Dishwasher for adjusting internal washing frequency of dishwasher, and control method therefor

Abstract

Disclosed are a dishwasher capable of adjusting the internal washing frequency of the dishwasher, and a control method therefor. The dishwasher, according to the present disclosure, comprises: a communication interface; a memory storing instructions; and at least one processor comprising processing circuitry. The memory stores: information on a plurality of contamination levels corresponding to a plurality of temperatures and humidities; and information on a plurality of internal washing frequencies corresponding to the plurality of contamination levels. The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed individually or collectively, may: identify a contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment of the dishwasher from among the plurality of contamination levels; identify an internal washing time point of the dishwasher on the basis of the internal washing frequency corresponding to the contamination level; and transmit a notification for the internal washing of the dishwasher to an external device by using the communication interface.

Description

Dishwasher and its control method for controlling the internal washing cycle of the dishwasher

[0001] The present invention relates to a dishwasher and a control method thereof for controlling the internal washing cycle of the dishwasher.

[0002] When using a dishwasher, water can accumulate inside the unit. Leaving this water inside the unit can lead to bacterial growth, which can lead to food poisoning and other hygiene issues. Therefore, the interior of your dishwasher should be cleaned regularly.

[0003] At this time, the rate of bacterial reproduction can vary depending on the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment. Specifically, the higher the temperature and humidity, the faster the bacterial reproduction rate.

[0004] Therefore, the need to vary the cycle of cleaning the inside of the dishwasher depending on the temperature and humidity outside the dishwasher has arisen.

[0005] A dishwasher according to the present disclosure may include at least one processor including a communication interface, a memory for storing instructions, and processing circuitry.

[0006] The above memory stores information about a plurality of contamination levels corresponding to a plurality of temperatures and humidity and information about a plurality of internal washing cycles corresponding to the plurality of contamination levels, and the at least one processor, when the instructions are individually or collectively executed, identifies a contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of an environment surrounding the dishwasher among the plurality of contamination levels, identifies an internal washing time of the dishwasher based on the internal washing cycle corresponding to the contamination level, and transmits a notification for internal washing of the dishwasher to an external device using the communication interface.

[0007] In addition, the internal cleaning cycle includes the number of cleaning courses for the internal cleaning,

[0008] The at least one processor can identify that the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher has arrived when the dishwasher is identified as having performed the cleaning course the number of cleaning courses of the internal cleaning cycle from the time the dishwasher performed the internal cleaning course when the instructions are individually or collectively executed.

[0009] In addition, the plurality of contamination levels may include a first contamination level, a second contamination level lower than the first contamination level, and a third contamination level lower than the second contamination level, and the number of washing courses of the internal washing cycle corresponding to the first contamination level may be shorter than the number of washing courses of the internal washing cycle corresponding to the second contamination level, and the number of washing courses of the internal washing cycle corresponding to the second contamination level may be shorter than the number of washing courses of the internal washing cycle corresponding to the third contamination level.

[0010] Additionally, the at least one processor can identify the number of times the dishwasher has performed a washing course based on the number of washing courses stored in the memory when the instructions are individually or collectively executed, update the stored number of washing courses based on the dishwasher performing the washing course, and initialize the stored number of washing courses based on the dishwasher performing the internal washing course.

[0011] In addition, the at least one processor may identify that the internal washing time of the dishwasher has arrived based on the fact that the dishwasher has additionally performed a washing course equal to the number of washing courses of the internal washing cycle without receiving a user input for the internal washing course of the dishwasher after transmitting the notification when the instructions are individually or collectively executed, and transmit the notification based on the arrival of the internal washing time.

[0012] Additionally, the at least one processor may transmit the notification to the external device based on the dishwasher performing a washing cycle without receiving user input for the internal washing cycle of the dishwasher after transmitting the notification when the instructions are individually or collectively executed.

[0013] Additionally, the at least one processor may stop transmitting the notification in response to the notification being transmitted a preset number of times based on the user input for the internal washing cycle of the dishwasher not being received when the instructions are individually or collectively executed.

[0014] Additionally, at least one processor may be configured to maintain the identified internal wash cycle before the contamination level is lowered, if the contamination level is identified as lowered based on the temperature and humidity of the environment surrounding the dishwasher when the instructions are individually or collectively executed.

[0015] Additionally, at least one processor may change the internal wash cycle from a first internal wash cycle to a second internal wash cycle corresponding to the increased level of contamination when the instructions are individually or collectively executed and the contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment of the dishwasher is identified as increased based on the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment.

[0016] Based on the number of times the washing course has been performed and the second internal washing cycle, it is determined whether the internal washing time of the dishwasher has arrived. In addition, at least one processor may transmit a notification for internal washing of the dishwasher to an external device using the communication interface based on the determination that the non-operation period of the dishwasher is longer than a preset time when the instructions are individually or collectively executed, and may identify whether the internal washing time of the dishwasher has arrived based on the determination that the non-operation period of the dishwasher is shorter than the preset time. And based on the determination that the internal washing time of the dishwasher has arrived, it may transmit a notification for internal washing of the dishwasher to an external device using the communication circuit.

[0017] In addition, a control method of a dishwasher for controlling an internal washing cycle of the dishwasher includes a step of identifying a contamination level corresponding to temperature and humidity of an environment surrounding the dishwasher among a plurality of contamination levels, a step of identifying an internal washing time of the dishwasher based on an internal washing cycle corresponding to the contamination level, and a step of transmitting a notification for internal washing of the dishwasher to an external device based on the identified internal washing time of the dishwasher, wherein the plurality of contamination levels correspond to the plurality of temperatures and humidity, and the plurality of internal washing cycles may correspond to the plurality of contamination levels.

[0018] In addition, a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing one or more instructions executed by a processor of a server device to cause a dishwasher to perform an operation includes the steps of: identifying a contamination level corresponding to temperature and humidity of an environment surrounding the dishwasher among a plurality of contamination levels; identifying an internal cleaning time of the dishwasher based on an internal cleaning cycle corresponding to the contamination level; and transmitting a notification and an operation status for internal cleaning of the dishwasher to an external device based on the identified internal cleaning time of the dishwasher, wherein the plurality of contamination levels correspond to the plurality of temperatures and humidity, and the plurality of internal cleaning cycles may correspond to the plurality of contamination levels. In addition, the dishwasher may not only provide a notification for internal cleaning to the external device, but may also transmit the notification and the operation status of the dishwasher to the server. The server may receive the notification and the operation status of the dishwasher, identify an internal cleaning time of the dishwasher, and provide a notification for internal cleaning to the external device. In addition, the dishwasher can not only provide a notification for internal cleaning to an external device, but can also receive an internal cleaning operation command remotely through a server.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the appearance of a dishwasher according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the interior of a dishwasher according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a dishwasher according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a dishwasher according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0023] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a dishwasher according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024] FIG. 6 is a table for explaining criteria for classifying contamination levels according to temperature and humidity according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] FIG. 7 is a table illustrating a dishwasher according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure communicating with a plurality of other home appliances.

