DE102012015893A1 - Method for transmitting information such as device type information of household appliance to receiver e.g. customer service server, involves transmitting information received by user apparatus to receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves displaying information regarding household appliance (101) on the household appliance. The information displayed on the household appliance is transmitted to user apparatus. The information received by the user apparatus is transmitted to the receiver. Independent claims are included for the following: (1) household appliance; and (2) computer program product for transmitting information regarding household appliance to receiver.

Description

The invention relates to a method for transmitting information relating to a household appliance to a receiver, in particular a customer service. Furthermore, a corresponding household appliance and a computer program product are proposed.

In the case of servicing, especially a malfunction of a household appliance, a customer service representative often drives a car to the customer to repair the home appliance. Such an appointment with the customer will incur costs, be it the equipment manufacturer who performs the repair free of charge due to warranty or goodwill for the customer, or the customer who wishes to have their equipment repaired.

A significant share of costs is attributable to the travel costs to the customer. In order to minimize the travel costs, it is necessary that the customer service representative can narrow down as precisely as possible or know the error to be corrected in advance. Only then can the customer service representative ensure that he can bring the parts to be replaced and repair them. If the customer service representative does not know the error in advance, a second visit to the customer is often necessary since the first visit can only be used to diagnose and identify the faulty parts.

One problem is that customers are often unable to accurately describe the defect or even identify a defective part of the household appliance. Often it is even difficult for the customer to determine in advance the exact type of household appliance. Basically, the information provided by the customer is often poor prior to the first on-site service appointment, so that the customer service representative only diagnoses the error in the first appointment and exchanges the defective parts in the second appointment.

A QR code is known as a two-dimensional code. The QR code consists of a square matrix of black and white dots that represent the encoded data in binary form. A special marker in three of the four corners of the square indicates the orientation. The data in the QR code is protected by an error-correcting code. This tolerates the loss of up to 30% of the code (source: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_Code ).

The object of the invention is to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages and in particular to provide a solution which allows a home appliance to transmit the information required for maintenance or repair by the customer to the customer service in a simple and fault-tolerant manner.

This object is achieved according to the features of the independent claims. Further developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

• – bei dem die Information auf dem Haushaltsgerät angezeigt wird,
• – bei dem die angezeigte Information von einem Benutzergerät aufgenommen wird,
• – bei dem die aufgenommene Information elektronisch von dem Benutzergerät an den Empfänger übertragen wird.

To achieve the object, a method is provided for transmitting information concerning a household appliance to a recipient,

• In which the information is displayed on the household appliance,
• In which the displayed information is recorded by a user device,
• - In which the recorded information is transmitted electronically from the user device to the receiver.

Thus, an interface of the user device can be efficiently used to transmit the information to the receiver, in particular a customer service. The user device may also be a (reading) device in the manufacture of the household appliance, on the basis of which the displayed information is recorded.

The recipient here is an example of customer service, which hereunder z. This includes, for example, a computer (eg server) of customer service, a computer of a customer service representative or a network of customer service.

The approach allows z. As the transmission of device-specific data, technical data, additional information, HTML links, customer service information, manufacturing data, etc. This is advantageously no additional hardware in the home appliance required. The information can by means of conventional display units of the household appliance, for. As matrix display, TFT, OLED or other displays are output.

It is advantageous that the household appliance z. For example, depending on its state and / or a customer request, it displays the information that the user can immediately use to obtain further information or initiate next steps (eg, for maintenance or after-sales service). This interaction can be done in a contactless manner with the household appliance.

The approach can be used in the manufacture of household appliances for rapid non-contact information transfer of electronic information; after-sales service can read out and re-use device-specific information of the household appliance by means of a scanning process.

The home appliance may be a large household appliance (eg, a cooking appliance, a laundry treating appliance, a refrigerator, etc.) or a household appliance (eg, a toaster, a coffee maker, etc.). The cooking appliance may in particular be an oven, a steam cooker, a microwave oven or a combination thereof, for example an oven / microwave combination appliance.

A development is that the displayed information is a test identifier.

The test identifier is z. For example, a hash value, a date, o. Ä., The z. B. based on a cryptographic coding, is determined from data to be backed up. The test identifier can in particular together with a further information, for. As a telegram, possibly via different communication paths transmitted. For example, a receiver can use the test identifier and the diagnostic information to determine whether the diagnostic information is correct. For this purpose, the test identifier separately from the diagnostic information, eg. B. via the Internet or over the phone.

The test identifier may be any information suitable for verification. In particular, the check identifier may also include a graphical representation, an image, a pictogram, a code, an alphanumeric string or the like.

• – eine Integrität,
• – eine Vollständigkeit und/oder
• – eine Authentizität

der übermittelten Information bestimmt wird.Another development is that based on the test identifier from the receiver

• - an integrity,
• - a completeness and / or
• - an authenticity

the transmitted information is determined.

In particular, it is a development that diagnostic information is transmitted electronically from the household appliance to the recipient.

For example, the diagnostic information can be determined by means of a self-diagnosis of the household appliance and communicated to the recipient with other information of the household appliance, which is subsequently further specified by way of example with regard to the telegram. On the basis of the test identifier transmitted by the user device, such a transmission of the diagnostic information can be confirmed. In this case, it can be assumed with high certainty that the diagnostic information is correct and in fact z. B. should trigger a customer service order.

