Washing machine and control method thereof

Abstract

A control method of a washing machine which includes a tub, a drum, a detergent supplier including a detergent storage space to store detergent and a softener storage space to store a softener, a water supplier to supply water to the tub, a turbidity sensor to detect turbidity of water in the tub, and a bubble circulator to perform a circulation operation of circulating water or a bubble supply operation of generating bubbles and supplying the generated bubbles to the tub, includes detecting, by the turbidity sensor, the turbidity of water in the tub, and in response to the detected turbidity of the water in the tub being lower than a first reference value, controlling the water supplier to supply water containing the softener to the tub and controlling the bubble circulator to perform a second rinsing cycle by alternately performing the circulation operation and the bubble supply operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A control method of a washing machine which comprises a tub configured to accommodate a drum, a detergent supplier including a detergent storage space to store detergent and a softener storage space to store a softener, a water supplier configured to supply water to the tub through the detergent supplier, a turbidity sensor configured to detect turbidity of water in the tub, and a bubble circulator configured to perform a circulation operation of circulating water in the tub and resupplying it to the tub or a bubble supply operation of generating bubbles and supplying the generated bubbles to the tub, comprising:
 detecting, by the turbidity sensor, the turbidity of water in the tub; and   in response to the detected turbidity of the water in the tub being lower than a first reference value, controlling the water supplier to supply water containing the softener to the tub and controlling the bubble circulator to perform a second rinsing cycle by alternately performing the circulation operation and the bubble supply operation.   
     
     
         2 . The control method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 comparing the detected turbidity of the water with a second reference value in response to the second rinsing cycle being completed; and   controlling the bubble circulator to stop performing the circulation operation and the bubble supply operation, and control the washing machine to perform a bubble reduction cycle in response to the detected turbidity of the water of the tub being higher than the second reference value.   
     
     
         3 . The control method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 discharging the water from the tub in response to the detected turbidity of the water in the tub being lower than the second reference value.   
     
     
         4 . The control method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 performing a dehydration cycle after the water is discharged from the tub.   
     
     
         5 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein
 the washing machine further comprises an interface configured to receive a user input, and   wherein the control method further comprises performing the second rinsing cycle in response to a softening course being received as the user input from through the interface.   
     
     
         6 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein the turbidity sensor is provided inside a lower side of the tub. 
     
     
         7 . The control method of  claim 1 , wherein the washing machine further comprises a pump configured to discharge water from the tub; and
 wherein the bubble circulator includes:
 a switch configured to selectively form a circulation passage for resupplying water discharged from the pump to the tub and a bubble supply passage to generate bubbles in the water discharged from the pump and to supply the generated bubbles to the tub; and 
 a driver configured to drive the switch. 
   
     
     
         8 . The control method of  claim 7 , wherein performing the second rinsing cycle includes controlling the driver so that water discharged from the pump alternately passes through the circulation passage and the bubble supply passage.