USER INTERFACE FOR DISHWASHING CYCLE OPTIMIZATION

• US 20110209729A1
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Published: 09/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: BEAUDET, Douglas B., IRELAND, Vincent A., TULLER, Barry E., KACHOREK, Traci L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,743,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/18
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0021 Regulation of operational steps within the washing processes, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending from the detergent nature or from the condition of the crockery
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0049 Detection or prevention of malfunction, including accident prevention arrangements to prevent clogging of filters A47L15/4208; safety arrangements for preventing water damage A47L15/421
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2301/08 Other manual input
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/10 Water cloudiness or dirtiness, e.g. turbidity, foaming or level of bacteria
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2401/12 Water temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/26 Indication or alarm to the controlling device or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/30 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

Abstract

A method of operating a dishwashing machine including determining user satisfaction with a dishwashing cycle, adjusting at least one operational parameter of the dishwashing cycle based on the user satisfaction, and incorporating the adjusted operational parameter into a subsequent dishwashing cycle.

Claims

1. A method of operating a dishwashing machine, comprising:

determining user satisfaction with a dishwashing cycle,

adjusting at least one operational parameter of the dishwashing cycle based on the user satisfaction, and

incorporating the adjusted operational parameter into a subsequent dishwashing cycle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying at least one operating condition of the dishwashing cycle associated with the user satisfaction,

wherein the adjusted operational parameter is incorporated into a subsequent dishwashing cycle when the identified operating condition is present in the subsequent dishwashing cycle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the user satisfaction with the dishwashing cycle includes:

soliciting user input regarding a number of characteristics of dishwasher performance,

receiving a user-input signal indicative of the user satisfaction with the dishwashing cycle, and

identifying an unsatisfactory characteristic of dishwasher performance based on the user-input signal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the number of characteristics of dishwasher performance includes washing quality, drying quality, dishwashing cycle duration, and noise generated during the dishwashing cycle.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein adjusting at least one operational parameter of the dishwashing cycle includes:

(i) selecting an operational parameter associated with the unsatisfactory characteristic of dishwasher performance, and

(ii) adjusting the selected operational parameter.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein adjusting the selected operational parameter includes determining whether additional adjustments are available for the selected operational parameter.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying the unsatisfactory characteristic of dishwasher performance includes identifying a stage of the dishwashing cycle exhibiting unsatisfactory performance.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein identifying the unsatisfactory characteristic of dishwasher performance includes identifying a location within the dishwasher exhibiting unsatisfactory performance.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein identifying the unsatisfactory characteristic of dishwasher performance includes identifying one of a plurality of ware types not satisfactorily cleaned.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein adjusting at least one operational parameter of the dishwashing cycle includes:

(i) selecting at least one operational parameter associated with the identified stage, the identified location, and the identified ware type, and

(ii) adjusting the selected operational parameter to improve cleaning quality.

11. A method of operating a dishwashing machine, comprising:

operating a dishwashing machine in accordance with a dishwashing cycle,

communicating with a plurality of sensors to determine the operating conditions present in the dishwashing cycle,

determining user satisfaction with dishwasher performance at the conclusion of the dishwashing cycle,

adjusting an operational parameter of the dishwashing cycle based on the user satisfaction,

identifying at least one operating condition of the dishwashing cycle associated with the user satisfaction, and

incorporating the adjusted operational parameter into a subsequent dishwashing cycle when the identified operating condition is present in the subsequent dishwashing cycle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein communicating with the plurality of sensors comprises:

communicating with a soil sensor to determine the soil level of fluid in the dishwashing machine, and

communicating with a temperature sensor to determine the temperature of fluid in the dishwashing machine.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining a number of user preferences for the dishwashing cycle,

wherein adjusting the operational parameter includes adjusting at least one operational parameter associated with at least one of the number of user preferences when the user is determined to be satisfied with the dishwashing cycle.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein incorporating the adjusted operational parameter into the subsequent dishwashing cycle includes:

(i) communicating with the plurality of sensors to determine operating conditions present in the subsequent dishwashing cycle,

(i) determining that at least one operating condition present in the subsequent dishwashing cycle is equal to the identified operating condition, and

(ii) modifying the subsequent dishwashing cycle to include the adjusted operational parameter.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining whether the selected operational parameter can be adjusted.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining whether the selected operational parameter can be adjusted includes:

(i) identifying a current value of the selected operational parameter,

(ii) comparing the current value of the selected operational parameters to a predetermined threshold of the selected operational parameter, and

(iii) generating an error message when the current value is equal to the predetermined threshold.

17. A dishwashing machine, comprising:

a washing chamber,

a number of dish racks positioned in the washing chamber,

a pump operable to circulate fluid onto the number of dish racks,

a user interface operable to receive user input and generate an electrical output signal indicative thereof, and

an electronic controller electrically coupled to the pump and the user interface, the controller comprising (i) a processor, and (ii) a memory device electrically coupled to the processor, the memory device having stored therein a plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

(a) operate the pump in accordance with a selected dishwashing cycle,

(b) determine user satisfaction with the selected dishwashing cycle based on the electrical output signal generated by the user interface,

(c) adjust at least one operational parameter of the selected dishwashing cycle based on the user satisfaction, and

(d) incorporate the adjusted operational parameter into a subsequent dishwashing cycle.

18. The dishwashing machine of claim 17, further comprising:

a sensor electrically coupled to the electronic controller, the sensor being operable to measure a characteristic of the dishwashing cycle and generate an electrical output signal indicative thereof,

wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

(a) communicate with the sensor to record a plurality of measurements and determine the operating conditions of the selected dishwashing cycle, and (b) identify at least one operating condition of the selected dishwashing cycle associated with the user satisfaction.

19. The dishwashing machine of claim 17, wherein the plurality of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

(a) solicit user input regarding a number of characteristics of dishwasher performance, and (b) identify an unsatisfactory characteristic of dishwasher performance from the number of characteristics.

20. The dishwashing machine of claim 19, wherein the user interface is a touchscreen operable to display the number of characteristics of dishwasher performance.