Adaptive microwave oven

• US 6,346,692 B1
• Filed: 09/20/1999
• Issued: 02/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Guardian Corp. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ubowski, Richard M., Veschi, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeffery, John A.
• Application Number:
  US09/399,147
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 219/702, 219/714, 219/736-737, 340/536, 340/825-1-8, 455/63, 455/66, 455/151.1, 455/92, 455/69, 455/70, 455/556-557, 307/117
• US Class Current: 219/702
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/668 Microwave heating devices connected to a telecommunication network
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/688 for thawing

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.

Claims

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.

2. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 1, further comprising:

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.

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.

4. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 1, further comprising:

a microwave generator in communication with said processor.

5. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 1, wherein:

said external source is a cordless telephone.

6. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 1, wherein:

said external source is a wireless network.

7. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 6, wherein:

said wireless network is a member of a piconet.

8. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 1, wherein:

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.

10. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 8, further comprising:

a microwave generator in communication with said processor.

11. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 8, wherein:

said communication receiver is a cordless telephone receiver.

9. An adaptive microwave oven controller including:

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.

12. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 9, wherein:

said communication receiver is a wireless network receiver.

13. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 12, wherein:

said wireless network is a member of a piconet.

14. A method of adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, comprising:

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.

15. A method of adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, comprising:

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.

16. A method of adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, comprising:

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.

17. The method of adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with microwave communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven according to claim 16, wherein:

said wireless network is a piconet.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

22. Apparatus for adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, comprising:

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.

23. An apparatus for adaptively controlling a microwave oven, comprising:

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.

24. An apparatus for adaptively controlling a microwave oven, comprising:

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.

25. The apparatus for adaptively controlling a microwave oven according to claim 24, wherein:

said wireless network is a piconet.

26. An adaptive microwave oven comprising:

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.

27. An adaptive microwave oven comprising:

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.

28. An adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:

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.

29. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 28, further comprising:

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.

30. An adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:

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.

31. An adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:

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.

32. An adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:

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.

33. An adaptive microwave oven controller comprising:

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.

34. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 33, further comprising:

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.

35. The adaptive microwave oven controller according to claim 33, further comprising:

a microwave generator in communication with said processor.

36. An adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:

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.

37. The adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:

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.

38. The adaptive microwave oven controller, comprising:

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.

39. A method of adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven, comprising:

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.

40. The method of adaptively controlling a microwave oven to avoid interference with communication signals in a vicinity of said microwave oven according to claim 39, wherein:

said characteristic is a frequency of said unrelated radio signal.