Method for operating a safety-critical function using a touch sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11829563-B2
Application number	US-202117503502-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 18, 2021
Priority date	Oct 18, 2021
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

A method for initiating a safety-critical function in an appliance. The method including receiving a first user input for the safety-critical function via a touchscreen and receiving a second user input confirming the safety-critical function via a first separate input element adjacent to the touchscreen. The operation of the touchscreen can be manipulated externally, directly or indirectly, via wireless communication while a safety-critical function is active. The first separate input element communicates via a wired connection to a control device that is not capable of being manipulated externally via wireless communication while a safety-critical function is active, wherein the control device controls initiation of the safety-critical function. In the method, both the first user input and the second user input are required to initiate the safety-critical function.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for initiating a safety-critical function in an appliance, comprising:
receiving a first user input for the safety-critical function via a touchscreen;
displaying on the touchscreen, after receiving said first user input thereon, confirmatory indicia to inform a user regarding a specific separate input element among a plurality thereof that must be manipulated to confirm initiation of the safety-critical function, wherein said touchscreen is a touchscreen display; and
receiving a second user input confirming the safety-critical function via the specific separate input element adjacent to the touchscreen;
wherein operation of the touchscreen can be manipulated externally, directly or indirectly, via wireless communication while the safety-critical function for the appliance is active;
wherein the specific separate input element communicates via a wired connection to a control device that is not capable of being manipulated externally via wireless communication while the safety-critical function is active, wherein the control device controls initiation of the safety-critical function;
wherein both the first user input and the second user input are required to initiate the safety-critical function, and
wherein the safety-critical function is canceled upon receiving a first CANCEL user input via the touchscreen.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
wherein the safety-critical function is independently canceled by:
receiving a second CANCEL user input via the specific separate input element or via a second separate input element that communicates via a wired connection to the control device while the safety-critical function is active.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the appliance is a cooking appliance and the safety-critical function is a pyrolytic cleaning cycle for a cooking cavity of the cooking appliance.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the touchscreen is not UL 60730 Class B compliant.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the control device is UL 60730 Class B compliant.

6. An appliance adapted to perform a safety-critical function, comprising:
a user interface having a touchscreen display adapted to receive a first user input and a separate input element disposed adjacent to the touchscreen display and adapted to receive a second user input, wherein the touchscreen display is configured to provide an indication to a user regarding a specific separate input element among a plurality thereof that must be manipulated to confirm initiation of a safety-critical function; and
a microcontroller that is not capable of manipulation externally via wireless communication while the safety-critical function is active and that is adapted to initiate the safety-critical function;
wherein the specific separate input element is in communication with the microcontroller via a wired connection,
the microcontroller being programmed to initiate the safety-critical function only upon receiving a first signal calling up that safety-critical function originating from said first user input, and a second signal confirming the safety-critical function originating from said second user input, and
wherein the safety-critical function is canceled upon receiving a first CANCEL user input via the touchscreen display.

7. The appliance of claim 6 , further comprising a graphical processing unit that is capable of manipulation externally via wireless communication while a safety-critical function is active and which is configured to receive and process input signals from the touchscreen display, said graphical processing unit being further configured to supply said first user input to said microcontroller based on a corresponding user input on said touchscreen display.

8. The appliance of claim 7 , wherein the graphical processing unit is not UL 60730 Class B compliant.

9. The appliance of claim 6 , wherein the appliance is a cooking appliance and the safety-critical function is a pyrolytic cleaning cycle.

10. The appliance of claim 6 , the specific separate input element being a capacitive-touch button.

11. The appliance of claim 6 , wherein the microcontroller is UL 60730 Class B compliant.

12. A method for initiating a safety-critical function in an appliance, comprising:
receiving a first user input selecting the safety-critical function via a touchscreen display;
thereafter indicating on the touchscreen display a specific separate input element adjacent to but not part of the touchscreen display to confirm the safety-critical function;
thereafter receiving a second user input via the specific separate input element adjacent to the touchscreen display via a signal supplied via a wired connection therefrom to a control device that cannot be manipulated externally via wireless communication while the safety-critical function is active; and
the control device thereafter initiating the safety-critical function,
wherein the safety-critical function is canceled upon receiving a first CANCEL user input via the touchscreen display.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
wherein the safety-critical function is independently canceled by
receiving a second CANCEL user input via the specific separate input element or via a second separate input element that communicates via a wired connection with the control device.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the appliance is a cooking appliance and the safety-critical function is a pyrolytic cleaning cycle for a cooking cavity of the cooking appliance.

15. The method of claim 12 , said first user input being communicated from said touchscreen display to a graphical processing unit for processing, said graphical processing unit being capable of manipulation externally via wireless communication while a safety-critical function is active.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the graphical processing unit is not UL 60730 Class B compliant.

17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the control device is UL 60730 Class B compliant.

Assignees

• Electrolux Home Prod Inc

Inventors

• Vila Roman Roman
• Fernandez Omar
• Cooke Kristi Mare

Classifications

• G06F3/044 Primary

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G06F3/04162

  for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware · CPC title

• F24C7/085

  on baking ovens · CPC title

• F24C14/02 Primary

  pyrolytic type · CPC title