JP7691904B2 - Cooking device with program update function - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cooking device with a program update function that has the function of updating a program implemented in a control device.

There are cooking appliances that update the control processing program of a control device such as a microcomputer to a new program acquired from an external device such as an external server. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes that when an external device requests the cooking appliance to update the program, the cooking appliance updates the program when the cooking appliance returns permission to update to the external device. In addition, during a program update, it is necessary to avoid an indefinite state of the controlled elements such as control valves whose operation is controlled by the program. For this reason, Patent Document 1 proposes storing the time period of use of the user from the user's use history of the cooking appliance, and updating the program during the time period when the user is not using the appliance, and forcibly updating the program when the cooking appliance returns a certain number of times of refusal to update to the external device, and during the forced update, restricting the functions more than during normal operation, and executing a provisional program that only has the function of turning off the burner in the event of abnormal heating.

JP 2020-24052 A

In a cooking appliance that uses a battery as its power source, the program cannot be updated unless power is supplied to the control device. However, when a user turns on the power to the cooking appliance, the user usually intends to start cooking with the cooking appliance. Therefore, if the user allows the update even when a program update requires a long time, the user will not be able to start cooking for a certain period of time until the update is complete.

In a cooking appliance that is powered by a commercial power source, power can be constantly supplied to the control device, so the program can be updated when cooking is not being performed. However, when a user attempts to start cooking, if an update request is received from an external device and permission to update is sent to the external device, there is a problem that cooking cannot be started for a certain period of time, just like in a cooking appliance that is powered by a battery. Also, in a cooking appliance that goes into standby power mode when not in use, it is possible that the user may start cooking while the program is being updated during standby power mode, making it difficult to set the timing of the update.

In addition, regardless of which driving power source is used, when updating the update program during cooking, it is necessary to avoid an indefinite state of the controlled element. Therefore, as in Patent Document 1, it is possible to grasp the user's usage time from the user's usage history and update the program during the user's non-use time, but at a stage where the user uses the cooking appliance only a few times, there is a risk that the program update will be performed during a time period that the user does not want. In addition, when there are multiple users, the usage time period becomes wider and the non-use time period becomes narrower. Therefore, when the update program is large and a long time is required for the update, it is difficult to use the non-use time period for the update. Furthermore, as in Patent Document 1, if the update is forcibly performed when the update is rejected multiple times, the program will be updated at a time that the user does not intend. As a result, when the forced update starts after the user starts cooking, a temporary program with limited functions is executed, and the adjustment of the heat power is limited, and the user cannot cook as intended after cooking starts. In particular, in a cooking appliance with an automatic cooking function that automatically changes the heat power, if the user does not notice that cooking is being performed with the temporary program, cooking may fail.

The present invention aims to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a cooking device with a program update function that is easy for the user to use and does not cause cooking failures.

According to the present invention,
A heating unit;
A cooking device with a program update function, comprising: a control device that executes a control process based on an installed program;
The control device acquires an update program for updating the installed program from the external device and stores the update program in the storage unit;
A cooking device with a program update function is provided, which is configured to notify a selection of a plurality of update times and execute updating to the update program at the selected update time when an update program is stored in a storage unit when power is supplied.

The cooking device with the program update function described above allows the user to update to the update program at the update time desired depending on the usage status of the cooking device.

Preferably, in the cooking device with a program update function,
If an update program is stored in the storage unit when power is supplied to the control device, the control device notifies the user that an update program is available and the update time required for updating to the update program.

The cooking device with the program update function allows the user to be made aware of the availability of an update program immediately. In addition, the cooking device with the program update function allows the user to update to the update program at the update time desired by the user, taking into consideration the usage status of the cooking device and the update time required for the update.

Preferably, in the cooking device with a program update function,
The control device notifies the selection of an update time period that includes a time period during which the heating unit is not in operation during automatic heating cooking.

For example, in automatic heating cooking, the cooking time for automatic heating cooking may include time periods when the heating unit is not operated, such as residual heat cooking or steam cooking. During the time periods when the heating unit is not operating, such as those described above, the controlled element that changes the heat power of the heating unit is not operated, so the update program can be updated during a time period that does not affect automatic heating cooking.