• – einer alphanumerische Zeichenfolge,
• – einem Bild,
• – einem Piktogramm,
• – einem Barcode,
• – einem QR-Code,
• – einer Prüfkennung,
• – einer Signatur,
• – einem Hash-Wert,
• – einer Aufnahme von dem Haushaltsgerät oder eines Teils des Haushaltsgeräts.

It is also a development that the displayed information includes a telegram with at least one of the following components

• - an alphanumeric string,
• - a picture,
• - a pictogram,
• - a barcode,
• - a QR code,
• A test identifier,
• - a signature,
• A hash value,
• - A recording of the household appliance or a part of the household appliance.

The telegram may also include combinations of the above components.

• – ein Typ bzw. eine Geräteart des Haushaltsgeräts,
• – ein für das Haushaltsgerät relevanter oder zuständiger Produktbereich,
• – eine Typenbezeichnung oder sonstige Bezeichnung des Haushaltsgeräts,
• – eine Identifikation des Haushaltsgeräts,
• – eine Seriennummer des Haushaltsgeräts,
• – ein Fertigungsdatum des Haushaltsgeräts,
• – eine Fehlermeldung, insbesondere ein Inhalt eines Fehlerspeichers, Betriebsstunden des Haushaltsgeräts,
• – vorherige Wartungen oder Reparaturen des Haushaltsgeräts,
• – aktuelle Einstellungen des Haushaltsgeräts,
• – verwendete Betriebsmodi des Haushaltsgeräts,
• – allgemeine Informationen betreffend die Verwendung des Haushaltsgeräts in der Vergangenheit.

Furthermore, it is a further development that at least one of the following information is contained in the telegram:

• A type or type of appliance of the household appliance,
• - a product area relevant or competent for the appliance,
• - a type designation or other name of the household appliance,
• An identification of the household appliance,
• A serial number of the household appliance,
• A date of manufacture of the household appliance,
• An error message, in particular a content of a fault memory, operating hours of the household appliance,
• - prior maintenance or repairs of the household appliance,
• - current settings of the household appliance,
• - operating modes of the household appliance used,
• - general information regarding the use of the household appliance in the past.

• – ein Smartphone,
• – ein portabler Computer,
• – ein PDA.

As part of an additional development, the user device is one of the following devices:

• - a smartphone,
• - a portable computer,
• - a PDA.

A next development is that the information is at least partially signed and / or encrypted.

In this case, different cryptographic methods can be used. By way of example, reference is made to the possibility of using asymmetric cryptographic methods.

An embodiment is that the user device has a wireless or a wired interface to a network, in particular to the Internet, and in which the recorded information electronically from the user device via this wireless or wired interface to the receiver, e.g. As the customer service is transmitted.

An alternative embodiment is that the user device has an interface to a mobile telephone network.

A next embodiment is that the user device has a camera and in which the displayed information is recorded by the camera of the user device.

It is also an embodiment that the information of the household appliance is based on a self-diagnosis of the household appliance and in particular relates to information concerning an irregularity or a fault of the household appliance.

A development is that the self-diagnosis of the household appliance is performed permanently, cyclically and / or event-controlled.

In particular, the information may contain data on the basis of which the customer service can perform a fault diagnosis and possibly also identify a possibly defective component of the household appliance.

• – mit einer Ausgabeeinheit zur Darstellung einer Information,
• – wobei die Information auf einer Selbstdiagnose beruht oder eine Prüfkennung umfasst,
• – wobei die Information maschinenlesbar ist.

The above object is also achieved by a household appliance

• With an output unit for displaying information,
• The information being based on a self-diagnosis or comprising a test identifier,
• - The information is machine-readable.

A further development consists in that the information comprises a code, in particular a QR code.

• – Aufnahme einer von einem Haushaltsgerät angezeigten Information,
• – Übertragung der aufgenommenen Information an einen Empfänger, insbesondere an einen Kundendienst.

Also, the above object is achieved by a computer program product that is loadable into the memory of a mobile phone, comprising program code parts that are configured to perform the following steps:

• - receiving information displayed by a household appliance,
• - Transmission of the recorded information to a receiver, in particular to a customer service.

As stated, the recorded information z. B. be a test identifier or a telegram.

The above statements regarding the method apply to the household appliance and the computer program product accordingly.

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated and explained below with reference to the drawings.

Show it:

1 schematically an exemplary representation of a household appliance with a system clock, an input interface, a processing unit and an output unit;

2 for example, a table illustrating a possible structure of a message;

3 a section of a display unit of a household appliance, which represents a QR code, as well as a smartphone, which takes the QR code with a camera and this information or information contained therein to a customer service (eg, a server, a customer service center, a customer service representative) transfers;

4 on 3 based scenario in which the customer transmits a hash value to the customer service via the smartphone;

5 an example scenario that illustrates possible interfaces between home appliance, customer, customer service, and customer service representatives.

If necessary, the solution presented here provides information that is as meaningful as possible for a household appliance and thus can be used effectively for the maintenance or repair of the household appliance. The information may include a variety of data, parameters, etc. pertaining to the home appliance, its state, its components, its messages, etc.

The information can z. B. summarized in the form of a telegram and possibly also encrypted. The telegram can be transmitted from the customer and / or from the household appliance to customer service.

