System for product demonstration

• US 8,682,733 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• 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:
  US11/617,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20070298405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,643 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.1, 705/27.1, 434/118, 434/107, 434/365, 434/379, 434/382, 815/9, 609/08
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 25/00 Models for purposes not provided for in G09B23/00, e.g. full-sized devices for demonstration purposes model vehicles, tracks therefor, models in the nature of toys A63H

Abstract

A product in the form of a household appliance has an internal communications network connecting two or more components, and software architecture implemented on the network that identifies the components, communicates the capabilities of each identified component, communicates the status of each identified component, provides a command interface for operating the components, and facilitates communication between the components and devices external to the product. An external smart device having demonstration software communicates with the internal communications network and is in control of at least one of the components to effect a demonstration of features of the product.

Claims

1. A product demonstration system comprising:

an appliance comprising;

a plurality of components having corresponding functionalities;

a communications network coupled to the plurality of the components; and

a software architecture configured to generate a plurality messages on the communications network wherein the software architecture includes the first software operating layer configured to control operation of at least one of the plurality of components by way of a control logic in a first operational state to implement a predetermined cycle of operation performing a physical domestic operation on an article in response to the messages sent on the communication network, and a second software operating layer configured to control the operation of the at least one of the plurality of components in a second operational state in response to messages sent on the communications network, 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

a smart device external to the appliance, coupled to the communications network, and having memory in which resides demonstration software configured to communicate with the software architecture to enable and instruct the second software operating layer to implement a demonstration mode, directly operating at least one of the plurality of components to demonstrate the corresponding functionality independent of implementing or demonstrating the predetermined cycle of operation and without performing the physical domestic operation on the article.

2. The product demonstration system of claim 1 wherein the appliance is a household appliance 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.

3. The product demonstration system of claim 2 wherein at least one interactive device is connected to one of the household appliance or the smart device.

4. The product demonstration system of claim 3 wherein the at least one interactive device is selected from a group comprising a proximity sensor, an LCD display, a speaker, a computer, a touch screen, a keyboard, a monitor, a mechanical device, a light display, a microphone, a camera, and a phone.

5. The product demonstration system of claim 3 wherein the at least one interactive device is connected to the smart device.

6. The product demonstration system of claim 5 wherein the at least one interactive device is selected from a group comprising a proximity sensor, an LCD display, a speaker, a computer, a touch screen, a keyboard, a monitor, a mechanical device, a light display, a microphone, a camera, and a phone.

7. The product demonstration system of claim 2 wherein the smart device has a communication link to an external network whereby the demonstration software can be changed by way of the external network.

8. The product demonstration system of claim 2 wherein the smart device has a communication link to an external memory device from which to change the demonstration software.

9. The product demonstration system of claim 1 wherein the appliance can receive a plurality of inputs that result in an implementation of the predetermined cycle of operation when the appliance is operated without the smart device, but that when the smart device is in communication with the communications network, execution of the demonstration software in the appliance will cause demonstration of a functionality of the appliance without affecting the predetermined cycle of operation.

10. The product demonstration system of claim 9 wherein the predetermined cycle of operation is a first ordered collection of steps that operate on the article and the demonstration of the functionality of the appliance is a second ordered collection of steps, different from the first ordered collection of steps and that does not operate on the article.

11. The product demonstration system of claim 9 wherein the appliance is a clothes dryer, the plurality of inputs results in the predetermined cycle of operation of the appliance to implement a drying cycle, and the demonstration of the functionality of the appliance is an audio explanation of the drying cycle via at least one speaker.

12. The product demonstration system of claim 9 wherein at least one interactive device is connected to one of the appliance or the smart device.

13. The product demonstration system of claim 12 wherein the at least one interactive device is selected from a group comprising a proximity sensor, an LCD display, a speaker, a computer, a touch screen, a keyboard, a monitor, a mechanical device, a light display, a microphone, a camera, and a phone.

14. The product demonstration system of claim 12 wherein the at least one interactive device is connected to the smart device.

15. The product demonstration system of claim 14 wherein the at least one interactive device is selected from a group comprising a proximity sensor, an LCD display, a speaker, a computer, a touch screen, a keyboard, a monitor, a mechanical device, a light display, a microphone, a camera, and a phone.

16. The product demonstration system of claim 9 wherein the smart device has a communication link to an external network whereby the demonstration software can be changed by way of the external network.

17. The product demonstration system of claim 9 wherein the smart device has a communication link to an external memory device from which to change the demonstration software.