Diagnostic system for an automatic appliance
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorsLarry J. Manson, Michael D. Goslee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An automatic appliance includes a diagnostic system, wherein a user is alerted to request servicing for major operational errors, and error data is stored for later retrieval by service personnel. A special overlay template is provided for the service personnel to execute special routines via standard operational parameter input keypads of the appliance.
Claims12
A method of operation of an automatic appliance including diagnosing operational errors comprising the steps of:
- (a) sensing the occurrence of an operational error;
- (b) identifying the type of error to a user, a first type of error being errors about which servicing should be requested to correct the error, a second type of error being errors about which servicing need not be requested to correct the error;
- (c) alerting the user to request servicing if the error is of the first type;
- (d) displaying information identifying the error to the user if the error is of the second type;
- and
- (e) determining if information identifying the error is to be stored for later retrieval by service personnel if the error is of the second type.
A method of diagnosing operational errors during the operation of an automatic appliance comprising the steps of:
- (a) sensing the occurrence of an error in the operation of the appliance;
- (b) determining whether the error is of a first type;
- (c) storing information pertinent to the error if the error is the first type and then visually alerting a user to request servicing of the appliance;
- (d) displaying a message identifying the error if the error is not of the first type and then determining whether the error is of a second type;
- (e) storing information identifying the error if the error is of a second type;
- and
- (f) placing the appliance in a mode responsive to the type of error.
An automatic appliance including a diagnostic system, comprising:
- (a) means for sensing the occurrence of an operational error;
- (b) means for identifying the type of error to a user, a first type of error being errors about which servicing should be requested to correct the error, a second type of error being errors about which servicing need not be requested to correct the error;
- (c) means for alerting the user to request servicing if the error is of the first type;
- (d) means for displaying information identifying the error to the user if the error is of the second type;
- and
- (e) means for determining if information identifying the error is to be stored for later retrieval by a service personnel if the error is of the second type.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.