The customer service may be, for example, the manufacturer of the household appliance or another customer or maintenance service.

The information to be transmitted can be protected against attacks or mis-transmission.

The approach is particularly advantageous for such household appliances that can not be easily transported from the customer to the customer service, either because the home appliances are difficult or are permanently installed or have fixed connections. Examples of such household appliances are: cooking appliances, cookers, washing machines, refrigerators, etc.

1 schematically shows an exemplary representation of a household appliance 101 with a system clock 102 , an input interface 103 (including, for example, switches, buttons, non-contact input means, etc.), a processing unit 104 (eg a processor) as well as an output unit 105 (comprising, for example, a display unit). The household appliance 101 may also be due to a noise or vibration from the output unit 105 to make noticable.

Also is in the in 1 shown household appliance 101 an example of a process 106 represented with a flow direction from a defined start to a defined end.

• – Güter, die von dem Haushaltsgerät behandelt werden,
• – Zutaten, Hilfsstoffe zur Behandlung der Güter in dem Haushaltsgerät,
• – Gas,
• – Wasser,
• – Strom,
• – Luft.

Furthermore, in 1 shown general inputs or means which are supplied to the household appliance, z. B .:

• - goods handled by the household appliance,
• Ingredients, auxiliaries for the treatment of the goods in the household appliance,
• - gas,
• - Water,
• - Electricity,
• - Air.

Everything the household appliance 101 is fed, comes changed back from the household appliance 101 out. This is symbolic by an arrow 107 indicated.

The in the household appliance 101 shown lines indicate information flows. Here, a round dot at the beginning of a line indicates a sensor that collects information. There are sensors that provide safety-related information of the household appliance 101 Capture the ongoing process and send it to the processor 104 pass on. There are also sensors that provide proper function of the input interface 103 and / or the output unit 105 capture and provide appropriate information to the processor 104 hand off. Also, the correct function of the processor 104 self-monitoring.

Entries made by the customer to the home appliance 101 For example, address the processor 104 , the resulting control signals for a process to be controlled 106 derives. Entries of the customers can (possibly bypassing the processor 104 ) directly into the process 106 intervention. In the sense of controllability of the entire household appliance 101 through the processor 104 should advantageously such inputs by suitable sensors in the process 106 the processor 104 be known (this is especially important for safety-relevant information).

For example, output to the customer is from the processor 104 that's out of the process 106 derived and to the output unit 105 forwards. It may also be that information for output to the customer from the process 106 (bypassing the processor 104 ) or from the input interface 103 or from the system clock 102 directly to the output unit 105 be transmitted.

Control variables for influencing the process 106 or the system clock 102 be z. From the processor 104 sent; another control variable may be from the input interface 103 directly to the system clock 102 be transmitted.

It should be noted that it is in the in 1 shown household appliance is merely an example to illustrate a possible flow of information. Also, other home appliances with other constructions as well as other implementations of information flows are possible and equally applicable to the present invention.

The in the household appliance 101 ongoing process 106 can preferably take place in individual steps (for example, in the case of a refrigerator, the temperature in the interior can be kept constant). It is also possible that cyclic sub-processes occur (for example, several spin cycles are repeatedly carried out in a washing machine). This is exemplified by a gyroscope 108 in the process 106 shown.

In the household appliance 101 the processor attacks 104 about actuators on the expiring process 106 to. This z. B. controlled energy flows, valves controlled, doors locked or released.

The processor 104 justified his intervention in the process 106 on sensor signals, through which he knows about the progress or the course of the process 106 is informed or on intervention of the user in the events or over time sequences.

In addition, via the output unit 105 Information provided that shows the current status of the household appliance 101 visualize for the user.

Operator actions of the user may be inputs to the processor 104 but they can also be applied directly to parts of the process 106 or on the system clock 102 act.

The household appliance 101 thus offers complex processes between the involved components and the user. Also, there are a variety of possible operator errors by the user. The possibility of misuse occasionally causes the user to believe the home appliance 101 be broken. Although this assumption is in some cases not true, of course, still a technical defect of the household appliance 101 available. Identifying and distinguishing these cases of incorrect operation and error often falls into the area of customer service. In particular, it is advantageous if a faulty operation is detected without a customer service representative having to arrive at the customer's location. This saves time and money for customer service and / or the customer.

• – fachlich korrekt
• – vollständig
• – widerspruchsfrei
• – ohne Übertreibung
• – kurz

sein sollte.If the household appliance (or a component of the household appliance) is defective, the customer is often faced with an insoluble issue to describe the error the customer service on the phone accurately and as accurately as possible. However, the customer service department relies on such an error description as efficiently as possible to remedy the error

• - technically correct
• - Completely
• - consistent
• - without exaggeration
• - short

should be.

