Service and maintenance guide for appliance

• US 9,057,554 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Quinlan, Daniel H., Kahwaji, Michael A., Uggirala, Ananth, Lee, Sang W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bradford, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US11/957,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20080159494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,738 Days
• Field of Search: 621/25, 621/27, 621/29, 236/94, 165/11.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F25C 2400/10 Refrigerator units
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 11/02 with cooling compartments at different temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/126 Water cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/008 Alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24084 Remote and local monitoring, local result to remote, remote takes action
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24086 Expert system, guidance operator, locate fault and indicate how to repair
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2654 Fridge, refrigerator

Abstract

A household appliance such as a refrigerator includes a housing and a user interface operatively connected to the housing. The user interface includes a display and user inputs. The user interface is adapted for showing on the display a part number for a component part, contact information for use in acquiring the component part, and instructions for installing the component part. The contact information may include a phone number. The contact information may include a web site address. The component part may be a replacement part such as a filter or the component part may be an accessory part. The user interface may also be adapted for displaying instructions or service or maintenance tasks.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising:

a refrigerator cabinet;

a fresh food compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;

a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;

a display operatively connected to the cabinet;

a control unit electrically connected to the display;

the control unit adapted for determining status of a part and presence of a condition requiring a replacement part for the part;

the control unit adapted for displaying on a default screen of the display temperature information for the fresh food compartment, temperature information for the freezer compartment, and a visual indicator indicative of the status of the part and the presence of the condition requiring the replacement part;

the control unit adapted for receiving from the user while the default screen is displayed on the display, an input requesting additional information about the condition requiring the replacement part;

the control unit adapted for displaying additional information about the condition requiring the replacement part on a settings and information screen on the display after receiving the input requesting additional information from the user;

the control unit adapted for receiving from the user while the settings and information screen is displayed on the display an input requesting parts information and an input requesting contact information for ordering the replacement part;

the control unit adapted for displaying a list of replacement parts and accessories after receiving the input requesting the parts information; and

the control unit adapted to switch between the default screen and the settings and information screen.

2. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the visual indicator indicative of the status of the part and the presence of the condition requiring the replacement part is a bar graph type display.

3. The refrigerator of claim 1 herein the contact information includes a phone number.

4. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the additional information about the condition includes a part number fix a replacement part.

5. The refrigerator of claim 4 wherein the replacement part is a filter.

6. The refrigerator of claim 5 wherein the filter is a water filter.

7. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the additional information about the condition includes instructions for servicing the refrigerator.

8. The refrigerator of claim 7 wherein the instructions for servicing the refrigerator include instructions for installing the replacement part.

9. The refrigerator of claim 1 wherein the visual indicator indicative of the presence of the condition requiring the replacement part blinks.

10. The refrigerator of claim 1, wherein the list of replacement parts and accessories are displayed by most commonly ordered replacement parts and accessories.

11. The refrigerator of claim 10, wherein the control unit is adapted for indicating where replacement parts and accessories are available at retailers and/or resellers.

12. A household appliance, comprising:

a household appliance housing;

a user interface operatively connected to the housing;

wherein the user interface comprises a display and user inputs;

wherein the user interface is adapted for showing on the display a part number for a component part, contact information for use in acquiring the component part, instructions for installing the component part, and provides a default screen on the display showing temperature information for the household appliance and an indicator of status of the component part and presence of a condition requiring the replacement part;

the user interface is adapted for receiving from the user while the default screen is displayed on the display, an input requesting additional information about the condition requiring the replacement part and displaying the additional information on a settings and information screen;

the user interface adapted for receiving from the user while a settings and information screen is displayed on the display an input requesting parts information and displaying on the display a list of replacement parts and accessories; and

the user interface adapted for receiving from the user while a water filter information screen is displayed on the display an input requesting status of a water filter.

