Abstract: A weighing dish for icing for use in a weighing apparatus including a load cell for weighing, a vertically extending frame having a lower end connected to the load cell, and a horizontally extending base provided at an upper end of the frame and for mounting the weighing dish on an upper side of the base, is provided including: a top turntable for placing a to-be-weighed subject thereon; and a rotational support member joined to a lower side of the top turntable and supporting the top turntable at plural points for rotation.

Abstract: Method and control device for operating an oven. The control device comprises an operating panel which is substantially flat and sealed. One or more touch-sensitive regions of the panel define electronic on/off switches and an electronic rotary switch. Processing means connected to the rotary switch are suitable for detecting a property of a movement by a finger over at least a portion of a round path defined by the rotary switch. The property may be that of standstill, distance covered, speed and acceleration of the movement. The rotary switch provides the user with the possibility of running through selection options, shown on the display means, for recipes for the operation of the oven hygienically, quickly, easily and with a high resolution, of altering values for selection options and of monitoring the progress of the operation of the oven according to a selected recipe.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a cooking apparatus and cooking system which allows a user to change cooking information that is suitable to the preferences of the user and the amount of food when cooking food using automatic cooking information, and a cooking control method using the same. The cooking apparatus using automatic cooking information includes an automatic cooking information acquisition unit for acquiring the automatic cooking information; an automatic cooking information change unit for allowing a user to change the acquired automatic cooking information; and a control unit for controlling a series of cooking operations on the basis of the changed cooking information.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus, cooking system, and cooking control method using a bar code, in which automatic cooking of food is performed when the bar code attached to a package of the food is lost or damaged. The cooking apparatus for cooking food using cooking data includes a memory for storing identification data and cooking data of the food; an image capture device for obtaining an image of the food; and a controller for identifying the food by comparing the image of the food to the identification data of the food, stored in the memory, obtaining the cooking data of the identified food, and controlling the cooking apparatus so that the cooking of the food is performed based on the cooking data.

Abstract: Baking apparatus for baking edible products located on a conveying surface and preferably travelling along a conveyor track, comprising a number of electric infrared radiators arranged above the conveyor track. The infrared radiators each comprise at least one spiral filament having a gastight, infrared radiation-transmitting, breakable casing, in particular a glass casing. The baking apparatus further comprises monitoring means for monitoring breakage of the casings of the infrared radiators. The invention also relates to a method for baking an edible product by means of an electric infrared radiator having a breakable casing.

Abstract: A method for controlling microwave output depending upon food weight and food position so as to implement optimized cooking performance in a microwave oven and an apparatus for performing the same. According to the control method for cooking food placed on a turntable in a microwave oven, the control method includes detecting a plurality of sensing values generated based on the food weight during the rotation of the turntable, detecting a food position by comparing the detected sensing values, and controlling the microwave output based on the detected food position.

Abstract: A method for the determination of a turning time of at least one cooking product, to which heat is supplied from one side during a cooking process includes a) determination of a first temperature TA in the cooking product at the beginning of the cooking process at an initial time point tA as well as of a set temperature TE of the cooking product which must exist at the end of the cooking process at the end time tE; b) acquiring of a first temperature difference between the set temperature Tset and the first temperature TA; c) determination of at least one actual temperature Tactual in the cooking product at several times during the cooking process; d) acquiring of the time of turning tT as the time at which a second temperature difference between the set temperature Tset and the actual temperature Tactual reaches a certain fraction of the first temperature difference; and e) outputting a signal when the time of turning tT is reached.

Abstract: A bread maker including a main body forming an oven compartment; a pair of kneading drums inside the oven compartment, each kneading drum having a holding part holding opposite ends of a mixing bag filled with bread ingredients; a drum driving part rotating the kneading drums in clockwise and counterclockwise directions to knead dough contained in the mixing bag; and a controller controlling the drum driving part to separate the mixing bag from the holding part of a first one of the kneading drums and wind the mixing bag on a second one of the kneading drums after kneading the dough, and to rotate the second one of the kneading drums in a releasing direction opposite the winding direction after the mixing bag is wound on the second one of the kneading drums to unwind the mixing bag from the second one of the kneading drums.

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: The invention may be broadly conceptualized as an approach in which a microwave oven receives a plurality of program recipes from a network that are executed by scanning with a scanner a symbol and associating the scanned symbol with one of the plurality of program recipes while keeping a real-time clock synchronized and correctly set by receiving period time synchronization messages.

