Interactive appliance interface

Abstract

A commercial laundry appliance may include a cabinet having a front panel defining an access opening configured to receive laundry items, at least one sensor configured to detect the presence of a user, a human-machine-interface (HMI) having a display and configured to present information to the user, and a processor configured to instruct the (HMI) to display updated display content in response to the sensor detecting the presence of the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A commercial laundry appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet having a front panel defining an access opening configured to receive laundry items;   at least one sensor configured to detect presence of a user;   a human-machine-interface (HMI) having a display and configured to present information to the user; and   a processor configured to instruct the HMI to display updated display content in response to the sensor detecting the presence of the user.   
     
     
         2 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a door sensor configured to detect a change in position of a door of the appliance indicating the presence of the user. 
     
     
         3 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a touch sensor at the HMI configured to receive user interaction indicating the presence of the user. 
     
     
         4 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the updated display content is content received from a manufacturer over a cloud network. 
     
     
         5 . The appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising a connection interface configured to receive a device and wherein the updated display content is content received from the device at the connection interface. 
     
     
         6 . The appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the connection interface is a universal serial bus (USB) port. 
     
     
         7 . The appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the updated display content includes new content not stored in a memory of the appliance. 
     
     
         8 . A system for updating a display of a commercial appliance, the appliance comprising:
 at least one sensor configured to detect presence of a user at the appliance;   a human-machine-interface (HMI) having a display and configured to present information to the user;   a memory configured to maintain display content to be presented at the HMI; and   a processor configured to instruct the HMI to display updated display content in response to the sensor detecting the presence of the user and the memory including content not previously presented to the user.   
     
     
         9 . The appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor is a door sensor configured to detect a change in position of a door of the appliance indicating the presence of the user. 
     
     
         10 . The appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor is a touch sensor at the HMI configured to receive user interaction indicating the presence of the user. 
     
     
         11 . The appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the updated display content is content received from a manufacturer over a cloud network. 
     
     
         12 . The appliance of  claim 8 , further comprising a connection interface configured to receive a device and wherein the updated display content is content received from the device at the connection interface. 
     
     
         13 . The appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the connection interface is a universal serial bus (USB) port. 
     
     
         14 . A method for updating a display on an appliance, comprising:
 receiving appliance data indicative of an appliance mode;   determining whether the appliance is in one of an active mode or a standby based on the appliance data;   receiving an indication of a trigger event, wherein the trigger event indicates presence of a user at the appliance; and   presenting content at a display of the appliance in response to the appliance being in the active mode and the trigger event.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the trigger event includes receiving a signal from a door sensor indicating a change in position of an appliance door. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the trigger event includes receiving a signal from a HMI of a user interaction. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising sending a request to a cloud service for updated display content in response to the appliance being in standby mode. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the updated display content is new content not previously presented to the user. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the updated display content includes one or more of audio content or visual content. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the content is based on user data received by the appliance.