WO1997015219A1

WO1997015219A1 - Method of electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking rice

Info

Publication number: WO1997015219A1
Application number: PCT/KR1996/000181
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sang Uk You
Original assignee: Daewoo Electronics Co Ltd
Current assignee: WiniaDaewoo Co Ltd
Priority date: 1995-10-23
Filing date: 1996-10-22
Publication date: 1997-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 1998-04-23
Also published as: CN1203517A; JPH11513604A; IN183951B; KR0166247B1; KR970019968A

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for uniformly cooking rice of an electric rice cooking kettle capable of cooking uniform rice regardless of a change of months. The method can cook uniform rice without adjusting a water amount during cooking of the rice, by controlling heat preserving times thereof according to a change of months. The method has an advantage in that it can uniformly cook rice, when cooking a rice with standard water amount, by automatically performing a rice cooking process according to differences in the rice's composition corresponding to a difference in the month of the year.

Description

METHOD OF ELECTRIC RICE COOKING KETTLE FOR UNIFORMLY COOKING RICE

Technical Field The present invention relates to a method for cooking a rice. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method for uniformly cooking a rice of an electric rice cooking kettle capable of cooking uniform rice regardless of a change of months. Background Art

Recently, an electric rice cooking kettle operates according to its contents, in which a cooking process starts according to an operation of a cooking key after a status of an internal pot installed therein is sensed at first.

In a general electric rice cooking kettle, an internal pot has a scale for indicating a water mount therein so that a user can put a suitable amount of rice therein with a measuring cup and perform a cooking process. Operation of a cooking process by means of the general electric rice cooking kettle will be described with reference to FIG. 1 , which is a graph for illustrating a general rice cooking process of an electric rice cooking kettle.

At first, when an internal pot is placed in the electric rice cooking kettle, a key senses the placement of the internal pot. When a user pushes a menu key and pushes a key for starting a rice cooking, a progressive program is activated. The electric rice cooking kettle then progress through a number of processes. That is, a process for cooking a rice is performed in the order of an absorbing (soaking) process, a heating process, a heat preserving process, and a steaming process. The absorbing process is completed by heating a heater included in the electric rice cooking kettle for ten minutes so that a temperature of the internal pot, that is, that of a cooking rice, is increased from 25 °C to 45 °C, and thus soaking the cooking rice at a temperature of 45 °C. The heating process includes a first heating process and a second heating process. After the absorbing process is finished, the first heating process is performed by heating the heater for four minutes so that the temperature of the cooking rice is increased from 45 °C to 75 °C. Then, the second heating process is performed by heating the heater for two minutes so that a temperature of the cooking rice is increased from 75 °C to 102 °C. Then, the heat-preserving process is carried out by heating the heater for three minutes so that the temperature of the cooking rice can be increased from 102°C to 125°C. Then, the steaming process is completed by keeping the cooking rice at 125 °C for ten minutes. When the process for cooking the rice is finished, a display indicates that the rice has been cooked completely. The user can confirm that the cooking process is advancing through the different processes after the internal pot is placed in the electric rice cooking kettle.

However, since a rice generally has a feature that its water component changes according to the passage of time, the water component amount of a new rice is considerably different from that of a old rice. Therefore, when a user cooks a rice, the user must consider whether the rice is new or old. That is, the user must cook the new rice at a water level below standard mount and cook the old rice at a water level above thereof. This method can provide an experienced person with a good rice, but has a disadvantage that it can not performed by a person with little or no experience.

U.S. Pat. No.4, 670,282 (issued to Mazic Onishi, Keno Into, and Moria Isaiah on the date of June 2, 1987) discloses one example of a method for selectively controlling a state of a boiled rice. A method for cooking rice according to the above U.S. Patent comprises placing a mixture of water and rice in a pot; and heating the mixture of water and rice, while forming by convection heating within the mixture a temperature gradient which enables an upper portion of the mixture to have a temperature higher than that of a lower portion of the mixture, with a substantially ring shaped sheath electrical heater separated from the bottom of the pot and disposed in an airspace between the pot and a case which together form a continuous substantially sealed heating space, so that the upper portion of the mixture reaches an optimal cooking temperature range in a shorter time than the lower portion of the mixture, by the convection heating, and forms a mixture layer kept within the optical cooking temperature range, the rice located in the mixture layer absorbs more water than the rice located in the other regions, causing the surface of the water within the pot to gradually lower toward the bottom of the pot, and consequently the mixture layer gradually lowers, and while the mixture layer gradually lower, the rice located in each region in the pot remains within the optimal cooking temperature range for substantially the same length of time, whereby the rice in the pot uniformly absorbs the water independent of position within the pot. U.S. Patent No. 4,670,282 produces an effect without precision processing, and is constructed so as to ensure substantially uniform cooking of rice contained in the pot. However, a disadvantage remained that it does not consider changes in rice's composition that occur with passage of time, so it cannot cook fully uniform rice.

