WO2015039872A1 - Provision of a graphical user interface for a user of a domestic appliance by means of a portable communication terminal - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for providing a graphical user interface (21) for a user (16) of a domestic appliance (1) on a display device (15) of a portable communication terminal (14), wherein a wireless communication connection (20) is established between the domestic appliance (1) and the portable communication terminal (14). Status data of the domestic appliance (1) can be transmitted from the domestic appliance (1) to the portable communication terminal (14) via the communication connection (20) and are displayed by means of the graphical user interface (21) of the portable communication terminal (14). Additionally or alternatively, inputs of the user (16) received by means of the user interface (21) can be transmitted as control data to the domestic appliance (1) by the portable communication terminal (14) via the communication connection (20). A communication readiness signal (23) of the domestic appliance (1) is detected by the portable communication terminal (14), and, as a consequence of the detection of the communication readiness signal (23), the communication connection (20) is automatically established and the user interface (21) is automatically provided as a result of the establishment of the communication connection (20).

Description

 PROVIDING A GRAPHIC USER INTERFACE TO A USER OF A BUDGET APPARATUS OF A PORTABLE COMMUNICATION TERMINAL

The invention relates to a method for providing a graphic

User interface for a user of a household appliance on a

Display device of a portable communication terminal, wherein between the household appliance and the portable communication terminal a wireless

Communication connection is established. About this communication connection can from the household appliance to the portable communication terminal

State data of the household appliance to be transmitted, which are displayed via the graphical user interface of the portable communication terminal.

Additionally or alternatively, via the wireless communication connection, the user's input received by the portable communication terminal via the user interface can also be transmitted as control data to the household appliance. The invention also relates to a computer program product and a portable

Communication terminal for performing such a method. It is already state of the art, a wireless communication link between a household appliance on the one hand and a portable or mobile

On the other hand, to establish a communication terminal, such as a

Mobile phone (smartphone), a tablet PC or the like. With the help of the portable communication terminal, the household appliance can then be operated. In this case, for example, control commands can be transmitted to the household appliance, which depends on operator inputs of the user to the portable

Communication terminal are generated. On the other hand, it is also possible

To transmit state data of the household appliance to the portable communication terminal and display on a display of the portable communication terminal. Such a method for controlling a television or an air conditioning system is known for example from the document US 2012/0236820 A1. Here, first, a communication link between a mobile phone and the TV manufactured using the NFC communication standard (Near Field Communication). After establishing this communication connection then takes place a further communication via a secondary network, such as a wireless network.

The document WO 2004/046201 A2 discloses a method for exchanging data between an electrical device and a user interface via a data network, in which data with control and status information in the form of data packets are exchanged between the electrical device and the user interface. This will be complete data packets with all control information for controlling the device in question as well as with all eligible

Transmit status information. The data transmission can be carried out, for example, via a LAN network or a WLAN network.

A system for controlling a household appliance and for data exchange between the household appliance and a mobile device is also known from the document WO 2013/017681 A2.

It is an object of the invention to provide a solution, as in a method of the type mentioned the user of the household appliance can be supported by the portable communication terminal particularly reliable when operating the household appliance.

This object is achieved by a method by a

Computer program product and solved by a portable communication terminal with the features according to the respective independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims, the description and the figure.

An inventive method is used to provide a graphical

User interface for a user of a household appliance on a

Display device of a separate from the household appliance portable or mobile communication terminal. Between the household appliance on the one hand and the portable communication terminal on the other hand, a wireless communication connection is established. About this communication connection can from the household appliance the portable communication terminal is transmitted state data, which are displayed via the graphical user interface. Additionally or alternatively, inputs of the user received by the portable communication terminal via the user interface can be transmitted to the household appliance as control data or control commands. The inputs are operator inputs which the user makes via the user interface of the portable communication terminal - for example, on a touch screen - and which by the portable

Receive communication terminal and transmitted to the household appliance. According to the invention, a communication readiness signal-in particular a radio signal-of the domestic appliance is detected by the portable communication terminal and, as a consequence of the detection of the ready-to-communicate signal, the communication connection is automatically or automatically established and also

User interface is provided automatically due to the establishment of the communication connection and thus as a result of the detection of the communication standby signal.

