Remote control of laundry appliance

• US 20020032491A1
• Filed: 09/12/2001
• Published: 03/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Lifestyle Products & Services Corporation (Midea Group Co., Ltd)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishimura, Takahiro, Matsumoto, Satoru, Ikeda, Hiroshi, Imamura, Fumihiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,778,868 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/79
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/02 Water supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• 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 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

A remote control system for a laundry appliance includes a remote control device externally accessible via a communication network, the remote control device including a data base storing coping information used to cope with an abnormal condition occurring during operation of the laundry appliance, for every type of the laundry appliance, and a laundry appliance control device connected via the communication network to the remote control device so as to receive the coping information corresponding to the abnormal condition via the communication network from the remote control device when the abnormal condition has occurred in the laundry appliance.

Claims

1. A remote control device for a laundry appliance, comprising:

a data base storing coping information used to cope with an abnormal condition occurring during operation of the laundry appliance, for every type of the laundry appliance; and

communication means for transmitting the information via a communication network to the laundry appliance.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the communication means receives information about the abnormal condition of the laundry appliance via the communication network from the laundry appliance, and which further comprises analyzing means for analyzing the information received by the communication means and the coping information to infer a cause for the abnormal condition of the laundry appliance.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the analyzing means transmits to the laundry appliance an operation program of the laundry appliance or information required depending upon a result of analysis by the analyzing means.

4. A method of remote controlling a laundry appliance, comprising:

receiving information about an abnormal condition of the laundry appliance via a communication network from the laundry appliance; and

referring to a data base storing coping information used to cope with an abnormal condition occurring during operation of the laundry appliance, for every type of the laundry appliance, and transmitting the information via a communication network to the laundry appliance.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the transmitting step includes analyzing the information received by the communication means and the coping information to infer a cause for the abnormal condition of the laundry appliance, and the coping information corresponding to the inferred cause is transmitted.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the inferring step includes transmitting a test program for the abnormal condition via the communication network to the laundry appliance and executing the test program.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the inferring step includes transmitting an emergency program via the communication network to the laundry appliance and executing the emergency program when it is determined that the abnormal condition is due to a failure of the laundry appliance.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the inferring step includes transmitting information about an emergency usage via the communication network to the laundry appliance and causing informing means to output the information.

9. A computer-readable recording medium on which is recorded a program for causing a computer to execute steps of:

receiving information about an abnormal condition of the laundry appliance via a communication network from the laundry appliance; and

referring to a data base storing coping information used to cope with an abnormal condition occurring during operation of the laundry appliance, for every type of the laundry appliance, and transmitting the information via a communication network to the laundry appliance.

10. A program for causing a computer to execute the steps of:

receiving information about an abnormal condition of the laundry appliance via a communication network from the laundry appliance; and

referring to a data base storing coping information used to cope with an abnormal condition occurring during operation of the laundry appliance, for every type of the laundry appliance, and transmitting the information via a communication network to the laundry appliance.

11. A control device for a laundry appliance, comprising:

communication means for communicating via a communication network with a remote control device provided for remote controlling the laundry appliance; and

control means for transmitting to the remote control device information about an abnormal condition in an operation of the laundry appliance by way of the communication means, the control means executing a process according to an operation command delivered from the remote control device, said operation command being received by the communication means.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the process executing step includes executing a program transmitted from the remote control device.

17. A system according to claim 16, further comprising analyzing means for analyzing the coping information corresponding to the abnormal condition in the laundry appliance to infer a cause for the abnormal condition of the laundry appliance.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the coping information includes data of an operating state of the laundry appliance upon occurrence of the abnormal condition, data of the number of times of the abnormal condition and analytic information about a measure coping with the abnormal condition, and the analyzing means analyzes the analytic information.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the data base stores analytic information for every cause for the abnormal condition, and when the analyzing means analyzes a plurality of pieces of the analytic information, a higher priority is given to the analytic information corresponding to a cause for the abnormal condition with a larger number of times of occurrence.

20. A system according to claim 17, wherein the remote control device transmits a test program via the communication network to the laundry appliance control device when an abnormal condition occurs in the laundry appliance, wherein the laundry appliance control device causes the laundry appliance to execute an inspection of the abnormal condition according to the received test program, and wherein the analyzing means analyzes a result of execution of the test program to infer a cause for the abnormal condition.

21. A system according to claim 20, wherein the remote control device has a plurality of the test programs according to a plurality of contents of the abnormal condition of the laundry appliance respectively.

22. A system according to claim 16, wherein the laundry appliance includes an electromagnetic valve provided between a water service pipe through which water is supplied to the laundry appliance and a faucet, and the laundry appliance control device controls the electromagnetic valve.

23. A system according to claim 16, which further comprises a portable terminal unit connected via the communication network to the laundry appliance control device, and wherein the laundry appliance includes an electromagnetic valve provided between a water service pipe through which water is supplied to the laundry appliance and a faucet, and the laundry appliance control device operates the electromagnetic valve on the basis of operation information transmitted from the portable terminal unit.

24. A system according to claim 16, wherein the laundry appliance control device includes an electrical component drive control unit for controlling electrical components of the laundry appliance, a communication control unit for communicating via the communication network with the remote control device, and a power supply interrupter for interrupting power supply to the electrical component drive control unit on the basis of the abnormal condition coping information received from the remote control device.

