DESC:Technical filed:
The present invention relates to microwave oven with integrated weighing system. More particularly, the present invention relates to microwave oven with integrated weighing and calibrating system wherein, all aspects of the cooking are regulated so as to get consistency and ease of cooking even by a novice.

Background and prior art:
Normally Microwave Oven cooking is based on quantity measurements in grams, as per recipe books or cookery shows. The quantity of the ingredients input is always mentioned in weights in grams.

As per current auto cook menus in microwave oven the ingredients are based on quantity expressed in grams on the number of servings, for example to serve 2 persons etc. The auto cook feature in existing microwave ovens has pre-installed programmes as per programmed microwave heating tasks based on quantity expressed in grams on the number of servings.

However, the cooking task time and temperature setting is a challenging task, because one is not sure that whether the recipe will be properly cooked with its taste. Therefore, there is still a need in the art to provide a microwave oven with integrated calibrating system, thereby avoiding the problems involved in improper cooking such as under cooking or over cooking.

Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to provide a microwave oven with integrated calibrating system, wherein the calibrating system calibrates the required conditions such as temperature, time, mode of cooking etc based on weight of the food ingredients.

Summary of the Invention:
In line with the above objective, the instant invention provides a novel microwave system with integrated weighing and calibrating system that calibrates the required amount of ingredients, cooking temperature, time of cooking, the mode of cooking and the amount of calories based on the single parameter, i.e., weight of ingredients. In an embodiment, a microwave oven with integrated weighing and calibrating system is disclosed. It comprises plurality of pressure sensors coupled to a cavity situated at the bottom of the microwave oven to weigh food ingredients placed in a container on the cavity; and a controller to receive weighing signal from the pressure sensors and accordingly to compute time required for cooking, temperature setting for cooking, corresponding cooking mode and total calorie content, wherein the controller compares the measured weight of the food ingredients with a reference weight stored in the controller and computes the time required for cooking; temperature setting for cooking, corresponding cooking mode and total calorie content.

In another embodiment, a method for consistent, hassle free regulated mechanism for cooking food in a microwave oven is disclosed. The method comprises measuring a weight of food ingredients placed in a container on the cavity inside a microwave oven with integrated weighing and calibrating system; comparing the measured weight of the ingredient with a reference weight stored in the integrated weighing system, and computing the time required for cooking temperature setting for cooking, corresponding cooking mode and total calorie content.

According to the preferred embodiment, Microwave oven weighing and calibrating system is provided for calibrate the weight from cook ingredients placed in cook bowl inside the cavity of Microwave oven. Then the food weight corresponding signal is utilised by a microcomputer to compute cook time, temperature setting, corresponding cooking mode and total calorie content by applying specially designed mathematical algorithm in software.

In another embodiment, a weighing system is provided which consists of 4 pressure sensors to accurately measure the weight of the cooking ingredients. The weighing system is calibrated for accurate calculation of the food ingredients up to 6 Kg which is increased based on the size of the microwave oven and capacity of the cavity in which cook bowl is placed.

In a further embodiment, the pressure sensor is provided which is coupled to the bottom of the Microwave oven forming a bridge to interface the pressure signal corresponding to electrical signal and feed the same to ADC (Analog to digital converter) of the microcontroller Printed Circuit Board assembly to give optimum accuracy level.

Description of drawings
Fig.1 shows Microwave with Weighing System
Fig.2 shows Bottom View of Pressure Sensors
Fig.3 Cross-section of the Pressure Sensor
Fig.4 Weighing Scale ADC with controller

Detailed Description:
To understand the present invention the reference may be made to the figures accompanying the specifications. However, the figures 1 - 4 are provided for illustrative purpose only and show preferred embodiment. The figures should not be construed as to limit the scope of the invention.

Accordingly, the present invention discloses a microwave oven with integrated weighing and calibrating system. Fig. 1 illustrates the said system (10). Refer to fig. 2- 4. It comprises plurality of pressure sensors (1) coupled to a cavity situated at the bottom of the microwave oven to weigh food ingredients placed in a container on the cavity; and a controller (2) to receive weighing signal from the pressure sensors (1) and calculate the weight of the food ingredients and to compute time required for cooking, temperature setting for cooking, corresponding cooking mode and total calorie content, wherein the controller (2) compares the measured weight of the food ingredients with a reference weight stored in the controller (2) and computes the time required for cooking temperature setting for cooking, corresponding cooking mode and total calorie content.

