US 12,460,336 B2
Systems and methods for using artificial intelligence to perform a bulk flush process in a washing machine appliance
Wonmyung Seo, Seongnam (KR); and Seong Hoon Ryu, Suwon (KR)
Assigned to Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed by Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc., Wilmington, DE (US)
Filed on Oct. 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/962,903.
Prior Publication US 2024/0117546 A1, Apr. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. D06F 33/37 (2020.01); D06F 23/04 (2006.01); D06F 33/47 (2020.01); D06F 34/04 (2020.01); D06F 34/22 (2020.01); D06F 34/28 (2020.01); D06F 39/02 (2006.01); D06F 39/08 (2006.01); G06V 10/82 (2022.01); G06V 20/52 (2022.01); D06F 103/22 (2020.01); D06F 105/02 (2020.01); D06F 105/42 (2020.01); D06F 105/58 (2020.01); H04N 7/18 (2006.01)
CPC D06F 33/47 (2020.02) [D06F 23/04 (2013.01); D06F 33/37 (2020.02); D06F 34/04 (2020.02); D06F 34/22 (2020.02); D06F 34/28 (2020.02); D06F 39/022 (2013.01); D06F 39/088 (2013.01); G06V 10/82 (2022.01); G06V 20/52 (2022.01); D06F 2103/22 (2020.02); D06F 2105/02 (2020.02); D06F 2105/42 (2020.02); D06F 2105/58 (2020.02); H04N 7/183 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A washing machine appliance, comprising:
a wash tub positioned within a cabinet;
a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub and defining a wash chamber configured for receiving a load of clothes;
a water supply configured to selectively dispense a flow of wash fluid through a discharge nozzle into the wash tub;
a bulk dispenser for selectively adding a wash additive to the flow of wash fluid;
a camera assembly mounted within the cabinet above the wash chamber and faces the discharge nozzle to monitor the flow of wash fluid; and
a controller operably coupled to the water supply, the bulk dispenser, and the camera assembly, the controller being configured to:
initiate a bulk flush operation by operating the water supply to provide the flow of wash fluid and the bulk dispenser to dispense the wash additive;
obtain one or more images of the flow of wash fluid using the camera assembly before the wash fluid reaches the load of clothes;
analyze the one or more images using an image recognition process to determine an additive content of the flow of wash fluid;
determine that the additive content falls below a predetermined additive threshold; and
terminate the bulk flush operation in response to determining that the additive content falls below the predetermined additive threshold.