System for managing appliances

• US 7,739,078 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2005
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SanDisk Technologies LLC (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SanDisk Corporation (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Ferchau, Joerg
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasenge; Charles R
• Application Number:
  US11/292,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20070129813A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 700/108, 717/168, 717171-173, 710/100, 711/104, 711/115, 702/182, 702/183, 702/184, 702/185, 701/29, 701/33, 701/35
• US Class Current: 702/184
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration

Abstract

A system for maintaining and/or repairing an appliance is provided. The system includes, a flash device that collects information from the appliance and stores an application for processing the collected information; and a computing system that interfaces with the flash device to receive the collected information from the flash device, wherein the application is launched from the flash device after the flash device interfaces with the computing system and the application provides a user interface with selectable options for maintaining and/or repairing the appliance.

Claims

1. A system for maintaining and/or repairing an appliance, the system comprising:

a flash device that includes a controller for controlling the operation of the flash device and wherein the flash device stores an application that, while the flash device interfaces with an appliance, controls the flash device to communicate with the appliance, collect information from the appliance, and process the collected information; and

a computing system that interfaces with the flash device to receive the collected information from the flash device, wherein the application is launched from the flash device after the flash device interfaces with the computing system and the application displays, via the computing system, a user interface with selectable options for maintaining and/or repairing the appliance, wherein the selectable options displayed are based on the collected information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing system connects to a server via a network and the collected information is sent to the server.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein based on the collected information, the user is provided a form and the form is automatically filled, completely or partially;

and information from the form is sent to the server, wherein the form is provided by the server or the computing system after the collected information is received from the flash device.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein after the collected information is received by the computing system or the server, a form is displayed by the computing system and the flash device assists the user in automatically filling all or part of the form.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein based on the collected information the server sends updates to the flash device and/or to the user via a communication device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the updates include appliance firmware updates, reset codes, user instructions and/or appliance system updates.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the flash device transfers updates received from the server to the appliance.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface provides an option to the user to schedule an appointment with a resource associated with the appliance.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the resource associated with the appliance is an appliance dealership, repair facility and/or a technician.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface provides the user with a website and the website address is based on the collected information.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the flash device assists in connecting to a network based on the collected information.

12. A flash device that can interface with an appliance, the flash device comprising:

a memory controller and non-volatile memory cells;

a processor for controlling the operation of the flash device; and

an application that, while the flash device interfaces with an appliance, controls the flash device to communicate with the appliance, collect information from the appliance, and process the collected information;

wherein the flash device interfaces with a computing system that receives the collected information from the flash device, wherein the application is launched from the flash device after the flash device interfaces with the computing system and the application displays, via the computing system, a user interface with selectable options for maintaining and/or repairing the appliance; and

wherein the flash device automatically selects options for the user based on the collected information, or user selectable options are presented via a network system to the user on the computer system, wherein the selectable options displayed are based on the collected information.

13. The flash device of claim 12, wherein the computing system connects to a server via a network connection and the collected information is sent to the server.

14. The flash device of claim 13, wherein based on the collected information, the user is provided a form and the form is automatically filled, completely or partially;

and information from the form is sent to the server, wherein the form is provided by the server or the computing system after the collected information is received from the flash device.

15. The flash device of claim 13, wherein based on the collected information the server sends updates to the flash device.

16. The flash device of claim 15, wherein the updates include appliance firmware updates, reset codes, user instructs and/or appliance system updates.

17. The flash device of claim 15, wherein the flash device transfers updates received from the server to the appliance.

18. The flash device of claim 12, wherein the user interface provides an option to the user to schedule an appointment with a resource associated with the appliance.

19. The flash device of claim 18, wherein, the resource associated with the appliance is an appliance dealership, repair facility and/or a technician.

20. The flash device of claim 12, wherein the user interface provides the user with a website and the website address is based on the collected information.

21. The flash device of claim 12, wherein the flash device assists in connecting to the network system based on the collected information.

22. The flash device of claim 12, wherein the appliance is an automobile, a digital camera, or industrial equipment.

23. An appliance, comprising:

an interface that allows information transfer between the appliance and a flash device, wherein the flash device includes a controller for controlling the operation of the flash device and wherein the flash device stores an application that, while the flash device interfaces with the appliance, controls the flash device to communicate with the appliance, collect information from the appliance, and process the collected information and wherein a computing system interfaces with the flash device to receive the collected information from the flash device;

wherein the application is launched from the flash device after the flash device interfaces with the computing system and the application displays, via the computing system, a user interface with selectable options for maintaining and/or repairing the appliance, wherein the selectable options displayed are based on the collected information.

24. The appliance of claim 23, wherein the computing system connects to a server via a network and the collected information is sent to the server.

25. The appliance of claim 24, wherein based on the collected information, the user is provided a form and the form is automatically filled, completely or partially, and information from the form is sent to the server;

wherein the form is provided by the server or the computing system after the collected information is received from the flash device.

26. The appliance of claim 24, wherein, based on the collected information, the server sends updates to the flash device.

27. The appliance of claim 26, wherein the updates include appliance firmware updates, reset codes, user instructions and/or appliance system updates.

28. The appliance of claim 26, wherein the flash device transfers updates received from the server to the appliance.

29. The appliance of claim 23, wherein the user interface provides an option to the user to schedule an appointment with a resource associated with the appliance.

30. The appliance of claim 29, wherein the resource associated with the appliance is an appliance dealership, repair facility and/or a technician.

31. The appliance of claim 23, wherein the user interface provides the user with a website and the website address is based on the collected information.

32. The appliance of claim 23, wherein the flash device assists in connecting with a network based on the collected information.

33. The appliance of claim 23, wherein the flash device automatically selects options for the user based on the collected information, or user selectable options are presented via a network system to the user on the computing system.

34. The appliance of claim 23, wherein the appliance is an automobile, a digital camera, or industrial equipment.