METHOD FOR ACTUATING AN OPERATING DEVICE, WHEREIN AT LEAST ONE CORRECTION VALUE IS DETERMINED, OPERATING DEVICE AND DOMESTIC APPLIANCE

Abstract

In a method for operating an operating device for a household appliance, an operating element of the operating device is actuated with a first actuation type from a first resting position to a first operating position to set a first function of the household appliance. A setting parameter of a second function of the household appliance is set by actuating the operating element with a second type of actuation different from the first type of actuation from a second resting position into at least one of a plurality of intermediate positions of the operating element. The first function of the household appliance is actuated in response to a sensing of a first capacitance value of the operating device, and a second capacitance value is sensed while taking into account a correction value in dependence on the sensed first capacitance value for determining the setting parameter of the second function.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A method for actuating an operating device for a household appliance, said method comprising: setting by an operating element of the operating device a first function of the household appliance by actuating the operating element with a first actuation type from a first resting position into a first operating position; setting a setting parameter of a second function of the household appliance by actuating the operating element with a second actuation type which is different from the first actuation type, from a second resting position of the operating element into at least one of a plurality of intermediate positions of the operating element, thereby setting a value; actuating the first function of the household appliance in response to a sensing of a first capacitance value of the operating device by a capacitive sensing apparatus of the operating device; determining a correction value in dependence on the sensed first capacitance value; and sensing a second capacitance value with the capacitive sensing apparatus while taking into account the correction value, for determining the setting parameter of the second function.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the operating element is pushed along an axis of the operating element in the first actuation type of the operating element, and in the second actuation type, the operating element is rotated about the axis.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising automatically restoring the operating element into the first resting position by a restoring apparatus of the operating device after actuation of the operating element with the first actuation type from the first resting position into the first operating position.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the actuation of the operating element with the first actuation type takes place chronologically before the actuation of the operating element with the second actuation type, and wherein the operating element is actuated with the first actuation type from the first resting position which is the same as the second resting position from which the operating element is actuated with the second actuation type so that the first resting position corresponds to the second resting position.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the capacitive sensing apparatus includes a rotor with a rotor sensor element, and a stator with at least two stator sensor elements, and further comprising generating the first and second capacitance values in dependence on a positional change of the rotor sensor element relative to the at least two stator sensor elements.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising: determining for each of the at least two stator sensor elements a correction value, and determining and/or further processing the second capacitance value by taking into account the correction values of the at least two stator sensor elements.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising determining a relative angle of the stator to the rotor in dependence on the second capacitance value, wherein the setting parameter is set in dependence on the angle.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second capacitance values are determined by evaluating stator capacitance values of the at least two stator sensor elements.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first capacitance value is determined by adding up the stator capacitance values when actuating the operating element with the first actuation type.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the first capacitance value is determined by filtering temporal changes to the stator capacitance values as stator signals via a bandpass so as to be able to sense the first actuation type.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising filtering out with the bandpass the stator signals of stator capacitance value changes at a frequency of less than 0.1 Hz and/or greater than 100 Hz.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising suppressing the determination of the correction value when the bandpass identifies a continuous pushing process as a continuous actuation.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the first actuation type is detected by a comparator unit with a hysteresis of the operating device.

29. An operating device for a household appliance, said operating device comprising: an operating element configured to set a first function of the household appliance through actuation with a first actuation type from a first resting position into a first operating position and to set a setting parameter of a second function through actuation with a second actuation type which is different from the first actuation type, from a second resting position of the operating element into at least one of a plurality of intermediate positions of the operating element; and a capacitive sensing apparatus configured to sense a first capacitance value of the operating device as the operating element is actuated with the first actuation type and to sense a second capacitance value for determining the setting parameter of the second function while taking into account a correction value as determined in dependence on the sensed first capacitance value.

30. The operating device of claim 29, wherein the operating element is pushed along an axis of the operating element in the first actuation type of the operating element, and in the second actuation type, the operating element is rotated about the axis.

31. The operating device of claim 29, further comprising a restoring apparatus configured to automatically restore the operating element into the first resting position after actuation of the operating element with the first actuation type from the first resting position into the first operating position.