According to the invention it is therefore proposed to display the graphical user interface for the household appliance on the display device of the portable communication terminal independently and thus without an input of the user or user independently, as soon as the household appliance is within the communication range of the portable communication terminal. Unlike in the prior art - here, the graphical user interface or the associated application (application) is activated by the user himself and then remains active until it is disabled by the user again - the user thus needs no input in the inventive method on the portable communication terminal to provide the graphical user interface on the display device. These

 The user interface is displayed automatically and thus user-independently as soon as the two devices are within the mutual range. In this case, the communication terminal, in particular continuously, check whether the signal of the household appliance can be currently received or not. If this signal is detected, the communication connection is established automatically and the graphical user interface for the household appliance also automatically

provided. Such a procedure proves to be particularly user-friendly: the user can move with his portable communication terminal in the vicinity of the Home appliance and the household appliance directly using the portable

 Serve or control communication terminal without a corresponding application needs to be activated on the portable communication terminal by the user himself. However, the user may also happen to be near the household appliance and at this moment, for example, wondering when the current operating process - for example a wash - will be ready, especially if the household appliance does not have a specific display for it. In this situation, the user merely has to take a quick look at the already activated graphical user interface on his terminal and is immediately informed about the remaining time of the operating process.

In the present case, a portable communication terminal is understood to mean a mobile terminal which is designed for wireless data communication in accordance with a predetermined communication standard and on which new applications or applications can be installed and then executed. The portable one

Communication terminal may be, for example, a mobile phone (smartphone), a tablet PC or a comparable mobile device. The invention takes advantage of the fact that nowadays almost everyone has a mobile phone with a display, so that the use of additional communication devices is unnecessary. In the present case, a household appliance is understood to mean in particular a device which is used for household management. This may in particular be a household large appliance, such as a device for the care of laundry, a cooking appliance, a refrigerator, a fridge-freezer, an air conditioner or a dishwasher. A device for the care of laundry may be, for example, a washing machine, a tumble dryer or a washer-dryer. The household appliance can also be a small household appliance, such as a coffee machine or a

Food processor.

It proves to be particularly advantageous if the communication link is established using a near-distance communication standard. Under a short-distance communication standard is understood in particular a standard for wireless communication, which allows a range of a maximum of one meter. This embodiment has the advantage that the user is not constantly through the automatic provisioning of the graphical user interface is bothered and this is only automatically displayed when the portable

Communication terminal located in the immediate vicinity of the household appliance. It can thus be prevented situations in which the user is located at a greater distance from the household appliance and the graphical user interface is activated automatically unintentionally.

Most preferably, the communication link is established using the NFC communication standard. For this purpose, the household appliance and the portable communication terminal can have respective communication devices, which are designed for data communication according to the NFC standard. The portable communication terminal can therefore the NFC signal of the household appliance as

Detect communication ready signal and automatically provide the user interface as a result of this detection. The low range of the NFC can prevent interference with other equipment, and may also prevent access to the data by unauthorized third parties. The range of the NFC is also so low that the graphical user interface is automatically provided only when the portable communication terminal is in the immediate vicinity of the household appliance. Activating the user interface in a situation in which the user is with his portable communication terminal, for example, in a room other than the household appliance, can thus be prevented. In addition, a communication is encrypted in accordance with the NFC standard, so that here a further authentication of the household appliance with the portable communication terminal with the associated disadvantages is unnecessary. In one embodiment it is provided that by the portable

 Communication terminal and a disconnection of the communication connection is detected. After detecting the disconnection of the communication connection, the graphical user interface can then be deactivated automatically by the communication terminal as a result of the disconnection of the communication connection. Disabling the graphical user interface here means that this user interface is either completely disabled by deactivating the associated application or minimized on the display device or to another graphical user interface

User interface or another display window. This is also Particularly user-friendly, since the user does not have to disable the graphical user interface itself, but this is automatically disabled by the communication terminal as soon as the communication terminal leaves the communication range of the household appliance, in particular the N FC range. Providing the graphical user interface may include executing on the portable communication terminal an application that generates the user interface. This may mean that the graphic

User interface re-enabled or minimized or minimized

Maximized representation and thus generated in a full-screen representation or is changed from another user interface or another display window to the graphical user interface for the household appliance.

