BE1029330B1 - Method for adjusting a drying process in a cleaning device and cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for adapting a drying process in a cleaning device, the cleaning device having a camera (105) for capturing an interior of the cleaning device, comprises a step of reading in an image signal (710) via an interface to the camera (105), the image signal ( 710) represents an image captured by the camera (105) during the drying process, a step of applying edge detection to the image to obtain an edge image, a step of determining a scatter signal (755) representing a scatter of color values in the edge image represents; and a step of providing an adjustment signal (715) for adjusting the drying process using the scatter signal (755).

Description

The invention relates to a method for adjusting a drying process in a cleaning device and to a cleaning device. Dishwashers are designed to start a drying program after a cleaning program in order to dry the cleaned dishes. The object of the invention is to create an improved method for adapting a drying process in a cleaning device and an improved cleaning device.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for adapting a drying process in a cleaning device and a cleaning device with the features of the main claims. Advantageous refinements and developments of the invention result from the following dependent claims.

The advantages that can be achieved with the invention are that the drying process in a cleaning device can be shortened and improved. This can also improve customer satisfaction.

A method for adapting a drying process in a cleaning device, which has a camera for capturing an interior of the cleaning device, comprises the following steps: reading in an image signal via an interface to the camera, the image signal representing an image recorded by the camera during the drying process; applying edge detection to the image to obtain an edge image; determining a scatter signal representing a scatter of color values in the edge image; and providing an adjustment signal for adjusting the drying process using the scatter signal.

A cleaning device can be understood to mean a dishwasher for cleaning items to be washed. The cleaning device can be designed to start a drying process after a cleaning process. The camera can be arranged, for example, on the inside of a door of the cleaning device or on a wall of the interior of the cleaning device.

It is directed into the interior of the cleaning device and is suitable and designed to cover the interior of the cleaning device.

It is clear to the person skilled in the art that this formulation does not necessarily imply that the entire volume of the interior can be recorded absolutely completely.

A

The detection range of an image sensor of the camera can be directed through a protective pane of the camera into the interior.

Drops of a cleaning liquid that was used to clean the items to be washed during a cleaning program can accumulate on the protective pane.

The camera can be used to

monitor the drying process.

For this purpose, the camera can record at least one image during the drying process.

By evaluating the image, a conclusion can be drawn about the progress of the drying process, and a further course of the drying process can be adapted according to the currently determined progress.

As long as drops can still be seen on the protective pane using the image, it can be assumed that drying has not yet taken place sufficiently.

Such drops can advantageously be recognized by evaluating the sharpness of the image.

The more drops there are, the blurrier the image.

Such a blurred image has few sharp edges.

Thus, by analyzing the edges present in the image, conclusions can be drawn as to the presence of edges.

Advantageously, the method can prevent the items to be washed from being damp or even completely wet after the wash cycle, depending on the material, and first having to be dried by hand.

This can prevent the customer from being dissatisfied with the drying result.

With the method, droplets are in the

_The interior of the sink can be seen despite its small size.

A device using the method mentioned can therefore also be referred to as an optical drying sensor for dishwashers with a camera.

This does not require an expensive camera system.

The interior of the washing machine can advantageously be monitored by means of the camera and a corresponding image evaluation.

Such a camera can be a camera that is already used in the cleaning program, in particular the cleaning and/or drying process, for one or more other sensory tasks, such as the degree of loading and/or types of loading and/or degree of soiling and/or types to be visually monitored and evaluated, and in order to use the information obtained from this to improve flushing performance and/or increase ease of use, for example.

The method may include a step of converting the image into a grayscale image, wherein in the applying step edge detection is applied to the grayscale image.

In the determining step, the scatter signal can represent a scattering of gray values in the edge image. Processing of a gray value image is advantageously more computationally efficient in comparison to a color value image. In the providing step, the method can provide the adjustment signal for lengthening the drying process if the scatter signal represents a scatter that is below a threshold value. This leads to an improved drying process and increases customer satisfaction, since it is ensured that the items to be cleaned are really dry after the end of the drying process and no residual moisture remains on the items to be cleaned. A corresponding threshold value comparison is advantageously easy to carry out.

In the providing step, the method can provide the adjustment signal for ending the drying process if the scatter signal represents a scatter that is above a threshold value. This leads to an energy-saving drying process, since the drying process is terminated as soon as no more scattering is detected.