Disclose of Invention

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for uniformly cooking a rice of an electric rice cooking kettle capable of cooking uniform rice without adjusting a water mount during cooking of the rice, by controlling heat preserving times thereof according to a change of months.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object of the present invention, there is provided a method for uniformly cooking a rice of an electric rice cooking kettle, the method comprising the steps of: i) storing a rice cooking duration judgement data, an absorbing process preserving time data, a steam preserving time data, a heat amount data according to a set current month, a heater operation period data for a second heat process, a heater operation period data for a heat preserving process, and a temperature preserving time data for completing a rice cooking; ii) setting and storing a current month; iii) performing a soaking process while controlling an absorbing process preserving time according to the set current month in step ii); iv) performing a first heat process while judging a rice cooking duration; v) performing a second heat process by heating an internal pot of the electric rice cooking kettle with a heat amount based on the stored heat amount and on a heater operation period data for the second heat process in step i) corresponding to the stored current month in step ii); vi) performing a heat preserving process by heating the internal pot with a heat amount based on the stored heat amount and on a heater operation period data for the heat preserving process in step i); and vii) performing a steam process while controlling a steam preserving time according to the set current month in step ii). Preferably, step iii) comprises the substeps of: iii-1) setting a soak process preserving time corresponding is the set current month in step ii); iii-2) judging whether or not the set soak process preserving time in step iii-1) has passed after the soaking process has begun; iii-3) in step iii-2), when the set soak process preserving time has passed, going to step iv), and the set soak process preserving time has not passed, judging whether or not a temperature of the intemal pot is equal to or greater than a soak controlling temperature; and iii-4) in step iii-3), when the internal pot temperature is less than the soak controlling temperature, heating the internal pot with a first heat amount and returning to step iii-2), and when the temperature of the intemal pot is equal to or greater than the soak controlling temperature, stopping a heater of the electric rice cooking kettle and returning to step iii-2).

More preferably, step iv) comprises the substeps of: iv-1) heating the intemal pot; iv-2) judging whether or not a temperature of the heated intemal pot in step iv-1) is an upper temperature for judging a rice cooking duration; iv-3) in step iv-2), when the heated intemal pot temperature is the upper temperature for judging a rice cooking duration, finishing a rice cooking duration judgement, and when the heated internal pot temperature is not the upper temperature for judging a rice cooking duration, judging whether or not the heated intemal pot temperature is a lower temperature for judging a rice cooking duration; and iv-4) in step iv-3), when the heated intemal pot temperature is not the lower temperature for judging a rice cooking duration, returning to step iv-1), and the heated internal pot temperature is the lower temperature for judging a rice cooking duration, starting the rice cooking duration judgement.

Also, step v) comprises the substeps of: v-1) reading out the heat amount and heater operation period data for the second heat process according to the judged rice cooking amount in step iv), which corresponds to the stored current month in the step ii); v-2) determining a heat amount for the second heat process by adding the read heat amount and the heater operation period data in step v-1) and heating an intemal pot of the electric rice cooking kettle by the determined heat amount; and v-3) judging whether or not a temperature of the intemal pot is a temperature for starting a heat preserving process, and when the intemal pot temperature is the temperature for starting the heat preserving process, going to the step vi), and when the intemal pot temperature is not the temperature for starting the heat preserving process, returning to step v-2) of heating an intemal pot.

Moreover, step vi) preferably comprises the substeps of: vi-1) reading out the heat amount and the heater operation period data for the heat preserving process from the stored data in step i) according to the judged rice cooking duration in step iv), which corresponds to the stored current month in step ii); vi-2) determining a heat amount for the heat preserving process by adding the heat amount and heater operation period data in the step vi-1 and heating an intemal pot of the electric rice cooking kettle by the determined heat amount; and vi-3) judging whether or not a temperature of the intemal pot is a temperamre for completing a rice cooking, and when the intemal pot temperamre is the temperamre for completing a rice cooking, stopping a heater of the electric rice cooking kettle and returning to step vi-2), and when the intemal pot temperamre is not the temperamre for completing a rice cooking, returning to step vii) of heating an intemal pot.

Preferably, step vii) comprises the substeps of: vii-1) judging whether or not a steam preserving time corresponding to the stored current month in step ii) has passed, and when the corresponding steam preserving time has passed, finishing the steaming process, and when the corresponding steam preserving time has not passed, judging whether or not an intemal pot temperamre of the electric rice cooking kettle is equal to or greater than a steam controlling temperamre; and vii-2) in step vii-1), when the intemal pot temperamre is less than the steam controlling temperamre, heating the intemal pot with a second heat amount and returning to step vii-1), and when the intemal pot temperamre is equal to or greater than the steam controlling temperamre, stopping a heater of the electric rice cooking kettle and returning to step vii-1). Preferably, the method for uniformly cooking a rice of an electric rice cooking kettle may further have a step of vi-a) preserving an intemal pot of the electric rice cooking kettle with a temperamre for completing a rice cooking, between step vi) and step vii).

