Washer and method for controlling the same

Abstract

A method for controlling a washer, includes: based on an initiation of a washing course, selecting, as an initial driving mode, a first driving mode in which a drum rotates in a first direction and controlling a driving motor to rotate the drum in accordance with a first driving mode; obtaining driving data generated as the drum is rotated; based on the driving data, identifying whether an event condition occurs for switching from the first driving mode to a second driving mode in which the drum rotates by a reference angle in a second direction opposite to the first direction and then rotates in the first direction; and based on identifying that the event condition occurs, switching from the first driving mode to a second driving mode and control the driving motor to rotate the drum in accordance with the second driving mode.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washer comprising:
 a main body;   a drum in the main body and configured to accommodate laundry therein;   a driving motor configured to rotate the drum;   a current sensor configured to detect a driving current that is input to the driving motor; and   a processor configured to transmit a control command to the driving motor to selectively perform one of:
 a first driving mode in which the drum rotates in a first direction while washing is performed, and 
 a second driving mode in which the drum rotates by a reference angle in a second direction opposite to the first direction and then rotates in the first direction while the washing is performed, 
   wherein the processor is further configured to:
 based on an initiation of a washing course, select the first driving mode as an initial driving mode and control the driving motor to rotate the drum; 
 obtain driving data generated as the drum is rotated in accordance with the first driving mode; 
 based on the driving data, identify whether an event condition for switching the drum to the second driving mode to initiate an operation occurs; and 
 based on identifying that the event condition occurs, switch from the first driving mode to the second driving mode and control the driving motor to rotate the drum in accordance with the second driving mode, and 
 wherein the driving data comprises motor current data indicating the driving current of the driving motor, which is obtained by the current sensor. 
   
     
     
         2 . The washer of  claim 1 , further comprising a speed sensor configured to detect a rotational speed of the drum,
 wherein the driving data further comprises drum rotational speed data indicating the rotational speed of the drum obtained by the speed sensor, and   wherein the processor is further configured to, based on the drum rotational speed data indicating that the rotational speed of the drum is less than a preset threshold speed, identify that the event condition occurs.   
     
     
         3 . The washer of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is further configured to, based on the drum rotational speed data indicating that the rotational speed of the drum is less than the preset threshold speed during a reference period in which a maximum current is input to the driving motor, identify the event condition occurs. 
     
     
         4 . The washer of  claim 1 , wherein the driving data further comprises motor power consumption data indicating power consumption of the driving motor, and
 wherein the processor is further configured to, based on the motor power consumption data indicating the power consumption of the driving motor exceeds a preset threshold power, identify that the event condition occurs.   
     
     
         5 . The washer of  claim 1 , wherein the driving data further comprises motor resistance data indicating a resistance between a first point and a second point in a driving circuit of the driving motor, and
 wherein the processor is further configured to:   obtain a resistance of the driving motor; and   based on the resistance exceeding a preset threshold resistance, identify that the event condition occurs.   
     
     
         6 . The washer of  claim 4 , wherein the driving data further comprises motor temperature data indicating a temperature of the driving motor, and
 wherein the processor is further configured to:   obtain the temperature of the driving motor; and   based on the temperature of the driving motor exceeding a preset threshold temperature, identify that the event condition occurs.   
     
     
         7 . The washer of  claim 6 , wherein the processor is further configured to, obtain the temperature of the driving motor based on at least one of the driving current input to the driving motor, the power consumption of the driving motor and a resistance of the driving motor. 
     
     
         8 . The washer of  claim 6 , further comprising a temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the driving motor,
 wherein the processor is further configured to obtain the temperature of the driving motor from the temperature sensor.   
     
     
         9 . The washer of  claim 1 , further comprising a water supply valve configured to open or close a pipe configured to supply washing water or rinsing water to the drum,
 wherein the processor is further configured to, based on based on termination of supply of the washing water or the rinsing water to the drum and closing of the water supply valve, identify whether the event condition occurs.   
     
     
         10 . The washer of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 obtain a weight of the laundry put in the drum; and   based on the weight of the laundry, select one of the first driving mode or the second driving mode as the initial driving mode and control the driving motor to rotate the drum in accordance with the initial driving mode.   
     
     
         11 . The washer of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 based on the weight of the laundry being less than a preset threshold weight, determine the first driving mode as the initial driving mode and control the driving motor to rotate the drum in accordance with the first driving mode; and   based on the weight of the laundry being at least the preset threshold weight, determine the second driving mode as the initial driving mode and control the driving motor to rotate the drum in accordance with the second driving mode.   
     
     
         12 . A method for controlling a washer including a main body, a drum in the main body and configured to accommodate laundry therein, a driving motor configured to rotate the drum, and a current sensor configured to detect a driving current that is input to the driving motor, the method comprising:
 based on an initiation of a washing course, selecting, as an initial driving mode, a first driving mode in which the drum rotates in a first direction and controlling the driving motor to rotate the drum in accordance with the first driving mode;   obtaining driving data generated as the drum is rotated;   based on the driving data, identifying whether an event condition occurs for switching from the first driving mode to a second driving mode in which the drum rotates by a reference angle in a second direction opposite to the first direction and then rotates in the first direction; and   based on identifying that the event condition occurs, switching from the first driving mode to the second driving mode and control the driving motor to rotate the drum in accordance with the second driving mode,   wherein the driving data comprises motor current data indicating the driving current of the driving motor, which is obtained from the current sensor.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the washer further includes a speed sensor configured to detect a rotational speed of the drum,
 wherein the driving data further comprises drum rotational speed data indicating the rotational speed of the drum obtained from the speed sensor, and   wherein the identifying whether the event condition occurs comprises, based on the drum rotational speed data indicating that the rotational speed of the drum is less than a preset threshold speed, identifying that the event condition occurs.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the identifying whether the event condition occurs further comprises, based on the drum rotational speed data indicating that the rotational speed of the drum is less than the preset threshold speed during a reference period in which a maximum current is input to the driving motor, identifying that the event condition occurs. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the driving data further comprises motor power consumption data indicating power consumption of the driving motor, and
 wherein the identifying whether the event condition occurs comprises, based on the motor power consumption data indicating that the power consumption of the driving motor exceeds a preset threshold power, identifying that the event condition occurs.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the driving data further comprises motor resistance data indicating a resistance between a first point and a second point in a driving circuit of the driving motor, and
 wherein the identifying whether the event condition occurs comprises:   obtaining a resistance of the driving motor; and   based on the resistance of the driving motor exceeding a preset threshold resistance, identifying that the event condition occurs.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the driving data further comprises motor temperature data indicating a temperature of the driving motor, and
 wherein the identifying whether the event condition occurs comprises:   obtaining the temperature of the driving motor; and   based on the temperature of the driving motor exceeding a preset threshold temperature, identifying that the event condition occurs.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the obtaining the temperature of the driving motor, comprises:
 obtaining the temperature of the driving motor based on at least one of the driving current that is input to the driving motor, the power consumption of the driving motor, and a resistance of the driving motor.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the washer further includes a temperature sensor configured to detect the temperature of the driving motor, and
 wherein the obtaining the temperature of the driving motor comprises obtaining the temperature of the driving motor from the temperature sensor.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the washer further includes a water supply valve configured to open or close a pipe configured to supply washing water or rinsing water to the drum, and
 wherein the identifying whether the event condition occurs comprises, based on a termination of supply of the washing water or the rinsing water to the drum and closing of the water supply valve, identifying whether the event condition occurs.