Household appliance

Abstract

The invention relates to a household appliance (1; 2) with a control unit configured and set up to receive information based on a voice input from a user (5), preferably wirelessly, from a voice assistant system (3), and / or with an acoustic interface (13; 23) configured and set up to detect a voice input from a user (5). The household appliance (1; 2) is characterized by a UWB module configured and set up to perform at least one-way, preferably two-way, UWB communication with a UWB-enabled mobile device (4) of a user (5).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a household appliance.

[0002] Household appliances such as washing machines, tumble dryers, washer-dryers, wet vacuum cleaners, vacuum cleaners, and the like have long been known for carrying out or supporting household activities such as washing, drying, cleaning (e.g., wiping or vacuuming), and the like. This also applies to kitchen appliances, which are also classified as household appliances. For example, a user can be assisted in preparing meals by a hand mixer, a hand blender, a kettle, and in particular by cooking appliances such as an oven, a steamer, a combination oven and steamer, a microwave, and the like. Kitchen appliances also include, for example, extractor hoods, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, chest freezers, and the like.

[0003] Some household appliances, such as vacuum cleaners and hand mixers, are guided and moved by the user during use and are therefore considered mobile. Other household appliances, such as washing machines, dryers, ovens, steamers, refrigerators, and the like, are placed and used in a specific location in the home, such as the kitchen or pantry, due to their intended use and their size and weight, and are therefore considered stationary.

[0004] Such stationary household appliances usually have in common that they have an outer casing which essentially encloses the household appliance on the outside and protects its individual components and elements, as well as making them easier to handle together. An interior space is formed within the household appliance which represents the handling space and is essentially enclosed by an inner casing which acts as an inner casing. Between the inner casing and the outer casing, a housing space is formed as an intermediate space in which functional elements of the household appliance, such as a controller or control unit, an electrical power supply and other components which serve the intended use of the household appliance, can be arranged. In depth from the front, i.e. viewed from the user's perspective, the outer casing ora panel in the form of a furniture material or in the form of a control panel and the like together with the inner housing closes off the housing space so that the housing space is not accessible to the user.

[0005] The interior of the household appliance has a through-opening at the front in depth as an access opening, through which the interior of the household appliance is accessible to the user in order to insert items to be treated, such as laundry to be washed or dried, food to be cooked or cooled, or the like, into the interior of the household appliance and arrange them there, and to remove them from the interior of the household appliance after treatment has been completed. The access opening can be opened by the user by means of a closure element, for example in the form of a door that can be pivoted sideways, a flap that can be pivoted downwards, or the like, in order to access the interior of the household appliance, as described above, or to close the interior of the household appliance and carry out the treatment process.Such a closure element can be designed to be closed or to have a viewing window to allow the user, for example in the case of a washing machine or an oven, to see into the closed interior of the household appliance.

[0006] It's now common practice in households to use so-called voice assistants to control and operate household appliances, among other things. A person, as the user, can speak instructions, which are then recorded, understood, and executed by the voice assistant. Voice assistants are software programs that are run by a hardware platform, such as the control unit. Currently well-known voice assistants include "Google Assistant," "Siri," "Alexa," and "Cortana."

[0007] Voice assistants can be used by separate devices, also called smart speakers, such as the Amazon Echo, Google Home, and the Apple HomePod. A smart speaker typically has both a microphone for capturing spoken instructions from people and a speaker for outputting spoken information. The combination of a voice assistant with a smart speaker can be referred to as a voice assistance system. A smartphone with voice assistant software can also represent a voice assistance system. If a household appliance is to be controlled in this way, the user can transmit their instructions to the voice assistance system verbally. The voice assistance system can then forward the recognized instructions to the household appliance via Wi-Fi or similar.

[0008] However, voice assistants can also be used directly by household appliances and operated via their control unit. In this case, the household appliance itself has at least one microphone for capturing spoken instructions from people and preferably also a speaker for outputting spoken information.

[0009] In any case, it is common practice for the user to deliberately activate the voice assistant or the voice assistance function in order to distinguish the subsequent speech as voice input to the voice assistant from the rest of the user's conversation. This is usually done via a "wake word" or activation word, which is recorded by a smart speaker, smartphone, or household appliance.

