Patent ID: 8461727

Claim:
A method for operating an electrical appliance comprising a plurality of functional units, an operator control surface, at least one freely movable and removable operator control element for mounting on said operator control surface, a plurality of marked mounting points provided on said operator control surface wherein each mounting point is associated with one of said plurality of functional units, each marked mounting point for mounting by said operator control element, a first sensor for a touch switch, and a second sensor for identifying a rotation or a rotational position of said operator control element provided on or beneath each mounting point, said method comprising the steps of: mounting said movable operator control element on a particular mounting point; identifying said mounting as activation of one of said plurality of functional units associated with said particular mounting point; determining a subsequent rotation of said operator control element; and changing a functional state of an associated functional unit comprising said one of said plurality of functional units based on said rotation, wherein said functional state of said one of said plurality of functional units is maintained after said operator control element is removed from said particular mounting point.