Remote control system for controlling a domestic appliance The present invention relates to a remote control system for controlling at least one domestic appliance. In particular, the present invention relates to a remote control system for con trolling at least one cooking appliance. Further, the present invention relates to a method for controlling at least one do- mestic appliance.

Recipe files for domestic appliances may be downloaded from the internet. For example, the recipe file includes a cooking recipe for a cooking appliance. In general, the recipe file may include instructions for a working process of an arbitrary domestic ap pliance. However, the downloadable recipe files are not very precise. Further, such recipe files do not consider specific properties of the individual domestic appliance. It is an object of the present invention to provide a remote control system for controlling at least one domestic appliance, which considers specific properties of the individual domestic appliance when using a recipe file. The object is achieved by the remote control system for control ling at least one domestic appliance according to claim 1.

According to the present invention a remote control system for controlling at least one domestic appliance is provided, wherein:

the remote control system comprises at least one remote con trol device, at least one data cloud and at least one domes tic appliance, the remote control device is connectable or connected to the data cloud via a first wireless connection,

the remote control device is connectable or connected to the domestic appliance via a second wireless connection,

- the remote control device includes at least one application software for communicating with the data cloud and the do mestic appliance,

the data cloud comprises a plurality of apparatus files, each apparatus file includes characteristics of a corre- sponding domestic appliance,

the data cloud comprises a plurality of recipe files, and each recipe file includes instructions for a working process of the domestic appliance. The main idea of the present invention is that the data cloud comprises the apparatus files on the one hand and the recipe files on the other hand. A working process defined by the recipe file may be adapted by information from the corresponding appa ratus file to the actual domestic appliance.

Preferably, the recipe file is transmissible from the data cloud to the domestic appliance via the application software, if said recipe file is verified for said domestic appliance. The veri fied recipe file means that the recipe has been tested with the same domestic appliance.

Further, the data cloud may comprise at least one recipe list indicating the recipe files available on said data cloud. Pref erably, the recipe list is always indicated on a menu of the ap- plication software.

Similarly, the data cloud may comprise at least one apparatus list indicating the apparatus files available on said data cloud . Moreover, the remote control system may comprise at least one mapping database, wherein allowable combinations of recipe files and apparatus files are stored in said mapping database. In par- ticular, all allowable combinations of recipe files and appa ratus files are stored in said mapping database. Preferably, the mapping database is stored on the application software, in par ticular on a back end of said application software. At the mo ment, when the domestic appliance is registered by the user, then the mapping database or the application software, respec tively, gather links of the recipe files available for said do mestic appliance, so that the recipe list can be indicated on the menu of the application software. Since the mapping database with the links of the recipe files for the registered domestic appliance is stored on the applica tion software of the remote control device, it is excluded that any recipe file or apparatus file from a strange data cloud can be selected by mistake.

The verification of the recipe file for the corresponding domes tic appliance bases on information stored in the mapping data base. Further, additional information relating to said recipe files and/or apparatus files may be stored in said mapping data- base.

For example, the recipe file is a cooking recipe file including an ingredient list, a list of cooking steps and/or a picture of the dish.

Further, the present invention relates to a method for control ling at least one domestic appliance by using the remote control system mentioned above, wherein said method comprises the steps of : connecting the application software on the remote control device to the data cloud,

searching for an apparatus file corresponding with the do mestic appliance,

- selecting the apparatus file corresponding with the domestic appliance,

searching for a recipe file, and

selecting the recipe file, and

activating the working process on domestic appliance accord- ing to the information of the recipe file and the apparatus file .

Preferably, the recipe file is selectable only, if said recipe file has been verified for the domestic appliance corresponding with the selected the apparatus file.

In particular, the recipe file may be transferred from the data cloud to the domestic appliance via the application software. Moreover, the recipe file may be processed by a processor of the domestic appliance.

Furthermore, the working process on the domestic appliance is started remotely by the application software.

For example, the user is informed by the application software, when the working process has been finished.

Alternatively or additionally, the user may be informed by a user interface of the domestic appliance, when the working pro cess has been finished.

Preferably, the method is provided for controlling at least one cooking appliance. In this case, the recipe file may be a cooking recipe file, wherein on the menu of the application software the following item are available:

- ingredient list,

list of cooking steps and

start of the cooking recipe.

Novel and inventive features of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims.

The present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawing, in which FIG 1 illustrates a schematic representation of a remote con trol system for at least one domestic appliance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG 1 illustrates a schematic representation of a remote control system for at least one domestic appliance 14, 16 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

The remote control system comprises a remote control device 10, a data cloud 12, a first domestic appliance 14 and a second do- mestic appliance 16. In general, the remote control system may comprise an arbitrary number of domestic appliances 14 and 16.

