System and method for operating a plurality of appliances

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12549405-B2
Application number	US-202217986705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2022
Priority date	Nov 14, 2022
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

An appliance, system, and method for operating laundry appliances are provided. The method includes generating a plurality of utilization signals including a utilization rate corresponding to a first plurality of appliances at a first location; determining an activity status based on the plurality of utilization signals of the first plurality of appliances at the first location; determining a demand status based on comparing the activity status to a quantity of user interface devices within range of a network; and generating a user control signal based on the demand status. The user control signal corresponds to a second plurality of appliances at a second location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A computer-implemented method for operating pluralities of appliances, the method comprising:
generating a plurality of utilization signals comprising a utilization rate corresponding to a first plurality of appliances at a first location; determining an activity status based on the plurality of utilization signals of the first plurality of appliances at the first location; determining a demand status based on comparing the activity status to a quantity of user interface devices within range of a network; generating a user control signal based on the demand status, wherein the user control signal corresponds to a second plurality of appliances at a second location; generating an appliance control signal based on the demand status, wherein the appliance control signal corresponds to a second plurality of appliances at a second location; and transmitting the appliance control signal to one or more of the second plurality of appliances, wherein the appliance control signal comprises a permissive signal or an inhibit signal, wherein the permissive signal is configured to allow operation of one or more of the second plurality of appliances, and wherein the inhibit signal configured to disable operation of one or more of the second plurality of appliances.

2 . The method of claim 1 , the method comprising:
transmitting the user control signal to a user interface device, wherein the user control signal directs a user to one or more of the second plurality of appliances.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the activity status comprises:
comparing the plurality of utilization signals indicative of appliance activity to signals indicative of appliance inactivity.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the activity status comprises:
determining a ratio of reserved appliances to un-reserved appliances.

5 . The method of claim 1 , the method comprising:
determining a quantity of user interface devices within range of the network.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein determining the quantity of user interface devices comprises determining the quantity of user interface devices connected to or connectable to the network associated with the first location of the first plurality of appliances.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the demand status comprises:
comparing a device identifier to a time period.

8 . The method of claim 7 , the method comprising:
determining a correlation between the device identifier and the time period to estimate when a user may return to a location of a plurality of appliances.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the appliance control signal comprises a pricing signal.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the pricing signal permits utilization of one or more of the second plurality of appliances at a lower user cost than a baseline user cost.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the pricing signal permits utilization of one or more of the second plurality of appliances at the lower user cost, wherein utilization at the lower user cost corresponds to determining one or more of the second plurality of appliances is under-utilized.

12 . A system of appliances, the system comprising:
a first plurality of appliances at a first location; a second plurality of appliances at a second location; a controller configured to execute operations, the operations comprising: generating, at the first plurality of appliances, a plurality of utilization signals comprising a utilization rate corresponding to the first plurality of appliances; determining an activity status based on the plurality of utilization signals of the first plurality of appliances; determining a demand status based on comparing the activity status to a quantity of user interface devices within range of a network; generating a user control signal based on the demand status; generating an appliance control signal based on the demand status, wherein the appliance control signal corresponds to a second plurality of appliances at a second location; and transmitting the appliance control signal to one or more of the second plurality of appliances, wherein the appliance control signal comprises a permissive signal or an inhibit signal, wherein the permissive signal is configured to allow operation of one or more of the second plurality of appliances, and wherein the inhibit signal configured to disable operation of one or more of the second plurality of appliances.

13 . The system of claim 12 , the operations comprising:
transmitting the user control signal to a user interface device, wherein the user control signal directs a user to one or more of the second plurality of appliances.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the activity status comprises:
comparing the plurality of utilization signals indicative of appliance activity to signals indicative of appliance inactivity.

15 . The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the activity status comprises:
determining a ratio of reserved appliances to un-reserved appliances.

16 . The system of claim 12 , the operations comprising:
determining a quantity of user interface devices within range of the network, wherein determining the quantity of user interface devices comprises determining the quantity of user interface devices connected to or connectable to the network associated with the first location of the first plurality of appliances.

17 . The system of claim 12 , the operations comprising:
comparing a device identifier to a time period; and determining a correlation between the device identifier and the time period to estimate when a user may return to a location of a plurality of appliances.

Assignees

• Haier Us Appliance Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Scheckelhoff Ryan James
• Reeves Joshua

Classifications

• H04L12/2821

  Avoiding conflicts related to the use of home appliances (cryptographic protocols H04L9/00; protocols for network security H04L63/00) · CPC title

• H04L12/2814

  Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network (arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08) · CPC title

• H04L12/2838

  Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths (adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24) · CPC title

• H04L12/2818 Primary

  from a device located outside both the home and the home network (access arrangements H04L12/2856; for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025; arrangements for transmitting signals characterised by the use of a wireless eletrical link G08C17/00; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with remote control systems H04M11/007) · CPC title