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EP-4739831-A1 - HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE

EP4739831A1EP 4739831 A1EP4739831 A1EP 4739831A1EP-4739831-A1

Abstract

A household appliance (100) comprises a display device (110) operable to display first content comprising one or more content items, a controller (310) and sensor equipment (120) configured to generate sensor data indicative of a location of a user relative to the household appliance. The sensor data is received from the sensor equipment (120). Based on the location of the user relative to the household appliance (100) indicated by the sensor data, second content for display by the display device (110) is determined. Determining the second content comprises adding a content item to the one or more content items of the first content and/or removing a content item from the one or more content items of the first content. The display device is caused to display the second content.

Inventors

  • SMITH, ALLEN
  • KERSTEMAN, Michiel
  • PARVIAINEN, Emmi
  • MEIJERS, Jesse
  • GHEORGHITA, David

Assignees

  • ELECTROLUX APPLIANCES AKTIEBOLAG

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20230706

Claims (19)

  1. 1. A household appliance comprising: a display device operable to display first content comprising one or more content items; sensor equipment configured to generate sensor data indicative of a location of a user relative to the household appliance; and a controller configured to: receive the sensor data from the sensor equipment; based on the location of the user relative to the household appliance indicated by the sensor data, determine second content for display by the display device, wherein determining the second content comprises adding a content item to the one or more content items of the first content and/or removing a content item from the one or more content items of the first content; and cause the display device to display the second content.
  2. 2. A household appliance according to claim 1, wherein the sensor data indicates a change in the location of the user relative to the household appliance, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the second content in response to receiving the sensor data indicating the change in the location of the user relative to the household appliance.
  3. 3. A household appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the sensor data indicates that the user is located at a distance from the household appliance that is greater than a predetermined threshold distance, and wherein determining the second content comprises removing a content item from the one or more content items of the first content.
  4. 4. A household appliance according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the sensor data indicates that the user is located at a distance from the household appliance that is less than a predetermined threshold distance, and wherein determining the second content comprises adding a content item to the one or more content items of the first content.
  5. 5. A household appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein determining the second content comprises removing a first content item from the one or more content items of the first content and adding a second, different, content item to the one or more content items of the first content.
  6. 6. A household appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein each of the one or more content items of the first content comprises at least part of: a word, a graphic, a phrase, a number, a letter and/or an alphanumeric character.
  7. 7. A household appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the first content comprises one or more alphanumeric characters, and wherein determining the second content comprises removing the one or more alphanumeric characters from the first content and adding a graphic to the first content.
  8. 8. A household appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the display device is operable to display the first content in accordance with a first value of a display parameter, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the display device to display the second content in accordance with a second, different value of the display parameter.
  9. 9. A household appliance according to claim 8, wherein the display parameter comprises a height, a width and/or a spacing of displayed content.
  10. 10. A household appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the second content consists of a plurality of content items, and wherein the controller is configured to cause the display device to display the plurality of content items of the second content simultaneously.
  11. 11. A household appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the controller is configured to determine the second content based on an operational state of the household appliance.
  12. 12. A household appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the sensor equipment comprises a proximity sensor.
  13. 13. A household appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the sensor equipment comprises an infrared sensor.
  14. 14. A household appliance according to any preceding claim, wherein the sensor equipment is configured to sense proximity of a user device by receiving a wireless signal from the user device, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the location of the user relative to the household appliance based on the sensed proximity of the user device.
  15. 15. A household appliance comprising: a display device operable to display first content comprising one or more content items; and a controller configured to: receive sensor data from sensor equipment, the sensor data indicative of a location of a user relative to the household appliance; based on the location of the user relative to the household appliance indicated by the sensor data, determine second content for display by the display device, wherein determining the second content comprises adding a content item to the one or more content items of the first content and/or removing a content item from the one or more content items of the first content; and cause the display device to display the second content.
  16. 16. A system comprising: a household appliance; a display device operable to display first content comprising one or more content items; sensor equipment configured to generate sensor data indicative of a location of a user relative to the household appliance; and a controller configured to: receive the sensor data from the sensor equipment; based on the location of the user relative to the household appliance indicated by the sensor data, determine second content for display by the display device, wherein determining the second content comprises adding a content item to the one or more content items of the first content and/or removing a content item from the one or more content items of the first content; and cause the display device to display the second content.
  17. 17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the household appliance comprises one or more of: the display device, the sensor equipment, and the controller.
  18. 18. A method of operating a household appliance, the household appliance comprising a display device operable to display first content comprising one or more content items, the method comprising: receiving sensor data from sensor equipment, the sensor data indicative of a location of a user relative to the household appliance; based on the location of the user relative to the household appliance indicated by the sensor data, determining second content for display by the display device, wherein determining the second content comprises adding a content item to the one or more content items of the first content and/or removing a content item from the one or more content items of the first content; and causing the display device to display the second content.
  19. 19. A computer program comprising a set of instructions which, when executed by a computerised device, cause the computerised device to perform a method of operating a household appliance, the household appliance comprising a display device operable to display first content comprising one or more content items, the method comprising: receiving sensor data from sensor equipment, the sensor data indicative of a location of a user relative to the household appliance; based on the location of the user relative to the household appliance indicated by the sensor data, determining second content for display by the display device, wherein determining the second content comprises adding a content item to the one or more content items of the first content and/or removing a content item from the one or more content items of the first content; and causing the display device to display the second content.

