Cooking Hob Touch Controls for Special Function Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Household appliance control units lack increased functionality and intuitive user interfaces for managing cooking programs and power levels, particularly in cooking hobs, which can lead to user confusion and inefficient operation.
Innovation Solution
A control unit with touch-sensitive switching elements arranged in a straight line, accompanied by visual indicators and lightening elements, allows users to assign and activate special cooking functions, such as 'Sense Boil' and 'Sense Fry', which include power level assignment and timed simmering phases, with adjustable settings saved for future use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple special functions are assigned to switching elements in a control element, then the functionality of the household appliance is increased, but the complexity of the control unit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The switching elements are designed to serve multiple purposes: they can select power levels for heating elements and simultaneously activate special cooking functions (such as boiling, frying, steaming programs). This multi-functionality increases the versatility of the control unit without requiring separate controls for each function, thereby resolving the contradiction between enhanced functionality and control complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the power level selection and special function activation into a single integrated control element. The switching elements merge the capabilities of power control and program selection, reducing the overall complexity of the control interface while providing enhanced functionality. The control unit integrates multiple control functions into a unified system that manages both heating power and cooking programs through the same interface.
2Productivity
If special functions are assigned to switching elements, then the cooking efficiency is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring the function selection increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs visual indicators that change color or illumination state to clearly display which special function is currently selected or active. Different colors or lighting patterns indicate different cooking functions (e.g., blue for boiling, yellow for frying), making it easy for users to detect and understand the selected function. This visual feedback system resolves the contradiction by making function selection highly detectable while maintaining cooking efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit provides immediate visual feedback when a switching element is activated, showing users which special function has been selected. The system continuously displays the current function state through illuminated indicators, ensuring that users can easily detect and verify their selections. This feedback mechanism eliminates ambiguity in function detection while preserving the efficiency benefits of quick function activation.
3Ease of operation
If visual indicators are added to indicate special functions, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses color-changing visual indicators to provide clear, intuitive information about selected special functions. Different colors represent different cooking modes, allowing users to quickly understand the current setting without complex displays. This approach improves ease of operation by making the interface highly readable and understandable while adding minimal complexity through the use of standard LED or display technologies.
Solution Approach 2:
The visual indicators are segmented and assigned to specific switching elements, with each indicator corresponding to a particular function. This segmentation allows the display system to show only relevant information for the current context, reducing overall display complexity while improving operational clarity. Users can easily locate and understand the status of each function through its dedicated visual indicator rather than a complex unified display.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a control unit for a household appliance, in particular for a cooking appliance (1). The control unit comprises at least one input/output device (UI) for the entry of control commands and for the visualisation of information, particularly status information, and at least one control element (S1, S2, S3, S4) comprising a plurality of touch-sensitive switching elements positioned in a straightlined arrangement. At least a part of the input/output device (UI) is touch-sensitive and/or formed as a touch screen. The control element (S1, S2, S3, S4) is adapted to assign a power level to an electrical load depending on the activated switching element. At least one first special function, in particular a first special operating program, is assignable to at least a first one of the plurality of switching elements. The input/output device (UI) further comprises at least one selection button (13, 15), which is adapted to provide the selection of the at least one first special function. The invention also relates to a cooking appliance comprising said control unit and a method for controlling a household appliance.