Abstract: A washing machine and a laundry amount detection device thereof. The washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub provided in the cabinet, an elastic member to elastically support the tub at the cabinet, and a laundry amount detection device to detect an amount of laundry placed in the tub using a deformation amount of the elastic member.

Abstract: A damper including a cylinder, a piston inserted in the cylinder, a movable member disposed in the piston to be movable in the cylinder in a length direction of the cylinder, and a weight sensor mounted on an inner surface of the cylinder, facing an end of the piston, to perceive weight loaded on the piston through contact with the movable member. When applied to a washing machine, the damper is capable of perceiving accurate weight of the laundry supplied in the washing machine.

Abstract: Disclosed is an air conditioner, in which, when a temperature sensor is rotated, the rotating speed of the temperature sensor is increased or the temperature sensing cycle is elongated in a rotating section where an object does not exist rather than in a rotating section where the object exists. Further, the rotating speed of the temperature sensor is increased or the temperature sensing cycle is elongated if the object is located at a short distance from the air conditioner rather than if the object is located at a normal distance from the air conditioner, and the rotating speed of the temperature sensor is decreased or the temperature sensing cycle is shortened if the object is located at a long distance from the air conditioner rather than if the object is located at a normal distance from the air conditioner.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a refrigerator and a defrost control method thereof that are capable of sensing an amount of frost formed on an evaporator based on a change amount of absolute humidity in the refrigerator to control a defrost operation. A defrost control method of a refrigerator including a storage chamber and an evaporator to cool the storage chamber, includes sensing absolute humidity in the storage chamber, determining an estimated amount of frost formed on the evaporator using time segments in which the absolute humidity in the storage chamber decreases, and controlling a defrost operation based on the estimated amount of frost. According to the present embodiments, it is possible to perform the defrost operation at the point of time for optimum defrost, thereby maximizing energy efficiency and cooling efficiency.

Abstract: A washing machine and a laundry amount detection device thereof. The washing machine includes a cabinet, a tub provided in the cabinet, an elastic member to elastically support the tub at the cabinet, and a laundry amount detection device to detect an amount of laundry placed in the tub using a deformation amount of the elastic member.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a washing machine and a control method of the same wherein image change or light amount change based on displacement of an object, which is changed depending upon the weight of laundry, is sensed to detect the weight of the laundry, thereby improving reliability in detecting the weight of the laundry.

Abstract: A damper including a cylinder, a piston inserted in the cylinder, a movable member disposed in the piston to be movable in the cylinder in a length direction of the cylinder, and a weight sensor mounted on an inner surface of the cylinder, facing an end of the piston, to perceive weight loaded on the piston through contact with the movable member. When applied to a washing machine, the damper is capable of perceiving accurate weight of the laundry supplied in the washing machine.

Abstract: An oscillatory wave generating unit and an oscillatory wave sensing unit are installed at both ends of a refrigerant pipe of an evaporator of the cooling system, an amount of frost formed on the refrigerant pipe is determined by comparing a wave form of an oscillatory wave generated from one end of the refrigerant through the oscillatory wave generating unit and a wave form of the oscillatory wave sensed by the other one end of the refrigerant through the oscillatory wave sensing unit, and whether or not a defrosting operation is performed is determined by a result of the determination. The cooling system increases the accuracy in sensing the amount of the frost formed on the evaporator of a refrigerator, a Kimchi refrigerator, or an air conditioner, and respectively starts and ends the defrosting operation at proper points of time, thus enhancing a heat-exchanging performance and increasing energy efficiency.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a refrigerator and a defrost control method thereof that are capable of sensing an amount of frost formed on an evaporator based on a change amount of absolute humidity in the refrigerator to control a defrost operation. A defrost control method of a refrigerator including a storage chamber and an evaporator to cool the storage chamber, includes sensing absolute humidity in the storage chamber, determining an estimated amount of frost formed on the evaporator using time segments in which the absolute humidity in the storage chamber decreases, and controlling a defrost operation based on the estimated amount of frost. According to the present embodiments, it is possible to perform the defrost operation at the point of time for optimum defrost, thereby maximizing energy efficiency and cooling efficiency.

