Abstract: An improved heating time control apparatus and a method for a microwave oven capable of detecting food temperature using an infrared ray coming from food being heated, whereby better heating time control can be possible, which includes a key input circuit for inputting a cooking menu and a food kinds; an infrared sensor circuit for detecting a surface temperature of food in accordance with the amount of infrared rays coming from food being cooked and for converting the detected temperature into a predetermined electric signal; a microprocessor for outputting a first heating time previously set in accordance with a selected menu and a second heating time previously set in accordance with a food kinds and for monitoring an output signal outputted from the infrared sensor and for outputting a result obtained by multiplying an output signal difference between points of a first heating time completion and a second heating time completion by a predetermined coefficient as a third heating time; and an output control

Abstract: An improved automatic thawing apparatus for a microwave oven capable of advantageously thawing food which includes a heating chamber for a food placement therein; a microwave generator for providing microwave energy into the heating chamber in order to heat the food therein; at least one amplifier for amplifying signals detected by a thawing state detection circuit to a predetermined level; a bias voltage control circuit for generating bias signals for initializing an output signal of the amplifier to a predetermined level in beginning of the thawing operation; and a control circuit for controlling the initialization of the output signal of the amplifier to the predetermined level by controlling the bias voltage control circuit, for judging the thawing state of the food in the heating chamber in response to the signal outputted from the amplifier, and for outputting control signals to the microwave generator in accordance with such judgement.

Abstract: A method of thawing a food in a microwave oven, capable of achieving an optimum thawing of the food by temporarily stopping the heating of the food for a predetermined time after completion of an initial heating of the food, determining whether an additional heating of the food should be executed, on the basis of a variation of an output signal generated from a gas sensor, during the temporary stop interval, and calculating a time for the additional heating, during the temporary stop interval.

Abstract: An automatic thawing device of a microwave oven and a method for control thereof. A turntable is rotatably placed in a cooking chamber. A gas sensor is placed about an exhaust port of the oven and senses amount of gas or vapor exhausted from the cooking chamber through the exhaust port during a thawing operation, and outputs a gas amount signal to a microprocessor. The microprocessor calculates a thawing time by operation of the output signal of the gas sensor an outputting a thawing control signal for driving the microwave oven. An output drive unit controls output level of electromagnetic wave of high frequency of a magnetron in accordance with the thawing control signal of the microprocessor. The magnetron generates the electromagnetic wave of high frequency in accordance with output signal of the drive unit for the thawing time. A power source supplies an electric power to the thawing device in accordance with the thawing control signal of the microprocessor.

Abstract: Apparatus for changing cooking data of an automatic cooker allowing the user to change to a desired level which is capable of serving a food tasting just right to the user. The apparatus includes a power supply, a controller for controlling its peripheral equipments according to the cooking control program, a keyboard having a plurality of cooking control keys and a pair of data up/down keys, a cooking data storage unit for storing experimentally determined cooking data, a cooking state sensing circuit for sensing a cooking state, a display unit for displaying the cooking state and the selected cooking data, an output driving circuit for driving a heating device of the cooker, and a cooking data changing section for changing the cooking data.