The above method further preferably comprises a step of vi-a) preserving an internal pot of the electric rice cooking kettle with a temperamre for completing a rice cooking, between step vi) and step vii). Preferably, step vi-a) comprises the substeps of: vi-a-1) reading out the temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking data and an additional temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking, according to the judged rice cooking duration in step iv), which corresponds to the stored current month in the ii); vi-a-2) determining a temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking by adding the read temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking and the read additional temperamre preserving time data in step vi-a-1) and preserving the intemal pot temperamre for the determined temperamre preserving time; and vi-a-3) judging whether or not the determined temperamre preserving time in step vi-a-3) has passed, and when the determined temperamre preserving time has passed, going to the step vii), and when the determined temperamre preserving time has not passed, judging whether or not the intemal pot temperamre is equal to or greater than a temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking; and vi-a-4) in step vi-a-3), when the internal pot temperamre is less than the temperamre for completing a rice cooking, heating an intemal pot of the electric rice cooking kettle with a third heat amount and returning to step vi-a-3), and when the internal pot temperamre is equal to or greater than the temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking, stopping a heater of the electric rice cooking kettle and returning to step vi-a-3). The method further preferably comprises a step of viii) reheating the internal pot of the electric rice cooking kettle, after step vii). Preferably, step viii) comprises substeps of: viii-1) heating the intemal pot after the steaming process is completed; viii-2) judging whether or not a reheat time corresponding to the stored current month in step ii) has passed, and when the corresponding reheat time has passed, finishing step viii-1), and when the corresponding reheat time has not passed, judging whether or not an intemal pot temperamre of the electric rice cooking kettle is equal to or greater than a reheat controlling temperamre; and vii-3) in step viii-2), when the intemal pot temperamre is less than the reheat controlling temperamre, heating the internal pot with a third heat amount and returning to step viii-1), and when the intemal pot temperamre is equal to or greater than the reheat controlling temperamre, stopping a heater of the electric rice cooking kettle and returning to step viii-1). The present invention has an advantage that it can uniformly cook a rice, when cooking a rice with standard water amount, by automatically performing a rice cooking process according to differences in the rice's composition corresponding to a difference in the month of the year.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail a preferred embodiment thereof with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a graph for illustrating a general rice cooking process of an electric rice cooking kettle;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram for showing a circuitry configuration of an electric rice cooking kettle which can be used in the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view for showing an example of the key inputting section in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a graph for illustrating a judgement of a rice cooking duration according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 5 is a table for showing a standard for the judgement of a rice cooking duration illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a table for illustrating a cooking condition according to differences in the months, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a table for illustrating a heater operation condition according to a rice cooking duration, according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a graph for illustrating a steam preserving time for November to February;

FIG. 9 is a graph for illustrating a steam preserving time for March to June;

FIG. 10 is a graph for illustrating steam preserving and reheat times for July; FIG. 11 is a graph for illustrating steam preserving and reheat times for August;

FIG. 12 is a graph for illustrating steam preserving and reheat times for September;

FIG. 13 is a graph for illustrating steam preserving and reheat times on October; and FIGs. 14 to 22 are a flow chart for illustrating a method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice according to one embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention

A description will be given below in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of the mechanical strucmre, the circuitry configuration, and the operation of a method and an apparams for uniformly cooking a rice according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the configuration of an electric rice cooking kettle 2 which can be used in the present invention. Electric rice cooking kettle 2 includes a key inputting section 21, an intemal pot temperamre sensor 22, a heater 23, a data storing section 24 and a control section 25. FIG. 3 shows an example of key inputting section 21 shown in FIG. 2. Key inputting section 21 inputs a command for activating a mode from a menu and a command for indicating the beginning of a cooking process, and includes a menu key 31 , a key 32 for starting rice cooking, a steaming/cancellation key 33, a time/month selection key 34, and a reservation key 35. Menu key 31 includes a white rice key 311, a brown rice key 312, a grain key 313, a scored rice key 314, a scored rice tea key 315, and a special dish key 316.

FIG. 4 illustrates a judgement of a rice cooking duration according to one embodiment of the present invention. The rice cooking duration is judged by a required time for heating an intemal pot temperamre T from 50°C to 80°C during a first heat process. FIG. 5 shows a standard for the judgement of a rice cooking amount illustrated in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 5, zero minute to two minutes fifty nine seconds is required to cook a rice of a first amount (1-2 persons amount), three minutes to four minutes fifty nine seconds to cook a rice of a second amount (3-4 persons amount), five minutes to six minutes fifty nine seconds to cook a rice of a there amount (5-6 persons amount), seven minutes to eight minutes fifty nine seconds to cook a rice of a fourth amount (7-8 persons amount), and more than nine minutes to cook a rice of a fifth amount (9-10 persons amount).

FIG. 6 illustrates a cooking condition according to differences in the month according to one embodiment of the present invention. In regard to an absorbing process preserving time, the shortest absorbing process preserving time month and the longest absorbing process preserving time month are November and October, respectively. The absorbing process preserving times of November and October are 480 and 960 seconds, respectively. The absorbing process preserving time increases from November to June by a constant interval of thirty eight seconds per month. From July to October, the absorbing process preserving time gradually increases by an interval of more than thirty eight seconds. In regard to a temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking, the temperamre preserving time of zero is required for completing a rice cooking from November to June. Among the months from July to October, the shortest temperamre preserving time month and the longest temperamre preserving time month are July and October, respectively. The temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking of July and October are ten and forty seconds, respectively. The temperamre preserving time times for completing a rice cooking increases from July to October by a constant interval of ten seconds per month.

