Washing machine and control method thereof

Abstract

A washing machine and a control method thereof are provided for accurately sensing an amount of laundry placed in the washing machine and setting a wash pattern accordingly. The washing machine includes a motor for being driven, in response to a user command, to rotate a drum holding laundry; a pulse sensor for sensing a pulse generated by the driven motor and outputting a voltage signal indicative of a width of the pulse; and a microcomputer for sensing an amount of laundry based on an integration value derived from the voltage signal output from the pulse sensor and on a revolution time period with respect to a reference value stored in the microcomputer. The control method includes steps of sensing a laundry amount according to a pulse generated when a motor is driven in response to a user command; and controlling a wash pattern according to the sensed laundry amount.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A washing machine comprising: 
 a motor for being driven, in response to a user command, to rotate a drum holding laundry;    a pulse sensor for sensing a pulse generated by said driven motor and outputting a voltage signal indicative of a width of the pulse; and    a microcomputer for sensing an amount of laundry based on at least an integration value derived from the voltage signal output from said pulse sensor.    
     
     
         2 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein a value representing one revolution of said motor is stored in said microcomputer as a reference.  
     
     
         3 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a timer for measuring a revolution time period required for said driven motor to reach a predetermined position of rotation, wherein the sensing of the laundry amount is further based on the revolution time period with respect to the reference value stored in said microcomputer.  
     
     
         4 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the predetermined position of rotation is a 2/5 revolution point.  
     
     
         5 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the revolution time period is measured from a static position of said motor to the 2/5 revolution point.  
     
     
         6 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said motor is driven according to a wash pattern.  
     
     
         7 . The washing machine as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the wash pattern is set based on the sensed laundry amount.  
     
     
         8 . A method of controlling a washing machine, the method comprising steps of: 
 sensing a laundry amount according to a pulse generated when a motor is driven in response to a user command; and    controlling a wash pattern according to the sensed laundry amount.    
     
     
         9 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , said sensing step comprising steps of: 
 sensing a width of the pulse, the pulse width being indicative of a rotation of the motor under a load from a static position to a predetermined position;    generating an integration value derived from the sensed pulse width; and    determining the sensed laundry amount based on at least the generated integration value.    
     
     
         10 . The method as claimed in  claim 9 , said sensing step further comprising steps of: 
 setting as a reference a value representing one revolution of the motor;    driving the motor under a load, to rotate from the static position to the predetermined position of rotation, and simultaneously initializing a timer in response to the user command; and    measuring a revolution time period required, after timer initialization, for the motor to reach the predetermined position of rotation,    wherein the determination of the sensed laundry amount is further based on the revolution time period with respect to the set reference value.    
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 8 , further comprising a step of setting a wash pattern based on the sensed laundry amount.