Patent ID: 8378268

Claim:
An operator control unit for operator control of a cooktop, said cooktop comprising at least two cooking zones separated from one another, with at least one of the cooking zones having two heating rings that can be activated separately from one another, with the operator control unit comprising: at least one selection element configured to select a cooking zone by operating said selection element; at least one adjusting element configured to adjust a heating power of said selected cooking zone by operating said adjusting element; and a control unit coupled to the at least one selection element and the at least one adjusting element configured to detect operation of the at least one selection element and the at least one adjusting element, wherein the control unit is further configured to: record an operating duration of the selection element, select a cooking zone in response to said operating duration being within in a first time period range, and activate or deactivate at least one of the at least two heating rings of the selected cooking zone in response to said operating being within a second time period range which differs from the first time period range.