Wrap, Spa

Indesit Compnay S.p.a

Other

Merloni Elettrodomestici S.p.a.

Whirlpool Emea S.p.a.

Valerio Aisa

Paolo Santonicola

Giovanni Bombardieri

Dino Bongini

Fabrizio Concettoni

Costantino Mariotti

Silvio Corrias

Federica Minni

Enrico Smargiassi

Stefano Frattesi

Valerio Cascio

Valeria Animobono

Brunetta Vinerba

Renato Aiello

Luciano Burzella

Francesca Meloni

Roberto Baldelli

Monica Milani

An electrical appliance having at least one electrical load, and a digital control system managing flows of electric current of supply of the at least one electrical load, wherein the digital control system of the electrical appliance transmits information to an external control device, wherein said information comprises first information regarding authorization or non-authorization for an interruption of the supply of electric voltage to the electrical appliance by the external control device, the digital control system of the electrical appliance generating the first information of its own operating state.

Electrical household appliance system

The present description relates to a household appliance for treating soft goods, in particular a laundry washing or washing/drying machine of the electronically controlled type fitted with an electronic control system (). The household appliance comprises an oscillating assembly connected to the frame by means of a suspension system comprising at least one damper (). The damper () comprises two elements () adapted to move reciprocally, at least one magnetic element, preferably a permanent magnet (), and an electronic module () provided with at least one magnetic sensor, preferably a Hall element (). The magnetic element () and the magnetic sensor () are housed in the damper () so as to detect the reciprocal motion of the two elements (). The electronic module () also comprises a microcontroller () connected to the magnetic sensor () and adapted to generate at least one piece of information, in particular at least one piece of information being representative of the value of the displacement of the oscillating assembly with respect to the frame, and to send said information to the electronic control system () over a digital communication line.

Household appliance for treating soft goods with displacement sensor

A communication device, for connecting one or more electrical appliances to a remote service centre, comprises a control unit (AMC), means (PLG) for connecting the device (HG) to an alternating voltage electric mains network (Vac) and means (SK) for supplying the alternating mains voltage (Vac) to a power supply line of an electric appliance. The device (HG) further comprises first communication means (CSA), prearranged for receiving information possibly generated by the electric appliance and transmitted through the power supply line thereof, second communication means (ZB), prearranged for establishing a connection with a local area network (HN) and third communication means (GGM), prearranged for establishing a connection with a further communication network, different from the local network (HN), to which the remote service center is connected. The control unit (AMC) is prearranged for acquiring by means of the first communication means (CSA), first information possibly generated by the electric appliance and transmitted through the power supply line thereof and/or second information regarding electric energy consumptions associated to the operation of is the electric appliance, acquiring, by means of the second communication means (ZB), third information possibly available on the local network (HN), and transmitting to the remote center (RMC), by means of the third communication means (GGM), at least one of the first, second and third information.

Communication device for household electric appliances and monitoring system using said device

An electrical appliance () comprises a digital control system (SC), configured for enabling the performance of a plurality of pre-determined basic functions, and an auxiliary device () comprises means (PM,-) for acquiring and/or processing auxiliary information. The electrical appliance () and the auxiliary device () moreover comprise respective communication means (), for setting up between them a bi-directional communication of data. The control system (SC) of the electrical appliance () is provided for enabling execution of additional functions with respect to the basic functions and for sending to the auxiliary device (), via the communication means (), requests for auxiliary information, necessary for the performance of said additional functions. The auxiliary device () is pre-arranged for communicating to the control system (SC) of the electrical appliance (), via the communication means (), the auxiliary piece or pieces of information requested, as processed and/or acquired by the device itself.

Electrical appliance, in particular an electrical household appliance, a corresponding optional auxiliary device, and a system comprising said appliance and device

A method for measuring the mains frequency by a digital control system of an electrical appliance, in particular an electrical household appliance, in which the digital control system is prearranged for performing rigorous measurements of the value of the mains frequency and of its variations through an operation of calibration of the means for measurement of the mains frequency performed prior to marketing of the product.

Method for measuring the mains frequency, and electrical appliance that implements said method

A device is described, for monitoring a household electric user (COT, LB, AU), in particular a household appliance, presenting an electric load, where said monitoring device (AI) is connected between a source of electric energy (PDC) and said electric load, said monitoring device (AI) comprising measuring means (A) for detecting the quantity of electric power or current absorbed by said user (COT, AL, AU), characterized in that said monitoring device (AI) comprises control means (SC), which are programmed for: comparing the absorption of electric power ou current measured through said measuring means (A) with reference values of electric power or current, which are stored within said control means; generating, in function of said comparison, information which being representative of the present status or phase of operation of said electric user (COT, LB, AU); allowing said information to be read from outside said device (AI).

Device, system and method for monitoring a household electric appliance

A household electric user includes an electronic control system that contains an electronic microcontroller (MC), a read and write non volatile memory means (MNV), and means (MC,MS,A-A,MZ) for detecting and/or generating variables which relate to the operation status of the electric user. The control system automatically records, within the non volatile memory means (MNV), information of a first type that is indicative of the temporal trend of the status variables during successive predefined reference periods, with the last stored information of the first type causing the elimination of the oldest such information, i.e. with a backward shifting operation of the stored information of the first type. The control system further allows the stored information of the first type to be read outside of the electric user.

Household electric user having an electronic control, and control and programming system thereof

A system for monitoring and controlling a set of power users, in particular household appliances, which users (U) are connected to a first communication network (RE) through appropriate interfacing means (N) for the exchange of information and/or instructions, where transmitter/receiver means (MC) connected to said first communication network (RE) are provided for establishing a communication channel to a second remote network (IN) and/or remote terminal (TC). According to the present invention, said transmitter/receiver means (MC) are associated to one of said electric users (LB) and share one of the interfacing means (N) associated to said user (LB).

