In one embodiment, a method includes, by an electromagnetic device, generating an initial map of a temperature profile of a load disposed inside a cavity, emitting electromagnetic radiation into the cavity based on initial control parameter configurations, where a change in temperature of the load during the emission is measured by one or more sensors, generating updated maps of electromagnetic energy absorbed by the load based on the measured change in temperature of the load, where the updated maps comprise an indication of a spatial heating rate within the load, determining a sufficient number of the updated maps of electromagnetic energy absorbed by the load disposed inside the cavity have been measured, and, in response to determining that a sufficient number of the one or more updated maps of electromagnetic energy have been measured, storing the updated maps of electromagnetic energy absorbed by the load.

A heating cooking apparatus includes a heating chamber, a first detection unit, and a first interposed member. The heating chamber accommodates an object to be heated. The first detection unit is spaced apart from the heating chamber and detects sound in the heating chamber. The first interposed member is interposed between the heating chamber and the first detection unit and extends from the first detection unit toward the heating chamber. The first interposed member includes a through hole that passes the sound.

A method for heating or cooking a frozen food product with a susceptor in a solid state microwave oven includes placing the frozen food product with a susceptor into a microwave oven, heating the food product at a first heating step at a low absorption frequency, and heating the food product at a second heating step at a high absorption frequency.

An embodiment of a heating system includes a cavity configured to contain a load, a thermal heating system, and an RF heating system. The RF heating system includes a system controller, an RF signal source, one or more electrodes that receive an RF signal from the RF signal source and radiate resultant electromagnetic energy into the cavity, and a variable impedance matching network coupled between the RF signal source and the one or more electrodes. The system controller may monitor an impedance state of the variable impedance matching network to identify the occurrence of a change point. The system controller may estimate the mass of the load and a time and/or energy requirement for cooking the load based on the change point. The system controller may take action by turning off the RF heating system and/or thermal heating system when the time or energy requirement has been met.

A method of operating cooking appliance includes activating a motor to rotate a turntable within a cooking cavity defined in a casing of the cooking appliance. The methods also includes activating a microwave module for delivering microwave energy into the cooking cavity in response to the turntable reaching a first angular position after activating the motor to rotate the turntable and deactivating the microwave module in response to the turntable reaching a second angular position after the first angular position.

A method of operating a cooking appliance includes receiving, by a controller of the cooking appliance, an input indicating that the cooking appliance is to operate in a meal cook cycle. The method also includes activating at least one heater module of a plurality of heater modules during the meal cook cycle. The method also includes activating a motor to rotate a turntable through a complete revolution within the cooking cavity. The turntable is rotated at a first speed during a first portion of the complete revolution and at a second speed different from the first speed during a second portion of the complete revolution.

A cooker includes a heating chamber configured to accommodate an object to be heated, a heater configured to heat the object to be heated accommodated in the heating chamber, heating controller (14) configured to control the heater for heating, an image capturing unit configured to capture an image inside the heating chamber, and mark detector (28) configured to detect a specific mark from the image captured by the image capturing unit. Heating controller (14) disallows or allows heating by the heater, based on a result of detection by mark detector (28).

An embodiment of a heating system includes a cavity configured to contain a load, a thermal heating system (e.g., a convection, radiant, and/or gas heating system) in fluid communication with the cavity and configured to heat air, and an RF heating system. The RF heating system includes an RF signal source configured to generate an RF signal, first and second electrodes positioned across the cavity and capacitively coupled, a transmission path electrically coupled between the RF signal source and one or more of the first and second electrodes, and a variable impedance matching network electrically coupled along the transmission path between the RF signal source and the one or more electrodes. At least one of the first and second electrodes receives the RF signal and converts the RF signal into electromagnetic energy that is radiated into the cavity.

A cooking apparatus according to one embodiment includes a cooking chamber including a plurality of cooking regions, a plurality of heaters configured to heat at least one cooking region among the plurality of cooking regions, an inputter configured to receive a command related to cooking from a user, a display, and a controller configured to control the plurality of heaters and the display, wherein, while cooking is being performed in some cooking regions among the plurality of cooking regions, the controller may control the display to display other cooking regions in which additional cooking is performable.

A method of operating cooking appliance includes receiving, by a controller of the cooking appliance, an input indicating a time of a cooking operation. The method also includes activating a motor to rotate a turntable within a cooking cavity defined in a casing of the cooking appliance throughout the time of the cooking operation and activating a microwave module to deliver microwave energy into the cooking cavity during at least a portion of the rotation of the turntable. The method further includes varying at least one of a speed of the rotation of the turntable and a duty cycle of the microwave module during the cooking operation.