25. A system according to claim 16, which further comprises a portable terminal unit connected via the communication network to the laundry appliance control device, and wherein the laundry appliance control device includes an electrical component drive control unit for controlling electrical components of the laundry appliance, a communication control unit for communicating via the communication network with the remote control device, and a power supply interrupter for interrupting power supply to the electrical component drive control unit on the basis of the abnormal condition coping information received from the remote control device, and wherein the portable terminal unit transmits information about operation of the power supply interrupter via the communication network to the laundry appliance control device.

26. A system according to claim 17, wherein the remote control device transmits an emergency operation program via the communication network to the laundry on the basis of a result of the analysis by the analyzing means, and the laundry appliance control device causes the laundry appliance to execute an emergency operation for the abnormal condition according to the received emergency operation program.

27. A system according to claim 26, wherein the laundry appliance includes a water pouring vessel having a detergent chamber and a softener chamber, a water supply valve unit having a first valve opened when water is supplied through the detergent chamber and a second valve opened when water is supplied through the softener chamber, and valve control means for controlling the water supply valve unit, and when the analysis by the analyzing means shows that the abnormal condition is due to an abnormal operation of one of the first and second valves of the water supply valve unit, the remote control device transmits to the laundry appliance control device an emergency operation program which causes the valve control means to open the other of the first and second valves during water supply.

28. A system according to claim 26, wherein the laundry appliance includes a water pouring vessel having a detergent chamber and a softener chamber, a water supply valve unit having a first valve opened when water is supplied through the detergent chamber and a second valve opened when water is supplied through the softener chamber, and valve control means for controlling the water supply valve unit, and when the analysis by the analyzing means shows that the abnormal condition is due to an abnormal operation of the first valve of the water supply valve unit, the remote control device transmits to the laundry appliance control device an emergency operation program which causes the valve control means to open the second valve during water supply.

29. A system according to claim 26, wherein the laundry appliance includes a water tub, a water level sensor for sensing a water level in the water tub, and water supply and drain control means for controlling water supplying and draining operations on the basis of a result of detection by the water level sensor, and when the analysis by the analyzing means shows that the abnormal condition is due to an abnormal operation of the water level sensor, the remote control device transmits to the laundry appliance control device an emergency operation program which causes the water supply and drain control means to execute water supplying and draining operations based on set water supply and drain times.

30. A system according to claim 29, which further comprises storage means for storing data of a water supply flow rate and a drain flow rate for the water tub, and wherein the water supply time is set on the basis of the water supply flow rate the data of which is stored by the storage means and the drain time is set on the basis of the drain flow rate the data of which is stored by the storage means.

31. A system according to claim 26, wherein the laundry appliance includes a heater for heating wash water and heater control means for controlling energization of the heater, and when the analysis by the analyzing means shows that the abnormal condition is due to an abnormal operation of the heater, the remote control device transmits to the laundry appliance control device an emergency operation program which causes the heater control means to prohibit energization to the heater.

32. A system according to claim 26, wherein the laundry appliance includes a water tub, a rotatable tub rotatably mounted in the water tub, a motor for rotating the rotatable tub, elastic support means for elastically supporting the water tub, and motor control means for performing a variable seed control of the motor, and when the analysis by the analyzing means shows that the abnormal condition is due to an abnormal operation of the elastic support means, the remote control device transmits to the laundry appliance control device an emergency operation program which causes the motor control means to drive the motor so that a rotational speed of the motor during a dehydrating operation is rendered lower than usual.

33. A system according to claim 26, wherein the laundry appliance includes a lid closing and opening an access opening and lid sensing means for sensing an open or closed state of the lid, and when the analysis by the analyzing means shows that the abnormal condition is due to an abnormal operation of the lid sensor, the remote control device transmits to the laundry appliance control device an emergency operation program which disallows the laundry appliance to execute a dehydrating operation.

34. A system according to claim 26, wherein the remote control device transmits information about an emergency use via the communication network to the laundry appliance control device, and the laundry appliance control device includes alarming means and delivers the received information about the emergency use to the alarming means.

12. A method of controlling a laundry appliance, comprising:

transmitting information about an abnormal condition of the laundry appliance via a communication network to a remote control device for remote controlling the laundry appliance; and

executing a process according to an operation command transmitted via the communication network from the remote control device.

14. A recording medium on which is recorded a program for operating a laundry appliance, the program executing the steps of:

transmitting information about an abnormal condition of the laundry appliance via a communication network to a remote control device for remote controlling the laundry appliance; and

controlling execution of a process according to an operation command transmitted via the communication network from the remote control device.

15. A program for operating a laundry appliance, the program executing the steps of:

transmitting information about an abnormal condition of the laundry appliance via a communication network to a remote control device for remote controlling the laundry appliance; and

controlling execution of a process according to an operation command transmitted via the communication network from the remote control device.

16. A remote control system for a laundry appliance, comprising:

a remote control device externally accessible via a communication network, the remote control device including a data base storing coping information used to cope with an abnormal condition occurring during operation of the laundry appliance, for every type of the laundry appliance; and

a laundry appliance control device connected via the communication network to the remote control device so as to receive the coping information corresponding to the abnormal condition via the communication network from the remote control device when the abnormal condition has occurred in the laundry appliance.