Patent Description:
For example, convenience stores have provided the service of heating food products, such as boxed meals bought by customers, in a heating cooking apparatus, such as a microwave oven, and then handing the food products to the customers.

A suitable heating temperature and heating time in heating a food product depend on the type of food product. Therefore, in the heating cooking apparatuses described in PTL <NUM> and PTL <NUM>, a barcode that is printed on a container of a food product and indicates the type of food product is read by a reading device, and the food product is heated in accordance with heating information (heating temperature and heating time) corresponding to the type of food product.

Specifically, in a configuration described in PTL <NUM>, a barcode scanner is connected to a microwave oven, and a user manually operates the barcode scanner to read a barcode printed on a container of a food product, thereby obtaining the heating information corresponding to the type of food product.

In a configuration described in PTL <NUM>, a barcode is read by scanning the barcode printed on a container of a food product over a first barcode reader provided on one side portion of the front face of a heating cooking apparatus, thereby obtaining the heating information corresponding to the type of food product. Alternatively, the food product contained in the container is placed inside a heating chamber of the heating cooking apparatus, and the barcode printed on the container of the food product is read by a second barcode reader provided on the top wall of the heating chamber, thereby obtaining the heating information corresponding to the type of food product.

<CIT> discloses a method for controlling a heating cooker and the heating cooker, and belongs to the field of electric appliances. The heating cooker comprises a cavity, a door body, a control box and a scanner. The method comprises the steps of obtaining a door opening signal indicating that the door body is opened; according to the door opening signal, controlling the scanner to be started to scan an identification code on a food package; according to the identification code scanned by the scanner, controlling the heating cooker to execute a heating procedure. According to the technical scheme, since the scanner is installed at the portion, facing an opening of the cavity, of the control box, when a user puts food with the identification code on the package into the cavity, the identification code on the food package can be scanned through the scanner. Besides, when the user opens the door body, the scanner can be synchronously started, and thus the user conveniently uses the heating cooker.

Note that neither PTL <NUM> nor PTL <NUM> describes timings when the barcode scanner or the first or second barcode reader reads the barcode. However, in a case where these reading devices are allowed to read barcodes all the time, there is a possibility that the barcode on the container of the food product will be erroneously read when the heated food product is taken out from the heating chamber. In this case, heating could be performed with no food product in the heating chamber since the food product has already been taken out from the heating chamber. That is, since a no-load operation is performed, a burden is imposed on a heating unit, for example, a magnetron, of the heating cooking apparatus, which may raise the problem of shortening the life of the apparatus.

An aspect of the present invention is to prevent a no-load operation.

According to the present invention there is provided a heating cooking apparatus comprising: a heating chamber; a determination unit configured to determine whether a food product is present in the heating chamber; a reading device configured to read an information code for heating cooking of a food product; a heating control unit configured to perform heating control of the food product placed in the heating chamber, based on the information code read by the reading device; and a reading control unit configured to control a reading operation of the reading device, characterized in that after a time point at which a transition occurs from a state where the determination unit determines that the food product is present in the heating chamber to a state where the determination unit determines that the food product is not present in the heating chamber, the reading control unit is configured to cause the reading device to stop the reading operation for a predetermined time, or in a state where the determination unit determines that no food product is present in the heating chamber, the reading control unit is configured to cancel, for a predetermined time, the information code read by the reading device.

An aspect of the present invention makes it possible to suppress a no-load operation.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below. <FIG> is a perspective view of a heating cooking apparatus <NUM> of the present embodiment, when viewed from an obliquely upper front side, in a state where a front door <NUM> that can be opened and closed and is provided on a main body of the heating cooking apparatus <NUM> is closed. <FIG> is a perspective view of the heating cooking apparatus <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> with the front door <NUM> thereof opened when viewed from an obliquely lower front side. <FIG> is a perspective view of the heating cooking apparatus <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> with the front door <NUM> thereof opened when viewed from an obliquely lower right side.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the heating cooking apparatus <NUM> is, for example, a microwave oven, and includes an operation panel <NUM> on an upper side of a front face and the front door <NUM> under the operation panel <NUM>. The front door <NUM> is a door that opens and closes a heating chamber <NUM> provided behind the front door <NUM> and covers a front face opening 13b of the heating chamber <NUM> in a closed state. In the present embodiment, the front door <NUM> is a horizontal opening door that rotates about an end portion on the left side when viewed from the front and includes a handle <NUM> near a right end, which is an end portion on the opposite side to the rotation center.

