Appliance with a service interface for communicating with a consumable holder

• US 8,010,211 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Hendrickson, Michael S., Luckman, Joel A., McCoy, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ramesh B
• Application Number:
  US12/256,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20100102076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 700/1, 700 19- 20, 700/231, 700241-242, 446/483, 348 1404- 1405
• US Class Current: 700/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0063 using remote monitoring or controlling of the dishwasher operation, e.g. networking systems
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/00 User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/04 Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/06 Type or material
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/22 Content of detergent or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: F24C 7/082 on ranges, e.g. control panels, illumination
• 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

Abstract

An appliance configured to perform a physical operation on an article, using a resource, includes a process control apparatus to control a cycle of the physical operation, and a service interface in communication with the process control apparatus and configured to receive a consumable holder. The service interface has at least one coupling point for conveying the consumable from a consumable holder to the appliance.

Claims

1. An appliance configured to perform a physical operation on an article, using a resource and a consumable, the appliance comprising:

a process control apparatus to control a cycle of the physical operation; and

a service interface in electronic data communication with the process control apparatus and configured to physically and electronically couple the appliance to a consumable holder that holds the consumable;

wherein the service interface has at least one physical coupling point for conveying the consumable from the consumable holder to the appliance and a communication coupling point to establish electronic communication between the consumable holder and the appliance.

2. An appliance according to claim 1 wherein the communication coupling point is configured for exchanging data between the appliance and a consumable holder.

3. An appliance according to claim 2 wherein the data includes information about the cycle in a form for transmission to a consumable holder through the communication coupling point.

4. An appliance according to claim 2 wherein the data includes information associated with a consumable.

5. An appliance according to claim 2 wherein the data includes a network message that can effect the configuration, enablement, functionality, or operation of a consumable holder.

6. An appliance according to claim 1 wherein the communication coupling point is one of wireless and optical.

7. An appliance according to claim 1 wherein the service interface has at least one circuit coupling point for coupling a circuit to a consumable holder.

8. An appliance according to claim 7 wherein the circuit is configured to deliver power to a consumable holder.

9. An appliance according to claim 7 wherein the circuit is configured to trigger an actuator in one of a consumable holder and the appliance.

10. An appliance according to claim 1 further comprising a power connection adapted to transmit power to a consumable holder.

11. An appliance according to claim 1 further comprising coupling points outside of the service interface for external coupling to a consumable holder.

12. An appliance according to claim 1 wherein the process control apparatus enables the appliance to discover a consumable holder by using network messages.

13. An appliance according to claim 1 wherein the process control apparatus has at least one functional identifier.

14. An appliance according to claim 1 wherein the process control apparatus is enabled to propagate messages to enable discovery of functionalities.

15. An appliance according to claim 1 wherein the process control apparatus is configured to direct functionalities of a consumable holder.

16. An appliance according to claim 1 wherein the process control apparatus is configured to have its functionalities modified by a consumable holder.

17. An appliance according to claim 16 further comprising a cycle engine.

18. An appliance according to claim 1 wherein the process control apparatus is configured to have its functionalities directed by a consumable holder.

19. An appliance according to claim 1 further comprising a user interface configured to interact with a consumable holder.

20. An appliance according claim 19 wherein the user interface is a source of information about the consumable or the source of the consumable supplied by user input.

21. An appliance according to claim 5 wherein the information includes at least one of amount, brand, type, composition, structural form, and concentration of a consumable.

22. An appliance according to claim 1 further comprising a consumable holder.