Method for controlling a filling process of a water-bearing household appliance

1. A method for detecting a failure of a fill sensor that detects water flowing into a water-bearing household appliance, the method comprising:

opening a locking arrangement to fill the water-bearing household appliance with water, the locking arrangement controlled by the water-bearing household appliance, the locking arrangement allowing the water to flow into the water-bearing household appliance when the locking arrangement is in an open position;

monitoring the fill sensor, the fill sensor emitting a water-is-flowing signal when the water flows past the fill sensor when the fill sensor is operating properly;

holding the locking arrangement open for a predetermined period of time in response to an absence of the water-is-flowing signal from the fill sensor while the monitoring of the fill sensor is continually performed;

closing the locking arrangement after the locking arrangement is held open for the predetermined period of time and in the absence of the water-is-flowing signal;

after closing the locking arrangement, activating a pump to convey the water that flowed into the water-bearing household appliance, the pump being activated after the locking arrangement is held open for the predetermined period of time;

monitoring a performance characteristic of the pump, the performance characteristic of the pump corresponding to a load of a motor driving the pump;

evaluating the performance characteristic of the pump while the pump is activated after the locking arrangement is held open for the predetermined period of time; and

determining that the failure exists in the fill sensor if the performance characteristic of the pump indicates that the pump is pumping water.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water-bearing household appliance is one of a dishwasher and a washing machine.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the locking arrangement is closed as a result of the evaluation of the performance characteristic of the pump.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of an optical and an acoustic error signal is generated as a result of the evaluation of the performance characteristic of the pump.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one of the optical and acoustic error signal is perceived by an operating person.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a subsequent filling process is prevented as a result of the evaluation of the performance characteristic of the pump.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performance characteristic of the pump is one of an electrical current consumption and regulating variables of the motor driving the pump.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the load of the motor driving the pump is determined based on the evaluation of the performance characteristic of the pump.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the locking arrangement is closed after the predetermined period of time has expired and as a result of the evaluation of the performance characteristic of the pump.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fill sensor includes an impeller flow meter.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fill sensor is arranged in a supply line of the water-bearing household appliance.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pump is one of a circulating pump to circulate liquid in the water-bearing household appliance and a drain pump to convey liquid out of the water-bearing household appliance.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein the performance characteristic of the pump is the electrical current consumption of the motor driving the pump.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performance characteristic of the pump is an electrical current consumption of the motor driving the pump.