DE102012015893B4 - Transmission of information relating to a household appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for transmitting information relating to a household appliance (101) to a receiver (306) - in which information (302) is displayed on the household appliance (101), the information (302) being a check identifier in the form of a first hash value - in which the displayed information (302) is recorded by a user device (303), - in which the recorded information is transmitted electronically from the user device (303) to the receiver (306) together with further data of a user of the household appliance (101). - in which diagnostic information in the form of a telegram together with a second hash value is transmitted electronically from the household appliance (101) to the receiver (306), - in which the first hash value is linked to the second hash value is brought to classify an order or request of the user as genuine; and- in which it is checked on the basis of the test identifier and the diagnostic information whether the diagnostic information is correct.

Description

The invention relates to a method for transmitting information relating to a household appliance to a recipient, in particular a customer service. A corresponding household appliance is also proposed.

When servicing is required, specifically when a household appliance is defective, a customer service employee often drives to the customer's home to repair the household appliance. Such an appointment with the customer causes costs, whether for the device manufacturer, who carries out the repair free of charge for the customer due to the warranty or goodwill, or for the customer who wants to have his device repaired.

A significant proportion of the costs are accounted for by the travel costs to the customer. In order to minimize travel costs, it is necessary for the customer service representative to be able to narrow down or know the error to be corrected as precisely as possible in advance. Only then can the customer service representative ensure that he brings the parts to be replaced with him and can carry out the repair with them. If the customer service representative does not know the error beforehand, a second visit to the customer is often necessary, since the first visit can only be used to diagnose and identify the defective parts.

One problem is that customers are often unable to accurately describe the fault or even identify a defective part of the home appliance. It is often even difficult for the customer to determine the exact type of household appliance in advance. In fact, the information provided by the customer prior to the first on-site service visit is often poor, so the service representative merely diagnoses the fault in the first visit and replaces the defective parts in the second visit. DE 10 2010 050 192 A1 describes a method for transmitting data from a technical device. DE 100 56 491 A1 describes a method for transmitting a maintenance message from a domestic appliance to a service point.

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 marking in three of the four corners of the square provides orientation. The data in the QR code is protected by an error-correcting code. As a result, the loss of up to 30% of the code is tolerated (source: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_Code).

The object of the invention is to avoid the disadvantages mentioned above and in particular to provide a solution that, in the case of a household appliance, allows the customer to transmit the information required for maintenance or repairs to customer service in a simple and error-tolerant and at the same time secure manner allows.

This object is solved according to the features of the independent patent claims. Developments of the invention also result from the dependent claims.

To achieve the object, a method for transmitting information relating to a household appliance to a receiver according to the features of patent claim 1 is specified in particular.

An interface of the user device can thus be used efficiently in order to transmit the information to the recipient, in particular a customer service. The user device can also be a (reading) device in the production of the household appliance, which is used to record the displayed information.

The recipient is, for example, customer service, which also includes, for example, a customer service computer (e.g. server), a customer service employee's computer or a customer service network.

The information can be output using standard display units of the household appliance, e.g. matrix display, TFT, OLED or other displays.

The household appliance can be a large household appliance (e.g. a cooking appliance, a laundry treatment appliance, a refrigerator, etc.) or a small household appliance (e.g. a toaster, a coffee machine, etc.). The cooking appliance can in particular be an oven, a steamer, a microwave oven or a combination thereof, for example an oven/microwave combination appliance.

The information displayed on the home appliance is a check identifier.

The check identifier is a hash value. The check identifier is transmitted along with additional information via different communication channels. A recipient can therefore use the test identifier and the diagnostic information to determine whether the diagnostic information is correct. For this purpose, the test identifier can be transmitted separately from the diagnostic information, e.g. via the Internet or over the telephone.

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

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

der übermittelten Information bestimmt wird. A further development is that based on the test identifier from the recipient

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

of the transmitted information is determined.

