User interface for a cooking hob
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users find it difficult to recognize which cooking zone a timer display on a conventional cooking hob corresponds to, leading to confusion and inefficiency in managing cooking times.
Innovation Solution
A user interface for a cooking hob is designed with partitions corresponding to each cooking zone, featuring a digital display with seven-segment digits for indicating the current power value and timer value, along with touch-sensitive input devices for easy operation, allowing clear correlation between the timer and its corresponding zone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single timer display is provided for all cooking zones, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates because users cannot easily recognize which cooking zone the timer display corresponds to
Solution Approach 1:
The user interface is divided into multiple partitions, with each partition corresponding to a specific cooking zone. Each partition contains its own digital display, power input device, and timer input device. This segmentation allows users to easily identify which timer display corresponds to which cooking zone, resolving the confusion that arises from a single shared timer display.
2Ease of operation
If a dedicated digital display is provided for each cooking zone, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The digital display within each partition serves multiple functions: it displays the current power value, timer value, and cooking parameter for the corresponding cooking zone. By merging these display functions into a single digital display per partition, the patent reduces the need for multiple separate display devices while maintaining dedicated visualization for each cooking zone.
3Ease of operation
If multiple seven-segment digits are provided for simultaneous indication of power value and timer value, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The digital display alternates between displaying the current power value and the current timer value at different time intervals. This periodic switching allows the display to show both important pieces of information using fewer display elements, as users can view the power value during one time period and the timer value during another, eliminating the need for multiple simultaneous display elements.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a user interface (10) for a cooking hob. The user interface (10) or at least a portion of said user interface (10) is subdivided into partitions (12). Each partition (12) corresponds with a cooking zone of the cooking hob. Each partition (12) comprises a digital display (20), at least one power input device (22) and at least one timer input device (24). The digital display (20) includes at least two seven-segment digits. The digital display (20) is provided for indicating a current cooking parameter, in particular a current power value, of the corresponding cooking zone and a current timer value relating to said corresponding cooking zone. Further, the present invention relates to a cooking hob with at least one user interface (10).