In the heating chamber <NUM>, as illustrated in <FIG>, a food sensor <NUM> is provided on a side surface 13a inside the chamber. The food sensor <NUM> detects whether a food product is placed on a flat plate 13c provided on a bottom face inside the heating chamber <NUM>. That is, the food sensor <NUM> detects presence or absence of a food product in the heating chamber <NUM>. The details of the food sensor <NUM> and the food product detection will be described later.

The operation panel <NUM> is provided on a front face of a control frame <NUM>. The operation panel <NUM> is provided such that the front face of the operation panel <NUM> is substantially flush with the front face of the front door <NUM> in a front-rear direction of the heating cooking apparatus <NUM>.

A control board (not illustrated) that controls a display unit <NUM> of the operation panel <NUM>, receives user operations with respect to, for example, input keys, and the like, is provided inside the control frame <NUM>.

<FIG> is a vertical cross-sectional view of the control frame <NUM> illustrating the installation state of the reading device <NUM>. <FIG> is an explanatory diagram illustrating a reading region <NUM> of the reading device <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the control frame <NUM> is provided projecting toward the front side of the heating cooking apparatus <NUM>. The reading device <NUM> is attached to a lower face of a reading device substrate (circuit board) <NUM> and is provided in a lower portion inside the control frame <NUM>. The reading device substrate <NUM> is provided with a drive circuit of the reading device <NUM>. In other words, the reading device <NUM> is installed on a position outside the heating chamber <NUM> and at an upper side of the front face opening 13b of the heating chamber <NUM> and is provided so as to have the reading region <NUM> on a lower side relative to the installed position.

The reading device <NUM> is, for example, a barcode reader, and is configured to read an information code (for example, a barcode) provided on a food product to be heated by the heating cooking apparatus <NUM> or a container of the food product.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a region below the reading device <NUM> is the reading region <NUM> of the reading device <NUM>, and the control frame <NUM> includes a transparent reading window <NUM> in a portion of a lower wall portion thereof facing the reading device <NUM>.

The reading region <NUM> of the reading device <NUM> is indicated by, for example, red light so that a user can visually recognize the reading region <NUM>. The red light is emitted by a reading region illumination unit <NUM> (see <FIG>). A red LED, for example, is used as the reading region illumination unit <NUM>. Note that light indicating the reading region <NUM> is not limited to red light but may be other light visible to the user, such as a laser. In addition, the number of red LEDs may be one or may be more than one.

In addition, as illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the reading device <NUM> is provided in a center portion in a width direction (right-left direction) of the front face opening 13b of the heating chamber <NUM>.

(a) of <FIG> is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an information code constituted of a two-dimensional code (QR code (trademark)), and (b) of <FIG> is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of an information code constituted of a one-dimensional barcode.

The information code is used for heating cooking of a food product. For example, the information code includes information indicating the type of food product and information indicating heating cooking conditions (heating information) for the food product of the type indicated. The heating information is information necessary for heating cooking and includes a heating time and wattage of a high-frequency output in the heating cooking apparatus <NUM>. The information code specifically includes information indicating the type of food product, for example, indicating that the food product is a boxed meal (or additionally indicating the type of boxed meal), a rice ball (or additionally indicating the type of rice ball), or the like, and includes heating information including a heating time and wattage of a high-frequency output corresponding to the food product indicated by the above information. The information code is given to the food product or the container of the food product by, for example, being printed or applying a sticker thereon. Since the information code is used for heating cooking of the specified food product, the information code may include only information specifying the food product, and the heating information of the specified food product may be obtained from an external server <NUM> (<FIG>). The information code may include only the heating information of the food product.

The information code may be, for example, a two-dimensional code as illustrated in (a) of <FIG> or may be a one-dimensional barcode as illustrated in (b) of <FIG>. Note that the information code is not particularly limited to a barcode or the like as long as the information code can indicate the type of food product.

<FIG> is an explanatory diagram illustrating a placement example and a detection region of the food sensor <NUM> in the heating cooking apparatus <NUM> illustrated in <FIG>.

The food sensor <NUM> is constituted of, for example, a reflective photosensor, and light from a light-emitting element in the reflective photosensor is radiated onto a detection-target object (food) and the light reflected by the detection-target object is received by the reflective photosensor, thereby detecting the presence or absence of the detection-target object. As indicated by a reference sign <NUM> in <FIG>, a radiation range of light from the light-emitting element of the food sensor <NUM> is a sensor detection area <NUM>.