In this example, the first domestic appliance 14 is a cooking oven, while the second domestic appliance 16 is a washing ma chine. The remote control device 10 is connected or connectable to the data cloud 12 via a first wireless connection 18. Fur ther, the remote control device 10 is connected or connectable to the domestic appliances 14 and 16 via second wireless connec tions 20. For example, the domestic appliances 14 and 16 send their identifying flags anytime. In particular, the identifying flag includes a product code num ber (PNC) . The product code number (PNC) indicates uniquely the model of the domestic appliance 14 or 16. Usually, the product code number (PNC) includes about nine digits. Further, the iden tifying flag may include a level code (LC) . Said level code (LC) indicates the number of times the model has been irreversibly modified with impact on service. Different types of intervention are defined by different level codes (LC) . Usually, the level code (LC) includes about two digits.

Preferably, the remote control device 10 is a mobile remote con trol device, for example a mobile phone, a smart phone, a tablet or a notebook. However, the remote control device 10 may be also a stationary remote control device 10, for example a personal computer. The remote control device 10 includes an application software (APP) for controlling the connections 18 and 20 to the data cloud 12 and the domestic appliances 14 and 16, respec tively.

The data cloud 12 is a remote server. A plurality of recipe files 22 is stored in said data cloud 12. For example, the rec ipe file 22 includes a cooking recipe. In general, the recipe file 22 includes an instruction for a working process of an ar- bitrary domestic appliance, e.g. a cooking program for a cooking oven, a washing program for a dishwasher or washing machine or a drying program for a laundry dryer. Moreover, a plurality of ap paratus files 24 is stored in the data cloud 12. Each apparatus file 24 includes the characteristics of a corresponding domestic appliance 14 or 16. The apparatus files 24 for the domestic ap pliances 14 and 16 are stored in the data cloud 12. Addition ally, the apparatus files 24 for further domestic appliances may be stored in the data cloud 12. For example, the apparatus files 24 for current domestic appliances of a producer are stored in the data cloud 12, wherein said data cloud 12 is provided by said producer. The characteristics of the domestic appliance is stored in an apparatus file. For example, said apparatus file is a CFG file. A plurality of apparatus files is stored in the data cloud 12.

The data cloud 12 includes a recipe list 26, in which the avail able recipe files 22 are itemised. Further, the data cloud 12 includes an apparatus list 28, in which the available apparatus files 24 are itemised, wherein each apparatus file 24 corre sponds with a domestic appliance 14 or 16 or another domestic appliance .

Further, the remote control system may comprise at least one mapping database. The allowable combinations of recipe files 22 and apparatus files 24 are stored in said mapping database. In particular, all allowable combinations of recipe files 22 and apparatus files 24 are stored in said mapping database. Prefera bly, the mapping database is stored on the application software, in particular on a back end of said application software. At the moment, when the domestic appliance 14 or 16 is registered by the user, then the mapping database or the application software, respectively, gather links of the recipe files 22 available for said domestic appliance 14 or 16, so that the recipe list 26 can be indicated on the menu of the application software.

Since the mapping database with the links of the recipe files 22 for the registered domestic appliance 14 or 16 is stored on the application software of the remote control device 10, it is ex- eluded that any recipe file 22 or apparatus file 24 from a strange data cloud 12 can be selected by mistake.

The verification of the recipe file 22 for the corresponding do mestic appliance 14 or 16 bases on information stored in the mapping database. Moreover, additional information relating to said recipe files 22 and/or apparatus files 24 may be stored in said mapping database. When the application software on the remote control device 10 is connected to the data cloud 12 via the first wireless connection 18, then the apparatus file corresponding with the domestic ap pliance 14 or 16 is searched and selected. After that, the de sired recipe file 22 is searched and selected. However, the rec- ipe file is selectable only, if said recipe file has been veri fied for the domestic appliance corresponding with the selected the apparatus file. The recipe file 22 may be transferred from the data cloud 12 to the domestic appliance 14 or 16 via the ap plication software. At last, the working process on the domestic appliance is performed according to the information of the rec ipe file and the apparatus file, wherein the recipe file 22 may be processed by a processor of the domestic appliance.

The working process on the domestic appliance 14 or 16 may be started remotely by the application software. For example, the user is informed by the application software, when the working process has been finished. Alternatively or additionally, the user may be informed by a user interface of the domestic appli ance, when the working process has been finished.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the system and the method are provided for controlling at least one cooking appliance. In this case, the recipe file may be a cooking recipe file, wherein on the menu of the application software the following item are available:

ingredient list,

list of cooking steps and

start of the cooking recipe. Although an illustrative embodiment of the present invention has been described herein with reference to the accompanying draw ings, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various other changes and modifications may be affected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the in vention. All such changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined by the ap pended claims.

List of reference numerals

10 remote control device

12 data cloud

14 first domestic appliance, cooking oven

16 second domestic appliance, washing machine

18 first wireless connection

20 second wireless connection

22 recipe file

24 apparatus file

26 recipe list

28 apparatus list