Controller for bridging a host computer and networked laundry machines

• US 7,418,521 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alliance Laundry Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Alliance Laundry Systems LLC
• Inventors: Quandt, William Joseph, Schroeder, Paul Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): BARNES-BULLOCK, CRYSTAL JOY
• Application Number:
  US11/006,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20060122715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,358 Days
• Field of Search: 700 2- 5, 700/9, 700/17, 700/19, 700/20, 700/65, 709/208, 709/212, 709/217, 709/218, 709/223, 709/224, 709/249, 709/250, 340/3.1, 340/3.9, 340/310.11, 340/5.61, 340/5.64, 341/176, 702/188, 710/305, 710/306, 710/310, 710/311
• US Class Current: 709/249
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/05 for wireless communication between components, e.g. for remote monitoring or control
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/282 based on user interaction within the home receiver circuitry for displaying additional information being controlled by a remote control apparatus H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network

Abstract

A laundry system has a plurality of laundry machines networked together and a remotely located host computer for collecting operation data and audit data from the laundry machines and to program the laundry machines with operation parameters. A bridging controller is provided to bridge the host computer with the network of laundry machines, and communicates with the host computer through a wired or wireless network connection. The host computer may command the bridging controller to collect data from the laundry machines and may send programming data to the laundry machines through the bridging controller.

Claims

1. A controller for bridging a host computer and a plurality of networked laundry machines, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a memory;

means for communicating over a first network on which the host computer resides; and

means for communicating over a second network on which the laundry machines reside, the microprocessor being programmed to receive a control command for a first laundry machine from the host computer over the first network, and communicate with the first laundry machine over the second network to carry out the control command, wherein the control command is configured to perform an action including one or more of collecting data from the first laundry machine, programming the first laundry machine, and providing operation parameters for the first laundry machine, the microprocessor being further programmed to receive at least one response containing response data from the first laundry machine over the second network, and transmit the response data to the host computer over the first network.

2. A controller as in claim 1, wherein the first network is an Ethernet network.

3. A controller as in claim 2, wherein the means for communicating over the first network includes an Ethernet interface.

4. A controller as in claim 1, wherein the means for communicating over the first network includes a wireless transceiver for wireless communications with the host computer over the first network.

5. A controller as in claim 1, wherein the second network connects the laundry machines via network connections according to the RS-485 standard, and wherein the means for communicating over the second network includes at least one RS-485 transceiver.

6. A controller as in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to store the response data into a buffer.

7. A controller as in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to periodically send a data collection command to a selected laundry machine on the second network to collect data from the selected laundry machine.

8. A controller as in claim 7, wherein the data collection command is for collecting a full set of data from the selected laundry machine.

9. A controller as in claim 7, wherein the data collection command is for collecting a partial set of data from the selected laundry machine.

10. A controller as in claim 7, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to store the collected data from the selected laundry machine into a buffer.

11. A controller as in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to compile a list of active laundry machines on the second network.

12. A method for controller connecting a host computer on a first network and a plurality of laundry machines on a second network to control operations of the laundry machines, the host computer being remotely located from the laundry machines, the method comprising:

receiving a control command from the host computer via the first network for a first laundry machine on the second network, wherein the control command is configured to perform an action including one or more of collecting data from the first laundry machine, programming the first laundry machine, and providing operation parameters for the first laundry machine;

communicating with the first laundry machine over the second network to carry out the control command;

receiving a response containing response data from the first laundry machine on the second network; and

transmitting the response data to the remotely located host computer via the first network.

13. A method as in claim 12, wherein the first network is an Ethernet network.

14. A method as in claim 12, wherein the controller is connected to the first network via a wireless connection, and wherein the steps of receiving the control command and transmitting the response data include receiving and sending wireless transmissions over the first network.

15. A method as in claim 12, further including the step of storing the response data from the first laundry machine into a buffer, and wherein the step of transmitting the response data includes retrieving the response data from the buffer in response to a request from the host computer.

16. A method as in claim 12, further including the step of periodically sending a data collection command to a selected laundry machine on the second network to collect data from the selected laundry machine.

17. A method as in claim 16, wherein the data collection command is for collecting all data available from the selected laundry machine.

18. A method as in claim 16, wherein the data collection command is for collecting a subset of all data available from the selected laundry machine.

19. A method as in claim 12, further including the step of compiling a list of active laundry machines on the second network.

20. A laundry system comprising:

a host computer residing on a first network;

a plurality of networked laundry machines residing on a second network, the host computer being remotely located from the laundry machines; and

a controller for bridging the host computer and the networked laundry machines, the controller having a microprocessor, a memory, means for communicating over the first network, and means for communicating over the second network, the microprocessor of the controller being programmed to receive from the host computer over the first network a control command for a first laundry machine on the second network, and communicate with the first laundry machine to carry out the control command, wherein the control command is configured to perform an action including one or more of collecting data from the first laundry machine, programming the first laundry machine, and providing operation parameters for the first laundry machine, the microprocessor being further programmed to receive a response containing response data from the first laundry machine over the second network, and transmit the response data to the remotely located host computer over the first network.

21. A laundry system as in claim 20, wherein the first network is an Ethernet network.

22. A laundry system as in claim 20, wherein the means for communicating over the first network includes a wireless transceiver for wireless communications with the host computer over the first network.

23. A laundry system as in claim 20, wherein the second network connects the laundry machines via network connections according to the RS-485 standard, and wherein the means for communicating over the second network includes at least one RS-485 transceiver.

24. A laundry system as in claim 20, wherein the microprocessor of the controller is further programmed to store the response data into a buffer.

25. A laundry system as in claim 20, wherein the microprocessor of the controller is further programmed to periodically send a data collection command to a selected laundry machine on the second network to collect data from the selected laundry machine.

26. A laundry system as in claim 20, wherein the microprocessor of the controller is further programmed to compile a list of active laundry machines on the second network.