The food sensor <NUM> receives reflected light from the sensor detection area <NUM> and transmits a signal of light reception (light reception signal) to a control unit <NUM> (<FIG>) of the heating cooking apparatus <NUM>. The control unit <NUM> determines whether a food product <NUM> is present in the heating chamber <NUM> based on the transmitted light reception signal. The details of the determination of the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> will be described later.

As described above, in order to detect the presence or absence of the food product <NUM>, which is a detection-target object placed in the heating chamber <NUM>, it is necessary to adjust the position and size of the sensor detection area <NUM>. As indicated by a reference sign <NUM> in <FIG>, the present embodiment describes an example in which three food sensors <NUM> are disposed in a depth direction of the heating chamber <NUM>. Note that the heights of the three food sensors <NUM> from the installation surface are the same. In this manner, the sensor detection area <NUM> as a region for detecting the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> placed on the flat plate 13c of the heating chamber <NUM> is formed using the three food sensors <NUM> having the same height from the installation surface. Accordingly, by adjusting the number of food sensors <NUM> and the height from the installation surface in accordance with the size of the heating chamber <NUM>, the sensor detection area <NUM> corresponding to the size of the heating chamber <NUM> may be formed. As discussed above, the number of food sensors <NUM>, the installation height thereof, and the like are not particularly limited as long as the sensor detection area <NUM> with the desired size can be formed.

The food sensor <NUM> is not limited to a reflective photosensor; for example, three near-infrared LEDs and three photo transistors (with the received-light wavelength being <NUM>) may be used instead of the reflective photosensor. Accordingly, any configuration may be employed as the food sensor <NUM> as long as the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM> can be detected.

<FIG> is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control device included in the heating cooking apparatus <NUM>. The control device includes the control unit <NUM> that controls operations of the heating cooking apparatus <NUM>. The control unit <NUM> is constituted of, for example, a microcomputer, and includes a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the operation panel <NUM>, a heating operation unit <NUM>, the reading device <NUM>, the reading region illumination unit <NUM>, a reading result notification unit <NUM>, a front door opening/closing detection unit (opening/closing detection unit) <NUM>, and a memory (storage unit) <NUM> are connected to the control unit <NUM>. The front door opening/closing detection unit <NUM> is constituted of, for example, a switch that is turned on when the front door <NUM> is closed, and detects an opened state and a closed state of the front door <NUM>.

The heating operation unit <NUM> is an operation unit that heats a food product placed in the heating chamber <NUM> and is, for example, a microwave output device or a heater. The reading result notification unit <NUM> is a buzzer or a voice generator and is controlled by the control unit <NUM> to notify a user of success or failure in reading an information code by the reading device <NUM>.

The control unit <NUM> can communicate with the server <NUM> by using, for example, an Internet line. Heating information corresponding to various types of food products is registered in the server <NUM>. The control unit <NUM> acquires, from the server <NUM>, heating information corresponding to the type of food product and acquired when the reading device <NUM> reads the information code, and controls the heating operation unit <NUM> to heat the food product in accordance with the acquired heating information. Note that the heating information corresponding to the type of food product may be included in the heating cooking apparatus <NUM> itself. In this case, the heating cooking apparatus <NUM> does not need to communicate with the server <NUM>.

Further, the control unit <NUM> includes a determination unit 22a that determines whether the food product <NUM> is present in the heating chamber <NUM>, a heating control unit 22b that controls the heating operation of the heating operation unit <NUM> based on a determination result of the determination unit 22a, and a reading control unit 22c that controls the reading operation of the reading device <NUM> based on the determination result of the determination unit 22a.

The determination unit 22a determines whether the food product <NUM> is present in the heating chamber <NUM> based on a signal (light reception signal) from the food sensor <NUM>. Specifically, the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> is determined as follows. That is, in a case where the food product <NUM> is not placed within the sensor detection area <NUM>, light emitted by the light-emitting element of the food sensor <NUM> is reflected by the flat plate 13c in the sensor detection area <NUM>, and the reflected light is received by a light-receiving element. In contrast, in a case where the food product <NUM> is placed within the sensor detection area <NUM>, the light emitted by the light-emitting element of the food sensor <NUM> is reflected by the food product <NUM> in front of the flat plate 13c in the sensor detection area <NUM>, and the reflected light is received by the light-receiving element. In this case, the light reception intensity of the food sensor <NUM> when the food product <NUM> is not placed in the heating chamber <NUM> is taken as a reference value, and it is determined that the food product <NUM> is placed in the heating chamber <NUM> when the light reception intensity is different from the reference value.

