CN114635259A

CN114635259A - Dosing aid, method for dosing a laundry treatment agent and computer program product

Info

Publication number: CN114635259A
Application number: CN202111526604.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: C·施特塞尔
Original assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Current assignee: BSH Hausgeraete GmbH
Priority date: 2020-12-16
Filing date: 2021-12-14
Publication date: 2022-06-17
Also published as: DE102020216044A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a dosing aid for the adaptive dosing of laundry treatment agents to be supplied to a laundry treatment appliance for use in a laundry treatment process. The dosing aid comprises a housing which is divided by an at least partially transparent partition wall into a chamber for accommodating a laundry treatment agent and a receptacle in which a display device is arranged. The dosing aid further comprises a control unit configured for determining a laundry treatment dosage based on the plurality of information. The display device is configured for individually displaying the fill level of the laundry treatment agent in the chamber through the transparent separating wall by means of the marking, so that the determined amount of laundry treatment agent is present in the chamber when the chamber is filled with the laundry treatment agent up to the marking. Furthermore, a method and a computer program product for adaptive dosing of laundry treatment agents are provided.

Description

Dosing aid, method for dosing a laundry treatment agent and computer program product

Technical Field

The invention relates to a dosing aid for adaptively dosing a laundry treatment agent, a method for adaptively dosing a laundry treatment agent and a computer program product.

Background

For many users, correct dosing of laundry treatment agents is a problem. As a result, it occasionally happens that the laundry treatment agent is overdosed or underdosed, which on the one hand leads to a high consumption of the laundry treatment agent and negative environmental effects and on the other hand does not provide the desired washing effect. Furthermore, a large variety of laundry treatment agents are available on the market, wherein the dosage required for the same laundry batch and the dosage required for the same water hardness, even for the same type of product, usually differ by more than 100 ml. Thus, a "One-Fits-All" dosing from the wrist is almost impossible for the user. Furthermore, dosing recommendations printed on the packaging of laundry treatment agents do not take into account dynamic factors, such as load or laundry type. On the other hand, it is often difficult to convert the milliliters given there into the specific fill quantities to be used.

The solutions known from the prior art are static dosing aids, such as measuring cups or dosing balls, into which the user can inject the laundry treatment agent up to a certain filling level. However, the statically pressed-in filling graduation generally has only a few graduation marks, so that precise filling is generally not possible here. Furthermore, there are also pre-packaged capsules filled with laundry treatment agents, which are supplied to the laundry treatment process. In this case, it is completely impossible to carry out a personalized dosing.

Furthermore, laundry treatment appliances are known which have a wash-in chamber with a static filling graduation. In this case, the laundry treatment appliance outputs dosing instructions on the display, and the user can inject the laundry treatment agent into the wash-in chamber as far as the corresponding filling graduation according to the displayed laundry treatment dosage. It is disadvantageous here that the laundry treatment appliance must first be put into operation in order to obtain dosing recommendations, and that the filling bars in the flushing chamber are arranged at predetermined intervals in a static manner, so that no individual dosing is possible. Furthermore, it may be difficult to identify the fill markings in most dark wash-in chambers.

Furthermore, automatic dosing systems are known in the prior art, which automatically supply laundry treatment agents to a laundry treatment process on the basis of the determined factors. It is disadvantageous here that such systems are generally available only at significantly greater cost and are not available for the hatch area. Furthermore, such systems make it difficult to flexibly use different laundry treatment agents, since there are usually only one or two chambers in which a relatively large amount of laundry treatment agent is stored. Finally, such automatic dosing systems are not continuously available for use in a washer-dryer.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dosing aid, a method for dosing laundry treatment agents and a computer program product with which a large number of different laundry treatment agents can be dosed individually and in a manner adapted to the boundary conditions that currently exist.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems with a dosing aid according to the invention, with a method according to the invention for adaptively dosing a laundry treatment agent and with a computer program product according to the invention.

