Method for real time determination during loading of volumetric load size in a laundry treating appliance

Abstract

A method of determining a qualitative load size of laundry in a treating chamber of a laundry treating appliance based on both a weight signal from a weight determining device and a volume signal from a volume determining device, each device within the laundry treating appliance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a rotatable drum at least partially defining a treating chamber in which laundry may be received for treatment according to an automatic cycle of operation, the method comprising:
 receiving a weight signal indicative of a weight of any laundry within the treating chamber from a weight determining device within the laundry treating appliance;   receiving a volume signal indicative of a volume of any laundry within the treating chamber from a volume determining device within the laundry treating appliance; and   determining a qualitative load size of the laundry in the treating chamber based on both the weight signal and the volume signal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the determining a qualitative load size comprises making a determination different from what would be determined based on only one of the weight signal or volume signal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving a weight signal from a weight determining device comprises receiving a weight signal from a user interface of the laundry treating appliance. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the receiving a weight signal from the user interface comprises receiving a weight value entered via the user interface. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the receiving a volume signal from a volume determining device comprises receiving a volume signal from a user interface of the laundry treating appliance. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the receiving a volume signal from the user interface comprises receiving a volume value entered via the user interface. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the receiving a weight signal from a weight determining device comprises receiving a weight signal from a weight sensor of the laundry treating appliance. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the receiving a weight signal from a weight sensor comprises receiving a weight signal from at least one of a load sensor and an inertia sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the receiving a volume signal from a volume determining device comprises receiving a volume signal from a volume sensor of the laundry treating appliance. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the receiving a volume signal from a volume sensor comprises receiving a volume signal from at least one of an optical and a position sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the optical sensor comprises an imaging device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the determining a qualitative load size comprises selecting from at least three of the following qualitative load sizes: extra small, small, medium, large, and extra-large. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the determining a qualitative load size comprises a processor in the laundry treating appliance conducting a table look up of the qualitative load size based on the weight signal and the volume signal. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the determining a qualitative load size comprises a processor in the laundry treating appliance executing a load size algorithm using as inputs the weight signal and the volume signal. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising setting a parameter for the automatic cycle of operation based on the determined qualitative load size. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the weight signal is indicative of at least one of the weight, mass or inertia of the laundry in the laundry treating chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the volume signal is indicative of at least one of the volume, level, or height of the laundry in the laundry treating chamber.