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(11) | EP 1 747 919 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | System for detecting, processing and expressing the operating condition of a heating appliance, in particular for household uses, and household heating appliance incorporating such a system |
| (57) Method for detecting, processing and expressing the operating condition of a heating
appliance, in particular for household uses, comprising the phases of detecting a
plurality of characteristics or changes of characteristics associated with an ordinary
or extraordinary event acting on said appliance and converting said plurality of detected
characteristics or changes of characteristics into at least one physical magnitude.
The peculiarity of the method consists in the fact of comprising the phases of identifying
said magnitude, processing said magnitude, selecting a data group based on said magnitude
corresponding to said event belonging to an aggregate of data groups corresponding
to a plurality of phenomena and reproducing said selected data group in a vocal form,
so as to evidence the existence of said event acting on said appliance. The invention
also refers to a device and a program to actuate said method, and to an appliance
incorporating said device.
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[0001] The object of this invention is a method and a device for detecting, processing and expressing the operating condition of a heating appliance, in particular for household uses. The invention also refers to a heating appliance for household uses incorporating such a device that implements such a method.
[0002] Today's industrial sector of appliances and equipment for household uses has a particularly felt need to render their level of interaction with the user more efficient and effective, so as to substantially enhance home life quality. The interaction between user and appliance is of a bilateral nature, meaning that it is typically meant to be a user/appliance relationship that manifests itself for instance in programming the apparatus on the part of the user, both in the way of a user/appliance relationship that manifest itself for instance in a signalling to the user of an appliance operating disturbance by the appliance itself. In general terms, it appears that in commercial appliances and equipment the user/appliance relationship is better developed, with the use of greater and more important electronic and software means, than the appliance/user relationship. This situation is also recognized in the specific household heating appliance sector, such as for instance in (manually or automatically fed) solid, liquid and gaseous fuel boilers, and in manually or automatically (pellet) fed ovens, thermal ovens, thermal kitchens, ranges and thermal stoves, where the level of interaction achieved in the appliance/user relationship is apparently still not entirely satisfactory. This derives from the fact that the detection, treatment and communication to the user methods and devices of the phenomena bearing on these appliances are to this date implemented in a barely adequate and limited manner. The heating appliances known from and produced by the same Applicant incorporate for instance a device implementing a method for continuously detecting, processing and displaying the boiler water pressure level to the user. In detail, such a method comprises a first phase of detecting the boiler water pressure level, a second phase of converting said detected pressure level into an electric signal, and a third level of displaying a numerical unit based on the electric signal. The device correspondingly comprises means of detecting the boiler water pressure level in the boiler, means of converting the detected pressure level into an electric signal and finally means for visually displaying a numerical unit based on the electric signal.
[0003] The main drawback consequently found in these heating appliances, in particular if destined for household uses and implemented by a known art, rests in the fact that the ways of communicating the existence of an event involving the appliance, for instance of an operating disturbance, are unsuitable for promptly attracting the user's attention to the appliance, so as to allow him to face and to resolve the event. The visualizing modes provided in the appliances of a known art in fact exhibit a level of interaction with the user that is very limited, and at any rate such as to be incapable of alerting the user promptly and effectively.
[0004] A further drawback derives from the fact that in household heating appliances such methods and devices for detecting, processing and communicating are applied to a very limited number of phenomena acting on said appliances, as compared to the extensive number of potential events to be taken into account.
[0005] The aim of this invention consists in setting up a system for detecting, processing and expressing the operating condition of a heating appliance, in particular for household uses, and a heating appliance, in particular for household uses and incorporating this system, capable of resolving the drawbacks encountered in the systems and heating appliances according to the known art.
[0006] Within the aforementioned aim, an object of the invention consists in setting up a system and an appliance incorporating such a system, so as to be capable of providing a prompt and effective perception of the existence of an event acting on the appliance.
[0007] Another object of the invention is to set up a system and an appliance incorporating such a system so as to be capable of allowing the user to achieve control over an extensive number of events which involve or may involve such an appliance.
[0008] A further object of the invention is to set up a system and an appliance so as to be capable of contributing to simplify the appliance/user relationship, in the sense of making the appliance more familiar to the common user.
