EP2074486A1

EP2074486A1 - Operating device for an electrical appliance

Info

Publication number: EP2074486A1
Application number: EP07787884A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Erfindernennung liegt noch nicht vor Die
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2006-08-22
Filing date: 2007-07-25
Publication date: 2009-07-01
Also published as: DE102006039387A1; WO2008022867A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an operating device for an electrical appliance supporting a plurality of discrete operating states. Said operating device comprises at least three signal transmitters (1-1,1-2,...) arranged along a line (4) which are adapted to supply a signal every time a user actuates the device, and an evaluation circuit (2) which receives the signals (IS, FS) supplied by the signal transmitters (1-1,1-2,...). Two signal transmitters (1-1, 1-2,...) each which are contiguous along the line (4, 5) are in a predecessor/successor relationship. The evaluation circuit (2) is adapted to select a new operating state upon receipt of two chronological signals (IS, FS) from a signal transmitter and its successor, said new operating state being the successor of the actual operating state in a predetermined sequence of operating states, and to select a new operating state upon receipt of two chronological signals (IS, FS) from a signal transmitter and its predecessor, said operating state being the predecessor of the actual operating state in a predetermined sequence of operating states.

Description

Operating device for an electrical device

The present invention relates to an operating device for an electric device supporting a plurality of discrete operating states, which comprises a plurality of signal generators arranged along a line and arranged to provide a signal upon each actuation by a user, and an evaluation circuit comprising receives the signals supplied to the signal generator and selects an operating state of the device to be operated based on these signals. Operating devices of this type are in widespread use, for example in the form of station buttons of a radio receiver arranged in a row or program selection buttons of a domestic appliance, such as a dishwasher or washing machine.

Modern microprocessor-controlled devices often have such a large number of discrete operating states, such as different washing programs in the case of a washing machine, that the assignment of a selection key to each operating state at considerable cost and would make a control panel of the device cluttered. There have therefore been proposed control devices with stepwise rotatable adjusting elements, in which each rotation of the adjusting element leads to a step that instead of a current operating state - depending on the direction of rotation - is selected in a predetermined sequence of operating states previous or subsequent operating state.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel concept for an operating device which enables such operating state switching.

This object is achieved by an operating device for an electrical device which supports a plurality of discrete operating states and which comprises at least three signal transmitters arranged along a line and configured to supply a signal to each actuation by a user, and an evaluation circuit which includes those of receives signals supplied to the signal generator, each two along the line successive signal generator to each other in a predecessor-successor relationship and the evaluation is set up, on receipt temporally successive signals from a signal generator and its successor to re-select an operating condition, which is in a given order of the operating conditions successor of the current operating state, and to receive upon receipt of successive signals from a signal generator and its predecessor to re-select an operating state in the predetermined order predecessor of the current operating state.

Thus, it is no longer important in the novel operating device to move a control body or to actuate a particular signal generator to bring about a change of operating state, but it is the successive actuation of at least two signal generators required to bring about a change of operating state, wherein any pair of Predecessor and successor signalers can be used to bring about the same state change, and it depends on the order in which the signalers are actuated whether the newly selected operating state is the successor or predecessor of the previous one. By actuating the signal transmitters one after the other along the line, the operating states available for selection can be scrolled through quickly.

A particularly simple structure of the operating device can be realized if the signal transmitters along the line are cyclically alternately assigned to one of at least three groups which are in a predecessor-successor relationship to each other and the evaluation circuit is set up, upon receipt of a signal from a signal generator a first of these groups to accept each subsequent signal from a signal generator belonging to the successor group of the first group as the signal of a successor of the one signaler or each subsequent signal from a signal generator belonging to the predecessor group of the first group as a signal of a predecessor of to accept a signaler.

Such a group assignment of the signal generator can be made in a simple manner by all the signal generator of the same group are connected in parallel with the evaluation circuit.

Preferably, the number of groups is exactly three. The number of signal generators is preferably an integer multiple of the number of groups.

According to a first embodiment, the line is a straight line. To scroll through a number of operating states that is greater than that of the signalers, a user can manually run the straight line several times to operate the signal generators in sequence.

According to a second embodiment, the line is a circle. This allows a user to scroll a large number of operating states in a continuous hand movement.

Preferably, the signalers are solid-state sensors, that is, they have a structure without moving parts, which is required to operate the signal generator.

Particularly suitable are signalers of a type that is sensitive to touch by hand. Known signal transmitters of this type are, for example, capacitive sensors in which an electrical resonant circuit contains a resonant capacitor with capacitance which can be changed by contact. It may also be non-contact, e.g. optical, sensors are used.

The fact that the operating device according to the invention requires no moving parts makes it particularly suitable for use in household electrical appliances or other appliances used in an environment in which there is a risk that the mobility of moving components will be affected by contamination.

