is used, and the character display digits of the liquid crystal dot matrix display module are divided into an operation guidance display unit 5a and a rice cooking type display, respectively. Part 5d,
It is used as the time display unit 5e. Then, the respective combinations of the time display, the rice cooking type and the operation guidance are simultaneously displayed according to the setting.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a control unit using a microcomputer. In FIG. 3, 5 is a character display, 7a is an hour key switch, 7b is a minute key switch, 7c is a reservation key switch, 7d is a menu key switch, 7e is a start key switch, and 7f is a cancel switch. Reference numeral 9 is a temperature sensor composed of a thermistor or the like. Reference numeral 10 denotes a microcomputer, which has a processing unit CPU, a memory RAM, and a program memory RO inside.
M, an input port having an analog / digital conversion function, a plurality of input ports for receiving a key switch input, an output port for outputting a control output signal, and the like.
Reference numeral 11 denotes an energization control means such as a triac, which controls the heating power by controlling the pulse width applied to the energization control means 11. 12 is a commercial AC power supply, and 13 is a rice cooking heater. Also, 14 is a clock mechanism. The time signal from the clock mechanism 14 is input to the microcomputer 10, added to the time display portion 5e of the character display 5 and displayed, and as a signal for determining the reserved time when the timer reserved rice is cooked, It is input to the microcomputer 10 and used.

Next, the operation of the microcomputer-controlled rice cooker configured as described above will be described focusing on the display control operation of the character display of the function selection operation unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display message data table that stores display data to be displayed on the character display.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of the character display. As the character display 5 here, as shown in FIG. 5, a liquid crystal dot matrix display module having character columns of 16 columns × 2 rows is used. The display message data as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed on the liquid crystal dot matrix display module. Each character display digit of the liquid crystal dot matrix display module constitutes a character in a 7 × 5 dot pattern so that character data can be displayed. In this liquid crystal dot matrix display module, the upper one row is used as the operation guidance display section 5a, the lower left row 5 digits are the rice cooking type display section 5d showing the rice cooking menu, and the lower row 1 right side 8 digits are the time. It is used as the display unit 5e. In addition, the operation guidance display section 5e in the top row is a 5-digit display section on the right side and a 8 digit section on the left side.
When the timer reservation rice cooking is set, the 5-digit display part on the right side is used as the reservation mode display part 5b indicating the type of the reservation mode, and the 8-digit display part on the left side is the reservation time. Is used as a reservation time display unit 5c for displaying.

6a and 6b are flowcharts showing the processing operation of the microcomputer accompanied by the display control operation for the character display. A description will be given with reference to FIGS. 6a and 6b.

When the power is turned on, initialization processing is performed in step 21. In this initialization processing, various internal registers of the microcomputer are reset, and a rice cooking menu flag indicating normal rice cooked with rice is set as a rice cooking menu. Next, the process proceeds to step 22, and the display message data “No.
Is displayed. Then, in step 23, "AM0: 00" is displayed blinking on the time display portion 5e to prompt the operator to set the time. Next, the processing from step 24 is performed in which the operation of the key switch of the operator is determined and the time setting processing is performed. In step 24, it is determined whether or not the hour key switch 7a is turned on. If the hour key switch 7a is turned on, in step 25, a process of advancing the hour digit of the time display portion 5e by 1 is performed. , And proceed to the next Step 26.
In step 26, it is determined whether or not the minute key switch 7b is turned on. If the minute key switch 7b is turned on, a process of advancing the minute digit of the time display portion 5e by 1 is performed in step 27. , Step 28. Next, at step 28, it is determined whether the menu key switch 7d is turned on, at step 29 it is determined whether the start key switch 7e is turned on, and subsequently, at step 30, whether the reservation key switch 7c is turned on. Determine whether or not. These determination processes are performed, and while one of the menu key switch 7d, the start key switch 7e, and the reservation key switch 7c is not turned on, the process returns to step 24 and the time setting process of steps 24 to 27 is performed. Repeat. Menu key switch 7 that is not the time setting key
When any one of d, the start key switch 7e, and the reservation key switch 7c is turned on, the time setting process ends, and the process proceeds to step 31, where it is displayed that the time is set. The display unit 5e is continuously lit and displayed. Then, in step 32, the operation guidance display unit 5
The display message displayed in a is deleted.

