Patent Description:
A heating cooker may output a cooking sound of food ingredients. For example, <CIT> discloses a microwave oven including a microphone and a speaker. The microphone is installed inside a heating chamber to collect sound data including a sound coming from food being heated inside the heating chamber. The speaker outputs the sound data input to the microphone.

<CIT> discloses a cooking device for controlling heating by detecting a sound generated from food.

<CIT> discloses an oven comprising an infrared sensor.

<CIT> discloses a microwave oven having a device for detecting a spark generated by microwave power supply in the presence of a metal contact in a heating chamber with sound.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a heating cooker as set out in claim <NUM>. A heating cooker according to the present disclosure includes a main body including a heating chamber in which food ingredients are placed, and a blowing path through which cooling wind flows. A heating device heats the inside of the heating chamber. A control device is arranged in the blowing path. The control device controls the heating device. A cooling fan generates cooling wind. A sound detector detects sounds including a cooking sound coming from food ingredients being heated in the heating chamber. The sound detector is arranged outside the heating chamber and near the blowing path.

Although the terms used herein are selected from among common terms that are currently widely used in consideration of their functions in the present disclosure, the terms may be different according to an intention of one of ordinary skill in the art, a precedent, or the advent of new technology. Also, in particular cases, the terms are discretionally selected by the applicant of the present disclosure, in which case, the meaning of those terms will be described in detail in the corresponding part of the detailed description. Therefore, the terms used herein are not merely designations of the terms, but the terms are defined based on the meaning of the terms and content throughout the present disclosure. Throughout the present specification, when a part "includes" a component, it means that the part may additionally include other components rather than excluding other components as long as there is no particular opposing recitation.

Hereinafter, embodiments of a heating cooker according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings such that those of skill in the art may easily implement the present disclosure. The present disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to an embodiment set forth herein. In order to clearly describe the disclosure, portions that are not relevant to the description of the present disclosure are omitted, and similar reference numerals are assigned to similar elements throughout the present specification.

In the following description, the upper side of a heating cooker in the vertical direction is referred to as "top" and the lower side is referred to as "bottom", a door side of a heating chamber is referred to as "front", the side opposite to the door side is referred to as "rear", and the left side when viewed from the front where the door is installed is referred to as "left", and the right side is referred to as "right". In addition, the drawings are for conceptually describing the present disclosure. Thus, in the drawings, dimensions, ratios, or numbers may be exaggerated or simplified to facilitate understanding of the present disclosure.

In a heating cooker such as an oven, the inside of a heating chamber becomes extremely hot during heating and cooking of food ingredients. When a microphone is installed inside the heating chamber, the microphone may be exposed to heat and thus may not operate normally. In addition, soot may be formed in the heating chamber of the heating cooker as food ingredients are heated and cooked. If soot formed inside the heating chamber adheres to the microphone, it may prevent a sound from being input into the microphone, deteriorating the quality of sounds collected by the microphone. The present disclosure provides a heating cooker for allowing a sound detector to operate normally and suppressing degradation of the quality of sounds collected by the sound detector.

<FIG> is a schematic overall configuration diagram of a heating cooking system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to <FIG>, a heating cooking system <NUM> may include a heating cooker <NUM> and an information terminal <NUM>. The heating cooking system <NUM> may be a system for providing a user using the heating cooker <NUM> with an image of food ingredients F being heated and cooked, and a cooking sound coming from the food ingredients F. The provision of the image and the cooking sound of the food ingredients F by the heating cooking system <NUM> supports the user using the heating cooker <NUM> to experience a sense of presence during cooking by imaging a cooking state of the food ingredients F being heated and cooked.

The heating cooker <NUM> may be a so-called convection oven. The heating cooker <NUM> may have a function of automatically heating and cooking the food ingredients F. <FIG> is a perspective view of the heating cooker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as seen from an upper right side. <FIG> is a perspective view of the heating cooker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as seen from a lower right side. <FIG> is a front view of the inside of a heating chamber <NUM> with a door <NUM> opened in the heating cooker <NUM>, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of <FIG>. Referring to <FIG>, the heating cooker <NUM> includes a main body <NUM>, a heating device <NUM>, a cooling mechanism <NUM>, a sound detector <NUM>, and a control device <NUM>. The heating cooker <NUM> may further include a sound outputter <NUM>, a food ingredient temperature detector <NUM>, a three-dimensional measuring device <NUM>, a chamber temperature detector <NUM>, a photographing device <NUM>, a display unit <NUM>, a manipulation unit <NUM>, and a memory device <NUM>.

The main body <NUM> may be in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped box. The main body <NUM> includes the heating chamber <NUM> and a blowing path through which cooling wind flows. The heating chamber <NUM> may be formed in an internal space of the main body <NUM>. The food ingredients F may be placed in the heating chamber <NUM>. Examples of the food ingredients F may include meat, fish, shellfish, vegetables, and those being cooked. An opening <NUM> is formed on a front surface of the main body <NUM>. The food ingredients F may be put in and out of the heating chamber <NUM> through the opening <NUM>.

For example, the main body <NUM> may include an outer housing 10a and an inner housing 10b. The outer housing 10a forms an exterior portion of the main body <NUM>. The outer housing 10a may be formed of a metal plate. The inner housing 10b forms an inner wall of the main body <NUM>. The inner housing 10b may be formed of a combination of a metal plate and a thermal insulation material.

The main body <NUM> may include a case portion <NUM>. The case portion <NUM> is formed on an upper part of the main body <NUM> by the outer housing 10a and the inner housing 10b. The control device <NUM>, the sound detector <NUM>, and the like may be accommodated in the case portion <NUM>. The case portion <NUM> has a protruding portion 13a protruding in the direction in which the opening <NUM> of the main body <NUM> is formed. A sound collection hole <NUM> (see <FIG>) is formed on a lower surface of the protruding portion 13a. The sound collection hole <NUM> is open outside the heating chamber <NUM> toward the blowing path (a discharge space DS (see <FIG>)).

A ventilation flow path VP1 is formed between the outer housing 10a including the case portion <NUM>, and the inner housing 10b. The ventilation flow path VP1 is a flow path for allowing air coming from the outside to flow. The ventilation flow path VP1 is installed over approximately the entirety of the main body <NUM>, that is, an upper part, a lower part, left and right parts, and a rear part. The door <NUM> is installed on a front surface (an opening surface) of the main body <NUM>. The door <NUM> is connected to the main body <NUM> to be rotatable by a hinge (not shown) provided below the opening <NUM> of the main body <NUM>.

