Load size estimation and automatic cycle start using artificial intelligence for a laundry appliance

Abstract

A laundry appliance includes a basket rotatably mounted within a cabinet and defining a chamber configured for receiving a load of clothes, and a camera assembly mounted within the cabinet in view of the chamber. A controller of the laundry appliance implements a method for improving appliance operation based on the load size, the method including obtaining one or more images of the chamber using the camera assembly, estimating a load size of the load of clothes based at least in part on the one or more images, obtaining a start size threshold, determining that the load size exceeds the start size threshold, and commencing an operating cycle in response to determining that the load size exceeds the start size threshold.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry appliance comprising:
 a cabinet;   a basket rotatably mounted within the cabinet and defining a chamber configured for receiving a load of clothes;   a camera assembly mounted within the cabinet in view of the chamber; and   a controller operably coupled to the camera assembly, the controller being configured to:
 obtain one or more images of the chamber using the camera assembly; 
 estimate a load size of the load of clothes based at least in part on the one or more images; 
 obtain a start size threshold; 
 determine that the load size exceeds the start size threshold; and 
 commence an operating cycle in response to determining that the load size exceeds the start size threshold. 
   
     
     
         2 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein estimating the load size comprises:
 implementing an image processing algorithm on the one or more images.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry appliance of  claim 2 , wherein the image processing algorithm utilizes image differentiation. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein estimating the load size comprises:
 analyzing the one or more images using a machine learning image recognition process.   
     
     
         5 . The laundry appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the machine learning image recognition process comprises at least one of a convolution neural network (“CNN”), a region-based convolution neural network (“R-CNN”), a deep belief network (“DBN”), or a deep neural network (“DNN”) image recognition process. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 determine a remaining cycle time based on the load size; and   display the remaining cycle time for a user of the laundry appliance.   
     
     
         7 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a door switch for detecting when a door of the laundry appliance is closed, wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the door is closed before commencing the operating cycle.   
     
     
         8 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
 provide a user notification that the load size exceeds the start size threshold and that the operating cycle is ready for commencement.   
     
     
         9 . The laundry appliance of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 an audible alarm, wherein providing the user notification comprises generating an alarm sound with the audible alarm.   
     
     
         10 . The laundry appliance of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a user interface panel, wherein the user notification is provided through the user interface panel.   
     
     
         11 . The laundry appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the controller is in operative communication with a remote device through an external network, and wherein the user notification is provided through the remote device. 
     
     
         12 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the start size threshold is selected by a user of the laundry appliance. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the user selects the start size threshold using a remote device in communication with the controller. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry appliance of  claim 12 , wherein the start size threshold is measured as a percentage of a chamber volume of the chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a door rotatably mounted to the cabinet for providing selective access to the chamber; and   a gasket positioned between wherein the door and the cabinet, wherein the camera assembly is mounted in the gasket or on an inner surface of the door.   
     
     
         16 . The laundry appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the laundry appliance is a washing machine appliance, a dryer appliance, or a combination washer/dryer appliance. 
     
     
         17 . A method of operating a laundry appliance, the laundry appliance comprising a basket rotatably mounted within a cabinet and defining a chamber configured for receiving a load of clothes, and a camera assembly mounted within the cabinet in view of the chamber, the method comprising:
 obtaining one or more images of the chamber using the camera assembly;   estimating a load size of the load of clothes based at least in part on the one or more images;   obtaining a start size threshold;   determining that the load size exceeds the start size threshold; and   commencing an operating cycle in response to determining that the load size exceeds the start size threshold.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein estimating the load size comprises:
 implementing an image processing algorithm or a machine learning image recognition process on the one or more images.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 determining a remaining cycle time based on the load size; and   displaying the remaining cycle time for a user of the laundry appliance.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the laundry appliance further comprises a door switch for detecting when a door of the laundry appliance is closed, the method further comprising:
 determining that the door is closed before commencing the operating cycle.