Abstract: A method connects a domestic appliance to a wireless home network. The method includes receiving access data for the home network by a portable communications terminal, setting up a wireless communication link between the domestic appliance and the portable communications terminal according to a predetermined close-range communications standard, which communication link is separate from the home network, and transmitting control commands from the portable communications terminal to the domestic appliance via the communication link. The control commands control the domestic appliance to connect to the wireless home network using the access data.

Abstract: A method for operating a domestic appliance to reduce consumption of one or more operating resources includes receiving data about a temporal cost profile of the operating resources, having a first time interval with low costs and a second time interval with high costs, comparing a operating time period with the first time interval and determining a point in time for starting operation as a function of a result of the comparison, when the operating time period is longer than the first time interval, determining a temporal program segment with a higher consumption than other program segments based on a temporal consumption profile that describes consumption as a function of time during operation, and determining the point in time for starting the operation such that the program segment with the higher consumption falls within the first time interval.

Abstract: A method for supplying internal consumers in a domestic appliance from a low voltage supply network, for example a photovoltaic power station or wind power station, includes classifying the internal consumers commensurate with a stored energy requirement of each internal consumer and supplying the internal consumers with energy commensurate with the classification. This protects against low voltage and excessive electric loads and against partial interruption of a treatment program for items when the low voltage supply is interrupted due to a temporary overload. The energy supply of the internal consumers is switched off in stages depending on their energy requirement and on their classification, when the energy available from the low voltage supply network is insufficient for supplying all internal consumers, and is switched back on again in stages, when the energy available from the low voltage supply network is once again sufficient for supplying all internal consumers.

Abstract: A method connects a domestic appliance to a wireless home network. The method includes receiving access data for the home network by a portable communications terminal, setting up a wireless communication link between the domestic appliance and the portable communications terminal according to a predetermined close-range communications standard, which communication link is separate from the home network, and transmitting control commands from the portable communications terminal to the domestic appliance via the communication link. The control commands control the domestic appliance to connect to the wireless home network using the access data.

Abstract: A method for operating a domestic appliance to reduce consumption of one or more operating resources includes receiving data about a temporal cost profile of the operating resources, having a first time interval with low costs and a second time interval with high costs, comparing a operating time period with the first time interval and determining a point in time for starting operation as a function of a result of the comparison, when the operating time period is longer than the first time interval, determining a temporal program segment with a higher consumption than other program segments based on a temporal consumption profile that describes consumption as a function of time during operation, and determining the point in time for starting the operation such that the program segment with the higher consumption falls within the first time interval.

Abstract: A method for supplying internal consumers in a domestic appliance from a low voltage supply network, for example a photovoltaic power station or wind power station, includes classifying the internal consumers commensurate with a stored energy requirement of each internal consumer and supplying the internal consumers with energy commensurate with the classification. This protects against low voltage and excessive electric loads and against partial interruption of a treatment program for items when the low voltage supply is interrupted due to a temporary overload. The energy supply of the internal consumers is switched off in stages depending on their energy requirement and on their classification, when the energy available from the low voltage supply network is insufficient for supplying all internal consumers, and is switched back on again in stages, when the energy available from the low voltage supply network is once again sufficient for supplying all internal consumers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a washing machine which operates using a method for adding solid or liquid detergent active ingredients in portions and comprises an electronic programme control unit (12) in addition to devices (13) for entering and/or determining information concerning the desired or required composition of a treatment programme, for determining and/or entering washing-related parameters, i.e. the type of washing introduced into the washing machine (15), the degree of soiling and/or the weight of said washing. Information concerning the detergent active ingredients and the washing is read in from automatically readable information carriers (20) by means of a read device (10, 18) and the programme control unit (12) calculates and issues recommendations for the addition of a particular type of a detergent active ingredient and the amount of said ingredient in conjunction with this information, the chosen treatment programme and the washing-related parameters.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for controlling a household appliance controlled using an internal control unit, and also a control system that improves current control of the household appliances includes connecting the household appliance to a local area network and, following a request by a user, receiving a control information item from a network, the control information item being evaluated and/or converted at a location of the household appliance to control the household appliance.

Abstract: A programmable control panel includes handles for executing at least a part of the program sequence, and memory cells for controlling an appliance and for storing software codes. The handles are, particularly, push-buttons and switches. The handles are used for inputting individual functions of an individual operating program sequence. Each of the individual functions is assigned to a specific one of the software codes stored in a specific one of the memory cells. The handles are linked to a specific one of the individual functions and to an associated one of the memory cells. A controller includes memory cells that are permanently assigned to the corresponding push-buttons, and operation of the push-buttons results in specific functions being included in the program sequence of the main program for the household appliance. The control panel can be part of a programmable household appliance.

Abstract: Actuators on a control panel for entering single functions of an individual operating program cycle which can be invoked under a given name and can be properly executed under microprocessor control are also used for setting particular operating program sequences or particular parameter values of program functions. The actuators can be actuated in at least one sequence of function entries such that the sequence of function entries is a code for particular update functions.