Patent Description:
Reliable drying information is one of the features that any customer demand from his/her appliance.

Drying information may typically comprise an estimation of a mass of the load (hereinafter, load mass estimation), and/or an estimation of a residual humidity of the load (hereinafter, residual humidity estimation), and/or an estimation of a residual time to the end of the drying cycle (hereinafter, residual time-to-end estimation), and/or a detection of an end of the drying cycle (hereinafter, end cycle detection).

Considering for example a tumble dryer, having reliable drying information is a tough task, due to the unpredictable randomness of the drying process. For example, for the same laundry load and for the same initial wetting level thereof, the drying cycle duration can significantly vary depending on unpredictable factors, such as clothes wrapping in the drum.

Drying information is usually provided according to drying cycle assumptions in turn based on "case of" policies, or by carrying out measurements upon occurrence of some predetermined drying cycle conditions or events, or it may be inferred by using proper signals (such as signals indicative of the motor torque, hereinafter motor torque signals, or signals indicative of a temperature within the appliance, hereinafter temperature signals).

<CIT> discloses a laundry treatment apparatus comprising: a housing, a drum rotatably arranged within the housing and adapted for receiving laundry, a laundry humidity detector unit comprising at least one emitting element adapted to emit ultrasonic waves and at least one receiving element adapted to receive ultrasonic waves, a control unit adapted to control operation of the treatment apparatus using at least one laundry treatment program, wherein the at least one emitting element is adapted to emit ultrasonic waves having at least one frequency or a frequency range that is responsive to water absorbed by laundry, and wherein the at least one emitting element is arranged in the housing to emit the ultrasonic waves towards the inner space of the drum and the at least one receiving element is arranged in the housing to receive ultrasonic waves from the inner space of the drum. The treatment apparatus may further comprise a second laundry humidity detector unit which is configured to detect the laundry humidity by conductivity or capacitive measurement. The second laundry humidity detector unit provides a humidity signal to the control unit, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the at least one laundry treatment program in dependency of the signal provided by the laundry humidity detector unit and the humidity signal provided from the second laundry humidity detector unit. The conductivity or capacitive humidity sensor requires direct laundry contact for determining laundry humidity. By combining the ultrasonic humidity measurement to data from a capacitive or conductivity sensor the accuracy of the ultrasonic measurement is improved.

<CIT> discloses a method of correcting an estimation of an apparatus operation value for a laundry treatment apparatus, in particular a laundry dryer or a washing machine having a drying function, wherein the apparatus comprises: a laundry treatment chamber for treating laundry, a heat pump system comprising a first heat exchanger for heating a refrigerant, a second heat exchanger for cooling a refrigerant, an expansion means and a compressor for circulating a refrigerant fluid through a refrigerant loop of the heat pump system, a detector means for detecting at least one operation parameter of the treatment apparatus, a control unit for controlling the operation of the treatment apparatus, wherein the control unit is adapted to determine an initial estimation of an apparatus operation value based on at least one detected operation parameter, and wherein the control unit is adapted to execute an algorithm for correcting the initial estimation of an apparatus operation value and/or for correcting a current apparatus operation value based on at least one detected operation parameter, a data storage means for storing an estimated operation value, wherein the method comprises: estimate an initial operation value and/or a current operation value, subsequently estimate a present operation value by executing the algorithm during an apparatus operation cycle, and correct the initial operation value and/or a current operation value to or by using the estimated present operation value.

<CIT> discloses a method of controlling a drying process in a laundry drying apparatus as well as to a laundry drying apparatus for implementing said method, whereby said drying apparatus comprises a cabinet, a laundry treatment chamber, a process air circulation arrangement for circulating process air through the treatment chamber, wherein the process air is guided in a process air channel from a treatment chamber outlet to a treatment chamber inlet such that the treatment chamber and the process air channel form a process air loop, a first temperature detector unit adapted to detect a first temperature state indicative of the ambient temperature, and a second temperature detector unit adapted to detect a second temperature state indicative of the operation temperature of the drying apparatus; the method comprises the steps of detecting the first temperature and the second temperature states, selecting a first laundry dryness control routine or a second dryness control routine in dependency of the detected first and second temperature states, and drying the laundry in the treatment chamber according to the selected one of the first or second laundry dryness control routines.

<CIT> discloses a method that involves heating a relative humidity sensor, and measuring a reference value for a dry air at the outlet of the sensor. The heating of the sensor is stopped and drying airflow is released. A reference variation is calculated by difference of reference values for dry and humid airs. An end of the drying cycle is determined when a ratio of current variation on reference variation attains a preset threshold value. The current variation is measured between the reference value and a current value measured at the outlet of the relative humidity sensor.

<CIT> discloses a clothes dryer in which hot air being heated by a heater is fed in a drum from a blowing port by the rotation of a rotary fan, wherein said clothes dryer comprises humidity detecting element is provided on the downstream side of a discharge port, from which the hot air containing humidity in the drum is discharged, and on which a filter is fitted. Also, infrared rays are emitted in the drum, and a volume detecting means to detect the volume of clothes which are contained in the drum by detecting the reflection of the infrared rays is provided. Then, by a control device, several types of operation courses are programmed in advance, based on a humidity detection result at a specified period during a drying operation and a detecting result for the clothes volume, and the required time is displayed at a display unit when the cycle is advanced to one of the operation courses. Several types of operation courses are programmed in advance, based on a humidity detection result at a specified period during a drying operation and a detection result for a clothes volume, and the required time is displayed when the cycle is advanced to one of those operation courses.

<CIT> is a document forming state of the art according to Article <NUM>(<NUM>) EPC and discloses a method for measuring the humidity of a laundry mass contained in a laundry treatment chamber of a laundry appliance comprising: providing a capacitor in the laundry appliance, said capacitor having, as part of the capacitor dielectric, the laundry mass; measuring a capacitance of said capacitor by means of an electronic circuitry electrically supplied by a supply voltage and a reference voltage. Providing a capacitor comprises: providing in the laundry appliance at least one conductive plate which forms a plate of said capacitor, and exploiting, as a second plate of said capacitor, routing lines distributing inside the laundry drying appliance said reference voltage.

The Applicant has realized that the known solutions for providing drying information are not reliable.

Indeed, the Applicant has understood that the solutions based on drying cycle assumptions provide unreliable drying information, as they do not take into account the actual conditions of the appliance and of the load to be dried.

The Applicant has also understood that the solutions based on measurements carried out upon occurrence of some predetermined drying cycle conditions or events practically fail in providing reliable drying information, in that the drying cycle conditions usually have a low and/or inconstant correlation with the drying information.

The applicant has further understood that the solutions based on inferring the drying information by using signals, such as motor torque signals or temperature signals, are not satisfactory. Indeed, such signals are provided by sensing devices, which are inherently affected by a multiplicity of biases and noises. Moreover, the sensing devices are strongly affected by appliance operation, and may suffer from signal saturations or low sensibility.

Considering for example a temperature sensor providing the temperature signals, the temperature sensor features long dynamics (i.e., long response time, due to thermal inertia), thus no quick information can be provided. Moreover, the temperature sensor measurement dynamics is strictly related and sensible to the nature of the drying air flow of the appliance and its dynamics. On the other hand, motor torque signals feature strong appliance-to-appliance variations, mainly due to flexible belts and variations in drum sealing.

The Applicant has also recognized that, in general, all the above solutions fail in providing reliable drying information in that no accurate load humidity can be detected.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an appliance having an improved humidity sensor for sensing the load humidity, and arranged for providing drying information (comprising at least one among load mass estimation, residual humidity estimation, residual time-to-end estimation, and end cycle detection) based thereon.

One or more aspects of the present invention are set out in the independent claim, with advantageous features of the same invention that are indicated in the dependent claims.

An aspect of the present invention relates to an appliance comprising:.

According to the invention, said capacitive sensing arrangement comprises at least one electrically conductive pad on an operating support, each electrically conductive pad being preferably adapted to operate as a respective plate of a capacitor.

According to an embodiment, a bottom portion of an appliance cabinet that faces the floor comprises one or more supporting pins or feet.

According to an embodiment, at least one of said supporting feet is a vertically adjustable supporting foot.

According to an embodiment, a power cord exits from a rear side of an appliance cabinet opposite a front panel, and serves for powering the appliance when connected to power mains.

According to an embodiment, the appliance comprises a drum rotatably supported on one or more rollers.

According to an embodiment, said estimating a residual humidity of the load comprises:.

According to an embodiment, said estimating a residual humidity of the load comprises applying a linear regression model to said at least one operating signal.

According to an embodiment, said estimating a residual humidity of the load is based on a linear combination of said at least one operating signal.

According to an embodiment, the control unit is further arranged for estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle according to said estimating a residual humidity of the load.

According to an embodiment, said estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle comprises:.

