Microwave oven

• US 20090321428A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Deep Science LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Deep Science LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Myhrvold, Nathan P., Jung, Edward K.Y., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A.
• Application Number:
  US12/221,449
• Publication Number:
  US 20090321428A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/702
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6455 the sensors being infrared detectors

Abstract

Generally and not exclusively, a microwave cooking oven to cook food in a microwave chamber (e.g., a cooking chamber) includes a microwave power source, and a microwave control unit. In one implementation, the control unit includes an array of radiation detectors to detect the microwave power of multiple microwave beams in the cooking chamber, a modeler to map the temperature in different regions of an item in the microwave chamber, and a controller to adjust microwave power being delivered to each region of the item. In one implementation, the control unit can detect the presence and food type of an item in the microwave chamber. The control unit can provide a real time heating and cooking status of each region of an item being heated in the microwave chamber.

Claims

1. A control unit for a microwave heating device, comprising:

one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber;

a modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber; and

a controller for dynamically managing the microwave power emitted by a microwave source to the microwave chamber based on a signal from the modeling engine.

2. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller for dynamically managing the microwave power emitted by a microwave source to the microwave chamber based on a signal from the modeling engine comprises:

a multiple beam path manager for signaling the microwave source to transfer the microwave power to the microwave chamber via multiple beam paths, wherein each beam path has an origin on one side of the item and a termination on an opposing side of the item; and

wherein the one or more radiation detectors measure at least part of the microwave power on a termination side of each beam path.

3. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 2,

wherein the multiple beam path manager for signaling the microwave source to transfer the microwave power to the microwave chamber via multiple beam paths, comprises:

a beam direction controller for directing at least one of the beam paths between multiple locations in the microwave chamber.

4. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 3, wherein the beam direction controller for directing at least one of the beam paths between multiple locations in the microwave chamber comprises:

a vane controller for changing a position of a metallic vane to reflect microwaves from the microwave source from a first location in the microwave chamber to a second location in the microwave chamber.

5. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 3, wherein the multiple beam path manager for signaling the microwave source to transfer the microwave power to the microwave chamber via multiple beam paths, comprises:

a beam array controller for switching from a first emitter in an array of microwave emitters to a second emitter in the array of microwave emitters to direct a beam path from a first location in the microwave chamber to a second location in the microwave chamber.

6. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 5, wherein the a beam array controller for switching from a first emitter in an array of microwave emitters to a second emitter in the array of microwave emitters to direct a beam path from a first location in the microwave chamber to a second location in the microwave chamber comprises:

a beam actuation pattern engine for selecting one or more emitter elements from the array of microwave emitters to actuate to create a pattern of beam paths in the microwave chamber.

7. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 2, wherein the multiple beam path manager for signaling the microwave source to transfer the microwave power to the microwave chamber via multiple beam paths, comprises:

a beam intensity controller for controlling an intensity of microwave electromagnetic radiation associated with a beam path.

8. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 2, wherein the multiple beam path manager for signaling the microwave source to transfer the microwave power to the microwave chamber via multiple beam paths, comprises:

a beam frequency controller for controlling a frequency of microwave electromagnetic radiation associated with a beam path.

9. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 8,

wherein the beam frequency controller for controlling a frequency of microwave electromagnetic radiation associated with a beam path further comprises:

a control logic for assigning a microwave frequency to each emitter that emits the microwave power for a beam path.

10. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 9,

wherein the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber are capable of measuring the microwave frequency of each beam path at multiple locations in the microwave chamber.

11. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 9,

wherein the beam direction controller for directing at least one of the beam paths between multiple locations in the microwave chamber comprises:

a first control logic for directing the microwave source to heat a first layer of the item via a microwave beam that possesses a first microwave frequency; and

a second control logic for directing the microwave source to heat a second layer of the item via a microwave beam that possesses a second microwave frequency.

12. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 9,

wherein the beam direction controller for directing at least one of the beam paths between multiple locations in the microwave chamber comprises:

a first control logic for directing the microwave source to heat a first region of the item via a microwave beam that possesses a first microwave frequency; and

a second control logic for directing the microwave source to heat a second region of the item via a microwave beam that possesses a second microwave frequency.

13. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 9,

wherein the beam actuation pattern engine for selecting one or more emitter elements from the array of microwave emitters to actuate to create a pattern of beam paths in the microwave chamber comprises:

a first control logic for directing the microwave source to heat a first layer of the item via a microwave beam that possesses a first microwave frequency; and

a second control logic for directing the microwave source to heat a second layer of the item via a microwave beam that possesses a second microwave frequency.

14. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 9,

wherein the beam actuation pattern engine for selecting one or more emitter elements from the array of microwave emitters to actuate to create a pattern of beam paths in the microwave chamber comprises:

a first control logic for directing the microwave source to heat a first region of the item via a microwave beam that possesses a first microwave frequency; and

a second control logic for directing the microwave source to heat a second region of the item via a microwave beam that possesses a second microwave frequency.

15. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

a frequency filter for differentiating a first beam path possessing a first microwave frequency from a second beam path possessing a second microwave frequency.

16. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 2, wherein the multiple beam path manager for signaling the microwave source to transfer the microwave power to the microwave chamber via multiple beam paths, comprises:

a beam duration controller for controlling a duration of microwave electromagnetic radiation emission associated with a beam path.

17. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, where % the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber comprise:

one or more microwave sensors for detecting an intensity of the microwave power in the microwave chamber.

18. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber comprise:

one or more microwave sensors for detecting a frequency of the microwave power in the microwave chamber.

19. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber comprise:

one or more microwave sensors for detecting the microwave power at a given frequency in the microwave chamber.

20. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber comprise:

one or more microwave sensors for detecting a duration of the microwave power in the microwave chamber.

21. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber comprise:

a group of microwave sensors for measuring the microwave power in the microwave chamber at multiple locations to one side of the item.

22. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber comprise:

multiple microwave sensors positioned to measure the microwave power at a termination of each of multiple beam paths.

23. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber comprise:

an array of microwave sensors for measuring the microwave power at an array of locations on one or more sides of the microwave chamber.

24. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 23, wherein the array of microwave sensors for measuring the microwave power at an array of locations on one or more sides of the microwave chamber comprises:

an array of microwave sensors, each microwave sensor paired with a microwave emitter.

25. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 23, wherein the array of microwave sensors for measuring the microwave power at an array of locations on one or more sides of the microwave chamber comprises:

an array of microwave sensors, wherein each group of microwave sensors is paired with a microwave emitter.

26. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 23, further comprising:

a multiplexor for processing a signal from each of multiple microwave sensors in the array of microwave sensors.

27. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 23, wherein the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber comprise:

an array of microwave sensors for measuring the microwave power at an array of locations on one or more sides of the microwave chamber;

wherein the array of microwave sensors has a higher number of microwave sensors than a corresponding array of microwave emitters associated with the microwave source to provide a high resolution microwave sensor array.

28. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller for dynamically managing the microwave power emitted by a microwave source to the microwave chamber based on a signal from the modeling engine comprises:

a sensed power interpreter for receiving signals from the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in the microwave chamber.

29. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 28, wherein the sensed power interpreter for receiving signals from the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber comprises:

a beam differentiator for distinguishing a first microwave beam from a second microwave beam.

30. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 29, wherein the sensed power interpreter to receive signals from the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber comprises:

a sensed power comparator for distinguishing a first power level of the first microwave beam from a second power level of the second microwave beam.

31. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 29, wherein the sensed power interpreter to receive signals from the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber comprises:

a 3-D position calculator for determining a location in a 3-dimensional space of the microwave chamber based on an intersection of first and second microwave beams paths, wherein a first microwave sensor is paired with a first microwave emitter associated with the first microwave beam path and a second microwave sensor is paired with a second microwave emitter associated with the second microwave beam path.

32. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 31, wherein the 3-D position calculator for determining a location in a 3-dimensional space of the microwave chamber based on an intersection of first and second microwave beam paths comprises:

a triangulation engine for determining a location in a 3-dimensional space of the microwave chamber based on a first beam direction of a first microwave beam associated with a first microwave emitter and a second beam direction of a second microwave beam associated with a second microwave emitter.

33. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 32, wherein the triangulation engine for determining a location in a 3-dimensional space of the microwave chamber based on a first beam direction of a first microwave beam associated with a first microwave emitter and a second beam direction of a second microwave beam associated with a second microwave emitter comprises:

a control logic for calculating a location of an interior isothermal region of the item, wherein the interior isothermal region varies in temperature beyond a threshold from an adjacent region.

34. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 33, wherein the beam direction controller for directing at least one of the beam paths between multiple locations in the microwave chamber comprises:

a control logic to direct a microwave beam path to an interior isothermal region that has a temperature lower than its surrounding regions to heat the isothermal region.

35. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 33, wherein the beam direction controller for directing at least one of the beam paths between multiple locations in the microwave chamber comprises:

a control logic to direct a microwave beam path to an interior isothermal region that has a temperature higher than its surrounding regions to cool the isothermal region.

36. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the controller for dynamically managing the microwave power emitted by a microwave source to the microwave chamber based on a signal from the modeling engine comprises:

a first control logic for emitting a first measure of the microwave power to the microwave chamber for a first interval;

a second control logic for turning off the emitting;

a third control logic for sensing a second measure of the microwave power as an emission of radiation from the item, wherein the microwave power absorbed by the item spontaneously radiates from the item.

37. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 36,

wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a thermal mapping engine for mapping an isothermal region of the item based on the sensed second measure of the microwave power.

38. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 36, wherein the thermal mapping engine to map an isothermal region of the item based on the sensed second measure of the microwave power comprises:

a 3-D mapper for mapping 3-dimensional isothermal regions in the interior of the item into a 3-D temperature map based on the sensing from different sensor arrays disposed on at least two different sides of the item.

39. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 37,

wherein the one or more radiation detectors for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber further comprise:

an infrared sensor;

wherein the thermal mapping engine for mapping an isothermal region of the item based on the sensed second measure of the microwave power further comprises;

an infrared mapper for obtaining an infrared image of one or more surfaces of the item and determine isothermal areas on one or more surfaces of the item; and

wherein the 3-D mapper for mapping 3-dimensional isothermal regions in the interior of the item based on the sensing from different sensor arrays disposed on at least two different sides of the item comprises;

a control logic for associating the isothermal regions in the interior of the item with the isothermal areas on the one or more surfaces of the item.

40. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 39, wherein the thermal mapping engine refines the 3-D temperature map of the one or more isothermal regions in the interior of the item based on associating the isothermal regions in the interior with the isothermal areas on the one or more surfaces.

41. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 37, wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a control logic for comparing a heating/cooking protocol to a temperature map provided by the thermal mapping engine to provide a real time heating and cooking status of the item.

42. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1,

wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a database of heatability properties;

wherein the modeling engine associates the sensed level of microwave power in the microwave chamber with a microwave absorptivity heatability property of the item along each of multiple beams paths;

wherein the modeling engine associates the microwave absorptivity heatability property of the item with corresponding temperatures to create a thermal model of the item; and

wherein the modeling engine 3-dimensionally maps isothermal regions in the interior of the item into a 3-D temperature map of the item based on the thermal model.

43. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1,

wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a database of heatability properties;

wherein the modeling engine associates the sensed level of microwave power in the microwave chamber with an optical depth heatability property of the item along each of multiple beams paths;

wherein the modeling engine associates the optical depth heatability property of the item with corresponding temperatures to create a thermal model of the item; and

wherein the modeling engine 3-dimensionally maps isothermal regions in the interior of the item into a 3-D temperature map of the item based on the thermal model.

44. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1,

wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a presence modeler for determining a presence of the item in the microwave chamber;

wherein the presence modeler includes a control logic for signaling a beam array controller to scan the microwave chamber for a presence of the item, wherein at least one beam path is directable to different parts of the microwave chamber; and

wherein the presence modeler includes a modeling logic for detecting an attenuation of the microwave power associated with each beam path that is intersected by the item, indicating a presence of the item.

51. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a food type modeler for relating an optical depth heatability property of the item to a geometry estimation signal and a temperature of the item to obtain a food type classification of the item.

52. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 51, wherein the food type modeler for relating an optical depth heatability property of the item to a geometry estimation signal and a temperature of the item to obtain a food type classification of the item comprises:

a modeling logic for estimating a temperature of the item from the optical depth.

53. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a modeling logic for relating the sensed level of the microwave power to a microwave absorptivity of the item.

54. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a modeling logic for relating the sensed level of the microwave power to an optical depth of the item.

55. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a modeling logic for relating the sensed level of the microwave power to a temperature of the item.

56. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a modeling logic for relating the sensed level of the microwave power to a dielectric property of the item.

57. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a modeling logic for relating the sensed level of the microwave power to a physical state of a carbohydrate, a protein, or a fat in the item.

58. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a modeling logic for relating the sensed level of the microwave power to a liquid food state of the item.

59. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a modeling logic for relating the sensed level of the microwave power to a moisture content of the item.

60. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a modeling logic for relating the sensed level of the microwave power to a physical geometry of the item.

61. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a modeling logic for relating the sensed level of the microwave power to a type of food of the item.

62. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 1, wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a modeling logic for selecting the type of modeling and the heatability property to model for a given region of the item based on a sensed microwave power associated with the given region.

45. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in 44, wherein the presence modeler for determining a presence of the item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a geometry estimator to generate a model of a size and geometry of the item.

47. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 45, wherein the presence modeler for determining a presence of the item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a control logic for 3-dimensional modeling of the size and geometry of the item based on 3-D information signals passed from a sensed power interpreter.

48. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 45, wherein the modeling engine for tracking a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber comprises:

a region modeler for modeling a value of a heatability property in different regions of the same item.

49. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 48, wherein the region modeler for modeling a value of a heatability property in different regions of the same item comprises:

a control logic for signaling a multiple beam path manager to apply a different measure of the microwave power to each of the different regions according to a current value of the heatability property in each individual region.

50. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in claim 48, wherein the region modeler for modeling a value of a heatability property in different regions of the same item comprises:

a control logic for dynamically managing a measure of the microwave power applied to each different region based on a different heatability property associated with each region.

46. The control unit for a microwave heating device as recited in 45, wherein the presence modeler for determining a presence of the item in the microwave chamber comprises:

an item differentiator for distinguishing multiple items in the microwave chamber.

63. A control unit for a microwave heating device, comprising:

means for sensing a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber;

means for modeling a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber; and

means for dynamically managing the microwave power emitted by a microwave source to the microwave chamber based on the modeled relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber.

64. A system, comprising:

circuitry for facilitating one or more radiation detectors to sense a level of microwave power in a microwave chamber;

circuitry for modeling a relationship between the sensed level of the microwave power and a heatability property of an item in the microwave chamber; and

circuitry for dynamically controlling the microwave power emitted by a microwave source to the microwave chamber based on a signal from the modeling engine.