According to one aspect of the invention, a dosing aid for adaptively dosing a laundry treatment agent to be supplied to a laundry treatment appliance for use during a laundry treatment process is provided, wherein the dosing aid comprises:

a housing divided by an at least partially transparent partition wall into a chamber for containing a laundry treatment agent and an accommodation in which a display device is arranged; and

a control unit configured to determine a laundry treatment dose based on information on:

a) a detergent treating agent,

b) Water hardness of water used during the laundry treatment process,

c) The type of fabric to be treated during the course of the laundry treatment process,

d) Degree of soiling of the fabric,

e) The loading capacity of the laundry treating device,

f) Laundry treatment process and/or

g) A device for treating a laundry is provided,

wherein the display device is configured for individually displaying the fill level of the laundry treatment agent to be reached in the chamber through the transparent separating wall by means of a marking, so that the determined laundry treatment agent amount is present in the chamber when the chamber is filled with the laundry treatment agent up to the marking.

The dosing aid can thus comprise two subsystems, namely a physical and a digital subsystem, which can be used in conjunction with one another to achieve an improved and simplified dosing of the laundry treatment agent. The physical subsystem may include a housing having a cavity and a receptacle for positioning the display device relative to the cavity. The digital subsystem may include a display device and a control unit. The control unit can therefore be configured to determine the optimum laundry treatment quantity and convert it into the fill level to be achieved. The display device can then display the filling level to be reached in the chamber by means of the marking. The laundry treatment dose can thus be individually determined and a corresponding marking can be displayed in the dosing aid, which marking enables the user to determine the laundry treatment dose corresponding to the determined laundry treatment dose.

The dosing aid is thus able to assist the user in dosing the laundry treatment agent on the basis of at least one of the information a) to g). In this case, the dosing aid can display the markings individually for the user and is not limited to predetermined intervals or increments. In other words, the dosing aid can display the optimum amount of laundry treatment agent to the user on the basis of the boundary conditions currently existing. The user can then inject the laundry treatment agent into the dosing aid up to the displayed marking, so that there is an optimum laundry treatment agent in the dosing aid. Subsequently, the user can administer the laundry treatment agent, for example, into the wash-in housing of the laundry treatment appliance.

The laundry treatment agent can be a detergent or a detergent additive, such as a softener or an impregnant. The laundry treatment agent may be present in liquid or powder form. The laundry treating appliance may be a washer-dryer or a washing machine.

The housing of the dosing aid may be a plastic housing sized and shaped so that a user may easily hold it in one hand. The chamber provided in the housing may be configured such that it can contain a laundry treatment agent. In other words, the liquid or powder may be contained in the chamber without accidentally escaping or flowing out of the chamber. The chamber may have a first opening through which the laundry treatment agent may be injected into the chamber and may be poured out of the chamber. For this purpose, the chamber can have a discharge opening at the first opening, which is shaped such that the laundry treatment agent can be poured or spread out of the chamber in a defined manner. For example, it is conceivable to provide a spout outlet (Schnabelausguss) at the first opening, so that the especially liquid laundry treatment agent can be poured out in a defined manner without forming droplets. This ensures that the laundry treatment agent can be injected particularly easily into the immersion housing of the laundry treatment appliance.

The receptacle provided in the housing can be arranged directly adjacent to the chamber. In particular, the receptacle may extend directly on the outer wall of the chamber. The display device can be arranged or can be arranged in or on the receptacle in a fixed or detachable manner. In other words, the display device can be detached from the receptacle (i.e. from the dosing aid) and can in particular be a separate device. The receptacle may be another chamber or a holding mechanism configured for holding the display device adjacent to the chamber. In other words, the receptacle may be configured such that the display device may be positioned in a predetermined position relative to the chamber. In this case, it can be ensured by the holding device that the predetermined position can be reliably and always occupied by the display device in the same manner. Furthermore, an additional holding mechanism can be provided on the receptacle, which can fix the display device in or on the receptacle. For example, the retaining mechanism may be a clip element or a tensioning element (e.g., an elastic rubber flange).

The region of the housing separating the display device and the chamber from each other (i.e. the separating wall) may be at least partially transparent. In other words, the housing may be transparent on the side on which the receptacle and thus the display device are arranged, so that the display device may be at least partially visible from the interior of the chamber. The at least partially transparent separating wall may be, for example, an elongated transparent area (e.g., a slit or gap) extending from the bottom of the chamber up to the opening of the chamber. Alternatively, the entire side of the housing provided with the receptacle or the entire housing may be embodied in a transparent manner.

