Abstract:
Example appliances that trigger applications on consumer devices based on user proximity to appliance background are disclosed. A disclosed example system includes an appliance to detect a proximity of a user to the appliance, a remote server to receive a result of the proximity detection from the appliance, and to send an application trigger based on the result, and a user device associated with the user to activate an application on the user device in response to the application trigger received from the remote server.

Description:
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates generally to appliances, and more particularly, to appliances that trigger applications on consumer devices based on user proximity to appliance background. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Conventional appliances have user interfaces that allow a user to control, operate, etc. an appliances. In some instances a user may use a mobile consumer device to control, operate, etc. an appliance. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of an example appliance communication system implemented in accordance with the teachings of this disclosure. 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of an example processor platform that may be used and/or programmed to implement the example appliance, the example mobile user device, and/or the example server of  FIG 1 . 
           [0005]      FIGS. 3-10  are example Unified Modeling Language (UML) interaction diagrams for the example system of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0006]    Conventional appliances do not respond or adjust their behavior bashed on how close a user is to the appliance. In stark contrast to conventional appliances, the example appliances disclosed herein respond to a user based on how close the user is to the appliance. The appliance may, additionally or alternatively, utilize user identification information to determine its response. For example, when the appliance senses that the user is approaching or leaving, or a suite of appliances locates the user, its location data will be sent by the appliance to an application server implemented remotely from the appliances. The application server responds to the proximity information by triggering an application or user interface, e.g., a web browser, on a consumer user device associated with the user. In some examples, the application or user interface is trigger on another person&#39;s consumer device. For example, a parent&#39;s consumer device may be triggered when a child approaches an appliance. 
         [0007]    As used herein the terms “remote,” “remotely,” or equivalents or permutations thereof mean that first and second remote function are implemented by, at, or in separate or different devices, servers, appliances, etc. separated by any distance. Remotely does not require a particular minimum separation distance. For examples, functions may be implement by different devices at the same geographic location (e.g., within a residence or place of business). 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a communication system  100  having a communicatively coupled consumer device  102 , appliance  104 , and a remote application server  106 . The consumer user device  102 , the appliance  104  and the remote application service  106  are communicatively coupled via a public network, such as the Internet  108 , or a cellular network  110  and/or, in some examples, a Wi-Fi® network  112 . As shown, the consumer user device  102  may be communicatively coupled, simultaneously or at different times, to the remote application server  106  via the Wi-Fi network  112  and the Internet  108 , and/or the cellular network  110 . As also shown, the appliance  104  is communicatively coupled, simultaneously or at different times, to the application server  106  via the Wi-Fi network  112  and the Internet  108 , or directly via in the Internet  108 . However, it is contemplated that any number and/or type(s) of communication device(s), network(s), technology(-ies), method(s), etc. may be used to communicatively couple the consumer user device  102  and the appliance  104  to the remote application server  106 . Thus, the connecting lines, or connectors shown in the various FIGS. presented herein are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships, physical connections or logical connections may be present in a practical device. 
         [0009]    Example consumer user devices  102  include, but are not limited to, a personal computer (PC), a workstation, a residential gateway, a set-top box, a smart phone, a laptop, a netbook, a tablet PC, a game console, a server, and/or any other type of computing device containing a processor. 
         [0010]    Example appliances  104  include, but are not limited to, a stove, a microwave, a cook top, a refrigerator, an oven, a washing machine, a dryer, a refresher, a dishwasher, or any other standalone or portable appliance, such as but not limited to, a coffee maker, a slow cooker, a toaster, a blender, a mixer, a food processor, etc. 
         [0011]    In response to the detected proximity of a user  114  to the appliance  104 , the appliance  104  sends appliance state information and user proximity information to the application server  106 . As used herein, detected proximity information includes a detection of the user  114  moving toward and/or away from the appliance  104 . To detect user proximity and/or identity, the example appliance  104  implements any number and/or type(s) device(s), circuit(s), algorithm(s), etc.  116  including, but not limited to near field communication (NFC), Wi-Fi, camera, infrared (IR), etc. In some examples, the appliance  104  may not implement proximity detection means, instead relying on another appliance. Additionally or alternatively, two or more appliances may cooperate and/or share data to detect proximity and/or identification information. 
         [0012]    An example manner of implementing or carrying out the example consumer user device  102 , the appliance  104 , the example application server  106 , and/or the example use cases of  FIGS. 3-10  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The example processor platform  200  of  FIG. 2  can be, for example, any type of computing device containing a processor. 
