US5586174A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Condition responsive indicating system for interactively indicating status of a plurality of electrical appliances
Assignee: Advanced Laundry Devices Inc
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Filing: 1995-05-25
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Granted: 1996-12-17
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Expires: 2015-05-25
Abstract
Abstract The operating status of a plurality of laundry appliances including washing machines and/or driers is sensed, and a controller generates and transmits corresponding status signals to remote transceivers which include visual or audio indicators for indicating the information. Each transceiver can interrogate the controller to determine the status of the appliances, with the status being transmitted only to the interrogating transmitter. Each transceiver can also transmit a reservation signal to the controller to reserve a selected appliance for a predetermined period of time. The controller also transmits status signals for the selected appliance only to the transceiver of the user who reserved the appliance when the operating cycle is finished, or at a predetermined period of time prior to the end of the operating cycle. The transceivers can communicate with the controller over a telephone line, or over A.C. power lines.
Inventors
- 👤 Douglas J. Bogner
- 👤 Jason H. Mernick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 07:54
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04L12/28; H04L12/2803; H04L12/2823; H04L12/2825; H02; H02J; H02J13/00; H02J13/13; H02J13/1311; H02J13/1313; H04M; H04M11/00; H04M11/002; G; G05; G05B; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/20; G05B2219/24; G05B2219/24048; G05B2219/26; G05B2219/2642; H04L2012/284; H04L2012/2843; Y; Y02; Y02B; Y02B70/00; Y02B70/30; Y02B90/00; Y02B90/20; Y04; Y04S; Y04S20/00; Y04S20/20; Y04S20/242; Y04S40/00; Y04S40/12; Y04S40/121
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
243 words
A condition responsive indicating system for interactively indicating status of a plurality of electrical appliances, comprising: a controller for sensing an operational status parameter of each of the appliances and generating and transmitting status signals corresponding thereto; said controller including a memory device storing an association between a prospective user and a call back request signal, an association between the call back request signal and a selected appliance type of the appliances, and a number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation; said controller embodying a call back request processing routine which adjusts the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation in response to the call back request signal and a reservation request signal and transmits a call back in response to the call back request signal depending upon the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation; said controller further comprising a reservation unit for selectively controlling the appliances to accept control inputs from only a specified user in response to the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation and the reservation request signal; and a plurality of remote transceivers, each including: a transmitter for generating and transmitting interrogation signals including the call back request signal and the reservation request signal; a receiver for receiving the status signals and the call back; and at least one indicator for producing indications of the status signals and the call back.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
243 words
A condition responsive indicating system for interactively indicating status of a plurality of electrical appliances, comprising: a controller for sensing an operational status parameter of each of the appliances and generating and transmitting status signals corresponding thereto; said controller including a memory device storing an association between a prospective user and a call back request signal, an association between the call back request signal and a selected appliance type of the appliances, and a number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation; said controller embodying a call back request processing routine which adjusts the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation in response to the call back request signal and a reservation request signal and transmits a call back in response to the call back request signal depending upon the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation; said controller further comprising a reservation unit for selectively controlling the appliances to accept control inputs from only a specified user in response to the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation and the reservation request signal; and a plurality of remote transceivers, each including: a transmitter for generating and transmitting interrogation signals including the call back request signal and the reservation request signal; a receiver for receiving the status signals and the call back; and at least one indicator for producing indications of the status signals and the call back.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A system as in claim 1, in which: the control inputs include prepayment information designating said specified user; and the reservation unit selectively controls the appliances in response to the prepayment information.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system as in claim 1, in which the reservation unit comprises means for selectively controlling the appliances to accept control inputs from only the specified user for only a predetermined period of time after receipt of the reservation request signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
392 words
A condition responsive indicating system for interactively indicating status of a plurality of electrical appliances, comprising: a controller for monitoring, storing and transmitting an operational status parameter of an appliance and for transmitting an availability status of the appliance in response to interrogation signals; said controller including a memory device storing an association between a prospective user and prepayment information., an association between the prospective user and a call back request signal, an association between the call back request signal and a selected type of the appliances, and a number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation; said controller embodying a call back option routine which monitors the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation and generates a call back option menu for prompting the prospective user to request a call back by providing the call back request signal to said controller; said controller embodying a call back request processing routine which adjusts the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation in response to the call back request signal and a reservation request signal and transmits a call back in response to the call back request signal depending upon the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation; said controller further comprising a reservation unit for selectively controlling the appliances to accept control inputs from only a specified user in response to the reservation request signal and depending upon the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation and the prepayment information, the reservation unit comprising means for selectively controlling the appliances to accept inputs from only the specified user for only a predetermined period of time after receipt of the reservation request signal; and a plurality of remote transceivers for transmitting the interrogation signals, the interrogation signals including the call back request signal and the reservation request signal, and for receiving and indicating the availability status, each of the remote transceiver comprising a transmitter for generating and transmitting the interrogation signals, a receiver for receiving the availability status, the call back option menu, and the call back, and at least one indicator for producing indications of the availability status, the call back option menu, and the call back, the at least one indicator including a voice synthesis mechanism for audibly producing the call back.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
392 words
A condition responsive indicating system for interactively indicating status of a plurality of electrical appliances, comprising: a controller for monitoring, storing and transmitting an operational status parameter of an appliance and for transmitting an availability status of the appliance in response to interrogation signals; said controller including a memory device storing an association between a prospective user and prepayment information., an association between the prospective user and a call back request signal, an association between the call back request signal and a selected type of the appliances, and a number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation; said controller embodying a call back option routine which monitors the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation and generates a call back option menu for prompting the prospective user to request a call back by providing the call back request signal to said controller; said controller embodying a call back request processing routine which adjusts the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation in response to the call back request signal and a reservation request signal and transmits a call back in response to the call back request signal depending upon the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation; said controller further comprising a reservation unit for selectively controlling the appliances to accept control inputs from only a specified user in response to the reservation request signal and depending upon the number of appliances of the selected type available for a reservation and the prepayment information, the reservation unit comprising means for selectively controlling the appliances to accept inputs from only the specified user for only a predetermined period of time after receipt of the reservation request signal; and a plurality of remote transceivers for transmitting the interrogation signals, the interrogation signals including the call back request signal and the reservation request signal, and for receiving and indicating the availability status, each of the remote transceiver comprising a transmitter for generating and transmitting the interrogation signals, a receiver for receiving the availability status, the call back option menu, and the call back, and at least one indicator for producing indications of the availability status, the call back option menu, and the call back, the at least one indicator including a voice synthesis mechanism for audibly producing the call back.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system as in claim 4, in which the controller further comprises: a reprogramming interface for receiving data to be stored in the controller.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-12-17 | 2000-06-17 | 2000-12-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-12-17 | 2004-06-17 | 2004-12-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-12-17 | 2008-06-17 | 2008-12-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |