WO2006133976A1

WO2006133976A1 - Domestic appliance apparatus having at least one touch-sensitive sensor panel

Info

Publication number: WO2006133976A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/060477
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas Meindl; Peter Schuhbaeck; Ernst Wurnitsch
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
Priority date: 2005-06-13
Filing date: 2006-03-06
Publication date: 2006-12-21
Also published as: EP1893919B1; SI1893919T1; EP1893919A1; DE102005027199A1

Abstract

Domestic appliance apparatus having at least one touch-sensitive sensor panel (10, 100) for detecting a contact position (12) on the sensor panel (10, 100) and having a control unit (14) for generating at least one control signal (16, 18) as a function of the detected contact position (12). In order to provide a domestic appliance apparatus of the generic type with improved operator control comfort, particularly when inputting continuously varying variables with a large value range, it is proposed that the control unit (14) be designed to determine a characteristic movement variable (20) from a time sequence of detected contact positions (12) in at least one operating mode and to form the control signal (16, 18) as a function of the characteristic movement variable (20). The heating power of the domestic appliance apparatus or a time (timer function), for example, may be input via the sensor panel.

Description

Home appliance device with at least one touch-sensitive sensor field

The invention is based on a domestic appliance device with at least one touch-sensitive sensor field according to the preamble of claims 1 and 3.

From DE 27 55 678 C3 a household appliance device with at least one touch-sensitive sensor array for detecting a touch position on the sensor array is known. The home appliance device comprises a control unit for generating control signals as a function of the detected contact position. The sensor field is subdivided into areas, and each of the areas is uniquely assigned a control signal.

Household appliance devices with touch-sensitive sensor fields are also known, by means of which a manipulated variable, specifically a heating power of a cooking plate assigned to the respective sensor field, can be incremented and decremented via plus and minus buttons.

The object of the invention is, in particular, to provide a generic domestic appliance device with improved operating convenience, in particular when entering continuously variable sizes.

The object is achieved by the features of claim 1, while advantageous embodiments and modifications of the invention can be taken from the dependent claims.

The invention is based on a domestic appliance device with at least one touch-sensitive sensor field for detecting a touch position on the sensor field and with a control unit for generating at least one control signal as a function of the detected contact position.

It is proposed that the control unit be provided to determine a movement parameter from a chronological sequence of detected contact positions in at least one operating mode and to output the control signal as a function of the movement code. great shape. The sensor field can thereby be operated particularly dynamically. In particular, small changes in the control signal from a basic value can be easily generated by the motion-dependent control by an operator. This applies in particular when the control unit configures the control signal independently of an absolute value of the touch position. The touch-sensitive sensor field can be one-dimensional or two-dimensional and, for example, have a resistive, capacitive, inductive, piezoelectric or thermoelectric effect. Particularly low-wear are sensor fields that are free of moving parts.

Embodiments of the invention are conceivable in which the sensor field is made up of several sections, each forming a key. In a further refinement, the contact position is calculated from a ratio of signals from at least two sensors arranged in an edge region of the sensor field.

In this context, in particular a movement direction, a movement speed and a movement path come into consideration as a movement parameter. The movement parameter can be particularly advantageous regardless of the absolute contact position. The control unit can design the control signal by changing a value of the control signal or completely determine the control signal. "Because of the particularly good cleaning properties, touch-sensitive sensor fields can advantageously be used in kitchen appliances , especially in cooking appliances.

Particularly advantageously, the control unit generates different control signals in at least two different operating modes as a function of the motion characteristic. Embodiments of the invention are also conceivable in which the control unit generates a first control signal in a first operating mode as a function of the movement parameter and determines a second control signal as a function of the contact position in a second operating mode.

In a further development of the invention, it is proposed that the control signal determined as a function of the movement parameter form an incrementation signal or a decrement signal for changing a manipulated variable. This allows a well-controlled lierbare change of the manipulated variable can be achieved in small steps, so that an operator can comfortably approach a desired value of the manipulated variable.

Particularly convenient adjustability can be achieved if the incrementation increments or decrementing step widths triggered by the incrementing signal or decrementing signal are variable. The manipulated variable can then be roughly adjusted, for example, in a first step and finer in a further step. Furthermore, the increments can be set in orders of magnitude, so that individual digits of the manipulated variable can be set independently.

Because of the wide adjustment range, the dynamic gains come through the actuator according to the invention in particular when the control variable is adjustable over a range of at least two powers of ten. The manipulated variable may for example be advantageous in at least one operating mode an adjustable preset time of a timer function. The increment step sizes or decrement step sizes may then be variable, for example, from minutes to hours and vice versa. Some of the advantages that can be achieved by the interaction of the touch-sensitive sensor field with the timer function are independent of the detected motion characteristic.

When the control unit uses the control signal in at least one operating mode to determine a power of a home appliance functional unit controlled by the control unit, the operator can be sensitively approached to a desired power. The domestic appliance functional unit can be designed for example as a heating coil in a cooking appliance or as an electric motor.

An integration of several functions into the sensor field can be achieved if at least one area of the sensor field can be used as a push-button switch. As a push button here is a region to be designated, via which an operator can trigger a control signal directly by touching. Such a switch region can be arranged, for example, on an edge of the sensor field and serve to select an operating mode or to select a setting mode for the manipulated variable. - A -

A further functional integration can be achieved in that the control unit is provided to detect a contact time at least in one area and to trigger a control signal when the contact time exceeds a minimum time. When exceeding the minimum time, for example, a setting mode can be changed.

Particularly convenient are generic household appliance devices in which the control unit is provided to trigger a repeat function for repeated incrementing or decrementing when the contact time exceeds the minimum time.

The good cleaning properties of the touch-sensitive sensor field can be combined with the good cleaning properties of a glass-ceramic cooktop if the sensor field is integrated in the glass-ceramic cooktop.

An optical feedback to the operator can be achieved by at least one display element associated with the sensor field.

A comfortable selection of a manipulated variable which can be set via the sensor field can be achieved if the domestic appliance device comprises at least one switching element assigned to the sensor field for selecting an operating mode.

Further advantages emerge from the following description of the drawing. In the drawings, embodiments of the invention are shown. The drawing, the description and the claims contain numerous features in combination. The person skilled in the art will expediently also consider the features individually and combine them into meaningful further combinations.

Show it:

1 shows a glass ceramic hob with four Heizspiralen and four sensor fields,

FIG. 2a shows one of the sensor fields from FIG. 1 with a display element with a first association between a touch position and a control signal, FIG. 2b shows the sensor field from FIG. 2 with a further association between a contact position and a control signal,

3 shows a schematic operating sequence for setting a power of a

heating coil,

4 shows a schematic operating sequence for setting a preselection time of a timer function of a hotplate,

5 shows an alternative operating sequence for setting a preselection time of a timer function of a hotplate in a jog-and-shuttle mode,

6 shows a further alternative operating procedure for setting a preselection time of a timer function of a hotplate in an alternative jog-and-shuttle mode,

Fig. 7 shows a further alternative operation sequence for setting a preselection time of a timer function of a cooking place in a one / ten-mode and

8 shows a control panel of an alternative glass-ceramic cooktop.

FIG. 1 shows a glass-ceramic cooking field 52 with four heating spirals, each of which forms a household appliance functional unit 38. Each of the home appliance functional units 38 is associated with an elongated, touch-sensitive sensor panel 10 suitable for detecting a touch position 12 of a finger 58 of an operator. The sensor field 10 is connected to a control unit 14 of the glass ceramic hob 52, which is provided in a manner described below to numerically determine the contact position 12 from the measured variables of the sensor field 10 and to generate different control signals 16, 18 depending on the detected touch position 12 (Figures 3 and 4). The glass-ceramic cooktop 52 is part of a domestic appliance device, which also includes a built-in cooker. In the area of the sensor field 10, a further switching element 84 for switching on an extended hob zone of the home appliance functional unit 38 assigned to the sensor field 10 and a temperature warning light 86 are arranged. In the following, the function of one of the four sensor units 10 is explained by way of example. The sensor units 10 of the other domestic appliance functional units 38 function analogously.

The sensor field 10 is essentially formed by two sensor plates arranged in end regions of the sensor field 10 on an underside of a glass-ceramic plate of the glass-ceramic cooking field 52. If the operator touches the sensor field 10 in the contact position 12, the capacitances associated with the sensor plates change. The capacitances are detected by the control unit 14. The control unit 14 forms a quotient of the detected capacitances which is an unambiguous function of the touch position 12 and calculates the contact position 12 from the quotient of the capacitances via a reversal function stored as a characteristic in a memory unit 60. The inverse function is a step function with 24 integer values , which are each assigned to one of 24 equal sections of the sensor array 10 (Figure 2). A signal of the sensor field 10 processed by the control unit 14 therefore has 24 discrete values. An assignment of the sections of the sensor field 10 to the discrete values is shown schematically in a field 88 in FIG. 2a.

