COOKING DEVICE WITH A SHORT-RANGE RADIO INTERFACE

Abstract

A cooking device has a short-range radio interface, a control device for operating the cooking device, which control device is designed to receive data for operating the cooking device from a transponder via the short-range radio interface, and at least one active positioning area for detachably fastening at least one transponder. The active positioning area is located in a communication region of the short-range radio interface. The control device receives authorization data from the transponder via the short-range radio interface and operates the cooking device with corresponding use authorization on the basis of the authorization data.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A cooking appliance, comprising: a short-range radio interface, a control device configured to receive authorization data from a first transponder by way of the short-range radio interface and to operate the cooking appliance with a corresponding use authorization based on the authorization data, and an active positioning surface for detachably fastening the transponder located in a communication region of the short-range radio interface.

16. The cooking appliance of claim 15, wherein the control device is configured to only operate the cooking appliance when the first transponder is located in the communication region of the short-range radio interface.

17. The cooking appliance of claim 15, wherein the control device is configured to operate the cooking appliance with restricted function and/or operating parameter based on the authorization data.

18. The cooking appliance of claim 15, wherein the control device is configured to program the first transponder by way of the short-range radio interface.

19. The cooking appliance of claim 15, wherein the control device is configured to program the first transponder with authorization data selected at the cooking appliance.

20. The cooking appliance of claim 15, wherein the active positioning surface is a magnetically active fastening surface.

21. The cooking appliance of claim 15, further comprising a passive fastening surface for detachably fastening a second transponder located outside the communication region of the short-range radio interface.

22. The cooking appliance of claim 21, wherein the second transponder is a mechanically actuatable operating element of the cooking appliance.

23. The cooking appliance of claim 22, wherein the second transponder is a knob.

24. The cooking appliance of claim 23, wherein the active positioning surface is a front surface, and further comprising a screen arranged at the front surface, said knob partially concealing the screen when fastened to the active positioning surface.

25. The cooking appliance of claim 15, further comprising an oven.

26. The cooking appliance of claim 15, constructed in the form of an oven.

27. A mechanically actuatable operating element of a cooking appliance, said operating element configured as a transponder communicating with a short-range radio interface of the cooking appliance and configured to send authorization data for operating the cooking appliance with a corresponding use authorization to the cooking appliance.

28. A method for operating a cooking appliance, comprising: placing a first transponder into a communication region of a short-range radio interface of the cooking appliance, transmitting authorization data from the first transponder to the cooking appliance by way of the short-range radio interface, and operating the cooking appliance by a control device in response to the authorization data with a corresponding use authorization.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising: moving a second transponder detachably fastened to a passive fastening surface to an active contact surface, executing a data communication between the second transponder and the short-range radio interface of the cooking appliance, and moving the second transponder back to the passive fastening surface.

Description

[0044] The properties, features and advantages of the present invention and the manner in which they are achieved will become clearer and more readily comprehensible in conjunction with the following schematic description of an exemplary embodiment described in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a front face of a cooking appliance according to a first exemplary embodiment with transponders arranged thereon; and

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a front view of a front face of a cooking appliance according to a second exemplary embodiment with a transponder arranged thereon

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a cooking appliance in the form of an oven 1 with a number of transponders T1, T2 and T3 arranged thereon. The top of the oven 1 can be connected to a cooktop and the two then form a cooker. The oven 1 has a stationary front operating panel 2, below which a front door 3 closing off an oven space is located. The operating panel 2 has an operating and display element in the form of a touch-sensitive screen 4 in its center.

[0048] The oven 1 has an NFC interface 5 and a control device 6 for operating the oven 1 on its operating panel 2. The control device 6 is designed inter alia to receive data for operating the oven 1 from a transponder T1, T2 or T3, specifically here the transponder T1 (in the form of the word Mum), located on a front active fastening surface 7 (NFC active zone) of the operating panel 2. The active fastening surface 7 is located in a communication region 8 of the NFC interface 5, which here corresponds at least approximately to a front surface of the NFC interface 5 but can also be for example larger than said surface. The transponder T1 can therefore be called up from the NFC interface 5. The transponder T1 is in particular a passive transponder, configured for example as an RFID tag.

