User interface for color transfer control in textile processing equipment

• US 8,108,063 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2006
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Agrawal, Kavita, Bodin, William K., Potluri, Lakshmi N., Rybczynski, Gregory W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laughlin, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US11/427,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20080003904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,043 Days
• Field of Search: 700/17, 700/79, 700/80, 700/83, 700/130, 700/143
• US Class Current: 700/143
• 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 2103/20 Washing liquid condition, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/02 Water supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/08 Draining of washing liquids
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/42 Detergent or additive supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/60 Audible signals
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/62 Stopping or disabling machine operation
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/22 Condition of the washing liquid, e.g. turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/30 characterised by mechanical features, e.g. buttons or rotary dials
• 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: Y10T 442/2508 Coating or impregnation absorbs chemical material other than water

Abstract

Dye transfer in a dying machine or washing machine is controlled via a user display by showing a dialog having with color level indicators for setting a threshold to trigger a dye transfer control action, and with threshold adjustment controls; responsive to the threshold adjustment controls, changing transfer control parameters for initiation of control actions; responsive to the threshold being triggered, performing a control action by opening an abatement valve communicative to a reservoir holding a substantially liquid or gel form of a dye scavenger or inhibitor substance; and continuing to monitor the triggering of the threshold, and responsive to the threshold being triggered, continues to open the abatement valve until at least one condition is detected of a desired color threshold being met, a desired color threshold being regained, until a user intervention occurs, and until a particular wash stage is activated.

Claims

1. A system for controlling dye transfer comprising:

a user display portion of a washing machine having a user-operable selection device;

a first dialog shown on a portion of the user display and having one or more color level indicators for setting a threshold to trigger a dye transfer control action, and having one or more threshold adjustment controls operable by the selection device;

a second dialog having one or more control action enablers enabling one or more control actions to be taken upon detection of a color reaching the threshold;

at least one excess dye control enabled by the control action enablers, responsive to the threshold being triggered, performing one or more control action selected from the group consisting of releasing a dye absorber, and releasing a dye inhibitor, wherein the releasing is controlled by opening an abatement valve communicative to a reservoir holding a substantially liquid or gel form of a dye scavenger or inhibitor substance; and

a controller which continues to monitor the triggering of the threshold, and responsive to the threshold being triggered, continues to release additional dye absorber, or dye inhibitor, or both dye absorber and dye inhibitor by opening the abatement valve until at least one condition is detected selected from the group consisting of a desired color threshold is met, a desired color threshold is regained, until a user intervention occurs, and until a particular wash stage is activated.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first dialog comprises three primary color threshold indicators.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first dialog comprises three primary pigment threshold indicators.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein the primary pigment threshold indicators comprise subtractive primary pigment indicators.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first dialog comprises a bar graph display.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the selection device comprises a touch-screen display.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the selection device comprises one or more devices selected from the group consisting of a pointer icon, a button, a slider, a knob and a digital number.

18. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising at least a second control action selected from the group consisting of sending a pager message to the user, sending an electronic mail to the user and sending a telephone call to the user.

8. An automated method for controlling dye transfer comprising:

showing on a portion of a user display of a washing machine a dialog having one or more color level indicators for setting a threshold to trigger a dye transfer control action, and having one or more threshold adjustment controls operable by the selection device;

responsive to user operation of the threshold adjustment controls, changing one or more dye transfer control parameters for initiation of one or more control actions;

providing one or more user-operable control action enablers enabling one or more control actions to be taken upon detection of a color reaching the threshold;

responsive to user operation of the enablers, enabling one or more logical operations of a dye transfer control process which are to be performed in response to the color threshold being met;

according to the control action enablers and responsive to the threshold being triggered, performing one or more control actions selected from the group consisting of releasing a dye absorber, and releasing a dye inhibitor, wherein the releasing is controlled by opening an abatement valve communicative to a reservoir holding a substantially liquid or gel form of a dye scavenger or inhibitor substance; and

continuing to monitor the triggering of the threshold, and responsive to the threshold being triggered, continues to release additional dye absorber, or dye inhibitor, or both dye absorber and dye inhibitor by opening the abatement valve until at least one condition is detected selected from the group consisting of a desired color threshold is met, a desired color threshold is regained, until a user intervention occurs, and until a particular wash stage is activated.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the dialog comprises three primary color threshold indicators.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the dialog comprises three primary pigment threshold indicators.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the primary pigment threshold indicators comprise subtractive primary pigment indicators.

12. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the dialog comprises a bar graph display.

19. The method as set forth in claim 8 further comprising at least a second control action selected from the group consisting of sending a pager message to the user, sending an electronic mail to the user and sending a telephone call to the user.

13. A computer program product for controlling dye transfer comprising:

a computer-readable storage memory device suitable for storage of computer-executable program;

first program code to show on a portion of a user display a dialog having one or more color level indicators for setting a threshold to trigger a dye transfer control action, and having one or more threshold adjustment controls operable by the selection device;

second program code to responsive to user operation of the threshold adjustment controls, change one or more dye transfer control parameters for initiation of one or more control actions and to provide one or more user-operable control action enablers enabling one or more control actions to be taken upon detection of a color reaching the threshold;

third program code to, responsive to user operation of the enablers, enable one or more logical operations of a dye transfer control process which are to be performed in response to the color threshold being met;

fourth program code to, according to the control action enablers and responsive to the threshold being triggered, performing one or more control actions selected from the group consisting of releasing a dye absorber, and releasing a dye inhibitor, wherein the releasing is controlled by opening an abatement valve communicative to a reservoir holding a substantially liquid or gel form of a dye scavenger or inhibitor substance, wherein the first, second, third and fourth programs are stored by the computer-readable storage memory; and

fifth program code to continue to monitor the triggering of the threshold, and responsive to the threshold being triggered, to continue to release additional dye absorber, or dye inhibitor, or both dye absorber and dye inhibitor by opening the abatement valve until at least one condition is detected selected from the group consisting of a desired color threshold is met, a desired color threshold is regained, until a user intervention occurs, and until a particular wash stage is activated;

wherein the first, second, third, fourth and fifth program codes are stored by the computer-readable storage memory device.

14. The computer program product as set forth in claim 13 wherein the dialog comprises three primary color threshold indicators.

15. The computer program product as set forth in claim 13 wherein the dialog comprises three primary pigment threshold indicators.

16. The computer program product as set forth in claim 15 wherein the primary pigment threshold indicators comprise subtractive primary pigment indicators.

17. The computer program product as set forth in claim 13 wherein the dialog comprises a bar graph display.

20. The computer program product as set forth in claim 13 further comprising program code to perform at least a second control action selected from the group consisting of sending a pager message to the user, sending an electronic mail to the user and sending a telephone call to the user.

21. A system for controlling dye transfer comprising:

a display means for showing a user of a washing machine a dialog having one or more color level indicators for setting a threshold to trigger a dye transfer control action, and having one or more threshold adjustment controls operable by the selection device;

a dye transfer control means for, responsive to user operation of the threshold adjustment controls, changing one or more dye transfer control parameters for initiation of one or more control actions;

a user-operable control means for providing control action enablers enabling one or more control actions to be taken upon detection of a color reaching the threshold; and

a enabler means for, responsive to user operation of the enablers, enabling one or more logical operations of a dye transfer control process which are to be performed in response to the color threshold being met;

a control means for, according to the enablers and responsive to the threshold being triggered, performing one or more control actions selected from the group consisting of releasing a dye absorber, and releasing a dye inhibitor, wherein the releasing is controlled by opening an abatement valve communicative to a reservoir holding a substantially liquid or gel form of a dye scavenger or inhibitor substance; and

a continuation means for continuing to monitor the triggering of the threshold, and responsive to the threshold being triggered, continues to release additional dye absorber, or dye inhibitor, or both dye absorber and dye inhibitor by opening the abatement valve until at least one condition is detected selected from the group consisting of a desired color threshold is met, a desired color threshold is regained, until a user intervention occurs, and until a particular wash stage is activated.