Model-Based Treatment Cycle Parameter Setting for Household Appliances

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing household appliances lack a method to accurately set treatment parameters for cycles such as washing, cleaning, or drying, as users often rely on preset programs or manual adjustments without proper understanding of parameter interdependencies, leading to suboptimal performance.

Innovation Solution

A method and system that utilize a model to establish relationships between configuration parameter values and achievable treatment performance, allowing for the determination of optimal parameter settings to achieve a user-defined target performance by predicting and adjusting remaining configuration parameters.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users select from preset programs with fixed parameter values, then ease of operation is improved, but treatment performance is suboptimal due to lack of customization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidtreatment performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically determines configuration parameters by combining user-selected fixed parameters with model-predicted optimal values for remaining parameters, creating adaptive treatment programs that adjust to specific user needs and target performances rather than using static preset values

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

A computational model acts as an intermediary between user input (fixed parameters and target performance) and the treatment cycle execution, automatically calculating optimal parameter combinations that bridge the gap between simple preset selection and expert-level parameter optimization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If users manually set all configuration parameters individually, then treatment performance can be optimized, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment performanceVSAvoidease of operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The parameter setting process is segmented into two parts: parameters the user explicitly selects (fixed parameters) and parameters automatically determined by the model (remaining parameters), allowing users to engage only with the parameters they understand or care about most while the system handles the complex interdependencies

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-service by automatically determining optimal values for remaining configuration parameters based on the computational model and user-defined target performance, eliminating the need for users to manually configure all parameters while still achieving optimized treatment results

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If preset programs use standard settings based on manufacturer assumptions, then ease of operation is improved, but adaptability to specific user needs deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidadaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables dynamic parameter changes by allowing users to select different target performances and fixed parameters, with the model automatically adjusting the complete parameter set to match specific user needs, replacing static manufacturer assumptions with adaptive, user-specific configurations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If a computational model is used to determine optimal parameters, then treatment performance is optimized, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment performanceVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The computational model and its relationships between parameters are established in advance during system setup or manufacturing, allowing the complex analysis to be pre-configured so that during actual use, the system only needs to query the model and determine parameters based on user input, rather than performing complex calculations in real-time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12509809B2Method and system for setting parameters of a treatment cycle

Publication Date: 2025.12.30 HENKEL KGAA

AI summary

A method and system for setting parameters of a treatment cycle in a household appliance is provided. First a model establishing a relationship between sets of configuration parameter values of achievable treatment performance is obtained. Then a target treatment performance for the treatment cycle is obtained. Values for a subset of a configuration parameter are fixed, the subset comprising at most all configuration parameters but a remaining configuration parameter. Then, a value for the remaining configuration parameter is determined. For this value, a difference between the target treatment performance and an achievable treatment performance predicted by the model using said value is below a predetermined threshold. Finally, the parameters of the treatment cycle, which can be setting parameters of the treatment cycle in the household appliance are output. The parameters comprise the determined value and the fixed values.