Gesture-Controlled Appliance Interface With Visual Marking Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing household appliances, such as hobs, lack advanced user interface technologies that provide high operating comfort and security, making it difficult for users to learn and perform operations correctly without physical contact and risking incorrect or unauthorized gestures.

Innovation Solution

A household appliance device equipped with a sensor unit that detects operating gestures and a control unit that moves markings on a display area based on predefined gestures, includes a verification routine to ensure correct operation and security, and allows for contactless input of commands through predefined operating gestures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If contactless gesture control is implemented, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to risk of incorrect or unauthorized gestures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidreliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system displays visual feedback by moving a marking on the display area in response to detected gestures, allowing users to verify that their gestures are being recognized correctly. This feedback mechanism builds user confidence and reduces incorrect operations while maintaining ease of use.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs verification routines before executing commands based on detected gestures. By validating gestures in advance and requiring confirmation for certain operations, the system prevents unauthorized or incorrect actions while maintaining a smooth user experience.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If verification routines are implemented to ensure security, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovereliabilityVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The verification system uses the existing sensor unit and control unit to perform self-validation of gestures without requiring additional hardware components. The marking on the display area serves as both a visual indicator and a verification element, eliminating the need for separate verification devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If markings are moved on display area to provide feedback, then ease of operation is improved through learning, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The marking on the display area serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides visual feedback to users, indicates the current state of the system, and can guide users through learning gestures. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate feedback mechanisms, buttons, or indicators, thereby avoiding increased device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3184907A1Domestic appliance
Publication Date: 2017.06.28 BSH HAUSGERATE GMBH
  • EP3184907A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3184907A1 patent drawingFigure 3~6
  • EP3184907A1 patent drawingFigure 7~9

AI summary

The invention is based on a household appliance device (10) with a sensor unit (12) which is intended to detect at least one operating gesture of an operator in at least one operating state, and with a control unit (14) which is intended for this purpose in the operating state carry out and/or initiate at least one action on the basis of the operating gesture detected by the sensor unit (12). In order to provide a generic device with improved properties in terms of a high level of operating convenience, it is proposed that the control unit (14) be provided in the operating state, depending on at least one marking movement operating gesture, at least one marking (16) over at least one display area (18) to move.