Furthermore, 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 can be transmitted to the receiver with other information from the household appliance, which is also specified below with regard to the telegram. Such a transmission of the diagnostic information can be confirmed on the basis of the check identifier transmitted by the user device. In this case, it can be assumed with a high level of certainty that the diagnostic information is correct and is actually intended to trigger a customer service order, for example.

• - 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 information displayed includes a telegram with at least one of the following components

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

The telegram can 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.

It is also a further development that the telegram contains at least one of the following information:

• - a type or type of appliance of the household appliance,
• - a product area relevant or responsible for the household appliance,
• - a type designation or other designation 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 the content of an error memory,
• - operating hours of the household appliance,
• - previous maintenance or repairs of the household appliance,
• - current settings of the household appliance,
• - used operating modes of the household appliance,
• - 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 smart phone,
• - a portable computer,
• - a PDA.

A next development consists in the information being at least partially signed and/or encrypted.

Different cryptographic methods can be used here. As an example, reference is made to the possibility of using asymmetric cryptographic methods.

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

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

A next refinement 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 from the household appliance is based on a self-diagnosis of the household appliance and relates in particular to information relating to an irregularity or a fault in the household appliance.

A development consists in the self-diagnosis of the household appliance being carried out permanently, cyclically and/or in an event-controlled manner.

In particular, the information can contain data that the customer service can use to carry out an error diagnosis and possibly also to identify a possibly defective component of the household appliance.

As stated, the recorded information can be a test identifier or a telegram, for example.

The above statements on the method apply accordingly to the household appliance.

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

• 1 schematisch eine beispielhafte Darstellung eines Haushaltsgeräts mit einer Systemuhr, einer Eingabeschnittstelle, einer Verarbeitungseinheit sowie einer Ausgabeeinheit;
• 2 beispielhaft eine Tabelle, die einen möglichen Aufbau eines Telegramms veranschaulicht;
• 3 einen Ausschnitt einer Anzeigeeinheit eines Haushaltsgeräts, die einen QR-Code darstellt, sowie ein Smartphone, das mit einer Kamera den QR-Code aufnimmt und diesen oder darin enthaltene Information an einen Kundendienst (z.B. einen Server, ein Kundendienstcenter, einen Kundendienstmitarbeiter) überträgt;
• 4 ein auf 3 basierendes Szenario, in dem der Kunde mittels des Smartphones einen Hash-Wert an den Kundendienst übermittelt;
• 5 ein beispielhaftes Szenario, das mögliche Schnittstellen zwischen Haushaltsgerät, Kunde, Kundendienst und Kundendienstmitarbeiter veranschaulicht.

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 a table that illustrates a possible structure of a telegram;
• 3 a section of a display unit of a household appliance, which shows a QR code, and a smartphone that records the QR code with a camera and transmits this or the information contained therein to a customer service (e.g. a server, a customer service center, a customer service employee);
• 4 one on 3 based scenario in which the customer transmits a hash value to customer service using the smartphone;
• 5 an exemplary scenario that illustrates possible interfaces between household appliance, customer, customer service and customer service employee.

If required, the solution presented here provides information that is as meaningful as possible for a household appliance and can therefore be used effectively for the maintenance or repair of the household appliance. The information can contain a large number of data, parameters, etc., which relate to the household appliance, its status, its components, its messages, etc.

The information can, for example, be summarized in the form of a telegram and, if necessary, also encrypted. The telegram can be transmitted by the customer and/or by the household appliance to customer service.

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

The information to be transmitted can be protected against attacks or incorrect transmissions.

The approach is particularly advantageous for household appliances that cannot be transported from the customer to the after-sales service without great effort, either because the household appliances are heavy or permanently installed or have fixed connections. Examples of such household appliances are: cooking appliances, stoves, washing machines, refrigerators, etc.

1 shows schematically an exemplary representation of a household appliance 101 with a system clock 102, an input interface 103 (comprising e.g. switches, buttons, contactless input means, etc.), a processing unit 104 (e.g. a processor) and an output unit 105 (comprising e.g. a display unit). The household appliance 101 can also make itself known by means of a noise or a vibration based on the output unit 105 .