The control unit may be a computer-like device capable of receiving, processing and outputting data. For receiving the data, the control unit can have an interface via which, for example, a user can enter the data and/or via which the data can be retrieved, in particular wirelessly, from the laundry treatment appliance and/or a database. Preferably, the control unit automatically acquires the plurality of information a) to g). Further, some information may be manually entered by the user through the interface. The information c) to g) is preferably transmitted via a wireless connection between the laundry treatment appliance and the control unit. In this case, the fabric type can be automatically recognized by the laundry treatment appliance or entered into the laundry treatment appliance by the user. Furthermore, the degree of soiling of the textiles can be detected automatically by the laundry treatment appliance or entered manually by the user. The load of the laundry treatment appliance can be determined by measuring the laundry treatment appliance. For this purpose, for example, the unbalance of the drum of the laundry treatment appliance can be taken into account. Alternatively, a sensor can be provided in the laundry treatment appliance, which sensor can determine the weight of the laundry (for example, a scale or a 3D sensor configured for measuring the deflection of the drum). The laundry treatment process can be, for example, a defined washing program (e.g. delicate, wool, silk, cold laundry, etc.), which can be automatically transmitted from the laundry treatment appliance to the control unit. Finally, general information about the laundry treatment appliance used can be transmitted to the control unit. This information can be stored in the memory of the control unit and used again for future dosing processes. The information about the laundry treatment agent a) can be automatically recognized by scanning a bar code placed on the packaging of the laundry treatment agent by the control unit or by photographing the packaging of the laundry treatment agent. Furthermore, the laundry treatment agent may be selected by the user through the interface (e.g., from a pull-down menu). In some cases, the control unit can obtain dosing recommendations of the manufacturer of the laundry treatment agent via a connected database. The information about the water hardness b) can be recalled automatically by the control unit by means of a database and the location of the laundry treatment appliance or manually entered by the user. This input may be stored in the memory of the control unit and therefore need only be determined once for each location.

Based on at least one of the above-mentioned information a) to g), the control unit can determine the laundry treatment dosage (i.e. the volume of laundry treatment agent to be used) in order to achieve the best possible washing effect while using the laundry treatment agent in a resource-saving manner (i.e. the best laundry treatment dosage).

The display device may include a display configured to display a numeric indicia at any location of the display. In this case, the display can be at least so large that it extends over the entire height of the partially transparent separating wall of the housing when the display device is arranged in or on the receptacle. In other words, the display device may be configured for displaying the numerical indicia at any height position of the at least partially transparent partition wall. Here, the height position of the partition wall may be a position between the bottom of the chamber and the first opening of the chamber. The control unit may output the position of the indicia to the display device such that the numerical indicia displayed by the display device indicate the fill level in the chamber up to which the laundry treatment agent is to be injected in order to achieve the previously determined laundry treatment dose in the chamber. For this purpose, the display device may be connected to the control unit wirelessly or by wire. Thus, the display device may display the marking (i.e. the filling level marking) at any height between the bottom of the chamber and the opposite upper side of the chamber, in particular the first opening.

The control unit and the display device may be integrated together in one unit, e.g. a smart device. Such a unit may be, for example, a mobile phone, a tablet computer or a PDA. The positioning of the display device relative to the chamber required for correct display of the marking can be ensured by the receptacle. In particular, the receptacle can have a stop and/or a holder on which the display device can be placed and held, so that the display device can always be held in the same position relative to the chamber. In one embodiment, the receptacle is a further chamber into which the display device (for example in the form of a mobile telephone with an integrated control unit and display device) can be pushed until the display device abuts against the stop. Thereby, the user is signaled that the display device is located in a predetermined position in the receiving portion. The control unit may also be configured for displaying the position of the marker to be displayed by the display device based on the size of the display device (e.g. based on the size of the mobile phone) as well as the display resolution of the display device and the geometry of the chamber. In consideration of these factors, the mark can be displayed accurately and individually by the display device.