The door <NUM> opens and closes the opening <NUM> of the heating chamber <NUM> by rotating, for example, in the vertical direction about a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction of the hinge. The door <NUM> may include a plurality of heat-resistant plates 14a and a packing member 14b. The packing member 14b may be installed in the form of a frame in a portion of a rear surface of the door <NUM>, that is, a surface facing the inside of the heating chamber <NUM>, the portion facing an edge of the opening <NUM> of the main body <NUM>. The packing member 14b may be formed of synthetic rubber. The cross-sectional shape of the packing member 14b may be, for example, a trapezoidal shape. When the door <NUM> is closed, the packing member 14b is in close contact with the edge of the opening <NUM> of the main body <NUM>, to seal the space between the door <NUM> and the main body <NUM>.

A ventilation flow path VP2 may be provided inside the door <NUM>. The heat-resistant plates 14a may be formed of heat-resistant glass or the like. The plurality of heat-resistant plates 14a may be arranged at intervals to face each other in the thickness direction of the door <NUM>, that is, in the front-rear direction. The ventilation flow path VP2 may be formed between the heat-resistant plates 14a adjacent to each other. An inlet 14i may be formed at an upper end of the door <NUM>. The inlet 14i may be in communication with the ventilation flow path VP2, and may be open toward the top and/or rear (toward the heating chamber <NUM>) to allow cooling wind to be introduced from the blowing path, for example, the discharge path DS, into the ventilation flow path VP2. An outlet 14o may be provided at a lower end of the door <NUM>. The outlet 14o may be in communication with the ventilation flow path VP2 and may be open toward the front.

A shelf <NUM> is installed in the heating chamber <NUM>. The shelf <NUM> may include a rectangular frame member formed of wire, and a plurality of rod-shaped members arranged in the left-right direction while crossing the inside of the frame member in the front-rear direction. Both ends of the shelf <NUM> in the left-right direction are supported by a sidewall of the main body <NUM>, that is, a side surface that partitions the heating chamber <NUM>. A tray <NUM> is placed on the shelf <NUM>. The tray <NUM> may be formed of a metal plate. The food ingredients F are placed on the tray <NUM>.

An inner lamp <NUM> may be installed on a rear wall of the main body <NUM>, that is, on a rear surface that partitions the heating chamber <NUM>. For example, two inner lamps <NUM> may be installed in two upper and lower areas into which the heating chamber <NUM> is partitioned, respectively. One inner lamp <NUM> may be arranged on an upper left side of the heating chamber <NUM>. The other inner lamp <NUM> may be arranged on a lower right side of the heating chamber <NUM>. The inner lamp <NUM> illuminates the inside of the heating chamber <NUM> such that the state or the like of the food ingredients F being heated and cooked may be easily checked. The inner lamp <NUM> may include, for example, an incandescent bulb, a fluorescent bulb, or a light-emitting diode (LED) bulb.

The heating device <NUM> heats the inside of the heating chamber <NUM>. The heating device <NUM> may include a plurality of heaters. For example, the plurality of heaters may include an upper heater <NUM>, a lower heater <NUM>, and a convection heater <NUM>. The outputs of the upper heater <NUM>, the lower heater <NUM>, and the convection heater <NUM> may be individually and independently adjusted by the control device <NUM>, which will be described below.

The upper heater <NUM> may be installed on an upper wall of the main body <NUM>. For example, the upper heater <NUM> may be arranged along the upper surface of the inner housing 10b. The lower heater <NUM> may be installed on a lower wall of the main body <NUM>. For example, the lower heater <NUM> may be buried below the lower surface of the inner housing 10b. The upper heater <NUM> and the lower heater <NUM> may each include, for example, a heating wire that generates heat by supply of an electric current. The upper heater <NUM> and the lower heater <NUM> may be infrared heaters that emit infrared rays, or may be a combination of a heating wire and an infrared heater.

The convection heater <NUM> may be installed on the rear wall of the main body <NUM>, that is, on the rear surface that partitions the heating chamber <NUM>, in a central portion in the left-right direction. Two convection heaters <NUM> may be installed to be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction. The convection heater <NUM> may include a casing <NUM>, a circulation fan <NUM>, and a heating unit <NUM>. The casing <NUM> may have a roughly oval shallow dish shape when viewed from the front. The casing <NUM> may be attached to the rear surface of the main body <NUM> with an opening facing the rear.

The casing <NUM> protrudes into the heating chamber <NUM> to form an accommodation portion <NUM> between the casing <NUM> and the rear surface of the main body <NUM>. A suction hole <NUM> that is open toward the front is formed in a central portion of the casing <NUM>. A vent <NUM> is formed on a sidewall <NUM> of the casing <NUM>. The circulation fan <NUM> is accommodated in the accommodation portion <NUM> of the casing <NUM> and arranged behind the suction hole <NUM>. The circulation fan <NUM> may be, for example, a centrifugal fan.

The heating unit <NUM> is installed in the accommodation portion <NUM> of the casing <NUM> to surround the circulation fan <NUM>. The heating unit <NUM> may include, for example, a heating wire that generates heat by supply of an electric current. The convection heater <NUM> rotates the circulation fan <NUM> to suck in air in the heating chamber <NUM> from the suction hole <NUM> into the casing <NUM> and flow it to the outer circumference of the circulation fan <NUM>, and discharge air heated by the heating unit <NUM> into the heating chamber <NUM> through the vent <NUM>. As such, the air in the heating chamber <NUM> is circulated, and heat is convected inside the heating chamber <NUM>.

The output of the heating device <NUM> is adjustable. The output of the heating device <NUM> depends on the number and outputs of heaters in operation among the plurality of heaters, for example, the upper heater <NUM>, the lower heater <NUM>, and the convection heater <NUM>. For example, when the plurality of heaters have the same output, the output of the heating device <NUM> increases as the number of heaters in operation state among the plurality of heaters increases. In addition, as the output of a heater in operation among the plurality of heaters increases, the output of the heating device <NUM> increases.

