Communication device for interaction with a household appliance

Abstract

A communication device (150) for interacting with a household appliance (110) is described, wherein the household appliance (110) comprises a camera (113) configured to capture household appliance image data (116). The communication device (150) comprises an interface unit (153) configured to connect to a complementary interface unit (133) of a display device (130) in order to connect the communication device (150) to the display device (130). The communication device (150) is configured to automatically establish a communication link (115) with the household appliance (110). Furthermore, the communication device (150) is configured to receive the household appliance image data (116) via the communication link (115) and to make it available via the interface unit (153) for playback on the screen (131) of the display device (130).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a communication device that enables convenient interaction with a household appliance.

[0002] A household appliance, such as an oven, a refrigerator, or a robot vacuum cleaner, may have a camera configured to capture image data. The image data may comprise a temporal sequence of images, in particular a video. The image data may, for example, relate to the interior and / or surroundings of the household appliance. For example, the image data captured by the camera of an oven may relate to a food item located in the cooking chamber of the oven.

[0003] The household appliance can be connected to a backend server via a communications network, e.g., a wireless LAN, through which the image data can be provided to a mobile device, such as a smartphone, of a user of the household appliance. Integrating the household appliance into a communications network, connecting the household appliance to a backend server, and indirectly coupling a mobile device to the household appliance via the backend server can be difficult to implement for a technically inexperienced user.

[0004] CN 206890984 U deals with a refrigerator with a camera. WO 2017 / 028451 A1 discloses a method that reminds users to eat based on the contents of a refrigerator. DE 10 2018 219 754 A1 describes an interaction device for controlling a household appliance with a projector. CN 216852189 U discloses an intelligent gateway for supporting access to a set-top box signal. This document deals with the technical task of enabling particularly convenient remote interaction with a household appliance.

[0005] The problem is solved by the subject matter of the independent patent claim. Advantageous embodiments are defined in particular in the dependent patent claims, described in the following description, or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0006] According to one aspect, a communication device for interacting with a household appliance is described, wherein the household appliance comprises a camera configured to capture household appliance image data. Examples of household appliances are: an oven, a refrigerator, a microwave oven, a cleaning robot, a dishwasher, a washing machine, etc. The household appliance may have an interior in which one or more objects can be arranged. The camera may be configured to capture household appliance image data relating to the interior, in particular relating to the one or more objects in the interior. Alternatively or additionally, the household appliance image data may relate to the immediate surroundings of the household appliance. The household appliance image data may comprise a temporal sequence of images, in particular a video stream.

[0007] The communication device comprises an interface unit configured to be connected to a complementary interface unit of a display device in order to connect the communication device to the display device. The display device can be a television or a computer monitor. The interface unit of the communication device can be configured to form a plug connection with the complementary interface unit of the display device. By connecting the interface units, an HDMI, in particular an HDMI-CEC, connection can be provided.

[0008] The communication device is configured to automatically establish a (wireless and / or radio-based) communication connection with the household appliance. The communication connection can be direct (point-to-point) between the communication device and the household appliance (without a network unit of a communication network arranged in between). The communication connection can include, in particular, a Bluetooth (in particular Bluetooth Low Energy, BLE) and / or a wireless LAN (WLAN) connection.

[0009] The communication device can be configured such that a communication connection can be established exclusively with a single specific household appliance, in particular with a household appliance that has a specific identifier, in particular a specific media access control address. Furthermore, the communication device can be configured such that a communication connection cannot be established either simultaneously or consecutively with any other household appliance other than the specific household appliance.

[0010] The communication device can thus be provided specifically for a specific household appliance. For example, the communication device can be delivered directly with the household appliance. This allows the (wireless) communication connection to be established in a particularly convenient manner (especially without user intervention).

[0011] The communication device may have a memory unit (e.g. a read-only memory (ROM)) in which configuration data for establishing the communication connection with the household appliance is stored. Examples of configuration data are • the identifier, in particular the Media Access Control address, of the household appliance, by which the household appliance is uniquely identified in a communications network; and / or • Authentication information, in particular a password, through which the communication device can authenticate itself to the household appliance.