System for monitoring and controlling a set of household appliances

A system that monitors at least a household electric user, in particular a household appliance, includes a monitoring device that is connected between a source of electric energy and the electric user, the monitoring device including a metering means for detecting one or more electric quantities being associated with the operation of said user, and further including a control means that is programmed for (i) comparing the electric quantity or quantities being measured through the metering means with reference values of said electric quantity or quantities which are stored within the control means; (ii) generating, in function of the comparison, information being representative of the current operating status or phase of operation of the electric user; and (iii) allowing for the reading or transmission of the information to the outside of said device. The monitoring device also including a communication means, for realizing a transmission and/or reception of data or information on the electric supply line which connects the user to the device, by means of a modulation of electric power between the user and the device and/or vice-versa.

System and device for monitoring at least one household electric user, in particular a household appliance

A system that monitors at least a household electric user (HA&#x2013;HA), in particular a household appliance, includes a monitoring device (MSA) that is connected between a source of electric energy (OUT) and the electric user, the monitoring device (MSA) including a metering means for detecting one or more electric quantities being associated with the operation of said user (HA&#x2013;HA), and further including a control means that is programmed for (i) comparing the electric quantity or quantities being measured through the metering means with reference values of said electric quantity or quantities which are stored within the control means; (ii) generating, in function of the comparison, information being representative of the current operating status or phase of operation of the electric user (HA&#x2013;HA); and (iii) allowing for the reading or transmission of the information to the outside of said device (MSA). The monitoring device also including a communication means, for realizing a transmission and/or reception of data or information on the electric supply line which connects the user (HA&#x2013;HA) to the device (MSA), by means of a modulation of electric power between the user (HA&#x2013;HA) and the device (MSA) and/or vice-versa.

Method and system for transmitting/receiving or communicating data and information on electric power line between two electronic controlled devices, namely, and electric user (HA), in particular a household appliance, having a first electronic control system and at least a first electric load, and a monitoring or control device (SA), having a second electronic control system, the device (SA) being located on the line between an electric power outlet and the first electric load. The transmission/reception or communication of data and information on the line is obtained by means of electric power modulation between the user (HA) and the device (SA), and/or vice-versa.

Method, system and apparatuses for the transmission of data on electric network

A system is described for programming a household appliance that has electronic control means for executing a plurality of control programs. The household appliance operates in accordance with conventional functions, able to perform standard programs, and has the feature of being prearranged for receiving and retaining additional operating programs, coming from outside, according to the user's specific requirements; such new programs are designed and stored in the control system of the household appliance through an external electronic device, such as a Personal Computer programmed accordingly. The control system of the household appliance comprises a duly prearranged microcontroller, associated with suitable memory means and means for interfacing with said external electronic device; a protected part, i.e. non-modifiable, of the memory means contains the information required for executing the basic programs, whereas a freely modifiable part of the memory means is assigned for the storage of the new additional programs.

System for programming a household appliance having an electronic control

A system that includes one or more household appliances that belong to the same household environment and are connected to a network monitors diagnostic and/or statistical information produced by the electronic control systems of the appliances. The electronic control systems provided the diagnostic and/or statistical information to the network and a monitoring device monitors the household appliances by selecting, picking up, organizing and storing the diagnostic and/or statistical information provided to the network by the electronic control systems of the respective appliances. The monitoring device further makes the organized information explicit, that is, available either locally at the appliances or remotely within or outside the household environment. The diagnostic information for a given appliance is representative of the operational efficiency of various electrical and mechanical components of the appliance. The statistical information for the given appliance is representative of the wear status of the various components. The monitoring device may also monitor and make explicit functional information provided to the network by the electronic control systems of the respective appliances.

System device and method for monitoring electric users, particularly household appliances

A method is described, for managing the energy consumption of electric users (LB, LS, FO, PG, CO), including household appliances, in a domestic environment (A), said users being operatively connected in a network (RE), each one of said users (LB, LS, FO, FG, CO) presenting an electric load to a source of electric energy, comprising the steps of: presetting an appropriate maximum limit of power (Pmax) which can be supplied by said source of electric energy, providing each user (LB, LS, FO, FG, CO) with control means for managing its own consumption of electric energy, measuring the instantaneous total consumption of the electric energy (Ply) supplied by said source to said domestic environment (A), transmitting to the control means of each one of said users (LB, LS, FO, FG, CO), by means of said network (RE), information relating to the instantaneous total consumption of the supplied electric energy (PIT), making the control means of each one of said users (LB, LS, FO, FG, CO) capable of adjusting the electric load being presented to said source of energy by the respective user in response to said information. According to the invention, said information relating the instantaneous total consumption of the electric energy (PT) is transmitted on said network (RE) with a frequency which is variable in function of: the value of the instantaneous total consumption of the absorbed electric energy (PT), measured by a measuring device (MP), and said maximum limit of available power (Pmax).

Method, system and device for managing the consumption of electric energy in a domestic environment

A method for estimating the duration of the interruptions in the supply from the electric mains in an electric appliance having an electronic control, in particular a household appliance, includes the steps of (a) on the occasion of an interruption of the supply voltage of the apparatus, measuring and storing the value of at least one quantity that is characteristic of the operating status of the apparatus; (b) on the occasion of the restoration of the supply voltage, measuring the current value of the at least one characteristic quantity; (c) comparing the stored value and the current value of the at least one characteristic quantity; and (d) estimating, on the basis of the comparison, the duration of the interruption of the supply voltage.

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Fabriano, Italy

Valerio Aisa