US 12,550,234 B2Granted

Calibration method for infrared sensor on microwave appliance sous vide system

AssigneeHaier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

InventorMark Heimerdinger

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A microwave appliance includes a cabinet defining a cooking chamber, a magnetron, a temperature sensor directed toward the cooking chamber, and a controller. The controller is configured to measure a raw temperature of the cooking chamber, determine a calibrated temperature from the raw temperature and a conversion model, determine a preheat power level for the magnetron, and operate the magnetron at the preheat power level. The controller is further configured to determine a calibrated chamber temperature using a chamber temperature and a preheat conversion model and determine the calibrated chamber temperature has reached a target temperature. The controller is further configured to monitor a calibrated cooking temperature, based on a cooking temperature and a cooking conversion model, and operate the magnetron to a cooking power level to maintain the calibrated cooking temperature at the target temperature. A method of operating a microwave appliance with a temperature sensor is also disclosed.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A microwave appliance having a vertical, a transverse, and a lateral direction, the microwave appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining a cooking chamber;
a door configured to allow selective entry to the cooking chamber;
a magnetron operable to generate microwave radiation to provide heat to the cooking chamber;
a temperature sensor directed toward the cooking chamber;
and
a controller in operative communication with the magnetron and the temperature sensor, the controller being configured to:
measure a raw initial temperature of a heating zone within the cooking chamber using the temperature sensor;
determine a preheat power level based at least in part on the raw initial temperature of the heating zone;
operate the magnetron at the preheat power level;
monitor a chamber temperature using the temperature sensor;
determine a calibrated chamber temperature using the chamber temperature and a preheat conversion model;
determine that the calibrated chamber temperature has reached a target temperature;
monitor a cooking temperature using the temperature sensor following determining the chamber temperature has reached the target temperature;
determine a calibrated cooking temperature, based at least in part on the cooking temperature and a cooking conversion model;
and
operate the magnetron at a cooking power level selected to maintain the calibrated cooking temperature at the target temperature.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.