Washing machine

Abstract

A washing machine may include a cabinet; a tub accommodated in the cabinet to store washing water; a detergent supply device including a first detergent container in which a first detergent is accommodatable and a second detergent container in which a second detergent is accommodatable; a detergent detector configured to detect a presence or absence of the second detergent in the second detergent container; and a controller configured to change a use setting of the first detergent container according to the detected presence or absence of the second detergent in the second detergent container.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washing machine, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a tub accommodated in the cabinet to store washing water;   a detergent supply device including a first detergent container in which a first detergent is accommodatable and a second detergent container in which a second detergent is accommodatable;   a detergent detector configured to detect a presence or absence of the second detergent in the second detergent container; and   a controller configured to change a use setting of the first detergent container according to the detected presence or absence of the second detergent in the second detergent container.   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein
 the detergent supply device further includes a detergent pump to supply the first detergent accommodated in the first detergent container to the tub, and   the use setting of the first detergent container includes a setting regarding an amount of the first detergent supplied to the tub by the detergent pump and a type of the first detergent.   
     
     
         3 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein
 the detergent detector includes an optical sensor positioned above the second detergent container, and   the optical sensor includes:
 a light emitter to emit light toward the second detergent container, and 
 a light receiver to detect light reflected from the second detergent container or from the second detergent accommodated in the second detergent container. 
   
     
     
         4 . The washing machine of  claim 3 , wherein the second detergent container includes a light absorbing member on a bottom surface that is configured to absorb light emitted from the light emitter. 
     
     
         5 . The washing machine of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the presence or absence of the second detergent in the second detergent container based on an amount of light detected by the optical sensor. 
     
     
         6 . The washing machine of  claim 3 , wherein
 the first detergent container includes:
 a 1-1th detergent container in which a 1st first detergent is accommodatable, and 
 a 1-2th detergent container in which a 2nd first detergent is accommodatable, and the 2nd first detergent is identical to, or different from, the 1st first detergent. 
   
     
     
         7 . The washing machine of  claim 6 , wherein
 the second detergent container includes:
 a 2-1th detergent container in which a 1st second detergent is accommodatable, and 
 a 2-2th detergent container that is behind the 2-1th detergent container and in which a 2nd second detergent is accommodatable, and 
 the 2nd second detergent is different from the 1st second detergent. 
   
     
     
         8 . The washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein
 the detergent detector is configured to detect a presence or absence of the 1st second detergent in the 2-1th detergent container and a presence or absence of the 2nd second detergent in the 2-2th detergent container, and   when the detergent detector detects the presence of the 1st second detergent in the 2-1th detergent container, the controller changes a use setting of the 1-1th detergent container to off.   
     
     
         9 . The washing machine of  claim 8 , wherein
 when the detergent detector detects the presence of the 2nd second detergent in the 2-2th detergent container, the controller changes a use setting of the 1-2th detergent container to off, and   when the detergent detector detects the absence of the 2nd second detergent in the 2-2th detergent container, the controller changes a use setting of the 1-2th detergent container to on.   
     
     
         10 . The washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein
 the detergent detector is configured to detect a presence or absence of the 1st second detergent in the 2-1th detergent container and a presence or absence of the 2nd second detergent in the 2-2th detergent container, and   when the detergent detector detects the absence of the 1st second detergent in the 2-1th detergent container and the absence of the 2nd second detergent in the 2-2th detergent container, the controller changes a use setting of the 1-1th detergent container to on and a use setting of the 1-2th detergent container to on.   
     
     
         11 . The washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein
 the detergent detector is configured to detect a presence or absence of the 1st second detergent in the 2-1th detergent container and a presence or absence of the 2nd second detergent in the 2-2th detergent container, and   when the detergent detector detects the absence of the 1st second detergent in the 2-1th detergent container and the presence of the 2nd second detergent in the 2-2th detergent container, the controller provides a notification for a use setting change selection of the 1-1th detergent container or a use setting change selection of the 1-2th detergent container to an output device or an external electronic device.   
     
     
         12 . The washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein
 the detergent supply device is configured to be drawn into, and drawn out of, the cabinet, and   the controller is configured to sequentially determine, through the optical sensor, a presence or absence of the 2nd second detergent in the 2-2th detergent container and a presence or absence of the 1st second detergent in the 2-1th detergent container while the detergent supply device is being drawn into the cabinet.   
     
     
         13 . The washing machine of  claim 12 , wherein, with the detergent supply device drawn into the cabinet, the optical sensor is positioned above the 2-1th detergent container. 
     
     
         14 . The washing machine of  claim 7 , wherein
 the optical sensor is positioned above a boundary between the 2-1th detergent container and the 2-2th detergent container, and   the optical sensor is rotatable and configured to emit light toward the 2-1th detergent container or the 2-2th detergent container and to detect reflected light.   
     
     
         15 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein
 the detergent detector includes an electrode sensor on a bottom surface of the second detergent container, and   the electrode sensor is configured to, with the second detergent accommodated in the second detergent container, contact the second detergent to detect a voltage.   
     
     
         16 . The washing machine of  claim 15 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the presence or absence of the second detergent in the second detergent container based on the detected voltage. 
     
     
         17 . A method for controlling a washing machine including a cabinet, a tub accommodated in the cabinet to store washing water, a detergent supply device including a first detergent container in which a first detergent is accommodatable and a second detergent container in which a second detergent is accommodatable, a detergent detector configured to detect a presence or absence of the second detergent in the second detergent container, and a controller, the method comprising:
 detecting the presence or absence of the second detergent in the second detergent container through the detergent detector; and   changing a use setting of the first detergent container according to the detected presence or absence of the second detergent in the second detergent container.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein
 the detergent supply device further includes a detergent pump to supply the first detergent accommodated in the first detergent container to the tub, and   the use setting of the first detergent container includes a setting regarding an amount of the first detergent supplied to the tub by the detergent pump and a type of the first detergent.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein
 the detergent detector includes an optical sensor positioned above the second detergent container,   the optical sensor includes:
 a light emitter to emit light toward the second detergent container, and 
 a light receiver to detect light reflected from the second detergent container or from the second detergent accommodated in the second detergent container, and 
   the detecting the presence or absence of the second detergent in the second detergent container includes determining the presence or absence of the second detergent in the second detergent container based on an amount of light detected by the optical sensor.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein
 the detergent detector includes an electrode sensor on a bottom surface of the second detergent container,   the electrode sensor is configured to, with the second detergent accommodated in the second detergent container, contact the second detergent to detect a voltage, and   the detecting the presence or absence of the second detergent in the second detergent container is based on the detected voltage.