Abstract: A cooling device for, for example, a cooling object has a refrigerant circuit with an evaporator, in which a cold air flow for the cooling object exchanges heat with the refrigerant, and a defrosting system for de-icing the evaporator. The defrosting system is controlled according to the degree of icing of the evaporator. The degree of icing of the evaporator is determined by the control unit of the defrosting system on the basis of the temperature of the cold air flow from the cooling object to the evaporator, the temperature and/or the operating pressure of the refrigerant upstream of the evaporator and at least one operating parameter of the compressor.

Abstract: An operator control device has a control panel with a user side facing a user and an inner side facing away from the user. The control panel has an operator control element region. A rotary knob is positioned on the user side of the control panel in the region of the operator control element region and can be rotated about a rotational axis. The rotary knob is detachably attached to the control panel and has an encoder block with a code section which is at a distance, changing along the circumferential direction, from a lower end side, facing the control panel, of the rotary knob. An optical sensor is arranged on the inner side of the control panel in the region of the operator control element region and is configured to sense a distance between the optical sensor and the code section of the encoder block by electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: A method and a device for detecting a boiling state of a liquid and a domestic cooking appliance permit a boiling state of a liquid to be detected during a process of heating the liquid in a heating zone, for example of an induction cooktop. A sensor senses vibrations that are caused during the heating of the liquid in the form of a measuring signal. An evaluation unit converts a time diagram of the sensed measuring signal into a frequency spectrum and then determines the boiling state of the liquid by using an intelligent algorithm on the basis of the frequency spectrum.

Abstract: A virtual touch knob assembly is provided that translates sensed movement of a user's fingers around a knob into control signals for operation of an appliance. A knob is provided on a user control panel of an appliance. The knob is fixed, i.e., does not turn or rotate. A system is provided that can sense the user's fingers moving around the fixed knob and translate the sensed input to control signals for setting the operation of the appliance or device.

Abstract: An operating device, in particular for electronic household appliances, includes a cover plate with an operating portion, a transmitter for emitting electromagnetic radiation, a receiver for registering electromagnetic radiation, and control electronics for evaluating measurement signals produced by the receiver. The operating portion is at least partly elastically deformable and/or movable by an action of force from the direction of a user side of the cover plate and it at least partly reflects the radiation emitted by the transmitter. The receiver is disposed and/or configured in such a way that it facilitates a spatially resolved registration of the radiation reflected by the operating portion in such a way that the control electronics can detect an actuation of the operating portion in a manner dependent on a registration location of the reflected radiation. An electronic household appliance having at least one operating device is also provided.

Abstract: An operator control device has a control panel with a user side facing a user and an inner side facing away from the user. The control panel has an operator control element region. A rotary knob is positioned on the user side of the control panel in the region of the operator control element region and can be rotated about a rotational axis. The rotary knob is detachably attached to the control panel and has an encoder block with a code section which is at a distance, changing along the circumferential direction, from a lower end side, facing the control panel, of the rotary knob. An optical sensor is arranged on the inner side of the control panel in the region of the operator control element region and is configured to sense a distance between the optical sensor and the code section of the encoder block by electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: An actuating element for an electronic domestic appliance has an electrically non-conductive carrier which defines at least one preferably substantially cylindrical detection portion. A plurality of electrically conductive measuring electrodes is spaced apart from one another along the detection portion of the carrier. A preferably substantially annular operating element is disposed at a first predefined distance from the measuring electrodes and is movable relative thereto. The operating element additionally has at least one sensor portion which is at least partially electrically conductive and is disposed at a second predefined distance from the measuring electrodes. The second predefined distance is different from the first predefined distance, so that a movement of the sensor portion and therefore of the operating element relative to the configuration of measuring electrodes can be detected.

Abstract: A storage apparatus for a refrigerator and/or freezer contains a storage element for storing goods, a detection device for detecting whether the storage element is occupied by goods and an illumination device for illuminating the storage element and goods stored on the storage element and/or a storage region for the goods, which storage region is formed by the storage element. A control device is provided for actuating the illumination device depending on the result of the detection process in respect of whether the storage element is occupied by goods. The storage apparatus allows a user of the refrigerator and/or freezer to be made aware, in a simple manner, of goods possibly being stored for an excessively long time.

Abstract: An operating device for an electronic household appliance contains a rotary control knob being mounted on a control panel such that a carrier of the rotary control knob can rotate about an axis of rotation relative to the control panel, an angle of rotation detection device for detecting an angle position of the carrier, and a control device that is connected to the angle of rotation detection device and evaluates a measurement signal generated by the angle of rotation detection device. The rotary control knob further contains an operating element that is attached in a non-rotatable manner to the carrier and embodied in an elastically deformable manner and the rotary control knob contains a sensor that is attached in a non-rotatable manner to the carrier and detects any deformation of the operating element. The control device is connected to the sensor and evaluates a measurement signal generated by the sensor.

Abstract: A touch and/or proximity-sensitive actuation element has an electrically non-conductive housing, which has a fastening portion for the stationary and non-rotational mounting of the actuation element and a substantially cylindrical detection portion, which defines a touch and/or proximity-sensitive detection region of the actuation element, at which a rotary movement of a user around the actuation element can be detected. A plurality of electrically conductive sensor elements are arranged in the housing spaced apart from one another along a lateral surface of the detection portion. A printed circuit board is provided and has a plurality of contact faces, which are each electrically conductively in contact with one of the plurality of sensor elements.

