Washing machine and control method thereof

• US 9,915,020 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2013
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yang, Jeong Hwa, Sohn, Ja Hee, Lee, You Jin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali, Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Azad, MD
• Application Number:
  US14/758,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20150330008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/14 Time settings
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2101/20 Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programs, service modes or refreshment cycles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2103/00 Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 33/32 Control of operational steps, e.g. optimisation or improvement of operational steps depending on the condition of the laundry
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/32 characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 39/14 Doors or covers; Securing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

A washing machine is disclosed. The washing machine includes a sensing unit to sense various kinds of inputs, an output unit to display an operation state of the washing machine, a door display unit disposed at a door to display a light pattern, a memory to store a plurality of input information corresponding to a plurality of commands, and a controller to determine whether the sensed input matches with any one of the input information when the sensing unit senses an external input, and control at least one of the output unit and the door display unit to be driven in response to the matched input information.

Claims

1. A washing machine comprising:

a case having a port at a front thereof;

a door mounted at the case to open and close the port;

an object sensor disposed at the front of the case to sense a gesture of an object within a predetermined distance;

an output unit disposed at the front of the case to display an operation state of the washing machine;

a door display unit disposed at the door to display a light pattern;

a memory to store a plurality of input information corresponding to a plurality of gestures; and

a controller to determine whether the gesture, sensed by the object sensor, matches with any one of the input information, and control at least one of the output unit and the door display unit to be driven in response to the matched input information, wherein;

the input information comprises a first input information and a second input information,

when the gesture sensed by the object sensor corresponds to the first input information, the controller turns on the door display unit and turns off the output unit, and the controller displays the progress degree of the washing operation using an area of the light pattern displayed by the door display unit, and

when the gesture sensed by the object sensor corresponds to the second input information, the controller turns off the door display unit and turns on the output unit, and the controller displays washing operation information regarding the washing operation using text by the output unit.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein turning-on of the output unit or the door display unit is displayed using the light pattern on the door display unit.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein

the door display unit comprises an edge part disposed at an edge of the door, and

the edge part displays the progress degree of the washing operation in a clockwise direction or in a counterclockwise direction with respect to 12 o'"'"'clock in different phases.

4. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein

the door display unit comprises an edge part disposed at an edge of the door, and

when the door display unit is turned on, the edge part displays a rotating light pattern to indicate that the door display unit has been turned on.

5. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein

the door display unit comprises a central part disposed at a center of the door,

when the door display unit is turned on, the central part displays the washing operation information using text, and

the washing operation information comprises information regarding a course, which is a kind of washing operation, or the remaining time.

6. The washing machine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of input units to receive a user command,

wherein the input units are turned on/off in response to turning-on/off of the output unit.

7. A control method of a washing machine comprising:

sensing, by an object sensor, a gesture of an object within a predetermined distance;

determining whether the sensed gesture matches with any one of a plurality of pre-stored input information, when the gesture is sensed;

turning on a door display unit and turning off an output unit, when the sensed gesture corresponds to a first input information among the plurality of pre-stored input information,

wherein the door display unit displays a progress degree of a washing operation using an area of a light pattern; and

turning off the door display unit and turning on the output unit, when the sensed gesture corresponds to a second input information among the plurality of pre-stored input information,

wherein the output unit displays washing operation information regarding the washing operation using text.

8. The control method according to claim 7, wherein the turning on/off the output unit or the door display unit comprises displaying turning-on/off of the output unit or the door display unit using a light pattern.

9. The control method according to claim 7, wherein the displaying the progress degree of the washing operation comprises displaying, by the door display unit, a light pattern from 12 o'"'"'clock to a phase angle corresponding to the progress degree of the washing operation at an edge of the door.