Systems and methods to wirelessly configure water heaters

Abstract

A water heater configured to automatically search for a wireless network when the water heater is at least partially powered-on, automatically connect with the wireless network, receive, via the wireless network, a water heater configuration, and adjust, based on the water heater configuration, one or more operating parameters and / or capabilities of the water heater.

Description

SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO WIRELESSLY CONFIGURE WATER HEATERSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 762,421, filed February 24, 2025, entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO WIRELESSLY CONFIGURE WATER HEATERS," the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to systems and methods to enable a distributor or an end user to adjust and / or modify the configuration of a water heater.BACKGROUND

[0003] Water heaters are offered for sale in a variety of configurations, sizes, etc. For example, water heaters available for sale may have different heating capacities (e.g., 100K, 200K, 250K, or 300K British Thermal Units (BTUs) and / or different recovery capabilities (measured in gallons per hour (GPH) or liters per hour (LPH)). Water heaters may also have different features, different tank sizes, and / or the like. Wholesalers or distributors typically store models of different water heaters in their stock to cater to customer demands. Stocking a large count of discretely configured water heaters may increase the inventory cost.

[0004] Further, it may be challenging for a distributor to predict the specific model that a customer or a contractor may desire to buy, and thus the distributor may not have the specific model in inventory that the customer desires to purchase. This may cause inconvenience to both the distributor and the customer.

[0005] It may be difficult for a distributor to determine an optimal mix of different water heater models to stock in the inventory, which caters to the demands of most of the customers, while at the same time optimizing inventory resources.154262030.1BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The detailed description is set forth with reference to the accompanying drawings. The use of the same reference numerals may indicate similar or identical items. Various embodiments may utilize elements and / or components other than those illustrated in the drawings, and some elements and / or components may not be present in various embodiments. Elements and / or components in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Throughout this disclosure, depending on the context, singular and plural terminology may be used interchangeably.

[0007] FIG. 1 depicts a system to upgrade a configuration of a water heater in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 2 depicts a workflow executed by a system to upgrade a configuration of a water heater in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary smart configuration process executed by a distributor to configure a water heater in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary first method executed by a first computing device to upgrade a configuration of a water heater in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 5 depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary second method executed by a water heater to upgrade a configuration of the water heater in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 6 depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary third method executed by a second computing device to upgrade a configuration of a water heater in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 7 depicts a block diagram of a controller in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 8 depicts a block diagram of a water heater including a product control board, a display control board and a connectivity control board in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 9 depicts a block diagram of a connectivity control board in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.254262030.1DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] The present disclosure is directed towards systems and methods for upgrading the configuration of one or more water heaters. Specifically, the system may enable a wholesaler, a distributor, or a contractor to conveniently modify or update a configuration of a water heater (e.g., by increasing or decreasing the water heater’s heating capacity, recovery rate (GPH / LPH), enabling or disabling one or more features, and / or the like). The water heater may be a gas water heater, an electric water heater, a heat pump water heater, or a water heater that includes any other type or combination of heating elements (e.g., renewables or the like). The water heater may include a tank or be tankless. In this manner, the systems and methods disclosed herein may enable a wholesaler or a distributor, to modify or update the configuration of any type of water heater.

[0017] Although the present disclosure is described in the context of water heaters, the application of the present disclosure is not limited to water heaters only. The disclosure may be applicable to other types of appliances as well, e.g., air conditioners, air handlers, heat pumps, boilers, pool or spa heaters, water softeners, air quality enhancement products, and / or the like.

[0018] Appliances and other distributed equipment, such as water heaters that are available for sale have different heating capacities, fuel types, tank sizes, features, etc. To cater to the customer demands, a distributor may store different models of water heaters in the distributor’s inventory. This may consume considerable storage space at the distributor’s warehouse and may significantly increase the inventory cost / resources. Further, in some instances, to optimize the inventory resources, the distributor may not store all the available water heater models and may only store the “best-selling” models. Such an approach may cause inconvenience to both the distributor and the customer when the customer desires to check and / or purchase a model that is not available in the distributor’s inventory. The system, as disclosed in the present disclosure, enables the distributor (and the entire distributor-to-end user value chain) to overcome the challenges described above and to optimize the inventory resources, while at the same ensuring that customer demands are met, as described below.

[0019] In accordance with the present disclosure, a water heater’s Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) may ship a plurality of “base” water heaters to the distributor, instead of shipping multiple water heaters of different models / configurations. In some aspects, a base water 354262030.1heater may have a base or basic configuration and a specific tank size (e g., when the water heater is a tank water heater). In an exemplary aspect, the water heaters shipped by the OEM may have the lowest possible heating capacity and / or the lowest count of features enabled when the water heaters are in the base configuration. For example, the OEM may ship a base water heater with a tank size of 80 gallons, having a heating capacity of 100k British Thermal Units (BTUs) (or lowest possible recovery rate (gallons per hour (GPH) / liters per hour(LPH) capability)), and having the lowest possible count of water heater features enabled that would be needed to make the water heater operational in its lowest possible configuration. In a similar manner, the OEM may ship base water heaters having tank sizes of 100 and 120 gallons, having heating capacities of 100k BTUs, and having the lowest possible count of water heater features enabled. In other examples, the base water heater may be configured with the most popular or the highest available volume configuration. In still other examples, the base water heater configuration for different sizes or styles of water heaters may have a combination of the lowest available capacity and / or count of features and the most popular or the highest available volume configurations. Other configurations for what the base water heater is initially configured as are contemplated by this disclosure.

[0020] As an example, in the scenario described above, the OEM may ship 25 base water heaters of 80 gallons tank size, 25 base water heaters of 100 gallons tank size, and 25 base water heaters of 120 gallons tank size to the distributor. This is in contrast to the conventional practice, in which the OEM may typically send multiple water heaters of 80 gallons tank size with heating capacities of 100k, 200k, 250k, 300k, etc. BTUs, and having different sets of features enabled or disabled in each model. For example, the OEM may conventionally ship 10 water heaters of 80 gallons tank size with heating capacities of 200k, 10 water heaters of 80 gallons tank size with heating capacities of 250k, 10 water heaters of 80 gallons tank size with heating capacities of 300k, and some of these models may have advanced features enabled (e.g., Building Automation and Control Networks (BACnet), energy-saver mode, boost or high demand mode, etc. features enabled) while others may have such features disabled. In the conventional practice, the OEM may similarly ship multiple water heaters of 100 and 120 gallons tank size with different heating capacities and features enabled.

[0021] It may be appreciated that when the OEM implements the conventional practice, the distributor may receive a large number of water heaters that may require considerable inventory 454262030.1space and resources. On the other hand, when the OEM implements the approach disclosed in the present disclosure of shipping only the base water heaters to the distributor, the distributor may not be required to store multiple water heaters of different configurations but may only store a limited count of base water heaters. The system, as disclosed in the present disclosure, enables the distributor to “update” or “modify” the base water heater’s configuration from the base configuration to a modified configuration based on customer’s request / requirements, thereby enabling the distributor to “change” the base water heater to a modified water heater that may have the required heating capacity desired by the customer and / or may have the advanced features enabled (or disabled), as desired by the customer.

[0022] As used herein, the term “modify” refers to changing the configuration of the water heater from a first configuration to a second configuration. Modifying the configuration of the water heater may include upgrading the water heater (e.g., increasing the heating capacity, enabling additional features, increasing the recovery rate (GPH / LPH) capability, etc ), downgrading the water heater (e.g., decreasing the heating capacity, disabling one or more features, decreasing the recovery rate (GPH / LPH) capability, etc.), or a combination of upgrading one or more parameters and downgrading one or more other parameters. Modifying the configuration of the water heater may also include reconfiguring the water heater from an upgraded configuration back to the base configuration.

[0023] It is to be noted that the base water heater shipped by the OEM to the distributor is in an operational state and is not inoperable. Stated another way, if a customer requires to use the base water heater as-is, the customer may use the base water heater without needing to make any hardware and / or software modifications. Furthermore, each base water heater may be constructed with the capability to operate in a plurality of different configurations, and the distributor may modify the water heater to any one of a plurality of pre-set configurations (i.e., an advanced configuration), based on the customer’s requirements.

[0024] The details of the system are briefly described below and described in detail later in the description below.

[0025] In some aspects, the system may include a first computing device (which may be, for example, a server, a computing unit associated with the OEM, one or more application management services, or a combination of one or more of the foregoing), a second computing device (which may be, for example, a user device associated with the distributor, wherein the 554262030.1user device is configured to access a configuration portal), the base water heater(s) shipped by the OEM to the distributor, and one or more nodes associated with a pre-authorized and preconfigured secure wireless network (e.g., Amazon Sidewalk or any other similar pre-configured network). When a customer (e.g., a contractor or an end user / facility manager) desires to purchase a water heater from the distributor, the customer may share information associated with the heating capacity of the water heater desired by the customer, one or more additional features (over the “base” features that may already be enabled in the base water heater) that the customer desires to enable in the water heater, the desired fuel type for the water heater (if the water heater is a gas water heater), and / or the like.

[0026] Responsive to receiving the information from the customer, the distributor may determine an identifier (e.g., a serial number or a “first serial number”) of the base water heater that is to be upgraded. In one exemplary aspect, the water heater’s identifier may be visible / attached on the water heater body, and the distributor may manually view the identifier. Responsive to viewing the identifier, the distributor may enter the water heater’s identifier (or the first serial number) on the second computing device. In another exemplary aspect, a Quick Response (QR) code, a barcode, an NFC / UWB tag, or other scannable feature(s) may be attached on the water heater body or displayed on a user interface of the water heater or otherwise accessible from the water heater body or packaging, and the distributor may scan the code / tag by using the second computing device to obtain the identifier. In this case, the first serial number of the water heater to be modified may automatically get entered on the second computing device. In yet another aspect, the water heater (specifically a controller of the water heater) to be modified may automatically transmit the identifier / first serial number to the second computing device, via Bluetooth, NEC, wired connection, etc. when the distributor places the second computing device in proximity to the water heater or connects the second computing device with the water heater.