Abstract: An induction heating cooker includes an infrared sensor for sensing an infrared intensity from a load pot, a waveguide for guiding infrared radiation from the load pot to the infrared sensor, a first magnetism-proofing unit and a second magnetism-proofing unit for reducing magnetic fluxes leaking from a heating coil. Placement of the waveguide at a position lower than an upper surface of the second magnetism-proofing unit reduces self-heating of the waveguide due to magnetic flux supplied from the heating coil. As a result, a temperature rise of the infrared sensor due to radiation heat from the waveguide can be reduced, and an accuracy of sensing a temperature by the infrared sensor can be improved.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus and method for controlling an electric oven, capable of operating heaters in an optimized state by changing a heater-on time of the heater in an operation interval of the heater which is periodically turned on/off.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a heating system which is preferably capable of combining radiant, convection, microwave and conduction heating techniques to perform a cooking operation. The cooking appliance includes a convection fan and at least one heating element. A controller is provided to regulate a triac to maintain a desired heater intensity through phase angle firing. Essentially, an AC waveform provided to the heater resistor travels through the triac which is turned on by the controller at predetermined points in the AC waveform, with the delay from a zero point waveform crossing functioning to regulate the amount of power sent to the heater resistor. When the signal from the controller is removed, the triac advantageously turns off at the next zero crossing of the AC waveform such that an operationally and economically effective control system is provided.

Abstract: A high frequency heating apparatus with steam generation function for supplying at least any one of high frequency and steam to a heating chamber 11 for accommodating an object to be heated and heat-treating the object to be heated, the apparatus has a high frequency generating part 13, a steam generating part 15 for generating steam inside the heating chamber 11, a temperature detecting part 20 for detecting temperature of the steam generating part, and a control part 501 for controlling a heater, wherein the steam generating part is controlled to heat based on temperature information of the temperature detecting part.

Abstract: A food dishing robot system capable of dealing with dishing operations of foods of various characteristics. Trays are supplied to vicinities of food dishing robots RB1–RB3 by food supplying lines L1–L3. Four food conveying containers are placed on each tray. Each of the robots RB1–RB3 handles a food conveying container containing a food on the tray to move the food conveying container over a lunch box supplied by a lunch box supplying line L4 at a predetermined position, and dishes the food on a predetermined space in the lunch box. The food contained in the food conveying container is discharged through a cutout or an opening formed at a side thereof by inclining the food conveying container. The food conveying container may have a bottom plate to be opened/closed or the robot may have an auxiliary member in the form of scoop to forcedly discharge the food from the food conveying container. After completing the dishing of the food, the food conveying container is returned on the tray.

Abstract: An induction heating cooker includes a surface, a heating coil for inductionally-heating a load pan, an inverter for supplying a high-frequency current to the heating coil, an infrared detector which detects infrared radiation emitted from the load pan and is located under a top plate, a first temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the load pan based on an output of the infrared detector, a heating controller for controlling a power output from the inverter, a thermo-sensitive element for receiving heat from the top plate, and a second temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the load pan based on an output of the first thermo-sensitive element. This induction heating cooker detects a temperature change of the load pan accurately by detecting an infrared radiation from the load pan, and detects the temperature of the load pan by the heat conduction from the pan even if ambient light enters.

Abstract: Method, apparatus and systems for predicting the cooking time of an item food includes predicting the cooking time based on the rate of change of the internal temperature of the food item. The apparatus includes a processor that implements the calculations and the system may include the apparatus along with a temperature sensor.

Abstract: A method for controlling a cooking process in a cooking appliance having a sensor for measuring a gas concentration in the cooking chamber and an electric or electronic control system in communication with the sensor and including an evaluation circuit and a memory, includes ascertaining, as a function of a food to be cooked, a cooking end value stored in the memory. An output signal of the sensor is processed using the evaluation circuit so as to generate a cooking quotient. The cooking quotient at a point in time corresponds to a ratio of the first derivative of the output signal with respect to time to a first extreme value of the first derivative of the output signal with respect to time. A value of the cooking quotient is compared to the cooking end value using the evaluation circuit, and an appliance function is triggered.

