Adaptive microwave oven
First Claim
1. An adaptive microwave oven controller comprising:
- a processor; and
a communication receiver to detect a presence of communication activity from a source external to an adaptive microwave oven in a microwave frequency range in a vicinity of said adaptive microwave oven;
wherein said communication activity is unrelated to purposeful control 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.
47 Citations
40 Claims
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1. An adaptive microwave oven controller comprising:
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a processor; and
a communication receiver to detect a presence of communication activity from a source external to an adaptive microwave oven in a microwave frequency range in a vicinity of said adaptive microwave oven;
wherein said communication activity is unrelated to purposeful control of said adaptive microwave oven. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11)
a pause control module in communication with said processor and said communication receiver, said pause control providing a pause signal to said processor based on receipt of a detected presence of said communication activity.
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3. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 2, wherein said pause control module includes:
a trickle control module capable of preventing degradation of an existing cooking cycle of an adaptive microwave oven.
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4. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 1, further comprising:
a microwave generator in communication with said processor.
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5. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 1, wherein:
said external source is a cordless telephone.
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6. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 1, wherein:
said external source is a wireless network.
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7. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 6, wherein:
said wireless network is a member of a piconet.
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8. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 1, wherein:
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said communication receiver further detects a characteristic of said present communication activity; and
said adaptive microwave oven is controlled based on said detected characteristic of, as opposed to information contained in, said communication activity.
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10. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 8, further comprising:
a microwave generator in communication with said processor.
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11. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 8, wherein:
said communication receiver is a cordless telephone receiver.
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9. An adaptive microwave oven controller including:
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a processor; and
a communication 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. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
said communication receiver is a wireless network receiver.
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13. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 12, wherein:
said wireless network is a member of a piconet.
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14. A method of adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, comprising:
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communicating information regarding a presence of unrelated radio signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, to a microwave oven; and
controlling an operation of said microwave oven based on said unrelated radio signals;
wherein said unrelated radio signals are unrelated to purposeful control of said microwave oven.
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15. A method of adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, comprising:
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communicating information regarding a frequency of operation of a cordless telephone to a microwave oven; and
controlling an operation of said microwave oven based on said communicated information which is unrelated to purposeful control of said microwave oven.
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16. A method of adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, comprising:
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communicating information regarding communication signals unrelated to purposeful control of a microwave oven, to said microwave oven; and
controlling an operation of said microwave oven based on said communicated information;
said information being communicated using a wireless network. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 20, 21)
said wireless network is a piconet.
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18. Apparatus for adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with microwave communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven according to claim 17, comprising:
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means for communicating information regarding microwave communication signals to a microwave oven; and
means for controlling an operating mode of said microwave oven based on said communicated information.
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20. 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 18, wherein:
said means for communicating information includes a wireless network receiver.
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21. 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 20, wherein:
said wireless network is a piconet.
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19. 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 wherein:
said means for communicating information provides information regarding a frequency of operation of a cordless telephone.
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22. Apparatus for adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, comprising:
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means for communicating information regarding unrelated radio signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, to said microwave oven; and
means for controlling an operation of said microwave oven based on said communicated information;
wherein said unrelated radio signals are unrelated to purposeful control of said microwave oven.
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23. An apparatus for adaptively controlling a microwave oven, comprising:
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means for communicating information regarding communication signals to a microwave oven; and
means for controlling an operation of said microwave oven based on said communicated information which is unrelated to purposeful control of said microwave oven;
said means for communicating information providing information regarding a frequency of operation of a cordless telephone.
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24. An apparatus for adaptively controlling a microwave oven, comprising:
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means for communicating information regarding communication signals to a microwave oven; and
means for controlling an operation of said microwave oven based on said communicated information which is unrelated to purposeful control of said microwave oven;
said means for communicating information including a wireless network transceiver. - View Dependent Claims (25)
said wireless network is a piconet.
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26. An adaptive microwave oven comprising:
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a processor; and
a cordless telephone receiver to detect a presence of RF communication activity in a vicinity of said adaptive microwave oven, said detected RF communication activity being unrelated to purposeful control of said adaptive microwave oven.
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27. An adaptive microwave oven comprising:
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a processor; and
a wireless network receiver to detect a presence of RF communication activity in a vicinity of said adaptive microwave oven, said detected RF communication activity being unrelated to purposeful control of said adaptive microwave oven.
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28. An adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:
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a processor; and
a communication receiver to detect a presence of unrelated radio signal activity from a source external to said adaptive microwave oven;
wherein said unrelated radio signal activity is unrelated to purposeful control of said adaptive microwave oven. - View Dependent Claims (29)
a pause control module in communication with said processor and said communication receiver, said pause control providing a pause signal to said processor based on receipt of a detected presence of said communication activity.
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30. An adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:
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a processor; and
a cordless telephone receiver to detect a presence of communication activity from a source external to said adaptive microwave oven, said detected communication activity being unrelated to purposeful control of said adaptive microwave oven.
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31. An adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:
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a processor;
a communication receiver to detect a presence of communication activity from a source external to said adaptive microwave oven; and
a pause control module in communication with said processor and said communication receiver, said pause control providing a pause signal to said processor based on receipt of a detected presence of said communication activity, said pause control module including;
a trickle control module capable of preventing degradation of an existing cooking cycle of an adaptive microwave oven.
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32. An adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:
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a processor; and
a wireless network to detect a presence of communication activity from a source external to said adaptive microwave oven, said communication activity being unrelated to purposeful control of said adaptive microwave oven.
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33. An adaptive microwave oven controller comprising:
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a processor; and
a communication receiver to detect a presence of unrelated radio signal activity from a source other than a microwave generator of said microwave oven, said unrelated radio signal activity being unrelated to purposeful control of said adaptive microwave oven. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35)
a pause control module in communication with said processor and said communication receiver, said pause control providing a pause signal to said processor based on receipt of a detected presence of said communication activity.
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35. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 33, further comprising:
a microwave generator in communication with said processor.
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36. An adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:
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a processor; and
a cordless telephone receiver to detect a presence of communication activity from a source other than a microwave generator of said microwave oven.
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37. The adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:
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a processor; and
a communication receiver to detect a presence of communication activity from a source other than a microwave generator of said microwave oven;
wherein said pause control module includes;
a trickle control module capable of preventing degradation of an existing cooking cycle of an adaptive microwave oven.
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38. The adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:
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a processor; and
a wireless network to detect a presence of communication activity from a source other than a microwave generator of said microwave oven.
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39. A method of adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, comprising:
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communicating information regarding a presence of unrelated radio signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, to a microwave oven; and
controlling an operation of said microwave oven based on a characteristic of said unrelated radio signals;
wherein said unrelated radio signals is unrelated to purposeful control of said microwave oven. - View Dependent Claims (40)
said characteristic is a frequency of said unrelated radio signal.
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Specification