Household appliance and method for determining a cause of failure on this appliance

Abstract

A household appliance comprises at least one sensor for detecting an operating parameter of the household appliance, a memory for periodically recording the value of the operating parameter detected by the sensor, and comprises an interface for reading out the contents of the memory. In the event of a failure, the memory is read out in order to deduce a possible cause of failure from the stored parameter values.

1 - 9 . (canceled)  
   
   
       10 . A household appliance having at least one sensor for detecting at least one operating parameter of the household appliance, a memory connected permanently to the sensor for periodically recording the value of the operating parameter detected by the sensor and an interface for reading out the content of the memory.  
   
   
       11 . The household appliance according to  claim 10 , wherein the first interface includes an interface to a data network, especially to a telephone network.  
   
   
       12 . The household appliance according to  claim 10 , wherein the data network includes a telephone network.  
   
   
       13 . The household appliance according to  claim 10 , wherein the first interface includes a cordless interface.  
   
   
       14 . The household appliance according to  claim 10 , wherein the household appliance includes a housing and the memory is built in the housing.  
   
   
       15 . The household appliance according to  claim 10 , wherein the household appliance includes at least one of a refrigerating device, a dishwasher, and a washing machine.  
   
   
       16 . A method for determining a cause of failure on a household appliance, the method comprising the following acts: 
 periodically detecting at least one operating parameter of the household appliance and recording the detected value in a memory at least during normal operation of the household appliance;    reading out the memory in the case of a fault;    tracing the cause of the fault from the parameter values which have been read out.    
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising deleting the recorded parameter values after a predetermined storage time and the released memory space is overwritten.  
   
   
       18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the recorded parameter values are decimated after a first predetermined storage time and deleted after a second predetermined storage time.  
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 16 , further comprising transferring the recorded parameter values from the household appliance to a separate device and performing the act of tracing the cause of the fault at the separate device.