Variable volume signaling device for an appliance

• US 6,160,245 A
• Filed: 05/19/1999
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Broker, John F., Gardner, Douglas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCHALL, MARK H
• Application Number:
  US09/314,447
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 219/506, 219/497, 219/492, 219/494, 219/720, 219/412-414, 307/117, 307/118, 340/384.1, 340/384.72, 340/392.3
• US Class Current: 219/506
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/06 Type or material
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/12 Washing temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/14 Time settings
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/20 Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programs, service modes or refreshment cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/6435 Aspects relating to the user interface of the microwave heating apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/66 Circuits

Abstract

An appliance is provided with a feedback system which audibly signals both the activation of user input controls and when the appliance reaches a certain operational stage. The system functions to adjust both of the feedback signals upon a single setting change made by a user, preferably at varying volume rates. In the preferred embodiment, the volume level for the operational stage signal is adjusted multiple times the volume level for the user input control signal as the setting is switched between any of low, medium and high settings.

Claims

1. An appliance comprising:

a control panel including user input controls for establishing a desired operation of the appliance, with the desired operation having an associated operational stage;

a device for outputting audible signals upon both an activation of the user input controls and when the appliance reaches the operational stage, said device being adapted to output a first audible signal upon the activation of the user input controls and a second audible signal when the appliance reaches the operational stage; and

a control system for selectively adjusting volume levels of the first and second audible signals.

2. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the control system adjusts the volume levels of the first and second audible signals at varying rates.

3. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the control system includes at least one manual signal level selector which can be selectively controlled by a user to simultaneously adjust the volume levels of both the first and second audible signals.

4. The appliance according to claim 3, wherein the at least one signal level selector has multiple volume establishing positions.

5. The appliance according to claim 4, wherein the volume level of the second audible signal is adjusted multiple times the volume level of the first audible signal through each of the multiple volume establishing positions.

6. The appliance according to claim 5, wherein the multiple volume establishing positions include low, medium and high settings.

7. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the volume level of the second audible signal has a low to high sound range which is multiple times greater than a low to high sound range for the first audible signal.

8. The appliance according to claim 7, wherein the low to high sound range of the second audible signal is at least three times the low to high sound range of the first audible signal.

9. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the control system includes frequency altering means for adjusting the volume levels.

10. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the control system includes pulse width modulation circuitry for adjusting the volume levels.

11. The appliance according to claim 1, wherein the control system includes voltage doubling means for adjusting the volume levels.

12. An appliance comprising:

a control panel including user input controls for establishing a desired operation of the appliance, with the desired operation having an associated operational stage;

means for outputting audible signals upon both an activation of the user input controls and when the appliance reaches the operational stage, said outputting means being adapted to output a first audible signal upon the activation of the user input controls and a second audible signal when the appliance reaches the operational stage; and

means for simultaneously adjusting each of the first and second audible signals between low and high volume levels, wherein the volume level of the second audible signal has a low to high range which is multiple times greater than a low to high sound range of the first audible signal.

13. The appliance according to claim 12, wherein the low to high sound range of each of the first and second audible signals includes low, medium and high settings.

14. The appliance according to claim 12, wherein the adjusting means includes a manual signal level selector which can be selectively controlled by a user to simultaneously adjust the volume levels of both the first and second audible signals.

15. The appliance according to claim 14, wherein the manual signal level selector has multiple volume establishing positions.

16. The appliance according to claim 15, wherein the volume levels of the first and second audible signals are adjusted at varying rates.

17. The appliance according to claim 15, wherein the multiple volume establishing positions include low, medium and high settings.

18. The appliance according to claim 12, wherein said adjusting means includes frequency altering means for adjusting the volume levels.

19. The appliance according to claim 12, wherein said adjusting means includes pulse width modulation circuitry for adjusting the volume levels.

20. The appliance according to claim 12, wherein said adjusting means includes voltage doubling means for adjusting the volume levels.

21. A method of simultaneously controlling the audible signaling of both an activation of user input controls and an operational stage of an appliance comprising:

selectively changing the audible signaling from a first setting to a second setting; and

automatically adjusting a volume level for the audible signaling of the operational stage to a greater extent than a volume level for the audible signaling of the activation of the user input controls upon changing from the first setting to the second setting.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

changing between the first and second settings through the manual operation of a signal level selector.

23. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

adjusting the volume for the audible signaling of the operational stage multiple times the volume for the audible signaling of the activation of the user input controls upon changing from the first setting to the second setting.

24. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

changing the audible signal by selecting between at least off, low, medium and high settings.

25. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

adjusting the volume levels by altering a voltage frequency delivered to an audible device.

26. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

adjusting the volume levels by controlling a pulse width modulation signal delivered to an audible device.

27. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

adjusting the volume levels through the use of voltage doubling circuitry.