Patent attributes
In apparatus and a method for providing electronic control of an electric heating assembly, a radiant electric heater (10, 110) is arranged at a lower surface (22, 124) of a glass-ceramic cooking plate (12, 112), the plate having an upper surface (40, 138) for receiving a cooking vessel (42, 136A, 136B). A temperature sensor (24, 140) monitors temperature at or adjacent to the cooking plate (12, 112) and provides an electrical output as a function of temperature. Control means (30, 142) connected to the temperature sensor (24, 140) and to the heater (10, 110) controls energising of the heater from a power supply (28, 134) for energising the heater at a plurality of user selectable power levels including a full power level. When the heater (10, 110) is energised at the full power level it is energised to heat the cooking plate (12, 112) to a first temperature level during a predetermined initial period (A) of 20 to 50 minutes and is thereafter (C) energised to heat the cooking plate to a second temperature level, lower than the first temperature level.
