Patent ID: 8241433

Claim:
A method for dispensing a first treating agent and a second treating agent into a washing tub of a dishwasher including a first reservoir and a first dispensing device corresponding to the first treating agent and a second reservoir and a second dispensing device corresponding to the second treating agent, the method comprising: providing each of the first and second reservoir with at least one sensor for monitoring a fill level of the respective reservoir; comparing, using a controller, after a first dispensing operation, first and second sensor signals corresponding to the at least one sensor of the respective first and second reservoirs; determining, using the controller, based on the first and second sensor signals, whether a first ratio of a fill level of the first reservoir to a fill level of the second reservoir deviates from a second ratio of a capacity of the first reservoir to a capacity of the second reservoir; and electing, based on the determining, one of: a standard subsequent dispensing operation if the first ratio does not deviate from the second ratio, and an alternative subsequent dispensing operation if the first ratio does deviate from the second ratio, wherein the standard subsequent dispensing operation includes controlling, with the controller, the first and second dispensing devices so as to dispense an amount from the first dispensing device and an amount from the second dispensing device, a third ratio of the amount from the first dispensing device to the amount from the second dispensing device being substantially equal to the second ratio, and wherein the alternative subsequent dispensing operation includes changing an amount dispensed by at least one of the first and second dispensing devices compared to a respective corresponding amount dispensed in the first dispensing operation.