32. The operating device of claim 29, wherein the operating element is actuated with the first actuation type chronologically before the actuation of the operating element with the second actuation type, said operating element being actuated with the first actuation type from the first resting position which is the same as the second resting position from which the operating element is actuated with the second actuation type so that the first resting position corresponds to the second resting position.

33. The operating device of claim 29, wherein the capacitive sensing apparatus includes a rotor with a rotor sensor element and a stator with at least two stator sensor elements, said capacitive sensing apparatus generating the first and second capacitance values in dependence on a positional change of the rotor sensor element relative to the at least two stator sensor elements.

34. The operating device of claim 33, wherein for each of the at least two stator sensor elements a correction value is determined, and the second capacitance value is determined and/or further processed by taking into account the correction values of the at least two stator sensor elements.

35. The operating device of claim 33, wherein a relative angle of the stator to the rotor is determined in dependence on the second capacitance value, wherein the setting parameter is set in dependence on the angle.

36. The operating device of claim 33, wherein the first and the second capacitance value are determined by evaluating stator capacitance values of the at least two stator sensor elements.

37. The operating device of claim 36, wherein the first capacitance value is determined by adding up the stator capacitance values when actuated with the first actuation type.

38. The operating device of claim 36, further comprising a bandpass configured to determine the first capacitance value by filtering temporal changes to the stator capacitance values as stator signals so as to be able to sense the first actuation type.

39. The operating device of claim 38,wherein the bandpass is configured to filter out the stator signals of stator capacitance value changes at a frequency of less than 0.1 Hz and/or greater than 100 Hz.

40. The operating device of claim 38, wherein the bandpass is configured to identify a continuous pushing process as a continuous actuation and to effect suppression of a determination of the correction value when the bandpass identifies the continuous pushing process as the continuous actuation.

41. The operating device of claim 38, further comprising a comparator unit with a hysteresis of the operating device for detecting the first actuation type.

42. A household appliance for preparing food, in particular a gas hob, said household appliance comprising an operating device as set forth in claim 29.

Description

[0032] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described hereinafter with reference to schematic drawings, in which:

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of a household appliance;

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of an operating device;

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of an embodiment of an operating device;

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a further schematic view of an embodiment of the operating device.

[0037] Elements which are identical or functionally identical are provided with identical reference characters in the figures.

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a household appliance 1. The household appliance 1 is configured in particular as a hob, in particular as a gas hob. The household appliance 1 has at least one cooking zone 2, in the present exemplary embodiment four cooking zones 2, which may be heated up. Moreover, the household appliance 1 has a hob plate 3 which may be made of glass or glass ceramic and which has the cooking zones 2.

[0039] The household appliance 1 also has an operating device 4, wherein the cooking zones 2 may be operated and/or controlled by means of the operating device 4. In particular, a heating apparatus, in particular a gas flow of the household appliance 1, may be controlled by means of the operating device.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the operating device 4. To this end, the operating device 4 has an operating element 5 which in the present exemplary embodiment may have a stator 6 and a rotor 7. The stator 7 has at least two stator sensor elements 8, in the present exemplary embodiment in particular 12 stator sensor elements 8. The rotor 7 has at least one rotor sensor element 9.

[0041] It is provided, in particular, that a first capacitance value 17a and/or a second capacitance value 17b is generated by a positional change of the rotor sensor element 9 relative to the stator sensor elements 8.

[0042] It is provided that by means of the operating element 5, a first function of the household appliance 1 is set by actuating the operating element 5 with a first actuation type 10 from a first resting position into a first operating position. For setting a value, a setting parameter of a second function of the household appliance 1 is set by actuating the operating element 5 with a second actuation type 11 which is different from the first actuation type 10, from a second resting position of the operating element into at least one of a plurality of intermediate positions of the operating element 5. In order to actuate the first function of the household appliance 1, at least the first capacitance value 17a of the operating device 5 is sensed by means of a capacitive sensing apparatus 12 of the operating device 4 and, in order to determine the setting parameter, at least the second capacitance value 17b is sensed by means of the capacitive sensing apparatus 12.

[0043] It is provided that in the case of the first actuation type 10, from the first resting position into the first operating position, the first capacitance value 17a is sensed and a correction value K is determined in dependence on the sensed first capacitance value 17a, which correction value is taken into account in the determination of the second capacitance value 17b in order to determine the setting parameter of the second function.

