HOME APPLIANCE

• US 20100259377A1
• Filed: 04/09/2010
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Mun Ho, Son, Jin Hwan, Park, Tae In, Cho, In Haeng, Lee, Phal Jin
• Granted Patent: US 8,854,204 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/531
• 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 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

A home appliance is provided. The home appliance includes a main controller for generating a first data signal including status information and a second data signal including operating information, a first sound output device for outputting a first sound signal according to the first data signal including status information to be transmitted through a communication network, and a second sound output device for outputting a second sound signal according to the second data signal including operating information to be perceived by a user. Thus, the sound signal regarding the status information and the sound signal regarding the operating information can be output through the different sound output devices, i.e., the first and second sound output devices.

Claims

1. A home appliance comprising:

a main controller for generating a first data signal including status information and a second data signal including operating information;

a first sound output device for outputting a first sound signal according to the first data signal including status information to be transmitted through a communication network; and

a second sound output device for outputting a second sound signal according to the second data signal including operating information to be perceived by a user.

2. The home appliance according to claim 1, wherein, when the first sound output device is turned on, the second sound output device is turned off.

3. The home appliance according to claim 1, further comprising a sound output device drive unit for controlling operation of the first and second sound device device,

wherein the main controller generates a first control signal for controlling the first sound output device and a second control signal for controlling the second sound output device, and the sound output device drive unit drives the first sound output device or the second sound output device according to the control signal.

4. The home appliance according to claim 3, wherein the sound output device drive unit including:

a first sound output device driver for controlling operation of the first sound output device according to the first control signal; and

a second sound output device driver for controlling operation of the second sound output device according to the second control signal.

5. The home appliance according to claim 3, wherein the sound output device drive unit further includes a data signal processor for processing the data signal generated by the main controller into a format that can be output by the first sound output device or the second sound output device

6. The home appliance according to claim 3, wherein the control signal is a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal.

7. The home appliance according to claim 1, further comprising an output selection unit for selecting one of the first and second sound output device to output.

8. The home appliance according to claim 1, further comprising:

a cabinet defining an external appearance of the home appliance;

a control panel to provide a user interface; and

a control panel controller for controlling the user interface,

wherein the main controller is arranged in the cabinet and the control panel controller is arranged in the control panel.

9. The home appliance according to claim 8, wherein the first sound output device is arranged in the control panel and the second sound output device is arranged in the cabinet.

10. The home appliance according to claim 8, wherein the first and second sound output device are arranged in the cabinet.

11. The home appliance according to claim 8, wherein the first and second sound output device are arranged in the control panel.

12. A home appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining an external appearance of the home appliance;

a control panel to provide a user interface;

a main controller for generating a data signal including status information;

a control panel controller for controlling the user interface and generating a data signal including operating information;

a first sound output device for outputting a sound signal according to the data signal including the status information to be transmitted through a communication network; and

a second sound output device for outputting a sound signal according to the data signal including the operating information to be perceived by a user.

13. The home appliance according to claim 12, wherein the main controller is arranged in the cabinet, and

the control panel controller and the first and second sound output devices are arranged in the control panel.

14. A home appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining an external appearance of the home appliance;

a control panel to provide a user interface;

a control panel controller for controlling the user interface and generating a first data signal including status information and a second data signal including operating information;

a first sound output device for outputting a first sound signal according to the first data signal including status information to be transmitted through a communication network; and

a second sound output device for outputting a second sound signal according to the second data signal including operating information to be perceived by a user,

wherein the control panel controller and the first and second sound output devices are arranged in the control panel.

15. A home appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining an external appearance of the home appliance;

a main controller for generating a data signal including status information;

a first sound output device for outputting a sound signal corresponding to the data signal including the status information to be transmitted through a communication network;

a control panel to provide a user interface;

a control panel controller for controlling the user interface and generating a data signal including operating information; and

a second sound output device for outputting a sound signal corresponding to the data signal including the operating information to be perceived by a user,

wherein the main controller and the first sound output device are arranged in the cabinet, and the control panel controller and the second sound output device are arranged in the control panel.