The heating control unit 22b permits the heating operation of the heating operation unit <NUM> when the determination result of the determination unit 22a indicates that the food product <NUM> is present in the heating chamber <NUM>, whereas the heating control unit 22b does not permit the heating operation of the heating operation unit <NUM> when the determination result of the determination unit 22a indicates that no food product <NUM> is present in the heating chamber <NUM>.

In a case where the determination result of the determination unit 22a indicates that there is no food product <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM>, the reading control unit 22c causes the reading device <NUM> to stop the reading operation of the information code for a predetermined time or cancels the information code read by the reading device <NUM> for a predetermined time. The information code read by the reading device <NUM> includes heating information necessary for heating cooking. The heating information refers to a heating time and wattage of a high-frequency output in the heating cooking apparatus <NUM>.

The predetermined time during which the operation of reading the information code by the reading device <NUM> is stopped and the predetermined time during which the information code read by the reading device <NUM> is cancelled may be optionally set, and it is sufficient that they are each set to at least a period of time from when the food product <NUM> is completely taken out from the heating chamber <NUM> until when the food product <NUM> passes through the reading position of the reading device <NUM>. By setting the predetermined time in this manner, when the food product having been heated is taken out from the heating chamber <NUM>, the possibility that the information code will be read again by the reading device <NUM> can be further lowered.

The start of the predetermined time is set to after a time point at which a transition occurs from a state where the determination unit 22a determines that the food product <NUM> is present in the heating chamber <NUM> to a state where the determination unit 22a determines that the food product <NUM> is not present in the heating chamber <NUM>. In this case, the reading operation of the reading device <NUM> is stopped after the food product <NUM> is removed from the heating chamber <NUM>; thus, even when the food product <NUM> taken out from the heating chamber <NUM> passes through the reading position of the reading device <NUM>, the information code of the food product <NUM> is unlikely to be read.

In a case where the determination result of the determination unit 22a indicates that the food product <NUM> is present in the heating chamber <NUM>, the reading control unit 22c causes the reading device <NUM> to stop the reading operation or cancels the information code read by the reading device <NUM>.

Thus, in a case where the food sensor <NUM> is out of order and determines that the food product <NUM> is present in the heating chamber <NUM> despite the absence of the food product <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM>, for example, the reading device <NUM> does not read the information code, or the information code is cancelled even when read by the reading device <NUM>, whereby a no-load operation can be suppressed.

The end of the predetermined time may be, for example, a time point when the closing of the front door <NUM> is detected by the front door opening/closing detection unit <NUM>. Specifically, after the door opening/closing detection unit <NUM> detects that the front door <NUM> is opened and the determination unit 22a determines that the food product <NUM> is not present in the heating chamber <NUM>, and then, the predetermined time passes or the reading device <NUM> is caused to stop the reading operation and the door opening/closing detection unit <NUM> detects that the front door <NUM> is closed, the stopping of the reading operation of the reading device <NUM> is terminated. In this case, the front door <NUM> needs to be opened in order to take out the food product <NUM> having been subjected to heating cooking from the heating chamber <NUM>; thus, the food product <NUM> is taken out from the heating chamber <NUM> with the front door <NUM> opened. At this time, the stopping of the reading operation of the reading device <NUM> is initiated. Then, after the predetermined time passes, or after a time point at which the front door <NUM> is closed, the stopping of the reading operation of the reading device <NUM> is terminated. As a result, the information code of the food product <NUM> can be read by the reading device <NUM> when the front door <NUM> is opened and the food product <NUM> is put into the heating chamber <NUM> for the next heating cooking.

Heating information included in the information code having been read by the reading device <NUM> is stored in the memory <NUM>. Therefore, heating information is registered in the memory <NUM> of the heating cooking apparatus <NUM> for a food product whose information code has been read once, and thus it is not necessary to acquire heating information every time an information code is read from the outside of the heating cooking apparatus <NUM>.

Operations of the heating cooking apparatus <NUM> in the above-described configuration will be described below. Here, a case where the food product <NUM> is assumed to be a boxed meal with an information code applied onto the upper face of a container thereof and is heated by the heating cooking apparatus <NUM> will be described.

First, a user confirms a guide display <NUM> (for example, "please open the door and scan the information code over the red light") of the operation panel <NUM>. Then, the user opens the front door <NUM> in accordance with the guide display <NUM>. When the front door opening/closing detection unit <NUM> detects the opened state of the front door <NUM>, the control unit <NUM> causes the reading device <NUM> and the reading region illumination unit <NUM> to operate.

Next, the user moves a boxed meal such that the information code enters the reading region <NUM> of the reading device <NUM> (such that the information code is illuminated with the red light) in accordance with the guide display <NUM> of the operation panel <NUM>.

This operation causes the reading device <NUM> to read the information code applied to the boxed meal. When the reading device <NUM> successfully reads the information code, the control unit <NUM> causes the reading result notification unit <NUM> to notify the user of the reading result. The operation of the reading result notification unit <NUM> in this case is, for example, an operation of emitting a continuous beep sound, an operation of outputting voice saying "the information code has been read successfully," or an operation including both the above operations.

When informed of the success of reading the information code by the reading result notification unit <NUM>, the user places the boxed meal in the heating chamber <NUM>, then closes the front door <NUM>, and presses the start button on the operation panel <NUM>. In this state, the boxed meal to be heated is placed at a predetermined position in the heating chamber <NUM>. In other words, as indicated by a reference sign <NUM> in <FIG>, the boxed meal (food product <NUM>) is placed in the sensor detection area <NUM> of the food sensor <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM>. At this time, in the control unit <NUM>, the determination unit 22a determines that the boxed meal is placed in the heating chamber <NUM>, and heating control by the heating control unit 22b, that is, a heating operation of the heating operation unit <NUM> is permitted based on the determination result.

When the information code is successfully read, the control unit <NUM> communicates with the server <NUM> to acquire heating information corresponding to the type of food product indicated by the information code from the server <NUM>. Thereafter, when the user closes the front door <NUM> and presses the start button on the operation panel <NUM>, the control unit <NUM> heats the boxed meal in the heating chamber <NUM> in accordance with the acquired heating information.

Thereafter, being associated with the control unit <NUM>, the user closes the front door <NUM>, operates heating change buttons 11a of the operation panel <NUM>, and presses the start button. In response to the pressing of the start button, the boxed meal in the heating chamber <NUM> is heated in accordance with the acquired heating information.

On the other hand, when the reading of the information code by the reading device <NUM> fails, the control unit <NUM> causes the reading result notification unit <NUM> to notify the user of the reading result. The operation of the reading result notification unit <NUM> in this case is, for example, an operation of emitting an intermittent sound of "bleep, bleep, bleep," an operation of outputting a voice saying "the information code was not read correctly," or an operation including both the above operations.

When the user is informed of the failure of reading the information code by the reading result notification unit <NUM>, the user moves the boxed meal again such that the information code enters the reading region <NUM> of the reading device <NUM> (such that the information code is illuminated with the red light). An operation to be performed when the information code is thus successfully read is as described earlier.

When the heating of the boxed meal is completed in the above-described manner, the user is notified of the completion of the heating, and the user takes the boxed meal out from the heating chamber <NUM>. When the boxed meal is taken out from the heating chamber <NUM>, the boxed meal is absent from the sensor detection area <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM>, and the signal of the light received by the food sensor <NUM> has the reference value, whereby the determination unit 22a of the control unit <NUM> determines that the boxed meal is not present in the heating chamber <NUM>. The heating control unit 22b does not permit a heating operation of the heating operation unit <NUM> based on a determination result of the determination unit 22a (no boxed meal is placed in the heating chamber <NUM>). Accordingly, no heating operation is performed by the heating operation unit <NUM> in a state where no boxed meal is placed in the heating chamber <NUM>. That is, no heating operation is performed in a no-load state.

Furthermore, the reading control unit 22c causes the reading device <NUM> to stop the reading operation of the information code for a predetermined time based on the determination result of the determination unit 22a (the boxed meal is not placed in the heating chamber <NUM>). Thus, for example, the reading device <NUM> does not read the information code of the boxed meal while the boxed meal is taken out, and therefore the heating control by the heating control unit 22b is not performed. When the determination unit 22a determines that the boxed meal is not placed in the heating chamber <NUM>, the reading control unit 22c cancels the information code read by the reading device <NUM> for a predetermined time, and therefore the heating control by the heating control unit 22b is not performed in this case as well.

<FIG> is a flowchart illustrating a flow of reading control of an information code in the heating cooking apparatus <NUM>.

First, the control unit <NUM> determines whether the heating cooking has been ended (step S11). Specifically, the end of the heating cooking is determined by whether the control of the heating operation unit <NUM> by the heating control unit 22b of the control unit <NUM> has been completed.

Next, in a case where it is determined that the heating cooking has been ended in step S11 (YES), the control unit <NUM> determines whether the food product <NUM> is not present in the heating chamber <NUM> (step S12). Specifically, the determination unit 22a of the control unit <NUM> determines the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> based on the signal from the food sensor <NUM>.

Subsequently, in a case where it is determined that no food product is present in step S12 (YES), the control unit <NUM> causes the reading device <NUM> to stop reading the information code (step S13). Specifically, the reading control unit 23c of the control unit <NUM> causes the reading device <NUM> to stop reading the information code.

Subsequently, the control unit <NUM> determines whether a predetermined time has passed (step S14). Specifically, the reading control unit 22c of the control unit <NUM> determines whether the predetermined time has passed. In other words, the reading control unit <NUM> determines whether the predetermined time has passed while the reading device <NUM> is caused to stop reading the information code. In a case where it is determined that the predetermined time has passed (YES), the reading control unit 22c terminates the stopping of the reading of the information code by the reading device <NUM> (step S15).

An example is described in which in the above process, the reading device <NUM> is caused to stop the reading of the information code for a predetermined time in the case of no food product, but the information code read by the reading device <NUM> may be cancelled for a predetermined time in the case of no food product.

In the heating cooking apparatus <NUM> having the above-described configuration, whether the food product <NUM> is placed in the heating chamber <NUM> is determined, and when the determination result tells that the food product <NUM> is not placed in the heating chamber <NUM>, the reading device <NUM> is caused to stop the reading operation for a predetermined time, or the information code read by the reading device <NUM> is cancelled for a predetermined time. As a result, the reading of the information code by the reading device <NUM> is not performed for a predetermined time in a state where the heating-target object is not present in the heating chamber <NUM>, that is, in a no-load state, or the information code is cancelled for a predetermined time even when the information code is read, whereby the heating operation (no-load operation) by the heating operation unit <NUM> is also not performed. Accordingly, a problem that a burden is imposed on the magnetron due to the no-load operation and consequently the life of the apparatus is shortened does not arise.

In the present embodiment, in order to prevent a no-load operation in the heating cooking apparatus <NUM>, when it is determined that the food product <NUM> is not present in the heating chamber <NUM>, the reading of the information code by the reading device <NUM> is stopped for a predetermined time, or the information code is cancelled for a predetermined time even when the information code is read. In a second embodiment described below, another example is described in order to prevent a no-load operation performed in the heating cooking apparatus <NUM>.

Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below. Note that, for convenience of description, components having the same functions as those described in the above-described embodiment will be denoted by the same reference signs, and descriptions of those components will be omitted.

In the present embodiment, in addition to the control in the first embodiment, notification, to a user using the heating cooking apparatus <NUM>, of information indicating the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM> and information indicating whether the information code of the food product <NUM> has been read is performed, thereby making it possible to more reliably prevent a no-load operation.

Specifically, in the display unit (notification unit) <NUM> of the operation panel <NUM>, the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM> is displayed, whether the information code of the food product <NUM> has been read is displayed, and the like, whereby the user is visually notified of the status of the inside of the heating chamber <NUM> and the reading status of the information code.

<FIG> is a diagram illustrating an example of notifications to a user using the operation panel <NUM>.

As indicated by a reference sign <NUM> in <FIG>, a notification area 30a having a substantially circular shape where the light is turned on and off is provided in a portion of a display screen of the display unit <NUM> in the operation panel <NUM>, and notification of the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM> may be performed using the notification area 30a. In the case where the food product <NUM> is present, the notification area 30a displays a light on state, whereas in the case where the food product <NUM> is not present, the notification area 30a displays a light off state. The display control of the notification area 30a is performed in accordance with the determination result from the determination unit 22a in the control unit <NUM>. In other words, when the determination result indicates the presence of the food product, the notification area 30a displays the light on state, whereas when the determination result indicates the absence of the food product, the notification area 30a displays the light off state.

