Household dishwasher machine and method for operating a household dishwasher machine

Abstract

A household dishwasher includes a washing compartment receiving items to be washed, a control device configured to carry out a washing program selected from a number of washing programs for washing the items to be washed in the washing compartment, an optical sensor configured to acquire an optical sensor signal of the items to be washed in the washing compartment, and an evaluation unit configured to identify a drying state of the items to be washed in the washing compartment as a function of the acquired optical sensor signal.

Claims

1. A household dishwasher, comprising: a washing compartment receiving items to be washed; a control device configured to carry out a washing program selected from a number of washing programs for washing the items to be washed in the washing compartment; an optical sensor configured to acquire an optical sensor signal of the items to be washed in the washing compartment; a lighting device for illuminating the washing compartment during acquisition of the optical sensor signal, the lighting device being configured to illuminate the items to be washed in the washing compartment during acquisition of the optical sensor signal; and an evaluation unit configured to identify a drying state of the items to be washed in the washing compartment as a function of the acquired optical sensor signal, wherein the identification of the drying state of the items to be washed is accomplished by analyzing the acquired optical sensor signal to detect at least one of molecular water, water drops, and/or regions wetted with water on the items to be washed, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to trigger a predetermined action as a function of the identified drying state of the items to be washed, wherein the predetermined action comprises an output of a notification signal, and wherein the output of the notification signal comprises an output of a signal to a mobile device or an app installed on the mobile device of a user, such that the user is informed about an optimum point in time at which to remove the items to be washed as a function of the identified drying state.

2. The household dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the optical sensor is embodied as a camera, with the optical sensor signal comprising an image of the washing compartment.

3. The household dishwasher of claim 2, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to carry out an image analysis of the acquired image in order to identify the drying state of the items to be washed.

4. The household dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the optical sensor is embodied as an infra-red sensor.

5. The household dishwasher of claim 4, wherein the infra-red sensor is configured to acquire a temperature of the items to be washed and to acquire a relative air humidity of air in the washing compartment, said evaluation unit being configured to identify the drying state of the items to be washed as a function of the acquired temperature of the items to be washed and the acquired relative air humidity.

6. The household dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the predetermined action further comprises a termination of the washing program, an extension of the washing program, a setting of a parameter value of the washing program, and/or an actuation of a component of the household dishwasher.

7. The household dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the evaluation unit performs an analysis of an infra-red spectral range of the acquired optical sensor signal to detect the molecular water.

8. The household dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the optical sensor is a camera, and wherein the evaluation unit performs an image analysis to detect the water drops and/or the regions wetted with water on the items to be washed.

9. The household dishwasher of claim 1, wherein the drying state includes a prediction over a period of time as to when the items to be washed will be dry.

10. A method for operating a household dishwasher, comprising: executing by a control device a washing program selected from a number of washing programs for washing items to be washed arranged in a washing compartment of the household dishwasher; acquiring by an optical sensor an optical sensor signal of the washing compartment; illuminating by a lighting device the washing compartment during acquisition of the optical sensor signal, the lighting device being configured to illuminate the items to be washed in the washing compartment during acquisition of the optical sensor signal; and identifying by an evaluation unit a drying state of the items to be washed in the washing compartment as a function of the acquired optical sensor signal, wherein the identification of the drying state of the items to be washed is accomplished by analyzing the acquired optical sensor signal to detect at least one of molecular water, water drops, and/or regions wetted with water on the items to be washed, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to trigger a predetermined action as a function of the identified drying state of the items to be washed, wherein the predetermined action comprises an output of a notification signal, and wherein the output of the notification signal comprises an output of a signal to a mobile device or an app installed on the mobile device of a user, such that the user is informed about an optimum point in time at which to remove the items to be washed as a function of the identified drying state.

