Domestic appliance and user interface for a domestic appliance

Abstract

The invention relates to a domestic appliance and to a user interface for a domestic appliance. The user interface comprises an output module having a lighting surface and a lighting device which is designed to emit light in different colours via the lighting surface. Depending on an operating setting of the domestic appliance, the lighting device is further designed to emit light in a colour associated with each operating setting via the lighting surface. Furthermore, the output module has a colour coding surface having a plurality of coloured surface portions which have different colours. The colour of each coloured surface portion corresponds to a colour which can be emitted by the lighting device via the lighting surface and which is associated with each operating setting of the domestic appliance.

Description

[0001] Household appliance and user interface for a household appliance

[0002] TECHNICAL AREA

[0003] The present invention relates to a household appliance and a user interface for a household appliance.

[0004] STATE OF THE ART

[0005] Modern household appliances typically feature a communication interface to establish a connection with a mobile device, especially a smart device such as a mobile phone. Operating settings of the appliance can then be changed via an application running on the mobile device. This simplifies user interfaces on the appliance itself, as a full-fledged control unit on the appliance is no longer strictly necessary.

[0006] While the absence of a full display on the device is advantageous from the manufacturer's perspective, users would prefer to be informed directly on the device about its status, such as its error-free operation or the selected operating setting.

[0007] DE 10 2016 215 583 A1 describes a household appliance in the form of a stove with an oven and a cooktop. The appliance features a TFT screen and strip-shaped light zones with individually controllable LEDs, which, upon the occurrence of a predetermined event, such as the end of a time period, can be controlled by a control device to generate a specific light emission pattern defined for that event. The light emission pattern may include a temporal variation of a light color.

[0008] DE 10 2007 015 570 A1 discloses a household appliance with a light signaling unit that represents a characteristic value for a household appliance variable by means of a variable extent in at least one direction. The light signaling unit can emit light in different colors. DE 20 2013 103 16 5U1 discloses the use of RGB LEDs to generate a mixed color when creating a luminous marker for a cooking area in a cooktop.

[0009] German patent DE10 2021 205 356 A1 describes a household appliance in the form of a refrigerator with a control panel featuring a backlit cover. The cover has openings through which light can be emitted. For this purpose, a light source in the form of an LED is provided, which shines into a light guide, the light guide emitting the light in the direction of the openings. A line array is provided, with a line segment below a symbol representing a selected setting being illuminated.

[0010] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] One of the objectives of the present invention is to provide improved solutions for displaying an operating setting on a household appliance, in particular solutions that make it easier for the user to intuitively perceive the appliance status and yet can be implemented cost-effectively.

[0012] This problem is solved according to the invention by a user interface with the features of claim 1 and a household appliance with the features of claim 12.

[0013] Advantageous designs and further developments result from the subclaims relating back to the independent claims in conjunction with the description.

[0014] According to a first aspect of the invention, a user interface for a household appliance comprises an output module with a luminous surface and a lighting device configured to emit light in various colors via the luminous surface. The lighting device is further configured to emit light in a color corresponding to the respective operating setting of the household appliance via the luminous surface. The output module also features a color-coded surface with several color sections, each with a different color. The color of each color section corresponds to a color that can be emitted by the lighting device via the luminous surface and is assigned to the respective operating setting of the household appliance.

[0015] According to a second aspect of the invention, a household appliance comprises a user interface according to the first aspect of the invention and a control unit which is signal-connected to the user interface and is configured to change an operating setting of the household appliance and to control the lighting device of the user interface in such a way that it emits light in a color associated with the operating setting via the luminous surface.

[0016] One of the underlying ideas of the invention is to provide a user interface with a light-emitting surface, illuminated by a lighting device, in combination with a color-coded surface. This color-coded surface has several sections, each section of which is assigned to an operating setting. Each color contained in the color-coded surface is assigned a fixed operating setting. The color of the light emitted from a light-emitting surface is adjusted depending on the operating setting of the household appliance. By comparing the color of the light emitted from the light-emitting surface with the colors of the color-coded surface, the operating setting of the household appliance can thus be determined.

[0017] Providing a color-coded surface in combination with a lighting device designed to emit light in different colors is a structurally simple and cost-effective way to improve the functionality of the user interface. Furthermore, it facilitates intuitive reading of the appliance's operating settings.