Abstract: A microwave oven and automatic cooking system uses a food package provided with a noncontact IC tag storing information about a food contained in the food package, where the information about the food includes information about a method of heating the food and an amount of heat energy for cooking the food, the information about the amount of heat energy being expressed in a form of an absolute amount of heat energy. The microwave oven receives the food package and cooks the food contained in the food package.

Abstract: Oven control system, comprising a display screen 9, a data input means 32 and a calculation unit 8 able to send instructions to the display screen 9 and to receive instructions from the data input means, the said calculation unit 8 comprising a means for grading cooking programmes at least as a function of a first criterion of family of products to be cooked, of product to be cooked within a family, or of recipe or of method of cooking, and a means for adjusting the cooking programme according to at least one second internal final criterion and one third external final criterion, the display screen 9 being able to simultaneously display the selected values of the said criteria or the values of the said criteria currently being selected by a user, with a zone for displaying the values of the second and third criteria and which is designed to also display unselected values of the said criteria in such a way that the selected values can be read graphically, the said display zone being able to display a window ad

Abstract: An electric cooking apparatus and method of controlling heaters thereof, in which the heaters operate according to power-ON periods and power-OFF periods set in view of a temperature of the heaters, consumption of unnecessary power is reduced, and variations of heat supplied to a cooking cavity are decreased, thus improving quality of cooking and shortening overall cooking periods. The method includes detecting a temperature of a cooking cavity, and operating the heater according to preset power-ON and power-OFF periods allowing the heaters to maintain a temperature within a range around a certain temperature when the temperature of the cooking cavity reaches a set temperature.

Abstract: A microwave oven, having a humidity sensor and a voltage detecting unit for detecting a change in an output voltage of the humidity sensor, includes: a control unit for receiving a compensated voltage according to a change in temperature supplied from the humidity sensor and a detected voltage supplied from the voltage detecting unit, and determining a cooking time based on a voltage difference between the detected voltage and the compensated voltage. With this configuration, an optimal cooking time based on a being cooked can be calculated by use of the humidity sensor, and the cooking time can be controlled in a stable manner relative to external noise or irregular changes in humidity.

Abstract: An electrical oven and method of controlling the same includes a heater heating unit to heat food using an electric heater; an induction heating unit to heat the food using a high-frequency current, and a control unit to drive the heater heating unit and the induction heating unit simultaneously in a preheating cooking mode. The electric oven of the present invention carries out heating by the electric heater and induction heating by high-frequency current, so preheating time required for an inner temperature of a cooking cavity to reach a preheating temperature is decreased, thereby reducing a total cooking time.

Abstract: A cooking appliance employing rapid cook technology includes an electronic oven control system employing an alpha-numeric data entry and display arrangement. The cooking appliance includes a display which incorporates a series of vertically spaced information display zones, with each of the zones being capable of displaying both alpha and numeric data to a user of the appliance. Text and numeric data can be entered by the user through a ten-digit keypad provided on a control panel of the appliance. Each labeled numeric key (0–9) can be used to input a corresponding numeric data symbol, as well as additional text information. This arrangement advantageously makes purchasing and operating a sophisticated cooking appliance more appealing and less intimidating to a consumer.

Abstract: An automated grill automatically transfers frozen food from a freezer component to grilling component by an automatic loading device in response to a signal. Frozen food is loaded in a loading side in the freezer component. When the signal is received indicating that the food is to be grilled, food in a feeding side is raised and delivered to the loading device. When a sensor detects that food is positioned in the loading device, the loading device removes the food from the freezer component and into the grilling component. The food is then grilled as it travels between two substantially vertical grilling structures each surrounded by a conveyor belt. Preferably, the conveyor belt is made of a non-stick coated Invar. A lateral sensor detects and compensates for lateral movement of the conveyor belts. After the food exits the grilling component, the food slides onto a heated holding area for serving.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling preparation of a plurality of food items on a cooking apparatus such as a grill. A food order consisting of the plurality of food items is input to a controller which retrieves cooking times for the items from a database. A primary fire item (PFI) is determined as the item with the longest cooking time. A display screen near the cook has a surface that is laid out in a grid pattern representing the cooking surface of the grill. An icon associated with the PFI is then displayed in a position corresponding to the item's intended position on the grill. Time delays are calculated for displaying subsequent icons so that, by placing the food items on the grill when each icon is displayed, the preparation of the food items is completed simultaneously.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a water supply controlling method of a high-frequency heating apparatus and the high-frequency heating apparatus wherein water supplied to a heating chamber as steam is controlled in the quantity and the quality and power can be saved. To achieve the object, it is judged whether there is the required quantity of water supplied as steam in cooking in a water tank or not and in case it is judged that the water is short, request for replacing water in the water tank is annunciated. Elapsed time since water in the water tank was last replaced is monitored and in case the elapsed time exceeds predetermined time, request for replacing the water is annunciated.

