COOKING APPLIANCE, CONTROLLER OF A COOKING APPLIANCE, AND ROUTER IN WIRED COMMUNICATION WITH A CONTROLLER OF A COOKING APPLIANCE

A cooking appliance may include one or more cooktop burners, a user interface configured to allow a user to input settings to control one or more of the cooktop burners, and a controller connected to the user interface, the controller being configured to allow control of the cooktop burners pursuant to the inputted settings, the controller being in wired communication with a router, the router being configured to communicate with the controller to allow a portable computer to remotely operate one or more of the cooktop burners, the router including a wireless data connection, a wired data connection, and a control circuit, the wireless data connection being established with the portable computer, the wired data connection being established with the controller.

BACKGROUND

The following description relates to a cooking appliance, a controller of a cooking appliance, and a router in wired communication with a controller of a cooking appliance.

2. Description of Related Art

Conventional cooking appliances may possess ways by which a user can be in control of the operation of the cooking appliance. For example, user control of a conventional cooking appliance may include the adjustment of knobs, the pressing of capacitive touch panels, or the browsing of an LED touch screen.

SUMMARY

In one general aspect, a cooking appliance may include one or more cooktop burners, a user interface configured to allow a user to input settings to control one or more of the cooktop burners, and a controller connected to the user interface, the controller being configured to allow control of the cooktop burners pursuant to the inputted settings, the controller being in wired communication with a router, the router being configured to communicate with the controller to allow a portable computer to remotely operate one or more of the cooktop burners, the router including a wireless data connection, a wired data connection, and a control circuit, the wireless data connection being established with the portable computer, the wired data connection being established with the controller, the control circuit being configured to control the wireless and wired data connections and allow the portable computer to control the cooktop burners via the controller when the portable computer is within a predetermined distance of the control circuit. Once the portable computer has been in control of one or more of the cooktop burners and the portable computer subsequently leaves the predetermined distance during operation of the cooktop burners, the control circuit may instruct the controller to turn off the cooktop burners.

The router may be provided less than a distance from the cooktop burners from where the user operating the portable computer has a direct line of sight view of the cooktop burners being controlled.

A status of the cooktop burners may be provided by the controller to the portable computer via the control circuit once the portable computer requests to be allowed by the control circuit to control the cooktop burners via the controller and is within the predetermined distance of the control circuit.

The user interface may be configured to indicate when the portable computer is executing control over the cooktop burners.

Once the user interface is being used to control the cooktop burners and the portable computer is within the predetermined distance of the control circuit during operation of the cooktop burners, the controller may inhibit the portable computer from being used to control the cooktop burners and provide a status of the cooktop burners is provided to be displayed on the portable computer via the control circuit.

Once the portable computer is controlling the cooktop burners during operation of the cooktop burners, the controller may inhibit the user interface from being used to input settings for controlling the cooktop burners and provide a status of the cooktop burners to be displayed on the user interface.

In another general aspect, a controller of a cooking appliance may be provided. The controller may be configured to allow control of one or more cooktop burners of the cooking appliance pursuant to settings inputted by a user from a user interface of the cooking appliance that is connected to the controller. The controller may be in wired communication with a router. The router may be configured to communicate with the controller to allow a portable computer to remotely operate one or more of the cooktop burners. The router may include a wireless data connection, a wired data connection, and a control circuit. The wireless data connection may be established with the portable computer. The wired data connection may be established with the controller. The control circuit may be configured to control the wireless and wired data connections and allow the portable computer to control the cooktop burners via the controller once the portable computer is within a predetermined distance of the control circuit. Once the portable computer has been in control of one or more of the cooktop burners and the portable computer subsequently leaves the predetermined distance during operation of the cooktop burners, the control circuit may instruct the controller to turn off the cooktop burners.

