WO2013023951A1

WO2013023951A1 - System for operating at least one domestic appliance, corresponding terminal, and method for operating said system

Info

Publication number: WO2013023951A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/065397
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claudia HÄPP; Andreas SCHÜSSLER; Susanne Trojer
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
Priority date: 2011-08-16
Filing date: 2012-08-07
Publication date: 2013-02-21
Also published as: DE102011081023A1; CN103733211B; CN103733211A; EP2745249A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for operating at least one domestic appliance. A terminal (1), which is mostly mobile and which comprises a screen (10), on-screen keys, and a camera, can be operated by an operator. The terminal (1) has a wireless connection (2) to the at least one domestic appliance (3, 4, 5), and the terminal (1) also has an another at least indirect wireless connection (2) to a computer (14) with a database (15) of user manuals, maintenance instructions, and the like of the at least one domestic appliance. The at least one domestic appliance can be identified, for example by type, using the camera of the terminal (1), and the user manual that relates to the identifiably detected domestic appliance can be read from the database (15) and presented on the screen (10) of the terminal. The terminal (1) has an interpretation and generation logic that generates an additional presentation of control instructions for the identified domestic appliance on the screen (10) in addition to just the presentation of the user manual, wherein the control instructions are compliant with the information in the user manual and can be followed by the operator in particular in order to allow a control sequence to be triggered in the identified domestic appliance in a manner that complies with the user manual. The invention also relates to a mobile terminal (1) that meets the requirements of the system according to the invention. The invention further relates to a method for operating the system according to the invention.

Description

System for operating at least one domestic appliance and associated terminal and method for operating the named system

The invention relates to a system for operating at least one domestic appliance, wherein an operator is a mostly mobile terminal with a screen, with screen buttons and in particular with a camera is operated, and wherein the terminal has a wireless connection to the at least one home appliance and on the other the terminal has a further, at least indirect, wireless connection to a computer with a database of instructions for use, maintenance instructions and the like of the at least one domestic appliance.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a mobile terminal that meets the requirements of the aforementioned system. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for operating the system according to the invention.

DE 100 56 490 A1 already teaches how, in particular, updated instructions for use and additional operating information for household appliances for a customer of the relevant household appliance can be obtained or called up by a service provider. The customer's household has a direct or indirect, mostly wireless information connection with a global network, which can also be regarded as the Internet. Starting from the household of the customer, a message is sent to the service provider, the z. B. relates to a product number or a device number of the domestic appliance or other distinctive device features that can be clearly assigned to the device. This information is required in order to receive the updated instructions for use and / or additional operating information. Based on the service provider then the customer receives a response, with a desired output form, in particular for the instructions, can be considered. It can be done, for example, a display of instructions for use on a display of the relevant household appliance. However, it can also be printed on a printer or fax machine. It is assumed that there is a local network in the household of the customer, to which the named peripherals, such as printer and fax machine, as well as the household appliance itself is connected.

It is understood that the customer, even the updated instructions received by the service provider itself has to read carefully before he proposed new operating procedures by input means on the control panel of the relevant household appliance, such. B. operated by buttons for a desired operation of the domestic appliance. A washing machine may, for example, be a recommendation according to the updated instructions for use, such that laundry composed of mixed laundry items is provided with a washing program which, at low temperatures, also takes into account the items of laundry contained therein which would otherwise be at higher temperatures be washed, however, by a slightly extended treatment time and a suitable cleaning result is achieved.

According to DE 196 15 840 A1, it is possible to operate one or more household appliances with a control computer. In addition, it is also possible, each household appliance conventional, d. H. without being able to commission the externally operable control computer. However, if the household appliances are prepared in such a way that they are operated from the control computer, each domestic appliance has an interface to a bus system, so that each domestic appliance with its individual sensors and actuators can be operated from the control computer. However, it is not possible to provide an updated user manual for an operator of the control computer.

According to DE 102 60 143 A1 discloses a home appliance network is disclosed, wherein a central control station is used. Preferably, a wireless network is used, which can also go beyond the scope of a household. System stabilization measures are specified.

The object of the invention is to provide a system for operating at least one domestic appliance, wherein a, in particular mobile, terminal should be used and also a current or updated instructions should be used. This object is achieved by a system according to the independent claim and further developed by the dependent claims dependent on this claim.