• – Aussage über die Art des Gerätes (z. B.: Herd, Kochfeld, Kaffeekocher, Trockner, Waschmaschine, Kühlschrank, etc.)
• – Vollständige Typenbezeichnung (ggf. mit Kundendienstindex)
• – Fertigungsdatum
• – Seriennummer
• – Gegebenenfalls: weitere Angaben auf dem Typenschild
• – Beschreibung der aufgetretenen Fehlfunktion
• – Beschreibung der am Gerät vorgenommenen Einstellung zum Zeitpunkt der Fehlfunktion
• – Beschreibung der Häufigkeit, in welcher der Fehler sowie weitere Fehler möglicherweise bereits früher aufgetreten sind
• – Aussagen über bereits früher durchgeführte Reparaturen an dem Haushaltsgerät (betreffend diesen oder einen anderen Fehler)
• – Angaben über Fehlermeldungen des Haushaltsgeräts (alphanumerische Zeichen oder auch Symbole auf einer Ausgabeeinheit des Haushaltsgeräts, Zeichen in Siebensegmentanzeigen, blinkende LED, akustische Signale, usw.).

For example, an error description may include the following data (or part of this data) about the defective home appliance:

• - statement about the type of device (eg: stove, hob, coffee maker, dryer, washing machine, refrigerator, etc.)
• - Complete type designation (possibly with customer service index)
• - Date of manufacture
• - Serial number
• - If applicable: further information on the nameplate
• - Description of the malfunction that has occurred
• - Description of the device's setting at the time of the malfunction
• - Description of the frequency in which the error and other errors may have occurred earlier
• - Statements about earlier repairs to the appliance (concerning this or another fault)
• - Information about home appliance error messages (alphanumeric characters or even symbols on a household appliance output unit, characters in seven-segment displays, flashing LEDs, audible signals, etc.).

Experience shows that customers often can not report household appliance defects in the form described here. This statistically leads to a significant number of unnecessary customer service representative trips to the customers' homes. It is also possible that despite a complete error description in the above sense, a customer service representative on the phone can not recognize the real reason for the error. In this case, a customer service representative in the field has to drive to the customer specifically for fault diagnosis. This also represents an expensive troubleshooting.

It is especially suggested that the processor of the household appliance with the help of existing information a continuously running error analysis, d. H. a self-diagnosis of the household appliance, performs. The result of this self-diagnosis is displayed in case of detecting an abnormality or an error in the output unit (eg, on the display of the home appliance).

The result of the self-diagnosis can be transmitted as a telegram to the customer service. However, if a user were to pass this result by phone, character by character, the approach would be very time-consuming, time-consuming and error-prone. Even a tapping of the result of the self-diagnosis by the customer is not very effective for these reasons.

Thus, it is proposed, for. B. the result of the self-diagnosis and / or other information that are useful or could be useful for error analysis of the household appliance in the telegram summarize or code.

In this case, a telegram may include information that may be useful for error detection and / or remedy. The telegram can be coded in different ways, for. B. facilitate the transmission, make the transmission fault-tolerant and / or secure the telegram against manipulation. In principle, the telegram can have bit patterns, characters, pictograms or the like. Even combinations of known data types are possible as part (s) of the telegram.

An example is to graphically encode the telegram. Such a graphic coding can, for example, by a camera of a user device, for. As a phone, a tablet PC, a personal digital assistant, a computer, etc., recorded and via a suitable interface, for. As a radio interface or a wired interface are transmitted to the customer service.

The graphical encoding may include a 1D encoding (eg, a barcode) or a 2D encoding (eg, a QR code). Accordingly, other forms of coding are possible.

Example: Representation of a 2D code on the household appliance

A 2D code allows higher coding, i. H. more characters referring to an existing area than a 1D code.

For example, in a QR code 250 Characters (including various special characters, the space and letters from foreign languages) are included. The resulting number of possible combinations "K" results from the (in the considered household appliance) number of usable characters "Z" and the usable telegram length "L" according to K = Z ^L (1)

With approx. 60 usable characters (small and large letters, 10 digits as well as some special characters) with a telegram length L of 128 characters this leads to a number of possible combinations of K = Z ^L ≈ 60 ¹²⁸ ≈ 4 · 10 ²²⁷ (2)

An increase to 70 usable characters (small and large letters, 10 digits, some special characters and special letters of foreign languages) with a telegram length L of 250 characters leads to a number of possible combinations of QR-coding K = Z ^L ≈ 70 ²⁵⁰ ≈ 1.9 · 10 ⁴⁶⁰ (3)

If one uses the number of combinations in the programming of the telegrams, this allows a certain amount of redundancy in order to reliably detect and correct errors in the transmission; This also applies to a constantly growing number of home appliance variants.

