Adaptive microwave oven
First Claim
1. An adaptive microwave oven, comprising:
- a processor; and
a microwave generator;
wherein said processor changes a frequency of an output of said microwave generator to avoid interference with external microwave signals detected in a vicinity of said adaptive microwave oven.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an adaptive microwave oven capable of entering an operation mode which avoids interference with a communication device either upon detection of a communication from a communication device (e.g., a cordless telephone) operating in a microwave frequency range, or upon receipt of a command indicating the operation of a microwave device such as a cordless telephone through a suitable network (e.g., a piconet using BLUETOOTH Technology). In one embodiment, a cooking mode of a microwave oven is paused (or significantly reduced) to best avoid interference with microwave signals between a remote handset and a matching base unit of a cordless telephone. The activity of microwave communications within the vicinity of the adaptive microwave oven can be determined, e.g., using a passive cordless telephone receiver which detects communication activity in the microwave range, or using direct communications from the cordless telephone using a suitable wireless network, e.g., a piconet using BLUETOOTH technology. In another embodiment, the frequency of an adaptive microwave oven capable of generating microwave energy at any of a plurality of microwave frequency ranges is controlled in accordance with the microwave frequency used by an electronic device (e.g., a cordless telephone) in the vicinity of the adaptive microwave oven. In this embodiment, a cordless telephone receiver can provide a controller for the adaptive microwave oven with passively detected information regarding the frequency of communication traffic in the vicinity of the microwave oven, or a wireless network can be used to provide frequency information directly between the relevant electronic device (e.g., cordless telephone) and the adaptive microwave oven.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An adaptive microwave oven, comprising:
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a processor; and
a microwave generator;
wherein said processor changes a frequency of an output of said microwave generator to avoid interference with external microwave signals detected in a vicinity of said adaptive microwave oven. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
said frequency is changed to avoid interference with a non-harmonic of said output of said microwave generator.
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3. The adaptive microwave oven according to claim 1, further comprising:
a network receiver to receive information regarding microwave signals in a vicinity of said adaptive microwave oven.
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4. The adaptive microwave oven according to claim 3, wherein:
said network receiver is a wireless network receiver.
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5. The adaptive microwave oven according to claim 3, wherein:
said network receiver is a wired network receiver.
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6. The adaptive microwave oven according to claim 3, wherein:
said network receiver is a piconet network receiver.
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7. The adaptive microwave oven according to claim 3, wherein:
said microwave signals are sourced from a piconet device.
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8. A method of adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with external microwave communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, comprising:
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communicating information regarding unrelated external microwave communication signals to a microwave oven; and
controlling a frequency of microwaves generated by said microwave oven based on said communicated information. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
said communicated information includes a frequency of said unrelated external microwave communication signals.
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10. The method of adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with external microwave communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven according to claim 9, wherein:
said frequency of microwaves generated by said microwave oven are controlled to purposefully avoid interference with said communicated unrelated external microwave communication signals.
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11. The method of adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with external microwave communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven according to claim 8, wherein:
said communicated information includes a frequency of piconet communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven.
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12. Apparatus for adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with microwave communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, comprising:
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means for communicating information regarding unrelated external microwave communication signals to a microwave oven; and
means for controlling a frequency of microwaves generated by said microwave oven based on said communicated information. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
said means for communicating information communicates a frequency of said unrelated external microwave communication signals.
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14. The apparatus for adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with microwave communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven according to claim 12, wherein:
said means for controlling controls said frequency of microwaves generated by said microwave oven to purposefully avoid interference with said communicated unrelated external microwave communication signals.
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15. The apparatus for adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with microwave communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven according to claim 12, wherein:
said means for communicating information communicates a frequency of piconet communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven.
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16. An adaptive microwave oven controller including:
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a processor; and
a wireless network receiver to detect a frequency of communication activity in a microwave frequency range in a vicinity of said adaptive microwave oven;
wherein a frequency of microwaves generated by an adaptive microwave oven controlled by said adaptive microwave oven controller is based on said frequency of said communication activity; and
wherein said wireless network receiver is a member of a piconet.
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Specification