Abstract: An operating device for electronic household appliances has a cover plate with an operating section that is elastically deformable and/or movable with the operating section. A carrier plate is arranged on a side of the cover plate facing away from a user side and at a spacing distance from the cover plate. A sensor on the carrier plate detects a distance variation from the inner side of the cover plate in the region of the operating section of the cover plate. A geometrically stable light guide element is furthermore provided, which extends in a region outside the operating section of the cover plate from the cover plate to the carrier plate. The cover plate has a signal section that is at least partially light-transmissive in the region of the light guide element.

Abstract: An operator control apparatus for an electronic device, in particular an electronic domestic appliance, includes an operator control unit detection device for detecting a mobile operator control unit in the vicinity of the operator control apparatus. The detection device has a communication interface for a radio connection with the mobile operator control unit, and a gesture detection device for detecting gestures performed by the mobile operator control unit. A control device of the operator control apparatus, which is connected to the detection device and the gesture detection device, controls the electronic device as a function of the gestures of the mobile operator control unit detected by the gesture detection device, after the mobile operator control unit has been detected in the vicinity of the operator control apparatus by the detection device. An electronic domestic appliance, a mobile operator control unit and a system are also provided.

Abstract: An operating device, in particular for electronic household appliances, includes a cover plate with an operating portion, a transmitter for emitting electromagnetic radiation, a receiver for registering electromagnetic radiation, and control electronics for evaluating measurement signals produced by the receiver. The operating portion is at least partly elastically deformable and/or movable by an action of force from the direction of a user side of the cover plate and it at least partly reflects the radiation emitted by the transmitter. The receiver is disposed and/or configured in such a way that it facilitates a spatially resolved registration of the radiation reflected by the operating portion in such a way that the control electronics can detect an actuation of the operating portion in a manner dependent on a registration location of the reflected radiation. An electronic household appliance having at least one operating device is also provided.

Abstract: An operating device for an electronic household appliance contains a rotary control knob being mounted on a control panel such that a carrier of the rotary control knob can rotate about an axis of rotation relative to the control panel, an angle of rotation detection device for detecting an angle position of the carrier, and a control device that is connected to the angle of rotation detection device and evaluates a measurement signal generated by the angle of rotation detection device. The rotary control knob further contains an operating element that is attached in a non-rotatable manner to the carrier and embodied in an elastically deformable manner and the rotary control knob contains a sensor that is attached in a non-rotatable manner to the carrier and detects any deformation of the operating element. The control device is connected to the sensor and evaluates a measurement signal generated by the sensor.

Abstract: A storage apparatus for a refrigerator and/or freezer contains a storage element for storing goods, a detection device for detecting whether the storage element is occupied by goods and an illumination device for illuminating the storage element and goods stored on the storage element and/or a storage region for the goods, which storage region is formed by the storage element. A control device is provided for actuating the illumination device depending on the result of the detection process in respect of whether the storage element is occupied by goods. The storage apparatus allows a user of the refrigerator and/or freezer to be made aware, in a simple manner, of goods possibly being stored for an excessively long time.

Abstract: An actuating element for an electronic domestic appliance has an electrically non-conductive carrier which defines at least one preferably substantially cylindrical detection portion. A plurality of electrically conductive measuring electrodes is spaced apart from one another along the detection portion of the carrier. A preferably substantially annular operating element is disposed at a first predefined distance from the measuring electrodes and is movable relative thereto. The operating element additionally has at least one sensor portion which is at least partially electrically conductive and is disposed at a second predefined distance from the measuring electrodes. The second predefined distance is different from the first predefined distance, so that a movement of the sensor portion and therefore of the operating element relative to the configuration of measuring electrodes can be detected.

Abstract: A touch and/or proximity-sensitive actuation element has an electrically non-conductive housing, which has a fastening portion for the stationary and non-rotational mounting of the actuation element and a substantially cylindrical detection portion, which defines a touch and/or proximity-sensitive detection region of the actuation element, at which a rotary movement of a user around the actuation element can be detected. A plurality of electrically conductive sensor elements are arranged in the housing spaced apart from one another along a lateral surface of the detection portion. A printed circuit board is provided and has a plurality of contact faces, which are each electrically conductively in contact with one of the plurality of sensor elements.

Abstract: A virtual touch knob assembly is provided that translates sensed movement of a user's fingers around a knob into control signals for operation of an appliance. A knob is provided on a user control panel of an appliance. The knob is fixed, i.e., does not turn or rotate. A system is provided that can sense the user's fingers moving around the fixed knob and translate the sensed input to control signals for setting the operation of the appliance or device.

Abstract: A domestic appliance has an operator control apparatus with at least one operator control element, and has a door for closing a functional area of the domestic appliance on which at least one handle apparatus for opening and closing the door is arranged. For the purpose of ergonomic operator control, the operator control apparatus is arranged at least partially in the immediate vicinity of a holding region of the handle apparatus so that a user can operate the operator control apparatus with the same hand with which he is holding the handle apparatus for opening or closing the door. There is also provided a method for setting an operator control program of a domestic appliance.