Graphical user interface for a household appliance

• US 10,552,025 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2015
• Issued: 02/04/2020
• 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, Jerome, Karlsson, Petter
• Primary Examiner(s): Casillas, Roland J
• Application Number:
  US15/510,054
• Publication Number:
  US 20170300217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/082 on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/086 touch control
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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

Abstract

A user interface includes a touch-sensitive display and a display control unit for controlling the touch-sensitive display. A method for controlling a household appliance using the graphical user interface includes the steps of: displaying a first graphical representation on the touch-sensitive display, the first graphical representation including one or more symbols (V1, V2), each symbol (V1, V2) being associated with an appliance subunit of the household appliance; touching a symbol (V1, V2) by a touching means in order to change of a setting value of the appliance subunit associated with the touched symbol (V1) by moving the touching means; determining the moving speed of the touching means by the display control unit; and displaying information at the touch-sensitive display depending on the determined moving speed of the touching means.

Claims

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

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

touching one of the symbols in the first graphical representation by a touching means in order to select a symbol and change a setting value of the appliance subunit associated with the touched symbol by moving the touching means while keeping the touched symbol touched;

determining the moving speed of the touching means by the display control unit;

if the moving speed is below a threshold value;

transmitting control signals from the display control unit to the touch-sensitive display in order to change the first graphical representation into a second graphical representation;

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

changing the graphical representation at the touch-sensitive display from the second graphical representation to a third graphical representation and taking over the setting value when lifting the touching means from the touch-sensitive display;

if the moving speed is equal to or above said threshold value;

transmitting control signals from the display control unit to the touch-sensitive display in order change the first graphical representation to the third graphical representation;

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

taking over the setting value 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 when the touching means is lifted from the touch-sensitive display in order to adapt an operating parameter of said appliance subunit associated with the touched symbol.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the information regarding a change of a setting value is displayed in proximity to the touched symbol.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the information regarding a change of a setting value is adjusted based on the movement of said touching means such, that the displayed setting value is synchronously or substantially synchronously changed with the movement of said touching means.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the first and third graphical representation comprises a plurality of symbols and the second graphical representation comprises fewer symbols than the first and third graphical representation or only the touched symbol.

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

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

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein if the moving speed is equal to or above the said threshold value, transmitting control signals from the display control unit to the touch-sensitive display in order change the first graphical representation to the third graphical representation, further comprising transmitting control signals to change the first graphical representation directly to the third graphical representation.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the second graphical representation comprises a value range indication regarding the change of the setting value of the appliance subunit of the household appliance, wherein the second graphical representation is not displayed when the moving speed is equal to or above the said threshold value.

21. The method according to claim 1 further comprising, recognizing a touching of a symbol by a touching means and recognizing the movement of the touching means in order to gather information regarding the change of a setting value of the appliance subunit associated with the touched symbol.

22. The method according to claim 1, wherein the number of symbols in the third graphical representation is equal to the number of symbols in the first graphical representation.

10. Graphical user interface for controlling household appliances, the user interface comprising a touch-sensitive display and a display control unit for controlling the touch-sensitive display, the graphical user interface being adapted for:

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

recognizing a touching of one of the symbols by a touching means in order to select a symbol and recognizing the movement of the touching means, while keeping the touched symbol touched, in order to gather information regarding the change of a setting value of the appliance subunit associated with the touched symbol;

determining the moving speed of the touching means by the display control unit;

if the moving speed is below a threshold value;

transmitting control signals from the display control unit to the touch-sensitive display 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 subunit associated with the touched symbol when said touching means is dragged from a first position to a second position at the touch-sensitive display; and

changing the graphical representation at the touch-sensitive display from the second graphical representation to a third graphical representation when lifting the touching means from the touch-sensitive display;

if the moving speed is equal to or above said threshold value;

transmitting control signals from the display control unit to the touch-sensitive display in order to change the first graphical representation to the third graphical representation;

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

taking over the setting value when lifting the touching means from the touch-sensitive display.

