Artificial intelligence washing machine and method of controlling the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11447904-B2
Application number	US-201916557947-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2019
Priority date	Aug 30, 2018
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of controlling a washing machine, the method including determining the state of laundry received in a washing tub from output of an output layer of an artificial neural network pre-trained based on machine learning using a current value supplied to a motor configured to rotate the washing tub during accelerated rotation of the washing tub as input data of an input layer of the artificial neural network (a first sensing step), selecting one of a plurality of washing modes classified in consideration of the wear degree of laundry or washing strength based on the state of the laundry, and performing washing according to the selected washing mode (a washing cycle step).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of controlling a washing machine, the method comprising:
determining a state of laundry received in a washing tub, from an output of an output layer of a pre-trained machine-learning network based on an input to an input layer of the machine-learning network that comprises an electrical current value supplied to a motor configured to rotate the washing tub during accelerated rotation of the washing tub, wherein the electrical current value is obtained in a first sensing operation;
selecting, based on the state of the laundry, one of a plurality of washing modes that are classified in consideration of (i) a wear degree of the laundry or (ii) a washing strength of the laundry; and
performing a washing cycle operation that comprises washing the laundry according to the selected washing mode.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensing operation comprises:
determining the state of the laundry to be one of a plurality of laundry quality levels that are classified in consideration of a hardness of the laundry.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, in the selected washing mode, a rotational speed of the washing tub is set based on the state of the laundry.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein, in the selected washing mode, the rotational speed of the washing tub is set to be lower based on the state of the laundry being harder.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensing operation comprises obtaining a weight of the laundry that is received in the washing tub, from the output of the output layer of the machine-learning network based on the electrical current value as the input to the machine-learning network.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising performing a laundry weight sensing operation that comprises:
obtaining a weight of the laundry that is received in the washing tub before performing the first sensing operation.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein, in the selected washing mode, an amount of wash water that is supplied to the washing tub is set based on (i) the state of the laundry and (ii) the weight of the laundry.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein, in the selected washing mode, a washing cycle time is set based on (i) the state of the laundry and (ii) the weight of the laundry.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, in the selected washing mode, a temperature of wash water that is supplied to the washing tub is set based on the state of the laundry.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
in the selected washing mode, setting, based on the state of the laundry, a ratio of time during which the motor is operated in the washing cycle operation relative to a washing cycle time.

11. The method according to claim 1 ,
wherein the washing cycle operation comprises operating a pump that is configured to circulate wash water such that the wash water is sprayed into the washing tub through a nozzle, and
wherein the method further comprises:
in the selected washing mode, setting, based on the state of the laundry, a ratio of time during which the pump is operated in the washing cycle operation relative to a washing cycle time.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensing operation comprises:
performing a first acceleration operation that comprises rotating the washing tub while accelerating the washing tub;
obtaining a first electrical current value that is supplied to the motor during a first acceleration period in which the washing tub is rotated while being accelerated; and
determining the state of the laundry from the output of the output layer of the machine-learning network using the first electrical current value as the input to the machine-learning network.

13. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
performing a second sensing operation of re-determining the state of the laundry received in the washing tub using the machine-learning network after performing the first sensing operation,
wherein the second sensing operation comprises:
performing a second acceleration operation of rotating the washing tub while accelerating the washing tub;
obtaining a second electrical current value that is supplied to the motor in a second acceleration period in which the washing tub is rotated while being accelerated; and
determining the state of the laundry from the output of the output layer of the machine-learning network using the second electrical current value as the input of the machine-learning network.

14. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising obtaining, after the second sensing operation, the state of the laundry based on (i) a first laundry quality, which is the state of the laundry determined at the first sensing operation, and (ii) a second laundry quality, which is the state of the laundry determined at the second sensing operation.

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein selecting the washing mode comprises:
selecting the washing mode based on the state of the laundry that is obtained based on (i) the first laundry quality and (ii) the second laundry quality.

16. A method of controlling a washing machine, the method comprising:
accelerating a washing tub having laundry introduced thereinto;
obtaining an electrical current value that is supplied to a motor configured to rotate the washing tub in a period in which the washing tub is rotated while being accelerated;
obtaining a state of the laundry that is received in the washing tub, from an output of an output layer of a pre-trained machine-learning based on an input to an input layer of the machine-learning network that comprises the electrical current value; and
performing a washing cycle operation that comprises washing the laundry according to a washing mode that is determined based on the state of the laundry.

17. A washing machine comprising:
a washing tub configured to receive laundry, the washing tub being configured to be rotatable;
a motor configured to rotate the washing tub;
a controller configured to control the motor such that the washing tub is rotated while being accelerated; and
a current sensing unit configured to sense an electrical current value of the motor,
wherein the controller is configured to:
determine a state of laundry received in the washing tub, from an output of an output layer of a pre-trained machine-learning network based on an input to an input layer of the machine-learning network that comprises an electrical current value supplied to the motor during accelerated rotation of the washing tub;
selecting, based on the state of the laundry, one of a plurality of washing modes that are classified in consideration of (i) a wear degree of the laundry or (ii) a washing strength of the laundry; and
performing a washing cycle operation that comprises washing the laundry according to the selected washing mode.

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Im Myunghun
• Jung Hwanjin
• Yu Seonhwa
• Kim Sunggyun
• Woo Kyungchul

Classifications

• D06F34/28

  Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress · CPC title

• D06F34/18 Primary

  Condition of the laundry, e.g. nature or weight · CPC title

• D06F33/36 Primary

  of washing · CPC title

• D06F2103/04

  Quantity, e.g. weight or variation of weight · CPC title

• D06F37/304

  Arrangements or adaptations of electric motors · CPC title