[0012] The configuration data is preferably stored in the communication device's memory unit ex works and / or in the delivery state of the communication device. Alternatively or additionally, the configuration data can be stored permanently and / or unchangeably in the communication device's memory unit.

[0013] The communication device can be designed to establish the communication connection with the household appliance in a particularly convenient and reliable manner on the basis of the stored configuration data.

[0014] The communication device is further configured to receive the household appliance image data via the communication connection and to provide it via the interface unit for display on the screen of the display device. The communication device can, if necessary, explicitly cause the household appliance image data to be displayed on the screen of the display device. Alternatively or additionally, the user can be enabled (using the remote control of the display device) to select the channel of the interface unit of the display device to which the communication device is connected, thereby causing the household appliance image data to be displayed on the screen of the display device.

[0015] A communication device is thus described which enables convenient and reliable reproduction of household appliance image data for remote monitoring and / or remote control of a household appliance.

[0016] The communication device is designed to receive an operating signal generated by actuating an operating element of the remote control of the display device. The remote control of the display device can, for example, be designed to generate infrared (IR) signals that are received as operating signals by the display device. Different operating elements of the remote control can typically generate different operating signals. Examples of operating signals that can be generated by the remote control are: • an operating signal caused by a volume control element (e.g. a rocker switch) of the remote control, which is intended to change the playback volume of the display device; and / or • an operating signal caused by a program control element (e.g. a rocker switch) of the remote control, which is intended to change an audio and / or video program reproduced by the display device; and / or • an operating signal caused by a selection control element (e.g. an OK control element) on the remote control, which is intended to confirm a selection; and / or • an operating signal caused by a start / stop control element of the remote control, which is intended to start or stop playback of an audio and / or video program by the display device.

[0017] The communication device can also be configured to determine a function signal corresponding to the received operating signal for controlling a function of the household appliance. Different operating signals can be assigned to different function signals (for different functions of the household appliance). Examples of function signals include: • a function signal designed to select an operating program of the household appliance; and / or • a function signal designed to set an operating parameter, in particular a temperature and / or a time period, of the household appliance; and / or • a function signal configured to confirm a selection of an operating program and / or an operating parameter; and / or • a function signal designed to start or stop an operating program.

[0018] The communication device can have an assignment unit, in particular with a look-up table, which is designed to assign a corresponding plurality of different function signals to a plurality of different operating signals. This allows the function signal associated with an operating signal to be determined in a particularly reliable manner.

[0019] Furthermore, the communication device can be designed to send the function signal determined for a received operating signal to the household appliance via the communication connection in order to control the function of the household appliance.

[0020] This enables the user to control the household appliance in a convenient and reliable manner using the remote control of the display device.

[0021] The communication device is designed to receive an operating signal caused by the actuation of an operating element, in particular a menu operating element, of the remote control of the display device. Furthermore, the communication device is designed to provide, in response to the receipt of the operating signal via the interface unit, a graphical user interface for controlling the household appliance for display on the screen of the display device, in particular in addition to and / or overlaid with the household appliance image data. Alternatively or additionally, in response to the receipt of the operating signal via the interface unit, the graphical user interface for controlling the household appliance can be directly displayed on the screen of the display device, in particular in addition to and / or overlaid with the household appliance image data.

[0022] The user interface can contain a variety of menu items associated with different functions of the household appliance. Examples of menu items are • a menu item for selecting an operating program for the household appliance; • a menu item for setting an operating parameter (in particular the temperature and / or duration) of an operating program of the household appliance; and / or • a menu item for starting or stopping an operating program.

[0023] The different menu items can be associated with different function signals.

[0024] The communication device can be configured to receive one or more additional operating signals based on one or more corresponding actuations of a respective operating element of the remote control. Furthermore, the communication device can be configured to identify, based on the one or more additional operating signals, the menu item selected by the user of the display device from the plurality of different menu items of the graphical user interface. The function signal corresponding to the identified menu item can then be sent to the household appliance via the communication connection for controlling the household appliance.

