Patent ID: 7689476

Claim:
A washing machine comprising: a housing; a tank supported by the housing, the tank configured to hold a load of clothing; a supply mechanism connected to the housing, the supply mechanism sized to hold an amount of a clothing washing supply which is sufficient for a plurality of wash cycles of the washing machine, the supply mechanism operable to move portions of the clothing washing supply to the tank during the plurality of wash cycles of the washing machine; a sensing device supported by the housing, the sensing device operable to gather data related to how much of the clothing washing supply is dispensed by or remains in the supply mechanism; a display device supported by the housing; an input device supported by the housing; a processor operatively coupled to the supply mechanisms, the sensing device, the display device, and the input device, the processor operable to communicate with an order processing system; and at least one memory device accessible by the processor, the memory device storing a condition relating to a designated amount of the clothing washing supply remaining in the supply mechanism, the memory device storing a plurality of instructions executable by the processor to: (a) determine, on one or more occasions, the amount of the clothing washing supply remaining in the supply mechanism based on the data gathered by the sensing device; (b) determine when the condition is met; and (c) as a result of the determination that the condition is met: (i) cause the display device to display a plurality of selections, each one of the displayed selections being associated with a separate clothing washing supply; (ii) enable a user to pick one of the displayed selections; and (iii) send to the order processing system, an order for an amount of the clothing washing supply associated with the picked selection, the order including data associated with an thereby causing said amount of the clothing washing supply to be delivered to the address associated with the washing machine where the amount of the clothing washing supply associated with the user's picked selection will be delivered.