13. The appliance of claim 12 wherein the contact information includes a phone number.

14. The appliance of claim 12 wherein the contact information includes a web site address.

15. The appliance of claim 12 wherein the component part is a replacement part.

16. The appliance of claim 12 wherein the status of the component part is displayed as a bar graph.

17. The appliance of claim 12 wherein the component part is an accessory part.

18. The appliance of claim 12 wherein the household appliance is a refrigerator and the household appliance housing is a refrigerator cabinet.

19. The household appliance of claim 12, wherein the list of replacement parts and accessories are displayed by most commonly ordered replacement parts and accessories.

20. The household appliance of claim 19, wherein the user interface is adapted for indicating where replacement parts and accessories are available at retailers and/or resellers.

21. A method for providing convenience to a user of a refrigerator, the method comprising:

providing the refrigerator wherein the refrigerator comprises;

(a) a refrigerator cabinet;

(b) a fresh food compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;

(c) a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;

(d) a display operatively connected to the cabinet;

(e) a control unit electrically connected to the display;

(f) the control unit adapted for determining status of a part and presence of a condition requiring a replacement part for the part;

(g) the control unit adapted for displaying on a default screen of the display temperature information for the fresh food compartment, temperature information for the freezer compartment, and a visual indicator indicative of the status of the part and the presence of the condition requiring the replacement part;

(h) the control unit adapted for receiving from the user while the default screen is displayed on the display, an input requesting additional information about the condition requiring the replacement part;

(i) the control unit adapted for displaying additional information about the condition requiring the replacement part on a settings and information screen on the display after receiving the input requesting additional information from the user; and

(j) the control unit adapted for receiving from the user while settings and information screen is displayed on the display an input requesting parts information;

(k) the control unit adapted for displaying a list of replacement parts and accessories after receiving the input requesting the parts information;

displaying on the display of the refrigerator the default screen display showing temperature information for the refrigerator and the visual indicator indicative of the status of the part and the presence of the condition requiring the replacement part for the part;

receiving from the user while an alert is displayed on the default screen display, the input requesting additional information about the condition requiring the replacement part.

in response to the input providing on the display additional information including a menu for selecting between a first screen display, a second screen display, and a third screen display;

displaying on the display of the refrigerator the first screen display, the first screen display showing a part number for a component part;

displaying on the display of the refrigerator the second screen display, the second screen display showing contact information for use in acquiring the component part;

receiving an order for the component part from the user; and

displaying on the display of the refrigerator the third screen display, the third screen display showing instructions for replacing the component part.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the component part is a replacement part.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the replacement part is a water filter.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the component part is an accessory part.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the contact information includes a phone number.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the contact information includes a web site address.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein the display is a touch sensitive display.

28. The method of claim 21, further comprising sending the instructions for replacing the component part in electronic form via, a wireless network to a cell phone.

29. A refrigerator, comprising:

a refrigerator cabinet;

a fresh food compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;

a freezer compartment disposed within the refrigerator cabinet;

a display operatively connected to the refrigerator cabinet;

at least one user input associated with the display;

a memory storing screen display information including part numbers for a plurality of refrigerator component parts, contact information for use in acquiring the plurality of refrigerator component parts, and instructions for installing the refrigerator component parts in the refrigerator;

wherein the display is adapted for showing on the display a default screen display showing an indicator of status of a component part and presence of a condition requiring a replacement part for the component part, an indicator of status of a water filter during normal operation, and temperature information for the refrigerator, a first screen display comprising at least one of the part numbers, a second screen display comprising the contact information, and a third screen display comprising the instructions;

wherein the at least one user input provides for receiving user input for requesting additional information about the condition requiring the replacement part while the default screen display is displayed;

wherein the at least one user input further provides for receiving further user input for switching between any one of the first screen display, the second screen display, and the third screen display; and

wherein the at least one user input further provides for receiving a user input for ordering the component part.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the component parts include replacement parts for the refrigerator.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the component parts include accessory parts for the refrigerator.