Furthermore, it is conceivable for the dosing aid to have a calibration mark, which can be arranged on the housing. The position of the display device relative to the chamber may be determined using the calibration marks. To this end, the display device may comprise an adjuster or a slider which can be brought by the user to the height of the calibration marks on the dosing aid before the dosing process begins. The control unit knows the position of the calibration marks on the dosing aid. Thus, the control unit knows the position of the display device relative to the chamber. Thus, the control unit may determine the location of the marker on the display device and output it to the display device in dependence on the relative positioning of the chamber with respect to the display device. Therefore, in this case, the display unit does not always have to be located at a predetermined position. This provides the following advantages: for example, external factors such as the size of the display device (e.g., mobile phone) do not affect the determination of the position of the marker. Thus, any smart device can be used to display the digital marking and thus enable personalized dosing.

Thus, the user is able to input the laundry treatment agent into the chamber up to the numeric fill marking (i.e. the marking displayed by the display device) and subsequently transfer the laundry treatment agent from the chamber into the wash-in housing of the laundry treatment appliance.

The chamber can have an anti-adhesive coating, so that the laundry treatment agent can be completely and problem-free transferred from the chamber into the wash-in housing. The release coating may comprise, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene or other suitable material such that a lotus effect is present in the chamber. Thus, it can be ensured that no or only very little laundry treatment agent remains in the chamber.

Thus, the precise dosing of a plurality of different laundry treatment agents is significantly simplified. As a result, disappointment to the user due to under-dosing (i.e. insufficient washing result) or over-dosing (i.e. excessive foam, detergent residue after the rinsing process, etc.) can be avoided. Furthermore, it can be ensured that the laundry treatment agent is used in a resource-saving manner and that the laundry treatment agent can be saved, which provides economic advantages for the user.

Furthermore, with the dosing aid according to the invention, the laundry treatment process can be carried out more accurately and more individually than in known systems, since not only static parameters (e.g. water hardness, detergent products, etc.) but also dynamic factors (e.g. load, degree of soiling, fabric type, etc.) can be taken as a basis. Furthermore, the user does not have to calculate or convert or match the manufacturer's instructions on the package of the laundry treatment agent. This can simplify the use of the laundry treatment device for the user. Furthermore, the marking can be represented with a high contrast by a display illumination device present in the display device, so that the marking can always be recognized well. Furthermore, the user has full flexibility in selecting the laundry treatment agent and is not limited to a predefined laundry treatment agent. Even when using already existing laundry treatment appliances, it is possible to provide the user with a cost-effective system by means of the dosing aid according to the invention without having to retrofit the laundry treatment appliance (for example by providing an automatic dosing aid). Thus, dosing can be simplified for the user even when the user has an older laundry treatment appliance.

Preferably, the control device is configured to retrieve information from the laundry treatment appliance and/or the database by means of the interface.

For this purpose, the control unit may be connected or connectable to the internet. Additionally or alternatively, the control unit can communicate with the laundry treatment appliance by means of bluetooth or Near Field Communication (NFC) in order to acquire information for determining the laundry treatment dosage. The database may be accessible, for example, via the internet. Additionally or alternatively, non-dynamically changing information, such as information b) and/or g), may be stored in the memory of the control unit. Thus, various parameters may be taken into account when determining the optimum laundry treatment dosage.

Preferably, the information about the laundry treatment process (see f) above) comprises an explanation about the amount of water used. The information about the laundry treating appliance (see g) above) preferably includes an explanation about the drum volume of the drum provided in the laundry treating appliance.

Here, since the laundry treatment process may be different according to the application, the information about the laundry treatment process may be assigned to the dynamic information. Thus, the laundry treating appliance can use different amounts of water according to the respective laundry treating processes. In addition, the temperature of the water used may vary according to the laundry treatment process. Due to the precise information about the boundary conditions present during the laundry treatment, the control unit is able to determine the laundry treatment dose precisely.

Preferably, the chamber has a first opening for filling with a laundry treatment agent. Preferably, the receiving portion has a second opening for introducing and removing the display device. Preferably, the first opening and the second opening are each arranged on different sides of the dosing aid.

In other words, the openings may be arranged on different sides of the housing. For example, the first opening may be arranged on the upper side of the dosing aid, while the second opening is arranged on the side arranged at 90 ° to the first side. This ensures that, when the laundry treatment agent is injected into the chamber, it does not reach the receptacle and contaminate the display device there.

Preferably, the control unit and the display device are components of a mobile telephone, which can be arranged in a predetermined position in the receptacle in a removable manner.

