Abstract: A microwave oven includes a control unit which sets sampling intervals to accumulate humidity values measured by a humidity sensor, and controls a cooking end time of food according to an accumulated humidity value obtained by accumulating the humidity values measured during the set sampling intervals. Accordingly, the microwave oven prevents overcooking of the food, for example, that does not require a further cooking after initial generation of steam thereof. The microwave oven may set sampling intervals through several measurements to improve the reliability thereof. Moreover, the microwave oven may learn an operation of setting sampling intervals according to cooking conditions so as to finish a cooking according to the set sampling intervals where a later set cooking condition corresponds to the learned cooking condition.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus having heaters which performs cooking by taking a remaining heat of the heaters in a cooking cavity into consideration if food is cooked using a heating method through the heaters. The cooking apparatus performs cooking based on an accumulative temperature value of the cooking cavity in place of a cooking time, thereby optimally cooking foods even though cooking operations are continuously carried out. The cooking apparatus finishes the cooking if the accumulative temperature value of the cooking cavity reaches a temperature value set to correspond to a cooking level for toast, which is selected by a user.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling operation of a compressor in a refrigerator, which are able to prevent an explosion of refrigerant caused by leakage of the refrigerant by supplying or blocking power source to electric devices in the refrigerator after detecting error of the compressor, comprise a temperature sensing unit for sensing inner temperature of the refrigerator, a door open sensing unit for sensing opened/closed status of the refrigerator door, an operating time measuring unit measuring operating time of the compressor, a microcomputer outputting a control signal based on the inner temperature, opened/closed status of the door and the operating time of the compressor, and a driving unit for supplying or blocking power source to all electric devices in the refrigerator based on the control signal.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus equipped with heaters and a method of controlling the same. An aspect of the present invention is to increase convenience of a user by identifying a kind of an accessory, such as a wire rack, a crumb tray or the like, present in a cooking cavity based on a variation in an inner temperature of a cooking cavity at an initial operating stage of a cooking mode using the heaters and automatically performing the ON/OFF control mode of the heaters suitable for a corresponding accessory. A cooking apparatus is provided including two or more heaters installed in a first position of a cooking cavity heating food, the crumb tray is inserted in a second position of the cooking cavity and is used to contain the food in cooking modes using the heaters, and a temperature detection unit is installed between the first and second positions to detect an inside temperature of the cooking cavity.

Abstract: A microwave oven having an improved air outlet and humidity sensor mounting structure includes a body partitioned in its interior into a cooking cavity and a machine room, and a cooling fan installed in the machine room which draws atmospheric air into the cooking cavity while cooling a variety of elements installed in the machine room. In the microwave oven, an air outlet unit discharges air from the cooking cavity, and the humidity sensor senses a cooking atmosphere of the cooking cavity. This microwave oven further comprises a control unit which determines the conditions of food in response to automatically or manually inputted information, and controls the rpm of the cooling fan in response to the determined conditions of the food so as to improve the sensing performance of the humidity sensor.

Abstract: A microwave oven performs a cooking operation in one of several cooking modes having a first cooking time period and a second cooking time period. The first cooking time period is determined in accordance with an output value of a sensor which senses a state of air in a cooking cavity of the microwave oven. The second cooking time period is determined in accordance with the first cooking time period such that the first and second cooking time periods are expressed by a functional relation. The cooking modes include a standard mode with a standard second cooking time period, a high mode with a longer cooking time than the standard second cooking time period, and a low mode with a shorter cooking time than the standard second cooking time period.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for controlling operation of a compressor in a refrigerator, which are able to prevent an explosion of refrigerant caused by leakage of the refrigerant by supplying or blocking power source to electric devices in the refrigerator after detecting error of the compressor, comprise a temperature sensing unit for sensing inner temperature of the refrigerator, a door open sensing unit for sensing opened/closed status of the refrigerator door, an operating time measuring unit measuring operating time of the compressor, a microcomputer outputting a control signal based on the inner temperature, opened/closed status of the door and the operating time of the compressor, and a driving unit for supplying or blocking power source to all electric devices in the refrigerator based on the control signal.

Abstract: A microwave oven performs a cooking operation in one of several cooking modes having a first cooking time period and a second cooking time period. The first cooking time period is determined in accordance with an output value of a sensor which senses a state of air in a cooking cavity of the microwave oven. The second cooking time period is determined in accordance with the first cooking time period such that the first and second cooking time periods are expressed by a functional relation. The cooking modes include a standard mode with a standard second cooking time period, a high mode with a longer cooking time than the standard second cooking time period, and a low mode with a shorter cooking time than the standard second cooking time period.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a microwave oven, including a magnetron generating microwaves and a sensor sensing the state of air in the cooking cavity of the oven. The cooking period is determined by searching one of two data tables in accordance with a determination result after determining whether food to be cooked is included in ascending slope-type foods or descending slope-type foods. The control method and apparatus remarkably reduces a deviation in the cooking periods by distinguishing the ascending slope-type foods from the descending slope-type foods. The control method and apparatus allows the microwave oven to appropriately cook food for a period of time which substantially matches a practically required cooking period, thus providing a good cooking result.

Abstract: A microwave oven having an improved air outlet and humidity sensor mounting structure includes a body partitioned in its interior into a cooking cavity and a machine room, and a cooling fan installed in the machine room which draws atmospheric air into the cooking cavity while cooling a variety of elements installed in the machine room. In the microwave oven, an air outlet unit discharges air from the cooking cavity, and the humidity sensor senses a cooking atmosphere of the cooking cavity. This microwave oven further comprises a control unit which determines the conditions of food in response to automatically or manually inputted information, and controls the rpm of the cooling fan in response to the determined conditions of the food so as to improve the sensing performance of the humidity sensor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cooking system comprising a cooking apparatus having a main body formed with a cooking chamber and a cooker driver cooking food within the cooking chamber; an aroma generator provided in the cooking apparatus, selectively diffusing at least one food aroma; an external unit connected to the cooking apparatus via an interface; and a controller controlling the aroma generator provided in the cooking apparatus, to allow the food aroma according to the selected cooking menu through the external unit to be diffused. With this configuration, if a cooking menu is selected through an external unit accessible to the Internet, data on the selected cooking menu is supplied to a cooking apparatus, and a food aroma and a smell remover are generated according to the selected cooking menu, thereby providing a user with complete information on a cooking menu.

Abstract: A polymer-type humidity sensor for use in a microwave oven and which has a polymer structure which comprises a rubber and a predetermined amount of carbon, and a pair of electric terminals connected to the polymer structure. The polymer-type humidity sensor of the present invention has a rapid response time, durability, excellent adherence to terminals, low hysteresis, and exhibit stability to exposures of high temperatures and high relative humidity.

Abstract: A microwave oven includes a humidity sensor, a main-outlet and a sub-outlet formed at opposite sidewalls of a cooking cavity such that the cooking cavity communicates with the atmosphere through the main-outlet and the sub-outlet. The sub-outlet is installed in a machine room adjacent an air inlet side of a cooling fan. The humidity sensor is installed in the machine room at a position adjacent to the sub-outlet and senses the humidity of air inside the cooking cavity by sensing the humidity of a part of the air discharged from the cooking cavity through the sub-outlet. The surface of the humidity sensor is less likely to be easily contaminated by the air exhausted from the cooking cavity, moisture deposited on the surface of the humidity sensor 60 is quickly evaporated so that the humidity sensor performs its desired operation even when the microwave oven sequentially performs several cooking processes.

Abstract: A microwave oven, and method of controlling the same, including a magnetron generating high-frequency waves and a sensor detecting the environmental state of air in a cooking cavity. During a first cooking time, outputs of the sensor are sampled at predetermined periods, with the duration of first cooking period being calculated, by a controller, based on the result of the sampling. Thereafter, a second cooking time is calculated, by the controller, based on the first cooking time and the kind of food. A cooking operation is then completed for the second cooking time.

Abstract: A food amount detector for automatically detecting the amount of a food placed in a cooking chamber of a microwave oven, a microwave oven employing the food amount detector, and control method thereof. Output voltage of a microwave generator is detected while the microwave oven is driven, and the amount of the food placed in the cooking chamber of the microwave oven is determined based on the output voltage such detected. In accordance with the amount of the food such determined, the food is cooked under the appropriate driving conditions of the microwave oven. Accordingly, the user does not need to determine the amount of the food by himself, or set the driving conditions of the microwave oven such as cooking time, level of microwave energy, etc. As a result, the user finds it convenient when using this microwave oven, and the food is cooked under the exact driving conditions set by the microwave oven.

Abstract: A food amount detector for automatically detecting the amount of a food placed in a cooking chamber of a microwave oven, a microwave oven employing the food amount detector, and control method thereof. Output voltage of a microwave generator is detected while the microwave oven is driven, and the amount of the food placed in the cooking chamber of the microwave oven is determined based on the output voltage such detected. In accordance with the amount of the food such determined, the food is cooked under the appropriate driving conditions of the microwave oven. Accordingly, the user does not need to determine the amount of the food by himself, or set the driving conditions of the microwave oven such as cooking time, level of microwave energy, etc. As a result, the user finds it convenient when using this microwave oven, and the food is cooked under the exact driving conditions set by the microwave oven.

Abstract: A data obtaining method for a microwave oven for processing a cooking status of food detected by a sensor into data, including the steps of: detecting data from food for a predetermined time period; calculating a summation of the detected data; and subtracting data about characteristics of the microwave oven which are prestored in the microwave oven from the detected data.

Abstract: A food amount detector for automatically detecting the amount of a food placed in a cooking chamber of a microwave oven, a microwave oven employing the food amount detector, and control method thereof. Output voltage of a microwave generator is detected while the microwave oven is driven, and the amount of the food placed in the cooking chamber of the microwave oven is determined based on the output voltage such detected. In accordance with the amount of the food such determined, the food is cooked under the appropriate driving conditions of the microwave oven. Accordingly, the user does not need to determine the amount of the food by himself, or set the driving conditions of the microwave oven such as cooking time, level of microwave energy, etc. As a result, the user finds it convenient when using this microwave oven, and the food is cooked under the exact driving conditions set by the microwave oven.

Abstract: A data obtaining method for a microwave oven for processing a cooking status of food detected by a sensor into data, including the steps of: detecting data from food for a predetermined time period; calculating a summation of the detected data; and subtracting data about characteristics of the microwave oven which are prestored in the microwave oven from the detected data.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cooking system comprising a cooking apparatus having a main body formed with a cooking chamber and a cooker driver cooking food within the cooking chamber; an aroma generator provided in the cooking apparatus, selectively diffusing at least one food aroma; an external unit connected to the cooking apparatus via an interface; and a controller controlling the aroma generator provided in the cooking apparatus, to allow the food aroma according to the selected cooking menu through the external unit to be diffused. With this configuration, if a cooking menu is selected through an external unit accessible to the Internet, data on the selected cooking menu is supplied to a cooking apparatus, and a food aroma and a smell remover are generated according to the selected cooking menu, thereby providing a user with complete information on a cooking menu.