Washing machine and method for controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10526739-B2
Application number	US-201715623060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 14, 2017
Priority date	Jun 14, 2016
Publication date	Jan 7, 2020
Grant date	Jan 7, 2020

Abstract

Provided are a washing machine and a method for controlling the same. The method for controlling a washing machine includes supplying water to a tub, driving a driving unit to perform tumbling to rotate a drum disposed in the tub, calculating a water level variation in the tub, and displaying freeze state information on a display unit when the calculated water level variation is less than a reference water level variation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a washing machine, the method comprising:
supplying water to a tub;
driving a driving unit to perform tumbling that includes rotating a drum disposed in the tub;
calculating a water level variation in the tub based on driving the driving unit;
comparing the calculated water level variation to a reference water level variation;
based on the comparison, determining whether the calculated water level variation is less than the reference water level variation; and
displaying, on a display unit of the washing machine, freeze state information indicating a frozen state of water based on a determination that the calculated water level variation is less than the reference water level variation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein tumbling comprises:
rotating the drum in a first direction; and
rotating the drum in a second direction opposite the first direction.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein tumbling further comprises:
stopping rotating the drum in the first direction; and
based on rotation of the drum being stopped, rotating the drum in the second direction.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tumbling comprises:
rotating the drum in a first direction;
stopping rotating the drum in the first direction for a predetermined time; and
based on rotation of the drum being stopped for the predetermined time, rotating the drum in the first direction.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising measuring a frequency output from a water level sensor of the washing machine,
wherein calculating includes calculating the water level variation based on a variation of the measured frequency output from the water level sensor.

6. A method for controlling a washing machine, the method comprising:
sensing an internal temperature of a tub;
comparing the sensed internal temperature of the tub to a first reference temperature;
based on the comparison, determining whether the sensed internal temperature of the tub is greater than or equal to the first reference temperature;
supplying water to the tub based on the sensed internal temperature of the tub being greater than or equal to the first reference temperature;
driving a driving unit to perform tumbling that includes rotating a drum disposed in the tub;
calculating a water level variation in the tub based on driving the driving unit;
comparing the calculated water level variation to a reference water level variation; and
based on the comparison, determining a frozen state of water in the tub.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising displaying, on a display unit of the washing machine, freeze state information indicating the frozen state of water based on a determination that the calculated water level variation is less than the reference water level variation.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
sensing a first water level in the tub based on the sensed internal temperature of the tub being less than the first reference temperature.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
operating a drainage pump for a predetermined time based on a determination that the first water level in the tub is greater than or equal to a first reference water level; and
sensing a second water level in the tub.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising displaying, on a display unit of the washing machine, freeze state information indicating the frozen state of water based on a determination that the second water level in the tub is greater than or equal to a second reference water level.

11. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
comparing the sensed internal temperature of the tub to a second reference temperature lower than the first reference temperature; and
based on the comparison, determining whether the sensed internal temperature of the tub is less than the second reference temperature.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising displaying, on a display unit of the washing machine, freeze state information indicating the frozen state of water based on a determination that the sensed internal temperature of the tub is less than the second reference temperature.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first reference temperature is a temperature above zero degrees Celsius, and the second reference temperature is a temperature below zero degrees Celsius.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Kwak Daewook
• Kim Youngsoo
• KIM Maengcheol
• Do Gihyeong
• Song Moonsoo

Classifications

• D06F23/02

  and rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis · CPC title

• D06F37/38

  in opposite directions · CPC title

• D06F23/06

  and rotating or oscillating about an inclined axis · CPC title

• D06F37/304

  Arrangements or adaptations of electric motors · CPC title

• D06F39/004

  Textiles & Paper · mapped topic