# US 12,590,395 B2 · Washing machine appliance turbidity detection and evaluation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,590,395 B2 - Document ID: US12590395B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/170,332 - Filed: 2023-02-16 - Published: 2024-08-22 - Granted: 2026-03-31 - Earliest claimed: 2023-02-16 - Assignees: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc. - Inventors: Wonmyung Seo; Junho Kang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12590395B2 ## CPC - D06F 34/22: Condition of the washing liquid, e.g. turbidity - D06F 2103/16: Washing liquid temperature - D06F 2103/20: Washing liquid condition, e.g. turbidity - D06F 2105/58: Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES ## Abstract A washing machine appliance includes a cabinet with a wash tub positioned within the cabinet and a first temperature sensor disposed at the wash tub. The washing machine appliance also includes a turbidity sensor, a conductivity sensor, and a second temperature sensor disposed in the cabinet. The washing machine appliance further includes a controller in signal communication with the first temperature sensor, the turbidity sensor, the conductivity sensor and the second temperature sensor. The controller may be configured for, or a method of operating the washing machine appliance may include, recording a turbidity temperature measurement from the turbidity sensor, a first temperature measurement from the first temperature sensor, and a second temperature measurement from the second temperature sensor, comparing the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement, and evaluating the turbidity measurement based on the comparison of the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A washing machine appliance comprising: a cabinet; a wash tub positioned within the cabinet; a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub and accessible through an opening in the cabinet; a first temperature sensor disposed at the wash tub; a turbidity sensor, a conductivity sensor, and a second temperature sensor disposed in the cabinet; a controller in signal communication with the first temperature sensor, the turbidity sensor, the conductivity sensor, and the second temperature sensor, the controller configured to: record a turbidity measurement from the turbidity sensor, a first temperature measurement from the first temperature sensor, and a second temperature measurement from the second temperature sensor; compare the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement; evaluate the recorded turbidity measurement for accuracy based on the comparison of the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement; determining an operating parameter of the washing machine appliance based on the evaluated accuracy of the turbidity measurement, wherein the operating parameter comprises at least one of an agitation parameter and a water temperature; and performing an operating cycle of the washing machine appliance, wherein performing the operating cycle comprises at least one of rotating an agitator according to the determined operating parameter and flowing a volume of water into the wash tub at a temperature according to the determined operating parameter. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to contemporaneously record the turbidity measurement from the turbidity sensor, the first temperature measurement from the first temperature sensor, and the second temperature measurement from the second temperature sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the turbidity measurement is out of tolerance based on the comparison of the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement, and to provide a user notification in response to determining that the turbidity measurement is out of tolerance, the user notification comprising a sensor fault. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein the performed operating cycle comprises a wash cycle, wherein the controller is further configured to determine that the turbidity measurement is out of tolerance based on the comparison of the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement, and to disable a color keeper cycle selection of the washing machine appliance in response to determining that the turbidity measurement is out of tolerance. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The washing machine appliance of claim 4, wherein disabling the color keeper cycle selection of the washing machine appliance comprises disabling selection of a color keeper cycle of the washing machine appliance, wherein the turbidity measurement comprises an operating parameter of the color keeper cycle of the washing machine appliance. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein comparing the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement comprises determining whether the second temperature measurement is within a predefined tolerance of the first temperature measurement. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein the turbidity sensor, the conductivity sensor, and the second temperature sensor are disposed at a bottom portion of the wash tub. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein the washing machine is a top load washing machine appliance. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The washing machine appliance of claim 1, wherein the turbidity sensor, the conductivity sensor, and the second temperature sensor are combined in a single sensor assembly. ### Claim 10 A method of operating a washing machine appliance, the washing machine appliance comprising a cabinet, a wash tub positioned within the cabinet, a wash basket rotatably mounted within the wash tub and accessible through an opening in the cabinet, a first temperature sensor disposed at the wash tub, a turbidity sensor, a conductivity sensor, and a second temperature sensor disposed in the cabinet, and a controller in signal communication with the first temperature sensor, the turbidity sensor, the conductivity sensor and the second temperature sensor, the method comprising: recording, at the controller, a turbidity measurement from the turbidity sensor, a first temperature measurement from the first temperature sensor, and a second temperature measurement from the second temperature sensor; comparing, by the controller, the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement; evaluating, by the controller, the recorded turbidity measurement for accuracy based on the comparison of the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement; determining an operating parameter of the washing machine appliance based on the evaluated accuracy of the turbidity measurement, wherein the operating parameter comprises at least one of an agitation parameter and a water temperature; and performing an operating cycle of the washing machine appliance, wherein performing the operating cycle comprises at least one of rotating an agitator according to the determined operating parameter and flowing a volume of water into the wash tub at a temperature according to the determined operating parameter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the turbidity measurement from the turbidity sensor, the first temperature measurement from the first temperature sensor, and the second temperature measurement from the second temperature sensor are recorded contemporaneously. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising determining that the turbidity measurement is out of tolerance based on the comparison of the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement, and providing a user notification in response to determining that the turbidity measurement is out of tolerance, the user notification comprising a sensor fault. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the performed operating cycle comprises a wash cycle, further comprising determining that the turbidity measurement is out of tolerance based on the comparison of the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement, and disabling a color keeper cycle selection of the washing machine appliance in response to determining that the turbidity measurement is out of tolerance. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein disabling the color keeper cycle selection of the washing machine appliance comprises disabling selection of a color keeper cycle of the washing machine appliance, wherein the turbidity measurement comprises an operating parameter of the color keeper cycle of the washing machine appliance. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein comparing the first temperature measurement and the second temperature measurement comprises determining whether the second temperature measurement is within a predefined tolerance of the first temperature measurement. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the turbidity sensor, the conductivity sensor, and the second temperature sensor are disposed at a bottom portion of the wash tub. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the washing machine is a top load washing machine appliance. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the turbidity sensor, the conductivity sensor, and the second temperature sensor are combined in a single sensor assembly.