Home appliance

• US 10,110,396 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2015
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Koonseok
• Primary Examiner(s): Divecha, Kamal B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khanal, Sandarva
• Application Number:
  US14/731,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20150358177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2613 Household appliance in general
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2642 Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house
• 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 12/2834 Switching of information between an external network and a home network access arrangements H04L12/2856

Abstract

A communication apparatus is disclosed. A home appliance includes a driving unit to drive a component of the home appliance, a controller configured to control the driving unit, and a communication unit to connect to an access point apparatus based on network related information, and the communication unit to connect to a server via the connected access point apparatus, wherein in response to a predetermined event, the communication unit to provide, to the server, a single data packet that includes a plurality of attribute data and values of the attribute data. Accordingly, it is possible to easily exchange data with the server.

Claims

1. A home appliance comprising:

a motor;

a driver configured to drive the motor;

a display to display a network connection related indicator and a smart grid indicator,

wherein the network connection related indicator functions as an input unit as well as the display that indicates whether the home appliance is connected to an access point apparatus or a server, and

wherein the smart grid indicator functions as an input unit as well as the display that indicates that smart grid mode is possible;

a controller configured to control the driver;

a communication unit electrically connected to the controller, and including a first interface for data communication with the access point apparatus based on network related information, and a second interface for data communication with the server via the connected access point apparatus; and

a memory configured to store network related information received from the access point apparatus,

wherein in response to a predetermined event, the communication unit to provide, to the server, a single data packet that includes a plurality of attribute data and values of the attribute data,

wherein the communication unit receives power information from the server during accessing the access point apparatus,

wherein when the smart grid indicator is pressed for a period of first time in a state in which the home appliance is connected to the server and the home appliance is connected to the access point apparatus, the home appliance is set in a de-provisioned state in which a first reset mode is set,

wherein, in the first reset mode, the controller controls the communication unit to break a connection with the access point apparatus and controls deletion of the network related information received from the access point apparatus and stored in the memory,

wherein when the smart grid indicator is pressed predetermined times for a period of second time, which is longer than the period of first time, in the state in which the home appliance is connected to the server and the home appliance is connected to the access point apparatus, a second reset mode is set,

wherein, in the second reset mode, the communication unit transmits a deletion request signal to the server to delete the plurality of attribute data and values of the attribute data and receives a deletion completion message from the server, and then the controller controls the communication unit to break the connection with the access point apparatus and controls deletion of the network related information received from the access point apparatus and stored in the memory when the deletion completion message is received from the server.

2. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein in response to an event to register a product, the communication unit to provide, to the server, a data packet that includes attribute data for a product identification (id), a device name, a device password or a domain name of the server and a value of the attribute data.

3. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein in response to receiving a refresh data request from the server, the communication unit to provide, to the server, a data packet that includes attribute data for a model number, a software version or a hardware number and a value of the attribute data.

4. The home appliance according to claim 3, wherein the data packet includes attribute data for at least one of a control lock status and a current demand response (DR) mode and a value of the attribute data.

5. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein while in a smart grid mode, the communication unit to provide, to the server, a data packet that includes attribute data for each of a plurality of pieces of information including a current demand response (DR) mode and a value of the attribute data.

6. The home appliance according to claim 5, wherein in response to a touch input at the smart grid indicator while the smart grid indicator is turned off, the communication unit to provide the data packet to the server.

7. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein in response to occurrence of the event, the communication unit to provide, to the server, a data packet that includes attribute data for a home appliance status or an error code and a value of the attribute data.

8. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein in response to power being turned on or off, the communication unit to provide, to the server, a data packet that includes attribute data for a home appliance status or a control lock status and a value of the attribute data.

9. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein in response to receiving power information from the server, the communication unit to receive a data packet that includes attribute data for a set demand response (DR) mode and a value corresponding to duration hours or offset hours of the set DR mode.

10. The home appliance according to claim 9, wherein in response to receiving power information, the controller to control the home appliance to operate in a smart grid mode, and when an override mode is set at the home appliance, the controller to control the home appliance to operate in an override mode prior to the home appliance operating in the smart grid mode.

11. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein the power information includes set demand response (DR) mode data as an attribute data, and a value of the attribute data, and

wherein the controller is configured to pause the driver at a time corresponding to a peak time in the DR mode data and to re-operate the driver after the peak time.

12. An appliance comprising:

a driver configured to drive a component of the appliance;

a controller configured to control the driver;

a display to display a network connection related indicator and a smart grid indicator,

wherein the network connection related indicator functions as an input unit as well as a display that indicates whether the appliance is connected to an access point apparatus or a server, and

wherein the smart grid indicator functions as an input unit as well as a display that indicates that smart grid mode is possible;

a communication unit electrically connected to the controller and including a first interface for data communication with the access point apparatus based on network related information, and a second interface for data communication with the server, the communication unit to connect the appliance to the server via the connected access point apparatus; and

a memory configured to store network related information received from the access point apparatus,

wherein in response to an event at the appliance, the communication unit to provide, to the server, a data packet that includes a plurality of attribute data and values of the attribute data,

wherein the communication unit receives power information from the server during accessing the access point apparatus,

wherein when the smart grid indicator is pressed for a period of first time in a state in which the appliance is connected to the server and the appliance is connected to the access point apparatus, the appliance is set in a de-provisioned state in which a first reset mode is set,

wherein, in the first reset mode, the controller controls the communication unit to break a connection with the access point apparatus and controls deletion of the network related information received from the access point apparatus and stored in the memory,

wherein when the smart grid indicator is pressed predetermined times for a period of second time, which is longer than the period of first time, in the state in which the appliance is connected to the server and the appliance is connected to the access point apparatus, a second reset mode is set,

wherein, in the second reset mode, the communication unit transmits a deletion request signal to the server to delete the plurality of attribute data and values of the attribute data and receives a deletion completion message from the server, and then the controller controls the communication unit to break the connection with the access point apparatus and controls deletion of the network related information received from the access point apparatus and stored in the memory when the deletion completion message is received from the server.

13. The appliance according to claim 12, wherein the data packet is a single data packet.

14. The appliance according to claim 12, wherein in response to registering a product, the communication unit to provide, to the server, a data packet that includes attribute data and a value of the attribute data, the attribute data relating to a product identification (id), a device name, a device password or a domain name of the server.

15. The appliance according to claim 12, wherein in response to a refresh data request, the communication unit to provide, to the server, a data packet that includes attribute data and a value of the attribute data, the attribute data relating to a model number, a software version or a hardware number.

16. The appliance according to claim 15, wherein the attribute data relates to at least one of a control lock status and a current demand response (DR) mode.

17. The appliance according to claim 12, wherein while in a smart grid mode, the communication unit to provide, to the server, a data packet that includes attribute data and a value of the attribute data, the attribute data relating to each of a plurality of pieces of information including a current demand response (DR) mode.

18. The appliance according to claim 12, wherein in response to the event, the communication unit to provide, to the server, a data packet that includes attribute data and a value of the attribute data, the attribute data relating to a home appliance status or an error code.

19. The appliance according to claim 12, wherein in response to power being turned on or off, the communication unit to provide, to the server, a data packet that includes attribute data for a home appliance status or a control lock status and a value of the attribute data.

20. The appliance according to claim 12, wherein in response to receiving power information, the communication unit to receive a data packet that includes attribute data for a set demand response (DR) mode and a value corresponding to duration hours or offset hours of the set DR mode.