Network connectable household electric appliance, household appliance inspecting system and household electric appliance inspecting service
First Claim
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 indicative of no detection of abnormality or fault 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.
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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.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A household electric appliance inspecting system comprising:
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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 indicative of no detection of abnormality or fault 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.
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2. A household electric appliance inspecting system comprising:
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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 indicative of no detection of abnormality or fault.
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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 a service of the inspecting system 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.
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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 a service of the inspecting system is to be continued, before a constant period following purchase of said household electric appliance expires.
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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. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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.
Specification