Home appliance having display apparatus and controlling method thereof

Abstract

A home appliance according to one embodiment comprises a display apparatus for projecting an image that displays state information of the home appliance, the display apparatus including a light source and an image projection unit for projecting the image, and may comprise: a reflectivity detection sensor for detecting the reflectivity of a projection surface onto which the image is projected; an illuminance detection sensor for detecting the brightness of the vicinity of the home appliance; and a control unit for determining, on the basis of the reflectivity of the projection surface and the brightness of the vicinity of the home appliance, the minimum value of the brightness of the image projected onto the projection surface, and controlling the light source such that the image having brightness of the determined minimum value or greater is projected onto the projection surface.

Description

Home appliance including a display device and a control method therefor

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a device in which a display is displayed by a beam projector and a home appliance including the same.

[0002] Home appliances are mainly devices installed in the user's home to help with the user's household chores, such as refrigerators, air conditioners, air purifiers, vacuum cleaners, cooking appliances, dishwashers, clothes managers, and washing machines.

[0003] The home appliance may include a display device that allows a user to check the operating status of the home appliance.

[0004] The display device can display a display through a display unit provided in a home appliance, or can display a display by projecting light onto an external area of ​​the home appliance through a beam projector function (image projection function).

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a home appliance including a display device capable of improving the visibility of an image projected in various environments by adjusting the brightness of the image projected in consideration of the reflectivity of the projection surface on which the image is projected and the brightness of the surroundings, and a method for controlling the same.

[0006] The technical problems to be achieved in this document are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0007] According to one aspect of the disclosed invention, a home appliance includes a display device that projects an image indicating status information of the home appliance, wherein the display device includes a light source; an image projection unit that projects the image; and the home appliance may include a reflectivity detection sensor that detects reflectivity of a projection surface on which the image is projected; an illuminance detection sensor that detects brightness around the home appliance; and a control unit that determines a minimum value of brightness of an image projected onto the projection surface based on the reflectivity of the projection surface and the brightness around the home appliance, and controls the light source so that an image having a brightness equal to or greater than the determined minimum value is projected onto the projection surface.

[0008] A method for controlling a home appliance according to one aspect of the disclosed invention may include detecting a reflectivity of a projection surface on which the image is projected; detecting brightness around the home appliance; determining a minimum value of brightness of an image projected onto the projection surface based on the reflectivity of the projection surface and the brightness around the home appliance; and controlling a light source so that an image having a brightness equal to or greater than the determined minimum value is projected onto the projection surface.

[0009] FIG. 1 is a drawing illustrating a system kitchen in which a dishwasher is installed in a built-in manner according to one embodiment.

[0010] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a dishwasher with the door open according to one embodiment.

[0011] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a dishwasher according to one embodiment.

[0012] Figure 4 is a control block diagram of a dishwasher according to one embodiment.

[0013] Figure 5 is a conceptual diagram of a display device according to one embodiment.

[0014] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a display device according to one embodiment.

[0015] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a display device according to one embodiment.

[0016] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to one embodiment.

[0017] Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of a housing of a display device according to one embodiment.

[0018] Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of a second housing of a display device according to one embodiment.

[0019] Figure 11 is a control block diagram of a home appliance according to one embodiment.

[0020] Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling a home appliance according to one embodiment.

[0021] Figures 13 to 15 are flowcharts showing how to determine the minimum brightness value of a projected image based on the reflectivity of the projection surface and the brightness of the surroundings according to one embodiment.

[0022] Figure 16 is a drawing showing an example of the minimum brightness value of an image according to the reflectivity of the projection surface and the brightness of the surroundings according to one embodiment.

[0023] It should be understood that the various embodiments and terms used in this document are not intended to limit the technical features described in this document to specific embodiments, but rather to include various modifications, equivalents, or substitutes of the embodiments.

[0024] In connection with the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used for similar or related components.

[0025] The singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of said items, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0026] In this document, each of the phrases "A or B", "at least one of A and B", "at least one of A or B", "A, B, or C", "at least one of A, B, and C", and "at least one of A, B, or C" may include any one of the items listed together in that phrase, or all possible combinations thereof.

[0027] The term "and / or" includes any combination of a plurality of related described elements or any one of a plurality of related described elements.

[0028] Terms such as "first," "second," or "first" or "second" may be used simply to distinguish one component from another and do not qualify the components in any other respect (e.g., importance or order).

[0029] When a component (e.g., a first component) is referred to as being "coupled" or "connected" to another component (e.g., a second component), with or without the terms "functionally" or "communicatively," it means that the component can be connected to the other component directly (e.g., wired), wirelessly, or through a third component.

[0030] The terms "include" or "have" are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in this document, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0031] When a component is said to be “connected,” “coupled,” “supported,” or “in contact with” another component, this includes not only cases where the components are directly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact, but also cases where the components are indirectly connected, coupled, supported, or in contact through a third component.

[0032] When we say that a component is "on" another component, this includes not only cases where the component is in contact with the other component, but also cases where there is another component between the two components.

[0033] Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0034] The description of the present invention uses a dishwasher (1) as an example of a home appliance, but it can be applied to various home appliances such as a washing machine, refrigerator, oven, microwave oven, and air conditioner.

[0035] Meanwhile, the terms “up-down direction,” “lower side,” and “front-back direction” used in the following description are defined based on the directional arrows in Fig. 1, and the shape and position of each component are not limited by these terms.

[0036] FIG. 1 is a drawing showing a system kitchen in which a dishwasher is installed in a built-in manner according to one embodiment, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a dishwasher with a door open according to one embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a dishwasher according to one embodiment.

[0037] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, for example, a system kitchen may include a cabinet (S) having a storage space (R). The cabinet (S) may include a counter in the shape of a flat plate for cooking and a sink for washing dishes or preparing ingredients.

[0038] The storage space (R) can be divided into compartments by internal partitions, etc., and the divided storage space (R) can be opened and closed by various panels (P) forming the front of the cabinet (S).

[0039] A system kitchen may be equipped with appliances that are built-in to the system kitchen.

[0040] For example, a system kitchen may have a dishwasher (1) built-in. The dishwasher (1) is placed in a portion of a partitioned storage space (R), and the storage space (R) in which the dishwasher (1) is placed can be opened and closed by a front panel (90) placed on the front of the dishwasher (1) among various panels (P).

[0041] For example, in addition to a dishwasher (1), other types of home appliances such as an oven or microwave oven can be stored in the storage space (R).

[0042] For example, a dishwasher (1) may be placed in a storage space formed on the inside of an art wall in an indoor space other than a system kitchen, and the storage space in which the dishwasher (1) is stored may be opened and closed by a panel forming the art wall.

[0043] For example, the storage space formed inside the art wall can store other types of home appliances such as a dishwasher (1), an air conditioner, a washing machine, a dryer, an oven, and a microwave oven.

[0044] For example, a dishwasher (1) may be placed in an internal space formed inside a storage cabinet such as a system kitchen or an art wall, and the storage space may be opened and closed by a door of the storage cabinet.

[0045] For example, the storage space formed inside the cabinet can store other types of home appliances such as a dishwasher (1), an air conditioner, a washing machine, a dryer, an oven, and a microwave oven.

[0046] However, the following description uses a dishwasher (1) stored in a system kitchen as an example, and the features described below can be applied to home appliances stored in various forms described above.

[0047] The dishwasher (1) may include a tub (12) provided inside the main body (10). The tub (12) may be provided in a roughly box shape. One side of the tub (12) may be open. The tub (12) may include an opening (12a). As an example, the tub (12) may be open toward a first direction (X) that is forward.

[0048] The dishwasher (1) may further include a door (20) provided to open and close the opening (12a) of the tub (12). The door (20) may be installed on the main body (10) to open and close the opening (12a) of the tub (12). The door (20) may be installed on the main body (10) to be rotatable through a member such as a hinge (25). The door (20) may be detachably mounted from the main body (10).

[0049] For example, the door (20) may be hinged to the lower part of the main body (10) so as to be rotatable. The rotation axis of the hinge (25) may be extended in the second direction (Y), which is the left-right direction of the main body (10), so that the door (20) may be rotated forward and backward in the front of the main body (10).

[0050] For example, the door (20) may be hinge-coupled to a hinge provided on the left or right side of the main body (10) in the second direction (Y) on the front side of the main body (10). The door (20) may be arranged to rotate from the second direction (Y) to the first direction (X) by a hinge provided on the left and / or right side of the main body (10).

[0051] The door (20) may include an outer surface (22) that forms the outer side of the door (20) and is coupled to the front panel (90) and an inner surface (21) that faces the inside of the tub (12) when the door (20) closes the tub (12).

[0052] The dishwasher (1) may further include a storage container provided inside the tub (12) to store dishes. The storage container may include a plurality of baskets (51, 52, 53).

[0053] The storage container may include a middle basket (52) positioned in the middle in the height direction of the dishwasher (1) and a lower basket (51) positioned in the lower part in the height direction of the dishwasher (1). The middle basket (52) may be provided to be supported by a middle guide rack (13b). The lower basket (51) may be provided to be supported by a lower guide rack (13a). The middle guide rack (13b) and the lower guide rack (13a) may be installed on a side surface (12d) of the tub (12) so as to be slidable toward the opening (12a) of the tub (12). The side surface (12d) of the tub (12) may include an inner surface of a right wall and an inner surface of a left wall of the tub (12).

[0054] Tableware of relatively large volume can be stored in the lower basket (51) and the middle basket (52). However, the types of tableware stored in the lower and middle baskets (51, 52) are not limited to tableware of relatively large volume. That is, not only tableware of relatively large volume but also tableware of relatively small volume can be stored in the plurality of baskets (51, 52, 53).

[0055] The storage container may include an upper basket (53) positioned at the upper portion in the height direction of the dishwasher (1). The upper basket (53) is formed in the form of a rack assembly so that relatively small dishes can be stored therein. For example, cooking tools or cutlery such as ladles, knives, and spatulas can be stored in the upper basket (53), and small cups such as espresso cups can be stored in the rack assembly. However, the types of dishes stored in the upper basket (53) are not limited to the above examples.