[0026] FIG. 8 is a table for explaining a case where the internal washing cycle of a dishwasher is changed to be shorter than the cycle before the change due to an increase in temperature and humidity according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the overall operation of the invention according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] It should be understood that the various embodiments of the present disclosure and the terminology used therein are not intended to limit the technical features described in the present disclosure to specific embodiments, but rather to encompass various modifications, equivalents, or alternatives of the embodiments.

[0029] In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components.

[0030] The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more items, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0031] In this disclosure, phrases such as "A or B," "at least one of A and B," "at least one of A or B," "A, B, or C," "at least one of A, B, and C," and "at least one of A, B, or C" can each include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof. For example, "A or B," "at least one of A and B," or "at least one of A or B" can all refer to (1) including at least one A, (2) including at least one B, or (3) including both at least one A and at least one B.

[0032] Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish one component from another and do not qualify the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order).

[0033] When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as being “coupled” or “connected” to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms “functionally” or “communicatively,” it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0034] The terms "include" or "have" are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in this document, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0035] When a component is said to be “connected,” “coupled,” “supported,” or “in contact with” another component, this includes not only cases where the components are directly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact, but also cases where the components are indirectly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact through a third component.

[0036] When we say that a component is "on" another component, this includes not only cases where the component is in contact with the other component, but also cases where there is another component between the two components.

[0037] The term "and / or" includes any combination of a plurality of related described elements or any one of a plurality of related described elements.

[0038] In some contexts, the phrase "a device configured to" may mean that the device, in conjunction with other devices or components, is "capable of" performing A, B, and C. For example, the phrase "a processor configured (or set) to perform A, B, and C" may refer to a dedicated processor (e.g., an embedded processor) for performing those operations, or a general-purpose processor (e.g., a CPU or application processor) that can perform those operations by executing one or more software programs stored in a memory device.

[0039] In the embodiments, a "module" or "part" performs at least one function or operation and may be implemented as hardware or software, or as a combination of hardware and software. Furthermore, a plurality of "modules" or "parts" may be integrated into at least one module and implemented as at least one processor (not shown), excluding any "module" or "part" that needs to be implemented as specific hardware.

[0040] Meanwhile, the various elements and areas in the drawings are schematically drawn. Therefore, the technical concept of the present invention is not limited by the relative sizes or spacing depicted in the attached drawings.

[0041] An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings below.

[0042] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing the appearance of a dishwasher according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 1, a dishwasher (100) may include a main body (10) forming an exterior and a door (11) that opens and closes the interior of the main body (10).

[0044] A dishwasher (100) is a device that washes dishes and other objects by spraying washing water on them, and can be classified into various types depending on the structure and arrangement of the main body (10). Types of dishwashers (100) include a built-in type that is installed in an empty space created by separating a part of a cabinet, which is an external support, a free-standing type that can be placed independently, a counter top type that is placed on the upper counter of a cabinet, etc., and an in-sink type that is manufactured and installed as an integral part of a sink.

[0045] The dishwasher (100) illustrated in the drawing is a built-in dishwasher (100) generally used for household use, but the dishwasher (100) including the rack assembly (21, 22) of the present disclosure is not limited thereto and can also be applied to the rack assembly (21, 22) of other types of dishwashers (100).

[0046] The door (11) is a structure that is rotatably installed on the front of the main body (10). A control device that allows a user to control the dishwasher (100) can be provided on the upper part of the door (11), and the user can easily open and close the door (11) and operate the dishwasher (100). A washing tank (20) can be provided inside the door (11).

[0047] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the interior of a dishwasher according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Referring to FIG. 2, the dishwasher (100) may include a washing tank (20), a machine room (40), and a rack assembly (21, 22).

[0049] The washing tank (20) is a space provided inside the main body (10), and inside the washing tank (20), there are provided a rack assembly (21, 22) on which dishes to be washed are placed, an upper spray nozzle (23) provided on the upper side of the rack assembly (21, 22) located at the top to spray washing water, a middle spray nozzle (23) provided between a plurality of rack assemblies (21, 22) to spray washing water toward each rack assembly (21, 22), and a lower spray nozzle (23) provided on the lower side of the rack assembly (100) located at the bottom to spray washing water.

[0050] The spray nozzle (23) is connected to the sump (42) by a supply pipe (30) and receives the washing water. The spray nozzle (23) rotates by the spray of the washing water, thereby evenly spraying the washing water onto the washing objects stored in the plurality of rack assemblies (21, 22).

[0051] In addition, a heater (41) for heating the washing water may be provided on the bottom surface of the washing tank (20), and a machine room (40) may be provided at the bottom of the washing tank (20).

[0052] Inside the machine room (40), a sump (42) is provided to collect and pump the washing water supplied into the washing tank (20) and move the washing water to the spray nozzle (23).

[0053] In addition, the sump (42) is provided with various types of flow paths and a circulation pump (43) that pumps water through these flow paths, and a drain pump (44) that discharges contaminated washing water to the outside through a drain pipe is provided on one side of the sump (42).

[0054] Below, the operation process of the dishwasher (100) configured as above is described.

[0055] First, when the object to be washed is stored in the rack assembly (21, 22) inside the washing tank (20) and power is turned on, the washing water required for washing begins to be supplied into the washing tank (20) through the washing water supply hole.

[0056] Washing water supplied into the washing tank (20) is collected into the sump (42) provided at the bottom of the washing tank (20), and then the collected washing water is supplied to the spray nozzle (23) through the supply pipe (30) by the pumping action of the circulation pump (46) inside the sump (42) to spray the washing water at high pressure onto the washing target stored in the rack assembly (21, 22), thereby performing the washing process.

[0057] When the washing process is completed, not only the washing water but also the contaminants on the washing object are washed away by the washing water and collected in the sump (42), so the washing water containing the contaminants is discharged to the outside through the drain pipe according to the operation of the drain pump (44).

[0058] When the washing water containing contaminants is discharged to the outside, clean washing water is collected again in the sump (42) through the washing water supply hole, and the rinsing process is performed by spraying the washing water at high pressure onto the washing target through each spray nozzle (23) in the same manner as the washing process described above.

[0059] Once the rinsing process is completed, a drying process is performed. The drying process operates a heater (30) to spray high-temperature washing water onto the object to be washed. The high-temperature washing water vaporizes together with the remaining washing water during the process, thereby drying the object. Alternatively, high-pressure hot air may be sprayed during the drying process. Once drying is completed, the washing process ends.

