Electrical programmer for the automatic control of a household appliance

A programmer for a household appliance, such as a washing machine or a dishwasher, comprises a disk-shaped carrier 41 and a position indicator 43 synchronized therewith, the indicator working into a comparator 36 also receiving a signal pattern from a read-only memory 35 addressed by a counter 30 which advances under the control of a timing circuit. The latter comprises a frequency divider 20, driven by alternating current from a utility network, certain of whose stages work into a set of AND gates 22-24 that are unblocked by signals read out from the memory in various program phases. The incrementation of the program may be temporarily inhibited by additional logical circuitry 80-83 responsive to external parametric conditions, such as the temperature of the liquid level in the controlled appliance. Unwanted phases of a maximum program recorded on the program carrier 41 may be skipped under the control of a plug-in key card 64 or a selector switch 95.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
My present invention relates to an electrical programmer for the automatic 
control of a household appliance, preferably for the dispensation of 
multiple programs, with an intermittently steppable program carrier 
determining the various switching conditions in dependence upon its 
setting. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
There is already known an electrical programmer wherein a program carrier 
designed as a shaft carrying cam disks, individually scanned by spring 
assemblies, is intermittently driven by a continuously operating electric 
motor, especially a synchronous motor, via a camming sequencer. In that 
case there occurs in certain time intervals, e.g. of one or two minutes, 
an actuation of the stepping pawl and with it the advance of the 
cam-disk-carrying shaft by one incremental step. Supplemental devices are 
also known which make it possible to lift the stepping pawl, advancing the 
cam-disk-carrying shaft, during certain program phases out of its position 
of engagement with the ratchet wheel, in order to achieve in this way a 
program interruption dependent on physical parametric conditions. For this 
purpose there can be provided, for example, a small electromagnet which is 
energized for the duration of the contemplated program interruption and 
which lifts off the stepping pawl by attracting its armature. 
A published further development of such a programmer is designed to permit 
a reduction of the step length of the program carrier during such advances 
of the program carrier which do not result in a change of the incremental 
states of the program, being thus more or less dependent on time, as 
against an increase in the step length upon performance of advances of the 
program carrier serving for a change in the incremental states of the 
program in order to provide a sufficient safety margin for carrying out 
the changeover. 
Besides such program carriers, designed as cam-disk-carrying shafts, 
program carriers have also become known which, for example, are formed as 
flat program disks with concentric cam tracks, the latter being scanned by 
contact-lever assemblies arranged in groups. 
In another known electrical programmer, use is made of two separate program 
carriers which, however, can be moved in mutual synchronism, or can even 
be interconnected or constitute a structural unit, for establishing or 
determining the incremental program states on the one hand and the 
duration of the individual program states on the other hand. 
In this instance one may use wholly different time intervals, 
predeterminable by the program carrier, from one advance of the program 
carrier to the next, the program carrier being generally advanced or 
stepped only when a change in the incremental program state becomes 
necessary pursuant to the program. 
Although these known electrical programmers have become fairly widely 
distributed, they are subjected in operation to mechanical wear and are 
bulky, i.e. require relatively much space, and their manufacture as well 
as repairs necessitate a careful adjustment of the control system 
constituting the programmer. 
There is further required a considerable investment in components, 
especially transmission parts, associated with various contacts serving 
for the internal control of the programmer. These known devices are 
further characterized by a relatively high noise level during the 
evolution of the program. 
An electrical programmer is also known wherein the interval from one 
advance of the program carrier to the next is determined by the automatic 
presetting of an electronic pulse counter, especially a frequency counter, 
in dependence upon the program-carrier disk, with the aid of contacts 
scanning same. This known electrical programmer, however, must also 
comprise numerous contacts which are necessary for the control of the 
internal switching operations of the device and which, of course, 
represent a certain expenditure and also an unpredictable source of 
troubles. 
