Continuous cycle operation for dishwashers using turbidity sensor feedback

A method for washing an object, comprising:

• providing a container;
• disposing said object within said container;
• starting a first washing cycle by providing an initial quantity of water within said container, said cycle being the period from fill to near complete drain of said water in said container;
• causing said water to contact the surface of said object;
• periodically measuring the turbidity of said initial quantity of water while said water is being caused to contact said surface of said object to provide a series of turbidity measurements over time;
• calculating a first magnitude of a first turbidity characteristic from said turbidity measurements of said initial water quantity;
• calculating a first magnitude of a second turbidity characteristic from said turbidity measurements of said initial water quantity;
• removing a first portion of said initial quantity of said water from said container to obtain a remaining portion, said first portion being less than said initial quantity;
• measuring the turbidity of said remaining portion;
• calculating a second magnitude of said first turbidity characteristic from said turbidity measurement of said remaining portion;
• calculating a second magnitude of said second characteristic of said turbidity of said remaining portion;
• determining the degree and character of particulates within said water as a function of the difference between said first and second magnitudes of said first characteristic of said turbidity measurements;
• and
• adding clean water to said container to compensate for said removed first portion of said initial quantity of said water, said adding step being performed before measuring the turbidity of the remaining portion;
• and
• based upon said determination of degree and character, either removing from the container a second portion of the remaining portion, removing from the container all of the remaining portion, or proceeding with the remaining portion contacting the surface of the object.

A method for washing an object, comprising:

• providing a container;
• disposing said object within said container;
• starting a first washing cycle by providing an initial quantity of water within said container, said cycle being the period from fill to near complete drain of said water in said container;
• causing said water to contact the surface of said object;
• periodically measuring the turbidity of said initial quantity of water while said water is being caused to contact said surface of said object to provide a series of turbidity measurements over time;
• calculating a first magnitude of a first turbidity characteristic from said turbidity measurements of said initial water quantity;
• calculating a first magnitude of a second turbidity characteristic from said turbidity measurements of said initial water quantity;
• removing a first portion of said initial quantity of said water from said container to obtain a remaining portion, said first portion being less than said initial quantity;
• measuring the turbidity of said remaining portion;
• calculating a second magnitude of said first turbidity characteristic from said turbidity measurement of said remaining portion;
• calculating a second magnitude of said second characteristic of said turbidity of said remaining portion;
• determining the degree and character of particulates within said water as a function of the difference between said first and second magnitudes of said first characteristic of said turbidity measurements;
• and
• based upon said determination of degree and character, either removing from the container a second portion of the remaining portion, removing from the container all of the remaining portion, or proceeding with the remaining portion contacting the surface of the object;
• calculating a first magnitude of a third characteristic of said turbidity measurements of said initial water quantity;
• calculating a second magnitude of said third characteristic of said turbidity measurement from said remaining portion;
• calculating a first magnitude of a fourth characteristic of said turbidity measurements of said initial water quantity;
• calculating a second magnitude of said fourth characteristic of said turbidity measurement from said remaining portion;
• wherein
• said first characteristic is turbidity of said water;
• said second characteristic is a rate of change of said turbidity of said water over time;
• said third characteristic is a degree of variability of said turbidity of said water over time;
• said fourth characteristic is a rate of change of the degree of variability of said turbidity of said water over time;
• and
• adding clean water to said container to compensate for said removed first portion of said initial quantity of said water, said adding step being performed before measuring the turbidity of the remaining portion.