[0027] Responsive to obtaining the first serial number of the base water heater to be upgraded, the second computing device may transmit the first serial number and the information obtained from the customer (hereinafter referred to as “information for a desired water heater configuration” associated with the first serial number) to the first computing device. The first computing device may store the obtained first serial number and the information for the desired water heater configuration in a data structure.654262030.1

[0028] Tn parallel or before / after the second computing device transmits the first serial number and the information for the desired water heater configuration to the first computing device as described above, a user distributor ) may “power-on” the water heater. In some aspects, powering-on the water heater may mean activating a controller (which may include a water heater transceiver) of the water heater. In other aspects, powering-on the water heater may mean activating the controller and one or more additional components of the water heater. In some aspects, the water heater may include more than one controller or control board, and powering-on the water heater may mean activating one control board (e.g., a first control board or a first controller) and keeping the other control board (e.g., a second control board or a second controller) in a deactivated or unpowered state.

[0029] In an exemplary aspect, the water heater or a control board on the water heater may be battery-powered and may include an actuator or a pull-on tab. The user may power-on the water heater by actuating the actuator or removing the pull-on tab. Responsive to the water heater getting powered-on, the water heater (specifically the controller of the water heater) may search for the pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network and wirelessly connect with a node associated with this network when the controller determines that the network is available.

[0030] In some aspects, the node described above may act as a gateway or a “bridge” between the water heater and the network infrastructure of the distributor’s warehouse (or any location) where the water heater may be located. In an exemplary aspect, the node may be connected to the distributor’s network (WiFi, Ethernet network, or other wired or wireless connection to the Internet) and may “share” the Internet of the distributor’s network with the water heater when the water heater may be connected with the node. In this manner, the water heater is not required to directly connect with the distributor’s network (or have direct access to the Internet) but may instead gain access to the Internet via the node. The connection between the node and the water heater may be through the pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network (e.g., Amazon Sidewalk), in which no authorization code is required to be input by the user and the water heater automatically connects with the node when the water heater is within a predefined distance range of the node (and is powered-on). In this case, the water heater’s controller may be pre-configured to connect with the node automatically via the pre-754262030.1authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network, whenever the water heater is powered-on.

[0031] Responsive to wirelessly connecting with the node as described above, the water heater may transmit its serial number (e.g., “second serial number,” which may be pre-stored in a water heater / controller memory) to the first computing device via the node. Specifically, in this case, the water heater may transmit the second serial number to the node via the pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network, and the node may transmit the second serial number to the first computing device via the Internet of the distributor’s network.

[0032] Responsive to obtaining the second serial number from the water heater, the first computing device may compare the first serial number (that is obtained from the first computing device, as described above) with the second serial number. In one exemplary aspect, the first computing device may fetch the information for the desired water heater configuration from the data structure and transmit this information to the water heater (via the Internet and the node described above) when the first serial number matches with the second serial number. Stated another way, the first computing device may transmit the information for the desired water heater configuration to the water heater when the serial number obtained from the distributor’s computing device matches with the serial number obtained from the water heater. In other words, the first computing device may use the second serial number from the water heater to look up or otherwise identify a matching first serial number and obtain the desired water heater configuration stored in the data structure with the first serial number.

[0033] Responsive to obtaining the information for the desired water heater configuration from the first computing device as described above, the water heater’s controller may modify or update the operating parameters and / or capabilities of one or more water heater components to modify the water heater configuration from the base configuration to a modified configuration based on the obtained information (and hence based on the user requirements / preferences).

[0034] In one example, the controller’s memory may store different pre-set configurations (e g., in the form of parameter files) for the water heater, and the controller may use the information for the desired water heater configuration obtained from the first computing device to select the corresponding configuration in which the water heater should be upgraded.Thereafter, the controller may copy or otherwise write the configuration file associated with the configuration to upgrade the water heater. In some aspects, upgrading the water heater may mean 854262030.1adjusting one or more operating parameters of the water heater components based on the desired water heater configuration.

[0035] As used herein, the term "configuration file" refers to any file or software component that can be used to change any operating parameters, settings, or values that define how the water heater operates in a particular configuration. In some implementations, a configuration file may be a complete software package for control software or firmware that operate on one or more control boards of the water heater. In other implementations, the configuration file may be code snippets or portions of code that are to be updated in order to change any operating parameters, settings, or values that define how the water heater operates. In still other implementations, the configuration file may be a parameter file, as defined further herein, that contains one or more operating parameters, settings, or values that define how the water heater operates in a particular configuration, such as a structured format of parameter values. Additionally, the configuration file may be any combination of a parameter file, code snippet, or complete software package.

[0036] In an alternative aspect, the first computing device may itself use the information for the desired water heater configuration to identify the desired configuration for the water heater and transmit the corresponding configuration file to the water heater (instead of transmitting the information for the desired water heater configuration as described above; or in some aspects, the information for the desired water heater configuration may include the configuration file). In this case, the water heater controller may store or write the configuration file received from the first computing device to modify the water heater. Different ways in which the controller may adjust the operating parameters of the water heater components to upgrade the water heater are described below.

[0037] For example, the controller may adjust the gas valve opening size, the air inlet opening size, the blower speed settings, or the like when the customer desires to upgrade the heating capacity from 100K BTUs to 250K BTUs (when the water heater is a gas water heater), as determined via the obtained information. As another example, the controller may adjust a voltage output or a current modulation of the water heater when the customer desires to upgrade the recovery rate (GPH / LPH capability) of the water heater, as determined via the obtained information. In some aspects, the controller may turn ON or OFF one or more water heater capabilities or features as well based on the obtained information. For example, the controller may turn OFF or ON the BACnet communication depending on how the water heater is being 954262030.1configured. As another example, the controller may change the fuel type of the water heater from one of natural gas (NG), Liquid Propane (LP), or hydrogen, or vice-versa based on the customer preferences, as determined via the information obtained.

[0038] In further aspects, the controller may enable (or disable) additional features of the water heater (e.g., BACnet feature, transmission of regular health and usage reports associated with the water heater to customer’s device, feature to limit a set point range associated with the water heater, feature to enable energy saver or high demand / boost mode, etc.) based on the information for the desired water heater configuration obtained from the first computing device (and hence based on the customer preferences / requirements).

[0039] In some aspects, the water heater may be considered to be modified to an “upgraded configuration” based on the customer preferences / requirements when the controller makes the changes to the water heater described above. Responsive to the water heater’s configuration being modified from the base configuration to a modified configuration as described above, the distributor may ship the modified water heater to the customer (e.g., the facility manager). In this manner, the customer may receive the water heater in the configuration desired by the customer, and at the same time, the distributor is not required to stock multiple water heaters of different configurations in the inventory. The distributor may just modify the base water heater to whatever configuration that may be required by the customer to effectively meet the customer’s requirements, while at the same time optimizing the inventory resources.

[0040] Further, responsive to the water heater’s configuration being modified from the base configuration to the modified configuration as described above (or responsive to receiving the information for the desired water heater configuration from the second computing device), the first computing device may generate an invoice (e.g., a second invoice) and transmit the invoice to the second computing device. Specifically, in an exemplary aspect, the OEM may transmit (via the first computing device) two invoices to the distributor. The OEM may transmit a first invoice to the distributor when the OEM ships the base water heater to the distributor, which may be less than a total price of the water heater (e.g., may be 70% of the total price). The OEM may further transmit the second invoice to the distributor when the distributor modifies the base water heater to a new configuration as described above. In some aspects, the second invoice may correspond to the configuration selected by the distributor using the second computing device.1054262030.1For example, the second invoice may be for the remaining 30% of the total price (or more or less, depending on the configuration / features selected by the customer).

[0041] In some aspects, the system may enable the distributor 114 to reconfigure the water heater 102 after the water heater 102 has been modified from the base configuration to an upgraded configuration. For example, if an order is changed or canceled before the water heater 102 is shipped to the contractor 211 or the end-user 210, the distributor 114 may initiate a reconfiguration process to modify the water heater 102 to a different configuration or to return the water heater 102 to the base configuration.

[0042] In an exemplary aspect, the reconfiguration process may be initiated via the second computing device 106. Responsive to the distributor 114 initiating the reconfiguration process, the first computing device 104 may transmit a reconfiguration command to the water heater 102 via the node 108. The reconfiguration command may cause the controller 118 to delete or overwrite the existing parameter file stored in the controller memory and replace it with a new parameter file associated with a different desired configuration or with a base parameter file associated with the base configuration. In this manner, the water heater 102 may be reconfigured from a first modified configuration to a second modified configuration, or from an upgraded configuration back to the base configuration. The second modified configuration may be an upgrade or a downgrade from the first upgraded configuration.

