Electronic oven with reflective energy steering

A method for heating an item in a chamber of an electronic oven comprising:

• applying a first electromagnetic wave to the chamber from an energy source to a set of variable reflectance elements, wherein the set of variable reflectance elements includes a corresponding set of variable impedance devices, and wherein the corresponding set of variable impedance devices includes a first variable impedance device and a second variable impedance device;
• reflecting, when the first variable impedance device has a first impedance value, the first electromagnetic wave from the set of variable reflectance elements to the item, wherein the reflecting places a local maximum of energy at a first location on the item;
• altering an impedance of the first variable impedance device from the first impedance value to a second impedance value;
• applying, after altering the impedance of the first variable impedance device to the second impedance value, a second electromagnetic wave to the chamber from the energy source;
• reflecting the second electromagnetic wave from the set of variable reflectance elements to the item, wherein the reflecting places the local maximum of energy at a second location on the item, and wherein the first location and second location are different;
• and
• wherein altering the impedance of the first variable impedance device alters a reflectance of a first variable reflectance element in the set of variable reflectance elements.

An electronic oven for heating an item comprising:

• a chamber;
• an injection port in a first wall of the chamber;
• a microwave energy source for applying microwave energy to the chamber via the injection port;
• a set of variable reflectance elements with a first variable reflectance element and a second variable reflectance element;
• a set of variable impedance devices with a first variable impedance device that has a one-to-one correspondence with the first variable reflectance element;
• and
• a control system that varies an impedance of the first variable impedance device from a first value to a second value;
• wherein, when the impedance of the first variable impedance device has the first value, the first variable reflectance element is floating;
• and
• wherein, when the impedance of the first variable impedance device has the second value, the first variable reflectance element is one of:
• (i) wired to ground;
• or (ii) wired to the second variable reflectance element.