OPERATION OF APPLIANCES

Abstract

An operating apparatus for a household appliance includes first and second structure-borne sound sensors and a processing facility. The structure-borne sound sensors are configured to be applied to the surface of a predetermined body in a manner spaced apart from one another. The processing facility is configured to determine, on the basis of sensor values from the structure-borne sound sensors, a location on the surface of the body at which a pulse was introduced into the body; to determine that the location is situated in a predetermined section of the surface; and to determine a function of the household appliance that is associated with the section. A method for controlling a household appliance is also provided.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. An operating apparatus for a household appliance, the operating apparatus comprising: first and second structure-borne sound sensors; said structure-borne sound sensors configured to be applied to, and spaced apart from one another on, a surface of a predetermined body; and a processing facility configured: to determine, based on sensor values from said structure-borne sound sensors, a location on the surface of the body at which a pulse was introduced into the body; to determine that the location is situated in a predetermined section of the surface of the body; and to determine a function of the household appliance associated with the section.

13. The operating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the body is included in the household appliance.

14. The operating apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the household appliance is configured to rest against the body.

15. The operating apparatus according to claim 12, which further comprises a display apparatus for providing a visual indication on the surface of the body.

16. The operating apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said display apparatus includes a projector directed at the surface of the body.

17. The operating apparatus according to claim 12, which further comprises a further structure-borne sound sensor, said structure-borne-sound sensors configured to be applied in pairs to, and spaced apart from one another on, the surface of the body.

18. A method for controlling a household appliance, the method comprising: detecting structure-borne sound at locations spaced apart from one another on a surface of a predetermined body; determining a location on the surface of the body at which a pulse, producing the detected structure-borne sound, acts on the surface; determining that the location is situated in a predetermined section of the surface; and determining a function of the household appliance associated with the section.

19. The method according to claim 18, which further comprises identifying a predetermined pulse based on a pattern of a sensor signal.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the pattern relates to a temporal course of the signal.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the pattern relates to a frequency spectrum of the signal.

22. The method according to claim 19, which further comprises automatically learning the pattern.

Description

[0022] The invention is now described in more detail with respect to the appended figures, in which:

[0023] FIG. 1 shows an operating apparatus for a household appliance;

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a method;

[0025] FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of a control apparatus for a household appliance; and

[0026] FIG. 4 shows yet another embodiment of an operating apparatus for a household appliance.

[0027] FIG. 1 shows a household appliance 100 with an operating apparatus 105. The household appliance 100 is shown by way of example as a cooker; in other embodiments any other household appliance, in particular a kitchen appliance, can also be used. The household appliance 100 is preferably designed to be used in a household, in particular a private household. The operating apparatus 105 comprises a processing facility 110, a first structure-borne sound sensor 115 and a second structure-borne sound sensor 120. Further structure-borne sound sensors can be added if necessary. The structure-borne sound sensors 115, 120 are designed to be applied to the surface of a body 125. It is generally preferred that the body is substantially flat in a region which comprises the predetermined section and possibly the two structure-borne sound sensors.

[0028] In the present embodiment, by way of example, the body 125 comprises a floor, on which a user can stand and with respect to which the household appliance 100 can be supported, for instance by means of a substructure. The structure-borne sound sensors 115, 120 are preferably applied to the household appliance 100 so that they rest against the body 125. The structure-borne sound sensors 115, 120 can be insulated against vibrations originating from the household appliance 100, for instance by means of elastic elements and/or dampers. In the case shown, the structure-borne sound sensors 115, 120 can be applied for instance to or in a stand of the household appliance 100 or in or on the substructure. In one embodiment, in which the body 125 is included in the household appliance 100, the structure-borne sound sensors 115, 120 can be applied directly to the body 125. In this context an application to the surface facing the user or another surface, in particular an opposing surface facing away from the user, is possible. If the body 125 comprises a sheet metal, for instance, then the structure-borne sound sensors 115, 120 can optionally be applied to an inner or an outer side of the sheet metal.

[0029] The structure-borne sounds sensors 115, 120 are designed to detect surface waves on the body 125, which are triggered by a pulse on its surface. The surface waves can lie in a predetermined frequency spectrum. In one embodiment, only surface waves are evaluated, the frequency of which lie in a region which is audible to a human. In this case, mention can also be made to acoustic surface waves or structure-borne sound. If a pulse is introduced in the body 125 at a location 130, for instance by means of a user 135, the waves on the surface of the body 125 expand in the direction of the structure-borne sound sensors 115, 120. For instance, the location 130 can be determined at least approximately on the basis of points in time by means of triangulation, at which points in time surface waves corresponding to one another were received at the structure-borne sounds sensors 115, 120. To this end, a runtime difference can be determined in particular, in other words a time difference between the arrival of structure-borne sound at the first structure-borne sound sensor 115 and the arrival at the second structure-borne sounds sensor 120.

[0030] Two structure-borne sounds sensors 115, 120 are already adequate for a determination of the location 130 along a direction which is provided by a straight line through the structure-borne sound sensors 115, 120. If the distance of the location 130 from the straight line is also to be determined, a third structure-borne sound sensor which does not lie on the straight line can be provided. Further structure-borne sound sensors on the surface of the body 125 can be used to improve the accuracy of the specific location 130.

