AU2016384539A1 - Clothes treating apparatus - Google Patents
Clothes treating apparatus Download PDFInfo
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- AU2016384539A1 AU2016384539A1 AU2016384539A AU2016384539A AU2016384539A1 AU 2016384539 A1 AU2016384539 A1 AU 2016384539A1 AU 2016384539 A AU2016384539 A AU 2016384539A AU 2016384539 A AU2016384539 A AU 2016384539A AU 2016384539 A1 AU2016384539 A1 AU 2016384539A1
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- Australia
- Prior art keywords
- wash tub
- clothes treating
- function
- treating apparatus
- output
- Prior art date
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- 230000006870 function Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 205
- 238000005406 washing Methods 0.000 claims description 43
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims description 18
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 abstract description 20
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 26
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 14
- 238000001035 drying Methods 0.000 description 11
- 230000004044 response Effects 0.000 description 10
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 8
- 239000003599 detergent Substances 0.000 description 6
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 6
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- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 5
- 230000006399 behavior Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000013473 artificial intelligence Methods 0.000 description 3
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- 238000010079 rubber tapping Methods 0.000 description 2
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Classifications
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F34/00—Details of control systems for washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F34/28—Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
- D06F34/32—Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress characterised by graphical features, e.g. touchscreens
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F34/00—Details of control systems for washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F34/14—Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
- D06F34/20—Parameters relating to constructional components, e.g. door sensors
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F37/00—Details specific to washing machines covered by groups D06F21/00 - D06F25/00
- D06F37/02—Rotary receptacles, e.g. drums
- D06F37/04—Rotary receptacles, e.g. drums adapted for rotation or oscillation about a horizontal or inclined axis
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F37/00—Details specific to washing machines covered by groups D06F21/00 - D06F25/00
- D06F37/02—Rotary receptacles, e.g. drums
- D06F37/12—Rotary receptacles, e.g. drums adapted for rotation or oscillation about a vertical axis
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F37/00—Details specific to washing machines covered by groups D06F21/00 - D06F25/00
- D06F37/20—Mountings, e.g. resilient mountings, for the rotary receptacle, motor, tub or casing; Preventing or damping vibrations
- D06F37/22—Mountings, e.g. resilient mountings, for the rotary receptacle, motor, tub or casing; Preventing or damping vibrations in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
- G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
- G06F3/048—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
- G06F3/0487—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
- G06F3/0488—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2101/00—User input for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2101/20—Operation modes, e.g. delicate laundry washing programs, service modes or refreshment cycles
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2103/00—Parameters monitored or detected for the control of domestic laundry washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2103/68—Operation mode; Program phase
-
- D—TEXTILES; PAPER
- D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- D06F—LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES
- D06F2105/00—Systems or parameters controlled or affected by the control systems of washing machines, washer-dryers or laundry dryers
- D06F2105/58—Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Textile Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Control Of Washing Machine And Dryer (AREA)
Abstract
The present invention relates to a clothes treating apparatus having a touchscreen for displaying visual information. The clothes treating apparatus comprises: a first wash tub; a touchscreen which outputs icons associated with functions executable by the first wash tub; and a control unit which controls the touchscreen so that, when the present invention is connected, within a preset distance, with an external device having a second wash tub, a first graphic object and a second graphic object are outputted, the first graphic object being formed so as to have the first wash tub selected, and the second graphic object being formed so as to have the second wash tub selected.
Description
The present invention relates to a clothes treating apparatus having a touchscreen for displaying visual information. The clothes treating apparatus comprises: a first wash tub; a touchscreen which outputs icons associated with functions executable by the first wash tub; and a control unit which controls the touchscreen so that, when the present invention is connected, within a preset distance, with an external device having a second wash tub, a first graphic object and a second graphic object are outputted, the first graphic object being formed so as to have the first wash tub selected, and the second graphic object being formed so as to have the second wash tub selected.
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wo 2017/119674 Al lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll^
ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, ET, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
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— SJ «Ml Ul 21 3:(3))
CLOTHES TREATING APPARATUS
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a clothes treating apparatus having 5 a touch screen for displaying visual information.
BACKGROUND ART
A clothes treating apparatus includes an apparatus for washing clothes or laundry, an apparatus for drying clothes, and an apparatus for washing and drying clothes together. In the clothes treating apparatus, washing clothes is a stroke of removing contaminants from the clothes through reaction between water and detergents, and drying clothes is a stroke of removing moisture contained in the clothes by use of a hot air supply device provided in the clothes treating apparatus.
A general clothes treating apparatus includes a main body defining appearance and having a clothes inlet, a clothes accommodating unit provided in the main body, a driving unit to rotate a drum constructing the clothes accommodating unit, a door to open and close the clothes inlet, and a control unit to provide visual information related to strokes processed in the clothes treating apparatus to the user and receiving a user operation.
In the clothes treating apparatus, the door is designed to perform its original function of opening and closing the clothes inlet and allowing the user to look into the clothes accommodating unit therethrough. In addition, the control unit is usually provided in the main body, and is provided with a plurality of buttons and knobs for briefly displaying only predetermined strokes in a power-on/off manner and operating the strokes.
This differentiation of the door and the control unit has spoiled 5 simple appearance of the clothes treating apparatus, and input and output interfaces between the clothes treating apparatus and the user have no choice but to stay in a low dimensional manner.
Therefore, studies have been conducted to arrange the control unit on the door and implement the control unit in the form of a touch screen.
However, researches on a door structure that can bring out integrated feeling for the door and the touch screen and high sensibility with low cost are not actively undergoing yet.
In addition, as washing functions carried out in the clothes treating apparatus are diversified, there is a need for washing clothes to be washed in a sorting manner according to a type of the clothes. For example, there is a user’s need to wash clothes to be washed by sorting the clothes into underwear and socks or on the color basis. However, since the general clothes treating apparatus has only one clothes accommodating unit to accommodate the clothes therein, there is inconvenience that the clothes should be washed several times separately to solve the need.
In order to solve this inconvenience, research on one clothes treating apparatus having a plurality of wash tubs is undergoing, but research on a user interface for controlling such a plurality of wash tubs has not been actively conducted yet. Since a separate control unit is provided for each wash tub, the user has to check each control unit individually and input an individual control command. Therefore, a new type of user interface for controlling a plurality of wash tubs may be an important issue in terms of increasing user convenience.
Furthermore, there is a need of a clothes treating system which enables the user to perform such sortable washing even using a clothes treating apparatus, which the user already has, in consideration of costs. The user can construct a clothes treating system including a plurality of clothes treating apparatuses by arranging a new clothes treating apparatus in addition to the existing clothes treating apparatus belonging to the user. Even in this case, since a separate control unit is provided for each clothes treating apparatus, a new type of user interface for controlling the plurality of clothes treating apparatuses is required.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
One aspect of the present invention is to provide a door structure of a clothes treating apparatus, capable of giving a user an integrated aesthetic feeling when a door is constructed by a window, through which the user can look into a clothes accommodating unit, and a display for outputting information processed in the clothes treating apparatus.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a door structure of a clothes treating apparatus, capable of providing a circular display to a user by using a rectangular display.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a clothes treating apparatus, capable of controlling at least one of a plurality of wash tubs or a plurality of clothes treating apparatuses by using one display.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a new type of user interface, capable of allowing a user to accurately and intuitively recognize one of a plurality of wash tubs or a plurality of clothes treating apparatuses to be controlled when the one is controlled using one display.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a user interface, capable of determining one wash tub (or one clothes treating apparatus) which a user desires to use in an artificial-intelligence manner based on a user’s behavior and allowing the one wash tub to be used immediately without a separate user input.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a clothes treating apparatus, capable of using a new washing function developed by a third party as well as a washing function preset in the clothes treating apparatus.
To achieve the above aspects and other advantages of the present invention, there is provided a clothes treating apparatus, including a first wash tub, a touch screen for outputting icons associated with functions executable using the first wash tub, and a control unit to control the touch screen to output a first graphic object for selecting the first wash tub and a second graphic object for selecting a second wash tub when an external device having the second wash tub is connected thereto within a predetermined distance.
The apparatus may further include a wireless communication unit wirelessly connected to the external device having the second wash tub to transmit and receive data.
The control unit may control the wireless communication unit to establish or release connection with the external device having the second wash tub based on a user input.
The control unit may control the touch screen such that the first and second graphic objects disappear when the connection is released.
The control unit may select one of the first and second wash tubs when a touch is applied to one of the first and second graphic objects, and control the touch screen to output icons associated with functions executable in the selected wash tub.
The control unit may control the touch screen to output icons included in a first group when the first wash tub is selected, and to output icons included in a second group when the second wash tub is selected.
When a touch is applied to one of the icons included in the second group, the control unit may transmit a wash command corresponding to a function associated with the touch-applied icon to the external device having the second wash tub such that the function is executed in the external device having the second wash tub.
The control unit may output notification information warning that the function is not executable in the external device having the second wash tub when a non-washable message for the wash command is received from the external device having the second wash tub.
The control unit may receive a progress message informing the progress of the function from the external device having the second wash tub as the function is executed, and control the touch screen to output guidance information for guiding the progress of the function.
The control unit may output first guidance information in a first region of the touch screen to guide a progress of a first function and second guidance information in a second region to guide a progress of a second function when the first function using the first wash tub is executed while the function is executed.
When the washing function is completed, the control unit may pause the output of the first and second guidance information to guide the completion of the washing function and output completion information regarding the washing function on an entire region of the touch screen.
The control unit may restart the paused output of the first guidance information when a predetermined time elapses after the completion of the washing function, and output the first guidance information on the entire region of the touch screen.
When the function is terminated while the completion information of the washing function is output, the control unit may transmit an output restriction command to the external device having the second wash tub such that a notification according to the termination of the function is output in the external device having the second wash tub after the predetermined time.
The icons included in the second group may vary depending on a type of the external device having the second wash tub.
When the external device having the second wash tub is connected 25 the control unit may access a preset server to download icons corresponding to the external device having the second wash tub, and set the downloaded icons to the icons included in the second group.
The first wash tub may rotate centering on a first rotating shaft and the second wash tub may rotate centering on a second rotating shaft intersecting with the first rotating shaft.
Each of the icons included in the first group may be associated with a function executable in the first wash tub according to characteristics of the first wash tub, and each of the icons included in the second group may be associated with a function executable in the second wash tub according to characteristics of the second wash tub.
The control unit may output different information depending on connection or disconnection with respect to the external device having the second wash tub when a display of the touch screen which has been turned off is turned on.
Icons associated with functions executable in the first wash tub may be output on the touch screen when the external device having the second wash tub is not connected, and the first and second graphic objects may be output on the touch screen when the external device having the second wash tub is connected.
A lock command may be transmitted to the external device having the second wash tub such that a child lock function is executed even in the external device having the second wash tub when the child lock function is executed with respect to the first wash tub in a connected state with the external device having the second wash tub.
EFFECT OF THE DISCLOSURE
Effects of a clothes treating apparatus according to the present invention will be described as follows.
According to the present invention, an opaque region may be formed on a door cover, first and second light-transmitting regions may be formed in an isolating manner within the opaque region, and a window and a display (or a touch screen) may be provided in the first and second light-transmitting regions, respectively, thereby realizing a simple appearance of a door. In particular, when the first and second light10 transmitting regions are formed in a circular shape to correspond to a circular door, a user can be provided with an integrated aesthetic feeling.
Further, when the second light-transmitting region is formed in a circular shape disposed within a rectangular display in an overlapping manner, visual information can be output only to a portion corresponding to the circular second light-transmitting region so as to provide a circular display to the user. At this time, the control unit can control an output of visual information on a portion not corresponding to the second lighttransmitting region of the display, thereby saving power.
The effects obtained by the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood from the following description by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a clothes treating apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 1B is a conceptual view illustrating a state in which a first door illustrated in FIG. 1A is primarily rotated to open a clothes inlet.
FIG. 1C is a conceptual view illustrating a state in which the first door is secondarily rotated in the state illustrated in FIG. 1B.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the first door illustrated in
FIG. 1A.
FIG. 3 is a conceptual view illustrating another clothes treating apparatus is connected to the clothes treating apparatus illustrated in FIG
1A.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a representative control method in accordance with the present invention.
FIGS. 5, 6A, 6B and 6C are exemplary views illustrating an example to which the control method of FIG. 4 is applied.
FIG. 7 is a conceptual view illustrating a clothes treating apparatus which displays first and second graphic objects in response to a user input satisfying a preset condition.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating operations of first and second clothes treating apparatuses in a clothes treating system including the first and second clothes treating apparatuses.
FIGS. 9A, 9B, 9C, and 9D are conceptual views illustrating a method of outputting related information to a touch screen as a stroke is executed in at least one of the first and second clothes treating apparatuses.
FIGS. 10A and 10B are conceptual views illustrating a method of controlling a sound output of each clothes treating apparatus.
FIGS. 11A and 11B are conceptual views illustrating a method of controlling information output to the touch screen based on a user's behavior.
FIG. 12 is a conceptual view illustrating an operation related to a child lock function.
FIG. 13 is a conceptual view illustrating a method of pairing or unpairing the first clothes treating apparatus and the second clothes treating apparatus based on a user input.
FIG. 14 is a conceptual view illustrating a clothes treating apparatus that can utilize a new washing function developed by a third party, in addition to a preset washing function.
BEST MODE OF THE DISCLOSURE
Hereinafter, a clothes treating apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A singular representation may include a plural representation unless it represents a definitely different meaning from the context.
It will be understood that although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are generally only used to distinguish one element from another.
The same or equivalent components may be provided with the same or similar reference numbers, even in different embodiments, and description thereof will not be repeated.
In describing the present disclosure, if a detailed explanation for a related known function or construction is considered to unnecessarily divert the gist of the present disclosure, such explanation has been omitted but would be understood by those skilled in the art.
The accompanying drawings are used to help easily understand the technical idea of the present disclosure and it should be understood that the idea of the present disclosure is not limited by the accompanying drawings. The idea of the present disclosure should be construed to extend to any alterations, equivalents and substitutes besides the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a clothes treating apparatus 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 1B and 1C are conceptual views illustrating states where a door 120 illustrated in FIG. 1A is rotated primarily and secondarily, respectively, and thus a clothes inlet 160a is open.
Referring to these drawings, the clothes treating apparatus 100 includes a main body 110 and a door 120.
The main body 110 forms an outer shape of the clothes treating 20 apparatus 100 and has a clothes inlet 160a into which clothes is inserted. This embodiment illustrates that the clothes inlet 160a is formed through a front portion of the main body 110 having a hexahedral shape.
The main body 110 is provided therein with a clothes accommodating unit for receiving clothes or laundry through the clothes inlet 160a. The clothes accommodating unit may be referred to as a 'wash tub or wash tub'.
For example, when the clothes treating apparatus 100 of the present invention is configured as an apparatus for drying clothes, the clothes accommodating unit may be configured as a first drum 150 rotatably provided in the main body 110.
As another example, when the clothes treating apparatus 100 of the present invention is configured as an apparatus by which washing and drying clothes are all carried out, the clothes accommodating unit may be provided with a tub (not illustrated) disposed in the main body 110 to store washing water, and a first drum 150 rotatably disposed in the tub to accommodate clothes therein.
The main body 110 is provided with a driving unit (not illustrated) to rotate the drum 150. The driving unit may include a motor for generating a driving force and a belt for rotating the drum 150 using the driving force.
The main body 110 may be provided with a detergent supply unit (not illustrated) configured in a drawer type to be drawn in and out of the main body 110. A cover 112 covering the detergent supply unit may be configured to be rotatable up and down.
The main body 110 may be provided with a power button 170 to power on/off the clothes treating apparatus 100. When a display 122, which will be described later, is configured as a touch screen, the clothes treating apparatus 100 may be powered on/off through a touch input applied to the touch screen 122. In this case, the power button 170 is not provided, which may result in realizing simpler appearance of the clothes treating apparatus.
The door 120 is rotatably installed on the main body 110 by a hinge unit 140 to open and close the clothes inlet 160a. As illustrated, the main body 110 may include a door accommodating portion 160b recessed inwardly from an outer surface thereof and having a clothes inlet 160a therein. When the door 120 is closed, the door 120 is accommodated in the door accommodating portion 160b and an outer edge portion of the door 120 may be flush with an outer surface of the main body 110.
In order to prevent the door 120 from being stopped by the main body 110 when the door 120 is opened due to the structure in which the door 120 is accommodated in the door accommodating portion 160b, the hinge unit 140 may have a double hinge structure having two different rotating axes. In this case, as illustrated in FIGS. 1B and 1C, the door 120 may be spaced apart from the door accommodating portion 160b by a primary rotation centering on one of the rotating axes, and then rotated by a secondary rotation centering on the other rotating axis.
In the structure in which the hinge unit 140 is mounted on one side of the door 120, a locking device for fixing or locking the door 120 to the main body 110 or releasing or unlocking the fixed/locked door 120 is provided on another side of the door 120. The locking device may be configured in a pressing manner, so that the door 120 is locked when the another side of the door 120 is pressed once and unlocked when the another side of the door 120 is pressed once again.
The door 120 is provided with a window 121 and a display 122. When the door 120 is closed, the window 121 is arranged to correspond to the clothes inlet 160a so that the user can look inside the clothes accommodating unit therethrough. Accordingly, the user can check the state of the clothes accommodated in the clothes accommodating unit through the window 121.
The display 122 displays (outputs) information processed in the 5 clothes treating apparatus 100. For example, the display 122 may display execution screen information of strokes (washing, dehydrating, drying, etc.) carried out in the clothes treating apparatus 100, or Ul (User Interface) and GUI (Graphic User Interface) information corresponding to the execution screen information.
Hereinafter, a detailed structure ofthe door 120 will be described.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view ofthe door 120 illustrated in FIG. 1A.
Referring to FIG. 2, the door 120 includes a door frame 130, a door window 136, a display module 128, and a door cover 190. As described above, the hinge unit 140 for coupling the door 120 to the main body 110 is mounted on the door 120, but the hinge unit 140 is omitted in this drawing.
This embodiment illustrates that the door 120 is formed in a circular shape (including a perfect circular shape and an elliptical shape).
However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The door 120 may be formed in a polygonal shape (square, hexagon, etc.).
The door frame 130 is rotatably coupled to the main body 110. To this end, the hinge unit 140 is coupled to the doorframe 130 and the main body 110, respectively.
As illustrated, the door frame 130 may include an outer frame 131 and an inner frame 132. The outer frame 131 and the inner frame 132 may be formed of a synthetic resin material (for example, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) material, a polycarbonates (PC) material, or the like).
For reference, the reason why the aforementioned components are referred to as the outer frame 131 and the inner frame 132 is that the outer frame 131 faces the outside of the main body 110 and the inner frame 132 faces the inside of the main body 110 when only the door frame 130 is considered in the closed state of the door 120. Without this distinction, the outer frame 131 and the inner frame 132 may also be referred to as a first frame and a second frame, respectively.
The door frame 130 includes a first opening part 130a facing the clothes inlet 160a in the closed state of the door 120, and a second opening part 131b corresponding to a display module 128 mounted inside thereof. The first opening part 130a may also be referred to as a door window hole in that the door window 136 is provided therein and the second opening part 131b may also be referred to as a display hole in that the display module 128 is provided in the second opening part 131b. The second opening part 131b may be located above the first opening part 130a.
The first opening part 130a may include a front opening 131a formed at the outer frame 131 and a rear opening 132a formed at the inner frame 132. The second opening part 131b is formed at the outer frame 131. A communication portion 132b may be formed on the rear opening 132a of the inner frame 132 and the display module 128 may be mounted inside the door frame 130 through the communication portion 132b.
The door window 136 is installed on the door frame 130 to correspond to the first opening part 130a. The door window 136 is formed of a transparent material such as glass or synthetic resin and arranged to correspond to the clothes inlet 160a in the closed state of the door 120.
The display module 128 is installed inside the door frame 130. The display module 128 is arranged to correspond to the second opening part 131b. Visual information related to information processed in the clothes treating apparatus 100 is output on the display 122 provided on the display module 128.
A door cover 190, which defines outer appearance of the door 120, is coupled to the door frame 130. The door cover 190 may be made of a light-transmitting glass material or a synthetic resin material.
The door cover 190 includes an opaque region 193, and a first light-transmitting region 191 corresponding to the first opening part 130a and a second light-transmitting region 192 corresponding to the second opening part 131b within the opaque region 193. The first and second light-transmitting regions 191 and 192 are separated from each other by the opaque region 193. In this embodiment, the door frame 130 and the door cover 190 are formed in a circular shape so as to correspond to the circular door 120, and the first and second light-transmitting regions 191 and 192 are formed in a circular shape to provide an integrated aesthetic feeling to the user.
According to the present invention, a door cover can be provided with an opaque region, and first and second light-transmitting regions that are separated from each other in the opaque region, and a window and a display (or the touch screen) can be provided in the first and second lighttransmitting regions, respectively, to implement simple door appearance.
In particular, when the first and second light-transmitting regions are formed in the circular shape so as to correspond to the circular door, the user can be provided with an integrated aesthetic feeling.
The door cover 190 may have at least one portion in a bent shape. For example, by the bent portion, a first cover portion and a second cover portion on both sides of the bent portion may be inclined relative to each other. Here, the first cover portion and the second cover portion are formed in a flat shape. In order to correspond to the door cover 190, the door frame 130 may also have at least one portion in a bent shape.
In this embodiment, the first light-transmitting region 191 is formed over the first cover portion and the bent portion, and the second lighttransmitting region 192 is formed at the second cover portion.
On the other hand, the second light-transmitting region 192 is formed to be smaller than the second opening part 131b so that the door cover 190 overlaps the second opening part 131b when the door cover
130 is coupled to the door frame 130.
As illustrated, the second opening part 131b may be formed in a rectangular shape corresponding to the rectangular display module 128, and the second light-transmitting region 192 may formed in a circular shape to be overlapped within the second opening part 131b. With the above configuration, visual information can be output only through a portion corresponding to the circular second light-transmitting portion 192, and accordingly the user can be provided with the circular display 122.
A circular display requires a higher price than a generally used rectangular display, and is difficult to be installed at an accurate position due to its shape, resulting in frequently causing assembly defects. However, according to the structure, the user may be provided with a touch screen 122, which requires a less cost and is seen as a circular shape to the user while using a rectangular display which can be assembled to an accurate position.
Since the second light-transmitting region 192 is surrounded by the opaque region 193, visual information output on a portion of the touch screen 122, which does not correspond to the second light-transmitting region 192, is not visible to the user. In view of this, the visual information may not be output to the portion of the touch screen 122 that does not correspond to the second light-transmitting region 192.
For example, in a state in which visual information related to information processed in the clothes treating apparatus 100 is output to the portion of the touch screen 122 corresponding to the second lighttransmitting region 192, an outer image surrounding the visual information may be output to the portion which does not correspond to the second light-transmitting region 192. The outer image may be the portion which does not correspond to the second light-transmitting region 192 and may be filled with a specific color (for example, black).
As another example, in a state in which visual information related to information processed in the clothes treating apparatus 100 is output to a portion of the display 122 corresponding to the second light-transmitting region 192, the portion which does not correspond to the second lighttransmitting region 192 may be turned off. That is, neither the outer image nor the visual information is output to the portion of the display module
128 that does not correspond to the second light-transmitting region 192.
In this example, since only a part of the display 122 is driven, the display 122 can be efficiently driven, as compared with the foregoing example in which the entire display 122 is driven, thereby achieving a power saving effect.
The display 122 provided on the door cover 190 may be interlayered or integrated with a touch sensor (not illustrated), thereby implementing the touch screen 122. The touch screen 122 may function as a user input unit for providing an input interface between the clothes treating apparatus 100 and the user and simultaneously provide an output interface between the clothes treating apparatus 100 and the user. For example, selection and change of an operation mode for performing several strokes such as washing, dehydrating, drying, and the like may be realized by a user’s touch input (or touch) applied to the display 122.
The touch screen 122 is provided with a touch sensor for sensing a touch input.
The touch sensor detects a touch input applied to the touch screen 122 using at least one of various touch methods such as a resistance film type, a capacitive type, an infrared type, an ultrasonic type, a magnetic field type, and the like.
As an example, the touch sensor may be configured to convert a change in pressure applied to a specific portion of the touch screen 122 or a capacitance generated in the specific portion to an electrical input signal. The touch sensor may be configured to detect position, area, pressure of a touch applied to the touch screen 122 by a touch object by which such touch is applied to the touch screen 122. Here, the touch object may be an object applying a touch to the touch screen 122, and examples of the touch object may include a finger, a touch pen, a stylus pen, a pointer, or the like.
Thus, if a touch input is applied to the touch screen 122, a signal(s) corresponding to the touch input is transmitted to a controller. The controller processes the signal (s) and transmits data corresponding to the processed signal to the controller (not illustrated). Thus, the controller can know which region of the touch screen 122 has been touched. Here, the controller may be a separate component from the control unit or may be the control unit itself.
Meanwhile, the control unit may perform a different control or the same control according to a type of touch object applying a touch to the touch screen 122. Whether to perform a different control or the same control according to the type of touch object may be determined according to an operating state of the clothes treating apparatus 100 or a currently-executed application program.
The touch screen 122 may sense various type of touch inputs, such as a short touch, a long touch, a multi touch, a drag touch, a flick touch, a pinch-in touch, a pinch-out touch, a swipe touch, a hovering touch, and the like.
The touch screen 122 is configured to sense a touch input applied to a sensing area including the second light-transmitting region 192.
This embodiment illustrates that the touch screen 122 is attached on the rear surface of the door cover 190 so as to cover the second light5 transmitting region 192 and a part of the opaque region 193 surrounding the second light-transmitting region 192. With the configuration, the sensing area of the touch screen 122 includes not only the second lighttransmitting region 192 but also the part of the opaque region 193 surrounding the second light-transmitting region 192. Accordingly, various
Uls or GUIs using the part of the opaque region 193 surrounding the second light-transmitting region 192 can be provided.
In this structure, the touch sensor may be formed in the form of a touch film having a touch pattern, and may be disposed between the door cover 190 and the display module 128. The touch film may be made of a transparent conductive film, and well-known ITO film (Indium-Tin Oxide film) or CNT film (Carbon Nano Tube film) can be used as the touch film.
The touch film may be configured by one or two layers. For example, in the case of the type in which the touch film is composed of two layers [Glass-Film-Film (GFF)] , the touch film may be attached to the rear surface of the door cover 190 or attached on the display module 128. As another example, in the case of the type [Glass-Film (GIF)] in which the touch film is composed of one layer, the touch film may be attached to the rear surface of the door cover 190 to be formed integrally with the door cover 190.
The touch sensor may also be formed in the form in which a metal wire is directly patterned on the rear surface of the door cover 190, without a separate touch film.
Alternatively, the touch sensor may be formed integrally with the display provided on the display module 128. For example, the touch sensor may be disposed on a substrate of the display (on-cell type) or in the display (in-cell type).
On the other hand, the present invention can also be applied to a case where the touch screen 122 is arranged at another position other than the door 120, as well as the case where the touch screen 122 is provided at the door 120. For example, the touch screen 122 may be provided on one surface of the main body 110, and the one surface may correspond to a surface where the power button 170 is disposed on the main body 110. However, for convenience of explanation, the case where the touch screen 122 is provided at the door 120 is described as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
On the other hand, the clothes treating apparatus may be connected to another clothes treating apparatus having a wash tub in a wired/wireless manner, without being limited to an individual use, so as to extend to a clothes treating system cooperatively performing strokes such as washing, dehydrating, drying, and the like. Hereinafter, operations of the clothes treating apparatus on the clothes treating system will be described in detail.
FIG. 3 is a conceptual view illustrating another clothes treating apparatus is connected to the clothes treating apparatus illustrated in FIG
1A.
The clothes treating system includes a plurality of clothes treating apparatuses. However, for convenience of explanation, as illustrated in FIG. 3, description will be made only on the case where the first and second clothes treating apparatuses 200 and 300 are included in the clothes treating system. However, the present invention is not limited to the first and second clothes treating apparatuses 200 and 300 illustrated in FIG. 3, and may also be applicable to a clothes treating system including various kinds of clothes treating apparatuses.
The first clothes treating apparatus 200 may include features of the clothes treating apparatus 100 of FIGS. 1A to 2 or similar features.
The first clothes treating apparatus 200 may include a first main body 210 forming an outer shape, a first wash tub 260 provided in the first main body, a first door 220 opening and closing the first wash tub, a touch screen 222 and a window 221 provided on the first door 220, a first output unit 240, a first communication unit 250, a power button 270, a first control unit 280, and the like. Those components illustrated in FIG. 3 are not essential for implementing the first clothes treating apparatus 200, and the first clothes treating apparatus may include fewer or greater components than the components listed above.
Meanwhile, the second clothes treating apparatus 300 corresponds to an 'external apparatus' on the basis of the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and includes a second wash tub 360 different from the first wash tub 260 .
The second clothes treating apparatus 300 may exist in various forms. For example, referring to FIG. 3, the second clothes treating apparatus 200 may be configured as a top-loading type washing machine The first clothes treating apparatus 200 may be a washing machine in which the first wash tub 260 rotates centering on a first rotating shaft, while the second clothes treating apparatus 300 may be a washing machine in which the second wash tub 360 rotates centering on a second rotating shaft intersecting with the first rotating shaft. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 may have the same structure as the first clothes treating apparatus 200 or may be modified into various structures not illustrated in the drawings.
The second clothes treating apparatus 300 may be configured in a manner that at least one of a washing capacity, a volume, and a height thereof is smaller than that of the first clothes treating apparatus 200. Accordingly, the user can selectively use at least one of the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 according to an amount of laundry. In addition, the user may select at least one of the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 according to a type of laundry. For example, it is necessary to separately wash baby clothes, underwear, etc.
or a small amount of laundry may be washed using the second clothes treating apparatus 300 and other washing may be carried out by using the first clothes treating apparatus 200.
The second clothes treating apparatus 300 includes a second main body 310 forming an outer appearance, a drawer housing 330 which can be drawn into or out of the second main body 310, and a second wash tub 360 provided inside the drawer housing 330.
The drawer housing 330 may be drawn into the second main body
310 or drawn out of the second main body 310 through an opening 312 formed through the second main body 310 toward the front of the second clothes treating apparatus 300.
The second wash tub 360 may be rotated by a second motor provided outside the second wash tub 360 within the drawer housing 330.
A cover panel 331 may be provided on the front of the drawer housing 330. The cover panel 331 may be integrally formed with the drawer housing 330. The cover panel 331 may be provided with a handle 332 for drawing in and out the drawer housing 330. A control panel 370 for operating the second clothes treating apparatus 300 may be provided on an upper surface of the cover panel 331.
A supply hole 365 through which washing water is supplied into the second wash tub 360 and a second door 363 through which laundry is inserted into or taken out of the second wash tub 360 may be provided on a top of the drawer housing 330. A handle 364 for opening the second door 363 in a pulling manner may be provided on one side of the second door 363.
On the other hand, the output units 240 and 340 included in the first and second clothes treating apparatuses 200 and 300, respectively, may generate a visual, auditory, or tactile output and may include at least one of a display, a sound output unit, a haptic module, and an optical output module. For example, when a first stroke is completed in the first clothes treating apparatus 200, a notification sound notifying the end of the first stroke may be output through the first output unit 240. When a second stroke is completed in the second clothes treating apparatus 300, a notification sound notifying the end of the second stroke may be output through the second output unit 340.
The first and second communication units 250 and 350 serve as a path for connecting (or pairing) the first and second clothes treating apparatuses 200 and 300 with each other in a wired/wireless manner. The first clothes treating apparatus 200 may perform an appropriate control related to the second clothes treating apparatus 300, in response to being connected to (paired with) the second clothes treating apparatus 300.
The first and second control units 280 and 380 typically control overall operations of the clothes treating apparatuses as well as operations related to a plurality of application programs (or applications) driven in the respective clothes treating apparatuses. The control units may provide or process appropriate information or functions to the user by processing signals, data, information and the like input/output through those components or driving application programs stored in the memory.
Meanwhile, the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is located within a predetermined distance from the first clothes treating apparatus 200. The predetermined distance is a distance at which the first and second clothes treating apparatuses 200 and 300 can perform mutual wireless communication, and may differ according to a communication method.
For example, for convenience of the user who uses the first clothes treating apparatus 200, the second clothes treating apparatus 300 may be located below the first clothes treating apparatus 200. That is, the second clothes treating apparatus 300 may make the first clothes treating apparatus 200 installed at a higher position so as to facilitate the user to use the first clothes treating apparatus 200.
When the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is positioned below the first clothes treating apparatus 200, the user must operate the control panel 370 by having her/his back bent or in a squatting position. In order to solve this inconvenience, the clothes treating system 100 according to the present invention provides a user interface for controlling at least one of the first and second clothes treating apparatuses 200 and 300 using the touch screen 222 provided at the first clothes treating apparatus 200. In other words, the first clothes treating apparatus 200 may output on the touch screen 222 a graphic interface for controlling the second clothes treating apparatus 300 depending on whether it is connected to the second clothes treating apparatus 300.
Hereinafter, a detailed operation of the first clothes treating apparatus 200 will be described.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a representative control method in accordance with the present invention.
First, the first control unit 280 of the first clothes treating apparatus
200 determines whether the first clothes treating apparatus 200 is connected to an external device having a wash tub (S410).
The external device may be ‘the second clothes treating apparatus
300 having the second wash tub 360’ described in FIG. 3, and includes various types of clothes treating apparatuses each having a wash tub. For convenience of explanation, description will be given of an example in which the external device is the second clothes treating apparatus 300, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
Meanwhile, the second clothes treating apparatus 300 may be connected to the first clothes treating apparatus 200 through a cable in a wired manner or wirelessly connected to the first clothes treating apparatus 200 by a wireless communication technology such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or the like. The first clothes treating apparatus 200 includes a first communication unit 250 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 includes a second communication unit 350. The first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 may be connected to each other by the first and second communication units 250 and 350. The first and second control units 280 and 380 may determine whether or not they are connected to each other.
The first control unit 280 controls the touch screen 222 to output visual information. The first control unit 280 controls the touch screen 222 to output different information according to whether or not the second clothes treating apparatus 300 has been connected.
The first control unit 280 may determine periodically or nonperiodically whether or not the first clothes treating apparatus 200 is connected with the second clothes treating apparatus 300, so that different information can be output according to the connection or disconnection. For example, the connection or disconnection may be periodically determined when the touch screen 222 is turned on. As another example, the connection or disconnection may also be determined non-periodically when a preset event occurs, such as when the first clothes treating apparatus 200 which has been separated from the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is connected to the second clothes treating apparatus 300, when the first clothes treating apparatus 200 in a standby state is activated, or when the first clothes treating apparatus 200 in an off state is turned on.
The different information output to the touch screen 222 depending on the connection or disconnection is related to a user interface that enables input and output between at least one of the first and second clothes treating apparatuses 200 and 300 and the user.
The first clothes treating apparatus 200 provides a first user interface for enabling input and output with respect to the user when the connection with the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is not established (or the connection with the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is released).
The first user interface includes icons (or icons included in a first group) associated with strokes such as washing, dehydrating, drying, etc. driven in the first clothes treating apparatus 200.
In other words, if the connection to the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is not established, the first control unit 280 outputs icons associated with functions that can be executed using the first wash tub 260 to the touch screen 222 (S430). The icons included in the first group are displayed while the touch screen 222 is turned on.
When a touch is applied to an icon while the icons included in the first group are being output, the first control unit 280 executes a function associated with the touched icon by using the first wash tub 260.
Meanwhile, when the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 are connected, the first clothes treating apparatus 200 may provide a second user interface for enabling input and output between the second clothes treating apparatus 300 and the user. The second user interface includes icons (or icons included in a second group) associated with strokes such as washing, dehydrating, drying, etc. driven in the second clothes treating apparatus 300.
The first control unit 280 may selectively output any one of the first and second user interfaces. This may selectively output one of the first and second user interfaces. The touch screen 222 is limited in size to display both the first and second user interfaces. If both of the first and second user interfaces are displayed, it is difficult to find an icon to be used among many icons displayed on the touch screen.
To this end, when the connection with the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is established, the first control unit 280 controls the touch screen 222 to output a first graphic object for selecting the first wash tub 260 and a second graphic object for selecting the second wash tub 360 (S450).
Next, the first control unit 280 may sense a touch applied to one of the first and second graphic objects (S470) and output icons associated with functions, which are executable using one of the first and second wash tubs 260 and 360, based on the sensed touch (S490).
More specifically, when a touch is applied to any one of the first and second graphic objects, the first control unit 280 selects one of the first and second wash tubs and controls the touch screen 222 to output icons associated with functions that the selected wash tub can execute. That is, one of the first and second user interfaces may be selectively output by a user input. As described above, since one of a plurality of user interfaces configured to control different clothes processing apparatuses is selectively output, a touch screen with a small screen can be efficiently used and the user can conveniently select an interface to use.
For example, the icons included in the first group are output when a touch is applied to the first graphic object, and the icons included in the second group are output when a touch is applied to the second graphic object. The icons included in the first group or the icons included in the second group are selectively output based on the sensed touch.
When a touch is applied to an icon while the icons included in the first group are being output, the first control unit 280 executes a function associated with the touched icon by using the first wash tub 260.
Alternatively, when a touch is applied to an icon while the icons included in the second group are being output, the first control unit 280 transmits a control command so that a function associated with the touched icon is executed in the second clothes treating apparatus 300.
More specifically, when a touch is applied to one icon included in the second group, the first control unit 280 transmits a wash command corresponding to a function associated with the touched icon to the second clothes treating apparatus 300 having the second wash tub 360 such that the function can be executed in the second clothes treating apparatus 300. In this case, the second clothes treating apparatus 300 performs the function corresponding to the transmitted control command using the second wash tub 360.
Although not illustrated, the connection between the first and second clothes treating apparatuses 200 and 300 may be released while the first and second graphic objects are displayed. In this case, the first control unit 280 controls the touch screen 222 such that the first and second graphic objects disappear and the icons included in the first group appear.
According to this embodiment, since the user can control a plurality of clothes treating apparatuses using an interface provided in a specific clothes treating apparatus, the problem that control units provided in the respective clothes treating apparatuses have to be individually used can be solved.
The control method related to the present invention described above may be embodied in various forms as illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 11. Hereinafter, in the following embodiments, the same or similar reference numerals are given to the same or similar components as those of the foregoing embodiment, and the description is replaced with the first explanation.
FIGS. 5, 6A, 6B and 6C are exemplary views illustrating examples to which the control method of FIG. 4 is applied.
As one example of such control, referring to FIG. 5, when the 25 display of the touch screen 222 in an off state is turned on, different information is output to the touch screen 222 depending on whether or not the connection with the second clothes treating apparatus 300 has been established.
For example, when the display of the touch screen 222 is turned on in the state where the connection with the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is not established, a first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 is displayed on the touch screen 222. The first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 includes the icons included in the first group as the icons associated with functions that can be executed using the first wash tub 260. The icons included in the first group are associated with functions of executing strokes such as washing, dehydrating, drying, and the like using the first wash tub.
When one of the icons is selected by a touch, the selected icon 512 is highlighted to be distinguished from the other icons which have not been selected.
This drawing illustrates an example in which the icons included in the first group are circularly arranged along an outer circumferential surface of the touch screen 222. Information 514 describing functions associated with the selected icon 512 may be displayed at a center of the touch screen 222 in the form of images, text, and moving images. For example, when a first icon is selected, a description related to the first icon may be displayed at a central area of the touch screen 222. Thereafter, when a second icon is selected, the description related to the first icon is switched to a description related to the second icon.
According to this example, the user can check various icons at a glance by the icons arranged circularly along the outer circumferential surface of the circular display. In addition, since a description of a different icon is displayed at the central area of the touch screen 222 according to a touch while icons are kept displayed, the user can get desired information effectively without a great change of displayed information. In other words, a new type of user interface optimized for the circular display can be provided.
The first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 may include a virtual operation button 516 for causing the first wash tub 260 to execute a function associated with the selected icon 512. When a second touch is applied to the virtual operation button 516 in a state in which one icon is selected by a first touch, a function associated with the selected icon is executed.
If the number of icons included in the first group is greater than a predetermined number, the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 may include a plurality of pages, and each of the pages may include different icons.
When a touch input that continuously moves from a first point to a second point is applied while one of the pages is being output, the first control unit 280 may switch the one page to another page based on the touch input. The another page may differ according to a moving direction of the touch input.
The user can confirm an output associated with the first clothes treating apparatus using information included in the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 and input a control command related to the first clothes treating apparatus.
Meanwhile, when the display of the touch screen 222 is turned on in a connected state with the second clothes treating apparatus 300, a first graphic object 520 and a second graphic object 522 are displayed on the touch screen 222.
The display positions of the first and second graphic objects 520 and 522 may vary depending on the arrangement of the first and second clothes treating apparatuses 200 and 300. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, when the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is disposed below the first clothes treating apparatus 200, the first graphic object 520 is displayed relatively higher than the second graphic object 522. This allows the user to intuitively recognize which clothes treating apparatus each graphic object is associated with.
As an example of another control, referring to FIGS. 6A and 6B, as a touch is applied to one of the first and second graphic objects 520 and 522, icons of a group corresponding to the one graphic object may be output to the touch screen 222.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6A, when a touch is applied to the first graphic object 520, the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 is displayed on the touch screen 222 and accordingly the icons included in the first group are displayed.
Here, the icons included in the first group are related to functions executed using the first wash tub 260 provided in the first clothes treating apparatus 200.
Different icons may be included in the first group depending on the characteristics of the first wash tub 260. For example, the functions to be executable using the first wash tub may vary according to a size of the wash tub, a rotating shaft of the wash tub, and presence or absence of a heater for heating water introduced into the wash tub up to a predetermined temperature, and thus the icons included in the first group also change. That is, the icons included in the first group vary depending on the type of the first clothes treating apparatus 200.
On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 6B, when a touch is applied to the second graphic object 522, a second clothes treating apparatus control screen 610 is displayed on the touch screen 222 and thus the icons included in the second group are displayed.
Here, the icons included in the second group are associated with functions executable using the second wash tub 360 provided in the second clothes treating apparatus 300. The icons included in the second group also change depending on the characteristics of the second wash tub (or the type of the second clothes treating apparatus). If the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 are the same product, the first and second groups include the same icons.
The first control unit 280 may receive the icons included in the second group from the second clothes treating apparatus 300 and may generate the second clothes treating apparatus control screen 610 using the received icons. Alternatively, a group corresponding to the second clothes treating apparatus 300 of a plurality of groups stored in the memory may be determined as a second group, or icons corresponding to the second clothes treating apparatus 300 may be downloaded from a preset server into the memory so as to set a second group using the downloaded icons.
As a result, the icons included in the first group or the icons included in the second group are selectively output according to a user input. When the icons included in one of the first and second groups are output, the output of the icons included in the other group is limited.
Meanwhile, the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 and the second clothes treating apparatus control screen 610 may commonly include the same icons.
As an example, the virtual operation button 516 may be commonly included. However, the virtual button included in the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 causes the first wash tub 260 to be operated or paused, and the virtual button included in the second clothes treating apparatus control screen 610 causes the second wash tub 260 to be operated or paused. That is, even for the icons with the same shape, the functions associated with the icons may be related to different wash tubs.
As another example, a virtual setup button 630 may be commonly included. The virtual setup button 630 may be displayed together on the touch screen 222 irrespective of that any of the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 and the second clothes treating apparatus control screen 610 is displayed. When a touch is applied to the virtual setup button 630, a setting screen (not illustrated) is displayed on the touch screen 222.
On the other hand, when the icons included in the first group are output, a first background image is displayed on the touch screen 222 and the icons included in the first group are displayed on the first background image.
On the other hand, when the icons included in the second group are output, the touch screen 222 displays a second background image different from the first background image and the icons included in the second group are displayed on the second background image. The second background image refers to an image having a different shape, color, or the like from that of the first background image.
For example, the first background image may be an image filled with black, and the second background image may be an image filled with white.
Likewise, a background of the first graphic object 520 may be set to an image filled with black, and a background of the second graphic object 522 may be set to an image filled with white. Since the background images of the graphic objects and the control screens have the same or similar color, the user can intuitively recognize which group of icons are being displayed on the touch screen 222 or which wash tub has been selected.
In order to more clearly notify the selected wash tub, the first and second background images may further include text, moving images, codes, etc. corresponding to the respective wash tubs. In one example, a first image may include the name of the first clothes treating apparatus
200, and a second image may include the name of the second clothes treating apparatus 300.
Meanwhile, the first and second graphic objects may be modified into various forms according to embodiments. The first graphic object may be defined as a function of displaying the icons included in the first group (or the first clothes treating apparatus control screen), and the second graphic object may be defined as a function of displaying the icons included in the second group (or the second clothes treating apparatus control screen). When the definitions are satisfied, any shape of graphic object may correspond to the first graphic object or the second graphic object.
Referring to FIG. 6C, when the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 is output, the second graphic object 620 may be displayed together. In other words, the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 may include the second graphic object 620.
In this case, the second graphic object 620 indicates that a currently-output screen is the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510. When a touch is applied to the second graphic object 620, the first control unit switches the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 to the second clothes treating apparatus control screen 610.
That is, the icons included in the first group may disappear and the icons included in the second group may appear.
Alternatively, the second clothes treating apparatus control screen 610 may include the first graphic object 622. When the first graphic object 622 indicates that a currently-output screen is the second clothes treating apparatus control screen 610. When a touch is applied to the first graphic object 622, the second clothes treating apparatus control screen 610 is switched to the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510.
Meanwhile, the first and second graphic objects may be displayed on the touch screen 222 by a user input which satisfies a preset condition
FIG. 7 is a conceptual view illustrating a clothes treating apparatus in which first and second graphic objects are displayed in response to a user input satisfying a preset condition.
The first control unit 180 may output the first and second graphic objects as long as a user input satisfying a preset condition is input regardless of information displayed on the touch screen 222.
For example, the user input satisfying the preset condition may be a touch input that starts in a predetermined area of the touch screen 222 and moves in a preset direction.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 7, when a touch input starting from a 12 o'clock position of the touch screen 222 and moving to a 6 o'clock position is input, an animation effect that a curtain window 710 covering a previously-output screen comes down from a top to bottom of the touch screen 222 may be generated.
The curtain window 710 includes first and second graphic objects
720 and 722. The first and second graphic objects 720 and 722 may be transparent images and displayed in a manner of overlapping the previously-output screen. In this case, even though at least part of the previously-output screen appears, a touch input to the curtain window 710 may be defined as a control command for the curtain window 710.
When a touch is applied to a mark X included in the curtain window
710, the curtain window 710 disappears and the previously-output screen appears. According to such a driving method, the user can make the first and second graphic objects 720 and 722 appear or disappear as needed, thereby implementing a simple user interface. In addition, since the first and second graphic objects 720 and 722 do not have to be always displayed on the touch screen 222, more portions of the touch screen can be secured to display information.
Further, the curtain window 710 may further include state information related to the clothes treating apparatus. The state information may include at least one of wireless communication on/off information, sound on/off information, child lock on/off information, information on a set function, and remote control on/off information. The user can simply check whether a function related to setting of the clothes treating apparatus is turned on or off, and also can easily turn on or off a specific function using turn-on/off information.
Meanwhile, the user input satisfying the preset condition may be variously modified according to embodiments. For example, the first and second graphic objects may be displayed when a touch input of tapping an empty space without a graphic object associated with a control function consecutively plural number of times is applied. In another example, when a touch input of tapping a predetermined area of the touch screen in an off state consecutively plural number of times is applied, the touch screen may be turned on and the first and second graphic objects may be displayed. For this purpose, the touch sensor of the touch screen may be turned on to detect a touch while the display of the touch screen is in an off state.
Hereinafter, description will be given in more detail of the operations of each of the first and second clothes treating apparatuses in the clothes treating system including the first and second clothes treating apparatuses.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating operations of first and second clothes treating apparatuses in a clothes treating system including the first and second clothes treating apparatuses.
The clothes treating system includes first and second clothes 10 treating apparatuses 200 and 300. The first clothes treating apparatus 200 outputs at least one of a first user interface for performing input/output of the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and a second user interface for performing input/output of the second clothes treating apparatus 300 through a touch screen 222. Accordingly, the first clothes treating apparatus 200 operates as a master device that generates a control command according to a user input, and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 operates as a slave device which performs a function according to the control command generated in the master device. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the first clothes treating apparatus
200 is operated by the first control unit 280 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is operated by the second control unit 380.
First, the first control unit 280 controls the touch screen 222 to output icons included in a second group (S810). Since the method of outputting the icons included in the second group has been described above, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
Next, a touch applied to any one of the icons included in the second group is sensed (S820), and a wash command corresponding to a function associated with the touched icon is transmitted to the second clothes treating apparatus 300 (S830). For example, when a touch is applied to a first icon associated with a first function, a wash command corresponding to the first function may be transmitted. On the other hand, when a touch is applied to a second icon associated with a second function, a wash command corresponding to the second function may be transmitted. That is, the wash command depends on the icon to which the touch is applied.
The wash command may include a wakeup signal for turning on the second clothes treating apparatus 300 so that the function corresponding to the wash command can be executed even when the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is in an off state. That is, the second clothes treating apparatus 300 may be powered on by the wash command.
Meanwhile, the second control unit 380 determines whether the function corresponding to the wash command can be executed, in response to the transmitted wash command (S840). For example, when a clothes inlet through which clothes is introduced and drawn out is not closed by a second door 363, the second control unit 380 may determine it as a non-washable (washing-unavailable) state. In addition, the nonwashable state may correspond to a case where the function corresponding to the wash command cannot be executed because another stroke is already being executed, a case where the function corresponding to the wash command is a function which cannot be executed because it is not suitable for the characteristic of the second clothes treating apparatus 300, a case where the clothes is not contained in a second wash tub 360 as much as being required by the function corresponding to the wash command, and the like.
When it is determined as the non-washable state, the second control unit 380 transmits a non-washable message to the first clothes treating apparatus 200 (S850). The non-washable message may include the reason why the determination as the non-washable state has been made.
The first control unit 280 outputs notification information notifying that washing cannot be executed, in response to the non-washable message (S852). More specifically, notification information warning that the function associated with the touch-applied icon cannot be executed in the second clothes treating apparatus 300 may be output in at least one of visual, auditory, and tactile manners.
The notification information may include the reason why the determination as the non-washable state has been made. For example, when washing cannot be executed because the second door 363 is opened, the notification information may include a message such as “Close the door of the second clothes treating apparatus”.
Otherwise, when it is determined as a washable state, the second control unit 380 executes the function corresponding to the wash command and transmits a progress message to the first clothes treating apparatus 200 to notify a progress(S860).
For example, when a first function including a plurality of processes is executed, the progress message may include information related to a currently-executed process of the plurality of processes, a progress rate of the currently-executed process, and usage amounts of energy, water, detergents and the like.
In response to the progress message, the first control unit 280 outputs guidance information to guide the progress (S862). Specifically, the first control unit 280 receives a progress message informing the progress of the function as the function is executed in the second clothes treating apparatus 300 by a user input, and outputs guidance information to guide the progress of the function based on the received progress message. The guidance information may be output in at least one of visual, auditory, and tactile manners.
Although not illustrated, the first control unit 280 may output the icons included in the first group. When a touch is applied to any one of the icons included in the first group, the associated function may be executed using the first wash tub 260. In this case, first guidance information for guiding a washing process of the first wash tub 260 may be output.
Hereinafter, information for guiding a washing process of the first wash tub 260 is referred to as 'first guidance information', and information for guiding a washing process of the second wash tub 360 is referred to as 'second guidance information'.
FIGS. 9A, 9B, 9C, and 9D are conceptual views illustrating a method of outputting relevant information to the touch screen as a stroke is executed in at least one of the first clothes treating apparatus and the second clothes treating apparatus. More specifically, FIG. 9A is a conceptual view illustrating an output of first guidance information, FIG. 9B is a conceptual view illustrating an output of second guidance information, and FIGS. 9C and 9D are conceptual views illustrating a simultaneous output of the first and second guidance information.
When a function (or a stroke) is being executed using at least one of the first and second wash tubs 260 and 360, the first control unit 280 outputs guidance information to the touch screen 222 to guide a progress of the function being executed in the at least one wash tub.
For example, when a function is being executed in the first wash tub 260 and a function is not executed in the second wash tub 360, the first guidance information is output.
Referring to FIG. 9A, the first control unit 280 may output a first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 including the icons included in the first group to the touch screen 222. When a touch is applied to a first icon 900 while the icons included in the first group are being output, a function associated with the first icon is selected. When a touch is applied to a virtual operation button 516, the function associated with the first icon is executed using the first wash tub 260. As the function associated with the first icon is executed, the first guidance information 910 is displayed on the touch screen 222.
The first guidance information 910 may include information related to a process being executed in the first wash tub 260. In addition, a virtual pause button 914 for pausing an operation being executed may be included.
On the other hand, the first control unit 180 may count an expected completion time of the function using at least one of the first and second wash tubs 260 and 360, and output a progress image 912 whose size gradually changes along an edge of the touch screen 222 based on the counted time.
Accordingly, the first guidance information 910 may further include the progress image 912 whose size gradually changes along an outer circumferential surface from one point of the touch screen 222 as the expected completion time changes.
The one point corresponds to a 12 o'clock position of the touch screen 222, and the progress image 912 may be gradually unfolded or opened according to a lapse of time. Thus, the clothes treating apparatus can inform the remaining time to the user in a new manner through a user interface suitable for characteristics of a circular display.
On the other hand, as the function is executed, information included in the first guidance information 910 varies. Specifically, the first guidance information 910 includes the information for guiding the progress of the function while the function is in progress, but the first guidance information 910 includes information for guiding the end or termination of the function when the function is terminated. For example, when the function is terminated, the first guidance information 910 may include information on the usage amounts of energy, water, detergents, and the like.
The first background image described in FIG. 6A may be displayed underneath the first guidance information 910. For example, since an image filled with black is displayed as the background image of the first guidance information 910, the user may intuitively recognize that the first guidance information 910 is related to the first wash tub 260.
On the other hand, the second guidance information is output when a function is not being executed in the first wash tub 260 and a function is being executed in the second wash tub 360.
Referring to FIG. 9B, the first control unit 280 may output a second clothes treating apparatus control screen 610 including icons included in a second group to the touch screen 222. When a touch is applied to the second icon 902 while the icons included in the second group are being output, the first control unit 280 selects a function associated with the second icon. Afterwards, when a touch is applied to the virtual operation button 516, the first control unit 280 transmits a wash command to the second clothes treating apparatus 300 such that the function associated with the second icon is executed in the second clothes treating apparatus 300.
As the function is executed in the second clothes treating apparatus 300, the first control unit 280 receives a progress message notifying the progress of the function, and outputs second guidance information 920 to the touch screen 222 to guide the progress of the function based on the received progress message.
Similar to the first guidance information 910, the second guidance information 920 may include information related to a process being executed in the second wash tub 260 and information related to a remaining time until the function is terminated. In addition, the second guidance information 920 may include a virtual pause button 914 for pausing an operation being executed and a progress image 922 for guiding the remaining time.
As the function progresses, the information included in the second guidance information 910 also changes.
The second background image described in FIG. 6A may be displayed underneath the second guidance information 920. For example, the image filled with white may be displayed as the background image of the second guidance information 920.
On the other hand, when the function is executed in one of the first and second wash tubs, guidance information corresponding to the one wash tub is displayed on the touch screen. Thereafter, the user may select another wash tub using a graphic object and execute a function for the another wash tub. The first guidance information 910 may include a second graphic object 620 and the second guidance information 920 may include a first graphic object 610 so that the another wash tub can be selected while the guidance information related to the one wash tub is being displayed. In this way, a function may first be executed in any one of the wash tubs and then different functions may simultaneously be executed in the respective wash tubs.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9C, when a touch is applied to the first graphic object 622 while the second guidance information 920 is being displayed, the first control unit 280 switches the second guidance information 920 to the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510.
That is, in response to the touch being applied to the first graphic object
622, the second guidance information 920 may disappear and the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 may appear.
Subsequently, the function with respect to the first wash tub may be executed by a touch applied to the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510. Thus, the function for the first wash tub and the function for the second wash tub can be performed at the same time. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the function executed in the first wash tub will be referred to as a 'first function’, and the function executed in the second wash tub will be referred to as a 'second function'.
As the first and second functions are executed, the first control unit
280 displays first guidance information 930 for the first function in a first region of the touch screen 222 and second guidance information 930 for the second function in a second region ofthe touch screen 222.
The positions of the first and second regions may vary depending on the arrangement of the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, when the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is disposed below the first clothes treating apparatus 200, the first region is displayed relatively above the second region. In this way, the user can intuitively recognize which clothes treating apparatus each guidance information relates to.
Further, the first background image illustrated in FIG. 6A may be displayed in the first region and the second background image may be displayed in the second region. Since the first guidance information 930 is displayed on the first background image and the second guidance information 940 is displayed on the second background image, the first and second guidance information 930 and 940 can be easily distinguished from each other.
The first guidance information 930 may include a first virtual operate/pause button 932 for pausing or restarting the first function, and the second guidance information 940 may include a second virtual operate/pause button 942 for pausing or restarting the second function. The user may individually control the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 by using the first and second virtual operation/pause buttons 940 and 942.
On the other hand, since the first and second functions are performed separately, one of them is terminated first.
When one of the first and second functions is terminated, the first control unit 280 may stop the output of the first and second guidance information and output completion information related to the one function on the touch screen 222, so as to indicate the termination of the one function.
Here, the completion information may include at least one of a name of the completed function, a start time at which the function has started, an end time at which the function has ended, a total time for which the function has been executed, usage amounts of energy, water, detergents, etc., and information related to a clothes treating apparatus executing the one function.
The completion information related to the one function is output for a predetermined time. After a lapse of the predetermined time, guidance information related to another function is output on the touch screen 222.
Since the one function has been completed, the output of the guidance information related to the one function is ended and the guidance information related to the another function is displayed by extending to a region including both first and second regions.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 9D, the first guidance information 932 for the first function is displayed in the first region and the second guidance information 942 for the second function is displayed in the second region. The second function having a relatively short (fast) expected completion time is terminated earlier than the first function.
When the second function is terminated, the first and second guidance information 930 and 940 disappear from the touch screen 222 and completion information 950 related to the second function is displayed for a predetermined time in a region including the first and second regions. For example, the completion information 950 related to the second function may be displayed in the entire region of the touch screen 222.
After the lapse of the predetermined time, the completion information 950 related to the second function disappears from the touch screen 222 and first guidance information 930’ is displayed. Since the output of the second guidance information 940 is terminated in response to the end of the second function, the first and second regions are integrated and the first guidance information 930’ is displayed in a region including the first and second regions.
Then, when the first function is terminated, the first guidance information 930’ disappears and completion information 960 related to the first function is displayed on the touch screen 222 for a predetermined time. After the lapse of the predetermined of time, the touch screen 222 may be turned off or display the first and second graphic objects 520 and 522 illustrated in FIG. 5 in the on state.
FIGS. 10A and 10B are conceptual views each illustrating a method of controlling a sound output of each clothes treating apparatus.
Information output on the clothes treating system may be output not only in a visual manner but also in a mixed manner of visual and auditory manners. Since the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 have separate output units 240 and 340, information output on them may overlap each other. In particular, outputs in the auditory manner may be likely to overlap each other.
For example, as the first function is terminated, the second function is terminated while first completion information is output in the auditory manner through the first output unit 240 and second completion information may be output through the second output unit 340. Since the first completion information and the second completion information are output from the different output units at the same time, the overlapping of those information is caused.
In order to solve this problem, the first control unit 280 of the first clothes treating apparatus 200 corresponding to the master device may restrict the second control unit 380 and/or the second output unit 340 from generating an output through the second output unit 340 when the second clothes treating apparatus 300 corresponding to the slave device is connected.
More specifically, the first control unit 280 may sense a situation in which an output should be generated through the second output unit 380 while communicating with the second control unit 380. In this case, the first control unit 280 may output information, which is to be output through the second output unit 340, by using the first output unit 240. The second output unit 340 is controlled by the first control unit 280 and/or the second control unit 380 so that the corresponding information is not output.
On the other hand, the first control unit 280 may output information related to the first wash tub 260 using the first output unit 240 and information related to the second wash tub 360 using the second output unit 340.
For example, as illustrated in FIG. 10A, when a touch is applied to the first graphic object 520, the first wash tub 260 may be selected and the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 may be displayed on the touch screen 222. In this case, a notification sound indicating that the first wash tub 260 has been selected may be output through the first output unit 240. When an event is generated by a touch applied to the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510, auditory information corresponding to the generated event may be output through the first output unit 240.
As another example, when a touch is applied to the second graphic object 522, the second wash tub 360 may be selected and the second clothes treating apparatus control screen 610 may be displayed on the touch screen 222. In this case, a notification sound indicating that the second wash tub 360 has been selected may be output through the second output unit 340. Thereafter, when an event is generated in the second clothes treating apparatus 300, auditory information corresponding to the generated event may be output through the second output unit 340.
Meanwhile, when an event that second information should be output through the second output unit 340 occurs while first information is output through the first output unit 240, the first control unit 280 transmits an output restriction command to the second clothes treating apparatus 300 such that the second information can be output after the output of the first information is terminated. The second output unit 340 outputs the second information after the output of the first information is terminated according to the output restriction command.
For example, when the second function is terminated while the first completion information is output in the auditory manner through the first output unit 240, the second control unit 380 and/or the second output unit 340 may be controlled such that the second completion information can be output after the output of the first completion information is terminated.
On the contrary, when an event that the first information should be output through the first output unit 240 occurs while the second information is output through the second output unit 340, the first control unit 280 restricts the output of the first output unit 240 until the output of the second information is terminated and then outputs the first information through the first output unit 240 after the output of the second information is terminated.
On the other hand, although the first and second functions proceed individually, the first and second function may simultaneously be terminated or one function may be terminated while completion information related to another function is output. In this case, the first and second completion information may be likely to overlap each other when they are output.
When the first and second functions are simultaneously terminated, the first control unit 280 first outputs completion information related to one of the functions which has started earlier for a predetermined time, and then outputs completion information related to another function for a predetermined time after the predetermined time for the earlier-started function elapses. This results in preventing the overlapping of the information output to the touch screen 222.
Since simultaneous output of different information through the respective output units is restricted, the user can use the clothes treating system including the plurality of clothes treating apparatuses without confusion.
Meanwhile, one of first and second user interfaces may be selectively output by artificial intelligence even without a touch applied to one of first and second graphic objects. Hereinafter, a method of selectively outputting one of interfaces in an artificial intelligence manner based on a user’s behavior will be described in detail.
FIGS. 11A and 11B are conceptual views illustrating a method of controlling information output to the touch screen based on a user’s behavior.
Referring to FIG. 11 A, when a state of the first door 220 provided on the first clothes treating apparatus 200 is changed by an external force the first control unit 280 controls the touch screen 222 to output the first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510. Specifically, when the first door 220 is switched from a first state to a second state by an external force, icons included in a first group are displayed on the touch screen 222.
Here, the first state may be an open state in which the first door 220 opens the clothes inlet and the second state may be a closed state in which the first door 220 closes the clothes inlet. The reason why the user switches the first door 220 to the closed state is that the user intends to use the first wash tub 260.
The first clothes treating apparatus control screen 510 is output to the touch screen 222 according to the state change of the first door 220 regardless of a type of information being output.
On the other hand, as illustrated in FIG. 11B, when a preset state change is detected while the touch screen 222 is turned off, the first control unit 280 turns on the touch screen 222 and controls the touch screen 222 to display information corresponding to the state change.
For example, when the drawer housing 330 which has been drawn out of the second main body 310 is inserted into the second main body 310, the first control unit 280 controls the touch screen 222 to display icons included in a second group. When the touch screen 222 has been turned off, the first control unit 280 turns on the touch screen 222 which has been turned off so that the icons included in the second group are displayed. This is because the user is willing to use the second wash tub
360.
Although not illustrated, when the second door 363 provided in the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is switched from the open state to the closed state, the first control unit 280 may control the touch screen
222 to output the icons included in the second group. That is, the second clothes treating apparatus control screen 610 may also be output to the touch screen 222 according to the state change of the second door 363.
In order to enable such control, the second control unit 380 detects a state change of a component included in the second clothes treating apparatus 300. When the detected state change satisfies a preset condition, the second control unit 380 transmits a state change message to the first control unit 280. The first control unit 280 controls the touch screen 222 to display the second clothes treating apparatus control screen 610 in response to the received state change message.
FIG. 12 is a conceptual view illustrating an operation related to a child lock function.
The first control unit may execute a child lock function based on a user input.
Here, the child lock function refers to a function of preventing a malfunction or an accident caused by a child by controlling a hardware button or a software button not to operate. When the child lock function is executed, a function execution by a touch is restricted even if a touch is applied to the touch screen. Only a touch input for releasing the child lock function is available and other touch inputs are ignored.
According to the illustrated example, when the child lock function is executed in a state where the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 are connected to each other, the first control unit 280 transmits a lock command to the second clothes treating apparatus 300 such that the child lock function is executed even in the second clothes treating apparatus 300. The second control unit 380 executes the child lock function in response to the received lock command.
The user may execute the child lock function in the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 by using the touch screen 222 provided at the first clothes treating apparatus 200.
As the child lock function is executed in the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300, an indicator 1210 may be output to guide the first clothes treating apparatus
200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 are in a lock state.
Accordingly, the user can recognize that both the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 are in the lock state.
FIG. 13 is a conceptual view illustrating a method of pairing or unpairing the first clothes treating apparatus and the second clothes treating apparatus based on a user input.
Referring to FIG. 13, the first control unit 280 controls the first communication unit 350 to perform pairing or unpairing with the second clothes treating apparatus 300 based on a user input.
When the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is in the paired (connected) state, the first control unit 280 may output pairing state information 1310 to the touch screen 222 to guide the connection state with the second clothes treating apparatus 300.
Here, the pairing state information 1310 may include at least one of 5 name, manufacturer, and product number as information related to the second clothes treating apparatus 300, and may further include arrangement state information 1312 visually indicating arranged positions of the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300.
When an unpair command for unpairing with the second clothes treating apparatus 300 is received from the user, the first control unit 280 may unpair the second clothes treating apparatus 300. Thereafter, the touch screen 222 is restricted from outputting the icons included in the second group and allowed to output the icons included in the first group.
According to this example, the user can integrally manage the clothes treating system by using the first clothes treating apparatus 200 according to a usage style, or use the clothes treating system as an individual device other than the clothes treating system.
FIG. 14 is a conceptual view illustrating a clothes treating apparatus that can utilize a new washing function developed by a third party as well as a preset washing function.
The first clothes treating apparatus 200 may easily install a new washing function developed by a third party as well as a preset washing function stored in the memory according to a user request.
More specifically, the first control unit 280 may select one of the first clothes treating apparatus 200 and the second clothes treating apparatus 300 included in the clothes treating system 100 based on a user input, and access a preset server to download functions executable in the selected washer.
For example, the first control unit 280 may download functions executable in the second clothes treating apparatus 300 from a preset server based on the user request. The first control unit 280 may set downloaded icons as the icons included in the second group. The first control unit 280 may download icons corresponding to the second clothes treating apparatus 300 from the preset server into the memory and set a second group using the downloaded icons.
Further, the first control unit 280 may set at least one of types, output orders, and output positions of the icons included in the second group based on a user input or reset an existing setting to another setting.
For example, as illustrated in the first drawing of FIG. 14, when functions A to F are preset as the second group with respect to the second clothes treating apparatus called ‘LG top loader washer,’ icons corresponding to the functions A to F, respectively, are displayed at preset output positions.
When a download request for the 'LG top loader washer’ is received, the first control unit 280 may download function G to M, which are new functions executable in the ‘LG top loader washer,’ from the preset server. When the downloading is completed, as illustrated in the second drawing of FIG. 14, icons corresponding to the prestored functions A to F and icons corresponding to the newly-downloaded functions G to M are displayed on the touch screen 222.
Thereafter, the first control unit 280 may add a new icon to the second group, delete a preset icon, or change a display position of a preset icon based on a user input. For example, as illustrated in a fourth drawing of FIG. 14, when a user input of dragging an icon L corresponding to the function L and dropping it on an output position of an icon C corresponding to the function C is detected, the first control unit 280 may delete the icon C from the second group and add the icon L. The icon L is displayed at the position where the icon C has been displayed.
Thus, the user can construct an interface optimized for himself/herself, and can install and use a new function developed by a third party in his/her clothes treating apparatus.
The present invention described above can be implemented as computer-readable codes on a program-recorded medium. The computer readable medium includes all kinds of recording devices in which data readable by a computer system is stored. Examples of the computerreadable medium include a ROM, a RAM, a CD-ROM, a magnetic tape, a floppy disk, an optical data storage device and the like, and may also be implemented in the form of a carrier wave (e.g., transmission over the
Internet). In addition, the computer may also include the control unit 180 of the terminal.
The above detailed description should not be limitedly construed in all aspects and should be considered as illustrative. The scope of the present invention should be determined by rational interpretation of the appended claims, and all changes within the scope of equivalents of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention
Claims (22)
1. A clothes treating apparatus, comprising: a first wash tub;
5 a touch screen to output icons associated with functions executable using the first wash tub; and a control unit to control the touch screen to output a first graphic object for selecting the first wash tub and a second graphic object for selecting a second wash tub when an external device having the second
10 wash tub is connected thereto within a predetermined distance.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wireless communication unit wirelessly connected to the external device having the second wash tub to transmit and receive data.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the wireless communication unit to establish or release connection with the external device having the second wash tub based on a user input.
20 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the control unit controls the touch screen such that the first and second graphic objects disappear when the connection is released.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit selects one of
25 the first and second wash tubs when a touch is applied to one of the first and second graphic objects and controls the touch screen to output icons associated with functions executable in the selected wash tub.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control unit controls the 5 touch screen to output icons included in a first group when the first wash tub is selected, and to output icons included in a second group when the second wash tub is selected.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control unit, when a touch 10 is applied to one of the icons included in the second group, transmits a wash command corresponding to a function associated with the touchapplied icon to the external device having the second wash tub such that the function is executed in the external device having the second wash tub.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unit outputs notification information warning that the function is not executable in the external device having the second wash tub when a non-washable message for the wash command is received from the external device
20 having the second wash tub.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the control unit receives a progress message informing the progress of the function from the external device having the second wash tub as the function is executed,
25 and controls the touch screen to output guidance information for guiding the progress of the function.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the control unit outputs first guidance information in a first region of the touch screen to guide a
5 progress of a first function and second guidance information in a second region to guide a progress of a second function when the first function using the first wash tub is executed while the function is executed.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the control unit, when the
10 washing function is completed, pauses the output of the first and second guidance information to guide the completion of the washing function and outputs completion information regarding the washing function on an entire region of the touch screen.
15 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit restarts the paused output of the first guidance information when a predetermined time elapses after the completion of the washing function, and outputs the first guidance information on the entire region of the touch screen.
20 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the control unit, when the function is terminated while the completion information of the washing function is output, transmits an output restriction command to the external device having the second wash tub such that a notification according to the termination of the function is output in the external device having the
25 second wash tub after the predetermined time.
14. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the icons included in the second group vary depending on a type of the external device having the second wash tub.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the control unit, when the external device having the second wash tub is connected, accesses a preset server to download icons corresponding to the external device having the second wash tub, and sets the downloaded icons to the icons
10 included in the second group.
16. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first wash tub rotates centering on a first rotating shaft and the second wash tub rotates centering on a second rotating shaft intersecting with the first rotating
15 shaft.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of the icons included in the first group is associated with a function executable in the first wash tub according to characteristics of the first wash tub and each of the icons
20 included in the second group is associated with a function executable in the second wash tub according to characteristics of the second wash tub.
18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control unit outputs different information depending on connection or disconnection with
25 respect to the external device having the second wash tub when a display of the touch screen which has been turned off is turned on.
19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein icons associated with functions executable in the first wash tub are output on the touch screen
5 when the external device having the second wash tub is not connected, and the first and second graphic objects are output on the touch screen when the external device having the second wash tub is connected.
20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a lock command is
10 transmitted to the external device having the second wash tub such that a child lock function is executed even in the external device having the second wash tub when the child lock function is executed with respect to the first wash tub in a connected state with the external device having the second wash tub.
FIG. ΙΑ
1/22
FIG. IB
110
310
2/22
FIG. 1C
3/22
FIG. 2
190/
132] >130
131
4/22
FIG. 3
250
FIRST
COMMUNICATION UNIT
SECOND
COMMUNICATION UNIT
350
5/22
FIG. 4
6/22
FIG. 5
222
7/22
FIG. 6 A
8/22
FIG. 6B
222
516
9/22
FIG. 6C
10/22
FIG. 7
11/22
FIG. 8
12/22
FIG. 9A
13/22
FIG. 9B
914 J
622 630 222
14/22
FIG. 9C
15/22
FIG. 9D
16/22
FIG. 10A
222
FIG. 10B
17/22
FIG. 11A
222
18/22
FIG. 11B
222
19/22
FIG. 12
20/22
Washer Pairing
FIG. 13
IT HAS BEEN PAIRED WITH LG TOP LOADER WASHER
21/22
FIG. 14
22/22
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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KR10-2016-0001221 | 2016-01-05 | ||
KR1020160001221A KR102503947B1 (en) | 2016-01-05 | 2016-01-05 | Laundry treating apparatus |
PCT/KR2016/015530 WO2017119674A1 (en) | 2016-01-05 | 2016-12-29 | Clothes treating apparatus |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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AU2016384539A1 true AU2016384539A1 (en) | 2018-07-26 |
AU2016384539B2 AU2016384539B2 (en) | 2019-05-16 |
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Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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AU2016384539A Active AU2016384539B2 (en) | 2016-01-05 | 2016-12-29 | Clothes treating apparatus |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
JP (1) | JP6904975B2 (en) |
KR (3) | KR102503947B1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2016384539B2 (en) |
RU (1) | RU2697036C1 (en) |
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CN112860158A (en) * | 2019-11-26 | 2021-05-28 | 博西华电器(江苏)有限公司 | Electronic equipment and operation method and device thereof |
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AU2017204095B2 (en) * | 2017-01-13 | 2019-08-08 | Lg Electronics Inc. | Laundry treating apparatus and method of the same |
CN110244866B (en) * | 2018-03-07 | 2024-04-09 | 合肥海尔滚筒洗衣机有限公司 | Washing machine with vibration function and control method |
CN112430976B (en) * | 2019-08-09 | 2024-01-30 | 上海海尔洗涤电器有限公司 | Clothes treatment equipment and control method thereof |
CN111876962B (en) * | 2020-07-17 | 2021-07-23 | 珠海格力电器股份有限公司 | Control method and device of washing machine, washing machine and storage medium |
KR20230172891A (en) * | 2022-06-16 | 2023-12-26 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | Apparatus for treating laundry |
KR20240043571A (en) * | 2022-09-27 | 2024-04-03 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | Apparatus for treaing luandry |
KR20240043887A (en) * | 2022-09-27 | 2024-04-04 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | Apparatus for treaing luandry |
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DE19615357A1 (en) * | 1995-05-11 | 1996-11-21 | Miele & Cie | Household appliance has spatially separate display |
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KR100480728B1 (en) * | 2002-11-26 | 2005-04-07 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | A control panel |
DE102006015840A1 (en) * | 2006-04-03 | 2007-10-04 | Miele & Cie. Kg | Operation and display device for e.g. stove, has operating handle for selecting operating programs, parameters and/or display options of household devices, which are displayed on display region of display indicator as summarized information |
KR101075227B1 (en) * | 2006-07-25 | 2011-10-19 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Method of controlling the washing machine with twin drum |
KR20100120049A (en) * | 2009-05-04 | 2010-11-12 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | A washing machine |
KR20110005991A (en) * | 2009-07-13 | 2011-01-20 | 삼성에스디에스 주식회사 | Embedded system and operating method for the same |
KR101819510B1 (en) * | 2011-08-22 | 2018-01-17 | 엘지전자 주식회사 | laundry machine and online system including the same |
KR101555757B1 (en) * | 2013-11-21 | 2015-09-25 | 동부대우전자 주식회사 | Washing machine |
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2016
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Cited By (2)
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CN112860158A (en) * | 2019-11-26 | 2021-05-28 | 博西华电器(江苏)有限公司 | Electronic equipment and operation method and device thereof |
EP3828686A1 (en) * | 2019-11-26 | 2021-06-02 | BSH Hausgeräte GmbH | Electronic device and method and apparatus for operating same |
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KR102503947B1 (en) | 2023-02-27 |
AU2016384539B2 (en) | 2019-05-16 |
KR102647035B1 (en) | 2024-03-13 |
RU2697036C1 (en) | 2019-08-08 |
JP2019504728A (en) | 2019-02-21 |
KR20170082061A (en) | 2017-07-13 |
KR20240032799A (en) | 2024-03-12 |
KR20230031859A (en) | 2023-03-07 |
WO2017119674A1 (en) | 2017-07-13 |
JP6904975B2 (en) | 2021-07-21 |
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