US 4,245,309 AGranted

Microprocessor based control circuit for washing appliances with diagnostic system

AssigneeGeneral Electric Company

InventorGeorge E. Kiefer

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A control circuit is disclosed for appliances such as dishwashers and clothes washers. The control circuit employs a microprocessor programmed to respond to user selected options to determine the operating sequence of the appliance. Feedback systems permit the detection and indication of fault conditions, such as overfill or drain blockage, and initiate protective responses from the microprocessor to prevent flooding or damage to the appliance. The circuit includes a diagnostic system having a diagnostic routine which will sequence through the usual operating cycles in response to operator input and which may be advanced through the cycles at the operator's discretion. The operative cycles and applicance malfunctions, if any, are displayed on a control panel as the diagnostic routine is executed thereby facilitating diagnosis and repair.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A control circuit for permitting a user to selectively operate a washing appliance having electromechanical means for filling, circulating, and draining water in said appliance, said circuit comprising:

(a) a microprocessor including a read only memory having a supervisory program stored therein,
(b) input means permitting user selection of desired operation cycles and including means for communication with said microprocessor to permit the latter to determine the cycle selected by the user, said microprocessor controlling said electromechanical means responsive to said user selected cycles,
(c) display means for providing the user with information regarding the operating state of the appliance,
(d) means for interconnecting said display means to said microprocessor, said microprocessor periodically updating said display means during operation of said appliance,
(e) diagnostic means for verifying correct operation of said appliance, operative to sequentially actuate said electromechanical means to initiate the operating cycles provided by each of said electromechanical means,
(f) means for initiating operation of said diagnostic means in response to operator input, and
(g) means for selectively canceling operation of desired ones of said electromechanical means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.