Preferably, in the cooking device with a program update function,
When the heating unit non-operating time period during automatic cooking is selected as the update time, the control device executes updating to the update program if the update time to the update program is within the range of the heating unit non-operating time period.

According to the cooking device with the program update function, the update to the update program can be completed within the heating unit non-operating time period during automatic cooking, so that the unstable state of the controlled element during automatic cooking can be avoided. This makes it possible to prevent cooking failures even if the update to the update program is executed during automatic cooking.

As described above, according to the present invention, the user can select the timing of updating to the update program depending on the usage status of the cooking device, so it is possible to provide a cooking device with a program update function that is easy to use and prevents cooking failures.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a cooking device with a program updating function according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of a cooking device with a program updating function according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a part of a flowchart showing an example of a control operation of the cooking device with a program updating function according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a part of a flowchart showing an example of a control operation of the cooking device with a program updating function according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a part of a flowchart showing an example of a control operation of a cooking device with a program updating function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A cooking device with a program updating function according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.
Referring to FIG. 1, a cooking device with a program update function (hereinafter simply referred to as a "cooking device") 1 of this embodiment is, for example, a gas stove or the like, and is equipped with a burner 2 as a heating section, a fuel supply path 3 that supplies fuel gas to the burner 2, and an igniter 7 that generates a spark discharge at an ignition electrode 7a arranged in the vicinity of the burner 2.

In the fuel supply line 3, there are provided a main valve 4 and a pilot valve 5 as control valves that can be opened and closed, and a heat adjustment valve 6 for adjusting the amount of fuel supplied to the burner 2 to adjust the heat of the burner 2. The main valve 4 and the pilot valve 5 are, for example, electromagnetic safety valves or solenoid valves, and the heat adjustment valve 6 is, for example, a proportional valve or a motor-driven electric valve.

The cooking device 1 contains a power supply battery 80 in its main body, and is configured to supply power to the control device 20 and the drive circuits (not shown) of the controlled elements. Specifically, by controlling the opening of the main valve 4 and the tip valve 5 while operating the igniter 7, a spark discharge is generated from the ignition electrode 7a, and fuel gas is supplied to the burner 2. This ignites the burner 2, and the burner 2 starts to burn. During the burner 2 combustion operation, the flame power adjustment valve 6 is controlled to adjust the amount of fuel supplied to the burner 2, and thus the flame power of the burner 2. Furthermore, when at least one of the main valve 4 and the tip valve 5 is controlled to close, the fuel supply to the burner 2 is cut off, and the burner 2 is extinguished.

Although only one burner 2 is shown in FIG. 1, the cooking device 1 may include multiple burners. In this case, each burner may be provided with a main valve, a pilot valve, and a flame control valve, as in FIG. 1. Also, for example, a common main valve may be provided for all burners, and a pilot valve and a flame control valve may be provided in the fuel supply path for each burner that branches off from the downstream side of the common main valve.

The cooking device 1 is equipped with a notification means consisting of a display 11 that displays various visual information and a sound generator 12 that outputs auditory information such as alarm sounds and voices, an operation unit 13 that allows the user to perform various operations related to the operation of the cooking device 1, and a control device 20 that has the function of controlling the operation of the cooking device 1.

The display 11 is, for example, a liquid crystal display, an LED display, an organic EL display, etc., and the sound generator 12 is, for example, a speaker, a buzzer, etc. In addition, although detailed illustration is omitted, the operation unit 13 has an operation unit provided with an operation switch and a light-on/light-off switch for the user to light and turn off the burner 2 and adjust the flame power, and an operation unit provided with an automatic heating cooking operation switch for the user to perform setting operations related to automatic heating cooking, which automatically adjusts the flame power of the burner 2 and turns it off in a predetermined sequence.

The control device 20 is an electronic circuit unit including a first microcomputer (hereinafter, microcomputer) 21 and a second microcomputer 22, which will be described later, and receives an operation signal from the operation unit 13 as well as sensing signals from various sensors (not shown) provided in the cooking device 1. The sensing signals include, for example, a detection signal for the temperature of the object to be heated by the burner 2 and a flame detection signal indicating the presence or absence of a combustion flame in the burner 2.