[0025] By providing a graphical user interface for controlling the household appliance via the screen of the display device, a particularly convenient and reliable interaction with the household appliance can be provided.

[0026] The communication device can be configured to receive a control signal sent by the household appliance via the communication connection. The control signal can be sent in response to an event detected at the household appliance. The communication device can further be configured, in response to receiving the control signal, to cause the household appliance image data to be displayed on the screen of the display device. The household appliance image data can be displayed instead of standard screen data that is displayed on the screen (at the respective time).

[0027] This allows event-controlled playback of the household appliance image data through the display device to enable particularly convenient and reliable remote monitoring of the household appliance.

[0028] According to another aspect, a system for interacting with a household appliance is described, wherein the system comprises the household appliance, and wherein the household appliance has a camera configured to capture household appliance image data. Furthermore, the system comprises the communication device described in this document.

[0029] As already explained, the household appliance and the communication device are configured to establish a communication connection via which the household appliance image data can be transmitted from the household appliance to the communication device. The household appliance and the communication device can be configured, in the respective factory delivery state, to automatically establish the communication connection upon startup of the household appliance and / or the communication device, in particular without requiring any user input from a user of the household appliance.

[0030] If necessary, the communication device can be designed in such a way that the communication device does not have any user interface via which a user could expand the communication connection with a household appliance.

[0031] The household appliance can be configured to detect an event. The event can be detected based on the household appliance image data. The household appliance image data can be analyzed, e.g., to determine the state of one or more objects in the interior of the household appliance. Based on the analysis of the household appliance image data, in particular based on the determined state of the one or more objects, an event can then be detected.

[0032] The household appliance may further be configured to send a control signal to the communication device via the communication connection in response to the detected event in order to cause the communication device to display the household appliance image data on the display device to which the communication device is connected.

[0033] It should be noted that any aspects of the communication device and / or system described in this document can be combined in a variety of ways. In particular, the features of the patent claims can be combined in a variety of ways.

[0034] The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary system for remote interaction with a household appliance; Fig. 2a an exemplary reproduction of standard image data on the display device; Fig. 2b shows an exemplary display of household appliance image data on the display device; Fig. 2b shows an exemplary representation of a graphical user interface for controlling the household appliance; Fig. 3a is a flowchart of an exemplary method for remotely controlling a household appliance; and Fig. 3b is a flowchart of an exemplary method for controlling image display on a display device.

[0035] As stated at the beginning, this document is concerned with enabling a user to conveniently interact remotely with a household appliance. In this context, Fig. 1 shows an exemplary system 100 with a household appliance 110 and a display device 130. Exemplary household appliances 110 are: an oven, a microwave oven, a refrigerator, a dishwasher, a washing machine, a dryer, a robot vacuum cleaner, etc. Exemplary display devices 130 are a television or a computer monitor.

[0036] The household appliance 110 can have a camera 113 configured to capture image data relating to the interior and / or the immediate surroundings of the household appliance 110. The image data can comprise one or more images, in particular a temporal sequence of images, such as a video stream. In the illustrated example, the camera 113 of the household appliance 110 is configured to capture image data relating to an object 114, in particular a food item, which is arranged in the interior, in particular in the cooking chamber, of the household appliance 110, in particular the oven.

[0037] The household appliance 110 can comprise a communication unit 112 which is configured to communicate with an external unit, e.g. with a backend server (not shown), via a wireless communication connection, e.g. via Bluetooth Low Energy and / or via wireless LAN (WLAN). A control unit 111 of the household appliance 110 can cause the image data captured by the camera 113 to be sent via the communication unit 112 to the external unit, in particular to the backend server. A mobile user device, such as a smartphone (not shown), can be enabled to connect to the backend server in order to receive the image data from the backend server and to display it on the user device.

[0038] Providing remote access to the household appliance 110 via a backend server may be perceived as complicated by a technically inexperienced user. This document describes a communication device 150 that is configured to automatically establish a communication connection 115 with the household appliance 110. The communication device 150 can, for example, be delivered together with the household appliance 110 and can therefore already have all the necessary configuration data that enable the communication device 150 to automatically establish the communication connection 115 with the household appliance 110 upon commissioning (without any user input being required). The communication connection 115 can, for example, be a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and / or a WLAN communication connection.

[0039] The communication device 150 may be configured such that it cannot be reconfigured (by a user) for a communication connection 115 with another household appliance 110. Preferably, the communication device 150 does not have a user interface, in particular, a user interface through which such a reconfiguration could be performed.

[0040] The communication device 150 can have an interface unit 153 configured to be connected to a complementary interface unit 133 of the display device 130. The two interface units 133, 153 can be configured to form a plug-in connection, wherein the interface unit 153 of the communication device 150 can be configured as a plug and the complementary interface unit 133 of the display device 130 can be configured as a socket. The interface units 133, 153 are preferably configured according to the HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) standard. Furthermore, the CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) standard or a protocol standard with a corresponding range of functions can be supported.

[0041] The communication device 150 can thus be plugged by a user into a suitable interface unit 133 of the display device 130 (similar to a DVD player). The fact that a device has been plugged into an interface unit 133 is often displayed by the display device 130 on the screen 131 of the display device 130. In particular, the channel (e.g., "HDMI 1") of the interface unit 133 to which a device has been connected is often displayed on the screen 131. The user of the display device 130 can then conveniently select the channel of the interface unit 133 using the remote control 140 of the display device 130. This results in the image data provided via the interface unit 133 being displayed on the screen 131 of the display device 130.

[0042] The interface unit 133 of the display device 130 can be configured to provide the power supply for a device that has been connected to the interface unit 133. The communication device 150 can be configured to obtain its operating power via the interface unit 153. By connecting the interface unit 153 of the communication device 150 to the interface unit 133 of the display device 130, the communication device 150 can thus be supplied with power and subsequently activated. The communication connection 150 with the communication unit 112 of the household appliance 110 can then be automatically established, e.g., based on the configuration data stored in the communication device 150.Furthermore, the image data 116 captured by the camera 113 of the household appliance 110 can be automatically transmitted via the communication connection 115 to the communication device 150 and via the interface units 133, 153 to the display device 130. If the user of the display device 130 has selected the interface unit 133 for displaying image data, the image data 116 from the camera 113 is displayed on the screen 131 of the display device 130.

[0043] Fig. 2a illustrates a situation in which standard image data 201, e.g., a specific television program and / or a live broadcast of a sporting event, is displayed on the screen 131 of the display device 130. The user can actively cause the household appliance image data 116 to be displayed on the screen 131, e.g., instead of the standard image data 201 or possibly in an additional window, by actuating a control element 141 of the remote control 140 of the display device 130, as shown by way of example in Fig. 2b.

[0044] The control unit 111 of the household appliance 110 can be configured to detect a specific event on the household appliance 110, in particular an event related to the household appliance image data 116. For example, the detection of an event that a cooking program of the household appliance 110 has ended can be detected. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit 111 can evaluate the image data 116 from the camera 113, and, for example, the detection of an event that the object 114 in the interior of the household appliance 110 has reached a specific target state (e.g., a specific degree of browning) can be detected.

[0045] In response to the detection of an event, the control unit 111 can cause a control signal 117 to be sent to the display device 130 via the communication connection 115 and the communication device 150. The control signal 117 can be designed to cause the display device 130 to display the household appliance image data 116 (instead of or in addition to the standard image data 201) on the display 131. This allows the user to be conveniently informed of the detected event.

[0046] As in Fig. 1, there is a communication interface 142 between the remote control 140 and the display device 130, wherein the communication interface 142 is typically based on an infrared (IR) signal, e.g., an IR carrier signal having a frequency of 38 kHz.

