System device and method for monitoring electric users, particularly household appliances

• US 6,853,291 B1
• Filed: 02/18/1999
• Issued: 02/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Indesit Company SPA (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Wrap SpA
• Inventors: Aisa, Valerio
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, III, Edwin C.
• Application Number:
  US09/622,233
• Time in Patent Office: 2,182 Days
• Field of Search: 340/3.3, 340/825.63, 340/3.51, 621/75, 307/11, 165/238, 709/224
• US Class Current: 340/3.3
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0063 using remote monitoring or controlling of the dishwasher operation, e.g. networking systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00001 characterised by the display of information or by user interaction, e.g. supervisory control and data acquisition systems [SCADA] or graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00002 characterised by monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00016 using a wired telecommunication network or a data transmission bus
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 13/00028 involving the use of Internet protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2213/10 using simultaneously two or more different transmission means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/30 Systems integrating technologies related to power network operation and communication or information technologies for improving the carbon footprint of the management of residential or tertiary loads, i.e. smart grids as climate change mitigation technology in the buildings sector, including also the last stages of power distribution and the control, monitoring or operating management systems at local level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 90/20 Smart grids as enabling technology in buildings sector smart grids supporting the management or operation of end-user stationary applications in general, or like technologies with no associated climate change mitigation effect Y04S20/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/30 State monitoring, e.g. fault, temperature monitoring, insulator monitoring, corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/40 Display of information, e.g. of data or controls
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/221 General power management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 20/242 Home appliances
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 40/124 using wired telecommunication networks or data transmission busses

Abstract

A system that includes one or more household appliances that belong to the same household environment and are connected to a network monitors diagnostic and/or statistical information produced by the electronic control systems of the appliances. The electronic control systems provided the diagnostic and/or statistical information to the network and a monitoring device monitors the household appliances by selecting, picking up, organizing and storing the diagnostic and/or statistical information provided to the network by the electronic control systems of the respective appliances. The monitoring device further makes the organized information explicit, that is, available either locally at the appliances or remotely within or outside the household environment. The diagnostic information for a given appliance is representative of the operational efficiency of various electrical and mechanical components of the appliance. The statistical information for the given appliance is representative of the wear status of the various components. The monitoring device may also monitor and make explicit functional information provided to the network by the electronic control systems of the respective appliances.

Claims

1. Method for monitoring one or more household appliances belonging to a same household environment and connected to a network, wherein at least one of the appliances includes an electronic control system having a microcontroller, memory means and interface means, the method being characterized by the following steps:

the electronic control system for a given appliance

generating diagnostic information that is representative of the efficiency status of components of the household appliance and/or statistical information that is representative of the wear status of components of the household appliance,

storing within said memory means said diagnostic and/or statistical information, and

making the stored diagnostic and/or statistical information available on said network through said interface means; and

a monitoring device that interfaces with said network, the monitoring device

selecting, collecting storing and updating the diagnostic and/or statistical information available on said network from each electronic control systems, and

making said information explicit to a user or to other devices on or outside the network.

2. Method, according to claim 1, wherein said electronic control system updates in time the diagnostic and/or statistical information stored within said memory means.

3. Method, according to claim 1, wherein said diagnostic information relates to the operation quality of the household appliance and components thereof, said operation quality being expressed through the value of a set of diagnostic parameters typical of the use of the household appliance.

4. Method, according to claim 1, wherein said statistical information relates to a history of the use of the household appliance from a viewpoint of the performed operations and/or functions and/or usage procedures of the household appliance.

5. Method, according to claim 1, further including said electronic control system generating, storing and making available on said network functional information that is representative of the current operating status of the household appliance, and

said monitoring device further selecting, collecting, and storing the functional information available on said network from said electronic controls systems, the monitoring device making said functional information explicit to a user or to other devices on or outside the network.

6. Method, according to claim 1, wherein said monitoring device provides for storing and/or updating within its own memory means the diagnostic and/or statistical information collected from said network, before making the information or portions thereof explicit.

7. Method, according to claim 5, wherein said monitoring device provides for storing and/or updating within its own memory means the diagnostic, statistical and/or functional information collected from said network, before making the information or portions thereof explicit.

8. Method, according to claim 1, wherein at least said diagnostic and/or statistical information are made explicit or transmitted outside the household environment.

9. Method, according to claim 8 wherein said diagnostic and/or statistical information are transmitted to a service and/or preventive maintenance center.

10. Method, according to claim 5, wherein the step of selecting is based on the type of information to be made explicit through said monitoring device.

11. Method, according to claim 1, wherein the step of generating the diagnostic and/or statistical information for a given household appliance includes generating the diagnostic and/or statistical information from one or more of an electric oven, a dishwasher, a refrigerator a laundry washer, a freezer, a cooking hob, and an exhaust hood.

12. System for monitoring one or more household appliances belonging to a same household environment and connected to a network, the system including

in at least one of the household appliances an electronic control system that generates and stores at least diagnostic information that is representative of the efficiency status of components of the household appliance and/or statistical information that is representative of the wear status of components of the household appliance, and making the stored diagnostic and/or statistical information available on the network through an interface;

and

a monitoring device that interfaces with the network, the monitoring device selecting, collecting, storing and updating the diagnostic and/or statistical information available on the network from each electronic control system and making the information explicit to a user or other device on or outside the network.

13. System, according to claim 12, wherein said electronic control system updates in time the stored diagnostic and/or statistical information.

14. System, according to claim 12, wherein said diagnostic information relates to the operation quality of said household appliance, said operation quality being expressed through the value of a set of diagnostic parameters typical of the use of the household appliance.

15. System, according to claim 12, wherein said statistical information relate to a history of the use of the household appliance from a viewpoint of the performed operations and/or functions and/or the usage procedures.

16. System, according to claim 12, wherein said electronic control system also generates functional information that is representative of the current operating status of the household appliance, and

said monitoring device selects, collects, stores and updates said functional information and makes said information explicit.

17. System, according to claim 12, wherein said monitoring device includes a memory for storing the diagnostic and/or statistical information transmitted on said network.

18. System, according to claim 17, wherein said monitoring device further includes a display device.

19. System, according to claim 12, wherein said monitoring device includes a transmission means for transmitting said stored information to a remote site.

20. System, according to claim 17, wherein said monitoring device further includes interaction means for selecting the type of diagnostic and/or statistical information to be displayed on said display device.

21. System, according to claim 19, wherein said monitoring device further includes interaction means for activating the transmission of said stored information.

22. System, according to claim 19, wherein said transmission means comprise a modem.

23. System, according to claim 12, wherein the one or more household appliances include one or more of an electric oven, a dishwasher, a refrigerator a laundry washer, a freezer, a cooking hob, and an exhaust hood.