[0009] Not the last object of the invention consists in setting up a system and an appliance incorporating such a system so as to allow it to make the solution of eventual appliance operating anomalies simpler and quicker.
[0010] This aim, these and other objects that will become better apparent in the following, are achieved by a system for detecting, processing and expressing the operating condition of a household heating appliance, in particular for household uses, as well as by a heating appliance incorporating such a system according to the claims on the method, device, appliance and program attached hereto.
[0011] According to first features of the invention, the method for detecting, processing and expressing the operating condition of a heating appliance, in particular for household uses, advantageously comprises a phase of vocally reproducing a data group correlated with the existence of an event acting on the appliance, for instance an operating anomaly, so as to alarm the user of the appliance quickly and effectively.
[0012] According to second features of the invention, the method and the device implementing such a method advantageously comprise a plurality of phases and means suitable for application in an extensive number of events which involve or may involve a heating appliance, in particular for household uses.
[0013] According to other features of the invention, the method and device implementing such a method comprise phases and means capable of easing the appliance/user relationship, as the appliance incorporating such a device employs a form of vocal communication that proves to be the most suitable among those available for transmitting a message.
[0014] According to yet other features of the invention, the method and device implementing such a method as well as the appliance incorporating this device provide phases and means capable of putting the user into the best condition to face and resolve eventual operating anomalies of the appliance in question.
[0015] Further features and advantages of the invention will be better evident from the description of an embodiment of the invention shown for indicative yet not limiting purposes in the attached drawings, wherein:
- Figure 1 represents a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the method according to the invention;
- Figure 2 represents a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the device according to the invention, which implements the embodiment of the method in Figure 1;
- Figure 3 represents a block diagram of an embodiment of the appliance according to the invention;
- Figure 4 represents a block diagram describing the operation of a part of the device in Figure 2.
[0016] With reference to the figures in the attached tables, the embodiment of the method indicated as a whole by the reference number 5 in Figure 1 is in the following described with reference to an extraordinary event imagined to be acting on a heating appliance, in particular for household uses, which is not illustrated in Figure 1. Such a method is at any rate similarly applicable to other extraordinary events such as for instance the depletion of fuel in the fuel storage means, the complete filling of the ash tray, or to ordinary events such as attaining a periodical deadline for effecting a control or maintenance operation generated by timing devices incorporated in the appliance. In the case of Figure 1, the extraordinary event is supposed to be an "accidental obstruction of the flue gas duct".
[0017] The method generally provides or a first detecting phase wherein one or more characteristics or changes of characteristics associated with an ordinary or extraordinary event acting on the appliance are detected. In the specific case, the first phase, indicated by the reference number 6 involves a plurality of operations of continuously detecting the gradually rising pressure level inside the flue gas duct, because the pressure level indicates the characteristic most representative of the event in question.
[0018] The second phase of the method envisions converting the pressure level into a physical magnitude of an electric nature. In the specific case, in this second phase identified by the reference number 7, the pressure level is converted through a plurality of converting operations into an electrical, for instance a digital signal.
[0019] The third phase of the method includes identifying the magnitude, and more specifically, identifying the origin of this magnitude. In this specific occasion, the third phase designated by the reference number 8 consists of a plurality of operations identifying the origin of the signal.
[0020] The fourth phase of the method involves a quantitative/qualitative/comparative processing of the mentioned magnitude. In the specific case, this fourth phase, as identified by the reference number 9, consists in a quantitative/qualitative/comparative processing of the signal.
[0021] The fifth phase of the method provide for performing a selection based on the size of a data group corresponding to the event that belongs to a number of data groups which are in turn corresponding to several events. In the specific case, this fifth phase, as designated by the reference number 10, involves performing a plurality of selecting operations based on the signal from a data group corresponding to the event "accidental obstruction of the flue gas duct" pertaining to a number of data groups relating to a plurality of events.
[0022] The sixth and final phase of the method, as identified in Figure 1 by the number 11, reveals itself in the vocal reproduction of the mentioned data groups selected for the purpose of outwardly displaying the existence of the event "accidental obstruction of the flue gas duct" acting on the appliance in question.
