EP3365488B1 - Touch-sensitive operating display for setting a program of a domestic appliance, and corresponding method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a touch-sensitive operating display for setting a program of a household appliance, the household appliance having several different programs. The operating display can be arranged on a household appliance, such as a dishwasher or a washing machine, or implemented using a generic mobile terminal device. The present invention also relates to a method for setting a program of a household appliance.

At the moment, all standard dishwashers work quite similarly. First, the user switches on the dishwasher and then selects a washing program. The washing programs differ in terms of their duration, their cleaning performance, the energy they consume and the noises they cause. Programs such as AUTO 35 ° -45 °, AUTO 55 ° -65 °, PRE-WASH, FAST WASH and ECO 50 ° are often offered. Often, additional options can also be selected in order to perfect the washing result or to adapt it individually. For example, special drying, disinfection, energy-saving mode and the like can be selected. These options also affect the running time, the energy consumed and other parameters of the wash program. The selected program is then started by pressing an operating button and / or by closing the dishwasher door.

One problem with this setting methodology just described is that the user is usually not aware of the effects of his selection. The program is often chosen randomly or on the basis of simple habit.

The US 2011/145999 A1 describes a control for a laundry care device with a graphic input field. The input field can be subdivided into several areas, the user being able to move the boundary lines between the areas in order to change the size of the individual areas in order to specify a weighting of parameters.

As an alternative to moving border lines, the suggests WO 2007/011280 A1 suggest that the user touches a point within a polygon to weight the parameters, the corners of the polygon representing one of the possible parameters. The respective parameter is weighted depending on the distance between the point and the respective corners.

The WO 2004/109005 A1 describes an operating device for a household appliance, in which the operating elements for setting program parameters are structurally and creatively connected to the associated display elements.

The WO 2012/092445 A2 describes a touch-sensitive screen of a laundry care device for selecting a washing program and the associated parameters.

Starting from the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to propose a touch-sensitive operating display for setting a program of a household appliance, which allows a more intuitive selection of the program. In addition, a related, suitable method for setting a program of a household appliance is to be specified.

These objects are achieved by the subjects of the independent claims. The dependent claims reproduce embodiments of the invention. The invention accordingly comprises a touch-sensitive operating display for setting a program of a household appliance, the household appliance having several different programs. The household appliance concerned can be, for example, a dishwasher or a washing machine, and the programs mentioned can be cleaning programs. The programs can each be described with the aid of several parameters, between which there is a dependency.

The dependencies between the parameters are well known and were, for example, already established in the late 1950s by the surfactant chemist Dr. Herbert Sinner (see for example Beverage industry magazine 11/2004, pages 98 - 104 : The Sinner circle: the basis for successful cleaning and disinfection). Mr. Sinner was of the opinion that every cleaning process has four basic parameters, namely the chemistry (the cleaning agent), the mechanics, the temperature and the time. In simple terms, this means, for example, that a cleaning process can be carried out more quickly if a sharper cleaning agent is used or more mechanical energy is used. A higher temperature also has a positive effect on the time required. If, on the other hand, you want to use a largely cold rinsing liquid and a gentle cleaning agent is used, you have to rinse harder and longer.

One idea of the present invention is to make the dependencies between the parameters of the programs visible to the user of the household appliance.

The operating display according to the invention accordingly has a plurality of display areas, each of which represents a parameter. The parameters of the display areas or the display areas themselves can be changed by touching the operating display. If a parameter in a display area is changed, a parameter in another display area is also changed at the same time. In particular, a parameter of the one display area can be enlarged when a parameter of the other display area is reduced. In this case, there is a trade-off between the two parameters.

A parameter can be, for example, an energy parameter that describes an amount of energy that is consumed by executing the program. Another parameter can be a time parameter that describes a time that the program needs for one run. A further parameter is preferably a noise level parameter which specifies a noise level which is produced by the execution of the program.

If the user of a dishwasher now wants to reduce the time required, this can be achieved, for example, by injecting the washing liquid into the dishwasher at an increased pressure, which, however, results in a higher noise level arises. If the water is heated up more, it would be possible to reduce the time of the flushing process without increasing the injection pressure.

With the solution proposed here, the user can therefore intuitively grasp when selecting the program how he can optimally weigh up his wishes with regard to the time required, the energy used and the volume generated. He can enter wishes regarding the time and recognizes how this affects the volume and the energy consumed. Since the volume and the required energy can also be exchanged for one another, he can select the most comfortable balance between these two parameters by means of a further setting process.

The operating display presented here can, for example, have a touch display and / or also setting buttons.

In the embodiment of the operating display according to the invention, two display areas adjoin each other and the operating display is set up in such a way that a boundary between two display areas can be shifted by touching the operating display, whereby a parameter of one display area is enlarged and a parameter of the other display area is reduced. For example, the display areas are arranged in a circular or triangular manner. This direct juxtaposition of the display areas makes it possible to intuitively visualize the exchange relationship between two parameters.

In some embodiments, the operating display has a selection area with the aid of which a state of an item that is to be treated with the aid of the program can be described by the user. The condition of the goods can be, for example, a degree of soiling of the goods, so that a cleaning performance to be provided is ultimately selected in the selection area. The operating display is preferably set up in such a way that an average state of the item is already preselected in the selection area. In this way, the user only has to make a selection in the selection area if the condition of the goods deviates from an average condition, for example if the dishes are particularly dirty or if they are only champagne glasses.

The operating display can also have an input area with the aid of which a chemical used by the household appliance can be described. The chemical can be, for example, a cleaning agent, such as a dishwashing detergent or a detergent for a washing machine. As has already been explained above with reference to Sinner's circle, a particularly strong cleaning agent can achieve an improved cleaning performance with otherwise identical parameters.

A representation of the multiple display areas and / or the parameters of the multiple display areas depend on an input made via the selection area and / or the input area. If the display areas are arranged in a circle, the circle can be displayed larger, for example, if a particularly high cleaning performance is to be achieved. Similarly, a smaller triangle can be shown in a triangular representation if a particularly concentrated or powerful cleaning agent is used.

The representation of the multiple display areas and / or the parameters of the multiple display areas can also depend on a value detected by sensors. For example, it is conceivable that a dishwasher automatically detects how hot the detergent it is using is. By examining the turbidity of the wash water, it can also be seen how high the degree of soiling of the wash ware is.

Each display area preferably has a minimum size which cannot be undershot. With time, for example, it is immediately obvious that the duration of the wash program cannot be reduced to zero.

The operating display can be arranged on a household appliance or can also be implemented with the aid of a generic mobile terminal. Accordingly, the invention additionally comprises a household appliance which has several different programs, in particular cleaning programs, which can each be described with the aid of parameters between which there is a dependency. The household appliance can be, for example, a dishwasher or a washing machine. The household appliance according to the invention has one according to the invention Control display for setting the program of the household appliance. The operating display can, for example, be permanently connected to the household appliance.

In addition, the invention comprises a computer program product that includes program instructions that can be executed on a mobile terminal that can be connected to a household appliance with a touch-sensitive operating display in such a way that an operating display according to the invention is formed. The computer program product can be, for example, a data carrier with software stored on it, or a data bundle that can be downloaded from the Internet. The computer program product is particularly preferably an app that can be executed on a commercially available smartphone with a touch display.

In addition to the touch-sensitive operating display already described, the invention includes a method for setting a program of a household appliance, the household appliance, as already described, having several different programs, in particular cleaning programs. As already mentioned, the programs can each be described using several parameters, between which there is a dependency. According to the method, a plurality of display areas are initially displayed, each representing a parameter, the display areas being arranged in a circular or triangular manner and a size of the circle or triangle depending on a cleaning performance to be performed. The display naturally takes place on the touch-sensitive operating display. A user can then set the parameters by touching the operating display, a parameter of another display area being changed by changing a parameter in one display area. Then the program is selected that is best described by the set parameters. With the method presented here, the user can intuitively influence the parameters he wants, immediately recognize the effects of his selection on other parameters and thus arrive at a program that represents the best solution for the current situation and his wishes.

