Patent Application
20230193544
Described herein are interactive appliance interfaces.
Commercial appliances, including clothes washers, dryers and other commercial laundry appliances, may include user interfaces configured to present information to users. The user interface may also be configured to receive user feedback to control the appliance.
A commercial laundry appliance may include a cabinet having a front panel defining an access opening configured to receive laundry items, at least one sensor configured to detect the presence of a user, a human-machine-interface (HMI) having a display and configured to present information to the user, and a processor configured to instruct the (HMI) to display updated display content in response to the sensor detecting the presence of the user.
A system for updating a display of a commercial appliance, the appliance may include at least one sensor configured to detect presence of a user at the appliance, a human-machine-interface (HMI) having a display and configured to present information to the user, a memory configured to maintain display content to be presented at the HMI, and a processor configured to instruct the HMI to display updated display content in response to the sensor detecting the presence of the user and the memory including content not previously presented to the user.
A method for updating a display on an appliance may include receiving appliance data indicative of an appliance mode, determining whether the appliance is in one of an active mode or a standby based on the appliance data, receiving an indication of a trigger event, wherein the trigger event indicates presence of a user at the appliance, and presenting content at a display of the appliance in response to the appliance being in the active mode and the trigger event.
The embodiments of the present disclosure are pointed out with particularity in the appended claims. However, other features of the various embodiments will become more apparent and will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.
Commercial laundry appliance may have multiple cycles of operation. These cycles may be controlled and monitored via a user interface on the appliance. The user interface may display certain options, prices, etc. In some examples, the user interface may also display advertisements, greetings, and the like. However, these displays are often default displays and are not updated, nor customized. To the extent that the user interface should be updated, the manufacturer of the appliance may be required to rely on a third-party vender to prepare the content and install the updates. If updates to the appliance user interface are not possible, the manufacturer may be required to rely on other mediums to transmit information to the user, such as the mobile messages, paper advertising, etc.
Further, appliances that lack easy to use feature may require that the user have general awareness and know-how of the product or have the means to access the information. This can lead to improper use of the appliance and lower user satisfaction. For example, the user may desire more information on certain wash cycles of a washing machine, or certain cooking options on an oven. Certain settings on a refrigerator may also be unknown to the user. Users may be required to rely on a service technician, user manual, web browser, etc., to understand the appliances' features and to optimize performance. Thus, the lack of interactive or updated information at the appliance is lacking.
Disclosed herein is an appliance having a user interface that is capable of receiving over the air (OTA) data and display updates. The manufacturer may push updates to each appliance via a cloud network or physical data connection to the appliance so that the appliance's user interface may be updated. The updates may be in the form of specific content to display as advertisements, usage improvements, seasonal greetings, periodic discounts, etc. In the event that no updates exist, a default display may be presented. User specific interfaces may also be transmitted and displayed, such as a preferred screen saver, etc. When in a connected state with a cloud system, the appliance may inquire via the cloud whether there are any updates from the manufacturer. The appliance may do this periodically, or when a user is using or close to the appliance. The appliance may indicate a trigger event to the cloud system. In response to the trigger event, the system may determine whether a display update is available, and if so, transmit that display to the appliance. Thus, customizable and easy to update displays may be presented via the appliance interface, increasing user satisfaction of the appliance.
The appliance 102 may include a cabinet having a front panel 104. The cabinet may house components typically found in a laundry appliance such as a laundry drum configured to receive laundry items, as well as a chassis, frame, motors, controls, fluid lines, sensors, vents, etc. The laundry drum may be configured to receive laundry and rotate about an axis. In this example, the axis may be relatively horizontal. An access opening may be defined in the front panel 104 to allow access to the drum. The access opening may be selectively accessible via the door 106.
The appliance 102 may include the user interface 114 configured to receive commands from the user in order to operate the appliance 102. The user interface 114 may also include a display 112 or speaker(s) in order to convey information to the user, such as cycle options, time remaining, etc. The user interface 114 may also include touch displays, cameras, microphones, gesture sensors, accelerometers, etc., to receive the user commands. In another example, the user interface 114 may be arranged at a user device, such as the user's smart phone.
The appliance 102 may also include a controller 110 having a processor for controlling certain cycles, components, etc. The controller 110 may be electrically connected to signaling interfaces of other components of the appliance 102, thereby allowing the processor of the controller 300 to manipulate the functions of the appliance 102. For example, the controller 110 may be configured to receive user input from the user interface 114, such as requests to initiate a laundry cycle. The controller 110 may also be configured to control communication to devices (e.g., manufacturer device 132) external to the appliance 102. The processor may include one or more microprocessors, micro-controllers, digital signal processors, microcomputers, central processing units (CPU), graphical processing units (GPU), tensor processing units (TPU), field programmable gate arrays, programmable logic devices, state machines, logic circuits, analog circuits, digital circuits, or any other devices that manipulate signals (analog or digital) based on computer-executable instructions residing in an appliance memory 118.
