# US 11,441,254 B2 · Washing machine and method for controlling the same

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- Number: US 11,441,254 B2
- Document ID: US11441254B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/283,372
- Filed: 2019-02-22
- Published: 2019-08-29
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-26
- Assignees: LG Electronics Inc.
- Applicants: LG Electronics Inc.
- Inventors: Junghun Kim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441254B2

## CPC

- D06F 33/40: of centrifugal separation of water from the laundry
- D06F 33/47: Responding to irregular working conditions, e.g. malfunctioning of pumps (safety arrangements D06F37/42)
- D06F 35/007: {for spin-drying only}
- D06F 37/22: in machines with a receptacle rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis
- D06F 39/06: Arrangements for preventing or destroying scum
- D06F 2103/24: Spin speed; Drum movements
- D06F 2103/26: Imbalance; Noise level
- D06F 2103/46: of the motor driving the drum
- D06F 2105/48: Drum speed
- D06F 2105/52: Changing sequence of operational steps; Carrying out additional operational steps; Modifying operational steps, e.g. by extending duration of steps
- D06F: LAUNDERING, DRYING, IRONING, PRESSING OR FOLDING TEXTILE ARTICLES

## Abstract

A method of controlling a washing machine includes starting driving of a motor for rotating a drum and increasing a rotation speed of the motor to a first rotation speed, increasing the rotation speed of the motor from the first rotation speed to a second rotation speed, after the rotation speed of the motor have increased to the first rotation speed, and determining whether bubbles have been generated in the drum while the rotation speed of the motor increases to the second rotation speed. A difference between the second rotation speed and the first rotation speed is greater than the first rotation speed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of controlling a washing machine, the method comprising:
starting driving of a motor for rotating a drum of the washing machine and increasing a rotation speed of the motor to a first rotation speed;
uniformly rotating the motor at the first rotation speed during a first time when the rotation speed of the motor reaches the first rotation speed;
increasing the rotation speed of the motor from the first rotation speed to a second rotation speed, after the rotation speed of the motor have increased to the first rotation speed;
uniformly rotating the motor at the second rotation speed during a second time greater than the first time when the rotation speed of the motor reaches the second rotation speed;
determining, by a microcomputer, whether bubbles have been generated in the drum during at least the increasing of the rotation speed of the motor from the first rotation speed to the second rotation speed and during the uniformly rotating of the motor at the second rotation speed during the second time, wherein the determining by the microcomputer includes a current detector to obtain an output current of the motor, and the microcomputer to compare the output current and a set current in order to make the determination;
increasing the rotation speed of the motor from the second rotation speed to a third rotation speed upon the determination that the bubbles have not been generated in the drum; and
performing an algorithm for removing the bubbles upon the determination that the bubbles have been generated in the drum,
wherein a difference between the second rotation speed and the first rotation speed is greater than the first rotation speed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first rotation speed is 100 rpm or more and the second rotation speed is 400 rpm or more.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the second rotation speed is equal to or greater than three times the first rotation speed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the rotation speed of the motor increases stepwise to the first rotation speed.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the algorithm includes:
stopping the motor in order to remove bubbles;
rotating the motor after water is supplied to the drum; and
draining water in the drum after the motor rotates.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a difference between the first rotation speed and the second rotation speed is greater than a difference between the second rotation speed and the third rotation speed.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the microcomputer determines whether bubbles have been generated in the drum while the rotation speed of the motor increases from the second rotation speed to the third rotation speed, which is greater than the first rotation speed.