Appliance with context-sensitive fixed-position user interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10851487-B2
Application number	US-201816022182-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2018
Priority date	Jun 28, 2018
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

An appliance and method utilize a context-sensitive fixed-position user interface including cycle type controls used to select a cycle type and cycle configuration controls used to configure settings associated with particular cycle types. Indicators of the cycle type and cycle configuration controls are selectively set to active or inactive states during cycle type selection and cycle configuration phases to facilitate user configuration of settings for the appliance prior to performing an appliance cycle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laundry washing machine, comprising:
a container rotatably disposed within a housing;
a door mounted to the housing to provide access to the container;
a drive system configured to rotate the container;
a controller coupled to the drive system and configured to perform a wash cycle, the controller supporting a plurality of wash cycle types and a plurality of settings for the wash cycle, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of settings are unused by at least one of the plurality of wash cycle types; and
a touch-sensitive glass control panel mounted on the housing or the door, the touch-sensitive glass control panel including a plurality of touch-sensitive regions respectively defining a plurality of controls, wherein each control includes an associated function performed by the control and an associated indicator disposed at a fixed position on the touch-sensitive glass control panel and configured to be selectively illuminated using a first level of illumination and a second level of illumination, wherein the first level of illumination is higher than the second level of illumination, wherein the indicator of each control includes an active state that uses the first level of illumination of the control to visually identify the associated function of the control when the controller sets the indicator of the control to the active state and an inactive state that uses the second level of illumination of the control to substantially hide the associated function of the control when the controller sets the indicator of the control to the inactive state, and wherein the plurality of controls includes:
a plurality of wash cycle type controls, wherein the function of each wash cycle type control selects an associated wash cycle type from among the plurality of wash cycle types; and
a plurality of wash cycle configuration controls, wherein the function of each wash cycle configuration control configures one or more associated settings among the plurality of settings;

wherein the controller configures the wash cycle prior to performing the wash cycle based upon user input received through the touch-sensitive glass control panel;
wherein during a wash cycle type selection phase the controller sets to the active state the indicator of each of the plurality of wash cycle type controls, sets to the inactive state the indicator of each of the plurality of wash cycle configuration controls, and receives user input that selects a first wash cycle type control among the plurality of wash cycle type controls; and
wherein during a cycle configuration phase initiated after the first wash cycle type control is selected, the controller sets to the inactive state the indicator of each wash cycle type control other than the first wash cycle type control, sets to the active state the indicators of one or more wash cycle configuration controls from among the plurality of wash cycle configuration controls that are associated with functions that are pertinent to the associated wash cycle type for the first wash cycle type control, and receives user input that configures one or more settings among the plurality of settings using the one or more wash cycle configuration controls having indicators set to the active state.

2. An appliance, comprising:
a controller configured to perform an appliance cycle with the appliance, the controller supporting a plurality of cycle types and a plurality of settings for the appliance cycle, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of settings are unused by at least one of the plurality of cycle types; and
a user interface coupled to the controller and including a plurality of controls, wherein each control includes an associated function performed by the control and an associated indicator disposed at a fixed position in the user interface and configured to be selectively illuminated using a first level of illumination and a second level of illumination, wherein the first level of illumination is higher than the second level of illumination, wherein the indicator of each control includes an active state that uses the first level of illumination of the control to visually identify the associated function of the control when the controller sets the indicator of the control to the active state and an inactive state that substantially uses the second level of illumination of the control to substantially hide the associated function of the control when the controller sets the indicator of the control to the inactive state, and wherein the plurality of controls includes:
a plurality of cycle type controls, wherein the function of each cycle type control selects an associated cycle type from among the plurality of cycle types; and
a plurality of cycle configuration controls, wherein the function of each cycle configuration control configures one or more associated settings among the plurality of settings;

wherein the controller configures the appliance cycle prior to performing the appliance cycle based upon user input received through the user interface;
wherein during a cycle type selection phase the controller sets to the active state the indicator of each of the plurality of cycle type controls, sets to the inactive state the indicator of each of the plurality of cycle configuration controls, and receives user input that selects a first cycle type control among the plurality of cycle type controls; and
wherein during a cycle configuration phase initiated after the first cycle type control is selected, the controller sets to the inactive state the indicator of each cycle type control other than the first cycle type control, sets to the active state the indicators of one or more cycle configuration controls from among the plurality of cycle configuration controls that are associated with functions that are pertinent to the associated cycle type for the first cycle type control, and receives user input that configures one or more settings among the plurality of settings using the one or more cycle configuration controls having indicators set to the active state.

3. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein the appliance includes a container rotatably disposed in a housing, a door mounted to the housing to provide access to the container, and a drive system configured to rotate the container, wherein the controller is coupled to the drive system and the appliance cycle comprises a wash cycle for washing a load of clothing, and wherein the user interface is mounted on the housing or the door.

4. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein the user interface comprises a touch-sensitive glass control panel, wherein each of the plurality of controls comprises a touch-sensitive region of the touch-sensitive glass control panel, and wherein the indicator of each of the plurality of controls is backlit through the touch-sensitive glass control panel.

5. The appliance of claim 4 , wherein the controller is configured to disable illumination of each of the plurality of controls when in the inactive state such that the indicator of each of the plurality of controls substantially invisible to the user when in the inactive state.

6. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to illuminate each of the plurality of controls at the second level of illumination when in the inactive state such that the indicator of each of the plurality of controls is illuminated in the inactive state with an intensity that is dimmer than in the active state.

7. The appliance of claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to disable illumination of each of the plurality of controls when in the inactive state such that the indicator of each of the plurality of controls is not illuminated when in the inactive state.

8. The appliance of claim 2 , wher

Assignees

• Midea Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hoppe Christopher G

Classifications

• D06F25/00

  Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement, the receptacle serving both for washing and for centrifugally separating water from the laundry and having further drying means, e.g. using hot air  (control of washing or of washing and drying D06F33/00, D06F34/00; domestic laundry dryers D06F58/00) · CPC title

• D06F34/32 Primary

  characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• D06F33/00

  Control of operations performed in washing machines or washer-dryers  (D06F31/00 takes precedence; details of control systems therefor D06F34/00; control of operations performed in domestic laundry dryers D06F58/32) · CPC title