User-friendly cooking oven and method of operating same

Method of operating an oven comprising a cooking chamber (2) for foodstuffs comprising an electric resistance browning device (3), a rotating heating device (4), and a device (5) for the generation of microwave energy, a supply circuit to supply the electric resistance browning device and the rotating heating device and the device for the generation of microwave energy, a control panel comprising selection means (11) for selecting a heating sequence to be used in said chamber (2) and for causing at least one of the browning device (3) and the rotating heating device (4) and the device (5) for the generation of microwave energy to operate, and for taking into account a type of foodstuff and a weight of said foodstuff, said control panel also comprising a control means (8) connected to a data processing means (9) comprising a principal computer (10) determining a heating time as a function of the selection means and which triggers an operation of said supply circuit, the data processing means (9) being connected to a display means (12) displaying a calculated heating time as well as a representation of at least one of the browning device (3) and the rotating heating device (4) and the device (5) for the generation of microwave energy actuated upon triggering said supply circuit, said data processing means comprising a slave computer (13) connected to the principal computer (10) by a bidirectional bus (14) to which are connected said selection means (11), said method comprising the steps of:

• actuating of any one of said selection means (11) by a user;
• triggering, by said control means (8) a powering of the supply of the principal computer (10) which triggers by a subprogram the production of a first message M.sub.1 containing a command to start the principal computer;
• sending toward the slave computer (13) said first message M.sub.1 as well as a selection word;
• sending, by said slave computer (13) after reception of said first message M.sub.1 and of said selection word, an acknowledgement of receipt AR to said principal computer (10);
• triggering, by said slave computer (13), the actuation of said display means (12) of said selection means;
• during a second actuation of said selection means (11) by the user, displaying, by said visualization means (12), the type of foodstuff selected by said user, the weight of said foodstuff, as well as a predetermined heating sequence;
• and
• upon actuation by the user of one of the start button (24) and the test button (25), triggering, by said control means (8), one of a start of a predetermined heating sequence by said data processing means (9) as a function of the selection means (11), and a control of said predetermined heating sequence by said processing means (9) without starting said heating sequence, said control permitting the user to examine a selected and calculated data and, if desired, to modify the heating operation before starting the oven.