Single button capacitive user interface

A method for controlling a refrigeration appliance, wherein the refrigeration appliance comprises a storage compartment, a main controller, and a stacked user interface including a single capacitive touch button, a plurality of light-emitting diode (LED) indicators, and a user interface controller, the method comprising the steps of:

• consecutively touching, by a user's finger, the single capacitive touch button to select at least one of a temperature setting or a special mode setting for the storage compartment;
• transmitting, by the user interface controller to the main controller, signals from the user interface single capacitive touch button;
• activating, by the main controller, a desired temperature setting or a special mode setting for the storage compartment based on the signals from the user interface single capacitive touch button, wherein the consecutive touching causes the temperature setting to increase from a low temperature setting to a high temperature setting, and wherein when a next-high temperature setting is a highest temperature setting, then the next consecutive touching of the single capacitive touch button causes the temperature setting to return to a lowest temperature setting;
• and
• energizing, by the user interface controller, at least one LED indicator of the plurality of LED indicators to visualize a selected temperature setting or special mode setting for the storage compartment,
• wherein each consecutive touching corresponds to a predetermined temperature setting or special mode setting and energizes at least one successive corresponding LED indicator on the stacked user interface.

A refrigeration appliance, comprising:

• a storage compartment;
• a main controller;
• and
• a user interface integrated into a control box mounted in a top portion of the storage compartment, the control box having an adjustable vent that allows cold air from an adjacent compartment into the storage compartment to adjust a temperature of the storage compartment, said user interface comprising a stacked arrangement including:
• a sensor assembly carrier,
• a graphic overlay,
• a light guide, and
• a printed circuit board (PCB) with a self-capacitive electrode sensor comprising a single capacitive touch button configured to receive at least one touch or proximity input from a user relating to selection of a temperature setting of the storage compartment within a range of a lowest temperature setting to a highest temperature setting, the selected temperature setting based on a number of touch or proximity inputs to the single capacitive touch button;
• and
• a user interface controller, wherein the main controller receives a signal from the user interface controller indicative of said at least one touch or proximity input and operates the adjustable vent to adjust the temperature in the storage compartment based on the selected temperature setting.