Also is in the in 1 Household appliance 101 shown as an example a process 106 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 are in 1 general input variables or resources are shown that are supplied to the household appliance, e.g.:

• - goods treated by the household appliance,
• - ingredients, auxiliary materials for the treatment of goods in the household appliance,
• - gas,
• - Water,
• - Electricity,
• - Air.

Everything that is supplied to the household appliance 101 comes back out of the household appliance in modified form guesses 101. This is symbolically indicated by an arrow 107 .

The lines shown in the household appliance 101 indicate flows of information. A round dot at the beginning of a line indicates a sensor that collects information. There are sensors that record safety-relevant information about the process taking place in the household appliance 101 and forward it to the processor 104 . There are also sensors that detect proper functioning of the input interface 103 and/or the output unit 105 and forward corresponding information to the processor 104 . The correct functioning of the processor 104 itself can also be monitored.

Inputs that the customer makes on the household appliance 101 are directed, for example, to the processor 104, which derives control signals for a process 106 that is to be controlled. Input from the customer can intervene directly in the process 106 (possibly bypassing the processor 104). In terms of being able to control the entire household appliance 101 by the processor 104, such inputs should advantageously be able to be known to the processor 104 by suitable sensors in the process 106 (this is primarily important for security-related information).

Information to be output to the customer originates, for example, from the processor 104, which derives it from the process 106 and forwards it to the output unit 105. It may also be the case that information for output to the customer is transmitted directly to the output unit 105 by the process 106 (bypassing the processor 104) or by the input interface 103 or by the system clock 102.

Control variables for influencing the process 106 or the system clock 102 are sent, for example, by the processor 104; another control variable can be transmitted directly to the system clock 102 from the input interface 103 .

It should be noted here that the in 1 The household appliance shown is merely an example to illustrate a possible flow of information. Other household appliances with other structures and other realizations of information flows are also possible and can also be used for the present invention.

The process 106 running in the household appliance 101 can preferably run in individual steps (e.g. the temperature inside a refrigerator can be kept constant). It is also possible that cyclic sub-processes occur (e.g. in a washing machine several spin cycles are carried out repeatedly). This is exemplified by a gyro 108 in the process 106 .

In the household appliance 101, the processor 104 accesses the ongoing process 106 via actuators. For example, energy flows are controlled, valves are activated, doors are locked or released.

The processor 104 justifies its interventions in the process 106 on sensor signals, through which it is informed about the progress or the sequence of the process 106 or about interventions by the user in the event or about time lapses.

In addition, information is provided via the output unit 105 that visualizes the current status of the household appliance 101 for the user.

User actions can include input to the processor 104, but they can also act directly on parts of the process 106 or on the system clock 102.

The domestic appliance 101 thus offers complex sequences between the components involved and the user. There are also a large number of possible operating errors by the user. The possibility of incorrect operation occasionally leads to the user believing that the household appliance 101 is defective. Even if this assumption is not correct in some cases, there can of course still be a technical defect in the household appliance 101. Recognizing and distinguishing between these cases of incorrect operation and errors often falls within the area of customer service. In particular, it is advantageous if incorrect operation is detected without a customer service employee having to go to 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 often finds himself faced with an insolvable task of describing the error to customer service on the telephone correctly and as precisely as possible. However, in order to rectify the error efficiently, customer service is dependent on such an error description, which is as

• - technically correct
• - complete
• - without contradiction
• - 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, a fault description can include the following data (or part of this data) about the defective household appliance:

• - Statement about the type of appliance (e.g. stove, hob, coffee maker, dryer, washing machine, refrigerator, etc.)
• - Complete type designation (if necessary with customer service index)
• - Manufacturing date
• - Serial number
• - If applicable: further information on the rating plate
• - Description of the malfunction that has occurred
• - Description of the setting made on the device at the time of the malfunction
• - Description of the frequency with which the error and other errors may have occurred earlier
• - Statements about previously carried out repairs on the household appliance (concerning this or another error)
• - Information about error messages from the household appliance (alphanumeric characters or symbols on an output unit of the household appliance, characters in seven-segment displays, flashing LEDs, acoustic signals, etc.)

