Home appliance and controlling method of the same

• US 20090125736A1
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Woo, Sang Woo
• Application Number:
  US12/232,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20090125736A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/320
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0047 Energy or water consumption, e.g. by saving energy or water
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/0049 Detection or prevention of malfunction, including accident prevention arrangements to prevent clogging of filters A47L15/4208; safety arrangements for preventing water damage A47L15/421
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4293 Arrangements for programme selection, e.g. control panels; Indication of the selected programme, programme progress or other parameters of the programme, e.g. by using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2301/00 Manual input in controlling methods of washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware, i.e. information entered by a user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2501/32 Stopping or disabling machine operation, including disconnecting the machine from a network, e.g. from an electrical power supply
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress

Abstract

The present invention is related to a home appliance such as a dish washer, a laundry machine, a refrigerator, etc. One embodiment of a home appliance according to the present invention comprises a control panel and a controller. The controller panel may include a power switch which allows a user to input a command for switching on or off a power of the appliance and an input device which allows the user to input a command in connection with an operation of the appliance.

Claims

1. A home appliance comprising:

a control panel including a power switch which allows a user to input a command for switching on or off a power of the appliance and an input device which allows the user to input a command in connection with an operation of the appliance; and

a controller to reduce or switch off the power of the appliance when a command is not inputted through the input device within a predetermined period of time after the appliance has been switched on.

2. The home appliance of claim 1, wherein the power switch comprises a touch switch which only has to be touched by the user to operate.

3. The home appliance of claim 2, wherein the touch switch comprises a capacitance touch switch or a resistance touch switch.

4. The home appliance of claim 1, wherein the power switch comprises a sensor which senses a user'"'"'s touch.

5. The home appliance of claim 4, wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor or a heat sensor.

6. The home appliance of claim 1, wherein the input device comprises a course selector which allows a user to select a course and an option selector which allows the user to select an option in connection with the course.

12. The home appliance of claim 1, wherein the appliance is a dish washer or a laundry machine.

7. A home appliance comprising:

a control panel including a power switch which allows a user to input a command for switching on or off a power of the appliance; and

a controller to reduce or switch off the power of the appliance when the command is inputted twice or more through the power switch within a predetermined period of time.

8. The home appliance of claim 7, wherein the power switch comprises a touch switch which only has to be touched by the user to operate.

9. The home appliance of claim 8, wherein the touch switch comprises a capacitance touch switch or a resistance touch switch.

10. The home appliance of claim 7, wherein the power switch comprises a sensor which senses a user'"'"'s touch.

11. The home appliance of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensor or a heat sensor.

13. The home appliance of claim 7, wherein the appliance is a dish washer or a laundry machine.

14. A controlling method of a home appliance, the method comprising:

switching on a power of the appliance; and

reducing or switching off the power of the appliance when a command in connection with an operation of the appliance is not inputted within a predetermined period of time after the appliance has been switched on.

15. A controlling method of a home appliance, the method comprising:

switching on a power of the appliance; and

switching off the power of the appliance when a command for switching off the power is inputted twice or more within a predetermined period of time.