Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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SPECIFICATION
TITLE: Display Device for Cooking Appliances
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a cooking appliance equipped
with a picture display means such as a cathode ray tube
display unit, wherein cooking methods are displayed on the
picture display means to improve the operability of the
cooking appliance and picture signal inputs from a
plurality of picture signal source means, such as a
cathode ray tube controller, a television receiver, a
monitor camera and a video playback unit, are selectively
switched to display them on the picture display means,
thus enhancing effective use of the picture display means.
BACKGROUND ART
Recently, incorporation of microcomputers into house-
hold electric and electronic equipment has progressed to
a remarkable extent, giving birth to high-performance,
high value-added products. For example, in the field of
cooking appliances, it has become possible to execute
very complicated cooking sequences by utilizing a micro-
computer while attaining satisfactory results.
However, in order to improve the performance of
cooking appliances, it is important not only to improve
cooking performance, as described above, but also to
- provide for ease of use. Particularly, as performance
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is improved by mierocomputer eontrol, operation tends to be
inereasingly complieated, eallinq for improved operability.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a display device for cooking
applianees such as a mierowave oven, and provides a cooking
applianee wherein cooking methods are displayed on such
a pieture display means as a eathode ray tube display unit
to improve the operability of the appliance; when cook-
ing is not ealled for, pieture signals from a plurality of
pieture signal sources, sueh as a television receiver, a
monitor eamera and a video playback unit, are seleetively
switched to display them on the picture display means, thus
adapting the applianee for multipurpose use.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE D~AWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspeetive view of a cooking applianee,
showing an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspeetive view of the
prineipal portion of the appliance;
Fig. 3 is a system diagram of said applianee;
Fig. 4 is a side view, partly broken away of the
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appliance;
Fig. 5 a/ b, c, d, e, f and g shows displays on a
screen, illustrating the operation of a display device
for the cooking appliance;
Fig. 6 is a block diagram of the appliance;
Fig. 7 is a block diagram of the appliance;
Fig. 8 is a block diagram of the appliance; and
Fig. 9 is a block diagram of the appliance.
BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTIOI~
Fig. 1 is a perspective view, wherein 1 denotes a
cooking appliance body and 2 denotes a forwardly pivotal
door, having a viewing window througn which the food in
the oven can be seen. The numeral 3 denotes an operating
panel constituted of a cathode ray tube (hereinafter
referred to CRT), a keyboard, speaker sound openings, a
simple printer, a microphone, etc. The numeral 4 denotes
a television receiving antenna; 5 denotes a monitor camera;
6 denotes a floppy disk device; and 7 denotes video tape
recorder (hereinafter referred to as VTR): these are con-
nected to a connecting section (not shown) provided on the
back of the oven body.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the operating panel.
The numeral 8 denotes a CRT for displaying characters,
pictures and patterns. The numeral 9 denotes a keyboard
having 12 keys 9a-9Q of various functions. The numeral
10 denotes speaker sound openings formed in the cooking
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appliance body 1. The numeral 11 denotes a simple
printer capable of hard-copying data displayed on the CRT
screen, as needed. The numeral 12 denotes a voice input
deyice such as a microphone, which controls the cooking
appliance by voice inputs.
Fig. 3 is a system diagram of a cooking oven control
device. The numeral 13 denotes a microprocessor having
8-bit or 16-bit processing capacity which forms the nucleu~
of oyen control. The numeral 14 denotes a main memory
unit constitut~d o~ a ~OM (rea~ only m2mory unil) navi~l~ dn ~v-r~ll
control progra~ stored therein and d RAM (random access Memory unit)
for the writing an~ reading of data. The numeral 15 deilotes a bus fo- t
transferring signals, which i3 constituted of an address
bus, a data bus and a control bus. The numeral 16 denotes
a voice recognition unit which recognizes a voice input
from the voice input device 12 ~uch as d mi~ropho;le and
infonns thel,licroprocessor what the voice input has co~r~lunicated.
The numeral 17 denotes an interface for the simple printer
11~ The numeral 18 denotes a synthesizer which, as needed,
synthesizes a sound specified by the microprocessor 13
and drives a speaker 19. The numeral 20 denotes a door
control unit for automatically opening the door 2; for
example, if the user says, "Open the door" these spoken
words are recognized by the voice recognition unit 16
and the microprocessor 13 signals the door control unit 20
to open the door, whereupon the door control unit 20
automatically opens the door. Fig. 4 shows- an example of
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a door opening mechanism. The numeral 30 denotes a
solenoid adapted to driven by the door controller 20.
When the solenoid 30 is driven, a lever 31 is turned
downwardly around the axis of a pivot 3`2; raising a hook
34 installed on the door, until it is disengaged from a
fitting body 33 on the oven, whereupon the door 2 opens.
The numeral 35 denotes a spring which produces a
fitting force between the hook 34 and the fitting body
33.
The numeral 21 denotes an interface for driving a
heater, e.g. a magnetron 22 for the cooking oven. The
numeral 23 denotes an interface for the keyboard 9. ` I
The numeral 24 denotes a CRT controller which produces
a video signal to writ~ into a refresh me~ory 25 CRT picture
display data transferred by the bus 15 and to display said
data on the CRT screen. The numeral 26 denotes an interface
for the floppy disk device 6. The numeral 27 denotes an
interface for a switching device 28 adapted to selectively
switch video signals from the CRT controller 24, monitor
camera 5, VTR 7 and TV receiver 4a and transfer them to
the CRT 8. The numeral 29 denotes an interface for
controlling the monitor camera 5, VTR 7 and television
receiver 4a.
The operation of the invention arranged in the manner
described above will now be described.
At the start of cooking, the user searches for a
desired menu. Pressing the "COOK" key 9a on the keyboard 9
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produces a character display, as shown in Fig. 5 a, on
-the CRT screen. This is a category list for selection of a
category for cooking. The numeral 36 denotes a pointer
display body which, when the function selection keys 9c
and 9d called "SELECT" keys are pressed, is moved to a
desired function (cooking category) position to selectively
set such function. The key 9c is a reverse function
selection key used to move the pointer display body 36 in
the reverse direction, and the key 9d is a forward function
selection key.
This completes the selection of cooking category, and
the next step is to select a desired one from among the
menus contained in the selected category. The key 9i is
a picture scroll key called "STEP" key and, when pressed,
produces a character display, as shown in Fig. 5 bo This
is a menu list contained in said selected category. In
this case also, the use of the "SELECT" keys 9c and 9d
moves the pointer display body 36 to a desired menu,
whereby the latter is selected and set, and at the same
time a state which makes possible the execution of the cook-
ing sequence is established.
It is now possible to start cooking by pressing the
"START" key 9j, but a video picture demonstrating the
expected result of the selected menu can be obtained,
as shown in Fig. 5 c, by pressing the "STEP" key 9i.
Subsequently, pressing the "STEP" key 9i produces
a character display showing a list of materials needed
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for making the selected menu, as shown in FIg. 5 d.
At this time, if the "PRINT" key 9Q is pressed, the
list of materials depicted on the CRT 8 will be printed
out by the printer 11.
Further, when the "STEP" key 9i is pressed, information
is displayed in character form teaching the cooking
sequence of the selected menu, as shown in Fig. 5 e.
Further, when the "STEP" key 9i is pressed, a video
picture showing the cooking sequence of the selected
menu is sent from the VTR 7 and displayed. In this case, r
a concurrent explanation in sound form will facilitate the
understanding.
In addition, the key 9i is a forward picture scroll
key for renewing the content of display on the screen in
the forward direction, and the key 9h is a reverse picture
scroll key for revival in the reverse direction.
Further, if the picture search key 9b called "SEARCH"
key is pressed subsequent to the selection of the desired
function (cooking category) by said "COOI~" key 9a and
function selection keys 9c and 9d, video pictures demonstrat-
ing the expected results of a plurality of menus contained
in the selected cooking category will be successively shown
on the CRT 8 at fixed intervals of time. ~hen a desired
display picture appears, the user presses the picture
stop key 9e called "STOP" key to bring the display sequenclng
to a halt. At his time, the menu displayed on the screen
is selected and set, and the cooking sequence becomes
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After the preparatory operation for cooking described
above has been completed, the "START" key 9j is pressed,
whereby heating is started and a cooking sequence pattern
37 stored in advance is displayed, as shown in Fig. 5 g.
In what seems like a bar graph shown therein, cooking
time is represented in the horizontal direction and
heating power in the vertical direction. If different
colors are used to represent different amounts of
heating power, the resulting display system is intuitive and
easy to understand.
Further, the progress of the cooking sequence can be
more visually definitely indicated as by using different
colors for the elapsed time portion 39 of the cooking
sequence pattern 37 and the other remair~ing time portion or
by putting some mark in the portion going on.
Further, it is possible to present the user accurate
tirne counts by providing a timer display section 38 indicat-
ing the cooking time in digital form. It is also possible
- to acoustically report the remaining time by the synthesizer
18.
In the above description concerning the picture displays
in Fig. 5 a through g, in the character display pictures
the picture signal source is principally the semiconductor
memory or floppy disk device 6 and in the video pictures
the picture signal source in VTR 7.
The operation of the present invention described above,
which is difficult to illustrate in drawing form because
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it is performed by the microprocessor 13 executing the
control program stored in the main memory unit 14,
is as shown in FIgs. 6 through 9 if represented in block
diagram form.
Fig. 6 is a block diagram for an explanation of the
operation of the picture scroll keys 9h and 9i. Each
time the picture scroll keys 9h and 9i are pressed, one
of the picture signal sources 41-1 through 41-N is
successively addressed by address generating means 40.
Picture display data from the selected picture source
is transferred to the picture display means 8 and
displayed on the screen.
In addition, the picture signal sources 41-1 through
41-N each have a set o~ data, and which data should be
used is determined by moving the pointer display body 3
by means of the function selection keys 9c and 9d.
FigO 7 is a block diagram for an explanation of
the operation of the function selection keys 9c and 9d.
