Remote detection of washer/dryer operation/fault condition

• US 10,294,600 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2016
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EchoStar Technologies International Corporation (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Beals, William Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Chun
• Application Number:
  US15/230,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20180038029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/00 Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/00 Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/47 Responding to irregular working conditions, e.g. malfunctioning of pumps safety arrangements D06F37/42
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• 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 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

Discussed herein is a system for detecting an operating condition of a clothes washing machine or a clothes drying machine, which can include a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) sensor, the MEMS sensor being physically attached to the clothes washing or drying machine and a computerized controller, such as a home automation controller, can be in communication with the MEMS sensor. The computerized controller can receive signals from the MEMS sensor that indicate the state of the clothes washing or drying machine. After receiving signals indicating the state of the clothes washing or drying machine, the computerized controller can use the signals to determine the operating condition of the clothes washing or drying machine and send a notification to a user device about the clothes washing or drying machine including the operating condition of the clothes washing or drying machine.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) component, the MEMS component being physically attached to a clothes machine, the MEMS component comprising;

a MEMS sensor, and

an antenna; and

a computerized controller of a home automation system, the computerized controller being communicatively coupled to the MEMS component, and the computerized controller comprising;

one or more processors, and

a memory device having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a user request from a user device for a status of the clothes machine,

transmit a request for the status of the clothes machine to the antenna of the MEMS component,

receive, in response to the request for the status, a first signal from the antenna of the MEMS component indicating a first state of the clothes machine,

determine a first operating condition of the clothes machine based on the first state,

send a first notification to the user device indicating the first operating condition of the clothes machine,

receive a second signal after the first signal from the antenna of the MEMS component indicating a second state of the clothes machine,

determine a second operating condition of the clothes machine based on the first signal and the second signal, and

send a second notification to the user device indicating the second operating condition of the clothes machine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the MEMS component transmits a state of the clothes machine to the computerized controller of the home automation system at least one of periodically and when the state of the clothes machine changes.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the clothes machine is one of a clothes washing machine and a clothes drying machine.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes machine is running, wherein the second signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes machine is not running, and wherein the instructions stored on the memory device for determining the second operating condition of the clothes machine comprises further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

calculate a length of time between receiving the first signal and receiving the second signal; and

based upon the length of time, determine that the second operating condition of the clothes machine is normal operation, and

wherein the second notification to the user device further indicates the clothes machine has completed normally.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes machine is running, wherein the second signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes machine is not running, and wherein the instructions stored on the memory device for determining the second operating condition of the clothes machine comprises further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

calculate a length of time between receiving the first signal and receiving the second signal; and

based upon the length of time, determine that the clothes machine has prematurely stopped running and the second operating condition of the clothes machine is a fault condition, and

wherein the second notification to the user device further indicates that the clothes machine has prematurely stopped running.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes machine is running, wherein the second signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes machine is running, and wherein the instructions stored on the memory device for determining the second operating condition of the clothes machine comprises further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

calculate a length of time between receiving the first signal and receiving the second signal; and

based upon the length of time, determine that the clothes machine has been running longer than normal and the second operating condition of the clothes machine is a fault condition, and

wherein the second notification to the user device further indicates that the clothes machine is still running.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the clothes machine is a clothes washing machine, wherein the first signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes washing machine is running, wherein the second signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes washing machine is heavily vibrating, and wherein the instructions stored on the memory device for determining the second operating condition of the clothes washing machine comprises further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine, based on the second signal, that the second operating condition of the clothes washing machine is a fault condition, and

wherein the second notification to the user device further indicates the clothes washing machine is unbalanced.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the MEMS component comprises a battery to power the MEMS sensor and the antenna.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the MEMS component is physically attached to the clothes machine with an adhesive.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the user device is one of a television of the home automation system, a smartphone, or a tablet.

11. A processor readable memory device having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive a user request from a user device for a status of a clothes machine,

transmit a request for the status of the clothes machine to an antenna of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) component physically attached to the clothes machine,

receive, in response to the request for the status, a first signal from the MEMS component indicating a first state of the clothes machine;

determine a first operating condition of the clothes machine based on the first state;

send a first notification to the user device indicating the first operating condition of the clothes machine;

receive a second signal after the first signal from the antenna of the MEMS component indicating a second state of the clothes machine;

determine a second operating condition of the clothes machine based on the first signal and the second signal; and

send a second notification to the user device indicating the second operating condition of the clothes machine.

12. The processor readable memory device of claim 11, wherein the second signal is received in response to the MEMS component transmitting a state of the clothes machine periodically or in response to the state of the clothes machine changing.

13. The processor readable memory device of claim 11, wherein the clothes machine is one of a clothes washing machine and a clothes drying machine.

14. The processor readable memory device of claim 11, wherein the first signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes machine is running, wherein the second signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes machine is not running, and wherein the instructions stored on the processor readable memory device to determine the second operating condition of the clothes machine comprises further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

calculate a length of time between receiving the first signal and receiving the second signal; and

based upon the length of time, determine that the second operating condition of the clothes machine is normal operation, and

wherein the second notification to the user device further indicates that the clothes machine has completed normally.

15. The processor readable memory device of claim 11, wherein the first signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes machine is running, wherein the second signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes machine is not running, and wherein the instructions stored on the processor readable memory device to determine the second operating condition of the clothes machine comprises further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

calculate a length of time between receiving the first signal and receiving the second signal; and

based upon the length of time, determine that the clothes machine has prematurely stopped running and the second operating condition of the clothes machine is a fault condition, and

wherein the second notification to the user device further indicates that the clothes machine has prematurely stopped running.

16. The processor readable memory device of claim 11, wherein the first signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes machine is running, wherein the second signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes machine is running, and wherein the instructions stored on the processor readable memory device to determine the second operating condition of the clothes machine comprises further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

calculate a length of time between receiving the first signal and receiving the second signal; and

based upon the length of time, determine that the clothes machine has been running longer than normal and the second operating condition of the clothes machine is a fault condition, and

wherein the second notification to the user device indicates that the clothes machine is still running.

17. The processor readable memory device of claim 11, wherein the clothes machine is a clothes washing machine, wherein the first signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes washing machine is running, wherein the second signal from the MEMS component indicates that the clothes washing machine is heavily vibrating, and wherein the instructions stored on the processor readable memory device to determine the second operating condition of the clothes washing machine comprises further instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

determine, based on the second signal, that the second operating condition of the clothes washing machine is a fault condition, and

wherein the second notification to the user device further indicates that the clothes washing machine is unbalanced.

18. A method for determining an operating condition of a clothes machine, the method comprising:

receiving, at a computerized controller or a home automation system, a user request from a user device for a status of the clothes machine;

transmitting, by the computerized controller, a request for the status of the clothes machine to an antenna of a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) component physically attached to the clothes machine;

receiving, at the computerized controller in response to the request for the status, a first signal from the MEMS component indicating a first state of the clothes machine;

determining, by the computerized controller, a first operating condition of the clothes machine based on the first state;

sending, by the computerized controller, a first notification to the user device indicating the first operating condition of the clothes machine;

receiving, at the computerized controller, a second signal after the first signal from the antenna of the MEMS component indicating a second state of the clothes machine;

determining, by the computerized controller, a second operating condition of the clothes machine based on the first signal and the second signal; and

sending, by the computerized controller a second notification to the user device indicating the second operating condition of the clothes machine.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second signal is received in response to the MEMS component transmitting a state of the clothes machine periodically or in response to the state of the clothes machine changing.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the clothes machine is one of a clothes washing machine and a clothes drying machine.