Household dishwasher machine, system comprising household dishwasher machine, and method for operating a household dishwasher machine
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional household dishwashers often require costly and time-consuming on-site visits by customer service to diagnose and repair issues, as users lack remote access to troubleshoot complex problems and cannot independently address performance issues without special spare parts.
Innovation Solution
A household dishwasher equipped with a communication unit for bidirectional communication with a remote server, an optical sensor to capture and transmit visual signals, and a control device to receive and execute remote commands, enabling remote diagnosis and repair guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If customer service visits the user on-site to diagnose and repair the dishwasher, then the problem can be directly inspected and potentially fixed, but it is time-consuming, cumbersome, and expensive requiring the user to be at home
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary between the user and customer service. The server receives images from the dishwasher's image recorder, performs remote analysis to diagnose problems, and provides repair instructions or guides spare part procurement. This intermediary enables remote troubleshooting without requiring physical presence, reducing time loss while maintaining repair capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of physical customer service visits with an information-based system. Instead of customer service personnel traveling to the user's location to inspect the dishwasher, the system uses an image recorder to capture visual data, transmits it to a server, and uses remote analysis to diagnose issues. This substitution eliminates the need for physical travel and on-site inspection.
2Ease of repair
If customer service visits are scheduled to solve problems, then repairs can be performed, but special spare parts may be required leading to multiple visits and further delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables preliminary diagnosis and identification of required spare parts through remote server analysis before the user or customer service acts. The server analyzes images, determines the nature of the problem, identifies needed spare parts, and can even initiate procurement processes in advance. This preliminary action prevents multiple visits by preparing all necessary information and parts beforehand.
3Loss of information
If the dishwasher has a display showing error codes, then users can see what problem is detected, but users cannot independently solve complex problems without customer service intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an image recorder to create visual copies of the dishwasher's interior and problem areas. These image copies are transmitted to a server for analysis and can be viewed by users through a user interface. This copying mechanism provides users with visual information about the problem that goes beyond simple error codes, enabling them to understand the issue better and follow repair instructions more effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback loop where the server analyzes images from the dishwasher, determines the problem, and provides repair instructions or guidance back to the user interface. This feedback mechanism transforms static error code information into dynamic, actionable guidance that helps users independently troubleshoot and resolve complex problems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This setup allows for remote monitoring and control of the dishwasher, enabling users to identify and potentially fix issues independently, reducing the need for on-site visits and saving costs by preparing repairs in advance and providing step-by-step instructions.
Implementation Method 1
an optical sensor (110) to capture an optical sensor signal (A) from the rinsing chamber (4)
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The invention relates to a household dishwasher machine (1) comprising a control device (100) for controlling an activatable unit (21) arranged in a washing compartment (4), a communication unit (120) for two-directional communication with a remote server (200) and an optical sensor (110) for detecting an optical sensor signal (A) of the washing compartment (4), the communication unit (120) being designed so as to transmit the detected optical sensor signal (A) to the remote server (200), to receive a control command (B) from the remote server (200), for controlling the activatable unit (21), and to forward the received control command (B) to the control device (100).