Appliance monitoring systems and methods

• US 10,013,677 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2015
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Jones, Martin Kelly, Horstemeyer, Scott Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Toan N
• Application Number:
  US14/627,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20160247128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 34053914, 3405391, 340 31, 340 343, 455 6711
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed for monitoring appliances at a site, such as a household, business office, etc. The appliances can include, for example but not limited to, an electric oven, dishwasher, refrigerator, laundry washer, freezer, pool controller, light bulb, microwave oven, computer, motor vehicle, television, telephone, etc. In many of the embodiments, the appliance has a computer based architecture or a controller that enables communication of data concerning the electronic appliance. In some embodiments the appliance is an apparatus with a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or other passive device that can be interrogated for information concerning the appliance.

Claims

1. A computer system communicatively coupled with one or more appliances at a site, the computer system comprising:

means for determining that an appliance or appliance part exhibits a maintenance issue comprising;

means for accessing reference data, the reference data comprising a first numerical array, the first numerical array comprising a first collection of related successive signal sample values that represent a first time varying environmental signal;

means for receiving appliance condition data, the appliance condition data comprising a second numerical array, the second numerical array comprising a second collection of related successive signal sample values derived from a second time varying environmental signal sensed by a transducer means at the site;

means for comparing the first and second numerical arrays in a time domain, frequency domain, or both; and

means for initiating a notification regarding the maintenance issue, when determined, based at least in part upon the comparison.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a means for producing one or more suggestions on where to order, purchase, or seek repair for the appliance or appliance part.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

means for providing price information pertaining to each of the one or more suggestions; and

means for enabling a user to select and purchase one of the one or more suggestions.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for comparing the first and second numerical arrays is designed to compare a correlation output and a predefined threshold in order to determine when the appliance or appliance part exhibits the maintenance issue.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transducer means is a microphone, and the environmental signal is an audio signal produced by the appliance or appliance part.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for determining that the appliance or appliance part exhibits the maintenance issue makes this determination based at least in part upon a lifespan expectancy and a length of time in which the appliance or the appliance part has been in service or in use.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the means for initiating the notification comprises:

means for initiating a notification communication session with a personal communication device (PCD); and

means for causing communication of a report during the notification communication session indicative of the maintenance issue.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the PCD is associated with any of the following:

an owner or user of the appliance, a vendor, a repair service entity, a replacement service entity, a manufacturer, or an information provider.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

means for maintaining a database having maintenance information pertaining to a plurality of appliances or appliance parts;

means for storing in the database a first type of maintenance information pertaining to a first type of appliance or appliance part; and

means for storing in the database a second type of maintenance information pertaining to a second type of appliance or appliance part, the second type being different than the first type.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising code that causes the appliance or appliance part to be turned off or that disables one or more functions associated with the appliance, after determining that the maintenance issue exists.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a means for enabling a party to input maintenance information pertaining to the appliance or appliance part, the maintenance information used, at least in part, in determining when the appliance or appliance part exhibits the maintenance issue.

12. A computer system communicatively coupled with one or more appliances at a site, the computer system comprising:

means for receiving identification information regarding an appliance or appliance part that is derived by interrogating the appliance or appliance part over one or more networks;

means for receiving contact information for a personal communication device (PCD) associated with a user of the appliance or appliance part;

means for generating a lifespan expectancy corresponding to when the appliance or appliance part is expected to exhibit a maintenance issue, based upon an occurrence of maintenance issues in other appliances or appliance parts;

means for determining a length of time that the appliance or appliance part has been in existence or in operation;

means for, when the length of time approaches the lifespan expectancy, engaging in a communication session with the PCD of the user; and

means for, during the communication session, communicating one or more suggestions on where to order, purchase, or seek repair for the appliance or appliance part and price information pertaining to each of the suggestions.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for enabling the user to select and purchase the one or more suggestions.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the lifespan expectancy is generated by averaging longevities of the other appliances or appliance parts.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

means for determining a location of the appliance or appliance part; and

means for determining the lifespan expectancy based at least in part upon the location.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

means for determining weather information associated with an environment in which the appliance or appliance part is exposed; and

means for determining the lifespan expectancy based at least in part upon the weather information.