The invention has been presented with reference to an operating display, a household appliance, a computer program product and a method. Unless otherwise is specified, the features of the operating display can of course be applied analogously to the household appliance, the computer program product and the method.

Figur 1

eine nicht beanspruchte Ausführungsform einer berührungsempfindlichen Bedienanzeige gemäß dem Stand der Technik;

Figur 2a-2c

eine erste Ausführungsform einer berührungsempfindlichen Bedienanzeige gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung;

Figur 3

eine zweite Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen berührungsempfindlichen Bedienanzeige;

Figur 4a

einen erfindungsgemäßen Geschirrspüler;

Figur 4b

eine erfindungsgemäße Waschmaschine;

Figur 5

eine dritte Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen berührungsempfindlichen Bedienanzeige und

Figur 6

eine Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens.

Further details and advantages of embodiments of the invention are to be explained below with reference to the figures. Show:

Figure 1

a not claimed embodiment of a touch-sensitive operating display according to the prior art;

Figures 2a-2c

a first embodiment of a touch-sensitive operating display according to the present invention;

Figure 3

a second embodiment of a touch-sensitive operating display according to the invention;

Figure 4a

a dishwasher according to the invention;

Figure 4b

a washing machine according to the invention;

Figure 5

a third embodiment of a touch-sensitive operating display according to the invention and

Figure 6

an embodiment of a method according to the invention.

In the following description, elements that are the same and have the same effect are each given the same reference symbols, unless otherwise stated.

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a touch-sensitive operating display that is not claimed. The operating display 1 has three display areas 2 to 4, each of which represents a parameter. The time can be set with the aid of the display area 2, the volume with the aid of the display area 3 and the energy required by the program with the aid of the display area 4. The parameter is increased by touching the plus setting button, which is located to the right of the respective display area. A reduction takes place by touching the Minus adjustment button, which is located to the left of the display area. In addition, the operating display 1 has a selection area 5, with the aid of which a degree of soiling of the dishes of a dishwasher to be treated can be set.

A typical adjustment process now runs as follows. First of all, the user touches the setting button to switch on the power supply 6 and indicates in the selection area 5 how heavily the dishes are soiled. Based on this information, the touch-sensitive operating display can calculate a cleaning performance to be performed. The user is then free to influence the parameters shown in display areas 2 to 4, a change in one parameter also affecting the other parameters. For example, if the user increases the time in display area 2, the dishwasher can either inject the washing water into the dishwasher with less pressure or reduce the temperature of the washing water without impairing the washing result because additional time has been made available. If, on the other hand, the user reduces the time in the display area 2, then either a higher volume must be accepted or the water must be heated more intensely. In this way, the user can think about what is most important to him in the current situation and set the display areas 2 to 4 accordingly. After the setting has been made, he presses the setting button to start the household appliance 7 and closes the dishwasher door, whereby the cleaning program is started.

In the Figures 2a to 2c a first embodiment of a touch-sensitive operating display according to the invention is shown, which is designed as a touch display. In the operating display 8, the display areas 2 to 4 are arranged in a circle, so that two display areas adjoin one another. A border 9, which can be moved by touching, is arranged between the display areas. Of course, the shift not only changes the size of the display area, but also the value of the parameter behind it. Since the display areas are arranged in a circle, it is immediately apparent that the neighboring display area is reduced by enlarging a display area. In this way, the relationships between the parameters can be displayed particularly intuitively for the user.

In the middle of the circle, the remaining running time of the program is shown by means of a remaining running time display 10. The first embodiment has a selection area 5 in which the soiling of the items to be cleaned can be selected. If there is no contact, an average state is selected here ("medium"). Only if the user has the impression that the soiling is particularly light or particularly heavy does he have to make a selection here. In addition, the second embodiment of the operating display 8 also has two setting buttons for switching on the household appliance and for starting the program. Further adjustment knobs are of course conceivable and partly also in Figure 2a shown, but should not be specifically explained here.

