Apparatus and method for transmitting and receiving data in microwave oven

• US 7,351,941 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Ji Woong
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBINSON, DANIEL LEON
• Application Number:
  US10/806,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20050011886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 219/702, 219/703, 219/704, 219/705, 219/706, 219/707, 219/708, 219/709, 219/710, 219/711, 219/712, 219/713
• US Class Current: 219/702
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/688 for thawing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and method for data transmitting/receiving between a microwave oven and an information appliance PDA. The apparatus includes a wireless data transmitting/receiving unit for conducting wireless data communication with an external system including an information appliance; a data storage unit for storing transmitted/received data through the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit and/or downloaded data from Internet; a display unit for displaying transmitted data from the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit; a load drive unit for driving a magnetron and/or a heater; and Micom interfaced with the above elements, and interpreting the transmitted data from the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit and/or checking a state of the microwave oven, and controlling the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit to transmit the data on the state of the microwave oven to an information appliance. According to the invention, although the microwave oven does not include built-in networked communication equipment like a modem, it can interface with Internet through an information appliance, a PDA for example, which download data and transmits to the microwave oven. Thus, increase in price of the microwave oven with the modem is minimized and user interface is provided. Also, repair cost of the microwave oven can be minimized by checking the microwave based on the data on the internal state of the microwave being transmitted to the PDA.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transmitting and receiving data in a microwave oven having a data transmitting/receiving function from an external system, the apparatus comprising:

a wireless data transmitting/receiving unit for conducting wireless data communication with an external system including an information appliance;

a data storage unit for storing transmitted/received data through the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit and/or downloaded data from Internet;

a display unit for displaying transmitted data from the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit;

a load drive unit for driving a magnetron and/or a heater; and

Micom interfaced with the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit, the data storage unit, the display unit, and the load drive unit, and interpreting the transmitted data from the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit and/or checking a state of the microwave oven, and controlling the wireless data transmitting/receiving unit to transmit the data on the state of the microwave oven to an information appliance.

2. An apparatus for transmitting and receiving data in a microwave oven, the apparatus comprising:

a physical layer having a data communication means for transmitting and receiving data wirelessly between an information appliance and the microwave oven, and a data storage means for storing data downloaded by the data communication means;

an application layer for interpreting and processing data information received from the physical layer, and producing data information to be transmitted to the physical layer; and

a data link layer for configuring at least a packet by using the data information transmitted from the application layer, and transmitting the packet to the physical layer, and/or processing the packet transmitted from the physical layer, so that the packet is transmitted to the application layer.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the data information the application layer transmits and receives is comprised of at least one of a message in relation to load control on time, temperature and output for a cooking recipe, or memory control method;

a message for a control method that is not pre-designated in the microwave oven and a screen; and

a necessary message for transmitting information on the internal state of the microwave oven to the information appliance.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the data communication means is a Bluetooth module for providing Bluetooth communication between the information appliance and the microwave oven.