[0044] Preferably it is provided that the operating device 4 is configured as a burner control knob. In particular, the operating element 5 in the second actuation type 11, in particular when rotated, has a plurality of possible intermediate positions. These intermediate positions may be between the second resting position and an end position relative to the second actuation type 11. The intermediate positions may, in particular, be set steplessly. In particular, the setting parameter is set in a variable manner in the different intermediate positions. For example, in the case of an operating device 5 for a gas hob, the gas flow may be set in a variable manner in the different intermediate positions.

[0045] In particular, it is provided that, as the first actuation type 10 of the operating element 5, the operating element 5 is pushed along an axis A of the operating element 5 and, as the second actuation type 11, the operating element 5 is rotated about the axis A.

[0046] Moreover, it may be provided, in particular, that after actuating the operating element 5 by means of the first actuation type 10 from the first resting position into the first operating position, the operating element 5 is automatically restored into the first resting position by means of a restoring apparatus 13 of the operating device 4.

[0047] Moreover, it may be provided in particular that the actuation of the operating element 5 with the first actuation type 10 takes place chronologically before the actuation of the operating element 5 with the second actuation type 11, and the operating element 5 is actuated with the first actuation type 10 from the same resting position from which the operating element 5 is actuated with the second actuation type 11, so that the first resting position corresponds to the second resting position.

[0048] It is provided, in particular, that one respective correction value K is determined for one respective stator sensor element 8 and the respective correction value K of one respective stator sensor element 8 is taken into account when determining the second capacitance value 17b. In particular, a relative angle of the stator 6 to the rotor 7 may be determined in dependence on the second capacitance value 17b and the setting parameter may be set in dependence on the angle.

[0049] In particular, it may be provided that the first and the second capacitance value 17b are determined by evaluating stator capacitance values 16 of the at least two stator sensor elements 8. In particular, this may be determined by determining the individual capacitances of the stator sensor elements 8, in particular relative to a grounding of the stator sensor elements 8 and/or by determining coupling capacitances, wherein in this case the stator sensor elements 8 may be sensed relative to one another.

[0050] In particular, it may be provided that the first capacitance value 17a is determined by adding up the respective stator capacitance values 16 when actuated with the first actuation type 10.

[0051] FIG. 2 also shows that the stator sensor elements 8 and the rotor sensor element 9 are configured, in particular, to be conductive, wherein the stator sensor elements 8, in particular, at least partially cover the rotor sensor element 9. The rotor sensor element 9, in particular, is not galvanically connected to the other components of the operating device 4. In particular, it is provided that the different stator sensor elements 8 are measured as capacitance values 17a, 17b. These capacitance values are, in particular, dependent on the angular position of the rotor 7.

[0052] FIG. 3 shows in a schematic plan view the operating device 4 according to FIG. 2. In particular, it is shown in FIG. 3 that the stator sensor elements 8 of the stator 7 at least partially cover the rotor sensor element 9 of the rotor 7. In particular, the rotor 7 has an aperture 14 so that a reliable determination of the position of the rotor sensor element 9 relative to the stator sensor elements 8 may be determined.

[0053] FIG. 4 shows in a schematic perspective view a further embodiment of the operating device 4. In particular, in FIG. 4 it is shown that stator capacitance values 16 of each stator sensor element 8 are recorded via a measuring circuit 15. In particular, one respective stator signal 19 is generated via an analog-digital conversion 18. In particular, by means of a summator 20 the stator capacitance values 16 may be added up and filtered by means of a bandpass 21. In particular, it is provided that the stator signals 19 of the stator capacitance value change at a frequency of >0.1 Hz and/or <100 Hz are filtered out by means of the bandpass 21. In particular, a continuous pushing process may be identified as a continuous actuation by means of the bandpass 21 and when a continuous pushing process is identified a determination of the correction value K may be suppressed.

[0054] Moreover, the operating device 4 has a comparator unit 22 with a hysteresis 23. In particular, the first actuation type 10 may be detected by the comparator unit 22. In particular, a multiple triggering for the correction may be prevented by means of the comparator unit 22 with the hysteresis 23.

