Method of providing product demonstrations

• US 8,856,036 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Ebrom, Matthew P., Glotzbach, Mark E., Molloy, Philip A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, MATTHEW E
• Application Number:
  US11/617,796
• Publication Number:
  US 20070288251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,839 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.1, 705/27.1, 700/234, 434/107, 434/118, 815/9, 186/52, 609/08
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/05 for wireless communication between components, e.g. for remote monitoring or control
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method of enabling adaptable demonstrations of products provides products with an internal communications network among at least two components, and includes distributing the products to vendors in different markets, providing to each vendor at least one smart device capable of assuming control of a component in the products, and distributing demonstration software to the vendors having smart devices. The demonstration software is unique to the vendor and/or the market so that the smart devices in different markets or among different vendors can be uniquely adapted to cause demonstration of the components in the products.

Claims

1. A method of enabling adaptable demonstrations of appliances, the method comprising:

distributing appliances to vendors in different markets, each appliance comprising multiple components having corresponding functionalities in communication via an internal communications network, a microprocessor with control logic coupled with the internal communications network and having a first software operating layer to implement any of a plurality of predetermined cycles of operation in a first operating state and a second software operating layer to control at least one of the multiple components in a second operating state wherein the first software operating layer is rendered ineffective unless invoked by way of the second software operating layer, and a user interface capable of multimedia display coupled to the internal communications network to receive user input and provide output related to the operation of the appliance,

providing to each of more than one vendor at least one smart device comprising a memory and a controller, which are configured to connect to the internal communications network,

distributing demonstration software to the vendors having smart devices, wherein the demonstration software comprises a multimedia presentation of at least one of the multiple components that is unique to each of the vendors having smart devices or to each of the different markets,

connecting at least one smart device to at least one of the appliances, and

executing the demonstration software on at least one of the microprocessor or the smart device controller by way of the second software operating layer in the second operating state to bypass the control logic and to directly demonstrate the at least one of the multiple components in the second operating state independently of the first software operating layer,

wherein the execution of the demonstration software comprises presenting the multimedia presentation, tailored to a specific market or tailored to a specific vendor, on the user interface in conjunction with the controlling of at least one of the multiple components, independent of implementing or demonstrating any of the plurality of predetermined cycles of operation in the first operating state.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the demonstration software is distributed by way of the communications network, accessible by the smart device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the smart device has a communication link to an external memory device from which to change the demonstration software, and the demonstration software is distributed by way of a memory device supplied to the vendor.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the appliance includes software architecture implemented on the communications network that identifies the first and second components, communicates the capabilities of each identified component, communicates the status of each identified component, provides a command interface for controlling the components, and facilitates communication between the components and devices external to the appliance.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the demonstration software is customized to deliver advertising specific to one of the vendor and the particular market.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the smart device is configured to transmit and receive signals with at least one interactive device that is in communication with at least one of the appliance or the smart device, and the demonstration software is configured to uniquely demonstrate the functionality of a feature of the appliance in response to communications with the at least one interactive device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the appliance is selected from the group consisting of:

a clothes washing machine, a clothes dryer, an oven, a dishwasher, a refrigerator, a freezer, a microwave oven, a trash compactor and a countertop appliance.