In regard to a steam preserving time, the steam preserving times of November to February, and of March to October are twelve and thirteen minutes, respectively. In regard to a reheat time during a steaming process, the reheat time is zero from November to June. The shortest reheat time month and the longest reheat time month are July and October among months from July to October, respectively. The reheat times of July and October are one and four minutes, respectively. The reheat time increases from July to October by a constant interval of one minute per month. In regard to a heat amount during cooking a rice, the highest heat amount month and the lowest heat amount month are November and October, respectively. The heat amounts of November and October are respectively 100 and 80% with respect to a maximum heat amount of the electric rice cooking kettle 2 of 100% . The heat amount decreases from November to June by a constant interval of one percent per month. From July to October, the heat amount gradually decreases by more than one percent per month.

FIG. 7 is a table for illustrating a heater operation condition of a rice cooking amount according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In regard to a temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking, the least temperamre preserving time rice cooking amount and the longest temperamre preserving time rice cooking amount for completing a rice cooking are first and fifth rice cooking amounts, respectively. The temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking of the first and fifth rice cooking amounts are five and twenty five seconds, respectively. The temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking increases from a first rice cooking amount to a fifth rice cooking amount by a constant interval of five minutes per month. During a second heat process, the on/off operation period of the heater in the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth rice cooking amounts respectively are 16 seconds/ 16 seconds, 20 seconds/ 12 seconds, 24 seconds/ 8 seconds, 28 seconds/ 4 seconds, and 32 seconds/ zero second. During a heat preserving process, the on/off operation period of heater in the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth rice cooking amounts are 24 seconds/ 8 seconds, 26 seconds/ 6 seconds, 28 seconds/ 4 seconds, 30 seconds/ 2 seconds, and 30 seconds/ zero seconds.

FIG. 8 illustrates a steam preserving time for November to February. The steam preserving time for November to February is twelve minutes. FIG. 9 illustrates a steam preserving time for March to June. The steam preserving time for March to June is thirteen minutes.

FIG. 10 is a graph for illustrating steam preserving and reheat times for July. The steam preserving time for July is thirteen minutes. The reheat time for July is one minute. The reheat temperamre for July is 120°C.

FIG. 11 is a graph for illustrating steam preserving and reheat times for August. The steam preserving time for August is thirteen minutes. The reheat time on August is two minutes. The reheat temperamre for August is 120°C.

FIG. 12 is a graph for illustrating steam preserving and reheat times for September. The steam preserving time for September is thirteen minutes. The reheat time for September is three minutes. The reheat temperamre for September is 120°C. FIG. 13 is a graph for illustrating steam preserving and reheat times for

October. The steam preserving time for October is thirteen minutes. The reheat time for October is four minutes. The reheat temperamre for October is 120°C.

In FIGs. 10 to 13, since a condition of a rice is suddenly changed after a rainy season, the reheating process after the steaming process is performed in order to soak a water component and heat the old rice longer after the rainy season.

An operation of the method for uniformly cooking a rice of an electric rice cooking kettle according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIGs. 14 to 22 illustrates a method for uniformly cooking a rice of an electric rice cooking kettle according to one embodiment of the present invention.

Before performing a rice cooking, control section 25 controls data storing section 24 to store a rice cooking duration data, an absorbing process preserving time data, a temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking, a steam preserving time data, a heat amount data, an on/off operation period data of heater 23 for a second heating process, and an on/off operation period data of heater 23 for a heat preserving process therein (step SO). After a user places an intemal pot including a cooking rice and water therein into electric rice cooking kettle 2, control section 25 stands by a power-on operation (step Sl), and judges whether or not the power is turned-on (step S2). In step S2, when it is judged that the power has not been turned on, the routine returns to step Sl . But in step S2, when it is judged that the power has been turned on, control section 25 judges whether or not a cut-off mode is selected

(step S3). In step S3, when it is judged that the cut-off mode has been selected, control section 25 judges whether or not more than thirty minutes has passed after the selection of the cut-off mode (step S3001).

In step S3001 , when it is judged that the more than thirty minutes has passed after the selection ofthe cut-off mode, control section 25 cancels a current rice cooking process (step S30011). When it is judged that the more than ten minutes has not passed, control section 25 judges whether or not the cut-off condition has continued for more than one minute (step S3002). In step S3002, when it is judged that the cut-off condition has continued for more than one minute, control section 25 judges that the present state is an abnormal, so control section 25 controls the abnormal process. When it is judged that the cut-off condition has not continued for more than one minutes, control section 25 controls heater 23 to heat an intemal pot until a rice cooking is completed (step S3003) and a steaming process begins (S30031).

