Appliance with intuitive cooking temperature feedback interface

Abstract

A cooktop for a cooking appliance includes at least one heating element and at least one temperature sensor detecting the temperature of the heating element and/or an area of the cooktop. At least one indicator light conveys the detected temperature. A controller is configured to receive a temperature signal from the temperature sensor and output a control signal to the indicator light, which provides a visual representation of the detected temperature through a continuous change of the color and/or the intensity of the indicator light.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cooktop comprising:
 a heating element;   a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of at least a portion of the cooktop;   an indicator light configured to provide a visual representation of a detected temperature by the temperature sensor; and   a controller configured to receive a temperature signal from said temperature sensor and to output a control signal to said indicator light so that said indicator light provides said visual representation of the detected temperature through a continuous change in color and/or an intensity of emitted light.   
     
     
         2 . The cooktop of  claim 1 , wherein said temperature sensor is adjacent the said heating element. 
     
     
         3 . The cooktop of  claim 1 , wherein said temperature sensor is adjacent an area of the cooktop, remote from said heating element, whose temperature is to be detected. 
     
     
         4 . The cooktop of  claim 1 , further comprising a user interface configured to receive user inputs for controlling the operation of the cooktop. 
     
     
         5 . The cooktop of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of indicator lights surrounding said heating element and forming a shape corresponding with the shape of said heating element. 
     
     
         6 . The cooktop of  claim 5 , the user interface comprising a display and a plurality of said indicator lights as part of the display. 
     
     
         7 . The cooktop of  claim 1 , the color and/or the intensity of said indicator light varying in a non-linear manner with the detected temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The cooktop of  claim 1 , said heating element comprising a variable size cooking zone defined at least in part by a first heating segment operable via a first operational setting and a second heating segment operable via a second operational setting that is independently controllable from the first operational setting. 
     
     
         9 . The cooktop of  claim 8 , further comprising respective pluralities of indicator lights surrounding each of the first heating segment and the second heating segment and forming respective shapes corresponding with the shapes of the first heating segment and the second heating segment. 
     
     
         10 . The cooktop of  claim 9 , wherein the color and/or the intensity of at least one of the respective pluralities of said indicator lights varies in a non-linear manner with the detected temperature. 
     
     
         11 . A cooking appliance comprising:
 a cooktop;   a cooking cavity enclosed by a housing;   a heating element associated with the cooktop and/or the cooking cavity;   a temperature sensor configured to detect a temperature of at least a portion of the cooktop and/or the cooking cavity;   an indicator light configured to provide a visual representation of a detected temperature by said temperature sensor; and   a controller configured to receive a temperature signal from said temperature sensor and to output a control signal to said indicator light so that said indicator light provides said visual representation of the detected temperature through a continuous change in color and/or an intensity of emitted light.   
     
     
         12 . The cooking appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising a user interface configured to receive user inputs for controlling the operation of the cooktop and/or the cooking cavity. 
     
     
         13 . The cooking appliance of  claim 12 , wherein a heating element is supported below a cooktop surface, wherein the cooktop surface comprises the external surface of the user interface. 
     
     
         14 . The cooking appliance of  claim 12 , the user interface comprising a display and a plurality of indicator lights as part of the display. 
     
     
         15 . The cooking appliance of  claim 11 , the color and/or the intensity of the indicator light varying in a non-linear manner with the detected temperature. 
     
     
         16 . The cooking appliance of  claim 11 , wherein said heating element is a cooktop heating element. 
     
     
         17 . The cooking appliance of  claim 11 , wherein said heating element is one of a cooktop element, a bake element, a broil element, and a warmer drawer element. 
     
     
         18 . The cooking appliance of  claim 11 , wherein said heating element comprises one of an electrically resistive element heated by electric current flowing therethrough and an inductive heating coil.