[0056] The upper basket (53) may be provided to be supported by an upper guide rack (13c). The upper guide rack (13c) may be installed on the side (12d) of the tub (12). For example, the upper basket (53) may be slidably moved by the upper guide rack (13c) and may be introduced into or withdrawn from the washing room (C).

[0057] The storage container is not limited to the shape illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, and may not include an upper basket (53) depending on the size of the tub (12). For example, the storage container may be implemented with only a middle basket (52) and a lower basket (51).

[0058] The dishwasher (1) may include a washing room (C), which is a space formed inside the tub (12). The washing room (C) may be defined as an inner space of the tub (12). The washing room (C) may be formed as a space surrounded by the lower surface (12b), the upper surface (12c), and the side surface (12d) of the tub (12), and the inner surface (21) of the door (20) when the tub (12) is closed.

[0059] The washing room (C) may refer to a space where dishes placed in baskets (51, 52, 53) can be washed and dried using washing water.

[0060] The dishwasher (1) may include a spray device (40) configured to spray washing water. The spray device (40) may receive washing water from a sump assembly (70).

[0061] The injection device (40) may include a plurality of injection units (41, 42, 43).

[0062] For example, the plurality of spray units (41, 42, 43) may include a first spray unit (41) disposed at the bottom of the lower basket (51) in the height direction of the dishwasher (1), a second spray unit (42) disposed at the bottom of the middle basket (52) in the height direction of the dishwasher (1), and a third spray unit (43) disposed at the top of the upper basket (53) in the height direction of the dishwasher (1).

[0063] Each of the plurality of spray units (41, 42, 43) may be arranged to spray washing water while rotating. Each of the first spray unit (41), the second spray unit (42), and the third spray unit (43) may be arranged to spray washing water while rotating. The plurality of spray units (41, 42, 43) may be referred to as a plurality of spray rotors. Each of the first spray unit (41), the second spray unit (42), and the third spray unit (43) may be referred to as a first spray rotor (41), a second spray rotor (42), and a third spray rotor (43).

[0064] The spray device (40) may spray the washing water in a different manner from the above-described example. For example, the first spray unit (41), unlike the second spray unit (42) and the third spray unit (43), may be fixed to one side of the lower surface (12b) of the tub (12). The first spray unit (41) is arranged to spray the washing water in a substantially horizontal direction by means of a fixed nozzle, and the washing water sprayed in a horizontal direction from the nozzle of the first spray unit (41) may have its direction changed by means of a switching assembly (not shown) disposed inside the washing chamber (C) and may move upward. The switching assembly may be installed on a rail by means of a holder and may be arranged to be translationally movable along the rail.

[0065] The dishwasher (1) may include a sump assembly (70).

[0066] A sump assembly (70) may be provided to receive wash water. The sump assembly (70) may collect wash water from a wash room (C). For example, to ensure smooth water collection in the sump assembly (70), the lower surface (12b) of the tub (12) may be provided to slope downward toward the sump assembly (70). Wash water from the wash room (C) may flow along the slope of the lower surface (12b) of the tub (12) and smoothly flow into the sump assembly (70).

[0067] The sump assembly (70) may include a circulation pump (30) that pumps wash water stored in the sump assembly (70) to the spray device (40).

[0068] The sump assembly (70) may include a drain pump (60) that drains the wash water and foreign substances (e.g., food waste, etc.) remaining in the sump assembly (70).

[0069] The sump assembly (70) can pump the collected wash water and provide it to the spray device (40). The sump assembly (70) can be connected to the spray device (40) to supply the wash water to the spray device (40).

[0070] The sump assembly (70) can be independently connected to the first injection unit (41), the second injection unit (42), and the third injection unit (43), respectively. For example, the sump assembly (70) can be independently connected to each of the connectors connected to the first injection unit (41), the second injection unit (42), and the third injection unit (43). The connectors can be provided in the shape of a connection port, a duct, or the like.

[0071] For example, the second injection unit (42) and the third injection unit (43) may be configured as a single connector, and in this case, the washing water provided through the single connector may flow into the connector. The washing water introduced into the connector may be branched during flow and provided to at least one of the second injection unit (42) and the third injection unit (43).

[0072] The dishwasher (1) may include a switching device (not shown) that selectively supplies washing water to the spray device (40). The switching device (not shown) may be driven to selectively supply washing water to each connector connected to each spray device (41, 42, 43). For example, the switching device (not shown) may selectively supply washing water to at least one of the connector connected to the first spray device (41) and the connector connected to the second spray device (42).

[0073] The dishwasher (1) may include a machine room (M), which is a space provided below the tub (12). The machine room (M) may be a place where a configuration for circulating washing water is arranged.

[0074] For example, at least a portion of the sump assembly (70) may be placed in the machine room (M). Most of the sump assembly (70) may be placed in the machine room (M).

[0075] The dishwasher (1) may include a detergent drawer (80) provided to inject detergent into the tub (12).

[0076] For example, a dishwasher (1) may include a display unit that displays the operating status of the dishwasher (1) at the front of the dishwasher (1). However, since the front panel (90) is placed at the front of the dishwasher (1), the display unit may be formed small or may not be exposed from the outside, making it difficult for a user to recognize the display unit.

[0077] For example, the dishwasher (1) may not include a display unit that displays the status toward the front of the dishwasher (1) by a front panel (90) placed on the front of the dishwasher (1).

[0078] For example, a dishwasher (1) may include a display device (100) that displays an image (I) on the floor (B) on which the dishwasher (1) is installed. As described above, since the status of the dishwasher (1) cannot be displayed forward due to the front panel (90) arranged on the front of the dishwasher (1), the display device (100) may be arranged to display the status of the dishwasher (1) by projecting the image (I) onto the floor (B).

[0079] For example, a display device (100) may be configured to project light irradiated from a light source onto an image, etc., so that an image (I) is displayed externally.

[0080] For example, the display device (100) may be placed on the inside of the door (20).

[0081] For example, the display device (100) may be placed on the inner side of the outer surface (22) of the door (20).

[0082] For example, the display device (100) may be placed on the rear side of the front panel (90).

[0083] For example, the display device (100) may be placed on the outside of the dishwasher (1). The display device (100) may receive information about the status of the dishwasher (1) via wireless communication and display the status of the dishwasher (1) as an image (I).

[0084] For example, the display device (100) may be placed on the rear of the front panel (90) and spaced apart from the dishwasher (1).

[0085] For example, the display device (100) may be placed in a different space from the dishwasher (1). The display device (100) may receive information about the status of the dishwasher (1) via wireless communication and display the status of the dishwasher (1) as an image (I). For example, when the dishwasher (1) is placed in the kitchen of the interior space, the display device (100) may be placed in the living room. For example, the display device (100) may be placed on the inner side of the art wall of the living room or the wall forming the living room to project the image (I) onto the floor of the living room.

[0086] However, below, a type in which the display device (100) is placed on the inner side of the outer surface (22) is described as an example.

[0087] FIG. 4 is a control block diagram of a dishwasher according to one embodiment, FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram of a display device according to one embodiment, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a display device according to one embodiment, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a display device according to one embodiment, and FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to one embodiment.

[0088] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the display device (100) may include an image forming unit (1000) that forms an image (I).

[0089] For example, the display device (100) may include a display control unit (900) that controls the display device (100). The display control unit (900) may control the display device (100) to perform an operation by transmitting / receiving signals with the main control unit (9) of the dishwasher (1).

[0090] For example, the display control unit (900) may be provided as a component of the main control unit (9) of the dishwasher (1), or may be provided as a component separate from the main control unit (9) and may be provided to communicate with the main control unit (9) by wire or wirelessly.

[0091] The display control unit (900) may include at least one memory and at least one processor to perform the operations described above and the operations described below.

[0092] For example, the memory and the processor may be implemented as separate chips. For example, the processor may include one or more processor chips or one or more processing cores. For example, the memory may include one or more memory chips or one or more memory blocks. For example, the memory and the processor may be implemented as a single chip.

[0093] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the image forming unit (1000) may include a light source (1100).

[0094] The image forming unit (1000) may include a display device (1200) through which light generated from a light source (1100) is transmitted and an image (i1) is displayed.

[0095] The image forming unit (1000) may include an illumination lens (1300) that focuses light generated from a light source (1100) onto a display device (1200).

[0096] The image forming unit (1000) may include a reflector (1400) that guides light generated from a light source (1100) to a lighting lens (1300).

[0097] The image forming unit (1000) may include a printed circuit board (1500) on which chips constituting the above-described memory and processor are mounted.

[0098] The display device (100) may include a control unit (2000) including a refractive lens (2100) provided to control the size of an image formed in an image forming unit (1000).

[0099] The control unit (2000) may be provided to control the size and focus of the image (I) projected onto the floor (B) by controlling the size of the image (I) displayed on the display device (1200).

[0100] The control unit (2000) may be arranged so that an image (I) larger in size than the image (I) displayed on the display device (1200) is projected onto the floor (B).

[0101] The control unit (2000) may be provided to adjust the focus of the image (I) projected onto the floor (B) to increase the user's visibility of the image (I).

[0102] The control unit (2000) may be provided to move relative to the image forming unit (1000) to adjust the focus of the image (I) displayed on the floor (B).

[0103] When an image formed in the image forming unit (1000) is transmitted to the control unit (2000), the distance between the image forming unit (1000) and the control unit (2000) is adjusted by the movement of the control unit (2000), and accordingly, the size and focus of the image (I) displayed on the floor (B) can be adjusted.

[0104] For example, the control unit (2000) may be positioned lower than the image forming unit (1000) and may be arranged to move up and down relative to the image forming unit (1000) so that the size and focus of the image (I) displayed on the floor (B) are adjusted.

[0105] The display device (100) may include a housing (3000) in which an image forming unit (1000) and a control unit (2000) are housed.

[0106] In the case of a display device that projects an image, a certain distance from the display device at which the image is displayed is required, and a certain optical path (lp1) is required between the image forming unit and the control unit to project the image according to the distance.