[0018] The operating setting can include, for example, one or more of the following: a set device parameter, a device function, a device status. Depending on the appliance's design, a device parameter might include, for example, a temperature in a treatment chamber, a drum rotation speed, a remaining operating time, or similar parameters.

[0019] A device function can, for example, include a predetermined combination of device parameters, a sequence of routines for connecting the household appliance to a mobile device, or the like.

[0020] A device state can include, for example, an error state, a connection state in which the device is connected to the mobile device, a non-connection state in which the device is not connected to the mobile device, or similar states.

[0021] According to some embodiments, the lighting device may include a light source designed to emit light in various colors. For example, the light source may be an RGB LED. An advantage of this design is that a single light source can emit a multitude of colors, thus enabling a very simple user interface design.

[0022] According to some embodiments, the lighting device may include a light guide with an output surface facing or forming the light-emitting surface, and several light sources, each configured to emit light of a specific color into the light guide. The individual light sources are controllable, allowing light with different mixed colors to be emitted via the output surface. This also enables a simple user interface design.

[0023] Regardless of whether the design uses one or more light sources, the illuminating surface can be formed by a surface of the light source itself or by a surface of optics permanently attached to the light source. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the light source(s) shine into a light guide, and an output surface of the light guide forms the illuminating surface. According to another possible embodiment, the illuminating surface can be formed by a surface of a housing part of the user interface, wherein the output surface, the surface of the light source itself, or the surface of the optics attached to the light source faces the surface of the housing part.

[0024] According to some embodiments, the output module may have a carrier part that provides the color-coding area, wherein the color area sections of the color-coding area are formed by surface sections of the carrier part that are colored in the colors assigned to the operating settings. For example, the housing part of the user interface may have a surface that forms the color-coding area and acts as a carrier part. Furthermore, it is conceivable that a film is applied to the housing part as a carrier part, providing the color-coding area. The coloring of the carrier part can also be achieved by printing. Realizing the color area sections of the color-coding area by surface sections of the carrier part in different colors further simplifies the design of the user interface.

[0025] According to some embodiments, the output module may have several coding lamps, each configured to emit light over one of the color area sections of the color-coding surface. One color of the light emitted by the respective coding lamp over the respective color area section corresponds to a color emitted by the lighting device over the illuminating surface, which is assigned to the respective operating setting of the household appliance. Thus, for example, different colored LEDs can be used as lamps to represent the individual colors of the color-coding surface. The coding lamps can be configured to emit light in only one color or light in different colors.Using light sources to represent the individual colors of the color-coding area makes it easier to achieve an exact color match between the color of the light emitted by the light source across the illuminated area and the color of the corresponding color section of the color-coding area. This further simplifies the reading of the user interface.

[0026] According to some embodiments, the colored areas of the color-coding surface can each be designed in the form of a symbol that indicates a respective operating setting. For example, the outline or perimeter of each colored area can be designed in the form of a number, a geometric shape, or the like. This further facilitates the reading of the user interface.

[0027] According to some embodiments, the color-coding area may be provided with symbols in addition to the color area sections, each of which denotes an operating setting and is assigned to a color area section. For example, each symbol may be arranged directly adjacent to the respective color area section.

[0028] In some embodiments, the color-coding area may be arranged adjacent to the luminous area. An adjacent, and in particular directly adjacent, arrangement of the luminous area and the color-coding area facilitates the matching of the color of the luminous area with a color of a color section of the color-coding area and thus further promotes the intuitive readability of the user interface.

[0029] In some embodiments, the luminous surface may be circular, with the colored surface sections arranged around it. The colored surface sections may, for example, be designed as ring segments.

[0030] According to some embodiments, the luminous surface may be designed in the form of an elongated bar, and the colored surface sections may be arranged along the bar.

[0031] According to some embodiments, the user interface may include an input module designed to receive user input to change the operating setting of the household appliance.

[0032] According to some embodiments, the input module may have a mechanically actuated or a touch-sensitive button through which user input can be received. For example, a push button may be provided as the mechanically actuated button. A capacitive sensor or similar device may be integrated into the user interface as the touch-sensitive button.

[0033] In some embodiments, the button and the illuminated area can be integrated into one another. For example, the button and the illuminated area can be identical. In this case, the button can be at least partially transparent and backlit by the illumination device. The integration of both surfaces allows for a compact design and facilitates intuitive operation.

