Washing machine and method of providing washing information of same

Abstract

A method of displaying washing information and a washing machine are provided. The washing machine includes a washing module, a water level sensor configured to detect a water level, a display, memory, and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the washing module, the water level sensor, the display, and the memory, wherein the memory store one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the washing machine to control, based on a user input for starting washing, the washing module to introduce water into the washing machine, determine, based on a water level frequency of the water level sensor, an amount of the water introduced into the washing machine, accumulate the determined amount of water as at least one cycle of the washing progresses, display, based on completion of the washing, on the display, the accumulated amount of water as water usage during the washing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washing machine comprising:
 a washing module;   a water level sensor configured to detect a water level;   a display;   memory; and   one or more processors communicatively coupled to the washing module, the water level sensor, the display, and the memory,   wherein the memory store one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the washing machine to:
 control, based on a user input for starting washing, the washing module to introduce water into the washing machine, 
 determine, based on a water level frequency of the water level sensor, an amount of the water introduced into the washing machine, 
 as at least one cycle of the washing progresses, accumulate the determined amount of water, and 
 based on completion of the washing, display on the display the accumulated amount of water as water usage during the washing. 
   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise computer-executable instructions to:
 when one of the at least one cycle is started, introduce water into the washing machine,   in response to determining that the water level has reached a target water level, determine an amount of main fill water, based on the water level frequency and a weight of laundry,   drive a pulsator of the washing module,   determine an amount of refill water replenished into the washing machine, based on a variation in the water level frequency, which is caused by the driving of the pulsator, and   determine an amount of water used in the started cycle by accumulating the determined amount of refill water onto the determined amount of main fill water.   
     
     
         3 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one cycle of the washing comprises a washing cycle and at least one rinse cycle, and
 wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise computer-executable instructions to determine a sum of an amount of water used during the washing cycle and an amount of water used during the at least one rinse cycle as water usage during the washing.   
     
     
         4 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise computer-executable instructions to display, based on the water usage during the washing, an average water usage of the washing machine for a preset time period. 
     
     
         5 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise computer-executable instructions to:
 detect a weight of laundry in the washing machine by driving a pulsator of the washing module, and   display estimated water usage, based on the detected weight of the laundry and a set washing method.   
     
     
         6 . The washing machine of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 an input interface configured to change a washing method,   wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise computer-executable instructions to:   receive, via the input interface, a user input for changing the washing method set for the washing,   recalculate estimated water usage, based on the detected weight of the laundry and the changed washing method, and   display the recalculated estimated water usage.   
     
     
         7 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise computer-executable instructions to recommend at least one of a wash course or a wash option, based on receiving a user input for receiving a washing method recommendation for controlling the water usage during the washing. 
     
     
         8 . The washing machine of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a communication module,   wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise computer-executable instructions to:
 receive target water usage from a server via the communication module, and 
 based on the estimated water usage exceeding the target water usage, output a notification indicating that the estimated water usage exceeds the target water usage. 
   
     
     
         9 . The washing machine of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the cycle comprises a washing cycle, and   wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise computer-executable instructions to:
 when the washing cycle starts, control the pulsator of the washing module to determine the weight of the laundry, and 
 in response to determining that the water level has reached the target water level, determine a result of subtracting a volume of the laundry corresponding to the weight of the laundry from a volume of the water corresponding to the water level frequency to be the amount of main fill water for the washing cycle. 
   
     
     
         10 . The washing machine of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the cycle comprises a rinse cycle, and   wherein the one or more computer programs further comprise computer-executable instructions to, in response to determining that the water level has reached the target water level, determine a result of subtracting a volume of the laundry corresponding to the weight of the laundry and an amount of remaining moisture in the laundry corresponding to the weight of the laundry from the volume of the water corresponding to the water level frequency to be an amount of main fill water for the rinse cycle.   
     
     
         11 . A method, performed by a washing machine, of displaying washing information, the method comprising:
 based on a user input for starting washing, introducing water into the washing machine;   determining, based on a water level frequency of a water level sensor in the washing machine, an amount of the water introduced into the washing machine;   as at least one cycle of the washing progresses, accumulating the determined amount of water; and   based on completion of the washing, displaying the accumulated amount of water as water usage during the washing.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the determining of the amount of the water introduced into the washing machine, based on the water level frequency of the water level sensor in the washing machine, comprises:
 when one of the at least one cycle is started, introducing the water into the washing machine;   in response to determining that the water level has reached a target water level, determining an amount of main fill water, based on the water level frequency and a weight of laundry;   driving a pulsator of the washing machine;   determining an amount of refill water replenished into the washing machine, based on a variation in the water level frequency, which is caused by the driving of the pulsator; and   determining an amount of water used in the started cycle by accumulating the determined amount of refill water onto the determined amount of main fill water.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the at least one cycle of the washing comprises a washing cycle and at least one rinse cycle, and   wherein the accumulating of the determined amount of water as the at least one cycle of the washing progresses comprises determining a sum of an amount of water used during the washing cycle and an amount of water used during the at least one rinse cycle as water usage during the washing.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising displaying, based on the water usage during the washing, an average water usage of the washing machine for a preset time period. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 detecting a weight of laundry in the washing machine by driving a pulsator of the washing machine; and   displaying estimated water usage, based on the detected weight of the laundry and a set washing method.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the washing machine comprises an input interface configured to change a washing method, and   wherein the displaying of the estimated water usage based on the detected weight of the laundry and the set washing method comprises:
 receiving, via the input interface, a user input for changing the washing method set for the washing, 
 recalculating estimated water usage, based on the detected weight of the laundry and the changed washing method, and 
 displaying the recalculated estimated water usage. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 receiving a user input for receiving a washing method recommendation for controlling the water usage during the washing; and   recommending at least one of a wash course or a wash option, based on the receiving of the user input for receiving the washing method recommendation for controlling the water usage during the washing.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving target water usage from a server; and   based on the estimated water usage exceeding the target water usage, outputting a notification indicating that the estimated water usage exceeds the target water usage.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the cycle comprises a washing cycle,   wherein the method further comprises:
 when the washing cycle starts, controlling the pulsator of the washing machine to determine the weight of the laundry, and 
   wherein the determining of the amount of main fill water based on the water level frequency and the weight of the laundry in response to the determining that the water level has reached the target water level comprises, in response to determining that the water level has reached the target water level, determining a result of subtracting a volume of the laundry corresponding to the weight of the laundry from a volume of the water corresponding to the water level frequency to be the amount of main fill water for the washing cycle.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the cycle comprises a rinse cycle, and   wherein the determining of the amount of main fill water based on the water level frequency and the weight of the laundry in response to the determining that the water level has reached the target water level comprises:
 in response to determining that the water level has reached the target water level, determining a result of subtracting a volume of the laundry corresponding to the weight of the laundry and an amount of remaining moisture in the laundry corresponding to the weight of the laundry from the volume of the water corresponding to the water level frequency to be an amount of main fill water for the rinse cycle.