[0031] The processing facility 110 is preferably designed to determine whether the determined location 130 is situated in a predetermined section 140 of the surface of the body 125. A function of the household appliance 100 can be associated with the section 140, which can be determined by the processing facility 110. The function can then be selected, controlled or carried out.

[0032] In a further embodiment, a numerical value can be correspondingly expressed for instance by generating a pulse on the body 125. Area boundaries of a predetermined numerical region can be associated with the locations at which the structure-borne sounds sensors 115, 120 are applied. As a result, a scale can be defined, and the location 130 can be mapped onto the scale. In the embodiment shown, the value 0 can be associated with the first structure-borne sound sensor 115, for instance, and the value 10 can be associated with the second structure borne-sounds sensor 120. The value 6 can accordingly be associated approximately with the location 130 shown. Other area boundaries are likewise possible, and the scale can, besides linearly, also be subdivided logarithmically, for instance.

[0033] The user 135 can be informed about where a pulse has to be introduced into the body 125, in order to bring about a predetermined control of the household appliance 100. To this end, a display apparatus 145 can be provided, which can cast a visual indication onto the surface of the body 125. The display apparatus 145 can comprise an LCD or DLP projector, for instance. Alternatively, a vectorial output can also be provided by means of a deflectable laser.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a method 200, which can be used to control a household appliance 100. The method 200 can be carried out in particular in conjunction with an operating apparatus 105 described herein.

[0035] In a first step 205, a section 140 and/or a function of the household appliance 100 can be determined. The function is preferably associated with the section 140 and can be determined dynamically as a function of an operating state of the household appliance 100. In a step 210, an indication to the specific function and/or the specific section 140 can be shown by means of the display apparatus 145 on the surface of the body 125. The indication can comprise a boundary of the section 140, for instance; a symbol or a text for characterizing the function can be included in the indication.

[0036] In a step 215, structure-borne sound can be detected on the first structure-borne sound sensor 115. At the same time, shortly before or shortly after, structure-borne sound can be detected in step 220 on the second structure-borne sound sensor 120. In further, concurrent steps, structure-borne sound can be detected in each case by one or more further structure-borne sound sensors in each case.

[0037] In a step 225, a signal of each of the structure-borne sounds sensors 115, 120 can be compared with a predetermined pattern. The pattern can be determined so that a pulse, which differs from a predetermined pulse introduced into the body 125 by a user 135, is not evaluated further. Moreover, the different sensor signals can be compared with one another in order to ensure that they resemble one another in a predetermined manner.

[0038] In a step 230, the location 130 can be determined on the basis of time differences, at which a structure-borne sound signal was determined on the different structure-borne sound sensors 115, 120. To this end, relative distances between the structure-borne sounds sensors 115, 120 are advantageously known.

[0039] In a step 235, a section 140 which is associated with the location 130 can be determined. The section 140 can correspond in particular to the section 140 shown in step 210. If the location 130 is outside of the section 140, no further processing can take place. In a step 240, a function of the household appliance 100 associated with the section 140 can be determined. This function may have been determined in step 205. An indication of the specific function can be output, for instance, to the user 135 or to a further control apparatus for controlling the household appliance 100. Alternatively, the function can also be started, controlled or carried out in step 245.

[0040] In an optional step 250, the pattern used in step 225 can be improved on the basis of the detected sensor signals. To this end, an evaluation of the user 135 can be obtained in order to determine whether or it not it agrees with the implemented determinations.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of an operating apparatus 105 for a household appliance 100. In the embodiment shown, the household appliance 100 comprises by way of example an extractor hood or another appliance, which is applied at some distance from the body 125, which is embodied here as a cooker or work surface. In this case, the projection by means of the display apparatus 145 can take place from the household appliance 100. The structure-borne sound sensors 115, 120 can be applied to the surface of the body 125 separately from the household appliance 100.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows yet another embodiment of an operating apparatus 105 for a household appliance 100. The household appliance 100 is applied to a wall which can be used as body 125. Purely by way of example the household appliance 100 is shown as scales, wherein the scale pan is not shown. The structure-borne sound sensors 115, 120 can rest against the wall 125; here they can be applied within a housing of the household appliance 100 or outside thereof. One or more sections 140 can be provided on the wall 125, which, in the present exemplary, are not outlined by way of example by a display apparatus 145, but instead by markers applied fixedly to the wall 125. Shapes and sizes of the sections 140 can be uniform or differ from one another, as shown. Distances between the sections 140 can also be regular or irregular.

Reference Characters

[0043] 100 household appliance [0044] 105 operating apparatus [0045] 110 processing facility [0046] 115 first structure-borne sound sensor [0047] 120 second structure-borne sound sensor [0048] 125 body (wall, floor assembly) [0049] 130 location [0050] 135 user [0051] 140 section [0052] 145 display apparatus [0053] 200 method [0054] 205 determine function and/or section [0055] 210 display indication of function and/or section [0056] 215 detect structure-borne sound of first sensor [0057] 220 detect structure-borne sound of second sensor [0058] 225 pattern matching [0059] 230 determine location [0060] 235 determine associated section [0061] 240 determine associated function [0062] 245 control function [0063] 250 learn pattern