Programmable household appliance with a display device

• US 7,059,003 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2004
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Reinker, Bernward, Götz, Konrad, Czyzewski, Gundula, Sechelmann, Christian Eric, Schulze, Ingo, Salein, Matthias, Bergemann, Heinz-Jürgen, Jähnert, Detlef
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US10/816,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20050016228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 815/8, 815/9, 68/120.2, 68/122.3
• US Class Current: 8/158
• 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 2101/00 User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/04 Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/38 Time, e.g. duration
• 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 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens

Abstract

The invention allows a user of a program-controlled household appliance to obtain comprehensive information concerning different working process parameters by having the appliance include a display device for acoustic signals or optical characters and a memory area of the program control device, which is configured for saving set program parameters and measurement and operational values of the actuators and sensors participating in the program that is running. For such a purpose, the display device contains a display element (field), which is activated upon completion of the working process and contains the comment “Log”, indicating the option of issuing information relating to measurement and operational values that have been saved prior to and/or during the last completed working process.

Claims

1. In a programmable household appliance having actuators and sensors involved in an operating process, a display assembly for at least one of audible and visual symbols comprising:

a program control device connected to the actuators and sensors;

a memory connected to said program control device, said program control device being programmed to store in said memory selected program parameters and measurement and operating values of the actuators and sensors;

a display element for at least one of audible and visual symbols, said display element being connected to said program control device; and

said program control device being programmed;

to switch on said display element once the operating process has completed; and

to cause said display element to display information about an ability to output information regarding said measurement and operating values stored at least one of before and during the operating process most recently carried out.

2. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said display element has an at least one-line display and said information is an image of an alphanumeric word interpreted by a user.

3. The household appliance according to claim 2, wherein said word is information about a record to be called up by the user about a work program most recently carried out.

4. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said display element has an operating device that, upon operation thereof, initiates a sequence of information outputs about said measurement and operating values.

5. The household appliance according to claim 4, wherein:

said display element has a multi-line display with a visual display element; and

said operating device is a manually operated key disposed alongside said visual display element.

6. The household appliance according to claim 4, wherein each operation of said operating device continues said sequence of information outputs item-by-item.

7. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said information relates to selected program parameters for the operating process most recently carried out.

8. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said information relates to said measurement and operating values for the operating process most recently carried out.

9. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein said measurement values relate to a measured program duration.

10. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein:

the appliance is a washing machine; and

said measurement values relate to an automatically determined load quantity with washing to be treated.

11. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein said measurement values relate to an amount of energy consumed.

12. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein:

the appliance is selected from one of the group consisting of a washing machine and a dishwasher; and

said measurement values relate to an amount of water consumed.

13. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein said measurement values relate to an intensity of treatment sections.

14. The household appliance according to claim 13, wherein:

the appliance is selected from one of the group consisting of a washing machine and a dishwasher; and

said treatment section is at least one of a main washing, a main rinsing, and a rinsing.

15. The household appliance according to claim 13, wherein:

the appliance is selected from one of the group consisting of a washing machine and a dishwasher; and

said treatment section is a final rinsing.

16. The household appliance according to claim 13, wherein:

the appliance is a washing machine; and

said treatment section is spin drying.

17. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein:

the appliance is selected from one of the group consisting of a washing machine and a dishwasher; and

said operating values relate to foam identification.

18. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein:

the appliance is a washing machine; and

said operating values relate to a spin-drying program section procedure.

19. In a programmable household appliance having actuators and sensors involved in an operating process, a memory, and a program control device connected to the memory, to the actuators, and to the sensors, the program control device being programmed to store in the memory selected program parameters and measurement and operating values of the actuators and sensors, a display assembly for at least one of audible and visual symbols comprising:

a display element connected to the program control device, said display element;

being switched on by said program control device once the operating process has completed; and

displaying information about a capability to output information about said measurement and operating values stored at least one of before and during the operating process most recently carried out.

20. In a programmable household appliance, a control system comprising:

a program control device;

actuators and sensors involved in an operating process of the appliance, said actuators and said sensors connected to said program control device;

a display for at least one of audible and visual symbols being connected to said program control device, said display device having a display element;

a memory area connected to said program control device,

said program control device being programmed;

to store in said memory;

selected program parameters; and

measurement and operating values of the actuators and sensors;

to switch on said display element once the operating process has completed and to display with said display element information about a capability to output information about said measurement and operating values stored at least one of before and during the operating process most recently carried out.

21. A method for operating a programmable household appliance having actuators and sensors involved in an operating process, which comprises:

providing a program control device with a memory and a display element for displaying at least one of audible and visual symbols;

connecting the program control device to the actuators and the sensors;

recording selected program parameters of the operating process in the memory at least one of before and during the operating process;

storing in the memory at least one of measurement values and operating values of at least one of the actuators and the sensors at least one of before, during, and after the operating process; and

switching on the display element with the program control device once an operating process has completed and displaying, on the display element, information about an ability to output information regarding the selected program parameters and the measurement and operating values stored at least one of before, during, and after the operating process most recently carried out.

22. The method according to claim 21, which further comprises:

providing the display element with an operating device; and

initiating a sequence of information outputs about the measurement and operating values upon operation of the operating device.

23. The method according to claim 22, which further comprises successively operating the operating device to sequentially display the information outputs item-by-item.

24. The method according to claim 21, which further comprises outputting information on the display including at least one of:

at least one of the program parameters for the operating process most recently carried out; and

at least one of the measurement and operating values for the operating process most recently carried out.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein the measurement values include a measured program duration.

26. The method according to claim 24, which further comprises:

providing the program control device, the memory, and the display element in a washing machine; and

storing measurement values including at least one of;

an automatically determined load quantity with washing to be treated;

an intensity of treatment sections;

an amount of energy consumed; and

an amount of water consumed; and

storing operating values include at least one of foam identification and a spin-drying program section procedure.

27. The method according to claim 26, which further comprises storing treatment sections including at least one of a main washing, a main rinsing, a rinsing, a final rinsing, and spin drying.

28. The method according to claim 24, which further comprises:

providing the program control device, the memory, and the display element in a dishwasher; and

storing measurement values including;

an automatically determined load quantity with washing to be treated;

an intensity of treatment sections;

an amount of energy consumed; and

an amount of water consumed.

29. The method according to claim 28, storing treatment sections including at least one of a main washing, a main rinsing, a rinsing, and a final rinsing.