[0034] According to some embodiments, the control unit of the household appliance may be configured to change the appliance's operating settings in response to user input at the input module. For example, the operating settings can be changed by pressing the button according to a predetermined sequence. It is also conceivable that a specific operating setting can be activated by pressing the button in a specific sequence, e.g., by repeatedly pressing it briefly, like a "double-click," or by pressing it continuously for a long time.

[0035] According to some embodiments, the control unit may be configured to vary the luminous intensity with which the light source emits light according to one or more predetermined patterns in order to output an operating state, such as a fault condition, of the household appliance in optically coded form. This allows additional information to be output via the user interface, which may not be readable via the color-coded surface. For example, the control unit may be configured to control the light source so that it flashes at a predetermined frequency in a fault condition. Besides facilitating intuitive understanding by the user, the optical coding of the output using the light source also makes it easier to read the information using an optical sensor, such as the camera of a mobile device.In this case, an application can be run on the mobile device that is designed to evaluate the optically encoded output captured by the device's sensor in order to determine the device's status. Consequently, even if the mobile device is not in a continuous communication link with the household appliance, the device's operating status can be easily determined.

[0036] According to some embodiments, the household appliance may be an electrically operated appliance with a treatment chamber for processing goods. This treatment chamber may be used for storing goods, for example, goods requiring cooling. Furthermore, the household appliance may be an oven, a cooking oven, a microwave oven, a washing machine, a clothes dryer, or a dishwasher. The treatment chamber of an oven is used for heating goods, the treatment chamber of a stove is used for warming goods, and the treatment chamber of a dishwasher is used for washing or cleaning dishes. The treatment chamber of a washing machine is used for cleaning laundry. The treatment chamber of a clothes dryer is used for cleaning laundry. The household refrigeration appliance may include, for example, a refrigerator, a freezer, or a fridge-freezer combination.

[0037] However, according to some embodiments, the household appliance may also be or have a cooktop.

[0038] The features and advantages disclosed herein in connection with one aspect of the invention are also disclosed for the other aspect and vice versa.

[0039] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] The invention will now be explained with reference to the figures in the drawings. The figures show:

[0041] Fig. 1 is a simplified, schematic representation of a household appliance according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0042] Fig. 2 shows a block diagram of a household appliance according to an embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 3 shows a schematic sectional view of a user interface according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0043] Fig. 4 shows a schematic sectional view of a user interface according to a further embodiment of the invention;

[0044] Fig. 5 shows a schematic sectional view of a user interface according to a further embodiment of the invention;

[0045] Fig. 6 shows a top view of a user interface according to an embodiment of the invention, showing a first operating setting;

[0046] Fig. 7 shows a top view of the user interface from Fig. 6, displaying a second operating setting;

[0047] Fig. 8 shows a top view of the user interface from Fig. 6, displaying a third operating setting;

[0048] Fig. 9 shows a top view of a user interface according to another

[0049] Exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0050] Fig. 10 shows a top view of a user interface according to another

[0051] Exemplary embodiment of the invention;

[0052] In the figures, the same reference symbols denote identical or functionally equivalent components, unless otherwise stated.

[0053] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES OF EXECUTION

[0054] Fig. 1 shows an example of a household appliance 200 in the form of a refrigerator. Fig. 2 shows a schematic block diagram of the household appliance 200. The invention is described below by way of example with reference to the refrigerator shown in Fig. 1, but is not limited thereto. For example, the invention can also be used in other household appliances, such as a stove, a cooktop, a microwave oven, a dishwasher, a washing machine, a clothes dryer, or the like.

[0055] As shown schematically in Fig. 1, the household refrigeration appliance 200 has a body

[0056] Body 202 defines a storage compartment 201 or a storage chamber for refrigerated goods, such as food, beverages, medication, or the like. A separate machine room from storage compartment 201 can optionally also be at least partially defined by body 202.

[0057] As further illustrated by example in Fig. 1, the household refrigerator 200 can have a door

[0058] 203, which is movably mounted on the body 202, so that it can be moved between an open position in which it releases an access opening of the storage compartment 201 (Fig. 1) and a closed position in which it covers the access opening.

[0059] As shown schematically in Fig. 2, the household refrigeration appliance 200 also has a refrigerant circuit 206. The refrigerant circuit 206 is generally designed to extract heat from the storage compartment 201 by evaporating refrigerant and to release this heat to the environment by condensing refrigerant.

[0060] The above statements apply analogously if the household appliance is not designed as a refrigerator, but in another form. In this case, for example, a treatment room may be provided instead of a storage compartment 201. A heating system and / or water supply may be provided instead of a refrigerant circuit 206.

[0061] As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the household appliance 200 also includes a control unit 210 and a user interface 100.

[0062] The control unit 210 can, in particular, be an electronic control unit and can, for example, comprise a processor unit, e.g., in the form of a CPU, an FPGA, an ASIC, or the like, and a memory unit readable by the processor unit. The memory unit can, in particular, comprise a non-volatile data storage medium, such as flash memory, SD memory, EEPROM, or the like. Software can be stored in the memory unit that can be executed by the processor unit to cause it to generate output signals based on input signals.

[0063] The control unit 210 can be signal-connected to the user interface 100, as schematically shown in Fig. 2, e.g., via a wired connection such as a data bus, or via a wireless connection such as WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, or the like. Likewise, the control unit 210 can be connected to the optionally provided refrigerant circuit 206 or another functional unit of the household appliance 200. As further shown purely by way of example in Fig. 2, the control unit 210 can have a communication interface 211 via which a communication connection for data exchange between the control unit 210 and a mobile device 300 can be established. The communication interface 211 can, for example, be implemented as a wireless interface, e.g., in the form of a WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, or similar interface. The mobile device 300 can, for example, be a smart device, such as...a smartphone, a smartwatch, a tablet PC or the like.

[0064] The control unit 210 can be configured, in particular, to change an operating setting of the household appliance 200. For example, in the case of a household refrigerator, the control unit 210 can be configured to output a control signal to the refrigerant circuit 206 to change a temperature in the storage compartment 201. Optionally, the control unit 210 can change the operating setting of the household appliance 200 based on a control signal that it receives from the mobile device 300 via the communication interface 211. For this purpose, a software application (app) can be executed on the mobile device 300, which allows a user to select a specific operating setting and causes the mobile device 300 to transmit a control signal representing the selected operating setting to the control unit 210.

[0065] The user interface 100 serves to display the current operating setting of the household appliance 200. Optionally, the operating setting of the household appliance 200 can also be changed via the user interface 100. As shown purely by way of example in Fig. 1, the user interface 100 can, for instance, be arranged on the body 202 of the household appliance 200. However, the invention is not limited to this. The user interface 100 can, for example, also be integrated into the door 203 or another component of the household appliance 200.

[0066] Fig. 2 shows the user interface 100 in a purely schematic block representation. As shown in Fig. 2, the user interface 100 has an output module 2 and an optional input module 1.

[0067] Figures 3 to 5 show sectional views of various user interfaces 100, in particular of a respective output module 2. Figures 6 to 10 show top views of various user interfaces 100.

[0068] The output module 2 generally has a luminous surface 20, a luminaire 21 and a color coding surface 23.

[0069] The lighting device 21 is designed to emit light in different colors. For this purpose, the lighting device 21 can have a light source 22 designed to emit light in different colors, such as an RGB LED. Alternatively, the lighting device 21 can have a light guide 24 and several light sources 22, each designed to emit light of one color into the light guide 24. The individual light sources 22 are individually controllable, so that light with different mixed colors can be emitted via an output surface 24b of the light guide.

[0070] Fig. 3 shows, purely by way of example, a sectional view of a user interface 100 in which the lighting device 21 is implemented as a light source 22 that can emit light in different colors, e.g., as an RGB LED. As shown in Fig. 3, the user interface 100 can, for example, have a housing 110 in which an opening 111 is formed. The light source 22 can, in particular, be arranged in the opening 111, as shown by way of example in Fig. 3, or at least such that it can emit light through the opening 111. The housing 110 can, as shown by way of example in Fig. 3, be provided with a support element 3, which is arranged on a surface of the housing 110 that defines a visible side. The support element 3 can, for example, be a film that is adhered to the surface of the housing 110. As shown by way of example in Fig. 3, the illuminating surface 20 can be formed by a surface of the support element 3.The lighting device 21 is thus designed to emit light in different colors via the illuminating surface 20. The support part 3 can be at least partially transparent.

