EP3221644B1 - Control of a household appliance via a removable control element - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a household appliance, having an operating area which has at least one touch-sensitive operating element and which is set up for operation by means of a removable operating element. The invention also relates to a method for operating a household appliance with an operating area which has at least one touch-sensitive operating element and which is set up for operation by means of a removable operating element. The invention can be used particularly advantageously on cooking appliances, for example on independent hobs or stoves.

DE 10 2011 007 112 A1 discloses that an operating device for an electrical device has a flat, capacitive touch screen with a control for operation by moving a finger placed on the touch screen. A magnet for a movable operating element is arranged on the touch screen as a holding device for additional input of operating commands. The control element is designed in such a way that signal transmission from the control element takes place capacitively or operation by means of the control element can be detected by the touch screen itself.

DE 10 2012 210 563 A1 discloses an operating device that is used to operate a touch screen, the operating device being designed as an attachment for the touch screen and having at least one movable actuating element that can be detachably placed on the touch screen and whose movement can actuate the touch screen. A system includes the operating device and an operating device with at least one sensor screen that can be actuated by the operating device. A method is used to operate an operating device equipped with a touchscreen, the operating device being placed on the touchscreen and an application program running on the operating device being operable by moving at least one actuating element of the operating device.

It is the object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and in particular to make it particularly user-friendly surface and with an input recognition device for detecting the position and/or the orientation of the actuation toggle on the input surface and/or inputs via the actuation toggle. The operating device includes a toggle recognition device for recognizing different toggle or different presets of a toggle and also a control unit for releasing, activating or blocking functions of the electrical device depending on the toggle recognition.

EP 2 302 799 A2 discloses a hob which, for its operation, has several heaters as functional units, a control surface and a freely movable control element for placement on the control surface, with a marked placement point for the control element being provided on the control surface for each heater. A sensor for a touch switch and a sensor for detecting the rotation of the control element are provided at the placement point, whereby the placement of a control element on a placement point is recognized and is evaluated as switching on the associated heater. A subsequent turning of the control element is recognized and causes a change in the heating, with a functional state of the corresponding heater being maintained after the control element has been removed from the placement point.

It is the object of the present invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and in particular to make it particularly user-friendly To provide the possibility of operating a household appliance, in particular a cooking appliance.

This task is solved according to the features of the independent claims. Preferred embodiments can be found in particular in the dependent claims.

The object is achieved by a household appliance in the form of a cooking appliance, having at least one operating area, which operating area has at least one touch-sensitive operating element and which operating area is set up for operation by means of at least one removable operating element, the operating area depending on a position of the removable operating element Operating area, including its presence or absence, is configurable. In other words, at least one functionality that can be set by the operating area in the form of a heat level, a timer time and/or a zone activation can be operated differently (set, activated, deactivated, etc.) depending on a position of the removable control element. A user can therefore decide for themselves whether or not to use the removable control element to operate the household appliance. The at least one functionality therefore includes setting a heat level, a timer time and/or a zone activation.

This means that the operation of the household appliance can be tailored even more closely to the user's wishes. For example, a user may prefer to set a certain functionality such as a heat level using a removable rotary knob, which can be done particularly quickly and with a pleasant feel. Another user, on the other hand, may prefer to set this functionality using at least one touch-sensitive control element because he finds it annoying to put on the removable control element or has even misplaced it. A further advantage is that an arrangement, shape and/or size of the touch-sensitive controls can be implemented differently with regard to the presence or absence of the removable control element and there are no unnecessary or inconveniently positioned and/or shaped touch-sensitive controls and/or Display fields need to be kept available.

In addition, the household appliance is configured so that when the removable control element is present, it has at least one functionality that the at least one touch-sensitive control element lacks, and in the absence of the removable control element, the at least one functionality of the removable control element is taken over by at least one touch-sensitive control element. This has the advantage that the control panel maintains its full functionality in the absence of the removable control element. The functionality of the removable control element is taken over by at least one touch-sensitive control element when it is absent. Such a touch-sensitive control element may already be present when the removable control element is present and then take on additional functions.

The removable control element may be a toggle, in particular a rotary toggle. Settings in the operating area can be made, for example, by turning the rotary knob. It is additionally or alternatively possible to use the removable control element, e.g. move the rotary knob on the operating area to make settings.

The operating area may also be referred to or viewed as a “user interface”. The removable control element is a tangible or manageable or “haptic” control element.