Abstract: Disclosed is an air conditioner, in which, when a temperature sensor is rotated, the rotating speed of the temperature sensor is increased or the temperature sensing cycle is elongated in a rotating section where an object does not exist rather than in a rotating section where the object exists. Further, the rotating speed of the temperature sensor is increased or the temperature sensing cycle is elongated if the object is located at a short distance from the air conditioner rather than if the object is located at a normal distance from the air conditioner, and the rotating speed of the temperature sensor is decreased or the temperature sensing cycle is shortened if the object is located at a long distance from the air conditioner rather than if the object is located at a normal distance from the air conditioner.

Abstract: Disclosed are a turbidity sensor, which correctly senses a turbidity of water although the surface of the turbidity sensor is covered with foreign substances, such as scale, and an electric home appliance having the turbidity sensor. The turbidity sensor includes a light emitting part emitting light, a first light receiving part receiving light emitted from the light emitting part and travelling straight, a second light receiving part receiving light emitted from the light emitting part and scattered, and a control unit determining a turbidity of water according to a ratio of the amounts of the light received by the plurality of light receiving parts. The first light receiving part is installed in a direction of directly receiving the light emitted from the light emitting part, and the second light receiving part is installed in another direction of not directly receiving the light emitted from the light emitting part.

Abstract: A device to detect a heat source, which can detect position of a heat source faster and more efficiently using a sensor capable of detecting a heat source, a home appliance having such a detecting device and a method of detecting a heat source are disclosed. The heat source detecting method includes performing a first mode to scan an overall area to be searched, performing a second mode to scan at least one specific region included in the area to be searched, and detecting a heat source in the area to be searched by selectively controlling a sensor the first mode and the second mode. Accordingly, a period of renewing position information of a heat source is shortened, and unnecessary detecting operation is eliminated. As a result, the heat source detecting device can more efficiently detect a heat source, using a sensor having limited performance.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method to detect a heart-rate and an air conditioning system having the apparatus. As peak points of vital signs acquired from a user are detected via determination of a period, a reliable heart rate variability is calculated based on the peak points. As the emotional state of the user can be diagnosed based on vital signs of the user, optimal air-conditioning control according to physical characteristics or emotional state of the user can be accomplished by sequentially controlling a variety of air-conditioning control factors according to the priority thereof until the user becomes comfortable.

Abstract: A compressor having a sensorless motor and a driving method thereof. The compressor includes a sensorless motor having a rotation shaft connected to a rotator, a piston for performing a compression stroke and an intake stroke between a top dead center and a bottom dead center thereof, and a crank connecting the rotation shaft to the piston. The method includes forcibly aligning the rotator such that the rotator is positioned at a start position in the intake stroke of the piston, and accelerating rotation of the forcibly aligned rotator.

Abstract: A robot cleaner and a method of controlling the same are disclosed. The robot cleaner cleans a given cleaning area simultaneously while moving in the cleaning area. The method includes detecting whether an obstacle exists in a traveling path of the robot cleaner, determining whether the detected obstacle is an edge when the obstacle is detected, cleaning a predetermined area centering around the edge when the detected obstacle is determined to be the edge, and determining whether the cleaning area is completely cleaned on the basis of information of the detected edge while cleaning the predetermined area.

Abstract: A compressor having a sensorless motor and a driving method thereof. The compressor includes a sensorless motor having a rotation shaft connected to a rotator, a piston for performing a compression stroke and an intake stroke between a top dead center and a bottom dead center thereof, and a crank connecting the rotation shaft to the piston. The method includes forcibly aligning the rotator such that the rotator is positioned at a start position in the intake stroke of the piston, and accelerating rotation of the forcibly aligned rotator.

Abstract: A startup control method of a BLDC motor is disclosed. The method can control the BLDC motor to prevent the generation of a transient current such that the vibration of the BLDC motor can be reduced at the startup stage and perform a stable conversion into a sensorless operation mode such that the startup failure rate of the BLDC motor can be reduced. The startup control method includes commutating a current applied to stator windings according to a rotor position. The method of operating the BLDC motor includes a rotor position that is forcibly aligned and so that phase commutation is performed, a back-electromotive force (back-emf) is detected from a lead voltage of a phase of a voltage which is not applied thereto after performing phase commutation and a determination is performed as to whether the detected back-emf is in a rising interval.