In the method, the steps of reading, applying and determining can be carried out again in order to obtain a further scattering signal which represents a further scattering of color values in a further edge image. In the providing step, the adaptation signal can be provided using the further spread signal. In this way, the progress of the drying process can be recorded and used to further adjust the drying process. For example, active drying can be switched on if required. Active drying can be continued until no scattering or only a small amount of scattering is detected in a current image.

In the providing step, the method can provide the adjustment signal using a reference scatter signal, which represents a scattering of color values in a reference edge image. For example, the reference edge image may represent a reference condition considered to be dry. In this way, the drying process can be continued until the reference state is reached.

The method can include a step of reading in a reference image signal via the interface to the camera. The reference image signal can represent an image recorded by the camera before the start of a flushing process. The method may further include a step of applying edge detection to the reference image to obtain the reference edge image. Furthermore, the method can include a step of determining the reference scatter signal using the reference edge image. This offers the advantage that a reference image is created before the start of rinsing in order to have a reference value for the dry state in the cleaning device.

This offers the advantage that the current load status can be taken into account when adapting the drying process that follows the rinse cycle.

The method can include a step of outputting a cooling signal to an interface to a cooling device for cooling the protective pane of the camera in order to

to activate the cooling device.

This offers the advantage that the cooling of the camera's protective pane increases condensation of the drops on the camera's protective pane.

The method can include a step of outputting an activation signal to a

Interface to a rinsing room interior lighting of the cleaning device include to activate the rinsing room interior lighting, and a step of outputting a deactivation signal to an interface to a rinsing room interior lighting of the cleaning device to disable the rinsing room interior lighting.

In a recording step, the image can be recorded using the camera, wherein the

step of receiving is performed between the steps of outputting.

When the interior lighting of the wash compartment is activated, the camera can take a picture of the interior of the cleaning device.

After the picture has been taken, the interior lighting of the wash compartment is deactivated again to save energy.

A device for adapting a drying process in a cleaning device, which has a camera for capturing an interior of the cleaning device, is designed to carry out the steps of the method mentioned in corresponding units.

Such a device can be designed to read in input signals and to determine and provide output signals using the input signals.

A

The input signal can represent, for example, a sensor signal that can be read in via an input interface of the device.

An output signal may represent a control signal or a data signal that may be provided at an output interface of the device.

The device can be designed to determine the output signals using a processing specification implemented in hardware or software.

For example, the device can include a logic circuit, an integrated circuit or a software module and can be implemented as a discrete component, for example, or can be comprised of a discrete component.

The device can be implemented, for example, as part of a control unit of the cleaning device or in addition to such a control unit.

A corresponding cleaning device for cleaning items to be washed with a camera for capturing an interior of the cleaning device can include such a device.

Thus, the described approach can be advantageously implemented in a cleaning device. 5 The camera in the cleaning device can have a protective screen and a cooling device for cooling the protective screen of the camera.

The cleaning device can have a door for closing the interior of the cleaning device and a heat dissipation device.

The camera can be attached to the door and the heat dissipation device can be configured to dissipate waste heat from the camera to the door.

This is advantageous because heating up the camera could make it more difficult for drops to condense on the viewing window.

Even if the approach described is described using a household appliance, the cleaning device described here or the method described here can be used accordingly in connection with a commercial or professional device, for example a cleaning or disinfection device.

A computer program product or computer program with program code, which can be stored on a machine-readable carrier or storage medium such as a semiconductor memory, a hard disk memory or an optical memory, is also advantageous.

If the program product or program is executed on a computer or a device, then the program product or program can be used to carry out, implement and/or control the steps of the method according to one of the embodiments described above.

An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a cleaning device with a camera according to an exemplary embodiment; FIG. 2 shows a camera image according to an exemplary embodiment; FIG. 3 shows a camera image with condensed drops according to an embodiment; FIG. 4 shows a camera image with condensed drops according to an embodiment; FIG. 5 shows a diagram of a course of a drying phase according to an exemplary embodiment; FIG. 6 shows a diagram of a course of a further drying phase according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of a control device of a cleaning device according to an exemplary embodiment; FIG. 8 shows a flow chart of a method for adapting a drying process in a cleaning device according to an exemplary embodiment; and FIG. 9 shows a flow chart of a method for adapting a drying process in a cleaning device according to a further exemplary embodiment.

Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a cleaning device 100 with a camera 105 according to an embodiment. By way of example, the cleaning device 100 is designed as a dishwasher which, in accordance with known dishwashers, can run a cleaning program with a subsequent drying process. The camera 105 is designed to capture an interior of the cleaning device 100 . Using the camera 105, a progress of the drying process can be monitored. This makes it possible to adjust the drying process. For example, the drying process can be ended when an evaluation of an image from the camera indicates that sufficient drying has taken place. On the other hand, the drying process can be extended if an evaluation of the image from the camera indicates that there is still too much moisture in the interior of the cleaning device.

A camera can be used as the camera 105 , as is already installed in cleaning devices 100 . Optionally, a camera can be used that is optimized for detecting drops or moisture, for example by equipping the camera 105 with a cooling system for condensing moisture.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the cleaning appliance 100 has a door 110 which primarily consists of an outer door panel 115 and an inner door panel 120 . In the door 110 of the cleaning appliance 100, an internal camera housing 125 with a protective pane 130 is locked in an opening in the inner door panel 120. The protective pane 130 is embodied as a camera protective pane made of transparent Grilamid. A seal between the protective pane 130 and the inner door panel 120 is not shown explicitly in FIG. The actual camera 105 is locked in the camera housing 125 . This configuration and arrangement of the camera 105 is only selected as an example.

Also shown in FIG. 1 are a rear wall 135 of the washing interior, an upper rack 145 and a lower rack 150, each loaded with items to be washed 155, 160, a central spray arm 165 and interior lighting 170 for the washing space.

A camera configured in this way is capable of recording and further processing images as shown in FIGS.

The wash cabinet interior light 170 is switched on, for example, when the door 110 is open, as well as for others

Camera 105 applications turned on.

In the presently described use of the camera 105 for adapting the drying process, the washing compartment interior lighting 170 is activated when the camera 105 takes an image.

The washing compartment interior lighting 170 is deactivated again after the picture or pictures have been taken.

For use, the operator loads the cleaning device 100 with items to be washed 155, 160 and activates the cleaning program.

The items to be washed 155, 160 are cleaned.

After cleaning, the drying process begins.

According to an exemplary embodiment, a drop sensor is implemented using the images from the camera 105 .

After an image evaluation, the drying phase of the active cleaning program can be dynamically adapted to the prevailing wetting situation with the measured drying signal in order to achieve a better drying result.

If the protective pane 130 is wetted with water and moisture during a wash cycle, drops remain on it until the drying phase.

These drops cause typical blurry distortions in the camera images, shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, which ideally disappear completely at the end of the drying phase.

In order to actively intensify the desired effect of droplet condensation on the protective pane 130, it is advisable to attach the protective pane 130 directly or indirectly to the camera housing

1265 with a cooling device 175 indicated here schematically.

This can be done with a small fan.

According to one exemplary embodiment, such a fan can be used synergistically both for cooling the protective pane 130 of the camera 105 and for dehumidifying an automatic dosing system of the cleaning device 100 .

Ideally, with such a solution, the protective pane 130 and, additionally or alternatively, the camera housing 125 are supplemented with cooling fins, which increase the surface on which the air flow can act.

Alternatively, active cooling can also be implemented using Peltier elements.

On the one hand, however, the waste heat that is dissipated either to the outer door panel 115 or even to the inner door panel 120 must be taken into account.

In the latter case, according to one exemplary embodiment, the distance to the camera opening in the inner door panel 120 is maximized by means of a simple thermal coupling, a so-called heat pipe, in order to avoid thermal feedback and thus drops in efficiency.

A third cooling option is water cooling with fresh water if the cleaning device 100 is not operated on a hot water connection. According to one exemplary embodiment, a small membrane pump is used for this purpose in order to circulate a small water flow from a water bag, for example filled with cool fresh water, on the camera housing 125 to be cooled. FIG. 2 shows a camera image 200 according to an exemplary embodiment. The camera image 200 was recorded using a camera, for example, as described with reference to FIG. According to one exemplary embodiment, the camera image 200 shows the interior of a cleaning appliance 100 without a load and without moisture. The camera image 200 captures the lower basket 150, the upper basket 145 and the middle spray arm 165 when the wash cabinet interior lighting 170 is activated and shows an example of the wash interior of the cleaning appliance 100 before the cleaning appliance 100 is loaded and put into operation.