The claimed invention also includes a mobile terminal that meets the requirements of the new system. The design of the mobile terminal may be based on specially designed circuits or on a computer-based structure, in the latter case, a technical program is loaded. In both cases, an intended functionality of the mobile terminal is achieved.

The invention also includes a method for operating the system according to the invention.

In order to solve the problem of the invention, it is provided for the system described in the introduction that a camera, such as the mobile terminal, makes it possible, for example, to identify the at least one domestic appliance as well as the relevant user manual from the home appliance Database is readable and displayed on the screen of the terminal, the terminal has an interpretation and generation logic that generates in addition to the mere representation of the instructions on the screen another representation on the instructions in the instructions justified control statements for the detected home appliance , which can be picked up by the operator, in particular to make one of the instructions for use fair control in the recognized home appliance triggered.

Advantageously, it is achieved according to the invention that not only is a mere operating instruction available to the operating person, but that concrete control instructions are available which are adapted to the recognized household appliance, specifically in connection with the operating instructions.

In the case of the invention, it is also possible to use monitors located in the vicinity of an apartment which have a communication interface with a network. Zen. A camera may also be stationary in relation to the home and have a connection to the network.

If the detection of the domestic appliance with the camera is not possible or leads directly to success, it is provided that screen keys of the terminal can be used to make the camera-initiated detection process of the at least one domestic appliance eligible. Thus, selection lists for suitable domestic appliances are presented on the screen for the operator, so that the operator only needs to influence the types of household appliances that are more closely related to the choice. It is then assumed that the household appliance in question is actually detected. It goes without saying that even without using the selection lists determined via the camera, the operator can enter a known anyway type designation or sales identification VIB of the domestic appliance via the on-screen buttons. In order to be able to input control instructions in accordance with the invention, provision is made for screen keys of the terminal to be designed so that precisely the control instructions for the recognized home appliance can be triggered. It has turned out to be highly preferred that screen keys are represented by a picture Control panel of the recognized home appliance to emulate. Then dealing with the mobile device instead of the control panel of the actual device is easily possible or hardly getting used to. Beyond the mere operation of the recognized home appliance, it has also surprisingly been found that the use of the terminal also permits an extended application, namely that a maintenance manual can also be read out of the database for the recognized household appliance. It is therefore possible to display representable texts of the maintenance recommendation on the screen. These can be supplemented by any views, including interior views, sectional views and the like., Which relate to the recognized household appliance. For the presentation of the previously named views on the screen of the terminal, it has been found that principles of augmented reality or Augmented Reality lead to particularly favorable results. It can then readily recognized advantages that have been proven in the industrial sector for the maintenance of manufacturing facilities, see. DE 10041 104 C1, can also be used for home appliances.

The invention also includes a method of operating a system as set forth above. It is therefore assumed that an operator has a terminal with a screen, on-screen buttons and a camera. The terminal is then connected via a wireless connection to the at least one domestic appliance and on the other hand via a further, at least indirect, wireless connection to a computer with a database on instructions for use, maintenance instructions and the like. Of at least one domestic appliance. Then as Abiaufschritte of the method provided that the camera is a picture of at least one home appliance is recorded, thus potentially detecting the home appliance takes place and if this fails, optionally the operator inputs further data on the pending for detection household appliance that from the Database read the instructions for use of the recognized home appliance, that the instruction manual is displayed on the screen, and that there is an additional display of on-screen control instructions related to the displayed part of the instruction manual and that the operator has an appropriate control procedure for the detected household appliance can trigger.

It may be advantageous that the detection process of the at least one domestic appliance is supported by entering an at least partial type specification of the domestic appliance.

For the control sequence by the operator is preferably provided that triggered by touching areas of the screen, this control sequence is triggered, in particular taking into account a representation that corresponds to the control panel of the domestic appliance.

It may also be added that a maintenance recommendation can be read from the database and displayed on the screen, whereby external identifiable areas of the household appliance, also enlarged, can be displayed, as well as principles of augmented reality.

Insofar as the invention is further developed by non-independent claims referring back to the independent claims, it should be so that a chain of relationships given first is not to be seen restricting in relation to the teaching as a whole, as far as other combinations of features are concerned of claims to be suitable and executable from the perspective of the skilled person.

In the following, the invention will be described schematically with reference to exemplary embodiments. Like reference numerals show the same or similar parts. The figures will first be briefly explained.

