Dryer and method of controlling the same

Abstract

A dryer includes a drum, an air blowing module configured to form an air flow to be brought into the drum, a filter configured to filter out foreign substances included in air discharged out of the drum in the air flow, an input/output interface, a memory to store at least one instruction, and at least one processor. The at least one processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction stored in the memory to determine whether the filter is separated and installed after a previous dry operation, increase a number of successive operation times based on a dry operation type of the dryer in response to the filter being not separated and installed, and control the input/output interface to provide a notification to guide separation of the filter from the dryer and cleaning of the separated filter from the dryer based on the number of successive operation times.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dryer comprising:
 a drum;   an air blowing module configured to form an air flow to be brought into the drum;   a filter configured to filter out foreign substances included in air discharged out of the drum in the air flow;   an input/output interface;   a memory to store at least one instruction; and   at least one processor configured to execute the at least one instruction stored in the memory to:
 determine whether the filter is separated and installed after a previous dry operation, 
 increase a number of successive operation times based on a dry operation type of the dryer in response to the filter being not separated and installed, and 
 control the input/output interface to provide a notification to guide separation of the filter from the dryer and cleaning of the separated filter based on the number of successive operation times. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to provide the notification at a level corresponding to at least one count range based on the number of successive operation times belonging to the at least one count range among a plurality of ranges of the number of times. 
     
     
         3 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to determine an increasing value of the number of successive operation times based on a range of an amount of lint creation depending on the dry operation type. 
     
     
         4 . The dryer of  claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to determine the increasing value of the number of successive operation times based on weight of laundry received in the drum during an operation of the dryer. 
     
     
         5 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to:
 measure weight of laundry received in the drum of the dryer during the operation of the dryer;   identify whether the number of successive operation times is at least a threshold number of times; and   perform drying for an expected operation time determined based on the weight of the laundry plus an extra time based on the number of successive operation times being at least the threshold number of times.   
     
     
         6 . The dryer of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to:
 identify a difference between the expected operation time and an actual operation time;   generate a detection event which determines that the filter is clogged, based on the difference being at least a threshold time; and   provide the notification at a level corresponding to a number of occurrences of the detection event.   
     
     
         7 . The dryer of  claim 2 , wherein the input/output interface comprises a display, and
 the at least one processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to:   set at least one of size, color and content of an information object including at least one of an icon and text based on the level;   generate the information object, for which at least one of the size, the color and the content is set, as the notification; and   display the notification through the display.   
     
     
         8 . The dryer of  claim 2 , wherein the input/output interface comprises a speaker, and
 the at least one processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to:   set at least one of sound volume and voice content of the notification based on the level; and   output the notification through the speaker.   
     
     
         9 . The dryer of  claim 2 , wherein the input/output interface comprises a haptic driver, and
 the at least one processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to:   set at least one of vibration intensity and vibration time of the notification based on the level; and   output the notification through the haptic driver.   
     
     
         10 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute the at least one instruction to:
 identify a first time in response to the filter being separated and a second time the filter being reinstalled; and   maintain the number of successive operation times in response to a time gap between the first time and the second time being a minimum threshold gap or less.   
     
     
         11 . A method of controlling a dryer, the method comprising:
 determining whether a filter of the dryer is separated and installed after a previous dry operation;   increasing a number of successive operation times based on a dry operation type of the dryer in response to the filter being not separated and installed; and   controlling an input/output interface of the dryer to provide a notification to guide separation of the filter from the dryer and cleaning of the separated filter based on the number of successive operation times.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the providing of the notification comprises providing the notification at a level corresponding to at least one count range based on the number of successive operation times belonging to the at least one count range among a plurality of ranges of the number of times. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the increasing of the number of successive operation times comprises determining an increasing value of the number of successive operation times based on a range of an amount of lint creation depending on the dry operation type. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the increasing of the number of successive operation times comprises determining the increasing value of the number of successive operation times based on weight of laundry received in a drum of the dryer during an operation of the dryer 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 measuring weight of laundry received in the drum of the dryer during the operation of the dryer;   identifying whether the number of successive operation times is at least a threshold number of times; and   performing drying for an expected operation time determined based on the weight of the laundry plus an extra time based on the number of successive operation times being at least the threshold number of times.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 identifying a difference between the expected operation time and an actual operation time;   generating a detection event which determines that the filter is clogged, based on the difference being at least a threshold time; and   providing the notification at a level corresponding to a number of occurrences of the detection event.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the providing of the notification at the level corresponding to the at least one count range comprises:
 setting at least one of a size, color and content of an information object including at least one of an icon and text based on the level;   generating the information object, for which at least one of the size, the color and the content is set, as the notification; and   displaying the notification through a display of the dryer.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the providing of the notification at the level corresponding to the at least one count range comprises:
 setting at least one of sound volume and voice content of the notification based on the level; and   outputting the notification through a speaker of the dryer.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the providing of the notification at the level corresponding to the at least one count range comprises:
 setting at least one of vibration intensity or vibration time of the notification based on the level; and   outputting the notification through a haptic driver of the dryer.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the determining of whether the filter is separated and installed comprises:
 identifying a first time in response to the filter being separated and a second time the filter being reinstalled; and   maintaining the number of successive operation times in response to a time gap between the first time and the second time being a minimum threshold gap or less.