11. Graphical user interface according to claim 10, wherein the display control unit is adapted to forward the changed setting value associated with the second position to an appliance control unit when the touching means is lifted from the touch-sensitive display in order to adapt an operating parameter of said appliance subunit associated with the touched symbol.

12. Graphical user interface according to claim 10, wherein the display control unit is adapted to adjust the information regarding a change of a setting value based on the movement of said touching means such, that the displayed setting value is synchronously or substantially synchronously changed with the movement of said touching means.

13. Graphical user interface according to claim 10, wherein the display control unit 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.

14. Graphical user interface according to claim 10, wherein the display control unit is adapted to drive the touch-sensitive display such that the same number of symbols are displayed in the first and third graphical representation and a reduced number of symbols or only the touched symbol are displayed in the second graphical representation.

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

16. Graphical user interface according to claim 10, wherein the display control unit is adapted to drive the touch-sensitive display 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 in association with the touched symbol.

17. Household appliance comprising a graphical user interface according to claim 10.

18. Method according to claim 10, wherein if the moving speed is equal to or above the said threshold value, transmitting control signals in order change the graphical representation to the third graphical representation, further comprising transmitting control signals to change the first graphical representation directly to the third graphical representation.

19. Method according to claim 10, wherein the second graphical representation comprises a value range indication regarding the change of the setting value of the appliance subunit of the household appliance, wherein the second graphical representation is not displayed when the moving speed is equal to or above the said threshold value.

23. The graphical user interface according to claim 10, wherein the number of symbols in the third graphical representation is equal to the number of symbols in the first graphical representation.

20. An appliance comprising a heating zone, a touch-sensitive display, a display control unit to control the touch-sensitive display, an appliance control unit to control heating elements, wherein the touch-sensitive display is configured to:

display a first graphical representation comprising one or more symbols, each symbol associated with the heating elements;

wherein the display control unit is configured to;

recognize a touching of one of the symbols by a touching means in order to select a symbol and recognize the movement of the touching means, while keeping the touched symbol touched, in order to gather information regarding the change of a selected value of the setting value of the heating elements associated with the touched symbol;

determine the moving speed of the touching means;

in response to determining that the moving speed of the touching means is below a threshold value;

transmit control signals to the touch-sensitive display in order to change the first graphical representation into a second graphical representation in response to dragging of the touching means from a first position to a second position at the touch-sensitive display;

drive the touch-sensitive display such that a value range indication is displayed in the second graphical representation in order to indicate which position at the touch-sensitive display is associated with a certain value of the setting value;

in response to lifting the touching means from the touch-sensitive display take over the selected value of the setting value and transmit control signals to the touch-sensitive display in order to change the second graphical representation into a third graphical representation;

in response to determining that the moving speed is above the threshold value;

transmit control signals from the display control unit to the touch-sensitive display in order change the first graphical representation to the third graphical representation; and

take over the selected value of the setting value in response to lifting the touching means from the touch-sensitive display;

wherein the touch-sensitive display is further configured to;

in response to receiving control signals from the display control unit to change the first graphical representation into the second graphical representation, display information regarding a change of the value of the setting value of the heating elements associated with the touched symbol, and display a value range indication in order to indicate which position at the touch-sensitive display is associated with a certain value of the setting value;

in response to receiving control signals from the display control unit to change the first graphical representation into the second graphical representation or into the third graphical representation, display information regarding a change of the value of the setting value of the heating elements associated with the touched symbol;

in response to receiving the control signals to change the second graphical representation into the third graphical representation, change the graphical representation from the second graphical representation to the third graphical representation, wherein the first and the third graphical representation comprise a plurality of symbols and the second graphical representation comprises fewer symbols than the first and the third graphical representation;

wherein the display control unit is further configured to;

in response to lifting of the touching means from the touch-sensitive display, forward to the appliance control unit the changed value of the setting value associated with the second position in order to adapt an operating parameter of the heating elements associated with the touched symbol; and

wherein the appliance control unit is configured to change a setting of the heating elements, in response to receiving the changed value of the setting value associated with the second position from the display control unit.

24. The appliance according to claim 20, wherein the number of symbols in the third graphical representation is equal to the number of symbols in the first graphical representation.