The removable control element may in particular be magnetically attachable to the operating area, since this makes it possible to achieve simple operation, secure attachment and easy removal in a simple manner. If the removable control element has at least one magnet, its position, rotational position and/or direction of rotation can also be detected particularly easily. Magnetically attachable, removable operating elements are generally well known and will therefore not be described further here.

In general, the household appliance, in particular the operating area, may be set up to determine a position (including presence or absence), a rotational position and / or direction of movement, e.g. direction of rotation, of the removable control element. Such methods are known and will therefore not be described further here.

It is an embodiment that the operating area has at least one touch-sensitive screen (often also referred to as a "touchscreen") and the at least one touch-sensitive control element corresponds to a predetermined control surface (also referred to as a "touch surface" or sensor button) of the touch-sensitive screen. This enables a particularly simple reconfiguration of touch-sensitive controls and display fields, since the specified control surface is not mechanically fixed, but can be dynamically assigned, for example, using electronics. The touch-sensitive screen may, for example, detect touching a transparent plate resting on it, for example a glass plate or a glass ceramic plate.

It is therefore an embodiment that the property that "the operating area depends on a position of the removable operating element to the operating area "is configurable" includes that the operating area is configurable depending on the presence or absence of the removable operating element on the operating area. This results in the advantages already described above. In particular, in the presence of a touch-sensitive screen, certain touch-sensitive operating elements can be activated by means of the operating area in the absence of the removable Control element can be provided, but not in the presence of the removable control element.

Instead of the touch-sensitive screen, for example, at least one display unit or display and at least one touch-sensitive, reconfigurable sensor field with at least one predetermined control surface may be used.

It is a further embodiment that the property that "the operating area is configurable depending on a position of the removable operating element relative to the operating area" includes that the operating area is configurable depending on a different position of the removable operating element on the operating area, for example in Depending on where the removable control element (e.g. left, right or middle) is placed on the control area. In this way, an operating configuration can be further tailored to a user. For example, positioning the removable control element on the left of the operating area may be advantageous for a left-handed person.

In general, the operating area may have at least one predetermined support location for placing or placing a removable operating element. The operating area may be designed at the at least one predetermined support location to detect the presence of the removable operating element as well as its position (e.g. rotational position). This makes it easier to design the control panel.

It is a further development of this that the operating area has at least one predetermined support location for placing or placing a removable operating element, which corresponds to an on/off area or on/off area. If the removable control element is placed on such a support location, the household appliance may switch off or deactivate at least part of its functionalities, for example in accordance with pressing an on/off button. A touch-sensitive corresponding to an on/off button Controls may also be available. In particular, the household appliance may then switch off or deactivate itself completely. The household appliance or the previously switched off functionalities may, for example, be switched on or activated again when the removable control element is placed from the on/off area to another (in particular predetermined) area of the operating area.

It is an additional embodiment that the household appliance is configured in such a way that in the absence of the removable control element, those touch-sensitive controls which take over the at least one functionality of the removable control element are added and are not present when the removable control element is present. This enables a particularly clear arrangement of the controls.

It is also an embodiment that the household appliance is configured such that at least one display field can be arranged on the operating area depending on the presence of the removable control element. In this way, a position, shape and/or size of the at least one display field can be coordinated with the control elements, which enables particularly good clarity and usability.

It is a particularly clear design that the removable control element is a removable rotary toggle. The household appliance may then be configured in particular in such a way that, when the rotary knob is present, at least one display field is arranged adjacent to the rotary knob, which display field can display a functional parameter of at least one functionality of the rotary knob, and in the absence of the rotary knob, this at least one display field is arranged adjacent to at least one touch-sensitive Control element can be displayed that has taken over the functionality of the rotary knob.

The cooking appliance has at least one hob with at least one hotplate. The cooking device may, for example, be a stand-alone hob or a hob/oven combination or a stove. The operating area is then preferably located on a hob plate next to the at least one hotplate, which firstly ensures a particularly secure positioning of the removable operating element safe thermal decoupling from the at least one hotplate is made possible. In the case of a stove, the oven may be, for example, an oven, a steamer, etc.

The object is also achieved by a method for operating a household appliance in the form of a cooking appliance with an operating area which has at least one touch-sensitive operating element and which is set up for operation by means of a removable operating element, the operating area depending on a position of the removable operating element Operating area, including its presence or absence, is configured so that when the removable control element is present, it has at least one functionality that the at least one touch-sensitive control element lacks, and in the absence of the removable control element, the at least one functionality of the removable control element is provided by at least one touch-sensitive one Control element is adopted, wherein the at least one functionality includes setting a heat level, a timer time and / or a zone activation and wherein the operating area has at least one touch-sensitive screen and the at least one touch-sensitive control element corresponds to a predetermined control surface of the touch-sensitive screen. The method can be designed analogously to the household appliance and results in the same advantages.

The invention described above has in particular one or more of the following aspects and advantages:
The household appliance has a user interface that can be operated both by touch and with a removable haptic control element. The user interface may have a touchscreen. The user interface, especially the touchscreen, “recognizes” whether or where a haptic control element is placed. At the moment of "recognition", the touchscreen or touch display adapts: in particular, the displayed content can be rearranged, for example by grouping itself around the haptic control element. It is also possible to visualize an on/off state by placing the haptic control element: the household appliance may be switched on when the haptic control element is placed on the touchscreen from a certain position (e.g. corresponding to an on/off button). becomes.

The household appliance offers the user the option of controlling it with or without a haptic control element. Optionally, the haptic control element can be placed in different places. It can be designed adaptively.

Fig.1

zeigt in Draufsicht einen Ausschnitt einer Oberseite eines Kochfelds eines Herds, auf welche Oberseite kein abnehmbares Bedienelement aufgesetzt ist;

Fig.2

zeigt den Ausschnitt aus Fig.1 mit einem auf einer ersten vorbestimmten Position des Kochfelds aufgesetzten abnehmbaren Bedienelement; und

Fig.3

zeigt den Ausschnitt aus Fig.1 mit dem auf einer zweiten vorbestimmten Position des Kochfelds aufgesetzten abnehmbaren Bedienelement.

The characteristics, features and advantages of this invention described above and the manner in which they are achieved will be more clearly and clearly understood in connection with the following schematic description of an exemplary embodiment, which will be explained in more detail in connection with the drawings.

Fig.1

shows a top view of a section of a top side of a hob of a stove, on which top side no removable control element is placed;

Fig.2

shows the section Fig.1 with a removable control element placed on a first predetermined position of the hob; and

Fig.3

shows the section Fig.1 with the removable control element placed on a second predetermined position of the hob.

Fig.1 shows a top view of a section of a top side O of a hob 1 of a stove H. The hob 1 has several cooking zones (not shown) which are covered by a hob plate 2 on the top side. The hob plate 2 may be, for example, a glass ceramic plate. The hob 1 has an operating area 3 arranged on the front next to the cooking zones, by means of which a user can control both the hob 1 and an oven arranged below the hob 1 (not shown).

The operating area 3 has a touch-sensitive screen 4 located below the hob plate 2, which contacts the underside of the hob plate 2 and can be operated by touching the top side O of the hob plate 2. Alternatively, the hob plate 2 may represent part of the touch-sensitive screen 4. The operating area 3 or the touch-sensitive screen 4 can generate touch-sensitive operating elements in the form of control panels or control surfaces 5 to 12 and display areas or display fields 13 to 15 in a generally known manner, variably or dynamically. A user who clicks through one of the control surfaces 5 to 12 certain area on the top of the hob plate 2 is touched, this can trigger a functionality assigned to this control surface 5 to 12.

The control surfaces 5 to 12 can include, for example: a hob selection surface 5 for selecting an operation of the hob 1, an oven selection surface 6 for selecting an operation of the oven, an operating mode selection surface 7 for selecting an operating mode and / or a functionality of the hob 1 or the oven, a timer selection area 8 for selecting a timer function, a first parameter setting area 9 for decreasing a parameter of a selected operating mode and/or function, a second parameter setting area 10 for increasing a parameter of a selected operating mode and/or function, a confirmation area 11 for confirming an input and an on /Off button 12 for switching the stove H on or off. However, depending on the selected stove component (hob 1 or oven), selected operating mode, functionality, etc., different control surfaces and / or display fields may be displayed. In addition to the touch-sensitive screen 4, the operating area 3 may have other operating elements and/or display fields, e.g. buttons, switches, LED displays, etc. (not shown).

The operating area 3 also has four predetermined attachment areas 16 to 19, which are used to support or attach a removable operating element, here in the form of a rotary toggle B (see Fig.2 and Fig.3 ) are provided and may be visibly indicated for a user or may not be visible in the absence of such a rotary knob B. The attachment areas 16 to 19 may be indicated by means of the hob plate 2, for example by markings made therein, by a corresponding recess, etc.

