Patent ID: 7750227

Claim:
A notification device for an appliance having a plurality of status conditions, said device comprising: a memory for storing a program and also for storing a plurality of melody data each representing one of a plurality of melodies, wherein each of the plurality of status conditions is associated with one of said plurality of melodies; a microprocessor for monitoring each of the plurality of status conditions, wherein, upon detection of one of the status conditions, said microprocessor executes said program utilizing the one of said plurality of melody data associated with the one of the status conditions for generating an output signal according to said one of said plurality of melody data; and an electronic circuit for inputting said output signal and outputting a musical melody signal, said electronic circuit including an output transducer connected to said electronic circuit for inputting said musical melody signal for producing the melody associated with the one of the status conditions to notify a user of the one of the status conditions, wherein said output signal includes: a first output signal for providing an oscillating signal to drive said electronic circuit to produce the musical notes of said melody; and a second output signal providing a trigger signal to trigger and hold each of said musical notes.