Abstract:
An electronic control for a cooking oven includes an input selection panel for receiving user input selections and control logic responsive to the input, selection panel for establishing a time and temperature profile of the oven cavity and for controlling heating devices according to the time and temperature heating profile entered by the user. The input selection panel includes heating function selection devices for receiving user selection of a heating function from among a plurality of heating functions and timing function selection devices for receiving user selection of at least one timing function from among a plurality of timing functions. The timing functions are independent of the heating functions so that a user may select any combination of timing functions with any selected heating function. The input selection panel includes labeled selection devices and labeled parameter display devices that define a grammatical sentence. The sentence emulates standard instructions in a cooking recipe. The functions and parameters selected by selection devices are laid out with the parameter display devices in a manner that functions are logically selectable from left-to-right across the panel.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to cooking appliances and, more particularly, to cooking ovens, especially those utilizing electronic controls. More particularly, the invention relates to input devices for microcomputer-based oven controls. 
     Electronic controls, in general, and microcomputer-based controls, in particular, have been applied to various items, including appliances. Electronic controls have many advantages over the electromechanical controls they replace, for example, enhanced reliability and accuracy. The full potential of the electronic control, however, is not often realized. There is a tendency to merely emulate the functions performed by the electromechanical controls that the electronic control is replacing. 
     A cooking oven is generally capable of performing three functions: broiling food placed under a broiling element, baking food placed in the oven and self-cleaning of the oven by pyrolysis of food residue on the oven walls. Upon selecting a particular heating function, known control may provide the user with the capability of selecting additional subfunctions. For example, a user may be provided with the option of baking a particular food item for a selectable period of time and selecting a delay interval before the baking function is initiated. It is also known to allow the user to select a point in time that the baking interval is to terminate, which would typically coincide with the desired meal time. 
     Present controls for ovens are not intuitive in operation. For example, without consulting the user&#39;s manual, the user may not realize that the bake function must be selected in order to enter a cooking interval and a delay start or stop cooking time. Because the user must often consult the user manual in order to invoke all of the functions of known controls, the known controls are not convenient to the user. The result is that the user does not achieve full enjoyment of the capabilities of the appliance. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is intended to provide a clear, concise and intuitive control for a cooking oven, in which the timing functions, such as cook interval, delay start and delay stop, are available to be specified in combination with any of the particular heating functions, such as baking, broiling and cleaning, the user selects for the oven. The present invention is embodied in a cooking oven having means defining an oven cavity and heating means for heating the oven cavity to defined heating temperatures. Control means are provided for receiving user input selections and for establishing a time and temperature heating profile of the oven cavity. The control means includes input selection means for receiving user input selections and logic means responsive to the input means for establishing a time and temperature profile of the oven cavity. The logic means controls the heating means according to the time and temperature heating profile entered by the user. 
     According to one aspect of the invention, the input means includes heating function selection means for receiving a user selection of a heating function from among a plurality of heating functions and timing function selection means for receiving user selection of at least one timing function from among a plurality of timing functions. The heating functions are substantially independent of the timing functions so that a user may select any combination of timing functions with any selected heating function. The input means may additionally receive user entry of one or more parameters relating to each heating function and timing function selected by the user. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, the input means includes a user input panel having user input selection means for receiving user input selections of a heating function, heating parameters, at least one timing function and timing parameters. The selection means include labeled selection devices and labeled parameter display devices that define a grammatical sentence. The user input selection means may be physically laid out in a general linear fashion laterally across the face of the panel. In a preferred form, the functions and parameters selected by the selection devices are laid out with the parameter display devices in a manner that functions are logically selectable from left-to-right across the panel. The function and parameter labels may be applied as indicia to the panel. In a preferred form, the heating functions are labeled as grammatical verbs and parameter displays are labeled as grammatical prepositions, so that displayed parameters are grammatical objects of the prepositions. This results in an exceptionally intuitive input selection process, which prompts user inputs without the necessity of reference to a user&#39;s manual. In a most preferred form, the sentence programming follows cooking instructions that are traditionally stated in a conventional manner in cooking recipes. 
     These and other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become apparent from a review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooking appliance according to the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front elevation of an input display panel according to the invention; 
     FIG. 3 is the same view as FIG. 2 of an alternative embodiment of the invention; control; and 
     FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the electronic control; and 
     FIG. 5a-5c is a flowchart of a user input selection program. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now specifically to the drawings, and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a domestic cooking range 10 includes a cabinet 12 defining therein an oven cavity 14 which is selectively closed by an oven door 16 (FIG. 1). An oven heating means, including a bake element 18 and broil element 20, are positioned within oven cavity 14, in order to heat the oven cavity, and is controlled by a control module 21. Control module 21 includes a control panel 22 for receiving user input selections and control logic for processing user input selections and driving output devices, including a logic device, such as microprocessor 24 (FIG. 4). Cooking range 10 may further include a plurality of range-top cooking elements 24a, 24b, 24c and 24d and corresponding controls 26a, 26b, 26c and 26d for controlling the associated cooking elements 24a-24d independent of the oven heating means. 
     Microprocessor 24i s provided with inputs on input lines 28 from input control panel 22 in order to receive user input selections (FIG. 4). Microprocessor 24 additionally receives code input on a line 30 from a memory device, such as an EEPROM 32, in order to establish offsets in the microprocessor 24 that are applicable to the particular model of cooking range 10 to which control module 21 is applied. Microprocessor 24 additionally receives inputs on line 34 from a buffer circuit 36 associated with a temperature probe 38 and on a line 40 from a door closure sensing switch 42. Additional inputs are received on lines 44a, 44b and 44c indicating the status of the electrical power supplied to cooking range 10 from a power supply monitor module 46. Microprocessor 24 supplies outputs to a relay driver assembly 48 which, in turn, applies high voltage AC power to bake element 18, broil element 20 and a circuit breaker 50 by driving associated relays. Microprocessor 24.additionally supplies display data to a display element 52 over a data bus 54 and to a line 56 in order to activate a tone generator 58. 
     Input control panel 22 includes a plurality of input devices, illustrated as touch-responsive mylar switches 60, which supply inputs to microprocessor 24 over input lines 28 (FIGS. 2 and 4). Input devices 60 include heating function input devices 62a, 62b and 62c which select, respectively, the cooking functions of baking (62a) and broiling (62b) and an oven cleaning (62c) function. As is well understood in the art, the baking function is carried out by energizing bake element 18 in order to provide a substantially constant temperature throughout the oven cavity 14 in order to cook throughout food placed in oven cavity 14. The broil function is carried out by actuation of the broil element 20 in order to brown the exterior of foods by direct radiation from broil element 20. The cleaning function reduces residual food adhered to the walls defining oven cavity 14 by pyrolysis resulting from utilizing bake element 18 and broil element 20, together, to raise the temperature of oven cavity 14 to a suitably high temperature. Input devices 60 further include temperature input selection switches 64a and 64b which allow the user to raise (64a) or lower (64b) the set point temperature associated with the heating function selected by input devices 62a-62c. 
     Input devices 60 additionally include timing function input devices 66a 66b and 66c for selecting, respectively, a &#34;cook time&#34; function, a &#34;delay start time&#34; function and a &#34;stop time&#34; function. The &#34;cook time&#34; function, invoked by input device 66a, selects a time interval for which the heating function, selected by heating function input devices 62a-62c, is carried out. The &#34;cook time&#34; function may be used alone, or in combination with one of the &#34;delay start time&#34; or &#34;stop time&#34; functions. The &#34;delay start time&#34; function, invoked by input device 66b, allows the user to select a clock time for the selected heating function to start. The &#34;delay start time&#34; function must be used in combination with the selection of a &#34;cook time&#34; or a &#34;stop time&#34; function. The &#34;stop time&#34; function, invoked by actuation of input device 66c, allows the user to select a time at which the selected heating function terminates. The &#34;stop time&#34; function may be used in combination with either the &#34;cook time&#34; function or the &#34;delay start time&#34; function. 
     Time selection input devices 68a, 68b, 68c and 68d allow the user to increase the hours (68a) and minutes (68c) or decrease the hours (68b) and minutes (68d) associated with the function selected by timing function input devices 66a-66c. The timing functions invoked by actuation of timing input devices 66a-66c may be applied to any one of the &#34;bake,&#34; &#34;broil&#34; and &#34;clean&#34; heating functions selected by input devices 62a-62c. The complete selection of a heating function and one or more timing functions establish a time-temperature profile for oven cavity 14, including the particular elements 18, 20 that will be applied to heating the oven. 
     Display element 52 includes function indicators 70a, 70b and 70c to indicate the heating function selected by input devices 62a-62c. An indicator 72 is illuminated when the user has selected a timed oven function by actuation of one or more input devices 66a-66c. Indicators 74a and 74b indicate the present status of the oven in the time-temperature profile selected by the actuation of input devices 60, namely: &#34;delay&#34; indicator 74a is illuminated when the selected start time of the selected heating function has not arrived and the &#34;heat&#34; indicator (74b) is illuminated when a heating function is being performed. Display element 52 additionally includes a temperature display element 76 which indicates either the set point temperature or the actual temperature of oven cavity 14. Display element 52 additionally includes a time display 78 in order to indicate one of a reminder timer function, the present clock time, or a time value associated with the timed oven options selected by input devices 66a-66c. A set of indicators 80a, 80b and 80c indicate, in combination with a &#34;time&#34; indicator 81, the timing function associated with the time being displayed on time display 78. An indicator 82a indicates that a latch (not shown) for oven door 16 has been set by the user as a prerequisite of carrying out the &#34;clean&#34; function. Indicator 82b indicates that a &#34;clean&#34; function is being carried out. 
     Input control panel 22 additionally includes a &#34;start/enter&#34; input device 84 and an &#34;off/clear&#34; input device 86. The &#34;start/enter&#34; input device 84 is actuated by the user when the desired heating function has been selected, using input devices 62a-62c, and the desired timing functions have been selected using input devices 66a-66c. Actuation of &#34;start/enter&#34; input device 84 begins control of the temperature of the oven cavity 14 according to the time and temperature profile inputted by the user. The &#34;start/enter&#34; input device 84 may additionally be used by the user to set the timer, clock and other ancillary functions of control module 21, although these ancillary functions may be controlled by other input switch actuations. The &#34;off/clear&#34; device 86 is actuated by the user to terminate the heating of the oven cavity, according to the selected heating profile, and to cancel any selected heating profile. 
     An input control program 90 controls the receipt of user input selections (FIGS. 5a-5c). At the start 88 of each pass through input control program 90, it is determined at 92 whether the user is invoking the &#34;clean&#34; heating mode, or function, by actuating input device 62c. If so, any previously selected heating modes are cancelled, an audible signal is given by tone generator 58 and indicator 70c is illuminated at 94. A default oven temperature, appropriate for the pyrolytic cleaning function, is set for the &#34;oven temp&#34; parameter. Unless the user has already selected a &#34;cook time&#34; parameter, or if the user has selected a &#34;cook time&#34; parameter that is too high or too low for the oven cleaning function, a default time value, such as three hours, is set for the &#34;cook time&#34; parameter at 96. The default time and temperature values are displayed, respectively, on time display 78 and temperature display 76. The program then cycles through a control loop at 98 during which user selections of time change commands, via input devices 68a-68d, are received and carried out. The program routine at 98 is exited when the user selects another function, such as a timed oven function, or actuates the &#34;start/enter&#34; or &#34;off/clear&#34; commands. 
     If it is determined at 92 that the &#34;clean mode&#34; is not being selected, it is then determined at 100 whether the user is selecting the &#34;bake&#34; mode by actuating input device 62a. If so, any previously selected heating modes are cancelled, an audible signal is generated by tone generator 58 and the bake indicator 70a is illuminated at 102. A preset default temperature value is assigned to the &#34;oven temp&#34; parameter at 104 and user changes to the preset default temperature value are received at 106 until another function is selected. 