Description

HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE Technical Field The present disclosure concerns a household appliance. In particular, but not exclusively, the present disclosure concerns measures, including apparatus, systems, methods and computer programs, for operating a household appliance. Background Household appliances, also referred to as domestic or home appliances, are used to perform household tasks such as cooking, cleaning, storing food, etc. Examples of such household appliances include ovens, refrigerators, freezers, hobs, dishwashers, washing machines, tumble dryers, air conditioning units and vacuum cleaners. Such household appliances may be monitored by a user via a display device of the household appliance, e.g. a liquid crystal display (LCD) device. The display device may display various content relating to the operation of the household appliance for interpretation by the user, such as the value of a timer, a current operating program or operating settings of the household appliance, etc. Additionally, some household appliances may be monitored remotely. For example, a household appliance may be equipped with a communications unit, such as a Wi-Fi transceiver. This allows the appliance to be monitored based on data transmitted via a wireless communications network. A user may then use a personal device, such as a mobile phone or smartwatch, to monitor the household appliance. The household appliance may communicate with the personal device via a server. It is desirable to provide an improved household appliance and/or improved methods of operating a household appliance. Summary According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a household appliance comprising: a display device operable to display first content comprising one or more content items; sensor equipment configured to generate sensor data indicative of a location of a user relative to the household appliance; and a controller configured to: receive the sensor data from the sensor equipment; based on the location of the user relative to the household appliance indicated by the sensor data, determine second content for display by the display device, wherein determining the second content comprises adding a content item to the one or more content items of the first content and/or removing a content item from the one or more content items of the first content; and cause the display device to display the second content. In embodiments, the sensor data indicates a change in the location of the user relative to the household appliance, and the controller is configured to determine the second content in response to receiving the sensor data indicating the change in the location of the user relative to the household appliance. In embodiments, the sensor data indicates that the user is located at a distance from the household appliance that is greater than a predetermined threshold distance, and determining the second content comprises removing a content item from the one or more content items of the first content. In embodiments, the sensor data indicates that the user is located at a distance from the household appliance that is less than a predetermined threshold distance, and determining the second content comprises adding a content item to the one or more content items of the first content. In embodiments, determining the second content comprises removing a first content item from the one or more content items of the first content and adding a second, different, content item to the one or more content items of the first content. In embodiments, each of the one or more content items of the first content comprises at least part of: a word, a graphic, a phrase, a number, a letter and/or an alphanumeric character. In embodiments, the first content comprises one or more alphanumeric characters, and determining the second content comprises removing the one or more alphanumeric characters from the first content and adding a graphic to the first content. In embodiments, the display device is operable to display the first content in accordance with a first value of a display parameter, and the controller is configured to cause the display device to display the second content in accordance with a second, different value of the display parameter. In embodiments, the display parameter comprises a height, a width and/or a spacing of displayed content. In embodiments, the second content consists of a plurality of content items, and the controller is configured to cause the display device to display the plurality of content items of the second content simultaneously. In embodiments, the controller is configured to determine the second content based on an operational state of the household appliance. In embodiments, the sensor equipment comprises a proximity sensor. In embodiments, the sensor equipment comprises an infrared sensor. In embodiments, the sensor equipment is configured to sense proximity of a user device by receiving a wireless signal from