System, method, apparatus, and computer program product for configuring a network connected appliance to use online services

• US 10,367,651 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2016
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrolux Consumer Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electrolux Home Products Incorporated (AB Electrolux)
• Inventors: Francescangeli, Giorgio, Schulz, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Whipple, Brian
• Application Number:
  US15/186,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20160301540A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2809 indicating that an appliance service is present in a home automation network monitoring functionality H04L43/0817; discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services, H04L67/51
• 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 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/20 Network management software packages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]

Abstract

A system, method, apparatus, and computer program product for configuring a network connected appliance to use online services are disclosed. A method may include receiving an indication of a selected home automation system for a network connected appliance. The selected home automation system may be selected from multiple available home automation systems. The method may additionally include registering the network connected appliance to the selected home automation system. The method may also include enabling communication between the network connected appliance and the selected home automation system.

Claims

1. A method for configuring an appliance to use a home automation system, the method comprising a computer system:

causing a plurality of home automation systems to be presented as selectable options via an interface accessed over a network via a user device associated with a user, the plurality of home automation systems being distinct and available for use with a network connected appliance;

receiving an indication of a selected home automation system for the network connected appliance, the indication being received from the user device, and the selected home automation system being user-selected from the plurality of home automation systems presented as selectable options via the interface;

registering the network connected appliance to the selected home automation system; and

enabling communication between the network connected appliance and the selected home automation system, enabling communication between the network connected appliance and the selected home automation system comprising remotely configuring the network connected appliance via a network to communicate with the selected home automation system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling communication between the network connected appliance and the selected home automation system further comprises:

serving as an intermediary for communication between the network connected appliance and the selected home automation system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein remotely configuring the network connected appliance comprises provisioning the network connected appliance with software configured to facilitate communication between the network connected appliance and the selected home automation system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein remotely configuring the network connected appliance comprises activating a pre-installed software module on the network connected appliance, wherein the pre-installed software module is configured to facilitate communication between the network connected appliance and the selected home automation system.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, creating an account with the selected home automation system for the user in an instance in which the user does not have an account with the selected home automation system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an identifier associated with a user account of the user, the identifier being received by the computer system from the network connected appliance; and

establishing an association between the network connected appliance and the user account based at least in part on the identifier.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

provisioning the identifier to the network connected appliance, wherein the identifier is provisioned to the network connected appliance by the user device prior to being received by the computer system from the network connected appliance.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein causing the plurality of home automation systems to be presented as selectable options comprises causing the plurality of home automation systems to be presented as selectable options via the interface in response to establishment of the association between the network connected appliance and the user account.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer system is configured to provide a network accessible service portal with which the user has a user account, and

wherein receiving the indication of the selected home automation system comprises receiving the indication from the user device logged into the user account on the service portal.