Apparatus and method for controlling washing/drying system

• US 20060225302A1
• Filed: 06/12/2006
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Byung Hwan Ahn, Deug Hee Lee, Jae-Cheol Lyu, Kwon K.I. Hong, Seong Jin Jo
• Original Assignee: Byung Hwan Ahn, Deug Hee Lee, Jae-Cheol Lyu, Kwon K.I. Hong, Seong Jin Jo
• Inventors: Lyu, Jae-Cheol, Hong, Kwon Ki, Lee, Deug Hee, Ahn, Byung Hwan, Jo, Seong Jin
• Granted Patent: US 7,373,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 34/595
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/20 Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programs, service modes or refreshment cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/02 Characteristics of laundry or load
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 25/00 Washing machines with receptacles, e.g. perforated, having a rotary movement, e.g. oscillatory movement, the receptacle serving both for washing and for centrifugally separating water from the laundry and having further drying means, e.g. using hot air control of washing or of washing and drying D06F33/00, D06F34/00; domestic laundry dryers D06F58/00
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 29/00 Combinations of a washing machine with other separate apparatus in a common frame or the like, e.g. with rinsing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 29/005 the other separate apparatus being a drying appliance
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/05 for wireless communication between components, e.g. for remote monitoring or control
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 58/38 of drying, e.g. to achieve the target humidity

Abstract

Provided is an apparatus and method for controlling a washing/drying system including a washing machine and a dryer used in one pair. Since the washing machine can communicate with the dryer according to a wireless communication regulation, the dryer can operate more conveniently. According to the apparatus and method, convenience in using the washing machine and the dryer together is further enhanced.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a washing/drying system, the method comprising the steps of:

performing an operation of a washing machine;

wirelessly transmitting operation information of the washing machine;

determining operation condition of a dryer based on the operation information of the washing machine wirelessly received; and

performing an operation of the dryer based on the operation condition of the dryer.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of correcting the operation condition of the dryer to an optimal operation condition by a user.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the correcting step is performed by at least one of a remote controller and a dryer manipulator.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein operation information of the dryer inputted by a user is transmitted to the dryer together with the operation information of the washing machine.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting step comprises the step of transmitting the operation information of the washing machine using a remote controller, and

the determining step comprises the steps of:

correcting the operation condition of the dryer based on the operation condition of the washing machine displayed on the remote controller at a user; and

transmitting the corrected operation condition from the remote controller to the dryer.

6. An apparatus for controlling a washing/drying system, the apparatus comprising:

a washing machine for performing washing of laundry, the washing machine including a sensor for sensing information related with the laundry during the washing;

a washing machine manipulator for manipulating operation of the washing machine,

a wireless washing machine communication part and an antenna for processing washing information of the washing machine and wirelessly controlling operation of the washing machine manipulator;

a dryer including a dryer antenna and a wireless dryer communication part for wirelessly receiving the washing information transmitted through the washing machine antenna; and

a dryer manipulator for manipulating an operation of the dryer by a user.

7. An apparatus for controlling a washing/drying system, the apparatus comprising:

a washing machine for performing washing of laundry;

a dryer for drying the laundry; and

a communication part for wirelessly transmitting and receiving operation information of the washing machine and/or operation information of the dryer.