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
The object of my present invention is to provide a system of the general 
type described above, designed for the automatic control of an electrical 
appliance to be sequentially stepped through a predetermined number of 
operating phases, having means for the selective suppression of certain of 
these phases forming part of a maximum operating program stored therein. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present system comprises drive means for rotating a control unit 
including a program carrier which generates, in successive working 
positions, a multiplicity of signal patterns respectively corresponding 
(in an identical or complementary manner) to instruction codes that are 
sequentially read out in a predetermined order of succession from a 
read-only memory when the latter is addressed by an electronic counter. 
The control unit is provided, in a manner known per se, with output means 
for the selective activation and deactivation of components of the 
controlled appliance in any of its working positions. An electronic 
comparator, with input connections to the read-only memory and to the 
program carrier, is connected to the drive means associated with the 
control unit for arresting same upon detecting a match between an 
instruction code emitted by the memory and a signal pattern generated by 
the program carrier as the address counter is progressively advanced by 
stepping pulses from a suitable source to command the sequential readout 
of successive instruction codes of the maximum operating program stored in 
the memory. 
In parallel with the electronic comparator there is connected, in 
accordance with my present invention, a presettable decoder for detecting 
certain instruction codes which pertain to unwanted phases of the maximum 
operating program. In response to such detection the decoder inhibits the 
arresting of the program drive by the comparator with simultaneous 
emission of a phase-skipping pulse fed to the counter for advancing same 
out of turn. The setting of the decoder can be varied with the aid of 
selector means which may comprise a manual switch or a programmable 
ancillary memory. 
Pursuant to a more particular feature of my invention, the decoder designed 
to detect the unwanted program phases comprises a plurality of coincidence 
circuits such as AND gates with inverting and noninverting inputs 
connected in various combinations to the several output leads of the 
read-only memory which carry the instruction codes in the form of 
combinations of binary signals. These coincidence gates may have blocking 
inputs energizable by the ancillary memory or outputs in series with the 
manual switch referred to above. 
The phase-skipping pulses designed to advance the counter out of turn may 
be derived from the same source as the stepping pulses which for this 
purpose is provided with first output means carrying the stepping pulses 
and with second output means carrying additional pulses offset therefrom, 
these additional pulses being selectively passed by gating means 
controlled by the unwanted-phase decoder. Advantageously, the pulse source 
comprises a frequency divider with a multiplicity of cascaded stages, 
certain of these stages supplying different signal combinations to the 
aforementioned first and second output means. 
According to yet another feature of my invention, the first output means of 
the pulse source may be responsive to a blocking signal from the read-only 
memory for temporarily preventing the advance of the address counter by 
the stepping pulses, the counter being restarted only when a sensor 
actuated by the memory in the presence of the blocking signal detects a 
predetermined external parameter associated with the controlled appliance.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION 
In FIG. 1 there is represented at 1 a microprocessor including a frequency 
divider as well as a so-called read-only memory consisting in turn of an 
electronic counter with coded input, a decoder and a storage matrix 
following same. All the aforementioned components are combined in a chip 
according to integrated-circuit technology. The storage matrix of the 
read-only memory in the microprocessor is programmed either by the 
manufacturer of the chip or else by the user according to the required 
control program. This can be effected in known manner by above-normal 
current pulses applied, by a device specially made for this purpose, to 
the microprocessor chip pursuant to a table corresponding to the requisite 
program. To this end one may use the known programming techniques, e.g. 
the NiCr cell or the polycrystalline-silicon cell. The utilization of the 
burn-through method for programming is advantageous since, as a rule, it 
is not necessary to modify a program once established. 
The advance of the counter serving to address the data stored in the 
read-only memory of the microprocessor can be controlled through the 
available utility network. For this purpose the network frequency is 
stepped down via a frequency divider to the value required for activating 
the counter. 
The microprocessor 1 is connected with a driving device 2 for the program 
carrier 3 which executes stepwise motions, corresponding to the evolution 
of the program, in dependence upon the control program of the 
microprocessor. For this purpose it is advantageous to use a small 
induction or synchronous motor which is intermittently cut in with a 
predetermined rotary speed. 
The drive motor 4 advances the program carrier 3 with each cutting-in 
operation whereby the switching of the household appliance to be 
controlled occurs via the power contacts associated with the program 
carrier. For this purpose there are provided valves 6, 7, drive motors 8, 
9 as well as a resistor 10 for heating the household appliance. 
