Abstract A domestic cooking or defrosting appliance including a heating region and a camera for obtaining images of food cooking or defrosting within the heating region, wherein the camera outputs video signals to a processor that drives a display means associated with the appliance and/or controls the cooking or defrosting operation of the appliance. The display means is conveniently situated on the appliance to show an easily-viewable image of the food obtained by the camera. The camera is sensitive to infra-red radiation and outputs video signals representative of the heat of the food. The processor can therefore convert infra-red information received from the camera into visible information to create a display on the display means representative of the infra-red information. Such a display is preferably color-coded in accordance with the local temperature of the food. The appliance ( 1 ) is adapted for interaction with a communications network ( 75 ) such as the Internet by the addition of a substantially self-contained discrete communications module ( 12 ) connectable to the communications network ( 75 ), the communications module ( 12 ) including display means ( 20 ) and command entry means that optionally interact with the appliance ( 1 ).
Inventors
👤 Lynn L. Kerchner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-11-09 20:51
CPC Classifications
H; H05; H05B; H05B6/00; H05B6/64; H05B6/6435
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
A cooking or defrosting appliance ( 1 ) including a heating region ( 69 ) and a camera ( 68 ) for obtaining images of food ( 70 ) cooking or defrosting within the heating region ( 69 ), wherein i) the camera ( 68 ) outputs video signals to a processor ( 24 ) that drives a display means ( 20 ) associated with the appliance ( 1 ) and/or controls the cooking or defrosting operation of the appliance ( 1 ); ii) the camera ( 68 ) is sensitive to infra-red radiation and outputs video signals representative of the heat of the food ( 70 ); and iii) the processor ( 24 ) compares food ( 70 ) temperature represented by the infra-red image with a stored model and, depending upon variance with the model, sends control outputs to the appliance ( 1 ) to vary heating power and/or exposure time to heat.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
155 words
A cooking or defrosting appliance ( 1 ) including a heating region ( 69 ) and a camera ( 68 ) for obtaining images of food ( 70 ) cooking or defrosting within the heating region ( 69 ), wherein i) the camera ( 68 ) outputs video signals to a processor ( 24 ) that drives a display means ( 20 ) associated with the appliance ( 1 ) and/or controls the cooking or defrosting operation of the appliance ( 1 ); ii) the camera ( 68 ) is sensitive to infra-red radiation and outputs video signals representative of the heat of the food ( 70 ); and iii) the processor ( 24 ) compares food ( 70 ) temperature represented by the infra-red image with a stored model and, depending upon variance with the model, sends control outputs to the appliance ( 1 ) to vary heating power and/or exposure time to heat.