The camera image 200 shown in FIG. 2 can be used as a reference image, for example. Such a reference image is used to have a reference value or a comparison image for a dry state. During the drying process in the cleaning device, the reference image is accessed in order to check whether a current indicator value corresponds to the indicator value of the reference image, ie whether there are still drops on the protective pane of the camera. If the current indicator value corresponds to that of the reference image, the drying process in the cleaning device is ended and the operator receives feedback that the drying process has ended.

FIG. 3 shows a camera image 300 with condensed drops 302 according to an embodiment. The camera image 300 was recorded, for example, using a camera as described with reference to FIG. 1 and with the interior lighting 170 of the washing compartment activated.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the camera image 300 shows the washing interior of a cleaning appliance 100 at the beginning of a drying phase. By way of example, two drops 302 have formed on the protective pane of the camera.

The formation of the droplets 302 on the protective pane is assisted by activating a cooling device if the camera has a cooling device. The cooling device is activated to cool the protective screen of the camera. This increases the condensation of drops on the camera's protective screen.

If the protective pane is then wetted with water and moisture during the washing cycle, drops 302 remain on it until the drying phase. These droplets 302 cause typical blurry distortions in the camera image 300, which completely disappear over the course of the drying phase, ideally at the end of the drying phase.

In order to evaluate the camera image 300, according to one exemplary embodiment, it is first converted into a gray value image and then treated with an edge detector. After treatment with the edge detector, light-dark transitions, ie the edges, appear in the camera image 300 as bright pixels in front of a dark background. No edges can be detected where there are drops 302 on the camera image 300 and the camera image 300 mainly contains dark pixels at these locations.

FIG. 4 shows a camera image 400 with a condensed droplet 302 according to an exemplary embodiment. The camera image was recorded, for example, using a camera as described with reference to FIG. 1 and with the interior lighting 170 of the washing compartment activated.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the camera image 400 shows the rinsing interior of a cleaning device 100 in the course of a drying phase with only one droplet 302 left on the protective pane of the camera.

For example, the camera image 400 shown in FIG. 4 was recorded during the same drying process as the camera image shown in FIG. 3, but later in time. The drying process can be continuously monitored and, for example, terminated as soon as a current camera image no longer has a blurred image area caused by a drop by continuously recording current camera images and corresponding evaluation of the camera images.

FIG. 5 shows a diagram of a profile 550 of an indicator value during a drying phase according to an exemplary embodiment. The abscissa shows the course over time, while the ordinate shows a size of an indicator value for evaluating the progress of drying. A possible example for a corresponding indicator value is described below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 5 shows the example course 550 of the indicator value during a drying phase as a section of a rinsing process without active drying. As expected, the indicator values increase in the course of the measurements until, ideally, no drops and thus no more changes are recognizable. A plateau appears over the course of 550. In this case, after a small additional time, the drying phase can be completed at the optimal point in time. The energy for an active drying device can thus be saved. The curve 550 is shown purely as an example over time values from 0 to 20 plotted on the abscissa, for example in the unit of minutes. Values from 0 to 120 are plotted on the ordinate in a non-dimensional manner. Starting from an indicator value of approximately 18, the profile 550 rises approximately linearly to an indicator value of approximately 110 and then remains at this indicator value. Corresponding to FIG. 5, FIG. 6 shows a diagram of a further profile 650 of an indicator value during a drying phase according to an exemplary embodiment.

Starting from an indicator value of approximately 18, the profile 650 rises approximately linearly to an indicator value of approximately 80 and then remains at this indicator value. In this state, active drying is activated, here by way of example at a point in time 600. Subsequently, curve 650 has a further gradient until an indicator value of approximately 110 is reached and curve 650 no longer has a further gradient. In this state, active drying is deactivated, here, for example, at a point in time 605.

If drops are still visible at point in time 600, or if the values of profile 650 do not change or hardly change, then, according to one exemplary embodiment, if this has not already taken place in the program, active drying, e.g. a fan and additionally or alternatively a heater, is switched on , in order to specifically eliminate this last moisture.

FIG. 6 shows an exemplary progression of the indicator value with activated drying from time 600 of 10.2 minutes. The active drying is deactivated from the point in time 605 of 18.5 minutes since the indicator value does not continue to increase in the course of the measurement, but rather a plateau sets in.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic representation of a control device 700 of a cleaning device according to an exemplary embodiment. The control device 700 can be used, for example, in the cleaning device described with reference to FIG. 1 in connection with a camera 105 that is or can be arranged in an interior of the cleaning device. Using the controller 700, the drying process of the cleaning device can be adjusted.

According to one exemplary embodiment, when ready for use, the control device 700 is connected to the camera 105 via an interface and to a drying device 705 via a further interface. Alternatively, the control device 700 or at least some functional modules of the control device 700 are integrated into the camera 105 . The camera 105 is designed to record an image and to provide an image signal 710 representing the image. The control device 700 is designed to provide an adjustment signal 715 for adjusting the drying process to the drying device 705 using the image signal 710 . The drying device 705 is designed to carry out or control a drying process using the adaptation signal 715 . For example, the adjustment signal 715 is suitable for lengthening the drying process, changing a drying performance of the drying process, or ending the drying process.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the control device 700 has a reading device 720 , an application device 725 , a determination device 730 and a provision device 735 . The control device 700 optionally has a conversion device 740 and an output device 745 .

The reading device 720 is designed to read in the image signal 710 via an interface to the camera 105 . The image signal 710 represents an image recorded by the camera 105 during the drying process, as is shown in FIG. 3, for example. The application device 725 is designed to apply edge detection to the image in order to obtain an edge image and an edge image signal 750 therefrom. The determining device 730 is designed to determine a scatter signal 755 . The scatter signal 755 represents a scatter of color values in the edge image. The provision device 735 is designed to provide the adaptation signal 715 . The adjustment signal 715 is provided for adjusting the drying process using the scatter signal 755 .

The adjustment signal 715 is provided to lengthen the drying process when the scatter signal 755 represents a sub-threshold scatter of color values. As an alternative or in addition, the adjustment signal 715 for ending the drying process is provided if the scatter signal 755 represents a scatter of color values that is above a threshold value.

According to different embodiments, the optional conversion device 740 is designed to convert the image into a grayscale image if the camera 105 is designed as a color camera. If the camera 105 is designed as a black-and-white camera, the use of a conversion device 740 in the control device 700 is not necessary. When the converting means 740 has converted the image into a grayscale image, in the application means 725 edge detection is applied to the grayscale image and in the

Determination device 730, the scattering signal 755 represents a scattering of gray values in the edge image.

If the camera 105 has a cooling device 175 for cooling a protective pane of the camera 105, the optional output device 745 is designed to output a cooling signal 760 to an interface to the cooling device 175 in order to

Activate cooling device 175 in order to cool the protective screen of the camera 105.

This increases the condensation of drops on the protective glass of the camera 105.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the output device 745 is designed to

Output activation signal 765 and a deactivation signal 770 to an interface to the washing room interior lighting 170 of the cleaning device.

The activation signal 765 activates the interior lighting 170 of the washing compartment, while the deactivation signal 770 deactivates the interior lighting 170 of the washing compartment.

Before the camera 105 takes a picture of the interior of the washing up area, it is advantageous if the interior lighting of the washing up area

170 is activated.

After the image has been recorded, the washing compartment interior lighting 170 is deactivated again.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the reading device 720 is designed to read in a reference image signal 775 via the interface to the camera 105 .

The reference image signal 775 represents a reference image recorded by the camera 105 before the start of the rinsing process, as is shown in FIG. 2, for example.

The reference image is then converted into a gray value reference image in the conversion device 740 if the camera 105 is designed as a color camera.

If the camera 105 is designed as a black-and-white camera, the use of a conversion device 740 in the control device 700 is not necessary.

When the conversion device 740 has converted the reference image into a gray value reference image, the edge detection is applied to the gray value reference image in the application device 725 in order to obtain a reference edge image and a reference edge signal 780 therefrom.

A reference scatter signal 785 is then determined in the determination device 730 .

The reference spread signal 785 represents a spread of color values in the reference edge image.

Subsequently, the adjustment signal 715 for adjusting the drying process using the reference scatter signal 785 is provided.

If, during a drying process, a further image is recorded subsequent to the image represented by image signal 710, as shown for example in Figure 4, the further image signal representing the further image can be used, as described with reference to image signal 710, to generate a further scattering signal 790 to determine that represents a further scattering of color values in a further edge image. In this case, the provision device 735 is designed to provide the adaptation signal 715 using the further scatter signal 790 . In a corresponding manner, current images can be continuously read in during the drying process and used to provide an updated adaptation signal 715 in each case. FIG. 8 shows a flow chart of a method 800 for adapting a drying process in a cleaning device according to an exemplary embodiment. The method 800 can be carried out, for example, in connection with a cleaning device, as has been described with reference to the previous figures.