[0107] Accordingly, the display device is formed with a housing for covering the image forming unit, the control unit, and the light path (lp1), respectively, and the volume of the display device may increase as each housing is spaced apart from each other.

[0108] In the case of a display device of the beam projector type for indicating the status of a home appliance, since it projects an image to the lower front side of the home appliance, it is placed on the lower front side of the home appliance, and preferably, it can be placed on the inside of the door of the home appliance or the panel of the home appliance forming the front side.

[0109] At this time, as the volume of the display device increases, it becomes difficult to place the display device on the door of the home appliance or inside the panel of the home appliance.

[0110] If the optical path (lp1) between the image forming unit and the control unit is shortened or limited to a certain length in order to reduce the volume of the display device, the resolution of the image displayed on the floor may be reduced because the focal range of the image displayed on the floor is limited, and the location where the display device is installed is limited, making it difficult to install the display device.

[0111] For example, the display device (100) is arranged to solve the above-described problem by being arranged in a housing (3000) in which the image forming unit (1000), the control unit (2000), and the optical path (lp1) between the image forming unit (1000) and the control unit (2000) are all formed as a single unit.

[0112] The volume of the display device (100) is minimized by the housing (3000) formed as a single unit, so that the display device (100) can be easily installed inside the door (20).

[0113] The housing (3000) may be provided so that the control unit (2000) can move relative to the image forming unit (1000) so that the distance between the image forming unit (1000) and the control unit (2000) can be changed.

[0114] Accordingly, the resolution and size of the image (I) displayed on the floor (B) can be easily adjusted by adjusting the distance between the image forming unit (1000) and the control unit (2000) at various installation positions of the display device (100) in the vertical direction. For example, the distance between the image forming unit (1000) and the control unit (2000) can be adjusted in multiple steps or continuously.

[0115] In detail, the housing (3000) may include a first housing (3100) in which the image forming unit (1000) is mounted and a second housing (3200) in which the control unit (2000) is mounted.

[0116] For example, all components forming the image forming unit (1000) can be installed inside the first housing (3100).

[0117] For example, all components forming the control unit (2000) can be installed inside the second housing (3200).

[0118] The second housing (3200) can be coupled to the first housing (3100) so as to be movable relative to the first housing (3100).

[0119] For example, the second housing (3200) can be placed on the lower side of the first housing (3100).

[0120] For example, the second housing (3200) may be arranged to be connected to the first housing (3100) from the lower side to the upper side of the first housing (3100) in the vertical direction. For example, the first housing (3100) may be arranged to be located higher in the vertical direction than the second housing (3200).

[0121] For example, the second housing (3200) may be arranged to move relative to the first housing (3100).

[0122] For example, the second housing (3200) may be arranged to move relative to the first housing (3100) in an up-and-down direction.

[0123] Accordingly, all components forming the image shape unit (1000) and all components forming the control unit (2000) are arranged inside the first housing (3100) and the second housing (3200), respectively, and the first housing (3100) and the second housing (3200) are arranged to be coupled to each other, so that the housing (3000) can accommodate all components of the display device (100), thereby minimizing the volume of the display device (100).

[0124] In addition, as the second housing (3200) moves relative to the first housing (3100), the control unit (2000) disposed inside the second housing (3200) is arranged to move relative to the image forming unit (1000) disposed inside the first housing (3100), so that the size and resolution of the image (I) displayed on the floor (B) can be easily adjusted.

[0125] Light is arranged to be irradiated from the first housing (3100) to the second housing (3200) in the extension direction of the optical axis (A), and an image (I) formed in the display device (100) can be projected to the outside through the second housing (3200). Accordingly, the second housing (3200) can include a projection hole (3220) through which the image (I) is projected from the display device (100).

[0126] For example, the projection port (3220) may be configured to be open downward. For example, the optical axis (A) may be formed to extend downward from the light source (1100) toward the projection port (3220).

[0127] The light source (1100), the lighting lens (1300), and the display device (1200) can be sequentially arranged from the top in the vertical direction inside the first housing (3100).

[0128] A reflector (1400) can be placed between the light source (1100) and the lighting lens (1300) in the vertical direction.

[0129] For example, the light source (1100) may be arranged to be mounted on a printed circuit board (1500). For example, the light source (1100) may be arranged to be mounted on the lower surface (1520) of the printed circuit board (1500) in the vertical direction. For example, the printed circuit board (1500) may be arranged above the upper and lower "curtain* reflector (1400) and the lighting lens (1300) and the display device (1200) inside the first housing (3100).

[0130] For example, a printed circuit board (1500) on which a light source (1100) is mounted, a reflector (1400), a lighting lens (1300), and a display device (1200) may be sequentially arranged from the top in the vertical direction inside the first housing (3100).

[0131] For example, the printed circuit board (1500) may be placed inside the first housing (3100) so that the surface on which the light source (1100) is mounted faces downward.

[0132] For example, as the second housing (3200) is positioned vertically lower than the first housing (3100), the refractive lens (2100) can be positioned vertically lower than the light source (1100), the lighting lens (1300), and the display device (1200).

[0133] The light source (1100), the lighting lens (1300), the display device (1200), and the refractive lens (2100) can be arranged sequentially from the top in the vertical direction.

[0134] For example, as the light source (1100) is placed on the lower surface (1520) of the printed circuit board (1500), the light source (1100) may be arranged to irradiate light downward. The light irradiated from the light source (1100) may be arranged to sequentially transmit through the lighting lens (1300), the display device (1200), and the refractive lens (2100).

[0135] Accordingly, the light source (1100), the lighting lens (1300), the display device (1200), and the refractive lens (2100) may be arranged sequentially around the optical axis (A) of the light irradiated from the light source (1100).

[0136] The second housing (3200) may be arranged to move relative to the first housing (3100) in the direction of the optical axis (A). For example, the optical axis (A) of the display device (100) may be formed from the top to the bottom depending on the arrangement of the light source (1100), and the second housing (3200) may be arranged to move in the up-and-down direction.

[0137] In a state where the light source (1100), the lighting lens (1300), the display device (1200), and the refracting lens (2100) are sequentially arranged in the direction of the optical axis (A), the refracting lens (2100) can be arranged to move relative to the light source (1100), the lighting lens (1300), the display device (1200), and the refracting lens (2100) in the direction of the optical axis (A) along the relative movement of the second housing (3200).

[0138] As the second housing (3200) moves relative to the first housing (3100) in the direction of the optical axis (A), the image forming unit (1000) disposed inside the first housing (3100) can be arranged so that only the control unit (2000) moves relative to the image forming unit (1000) while remaining fixed.

[0139] An image (I) is projected from the display device (100) to the floor (B) as light passes through each component through the optical axis (A), and the size and resolution of the image (I) may vary depending on the length of the optical path (lp1) between the display device (1200) and the refracting lens (2100) and the projection distance (L) from the display device (100) to the point where the image (I) is projected. At this time, since the projection distance (L) from the display device (100) to the point where the image (I) is projected to the floor (B) is formed constant, the size and resolution of the image (I) may be adjusted depending on the length of the optical path (lp1) between the display device (100) and the refracting lens (2100).

[0140] The display device (100) may be arranged so that the position of the display device (1200) and the refracting lens (2100) that determine the length of the optical path (lp1) are fixed by movement of the second housing (3200), while the position of the refracting lens (2100) is moved.

[0141] In particular, as the second housing (3200) moves relative to the first housing (3100) in the direction of the optical axis (A), the refractive lens (2100) is provided to be able to move relative to the display device (1200) in the direction of the optical axis (A), so that the optical path (lp1) between the display device (1200) and the refractive lens (2100) can be easily changed through movement of the second housing (3200).

[0142] That is, the resolution and size of the image (I) displayed on the floor (B) can be adjusted simply by relative movement of the first housing (3100) to the second housing (3200), and accordingly, the display device (100) can be minimized in volume as no additional configuration or space is required to adjust the resolution and size of the image (I).

[0143] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, for example, the second housing (3200) may be provided in a tube shape and may be arranged to be adjacent to or away from the first housing (3100) through rotation.

[0144] For example, the second housing (3200) may be rotated in one direction and moved upward, and thus may be arranged adjacent to the first housing (3100) so that the optical path (lp1) is shortened.

[0145] For example, the second housing (3200) may be rotated in the opposite direction and moved downward, thereby being positioned away from the first housing (3100), so that the optical path (lp1) may be lengthened.

[0146] For example, the first housing (3100) may include a female screw portion (3110) having screw threads formed at a certain angle, and the second housing (3200) may include a male screw portion (3210) having screw threads corresponding to the screw threads of the female screw portion (3110) and being inserted into the female screw portion (3110) to be movable.

[0147] The user can adjust the distance between the second housing (3200) and the first housing (3100) by rotating the second housing (3200), and accordingly, the optical path (lp1) can be adjusted to adjust the focus of the image (I).

[0148] The second housing (3200) is provided to move linearly along the extension direction of the optical axis (A) through rotation so that the distance between the display device (1200) and the refractive lens (2100) changes, and accordingly, the focus of the image (I) can be adjusted.

[0149] Also, as the second housing (3200) moves up and down, the display device (100)

[0150] The light source (1100) can be configured to emit light to supply light to the display device (1200).

[0151] For example, the light source (1100) can be provided as an LED.

[0152] The brightness of the image (I) can be determined by the output of the light source (1100), the light transmittance of the display device (1200), the light utilization efficiency in the control unit (2000), and the length of the irradiation distance between the display device (100) and the floor (B).

[0153] In addition, even if the image (I) maintains a constant brightness, the visibility of the image (I) may vary depending on the brightness around the floor (B) and the reflectivity or glossiness of the floor (B).

[0154] Accordingly, considering that the brightness of the image (I) may vary depending on the environment around the image (I) and that the length of the irradiation distance between the display device (100) and the floor (B) may vary, the light source (1100) can emit light with a predetermined output value so that the image (I) is displayed on the floor (B) with brightness that can be adjusted within a certain range.