An adjustment mode for setting a power 36 of the domestic appliance function unit 38 associated with the sensor field 10 and designed as a heating coil and a setting mode for setting a preselection time of a timer will be described below by way of example.

In order to set the power 36, the household appliance functional unit 38 must first be activated in an activation step 62 by touching a region 40 of the sensor field 10 marked "0" (FIG. 4 is assigned to the touch position 12 and can be used as a push-button switch After successful activation, a "0" appears in a display element 54 in the form of a 7-segment display, which is arranged above the sensor field 10. Subsequently, in a setting phase 64, the operator can set one of 9 cooking stages in half-numbered steps by touching the sensor field 10. The cooking stage forms a control value 28. The values 5-20 of the touch position 12 are assigned to the cooking levels 1-8.5, while the values 21-24 of the touch position 12 are assigned to the cooking level 9. The association between the values 1 - 24 of the contact position 12 and the cooking stages is shown schematically in a field 90 in FIG. 2 a. The operator can activate the cooking stage by directly touching the sensor field 10 at the corresponding stop touching position 12 or by sliding the finger 58 on the sensor array 10 set. He receives via the display element 54, which is controlled by control signals from the control unit 14, constantly feedback on the currently set cooking level. At the same time, the control unit 14 generates a control signal 18 for determining a power 36 fed into the home appliance functional unit 38.

The sensor array 10 is associated with another touch-sensitive switching element 56 for selecting an operating mode. The switching element 56, like the sensor field 10, is integrated into the glass ceramic hob 52. When the operator touches the glass-ceramic cooktop 52 in an area where the switching element 56 is arranged under glass, the control unit 14 switches to a setting mode for determining an adjustable pre-selection time of a timer function 34. The type of timer function 34 depends on a set cooking level. If the cooking level is set to 0, the pre-selection time is a alarm time, after which the control unit 14 generates an acoustic signal. If the cooking level is not equal to 0, then the set pre-selection time is a time after which a hotplate timer automatically deactivates the home appliance function unit 38 or resets the cooking level to 0.

After actuating the switching element 56, the control unit 14 displays the preselection time "0 min" (FIG. 4) on the display element 54 in an initialization step 66. The letters "min" are stored as a mask next to the 7-segment display of the display element 54. After activating the timer function 34, the control unit 14 divides the 24 values of the touch position 12 into 11 groups, which each form a key and are assigned to a contiguous area of the sensor field 10. A region 42 forms the key "0" and two of the values 5 - 24 of the touch position 12 are assigned to one of the keys "1" - "10." The assignment of the values to the keys is shown in a field 98 in FIG. By touching the sensor field 10 in the area of one of the keys "1" - "10", the operator selects a time suggestion value in a pre-selection step 68 by touching the "1" or "2" keys for 10 minutes. , by touching the keys "3" or "4" the time default value 20 min., by touching the keys "5" or "6" the time default value 30 min., by touching the keys "7" or "8" the time suggested value is 40 minutes and by touching the keys "9" or "10" the time suggestion value is 50 minutes Once the time suggestion value has been set, the effect of touching the sensor field 10 changes. The control unit 14 constantly polls the touch position 12 from the sensor array 10. If the value of the touch position 12 changes by one step, the control unit 14 determines a movement parameter 20 which describes a direction of movement and which is shown symbolically in FIG. 1 as an arrow. If the value of the touch position 12 has decreased by one, then the movement parameter 20 receives the value -1, while with an increase in the value of the contact position 12, the movement parameter 20 receives the value +1. Of course, embodiments of the invention are also conceivable in which the movement parameter 20 has a different value spectrum and / or in which an amount of the movement parameter 20 is designed to be dependent on a rate of change of the contact position 12.

The movement characteristic 20 determined in this way is used by the control unit 14 to generate control signals 16, 18, by means of which the control unit 14 controls an operation of the glass-ceramic cooktop 52. The manner in which the movement parameter 20 enters the control signal 16, 18 depends on the selected operating mode.