It may be impractical, the operating conditions that can be re-selected with the help of the operating device according to the invention in quick succession, immediately activate their choice. In such cases, it may be provided that an activation only after repeated actuation of a same signal generator, or if they are grouped together in groups for the evaluation circuit in an indistinguishable manner, a same group of signal generators. Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an operating device according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a working method executed by the evaluation circuit of the operating device; FIG. and

Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of an operating device according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an operating device according to a first embodiment. The operating device comprises a plurality of signal generators 1 -1, 1 -2, ..., 1 -9, which are connected via lines 3-1, 3-2, 3-3 with an evaluation circuit 2. The signal generators are here capacitive touch sensors. Such a touch sensor comprises an electrical resonant circuit whose resonant frequency is determined by a resonant capacitor, wherein the resonant capacitor is essentially formed by a metal plate exposed on an outer wall of the device to be operated by the operating device. The capacitance of this metal plate to ground changes when it is touched by a user, and the change in resonant frequency resulting from the capacitance change is evaluated by a circuit, not shown in the figure, to generate a signal indicative of the touch.

The capacitor plates have the shape of rectangles, which, as shown in Fig. 1, along a straight line 4 are adjacent to each other, so that a user can conveniently sweep the capacitor plates of all signal generator 1 -1 to 1-9 successively with his finger.

The actuation signals of the individual signal transmitters resulting from the contact are transmitted to the evaluation circuit 2 via the lines 3-1 to 3-3. To simplify the circuit arrangement, here are the signal generator 1 -1, 1 -4, 1 -7 in parallel with the line 3-1, the signal generator 1 -2, 1 -5 and 1-8 in parallel with the line 3-2 and the signal generator 1 -3, 1 -6 and 1-9 connected in parallel with the line 3-3, so that the evaluation circuit 2 is not able to differentiate between the signals of two signal transmitters connected to a same line. In other words, an allocation of the signal generator to three groups is created by the parallel connection of the signal generator, wherein the group membership of each signal generator is indicated in the figure by an associated letter A, B or C.

The capacitor plates are exposed outside the housing of the device to be operated, so that they are easily accessible to a user. All other circuit parts are protected inside the case. Since the operating device does not require moving parts extending through the housing, the housing may be hermetically sealed. This is particularly advantageous in appliances in whose environment liquid or powdery substances are handled, such as in kitchen appliances, washing machines, etc. A control panel of the device on which the signal generator are mounted, can be kept completely flat, so that dirt can be easily wiped ,

According to a further simplified embodiment, the signal generators 1 -1 to 1 -9 are respectively reduced to the aforementioned capacitor plate alone, and the capacitor plates 1 -1, 1 -4, 1 -7 of the group A are connected in parallel through the line 3-1 , Part of a single resonant circuit, as well as the parallel connected via the line 3-2 capacitor plates 1 -2, 1 -5, 1 -8 of the group B and connected via the line 3-3 parallel capacitor plates 1 -3, 1-6 , 1 -9 of the group C together in each case form the oscillating capacitor of a resonant circuit. In this case, with the exception of the oscillating capacitors, the components of the resonant circuits of the evaluation circuit 2 are attributed, and the signal indicating an actuation of the signal generator, that is, the capacitor plate to the evaluation circuit 2 is the resonant frequency changed upon actuation.

Instead of capacitive touch sensors, other sensor types with the same result could also be used, for example optical sensors placed inside the device behind windows arranged along a straight line and arranged to have a window close to it at a short distance to detect passing object such as the finger of a user on the reflected light from him.

The operation of the evaluation circuit 2 will be explained below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. In step S1, the evaluation circuit 2 receives a first actuation signal or initialization signal IS and identifies in step S2 among the groups A, B, C of signalers that group IG = G (IS), which has generated the signal IS, by means of the line 3-1 , 3-2 or 3-3, on which it was received. Subsequently, the evaluation circuit 2 waits for a sequence signal FS, and if this is received in step S3, it also assigns in step S4 a group FG = G (FS) of signal generators, from which the sequence signal FS results.

If it is assumed that the two signals IS, FS are generated by a finger running along the line 4 via the signal transmitters 1 -1, ..., 1 -9, an attempt can be made to move the signal sequence [IS, FS] in one direction of the finger. For this purpose, the evaluation circuit first checks in step S5 whether the group FG is the successor of the group IG. A first group is defined as a successor of a second group, when sweeping the signal generator along the line 4 from top to bottom, a signal generator of the first group is touched immediately after one of the second group. That is, the group B is the successor of the group A, for example, because the signal generator 1 -2 is touched after the signal generator 1 -1, the group C is the successor of B, because the signal generator 1 -3 is touched after 1 -2, and the group A is the successor of C because the signal transmitter 1 -4 is touched to 1 -3. Conversely, group A is defined as predecessor of B, B as precursor of C and C as precursor of A.

