Washing appliance, method of detecting operational error, and control arrangement

Abstract

A washing appliance comprising a liquid container, a liquid level indicator unit configured to provide data indicative of a liquid level in the liquid container, a drain conduit, and a drain pump. The washing appliance further comprises a control arrangement configured to operate the drain pump during a first time period, control the drain pump to a standstill during a second time period following the first time period, and monitor a change of the liquid level during the second time period using data from the liquid level indicator unit. Also provided are a method of detecting an operational error in a washing appliance, a computer program, a computer-readable medium, and a control arrangement for a washing appliance.

1 . A washing appliance comprising:
 a liquid container configured to accommodate a liquid,   a liquid level indicator unit configured to provide data indicative of a liquid level in the liquid container,   a drain conduit,   a drain pump configured to drain the liquid container via the drain conduit, and   a control arrangement configured to:
 operate the drain pump during a first time period, 
 control the drain pump to a standstill during a second time period following the first time period, and 
 monitor a change of the liquid level during the second time period using data from the liquid level indicator unit. 
   
     
     
         2 . The washing appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid is a washing liquid used in a washing process in the washing appliance. 
     
     
         3 . The washing appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the control arrangement is configured to monitor the change of the liquid level so as to detect the presence of a siphon effect in the drain conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The washing appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the control arrangement is configured to monitor the change of the liquid level by detecting the liquid level at two or more points in time and comparing the detected liquid levels at the respective two or more points in time. 
     
     
         5 . The washing appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the control arrangement is configured to perform at least one of a corrective measure and a safety measure if the monitored change of the liquid level deviates from an expected change of the liquid level. 
     
     
         6 . The washing appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the washing appliance comprises an output unit, and wherein the control arrangement is configured to output a notification via the output unit if the monitored change of the liquid level deviates from an expected change of the liquid level. 
     
     
         7 . The washing appliance according to  claim 1 , wherein the control arrangement is configured to perform a corrective measure if the monitored change of the liquid level deviates from an expected change of the liquid level, and wherein the corrective measure comprises at least one of:
 changing an operational time of a wash cycle of the washing appliance,   delaying an operational step of a wash cycle of the washing appliance, and   changing an amount of liquid filled into the liquid container.   
     
     
         8 . A method of detecting an operational error in a washing appliance, wherein the washing appliance comprises a liquid container configured to accommodate a liquid, a liquid level indicator unit configured to provide data indicative of a liquid level in the liquid container, a drain conduit, and a drain pump configured to drain the liquid container via the drain conduit, and wherein the method comprises:
 operating the drain pump during a first time period,   controlling the drain pump to a standstill during a second time period following the first time period, and   monitoring a change of the liquid level during the second time period using data from the liquid level indicator unit.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein monitoring the change of the liquid level comprises:
 monitoring the change of the liquid level so as to detect the presence of a siphon effect in the drain conduit.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein monitoring the change of the liquid level comprises:
 detecting the liquid level at two or more points in time, and   comparing the liquid levels detected at the two or more points in time.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:
 performing at least one of a corrective measure and a safety measure if the monitored change of the liquid level deviates from an expected change of the liquid level.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the washing appliance comprises an output unit, and wherein the method comprises:
 outputting a notification via the output unit if the monitored change of the liquid level deviates from an expected change of the liquid level.   
     
     
         13 . The method ccording to  claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:
 performing a corrective measure if the monitored change of the liquid level deviates from an expected change of the liquid level,   
       and wherein the corrective measure comprises at least one of:
 changing an operational time of a wash cycle of the washing appliance, 
 delaying an operational step of a wash cycle of the washing appliance, and 
 changing an amount of liquid filled into the liquid container. 
 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored in a non-transitory memory, the instructions being configured to, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to  claim 8 .