Patent ID: 6806449
Filing Date: 2004-10-19
Classification: H05B

Abstract:
A method of controlling a microwave oven having a cooking chamber, a magnetron, and a humidity sensor adapted to sense a humidity of water vapor discharged from the cooking chamber, comprising:performing a first heating at a maximum output power level; reading a detection value outputted from the humidity sensor; determining, based on the read detection value, whether or not a surrounding humidity condition of the microwave oven corresponds to a dry state; if it is determined that the surrounding humidity condition of the microwave oven corresponds to the dry state, setting a reference value, at which the first heating is to be stopped, to be lower than a corresponding value predetermined for a normal surrounding humidity condition of the microwave oven; determining whether or not the read detection value corresponds to the set reference value; if it is determined that the read detection value corresponds to the set reference value, stopping the first heating, and performing a second heating for a predetermined time at an output power level lower than the output power level at the first heating; and stopping the second heating after the predetermined time has elapsed.