Next, it is determined that the operator operates the reservation key switch 7c, the menu key switch 7d, the start key switch 7e, etc., and the timer reservation rice reservation setting processing, rice menu setting processing, and rice cooking operation start for each. Perform processing, etc.

In step 33, it is determined whether or not the reservation key switch 7c is turned on. Next, at step 34, it is judged if the menu key switch 7d is turned on.
Next, in step 36, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time T seconds has elapsed, and then in step 38, it is determined whether or not the start key switch 7e is turned on. Reserved key switch 7
c, menu key switch 7d, start key switch 7e
Is not operated, and the determination process of step 33, step 34, step 36, and step 38 is repeated until the predetermined time T seconds elapses, and the operation of each key switch is waited. If T seconds have elapsed during this time, it is considered that the setting operation such as the rice cooking menu setting has been completed, so in step 37, a display message data table (FIG. 4) is displayed on the operation guidance display portion 5a.
The display message data of “No. 13” of “No” is displayed blinking, and the operation of the start key switch is prompted.

When it is determined in step 34 that the menu key switch 7d is turned on while waiting for the operation of each key switch, the determination process of step 33, step 34, step 36, and step 38 is repeated, and step 35 Proceed to step 2 and switch the rice cooking menu. Step 3
In 5, the rice cooking menu flags are switched in sequence,
The menu display data of item numbers 2 to 8 of the display message data table corresponding to the type display portion 5d are displayed in blinking.
For example, when the rice cooked rice flag is set as the rice cooked menu flag and the menu display data “Hakumai” of item No. 2 corresponding to this is displayed on the type display portion 5d, the menu key switch 7c is displayed. Is turned on, this is determined in step 34, and in the process of step 35, the cooked rice menu flag is switched to the fast cooked rice flag of the next cooked rice menu, and the type display unit 5d
The menu display data "Hayadaki" of item No. 3 corresponding to this is displayed on the. Similarly, when the menu key switch 7c is turned on, the next rice cooking menu flag is switched to the rice cooking menu flag of cooked rice in the process of step 35, and the type display portion 5d corresponds to this. The number 4 menu display data "Takomi" is displayed. In this way, every time the menu key switch 7c is turned on, the process of step 35 is repeated, and the menu switches to the next rice cooking menu flag in sequence, and the type display section 5d displays the corresponding item number. Menu display data is displayed. Therefore, the operator (user) sets the desired rice cooking menu by continuously repeating the ON operation of the menu key switch 7c until the desired rice cooking menu is displayed.

