Method for improving washing machine performance

• US 10,106,924 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Cruickshank, Graeme Duncan, Murashov, Vladimir, Pochart, Nicolas Remy Denis Joseph, Smith, Andrew John
• Primary Examiner(s): Perrin, Joseph L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Kevin G
• Application Number:
  US15/139,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20160312396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 8158
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/00 User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/06 Type or material
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/04 Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/18 Washing liquid level
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/20 Washing liquid condition, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/52 Changing sequence of operational steps; Carrying out additional operational steps; Modifying operational steps, e.g. by extending duration of steps
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/32 Control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/37 of metering of detergents or additives
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/44 Control of the operating time, e.g. reduction of overall operating time
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/46 Control of the energy or water consumption
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/05 for wireless communication between components, e.g. for remote monitoring or control
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/006 for washing or rinsing only
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/021 in which a variable is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2829 involving user profiles according to which the execution of a home appliance functionality is automatically triggered
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2841 Wireless
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 : Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators

Abstract

A method for controlling the performance of a washing machine wash cycle wherein the wash cycle uses a set of wash cycle parameters, the method including receiving feedback of one or more previous wash cycles, adjusting a subset of the set of wash cycle parameters responsive to the feedback and outputting consequences of said adjusting.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the performance of a washing machine wash cycle using a set of wash cycle parameters, the method comprising:

receiving feedback regarding the results of one or more previous wash cycles;

adjusting a subset of the set of wash cycle parameters responsive to the feedback;

outputting consequence information regarding consequences of said adjusting;

receiving further feedback responsive to the consequence information; and

readjusting the subset of the set of wash cycle parameters responsive to the further feedback;

wherein;

the feedback comprises input regarding one or more feedback parameters;

the consequence information comprises at least some of the one or more feedback parameters and a value assigned to each feedback parameter; and

the further feedback comprises an adjustment to the value of a feedback parameter of the consequence information.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein:

the consequence information is outputted to a graphical user interface module wherein each feedback parameter thereof is an adjustable dial indicating the value of the feedback parameter;

the further feedback is received by adjustment of one or more of the adjustable dials; and

at least two dials are synchronized, such that an indication of the value of a second dial changes responsive to an input of an adjustment to a first dial.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein one or more of the feedback parameters of the consequence information include stain removal, fragrance, residue, whiteness, ironability, wetness, length of cycle, colour fading, care, energy consumption or water consumption.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein one of the feedback parameters of the consequence information is energy consumption or water consumption or cycle length.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein one of the feedback parameters of the consequence information is energy consumption or water consumption or cycle length and another of the feedback parameters of the consequence information is stain removal or fragrance or residue or whiteness or ironability or wetness or color fading, or care.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the subset of wash cycle parameters and the adjustment thereof are determined using a set of rules, each rule linking one or more wash cycle parameters with one or more feedback parameters, and the consequence information is determined using a set of relationship formulas each relationship linking to a feedback parameter to another feedback parameter.