Communications adapter apparatus for interfacing with an appliance controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019305980-A1
Application number	US-201916369154-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 29, 2019
Priority date	Mar 29, 2018
Publication date	Oct 3, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A communications adapter may be in operative communication with the controller of the appliance via a connector, cable, or wire configured to send and/or receive electrical signals, data, and/or power. Through the connector, the communications adapter may be configured to retrieve various types of appliance data (both real-time and static data) from the appliance controller. The communications adapter may then wirelessly communicate with a user device to relay the appliance data and receive user inputs. In this manner, the communications adapter provides a way to retrofit legacy appliances with wireless communication capabilities, which in turn enables the user to remotely monitor and control the appliances.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A communications adapter apparatus for interfacing with an appliance, the apparatus comprising:
a processor; a connector structured to operatively connect the apparatus to a controller of the appliance; a communication interface; and a memory having executable code stored thereon, wherein the executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
determine an identity of the appliance or the controller of the appliance;
establish a first communication channel with the controller of the appliance, wherein the first communication channel provides data transmission and retrieval between the apparatus and the controller of the appliance; and
establish a second communication channel with a user device, wherein the second communication channel provides data transmission and retrieval between the apparatus and the user device.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the executable code further causes the processor to:
access a database of appliance configuration profiles; and based on the identity of the appliance or the controller of the appliance, select an appliance configuration profile corresponding with the appliance.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein determining the identity of the appliance or the controller of the appliance comprises:
transmitting a query to the controller of the appliance, wherein the query comprises a request for the controller of the appliance to identify itself; and receiving a response from the controller of the appliance, wherein the response comprises the identity of the appliance or the controller of the appliance.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein determining the identity of the appliance or the controller of the appliance comprises receiving, via the user device, an input from a user, wherein the input comprises information regarding the identity of the appliance or the controller of the appliance.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the executable code further causes the processor to:
receive, from the user device, a request to change a configuration of the appliance; and transmit, to the controller of the appliance, a command to change the configuration of the appliance.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the appliance is a refrigerator, wherein the command to change the configuration of the appliance comprises changing one of a temperature setting, an internal light setting, or a power setting of the refrigerator.

7 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the appliance is an oven, wherein the command to change the configuration of the appliance comprises changing one of a temperature setting, a timer setting, or a power setting of the oven.

8 . The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the appliance is a washer, wherein the command to change the configuration of the appliance comprises changing one of a wash cycle setting, a water temperature setting, or a garment color setting of the washer.

9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the executable code further causes the processor to:
receive, from the user device, a request to retrieve a set of data from the controller of the appliance, wherein the set of data comprises a parameter associated with the appliance; retrieve the set of data from the controller of the appliance; and transmit the set of data to the user device.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the appliance is a refrigerator, wherein the parameter associated with the appliance comprises one of a current temperature, internal light status, or a power status of the refrigerator.

11 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the appliance is an oven, wherein the parameter associated with the appliance comprises one of a current temperature, timer status, or power status of the oven.

12 . The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the appliance is a washer, wherein the parameter associated with the appliance comprises one of a wash cycle status, current water temperature, or power status of the washer.

13 . The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an interactive display, wherein the interactive display is configured to:
accept an input from a user, wherein the input comprises a command to change a configuration of the appliance; and
display a parameter associated with the appliance.

14 . A computer-implemented method for interfacing with an appliance, the method comprising:
connecting a communications adapter apparatus to the appliance via a connector; determining, via the apparatus, an identity of the appliance or a controller of the appliance; establishing, via the apparatus, a first communication channel with the controller of the appliance, wherein the first communication channel provides data transmission and retrieval between the apparatus and the controller of the appliance; and establishing, via the apparatus, a second communication channel with a user device, wherein the second communication channel provides data transmission and retrieval between the apparatus and the user device.

15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , the method further comprising:
accessing, via the apparatus, a database of appliance configuration profiles; and based on the identity of the appliance or the controller of the appliance, selecting, via the apparatus, an appliance configuration profile corresponding with the appliance.

16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein determining the identity of the appliance or the controller of the appliance comprises:
transmitting a query to the controller of the appliance, wherein the query comprises a request for the controller of the appliance to identify itself; and receiving a response from the controller of the appliance, wherein the response comprises the identity of the appliance or the controller of the appliance.

17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , wherein determining the identity of the controller of the appliance comprises receiving, via the user device, an input from a user, wherein the input comprises information regarding the identity of the appliance or the controller of the appliance.

18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , the method further comprising:
receiving, from the user device, a request to change a configuration of the appliance; transmitting, to the controller of the appliance, a command to change the configuration of the appliance; receiving, from the user device, a request to retrieve a set of data from the controller of the appliance, wherein the set of data comprises a parameter associated with the appliance; retrieving the set of data from the controller of the appliance; and transmitting the set of data to the user device.

19 . A system for interfacing with appliances, comprising:
an appliance comprising a controller; and a communications adapter apparatus retrofitted to the controller of the appliance via a connector, wherein the apparatus comprises:
a processor;
a communication interface; and
a memory having executable code stored thereon, wherein the executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
determine an identity of the appliance or the controller of the appliance;
establish a first communication channel with the controller of the appliance, wherein the first communication channel provides data transmission and retrieval between the apparatus and the controller of the appliance; and
establish a second communication channel with a user device, wherein the second communication channel provides data transmission and retriev

Assignees

• Electrolux Home Prod Inc

Inventors

• D'Ovidio Mario

Classifications

• H04L12/2803 Primary

  Home automation networks · CPC title

• H04L67/34

  involving the movement of software or configuration parameters  (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416) · CPC title

• H04L67/141

  Setup of application sessions (admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70) · CPC title

• H04L2012/285

  Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators · CPC title

• H04L12/283

  Processing of data at an internetworking point of a home automation network · CPC title