Dishwasher thermometer with wireless temperature logger and associated methods

Abstract

A dishwasher thermometer captures temperature data of temperature sensed within a dishwasher during a wash cycle. The dishwasher thermometer includes a wireless communication interface that transmits the captured temperature data to one or more of a server and a monitor device. When the captured temperature data indicates that the wash cycle did not achieve defined temperature threshold(s), an alert is generated at the server and/or the monitor device indicating that the wash cycle did not meet appropriate washing conditions. In embodiments, the temperature data may be accessible to a third party for certification of the dishwasher wash cycle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dishwasher thermometer with wireless temperature logger, comprising:
 a processor;   a temperature sensor;   a wireless communications interface; and,   memory storing non-transitory computer readable instructions that when executed by the processor control the processor to:
 determine a maximum temperature sensed by the temperature sensor during a wash cycle of a dishwasher, 
 and transmit, via the wireless communications interface, the maximum temperature to a remote device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 1 , further comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, control the processor to log a minimum temperature sensed by the temperature sensor during the wash cycle. 
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 1 , further comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, control the processor to log a temperature profile sensed by the temperature sensor during the wash cycle. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 1 , further comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, control the processor to receive an initiation signal indicative of start of the wash cycle. 
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 4 , the initiation signal being received when a button on the dishwasher thermometer is pressed. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 4 , the initiation signal being automatically generated when a temperature detected by the temperature sensor is above a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 4 , the initiation signal being automatically generated when an ambient light level, detected by an ambient light sensor, is below a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 1 , further comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, control the processor to generate an alert when the maximum temperature is below a temperature threshold. 
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 8 , further comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, control the processor to transmit the alert to one or more of a transceiver, a monitor device, a server, and a third party, each remotely located from the dishwasher thermometer. 
     
     
         10 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 1 , further comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, control the processor to receive a cycle end signal indicative of end of the wash cycle. 
     
     
         11 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 10 , the cycle end signal being received when a button on the dishwasher thermometer is pressed. 
     
     
         12 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 10 , the cycle end signal being automatically generated when a temperature sensed after start of the wash cycle by the temperature sensor is below a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 10 , the cycle end signal being automatically generated when an ambient light level, detected after start of the wash cycle by an ambient light sensor, is above a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         14 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 1 , further comprising a display interface for displaying an indication of the maximum temperature. 
     
     
         15 . The dishwasher thermometer of  claim 1 , further comprising a speaker for emitting an audible alert when the maximum temperature does not reach a predetermined threshold during the wash cycle. 
     
     
         16 . A method for wireless temperature logging of a dishwasher wash cycle, comprising:
 capturing a maximum temperature during the wash cycle sensed by a temperature sensor of a dishwasher thermometer positioned within the dishwasher;   transmitting, via a wireless communications interface of the dishwasher thermometer, the maximum temperature to a device remote from the dishwasher thermometer.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 capturing a minimum temperature sensed by the temperature sensor during the wash cycle; and   transmitting the minimum temperature to the device.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 capturing a temperature profile sensed by the temperature sensor during the wash cycle; and   transmitting the temperature profile to the device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising generating an alert when the maximum temperature does not reach a predefined threshold during the wash cycle. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , the step of generating an alert comprising transmitting the alert to one or more of a monitor device, a server, and a third party remote from the dishwasher thermometer. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , the step of generating an alert including audibly emitting the alert via a speaker of the dishwasher thermometer. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising receiving an initiation signal indicative of a start of the wash cycle. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising generating the initiation signal by:
 detecting press of a button on the dishwasher thermometer,   determining when a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor is above a predefined temperature threshold, or   determining when ambient light around the dishwasher thermometer is below a predefined ambient light threshold.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising receiving a cycle end signal indicative of an end of the wash cycle. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising generating the cycle end signal by:
 detecting press of a button on the dishwasher thermometer,   determining when a temperature sensed by the temperature sensor after the start of the wash cycle is below a predefined temperature threshold, or   determining when ambient light around the dishwasher thermometer after the start of the wash cycle is above a predefined ambient light threshold.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 16 , the step of transmitting comprising transmitting the maximum temperature from the dishwasher thermometer to a server, the method further comprising allowing a third party to access historical data of the dishwasher thermometer received at the server.