[0023] The Figure 2 shows the device that implements the embodiment of the method of Figure 1. This device, designated as a whole by the reference number 12, comprises above all detecting means placed in areas to be kept under surveillance, such as for instance the flue gas duct and the fuel tank. The detecting means generally perform the function of detecting the characteristics or changes of the characteristics associated with ordinary or extraordinary events acting on the appliance. In the specific case, the detecting means, indicated as a whole by the reference number 13, are composed of mechanical/electrical/electronic sensing elements to detect for instance the pressure level existing inside the flue gas duct or the attainment of a point of complete depletion of the fuel inside the tank.
[0024] First electrical connecting elements 14 connect the mentioned sensing elements to electronic converting means, indicated as a whole by the reference number 15, which perform the function of converting the characteristics or changes of the characteristics detected into a physical magnitude of a preferably electrical nature, which consists, in the case in question, in an electrical analogical or digital signal.
[0025] Second electrical connecting elements, designated by the reference number 16, connect the converting means 15 to electronic identifying means, indicated by the reference number 17, wherein one or more identifying programs operate. Such electronic identifying means 17 and the identifying program(s) perform the function of identifying the origin of the electric signal.
[0026] Third electric connecting elements, designated by the reference number 18, connect the electronic identifying means 17 to electronic processing means designated by the reference number 19, wherein one or several processing programs operate. These electronic processing means 19 and the processing program(s) perform the function of executing a quantitative/qualitative/comparative processing of the electric signal.
[0027] Fourth and fifth electrical connecting elements, designated by the reference numbers 20 and 22, respectively, connect the electronic processing means 19 to electronic selecting means indicated by the reference number 21, which are in turn connected to electronic memorizing means indicated by the reference number 23. One or more selecting programs operate on said electronic selecting means 21. These electronic selecting means 23 and the selecting program(s) perform the function of selecting a data groups corresponding to a given event within an aggregate of a number of data groups stored in the electronic memorizing groups 23.
[0028] Sixth electrical connecting elements, designated by the reference number 24, connect the electronic memorizing means 23 to the means of vocal reproduction, indicated by the reference number 25, which comprise electronic conversion elements (not shown), for the purpose of converting said data group into an electric analogical signal, and means of sound diffusion (not shown), which diffuse one or more messages relating to the existence of said event acting on said appliance.
[0029] These electronic identifying means 17, electronic processing means 19, electronic selecting means 21 and electric connecting means 18, 20 are advantageously incorporated into an electronic unit 27 managed by an overall program that gathers the programs mentioned above.
[0030] Figure 3 is a simplified view of a heating appliance, in particular for household uses, indicated as a whole by the reference number 28 and incorporating the device 12 that actuates the embodiment of the previously described method. This appliance 28 generally comprises a heat source designated by the reference number 29, means for producing warm water for sanitary uses and water and air for heating uses numbered by the reference numbers 30 and 31, respectively, means for accumulating fuel 32 and the device 12. As seen in Figure 3, the latter is connected to both the heat source 29 to and the means for producing warm water for sanitary uses, water and air for heating uses 30 and 31, the fuel accumulating means 32, the flue gas duct and one or more premises, for the purpose of detecting, processing and expressing the operating condition of the appliance 28.
[0031] The operation of the device mentioned above and illustrated in Figure 2 will be more clearly evident from an analysis of Figure 4. In this figure, the description of the operation of the device 12 is appropriately limited with reference to the phases of identifying 8, processing 9, selecting 10 and reproducing 11 of the method 5 shown in Figure 1, while involving the electronic unit 27, the electronic memorizing means 23 and the vocal reproduction means 25 of the device 12 shown in Figure 2. As can be seen in Figure 4, the operation comprises a number of cascading operations which have been appropriately gathered in areas bounded and designated by the reference numbers employed to distinguish the phases shown in Figure 1.
[0032] It has in practice been found that the method, the device and the appliance described achieve the aim and the established objects while overcoming the drawbacks encountered in the state of the art.
