Touch sensitive control panel

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling functions of an appliance is described having a touch-sensitive control panel resistant to accidental activation. The touch-sensitive panel has a plurality of proximity sensor areas which may be selected by a user wishing to activate associated functions of the appliance. Driver circuitry coupled to the sensor areas is operable to output detection signals to a controller in response to a user selecting ones of the sensor areas. The controller is configured to activate functions of the appliance in response to these detection signals. For one or more functions of the appliance, for example a switching on function, the controller is configured to only activate the function when a user makes a pre-determined combination of at least two selections from the plurality of sensor areas. This reduces the chances of potentially dangerous functions being activated inadvertently and can further help a designer to provide an intuitive and uncluttered appearance to the control panel.

1 . An apparatus for controlling functions of an appliance comprising: 
 a touch-sensitive control panel having a plurality of proximity sensor areas;    driver circuitry operable to output detection signals in response to selection of the proximity sensor areas; and    a controller operable to receive said detection signals from the driver circuitry and activate different functions of the appliance in response thereto, wherein the controller is operable to activate at least one function of the appliance in response to receipt of a pre-determined combination of at least two of said detection signals.    
   
   
       2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pre-determined combination corresponds to a user selecting at least two different proximity sensor areas.  
   
   
       3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the pre-determined combination corresponds to a user selecting a single proximity sensor area at different times.  
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is operable to activate said at least one function dependent on the pre-determined combination being made within a specified time period.  
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the specified time period is less than 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0.5 or 0.1 seconds.  
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the specified time period is more than 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 1, 2 or 5 seconds.  
   
   
       7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a function of the appliance activated in response to a user making the pre-determined combination of at least two selections may be cancelled by the user making one of the selections comprising the pre-determined combination.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the proximity sensor areas is a position sensitive proximity sensor area for which the driver circuitry is operable to output a detection signal dependent on the position of a touch within said position sensitive proximity sensor areas.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein a variable operating parameter of the appliance is varied according to a position detected by the position sensitive proximity sensor areas.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the variable operating parameter of the appliance is adjusted by a user making a pre-determined combination of at least two selections from the plurality of proximity sensor areas, one of the selections being a selection of the position sensitive proximity sensor.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein a different variable operating parameter of the appliance is adjusted by selection of the position sensitive proximity sensor according to another selection comprising the pre-determined combination of at least two selections.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the position sensitive proximity sensor area is a linear position sensitive proximity sensor area.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the position sensitive proximity sensor area is a rotary position sensitive proximity sensor area.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the a rotary position sensitive proximity sensor area is disposed around another of the plurality of proximity sensor areas.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a portion of an upper surface of the control panel overlaying at least one of the proximity sensor areas is recessed.