Abstract: A system and method for providing multiple cooking modes and an ability to automatically heat cooking vessels and other objects using RFID technology, and an ability to read and write heating instructions and to interactively assist in their execution. An induction heating range is provided with two antennas per hob, and includes a user interface display and input mechanism. The vessel includes an RFID tag and a temperature sensor. In a first cooking mode, a recipe is read by the range and the range assists a user in executing the recipe by automatically heating the vessel to specified temperatures and by prompting the user to add ingredients. The recipe is written to the RFID tag so that if the vessel is moved to another hob, into which the recipe has not been read, the new hob can read the recipe from the RFID tag and continue in its execution.

Abstract: A microwave oven, a relay box communicating with the microwave oven and a personal computer communicating with the relay box are provided in private. The personal computer is connected to a host computer storing home page information, through the public Internet. A home page storing unit of the host computer stores, corresponding to each of a plurality of cooking recipes, recipe data directly recognized by microwave oven including heating control data for heating and cooking the cooking recipe by the microwave oven, a button to be operated for transferring the recipe data through the Internet to personal computer and image display data for displaying information related to the cooking recipe as a home page image display. Therefore, in accordance with the heating control data downloaded and supplied to personal computer, microwave oven is controlled to heat and cook the desired cooking recipe.

Abstract: A weight measuring device having a lever structure, a cooking apparatus equipped with the weight measuring device, and a mounting structure of the weight measuring device. A weight sensor pushed by a lever is disposed on an outer bottom surface of a cooking cavity. The lever is extended from the weight sensor to a lever passing hole to perform a lever action with a first end of the lever protruded to an inside of the cooking cavity through the lever passing hole, and a second end of the lever inserted into a lever receiving hole of a sensor housing that accommodates the weight sensor. The lever transmits pressure, which is generated when rollers pass over the protruded first end of the lever, to the weight sensor through the lever action.

Abstract: On a home page of a home page storing unit (421) of a host computer (4), information related to a plurality of recipes and recipe data (MI) corresponding to each of the plurality of recipes are included. The recipe data includes a heating control code (DS141) common among different types of microwave ovens (1) for heating and cooking the corresponding recipe. The microwave oven has a memory (11A) that stores a plurality of different pieces of procedure information (heating sequence FLi, heating mode data MDi, heater down time data HDT) indicating procedure matching the type, for executing a heating operation. The microwave oven performs the heating operation in accordance with one or more pieces of procedure information read from the memory (11A) based on the heating control code.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes a control panel which includes a rotary dial for selecting and entering control information to the cooking appliance, and a control interface for providing a prompt to guide a user through a selection process of the control information. The control information includes at least one of a cooking mode, a food type, a food weight or size, a cooking temperature, and a degree of doneness. The cooking appliance is operatively responsive to the selection of the control information from the rotary dial before and during cooking.

Abstract: A microwave oven and a method of controlling the same that is capable of detecting the respective positions of heaters using detectors for which a number thereof is less than a number of cooking modes. Cooking is performed with the heaters in respective horizontal positions in a cooking mode in which cooking requiring the heaters to heat food is performed, while cooking is performed with the heaters positioned in the respective initial positions in a cooking mode in which the cooking not requiring the heaters to heat the food is performed. Each of the detectors is a micro switch operated by a cam. Accordingly, in the microwave oven and in the method of controlling the same, the number of the detectors to detect the respective positions of the heaters is decreased. Further, an electrical wire is connected to a single micro switch to detect the respective positions of the heaters.

Abstract: A microwave oven includes a control panel having a separate upper and lower panel parts. The control panel comprises the upper panel part and the lower panel part which are separate from each other. A display unit is arranged on, for example, the upper panel part, and a manipulation unit is arranged on, for example, the lower panel part, thus establishing the control panel. During a production of the microwave oven, one of variously designed upper panel parts and one of variously designed lower panel parts can be selected and combined to form the control panel. Accordingly, the microwave oven can have a customizable control panel with customizable features.