[0060] As described above, the sump (42) may be a device that collects washing water supplied from the outside and water containing contaminants after washing is completed. Even if the water collected in the sump (42) is discharged to the outside through the drain pump (44), residual water may still exist in the sump (42). If residual water inside the dishwasher (100) is left, bacteria may multiply and contaminate the dishes. This may pose a threat to the user's health, such as causing food poisoning. The rate of bacterial growth may vary depending on the temperature and humidity (hereinafter, temperature and humidity) of the surrounding environment.

[0061] Therefore, in the following description, a method for varying the internal washing cycle of the dishwasher (100) depending on the temperature and humidity outside the dishwasher (100) is described.

[0062] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a dishwasher according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0063] According to FIG. 3, the dishwasher (100) may include a memory (110), a communication interface (120), and at least one processor (130).

[0064] The memory (110) can store one or more instructions and / or programs that cause the dishwasher (100) to perform operations such as a washing course or an internal washing course. In addition, the memory (110) can store various information related to the operation of the dishwasher (100).

[0065] The communication interface (120) can perform data communication with an electronic device under the control of at least one processor (130). The electronic device may include a server, a home appliance, a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone, a tablet PC, a wearable device, etc.).

[0066] For example, the communication interface (120) may include a communication circuit that can perform data communication between the dishwasher (100) and the electronic device using at least one of data communication methods including wired LAN, wireless LAN, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth, ZigBee, Wi-Fi Direct (WFD), infrared Data Association (IrDA), Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), Near Field Communication (NFC), Wireless Broadband Internet (Wibro), World Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Shared Wireless Access Protocol (SWAP), Wireless Gigabit Alliances (WiGig), and RF communication.

[0067] At least one processor (130) can control the overall operations of the dishwasher (100). For example, the at least one processor (130) can execute one or more instructions stored in the memory of the dishwasher (100), thereby causing the dishwasher (100) to identify a contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of the environment surrounding the dishwasher among a plurality of contamination levels, and based on the number of times the dishwasher (100) has performed a washing course and an internal washing cycle corresponding to the contamination level among a plurality of internal washing cycles, determine that the internal washing time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived, and transmit a notification for internal washing of the dishwasher (100) to an external device using the communication interface (130).

[0068] At least one processor (130) may include one or more of a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), an Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), a Many Integrated Core (MIC), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), a hardware accelerator, or a machine learning accelerator. The at least one processor (130) may control one or any combination of other components of the dishwasher (100) and may perform operations or data processing related to communication. The at least one processor (130) may execute one or more programs or instructions stored in the memory (110) of the dishwasher (100). For example, the at least one processor (130) may perform a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure by executing one or more instructions stored in the memory (110) of the dishwasher (100).

[0069] When a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes multiple operations, the multiple operations may be performed by one processor or by multiple processors. For example, when a first operation, a second operation, and a third operation are performed by a method according to an embodiment, the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation may all be performed by the first processor, or the first operation and the second operation may be performed by the first processor (e.g., a general-purpose processor) and the third operation may be performed by the second processor (e.g., an artificial intelligence-specific processor).

[0070] At least one processor (130) may be implemented as a single core processor including one core, or may be implemented as one or more multicore processors including multiple cores (e.g., homogeneous multicores or heterogeneous multicores). When at least one processor (130) is implemented as a multicore processor, each of the multiple cores included in the multicore processor may include an internal processor memory, such as a cache memory or an on-chip memory, and a common cache shared by the multiple cores may be included in the multicore processor. In addition, each of the multiple cores (or some of the multiple cores) included in the multicore processor may independently read and execute a program instruction for implementing a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, or all (or some) of the multiple cores may be linked to read and execute a program instruction for implementing a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0071] When a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a plurality of operations, the plurality of operations may be performed by one core among the plurality of cores included in a multi-core processor, or may be performed by the plurality of cores. For example, when a first operation, a second operation, and a third operation are performed by a method according to an embodiment, the first operation, the second operation, and the third operation may all be performed by a first core included in the multi-core processor, or the first operation and the second operation may be performed by a first core included in the multi-core processor, and the third operation may be performed by a second core included in the multi-core processor.

[0072] In embodiments of the present disclosure, at least one processor (130) may refer to a system on a chip (SoC) in which one or more processors and other electronic components are integrated, a single-core processor, a multi-core processor, or a core included in a single-core processor or a multi-core processor, wherein the core may be implemented as a CPU, a GPU, an APU, a MIC, a DSP, an NPU, a hardware accelerator, or a machine learning accelerator, but embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited thereto. In the following description, at least one processor (130) is referred to as a processor (130).

[0073] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a detailed configuration of a dishwasher (100) according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0074] Referring to FIG. 4, the dishwasher (100) may include a memory (110), a communication interface (120), at least one processor (130), a heater (41), a sump (42), a circulation pump (43), a drain pump (44), an input interface (140), and an output interface (150). However, such a configuration is exemplary, and it is obvious that new configurations may be added or some configurations may be omitted in addition to such configurations when implementing the present disclosure. Meanwhile, among the configurations illustrated in FIG. 4, a detailed description of configurations that overlap with those illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 will be omitted.

[0075] The input interface (140) may include a circuit. The input interface (140) may receive user input for controlling the operation of the dishwasher (100) and provide the user input to the processor (130). The user input may include an input for turning the dishwasher (100) on / off, an input for selecting a washing mode, an input for setting a timer, etc.

[0076] For example, the input interface (140) may be implemented as a button, a touch pad, etc. In addition, the input interface (140) may be implemented as a touch screen for detecting display functions and touch actions.

[0077] The input interface (140) may be provided in one area of ​​the main body (10). Specifically, the input interface (140) may be provided in various locations, such as the front and / or side of the main body (10).

[0078] The output interface (150) includes a circuit, and the processor (130) can output various information related to the dishwasher (100) through the output interface (150).

[0079] According to one example, the output interface (150) may include at least one of a display (151) and a speaker (152).

[0080] The display (151) can display an image under the control of the processor (130). For example, the display (151) can display various notifications, messages, information, etc. related to the operation of the dishwasher (100). According to one example, the display (151) can display information about the washing mode of the dishwasher (100), the remaining washing time, etc. In addition, the display (151) can also display a user interface (UI) stored in the memory (110). The user can input various user inputs to the user interface to control the operation of the dishwasher (100).

[0081] The display (151) may be implemented as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display Panel), an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes), etc. Depending on the embodiment, the display (151) may also be implemented as a flexible display, a transparent display, etc.

[0082] The speaker (152) can output audio signals. The processor (130) can output warning sounds, notification messages, response messages corresponding to user input, etc. related to the operation of the dishwasher (100) through the speaker (152).

[0083] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for controlling a dishwasher according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0084] In operation S510, the processor (130) can identify a contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of the environment surrounding the dishwasher (100) among a plurality of contamination levels. Before explaining the plurality of contamination levels, the bacterial growth rate according to temperature and humidity will be explained with reference to FIG. 6.

[0085] FIG. 6 is a table for explaining criteria for classifying contamination levels according to temperature and humidity according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0086] Referring to Figure 6, the horizontal axis can represent humidity and the vertical axis can represent temperature.

[0087] When temperature and humidity are high, bacterial growth rates can increase. Conversely, when temperature and humidity are low, bacterial growth rates can slow down. In this disclosure, a state in which a high bacterial growth rate results in a large number of bacteria can be defined as a high contamination level. Conversely, a state in which a low bacterial growth rate results in a small number of bacteria can be defined as a low contamination level. In other words, the higher the temperature and humidity, the higher the contamination level. Conversely, the lower the temperature and humidity, the lower the contamination level.

[0088] In the present disclosure, the plurality of contamination levels may be classified by the bacterial growth rate according to the plurality of temperature and humidity ranges.

[0089] Referring to FIG. 6, the multiple contamination levels according to the present disclosure may include a first contamination level, a second contamination level lower than the first contamination level, and a third contamination level lower than the second contamination level. Meanwhile, the multiple contamination levels are not limited to the first to third levels described above and may be further subdivided. Furthermore, the first contamination level may be expressed as high contamination, the second contamination level as medium contamination, and the third contamination level as low contamination.

[0090] Multiple pollution levels may correspond to multiple temperature and humidity ranges. For example, since the pollution level of the first pollution level is the highest, the temperature and humidity values ​​of the temperature and humidity range corresponding to the first pollution level may be high. Since the pollution level of the second pollution level is lower than that of the first pollution level, the temperature and humidity values ​​of the temperature and humidity range corresponding to the second pollution level may be lower than the temperature and humidity values ​​of the temperature and humidity range corresponding to the first pollution level. In addition, since the pollution level of the third pollution level is lower than that of the second pollution level, the temperature and humidity values ​​of the temperature and humidity range corresponding to the third pollution level may be lower than the temperature and humidity values ​​of the temperature and humidity range corresponding to the second pollution level. In this case, as the pollution level is higher based on one humidity, the values ​​(e.g., upper limit and lower limit) of the temperature range corresponding to the pollution level may be higher.

[0091] The processor (130) can acquire the temperature and humidity (or temperature and humidity data) of the surrounding environment of the dishwasher (100) and identify a contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment based on the temperature and humidity. The surrounding environment of the dishwasher (100) may include an indoor space where the dishwasher (100) is located. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the surrounding environment may also include the outdoor space of the space where the dishwasher (100) is located.

[0092] For example, the memory (110) can store data on temperature and humidity ranges corresponding to each contamination level for each of a plurality of contamination levels. The processor (130) can identify a temperature and humidity range to which the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment of the dishwasher (100) belongs among a plurality of temperature and humidity ranges corresponding to a plurality of contamination levels, and can identify a contamination level corresponding to the identified temperature and humidity range as a contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment of the dishwasher (100).

[0093] For example, if the humidity of the surrounding environment is 80% and the temperature is 38°C, the processor (130) can identify that the pollution level of the surrounding environment is a first pollution level. In addition, if the humidity is 50% and the temperature is 26°C, the processor (130) can identify that the pollution level of the surrounding environment is a second pollution level. In addition, if the humidity is 10% and the temperature is 10°C, the processor (130) can identify that the pollution level of the surrounding environment is a third pollution level.

[0094] FIG. 7 is a table illustrating communication between a dishwasher (100) according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure and a plurality of other home appliances.

[0095] Referring to FIG. 7, the processor (130) can obtain the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment through a sensor attached to the dishwasher (100). For example, the sensor may be a sensor configured to measure temperature and humidity (e.g., a temperature and humidity measuring sensor). In addition, the processor (130) can receive the temperature and humidity measured by a plurality of other home appliances (200, 400) located in the same space as the dishwasher (100) from the plurality of other home appliances (200, 400), and can also receive the temperature and humidity from the server (300).

[0096] For example, the plurality of other home appliances (200, 400) may include, but are not limited to, home appliances such as air purifiers, air conditioners, refrigerators, etc., and the external devices may include various devices equipped with temperature and humidity measurement sensors. In addition, the server (300) may be a server operated by an organization that measures and collects weather data (e.g., the Korea Meteorological Administration, etc.), or may be a server that obtains temperature and humidity data from the server.

[0097] In addition, the processor (130) may accumulate and store external humidity information received from the server (300), and may request and receive external humidity information from the server (300) based on changes in the external humidity information. For example, when the accumulated and stored external humidity changes at a predetermined rate or more, the processor (130) may request the server (300) to receive external humidity information detected by a plurality of other home appliances (200, 400) located in the home. The processor (130) may not be limited to receiving external humidity information from the server (300). When the detected external humidity change rate is rapid, the plurality of other home appliances (200, 400) may transmit external humidity information to the dishwasher (100) through the server (300) or directly. In addition, the processor (130) may determine the time point for requesting external humidity information. For example, the processor (130) may request and receive external humidity information at the time the dishwasher (100) is powered on or at the time the drying process begins. While the above-described example describes requesting external humidity information, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the processor (130) may perform the same operation described above for temperature information.

[0098] The processor (130) can acquire temperature and humidity using the various methods described above. Meanwhile, when multiple temperatures and humidity are acquired using the various methods described above, the processor (130) can select one of the multiple temperatures and humidity based on priorities and identify the contamination level based on the selected temperature and humidity. The sensor of the dishwasher (100), the multiple other home appliances (200, 400), and the server (300) can have the highest priority in that order.

[0099] For example, when the processor (130) obtains temperature and humidity through the sensor of the dishwasher (100), even if it receives temperature and humidity from a plurality of other home appliances (200, 400) or a server (300) located in the same space as the dishwasher (100), it can identify the contamination level using the temperature and humidity obtained through the sensor of the dishwasher (100).

[0100] For example, if the processor (130) does not obtain temperature and humidity through the sensor of the dishwasher (100), but receives temperature and humidity from a plurality of other home appliances (200, 400) or a server (300) located in the same space as the dishwasher (100), the contamination level can be identified using the temperature and humidity received from the plurality of other home appliances (200, 400).

[0101] Returning to FIG. 5, in operation S520, the processor (130) can identify whether the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived based on the number of times the dishwasher (100) has performed a cleaning course and the internal cleaning cycle corresponding to the contamination level among multiple internal cleaning cycles.

[0102] A washing course may refer to a series of cycles in which a dishwasher (100) washes dishes, as described above in FIG. 2. For example, a washing course may include a step of heating supplied washing water, a rinsing cycle, a drying cycle, a draining cycle, etc. The washing course may be replaced with expressions such as a washing cycle, for example. When a washing course is performed, the processor (130) may store information on the number of times the washing course has been performed in the memory (110). Each time a washing course is performed, the processor (130) may update information on the number of times the washing course has been performed stored in the memory (110).

[0103] The internal wash cycle may include the number of wash courses for internal wash of the dishwasher (100). For example, if the internal wash cycle is 10 times, it may mean that the number of wash courses for internal wash is 10 times. When the dishwasher (100) performs the number of wash courses included in the internal wash cycle, it may be considered that the internal wash cycle of the dishwasher (100) has arrived. The internal wash cycle may be expressed in terms such as wash cycle.

[0104] The internal washing cycle may correspond to a contamination level. The internal washing cycle may be determined based on the contamination level of the surrounding environment of the dishwasher (100). For example, as described above, the plurality of contamination levels may include a first contamination level, a second contamination level, and a third contamination level. In this case, the number of washing courses of the internal washing cycle corresponding to the first contamination level may be shorter than the number of washing courses of the internal washing cycle corresponding to the second contamination level. In addition, the number of washing courses of the internal washing cycle corresponding to the second contamination level may be shorter than the number of washing courses of the internal washing cycle corresponding to the third contamination level.

[0105] For example, the number of cleaning courses for an internal cleaning cycle corresponding to a third contamination level may be 22 to 24. The number of cleaning courses for an internal cleaning cycle corresponding to a second contamination level may be 20. Additionally, the number of cleaning courses for an internal cleaning cycle corresponding to a first contamination level may be 16 to 18. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the number of cleaning courses for internal cleaning may have various values.

[0106] In this way, as the contamination level increases from the third contamination level, which is low, to the first contamination level, which is high, the internal cleaning cycle corresponding to the contamination level may become shorter. A shorter internal cleaning cycle may mean that the number of cleaning courses for internal cleaning included in the cleaning cycle is shorter. Since the higher the contamination level of the surrounding environment of the dishwasher (100), the higher the probability that bacteria have multiplied inside the dishwasher (100), the higher the contamination level, the more frequently the interior of the dishwasher (100) needs to be cleaned. Therefore, the higher the contamination level, the shorter the internal cleaning cycle corresponding to the contamination level may be.

[0107] The processor (130) can identify an internal washing cycle corresponding to a contamination level of the surrounding environment of the dishwasher (100) among a plurality of internal washing cycles corresponding to a plurality of contamination levels. In addition, the processor (130) can identify whether the internal washing time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived based on the identified internal washing cycle and the number of times the washing course is performed stored in the memory (110).

[0108] According to one example, the processor (130) can identify that the internal washing time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived when it is determined that the number of times the dishwasher (100) has performed the washing course has reached the number of washing courses included in the internal washing cycle. For example, assume that the internal washing cycle is 10 times. If the number of times the washing course stored in the memory (110) has been performed is 10 times, it is the same as the internal washing cycle. The processor (130) can identify that the internal washing time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived when it is determined that the number of times the washing course stored in the memory (110) has been performed (e.g., 10 times) is the same as the internal washing cycle (e.g., 10 times).

[0109] According to one example, when a user input for performing an internal washing course is input through an input interface (e.g., 140 of FIG. 4), the processor (130) may perform an internal washing course of the dishwasher (100). The internal washing course may include a course for removing foreign substances remaining on the surface of the internal filter of the sump (42), discharging residual water existing inside the sump (42) to the outside, and drying the inside of the sump (42). For example, when a user input for performing an internal washing course is input, the processor (130) may spray high-temperature water inside the dishwasher (100) for a certain period of time to wash the inside of the main body (10) and the sump (42).

[0110] When the processor (130) identifies that the dishwasher (100) has performed an internal washing course, the processor (130) may initialize information on the number of times the washing course has been performed stored in the memory (110). The initialization may include initializing the number of times the washing course has been performed stored in the memory (110) to 0. After the processor (130) performs the initialization and the dishwasher (100) performs the washing course, the processor (130) may store information on the number of times the washing course has been performed in the memory (110) again. For example, the processor (130) may sequentially increase the number of times the washing course has been performed from 0.

[0111] For example, assuming that the internal washing cycle is 10 times and the washing course is performed 12 times, the processor (130) can initialize the number of times the washing course is performed stored in the memory (110) when the dishwasher (100) performs the internal washing course. Accordingly, the number of times the washing course is performed stored in the memory (110) can be initialized from 12 to 0. When the dishwasher (100) performs the washing course, the processor (130) can increase the number of times the washing course is performed stored in the memory (110) by one each time the washing course is performed. Accordingly, when the number of times the washing course stored in the memory (110) has been performed reaches 10, the processor (130) can identify that the internal washing time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived. Meanwhile, the user may not input user input for the internal washing of the dishwasher (100) to the dishwasher (100) even though the internal washing cycle of the dishwasher (100) has arrived. In this case, when the processor (130) identifies that the internal washing cycle has arrived, it may not initialize the number of times the washing course has been performed stored in the memory (110), but may accumulate and update the number of times the washing course has been performed. In addition, when the processor (130) identifies that the number of times the washing course has been performed reaches the nth cycle, it can identify that the internal washing cycle of the dishwasher (100) has arrived. The nth cycle may be the washing cycle * n (where n is a natural number).

[0112] For example, assume that the internal wash cycle is set to 10 times and the wash course has been performed more than 10 times, but no user command to perform the internal wash has been input to the dishwasher (100). In this case, the processor (130) can accumulate and update the number of times the wash course has been performed. In addition, when the wash course has been performed 20 times, the processor (130) can identify that the internal wash cycle has arrived again.

[0113] For example, if the processor (130) identifies that the contamination level corresponding to the surrounding environment has changed as the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment of the dishwasher (100) has changed, the processor (130) can reset the internal washing cycle.

[0114] For example, if the temperature and humidity of the environment surrounding the dishwasher (100) decreases, the contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment may decrease. In this case, the processor (130) may maintain an internal cleaning cycle corresponding to the contamination level identified before the contamination level decreases until an internal cleaning command is input.

[0115] As described above, the lower the contamination level, the longer the internal cleaning cycle of the dishwasher (100). However, since the environment around the dishwasher (100) has a relatively high contamination level before the contamination level changes, if the internal cleaning of the dishwasher (100) is not performed, the dishwasher (100) may be in a state where bacteria have multiplied. Therefore, if the internal cleaning of the dishwasher (100) is not performed, the processor (130) can maintain the internal cleaning cycle corresponding to the contamination level before the contamination level is lowered, even if the contamination level is lowered.

[0116] On the other hand, if the temperature and humidity of the environment surrounding the dishwasher (100) increase, the contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment may increase. In this case, the processor (130) may change the internal cleaning cycle to an internal cleaning cycle corresponding to the increased contamination level. In this case, since the contamination level increases, the internal cleaning cycle of the dishwasher (100) may be shortened.

[0117] FIG. 8 is a drawing for explaining a method for identifying whether an internal washing cycle has arrived by using a changed internal washing cycle when the internal washing cycle of the dishwasher (100) is changed according to an increase in temperature and humidity according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0118] Referring to FIG. 8, if the processor (130) determines that the contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment of the dishwasher (100) has increased based on the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment, the processor (130) may change the internal washing cycle from the first internal washing cycle to a second internal washing cycle corresponding to the increased contamination level. The second internal washing cycle may be shorter than the first internal washing cycle.