In addition, each of the plurality of heaters included in the heating device <NUM>, for example, the upper heater <NUM>, the lower heater <NUM>, and the convection heater <NUM>, may be switched between a continuous operation state in which the heater operates continuously, and an intermittent operation state in which the heater operates intermittently. The proportion of the operation time for an operation cycle of each of the plurality of heaters may be changed. For example, when the upper heater <NUM> is switched from the continuous operation state to the intermittent operation state, the output of the upper heater <NUM> decreases. In addition, when the proportion of the operation time for the operation cycle of the upper heater <NUM> in the intermittent operation state decreases, the output of the upper heater <NUM> decreases.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of <FIG>. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of <FIG>. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view of main parts of the heating cooker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The cooling mechanism <NUM> (see <FIG>) is a mechanism that supplies external air to cool (air-cool) the control device <NUM> and the like. The cooling mechanism <NUM> may include a blowing path and a cooling fan <NUM>. The blowing path may include an intake portion <NUM>, a first flow path Pa, a second flow path Pb, and an exhaust portion <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, the intake portion <NUM> is a portion that sucks in external air into the case portion <NUM>. The intake unit <NUM> may include a plurality of intake holes <NUM>. The plurality of intake holes <NUM> may be formed on left and right side surfaces of the outer housing 10a forming the case portion <NUM>. The plurality of intake holes <NUM> may be arranged at intervals from each other in the front-rear direction. The intake hole <NUM> has, for example, a long hole shape. The intake holes <NUM> penetrate the outer housing 10a to be in communication with the first flow path Pa.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the first flow path Pa and the second flow path Pb may be located above the heating chamber <NUM>. The first flow path Pa may be formed in an inner space of the case portion <NUM>. The second flow path Pb may be provided below the case portion <NUM>. The first flow path Pa and the second flow path Pb are spaced apart (separated) from each other in the vertical direction with a partition plate <NUM> therebetween. The partition plate <NUM> partitions a portion of the ventilation flow path VP1 into the first flow path Pa and the second flow path Pb in the vertical direction. The first flow path Pa is a flow path located above the partition plate <NUM>. The second flow path Pb is a flow path located below the partition plate <NUM>. A ventilation hole <NUM> is formed near the center of the partition plate <NUM> in the front-rear direction. The ventilation hole <NUM> is a hole for allowing air to flow from the first flow path Pa to the second flow path Pb.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the first flow path Pa is formed over approximately the entire area of the case portion <NUM> in the horizontal direction. The control device <NUM> is located in the first flow path Pa. A locking device <NUM> for locking the door <NUM> and a power supply device <NUM> may also be located in the first flow path Pa. As illustrated in <FIG>, the second flow path Pb may expand in the left-right direction toward the front from a position corresponding to the ventilation hole <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the periphery of the second flow path Pb and a side of the heating chamber <NUM> are surrounded by a thermal insulation material 10c installed in the inner housing 10b. The cooling fan <NUM> is a device configured to generate cooling wind to cool the control device <NUM> and the like. The cooling fan <NUM> may be installed at a position corresponding to the ventilation hole <NUM> in the second flow path Pb. The cooling fan <NUM> may be, for example, a centrifugal blower.

The exhaust portion <NUM> is a portion that discharges air from the ventilation flow path VP1. The exhaust portion <NUM> has an exhaust hole <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the exhaust hole <NUM> may be formed near an upper edge of the opening <NUM> in the outer housing 10a. The exhaust hole <NUM> may be located immediately below a control panel <NUM>. For example, the exhaust hole <NUM> may have a slit shape elongated in the left-right direction. As illustrated in <FIG>, the exhaust hole <NUM> penetrates the outer housing 10a to be in communication with the second flow path Pb. The exhaust hole <NUM> may be open toward the front. In a state in which the door <NUM> closes the heating chamber <NUM>, the exhaust hole <NUM> corresponds to a gap G between the inlet 14i of the door <NUM>, the lower surface of the protruding portion 13a of the case portion <NUM>, and the upper surface of the door <NUM>.

When the cooling fan <NUM> is in operation, cooling wind is generated as indicated by arrows in <FIG>. The cooling wind is an air flow in which external air is sucked into the first flow path Pa through the intake holes <NUM>, then flows from the first flow path Pa through the ventilation hole <NUM> of the partition plate <NUM> to the second flow path Pb, and is then discharged from the exhaust hole <NUM>. The blowing path through which the cooling wind flows may include the discharge space DS and the ventilation flow path VP2 within the door <NUM>, in addition to the first flow path Pa and the second flow path Pb.

The discharge space DS is a space through which air discharged from the inside of the main body <NUM> to the outside flows by driving of the cooling fan <NUM>. The discharge space DS is a space that is open toward the front in an upper portion of the opening <NUM> of the heating chamber <NUM>. The discharge space DS includes a space immediately below the protruding portion 13a of the case portion <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, part of the cooling wind discharged into the discharge space DS flows into the ventilation flow path VP2 within the door <NUM> through the inlet 14i of the door <NUM>, flows downward along the ventilation flow path VP2, and then flows out of the outlet 14o. As such, the door <NUM> is cooled.

The sound detector <NUM> is a device for detecting sounds, including a cooking sound coming from the food ingredients F being heated in the heating chamber <NUM>. The sound detector <NUM> includes a microphone. The sound detector <NUM> is arranged outside the heating chamber <NUM>. The sound detector <NUM> is accommodated in the main body <NUM>, for example, in the case portion <NUM>.

Referring to <FIG>, the sound detector <NUM> may be fixed to the lower surface of the case portion <NUM>, for example, to the partition plate <NUM>, by a bonding method or the like. For example, the sound detector <NUM> may be arranged outside the heating chamber <NUM> near the blowing path. For example, the sound detector <NUM> may be located adjacent to the protruding portion 13a of the case portion <NUM>. The sound detector <NUM> is arranged above the exhaust hole <NUM>. The sound detector <NUM> may be arranged near the opening <NUM> of the heating chamber <NUM>. The sound detector <NUM> may be located near the discharge space DS in the blowing path through which the cooling wind flows. As such, the sound detector <NUM> is installed near the control panel <NUM> above the opening <NUM> of the main body <NUM>. The installation position of the sound detector <NUM> is where a cooking sound of food ingredients coming from the heating chamber <NUM> may be efficiently detected because the influence of the internal temperature of the heating chamber <NUM> is small.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating main parts of a heating cooker in operation, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating main parts in a state in which the door of the heating cooker illustrated in <FIG> is opened, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in <FIG>, the sound detector <NUM> may include an accommodation unit <NUM>, a printed circuit board <NUM>, and a microphone sensor (microphone element) <NUM>. The accommodation unit <NUM> accommodates the printed circuit board <NUM> and the microphone sensor <NUM>. The accommodation unit <NUM> may be formed by a panel, a bezel, or the like. A sound hole <NUM> is formed in the printed circuit board <NUM>. The sound hole <NUM> is a hole for collecting sounds that penetrates the printed circuit board <NUM>. The microphone sensor <NUM> is mounted on the printed circuit board <NUM> to cover the sound hole <NUM>. A sound collection portion <NUM> of the sound detector <NUM> is a portion that faces the microphone sensor <NUM> with the sound hole <NUM> therebetween.