In another general aspect, a router in wired communication with a controller of a cooking appliance may be provided. The controller may be configured to control one or more cooktop burners of the cooking appliance pursuant to commands of a user. The router may be configured to communicate with the controller to allow a portable computer to remotely operate one or more cooktop burners. The router may include a wireless data connection established with the portable computer, a wired data connection established with the controller, and a control circuit configured to control the wireless and wired data connections and allow the portable computer to control the cooktop burners via the controller once the portable computer is within a predetermined distance of the control circuit. Once the portable computer has been in control of one or more of the cooktop burners and the portable computer subsequently leaves the predetermined distance during operation of the cooktop burners, the control circuit may instruct the controller to turn off the cooktop burners.

The predetermined distance may be less than or equal to a range within which the wireless data connection can be established with the portable computer.

The router may be provided within a base station located less than a distance from the cooktop burners from where the user operating the portable computer has a direct line of sight view of the cooktop burners being controlled.

The base station may be configured to removably dock the portable computer thereto and inductively transfer power to the docked portable computer for powering and charging a battery of the docked portable computer.

The docking of the portable computer to the base station may define the predetermined distance. Once the docked portable computer has been in control of the cooktop burners during an operation session of the cooktop burners and the docked portable computer is subsequently undocked from the base station, the control circuit may instruct the controller to turn off the cooktop burners.

The router may further include a sensor configured to determine whether the portable computer is within the predetermined distance of the control circuit.

The router may be provided within a base station located less than a distance from the cooktop burners from where the user operating the portable computer has a direct line of sight view of the cooktop burners being controlled, the base station being configured to removably dock the portable computer thereto and inductively transfer power to the docked portable computer for powering and charging a battery of the docked portable computer. The router may further comprise a sensor configured to determine whether the portable computer is within the predetermined distance of the control circuit.

The docking of the portable computer to the base station may define the predetermined distance. Once the docked portable computer has been in control of the cooktop burners during an operation session of the cooktop burners and the sensor senses that the docked portable computer has become undocked from the base station, the control circuit may instruct the controller to turn off the cooktop burners.

A status of the cooktop burners may be provided by the controller to the portable computer via the control circuit once the portable computer requests to be allowed by the control circuit to control the cooktop burners via the controller and is within the predetermined distance of the control circuit.

Once the user interface is being used to control the cooktop burners and the portable computer is within the predetermined distance of the control circuit during operation of the cooktop burners, a status of the cooktop burners may be provided by the controller to the portable computer via the control circuit to enable the cooktop burners to be controlled by the portable computer when desired by the user.

Once the portable computer is controlling the cooktop burners during the operation of the cooktop burners, the controller may inhibit the user interface from being used by the user to input settings for controlling the cooktop burners and provide a status of the cooktop burners to the user interface to be displayed on the user interface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Examples incorporating one or more embodiments are described and illustrated in the drawings. These illustrated examples are not intended to be limiting. For example, one or more aspects of an embodiment may be utilized in other embodiments and even other types of devices.

For purposes of embodiments described and illustrated herein, a “router” is defined as being any device serving to effectuate communication and data transfer between multiple devices. Multiple devices include, but are not limited to, a tablet computer, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a mobile phone, a watch phone, an information aggregator, a controller, an electric circuit, or any type of device that can communicate in either a wired or wireless capacity with the router. These devices may be provided independently, but are not limited thereto and may be housed in any number of units, including, but not limited to, a cooking appliance, a food preservation appliance, a dish care appliance, a laundry care appliance, a floor care appliance, and any appliance in which some sort of control thereover is desired.

FIG. 1is a perspective view illustrating an example of a router10and a cooking appliance110having gas cooktop burners120according to an embodiment.FIG. 2is a perspective view illustrating an example of a router10and a cooking appliance210having electric cooktop burners220according to an embodiment. The cooktop burners120and220may be configured to heat items placed thereon for purposes of food preparation. The cooking appliances110and120may also include an oven140and an oven150, respectively.

