The present invention provides a system and method for supervising consumption and inventory of appliance consumables. The system comprises an appliance monitor that is placed on or next to an appliance. The appliance module includes one or more sensors measuring physical properties affected by operational modes of the appliance. The appliance module includes a processor that determines in which operational mode the appliance is operating. A server identifies a utilization cycle of the appliance as a function of an aggregation of one or more operational modes. The server further determines an amount of consumption of the consumable connected with the utilization cycle. The server tracks an inventory of the consumable for the appliance. The server can respond accordingly by sending a message for, inter alia, placing an order for delivery of a new supply of the consumable or for a repair service visit to the site of the appliance.

A system is provided for remotely communicating with one or more cleaning units, each including a control unit for operating the cleaning unit, and a Wi-Fi protocol device coupled to the control unit. A gateway unit nearby each of the cleaning units includes two Wi-Fi protocol devices and a cellular chipset coupled to one of the Wi-Fi protocol devices. An internet connected device is wirelessly coupled to one of the Wi-Fi protocol devices of the gateway device, and the cleaning unit Wi-Fi protocol device is wirelessly coupled to one of the Wi-Fi protocol devices of the gateway device.

Methods, systems, and computer program products for placement of objects in a loading space are provided. Aspects include determining item data for a plurality of items, determining space data for a loading space, generating an optimized configuration for placement of the plurality of items in the loading space comprising determining one or more geometric representations for each item in the plurality of items, wherein the one or more geometric representations for each item are coupled together, determining, by an algorithm, a location in the loading space for each item in the plurality of items based on the one or more geometric representations for each item and the space data, and displaying, by a display, the optimized configuration comprising an image of each item of the plurality of items overlaid on corresponding locations in an image of the loading space.

A reusable food or beverage container washing system and method of operation automates tracking, returning, washing, and outputting of reusable food or beverage containers. A reusable food or beverage container has an identification device associated therewith. The reusable food or beverage container is used to supply a food or beverage to a customer and associated with a customer identifier. When the customer is done using the reusable food or beverage container, it is returned to a receptacle of the system, and automatically transported to a washing system where it is washed, sanitized, and dried, and then output to a stack or other organized storage structure of container.

An image-based fluid condition sensor is configured to sense turbidity or another condition of fluid in the sump of a dishwasher using an image device positioned outside of the sump.

Disclosed are an integrated management method and system for a kitchen environment using artificial intelligence. The integrated management system for the kitchen environment includes: a range hood placed above a cooking appliance including a heater, the range hood including a sensor that measures information on an atmosphere environment changed due to an operation of the cooking appliance; a server determining whether to execute a kitchen environment management mode, on the basis of a result of measurement by the sensor; and multiple environment appliances registered in a user account and cooperating over a network, each of the multiple environment appliance receiving a control command corresponding to the kitchen environment management mode from the server, and operating according to the control command.

A dishwasher includes a memory unit for storing a number of washing programs, a control device configured to carry out a washing program from the number of washing programs; and a communication unit configured to retrieve a specific washing program from an external device in accordance with a status information relating to an external household appliance, and to store the retrieved specific washing program in the memory unit, said control device carrying out the stored specific washing program.

A dishwasher and method utilize an imaging system to perform various diagnostic operations within the dishwasher, including one or more of level sensing, filter cleaning, wash tub rinse down, foam detection, imaging system cleaning, and remote viewing.

A dishwasher includes an image-based detergent sensor that in some instances is configured to sense a type of detergent for use in optimizing a wash cycle based upon the type of detergent, and that in some instances is configured to direct one or more controllable sprayers to facilitate dissolution or mixing of detergent into a wash fluid during a wash cycle.

A dishwasher and method utilize an image-based position sensor that is positioned to sense the rotational position of a discretely directable tubular spray element driven by a tubular spray element drive.