Abstract: A system and methods for remote control of one or more appliances are provided. An external computing device, such as a mobile device, may be registered and associated with an appliance to be remotely controlled and monitored. The external computing device and the appliance to be remotely controlled by the external computing device may each be in communication with an external server via a network. When a remote control mode of the appliance is enabled, a selected operation of the appliance may be carried out in response to a remote control command generated by the external computing device.

Abstract: A system and methods for remote control of one or more appliances are provided. An external computing device, such as a mobile device, may be registered and associated with an appliance to be remotely controlled and monitored. The external computing device and the appliance to be remotely controlled by the external computing device may each be in communication with an external server via a network. When a remote control mode of the appliance is enabled, a selected operation of the appliance may be carried out in response to a remote control command generated by the external computing device.

Abstract: A communication system and method for authoring an appliance for connecting a first appliance to a first network. The connection process can include recognition of the first appliance by a computer system. Upon recognition, the computer system can instruct a second appliance to connect to the first appliance. The second appliance, upon prompting of the computer system, then communicates information that enables the first appliance to connect with the first network.

Abstract: A system for controlling a plurality of appliances is disclosed. The appliances comprise a plurality of controllers in communication with a mobile device. Each of the controllers is configured to receive an instruction from the mobile device corresponding to a selected mode of a plurality of modes and apply the selected mode among the plurality of appliances as a selected global setting of a plurality of available global settings. The controller is further operable to activate an appliance specific control routine for each of the plurality of appliances based on the selected global setting and control each appliance based on the appliance specific control routine. The appliance specific control routine comprises a plurality of controls configured control an operation of each of the appliances causing the operation to conform to the selected mode.

Abstract: A method of determining an optimal schedule for performing a cycle of operation in the appliance wherein the schedule is a function of the tradeoff factor wherein the tradeoff factor is used to determine a rate threshold above which a delay request is included in the optimal schedule, and the rate threshold is a summation of I) an average of a series of projected rates for the use of the resource by the appliance for a future series of time periods and II) a product of the tradeoff factor and a standard deviation of the series of projected rates.

Abstract: A system for controlling a plurality of appliances is disclosed. The appliances comprise a plurality of controllers in communication with a mobile device. Each of the controllers is configured to receive an instruction from the mobile device corresponding to a selected mode of a plurality of modes and apply the selected mode among the plurality of appliances as a selected global setting of a plurality of available global settings. The controller is further operable to activate an appliance specific control routine for each of the plurality of appliances based on the selected global setting and control each appliance based on the appliance specific control routine. The appliance specific control routine comprises a plurality of controls configured control an operation of each of the appliances causing the operation to conform to the selected mode.

Abstract: A method of defining a message to be sent to at least one appliance regarding a schedule for performing a cycle of operation includes a step of acquiring pricing data from a source of information about a resource consumed by the appliance. A projected rate for the use of the resource by the appliance for a future series of time periods is calculated based upon a user preference. A projected schedule for performing the cycle of operation for a future series of time periods is created and then incorporated into the message that is transmitted to the appliance.

Abstract: A system and methods for remote control of one or more appliances are provided. An external computing device, such as a mobile device, may be registered and associated with an appliance to be remotely controlled and monitored. The external computing device and the appliance to be remotely controlled by the external computing device may each be in communication with an external server via a network. When a remote control mode of the appliance is enabled, a selected operation of the appliance may be carried out in response to a remote control command generated by the external computing device.

Abstract: A method of determining an optimal schedule for performing a cycle of operation in the appliance wherein the schedule is a function of the tradeoff factor wherein the tradeoff factor is used to determine a rate threshold above which a delay request is included in the optimal schedule, and the rate threshold is a summation of I) an average of a series of projected rates for the use of the resource by the appliance for a future series of time periods and II) a product of the tradeoff factor and a standard deviation of the series of projected rates.

Abstract: A method of defining a message to be sent to at least one appliance regarding a schedule for performing a cycle of operation includes a step of acquiring pricing data from a source of information about a resource consumed by the appliance. A projected rate for the use of the resource by the appliance for a future series of time periods is calculated based upon a user preference. A projected schedule for performing the cycle of operation for a future series of time periods is created and then incorporated into the message that is transmitted to the appliance.