Appliance network for a networked appliance and an audio communication accessory

• US 7,808,368 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Maynard, Donald E., Glotzbach, Mark E., Whipple, Andrew D., Ebrom, Matthew P., McCoy, Richard A., Nibbelink, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/930,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20080122648A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 340/286.01, 340/286.02, 340/286.04, 340/286.05, 340/286.06, 340/286.11, 340/539.11, 340/539.14, 340/539.22, 209/238, 209/245, 710/303, 370/254, 345/156, 704/274, 704/275, 382/100
• US Class Current: 340/286.11
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0063 using remote monitoring or controlling of the dishwasher operation, e.g. networking systems
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/04 Signal transfer or data transmission arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 7/02 by radio
• CPC Class Codes: G04R 20/26 the radio signal being a near-field communication signal
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2807 Exchanging configuration information on appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving network analysis for automatically determining the actual topology of a network H04L41/12; hardware or software tools for network management using graphical user interfaces H04L41/22; address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2818 from a device located outside both the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007
• 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 12/2823 Reporting information sensed by appliance or service execution status of appliance services in a home automation network device-related reporting H04L43/065; arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom H04Q9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2825 Reporting to a device located outside the home and the home network access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with telemetering systems H04M11/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2832 Interconnection of the control functionalities between home networks single bridge functionality H04L12/4625
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/26 : Special purpose or proprietary protocols or architectures network applications for proprietary or special purpose networking environments H04L67/12
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 6/688 : for thawing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 40/00 : Technologies aiming at improving the efficiency of home appliances, e.g. induction cooking or efficient technologies for refrigerators, freezers or dish washers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

An appliance network comprising an appliance in communication with an audio communication accessory to effect communication therebetween.

Claims

1. An audio communication accessory for use with an appliance network, the audio communication accessory having at least one memory location and comprising at least one software component for performing a useful function,

one of a software architecture and a software architecture driver configured to generate or enable transmission of messages, and

means to communicate by message over a network,

wherein the audio communication accessory can have full capability to act as an accessory to an appliance to communicate with and to enhance or alter the operation of the appliance.

2. The audio communication accessory of claim 1 wherein a message is a control command that implements the cycle of operation of the first networked appliance.

3. The audio communication accessory of claim 1 wherein the audio communication accessory is configured to convert an audible communication from a user into a control command.

4. The audio communication accessory of claim 1 wherein the audio communication accessory audibly communicates to a user at least some of visually communicated information.

5. The audio communication accessory of claim 1 wherein the at least one software element comprises one of a command generator, a status interpreter, and an application end point.

6. The audio communication accessory of claim 1 further configured to be one of mounted to and physically remote from an appliance.

7. The audio communication accessory of claim 1 wherein the audio communication accessory comprises a use and care guide to audibly present to a user.

8. The audio communication accessory of claim 1 wherein the use function is generating an audible signal representing information associated with an appliance.

9. The audio communication accessory of claim 8 wherein the information includes notifications concerning one of an operational status of the appliance or other component, such as fireplace on, security system activated, carbon monoxide alarm activated, appliance door open, temperature limits exceeded, leakage, filter requires changing, end of operation cycle, cooktop burner on, oven pre-heat complete, fabric/dish washing complete, water temperature, circuit breaker blown, energy usage status, and energy usage exceeds preprogrammed limit.

10. An appliance network comprising:

an appliance that performs a useful cycle of operation on a physical article, and

an audio communication accessory connected to the appliance, having at least one memory location and comprising at least one software component for performing a useful function, one of a software architecture and a software architecture driver configured to generate or enable transmission of messages, and means to communicate by message over a network, wherein the audio communication accessory has full capability to communicate with and to enhance or alter the operation of the appliance.

11. The appliance network of claim 10 further comprising at least one audio device in communication with the audio communication accessory such that the user can effect communication between the audio communication accessory and the first network device through the audio device.

12. The appliance network of claim 11 wherein the audio device comprises at least one of a telephone, a stereo system, a clock radio, and a cellular phone.

13. The appliance network of claim 10 wherein the communication between the first networked device and the audio communication accessory comprises at least one of:

notifications concerning an operational status of the first networked appliance or an operational status of the audio communication accessory.

14. The appliance network of claim 10 wherein the audio communication accessory comprises an audible event reminder.

15. The appliance network of claim 10 wherein the audio communication accessory comprises an audible weather notification.

16. The appliance network of claim 10 further comprising a tracking device that communicates with the audio communication device such that the audio communication accessory can audibly locate the tracking device.

17. The appliance network of claim 10 further comprising multiple audio communication accessories in communication with each other over the communication network to form a voice communication network.

18. The appliance network of claim 10 further comprising multiple networked devices each of which can communication with the audio communication accessory.

19. The appliance network of claim 10 wherein the audio communication accessory further comprises tactile feedback.

20. The appliance network of claim 10 further comprising a remote audio communication accessory in two way communication with the audio communication accessory.

21. The appliance network of claim 10 further comprising multiple networked devices each of which can communication with the audio communication accessory.

22. The appliance network of claim 10 further comprising multiple audio communication accessories in communication with each other over the communication network to form a voice communication network.

23. An appliance configured to perform a cycle of operation on a physical article, the appliance comprising a circuit board having a software architecture configured to send messages to and receive messages from an audio communication accessory having a software architecture configured to recognize at least one functional identifier of the appliance, wherein the circuit board will cause an audible signal containing information about the appliance to be sent to a user when an audio communication accessory is in communication with the circuit board and the circuit board receives a configured message containing the functional identifier.

24. The appliance of claim 23 wherein circuit board is further configured to assess electronic credentials of an audio accessory before receiving the information.

25. The appliance of claim 23 further comprising a device to produce the audible signal.

26. The appliance of claim 23 wherein a device to produce the audible signal is remote from the appliance.

27. The appliance of claim 23 wherein the appliance is a first appliance connected by a network to a second appliance, further comprising at least one smart coupler in the connection wherein the audible signal can include information about the second appliance.

28. The appliance of claim 23 further comprising a user interface configured to communicate information in response to the audio communication accessory.

29. The appliance of claim 23 further comprising an audio communication accessory capable of communicating with the circuit board wherein audible signals received from a user can affect operation of the appliance.

30. The appliance of claim 29 further comprising a user interface configured to communicate information in response to the audio communication accessory.

31. The audio communication accessory of claim 30 wherein the audio communication accessory is removably connectable to an appliance.