[0043] For example, an upgrade from the first modified configuration to the second modified configuration may include adjusting the heating capacity of the water heater 102 (e.g., from 200k BTUs to 300k BTUs), enabling or disabling one or more additional features (e.q., BACnet feature, energy saver mode, high demand or boost mode, transmission of health and usage reports to a user device, etc.) and / or adjusting the recovery rate (GPH / LPH) capability of the water heater 102. As another example, a downgrade from the first modified configuration to the second modified configuration adjusting the heating capacity of the water heater 102, disabling one or more features that were previously enabled, changing the fuel type of the water heater 102 (e.g., from LP to natural gas, or vice-versa), and / or decreasing the recovery rate (GPH / LPH capability) of the water heater 102. In some aspects, a reconfiguration may include both an upgrade of one or more operating parameters and a downgrade of one or more other operating parameters.1154262030.1

[0044] Tn some aspects, responsive to the reconfiguration process being initiated, the first computing device 104 may generate a new invoice associated with the new configuration and transmit the new invoice to the second computing device 106. In some aspects, the first computing device 104 may further generate a credit or adjustment associated with the prior configuration that is being replaced. In this manner, the invoicing system is enabled to track each configuration change and ensure accurate billing for the final configuration of the water heater 102 following the reconfiguration process.

[0045] In further aspects, responsive to the water heater 102 being reconfigured the first computing device 104 may generate a new serial number (e.g., a “third serial number”) for the water heater 102. The new serial number may be associated with the new configuration of the water heater 102 and may replace the prior serial number in the system records. In some aspects, only the most recent serial number may be retained as the active serial number for the water heater 102, while prior serial numbers may be archived or marked as inactive. Each configuration state of the water heater 102 may be tracked via a unique serial number, ensuring traceability and compliance throughout one or more configuration lifecycles.

[0046] In some aspects, responsive to the water heater 102 being reconfigured, the distributor 114 may apply a new configuration label to the water heater 102. The new configuration label may correspond with the new configuration, including but not limited to: the new model number, the new serial number, and the new heating capacity. In some aspects, the distributor 114 may be prompted to scan the new configuration label via the second computing device 106 to verify that the new label has been correctly applied and corresponds to the reconfigured water heater 102.

[0047] In other aspects, the reconfiguration process may enable the distributor 114 to return a previously configured water heater 102 to inventory as a base water heater. For example, if an order is canceled after the water heater 102 has been reconfigured, the distributor 114 may initiate a subsequent reconfiguration process to restore the water heater 102 to the base configuration. Responsive to the water heater 102 being restored to the base configuration, the first computing device 104 may generate a new serial number for the water heater 102. The new serial number may be associated with the base configuration of the water heater 102 but is different from the first serial number associated with the water heater 102. The new serial number may replace the prior serial number associated with the upgraded configuration. In this 1254262030.1manner, each configuration state of the water heater 102, including a return to the base configuration, may be tracked via a unique serial number. Responsive to the water heater 102 being restored to the base configuration and / or the new serial number being generated, the distributor 114 may return the water heater 102 to the inventory of base water heaters, where the water heater 102 may be available for future configuration based on a subsequent customer order.

[0048] As described above, in some aspects, the water heater may include more than one controller or control board (e.g., the first control board and the second control board). In this case, some of the functions of the controller described above may be performed by the first control board and the remaining functions may be performed by the second control board. For example, when the distributor powers-on the water heater by removing the pull-on tab, only the first control board may be powered-on and the second control board may remain in a deactivated or unpowered state. Responsive to the first control board getting powered-on / activated, the first control board may couple with the node described above (e.g., the node associated with Amazon Sidewalk) and share the second serial number with the first computing device via the node. The first control board may further receive the parameter file associated with the desired water heater configuration from the first computing device via the node, and store the received parameter file in a non-volatile memory of the first control board.

[0049] Thereafter, when the water heater may be powered-on (i.e., when a power bus of the water heater may be activated, e g., via connection to a utility power source), both the first and second control boards may be activated via the power bus. At this stage, the second control board may retrieve the parameter file from the non-volatile memory of the first control board, and may modify the water heater to the desired configuration based on the retrieved parameter file.

[0050] In the example embodiment described above, the first control board may be a “connectivity control board” that may enable connection of the water heater with the first computing device via the node. The second control board may be the main controller or a “product control board” of the water heater that may be configured to control operation of a plurality of water heater components. In an exemplary aspect, the function of adjusting the operating parameters of the water heater components to upgrade the water heater based on the retrieved configuration file may be performed by the second control board.1354262030.1

[0051] Although certain examples of the disclosed technology are explained in detail herein, it is to be understood that other examples, embodiments, and implementations of the disclosed technology are contemplated. Accordingly, it is not intended that the disclosed technology is limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components expressly set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosed technology can be implemented in a variety of examples and can be practiced or carried out in various ways. In particular, the presently disclosed subject matter is described in the context of a system and method for updating or modifying the operating parameters and / or features of a water heater. The present disclosure, however, is not so limited, and can be applicable in other contexts. For example, the present disclosure may be used to upgrade an air handler, a heater pump, a pool or spa heater, a heating, ventilation, an air conditioning (HVAC) system, and / or the like in a similar manner as described above. As an example, an HVAC OEM may ship a “base” HVAC system to the distributor, who may modify the configuration of the base HVAC system based on the customer’s requirements. In an exemplary aspect, the base HVAC system may have a cooling capacity of 1 ton (which is 12,000 BTUs per hour), and the distributor may upgrade the cooling capacity in the same manner as described above to 1.5-5 tons if the HVAC system is to be used in a residential building and up to 30 tons if the HVAC system is to be used in a commercial building.

[0052] Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 depicts a system 100 to update or modify a configuration of an appliance, a water heater in the example shown, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 will be described in conjunction with FIG.2, which depicts a workflow 200 executed by the system 100 to upgrade a configuration of an appliance, such as a water heater.

[0053] The system 100 may include a plurality of components / units including, but not limited to, a water heater 102 (or other appliance such as an HVAC outdoor unit, air handler, furnace, thermostat, or other system), a first computing device 104 (or a server), a second computing device 106, a network bridge / gateway / node 108, and / or the like. In an exemplary aspect, the first computing device 104, the second computing device 106 and the node 108 may be communicatively coupled with each other via one or more networks 110. In some aspects, the water heater 102 may not be directly coupled with the network(s) 110. In other aspects, the water heater 102 may be coupled with the network(s) 110 (e g., via an LTE chip embedded in the water 1454262030.1heater 102). The present disclosure describes an aspect where the water heater 102 is not directly coupled with the network(s) 110; however, such description should not be construed as limiting.

[0054] The network(s) 110 illustrates an example communication infrastructure in which the connected devices discussed in various embodiments of this disclosure may communicate. The network(s) 110 may be and / or include the Internet, a private network, public network or other configuration that operates using any one or more known communication protocols such as transmission control protocol / Internet protocol (TCP / IP), Wi-Fi based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard 802.11, and cellular technologies such as Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), High-Speed Packet Access (HSPDA), Long-Term Evolution (LTE), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), and Fifth Generation (5G), to name a few examples.

[0055] The first computing device 104 may be a server, cloud or a distributed computing system associated with a water heater OEM 112, which may be configured to transmit and receive data to / from a plurality of user devices, computing devices / sy stems, etc. The second computing device 106 may be, for example, a mobile phone, a computer, a laptop, a tablet, a smartwatch or any other device with communication capabilities. The second computing device 106 may be a user device associated with a user / distributor 114 of the water heater 102.

[0056] In an exemplary aspect, the node 108 may be located at the distributor’s warehouse (or any other similar location where a plurality of water heaters may be stored in an inventory, or may be located at a customer’s home or office location). The node 108 may be associated with a pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network (e.g., Amazon Sidewalk or any other similar pre-configured wireless network) and may be connected to the network 110 via the distributor’s telecom infrastructure (e.g., the distributor’s WiFi network, Ethernet, LAN cable, etc.). The node 108 may act as a gateway or a bridge between one or more devices located at the distributor’s warehouse that do not have access to the Internet / network 110 (e.g., the water heaters stored at the distributor’s warehouse) and the network infrastructure of the distributor’s warehouse (e.g., the distributor’s WiFi network). In an exemplary aspect, the node 108 may be connected to the distributor’s WiFi network and may “share” the Internet of the distributor’s WiFi network with the devices (e.g., the water heaters stored at the distributor’s warehouse) when the devices may be powered-on and connected with the node 108. In this manner, even if the water heaters stored at the distributor’s warehouse do not have direct access to the Internet / 1554262030.1network 110, the water heaters can access the Internet / network 110 via the node 108, when the water heaters are powered-on and connected with the node 108. In this case, the water heaters are not required to directly connect with the distributor’s WiFi network (or have direct access to the Internet), but may instead gain access to the Internet via the node 108. The connection between the node 108 and the water heaters stored at the distributor’s warehouse may be through the preauthorized and pre-configured secure wireless network (e.g., Amazon Sidewalk or the like), in which no authorization code is required to be input by an operator, and the water heaters may automatically connect with the node 108 when the water heaters are located within a predefined distance range of the node 108 and are powered-on. In this case, the controllers of respective water heaters may be pre-configured to connect with the node 108 automatically via the preauthorized and pre-configured secure wireless network, whenever the water heaters are powered-on.

[0057] In some aspects, the system 100 may utilize two separate devices at the distributor 114 to configure the water heater 102. The second computing device 106, which may be a mobile device, tablet, laptop, or other web-enabled device associated with the distributor 114, may be used to access the configuration portal, select the desired configuration, enter or scan the serial number of the water heater 102, verify the serial number, assign a new serial number, add the configured water heater 102 to a cart, and place an order. Additionally, the node 108 at the distributor 114, which is a different device than the second computing device 106, may be used to establish a connection between the water heater 102 and the first computing device 104 via the pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network. The node 108 may receive the parameter file from the first computing device 104 via the pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network and provide the parameter file for storage in a non-volatile memory of the water heater 102. In this manner, the second computing device 106 and the node 108 perform different functions in the configuration process at the distributor 114, and the node 108 operates independently of the second computing device 106 to provide the parameter file via the preauthorized and pre-configured secure wireless network to the water heater 102.