[0071] Figure 4 shows, purely by way of example, a sectional view of a user interface 100 in which the lighting device 21 is implemented with several light sources 22 and a light guide 24, as explained above. The light sources 22 can be, for example, LEDs, each configured to emit light of a specific color. For example, the lighting device can have a red LED, a blue LED, and a green LED. The light guide 24 can, as shown by way of example in Figure 4, project into the opening 111 so that the output surface 24b faces the viewing side. Figure 4 shows, purely by way of example, that the illuminating surface 20 is provided by the support part 3. In this case, the output surface 24b of the light guide 24 faces the illuminating surface 20.Alternatively, the support element I 3 can be omitted entirely or at least in the area of ​​the opening 111, with the illuminating surface 20 being provided by the coupling surface 24b of the light guide 24. For example, the support element 3 can be omitted entirely or provided with an opening (not shown) which is arranged in accordance with the opening 111. The light guide 24 can also be combined with only one light source 22, which is designed to emit light in different colors.

[0072] Fig. 5 shows, purely by way of example, a sectional view of a user interface 100 in which the lighting device 21 is implemented as a light source 22 that can emit light in different colors, e.g., as an RGB LED. In contrast to Fig. 3, the support part 3 is omitted. This means that the illuminating surface 20 can also be formed by the light source 22 itself or by optics connected to the light source 22 (not shown). Fig. 5 also shows optional coding light sources 4, the function of which will be explained in detail below.

[0073] The lighting device 21 is designed to emit light in a color corresponding to the operating setting of the household appliance 200 via the illuminating surface 20. For example, in a household refrigerator, a specific color can be assigned to each temperature setting, e.g., dark blue for 2°C, purple for 3°C, pink for 4°C, orange for 6°C, etc. When the control unit 210 changes the operating setting of the household appliance 200, it can additionally control the lighting device 21 of the user interface 100 such that it emits light in a color corresponding to the operating setting via the illuminating surface 20.

[0074] The color-coding area 23 has several color area sections 23A-23H. As shown schematically and purely by way of example in Figures 6 to 10, the color area sections 23A-23H have different colors. The color of each color area section 23A-23H corresponds to a color that can be emitted by the lighting device 21 via the illuminating surface 20 and that is assigned to the respective operating setting of the household appliance 200. That is, each color area section 23A-23H is a color to which an operating setting of the household appliance 200 is assigned and which can be emitted by the lighting device 21 via the illuminating surface 20. For example, ifSince the color pink is assigned to the temperature 4°C, as described above, the control unit 210 activates the lighting device 21 to emit pink light via the illuminating surface 20 when the corresponding operating setting "4°C" is reached. The color coding surface 23 contains exactly one color area section 23D, which has the color pink. Thus, the operating setting can be intuitively determined by comparing the color of the light emitted via the illuminating surface 20 with the colors of the color area sections 23A-23H.

[0075] The color coding area 23 can generally be arranged adjacent to the luminous area 20. As shown by way of example in Figures 6 to 9, the luminous area 20 can, for instance, be circular, and the color area sections 23A-23H can be arranged around the luminous area 20. The color area sections 23A-23H can, for example, have the form of ring segments arranged around a circle, as shown by way of example in Figures 6 to 8. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the color area sections 23A-23H can also have other shapes when combined with a circular luminous area 20. Thus, Figure 9 also shows, purely by way of example, color area sections 23A-23H that are formed in the form of symbols S2-S7, in particular in the form of digits, letters, and numbers. As in Figure 9, the color area sections 23A-23H can be arranged in the form of symbols S2-S7, in particular in the form of digits, letters, and numbers.As shown by way of example in Figure 10, the luminous surface 20 can also be configured in the form of an elongated bar, to which the colored surface sections 23A-23H are arranged adjacent. For example, the colored surface sections 23A-23H can be arranged along the bar. Figure 10 shows, purely by way of example, that the colored surface sections 23A-23H are also configured as elongated bars. However, the invention is not limited to this, and the colored surface sections 23A-23H can also have other shapes when combined with a bar-shaped luminous surface 20.

[0076] In general, the user interface 100 can be provided with symbols on a visible side, which indicate a respective operating setting, in order to further facilitate the reading of the current operating setting.

[0077] For example, the color-coding area 23 may be provided with symbols S in addition to the color area sections 23A-23H, each of which denotes an operating setting and is assigned to one color area section 23A-23H, as shown by way of example in Figures 6 to 8 and 10. The symbols S may, for example, be arranged directly adjacent to the respective color area section 23A-23H.

[0078] Figures 6 to 8 and 10 each show symbols S1-S9. Symbol S1 is assigned to the colored area section 23A, which can be white, for example, and has the shape of a circle with a line inside it. Symbol S1 can, for example, symbolize the operating setting "off".

[0079] The symbol S2 is assigned to color area section 23B, which can be red, for example, and has the shape of the word "super". The symbol S2 can, for example, symbolize an operating setting in which the household appliance 200 is operated at maximum power, e.g., maximum cooling capacity.

[0080] The symbol S3 is assigned to the color area section 23C, which can be orange, for example, and has the form of a character combination consisting of a number and a physical unit, namely "6°C". The symbol S3 can, for example, symbolize an operating setting in which the storage compartment 201 of the household appliance 200 is cooled to a temperature of 6°C.

[0081] The symbol S4 is assigned to the color area section 23D, which can be pink, for example, and has the form of a character combination consisting of a number and a physical unit, namely "4°C". The symbol S4 can, for example, symbolize an operating setting in which the storage compartment 201 of the household appliance 200 is cooled to a temperature of 4°C.

[0082] The symbol S5 is assigned to the color area section 23E, which can be purple, for example, and has the form of a character combination consisting of a number and a physical unit, namely "3°C". The symbol S5 can, for example, symbolize an operating setting in which the storage compartment 201 of the household appliance 200 is cooled to a temperature of 3°C.

[0083] The symbol S6 is assigned to the color area section 23F, which can be, for example, dark blue, and has the form of a character combination consisting of a number and a physical unit, namely "2°C". The symbol S6 can, for example, symbolize an operating setting in which the storage compartment 201 of the household appliance 200 is cooled to a temperature of 2°C.

[0084] The symbol S7 is assigned to color area section 23G, which can be light blue, for example, and has the shape of a rectangle with a checkmark in the lower left corner and suggested radio waves in the upper right corner. The symbol S6 can represent an operating setting in which a communication connection with the mobile device 300 exists.

[0085] The symbol S8 is assigned to the color area section 23H, which can be green, for example, and has the shape of a triangle consisting of upward-pointing semicircles. The symbol S8 can represent an operating setting in which a communication connection is established with the mobile device 300. It is understood that the aforementioned symbols S1-S8 are merely exemplary in their shape, number, and assignment to the various operating settings, and the invention is not limited to them.

[0086] As shown by way of example in Fig. 9, it is also possible for the color area sections 23A-23H of the color coding area 23 to each be designed in the form of a symbol S, as shown in Fig. 9 by way of example only. That is, instead of a symbol being provided in addition to an abstract color area section, the color area section itself can have the form of a symbol. In Fig. 9, it is shown by way of example that the color area section 23B is in the form of the symbol S2 (text "super"), the color area section 23C in the form of the symbol S3 (character combination "6°C"), the color area section 23E in the form of the symbol S5 (character combination "3°C"), the color area section 23F in the form of the symbol S6 (character combination "2°C"), and the color area section 23G in the form of the symbol S7 (rectangle with a hook in the lower left corner and suggested radio waves in the upper right corner).

[0087] With reference again to Figs. 3 to 5, it is explained below which physical structures can provide and color the color coding surface 23.

[0088] For example, it is conceivable that the color coding area 23 is provided by the surface of the carrier part 3 or the housing 110. For this purpose, surface sections of the carrier part 3 or the housing 110 can be colored, e.g., printed, in the colors assigned to the operating settings, thereby defining the color area sections 23A-23H of the color coding area 23. Figures 3 and 4 illustrate, purely by way of example, that the color coding area 23 is provided by the carrier part 3, which can have a colored printed or partially colored surface.

[0089] Fig. 5 schematically shows another way to represent the different colors of the color area sections 23A-H. Accordingly, the output module 2 can have several coding lamps 4, each of which is designed to emit light over one of the color area sections 23A-23H of the color coding surface 23. A color of the light emitted by the respective coding lamp 4 over the respective color area section 23A-23H corresponds to a light color emitted by the lighting device 21 over the illuminating surface 20, which is assigned to the respective operating setting of the household appliance 200. As shown schematically in Fig. 5, each color area section 23E can, for example, be assigned a coding lamp 4, e.g., in the form of a monochrome LED or an RGB LED. As shown in Fig.As further shown in Fig. 5, it is conceivable that the coding lamps 4 are each arranged in a designated opening 112 of the housing 110. The coding lamps 4 can generally be arranged such that they can emit light through the respective opening 112. As shown purely by way of example in Fig. 5, the color area sections 23A-23H can be formed by the coding lamp 4 itself or by optics (not shown) connected to the coding lamp 4. Alternatively, a light guide (not shown) can be arranged in front of the coding lamp 4, which provides the respective color area section 23A-23H, or the openings 112 can be covered by the support part 3, which can be transparent at least in sections.

[0090] The optional input module 1 is configured to receive user input in order to change the operating setting of the household appliance 200. For example, the input module 1 can be configured to generate a control signal in response to receiving user input and transmit it to the control unit 210, the control unit 210 being configured to change the operating setting of the household appliance 200 in response to receiving the user input or the control signal.

[0091] The input module 1 can, for example, have a mechanically actuated button 11, e.g., in the form of a push button. The mechanically actuated button 11 can, for example, be formed or provided on the housing 110. Alternatively, the button 11 can be designed as a touch-sensitive button 11, e.g., as a capacitive sensor or the like. In this case as well, the button 11 can be connected to or integrated into the housing 110. Optionally, the button 11 and the light surface 20 can be integrated into one another. This is shown purely by way of example in Figures 6 to 8, where the button 11 coincides with the circular light surface 20. For example, a sensor of the button 11 can be connected to the support part 3 or the housing 110. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the button 11 is arranged adjacent to the output module 2, as is shown by way of example in Figures 9 and 10.In addition, button 11 is designed in the form of symbol S8 (see above). However, the invention is not limited to this.

[0092] Selecting a specific operating setting from a predetermined number of operating settings via the input module can be done, for example, by repeatedly pressing button 11.

[0093] The functionality of the user interface 100 is explained below using Figs. 6 to 8 as a purely exemplary example, but is analogous for other designs of the user interface 100.

[0094] To change the operating setting of the household appliance 100, a user can enter a command either via the mobile device 300 or via button 11 of the input module 1. The control unit 210 then changes the operating setting of the household appliance 100 accordingly, or operates the household appliance 200 according to the selected operating setting. When entering a command via the input module 1, it can be configured that with each press of button 11, the operating setting is switched to a subsequent operating setting in a defined sequence, e.g., in the order of symbols S1-S9, each of which is assigned to an operating setting.

[0095] Upon receiving user input, the control unit 210 activates the lighting device 21, causing it to emit light from the illuminating surface 20 in the color assigned to the selected operating setting. In the example of Fig. 6, the operating setting "Temperature 4°C" was selected. Therefore, the lighting device 21 emits light from the illuminating surface 20 in the color of the color area section 23D, which is assigned to this operating setting. In the example of Fig. 7, the operating setting "Temperature 2°C" was selected. Therefore, the lighting device 21 emits light from the illuminating surface 20 in the color of the color area section 23F, which is assigned to this operating setting. In the example of Fig. 8, the operating setting "Establish Connection" was selected. Therefore, the lighting device 21 emits light from the illuminating surface 20 in the color of the color area section 23H, which is assigned to this operating setting.In Figure 9, the operating setting temperature 6°C was selected. Therefore, the lighting device 21 emits light via the illuminating surface 20 in the color of the color area section 23C, which is assigned to this operating setting. In the example of Figure 10, the operating setting temperature 4°C was selected. Therefore, the lighting device 21 emits light via the illuminating surface 20 in the color of the color area section 23D, which is assigned to this operating setting. Thus, the selected operating setting can be easily read from the output module 2 based on the color in which the light is emitted via the illuminating surface 20. The design of the user interface 100 is extremely simple and can be implemented with fault-tolerant components.

[0096] If user input is made via button 11 of input module 1, it can optionally be provided that with each press of button 11, the operating setting is switched to a subsequent operating setting according to a defined sequence, and the control unit 210 controls the lighting device 21 in response to each press of button 11, causing it to emit light in the color assigned to the operating setting according to the defined sequence. This generates visual feedback for the receipt of the input, which further simplifies operation.

[0097] Optionally, the control unit 210 can be configured to vary the luminous intensity with which the lighting device 21 emits light according to one or more predetermined patterns. For example, the control unit 210 can initiate a pulsating or flashing light output with different frequencies, brightness levels, etc. This allows an operating state, such as a fault state, of the household appliance 200 to be output in optically coded form.