• (1) Das Haushaltsgerät führt anhand der vorhandenen Daten – permanent – zyklisch (in mehr oder weniger regelmäßigen Abständen) und/oder – eventgesteuert eine Selbstdiagnose durch. Vorteilhaft ist hierzu in der Software des Prozessors (bzw. für den Prozessor) ein eigenes Softwaremodul vorgesehen.
• (2) Das Haushaltsgerät enthält neben den für den eigentlichen Gerätezweck notwendigen Sensoren weitere Sensoren, die zum Betrieb des Haushaltsgerätes nicht zwingend notwendig sind, deren Signale aber eine Selbstdiagnose – erst möglich machen, – zumindest erleichtern, – zuverlässiger machen und/oder – hinsichtlich ihres Umfangs erweitern. Die Auswertbarkeit vieler Sensoren eröffnet die Möglichkeit von Redundanz- und Plausibilitätsprüfungen.
• (3) Im Fall der Erkennung eines Fehlers zeigt das Haushaltsgerät an, dass ein Fehler erkannt wurde. Der Kunde kann auf unterschiedliche Arten über den Fehler in Kenntnis gesetzt werden. Die nachfolgenden Beispiele können einzeln oder in Kombination(en) realisiert sein: – Anzeige auf einer Anzeigeeinheit, z. B. einem Display, als – alphanumerische Zeichen, – Piktogramme, – Symbole; – Aktivierung von bestimmten Anzeigen, z. B. Leuchtanzeigen, LEDs; – Blinken oder dauerhafte Aktivierung von Leucht- oder sonstigen Anzeigen; – Bewegungen des Haushaltsgeräts oder Teile desselben, z. B. – Öffnen einer Türe oder Klappe; – Vibrieren des Haushaltsgeräts, – Ausgabe akustischer Rückmeldung (Piepsen, Töne, Pfeifen, Ausgabe von Sprache, etc.).
• (4) Wenn das Haushaltsgerät selbstständig eine (drahtlose oder drahtgebundene) Verbindung zum Kundendienst aufbauen kann, z. B. über – einen Internetanschluss, – einen Telefonanschluss, – eine Datenleitung, so kann dem Kunden diese Option angezeigt werden. Nach einer Bestätigung durch den Kunden kann die Verbindung mit dem Kundendienst durchgeführt werden. Beispielsweise kann dem Kunden bei Einrichtung oder Installation des Haushaltsgeräts bereits angeboten werden, zwischen den folgenden Optionen zu wählen: – Zugriffe über das Internet sind generell zulässig;. – ein Internetzugriff ist abhängig von einem vorgegebenen Szenario zugelassen oder nicht; – vor dem Internetzugriff ist die Betätigung des Kunden erforderlich.
• (5) Nach dem Aufbau einer Verbindung zum Kundendienst sendet das Haushaltsgerät dem Kundendienst das Telegramm, das bestimmte Informationen, insbesondere eine vollständige Fehlermeldung, enthält. Vorzugsweise verfügt die Elektronik des Haushaltsgerätes über die nachfolgenden Informationen, die bei Bedarf gesammelt oder zumindest teilweise in dem Telegramm codiert sind: – die Geräteart, – ggf. einen zuständigen Produktbereich, – eine Typenbezeichnung mit ergänzenden Indizes, – das Fertigungsdatum, – den Inhalt eines Fehlerspeichers (ggf. mehrerer Fehlerspeicher), – den Inhalt eines Betriebsstundenzählers, – den Inhalt weiterer Speicher (häufige Betriebsmodi, aktuelle Einstellungen).
• (6) Das Telegramm wird optional um eine Prüfkennung ergänzt, die es dem Server des Kundendienstes gestattet, die – Integrität, – Vollständigkeit und/oder – Authentizität des Telegrammes mit einer hohen Wahrscheinlichkeit sicherzustellen. Zusätzlich kann der Code mindestens eine der folgenden Informationen umfassen: – einen Link (Internetadresse), – eine SMS bzw. MMS (Telefonnummer), – eine sonstige Information. Diese Option ist z. B. bei QR-Codes bereits vorgesehen. Damit kann die Software, die den QR-Codes scannt, automatisch angewiesen werden, nach durchgeführter Erkennung bzw. Auswertung des QR-Codes eine Verbindung zum angegebenen Ziel (z. B. einem Server des Kundendienstes) herzustellen und das Telegramm dort in einer vorbestimmten Weise abzuliefern. Somit kann der QR-Code sowohl die Handlungsanweisung (Programminformation) für die Scansoftware als auch den Inhalt der zu übermittelnden Information(en), z. B. das Telegramm, umfassen. Weiterhin kann eine Identifikation des Haushaltsgeräts z. B. auch als ein Barcode oder als ein QR-Code (oder in Form eines vergleichbaren Codierungssystems) z. B. auf dem Typenschild des Haushaltsgeräts aufgebracht sein. In diesem Fall kann zumindest eine Registrierung des Gerätes nach dem Kauf bzw. eine genaue Identifizierung im Reklamationsfall leicht und eindeutig erfolgen.
• (7) Die Prüfkennung kann in einer Form aufgebaut sein, anhand derer eine Identifikation des Telegramms ermöglicht wird bzw. die zumindest eine Eingrenzung auf bestimmte zu erwartende Telegramme erlaubt.
• (8) Wenn das Haushaltsgerät eine Verbindung zu dem Kundendienst nicht aufbauen kann, kann der Kunde zur Kontaktaufnahme mit dem Kundendienst aufgefordert werden.
• (9) Die Prüfkennung wird dem Kunden in der Anzeigeeinheit des Haushaltsgeräts angezeigt. Der Kunde kann den Kundendienst anrufen, per Internet oder über eine sonstige Schnittstelle kontaktieren und sich dem Kundendienst gegenüber mit Angabe der Prüfkennung identifizieren. Der Kundendienst ist somit in der Lage, das Telegramm dem individuellen Kunden zuzuordnen. Sofern das Haushaltsgerät selbst z. B. bei dem Kundendienst elektronisch registriert ist, kann das Telegramm dieser Registrierung zugeordnet werden. Diese Identifizierung kann z. B. über die Typenbezeichnung, das Fertigungsdatum, diverse Indizes (z. B. Kundendienstindex) o. a. eindeutig für das jeweilige Haushaltsgerät sein.
• (10) Wenn die Prüfkennung eine eindeutige Identifizierung des übermittelten Telegramms nicht vollständig gestattet, dann kann eine Identifizierung durch ergänzende Abfrage, z. B. – der Geräteart, – der Typenbezeichnung, – des Fertigungsdatums und/oder – der Seriennummer, ausreichend sicher erfolgen. Identifizierungen sind vorteilhaft, weil damit ein „Angriff” auf den Kundendienstserver zuverlässig vermieden oder zumindest erkannt werden kann bzw. hinreichend unwahrscheinlich wird.
• (11) Wenn der Kundendienst eine oder mehrere Elektronikkomponenten austauscht, wird dieser Vorgang vorzugsweise in dem Speicher des Prozessors des Haushaltsgeräts festgehalten, damit bei einer eventuellen zukünftigen Reklamation dieser Umstand im Telegramm mitgeteilt werden kann.
• (12) Bei einer bestehenden Internetverbindung kann eine Reparatur z. B. durch ein automatisiertes Herunterladen von Daten und/oder durch ein Ändern von Parametern in dem Haushaltsgerät erfolgen. Eine Vorort-Diagnose oder Reparatur kann dann gegebenenfalls entfallen.

