Method for performing a cleaning activity

Abstract

A method for performing a cleaning activity using available cleaning aids is described, which method comprises the following method steps: setting a cleaning activity to be performed by a user on a portable additional device, determining and setting at least one available cleaning aid by the user using the portable additional device, associating the available cleaning aid with the cleaning activity to be performed, displaying a recommendation on the portable additional device regarding the use of the available cleaning aid for completing at least one of the cleaning activities to be performed, including product information of the available cleaning aid, suitability for use of the available cleaning aid and / or process data accumulated during cleaning. A cleaning configurator set up for such a method is also described.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for performing cleaning activities using available cleaning aids, such as cleaning agents, cleaning equipment, equipment accessories, etc., and also to a cleaning configurator designed for or adapted to this method. Background Technology

[0002] Various cleaning activities are regularly accumulated within a home, such as vacuuming, dusting, mopping, window wiping, and / or surface cleaning. For each of these individual cleaning activities, users are provided with a variety of cleaning aids that enable, facilitate, optimize, and / or improve the execution of the cleaning activities.

[0003] The following lists examples of cleaning aids and the corresponding possible and feasible cleaning activities:

[0004] Microfiber cloths: used in dry cleaning processes, such as dusting; wet cleaning processes, such as wiping surfaces; and surface care activities.

[0005] Nozzles for electro-cleaning equipment: dry cleaning processes (e.g., cushion nozzles, crevice nozzles, mattress nozzles) and wet cleaning processes (e.g., attachment nozzles with rotating attachments).

[0006] Reiniger (chemical): such as interior decorating stain remover, carpet stain remover, general floor stain remover, window stain remover, bathroom stain remover, kitchen (utensil) stain remover.

[0007] Care products: such as wood floor care products and carpet care products.

[0008] Due to the diversity of available and usable cleaning aids, users may find it difficult to assess or decide which of the existing equipment or cleaning aids in their home can best, most hopefully, or most effectively complete the cleaning task at hand.

[0009] For example, in the culinary field, it is known that an application on a smartphone can provide users with suggestions on what dishes they can cook given the food they have at home, while also displaying other consumers' opinions on whether these possible dishes are tasty and how they taste, and how much they should be consumed during the cooking process. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The objective of this invention is to provide a user-adapted and / or optimized method for performing cleaning activities using available cleaning aids, wherein the method, in particular, provides recommendations on using the best available cleaning aids in the home for the corresponding cleaning activity to be performed.

[0011] This task is accomplished by a method for performing cleaning activities using available cleaning aids, as described in claim 1, and by a cleaning configurator, as described in claim 10. Advantageous designs and extensions are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0012] According to the present invention, a method for performing cleaning activities using available cleaning aids comprises the following steps:

[0013] - The cleaning activities to be performed are set by the user on the portable attachment (Zusatzgerät).

[0014] -The user uses the portable add-on device to identify and set at least one, preferably all, available cleaning aids.

[0015] -Associate available cleaning aids with the cleaning activities to be performed, and

[0016] -Including product information on available cleaning aids, suitability for use of available cleaning aids, and / or process data accumulated during cleaning, the portable attachment device displays recommendations on using available cleaning aids to complete at least one of the cleaning activities to be performed.

[0017] The solution according to the invention is particularly distinguished by a cleaning configurator that virtually suggests to the user which cleaning aids available in the home should be prioritized for which cleaning activity. For this purpose, it is preferable to use the portable attachment to register any or all cleaning aids available in the home. Simultaneously, the cleaning aids are evaluated based on several different characteristics in terms of their suitability for use. This evaluation allows the user to accurately assess whether the recommended cleaning aids meet their needs and requirements.

[0018] In particular, given the diversity of available cleaning aids, recommendations are provided to users regarding suitable cleaning aids to suit their needs. These recommendations, based on the user's existing cleaning equipment, suggest which existing household cleaning aids can best accomplish the cleaning task. In addition to product information for the cleaning aids, these recommendations may also include usability, such as usability from the perspective of other users, and process data accumulated during the cleaning activity.

