Patent ID: 8157920

Claim:
A dishwasher appliance, comprising: a circulation pump configured to circulate water through one or more spray arms; and a control device configured to control the circulation pump and direct one of a series of automatic wash programs for washing dishware to be executed by the dishwasher appliance, each successive one of the automatic wash programs within the series corresponding to an elapsed time between a first use and a second use of the dishwasher appliance for washing dishware and configured to clean an increased soil level with respect to a previous automatic wash program within the series, the control device being further configured to determine the elapsed time between the first use and the second use and to select the one of the series of automatic wash programs in response thereto upon initiation of the second use of the dishwasher appliance for washing dishware, whereby, as the elapsed time between the first use and the second use of the dishwasher appliance increases, the one of the automatic wash programs within the series that is selected correspondingly progresses along the series.