Patent ID: 6760942
Filing Date: 2004-07-13
Classification: D06F

Abstract:
An inverter washing machine for determining a washing pattern for a load of laundry, said inverter washing machine comprising:a motor and a washing tub; means for setting a washing pattern algorithm in connection with a laundry amount sensing pattern and a laundry material sensing pattern, and performing a washing mode of the washing machine according to the set washing pattern algorithm, wherein said means for setting the washing pattern algorithm includes a microcomputer; means for generating a motor drive signal to drive the motor in the laundry amount sensing pattern without supplying wash water to the washing tub if the load of laundry is within the washing tub and a washing start command through a key command is initiated; means for turning off the motor after a predetermined period of time has elapsed to cause the motor to make a plurality of surplus rotations owing to inertia; means for generating and processing signals indicative of an amount of the load of laundry based on said surplus rotations and determining the amount of the load of laundry, wherein said means for generating signals includes a hall sensor producing output signals serving as interrupt signals; means for supplying wash water to the washing tub to a predetermined level based on said amount of the load of laundry; means for driving the motor in the laundry material sensing pattern to judge a material type of the load of laundry if said predetermined level has been supplied; means for measuring a voltage variation occurring when the motor is driven in the material sensing pattern and determining a material type of said load of laundry on the basis of the measured voltage variation, wherein said means for measuring the voltage variation includes a DC link terminal connected to a switch performing a switching operation to drive said motor and generate a voltage variation sense signal in accordance with the measured voltage variation; means for setting a washing pattern including a washing time, and a washing speed for the load of laundry based on said material type of said load of laundry; and means for performing a washing mode based on the washing pattern, wherein said means for supplying wash water, means for driving said motor in the laundry material sensing pattern, and means for measuring the voltage variation applied across the DC link terminal connected to the switch performing the switching operation to drive said motor and generating the voltage variation sense signal in accordance with the measured result includes a voltage variation sensing device having a pair of resistors connected in series to said DC link terminal and a sensing point being positioned between the resistors for monitoring voltage variation to generate said voltage variation sense signal.