User identity in household appliances

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11099540-B2
Application number	US-201715706182-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2017
Priority date	Sep 15, 2017
Publication date	Aug 24, 2021
Grant date	Aug 24, 2021

Abstract

A system of household appliances is configured to provide services according to user identity. The system includes a first appliance, a server or other network device, and a second appliance. The first appliance is configured to collect sensor data associated with an identity of a user. The server or other network device is configured to receive the sensor data from the first appliance and analyze the sensor data to determine the identity of the user. The second appliance is configured to provide a device function to the user based on the identity determined from the sensor data collected by the first appliance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system of household appliances in a kitchen or bathroom for providing services according to user identity, the system comprising:
a first appliance configured to provide a first appliance device function to a user and to collect sensor data associated with an identity of the user and a position of the user, wherein the first appliance collects the position of the user through pattern matching analysis or line detection analysis of an image of the user, or based on proximity, wherein the first appliance device function is provided to the user with a first appliance configuration based on the identity of the user;

a second appliance configured to provide a second appliance device function to the user in response to the position of the user determined from the sensor data collected by the first appliance, the second appliance device function being provided to the user with a second appliance configuration based on the identity determined from the sensor data collected by the first appliance; and
a network device comprising:
a data collection interface communicably coupled to the first appliance, the data collection interface receiving the sensor data collected by the first appliance and associated with the identity of the user;
a controller configured to perform analysis of the sensor data received from the first appliance for determining the identity of the user based on the sensor data and for determining, based on the determined identity of the user, the first appliance configuration for the first appliance device function and the second appliance configuration for the second appliance device function to be provided by the first appliance and the second appliance to the user; and
an output interface communicably coupled to the first appliance and the second appliance, the output interface configured to communicate data corresponding to the first appliance configuration for the first appliance device function to the first appliance and the second appliance configuration for the second appliance device function to the second appliance.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first appliance or the second appliance is a bathroom appliance connected to plumbing.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first appliance or the second appliance is a water consuming appliance.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first appliance device function or the second appliance device function includes activation or deactivation of a light, a sink, a shower, a speaker, a bathtub, a vibration device, a cleaning system, or a toilet.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third appliance configured to provide a third appliance device function to the user based on the identity determined from the sensor data collected by the first appliance.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first appliance is an intelligent mirror, a programmable shower, a bathtub sensory device, a bathtub level device, an intelligent toilet, a toilet seat, a sink faucet, or a light guide.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second appliance includes a shower configured to determine a shower sequence in response to the identity of the user determined by the network device based on the sensor data collected by the first appliance.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the shower sequence includes at least one timing component for the user, at least one temperature component for the user, at least one shower head selection for the user, or at least one spray selection for the user.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the shower sequence is defined based on season, weather, time of day, or day of week in combination with the identity of the user; wherein the sensor data include a state of the user based on health, heart rate, temperature, or stress, and the shower sequence is based on the state of the user.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first appliance configuration or the second appliance configuration for the user includes a height for the device function, a temperature for the device function, a time delay for the device function, a volume for the device function, or a sequence for the device function.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second appliance includes a bathtub device configured to control a bath for the user.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the bathtub device includes a bathtub sensory system configured to emit a sequence of audio or vibration to the bath.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the bathtub device includes a bathtub level system configured to regulate a water level of the bath.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second appliance includes a toilet and the second appliance device function includes flushing the toilet, cleaning the toilet, illuminating the toilet, or warming a portion of the toilet.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second appliance includes a faucet configured to supply water and the second appliance device function includes supplying a volume of the water, adjusting a temperature of the water, or setting a time duration over which the water is supplied.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second appliance includes a light guide and the second appliance device function comprises using the light guide to illuminate a specific area.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second appliance includes a water filter system configured to filter a flow of water.

18. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second appliance includes a water additive system configured to provide an additive to a flow of water.

19. A method for providing services by at least one kitchen or bathroom appliance, the method comprising:
receiving, by a data collection interface of a network device communicably coupled to a first appliance, sensor data collected by the first appliance configured to provide a first appliance device function with a first user configuration to a user based on an identity of the user and to collect sensor data associated with the identity of the user;
analyzing, by a controller of the network device, the sensor data from the first appliance to determine the identity of the user;
accessing, by the controller, a user database using the identity of the user to determine the first user configuration for the first appliance and a second user configuration for a second appliance;
generating, by the controller, a first command for the first appliance based on the first user configuration;
generating a second command for the second appliance based on the second user configuration and a position of the user determined from the sensor data collected by the first appliance through pattern matching analysis or line detection analysis of an image of the user, or based on proximity; and
transmitting, by an output interface of the network device communicably coupled to the first appliance and the second appliance, the first command to the first appliance and the second command to the second appliance, wherein the first appliance is configured to provide the first appliance device function with the first user configuration and the second appliance is configured to provide a second appliance device water function with the second user configuration based on the identity of the user.

20. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first appliance is an intelligent mirror that collects the sensor data for the identity of the user.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Bradley Jonathan D
• Estiban Marwan
• Rexach Rafael
• Allis Nicole

Classifications

• A47K13/305 Primary

  Seats with heating devices · CPC title

• E03C1/05

  Arrangements of devices on wash-basins, baths, sinks, or the like for remote control of taps (remote control of taps or the like per se F16K) · CPC title

• A61B5/20

  for measuring urological functions {restricted to the evaluation of the urinary system (A61B5/4375 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A61B5/4519

  Muscles (measuring muscular strength A61B5/224; using electromyography [EMG] A61B5/389) · CPC title

• A61B5/1171

  based on the shapes or appearances of their bodies or parts thereof · CPC title