[0010] The disadvantage here is that the wake word is universal and can therefore be used by anyone, including people other than the user of the household appliance who currently wants to carry out a treatment process.

[0011] Another disadvantage is that activating the voice assistant typically requires the user to utter a relatively long voice command, which is also counterintuitive and has a specific syntax. This makes it uncomfortable for the user. The user also has to carefully consider what to say.

[0012] It is also known to activate a voice assistance function using image recognition of a user, thus eliminating the need for the user to utter a wake word. In this case, a distinction can be made between simply recognizing a person and using this as the trigger for activating the voice assistant, or individually recognizing a specific person as a user from the captured image data and distinguishing them from other people.

[0013] The disadvantage, in any case, is that capturing images using a camera or similar device, as well as processing the captured image data using image recognition, requires additional and not insignificant effort. Image capture must be continuous, meaning it must always be active and running, in order to be able to recognize and respond to the user at any time.

[0014] The quality or result of image recognition, especially for the recognition of a specific person, also depends on the boundary conditions, particularly the visibility and lighting conditions, as well as the quality of the image capture. Higher image capture or camera quality also leads to higher costs. Furthermore, the application of image capture and recognition is limited to the area in which images can be captured at all, for example, directly in front of the household appliance.

[0015] Furthermore, the image capture can also capture and recognize people in the image capture area who are not relevant at all and / or who do not want to be captured and recognized at all.

[0016] The invention addresses the problem of improving the options for activating and / or using voice assistants in household appliances. In particular, this should be as simple, cost-effective, reliable, and / or energy-efficient as possible. At the very least, an alternative to the existing options should be created.

[0017] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a household appliance having the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention emerge from the following dependent claims.

[0018] The invention thus relates to a household appliance with a control unit that is designed and configured to receive information based on a user's voice input from a voice assistance system, preferably wirelessly, and / or with an acoustic interface that is designed and configured to detect a user's voice input. The household appliance can be any household appliance and in particular any kitchen appliance. In particular, the household appliance can be a stationary household appliance and in particular a built-in household appliance. For example, the stationary household appliance can be a washing machine, a dryer, a refrigerator, a hob, an oven, a steamer, and the like.

[0019] In any case, the household appliance according to the invention is characterized by a UWB module designed and configured to carry out at least one-way, preferably two-way, UWB communication with a user's UWB-capable mobile device. The mobile device can be a wearable, in particular a smartphone, a smartwatch, or a tablet.

[0020] The present invention is based on the finding that voice assistance functions of a separate smart speaker, smartphone, or the like as a voice assistance system and / or of the household appliance itself enable neither recognition nor localization, i.e., determination of the user's position or distance from the household appliance. Furthermore, previously known user recognition and / or localization based solely on the image data captured by an image capture unit of a household appliance may be inadequate in terms of the quality of the result. Furthermore, this is inherently limited to the detection range or field of view of the image capture unit.

[0021] According to the invention, the household appliance therefore has the capability for UWB communication with a UWB-enabled mobile device of the user of the household appliance. Thus, the properties of UWB technology can additionally be used to identify and / or locate the user who carries or uses the UWB-enabled mobile device. This can improve or expand the possible uses of the household appliance, as will be described in more detail below.

[0022] UWB stands for Ultra Wideband and describes the use of a broadband radio signal with a minimum width of 500 MHz in a frequency range from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz. The generated radio signals have a time delay in the nanosecond range. This enables high data rates and also allows for time-of-flight measurements, which enable precise distance measurements between two UWB participants of less than 10 cm. Depending on the antenna design or when using multiple antennas, the directions of the radio signals can also be determined with an accuracy of around 3° using a time-of-flight difference. Typical measurement methods here are two-way ranging and PDoA (phase difference of the incoming signals).

[0023] IEEE802.15.4z can be used as the technical basis. This is a radio protocol for UWB communication that is only permitted to use low spectral power. This low spectral power limits its range. The high bandwidth (500 MHz) allows for very short pulses, which can be used for precise time-of-flight measurements.

[0024] A "wearable," also called a "wearable computer," refers to electronic devices such as a smartwatch, data glasses, or similar devices that are worn on the user's body during use. Wearables can also be integrated into clothing, including shoes. The aforementioned wireless communication standards can also be used with wearables.

