Patent Publication Number: US-8967489-B2

Title: Removable component for a consumable with identifying graphic

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/849,859, filed Mar. 25, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,628,024, issued Jan. 14, 2014, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/653,473, filed Oct. 17, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,496,187, issued Jul. 30, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12,890,889, filed Sep. 27, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,393,548, issued Mar. 12, 2013, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     A physical resource consuming apparatus, non-limiting examples of which include a refrigerator, a laundry treating appliance, a dishwasher and a beverage dispenser, is an apparatus that consumes at least a portion of a physical resource in the course of performing a cycle of operation. Non-limiting examples of a physical resource include water, a treating chemistry, a fragrance, a flavoring. The physical resource consuming apparatus may have a controller that implements a number of pre-programmed cycles of operation. Information related to one or more properties of the physical resource may be used by the physical resource consuming apparatus in determining how to use a physical resource during one of the pre-programmed cycles of information. The information may be communicated by a user to the physical resource consuming apparatus manually or, alternatively, the information may be determined automatically by the physical resource consuming apparatus. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     According to one embodiment of the invention, a removable component for dispensing a physical resource from a dispensing system comprises a body defining a reservoir in which a physical resource may be stored, a graphic provided on the removable component and a composite structure formed by the graphic, body and reservoir and having optically encoded patterns at first and second depths in the composite structure, with the second depth being different than the first depth. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a physical resource consuming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a physical resource consuming apparatus in the form of a laundry treating appliance according to a second embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a physical resource consuming system and a control system of the laundry treating appliance according to the second embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of a physical resource storage container according to a third embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a composite for use in a physical resource consuming apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating a method for determining a presence and/or a characteristic of a physical resource according to a fifth embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating a method for illuminating a composite according to a sixth embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic illustration of illumination and reflectance from a composite according to a seventh embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a flow chart illustrating a method for illuminating a composite according to an eighth embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a physical resource consuming apparatus  10  in the form of a laundry treating appliance according to a first embodiment of the invention. Non-limiting examples of a laundry treating appliance include a horizontal or vertical axis clothes washer or clothes dryer; a combination washing machine and dryer; a tumbling or stationary refreshing/revitalizing machine; an extractor; a non-aqueous washing apparatus; and a revitalizing machine. While the physical resource consuming apparatus  10  is illustrated in the form of a laundry treating appliance, the physical resource consuming apparatus  10  may be any appliance which performs a cycle of operation in which a physical resource is consumed. Non-limiting examples of a physical resource consuming apparatus include a refrigerator, a dishwasher and a beverage dispenser. 
     The physical resource consuming apparatus  10  may include a cabinet  12  having a controller  14  for controlling the operation of the physical resource consuming apparatus  10  to complete a cycle of operation. A treating chamber  30  may be located within the cabinet  12  for receiving laundry to be treated during a cycle of operation. 
     The physical resource consuming apparatus  10  may also include a physical resource dispensing and identification system  60  operably coupled with the controller  14  for identifying and dispensing a physical resource to the treating chamber  30  during a cycle of operation. The physical resource dispensing and identification system  60  may include a dispensing system  62  fluidly coupled with the treating chamber  30  through a dispensing conduit  64  to dispense a physical resource to the treating chamber  30 . The physical resource may be dependent on the type of apparatus and in the case of a laundry treating apparatus may be a treating chemistry, non-limiting examples of which include one or more of the following: water, detergents, fragrances, stiffness/sizing agents, wrinkle releasers/reducers, softeners, antistatic or electrostatic agents, stain repellants, water repellants, rinse aids, antibacterial agents, medicinal agents, vitamins, moisturizers, color fidelity agents, enzymes, surfactants, bleaches, ozone, oxidizing agent, pH adjustors, and combinations thereof. The physical resource may be any type of consumable that is consumed or partially consumed during operation of the physical resource consuming apparatus  10 . For example, the physical resource may be a material that is stored and dispensed or a commodity which is utilized during operation of the physical resource consuming apparatus  10 , such as electricity or water. In another example, the physical resource may be storable, such as a treating chemistry, or may allow a material to flow through, such as a water filter. 
     The physical resource consuming and identification system  60  may also include an optical reading system  70  for receiving information related to the physical resource, such as at least one characteristic of the physical resource present within the dispensing system  62 . Non-limiting examples of information that may be received from by the optical reading system  70  include information indicative of a cycle of operation, one or more operating parameters of a cycle of operation, an amount to dispense, a time to dispense and a number of times to dispense a physical resource, a presence or absence of a physical resource, a presence or absence of a removable component associated with the physical resource, such as a container for storing a physical resource and/or a filter such as a water or resource filter, a characteristic indicative of a quantity of the physical resource, examples of which include the number of doses remaining, the number of doses dispensed and an amount of the physical resource, identification of the physical resource, a property of the physical resource, e.g., the concentration of the physical resource, and an authentication key. The information may be in the form of optically encoded data capable of being read by the optical reading system  70 . 
     The physical resource may be in any suitable form such that it may be selectively dispensed by the dispensing system  62  to the treating chamber  30  during a cycle of operation. For example, the physical resource may be in gas, liquid, gel or solid form. Additionally, the physical resource may be provided as a removable component which may be selectively coupled and uncoupled with the dispensing system  62 . In one example, the removable component may be a storage container for storing the physical component, such as a cartridge or bottle, for example, that may be removably and fluidly coupled with the dispensing system  62  such that the dispensing system  62  may dispense at least a portion of the physical resource from the storage container during a cycle of operation. The removable component may have a reservoir  65  in the form of any suitable interior, such as a hollow or recess within the removable component. The reservoir  65  may include the physical resource or a physical resource processor that may be coupled to the physical resource to process the physical resource. For example, the physical resource processor may include a filter such as a water filter which may be selectively coupled and uncoupled with the dispensing system  62  for filtering water which flows through the water filter, or a resource filter which may process the physical resource such as refrigerator water filter. In the context of a filter, the filter may be both the physical resource, in that it may be replaced over time, and a physical resource processor, in that it processes the water passing through. 
     The controller  14  may be operably coupled with the optical reading system  70  to determine at least one characteristic of the physical resource present within the dispensing system  62  and control the operation of the physical resource consuming apparatus  10  as a function of the information received from the optical reading system  70 . Non-limiting examples of controlling the operation of the physical resource consuming apparatus may include determining or altering one or more of: a cycle of operation, a step of a cycle of operation, operating parameters of a cycle of operation, an amount to dispense, a time to dispense, a number of times to dispense, a presence or absence of a physical resource, a presence or absence of a removable component associated with the physical resource, such as a container for storing a physical resource and/or a filter such as a water or resource filter, a characteristic indicative of a quantity of the physical resource, examples of which include the number of doses remaining, the number of doses dispensed and an amount of the physical resource remaining, an authentication key and a characteristic indicative of a physical property of the physical resource. Non-limiting examples of a physical property of the physical resource include a concentration and an identity of the physical resource. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a second embodiment of the invention where the physical resource consuming apparatus is in the form of a clothes dryer  110  which is similar in structure to the physical resource consuming apparatus  10  in  FIG. 1 . Therefore, elements in the clothes dryer  110  similar to the physical resource consuming apparatus  10  will be numbered with the prefix  100 . The clothes dryer  110  described herein shares many features of a traditional automatic clothes dryer, which will not be described in detail except as necessary for a complete understanding of the invention. 
     The clothes dryer  110  of the illustrated embodiment may include a cabinet  112  and a controller  114  for controlling the operation of the clothes dryer  110  to complete a cycle of operation. A door  120  may be hingedly mounted to a front wall  122  and may be selectively moveable between opened and closed positions to close an opening in the front wall  122 , which provides access to the interior of the cabinet. A control panel or user interface may be integrated with or coupled to the controller  114 , and may include one or more knobs, switches, buttons, displays, and the like for communicating with the user, such as to receive input and provide output. 
     A rotatable drum  124  may be disposed within an interior of the cabinet  112  and define a treating chamber  130  for treating laundry placed therein. The drum  124  may further optionally have one or more lifters or baffles  132 . The baffles  132  may be located along the inner surface of the drum  124  defining an interior circumference of the drum  124 . The baffles  132  facilitate the tumbling action of the fabric load within the drum  124  as the drum  124  rotates about the rotational axis. Alternatively, a textured surface may be used in place of or in addition to the baffles  132 . 
     An air flow system  134  may be of any conventional type and is provided to draw air into and exhaust air from the treating chamber  130 . As illustrated, the air flow system has an inlet duct  136  coupled to the treating chamber by an inlet  138  in a rear bulkhead  140  and an outlet duct  142  coupled to the treating chamber  130  by a lint filter  144 . A blower  146  is provided to first draw air through the inlet duct  136 , into the treating chamber  130 , and to exhaust air from the treating chamber  130  through the outlet duct  142 . A heating system  147  may be provided within the inlet duct  136  to heat the air as it passes through on the way to the treating chamber  130 . 
     A motor  150  may be coupled to the drum  124  through a belt  152  (or any other means for indirect drive such as a gearbox) for selectively rotating the drum  124 . Non-limiting examples of indirect drive motor systems include three-phase induction motor drives, various types of single phase induction motors such as a permanent split capacitor (PSC), a shaded pole and a split-phase motor. Alternately, the motor  150  may be a direct drive motor, as is known in the art. Non-limiting examples of a direct drive motor include a brushless permanent magnet (BPM or BLDC) motor, an induction motor, etc. 