In a preferred embodiment, the microwave oven with integrated weighing and calibrating system (10) is provided with the four pressure sensors (1) to accurately measure the weight of the cooking ingredients. The system (10) is calibrated for accurate calculation of the food ingredients up to 6 Kg which is increased based on the size of the microwave oven and capacity of the cavity in which cook bowl / container is placed.

In an another embodiment, the method for consistent, hassle free regulated mechanism for cooking food in a microwave oven is disclosed. The method comprises measuring a weight of food ingredients placed in a container on the cavity inside a microwave oven with integrated weighing and calibrating system (10); comparing the measured weight of the ingredient with a reference weight stored in the integrated weighing and calibrating system (10), and computing the time required for cooking temperature setting for cooking, corresponding cooking mode and total calorie content.

The microwave oven of the instant invention calibrates the required parameters through a controller. The required parameters according to the invention are 1) the cooking temperature 2) total time of cooking 3) the mode of cooking and 4) calories content based on the single parameter i.e. weight of the ingredients.

According to the another embodiment, mode of cooking may be selected from bake mode, grill mode, and microwave heating. Since the system (10) controls all aspects of the cooking are regulated by the use of controller (2); there is consistency and ease of cooking even by a novice. Further, there is no error of judgement or arbitrary setting and there is consistent quality of cooking every time, which makes cooking hassle free, surety of proper cooking and ensuring perfect taste every time.

According to the invention, the application of microwave oven with integrated weighing and calibrating system is used to weigh the food ingredients only, whereas the container or bowl weight is tarred off (offset) and net food ingredient weight is taken for the calculation of the cooking task and accordingly the calories of the auto cook menu is calculated in accordance with the method of the present invention. The weight based Auto cook has standard reference weight for ingredients and accordingly, the reference time is provided to the system (10). For example, a standard cook time and mode of cooking and calories is given for 250gm ingredients. Thus the user can use the standard weighing scale auto cook menu and choose the different weights based on number of servings. The system (10) can weigh different weights and compare the same with reference weight before being fed to the method of the invention and then the controller (2) calculates the final cooking time and calories for smart cooking. The controller (2) intelligently calculates the different heating tasks based on the weight sensed by the specially designed pressure sensors.

The user may operate the microwave oven of the present invention in a following manner:
By default, Microwave Oven is in normal Microwave operation mode. To enter into weighing Scale mode, the following steps to be performed.
• Step 1: If microwave oven is in a power OFF mode, then it is switched into the power ON mode. The front panel LED dynamically changes the number and gets the stable number 0:00.
• Step 2: The display showing 0:00 indicates that the microwave oven is in a normal operation mode. In this condition, calorie button on the front panel is pressed to go in to the mode of weight scale. LED shows the 0 values and corresponding ‘g’ symbol for grams.
• A weight, that is the food to be cooked, is put on either inside cavity or top of the unit which gives the measured value in grams and maximum 6000 gm (6Kg) can be measured. However, more than 6KG weight shows error display.
• To quit the weighing scale model, calorie button is pressed and the machine is switched to normal Microwave operation mode.
For auto-cook mode the following steps are followed by the user:

• In standby (Ideal mode) mode, up (?) button in front panel is pressed to enter in to the ACM A0 –A15.
• LED display shows the real time weight with the pressing of start button.
• The container or cookware is put inside the cavity or top of the weighing system of the microwave oven and the Grill button is pressed to clear the display zero.
• The food is placed in the container or cookware, LED displays the food weight. The start button is pressed, LED displaying the cook time determined by the controller based on the food weight and calorie.

Example:

The reference data and formula for time of cooking of measured weight of food placed inside the microwave oven with integrated weighing and calibrating system of the present invention is as follows:
Weighing based auto menus weight/g time/sec Multinomial(y: time, x: weight)
A-01 250 360 y = 0.72x + 180
500 540
QTY / WT.
A-02 200 480 y = 1.2x + 240
300 600
A-03 100 192 y =1.31x +68
250 395
500 730
750 1045
A-04 250 480 y = 0.72x + 340
500 720
750 840
A-05 250 1500 y = 2.4x + 900
500 2100
A-06 250 360 y = 0.24x + 300
500 420
A-07 250 1620 y = 0.72x + 1440
500 1800
A-08 250 900 y = 1.92x + 420
500 1380
A-09 250 1380 y = 1.68x + 960
500 1800