On the other hand, in step S3, when it is judged that the cut-off mode has not been selected, control section 25 stands by an input of a key (step S4) and judges whether or not the key is inputted (step S5). In step S5, when it is judged that the key has not been inputted, the routine returns to step S4. But in step S5, when it is judged that the key has not been inputted, a process conesponding to the inputted key is performed (step S6). Then in step S7, the user pushes key 32 for starting a rice cooking. In step S8, control section 25 controls intemal pot temperamre sensor 22 to sense an intemal pot temperamre T, and judges whether or not the sensed intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than 80 °C (step S8). In step S8, when it is judged that the sensed intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than 80 °C, the routine goes to step S30011 and the cunent process is canceled. But in step S8, when it is judged that the sensed intemal pot temperamre T is less than 80°C, control section 25 judges whether or not the sensed intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than 45 °C (step S9). In step S9, when it is judged that the sensed intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than 45 °C, the routine goes to step S30021 and performs an abnormal state process. But when it is judged that the sensed intemal pot temperamre T in step S9 is less than 45 °C, a user pushes time/month selection key 34 of key inputting section 21 to set a cunent month and store the set cunent month in storing section 23 (step SIO). In step Sl l , control section 25 judges whether or not the set cunent month is

November. When it is judged that the set cunent month in step Sl l is November, control section 25 set an absorbing process for 480 seconds by using the data in FIG. 6 (step S12). In step S13, control section 26 judges whether or not 480 seconds has passed after the absorbing process has started. In step S13, when it is judged that 480 seconds has not passed, control section 26 judges whether or not the sensed intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than a soak controlling temperamre, that is, 45°C (step S131).

In step S131, when it is judged that the sensed intemal pot temperamre T is less than 45 °C, control section 25 controls an operation of heater 23 to heat the internal pot with a heat amount of 50% (step S132), and the routine remms to step S13. But in step S131 , when it is judged that the sensed intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than 45°C, control section 25 stops heater 23 (step S133), and the routine remms to step S13.

On the other hand, when it is judged that the set cunent month in step Sl l is not November, control section 25 judges whether or not the set cunent month is a

December (step Si ll). When it is judged that the cunent month in step Sill is December, control section 25 set an absorbing process for 518 seconds by using the data in FIG. 6 (step Sll 11). In step Sl l 12, control section 25 judges whether or not 518 seconds has passed after the absorbing process has started. In step Sl l 12, when it is judged that 518 seconds has not passed, control section 26 judges whether or not the sensed internal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than 45°C (step Sll 121). In step Sl 1121 , when it is judged that the sensed intemal pot temperamre T is less than 45 °C, control section 25 controls an operation of heater 23 to heat the internal pot with a heat amount of 50% (step Sl 1123), and the routine remms to step Sl 112. But in step Sll 121, when it is judged that the sensed intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than 45°C, control section 25 stops heater 23 (step Sll 122), and the routine remms to step Sll 12.

An absorbing process for January to October can also be performed in the same manner.

On the other hand, in step S13, when it is judged that eight minutes has passed, a second heat process starts and control section 26 controls an operation of heater 23 to heat the intemal pot (step S14). In step S15, control section 25 judges whether or not the intemal pot temperamre is 80°C. In step S15, when it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is not 80°C, control section judges whether or not the intemal pot temperamre is 50°C (step S151). In step S151, when it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is not 50°C, the routine remms to step S14, but when it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is 50°C, control section 25 begins a rice cooking duration judgement (step S152), and the routine remms to step S14.

On the other hand, in step S15, when it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is an upper temperamre for judging a rice cooking duration, that is, 80°C, control section 25 finishes the rice cooking duration judgement (step S16). The rice cooking duration judgement is canied out as follows. As shown in FIGs. 4 and 5, when zero minute to two minutes fifty nine seconds, three minutes to four minutes fifty nine seconds, five minutes to six minutes fifty nine seconds, seven minutes to eight minutes fifty nine seconds, and more than nine minutes are required to heat an intemal pot temperamre T from 50°C to 80°C during a first heat process, control section 25 judges that the cooking duration are the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth durations, respectively.

Then in step S17, a second heat process starts. In step SO, control section 25 reads out a heat amount data and an on/off operation period data of heater 23 for the second heat process according to the judged rice cooking duration in steps S 15 to S 16, conesponding to the stored set cunent month in step SIO from data storing section 24. In step S19, control section 25 determines a heat amount for the second heat process by adding the read heat amount data and an on/off operation period data of heater 23 in step S18. For instance, when the set cunent month is October and the judged rice cooking duration is a third duration, since the stored heat amount of the October is 80% and the on/off operation period of heater 23 for the third amount is 24 seconds/ 8 seconds, as shown in FIGs. 6 and 7, the heat amount for the second heat process is determined by the on/off operation period data of heater 23 of 19.2 seconds/ 8 seconds. In step S20, control section 25 controls the operation of heater 23 to heat the intemal pot with the determined heat amount in step S19.

In step S21, control section 25 judges whether or not the intemal pot temperamre T is a temperamre for starting a heat preserving process, that is, 102°C. When it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is not 102°C in step S21 , the routine returns to step S20.

