Heating apparatus provided with a voice synthesizing circuit
First Claim
1. A heating apparatus comprisingan enclosure case having therein a heating chamber in which an object to be heated is to be placed, said enclosure case having a door at an opening of said heating chamber,a heating means for generating heating energy in said heating chamber,a plurality of operation buttons interconnected with a key input means for inputting predetermined heating sequence data,a voice data memory means for storing synthesizing voice data corresponding to predetermined heating sequence data,a voice synthesizing circuit for producing synthesized voice signals from said synthesizing voice data stored in said voice data memory means,a speaker for generating synthesized voices upon receipt of said synthesized voice signals from said voice synthesized circuit, andmicrocomputer control circuit means for controlling circuit operations of said voice synthesizing circuit, and controlling heating operations of said heating means following predetermined sequence orders when heating sequence data are given thereto through said key input means said microcomputer control circuit means comprising a built-in read only memory (ROM) for storing programs comprising a first algorithm for checking the validity of key input data and a second algorithm for actuating said voice synthesizing circuit only when said key input data are determined to be valid based on predetermined criteria.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microcomputer-controlled microwave oven including key switch inputs and voice synthesizer for conveying information to a user. The synthesizer is used in connection with a data input program to aid the user in inputting data via the key switches to avert errors in inputting data that may result in over-heating of food or a fire inside the oven'"'"'s heating chamber.
37 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A heating apparatus comprising
an enclosure case having therein a heating chamber in which an object to be heated is to be placed, said enclosure case having a door at an opening of said heating chamber, a heating means for generating heating energy in said heating chamber, a plurality of operation buttons interconnected with a key input means for inputting predetermined heating sequence data, a voice data memory means for storing synthesizing voice data corresponding to predetermined heating sequence data, a voice synthesizing circuit for producing synthesized voice signals from said synthesizing voice data stored in said voice data memory means, a speaker for generating synthesized voices upon receipt of said synthesized voice signals from said voice synthesized circuit, and microcomputer control circuit means for controlling circuit operations of said voice synthesizing circuit, and controlling heating operations of said heating means following predetermined sequence orders when heating sequence data are given thereto through said key input means said microcomputer control circuit means comprising a built-in read only memory (ROM) for storing programs comprising a first algorithm for checking the validity of key input data and a second algorithm for actuating said voice synthesizing circuit only when said key input data are determined to be valid based on predetermined criteria.
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9. In a microcomputer controlled heating apparatus wherein a heating sequence to be carried out by the apparatus is provided to the apparatus by a user via a set of input keys, the improvement comprising the combination therewith:
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a key input checking program stored in the microcomputer for checking the appropriateness of key actuations according to predetermined criteria, and a voice synthesizer for synthesizing a voice command to the user, the absence of a voice command or the presence of a particular voice command (a) indicating the appropriateness or inappropriateness of a particular key actuation or sequence of key actuations, or (b) providing a status instruction to the user. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A heating apparatus, comprising:
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a heating chamber adapted to receive an object to be heated; heating means for generating heating energy within the chamber; data input keys for programming the apparatus to execute a heating sequence; a temperature probe insertable into and removable from the heating chamber for sensing the temperature of an object being heated; means for sensing the presence of the probe within the chamber; a voice synthesizer for generating voice commands and sound signals indicative of a status of the apparatus; and microcomputer control circuit means for controlling the programming of the apparatus to a cooking sequence defined by data entered by the user via the data input keys and the execution of a cooking sequence so entered, the microcomputer including algorithms for controlling the apparatus (a) to confirm input data entered via the data input keys with voice commands and/or sound signals, (b) to exclude the entry of data via the data input keys under certain predetermined conditions (c) instruct the user to remove the probe if a cooking sequence is entered via the input keys that does not require use of the probe and the probe is within the chamber, (d) instruct the user to insert the probe into a food being cooked if a heating sequence is entered via the input keys that requires use of the probe and the probe is not within the chamber; and (e) to count the number of sequential tappings of a data key so that information can be programmed responsive to the identity of the keys and number of times the keys are tapped. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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Specification