Appliance communication system
US5987105A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 24, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 16, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 24, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04M11/04
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A home appliance, such as a laundry washing machine or refrigerator including a buzzer designed to sound an alarm or provide an audible indication of a certain condition is disclosed. The appliance may transmit information (such as diagnostic or fault codes and appliance usage information) to a remote service center without the need for a physical connection to a telephone line. The buzzer may be controlled to produce audible tones in a predetermined format which can be transmitted from the appliance, through the air and down a telephone line through a telephone handset to the service center. The signal is recorded at the service center and the data extracted. The data is then analyzed to obtain the fault and/or usage information.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.