Appliance operable with supply distribution, dispensing and use system and method

• US 7,484,388 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Beverage Works, Inc.
• Inventors: Crisp, Harry Lee III
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson; Frankie L
• Application Number:
  US10/930,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20050033646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,617 Days
• Field of Search: 68/120.1, 68/17.R
• US Class Current: 68/12.01
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0021 the components being mixed at the time of dispensing, i.e. post-mix dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0057 Carbonators
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0858 using compression systems
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2001/082 arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00036 for use with or in refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/209 Specified transaction journal output feature, e.g. printed receipt or voice output

Abstract

An appliance supply distribution and dispensing system and method for distributing appliance supplies to a home or business and which involves a computerized system which facilitates dispensing or using one or more supplies from an appliance. The computerized system monitors the supply level(s) and, when necessary, automatically orders and delivers additional supplies. In addition, the computerized system automatically detects dispensing, use or appliance problems and orders and arranges for repair service.

Claims

1. An appliance comprising:

a housing defining an operation space usable on a plurality of occasions for a plurality of operations;

a support member connected to the housing, the support member configured to support at least one removable item in the operation space at a time;

at least one door coupled to the housing, the door defining at least part of the operation space when the door is closed;

at least one supply housing connected to the housing, the supply housing configured to hold a variable level of an appliance supply, the variable level of the appliance supply decreasing from a first level toward a depletion level during at least one of the operations of the appliance, the first level being sufficient for a plurality of the operations of the appliance;

at least one actuator supported by the housing, the actuator configured to operate to cause movement of the appliance supply from the supply housing toward the operation space;

at least one input device supported by the housing, the input device configured to operate to receive;

(a) a first user input associated with a first portion of the appliance supply to be used in a first one of the operations of the appliance; and

(b) a second user input associated with a second portion of the appliance supply to be used in a second one of the operations of the appliance, the second portion being greater than the first portion; and

at least one processor operatively coupled to the actuator and the input device, the processor programmed to cause the actuator to;

(a) cause movement of the first portion toward the operation space for the first operation as a result of the first user input; and

(b) cause movement of the second portion toward the operation space for the second operation as a result of the second user input.

2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance includes a device selected from the group consisting of a refrigerator, a freezer, a washing machine, a dishwasher, a clothing dryer, a water treatment device, a water filter, a humidifier and a furnace.

3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance supply includes a supply selected from the group consisting of a wash supply, a rinse supply, a bleach supply, a fabric softener supply, and a water treatment supply.

4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the supply housing includes a container holder, the container holder configured to hold at least one container containing the appliance supply.

5. The appliance of claim 1, which includes a supply level indicator under control of the processor, the supply level indicator producing an output when the appliance supply reaches a designated proximity to the depletion level.

6. The appliance of claim 1, which includes a device operatively coupled to the processor, the memory device storing:

(a) a condition associated with a problem with the appliance; and

(b) a plurality of instructions which are executable by the processor to;

(i) determine when said condition is met; and

(ii) send data to the order processing system after said condition is met, thereby transmitting an order for a repair visit to the appliance.

7. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the supply housing includes an appliance supply dispensing apparatus.

8. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the input device includes a user interface panel.

9. An appliance comprising:

a housing defining an operation space usable on a plurality of occasions for a plurality of operations;

a support member connected to the housing, the support member configured to support at least one removable item in the operation space at a time;

at least one door coupled to the housing, the door defining at least part of the operation space when the door is closed;

at least one supply housing connected to the housing, the supply housing configured to hold a variable level of an appliance supply, the variable level of the appliance supply decreasing from a first level toward a depletion level during at least one of the operations of the appliance, the first level being sufficient for a plurality of the operations of the appliance;

at least one actuator supported by the housing, the actuator configured to operate to cause movement of the appliance supply from the supply housing toward the operation space;

a sensing device supported by the housing, the sensing device operable to gather data related to the level of the appliance supply, the data gathered during or after the operation of the appliance;

a processor operatively coupled to the actuator and the sensing device, the processor configured to communicate with an order processing system;

at least one input device operable with the processor the input device configured to operate to receive;

(a) an order for an amount of the appliance supply to be delivered to an address associated with the appliance;

(b) a first user input associated with a portion of the appliance supply to be used in a first one of the operations of the appliance; and

(c) a second user input associated with a second portion of the appliance supply to be used in a second one of the operations of the appliance, the second portion being greater than the first portion; and

at least one memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing at least one condition plurality of conditions, one of the conditions relating to a designated level of appliance supplyone of the types of appliance supplies and another one of the conditions relating to a designated level of another one of the types ot appliance supplies, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to;