The sound detector <NUM> may be installed inside the first flow path Pa such that the sound collection portion <NUM> is aligned with the sound collection hole <NUM> of the case portion <NUM>, for example, the partition plate <NUM>. The sound collection portion <NUM> of the sound detector <NUM> faces the front of the opening <NUM> of the main body <NUM> through the sound collection hole <NUM>. The cooking sound coming from the food ingredients F being heated in the heating chamber <NUM> is transferred along the door <NUM>, the packing member 14b, and the main body <NUM>, and then leaks out of the heating chamber <NUM>, for example, from the front of the opening <NUM> of the main body <NUM>. The sound detector <NUM> detects sounds, including a cooking sound leaking out of the heating chamber <NUM>, through the sound collection hole <NUM>. A result of detection by the sound detector <NUM> (collected sound data representing sounds including the cooking sound) is output to the control device <NUM>.

The sound detector <NUM> is located near the discharge space DS, and thus exposed to and cooled by cooling wind discharged from the ventilation flow path VP1 through the exhaust hole <NUM>. Accordingly, the reliability of the sound detector <NUM> may increase. In addition, most of noise components included in a sound detected by the sound detector <NUM> is the driving sound of the cooling fan <NUM>, and is less affected by ambient noise. The driving sound of the cooling fan <NUM> is known noise, and thus may be relatively easily removed by software technology using a noise removal filter, which will be described below. In addition, as illustrated in <FIG>, even when soot X comes out of the heating chamber <NUM> when the door <NUM> is opened, the cooling wind discharged from the ventilation flow path VP1 to the discharge space DS serves as an air curtain to withdraw the soot X forward. Accordingly, the soot X may be suppressed from adhering to the sound detector <NUM>.

The sound outputter <NUM> (see <FIG>) is a device for outputting a cooking sound based on cooking sound data. The cooking sound data is sound data that has undergone noise processing to remove noise components including the driving sound of the cooling fan <NUM>, from the collected sound data representing the sounds detected by the sound detector <NUM>. The sound outputter <NUM> may be a speaker. As illustrated in <FIG>, the sound outputter <NUM> may be embedded in a front portion of the case portion <NUM>, together with the control panel <NUM>. Cooking sound data is input from the control device <NUM> to the sound outputter <NUM>.

The food ingredient temperature detector <NUM> is a device for detecting an internal temperature of the food ingredients F. For example, the food ingredient temperature detector <NUM> may detect the surface temperature of the food ingredients F in a contactless manner. The food ingredient temperature detector <NUM> may include, for example, one or more infrared sensors. The food ingredient temperature detector <NUM> may be installed on the upper surface of the heating chamber <NUM>. The food ingredient temperature detector <NUM> scans approximately the entire upper surface of the tray <NUM>, and detects the heat distribution of a target area including the food ingredients F. A result of detection by the food ingredient temperature detector <NUM> (food ingredient temperature data representing the surface temperature of the target area including the food ingredients F) is output to the control device <NUM>.

The three-dimensional measuring device <NUM> is a device for obtaining three-dimensional data representing the three-dimensional shape of the food ingredients F by measuring the three-dimensional shape of the food ingredients F placed in the heating chamber <NUM>. In addition, the three-dimensional data includes three-dimensional coordinate information representing the three-dimensional shape of the food ingredients F. For example, the three-dimensional measuring device <NUM> may include a time-of-flight (TOF) camera, a stereo camera, and the like. A result of measurement (three-dimensional data representing the three-dimensional shape of the food ingredients) by the three-dimensional measuring device <NUM> is output to the control device <NUM>.

The chamber temperature detector <NUM> is a device for detecting the internal temperature of the heating chamber <NUM>. The chamber temperature detector <NUM> is installed inside the heating chamber <NUM>. Strictly speaking, the chamber temperature detector <NUM> detects the temperature of air at the installation position within the heating chamber <NUM>. The chamber temperature detector <NUM> may include a known temperature sensor, such as a thermistor. A result of detection by the chamber temperature detector <NUM> (chamber temperature data representing the internal temperature of the heating chamber <NUM>) is output to the control device <NUM>.

The photographing device <NUM> obtains a captured image of the inside of the heating chamber <NUM> including the food ingredients F by photographing the inside of the heating chamber <NUM>. For example, the photographing device <NUM> may include a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera, a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) camera, and the like. The photographing device <NUM> is arranged at an upper portion of the left or right side of the main body <NUM> (an upper left side in the examples illustrated in <FIG>) and at the center in the front-rear direction, such that the food ingredients F in the heating chamber <NUM> are included in the angle of view. The photographing device <NUM> in the present example includes one camera. The photographing device <NUM> may include a plurality of cameras configured to photograph the inside of the heating chamber <NUM> from different viewpoints. A result of photographing (image data representing a captured image) by the photographing device <NUM> is output to the control device <NUM>.

The display unit <NUM> and the manipulation unit <NUM> may be installed in the form of the control panel <NUM> on a front portion of the case portion <NUM> above the opening <NUM> of the heating chamber <NUM>. The control panel <NUM> may be implemented as, for example, a display device with a touch panel attached thereto. The display unit <NUM> may be a screen of a display device constituting the control panel <NUM>. The manipulation unit <NUM> may be implemented by a touch panel. Of course, the manipulation unit <NUM> may further include a physical manipulation button, a dial switch, and the like.

