Laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

A laundry treating apparatus is disclosed. The laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a cabinet; a drum disposed in the cabinet and arranged to be rotatable, laundry being accommodated in the drum; a manipulation unit arranged in the cabinet and manipulated by a user to generate a manipulation signal; and a screen output unit arranged in the cabinet so as to output a screen for providing information to the user, wherein: the screen output unit is arranged to output a screen on which any one of multiple targets is selected on the basis of the manipulation signal; and the manipulation unit comprises a multi-function button unit that is activated only for some of the multiple targets in the screen output unit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A laundry treating apparatus comprising:
 a cabinet:   a drum rotatably disposed in the cabinet and configured to accommodate laundry therein:   a manipulator disposed on the cabinet and manipulated by a user to generate a manipulation signal; and   a screen outputter disposed on the cabinet and configured to output a screen for providing information to the user,   wherein the screen outputter is configured to output the screen where one of a plurality of objects is selected based on the manipulation signal,   wherein the manipulator includes a multi-function button activated only for some of the plurality of objects on the screen.   
     
     
         2 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the screen outputter is configured to output a reservation screen where a reservation time is set for a course for treating the laundry,
 wherein the reservation screen displays a reservation time list including a plurality of time items,   wherein the multi-function button is activated only for some items in the reservation time list.   
     
     
         3 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the screen outputter is configured to display an item to be selected among the plurality of items included in the reservation time list to be distinguished from the rest, and the item to be selected is selected to be applied to the course based on the manipulation signal,
 wherein the multi-function button is activated only when some items in the reservation time list are to be selected.   
     
     
         4 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the reservation time list includes a reservation end item of ending the reservation screen,
 wherein the multi-function button is activated when the reservation end item is to be selected.   
     
     
         5 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the reservation screen includes a function display area configured to display a function of the multi-function button, the function display area is output when the reservation end item in the reservation time list is to be selected, and the function display area is removed when another item is to be selected. 
     
     
         6 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the function display area is displayed in a pop-up form on a portion of the reservation screen. 
     
     
         7 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the screen outputter is configured to output a course selection screen configured to selectively display one of a plurality of courses for treating the laundry, and is switched to the reservation screen based on the manipulation signal of the manipulator while the course selection screen is output. 
     
     
         8 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the manipulator further includes a reservation option button,
 wherein the screen outputter is switched to the reservation screen when the reservation option button is manipulated while the course selection screen is output.   
     
     
         9 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the screen outputter returns to the course selection screen when the multi-function button is manipulated on the reservation screen and the reservation end item is selected. 
     
     
         10 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the multi-function button has different functions on the course selection screen and the reservation screen, respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each of the course selection screen and the reservation screen includes a function display area configured to display a function of the multi-function button,
 wherein different functions are displayed in the function display area of the course selection screen and the function display area of the reservation screen, respectively.   
     
     
         12 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the screen outputter is switched to an option recommendation screen configured to display a recommended option combination for the course displayed on the course selection screen when the multi-function button is manipulated on the course selection screen. 
     
     
         13 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the screen outputter is configured to output a reservation guidance screen configured to display use information of the reservation screen to the user and then output the reservation screen when the course selection screen is switched to the reservation screen. 
     
     
         14 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the reservation guidance screen is displayed in a pop-up form for a predetermined time on the reservation screen. 
     
     
         15 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the manipulator further includes an execution button configured to generate an execution signal for the course,
 wherein the screen outputter is configured to output a reservation completion screen configured to indicate completion of reservation of the corresponding course when the execution signal is generated on the reservation screen.   
     
     
         16 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the reservation completion screen includes a reserved course display area configured to display the reserved course, a reservation time display area configured to display a time reserved via the reservation screen, and a reservation state display area configured to display a current progress state. 
     
     
         17 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the screen outputter includes:
 a display configured to output the screen; and   a screen circumferential portion surrounding the display,   wherein the multi-function button is disposed in the screen circumferential portion.   
     
     
         18 . The laundry treating apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the screen outputter protrudes from the cabinet,
 wherein the manipulator includes a dial disposed to surround an outer circumferential surface of the screen outputter and rotatable, wherein the dial is configured to be manipulated by the user to change an object to be selected among the plurality of objects displayed on the screen.