The telegrams can be widely used or coded in the field of household appliances. Below are some example scenarios explained. The explained aspects can be used individually or in combination (s). become.

• (1) On the basis of the available data, the household appliance carries out a self-diagnosis - permanently - cyclically (at more or less regular intervals) and / or - event-controlled. Advantageously, a separate software module is provided for this purpose in the software of the processor (or for the processor).
• (2) In addition to the sensors necessary for the actual purpose of the device, the household appliance contains further sensors which are not absolutely necessary for the operation of the household appliance, but whose signals make a self-diagnosis possible - at least easier, - make it more reliable and / or - with regard to their own Expand scope. The readability of many sensors opens up the possibility of redundancy and plausibility checks.
• (3) In case of detection of an error, the home appliance indicates that an error has been detected. The customer can be informed of the error in different ways. The following examples can be implemented individually or in combination (s): Display on a display unit, eg. As a display, as - alphanumeric characters, - pictograms, - symbols; - Activation of certain advertisements, eg. B. Indicators, LEDs; - flashing or permanent activation of illuminated or other displays; - Movements of the household appliance or parts thereof, z. B. - opening a door or flap; - vibration of the household appliance, - output of acoustic feedback (beeping, sound, whistling, output of speech, etc.).
• (4) If the household appliance can independently establish a (wireless or wired) connection to customer service, eg. Eg via - an Internet connection, - a telephone connection, - a data line, this option can be displayed to the customer. After a confirmation by the customer, the connection with the customer service can be made. For example, when setting up or installing the home appliance, the customer may be offered to choose between the following options: - Access via the Internet is generally permitted. - Internet access is allowed or not depending on a given scenario; - prior to internet access, customer operation is required.
• (5) After establishing a connection to customer service, the domestic appliance sends the customer service the telegram containing certain information, in particular a complete error message. Preferably, the electronics of the household appliance has the following information that is collected if necessary or at least partially encoded in the telegram: - the type of device, - possibly a competent product area, - a type designation with supplementary indices, - the date of manufacture, - the content of Fault memory (possibly several fault memories), - the content of an operating hours counter, - the contents of additional memory (frequent operating modes, current settings).
• (6) The telegram is optionally supplemented with a test identifier which allows the customer service server to ensure the integrity, completeness and / or authenticity of the telegram with a high degree of probability. In addition, the code may include at least one of the following: - a link (Internet address), - an SMS or MMS (telephone number), - any other information. This option is z. B. already provided for QR codes. In this way, the software that scans the QR codes can be instructed automatically to establish a connection to the specified destination (eg a server of the after-sales service) after the detection or evaluation of the QR code and the telegram there in a predefined manner deliver. Thus, the QR code can be both the instruction (program information) for the scan software and the content of the information to be transmitted, for. As the telegram include. Furthermore, an identification of the household appliance z. Example, as a barcode or as a QR code (or in the form of a comparable coding system) z. B. be applied on the nameplate of the household appliance. In this case, at least one registration of the device after the purchase or a precise identification in the case of complaint can be easily and clearly.
• (7) The test identifier can be constructed in a form by means of which an identification of the telegram is made possible or which at least allows a limitation to specific telegrams to be expected.
• (8) If the household appliance can not establish a connection to the after-sales service, the customer may be asked to contact customer service.
• (9) The inspection ID is displayed to the customer in the display unit of the household appliance. The customer can call customer service, contact them via the Internet or via another interface and identify themselves to the customer service with the test ID. The customer service is thus able to assign the telegram to the individual customer. If the household appliance itself z. B. is electronically registered in the customer service, the telegram can be assigned to this registration. This identification can z. B. on the type designation, the date of manufacture, various indices (eg customer service index) oa be clearly for each household appliance.
• (10) If the test identifier does not fully permit a unique identification of the transmitted telegram, then an identification by supplementary query, for. B. - the type of device, - the type designation, - the production date and / or - the serial number, sufficiently secure. Identifications are advantageous because it reliably prevents or at least recognizes an "attack" on the customer service server or becomes sufficiently unlikely.
• (11) If the customer service exchanges one or more electronic components, this process is preferably held in the memory of the processor of the household appliance, so that in a future eventual complaint this fact can be communicated in the telegram.
• (12) In the case of an existing internet connection, a repair may be carried out, for example. B. by an automated downloading of data and / or by changing parameters in the household appliance. An on-site diagnosis or repair can then be omitted if necessary.