For example, the method 800 can be carried out using the control device described with reference to FIG.

The method 800 includes a step 805 of reading in an image signal via an interface to the camera, the image signal representing an image recorded by the camera during the drying process. Furthermore, the method 800 includes a step 810 of applying edge detection to the image to obtain an edge image. In a determination step 815, a scatter signal for scattering color values in the edge image is determined. In a step 820 of providing, an adjustment signal for adjusting the drying process using the scatter signal is provided.

The method 800 optionally comprises a step 825 of converting the image into a gray-scale image, wherein in the applying step 810 edge detection is applied to the gray-scale image, and in the determining step 815 the scatter signal represents a scattering of gray values in the edge image.

In an optional step 830 of reading in, a reference image signal is read in via the interface to the camera, the reference image signal representing an image recorded by the camera before the start of a rinsing process. Furthermore, in an applying step 835, the edge detection is applied to the reference image in order to obtain the reference edge image and in a determining step 840 the reference scattered signal is determined.

In an optional output step 845, a cooling signal is output to an interface to a cooling device for cooling the protective pane of the camera in order to activate the cooling device.

In an optional step 850 of outputting, an activation signal is also output to an interface to an interior lighting of the washing compartment of the cleaning appliance in order to activate the interior lighting of the washing compartment. Furthermore, in a step 855 of outputting, a deactivation signal is output to an interface to an interior lighting of the washing compartment of the cleaning appliance in order to deactivate the interior lighting of the washing compartment. In a capture step 860 , the image is captured using the camera, the capture step 860 being performed between steps 850 and 855 . In particular, steps 805, 810, 815 can be performed again to obtain a further scattering signal representing a further scattering of color values in a further edge image, and wherein in step 820 of providing the adjustment signal is provided using the further scattering signal.

FIG. 9 shows a flow chart of a method for adapting a drying process in a cleaning device according to a further exemplary embodiment. The method can be carried out, for example, in connection with a cleaning device, as has been described with reference to the preceding figures.

At the beginning of the method, a reference image is recorded in a block 900 before the items to be washed are cleaned.

A block 905 marks a state in which the cleaning appliance has finished cleaning the items to be washed and the drying phase in the cleaning appliance now begins in order to dry the items to be washed. For this purpose, the active cooling is activated in a block 910 in order to cool the protective pane so that the condensation of drops on the protective pane is increased. In a next step, in a block 915, the system of the cleaning device checks whether the operator has activated accelerated drying. If the operator has activated accelerated drying or has selected such a program option before the start of the washing program or optionally also during the washing program, active drying is activated in a block 920 and then in a block 925 periodic droplet detection is started. If the operator has not activated the accelerated drying, a jump is made directly to a block 925, in which the periodic drop detection is started.

Then, in a block 930, the interior lighting of the washing compartment is activated so that a camera image is recorded in a block 935 by means of a camera. After the camera image has been recorded in block 935, in a block 940 the interior lighting of the washing compartment is deactivated again.

A jump is then made to a block 945. In block 945 the camera image is analyzed. A gray value image based on the recorded camera image or corresponding to the camera image is analyzed. For example, a Fourier transformation, Laplace filtering and a variance determination are carried out for this purpose.

In a block 950, the system of the cleaning device checks whether the values resulting from block 945 have fallen compared to the previous run and/or whether changes are still to be expected based on information from the camera.

For this purpose, a block 955 provides further information from the camera to the block 950 . This information includes, for example, a detected degree of load and information about materials to be dried, e.g. whether there are plastic items to be washed in the cleaning device. If the values have fallen or changes are still to be expected, a jump is made to block 925 again in block 960 after a short waiting period. In block 925 the periodic drop detection is restarted and a camera image is created again.

If the values have not fallen or no changes are to be expected, block 950 jumps to block 965. In block 965 it is checked whether the current indicator value corresponds to the indicator value of a reference image, ie whether there are still drops on the protective pane of the camera. If the current indicator value matches that of the reference image, a block 990 is entered. In block 990 the drying process in the cleaning device is ended and the operator receives feedback that the drying process has ended.

However, if it is determined in block 965 that the current indicator value does not match that of the reference image, block 970 is entered. In block 970 it is checked whether a plateau has already set. If no plateau has been established, after a short waiting period, block 960 jumps to block 925 . There, the periodic drop detection is restarted and a camera image is created again. If it is determined in block 970 that a plateau has already been established, a jump is made to a block 975. Block 975 checks whether active drying is present and whether it has not yet been activated. If it is determined that there is active drying and that active drying has not yet been activated by the operator, block 920 is entered, where active drying is activated. Thereafter, a transfer is made to block 925, where the periodic drop detection is restarted. The method is then carried out in block 990 until the end of the drying process. If it is determined in block 975 that there is no active drying or that it has already been activated, a jump is made to a block 980 . In block 980, active drying is disabled if present. A jump is then made to a block 985 . In block 985, active cooling is disabled.

Thereafter, a jump is made to a block 990, where the drying process in the cleaning device is ended and the operator receives feedback that the drying process has ended.

In terms of the method, active cooling is activated at the beginning of or shortly before the drying phase in block 910 in order to support the condensation of droplets on the protective pane.

Periodically thereafter, in block 935, images are captured with the interior wash cabinet light activated (block 930).

In order to have a comparison/reference value available for the “dry” state, it is advantageous to record a reference image (block 900) before the wash cycle, as shown in FIG.

According to one exemplary embodiment, operators from conventional image processing are used to evaluate the recorded images in block 945, with which each image is evaluated.

According to one exemplary embodiment, after the conversion into a gray value image, the gray image is treated with an edge detector in which light-dark transitions, so-called edges, appear in the output image in the resulting image as bright pixels in front of a dark background.

A gray value image is sufficient for this application and reduces the computing effort by a factor of 3, for example, since only one color channel is considered.

This can advantageously be done using a Laplace filter, which can be implemented very efficiently as a mathematical convolution (multiplication in the frequency domain after Fourier transformation).

This operation can be implemented less computationally efficiently in position space, but is easier to understand as a linear operation.

In principle, the neighborhood of each pixel is weighted with a convolution mask and added up to the brightness value in the resulting pixel.

In the case of the Laplace filter, the convolution mask (convolution kernel) is a 3x3 matrix that has the following values: 0 1 0 Di, = : —4 ] 0 1 O0 Drops and moisture on the protective pane in front of the camera result in that the image is blurred at these points.

The consequence of using the edge filter is that no edges can be detected at these points and the resulting image here contains primarily dark pixels.

This effect can also be observed in the histogram of the resulting images.

Images with a lot of drops, i.e. with a lot of moisture, show a measurable increase in dark pixels compared to the same image taken without moisture and drops.

Consequently, it is not the detected edges that are actually interesting for the method described, but rather the blurry and therefore dark areas in the image after the convolution.

The variance operator can be applied to the convolved image to more easily quantify these dark areas. This can be used to describe the scattering of the gray values in the image in a scalar: the more edges are detected, the greater the scattering in the histogram and thus the variance. If the number of bright pixels falls due to drops that blur the edges and thus make them disappear, the variance of the respective image also falls. The variance of the folded image can thus be used as an indirect indicator (drying signal) for the presence of drops and moisture. For example, in Figure 2 (“Image of the dry interior of the dishwashing machine” = reference value) an indicator value of 111,968 could result, while Figure 3 (“Image with two drops”) has a value of

14,557 and Figure 4 (“image with only one drop left”) could result in a value of 74,947. FIG. 5 shows an exemplary course of the indicator value during a drying phase as a section of a rinsing process.

As expected, these indicator values increase in the course of the measurements until, ideally, no drops and thus no more changes are recognizable (a plateau appears in the course). In this case, after a small additional time, the drying phase can be completed at the optimal point in time. The energy for an active drying device can thus be saved.

If drops are still visible and the values do not change or hardly change (block 950), an active drying in block 920, in the form of a blower and/or a heater, can be switched on in block 920, if this has not already taken place in the program, in order to also remove this last one To eliminate moisture in a targeted manner (see FIG. 6).

If the operator has already selected a program option, such as "Accelerated drying", at the start of the program, the active drying unit can be activated at the beginning of the drying phase in block 920 and, if this sensor detects the end of drying, also be deactivated again early in block 980 .

In conjunction with the already known use cases for the camera, valuable additional information for the course of the drying phase to be expected and its optimization in block 955 can be collected based on recognized wash items (materials) and their expected thermal capacity and additionally or alternatively the degree of loading even before the drying phase. Finally, it makes sense to offer the operator information and possibly even recommendations, either on the device display or via the networked Miele app, in order to achieve an even better drying result or to gain an understanding of the possible problems and their influencing factors can occur during drying phases.

