Programmable combination oven

Abstract

An oven includes one or more upper heating elements, a lower heating system, and a convection system. Electrical power is provided from a source via a controller to provide heat within a housing containing a support member for cooking a food item.

1 . A cooking apparatus for cooking food, comprising: 
 a housing having an interior portion;    a support member located in the housing for supporting a food item to be cooked;    a first upper heating element located in the housing above the support structure and adapted to produce heat;    a convection system adapted to draw heated air over the food item to be cooked;    a power source for supplying electrical power from an electricity source, the electrical power providing the energy to heat to the upper heating element and the convection system;    a controller coupled to the power source, the first upper heating element, and the convection system, wherein the controller is adapted to provide the electrical power to the first upper heating element and the convection system, and wherein the controller comprises a memory programmed with software adapted to provide at least one selectably controlled cooking sequence comprising at least one of the temperature of interior portion of the housing, the duration of the provision of electrical power to the first heating element, and the duration of the operation of the convection system.    
   
   
       2 . The cooking apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one selectably controlled cooking sequence comprises operating the first upper heating element at more than one power level.  
   
   
       3 . The cooking apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a further heating system, wherein the further heating system is coupled to the controller.  
   
   
       4 . The cooking apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the further heating system is a microwave source.  
   
   
       5 . The cooking apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the further heating system is located below the support member.  
   
   
       6 . The cooking apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second upper heating element coupled to the controller, wherein the software is further adapted to control the provision of electrical power to operate each of the first and second upper heating elements, the further heating system, and the convection system in a selectably controlled cooking sequence.  
   
   
       7 . The cooking apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one selectably controlled cooking sequence includes providing electrical power to one of the following combinations of the first and second upper heating elements: 
 the first upper heating element;    the second upper heating element;    the first and second upper heating elements, wherein the electrical power is provided equally to each of the first and second heating elements.    
   
   
       8 . The cooking apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one selectably controlled cooking sequence includes providing electrical power to the further heating system.  
   
   
       9 . The cooking apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one selectably controlled cooking sequence includes providing electrical power to the combination of the first and second upper heating elements at a first power level and a second power level, wherein the heat produced by combination is proportional to the first power level and the second power level.  
   
   
       10 . The cooking apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first power level provides more electrical power to the combination of the first and second upper heating elements than the second power level.  
   
   
       11 . The cooking apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first power level is supplied for a specified time period of the at least one selectably controlled cooking sequence.  
   
   
       12 . The cooking apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one selectably controlled cooking sequence comprises a plurality of programmed cooking sequences, the plurality of cooking sequences comprising: 
 a first cooking sequence in which the controller provides electric power to the first upper heating element; and    a second cooking sequence in which the controller provides electric power to the second upper heating element, wherein the first and second cooking sequences are independent of each other.    
   
   
       13 . The cooking apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the controller provides electrical power to the further heating system for a specified duration during the selectably controlled cooking sequence.