[0019] Therefore, the method according to the invention enables the comparison of cleaning aids based on attributes relating to their suitability for the cleaning activity to be performed. These attributes may consist of manufacturer specifications and individual evaluations by users and / or neutral bodies (such as testing agencies). Specifically, a "recipe" of cleaning aids to be used is compiled based on the user's requirements for a particular cleaning activity, such as window cleaning or floor wiping. Information from the cleaning aid manufacturer, such as application areas and / or user reviews, is particularly valued here.

[0020] The method according to the invention is preferably executed within an application, such as within the so-called BSH-HomeConnect application. This application is known to those skilled in the art and therefore will not be described in further detail here.

[0021] Cleaning activities should be understood as any cleaning processes that may accumulate in the home. This includes dry and wet cleaning processes such as dusting, wet wiping of surfaces, surface care activities, floor wiping, vacuuming, wet vacuuming, wood floor care, carpet care, interior decorating care, mattress care, window cleaning, bathroom cleaning, and / or kitchen (utensil) cleaning.

[0022] Cleaning aids should be understood in particular as any auxiliary tools that can be used in the context of cleaning activities in the home. These include, for example, floor cleaning equipment such as vacuum cleaners, robotic vacuum cleaners, wet vacuum cleaners and their accessories, nozzles of electric cleaning devices, as well as brooms, mops, cloths such as microfiber cloths, rags, and wiping cloths, and any cleaning agents such as chemical detergents, care products, and polishes.

[0023] In the current context, an auxiliary device should be understood in particular as any device portable to the user, arranged outside the cleaning aid, particularly distinct from the cleaning aid, and suitable for displaying, providing, transmitting, and / or transmitting data. Such an auxiliary device is, for example, a mobile phone, smartphone, tablet, and / or computer or laptop. The auxiliary device particularly has an operating unit for the user. The operating unit should be understood in particular as any unit suitable for operating the auxiliary device, such as a physical or virtual keyboard, touchpad, and / or associated screen or display.

[0024] Product information should be understood as any information that can be assigned to the corresponding cleaning aid, such as ingredients, application scope, built-in components, and properties of toxic substances.

[0025] Usability should be understood as the suitability of a cleaning aid for a specific cleaning activity during use. Therefore, it can, in particular, include the perspectives of other users and / or one's own user.

[0026] Process data should be understood as any data that may accumulate during cleaning activities for cleaning aids, such as inventory, equipment and / or equipment component updates, maintenance and / or upkeep.

[0027] In an advantageous implementation, available cleaning aids are determined by scanning a product barcode, entering a product number, or selecting from a menu. Therefore, at the start of the method, the user first specifies which cleaning aids their household possesses. Here, all available cleaning aids are registered on the attached device, for example, in an application such as BSH-HomeConnect. Registration can be performed by scanning the product barcode of the respective cleaning aid, entering the corresponding product number, or selecting the cleaning aid from, for example, a drop-down menu. The type of registration can also vary from cleaning aid to cleaning aid.

[0028] In another advantageous implementation, available cleaning aids are associated with the cleaning activities to be performed using a lookup table. This association is made, for example, in the application, i.e., in the next step, after the available cleaning aids have been identified, preferably also in the application via a lookup table. Here, one or more possible cleaning activities, such as dry cleaning, wet cleaning, maintenance and upkeep of cleaning equipment or its inventory, are assigned to each available cleaning aid along a so-called "Cleaning-Jobs-to-be-done Journey". This association can be performed by a user and / or machine intelligence.

[0029] Cleaning activities assigned to cleaning aids can be provided, for example, by the cleaning configurator, i.e., the operator of the application (Betreiber). Alternatively or additionally, the manufacturer of the cleaning aids can upload the cleaning activities assigned to them in the cleaning configurator, for example, by using a corresponding interface. Here, it is preferable to enter any information relating to the respective cleaning aids in the cleaning configurator.