At the attachment areas 16 to 19 it is possible for the stove H to detect the presence of a rotary knob B, to hold it when it is present (in particular magnetically) and to detect a movement (e.g. a rotation and/or a displacement). An evaluation of the movement can be carried out on the operating area 3 (e.g. by means of integrated electronics) or by means of electronics coupled to the control panel 3, for example central control electronics.

A possibility for operating the stove H using the operating area 3 in the absence of the removable control element B will now be described: To close the oven operate, a user, for example, first presses the oven selection surface 6, whereby a corresponding text (e.g. ABCD = "oven") is displayed in the display field 14 and, if necessary, the symbol associated with the oven is displayed in the ("symbol") display field 15 displayed above it becomes. The user can then select through the operating modes available to the oven by repeatedly pressing the operating mode selection surface 7, with the most recently selected operating mode being displayed textually in the display field 14 and symbolically in the symbol display field 15. The last selected operating mode can be finally selected, for example, by pressing the confirmation surface 11. For example, a hot air operating mode can then be displayed textually in the display field 14 (for example as ABCD = "Hot Air") and a hot air symbol can be displayed in the symbol display field 15. A (target) oven temperature can then be selected by actuating the first parameter setting surface 9 increasing the oven temperature, for example in steps of 5 ° C or 10 ° C, and actuating the second parameter setting surface 10 correspondingly lowers the oven temperature. The currently set oven temperature may be displayed in the display field 13, which is located directly above the parameter setting surfaces 9 and 10. If the desired oven temperature is set, hot operation of the oven can be activated by pressing the confirmation surface 11 at this oven temperature. An operating time may be determined using a timer time selected by the timer selection area 8 and the parameter setting areas 9 and 10. However, for certain users it may not be very user-friendly to use the parameter setting surfaces 9 and 10 to adjust the oven temperature and/or the timer time, especially with high oven temperatures and/or long timer times.

Fig.2 shows the section Fig.1 with a rotary knob B placed on the second, central attachment area 17 of the hob 1. The stove H or the operating area 3 has recognized the presence of the rotary knob B, for example due to a magnetic interaction with at least one permanent magnet of the rotary knob B. With detection of the presence of the Using the rotary knob B, control surfaces 5 to 12 and display fields 13 to 15 are reconfigured. For example, the parameter setting surfaces 9 and 10 are omitted, while the other control surfaces 5 to 8 and 11 as well as the display fields 13 to 15 are retained, but at least partially in a different position on the operating area 3 and/or with a different size and/or a different shape. In the configuration shown here, control surfaces 5 to 8 have moved up so that they are now at the same height of the rotary knob B are arranged. The hob selection surface 5 and the oven selection surface 6 have also moved together to the left and the operating mode selection surface 7 and the timer selection surface 8 have moved together to the right in order to be able to take into account the area required by the rotary knob B. For the same purpose, the display fields 13 and 14 are now arranged next to each other.

In this configuration, the functions of the parameter setting surfaces 9 and 10 are taken over by the rotary knob B. For example, an oven temperature can be increased by turning the rotary knob B clockwise in a generally known manner, and decreased by turning the rotary knob B counterclockwise. The oven temperature can no longer be adjusted via touch-sensitive control surfaces, so they lack this functionality. Only when the control knob B is removed again can the parameter setting surfaces 9 and 10 be added again and take over the functionality of the rotary knob B. The stove H is therefore configured in particular in such a way that the parameter setting surfaces 9 and 10 are present or added when the rotary knob B is absent and are not present when the rotary knob B is present.

A user may find handling the control knob B to be more ergonomic than pressing the parameter setting surfaces 9 and 10.

Another change is that the on/off button 12 is no longer present or is no longer set up. Rather, a user may now switch off the stove H by moving the rotary knob B from the second support area 17 to the fourth support area 19. If the rotary knob B is removed from the operating area 3 for a certain minimum period of time without being moved to the fourth support area 19, the stove H may, for example, switch off automatically and/or the on/off button 12 may be displayed again.

In another possible configuration, the rotary knob B may also replace the operating mode selection area 7.

In another possible configuration, the rotary knob B may also replace the operating mode selection area 7.

Fig.3 shows one to Fig.1 Analogue section of the stove H with a rotary knob B now placed on the first attachment area 16. The first attachment area 16 is located in a left half of the operating area 3 and is easy to use, especially for left-handers. This configuration has the same control surfaces and display fields as the configuration Fig.2 but partly in a different position and possibly with a different shape and/or size. The control surfaces 5 to 8 are now arranged in a horizontal row in relation to the rotary knob B to the right and offset downwards. The display fields 13 to 15 are also arranged on the right in a horizontal row in relation to the rotary knob B, offset upwards.

