Laundry appliances and linked dehumidifier appliances

Abstract

A method of operating a laundry appliance and a dehumidifier appliance includes performing an operation cycle of the laundry appliance, which causes a load of articles to be treated in the laundry appliance. The method also includes activating the dehumidifier appliance after the operation cycle of the laundry appliance and deactivating the dehumidifier appliance after a desired humidity level is reached.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of operating a plurality of laundry appliances and a plurality of dehumidifier appliances, the method comprising:
 commissioning a first laundry appliance of the plurality of laundry appliances in a remote computing device, wherein commissioning the first laundry appliance comprises linking the first laundry appliance to a first dehumidifier appliance of the plurality of dehumidifier appliances;   commissioning a second laundry appliance of the plurality of laundry appliances in the remote computing device, wherein commissioning the second laundry appliance comprises linking the second laundry appliance to the first dehumidifier appliance of the plurality of dehumidifier appliances;   commissioning a third laundry appliance of the plurality of laundry appliances in the remote computing device, wherein commissioning the third laundry appliance comprises linking the third laundry appliance to a second dehumidifier appliance of the plurality of dehumidifier appliances;   performing a first laundry cycle with the first laundry appliance;   detecting, by the remote computing device, an end of the first laundry cycle;   activating, by the remote device, the first dehumidifier appliance to perform a first dehumidification cycle in response to detecting the end of the first laundry cycle;   ending the first dehumidification cycle and deactivating the first dehumidifier appliance based on reaching a desired humidity level;   performing a second laundry cycle with the second laundry appliance;   detecting, by the remote computing device, an end of the second laundry cycle;   activating, by the remote device, the first dehumidifier appliance to perform a second dehumidification cycle in response to detecting the end of the second laundry cycle;   ending the second dehumidification cycle and deactivating the first dehumidifier appliance based on reaching the desired humidity level;   performing a third laundry cycle with the third laundry appliance;   detecting, by the remote computing device, an end of the third laundry cycle;   activating, by the remote device, the second dehumidifier appliance to perform a third dehumidification cycle in response to detecting the end of the third laundry cycle; and   ending the third dehumidification cycle and deactivating the second dehumidifier appliance based on reaching the desired humidity level.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein detecting the end of the first laundry cycle comprises sending a signal from the first laundry appliance to the remote computing device, wherein activating the first dehumidifier appliance to perform the first dehumidification cycle comprises sending a signal from the remote computing device to the first dehumidifier appliance in response to the signal from the first laundry appliance, wherein detecting the end of the second laundry cycle comprises sending a signal from the second laundry appliance to the remote computing device, wherein activating the first dehumidifier appliance to perform the second dehumidification cycle comprises sending a signal from the remote computing device to the first dehumidifier appliance in response to the signal from the second laundry appliance, wherein detecting the end of the third laundry cycle comprises sending a signal from the third laundry appliance to the remote computing device, and wherein activating the second dehumidifier appliance to perform the third dehumidification cycle comprises sending a signal from the remote computing device to the second dehumidifier appliance in response to the signal from the third laundry appliance. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the signal from the first laundry appliance indicates a door opening of the first laundry appliance, wherein the signal from the second laundry appliance indicates a door opening of the second laundry appliance, and wherein the signal from the third laundry appliance indicates a door opening of the third laundry appliance. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second laundry cycle is performed after ending the first dehumidification cycle, and wherein the third laundry cycle is performed after ending the second dehumidification cycle. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising waiting for a delay time after detecting the end of the first laundry cycle and before activating the first dehumidifier appliance to perform the first dehumidification cycle, waiting for the delay time after detecting the end of the second laundry cycle and before activating the first dehumidifier appliance to perform the second dehumidification cycle, and waiting for the delay time after detecting the end of the third laundry cycle and before activating the second dehumidifier appliance to perform the third dehumidification cycle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of laundry appliances and the plurality of dehumidifier appliances are located in a single room. 
     