The control unit 14 determines in a setting step 70 in the manner described above, the motion characteristic 20 and determines therefrom a control signal 16, which is an incrementing signal 22 or a decrementing signal 24 for changing the pre-selection time controlled variable 26, depending on the value of the movement characteristic 20. The increment signal 22 increases the manipulated variable 26 by 1 min. and the decrementing signal 24 reduces the manipulated variable 26 by 1 min. The control unit 14 therefore designs the control signal 16 as a function of the movement characteristic 20.

A range 42 "defined by the values 5 to 10 of the touch position 12 or by the keys" 1 "to" 3 ", and a range by the values 19 to 24 of the touch position 12 or by the keys" 8 "to" 10 In addition, "defined area 42" of sensor field 10 can be used as a pushbutton switch (FIG. 2b). Touching area 42 'triggers an incrementing signal 22, and a decrementing signal 24 is triggered by touching area 42 ". The control unit 14 acquires a contact time 44 for the areas 42 ', 42 "and triggers a repeat function 50 by means of a control signal 46 when the contact time 44 exceeds a minimum time 48 stored in the memory unit 60. The repeat function 50 automatically generates incrementing signals 22 and decrementing signals 24 as long as the contact of the area 42 'or the area 42 " stops. An incrementing or decrementing rate increases with the contact time 44.

A range 42 of the sensor field 10 defined by the values 1 to 4 of the touch position 12 forms the key "0". By touching the range 42, the operator can immediately set the manipulated variable 26 to 0 at any time.

A remaining running time of a running timer can be increased or decreased by sliding over the sensor field 10 and generating the movement characteristic 20 and / or by touching the areas 42 ', 42 ".

FIGS. 5-7 show alternative embodiments of the setting mode for setting the pre-selection time of the timer function 34. The description is essentially limited to differences from the embodiment described above. With regard to consistent features, reference may be made to the description of the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative operating sequence for setting a preselection time of a timer function 34 of a cooking position in a first jog-and-shuttle mode. The setting mode is activated by operating the switching element 56 in an initialization step 92, and a suggestion time is selected in a pre-selection step 94 by touching the sensor field 10. Subsequently, in a setting step 96, the control unit 14 detects the touch position 12 and determines an incrementation rate depending on the detected touch position 12. The rate is 1/125 ms for the keys "1" and "10", for the keys "2" and "9" 1 / 200ms, for keys "3" and "8" 1 / 333ms and for keys "4" and "7" 1 / 500ms. By pressing the "0" key, the operator can set the manipulated variable 26 to 0 min. At any time.

FIG. 6 shows an alternative operating sequence for setting a preselection time of a timer function 34 of a cooking position in another jog-and-shuttle mode. The setting mode is activated by operating the switching element 56 in an initialization step 72, and a suggestion time is selected in a pre-selection step 74 by touching the sensor field 10. In a further setting step 76, the control unit 14 detects the touch position 12 and determines an incrementation step size or decrementing step size of an incrementing signal 22 or of a decrementing step. The step size is for the keys "1" and "10" +5 min., for the keys "2" and "9" + 3 min., for the keys "3" and " 8 "+ 2 min. and for the keys "4" and "7" + 1 min .. An incrementation or decrementation rate is 2 Hz. By pressing the "0" key, the operator can set the manipulated variable 26 to 0 min. at any time.

In a one-to-ten mode (FIG. 7), the control unit 14 displays the pre-selection time "0 min" or a remaining time of the timer function 34 via the display element 54 after touching the switching element 56 in an initialization step 78. First, in a first selection step The tens digit of the pre-selection time can be changed by pressing the keys "1" - "10" to the digits "0" - "9." The tens digit can be set by touching it directly or by sliding on the sensor panel 10 After a renewed actuation of the switching element 56, the operator can analogously determine the one-digit of the preselection time in a second selection step 82.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the control unit 14 detects one hundred discrete values of the touch position 12, each having a pre-selection time between 0 min and 99 min. assigned. The operator can adjust the preselection time by directly touching the sensor field 10 or by sliding the finger 58 on the sensor field 10 and generating a corresponding movement characteristic.

In a normal operating mode, the operator may activate a boost by touching the sensor pad 10 for more than 2 seconds. A further increase in the manipulated variable 26 or the cooking stage does not interrupt the boil butt. A reduction of the manipulated variable 26 during the Ankochstoßes interrupts this.

Alternatively, in one embodiment of the invention, the operator may activate the boil-up by first selecting "9" and then the actual desired value when adjusting the cooking levels A subsequent increase in the cooking level does not deactivate the boiled-down heat, reducing the cooking level deactivates the boiled-down heat ,

FIG. 8 shows a control panel of an alternative glass-ceramic cooktop panel with five heating spirals, not explicitly shown here, which comprises only a single sensor panel 100, which is suitable for detecting a contact position. Also in the description of the alternative glass-ceramic cooktop is essentially based on differences from the one shown in FIG. presented embodiment, while reference is made to the description of FIG 1 with regard to the same features.

To set manipulated variables assigned to the different cooking zones or heating spirals, the operator must first actuate one of five selection keys 102 - 110 assigned to one of the cooking stoves. The actuation of one of the selection keys 102-110 is analogous to the activation step 62 in FIG. 3. By actuating the selection keys 102-110, the sensor field 100 is assigned to the corresponding heating coil. The cooking stage set at the different cooking zones is set via display elements 112-120 and a pre-selection time of a timer function can be displayed on display elements 122,124.

reference numeral

10 Sensor field 68 Pre-selection step

12 touch position 70 setting step

14 control unit 72 initialization step

16 control signal 74 preselection step

18 control signal 76 setting step

20 Movement parameter 78 Initialization step

22 increment signal 80 select step

24 decrementing signal 82 selecting step

26 Control value 84 Switching element

28 Control value 86 Temperature warning lamp

30 increment step increment 88 field

32 decrementing increment 90 field

34 Timer function 92 Initialization step

36 Performance 94 Pre-selection step

38 Domestic Appliance Function Unit 96 Setting Step

40 area 98 field

42 area 100 sensor field

44 Touch time 102 Selection key

46 Control signal 104 Selection key

48 Minimum time 106 Selection key

50 Repeat function 108 Selection key

52 Glass ceramic hob 110 Selection key

54 Display element 112 Display element

56 switching element 114 display element

58 fingers 116 indicator

60 memory unit 118 display element

62 Actu ation step 120 Display element

64 Adjustment phase 122 Display element

66 Initialization step 124 Display element

Claims

claims

A home appliance device having at least one touch-sensitive sensor array (10, 100) for detecting a touch position (12) on the sensor array (10, 100) and a control unit (14) for generating at least one control signal (16, 18) depending on the detected touch position (12), characterized in that the

Control unit (14) is provided to determine in at least one operating mode from a time sequence of detected touch positions (12) a movement parameter (20) and to make the control signal (16, 18) dependent on the movement characteristic (20).

2. Domestic appliance device according to claim 1, characterized in that the function of the movement characteristic (20) certain control signal (16) mentation an incrementation signal (22) or a decrementing signal (24) for changing a manipulated variable (26, 28).

3. Household appliance device with at least one touch-sensitive sensor field (10, 100) for detecting a touch position (12) on the sensor field (10, 100) and with a control unit (14) for generating at least one control signal (16) depending on the detected contact position (12 ), wherein the control signal (16) an incrementing signal (22) or a decrementing signal (24) for changing a manipulated variable (26), characterized in that the manipulated variable (26) in at least one operating mode, an adjustable preset time of a timer function (34) is.

4. Home appliance device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (14) uses the control signal (18) in at least one operating mode for determining a power (36) of a controlled by the control unit (14) home appliance function unit (38).

5. Domestic appliance device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one region (40, 42) of the sensor field (10, 100) can be used as a push-button switch.

6. domestic appliance device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit (14) is provided, at least in a region (40, 42) to detect a contact time (44) and trigger a control signal (46) when the contact time ( 44) exceeds a minimum time (48).

7. Domestic appliance device according to claim 6, characterized in that the control unit (14) is provided for triggering a repeat function (50) for repeated incrementing or decrementing when the contact time (44) exceeds the minimum time (48).

8. Domestic appliance device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sensor field (10) in a glass ceramic hob (52) is integrated.

9. Domestic appliance device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by at least one of the sensor field (10, 100) associated with display element

(54, 112-124).

10. Domestic appliance device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by at least one sensor field (10, 100) associated switching element (56) for selecting an operating mode.