(a) receive an input signal from the input device, the input signal associated with the user'"'"'s order for the amount of appliance supply;

(b) send data associated with the user'"'"'s order to the order processing system, thereby causing the ordered amount of appliance supply to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance;

(c) determine, on one or more occasions, the level of the appliance supply based on the data gathered by the sensing device;

(d) determine, for the appliance supply, when the at least one condition is met;

(e) send data to the order processing system after the at least one conditions is met, said data associated with an order for an amount of the appliance supply relating to said condition, thereby causing said amount of said appliance supply to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance; and

(f) cause the actuator to;

(1) cause movement of the first portion toward the operation space for the first operation as a result of the first user input; and

(2) cause movement of the second portion toward the operation space for the second operation as a result of the second user input.

10. The appliance of claim 9, wherein the appliance includes a device selected from the group consisting of a refrigerator, a freezer, a washing machine, a dishwasher, a clothing dryer, a water treatment device, a water filter, a humidifier and a furnace.

11. The appliance of claim 9, wherein the appliance supply includes a supply selected from the group consisting of a wash supply, a rinse supply, a bleach supply, a fabric softener supply, and a water treatment supply.

12. The appliance of claim 9, wherein the supply housing includes at least one container holder, the container holder configured to hold a plurality of containers, the containers containing the different types of appliance supplies.

13. The appliance of claim 9, which includes a memory device operatively coupled to the processor, the memory device storing:

(a) a condition associated with a problem with the appliances; and

(b) a plurality of instructions which are executable by the processor to;

(i) determine when said condition is met; and

(ii) send data to the order processing system after said condition is met, thereby transmitting an order for a repair visit to the appliance.

14. The appliance of claim 9, wherein the supply housing includes an appliance supply dispensing apparatus.

15. The appliance of claim 9, wherein the input device includes a user interface panel.

16. An appliance comprising:

a housing defining an operation space usable on a plurality of occasions for a plurality of operations;

a support member connected to the housing, the support member configured to support at least one removable item in the operation space at a time;

at least one door coupled to the housing, the door defining at least part of the operation space when the door is closed;

at least one supply housing connected to the housing, the supply housing configured to hold a variable level of an appliance supply, the variable level of the appliance supply decreasing from a first level toward a depletion level during at least one of the operations of the appliance, the first level being sufficient for a plurality of operations of the appliance;

at least one actuator supported by the housing, the actuator configured to operate to cause movement of the appliance supply from the supply housing toward the operation space;

a sensing device supported by the housing, the sensing device operable to gather data related to the level of the appliance supply, the data gathered during or after the operation of the appliance;

a processor operatively coupled to the actuator and the sensing device, the processor configured to communicate with an order processing system;

a user interface panel operable with the processor to enable a user to input an order for an amount of the appliance supply to be delivered to an address associated with the appliance; and

at least one memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a plurality of conditions, a first one of the conditions relating to a designated level of appliance supply, a second one of the conditions relating to a technical problem with the appliance, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to;

(a) receive an input signal from the user interface panel, the input signal associated with the user'"'"'s order for an amount of the appliance supply;

(b) send data associated with the user'"'"'s order to the order processing system, thereby causing the ordered amount of the appliance supply to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance;

(c) determine, on one or more occasions, the level of the appliance supply based on the data gathered by the sensing device;

(d) determine when the first condition relating to said appliance supply is met;

(e) send data to the order processing system after the first condition is met, said data associated with an order for an amount of the appliance supply relating to said first condition, thereby causing said amount of said appliance supply to be delivered to the address associated with the appliance;

(f) send data to the order processing system after the second condition is met, thereby transmitting an order for a repair visit to the appliance; and

(g) cause the actuator to;

(1) cause movement of the first portion toward the operation space for the first operation as a result of the first user input; and

(2) cause movement of the second potion toward the operation space for the second operation as a result of the second user input.

17. The appliance of claim 16, wherein the appliance includes a device selected from the group consisting of a refrigerator, a freezer, a washing machine, a dishwasher, a clothing dryer, a water treatment device, a water filter, a humidifier and a furnace.

18. The appliance of claim 16, wherein the appliance supply includes a supply selected from the group consisting of a wash supply, a rinse supply, a bleach supply, a fabric softener supply, and a water treatment supply.

19. The appliance of claim 16, wherein the supply housing includes at least one container holder, the container holder configured to hold a plurality of containers, the containers containing the different types of appliance supplies.

20. The appliance of claim 16, wherein the supply housing includes an appliance supply dispensing apparatus.