[0119] Specifically, as the contamination level of the environment surrounding the dishwasher (100) increases, the internal cleaning cycle may become shorter. The shortened internal cleaning cycle may be due to a decrease in the number of cleaning cycles included in the internal cleaning cycle. For example, in FIG. 8, it is assumed that the internal cleaning cycle before the change is 24 times, and the internal cleaning cycle changed to 16 times due to the increase in contamination level.

[0120] Additionally, the processor (130) can identify whether the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived based on the number of times the cleaning course has been performed and the second internal cleaning cycle.

[0121] Referring to Fig. 8, point ① is when the number of times the washing course is performed is less than the number of washing courses of the second internal washing cycle.

[0122] At this time, if the processor (130) determines that the washing course has been performed less than the number of washing courses of the second internal washing cycle, the processor (130) can update the number of times the washing course has been performed as the dishwasher (100) performs the washing course. If the updated number of washing courses reaches the number of washing courses of the second internal washing cycle, the processor (130) can determine that the internal washing time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived.

[0123] For example, it is assumed that the number of times the washing course is performed for the first internal washing cycle is 24, and the number of times the washing course is performed for the post-change cycle is 16.

[0124] If the number of times the washing course is performed is less than 16 (e.g., 10 times), which is the number of times the washing course is performed in the cycle after the change, the processor (130) can accumulate and update the number of times the washing course is performed. The processor (130) can identify that the internal washing cycle has arrived when the washing course has been performed 16 times.

[0125] If the number of cleaning courses has been performed equal to the number of cleaning courses of the second internal cleaning cycle, but no command to perform internal cleaning has been input from the user, the processor (130) can identify that the internal cleaning time has arrived if additional cleaning courses are performed equal to the number of cleaning courses of the second internal cleaning cycle after the internal cleaning time has arrived.

[0126] For example, if a command to perform internal cleaning is not input, the processor (130) can identify that the internal cleaning cycle has arrived again when the cleaning course has been performed 32 times.

[0127] ② The point in time is when the number of times the washing course is performed is less than the number of washing courses of the first internal washing cycle and greater than or equal to the number of washing courses of the second internal washing cycle.

[0128] ② The point in time may be when the washing course has been performed more than 16 times, which is the number of washing courses of the second internal washing cycle, but less than 24 times, which is the number of washing courses of the first internal washing cycle (e.g., 20 times).

[0129] At this time, the processor (130) can identify that the internal cleaning period of the dishwasher (100) has arrived at the point where it identifies that the internal cleaning cycle has changed due to a change in the contamination level.

[0130] Even in this case, if a command to perform internal cleaning is not input, the processor (130) can identify that the internal cleaning time has arrived when, after the internal cleaning time has arrived, a cleaning course is additionally performed equal to the number of cleaning courses of the second internal cleaning cycle. At this time, the processor (130) can identify whether a cleaning course has been additionally performed equal to the number of cleaning courses of the second internal cleaning cycle, based on the number of cleaning courses performed at the time when it is identified that the internal cleaning cycle has changed.

[0131] For example, if the washing course has been performed 20 times at the time the processor (130) identifies that the internal washing cycle has changed, the processor (130) can update the number of times the washing course has been performed starting from 20 times.

[0132] Therefore, the processor (130) can identify that the internal cleaning cycle has arrived again when the cleaning course has been performed 36 times.

[0133] ③ The point in time is when the number of times the washing course has been performed is greater than the number of washing courses of the first internal washing cycle.

[0134] ③ The point in time may be when the washing course has been performed more than 24 times, which is the number of washing courses in the first internal washing cycle (e.g., 26 times).

[0135] At this time, the processor (130) can identify that the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived based on the fact that the cleaning course performed after the internal cleaning time has recently been identified has been performed the number of times the cleaning course of the second internal cleaning cycle has been performed.

[0136] Specifically, the processor (130) may have identified that the internal cleaning time has arrived based on the first internal cleaning cycle. Additionally, after the processor (130) has identified that the internal cleaning time has arrived, the contamination level may increase, shortening the internal cleaning cycle.

[0137] Accordingly, the processor (130) can identify that the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived when the cleaning course is performed the number of times corresponding to the second cleaning cycle after it has been recently identified that the internal cleaning time has arrived.

[0138] For example, the processor (130) can identify that the internal cleaning time has arrived when the number of cleaning courses corresponding to the second cleaning cycle is performed 16 more times, starting from 24 times, which is the number of cleaning courses corresponding to the first cleaning cycle.

[0139] Even in this case, if a command to perform internal cleaning is not input, the processor (130) can identify that the internal cleaning time has arrived when the cleaning course is additionally performed the number of cleaning courses corresponding to the second cleaning cycle after the internal cleaning time has arrived.

[0140] Therefore, the processor (130) can identify that the internal cleaning cycle has arrived again when the cleaning course has been performed 56 times.

[0141] Additionally, the dishwasher (100) may include a turbidity sensor. Furthermore, a contamination level may be preset based on the contamination range measured by the turbidity sensor. The preset contamination level may be stored in memory (110).

[0142] Therefore, the processor (130) is not limited to the above-described example, and may identify a contamination level using a turbidity sensor included in the dishwasher (100) and identify an internal washing cycle based on the identified contamination level. The processor (130) may identify a shorter internal washing cycle among the internal washing cycle based on the contamination level identified using the turbidity sensor and the internal washing cycle identified based on the acquired temperature and humidity. The processor (130) may identify whether the internal washing time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived based on the shorter internal washing cycle.

[0143] In another embodiment, the processor (130) may identify an internal cleaning cycle based on the temperature and humidity acquired as described above, and may accumulate and update the number of times the cleaning course is performed. At this time, the processor (130) may identify an internal cleaning cycle based on a contamination level identified using a turbidity sensor. If the internal cleaning cycle based on the contamination level identified using the turbidity sensor is shorter than the internal cleaning cycle identified based on the temperature and humidity, the processor (130) may change the internal cleaning cycle from the internal cleaning cycle identified based on the temperature and humidity to the internal cleaning cycle based on the contamination level identified using the turbidity sensor.

[0144] In one embodiment, the memory (110) may include an artificial intelligence model.

[0145] Additionally, the processor (130) can measure the contamination level of the dishwasher (100) using a turbidity sensor and identify the number of times the washing cycle is performed until the contamination level reaches the first contamination level, which is the highest. The processor (130) can identify the number of times the washing cycle is performed until the contamination level reaches the first contamination level and store the identified number in the memory (110).

[0146] The processor (130) can learn the number of times the washing cycle is performed until the first contamination level is reached using an artificial intelligence model, and can also automatically set the internal washing cycle of the dishwasher (100).

[0147] In operation S530, when the processor (130) identifies that an internal wash cycle has arrived, it can transmit a notification for internal wash of the dishwasher (100) to an external device.

[0148] For example, the processor (130) may transmit information that the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived to an external device or server (300) through the communication interface (120). When the server (300) receives information from the dishwasher (100) that the internal cleaning time has arrived, the server (300) may transmit the received information to the external device. For example, the external device may include a user device such as a smartphone, a tablet, or a smart watch. The user may recognize that the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived by using a notification provided by the external device, and may input a user input for internal cleaning of the dishwasher (100) to the dishwasher (100). In this case, the processor (130) may perform an internal cleaning course based on the user input.

[0149] Additionally, the processor (130) can be set to perform the internal cleaning course of the dishwasher (100) without waiting for user input for internal cleaning when the internal cleaning time arrives.

[0150] Specifically, the processor (130) can be configured to cause the dishwasher (100) to perform an internal cleaning course when the internal cleaning time arrives. Accordingly, when a user presses the operation button of the dishwasher (100), the internal cleaning course can be performed immediately without the user having to separately select an internal cleaning mode.

[0151] In addition, when the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher (100) arrives, if the user runs the app (APP) installed on the external device, the external device can display a UI button that commands the dishwasher (100) to perform the internal cleaning operation. The user can input a command to the dishwasher (100) to perform the internal cleaning operation through the button. The external device can transmit a command to the dishwasher (100) to perform the internal cleaning operation.

[0152] Additionally, the external device can transmit a command to the server to perform an internal cleaning operation. In this case, the server can transmit a command to the dishwasher (100) to perform an internal cleaning operation.

[0153] In another embodiment, the external device can identify whether the door of the dishwasher (100) is closed when the internal washing time of the dishwasher (100) arrives. If the door of the dishwasher (100) is closed, the external device can transmit a command to perform an internal washing operation to the dishwasher (100). At this time, the external device can also transmit a command to perform the internal washing operation to the server. On the other hand, if the door of the dishwasher (100) is open, the external device can identify that remote control is not possible and not transmit a command to perform the internal washing operation to the dishwasher (100). If the dishwasher (100) performs a washing course without receiving a user input for the internal washing course of the dishwasher (100) after transmitting the notification, the processor (130) can transmit the notification to the external device through the communication interface (120). For example, there may be a case where the processor (130) transmits a notification to an external device that an internal wash cycle has arrived, but the user ignores the notification and continues to perform the wash cycle through the dishwasher (100). In this case, the processor (130) may retransmit a notification to the external device that an internal wash cycle has arrived. In this case, the processor (130) may transmit a notification to the external device each time an additional wash cycle is performed.

[0154] Meanwhile, users may feel fatigued when receiving notifications frequently. Accordingly, the processor (130) may stop transmitting notifications in response to notifications being transmitted a preset number of times based on the fact that no user input has been received for the internal washing course of the dishwasher (100). For example, the user may ignore the notification that the internal washing cycle has arrived and perform the washing course a preset number of times through the dishwasher (100). In this case, the processor (130) may stop transmitting notifications. For example, the number of washing courses included in the internal washing cycle may be 24, and the preset number may be 3. Accordingly, if no user input for the internal washing course is received and the washing course is performed more than 24 times, the processor (130) may transmit notifications to the external device until the washing course is performed 27 times. However, the processor (130) may stop transmitting notifications if the number of washing courses performed exceeds 27.

[0155] When the transmission of notifications is interrupted, the processor (130) can update the number of times the washing course has been performed and store it in the memory (110). In addition, the processor (130) can identify whether the washing course has been performed again for the internal washing cycle based on the information about the number of times the washing course has been performed stored in the memory (110). When the number of times the washing course has been performed again reaches the internal washing cycle, the processor (130) can retransmit a notification to the user indicating that the internal washing cycle has arrived.

[0156] In addition, when the temperature and humidity of the environment surrounding the dishwasher (100) are low and correspond to a third contamination level with low contamination, the processor (130) can transmit a notification to an external device via the communication interface (120) asking whether to perform an economic internal washing mode.

[0157] The "Economic Internal Wash Mode" can be used to perform internal cleaning at a lower water temperature and with a smaller volume compared to the conventional internal wash mode. The "Economic Internal Wash Mode" can also be referred to as the "LIGHT Wash Mode."

[0158] In cases where the contamination level is low, the dishwasher (100) can be maintained in a sanitary condition even with a relatively mild internal cleaning. Therefore, in cases where the contamination level is low, energy can be efficiently saved by allowing the user to select an economical internal cleaning mode.

[0159] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating the overall operation of the invention according to at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0160] In operations S1010 and S1020, the processor (130) can identify the period of inactivity of the dishwasher (100) and identify whether the period of inactivity exceeds a preset period.

[0161] The inactivity period may be the time interval from the end of a wash cycle until the next wash cycle is performed.

[0162] For example, when a washing course ends, the processor (130) can store information about the time at which the washing course ended in the memory (110). Thereafter, when a user input for performing the next washing course is received, the processor (130) can compare the time at which the user input is received with the time at which the washing course stored in the memory (110) ends, thereby identifying a period of non-operation of the dishwasher (100) and identifying whether the period of non-operation exceeds a preset period.

[0163] For example, the processor (130) can receive information on whether the inoperability period has exceeded from the server (300) through the communication interface (120). The processor (130) can transmit information related to the operation of the dishwasher (100) to the server (300) through the communication interface (120). The information related to the operation may include the start time of the washing course (e.g., the time at which a user input for the washing course is input), the end time of the washing course, etc. The server (300) can identify the inoperability period of the dishwasher (100) using the information related to the operation of the dishwasher (100) received from the dishwasher (100) and identify whether the inoperability period has exceeded a preset period. For example, if information about the start of a washing course is not received from the dishwasher (100) until a preset period of time has elapsed from the time the washing course ends, the server (300) may identify that the period of non-operation of the dishwasher (100) has exceeded the preset period of time.

[0164] In operations S1020-N, S1030, S1040, and S1050, if the processor (130) determines that the non-operation period does not exceed a preset period, the processor (130) can determine whether the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived based on the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment of the dishwasher (100) and the number of times the cleaning course has been performed. Then, the processor (130) can transmit a notification for internal cleaning of the dishwasher (100) to an external device using the communication interface (120) based on the determination that the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher (100) has arrived. Since the description of operations S510, S520, and S530 can be applied to operations S1030, S1040, and S1050, a repeated description will be omitted.

[0165] In operations S1020-Y and S1050, if the processor (130) determines that the inactivity period does not exceed a preset period, it may transmit a notification for internal cleaning of the dishwasher (100) to an external device using the communication interface (120). Since the description of operation S530 can be applied to operation S1050, a repeated description is omitted.

