Cooking device with interactive display

• US 10,691,334 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2016
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Bruin-Slot, Zachary J., Levandowski, John P., Reyes, Rafael G., Satanek, Brandon L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Daeho D
• Application Number:
  US15/393,319
• Publication Number:
  US 20180188947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/0664 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/082 on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• 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: H05B 6/6435 Aspects relating to the user interface of the microwave heating apparatus

Abstract

A cooking device is provided herein. The cooking device includes a touch-sensitive display configured to register user-input via one or more touch events to enable a user to make selections related to the operation of the cooking device. The user-input is provided to a controller, and in response, the controller controls the operation of the cooking device based on the user-input.

Claims

1. A cooking device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display configured to display at least one virtual button corresponding to a mode of operation of the cooking device to be selected by a user, a virtual timeline spanning a period of time, and a virtual track positioned separate from and adjacent to the virtual timeline;

wherein the virtual track is populated with one or more instance blocks progressively displayed along the virtual track that each of the one or more instance blocks represents a user-selected mode of operation of the cooking device and defines a start time and a duration that is visually related to the virtual timeline;

wherein the one or more instance blocks are communicatively coupled to an end time block that includes a projected end time to be displayed for the selected mode of operation based on a position of an instance block relative to the virtual timeline;

wherein the touch-sensitive display is further configured to register one or more touch events of the user corresponding to respective mode operations of the cooking device on at least one of the virtual timeline and the virtual track for specifying a delay to a user-desired start time of each selected mode of operation of the cooking device, and in response to the specified delay, automatically shifts the one or more instance blocks together along a length of the virtual track such that the one or more instance blocks are positioned to have its start time coincide with the user-desired start time relative to the virtual timeline in accordance with the specified delay;

one or more heating elements; and

a hardware controller in communication with the touch-sensitive display and configured to control the operation of the one or more heating elements of the cooking device based on the specified delay to the user-desired start time.

2. The cooking device of claim 1, wherein the one or more touch events comprises a single touch event on the virtual track at a point corresponding to a desired start time inside the time period of the virtual timeline, and wherein the touch-sensitive display registers the touch event and responds by shifting the one or more instance blocks along the length of the virtual track such that the start time of at least one of the instance blocks coincides with the desired start time.

3. The cooking device of claim 1, wherein the one or more touch events comprises a first and second touch event, wherein the first touch event is performed on a later point of the virtual timeline and is registered by the touch-sensitive display, which responds by advancing the virtual timeline and the virtual track such that the time period of the virtual timeline now includes times previously unavailable, and wherein the second touch event is performed on a point corresponding to a desired start time previously outside the time period and is registered by the touch-sensitive display, which responds by shifting the one or more instance blocks along the length of the virtual track such that the start time of at least one of the instance blocks coincides with the desired start time.

4. The cooking device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the instance blocks represents one of a bake operation, a broil operation, and a proof operation.

5. The cooking device of claim 1, wherein the one or more instance blocks are positioned along the virtual track in a predetermined order.

6. The cooking device of claim 1, configured to operate in a showroom mode, whereby the controller is prevented from controlling the operation of the one or more heating elements, and wherein the touch-sensitive display remains operational to allow the delay to be specified for demonstration and viewing purposes.

7. The cooking device of claim 1, wherein the operation represented by each instance block is defined by settings associated with a favorite operation or a recently used operation selected by the user.

8. A touch-sensitive display device disposed on a cooking device for displaying an operation tracking screen for the cooking device, the touch-sensitive display device comprising:

a virtual timeline spanning a period of time, wherein the virtual timeline is configured to respond to one or more touch events of the user corresponding to respective mode operations of the cooking device;

a plurality of virtual progress bars comprising one or more instance blocks positioned separate from and relative to the virtual timeline and each of the one or more instance blocks representing a user-selected mode of operation of the cooking device and progressively displayed defining a start time and a duration that is visually related to the virtual timeline

wherein the one or more instance blocks are communicatively coupled to an end time block that includes a projected end time to be displayed for the user-selected mode of operation based on a position of an instance block relative to the virtual timeline;

a virtual progress indicator configured to move relative the virtual timeline and the plurality of virtual progress bars in real time to indicate the progress of the operation represented by each of the instance blocks; and

a hardware controller configured to register the one or more touch events of the user corresponding to respective mode operations of the cooking device on at least one of the virtual timeline and the plurality of virtual progress bars for specifying a delay to a user-desired start time of each selected mode of operation of the cooking device, and in response to the specified delay, automatically shifts the one or more instance blocks together along a length of the plurality of virtual progress bars such that the one or more instance blocks are positioned to have its start time coincide with the user-desired start time relative to the virtual timeline in accordance with the specified delay.

9. The touch-sensitive display of claim 8, wherein the virtual progress indicator comprises a vertical bar.

10. The touch-sensitive display of claim 8, wherein the one or more instance blocks are displayed concurrently.

11. The touch-sensitive display of claim 8, wherein each of the instance blocks is progressively displayed based on the position of the virtual progress indicator.

12. The touch-sensitive display of claim 11, wherein an instance block is only displayed when the virtual progress indicator reaches a scheduled start time of the instance block.

13. The touch-sensitive display of claim 8, configured to be presented on a webpage for viewing purposes.

14. A method of controlling a cooking device, comprising the steps of:

selecting by a user at least one virtual button corresponding to a mode of operation of the cooking device;

displaying a virtual timeline spanning a period of time, and a virtual track positioned separate from and adjacent to the virtual timeline;

wherein the virtual track is populated with one or more instance blocks progressively displayed along the virtual track that each of the one or more instance blocks represents a user-selected mode of operation of the cooking device and defines a start time and a duration that is visually related to the virtual timeline;

wherein the one or more instance blocks are communicatively coupled to an end time block that includes a projected end time to be displayed for the user-selected mode of operation based on a position of an instance block relative to the virtual timeline;

registering one or more touch events of the user corresponding to respective mode operations of the cooking device on at least one of the virtual timeline and the virtual track for specifying a delay to a user-desired start time of each selected mode of operation of the cooking device;

in response to registering the one or more touch events, automatically shifting the one or more instance blocks together along a length of the virtual track such that the one or more instance blocks are positioned to have their start time coincide with the user-desired start time relative to the virtual timeline in accordance with the specified delay; and

controlling the operation of one or more heating elements of the cooking device based on the specified delay to the user-desired start time.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of registering comprises:

registering a single touch event on the virtual track at a point corresponding to a desired start time inside the time period of the virtual timeline; and

shifting the one or more instance blocks along the length of the virtual track such that the start time of at least one of the instance blocks coincides with the desired start time.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of registering comprises:

registering a first touch event on a later point of the virtual timeline;

in response to registering the first touch event, advancing the virtual timeline and the virtual track such that the time period of the virtual timeline now includes times previously unavailable;

registering a second touch event on a point corresponding to a desired start time previously outside the time period; and

in response to registering the second touch event, shifting the one or more instance blocks along the length of the virtual track such that the start time of at least one of the instance blocks coincides with the desired start time.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the instance blocks represents one of a bake operation, a broil operation, and a proof operation.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more instance blocks are positioned along the virtual track in a predetermined order.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of operating the cooking device in a showroom mode, whereby operation of the one or more heating elements is disabled, and wherein the delay is specified for demonstration and viewing purposes.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the operation represented by each instance block is defined by settings associated with a favorite operation or a recently used operation selected by the user.