In step S21, when it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is 102 °C, a heat preserving process starts (step S22). In step S23, control section 25 reads out a heat amount data and an on/off operation period data of heater 23 for the heat preserving process according to the judged rice cooking duration in steps S 15 to S 16, conesponding to the stored cunent month in step SIO from data storing section 24. In step S24, control section 25 determines a heat amount for the heat preserving process by adding the read heat amount data and an on/off operation period data of heater in step S23. For instance, when the set cunent month is July and the judged rice cooking duration is a second duration, since the heat amount of the July is 92% and the on/off operation period data of heater 23 of the second duration is 26 seconds/ 6 seconds, the heat amount for heat preserving process is determined by the on/off operation period data of heater 23 of 23.92 seconds/ 6 seconds.

In step S25, control section 25 controls the operation of heater 23 to heat the intemal pot with the determined heat amount in step S24. In step S26, control section

25 judges whether or not the intemal pot temperamre T is 125 °C. When it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is not 125 °C in step S26, the routine remms to step S25. In step S26, when it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is 125 °C, control section 25 judges whether or not the stores cunent month in data storing section 14 in step S12 is July, August, September, or October (step S27).

In step S27, when it is judged that the stored month is not July, August, September, or the October, a steaming process begins (step S31). But when it is judged that the stored month is July, August, September, or October in step S27, control section 26 judges whether or not the stored month is July (step S28). When it is judged that the set month is July in step S28, control section 25 reads out a temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking for July and an additional temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking according to the judged rice cooking duration in steps S15 to S16, which conesponds to the stored cunent month in step SIO from data storing section 24 (step S29). In step S30, control section 25 determines a temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking by adding the temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking and a temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking according to the judged rice cooking duration, and preserves the internal pot temperamre for the determined temperamre preserving time. For instance, when the set cunent month is September and the judged rice cooking amount is a first duration, since the stored temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking in September is thirty seconds and the additional temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking according to the judged first amount is five seconds, the temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking in September is determined as thirty five seconds, as shown in FIGs. 6 and 7. In step S31, control section 25 judges whether or not the determined temperamre preserving time of thirty five seconds for completing a rice cooking in step S30 has passed.

In step S31, when it is judged that the determined temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking has not passed, control section 25 judges whether or not the intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than a controlling temperamre for completing a rice cooking, that is, 125°C (step S311). When it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is less than 125 °C in step S311 , control section 25 controls an operation of heater 23 to heat the internal pot with a heat amount for the heat preserving process (step S3111), and the routine remms to step S31. When it is judged that the internal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than 125 °C in step S311, control section 25 stop heater 23 (step S3112), and the routine remms to step S31.

The process for the temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking for August to October can also be performed in the same manner. On the other hand, when it is judged that thirty five seconds has passed in step

S31, the steaming process begins (step S32), and control section 26 judges whether or not the stored month in step SIO is November, December, January, or February (step S33). When it is judged that the stored month is November, December, January, or February in step S33, control section 25 judges whether or not for the steam preserving time of twelve minutes has passed after the steaming process had begun (step S34).

When it is judged that twelve minutes have not passed after the steaming process began in step S34, control section 25 judges whether or not the intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than a steam controlling temperamre, that is, 115°C (step S35).

When it is judged that the internal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than 115°C in step S35, control section 25 stops heater 23 (step S351), and the routine remms to step S34. When it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is less than 115°C in step S35, control section 25 controls an operation of heater 23 to heat the internal pot with a heat amount of 50% (step S36), and the routine remms to step S34.

Also, when it is judged that twelve minutes has passed after the steaming process had begun in step S34, the routine goes to step 40, a keeping warm process is canied out and a total process is finished (step S41).

On the other hand, when it is judged that the stored month is not November, December, January, or February in step S33, control section 25 judges whether or not the stored month in step SIO is March, April, May, or June (step S331). When it is judged that the stored month is March, April, May, or June, control section 25 judges whether or not the steam preserving time of thirteen minutes have passed after the steaming process began (step S3311). When it is judged that thirteen minutes has not passed after the steaming process had began in step S3311 , control section 25 judges whether or not the intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than a steam controlling temperamre, that is, 115°C (step S3312). When it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than 115°C in step S3312, control section 25 stops heater 23 (step S33121), and the routine returns to step S3311. When it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is less than 115°C in step S3312, control section 25 controls an operation of heater 23 to heat the intemal pot with a heat amount of 50% (step S3313), and the routine remms to step S3311.

On the other hand, when it is judged that thirteen minutes have passed after the steaming process had begun in step S3311, the routine goes to step S40 and a keeping warm process and a total process is completed (step S41). Also, When it is judged that the stored month is not March, April, May, or June in step S331, control section 25 judges whether or not the stored month in step SIO is July (step S332). When it is judged that the stored month is July, control section 25 judges whether or not the steam preserving time of thirteen minutes has passed after the steaming process began (step S3321). When it is judged that thirteen minutes has not passed after the steaming process had begun in step S3321 , control section 25 judges whether or not the internal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than a steam controlling temperamre, that is, 115°C (step S3322). When it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than 115°C in step S3322, control section 25 stops heater 23 (step S33221), and the routine returns to step S3321. When it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is less than 115 °C in step S3322, control section 25 control an operation of heater 23 to heat the intemal pot with a heat amount of 50% (step S3323), and the routine returns to step S3321.

