Laundry Drum Imaging for Accurate Load Size Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Laundry treating appliances often face suboptimal performance due to users' inaccurate estimation of laundry load size, as current systems rely on mass measurement, which does not account for volume and can lead to confusion and inefficient operation.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a laundry treating appliance with a treating chamber featuring detectable graduated markings and an imaging device that generates images for a controller to process, allowing for automatic determination of load size by comparing detected markings to reference information for free volume or height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If mass measurement is used to determine load size, then the measurement system is simple, but the load size determination is inaccurate and does not reflect actual volume
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical mass measurement system with an optical imaging system. The imaging device captures images of the treating chamber, and image processing algorithms automatically determine load size by analyzing the visual appearance of laundry against the chamber walls, eliminating the need for physical mass sensors and providing volume-based measurement that directly reflects actual load size.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary image processing system that acts as a mediator between the physical laundry load and the digital measurement output. The imaging device captures optical information, and software algorithms process this information to infer load size, creating an indirect but more accurate measurement pathway compared to direct mass measurement.
2Measurement precision
If user manually inputs load size, then the system is simple to operate, but the load size estimation is inaccurate leading to suboptimal treating performance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the appliance to automatically determine its own load size without user input. The imaging device and image processing system allow the appliance to autonomously assess the laundry volume by analyzing images of the treating chamber, eliminating the need for users to manually estimate or input load size while ensuring accurate measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual user estimation process with an automated optical measurement system. Instead of relying on user judgment, the imaging device captures visual data and algorithms automatically calculate load size, substituting human estimation with machine-based optical analysis for greater accuracy.
3Loss of information
If mass-based measurement is used, then the system requires minimal components, but it causes user confusion and does not provide full understanding of load size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes mass-based measurement with volume-based optical measurement. The imaging system captures the spatial occupation of laundry within the treating chamber, providing information about load volume and distribution that directly corresponds to what users visually perceive, thereby eliminating information loss and user confusion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes visual appearance characteristics of the laundry and treating chamber in the captured images. By analyzing the optical properties and visual patterns in the images, the system determines load size in a way that directly reflects the visual state of the chamber, making the measurement intuitive and understandable for users.
Data Source
AI summary
Method of determining a laundry load size in a laundry treating appliance comprising a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber for receiving laundry for treatment in accordance with a treating cycle of operation, an imaging device, and a controller having a processor, the method includes generating an image, detecting markings in the generated image, and determining, by the controller, a load size based thereon.