Automated selection of settings for an ironing device

• US 9,994,993 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2014
• Issued: 06/12/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Janakiraman, Janani, Kostick, Megan D., Madden, Dany R., Sripal, Meenakshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Pelham, Joseph M
• Application Number:
  US14/554,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20160145794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 75/08 Hand irons internally heated by electricity
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 75/10 with means for supplying steam to the article being ironed D06F75/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 75/26 Temperature control or indicating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 75/40 Stands or supports attached to the iron

Abstract

Embodiments provide a method and device that enables automatic selection of settings for ironing one or more pieces of fabric. A digital camera on an ironing device captures an image of a fabric. A wireless communication device on the ironing device communicates the image to a remote computing system for digital image processing to determine a fabric type and to select a set of settings based on the fabric type. The wireless communication device receives the set of settings from the remote computing system. The set of settings are applied to the ironing device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

capturing, by a digital camera on an ironing device, a first image of a fabric;

communicating, by a wireless communication device on the ironing device, the first image to a remote computing system for digital image processing to determine a first fabric type and to select a set of settings based on the first fabric type;

receiving, via the wireless communication device, the set of settings from the remote computing system;

applying the set of settings to the ironing device; and

producing noise, by a speaker on the ironing device, while the device settings are changing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of settings comprises a heat setting, and wherein the applying the set of settings to the ironing device comprises adjusting a temperature of a soleplate on the ironing device based on the heat setting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of settings comprises a steam setting, and wherein the applying the set of settings to the ironing device comprises adjusting an amount of steam produced based on the steam setting.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of settings comprises a speed setting, and wherein the applying the set of settings to the ironing device comprises adjusting an automated speed for the ironing device based on the speed setting.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing, by the digital camera, a second digital image of a label comprising ironing instructions;

communicating, by the wireless communication device, the second digital image to the remote computing system for processing to extract the ironing instructions, wherein the set of settings is further based on the ironing instructions.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording, by a microphone on the ironing device, audio identifying a second fabric type;

communicating, by the wireless communication device, the audio to the remote computing system to extract the second fabric type using speech recognition, wherein the set of settings is further based on the second fabric type.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating, by the wireless communication device, information about the ironing device to the remote computing system, wherein the set of settings is further based on the information about the ironing device.

8. A method comprising:

receiving, from an ironing device with a wireless communication device, audio identifying a first fabric type;

extracting the first fabric type from the audio using speech recognition;

receiving, from the ironing device, the ironing device'"'"'s make and model;

determining a set of settings based on the first fabric type, wherein the set of settings comprises a temperature setting and is based in part on the make and model of the ironing device; and

communicating the set of settings to the ironing device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining the set of settings based on the first fabric type comprises identifying, in an iron settings database, the set of settings, the set of settings associated with the first fabric type, the iron settings database comprising a plurality of fabric types and iron settings associated with each of the plurality of fabric types.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the set of settings comprises a temperature setting.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the set of settings comprises a steam setting.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving, from the ironing device, a digital image of a label comprising ironing instructions; and

extracting the ironing instructions from the digital image of the label, wherein the set of settings is further based on the ironing instructions.