Field configuration of commercial water heaters

US11624528B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-11624528-B2
Application numberUS-202217809249-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateJun 27, 2022
Priority dateJul 22, 2019
Publication dateApr 11, 2023
Grant dateApr 11, 2023

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  1. Title

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  2. Abstract

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  3. Assignees and inventors

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  4. Key dates

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  5. First independent claim

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  6. CPC / IPC classifications

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  7. Citations and related patents

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Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

A system and method for configuring a water heater. The method includes capturing, with a mobile device a scannable feature of a rating plate and receiving, with the mobile device, an input indicative of a configuration selection. The method further includes configuring, with the mobile device, the water heater based on the configuration selection.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1. A method for configuring a water heater, the method comprising: receiving an inoperable water heater base unit into a wholesale inventory, the water heater base unit being capable of being configured into a plurality of configurations; receiving an order for a water heater corresponding to one of the plurality of configurations; using a mobile computing device, establishing a communication link with a controller of the water heater base unit; selecting, on the mobile device, said one of the plurality of configurations; and transmitting configuration information corresponding to said one of the plurality of configurations from the mobile device to the controller by way of the communication link, wherein the configuration information converts the inoperable water heater base unit into a water heater capable of operating only in said one of the plurality of configurations. 2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile computing device is a tablet, a smartphone, or a personal computer. 3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of configurations includes a plurality of input ratings. 4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication link between the mobile computing device and the controller is established using NFC technology. 5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising applying to the water heater a rating plate corresponding to said one of the plurality of configurations. 6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the rating plate is one of a plurality of rating plates provided with the water heater base unit, each one of the plurality of rating plates corresponding to one of the plurality of configurations. 7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating an invoice corresponding to said one of the plurality of configurations. 8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water heater remains in packaging during the steps of establishing the communication link, selecting said one of the configurations, and transmitting configuration information. 9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water heater is unpowered during the steps of establishing the communication link, selecting said one of the configurations, and transmitting configuration information. 10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a configuration confirmation on the mobile computing unit after successfully transmitting configuration information to the controller.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices] · CPC title

  • Administration of product repair or maintenance · CPC title

  • by using bar codes · CPC title

  • G06Q30/016Primary

    After-sales · CPC title

  • by configuring or customising goods or services · CPC title

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Frequently asked questions

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What does patent US11624528B2 cover?
A system and method for configuring a water heater. The method includes capturing, with a mobile device a scannable feature of a rating plate and receiving, with the mobile device, an input indicative of a configuration selection. The method further includes configuring, with the mobile device, the water heater based on the configuration selection.
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Smith Corp A O
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification G06Q30/016. Mapped technology areas include Physics.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Apr 11 2023 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 4 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).