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.

Abstract: Cleaning systems and methods for operating cleaning systems are provided. A cleaning system includes a washing machine appliance, the washing machine appliance including a first controller operable to store and transmit wash control information. The cleaning system further includes a dryer appliance, the dryer appliance including a second controller operable to receive the wash control information from the washing machine appliance and store dry control information, the second controller further operable to adjust the dry control information based on the wash control information. The cleaning system further includes a remote server in wireless communication with the first controller and the second controller, and a user interface device in wireless communication with the remote server, the user interface device operable to modify the dry control information. The wash control information is transmitted from the first controller through the remote server to the second controller.

Abstract: A clothes washer is provided comprising one or more power consuming functions and a controller in signal communication with an associated utility. The controller can receive and process a signal from the associated utility indicative of current state of an associated utility. The controller operates the clothes washer in one of a plurality of operating modes, including at least a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode in response to the received signal. The controller is configured to change the power consuming functions by changing the duty cycling profile of the heater and/or mechanical action of the basket in the energy savings mode.

Abstract: A clothes washer is provided comprising one or more power consuming functions and a controller in signal communication with an associated utility. The controller can receive and process a signal from the associated utility indicative of current state of an associated utility. The controller operates the clothes washer in one of a plurality of operating modes, including at least a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode in response to the received signal. The controller is configured to change the power consuming functions by adjusting one or more of an operation schedule, an operation delay, an operation adjustment, and a selective deactivation of at least one of the one or more power consuming functions to reduce power consumption of the clothes washer in the energy savings mode.

Abstract: A home energy management system is configured to alert a homeowner based on information from an appliance. In one embodiment, the system comprises an appliance and an apparatus that communicates, e.g., via wireless technology. The appliance comprises circuitry to generate a data packet, which comprises information to identify the appliance as well as the status of one or more features and functions of the appliance. Exemplary functions can monitor movement proximate the appliance and/or entry or access to the interior of the appliance. The remote apparatus receives the data packet and, in one example, generates an output to an end user that conveys information in the data packet to the end user. The output can comprise an electronic message (e.g., an email or text message) that identifies from the data packet one or more appliance functions that exhibit a change in status.

Abstract: Systems and methods for detecting imbalance in a washing machine are disclosed. The washing machine includes a wash basket that is rotatably mounted in a wash tub. The wash basket is rotated in the wash tub during a cleansing cycle or during a spin cycle to extract water from a wash load loaded in the wash basket. The system and methods of the present disclosure include a plurality of activators mounted to the wash basket and the sensor mounted to the wash tub. The sensor can generate an activation signal each time an activator passes in front of the sensor. The activation signals can be analyzed to determine imbalance in the washing machine.

Abstract: A single communication interface for controlling multiple smart appliances. The communication interface can be integral with an appliance and have a port for communicating with at least one other appliance or energy consuming devices. The communication interface can be a separate module connectable to a plurality of appliance or energy consuming devices. A wireless or wired connection can be established between the communication module and an energy management device for controlling the smart appliances or energy consuming devices connected to the communication module. One or more of the appliances or energy consuming devices can be wirelessly connected to the communication interface.

Abstract: The present subject matter relates to methods and apparatus for measuring energy usage in an appliance, particularly a washing appliance. A display, that may be a home energy monitor, is associated with the appliance. The appliance may include an AC-DC power supply and a controllable inverter configured to supply power to a motor associated with the appliance. Real power consumption is calculated by a controller that may also be used to control the inverter and other operational aspects of the appliance and causes the calculated real power to be displayed on the display.

Abstract: A system is provided for determining and displaying the cost of consuming power comprising an appliance including one or more power consuming functions wherein each of the one or more power consuming functions includes an associated power consumption amount. The system compensates for line voltage variations by sensing line voltage and adjusting the power consumption amount. The system further provides a home energy management system (HEM) including a controller in communication with the appliance and configured to provide the HEM with the associated power consumption amount of each of the one or more power consuming functions. The controller being configured to convert the current cost of supplied energy into a power consumption cost of the associated power consumption amount of the one or more power consuming functions.

Abstract: A clothes washer is provided comprising one or more power consuming functions and a controller in signal communication with an associated utility. The controller can receive and process a signal from the associated utility indicative of current state of an associated utility. The controller operates the clothes washer in one of a plurality of operating modes, including at least a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode in response to the received signal. The controller is configured to change the power consuming functions by changing the duty cycling profile of the heater and/or mechanical action of the basket in the energy savings mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus relates to hardware-to-hardware data transmission in computer systems, and in particular, it relates to method and system for operating I/O adapters attaching either one or more computing devices to an I/O periphery, to a network, or to other computing devices. It is proposed to operate a memory local to the network coupling adapter as a cache memory relative to a system memory associated with the one or more computing devices for storing transmission control information.

Abstract: A clothes dryer is provided comprising one or more power consuming functions and a controller in signal communication with an associated utility. The controller can receive and process a signal from the associated utility indicative of current cost of supplied energy. The controller operates the clothes dryer in one of a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode based on the received signal. The controller is configured to change the power consuming functions by adjusting one or more of an operation schedule, an operation delay, an operation adjustment, and a selective deactivation of at least one of the one or more power consuming functions to reduce power consumption of the clothes dryer in the energy savings mode.

Abstract: A clothes washer is provided comprising one or more power consuming functions and a controller in signal communication with an associated utility. The controller can receive and process a signal from the associated utility indicative of current state of an associated utility. The controller operates the clothes washer in one of a plurality of operating modes, including at least a normal operating mode and an energy savings mode in response to the received signal. The controller is configured to change the power consuming functions by adjusting one or more of an operation schedule, an operation delay, an operation adjustment, and a selective deactivation of at least one of the one or more power consuming functions to reduce power consumption of the clothes washer in the energy savings mode.

Abstract: A method and apparatus relates to hardware-to-hardware data transmission in computer systems, and in particular, it relates to method and system for operating I/O adapters attaching either one or more computing devices to an I/O periphery, to a network, or to other computing devices. It is proposed to operate a memory local to the network coupling adapter as a cache memory relative to a system memory associated with the one or more computing devices for storing transmission control information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus relates to hardware-to-hardware data transmission in computer systems, and in particular, it relates to method and system for operating I/O adapters attaching either one or more computing devices to an I/O periphery, to a network, or to other computing devices. It is proposed to operate a memory local to the network coupling adapter as a cache memory relative to a system memory associated with the one or more computing devices for storing transmission control information.

Abstract: method and system for the real time delivery of interactive presentations, comprising establishment of a network connection between a viewer terminal and a presenter terminal, wherein presentations are comprised of presentation information and control criteria. By selecting control criteria at the presenter terminal and the viewer terminal, the viewer and presenter may select or otherwise affect the presentation information which is displayed at the terminals.

Abstract: A method and device for parameter independent buffer underrun prevention in a data communication system includes a buffer for compensating for a difference in the rate of flow of data having a write port and a read port. After a commencement of writing data into the buffer, a predetermined delay time occurs. When the delay time has passed, reading data out from the buffer starts. Then the length of a time gap between the completion of writing data into the buffer and completion of reading data out from the buffer is determined. Finally, the length of the predetermined delay time is decreased by a first value if the length of the time gap is larger than a specified tolerance value and the length of the predetermined delay time is increased by a second value if the length of the time gap is smaller than the specified tolerance value. The provided method and device advantageously adjusts to systems having dynamically varying parameters, e.g.