Dishwasher appliance including alternative input means

Abstract

A dishwasher appliance includes a tub; a door movably coupled to the tub between a latched position and an unlatched position; an input module provided on the door, the input module configured to receive one or more input patterns; and a controller operably coupled with the input module, the controller configured to perform an operation. The operation includes determining that the door is moved from the unlatched position to the latched position; receiving, via the input module, a first input pattern of the one or more input patterns after determining that the door is moved from the unlatched position to the latched position; retrieving a first set of cycle settings corresponding to the first input pattern in response to receiving the first input pattern; and initiating a washing cycle after retrieving the first set of cycle settings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dishwasher appliance comprising:
 a tub defining a receiving chamber;   a door movably coupled to the tub to provide selective access to the receiving chamber, the door being movable between a latched position and an unlatched position;   an input module provided on the door, the input module configured to receive one or more input patterns; and   a controller operably coupled with the input module, the controller configured to perform an operation, the operation comprising:
 determining that the door is moved from the unlatched position to the latched position; 
 receiving, via the input module, a first input pattern of the one or more input patterns after determining that the door is moved from the unlatched position to the latched position; 
 retrieving a first set of cycle settings corresponding to the first input pattern in response to receiving the first input pattern; and 
 initiating a washing cycle after retrieving the first set of cycle settings. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sensor configured to sense a closed position of the door, wherein determining that the door is in the latched position comprises sensing, via the sensor, a position of the door.   
     
     
         3 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the input module comprises a touch module configured to receive touch input patterns. 
     
     
         4 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the operation further comprises:
 receiving, via the input module, a second input pattern of the one or more input patterns after retrieving the first set of cycle settings, wherein initiating the washing cycle is performed in response to receiving the second input pattern.   
     
     
         5 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 4 , wherein the second input pattern comprises a long touch input. 
     
     
         6 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the input module comprises a microphone configured to receive voice input patterns. 
     
     
         7 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the first input pattern corresponds to a predetermined wash cycle, the predetermined wash cycle comprising the first set of cycle settings. 
     
     
         8 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the operation further comprises:
 activating the input module upon determining that the door is moved from the unlatched position to the latched position;   determining that the door has been in the latched position for greater than a predetermined threshold length of time after being moved to the latched position; and   deactivating the input module upon determining that the door has been in the latched position for greater than the predetermined threshold length of time.   
     
     
         9 . The dishwasher appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the input module is provided on a handle of the door. 
     
     
         10 . A method of operating a dishwasher appliance, the dishwasher appliance comprising a door and an input module, the method comprising:
 determining that the door is moved from an unlatched position to a latched position;   receiving, via the input module, a first input pattern of among a plurality of input patterns after determining that the door is moved from the unlatched position to the latched position;   retrieving a first set of cycle settings corresponding to the first input pattern in response to receiving the first input pattern; and   initiating a washing cycle after retrieving the first set of cycle settings.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the dishwasher appliance further comprises:
 a sensor configured to sense a closed position of the door, wherein determining that the door is in the latched position comprises sensing, via the sensor, a position of the door.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the input module comprises a touch module configured to receive touch input patterns. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving, via the input module, a second input pattern among the plurality of input patterns after retrieving the first set of cycle settings, wherein initiating the washing cycle is performed in response to receiving the second input pattern.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the second input pattern comprises a long touch input. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the input module comprises a microphone configured to receive voice input patterns. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first input pattern corresponds to a predetermined wash cycle, the predetermined wash cycle comprising the first set of cycle settings. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 activating the input module upon determining that the door is moved from the unlatched position to the latched position;   determining that the door has been in the latched position for greater than a predetermined threshold length of time after being moved to the latched position; and   deactivating the input module upon determining that the door has been in the latched position for greater than the predetermined threshold length of time.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the input module is provided on a handle of the door.