Vision-enabled household appliances

• US 7,903,838 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2005
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Original Assignee: Evolution Robotics Inc. (iRobot Corporation)
• Inventors: Gross, William, Hudnut, Alec
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Brian Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Park; Edward
• Application Number:
  US11/038,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20050196046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,238 Days
• Field of Search: 382/181, 382/231, 382/115, 382/127, 382/100
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 37/00 Baking; Roasting; Grilling; Frying bakers' ovens, non-domestic baking apparatus or equipment A21B; domestic stoves or ranges F24B, F24C
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0063 using remote monitoring or controlling of the dishwasher operation, e.g. networking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4293 Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/03 Operation mode, e.g. delicate washing, economy washing, reduced time, sterilizing, water softener regenerating, odor eliminating or service
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/04 Crockery or tableware details, e.g. material, quantity, condition
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/34 Other automatic detections
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/26 Indication or alarm to the controlling device or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/30 Regulation of machine operational steps within the washing process, e.g. performing an additional rinsing phase, shortening or stopping of the drying phase, washing at decreased noise operation conditions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/34 Change machine operation from normal operational mode into special mode, e.g. service mode, resin regeneration mode, sterilizing mode, steam mode, odour eliminating mode or special cleaning mode to clean the hydraulic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/02 Characteristics of laundry or load
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/10 Temperature of washing liquids; Heating means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays

Abstract

The invention is generally related to the systems and methods through which household appliances can provide intuitive and enhanced interactivity through visual inputs. In particular, the disclosure presents methods relating to control of a household appliance, such as a microwave or a refrigerator, via recognition of visual indicia, such as graphics, text, and the like, using a visual sensor such as a camera.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a household appliance;

a camera for acquiring one or more images; and

a processor configured to;

receive the one or more images depicting a physical object;

identify the physical object depicted in the one or more images;

retrieve one or more operational parameters associated with the identified physical object; and

physically operate on said identified physical object with the household appliance in accordance with the one or more operational parameters associated with the identified physical object;

wherein the household appliance alters a physical state of the physical object;

wherein the physical state altered by the household appliance is object temperature.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the object is a food container comprising food.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the appliance is an oven and the one or more operational parameters comprise cook time and cook power;

wherein the physical state altered by the oven is the temperature of the food.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a feature database associating each of said plurality of objects with a plurality of visual features with which to identify the object depicted in the one or more images.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein object is an article of clothing.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the appliance is a washing machine and the one or more operational parameters comprise water temperature, cycle time, and cycle type, wherein the physical state the washing machine includes at least the temperature of the article of clothing.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the appliance is a clothes dryer and the one or more operational parameters comprise dryer heat and drying time;

wherein the physical state altered by the clothes dryer is the temperature of the article of clothing.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the appliance is an iron and the one or more operational parameters comprise temperature and water setting;

wherein the physical state altered by the iron includes at least the temperature of the article of clothing.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a database associating a plurality of objects with a plurality of operational parameters, wherein the plurality of objects comprises said identified object and the plurality of operational parameters comprises said One or more operational parameters.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a household appliance configured to operate on a physical object;

a camera for acquiring one or more images of the physical object; and

a processor configured to;

receive the one or more images;

identify the physical object from the one or more images;

retrieve one or more operational parameters associated with the identified physical object; and

cause the household appliance to physically operate on the object in accordance with the one or more operational parameters associated with the physical object;

wherein the household appliance alters a physical state of the physical object;

wherein the physical state altered by the household appliance is object temperature.