When it is determined in step 33 that the reservation key switch 7c is turned on while waiting for each key switch to be operated, the determination processing of step 33, step 34, step 36, and step 38 is repeated, and step 39 Proceed to step (1) to perform the timer reservation rice cooking setting process. In step 39, the reservation flag is switched and the reservation mode display unit 5
The reserved mode display data of item number 9 or 10 of the display message data table corresponding to this is blinked and displayed in b. For example, if the reservation 2 flag is set as the reservation mode flag in the initialization process now, step 3
When the reservation key switch 7c of No. 3 is turned on, the timer reservation cooked rice setting mode is set, the reservation flag is switched from reservation 2 to reservation 1, and the reservation mode display portion 5b displays the reservation mode display data of item 9 corresponding thereto. "Yoyaku 1" is displayed blinking. If the reservation 1 flag has been previously set, the reservation flag is switched from reservation 1 to reservation 2, and the reservation mode display portion 5b displays the reservation mode display data "YOYAK 2" of item No. 10 corresponding to this. Blinks. Subsequently, in step 40, the reserved time display portion 5c is displayed in a blinking manner to prompt the operator to perform the reserved time setting operation, and the processing of the reserved time setting processing routine in step 41 is performed. The reservation time setting processing routine of step 41 is the same as the processing of steps 24 to 31 described above, and although detailed description is omitted, it is the same as the time display section 5e reread as the reservation time display section 5c. The reservation time setting process is performed in the content process. When the reservation time setting process in step 41 is completed, it is then determined in step 42 whether or not the menu key switch 7d is turned on. Here, if it is determined that the menu key switch 7d is turned on, it means that the rice cooking menu has been reset. Therefore, the timer reserved rice cooking reservation is not set, and the process returns to step 35 and step 3
Continue the rice cooking menu setting process from step 5. Step 4
If it is not determined that the menu key switch 7d is turned on in step 2, the process proceeds to step 43, and it is determined whether the start key switch 7e is turned on. If the start key switch 7e is not turned on, the process returns to step 42, and the key switch operation determination process of steps 42 and 43 is repeated again. Start key switch 7e in step 43
If it is determined that is turned on, the process proceeds to step 44, and it is determined whether the set rice cooking menu is a reservable menu. If it is the reservation possible menu in step 44, it is determined in step 45 whether it is the reservation possible time. If reservation is not possible in each of the determination processing of step 44 and step 45, the process proceeds to step 46, and the display message data table (fourth
The display message data “Yoyaku dekimasen” of item No. 12 in the figure) is displayed in a blinking manner, the timer reserved rice cooking reservation is not set, the process returns to step 33, and the operation key switch determination process from step 33 is continued.

In each determination process of step 44 and step 45, for example, if the rice cooking menu is not a non-reservable menu such as heat retention and the reservation set time is a reservable time after the current time, it is determined that reservation is possible. Then, the process proceeds to step 47. The processing from step 47 is also performed when it is determined in step 38 that the start key switch is turned on. In step 47, it is determined whether or not the inner pot is set in the rice cooker body based on a signal from an inner pot sensor (not shown). In step 47,
If it is determined that the inner pot is not present, the process proceeds to step 48, and the display message data “Uchina Vega Hittimasen” of item 11 of the display message data table (FIG. 4) is displayed on the operation guidance display portion 5a. , Notify the operator of the abnormal condition of the rice cooker. In this case, since the rice cooking operation cannot be performed, the process returns to step 33 and the determination process of each operation key switch from step 33 is continued again. On the other hand, if it is determined in step 47 that the inner pot is present, it means that the rice cooking control operation can be normally performed. Therefore, in step 49, the set reservation mode and rice cooking menu are displayed in correspondence with each other. The content of the rice cooking control operation to be performed next is shown by continuously lighting the display. That is, a rice cooking menu is displayed on the type display unit 5d, and in the case of timer reserved rice cooking, the type of the reservation mode is further displayed on the reservation mode display unit 5b and the reservation time is displayed on the reservation time display unit 5c. Then, in step 50, the processing routine of the rice cooking process control for performing the rice cooking control operation is executed in each set control mode of the rice cooking control. For example, when the timer-reserved rice cooking is set, it waits until the reservation setting time comes here, and when the reservation setting time comes, the rice cooking control operation is started. In addition, when the quick cooked rice is set as the cooked rice menu, the cooked rice control operation is started according to the program of the pre-stored quick cooked rice control pattern. When the rice-cooking process control in step 50 is performed and the rice-cooking operation is completed, the heat-keeping operation mode for keeping the cooked rice warm is next displayed. Then, the type display section 5
In d, the menu display data “HOON” corresponding to item No. 8 is displayed. As a result, a series of rice cooking control operations ends, but to determine again the operation of the key switch for the next rice cooking operation, the process returns to step 33, and the determination processing of each operation key switch from step 33 is continued.

Next, an outline of an operation example in the case of normal white rice cooking using such a microcomputer-controlled rice cooker will be described.

