Appliance with a graphical user interface for configuring an accessory

• US 8,051,381 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Ebrom, Matthew P., McCoy, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ramesh
• Application Number:
  US12/340,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,044 Days
• Field of Search: 700/1, 700/17, 700 19- 20, 700/26, 700/83, 715/762, 340/286.02
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23258 GUI graphical user interface, icon, function bloc editor, labview
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• 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 cycle of operation on an article includes a controller that controls the cycle of operation, an interface in network communication with the controller and adapted to connect to an accessory configurable to affect the cycle of operation, and a graphical user interface in network communication with the controller and the interface so that an accessory connected to the interface is configurable using the graphical user interface to affect the cycle of operation of the appliance.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface adapted to communicate with an appliance configured to perform a physical cycle of operation on an article, the appliance having an appliance controller that controls the cycle of operation and an appliance interface in network communication with the controller and adapted to connect to an accessory configurable to affect the cycle of operation, and with an accessory adapted to connect to the appliance interface and comprising one of a consumable adapted for use in the appliance, a consumable information holder, and a consumable holder, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a non-transitory storage medium having information associated with the consumable and software configured to communicate by network message with the appliance and the one of the consumable, the consumable information holder, and the consumable holder for effecting the configuration, enablement, functionality, or operation of the one of the consumable, the consumable information holder, and the consumable holder based on the information.

2. The graphical user interface of claim 1 connected to the appliance

an interface in network communication with the controller and adapted to connect to an accessory configurable to affect the cycle of operation, and to the accessory, wherein the accessory is connected to the appliance interface, and wherein

the accessory is configurable using the graphical user interface to affect the cycle of operation of the appliance.

3. The graphical user interface of claim 2 wherein the appliance controller is adapted to configure the accessory based on inputs from the graphical user interface.

4. The graphical user interface of claim 2 wherein the graphical user interface is adapted to configure both the appliance controller and the accessory.

5. The graphical user interface of claim 2 wherein the appliance includes a cycle engine in communication with the appliance controller to build a cycle structure for the operation cycle, wherein the graphical user interface configures one of the cycle engine and the cycle structure.

6. The graphical user interface of claim 2 wherein the appliance interface is in communication with an external network and the graphical user interface is adapted to activate the accessory directly by way of the appliance interface or indirectly by way of the external network.

7. The graphical user interface of claim 6 wherein the graphical user interface is remote from the appliance.

8. The graphical user interface of claim 6 wherein the graphical user interface is local to the appliance.

9. The graphical user interface of claim 6 wherein the graphical user interface prompts the user for the information.

10. The graphical user interface of claim 9 wherein the prompt is based on a detection event.

11. The graphical user interface of claim 9 wherein the prompt is based on a user interface event.

12. The graphical user interface of claim 2 further configured to accept the information wherein the information is used in the cycle of operation.

13. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface is remote from the appliance.

14. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface is local to the appliance.

15. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein graphical user interface displays a selection for one of a cycle of operation and options for a cycle of operation based on the information.

16. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the information is about one of an amount, a price, an attribute, a resource usage, a performance metric, a consumables usage, and replenishment data.

17. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the consumable information holder is one of a consumable tag and a consumable data pod.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein a network message includes the information associated with a consumable.

19. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the information associated with a consumable includes one of data about a consumable, a cycle structure or portion thereof, an indirect representation of a cycle structure or portion thereof, and data for a response to a previous network message.

20. The graphical user interface of claim 19 wherein the previous network message is a query message.

21. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the consumable holder is configured to dispense one of a substance, consumable, resource, and a mixture thereof for use in the cycle of operation.

22. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the network communications includes sending and receiving the information and the information is used by the appliance to effect the cycle of operation.

23. The graphical user interface of claim 22 wherein the information includes one of information about chemistry, information about food, information about soils, and information about clothes.

24. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the software enables the graphical user interface to be configured in response to discovering the appliance, and the one of the consumable, the consumable information holder, and the consumable holder.

25. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein a portion of the network communication is enabled by discovering the appliance, and the one of the consumable, the consumable information holder, and the consumable holder.

26. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the user interface displays a cycle of operation based on the information.

27. The graphical user interface of claim 26 wherein the information is included in a network message received by the graphical user interface.

28. The graphical user interface of claim 27 wherein the information is in response to the information about the cycle of operation wherein the information about the cycle of operation.

29. The graphical user interface of claim 1

wherein the graphical user interface uses data in the non-transitory medium when the accessory is connected to the interface to change interaction with a user.

30. The graphical user interface of claim 29 wherein the data includes information associated with one of graphics, audio, music, images, video, user interface screens, information about a resource, text, instructions, warnings, diagnostic information, and information associated with a consumable.

31. The graphical user interface of claim 29 wherein the information associated with a consumable includes one of data about a consumable, a cycle structure or portion thereof, an indirect representation of a cycle structure or portion thereof, and data for a response to a previous network message.

32. The graphical user interface of claim 29 wherein the network includes more than one physical network and routing capability to route messages between a first and a second network.

33. The graphical user interface of claim 32 wherein the controller is on the first network and the accessory can connect to the second network.

34. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the accessory is one of a clock and time synchronization accessory, a stirring and ingredient addition accessory, a cooking sensor accessory, an operation cycles accessory, a consumable messaging and reader accessory, a recipe book, a recipe wand, a laundry credit accessory, a smart dimmer and adapter, a network binder accessory, a remote user interface, a smart coupler, a resource communication accessory, a cellular telephone accessory, a configuration mechanism, an audio communication accessory, and a remote audio communication accessory.

35. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the network message includes routing information.

36. The graphical user interface of claim 35 wherein the routing information is for a second network.

37. The graphical user interface of claim 1 further comprising user interface screens for receiving information from a user wherein the information or other information based on the information is included in the network message to the accessory for effecting the configuration, enablement, functionality, or operation of the accessory.

38. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the network message is a virtual message sent between software components.