According to an embodiment, said applying a linear regression model to said at least one operating signal comprises, for each iteration, applying a linear regression model to the at least one operating signal determined at the time instant associated with that iteration.

According to an embodiment, for each iteration, said estimating a residual humidity of the load is based on a linear combination of the at least one operating signal determined at the time instant associated with that iteration.

According to an embodiment, the control unit is arranged for detecting the end of the drying cycle according to a comparison between the estimated residual humidity of the load and a predetermined humidity level indicative of the residual humidity desired for the load at the end of the drying cycle.

According to an embodiment, the predetermined humidity level is selectable by a user.

According to an embodiment, said estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle comprises, at an initial phase of the drying cycle:.

According to an embodiment, the control unit is arranged for carrying out said estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle in an initial phase of the drying cycle according to at least one parameter of the electric signal determined during said initial phase, the control unit being preferably arranged for estimating a residual humidity of the load, and/or estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle, and/or detecting an end of the drying cycle after said initial phase.

According to an embodiment, said estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle in said initial phase comprises:.

According to an embodiment, at the initial phase of the drying cycle, the control unit is further arranged for estimating a mass of the load according to said at least one parameter of the electric signal.

According to an embodiment, the control unit is arranged for carrying out said estimating a mass of the load in an initial phase of the drying cycle according to at least one parameter of the electric signal determined during said initial phase, the control unit being preferably arranged for estimating a residual humidity of the load, and/or estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle, and/or detecting an end of the drying cycle after said initial phase.

According to an embodiment, said estimating a mass of the load according to said at least one parameter comprises determining, for each parameter of the electric signal, a parameter regression function indicative of a correlation between that parameter of the electric signal and the mass of the load, said estimating a mass of the load preferably comprising performing a linear combination of each parameter applied to the respective parameter regression function.

According to an embodiment, each operating signal in the linear combination is weighted by a respective coefficient, the coefficient of each operating signal being preferably calculated according to said estimating a mass of the load.

According to an embodiment, said at least one parameter of the electric signal comprise at least one among:.

According to an embodiment, said estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle according to said electric signal comprises:.

According to an embodiment, said estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle according to said at least one operating signal comprises:.

According to an embodiment, said detecting an end of the drying cycle according to said electric signal comprises:.

According to an embodiment, said detecting an end of the drying cycle according to said at least one operating signal comprises:.

According to an embodiment, the control unit is arranged for carrying out at least one among said.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method comprising carrying out at least one among:.

According to an embodiment, said capacitive sensing arrangement comprises at least one electrically conductive pad on an operating support, each electrically conductive pad being preferably adapted to operate as a respective plate of a capacitor.

According to an embodiment, the method further comprises estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle according to said estimating a residual humidity of the load.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises detecting the end of the drying cycle according to a comparison between the estimated residual humidity of the load and a predetermined humidity level indicative of the residual humidity desired for the load at the end of the drying cycle.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises carrying out said estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle in an initial phase of the drying cycle according to at least one parameter of the electric signal determined during said initial phase. Preferably, said estimating a residual humidity of the load, and/or said estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle, and/or said detecting an end of the drying cycle are carried out after said initial phase.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises, at the initial phase of the drying cycle, estimating a mass of the load according to said at least one parameter of the electric signal.

According to an embodiment, the method comprises carrying out said estimating a mass of the load in an initial phase of the drying cycle according to at least one parameter of the electric signal determined during said initial phase, the method preferably comprising estimating a residual humidity of the load, and/or estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle, and/or detecting an end of the drying cycle after said initial phase.

according to a further electric signal, the further electric signal being preferably indicative of a temperature in the drying chamber.

These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent by the following description of some exemplary and non-limitative embodiments thereof; for its better intelligibility, the following description should be read making reference to the attached drawings, wherein:.

With reference to the drawings, <FIG> shows a perspective view of a laundry appliance <NUM> according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to the exemplary, not limiting, embodiment herein considered, the laundry appliance <NUM> is a laundry dryer, such as a tumble drier. In any case, although in the following description explicit reference will be made to a laundry dryer, this should not to be construed as a limitation; indeed, the present invention applies to other types of laundry appliances (for example washers/dryers, i.e. washing machines also having a laundry drying function), as well as other types of appliances having drying functions for items housed therein (such as dishwashers).

The laundry dryer <NUM> comprises a (e.g., parallepiped-shaped) cabinet <NUM>, which preferably accommodates a treatment chamber (i.e., a laundry drying chamber in the example herein considered of a laundry dryer) for the items to be dried (i.e., a laundry load in the example herein considered of a laundry dryer).

The laundry drying chamber is for example defined by the inner space of a, preferably rotatable, drum <NUM> which is adapted to contain the laundry load to be dried (in a washer/dryer, the laundry treatment chamber may instead comprise a washing basket or drum which is contained in a washing tub).

Preferably, the cabinet <NUM> also encloses electrical, electronic, mechanical, and hydraulic components for the operation of the laundry dryer <NUM>.

A bottom portion of the cabinet <NUM> that, in use, faces the floor preferably comprises one or more supporting pins or feet (not shown), preferably vertically adjustable supporting feet to improve the contact with the floor and adjusting the position of the cabinet relative to the floor.

A front panel <NUM> of the cabinet <NUM> has a loading opening <NUM> providing an access to the drum <NUM> for loading/unloading the laundry load to be dried. Preferably, the loading opening <NUM> has a rim <NUM>, preferably substantially annular in shape, in which door hinges <NUM> as well as door locking means (not shown) are arranged for, respectively, hinging and locking a door <NUM>. The door <NUM> is adapted for sealably closing the loading opening <NUM> during the appliance operation.

A power cord (not shown in the drawings), preferably provided with a plug, exits from a rear side of the cabinet <NUM> (also not shown) opposite the front panel <NUM>, and serves for powering the laundry appliance when connected to power mains.

Preferably, the drum <NUM> is rotatably supported on one or more rollers. Preferably the drum <NUM> is rotatably supported on a cabinet portion and/or a (e.g., plastic) basement (not shown) of the laundry appliance <NUM>, the basement being for example adapted to accommodate a moisture condensing element and/or a drying air heating device. More preferably, the drum <NUM> is rotatably supported on a basement and/or on a cabinet portion by means of rollers (also not shown) mounted thereon. The rollers are preferably mounted on the basement by means of respective bushings or pins (not shown) provided on the basement, each pin being for example supported by a respective bracket (not shown) in the plastic basement.

The laundry dryer <NUM> preferably comprises a drying air circuit for causing drying air to circulate through the drum <NUM> where the laundry load to be dried is housed. The drying air circuit is not shown in the drawings, it being not relevant for the understanding of the present invention. Without losing generality, the drying air circuit may for example be an open-loop drying air circuit (wherein the drying air is: taken in from the outside ambient, heated up, caused to flow through the drum <NUM> to extract moisture from the laundry to be dried, then possibly de-moisturized and cooled down and finally exhausted to the outside ambient), or a closed-loop drying air circuit (wherein the drying air is: heated up, caused to flow through the drum <NUM> to extract moisture from the laundry to be dried, de-moisturized and cooled down, and then again heated up and reintroduced in the drum). The drying air circuit for demoisturizing, cooling system and condensing may comprise an air-air heat exchanger or a heat pump exploiting a suitable refrigerant fluid. The drying air heater may comprise a Joule-effect heater; in case of use of a heat pump, one of the heat exchangers of the heat pump is used to cool down the moisture-laden drying air, whereas another heat exchanger of the heat pump may advantageously be exploited for heating the drying air.

The drying air circuit is for example designed such that the drying air is introduced into the drum <NUM> at or proximate to a rear portion thereof (rear with respect to the laundry appliance front, corresponding to the front panel <NUM>). After flowing through the drum <NUM> (and hitting the laundry load contained therein), the drying air can leave the drum <NUM> passing through an air-opening <NUM> provided close to the rim <NUM> of the loading opening <NUM>, on the inner side thereof (i.e., looking the laundry appliance frontally, behind the rim <NUM> of the loading opening <NUM>).

In addition, a user interface <NUM> may be advantageously provided, preferably, although not limitatively, on the front panel <NUM>. Preferably, the user interface <NUM> may comprise one or more buttons and/or knobs that allow a user to select laundry treatment cycles (e.g., a set of operations and control parameters designed for treating peculiar fabrics, such as wool items) to be carried out by the laundry appliance <NUM>.