Co-operating with the microprocessor are thermal sensors 11, 12, a door 
safety device 13 as well as level switches 14, 15. 
The evolution of the program of the microprocessor 1 is suitably variable 
by means of a selector switch 16 so that, according to the setting of e.g. 
an adjusting knob 17, a distinctive program evolution can be achieved. 
Thereby, in a manner known per se, it is possible to adapt the machine 
program for the control of the corresponding household appliance, emitted 
by the microprocessor or by the electrical programmer, to the household 
articles to be processed. 
This possibility is of particular importance for the washing machines and 
dishwashers commonly used in the household. 
In FIG. 2 an embodiment of the invention has shown in detail as a circuit 
arrangement. 
A frequency divider 20 with a multiplicity of cascaded stages 20a-20n is 
controlled in a time-stabilized manner by the network frequency, e.g. of 
50 or 60 Hz. There occurs a continuous division by respective factors of 2 
from the divider stage 20a of the divider stage 20n. Altogether there are 
provided 13 divider stages, the last divider stage 20n delivering pulses 
at intervals of about 2.7 minutes in its output if the network frequency 
is 50 Hz. The two preceding divider stages 20m and 20l produce pulses at 
intervals of about 1.4 minutes and about 0.7 minute. According to an 
advantageous feature of the invention, the pulse emissions of the divider 
stages 20l to 20n are selectively used according to the program of the 
fixed-data emitter for the control of the program to be carried out. 
In order to obtain brief control pulses from the frequency divider 20, the 
pulse trains of several stage outputs thereof are superposed. Thus, in the 
circuit arrangement of FIG. 2 the pulse trains of divider stages 20h to 
20n are fed to connecting lines 21h to 21n and these connecting lines are 
tied to AND gates 22, 23 and 24 through which the superposition of the 
individual pulse trains is effected. The AND gate 22 is tied to the 
connecting lines 21h to 21l, the AND gate 23 is tied to the connecting 
lines 21h to 21m and the AND gate 24 is tied to the connecting lines 21h 
to 21n. 
FIG. 5 shows how the narrowing of the pulses is achieved by the 
superposition of the individual pulse trains. The superposition of the 
pulse trains 20h to 20n results in a pulse of about 2.5 seconds within a 
time interval of 2.7 minutes, a superposition of pulse trains 20h to 20m 
results also in a pulse length of 2.5 seconds every 1.4 minutes, and a 
superposition of the pulse trains 20h to 20l alone, finally, results in a 
pulse length of about 2.5 seconds within a time interval of 0.7 minutes. 
The output leads 22a, 23a and 24a of the AND gates 22, 23 and 24 extend to 
an OR gate 25 whose output lead 25a is connected to the input of an AND 
gate 26. The output lead 26a of this AND gate 26 is extended to an OR gate 
27 whose output lead 27a is connected to the input of an electronic 
counter 30. An input 190a of AND gate 26 is energized upon closure of a 
switch 190. 
The electronic counter 30 is followed by a decoder 31 which converts the 
2.sup.6 address codes on leads 30a-30f into 2.sup.6 explicit so-called 
word signals which are fed to the storage matrix 33 by way of lines 32. 
The components 30, 31 and 32 constitute a read-only memory 35. 
The storage matrix 33 is programmed, according to the requisite program, 
either by the manufacturer of the component 35 or by the user pursuant to 
a suitable method, preferaby by burning in. The storage matrix 33 is 
initially provided with so-called explicit outputs 33a-33d for individual 
signals of which the first three are connected to the AND gates 22, 23 and 
24; lead 33d, normally conductive, extends to an input of AND gate 26. 
There are further provided outputs 33e-33i on which there appears a signal 
pattern coded according to the binary code 2.sup.n, i.e. 2.sup.n =2.sup.5 
=32 different signal patterns can be emitted by way of the output multiple 
33e-33i. 
In FIG. 4 there has been shown an assembly 40 for driving the programmer 
and controlling the operation of an associated appliance. A program 
carrier 41 is connected by way of a drive shaft 42 together with a 
position-indicating disk 43 via a transmission 44 with a drive motor 45 
through a transmission shaft 46. 