On the other hand, when it is judged that thirteen minutes has passed after the steaming process had begun in step S3321 , control section 25 controls the operation of heater 23 to reheat the intemal pot and judges whether or not a reheat time of one minute has passed after the reheat process had begun (step S33211). When it is judged that one minute has not passed after the reheat process had begun in step S33211 , control section 25 judges whether or not the intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than a reheat controlling temperamre, that is, 120°C (step S33212). When it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is equal to or greater than 120°C in step

S33212, control section 25 stops 23 heater (step S332121), and the routine returns to step S33211. When it is judged that the intemal pot temperamre T is less than 120°C in step S3322, control section 25 control an operation of heater 23 to heat the intemal pot with a heat amount of 100% (step S33213), and the routine remms to step S33211. On the other hand, when it is judged that one minute has passed after the reheat process had begun in step S33211 , the routine goes to step S40 and carry out a keeping warm process, and finish a total process (step S41).

The steaming and reheating processes for August to October can also be canied out in the same manner. Industrial Applicability

As described previously, the present invention has an advantage that it can uniformly cook a rice, when cooking a rice with standard water amount, by automatically performing a rice cooking process according to differences in the rice's composition conesponding to a difference in the month of the year.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not respective, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice, said method comprising the steps of: i) storing a rice cooking duration judgement data, an absorbing process preserving time data, a steam preserving time data, a heat amount data according to a set cunent month, a heater operation period data for a second heat process, a heater operation period data for a heat preserving process, and a temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking; ii) setting and storing a cunent month; iii) performing a soaking process while controlling an absorbing process preserving time according to the set cunent month in step ii); iv) performing a first heat process while judging a rice cooking duration; v) performing a second heat process by heating an internal pot of the electric rice cooking kettle with a heat amount based on the stored heat amount and on a heater operation period data for the second heat process in step i) conesponding to the stored cunent month in step ii); vi) performing a heat preserving process by heating the intemal pot with a heat amount based on the stored heat amount and on a heater operation period data for the heat preserving process in step i); and vii) performing a steam process while controlling a steam preserving time according to the set cunent month in step ii).

2. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 1 , wherein shortest and longest months of the soaking process preserving time are November and October, respectively.

3. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 2, wherein the soaking process preserving time of November and October are four hundred eighty and nine hundreds sixty seconds, respectively.

4. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the soaking process preserving time increases from November to June by a constant interval per month.

5. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 1, wherein an interval per month of the soaking process preserving times from July to October gradually increases.

6. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 1 , wherein step iii) comprises the substeps of: iii-1) setting a soak process preserving time conesponding is the set cunent month in said step ii); iii-2) judging whether or not the set soak process preserving time in step iii-1) has passed after the soaking process has begun; iii-3) in step iii-2), when the set soak process preserving time has passed, going to said step iv), and the set soak process preserving time has not passed, judging whether or not a temperamre of the intemal pot is equal to or greater than a soak controlling temperamre; and iii— 4) in step iii-3), when the intemal pot temperamre is less than the soak controlling temperamre, heating the internal pot with a first heat amount and returning to step iii-2), and when the temperamre of the internal pot is equal to or greater than the soak controlling temperamre, stopping a heater of the electric rice cooking kettle and returning to step iii-2).

7. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the judgement of the rice cooking duration is determined by a required time for heating the intemal pot during the first heat process from a lower temperamre for judging a rice cooking duration to an upper temperamre for judging the rice cooking duration.

8. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 7, wherein lower and upper temperatures for judging the rice cooking duration during the first heat process are 50 °C and 80 °C, respectively.

9. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step iv) comprises the substeps of: iv-1) heating the intemal pot; iv-2) judging whether or not a temperamre of the heated intemal pot in iv-1) is an upper temperamre for judging a rice cooking duration; iv-3) in step iv-2), when the heated intemal pot temperamre is the upper temperamre for judging a rice cooking duration, finishing a rice cooking duration judgement, and when the heated internal pot temperamre is not the upper temperamre for judging a rice cooking duration, judging whether or not the heated intemal pot temperamre is a lower temperamre for judging a rice cooking duration; and iv-4) in step iv-3), when the heated intemal pot temperamre is not the lower temperamre for judging a rice cooking duration, returning to step iv-1), and the heated intemal pot temperamre is the lower temperamre for judging a rice cooking duration, starting the rice cooking duration judgement.

10. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 1 , wherein step v) comprises the substeps of: v-1) reading out the heat amount and heater operation period data for the second heat process according to the judged rice cooking amount in step iv), conesponding to the stored cunent month in step ii); v-2) determining a heat amount for the second heat process by adding the read heat amount and the heater operation period data in step v-1) and heating an intemal pot of the electric rice cooking kettle by the determined heat amount; and v-3) judging whether or not a temperamre of the intemal pot is a temperamre for starting a heat preserving process, and when the intemal pot temperamre is the temperamre for starting the heat preserving process, going to step vi), and when the intemal pot temperamre is not the temperamre for starting the heat preserving process, returning to step v-2) of heating an intemal pot.

11. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 10, wherein the temperamre for starting a heat preserving process is 102 °C.

12. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said step vi) comprises the substeps of: vi-1) reading out the heat amount and the heater operation period data for the heat preserving process from the stored data in step i) according to the judged rice cooking duration in step iv), conesponding to the stored cunent month in step ii); vi-2) determining a heat amount for the heat preserving process by adding the heat amount and heater operation period data in step vi-1 and heating an intemal pot of the electric rice cooking kettle by the determined heat amount; and vi-3) judging whether or not a temperamre of the intemal pot is a temperamre for completing a rice cooking, and when the intemal pot temperamre is the temperamre for completing a rice cooking, stopping a heater of the electric rice cooking kettle and returning to step vi-2), and when the intemal pot temperamre is not the temperamre for completing a rice cooking, returning to step vii) of heating an intemal pot.

13. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 12, wherein the temperamre for completing a rice cooking is 125°C.

14. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the steam preserving time for November to

February, and for March to October are twelve and thirteen minutes, respectively.

15. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 1 , wherein step vii) comprises the substeps of: vii-1) judging whether or not a steam preserving time conesponding to the stored cunent month in step ii) has passed, and when the conesponding steam preserving time has passed, finishing the steaming process, and when the conesponding steam preserving time has not passed, judging whether or not an internal pot temperamre of the electric rice cooking kettle is equal to or greater than a steam controlling temperamre; and vii-2) in step vii-1), when the internal pot temperamre is less than the steam controlling temperamre, heating the intemal pot with a second heat amount and returning to step vii-1), and when the internal pot temperamre is equal to or greater than the steam controlling temperamre, stopping a heater of the electric rice cooking kettle and returning to step vii-1).

16. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a step of vi-a) preserving an internal pot of the electric rice cooking kettle with a temperamre for completing a rice cooking, between step vi) and step vii).

17. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 16, wherein November to June have a preserving time of the temperamre of zero for completing a rice cooking.

18. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 16, wherein shortest and longest preserving times of the temperamre for completing a rice cooking months are July and October, respectively.

19. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 18, wherein a preserving time of the temperamre for completing a rice cooking for July and October are ten and forty seconds, respectively.

20. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 16, wherein a preserving time of the temperamre for completing a rice cooking increases from July to October by a constant interval per month.

21. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 16, wherein step vi-a) comprises the substeps of: vi-a-1) reading out the temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking data and an additional temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking, according to the judged rice cooking duration in step iv), conesponding to the stored cunent month in step ii); vi-a-2) determining a temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking by adding the read temperamre preserving time data for completing a rice cooking and the read additional temperamre preserving time data in step vi-a-1) and preserving the intemal pot temperamre for the determined temperamre preserving time; and vi-a-3) judging whether or not the determined temperamre preserving time in step vi-a-3) has passed, and when the determined temperamre preserving time has passed, going to step vii), and when the determined temperamre preserving time has not passed, judging whether or not the intemal pot temperamre is equal to or greater than a temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking; and vi-a-4) in step vi-a-3), when the internal pot temperamre is less than the temperamre for completing a rice cooking, heating an intemal pot of the electric rice cooking kettle with a third heat amount and returning to step vi-a-3), and when the intemal pot temperamre is equal to or greater than the temperamre preserving time for completing a rice cooking, stopping a heater of the electric rice cooking kettle and returning to step vi-a-3).

22. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a step of viii) reheating the intemal pot of the electric rice cooking kettle, after step vii).

23. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 22, wherein November to June are a time of zero for the step of reheating the intemal pot.

24. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 22, wherein shortest and longest time for the step of reheating the intemal pot months are July and October, respectively.

25. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 24, wherein times for the step of reheating the internal pot of July and October are one and four minutes, respectively.

26. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 22, wherein a time for the step of reheating the intemal pot increases from July to October by a constant interval per month.

27. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 22, wherein a temperamre for the step of reheating the intemal pot is 125°C.

28. The method of an electric rice cooking kettle for uniformly cooking a rice as claimed in claim 22, wherein step viii) comprises substeps of : viii-1) heating the intemal pot after the steaming process is completed; viii-2) judging whether or not a reheat time conesponding to the stored cunent month in step ii) has passed, and when the conesponding reheat time has passed, finishing step viii-1), and when the conesponding reheat time has not passed, judging whether or not an intemal pot temperamre of the electric rice cooking kettle is equal to or greater than a reheat controlling temperamre; and vii-3) in step viii-2), when the intemal pot temperamre is less than the reheat controlling temperamre, heating the intemal pot with a third heat amount and returning to step viii-1), and when the intemal pot temperamre is equal to or greater than the reheat controlling temperamre, stopping a heater of the electric rice cooking kettle and remrning to step vii i-l).