Control unit for a domestic appliance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control units for domestic appliances, particularly cooking appliances, are complex and lack efficient modes for presenting information and controlling functions, often requiring separate interfaces for operation and information display.
Innovation Solution
A touch-sensitive display that switches between control and information modes, allowing a single touch screen to function as both a control area and an output device, with features like a slide function, zoom capability, and connectivity to internet and mobile devices for downloadable content, minimizing complexity and maintaining operational functionality across modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate interfaces are used for control and information display, then operational functionality is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control interface and information display into a single touch-sensitive display. The display can present control symbols for operating the appliance and two-dimensional representations of information (such as recipes) on the same screen, eliminating the need for separate control panels and reducing overall device complexity while maintaining full operational functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch-sensitive display serves multiple functions: it acts as both a control interface for operating the appliance and an information display for presenting recipes and instructions. This multi-functional approach allows one component to replace what would traditionally require separate dedicated interfaces.
2Device complexity
If a single touch screen is used for both control and information display, then device complexity is reduced, but operational functionality may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The display dynamically switches between different modes: control mode for operating the appliance and information mode for displaying recipes. This dynamic reconfiguration allows the same physical display to fulfill different functional requirements at different times, maintaining operational functionality while reducing hardware complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The display area is segmented into different functional zones that can be activated as needed. The control symbols and information representations occupy different areas of the same display, allowing simultaneous or alternating access to control functions and information without requiring separate physical interfaces.
3Loss of information
If information is displayed in two-dimensional representation, then information presentation capability is improved, but display area requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional linear or hierarchical information presentation to two-dimensional graphical representations. Recipes and information are displayed as two-dimensional layouts on the touch screen, allowing more information to be presented simultaneously in a compact space, improving information density without proportionally increasing display area requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a control unit (10) for a domestic appliance, in particular for a cooking appliance. The control unit (10) comprises at least one display (12) formed as an input-output device. At least a part of the display (12) is touch-sensitive and/or formed as a touch screen. The display (12) is switchable between a control mode and an information mode. The display (12) includes at least one area (16). In the control mode the area (16) illustrates symbols and/or touch switches for controlling the domestic appliance by a user. In the information mode the area (16) illustrates information as a two-dimensional representation for the user. The representation of information on the at least one area (16) is controlled or controllable by symbols and/or touch switches on said area (16). The control unit (10) includes a switch button (20) for switching over between the control mode and the information mode.