If the rotary toggle B is arranged on the third attachment area 19, these control surfaces 5 to 8 and display fields 13 to 15 could be located, for example, on the left side of the rotary toggle B, possibly in mirror-inverted positions.

The operating area 3 can therefore be configured depending on a different position of the rotary knob B in relation to the operating area 3. In particular, the operating area 3 can be configured depending on the presence or absence of the removable operating element on the operating area, as can be seen, for example, from the difference between Fig.1 and Fig.2 or between Fig.1 and Fig.3 can be recognized. The operating area 3 may also be configured depending on a different position of the rotary knob 3 on the operating area 3, as can be seen, for example, from the difference between Fig.2 and Fig.3 can be recognized.

In general, "a", "an", etc. can be understood to mean a singular or a plural, in particular in the sense of "at least one" or "one or more" etc., as long as this is not explicitly excluded, for example by the expression "exactly a" etc.

A numerical statement can also include exactly the number specified as well as a usual tolerance range, as long as this is not explicitly excluded.

Reference symbol list

1

Hob

2

Hob plate

3

Operating area

4

Touch sensitive screen

5

Hob selection area

6

Oven selection area

7

Operating mode selection area

8th

Timer selection area

9

First parameter setting area

10

Second parameter setting area

11

Confirmation area

12

On/Off button

13

Display panel

14

Display panel

15

Icon display panel

16

First essay area

17

Second essay area

18

Third essay area

19

Fourth essay area

b

Rotary toggle

H

stove

O

Top of the hob

Claims (7)

1. Household appliance (H) in the form of a cooking appliance, having at least one operating area (3), which has at least one touch-sensitive operating element (5-12) and which is designed for operation by means of a removable operating element (B), wherein the operating area (3) can be configured as a function of a position (16-19) of the removable operating element (B) with respect to the operating area (3), including its presence or absence, wherein the household appliance (H) is configured such that,

   - in the presence of the removable operating element (B) this has at least one functionality which the at least one touch-sensitive operating element (5-8, 11) lacks, and

   - in the absence of the removable operating element (B), the at least one functionality of the removable operating element (B) is taken over by at least one touch-sensitive operating element (9, 10 12),

   characterised in that the at least one functionality comprises setting a cooking level, a timer time and/or a zone connection.
2. Household appliance (H) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the operating area (3) has at least one touch-sensitive screen (4) and the at least one touch-sensitive operating element corresponds to a predefined operating area (5-12) of the touch-sensitive screen (4).
3. Household appliance (H) according to claim 2, characterised in that the household appliance (H) is configured so that in the absence of the removable operating element (B), those touch-sensitive operating elements (9, 10, 12) which take over the at least one functionality of the removable operating element (B) are added and these are not available in the presence of the removable operating element (B).
4. Household appliance (H) according to one of the preceding claims 2 or 3, characterised in that the household appliance (H) is configured such that at least one display panel (13-15) can be arranged on the operating area (3) as a function of the presence of the removable operating element (B).
5. Household appliance (H) according to claim 4, characterised in that the removable operating element is a removable rotary knob (B) and the household appliance (H) is configured so that

   - in the presence of the rotary knob (B) at least one display panel (13) is arranged adjacent to the rotary knob (B), which can display a functional parameter of at least one functionality of the rotary knob (B), and

   - in the absence of the rotary knob (B), this at least one display panel (13) can be displayed adjacent to at least one touch-sensitive operating element (9, 10), which has taken over the functionality of the rotary knob (B).
6. Household appliance (H) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the household appliance (H) has a hob (1) with at least one cooking area and the operating area (3) is located on a hob plate (2) adjacent to the at least one cooking area.
7. Method for operating a household appliance (H) in the form of a cooking appliance with a operating area (3), which has at least one touch-sensitive operating element (5-12) and which is designed for operation by means of a removable operating element (B), wherein the operating area (3) is configured as a function of a position (16-19) of the removable operating element (B) with respect to the operating area (3), including its absence or presence, such that

   - in the presence of the removable operating element (B), this has at least one functionality which the at least one touch-sensitive operating element (5-8, 11) lacks, and

   - in the absence of the removable operating element (B), the at least one functionality of the removable operating element (B) is taken over by at least one touch-sensitive operating element (9, 10, 12),

   characterised in that
   the at least one functionality comprises setting a cooking level, a timer time and/or a zone connection.

Images