The mobile telephone can be a digital subsystem of the dosing aid. In other words, the mobile phone may be a device in which the control unit and the display device are integrated. The application of the dosing aid according to the invention can be further simplified by using a mobile phone which is currently available to almost every user. Furthermore, the control unit may implement other applications related to the treatment of laundry. This can further improve the user's operational comfort. For example, it is conceivable to implement an application on a mobile telephone, which, in addition to being used in conjunction with the present dosing aid, also comprises other functions (i.e. determining the optimum laundry treatment dose and displaying a corresponding marking). Thus, the user can be provided with further information about the laundry treatment agent used or about the laundry treatment process on the basis of at least one of the information a) to g).

Preferably, the control unit is configured for acquiring information about the laundry treatment agent by scanning a bar code on the packaging of the laundry treatment agent and/or by photographing the packaging of the laundry treatment agent.

In other words, the information relating to the laundry treatment agent according to a) above can thus be acquired in a particularly simple manner. For example, the control unit can infer the type of laundry treatment agent on the basis of a bar code or by identifying the packaging of the laundry treatment agent and thus provide information about the laundry treatment agent (for example the dosing recommendation of the manufacturer, the composition of the laundry treatment agent or similar information). To this end, the control unit may compare the barcode and/or the photograph with a database. Especially in the case of control units and display devices which are part of a mobile telephone, it is possible, for example, to capture or scan a bar code or a package of the laundry treatment agent with an integrated camera of the mobile telephone. Thereby, the operation of the dosing aid is further simplified for the user. In addition, the use of a plurality of different laundry treatment agents can thus be easily achieved, since all the necessary information about the laundry treatment agent can be automatically included in the process for determining the optimum laundry treatment agent amount in a very short time and very simply.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for adaptively dosing a laundry treatment agent to be supplied to a laundry treatment appliance for use during a laundry treatment process, the method comprising the steps of:

information is obtained about:

a) a detergent treating agent,

b) Water hardness of water used during the laundry treatment process,

d) Degree of soiling of the fabric,

e) The loading capacity of the laundry treating device,

f) Laundry treatment process and/or

g) A laundry treating appliance;

determining a laundry treatment dosage based on the acquired information; and

displaying an indicia in a chamber of the dosing aid, the chamber to be filled with a laundry treatment agent until the indicia such that the determined laundry treatment agent amount is present in the chamber.

Preferably, the above-described dosing aid is used in the above-described method. Furthermore, the marking is preferably a numerical marking which is displayed individually by a display device positioned relative to the dosing aid.

Preferably, the indicia are displayed on a display device, in particular a mobile phone. Further, the method may further comprise the steps of: the display device is positioned in a predetermined position relative to the dosing aid.

Preferably, the display device is fixed in or on a receptacle of the dosing aid, so that a predetermined position relative to the dosing aid is obtained. Preferably, the mark is displayed based on information about the size of the display device and/or the resolution of the display device.

The display device may be an integral part of the mobile phone (the dimensions of which are known to the control unit so that the position of the marker is displayed on the display device accordingly). In other words, it is thus possible to take into account the frame or other configuration of the mobile phone so that the marking is displayed in the correct height relative to the bottom of the chamber of the dosing aid, so that the determined laundry treatment amount is present in the chamber when the chamber is filled with the laundry treatment agent up to the marking displayed by the display means. Alternatively, calibration marks may also be provided on the dosing aid (see above). In this case, the method may include comparing the position of the display device to the calibration marks. Thus, the position of the display device relative to the chamber is known to the control unit and can be taken into account when determining the position of the marker.

The invention also relates to a computer program product with instructions which, when the program is implemented by a control unit, in particular a control unit of a mobile phone, cause the control unit to carry out the method according to the invention described above. The computer program may be provided as a computer program product. The control unit capable of implementing the method of the invention may be any processing unit, such as a CPU (central processing unit) or a GPU (graphics processing unit). The control unit may be part of a computer, a Cloud (i.e., "Cloud"), a server, a mobile appliance (e.g., a laptop, a tablet, a mobile phone, etc.). The control unit may especially be part of a mobile phone.

The invention also relates to a computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed by an actual unit, cause the actual unit to execute the method according to the invention, in particular to adaptively dose a laundry treatment agent. Such computer readable media may be any digital storage media such as a hard disk, server, cloud or computer, as well as optical or magnetic digital storage media, CD-ROM, SSD cards, SD cards, DVD or USB sticks or other memory sticks. The computer program product may be stored on the computer readable medium.

