Clothing dryer and method for controlling the same

Abstract

A clothing dryer, and a method performed thereby, to identify the degree of clogging of a filter for collecting foreign substances generated according to a drying operation in a clothing dryer are provided. The clothing dryer includes a display, an expansion valve provided in a heat pump, and a controller identifying the degree of clogging of a filter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A clothing dryer comprising:
 an expansion valve included in a heat pump;   memory storing one or more computer programs; and   at least one controller,   wherein the one or more computer programs include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one controller individually or collectively, cause the clothing dryer to:
 obtain valve data corresponding to an opening rate of the expansion valve for a preset time, 
 generate a plurality of variables based on the obtained valve data, and 
 identify a clogging level of a filter based on the plurality of variables, and 
   wherein the plurality of variables include a difference value between maximum valve data and minimum valve data included in the valve data, a sum of the valve data, and a time when the valve data reaches a value lower than a preset value.   
     
     
         2 . The clothing dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one controller individually or collectively, cause the clothing dryer to:
 identify whether the filter is clogged in response to the obtained valve data value being less than a preset value at least three times.   
     
     
         3 . The clothing dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the preset value is set based on an initial temperature of air discharged from a drum in response to a drying cycle being started. 
     
     
         4 . The clothing dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one controller individually or collectively, cause the clothing dryer to:
 generate target data based on a first variable, a second variable, and a third variable, and   identify the clogging level of the filter as a first clogging level when the target data exceeds a first threshold level.   
     
     
         5 . The clothing dryer of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one controller individually or collectively, cause the clothing dryer to:
 when the target data exceeds a second threshold level higher than the first threshold level, identify the clogging level of the filter as a second clogging level, and 
   wherein the second clogging level is relatively greater in amount of a foreign substance collected in the filter than the first clogging level.   
     
     
         6 . The clothing dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one controller individually or collectively, cause the clothing dryer to:
 obtain the valve data in response to an elapse of a predetermined time after a compressor included in the heat pump is operated.   
     
     
         7 . The clothing dryer of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one controller individually or collectively, cause the clothing dryer to:
 obtain the valve data in response to a change value between a temperature of a refrigerant introduced into an evaporator included in the heat pump and a temperature of the refrigerant discharged from the evaporator exceeding a threshold level.   
     
     
         8 . The clothing dryer of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one controller individually or collectively, cause the clothing dryer to:
 obtain the valve data in response to a temperature of air discharged by a drying operation being within a preset range.   
     
     
         9 . The clothing dryer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a position sensor sensing an opening angle of the expansion valve,   wherein the valve data corresponds to an opening angle of the expansion valve detected by the position sensor.   
     
     
         10 . The clothing dryer of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a display,   wherein the one or more computer programs further include computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one controller individually or collectively, cause the clothing dryer to:
 when the clogging level of the filter exceeds a threshold level, transfer a notification corresponding to the clogging level of the filter to the display or an external device. 
   
     
     
         11 . A method performed by a clothing dryer including a heat pump, the method comprising:
 obtaining at least one valve data corresponding to an opening rate of an expansion valve included in the heat pump for a preset time;   generating a plurality of variables based on the valve data; and   identifying a clogging level of a filter based on the plurality of variables,   wherein the plurality of variables include a difference value between maximum valve data and minimum valve data (v min ) included in the valve data, a sum of the valve data, and a time when the valve data reaches a value lower than a preset value.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 identifying whether the filter is clogged in response to the obtained valve data value being less than a preset value at least three times.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the preset value is set based on an initial temperature of air discharged from a drum in response to a drying cycle being started. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the identifying of the clogging level includes:
 generating target data based on the plurality of variables; and   identifying the clogging level of the filter as a first clogging level when the target data exceeds a first threshold level.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the identifying of the clogging level includes, when the target data exceeds a second threshold level higher than the first threshold level, identifying the clogging level of the filter as a second clogging level, and   wherein the second clogging level is relatively greater in amount of a foreign substance collected in the filter than the first clogging level.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the obtaining of the at least one valve data includes obtaining the valve data in response to an elapse of a predetermined time in an operation state of compressing a refrigerant used to convert high-temperature, humid air into high-temperature, dry air due to a drying operation into a high-temperature, high-pressure state. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the obtaining of the at least one valve data includes obtaining the valve data in response to a difference between a temperature of the refrigerant supplied to convert the high-temperature, humid air into low-temperature, dry air and a temperature of the refrigerant used to convert the high-temperature, humid air into the low-temperature, dry air exceeding a threshold level. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the obtaining of the at least one valve data includes obtaining the valve data in response to a temperature of air discharged by a drying operation being within a preset range. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the valve data corresponds to an opening angle of the expansion valve detected by a position sensor provided in the expansion valve. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 when the clogging level of the filter exceeds a threshold level, transferring a notification corresponding to the clogging level of the filter to a display of the clothing dryer or an external device.