[0058] In some aspects, the pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network described herein may be a low-bandwidth wireless mesh network. A low-bandwidth wireless mesh network, as used herein, refers to a distributed network topology in which a plurality of nodes (e g., network gateways, bridges, access points, etc.) communicate with each other to relay 1654262030.1data across the network. Tn a mesh network, each node may be capable of communicating with multiple other nodes, providing redundancy and extended coverage. The low-bandwidth characteristic of the network enables transfer of low-density files, such as parameter files or other configuration files, to ToT devices (e.g., the water heater 102).

[0059] In an exemplary aspect, the low-bandwidth wireless mesh network may operate in a sub-GHz frequency range (e.g., the 900 MHz range). The sub-GHz frequency range may provide advantages for ToT applications, including longer range, better penetration through walls and obstacles, and lower power consumption compared to higher frequency bands (e.g., 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz). In some aspects, the low-bandwidth wireless mesh network may be Amazon Sidewalk, which is a shared network that uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and 900 MHz spectrum to provide cloud connectivity for loT devices. Other examples of low-bandwidth wireless mesh networks include, but are not limited to, LoRa (Long Range), Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread, and other similar protocols or networks that support low-power, low-bandwidth communication for loT devices.

[0060] In some aspects, the low-bandwidth wireless mesh network may be characterized by credential-less automatic association. Said another way, devices may be pre-configured to automatically connect with a node or gateway of the low-bandwidth wireless mesh network when the devices are powered-on and located within a predefined distance range of the node or gateway, without requiring a user to input authorization codes, passwords, or other credentials. This credential-less automatic association may simplify the configuration process and reduce the burden on the distributor 114 or the end-user 210. In other aspects, network identification information associated with the low-bandwidth wireless mesh network may be stored in memory of the water heater 102.

[0061] In further aspects, the low-bandwidth wireless mesh network may provide secure communication between the water heater 102 and the first computing device 104. In some aspects, the communication may be encrypted using industry-standard encryption protocols to protect the parameter files or other configuration files during transmission.

[0062] Although the description above describes an aspect where the water heater controller connects with the node 108, such description should not be construed as limiting. If the water heater controller can directly access the Internet (e.g., via an LTE chip embedded in the water heater, or via other means such as modem, etc.), the system 100 may not require the node 108.1754262030.1Consequently, the presence of the node 108 is not mandatory for the operation of the system 100 (or for the water heaters to connect to the Internet / network).

[0063] The water heater 102 may be a gas water heater, an electric water heater, a heat pump water heater, a hot water boiler, or a water heater that includes any other type of heating element. The water heater 102 may include an actuator or a pull-on tab 116, a controller 118 and a plurality of water heater components 120. The water heater 102 (specifically, the controller 118) may be battery powered and may power-on when the actuator may be actuated or the pull-on tab 116 may be removed. Examples of the water heater components 120 include, but are not limited to, a water inlet valve, a water outlet valve, a mixing chamber, a mixing valve, a gas valve (if the water heater 102 is a gas water heater), a combustion chamber, an air inlet valve, a water tank, one or more heating elements (e.g., electric coils if the water heater 102 is an electric water heater), a dip tube, a blower / fan, and / or the like. The water heater 102 may include a plurality of additional components and / or may include different components than the ones described above. These components are not shown in FIG. 1 for the sake of simplicity. Further, in some aspects, the water heater 102 may include a single controller, e.g., the controller 118 depicted in FIG. 1. In other aspects, the water heater 102 may include more than one controller or control board, or the controller 118 may include a plurality of control boards, as described below in conjunction with FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0064] As described above, the system 100 may enable the OEM 112 to ship a plurality of “base” water heaters to the distributor 114 (instead of shipping multiple water heaters of different configurations, as is done conventionally), which may facilitate the distributor 114 in optimizing the inventory space and the resource utilization, and at the same time enabling the distributor 114 to effectively meet the customer’s water heater requirements. The distributor 114 may update or upgrade the base configuration of the water heater received by the OEM 112 based on the customer’s requirements and then ship the “modified” water heater to the customer, as briefly described above and described in detail below.

[0065] In operation, at a first step 202 (as shown in FIG. 2), in some aspects, the distributor 114 may order inventory from the OEM 112 by transmitting an inventory request from the second computing device 106 to the first computing device 104 (or other server computer associated with the OEM 112). In other aspects, the distributor 114 may transmit the inventory request to the first computing device 104 from a computer / laptop / server (via EDI) that may be 1854262030.1different from the second computing device 106. The inventory request may include a count of base water heaters that the distributor 114 may desire to procure. For example, the inventory request may indicate that the distributor 114 desires to procure 20 base water heaters of 100 gallons tank size.

[0066] Responsive to receiving the inventory request, the OEM 112 may manufacture the base water heaters and ship the base water heaters to the distributor 114, as shown in a step 204. As described above, a base water heater (e.g., the water heater 102) may have a base configuration. In an exemplary aspect, the water heater 102 may be configured to operate at a lowest possible heating capacity (e.g., 100k BTUs or lowest possible recovery rate (GPH / LPH) and / or has a lowest count of features enabled in the base configuration. In another exemplary aspect, the water heater 102 may operate with the most likely or most popular heating capacity and features enabled in the base configuration. Furthermore, the water heater 102 may be constructed with the capability to operate in a plurality of different configurations, and the distributor 114 may modify the water heater 102 to any one of a plurality of pre-set configurations (i.e., an advanced configuration) based on the customer’s requirements.

[0067] It is to be noted that the base water heater 102 shipped by the OEM 112 to the distributor 114 is in an operational state and is not inoperable. Stated another way, if a customer requires to use the base water heater 102 as-is, the customer may use the base water heater 102 without needing to make any hardware and / or software modifications.

[0068] In further aspects, responsive to receiving the inventory request or responsive to shipping the base water heater(s) 102 to the distributor 114, the OEM 112 may generate and transmit, via the first computing device 104 (or other server or computer system of the OEM 112), the first invoice to the distributor 114 / second computing device 106, as shown in a step 206. In some aspects, the first invoice may be a partial invoice (e.g., of 70% of the total price of the water heater 102). The second computing device 106 may receive the first invoice from the first computing device 104, and the distributor 114 may pay the first invoice responsive to receiving it, as shown in a step 208. The distributor 114 may store the base water heaters 102 received from the OEM 112 in the distributor’s inventory / warehouse, as shown in a step 209.

[0069] During the water heater sale process, when an end-user 210 (e.g., a facility manager) approaches a contractor 211, the end-user 210 may share the user’s desired water heater requirements or configuration requirements with the contractor 211, as shown by a step 212. At a 1954262030.1step 214, the contractor 211 may check the distributor’s inventory / catalogue and then place an order for a water heater (e.g., via a contractor’s computing device, not shown) with the distributor 114, as per the end-user’s requirements, as shown in a step 216. In some aspects, the order may include the end-user’s desired water heater requirements or configuration requirements, which is referred to as “information for a desired water heater configuration” in the present disclosure. Responsive to receiving the order from the contractor 211, the distributor 114 may begin a water heater configuration modification process, as shown in a step 218. The water heater configuration upgrade process is described below.

[0070] Responsive to receiving the order (or the information for the desired water heater configuration) from the contractor 211, the distributor 114 may use the second computing device 106 to generate a “user request” that may include an identifier (e.g., a serial number or a “first serial number”) of the base water heater 102 to be modified (or whose configuration needs to be modified from the base configuration) and the details of the end-user’s requirements included in the order or the information for the desired water heater configuration obtained from the contractor 211. As described above, in one exemplary aspect, the water heater’s identifier (or the first serial number) may be visible / attached / displayed on the water heater body or the water heater’s user interface, and the distributor 114 may manually enter the first serial number on the second computing device 106 to generate the user request (i.e., a request to “modify” the water heater 102). In this manner, the second computing device 106 may obtain the first serial number via distributor inputs (or user inputs). In another exemplary aspect, a QR code, a barcode, an NFC / UWB tag, or other scannable feature(s) may be attached on the water heater body or displayed on a user interface of the water heater 102 or otherwise accessible from or displayed on the water heater body, and the distributor 114 may scan the code / tag by using the second computing device 106 (as shown in FIG. 1) to obtain the first serial number and generate the user request. In this manner, the second computing device 106 may obtain the first serial number via a QR code, a barcode an NFC / UWB tag or other scannable feature(s). In yet another aspect, the water heater 102 (specifically the controller 118) may automatically transmit the first serial number to the second computing device 106, via Bluetooth, NFC, wired connection, etc. when the distributor 114 places the second computing device 106 in proximity to the water heater 102 or connects the second computing device 106 with the water heater 102.2054262030.1

[0071] The distributor 114 may further add or manually input the information for the desired water heater configuration on the second computing device 106 (e.g., via a Question-and- Answer (QnA) type input mechanism, by referring to an OEM’s catalogue, by manually typing the information, and / or by scanning an item in the catalogue, etc.). In this manner, the second computing device 106 may obtain the information for the desired water heater configuration via distributor or user inputs. The first serial number and the information for the desired water heater configuration may collectively form the “user request” to modify the water heater 102. Since the user request generated by the second computing device 106 includes the details of the end-user’s requirements for the water heater or the information for the desired water heater configuration, the user request may be indicative of a user desired heating capacity for the water heater 102 (e.g., 250K BTUs, 300K BTUs, or a desired recovery rate (GPH / LPH capability) and / or the features (the base features and one or more additional features) that the end-user 210 may require to be enabled (or disabled) in the water heater.

