Condition responsive indicating system for interactively indicating status of a plurality of electrical appliances
First Claim
1. A condition responsive indicating system for interactively indicating status of a plurality of electrical appliances, comprising:
- a controller for sensing an operational status parameter of each of the appliances and generating and transmitting status signals corresponding thereto and for determining an appliance availability status signal, said controller further comprising means for generating and transmitting a user prompt for interactively prompting a user to provide a user input; and
a plurality of remote transceivers, each including;
means for receiving the user prompt and providing an indication thereof to the user;
means for receiving the user input;
a transmitter for generating and transmitting at least one interrogation signal including an appliance status request signal and a call back request signal only in response to the user input, the at least one interrogation signal causing said controller to transmit the status signals;
a receiver for receiving the status signals; and
an indicator for producing an indication of the status signals;
the controller transmits, in response to the call back request signal and depending upon the appliance availability status signal, a call back to the remote transceiver from which the call back request signal was transmitted.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The operating status of a plurality of laundry appliances including washing machines and/or driers is sensed, and a controller generates and transmits corresponding status signals to remote transceivers which include visual or audio indicators for indicating the information. Each transceiver can interrogate the controller to determine the status of the appliances, with the status being transmitted only to the interrogating transmitter. Each transceiver can also transmit a reservation signal to the controller to reserve a selected appliance for a predetermined period of time. The controller also transmits status signals for the selected appliance only to the transceiver of the user who reserved the appliance when the operating cycle is finished, or at a predetermined period of time prior to the end of the operating cycle. The transceivers can communicate with the controller over a telephone line, or over A.C. power lines.
32 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A condition responsive indicating system for interactively indicating status of a plurality of electrical appliances, comprising:
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a controller for sensing an operational status parameter of each of the appliances and generating and transmitting status signals corresponding thereto and for determining an appliance availability status signal, said controller further comprising means for generating and transmitting a user prompt for interactively prompting a user to provide a user input; and a plurality of remote transceivers, each including; means for receiving the user prompt and providing an indication thereof to the user; means for receiving the user input; a transmitter for generating and transmitting at least one interrogation signal including an appliance status request signal and a call back request signal only in response to the user input, the at least one interrogation signal causing said controller to transmit the status signals; a receiver for receiving the status signals; and an indicator for producing an indication of the status signals; the controller transmits, in response to the call back request signal and depending upon the appliance availability status signal, a call back to the remote transceiver from which the call back request signal was transmitted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification