Method for initiating a consumable-based cycle of operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9277188-B2
Application number	US-201313889625-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 8, 2013
Priority date	Jun 9, 2005
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

A method of initiating a cycle of operation based on a consumable includes providing a consumable reader having a software architecture configured to image data, communicate over a network, and identify functionalities of appliances based on a unique identifier associated with each instance of a functionality, imaging data about the consumable using the consumable reader; retrieving cycle data associated with the consumable based on the imaged data; ascertaining in the software architecture at least one functionality associated with the cycle data; selecting from the plurality of appliances an appliance having the at least one functionality using the unique identifier associated with an instance of the at least one functionality; and communicating the cycle data to the selected appliance over the network of appliances wherein the selected appliance can conduct a cycle of operation associated with the consumable using the cycle data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of initiating a cycle of operation based on a consumable in one of a plurality of appliances, each of which communicates over a network, the method comprising:
providing a consumable reader having a software architecture configured to image information, communicate over the network, and identify functionalities of appliances based on a unique identifier associated with each instance of a functionality;
imaging information about the consumable using the consumable reader;
retrieving uncompiled data associated with the consumable based on the imaged information wherein the uncompiled data includes a description of an ordered collection of steps, actions to be taken by at least one component of an appliance during each step, and conditions under which a current step should transition into a next step in the ordered collection of steps;
ascertaining in the software architecture at least one functionality associated with the uncompiled data;
selecting from the plurality of appliances an appliance having the at least one functionality using the unique identifier associated with an instance of the at least one functionality; and
communicating the uncompiled data to the selected appliance over the network of appliances wherein the selected appliance can build a custom operation cycle based on the uncompiled data and conduct the custom cycle of operation associated with the consumable.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the consumable reader is a handheld device with a camera.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the handheld device is a smart phone.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the uncompiled data is retrieved from a non-transitory storage medium in the consumable reader.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the uncompiled data is retrieved from the internet.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the imaging includes reading encoded data.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the encoded data includes one of a QR code or a bar code.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the imaging includes using a camera in the consumable reader.

Assignees

• Whirlpool Co
• Whirlpool Corportion

Inventors

• Ebrom Matthew P
• Mccoy Richard A

Classifications

• G06F9/54 Primary

  Interprogram communication · CPC title

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• H04L69/26

  Special purpose or proprietary protocols or architectures (network applications for proprietary or special purpose networking environments H04L67/12) · CPC title

• H05B6/688

  for thawing · CPC title

• H04N7/181 Primary

  for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources · CPC title