METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING DISHWASHER, DISHWASHER AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

Abstract

A method includes starting cleaning program stored in memory of control device of dishwasher by start signal triggered on input device of the dishwasher, detecting current actual value of state variable in the dishwasher by sensor, comparing the detected actual value with reference value of relevant state variable stored in the control device, determining parameter and/or parameter value associated with the parameter based on the comparison, outputting output signal associated with the parameter and/or the parameter value on output device, detecting adjustment signal associated with the output signal, generated in response to input on the input device or on input device associated with the dishwasher, and associated with the parameter and/or the parameter value, and continuing to run the cleaning program with original program configuration, modified program configuration, or suspend strategy for ending the cleaning program, according to the adjustment signal.

Claims

1. A method for automatically controlling a dishwasher comprising: automatically starting a cleaning program stored in a memory of a control device of the dishwasher by a start signal triggered on an input device of the dishwasher, the start signal being associated with the cleaning program; automatically detecting a current actual value of at least one state variable in the dishwasher by at least one sensor of the dishwasher to obtain a detected actual value; automatically comparing the detected actual value with a reference value of a relevant state variable stored in the control device; automatically determining at least one of a parameter or a parameter value associated with the parameter based on a comparison of the detected actual value with the reference value; automatically outputting an output signal on an output device associated with the dishwasher, the output signal being associated with the at least one of the parameter or the parameter value; automatically detecting, by the control device, an adjustment signal associated with the output signal, the adjustment signal being generated in response to an input on the input device of the dishwasher or on another input device associated with the dishwasher, and the adjustment signal being associated with the at least one of the parameter or the parameter value; and automatically continuing to run the cleaning program with an original program configuration, a modified program configuration, or a suspend strategy for ending the cleaning program, according to the adjustment signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the output signal conveys at least one of: a type of the parameter, an amount of the parameter value, at least one manner of adjusting the cleaning program, or a process-related result of an automatically recommended manner of adjusting the cleaning program.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the output signal is an acoustic output signal output by at least one of a loudspeaker of the dishwasher or a loudspeaker of an external apparatus connected to the dishwasher via a communication interface of the dishwasher.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the output signal is a visual output signal output by at least one of a display of the dishwasher or a display of an external apparatus connected to the dishwasher via a communication interface of the dishwasher.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment signal is generated by a manual input on the input device on the dishwasher and transmitted to the control device to directly adjust the cleaning program that is running.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the another input device associated with the dishwasher is an input device on an external apparatus connected to the dishwasher via a communication interface, and the adjustment signal is generated by a manual input on the input device on the external apparatus and transmitted to the control device to directly adjust the cleaning program that is running.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment signal is generated by a manual input on the input device on the dishwasher and stored in a memory of the control device to be read out at a later point in time when a subsequent cleaning program is started.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the another input device associated with the dishwasher is an input device on an external apparatus connected to the dishwasher via a communication interface, and the adjustment signal is generated by a manual input on the input device on the external apparatus and stored in a memory of the control device to be read out at a later point in time when a subsequent cleaning program is started.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the at least one state variable is selected from a group consisting of: a turbidity of rinse liquid, a cleanliness state of dishes and/or cutlery in the dishwasher, a temperature of rinse liquid, a temperature of tap water entering the dishwasher, a type of cleaning agent added, an added amount of cleaning agent, a type of rinse agent added, an added amount of rinse agent, and/or a running time so far of the cleaning program.

10. A dishwasher comprising: a control device including a memory storing a cleaning program; an input device connected to the control device; and at least one sensor connected to the control device and configured to automatically detect a current actual value of at least one state variable in the dishwasher; wherein the control device is configured to: automatically start the cleaning program in response to a start signal triggered on the input device, the start signal being associated with the cleaning program; automatically control the at least one sensor to detect the current actual value of the at least one state variable to obtain a detected actual value; automatically compare the detected actual value with a reference value of a relevant state variable stored in the control device; automatically determine at least one of a parameter or a parameter value associated with the parameter based on a comparison of the detected actual value with the reference value; automatically output an output signal on an output device associated with the dishwasher, the output signal being associated with the at least one of the parameter or the parameter value; automatically detect an adjustment signal associated with the output signal, the adjustment signal being generated in response to an input on the input device of the dishwasher or on another input device associated with the dishwasher, and the adjustment signal being associated with the at least one of the parameter or the parameter value; and automatically continue to run the cleaning program with an original program configuration, a modified program configuration, or a suspend strategy for ending the cleaning program, according to the adjustment signal.

11. The dishwasher according to claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to detect the at least one state variable each selected from a group consisting of: a turbidity of rinse liquid, a cleanliness state of dishes and/or cutlery in the dishwasher, a temperature of rinse liquid, a temperature of tap water entering the dishwasher, a type of cleaning agent added, an added amount of cleaning agent, a type of rinse agent added, an added amount of rinse agent, and/or a running time so far of the cleaning program.

12. The dishwasher according to claim 10, wherein the control device further includes a comparator configured to: receive the detected actual value; compare the detected actual value with the reference value; and automatically output the output signal associated with at least one of a specific parameter or a specific parameter value to the output device in response to the detected actual value deviating from the reference value by more than a predetermined tolerance range.

13. The dishwasher according to claim 10, wherein the control device further includes a data memory configured to store the adjustment signal as a data record, to be automatically read out at a later point in time when a subsequent cleaning program is started.

14. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the adjustment signal is generated by a manual input on the input device of the dishwasher.

15. The dishwasher according to claim 13, wherein the another input device associated with the dishwasher is an input device on an external apparatus associated with the dishwasher, and the adjustment signal is generated by a manual input on the input device on the external apparatus.

16. The dishwasher according to claim 15, wherein the external apparatus is connected to the dishwasher via a communication interface.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program that, when executed by a control device of a dishwasher, cause the dishwasher to: automatically start a cleaning program stored in a memory of the control device by a start signal triggered on an input device of the dishwasher, the start signal being associated with the cleaning program; automatically detect a current actual value of at least one state variable in the dishwasher by at least one sensor of the dishwasher to obtain a detected actual value; automatically compare the detected actual value with a reference value of a relevant state variable stored in the control device; automatically determine at least one of a parameter or a parameter value associated with the parameter based on a comparison of the detected actual value with the reference value; automatically output an output signal on an output device associated with the dishwasher, the output signal being associated with the at least one of the parameter or the parameter value; automatically detect an adjustment signal associated with the output signal, the adjustment signal being generated in response to an input on the input device of the dishwasher or on another input device associated with the dishwasher, and the adjustment signal being associated with the at least one of the parameter or the parameter value; and automatically continue to run the cleaning program with an original program configuration, a modified program configuration, or a suspend strategy for ending the cleaning program, according to the adjustment signal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0073] FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of blocks of a method for automatically controlling a dishwasher according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

[0074] FIG. 2 schematically shows a flowchart of a cleaning program according to some embodiments of the disclosure;

[0075] FIG. 3 schematically shows a perspective view of a dishwasher according to some embodiments of the disclosure, and

[0076] FIG. 4 schematically shows a control device for a dishwasher with exemplary connected related components according to some embodiments of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0077] In FIG. 1, a method for automatically controlling a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the disclosure is schematically shown by a flow chart.

[0078] In a first block S1 of the method, a cleaning program stored in a memory 2 of a control device 3 of a dishwasher 1 is automatically started by a start signal triggered on an input device 4 of the dishwasher 1. The start signal is associated with the cleaning program.

[0079] In a second block S2 of the method, a current actual value of at least one state variable in the dishwasher 1 is automatically detected by at least one sensor 11 of the dishwasher 1.

[0080] In a third block S3 of the method, a detected actual value of the at least one state variable is automatically compared with a reference value of a relevant state variable stored in the control device 3.

[0081] In a fourth block S4 of the method, a parameter and/or a parameter value associated with the parameter is automatically determined based on a comparison of a detected actual value of the at least one state variable with the reference value of the relevant state variable stored, for further running the dishwasher according to the cleaning program.

[0082] In a fifth block S5 of the method, at least one output signal is automatically output on an output device 6 associated with the dishwasher 1. The output signal is associated with a determined parameter and/or a determined parameter value.

[0083] In a sixth block S6 of the method, a adjustment signal associated with the output signal which is output is automatically detected by the control device 3, the adjustment signal being generated by an input at the input device 4 of the dishwasher 1 or at another input device 4a associated with the dishwasher 1, the adjustment signal being associated with the parameter and/or the parameter value.

[0084] In a seventh block S7 of the method, the cleaning program, which has been started, is automatically continued to run with an original program configuration, a modified program configuration or a suspend strategy for ending the cleaning program according to the adjustment signal detected.

[0085] The output signal may indicate a type of parameter, an amount of parameter value, at least one way of adjustment of the cleaning program and/or a process-related result of an automatically recommended way of adjustment.

[0086] As shown in FIG. 4, the output signal may be an acoustic output signal which is output by a loudspeaker 7.1 of the dishwasher 1 and/or by a loudspeaker 7.2 of an external apparatus connected to the dishwasher 1 via a communication interface 8 of the dishwasher 1.

[0087] In some embodiments, the output signal may be a visual output signal which is output by a display 10.1 of the dishwasher 1 and/or by a display 10.2 of an external apparatus which is connected to the dishwasher 1 via the communication interface 8 of the dishwasher 1.

[0088] The adjustment signal is generated by a manual input on the input device 4 on the dishwasher 1 and/or a manual input on another input device 4a on an external apparatus connected to the dishwasher 1 via the communication interface 8, and is transmitted to the control device 3 to directly adjust the cleaning program which is running.

[0089] In some embodiments, the adjustment signal may be generated by a manual input on the input device 4 on the dishwasher 1 and/or by a manual input on another input device 4a on an external apparatus connected to the dishwasher 1 via the communication interface 8, and is stored in the memory 2 of the control device 3 to be read out at a later point in time when a subsequent cleaning program is restarted.

[0090] A state variable to be detected is selected from at least one state variable selected from a group consisting of following state variables: [0091] a turbidity of rinse liquid, [0092] a cleanliness state of dishes and/or cutlery in the dishwasher, [0093] a temperature of rinse liquid, [0094] a temperature of tap water entering the dishwasher, [0095] a type of cleaning agent added, [0096] an added amount of cleaning agent, [0097] a type of rinse agent added, [0098] an added amount of rinse agent, and/or [0099] a running time so far of the cleaning program.

[0100] FIG. 2 schematically shows a flow chart of a cleaning program. In a first program part P 1 of the cleaning program, an input is waited from a user who may select the cleaning program. This cleaning program may be a cleaning program that differs from a fully automatic cleaning program. In a second program part P 2, the cleaning program is started after the input. In a third program part P 3, at least one state variable is detected and evaluated.

[0101] In a fourth program part P 4, whether an improvement can be performed on the cleaning program is automatically determined by the control device 3. If the improvement cannot be performed (path N) on the cleaning program, a fifth program part P 5 is continued and no changes are performed on the cleaning program.

[0102] In a sixth program part P 6, the control device or the program determines whether further detection of the state variable is to be performed, and returns to the third program part P 3 (path Y) if additional detection is to be performed. If additional detection should not be performed (path N), the cleaning program up to that point is continued unchanged and without further detection of the state variable in a seventh program part P 7, and is ran to an end.

[0103] In opposition to this, if an improvement can be performed on the cleaning program according to the fourth program part P 4 (path Y), the program continues with a eighth program part P8 and accordingly automatically determines whether a data record is stored in a data memory 2.1 to be automatically read out at a later point in time when the cleaning program is started. If it is the above situation, contents of the data record are used automatically, without asking the user, and the cleaning program is adjusted accordingly by a subsequent tenth program part P 10.

[0104] If the data record states that no adjustments should be made to the cleaning program, the program jumps back to the fifth program part P 5.

[0105] If no data record for automatic adjustment is provided and there is no indication that the cleaning program should not be adjusted, in a new program part P 9 the user is asked whether a recommended change is wanted to be made to the cleaning program.

[0106] The user can then decide whether to reject the recommended change to the cleaning program according to a decision P 9.1, whether to accept the recommended change according to a decision P 9.3, or whether the user ignores this query and the program automatically continues with a decision P 9.2.

[0107] If the user accepts the recommended change according to the decision P 9.3, the program continues with the tenth program part P 10 and the cleaning program is adjusted accordingly.

[0108] FIG. 3 schematically shows a perspective view of a dishwasher according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

[0109] The dishwasher 1 includes a washing chamber 13, in which, in some embodiments, an upper dish rack 14 and a lower dish rack 15 are arranged. At least one spray arm 16 rotates within the washing chamber 13. As shown in FIG. 3, a cutlery rack 17 may be placed in the lower dish rack 15. Under the lower dish rack 15, a cock 18 for access to a salt storage chamber may be provided. In some embodiments, a strainer 19 is placed below the lower dish rack 15.

[0110] The dishwasher 1 includes a control device 3 (FIG. 4) with a memory 2. At least one cleaning program is stored in the memory 2. The dishwasher 1 further includes at least one input device 4 connected to a control device 3 and at least one sensor 11 connected to the control device 3. The sensor 11 is designed for automatically detecting a current actual value of at least one state variable in the dishwasher 1. The control device 3 is designed and configured for performing the method according to FIG. 1.

[0111] The at least one sensor 11 may be designed and configured to detect at least one state variable selected from a group consisting of following state variables: [0112] a turbidity of rinse liquid, [0113] a cleanliness state of dishes and/or cutlery in the dishwasher, [0114] a temperature of rinse liquid, [0115] a temperature of tap water entering the dishwasher, [0116] a type of cleaning agent added, [0117] an added amount of cleaning agent, [0118] a type of rinse agent added, [0119] an added amount of rinse agent, and/or [0120] a running time so far of the cleaning program,

[0121] The sensor 11 is connected to the control device 3 and is configured to enable an actual value detected by the sensor 11 to be fed to a comparator 12 (FIG. 4) which is disposed in the control device 3. The comparator 12 is configured to compare the actual value received by the sensor 11 with a reference value stored in the memory 2 of the control device 3, and automatically output an output signal associated with at least one specific parameter and/or specific parameter value to an output device 6 associated with the dishwasher 1 if the actual value deviates from the reference value by more than a predetermined tolerance range.

[0122] The control device 3 may include a data memory 2.1. The data memory 2.1 is configured to make the adjustment signal associated with the parameter and/or a parameter value to be stored as a data record in the data memory 2.1, to be automatically read out at a later point in time when a subsequent cleaning program is restarted. This adjustment signal is generated by a manual input on the input device 4 of the dishwasher 1 or by a manual input on a further input device 4a on an external apparatus associated with the dishwasher 1.