Experience shows that customers often cannot report defects in household appliances in the form described here. Statistically, this results in a significant number of unnecessary trips by the customer service representative to customers' homes. It is also possible that despite a complete error description in the above sense, a customer service employee cannot identify the actual reason for the error over the phone. In this case, a customer service employee in the field has to drive to the customer specifically to diagnose the fault. This is also an expensive fix.

In particular, it is proposed that the processor of the household appliance carry out a continuously running error analysis, i.e. a self-diagnosis of the household appliance, with the aid of the available information. The result of this self-diagnosis is displayed in the output unit (e.g. on the display of the household appliance) in the event of an anomaly or error being detected.

The result of the self-diagnosis can be transmitted to customer service as a telegram. However, if a user were to give this result character by character over the phone, the approach would be very time-consuming and laborious, as well as error-prone. For these reasons, even typing in the result of the self-diagnosis by the customer is of little use.

It is thus proposed, for example, to summarize or encode the result of the self-diagnosis and/or other information that is or could be useful for error analysis of the household appliance in the telegram.

A telegram can include information that can be useful for error detection and/or elimination. The telegram can be encoded in different ways, e.g. to facilitate transmission, to make transmission error-tolerant and/or to protect the telegram against manipulation. In principle, the telegram can have bit patterns, characters, pictograms or the like. Combinations of known data types are also possible as part(s) of the telegram.

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

The graphical encoding may include 1D encoding (e.g. a barcode) or 2D encoding (e.g. a QR code). Correspondingly, other forms of coding are also possible.

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

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

For example, 250 characters (including various special characters, spaces and letters from foreign languages) can flow into a QR code. The resulting number of possible combinations "K" results from the number of usable characters "Z" (in the household appliance under consideration) and the usable telegram length "L" according to $$\text{K}={\text{Z}}^{\text{L}}$$

With approx. 60 usable characters (lower and upper case letters, 10 digits and some special characters) with a telegram length L of 128 characters, this leads to a number of possible combinations of QR coding $$\text{K}={\text{Z}}^{\text{L}}\approx {60}^{128}\approx 4*{10}^{227}$$

An increase to 70 usable characters (lower and upper case 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 $$\text{K}={\text{Z}}^{\text{L}}\approx {70}^{250}\approx 1.9*{10}^{460}$$

If one uses the number of combinations when programming the telegrams, this allows a certain redundancy in order to be able to reliably detect and correct errors in the transmission; this also applies to a constantly growing number of household 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.ä. 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 used or encoded in a variety of ways in the field of household appliances. Some example scenarios are explained below. The aspects explained can be used individually or in combination(s) with one another.

