Laundry Appliance Auto-Dosing User Interface for Remote Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Typical laundry appliances with auto-dosing functionality lack versatility and customization options, forcing users to either waste space in multi-dose compartments or manually change detergents for different cycles, and the user interface becomes cluttered with too many options, complicating user experience.
Innovation Solution
A laundry appliance with a user interface that allows customizable treatment agent management through input selectors and a communication interface for enabling user-defined settings, enabling selection of treatment agent types, doses, and control functions via a connected device, allowing flexible use of multi-dose compartments and reducing clutter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the user interface includes many input selectors for different treatment agent management functions, then the appliance offers high versatility and customization, but the user interface becomes cluttered and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex treatment agent management functions from the physical user interface and relocates them to a remote device (smartphone, tablet, or computer). The physical interface retains only essential controls, while the remote device handles the complex configuration of multi-dose compartment settings, dosing parameters, and treatment agent types through a graphical user interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a communication interface (wireless or wired connection) as an intermediary between the physical appliance and the remote device. This intermediary enables data exchange and control signals to be transmitted, allowing the remote device to configure and monitor the appliance's treatment agent management functions without cluttering the physical interface.
2Extent of automation
If multi-dose compartments are used to store multiple doses of treatment agents, then the appliance achieves automation and convenience, but users cannot easily change treatment agent types for different cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic configuration of the multi-dose compartments through software control. The system can dynamically assign different treatment agent types, dosing amounts, and dispensing schedules to each compartment based on user preferences and requirements. This dynamic reconfigurability allows the same physical compartments to serve different functions for different treatment cycles without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables users to change treatment agent management parameters (such as agent type, dosing volume, dispensing frequency) through the remote device interface. The system stores multiple configuration profiles that can be selectively applied to different treatment cycles, allowing rapid switching between different treatment agent types and dosing strategies without physical reconfiguration of the compartments.
3Ease of operation
If the user interface provides comprehensive control options for treatment agent management, then users can precisely control dosing parameters, but the interface becomes difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the complex control interface from the physical dimension (buttons and displays on the appliance) to the digital dimension (graphical interface on a remote device). This dimensional shift allows for a richer, more flexible interface with visualizations, drag-and-drop controls, and intuitive graphical representations of dosing parameters, making complex controls easier to understand and manipulate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a virtual copy of the treatment agent management system on the remote device. This digital replica provides the same control functionality as a physical interface would, but with the advantages of graphical display, easier editing, and better organization. Users can view and modify all treatment agent parameters in a structured format that is easier to navigate than physical buttons and switches.
Data Source
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AI summary
A laundry treatment appliance (100) is proposed. The laundry treatment appliance (100) comprises: - at least one compartment (2101,2102) adapted to contain multiple doses of a treatment agent; - at least one metering device (P1,P2) adapted to draw up from the at least one compartment (2101,2102) at least one treatment agent dose to be delivered to a laundry load to be treated during a laundry treatment cycle; - a user interface (125) comprising at least one input selector (3151,3152,3153) for allowing user selection of at least one treatment agent management function, the at least one treatment agent management function affecting the drawing up of the at least one treatment agent dose by the at least one metering device (P1,P2), and - a communication interface (135) for allowing a communication relationship between the laundry treatment appliance (100) and an external user device (UD), the communication interface (135) being configured to receive from the external device (UD) enablement commands enabling the at least one input selector (3151,3152,3153) to allow said user selection of the at least one treatment agent management function.