[0049] The transponder T1 is designed to send authorization data to the NFC interface 5. The control device 6 is designed to use authorization data received from the transponder T1 by way of the short-range radio interface 5 to operate the oven 1 (and optionally the cooktop) with corresponding use authorizations. The control device 6 here is designed so that it only operates the oven 1 when a transponder T1 to T3 is located in the communication region 8 of the NFC interface 5.

[0050] The transponders T1 to T3 have permanently magnetic regions, with which they can be fastened magnetically in a detachable manner to the active fastening surface 7. In order therefore to be able to operate the oven 1 with a defined set of authorizations, a correspondingly programmed or configured transponder T1 to T3 is positioned on the active fastening surface 7. The transponder T1 can for example have or hold authorization data which allows unrestricted operation of the oven 1. The transponder T2, in the form of the word Grandma here, may only allow restricted operation of the oven 1, for example just a heating-up operation. Transponder T1 and transponder T2 in particular cannot be used at the same time. Transponder T3 does not hold authorization data, just vegetable recipes for example, and is formed in a corresponding symbolic manner. Transponder T3 can be operated together with the other transponders T1 or T2 and can be fastened magnetically to the active fastening surface 7 with them for this purpose.

[0051] Transponders T2, T3 currently not in use can be fastened magnetically and therefore detachably to a passive fastening surface 9 (NFC passive zone). The passive fastening surface 9 is located away from the communication region 8, so that the oven 1 cannot call up the transponders T2, T3 there. While the passive fastening surface 9 is located to the left of the touch-sensitive screen 4 in the front view, the active fastening surface 7 is located to the right of the touch-sensitive screen 4 symmetrically to it.

[0052] If a transponder T1 to T3 is located on the active fastening surface 7, in a corresponding embodiment it can be programmed by means of the oven 1, more specifically by means of the control device 6 by way of the short-range radio interface 5. Programming can take place for example in a menu-controlled manner by way of the touch-sensitive screen 4. The transponder T1 to T3 can be programmed for example with authorization data and/or with cooking parameters or recipes, etc. It is however also possible for it not to be possible to change or reprogram the authorization data stored on the transponder T1 as master. The transponder T3 may not be programmed with authorization data but with recipes, etc. Alternatively the transponder T1 and/or the transponder T3 is/are not programmable.

[0053] FIG. 2 shows a front view of an oven 11 configured in a similar manner to the oven 1, with a transponder T4 arranged thereon in a number of possible, alternative positions. The transponder T4 is configured as a magnetically adhering knob. The oven 11 can identify at least one rotation of the transponder T4 and process it as a user input.

[0054] An NFC interface 12 or its communication region 13 here runs in a U-shape round the sides and bottom of the touch-sensitive screen 4. Three active fastening regions 14 adjoin the touch-sensitive screen 4, specifically in the region of a lower edge, a left edge or a right edge of the touch-sensitive screen 4. The transponder T4 can be positioned on the operating panel 15 there, thereby partially concealing the touch-sensitive screen 4. A passive fastening surface can be provided but does not have to be.

[0055] The transponder T4 can also be conceived as a magnetically fastenable knob, which has a transponder function. The transponder function allows it to prompt the control device 6 for example to allow unrestricted or restricted use of the oven 1 based on called up authorization data. Different transponders T4 can thus be assigned to different users with different use authorizations. If there is no transponder T4 present, the oven 11 is switched off.

[0056] The transponder T4 may also be programmable, for example with authorization data. In some instances an oven 11 can be supplied with a number of transponders T4, of which all or just some can be programmed with authorization data.

[0057] The present invention is of course not restricted to the illustrated exemplary embodiment.

[0058] The communication region can therefore also take a different form from the NFC interface, in particular being much greater in size.

[0059] Generally one can refer to a single one or a plurality, in particular in the sense of at least one or one or more, etc., unless this is specifically excluded, for example by the expression just one.

[0060] A number can also refer to just the specified number as well as a standard tolerance range, unless this is specifically excluded.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0061] 1 Oven [0062] 2 Operating panel [0063] 3 Door [0064] 4 Touch-sensitive screen [0065] 5 NFC interface [0066] 6 Control device [0067] 7 Active fastening surface [0068] 8 Communication region [0069] 9 Passive fastening surface [0070] 11 Oven [0071] 12 NFC interface [0072] 13 Communication region [0073] 14 Active fastening surface [0074] 15 Operating panel [0075] T1-T4 Transponder