Preferably, the from the household appliance to the portable

Communication terminal transmitted status data for display via the

User interface include data that is exclusively about the graphical

User interface are displayed and their output by means of a

Output device of the household appliance thus omitted. The portable one

Communication terminal can thus be used to display such state data of the household appliance, which are not output by the household appliance itself. This can be, for example, the detected signal strength of a wireless local

Communication network, such as in particular a wireless network. This is advantageous if the household appliance is integrated into a home network and there is no display on the household appliance and the household appliance or its antenna should be aligned. It can also be in the state data to

Information regarding a current operating process of the household appliance act, such as a time required for completing the operating process remaining time. The household appliance itself can thus be manufactured reduced components and cost-reduced and does not need to have sophisticated display devices. It is therefore unnecessary to use such complex display devices with the associated disadvantages, especially in terms of cost and valuable space. In general, it can be provided that the state data transmitted by the household appliance to the portable communication terminal is displayed via the

User interface include the following data:

Information about a signal strength, detected by the household appliance, of a wireless local communication network, in particular a WLAN network, which is separate from the communication connection, and / or

 - Measured by at least one sensor of the household appliance measured values - here, for example, temperature readings and / or speed readings of a

 Wash drum detected and transmitted to the portable communication terminal, and / or

 - Information regarding a current operating process of the household appliance, such as over a remaining time of the operating process and / or error data.

On the other hand, the user can select via the user interface, for example, an operating program, according to which an operating process of the household appliance is to be performed. This operating input, via which the operating program is selected, can be transmitted as a control command from the portable communication terminal to the household appliance. Additionally or alternatively, the user can also carry out an input on the portable communication terminal, via which the operating process of the household appliance is initiated. In addition or alternatively, the graphical user interface can be used to run the operating process of the

Domestic appliance are interrupted due to a corresponding user input of the user. The invention also relates to a computer program product with a

 Storage medium on which a computer program is stored, which is designed to carry out an inventive method when executed by a portable communication terminal. A portable communication terminal according to the invention comprises a

 Display device for displaying a graphical user interface for a user of a household appliance, a control unit for controlling the

Display device for providing the graphical user interface and a Communication device, which can establish a wireless communication connection with the household appliance and via this communication link

Status data of the household appliance for display via the user interface and / or received via the user interface inputs of the user as

Transfer control data to the household appliance. The communication device can detect a radio signal of the household appliance and automatically establish the communication connection after detecting the radio signal. The control unit is configured to detect the establishment of the communication connection and to automatically provide the user interface upon detecting the establishment of the communication connection due to the establishment of the communication connection.

The preferred embodiments presented with reference to the process according to the invention

Embodiments and their advantages apply correspondingly to the computer program product according to the invention and to the communication terminal according to the invention.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the claims, the figure and the description of the figures. All the features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figure can be used not only in the respectively indicated combination but also in other combinations or alone.

The invention will now be described with reference to a preferred embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings. The single FIGURE illustrates a schematic representation of a system with a household appliance and a portable communication terminal according to an embodiment of the invention.

A shown in the figure in a schematic and highly abstract representation

Household appliance 1 is for example a washing machine, which is one in one

Housing 2 rotatably mounted about a horizontal axis of rotation 3

Laundry drum 4 has. In the laundry drum 4 are laundry items 5, which are washed in a washing process. The household appliance 1 also comprises an electric drive motor 6, by means of which the laundry drum 4 is rotatably driven. A control device 7 controls the drive motor 6 by outputting corresponding control signals 8. The control device 7 is also coupled to a control panel 9, which may have a plurality of control elements 10 and optionally also a display 11. For example, a washing program can be selected via the operating elements 10 and the washing process can be started.