The program carrier 41, advantageously designed as a dished disk, has 
concentric tracks 41a to 41g which are scannable by contact levers 47a to 
47g of a contact assembly 47. 
The position-indicating disk 43, which is fixedly connected with the 
program carrier 41 via the drive shaft 42 so as to rotate synchronously 
therewith and which may form a unit with same, is provided with conductor 
tracks 43a-43f which are concentrically arranged and are scannable by 
sliding springs 48a to 48f. The contact springs 48a-48e are connected via 
leads 36a-to 36e to an electronic comparison circuit 36. 
The conductor track 48f of the position-indicating disk 43 serves as a 
common junction for the printed conductor tracks 43a to 43e. These five 
conductor tracks 43a-43e carry a coded positional pattern which either 
corresponds to the pattern transmitted via the lines 33e-33i from the 
storage matrix 33 or constitutes the complement thereof. 
The electronic comparison circuit 36 is connected via a line 49 to the 
drive motor 45 of the control unit 40. 
The electronic comparator 36 energizes the drive motor 45 whenever the 
coded positional pattern transmitted by the contact springs 48a-48e, 
predetermined by the conductor tracks 43a-43e of the position-indicating 
disk 43, does not correspond to the coded patterns of the outputs 33e-33i 
of the storage matrix 33. 
Through its energization via line 49 the drive motor 45 is cut in and 
drives the position-indicating disk 43 and the program carrier 41 via the 
transmission shaft 46, the transmission 44 and the drive shaft 42. The 
rotary motion of these three elements is maintained until a pattern is 
sensed by the contact springs 48a-48e on the conductor tracks 43a-43e of 
the position-indicating disk 43 corresponding either identically or 
complementarily to the coded pattern emitted by the storage matrix 33 on 
the outputs 33e-33i. When this situation occurs, the electronic comparison 
circuit 36 no longer energizes the line 49 leading to the drive motor 45 
and the latter is cut off. On the leads 36a-36e or 33e-33i it is possible 
to represent 2.sup.5 =32 distinct signal patterns. This means, strictly 
speaking, that the position-indicating disk 43 together with the program 
carrier 41 could occupy 32 different positions. This number of positions 
of parts 41 and 43 corresponds to as many different contact operations of 
the contact-lever group 47a-47h of switching device 47. This distinct 
number of contact-operating possibilities is generally sufficient to make 
available the requisite incremental program states or phases. If 
necessary, it is readily possible to supplement the contact device 47 
shown in the embodiment of FIG. 4 by disposing a further such contact 
device on the laterally or diametrically opposite side of the program 
carrier, sensing additional cam tracks to be provided for this purpose. 
The contact device 47 of the embodiment according to FIG. 4 actuates the 
aforementioned drive motors 8, 9, heating resistor 10 and valves 6, 7, as 
well as a pump motor 9a, which constitute the operating elements of, for 
example, a household washing machine or dishwasher controlled by the 
system embodying my improved programmer. 
The drive motor 45, conveniently designed as a small induction or 
asynchronous-synchronous motor, is advantageously provided with a 
conventional shiftable armature not further illustrated. At the instant of 
energization of the drive motor 45, this shiftable armature actuates under 
the influence of the stator field a contact device 50 which, as long as 
the parts 41 and 43 are driven by the motor 45, causes the operating 
elements (7-10) of the controlled household appliance to remain 
de-energized whereby an intermittent operation thereof and thus an 
objectionable raising of the radio-interference level are avoided. 
In series with the operating elements (7-10) of the controlled household 
appliance, the contact device 47 and the interruptor contact 50, there is 
provided a self-locking switch 51 remaining closed upon being manually 
actuated. 
When the program to be carried out is completed and the program carrier 41 
reaches its rest position, a heating resistor 52 is energized through the 
contact lever 47a and actuates thereby a bimetallic release device 
connected with the switch 51. The switch 51 is thereby disengaged and 
sutomatically returns to its open position. 
