Network connectable household electric appliance, household appliance inspecting system and household electric appliance inspecting service

• US 20030120972A1
• Filed: 12/04/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsushima, Hiroaki, Yokoyama, Hidenori, Fukuyo, Kazuhiro, Hirose, Sadao
• Application Number:
  US10/309,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20030120972A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/22 Electrical actuation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/40032 Details regarding a bus interface enhancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/40247 LON

Abstract

Network connectable household electric appliances in general home, such as refrigerators, washing machines, microwave ovens, air conditioners and lighting fixtures and a workstation of a service center are connected to permit communication therebetween. The workstation transmits a password and a running information request signal to a household electric appliance at intervals of a constant period, reads the running information stored in the household electric appliance and compares the running information with a reference value stored in appliance data so as to perform periodic inspection of the appliance. Not only in case a fault or abnormality occurs but also in case no fault or abnormality is detected, the result of inspection is informed to the user.

Claims

1. A household electric appliance inspecting system comprising:

a function of storing running information of a household electric appliance connected through a network;

a function of deciding from the stored running information whether said household electric appliance operates normally; and

a function of converting, when no abnormality or fault is detected, a message to this effect into electronic mail and transmitting the electronic mail to a display unit provided in said household electric appliance or a terminal unit possessed by a user of said household electric appliance.

2. A household electric appliance inspecting system comprising:

a function of storing running information of a household electric appliance connected through a network;

a function of deciding from the stored running information whether said household electric appliance operates normally; and

a function of preparing, when no abnormality or fault is detected, a postal card describing a message to this effect.

3. A household electric appliance inspecting system having a unit for deciding, on the basis of running information of a household electric appliance connected through a network, the presence or absence of a fault or abnormality of said household electric appliance, said system comprising:

a function of converting into electronic mail an inquiry made to a user of said household electric appliance and inquiring whether the service is to be continued, before a constant period following purchase of said household electric appliance expires and transmitting the electronic mail to a display unit provided in said household electric appliance or a terminal unit possessed by the user.

4. A household electric appliance inspecting system having a unit for deciding, on the basis of running information of a household electric appliance connected through a network, the presence or absence of a fault or abnormality of said household electric appliance, said system comprising:

a function of preparing a postal card describing an inquiry made to a user of said household electric appliance and inquiring whether the service is to be continued, before a constant period following purchase of said household electric appliance expires.

5. A household electric appliance having a transmitting and receiving unit connected to a network to make communication with the outside, said appliance comprising:

a power source unit provided for said household electric appliance and a power source unit provided for said transmitting and receiving unit.

6. A household electric appliance according to claim 5, wherein the power source unit for said transmitting and receiving unit is a chargeable and dischargeable battery which is chargeable with electric power fed from the power source unit for said household electric appliance.

7. A household electric appliance connected through a network to a service center for diagnosing a fault or abnormality of said household electric appliance on the basis of transmitted running information, said appliance comprising:

a notification switch for informing said center of a fault; and

a function of transmitting running information of its own when said notification switch is turned on.

8. A household electric appliance inspecting service which uses a unit for deciding, on the basis of running information from a household electric appliance connected through a network, the presence or absence of a fault or abnormality of said household electric appliance and dispatches a service engineer in the case of the occurrence of a fault or abnormality, wherein a service based on said decision unit is given without charge during a constant period following purchase of said household electric appliance and after the constant period, a service based on said decision unit is given with charge when a request is made from a user of said household electric appliance.

9. A household electric appliance inspecting service which uses a unit for deciding, on the basis of running information from a household electric appliance connected through a network, the presence or absence of a fault or abnormality of said household electric appliance and dispatches a service engineer in the case of the occurrence of a fault or abnormality, wherein a service based on said decision unit is given without charge during a constant period following purchase of said household electric appliance, and before expiration of said constant period, an inquiry is made to a user of said household electric appliance to inquire whether the user wants the service to be continued and after the constant period, a service based on said decision unit is given with charge when a request is made by the user of said household electric appliance.