The control device 7 also receives measured values from at least one sensor 12, for example a temperature sensor and / or a rotational speed sensor and / or a sensor for detecting a laundry weight of the laundry items 5. The control device 7 is further coupled to a communication device 13, which in the exemplary embodiment is referred to as NFC Communication device is formed and thus serves for wireless communication according to the NFC communication standard. The household appliance 1 can be connected to a portable communication terminal 14

communicate, which is formed in the embodiment as a smartphone or tablet PC. The portable communication terminal 14 has a

Display device 15 in the form of a touch screen, which thus serves both for displaying information and for receiving operator inputs of a user 16. The portable communication terminal 14 also includes a control unit 17, by means of which the display device 15 is controlled and which also receives the operating inputs, the user 16 by touching a touch-sensitive surface 18 of the display device 15 to the

Communication terminal 14 makes. The control unit 17 is also with a

Communication device 19 is coupled, which is also formed in the embodiment as an NFC communication device and thus serves for data communication according to the NFC communication standard.

Thus, the two communication devices 13, 19 are designed for wireless communication with each other, namely via the NCF. Here can between the

Communication device 13 on the one hand and the communication device 19 on the other hand, a communication connection 20 are established, exchanged via which data between the communication terminal 14 and the household appliance 1 become. To exchange data with the household appliance 1 and here the

To operate household appliance 1 via the portable communication terminal 14, a corresponding application or application is installed on the portable communication terminal 14, which can be performed by the control unit 17. This application can display on the display 15 a graphical

Provide user interface 21, via which the user 16 can operate the household appliance 1.

With regard to the data to be transmitted, the following embodiments are provided: From the household appliance 1 can to the portable communication terminal 14th

Status data of the household appliance 1 are transmitted, which are then output via the graphical user interface 21 and displayed to the user 16. The following information can be transmitted as status data, for example: information about a signal strength detected by the household appliance 1 of a local network that is separate from the communication connection 20 or from the NFC, for example a WLAN network, and / or

 the measured values detected by the at least one sensor 12 and / or

 Information relating to the current operating process - here the washing process - of the household appliance 1, such as the remaining time and / or error data.

From the communication terminal 14 can turn to the household appliance 1 again

Control commands or control data are transmitted, which depends on the

Operational inputs of the user 16 are generated, which makes the user 16 via the graphical user interface 21. This control data may include, for example, the following control commands:

a control command on the basis of which the operating process of the household appliance 1 is activated and / or

- A control command, due to which the current operating process is interrupted and / or

 - a control command, due to which an operating program - here

Washing program - and optionally additional functions are selected. If all the required information is displayed via the graphical user interface 21, then they no longer need to be displayed on the display 11. In this case, the display 11 may even be dispensed with, or a smaller display 11 may be used.

The communication link 20 between the mutual

Communication devices 13, 19 are automatically established as soon as the portable communication terminal 14 is within a coverage area 22 of the communication device 13. When the portable communication terminal 14 enters this coverage area 22, the communication facility 19 of the communication terminal 14 detects a radio signal 23 as a communication ready signal, and the communication link 20 is automatically established. In a corresponding manner, the communication device 13 such a radio signal of

Detect communication device 19 of the portable communication terminal 14.

The installed on the communication terminal 14 application (computer program) is designed so that the graphical user interface 21 automatically by the

Control unit 17 and thus provided user independent and thus the operation of the household appliance 1 is automatically enabled as soon as the

Communication device 19 detects the radio signal 23 and the

 Communication link 20 is established. The automatic provision of the graphical user interface 21 can mean in the present case that the graphical user interface 21 is activated as an application of new or from a

minimized display is switched to a full screen or the

Control unit 17 changes from another graphical interface to this graphical user interface 21 for operating the household appliance 1. After this

