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Title:
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING PERSONAL ELECTRONIC DEVICE TO WIRELESSLY LINK REMOTE DIAGNOSTIC SITE TO A HOME APPLIANCE FOR TROUBLESHOOTING
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2014/018872
Kind Code:
A4
Abstract:
A system and method for remotely diagnosing malfunctioning appliances using a short range wireless link between a user's smartphone and a malfunctioning appliance, and an additional wireless link (e.g., cellular, WiFi, ZigBee, Near Field Communication) between the smartphone and a remote service management system. A program downloaded by the user from a manufacturer's website onto the user's smartphone enables a service technician at the remotely connected service management system to take control of the appliance, using the downloaded application on the smartphone, and to perform required diagnostics, firmware updates, etc., to diagnose the cause of an error code generated by the appliance or a malfunction affecting the appliance. Optionally, the service technician may involve the user in performing additional inspections of the malfunctioning appliance and/or engaging various controls of the malfunctioning appliance to assist with the diagnostics and troubleshooting the technician is performing.

Inventors:
SIGAL JACOB R (US)
BALDINI MASSIMO (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2013/052303
Publication Date:
July 03, 2014
Filing Date:
July 26, 2013
Export Citation:
Click for automatic bibliography generation   Help
Assignee:
MYINE ELECTRONICS INC (US)
International Classes:
G05B23/02
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
GATTI, Marco, J. et al. (1000 Town CenterTwenty-Second Floo, Southfield Michigan, US)
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Claims:
AMENDED CLAIMS

received by the International Bureau on 17 March 2014 (17.03.2014)

What is claimed is:

1. A method for remotely communicating with a product, the product having a processor, the method comprising:

using a program downloaded from a website onto a user's smartphone to establish: a first wireless communications link between the smartphone and the processor of the product, while the smartphone is in a vicinity of the product; and

a second wireless communications link, via a wide area network, between the smartphone and a service facility, the service facility having control to diagnose at least one of repair or maintenance of the product;

in response to a request from the service facility, using the second wireless communications link to enable at least one of commands or information to be transmitted from the service facility to the processor of the product via the first and second wireless communications links to at least one of:

diagnose a malfunction affecting the product; or

provide firmwar updates to the product.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second wireless communication links further comprising the service facility to identify a malfunctioning component of the product based on the diagnose of the product.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the service facility to generate an order for a replacement part based on the malfunctioning component.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the service facility to generate at least one of an electronic mail message and text message with repair ticket information, and transmitting the at least one of the electric mail and text message to the smartphone.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first wireless communication link is at least one of BLUETOOTH, Near Field Communication, and ZigBee.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second wireless communication is at least one of WiFi and cellular.

7. A service facility system comprising:

at least one server configured to:

provide a program download at a website based on at least one of a make and model of an appliance;

receive a request to connect to a smartphone;

if the smartphone is in communication with the appliance, command control of communication with the appliance; and

transmit diagnostics to the appliance based on the commanded control and receive appliance data in response to the diagnostics, or

transmit a firmware update to the appliance.

8. The service facility system of claim 7, wherein the program download is an API that enables the at least one server to interface with the smartphone.

9. The service facility system of claim 7, wherein the appliance data is used to identify a malfunction of the appliance.

10. The service facility system of claim 9, wherein the at least one server is further configured to generate an order for a replacement part based on the malfunction.

1 1. The service facility system of claim 7, wherein the at least one server is further configured to store appliance information that is at least one of service history information, configuration information, and available commands used to control the appliance.

12. The service facility system of claim 7, wherein the at least one server is further configured to generate at least one of an electronic mail message and text message with repair ticket information, and transmit the at least one of the electric mail and text message to the smartphone.

13. A smartphonc device for use as a communication link between an appliance and a service facility, the smartphone comprising:

an operating system configured to:

receive a program downloaded from a website onto a smartphone; establish communication with an appliance using a first wireless communication link;

establish communication with a service facility using a second wireless communication link;

in response to a service command received from the second wireless communication link, transmit diagnostics to the appliance or transmit a firmware update to the appliance.

14. The smartphonc device of claim 13, wherein the program download is an API that enables an interface between, the service facility and the smartphonc.

15. The smartphonc device of claim 13, wherein the operating system is further configured to receive appliance data based on diagnostics from the appliance, and transmit the appliance data to the service facility.

16. The smartphone device of claim 15, wherein the operating system is further configured to receive an order request for a replacement part based the diagnostics.

17. The smartphone device of claim 13, wherein the operating system is further configured to receive appliance information that includes at least one of service history information, configuration information, and available commands used to control the appliance.

18. The smartphone device of claim 13, wherein the operating system is further configured to receive at least one of an electronic mail message and text message with repair ticket information.

19. The smartphone device of claim 13, wherein the first wireless communication link is at least one of BLUETOOTH, Near Field Communication, and ZigBee.

20. The smartphone device of claim 13, wherein the second wireless communication is at least one of WiFi and cellular.