Abstract: A domestic appliance includes a cabinet forming a receiving space; a control panel attached to the cabinet, the control panel including one or more control inputs; a wireless transmitter provided within the control panel to emit a signal; a wireless communication module provided within the control panel, the wireless communication module establishing a wireless connection between the appliance and a remote terminal; and a controller provided within the control panel, the controller being configured to perform a series of operations. The series of operations includes emitting, via the first wireless communication module, the signal, wherein the signal contains a predetermined code to identify the domestic appliance and retrieve an input sequence for altering an operational mode of the domestic appliance.

Abstract: A domestic appliance includes a cabinet forming a receiving space; a control panel attached to the cabinet, the control panel including one or more control inputs; a wireless transmitter provided within the control panel to emit a signal; a wireless communication module provided within the control panel, the wireless communication module establishing a wireless connection between the appliance and a remote terminal; and a controller provided within the control panel, the controller being configured to perform a series of operations. The series of operations includes emitting, via the first wireless communication module, the signal, wherein the signal contains a predetermined code to identify the domestic appliance and retrieve an input sequence for altering an operational mode of the domestic appliance.

Abstract: An appliance includes a wireless communication module in wireless communication with a remote server through an external network and a controller operably coupled to the wireless communication module. A method of ensuring that the appliance is using the latest operating software includes detecting a software verification trigger (such as the replacement or maintenance of a control board), obtaining a current software version and a latest software version, determining that the current and latest software versions do not match, and initiating a software update process to update the controller to the latest software version.

Abstract: A method for operating an appliance, the appliance including a user interface and a wireless connection module. The method includes establishing a wireless connection between the appliance and a wireless network via the wireless connection module, determining that the appliance is communicating with a remote server via the wireless connection module in response to establishing the wireless connection, and disabling a disconnect button on the user interface for disconnecting the appliance from the wireless connection in response to determining the communication between the appliance and the remote server.

Abstract: An appliance includes a wireless communication module in wireless communication with a remote server through an external network and a controller operably coupled to the wireless communication module. A method of ensuring that the appliance is using the latest operating software includes detecting a software verification trigger (such as the replacement or maintenance of a control board), obtaining a current software version and a latest software version, determining that the current and latest software versions do not match, and initiating a software update process to update the controller to the latest software version.

Abstract: A method for operating an appliance, the appliance including a user interface and a wireless connection module. The method includes establishing a wireless connection between the appliance and a wireless network via the wireless connection module, determining that the appliance is communicating with a remote server via the wireless connection module in response to establishing the wireless connection, and disabling a disconnect button on the user interface for disconnecting the appliance from the wireless connection in response to determining the communication between the appliance and the remote server.

Abstract: A method for cook time synchronization includes synchronizing a cook time in one of a plurality of cooking appliances to a user selected remaining cook time from one of the other of the plurality of cooking appliances. The method also includes: (1) transmitting, to the one of the plurality of cooking appliances, a remaining cook time from each of the other of the plurality of cooking appliances over a network; and/or (2) requesting, at the one of the plurality of cooking appliances, the remaining cook time from each of the other of the plurality of cooking appliances over the network in response to a user input at the one of the plurality of cooking appliances.

Abstract: Methods for commissioning a domestic appliance, as provided herein, may include the transmission and receiving of signals between the domestic appliance, a previously-commissioned appliance, a remote user-interface device, and a remote server such that a network credential for a local wireless network is transmitted from the previously-commissioned appliance to the domestic appliance.

Abstract: A domestic appliance, as provided herein, may include a cabinet, a user input positioned on an exterior of the cabinet, and a controller configured to initiate a commissioning operation. The commissioning operation may include opening a connection channel at a wireless access point on the domestic appliance according to a predetermined initial timeout period. The commissioning operation may further include establishing communication between a remote user interface device and the wireless access point via the open connection channel within the predetermined initial timeout period. The commissioning operation may still further include, in response to establishing communication, maintaining the connection channel between the user device and the wireless access point according to a predetermined extended timeout period.

Abstract: Systems and methods for obtaining a location of an appliance are provided. In particular, the systems and methods include features for automatically obtaining a location of an appliance, e.g., for registration purposes. In one example aspect, a system includes an appliance that includes features for providing a local appliance network, a user device for connecting to the local appliance network, and a remote computing device communicatively coupled with the user device. To obtain the location of the appliance, the user device first connects with the local appliance network. The user device then obtains data indicative of the geographic location of the user device while connected to the appliance network and routes the data to the remote computing device. As the range of the local appliance network is limited, the location of the user device while connected to the local appliance network is assumed as the geographic location of the appliance.