         [0013]    The processor platform  200  of the instant example includes at least one programmable processor  202 . For example, the processor  202  can be implemented by one or more Atmel®, Intel®, AMD®, and/or ARM® microprocessors. Of course, other processors from other processor families and/or manufacturers are also appropriate. The processor  202  executes coded instructions  204  present in main memory of the processor  202  (e.g., within a volatile memory  206  and/or a non-volatile memory  208 ), stored on a storage device  212 , stored on a removable computer-readable storage medium  214  such as a CD or DVD  214 , a FLASH drive  216 , etc. 
         [0014]    The processor  202  is in communication with the main memory including the non-volatile memory  208  and the volatile memory  206 , and the storage devices  214 ,  216  via a bus  218 . The volatile memory  206  may be implemented by, for example, synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), RAMBUS® dynamic random access memory (RDRAM) and/or any other type of RAM device(s). The non-volatile memory  208  may be implemented by, for example, flash memory(-ies), flash memory device(s) and/or any other desired type of memory device(s). Access to the memory  206  and  208  may be controlled by a memory controller. 
         [0015]    The processor platform  200  also includes an interface circuit  220 . Any type of interface standard, such as an external memory interface, serial port, general-purpose input/output, as an Ethernet interface, a universal serial bus (USB), and/or a peripheral component interface (PCI) express interface, etc, may implement the interface circuit  220 . 
         [0016]    One or more input devices  222  are connected to the interface circuit  220 . The input device(s)  220  permit a user to enter data and commands into the processor  202 . The input device(s)  220  can be implemented by, for example, knobs, a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, a track-pad, a trackball, an isopoint, proximity sensor, and/or a voice recognition system. 
         [0017]    One or more output devices  224  are also connected to the interface circuit  220 . The output devices  224  can be implemented, for example, by display devices (e.g., a display, indicators, light emitting diodes, and/or speakers. 
         [0018]    The interface circuit  220  may also includes one or more communication device(s)  226  and/or antennae  228  such as a network interface card to facilitate exchange of data with other appliances, devices, computers, nodes and/or routers of a network. 
         [0019]    Example use cases illustrated in the form of UML interaction diagrams that may be implemented and/or carried out by the user  114 , the consumer user device  102 , the appliance  104 , and the remote appliance server  106  are shown in  FIGS. 3-10 . 
         [0020]    In the example of  FIG. 3 , the appliance pushes a reminder  302  to the user device  102  if the user  114  walks away from the appliance  104  after configuring the appliance  104  but not starting the appliance  104 . In some examples, such as that shown in  FIG. 3 , the user  114  is able to remotely start  204  the appliance  104 . 
         [0021]    In the example of  FIG. 4 , a first user A  114  configures the appliance  104  such that when a second user B  114  moves into proximity of the appliance  104 , a notification  402  is sent to the user device B  102  associated with the user B  114 . 
         [0022]    In the example of  FIG. 5 , notifications  502  to the user&#39;s device  102  are limited while the user  114  is in the proximity of the appliance  104 , and the user device  102  receives full notifications  504  when the user  114  is not in proximity of the appliance  104 . 
         [0023]    In the example of  FIG. 6 , when the user  114  walks out of the proximity of the appliance  104 , the appliance  104  starts pushing notifications  602  to the user device  102  to remind the user  114  of the ability to use the device  102  to monitor the appliance  104  via the device  102 . 
         [0024]    In the example of  FIG. 7 , when the user  114  walks within the range of the appliance  104  and pulls up  702  the monitoring application on the user device  102 , the application will display controls  704  for the appliance  104  on the user device  102 . 
         [0025]    In the example of  FIG. 8 , the server  106  displays relevant instructions or part information  802  on the user device  102  based on the location of the user device  102  relative to the appliance  104 . 
         [0026]     In the example of  FIG. 9 , the server  106  shows a diagnostic or demo mode on the user device  102  as well as on the appliance  104  when the device  102  is within a target range of the appliance  104 . 
         [0027]    In the example of  FIG. 10 , when the appliance  104  identifies the user  114 , and customized application  1002  (e.g., past use, built up experience, limited user, senior care, etc.), which reflects or is adapted to reflect past behavior and actions, is displayed. In this way the application  1002  can, over time, tailor itself overtime to a user&#39;s preferences. 
         [0028]    In this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” do not exclude the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Further, conjunctions such as “and,” “or,” and “and/or” are inclusive unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, “A and/or B” includes A alone, B alone, and A with B. 
         [0029]    No item or component is essential to the practice of the embodiments disclosed herein unless the element is specifically described as “essential” or “critical”. 
         [0030]    Although certain example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture have been described herein, the scope of coverage of this patent is not limited thereto. On the contrary, this patent covers all methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture fairly falling within the scope of the claims of this patent.