# US 11,993,887 B2 · Distributed networked laundry machine control and operation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,993,887 B2 - Document ID: US11993887B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/543,554 - Filed: 2023-12-18 - Published: 2024-04-11 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-09 - Assignees: Clarified Inc. - Applicants: Clarified Inc. - Inventors: Tristan Scott Patterson; Jonathan Christensen; Stuart Sonatina - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993887B2 ## CPC - D06F 33/30: Control of washing machines characterised by the purpose or target of the control (controlling processes of washer-dryers D06F33/50) - D06F 34/28: Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating programme parameters, e.g. the selected programme or its progress - D06F 31/00: Washing installations comprising an assembly of several washing machines or washing units, e.g. continuous flow assemblies - D06F 34/05: for wireless communication between components, e.g. for remote monitoring or control - D06F 39/14: Doors or covers; Securing means therefor - G05B 19/409: characterised by using manual data input [MDI] or by using control panel, e.g. controlling functions with the panel; characterised by control panel details or by setting parameters (G05B19/408, G05B19/4093 take precedence) - D06F 2101/00: User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers - D06F 2101/14: Time settings - D06F 2101/20: Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programmes, service modes or refreshment cycles - D06F 2105/44: Opening, closing or locking of doors - D06F 2105/58: Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user - G05B 2219/2633: Washing, laundry - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract Methods, system and apparatus for the controlling laundry machines in a laundry facility. A user device receives a list of machines for a laundry facility and displays them on a machine control user interface. The user may then make a selection of a machine, a selection of an operation type and a selection of one or more operational parameters associated with the selected operation type. The selection of the operation type and the one or more operational parameters may be made on the user device or on the selected machine. The machine control user interface may then display the user selections, an estimated duration and a cost. The estimated duration and cost may be based on the selected machine, selected operation type and the one or more selected operational parameters. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of controlling laundry machines, the method comprising the operations of: receiving, from a server, a list of machines comprising a listing of washing machines and a listing of dryers; displaying, via a machine control user interface, a first group of multiple machines, wherein the machine control user interface depicts the first group of multiple machines as available for use, and wherein the machine control user interface comprises a first display portion listing washing machines, and a separate second display portion listing dryers; receiving a selection, via the machine control user interface, of one of the machines indicated as available for use; receiving an input, via the machine control user interface, for starting an operation with the selected machine; and starting the operation of a physical machine associated with the selected machine. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a selection comprises: displaying, via the machine control user interface, a start button associated with an available machine; and receiving, as the input, the selection of the start button for the selected machine. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of an available machine comprises displaying the word available. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the operations of: displaying, via the machine control user interface, a second plurality of machines wherein the second plurality of machines are indicated as unavailable, wherein an unavailable machine includes a remaining time indicated for the unavailable machine. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the operations of: displaying, on the machine control user interface, an amount of time remaining for the selected machine to complete the operation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein either the first user interface portion or the second user interface portion is selectable to be displayed, wherein the machine control user interface receives a selection of a washers tab or a dryers tab. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the machine control user interface is configured to alternate the displaying of the first user interface portion and the displaying of the second user interface portion based on receiving a selection input to the machine control user interface. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein starting the operation on the selected machine further comprises: receiving by the server, a request to start the operation on the selected machine; transmitting a request, from the server, to a machine controller connected to the physical machine to lock the physical machine; and transmitting a request, from the server, to the machine controller connected to the physical machine, to initiate the operation on the physical machine. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising the operations of: receiving, via the machine control user interface, a request to engage or disengage a locking mechanism of the selected machine; engaging or disengaging the locking mechanism based on the request; and changing the status of the selected machine from unavailable to available after the locking mechanism has disengaged. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising the operations of: generating a notification when the operation completes; and displaying, via the machine control user interface, the notification. ### Claim 11 A system comprising one or more processors, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising: receiving, from a server, a list of machines comprising a listing of washing machines and a listing of dryers; displaying, via a machine control user interface, a first group of multiple machines, wherein the machine control user interface depicts the first group of multiple machines as available for use, and wherein the machine control user interface comprises a first display portion listing washing machines, and a separate second display portion listing dryers; receiving a selection, via the machine control user interface, of one of the machines indicated as available for use; receiving an input, via the machine control user interface, for starting an operation with the selected machine; and starting the operation of a physical machine associated with the selected machine. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the receiving a selection comprises: displaying, via the machine control user interface, a start button associated with an available machine; and receiving, as the input, the selection of the start button for the selected machine. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the indication of an available machine comprises displaying the word available. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising the operations of: displaying, via the machine control user interface, a second plurality of machines wherein the second plurality of machines are indicated as unavailable, wherein an unavailable machine includes a remaining time indicated for the unavailable machine. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising the operations of: displaying, on the machine control user interface, an amount of time remaining for the selected machine to complete the operation. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11, wherein either the first user interface portion or the second user interface portion is selectable to be displayed, wherein the machine control user interface receives a selection of a washers tab or a dryers tab. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11, wherein the machine control user interface is configured to alternate the displaying of the first user interface portion and the displaying of the second user interface portion based on receiving a selection input to the machine control user interface. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The system according to claim 11, wherein starting the operation on the selected machine further comprises: receiving by the server, a request to start the operation on the selected machine; transmitting a request, from the server, to a machine controller connected to the physical machine to lock the physical machine; and transmitting a request, from the server, to the machine controller connected to the physical machine, to initiate the operation on the physical machine. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, further comprising the operations of: receiving, via the machine control user interface, a request to engage or disengage a locking mechanism of the selected machine; engaging or disengaging the locking mechanism based on the request; and changing the status of the selected machine from unavailable to available after the locking mechanism has disengaged. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, further comprising the operations of: generating a notification when the operation completes; and displaying, via the machine control user interface, the notification.