Lightwave oven and method of cooking therewith with cookware reflectivity compensation

A lightwave oven for cooking food contained in cookware, comprising:

• an oven cavity housing enclosing a cooking region therein;
• an upper plurality and a lower plurality of high power lamps that provide radiant energy in the visible, near-visible and infrared ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum, wherein the upper plurality of lamps are positioned above the cooking region and the lower plurality of lamps are positioned below the cooking region;
• an optical sensor for measuring an amount of the radiant energy produced by at least one of the lower plurality of lamps that is reflected by cookware in the cooking region;
• a controller that operates the at least one lower plurality lamp at an average power level that varies depending upon the amount of radiant energy measured by the optical sensor.

A method of cooking food contained in cookware placed in a cooking region of a lightwave oven having an upper plurality of high power lamps positioned above the cooking region and a lower plurality of high power lamps positioned below the cooking region providing radiant energy in the electromagnetic spectrum including the infrared, near-visible and visible ranges, comprising the steps of:

• operating the lower plurality of lamps at an average power level;
• measuring an amount of the radiant energy produced by the lower plurality of lamps that is reflected by cookware in the cooking region;
• and
• changing the average power level of the lower plurality of lamps based upon the measured amount of radiant energy.

A lightwave oven for cooking food contained in cookware, comprising:

• an oven cavity housing enclosing a cooking region therein;
• an upper plurality and a lower plurality of high power lamps that provide radiant energy in the visible, near-visible and infrared ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum, wherein the upper plurality of lamps are positioned above the cooking region and the lower plurality of lamps are positioned below the cooking region;
• an optical sensor for measuring an amount of the radiant energy produced by the lower plurality of lamps that is reflected by cookware in the cooking region;
• a controller that operates the lower plurality of lamps at an average power level that varies depending upon the amount of radiant energy measured by the optical sensor.