Single button capacitive user interface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11796249-B2
Application number	US-202117314598-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2021
Priority date	May 7, 2021
Publication date	Oct 24, 2023
Grant date	Oct 24, 2023

Abstract

Provided is a refrigeration appliance including a storage compartment, a user interface controller, and a user interface arranged in the storage compartment. The user interface is a stacked arrangement including a sensor assembly carrier, a graphic overlay, a light guide, and a printed circuit board (PCB) with a user interface controller and a self-capacitive electrode sensor. The main controller receives a signal from the user interface with self-capacitive electrode sensor and adjusts the temperature of the storage compartment based on the signal from the self-capacitive electrode sensor. A method controlling a refrigeration appliance with a stacked user interface is also provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A refrigeration appliance, comprising:
a storage compartment;
a refrigeration system operable to cool the storage compartment;
a main controller; and
a user interface arranged in the storage compartment, said user interface comprising a stacked arrangement including:
a sensor assembly carrier,
a graphic overlay,
a light guide, and
a printed circuit board (PCB) with a self-capacitive electrode sensor and

a user interface controller, comprising a single capacitive touch button configured to receive a touch or proximity input from a user relating to control of a temperature setting of the storage compartment,
wherein the main controller:
receives a signal from the user interface controller indicative of said touch or proximity input,
adjusts the temperature setting of the storage compartment, within a range of a lowest temperature setting to a highest temperature setting, based on a number of consecutive touch or proximity inputs to the single capacitive touch button,
wherein each consecutive touch or proximity input causes the temperature setting to increase from a lower temperature setting to a next-higher temperature setting, and
wherein when the next-higher temperature setting is the highest temperature setting, the next consecutive touch or proximity input causes the temperature setting to return to the lowest temperature setting; and
operates the refrigeration system to cool the storage compartment to a temperature corresponding to the selected temperature setting.

2. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein the self-capacitive electrode sensor is operatively connected to the single capacitive touch button.

3. The refrigeration appliance of claim 2 , wherein the PCB comprises electrical circuitry that receives the touch or proximity input via the single capacitive touch button and transmits the touch or proximity input via a communication channel to the main controller for controlling an operation of the refrigeration system.

4. The refrigeration appliance of claim 2 , wherein an electrical connector is attached to a rear side of the PCB for supplying power and for providing data connection to the PCB and to the single capacitive touch button.

5. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein the user interface further comprises a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) indicators configured to display at least one of the temperature setting or a special mode of the refrigeration appliance.

6. The refrigeration appliance of claim 5 , wherein the special mode of the refrigeration appliance is a Sabbath mode.

7. The refrigeration appliance of claim 5 , wherein the user interface controller is further configured to evaluate the signal from the self-capacitive electrode sensor and illuminate at least one of the plurality of LED indicators corresponding to the temperature setting or to the special mode of the refrigeration appliance.

8. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein the stacked arrangement of the user interface further comprises a transparent outer panel and at least one LED indicator arranged below the transparent panel.

9. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein the PCB is jointly received within an inner circumference of the sensor assembly carrier.

10. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly carrier is snapped into a housing arranged in the storage compartment.

11. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein the stacked arrangement further includes a capacitive touch spring arranged between the light guide and the PCB so that the capacitive touch spring contacts the light guide.

12. The refrigeration appliance of claim 11 , wherein the capacitive touch spring is accommodated inside a groove formed in the light guide and extends to a front portion of the light guide, said front portion facing the graphic overlay.

13. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly carrier has a cylindrical shape, wherein a plurality of spring clips are arranged about an outer periphery of the sensor assembly carrier.

14. The refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , wherein the sensor assembly carrier includes at least one locating rib align the PCB, the light guide, and the graphic overlay parallel to a front face of the sensor assembly carrier.

15. A method for controlling a refrigeration appliance, wherein the refrigeration appliance comprises a storage compartment, a main controller, and a stacked user interface including a single capacitive touch button, a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) indicators, and a user interface controller, the method comprising the steps of:
consecutively touching, by a user's finger, the single capacitive touch button to select at least one of a temperature setting or a special mode setting for the storage compartment;
transmitting, by the user interface controller to the main controller, signals from the user interface single capacitive touch button;
activating, by the main controller, a desired temperature setting or a special mode setting for the storage compartment based on the signals from the user interface single capacitive touch button, wherein the consecutive touching causes the temperature setting to increase from a low temperature setting to a high temperature setting, and wherein when a next-high temperature setting is a highest temperature setting, then the next consecutive touching of the single capacitive touch button causes the temperature setting to return to a lowest temperature setting; and
energizing, by the user interface controller, at least one LED indicator of the plurality of LED indicators to visualize a selected temperature setting or special mode setting for the storage compartment,
wherein each consecutive touching corresponds to a predetermined temperature setting or special mode setting and energizes at least one successive corresponding LED indicator on the stacked user interface.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein each predetermined temperature setting corresponds to a different shade of color or intensity of illumination of the at least one successive corresponding LED indicator.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the special mode is a Sabbath mode.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the user interface controller activates or deactivates the Sabbath mode in response to a continuous pressing, by the user's finger, of the single capacitive touch button, for a predetermined time duration.

19. A refrigeration appliance, comprising:
a storage compartment;
a main controller; and
a user interface integrated into a control box mounted in a top portion of the storage compartment, the control box having an adjustable vent that allows cold air from an adjacent compartment into the storage compartment to adjust a temperature of the storage compartment, said user interface comprising a stacked arrangement including:
a sensor assembly carrier,
a graphic overlay,
a light guide, and
a printed circuit board (PCB) with a self-capacitive electrode sensor comprising a single capacitive touch button configured to receive at least one touch or proximity input from a user relating to selection of a temperature setting of the storage compartment within a range of a lowest temperature setting to a highest temperature setting, the selected temperature setting based on a number of touch or proximity inputs to the single capacitive touch button; and

a user interface controller, wherein the main controller receives a signal from the user interface controller indi

Assignees

• Electrolux Home Prod Inc

Inventors

• Comsa Cornel
• Detlefsen Christian
• Melecci Michael
• Bobinski Matthew C

Classifications

• F25D29/005 Primary

  Mounting of control devices · CPC title

• F25D23/12

  Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove · CPC title

• G06F3/0443

  using a single layer of sensing electrodes · CPC title

• F25D2400/361

  Interactive visual displays · CPC title

• F25D2700/121

  of particular compartments · CPC title