Communication system and method for enabling improved use of an electric appliance

Abstract

A communication system comprising at least one electric appliance ( 2, 17, 18, 19, 20 ) and a server ( 1, 21 ). The appliance ( 2, 17, 18, 19, 20 ) is linked to the server ( 1, 21 ), relevant data of the appliance ( 2, 17, 18, 19, 20 ) is reproduced in the server ( 1, 21 ) and the latter can be connected to a call center ( 5 ) via the Internet. When a request is made, the call center can access the server ( 1, 21 ) or the appliance ( 2, 17, 18, 19, 20 ) and the desired appliance ( 2, 17, 18, 19, 20 ) function or status can be achieved by the remote action of the center.

1 . A communication system, comprising: at least one electrical appliance; and a server; wherein the appliance is linked with the server, rellevant data of the appliance are reproduced on the server, the server is connectable with a Call-Center via the Internet, wherein the owner of the applicance has the access to said data on the server.  
   
   
       2 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the server is connected with the Call-Center via the Internet upon request of the user.  
   
   
       3 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of appliances are assigned to the server.  
   
   
       4 . A system according to  claim 3 , wherein the appliance is a hi-fi-unit, for instance a multiroom-hi-fi-unit with a video server, and/or a home automation appliance, for instance a control unit of an edificial heating installation, and/or a medical appliance, for instance a medical a monitor appliance.  
   
   
       5 . A system according to the  claims 1  to  4 , wherein the appliance is at least one of a hi-fi unit, for instance a multiroom-hi-fi-unit with a video server, a home automation applicance, for instance a control unit of an edificial heating installation, and a medical appliance, for instance a medical monitor applicance.  
   
   
       6 . A system according to claims  3 , wherein relevant data of the applicances are made available to the Internet-Call-Center by a server.  
   
   
       7 . A system according to one of the claims  1 , wherein the server is provided as a black-box-server, particularly as an open platform.  
   
   
       8 . A system according to one of the  claims 1  to  7 , wherein the connection between the server and Internet-Call-Center is realized by actuating a help-button of the appliances.  
   
   
       9 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein a request to the server is realized instantaneously by wire or without, particularly by remote control.  
   
   
       10 . A system according to  claim 8 , wherein actuating the help-button calls the Internet-Call-Center without instantaneously causing telephone charges.  
   
   
       11 . A system according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection with the Call-Center is realized by a person respectively by an automatic voice machine.  
   
   
       12 . A method for improving the benefit of an electrical appliance, wherein relevant data of the appliance are made available for a Internet-Call-Center by a server such that a desired status of the appliances can be effected by external activity of the Internet-Call-Center, wherein the owner of the technical appliance has the access to said data on server and wherein data are not stored at a third person, comprising the steps: 
 1. the user contacts the Internet-Call-Center,    2. upon request of the user, the server will be connected to the Call-Center via Internet, and    3. the user receives competent assistance regarding the disposition of the appliance.    
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the sequence of the steps to be carried out is 1, 2, 3.  
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the desired status of the applicance can be realized instantaneously by the Internet-Call-Center interacting with the server respectively the appliance.  
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the Internet-Call-Center informs the user of the applicance and the user can effect the desired status following the given information.  
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein the Internet-Call-Center and the user communicate by spoken or written words respective pictures.  
   
   
       17 . A communication system comprising: 
 at least one electrical appliance; and    a server; wherein the appliance is linked with the server, relevant data of the appliance are reproduced on the server and the server is connectable with a Call-Center via the Internet where a third person has access to the up to date data of the appliance after an owner has requested a connection to the Call-Center.