Preferably, the laundry appliance <NUM> is further provided with a control unit <NUM> (schematically denoted as a dashed rectangle in <FIG>), the control unit <NUM> preferably comprising at least one electronic board on which a main control circuitry is provided. The main control circuitry may comprise one or more microprocessors/microcontrollers, an application-specific integrated circuit - ASIC - or a similar electronic control component and, possibly, further processing circuitry such as a Digital Signal Processor - DSP -, etc.) adapted to control the laundry appliance <NUM> operation according to instructions received by a user through the user interface <NUM>. As visible in the figure, the control unit <NUM> is preferably placed in a top position inside the casing, so as to be less prone to contacts with liquids or humidity possibly leaking from the drum <NUM>.

For example, the control unit <NUM> provides power and interacts with the electrical/electronic/electromechanical components comprised in the laundry appliance <NUM> - such as for example drum motor, electromechanical valves, pumps and impellers of the hydraulic apparatus, one or more heating elements for heating water/washing liquids/air, the user interface <NUM>, etc. - in order to manage an execution of selected laundry-treating operations.

As better discussed in the following, the control unit <NUM> is also arranged for estimating a drying cycle duration from a current time instant (i.e., a residual time to the end of the drying cycle), and preferably, for periodically updating it during execution of the drying cycle.

The laundry dryer <NUM> is preferably equipped with a laundry load drying degree sensing function, advantageously exploited for controlling the progress of the laundry drying process. Preferably, the laundry load drying degree sensing function comprises a system for measuring the humidity degree of the laundry load to be dried, which is used to provide drying information including an estimation of a mass of the load, and/or an estimation of a residual humidity of the load, and/or an estimation of a residual time to the end of the drying cycle, and/or a detection of an end of the drying cycle (the system for measuring the humidity degree of the laundry load to be dried and an estimation procedure aimed at providing the drying information exploiting such a system will be discussed in the following).

<FIG> is a view of the front panel <NUM> from behind, showing the inner side of the loading opening rim <NUM>, facing towards the drum <NUM> (in <FIG>, the front panel <NUM> is shown dismounted from the rest of the cabinet <NUM>). A cover member, e.g. a cover plate <NUM>, is preferably mounted on the inner side of the cabinet front panel <NUM>, just below the rim <NUM> of the loading opening <NUM> in the illustrated example. In operation, the cover plate <NUM> faces the drum <NUM> and is in front of the laundry loundry to be dried that, while tumbling inside the drum <NUM>, falls by gravity to the bottom of the drum <NUM>. Preferably, the cover plate <NUM> is made of a dielectric material, the cover plate <NUM> being for example made of a plastic material.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the cover plate <NUM> is arranged for housing at least part of the system for measuring the humidity degree of the laundry load to be.

<FIG> are front and rear perspective views of a cover plate <NUM> which is adapted to house a humidity sensor according to an embodiment of the invention, and <FIG> are front and rear plane views of a humidity sensor <NUM> according to an embodiment of the invention.

Preferably, the cover plate <NUM> has a structure that, when the cover plate <NUM> is connected to the front panel <NUM>, defines a hollow space separated from the inner space of the cabinet <NUM> in which the drum <NUM> is contained.

Even more preferably, the cover plate <NUM> is connected to the front panel <NUM> in a substantially watertight manner, thus defining a hollow space sealed from the inner space of the cabinet <NUM> in which the drum <NUM> is contained.

The hollow space defined by the cover plate <NUM> connected to the front panel <NUM> is preferably adapted to operatively house the humidity sensor <NUM>. More preferably, the cover plate <NUM> comprises a housing <NUM> arranged for housing the humidity sensor <NUM> (as described in the following). In this way, the humidity sensor <NUM> is substantially insulated from the inner space of the cabinet <NUM> in which the drum <NUM> is contained in its operating position.

In the example of <FIG>, the cover plate <NUM> is shaped substantially as a circular segment, e.g. resembling a stylized "smile" in plan-view.

Particularly, the preferred cover plate <NUM> herein considered comprises first <NUM> and second <NUM> surfaces opposite to each other (in the following, for ease of description, the first <NUM> and second <NUM> surfaces will be referred to as outer <NUM> and inner <NUM> surfaces, respectively, it being understood that the relative terms "outer" and "inner" only refer to the orientation of the cover plate <NUM> taken in the figures).

Preferably, as illustrated, a sidewall <NUM> protrudes from a periphery of the cover plate <NUM> on the side of the inner surface <NUM> and substantially transversal thereto.

The sidewall <NUM> is preferably adapted to abut and/or engage with a portion of the front panel <NUM>. The sidewall <NUM> is advantageously designed for coupling with the cover plate <NUM> (as visible in <FIG>) and determines, at least partially, a height of the hollow space delimited by the cover plate <NUM> and the front panel <NUM>.

The cover plate <NUM> further comprises one or more fastening receptacles, such as the three fastening receptacles <NUM> shown in the <FIG>, which are adapted to receive a fastener (not shown in the figures) for fastening the cover plate <NUM> to the front panel <NUM>.

In the example of <FIG>, each fastening receptacles <NUM> comprises a receptacle sidewall <NUM> (preferably cylindrical in shape) protruding from the inner surface <NUM>, and a receptacle base <NUM> at a free end of the receptacle sidewall <NUM>.

In other words, each fastening receptacle <NUM> defines a substantially cylindrical depression extending (e.g., protruding or vertically extending) from the outer surface <NUM>.

Each fastening receptacle <NUM> preferably comprises a fastener receiver, such as a through bore <NUM> in the example of <FIG>, which is adapted to receive a fastener (such as a screw, a pin, a peg etc., not shown in the figures). The fastener receivable by the through bore <NUM> is preferably adapted to engage with a corresponding receiver (not shown) provided on the front panel <NUM> in order to connect the cover plate <NUM> to the front panel <NUM>.

The housing <NUM> for the humidity sensor <NUM> of the cover element <NUM> comprises a perimeter sidewall <NUM>, which protrudes from the inner surface <NUM> of the cover plate <NUM> and has a predetermined height (from the inner surface <NUM>).

Preferably, the perimeter sidewall <NUM> has a size and a layout suitable for enclosing the humidity sensor <NUM>; for example, as visible in <FIG>, the perimeter sidewall <NUM> has a substantially rectangular layout and a size that allows the perimeter sidewall <NUM> to enclose the rectangular-shaped humidity sensor <NUM>.

Moreover, the perimeter sidewall <NUM> has a height arranged for containing the whole humidity sensor <NUM> and, preferably, also a potting insulation (not shown in <FIG>, but visible in <FIG> - described later on - where it is denoted by number reference <NUM>).

Additionally, the cover plate <NUM> may further comprise a coupling tab <NUM> designed for engaging a corresponding receptacle or hole in the front panel <NUM> in order to prevent a wrong coupling between the cover plate <NUM> and the front panel <NUM> and to provide a further stability to the connection of the cover plate <NUM> with the front panel <NUM>.

In one embodiment of the invention, structural and physical properties of the cover plate <NUM> are selected in such a manner to avoid alterations in measurements performed by the humidity sensor <NUM>.

Particularly, the material selected for the cover plate <NUM> should be such that its hygroscopic property (i.e., the ability of a substance to attract and hold water molecules from the surrounding environment) and its relative permittivity (the resistance of the material to the formation of an electric field) are suitable for preventing, or at least limiting, alterations to the measurements performed by the humidity sensor <NUM>.

Moreover, a thickness of the cover plate <NUM> - particularly a thickness defining the distances between the outer surface <NUM> and the inner surface <NUM> thereof - should be selected in order to suppress, or at least controlling, any effects on the measurements performed by the humidity sensor <NUM>.

For example, the structural and physical properties of the cover plate <NUM> should be selected in order to ensure a reduced amount of electrostatic charge acquired by the cover plate <NUM> during the laundry appliance operation <NUM> (e.g., produced by a friction between laundry load in the drum <NUM> and the cover plate <NUM>). According to an embodiment of the present invention, the structural and physical properties of the cover plate <NUM> are selected in order that an amount of electrostatic charge acquired by the cover plate <NUM> during the laundry appliance <NUM> operation maintains a conductivity of the cover plate in an interval ranging from <NUM><NUM> Ω/cm to <NUM><NUM> Ω/cm.

As mentioned above, the system for measuring the humidity degree of the laundry load to be dried comprises a humidity sensor <NUM> (<FIG> are front and rear plan views thereof, respectively).

The humidity sensor <NUM> comprises an electronic capacitive humidity sensor, i.e. a humidity sensor arranged for sensing capacitance and/or capacitance variations associated with humidity of, and/or humidity changes in, the laundry load to be dried contained in the rotating drum <NUM>.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the humidity sensor <NUM> comprises an operating support, such as an electronic board <NUM> (e.g., a Printed Circuit Board, or PCB) on which a sensing arrangement <NUM>, a control circuitry <NUM> and a connector interface <NUM> are provided.

Preferably, the sensing arrangement <NUM> comprises one or more top pads <NUM> (four in the example of <FIG>) provided on a top surface 405a of the electronic board <NUM> and one or more back pads <NUM> (four in the example of <FIG>) provided on a back surface 405b of the electronic board <NUM>.