For coding the telegrams

The coding of the telegrams should ensure a secure transmission of information (coded data) to the customer service. In addition, the problem of a "hostile attack" on the customer service server should be addressed.

Such a "hostile attack" consists z. For example, an attacker sends data to customer service who will report errors, but they do not exist in reality. If such an attack was not recognized, a processing operation is triggered with the receipt of the telegram, which on the one hand reserves resources and on the other hand causes unnecessary costs. Of course, this should prevent an attacker from triggering service calls by sending telegrams.

• – Ist das Telegramm echt?
• – Ist das Telegramm vollständig?
• – Hat das Telegramm eine Referenznummer?

It is therefore important that telegrams can be checked easily and quickly, especially with regard to the following questions:

• - Is the telegram real?
• - Is the telegram complete?
• - Does the telegram have a reference number?

The question of whether the telegram is real and complete can be checked by specifying a hash value. The processor of the household appliance is responsible for calculating a hash value. In this case, the data to be transmitted in the telegram is encrypted via a publicly known algorithm. In the course of encryption, a string is calculated and attached to the telegram. This initially ensures that listening to the telegram by unauthorized third parties can not lead to an unauthorized outflow of personal data of the customer. The customer service server can reconstruct the telegram by decrypting the telegram with a second private key and check whether the attached hash value is correct. If it fits, then the telegram is real and complete and can be processed further. In principle, known mechanisms of public-key cryptography and / or the signing of messages can be used for this purpose (cf. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-Key-Kryptografie ).

The hash value is displayed to the customer. The customer or household appliance forwards the telegram to customer service. The customer then contacts the customer service (eg, by phone call or over the Internet) and sends the customer service the hash value as a reference number.

The customer service can use the hash value to identify the telegram in the list of all received telegrams. If, for once, the hash value is not unique, the customer service can identify the appropriate telegram by requesting additional information regarding the household appliance (eg type of device, type, date of manufacture, serial number, etc.) and assign it to a customer name and address. This can be used to classify the order as valid and correct the problem.

This effort is necessary because z. B. an IP address of a QR code scanner is not a unique address or because the sending phone number of an SMS does not allow a reliable inference to the responsible person.

2 shows an example of a table that illustrates a possible structure of a message. The structure of the telegram is displayed step by step in the upper part of the table. In the lower part, the telegram is summarized as an Internet link.

Further advantages and embodiments of the invention

• – das zu reparierende Gerät genau zu identifizieren,
• – bei Geräten mit Internetanbindung mit dem Gerät Verbindung aufzunehmen,
• – mit großer „Treffsicherheit” den zu behebenden Fehler einzugrenzen,
• – die zur Behebung des Fehlers notwendigen Ersatzteile mitzubringen,
• – die zur Behebung des Fehlers notwendigen Reparaturanleitungen zu studieren, ggf. benötigte Pläne der Verdrahtung oder Ähnliches vorab zu drucken usw.,
• – dem Kunden einen schnellen Service zu bieten,
• – Missverständnisse (Konfliktpotential) zu vermeiden.

The illustrated way of transferring data to customer service enables customer service before the customer visits

• - accurately identify the device to be repaired,
• - to connect to devices with internet connection,
• - narrow the error to be corrected with great "accuracy",
• - bring the spare parts necessary to remedy the fault,
• - to study the repair instructions necessary to remedy the fault, to print possibly required wiring plans or the like in advance, etc.,
• - To offer the customer a fast service,
• - to avoid misunderstandings (conflict potential).

In the event that z. B. a QR code is missing or no longer legible, the identification of the household appliance can also be done via an image recognition: The household appliance can, for. B. recorded by a camera of the smartphone and to the customer service, for. As a server of customer service, transferred. There, a manual or automated comparison with in-database information regarding the image data of the household appliances can be performed. The database may include compressed information regarding the arrangement of the elements in or on the home appliance and / or image data, on the basis of which a comparison is made with the image currently being recorded.

Another option is, for. B. on one side of the household appliance to introduce a QR code in the surface of the household appliance. Such "introduction" may be difficult or even impossible for the human eye to recognize. Preferably, the position of the inserted code can be marked without the user having to be able to recognize the code itself.

3 shows a section of a display unit 301 of a household appliance. The display unit provides, inter alia, a QR code 302 Furthermore, in 3 a smartphone 303 shown that has, a camera. On the smartphone 303 runs a program (also referred to as "application" or "app"), the z. B. is provided by the customer service. The customer is guided by the program, the QR code 302 (in the picture referred to as "day") with a camera of the smartphone 303 take. Furthermore, a button "Send" 304 shown with which the customer data 305 to a customer service 306 transmitted.

This can be data contained in the QR code 302 are included (device information) as well as data known to the program (eg phone number of the smartphone, email address of the customer, other contact details of the customer). In addition to the device information, the QR code may 302 also contain instructions for the program, eg. Which next steps of the authentication are to be performed (instruction to the customer to contact the customer service by telephone and / or to transmit a hash value to the customer service).

