Granted Patent B2

US 12,669,857 · App. 18/345,151 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Inventors: Joel Richard Goergen (Soulsbyville, CA); Angelo Fienga (Rome, IT); Maria Soledad Palmero Amador (Toledo, ES); Hazim Hashim Dahir (Wake Forest, NC)

Assignee: CISCO TECHNOLOGY, INC.

G06F1/266H04L12/10H05K7/1485

Abstract

Claims (55)

1 . An electric appliance comprising:

a housing;

a network interface configured to enable network communications;

at least one primary appliance component that is housed within the housing and that performs a primary function of the electric appliance;

at least one server that is housed within the housing and includes at least one processor configured to perform one or more data center functions; and

a power module that supplies power to the at least one primary appliance component that performs the primary function of the electric appliance and that supplies residual power to the at least one server that performs the one or more data center functions,

wherein the electric appliance is one of a kiosk, a vending machine, an automated teller machine (ATM), a gaming machine, a charging station that charges a battery of an electric vehicle, a cooling appliance, or a major household appliance, and

wherein the electric appliance provides one or more services to a user by performing the primary function while being stationary.

2 . The electric appliance of claim 1 , wherein the electric appliance is a stationary electric appliance that provides the one or more services to the user by performing the primary function while being supplied with the power from the power module.

3 . The electric appliance of claim 1 , wherein the at least one server performs a computing operation associated with the primary function of the electric appliance using the power and the one or more data center functions using the residual power.

4 . The electric appliance of claim 1 , wherein the power module includes a bi-directional power connector that further supplies the power to at least one other electric appliance.

5 . The electric appliance of claim 4 , wherein the power module obtains the power from one or more power sources external to the electric appliance and converts the power to a fault managed power for supply to the at least one primary appliance component and the at least one server.

6 . The electric appliance of claim 1 , further comprising:

an authentication component that authenticates performing the primary function and access to the at least one server.

7 . The electric appliance of claim 1 , wherein the at least one server includes a plurality of servers that upload and download data to and from a cloud data center over the network interface.

8 . The electric appliance of claim 1 , wherein the electric appliance is a commercial or domestic, non-portable appliance that performs a household primary function.

9 . The electric appliance of claim 1 , wherein the electric appliance is a vending machine and the primary function involves dispensing an item.

10 . A method comprising:

enabling network communications via a network interface for an electric appliance;

containing, within a housing of the electric appliance, at least one primary appliance component that performs a primary function of the electric appliance and at least one server that includes at least one processor configured to perform one or more data center functions;

supplying, by a power module, power to the at least one primary appliance component and a residual power to the at least one server that performs the one or more data center functions;

providing one or more services to a user by performing the primary function while being stationary; and

performing, by the at least one server, a computing operation associated with the primary function of the electric appliance using the power and the one or more data center functions using the residual power.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein providing the one or more services to the user includes:

performing the primary function while being supplied with the power from the power module, wherein the electric appliance is a stationary electric appliance.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the electric appliance is one of a kiosk, a vending machine, an automated teller machine (ATM), a gaming machine, a charging station that charges a battery of an electric vehicle, a cooling appliance, or a major household appliance.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

supplying, by the power module that includes a bi-directional power connector, the power to at least one other electric appliance.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

obtaining, by the power module, the power from one or more power sources external to the electric appliance; and

converting the power to a fault managed power for supply to the at least one primary appliance component and the at least one server.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the at least one server includes a plurality of servers and further comprising:

uploading and downloading data to and from a cloud data center over the network interface.

16 . A method comprising:

enabling network communications via a network interface for an electric appliance;

containing, within a housing of the electric appliance, at least one primary appliance component that performs a primary function of the electric appliance and at least one server that includes at least one processor configured to perform one or more data center functions;

supplying, by a power module, power to the at least one primary appliance component and a residual power to the at least one server that performs the one or more data center functions;

providing one or more services to a user by performing the primary function while being stationary; and

authenticating, by an authentication component the at least one primary appliance component for performing the primary function and access to the at least one server.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein providing the one or more services to the user includes:

performing the primary function while being supplied with the power from the power module, wherein the electric appliance is a stationary electric appliance.

18 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

obtaining, by the power module, the power from one or more power sources external to the electric appliance; and

converting the power to a fault managed power for supply to the at least one primary appliance component and the at least one server.

19 . A system comprising:

an electric appliance that includes:

a housing,

a network interface configured to enable network communications,

at least one primary appliance component that is housed within the housing and that performs a primary function of the electric appliance,

at least one server that is housed within the housing and includes at least one processor configured to perform one or more data center functions, and

a power module that supplies power to the at least one primary appliance component that performs the primary function of the electric appliance and that supplies residual power to the at least one server that performs the one or more data center functions, wherein the power module obtains the power from one or more power sources external to the electric appliance and converts the power to a fault managed power for supply to the at least one primary appliance component and the at least one server; and

one or more external power sources that provides power to the electric appliance,

wherein the electric appliance provides one or more services to a user by performing the primary function while being stationary, and

wherein the power module includes a bi-directional power connector that further supplies the power to at least one other electric appliance.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the electric appliance is a stationary electric appliance that provides the one or more services to the user by performing the primary function while being supplied with the power from the power module.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (32)