Clothes dryer and method for controlling the same

A method for controlling a drying operation of a clothes dryer, the clothes dryer including a drum configured to receive a drying item, a weight detection sensor configured to detect a weight of the drying item in the drum, a moisture content detection circuit configured to obtain residual moisture content information about the drying item in the drum, and a heat pump system including a compressor, the method comprising:

• determining a category for the drying item among a plurality of categories based on the weight of the drying item detected by the weight detection sensor and the residual moisture content information about the drying item obtained by the moisture content detection circuit at a predetermined time after an initial drying cycle is initiated according to an initial control condition;
• monitoring a reduction state in the residual moisture content information about the drying item obtained by the moisture content detection circuit based on a reference time and a moisture content threshold defined corresponding to the determined category to determine a drying level for the drying item;
• and
• controlling an operation of the compressor according to an operation condition of the compressor corresponding to the determined drying level to initiate a main drying cycle,
• wherein each of the plurality of categories is defined by a combination of a plurality of weight classifications defined per a weight range of the drying item and a plurality of residual moisture content classifications defined per residual moisture content information range of the drying item.