Each time the function selection keys 9c and 9d are
pressed, one of the decode output lines 44-1 through
44~N is selected by decode means 43. The selected decode
output line 44-1 through 44-M displays a pointer display
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body 8a in the predetermined position on the picture display
means 8, and the function execution means 45 executes the
predetermined function.
Fig. 8 is a block diagram for an explanation of the
pattern display operation for the cooking sequence.
Cooking sequence data 48 stored in the semiconductor
memory or floppy disk is selectively set in cooking sequence
execution means 46 via the function execution means 45
by the picture scroll keys 9h and 9i and function selection
keys 9c and 9d. The content of the cooking sequence is
processed by the pattern generating means 47 on the basis
of a predetermined picture data format to provide picture
display data and written to memory 25 is displayed on the
screen of the picture display means 8 by the CRT controller
24.
Fig. 9 is a function block ~iagram for an explanation
of the operation of the picture search key 9b and picture
stop key 9a. Pressing the picture search key 9b causes
timing means 49 to start, producing, after predetermined
intervals of time, a START signal to operate motor drive
means 50 and an address renewal signal to cause address
counter means 51 count up.
The motor drive means 50 rotates a motor 52 to
drive a video tape 53. Denoted by 53-1 is a video signal
memory portion and 53-2 is a picture address memory
portion. The numeral 54 denotes a video signal read-out
head; a read-out video signal is pictured on the picture
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di.splay means 8 through an amplifier 55. The numeral
56 denotes a picture address read-out head; a read-out
picture address is transferred to address comparison
means 58 through an amplifier 57. The address comparison
means 58 judges whether or not the read-out picture
address agrees with the address value outputted from the
address counter 51, and if it agrres, outputs a STOP
signal to the motor drive means to stop the rotation of
the motor 52 so as to temporarily fix the picture display.
After a given period of time, the timing means 49
outputs a START signal and an address renewal signal,
whereupon the motor 52 is rotated again, and through
the same operation aas described above a video signal
having the next picture addre~s is pictured on the
picture display means 8.
With such operation repeated, the video picture is
successively renewed.
Further, if the picture stop key 9e is pressed,
the operation of the timing means 49 is stopped, so
that no START signal or address renewal signal is outputted,
with the picture coming to be held stlll~ The function
(menu) corresponding to the display picture at this time
can be identified by the address data outputted from the
address counter means 51, and the setting of the cooking
sequence is effected through the function execution means
45. The "TV" key 9i is a key for actuating the television
receiver 4a to present a TV picture on the CRT ~. The
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"MONITOR" key 9g is a key for actuating the monitor
camera 5 to picture on the CRT 8 a picture input from the
monitor camera. By these means, it is possible to know
whether or not there is a caller at the door or what is
going on in the children's room. The "DOOR" key 9k is
a key for opening the door 2, whose function is equivalent
to the operation for orally opening the door.
As for the voice input function, besides the above
function of opening the door 2, it is possible to realize,
e.g., the function of switching the CRT picture to one
showing the expected result of the menu in Fig. 5 c in
response to a voice input "ROAST sEEF."
As described above, the present invention is arranged
so that (l) cooking data including a menu, materials and
cooking sequence, (2) picture data recorded in the VTR 7
including a picture showing the expected result of the
menu and a picture showing the cooking steps, (3) pictures
from the TV receiver, and (4) pictures from the monitor
camera can be suitably selectively displayed, thus providing
a multipurpose multifunction cooking oven control device.
Further, it is possible to obtaln a hard copy of the
list of materlals depicted on the CRT screen from the
printer ll by presslng the "PRINT" key 9Q or to report
the necessary lnformatlon in sound form to the user by
means of the synthesizer 18.
The door 2 can be opened by a voice lnput from the
voicè input devlce (mlcrophone) 12 or the switching
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of the CR~ picture can be easily realized, so that an
improved-operability cooking oven control device can be
provided.
Further, one of the plurality of function displayed
on the picture display means 8 such as CRT 8 can be
selected by the function keys 9c and 9d called "FUNCTION"
keys, and the various items of cooking information on the
selected function can be successively displayed on the
picture display means 8 for the user by the picture
scroll ke~s 9h and 9i called "STEP" keys.
Further, the cooking sequence is changed into a
pattern form for intuitive representation of the progress
of cooking, and the cooking time is represented in
digital form, so that the accurate cooking time and
progress can be reported to the user.
Further, a search for a function (menu) can be made
by using the picture search key 9b called "SEARCH" key
while viewing the video picture screen, and when a
desired function (menu) comes out, it can be selected
and set by pressing the picture stop key 9e, so that the
cooking sequence can be automatically set.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
As has been described so far, the present invention
consists in providing a cooking appliance such as a microwave
oven with a display device, and picturing cooking means on
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- said display device, thereby allowing the operator to do
the cooking smoothly while watching the pictures. Further,
it is also possible to control the cooki.ng appliance by
the voice input means, and besides being used for picturing
the cooking means, the display device can be used to
project pictures from the monitor camera and video
playback device; thus, it is utilizable for many purposes.
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