HOUSEHOLD DISHWASHER AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A HOUSEHOLD DISHWASHER

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 washing compartment, a receiving unit configured to receive a start signal from an external control unit for starting the washing program remotely, and an evaluation unit configured to identify a safe operating state of the household dishwasher as a function of the acquired optical sensor signal and to block or release a start of the washing program initiated by the received start signal as a function of the identified safe operating state.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. 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 washing compartment; a receiving unit configured to receive a start signal from an external control unit for starting the washing program remotely; and an evaluation unit configured to identify a safe operating state of the household dishwasher as a function of the acquired optical sensor signal and to block or release a start of the washing program initiated by the received start signal as a function of the identified safe operating state.

14. The household dishwasher of claim 13, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to carry out a predetermined action as a function of the identified safe operating state.

15. The household dishwasher of claim 13, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to block or release a start of the washing program as a function of the identified safe operating state.

16. The household dishwasher of claim 13, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to identify a living creature in the washing compartment as a function of the acquired optical sensor signal.

17. The household dishwasher of claim 13, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to block the start of the washing program when the evaluation unit identifies the presence of a living creature in the washing compartment.

18. The household dishwasher of claim 13, wherein the optical sensor is embodied as an optical motion sensor for detecting a movement in the washing compartment, said evaluation unit configured to identify the safe operating state as a function of the detected movement.

19. The household dishwasher of claim 13, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to block the start of the washing program when the optical sensor detects a movement in the washing compartment.

20. The household dishwasher of claim 13, further comprising a lighting device configured to illuminate the washing compartment during acquisition of the optical sensor signal.

21. The household dishwasher of claim 13, wherein the optical sensor comprises a camera, with the optical sensor signal comprising an image and/or a video of the washing compartment.

22. The household dishwasher of claim 21, wherein the evaluation unit is configured to carry out an image analysis of the acquired image and/or video.

23. A method for operating a household dishwasher, comprising: acquiring a start signal for starting 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; and identifying by an evaluation unit a safe operating state of the household dishwasher as a function of the acquired optical sensor signal of the washing compartment.

24. 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: acquiring a start signal for starting 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; and identifying by an evaluation unit a safe operating state of the household dishwasher as a function of the acquired optical sensor signal of the washing compartment.

Description

[0044] 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.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a household dishwasher;

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a further exemplary embodiment of a household dishwasher; and

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of an exemplary method for operating a household dishwasher.

[0048] In the figures, elements that are identical or have the same function are denoted by the same reference characters unless otherwise stated.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] 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 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.

[0052] 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 thus of all components and objects comprised within the washing compartment 4. The dashed lines below the camera 110 indicate an acquisition region of the camera 110.

[0053] Through the combination of the camera 110 and the evaluation unit 120, it is advantageously possible to identify a safe operating state of the household dishwasher 1 at any time and automatically.

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a further embodiment of a household dishwasher 1, for example a variant of the household dishwasher 1 from FIG. 1. In this example, the door 3 is closed, so that the dishwasher cavity 2 and the door 3 form the closed washing compartment 4. The household dishwasher 1 from FIG. 2 has all features of the household dishwasher from FIG. 1, wherein many of the features are not shown for reasons of clarity. The optical sensor 110 is arranged on the ceiling 8 of the dishwasher cavity 2.

[0055] The household dishwasher 1 further has a lighting device 130 and a receiving unit 150.

[0056] Next to the household dishwasher 1, an external control unit 160 is shown, which is embodied for example as a smartphone. The smartphone 160 is configured to establish a communication connection with the receiving unit 150, for example via a mobile radio network. In particular, a user can transmit a start signal S to the receiving unit 150 by means of the smartphone 160. The start signal S causes the control device 100 of the household dishwasher 1 to start a washing program. Here, the start signal S can also comprise a selection of the washing program from a number of washing programs.

[0057] In the representation in FIG. 2, a living creature 140, such as a dog of the user, is however located in the washing compartment 4. The dog 140 has for example jumped into the washing compartment 4 during loading of the washing compartment 4 with items to be washed in a moment unobserved by the user, and the user has closed the door of the dishwasher cavity 2 without noticing that the dog 140 is located in the dishwasher cavity 4. The user decides for example to carry out a washing program while on the move. To this end, he/she opens the corresponding app on his/her smartphone 160, selects a washing program, and confirms the selection. The smartphone 160 thereupon transmits the corresponding start signal S to the receiving unit 150 of the household dishwasher 1. The latter receives the start signal S and transmits it for example to the control device 100. The control device 100 is configured to take into account the safe operating state of the household dishwasher 1 before the start of the washing program.

[0058] To this end, the optical sensor 110 acquires an optical sensor signal of the washing compartment 4, in the example shown with the support of the lighting device 130, which illuminates the washing compartment 4 during the acquisition of the optical sensor signal. The optical sensor 110 transmits the acquired optical sensor signal to the evaluation unit 120, which thereupon identifies the safe operating state based on the acquired optical sensor signal. In the example, however, the evaluation unit 120 identifies that the dog 140 is located in the washing compartment 4. The operating state of the household dishwasher 1 is therefore unsafe, and the evaluation unit 120 identifies the operating state as unsafe, as a result of which the evaluation unit 120 suppresses the start of the washing program. The control device 100 will therefore not carry out the start.

[0059] In embodiments, it can further be provided that the evaluation unit 120 carries out an automatic door opening as a predetermined action, so that the dog 140 is released from the washing compartment 4. Furthermore, information can be transmitted to the user. In this embodiment, the receiving unit 150 is configured in particular for bidirectional communication with the external control unit 160.

[0060] FIG. 3 shows a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method for operating a household dishwasher 1, in particular the household dishwasher 1 from FIG. 1 or FIG. 2.

[0061] In a first method step S1, a start signal S for starting a washing program is acquired. The start signal S can in particular be received by an external control unit 160, such as a smartphone.

[0062] In a second method step S2, an optical sensor 110 acquires an optical sensor signal of the washing compartment 4.

[0063] In a third method step S3, an evaluation unit 120 identifies a safe operating state of the household dishwasher 1 as a function of the acquired optical sensor signal. This means in particular that the evaluation unit 120 processes and checks the acquired optical sensor signal.

[0064] For example, the evaluation unit 120 identifies that a safe operating state is ensured. The washing program can then be carried out as provided. In other situations, it can be that the evaluation unit 120 identifies that the safe operating state is not ensured. It can then be provided that the evaluation unit 120 blocks a start of the washing program. In this case, it can further be provided that an optical sensor signal is acquired and the safe operating state identified again at predetermined time intervals. The washing program can be started as soon as the safe operating state is given, provided that the start signal S is then still valid.

[0065] Although the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it can be modified in numerous different ways.

REFERENCE CHARACTERS USED

[0066] 1 Household dishwasher [0067] 2 Dishwasher cavity [0068] 3 Door [0069] 4 Washing compartment [0070] 5 Pivot axis [0071] 6 Loading opening [0072] 7 Base [0073] 8 Ceiling [0074] 9 Rear wall [0075] 10 Side wall [0076] 11 Side wall [0077] 12 Receptacle for items to be washed [0078] 13 Receptacle for items to be washed [0079] 14 Receptacle for items to be washed [0080] 100 Control device [0081] 110 Optical sensor [0082] 120 Evaluation unit [0083] 130 Lighting device [0084] 140 Living creature [0085] 150 Receiving unit [0086] 160 External control unit [0087] A Extraction direction [0088] E Insertion direction [0089] S Start signal [0090] S1 Method step [0091] S2 Method step [0092] S3 Method step