If the selection circuit 2 determines in step S5 that the group FG is the successor of IG, in step S6 the operating state of the device to be operated is incremented by one step according to a predetermined sequence of operating conditions.

If step S5 reveals that FG is not the successor of IG, it is checked in step S7 whether FG is the predecessor of IG. If so, the operating state of the device is switched back by one step in step S8. If no, FG and IG can only be the same. This is possible if the same signal transmitter was touched twice in succession or if non-adjacent signal transmitters were touched. Both cases do not correspond to one Sweep over the signal generator along the line 4 and therefore do not lead to a change in operating state. In this case, as well as after steps S6 or S8, the process goes to step S9 in which IG is overwritten with FG, and the process returns to step S3.

Thus, when a user touches the buzzers 1 -1 to 1 -9 in turn, the operating state first by 8 steps and in another sweeping the entire signal generator arrangement, by 9 steps, and when sweeping the signal generator from bottom to top the operating state is switched back by the corresponding number of steps.

A further development of the method provides that if step S7 shows that IG = FG, it is checked how large the time interval between the reception times of the signals IS and FS, and that if this is smaller than a predetermined limit, the evaluation circuit activates the currently selected but not yet activated operating state of the device. During dialing, the operating device does not yet initiate a control action on the controlled device; this happens only once, at activation.

Further, in order to avoid erroneous timing operations being interpreted as a confirmation not wanted by the user, it is further if the process of step S3 automatically returns to step S1 if the time of waiting for the sequence signal FS is a predetermined maximum Duration exceeds.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 are signalers 1 -1, 1 -2, ..., 1-12 arranged on a control panel on the outer wall of an electrical device in the form of circular sectors. As in the case of FIG. 1, the signal transmitters 1 -1 to 1 -12 are cyclically assigned to three groups A, B, C, and all signal transmitters of the same group are connected in parallel to the evaluation circuit 3. The arrangement of the signal generator along a circular line 5 allows a user to switch by repeatedly crossing the entire signal generator arrangement with his finger along a circular line 5 between a large number of operating states quickly and without interruption.

Claims

claims

1. An operating device for a plurality of discrete operating states supporting electrical device, the at least three along a line (4, 5) arranged signal generator (1 -1, 1 -2, ...), which are set at each actuation by a User to provide a signal, and an evaluation circuit (2), which receives the signals (IS, FS) supplied by the signal generators (1 -1, 1 -2, ...), characterized in that each two along the line (4, 5) successive signal transmitters (1 -1, 1 -2, ...) to each other in a predecessor-successor relationship, and that the evaluation circuit (2) is set up, when receiving time-sequential signals (IS, FS) from a signal generator and its successor to select an operating state (S5, S6), which is the successor of the current operating state in a predetermined sequence of operating conditions, and upon receipt of successive signals (IS, FS) from a signal generator and its Vorg nger to select an operating state (S7, S8), which is predecessor of the current operating state in the specified order.

2. Operating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the signal generator (1 -1, 1 -2, ...) along the line (4, 5) cyclically alternately assigned to each one of at least three groups (A, B, C) are, which are related to each other in a predecessor-successor relationship, and that the evaluation circuit (2) is arranged upon receipt of a signal (IS) from a signal generator (1 -1, 1 -2, ...) a first of these groups (A, B, C) each subsequent signal (FS) from a signal generator, which belongs to the successor group (B, C, A) of the first group (A, B, C), as a signal of a successor of the one signal generator or each subsequent signal (FS) from a signal generator belonging to the predecessor group (C, B, A) of the first group (A, B, C) to be accepted as the signal of a predecessor of the one signal generator.

3. Control device according to claim 2, characterized in that the number of groups (A, B, C) is three.

4. Control device according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the number of signal transmitters (1 -1, 1 -2, ...) is an integer multiple of the number of groups.

5. Operating device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that all the signal generator (1 -1, 1 -4, 1 -7, 1 -2, 1 -5, 1 -8, 1 -3, 1 -6, 1 -9) of a same group (A, B, C) are connected in parallel with the evaluation circuit (2).

6. Operating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the line is a straight line (4).

7. Operating device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the line is a circle (5).

8. Operating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the signal transmitters (1 -1, 1 -2, ...) are solid-state sensors.

9. Operating device according to claim 7, characterized in that the signal transmitters (1 -1, 1 -2, ...) are sensitive to touch by hand.

10. Operating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the evaluation circuit (2) is adapted to activate a newly selected operating state only after repeated actuation of a same signal generator or a same group of signal transmitters.

1 1. Electric household appliance with an operating device according to one of the preceding claims.