Methods and apparatus for appliance communication interface
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsWolfgang Daum, Robert Marten Bultman, John Steven Holmes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for changing a control program that controls at least some operations of an appliance is provided. The appliance includes at least one electronic control that executes the control program. The method includes connecting the electronic control to a communication device configured to communicate with at least one user device via a network. The method also includes changing the control program via the user device and the network.
Claims36
A method for changing a control program that controls at least some low-level function commands of an appliance, the appliance including at least one electronic control that executes the control program, said method comprising:
- connecting the electronic control to a communication device configured to communicate with at least one user device via a network;
- and
- changing the control program via the user device and the network to add new function commands using the low-level function commands.
A method for operating an appliance controlled by a dedicated appliance controller interfacing with an appliance communication controller configured to interpret and transmit low-level function commands for operating the appliance to the dedicated appliance controller, the appliance communication controller connected to a modem, said method comprising:
- establishing a communication link with the appliance communication controller using the modem;
- supplying at least one new function command to the appliance communication controller using the communication link;
- interpreting the at least one new function command using the low-level function commands;
- and
- transmitting the at least one new function command to the dedicated appliance controller from the appliance communication controller.
A communication interface for operating an appliance controlled by a dedicated appliance controller, said interface comprising:
- an appliance communication controller interfacing with the dedicated appliance controller;
- and
- an external host controller interfacing with said appliance communication controller and configured to receive control data from an operator, said appliance communication controller further configured to:
- receive an extended function command;
- convert the extended function command into a low-level function command;
- and
- transmit the low-level function command to the dedicated appliance controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.