All features and advantages mentioned in connection with the device apply in a similar manner also to the method and vice versa. Furthermore, the individual features can be combined with one another and the advantages associated with the individual features also apply to the combination of these features.

Drawings

Shown in the attached drawings:

figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a dosing aid according to one embodiment of the invention,

figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of a dosing aid according to another embodiment of the invention,

figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a dosing aid according to an embodiment of the invention,

figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of a dosing aid according to an embodiment of the invention,

fig. 5 a schematic perspective view of a dosing aid according to another embodiment of the invention, an

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a dosing aid according to an embodiment of the invention. The dosing aid 1 comprises a housing 2 which is divided by a partition wall 5 into a chamber 3 and a receptacle 4. In the present embodiment, the housing 2 is formed of transparent plastic. The separating wall 5 is thus also completely transparent and permeable to light. In another embodiment, not shown, the partition wall 5 is transparent only in the strip-shaped region, which is perpendicular to the bottom of the chamber 3. The chamber 3 is configured for containing a laundry treatment agent (in liquid or powder form). For this purpose, the chamber 3 has a first opening 30 on its upper side, the receptacle 4 is configured in the present embodiment as a further chamber and has the display device 6 therein. In the present embodiment, the display device 6 is integrated in a "smart device" 60 together with a control unit 7 (not shown in fig. 1). The receptacle 4 has a second opening 40, through which the smart device 60 can be introduced into and removed from the receptacle 40. Therefore, the smart device 60 can be detachably arranged in the housing 4. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1, the dosing aid 1 has a substantially rectangular shape and is dimensioned such that a user can comfortably hold the dosing aid 1 with one hand. In a preferred embodiment, the dosing aid 1, in particular the chamber 3, has rounded corners and edges, so that the laundry treatment agent does not remain in the corners of the chamber 3. Thus, residues in the chamber 3 may be avoided (see for example the embodiment of fig. 5).

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a dosing aid 1 according to another embodiment of the invention. The dosing aid shown in fig. 2 substantially corresponds to the dosing aid 1 shown in fig. 1, with the difference that the smart device 60 (integrated device comprising the display means 6 and the control unit 7) is taken out of the receptacle. In the present embodiment, the smart device 60 is a mobile phone (e.g., a smart phone). Now, if the user wants to use the dosing aid 1, the user introduces the smart device 60 into the receptacle 4 through the second opening 40 (as indicated by the arrow in fig. 2). The smart device 60 is located in the receptacle 4 and is held in a defined position by the receptacle. The control unit 7 of the smart device 60 then acquires information about the laundry treatment agent a), the water hardness b), the fabric type c) of the fabric to be washed, the degree of soiling d) of the fabric, the load e) of the laundry treatment appliance, the laundry treatment process f) and the laundry treatment appliance g). The information b) and g) are already stored in the memory of the smart device 60 and are only recalled. The control unit 7 acquires the information a) by scanning the bar code of the package 50 of laundry treatment agent. Finally, the control unit 7 obtains the information c), d), e) and f) from the laundry treatment appliance by means of a wireless connection. The control unit 7 then calculates the required laundry treatment amount in order to be able to optimally carry out the laundry treatment process. On the basis of this, the control unit 7 outputs a signal to the display device 6 in order to display the numerical marking 8 on the display device 6 individually. Specifically, the control unit 7 outputs the precise position of the mark on the display device 6. Then, the mark 8 shown on the display device 6 displays: to what extent the chamber 3 of the dosing aid 1 is filled with laundry treatment agent in order to have a previously determined laundry treatment agent amount present in the chamber 3.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the dosing aid 1, wherein the marking 8 is shown by the display means 6. Through the transparent separating wall 5, the marking 8 is easily visible to the user and the user can inject the laundry treatment agent from the commercially available transport package 50 into the chamber 3. Here, the user injects the laundry treatment agent into the chamber 3 precisely up to the marking 8. Thus, the previously determined laundry treatment dosage can be accurately determined in the chamber 3. Furthermore, the high contrast of the illumination means by the display means 6 makes it easy for the user to identify the marking 8.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the dosing aid 1 after filling the chamber 3 with laundry treatment agent precisely up to the marking 8. Now, an optimum amount of laundry treatment agent is present in the dosing aid 1, so that the laundry treatment process can be carried out optimally. The user can now remove the smart device 60 from the receptacle 4 again and transfer the laundry treatment agent from the chamber 3 into the wash-in housing of the laundry treatment appliance. For this purpose, the dosing aid 1 has a discharge opening at the first opening 30 of the chamber 3, as a result of which it is easier for the user to inject the laundry treatment agent into the rinsing housing of the laundry treatment appliance without problems (not shown in fig. 4).