Entering the coverage area 22 so the graphical user interface 21 - in particular as a full screen display - displayed so that the user 16 the

can make appropriate operator inputs and also the received state data of the household appliance 1 can be displayed. Optionally, the user 16 can be provided with the option here of switching between several windows or masks, which are designed, for example, on the one hand for the operator inputs and on the other hand for the display of the status data. The method can be summarized as follows: A short-range communication technology, for example the NFC, is used to connect a household appliance and a mobile terminal in a communication-related manner. The mobile terminal can then be used to display or read data from the household appliance and / or make settings on the household appliance. For this applications or applications are used. In the prior art, these applications are usually started by the user himself and are then active until they are terminated by the user again. According to the embodiment, these applications are now automatically started when the user enters the range of the NFC, and terminated when the user leaves this area again. This is always particularly advantageous, for example, if the application makes home appliance data accessible, which can not be displayed or operated on the household appliance itself and which are important locally on the household appliance. This can be, for example, the field strength or signal strength of a WLAN network if the household appliance is integrated in a home network and there is no display on the household appliance and the household appliance or its antenna is to be aligned. But also the pure comfort gain is to be considered. For example, the user may happen to be near the home appliance, wondering at this moment when the ongoing wash will be finished and the home appliance will not have a specific display for it. While the user is looking at his mobile device at this moment, the application with the information is already automatically active and visible. This mechanism can also be used to dynamically switch a running application from its display, such as from a mini-view to full-screen.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 home appliance

 2 housings

 3 rotation axis

 4 laundry drum

 5 pieces of laundry

 6 drive motor

 7 control device

 8 control signals

 9 control panel

 10 controls

 1 1 display

 12 sensor

 13 communication device

14 communication terminal

15 display device

 16 users

 17 control unit

 18 touch-sensitive surface

19 communication device

20 communication connection

21 graphical user interface

22 range of coverage

 23 radio signal

Claims

 claims A method for providing a graphical user interface (21) for a user (16) of a household appliance (1) on a display device (15) of a portable communication terminal (14), wherein between the household appliance (1) and the portable communication terminal (14) a wireless  Communication connection (20) is established, via which:  from the household appliance (1) to the portable communication terminal (14) state data of the household appliance (1) are transmitted, which via the graphical user interface (21) of the portable  Communication terminal (14) are displayed, and / or  by the portable communication terminal (14) via the  User interface (21) received inputs of the user (16) are transmitted as control data to the household appliance (1),  characterized in that  through the portable communication terminal (14)  Communication ready signal (23) of the household appliance (1) is detected and as a result of detecting the communication standby signal (23), the communication connection (20) automatically constructed and the user interface (21) due to the establishment of the communication link (20) is automatically provided. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the  Communication link (20) is constructed using a Nahdistanz- communication standard. 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the Communication link (20) is constructed using the NFC communication standard. 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that by the portable communication terminal (14) and a disconnection of the communication link (20) is detected and after detecting the Disconnecting the communication link (20) the user interface (21) is automatically disabled due to the disconnection of the communication link (20). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the state data transmitted by the domestic appliance (1) to the portable communication terminal (14) for display via the user interface (21) comprises data which are displayed exclusively via the graphical user interface (21) and whose output by means of an output device (1 1) of the household appliance (1) is omitted. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the state data transmitted by the household appliance (1) to the portable communication terminal (14) for display via the user interface (21) comprises:  Information about a detected by the household appliance (1) signal strength of the communication link (20) separate wireless local communication network, in particular a wireless network, and / or  by at least one sensor (12) of the household appliance (1) detected measured values and / or  Information regarding a current operating process of the household appliance (1), in particular information about a remaining time and / or error data required for completing the operating process. Computer program product with a storage medium on which a  Computer program is arranged, which is designed to perform a method according to one of the preceding claims when executed by a portable communication terminal (14). 8. Portable communication terminal (14) with: a display device (15) for displaying a graphical user interface (21) for a user (16) of a household appliance (1), a control unit (17) for activating the display device (15) for providing the graphical user interface (21) and  a communication device (19) which is designed to establish a wireless communication connection (20) with the household appliance (1) and via the communication connection (20):  Status data of the household appliance (1) for display via the user interface (21) to receive and / or via the user interface (21) received inputs of the user (16) as control data to the household appliance (1) to transmit characterized in that the communication device (19) is designed to be Communication ready signal (23) of the household appliance (1) to detect and after detecting the communication standby signal (23) to establish the communication link (20) automatically, and the control unit (17) is adapted to detect the establishment of the communication link (20) and after the Detecting establishment of the communication link (20) the user interface (21) due to the establishment of the To provide communication link (20) automatically.