While built-in cooking appliances having singular ovens are illustrated as examples inFIGS. 1 and 2, embodiments disclosed herein are not limited thereto. For example, the cooking appliance may be a cooktop built into a cabinet and not having an oven controlled via a common user interface, i.e. separate appliances. The cooking appliance may include multiple ovens. The built-in cooktop may be either an electric cooktop or a gas cooktop. The cooking appliance may be a freestanding range-type cooking appliance with one or more ovens. The cooking appliance may be one that accepts dual types of fuel, such as natural gas for operation of cooktop burners and electric for operation of one or more ovens. Further, the cooking appliance may be an induction-type cooking appliance.

User interfaces130and230may be provided with each of the cooking appliances illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, respectively. User interfaces130and230may be configured to allow a user to input settings to control the cooktop burners120and220, respectively. For example, the user interfaces130and230may be panel displays including touchpad controls to allow the user to manipulate the level at which the cooktop burners120and230respectively operate. The touchpad controls may be capacitive in nature. The panel displays may illustrate an operating status of the cooktop burners120and220to the user to enable the user to determine whether adjustments using the touchpad controls are necessary. Further, the panel display may operate similarly to a tablet computer, portable computer, or smart phone with applications available to the user for operation of all features of cooking appliances110and210.

FIG. 3is a side sectional view taken along line3-3inFIG. 2illustrating an example of a cooking appliance310according to an embodiment.FIG. 4is a rear view illustrating an example of a cooking310appliance according to an embodiment. The cooking appliance310may include cooktop burners320, a user interface330, a controller340, and a communication wire350. The user interface330may be connected to and operate the cooktop burners320through the controller340. The controller340may be configured to allow control of the cooktop burners320pursuant to settings inputted by the user on the user interface330. The controller340may have a plug receptacle (not shown) housed therein for connection of the communication wire350thereto. The communication wire350may run from the controller340to a back wall360of the cooking appliance310, in which a plug receptacle420is provided for wired connection of the controller340to a device external to the cooking appliance310.

WhileFIG. 3illustrates the communication wire350extending from the controller340to a back wall360of the cooking appliance310along a certain path, embodiments disclosed herein are not limited thereto. For example, the communication wire350may extend from the controller340through side walls of the cooking appliance in which a plug receptacle may be provided for wired connection of the controller340to a device external to the cooking appliance310. In addition, whileFIG. 3illustrates the controller340as being underneath a user interface330, embodiments disclosed herein are not limited thereto. For example, a controller340may be provided at a rear portion of the cooking appliance310, with a wire being run from the user interface330to the controller340to effect local control of the cooking appliance310. Further, a user interface330and a controller340may be provided within a rear wall upward extension that extends upwardly from the cooktop burners320for user operation. In this case, the communication wire350may extend from the controller340a very short distance to a plug receptacle provided in the rear wall upward extension for connection of the controller340to a device external to the cooking appliance310. Moreover, the user interface330, the controller340, the communication wire350, and the plug receptacle420may be provided anywhere within the confines of the cooking appliance310as long as interaction between the controller340and the user interface330is permitted to take place through connections therebetween and the user interface330is easily accessible for a user to operate the cooking appliance310thereby.

FIG. 5is a rear view of cooking appliance310illustrating an example of a router10according to an embodiment.FIG. 6is a perspective view illustrating an example of a router10and a tablet computer610according to an embodiment.FIG. 7is a schematic view illustrating an example of a router10according to an embodiment. As is illustrated inFIG. 5, a communication wire510may connect the plug receptacle420of the cooking appliance310with a plug receptacle520provided on a rear portion of the router10.

In order to comply with industry standards, the router10is provided less than a distance from the cooktop burners320from where a user operating a tablet computer610has a direct line of sight view of the cooktop burners320being controlled. However, the router10is not limited with respect to how close it can be to the cooking appliance as long as data can be transmitted optimally between the router10and the cooking appliance310and the router10and external equipment. While the router10is illustrated in various examples as resting on a shelf that resembles a kitchen countertop, the embodiments disclosed herein are not limited thereto. For example, the router10may be incorporated within or attached to the cooking appliance310.