[0155] For example, the light source (1100) can emit light so that the brightness of the image (I) displayed on the floor (B) is approximately 50 lx to 600 lx.

[0156] For example, a dishwasher (1) may include an input unit (75) for receiving information from a user. For example, the input unit (75) may obtain information input by a user through an input device provided in the dishwasher (1), or may obtain information input by a user through an external device such as a mobile device through wireless communication, etc.

[0157] For example, the main control unit (9) can transmit the output value of the light source (1100) to the display control unit (900) based on the information input to the input unit (75), and the display control unit (900) can control the output of the light source based on the output value transmitted from the main control unit (9).

[0158] For example, a dishwasher (1) may include a light measurement sensor (76). For example, the light measurement sensor (76) may sense the light level of a space in which the dishwasher (1) is installed.

[0159] For example, the main control unit (9) can transmit the output value of the light source (1100) to the display control unit (900) based on information sensed by the illuminance measurement sensor (76), and the display control unit (900) can control the output of the light source based on the output value transmitted from the main control unit (9).

[0160] For example, a dishwasher (1) may include a reflectivity detection sensor (77). For example, the reflectivity detection sensor (77) may sense the reflectivity of light of a floor (B) on which an image (I) is displayed.

[0161] For example, the main control unit (9) can transmit the output value of the light source (1100) to the display control unit (900) based on information sensed by the reflectance detection sensor (77), and the display control unit (900) can control the output of the light source based on the output value transmitted from the main control unit (9).

[0162] The light source (1100) can be mounted on a printed circuit board (1500) to receive power, and can be turned on / off and the output level can be controlled through a display control unit (900). For example, the light source (1100) can be mounted on the lower surface (1520) of the printed circuit board (1500) in the vertical direction so that the light source (1100) can irradiate light downward.

[0163] For example, the printed circuit board (1500) may be arranged so that the mounting surfaces on both sides are arranged in the vertical direction inside the first housing (3100). For example, the printed circuit board (1500) may be arranged so that the longitudinal direction of the printed circuit board (1500) faces the left-right direction (Y).

[0164] For example, a chip may be placed on the upper surface (1510) of a printed circuit board (1500) and a light source (1100) may be placed on the lower surface (1520).

[0165] For example, a cable (1530) that electrically connects a chip and a display device (1200) may be connected to a printed circuit board (1500).

[0166] For example, the printed circuit board (1500) can be electrically connected to the main board constituting the main control unit (9) of the dishwasher (1) via a cable.

[0167] For example, a printed circuit board (1500) may be equipped with a communication device that is configured to communicate wirelessly with the main board or may be connected to a communication device.

[0168] For example, a printed circuit board (1500) may be electrically connected to a power supply unit that supplies power to the printed circuit board (1500) via a cable.

[0169] A reflector (1400) can be placed between the light source (1100) and the lighting lens (1300) in the vertical direction.

[0170] The reflector (1400) may be provided to reflect light irradiated at an angle greater than a predetermined angle from the surface of the light source (1100) and guide it to the lighting lens (1300).

[0171] For example, the reflector (1400) may be provided in a cylindrical shape that extends in the vertical direction and has a hollow space.

[0172] For example, the reflector (1400) may be provided in a multi-column shape that extends vertically and has a hollow core.

[0173] For example, the reflector (1400) may be provided in a shape in which the cross-sectional area increases from the upper opening (1410) where the light source (1100) is placed to the lower opening (1420) where the lighting lens (1300) is placed.

[0174] For example, the lower opening (1420) of the reflector (1400) may be designed to have a larger diameter than the aperture of the lighting lens (1300). This is to prevent a portion of the light reflected inside the reflector (1400) from being transmitted to the lighting lens (1300) and being additionally reflected inside the reflector (1400), thereby reducing light efficiency.

[0175] For example, the interior of the reflector (1400) may be made of metal.

[0176] For example, the interior of the reflector (1400) may be made of a plastic material or the like, and the exterior may be provided with a reflective coating.

[0177] For example, the interior of the reflector (1400) may be made of a white material or painted white.

[0178] The lighting lens (1300) may be arranged to uniformly irradiate light to the entire area of ​​the display area of ​​the display device (1200).

[0179] For example, the lighting lens (1300) may be arranged to allow light to be transmitted vertically into the display area of ​​the display device (1200).

[0180] For example, the lighting lens (1300) may be provided as a biconvex lens.

[0181] For example, the lighting lens (1300) may be arranged to irradiate light to the display device (1200) with a uniformity of 90% or more over the entire display area of ​​the display device (1200). This is to minimize the deviation in brightness of the image (I) projected onto the floor (B).

[0182] The distance between the display device (1200) and the lighting lens (1300) with respect to the optical axis (A) may be shorter than the distance between the lighting lens (1300) and the light source (1100), so that the light source (1100), the lighting lens (1300), and the display device (1200) may be sequentially arranged with respect to the optical axis (A). This is because the closer the lighting lens (1300) is to the display device (1200), the more advantageous it is for light to be vertically transmitted into the display area of ​​the display device (1200).

[0183] For example, when defining the lens surface facing the light source (1100) of the lighting lens (1300) as the first lens surface and the lens surface facing the display device (1200) as the second lens surface, the curvature of the first lens surface may be arranged to be greater than the curvature of the second lens surface. This is because when the distance between the display device (1200) and the lighting lens (1300) is arranged to be shorter than the distance between the lighting lens (1300) and the light source (1100), light is advantageously transmitted vertically into the display area of ​​the display device (1200).

[0184] The light irradiation area in the radial direction of the lighting lens (1300) may be arranged to be larger than the area of ​​the display area of ​​the display device (1200). When the center of the lighting lens (1300) and the center of the display area of ​​the display device (1200) are arranged on the same line based on the center of the optical axis (A), the display area of ​​the display device (1200) may be arranged to be arranged inside the lighting lens (1300) in the radial direction of the optical axis (A).

[0185] This is because when the light irradiation surface of the lighting lens (1300) is formed to be larger than the display area of ​​the display device (1200), light can be irradiated vertically across the entire display area. Preferably, the light irradiation area of ​​the lighting lens (1300) can be formed to be 1.1 to 1.5 times larger than the display area of ​​the display device (1200).

[0186] For example, the lens surface of the lighting lens (1300) may be formed as an aspherical surface. This is because the refractive index of light incident on the edge portion of the lighting lens (1300) can be adjusted to increase the light emission efficiency of the edge portion of the lighting lens (1300), thereby increasing the uniformity of the amount of light incident on the display area of ​​the display device (1200).

[0187] For example, the lighting lens (1300) may be made of PC (Polycarbonate) material.

[0188] For example, the lighting lens (1300) may be made of PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate) material.

[0189] For example, the lighting lens (1300) may be made of glass.

[0190] The display device (1200) may be arranged to display information of an image (I). When light irradiated from a light source (1100) passes through the display device (1200), the image displayed on the display device (1200) may be displayed on the image (I) projected onto the floor (B).

[0191] For example, the display device (1200) may be provided as an LCD.

[0192] For example, the display device (1200) may be provided in the form of a film on which images, numbers, etc. are printed.

[0193] The display device (1200) may be provided to display the remaining operation time, contamination level, reservation status, error, operation status, etc. of the dishwasher (1). The display device (1200) may be provided to input numbers, images, symbols, etc. and display them on an image (I).

[0194] For example, the display device (1200) may be provided as an LCD and may include a color filter in the LCD so that various colors may be displayed on the image (I).

[0195] For example, the display device (1200) is provided with an LCD, and preferably, the diameter or width of the LCD is provided to be about 10 mm, and the display device (100) can be provided so that an image (I) displayed on the floor is projected as an image larger than the diameter of the LCD.

[0196] For example, when the diameter or width of the LCD is set to be approximately 10 mm and the light source (1100) is set to be an LED, the distance between the light source (1100) and the display area of ​​the display device (1200) may be set to approximately 15 mm to 20 mm in consideration of the Lambertian distribution on the light-emitting surface of the light source (1100). This is to maximize the light efficiency emitted from the light source (1100) in consideration of the Lambertian distribution. For example, the lighting lens (1300) may be positioned within the distance between the light source (1100) and the display area of ​​the display device (1200), and the distance between the lighting lens (1300) and the display area of ​​the display device (1200) may be set to approximately 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. This is to increase the efficiency of light gathering onto the display device (1200) due to the refraction of the lighting lens (1300).

[0197] For example, the display device (1200) may be provided as an LCD and may include a 7-segment LCD to display numbers. For example, in the 7-segment LCD, the total area of ​​the segments displaying numbers may be provided to be 75% or more of the total display area of ​​the 7-segment LCD. This is to secure the area of ​​the segments in the 7-segment LCD to a predetermined value or more to maintain the brightness of the image (I) at a predetermined value or more.

[0198] The refractive lens (2100) can be arranged to adjust the size and resolution of the image (I) projected onto the floor (B).

[0199] The curvature, thickness, material, position, etc. of the refractive lens (2100) can be set in various ways depending on the size of the display area of ​​the display device (1200), the target size of the image (I), and the target resolution of the image (I).

[0200] For example, a plurality of refractive lenses (2100) may be provided depending on the target size of the image (I) and the target resolution of the image (I). For example, the refractive lens (2100) may preferably be composed of one to five refractive lenses.

[0201] For example, the refractive lens (2100) may include a first refractive lens (2110) positioned closest to the display device, a second refractive lens (2120) positioned lower than the first refractive lens, and a third refractive lens (2130) positioned lower than the second refractive lens.

[0202] For example, the first refractive lens (2110) may be arranged so that light projected from the display device (1200) passes through the first refractive lens (2110) and propagates in parallel.

[0203] The first refractive lens (2110) may include a first lens surface (2111) facing the display device (1200) and a second lens surface (2115) facing the first lens surface (2111).

[0204] For example, the first lens surface (2111) of the first refractive lens (2110) may be provided as a convex surface toward the display device (1200). The second lens surface (2112) of the first refractive lens (2110) may be provided as a flat surface.

