Method of operating a cooking appliance, control unit and cooking appliance

#The present application is directed to a method of operating a cooking appliance, in particular a gas cooking appliance, to a control unit and to a cooking appliance.

#Cooking appliances are known in many configurations and variants. In most cases, control elements for cooking zones of the cooking appliance are implemented as taps or actuators configured for setting the power or, in case of gas hobs, the gas level for the gas hob.

#Setting adequate power levels in some cases requires considerable experience, in particular with respect to avoiding burnt or over-heated food and the like. In this respect, it would be desirable to make it easier for a user to set adequate and reasonable power levels, in particular gas flow rates in case of gas hobs.

#Embodiments of the invention will now be described in connection with the annexed figures, in which

#FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a cooking appliance; and

#FIG. 2 shows details of a gas knob and integrated display;

#The invention will now be described in connection with selected embodiments of a cooking appliance, wherein the selected embodiments shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

#FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a cooking appliance 1. The cooking appliance 1 in the present case comprises four cooking zones 2. The cooking appliance 1 further comprises a power control device 3 for each of the four cooking zones 2. In the present case, the control devices 3 are rotatable knobs adapted to set respective power levels of the cooking zone. A rotation in one direction, e.g. in counter-clockwise or in clockwise direction, will raise the power level, and therefore cooking zone power or power level, and rotation in the other, i.e. opposite, direction, e.g. in clockwise or in counter-clockwise direction will decrease the power level, and therefore the cooking zone power or power level.

#The cooking appliance 1 further comprises a user interface element, in particular a user display 4, which may be implemented as a touch-sensitive user control interface.