Method of, and a device for, evaluating information regarding a treatment agent in a washing machine

• US 8,938,996 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgerã¤Te GmbH (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Inventors: Reinholz, Robby, Schulze, Ingo
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bucci, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US12/680,251
• Publication Number:
  US 20100300155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,331 Days
• Field of Search: 681/37, 68/120.2, 68/17.R, 68/121.8, 68/120.1, 68/121.9, 68/122.7, 134/18, 134/25.1, 134/56.R, 134/100.1, 134/99.2, 222/1, 222/23, 222/52
• US Class Current: 68/137
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• 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 39/02 Devices for adding soap or other washing agents

Abstract

A treatment agent metering information evaluator of a washing machine includes a reader that reads portion-wise metering information from an information carrier of a storage container that is in close proximity to the reader, a controller that receives the portion-wise metering information from the reader, a meter that meters portions of treatment agent from the storage container into a treatment process of a washing treatment program, and storage that stores empirical information about experiences of the use of the treatment agent during the treatment process for subsequent application of the treatment agent. The reader includes a transmitter for transmitting the empirical information.

Claims

1. A treatment agent metering information evaluator of a washing machine comprising:

a reader configured to read portion-wise metering information from an information carrier of a storage container;

a controller configured to receive the portion-wise metering information from the reader;

a meter configured to meter a treatment agent from the storage container into a drum of a washing machine during a treatment process; and

empirical information storage configured to store empirical information about experiences of the use of the treatment agent during the treatment process,

wherein said controller is configured to retrieve the empirical information for use in a subsequent treatment process.

2. The evaluator of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises:

modules that identify information-specific variations of a selected or adjusted treatment program being identified; and

storage devices which store and retrieve information-specific variations.

3. The evaluator of claim 1, wherein the reader includes a transmitter that transmits the empirical information to the information carrier for storage on the information carrier.

4. The evaluator of claim 1, wherein the storage container contains the treatment agent.

5. The evaluator of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to retrieve the empirical information for use in a subsequent treatment process which uses the treatment agent, and

wherein the controller adjusts the subsequent treatment process based on the empirical information stored in the empirical information storage.

6. The evaluator of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to retrieve the empirical information for use in a subsequent treatment process which uses the treatment agent, and

wherein the controller adjusts the subsequent treatment process based on the empirical information stored in the empirical information storage and the portion-wise metering information.

7. The evaluator of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to retrieve the empirical information for use in a subsequent treatment process which uses the treatment agent.

8. The evaluator of claim 1, wherein the empirical information relates to respective metering quantities, measured reactions from the treatment process, quantity and type of laundry to be treated, and/or respectively selected or adjusted treatment programs themselves and/or their measurable parameters.

9. The evaluator of claim 3, wherein the transmitter is adjacent to the information carrier of the storage container when the storage container is inserted within the washing machine.

10. The evaluator of claim 3, wherein the information carrier contains a receiver and storage for the empirical information transmitted by the transmitter.

11. A domestic washing machine for washing laundry, the machine comprising:

a drum to hold laundry;

a treatment agent storage container to store a treatment agent, the container having an information carrier that carries information about the treatment agent;

a treatment agent metering information evaluator having;

a reader configured to read the information from the information carrier;

a controller configured to receive the information from the reader;

a meter configured to meter the treatment agent from the container into the drum during a treatment process in accordance with a washing treatment program; and

empirical information storage configured to store empirical information about experiences of the use of the treatment agent during the treatment process,

wherein said controller is configured to retrieve the empirical information for use in a subsequent treatment process.

12. The domestic washing machine of claim 11, wherein said controller is configured to retrieve the empirical information for use in a subsequent treatment process which uses the treatment agent, and

wherein the controller adjusts the subsequent treatment process based on the empirical information stored in the empirical information storage.

13. The domestic washing machine of claim 11, wherein said controller is configured to retrieve the empirical information for use in a subsequent treatment process which uses the treatment agent, and

wherein the controller adjusts the subsequent treatment process based on the empirical information stored in the empirical information storage and the information from the information carrier.

14. The domestic washing machine of claim 11, wherein the reader includes a transmitter that transmits the empirical information to the information carrier for storage on the information carrier.

15. The domestic washing machine of claim 11, wherein said controller is configured to retrieve the empirical information for use in a subsequent treatment process which uses the treatment agent.

16. The domestic washing machine of claim 11, wherein the empirical information relates to respective metering quantities, measured reactions from the treatment process, quantity and type of laundry to be treated, and/or respectively selected or adjusted treatment programs themselves and/or their measurable parameters.

17. A domestic washing machine for washing laundry, the machine comprising:

a drum to hold laundry during a treatment process;

a treatment agent storage container to store a treatment agent, the container having an information carrier that carries information about the treatment agent;

a controller; and

an empirical information storage configured to store empirical information regarding experiences obtained during the treatment process upon the use of the treatment agent, the empirical information relating to respective metering quantities, measured reactions from the treatment process, quantity and type of laundry to be treated, and/or respectively selected or adjusted treatment programs themselves and/or their measurable parameters,

wherein said controller is configured to retrieve the empirical information for use in a subsequent treatment process which uses the treatment agent.

18. The domestic washing machine of claim 17, further comprising a reader configured to read the information from the information carrier,

wherein the controller is configured to receive the information from the reader.

19. The domestic washing machine of claim 18, further comprising a meter configured to meter the treatment agent from the container into the drum during the treatment process.

20. The domestic washing machine of claim 17, wherein the controller adjusts the subsequent treatment process based on the empirical information stored in the empirical information storage.