Appliance Message Architecture for Component Traceability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing appliance networks lack an efficient messaging protocol to trace and manage components, leading to difficulties in warranty management and effective servicing.

Innovation Solution

A messaging protocol and message architecture that utilize unique identifiers for appliances and components, enabling comprehensive information exchange across networks, facilitating component tracing, warranty management, and improved servicing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If a messaging protocol with unique identifiers is implemented, then component traceability and information exchange capability are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent traceabilityVSAvoidmessaging protocol complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The identifier system is segmented into multiple fields (first identifier for form/type, second identifier for specific instance, optional third identifier for uniqueness). This segmentation allows flexible information exchange without requiring all fields to be present in all messages, reducing the complexity burden while maintaining traceability capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The messaging protocol is designed to be universal, handling multiple identifier formats and component types through a single standardized message structure. The first identifier serves multiple purposes by defining both the form of the second identifier and enabling filtering/sorting operations, reducing the need for separate mechanism(s).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If comprehensive identifier information is exchanged, then warranty management and servicing efficiency are improved, but communication overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservicing efficiencyVSAvoidcommunication data volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The protocol enables selective information exchange where only necessary identifier fields are transmitted based on the specific communication need. The optional third identifier can be included or excluded depending on whether unique identification is required for the particular operation, avoiding unnecessary data transmission while maintaining servicing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

Identifier information is prepared and structured in advance during component initialization and registration, so that during actual servicing operations, only the pre-structured identifier data needs to be exchanged rather than constructing complete identification records at the time of communication, reducing real-time communication overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS8903971B2Message architecture for an appliance communications network

Publication Date: 2014.12.02 WHIRLPOOL CORP

AI summary

A message architecture is provided for use in a communications network for an appliance having at least one component and further enabled to communicate information about the at least one component. The message architecture includes first and second identifiers where the first identifier identifies the form of the second identifier and the second identifier identifies at least one component in the appliance.