[0025] Wearables can be used, in particular, for mobile data processing. On the other hand, wearables are essentially used to make the person wearing or using the wearable findable or trackable, which can be referred to as tracking. During tracking, information about the user can be collected and wirelessly transmitted to other electronic devices or to an electrical network, which show the person's position in a room and, in particular, in relation to a device. Additionally or alternatively, information relating to the person's activities and / or physiological state, such as body temperature, heart rate, and the like, can also be transmitted in this way. Wearables can also interact or communicate with each other, for example to identify people or their wearables, and the like.

[0026] According to one aspect of the invention, the household appliance, preferably the UWB module and / or a control unit of the household appliance, is designed and configured to identify the UWB-capable mobile terminal. In other words, the UWB-capable mobile terminal with which the household appliance is currently communicating can be distinguished from other such UWB-capable mobile terminals, for example by comparing identification data of the UWB-capable mobile terminal with identification data that is available to the household appliance, for example stored there, or that can be made available, for example, via the Internet.

[0027] In any case, the household appliance can react specifically to the specific identified UWB-capable mobile device or be operated depending on the specific identified UWB-capable mobile device, as will be described in more detail below.

[0028] According to a further aspect of the invention, the household appliance, preferably a control unit of the household appliance, is designed and configured to assign the identified UWB-capable mobile terminal to a user. This allows the identified UWB-capable mobile terminal and its carrier to be linked as the user, for example, also by comparing them with corresponding information, as described above. This can make it possible to operate the household appliance depending on a specific identified user, as will be described in more detail below.

[0029] According to a further aspect of the invention, the household appliance, preferably the acoustic interface and / or a control unit of the household appliance, is designed and configured to further identify the user based on the detected voice input of the acoustic interface. This includes associating the user relative to the located position of the UWB-enabled mobile terminal. Thus, the user's identification can be additionally verified by speech recognition of their voice based on a detected voice input of the acoustic interface, since the UWB-enabled mobile terminal could also be worn or used by a person other than the actual user.

[0030] According to a further aspect of the invention, the household appliance, preferably the UWB module and / or a control unit of the household appliance, is designed and configured to locate the UWB-enabled mobile terminal. This can make it possible to use or take into account the position of the UWB-enabled mobile terminal relative to the household appliance, in particular the distance and / or orientation of the UWB-enabled mobile terminal relative to the household appliance, in order to operate the household appliance and / or the voice assistance function, as will be described in more detail below.

[0031] In particular, functions or the operation of the household appliance as a whole can be made dependent on the proximity of the UWB-enabled mobile device. This can, in particular, prevent remote operation—i.e., operation or influencing of the operation of the household appliance by means of the UWB-enabled mobile device without its sufficient proximity and thus without the presumed presence of the respective user—which can increase the security of the household appliance.

[0032] According to a further aspect of the invention, the household appliance, preferably a control unit of the household appliance, is designed and configured to receive a further location from the UWB-capable mobile terminal and to further locate the UWB-capable mobile terminal based on the obtained further location. Thus, multiple locations or position determinations obtained from multiple household appliances according to the invention or the household appliance according to the invention and another device with such a UWB module can be combined to improve the quality or accuracy of the resulting location or position determination.

[0033] According to a further aspect of the invention, the household appliance, preferably the acoustic interface and / or a control unit of the household appliance, is designed and configured to locate the user further based on the detected voice input of the acoustic interface. For this purpose, a direction determination or a determination of the user's orientation to the household appliance or to its acoustic interface can be carried out by the acoustic interface having corresponding properties as a directional microphone. This can increase the accuracy of locating the identified user, since the location of the UWB-capable mobile device that the user wears or uses can only be used to a certain extent to determine the user's position.This makes it easier to locate the position of the user's left wrist, on which the user wears, for example, a smartwatch as a UWB-capable mobile device, rather than the center of the user's body. This can lead to inaccurate position information for the user if the user is standing directly in front of one of two immediately adjacent household appliances according to the invention, but their left wrist with the smartwatch is located between the two household appliances according to the invention. In this case, the acoustic location of the user or their mouth by the household appliance to be operated can clarify whether the user is actually facing or can be assigned to this household appliance.