The control device 20 has a function realized by the implemented hardware and programs to control the operation of each of the multiple controllable elements of the cooking device 1, namely, the main valve 4, the tip valve 5, the heat adjustment valve 6, the igniter 7, the display 11, and the sound generator 12.

The control device 20 is also capable of wireless communication with a repeater 30, such as a Wi-Fi router, that can be connected to an external network NW, such as the Internet, and is also capable of communicating with an external server 40 that can distribute a program for the cooking appliance 1, via the repeater 30 and the external network NW. The control device 20 is also capable of acquiring (downloading) a program for the cooking appliance 1 from the external server 40 through communication with the external server 40.

The control device 20 has, for example, the configuration shown in FIG. 2. That is, the control device 20 includes two microcomputers, the first and second microcomputers 21 and 22, a wireless communication device 23, and a memory unit 24 that temporarily stores and holds update programs (programs that update the current program already implemented in the first microcomputer 21, including programs that update not only the entire current program but also programs that update part of the current program) acquired from an external server 40. The first and second microcomputers 21 and 22 are electronic control devices that execute predetermined control processing according to the implemented programs, and the memory unit 24 is a rewritable non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM or a flash memory.

Although not shown, the control device 20 includes a conventionally known drive circuit that operates each of the controlled elements of the cooking device 1 (in this embodiment, the main valve 4, the lead valve 5, the heat adjustment valve 6, the igniter 7, the display 11, and the sound generator 12) in response to a control signal output from the first microcomputer 21, an input circuit for inputting the operation signal and the sensing signal of the operation unit 13 to the first microcomputer 21 or the second microcomputer 22, and a power supply circuit that supplies power from a power supply battery 80 to the first microcomputer 21, the second microcomputer 22, the drive circuit, the input circuit, etc. The power supply circuit includes, for example, a microswitch that is closed by the ignition operation of the ignition/extinguishing switch and is held closed by a heart cam mechanism (not shown), and when the microswitch is closed, power is supplied to the first and second microcomputers 21 and 22, and the first and second microcomputers 21 and 22 start up.

The first and second microcomputers 21, 22 each include a CPU or processor and memory such as RAM or ROM, and a program for control processing is implemented (stored) in non-volatile memory. The first and second microcomputers 21, 22 are connected so that they can exchange data (communicate) with each other. The second microcomputer 22 is also connected to the wireless communication device 23 and the memory unit 24 so that it can exchange data with the wireless communication device 23 and the memory unit 24.

The first microcomputer 21 is a microcomputer having the function of performing overall operation control of the cooking appliance 1 and operation control of most of the control target elements of the cooking appliance 1. Various programs are implemented in the first microcomputer 21, such as a display control program that causes the first microcomputer 21 to execute a control process for controlling the display of the display unit 11, a sound control program that causes the first microcomputer 21 to execute a control process for controlling the output (sound information) of the sound generator 12, a combustion control program that causes the first microcomputer 21 to execute a control process related to the combustion operation of the burner 2, and a cooking control program that causes the first microcomputer 21 to execute a control process related to the automatic cooking operation. In this embodiment, these programs implemented in the first microcomputer 21 correspond to programs that are updated to the update program stored in the memory unit 24.

The first microcomputer 21 treats the main valve 4, the lead valve 5, the heat adjustment valve 6, the igniter 7, the display 11, and the sound generator 12 as controlled elements, and is connected to each of the controlled elements (main valve 4, lead valve 5, heat adjustment valve 6, igniter 7, display 11, and sound generator 12) via the drive circuits (not shown) of the respective controlled elements so as to be able to control the operation of these controlled elements.