In the case of normal rice cooked with white rice, a desired amount of rice and water corresponding thereto are put in the inner pot, the inner pot is set, and the start key switch 7e that gives an instruction to start the rice cooking operation is pressed. In this case, in the microcomputer-controlled rice cooker, white rice is set as the rice cooking type by the initialization process, and it is not necessary to perform the selection operation to select the white rice specially by the selection operation of the rice cooking menu. There is no need to set the time for performing. If the inner pot is set normally, the control processing step immediately proceeds to step 49, the predetermined rice cooking operation mode is displayed on the character display 5, and the rice cooking process control processing of step 50 is performed.

In the process of controlling the rice cooking process in step 50, the microcomputer 10 sets a preset program memory ROM.
The electric power control for heating in the rice cooking process is started according to the processing steps of the rice cooking program for white rice stored in. At this time, the microcomputer 10 converts the voltage output from the temperature sensor 9 into a digital amount from the input port of the analog / digital conversion function and inputs it,
A process of converting to temperature is performed, the input temperature is determined, and various rice cooking processes are controlled based on the temperature determination result. In the initial stage of rice cooking, a water absorption step is performed in which the heating power supplied to the rice cooking heater 13 is reduced and the rice absorbs water. Next, the heating power is increased, the temperature is rapidly raised, and a boiling step of boiling is performed, and then a boiling maintaining step of continuing boiling is performed. When this boiling maintaining process continues, the rice absorbs enough water, the water in the lower part of the inner pot disappears, and when it reaches a predetermined temperature, for example, 130 ° C, the microcomputer 10 detects this temperature and the rice cooker heater 13 is detected. Turn off and finish the boiling maintenance process. Next, the 1st spotting process, the additional cooking process, and the 2nd spotting process are performed, and it finally reaches a heat retention process and ends a rice cooking process. Then, in the processing of step 51, "HOON" is displayed on the type display portion 5d, and the operation state of this rice cooker is displayed.

In the microcomputer-controlled rice cooker of this embodiment, the function selection operation unit 4 is arranged on the upper portion of the rice cooker main body 1, but it may be arranged at a position where it can be easily seen by the operator. For example, it may be arranged on the lid 2.

The present invention has been specifically described above based on the embodiments,
It is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments and can be variously modified without departing from the scope of the invention.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, in the microcomputer-controlled rice cooker, the time display section, the rice cooking type display section, and the operation guidance display section of the character display are each configured by the liquid crystal dot matrix display module. More information can be displayed on a character display device with a limited number of display characters.

In addition, with the character display in the center, the operation key switches such as the time display section, the rice cooking type display section and the operation guidance display section are arranged side by side so that each combination of time display, rice cooking type and operation guidance can be set. Since the means for simultaneously displaying according to the setting is provided, the operability and the visibility are good, and the selection operation of each function can be surely performed, which is extremely convenient.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of the external appearance of a microcomputer-controlled rice cooker according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view showing a character display portion of a function selection operation unit in an enlarged manner. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a control unit using a microcomputer. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display message data table for storing display data to be displayed on a character display. The figure shows an example of the display screen of the character display, and FIGS. 6a and 6b are flowcharts showing the processing operation of the microcomputer accompanied by the display control operation for the character display. In the figure, 1 ... rice cooker main body, 2 ... lid part, 3 ... main body part,
4 ... Function selection operation section, 5 ... Character display, 7a to 7f
...... Operation key switch, 9 ...... Temperature sensor, 10 ...... Microcomputer, 11 ...... Energization control means, 12 ...... Commercial AC power supply, 13 ...... Rice cooking heater, 14 ...... Clock mechanism.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A microcomputer-controlled rice cooker for controlling rice cooking by microcomputer control, wherein a character display is provided along the outer circumference of the shoulder of the rice cooker main body, and the character display has a time display and a rice cooking type. A display unit and an operation guidance display unit are provided, each of which is composed of a liquid crystal dot matrix display module. The time display unit, the rice cooking type display unit and the operation guidance display unit are arranged in parallel with the character display unit in the center. A microcomputer-controlled rice cooker, which is provided with operation key switches such as, and is provided with means for simultaneously displaying the combination of time display, rice cooking type and operation guidance according to the setting.