Domestic appliance having improved operability of an operating device constructed as a touch screen

• US 10,552,027 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2016
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Breme, Jonas, Geyer, Johannes, Gorodezki, Swetlana, Ivanis, Christian, Kadel, Hans-Peter, Koch, Bastian, Milde, Manuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Lin, Chun-Nan
• Application Number:
  US15/756,141
• Publication Number:
  US 20180349009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4293 Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/12 Washing temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/00 Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 29/005 the other separate apparatus being a drying appliance
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/10 Intensity circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A domestic appliance for treating objects includes a control device and an operating device being an external or internal touch screen. The control device displays a display field within a screen display having an operating element and a display element setting and displaying a control variable of the appliance settable by touch. The operating element contains a sensor element having segments. A lowest value of the control variable or an OFF function deactivating the control variable is associated with a first segment and different values of the control variable are associated with further segments. The control device displays at least two display elements after and/or simultaneously with touching the sensor element. The first display element displays lowest settable value of the control variable or OFF function and the second display element displays highest settable value of the control variable. A method for operating the appliance is also provided.

Claims

1. A domestic appliance for treating objects, the domestic appliance comprising:

a) a control device and an operating device constructed as an external or internal touch screen, said control device being configured to display a display field on at least a part of said touch screen within a screen display, said display field containing at least one operating element and at least one display element for setting and displaying a control variable of the domestic appliance being settable by a touch;

b) said at least one operating element containing an elongate, flat sensor element with a first segment and at least two further segments, a lowest value of said settable control variable or an OFF function for deactivating said control variable being associated with said first segment and different values of said settable control variable being associated with each of said at least two further segments;

c) said control device being configured to display at least first and second display elements, at least one of after or simultaneously with a touching of said sensor element, said first display element displaying said lowest settable value of said control variable or said OFF function and said second display element displaying a highest settable value of said control variable; and

d) said at least two further segments defining a spacing therebetween, and said first segment and said at least two further segments being separated from each other and defining a spacing therebetween being larger than said spacing between at least two further segments.

2. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said sensor element is a capacitive sensor element.

3. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said operating device is constructed as an external touch screen.

4. The domestic appliance according to claim 3, wherein said external touch screen is a tablet computer or smartphone configured for controlling the domestic appliance.

5. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, which further comprises a sound generator and a loudspeaker for generating and reproducing acoustic signals in relation to setting said control variables.

6. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, which further comprises a light sensor for sensing a brightness in an installation area, said control device being configured to control a brightness of said touch screen depending upon a measured brightness in the installation area.

7. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said control device is configured to block a use of said touch screen following a time span (t_Block) during which no touch signal generated by an external input unit has been registered and to free said touch screen again only after a security input by a user.

8. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein the domestic appliance is a water-using domestic appliance selected from the group consisting of a washing machine, a washer-dryer, a dryer and a dishwasher.

9. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein the domestic appliance is a washing machine or a washer-dryer.

10. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said control device is configured to at least one of display operating elements or display elements with a higher validity emphasized with at least one of color or high contrast and to display the at least one of operating elements or the display elements with a lower validity having at least one of a suppressed color, a lower contrast or a different form.

11. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said settable control variables include at least one of treatment programs, program parameters or additional options.

12. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said control device stores dependencies for said settable control variables and said control device is configured to block at least one of a disadvantageous or damage-causing setting of said control variables based upon said dependencies.

13. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said control device is configured to enable a direct start of a treatment program by touching a sub region of an operating element.

14. The domestic appliance according to claim 1, wherein said control device is configured to enable a change between one screen display and another screen display by touching a sub region of an operating element.

15. A method for operating a domestic appliance for treating objects, the method comprising the following steps:

i) providing a control device and an operating device constructed as an external or internal touch screen, the control device being configured to display a display field on at least a part of the touch screen and to display at least one operating element and at least first and second display elements on the display field, the at least one operating element being used to set a settable control variable of the domestic appliance by a touch, the at least one operating element being an elongate flat sensor element including at least three segments, the settable control variable including a value scale with at least three values, the value scale having a respective value being associated with each segment for setting a value by touching an external input unit, the sellable control variable changing continuously or in jumps, at least one of a lower settable value or an OFF function being associated with a first segment, the control device being configured to display at least the first and second display elements, at least one of following or simultaneously with a first touch of the sensor element, the first display element displaying at least one of a lowest settable value of the value scale or the OFF function, and the second display element displaying a highest settable value of the value scale;

ii) providing a spacing between at least two further segments, and providing a spacing between the first segment and the at least two further segments being larger than the spacing between the at least two further segments;

iii) displaying a display field within a screen display, locating the elongate, flat sensor element with the first segment and the at least two further segments in the display field as at least one operating element, associating the lowest value of the settable control variable or the OFF function for deactivating the control variable with the first segment and respectively associating different values of the settable control variable with the at least two further segments;

iv) displaying at least first and second display elements for the display of a control variable of the domestic appliance to be set by touch at least one of following or simultaneously with a touching of the sensor element, displaying the lowest settable value of the control variable or the OFF function with the first display element, and displaying the highest settable value of the control variable with the second display element;

v) modifying the sellable control variable corresponding to touching the sensor element; and

vi) carrying out a treatment program with the modified control variable.