The display unit <NUM> displays information about heat cooking. Examples of information displayed on the display unit <NUM> include a heat cooking operation mode, the output level of the heating device <NUM>, and a time required for heat cooking. The display unit <NUM> may also display a captured image. A manipulation regarding heat cooking may be input from the user through the manipulation unit <NUM>. Heat cooking setting information, starting and stopping of heat cooking, and the like may be input through a touch manipulation on the control panel <NUM> by the user. Information (setting data regarding heating cooking) input through the control panel <NUM> is output to the control device <NUM>.

The memory device <NUM> stores various types of information. The memory device <NUM> may include, for example, a known memory device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD). The memory device <NUM> may be embedded in the heating cooker <NUM>. The memory device <NUM> may include an external memory device installed outside the main body <NUM>. The memory device <NUM> may store a food ingredient image prepared for each type of the food ingredients F. The food ingredient image is an image obtained by photographing the food ingredients F.

The memory device <NUM> may also store a heat cooking condition prepared for each combination of types and sizes of the food ingredients F. For example, the size of the food ingredients F is any one of the thickness of the food ingredients F, the volume of the food ingredients F, the surface area of the food ingredients F, and the weight of the food ingredients F, or a combination of at least two thereof. The size of the food ingredients may be obtained by calculation based on the food ingredient image. The heat cooking condition is a condition for finishing cooking of the food ingredients F with an appropriate texture and taste in a process of heat-cooking the food ingredients F.

The memory device <NUM> may also store cooking sound data and noise data. <FIG> shows a graph of frequency characteristics of a cooking sound of the food ingredients F and a noise, a graph of frequency characteristics of a noise removal filter, and a relationship diagram showing an example of a relationship between the frequency characteristics. Referring to <FIG>, cooking sound data is data representing frequency characteristics S(f) of a cooking sound. The cooking sound data exhibits a waveform Wc indicated by solid lines in the two graphs on the left of <FIG>. The cooking sound data is set as the normally distributed waveform Wc with, for example, <NUM> as the average value (median value). Noise data is data representing frequency characteristics N(f) of noise components included in collected sound data detected by the sound detector <NUM> during heat cooking. The noise data exhibits waveforms Wn indicated by dashed lines in the two graphs on the left of <FIG>.

The waveform Wn indicated by the dashed line in the upper left graph of <FIG> represents the frequency characteristics N(f) of the noise components when the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> is relatively low. The waveform Wn indicated by the dashed line in the lower left graph of <FIG> represents the frequency characteristics N(f) of the noise components when the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> is relatively high. For a plurality of stages of the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM>, from the minimum number of rotations to the maximum number of rotations, noise data is prepared for each stage of the number of rotations. The frequency characteristics N(f) of a plurality of pieces of noise data are not limited to the patterns of the two waveforms Wn shown in <FIG>, and may exist in more other waveform patterns.

For example, the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> may be divided into three stages: a low rotation section, a medium rotation section, and a high rotation section. When the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> is divided into thirds from the minimum number of rotations to the maximum number of rotations, the low rotation section is a range of low numbers of rotations, the medium rotation section is a range of medium numbers of rotations, and the high rotation section is a range of high numbers of rotations. As noise data, first noise data corresponding to the low rotation section, second noise data corresponding to the medium rotation section, and third noise data corresponding to the high rotation section may be prepared. Noise data may be prepared in a plurality of more specific stages.

When an operation of the heating cooker <NUM> is started, the internal temperature of the heating chamber <NUM> increases due to driving of the heating device <NUM>. The number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> increases as the internal temperature of the heating chamber <NUM> increases. The driving sound of the cooling fan <NUM> becomes high-pitched as the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> increases. Thus, the noise components included in the collected sound data changes depending on the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM>. In detail, as the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> increases, the noise components is shifted toward a high band, and the overlap ratio with the frequency band of a cooking sound tends to increase. According to the tendency, the frequency characteristics N(f) of each noise data is set.

The control device <NUM> controls the overall operation of the heating cooker <NUM>. <FIG> is a block diagram illustrating the control device <NUM> and its main related devices, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in <FIG>, the control device <NUM> is communicatively and electrically connected to the heating device <NUM>, the cooling fan <NUM>, the sound detector <NUM>, the sound outputter <NUM>, the food ingredient temperature detector <NUM>, the three-dimensional measuring device <NUM>, the chamber temperature detector <NUM>, the photographing device <NUM>, the display unit <NUM>, the manipulation unit <NUM>, and the memory device <NUM>. The control device <NUM> may be a controller based on a known microcomputer.

The control device <NUM> may include a central processing unit (CPU) <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, and a communication unit <NUM>. The memory <NUM> stores various programs and data. The CPU <NUM> executes a program read from the memory <NUM>. The communication unit <NUM> may have a communication function using a wireless local area network (LAN), such as Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), or a communication function according to a short-range wireless communication standard, such as Bluetooth (registered trademark).

The control device <NUM> executes a program stored in the memory <NUM> to control the heating device <NUM> based on setting data regarding heat cooking that is input through the control panel <NUM>, and various pieces of data input from the food ingredient temperature detector <NUM>, the three-dimensional measuring device <NUM>, the chamber temperature detector <NUM>, and the photographing device <NUM>. For example, the control device <NUM> may control the upper heater <NUM>, the lower heater <NUM>, and the convection heater <NUM> according to a heat cooking condition depending on the type of the food ingredients F placed in the heating chamber <NUM>.

When heat cooking is started, the control device <NUM> may change the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> according to the internal temperature of the heating chamber <NUM> detected by the chamber temperature detector <NUM>. In addition, the control device <NUM> may increase the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> as the internal temperature of the heating chamber <NUM> increases. As such, cooling of the control device <NUM> and the like may be accelerated. In addition, the sound detector <NUM> is used to detect a sound at a position outside the heating chamber <NUM>, and sounds including the cooking sound, which comes from the food ingredients F being heated and then leaks out of the heating chamber <NUM> are obtained. The control device <NUM> removes noise components including the driving sound of the cooling fan <NUM>, from collected sound data representing the sounds detected by the sound detector <NUM>.

According to the invention, the control device <NUM> performs a filtering process on the collected sound data. In the filtering process, the noise components corresponding to the driving sound of the cooling fan <NUM> are removed by using a noise removal filter having certain frequency characteristics. As described above, as the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> increases, the noise components tends to be shifted toward the high band. The control device <NUM> changes frequency characteristics H(f) of the noise removal filter according to the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM>. The change in the frequency characteristics H(f) may be made across the entire frequency band of the noise removal filter.

