# US 2014/0189959 A1 · Method, system, and device for adjusting operation of washing machine based on system modeling > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0189959 A1 - Document ID: US20140189959A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/736,134 - Filed: 2013-01-08 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-08 - Assignees: Whirlpool Corporation - Applicants: Whirlpool Corporation - Inventors: LUIZ VON DOKONAL; FERNANDO A. RIBAS JUNIOR - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140189959A1 ## CPC - D06F 33/32: Control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry - D06F 33/36: of washing - D06F 34/14: Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters - D06F 2101/06: Type or material - D06F 2101/12: Washing temperature - D06F 2101/20: Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programmes, service modes or refreshment cycles - D06F 2103/00: Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers - D06F 2103/04: Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight - D06F 2103/12: Temperature - D06F 2103/32: Temperature - D06F 2103/44: Current or voltage - D06F 2103/52: related to electric heating means, e.g. temperature or voltage - D06F 2105/00: Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers - D06F 2105/28: Electric heating - D06F 2105/52: Changing sequence of operational steps; Carrying out additional operational steps; Modifying operational steps, e.g. by extending duration of steps - D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES ## Abstract Devices and methods to adjust the operation of a washing machine based on system modeling include a motor, a control board, a heater, a number of sensors, and an electronic controller. The controller receives a selected wash cycle program and determines an operating condition of the selected wash cycle program, using data from the sensors. The motor may be used as a sensor. Based on the operating condition, the controller predicts an operational parameter of the washing machine using a system model. The controller may adjust the wash cycle program to keep the operational parameter in bounds or increase efficiency. The operational parameter may be temperature, electrical current consumption, wash efficiency, or energy consumption. The wash cycle program may be adjusted by modifying the duty cycle of the motor or the heater. The system model may be recalibrated upon use to adapt to the particular characteristics of the washing machine. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling operation of a washing machine during a wash cycle, comprising: receiving a selected wash cycle program of a plurality of pre-programmed wash cycles, operating the washing machine in accordance with the selected wash cycle program, determining an operating condition when operating the washing machine, modeling the selected wash cycle program based on the operating condition to predict a value of an operational parameter of the washing machine, adjusting the selected wash cycle program based on the predicted value of the operational parameter, and operating the washing machine in accordance with the adjusted wash cycle program. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein: determining the operating condition of the selected wash cycle program comprises receiving data from a sensor of the washing machine, modeling the selected wash cycle program comprises (i) determining a predicted value of the operational parameter based on the received data, and (ii) determining whether the predicted value of the operational parameter is within an accepted operational range of the washing machine, and adjusting the selected wash cycle program comprises (i) modifying the selected wash cycle program when the predicted value of the operational parameter is outside of the accepted operational range, and (ii) maintaining the selected wash cycle program when the predicted value of the operational parameter is within the accepted operational range. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein: modeling the selected wash cycle program comprises (i) determining a predicted operating temperature of a washing machine motor and (ii) determining whether the predicted operating temperature exceeds a maximum safe temperature of the motor, and adjusting the selected wash cycle program comprises modifying a duty cycle of the motor to lower the predicted operating temperature of the motor to below the maximum safe temperature of the motor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein receiving data from the sensor of the washing machine includes receiving load data, and determining the predicted operating temperature of the motor includes predicting the operating temperature based on the load data and the selected wash cycle program. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein receiving data from the sensor further includes receiving ambient temperature data from a temperature sensor of the washing machine, and determining the predicted operating temperature of the motor includes predicting the operating temperature based on the load data, the selected wash cycle program, and the ambient temperature data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein receiving data from the sensor includes receiving electrical current consumption data for the motor, and determining the predicted operating temperature of the motor includes predicting the operating temperature based on the electrical current consumption data. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein: modeling the selected wash cycle program comprises (i) determining a predicted electrical current consumption of the washing machine and (ii) determining whether the predicted electrical current consumption exceeds a maximum safe electrical current consumption of the washing machine, and adjusting the selected wash cycle program comprises modifying at least one of (i) a duty cycle of a washing machine motor, and (ii) a duty cycle of a heater of the washing machine to lower the predicted electrical current consumption to below the maximum safe electrical current consumption of the washing machine. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein modeling the selected wash cycle program comprises (i) determining a predicted operating temperature of a washing machine control board and (ii) determining whether the predicted operating temperature exceeds a maximum safe temperature of the control board, and adjusting the selected wash cycle program comprises modifying a duty cycle of the motor to lower the predicted operating temperature of the control board to below the maximum safe temperature of the control board. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein (i) modeling the selected wash cycle program further comprises determining whether the predicted value of the operational parameter can be modified to meet an efficiency goal when the predicted value is within the accepted operational range, and (ii) modifying the selected wash cycle program to improve performance related to the efficiency goal when the predicted value can be modified to meet the efficiency goal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein determining a predicted value of the operational parameter based on the received data includes determining a predicted energy consumption of a washing machine motor, and modifying the selected wash cycle program includes modifying a duty cycle of the motor to reduce the predicted energy consumption of the motor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein: receiving data from the sensor of the washing machine includes (i) receiving ambient temperature data from a temperature sensor of the washing machine, and (ii) receiving load data for the washing machine, determining the predicted value of the operational parameter includes determining a predicted cleaning effectiveness of the selected wash cycle program based on the ambient temperature data and the load data, and modifying the selected wash cycle program further includes modifying the selected wash cycle program to increase the predicted cleaning effectiveness of the selected wash cycle program. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein: receiving data from the sensor of the washing machine includes (i) receiving ambient temperature data from a temperature sensor of the washing machine, and (ii) receiving load data for the washing machine, predicting the value of the operational parameter includes determining a predicted water heat rise produced by a heater of the washing machine based on the ambient temperature data and the load data, and modifying the selected wash cycle program includes modifying a duty cycle of the heater to reduce the predicted water heat rise. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising optimizing the selected wash cycle program by: modeling the selected wash cycle program for a first time period of the wash cycle, modifying the selected wash cycle program to produce a first modified wash cycle program, modeling the first modified wash cycle program for a second time period of the wash cycle, the second time period after the first time period, and modifying the first modified wash cycle program to produce a second modified wash cycle program. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising recalibrating a system model based on the received data, the predicted value of the operational parameter, and the adjusted wash cycle program to reduce a prediction error of the system model using one of a proportional-integral controller, a proportional-integral-derivative controller, and a simulated neural network embedded in the washing machine. ### Claim 15 A washing machine, comprising: a motor operable to rotate a wash drum configured to receive laundry, a heater operable to heat wash water in the wash drum, a plurality of sensors, each sensor being operable to generate data indicative of an operating condition of the washing machine, and an electronic controller electrically coupled to the motor, the heater, and the plurality of sensors, the electronic controller comprising (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receive a selected wash cycle program, determine the operating condition of the selected wash cycle program when the washing machine is operating the selected wash cycle program, model the selected wash cycle program based on the operating condition to predict a value of an operational parameter, adjust the selected wash cycle program based on the predicted value of the operational parameter, and operate the washing machine in accordance with the adjusted wash cycle program. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The washing machine of claim 15, wherein the plurality of sensors include (i) a load sensor configured to transmit load data, (ii) a temperature sensor configured to transmit ambient temperature data indicative of an ambient temperature of the washing machine to the electronic controller, and (iii) a current sensor configured to transmit electrical current consumption data indicative of an electrical current consumption of the motor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The washing machine of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to: receive sensor data from at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors, determine a predicted operating temperature of the motor based on the sensor data and the selected wash cycle program, determine whether the predicted operating temperature exceeds a maximum safe temperature of the motor, and modify a duty cycle of the motor to lower the predicted operating temperature to below the maximum safe temperature of the motor when the predicted operating temperature exceeds the maximum safe temperature of the motor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The washing machine of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to: receive the load data and the ambient temperature data, determine a predicted electrical current consumption of the washing machine based on the ambient temperature data, the load data, and the selected wash cycle program, determine whether the predicted electrical current consumption exceeds a maximum safe electrical current consumption of the washing machine, and modify at least one of (i) a duty cycle of the motor, and (ii) a duty cycle of the heater to reduce the predicted electrical current consumption below the maximum safe electrical current consumption of the washing machine. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The washing machine of claim 16, further comprising a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to: receive the load data and the ambient temperature data from the plurality of sensors, determine a predicted energy consumption of the washing machine based on the ambient temperature data, the load data, and the selected wash cycle program, determine whether the predicted energy consumption is greater than a target energy consumption of the washing machine, and modify at least one of: (i) a duty cycle of the motor and (ii) a duty cycle of the heater to reduce the predicted energy consumption to below the target energy consumption. ### Claim 20 A method for controlling operation of a washing machine during a wash cycle, comprising: receiving a selected wash cycle program of a plurality of pre-programmed wash cycles, operating the washing machine in accordance with the selected wash cycle program, determining an operating condition when operating the washing machine, modeling the selected wash cycle program based on the operating condition to predict a value of an operational parameter of the washing machine, determining whether the predicted value of the operational parameter exceeds an efficiency goal of the washing machine, adjusting the selected wash cycle program based on the predicted value of the operational parameter when the predicted value exceeds the efficiency goal, and operating the washing machine in accordance with the adjusted wash cycle program.