Here, during normal operation of the cooking appliance 1 (when the program of the first microcomputer 21 has not been updated), the combustion control program of the first microcomputer 21 is configured to determine control commands for the main valve 4, the lead valve 5, the heat adjustment valve 6, and the igniter 7 related to the operation of the burner 2 based on the operation signal or sensing signal of the operation unit 13, or commands generated by the cooking control program, and to output control signals corresponding to the respective control commands of the main valve 4, the lead valve 5, the heat adjustment valve 6, and the igniter 7 from the first microcomputer 21 to the respective drive circuits.

The combustion control program is also configured to give control commands regarding the display of the display device 11 or control commands regarding the output of the sound device 12 to the display control program or sound control program, as appropriate.

The cooking control program is also configured to generate appropriate control commands related to the operation of the burner 2, the display of the display 11, or the output of the sound generator 12 based on the operation signal of the operation unit 13 related to the automatic heating cooking operation, sensing signals, etc., and to provide the control commands to the combustion control program, the display control program, or the sound control program.

In this embodiment, the second microcomputer 22 is a microcomputer having a function of executing a communication process with the external server 40 and an update process for updating the program implemented in the first microcomputer 21 to the update program stored in the storage unit 24. The second microcomputer 22 is implemented with a communication control program that causes the second microcomputer 22 to execute communication processes via the wireless communication device 23, such as communication with the repeater 30 or the external server 40, and an update control program that causes the second microcomputer 22 to execute an update process for updating each of the above-mentioned programs or parts of each program implemented in the first microcomputer 21 to the update program stored in the storage unit 24.

The communication control program of the second microcomputer 22 is configured to receive from the external server 40 a control signal indicating the presence of an update program generated by the external server 40, and to execute a communication process to store the data of the update program received from the external server 40 in the storage unit 24. The update control program of the second microcomputer 22 is also configured to execute an update process to update the program implemented in the first microcomputer 21 to the update program stored in the storage unit 24 at the set update time, and is configured to give control commands related to the display of the display 11 to the display control program of the first microcomputer 21 as appropriate.

Returning to FIG. 1, the external server 40 is installed in a remote location different from the location where the cooking appliance 1 is installed (for example, in a facility managed by the manufacturer of the cooking appliance 1) and is wirelessly connected to the cooking appliance 1 via the repeater 30 and the external network NW.

Although not shown, the external server 40 has a server-side control device that controls the operation of the entire external server 40, which is made up of an electronic circuit unit, a server-side memory unit that stores and holds various programs for the cooking appliance 1, and a server-side wireless communication device. The server-side control device is configured to be able to exchange data with the second microcomputer 22 of the cooking appliance 1. The server-side control device is also configured to determine a control command regarding the presence or absence of an update program depending on the presence or absence of an update program in the server-side memory unit, transmit a control signal corresponding to the control command to the second microcomputer 22 via the server-side wireless communication device, and execute a transmission process to transmit data for the update program to the second microcomputer 22.

Next, the process of updating the program implemented in the first microcomputer 21 to the update program stored in the memory unit 24 will be described with reference to Figures 3 to 5. In this embodiment, when the extinguishing operation is performed using the ignition switch on the operation unit 13, the power supply circuit is cut off from the drive circuit that operates the main valve 4 and the tip valve 5, and the burner 2 is extinguished. However, the second microcomputer 22 is configured to continue sending a hold signal to maintain power supply to the power supply circuit until the update to the update program and the acquisition of update program data from the external server 40 are completed, and the power supply is cut off when these processes are completed.

When the user turns on the operation switch using the operation unit 13 to start the operation of the cooking device 1, power is supplied from the power supply battery 80 to the first and second microcomputers 21, 22, and the first and second microcomputers 21, 22 and a drive circuit (not shown) are started. This results in a power supply state that allows the program implemented in the first microcomputer 21 to be updated to an update program. The second microcomputer 22 then determines whether an update program that has not yet been updated is stored in the memory unit 24 and whether an update program is set to exist (step S1).