[0166] Meanwhile, various embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented in a computer-readable recording medium or similar device using software, hardware, or a combination thereof. In some cases, the embodiments described herein may be implemented by the processor itself. In a software implementation, embodiments, such as the procedures and functions described herein, may be implemented as separate software modules. Each of the software modules may perform one or more functions and operations described herein.

[0167] Meanwhile, computer instructions for performing processing operations of the dishwasher (100) according to various embodiments of the present disclosure described above may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium. When the computer instructions stored in such a non-transitory computer-readable medium are executed by a processor of a specific device, the computer instructions cause the specific device to perform processing operations of the dishwasher (100) according to various embodiments described above.

[0168] A non-transitory computer-readable medium refers to a medium that permanently stores data and can be read by a device, rather than a medium that stores data for a short period of time, such as a register, cache, or memory. Specific examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include CDs, DVDs, hard disks, Blu-ray discs, USBs, memory cards, and ROMs.

[0169] While the present invention has been described with reference to the attached drawings, the scope of the present invention is determined by the claims described below and should not be construed as being limited to the aforementioned embodiments and / or drawings. Furthermore, it should be clearly understood that improvements, modifications, and variations apparent to those skilled in the art, as defined in the claims, are also included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. In dishwashers, communication interface; memory that stores instructions; and At least one processor comprising processing circuitry; The above memory stores information on a plurality of contamination levels corresponding to a plurality of temperatures and humidity and information on a plurality of internal cleaning cycles corresponding to the plurality of contamination levels. The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed individually or collectively, Among the above multiple contamination levels, identify a contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of the environment surrounding the dishwasher, A dishwasher that identifies the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher based on the internal cleaning cycle corresponding to the contamination level, and transmits a notification for internal cleaning of the dishwasher to an external device using the communication interface.

2. In paragraph 1, The above internal cleaning cycle includes the number of cleaning courses for the internal cleaning, The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed individually or collectively, A dishwasher, wherein when it is determined that the dishwasher has performed the cleaning course the number of times the cleaning course of the internal cleaning cycle has been performed from the time the dishwasher performed the internal cleaning course, it is determined that the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher has arrived.

3. In paragraph 2, The above plurality of contamination levels include a first contamination level, a second contamination level lower than the first contamination level, and a third contamination level lower than the second contamination level, The number of cleaning courses of the internal cleaning cycle corresponding to the first contamination level is shorter than the number of cleaning courses of the internal cleaning cycle corresponding to the second contamination level, A dishwasher, wherein the number of washing courses of the internal washing cycle corresponding to the second contamination level is shorter than the number of washing courses of the internal washing cycle corresponding to the third contamination level.

4. In paragraph 1, The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed individually or collectively, Identifying the number of times the dishwasher has performed a washing cycle based on the number of washing cycles stored in the memory; A dishwasher that updates the stored number of washing courses based on the number of washing courses performed by the dishwasher, and resets the stored number of washing courses based on the number of internal washing courses performed by the dishwasher.

5. In paragraph 1, The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed individually or collectively, A dishwasher, wherein the dishwasher determines that the internal washing time of the dishwasher has arrived based on the identification that the dishwasher has performed an additional washing course equal to the number of washing courses of the internal washing cycle without receiving a user input for the internal washing course of the dishwasher after transmitting the notification, and transmits the notification based on the arrival of the internal washing time.

6. In paragraph 1, The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed individually or collectively, A dishwasher that transmits the notification to the external device based on the dishwasher performing a washing cycle without receiving user input for an internal washing cycle of the dishwasher after transmitting the notification.

7. In paragraph 6, The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed individually or collectively, A dishwasher, wherein when a user input for an internal washing course of the dishwasher is received and the notification is transmitted a preset number of times, the transmission of the notification is stopped.

8. In paragraph 3, The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed individually or collectively, A dishwasher, wherein, when the contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment of the dishwasher is identified as being lowered based on the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment, the dishwasher maintains the internal washing cycle identified before the contamination level is lowered.

9. In paragraph 8, The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed individually or collectively, When it is determined that the contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment of the dishwasher has increased based on the temperature and humidity of the surrounding environment, the internal washing cycle is changed from the first internal washing cycle to the second internal washing cycle corresponding to the increased contamination level. A dishwasher that identifies whether the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher has arrived based on the number of times the above cleaning course has been performed and the second internal cleaning cycle.

10. In paragraph 1, The at least one processor, when the instructions are executed individually or collectively, A notification for internal cleaning of the dishwasher is transmitted to an external device using the communication interface based on the fact that the non-operation period of the dishwasher is determined to be longer than a preset time, A dishwasher that identifies whether the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher has arrived based on the identification that the non-operation period of the dishwasher is less than the preset time, and transmits a notification for internal cleaning of the dishwasher to an external device using the communication circuit based on the identification that the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher has arrived.

11. A control method for a dishwasher that controls the internal washing cycle of the dishwasher, A step of identifying a contamination level corresponding to the temperature and humidity of the environment surrounding the dishwasher among a plurality of contamination levels; A step of identifying the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher based on the internal cleaning cycle corresponding to the contamination level; and A step of transmitting a notification for internal cleaning of the dishwasher to an external device based on the identification of the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher; A control method wherein the plurality of contamination levels correspond to the plurality of temperature and humidity, and the plurality of internal cleaning cycles correspond to the plurality of contamination levels.

12. In paragraph 11, The above internal cleaning cycle includes the number of cleaning courses for the internal cleaning, The step of identifying that the internal cleaning time of the above dishwasher has arrived is as follows: A control method comprising a step of identifying that the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher has arrived when it is determined that the dishwasher has performed the cleaning course the number of cleaning courses of the internal cleaning cycle from the time the dishwasher performed the internal cleaning course.

13. In paragraph 12, The above plurality of contamination levels include a first contamination level, a second contamination level lower than the first contamination level, and a third contamination level lower than the second contamination level, The number of cleaning courses of the internal cleaning cycle corresponding to the first contamination level is shorter than the number of cleaning courses of the internal cleaning cycle corresponding to the second contamination level, A control method wherein the number of washing courses of the washing cycle corresponding to the second contamination level is shorter than the number of washing courses of the internal washing cycle corresponding to the third contamination level.

14. In paragraph 11, A step of identifying the number of times the dishwasher has performed a washing cycle based on the number of stored washing cycles; A step of updating the stored number of washing cycles based on the washing cycles performed by the dishwasher; and A control method further comprising the step of initializing the stored number of washing cycles based on the number of times the dishwasher has performed an internal washing cycle.

15. In paragraph 11, A step of identifying that the internal cleaning time of the dishwasher has arrived based on the identification that the dishwasher has performed an additional cleaning course equal to the number of cleaning courses of the internal cleaning cycle without receiving a user input for the internal cleaning course of the dishwasher after transmitting the notification; and A control method further comprising a step of transmitting the notification based on the arrival of the internal cleaning period.

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