[0205] For example, the second refractive lens (2120) may be provided as a concave lens.

[0206] For example, the second refractive lens (2120) may be configured to expand a light bundle passing through the first refractive lens (2110).

[0207] For example, the third refractive lens (2130) may be provided as a convex lens.

[0208] For example, the third refractive lens (2130) may be arranged so that light transmitted through the second refractive lens (2120) is focused to display an image (I) on the floor (B).

[0209] For example, light transmitted through the display device (1200) may be arranged to sequentially transmit through the first refractive lens (2110), the second refractive lens (2120), and the third refractive lens (2130) and be projected onto the floor (B).

[0210] For example, the display device (100) may be arranged so that an image (I) is displayed on the floor (B) in an area larger than the area of ​​the display area of ​​the display device (1200) by the first refractive lens (2110), the second refractive lens (2120), and the third refractive lens (2130).

[0211] For example, the first refractive lens (2110), the second refractive lens (2120), and the third refractive lens (2130) may each preferably be provided to have a thickness of 2.5 mm or more.

[0212] For example, the curvature of each lens surface of the first refractive lens (2110), the second refractive lens (2120), and the third refractive lens (2130) may be set to 10 mm or more.

[0213] For example, the refractive lens (2100) can be made of PC (Polycarbonate) material.

[0214] For example, the refractive lens (2100) may be made of PMMA (Polymethyl methacrylate) material.

[0215] For example, the refractive lens (2100) may be made of glass.

[0216] For example, the refractive lens (2100) may include a COC (Cyclic Olefin Copolymers) material.

[0217] Since the dishwasher (1) is not exposed to the outside of the front panel (90) for aesthetic reasons, the lower end (90b) of the front panel (90) may be arranged to be positioned lower in the vertical direction than the lower end (20b) of the door (20) of the dishwasher (1). In addition, the display device (100) is arranged on the rear side of the front panel (90) in the front-back direction, and since the display device (100) is arranged on the inside of the door (20), the display device (100) is arranged to irradiate light toward the floor (B) from a position higher than the lower end (20b) of the door (20) in the vertical direction.

[0218] At this time, a part of the light projected from the display device (100) may be blocked by the bottom (20b) of the door (20), so a part of the image (I) projected on the floor (B) may not be displayed. To prevent this, when the area of ​​the display area of ​​the display device (1200) is defined as d1, the height (h) from the bottom (B) of the third refractive lens (2130), the bottom (90b) of the front panel (90), the aperture (D) of the third refractive lens (2130), and the distance (x) between the center of the aperture (D) of the third refractive lens (2130) from the rear end (90r) of the front panel (90) in the front-back direction may be arranged so that d1 = 2y / h * (x- D / 2) + D is satisfied.

[0219] For example, D is defined as the diameter of the third refractive lens (2130), but may be defined as the diameter of the lens with the largest diameter among the plurality of refractive lenses (2100). For example, among the plurality of refractive lenses (2100), the diameter of the third refractive lens (2130) is formed to be the largest, so D is defined as the diameter of the third refractive lens (2130). However, when the diameter of the second refractive lens (2120) is formed to be larger than the diameter of the third refractive lens (2130), D may be defined as the diameter of the second refractive lens (2120).

[0220] Below, the housing (3000) is described in detail.

[0221] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a housing of a display device according to one embodiment, and FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a second housing of the display device according to one embodiment.

[0222] As described above, the display device (100) is placed in a housing (3000) in which the image forming unit (1000), the control unit (2000), and the optical path (lp1) between the image forming unit (1000) and the control unit (2000) are all formed as a single unit, thereby minimizing the volume of the display device (100), and thus can be placed on the rear side of the front panel (90) or between the doors (20).

[0223] The first housing (3100) may include a first case (3120) and a second case (3130) so that components forming the image forming unit (1000) are accommodated inside the first housing (3100). The first case (3120) and the second case (3130) may be detachably coupled to each other. The components forming the image forming unit (1000) may be accommodated in the first case (3120) or the second case (3130) while the first case (3120) and the second case (3130) are separated, and the components forming the image forming unit (1000) when the first case (3120) and the second case (3130) are coupled may be arranged inside the first housing (3100).

[0224] For example, the first case (3120) and the second case (3130) may be arranged to be coupled in a vertical direction. For example, the first case (3120) may be placed on the upper side and the second case (3130) may be placed on the lower side of the first case (3120).

[0225] For example, the first case (3120) may be configured such that the upper surface (3123) is sealed and the lower surface is open. For example, the second case (3130) may be combined with the lower surface of the open first case (3120) to form the first housing (3100).

[0226] For example, since the upper surface (3123) of the first case (3120) is sealed, even if condensation occurs inside the door (20) of the dishwasher (1) on the upper side of the first housing (3100), moisture can be prevented from penetrating into the housing (3000).

[0227] For example, a printed circuit board (1500), a light source (1100), a lighting lens (1300), a reflector (1400), and a display device (1200) may be placed inside the first case (3120).

[0228] For example, a printed circuit board (1500) may be placed on the inner upper portion of the first case (3120). As the upper surface (3123) of the first case (3120) is sealed, external moisture may be prevented from entering the printed circuit board (1500).

[0229] For example, the first case (3120) may include a fixing member (3121) that is placed inside the first case (3120) and fixes a printed circuit board (1500), a reflector (1400), a lighting lens (1300), and a display device (1200) inside the first case (3120).

[0230] For example, a printed circuit board (1500) can be fixed to the upper side of the fixed member (3121).

[0231] For example, a light source (1100), a lighting lens (1300), and a reflector (1400) may be placed inside the fixed member (3121).

[0232] For example, a display device (1200) can be fixed to the lower side of the fixed member (3121).

[0233] For example, the fixed member (3121) may be arranged to be combined with the second case (3130).

[0234] Each component is fixed inside the first case (3120) by a fixing member (3121), and the second case (3130) and the first case (3120) are combined so that each component can be placed inside the first housing (3100) while being fixed to the fixing member (3121).

[0235] For example, the first case (3120) may include an exhaust port (3125) for discharging heat generated from the light source (1100). The temperature inside the first housing (3100) may rise due to the heat generated from the light source (1100), which may damage the printed circuit board (1500) and the light source (1100), but heat circulation is possible through the exhaust port (3125), and the temperature inside the first housing (3100) may be reduced by heat dissipation according to the heat circulation.

[0236] For example, the exhaust port (3125) may be positioned higher than the printed circuit board (1500) to enable heat circulation. For example, the exhaust port (3125) may be provided in a shape in which a portion of the first case (3120) is opened on the upper portion of the first case (3120) so as to be positioned adjacent to the light source (1100). This is because the printed circuit board (1500) is positioned on the inner upper portion of the first case (3120).

[0237] For example, the upper side of the exhaust port (3125) may include an eaves (3126) provided to prevent moisture from penetrating from the outside.

[0238] For example, a chamfered portion (3124) may be included between the upper surface (3123) of the first case (3120) and the side surface (3218) extending downward from the edge of the upper surface (3123). This is to prevent moisture from accumulating on the upper surface (2123) when moisture flows into the display device (100) due to a leak inside the door (20). The chamfered portion (3124) may be provided so that moisture flowing into the upper surface (2123) flows out to the lower portion of the first housing (3100) through the chamfered portion (3124).

[0239] In the second case (3130), a female screw part (3110) having screw threads formed at a certain angle can be placed.

[0240] For example, the female screw (3110) may be arranged to be positioned at the bottom of the second case (3130) and open downward.

[0241] The female screw portion (3110) may include a hollow portion (3111) so that the male screw portion (3210) may be inserted and rotated inside the female screw portion (3110), and light transmitted from the display device (1200) through the hollow portion (3111) may be irradiated to the second housing (3200).

[0242] For example, the female screw portion (3110) may be provided to extend from the top to the rear end of the second case (3130). For example, the female screw portion (3110) may be provided in a cylindrical or polygonal shape having a hollow portion (3111). For example, a display device (1200) may be arranged at the top of the female screw portion (3110) so that light transmitted from the display device (1200) is directly irradiated to the hollow portion (3111) of the female screw portion (3110).

[0243] For example, the second housing (3200) may be provided in a tube shape. For example, the second housing (3200) may be provided in a cylindrical or polygonal shape including a hollow portion.

[0244] A male screw portion (3210) may be arranged on the upper part of the second housing (3200) so that the male screw portion (3210) is inserted into the female screw portion (3110) so that the second housing (3200) is coupled to the first housing (3100).

[0245] The second housing (3200) may include a lens storage unit (3270) that is positioned below the screw unit (3210) and stores a plurality of refractive lenses (2110, 2120, 2130) inside the second housing (3200).

[0246] For example, the second housing (3200) may have a plurality of grooves (3250) formed on the outer surface of the position where the lens storage unit (3270) is placed, extending in the direction of the optical axis (A).

[0247] A plurality of grooves (3250) may be arranged in a shape of a protrusion or a groove and protrusion repeated (3250) on the outer surface of the second housing (3200) in the circumferential direction of the second housing (3200) so as to be spaced apart from each other longer than the adjustment length (lp2) in the direction of the optical axis (A).

[0248] The user can adjust the height of the second housing (3200) by rotating the second housing (3200) to focus the image (I). When the second housing (3200) is rotated, the length of the optical path (lp1) can be adjusted as the male screw portion (3210) moves upward or downward through the screw thread in the female screw portion (3110).

[0249] The second housing (3200) may include a handle (3260) that protrudes radially from the second housing (3200) to allow the user to easily grip the second housing (3200).

[0250] For example, the handle (3260) may be provided in a circular shape to protrude beyond the outer surface of the lens storage portion (3250) in the radial direction of the second housing (3200).

[0251] For example, the handle (3260) may be provided in a protruding shape to protrude in the radial direction of the second housing (3200).

[0252] For example, the handle (3260) may be positioned lower than the stopper (3140) described later, which is inserted into the lower portion of a plurality of grooves (3250) having a protruding shape in the direction of the optical axis (A).

