Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.

Lexmark International, Inc.

Other

William Everette Gardner

Keith Wesley Wait

Scott Michael Heydinger

Khageshwar Thakur

Joel Erik Hitzelberger

Alan Joseph Mitchell

Jeff Donald Drake

Ronald Scott Tarr

Tomas Garces

Chad Michael Helms

Jarvis Ward

Daryl Edward Janisch

Irena Jozic McDowell

Arnold Estravillo

John Donovan Nolan

Systems and methods for obtaining a location of an appliance are provided. In particular, the systems and methods include features for automatically obtaining a location of an appliance, e.g., for registration purposes. In one example aspect, a system includes an appliance that includes features for providing a local appliance network, a user device for connecting to the local appliance network, and a remote computing device communicatively coupled with the user device. To obtain the location of the appliance, the user device first connects with the local appliance network. The user device then obtains data indicative of the geographic location of the user device while connected to the appliance network and routes the data to the remote computing device. As the range of the local appliance network is limited, the location of the user device while connected to the local appliance network is assumed as the geographic location of the appliance.

Systems and methods for obtaining a location of an appliance

An appliance and method of operation is provided. The appliance may include an outer casing, a user interface, and a controller. The outer casing may define an enclosed volume. The user interface may be mounted to the outer casing to include a light projector and a translucent diffuser disc. The light projector may be positioned within the enclosed volume and include a plurality of discrete segmented light emitting diodes to each selectively emit one or more discrete light emissions. The translucent diffuser disc may be positioned between the light projector and the outer casing. The diffuser disc may include a continuous outer surface aligned with the light projector to display the one or more discrete light emissions as a visually continuous pattern. The controller may be operably connected with the light projector and configured to determine the visually continuous pattern displayed at the continuous outer surface.

Appliance user interface and method of operation

A method for operating a fan of a nugget ice maker is provided. The method includes monitoring a speed of an auger of the nugget ice maker while a motor of the nugget ice maker rotates the auger and the fan of the nugget ice maker runs at a stored speed. A speed of the fan is increased when the speed of the auger stabilizes.

Method for operating a fan of a nugget ice maker

A method for selecting an image of an appliance with a suitable position or orientation of a door of the appliance is provided. The method includes obtaining a digital RGB image from a camera of the appliance and converting the digital RGB image to a device independent color space in order to generate at least one of a first chromatic primary plane image or a second chromatic primary plane image from the digital RGB image. The method also includes comparing the first or second chromatic primary plane images to a reference image.

Method for selecting an image of an appliance with a suitable position or orientation of a door of the appliance

Refrigerator appliances and methods for operating refrigerator appliances are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes detecting a user's presence, associating the user's presence with a heated beverage preference, and initiating heating of a liquid stored in the refrigerator appliance. The detecting step, the associating step and the initiating step are performed by a controller of the refrigerator appliance.

Method for operating a refrigerator appliance

Appliance systems and methods for using visual cues to improve appliance audio recognition are provided. One example method performed by an appliance includes identifying one or more visual cues included in imagery captured by a camera of the appliance. The one or more visual cues indicate that a user of the appliance is seeking to provide a voice command to the appliance. The method includes communicating with one or more devices over a network to reduce background noise associated with the one or more devices upon identifying the one or more visual cues. The method includes receiving the voice command from the user. The method includes determining that the user has finished providing the voice command. The method includes communicating with the one or more devices over the network to resume standard operations upon determining that the user has finished providing the voice command.

Using visual cues to improve appliance audio recognition

Generally the present disclosure is directed to appliances that provide a user-specific response to a received voice command. In particular, the appliance can store a plurality of voice samples respectively associated with a plurality of users. The appliance can also store one or more preferences for each of the plurality of users. For example, the preferences can be input by the user and/or learned or inferred over time. When the appliance receives a human speech signal or voice command, it can match the received speech signal against one or more of the plurality of voice samples to identify the user. The preferences stored and associated with the identified user can then be obtained and the appliance can perform any requested operations in accordance with the obtained preferences. In such fashion, the appliance can provide a user-specific response to a received voice command.

Appliances for providing user-specific response to voice commands

A method for performing duplex copying of a document having a first side with a first image and a second side with a second image includes scanning only the first side of the document under a first imaging condition to retrieve first information relating to each of the first image and the second image; scanning only the first side of the document under a second imaging condition to retrieve second information relating to each of the first image and the second image; determining from the first information and the second information contents of the first image on the first side of the document; and determining from the first information and the second information contents of the second image on the second side of the document.

Method for performing duplex copying

A method for processing a duplexed document having a first side with a first image and a second side with a second image includes scanning only the first side of the duplexed document under a first imaging condition to retrieve first information relating to each of the first image and show-through contribution of the second image; scanning only the first side of the duplexed document under a second imaging condition to retrieve second information relating to each of the first image and show-through contribution of the second image; and comparing the first information and the second information to reduce an amount of the show-through contribution.

Method for reducing show-through in a scanned duplexed document

A tool for bending conduit comprises a body that has a bottom shoe portion which is curved along its length and in which there is a downwardly opening groove that is symmetrical across its width to a plane of symmetry, a tubular handle supporting socket projecting up from the shoe with its axis in said plane, and a hook portion in front of the shoe. Integral ridges on the body define sighting lines contained in a plane parallel to said plane of symmetry, each such line designating attainment of a predetermined bend angle when it is perpendicular to a supporting surface. The ridges define upper line segments on the socket that diverge downwardly from a point on the axis about which the shoe is lengthwise curved and lower line segments on the shoe that are lengthwise aligned with respective upper line segments.

Growing community of inventors

Louisville, KY, United States of America

William Everette Gardner