The control device <NUM> of the present example changes the frequency characteristics H(f) of the noise removal filter considering a change in the frequency characteristics N(f) of the noise components included in the collected sound data. The control device <NUM> sets the frequency characteristics H(f) of the noise removal filter based on the frequency characteristics S(f) of the cooking sound and the frequency characteristics N(f) of the noise components. The frequency characteristics H(f) of the noise removal filter exhibits waveform Wfs shown in the two graphs on the right side of <FIG>. The frequency characteristics H(f) of the noise removal filter may be obtained by the following equation.

The frequency characteristics H(f) of the noise removal filter is changed to remove the noise components from the collected sound data as much as possible while leaving the components of the cooking sound, as shown in portions surrounded by two-dot chain lines in the two graphs on the right of <FIG>. The control device <NUM> performs a filtering process on the collected sound data by using the noise removal filter having the above-described frequency characteristics H(f). As such, the control device <NUM> generates cooking sound data representing the cooking sound. The control device <NUM> outputs the cooking sound by using the sound outputter <NUM> based on the generated cooking sound data.

In addition, the control device <NUM> photographs the inside of the heating chamber <NUM> by using the photographing device <NUM>, and obtains a captured image of the food ingredients F in the heating chamber <NUM>. The control device <NUM> displays the obtained captured image by using the display unit <NUM>. In addition, the communication unit <NUM> of the control device <NUM> may transmit, to the information terminal <NUM>, image data representing the captured image of the food ingredients F and cooking sound data representing the cooking sound of the food ingredients F, according to a request instruction from the information terminal <NUM>.

The information terminal <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is a portable mobile device with a communication function. The information terminal <NUM> is an example of an external device. As the information terminal <NUM>, for example, a small multifunctional mobile phone called a smart phone may be used. As illustrated in <FIG>, the information terminal <NUM> may include a display unit <NUM>, a manipulation unit <NUM>, a sound output unit <NUM>, and a communication unit <NUM>. The display unit <NUM> and the manipulation unit <NUM> may be implemented by a display device with a touch panel attached thereto. The display unit <NUM> is a screen of the display device. The manipulation unit <NUM> is the touch panel. The sound output unit <NUM> may include a speaker.

The communication unit <NUM> is an interface for communicating with other devices. The communication unit <NUM> communicates with an external network N, which is a wide area network, such as the Internet. The communication unit <NUM> may have a communication function using a wireless LAN such as WiFi, or a communication function according to a mobile communication standard such as Long-Term Evolution (LTE). As particular application software is installed in the information terminal <NUM>, communication with the heating cooker <NUM> through the external network N may be established.

In response to a certain input through the manipulation unit <NUM>, the information terminal <NUM> transmits a request instruction for the cooking status (a captured image and cooking sound data) of the food ingredients F to the heating cooker <NUM>. In addition, the information terminal <NUM> receives image data and cooking sound data transmitted from the heating cooker <NUM> through the communication unit <NUM>. By a function of the application software, the captured image of the food ingredients F may be displayed on the display unit <NUM> of the information terminal <NUM> based on the received image data, and simultaneously, the cooking sound of the food ingredients F may be output from the sound output unit <NUM> of the information terminal <NUM> based on the received cooking sound data.

According to the heating cooker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the sound detector <NUM> is arranged outside the heating chamber <NUM>. Accordingly, even when the internal temperature of the heating chamber <NUM> rises to a high temperature during heat cooking of the food ingredients F, heat may be suppressed from reaching the sound detector <NUM>. Thus, the sound detector <NUM> may operate normally without damage or malfunction due to heat effects.

The sound detector <NUM> is located near the blowing path through which cooling wind flows by driving of the cooling fan <NUM>. Accordingly, even when the soot X formed in the heating chamber <NUM> comes out of the heating chamber <NUM> through the opening <NUM> of the main body <NUM> when the door <NUM> is opened, the soot X is removed by the cooling wind and thus may be suppressed from adhering to the sound detector. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress a deterioration of the sound quality of the cooking sound data detected by the sound detector <NUM>.

According to the heating cooker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the sound detector <NUM> is arranged near the opening <NUM> of the heating chamber <NUM>. For example, the sound detector <NUM> is accommodated in the case portion <NUM> protruding in a direction in which the opening <NUM> of the main body <NUM> is oriented. Accordingly, the sound detector <NUM> may be arranged at a position close to the opening <NUM> through which a sound within the heating chamber <NUM> leaks out. In addition, the sound detector <NUM> detects a sound leaking out of the heating chamber <NUM> through the sound collection hole <NUM> formed in the case portion <NUM>. For example, the first and second flow paths Pa and Pb may be arranged above the heating chamber <NUM>. The first and second flow paths Pa and Pb may be partitioned in the vertical direction by the partition plate <NUM>. The sound collection hole <NUM> may be provided in the partition plate <NUM>. The sound detector <NUM> may be installed on the partition plate <NUM> within the first flow path Pa so as to be aligned with the sound collection hole <NUM>. Accordingly, it is advantageous to clearly obtain a cooking sound by using the sound detector <NUM>. The sound collection hole <NUM> is open outside the heating chamber <NUM> toward the blowing path (the discharge space DS). Accordingly, the cooling wind may serve as an air curtain to suppress the soot X from adhering to the sound detector <NUM>.

In the heating cooker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the sound detector <NUM> is located near the discharge space DS. The discharge space DS is a space through which air discharged from the inside of the main body <NUM> to the outside flows by driving of the cooling fan <NUM>, and is open forward from the heating chamber <NUM>. Accordingly, with a simple configuration, the sound detector <NUM> arranged outside the heating chamber <NUM> may be located near the blowing path. According to the heating cooker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control device <NUM> removes noise components including the driving sound of the cooling fan <NUM>, from the collected sound data collected by the sound detector <NUM>. Accordingly, cooking sound data for clearly reproducing the cooking sound of the food ingredients F may be generated. Here, ┌to remove the noise components┘ is not limited to complete removal of the noise components, but also means removal of part of the noise components, that is, reduction of the noise components.

In the heating cooker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control device <NUM> performs a filtering process on the collected sound data. In the filtering process, a noise removal filter is used. The number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> is already known, and the frequency characteristics of the driving sound of the cooling fan <NUM> may also be assumed in advance. Accordingly, the noise components regarding the driving sound of the cooling fan <NUM> may be easily removed by reflecting the frequency characteristics of the driving sound of the cooling fan <NUM> in the noise removal filter.

