Abstract: A home appliance and a home appliance system are provided. The home appliance receives input of a sound including update information, and updates a product operating program. The home appliance system receives a sound including product information from the home appliance, judges whether to update the product operating program of the home appliance, and transmits update information.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a home appliance diagnosis system and to a method for operating same, wherein product information is output in a predetermined signal sound by a home appliance product, and the signal sound is transmitted via a communication network connected to a remote service center to enable the service center to easily check the state of the home appliance product. In addition, the product information is encoded into a predetermined format and modulated to enable sound to be outputted by the home appliance product, thereby preventing noise or signal errors. The present invention enables stable signal modulation and accurate sound output, and enables the easy recovery of the sound transmitted to the service center via the communication network.

Abstract: A home appliance and a home appliance system are disclosed. Product information and status information of the home appliance are converted into at least one transmission acoustic signal, and a sound corresponding to the at least one transmission acoustic signal is output to the outside. The product information and status information are formed as a digital signal and stored in a storage device. The digital signal is encoded through a conversion device, and converted into at least one transmission acoustic signal. The at least one transmission acoustic signal is formed as an analog signal. Meanwhile, the at least one transmission acoustic signal can be dividedly formed.

Abstract: A home appliance and home appliance system are provided. The home appliance may include an input device, through which an input signal is received from a user, and a control panel, into which the input device is inserted and connected, including a sound through-hole through which sound information passes. The home appliance may further include a sound output device disposed on a rear surface of the control panel that outputs the sound information corresponding to product information of the home appliance through the sound through-hole to outside of the home appliance. A gap may be formed between the input device and the sound through-hole into which the input device is inserted. Therefore, the sound information output from the sound output device may be transmitted to the outside through the gap. The home appliance may further include a sound guide, such that the sound information transmitted from the sound output device may be efficiently transmitted to the sound through-hole.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a home appliance diagnosis system and to a method for operating same, wherein product information is output in a predetermined signal sound by a home appliance product, and the signal sound is transmitted via a communication network connected to a remote service center to enable the service center to easily check the state of the home appliance product. In addition, the product information is encoded into a predetermined format and modulated to enable sound to be outputted by the home appliance product, thereby preventing noise or signal errors. The present invention enables stable signal modulation and accurate sound output, and enables the easy recovery of the sound transmitted to the service center via the communication network.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a laundry machine and a method for controlling the same. The laundry machine includes a control panel having a main selection unit for selecting one from a plurality of washing courses, one or more than one sub-selection units for adjusting step conditions in one or more than one course selected by the main selection unit thus, and a plurality of light emission units for illuminating the main selection unit and the sub-selection unit selectively, and a control unit for driving the laundry machine according to the course and the step conditions selected thus, and controlling to illuminate the main selection unit and the sub-selection units in succession according to a handle order, thereby permitting the user to handle the laundry machine, easily.

Abstract: A washing machine and an operating method thereof are provided. The washing machine detects an input voltage, and increases or reduces a wash time according to the input voltage. Thus, the washing machine can precisely calculate a wash time by reflecting a heating time that varies according to the input voltage. In addition, the washing machine can improve user convenience by enabling a user to easily determine the progress of a washing operation and the end time of the washing operation.

Abstract: A home appliance and home appliance system are provided. The home appliance may include an input device, through which an input signal is received from a user, and a control panel, into which the input device is inserted and connected, including a sound through-hole through which sound information passes. The home appliance may further include a sound output device disposed on a rear surface of the control panel that outputs the sound information corresponding to product information of the home appliance through the sound through-hole to outside of the home appliance. A gap may be formed between the input device and the sound through-hole into which the input device is inserted. Therefore, the sound information output from the sound output device may be transmitted to the outside through the gap. The home appliance may further include a sound guide, such that the sound information transmitted from the sound output device may be efficiently transmitted to the sound through-hole.

Abstract: A system and method for diagnosing a home appliance are disclosed. The home appliance outputs product information as a sound signal, and transmits the sound signal over a communication network, such that a service center of a remote site easily checks a status of the home appliance. The home appliance outputs the sound signal including a large amount of product information, and the diagnostic server of the service center diagnoses a status of the home appliance using a large amount of product information contained in the sound signal, such that it recognizes a detailed cause of a fault of the home appliance and greatly increases the diagnosis accuracy.

Abstract: A capacitive switch of an electric/electronic device is provided. The capacitive switch includes a plurality of contacts which are disposed at a front of a control panel; a plurality of capacitive sensors which are disposed at a rear of the control panel, respectively face the contacts, and detect capacitance variations caused by static electricity that affects the contacts; and a plurality of void removal elements which are respectively disposed between the capacitive sensors and the contacts, remove a plurality of voids between the capacitive sensors and the contacts, and are formed of an elastic material so as to be able to compensate for various sized voids. Therefore, it is possible to easily remove various sized voids between the contacts and the capacitive sensors using the void removal elements, to prevent malfunction of the capacitive sensors due to the existence of voids, and to provide various shapes of control panels and various shapes of printed circuit boards.

Abstract: A home appliance system includes a home appliance outputting product information as a sound and a mobile terminal confirming the product information based on the sound. The mobile terminal can receive the sound, convert the sound into the product information and output the product information to an external user and a repairman.

Abstract: A home appliance and a home appliance system are provided. The home appliance receives input of a sound including update information, and updates a product operating program. The home appliance system receives a sound including product information from the home appliance, judges whether to update the product operating program of the home appliance, and transmits update information.

Abstract: A home appliance and a home appliance system are provided which control a sound output from an output device upon receipt of an external command signal of ON or OFF. Further, the home appliance and home appliance system control a sequence of output of an acoustic signal output from a conversion device. Accordingly, it may be possible to notify a user of the outputting of the acoustic signal by controlling the sequence of output of the acoustic signal, thereby increasing user convenience.

Abstract: A home appliance and a home appliance system are disclosed. Product information and status information of the home appliance are converted into at least one transmission acoustic signal, and a sound corresponding to the at least one transmission acoustic signal is output to the outside. The product information and status information are formed as a digital signal and stored in a storage device. The digital signal is encoded through a conversion device, and converted into at least one transmission acoustic signal. The at least one transmission acoustic signal is formed as an analog signal. Meanwhile, the at least one transmission acoustic signal can be dividedly formed.

Abstract: A washing machine is provided that performs washing using a new washing course employed in the latest washing machine without any change in the mechanical components of the washing machine, by providing a means to update operational data related to the operation of the washing machine. The washing machine may include a controller that controls the washing machine using electric signals, and an internal storage device that stores operational data of the controller. An external device that stores upload operational data, which is distinguished from the operational data may be electrically connected to the controller so that a function of the operational data may be replaced with the upload operational data.

Abstract: A capacitive switch of an electric/electronic device is provided. The capacitive switch includes a plurality of contacts which are disposed at a front of a control panel; a plurality of capacitive sensors which are disposed at a rear of the control panel, respectively face the contacts, and detect capacitance variations caused by static electricity that affects the contacts; and a plurality of void removal elements which are respectively disposed between the capacitive sensors and the contacts, remove a plurality of voids between the capacitive sensors and the contacts, and are formed of an elastic material so as to be able to compensate for various sized voids. Therefore, it is possible to easily remove various sized voids between the contacts and the capacitive sensors using the void removal elements, to prevent malfunction of the capacitive sensors due to the existence of voids, and to provide various shapes of control panels and various shapes of printed circuit boards.

Abstract: A washing machine and an operating method thereof are provided. The washing machine detects an input voltage, and increases or reduces a wash time according to the input voltage. Thus, the washing machine can precisely calculate a wash time by reflecting a heating time that varies according to the input voltage. In addition, the washing machine can improve user convenience by enabling a user to easily determine the progress of a washing operation and the end time of the washing operation.