Abstract: A method of controlling a microwave oven, in which the microwave oven includes a cooking chamber for containing food therein, a cooling fan which circulates air, a magnetron which generates microwaves and a humidity sensor which senses humidity of the cooking chamber. Cooking instruction(s) may be preset or set manually by a user. A first cooking operation is performed while preventing water from boiling off/to overflow by controlling an output power of the magnetron according to the set cooking instruction(s). A time required to perform a later cooking is set according to a time required to perform the first cooking operation. A second cooking operation is performed for the later cook time while controlling the output power of the magnetron to reduce the overall cook time of the food.

Abstract: A method of controlling a microwave oven, in which the microwave oven includes a cooking chamber for containing food therein, a cooling fan which circulates air, a magnetron which generates microwaves and a humidity sensor which senses humidity of the cooking chamber. Cooking instruction(s) may be preset or set manually by a user. A first cooking operation is performed according to the set cooking instruction(s). A cook time required to perform a second cooking operation is set based on a time required to perform the first cooking operation. The second cooking operation is performed for the cook time while controlling the output power of the magnetron to perform a rapid cooking operation.

Abstract: A method of controlling a microwave oven, in which the microwave oven includes a cooking chamber for containing food therein, a cooling fan which circulates air, a magnetron which generates microwaves and a humidity sensor which senses humidity of the cooking chamber. Cooking instruction(s) may be preset or set manually by a user. A first cooking operation is performed while preventing water from boiling off/to overflow by controlling an output power of the magnetron according to the set cooking instruction(s). A time required to perform a second cooking operation is set based on a time required to perform the first cooking operation. The second cooking operation is performed for the second cooking time while steam boiling the food.

Abstract: An automated cooking system (10) cooks food (12) accompanied by machine-readable indicia, such as a bar code (16) read by a reader (18). Cooking data, including function coefficients, are accessed from an Internet server (20) based on the information in the bar code. An oven (40) cooks the food in phases in response to the cooking data and one or more monitored food parameters of humidity, temperature and weight. The cooking is controlled by functions in which one or more food parameters are multiplied by coefficients that vary according to food type.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for assisting in culinary preparation, comprising a plurality of electric household appliances (10, 20, 30) and a remote monitoring and control apparatus (2). According to the invention, the user can select a prerecorded culinary preparation that is modeled as a sequence of steps of preparation and, in the course of at least one step, the monitoring and control apparatus (2) receives a condition signal SE from certain of the electric household appliances, and emits toward certain others a control signal SC dependent on the one hand on condition signals SE and on the other hand of prerecorded operational parameters.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a microwave oven and method for controlling the same. The microwave oven is used to heat and cook food using high frequency waves generated by high frequency generating means provided in an oven body. The microwave oven includes body sensing means for detecting the presence of a user in a sensing area extended over a certain area in front of the oven body, first operating means for operating the high frequency generating means, and control means for controlling the first operating means to selectively start, stop and resume the operation of the high frequency wave generating means according to the presence of a user in the sensing area.

Abstract: An induction heating device prevents an object to be heated from being displaced and buoyed from a mounting surface due to an mutual action of repulsive forces between the object to be heated and an induction heating coil. The induction heating device includes a source-current detector for detecting a source current input to a high-frequency inverter including the induction heating coil and an inverter circuit, a source-current change detector for measuring a change against time of a magnitude of the source current to detect a displacement and buoying of the object to be heated, such as a cooking pot, and a change examining unit. The controller controls an output of the high-frequency inverter in response to a detection result of the change examining unit. The induction heating device prevents the cooking pot from being displaced and buoyed even if the pot is not touched by a user at startup of heating or during the heating operation, and is inexpensive and safe.

Abstract: A cooking system having a cooking appliance and a remote computer. The cooking appliance has a programmable control module that controls a heating device. The heating device is in communication with and provides heat to a cooking location. The programmable control module is in communication with the remote computer unit via a wireless communication link. In a preferred embodiment, the remote computer unit is a Palm Pilot and the wireless communication link is an infrared (IR) link. Also, in the preferred embodiment, a temperature acquisition module is in communication with the Palm Pilot via a serial link. A temperature probe is connected to the temperature acquisition module. The temperature probe is in communication with the cooking location and senses the temperature of the cooking location. The sensed temperature is transmitted via the temperature acquisition module to the Palm Pilot. In a preferred embodiment, the Palm Pilot is used to transmit calibration instructions to the programmable control module.

