JPH057039B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a washing machine with improved control methods for processes such as washing, rinsing, and spin-drying.

[Technical background of the invention]

In recent years, washing machines have been provided in which processes such as washing, rinsing, and spin-drying are controlled by microcomputers. In this method, multiple washing courses with different execution conditions such as the execution time and number of repetitions of each process or combinations of each process are programmed and stored in the ROM in advance, and the desired program is read from the ROM using a course selection switch. is configured to do this.

[Problems with background technology]

However, with the above configuration, only programs stored in advance in the ROM can be executed, so the types of programs are limited, and there is a problem in that laundry cannot be performed in a manner that precisely corresponds to the type of laundry and the degree of dirt. In addition, if a larger number of programs than before are stored in the ROM in order to deal with this problem, the number of course selection switches and course display devices will increase accordingly, making operations complicated and the display difficult to read. will occur.

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine that can perform detailed washing according to the type of laundry without complicating the operation as much as possible.

[Summary of the invention]

The present invention provides a communication means that enables communication between an internal microcomputer and an external computer, and inputs an optimal program according to the type of laundry from the external computer to make the process practical. Has characteristics.

[Embodiments of the invention]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a dehydrating and washing machine will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, in Fig. 1, the area surrounded by a dashed line shows the control circuit configuration installed inside washing machine A, where 1 is a microprocessor that constitutes a microcomputer, 2 is a ROM, and 3 is a ROM.
RAM, 4 is a controlled unit consisting of a motor, water supply valve, drain valve, etc. (not shown). ROM2 includes, for example, a "standard course" that includes a series of well-known steps such as washing, rinsing, and dehydration; a "savings course" that shortens the execution time of each step compared to this "standard course";
Each washing course is programmed and stored in advance: a ``wash only course'' in which only the washing process is executed, a ``dehydration only course'' in which only the dehydration process is executed, and a ``drainage course'' in which the drain valve is opened. 5 is a sensor group consisting of a water level sensor that detects the water level in a rotating tub for washing and dewatering, and an abnormal vibration detection sensor that detects abnormal shaking during spin-drying of the rotating tub; 6;
is the input section provided on the operation panel 7 (see Figure 2) of the washing machine A, and this is the input section for the start/stop switch 8.
and five course selection switches 9. Therefore, the power switch 1 provided on the operation panel 7
0 and turns on the desired course selection switch 9, the program of the washing course corresponding to the course selection switch 9 is read out from the ROM 2, and the controlled section 4 is controlled by the microprocessor 1 to execute its program. The program is executed. 1
Reference numeral 1 denotes a display group, which includes six course display lamps 12, a seven-segment display 13, and a communication display lamp 14 provided on the operation panel 7. Five of the six course display lamps 12 are provided corresponding to each of the course selection switches 9, and light up to display the selected washing course when the corresponding course selection switch 9 is turned on. However, the remaining one lights up when executing a program input from external computer B, which will be described later. The 7-segment display 13 displays the remaining time of the washing cycle being executed, and the communication display lamp 14 blinks during communication between the microprocessor 1 and the external computer B.

Now, 15 is an interface which is a communication means, and this is for communicating between the microprocessor 1 built in the washing machine A and the external computer B. The data transfer method is preferably RS.
Standardized methods such as -232C and GB-IB are used. On the other hand, the external computer B is, for example, a personal computer, and generally, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
16, ROM17, RAM18, keyboard 19,
It is configured to include a display 20 and an interface 21. Then, such external computer B is interface 1 in washing machine A.
5 via a cable 22 (see FIG. 3).

Next, the operation of the above structure will be explained with reference to FIG. When making a standard selection, if you turn on the power switch 10 and do not operate the external computer B, the washing machine A will automatically enter the standalone operation mode, and then turn the course selection switch 9 on the operation panel 7. Turn on the desired one to select and execute one of the five washing courses. On the other hand, among various kinds of laundry items, there are some items for which it is inappropriate to wash them using the standard washing cycle. For example, as is well known, when washing wool sweaters in a washing machine, it is desirable to perform the washing and rinsing processes with the weakest water flow possible, and to complete the dehydration process in a short time. Some programs stored in ROM2 in advance cannot be executed, and even such programs cannot be executed in advance.
If they were to be stored in the ROM 2, the number of momentum course selection switches 7 would be extremely large, which would actually make the washing machine less convenient to use. In the case of executing such a special program, in this embodiment, the following procedure is performed. That is, the user turns on the power switch 10 of the washing machine A and then operates the external computer B. This puts the washing machine A into the communication mode, so you can operate the keyboard 19 to select an appropriate program from among the various programs prestored in the ROM 17 or RAM 18, or operate the keyboard 19 to select an appropriate program. , and then issues a program transmission command. Then, the program is stored in RAM 3 in washing machine A through interface 15 and microprocessor 1. After that, when a start command is issued from external computer B,
The process is executed based on the program stored in the RAM 3, and appropriate washing is performed according to the type and amount of laundry. Additionally, during execution of this process, if an abnormal situation occurs such as poor drainage or abnormal shaking of the rotating tub during spin-drying, data will be transferred from the microprocessor 1 of the washing machine A to the external computer B via the interface 15. The data is transferred to an external computer B, where the abnormal situation is analyzed and processes such as correcting the unbalanced load of the rotating tank and reporting an abnormality are performed.

In this embodiment, the program transmitted from external computer B is temporarily stored in RAM 3 of washing machine A.
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and programs transmitted from the external computer B may be sequentially executed via the microprocessor 1 without being stored in the RAM 3.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention provides a communication means that enables communication between a microcomputer built in a washing machine and an external computer, and processes such as washing, rinsing, and spin-drying based on a program input from the external computer. Since we have made it possible to run the machine, it is possible to carry out laundry using an appropriate program that corresponds in detail to the type of laundry, etc., and even if special fibers that have never existed before appear, it has the excellent effect of being able to deal with it flexibly. play.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the control circuit, Fig. 2 is a front view of the operation panel, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the entire device in use, and Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the control circuit.
The figure is a flowchart. In the drawings, 1 is a microprocessor (microcomputer), 15 is an interface (communication means), A is a washing machine, and B is an external computer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 In a device equipped with a microcomputer that controls processes such as washing, rinsing, and dehydration, a communication means is provided to enable communication between the microcomputer and an external computer, and the process is controlled based on a program input from the external computer. A washing machine characterized by being able to run.