Patent ID: 8321982

Claim:
A method of operating a laundry machine, comprising: (a) supplying water to a steam generator to perform a steam washing mode which uses steam; (b) supplying steam into a drum by generating heat from a heater of the steam generator; and (c) detecting an abnormal operation of the laundry machine while the step (a) or (b) is carried out, the step (c) including detecting the abnormal supply of water to the steam generator; (d) stopping a power supply to the steam generator whereupon the abnormal operation of the laundry machine is detected; and (f) switching from the steam washing mode to a normal washing mode which does not use the steam generator and programmed previously for the abnormality detection whereupon the abnormal operation of the laundry machine is detected, and performing the normal washing mode without deactivating the laundry machine, after step (d), wherein the normal washing mode further comprises heating the water using a water heater instead of the steam generator until an internal temperature of the tub reaches a predetermined temperature.