Cooking Hob Touch Interface Using Light Cues Instead of LCDs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooking hobs with user interfaces based on LCD or TFT technology are costly due to their high expense.
Innovation Solution
A method for operating an induction cooking hob with a user interface featuring a transparent or semi-transparent top panel, touch switch elements, and light source elements that use low-cost components, allowing for multiple functions and efficient operation by indicating pot detection and adjusting power/temperature through light signals and touch controls.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If LCD or TFT technology is used for the user interface, then the operation comfort is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-functional user interface where a single touch-sensitive panel integrates multiple control functions including power adjustment, timer control, and cooking mode selection. This eliminates the need for separate LCD/TFT displays and multiple physical controls, achieving both operational comfort and cost reduction by consolidating functions into one interface element.
2Loss of information
If multiple display panels are activated for each cooking zone, then the information display is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the display function into a single shared display panel that dynamically shows information for the active cooking zone rather than maintaining separate display panels for each zone. This consolidation reduces the total number of display elements active simultaneously, thereby reducing energy consumption while still providing necessary information display.
Solution Approach 2:
The display panel activates information display periodically based on cooking zone status changes rather than continuously. The system updates the display when cooking zones are activated, deactivated, or when parameter changes occur, reducing energy consumption by keeping the display in lower-power states between updates while maintaining information availability when needed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution reduces costs by utilizing low-cost components with multiple functions, enabling efficient operation and power/temperature adjustments, even when multiple pots are detected, and provides a cost-effective user interface for induction cooking hobs.
Implementation Method 1
at least one light source element corresponds with the touch switch element and the corresponding cooking zone
Implementation Method 2
touch sensitive areas are formed on the top side of said top panel and above said user interface
Data Source
AI summary
The cooking hob (10) comprises a transparent or semi-transparent top panel (14) on its top side and at least one cooking zone with a corresponding pot detection device. The user interface (12) is arranged below the top panel (14) and comprises a number of touch switch elements (18) and at least one touch slide element (20) and is arranged below the top panel (14). Touch sensitive areas are formed on the top side of said top panel (14) and above said user interface (12). At least one light source element (22) corresponds with the touch switch element (18) and the corresponding cooking zone. The light source element (22) is provided for indicating a detection of a pot on the corresponding cooking zone by a first light signal during a first predetermined time interval and for indicating an activated state of the corresponding cooking zone by a second light signal and for indicating the corresponding selected cooking zone and the activated state of the touch slide element (20) by the first light signal. The touch slide element (20) is provided for adjusting the power and/or temperature of said indicated cooking zone within the first predetermined time interval.