Dryer and method for controlling the same

Abstract

A dryer includes: a cabinet; a first electrode inside the cabinet; a second electrode inside the cabinet spaced apart from the first electrode inside the cabinet; a third electrode attachable to the cabinet between the first electrode and the second electrode; a radio frequency (RF) power supplier configured to supply RF power to each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode; at least one sensor configured to, with at least one object in the cabinet, obtain data about the object in the cabinet; and a processor configured to divide the internal space into a plurality of accommodation spaces based on the third electrode being attached to the cabinet and adjust the RF power supplied to each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode to selectively generate an electric field in the accommodation spaces to dry the object in the cabinet.

1 . A dryer, comprising:
 a cabinet;   a first electrode inside the cabinet;   a second electrode inside the cabinet spaced apart from the first electrode;   a third electrode attachable to the cabinet between the first electrode and the second electrode;   a radio frequency (RF) power supplier configured to supply RF power to each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode;   at least one sensor configured to, with at least one object in the cabinet, obtain data about the at least one object in the cabinet; and   a processor configured to:
 divide an internal space of the cabinet into a plurality of accommodation spaces based on the third electrode being attached to the cabinet, and 
 adjust the RF power supplied to each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode from the RF power supplier to selectively generate an electric field in the plurality of accommodation spaces based on the data obtained by the at least one sensor, to dry the at least one object in the cabinet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 process the data obtained by the at least one sensor to determine whether each accommodation space of the plurality of accommodation spaces is a drying space or a non-drying space, and   determine a phase of the RF power supplied to each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode so that an electric field is generated in each accommodation space of the plurality of accommodation spaces determined to be the drying space and an electric field is not generated in each accommodation space of the plurality of accommodation spaces determined to be a non-drying space.   
     
     
         3 . The dryer of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to:
 process the data obtained by the at least one sensor to, for each accommodation space of the plurality of accommodation spaces, identify whether an object of the at least one object in the cabinet is in the accommodation space and, when it is identified that an object is in the accommodation space, determine a moisture content of the object, and   determine whether each accommodation space of the plurality of accommodation spaces is the drying space or the non-drying space based on whether an object is identified in the accommodation space and the determined moisture content of the object.   
     
     
         4 . The dryer of  claim 3 , wherein the processor is configured to determine that an accommodation space of the plurality of accommodation spaces in which an object is identified as the drying space based on the determined moisture content of the object being greater than or equal to a defined reference value. 
     
     
         5 . The dryer of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to adjust the phase of the RF power supplied to each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode so that,
 for each accommodation space of the plurality of accommodation spaces determined to be the drying space, two electrodes of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode have opposite polarities so as to generate an electric field for the accommodation space, and   for each accommodation space of the plurality of accommodation spaces determined to be the non-drying space, two electrodes of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode have a same polarity so as to not generate an electric field for the accommodation space.   
     
     
         6 . The dryer of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to, for each accommodation space of the plurality of accommodation spaces determined to be the drying space:
 process the data obtained by the at least one sensor to identify whether an object is in the accommodation space,   when it is identified that an object is in the accommodation space,
 process the data obtained by the at least one sensor to identify a material of the object in the accommodation space, 
 identify a drying temperature preset for the material of the object in the accommodation space, and 
 adjust a magnitude of the RF power supplied to each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode so that an intensity of the electric field generated in the accommodation space corresponds to the drying temperature. 
   
     
     
         7 . The dryer of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to, for each accommodation space of the plurality of accommodation spaces determined to be the drying space:
 process the data obtained by the at least one sensor to identify whether a plurality of objects are in an accommodation space,   when it is identified the plurality of objects are in the accommodation space,
 process the data obtained by the at least one sensor to identify a material of each of the plurality of objects in the accommodation space, 
 based on a plurality of materials being identified, identify a lowest drying temperature among a plurality of drying temperatures respectively preset for the plurality of materials, and 
 adjust a magnitude of the RF power supplied to each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode so that an intensity of the electric field generated in the accommodation space corresponds to the lowest drying temperature. 
   
     
     
         8 . The dryer of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a plurality of vertical electrodes arranged in the cabinet perpendicular to the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode,   wherein the processor is configured to, for each accommodation space of the plurality of accommodation spaces determined to be the drying space:
 process the data obtained by the at least one sensor to identify whether an object is in the accommodation space, 
 when it is identified that an object is in the accommodation space, 
   process the data obtained by the at least one sensor to identify a position of the object in the accommodation space, and
 adjust RF power supplied to each of the plurality of vertical electrodes from the RF power supplier based on the position of the object in the accommodation space. 
   
     
     
         9 . The dryer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an impedance matching circuit connected to the RF power supplier;   a first switch configured to connect the impedance matching circuit and the first electrode;   a second switch configured to connect the impedance matching circuit and the second electrode; and   a third switch configured to connect the impedance matching circuit and the third electrode;   wherein the processor is configured to control the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch to change a phase of the RF power supplied to each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode.   
     
     
         10 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the RF power supplier includes
 a first RF power supplier configured to supply RF power to the first electrode;   a second RF power supplier configured to supply RF power to the second electrode; and   a third RF power supplier configured to supply RF power to the third electrode;   wherein the processor is configured to control the first RF power supplier, the second RF power supplier, and the third RF power supplier to change a phase of the RF power supplied to each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode.   
     
     
         11 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor includes at least one of:
 an image sensor configured to obtain image data of inside the cabinet,   a weight sensor configured to obtain weight data of the at least one object, or   a humidity sensor configured to obtain humidity data of the at least one object,   wherein the data obtained by the at least one sensor includes at least one of the image data, the weight data, or the humidity data.   
     
     
         12 . The dryer of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode includes a connector coupled to a terminal in the cabinet, the terminal electrically connected to the RF power supplier. 
     
     
         13 . The dryer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a user interface,   wherein the processor is configured to control the user interface to display information about each accommodation space of the plurality of accommodation spaces, the information including at least one of a type of an object, a material of the object, a drying course, a drying temperature, or a drying time.   
     
     
         14 . The dryer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a user interface,   wherein the processor is configured to control the user interface to provide, for each accommodation space of the plurality of accommodation spaces, a drying completion notification and an object withdrawal notification based on drying being completed for an object in the accommodation space.   
     
     
         15 . A method for controlling a dryer that includes a cabinet; a first electrode inside the cabinet; a second electrode inside the cabinet spaced apart from the first electrode; a third electrode attachable to the cabinet between the first electrode and the second electrode; a radio frequency (RF) power supplier configured to supply RF power to each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and a third electrode; at least one sensor configured to, with at least one object in the cabinet, obtain data about the at least one object in the cabinet; and a processor, the method comprising:
 dividing, by the processor, an internal space of the cabinet into a plurality of accommodation spaces based on the third electrode being attached to the cabinet; and   adjusting, by the processor, the RF power supplied to each of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode from the RF power supplier to selectively generate an electric field in the plurality of accommodation spaces, based on the data obtained by the at least one sensor, to dry the at least one object in the cabinet.