[0253] For example, the handle (3260) may be positioned lower than the lens storage unit (3250) in the vertical direction. For example, the handle (3260) may be positioned higher than the lens storage unit (3250) in the vertical direction. For example, the handle (3260) may be positioned on the lens storage unit (3250) in the vertical direction.

[0254] The male screw portion (3210) can be moved up and down by rotation on the female screw portion (3110) by an adjustment length (lp2), and the length of the optical path (lp2) can be adjusted by the change in the length of the adjustment length (lp2).

[0255] The adjustment length (lp2) can be set to be approximately equal to or smaller than the length in the vertical direction of the screw portion (3210).

[0256] The plurality of grooves (3250) in the shape of a protrusion can be provided in the vertical direction to be equal to or longer than the focus adjustment length (lp2) in the direction of the optical axis (A).

[0257] The first housing (3100) may include a stopper (3140) that restricts the second housing (3200) from rotating arbitrarily with respect to the first housing (3100).

[0258] For example, the stopper (3140) may be provided to be detachable from the first housing (3100). For example, the stopper (3140) may be provided to be coupled to the second case (3130). For example, the stopper (3140) may be formed integrally with the second case (3130). For example, the stopper (3140) may be formed integrally with the first case (3120).

[0259] For example, one or more stoppers (3140) may be provided. For example, the stoppers (3140) may be provided in pairs. For example, a pair of stoppers (3140) may be in contact with both ends of the outer surface of the lens housing (3270) in a 180-degree direction to prevent the second housing (3200) from rotating further than the user's intended position.

[0260] For example, three or more stoppers (3140) may be provided. For example, a plurality of stoppers (3140) may be spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction of the outer surface of the lens storage unit (3270) and provided so as to be in contact with the lens storage unit (3270).

[0261] For example, the stopper (3140) can limit the second housing (3200) from being rotated arbitrarily by the force that the second housing (3200) contacts.

[0262] For example, a user can rotate the second housing (3200) by applying a force to the lens housing (3270) that is greater than the force due to the tension between the stopper (3140) and the lens housing (3270).

[0263] For example, the stopper (3140) may include an arm (3141) extending in the direction of the optical axis (A) and an insertion projection (3142) positioned on the lower side of the arm (3141) in the vertical direction and inserted into one of a plurality of grooves (3250) having a protruding shape.

[0264] For example, the arm (3141) may be made of an elastic material. When the insertion protrusion (3142) is inserted into one of the plurality of grooves (3250), the insertion protrusion (3142) may be maintained in the groove by the elasticity of the arm (3141). In this case, unless the user rotates the lens housing (3270) with a force greater than the tension at which the insertion protrusion (3142) is inserted into the groove due to the elasticity of the arm (3141), the insertion protrusion (3142) may be maintained in the groove.

[0265] For example, an insertion protrusion (3142) may be inserted into one of a plurality of grooves (3250) to restrict the second housing (3200) from being rotated arbitrarily.

[0266] When the second housing (3200) is rotated by the user's pressure, the insertion protrusion (3142) is detached from one of the plurality of grooves (3250), and when the rotation of the second housing (3200) is completed, the insertion protrusion (3142) is inserted into another of the plurality of grooves (3250) that is closest to the insertion protrusion (3142) after the rotation of the second housing (3200), thereby preventing the second housing (3200) from being rotated arbitrarily thereafter.

[0267] For example, when the insertion protrusion (3142) is rotated so that the insertion protrusion (3142) leaves the high part of the outer surface of the lens housing (3270), the elasticity of the arm (3141) of the stopper (3140) causes friction with the groove, and a sound is generated when hitting the groove, and the user can recognize the sound during the adjustment process and adjust the rotation amount of the second housing (3200).

[0268] The second housing (3200) may include a first case (3230) and a second case (3240) so that a plurality of refractive lenses (2110, 2120, 2130) are stored inside the second housing (3200).

[0269] The first case (3230) and the second case (3240) may be arranged to extend in the direction of the optical axis (A) and may be arranged to be coupled to each other in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis (A). This is to easily accommodate a plurality of refractive lenses (2110, 2120, 2130) in the first case (3230) or the second case (3240).

[0270] When the first case (3230) and the second case (3240) are arranged to be combined in the direction of the optical axis (A), a plurality of refractive lenses (2110, 2120, 2130) must be stacked inside the first case (3230) or the second case (3240) to be stored inside the first case (3230) or the second case (3240). However, during the manufacturing process of stacking the plurality of refractive lenses (2110, 2120, 2130), a tolerance in the positions of the plurality of refractive lenses (2110, 2120, 2130) may occur, causing the optical axis (A) to be distorted.

[0271] However, since the first case (3230) and the second case (3240) are arranged to extend in the direction of the optical axis (A) and are arranged to be coupled to each other in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis (A), when the first case (3230) and the second case (3240) are separated, the plurality of refractive lenses (2110, 2120, 2130) can be stored in the first case (3230) or the second case (3240) in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the optical axis (A), and the first case (3230) and the second case (3240) are coupled, the plurality of refractive lenses (2110, 2120, 2130) can be easily stored in a designated position inside the second housing (3200).

[0272] The first refractive lens (2110) may include a first refractive lens holder (2111) that surrounds the frame of the first refractive lens (2110). The lens storage portion (3270) may include a first refractive lens insertion groove (3271) into which the first refractive lens holder (2111) is inserted and stored inside the second housing (3200).

[0273] The second refractive lens (2120) may include a second refractive lens holder (2121) that surrounds the frame of the second refractive lens (2120). The lens storage portion (3270) may include a second refractive lens insertion groove (3272) into which the second refractive lens holder (2121) is inserted and stored inside the second housing (3200).

[0274] The third refractive lens (2130) may include a third refractive lens holder (2131) that surrounds the frame of the third refractive lens (2130). The lens storage portion (3270) may include a third refractive lens insertion groove (3273) into which the third refractive lens holder (2131) is inserted and stored inside the second housing (3200).

[0275] During the manufacturing process, the sizes of the plurality of refractive lenses (2110, 2120, 2130) are small, so that each refractive lens (2110, 2120, 2130) is not inserted into each refractive lens insertion groove (3271, 3272, 3273), and each refractive lens (2110, 2120, 2130) is inserted into a different refractive lens insertion groove, so that the plurality of refractive lenses (2110, 2120, 2130) may be arranged in the wrong order in the vertical direction.

[0276] To prevent this, each refractive lens holder (2111, 2121, 2131) may include markings of different sizes or shapes.

[0277] The first refractive lens holder (2111) may include a first marking portion (2112).

[0278] The second refractive lens holder (2121) may include a second marking portion (2122).

[0279] The third refractive lens holder (2131) may include a third marking portion (2132).

[0280] The first refractive lens insertion groove (3271) may have a shape corresponding to the first marking portion (2112) so that the first marking portion (2112) is inserted therein.

[0281] The second refractive lens insertion groove (3272) may have a shape corresponding to the second marking portion (2122) so that the second marking portion (2122) is inserted therein.

[0282] The third refractive lens insertion groove (3273) may have a shape corresponding to the third marking portion (2132) so that the third marking portion (2132) can be inserted.

[0283] That is, since each of the marking portions (2112, 2122, 2132) is formed in a different shape or size, it is difficult to insert the refractive lens insertion groove (3271, 3272, 3273) that does not correspond to each marking portion (2112, 2122, 2132), so that each of the refractive lenses (2110, 2120, 2130) can be easily stored in a set position.

[0284] Below, a method for controlling a light detection sensor (76) and a reflectivity detection sensor (77) of a dishwasher (1) and a display device (100) according to values ​​sensed by each sensor is described.

[0285] Fig. 11 is a control block diagram of a dishwasher according to one embodiment, and Fig. 12 is a flowchart showing a control method of a home appliance according to one embodiment.

[0286] The dishwasher (1) may include a light detection sensor (76).

[0287] The light detection sensor (76) may be provided to sense the brightness around the dishwasher (1). The light detection sensor (76) is a device whose resistance value changes depending on the intensity of light and can measure the amount of light.

[0288] Since the light illuminating the surroundings of the dishwasher (1) is generally placed at a higher position than the dishwasher (1), the light detection sensor (76) may be placed at the top of the dishwasher (1). (See Fig. 3)

[0289] For example, the light intensity value around the dishwasher (1) sensed by the light detection sensor (76) is transmitted to the main control unit (9), and the main control unit (9) can transmit the output value of the light source (1100) to the display control unit (900) based on the value sensed by the light detection sensor (76), and the display control unit (900) can control the output of the light source based on the output value transmitted from the main control unit (9).

[0290] For example, in a space where a dishwasher (1) can be placed, the illuminance of the space when there is no lighting illuminating a specific area can be 60 to 150 lux, and when additional lighting is provided or multiple lights are provided, the illuminance of the space can reach 150 to 300 lux.

[0291] For example, the display device (100) can be arranged so that the illumination of the image (I) is basically projected at approximately 170 to 190 lux, since the illumination of the space where the dishwasher (1) is generally placed can be arranged to be approximately 150 lux.

[0292] For example, the main control unit (9) can control the display device (100) to further adjust the illuminance of the image (I) based on the value sensed by the illuminance detection sensor (76). The display device (100) can be arranged so that the image (I) is projected at the above-described basic illuminance and the brightness of the image (I) is adjusted based on the value sensed by the illuminance detection sensor (76).

[0293] For example, the main control unit (9) can control the display device (100) so that when the value sensed by the illuminance detection sensor (76) is 60 to 100 lux, which is lower than the general illuminance, the illuminance of the image (I) is approximately 100 to 150 lux, and when the value sensed by the illuminance detection sensor (76) is the general illuminance, the illuminance of the image (I) is approximately 150 to 200 lux, and when the value sensed by the illuminance detection sensor (76) is 200 lux, which is higher than the general illuminance, the illuminance of the image (I) is approximately 200 lux to a maximum of 400 lux.