In the heating cooker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control device <NUM> changes the frequency characteristics of the noise removal filter. The frequency characteristics of the noise removal filter are changed according to the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM>. When the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> changes, the frequency characteristics of the driving sound of the cooling fan <NUM> also change. By changing, according to the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM>, frequency components removed from the collected sound data by using a noise removal filter, the noise components may be appropriately removed while leaving the frequency components of the cooking sound as much as possible.

The heating cooker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes the sound outputter <NUM>. The sound outputter <NUM> outputs a cooking sound based on cooking sound data. The cooking sound data is sound data obtained by removing noise components including the driving sound of the cooling fan <NUM> from collected sound data collected by the sound detector <NUM>. Thus, when the food ingredients F is being heat-cooked by using the heating cooker <NUM>, the user may hear a high-quality cooking sound and thus experience a sense of presence during cooking.

In the heating cooker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control device <NUM> includes the communication unit <NUM>. The communication unit <NUM> transmits cooking sound data to the information terminal <NUM>. When the information terminal <NUM> outputs a cooking sound from the sound output unit <NUM> based on the cooking sound data, the user may hear the cooking sound of the food ingredients F through the information terminal <NUM> even when the user is away from the heating cooker <NUM>, and thus experience a sense of presence during cooking. The information terminal <NUM> is a portable mobile device and thus has high convenience.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating main parts of a heating cooker according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating main parts in a state in which the door <NUM> of the heating cooker illustrated in <FIG> is opened, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the sound detector <NUM> is embedded in the door <NUM>, for example, in an upper portion of the door <NUM>. The sound detector <NUM> is installed at an upper portion of the door <NUM> such that the sound collection portion <NUM>, that is, the sound hole <NUM> for collecting sounds, faces the upper side of the inlet 14i when the door <NUM> is closed. When the door <NUM> is closed, the upper portion of the door <NUM> is located below the discharge path DS near the inlet 14i. Thus, the sound detector <NUM> is located inside the ventilation flow path VP2 near the inlet 14i and below the discharge path DS such that the sound hole <NUM> for collecting sounds faces the discharge path DS when the door <NUM> is closed. The sound detector <NUM> is located in the blowing path through which cooling wind flows by driving of the cooling fan <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, when the door <NUM> is opened, the sound detector <NUM> moves away from the inside of the heating chamber <NUM> as the door <NUM> rotates. Thus, it is difficult for the soot X that comes out of the heating chamber <NUM> as the door <NUM> is opened, to adhere to the sound detector <NUM>.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating main parts of the heating cooker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. <FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating main parts in a state in which the door <NUM> of the heating cooker <NUM> illustrated in <FIG> is opened, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated in <FIG> and <FIG>, the sound detector <NUM> is embedded in an upper portion of the door <NUM>. The sound detector <NUM> is installed in an upper portion of the door <NUM> such that the sound collection portion <NUM> faces the heating chamber <NUM> when the door <NUM> is closed. When the door <NUM> is closed, the upper portion of the door <NUM> is located below the discharge path DS near the inlet 14i. Thus, when the door <NUM> is closed, the sound detector <NUM> is located in the ventilation flow path VP2 near the inlet 14i. The sound detector <NUM> is arranged such that the sound hole <NUM> for collecting sounds faces the heating chamber <NUM>. The sound detector <NUM> is located in the blowing path through which cooling wind flows by driving of the cooling fan <NUM>. As illustrated in <FIG>, when the door <NUM> is opened, the sound detector <NUM> moves away from the inside of the heating chamber <NUM> as the door <NUM> rotates. Thus, it is difficult for the soot X that comes out of the heating chamber <NUM> as the door <NUM> is opened, to adhere to the sound detector <NUM>.

<FIG> is a cross-sectional view illustrating main parts of a heating cooker according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and corresponds to a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of <FIG>. As illustrated in <FIG>, the sound detector <NUM> is embedded in an upper portion of the door <NUM>. The installation state of the sound detector <NUM> is the same as illustrated in <FIG> or <FIG>. The heating cooker <NUM> of the present example further includes a cooling fan (second cooling fan) <NUM> for cooling the sound detector <NUM>, separately from the cooling fan <NUM> for cooling the control device <NUM> and the like. The cooling fan <NUM> is a device configured to generate cooling wind flowing along the ventilation flow path VP2 within the door <NUM>. The cooling fan <NUM> may be embedded in a lower portion of the door <NUM>. The cooling fan <NUM> may be installed in the ventilation flow path VP2 near the outlet 14o. As the cooling fan <NUM>, for example, a cross-flow blower may be employed.

When the cooling fan <NUM> is in operation, cooling wind is generated inside the door <NUM> as indicated by arrows in <FIG>. The cooling wind is an air flow in which air of the discharge space DS is sucked into the ventilation flow path VP2 within the door <NUM> through the inlet 14i, then flows toward the bottom of the ventilation flow path VP2, and is then discharged from the outlet 14o. The control device <NUM> of the heating cooker <NUM> may drive the cooling fan <NUM> when heat-cooking the food ingredients F with the heating cooker <NUM>. In addition, the control device <NUM> may stop the cooling fan <NUM> when the door <NUM> is opened. The control device <NUM> may stop the cooling fan <NUM> when heat cooking is completed or stopped. According to the structure in which the sound detector <NUM> and the cooling fan <NUM> for cooling the sound detector <NUM> are installed in the door <NUM>, by driving of the cooling fan <NUM>, cooling of the door <NUM> and the sound detector <NUM> may be accelerated. Thus, the operational reliability of the sound detector <NUM> may be improved.

In the heating cooker <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the control device <NUM> changes the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> according to the internal temperature of the heating chamber <NUM> detected by the chamber temperature detector <NUM>, and simultaneously, changes the frequency characteristics H(f) of the noise removal filter. Accordingly, the frequency characteristics H(f) of the noise removal filter is changed according to the internal temperature of the heating chamber <NUM> detected by the chamber temperature detector <NUM>. By doing so, the frequency characteristics H(f) of the noise removal filter may be changed to eventually comply with the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM> even when it is not directly due to the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM>.