If there is an update program in the storage unit 24 (Yes in step S1), the second microcomputer 22 reads from the storage unit 24 the update time (calculated when the acquisition of the update program, described later) required to update the corresponding program of the first microcomputer 21 to the update program, outputs a control signal corresponding to a control command to the first microcomputer 21 to notify the display unit 11 of the update time, and the first microcomputer 21 displays the information that an update program is available and the update time on the display unit 11 for a predetermined display time (for example, 5 seconds) (step S2). This allows the user to recognize not only that an update program is available before starting cooking, but also the update time required for the update, and therefore allows the user to select the update time according to the usage status of the cooking appliance 1. Note that if the update program is set to no update program at the time of startup (No in step S1), the update time is set to "(3) Update pending" (step S3), described later.

When the display time of the update time expires, the second microcontroller 22 outputs a control signal corresponding to a control command to the first microcontroller 21 to cause the display 11 to display an update time selection menu, and the first microcontroller 21 causes the display 11 to display the update time selection menu including the following four update times (step S4).
(1) Update before cooking starts. (2) Update after cooking ends. (3) Update on hold. (4) Update during automatic cooking (when the heating unit is not in operation).

When the user operates the operation unit 13 (for example, by pressing a specific operation switch on the operation unit 13) to select one of the update times, the selected update time is accepted and the update time data is saved (step S5). This sets the update time according to the user's intention. The display of the update time selection menu on the display unit 11 can be changed as appropriate as long as it means the update times (1) to (4) above. For example, instead of "(1) Update before cooking starts," "(1) Update immediately" may be displayed, and instead of "(3) Hold update," "(3) Update next time" or "(3) Do not update" may be displayed. Instead of "(4) Update during automatic cooking," a specific automatic cooking menu may be displayed, or a display may be made indicating that the heating unit is not operating during a residual heat cooking period or a steam cooking period. The update time selection menu may also include other update times as long as it is possible to select the update times (1) to (4) above.

Next, for example, if "(1) Update before cooking starts" is selected (Yes in step S6), the second microcomputer 22 updates the program implemented in the first microcomputer 21 to the update program stored in the storage unit 24. At this time, the display 11 may display an update in progress to indicate that the update to the update program is being executed. When the update to the update program is completed, the update program is set to no update program, the update time is set to "(3) Update pending", the display 11 notifies the completion of the update, and normal operations are accepted (step S7). Although not shown, if "(1) Update before cooking starts" is selected as the update time, the first microcomputer 21 prohibits the acceptance of operations on the operation unit 13 during normal cooking until the update to the update program is completed. This prevents cooking from starting until the update to the update program is completed, so that cooking during the update, when there is a possibility that the controlled element will be in an undefined state, can be prevented.

Also, when an update time other than "(1) Update before cooking starts" is selected (step S6: No) and the user starts cooking, the second microcomputer 22 determines whether the heating unit non-operating time period has arrived during which the burner 2 for residual heat cooking or steam cooking is kept in an off state during automatic cooking operation, and the opening and closing control of the main valve 4, the tip valve 5, and the heat adjustment valve 6 that involves changing the heat power is not performed (step S10). If the heating unit non-operating time period for automatic cooking arrives (step S10: Yes), the second microcomputer 22 determines whether the update time is set to "(4) Update during automatic cooking" (step S11). Then, if the update time is set to "(4) Update during automatic cooking" (step S11: Yes), it further determines whether the update time for the read-out scheduled update program is within the range of the heating unit non-operating time period (step S12). If the update time is within the range of the heating unit non-operating time period set in the automatic heating cooking operation (Yes in step S12), the program implemented in the first microcomputer 21 is updated to the update program stored in the storage unit 24 in the same manner as described above. Then, the update program is set to no update program, and the update time is set to "(3) Update on hold" (step S13). In this way, by setting the update time to "(3) Update on hold" after the update to the update program is completed, even if a new update program is acquired during heating cooking, the update to the new update program is not executed, so that it is possible to prevent the update from being executed for longer than the displayed update time or beyond the heating unit non-operating time period. Although not shown, even if "(4) Update during automatic heating cooking" is selected as the update time, if there is no heating unit non-operating time period in the automatic heating cooking operation, or if there is a heating unit non-operating time period but the update time is longer than the heating unit non-operating time period (No in steps S10 and S12), the update to the update program is not executed. In this case, the display 11 may notify that the update to the update program will not be executed during automatic heating cooking.