[0294] For example, when the light source (1100) is provided with an LED, if the output of the LED exceeds 250 mA, damage may occur to the printed circuit board (1500) of the display device (100) due to heat generation, and therefore, an additional heat dissipation structure is required, so the LED output may be provided at 200 mA or less.

[0295] For example, when the value sensed by the light detection sensor (76) is sensed as 200 lux, which is higher than the general illuminance, in order to maintain the illuminance of the image (I) at approximately 200 lux and a maximum brightness of 400 lux, the light source (1100) may include two LEDs having an output of 200 to 250 mA to ensure the visibility of the image (I).

[0296] This is because power efficiency and heat dissipation efficiency are improved compared to when including a single LED with an output of approximately 400 mA. For example, when the area of ​​the image (I) increases or the illuminance of the image (I) is required to be greater than approximately 400 lux, the light source may include three or more LEDs with an output of 200 to 250 mA, as needed.

[0297] For example, light emitted from a light source (1100) may experience light loss while passing through a display device (1200) and a plurality of refractive lenses (2100). Accordingly, in order to minimize the loss of light emitted from the light source (1100), the number of the plurality of refractive lenses (2100) may be minimized, or the material of the plurality of refractive lenses (2100) may be made of a material with high transmittance. For example, the plurality of refractive lenses (2100) may be made of polycarbonate (PC) or polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA).

[0298] The dishwasher (1) may include a reflectivity detection sensor (77).

[0299] The reflectivity detection sensor (77) may be provided to detect the level of light reflectivity of the floor (B).

[0300] For example, a display device (100) projects an image (I) onto a floor (B), but since the reflectivity of light varies depending on the material and substance of the floor (B), there may also be a difference in the visibility of the image (I) projected onto the floor (B).

[0301] Accordingly, the light reflectance value of the floor (B) sensed by the reflectance detection sensor (77) is transmitted to the main control unit (9), and the main control unit (9) can transmit the output value of the light source (1100) to the display control unit (900) based on the value sensed by the reflectance detection sensor (77), and the display control unit (900) can control the output of the light source based on the output value transmitted from the main control unit (9).

[0302] For example, the reflectivity detection sensor (77) can be provided as a PSD (Position Sensing Device) sensor.

[0303] For example, a reflectivity detection sensor (77) can measure the distance and light quantity of a measurement target composed of an infrared ray and a photodiode. The reflectivity detection sensor (77) is composed of a light-emitting unit and a light-receiving unit, and infrared rays emitted from the light-emitting unit are reflected and scattered by the surface of the floor (B) and then re-enter the light-receiving unit to measure the light quantity and distance. At this time, the amount of light that hits the floor and returns can be sensed to sense the degree of reflection.

[0304] For example, a reflectivity detection sensor (77) senses the light reflectivity of the floor (B), and the main control unit (9) can classify the material of the floor (B) into a dark floor, a medium floor, and a light floor based on the sensed light reflectivity of the floor (B). Based on the three classifications, the main control unit (9) can transmit the output value of the light source (1100) to the display control unit (900), and the display control unit (900) can control the output of the light source based on the output value transmitted from the main control unit (9).

[0305] For example, it is recommended that the light reflectance of the floor (B) in the space where the dishwasher (1) is installed be 20-40%. Therefore, for dark floors, the reflectance is set to 20% or less, for medium floors, to 20-40%, and for bright floors, to 40% or more.

[0306] For example, the main control unit (9) can control the output value of the light source (1100) so that the brightness of the image (I) is maintained at 200 lux or more on a dark floor, 150 lux or more on a medium floor, and 100 lux or more on a bright floor.

[0307] For example, the main control unit (9) can additionally control the output value of the light source (1100) based on the value sensed by the illuminance detection sensor (76). For example, the main control unit (9) controls the output value of the light source (1100) according to a determined value when the brightness of the floor (B) falls into one of three categories based on the value sensed by the reflectance detection sensor (77), and can additionally control the output value of the light source (1100) by additionally setting the amount of light based on the value sensed by the illuminance detection sensor (76). The final projection image brightness can be determined by detecting both the floor material and the brightness of the surrounding environment.

[0308] For example, the main control unit (9) can control the display device (100) to adjust the color of the image (I) according to the color of the floor (B) as well as the reflectivity of the floor (B), thereby increasing the visibility of the image (I).

[0309] For example, a dishwasher (1) may include a sensor that senses the color of the floor (B). The main control unit (9) controls the display device (100) so that the color of the image (I) is projected as a complementary color of the color of the floor (B) based on the sensed color of the floor (B), thereby maximizing the contrast between the image (I) and the floor (B) and increasing the visibility of the image (I).

[0310] For example, when the floor (B) is sensed as black, the main control unit (9) can control the display device (100) so that the color of the image (I) becomes yellow, which is the complementary color of black.

[0311] For example, the main control unit (9) can control the display device (100) to project the image (I) in the color input by the user based on the color input by the user. Alternatively, as described above, the main control unit (9) can sense the color of the floor (B) and control the display device (100) to project the image (I) in a color that can increase the visibility of the image (I).

[0312] For example, the display device (1200) may include a color LCD equipped with a color filter. For example, the display device (1200) may include an OLED or a microLED.

[0313] Below, a control operation for determining the brightness of an image projected onto a projection surface based on the detection results of the illuminance detection sensor (76) and the reflectance detection sensor (77) and controlling the light source (1100) accordingly is described in detail.

[0314] For convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the main control unit (9) and the display control unit (900) described above are not separated, and that all control operations are performed by a single control unit (9). The image projection unit can project an image displaying status information of the home appliance onto a projection surface. For this purpose, the above-described configuration can be configured with all the components for projecting the image. In addition, the dishwasher (1) is only one example of a home appliance, and the present invention can be applied to various home appliances.

[0315] The control unit (9) may include a memory (9-2) that determines the minimum brightness value of an image projected onto a projection surface and stores a control program and control data for controlling a light source (1100), and a processor (9-1) that generates a control signal according to the control program and control data stored in the memory. The memory (9-2) and the processor (9-1) may be provided integrally or separately.

[0316] The memory (9-2) can store a program and data for determining the minimum brightness of an image projected onto a projection surface and controlling a light source (1100).

[0317] The memory (9-2) may include volatile memory such as Static Random Access Memory (S-RAM) and Dynamic Random Access Memory (D-RAP) for temporarily storing data. In addition, the memory (9-2) may include nonvolatile memory such as Read Only Memory (ROM), Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EPROM), and Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM) for long-term storage of data.

[0318] The processor (9-1) may include various logic circuits and operation circuits, process data according to a program provided from the memory (9-2), and generate a control signal according to the processing result.

[0319] The reflectivity detection sensor can detect the reflectivity of the projection surface (1201), and the brightness detection sensor can detect the brightness around the dishwasher (1) (1203). The projection surface may be the floor provided in front of the dishwasher (1), but is not limited thereto, and any surface on which an image can be projected, such as a wall, ceiling, or other surrounding home appliances, can be considered a projection surface.

[0320] The control unit (9) can determine the minimum brightness of the image projected on the projection surface based on the reflectivity of the projection surface and the brightness around the dishwasher (1) (1205).

[0321] The control unit (9) can control the light source (1100) so that an image having a brightness higher than a determined minimum value is projected onto the projection surface.

[0322] That is, the higher the reflectivity of the projection surface, the better the projected image is reflected, making it easier for the user to see it, so the brightness of the projected image can be set relatively low. On the other hand, the brighter the surrounding brightness, the harder the projected image is for the user to see it, so the brightness of the projected image can be set relatively high.

[0323] Below, the details of controlling the brightness of the projected image according to the reflectivity of the projection surface and the brightness of the surroundings are described.

[0324] FIGS. 13 to 15 are flowcharts showing how to determine the minimum brightness of a projected image according to the reflectivity of a projection surface and the brightness of the surroundings according to one embodiment, and FIG. 16 is a drawing showing an example of the minimum brightness of an image according to the reflectivity of a projection surface and the brightness of the surroundings according to one embodiment.

[0325] Figure 13 is a drawing showing a case where the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity.

[0326] The reflectivity of the projection surface can be detected by the reflectivity detection sensor (1301), and the brightness around the dishwasher (1) can be detected by the light detection sensor (1303).

[0327] If the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the surrounding brightness is less than the first surrounding brightness (example of 1305), the control unit (9) can determine the minimum value of the brightness of the image projected on the projection surface as the first brightness, and can control the light source (1100) so that an image having a brightness equal to or greater than the determined first brightness is projected on the projection surface (1311).

[0328] Here, the first reflectivity may be 20%, the first ambient brightness may be approximately 100 lux, and the first brightness may be 200 lux (see Fig. 16). This is only an example and various conditions may be set to improve visibility.

[0329] If the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the brightness of the surroundings is greater than or equal to the first ambient brightness and less than the second ambient brightness (example of 1309), the control unit (9) can determine the minimum brightness of the image projected on the projection surface as the second brightness, and control the light source (1100) so that an image having a brightness greater than or equal to the determined second brightness is projected on the projection surface (1313).

[0330] Here, the second ambient brightness may be approximately 200 lux, and the second brightness may be 250 lux (see Figure 16). This is only an example and can be set to various conditions to improve visibility.

[0331] If the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the surrounding brightness is greater than or equal to the second surrounding brightness (No of 1309), the control unit (9) can determine the minimum value of the brightness of the image projected on the projection surface as the third brightness, and can control the light source (1100) so that an image having a brightness greater than or equal to the determined third brightness is projected on the projection surface (1315).

[0332] Here, the third brightness can be 300 lux (see Figure 16). This is only an example and can be set to various conditions to improve visibility.

[0333] Figure 14 is a drawing showing a case where the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to the first reflectivity and less than the second reflectivity.

[0334] If the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to the first reflectivity and less than or equal to the second reflectivity (example of 1403) and the brightness of the surroundings is less than the first brightness of the surroundings (example of 1403), the control unit (9) can determine the minimum brightness of the image projected on the projection surface as the fourth brightness, and can control the light source (1100) so that an image having a brightness greater than or equal to the determined fourth brightness is projected on the projection surface (1407).