As indicated by a reference sign <NUM> in <FIG>, a first notification area 30b and a second notification area 30c each having a substantially rectangular shape where the light is turned on and off are provided in a portion of the display screen of the display unit <NUM> in the operation panel <NUM>, and notification of the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM> may be performed using the first notification area 30b and notification of whether the information code (QR code (trademark)) of the food product has been read may be performed using the second notification area 30c. The first notification area 30b displays a light on state in the case where the food product <NUM> is present, and displays a light off state in the case where the food product <NUM> is not present; the second notification area 30c displays a light on state in the case where the information code (QR code) has been read, and displays a light off state in the case where the information code (QR code) has not been read. The display control of the first notification area 30b is performed in accordance with the determination result from the determination unit 22a in the control unit <NUM>. In other words, when the determination result indicates the presence of the food product, the notification area 30a is made to display the light on state, whereas when the determination result indicates the absence of the food product, the notification area 30a is made to display the light off state. On the other hand, the display control of the second notification area 30c is performed in the control unit <NUM> in accordance with the information indicating whether the information code has been read from the reading control unit 22c. In other words, when the information indicating whether the information code has been read indicates that the information code has been read, the second notification area 30c is made to display the light on state, whereas when the information indicating whether the information code has been read indicates that the information code has not been read, the second notification area 30c is made to display the light off state.

As described above, the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM> and whether the information code has been read are displayed on the display unit <NUM> of the operation panel <NUM>, whereby visual notification to the user is possible. That is, the user can understand the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM> and whether the information code has been read by viewing the display unit <NUM>. In this example, the information about which the user is to be notified (the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> and whether the information code has been read) is displayed in the display unit <NUM>, but the notification scheme to the user is not particularly limited. For example, by using the reading result notification unit <NUM> constituted of a buzzer, a voice generator, or the like, and included in the heating cooking apparatus <NUM> of the first embodiment, the user may be notified of the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM> and whether the reading device <NUM> has read the information code.

By notifying the user of the information indicating the presence or absence of the food product <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM>, it is possible to eliminate a situation in which the user directly checks the inside of the heating chamber <NUM> or is unable to understand whether the information code has been read. Furthermore, it is also possible to know whether the food sensor <NUM> is out of order. For example, in a case where the notification area 30a or 30b is lit despite the absence of the food product <NUM> in the heating chamber <NUM>, it can be determined that the food sensor <NUM> is out of order.

Control blocks (in particular, the determination unit 22a, the heating control unit 22b, and the reading control unit 22c) of the control unit <NUM> may be implemented by logic circuits (hardware) formed in integrated circuits (IC chips) and the like, or may be implemented by software.

In the latter case, the control unit <NUM> includes a computer that executes a command of a program that is software for implementing functions. The computer includes at least one processor (control device), for example, and includes at least one computer-readable recording medium having stored the program therein. In the computer, the processor reads the program from the recording medium and executes the program, thereby accomplishing the object of the present invention. For example, a central processing unit (CPU) may be used as the processor. As the recording medium, a "non-transitory tangible medium" such as a tape, a disk, a card, a semiconductor memory, and a programmable logic circuit may be used in addition to a read only memory (ROM) and the like. Additionally, a random access memory (RAM) on which the program is loaded, or the like may be further provided. Further, the program may be supplied to the computer via any transmission medium (a communication network, a broadcast wave, or the like) capable of transmitting the program. Note that an aspect of the present invention may be implemented in a form of a data signal embodied by electronic transmission of the program and embedded in a carrier wave.

A heating cooking apparatus according the present invention includes a heating chamber (<NUM>); a determination unit (22a) that determines whether a food product (<NUM>) is present in the heating chamber (<NUM>); a reading device (<NUM>) that reads an information code for heating cooking of the food product (<NUM>); a heating control unit (22b) that performs heating control of the food product (<NUM>) placed in the heating chamber (<NUM>) based on the information code read by the reading device (<NUM>); and a reading control unit (22c) that controls a reading operation of the reading device (<NUM>), in which after the determination unit (22a) determines that the food product (<NUM>) is not present in the heating chamber (<NUM>), the reading control unit (22c) is configured to cause the reading device (<NUM>) to stop the reading operation for a predetermined time, or after the determination unit (22a) determines that the food product (<NUM>) is not present in the heating chamber (<NUM>), the reading control unit (22c) is configured to cancel the information code read by the reading device (<NUM>) for a predetermined time.