[0047] The remote control 140 typically has a plurality of different control elements 141, e.g., one or more buttons and / or one or more rocker switches. The control elements 141 can be used, for example, • select a specific TV channel; • to switch from a current TV channel to the next higher or lower TV channel; • increase or decrease the playback volume (based on the current volume); and / or • to confirm a specific selection.

[0048] Actuating an operating element 141 of the remote control 140 typically results in a specific operating signal 147 being sent to the display device 130 via the communication interface 142. The different operating elements 141 of the remote control 140 are associated with different operating signals 147. The display device 130 is configured, e.g., using a look-up table, to determine the function of the display device 130 associated with a received operating signal 147. For example, for the operating signal 147 associated with actuating the volume rocker switch of the remote control 140, the change in the playback volume of the display device 130 can be determined as a function.

[0049] The remote control 140 of the display device 130 can be configured to control the household appliance 110, in particular when the household appliance image data 116 is displayed on the screen 131 of the display device 130. For this purpose, the display device 130 can be configured to forward the operating signal 147 associated with the actuation of a specific operating element 141 (via the interface unit 133) to the communication device 150, in particular when the household appliance image data 116 is displayed on the screen 131 of the display device 130. Furthermore, the communication device 150 can be configured, e.g., using a loop-up table, to determine the function of the household appliance 110 associated with the respective operating signal 147. In particular, a function signal 118 corresponding to the operating signal 147 can be determined.

[0050] The function signal 118 can be sent to the household appliance 110 via the communication connection 115. Furthermore, the control unit 111 of the household appliance 110 can cause the function of the household appliance 110 corresponding to the function signal 118 to be executed. For example, the user can be enabled to change (in particular, increase or decrease) the target temperature for the interior, in particular for the cooking chamber, of the household appliance 110 by operating the volume rocker switch on the remote control 140.

[0051] The communication device 150 can be configured to display, alternatively or in addition to the household appliance image data 116, a graphical user interface for controlling the household appliance 110 on the screen 131 of the screen device 130, as shown by way of example in Fig. 2c. For example, the user can be enabled to cause the communication device 150 to display the graphical user interface 210 on the screen 131 by actuating a specific control element 141, e.g., the menu control element 141. The user can then navigate to a specific menu item 211, 212, 213 of the user interface 210 using the remote control 140, e.g., using the various arrow control elements 141 of the remote control 140, and select the specific menu item 211, 212, 213 (e.g., using the OK control element 141). In response, the communication device 150 can send the function signal 118 associated with the selected menu item 211, 212, 213 to the household appliance 110. This enables particularly convenient remote control of the household appliance 110.

[0052] In the Fig. In the example shown in Figure 2c, the user interface 210 for the household appliance 110 has, for example, a first menu item 211 for selecting an operating program, a second menu item 212 for specifying a target temperature for the interior of the household appliance 110, and / or a third menu item 213 for specifying the operating time of the operating program of the household appliance 110.

[0053] Thus, a communication device 150 is described which provides a technically low-threshold video transmission from a household appliance 110 to a host device (in particular TV) 130, and / or which enables the operation of the household appliance 110 via the remote control 140 of the host device 130.

[0054] The communication device 150 (which can also be referred to as a "streaming stick"), which is specifically tailored to the household appliance 110, transmits a video stream 116 from the household appliance 110 to a suitable host device 130 (i.e., a display device). Due to the pre-configured coupling between the communication device 150 and the household appliance 110, no further configuration is required. Once the household appliance 110 is in operation, the video stream 116 can be accessed on the host device 130 by setting the appropriate channel (e.g., HDMI) on the host device 130.

[0055] Using a protocol such as HDMI-CEC, the remote control 140 of the host device 130 can transmit a command 147 (i.e., an operating signal) to the connected communication device 150, which in turn is forwarded (as a function signal 118) from the communication device 150 to the household appliance 110. For example, the temperature of an oven can be adjusted using the volume buttons of a TV remote control 140.