[0034] According to a further aspect of the invention, the household appliance, preferably a control unit of the household appliance, is designed and configured to activate and / or operate a voice assistance function of the voice assistance system and / or the household appliance itself depending on the sufficient proximity of the user's identified UWB-capable mobile device to the household appliance. This can preclude remote operation, as already mentioned.

[0035] According to a further aspect of the invention, the household appliance, preferably a control unit of the household appliance, is designed and configured to store at least one located position of the user as a voice assistance position, preferably at least one area based on located positions of the user as a voice assistance area, wherein the household appliance, preferably a control unit of the household appliance, is designed and configured to activate and / or operate a voice assistance function of the voice assistance system and / or of the household appliance itself depending on a presence of the identified UWB-capable mobile terminal of the user at the voice assistance position, preferably in the voice assistance area.

[0036] A voice assistance position or voice assistance area can be defined as a location, position, or area in the household, such as the kitchen, which is defined as such by the user. This can be done, for example, by the user walking through the location, position, or area with the UWB-enabled mobile device, which is then located by the household appliance. The position(s) during the walking can then be saved as a voice assistance position or voice assistance area by the user's UWB-enabled mobile device and / or by the household appliance.

[0037] The user can then assign the voice assistance position or voice assistance area the function to activate and / or operate the voice assistance function only if the identified UWB-enabled mobile device reaches the voice assistance position or enters or is located in the voice assistance area. If the identified UWB-enabled mobile device leaves the voice assistance position or voice assistance area, this can deactivate or pause the voice assistance function.

[0038] The voice assistance area can be the entire kitchen of the household. However, the user can also define only a section of the kitchen as the voice assistance area, for example, a certain area near the household appliance according to the invention. However, the voice assistance area can also be reduced to the area immediately in front of the household appliance and then referred to as the voice assistance position. However, a voice assistance position can also additionally or alternatively be another position, particularly in the kitchen, which can be spaced apart from the household appliance but from which the household appliance can be clearly seen by the user. This can also be done for other areas of the household, such as a utility room.

[0039] According to a further aspect of the invention, the household appliance, preferably a control unit of the household appliance, is further designed and configured to activate and / or operate a voice assistance function of the voice assistance system and / or the household appliance itself depending on an activated treatment process of the household appliance. Thus, the activation or operation of the voice assistance function can be made dependent on whether an activation of the household appliance or a treatment process of the household appliance has already taken place. This treatment process can then be controlled or parameterized by the user using voice commands.

[0040] Thus, by activating the appliance or a treatment process on the appliance, the user can simultaneously activate the voice assistance function without having to perform any additional actions. This requires an identified and located user, as described above.

[0041] According to a further aspect of the invention, the household appliance is designed and configured to provide a voice output to the user via the voice assistance system and / or the acoustic interface. This can enable corresponding acoustic feedback to the user.

[0042] According to a further aspect of the invention, the household appliance, preferably a control unit of the household appliance, is designed and configured to provide a voice output to the user when the user reaches and / or leaves the voice assistance position, preferably the voice assistance area. This can make it possible to automatically inform the user verbally, for example, about the status of the household appliance and / or a treatment process.

[0043] In other words, the task can be solved by wearing a wearable device with a UWB communication module. This module can be used to uniquely identify the user. It can also determine the distance between the household appliance and the user, as well as the direction in which the user is standing.

[0044] A kitchen map can be created, e.g., via the app, parameterized by the user, or automatically learned based on the positions of UWB-enabled household appliances and the user's position. The user can then specify in their profile that the voice assistant should be activated at a specific time, e.g., whenever the user enters the room or is present in the room, or during a cooking process that is initiated when a recipe is selected, or when the user is present in a specific spatial zone (see kitchen map), e.g., directly in front of the household appliance, or in another specific zone, e.g., behind a cooking island where cooking preparations are carried out.

[0045] In any case, the user can then issue simple voice commands that are sent directly to the preset household appliance or whose processed commands are forwarded to the household appliance via the cloud connections.

[0046] If there are multiple UWB devices in the room, the user's position can be determined via triangulation. With only two devices (a household appliance and a wearable on the user), an angle-of-arrival measurement can be performed, which determines the user's exact position in the room.

[0047] Scenarios could be another possible activation option. For example, selecting a recipe, such as from KptnCook, could start a scenario or routine. If the user then moves toward a "checkpoint" on the kitchen map, the voice assistant is activated.

