KR100619714B1 - Apparatus and method for auto searching the laundry - Google Patents

Abstract

 The present invention relates to an automatic laundry retrieval apparatus and method, and more particularly, to a laundry automatic retrieval apparatus and method for indicating whether the belongings in the laundry through a short-range wireless communication between the washing machine and the belongings. To this end, the present invention includes a wireless belongings information receiving unit for receiving the belongings information of the belongings put into the washing machine by a short range wireless communication method; A memory in which programs for controlling an operation according to a general washing mode and a program according to an automatic laundry search mode are stored; A control unit which senses whether the belongings information is received from the wireless belongings information receiving unit and controls the overall operation according to the automatic laundry search mode informing that the received belongings information exists in the washing machine; In the automatic laundry search mode under the control of the control unit, the display unit for displaying the belongings information received through the wireless belongings information receiving unit.

Description

Laundry automatic search apparatus and method {APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR AUTO SEARCHING THE LAUNDRY}

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an automatic laundry search apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a flow chart showing a laundry automatic search method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

*** Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing ***

10: washing machine 11: wireless belonging information receiver

12: memory 13: control unit

14: display unit 15: notification unit

20: Belongings

The present invention relates to an automatic laundry retrieval apparatus and method, and more particularly, to a laundry automatic retrieval apparatus and method for indicating whether the belongings in the laundry through a short-range wireless communication between the washing machine and the belongings.

In general, a washing machine washes and dehydrates laundry such as clothes and duvets, and is widely used in each household. Recently, due to the technological development of the washing machine, a drum type washing machine is released, and the demand is gradually increasing.

However, when washing through the conventional washing machine as described above, there was a problem of washing and dehydrating laundry in an unintentional state in which important items such as a portable telephone, an MP3 player, a watch, and the like are put in a pocket of clothes. As a result, frequently the important belongings are broken.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic laundry search apparatus and method for informing the existence of belongings in laundry through short-range wireless communication between a washing machine and belongings.

The present invention for achieving the above object, the wireless belongings information receiving unit for receiving the belongings information of the belongings put into the washing machine by a short range wireless communication method;

A memory in which programs for controlling an operation according to a general washing mode and a program according to an automatic laundry search mode are stored;

A control unit which senses whether the belongings information is received from the wireless belongings information receiving unit and controls the overall operation according to the automatic laundry search mode informing that the received belongings information exists in the washing machine;

In the automatic laundry search mode under the control of the control unit, characterized in that the display unit for displaying the belongings information received through the wireless belongings information receiving unit.

In addition, the present invention for achieving the above object, in the method for searching that the belongings other than laundry in the washing machine,

Determining whether the wireless belongings information is received by a wireless communication method when the washing machine is turned on and the automatic laundry search mode is executed;

As a result of the determination, when the wireless belongings information is received, the received wireless belongings information is recognized and a process of informing that the belongings exist in the washing machine is characterized in that it is made.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It should be noted that in the following description, only parts necessary for understanding the operation and operation according to the present invention will be described, and descriptions of other parts will be omitted so as not to distract from the gist of the present invention.

In the following description, specific details according to the automatic laundry search apparatus and method are shown to provide a more general understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the present invention may be readily practiced without these specific details and also by their modifications.

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an automatic laundry search apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, first, in order for the laundry automatic retrieval apparatus to operate according to the present invention, belongings information is stored in the belongings 20 and starts on the premise that the belongings information is transmitted by wireless communication. Here, the belongings 20 may be stored, for example, belongings information in a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

The wireless belongings information receiving unit 11 receives the belongings information of the belongings put into the washing machine.

The memory 12 stores programs for controlling an operation according to a general laundry mode and programs according to an automatic laundry search mode according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The controller 13 detects whether the washing machine door is opened, and enters the laundry automatic search mode when the washing machine door is opened. In addition, the control unit 13 detects whether belongings information is received from the wireless belongings information receiving unit 11, displays the received belongings information according to the detection result, and indicates that belongings exist in the washing machine 10. Ali controls the overall operation according to the laundry automatic search mode.

The display unit 14 displays the current state according to the washing mode. In addition, the display unit 14 displays the belongings information received through the wireless belongings information receiving unit 11 in the automatic laundry search mode under the control of the controller 13.

The alarm unit 15 receives alarm information indicating that the belongings 20 are present in the washing machine 10 by receiving the belongings information through the wireless belongings information receiving unit 11 in the automatic laundry search mode under the control of the control unit 13. Outputs

Looking at the operation of the automatic laundry search apparatus with reference to FIG. 1, in the situation that the power is being supplied to the washing machine 10, the control unit 13 detects whether the door of the washing machine is open, if the door is opened automatic laundry search mode Run Then, the wireless belongings information receiving unit 11 enters a standby state capable of performing wireless communication with the belongings 20 existing in the drum of the washing machine 10.

 In the present invention, it is assumed that the wireless communication method uses the RFID method.