[0056] Alternatively or additionally, the communication device 150 can be configured, e.g., via HDMI-CEC, to set the active channel on the host device 130. If a particular event is detected on the household appliance 110 (e.g., the expiration of a set timer or an event from an intelligent baking monitor), the communication device 150 can cause the current channel (e.g., a TV channel) to be switched to the connection (e.g., HDMI1) of the communication device 150 in order to bring the household appliance 110 into the user's focus.

[0057] Fig. 3a shows a flowchart of a (possibly computer-implemented) method 300 for interacting with a household appliance 110. The method 300 can be executed by the communication device 150 described in this document. The method 310 comprises determining 301, in particular receiving, an operating signal 147 caused by actuating an operating element 141 of the remote control 140 of the display device 130. Furthermore, the method 300 comprises determining 302 a function signal 118 corresponding to the operating signal 147 for controlling a function of the household appliance 110. The function signal 118 can be sent to the household appliance 110 via the communication connection 115 in order to control the function of the household appliance 110.

[0058] Fig.3b shows a flowchart of a (possibly computer-implemented) method 310 for interacting with a household appliance 110. The method 310 can be executed by the communication device 150 described in this document. The method 310 comprises determining 311, in particular receiving, a control signal 117 sent by the household appliance 110. The control signal 117 can, for example, have been generated in response to an event detected at the household appliance 110. The method 310 further comprises causing 312 the household appliance image data 116 to be displayed on the screen 131 of the display device 130.

[0059] The measures described in this document can increase the accessibility of operating a household appliance 110 for users with limited mobility, such as seniors. Furthermore, the technical barrier to operating a household appliance 110 in this way can be reduced.

[0060] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown. In particular, it should be noted that the description and figures are intended only to illustrate the principle of the proposed device and / or system.

