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 has a tub with tub walls and with an outlet, water pipes, valves, a pump, a water inlet into the tub, a dosing module in the tub that has supply compartments for additives and cleaning agents for a cleaning process, wherein the dosing module is designed as a self-contained structural unit independent of the dishwasher and removable therefrom. A control unit is provided for the dishwasher, for the dosing module, for the pump and for the valves. The dosing module has a communication module for communication with the control unit, wherein a planar transmission device having a plurality of L-C-resonant circuits inductively coupled to one another and each with a transmitting coil and a transmitting capacitor is arranged along a tub wall of the tub for transmitting signals and power. The transmission device connects the control unit and the dosing module to one another to permit signal transmission.

A method and system remotely controlling a cleaning cycle of a household appliance using transmission of wireless signals is provided. Signals are transmitted between a mobile dispensing device arranged in the household appliance and an electronic device. The method determines the strength of a signal received by the mobile dispensing device. The determined strength is compared to a threshold value. If the determined strength is above the threshold value transmission of wireless signals from the mobile dispensing device to the electronic device is enabled. If the determined strength is below the threshold value transmission of signals from the mobile dispensing device to the electronic device is disabled. When transmission of signals is enabled, a status wireless signal comprising status information about the cleaning cycle is sent to the electronic device.

A dishwasher includes a controller for executing a washing program for washing a dirty item to be washed, and a receiving unit for receiving a sensor signal indicative of a dirt type adhering to the dirty item to be washed from a plurality of dirt types, with each of the dirt types being determined by a dirt parameter matrix, in which each position is assigned to a dirt parameter. A determining unit determines the dirt type adhering to the dirty item to be washed as a function of the received sensor signal, with the controller executing the washing program as a function of the determined dirt type.

A dishwasher thermometer captures temperature data of temperature sensed within a dishwasher during a wash cycle. The dishwasher thermometer includes a wireless communication interface that transmits the captured temperature data to one or more of a server and a monitor device. When the captured temperature data indicates that the wash cycle did not achieve defined temperature threshold(s), an alert is generated at the server and/or the monitor device indicating that the wash cycle did not meet appropriate washing conditions. In embodiments, the temperature data may be accessible to a third party for certification of the dishwasher wash cycle.

Image-based object sensing is utilized in a dishwasher to configure a wash cycle and/or perform other operations in the dishwasher.

Image-based object sensing is utilized in a dishwasher to configure a wash cycle and/or perform other operations in the dishwasher.

A dishwasher system for cleaning dishes may include a dishwasher tub configured to house dishes therein and run a dishwasher cycle, a door assembly configured to selectively seal the dishwasher tub, the door assembly including an inlet nozzle arranged on the inside of the door assembly, the inlet nozzle extending across the width of the door at the top of the door assembly to receive hot and moist air post wash from the dishwasher tub, and a duct fluidly connected to the inlet nozzle and configured to transfer the air through the door assembly and out an outlet nozzle during a drying phase of the dishwasher cycle prior to the door assembly being opened post-cycle.

A dishwasher, comprising: a wash tub; a sprayer configured to spray fluid within the wash tub; an imaging device configured to capture images within the wash tub; and a controller coupled to the imaging device and configured to perform a remote start of a wash cycle in the dishwasher in response to receiving a remote start command from a remote device by: controlling the imaging device to capture one or more images within the wash tub; initiating communication of the captured one or more images to the remote device for viewing on the remote device; waiting to receive a confirmation from the remote device; and starting the wash cycle in response to receiving the confirmation from the remote device.

A method for operating a dishwasher appliance includes receiving data indicating a status of hot water within a water heater appliance, receiving data indicating a status for a cycle of a dishwasher appliance, and initiating a start for the cycle of the dishwasher appliance in response to the data indicating the status of hot water within the water heater appliance indicating available hot water.