Washing machine and method for controlling the washing machine

Abstract

A washing machine is provided. The washing machine includes a tub, a drum provided in the tub, a drain pump configured to drain water from the tub to an outside, memory, including one or more storage media, storing instructions, and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the drain pump and the memory, wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, cause the washing machine to operate the drain pump at a maximum power based on a start of a draining process, determine a first target revolutions per minute (RPM) and a second target RPM, different from the first target RPM, based on an operating RPM of the drain pump operating at the maximum power, control the operating RPM of the drain pump to the first target RPM based on a water level in the tub being higher than a threshold water level, and control the operating RPM of the drain pump to the second target RPM based on the water level in the tub reaching the threshold water level.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A washing machine comprising:
 a tub;   a drum within the tub;   a drain pump configured to drain water from the tub to an outside;   memory, comprising one or more storage media, storing instructions; and   at least one processor communicatively coupled to the drain pump and the memory,   wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, cause the washing machine to:
 operate the drain pump at a maximum power based on a start of a draining process, 
 determine a first target revolutions per minute (RPM) and a second target RPM, different from the first target RPM, based on an operating RPM of the drain pump operating at the maximum power, 
 control the operating RPM of the drain pump to the first target RPM based on a water level in the tub being higher than a threshold water level, and 
 control the operating RPM of the drain pump to the second target RPM based on the water level in the tub reaching the threshold water level. 
   
     
     
         2 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, further cause the washing machine to determine, as the first target RPM, an average RPM of the drain pump operating at the maximum power over a defined period of time. 
     
     
         3 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, further cause the washing machine to determine the second target RPM based on a defined equation that includes the first target RPM as a variable. 
     
     
         4 . The washing machine of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, further cause the washing machine to determine the second target RPM by inputting the first target RPM into a machine learning model, and   wherein the machine learning model is trained based on data about the first target RPM, data about a magnitude of noise generated by the drain pump, and data about an amount of water remaining in the drain pump.   
     
     
         5 . The washing machine of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, further cause the washing machine to:
 start a spin-drying process based on the water level in the tub reaching the threshold water level, and   in the spin-drying process, control the operating RPM of the drain pump based on the second target RPM and a speed of the drum.   
     
     
         6 . The washing machine of  claim 5 , wherein, in the spin-drying process, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, further cause the washing machine to:
 control the operating RPM of the drain pump to a third target RPM greater than or equal to the second target RPM based on the speed of the drum falling within a first speed section, and   control the operating RPM of the drain pump to a fourth target RPM greater than the third target RPM based on the speed of the drum falling within a second speed section faster than the first speed section.   
     
     
         7 . The washing machine of  claim 5 , wherein, in the spin-drying process, the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, further cause the washing machine to determine a target RPM of the drain pump based on a defined equation that includes the second target RPM and the speed of the drum as variables. 
     
     
         8 . The washing machine of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, further cause the washing machine to determine a target RPM of the drain pump by inputting the second target RPM and the speed of the drum into a machine learning model, and   wherein the machine learning model is trained based on data about the second target RPM, data about the speed of the drum, data about a magnitude of noise generated by the drain pump, and data about an amount of water remaining in the drain pump.   
     
     
         9 . The washing machine of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the spin-drying process includes:
 a pre-spin process that increases a rotation speed of the drum to a first maximum rotation speed and then stops the drum, 
 a main spin process that increases the rotation speed of the drum to a second maximum rotation speed greater than the first maximum rotation speed and then stops the drum, and 
 a weight detection process that is performed after the pre-spin process and before the main spin process, and 
   wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, further cause the washing machine to stop an operation of the drain pump while the drum is decelerated to stop the drum and while the weight detection process is performed.   
     
     
         10 . The washing machine of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the draining process is a first draining process, and   wherein the instructions, when individually or collectively executed by the at least one processor, further cause the washing machine to:   determine an average value of first target RPM values which are determined in at least one draining process performed before the first draining process, and   notify a user of a failure of the drain pump or a change in an installation environment of the washing machine, based on a difference between the first target RPM determined in the first draining process and the average value being greater than a defined value.   
     
     
         11 . A method for controlling a washing machine, the method comprising:
 operating a drain pump at a maximum power based on a start of a draining process;   determining a first target revolutions per minute (RPM) and a second target RPM, different from the first target RPM, based on an operating RPM of the drain pump operating at the maximum power;   controlling the operating RPM of the drain pump to the first target RPM based on a water level in a tub being higher than a threshold water level; and   controlling the operating RPM of the drain pump to the second target RPM based on the water level in the tub reaching the threshold water level.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the determining of the first target RPM comprises determining, as the first target RPM, an average RPM of the drain pump operating at the maximum power over a defined period of time. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the determining of the second target RPM comprises determining the second target RPM based on a defined equation that includes the first target RPM as a variable. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 ,
 wherein the determining of the second target RPM comprises determining the second target RPM by inputting the first target RPM into a machine learning model, and   wherein the machine learning model is trained based on data about the first target RPM, data about a magnitude of noise generated by the drain pump, and data about an amount of water remaining in the drain pump.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 starting a spin-drying process based on the water level in the tub reaching the threshold water level; and   in the spin-drying process, controlling the operating RPM of the drain pump based on the second target RPM and a speed of a drum.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 controlling the operating RPM of the drain pump to a third target RPM greater than or equal to the second target RPM based on the speed of the drum falling within a first speed section; and   controlling the operating RPM of the drain pump to a fourth target RPM greater than the third target RPM based on the speed of the drum falling within a second speed section faster than the first speed section.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining a target RPM of the drain pump based on a defined equation that includes the second target RPM and the speed of the drum as variables.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 determining a target RPM of the drain pump by inputting the second target RPM and the speed of the drum into a machine learning model,   wherein the machine learning model is trained based on data about the second target RPM, data about the speed of the drum, data about a magnitude of noise generated by the drain pump, and data about an amount of water remaining in the drain pump.   
     
     
         19 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing one or more computer programs including computer-executable instructions that, when executed individually or collectively by at least one processor of a washing machine, cause the washing machine to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 operating a drain pump at a maximum power based on a start of a draining process;   determining a first target revolutions per minute (RPM) and a second target RPM, different from the first target RPM, based on an operating RPM of the drain pump operating at the maximum power;   controlling the operating RPM of the drain pump to the first target RPM based on a water level in a tub being higher than a threshold water level; and   controlling the operating RPM of the drain pump to the second target RPM based on the water level in the tub reaching the threshold water level.   
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media of  claim 19 , wherein the determining of the first target RPM comprises determining, as the first target RPM, an average RPM of the drain pump operating at the maximum power over a defined period of time.