# US 11,898,291 B2 · Appliance having a user interface with programmable light emitting diodes > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,898,291 B2 - Document ID: US11898291B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/496,113 - Filed: 2021-10-07 - Published: 2023-04-13 - Granted: 2024-02-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-10-07 - Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Inventors: Mark Anthony Didat; Donald James Leisl, III; Richard Gary Woodham, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11898291B2 ## CPC - D06F 34/32: characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens - D06F 34/14: Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters - D06F 34/28: Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating programme parameters, e.g. the selected programme or its progress - H05B 47/115: by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings - H05B 47/12: by detecting audible sound - D06F 34/04: Signal transfer or data transmission arrangements - D06F 34/30: characterised by mechanical features, e.g. buttons or rotary dials - D06F 2101/00: User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers - D06F 2101/20: Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programmes, service modes or refreshment cycles - D06F 2103/64: Radiation, e.g. microwaves - D06F 2105/58: Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user - D06F 2105/60: Audible signals - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES - H05B: ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A home appliance including a user interface with a plurality of LEDs, the LEDs being activated and deactivated according to predetermined sequences as dictated by input signals and triggers to the user interface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating a laundry appliance, the laundry appliance comprising a cabinet, a user interface provided on the cabinet, a microphone within the user interface, and a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in a predetermined pattern on the user interface, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is associated with an operational indicator of the laundry appliance, the method comprising: receiving an input trigger via the user interface; activating the plurality of light emitting diodes according to a predetermined listening sequence indicating the microphone is active and listening in response to receiving the input trigger; receiving an input command via the microphone in response to activating the plurality of light emitting diodes; and activating the plurality of light emitting diodes according to a predetermined recognition sequence, the predetermined recognition sequence being different from the predetermined listening sequence. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the laundry appliance further comprises a speaker, the method further comprising: emitting a first audio signal via the speaker in conjunction with activating the plurality of light emitting diodes according to the predetermined listening sequence; and emitting a second audio signal via the speaker in conjunction with activating the plurality of light emitting diodes according to the predetermined recognition sequence. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the input trigger is an audio input received by the microphone. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the audio input is a voice input from a user received by the microphone. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: determining that the input command is a request for information; emitting a response to the request for information via the speaker in response to determining that the input command is the request for information; and activating the plurality of light emitting diodes according to a predetermined speaking sequence in conjunction with emitting the response, the predetermined speaking sequence being different from the predetermined listening sequence and the predetermined recognition sequence. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the user interface comprises a rotatable control knob, and wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are arranged circumferentially about the control knob. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes comprises a first array of light emitting diodes provided along a first portion of the control knob and a second array of light emitting diodes provided along a second portion of the control knob, each of the first and second arrays forming a semi-circular arc. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined listening sequence comprises: activating a first light emitting diode from the first array of light emitting diodes and a first light emitting diode from the second array of light emitting diodes simultaneously; activating a second light emitting diode from the first array of light emitting diodes and a second light emitting diode form the second array of light emitting diodes simultaneously while maintaining the first light emitting diodes activated; and activating a third light emitting diode from the first array of light emitting diodes and a third light emitting diode from the second array of light emitting diodes simultaneously while maintaining the first and second light emitting diodes activated. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined recognition sequence comprises: activating the first array of light emitting diodes in a sequential manner, each light emitting diode among the first array of light emitting diodes being maintained in an activated state; activating the second array of light emitting diodes in a sequential manner while maintaining the first array of light emitting diodes in the activated state, each light emitting diode among the second array of light emitting diodes being maintained in the activated state; deactivating the first array of light emitting diodes in the sequential manner, each light emitting diode among the first array of light emitting diodes being maintained in a deactivated state; and deactivating the second array of light emitting diodes in the sequential manner while maintaining the first array of light emitting diodes in the deactivated state, each light emitting diode among the second array of light emitting diodes being maintained in the deactivated state. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined speaking sequence comprises: activating each of the plurality of light emitting diodes; deactivating a first light emitting diode from the first array of light emitting diodes and a first light emitting diode from the second array of light emitting diodes simultaneously; deactivating a second light emitting diode from the first array of light emitting diodes and a second light emitting diode from the second array of light emitting diodes simultaneously while maintaining the first light emitting diodes in a deactivated state; and deactivating a third light emitting diode from the first array of light emitting diodes and a third light emitting diode from the second array of light emitting diodes simultaneously while maintaining the first and second light emitting diodes in the deactivated state. ### Claim 11 A laundry appliance, comprising: a cabinet forming a receiving space; a user interface provided on the cabinet, the user interface comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is associated with an operational indicator of the laundry appliance; a microphone provided within the user interface; and a controller operably connected with the microphone and the user interface, the controller being configured to perform a series of operations, the series of operations comprising: receiving an input trigger; activating the plurality of light emitting diodes according to a predetermined listening sequence indicating the microphone is active and listening in response to receiving the input trigger; receiving an input command via the microphone in response to activating the plurality of light emitting diodes; and activating the plurality of light emitting diodes according to a predetermined recognition sequence, the predetermined recognition sequence being different from the predetermined listening sequence. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The laundry appliance of claim 11, further comprising a speaker, wherein the series of operations further comprises: emitting a first audio signal via the speaker in conjunction with activating the plurality of light emitting diodes according to the predetermined listening sequence; and emitting a second audio signal via the speaker in conjunction with activating the plurality of light emitting diodes according to the predetermined recognition sequence. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The laundry appliance of claim 12, wherein the input trigger is a voice input received from a user received by the microphone. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The laundry appliance of claim 12, wherein the series of operations further comprises: determining that the input command is a request for information; emitting a response to the request for information via the speaker in response to determining that the input command is the request for information; and activating the plurality of light emitting diodes according to a predetermined speaking sequence in conjunction with emitting the response, the predetermined speaking sequence being different from the predetermined listening sequence and the predetermined recognition sequence. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The laundry appliance of claim 14, wherein the user interface comprises a rotatable control knob, and wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are arranged circumferentially about the control knob. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The laundry appliance of claim 15, wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes comprises a first array of light emitting diodes provided along a first portion of the control knob and a second array of light emitting diodes provided along a second portion of the control knob, each of the first and second arrays forming a semi-circular arc. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The laundry appliance of claim 16, wherein the predetermined listening sequence comprises: activating a first light emitting diode from the first array of light emitting diodes and a first light emitting diode from the second array of light emitting diodes simultaneously; activating a second light emitting diode from the first array of light emitting diodes and a second light emitting diode form the second array of light emitting diodes simultaneously while maintaining the first light emitting diodes activated; and activating a third light emitting diode from the first array of light emitting diodes and a third light emitting diode form the second array of light emitting diodes simultaneously while maintaining the first and second light emitting diodes activated. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The laundry appliance of claim 16, wherein the predetermined recognition sequence comprises: activating the first array of light emitting diodes in a sequential manner, each light emitting diode among the first array of light emitting diodes being maintained in an activated state; activating the second array of light emitting diodes in a sequential manner while maintaining the first array of light emitting diodes in the activated state, each light emitting diode among the second array of light emitting diodes being maintained in the activated state; deactivating the first array of light emitting diodes in the sequential manner, each light emitting diode among the first array of light emitting diodes being maintained in a deactivated state; and deactivating the second array of light emitting diodes in the sequential manner while maintaining the first array of light emitting diodes in the deactivated state, each light emitting diode among the second array of light emitting diodes being maintained in the deactivated state. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The laundry appliance of claim 16, wherein the predetermined speaking sequence comprises: activating each of the plurality of light emitting diodes; deactivating a first light emitting diode from the first array of light emitting diodes and a first light emitting diode from the second array of light emitting diodes simultaneously; deactivating a second light emitting diode from the first array of light emitting diodes and a second light emitting diode from the second array of light emitting diodes simultaneously while maintaining the first light emitting diodes in a deactivated state; and deactivating a third light emitting diode from the first array of light emitting diodes and a third light emitting diode from the second array of light emitting diodes simultaneously while maintaining the first and second light emitting diodes in the deactivated state. ### Claim 20 A method of operating an appliance, the appliance comprising a cabinet, a user interface provided on the cabinet, a microphone within the user interface, and a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in a predetermined pattern on the user interface, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diodes is associated with an operational indicator of the laundry appliance, the method comprising: receiving an input trigger via the user interface; activating the plurality of light emitting diodes according to a predetermined listening sequence indicating the microphone is active and listening in response to receiving the input trigger; receiving an input command via the microphone in response to activating the plurality of light emitting diodes; and activating the plurality of light emitting diodes according to a predetermined recognition sequence, the predetermined recognition sequence being different from the predetermined listening sequence.