Appliance operable with supply distribution, dispensing and use system and method
First Claim
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1. An appliance comprising:
- a housing;
a supply housing connected to the housing, the supply housing configured to hold a variable level of an appliance supply, the level of the appliance supply decreasing from a first level toward a depletion level during operation of the appliance;
a sensing device supported by the housing, the sensing device operable to gather data related to the level of the appliance supply, the data gathered during or after the operation of the appliance;
a processor operatively coupled to the supply mechanism and the sensing device, the processor operable to communicate with an order processing system;
an input device operable with the processor to enable a user to input an order for an amount of the appliance supply to be delivered to an address associated with the appliance; and
at least one memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a condition relating to a designated level of the appliance supply, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to;
(a) receive an input signal from the input device, the input signal associated with the user'"'"'s order for an amount of the appliance supply;
(b) send data associated with the user'"'"'s order to the order processing system, thereby causing the ordered amount of the appliance supply to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance;
(c) determine, on one or more occasions, the level of the appliance supply based on the data gathered by the sensing device;
(d) determine when the condition is met; and
(e) send data to the order processing system after the condition is met, said data associated with an order for an amount of the appliance supply, thereby causing said amount of the appliance supply to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance.
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Abstract
An appliance supply distribution and dispensing system and method for distributing appliance supplies to a home or business and which involves a computerized system which facilitates dispensing or using one or more supplies from an appliance. The computerized system monitors the supply level(s) and, when necessary, automatically orders and delivers additional supplies. In addition, the computerized system automatically detects dispensing, use or appliance problems and orders and arranges for repair service.
97 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An appliance comprising:
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a housing;
a supply housing connected to the housing, the supply housing configured to hold a variable level of an appliance supply, the level of the appliance supply decreasing from a first level toward a depletion level during operation of the appliance;
a sensing device supported by the housing, the sensing device operable to gather data related to the level of the appliance supply, the data gathered during or after the operation of the appliance;
a processor operatively coupled to the supply mechanism and the sensing device, the processor operable to communicate with an order processing system;
an input device operable with the processor to enable a user to input an order for an amount of the appliance supply to be delivered to an address associated with the appliance; and
at least one memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a condition relating to a designated level of the appliance supply, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to;
(a) receive an input signal from the input device, the input signal associated with the user'"'"'s order for an amount of the appliance supply;
(b) send data associated with the user'"'"'s order to the order processing system, thereby causing the ordered amount of the appliance supply to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance;
(c) determine, on one or more occasions, the level of the appliance supply based on the data gathered by the sensing device;
(d) determine when the condition is met; and
(e) send data to the order processing system after the condition is met, said data associated with an order for an amount of the appliance supply, thereby causing said amount of the appliance supply to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An appliance comprising:
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a housing;
a supply housing connected to the housing, the supply housing configured to hold a variable level of an appliance supply, the level of the appliance supply decreasing from a first level toward a depletion level during operation of the appliance;
a sensing device supported by the housing, the sensing device operable to gather data related to the level of the appliance supply, the data gathered during or after the operation of the appliance;
a processor operatively coupled to the supply mechanism, the processor operable to communicate with an order processing system;
an input device operable with the processor to enable a user to input an order for an amount of each of the different types of appliance supplies to be delivered to an address associated with the appliance; and
at least one memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a plurality of conditions, one of the conditions relating to a designated level of one of the types of appliance supplies and another one of the conditions relating to a designated level of another one of the types of appliance supplies, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to;
(a) receive an input signal from the input device, the input signal associated with the user'"'"'s order for an amount of one or more of the types of appliance supplies;
(b) send data associated with the user'"'"'s order to the order processing system, thereby causing the ordered amount of the one or more of the types of appliance supplies to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance;
(c) determine, on one or more occasions, the levels of the types of appliance supplies based on the data gathered by the sensing device;
(d) determine, for each of the appliance supplies, when the condition relating to said appliance supply is met;
(e) send data to the order processing system after one of the conditions is met, said data associated with an order for an amount of the type of appliance supply relating to said condition, thereby causing said amount of said appliance supply to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance; and
(f) send data, independent of step (e), to the order processing system after another one of the conditions is met, said data associated with an order for an amount of the type of appliance supply relating to said condition, thereby causing said amount of said appliance supply to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An appliance comprising:
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a housing;
a supply housing connected to the housing, the supply housing configured to hold a variable level of an appliance supply, the level of the appliance supply decreasing from a first level toward a depletion level during operation of the appliance;
a sensing device supported by the housing, the sensing device operable to gather data related to the level of the appliance supply, the data gathered during or after the operation of the appliance;
a processor operatively coupled to the supply mechanism, the processor operable to communicate with an order processing system;
a user interface panel operable with the processor to enable a user to input an order for an amount of each of the different types of appliance supplies to be delivered to an address associated with the appliance; and
at least one memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a plurality of conditions, a first one of the conditions relating to a designated level of one of the types of appliance supplies, a second one of the conditions relating to a designated level of another one of the types of appliance supplies, and a third one of the conditions relating to a technical problem with the appliance, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to;
(a) receive an input signal from the user interface panel, the input signal associated with the user'"'"'s order for an amount of one or more of the types of appliance supplies;
(b) send data associated with the user'"'"'s order to the order processing system, thereby causing the ordered amount of the one or more of the types of appliance supplies to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance;
(c) determine, on one or more occasions, the levels of the types of appliance supplies based on the data gathered by the sensing device;
(d) determine, for each of the appliance supplies, when the condition relating to said appliance supply is met;
(e) send data to the order processing system after the first condition is met, said data associated with an order for an amount of the type of appliance supply relating to said condition, thereby causing said amount of said appliance supply to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance;
(f) send data, independent of step (e), to the order processing system after the second condition is met, said data associated with an order for an amount of the type of appliance supply relating to said condition, thereby causing said amount of said appliance supply to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance; and
(g) send data to the order processing system after the third condition is met, thereby transmitting an order for a repair visit to the appliance. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification