Patent ID: 8108063

Claim:
A system for controlling dye transfer comprising: a user display portion of a washing machine having a user-operable selection device; a first dialog shown on a portion of the user display and having one or more color level indicators for setting a threshold to trigger a dye transfer control action, and having one or more threshold adjustment controls operable by the selection device; a second dialog having one or more control action enablers enabling one or more control actions to be taken upon detection of a color reaching the threshold; at least one excess dye control enabled by the control action enablers, responsive to the threshold being triggered, performing one or more control action selected from the group consisting of releasing a dye absorber, and releasing a dye inhibitor, wherein the releasing is controlled by opening an abatement valve communicative to a reservoir holding a substantially liquid or gel form of a dye scavenger or inhibitor substance; and a controller which continues to monitor the triggering of the threshold, and responsive to the threshold being triggered, continues to release additional dye absorber, or dye inhibitor, or both dye absorber and dye inhibitor by opening the abatement valve until at least one condition is detected selected from the group consisting of a desired color threshold is met, a desired color threshold is regained, until a user intervention occurs, and until a particular wash stage is activated.