Method for determining a characteristic of a consumable

• US 8,800,084 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2013
• Issued: 08/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Dunsbergen, Kirk M., Ghosh, Kaustav, Pinkowski, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): KO, JASON Y
• Application Number:
  US14/034,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20140016133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 8/158
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0055 Metering or indication of used products, e.g. type or quantity of detergent, rinse aid or salt; for measuring or controlling the product concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/023 Quantity or concentration of the consumable product
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/026 Nature or type of the consumable product, e.g. information on detergent, e.g. 3-in-1 tablets, rinsing aid or salt
• 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: D06F 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/55 Specular reflectivity

Abstract

The embodiments of the invention relate to a method for determining at least one characteristic of a physical resource for use in a physical resource consuming apparatus.

Claims

1. A method for determining at least one characteristic of a physical resource used in a physical resource consuming apparatus having a controller, an illumination source operably coupled to the controller, a removable component comprising the physical resource, and a graphic applied to the removable component, with the graphic, removable component, and physical resource defining a multiple layer composite, the method comprising:

illuminating, with the illumination source, a first depth of the composite and determining a corresponding first reflectance of the first depth of the composite;

illuminating, with the illumination source, a second depth of the composite, which is deeper than the first depth, and determining a corresponding second reflectance of the second depth of the composite; and

determining, with the controller, can at least one characteristic, other than the first and second reflectances, of the physical resource from the first and second reflectances.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first depth of the composite is an upper surface of the graphic.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the second depth lies within an interior portion of the composite.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the second depth is at least one of a body of the removable component or the physical resource.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the second depth lies within at least one of a body of the removable component or the physical resource.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second depth is at least one of a body of the removable component or the physical resource.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein both the first depth and the second depth lie within an interior of the composite.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein one of the first depth and the second depth comprises at least one of a first interface between the graphic and the removable component or a second interface between the removable component and the physical resource.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein both the first depth and the second depth lie within an interior of the graphic.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the second depth lies within one of the removable component and the physical resource.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the illuminating, with the illumination source, the first depth comprises using a light of a first intensity and the illuminating, with the illumination source, the second depth comprises using a light of a second intensity, which is greater than the first intensity.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the illuminating, with the illumination source, the first depth comprises using a light of a first frequency and the illuminating, with the illumination source, the second depth comprises using a light of a second frequency, which is different than the first frequency.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the illuminating, with the illumination source, the first depth comprises using a light of a first wavelength and the illuminating, with the illumination source, the second depth comprises using a light of a second wavelength, which is different than the first wavelength.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphic comprises a label.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphic comprises a substrate on which there is printed indicia.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first reflectance is from the printed indicia and the second reflectance is from the substrate.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one characteristic of the physical resource is at least one of:

information indicative of a cycle of operation, information indicative of at least one operating parameter of a cycle of operation, a presence or absence of the physical resource, physical property of the physical resource, an amount of the physical resource, an identification of the physical resource, or an authentication key.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the physical resource comprises at least one of an enzyme, a surfactant, a bleach, a fabric softener, an oxidizing agent, a fragrance, wrinkle-reducing agent, an anti-static agent, a stain repellant, a water repellant, a shrinkage inhibitor, a color fidelity agent, or mixtures thereof.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the illuminating, with the illumination source, the first depth or illuminating, with the illumination source, the second depth comprises using a light comprising multiple wavelengths.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the light comprising multiple wavelengths comprises light having sequentially different wavelengths.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the illuminating, with the illumination source, the first and second depths comprises using light of differing polarity.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the illumination source comprises multiple illumination sources.