Even with the most cost-effective implementation without active cooling of the camera components and without an active drying device, there is the potential to prematurely end drying phases that are particularly successful by shortening the time, e.g. because no plastic was washed but items made of materials with a high heat capacity.

This results in energy savings, but the operator also welcomes shorter drying phases.

The integration of active cooling of the protective pane improves its efficiency

drying sensor, as more moisture can condense.

If there is an active drying unit in the cleaning device, use of this unit can already be activated at the start of the drying phase by means of an "Accelerated drying" option.

Although this initially results in energy losses, the drying sensor presented here can be used to limit the running time of the drying unit to a minimum.

Last but not least, these aspects also promote customer benefit.

Additional illumination of the protective pane, i.e. the coupling of light, can be completely dispensed with, which results in cost savings.

Claims (14)

patent claims 1. Method (800) for adjusting a drying process in a cleaning device (100), the cleaning device (100) having a camera (105) for detecting an interior of the cleaning device (100), the method (800) comprising the following steps: Reading in (805) an image signal (710) via an interface to the camera (105), the image signal (710) representing an image (300) recorded by the camera (105) during the drying process; applying (810) edge detection to the image (300) to obtain an edge image; determining (815) a scatter signal (755) representing a scatter of color values in the edge image; and providing (820) an adjustment signal (715) for adjusting the drying process using the scatter signal (755). 2. The method (800) according to claim 1, comprising a step (825) of converting the image (300) into a gray-scale image, wherein in the applying step (810) edge detection is applied to the gray-scale image, and in the step (815) of determining the scatter signal (755) representing a scatter of gray values in the edge image. 3. The method (800) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the step (820) of providing the adaptation signal (715) for lengthening the drying process is provided if the scatter signal (755) represents a scatter lying below a threshold value. 4. The method (800) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the step (820) of providing the adaptation signal (715) for ending the drying process is provided if the scatter signal (755) represents a scatter above a threshold value. 5. The method (800) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the steps of reading in (805), applying (810) and determining (815) are performed again in order to obtain a further spread signal (790) which represents a further spread of color values represented in a further edge image, and wherein in the step (820) of providing the adjustment signal (715) is provided using the further scattering signal (790). The method (800) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the providing step (820) the adjustment signal (715) is provided using a reference spread signal (785) representing a spread of color values in a reference edge image. 7. The method (800) according to claim 6, with a step (830) of reading in a reference image signal (775) via the interface to the camera (105), the reference image signal (775) being received from the camera (105) before the start of a rinsing process captured image (200) and having a step (835) of applying edge detection to the reference image to obtain the reference edge image and having a step (840) of determining the reference scatter signal using the reference edge image. 8. The method (800) according to any one of the preceding claims, with a step (845) of outputting a cooling signal (760) to an interface to a cooling device (175) for cooling the protective pane (130) of the camera (105) by the cooling device (175) to activate. 9. The method (800) according to any one of the preceding claims, with a step (850) of outputting an activation signal (765) to an interface to a washing chamber interior lighting (170) of the cleaning appliance (100) in order to activate the washing chamber interior lighting (170), and with a step (855) of outputting a deactivation signal (770) to an interface to an interior lighting (170) of the cleaning appliance (100) in order to deactivate the interior lighting (170) of the washing compartment and with a step (860) of recording the image (300) using the camera (105), wherein the step (860) of capturing is performed between the steps (850, 855) of outputting. 10. Control device (700) for adjusting a drying process in a cleaning device (100), wherein the cleaning device (100) has a camera (105) for detecting an interior of the cleaning device (100), and wherein the control device (700) is designed to carrying out the steps of the method (800) according to any one of the preceding claims in corresponding units. 11. Cleaning appliance (100) for cleaning items to be washed, having a camera (105) for capturing an interior of the cleaning appliance (100) and a control device (700) according to claim 10. 12. Cleaning device (100) according to claim 11, wherein the camera (105) has a protective pane (130) and a cooling device (170) for cooling the protective pane (130) of the camera (105). 13. Cleaning device (100) according to one of claims 11 or 12, with a door (110) for closing the interior of the cleaning device (100) and with a heat dissipation device, wherein the camera (105) is attached to the door (110) and the Heat dissipation device is designed to dissipate waste heat from the camera (105) to the door (110). 14. Computer program product with program code for carrying out the method (800) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, when the computer program product is executed on a control device (700).