Laundry communication device and method

Abstract

A laundry device (1) for placing in a drum of a washing machine during a washing cycle, the laundry device (1) comprising a waterproof housing and a wireless communication module (10) located within the waterproof housing for communication with a separate device outside of the drum, wherein the wireless communication module (10) operates within the Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio band, also provided is a method of communication between a laundry device (1) located within the drum of a washing machine during a washing cycle and a separate device outside of the drum.

1 . A laundry device for placing in a drum of a washing machine during a washing cycle, the laundry device comprising:
 a waterproof housing; and   a wireless communication module located within the waterproof housing for communication with a separate device outside of the drum, the wireless communication module operating within the Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) radio band of between 2.4 GHz and 2.5 GHz.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry device of  claim 1 , wherein the laundry device is configured to determine a current position within the washing cycle. 
     
     
         3 . The laundry device of  claim 2 , wherein the laundry device is configured to send and/or receive signals to the separate device when the current position is equal to a communication window within the washing cycle. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry device of  claim 3 , wherein the communication window is during or immediately after one or more spin cycles of the washing machine. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry device of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication module has an operating frequency of 2.4 GHz. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry device of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless communication module is a Bluetooth module which is a Bluetooth 2.0 module, a Low Energy Bluetooth (Bluetooth LE) module, or a Bluetooth 4.0 communication module. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensor devices. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry device of  claim 7 , wherein the sensor devices comprise one or more of: temperature sensor, humidity sensor, pressure sensor, accelerometer, water sensor, conductivity sensor, gyroscope and magnetometer. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry device of  claim 1 , further comprising a chamber for a laundry product;
 wherein the laundry device is configured to retain the laundry product sealed within the chamber and to release at least some of the retained laundry product upon receiving a signal via the wireless communication module to dispense the product into the drum of the washing machine.   
     
     
         10 . The laundry device of  claim 9 , wherein the laundry product includes a fabric conditioner composition. 
     
     
         11 . A method of communication with a laundry device located within the drum of a washing machine during a washing cycle; the method including:
 providing a laundry device, the laundry device comprising a wireless communication module within a waterproof housing;   providing a separate device located outside of the drum of the washing machine, the separate device comprising a wireless communication module compatible for communication with the laundry device; and   establishing a wireless communication channel between the laundry device and the separate device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the wireless communication module is a Bluetooth communication module, and wherein the wireless communication channel is a Bluetooth communication channel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the Bluetooth communication module is a Bluetooth LE communication module. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the wireless communication channel is established only during or immediately after one or more spin cycles of the washing cycle. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the Bluetooth communication module is used to send and/or receive signals from inside the drum of a washing machine during use.