Method for identifying operating conditions of a domestic appliance
View Patent ↗In a method for identifying operating conditions of a domestic appliance, a temperature of an operating agent of the domestic appliance and/or of a component of the domestic appliance is detected by a temperature sensor. The ambient temperature is detected by the temperature sensor before the programming mode, in an initialization phase. At least one reference temperature value is defined that represents a critical value for the programming mode of the domestic appliance in respect of reliable and/or efficient operation. The programming mode is prevented from beginning as a function of the comparison of the measured ambient temperature with at least one reference temperature value. The programming mode is prevented from beginning until the ambient temperature has reached a value that is in an acceptable range in comparison with the reference temperature value.
1. A method for identifying operating conditions of a domestic appliance, said method comprising the steps of:
detecting a value of an ambient temperature during an initialization phase before a programming mode of an appliance begins using a sensor that, in the programming mode of the appliance, detects the temperature of an operating agent of the appliance, or a component of the appliance, or both, wherein the appliance is a kitchen appliance, a laundry appliance, and/or a cleaning appliance and the initialization phase is a period of time in which a computer program used during the programming mode is loaded;
comparing the ambient temperature to at least one reference temperature, said reference temperature representing a critical value for the programming mode of the domestic appliance; and
preventing the programming mode from starting until the value of the ambient temperature has attained a value that is within a predetermined range of the reference temperature value, the predetermined range being finite.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of communicating to a user whether or not the value of the ambient temperature is within the predetermined range.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of warning a user if the value of the ambient temperature is not within the predetermined range.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the warning is provided on a display unit.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the warning is provided as acoustic information.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference temperature value is a threshold value below which it is possible for water-conveying components of the domestic appliance to freeze.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference temperature value is a threshold value above which the duration of the programming mode would be extended.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the detecting step detects a value of an ambient temperature of a laundry dryer, and the duration of the programming mode of the laundry dryer would be extended due to the value of the ambient temperature being above the reference value.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the domestic appliance is designed for caring for items of laundry.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of automatically starting the programming mode when the value of the ambient temperature attains a value that is in the predetermined range, the step of automatically starting taking place after the preventing step has been taken.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the operating agent is a fluid media.
12. A method for identifying operating conditions of a domestic appliance, said method comprising the steps of:
detecting a value of an ambient temperature during an initialization phase before a programming mode of an appliance begins using a sensor that, in the programming mode of the appliance, detects the temperature of an operating agent of the appliance, or a component of the appliance, or both, wherein the appliance is adapted to operate with a fluid media to carry out the programming mode and the initialization phase is a period of time in which a computer program used during the programming mode is loaded;
comparing the ambient temperature to at least one reference temperature, said reference temperature representing a critical value for the programming mode of the domestic appliance;
preventing the programming mode from starting until the value of the ambient temperature has attained a value that is within a predetermined range of the reference temperature value, the predetermined range being finite; and
repeating the detecting and comparing steps after the programming mode has been prevented from beginning because the value of the ambient temperature had not attained a value that is in the predetermined range.
13. The method of claim 12 further comprising automatically starting the programming mode when the value of the ambient temperature attains a value that is in the predetermined range.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the operating agent is a fluid media.