[0098] Although the present invention has been explained above by way of example embodiments, it is not limited to these, but can be modified in many ways. In particular, combinations of the preceding embodiments are also conceivable. REFERENCE MARK

[0099] 1 Input module

[0100] 1 optional input module

[0101] 2 Output module

[0102] 3 Carrier part

[0103] 4 coding lamps

[0104] 11 Button

[0105] 20 illuminated area

[0106] 20 bar-shaped illuminated surfaces

[0107] 21 Lighting equipment

[0108] 22 light bulbs

[0109] 22 individual light bulbs

[0110] 23 color coding area

[0111] 23A-H Color Area Sections

[0112] 24 fiber optic cables

[0113] 24b Extraction area

[0114] 100 User Interface

[0115] 110 cases

[0116] 111, 112 breakthroughs

[0117] 200 household appliances

[0118] 201 storage compartment

[0119] 202 Corpus

[0120] 203 Door

[0121] 206 Refrigerant circuit

[0122] 210 Control unit

[0123] 211 Communication interface

[0124] 300 mobile devices

[0125] S1-S9 Symbol

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS 1. User interface (100) for a household appliance (200), comprising: an output module (2) with a light surface (20) and a light device (21), which is configured to emit light in different colors via the luminaire (20); characterized in that the luminaire (21) is configured to emit light in a color assigned to the respective operating setting via the luminaire (20), depending on an operating setting of the household appliance (200), and the output module (2) additionally has a color coding surface (23) with several color surface sections (23A-23H) which have different colors from each other, and the color of a respective color surface section (23A-23H) corresponds to a color that can be emitted by the luminaire (21) via the luminaire (20) which is assigned to the respective operating setting of the household appliance (200).

2. User interface (100) according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device (21) has a light source (22) configured to emit light in different colors.

3. User interface (100) according to claim 2, wherein the light source (22) is designed as an RGB LED.

4. User interface (100) according to claim 1, wherein the lighting device (22) has a light guide (24) with a coupling surface (24b) which faces the luminous surface (20) or forms it, and several light sources (22) which are each configured to emit light of one color into the light guide (24), wherein the individual light sources (22) are controllable so that light with different mixed colors can be emitted via the coupling surface (24b).

5. User interface (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the output module (2) has a carrier part (3) which provides the color coding area (23), and wherein the color area sections (23A-23H) of the color coding area (23) are formed by surface sections of the carrier part (3) which are colored, in particular printed, in the colors assigned to the operating settings.

6. User interface (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the output module (2) has several coding lamps (4), each of which is configured to emit light over one of the color area sections (23A-23H) of the color coding area (23), wherein a color of the light emittable by the respective coding lamp (4) over the respective color area section (23A-23H) corresponds to a color emittable by the lighting device (21) over the luminous area (20) which is assigned to the respective operating setting of the household appliance (200).

7. User interface (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the color area sections (23A-23H) of the color coding area (23) are each formed in the form of a symbol (S) that indicates a respective operating setting, or the color coding area (23) is additionally provided with symbols (S) in addition to the color area sections (23A-23H), each of which indicates an operating setting and is each assigned to a color area section (23A-23H).

8. User interface (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the color coding area (23) is arranged adjacent to the luminous area (20).

9. User interface (100) according to claim 8, wherein: the luminous area (20) is circular, and the color area sections (23A-23H) are arranged around the luminous area (20); or the luminous area (20) is in the form of an elongated bar, and the color area sections (23A-23H) are arranged along the bar.

10. User interface (100) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: an input module (1) configured to receive user input to change the operating setting of the household appliance (200).

11. User interface (100) according to claim 10, wherein the input module (1) has a mechanically actuated or a touch-sensitive button (11) through which user input can be received.

12. Household appliance (200), comprising: a user interface (100) according to one of the preceding claims; and a control unit (210), which is signal-connected to the user interface (100) and is configured to change an operating setting of the household appliance (200) and to control the lighting device (21) of the user interface (100) such that it emits light in a color associated with the operating setting via the luminous surface (20).

13. Household appliance (200) according to claim 12, insofar as this is related to one of claims 10 or 11, wherein the control unit (210) is configured to change the operating setting of the household appliance (200) in response to receiving a user input at the input module (1).

14. Household appliance (200) according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the control unit (210) is configured to vary a luminous intensity with which the lighting device (21) emits the light according to one or more predetermined patterns in order to output an operating state, such as a fault state, of the household appliance (200) in optically coded form.

15. Household appliance (200) according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the household appliance (200) is a stove, a hob, a microwave oven, a dishwasher, a washing machine, a tumble dryer or a refrigerator.

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