Fig. 1 shows an overview of several household appliances in connection with a wireless network in which there is also a mobile terminal, wherein a data exchange with the Internet is provided;

Fig. 2 shows a first view of a control and display surface of the mobile terminal, wherein a household appliance is waiting for detection; Fig. 3 shows a second view of the control and display surface of the mobile terminal, which is already given access to the instructions for use of the recognized household appliance;

4 shows a third view of the operating and display surface of the mobile terminal, in which case control instructions can be entered by reproducing a control panel of the detected domestic appliance;

FIG. 5 shows an interior view of a recognized home appliance in the form of an expanded reality illustration associated with a maintenance manual.

The overview representation of FIG. 1 shows how a mobile terminal 1, which may be, for example, a smartphone or a tablet PC, is located inside a wireless terminal Network 2 of a household is operated. The mobile terminal 1 has one, usually in relation to its overall size extremely large screen 10. Its operation is then via on-screen buttons. Furthermore, the mobile terminal 1 provided for the invention has a digital camera (without reference number). The mobile terminal 1 may be constructed by suitably designed integrated circuits. It is also the use of reprogrammable, integrated switching crisis possible, as described for example in DE 603 17 046 T2. In addition, the mobile terminal 1 can also be based on a computer-like structure, so that its intended function is achieved via a technical program which can be loaded into a read-only memory, the read-only memory being part of the computer-like structure. The wireless network 2 is adapted to a standard, which is particularly oriented to household appliances that are suitable for communication via a data interface. In the example of FIG. 1, a first domestic appliance, such as washing machine 3, a second domestic appliance 4, as well as any other domestic appliances up to an nth domestic appliance 5 are represented, which are connected via the wireless network, such as WLAN, or Bluetooth via their respective interface 6 , 7 and 8 are allowed or allow a two-way communication. The particular importance here occupies the mobile terminal 1, will be explained below. The wireless network 2 also has a connection to a gateway or router 9. This can make a communication with the wireless network 2 via an interface 1 1. Furthermore, the router 9 is provided for, via a further line 13, such as a fiber optic cable or a shielded copper wire line, according to a transmission standard, which is defined by an Internet Protocol, via the interface 12, a communication with other participants in the Internet 16 to make. Emphasize is a computer 14, which has a large database 15 on user manuals and maintenance instructions of household appliances and is suitable for their detection. The computer 14 may belong to a service provider, as already provided in the DE 100 56 490 A1.

2, an initial work with the mobile terminal 1 is illustrated. With the camera (without reference numeral) a domestic appliance standing in the special interest of an operator is recorded. It can usually be assumed that the household appliance with respect to its data, such as type designation, make u. Like., Which uniquely identify this home appliance, is recognized. Then, the obtained result is appropriately displayed on the screen 10 of the mobile terminal. Should this process of identifying the domestic appliance possibly fail to succeed immediately, the operator will be presented with a list of possible domestic appliances which may be in question, so that it would most probably be possible to clearly identify the domestic appliance in a further processing process. With the data that uniquely identify the household appliance, a query of the database 15 of the computer 14 is made from the mobile terminal 1. For this purpose, 10 suitably trained touch keys appear on the screen in order to be able to carry out this interrogation process by the operator and to arrive at the user manual associated with the selected domestic appliance and optionally maintenance instructions.

3 shows examples of how user manuals, or the instructions for use associated with the identified domestic appliance, can be displayed on the screen 10 of the mobile terminal 1.

However, since the invention is not limited to being able to visualize an instruction manual for the identified domestic appliance such as 3 (or 4 or 5), reference will be made to FIG. 4 as to how control instructions for the recognized domestic appliance are preferred by the mobile terminal can be triggered. For example, for a water-conducting household appliance, the water hardness associated with the application area can be displayed and pointed to the associated adjustment. For this purpose, the control panel corresponding to the recognized domestic appliance is reproduced in a suitable scale in FIG. 4. Just as in the case of the actual control panel on the domestic appliance, control instructions for the detected domestic appliance can then be triggered via the control panel simulated on the screen 10 of the mobile terminal. In the illustrated control panel screen touch keys are preferably integrated, so that the habituation of the operator in the use of the mobile terminal 1 with the screen 10 is facilitated. In addition, since retrieving a maintenance manual belonging to the recognized household appliance belongs to the invention, specific possibilities of displaying maintenance-related aspects are discussed below with reference to FIG. 5. For this purpose, use is made of the principles of augmented reality or augmented reality. power. Thus, details of a domestic appliance, as shown in a dishwasher, which may go beyond a purely representational, photographic reproduction, as well as in operation covered areas of a device area, also enlarged, can be shown or added. A sequence of maintenance steps may also be shown. These may be handles, such as cleaning self-contained areas of the dishwasher shown herein, or making fillers for water hardness, such as a suitable coarse-grained salt. Its filling level can be displayed as part of the control role. With this approach, namely a mapping of the augmented reality or the augmented reality on the screen 10 of the mobile terminal can thus principles, the past only for industrial machinery and equipment, see. DE 100 41 104 C1, were designed to be used advantageously in the area of a household with several household appliances in an advantageous manner.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 mobile device

