Household appliance with advertising display mode

• US 6,934,592 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Noser, Brett A., Oleson, Brett C., Hood, Kimberly J., Ness, Brian L., Schober, Stephen D., Woods, Lashelle D., Ochsner, Douglas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue, Larry D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PEREZ DAPLE, AARON C
• Application Number:
  US09/919,864
• Publication Number:
  US 20030028259A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 700/1, 700/17, 700/83, 68/122.7, 707/101, 707/102, 702/188, 348/61, 348/121, 705/14
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4293 Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/06 Type or material
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/12 Washing temperature
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/14 Time settings
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/20 Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programs, service modes or refreshment cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens

Abstract

A household appliance is provided with a visual display, as well as a control system which enables the visual display to be used in an advertising mode of operation. The advertising mode can be selectively operated in either automatic or interactive formats. In the automatic format, a series of screens are successively displayed on the screen in order to advertise various features and advantages of the appliance. In the interactive format, the consumer can enter desired selections through the screen as if the appliance was actually in use. The appliance then simulates an operation cycle based on the selections made. The selections are preferably stored in a volatile memory location such that the control system reverts back to default settings and options, either after a preset idle period or upon establishing an OFF condition for the appliance.

Claims

1. A household appliance comprising:

a cabinet;

a display mounted to the cabinet, said display being adapted to present a plurality of visual screens to a consumer;

control means for controlling the appliance and for establishing an advertising mode of operation wherein information concerning the household appliance is presented on the plurality of screens for educating the consumer on the household appliance, wherein said household appliance is selected from the group consisting of a washing machine, a dryer, a dishwasher, a range and a refrigerator; and

memory for storing the information concerning the household appliance.

2. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein the information concerns particular features of the household appliance.

3. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein the information concerns programming features of the household appliance.

4. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein the control means receives desired cycle parameters selected by the consumer for a simulated appliance operation.

5. The household appliance according to claim 4, wherein the display constitutes a touch screen display through which the desired cycle parameters are inputted by the consumer.

6. The household appliance according to claim 5, further comprising:

non-permanent memory in which the desired cycle parameters are temporarily stored.

7. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein the display constitutes a touch screen display through which input parameters can be entered into the control means.

8. The household appliance according to claim 1, wherein said control means further includes means for establishing automatic and interactive formats of the advertising mode.

9. The household appliance according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of screens are successively displayed in a timed manner under the automatic format.

10. The household appliance according to claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of screens is paused for receiving operator input parameters under the interactive format.

11. A method of operating a household appliance including a controller and a memory, wherein the controller performs the tasks of:

controlling the appliance;

establishing an advertising mode of operation; and

providing information stored in the memory to educate a consumer about the household appliance on a screen of a display incorporated into the household appliance, wherein said household appliance is selected from the group consisting of a washing machine, a dryer, a dishwasher, a range and a refrigerator.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein information is conveyed concerning particular features of the household appliance.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein information is conveyed concerning programming of the household appliance.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

visually prompting the consumer for an input; and

entering an interactive format of the advertising mode upon receiving the input from the consumer.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

entering an automatic format of the advertising mode when the input is not received by the consumer.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

presenting a series of successive informational screens in the display, in a timed manner, while in the automatic format.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving the input through the touching of the display by the consumer.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

prompting the consumer for desired cycle parameters; and

simulating a cycle operation based on the desired cycle parameters.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

storing the desired cycle parameters inputted by the consumer in non-permanent memory.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

erasing the non-permanent memory when the display of the appliance is idle for a predetermined period of time.