The router10may be configured to communicate with the controller340to allow a tablet computer610to remotely operate one or more of the cooktop burners320through the router10. For example, the router10may receive communications from the tablet computer610directed to the controller340of the cooking appliance310. The router10may route those communications to the controller340of the cooking appliance310. Further, the router may receive communications from the controller340of the cooking appliance310directed to the tablet computer610regarding the status of the cooktop burners320. The router10may receive these communications from the controller340and subsequently route the communications from the controller340to the tablet computer610.

While, in multiple embodiments, one of the devices in communication with the router10may be a tablet computer610, the embodiments described herein are not limited thereto. For example, devices that may be used to communicate with the controller340through the router10include, but are not limited to, a portable computer, which may include, but is not limited to, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a mobile phone, or a watch phone, an information aggregator, a controller, an electric circuit, or any type of device that can communicate in either a wired or wireless capacity with the router10.

In an embodiment, the router10may include a wireless data connection710, a wired data connection720, and a control circuit730. The wireless data connection710may be an antenna, a transceiver, or any compatible device known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The wireless data connection710may be established between the router10and the tablet computer610or any device external to the cooking appliance310that is enabled to have the ability to communicate settings for the operation of the cooktop burners320through the router10. The wired data connection720may be established between the router10and the controller340or any portable device of the cooking appliance310that is enabled to have control over the operation of the cooktop burners320. The control circuit730may be configured to control the wireless and wired data connections710,720and allow the tablet computer610to control the cooktop burners320via the controller340when the tablet computer610is within a predetermined distance of the control circuit730.

In an example embodiment, the tablet computer610may need to be within the predetermined distance of the control circuit730to control the operation of the cooktop burners320via the controller340. The predetermined distance of the control circuit730may be determined according to industry safety standards. For example, when the tablet computer610has been in control of one or more of the cooktop burners320and the tablet computer610subsequently leaves the predetermined distance during operation of the cooktop burners320, the control circuit730may instruct the controller340to turn off the cooktop burners320. Further, when the tablet computer610attempts to effectuate a connection through the router10with the controller340of the cooking appliance310and is out of the predetermined distance of the control circuit730, the control circuit730may not allow the passage of the commands coming through the wireless data connection710from the tablet computer610to be communicated via the wired data connection720to the controller340. In certain embodiments, such commands coming from the tablet computer610may not be received over the wireless data connection710because the tablet computer610may be out of a range in which communication between the tablet computer610and the router10over the wireless data connection710can be effectuated.

Further, in an embodiment, the predetermined distance may be established by being less than or equal to a range within which the wireless data connection710to the router10can be established with the tablet computer610. For example, if the tablet computer610is operating the cooktop burners320and subsequently moves outside of the range in which the wireless data connection710can be made with the router10, the control circuit may instruct the controller340to turn off the cooktop burners320. In addition, during an operation of the cooktop burners320that has been controlled by the user interface330and the tablet computer610for a period through the operation, if the tablet computer610moves outside the predetermined distance, even if the user interface330is currently in control of the cooktop burners320, the control circuit730may instruct the controller340to turn off the cooktop burners320.

In an embodiment, when the tablet computer610is within the predetermined distance of the control circuit730, a status of the cooktop burners320may be provided to the tablet computer610through the router10by the controller340via the control circuit730when the tablet computer610requests to be allowed by the control circuit730to control the cooktop burners320via the controller340. In another embodiment, the user interface330may be configured to indicate to a user that the tablet computer610is executing control over the cooktop burners320. During this period, the user interface330may be inhibited by the controller340from controlling the cooktop burners320. However, the controller340may provide a status of the cooktop burners320for display on the user interface330during a period in which the cooktop burners320are being controlled by the tablet computer610via the controller340.