     The clothes dryer  110  may also include a physical resource dispensing and identification system  160  operably coupled with the controller  114  for determining at least one characteristic of a physical resource and dispensing the physical resource to the treating chamber  130  during a cycle of operation. The physical resource dispensing and identification system  160  may include a dispensing system  162  fluidly coupled with the treating chamber  130  through a dispensing conduit  164  to dispense a physical resource to the treating chamber  130 . The dispensing conduit  164  may be fluidly coupled with the treating chamber  130  in any suitable manner. The physical resource may be a treating chemistry, non-limiting examples of which include one or more of the following: water, detergents, fragrances, stiffness/sizing agents, wrinkle releasers/reducers, softeners, antistatic or electrostatic agents, stain repellants, water repellants, rinse aids, antibacterial agents, medicinal agents, vitamins, moisturizers, color fidelity agents, enzymes, surfactants, bleaches, ozone, oxidizing agent, pH adjustors, and combinations thereof. 
     The dispensing system  162  may be configured to receive a storage container  165  containing the physical resource and the storage container  165  may be configured to be removably and fluidly coupled with the dispensing system  162  such that the dispensing system  162  may selectively dispense the physical resource during a cycle of operation. Alternatively, the physical resource may be added directly into the dispensing system  162  without the use of a storage container. 
     Optionally, the dispensing system  162  may be fluidly coupled with a water supply source  166  through a water supply conduit  168  for supplying water to the dispensing system  162  and/or treating chamber  130 . The precise physical structure of the dispensing system  162  and storage container is not germane to the invention and may include additional components, such as valves, conduits, mixing chambers, dosing meters, etc, which are not necessary for a complete understanding of the invention. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the optical reading system  170  may include one or more illumination sources  172  for illuminating the physical resource and/or the physical resource container  165  and one or more detectors  174  for receiving the illumination reflected and/or transmitted by the physical resource and/or the physical resource container  165 . 
     The optical reading system  170  may be coupled with the dispensing system  160  in any suitable manner such that the optical reading system  170  is capable of illuminating and receiving reflected illumination from the physical resource and/or the physical resource container. Non-limiting examples of illumination sources include an LED light, an incandescent bulb, a fluorescent bulb, an infrared light, an ultraviolet light, a Xenon flash lamp, a Mercury flash lamp, a laser and combinations thereof. Non-limiting examples of detectors include a CCD detector, a CMOS camera, a photodetector, a photodiode, an avalanche detector, an InGaAs detector, a photomultiplier tube, a silicon detector and combinations thereof. The illumination light from the illumination sources may include infrared, visible, ultraviolet, and other entire electromagnetic spectrum. 
     The optically encoded data carried by the physical resource and/or the physical resource container may be in the form of illumination data reflected, absorbed or transmitted from the physical resource and/or the physical resource container when the physical resource and/or the physical resource container is illuminated by the illumination source  172 . The detector  174  may be capable of reading the illumination data received from the physical resource and/or the physical resource container  165  for determining at least one characteristic of the physical resource. 
     The illumination source  172  may be a single illumination source configured to provide illumination at least two different intensities and/or at least two different wavelengths. Alternatively, the illumination source  172  may be in the form of multiple illumination sources configured to provide illumination at different intensities and/or different wavelengths. The light provided from the illumination source may be provided at a predetermined polarity, with the polarity varying with the intensity and/or wavelength. 
     The controller  114  may be provided with a memory  180  and a central processing unit (CPU)  182 . The memory  180  may be used for storing the control software comprising executable instructions that is executed by the CPU  182  in completing one or more cycles of operation using the clothes dryer  110  and any additional software. The memory  180  may also be used to store information, such as a database or table, and to store data received from one or more components of the clothes dryer  110  that may be communicably coupled with the controller  114 . The database or table data may be used to store the various operating parameters for the one or more cycles of operation, including factory default values for the operating parameters and any adjustments to them by the control system or by user input. 
     The controller  114  may be operably coupled with one or more components of the clothes dryer  110  for communicating with and controlling the operation of the component to complete a cycle of operation, such as sensors, actuators, valves, latches, locks, and many other components. For example, the controller  114  may be coupled with the motor  150  for controlling the direction and speed of rotation of the drum  124  and the dispensing system  162  for dispensing a physical resource during a cycle of operation. The controller  114  may also be coupled with the user interface for receiving user selected inputs and communicating information to the user. 
     The controller  114  may also receive input from one or more sensors, which are known in the art and not shown for simplicity. Non-limiting examples of sensors that may be communicably coupled with the controller  114  include: one or more temperature sensors, a moisture sensor, a weight sensor, a position sensor and a motor torque sensor. 
