Distributed networked laundry machine control and operation

Abstract

Methods, system and apparatus for the monitor of laundry machines to identify malfunctioning laundry machines in a laundry facility. The system may initiate a power cycle procedure on the identified malfunctioning laundry machines, causing any errors to be cleared from the malfunctioning laundry machine. A determination may then be made as to whether the identification of a malfunction was a true positive or a false positive, and a technician may be dispatched if the malfunctioning machine does not return to normal operation after completing the power cycle procedure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system to remotely power cycle a laundry machine, the system comprising:
 a machine control unit comprising:
 a network module; and
 a reset control module, wherein the reset control module comprises:
 a power diverter module installed between a power supply unit and a front control board of the laundry machine, wherein the power diverter module is configured to receive an input voltage from the power supply unit and supply an output voltage to the front control board; 
 
 
   wherein the machine control unit is configured to:
 receive, by the network module, a request from a server to perform a power cycle procedure on the laundry machine; and 
 initiating, by the reset control module, the power cycle procedure. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the power cycle procedure comprises:
 generating a reset control signal; and   sending the reset control signal to the power diverter module.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the power cycle procedure further comprises:
 turning off the output voltage to the front control board based on the reset control signal; and   turning on the output voltage to the front control board after a predetermined amount of time.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the machine control unit is further configured to send, via the network module, a completion notification to the server. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the server is configured to generate the request based on identifying a malfunction of the laundry machine. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the identifying comprises:
 receiving, from a user, a report of a malfunction, wherein the report of a malfunction is generated through a graphical user interface on a client device.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the server is configured to generate the request based on monitoring the laundry machine and comparing a current runtime of an operation performed by the laundry machine with an expected runtime of the operation. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the power diverter module is further configured to receive a second input voltage from the power supply unit and supply a second output voltage to a second front control board. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the power cycle procedure comprises:
 selecting one or both of the front control board and/or a second front control board;   generating a reset control signal based on the selection;   turning off the output voltage and/or second output voltage based on the selection;   and turning on the output voltage and/or second output voltage based on the selection.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the server is configured to monitor multiple laundry machines via a local network, wherein the monitoring comprises:
 tracking, for each laundry machine, a current duration and an expected duration of each operation performed; and   identifying one or more malfunctioning laundry machines based on the tracking.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the server is configured to send, via the local network, a power cycle request to each of the one or more identified malfunctioning laundry machines. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the server is configured to send, via the local network, a power cycle request to each of the one or more identified malfunctioning laundry machines. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the server is configured to send, via the local network, a power cycle request to each of the one or more identified malfunctioning laundry machines. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the server is configured to generate, by the server, a malfunction notification for each of the one or more identified malfunctioning laundry machines, wherein the malfunction notification comprises a unique identifier for each of the one or more identified malfunctioning laundry machines. 
     
     
         15 . A method to remotely power cycle a laundry machine, the comprising the operations of:
 operating a machine control unit comprising a power diverter module installed between a power supply unit and a front control board of the laundry machine, wherein the power diverter module is configured to:
 receive an input voltage from a power supply unit; and 
 supply an output voltage to a front control board of the laundry machine; 
   receiving, by a network module, a request from a server to perform a power cycle procedure on the laundry machine; and   initiating, by a reset control module, the power cycle procedure on the laundry machine.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the power cycle procedure comprises:
 generating a reset control signal; and   sending the reset control signal to the power diverter module.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the power cycle procedure further comprises:
 turning off the output voltage to the front control board based on the reset control signal; and   turning on the output voltage to the front control board after a predetermined amount of time.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the machine control unit is further configured to send, via the network module, a completion notification to the server. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the server is configured to generate the request based on identifying a malfunction of the laundry machine. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the server is configured to generate the request based on monitoring the laundry machine and comparing a current runtime of an operation performed by the laundry machine with an expected runtime of the operation.