In an additional embodiment, when the user interface330is being used to control the cooktop burners320via the controller340and the tablet computer610is within the predetermined distance of the control circuit730during operation of the cooktop burners320, the controller340may instruct the control circuit730to inhibit the tablet computer610from connecting with the controller340to control the cooktop burners320until the user interface330has ended active control of the cooktop burners320. In an another embodiment, when the tablet computer610is within the predetermined distance of the control circuit730during operation of the cooktop burners320, although the tablet computer610may be inhibited by the control circuit730from connecting with the controller340to control the cooktop burners320until the user interface330has ended active control of the cooktop burners320, the controller340may provide the control circuit730with the status of the cooktop burners320such that the status of the cooktop burners320can be communicated via the wireless data connection710to the tablet computer610and can be monitored until the user interface330has ended active control of the cooktop burners320and the tablet computer is permitted by the control circuit730and the controller340to control the cooktop burners320.

FIG. 8is a schematic view illustrating an example of a router810according to an embodiment. The router810may include a wireless data connection820, a wired data connection830, a control circuit840, and a sensor850. The wireless data connection820, the wired data connection830, and the control circuit840may operate in a way that is similar to the wireless data connection710, the wired data connection720, and the control circuit830, respectively. However, in an embodiment, the sensor850may be employed to detect a position of the tablet computer610with respect to the router810to determine if the tablet computer610is disposed within the predetermined distance. For example, if the tablet computer610exits the predetermined distance within which operation of the cooktop burners320was allowed, the sensor may detect the exiting of the tablet computer610from the predetermined distance and communicate the detected exiting to the control circuit840, which, in turn, may instruct the controller340to turn off the cooktop burners320.

FIG. 9is a perspective view illustrating an example of a base station910and a cooking appliance310according to an embodiment.FIG. 10is a perspective view illustrating an example of a base station910with a tablet computer1010being docked thereon and a cooking appliance310according to an embodiment. In an embodiment, the router10,810may be provided within a base station910located provided less than a distance from the cooktop burners320from where a user operating a tablet computer1010has a direct line of sight view of the cooktop burners320being controlled. The base station910may be configured to removably dock the tablet computer1010thereto and inductively transfer power to the docked tablet computer1010for powering and charging a battery (not shown) provided within the docked tablet computer1010. In an embodiment, the docking of the tablet computer1010to the base station910may define the predetermined distance. In other words, when the tablet computer1010is docked to the base station910, the tablet computer1010may be considered to be physically present within the predetermined distance. However, when the tablet computer1010is operating the cooktop burners320and has subsequently been undocked from the base station910, the control circuit730,840may instruct the controller340to turn off the cooktop burners320. Indeed, the predetermined distance may be set to ensure that the only area in which the tablet computer1010can control or communicate with the cooktop burners320is when docked to the base station910. The docking status of the tablet computer1010may be determined either by the range of the wireless data connection710of the router10or the sensor850provided in the router810or physical contact between the tablet computer1010and the base station910. Either the range of the wireless data connection710of the router10or the sensor850provided in the router may be adjusted to limit the predetermined distance of the tablet computer1010to be when the tablet computer1010is docked to the base station910.

While embodiments described above include the tablet computer1010required to be within a predetermined distance of the base station910, embodiments described are not limited thereto. For example, an operation of the cooktop burners320could be terminated when the tablet computer1010is not physically connected to the base station910.

While the tablet computer1010is illustrated as being docked to the base station910and charged by the base station910, the embodiments described herein are not limited thereto. For example, an tablet computer1010may be mounted temporarily on a countertop with a foldable support620(shown inFIG. 6) while a wireless power source may be provided in close proximity to the tablet computer1010, such as, but not limited to, on an underside of the countertop, at the rear of the countertop where the countertop meets a wall, or anywhere that the inductive or wireless transfer of power to the tablet computer1010for charging a battery of the tablet computer1010or powering the tablet computer1010during operation may be effectuated.

A number of examples have been described above. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described elements are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other elements or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.