Method of self servicing an appliance

• US 8,680,983 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Ebrom, Matthew P., Glotzbach, Mark E., McCoy, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): RENNER, BRANDON M
• Application Number:
  US12/339,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20090100153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539, 340/572, 709223-228
• US Class Current: 340/531
• 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

A method of self servicing an appliance includes connecting a service accessory to an appliance, recording diagnostics data associated with the appliance onto the service accessory, removing the service accessory from the appliance, coupling the service accessory to a personal computer, and uploading the diagnostics data to an automated service system. Another embodiment includes coupling a service accessory to a computer having a test script, transferring a test script from the computer to the service accessory, connecting the service accessory to the communication network of the appliance, establishing communications between the service accessory and the appliance using the communication network; and executing the test script over the communication network.

Claims

1. A method of self servicing an appliance, configured to perform a cycle of operation on a physical article, and having a processor with control logic in communication with a plurality of components to effect the cycle of operation by way of a first software operating layer in a first operating state, comprising:

coupling a service accessory to a computer having a test script,

transferring a test script from the computer to the service accessory,

connecting the service accessory to the appliance wherein two way communication between the service accessory and the appliance is established and a second software operating layer is enabled to directly control the appliance in a second operating state from the service accessory wherein the control logic by way of the first software operating layer is rendered ineffective unless invoked by way of the second software operating layer, and

executing the test script by way of the second software operating layer to bypass the control logic and directly control at least one of the plurality of components in the second operating state independently of the first software operating layer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

connecting the service accessory to the appliance,

recording diagnostics data associated with the appliance onto the service accessory, and

removing the service accessory from the appliance, before coupling the service accessory to the computer.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising transferring the test script from the service accessory to the appliance prior to executing the test script.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second operating state is a development state, and further comprising sending a network message from the service accessory to the appliance to enter thea development state in response to the network message.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising sending a network message from the service accessory to the appliance containing a password to enable the appliance to accept firewalled commands from the service accessory.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising downloading the test script.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising downloading a software update onto the service accessory and transferring the software update to the appliance.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the software update comprises operation cycle data.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the service accessory launches an application on a personal computer to assist a user in connecting to one of a remote service center or a website.

10. The method of claim 2 further comprising uploading the diagnostics data to an automated service system wherein the automated service system analyzes the data and determines an appropriate response.