[0055] In particular, therefore, the correction of the disturbance variables takes place in a correction unit K′ which in turn obtains a trigger signal 24 for the correction value calculation. A rotor lift-off signal is generated at an output 25 of the operating device 4. The angular determination is carried out in a signal processing unit 26. The angle is output at an output 27 of the operating device.

[0056] In particular, it is provided that by utilizing the characteristic that the operating device 4 is configured as at least one burner control knob, a reliable correction of the capacitance values 17a, 17b may be permitted and thus a reliable calculation of an angle is possible. In particular, in the embodiment of the household appliance 1 as a gas hob, use is made of the fact that at the start of the cooking process the operating element 4 has to be pushed in order to sense the currently valid correction value K. Before the operating element 5 is pushed, an angular sensing is not necessary since at this time the operating element 5 is in any case in the first resting position due to the mechanical construction thereof. The angular sensing is only required after the operating element 5 has been pushed for ignition and then released again. From this point in time, the correction value K of the operating device 4 has to be known in order to be able to determine reliably the capacitance values 17a, 17b and the angle resulting therefrom.

[0057] By removing the rotor 7 from the stator 6 during the pushing process, it is possible to determine the capacitance values 17a, 17b of the stator sensor elements 8, during the pushing time as the first actuation type 10, since the influence of the rotor 7 on the capacitance values 17a, 17b during this time is negligibly small. The correction value K of the individual stator sensor element 8, which is required for the subsequent detection of the rotor 7, is calibrated thereby. When the operating element 5 is released the rotor 7 is again positioned on the stator 6, wherein in particular a predefined spacing is formed between the rotor 7 and the stator 6. Subsequently a pure change takes place in the capacitance value due to the presence of the rotor 6 and the angle thereof. This change in the capacitance value is substantially free of disturbance influences and is used for calculating the angle. As a result, the angular determination is reliable and accurate.

[0058] The detection of the rotor being lifted off has to occur independently of the correction values K since the detection has to take place before the correction values K are calculated.

[0059] In particular, it is provided that the identification of the rotor 7 being lifted off takes place by processing the uncorrected stator signals 19. In this case, initially the sum is formed of all of the measured stator capacitance values 16. This is carried out because the rotor 7 covers a plurality of stator sensor elements 8 and it is not known which stator sensor elements 8 are currently covered. The summation signal subsequently passes through the bandpass 21. The bandpass blocks slow temporal changes to the stator capacitance values 16 which arise, for example, due to drift or due to temperature changes. The bandpass 21 also blocks rapid changes to the signal since these are interference signals, as may arise, for example, by electromagnetic coupling from outside. The bandpass 21 is permeable to changes in signal speeds which are produced by pushing and releasing the operating element 5. In particular, this pushing and releasing is detected by the comparator unit 22 connected downstream. A minimum amplitude is required therein for the switching. The comparator unit 22 has the hysteresis 23 and is designed such that in the case of continuous actuation, for example due to the suppression of a release signal which is too slow through the bandpass 21, it does not deliver a continuously active signal as the rotor lift-off signal 25. In particular, the rotor lift-off signal 25 and the trigger signal 24 are configured identically.

[0060] In particular, the operating device 5 has the advantage that a reliable and accurate determination of the rotary knob angle may be carried out with little effort. Moreover, no additional costs are produced in the operating device 5 since the implementation takes place by digital signal processing and no additional components are required.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0061] 1 Household appliance [0062] 2 Hob [0063] 3 Hob plate [0064] 4 Operating device [0065] 5 Operating element [0066] 6 Stator [0067] 7 Rotor [0068] 8 Stator sensor element [0069] 9 Rotor sensor element [0070] 10 First actuation type [0071] 11 Second actuation type [0072] 12 Capacitive sensing apparatus [0073] 13 Restoring apparatus [0074] 14 Aperture [0075] 15 Measuring circuit [0076] 16 Stator capacitance value [0077] 17a First capacitance value [0078] 17b Second capacitance value [0079] 18 Analog-digital conversion [0080] 19 Stator signal [0081] 20 Summation [0082] 21 Bandpass [0083] 22 Comparator unit [0084] 23 Hysteresis [0085] 24 Trigger signal [0086] 25 Rotor lift-off signal [0087] 26 Signal processing [0088] 27 Output of angle [0089] A Axis [0090] K Correction value

[0091] K′ Correction unit