A-10 250 1020 y = 0.48x + 900
500 1140
A-11 250 600 y = 0.48x + 480
500 720
A-12 250 360 y = 0.24x + 300
500 420
A-13 250 360 y = 0.24x + 300
500 420
A-14 250 900 y = 0.72x + 720
500 1080
A-15 250 450 y = 0.36x + 360
500 540

Similarly, the calories are calculated by blow reference data equivalent to the measured weight of food placed inside the microwave oven with integrated weighing and calibrating system:
auto menu Daily Menus Mode weight/g time/sec Calories
A-01 Bhindi Masala 100 % MW 250 360 320
100 % MW 500 540 480
A-02 Boiled Potato MICRO 100% 200 480 128
MICRO 100% 300 600 192
A-03 Auto Defrost Micro 100 192 0
250 395 0
500 730 0
750 1045 0
A-04 Tandoori Fish Micro +Grill :-CO - 2 250 480 300
Micro +Grill :-CO - 2 500 720 600
Micro +Grill :-CO - 2 750 840 900
A-05 Vegetable with coconut Curry MW-100% 250 1500 693
MW-100% 500 2100 1,038
A-06 Fish Curry MW-100% 250 360 360
MW-100% 500 420 720
A-07 Veg Cohlapuri MW-100% 250 1620 600
MW-100% 500 1800 1,200
A-08 Stuffed Capsicum MW-100% 250 900 760
MW-100% 500 1380 1,140
A-09 Veg Makhanwala MW-100% 250 1380 880
MW-100% 500 1800 1,320
A-10 Mustard Chicken MW-100% 250 1020 300
MW-100% 500 1140 450
A-11 Prawn Mallai Curry MW-100% 250 600 800
MW-100% 500 720 1,200
A-12 Bhapa Mach MW-100% 250 360 600
MW-100% 500 420 750
A-13 Pudina Fish MW-100% 250 360 400
MW-100% 500 420 600
A-14 Thai Cauli flower curry MW-100% 250 900 336
MW-100% 500 1080 672
A-15 Thai Fish Curry MW-100% 250 450 1000
MW-100% 500 540 1230
,CLAIMS:1. A microwave oven with integrated weighing and calibrating system (10) for consistent, hassle free, regulated mechanism for cooking food comprising:
plurality of pressure sensors (1) coupled to a cavity situated at the bottom of the microwave oven to weigh food ingredients placed in a container on the cavity; and
a controller (2) to receive weighing signal from the pressure sensors and calculate the weight of the food ingredients and to compute time required for cooking, temperature setting for cooking, corresponding cooking mode and total calorie content,
wherein the controller (2) compares the measured weight of the food ingredients with a reference weight stored in the controller (2) and computes the time required for cooking temperature setting for cooking, corresponding cooking mode and total calorie content.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the weight of the food ingredients is calculated by means of the controller (2) subtracting weight of the container from the net weight.

3. A method for consistent, hassle free regulated mechanism for cooking food in a microwave oven with integrated weighing and calibrating system (10) comprising:
measuring a weight of food ingredients placed in a container on the cavity inside a microwave oven with integrated weighing and calibrating system (10) by the system (10);
comparing the measured weight of the ingredient with a reference weight stored in the integrated weighing and calibrating system (10) by the system (10), and
computing the time required for cooking, temperature setting for cooking, corresponding cooking mode and total calorie content by the system (10).

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein microwave oven with integrated weighing and calibrating system (10) comprises
plurality of pressure sensors (1) coupled to a cavity situated at the bottom of the microwave oven to weigh food ingredients placed in a container on the cavity; and
a controller (2) to receive weighing signal from the pressure sensors (1) and calculate the weight of the food ingredients and to compute time required for cooking, temperature setting for cooking, corresponding cooking mode and total calorie content,
wherein the controller (2) compares the measured weight of the food ingredients with a reference weight stored in the controller and computes the time required for cooking temperature setting for cooking, corresponding cooking mode and total calorie content.

5. The method according to claim 3 and 4, wherein the weight is measured by the controller based on signals received from plurality of pressure sensors (1).

6. The method according to claim 3 and 4, wherein the value of reference weight is stored in the controller (2).