Patent ID: 9007184
Filing Date: 2015-04-14
Classification: A47L,D06F,F24C,F25D,G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for operating a household appliance, comprising the steps of: docking a first portable operating unit to a selected one of a plurality of different household appliances, wherein each appliance of the plurality of different household appliances has a docking station configured to receive a first portable operating unit, wherein the first portable operating unit and docking station configuration are common to every appliance in the plurality of different household appliances; identifying the selected household appliance using the first portable operating unit; transmitting program data related to operation of the selected and docked household appliance from the selected and docked household appliance to the first portable operating unit; receiving the program data related to operation of the selected and docked household appliance in the first portable operating unit; and configuring the first portable operating unit for operating the selected and docked household appliance only using the program data related to operation of the selected and docked household appliance transmitted from the selected and docked household appliance and received by the first portable operating unit, thereby operating one of the plurality of different household appliances using the first portable operating unit capable of controlling each household appliance of the plurality of different household appliances one at a time only when docked with the selected household appliance; and monitoring the status of the selected household appliance of the plurality of household appliances using a second portable operating unit that is not docked with any appliance of the plurality of appliances, the second portable operating unit being the same as the first portable operating unit wherein the second portable operating unit communicates with the first portable operating unit regarding the status of the appliance with which the first portable operating unit is docked.