System and method for detecting unintentional button activation and implementing an automatic response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dishwasher appliances often experience unintentional interactions with user interface panels, leading to inadvertent adjustments of operating cycles and parameters, which can result in performance issues and consumer dissatisfaction.
Innovation Solution
A dishwasher appliance equipped with a controller that detects abnormal button interactions and determines changes in operating parameters, implementing responsive actions such as reverting to prior settings or seeking user confirmation to correct unintentional changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the user interface panel is positioned on the door for convenient user interaction, then ease of operation is improved, but unintentional button activation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller monitors button interaction patterns and provides feedback by detecting abnormal sequences or durations of button presses. When an unintentional activation is detected through abnormal interaction patterns, the system can revert to previous settings or prompt for confirmation, thereby maintaining reliability while preserving convenient interface placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes predetermined criteria for what constitutes normal versus abnormal button interactions before operation begins. By having pre-programmed detection algorithms that recognize patterns indicative of unintentional activation (such as rapid successive presses or presses during door movement), the system can prevent erroneous parameter changes before they affect operation.
2Reliability
If the controller detects and corrects inadvertent interactions, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller performs self-diagnosis by monitoring its own input signals for abnormal patterns. The system uses its existing processing capabilities to detect unintentional activations without requiring external monitoring devices, thereby improving reliability while minimizing additional hardware complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller serves multiple functions: it normally processes user inputs to control dishwasher operations, and simultaneously monitors these inputs for abnormal patterns indicative of unintentional activation. This multi-functionality allows the system to improve reliability without adding dedicated detection hardware, thus avoiding increased complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A dishwasher appliance is provided including a door pivotally mounted to a cabinet to provide selective access to a wash chamber and a user interface panel mounted to the door. A controller is in operative communication with the user interface panel and is configured to detect an abnormal button interaction with the user interface panel, determine that at least one cycle operating parameter has changed in response to the abnormal button interaction, and implement a responsive action, such as providing a user notification, seeking user confirmation, and reverting to prior settings if the abnormal button interaction was unintentional and resulted in a change in the cycle operating parameters.