11. A computer program product for operating a household dishwasher, comprising a program-controlled device having stored therein a computer program embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein the computer program, when loaded into the program-controlled device and executed by the program-controlled device, causes the program-controlled device to execute the steps of: executing by a control device a washing program selected from a number of washing programs for washing items to be washed arranged in a washing compartment of the household dishwasher; acquiring by an optical sensor an optical sensor signal of the washing compartment; illuminating by a lighting device the washing compartment during acquisition of the optical sensor signal, the lighting device being configured to illuminate the items to be washed in the washing compartment during acquisition of the optical sensor signal; and identifying by an evaluation unit a drying state of the items to be washed in the washing compartment as a function of the acquired optical sensor signal, wherein the identification of the drying state of the items to be washed is accomplished by analyzing the acquired optical sensor signal to detect at least one of molecular water, water drops, and/or regions wetted with water on the items to be washed, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to trigger a predetermined action as a function of the identified drying state of the items to be washed, wherein the predetermined action comprises an output of a notification signal, and wherein the output of the notification signal comprises an output of a signal to a mobile device or an app installed on the mobile device of a user, such that the user is informed about an optimum point in time at which to remove the items to be washed as a function of the identified drying state.

12. A household dishwasher, comprising: a washing compartment receiving items to be washed; a control device configured to carry out a washing program selected from a number of washing programs for washing the items to be washed in the washing compartment; an optical sensor configured to acquire an optical sensor signal of the items to be washed in the washing compartment; and an evaluation unit configured to identify a drying state of the items to be washed in the washing compartment, further comprising: a further optical sensor configured to acquire a further optical sensor signal of the washing compartment and/or of the items to be washed, the further optical sensor being integrated in a mobile device, and the further optical sensor signal being transmitted wirelessly from the mobile device to the evaluation unit, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to identify the drying state as a function of both the acquired optical sensor signal and the further optical sensor signal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantageous embodiments and aspects of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims as well as the exemplary embodiments of the invention described below. The invention is described below in greater detail on the basis of preferred forms of embodiment with reference to the attached figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a household dishwasher;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a further exemplary embodiment of a household dishwasher; and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method for operating a household dishwasher.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

(5) In the figures, elements that are identical or have the same function are denoted by the same reference characters unless otherwise stated.

(6) FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a household dishwasher 1. The household dishwasher 1 has a dishwasher cavity 2, which can be closed by a door 3, in particular in a watertight manner. A sealing facility can be provided for this purpose between the door 3 and the dishwasher cavity 2 (not shown). The dishwasher cavity 2 is preferably cuboid in shape. The dishwasher cavity 2 can be arranged in a housing of the household dishwasher 1. The dishwasher cavity 2 and the door 3 can form a washing compartment 4 for washing items to be washed 15.

(7) The door 3 is shown in its open position in FIG. 1. The door 3 can be closed or opened by pivoting about a pivot axis 5 provided at a lower end of the door 3. With the aid of the door 3, a loading opening 6 of the dishwasher cavity 2 can be closed or opened. The dishwasher cavity 2 has a base 7, a ceiling 8 arranged opposite to the base 7, a rear wall 9 arranged facing the closed door 3 and two side walls 10, 11 arranged facing one another. The base 7, the ceiling 8, the rear wall 9 and the side walls 10, 11 may be manufactured from a stainless steel sheet for example. Alternatively, the base 7 may be manufactured from a plastic material.

(8) Furthermore, the household dishwasher 1 has at least one receptacle for items to be washed 12, 13, 14. Preferably, a plurality of receptacles for items to be washed 12, 13, 14, for example three, are provided, wherein the receptacle for items to be washed 12 may be a lower receptacle for items to be washed or a lower basket, the receptacle for items to be washed 13 may be an upper receptacle for items to be washed or an upper basket, and the receptacle for items to be washed 14 may be a cutlery drawer. As additionally shown in FIG. 1, the receptacles for items to be washed 12, 13, 14 are arranged above one another in the dishwasher cavity 2. Each receptacle for items to be washed 12 to 14 is optionally able to be shifted into or out of the dishwasher cavity 2. In particular, each receptacle for items to be washed 12, 13, 14 is able to be inserted into the dishwasher cavity 2 in an insertion direction E and extracted from the dishwasher cavity 2 in an extraction direction A opposite to the insertion direction E.

(9) The household dishwasher 1 also has a control device 100 and an evaluation unit 120, which are arranged on the door 3. An optical sensor 110 embodied as a camera is arranged on the ceiling 8 such that it is configured to acquire an optical sensor signal of the washing compartment 4 and in particular of the items to be washed 15 arranged therein (see FIG. 2). The dashed lines below the camera 110 indicate an acquisition region of the camera 110.

(10) Through the combination of the camera 110 and the evaluation unit 120, it is advantageously possible to identify a drying state of items to be washed 15 arranged in the washing compartment 4 (see FIG. 2). This is explained in more detail below with reference to FIG. 2.

(11) FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a further embodiment of a household dishwasher 1, such as the household dishwasher 1 from FIG. 1, with items to be washed 15 arranged on a receptacle for items to be washed 12 in a washing compartment 4. In this representation, the door 3, on which a control device 100 and an evaluation unit 120 are arranged, is shown in the closed position so that the door 3 and the dishwasher cavity 2 together form the washing compartment 4. The situation shown corresponds for example to a situation that arises during a drying program sub-step. In this representation, the items to be washed 15 are partially wetted with water drops 111.

(12) An optical sensor 110 and a lighting device 115 are arranged on the ceiling 8 of the dishwasher cavity 2. The optical sensor is embodied for example as a CCD sensor with a lens, and is configured to record an image of the items to be washed 15 arranged in the washing compartment 4 in a broad spectral range of between a few micrometers and several hundred nanometers. The acquisition region is indicated by dashed lines below the optical sensor 110. The lighting device 115 is embodied as a broadband flash unit. The direction of illumination is indicated by arrows below the flash unit 115. In particular, the flash unit 115 illuminates the entire washing compartment 4 and the items to be washed 15 arranged therein.

(13) In order to identify the drying state of the items to be washed 15, for example a closure of the optical sensor 110 is opened, the flash unit 115 is actuated to emit a flash in order to illuminate the washing compartment 4 and the items to be washed 15, and then the closure of the optical sensor 110 is reclosed. This operation takes for example between 1/1000 s and 1 s. The CCD sensor of the optical sensor 110 is then read out and the digital image signal thus acquired is transmitted to the evaluation unit 120. The evaluation unit 120 thereupon analyzes the image signal and identifies a drying state of the items to be washed 15. In the example shown, the evaluation unit 120 would for example identify that the items to be washed 15 are still wet. For example, the evaluation unit 120 thereupon activates a zeolite drying device (not shown) in order to accelerate and/or complete the drying operation.

(14) FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of a method for operating a household dishwasher 1, such as the household dishwasher 1 from FIG. 1 or FIG. 2, with a control device 100, an optical sensor 110 and an evaluation unit 120.

(15) In a first method step S1, the control device 100 carries out a washing program selected from a number of washing programs for washing items to be washed 15 arranged in the washing compartment. In particular, the washing program has a drying as the final program sub-step, during which the items to be washed 15 are dried.

(16) In a second method step S2, which takes place in particular during the drying program sub-step, the optical sensor 110 acquires an optical sensor signal of the washing compartment 4 and in particular of the items to be washed 15.

(17) In a third method step S3, the evaluation unit 120 identifies a drying state of the items to be washed 15 as a function of the optical sensor signal acquired by the optical sensor 110.

(18) In further, optional method steps, it is provided for example that the identified drying progress is output on a display element of the household dishwasher 1 and/or measures to improve the drying are initiated. In particular, a development of the drying over time can be shown and/or predicted. For this purpose, for example, several drying states of the items to be washed 15 identified at predetermined intervals are considered as a whole. It can be provided that a mathematical function representing an empirical development of the drying over time is adapted to the identified drying states, as a result of which a prediction for the subsequent progress of the drying over time is produced.

(19) Although the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it can be modified in numerous different ways.