[0048] The voice assistant can locate the sound source based on voice input. The location could be compared with the UWB ID to ensure it isn't another person.

[0049] If the UWB device is a (smart) headphone, it can be used as a feedback channel.

[0050] In any case, only voice commands from the identified user are accepted, as the voice assistant is only automatically activated for that user and under their predefined conditions. Other people are not recognized and cannot activate the voice assistant unwittingly.

[0051] No camera is required. Identification works over a wide detection range, far exceeding that of an optical field of view.

[0052] The activation of the voice assistant is automatic, so the user does not have to consciously activate anything or use a long voice command.

[0053] The preset conditions, such as the time and location of activation, provide a contextual reference that is familiar to the user and therefore very robust, preventing false activations as much as possible. In return, the user experiences a very high level of ease of use, as they can issue simple and intuitive voice commands during the cooking process. For example, they stand in front of the oven during the cooking process and say "180 degrees," and the oven immediately adopts this value as the temperature setting. The oven detects the user's proximity via UWB through their wearable and activates the voice assistant, as this has been configured for the duration of the cooking process upon detection of a certain distance value. The voice assistant then knows that the voice command issued should be passed on to the oven. This will not happen if another person in the household is using the oven, as the oven only responds to the "cook's" ID.

[0054] Another advantage is the return channel. If the user is detected by their UWB ID within a certain distance, a smart speaker, a household appliance with a speaker, or headphones detected via UWB can play acoustic information to the user's ears.

[0055] When the user is recognized near the coffee machine in the morning, they are asked whether they would like to make their desired beverage as usual and are then asked to place another cup under the outlet.

[0056] Preset information can also be played acoustically when someone is present in a specific area. Users can set the remaining running time to be announced whenever they approach the washing machine during a running program.

[0057] The return channel can also be used to guide the user during the cooking process. This allows them to receive targeted voice responses based on their UWB ID and proximity to household appliances, their presence in the kitchen, or their proximity to the smart speaker.

[0058] The combination of voice assistance with UWB offers a higher level of security. Voice assistance enables many automated functions. If a person isn't familiar with this, they can inadvertently or without knowing the possibilities, triggering unwanted functions, such as opening a dishwasher door and then tripping over it. The comparison with UWB and the ID of a known person ensures that this person is someone who is aware of all the automation functions.

[0059] An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It shows Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a kitchen diagonally from above at the front with two household appliances according to the invention arranged directly next to each other in a first situation; and Figure 2 shows the representation of the Figure 1 in a second situation.

[0060] The figures above are viewed in Cartesian coordinates. There is a longitudinal axis X, which can also be referred to as depth X or length X. Perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X extends a transverse axis Y, which can also be referred to as width Y. Perpendicular to both the longitudinal axis X and the transverse axis Y extends a vertical axis Z, which can also be referred to as height Z and corresponds to the direction of gravity. The longitudinal axis X and the transverse axis Y together form the horizontal X, Y, which can also be referred to as the horizontal plane X, Y.

[0061] The Figures 1 and 2 Both show a perspective view of a kitchen 0 diagonally from above at the front with two household appliances 1, 2 according to the invention arranged directly adjacent to each other. The first household appliance 1 according to the invention is an oven 1. The second household appliance 2 according to the invention to the right is a steamer 2.

[0062] The kitchen 0 has a cooking island 01 with a hob (not marked) in the foreground. In the first situation of the Figure 1 A first person 5 stands in front of the cooking island 01, wearing a UWB-capable mobile device 4 in the form of a UWB wearable 4 as a UWB smartwatch 4 on their left wrist. The first person 5 can therefore be regarded as a user 5 of the household appliances 1, 2 according to the invention. The user 5 is located within a voice assistance area A.

[0063] In the background, the kitchen 0 has a transverse kitchen unit 02, which has several pieces of kitchen furniture 03. A voice assistance system 3 is arranged on one of the pieces of kitchen furniture 03. The oven 1 according to the invention and the steam cooker 2 according to the invention are arranged as stationary built-in appliances in the kitchen furniture 03.