As further shown in FIG. 2, there is provided a programmable ancillary 
read-only memory 60 consisting of the selector switch 61, a decoder 62 and 
a storage matrix 63. 
The selector switch 61 comprises a plug-in card 64 which is provided with 
coded patterns, e.g. printed conductor tracks, and is received in the 
holder 65, This holder 65 is connected to the address side of decoder 62 
by lines 65a-65f. 
The plug-in card 64 carries coded patterns, as for example printed 
conductor tracks in a certain arrangement, establishing electrical 
connections at corresponding contact blades in holder 65 which are 
transmitted by way of leads 65a-65f to the address side of the decoder 62 
as coded signal patterns. 
I may also carry out a contactless program selection by means of the 
plug-in card 64. This could be done, for example, by providing for each 
input 65a-65f, present on the address side of decoder 62, dampable tuned 
circuits which, according to the distribution of printed conductor tracks 
on the plug-in card 64, undergo a distinctive adaptation to an oscillatory 
or non-oscillatory condition yielding the coded pattern. 
Another possible programming method consists in providing the plug-in card 
64 with small magnetic elements which act upon vacuum contacts, provided 
within holder 65, that are tied to the connecting lines 65a-65f. These 
details, however, have not been shown in FIG. 2 since they are known per 
se. 
The coding according to the binary system f=2.sup.n =2.sup.6, present on 
the address side 65a-65f of the decoder 62, is resolved by the decoder 62 
into 64 so-called word lines which are led to the storage matrix 63 and 
constitute its rows 1-64. This storage matrix 63 is programmed, similarly 
to the storage matrix 33 of the fixed-data emitter 35, either already by 
the manufacturer or only by the user. This occurs, advantageously, 
according to the so-called burning-in process similarly to what has 
already been described in conjunction with the main read-only memory 35. 
Since, generally, the programmers required for the manufacture of 
programmed electrical household appliances are of uniform type and are 
produced in large quantities, and since furthermore a reprogramming of a 
programmer once programmed is neither necessary nor possible, it is 
preferable to carry out the programming already at the manufacturer. 
To the outputs 33e-33i of the storage matrix 33 within read-only memory 35 
there are connected a series of AND gates 70-75 with five of their 
respective six inputs. These AND gates 70-75, constituting a decoder, emit 
a signal whenever the outputs 33e-33i carry a pattern which corresponds to 
an incremental program state or phase not desired for one or more of the 
selectable programs. 
The storage matrix 63 within the read-only memory 60 is connected by its 
output leads 63a-63f to the respective sixth inputs of the AND gates 
70-75. With the aid of the plug-in card 64 there are selected, via the 
holder 65, the decoder 62 and the storage matrix 63 of the read-only 
memory 60, always those AND stages 70-75 which exhibit an output signal 
for those patterns that correspond to the incremental program states which 
are undesired in the respectively selected program and which are therefore 
to be rendered ineffectual or skipped. 
For this purpose the outputs 70a-75a of AND gates 70-75 are combined in an 
OR gate 76 whose output 76a is connected to an AND gate 77 also tied to 
the output 78a of an AND gate 78. This AND gate is connected by way of two 
inputs via leads 21h and 21i to the outputs of divider stages 20h and 20i. 
The input of the AND gate 78 connected to the divider stage 20i is 
inverting. This has the result that, in lieu of a pulse in the pulse train 
20i of FIG. 5, a pulse gap 20i of this train becomes effective. 
The control stepping of the electronic counter 30 takes place by way of AND 
gate 22, 23 or 24, selected by storage matrix 33 via connecting lines 33a, 
33b, 33c, through the OR gate 25, the AND gate 26 and the OR gate 27. This 
gives effect, as is apparent from FIG. 5, to one of the pulses of train 
20h identified forming part of the series 22a, 23a or 24a. By this 
stepping pulse the counter 30 is advanced and, via the output of storage 
matrix 33, a pattern is emitted which is here assumed to correspond to 
incremental program state not desired for the selected program. 
Accordingly, there is generated at one of the outputs 70a-75a of gates 
70-75 and thus also at the output of 76a of gate 76 a signal fed to the 
AND stage 77. If, then, gate 78 emits on its output 78a any pulse of the 
corresponding designated series in FIG. 5, there appears at the output 77a 
of AND gate 77 a phase-skipping pulse which is fed to the electronic 
counter 30 by way of OR gate 27. Pulse 78a appears at a later time than 
stepping pulse 22a, 23a or 24a on account of the inversion of the pulse 
train 20a, that is, the pulse 78 follows in the described embodiment 5.12 
seconds after the immediately preceding stepping pulses. 
By this delay pulse the electronic counter 30 is advanced by one further 
step 5.12 seconds after the last stepping pulse, via OR gate 25, whereby 
the unwanted incremental program state or phase is skipped. In some 
instances, also the program phase corresponding to the new count of the 
electronic counter 30 may be unwanted for the selected program so that at 
output 76a of OR gate 76 there appears again a skip signal which, via AND 
gate 77, initiates the transmission of an advancing pulse for the 
electronic counter 30 from the AND gate 78. The interval between 
successive phase-skipping pulses 78a--as is apparent from FIG. 5--measures 
7.68 seconds. 
The output 76a of OR gate 76 is further tied by way of a connection 76b to 
the electronic comparison circuit 36. As long as the output 76a carries a 
blocking signal, the line 49 and thus the drive motor 45 remain 
de-energized. The stepping of carrier disk 41 is, accordingly, initiated 
only upon the appearance of the signal pattern for the next admissible 
incremental program state at the outputs 33e-33i of storage matrix 33. 
By the inclusion of additional stages of frequency divider 20 it is, 
obviously, possible to reduce the delays between the stepping pulses 22a, 
23a, 24a and the phase-skipping or blocking pulses 78a if the values 
chosen by way of example should prove too large. 
Thus, the stated times can be reduced by one half through inclusion of the 
divider stage 20g into the inputs of the AND circuits 22, 23 and 24. 
For the performance of control operations depending upon an external 
parameter, e.g. temperature or liquid levels of a washing machine or a 
dishwasher, there are provided further AND gates 80-83 whose inputs are 
connected to the outputs 33e-33i of the storage matrix 33 and to whose 
outputs 80a to 83a are connected the sensors for temperature (T1, T2) and 
liquid level (N1, N2) as shown in FIG. 2a. 
If a parameter-dependent control of temperature or liquid level is to be 
carried out during the evolution of the program, the corresponding pattern 
appears on outputs 33e-33i whereby one of the AND gates 80-83 has an 
output signal. At the same time the signal normally present on the line 
33d is blocked so that pulse signals arriving from OR gate 25 are no 
longer transmitted through AND gate 26 and, thus, the time-controlled 
program evolution is interrupted. The pattern on leads 33e-33i 
simultaneously causes the program carrier 41 to establish the current 
parameter-dependent switching phase of the program, e.g. heating or water 
supply. When the corresponding parametric condition is satisfied, i.e. 
when the desired temperature or water level has been reached, the 
corresponding sensor selected by the AND gates 80-83 operates its contacts 
(T1, T2; N1, N2) and a signal is transmitted from one of the outputs 
80a-83a to an OR stage 85 and from the output 85a thereof to the OR stage 
27 whereby the electronic counter 30 is advanced by one step and, at the 
same time, the gate 26 passing the stepping pulses from logic circuit 
22-24 is unblocked by re-energization of lead 33d. From this instant on 
the normally time-controlled program evolution continues. 
This normal program evolution is brought about in that, depending upon the 
storage matrix 33 of the time-controlled read-only memory 35, i.e. in 
dependence upon the stored contents of this component, one of the AND 
gates 22, 23 or 24 is selected for pulse emission. The pulse train of the 
selected AND gate is transmitted via OR gate 25 to AND gate 26, which has 
been unblocked by a signal from the explicit output 33d of storage matrix 
33, and thence to the OR gate 27 and from its output 27a to the electronic 
counter 30. The aforementioned switch 190 connected to the input 190a of 
AND gate 26 is a door-closure contact which is actuated, i.e. closed, only 
with the door of the controlled household appliance closed. As long as the 
door and with it the door contact is open, the AND gate 26 is not 
connected in circuit and the program counter 30 cannot be advanced by 
energization of its stepping input via OR gate 25. 
During the program evolution, according to the program-dependent situation, 
the storage matrix 33 may effect a switchover of the pulse emission among 
the coincidence gates 22, 23 and 24 via its outputs 33a-33c. Depending on 
which of the AND circuits 22, 23 and 24 has been selected, a faster or 
slower transition of the several incremental program states and thus an 
acceleration or a retardation of the program evolution takes place. 
To the inputs 33e-33and 36a-36e of the electronic comparison circuit 36 
there are connected respective AND circuits 86 and 87 with outputs 86a and 
87a are extended to an AND circuit 88 whose output 83a is in turn 
connected to the resetting inputs of the frequency divider 20 and the 
electronic counter 30. If, at the end of the program, there appears at the 
outputs 33e-33the code for a setting of the program carrier 41 to the 0 
position and if the same has reached this 0 position, a signal is 
transmitted by way of the two AND gates 87 and 88 of the AND circuit 88 
whereby, through the output 88a of this gate, the electronic frequency 
divider 20 and the electronic counter 30 are set to 0. In this 0 position, 
however, the pattern at the outputs 33e-33i and with it the AND condition 
for the gate 86 is terminated. This eliminates also the 0-setting 
criterion for the divider circuit 20 and the counting circuit 30 so that, 
upon a reactivation of the household appliance by the operation of switch 
51, the dividing and counting process at the electronic components 20 and 
30 can be restarted. 
At the AND gates 70-75, 80-83, 86 and 87 of the decoder illustrated in FIG. 
2, certain inputs are inverting, as indicated, in conformity with the 
pattern signal of leads 33e to 33i or 36a to 36e, respectively, which they 
are designed to detect. 
FIG. 3 represents a modified embodiment of the invention. The electrical 
programmer according to FIG. 3 is preferably designed to control such 
automatic household appliances in which only a few permanent programs are 
to be executed and an adaptation of the household appliance to new working 
programs corresponding to the advancing technology is not required. For 
this purpose there is provided a program selector 95 whose possible 
program-selection positions I-IV, four by way of example, are selectable 
by a manually displaceable switch arm 94. 
In conformity with the arrangement according to FIG. 2, the outputs 33e-33i 
of the storage matrix 33 of the time-controlled read-only memory 35 are 
tested by a decoder again consisting of several AND circuits 70-75 whose 
outputs 70a-75a are grouped together in OR gates 90-93. Each group of AND 
gates 70-75, connected to one of the OR stages, represents the totality of 
the individual operating phase or incremental program states which during 
the selected program evolution are to be eliminated from or skipped in the 
maximum program recorded in the storage matrix 30 and designed to be read 
out therefrom. The outputs 90a-93a of OR stages 90-93 are respectively 
connected to contacts I-IV of the selector switch 95. The signal passing 
over the selected contact I-IV and the switch arm 94 is fed by way of a 
connecting line 95a (replacing line 76a) to the AND gate 77. Thereby, as 
described with reference to FIG. 2, the advance of the electronic counter 
30 is effected which results in the readout of a new program state by the 
storage matrix 33. 
The function of the other electronic components constituting the circuit 
arrangement according to FIG. 3 is the same as that already described for 
the circuit arrangement of FIG. 2. The same goes, moreover, also for the 
circuit arrangement of FIG. 4 which evidently complements the circuit 
arrangement of FIG. 3. 
The embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 3a permits a simple, economical construction 
of the electric programmer pursuant to the invention will renunciation of 
an optional expansion of the control possibilities of the programmer in 
the manner available with the arrangement of FIG. 2. 
To insure a permanent storage capability, i.e. a readability of the 
electronic counter 30 independent of an external current supply, I prefer 
to provide that counter with a small secondary battery as a current supply 
which can be replenished from the network. Such a secondary battery, e.g. 
a nickel-cadmium accumulator consisting of 3-4 button cells, is capable of 
bridging power failures of the network over many hours without 
detrimentally affecting the stored count of the electronic counter 30 and 
changing its reading. 
