Remote controlled washer, dryer, laundry product dispenser and payment system and operating method thereof

Abstract

A system for controlling washing and drying laundry machines, dispensing laundry products, collecting and remitting payments for laundry washing machine use, laundry drying machine use, monitoring location user base sales of laundry products from a dispenser, collecting diagnostic data from laundry machines, clearing laundry machine error codes, displaying advertisements, and scheduling repair visits, as well as an operating method therefor is disclosed, in which remote communication devices, such as cell phones, key fobs, other near field communication devices, or touch-screen kiosks, act on washing machines, dryer and product dispensers.

Claims

1. A method using a laundry system comprising a laundry machine; a communication device; a laundry machine controller, a third party payer communication device and a laundry-machine controller connector, according to the following steps: a) sending a message one from said laundry machine to said laundry machine controller, said message one communicates the operational status of said laundry machine; b) updating a log associated with said laundry machine, said log located in laundry machine controller upon receipt of said message one; c) creating a report associated with said log's update upon the execution of said update; d) communicating said report to an operator of said laundry machine controller; e) sending a message two from a communication device, to said laundry machine controller, whereby said message two communicates said communication device's user name and a funds transfer authorization benefiting an operator of said laundry machine controller; f) building a user log in said laundry machine controller upon receipt of said message two containing information from said message two; g) generating a user id and a user password associated with said user log upon said generation; h) adding said user id and said password to said user log; i) sending a message three from said laundry machine controller to said communication device whereby said communication device stores said password and said user id; j) sending a message four from said communication device to said laundry machine controller communicating the identity of said laundry machine and authorization for said operator of laundry machine controller to transfer funds; k) sending a message five from said laundry machine controller to a third party communicating request for payment of funds to said operator of said laundry machine controller; l) sending a message six from said laundry machine controller to said identified laundry machine communicating authorization to operate; m) signaling a message seven from said laundry machine to operator of said communication device communicating authorization to operate said laundry machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said message one is initiated by said laundry machine controller and transmitted to said laundry machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein operations signaling said laundry machine controller are performed by said laundry machine.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein operations authorized by said third party payer communication device are performed by said laundry machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein operations authorized by said communication device are performed by said laundry machine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said funds transfer operation comprises a credit card authorization.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates schematically a block diagram of the elements according to the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a flowchart of a method of controlling the software elements of laundry machine 100 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart of the software elements of the communications device 200 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a flowchart of the software elements of the laundry machine controller 300 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 5 illustrates the software elements executed in response to Message 4.

DETAILED SPECIFICATION AND METHOD OF USE

(7) The present invention is composed of five elements, including a communication device 200, a laundry machine controller 300, a laundry machine controller connector (not shown) to a laundry machine 100 and a third party payer communication device 400. Said communication device 200, such as a smart phone is capable of sending at least two messages to and receiving at least one message from said laundry machine controller 300. The laundry-machine controller connector is required for the present invention. Said connector can be incorporated by the manufacturer or an existing cable. Alternatively, the connector may be a wireless communications element such as a chip in lieu of a cable (e.g., via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth). Said connector must be capable of transmitting laundry-machine 100 data to laundry-machine controller 300 in such a format as to allow laundry-machine controller 300 to read it.

(8) The specifications of the connector are protocol-specific to a manufacturer or even by model by the same manufacturer. Acquiring said protocols may be achieved by working directly with manufacturers of new equipment or reprogramming laundry machine 100 to use protocols usable by laundry-machine controller 300.

(9) Said laundry machine controller 300 is capable of receiving at least two messages from said communication device 200, sending at least one message to said communication device 200, receiving at least one message from a laundry machine 100, using said message to update a log of said laundry machine 100 use history; sending at least one message to said laundry machine 100, and sending a message to a third party willing to transfer funds on behalf of the user of said communication device 200. Said laundry machine 100 is capable of sending a message to said laundry machine controller 300 and of receiving a message from said laundry machine controller 300.

(10) Said third party payer communication device 400 is capable of receiving at least one message from said laundry machine controller 300.

(11) The present invention uses a set of cables which are uniquely associated with the laundry machine 100 as needed due to laundry machine 100 specifications by manufacturer. The present invention may push updates to software or firmware in either laundry machine 100 or laundry machine controller 300 over-the-air using Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Z-wave or other communications protocols.

(12) The present invention method may be initiated by laundry machine 100 or by laundry machine controller 300 using an internal clock or timing mechanism.

(13) In an alternative embodiment, the database in laundry machine 100 may instead be employed in laundry machine controller 300, or even a remote location (not shown). Communications from laundry machine 100 to communications device 200 could alternatively originate in laundry machine controller 300.

(14) With respect to FIG. 2, laundry machine 100 in the preferred embodiment runs a series of programs. The first is software clock 110 which at specified times initiates database lookup software 120. Database 130, having been accessed, initiates sort-and-select output routine 140 to output the desired data through communications software 150 through the output module 160 to laundry machine controller 300. Conversely, incoming message six routes through communications module 170 to communication software 180 for transmission in the appropriate format to communications device 200 via message seven.

(15) Steps 120, 130, 140, 150 and 160, alternatively, may occur within the laundry machine controller 300.

(16) Referring now to FIG. 3, user registration and validation data are processed through module 210 for transmission in the appropriate format as message two to laundry machine controller 300. The desired laundry transaction (e.g., washer, dryer, dispenser, advertising) is selected in module 230, then submitted as a potential transaction via module 240 for transmission in the appropriate format via module 250 as message four to laundry machine controller 300.

(17) Referring now to FIG. 4, in response to said message two, module 310 registers the user ID and password which were submitted and initiates module 320, and upon failure to establish unique credentials, module 320 reinitiates module 310 for validation and possible challenge for re-entry. Otherwise, modules 320 initiates module 330 to log the user ID and password for the session, then initiates module 340 to output message 3 in the appropriate format to communications device 200.

(18) Referring now to FIG. 5, in response to said message four, module 350 registers the potential transaction request for the operator and machine based upon the information submitted. Next, module 360 is initiated to look up the requested transaction and obtain operator and laundry-machine information. Payment request message 5 is initiated to the appropriate third-party application or processor. If payment is authorized, module 380 generates said message six to the desired laundry machine 100, and initiates module 390 for logging of the transaction.

(19) Communications device 200 functions may alternatively be incorporated into a kiosk touch-screen or RFID-type device for users not having a smart-phone, tablet or other application-processing device.

(20) The present invention is capable of providing machine diagnostics, sending messages and advertising on mobile devices such as communication device 200, on Kiosks and on laundry machines and to end users, collecting demographics, user patterns, day, date and time of usage, selling additional services and services such as using a moisture sensor, employing a Dry-Until-Finished feature that keeps adding funds to the dryer to keep drying clothes until the clothes are fully dried as detected by the humidity sensor. These features are implemented by comparing information stored in laundry machine controller 300 with information supplied laundry machine 100 and communication device 200.

(21) The present invention is used according to the following steps:

(22) sending a message one from a laundry machine 100 to a laundry control machine said message one communicates the operational status of said laundry machine 100;

(23) updating a log associated with said laundry machine 100, said log located in laundry machine controller 300 upon receipt of said message one;

(24) creating a report associated with said log's update upon the execution of said updating;

(25) communicating said report to an operator of said laundry machine controller 300;

(26) sending a message two from a communication device 200, such as a smart phone to said control machine whereby said message two communicates said communication device 200's user's information, such as a user name and a funds transfer authorization, such as a credit card authorization benefiting an operator of said laundry machine controller 300;

(27) building a user log in said laundry machine controller 300 upon receipt of said message two containing information from said message two;

(28) generating a user id and a user password associated with said user log upon said generation;

(29) adding said user id and said password to said user log;

(30) sending a message three from said laundry machine controller 300 to said communication device 200 whereby said communication device 200 stores said password and said id;

(31) sending a message four from said communication device 200 to said laundry machine controller 300 communicating the identity of said laundry machine 100 and authorization for said operator of laundry machine controller 300 to transfer funds;

(32) sending a message five from said laundry machine controller 300 to a third party communicating request for payment of funds to said operator of said laundry machine controller 300;

(33) sending a message six from said laundry machine controller 300 to said identified laundry machine 100 communicating authorization to operate;

(34) signaling a message seven from said laundry machine 100 to operator of said communication device 200 communicating authorization to operate said laundry machine 100.

(35) While laundry machine 100 can be a standalone device, it may also house other device elements of the present invention. For example, laundry machine 100 may enclose laundry machine controller 300. Alternatively, laundry machine 100 may enclose communication device 200, or third-party communication device 400, or a combination thereof. In fact, laundry machine 100 may contain all elements: communication device 200, laundry machine controller 300, and third-party communication device 400.

(36) Additional communications may facilitate optional features of the present invention. For example, a communication from said laundry machine 100 to a manufacturer of said laundry machine 100 will facilitate use feed back to said manufacturer of said laundry machine 100 and service of said laundry machines 100. Communication from said laundry machine controller 300 to said user will facilitate up-selling, loyalty programs, and targeted advertising. Communication from said laundry machine controller 300 to said operators of said laundry machines 100 will facilitate balancing use of said laundry machines 100, and collecting information about said user.

(37) Laundry machine 100 can be a single machine of one type (e.g., a washer-dryer with a built-in detergent dispenser), a plurality of similar machines (e.g., a set of dryers by the same manufacturer), or a plurality of different machines (e.g., three dryers by manufacturer A, a washing machine from manufacturer B, and a detergent dispenser from manufacturer C). The present invention's laundry-machine controller 300 is capable of controlling multiple machines from multiple manufacturers simultaneously.

(38) In addition to the software described by the present invention, laundry machine 100 has software from the laundry machine manufacturer. Such software is capable of diagnosing laundry-machine maintenance issues, and communicating said issues to the present invention. Said laundry machine 100 has software which allows said laundry machine 100 to operate as designed. For example, said laundry machine 100 might be a dryer which contains a humidity sensor. Said laundry machine 100 is capable of determining the humidity in laundry machine 100 referencing optimal drying times and shutting off the dryer when such times are reached. The present invention contains software which allows laundry machine 100 to communicate to communications device 200 via message seven that the laundry is dried. Alternatively, laundry machine 100 may communicate via message seven to communications device 200, an option to allow the user of communications device 200 to continue to authorize payment until laundry machine 100 determines that the drying is complete.

(39) Communications device 200 can be a cell phone, a front panel of laundry machine 100. Communications device 200 can be incorporated into laundry machine controller 300. Communications device 200 is designed to communicate present invention's user's intent to use the present invention. Communications device 200 is designed to communicate to laundry machine controller 300, which one of a plurality of laundry machines 100 that the present invention's user would like to use. Communications device 200 is also designed to accept messages from laundry machine 100 and laundry machine controller 300, such messages would include, but not be limited to, when laundry machine 100 is available. When laundry machine 100 has completed the operation requested by communications device 200, using message four, advertisements sent by laundry machine controller 300 directly to communications device 200 via message three, or advertisements sent from laundry machine 100 via message seven to communications device 200.