[0030] In another advantageous embodiment, country-specific characteristics are included when displaying recommendations. In particular, any information regarding the corresponding cleaning aids may also reflect country-specific characteristics associated with those aids. For example, chemical cleaners are preferably used more frequently in the Arab region than in other parts of the world.

[0031] In addition to the basic information of the corresponding cleaning aids, the cleaning aids are preferably also equipped with other attributes in the application, such as the suitability of the cleaning aids for use during cleaning activities or cleaning work.

[0032] In another advantageous implementation, the sustainability and / or environmental friendliness of the available cleaning aids are included when the recommendations are displayed. Some attributes or information regarding the cleaning aids, such as sustainability and / or environmental friendliness, are advantageously derived from information from third parties. These attributes or information are derived, for example, from descriptions by testing agencies and / or neutral third-party organizations. These attributes or information are included in particular when the recommendations are displayed and are shown, for example, in the application described.

[0033] In another advantageous implementation, user-dependent information is included when displaying recommendations. Preferably, after completing at least one cleaning activity, the user rates the available cleaning aids on the portable attachment device. For example, after completing the cleaning activity, the user rates the cleaning aids based on pre-given and / or their own criteria. The user-dependent ratings are preferably also displayed to other users of the application. Such rating systems are known, for example, from online shopping portals where star ratings can be posted after a purchase and displayed to other users.

[0034] The evaluation system effectively increases user interaction with the cleaning configurator. Furthermore, in addition to manufacturer information, it provides genuine user feedback on the suitability of the cleaning aid for the suggested cleaning activities.

[0035] In another advantageous embodiment, the method includes an additional method step: displaying suggestions to the user on the attached device, particularly in the application or the cleaning configurator, regarding other unavailable cleaning aids for performing the cleaning activity in an improved manner. Thus, in this additional method step, the cleaning configurator displays suggestions to the user regarding which cleaning aids not yet available in the user's home can be used to facilitate certain cleaning activities. These suggestions are made, for example, based on the user's description of their cleaning behavior and / or through machine algorithms, such as neural networks, inferring from the user's cleaning behavior.

[0036] In another advantageous embodiment, the method includes an additional step of transmitting relevant values ​​from the cleaning aid to the portable attachment device in order to include product information of the available cleaning aids. This reduces manual interaction by the user in evaluating the attributes of the respective cleaning aids. Specifically, it is specified that all cleaning devices with IoT capabilities can directly send optional data to the cleaning configurator. This data is preferably data that is irrelevant to user perception, such as the effective duration of use of the cleaning aid, cleaning performance during the effective time of use, and factors such as the amount of dirt absorbed or energy requirements during the cleaning time.

[0037] Data transmission and delivery can preferably only occur after the user's explicit consent. Preferably, if it is specified that the data will be forwarded to a third party or other user, the transmission is conducted anonymously. The user can also manually determine which data should be forwarded or transmitted.

[0038] Data and / or attributes that are strongly influenced by the user's subjective feelings, such as operations, can and should continue to be manually evaluated and entered.

[0039] According to the invention, a cleaning configurator is also described, which is configured for or adapted to the method according to any one of the preceding claims. Specifically, after a user sets the cleaning activity to be performed on a portable attachment device, after the user determines and sets at least one available cleaning aid using the portable attachment device, and after associating the available cleaning aid with the cleaning activity to be performed, the cleaning configurator according to the invention displays recommendations regarding the use of the available cleaning aid to complete at least one of the cleaning activities to be performed, wherein product information of the available cleaning aid, suitability for use of the available cleaning aid, and / or process data accumulated during cleaning are included herein.

[0040] Therefore, the cleaning configurator according to the invention provides the user with recommendations based on the cleaning activity to be performed, suggesting which cleaning aid is most suitable for the user for that activity. The cleaning configurator is preferably executed within an application, such as the BSH-HomeConnect application. Meanwhile, the cleaning aid is evaluated based on several characteristics related to its suitability for use. This evaluation allows the user to estimate with sufficient accuracy whether the recommended cleaning aid meets their needs.