• (1) The household appliance leads based on the available data
  • - permanently
  • - cyclically (at more or less regular intervals) and/or
  • - event driven
  do a self-diagnosis. A separate software module is advantageously provided for this purpose in the software of the processor (or for the processor).
• (2) In addition to the sensors required for the actual purpose of the device, the household appliance contains other sensors which are not absolutely necessary for the operation of the household appliance, but whose signals carry out a self-diagnosis
  • - make it possible
  • - at least facilitate
  • - make it more reliable and/or
  • - expand in scope.
  The ability to evaluate many sensors opens up the possibility of redundancy and plausibility checks.
• (3) In the case of detecting an error, the home appliance will display that an error has been detected. The customer can be informed about the error in different ways. The following examples can be implemented individually or in combination(s):
  • - Display on a display unit, such as a display, as
    • - alphanumeric characters,
    • - pictograms,
    • - symbols;
  • - Activation of certain indicators, eg indicator lights, LEDs;
  • - flashing or permanent activation of luminous or other indicators;
  • - Movements of the household appliance or parts thereof, e.g
    • - opening a door or hatch;
    • - vibration of the household appliance,
  • - Output of acoustic feedback (beeps, tones, whistles, output of speech, etc.).
• (4) If the household appliance can independently establish a (wireless or wired) connection to customer service, eg via
  • - an internet connection,
  • - a telephone connection,
  • - a data line,
  this option can be displayed to the customer. After confirmation by the customer, the connection can be established with customer service. For example, when setting up or installing the household appliance, the customer can already be offered the choice between the following options:
  • - Access via the Internet is generally permitted;
  • - Internet access is allowed or not depending on a given scenario;
  • - prior to accessing the Internet, confirmation by the customer is required.
• (5) After establishing a connection to the customer service, the household appliance sends the customer service the telegram containing certain information, in particular a complete error message. The electronics of the household appliance preferably have the following information, which is collected if necessary or at least partially encoded in the telegram:
  • - the device type,
  • - if necessary, a responsible product area,
  • - a type designation with supplementary indices,
  • - the date of manufacture,
  • - the content of an error memory (possibly several error memories),
  • - the content of an operating hours counter,
  • - the content of other memories (frequent operating modes, current settings).
• (6) The telegram is optionally supplemented by a check identifier that allows the customer service server to
  • - integrity,
  • - Completeness and/or
  • - Authenticity
  of the telegram with a high probability. In addition, the code may include at least one of the following information:
  • - a link (Internet address),
  • - an SMS or MMS (telephone number),
  • - any other information.
  This option is already provided for QR codes, for example. This allows the software that scans the QR code to be automatically instructed, after the QR code has been recognized or evaluated, to establish a connection to the specified destination (e.g. a customer service server) and to deliver the telegram there in a predetermined manner. The QR code can thus include both the instructions (program information) for the scanning software and the content of the information(s) to be transmitted, eg the telegram. Furthermore, an identification of the household appliance can also be applied, for example, as a barcode or as a QR code (or in the form of a comparable coding system), for example on the nameplate of the household appliance. In this case, at least the device can be registered easily and clearly after purchase or precise identification in the event of a complaint.
• (7) The check identifier can be structured in a form that allows the telegram to be identified or at least allows it to be narrowed down to specific telegrams that are to be expected.
• (8) If the household appliance cannot establish a connection to customer service, the customer may be asked to contact customer service.
• (9) The test identifier 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 any other interface and identify themselves to customer service by providing the verification code. The customer service is thus able to assign the telegram to the individual customer. If the household appliance itself is electronically registered with customer service, for example, the telegram can be assigned to this registration. This identification can, for example, be unique for the respective household appliance via the type designation, the date of manufacture, various indices (eg customer service index) or the like.
• (10) If the test identifier does not allow a clear identification of the transmitted telegram, then identification can be carried out by means of an additional query, e.g
  • - the type of device,
  • - the type designation,
  • - the date of manufacture and/or
  • - the serial number,
  be done safely enough. Identifications are advantageous because an "attack" on the customer service server can be reliably avoided or at least recognized or made sufficiently unlikely.
• (11) If the customer service exchanges one or more electronic components, this process is preferably recorded in the memory of the processor of the household appliance, so that this fact can be communicated in a telegram in the event of a possible future complaint.
• (12) With an existing Internet connection, a repair can be carried out, for example, by automatically downloading 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 is intended to ensure the secure transmission of information (coded data) to customer service. In addition, the problem of an "enemy attack" should can be encountered on the customer service server.

Such a "hostile attack" consists, for example, of an attacker sending data to customer service that indicate errors that do not actually exist. If such an attack is not detected, a processing operation is triggered when the telegram is received, which occupies resources on the one hand and causes unnecessary costs on the other. This should of course prevent an attacker from triggering customer service trips 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 genuine and complete can be checked by specifying a hash value. The processor of the household appliance is responsible for calculating a hash value. The data to be transmitted in the telegram is encrypted using a publicly known algorithm. In the course of the encryption, a character string is calculated and attached to the telegram. This first of all ensures that eavesdropping on the telegram by unauthorized third parties cannot lead to an unauthorized outflow of the customer's personal data. By decrypting the telegram with a second private key, the customer service server can reconstruct the telegram and check whether the attached hash value is correct. If it matches, then the telegram is genuine and complete and can be further processed. In principle, known mechanisms of public-key cryptography and/or the signing of messages can be used for this (cf. e.g. http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-Key-Kryptografie).

