Washing machine and method of controlling the same

Abstract

A method of cleaning a storage area of a detergent supply device configured to supply a detergent into a tub, the detergent supply device including the storage area, a pump motor configured to pump a liquid in the storage area, and a discharge port configured to guide the liquid pumped by the pump motor into the tub, the method comprise detecting a cleaning condition of the storage area based on a detected load of the pump motor, and based on the detecting of the cleaning condition, cleaning the storage area.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of cleaning a storage area of a detergent supply device configured to supply a detergent into a tub, the detergent supply device including the storage area, a pump motor configured to pump a liquid in the storage area, and a discharge port configured to guide the liquid pumped by the pump motor into the tub, the method comprising:
 detecting a cleaning condition of the storage area based on a detected load of the pump motor; and   based on the detecting of the cleaning condition, cleaning the storage area.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 based on the detecting of the cleaning condition of the storage area, notifying a user that the storage area needs to be cleaned.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detecting of the cleaning condition comprises:
 driving the pump motor during a wash process or a rinse process; and   detecting the cleaning condition of the storage area based on a driving voltage value of the pump motor during the wash process or the rinse process.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the detecting of the cleaning condition comprises, based on the driving voltage value of the pump motor being greater than or equal to a predetermined value, detecting the cleaning condition of the storage area. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the storage area includes a first storage area and a second storage area, and the pump motor includes a first pump motor configured to pump a liquid accommodated in the first storage area and a second pump motor configured to pump a liquid accommodated in the second storage area, and
 the method further comprises:   driving the first pump motor during the wash process; and   driving the second pump motor during the rinse process.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the detecting of the cleaning condition comprises:
 based on a driving voltage value of the first pump motor being greater than or equal to a predetermined value, detecting a cleaning condition of the first storage area; and   based on a driving voltage value of the second pump motor being greater than or equal to a predetermined value, detecting a cleaning condition of the second storage area.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting the liquid accommodated in the storage area; and   based on the detecting of the cleaning condition of the storage area, guiding a user to input a user input based on the liquid not being detected.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning of the storage area comprises controlling the pump motor, a water supply device configured to supply water into the tub, a drive motor configured to rotate a drum, and a drain device configured to drain water in the tub to clean the storage area. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning of the storage area comprises at least one of:
 operating the pump motor;   supplying water;   agitating a drum;   draining water; and   spin-drying.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 detecting a liquid accommodated in the storage area; and   based on the liquid not being detected, ending the operating of the pump motor.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 performing each of the supplying water and the agitating the drum at least once before ending the operating of the pump motor.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising, based on ending the operation of the pump motor, performing each of the supplying water, the draining water, and the spin-drying at least once. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the storage area includes a first storage area and a second storage area, and the pump motor includes a first pump motor configured to pump a liquid accommodated in the first storage area and a second pump motor configured to pump a liquid accommodated in the second storage area, and
 the cleaning of the storage area includes at least one ofcleaning the first storage area, cleaning the second storage area, and cleaning both the first storage area and the second storage area, and   the method further comprises operating the pump motor,   operating the pump motor includes driving the first pump motor, driving the second pump motor, and driving at least one of the first pump motor and the second pump motor.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the storage area includes a first storage area and a second storage area, and
 the method further comprises:   providing, a first user interface to set a use of the second storage area as a detergent compartment or a softener compartment; and   providing, a second user interface to request a cleaning of the second storage area based on the use of the second storage area being changed.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 upon receiving a user input to request the cleaning of the first storage or the second storage area, cleaning the first storage or the second storage area.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the notifying the user comprises:
 displaying a message indicating that the storage area needs to be cleaned.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the notifying the user comprises:
 outputting a sound indicating that the storage area needs to be cleaned.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the guiding comprises:
 transmitting a message to an external device to notify that the storage area needs to be cleaned.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaning further comprises cleaning the storage area based on receiving a user input to request the cleaning of the storage area. 
     
     
         20 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device, causes the one or more processors to perform a method of cleaning a storage area of a detergent supply device configured to supply a detergent into a tub, the detergent supply device including the storage area, a pump motor configured to pump a liquid in the storage area, and a discharge port configured to guide the liquid pumped by the pump motor into the tub,
 wherein the method comprises:   detecting a cleaning condition of the storage area based on a detected load of the pump motor; and   based on the detected cleaning condition, cleaning the storage area.