# US 12,110,627 B2 · Gesture control method and system for fluid dispensing apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,627 B2 - Document ID: US12110627B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/570,467 - Filed: 2022-01-07 - Published: 2023-07-13 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2022-01-07 - Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Inventors: Khalid Jamal Mashal - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110627B2 ## CPC - 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 33/30: Control of washing machines characterised by the purpose or target of the control (controlling processes of washer-dryers D06F33/50) - D06F 34/05: for wireless communication between components, e.g. for remote monitoring or control - D06F 34/14: Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters - D06F 39/028: {Arrangements for selectively supplying water to detergent compartments} - G06F 3/017: {Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures (interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883)} - D06F 2101/00: User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers - D06F 2105/42: Detergent or additive supply - D06F 2105/58: Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An appliance, a controller, and a method for dispensing fluid are provided. The appliance including a fluid station configured to dispense water, cleaning agent, or a combination thereof, and a signal receiver device configured to receive signals from a user. A controller is operably coupled to the signal receiver device. The controller is configured to detect, via the signal receiver device, a gesture signal corresponding to a desired operating mode of the appliance, and command a function at the washing machine appliance based on the gesture signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A washing machine appliance, comprising: a fluid station configured to dispense water, cleaning agent, or a combination thereof; a signal receiver device configured to receive signals from a user; a controller operably coupled to the signal receiver device, the controller being configured to: inhibit gesture detection at the signal receiver device, receive, subsequent to the inhibit gesture detection, a permission signal at the controller corresponding to an open door position for the washing machine appliance, permit gesture detection in response to the received permission signal, detect, via the signal receiver device, a gesture signal corresponding to a desired operating mode of the washing machine appliance; and command a function at the washing machine appliance based on the gesture signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, the controller being configured to: determine the desired operating mode based on the gesture signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, the controller being configured to: compare the gesture signal to a dataset. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The washing machine appliance of claim 3, wherein the controller being configured to compare the gesture signal to the dataset at the controller comprises a machine learning algorithm configured to detect the gesture signal and correspond to the desired operating mode. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein the signal receiver device is an imaging device configured to detect a hand gesture, an eye movement, a head movement, or other user movement. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein the signal receiver device is a camera, a radar device, a laser device, a sonar device, a microphone, a light sensor, or a radio sensor configured to receive gesture signals from the user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, the controller being configured to: select the operating mode of the washing machine appliance based on the detected gesture signal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, the gesture signal corresponding to a command to start a cycle or activate a pump assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, the gesture signal corresponding to a command to dispense water. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, the gesture signal corresponding to a command to dispense cleaning agent. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, the gesture signal corresponding to a command to discontinue dispensing water or cleaning agent. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, the controller being configured to: inhibit dispensing fluid until a control surface is actuated. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, the controller being configured to: transmit a permission signal when a door is in open position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The washing machine appliance of claim 13, the controller being configured to: send a notification signal to a computing device to allow detection of the gesture signal from the user. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The washing machine appliance of claim 14, wherein the computing device is a smartphone device or a tablet device. ### Claim 16 A method for dispensing fluid from an appliance comprising a fluid station configured to dispense water, cleaning agent, or a combination thereof, and a signal receiver device configured to receive signals from a user, the method comprising: inhibiting gesture detection at the signal receiver device; receiving, subsequent to the inhibit gesture detection, a permission signal at a controller corresponding to an open door position for the washing machine appliance; permitting gesture detection in response to the received permission signal; detecting, via the signal receiver device, a gesture signal corresponding to a desired operating mode of the appliance; and commanding a function at the appliance based on the gesture signal. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the function is dispensing or discontinuing dispensing of fluid from a fluid station at the appliance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, the method comprising: determining the desired operating mode based on the gesture signal. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, the method comprising: comparing the gesture signal to a dataset corresponding to a predetermined signal and corresponding operating mode. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, the method comprising: selecting the operating mode of the appliance based on the detected gesture signal.