METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR COMMUNICATIVELY COUPLING INTERNAL COMPONENTS WITHIN APPLIANCES, AND APPLIANCES WITH EXTERNAL COMPONENTS AND ACCESSORIES
First Claim
1. An embedded virtual router in a system comprising a device having a first software component configured to obtain and convey information associated with a consumable and an appliance having a second software component configured to perform a physical cycle of operation on an article using the consumable, the improvement wherein the first and second software components collaborate with each other by at least one method of access or exposure to each other to facilitate the cycle of operation, and the embedded virtual router encapsulates routing information about the locations of the first and second software components wherein collaboration between the first and second software components is uniform and identical whether the collaboration is over a network or within a shared runtime environment.
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Abstract
Example methods and apparatus for communicatively coupling internal components and accessories appliances, and appliances with external components and accessories are disclosed herein. A disclosed example method of operating a domestic appliance having at least one of an internal communications network and/or an external communications network among at least two components includes identifying the components, communicating the capabilities of each identified component, communicating the status of each identified component, providing a command interface for operating the components, facilitating communication between the components, and operating the appliance using the command interface and the facilitated communication.
123 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An embedded virtual router in a system comprising a device having a first software component configured to obtain and convey information associated with a consumable and an appliance having a second software component configured to perform a physical cycle of operation on an article using the consumable, the improvement wherein the first and second software components collaborate with each other by at least one method of access or exposure to each other to facilitate the cycle of operation, and the embedded virtual router encapsulates routing information about the locations of the first and second software components wherein collaboration between the first and second software components is uniform and identical whether the collaboration is over a network or within a shared runtime environment.
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2. A method of operating a domestic appliance having at least one of an internal communications network and/or an external communications network among at least two components, the method comprising:
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identifying the components; communicating the capabilities of each identified component; communicating the status of each identified component; providing a command interface for operating the components; facilitating communication between the components; and operating the appliance using the command interface and the facilitated communication. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification