Directionless rotary encoder control system for a household appliance
First Claim
1. A control system for receiving input from a user, comprising:
- a rotary encoder adapted to be rotated by a user in conjunction with an operation of an appliance, said rotary encoder additionally adapted to generate a signal in response to said user rotation of said rotary encoder, said signal including an indication of a degree and direction of said user rotation;
a memory for storing an indicia representative of a first operational status of said appliance; and
a microcontroller operatively connected to said rotary encoder and said memory, said microcontroller configured to decreases said indicia without regard to said direction of said user rotation when said indicia is at a maximum value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An embodiment of the present invention uses an on-board microcontroller of a household appliance to receive signals from a directionless encoder attached to a knob for receiving user input and processing the signals from the direction encoder according to a control algorithm. The microcontroller may increase the output to an electric heating element on the appliance based on a variety of criteria, including either direction of rotation, current heating element setting, or a change in directional rotation. Alternatively, or in addition, the microcontroller may provide various types of graduated visual or audible feedback to the user.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A control system for receiving input from a user, comprising:
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a rotary encoder adapted to be rotated by a user in conjunction with an operation of an appliance, said rotary encoder additionally adapted to generate a signal in response to said user rotation of said rotary encoder, said signal including an indication of a degree and direction of said user rotation;
a memory for storing an indicia representative of a first operational status of said appliance; and
a microcontroller operatively connected to said rotary encoder and said memory, said microcontroller configured to decreases said indicia without regard to said direction of said user rotation when said indicia is at a maximum value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A system for receiving user input comprising:
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a rotary encoder adapted to be rotated by a user in conjunction with operation of a household appliance, the rotary encoder generating signals associated with an amount of rotation and either a first or second direction of rotation; and
a microcontroller operatively connected to the rotary encoder, the microcontroller adapted to receive signals from the rotary encoder, the microcontroller further adapted to interpret the signals so as to increase an indicia stored in a memory based on the amount of rotation and regardless of the first or second direction of rotation when the indicia is at a minimum value. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of processing signals from a directionless encoder comprising:
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receiving a first signal from a rotary encoder;
determining an first amount of rotation and a first direction of rotation;
determining that an indicia is at a minimum;
increasing the indicia in proportion to the first amount of rotation regardless of the first direction of rotation;
further increasing the indicia in response to second signals from the rotary encoder;
determining that the indicia is at a maximum;
receiving third signals from the rotary encoder and determining a third amount of rotation and a third direction of rotation; and
decreasing the indicia in proportion to the third amount of rotation and regardless of the third direction of rotation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of processing signals from a directionless encoder comprising:
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receiving a first signal from a rotary encoder;
determining an first amount of rotation and a first direction of rotation;
determining that an indicia is at a minimum;
increasing the indicia based on the first amount of rotation regardless of the first direction of rotation;
further increasing the indicia in response to second signals from the rotary encoder;
determining that the indicia is at a maximum;
receiving third signals from the rotary encoder and determining a third amount of rotation and a third direction of rotation; and
decreasing the indicia based on the third amount of rotation only if the third direction of rotation is not equal to the first direction of rotation. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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Specification