     
         7 . A method of operating a plurality of laundry appliances and a dehumidifier appliance, the method comprising:
 commissioning a first laundry appliance of the plurality of laundry appliances in a remote computing device, wherein commissioning the first laundry appliance comprises linking the first laundry appliance to the dehumidifier appliance;   commissioning a second laundry appliance of the plurality of laundry appliances in the remote computing device, wherein commissioning the second laundry appliance comprises linking the second laundry appliance to the dehumidifier appliance;   performing a first laundry cycle with the first laundry appliance;   detecting, by the remote computing device, an end of the first laundry cycle;   activating, by the remote device, the dehumidifier appliance to perform a first dehumidification cycle in response to detecting the end of the first laundry cycle;   ending the first dehumidification cycle and deactivating the dehumidifier appliance based on reaching a desired humidity level;   performing a second laundry cycle with the second laundry appliance;   detecting, by the remote computing device, an end of the second laundry cycle;   activating, by the remote device, the dehumidifier appliance to perform a second dehumidification cycle in response to detecting the end of the second laundry cycle; and   ending the second dehumidification cycle and deactivating the dehumidifier appliance based on reaching the desired humidity level.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein detecting the end of the first laundry cycle comprises sending a signal from the first laundry appliance to the remote computing device, wherein activating the dehumidifier appliance to perform the first dehumidification cycle comprises sending a signal from the remote computing device to the dehumidifier appliance in response to the signal from the first laundry appliance, wherein detecting the end of the second laundry cycle comprises sending a signal from the second laundry appliance to the remote computing device, and wherein activating the dehumidifier appliance to perform the second dehumidification cycle comprises sending a signal from the remote computing device to the dehumidifier appliance in response to the signal from the second laundry appliance. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second laundry cycle is performed after ending the first dehumidification cycle. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising waiting for a delay time after detecting the end of the first laundry cycle and before activating the dehumidifier appliance to perform the first dehumidification cycle, and waiting for the delay time after detecting the end of the second laundry cycle and before activating the dehumidifier appliance to perform the second dehumidification cycle. 
     
     
         11 . A method of operating a laundry appliance and a dehumidifier appliance, the method comprising:
 performing an operation cycle of the laundry appliance, whereby a load of articles are treated in the laundry appliance;   activating the dehumidifier appliance after the operation cycle of the laundry appliance; and   deactivating the dehumidifier appliance after a desired humidity level is reached.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising detecting an end of the operation cycle of the laundry appliance with a remote computing device in communication with the laundry appliance and the dehumidifier, wherein the dehumidifier appliance is activated after the operation cycle of the laundry appliance by the remote computing device. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein detecting the end of the operation cycle of the laundry appliance with the remote computing device comprises detecting a door opening of the laundry appliance. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising waiting for a delay time after detecting the door opening of the laundry appliance and before activating the dehumidifier appliance. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising, prior to performing the operation cycle of the laundry appliance, commissioning the laundry appliance with a remote computing device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein commissioning the laundry appliance with the remote computing device comprises linking the laundry appliance to the dehumidifier appliance. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the laundry appliance is one of a plurality of laundry appliances. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein each laundry appliance of the plurality of laundry appliances is connected to a remote computing device, the dehumidifier appliance is connected to the remote computing device, and each laundry appliance of the plurality of laundry appliances is linked to the dehumidifier appliance in the remote computing device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the plurality of laundry appliance and the dehumidifier appliance are located in a single room. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the dehumidifier appliance is a first dehumidifier appliance, wherein a first set of laundry appliances from the plurality of laundry appliances are linked to the first dehumidifier appliance in a remote computing device, and wherein a second set of laundry appliances from the plurality of laundry appliances are linked to a second dehumidifier appliance in the remote computing device, wherein the plurality of laundry appliances, the first dehumidifier appliance and the second dehumidifier appliance are located in a single room.