Fig. 5 is a schematic perspective view of another embodiment of the present invention. The dosing aid 1 shown in fig. 5 corresponds substantially to the aforementioned dosing aid 1, with the difference that a second opening 40, through which the receptacle 4 is accessible, is located on the other side of the dosing aid 1 with respect to the first opening 30 of the chamber 3. This offers the advantage that, when the laundry treatment agent is poured into the chamber 3, it cannot happen that the laundry treatment agent unintentionally enters the receptacle 4 and contaminates the smart device 60 there. Furthermore, in the case of the dosing aid 1 shown in fig. 5, a discharge opening on the chamber 3 is visible, with which the user can pour the laundry treatment agent in a defined manner from the chamber 3 into the rinsing housing.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart that schematically illustrates a method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. For better illustration, the complete sequence of the washing process is shown below, wherein the method according to the invention only relates to a part.

First, a user puts laundry to be washed into a drum of the laundry treating appliance, and selects a desired washing course on the laundry treating appliance. In addition, the user sets the degree of contamination of the laundry. In this embodiment, the user selects from three different contamination levels (e.g., low, medium, high). The user then holds the smart device 60 in his hand and activates a dosing application which is able to display the markings 8 on the display 6 of the smart device 60. The user takes a picture of the package 50 of laundry treatment agent by means of a camera integrated in the smart device 60. The user then introduces the smart device 60 into the receptacle 4 of the dosing aid 1. Next, in step S1, the control unit 7 acquires information about a) to g).

In the present embodiment, the control unit 7 acquires the information a) from a database connected to the control unit via the internet. For this purpose, the control unit compares the previously taken pictures with a database and thus acquires the exact type of laundry treatment agent and further information about dosing recommendations and application recommendations of the laundry treatment agent. The control unit 7 retrieves the information b) from the memory in which it is stored. The control unit 7 acquires the information c) to g) from the laundry treating appliance in wireless communication with the control unit 7. The information c) and e) to g) are automatically determined by the laundry treatment appliance.

In a further embodiment, at least one of the information c) and the information e) to g) can be manually entered into the smart device 60 and/or the laundry treatment appliance by a user.

Subsequently, in step S2, the control unit 7 determines the laundry treatment amount based on the acquired one or more information. For this purpose, the control unit 7 takes into account all available information. In other words, the control unit 7 also determines the laundry treatment amount in case not all information a) to g) is available. The more information available, the more accurate the result. Thus, the amount of the laundry treatment agent may be determined not only based on a constant factor but also based on a dynamic factor.

Next, in step S3, the display device 6 displays in the dosing aid 1 a marking 8, up to which the dosing aid 1 is to be filled with the laundry treatment agent, so that there is a defined laundry treatment amount in the dosing aid 1. In order to determine the position of the marking (i.e. the filling quantity of laundry treatment agent to be reached in the chamber 3), the control unit 7 uses an algorithm for converting the quantity of laundry treatment agent determined in step S2 into a filling height, which algorithm also takes into account information about the geometry of the dosing aid. The user then injects the laundry treatment agent into the chamber 3 of the dosing aid 1 up to the displayed marking 8. The user then takes the smart device 60 out and pours the laundry treatment agent from the chamber 3 into the wash-in housing or directly into the laundry treatment space of the laundry treatment appliance. Depending on the respective laundry treatment appliance, the user can also supply laundry treatment agents to the laundry treatment process in other ways. Finally, the user starts the laundry treatment process at the laundry treatment appliance. In this case, the laundry treatment process is now carried out with an optimally dosed amount of laundry treatment agent, so that an optimal washing result is achieved and at the same time the environment is protected.

According to a further embodiment, which is not shown, the dosing aid 1 has a calibration marking, by means of which the smart device 60 (integrated control unit 7 and display device 6) can be brought into a predetermined position relative to the chamber 3 of the dosing aid 1. Specifically, the display device 6 comprises a digital or manual adjustment lever which is adjusted in exact correspondence (for example at the same height) with the calibration markings on the housing 2 when the smart device 60 is positioned in the receptacle 4. The control unit 7 thus automatically knows the relative position between the smart device 60 and the chamber 3 and can therefore display the marking 8 individually on the display means 6 as described above. Thus, the mark may be displayed independently of the size of the smart device 60.

List of reference numerals

1 dosage assistor

2 casing

3 Chamber

4 accommodating part

5 partition wall

6 display device

7 control unit

8 labelling

30 first opening

40 second opening

50 Package of detergent treatment agent

60 smart devices.

Claims

1. A dosing aid (1) for adaptively dosing a laundry treatment agent to be supplied to a laundry treatment appliance for use during a laundry treatment process, wherein the dosing aid (1) comprises:

a housing (2) which is divided by an at least partially transparent partition wall (5) into a chamber (3) for accommodating a laundry treatment agent and an accommodating section (4) in which a display device (6) is arranged; and

a control unit (7) configured for determining a laundry treatment dose based on information on:

a) the detergent treatment agent,

b) Water hardness of water used during the laundry treatment process,

c) The type of fabric to be treated during the laundry treatment process,

d) The degree of soiling of the fabric,

e) The loading capacity of the washing treatment device,

f) The laundry treatment process and/or

g) The washing treatment device is characterized in that the washing treatment device comprises a washing treatment device,

wherein the display device (6) is configured to individually display the fill level of the laundry treatment agent in the chamber (3) through the transparent separating wall (5) by means of a marking (8) such that the determined amount of laundry treatment agent is present in the chamber (3) when the chamber (3) is filled with the laundry treatment agent up to the marking (8).

2. The dosing aid (1) according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (7) is configured for retrieving information from the laundry treatment appliance and/or a database by means of an interface.

3. The dosing aid (1) according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein the information about the laundry treatment process comprises instructions about the amount of water used, and/or

Wherein the information about the laundry treating appliance includes an explanation about a drum volume of a drum provided in the laundry treating appliance.

4. The dosing aid (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

wherein the chamber (3) has a first opening (30) for filling with a laundry treatment agent, wherein the receptacle (4) has a second opening (40) for introducing and removing the display device (6), and

wherein the first opening (30) and the second opening (40) are arranged on different sides of the dosing aid (1), respectively.

5. The dosing aid (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control unit (7) and the display device (6) are integral parts of a mobile phone which is removably arranged in a predetermined position in the receptacle (4).

6. The dosing aid (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control unit (7) is configured for acquiring information about the laundry treatment agent by scanning a barcode on a package (50) of the laundry treatment agent and/or by photographing a package (50) of the laundry treatment agent.

7. A method for adaptively dosing a laundry treatment agent to be supplied to a laundry treatment appliance for use in a laundry treatment process, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

information is obtained about:

a) the detergent treatment agent,

b) Water hardness of water used during the laundry treatment process,

c) The type of fabric to be treated during the laundry treatment process,

d) The degree of soiling of the fabric,

e) The loading capacity of the washing treatment device,

f) The laundry treatment process and/or

g) The laundry treating appliance;

determining a laundry treatment dosage based on the acquired information; and

an indication (8) is displayed in a chamber (3) of the dosing aid (1), said chamber (3) being filled with a laundry treatment agent up to said indication, such that the determined laundry treatment agent amount is present in said chamber (3).

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the marking (8) is displayed on a display device (6), in particular a mobile phone, wherein the display device (6) is positioned in a predetermined position relative to the dosing aid (1).

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the display means (6) is fixed in or on a receptacle (4) of the dosing aid (1) so as to acquire a predetermined position relative to the dosing aid (1), wherein the markings (8) are displayed also on the basis of information about the size of the display means (6).

10. A computer program product with instructions which, when the program is implemented by a control unit (7), in particular by a control unit of a mobile phone, cause the control unit (7) to implement the method according to any one of claims 7 to 9.