Patent ID: 7647895

Claim:
A controller for a gas-fired water heater appliance having a flame arrestor in the air inlet to a burner, the appliance comprising: a pressure switch that closes to complete an electrical circuit when sensing a predetermined level of airflow sufficient for maintaining proper burner operation; a water temperature sensor; a universal serial bus interface adapted to connect to a universal serial bus device; and a processor connected to the universal serial bus and configured to receive an input, of information relating to a service provider that includes at least a name and phone number of the service provider, from an electronic memory in communication with the universal serial bus interface, the processor being connected to the water temperature sensor and connected to a gas valve supplying a burner for controlling the operation of the burner for heating the water in the tank to a desired temperature, the processor being further connected to the pressure switch to detect an open pressure switch indicative of insufficient level of airflow, and configured to control the gas valve such that the burner is shut down within a predetermined time of initiating burner operation as a result of an open pressure switch, wherein the processor discontinues further burner operation after the occurrence of a predetermined number of shut downs before the water being heated reaches the desired temperature, and subsequently communicates information of the discontinued operation and the stored information relating to a service provider to a device external to the controller; wherein the predetermined number of consecutive shut downs is at least two shut downs, and the predetermined time period is in the range of about 150 seconds to about 210 seconds.