[0064] Both household appliances 1, 2 according to the invention each have an outer housing (not labeled), which can also be referred to as an outer casing and essentially closes off or encloses the respective household appliance 1, 2 to the outside. The outer casing terminates in the upper region along the longitudinal axis at the front, i.e., toward the kitchen 0, with a panel 10, 20. The panel 10, 20 each has a display / control element 12, 22 in the form of a display 12, 22.

[0065] Within the outer housing is a cooking chamber (not shown), which is accessible to the user 5 from the front along the longitudinal axis X through an access opening (not shown) located below the panel 10, 20. The access opening can be closed and opened by means of a closure element 11, 21 in the form of a flap 11, 21.

[0066] In the right-hand area of ​​the panel 10, 20, an acoustic interface 13, 23 in the form of a microphone / speaker unit 13, 23 is arranged and directed forward into the kitchen 0 in order to acoustically detect the area immediately in front of the household appliance 1, 2 and to output acoustic signals forward into the kitchen 0. Each household appliance 1, 2 further comprises a UWB module to enable communication with UWB-capable mobile devices 4 in both transmission directions. Each household appliance 1, 2 further comprises a control unit (not shown) for operating the respective components and modules.

[0067] In general, the UWB communication between the respective household appliance 1, 2 and a UWB-enabled mobile device 4 of a user 5 can be used to identify the UWB-enabled mobile device 4 and assign it to a user 5, thereby also allowing the user 5 to be identified. The identification of the user 5 can additionally be verified by speech recognition of their voice based on a recorded speech input from the acoustic interface 13, 23.

[0068] The UWB-capable mobile terminal 4 and thus at least roughly the user 5 can also be located by the respective household appliance 1, 2, which enables a determination of an orientation as well as a distance between the respective household appliance 1, 2 and the UWB-capable mobile terminal 4.

[0069] In order to more accurately locate the user 5, who can wear the UWB-enabled mobile terminal 4 almost anywhere on the body, the user 5 can further be identified based on the recorded voice input of the acoustic interface 13, 23 and thus his UWB-enabled mobile terminal 4 can be assigned to a more precise position on the body of the user 5 or the user 5 can be assigned to an exact actual position.

[0070] The location of the UWB-capable mobile terminal 4 and thus at least approximately also of its user 5 can also be used to activate or operate the voice assistance function based on the corresponding distance information only when the user 5 is in sufficient or immediate proximity to the household appliance 1, 2, which can exclude a remote effect.

[0071] Due to the location capabilities of the UWB-enabled mobile device 4, the user 5 can also mark and store an area based on its positions or edge positions, which can be designated and used as a voice assistance area A. Thus, activation or operation of the voice assistance function can be linked to the fact that the user 5 or the identified UWB-enabled mobile device 4 of the user 5 is located within the voice assistance area A.

[0072] Activation or operation of the voice assistance function can also be linked to the fact that a treatment process of the household appliance 1, 2 has been activated or is still running by the user 5.

[0073] In any case, a voice output can be provided to user 5 via the voice assistance system 3 and / or the acoustic interface 13, 23, for example, to inform user 5 about the remaining time of a treatment procedure. This can occur automatically, in particular, as soon as user 5 accesses voice assistance area A.

[0074] Within the scope of these possibilities, as described in the Figure 1 As shown, the user 5 with his smartwatch 4 as an identified UWB-capable mobile device 4 is located within the voice assistance area A of the oven 1 as the first household appliance 1 according to the invention. Control of the oven 1 by the user 5, for example by means of the voice assistance system 3, is thus enabled or accepted by the oven 1 or its control unit.

[0075] In the second situation of Figure 2The position directly in front of the steamer 2 as the second household appliance 2 according to the invention can be defined as the voice assistance position A. If the user 5 reaches the voice assistance position A, this can activate the voice assistance function of the voice assistance system 3 and cause the output of information regarding the condition or status of the steamer 2.