The Figure 2b illustrates how a user touches the boundary 9 between the display area 2 for the time and the display area 3 for the volume with his finger 11. By moving the finger 11 to the right, he shifts the boundary 9 so that the display area 2 becomes smaller for the time and the display area 3 for the volume becomes larger. The end of the finger movement is in Figure 2c to see.

In the Figure 3 a second embodiment of a touch-sensitive operating display according to the invention is shown. The operating display 12 makes it clear that the display areas 2, 3, 4 do not necessarily have to be arranged in a circle. Rather, a triangular shape is also conceivable, for example. Again, the display areas 2 to 4 adjoin one another, albeit in a different form. Of course, rectangles or free forms would also be conceivable. To the left of the triangle, the operating display 12 has an input area 13, with the aid of which a cleaning agent used by the household appliance can be written. A medium-strength cleaning agent is preselected in the input area 13. By touching the box to the left or right of the middle field, you can enter that the cleaning agent is simple or weak or concentrated or highly effective.

The operating displays can both be arranged directly on the household appliance and also be implemented in terms of software on a generic mobile terminal that is, for example, wirelessly connected to the household appliances. In the Figure 4a is a Embodiment of a dishwasher 14 according to the invention is shown. The dishwasher 14 has the in Figure 1 illustrated first embodiment of an operating display according to the invention 1. In the Figure 4b on the other hand, an embodiment of a washing machine 15 according to the invention is shown, to which the second embodiment of an operating display 8 according to the invention is attached.

The Figure 5 illustrates a commercially available mobile terminal 16 with a touch display 17 on which the user interface of a household appliance is displayed in such a way that a third embodiment of an operating display 18 according to the invention is formed. The mobile terminal 16 can be connected to the household appliance via WLAN, for example.

The Figure 6 illustrates an embodiment of a method according to the invention for setting a program of a household appliance. The method M relates, for example, to a dishwasher and the in Figure 2a Second embodiment shown of a touch-sensitive operating display according to the invention. After switching on, the multiple display areas are initially shown in step S1. Since the dishes to be cleaned are very heavily soiled, in step S2 the user touches the selection area 5 where the box under the word "heavily" in Figure 2a you can see. In step S3, the system recognizes, based on this input, that a very high cleaning performance is to be provided and enlarges the display areas 2 to 4, which are arranged in a circle, in order to signal to the user that, in the case of such heavy soiling, either longer, needs to be rinsed with warmer water or at higher pressure. In step S4, the user sets the parameters accordingly by touching the boundaries between the display areas with his finger. First of all, it reduces the time required. The resulting radian measure is evenly distributed over the volume and energy. In step S5, the user then reduces the energy, which means that he has to accept that a higher pressure has to be used for flushing, as a result of which the volume increases. In S6 he then presses the start setting button, whereupon in step S7 the program best suited to the settings made is selected.

A major advantage of the invention described here can be that the user can determine exactly to the minute how long his program should last, at the same time he sees how his setting affects the other two parameters volume and energy. The user thus learns intuitively how the parameters volume, time and energy are related. The program can therefore be selected flexibly and yet particularly easily.

The explanations made with reference to the figures are to be understood as purely illustrative and not restrictive. Many changes can be made in the embodiments shown without departing from the scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims. In particular, the features of the individual embodiments can be freely combined with one another.

List of reference symbols

1

Embodiment of an operating display according to the prior art

2

Display area that represents the time parameter

3

Display area that represents the noise level parameter

4th

Display area that represents the energy parameter

5

Selection area

6th

Adjustment button for switching on the power supply

7th

Adjustment button for starting the household appliance

8th

First embodiment of an operating display according to the invention

9

border

10

Remaining time display

11

finger

12th

Second embodiment of an operating display according to the invention

13th

Input area

14th

dishwasher

15th

Washing machine

16

Mobile device

17th

Touch display

18th

Third embodiment of an operating display according to the invention

M.