[0072] Responsive to generating the user request as described above, the distributor 114 may transmit the user request to the OEM 112. Specifically, the second computing device 106 may transmit the user request (including the first serial number and the information for the desired water heater configuration) to the first computing device 104. In this manner, the first computing device 104 may receive the first serial number and the information for the desired water heater configuration associated with the first serial number (or the water heater to be modified) from the second computing device 106. Specifically, the first computing device 104 may include a transceiver 122 (as shown in FIG. 1) that may receive the first serial number and the information for the desired water heater configuration from the second computing device 106.

[0073] The first computing device 104 may further include a memory 126 that may obtain the first serial number and the information for the desired water heater configuration associated with the first serial number from the transceiver 122. The memory 126 may further store the obtained first serial number and the information in a data structure. The first computing device 104 may further include a processor 124 that may be disposed in communication with one or more memory devices disposed in communication with the respective computing systems (e.g., the memory 126 and / or one or more external databases not shown in FIG. 1). The processor 124 may utilize the memory 126 to store programs in code and / or to store data for performing aspects 2154262030.1in accordance with the present disclosure. The memory 126 may be a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium or memory storing program codes that may enable the processor 124 to perform operations as per the present disclosure. The memory 126 may include any one or a combination of volatile memory elements (e.g., dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random-access memory (SDRAM), etc.) and may include any one or more nonvolatile memory elements (e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, electronically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), etc.).

[0074] As an additional step of the water heater configuration upgrade process (shown as step 218 in FIG. 2), an operator (who may be the distributor 114) may power-on the water heater 102 that may be located at the distributor’s warehouse. In various examples, just the controller 118 of the water heater 102 is powered on and remaining components of the water heater 102 (e.g., blowers, compressors, valves, heating elements, etc.) are left in a non-powered state. As described above, the operator may power-on (or activate the water heater 102 or the controller 118) by actuating the actuator or removing the pull-on tab 116 of the water heater 102.Responsive to powering-on, the controller 118 of the water heater 102 may begin to search for the pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network (e.g., Amazon Sidewalk) and wirelessly connect with the node 108 when the controller 118 determines that the pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network is available.

[0075] The controller 118 may obtain the information for the desired water heater configuration from the processor 126 via the node 108. Responsive to obtaining the information for the desired water heater configuration, the controller 118 / water heater 102 may modify the base configuration of the water heater 102 to the desired water heater configuration based on the obtained information. Specifically, the controller 118 may adjust the operating states of one or more water heater components 120 to modify the configuration of the water heater 102 from the base configuration to a modified configuration based on the information obtained from the first computing device 104 (or based on the end-user’s requirements for the water heater).

[0076] In the aspect described above, the controller 118 may store (e.g., in a controller memory) different pre-set configurations (e.g., in the form of configuration files, such as parameter files) for the water heater 102, and the controller 118 may use the information for the desired water heater configuration obtained from the processor 126 to select the corresponding 2254262030.1configuration in which the water heater 102 should be upgraded. Thereafter, the controller 118 may write the parameter file associated with the configuration to upgrade the water heater 102.

[0077] As used herein, the term "parameter file" refers to a file containing one or more operating parameters, settings, or values that define how the water heater 102 operates in a particular configuration. The parameter file may include, for example, values associated with heating capacity (e.g., BTU settings), recovery rate (e.g., GPH / LPH capability), gas valve opening size, air inlet opening size, blower speed settings, voltage output, current modulation, fuel type settings, and / or feature enable / disable flags (e.g., BACnet, energy saver mode, high demand / boost mode, etc.). In some implementations, the parameter file may be structured as a delimited list of parameter values, such as a JSON string or other structured format of parameter values. The parameter file may be transmitted to the water heater 102 and stored in a memory (e.g., a non-volatile memory) of the controller 118 or the connectivity control board 815. The controller 118 or the product control board 805 may then retrieve the locally stored parameter file and copy or otherwise write parameter values to appropriate variables or settings in control software to change the configuration or operation of the water heater 102.

[0078] In an alternative exemplary aspect, the processor 126 may itself use the information for the desired water heater configuration to identify the desired configuration for the water heater 102 and transmit the corresponding configuration file, such as a parameter file, to the controller 118 (instead of or in addition to transmitting the information for the desired water heater configuration as described above). In this case, the controller 118 may write the parameter file received from the processor 126 to modify the water heater 102.

[0079] In some aspects, the water heater 102 may be configured to operate at a higher (or lower) heating capacity and / or has a higher (or lower) count of features enabled in the upgraded configuration. The higher (or lower) heating capacity, as described herein, may be equivalent to the user-desired heating capacity (or the heating capacity of the water heater as required by the end-user 210 or requested by the contractor 211 / distributor 114). Further, the higher count of features, as described herein, may include the base features that may be enabled in the base configuration of the water heater 102 and one or more additional features that may be desired to be enabled in the water heater 102 by the end-user 210 or requested by the contractor 211 / distributor 114.2354262030.1

[0080] Example ways in which the controller 118 modifies the base configuration of the water heater 102 to the modified configuration based on the information for the desired water heater configuration are described below. The example ways described below should not be construed as limiting.

[0081] In one exemplary aspect, the controller 118 may adjust the recovery rate (GPH / LPH capability) or the heating capacity of the water heater 102 based on the information obtained from the first computing device 104. For example, the controller 118 may increase the water heater’s base heating capacity of 100k BTUs to 250k BTUs based on the obtained information. In some aspects, the controller 118 may increase the water heater’s heating capacity by adjusting the heater’s gas intake valve and / or an air intake valve (e.g., adjusting the opening sizes of these valves) when the water heater 102 may be a gas water heater. In other aspects, the controller 118 may increase the water heater’s heating capacity by adjusting the power level, voltage output, and / or the current modulation of the water heater 102 when the water heater 102 may be an electric water heater.

[0082] In another exemplary aspect, the controller 118 may change a fuel type associated with the water heater 102 (e.g., from natural gas (NG) to LP or Hydrogen or vice-versa) based on the obtained information when the water heater 102 may be a gas water heater. The controller 118 may adjust a vent capacity or an amount of air allowed to enter a combustion chamber of the water heater 102 (e.g., increase the vent capacity from 200 to 300 units of air) based on the obtained information when the water heater 102 may be a gas water heater.

[0083] In another exemplary aspect, the controller 118 may enable an energy saver mode of the water heater 102 based on the obtained information if the end-user 210 / contractor 211 desires such a feature. The controller 118 may further enable (or disable) one or more additional features of the water heater 102 based on the information obtained. Examples of such additional features include, but are not limited to, a Building Automation and Control Networks (BACnet) feature of the water heater 102, a feature that enables generation and transmission of regular health and usage reports associated with the water heater 102 to a user device (e.g., the user device associated with the end user 210 or the contractor 211), a feature that enables a user to limit a set point range associated with the water heater 102, and / or the like. It may be appreciated that BACnet feature enables the water heater 102 to communicate with other products / equipment (e.g., HVAC systems, lighting systems, security systems, etc.) that may be installed in a building 2454262030.1of the end-user 210, even when the other products / equipment are made by other manufacturers (e g., manufacturers different from the OEM 112).

[0084] Responsive to the controller 118 adjusting the operating states of one or more heater components 120 to adjust the heating capacity of the water heater 102 and / or enable one or more additional features in the water heater 102 as described above, the water heater 102 may be considered as “upgraded” or "modified" according to the end-user’s requirements (or the water heater configuration may be considered to be changed to the upgraded configuration).Responsive to the water heater 102 getting modified, the distributor 114 may ship the modified (or pre-configured) water heater 102 to the contractor 211, as shown in a step 220. The contractor 211 may then install the modified water heater 102 (which may have the configuration as desired by the end-user 210) at the end-user’s home / facility, as shown in a step 222. In other aspects, the distributor 114 may paste the configuration label on the upgraded water heater 102 before shipping the upgraded water heater 102 to the contractor 211. In this case, the first computing device 104 may generate the configuration label based on the information for the desired water heater configuration, and the distributor 114 may paste the generated label on the upgraded water heater 102 before shipping the modified water heater 102 to the contractor 211. In various implementations, the label may be a rating label for the appliance / water heater 102 and include information such as the model, serial number, configured heating capacity, etc.

[0085] In some aspects, prior to shipping the modified water heater 102 to the contractor 211 at step 220, the distributor 114 may determine that the order has been changed or canceled. In this case, the distributor 114 may initiate a reconfiguration process via the second computing device 106, as shown in an optional step 219. Responsive to the reconfiguration process being initiated, the first computing device 104 may transmit a reconfiguration command to the water heater 102 via the node 108. The reconfiguration command may simply push a further configuration file, such as a parameter file, to the water heater 102. Responsive to receiving the further configuration file, the controller 118 may operate to update the configuration of the water heater 102 based on the latest configuration file received. For example, the further configuration file may reconfigure the water heater 102 to return to the base water heater configuration. The controller 118 may modify the configuration of the water heater 102 based on the reconfiguration command. The first computing device 104 may further generate a new serial number and a new invoice associated with the new configuration, and the distributor 114 may apply a new2554262030.1configuration label to the water heater 102. The system 100 can enable the distributor 114 to respond to changes or modifications in orders while maintaining tracking and invoicing of configurations.