The top pads <NUM> and the back pads <NUM> are both made in an electrically conductive material, such as for example aluminum or copper.

Preferably, as illustrated, the top pad <NUM> and the back pad <NUM> have substantially the same shape, square in the example the <FIG>, and substantially the same size. More preferably, the top pad <NUM> and the back pad <NUM> are provided substantially superimposed one to the other (at least in plan-view), but separated by the electronic board <NUM> (or at least by a dielectric portion of the electronic board <NUM>).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, each top pad <NUM> and each back pad <NUM> may be made by using a respective metal layer of the electronic board <NUM> (e.g., in case of a PCB). Advantageously, metal layers provided on the top surface 405a and on the back surface 405b of the electronic board <NUM> (mainly provided for implementing conductive tracks coupling electronics components arranged on the electronic board <NUM>) are (e.g., chemically and/or mechanically) etched in order to define the top pads <NUM> and back pads <NUM>.

Preferably, although not strictly necessarily, both the control circuitry <NUM> and the connector interface <NUM> are provided on the same surface, such as the top surface 405a, of the electronic board <NUM>.

Each top pad <NUM> and the back pad <NUM> of the sensing arrangement <NUM> is electrically connected to the control circuitry <NUM>. For example, each top pad <NUM> is electrically connected to the control circuitry <NUM> by means of a respective top (conductive) track <NUM> provided on the top surface 405a of the electronic board <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>). Each back pad <NUM> is electrically connected to the control circuitry <NUM> by means of a respective back (conductive) track <NUM> provided on the back surface 405b of the electronic board <NUM>, and by means of a respective (conductive) via <NUM> (visible in <FIG>) crossing the electronic board <NUM> from the back surface 405b to the top surface 405a, in order to electrically connect the respective back track <NUM> (and, therefore, the corresponding back pad <NUM> of the sensing arrangement <NUM>) to the control circuitry <NUM> provided on the top surface 405a.

The control circuitry <NUM> is further electrically connected to the connector interface <NUM> by means of one or more conductive tracks, for example by means of a single conductive track <NUM>.

The connector interface <NUM> is preferably adapted to electrically and, preferably, mechanically couple with one or more wirings (denoted by the number reference <NUM> in <FIG>) for operatively coupling the humidity sensor <NUM> with the control unit <NUM> of the laundry appliance <NUM>.

The connector interface <NUM> may be implemented with various arrangements.

For example, a connector device manufactured according to the Surface Mounting Technology (i.e., a "Surface Mounting Device" - SMD) is provided on the electronic board <NUM>.

Alternatively, the wirings <NUM> may be welded directly to the electronic board <NUM> and electrically coupled with the control circuitry <NUM> by means of the track <NUM>. Preferably, the wirings <NUM> are also connected to the control unit <NUM> of the laundry appliance <NUM>. The wirings <NUM> allows the control unit <NUM> to supply electric power to the humidity sensor <NUM> and allows exchanging one or more data signals (e.g., sensing settings, humidity data, etc.) between the control unit <NUM> and the humidity sensor <NUM>.

As a further alternative, the wirings <NUM> may be welded directly to the electronic board <NUM> and electrically coupled with the control circuitry <NUM> by means of the track <NUM>. Preferably, a free end of the wirings <NUM> (not shown in the figures) is connected to a flying connector (i.e., a connector device, not shown in the figures). The flying connector is connected to a matching flying connector attached to a cable in its turn connected to the control unit <NUM>.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control circuitry <NUM> of the humidity sensor <NUM> is configured for processing, or at least preprocessing, electric signals generated by the sensing arrangement <NUM> (which are based on a humidity of the laundry stored in the rotating drum <NUM>) during the laundry appliance <NUM> operation, and the control unit <NUM> is arranged for estimating (and, preferably, periodically updating) the residual time to the end of the drying cycle according to said processed or pre-processed electric signals, as better discussed below.

For example, the control circuitry <NUM> may comprise one or more electronic components - such as for example, one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, "Application-Specific Integrated Circuits" (ASICs), "Digital Signal Processors" (DSPs), and/or other electronic components (such as memory elements etc.) - arranged for filtering, amplifying and digitalizing, and/or otherwise manipulating electric (analogic) signals provided by the sensing arrangement <NUM> prior to providing such electric signals to the control unit <NUM> of the laundry appliance <NUM> by forwarding electronic (preferably digital) signals (based on the processing or preprocessing of the electric signals mentioned above) through the wirings <NUM> connected to the connector interface <NUM> of the humidity sensor <NUM>.

Preferably, the humidity sensor <NUM> further comprises on or more fastening elements in the electronic board <NUM>, such as one or more through holes - two fastening through holes <NUM> are shown in <FIG>. Such fastening through holes <NUM> are provided for allowing the humidity sensor <NUM> to be fastened to the cover plate <NUM> (as described in the following).

The pictorial schematic of <FIG> is useful to understand the system for measuring the humidity degree of the laundry load to be dried according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The number reference <NUM> denotes an electronic board, such as for example a "Printed Circuit Board" (PCB), or a plurality (system) of PCBs, belonging to the control unit <NUM> of the laundry appliance <NUM>, shown schematically and with only a few of the (several other) electronic / electromechanical components actually present in the laundry appliance <NUM>.

A DC (Direct Current) power supply generation circuit <NUM> generates the DC electric potentials for supplying the electronics. For the purposes of the present invention, the DC power supply generation circuit <NUM> generates two DC electric potentials Vcc and Vref, where the value of the electric potential Vcc, being the supply voltage for the electronics, is equal to the value of the electric potential Vref, being the reference voltage for the electronics, plus a nominally constant value Vcc which is typically 5V, or <NUM>. 3V, or less, depending on the families of Integrated Circuits to be power supplied. The two DC electric potentials Vcc and Vref are distributed, i.e. routed, through the PCB (or plurality of PCBs) <NUM> by means of a system of conductive tracks, comprising conductive tracks <NUM> for routing the electric potential (supply voltage) Vcc, and conductive tracks <NUM> for routing the electric potential (reference voltage) Vref, so as to be brought to the locations, on the PCB <NUM>, where electronic components are placed. In alternative embodiments, conductive wires may replace the conductive tracks <NUM> and/or the conductive tracks <NUM>.

The DC power supply generation circuit <NUM> generates the two DC electric potentials Vcc and Vref starting from an AC voltage (e.g., <NUM> V @ <NUM>, or <NUM> V @ <NUM>) supplied by an AC power distribution network to the premises of the users. Electric terminals TL and TN on the PCB <NUM> receive a line AC voltage Line and a neutral AC voltage Neutral when the appliance is plugged to an AC main socket <NUM>. The DC power supply generation circuit <NUM> preferably comprises transformers, capacitors, rectifiers, and DC voltage regulators. The AC main socket <NUM> (and the appliance plug) also has a ground contact providing a ground potential. In order to comply with safety prescriptions imposing that the user must not receive electric shocks in case he/she touches any part of the appliance that can be at the reach of the user body, such appliance parts are kept to the ground potential. It is pointed out that the electric potential (reference voltage) Vref for the electronics is typically not equal to the ground potential. In some embodiments, the laundry appliance <NUM> could even have no connection to the ground earth potential (Class II machines), this not affecting the implementation of the present invention.

Preferably, as illustrated, the DC electric potentials Vcc (supply voltage) and Vref (reference voltage) are routed and supply DC power to an main control circuitry, schematized as a functional block <NUM>, that governs the appliance operation.

The DC electric potentials Vcc and Vref are routed, and supply DC power is thus fed, to the humidity sensor <NUM> through the wirings <NUM>. For example, the wirings <NUM> may comprise a first wire for providing the DC electric potential Vcc and a second wire for providing the DC electric potential Vref to the humidity sensor <NUM>.

Advantageously, the wirings <NUM> allows an exchange of electrical signal between the humidity sensor <NUM> and the main control circuitry <NUM> of the control unit <NUM>. For example, one or more wires of the wirings <NUM> may be provided for allowing the exchange of electric signals between the humidity sensor <NUM> and the main control circuitry <NUM>. Preferably, the capacitance variations detected by the humidity sensor <NUM> are analyzed for deriving information about the degree of humidity of the laundry load being dried. As mentioned above, this information about the degree of humidity of the laundry load is provided to the main control circuitry <NUM> for estimating (or updating) the residual time to the end of the drying cycle (and, possibly, for adapting the on-going drying program on the go) based on the detected conditions of humidity of the laundry load). In any case, the information about the degree of humidity of the laundry load provided by the humidity sensor <NUM> may also be used for other purposes, such as for estimating a load mass (as better discussed in the following) and/or for sensing an end of the drying cycle (as better discussed in the following, and/or for estimating the amount of water contained in the laundry load to be dried before starting a drying cycle (so that the main control circuitry <NUM> of the control unit <NUM> may accordingly determine and set control parameters that will be used during the following drying cycle).

The top pads <NUM> and back pads <NUM> may be used either individually or in combination (as described in the following) as first plates of one or more respective capacitors, these capacitors comprising at least part the control unit <NUM> exploited as second plates and the laundry load in the drum <NUM> corresponding to, at least part of, the dielectric between the first and second plates.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the humidity sensor <NUM> is configured to implement a self-capacitance sensing, schematized in <FIG>. Essentially, in the self-capacitance sensing the capacitances between top pads <NUM> and back pads <NUM>, and a reference electric potential is measured.

Preferably, the reference electric potential is the DC reference voltage Vref at the control unit <NUM>.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the humidity sensor <NUM> drives a current to each one of the top pads <NUM> and/or of the back pads <NUM> and measures the respective voltages Vtx and Vbx (referred to the DC reference voltage Vref) that develops across the unknown capacitance(s) Ctx (between each plate at the control unit <NUM>, at the DC reference voltage Vref, and each one of the top pads <NUM>) and across the unknown capacitance(s) Cbx (between each plate at the control unit <NUM>, at the DC reference voltage Vref, and each one of the back pads <NUM>), the values of the capacitance(s) Ctx and Cbx are to be determined.

In <FIG>, thin curves <NUM> schematize the electric field lines that start at the top pads <NUM> and/or back pads <NUM> on the humidity sensor <NUM> and end at the conductive tracks <NUM> that, in the PCB (or plurality of PCBs) <NUM>, route the reference electric potential Vref.

It is pointed out that the electric field lines do not end at the drum <NUM>, because the drum <NUM> is not at the DC reference voltage Vref, being instead at a different electric potential. In particular, the actual electric potential of the drum <NUM> may depend on the circumstances, and it is not necessarily the ground potential. For example, let it be supposed that the drum <NUM> is driven by a belt (which, due to the material of which it is made, has a certain electric impedance). The belt, through pulleys, is driven by an electric motor, which, for safety prescriptions, is kept to the ground earth. Thus, in this example the drum <NUM> may be connected to the ground earth, but (due to the impedance of the belt) is at a potential different from the ground earth. At the same time, the drum <NUM> is not at the DC reference voltage Vref, which, as pointed out in the foregoing, is typically not the ground.

<FIG> schematizes capacitance components comprised in a total capacitance measured by the system for measuring the humidity degree according to an embodiment of the present invention. References Ctx and Cbx denotes the capacitors whose unknown capacitances Ctx and Cbx, respectively, is to be determined. The capacitors Ctx and Cbx have a dielectric that is substantially formed by: the cover plate <NUM> (with capacitive components Ctcover and Cbcover), laundry load <NUM> (with capacitive components Ctlaundry and Cblaundry) contained in the drum <NUM>, and air (with capacitive components Ctair and Cbair) in the laundry appliance <NUM>.

Each capacitor Ctx and Cbx has a (first) plate formed by a respective top pad <NUM>, or back pad <NUM>, provided on the humidity sensor <NUM>. The other (second) plate of each capacitor Ctx and Cbx is formed by (e.g., one or more respective portions of) the conductive tracks <NUM> in the PCB <NUM> routing the reference electric potential (reference voltage) Vref.

Since the permittivity of the laundry load housed in the drum <NUM> varies considerably according to the laundry load humidity, the capacitances Ctx of the capacitors Ctx and the capacitances Cbx of the capacitors Cbx varies according to a degree of humidity of the laundry load in the drum <NUM>. Thus, by sensing the capacitances Ctx and Cbx of the capacitors Ctx and Cbx an indication of the laundry load humidity degree can be derived.

Methods for measuring capacitances are known in the art, and are not limitative for the present invention.

Some known methods for measuring capacitances make use of a switched capacitor network comprising the capacitors Ctx and Cbx whose unknown capacitances Ctx and Cbx are to be determined, a reference capacitor of known capacitance (not shown, for example comprised in the control circuitry <NUM> of the humidity sensor <NUM> and, possibly, larger than the unknown capacitance to be determined), and an arrangement of switches (not shown, for example comprised in the control circuitry <NUM> of the humidity sensor <NUM>).

One known capacitance measuring method using a switched capacitor network is the "charge transfer" method: the capacitors Ctx and Cbx (whose unknown capacitances Ctx and Cbx are to be determined) are repeatedly charged to the voltage of a voltage source, and its charge is then transferred to a reference capacitor. By counting the number of times the capacitors Ctx and Cbx need to be charged and their charge transferred to the reference capacitor until the latter is charged up to a threshold (voltage) value (or by measuring the time needed to charge the reference capacitor up to the threshold voltage value), it is possible to derive the value of the unknown capacitance. Preferably, countermeasures are taken for increasing the immunity against noise, like for example averaging.

Another known measuring method using a switched capacitor network is the "sigma-delta modulation" method. Differently from the charge transfer method, the reference capacitor is not charged from an initial voltage to a threshold (reference) voltage, rather the voltage across the reference capacitor is modulated about the reference voltage in charge up and charge down steps. The capacitors Ctx and Cbx (whose unknown capacitances Ctx and Cbx are to be determined) are coupled to a feedback loop of a sigma delta modulator. The capacitors Ctx and Cbx are switched between a voltage source and a reference capacitor (by means of a first switch, coupled between the voltage source and a first node of the capacitors Ctx and Cbx, and a second switch, coupled between the first node of the capacitors Ctx and Cbx and the first node of the reference capacitor), and charge is transferred from the capacitors Ctx and Cbx to the reference capacitor.

As the charge in the reference capacitor increases by charge transfer from the capacitors Ctx and Cbx, so does the voltage across it. The voltage across the reference capacitor is fed to one input of a comparator, whose other input is kept at the threshold voltage. When the input of the comparator reaches the threshold voltage, a discharge circuit (e.g., a resistor in series to a switch) in shunt to the reference capacitor is activated and the reference capacitor is discharged at a rate determined by the starting voltage across the reference capacitor and the resistance of the discharge circuit. As the voltage across the external capacitor decreases, it again passes the threshold voltage and the discharge circuit is deactivated. The charge/discharge cycle is then repeated: charge is again transferred from the capacitors Ctx and Cbx to the reference capacitor, to increase again the voltage across the reference capacitor, and so on. The charge/discharge cycle of the reference capacitor produces a bit stream at the comparator output. Such bit stream is put in logical 'AND' with a pulse-width modulator to enable a timer. The timer output is used for processing the extent of the change of the capacitances Ctx and Cbx.

Another known capacitance measuring methods is the "RC method": in this case, the unknown capacitance to be determined is derived from the time needed to charge or discharge the capacitor whose capacitance is to be determined through a resistor of known resistance.

A further known method for measuring a capacitance is the "Wheatstone bridge method": in this method, a Wheatstone bridge is balanced in order to bring unbalance currents to zero.

Regardless of the method being used to determine the unkown capacitance, according to the present invention:.

It should be noted that the top pads <NUM> or back pads <NUM> provided on the humidity sensor <NUM> according to the present invention may be exploited in a number of different manners in order to measure the humidity of the laundry load in the drum <NUM>.

For example, the top pads <NUM> may be used individually, each forming a respective capacitors Ctx with the conductive tracks <NUM> that route the reference electric potential Vref; thus, each providing a respective capacitance Ctx measurement.

Alternatively, the top pads <NUM> may be used together as a single probe in order to achieve a higher sensitivity, i.e. top pads <NUM> forms a single capacitor Ctx with the conductive tracks <NUM> that route the reference electric potential Vref, thus each providing a single capacitance Ctx measurement.

Similarly, the back pads <NUM> may be used individually, each forming a respective capacitors Cbx with the conductive tracks <NUM> that route the reference electric potential Vref; thus, each providing a respective capacitance Cbx measurement.

Alternatively, the back pads <NUM> may be used together as a single probe in order to achieve a higher sensitivity, i.e. back pads <NUM> forming a single capacitor Cbx with the conductive tracks <NUM> that route the reference electric potential Vref, thus each providing a single capacitance Cbx measurement.

In other words, top pads <NUM> and back pads <NUM> of the sensing arrangement <NUM> may be used individually, thus obtaining a plurality of electric signals associated with the humidity of the laundry load, or together, thus obtaining two probes featuring a high sensitivity (at least higher than a sensitivity of the single top pad <NUM> or back pad <NUM>), i.e. able to collect a greater electric signal associated with the humidity of the laundry load.

Additionally or alternatively, couples of top pads <NUM> and back pads <NUM> may be used for obtaining one or more differential measurements of the humidity of the laundry load to be treated by the laundry appliance <NUM>. For example, the measures of each top pad <NUM> and of back pad <NUM> superimposed to the former are combined (e.g., subtracted and, possibly, processed in a feedback loop by the control circuitry <NUM>) in order to obtain a corresponding measurement of a differential type. This allows to suppress, or at least to substantially reduce, noises and offsets due to common mode sources (known in the art and, thus, not herein further discussed for the sake of brevity).

As a further alternative or addition, top pads <NUM> may be used together with corresponding back pads <NUM> in order to provide a configuration of the sensing arrangement <NUM> comprising one or more sensing pads (e.g., comprising the top pads <NUM>) associated with respective one or more shield pads (e.g., comprising the back pads <NUM>). Such configuration of the sensing arrangement <NUM> ensures a substantial noise suppression and improves sensitivity (in terms of signal penetration in the laundry load) of the humidity sensor <NUM>.

As a yet further alternative, top pads <NUM> and back pads <NUM> of the sensing arrangement <NUM> may be used according to a ratiometric method in which the humidity sensor <NUM> further comprises a reference capacitor (not shown in the drawings, for example comprised in the control circuitry <NUM>).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, humidity measurements based on the top pads <NUM> and back pads <NUM> are combined with temperature measurements (e.g., accounting for the temperature within the drum <NUM>) in order to analyze a relationship between humidity and temperature during the treatment of laundry load in order to dynamically controlling and improving the operation of the laundry appliance <NUM>. For example, the laundry appliance <NUM> may comprise a temperature sensor (not shown in the drawings), such as a temperature sensor comprising a Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC) resistor. In one embodiment of the invention (not shown), the temperature sensor may be provided on the humidity sensor <NUM>, for example comprised in, or electrically connected to, the control circuitry <NUM> thereof. Additionally or alternatively, one or temperature sensors (for example, NTC resistors) may be provided in the appliance <NUM> for determining the temperature outside the drum or at specific locations of the appliance. Advantageously, the temperature measurements are used by the control unit <NUM> (together with the capacitive electric signals) to estimate a residual humidity of the laundry load (and, hence, a residual time to the end of the drying cycle), as discussed below.

As shown in <FIG>, which is a perspective detail view of the cover plate <NUM> housing the humidity sensor <NUM>, the humidity sensor <NUM> is preferably coupled with the cover plate <NUM> at the housing <NUM>.

Preferably, the humidity sensor <NUM> is positioned within the housing <NUM> in such a way that centering pins, such as the two centering pins <NUM> shown in the example of <FIG>, are inserted into respective fastening through holes <NUM> of the electronic board <NUM>.

Preferably, the centering pins <NUM> are made in plastic material (for example, of the same material as the cover plate <NUM>), even more preferably the centering pins <NUM> are made integral with (i.e., in a single piece of) the cover plate <NUM>.

Once the centering pins <NUM> are inserted in the respective through holes <NUM> of the electronic board <NUM>, the centering pins <NUM> may be welded, either ultrasonically or thermally, in order that the humidity sensor <NUM> is firmly held within the housing <NUM>. Preferably, the welding of the centering pins <NUM> allows the humidity sensor <NUM> to be maintained substantially in contact with the inner surface <NUM> of the cover plate <NUM> delimited by the perimeter sidewall <NUM> of the housing <NUM>. For example, the humidity sensor <NUM> is arranged in the housing <NUM> with the back surface 405b and, thus, the back pads <NUM> of the sensing arrangement <NUM>, substantially in contact with the inner surface <NUM> of the cover plate <NUM>.

It should be noted that having both the control circuitry <NUM> and the connector interface <NUM> on the same surface 405a of the electronic board <NUM> of the humidity sensor <NUM> allows the back pads <NUM> provided on the opposite surface 405b to be substantially in contact with the inner surface <NUM> of the cover plate <NUM>.

As mentioned above, wirings <NUM> are electrically coupled to the connector interface <NUM> of the humidity sensor <NUM>. The wirings <NUM> are arranged for providing power supply and exchange data to/from the control unit <NUM> of the laundry appliance <NUM>. Since the humidity sensor <NUM> operation may be negatively affected by surface moisture that may deposit on the humidity sensor <NUM> during the laundry appliance <NUM> operation and cause sensing errors, short circuits and/or corrosion of metal parts of the humidity sensor <NUM>, the humidity sensor <NUM> is insulated from the environment. For example, the humidity sensor <NUM> may be protected by a potting encapsulation <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, which is a perspective detail view of the cover plate <NUM> housing the humidity sensor <NUM> encapsulated by the potting encapsulation <NUM>.

Preferably, the potting encapsulation <NUM> may comprise (flowable) insulating materials such as for example silicones, epoxies, polyesters, and urethanes.

In one embodiment of the invention, the insulating materials are injected or deposited over the humidity sensor <NUM> in the housing <NUM>. Preferably, the whole housing <NUM> is filled with the insulating materials. Even more preferably, the insulating materials are deposited in the housing until are substantially flush with a free end of the perimeter sidewall <NUM>. In other words, the insulating materials fill the whole volume delimited by the perimeter sidewall <NUM> from the inner surface <NUM> upwards for total height of the sidewall <NUM>. Therefore, the potting encapsulation <NUM> encloses the humidity sensor <NUM>, the centering pins <NUM> and a portion of the wirings <NUM>.

The insulating materials are then cured (e.g., by applying a predetermined temperature to the insulating materials), thus obtaining the potting encapsulation <NUM> that covers the humidity sensor <NUM> preventing moisture, water and/or foreign matters to contact any parts thereof.

For example, the humidity sensor <NUM> is positioned into a plastic 'bath' used for forming the cover plate <NUM>, subsequently the insulating materials are poured onto the humidity sensor in place in the plastic bath after that already contains the humidity sensor <NUM>.

Thanks to the humidity sensor <NUM> and the cover plate <NUM> according to the embodiments of the present invention it is possible to perform measurements of the humidity of laundry load stored in the drum <NUM> to be, or being, treated by the laundry appliance <NUM> in a plurality of different manners at the same time ensuring a substantial accuracy and precision of the measurements - as discussed below.

It should be noted that a mounting operation of the humidity sensor <NUM> in the laundry appliance <NUM> according to the present invention is simple allowing a simple manufacturing of the laundry appliance <NUM>. Moreover, the structure of the cover plate <NUM> and the potting encapsulation <NUM> ensure a substantially thorough insulation of the humidity sensor <NUM> from moisture and foreign matters that could compromise a functionality thereof, at the same time without impairing sensing performance of the humidity sensor <NUM>.

With reference now to <FIG>, it shows an activity diagram of an estimation procedure <NUM> carried out by the control unit <NUM> (particularly, by the main control circuitry <NUM>) according to an embodiment of the present invention. Broadly speaking, the estimation procedure <NUM> is generally aimed at carrying out at least one among:.

The estimation procedure <NUM> in the preferred embodiment discussed below is exemplary aimed at carrying out all among load mass estimation, residual humidity estimation, time-to-end estimation and end cycle detection; in any case, as progressively detailed in the following while discussing the estimation procedure <NUM>, each one among load mass estimation, residual humidity estimation, time-to-end estimation and end cycle detection may form an independent aspect of the present invention.

With reference to the activity diagram, the estimation procedure <NUM> according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention starts by estimating load information according to the capacitive electric signal (step <NUM>), the load information comprising for example an indication of the amount of the load (hereinafter, load mass) within the drying chamber. Preferably, said estimation of the load mass (hereinafter, load mass estimation), or at least the acquisition and processing of the capacitive electric signal for performing load mass estimation, is carried out at an initial phase of the drying cycle.

From now on, by initial phase of the drying cycle it is meant a time interval that the user, from the start of a drying program, is supposedly willing to wait for in order to obtain a load mass estimation (and/or an initial time-to-end estimation, discussed in the following) with a certain degree of accuracy and reliability. Just as an example, the initial phase may comprise a time interval within the first <NUM> seconds from the start of drying cycle. According to an embodiment, the initial phase may be identified by specific movements of the drum (for example, by specific rotation speeds of the drum and/or by specific combinations of clockwise and anti-clockwise rotations of the drum that are exclusively or mainly carried out in such initial phase rather than in the subsequent course of the drying program) and/or the end of the initial phase may be identified by the displaying of the estimation(s) on a display unit (not shown) of the laundry appliance <NUM> and/or by audible signals emitted by the laundry appliance <NUM>.

Back to the activity diagram, although in the exemplary embodiment herein discussed the load mass estimation is carried out at an initial phase of the drying cycle, this should not construed limitatively. Indeed, thanks to the accuracy and precision of the capacitive electric signal provided by the humidity sensor <NUM>, load mass estimation may be carried out at any time during the execution of the drying cycle (e.g. during a phase of the drying cycle following the initial phase, in the following referred to as main phase).

According to a first embodiment of the load mass estimation, the control unit <NUM> is arranged for determining, by means of a regression, an indication of a correlation between the capacitive electric signal, the load mass and the water mass, and one or more operation parameters among:.

and, hence, for inferring or estimating the unknown load mass according to the determined correlation and to one or more acquisitions of the capacitive electric signal.

According to a second embodiment of the load mass estimation, the control unit <NUM> is arranged for classifying the load mass in categories (e.g., "small", "medium", "large") based on a machine learning algorithm.

Preferably, to train the algorithm, a training set of acquired data with known load mass is used, with peculiar parameters of the capacitive electric signal (hereinafter, signal parameters) that are advantageously used to characterize the training algorithm. As used herein, by signal parameter it is meant an individual measurable property of the capacitive electric signal (and is related to the notion of "feature" in machine learning and pattern recognition and to that of "explanatory variable" used in statistical techniques such as linear regression), as opposed to time-variant operating signals extracted from the same capacitive electric signal (and discussed below).

Examples of signal parameters that can be used to this purpose are, but are not limited to:.

In any case, other signal parameters (such as energy or harmonic frequencies) or other appliance parameters (such as temperature information, mean and variance of the motor torque), could be envisaged in order to characterize the training algorithm.

Preferably, the above signal parameters are determined at (i.e., extracted or derived by) the control circuitry <NUM> of the humidity sensor <NUM>.

Load mass classification may be achieved, for example, by means of a multiclass classification approach (e.g., based on "Support Vector Classification), or by a regression (e.g., based on "Support Vector Regression") followed by a consistent classification, or by a multiple binary classification approach.

Considering for example the multiple binary classification approach, "One-vs-rest" strategy is preferably used. In the example at issue of three load mass categories ("small", "medium", "large"), the multiclass classification can for example be reduced to two "One-vs-rest" classifications, namely a first "One-vs-rest" classification aimed at checking whether the load mass can be classified in the "small" category, and a second "One-vs-rest" classification aimed at checking whether the load mass can be classified in the "large" category, with the load mass that is classified in the "medium" category if it is not classified in the "small" category nor in the "large" category. In order to achieve that, for instance, two (among the above four) signal parameters are selected that best separate categories in a training set of tests (such as for example, mean and percentage of samples below the lower threshold value for the "small" category, and standard deviation and percentage of samples above the upper threshold value for the "large" category. Mathematically speaking, the first and second "One-vs-rest" classifications translate into checking whether a linear combination of the respective chosen signal parameters with suitable coefficients (preferably calculated offline in an algorithm training phase) is larger or smaller than zero.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention herein considered, the load mass estimation is advantageously used for estimating the residual time to end of the drying cycle (as better discussed in the following). In any case, the load information (such as the load mass estimation herein assumed) may also represent an aspect independent from, and alternative to, that of the estimation of the residual time to end of the drying cycle (in this respect, any advantageous feature discussed in connection with the load mass estimation in the context of the time-to-end estimation also applies to the load mass estimation, or generally to load estimation, when being end in itself).

Back to the activity diagram, the estimation procedure <NUM> preferably carries out, still at the initial phase of the drying cycle, an estimation of the residual time to the end of the drying cycle, preferably still according to the above signal parameters (or at least a subset thereof) - step <NUM>. This estimation is preferably aimed at providing, already from the beginning the drying cycle, a first, rough or preliminary indication to the user about an approximate residual time to the end of the drying cycle, this estimation being intended to be refined or updated during the main phase of the drying cycle (e.g. either taking into account the time-to-end estimation carried out at the initial phase of the drying cycle, or independently from it, as detailed below). From now on, the time-to-end estimation carried out at the initial phase of the drying cycle will be referred to as initial time-to-end estimation, in order to distinguish it from the one or, preferably, more time-to-end estimations carried out during the main phase of the drying cycle (and referred to as main time-to-end estimations).

The initial time-to-end estimation may also be omitted in embodiments of the present invention, for example in embodiments wherein no preliminary indication to the user about an approximate residual time to the end of the drying cycle since the very beginning of the drying cycle is desired or required, and/or in embodiments wherein the initial time-to-end estimation is not taken into account for the following main time-to-end estimations.

Moreover, when both load mass estimation and initial time-to-end estimation are envisaged (as in the exemplary embodiment herein considered), they do not necessarily need to be executed in the illustrated order (for example, they may be executed in reverse order or substantially concurrently).

As mentioned above, the initial time-to-end estimation is preferably carried out according to the above signal parameters (or at least a subset thereof). More preferably, the initial time-to-end estimation is carried out according to the same signal parameters used for performing load mass estimation, namely average of the capacitive electric signal, standard deviation of the capacitive electric signal, percentage of samples of the capacitive electric signal above an upper threshold value, and percentage of samples of the capacitive electric signal below a lower threshold value (according to specific design options, the upper and lower threshold values set for the initial time-to-end estimation being equal or at least partly different from the upper and lower threshold values set for the load mass estimation). This preferred embodiment of the present invention arises from the finding of the Applicant that these signal parameters extracted from the capacitive electric signal at the very beginning of the drying cycle have a reliable correlation with the degree of humidity of the load contained in the drying chamber (or, otherwise stated, with a combination of load mass and its wetting in the drying chamber), and hence with the time-to-end estimation - in any case, similarly to load estimation discussion, other signal parameters (such as energy or harmonic frequencies) or other appliance parameters (such as temperature information, mean and variance of the motor torque) could be considered additionally or alternatively to one or more of the above signal parameters.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in order to perform the initial time-to-end estimation, the control unit <NUM> is arranged for determining (e.g., for a training set of samples of the signal parameters) regression functions each one indicative of a correlation between a respective signal parameter and the residual time to the end of the drying cycle, thereafter the control unit <NUM> is arranged for performing a linear combination of the signal parameters (e.g., of a new set of samples of the signal parameters) weighted (e.g., by means of proper coefficients) according to the respective regression functions, and to output the initial time-to-end estimation accordingly.

With respect to the known solutions, wherein the initial time-to-end estimation is often just a guess, based on average load mass, average wetting level and standard textiles blends, the initial time-to-end estimation that is obtained thanks to the humidity sensor <NUM> and the processing discussed has a surprising degree of accuracy.

Back to the activity diagram, the estimation procedure <NUM> then provides a main time-to-end estimation during the main phase of the drying cycle (steps <NUM>-<NUM>). As mentioned above, in the exemplary embodiment herein considered, the main time-to-end estimation is preferably based on the load mass estimation carried out at the initial phase of the drying cycle (step <NUM>), although this should not construed limitatively.

More particularly, the main time-to-end estimation starts by determining (step <NUM>), from the capacitive electric signal, at least one (preferably, two or more) among the following operating signals:.

Preferably, the operating signals are determined from the capacitive electric signal based on proper hardware or software circuitry in the humidity sensor <NUM> (and/or in the main control circuitry <NUM>), the hardware or software circuitry including for example an analog or digital low pass filter for determining the average operating signal, and/or analog or digital band-pass or high-pass filters (preferably, followed by an analog or digital RMS converter) for determining the oscillating operating signal, and/or analog or digital moving average filters for determining the peak and baseline operating signals.

Preferably, in addition to the average, oscillating, peak and baseline operating signals, the control unit <NUM> also receives an operative signal indicative of the temperature within the drying chamber (hereinafter, temperature operating signal). The temperature operating signal is preferably obtained based on temperature measurements by the temperature sensor provided on the humidity sensor <NUM> (for example, comprised in, or electrically connected to, the control circuitry <NUM> thereof, as discussed above).

Back to the activity diagram, the estimation procedure <NUM> then estimates a residual humidity of the load (in the following also referred to as residual humidity estimation) at a time instant ti based on one or more (preferably two or more) among the average, oscillating, peak, baseline and temperature operating signals at that time instant ti (step <NUM>), thereafter the main time-to-end estimation (i.e., the estimation of the time to the end of the drying cycle from the time instant ti) is carried out based on an interpolation of the residual humidity estimation at that time instant ti and of the residual humidity estimations at a number of time instants preceding that time instant ti (step <NUM>) - in other words, the interpolation takes place on a set of residual humidity estimations including the residual humidity estimation being performed at the time instant ti and a number of last residual humidity estimations being performed (at time instants) from the time instant ti backwards.

The set of residual humidity estimations to be considered for the interpolation is not limitative for the present invention, as it can be chosen according to specific design options. Just as an example, the set of residual humidity estimations considered for the interpolation comprises four residual humidity estimations. According to an embodiment of the present invention, when less than four residual humidity estimations are available at a (current) time instant ti (i.e., when less than three residual humidity estimations performed at the last three time instants immediately before the time instant ti are available in addition to the residual humidity estimation performed at that time instant ti), steps <NUM> and <NUM> are repeated. This is represented in the figure by loop connection between exit branch N of decision step <NUM>, indicating that the predetermined number of residual humidity estimations (including the residual humidity estimation at the time instant ti) are not available, to the step <NUM>, wherein the following time instant ti+<NUM> is considered, and to the step <NUM>, wherein the operating signals at a following time instant ti+<NUM> are retrieved/received/determined (so as to be used for the following residual humidity estimation at step <NUM>).

According to an alternative embodiment of the present invention, not shown, when no sufficient residual humidity estimations are available at the time instant ti, a lower number of residual humidity estimations (for example, all the residual humidity estimations so far available) can be considered. Preferably, when only one residual humidity estimation is available at the time instant ti, such as when the time instant ti is the first time instant from the start of the main phase of the drying cycle), the interpolation may be carried out on that residual humidity estimation and on an initial residual humidity estimation. This initial residual humidity estimation is advantageously derived from the initial time-to-end estimation, for example according to known relationships between the wetting degree of the load mass and the general duration of the current drying cycle.

The time interval between two subsequent time instants ti, ti+<NUM> may be statically set by the manufacturer according to specific design options, or caused to be dynamically determined during appliance operation. Just as an example, the time interval between two subsequent time instants ti, ti+<NUM> may be "modulated" (i.e., adjusted or kept in proper measure or proportion) according to the initial time-to-end estimation - e.g. the higher the initial time-to-end estimation, the higher the time interval between two subsequent time instants ti, ti+<NUM> (e.g., for the same number of time instants, and hence of residual humidity estimations, over the whole drying cycle).

As mentioned above, when the number of residual humidity estimations, e.g. four residual humidity estimations, are available (exit branch Y of decision step <NUM>), the main time-to-end estimation is carried out based on an interpolation of these residual humidity estimations (step <NUM>), thereafter, preferably, the main time-to-end estimation is reiterated during the main phase of the drying cycle (as better discussed below).

Advantageously, the interpolation of the residual humidity estimation results in a line (e.g., a straight line) from which interception with a predetermined or desired humidity level (for example, indicative of the residual humidity expected or desired at the end of the drying cycle) can be derived the main time-to-end estimation for the currently considered time instant ti. More advantageously, the predetermined humidity level is selectable by a user (e.g., through the user interface <NUM>).

According to the exemplary considered embodiment of the present invention, each residual humidity estimation at a given time instant ti is based on a linear regression model applied on at least one among (preferably, two or more) the above operating signals retrieved/received/determined at that time instant ti. More preferably, each residual humidity estimation at a given time instant ti is obtained by a linear combination of at least one among (preferably, two or more) the above operating signals retrieved/received/determined at that time instant ti. Even more preferably, each operating signal is weighted by a respective coefficient, the coefficient of each operating signal being for example calculated offline in a training phase of the model.

Advantageously, the coefficient of each operating signal is calculated by taking into account the load mass estimation; for example, different coefficients variants may be envisaged based on load mass classification, so as to adapt the main time-to-end estimation to the specific load mass. In any case, other load information may be provided additionally or alternatively to the load mass in order to train the model, so as to adapt the main time-to-end estimation also to other specific features of the load, or no load information can be used in alternative embodiments of the present invention.

As mentioned above, the main time-to-end estimation is preferably reiterated for a predefined number of iterations. Even more preferably, the time-to-end estimation is reiterated until the end of the drying cycle is detected, as conceptually represented in the activity diagram by loop connection between decision step <NUM> and step <NUM>.

More specifically, after the main time-to-end estimation carried out at the time instant ti, if the drying cycle has not yet ended (which condition could be detected by a comparison between the residual humidity estimation at that time instant ti and the desired humidity level indicative of the residual humidity expected or desired at the end of the drying cycle), exit branch N of decision step <NUM>, the following time instant ti+<NUM> is considered and the estimation procedure <NUM> restarts from step <NUM>, wherein the operating signals at the following time instant ti+<NUM> are retrieved/received/determined (so as to be used for the following residual humidity estimation at step <NUM>).

As it was just mentioned, the residual humidity estimation at a currently considered time instant ti can advantageously be used for detecting the end of the drying cycle (also referred to as end cycle detection), for example according to a comparison between the residual humidity estimation at that time instant ti and the desired humidity level. Just as an example, if the residual humidity estimation at the time instant ti is lower than the desired humidity level (which comparison advantageously takes place at the main control circuitry <NUM>), then the end of the drying cycle is detected. Additionally or alternatively, other conditions may be envisaged for detecting the end of the drying cycle; for example, if the residual humidity estimation at the time instant ti is higher than the desired humidity level by a predefined amount (for example, a predefined amount deemed negligible, or a predefined amount deemed compensable by residual hot air circulation during stopping of the drying cycle), then the drying cycle is considered ended.

In any case, the end cycle detection may also represent an aspect independent from, and alternative to, that of residual time-to-end estimation, of load mass estimation and of residual humidity estimation (in this respect, any advantageous feature discussed in connection with the end cycle detection in the context of load mass, residual humidity and time-to-end estimations also applies to the end cycle detection when being end in itself). In the latter case, end cycle detection may be carried out only based on monitoring of one or more of the operating signals (instead of being based on load mass estimation and/or residual humidity estimation), for example by setting one or more threshold values (e.g., each one associated with a respective operating signal) and detecting the end of the drying cycle when each operating signal (or at least a subset thereof) has reached the respective threshold value.

Similarly, although the residual humidity estimation has been discussed as preparatory or functional to end cycle detection and to time-to-end estimation, it may also represent an aspect independent from, and alternative to them (in this respect, any advantageous feature discussed in connection with the residual humidity estimation in the context of end cycle detection and of time-to-end estimation also applies to the residual humidity estimation when being end in itself). On the other side, although the main time-to-end estimation has been discussed as preferably based on residual humidity estimation, this should not be construed limitatively. Indeed, according to alternative embodiments of the present invention, the main time-to-end estimation is based only on monitoring one or more of the operating signals, for example by:.

As should be readily understood, the estimation procedure <NUM> only shows possible ways the capacitive electric signal from the inventive humidity sensor <NUM> can be used to provide reliable residual time-to-end estimations (or, additionally or alternatively, load estimations and/or drying cycle detection). In any case, as briefly summarized here below, other approaches can be used, all of them being based on making use of the capacitive electric signal from the humidity sensor <NUM> (and, hence, falling within the scope of the present invention).

For example, the residual humidity at a given time instant ti may be based on direct relations between the capacitances in the drum. For example, according to a number of acquisitions of the capacitive electric signal, the capacitances within the drum and a relationship between the water mass and the capacitances within the drum may be determined (e.g., based on black-box or grey-box modelling using tools as parameter estimation and/or system identification), thereafter the residual humidity may be determined according to the ratio between the water mass and the load mass - possibly taking into account at least one among temperature inside and/or outside the drying chamber, and/or motor torque.

Another possible way could be to identify a model for evaporation of water in clothes as function of time, having as input variable the capacitive electric signal (and, possibly, any other signals from one or more sensing devices and/or control variables). This model might be a physical model considering the relation between capacitance and water in the drum, or a black-box or a gray-box model. An estimation of the end of the cycle then might be easily provided, for instance, by considering constant control variables for the rest of the drying cycle.

Alternatively, it could be inferred the evaporation rate during the process and, starting from considerations on the initial load conditions, a time-to-end estimation can be performed. An improvement to this method might be carried out, taking into consideration a combination of the evaporation rate to the drum temperatures behavior, or making use of the different characteristics of the motor torque during the cycle or a parallelism between load conductivity and capacity.

Claim 1:
Appliance (<NUM>) comprising:
- a drying chamber (<NUM>) for performing a drying cycle,
- within the drying chamber (<NUM>), a capacitive sensing arrangement (<NUM>) arranged for generating an electric signal indicative of a degree of humidity of a load contained in the drying chamber (<NUM>), said capacitive sensing arrangement (<NUM>) comprising at least one electrically conductive pad (<NUM>,<NUM>) on an operating support (<NUM>) and being adapted to operate as a respective plate of a capacitor,
a control unit (<NUM>) comprising an electronic board (<NUM>), the electronic board (<NUM>) comprising conductive tracks or wires (<NUM>) for routing a DC reference electric potential (Vref) being the reference voltage for the electronic board (<NUM>), a second plate of said capacitor being formed by said conductive tracks or wires (<NUM>), and
- the control unit (<NUM>) being arranged for carrying out, according to the electric signal generated by said capacitive sensing arrangement (<NUM>), at least one among:
estimating (<NUM>) a mass of the load;
estimating (<NUM>-<NUM>) a residual time to the end of the drying cycle, and detecting (<NUM>) an end of the drying cycle.