Systems and methods for managing leased appliances
Appliances for use under appliance leasing agreements include a memory that stores a local parameter defining a lockout time at which the appliance will be locked out from performing an appliance leasing function and a controller that is configured to automatically switch the appliance from an operating mode to a locked mode at the stored lockout time. An asset management system for leased refrigeration appliances can include a remote server for sending a command to appliances which changes the lockout time stored in local memory. An encrypted key generator may also be used to enable a user to locally update the lockout time stored in the memory upon entry of an encrypted key.
1 . A refrigeration appliance for use under an appliance leasing agreement, the refrigeration appliance comprising:
an appliance controller configured for selectively controlling the refrigeration appliance in an operating mode in which the appliance controller operates the refrigeration appliance for performing an appliance function and a locked mode in which the appliance controller prevents the refrigeration appliance from being operated to perform the appliance function; and
memory storing a local parameter defining an initial lockout time at which the refrigeration appliance will be locked out from performing the appliance function;
wherein the appliance controller is connected to the memory for reading the local parameter from the memory, the controller being configured to operate the refrigeration appliance in the operating mode until the lockout time and to switch the refrigeration appliance to the locked mode at the lockout time;
the refrigeration appliance further comprising a lockout time change module, the lockout time change module being configured to receive a lockout time change input; wherein the lockout time change input comprises an encrypted key; wherein in response to receiving the lockout time change input, the lockout time change module is configured to execute a decryption algorithm to decrypt the encrypted key to determine an updated lockout time as a function of the encrypted key and update the local parameter stored in the memory to define the updated lockout time as when the appliance will be locked out from performing the appliance function.
2 . The refrigeration appliance as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration appliance comprises a user interface and the lockout time change module is further configured to receive the lockout time change input based on an entry to the user interface.
3 . The refrigeration appliance as set forth in claim 2 , wherein the refrigeration appliance comprises a network interface configured to connect the refrigeration appliance to a client-server network for communication with a remote asset management server, wherein the refrigeration appliance is configured so that the remote asset management server can change the lockout time stored in the memory by sending a command over the client-server network to the network interface.
4 . The refrigeration appliance as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the encrypted key is a function of an identifier of the refrigeration appliance and the updated lockout time.
5 . The refrigeration appliance as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the encrypted key is also a function of a current date.
6 . The refrigeration appliance as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the refrigeration appliance comprises a network interface configured to connect the refrigeration appliance to a client-server network for communication with a remote asset management server, wherein the refrigeration appliance is configured so that the remote asset management server can change the lockout time stored in the memory by sending a command over the client-server network to the network interface.
7 . A method of managing a leased appliance, the method comprising:
setting a local parameter on the leased appliance to automatically cause the appliance to switch from an operating mode to a locked mode at a time associated with an initial payment made under an appliance leasing agreement; and
updating the local parameter to a time associated with a second payment made under the appliance leasing agreement after the second payment is made,
wherein the leased appliance is the refrigeration appliance of claim 1 .
8 . A method of managing the refrigeration appliance of claim 1 , the method comprising:
establishing a connection between the refrigeration appliance and the remote asset management server on a client-server network;
determining by the asset management server that a lease agreement governing the appliance has been broken; and
in response to said determining, sending a lock command from the asset management server to the refrigeration appliance over the client-server network, the lock command being configured to cause a controller of the refrigeration appliance to switch from an operating mode to a locked mode.
9 . The method as set forth in claim 8 , further comprising determining that compliance with the lease agreement has been restored and, in response to determining that compliance with the lease agreement has been restored, sending an unlock command from the asset management server to the refrigeration appliance over the client-server network, the unlock command being configured to cause the controller to switch from the locked mode to the operating mode.