The hash value is displayed to the customer. The customer or the household appliance forwards the telegram to customer service. The customer then contacts customer service (e.g. by telephone call or via the Internet) and transmits the hash value to customer service as a reference number.

Customer service can use the hash value to identify the telegram in the list of all telegrams received. If, exceptionally, the hash value is not unique, customer service can identify the correct telegram by requesting additional information about the household appliance (e.g. type of appliance, type, date of manufacture, serial number, etc.) and assign it to a customer name and address. The job can then be classified as valid and error correction can be initiated.

This effort is necessary because, for example, an IP address of a QR code scanner does not represent a unique address or because the sender's telephone number of an SMS does not allow reliable conclusions to be drawn about the person responsible.

2 shows an example of a table that illustrates a possible structure of a telegram. The structure of the telegram is shown 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 refinements 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 type of transmission of data to customer service shown enables customer service to do so even before the customer visits

• - accurately identify the device to be repaired,
• - establish a connection to the device for devices with an Internet connection,
• - narrow down the error to be corrected with great "accuracy",
• - bring the spare parts necessary to rectify the fault,
• - to study the repair instructions required to rectify the fault, to print out any wiring plans or similar that may be required in advance, etc.,
• - to offer the customer a fast service,
• - to avoid misunderstandings (potential for conflict).

If, for example, a QR code is not available or can no longer be read, the household appliance can also be identified using image recognition: the household appliance can be recorded, for example, using a smartphone camera and sent to customer service, e.g. a customer service server , be transmitted. A manual or automated comparison can be carried out there with information relating to the image data of the household appliances that is available in a database. The database can have compressed information relating to the arrangement of the elements in or on the household appliance and/or image data, which is used to compare it with the currently recorded image.

Another option is to incorporate a QR code into the surface of the household appliance, for example on one side of the household appliance. Such "introduction" may be difficult or impossible to detect for the human eye. The position of the introduced code can preferably be marked without the user having to be able to recognize the code himself.

3 shows a section of a display unit 301 of a household appliance. The display unit shows, among other things, a QR code 302. Furthermore, in 3 a smartphone 303 shown that has a camera. A program (also referred to as an “application” or “app”) runs on the smartphone 303, which is provided by customer service, for example. The customer is instructed by the program to record the QR code 302 (referred to as “tag” in the image) with a camera on the smartphone 303 . A "Send" button 304 is also shown, with which the customer transmits data 305 to customer service 306 .

This can be data contained in the QR code 302 (device information) as well as data known to the program (e.g. 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 302 can also contain instructions for the program, e.g. what next steps of the authentication are to be carried out (instruction for the customer to contact customer service by phone and/or to transmit a hash value to customer service).

4 shows a to 3 Similar scenario, with the household appliance itself transmitting a hash value together with a telegram 401 to customer service 306. The hash value transmitted by the household appliance can be verified, for example, via a telephone call from the smartphone 303 or by electronic transmission from the smartphone 303 to customer service 306 . In this case, the program on the smartphone 303 has, for example, a "Send hash" button 402, which when activated causes a verification 403 of the hash value to customer service 306 (e.g. setting up a telephone connection to customer service 306, electronic transmission of the hash value from the Smartphone 303 to customer service 306).

If the hash value from the smartphone is combined with other customer data (e.g. telephone number, email address, customer number, etc.), the customer and thus the order can be clearly matched with the hash value, which is also from the household appliance was transmitted, so that the order or the inquiry can be classified as genuine.

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

Before such an access, a QR code 506 is transmitted from the household appliance 501 to the remote maintenance terminal 502 via the wireless interface 504 and the Internet 505 . The QR code 506 can contain a telegram and/or a hash value. The hash value can also be used separately (not in 5 indicated) by the customer (see the above statements).

in the in 5 The scenario shown also shows a camera 507 which has a wireless interface (eg a connection via a WLAN) and can take pictures of the household appliance. These images can be used for maintenance and/or repair (eg to identify the household appliance 501).

