Controlling illumination in a household appliance

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a method of controlling illumination in a household appliance ( 10 ) configured to store one or more food items ( 13 ), and a household appliance ( 10 ) performing the method. In an aspect, a method of controlling illumination in a household appliance ( 10 ) configured to store one or more food items ( 13 ) is provided, said household appliance ( 10 ) comprising a lighting arrangement ( 12 ) configured to illuminate an interior of the household appliance ( 10 ). The method comprises receiving (S 101 ) an instruction to highlight at least a section of the interior of the household appliance ( 10 ), and controlling (S 102 ) said lighting arrangement ( 12 ) to highlight said at least a section of the interior, thereby enabling a dual functionality for the lighting arrangement ( 12 ) to selectively light up the interior of the household appliance ( 10 ) and to highlight said section of the interior.

1 . A method of controlling illumination in a household appliance ( 10 ) configured to store one or more food items ( 13 ), said household appliance ( 10 ) comprising a lighting arrangement ( 12 ) configured to illuminate an interior of the household appliance ( 10 ), the method comprising:
 receiving (S 101 ) an instruction to highlight at least one section of the interior of the household appliance ( 10 ); and   controlling (S 102 ) said lighting arrangement ( 12 ) to highlight said at least one section of the interior, thereby enabling a dual functionality for the lighting arrangement ( 12 ) to selectively light up the interior of the household appliance ( 10 ) and to highlight said at least one section of the interior.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the receiving (S 101 ) of an instruction to highlight at least one section of the interior comprising:
 receiving an instruction to highlight a particular retainer ( 11 ) storing one or more food items ( 13 ); and the controlling (S 102 ) of said lighting arrangement ( 12 ) further comprising:   controlling said lighting arrangement ( 12 ) to highlight the particular retainer ( 11 ).   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , the receiving (S 101 ) of an instruction to highlight at least one section of the interior comprising:
 receiving an instruction to visually differentiate between at least two sections of the interior; and the controlling of said lighting arrangement ( 12 ) comprising:   controlling said lighting arrangement ( 12 ) to illuminate one of the at least two sections with light of a first colour and to illuminate another of the at least two sections with light of a second colour.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , the controlling (S 102 ) of said lighting arrangement ( 12 ) comprising:
 controlling (S 102 ) said lighting arrangement ( 12 ) to highlight said at least a section of the interior by turning individual light sources ( 14   a - 14   c ) of the lighting arrangement ( 12 ) on and off, by changing the colour of the light emitted by the lighting arrangement ( 12 ), or by pulsating the emitted light with a certain frequency.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , the instructions being received over a wireless communication interface of the household appliance ( 10 ). 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , the instructions being received via a control panel ( 17 ) of the household appliance ( 10 ) via which a user enters the instructions. 
     
     
         7 . A computer program ( 19 ) comprising computer-executable instructions for causing a household appliance ( 10 ) to perform steps recited in  claim 1  when the computer-executable instructions are executed on a processing unit ( 15 ) included in the household appliance ( 10 ). 
     
     
         8 . A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium ( 20 ), the computer readable medium having the computer program ( 19 ) according to  claim 7  embodied thereon. 
     
     
         9 . A household appliance ( 10 ) arranged to store one or more food items ( 13 ), which comprises a lighting arrangement ( 12 ) and a processing unit ( 15 ), which is connected to the lighting arrangement ( 12 ) and configured to control illumination of an interior of the household appliance ( 10 ) and to:
 receive an instruction to highlight at least a section of the interior of the household appliance ( 10 ); and to   control said lighting arrangement ( 12 ) to highlight said at least a section of the interior, thereby enabling a dual functionality for the lighting arrangement ( 12 ) to selectively light up the interior of the household appliance ( 10 ) and to highlight said section of the interior.   
     
     
         10 . The household appliance ( 10 ) of  claim 9 , being configured to, when receiving an instruction to highlight at least one section of the interior:
 receive an instruction to highlight a particular retainer ( 11 ) storing one or more food items ( 13 ); and further being configured to, when controlling said lighting arrangement ( 12 ):   control said lighting arrangement ( 12 ) to highlight the particular retainer ( 11 ).   
     
     
         11 . The household appliance ( 10 ) of  claim 9 , being configured to, when receiving an instruction to highlight at least one section of the interior:
 receive an instruction to visually differentiate between at least two sections of the interior; and further being configured to, when controlling said lighting arrangement ( 12 ):   control said lighting arrangement ( 12 ) to illuminate one of the at least two sections with light of a first colour and to illuminate another of the at least two sections with light of a second colour.   
     
     
         12 . The household appliance ( 10 ) of  claim 9 , being configured to, when controlling said lighting arrangement ( 12 ):
 control said lighting arrangement ( 12 ) to highlight said at least a section of the interior by turning individual light sources ( 14   a - 14   c ) of the lighting arrangement ( 12 ) on and off, by changing the colour of the light emitted by the lighting arrangement ( 12 ), or by pulsating the emitted light with a certain frequency.   
     
     
         13 . The household appliance ( 10 ) of  claim 9 , further comprising a wireless communication interface and being configured to receive the instructions over the wireless communication interface. 
     
     
         14 . The household appliance ( 10 ) of  claim 9 , further comprising a control panel ( 17 ) and being configured to receive the instructions via the control panel ( 17 ) via which a user enters the instructions. 
     
     
         15 . The household appliance ( 10 ) of  claim 9 , the lighting arrangement ( 12 ) comprising light sources ( 14   a - 14   c ) configured to be individually activated. 
     
     
         16 . The household appliance ( 10 ) of  claim 15 , said individually addressable light sources ( 14   a - 14   c ) being arranged on a strip extending along a height of the household appliance ( 10 ).