Counters may also be used for this purpose whose semiconductive components 
embody the so-called MNOS technology inasmuch as such components are able 
to preserve an applied charge for a very long time and thus can bridge 
network outages for a sufficient period without a special power supply. 
These details have not been illustrated in the representation of the 
drawing since they are known per se and are understandable also without 
such representation. 
Automatically controlled household appliances are known wherein, besides a 
so-called principal program which generally is run through only once upon 
an activation of the appliance, there is also established a so-called 
ancillary program which can be continuously repeated. Thus, for example, 
in the case of an automatically controlled washing machine there is read 
out by the controller, besides the washing program proper, also an 
ancillary control program for the reversal of the washing drum which is 
continuously repeated and is halted only in a few phases of the program 
evolution. It is known to use for this purpose two separate programmers 
with respective individual drive motors. I prefer to design the driving 
device of the electric programmer for this purpose in such a way that the 
ancillary program is read out via the continuously operating drive motor 
through an ancillary shaft and that the program carrier 41 is advanced 
through its successive working positions via an electromagnetic coupling 
device controllable by the comparison circuit 36. 
Such a design of the driving device of the program carrier 41, known per 
se, is economical and compact since the electromagnetic coupling device 
can be made small and manufactured inexpensively. Moreover, the proposed 
construction enables a positive connection between the principal and 
ancillary programs. This is important e.g. for the start of the 
centrifuging stage of an automatically controlled household appliance 
where, at the beginning of the centrifuging drive, a certain direction of 
rotation of the washing machine must be inevitably maintained in the 
ancillary program. 
Another advantageous feature of the present system resides in the fact 
that, if despite nonfulfillment of the liquid-level condition in an 
automatically controlled washing machine or dishwasher--caused for example 
by a malfunction of the control or the household appliance--the programmer 
should inadmissibly switch to "heating", this pattern read out by the 
storage matrix is converted into the pattern "rest position". The program 
carrier 41 is thereby moved out of the position "heating" and into the 
position "rest" in which then, as an additional safety measure, the 
automatic and permanent deactivation of the washing machine takes place. 
Another modification of the arrangement according to FIGS. 2 and 3 within 
the scope of the invention resides in additionally varying, with the aid 
of the selector switch 16 (FIG. 1) representative of the programmable 
memory 60 (FIG. 2) or the switch 95 (FIG. 2), the correlation of the 
several pulse trains emitted by the AND gates 22, 23 and 24 with the 
respective incremental program states. This is done by assigning to the 
time-controlled storage matrix 33 on the word lines several successive, 
identical patterns of outputs 33e-33i which, however, are tied via 
different outputs 33a-33c to different AND gates 22, 23 24 and, therefore, 
pulse trains. With the aid of the selector switch it is then possible to 
choose those AND gates 70-75 which correspond to patterns whose assigned 
pulse trains are unwanted and which therefore are to be skipped or 
eliminated. Thus, for example, in the case of a household washing machine 
the incremental program state "centrifugation" may appear several times in 
succession in the pattern of the storage matrix 33, once with a duration 
of, say, 0.7 min, the other time with 1.4 min. and finally with 2.8 min. 
The selection of the desired interval during which always the same program 
state has to be maintained, i.e. "centrifugation", is made by skipping or 
eliminating the same incremental program states having, however, the 
unwanted pulse trains assigned thereto. Such an arrangement facilitates 
with simple means, by way of the selector switch, a correction of the 
duration of one and the same program state for different program 
evolutions. 
In similar manner it is possible, with the aid of the selector switch, to 
influence also the control of the parametric conditions associated with 
the incremental program states. Thus, one can envisage an extension of the 
circuit arrangement of FIGS. 2 and 3 in this sense wherein, as shown in 
FIG. 2a, the AND stages 80-83 each have a further input connected to 
respective outputs 63g to 63k of the storage matrix 63 of the 
card-controlled read-only memory 60 enabling, in dependence upon the 
circuit connection thereof, an additional modification dependent on the 
selected program, also during evolution of the program, of the parametric 
conditions to be fulfilled.