The appliance memory 118 may include a single memory device or a number of memory devices including, but not limited to, random access memory (RAM), volatile memory, non-volatile memory, static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), flash memory, cache memory, or any other device capable of storing information. The non-volatile storage may include one or more persistent data storage devices such as a hard drive, optical drive, tape drive, non-volatile solid-state device, cloud storage or any other device capable of persistently storing information. The appliance memory 118 may maintain data to be displayed on the user interface 114. This data may be updated, as is described herein.
The appliance 102 may have a wireless transceiver (not shown) configured to transmit and receive digital signals. The appliance 102 may also include a connection interface 108 configured to enable communication between the appliance 102 and an external device such as a universal serial bus (USB), external hard drive, flash drive etc. In one example, the connection interface 108 may be a USB port configured to receive USB devices 126 in order to transfer and/or receive digital data. The connection interface 108 may include other ports in addition or in alternative to a USB port. For example, the connection interface 108 may include high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI), including standard, mini, and micro, Ethernet, mini-USB, micro-USB, USB-A, USB-C, etc.
The system 100 may include a cloud system 130 configured to maintain information and communication with the appliance 102 as well as with other manufacturer devices 132. The cloud system 130 may be in communication with the appliance 102 over a communication network 134. The cloud system 130 includes a cloud server or computing device configured to maintain information and communicate with the appliance 102 over the communication network 134. The communication network 134 may be configured to provide communication services, such as packet-switched network services (e.g., Internet access, voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communication services) to devices connected to the cloud system 130.
The cloud system 130 may be in communication with a database or memory 138. The memory 138 may include a single memory device or a number of memory devices including, but not limited to, RAM, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, SRAM, DRAM, flash memory, cache memory, or any other device capable of storing information. Non-volatile storage may also be included or in communication with the memory 138 and may include one or more persistent data storage devices such as a hard drive, optical drive, tape drive, non-volatile solid-state device, cloud storage or any other device capable of persistently storing information. The manufacturer device 132 may include devices such as a personal computer, mobile device, tablet, etc.
The manufacturer devices 132 may be associated with the manufacturer of the appliance 102 and may be remote from the appliance 102. The manufacturer devices 132 may be used to upload data, such as new display content to the appliance 102. This may be achieved via a hardwired connection via the connection interface 108, and/or the cloud system 130. The manufacturer devices 132 may include one or more devices configured to receive user input and transmit data. In one example, the manufacturer device 132 may be a smart phone, tablet device, personal computer, etc. The manufacturer device 132 may originate or generate updated content, such as an updated visual. The updated content may be any form of content that may be presented via the user interface 114 on the appliance 102 to aid in user satisfaction. For example, the display may be an advertisement for another manufacturer product that has recently been released in the region. The display may be an advertisement for other laundromat products and/or a description of their applications.
In another example, the content may be related to a performance enhancement where the content is a series of interactive screens or videos that display unexplored features of the appliance 102 to the users. This may result in better product performance by the user. For example, the content may be a video that explains how to separate laundry between colors and materials. In another example, the display may be a video explaining the differences of the various laundry cycles and which one to use in which situations. Further, other settings, such as weather-based settings, and more, may be further explained and taught by the display.
In a further example, discounts may be presented such as seasonal and promotional offers to promote usage for certain services or products. Other forms of alerts, such as safety guidelines, weather announcements, Amber alerts, etc., may be displayed. New features may also be displayed, such as upgrades to the appliance 102, etc. Default display content may be preloaded in the appliance memory 118 and be displayed in the absence of an updated display content.
As mentioned, the content may be a screen or series of screens, videos, graphics interchange formats (GIFs), etc., configured to convey some sort of information or presentation to the user. In some example, audio as well as visual content is included in the content. The manufacturer may push out updated content periodically depending on the season, holiday, current events, current products, etc. The manufacturer devices 132 may be configured to transmit the displays to the appliance 102 via the cloud system 130 when the appliance 102 is in a connected state with the communication network 134. Additionally or alternatively, the data may be downloaded to the appliance 102 by a physical connection at the connection interface 108, usually by a service technician. This may be done via the USB as illustrated in
The controller 110 of the appliance 102 may be configured to periodically check for updated content. In a connected state, where the appliance 102 is in communication with the cloud system 130 via the communication network 134, the controller 110 may determine whether a user is currently using the appliance 102, and even further, whether the user's attention is on the appliance 102. This may be determined by various user interactions with the appliance 102, these interactions being considered one or more trigger events. One user interaction may simply be any user interaction with the user interface 114. That is, if the user presses a button or touches the display screen, the controller 110 may determine that the user's attention is on the appliance 102. A touch sensor may transmit the trigger event to the controller 110. In another example, an opening or closing of the door 106, as detected by a door sensor 122, may indicate the user's attention. That is, if the door sensor 122 detects a change in position of the door 106 (e.g., from open to close or from closed to open), the appliance 102 may infer that a user is at the appliance 102.