[0086] Furthermore, in some aspects, in addition to transmitting the information for the desired water heater configuration to the controller 118 as described above, the first computing device 104 may generate a final invoice (or the “second invoice” described above) responsive to transmitting the information to the controller 118, as shown in a step 224. In some aspects, the second invoice may be associated with the finalized heating capacity of the water heater 102 and / or the add-on features requested by the distributor 114 to be enabled in the water heater 102 based on the end-user’s requirements (or based on the information for the desired water heater configuration). As an example, the second invoice may be for the remaining 30% of the water heater’s total price (or more or less depending on the configuration / features selected by the distributor 114 / contractor 211) when the first invoice was for 70% of the water heater’s total price. Responsive to generating the second invoice, the first computing device 104 may transmit, via the transceiver 122, the second invoice to the second computing device 106 / distributor 114, who may receive and pay the second invoice, as shown in a step 226.

[0087] FIG. 3 depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary smart configuration process 300 executed by the distributor 114 to configure the water heater 102 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 may be described with continued reference to prior figures. The following process is exemplary and not confined to the steps described hereafter. Moreover, alternative embodiments may include more or less steps than are shown or described herein and may include these steps in a different order than the order described in the following example embodiments.

[0088] The smart configuration process 300 may start at step 302.

[0089] In some aspects, steps 304-318 may be performed via a first device (e.g., a mobile device, tablet, laptop, phone, or any web-enabled device associated with the distributor 114) at the distributor 114, such as the second computing device 106. Step 320 may be performed via a second device (e.g., a connectivity control board of the water heater 102) at the distributor 114, such as the node 108, that is separate from the first device at the distributor 114.

[0090] At step 304, the smart configuration process 300 may include selecting a configuration. In some aspects, a user (e.g., a warehouse associate of the distributor 114) may access a 2654262030.1configuration portal (e g., a web portal hosted by the first computing device 104) via the first device (e.g., the second computing device 106) using authorized credential logins. The configuration portal may provide the user with options for selecting a desired configuration for the water heater 102. In some aspects, the configuration portal may provide a first option that allows the user to select a model and variant corresponding to the desired configuration directly, such as from a list of configurations or by typing in a model and variant number or portion thereof. In other aspects, the configuration portal may provide a second option that allows the user to select operating values (e g., gallon capacity, voltage, kilowatts (KW), number of elements, BTU configuration, fuel type, feature set, etc.) to identify a desired configuration. Each selection made by the user may filter the remaining options until a singular configuration is identified.

[0091] At step 306, the smart configuration process 300 may include entering a serial number of a water heater 102 pulled from inventory at the distributor 114. In some aspects, the user may scan a barcode, a QR code, or an NFC / UWB tag on the water heater 102 or on the packaging of the water heater 102 to obtain the serial number. In other aspects, the user may manually enter the serial number via the first device.

[0092] At step 308, the smart configuration process 300 may include verifying the serial number for the configuration selection. In some aspects, the configuration portal (or the first computing device 104) may verify that the base model associated with the entered serial number is compatible with the selected configuration.

[0093] At step 310, the smart configuration process 300 may include determining whether the base model is compatible with the selected configuration. If the base model is compatible with the selected configuration (YES), the smart configuration process 300 may proceed to step 314. If the base model is not compatible with the selected configuration (NO), the smart configuration process 300 may proceed to step 312.

[0094] At step 312, responsive to the base model not being compatible with the selected configuration, the smart configuration process 300 may include scanning a different unit or selecting a different configuration. In some aspects, the configuration portal may display an error message and prompt the user to scan or enter a serial number of a different water heater unit, select a different configuration or cancel the process. The smart configuration process 300 may then return to step 306.2754262030.1

[0095] At step 314, responsive to the base model being compatible with the selected configuration, the smart configuration process 300 may include assigning a new serial number. In some aspects, the configuration portal (i.e.,the first computing device 104) may generate a new serial number for the water heater 102. The new serial number may be associated with the selected configuration and stored in memory 126 at the first computing device 104 and may be used for compliance, order tracking, and invoicing purposes.

[0096] At step 316, the smart configuration process 300 may include adding the configured water heater 102 to a cart, checking out, and placing an order. In some aspects, the configuration portal may display a summary page including the desired configuration details, the scanned / entered serial number, and the new serial number. The user may add the configured water heater 102 to a project or cart, proceed to checkout via the configuration portal, select a delivery address, enter a purchase order number, and / or place the order for the configured water heater 102.

[0097] At step 318, responsive to the order being placed, the smart configuration process 300 may include generating an invoice and triggering a file transfer. In some aspects, placing the order may cause the first computing device 104 to generate an invoice for the configuration. Responsive to the invoice being generated, the first computing device 104 may initiate a file transfer to the water heater 102.

[0098] At step 320, the smart configuration process 300 may include retrieving a parameter file from a server (e.g., the first computing device 104) based on the selected configuration and the serial number and transferring the parameter file to a connectivity control board of the water heater 102 via a low-bandwidth wireless mesh network. In some aspects, the low-bandwidth wireless mesh network may be a pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network, such as Amazon Sidewalk. Amazon Sidewalk is a low-bandwidth network that enables transfer of low-density files, such as parameter files or other configuration files, to loT devices.

[0099] In some aspects, the first computing device 104 may establish a connection between Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) servers and a cloud server of the manufacturer of the water heater 102 to retrieve the parameter file associated with the serial number of the water heater 102. The parameter file may be transmitted via the low-bandwidth wireless mesh network to a network gateway (e.g., the node 108), and the network gateway may transmit the parameter file to the connectivity control board of the water heater 102. The connectivity control board may be a printed circuit board (PCB) that includes a Sidewalk receiver configured to receive the parameter file via 2854262030.1the low-bandwidth wireless mesh network. Responsive to receiving the parameter file, the connectivity control board 815 may store the parameter file in a non-volatile memory.

[0100] In various implementations, the connectivity control board of the water heater 102 may be activated or otherwise powered on during the configuration process by an operator at the distributor 114, such as by pulling a battery pull-tab, pressing an actuator, plugging in a battery pack, or otherwise supplying power to the connectivity control board of the water heater 102. The connectivity control board may then establish a communication link with the first computing device 104 for receiving or retrieving the configuration file, such as a parameter file, from the first computing device 104. In various implementations, the connectivity control board of the water heater 102 and the first computing device 104 may communicate in any file transfer paradigm, such as a publish and subscribe request and respond, push communication, or any other such file transfer methodology

[0101] In one non-limiting example, the connectivity control board of the water heater 102 automatically initiates a request to the first computing device 104 for a configuration file, such as a parameter file, associated with the serial number of the water heater 102. In some implementations, the request may also include an indication of the current configuration file stored at the water heater 102. The first computing device 104 may reply to the request with the associated configuration file, such as a parameter file. In some implementations, the first computing device 104 may not respond with a configuration file if the associated configuration file is the same as the current configuration.

[0102] At step 322, the smart configuration process 300 may include completing the unit configuration. In some aspects, responsive to the parameter file being received and stored, the water heater 102 may be configured based on the parameter file. In some aspects, when the water heater 102 is powered-on via a utility power source, a product control board may retrieve the parameter file from the non-volatile memory of the connectivity control board and adjust the operating parameters of the water heater components 120 based on the parameter file to complete the configuration.

[0103] At step 324, the smart configuration process 300 may include reconfiguring the unit as needed. In some aspects, if an order is changed or canceled, or if the user desires to modify the configuration of the water heater 102, the operator at the distributor 114 may initiate a reconfiguration process with the second computing device 106 via the configuration portal on the 2954262030.1first computing device 104. The reconfiguration process may cause the first computing device 104 to transmit a new parameter file to the water heater 102, and the water heater 102 may be reconfigured based on the new parameter file. In various implementations, the new parameter file may return the water heater 102 to the base configuration. In some aspects, responsive to the reconfiguration process being initiated, the first computing device 104 may generate a new serial number and a new invoice associated with the new configuration.

[0104] At step 326, the smart configuration process 300 may stop.

[0105] FIG. 4 depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary first method 400 executed by the first computing device 104 to upgrade the configuration of the water heater 102 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 may be described with continued reference to prior figures. The following process is exemplary and not confined to the steps described hereafter. Moreover, alternative embodiments may include more or less steps than are shown or described herein and may include these steps in a different order than the order described in the following example embodiments.

[0106] The method 400 may start at step 402. At step 404, the method 400 may include obtaining, by the processor 124 of the first computing device 104, the first serial number and the information for the desired water heater configuration from the second computing device 106. At step 406, the method 400 may include obtaining, by the processor 124 of the first computing device 104, the second serial number from the water heater 102 via the node 108. At step 408, the method 400 may include comparing, by the processor 126, the first serial number with the second serial number. At step 410, the method 400 may include transmitting, by the processor 126, the information for the desired water heater configuration to the water heater 102 when the first serial number matches with the second serial number, as described above. As described above, in alternative aspects, instead of or in addition to transmitting the information for the desired water heater configuration to the water heater 102, at the step 410, the processor 126 may itself use the information for the desired water heater configuration to identify the desired configuration for the water heater 102 and transmit the corresponding parameter file or other configuration file to the controller 118.

[0107] At step 412, the method 400 may stop.

[0108] FIG. 5 depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary second method 500 executed by the water heater 102 to upgrade the configuration of the water heater 102 in accordance with one or 3054262030.1more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 may be described with continued reference to prior figures. The following process is exemplary and not confined to the steps described hereafter. Moreover, alternative embodiments may include more or less steps than are shown or described herein and may include these steps in a different order than the order described in the following example embodiments.

[0109] The method 500 may start at step 502. At step 504, the method 500 may include searching for (via the controller 118) and connecting with the node 108 of the pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network (e g., Amazon Sidewalk), as described above. At step 506, the method 500 may include transmitting, via the controller 118, the request for configuration to the first computing device 104.