Claims

[1] Communication device (150) for interacting with a household appliance (110), wherein the household appliance (110) comprises a camera (113) configured to capture household appliance image data (116); wherein - the communication device (150) comprises an interface unit (153) which is designed to be connected to a complementary interface unit (133) of a display device (130) in order to connect the communication device (150) to the display device (130); - the communication device (150) is designed to automatically establish a communication connection (115) with the household appliance (110); and - the communication device (150) is designed to receive the household appliance image data (116) via the communication connection (115) and to provide it via the interface unit (153) for display on a screen (131) of the screen device (130); characterized by that the communication device (150) is designed - to receive an operating signal (147) caused by an actuation of an operating element (141) of a remote control (140) of the display device (130); and - in response to the receipt of the operating signal (147) via the interface unit (153), to provide a graphical user interface (210) for controlling the household appliance (110) for display on the screen (131) of the display device (130); and / or - in response to the receipt of the operating signal (147) via the interface unit (153), to cause a graphical user interface (210) for controlling the household appliance (110) to be displayed on the screen (131) of the display device (130). [2] Communication device (150) according to claim 1, wherein - the communication device (150) has a memory unit in which configuration data for establishing the communication connection (115) with the household appliance (110) are stored; - the configuration data includes in particular, - an identifier, in particular a media access control address, of the household appliance (110), by which the household appliance (110) is uniquely identified in a communication network; and / or - authentication information, in particular a password, by means of which the communication device (150) can authenticate itself to the household appliance (110); and - the communication device (150) is designed to establish the communication connection (150) with the household appliance (110) on the basis of the stored configuration data. [3] Communication device (150) according to claim 2, wherein - the configuration data are stored ex works and / or in a delivery state in the memory unit of the communication device (150); and / or - the configuration data are stored permanently and / or unchangeably in the memory unit of the communication device (150). [4] Communication device (150) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the communication device (150) is designed such that - a communication connection (115) can be established exclusively with a single specific household appliance (110), in particular with a household appliance (110) that has a specific identifier, in particular a specific media access control address; and / or - a communication connection (115) cannot be established either simultaneously or successively with a household appliance (110) other than the specific household appliance (110). [5] Communication device (150) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the interface unit (153) of the communication device (150) is designed to form a plug connection, in particular an HDMI, such as an HDMI-CEC, connection, with the complementary interface unit (133) of the display device (130). [6] Communication device (150) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the communication device (150) is designed - to receive an operating signal (147) caused by an actuation of an operating element (141) of a remote control (140) of the display device (130); - to determine a function signal (118) corresponding to the operating signal (147) for controlling a function of the household appliance (110); and - to send the function signal (118) to the household appliance (110) via the communication connection (115) in order to control the function of the household appliance (110). [7] Communication device (150) according to claim 6, wherein the communication device (150) has an assignment unit, in particular with a look-up table, which is designed to assign a corresponding plurality of different function signals (118) to a plurality of different operating signals (147). [8] Communication device (150) according to claim 7, wherein - the plurality of operating signals (147) comprises - an operating signal (147) caused by a volume control element (141) of the remote control (140), which is intended to change a playback volume of the display device (130); and / or - an operating signal (147) caused by a program operating element (141) of the remote control (140), which is intended to change an audio and / or video program reproduced by the screen device (130); and / or - an operating signal (147) caused by a selection control element (141) of the remote control (140) which is intended to confirm a selection; and / or - an operating signal (147) caused by a start / stop operating element (141) of the remote control (140), which is intended to start or stop playback of an audio and / or video program by the display device (130); and / or - the plurality of function signals (118) comprises - a function signal (118) designed to select an operating program of the household appliance (110); and / or - a function signal (118) which is designed to set an operating parameter, in particular a temperature and / or a time duration, of the household appliance (110); and / or - a function signal (118) designed to confirm a selection of an operating program and / or an operating parameter; and / or - a function signal (118) designed to start or stop an operating program. [9] Communication device (150) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the control element (141) of the remote control (140) is a menu control element (141); and - in response to the receipt of the operating signal (147) via the interface unit (153), in addition to and / or superimposed with the household appliance image data (116), a graphical user interface (210) for controlling the household appliance (110) is provided for display on the screen (131) of the display device (130); and / or - in response to the receipt of the operating signal (147) via the interface unit (153), a graphical user interface (210) for controlling the household appliance (110) is displayed on the screen (131) of the display device (130) in addition to and / or superimposed with the household appliance image data (116). [10] Communication device (150) according to one of the preceding claims, in particular claim 9, wherein the communication device (150) is designed - to receive one or more further operating signals (147) which are based on one or more corresponding actuations of a respective operating element (141) of the remote control (140); - on the basis of the one or more further operating signals (147), to identify a menu item (211) from a plurality of different menu items (211, 212, 213) of the graphical user interface (210) that was selected by a user of the display device (130); and - to send a function signal (118) corresponding to the identified menu item (211) for controlling the household appliance (110) to the household appliance (110) via the communication connection (115). [11] Communication device (150) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the communication device (150) is designed - to receive a control signal (117) sent by the household appliance (110) via the communication connection (115); and - in response to the receipt of the control signal (117), to cause the household appliance image data (116) to be displayed on the screen (131) of the display device (130), in particular instead of standard screen data (201) which are already displayed on the screen (131). [12] Communication device (150) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the communication connection (115) comprises a Bluetooth and / or a wireless LAN connection. [13] System (100) for interacting with a household appliance (110); the system (100) comprising - the household appliance (110) having a camera (113) configured to capture household appliance image data (116); and - a communication device (150) according to one of the preceding claims; wherein the household appliance (110) and the communication device (140) are designed to establish a communication connection (115) via which the household appliance image data (116) can be transmitted from the household appliance (110) to the communication device (150). [14] System (100) according to claim 13, wherein the household appliance (110) and the communication device (150) are designed to automatically establish the communication connection (115) in a delivery state ex works when the household appliance (110) and / or the communication device (150) is put into operation, in particular without any user input from a user of the household appliance (110) having to be carried out for this purpose. [15] System (100) according to one of claims 13 to 14, wherein the household appliance (110) is designed - to detect an event, in particular on the basis of the household appliance image data (116); and - in response to the detected event, to send a control signal (116) to the communication device (150) via the communication connection (115) in order to cause the communication device (150) to display the household appliance image data (116) on a display device (130) to which the communication device (150) is connected.

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