Wireless temperature-sensing system inclusive of thermally-responsive oscillator
First Claim
1. Wireless temperature sensing means for monitoring a temperature within a cooking apparatus, comprising:
- transmitter means for propagating electromagnetic waves within said cooking apparatus over a range of selectively variable frequencies, the said frequencies varying by predetermined increments upon the respective lapses of corresponding predetermined increments of time over which given discrete frequencies exist;
resonant circuit means having a resonant frequency variable linearly in accordance with a monitored temperature value in said cooking apparatus and being devoid of a source of power for selectively responding to a particular frequency of said given discrete frequencies of said propagated electromagnetic waves which is representative of said monitored temperature value and repropagating a response wave having that particular frequency over a subsequent interval of time; and
detection means, responsive to said response wave over a sampling interval coincident with said subsequent interval of time for determining said particular frequency as a measure of monitored temperature value.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless temperature-sensing assembly adapted for a cooking apparatus such as a microwave oven, comprises a wireless communication element and a sensing probe. The wireless communication element provides electromagnetic waves over an oven cavity of the cooking apparatus. The sensing probe selects a particular frequency of the electromagnetic waves. The sensing probe contains an oscillator element resonance frequencies of which vary depending on the surrounding temperature. The wireless communication element further receives and detects the particular frequency of the electromagnetic waves defined by the selecting means. In a specific form, the wireless communication element provides the electromagnetic waves the frequencies of which vary from time slot to time slot. The oscillator element may be composed of crystal, ceramic, or the like. The resonance frequencies of the oscillator element change due to variation in its number of proper vibrations dependent on the surrounding temperature.
-
Citations
18 Claims
-
1. Wireless temperature sensing means for monitoring a temperature within a cooking apparatus, comprising:
-
transmitter means for propagating electromagnetic waves within said cooking apparatus over a range of selectively variable frequencies, the said frequencies varying by predetermined increments upon the respective lapses of corresponding predetermined increments of time over which given discrete frequencies exist; resonant circuit means having a resonant frequency variable linearly in accordance with a monitored temperature value in said cooking apparatus and being devoid of a source of power for selectively responding to a particular frequency of said given discrete frequencies of said propagated electromagnetic waves which is representative of said monitored temperature value and repropagating a response wave having that particular frequency over a subsequent interval of time; and detection means, responsive to said response wave over a sampling interval coincident with said subsequent interval of time for determining said particular frequency as a measure of monitored temperature value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. Cooking control means for detecting the difference between a monitored cooking temperature value and a preset cooked temperature value of a foodstuff in a cooking apparatus and controlling said apparatus as a function of the said difference in temperatures, comprising:
-
transmitter means for propagating electromagnetic waves within said cooking apparatus over a range of selectively variable frequencies, the said frequencies varying by predetermined increments upon the respective lapses of corresponding predetermined increments of time over which given discrete frequencies exist; resonant circuit means having a resonant frequency variable linearly in accordance with a monitored temperature value in said cooking apparatus and being devoid of a source of power for selectively responding to a particular frequency of said given discrete frequencies of said propagated electromagnetic waves which is representative of said monitored temperature value and repropagating a response wave having that particular frequency over a subsequent interval of time; and detection means, responsive to said response wave over a sampling interval coincident with said subsequent interval of time for determiming said particular frequency as a measure of said monitored temperature value; said detection means providing an output signal representative of said monitored cooking temperature value; comparison means responsive to said output signal and including a reference parameter representative of said preset cooked temperature value for comparing said monitored cooking temperature value with said preset cooked temperature value for generating a representative temperature difference signal therebetween; and control means responsive to said temperature difference signal for controlling the cooking of said foodstuff by said cooking apparatus as a function of said temperature difference. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification