Abstract: In a microwave oven, a procedure for cooking or heating food is controlled by means of one or more humidity sensors (11) which sense the humidity emission from the food or dish. The control is based on the sensing of relative humidity variations and require access to an initial humidity value or reference value, which is established through a calculation process eliminating the effect of residual humidity remaining in the oven while saving time when starting the cooking or heating procedure.

Abstract: A microwave oven includes a control section storing a long period pattern in which each period of on and off times is relatively long and a short period pattern in which each period is shorter than that in the long period pattern. A magnetron is controlled to be turned on and off in accordance with either period pattern. The short period pattern is selected when frozen food is thawed. Since the on time in each period of the short period pattern is short, the frozen food is exposed to microwave for a shortened period of time. As a result, unevenness in the thawing is prevented.

Abstract: An improved heating time control apparatus and method thereof for a microwave oven capable of advantageously computing an optimum cooking time without controlling the amount of food to be cooked. The invention includes: a sensor for detecting a predetermined physical, i.e.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for automatic control of a microwave oven which can make precise cooking control available by classifying the cooking control into cases when cooking is completed below the boiling point of water, such as thawing or warming up, and cases when cooking is completed above the boiling point of water. For types of cooking which are complete without water boiling, the invention sets the initial cooking time period by determining the time it takes for the output voltage of a temperature detection sensor to reach a rise starting point. For types of cooking which include water boiling, the invention sets the initial cooking time period by determining the time it takes for the output voltage of the temperature detection sensor to reach a maximum rise point. The invention then sets an additional time period equivalent to the initial time period multiplied by a cooking constant corresponding to the type of cooking that is desired.

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 control apparatus and method for a microwave oven capable of fixing an optimum thawing time, coping with unexpected voltage variation of an input AC source. According to the aforesaid apparatus and method, a weight factor corresponding to an input source voltage variation is found, a thawing time proportional to weight of a food item to be thawed is determined, and as a result a final optimum thawing time is determined by multiplying the weight factor and the thawing time together.

Abstract: A method of automatically thawing a food in a microwave oven, is disclosed. The method of optimally thawing the food and preventing a phenomenon that the food is partially boiled. The method includes by primarily heating the food for a predetermined time where the food is large in amount, turning the primarily heated food and then additionally heating the turned food, while eliminating the step of turning the food where the food is small in amount.

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: A cooking appliance, which automatically toasts bread, and has a heater, a gas sensor, and a thermistor. The gas sensor detects moisture which comes from the bread. The thermistor detects the temperature within the cooking cabinet. A microcomputer measures gas driven from bread during toasting to determine whether the bread was initially frozen or not. The time of gas sensor reading is determined based on an initial temperature within the cooking cabinet so that the decision will not be made inaccurately due to repeated use of the cooking appliance.

Abstract: A patterned microwave interactive element and laminate including a patterned microwave interactive element for use in forming food packaging materials that may be employed to store and subsequently cook the food stored therein are provided. The pattern of the microwave interactive element is selected to focus the heat generated to predetermined areas of the food contained in the packaging. Areas where the microwave interactive element has been deactivated may be formed by a variety of methods, such as by demetallization, by the application of an inactivating chemical, by mechanical means and the like, to create a preselected pattern of inactive areas relative to the active areas, thereby controlling the temperatures produced in different sections of the packaging material. Optimum browning and/or crisping of the microwave heated food product may be achieved by selecting a pattern of microwave interactive and inactive areas tailored to specific food products.