Abstract: Methods for commissioning a domestic appliance, as provided herein, may include the transmission and receiving of signals between the domestic appliance, a previously-commissioned appliance, a remote user-interface device, and a remote server such that a network credential for a local wireless network is transmitted from the previously-commissioned appliance to the domestic appliance.

Abstract: A domestic appliance, as provided herein, may include a cabinet, a user input positioned on an exterior of the cabinet, and a controller configured to initiate a commissioning operation. The commissioning operation may include opening a connection channel at a wireless access point on the domestic appliance according to a predetermined initial timeout period. The commissioning operation may further include establishing communication between a remote user interface device and the wireless access point via the open connection channel within the predetermined initial timeout period. The commissioning operation may still further include, in response to establishing communication, maintaining the connection channel between the user device and the wireless access point according to a predetermined extended timeout period.

Abstract: A method of commissioning a household appliance includes providing a soft access point having a known service set identifier format. The household appliance receives a signal from a user input and, in response, scans for the known service set identifier format and connects to the soft access point having the known service set identifier format. The household appliance also sends a device identifier and passphrase to a server via the soft access point. The server validates the device identifier and passphrase and then generates an account token. The server sends the account token to the appliance via the soft access point. The appliance connects to the server using the account token and the server then associates the appliance with the user account.

Abstract: Systems and methods for obtaining a location of an appliance are provided. In particular, the systems and methods include features for automatically obtaining a location of an appliance, e.g., for registration purposes. In one example aspect, a system includes an appliance that includes features for providing a local appliance network, a user device for connecting to the local appliance network, and a remote computing device communicatively coupled with the user device. To obtain the location of the appliance, the user device first connects with the local appliance network. The user device then obtains data indicative of the geographic location of the user device while connected to the appliance network and routes the data to the remote computing device. As the range of the local appliance network is limited, the location of the user device while connected to the local appliance network is assumed as the geographic location of the appliance.

Abstract: A method of using a remote server to operate an appliance includes an appliance sending data indicative of usage patterns of the appliance to a remote server. The remote server identifies a routine event based on the data and sends an event initiation prompt including operational data related to the routine event to the appliance or a user of the appliance. The user may confirm that the routine should be initiated, and such confirmation may be communicated to the appliance before the appliance initiates the routine event.

Abstract: A method of operating a cooking appliance in coordinated communication with, for example, a remote server and a user device, is provided. The method may include receiving a recipe selection signal of a predetermined recipe at the remote server, and transmitting a recipe information signal to the cooking appliance based on the predetermined recipe. The method may further include receiving an appliance confirmation signal from the cooking appliance in response to a discrete recipe action of the predetermined recipe being performed at the cooking appliance subsequent to receiving the recipe selection signal. The method may still further include transmitting a determined status signal to the user device based on the received appliance confirmation signal.

Abstract: A method for monitoring usage of a consumable in an appliance includes optically scanning a consumable container with a reader of a mobile computing device, establishing a volume of consumable within the consumable container based upon the optical scan of the consumable container by the reader, determining a volume of consumable dispensed in an appliance, and activating a low consumable alert in response to a difference between the established volume of consumable and the determined volume of dispensed consumable being less than a threshold volume.

Abstract: A method for cook time synchronization includes synchronizing a cook time in one of a plurality of cooking appliances to a user selected remaining cook time from one of the other of the plurality of cooking appliances. The method also includes: (1) transmitting, to the one of the plurality of cooking appliances, a remaining cook time from each of the other of the plurality of cooking appliances over a network; and/or (2) requesting, at the one of the plurality of cooking appliances, the remaining cook time from each of the other of the plurality of cooking appliances over the network in response to a user input at the one of the plurality of cooking appliances.

Abstract: A method for data rate switching in an appliance that is connected to a network includes polling data at a first rate when a value of a status of the appliance is a first value, transmitting the data polled at the first rate from the appliance via the network, polling data at a second rate when the value of the status of the appliance is a second value, and transmitting the data polled at the second rate from the appliance via the network.

Abstract: A washing machine appliance includes a supply conduit having an exit positioned for directing water into a basket of the washing machine appliance. A door is positioned over the basket in a closed position. A water valve is coupled to the supply conduit. A controller opens the water valve in response to actuation of a water supply input and a signal from a sensor that the door is in the open position.