Since the wireless communication is assumed to be an RFID, the belongings 20 should be provided with an RFID tag, and the washing machine 10 should be provided with an RFID reader. Here, the RFID tag is a passive tag that operates by receiving power from a signal of an RFID reader without a battery according to whether a battery is included therein, and an active tag including a power source or a central processing unit (CPU). Divided. However, the passive RFID tag and the active RFID tag are almost identical in terms of the function of storing data or exchanging information. Here, since the technology for wireless communication of the RFID is generally known, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

When the wireless belongings information of the belongings 20 is received by the wireless belongings information receiving unit 11, the control unit 13 recognizes the belongings and the belongings information present in the drum of the washing machine 10 according to the information of the belongings 20. Is displayed on the display unit 14 and the alarm unit 15 notifies that the belongings 20 are present in the washing machine.

2 is a flow chart illustrating a laundry automatic search method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, in step 201, the washing machine 10 enters a state in which power is turned on by turning on the power. Then, in step 203, the control unit 13 detects whether the washing machine door is opened, and if the washing machine door is opened, proceeds to step 205 to execute the laundry automatic search mode. Accordingly, under the control of the control unit 13, the wireless belongings information receiving unit 11 waits for wireless communication so as to perform short-range communication with the belongings in the washing machine drum.

Thereafter, the control unit 13 determines whether the belongings 20 enter the laundry together with the laundry.

That is, in step 207, the control unit 13 determines whether the wireless belongings information is received through the wireless belongings information receiving unit 11. Here, the wireless belonging information may be, for example, information of a corresponding belonging stored in an RFID tag using short range wireless communication. Then, the wireless belongings information receiving unit 11 becomes an RFID reader for reading the RFID tag of the belongings information.

As a result of the determination, if the wireless belongings information is not received through the wireless belongings information receiving unit 11, in step 209, the control unit 13 determines that there are no belongings other than laundry in the washing machine drum and performs washing normally.

However, if the wireless belongings information is received through the wireless belongings information receiving unit 11 as a result of the determination, the controller 13 recognizes the received belongings information in step 211.

Thereafter, in step 213, the control unit 13 displays the presence of belongings in the washing machine drum on the display unit 14, and sounds an alarm sound through the alarm unit 15. Here, the display unit 14 may simply display whether the belongings exist in the washing machine drum, but may also display the kinds of belongings such as shoes and watches. To this end, the RFID tag of the belongings 20 should include the type information of the belongings.

Meanwhile, in the detailed description of the present invention, specific embodiments have been described, but various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, but should be defined not only by the scope of the following claims, but also by the equivalents of the claims.

As described in detail above, the present invention enables short-range wireless communication between the washing machine and the belongings, so that the belongings exist in the laundry, thereby allowing the user to recognize the belongings that have been forgotten and removed from the laundry.

In addition, by preventing the belongings are washed with the laundry, there is an effect that can protect the important belongings.

Claims (10)

A wireless belongings information receiving unit for receiving belongings information of belongings put into the washing machine by a short range wireless communication method; A memory in which programs for controlling an operation according to a general washing mode and a program according to an automatic laundry search mode are stored; A control unit which senses whether the belongings information is received from the wireless belongings information receiving unit and controls the overall operation according to the automatic laundry search mode informing that the received belongings information exists in the washing machine; Automatic laundry search apparatus comprising a display unit for displaying the belongings information received through the wireless belongings information receiving unit in the automatic laundry search mode under the control of the control unit. The method of claim 1, wherein the control unit, Laundry automatic search device, characterized in that to run the automatic laundry search mode from the washing machine door opening time. According to claim 1, Under the control of the control unit, in the laundry automatic search mode, the belongings information is received through the wireless belongings information receiving unit further comprises an alarm unit for outputting an alarm sound indicating that the belongings in the washing machine Laundry automatic search device. According to claim 1, The belongings, Laundry automatic retrieval apparatus characterized in that it comprises a RFID tag (Tag) is stored belongings information according to the RFID (RFID) method. According to claim 1, wherein the wireless belonging information receiving unit, Laundry automatic search device, characterized in that the RFID reader (reader) for reading the belongings information received. In the method to search that things belonging to the laundry except the laundry enter, Determining whether the wireless belongings information is received by a wireless communication method when the washing machine is turned on and the automatic laundry search mode is executed; And if the wireless belongings information is received as a result of the determination, recognizing the received wireless belongings information and informing the existence of belongings in the washing machine. According to claim 6, The laundry automatic search mode, Laundry automatic search method characterized in that executed when the washing machine door is opened. The method of claim 6, wherein the wireless communication method, Laundry identification method characterized in that the RFID (RFID) method. According to claim 6, The belongings, Laundry automatic search method characterized in that it has an RFID tag (Tag) is stored belonging information according to the RFID (RFID) method. The method of claim 6, wherein the notifying that the belongings exist in the washing machine is performed. Displaying the belongings information according to the wireless belongings information; Automatic laundry search method comprising the step of sounding an alarm indicating the presence of belongings in the washing machine.

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