2 wireless network

3 first home appliance

4 second home appliance

5 nts household appliance

6 interface of 3

7 interface of 4

8 interface of 5

9 routers

10 screen of 1 (with touch buttons)

1 1 interface from 9 to 2 out

12 interface from 9 to 13 out

13 data line to the Internet

14 computers

15 database of 14

16 Internet

Claims

System for the operation of at least one domestic appliance, wherein an operator, a mostly mobile, terminal (1) with a screen (10), with screen buttons and in particular a camera is operated, and wherein the terminal (1) via a wireless connection ( 2) to the at least one domestic appliance (3, 4, 5) and on the other hand the terminal (1) via a further, at least indirect, wireless connection (2) to a computer (14) with a database (15) on instructions for use, maintenance instructions and the like. Of the at least one domestic appliance (3, 4, 5) has, it being provided that with a camera, for example, typical detection of the at least one domestic appliance is possible, and that to the recognized as recognizable domestic appliance, the relevant instructions from the Database (15) is readable and displayed on the screen (10) of the terminal (1), wherein the terminal (1) via an interpretation and genes ration logic which, in addition to the mere description of the operating instructions on the screen (10), generates a further representation of the instructions for use of the recognized household appliance justified by the operating instructions, in particular one which meets the instructions for use Control sequence in the recognized home appliance to be triggered.

System according to claim 1, characterized in that screen keys of the terminal (1) can be used to make the initiated via the camera detection process of the at least one domestic appliance (3, 4, 5) conveyed.

3. System according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that screen buttons of the terminal (L) are zoomed in to make control statements for the detected home appliance triggered.

4. System according to claim 3, characterized in that the screen buttons can be displayed in such a way that a control panel of the detected household appliance is replicable.

5. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for the detected household appliance a maintenance manual from the database

(15) is readable.

6. System according to claim 5, characterized in that representable texts of the maintenance recommendation on the screen (10) can be supplemented by any views, including interior views, sectional views and the like. Of the domestic appliance.

7. System according to claim 6, characterized in that a representation on the screen (10) is vornehmbar, which corresponds to the principles of the augmented reality.

8. Mobile terminal (1), characterized in that it meets the requirements of the system according to one of claims 1 to 7.

9. Mobile terminal according to claim 8, characterized in that it is a smartphone, a webpad or a laptop.

10. Mobile terminal (1) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that its functionality can be achieved by customer-specific or application-specific programmable circuits.

1 1. Mobile terminal (1) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that its functionality can be achieved by a loadable technical program.

12. A method for operating a system according to any one of claims 1 to 7 for at least one domestic appliance, wherein for an operator, a mostly mobile, terminal with a screen, with screen buttons and a camera is present, and wherein the terminal via a wireless connection to the at least one domestic appliance and on the other hand the terminal has a further, at least indirect, wireless connection to a computer with a database of instructions for use, maintenance instructions and the like of the at least one domestic appliance, characterized

• that an image of the at least one household appliance is picked up by the camera,

• thus potentially detecting the domestic appliance and, if this fails, if appropriate, the operator entering further data about the domestic appliance to be detected,

• that the user manual for the recognized household appliance is read from the database,

• that an instruction manual is displayed on the screen,

• as well as an on-screen display of control instructions related to the displayed portion of the instructions for use,

· So that the operator can trigger a suitable control procedure for the detected household appliance.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that the detection process of the at least one domestic appliance is supported by entering an at least partial type specification of the domestic appliance.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that a control sequence by the operator by touching areas of the screen, takes place, in particular taking into account a representation that corresponds to the control panel of the domestic appliance.

15. The method according to claim 12 to 14, characterized in that a maintenance recommendation can be read out of the database and displayed on the screen, whereby not visible from the outside areas of the domestic appliance can be displayed, as also corresponds to principles of augmented reality.