According to the above configuration, after it is determined that there is no food product in the heating chamber, the reading operation of the reading device is stopped for a predetermined time, or the information code read by the reading device (<NUM>) is cancelled for a predetermined time. As a result, even in a case where the food product is moved to a reading position of the reading device for a predetermined time, the information code of the food product is not read, or the information code of the food product is cancelled even when the information code is read, and thus the heating control by the heating control unit based on the heating information included in the information code and required for heating cooking is not performed. Accordingly, the heating control with no food product placed in the heating chamber, that is, a no-load operation is not performed.

A heating cooking apparatus according to the present invention is such that the start of the predetermined time is set after a time point at which a transition occurs from a state where the determination unit (22a) determines that the food product (<NUM>) is present in the heating chamber (<NUM>) to a state where the determination unit (22a) determines that the food product <NUM> is not present in the heating chamber (<NUM>).

According to the configuration described above, the start time of stopping the reading operation of the reading device is set after the time point at which the transition occurs from the state where it is determined that the food product is present in the heating chamber to a state where it is determined that the food product is not present in the heating chamber. Thus, because the reading operation of the reading device is stopped after the food product is removed from the heating chamber, even when the food product is moved to the reading position of the reading device, the information code of the food product is unlikely to be read, which makes it possible to lower the possibility that the heating control by the heating control unit is performed based on the heating information included in the information code and required for the heating cooking.

A heating cooking apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention further includes a door (front door <NUM>) that can be opened and closed with respect to a main body including the heating chamber (<NUM>), and an opening/closing detection unit (front door opening/closing detection unit <NUM>) that detects opening/closing of the door (front door <NUM>), in which after the opening/closing detection unit (front door opening/closing detection unit <NUM>) detects that the door (front door <NUM>) is opened and a transition occurs from a state where the determination unit (22a) determines that the food product (<NUM>) is present in the heating chamber (<NUM>) to a state where the determination unit determines that the food product (<NUM>) is not present in the heating chamber (<NUM>) and then, the predetermined time passes or before the predetermined time passes and after a time point at which the opening/closing detection unit (front door opening/closing detection unit <NUM>) detects that the door (front door <NUM>) is closed, the reading control unit (22c) may terminate the stopping of the reading operation of the reading device (<NUM>) or may terminate the cancelling of the information code read by the reading device (<NUM>).

According to the configuration described above, after the predetermined time passes, or after the time point at which the door is closed, the stopping of the reading operation of the reading device is terminated, or the cancelling of the information code read by the reading device (<NUM>) is terminated. This makes it possible to read an information code of the food product by the reading device or use the information code having been read, when the door is opened and a food product is put in the heating chamber for next heating cooking.

A heating cooking apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention may further include a notification unit (display unit <NUM>) that performs notification of a result brought by the determination unit (22a) and indicating presence or absence of the food product (<NUM>).

According to the configuration described above, the notification unit allows a user to recognize the presence or absence of the food product in the heating chamber.

A heating cooking apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is such that the notification unit (display unit <NUM>) may further performs notification of a result indicating whether the reading device (<NUM>) has read the information code.

Claim 1:
A heating cooking apparatus (<NUM>), comprising:
a heating chamber (<NUM>);
a determination unit (22a) configured to determine whether a food product is present in the heating chamber (<NUM>);
a reading device (<NUM>) configured to read an information code for heating cooking of a food product (<NUM>);
a heating control unit (22b) configured to perform heating control of the food product (<NUM>) placed in the heating chamber (<NUM>), based on the information code read by the reading device (<NUM>); and
a reading control unit (22a) configured to control a reading operation of the reading device (<NUM>), characterized in that
after a time point at which a transition occurs from a state where the determination unit (22a) determines that the food product (<NUM>) is present in the heating chamber (<NUM>) to a state where the determination unit determines that the food product (<NUM>) is not present in the heating chamber (<NUM>), the reading control unit (22c) is configured to cause the reading device (<NUM>) to stop the reading operation for a predetermined time, or in the state where the determination unit determines that no food product (<NUM>) is present in the heating chamber (<NUM>), the reading control unit (22c) is configured to cancel, for a predetermined time, the information code read by the reading device (<NUM>).