[0110] At step 508, the method 500 may include obtaining, by the controller 118, the information for the desired water heater configuration from the first computing device 104, responsive to transmitting the request for configuration. As described above, in alternative aspects, instead of or in addition to obtaining the information for the desired water heater configuration from the first computing device 104, the controller 118 may receive a parameter file associated with the desired water heater configuration from the first computing device 104.

[0111] At step 510, the method 500 may include modifying, by the controller 118, the operating parameters of the water heater 102 based on the information for the desired water heater configuration or the parameter file, as described above. In some aspects, modifying the configuration of the water heater 102 may include upgrading the water heater 102 from a base configuration to an upgraded configuration. In other aspects, modifying the configuration of the water heater 102 may include downgrading the water heater 102 from a first configuration to a second configuration. In further aspects, modifying the configuration of the water heater 102 may include reconfiguring the water heater 102 from a first upgraded configuration to a second upgraded configuration, or from an upgraded configuration back to the base configuration based on the corresponding information of the desired water heater configuration and the base model configuration.

[0112] At step 512, the method 500 may stop.

[0113] FIG. 6 depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary third method 600 executed by the second computing device 106 to modify the configuration of the water heater 102 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 may be described with3154262030.1continued reference to prior figures. The following process is exemplary and not confined to the steps described hereafter. Moreover, alternative embodiments may include more or less steps than are shown or described herein and may include these steps in a different order than the order described in the following example embodiments.

[0114] The method 600 may start at step 602. At step 604, the method 600 may include obtaining, by the second computing device 106, the first serial number associated with the water heater 102 via a QR code, a barcode, an NFC / UWB tag, or user inputs. At step 606, the method 600 may include obtaining, by the second computing device 106, the information for the desired water heater configuration via user inputs. At step 608, the method 600 may include transmitting, by the second computing device 106, the first serial number and the information for the desired water heater configuration to the first computing device 104.

[0115] At step 610, the method 600 may stop.

[0116] FIG. 7 depicts a block diagram of the controller 118 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. The controller 118 may include a plurality of components including, but not limited to, a processor 705, a memory 710, and a communication interface 715. The controller 118 may be a computing device configured to receive data, determine actions based on the received data (e.g., the information obtained from the first computing device 104 via the node 108) and output a control signal instructing one or more heater components 120 to perform one or more actions.

[0117] In some aspects, the controller 118 may be configured to send and receive wireless or wired signals, and the signals may be analog or digital signals. The wireless signals may include Bluetooth, BLE, WiFi, ZigBee, infrared, microwave radio, or any other type of wireless communication signals as may be suitable for a particular system application. The hard-wired signals can include communication signals between any directly wired connections between the controller 118 and other heater components. For example, the controller 118 can have a hardwired 24 Volts Direct Current (VDC) connection to the heater components 120.

[0118] Alternatively, the controller 118 may communicate with the heater components 120 (and / or external devices, units, etc.) via a digital connection. The digital connection can include a connection such as an Ethernet or a serial connection and can utilize any suitable communication protocol for the system application, such as Modbus, fieldbus, PROFIBUS, SafetyBus, Ethemet / IP, and / or the like. Furthermore, the controller 118 can utilize a combination of3254262030.1wireless, hard-wired, and analog or digital communication signals to communicate with and control the various heater components 120. A person ordinarily skilled in the art may appreciate that the above configurations are given merely as non-limiting examples and the actual configuration can vary depending on the particular heater application.

[0119] The memory 710 may store a program and / or instructions associated with the functions and methods described herein. The processor 705 may be configured to execute the program and / or instructions stored in the memory 710. The memory 710 can include one or more suitable types of memory (e.g., volatile or non-volatile memory, random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic disks, optical disks, floppy disks, hard disks, removable cartridges, flash memory, a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), and the like) for storing files including the operating system, application programs (including, for example, a web browser application, a widget or gadget engine, and or other applications, as necessary), executable instructions and data. One, some, or all of the processing techniques or methods described herein can be implemented as a combination of executable instructions and data within the memory 710.

[0120] The communication interface 715 may be configured to send or receive communication signals between the various heater components. The communication interface 615 can include hardware, firmware, and / or software that allows the processor 605 to communicate with the other components via wired or wireless networks, whether local or wide area, private or public, as known in the art. The communication interface 715 can also provide access to a cellular network, the Internet, a local area network, or another wide-area network (e.g., the pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network described above in conjunction with FIG. 1) as suitable for the particular heater application.

[0121] Additionally, the controller 118 may have or be in communication with a user interface (not shown) for receiving inputs from the heater user. The user interface may be installed locally on the water heater 102.

[0122] The function of the controller 118 is already described above and hence is not described again here for the sake of simplicity and conciseness.

[0123] As briefly described above, in certain embodiments, the water heater 102 may include more than one controller, or the controller 118 may itself include more than one control 3354262030.1boards or controllers. Description of this example embodiment is described below in conjunction with FIGS. 8 and 9.

[0124] FIG. 8 depicts a block diagram of the water heater 102 including a product control board 805, a display control board 810, and a connectivity control board 815 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 will be described in conjunction with FIG. 9. In one example aspect, the connectivity control board 815 (or a “first controller”), the product control board 805 (or a “second controller”) and the display control board 710 may collectively form or be a part of the controller 118 described above.

[0125] In an exemplary aspect, the product control board 805 may be the "main" controller or control board of the water heater 102 and may be modified to control the operation of different water heater components. The display control board 810 may be or control the operation of the user interface of the water heater 102. The connectivity control board 815 may enable connection of the water heater 102 with the node 108, when the water heater 102 may be powered-on by removing the pull-on tab 116. In some aspects, when the user removes the pull-on tab 116, only the connectivity control board 815 may be powered-on, and the product control board 805 and the display control board 810 may not be powered. The connectivity control board 815 may connect / couple with the node 108 and communicate with the first computing device 104 via the node 108, when the connectivity control board 815 may be powered-on / activated. Example components of the connectivity control board 815 are depicted in FIG. 9 and described below.

[0126] FIG. 9 depicts a block diagram of the connectivity control board 815 in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0127] In an exemplary aspect, the connectivity control board 815 may include a first transceiver 905 (or a Sub GHz transceiver), a second transceiver 910 (e g., a Bluetooth transceiver), a non-volatile memory 915, software for network protocol stack 920, and a microcontroller or microprocessor 925. The connectivity control board 815 may be coupled with a battery pack 930, the product control board 805 and the display control board 810. The connectivity control board 815 may obtain power from the battery pack 930 and may also obtain power from the water heater's main power bus 945 (e.g., when the water heater 102 may be powered-on via utility power source).3454262030.1

[0128] During operation, when the operator removes the pull-on tab 116, the connectivity control board 815 may be powered-on by drawing power from the battery pack 930. At this stage, the product control board 805 and the display control board 810 may remain in the deactivated or unpowered state (e.g., to conserve energy). When the connectivity control board 815 is powered-on, the microprocessor 925 may cause the first transceiver 905 to search for the pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network (e.g., Amazon Sidewalk) and wirelessly connect with a network gateway 935 (which may be the same as the node 108) associated with Amazon Sidewalk (e.g., by using the software for network protocol stack 920). Responsive to the connection being established, the connectivity control board 815 may communicate with the first computing device 104 via the network gateway 935. Specifically, at this stage, the connectivity control board 815 may transmit the second serial number to the first computing device 104 and receive the parameter file associated with the desired water heater configuration from the first computing device 104 via the network gateway 935, as described above. Responsive to obtaining the parameter file or other configuration file, the connectivity control board 815 may store the parameter file or other configuration file in the non-volatile memory 915.

[0129] Thereafter, when the water heater 102 may be powered-on (e.g., when the water heater 102 may be activated by connecting to a utility power source or any other power source, such as at installation at a customer location), all the three control boards of the water heater 102 may get activated via the water heater's power bus 945. Stated another way, in this case, the product control board 805, the display control board 810 and the connectivity control board 815 may get activated by drawing power from the power bus 945. Responsive to the product control board 805 getting activated, the product control board 805 may fetch the parameter file from the non-volatile memory 915 and then modify the water heater 102 to the desired configuration based on the fetched parameter file. Specifically, at this stage, the product control board 805 may adjust the operating conditions / parameters of one or more water heater components to modify the water heater 102 based on the parameter file, as described above.

[0130] In this manner, the product control board 805 may be responsible for modifying the water heater 102, and the connectivity control board 815 may be responsible for establishing the connection with the first computing device 104 via the network gateway 935.3554262030.1

[0131] As described above, the connectivity control board 815 may further include the second transceiver 910. In an exemplary aspect, the second transceiver 910 may be a Bluetooth transceiver that may enable the connectivity control board 815 to connect with one or more user devices (e.g., a user device 940) via Bluetooth. In some aspects, the first transceiver 905 may be a sub GHz transceiver operating in the 900 MHz range, which enables the first transceiver 905 to effectively couple with loT devices (e.g., the network gateway 935). On the other hand, the second transceiver 910 may operate in 2.4 GHz range / band and may be provided in the connectivity control board 815 to enable the user to interact with the connectivity control board 815 via the user device 940 and Bluetooth communication protocol, if required.

[0132] In some aspects, the connectivity control board 815 may be permanently integrated into the water heater 102 as described above. In other aspects, the connectivity control board 815 may be a separate, external device that is temporarily coupled to the water heater 102 during the configuration process. In such aspect, the connectivity control board 815 may be a portable device that can be plugged into or otherwise connected to the water heater 102, via a wired connection, a connector, a port, or the like, when configuration is required.

