Patents by Inventor Nicholas Matthew Dillon

Nicholas Matthew Dillon has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240077361
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance is provided. The washing machine appliance may include a wash tub, a wash basket rotatably mounted in the wash tub, and a water supply configured to provide wash fluid as a fluid stream that is collected in the wash tub as a fluid bath. The washing machine appliance may further include a thermal sensor configured to obtain data of the fluid stream. A controller of the washing machine may be in operational communication with the thermal sensor and the water supply. The controller may be configured to obtain a fluid temperature of the fluid stream using the thermal sensor, compare the fluid temperature to a preset temperature, and adjust the water supply in response to comparing the fluid temperature to the preset temperature. The controller may also obtain a temperature of the fluid bath. Methods of making and using the washing machine appliance are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventor: Nicholas Matthew Dillon
  • Publication number: 20220307184
    Abstract: Washing machine appliances and methods of operating the same are provided. Such methods may include, and/or appliances may be configured for, receiving a command to commence an operating cycle of the washing machine appliance and filling the wash tub with wash liquid from a fluid circulation system configured for providing fluid to the wash tub via an inlet of the fluid circulation system in response to the command. Methods may further include and/or appliances may be configured for, obtaining one or more images of the inlet of the fluid circulation system during the fill step using a camera mounted within the cabinet. The camera is positioned and oriented with the inlet within a field of vision of the camera. Based on the one or more images, a determination is made whether a water pressure provided to the fluid circulation system is above a predetermined minimum water pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventor: Nicholas Matthew Dillon
  • Publication number: 20220298693
    Abstract: A method of operating a laundry treatment apparatus includes receiving a tangle-free selection signal corresponding to a tangle-free option distinct from a default option, adjusting one or more parameters of an agitation cycle according to the tangle-free option in response to receiving the tangle-free selection signal, and initiating a washing operation incorporating the one or more adjusted parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2021
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventor: Nicholas Matthew Dillon
  • Publication number: 20220178064
    Abstract: A method of operating a washing machine appliance is provided. The washing machine appliance includes a wash basket rotatably mounted within a wash tub and defining a wash chamber configured for receiving of a load of articles. A camera is positioned with a view of the wash chamber. The method includes obtaining one or more images of the wash chamber with the camera, analyzing the one or more images using a machine learning image recognition process to determine that the articles are tangled, and adjusting at least one operating parameter of the washing machine appliance in response to determining that the articles are tangled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Nicholas Matthew Dillon, Matthew R. Hunter
  • Patent number: 11343976
    Abstract: An indoor gardening appliance includes a liner defining a grow chamber and a grow module mounted within the grow chamber for receiving a plurality of plant pods. The grow module defines a root chamber and a plurality of apertures for positioning a root end of the plant pod in the root chamber. A resonator may be positioned on each plant pod or at each of the plurality of apertures for generating a unique sound signature when a specific plant pod is inserted into a specific aperture. A detection device, such as a microphone, measures the sound waves generated by the resonator and a controller determines a location and/or a type of the plant pod based on the unique sound signature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Hunter, Michael Goodman Schroeder, Nicholas Matthew Dillon
  • Publication number: 20210084831
    Abstract: An indoor gardening appliance includes a liner defining a grow chamber and a grow module mounted within the grow chamber for receiving a plurality of plant pods. The grow module defines a root chamber and a plurality of apertures for positioning a root end of the plant pod in the root chamber. A resonator may be positioned on each plant pod or at each of the plurality of apertures for generating a unique sound signature when a specific plant pod is inserted into a specific aperture. A detection device, such as a microphone, measures the sound waves generated by the resonator and a controller determines a location and/or a type of the plant pod based on the unique sound signature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Matthew Hunter, Michael Goodman Schroeder, Nicholas Matthew Dillon
  • Patent number: 10465324
    Abstract: A washing machine appliance includes a wash tub defining a wash chamber for receipt of a load of articles for washing and a water control valve for regulating a flow of water from a water supply into the wash chamber. A controller is configured for detecting a low water level in the wash chamber, e.g., due to a low water supply pressure, by obtaining a target volume and a fill volume; obtaining an underfill limit based at least in part on the fill volume; obtaining a tub water level after attempting to fill to the target volume; obtaining a new fill level if the tub water level is less than the underfill limit; and filling the wash tub to the new fill level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Haier US Appliance Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas Matthew Dillon, Ryan Ellis Leonard, Stephen Edward Hettinger, Ryan James Scheckelhoff