[0041] A cleaning configurator should be understood as any configurator capable of electronically assigning cleaning aids to appropriate cleaning activities. This is preferably done automatically in the cleaning configurator after the available cleaning agents and the cleaning activities to be performed have been set, and then the cleaning configurator displays recommendations for available and appropriate cleaning agents for performing the specific cleaning activities to be performed.

[0042] Any features, designs, implementation methods, and advantages associated with the method are also applied in conjunction with the cleaning configurator according to the invention, and vice versa. Attached Figure Description

[0043] The invention will be explained in more detail based on the following figures, which are merely examples.

[0044] Figure 1 A schematic flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method according to the present invention for performing cleaning activities using available cleaning aids is shown, and

[0045] Figure 2 Another schematic flowchart of an embodiment of a method according to the present invention for performing cleaning activities using available cleaning aids is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0046] exist Figure 1 A flowchart is schematically shown, illustrating as a schematic diagram a method according to the invention for performing cleaning activities using available cleaning aids. The method provides the user with recommendations based on the cleaning activity to be performed, suggesting which available cleaning aid is most suitable for the user. The method is preferably executed within an application, such as within BSH's HomeConnect application, and / or via a cleaning configurator.

[0047] Therefore, in the first step 1a, the user initially describes in the application what cleaning activities need to be performed in their home and what cleaning aids they possess. Here, any cleaning agents and (electric) cleaning equipment, such as vacuum cleaners, cloths, stain removers, and cleaning products, can be considered cleaning aids. Cleaning aids can be added by scanning the product barcode, entering the product number, or selecting the cleaning aid from a drop-down menu (step 1b).

[0048] If the user has already added existing cleaning aids, the method proceeds to step 3a. If no existing cleaning aids have been added, the method returns to step 1a via step 2 to ask the user (as described above) to specify the existing cleaning aids.

[0049] In step 3a, existing cleaning aids in the home are associated with one or more cleaning activities to be performed using those aids. Specifically, the cleaning aids are associated with basic information regarding their use. For example, basic information about the cleaning aids and their suitability for use is provided by the respective manufacturers (step 3b). To this end, the manufacturers of the cleaning aids voluntarily upload information about their products to the cleaning configurator, for example, by using a corresponding interface. Additionally or alternatively, the operator of the cleaning configurator may provide cleaning activities assigned to the cleaning aids.

[0050] For example, this association is made via a so-called lookup table. This means assigning one or more cleaning functions, such as dry cleaning, wet cleaning, and maintenance and upkeep of cleaning equipment and inventory, to each cleaning aid along a so-called "Cleaning-Jobs-to-be-done Journey." Therefore, in step 4a, a cleaning aid is assigned to a specific cleaning activity, and basic information is stored in the lookup table.

[0051] In addition to this basic information, the cleaning aids may also be equipped with other attributes (step 4b). For example, these may reflect country-specific particularities regarding the corresponding cleaning aids. For instance, chemical cleaning agents are used more frequently in the Arab region than in other parts of the world. Alternatively or additionally, in step 4b, the suitability for use during cleaning operations (Reinigungseinsatz) or the sustainability and / or environmental friendliness of the corresponding cleaning aids may be entered. Preferably, some of these attributes regarding the cleaning aids, such as sustainability, are based on information from third parties. For example, these attributes are derived from descriptions provided by testing agencies and / or neutral third-party organizations.

[0052] Furthermore, step 4c envisions that after the cleaning activity has been performed, users evaluate the corresponding cleaning aids based on certain criteria, such as usability, and display these evaluations to other users. This results in an evaluation system that incorporates user interaction with the cleaning configurator. Therefore, in addition to manufacturer specifications, the cleaning aids also receive genuine consumer opinions regarding their suitability for specific cleaning activities.

[0053] Specifically, step 4c generates evaluations by individual consumers regarding the suitability of the cleaning aids based on product characteristics. Step 5 summarizes all consumer feedback on product characteristics in the cumulative evaluation.

[0054] In step 6, the product information collected or summarized in steps 4a, 4b, 4c, and 5 is combined. The cleaning aids are evaluated based on basic information, user feedback, and other criteria such as sustainability and country-specific cleaning practices, and are given an up-to-date assessment for the day.

[0055] In the final step 7, the cleaning configurator suggests to the user which cleaning aids not yet present in the user's home can make certain cleaning activities easier. Therefore, purchase recommendations are made to individual users for cleaning aids that complement existing equipment effectively. These recommendations are based on the user's description of their cleaning behavior and / or inferences from user cleaning behavior using machine algorithms such as neural networks. Therefore, information from steps 3a, 4c, and 6 is specifically incorporated here.

[0056] Figure 2 A flowchart is schematically shown, illustrating as a schematic diagram a method according to the invention for performing cleaning activities using available cleaning aids. Hereinafter, Figure 1 The method shown in the diagram is supplemented by another step, 8. Figure 2 The remaining methods (i.e., steps 1 to 7) correspond here to Figure 1 Steps 1 to 7 in the process.

[0057] To reduce manual user interaction regarding the evaluation of relevant attributes, in additional step 8, all IoT-enabled electric cleaning devices can directly send selectable data and information to the cleaning configurator. This data or information is preferably detected by the sensors of the respective cleaning devices. This data and information is preferably data and information independent of user subjective feelings, such as the duration of effective use of cleaning aids, cleaning performance during the effective time of use, energy requirements, maintenance intervals, and / or the amount of dirt absorbed during said duration.

[0058] Additionally, attributes influenced by the user's subjective feelings, such as operation, can also continue to be manually evaluated (step 4c).

[0059] Preferably, data is sent only after the user has given explicit consent. Particularly preferably, if it is stipulated that data be forwarded to a third party, the data is sent anonymously. Additionally, the user can preferably determine at any time which data should be sent and which should not be sent.

[0060] Figure 1 and Figure 2 The method described herein advantageously achieves this by comparing the cleaning aids based on different attributes regarding their suitability for the assigned cleaning activities. These attributes consist of manufacturer specifications, individual consumer evaluations, and individual evaluations from neutral bodies, such as testing agencies.

Claims

1. A method for performing cleaning activities using available cleaning aids, the method comprising the following steps: - The cleaning activities to be performed are set by the user on the portable attachment device. - The user uses the portable add-on device to identify and set at least one available cleaning aid. - Associate the available cleaning aids with the cleaning activity to be performed. -Including product information of the available cleaning aids, suitability for use of the available cleaning aids, and / or process data accumulated during cleaning, the portable attachment device displays recommendations regarding the use of the available cleaning aids to perform at least one of the cleaning activities to be performed. The available cleaning aids can be identified by scanning the product barcode, entering the product number, or selecting from the menu.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The available cleaning aids are associated with the cleaning activities to be performed using a lookup table.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, When displaying recommendations, include country-specific usage habits.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, When presenting recommendations, include the sustainability and / or environmental friendliness of the available cleaning aids.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, When displaying suggestions, information tailored to the user will be included.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, After completing at least one cleaning activity, the user provides feedback on the available cleaning aids on the portable attachment device.

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method comprises another method step: - Show suggestions for other unavailable cleaning aids to improve the cleaning activities to be performed.

8. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method comprises another method step: - To include product information of the available cleaning aids, relevant values ​​are transmitted from the cleaning aids to the portable attachment device.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein, By including information from third parties, the sustainability and / or environmental friendliness of the available cleaning aids will be included when displaying recommendations.

10. A cleaning configurator configured for use in the method of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein after a user sets a cleaning activity to be performed on a portable attachment device, after the user determines and sets at least one available cleaning aid using the portable attachment device, and after associating the available cleaning aid with the cleaning activity to be performed, suggestions are displayed regarding the use of the available cleaning aid to perform at least one of the cleaning activities to be performed, wherein product information of the available cleaning aid, suitability for use of the available cleaning aid, and / or process data accumulated during cleaning are included herein.

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