System and method for interconnected appliances valve fault detection

Abstract

An interconnected system of appliances and method for operation include a first and second appliance fluidly coupled together by a water supply valve. The first appliance obtains a fault condition signal of the first appliance and obtains an operating condition signal of the second appliance. The operating condition signal is compared to the fault condition signal. A first communication signal is generated to determine an operational state at the water supply valve when the compared operating condition signal corresponds to the fault condition signal. A second communication signal is generated indicating a fault condition of the plurality of appliances when the determined operational state corresponds to an open valve state. The first appliance transmits the second communication signal to the second appliance. A third communication signal is generated corresponding to a fault condition when comparing the operating condition signal does not correspond together the fault condition signals.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for determining an operational state of a plurality of appliances comprising a first appliance communicatively coupled to a second appliance, the plurality of appliances fluidly coupled to one another by a water supply valve, the method comprising: 
 obtaining, at the first appliance, a fault condition signal of the first appliance;   obtaining, via the first appliance from the second appliance, an operating condition signal of the second appliance;   comparing, at the first appliance, the operating condition signal of the second appliance to the fault condition signal of the first appliance;   generating, via the first appliance, a first communication signal to determine an operational state at a water supply valve when the compared operating condition signal corresponds to the fault condition signal of the first appliance;   generating, via the first appliance, a second communication signal indicating a fault condition of the plurality of appliances when the determined operational state at the water supply valve corresponds to an open valve state;   transmitting, from the first appliance, the second communication signal to the second appliance; and    generating a third communication signal corresponding to a fault condition of the first appliance when comparing the operating condition signal does not correspond the fault condition signal of the first appliance to the fault condition signal of the second appliance.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second communication signal comprises an inhibit signal inhibiting use of the plurality of appliances. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the third communication directs a user to an operable appliance of a second plurality of appliances. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining the fault condition signal of the first appliance comprises running a self-diagnostic mode at the first appliance. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining the operating condition signal of the second appliance comprises commanding, via the first appliance, the second appliance to run a self-diagnostic mode at the second appliance. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein obtaining, via the first appliance from the second appliance, the operating condition signal of the second appliance comprises commanding, via the first appliance tot the second appliance, transmission of the operating condition signal of the second appliance. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , the method comprising: 
 initiating, at the first appliance, a wash cycle.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , the method comprising: 
 pausing, at the first appliance, the wash cycle.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein pausing the wash cycle occurs after obtaining the fault condition of the first appliance. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , the method comprising: 
 re-initiating, at the first appliance, the wash cycle when the determined operational state at the water supply valve corresponds to a closed valve state.   
     
     
         11 . An interconnected system of appliances, the system comprising: 
 a first appliance and a second appliance fluidly coupled to one another by a water supply valve, wherein the first appliance and the second appliance each comprise a short range radio communications device communicatively coupling together the first appliance and the second appliance, the first appliance and the second appliance comprising a controller configured to execute instructions that cause the first appliance and the second appliance to perform operations, the operations comprising: 
 obtaining, at the first appliance, a fault condition signal of the first appliance; 
 obtaining at the first appliance, via communicatively coupling the short range radio communications devices of the first appliance and the second appliance, an operating condition signal of the second appliance; 
 comparing, at the first appliance, the operating condition signal of the second appliance to the fault condition signal of the first appliance; 
 generating, via the first appliance, a first communication signal to determine an operational state at a water supply valve when the compared operating condition signal corresponds to the fault condition signal of the first appliance; 
 generating, via the first appliance, a second communication signal indicating a fault condition of the plurality of appliances when the determined operational state at the water supply valve corresponds to an open valve state; 
 transmitting, from the first appliance, the second communication signal to the second appliance; and  
 generating a third communication signal corresponding to a fault condition of the first appliance when comparing the operating condition signal does not correspond the fault condition signal of the first appliance to the fault condition signal of the second appliance. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the second communication signal comprises an inhibit signal inhibiting use of the plurality of appliances. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the third communication directs a user to an operable appliance of a second plurality of appliances. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein obtaining the fault condition signal of the first appliance comprises running a self-diagnostic mode at the first appliance. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein obtaining the operating condition signal of the second appliance comprises commanding, via the first appliance, the second appliance to run a self-diagnostic mode at the second appliance. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein obtaining, via the first appliance from the second appliance, the operating condition signal of the second appliance comprises commanding, via the first appliance tot the second appliance, transmission of the operating condition signal of the second appliance. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , the operations comprising: 
 initiating, at the first appliance, a wash cycle.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , the operations comprising: 
 pausing, at the first appliance, the wash cycle.    
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein pausing the wash cycle occurs after obtaining the fault condition of the first appliance. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , the operations comprising: 
 re-initiating, at the first appliance, the wash cycle when the determined operational state at the water supply valve corresponds to the closed valve state.