4 indicates one 3 similar scenario, the household appliance itself has a hash value along with a telegram 401 to customer service 306 transmitted. The verification of the transmitted from the household appliance hash value may, for. B. over a phone call from the smartphone 303 or by the electronic transmission of the smartphone 303 to customer service 306 respectively. This shows the program on the smartphone 303 for example, a "hash" button 402 upon activation of which a verification 403 the hash value to customer service 306 (eg establishing a telephone connection to customer service 306 , electronic transmission of the hash value from the smartphone 303 to customer service 306 ) he follows.

If the hash value of the smartphone combined with other data of the customer (eg telephone number, email address, customer number, etc.), the customer and thus the order clearly with the hash value, which can also from the household appliance, and thus the order or the request is considered genuine.

5 shows an exemplary scenario that illustrates possible interfaces between home appliance, customer, customer service, and customer service representatives. In the scenario, the customer service receives remote access (remote access) to the home appliance 501 , z. B. via a remote maintenance terminal 502 or via a terminal 503 a technician at the customer's location. The connection with the household appliance 501 takes place by way of example via a wireless interface 504 (indicated by a router or a gateway) and / or the Internet 505 ,

Prior to such access is from the home appliance 501 over the wireless interface 504 as well as the internet 505 a QR code 506 to the remote maintenance terminal 502 transfer. The QR code 506 can contain a telegram and / or a hash value. The hash value can also be separated (not in 5 indicated) by the customer (see above).

In the in 5 In addition, the scenario shown is still a camera 507 shown, the z. B. has a wireless interface (eg, a connection via a WLAN) and can make pictures of the household appliance. These images can be used for maintenance and / or repair (eg for identification of the household appliance 501 ).

A customer's computer 508 can via the wireless interface 504 and the internet 505 a server 509 contact customer service. In this way, the customer z. B. customer data, device-specific data, hash values, o.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

101

household appliance

102

system clock

103

Input interface

104

processor

105

output unit

106

process

107

Output of the household appliance

108

roundabout

301

Display unit of the household appliance

302

QR code

303

Smartphone

304

"Send" button

305

dates

306

Customer service

401

Hash value and telegram

402

Send hash key

403

verification

501

household appliance

502

Remote maintenance terminal (for example, computer, the server 509 the customer service is operated)

503

Customer service representative terminal (for example, a mobile computer that can be used at the customer's site)

504

wireless interface at the customer (eg WLAN realized, for example, by a router and / or a gateway, whereby on the router and / or the gateway a special customer service application runs or can run to support the customer service functions)

505

Internet

506

QR code

507

camera

508

Customer computer (customer's computer)

509

server

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited non-patent literature

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_Code [0005]
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-Key-Cryptography [0083]

Claims (16)

Method for transmitting information concerning a household appliance to a recipient, - in which the information ( 302 ) is displayed on the household appliance, - in which the displayed information ( 302 ) from a user device ( 303 ), in which the recorded information is transmitted electronically from the user device to the receiver ( 306 ) is transmitted. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed information is a check identifier. The method of claim 2, wherein based on the test identifier from the receiver - an integrity, - a completeness and / or - an authenticity the transmitted information is determined. Method according to one of Claims 2 or 3, in which diagnostic information ( 401 ) electronically from the household appliance to the recipient ( 306 ) is transmitted. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the displayed information comprises a telegram having at least one of the following parts: - an alphanumeric string, - a picture, - a pictogram, - a barcode, - a QR code, A test identifier, - a signature, A hash value, - A recording of the household appliance or a part of the household appliance. Method according to Claim 5, in which at least one of the following information is contained in the telegram: A type or type of appliance of the household appliance, - a product area relevant or competent for the appliance, - a type designation or other name of the household appliance, An identification of the household appliance, A serial number of the household appliance, A date of manufacture of the household appliance, An error message, in particular a content of a fault memory, - operating hours of the household appliance, - prior maintenance or repairs of the household appliance, - current settings of the household appliance, - operating modes of the household appliance used, - general information regarding the use of the household appliance in the past. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the user device is one of the following devices: - a smartphone, - a portable computer, - a PDA. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the information is at least partially signed and / or encrypted. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the user device has a wireless or a wired interface to a network, in particular to the Internet, and in which the recorded information is transmitted electronically from the user device via this wireless or wired interface to the receiver. The method of claim 9, wherein the user device has an interface to a mobile telephone network. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the user device has a camera and in which the displayed information is recorded by the camera of the user device. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the information of the household appliance is based on a self-diagnosis of the household appliance and in particular relates to information concerning an irregularity or an error of the household appliance. The method of claim 12, wherein the self-diagnosis of the household appliance is performed permanently, cyclically and / or event-controlled. Household appliance ( 101 ) - with an output unit ( 105 ) for displaying information, - wherein the information is based on a self-diagnosis or comprises a test identifier, - wherein the information is machine-readable. Household appliance according to claim 14, wherein the information comprises a code, in particular a QR code. A computer program product loadable into the memory of a mobile telephone, comprising program code parts adapted to perform the following steps: - receiving information displayed by a household appliance, - Transmission of the recorded information to a receiver, in particular to a customer service.

Images