[0076] The invention can also be used in so-called built-in drawers, which can be opened / closed manually or by electric motor. Such built-in drawers, which are often used in the kitchen, can be used, for example, to warm dishes / cups, but can also have other functions such as cooking food. List of reference symbols (part of the description)

[0077] ALanguage assistant position or language assistant area X Longitudinal axis; Depth; Length Y Transverse axis; Width Z Vertical axis; Height X, Y Horizontal; Horizontal plane 0Kitchen 01Kitchen island 02Kitchen unit 03Kitchen furniture 1 (first) household appliance; oven 10 panel 11 locking element; flap 12 display / control element; display 13 acoustic interface; microphone / speaker unit 2 (second) household appliance; steamer 20 panel 21 locking element; flap 22 display / control element; display 23 acoustic interface; microphone / speaker unit 3Voice assistance system 4UWB-capable mobile device; UWB wearable; UWB smartwatch 5first person; user

Claims

1. Household appliance (1; 2) with a control unit which is designed and configured to receive information based on a voice input of a user (5) from a voice assistance system (3), preferably wirelessly, and / or with an acoustic interface (13; 23) which is designed and configured to detect a voice input of a user (5), characterized by a UWB module which is designed and configured to carry out at least one-sided, preferably two-sided, UWB communication with a UWB-capable mobile terminal (4) of a user (5).

2. Household appliance (1; 2) according to claim 1, wherein the household appliance (1; 2), preferably the UWB module and / or a control unit of the household appliance (1; 2), is designed and configured to identify the UWB-capable mobile terminal (4).

3. Household appliance (1; 2) according to claim 2, wherein the household appliance (1; 2), preferably a control unit of the household appliance (1; 2), is designed and configured to assign the identified UWB-capable mobile terminal (4) to a user (5).

4. Household appliance (1; 2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the household appliance (1; 2), preferably the acoustic interface (13; 23) and / or a control unit of the household appliance (1; 2), is designed and configured to further identify the user (5) based on the detected voice input of the acoustic interface (13; 23).

5. Household appliance (1; 2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the household appliance (1; 2), preferably the UWB module and / or a control unit of the household appliance (1; 2), is designed and configured to locate the UWB-capable mobile terminal (4).

6. Household appliance (1; 2) according to claim 5, wherein the household appliance (1; 2), preferably a control unit of the household appliance (1; 2), is designed and configured to receive a further location of the UWB-capable mobile terminal (4) and to further locate the UWB-capable mobile terminal (4) based on the received further location.

7. Household appliance (1; 2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the household appliance (1; 2), preferably the acoustic interface (13; 23) and / or a control unit of the household appliance (1; 2), is designed and configured to further locate the user (5) based on the detected voice input of the acoustic interface (13; 23).

8. Household appliance (1; 2) according to one of claims 2 to 4 and according to one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the household appliance (1; 2), preferably a control unit of the household appliance (1; 2), is designed and configured to activate and / or operate a voice assistance function of the voice assistance system (3) and / or of the household appliance (1; 2) itself depending on a sufficient proximity of the identified UWB-capable mobile terminal (4) of the user (5) to the household appliance (1; 2).

9. Household appliance (1; 2) according to one of claims 2 to 4 and according to one of claims 5 to 7 or according to claim 8, wherein the household appliance (1; 2), preferably a control unit of the household appliance (1; 2), is designed and configured to store at least one located position of the user (5) as a voice assistance position (A), preferably at least one area based on located positions of the user (5) as a voice assistance area (A), wherein the household appliance (1; 2), preferably a control unit of the household appliance (1; 2), is designed and configured to activate and / or operate a voice assistance function of the voice assistance system (3) and / or of the household appliance (1; 2) itself depending on a presence of the identified UWB-capable mobile terminal (4) of the user (5) at the voice assistance position (A), preferably in the voice assistance area (A).

10. Household appliance (1; 2) according to claim 9, wherein the household appliance (1; 2), preferably a control unit of the household appliance (1; 2), is further designed and configured to activate and / or operate a voice assistance function of the voice assistance system (3) and / or the household appliance (1; 2) itself further depending on an activated treatment process of the household appliance (1; 2) 11. Household appliance (1; 2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the household appliance (1; 2), preferably a control unit of the household appliance (1; 2), is designed and configured to provide a voice output to the user (5) by means of the voice assistance system (3) and / or by means of the acoustic interface (13; 23).

12. Household appliance (1; 2) according to claim 9 or 10 and according to claim 11, wherein the household appliance (1; 2), preferably a control unit of the household appliance (1; 2), is designed and configured to make a voice output to the user (5) when the user (5) reaches and / or leaves the voice assistance position (A), preferably the voice assistance area (A).

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