A customer computer 508 can contact a customer service server 509 via the wireless interface 504 and the Internet 505 . In this way, the customer can, for example, transmit customer data, device-specific data, hash values, or similar.

Reference List

101

household appliance

102

system clock

103

input interface

104

processor

105

output unit

106

process

107

Output of household appliance

108

spinning top

301

Home appliance display unit

302

QR code

303

smartphone

304

Send button

305

Data

306

Customer service

401

hash value and telegram

402

Send Hash button

403

verification

501

household appliance

502

Remote maintenance terminal (e.g. computer operated on the customer service server 509)

503

Customer service representative's terminal (e.g. mobile computer that can be used at the customer's location)

504

Wireless interface at the customer (e.g. WLAN, implemented e.g. by a router and/or a gateway, with a special customer service application running or being able to run on the router and/or the gateway to support the customer service functions)

505

Internet

506

QR code

507

camera

508

Customer computer (customer's computer)

509

server

Claims (11)

Method for transmitting information relating to a household appliance (101) to a recipient (306), - in which information (302) is displayed on the household appliance (101), the information (302) being a check identifier in the form of a first hash value, - in which the displayed information (302) is received by a user device (303), - in which the recorded information is transmitted electronically from the user device (303) to the recipient (306) together with other data of a user of the household appliance (101), - in which diagnostic information is transmitted electronically from the household appliance (101) to the recipient (306) in the form of a telegram together with a second hash value, - in which the first hash value is associated with the second hash value in order to classify an order or a request from the user as genuine; and - in which it is checked on the basis of the test identifier and the diagnostic information whether the diagnostic information is correct. procedure after claim 1 , in which the recipient (306) uses the check identifier to determine - an integrity, - a completeness and/or - an authenticity of the transmitted information. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which at least one of the following information is contained in the telegram (401): - a type or a device type of the household appliance (101), - a product area relevant or responsible for the household appliance (101), - a type designation or other designation of the household appliance (101), - an identification of the household appliance (101), - a serial number of the household appliance (101), - a date of manufacture of the household appliance (101), - an error message, in particular the content of an error memory, - operating hours of the household appliance (101), - previous maintenance or repairs of the household appliance (101), - current settings of the household appliance (101), - used operating modes of the household appliance (101), - general information regarding the use of the household appliance (101) in the past. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the user device (303) is one of the following devices: - a smart phone, - a portable computer, - a PDA. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the user device (303) has a wireless or a wired interface to a network, in particular to the Internet (505), and in which the recorded information is transmitted electronically from the user device (303) via this wireless or wired interface is transmitted to the receiver (306). procedure after claim 5 , wherein the user device (303) has an interface to a mobile telephone network. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the user device has a camera (507) and in which the displayed information is recorded by the camera (507) of the user device. Method according to one of the preceding claims, in which the diagnostic information of the household appliance (101) is based on a self-diagnosis of the household appliance (101) and relates in particular to information relating to an irregularity or a fault in the household appliance (101). procedure after claim 8 , in which the self-diagnosis of the household appliance (101) is carried out permanently, cyclically and/or event-controlled. Home Appliance (101) - With an output unit (105) for displaying information (302), the information (302) being a check identifier in the form of a first hash value, the information being machine-readable, the information (302) being displayed in such a way that the Information (302) can be recorded by a user device (303) of a user of the household appliance (101) and electronically transmitted from the user device (303) together with further data of the user of the household appliance (101) to a receiver (306), and - wherein the household appliance (101) is designed to electronically transmit diagnostic information in the form of a telegram together with a second hash value from the household appliance (101) to the recipient (306), so that the first hash value is received by the recipient (306 ) can be associated with the second hash value in order to classify an order or a request from the user as genuine, and so that the check identifier and the diagnostic information can be used to check whether the diagnostic information is correct. household appliance after claim 10 , in which the information (302) comprises a code, in particular a QR code (506).

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