Abstract: A laundry appliance having: a treatment chamber; and a humidity measuring arrangement for measuring the humidity of at least one item to be treated. The humidity measuring arrangement has a sensing capacitor and a capacitance sensing unit for measuring a capacitance of the sensing capacitor and obtaining an indication of the humidity of the item to be treated according to the measured capacitance. The sensing capacitor has first and second electrical conductors and a dielectric. A volume of the chamber forms part of the dielectric. The appliance has an extension member configured to be positioned within the chamber for extending the first electrical conductor within the laundry treatment chamber. The extension member has an extension conductor and a coupling conductor, and the extension conductor can be electrically coupled to the first electrical conductor through a capacitive coupling via the coupling electrical conductor.

Abstract: An appliance having a drying chamber for performing a drying cycle, a capacitive sensing arrangement within the drying chamber and configured to generate an electric signal indicative of a degree of humidity of a load contained in the drying chamber, and a control unit arranged for carrying out at least one among: estimating a mass of the load; estimating a residual humidity of the load; estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle, and detecting an end of the drying cycle according to the electric signal.

Abstract: An appliance having a drying chamber for performing a drying cycle, a capacitive sensing arrangement within the drying chamber and configured to generate an electric signal indicative of a degree of humidity of a load contained in the drying chamber, and a control unit arranged for carrying out at least one among: estimating a mass of the load; estimating a residual humidity of the load; estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle, and detecting an end of the drying cycle according to the electric signal.

Abstract: A laundry treatment appliance having a humidity measuring arrangement comprising a sensing unit for sensing an electric parameter associated with a laundry load housed in a laundry treatment chamber, a processing unit for determining the humidity of the laundry load according to the sensed electric parameter, and a conductive element electrically coupled to the processing unit and arranged such that, when an at least partially conductive body is in proximity of the conductive element, an electric signal is generated by capacity coupling between the conductive element and the least partially conductive body, wherein the processing unit is configured to access a presence or absence of a user near the appliance according to a pattern of the electric signal at the processing unit.

Abstract: A method for controlling a laundry drying machine having a laundry treating chamber and a control unit which receives a signal indicative of laundry moisture from a moisture sensor. The method includes receiving a user input of a laundry treating program, and, in the machine initialization phase, comparing the laundry moisture indicated by the signal to a first threshold, which is stored in the control unit and is indicative of dried laundry or empty threating chamber. If the signal is determined to be equal or less than the first threshold, one or more of the following actions is performed: carrying out only a portion of the selected laundry treating program; skipping the program main phase; starting the program final phase; stopping the laundry treating program; providing a notification of dried laundry and/or empty treating chamber.

Abstract: A laundry treatment appliance having a humidity measuring arrangement comprising a sensing unit for sensing an electric parameter associated with a laundry load housed in a laundry treatment chamber, a processing unit for determining the humidity of the laundry load according to the sensed electric parameter, and a conductive element electrically coupled to the processing unit and arranged such that, when an at least partially conductive body is in proximity of the conductive element, an electric signal is generated by capacity coupling between the conductive element and the least partially conductive body, wherein the processing unit is configured to access a presence or absence of a user near the appliance according to a pattern of the electric signal at the processing unit.

Abstract: A laundry appliance having: a treatment chamber; and a humidity measuring arrangement for measuring the humidity of at least one item to be treated. The humidity measuring arrangement has a sensing capacitor and a capacitance sensing unit for measuring a capacitance of the sensing capacitor and obtaining an indication of the humidity of the item to be treated according to the measured capacitance. The sensing capacitor has first and second electrical conductors and a dielectric. A volume of the chamber forms part of the dielectric. The appliance has an extension member configured to be positioned within the chamber for extending the first electrical conductor within the laundry treatment chamber. The extension member has an extension conductor and a coupling conductor, and the extension conductor can be electrically coupled to the first electrical conductor through a capacitive coupling via the coupling electrical conductor.

Abstract: A method for controlling a laundry drying machine having a laundry treating chamber and a control unit which receives a signal indicative of laundry moisture from a moisture sensor. The method includes receiving a user input of a laundry treating program, and, in the machine initialization phase, comparing the laundry moisture indicated by the signal to a first threshold, which is stored in the control unit and is indicative of dried laundry or empty threating chamber. If the signal is determined to be equal or less than the first threshold, one or more of the following actions is performed: carrying out only a portion of the selected laundry treating program; skipping the program main phase; starting the program final phase; stopping the laundry treating program; providing a notification of dried laundry and/or empty treating chamber.

Abstract: An appliance having a drying chamber for performing a drying cycle, a capacitive sensing arrangement within the drying chamber and configured to generate an electric signal indicative of a degree of humidity of a load contained in the drying chamber, and a control unit arranged for carrying out at least one among: estimating a mass of the load; estimating a residual humidity of the load; estimating a residual time to the end of the drying cycle, and detecting an end of the drying cycle according to the electric signal.