OVEN AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF

• US 20170261213A1
• Filed: 09/09/2016
• Published: 09/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: PARK, Sang Jun, YOON, Boo Keun, SUNG, Han Jun
• Granted Patent: US 10,398,260 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0664 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0464 the sensor sensing the level of ambient illumination, e.g. dawn or dusk sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/307 for ovens
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/024 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 15/04 with transparent panels
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/085 on baking ovens
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4214 specially adapted for view-taking apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an oven. The oven includes a case having a cooking chamber therein, a door unit connected to the case, configured to open or close the cooking chamber, and having a transparent portion configured to enable a user to see the inside of the cooking chamber, a handle protruding from the door unit to the outside, and a camera module configured to photograph the inside of the cooking chamber, and disposed to be biased toward one end of the handle from the center in longitudinal direction of the handle.

Claims

1. An oven comprising:

a case having a cooking chamber therein;

a door unit connected to the case, configured to open or close the cooking chamber, and having a transparent portion which enables viewing inside of the cooking chamber;

a handle which protrudes from the door unit toward outside of the case; and

a camera module configured to photograph the inside of the cooking chamber, and disposed to be biased by a predetermined distance from a center area of the handle in a longitudinal direction of the handle so that the camera module is biased toward one end of the handle.

2. The oven according to claim 1, wherein the camera module is positioned in a depression in an outer surface of the handle.

3. The oven according to claim 1, wherein the door unit comprises a light source installed inside of the door unit.

4. The oven according to claim 1, wherein the transparent portion comprises an anti-reflection coating layer.

5. The oven according to claim 1, wherein the transparent portion comprises a mirror glass coating layer.

6. The oven according to claim 5, wherein the mirror glass coating layer comprises a masking portion subject to a masking process at an area corresponding to a photographing area which is photographed by the camera module.

7. The oven according to claim 1, further comprising:

a microcomputer configured to control the camera module, and provided in the case; and

a cable unit which electrically connects the camera module to the microcomputer,

wherein the cable unit comprises;

a first cable which extends from the camera module to a first separation area at which the handle is separated from the door unit;

a second cable which extends from the first separation area to a second separation area at which the door unit is separated from the case; and

a third cable which extends from the second separation area to the microcomputer.

8. The oven according to claim 1, further comprising:

a microcomputer configured to control the camera module; and

a cable unit which electrically connects the camera module to the microcomputer,

wherein the cable unit is shielded with a heat-resisting material.

9. The oven according to claim 1, wherein the camera module is disposed lower than a top end of the transparent portion.

10. The oven according to claim 1, wherein the camera module comprises a camera configured to photograph the inside of the cooking chamber, and an illuminance sensor configured to measure an illuminance around the camera module.

11. An oven comprising:

a door unit configured to open or close a cooking chamber;

at least one light source provided inside of the door unit;

a camera configured to photograph the inside of the cooking chamber to acquire image information of the inside of the cooking chamber;

an illuminance sensor configured to sense an illuminance of an area in a range of a predetermined distance from the camera; and

a microcomputer configured to adjust an illuminance of the at least one light source based on the illuminance sensed by the illuminance sensor.

12. The oven according to claim 11, wherein the microcomputer sets an illuminance of the at least one light source to a value that is higher than the illuminance sensed by the illuminance sensor.

13. The oven according to claim 11, further comprising a communication board configured to transmit the image information of the inside of the cooking chamber to an external device.

14. The oven according to claim 13, wherein:

the communication board receives information related to control of the oven, set by the external device, and

the microcomputer controls operation of the oven, based on the information related to the control of the oven, received from the external device.

15. The oven according to claim 11, wherein the camera is disposed to be biased by a predetermined distance from a center area of the handle in a longitudinal direction of the handle so that the camera is biased toward one end of the handle.

16. The oven according to claim 15, wherein the camera is in a depression in an outer surface of the handle, and installed inside of the handle.

17. The oven according to claim 11, wherein the illuminance sensor is spaced a predetermined distance from the camera.

18. The oven according to claim 11, further comprising a storage unit configured to store illuminance information sensed by the illuminance sensor.

19. The oven according to claim 18, wherein the storage unit stores the image information acquired by the camera.

20. The oven according to claim 11, further comprising a status indicator disposed in the door unit, and configured to be turned on before the camera photographs the inside of the cooking chamber and to be turned off after the camera photographs the inside of the cooking chamber.

21. A method of controlling an oven, the oven including a door unit configured to open or close a cooking chamber, comprising:

receiving a control signal for photographing an inside of the cooking chamber using a camera module including a camera;

sensing an illuminance of an area in a range of a predetermined distance from the camera;

adjusting an illuminance of at least one light source provided inside of the door unit, based on the sensed illuminance;

photographing the inside of the cooking chamber based on the adjusted illuminance of the at least one light source to acquire image information of the inside of the cooking chamber; and

transmitting the image information of the inside of the cooking chamber to an external device.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the adjusting of the illuminance of the at least one light source comprises setting the illuminance of the at least one light source to a value that is higher than the sensed illuminance.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising receiving information related to control of the oven, set by the external device, and controlling operation of the oven based on the received information related to the control of the oven.

24. An oven comprising:

a case having a cooking chamber therein;

a door unit connected to the case, configured to open or close the cooking chamber, and having a transparent portion which enables viewing an inside of the cooking chamber;

a handle which protrudes from the door unit toward outside of the case; and

a camera module configured to photograph the inside of the cooking chamber, and disposed to be in a depression in an outer surface of the handle.

25. The oven according to claim 24, wherein the camera module is disposed to be biased toward one end of the handle from a center area of the handle in longitudinal direction of the handle.