Activation of appliance locking features using hand-contact interface

Abstract

The present invention provides an oven appliance and for operation of an oven appliance. The oven appliance and method for operating the oven appliance include features such that the door of the oven appliance may be locked or unlocked using touch inputs of a user of the oven appliance.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for operating an oven appliance, the method comprising the steps of:
 detecting an input to activate a door lock of the oven appliance to lock a door of the oven appliance;   prompting for a confirmation gesture to lock the door;   determining whether the confirmation gesture to lock the door has been received and, if so, then
 activating the door lock to lock the door; 
   detecting an input to activate the door lock to unlock the door;   prompting for a confirmation gesture to unlock the door; and   determining whether the confirmation gesture to unlock the door has been received and, if so, then
 activating the door lock to unlock the door. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of counting a predetermined time t confirm  during the step of determining whether the confirmation gesture to lock the door has been received. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of counting a predetermined time t confirm  during the step of determining whether the confirmation gesture to unlock the door has been received. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the step of counting a predetermined time t confirm  during the step of determining whether the confirmation gesture to lock the door has been received. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the confirmation gesture to lock or unlock the door comprises a touch input to a conductive surface of the door. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the confirmation gesture to lock or unlock the door comprises a touch input to a conductive surface of a control panel of the oven appliance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the confirmation gesture to lock or unlock the door comprises at least three touch inputs. 
     
     
         8 . A method for operating an oven appliance, the method comprising the steps of:
 detecting an input to start a self-clean cycle of the oven appliance;   prompting for a confirmation gesture to start the self-clean cycle;   determining whether the confirmation gesture has been received and, if so, then
 activating a door lock to lock a door of the oven appliance; 
   starting the self-clean cycle; and   determining whether the self-clean cycle has finished and, if so, then
 activating the door lock to unlock the door of the oven appliance. 
   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of counting a predetermined time t confirm  during the step of determining whether the confirmation gesture has been received. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the confirmation gesture comprises a touch input to a conductive surface of the door. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the confirmation gesture comprises a touch input to a conductive surface of a control panel of the oven appliance. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the confirmation gesture comprises at least three touch inputs. 
     
     
         13 . An oven appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining an opening at a front portion of the cabinet, the cabinet also defining a cooking chamber configured for receipt of food items for cooking;   a door mounted to the cabinet at the opening of the cabinet, the door being selectively adjustable between an open position and a closed position to permit selective access to the cooking chamber through the opening of the cabinet;   a door lock;   a heating element configured to heat the cooking chamber; and   a controller in operative communication with the door lock, the controller configured for
 detecting an input to activate the door lock to lock the door; 
 prompting for a confirmation gesture to lock the door; 
 determining whether the confirmation gesture to lock the door has been received and, if so, then
 activating the door lock to lock the door; 
 
 detecting an input to activate the door lock to unlock the door; 
 prompting for a confirmation gesture to unlock the door; and 
 determining whether the confirmation gesture to unlock the door has been received and, if so, then
 activating the door lock to unlock the door. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The oven appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured for counting a predetermined time t confirm  during the step of determining whether the confirmation gesture to lock the door has been received. 
     
     
         15 . The oven appliance of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured for counting a predetermined time t confirm  during the step of determining whether the confirmation gesture to unlock the door has been received. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured for counting a predetermined time t confirm  during the step of determining whether the confirmation gesture to lock the door has been received. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the confirmation gesture to lock or unlock the door comprises a touch input to a conductive surface of the door. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the confirmation gesture to lock or unlock the door comprises a touch input to a conductive surface of a control panel of the oven appliance. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the confirmation gesture to lock or unlock the door comprises at least three touch inputs.