     The controller  114  may also be operably coupled with the dispensing system  162  and the optical reading system  170  to receive information related to the physical resource and to control the operation of the clothes dryer  110  as a function of the information. The optical reading system  170  may receive the illumination data from the physical resource and/or the physical resource container  165  and communicate the illumination data with the controller  114  for determining at least one characteristic of the physical resource. Alternatively, the optical reading system  170  may also include a memory and a central processing unit for storing the illumination data and determining at least one characteristic of the physical resource. The optical reading system  170  may then communicate the determination related to at least one characteristic of the physical resource with the controller  114  and the controller  114  may use the information to control the operation of the clothes dryer  110 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a physical resource  184  may be stored in the physical resource storage container  165  for dispensing before, during or after a cycle of operation during operation of the clothes dryer  110 . As discussed above, the physical resource storage container  165  may be configured to selectively and fluidly couple with the dispensing system  162  to dispense at least a portion of the physical resource  184  for use during operation of the clothes dryer  110 . The physical resource storage container  165  may further include a composite  188  having optically encoded information that may be read by the optical reading system  170  and used by the controller  114  to determine at least one characteristic of the physical resource  184 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , the composite  188  is illustrated in exaggerated detail for the purposes of discussion only and is not meant to limit the embodiments of the invention in any manner. The elements of the composite  188  have not been drawn to scale and have been exaggerated for clarity for the purposes of discussion. The composite  188  may include multiple layers which may include one or more of at least a portion of the physical resource  184  inside the physical resource storage container  165 , a graphic  190  and at least a portion of a container body  192  defining the container  165  within which the physical resource  184  is stored. 
     While the embodiments of the invention will be described in the context of a composite  188  including a graphic  190 , a container body  192  and a physical resource  184 , it is also within the scope of the invention for the composite  188  to include just a graphic  190  and a physical resource  184 . For example, when the physical resource  184  is a solid, the graphic  190  may be located directly on the physical resource  184 . In the embodiment in which the physical resource  184  is stored in the container  165 , the graphic  190  may be located generally on an outer surface  194  of the container body  192 . It is also within the scope of the invention for the graphic  190  to be located on an inner surface  196 . Alternatively, a portion of the graphic  190  may be located on the outer surface  194  and another portion of the graphic may be located on the inner surface  196 . In another example, the graphic  190  may be integrated into the container body  192 , such as by inset molding, for example. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 5 , the graphic  190  may include an upper portion  198 , a lower portion  200  opposite the upper portion  198  and adjacent to the outer surface  194  of the container body  192 , and a medial portion  202  located between the upper portion  198  and the lower portion  200 . Each of the upper portion  198 , lower portion  200  and medial portion  202  may have any thickness and may be formed from a single layer of atoms or multiple layers of atoms. For example, the upper portion  198  may be considered to be a single layer of atoms on the surface of the graphic  190  farthest from the container body  192 . Alternatively, the upper portion  198  may be considered to be formed from multiple, adjacent layers of atoms farthest from the container body  192 . In both examples, the upper portion  198  may be considered the surface of the graphic  190  while the lower portion  200  and/or the medial portion  202  may be considered an interior of the graphic  190 . Regardless of the orientation of the container  165 , the lower portion  200  is considered the portion adjacent to the cartridge body  192  and the upper portion  198  is considered the portion opposite the lower portion  200 , farthest away from the container body  192 . It is also within the scope of the invention for the upper portion  198 , lower portion  200  and medial portion  202  to have the same or different thicknesses. 
     The graphic  190  may be formed from a single material, or alternatively, the graphic  190  may include multiple layers of material located between the upper portion  198  and the lower portion  200 . For example, the graphic  190  may be formed from a single material such that the upper portion  198 , lower portion  200  and medial portion  202  are defined as a function of their relative spatial relationship to one another. In another example, the graphic  190  may be formed from a single type of material having one or more physical properties that differs between at least two of the upper portion  198 , lower portion  200  and medial portion  202 . In another example, the graphic  190  may be formed from multiple layers of different material and the upper portion  198  would be formed from at least a portion of the layer farthest from the container body  192  and the lower portion  200  would be formed from at least a portion of the layer adjacent the container body  192 , with at least two of the multiple layers of material differing from one another by at least one or more physical properties. Non-limiting examples of such physical properties include thickness, texture, color, refractivity, reflectivity, absorbance, transmittance, index of refraction and optical polarity. The medial portion  202  may be a single layer or may comprise multiple layers disposed between the upper and lower portions  198 ,  200 . 
     The graphic  190  may be coupled with the cartridge body  192  using any suitable mechanical or non-mechanical fastener. Examples of a suitable mechanical fastener include pins and tabs. Examples of suitable non-mechanical fasteners include adhesives, welding and ultrasonic welding. In another example, the graphic  190  may be printed directly on the container body  192  or the physical resource  184  using known techniques. In yet another example, at least a portion of the container body  192  may be wrapped in shrink wrap or other polymeric plastic film and the graphic may be printed or fastened to the film. In one embodiment of the invention, the graphic  190  may be in the form of a label coupled with the cartridge body  192 . In another embodiment, the graphic  190  may be printed onto the container body  192  or printed onto a wrapper covering at least a portion of the container body  192 . The graphic  190  can be any type of visible and/or non-visible indicia such as alphanumeric symbols, shapes, patterns or symbols. 