Abstract: A control system for a an oven having at least one cooking element and a surface warmer includes a microprocessor, a memory, and a user input interface for user entry of cooking recipes including a cooking mode, an oven temperature, and a cooking time. Up to five favorite recipes can be stored in system memory for selection by a user, and two recipes can be combined for automatic sequential execution. The surface warmer is operable upon manipulation of two input selectors within a pre-determined time, and a preheat algorithm preheats the surface warmer by applying a 100% duty cycle to the surface warmer until an oven thermal limiter input switch reaches a predetermined temperature.

Abstract: A method of performing a simmer cooking operation in a microwave oven is based on detected levels of humidity from a sensor and an algorithm automatically calculating a cooking time such that a desired cooking operation is optimally performed. A third heating operation is performed at about 30% of the maximum power level of the microwave oven. The third heating operation is performed for an amount of time equal to a sum of an amount of time during which first and second heating operations are performed adjusted by a predetermined constant. The total heating time is calculated and controlled by adding the amount of time during which the third heating operation is performed to the time during which the first and second heating operations are performed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for carrying out the automated preparation of foodstuffs by portions, especially french fries made of potato sticks or the like that are previously fried in oil, by baking them inside an oven cavity (15). The oven cavity (15) is surrounded by a casing (1) which is provided with a bar code reader (9) that is connected to a control (44). Said control enables or refuses the actuation of the device according to the information contained in the bar code that has been read, and/or controls the baking time and/or the baking temperature and/or a preheating temperature.

Abstract: A microwave oven and a method of processing frozen food in a microwave oven (1), which microwave oven comprises a microwave source (3), an oven cavity (2), and a control unit (5). The control unit is provided with an input signal containing information about the weight of the food, and causes the microwave source to feed microwaves at high average power into the oven cavity during a first time interval as well as a second time interval, which are separated by a waiting period, so that the foodstuff will be essentially thawed by the end of the second time interval.

Abstract: Cooking information (CI) concerning different dishes is preliminarily registered as a standard in a mask ROM (11A) or the like of a microwave oven (1), to enable automatic cooking of a variety of dishes for every user. In practice, however, the dishes which each user cooks by a microwave oven is limited to a few of them. Then, the user selects and registers a standard recipe name (HN) of only his/her favorite dish in the mask ROM into a favorite menu in a non-volatile memory (11B). In order to execute cooking of a desired dish registered in the favorite menu, the standard recipe name of the desired dish is read not from the mask ROM but from the non-volatile memory and displayed on an LCD panel (13), so that the user needs only perform an operation to instruct start of heating through an input unit (15).

Abstract: Recipe data appropriate for a user of an electronic oven can easily be provided and fetched. A recommended data decision block (508) decides a recommended menu in accordance with history information related to a use history of an electronic oven transmitted from a transmission.

Abstract: A cooking appliance, such as a range, includes a cabinet within which is arranged an oven cavity that is adapted to be selectively closed by a pivotable door. A latching mechanism is provided to interconnect the door and the cabinet. The latching mechanism is movable between a locked position wherein the door is maintained closed and an unlocked position wherein the door can be pivoted to enable access to the oven cavity. The latching mechanism is operable in two distinct modes, i.e., a first mode wherein the latching mechanism is activated in conjunction with the operation of a self-clean cycle, and a second mode wherein the latching mechanism is operated independently of any other function of the cooking appliance. The second mode is particularly employed to prevent children from improperly utilizing the door as a stepping platform.

Abstract: A programmable remote controlled apparatus and method for controlling the time and temperature of a cooking or a baking cycle. The apparatus comprises: a cooking or baking appliance, such as a conventional stove, broiler, conventional oven, convection oven, microwave oven or barbecue; a data storage and processing device such as a microprocessor or computer; a program stored in said microprocessor or computer for processing a code to control the time and temperature of the cooking or baking cycle; a device for entering a code into the microprocessor or computer; and a code which is provided by a party other than a user of the apparatus. The numeric code is entered at the remote site on a numeric keypad of a telephone apparatus or hand held transmitter.