Method of operating a washing machine and washing machine

A method of operating a washing machine, said washing machine comprising:

• a drum for holding laundry, said drum being rotatable,
• a drive motor for said drum,
• a power supply for controlling said drive motor,
• a washing machine control, said washing machine control being connected to said power supply, said washing machine control being designed to monitor and measure or evaluate, together with said power supply, a current curve when said drive motor is driven with power,
• a receiving container for receiving said drum therein,
• said method having the following steps:
• said drum is rotated at a first low rotational speed,
• a current through said drive motor and a rotational speed of said drive motor are monitored and measured,
• said rotational speed of said drum is increased to a second high rotational speed, second high rotational speed being higher than said first low rotational speed,
• said current curve during said increase of said rotational speed from said first low rotational speed to said second high rotational speed is measured and values for a current minimum, a current maximum and an average current are measured, wherein average values are being determined from said values,
• said determined average values for said current minimum, said current maximum and said average current are compared with memory values for said current minimum, said current maximum and said average current, said memory values being stored in said washing machine control in a table, wherein said memory values are stored in said table with division into at least three groups, a first said group being a small quantity defined as less than 15% of a nominal load weight of laundry in said drum, a second said group being a large quantity defined as more than 40% of a nominal load weight of laundry in said drum, and a third said group being a quantity of laundry in said drum which lies between said small quantity and said large quantity,
• in a comparison of said average values with said memory values, a greatest possible concordance is determined in each case between said values for at least two said values, and then said group corresponding to said memory values with said corresponding quantity of said laundry is defined as being present in said drum.