Graphical User Interface

• US 20170285926A1
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Published: 10/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag (AB Electrolux)
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Appliances Aktiebolag (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Brasseur, Jrme, Karlsson, Petter
• Granted Patent: US 10,705,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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: A47L 2301/00 Manual input in controlling methods of washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware, i.e. information entered by a user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/00 User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/28 Electric heating
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/086 touch control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A user interface includes a touch-sensitive display and a display control unit for controlling the display. A method for controlling a household appliance using the graphical user interface includes the steps of: displaying a first graphical representation on the display, the first graphical representation including symbols, each symbol being associated with an appliance subunit of the household appliance; when a symbol is touched by a touching means, transmitting control signals from the control unit to the display to change the first graphical representation into a second graphical representation; displaying information regarding a change of a setting value of the appliance entity associated with the touched symbol when the touching means is dragged from a first position to a second position at the display; and changing the graphical representation at the display from the second graphical representation to a third graphical representation when lifting the touching means from the display.

Claims

1. Method for controlling a household appliance (1) using a graphical user interface, the user interface comprising a touch-sensitive display (3) and a display control unit (4) for controlling the touch-sensitive display (3), the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a first graphical representation on the touch-sensitive display (3), the first graphical representation comprising one or more symbols (V1, V2), each symbol (V1, V2) associated with an appliance subunit of the household appliance;

when a symbol (V1, V2) is touched by a touching means, transmitting control signals from the display control unit (4) to the touch-sensitive display (3) in order to change the first graphical representation into a second graphical representation;

displaying information regarding a change of a setting value of the appliance entity associated with the touched symbol (V1) when said touching means is dragged from a first position to a second position at the touch-sensitive display (3); and

changing the graphical representation at the touch-sensitive display (3) from the second graphical representation to a third graphical representation when lifting the touching means from the touch-sensitive display.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the changed setting value associated with the second position is forwarded to an appliance control unit (5) when the touching means is lifted from the touch-sensitive display.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the first and third graphical representation comprises a plurality of symbols (V1, V2) and the second graphical representation comprises fewer symbols than the first and third graphical representation or only the single touched symbol (V1).

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein a value range indication (7) is displayed in the second graphical representation in order to indicate which position at the touch-sensitive display (3) is associated with a certain setting value.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the changed setting value is displayed for a limited period of time on the touch-sensitive display (3) in association with the touched symbol after lifting the touching means from the touch-sensitive display at the second position.

6. Graphical user interface for controlling household appliances, the user interface comprising a touch-sensitive display (3) and a display control unit (4) for controlling the touch-sensitive display (3), the touch-sensitive display (3) being adapted for displaying one or more symbols (V1, V2) associated with an appliance entity of the household appliance in a first graphical representation, the display control unit (4) being configured to change the first graphical representation displayed by the touch-sensitive display (3) to a second graphical representation when a symbol is touched by touching means, the touch-sensitive display being configured to display information regarding a change of a setting value of the appliance entity associated with the touched symbol (V1) when said touching means is dragged from a first position to a second position at the touch-sensitive display (3) and the display control unit (4) being configured to change the second graphical representation to a third graphical representation after lifting the touching means from the touch-sensitive display (3).

7. Graphical user interface according to claim 6, wherein the display control unit (4) is adapted to forward the changed setting value associated with the second position to an appliance control unit (5) when the touching means is lifted from the touch-sensitive display (3).

8. Graphical user interface according to claim 6, wherein the display control unit (4) is adapted to reduce the number of symbols to be displayed in the second graphical representation with respect to the number of symbols displayed in the first graphical representation.

9. Graphical user interface according to claim 6, wherein the display control unit is adapted to drive the touch-sensitive display (3) such that the same number of symbols (V1, V2) are displayed in the first and third graphical representation and a reduced number of symbols or only the single touched symbol (V1) are displayed in the second graphical representation.

10. Graphical user interface according to claim 6, wherein the display control unit (4) is adapted to drive the touch-sensitive display (3) such that a value range indication (7) is displayed in the second graphical representation in order to indicate which position at the touch-sensitive display (3) is associated with a certain setting value.

11. Graphical user interface according to claim 6, wherein the display control unit (4) is adapted to drive the touch-sensitive display (3) such that after lifting the touching means at the second position, the chosen setting value is displayed for a limited period of time on the touch-sensitive display (3) in association with the touched symbol.

12. Household appliance comprising a graphical user interface according to claim 6.

13. An appliance (1) comprising a heating zone (2), a touch-sensitive display (3), a display control unit (4) to control the touch-sensitive display (3), an appliance control unit (5) to control heating elements (6), wherein the touch-sensitive display (3) is configured to:

display a first graphical representation comprising one or more symbols (V1, V2), each symbol (V1, V2) associated with the heating elements (6);

wherein the display control unit (4) is configured to;

transmit control signals to the touch-sensitive display (3), to change the first graphical representation into a second graphical representation, in response to a touch on the symbol (V1, V2) by a touching means, wherein the number of symbols to be displayed in the second graphical representation is reduced with respect to the number of symbols displayed in the first graphical representation;

wherein the touch-sensitive display (3) is configured to;

display a value range indication (7) in the second graphical representation in order to indicate which position at the touch-sensitive display (3) is associated with a certain setting value, and is further configured to;

display information regarding a change of a setting value of the heating elements (6) associated with the touched symbol (V1) when said touching means is dragged from a first position to a second position at the touch-sensitive display (3); and

wherein the display control unit (4) is configured to;

change the graphical representation at the touch-sensitive display (3) from the second graphical representation to a third graphical representation in response to lifting of the touching means from the touch-sensitive display (3), and is further configured to;

forward to the appliance control unit (5) a setting value associated with the second position in response to lifting of the touching means from the touch-sensitive display (3).