As described above, in this embodiment, the operation of the controlled element that changes the heat of the burner 2 is controlled by the first microcomputer 21, and the communication with the external server 40 is controlled by the second microcomputer 22. Therefore, even if the second microcomputer 22 executes a communication process with the external server 40 during cooking, the controlled element does not become indefinite. For this reason, the second microcomputer 22 communicates with the external server 40 during cooking, and when it receives a control signal indicating that an update program is available from the external server 40 (Yes in step S14), it determines whether or not the update program is set to not available (step S15). Here, if no update program is stored in the memory unit 24 at the start of cooking (No in step S1), the update program is set to not available (Yes in steps S3 and S15), so the second microcomputer 22 obtains new update program data from the external server 40 and stores it in the memory unit 24. Then, when the acquisition of the update program from the external server 40 is completed, the update program is set to be present, the update time required for updating to the acquired update program is calculated, and the update time is set (steps S17 to S19). Furthermore, if "(1) Update before cooking starts" or "(4) Update during automatic cooking" is selected for the update time and an update to the update program is performed, the update program is not stored in the storage unit 24 and is set to be absent (step S15: Yes), so similarly, a new update program is acquired, stored in the storage unit 24, the update program is set to be present, and the update time is set (steps S17 to S19). Furthermore, if an update program is present in the storage unit 24 at the start of cooking (step S1: Yes) and "(3) Hold update" is selected (step S15: No, step S16: Yes), the new update program is acquired and stored in the storage unit 24, the update program is set to be present, and the update time is set (steps S17 to S19). This allows the cooking appliance 1 using the battery 80 as the driving power source to acquire a new update program during cooking. The storage unit 24 may have multiple storage areas that store different update programs. Also, if there are multiple update programs in the storage unit 24, the user may arbitrarily set the order of updates.

When cooking is finished and the user turns off the fire using the on/off switch (Yes in step S8), the second microcomputer 22 determines whether the update time is set to "(2) Update after cooking is finished" (step S30). If the update time is set to "(2) Update after cooking is finished" (Yes in step S30), the second microcomputer 22 updates the program implemented in the first microcomputer 21 to the update program stored in the memory unit 24 in the same manner as above. Then, the second microcomputer 22 sets the update program to "no update program" and sets the update time to "(3) Update pending" (step S31).

On the other hand, if an update time other than "(2) Update after cooking is completed" is set and cooking is performed, and then the user turns off the power by turning off the ignition switch (Yes in step S8, No in step S30), if a new update program is being acquired from the external server 40 described above (Yes in step S32), the second microcomputer 22 continues to acquire the new update program, and when acquisition of the update program is completed, it sets that an update program is present, calculates the update time required to update to the acquired update program, and sets the update time (steps S33 to S34). Then, when the above process is completed, the power supply from the power supply circuit to the first and second microcomputers 22 is stopped (step S35).

In this embodiment, when the update time is set to "(2) Update after cooking is completed", even if the update program availability is received from the external server 40 during cooking, the second microcomputer 22 does not acquire a new update program (Yes in step S1, No in steps S6, S8, and S10, Yes in step S14, No in steps S15 and S16). However, as in the above, even when the update time is set to "(2) Update after cooking is completed", the second microcomputer 22 receives new update program data from the external server 40 during cooking and stores it in the memory unit 24, and after cooking is completed, the program implemented in the first microcomputer 21 may be updated based on the update program that was stored in the memory unit 24 when the operation switch was operated to start power supply (i.e., when the power supply state is reached where the program can be updated to the update program) and the update program that was stored in the memory unit during cooking. This allows updating to the update program stored in the storage unit 24 at the start of cooking, and updating to a new update program acquired from the external server 40 during cooking and stored in the storage unit 24, to be performed after cooking ends when the user no longer intends to continue cooking. Also, if "(2) Update after cooking ends" is selected as the update time before cooking starts, the user does not intend to continue cooking after cooking ends, so even if the update time is long, it does not impair usability for the user. Therefore, updating to the update program can be performed efficiently.