1. Method for detecting, processing and expressing the operating condition of a heating
appliance, in particular for household uses, comprising the phases of:
- detecting a plurality of characteristics or changes of characteristics associated with an ordinary or extraordinary event acting on said appliance;
- converting said plurality of characteristics or changes of characteristics of detected characteristics into at least one physical magnitude;
characterized in that it comprises the phases of:- identifying said magnitude;
- processing said magnitude;
- based on said magnitude, selecting a data group corresponding to said event pertaining to a number of data groups corresponding to a plurality of events;
- vocally reproducing said data group selected so as to reveal the existence of said event acting on said appliance.
2. Method, according to claim 1, characterized in that said expressing phase comprises a plurality of continuous or discontinuous detecting
operations.
3. Method, according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said converting phase comprises a plurality of operations converting said plurality
of characteristics or changes of characteristics into at least one physical magnitude
of an electrical nature.
4. Method, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said identifying phase comprises a plurality of operations identifying the origin
of said at least one physical magnitude of an electric nature.
5. Method, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said processing phase comprises a plurality of quantitative/qualitative/comparative
processing operations of said at least one physical magnitude of an electrical nature.
6. Device for detecting, processing and expressing the operating condition of a heating
appliance, in particular for household uses, comprising detecting means to detect
a plurality of characteristics or changes of characteristics associated with an ordinary
or extraordinary event acting on said appliance, means of converting said plurality
of detected characteristics or changes of characteristics into at least one physical
magnitude, characterized in that it comprises identifying means to identify said at least one magnitude, processing
means to process said magnitude, selecting means to select a data group based on said
that corresponds to said event belonging to an aggregate of data groups corresponding
to a plurality of events memorized in electronic memorizing means, and means of vocal
reproduction for vocally reproducing said data group, so as to reveal the existence
of said event acting on said appliance.
7. Device, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said detecting means comprise a plurality of mechanical/electrical/electronic sensing
elements to detect said plurality of characteristics or changes of characteristics
associated with said event.
8. Device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said converting means comprise electronic converting means connected by first electrical
connecting means to said sensing elements that convert said plurality of characteristics
or changes of characteristics into at least one physical magnitude of an electric
nature.
9. Device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said identifying means comprise electronic identifying elements connected by second
electrical connecting means to said converting means, and at least one identifying
program operating on said electronic identifying elements for the purpose of identifying
the origin of said at least one magnitude.
10. Device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said processing means comprise electronic processing elements connected by third
electrical connecting elements to said electronic identifying elements, and at least
one processing program operating on said electronic processing elements for the purpose
of performing a quantitative/qualitative/comparative processing of said magnitude.
11. Device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said selecting means comprise electronic selecting means connected by fourth connecting
elements to said electronic processing elements and fifth electrical connecting elements
to said electronic memorizing means, and at least one selecting program for the purpose
of selecting said data group corresponding to said event in said number of data groups
memorized in said electronic memorizing means.
12. Device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said means of vocal reproduction are connected by sixth electrical connecting elements
to said electronic memorizing means and comprise electronic conversion elements for
the purpose of converting said data group into an electric analogical signal, and
means of sound diffusion capable of diffusing one or more messages relating to the
existence of said event acting on said appliance.
13. Device, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said electronic identifying, processing and selecting means and said second and third
electrical connecting means are incorporated into an electronic unit managed by one
or more managing program(s) that gather(s) said identifying, processing and selecting
programs in turn.
14. Heating appliance, in particular for household uses, comprising a heat source and
means for producing warm water for sanitary uses and warm water or air for heating
and means for accumulating fuel, characterized in that it comprises a device realizing a method for detecting, processing and expressing
the condition of said appliance.
15. Appliance, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said device can be realized by one or more of the previous claims.
16. Appliance, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said method can be actuated in accordance with one or more of the preceding claims.
17. Program for detecting, processing and expressing the operating condition of a heating
appliance, in particular for household uses, which can be loaded into the internal
memory of the processing unit of a device for detecting, processing and expressing
the operating condition of a heating appliance, in particular for domestic uses, which
comprises portions of programming codes suitable for executing the phases of the method
according to one or more of the previous claims, when said program operates on said
electronic unit.