Further, the presence of a user, as detected by a motion sensor, camera, heat detector, etc., may also indicate the user's attention. Such trigger events may cause the appliance 102 to check for updated displays (i.e., new content) so that targeting information may be provided to the user.
Information is transmitted from the manufacturer device 132 to the appliance 102, the appliance 102 in turn may transmit information to the cloud system 130 as well as to the manufacturer device 132. The information may include appliance data, as well as user data. The appliance data may indicate a status of the appliance, such as running, washing, drying, another cycle being performed by the appliance 102, whether the appliance 102 needs service, etc. The appliance data may also indicate a user interaction or trigger event at the appliance 102 as discussed above, though such trigger events may be used solely by the appliance 102 to determine when to display updated content. Furthermore, the appliance data may include information about the last known update received at the appliance 102, such as the last updated display content, etc.
The user data may include data relevant to the user. This may include a user identification. In one example, the user may be identified by a key associated with the user and input at the initiation of machine use. For example, the user may interact with the appliance 102 via an app on the user's mobile device. The app may allow the user to pay for use of the appliance 102 services (e.g., a wash cycle, dry cycle, etc.), as well as control the appliance 102. The user may also insert a card having radio frequency identification, a credit card, or physical item that may identify the user, either via the user's account, the user's name, etc.
The appliance 102 may keep track of actions and orders made by the user. This user data may be stored in the appliance memory 118. For example, if the user used the machine to run a delicate cycle, such data may be included in the user data. The user data may also include aggregate data, such as average number of cycles at the appliance 102 for the user, average dollar amount spent, other purchases, made such as detergent and softener, etc. This data may be transmitted to the manufacturer device 132 and used to provide contextual updated content to the appliance 102. For example, if the user routinely purchases detergent, then a coupon or advertisement for detergent may be included in the updated content.
Non-user specific display updates may also be sent, as explained above, including seasonal greetings, such as Merry Christmas, Happy Spring, etc., launches of new features such as payment options or upgrades, smart features; alerts such as Amber alerts; customized screen savers, etc.
At block 510, the controller 110 may determine whether the appliance 102 is in standby mode. If so, the process 500 may proceed to block 515. At block 515, the processor may determine whether the appliance 102 is connected to the cloud system 130 via the communication network 134. If so, the process 500 proceeds to block 520. If not, the process 500 proceeds to block 525.
At block 520, the controller 110 may transmit a query to the cloud system 130 inquiring whether there are any content updates. This may include display content generated and sent by the manufacturer devices 132 since the last update to the appliance 102. This request may be sent at periodic intervals while the appliance 102 is idle. If the controller 110 receives a response from the cloud system 130 that that one or more updated displays are available, the process 500 may proceed to block 535.
At block 535, the controller 110 may receive the updated display content and store the updated display content and all associated data in the appliance memory 118.
At block 525, the controller 110, in response to not being connected to the cloud system 130, may determine whether a device is received at the connection interface 108, such as a USB device 126. If a device, or cable, is detected, the process 500 proceeds to block 540. If not, the process 500 proceed back to block 510.
At block 540, the controller 110 receive display content from the USB device 126 and determine whether the USB includes at least one updated display content. This may include content generated by the manufacturer devices 132 and uploaded to the appliance 102 by a technician that has been instructed to do so by plugging in the USB device 126 to the appliance 102. If the controller 110 determines that content for one or more updated displays is available, the process 500 may proceed to block 535.
At block 530, the controller 110, in response to determining that the appliance 102 is not in a standby state, may determine whether the appliance 102 has the attention of the user. This may include waiting for a trigger event to occur, as described above. If the appliance 102 has the attention of the user, the process 500 may proceed to block 550. If not, the process 500 may proceed back to block 510.
At block 550, the controller 110 may display the most recent content update to be visible to the user. As explained, this may be similar to one of the examples shown in
Accordingly, an interactive HMI system for an appliance 102 is disclosed. The system may include receiving data and displaying information on the HMI of the appliance 102 based on user and appliance data. The information may include advertainments, usage improvements and suggestions, seasonal discounts, festive wishes or announcement, upcoming launches, safety guidelines, customized screen savers, etc. Default information may also be provided. The updated display content may be received from a manufacturer OTA or via a hard wired connection at the appliance 102. The new content may be displayed in response to the presence by the user being detected, such as an opening or closing of the appliance door, and/or user interaction with the HMI. Notably, the new content may be content that was downloaded to the appliance 102 while the appliance 102 was in standby mode, and then displayed to the user while the appliance 102 is in the active mode. The content may be new content not previously presented to the user.
While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.
For purposes of description herein the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the device as oriented in
The descriptions of the various embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments.
Aspects of the present embodiments may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.
Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM) or Flash memory, an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