     The container body  192  may be formed from any suitable polymeric material. For example, the container body  192  may be formed from polyethylene terephthalate, high and low density polyethylene and polypropylene. It is also within the scope of the invention for different portions of the container body  192  to be formed from different materials. For example, a majority of the container body  192  may be formed from one material while the portion of the container body  192  adjacent the graphic  190  may be formed from a different material having one or more different physical properties. The container body  192  and/or a surface of the container body  192  may be formed from a material or may be combined with a material that provides at least a portion of the container body  192  with a predetermined optical characteristic for optically encoding data related to a presence and/or characteristic of the physical resource. Non-limiting examples of physical properties that can provide a predetermined optical characteristic include color, thickness, texture, refractivity, reflectivity, absorbance, transmittance, index of refraction and optical polarity. 
     The composite  188  may be considered a multi-layer composite as the graphic  190 , container body  192  and physical resource  184  may each be considered a layer in the composite  188 . In addition, each of these layers, the graphic  190 , cartridge body  192  and the physical resource  184 , may also include multiple layers. One or more of the layers of the composite  188  may be formed from a material having one or more physical properties such that the illumination reflected, absorbed or transmitted by the layer when illuminated by the illumination source  172  is distinguishable by the detector  174  from the illumination reflected, absorbed or transmitted by a different layer of the composite  188  when illuminated by the illumination source  172 . Differences in reflectance detected from one or more layers of the composite  188  when illuminated by the illumination source  172  may be used as optically encoded data that the controller  114  may use to determine at least one characteristic of the physical resource  184 . 
     Any changes in the physical properties of the one or more layers of the composite  188  may provide different optical characteristics when illuminated by the illumination source  172 . For example, one or more of the layers of the composite  188  may have predetermined textures, combined with any suitable optical method, to provide predetermined optical characteristics when illuminated by the illumination source  172 . In case predetermined textures for the one or more of the layers of the composite  188  is modified using, for example, any physical or chemical treatments, different optical characteristic from the composite  188  may be provided when illuminated by the illumination source  172 . And the illumination reflected, absorbed or transmitted by the layer after the texture modification may be distinguishable by the detector  174  from the illumination reflected, absorbed or transmitted by the layer before the texture modification. Physical properties concerning this invention that would vary due to a change in texture and would change the required optical characteristics is differing degrees of specular and diffuse reflectance between the different textures for light of the same intensity with surfaces designed to have mostly specular reflectance to surfaces having a combination of specular and diffuse reflectance to surfaces having mostly diffuse reflectance. 
     Alternatively, one or more of layers in the composite  188  may reflect, absorb or transmit the light having a first predetermined polarity in a distinguishable way than the light having a second predetermined polarity. For example, the surface or any one or more of the layers of the graphic or removable component in a composite  188  may selectively reflect, absorb or transmit the light having a first predetermined polarity in a way that may be distinguished from the light having a second predetermined polarity, where the first and the second predetermined polarity may vary with the intensity and/or wavelength. 
     The previously described physical resource consuming apparatuses  10  and  110  may be used to implement one or more embodiments of a method of the invention. Several embodiments of the method will now be described in terms of the operation of the clothes dryer  110 . While the methods are described with respect to the clothes dryer  110 , the methods may also be used with the physical resource consuming apparatus  10  of the first embodiment of the invention. The embodiments of the method function to determine at least one of characteristic of a physical resource in the dispensing system  162  and to control the operation of the clothes dryer  110  as a function of the determination. Non-limiting examples of controlling the operation of the physical resource consuming apparatus may include determining or altering one or more of: a cycle of operation, a step of a cycle of operation, operating parameters of a cycle of operation, an amount to dispense, a time to dispense, a presence or absence of a physical resource, a presence or absence of a removable component associated with the physical resource, such as a container for storing a physical resource and/or a filter such as a water or resource filter, a number of times to dispense, a characteristic indicative of a quantity of the physical resource, examples of which include the number of doses remaining, the number of doses dispensed and an amount of the physical resource remaining, and a characteristic indicative of a physical property of the physical resource. Non-limiting examples of a physical property of the physical resource include a concentration and an identification of the physical resource. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a method  300  for determining at least one characteristic of a physical resource according to an embodiment of the invention. The method  300  assumes that a user has placed the physical resource  184  stored in the container  165  including the composite  188  into the dispensing system  162  of the clothes dryer  110 . At  302  the controller  114  may control the optical reading system  170  to illuminate the composite  188  with the illumination source  172 . The controller  114  may control the optical reading system  170  automatically, such as when the presence of an item in the dispensing system  162  is detected or when a user selects an operating cycle, for example. Alternatively, the optical reading system  170  may be initiated manually by the user. 
     At  304  the detector  174  of the optical reading system  170  may detect the illumination reflected by the composite  188  that was illuminated at  302 . The controller  114  may then use the illumination data from the detector  174  at  306  to determine at least one characteristic of the physical resource  184 . At  308 , the controller  114  may use the determined at least one characteristic of the physical resource  184  determined at  306  to control the operation of the clothes dryer  110  as a function of the determined at least one characteristic of the physical resource. The illumination and detection at  302  and  304  may be repeated any number of times to determine the one or more characteristics of the physical resource  184  at  306 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a method  400  for illuminating the composite  188  and detecting the illumination reflected by the composite  188 . The method  400  may be used at  302  and  304  of the method  300  illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Alternatively, the method  400  may be initiated independently of the method  300 . 
     The method starts at  402  by illuminating the composite  188  with light having a first intensity. At least a portion of the first intensity light reflected by the composite  188  may be detected by the detector  174  at  404 . At  406  the illumination source  172  may illuminate the composite  188  with light having a second intensity, which is different than the first intensity. At least a portion of the second intensity light reflected by the composite  188  may be detected by the detector  174  at  408 . 
     It is within the scope of the invention for the order of the method  400  to be initiated sequentially from  402  to  404  to  406  to  408  or, alternatively, one or more elements  402 ,  404 ,  406  or  408  of the method  400  may be conducted simultaneously. 
     The illumination source  172  may be configured to illuminate the composite  188  with first and second intensity light at  402  and  406  such that the first and second intensity lights penetrate to different layers or regions of the composite  188 . The different layers of the composite  188  which are intended to reflect the first and second intensity lights may be configured to have at least one different physical property such that the reflectance of the first and second intensity lights optically encode information related to the physical resource  184 . Non-limiting examples of such physical properties include thickness, texture, color, refractivity, reflectivity, absorbance, transmittance, index of refraction and optical polarity. For example, the illumination source  172  may be configured such that the first intensity light penetrates and is primarily reflected by the graphic  190  while the second intensity light penetrates and is primarily reflected by the physical resource  184 . The controller  114  may use the information regarding at least one of the thickness, texture, color, refractivity, reflectance, absorbance, transmittance, wavelength (color) and intensity of the reflected light detected by the detector  174  when the composite  188  is illuminated by the first and second intensity lights to determine at least one characteristic of the physical resource  184 . 
     While the embodiments of the invention are described in the context of light being reflected by a single layer of the composite  188 , it is understood that not all of the light of a given intensity will be reflected by a single layer of the composite  188 . Some of the light may be reflected by other layers of the composite  188  and some of the light may be reflected and scattered by components of the composite  188  and dispensing system  162  away from the detector  174 . By primarily reflected, it is meant that the light reflected by the layer is such that a physical property of the layer can be identified and/or distinguished from at least one other layer of the composite  188  as a function of the reflected light detected by the detector  174 . 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic illustration of the different layers of composite  188  that may be illuminated by the first and second intensity lights at  402  and  406  of the method  400 . The different layers of the composite  188  are illustrated for the purposes of discussion only and are not meant to limit the invention in any manner, as it is understood that the composite  188  can be considered to have fewer, additional or different layers. Lines A through G illustrate the illumination of and reflectance from seven different layers or regions of the composite  188  that may be illuminated by the first and second intensity lights at  402  and  406  and reflected back to the detector  174  at  404  and  408 . The optical reading system  170  may be configured to illuminate and detect the reflectance from any combination of first and second lights A through G. Line A illustrates illumination of and reflectance from the upper portion  198  of the graphic  190 , line B illustrates illumination of and reflectance from the medial portion  202  of the graphic  190  and line C illustrates illumination of and reflectance from the lower portion  200  of the graphic  190 . Line D illustrates illumination of and reflectance from a region of the composite  188  that may include the outer surface  194  of the cartridge body  192  and/or an interface between the container body  192  and the graphic  190 . Line E illustrates illumination of and reflectance from an interior of the container body  192  and line F illustrates illumination of and reflectance from the inner surface  196  of the container body  192 . Alternatively, line F may illustrate illumination of and reflectance of an interface between the inner surface  196  and the physical resource  184 . Line G illustrates illumination of and reflectance from the physical resource  184 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the optical reading system  170  may be positioned relative to the container  165  such that when there is physical resource  184  present in the container  165 , there is no air gap between the container body  192  and a surface of the physical resource  184 . For example, the optical reading system  170  may be positioned along a lower side or a bottom of the container  165 . It is also within the scope of the invention that the composite  188  include some air between one or more of the layers of the composite  188 , such as between the surface of the physical resource  184  and the container body  192 . The optical reading system  170  may be configured such that the illumination is capable of being transmitted through any air gap between the layers of the composite  188  to reach the intended layer. 
     The illumination source  172  may be configured to illuminate any one of the layers of the composite  188  illustrated by lines A through G in  FIG. 8  with the first intensity light at  402  and any one of the other regions illustrated by lines A through G with the second intensity light at  404 . For example, the first intensity light may be light of a lower intensity than the second intensity light. The higher intensity light may be used to transmit light through one or more of the layers of the composite  188  which are nearest the detector  174  to reach a layer that is located deeper within the composite  188  and farther away from the optical reading system  170 . Higher intensity light has a greater capacity to travel farther and reach regions that are farther away from the optical reading system  170  than lower intensity light. The amount of light that is transmitted a predetermined distance from the illumination source  172  is greater the higher the intensity of light emitted from the illumination source  172 . The illumination source  172  and composite  188  may be configured such that higher intensity light is capable of being transmitted through one or more layers of the composite  188  to a layer deeper within the composite  188  such that the optical data encoded in the deeper layer may be reflected back to the detector  174 . In this manner, the intensity of light emitted from the illumination source  172  may be varied to illuminate different layers of the composite  188  to retrieve the optically encoded data that may be contained within the different layers of the composite  188 . 
     While the method  400  is described in the context of using light of different intensities to illuminate and retrieve optically encoded data from different layers of the composite  188 , any suitable optical method may be used for illuminating the different layers of the composite  188  and one or more layers of the composite  188  may be configured such that the optically encoded data may be retrieved using said optical method. In one example, the polarity of the illumination light may be varied such that different layers of the composite  188  are illuminated. One or more layers of the composite  188  may be configured to transmit light of a first polarity while reflecting light of a second polarity. Specifically, the polarity of the illumination light having varying intensities and/or frequencies may be varied such that different layers of the graphic  190  are illuminated. One or more layers of the graphic  190  may be configured to transmit light of a first polarity while reflecting light of a second polarity. In another example, the frequency of light may be varied such that different layers of the composite  188  are illuminated. One or more layers of the composite  188  may be configured to transmit light of a first frequency while reflecting light of a second frequency. In still another example, the wavelength of the illumination light may be varied to illuminate different layers of the composite. One or more layers of the composite  188  may be configured to transmit light of a first wavelength while reflecting light of a second wavelength. In yet another example, illumination light having multiple wavelengths, where multiple wavelengths include wavelength that may vary sequentially, may be configured to illuminate different layers of the composite  188 . One or more layers of the composite  188  may be configured to transmit light having a first portion of the multiple wavelengths while reflecting light having a second portion of the multiple wavelengths. In still yet another example, illumination light having multiple wavelengths and varying intensity and/or frequencies and may be used for illuminating the different layers of the composite  188 . One of more layers of the composite  188  may be configured to transmit light of a first portion of the multiple wavelengths, a first intensity and/or a first frequency, while reflecting a second portion of the multiple wavelengths, a second intensity and/or a second frequency. 
     In addition, while the method  400  is described in the context of illuminating the composite  188  with first and second intensities, the composite  188  may be illuminated with any number of different intensities of light such that any number of layers of the composite  188  are illuminated and may reflect optically encoded data back to the detector  174 . Similarly, the composite  188  may be illuminated with illumination having a plurality of polarities, frequencies and wavelengths such that any number of layers of the composite  188  may be illuminated and reflect optically encoded data back to the detector  174 . 
     Alternatively to, or in combination with, the method  400 , a method  500  may be used to illuminate the different layers of the composite  188  illustrated by lines A through G in  FIG. 8  using light having first and second wavelengths, with the second wavelength being different from the first. As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the method starts at  502  by illuminating the composite  188  with light having a first wavelength. At least a portion of the first wavelength light reflected by the composite  188  may be detected by the detector  174  at  504 . At  506  the illumination source  172  may illuminate the composite  188  with light having a second wavelength, which is different than the first wavelength. At least a portion of the second wavelength light reflected by the composite  188  may be detected by the detector  174  at  508 . The first and second wavelength light may have the same or different intensities. 
     The method  500  may be used at  302  and  304  of the method  300  illustrated in  FIG. 6  and may also be optionally combined with the method  400  of  FIG. 7 . Alternatively, the method  500  may be initiated independently of the methods  300  and  400 . 
     The materials of the composite  188  may be configured such that one or more layers of the composite  188  are capable of reflecting at least a portion of the first wavelength light while transmitting all or most of the second wavelength of light to one or more other layers of the composite  188 . For example, referring again to  FIG. 8 , the first wavelength light may be used to illuminate the upper portion  198  of the graphic  190  and the upper portion  198  may be configured so as to reflect at least a portion of the first wavelength light back to the detector  174 . The upper portion  198  may also be configured to transmit the second wavelength light such that at least some of the second wavelength light is not reflected by the upper portion  198 , but transmitted through the composite  188  to one of the internal layers of the composite  188  as illustrated by lines B through G of  FIG. 8 . For example, the composite  188  may be configured such that light having a wavelength corresponding to red light is primarily reflected by the upper portion  198  of the graphic  190  and light having a wavelength corresponding to green light is transmitted through the upper portion  198  to any of the internal layers of the composite  188  where it may be reflected back to the detector  174 . 
     The composite  188  is configured such that the reflectance of the different layers of the composite at different wavelengths of light may be used to optically code data related to at least one characteristic of the resource  184  in a manner similar to that described above for the method  400  illustrated in  FIG. 7 . The reflectance from the composite  188 , either of the first and second intensity light detected at  404  and  408  of the method  400  illustrated in  FIG. 6  or the first and second wavelengths of light detected at  504  and  508  of the method  500  illustrated in  FIG. 9 , may be used to determine an output that may be used by the controller  114  to determine at least one characteristic of the physical resource  184  at  306  of the method  300  illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
     For example, the controller  114  may include a coding matrix that relates the output of the reflectance readings from the detector  174  to at least one characteristic of the resource  184 . The output may be a function of the reflectance detected by the detector  174  when the composite  188  is illuminated with first and second intensities and/or first and second wavelengths of light. The output may then be used by the controller  114  to determine at least one characteristic, non-limiting examples of which include: information indicative of a cycle of operation, one or more operating parameters of a cycle of operation, an amount to dispense, a time to dispense and a number of times to dispense a physical resource, a presence or absence of a physical resource, a presence or absence of a removable component associated with the physical resource, such as a container for storing a physical resource and/or a filter such as a water or resource filter, a characteristic indicative of a quantity of the physical resource, examples of which include the number of doses remaining, the number of doses dispensed and an amount of the physical resource, identification of the physical resource, a property of the physical resource and an authentication key. 
     In one example, the output may be a function of the difference in the light reflected from the composite  188  when illuminated with the first light and the second light having first and second intensities and/or wavelengths. Alternatively, the output may be a function of the absence of reflection, the absence of a predetermined amount of reflection and/or the absence of reflection at a predetermined wavelength from the composite  188  when illuminated with the first light and the second light. In another example, the output may be a function of the presence of an unexpected reflectance during illumination by the illumination source  172 . 
     When only a first light and a second light having first and second intensities and/or wavelengths is used, the composite  188  may optically encode two data bits that both may be used to encode for at least one characteristic of the physical resource. Alternatively, one data bit may be used to characterize the physical resource and the second data bit may be used as authorization for use of the physical resource in the physical resource consuming apparatus, for example. Additional data bits may be achieved by optically encoding additional data into the composite that may be retrieved by illuminating the composite  188  with light having additional intensities and/or wavelengths. In another embodiment, the identification may not include two bits of data. For example, the light could be focused such that a first light having a single intensity and/or wavelength may read a first bar code on the top layer of the composite  188  and then a second light having a second intensity and/or wavelength may read a second bar code on an interior layer of the composite  188 , where the composite  188  may contain multiple reflectances from codes, and codes may be limited in size and/or space. 
     In another example, the number of doses of the physical resource remaining and/or used may be determined as a function of the illumination reflected from the physical resource  184 . In the embodiment where the physical resource comprises a liquid or gel stored within a container  165 , the location of the detector  174  relative to the physical resource  184  may be configured such that as the physical resource  184  is consumed, the distance between the detector  174  and the surface of the physical resource  184  increases. As the distance between the detector  174  and the surface of the physical resource  184  increases, the intensity of the light reflected back to the detector  174  from the physical resource  184  decreases. The controller  114  may then be programmed to determine the number of doses remaining and/or used as a function of the change in reflectance from the physical resource  184  when the physical resource is illuminated with a light having a predetermined intensity and/or wavelength. The controller  114  may then communicate information regarding the status of the physical resource  184  with the user through the user interface. This information may also be combined with other optically encoded data retrieved from the composite  188  to control the operation of the clothes dryer  110 . 
     Alternatively, in another embodiment where the physical resource  184  is in the form of individual discs or pellets that are dispensed by the dispensing system  162 , individual discs may have information related to the number of doses remaining or used optically encoded onto the discs by the composite  188 . For example, in an embodiment in which the discs are dispensed sequentially, one or more discs may be optically encoded to indicate to the controller  114  when a predetermined number of doses is remaining or has been used and the controller  114  may communicate this information with the user through the user interface. 
     In another embodiment, the physical resource  184  and/or the container  165  may be optically encoded with the total number of doses of the physical resource  184 . The controller  114  may be programmed to determine the total number of doses of the physical resource  184  from the optically encoded data and track the number of doses dispensed during operation of the clothes dryer  110 . Based on the total number of doses determined from the optically encoded data and the number of doses dispensed, the controller  114  may be programmed to determine the number of doses remaining and communicate this information with a user. In another example, the controller  114  may be programmed to alert the user when all of the doses have been dispensed and no more doses remain or not enough of the physical resource remains to dispense a dose of a predetermined size. The controller  114  may communicate the dosage information to the user in any suitable manner, such as visually, through a user interface or other display, or audibly. 
     The apparatuses and methods described herein may provide a simple and inexpensive solution for encoding information relating to at least one characteristic of a physical resource and controlling the operation of a physical resource consuming apparatus as function of the encoded information. The encoded information may provide the physical resource consuming apparatus with improved performance during a cycle of operation. The encoded information may be used by the apparatus to control the operation of the apparatus such that the physical resource is used by the apparatus in the manner in which it was designed to achieve optimal or desired results. The encoded information may also be used to prevent the use of unauthorized or incompatible physical resources. 
     To the extent not already described, the different features and structures of the various embodiments may be used in combination with each other as desired. That one feature may not be illustrated in all of the embodiments is not meant to be construed that it cannot be, but is done for brevity of description. Thus, the various features of the different embodiments may be mixed and matched as desired to form new embodiments, whether or not the new embodiments are expressly described. 
     While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation. Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the forgoing disclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.