Embodiment of a method according to the invention

S1

Display of several display areas

S2

Select the degree of soiling of the dishes

S3

Customize the appearance of the display areas

S4

Setting the time parameter

S5

Setting the energy parameter

S6

Press the start setting button

S7

Select the program that is best described by the set parameters

Claims (13)

1. Touch-sensitive operating display (1, 8, 12, 18) for setting a program of a household appliance (14, 15), wherein the household appliance has multiple different programs, in particular, cleaning programs, each of which can be defined using multiple parameters that are interdependent,

   - wherein the operating display has multiple display areas (2, 3, 4) arranged in a circular or triangular shape, each of which represents a parameter,

   - wherein the operating display is set up in such a manner that the parameters of the display areas (2, 3, 4) can be changed by touching the operating display, and changing a parameter of one display area (2, 3, 4) leads to the simultaneous change of a parameter of another display area (2, 3, 4),

   - wherein two display areas (2, 3, 4) respectively are adjacent to one another and the operating display is set up in such a way that a boundary (9) between two display areas can be shifted by touching the operating display, whereby a parameter of one display area is enlarged and a parameter of the other display area is reduced,

   - wherein the display areas (2, 3, 4) are arranged on a common circle or triangle, characterised in that

   - a size of the circle of the display areas (2, 3, 4) arranged in a circular shape depends upon a cleaning performance to be rendered or a size of the triangle of the display areas (2, 3, 4) arranged in a triangular shape depends upon a cleaning agent strength.
2. Operating display according to claim 1, wherein the operating display has a touch display (17) and/or setting buttons (6, 7).
3. Operating display according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a parameter is an energy parameter and defines an amount of energy which is consumed by the execution of the program.
4. Operating display according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a parameter is a time parameter and defines a time which the program requires for a run.
5. Operating display according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a parameter is a noise level parameter and defines a noise level which arises as a result of the execution of the program.
6. Operating display (1, 8, 18) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating display has a selection area (5) with the aid of which the condition of an item which is to be treated using the program can be defined by the user.
7. Operating display according to claim 6, wherein the condition of the item is a degree of soiling of the item which is to be cleaned using the program.
8. Operating display (12) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating display has an input area (13) with the aid of which a chemical, in particular, a cleaning agent, used by the household appliance can be defined.
9. Operating display according to one of claims 6 to 8, wherein a presentation of the multiple display areas and/or the parameters of the multiple display areas depend on a chemical entered by way of the selection area (5) and/or the input area (13) or detected by sensors and/or depend on a degree of soiling entered by way of the selection area (5) and/or the input area (13) or detected by sensors.
10. Operating display according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each display area (2, 3, 4) has a minimum size which may not be undershot.
11. Household appliance (14, 15), in particular, a dishwasher (14) or a washing machine (15), which has multiple different programs, in particular, cleaning programs, each of which can be defined using multiple parameters that are interdependent, wherein the household appliance has an operating display (1, 8, 12, 18) according to one of the preceding claims for setting the program of the household appliance.
12. Computer program product, in particular, a data carrier with software or a downloadable data bundle, preferably an app comprising program instructions which can be executed on a mobile terminal device (16) with a touch-sensitive operating display (17) which can be connected to a household appliance such that a method according to claim 13 is executed.
13. Method (M) for setting a program of a household appliance (14, 15), wherein the household appliance has multiple different programs, in particular cleaning programs, each of which can be defined using multiple parameters that are interdependent, comprising the following steps

    - presentation of multiple display areas (S1), each of which represents a parameter, on a touch-sensitive operating display (1, 8, 12, 18), wherein the display areas (2, 3, 4) are arranged in a circular or triangular shape and a size of the circle of the display areas (2, 3, 4) arranged in a circular shape depends upon a cleaning performance to be rendered or a size of the triangle of the display areas (2, 3, 4) arranged in a triangular shape depends upon a cleaning agent strength,

    - setting of the parameters (S4, S5) as a result of a user of the household appliance touching the operating display, wherein a change of a parameter of one display area leads to the simultaneous change of the parameter of another display area, and

    - selection of the program (S7) which is best defined by the set parameters.

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