Control of laundry appliance

Abstract

A control device for a laundry appliance storing an operation program inputs information about washing and adjusts the operation program of the laundry appliance on the basis of the input washing information.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A control device for a laundry appliance storing an operation program, comprising: 
 washing information inputting means for inputting information about washing; and    adjusting means for adjusting the operation program of the laundry appliance on the basis of the washing information input by the washing information inputting means.    
     
     
         2 . A control device according to  claim 1 , which further comprises communication means accessing via a communication network to information providing means for transmitting information about washing, and wherein the washing information inputting means inputs the washing information the communication means receives via the communication network from the information providing means.  
     
     
         3 . A control device according to  claim 1 , further comprising setting means for setting a schedule for housework and control means for causing the operation program of the laundry appliance to be executed on the basis of the set schedule.  
     
     
         4 . A control device according to  claim 2 , further comprising setting means for setting a schedule for housework and control means for causing the operation program of the laundry appliance to be executed on the basis of the set schedule.  
     
     
         5 . A control device according to  claim 1 , further comprising storage means for storing the operation program of the laundry appliance and rewriting means for collating the operation program stored by the laundry appliance with the operation program stored by the storage means to rewrite the operation program stored by the laundry appliance depending upon a result of collation.  
     
     
         6 . A control device according to  claim 1 , which further comprises storage means for storing information about a washing operation suitable for water quality in a region for every region and region setting means for setting a region where the laundry appliance is used, and wherein the adjusting means adjusts the operation program stored by the laundry appliance on the basis of the washing operation information corresponding to the set region.  
     
     
         7 . A control device according to  claim 1 , further comprising electric power information inputting means for inputting information about electric power consumed by the laundry appliance and the other electrical appliances installed in a house, constantly or at predetermined intervals, and control means for controlling the laundry appliance on the basis of the input information about the consumed power so that the electric power consumed by the laundry appliance and the other appliances is at or below a predetermined value.  
     
     
         8 . A control system for a laundry appliance storing an operation program and executing a washing or drying operation according to the operation program, the system comprising: 
 information providing means externally accessible via a communication network to transmit information about washing via the communication network; and    a laundry appliance control device including communication means for receiving the washing information transmitted via the communication network from the information providing means and adjusting means for adjusting the operation program of the laundry appliance on the basis of the washing information received by the communication means.    
     
     
         9 . A control system according to  claim 8 , wherein the laundry appliance executes a washing operation including a wash step, a rinse step and a dehydration step, and a drying operation, wherein the information providing means transmits weather information via the communication network, and wherein the adjusting means causes the laundry appliance to execute the drying operation when the adjusting means detects an indication of rainy weather on the basis of the weather information received by the communication means.  
     
     
         10 . A control system according to  claim 8 , wherein the laundry appliance control device further includes storage means for storing the operation program of the laundry appliance and rewriting means for collating the operation program stored by the laundry appliance with the operation program stored by the storage means to rewrite the operation program stored by the laundry appliance depending upon a result of collation.  
     
     
         11 . A control system according to  claim 10 , wherein the information providing means transmits the operation program of the laundry appliance via the communication network, and the storage means of the appliance control device stores the operation program received from the information providing means, by the use of the communication means.  
     
     
         12 . A control system according to  claim 8 , wherein the information providing means transmits via the communication network washing information regarding types of detergents used with the laundry appliance, wherein the laundry appliance control device includes detergent setting means for setting the type of the detergent, and wherein the adjusting means receives, by the use of the communication means, the washing information corresponding to the type of the detergent set by the detergent setting means, adjusting the operation program stored by the laundry appliance, on the basis of the washing information.  
     
     
         13 . A control system according to  claim 8 , wherein the information providing means transmits information about a washing operation suitable for water quality in a region, wherein the laundry appliance control device includes region setting means for setting a region where the laundry appliance is used, and wherein the adjusting means receives by the use of the communication means washing information corresponding to the water quality of the region set by the region setting means to adjust the operation program stored by the laundry appliance on the basis of the washing operation information.  
     
     
         14 . A method of controlling a laundry appliance storing an operation program, comprising: 
 inputting information about washing; and    adjusting the operation program of the laundry appliance on the basis of the input washing information.    
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the adjusting step includes a step of receiving via communication means the operation program of the laundry appliance from information providing means on the basis of the input washing information, transmitting the received operation program to the laundry appliance.  
     
     
         16 . A computer-readable recording medium on which a program causing a computer to execute steps is recorded, said steps including: 
 inputting washing information; and    adjusting an operation program stored by the laundry appliance on the basis of the input washing information.    
     
     
         17 . A program for causing a computer to execute the steps of: 
 inputting washing information; and    adjusting an operation program stored by the laundry appliance on the basis of the input washing information.