     If it is determined at 100 that the &#34;bake&#34; mode is not being selected, then it is determined at 108 whether the &#34;broil&#34; mode is being selected by the user actuating input device 62b. If so, then any previously selected heating modes are cancelled, tone generator 58 gives an audible signal and indicator 70b is illuminated at 110. A preset default temperature value is then assigned to the &#34;oven temp&#34; parameter at 112 and user changes to the &#34;oven temp&#34; parameter are received at 114 until another function is selected. 
     If it is determined at 108 that the broiling mode is not being selected, then it is determined at 116 whether the user is selecting the &#34;cook time&#34; function by actuating input device 66a. If so, an audio signal is generated by tone generator 58 and indicators 80b and 81 are illuminated at 118. It is then determined at 120 whether the oven is in a &#34;clean&#34; mode. If so, the program is exited at 122. Alternatively, control could be directed to block 96 in order to receive user input selections increasing and decreasing the value of &#34;cook time&#34; for the clean mode. If it is determined at 120 that the oven is not in a &#34;clean&#34; mode, then the &#34;cook time&#34; parameter is set to zero and displayed on time display 78 at 123. User input selections increasing and decreasing the time set at display 78 are received at 124, until another function is selected. 
     If it is determined at 116 that the &#34;cook time&#34; function is not being selected, then it is determined at 126 whether the user is selecting the &#34;delay start time&#34; function by actuating input device 66b. If so, an audio signal is generated by tone generator 58 and indicators 80a and 81 are illuminated at 128. It is then determined at 130 whether the oven is in a &#34;clean&#34; mode. If so, the &#34;start time&#34; parameter is preset to the present clock time and displayed on time display 78 at 132. User input selections increasing and decreasing the value of the &#34;start time&#34; are received at 134 until another function is selected. The program is then exited at 122. If it is determined at 130 that the control is not in a &#34;clean&#34; mode, then the &#34;start time&#34; parameter is preset with the present clock time at 138 and displayed on time display 78. User input selections increasing or decreasing the preset &#34;start time&#34; parameter are received at 140 until another function is selected. It is then determined at 142 whether the &#34;stop time&#34; or &#34;cook time&#34; functions have been invoked by the user. If not, the &#34;cook time&#34; indicators 80b and 81 and &#34;stop time&#34; indicators 80c and 81 are alternately illuminated at 144 until the user selects a &#34;cook time&#34; or &#34;stop time&#34; function. 
     If it is determined at 126 that the user is not selecting the &#34;delay start time&#34; function, it is determined at 146 whether the user is selecting the &#34;stop time&#34; function by actuating input device 66c. If so, an audible signal is generated by tone generator 58 and indicators 80c and 81 are illuminated at 148. The &#34;stop time&#34; parameter is preset with the present clock time, or the preset &#34;start time&#34; parameter if one has been selected, and displayed on time display 78 at 150. User selections to increase or decrease the &#34;stop time&#34; parameter are received at 152 until another function is selected. The program is then exited at 122. 
     The input control routine 90 is cyclically followed so that a particular function may be selected during one pass through the program and another function selected during a subsequent pass through the program. The timing functions may be selected prior to selecting the heating functions or vice versa. When the user is satisfied with the heating function and associated value of the temperature set point parameter, as well as any timing function that may have been selected, the user actuates the &#34;enter/start&#34; input device 84 which invokes at 154 a cooking control routine during which the oven is heated according to the selected time and temperature parameters, as is conventional. However, in a preferred embodiment, the program prompts the user to select a heating function if the &#34;enter/start&#34; input device is actuated with only timing parameters having been selected. 
     With the above-described oven control 21, the user can adjust the temperature and/or time parameters even after the &#34;start/enter&#34; input device 84 is actuated to initiate the time and temperature heating profile of the oven. For example, if the user desires to increase or decrease the bake or broil temperature, the user need only actuate the associated input device 62a or 62b and adjust the temperature value displayed on temperature display 76, using temperature selection devices 64a and/or 64b. Similarly, if the user wishes to adjust the &#34;cook time&#34; duration, the user actuates the &#34;cook time&#34; input device 66a, which will display the selected &#34;cook time&#34; on time display 78. The user may then adjust the &#34;cook time&#34; interval with the input devices 68a-68d. At any time during the programming or oven heating functions, actuation of the &#34;off/clear&#34; input device 86 terminates the heating operation and clears any functions and parameter values previously selected by the user. 
