An operation analysis method includes a first acquisition step, a second acquisition step, a plan designing step, and an analysis step. In the first acquisition step, the operation history of a washer is acquired. In the second acquisition step, at least the action schedule of a user of the washer is acquired. In the plan designing step, based on the operation history acquired in the first acquisition step, an operation plan for the future regarding the normal operation of the washer periodically performed by the user is designed. In the analysis step, based on the action schedule acquired in the second acquisition step, whether the operation of the washer is the normal operation is analyzed. In the plan designing step, the operation plan is updated based on the result of the analysis in analysis step.

A disclosed home appliance system comprises: a washer for washing clothes; a dryer for drying the clothes; an external server for communicating with the washer and the dryer; and a mobile device for controlling the washer and the dryer through the external server, wherein the mobile device can: acquire energy peak time information including time-specific energy billing information from the external server; display a first user interface for receiving the selection of a first interworking course of sequentially operating the washer and the dryer; determine a first cycle time of the first interworking course including a first washing time of the washer and a first drying time of the dryer, the first cycle time being required in order to perform the first interworking course; display a second user interface for receiving the selection of whether to perform the first interworking course on the basis of the energy peak time information and the first operation time; and transmit first interworking course information to the external server in response to receiving the selection of performing the first interworking course.

A method for operating a dryer appliance includes, after drying articles within the dryer appliance, receiving data corresponding to an activation signal for an extended tumble from a remote user device, tracking a number of cycles for which the extended tumble is not a default setting for the dryer appliance, and automatically adjusting the extended tumble to the default setting for the dryer appliance or transmitting data corresponding to an extended tumble alert based on the tracked number of cycles.

A method of operating a washing machine appliance includes filling a wash tub with a wash liquid during a first cycle. The method also includes receiving a pause input after filling the wash tub and before draining the wash tub during the first cycle. In response to the pause input, the first cycle is paused for a pause duration. The method further includes incrementing a pause counter in response to the pause input and storing the pause duration after pausing the first cycle. The method also includes filling the wash tub with a wash liquid during a second cycle after the first cycle and automatically pausing the second cycle after filling the wash tub with the wash liquid during the second cycle, based on the pause counter and the stored pause duration

The invention relates to a portable device (1100) comprising a bottom surface (BS) intended to be in contact with a textile (TXT). The portable device comprises an image sensor (5) for taking an image of a textile, and an illumination system (6) for illuminating a portion of the textile when said image is being taken. The portable device also comprises a control unit (8a) for executing an algorithm stored in the portable device, using the taken image as an input of said algorithm, to obtain a classification of the textile. The image sensor and the control unit are integrated within the portable device. The image sensor has an active surface sensitive to light, which is oriented compared to said bottom surface (BS), with an absolute value of the orientation angle being in the range 15-70 degrees; and/or the illumination system (6) has a light source oriented compared to the said bottom surface (BS), with an absolute value of the orientation angle being in the range 15-70 degrees.

A laundry treatment appliance having a laundry treatment chamber adapted to receive laundry to be treated, a treatment agent delivery system configured to store an amount of treatment agent sufficient for performing a plurality of treatment cycles, and to deliver a treatment agent dose towards the laundry treatment chamber, the treatment agent dose being a fraction of the stored amount of treatment agent, a water supply unit configured to supply fresh water having a first level of hardness to the laundry treatment appliance, and a water softening system configured to selectively receive the fresh water from the water supply unit and to selectively provide softened water having a second level of hardness lower than the first level of hardness to said treatment agent delivery system.

A laundry treatment appliance comprising: a fresh water supply; a treatment chamber; a water softener; a liquid delivery system connected to the water supply, the water softener, and a treatment agent delivery system configured to store a water-soluble treating agent pod and/or a steam generator. The liquid delivery system is configured to supply fresh water from the water supply or soft water from the water softener into the treatment chamber. The appliance can perform one or more treatment cycles including at least one of: a first cycle in which the process liquid supplied by said process liquid delivery system further includes laundry treatment agents contained in the pod, and a second cycle in which the steam generator is activated to steam into the treatment chamber. The appliance further comprises a control unit to activate the water softener to provide the process liquid delivery system with soft water.

Washing machine appliances and methods of operating the same are provided. Such methods may include, and/or appliances may be configured for, performing a wash operation on laundry articles received in the wash chamber of the wash basket. After the wash operation, it may be determined that the load of articles is still wet, e.g., that a remaining moisture content of the laundry articles is above a threshold. Based on and in response to determining that the load is still wet, a spin cycle is performed before a beginning of a subsequent wash operation.

A laundry appliance includes a cabinet. A drum disposed within the cabinet and has an inner circumferential wall. At least one lifter is operably coupled to the inner circumferential wall of the drum. A motor is operably coupled to the drum and is disposed within the cabinet. A controller is disposed within the cabinet and is communicatively coupled to the motor. A negatively-charged member selectively disposed within the drum. A negative charge is configured to attract oppositely-charged foreign substrates to the negatively-charged member. The negatively-charged member is selectively coupled to the at least one lifter.

A washing machine includes a water storage tank, a vibration sensor provided to the water storage tank, a washing tub rotatably disposed in the water storage tank and configured to accommodate laundry therein, a motor configured to rotate the washing tub, and a controller. The controller is configured to: measure an unbalance (UB) value based on rotating the washing tub during a dewatering stroke; control the motor to stop rotating the washing tub based on the UB value exceeding an allowable UB value included in a preset UB table; measure a dewatering time of the laundry and a vibration value during the dewatering stroke using the vibration sensor; and change the allowable UB value included in the preset UB table based on the dewatering time and the vibration value.