User controllable filter system for an appliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11025447-B2
Application number	US-201816205559-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2018
Priority date	Jun 9, 2005
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

Example methods and apparatus for communicatively coupling internal components and accessories appliances, and appliances with external components and accessories are disclosed herein. A disclosed example method of operating a domestic appliance having at least one of an internal communications network and/or an external communications network among at least two components includes identifying the components, communicating the capabilities of each identified component, communicating the status of each identified component, providing a command interface for operating the components, facilitating communication between the components, and operating the appliance using the command interface and the facilitated communication.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A filter system for filtering water for an appliance configured to perform a cycle of operation on an article, comprising:
a filter cartridge having a housing, an identifying element defining characteristics associated with the filter cartridge, and a controller defining at least one functionality associated with the filter cartridge;
a reading element disposed on the appliance and configured to interact with the identifying element;
a controller of the appliance configured to determine whether the filter is compatible with the filter system of the appliance based on the characteristics associated with the filter cartridge, and upon a determination that the filter cartridge is compatible with the filter system, communicating, between the appliance and the controller of the filter cartridge such that the appliance receives the at least one functionality associated with the filter cartridge, and modifying an appliance operation based on the at least one functionality; and
a user interface in communication with the controller and configured to allow a user to change a performance of the filter, wherein changing the performance of the filter is lengthening a life of the filter cartridge while diminishing a level of filtration of the water.

2. The filter system of claim 1 wherein the identifying element is at least one of a barcode, a magnetic strip, a microprocessor, a memory chip, a license key, a specialized structure, a smart card, a matermetrics element, a magnetic switch, or an radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

3. The filter system of claim 2 wherein the reading element is adapted to read information associated with the identifying element.

4. The filter system of claim 1 wherein the filter cartridge and a cartridge housing of the appliance further comprise corresponding positioning elements for ensuring proper alignment between the identifying element of the filter cartridge and the reading element of the appliance, when the filter cartridge is inserted into the cartridge housing.

5. The filter system of claim 1 wherein the communicating between the appliance and the controller is a two-way exchange of data.

6. The filter system of claim 1 wherein the reading element is configured to interact with the identifying element by way of wireless interaction or direct conductive connection.

7. The filter system of claim 1 wherein the controller of the filter cartridge can further communicate with a set of other nodes on a network of the appliance.

8. The filter system of claim 7 wherein the controller of the filter cartridge can further affect the cycle of operation of the appliance.

9. The filter system of claim 1 wherein the identifying element can further include at least one of: an additional cycle of operation, an updated cycle of operation, historical information relating to cycles of operation experienced by the appliance, and software to reconfigure a software architecture of the filter system or an appliance system.

10. The filter system of claim 1 wherein the filter cartridge includes at least one sensor configured to sense at least one of: a volume capacity of the filter cartridge, a flow rating of the filter cartridge, at least one filtration capability of the filter cartridge, or a time/temperature dependency of the filter cartridge.

11. The filter system of claim 10 wherein the reading element can interact with the filter cartridge to receive data from the at least one sensor.

12. The filter system of claim 11 wherein the appliance can modify a set of filter cartridge parameters of the filter system based on the data from the at least one sensor.

13. The filter system of claim 12 wherein at least one of the appliance or the controller of the filter can modify a filter cartridge life algorithm based on the set of filter cartridge parameters.

14. The filter system of claim 1 , further comprising an indicator cap having an LED for indicating a status of the filter.

15. A filter system for filtering water for an appliance configured to perform a cycle of operation on an article, comprising:
a filter cartridge having a housing, an identifying element defining characteristics associated with the filter cartridge, and a controller defining at least one functionality associated with the filter cartridge;
a reading element disposed on the appliance and configured to interact with the identifying element;
a controller of the appliance configured to determine whether the filter is compatible with the filter system of the appliance based on the characteristics associated with the filter cartridge, and upon a determination that the filter cartridge is compatible with the filter system, communicating, between the appliance and the controller of the filter cartridge such that the appliance receives the at least one functionality associated with the filter cartridge, and modifying an appliance operation based on the at least one functionality; and
a user interface in communication with the controller and configured to allow a user to change a performance of the filter, wherein changing the performance of the filter is reducing a life of the filter cartridge while increasing a level of filtration of the water.

16. The filter system of claim 15 wherein the identifying element is at least one of a barcode, a magnetic strip, a microprocessor, a memory chip, a license key, a specialized structure, a smart card, a matermetrics element, a magnetic switch, or an radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

17. The filter system of claim 16 wherein the reading element is adapted to read information associated with the identifying element.

18. The filter system of claim 15 wherein the filter cartridge and a cartridge housing of the appliance further comprise corresponding positioning elements for ensuring proper alignment between the identifying element of the filter cartridge and the reading element of the appliance, when the filter cartridge is inserted into the cartridge housing.

19. The filter system of claim 15 wherein the communicating between the appliance and the controller is a two-way exchange of data.

20. The filter system of claim 15 wherein the reading element is configured to interact with the identifying element by way of wireless interaction or direct conductive connection.

21. The filter system of claim 15 wherein the controller of the filter cartridge can further communicate with a set of other nodes on a network of the appliance.

22. The filter system of claim 21 wherein the controller of the filter cartridge can further affect the cycle of operation of the appliance.

23. The filter system of claim 15 wherein the identifying element can further include at least one of: an additional cycle of operation, an updated cycle of operation, historical information relating to cycles of operation experienced by the appliance, and software to reconfigure a software architecture of the filter system or an appliance system.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co

Inventors

• Ebrom Matthew P
• Glotzbach Mark E
• Mccoy Richard A
• Whipple Andrew D
• Maynard Donald E
• Nibbelink Matthew J

Classifications

• D06F34/04

  Signal transfer or data transmission arrangements · CPC title

• D06F34/05

  for wireless communication between components, e.g. for remote monitoring or control · CPC title

• D06F34/28

  Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress · CPC title

• D06F2105/58

  Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user · CPC title

• D06F2101/00

  User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers · CPC title