     An alternative embodiment of an input control panel 222 includes a plurality of input devices 260 which are organized in combination with display elements and indicia in a particular manner. The oven functions and parameters are addressed substantially independently as components of a sentence. In reference to FIG. 3, input control panel 222 includes heating function input devices 262a, 262b and 262c for selecting, respectively, the baking, the broiling and the cleaning heating functions. Indicators 270a, 270b and 270c provide, respectively, indications that the baking, broiling or cleaning function has been selected. Temperature input selection devices 264a and 264b receive user input commands to increase or decrease an &#34;oven temp&#34; parameter which is displayed on a temperature display 276. Time input devices 268a, 268b, 268c and 268d receive user input selection to increase and decrease the hours and minutes associated with a &#34;cook time&#34; function, the selected time being displayed on a time display 278. A delay start option input device 275 allows the user to select between an immediate initiation of the heating function, as indicated by an indicator 300, and a &#34;delay start&#34; function, as indicated by an indicator 274a. A display 302 associated with the &#34;delay start&#34; function displays the &#34;start time&#34; parameter. Input devices 304a and 304b receive user selections to increase or decrease the &#34;start time&#34; displayed on display 302. A &#34;start/enter&#34; input device 284 and an &#34;off/cancel&#34; input device 286 perform substantially the same function as devices 84 and 86 in the previously described embodiment. A time-of-day display 306 displays the &#34;present time&#34; parameter and is adjustable by user operable input devices 308a and 308b upon actuation of a &#34;clock set&#34; mode select input device 310. 
     Input control panel 222 additionally includes prompting indicia 315a, 315b and 315c. These indicia provide the necessary grammatical prepositions for modifying the grammatical verbs &#34;bake, &#34; &#34;broil&#34; and &#34;clean, &#34; which define the respective heating functions. The displays 276, 278 and 302 establish objects for the respective prepositions. The input devices, displays and prompting indicia are laid out in a linear fashion, with the sentence reading from left-to-right laterally across the face of control panel 222, which is the direction the eye scans in order to read. However, other arrangements of the sentence elements, including non-English language grammatical structures, will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In addition, the prompting indicia could be provided via a display device or similar means. 
     The use of such sentence programming provides an intuitive input device which prompts the user to select input functions and parameters. In the illustrated embodiment, a clear, continuous display of the appropriate information is provided for review at any time during the input selection operation. Such sentence programming, in a preferred form, is intended to emulate the statement at the end of conventional recipes. The heating functions and timing functions selected by such sentence programming are, in essence, the same as those previously described. Additional functions may be added to the sentence structure illustrated in FIG. 3. For example, a &#34;stop time&#34; function may be added at the end of the illustrated sentence. This may be accomplished by adding indicia for the preposition &#34;stopping at,&#34; followed by a suitable time display and a &#34;stop time&#34; user input device (not shown). 
     Thus, it is seen that the present invention provides an exceptionally flexible, yet clear and concise, input device for a cooking range. By allowing the user to combine any of the &#34;cook time,&#34; &#34;start time&#34; and &#34;stop time&#34; timing functions with any of the &#34;bake,&#34; &#34;broil&#34; and &#34;clean&#34; heating functions, the full potential of an electronic control for a cooking oven may be realized. By arranging the input selection devices for various functions and parameters with indicators and prompting indicia arranged in a grammatical sentence, the input function may be carried out intuitively without reference to a user&#39;s manual. Although the invention has been illustrated with respect to a cooking oven that is part of a freestanding range, its principles are applicable to separate built-in ovens and other appliance combinations. Additionally, the invention may be applied to natural gas or propane heated ovens, as well as the illustrated all-electric oven. 
     Changes and modifications in these specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law, including the Doctrine of Equivalents.