The arrangement position of the sound detector <NUM> is not limited to the vicinity of the discharge space DS in the blowing path. For example, the sound detector <NUM> may be fixed to the lower surface of the main body <NUM> corresponding to the protruding portion 13a of the case portion <NUM>, and arranged in the discharge space DS. In addition, the sound detector <NUM> may be arranged in a blowing path other than the discharge space DS, for example, in the first flow path Pa or the second flow path Pb.

The control device <NUM> does not need to change the frequency characteristics H(f) of the noise removal filter according to the number of rotations of the cooling fan <NUM>. That is, the control device <NUM> may uniformly perform a filtering process on collected sound data by using a noise removal filter with particular frequency characteristics H(f).

The food ingredient temperature detector <NUM> may detect the internal temperature of the food ingredients F directly, for example, with contact. For example, the food ingredient temperature detector <NUM> may include a temperature probe. The temperature probe is to be inserted into the food ingredients F to measure the internal temperature of the food ingredients F.

The heating device <NUM> does not need to include all of the upper heater <NUM>, the lower heater <NUM>, and the convection heater <NUM>. For example, the heating device <NUM> may include the upper heater <NUM> and the convection heater <NUM>, and may include the upper heater <NUM> and the lower heater <NUM>. The heating device <NUM> may include one heater.

The heating cooker <NUM> may receive information about the type of the food ingredients F to be cooked, through the control panel <NUM>. In addition, the heating cooker <NUM> may receive information about the size of the food ingredients F to be cooked, through the control panel <NUM>.

A food ingredient image and a heat cooking condition may be stored in a cloud server on the Internet, and the control device <NUM> may access the cloud server via the Internet to obtain the food ingredient image and the heat cooking condition from the cloud server.

The embodiments are described above with reference to an example in which the heating cooker <NUM> is an oven, but the oven is only an example of the heating cooker <NUM>, and the technologies of the present disclosure are also applicable to other heating cookers, such as a grill attached to a stove, or a microwave oven.

A heating cooker according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a main body <NUM> including a heating chamber <NUM> in which food ingredients F are placed, and a blowing path through which cooling wind flows; a heating device <NUM> configured to heat the inside of the heating chamber; a control device <NUM> arranged in the blowing path and configured to control the heating device; a cooling fan <NUM> configured to generate the cooling wind; and a sound detector <NUM> arranged outside the heating chamber and near the blowing path, and configured to detect sounds including a cooking sound of food ingredients being heated in the heating chamber.

In an embodiment, the main body may include an opening <NUM> through which food ingredients are put in and out of the heating chamber, and the sound detector may be arranged near the opening.

In an embodiment, the blowing path may include a discharge space DS that is open forward at an upper portion of the opening of the heating chamber such that the cooling wind is discharged, and the sound detector may be arranged near the discharge space.

In an embodiment, the blowing path may include a first flow path Pa and a second flow path Pb that are located above the heating chamber and partitioned in a vertical direction by a partition plate <NUM>, the cooling wind may be discharged from the second flow path through the discharge space, a sound collection hole <NUM> may be arranged in the partition plate, and the sound detector may be installed in the partition plate within the first flow path so as to be aligned with the sound collection hole.

In an embodiment, the heating cooker may further include a door <NUM> that opens and closes the opening of the heating chamber, the blowing path may include a discharge space DS that is open forward at an upper portion of the opening of the heating chamber such that the cooling wind is discharged, and the sound detector may be installed in the door to be adjacent to the discharge space.

In an embodiment, an inlet 14i through which the cooling wind flows from the discharge path to a ventilation flow path VP2 within the door may be arranged in the door, and the sound detector may be located in the ventilation flow path near the inlet. In an embodiment, the sound detector may be located below the discharge path such that a sound hole <NUM> for sound collection faces the discharge path. In an embodiment, the sound detector may be located below the discharge path such that a sound hole <NUM> for sound collection faces the heating chamber. In an embodiment, the heating cooker may further include a second cooling fan <NUM> installed in the ventilation flow path and configured to generate cooling wind flowing along the ventilation flow path.

In an embodiment, an opening <NUM> through which food ingredients are put in and out of the heating chamber may be formed in the main body <NUM>, a case portion <NUM> including a protruding portion 13a, which protrudes in a direction in which the opening is formed, may be arranged in an upper portion of the main body, a sound collection hole <NUM>, which is open toward the blowing path outside the heating chamber, may be formed in the case portion, and the sound detector may be accommodated in the case portion to detect a sound through the sound collection hole.

In an embodiment, the control device <NUM> may be further configured to generate cooking sound data representing the cooking sound by removing noise components including a driving sound of the cooling fan from collected sound data representing a sound detected by the sound detector.

In an embodiment, the control device may be further configured to perform a filtering process on the collected sound data to remove noise components corresponding to the driving sound of the cooling fan by using a noise removal filter having certain frequency characteristics.

In an embodiment, the control device may be further configured to change the frequency characteristics of the noise removal filter according to the number of rotations of the cooling fan.

In an embodiment, the heating cooker may further include a chamber temperature detector <NUM> configured to detect an internal temperature of the heating chamber, and the control device may be further configured to change the number of rotations of the cooling fan according to the internal temperature of the heating chamber detected by the chamber temperature detector, and simultaneously change the frequency characteristics of the noise removal filter.

Claim 1:
A heating cooker comprising:
a main body (<NUM>) comprising a heating chamber (<NUM>) in which food ingredients (F) are placed, and a blowing path through which cooling wind flows;
a heating device (<NUM>) configured to heat inside of the heating chamber;
a control device (<NUM>) arranged in the blowing path and configured to control the heating device;
a cooling fan (<NUM>) configured to generate the cooling wind; and
a sound detector (<NUM>) arranged outside the heating chamber and near the blowing path, and configured to detect sounds including a cooking sound of food ingredients being heated in the heating chamber,
wherein the control device (<NUM>) is further configured to generate cooking sound data representing the cooking sound by removing noise components comprising a driving sound of the cooling fan (<NUM>) from collected sound data representing a sound detected by the sound detector (<NUM>),
wherein the control device (<NUM>) is further configured to perform a filtering process on the collected sound data to remove noise components corresponding to the driving sound of the cooling fan (<NUM>) by using a noise removal filter having certain frequency characteristics, and
wherein the control device (<NUM>) is further configured to change the frequency characteristics of the noise removal filter according to the number of rotations of the cooling fan (<NUM>).