Methods and devices for individualized laundry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020248352-A1
Application number	US-201816652874-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 20, 2018
Priority date	Oct 5, 2017
Publication date	Aug 6, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for creating a bespoke laundry treatment recipe includes receiving fabric data related to one or more of stain identity, fabric identity, user requirements and user preference; comparing by means of a data processing system said input data with ingredient combination data stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, and formulating one or more laundry treatment recipes, said recipes being bespoke to the user input data; wherein said ingredient combination data comprises: multiple ingredient composition data; multiple combinations of said ingredient compositions; and multiple treatment (e.g. stain) categories related to said ingredient composition combinations.

First claim

1 . A computer-implemented method for creating a bespoke laundry treatment recipe comprising the steps:
a. receiving fabric data input by a user related to one or more of stain identity, fabric identity, user requirements and user preference, wherein a stain identity is based on one or more categories comprising user activity, location of activity, weather, dining, garment user, garment type, user location, a fabric identity being based on one or more criteria including fabric colors, fabric type and/or derived from data regarding a user behavior, user location, location environment and/or weather, the user requirements indicating hard constraints which are not overridden in determining the laundry recipe, the user preference indicating soft constraints which may be overridden such that they are balanced against cleaning performance; b. comparing by means of a data processing system the fabric data with ingredient combination data stored on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium; and c. performing conflict resolution in terms of treatment and ingredient composition in response to conflicting data, the conflict resolution comprising: i. displaying conflicting input data; ii. determining an overriding treatment and/or ingredient priority based on selected fabric data in step i d. formulating one or more laundry treatment recipes by combining compositions of laundry treatment ingredients comprised in ingredient composition data and according to the overriding priority, the recipes being bespoke to the fabric data; e. supplying a dose of laundry treatment product according to the one or more laundry treatment recipes by a controllable dispensing device, the device having multiples reservoirs containing compositions corresponding to the multiple ingredient compositions, wherein each reservoir comprises an individual ingredient composition wherein the ingredient combination data comprises:
1. multiple ingredient composition data comprising multiple compositions of laundry treatment ingredients formed of one or more components or compositions available for the recipe;
2. multiple combinations of the ingredient compositions; 3. multiple treatment categories related to the ingredient composition combinations.

2 . The method according to claim 1 further comprising displaying fabric data before and/or after the step of receiving selected fabric data wherein the fabric data is displayed in the form of one or more lists of choices from which the user may select.

3 . (canceled)

4 . (canceled)

5 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the stain identity data is displayed in the form of one or more lists of individual stains and the user prompted to select or de-select one or more stains from the list.

6 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the stain identity data is determined by indirect criteria which infers a particular stain/stain type to derive a stain or stain type.

7 . The method according to claim 1 wherein fabric data related to one or more of stain identity or fabric identity is determined from data regarding user behaviour, user location, location environment, weather and any combination thereof.

8 . The method according to claim 1 wherein fabric data is displayed according to different operating modes to suit different users, each mode having a different level of input data detail required from the user wherein the method comprises the step of selecting a mode of operation to determine what fabric data is input.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein fabric data is transmitted from a remote location.

10 . A data processing system comprising a means for carrying out the steps of claim 1 .

11 . A computer program comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of the method of claim 1 .

12 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the steps of the method of claim 1 .

13 . (canceled)

14 . (canceled)

15 . (canceled)

16 . (canceled)

17 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Conopco Inc Dba Unilever

Inventors

• Cooke Deborah Jane
• Moorfield David
• Shaw Katharine Jane

Classifications

• D06F33/32 Primary

  Control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry · CPC title

• D06F2101/02

  Characteristics of laundry or load · CPC title

• D06F39/02

  Devices for adding soap or other washing agents · CPC title

• D06F34/05

  for wireless communication between components, e.g. for remote monitoring or control · CPC title

• D06F34/30

  characterised by mechanical features, e.g. buttons or rotary dials · CPC title