JPH0969020A - Key input device of electronic control equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate setting by changing the mode of a display indicating a key to be operated next according to whether or not a certain time is elapsed when prescribed control is performed by operating a plurality of keys. SOLUTION: When a cooking course has been selected, the time (t) from the end of the selection is counted and when the elapsed time (t) is less than the certain time t1, a course setting lamp is blinked in normal constant cycles A to urge a user to operate keys 8 for setting heating temperature and a heating time. If the time t1 is elapsed without the next operation, it is judged whether or not the elapsed time exceeds a time t2; when the elapsed time is less than the time t2, the course setting lamp is blinked in cycles B shorter than the normal cycles A to further prompt the user to perform the next operation for setting the heating time and heating temperature. If, however, a state wherein the time t2 is exceeded is entered, a microcomputer 1 judges that the user does not intend to move to the next operation and returns to a stand-by mode.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic control device such as a microwave oven equipped with, for example, a microcomputer, and more particularly to a key input device provided for setting and controlling various cooking contents.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, for example, in microwave ovens, microcomputers have been used to perform complicated heating control. In this case, a keyboard including a large number of keys, which is an input device, is provided so that the heating time, the heating temperature, the heating output, etc. are set upon heating.

Here, in order to obtain the kind of the object to be heated and the desired finish, the user presses various keys of the keyboard to set cooking conditions such as heating time, heating temperature, and heating output. Make input settings.

However, since there are many keys when inputting and setting, there is a problem that it takes time to find a desired operation key according to a predetermined procedure.

Therefore, recently, the position of the key to be operated next is displayed to the user by lighting up or blinking the display of the key itself or in the vicinity of the key. A device provided with the above-mentioned service function has been proposed as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-212942.

[0006]

However, even if the key is turned on and off to prompt such a next operation, if the key is simply turned on or is in a blinking state for a certain period, the situation As a result, the problem that the display for improving the handling property of the corner does not function sufficiently occurs.

Further, when the user leaves the microwave oven while the operation is interrupted, the lighting or blinking state continues, and the input setting is possible. Therefore, a child or the like mistakenly operates and cooks with poor finish. There was a problem that it would end up.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem. When the display of the key to be operated next is changed for a certain period of time, the display form is changed such that the blinking cycle is changed, so that the next operation is further performed. It is an object of the present invention to provide a key input device for an electronic control device designed to prompt the user.

When the key display is changed and no key operation is performed for a certain period of time, the key display is stopped and the key to be operated first is displayed. An object of the present invention is to provide a key input device of an electronic control device configured to control to return to a standby state.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a key input device according to claim 1 of the present invention is provided with a plurality of keys for inputting and setting various control conditions, and performs desired control. In the key input device of the electronic control device having the function of displaying the target key for the next operation when sequentially operating these keys, the key display indicating the position of the key and a constant value after the key display is displayed After the lapse of time, the key display display control means for changing the display from that before is provided.

A key input device according to a third aspect of the present invention is provided with a plurality of keys for inputting and setting various control conditions, and when these keys are sequentially operated to perform desired control, a target of the next operation. In a key input device of an electronic control device having a function of displaying a key, a key display indicating the position of the key, and blinking the key display at a constant period for a fixed period, and after the fixed time has elapsed Is provided with a key indicator display control means for blinking display in a shorter cycle than before.

Further, in the key input device according to the third aspect of the invention, when the changed display on the key display has passed a predetermined time, the display is stopped and the key display of the key to be operated first is displayed. The display control means for returning to the standby mode is provided.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a control circuit of a control system for a microwave oven according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is the center of control, and controls such as key input / display / notification / output / external signal input. It is a microcomputer (hereinafter, referred to as a microcomputer) for performing. Reference numeral 2 denotes a keyboard which is an input device, and is provided with a large number of keys 8 for inputting and setting various control conditions such as heating time, heating temperature, and heating output.

Here, each key 8 of the keyboard 2 is
The key 8 itself can be entirely illuminated, or the key 8
The indicator lamp 9 and the like provided in the vicinity of illuminate and light up so that the position of the key 8 can be known.

Reference numeral 3 is a display unit for displaying the operating time and the heating set temperature of the food set by the respective keys 8 of the keyboard 2 and the contents relating to the next operation. Reference numeral 4 denotes an external signal input unit that detects opening and closing of a microwave oven door.
Reference numeral 5 is an alarm device such as a buzzer for notifying that cooking has been completed. Reference numeral 6 denotes a high-frequency oscillation circuit section including a step-up transformer, a magnetron, a diode, a condenser, and the like, and 7 denotes an output section such as an interior lamp for illuminating the heating chamber and a blower motor for discharging heated air. Further, this microwave oven is provided with a heater so that the object to be heated can be heated by a heater in addition to the high frequency heating. Further, 10 is a start button for starting cooking, and 11 is a start button lamp provided for recognizing the position of the start button, but the start button itself may be lit and displayed.

Next, the procedure of key operation performed before the start of cooking will be described based on the cooking content setting routine flowchart which is a part of the control program for the microwave oven shown in FIG.

First, the contents of cooking in a microwave oven include a general heating course for simply heating the food by high frequency heating,
There are various cooking courses such as a thawing course for thawing frozen food by high frequency heating, and a heater heating course for making cookies, cakes, etc. with a heating heater. The cooking course set key for selecting and specifying these cooking courses also has the above-mentioned keyboard. It is provided in 2.

Then, the microwave oven is initially in the standby mode (S1), the course set lamp for displaying the above-mentioned various cooking courses is turned off, and the start lamp 11 which is pushed when starting cooking is also turned off. There is. The microcomputer determines whether or not the selection of the cooking course has been completed by operating the course setting key by the user (S2), and if the selection of the cooking course has not been completed, the determination (S2) is continued.

