System for product demonstration

• US 8,688,530 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Ebrom, Matthew P., Glotzbach, Mark E., Heilman, Layne E., McCoy, Richard A., Molloy, Phillip A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZIMMERMAN, MATTHEW E
• Application Number:
  US11/931,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,344 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.1, 705/27.1, 700/234, 434/118, 434/107, 434/365, 434/379, 434/382, 186/52, 815/9, 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0258 Registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

An appliance having a smart device in communication with multiple components of the appliance and a user interface of the appliance, the smart device having an updatable demonstration software that takes over control of the multiple components from the controller when executing the demonstration software to implement a demonstration of the appliance by controlling the actuation of the components and display related multimedia information on the multimedia user interface.

Claims

1. An appliance configured to implement at least one predetermined cycle of operation, the appliance comprising:

a communications network;

multiple components, with at least some of the components connected to the communications network;

a multimedia user interface connected to the communications network;

a controller with control logic connected to the communications network, the controller comprising;

a first software operating layer configured to control operation of at least one of the components in a first operational state in response to messages sent on the communications network; and

a second software operating layer configured to control operation of at least one of the 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 an external smart device, with memory, connected to the communications network, and having demonstration software stored in the memory, wherein the demonstration software comprises a multimedia presentation and at least one message for controlling at least one component necessary to demonstrate at least one feature of the appliance;

wherein the connection of the external smart device to the communications network causes the appliance to enable the second software operating layer to use the demonstration software to present the multimedia presentation on the user interface in conjunction with the controlling of at least one component, independent of implementing or demonstrating the at least one predetermined cycle of operation.

2. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the multimedia user interface comprises a visual display and speakers for displaying media having both video and sound.

3. The appliance of claim 2 wherein the multimedia user interface comprises a video camera and microphone for recording video and sound.

4. The appliance of claim 3 further comprising a communications network adapter for coupling the communications network of the appliance to another communications network for at least one of sending or receiving of video and sound between the communications networks.

5. The appliance of claim 4 further comprising a video conferencing software that enables video conference over the multimedia user interface.

6. The appliance of claim 5 wherein the video conferencing software enables peer-to-peer video conference with a similar appliance coupled to the other communications network.

7. The appliance of claim 1 further comprising a still camera for capturing still images.

8. The appliance of claim 1 further comprising a consumer presence system that determines if a consumer is present.

9. The appliance of claim 8 wherein the consumer presence system comprises a sensor for detecting the presence of a consumer.

10. The appliance of claim 9 wherein the sensor comprises a least one of a motion sensor or a sound sensor.

11. The appliance of claim 10 wherein the motion sensor comprises at least one of a video or a still camera and the sound sensor comprises a microphone.

12. The appliance of claim 1 further comprising a consumer identification system that determines a characteristic of a consumer.

13. The appliance of claim 12 wherein the consumer identification system comprises a sensor for determining the characteristic of a consumer.

14. The appliance of claim 13 wherein the determined characteristic is at least one of:

a biometric, gender, age, height, mass, voice, facial expression, native language, eye color or hair color.

15. The appliance of claim 14 wherein the smart device is configured to update the demonstration software in response to the determined characteristic.

16. The appliance of claim 15 wherein the smart device selects a language of the multimedia presentation based on the determined characteristic being a native language.

17. The appliance of claim 15 wherein the smart device customizes information presented by the multimedia presentation displayed for a consumer.

18. The appliance of claim 17 wherein the customized information comprises a sales incentive, an appliance recommendation, an appliance accessory, an appliance options and an appliance build options.

19. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the smart device and the controller share hardware.

20. The appliance of claim 1 further comprising a removable memory for updating the demonstration software.

21. The appliance of claim 1 further comprising a data port for updating the demonstration software.

22. The appliance of claim 1 further comprising a multimedia output for outputting at least one of a video or audio signal to an external device.

23. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the multimedia user interface comprises a touch screen display.

24. The appliance of claim 1 further comprising a network adapter to couple the appliance to an external communication network.

25. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the communications network has a port configured to establish a link with one of a remote sales assistant center or a remote service center.

26. The appliance 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.

27. The appliance of claim 1 wherein the multimedia presentation comprises at least one of an audio recording, an image, or a video.