Sharing cycle settings between connected appliances

Abstract

A laundry treatment appliance includes a tub provided in a cabinet; a user interface provided on the cabinet; a remote communication module provided within the cabinet; and a controller provided within the cabinet and operably coupled to the user interface and the remote communication module, the controller being configured to direct a laundry operation. The laundry operation includes establishing a remote connection between the laundry treatment appliance and a remote terminal; transmitting a laundry cycle request to the remote terminal; importing one or more predetermined cycle settings from the remote terminal in response to transmitting the laundry cycle request; and initiating a laundry cycle corresponding to the laundry cycle request within the laundry treatment appliance, the laundry cycle comprising the one or more predetermined cycle settings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treatment appliance, comprising:
 a tub provided in a cabinet;   a user interface provided on the cabinet;   a remote communication module provided within the cabinet; and   a controller provided within the cabinet and operably coupled to the user interface and the remote communication module, the controller being configured to direct a laundry operation, the laundry operation comprising:
 establishing a remote connection between the laundry treatment appliance and a remote terminal; 
 transmitting a laundry cycle request to the remote terminal; 
 importing one or more predetermined cycle settings from the remote terminal in response to transmitting the laundry cycle request; and 
 initiating a laundry cycle corresponding to the laundry cycle request within the laundry treatment appliance, the laundry cycle comprising the one or more predetermined cycle settings. 
   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treatment appliance of  claim 1 , wherein establishing the remote connection between the laundry treatment appliance and the remote terminal comprises:
 enabling an import function on the laundry treatment appliance;   sending a connection request to the remote terminal; and   receiving a connection confirmation from the remote terminal.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry treatment appliance of  claim 2 , wherein enabling the import function comprises receiving an input from a user via the laundry treatment appliance. 
     
     
         4 . The laundry treatment appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the laundry treatment appliance is a local laundry treatment appliance and the remote terminal is a remote laundry treatment appliance. 
     
     
         5 . The laundry treatment appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more predetermined cycle settings comprise at least one of a water temperature, a water amount, a detergent amount, an additive requirement, a phase list, a phase order, or length of time of the laundry cycle. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry treatment appliance of  claim 5 , wherein the phase list comprises at least one of a water supply phase, a detergent supply phase, an agitation phase, a drain phase, a rinse phase, or a spin phase. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry treatment appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the laundry cycle request comprises one of a plurality of laundry cycle requests. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry treatment appliance of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of laundry cycle requests corresponds to a plurality of laundry cycles, each laundry cycle comprising a unique set of predetermined cycle settings. 
     
     
         9 . The laundry treatment appliance of  claim 8 , wherein the plurality of laundry cycles is stored on the laundry treatment appliance. 
     
     
         10 . A method of operating a laundry treatment appliance, the laundry treatment appliance comprising a tub, a user interface, and a remote communication module, the method comprising:
 establishing a remote connection between the laundry treatment appliance and a remote terminal;   transmitting a laundry cycle request to the remote terminal;   importing one or more predetermined cycle settings from the remote terminal in response to transmitting the laundry cycle request; and   initiating a laundry cycle corresponding to the laundry cycle request within the laundry treatment appliance, the laundry cycle comprising the one or more predetermined cycle settings.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein establishing the remote connection between the laundry treatment appliance and the remote terminal comprises:
 enabling an import function on the laundry treatment appliance;   sending a connection request to the remote terminal; and   receiving a connection confirmation from the remote terminal.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein enabling the import function comprises receiving an input from a user via the laundry treatment appliance. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the laundry treatment appliance is a local laundry treatment appliance, and wherein the remote terminal is a remote laundry treatment appliance. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more predetermined cycle settings comprise at least one of a water temperature, a water amount, a detergent amount, an additive requirement, a phase list, a phase order, or length of time of the laundry cycle. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the phase list comprises at least one of a water supply phase, a detergent supply phase, an agitation phase, a drain phase, a rinse phase, or a spin phase. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the laundry cycle request comprises one of a plurality of laundry cycle requests. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of laundry cycle requests corresponds to a plurality of laundry cycles, each laundry cycle comprising a unique set of predetermined cycle settings. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of laundry cycles is stored on the laundry treatment appliance.