If the determination (S2) is YES and the selection of the cooking course is completed, the time t from the completion of the selection is counted, and it is determined whether or not the time t is less than or equal to a predetermined fixed time t1 (S3). ) Is performed, and the elapsed time t is t1
If the following is true (determination S3 is YES), the process (S4) of blinking the course set lamp in the regular constant period (A) is executed so that the user performs the next key operation, that is, the setting of the heating temperature. Prompt key operation for setting the heating time. In addition, instead of blinking the course set lamp,
The key for setting the heating temperature and the key for setting the heating time may be directly blinked, or the indicator lamp thereof may be blinked to prompt the next operation.

If there is no subsequent operation within the time t1 and the time t1 is exceeded (No at S5), it is determined whether the elapsed time is the time t2 or less (S5).
If t2 or less (determination S5 is Yes), the process (S6) of blinking the course set lamp at a cycle (B) earlier than the normal cycle (A) is executed to set the heating time and the heating temperature. Prompt further operation. Therefore, the user notices that the blinking state of the course set lamp has changed, and presses the setting key for setting the heating time and the heating temperature.

However, if the time t2 is exceeded (No at S5), the microcomputer determines that it is not willing to move to the next operation and returns to the standby mode (S1). As a result, even if a child or the like operates the heating time and heating temperature setting keys that have not been operated, the microcomputer returns to the standby mode (S1), It is possible to prevent erroneous cooking without accepting.

Next, it is judged whether the heating temperature and the heating time have been set within the time t1 or t2 when the course set lamp is blinking (determination S7), and the setting operation of the heating temperature and the heating time is completed. If not (determination S7 is No), the process returns to the determination S3 again to determine the selection of the cooking course.

On the other hand, if the setting of the heating temperature and the heating time has been completed (Yes in the determination S7), the process of turning off the set lamp (process S8) is performed. After this treatment, heating temperature,
It is determined whether or not the time t from the end of setting the heating time has passed t3 (determination S9), and if the time is equal to or less than t3 (determination S9 is Yes), the start button lamp is switched in the normal cycle (C). It is made to blink (process S10), and the user is prompted to press the start button 10, which is the next operation. The user sees this blinking and presses the start button 10 to start cooking.

However, when the start button 10 is not pressed and the time t3 is exceeded (No at S9), the time t4 is reached.
Is determined (determination S11), and if time t3 is exceeded and time t4 or less (determination S11 is Yes), the start button lamp 11 has a cycle (D) earlier than the blinking cycle (C) up to then. So that it blinks (process S1
2) Further encourage the operation of the start button 10. Therefore,
The user notices that the start button lamp 11 has changed from the blinking state up to that point and presses the start button 10.

However, when the time exceeds the time t4 (determination S11 is No), it is determined that there is no intention to move to the start operation, and the process returns to the standby mode (S1). Even in this case, even if the start button 10 that has not been operated by this process is operated by a child or the like, the process returns to the standby mode (S1).
The microcomputer does not accept the signal, and it is possible to prevent erroneous cooking from being started.

Next, it is determined whether or not the start button 10 has been operated (determination S13), and if the start button 10 is input (determination S13 is Yes), the start button lamp 11 is turned off (process 14) and cooking is performed. Start (processing 15). If the start button 10 has not been input (No at S13), the process returns to (S9).

Under the control as described above, the position of the key to be operated next is displayed by blinking or the like, and the blinking state changes after a certain period of time. Therefore, the user may forget to operate the key. When the search for the key is delayed, the user can easily be made aware of it and the next operation can be further prompted.

[0028]

As described above, according to claim 1 of the present invention, when a predetermined control is performed by operating a plurality of keys,
The display for showing the next key to be operated is changed before and after a certain period of time elapses, so it is possible to actively prompt the user to perform the next key operation, and the user can select which key. It becomes easy to know if the button is pushed and the setting can be done easily.

Further, according to the second aspect of the present invention, the key to be operated next is first made to blink at a constant cycle, and after a certain period of time elapses, the key display is blinked so that the blinking cycle becomes shorter. Since the display is controlled, this changing blinking display can be used to further prompt the user to notice the key operation to be performed next, so that even a person who is unfamiliar with the key operation can easily use it and is easy to handle. It becomes an electronic device that improves.

Furthermore, according to the third aspect of the present invention, regardless of the fact that the display of the key indicator is changed to prompt the next operation,
If there is no key operation for a certain period of time or more, the key display is stopped and it returns to the standby mode in which the position of the first operation key is displayed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the inconvenience that incorrect cooking is performed in the microwave oven, for example.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration circuit diagram of a microwave oven control system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a routine flowchart for setting cooking contents in the control program for the microwave oven.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 microcomputer 2 keyboard 8 key 10 start button 11 start button lamp

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electronic control device having a plurality of keys for inputting and setting various control conditions, and having a function of displaying a target key for the next operation when these keys are sequentially operated to perform desired control. In the key input device, the key display device is provided with a key display device for indicating the position of the key, and a key display device display control means for changing the display after the display of the key display device for a certain period of time from that before the display. Key input device for electronic control equipment. 2. An electronic control device having a plurality of keys for inputting and setting various control conditions, and having a function of displaying a target key for the next operation when these keys are sequentially operated to perform desired control. In the key input device, the key indicator indicating the position of the key and the key indicator are blinked and displayed at a constant cycle for a certain period of time, and after the certain period of time, blinking display is performed at a shorter cycle than before. A key input device for electronic control equipment, comprising: 3. When the changed display of the key display unit has passed a predetermined time, the display is stopped, and display control means for returning to the standby mode in which the key display unit of the key to be operated first is displayed. A key input device for an electronic control device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that: