Dishwasher, arrangement having a dishwasher, and method for operating a dishwasher

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12144480-B2
Application number	US-202017781765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2020
Priority date	Dec 20, 2019
Publication date	Nov 19, 2024
Grant date	Nov 19, 2024

Abstract

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.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dishwasher, comprising:
a controller configured to execute a washing program for washing a dirty item to be washed;
a receiving unit configured to receive 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; and
a determining unit configured to determine the dirt type adhering to the dirty item to be washed as a function of the received sensor signal,
wherein the controller is configured to execute the washing program as a function of the determined dirt type.

2. The dishwasher of claim 1 , constructed in the form of a household dishwasher.

3. The dishwasher of claim 1 , wherein the sensor signal comprises an image information of the dirty item to be washed.

4. The dishwasher of claim 3 , wherein the determining unit comprises an image processing unit which is configured to determine as a function of the image information a value of the dirt parameter contained in the dirt parameter matrix.

5. The dishwasher of claim 1 , further comprising:
a database unit configured to store a dirt parameter matrix for each of a plurality of dirt types, with the dirt parameter matrices comprising each a predetermined value or value range for the dirt parameters;
a generating unit configured to generate a current one of the dirt parameter matrices as a function of the determined value of the dirt parameter; and
a comparison unit configured to compare the generated current one of the dirt parameter matrices with at least one subset of the dirt parameter matrices stored in the database unit and to output a comparison result,
wherein the determining unit is configured to determine the dirt type adhering to the dirty item to be washed as a function of the comparison result.

6. The dishwasher of claim 5 , further comprising a learning unit configured to adapt at least one of the dirt parameter matrices stored in the database unit as a function of determined values of at least one of the dirt parameters.

7. The dishwasher of claim 1 , wherein the sensor signal comprises information relating to a washing liquor used for washing the dirty item to be washed.

8. The dishwasher of claim 1 , wherein the sensor signal comprises information relating to a food prepared and/or consumed by a user of the dishwasher in a specific time interval before a start of the washing program.

9. The dishwasher of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to adapt execution of the washing program while running.

10. The dishwasher of claim 1 , further comprising a camera arranged on the dishwasher and configured to detect an optical sensor signal of the item to be washed and to output the detected optical sensor signal to the receiving unit.

11. The dishwasher of claim 1 , further comprising a statistics unit configured to determine a frequency distribution which comprises a frequency of the occurrence of different dirt types, said determining unit being configured to determine the dirt type adhering to the dirty item to be washed as a function of the frequency distribution.

12. The dishwasher of claim 1 , further comprising a communication unit configured to communicate with an external unit selected from the group consisting of an external kitchen appliance, a mobile device, and a server.

13. The dishwasher of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface configured to detect a user input as a function of the dirt type determined by the determining unit.

Assignees

• Bsh Hausgeraete Gmbh

Inventors

• Calvimontes Alfredo
• Paintner Kai
• Singh Kuldeep Narayan
• Rupp Michael

Classifications

• A47L2501/30

  Regulation of machine operational steps within the washing process, e.g. performing an additional rinsing phase, shortening or stopping of the drying phase, washing at decreased noise operation conditions · CPC title

• A47L2401/34

  Other automatic detections · CPC title

• A47L2401/04

  Crockery or tableware details, e.g. material, quantity, condition · CPC title

• A47L2301/06

  Crockery or tableware details, e.g. material, quantity, condition · CPC title

• A47L15/46

  Devices for the automatic control of the different phases of cleaning {; Controlling devices (A47L15/449 takes precedence)} · CPC title