Abstract: Example methods and apparatus for communicatively coupling internal components and accessories appliances, and appliances with external components and accessories are disclosed herein. A disclosed example method of operating a domestic appliance having at least one of an internal communications network and/or an external communications network among at least two components includes identifying the components, communicating the capabilities of each identified component, communicating the status of each identified component, providing a command interface for operating the components, facilitating communication between the components, and operating the appliance using the command interface and the facilitated communication.

Abstract: An appliance network comprising a networked appliance and capable of communicating with a consumable such that information related to the consumable is communicated to the networked appliance.

Abstract: An appliance network comprising a networked appliance and capable of communicating with a consumable such that information related to the consumable is communicated to the networked appliance.

Abstract: An appliance network has a network binder accessory to establish a private network among nodes that might be on different networks, using “one-click”.

Abstract: An appliance network has a networked appliance configured to perform a food preparation operation on an article and a cooking sensor accessory in communication with the networked appliance and configured to sense a state of at least one of the article, the cooking sensor accessory, and the networked appliance.

Abstract: A recipe wand reads meal plans and recipes for a recipe book, and with data about the appliance and one or more cycles of operation, sends data about a consumable to the appliance to automatically create and selectively commence a cycle of operation oh the consumable according to the recipe book.

Abstract: An appliance network has messaging protocol to establish communication between a first networked appliance and a remote user interface.

Abstract: A method of controlling a cooking appliance is disclosed which includes receiving an input corresponding to a staged cooking function, retrieving a preselected parameter set from a data library, the preselected parameter set defining the staged cooking function and including a first heating element behavior parameter and a first temperature parameter, selecting a first heating element behavior from a control library based upon the first heating element behavior parameter, and operating one or more heating elements according to the first heating element behavior and the first temperature parameter. An oven and a tangible, machine-readable medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for commissioning a home network and inhibiting unaffiliated wireless communication devices that are physically proximate to each other from forming a wireless network. A wireless communication device may include a transceiver capable of communicating with at least a second device, a non-volatile memory capable of storing a network name, a controller, and a user input acceptance element capable of placing the controller in a network set-up mode. The controller may have a plurality of modes including the network set-up mode, as well as a status indicator for providing an indication of whether the device is operating with one of a parent status and a child status. A method for joining a wireless network may include entering a network set up mode, and scanning for a second device operating with a parent status. If the second device is operating with the parent status, the network name of the second device may be adopted as the network name.

Abstract: A method of controlling a cooking appliance is disclosed which includes receiving an input corresponding to a staged cooking function, retrieving a preselected parameter set from a data library, the preselected parameter set defining the staged cooking function and including a first heating element behavior parameter and a first temperature parameter, selecting a first heating element behavior from a control library based upon the first heating element behavior parameter, and operating one or more heating elements according to the first heating element behavior and the first temperature parameter. An oven and a tangible, machine-readable medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of controlling a cooking appliance is disclosed which includes receiving an input corresponding to a staged cooking function, retrieving a preselected parameter set from a data library, the preselected parameter set defining the staged cooking function and including a first heating element behavior parameter and a first temperature parameter, selecting a first heating element behavior from a control library based upon the first heating element behavior parameter, and operating one or more heating elements according to the first heating element behavior and the first temperature parameter. An oven and a tangible, machine-readable medium are also disclosed.

Abstract: An appliance network has a service key accessory to facilitate remote diagnosis and service of an appliance.

Abstract: A network includes a smart coupler having a processor, a memory with software, and a power source to energize the processor and the memory, and an appliance configured to perform an operation on a physical article. The appliance is one that consumes at least some of a resource in performing the operation. The network also includes a source of information about the resource. The smart coupler is in communication with the appliance and the source, and the processor and memory operate to request a change to the operation of the appliance in response to a resource parameter or a request communicated by the source.

Abstract: An electromagnetic service connector system includes first and second electromagnetic service connector components for communicating an electromagnetic service between an electromagnetic service provider and an electromagnetic service consumer. The electromagnetic service may be any form of electrical power or data. An electromagnetic service switch is provided for selectively transferring the electromagnetic service from the electromagnetic service provider to the electromagnetic service consumer in response to a proximity sensor engaging a proximity target.

Abstract: A modular system comprises an appliance having a visible surface, a first service interface positioned on the visible surface, a cover detachably coupled to the visible surface and disposed to overlie the first service interface, a controller configured to selectively provide operational instructions to the appliance and/or the cover, and an antenna provided within the cover and operably connected to the controller.

Abstract: A comprehensive product management system for a product is provided. The system (10) includes discrete processes for planning (1000), engineering (2000), testing (3000), producing (4000), selling (6000), using (8000), and servicing (10000) a product comprising one or more components. It also includes a comprehensive relational database (30) containing information about the product, performance, sales, consumers, and markets, and system tools (20) for operating on the discrete processes.

Abstract: An appliance configured to perform an operation cycle to effect a physical operation on an article, the appliance includes at least one component configured to effect the physical operation, and a cycle engine on the component. The cycle engine can build a cycle structure for the operation cycle to enable the component to perform the physical operation.

Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for commissioning a home network and inhibiting unaffiliated wireless communication devices that are physically proximate to each other from forming a wireless network. A wireless communication device may include a transceiver capable of communicating with at least a second device, a non-volatile memory capable of storing a network name, a controller, and a user input acceptance element capable of placing the controller in a network set-up mode. The controller may have a plurality of modes including the network set-up mode, as well as a status indicator for providing an indication of whether the device is operating with one of a parent status and a child status. A method for joining a wireless network may include entering a network set up mode, and scanning for a second device operating with a parent status. If the second device is operating with the parent status, the network name of the second device may be adopted as the network name.

Abstract: A method of enabling adaptable demonstrations of a household appliance comprising providing consumer-specific updates to a demonstration software at a location remote from an appliance and downloading the consumer-specific updates to the appliance over an information network in response to a determined characteristic of the consumer or enabling a video conference over multimedia interface during the demonstration.

Abstract: An appliance development toolkit is provided to enable creation of content to affect operation of a component in an appliance or to affect user interaction with an appliance, and includes appliance user domain data or source identification domain data, an editor to create instances of data elements related to functionality of an appliance or the editor derived in part from the domain data, an interactive user interface on which the editor is displayed for use by a developer, and a converter to generate content using the data elements created by the instance. The editor is configured at least in part by the domain data irrespective of the appliance so that the appliance development toolkit can be used for different appliances without recoding.