Programmable microwave oven with program display

• US 4,418,262 A
• Filed: 05/12/1982
• Issued: 11/29/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1979
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Noda, Tominitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Reynolds, B. A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leung, Philip H.
• Application Number:
  US06/377,478
• Time in Patent Office: 566 Days
• Field of Search: 219/10.55 B, 219/506, 340/802, 340/712, 340/713, 340/792, 340/365 R, 364/715, 235/92 ST, 235/92 EA, 235/92 EC
• US Class Current: 219/720
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/102 for input of programme steps, i.e. setting up sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/12 using record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/16 using magnetic record carriers G05B19/128 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6438 allowing the recording of a program of operation of the microwave heating apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6452 the sensors being in contact with the heated product

Abstract

A microwave oven according to the invention have one-chip microprocessors including a ROM, a RAM and an I/O port. In the ROM a permanent program for controlling the RAM, a data input unit and a display unit is stored. Data is coupled from the data input unit and stored in the RAM according to the permanent program. The display unit is controlled according to the permanent program such that the data stored in the RAM are displayed on the display unit at a constant interval for permitting the checking of the heating program.

Claims

1. A programmable microwave oven including means for reviewing previously programmed cooking instructions, comprising:

a keyboard data input means having function keys for inputting data representing cooking instructions defining a sequence of heating power levels and a cooking time or a cooking temperature associated with each such power level;

a means for exciting a heating element at selectable power levels;

a display means for displaying data previously inputted via said keyboard data input means; and

a control means, including a microprocessor, coupled to said keyboard data input means, exciting means, and display means, including read only memory (ROM) means for storing a fixed program, a random access memory (RAM) means for memorizing data inputted via said keyboard data input means, and a central logic unit for (a) carrying out the fixed program of said ROM means in accordance with the data inputted via said keyboard data input means and (b) generating signals for controlling said exciting means in accordance therewith so as to obtain a combination of power levels and times or temperatures associated therewith according to the cooking instructions previously inputted via said keyboard data input means,

said keyboard data input means, said RAM means and said display means being controlled according to said fixed program of said ROM such that in response to a single actuation of said reviewing means after data has been entered via said keyboard data input means and stored in said RAM means, the so stored data in said RAM means are successively read out and displayed before the cooking is carried out in accordance with data indicative of the cooking instructions, the display changing automatically at predetermined intervals of time between successive displays to display successive data,

the control means inhibiting the execution of the cooking instruction unless they have been reviewed by operation of the reviewing means.

2. A programmable microwave oven including means for reviewing previously programmed cooking instructions, comprising:

a card data input means for reading data representing a cooking instructions defining a sequence of heating power levels and a cooking time or cooking temperature associated with each such power level from a card having a record section bearing recorded data indicative thereof;

a means for exciting a heating element at selectable power levels;

a display means for displaying including data previously inputted via said card data input means; and

a control means, including a microprocessor, coupled to said card data input means, exciting means and display means, including a read only memory (ROM) means for storing a fixed program, a random access memory (RAM) means for memorizing data inputted via said card data input means, and a central logic unit for (a) carrying out the fixed program of said ROM in accordance with the data inputted via said card data input means and (b) generating signals for controlling said exciting means in accordance therewith so as to obtain a combination of power levels and times or temperatures associated therewith according to the cooking instructions previously inputted via said card data input means;

said card data input means, RAM means and said display means being also controlled according to said fixed program of said ROM such that after data has been entered via said card data input means and stored in said RAM means the data stored in said RAM means are successively read out and displayed before the cooking is carried out in accordance with the data indicative of the cooking instructions, the display changing automatically at a predetermined interval of time between successive displays to display successive data;

the control means inhibiting the execution of the cooking instructions unless they have been reviewed by actuation of the reviewing means.

3. A microwave oven according to claim 2, further including a keyboard data input device having numeric keys and function keys including a review key adapted to generate, upon actuation of said review key, a coded electric signal corresponding to said review key, and wherein said keyboard data input device, said RAM and display means are controlled by said fixed program such that when said review key is depressed the contents of said random access memory are sequentially read out to permit it to be continuously displayed with a predetermined time interval.