System for optical wash item recognition in dishwashers, method for optical wash item recognition, dishwasher with an optical wash item recognition system and method for operating such a dishwasher

A method for operating a program automation dishwasher, with a treatment chamber that can be closed by a door or a hood and in which wash items can be treated according to a pre-selected or defined treatment program while the wash items remain in a stationary location in the treatment chamber, wherein the method comprises:

• imaging and classifying the wash items to be treated with the help of an optical wash item recognition system that includes a lens located in the treatment chamber, wherein the classifying involves determining a shape and/or a material of the wash items;
• and
• treating the wash items in the treatment chamber of the dishwasher with treatment parameters that have been automatically selected depending on the classification of the wash items,
• wherein the treatment parameters relate to the following:
• a time duration of a washing phase, a time duration of a final rinse phase, a time duration of a drying phase, a temperature of a washing liquid to be sprayed in the treatment chamber during the washing phase, a temperature of a final rinse liquid to be sprayed in the treatment chamber during the final rinse phase, a nozzle pressure of the washing liquid to be sprayed in the treatment chamber during the washing phase, a nozzle pressure of the final rinse liquid to be sprayed in the treatment chamber during the final rinse phase, a quantity of washing liquid to be sprayed in the treatment chamber per unit time during the washing phase and/or a quantity of the final rinse liquid to be sprayed in the treatment chamber per unit of time during the final rinse phase;
• wherein, before the process of imaging and classifying:
• the wash items are positioned in the treatment chamber of the dishwasher and the treatment chamber is closed, and
• a pre-wash of the wash items in the treatment chamber is carried out so that condensation of water vapor on the lens of the optical wash item recognition system is prevented or reduced.