[0133] In the decoupled approach, the distributor 114 may connect the external connectivity control board 815 to the water heater 102 prior to initiating the configuration process. The external connectivity control board 815 may then search for and connect to the pre-authorized and pre-configured secure wireless network (e.g., Amazon Sidewalk), receive the parameter file from the first computing device 104 via the wireless network, and transfer the parameter file to the product control board 805 of the water heater 102. Responsive to the parameter file being transferred to the product control board 805, the distributor 114 may disconnect the external connectivity control board 815 from the water heater 102. The external connectivity control board 815 may then be used to configure additional water heaters. A single external connectivity control board 815 may be used to configure multiple water heaters at the distributor’s warehouse.

[0134] In some aspects, the external connectivity control board 815 may include the same components as the integrated connectivity control board 815 described above in conjunction with FIG. 9, including the first transceiver 905, the second transceiver 910, the non-volatile memory 915, the software for network protocol stack 920, and the microcontroller or microprocessor 925. The external connectivity control board 815 may be powered by an internal battery, an external power source, or by drawing power from the water heater 102 when connected.3654262030.1

[0135] Tn some aspects, the water heater 102 may be provided with the three separate control boards described above for the ease of manufacturing and efficient power management of the water heater 102. Separate control boards also enable the manufacturer to use different control boards / modules across different product types (e.g., water heaters, HVAC systems, etc.), thereby easing the assembly or manufacturing process.

[0136] Although the description above describes an aspect where the water heater 102 includes three control boards, the present disclosure is not limited to such an aspect. In alternative aspects, the water heater 102 may include a single controller (e.g., the controller 118) that performs all the functions, as described above, in conjunction with FIGS. 1-7.

[0137] In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, which illustrate specific implementations in which the present disclosure may be practiced. It is understood that other implementations may be utilized, and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, one skilled in the art will recognize such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

[0138] It should also be understood that the word “example” as used herein is intended to be non-exclusionary and non-limiting in nature. More particularly, the word “example” as used herein indicates one among several examples, and it should be understood that no undue emphasis or preference is being directed to the particular example being described.

[0139] With regard to the processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that, although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes could be practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than the order described herein. It further should be understood that certain steps could be performed simultaneously, that other steps could be added, or that certain steps described herein could be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of3754262030.1processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating various embodiments and should in no way be construed so as to limit the claims.

[0140] Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent upon reading the above description. The scope should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the technologies discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the application is capable of modification and variation.

[0141] All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their ordinary meanings as understood by those knowledgeable in the technologies described herein unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “said,” etc., should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary. Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments could include, while other embodiments may not include, certain features, elements, and / or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and / or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments.54262030.1

Claims

CLAIMSTHAT WHICH IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A water heater comprising:a controller configured to:automatically search for a wireless network when the controller is at least partially powered-on;automatically connect with the wireless network;receive, via the wireless network, a water heater configuration; and adjust, based on the water heater configuration, one or more operating parameters and / or capabilities of the water heater.

2. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a pre-authorized and preconfigured secure wireless network stored in memory of the water heater.

3. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the wireless network is a low-bandwidth wireless mesh network.

4. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises a first controller and a second controller, wherein the first controller searches for the wireless network when the first controller is powered-on, and wherein the second controller adjusts one or more operating parameters and / or capabilities of the water heater based on the water heater configuration.

5. The water heater of claim 4, wherein the second controller remains in an unpowered state when the first controller powers on and connects with the wireless network.

6. The water heater of claim 1, wherein adjusting the one or more operating parameters and / or capabilities of the water heater comprises:retrieving, via the wireless network, a parameter file based on the water heater configuration and a serial number associated with the water heater;receiving the parameter file; and3954262030.1adjusting the one or more operating parameters and / or capabilities of the water heater based on the parameter file.

7. The water heater of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to store the parameter file in a non-volatile memory.

8. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to:receive, via the wireless network, a request for reconfiguration comprising a new parameter file associated with a new water heater configuration; andupon receiving the request for reconfiguration, modify the one or more operating parameters and / or capabilities of the water heater based on the new parameter file.

9. The water heater of claim 8, wherein modifying the one or more operating parameters and / or capabilities of the water heater comprises one or more of:upgrading the water heater from a first configuration to a second configuration, downgrading the water heater from the first configuration to a third configuration different from the second configuration, orrestoring the water heater to a base configuration.

10. The water heater of claim 8, wherein receiving the request for reconfiguration causes the controller to overwrite an existing parameter file stored in a memory of the controller and replace the existing parameter file with the new parameter file.

11. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the water heater configuration is selected via a configuration portal, andwherein the water heater configuration comprises one or more of: model, variant, gallon capacity, voltage, kilowatt rating, number of elements, British thermal units (BTU), fuel type, or feature set associated with the water heater.4054262030.

112. The water heater of claim 1 , wherein the water heater configuration is received responsive to a serial number of the water heater being verified as compatible with the water heater configuration.

13. The water heater of claim 12, wherein a new serial number is assigned to the water heater responsive to the serial number being verified, andwherein the new serial number is associated with the water heater configuration.

14. The water heater of claim 1, wherein the water heater configuration is received responsive to a transaction associated with the water heater configuration being processed and a file transfer being triggered.

15. The water heater of claim 14, wherein the transaction comprises generation of an invoice associated with the water heater configuration.

16. A first computing device comprising:a transceiver configured to:receive a first identifier and information for a desired water heater configuration associated with the first identifier from a second computing device; andreceive a request for configuration from a water heater, wherein the request comprises a second identifier associated with the water heater; anda processor configured to:compare the first identifier with the second identifier; andtransmit the information for the desired water heater configuration to the water heater when the first identifier matches with the second identifier.

17. The first computing device of claim 16, wherein the information for the desired water heater configuration comprises information associated with a heating capacity of the water heater desired by a customer and / or one or more additional features that the customer desires to enable or disable in the water heater.4154262030.

118. The first computing device of claim 16, wherein the information for the desired water heater configuration comprises a parameter file associated with a desired configuration of the water heater.

19. The first computing device of claim 16, wherein the first computing device is a server and the second computing device is a user device associated with a distributor of the water heater.

20. The first computing device of claim 16, wherein the second computing device is configured to:obtain the first identifier via a barcode, a near-field communication (NFC) tag, or user inputs;obtain the information for the desired water heater configuration via user inputs; and transmit the first identifier and the information for the desired water heater configuration to the transceiver.

21. The first computing device of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:generate an invoice based on the information for the desired water heater configuration; andtransmit, via the transceiver, the invoice to the second computing device.

22. A system comprising:a water heater; anda server;wherein the water heater is configured to:automatically search for a wireless network when the water heater is at least partially powered-on;automatically connect with the wireless network;receive, via the server over the wireless network, a water heater configuration; and4254262030.1adjust, based on the water heater configuration, one or more operating parameters of the water heater.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the wireless network is a pre-authorized and preconfigured secure wireless network.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the wireless network is a low-bandwidth wireless mesh network.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the water heater comprises an actuator or a pull-on tab, and wherein the water heater is at least partially powered-on when the actuator is actuated or the pull-on tab is removed.

26. A water heater comprising:a controller configured to:transmit a request for configuration to a first computing device, wherein the request comprises a first identifier associated with the water heater;obtain information for a desired water heater configuration from the first computing device responsive to transmitting the request; andmodify a base configuration of the water heater to the desired water heater configuration based on the information.

27. The water heater of claim 26, wherein the controller is further configured to:automatically search for a wireless network when the water heater is at least partially powered-on; andautomatically connect with the wireless network when the wireless network is available, wherein the controller transmits the request for configuration and obtains the information for the desired water heater configuration responsive to wirelessly connecting with the wireless network.4354262030.

128. The water heater of claim 27, wherein the wireless network is a pre-authorized and preconfigured secure wireless network.

29. The water heater of claim 27, wherein the wireless network is a low-bandwidth wireless mesh network.

30. The water heater of claim 26, wherein the water heater is configured to operate at a higher or lower heating capacity or has a higher or lower count of features enabled in the desired water heater configuration relative to the base configuration.

31. The water heater of claim 26, wherein the information for the desired water heater configuration comprises information associated with a heating capacity of the water heater desired by a customer and / or one or more additional features that the customer desires to enable or disable in the water heater.

32. The water heater of claim 26, wherein the information for the desired water heater configuration comprises a parameter file associated with a desired configuration of the water heater.

33. The water heater of claim 26 further comprising an actuator or a pull-on tab, wherein the water heater is at least partially powered-on when the actuator is actuated or the pull-on tab is removed.

34. A system comprising:a water heater;a first computing device; anda second computing device, wherein:the water heater is configured to:transmit a request for configuration to the first computing device, wherein the request comprises a first identifier associated with the water heater;4454262030.1obtain information for a desired water heater configuration from the first computing device, responsive to transmitting the request; andmodify a base configuration of the water heater to the desired water heater configuration based on the information; andthe first computing device is configured to:obtain a second identifier and the information for the desired water heater configuration associated with the second identifier from the second computing device;compare the first identifier with the second identifier; andtransmit the information for the desired water heater configuration to the water heater when the first identifier matches with the second identifier.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the water heater is further configured to:search for a wireless network when the water heater is powered-on; andwirelessly connect with a node associated with the wireless network when the wireless network is available,wherein the water heater transmits the request for configuration and obtains the information for the desired water heater configuration via the node, responsive to wirelessly connecting with the node.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the wireless network is a pre-authorized and preconfigured secure wireless network.

37. The system of claim 35, wherein the wireless network is a low-bandwidth wireless mesh network.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the water heater comprises an actuator or a pull-on tab, and wherein the water heater is powered-on when the actuator is actuated or the pull-on tab is removed.4554262030.

139. The system of claim 34, wherein the first computing device is a server and the second computing device is a user device associated with a distributor of the water heater.4654262030.1

Images