As described above in detail, according to this embodiment, the update program can be updated to the update program at the update time desired by the user depending on the usage status of the cooking appliance 1. Therefore, for example, when the update time is short or the user has time before starting cooking, if the user selects "(1) Update before cooking starts", the update to the update program stored in the storage unit 24 can be terminated before cooking starts. Also, for example, when the user needs to cook in a short time, such as at breakfast, the user can select "(3) Hold update" to start cooking early. Also, for example, when the user does not plan to cook after dinner, the user can select "(2) Update after cooking ends", and the update program can be appropriately updated to the update program by avoiding interruption of the update even with a large capacity update program that takes a long time to update. Furthermore, for example, in automatic cooking, the cooking time may include a heating unit non-operating time period during which the burner 2 is not operated, such as residual heat cooking or steam cooking. Therefore, when performing automatic heating cooking that has such heating unit non-operating time periods, if the user selects "(4) Update during automatic heating cooking," the program can be updated to the update program during a time period that does not affect automatic heating cooking. Also, since the update is performed during the heating unit non-operating time period when the burner 2 is not operated, there is no need to provide a temporary program that restricts the function as in the past. In particular, according to this embodiment, the update time required for updating to the update program is compared with the heating unit non-operating time period, and if the update time is within the range of the heating unit non-operating time period, the update is performed during automatic heating cooking, so that the update to the update program can be performed efficiently.

In addition, according to this embodiment, when power supply to the control device 20 starts and the power supply state becomes such that updating to the update program is possible, if an update program is stored in the memory unit 24, the user is notified that an update program is available, so that the user can be made aware of the availability of an update program immediately. In addition, according to this embodiment, the update time required for updating to the update program is notified, so that the user can compare the usage status of the cooking appliance 1 with the update time required for the update, and perform the update to the update program at the update time desired by the user.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, the user can select the timing of updating to the update program depending on the usage status of the cooking appliance, so that a cooking appliance that is easy to use and does not fail to cook can be provided.

Other Embodiments
(1) In the above embodiment, the update program is acquired from the external server via the repeater and the external network and stored in the storage unit. However, in the present invention, the update program may be acquired from an external device other than the external server. For example, the update program may be acquired by connecting a removable external memory to the cooking appliance.

(2) In the above embodiment, the cooking device has a burner as a heating unit. However, in the present invention, the cooking device may have an electric heater or an electromagnetic induction heater as a heating unit instead of or in addition to the burner.

(3) In the above embodiment, the program implemented in the first microcomputer is updated with an update program. However, in the present invention, the program implemented in the second microcomputer may also be updated with a corresponding update program.

(4) In the above embodiment, a battery is used as the driving power source. However, the present invention can also be applied to a cooking device that uses a commercial power source. In a cooking device that uses a commercial power source as its driving power source, the state in which operation is started by operating any of the operation switches (if the child lock is functioning, the lock function is released) corresponds to the power supply state, and in a cooking device that has a standby power mode, the state in which power is supplied corresponds to the state in which the cooking device has returned from the standby power mode to the active mode.

Reference Signs List 1 Cooking device 2 Burner 20 Control device 40 External server

Claims (4)

A heating unit;
A cooking device with a program update function, comprising: a control device that executes a control process based on an installed program;
The control device acquires an update program for updating the installed program from the external device and stores the update program in the storage unit;
The cooking device with a program update function is configured to notify the selection of a plurality of update times and execute the update to the update program at the selected update time when an update program is stored in a storage unit when power is supplied. 2. The cooking device with a program update function according to claim 1,
The control device is a heating cooker with a program update function that, when an update program is stored in the memory unit when power is supplied, notifies the user that an update program is available and the update time required to update to the update program. 3. The cooking device with a program update function according to claim 1,
The control device is a cooking device with a program update function that notifies the selection of update times, including time periods when the heating unit is not in operation during automatic cooking. In the cooking device with a program update function according to claim 3,
The control device of the cooking device with a program update function executes an update to the update program if the time period during which the heating unit is not in operation during automatic cooking is selected as the time for updating and the update time to the update program is within the range of the time period during which the heating unit is not in operation.

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