[0335] Here, the second reflectivity may be 40%, and the fourth brightness may be 150 lux (see Figure 16). This is only an example and can be set to various conditions to improve visibility.

[0336] If the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to the first reflectivity and less than or equal to the second reflectivity and the brightness of the surroundings is greater than or equal to the first brightness and less than or equal to the second brightness of the surroundings (example of 1405), the control unit (9) can determine the minimum brightness of the image projected on the projection surface as the fifth brightness, and can control the light source (1100) so that an image having a brightness greater than or equal to the determined fifth brightness is projected on the projection surface (1409).

[0337] Here, the fifth brightness can be 200 lux (see Figure 16). This is only an example and can be set to various conditions to improve visibility.

[0338] If the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to the first reflectivity and less than or equal to the second reflectivity and the brightness of the surroundings is greater than or equal to the second brightness of the surroundings (No of 1405), the control unit (9) can determine the minimum brightness of the image projected onto the projection surface as the sixth brightness, and can control the light source (1100) so that an image having a brightness greater than or equal to the determined sixth brightness is projected onto the projection surface (1411).

[0339] Here, the sixth brightness can be 250 lux (see Figure 16). This is only an example and can be set to various conditions to improve visibility.

[0340] Figure 15 is a drawing showing a case where the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to the second reflectivity.

[0341] If the reflectivity of the projection surface is equal to or greater than the second reflectivity and the surrounding brightness is less than the first surrounding brightness (example of 1501), the control unit (9) can determine the minimum value of the brightness of the image projected on the projection surface as the seventh brightness, and can control the light source (1100) so that an image having a brightness equal to or greater than the determined seventh brightness is projected on the projection surface (1505).

[0342] Here, the seventh brightness can be 100 lux (see Figure 16). This is only an example and can be set to various conditions to improve visibility.

[0343] If the reflectivity of the projection surface is equal to or greater than the second reflectivity and the surrounding brightness is equal to or greater than the first surrounding brightness and less than the second surrounding brightness (example of 1503), the control unit (9) can determine the minimum brightness of the image projected on the projection surface as the eighth brightness, and can control the light source (1100) so that an image having a brightness equal to or greater than the determined eighth brightness is projected on the projection surface (1507).

[0344] Here, the eighth brightness can be 150 lux (see Figure 16). This is only an example and can be set to various conditions to improve visibility.

[0345] If the reflectivity of the projection surface is equal to or greater than the second reflectivity and the surrounding brightness is equal to or greater than the second surrounding brightness (No of 1503), the control unit (9) can determine the minimum brightness of the image projected on the projection surface as the ninth brightness, and can control the light source (1100) so that an image having a brightness equal to or greater than the determined ninth brightness is projected on the projection surface (1509).

[0346] Here, the ninth brightness can be 200 lux (see Figure 16). This is only an example and can be set to various conditions to improve visibility.

[0347] In this way, the higher the reflectivity of the projection surface and the darker the surrounding brightness, the relatively darker the brightness of the projected image is set. Conversely, the lower the reflectivity of the projection surface and the brighter the surrounding brightness, the relatively brighter the brightness of the projected image is set. This allows users to easily view the projected image in various environments.

[0348] Additionally, the user can input the color of the projected image through the input unit (75).

[0349] The control unit (9) can control the light source (1100) so that light of a color set by the user is projected onto the projection surface through the input unit (75).

[0350] That is, visibility can be further improved by setting the color, such as selecting a color that corresponds to the complementary color of the projection surface and projecting it onto the projection surface.

[0351] According to one embodiment, a home appliance includes a display device that projects an image indicating status information of the home appliance, wherein the display device includes a light source; an image projection unit that projects the image; and the home appliance may include a reflectivity detection sensor that detects reflectivity of a projection surface on which the image is projected; an illuminance detection sensor that detects brightness around the home appliance; and a control unit that determines a minimum value of brightness of an image projected onto the projection surface based on the reflectivity of the projection surface and the brightness around the home appliance, and controls the light source so that an image having a brightness equal to or greater than the determined minimum value is projected onto the projection surface.

[0352] According to the present disclosure, the visibility of an image projected in various environments can be improved by adjusting the brightness of the image projected by considering the reflectivity of the projection surface on which the image is projected and the brightness of the surroundings.

[0353] The control unit can control the light source so that an image having a brightness higher than or equal to the first brightness is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is less than the first ambient brightness.

[0354] The control unit can control the light source so that an image having a brightness higher than or equal to the second brightness is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is lower than or equal to the first reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is higher than or equal to the first ambient brightness and lower than or equal to the second ambient brightness.

[0355] The control unit can control the light source so that an image having a brightness of a third brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is greater than or equal to the second surrounding brightness.

[0356] The control unit can control the light source so that an image having a brightness of a fourth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to a first reflectivity and less than or equal to a second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is less than the first ambient brightness.

[0357] The control unit can control the light source so that an image having a brightness of a fifth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to a first reflectivity and less than or equal to a second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is greater than or equal to a first ambient brightness and less than or equal to a second ambient brightness.

[0358] The control unit can control the light source so that an image having a brightness of a sixth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to the first reflectivity and less than or equal to the second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is greater than or equal to the second ambient brightness.

[0359] The control unit can control the light source so that an image having a brightness of a seventh brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is equal to or greater than the second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is less than the first ambient brightness.

[0360] The control unit can control the light source so that an image having a brightness of an eighth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is equal to or greater than the second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is equal to or greater than the first ambient brightness and less than the second ambient brightness.

[0361] The control unit can control the light source so that an image having a brightness of a ninth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is equal to or higher than the second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is equal to or higher than the second surrounding brightness.

[0362] It further includes an input unit for receiving a user's input, and the control unit can control the light source so that light of a color set by the user is projected onto the projection surface through the input unit.

[0363] According to the present disclosure, by projecting an image of a color set by a user onto a projection surface, a color such as a complementary color contrasting with the color of the floor can be set, thereby improving visibility.

[0364] A method for controlling a home appliance according to one embodiment may include detecting a reflectivity of a projection surface on which the image is projected; detecting brightness around the home appliance; determining a minimum value of brightness of an image projected onto the projection surface based on the reflectivity of the projection surface and the brightness around the home appliance; and controlling a light source so that an image having a brightness equal to or greater than the determined minimum value is projected onto the projection surface.

[0365] Controlling the light source may include controlling the light source so that an image having a brightness equal to or greater than the first brightness is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is less than the first ambient brightness.

[0366] Controlling the light source may include controlling the light source so that, when the reflectivity of the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is greater than or equal to the first ambient brightness and less than the second ambient brightness, an image having a brightness greater than or equal to the second brightness is projected onto the projection surface.

[0367] Controlling the light source may include controlling the light source so that, when the reflectivity of the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is greater than or equal to the second ambient brightness, an image having a brightness greater than or equal to the third brightness is projected onto the projection surface.

[0368] Controlling the light source may include controlling the light source so that an image having a brightness of a fourth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to a first reflectivity and less than or equal to a second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is less than the first ambient brightness.

[0369] Controlling the light source may include controlling the light source so that an image having a brightness of a fifth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to a first reflectivity and less than or equal to a second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is greater than or equal to a first ambient brightness and less than or equal to a second ambient brightness.

[0370] Controlling the light source may include controlling the light source so that an image having a brightness of a sixth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to a first reflectivity and less than or equal to a second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is greater than or equal to a second ambient brightness.

[0371] Controlling the light source may include controlling the light source so that an image having a brightness of a seventh brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is equal to or greater than the second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is less than the first ambient brightness.

[0372] Controlling the light source may include controlling the light source so that an image having a brightness of an eighth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is equal to or greater than a second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is equal to or greater than a first ambient brightness and less than a second ambient brightness.

[0373] Controlling the light source may include controlling the light source so that an image having a brightness of a ninth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is equal to or higher than the second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is equal to or higher than the second ambient brightness.

[0374] Receiving a user's input; further comprising: controlling the light source; wherein controlling the light source may include controlling the light source so that light of a color set by the user through the input is projected onto the projection surface.

[0375] The effects that can be obtained from the present disclosure are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects that are not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure belongs from the description below.

[0376] The above illustrates and describes specific embodiments. However, the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and implementations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below.

Claims

1. In the home appliance including a display device that projects an image indicating status information of the home appliance, The above display device, light source; Including an image projection unit that projects the above image; The above home appliances, A reflectivity detection sensor that detects the reflectivity of the projection surface on which the above image is projected; A light detection sensor that detects the brightness around the above home appliance; and A home appliance, comprising: a control unit that determines a minimum value of brightness of an image projected on the projection surface based on the reflectivity of the projection surface and the brightness around the home appliance, and controls the light source so that an image having a brightness higher than the determined minimum value is projected on the projection surface.

2. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A home appliance that controls the light source so that an image having a brightness higher than the first brightness is projected on the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is less than the first brightness.

3. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A home appliance that controls the light source so that an image having a brightness higher than or equal to the second brightness is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is higher than or equal to the first ambient brightness and lower than the second ambient brightness.

4. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A home appliance that controls the light source so that an image having a third brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is greater than or equal to the second brightness.

5. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A home appliance that controls the light source so that an image having a brightness of a fourth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to the first reflectivity and less than the second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is less than the first ambient brightness.

6. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A home appliance that controls the light source so that an image having a brightness of a fifth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to a first reflectivity and less than or equal to a second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is greater than or equal to a first ambient brightness and less than or equal to a second ambient brightness.

7. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A home appliance that controls the light source so that an image having a brightness of a sixth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is greater than or equal to the first reflectivity and less than the second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is greater than or equal to the second surrounding brightness.

8. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A home appliance that controls the light source so that an image having a brightness of a seventh brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is equal to or higher than the second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is less than the first brightness around the home appliance.

9. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A home appliance that controls the light source so that an image having a brightness of an eighth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is equal to or higher than the second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is equal to or higher than the first ambient brightness and less than the second ambient brightness.

10. In paragraph 1, The above control unit, A home appliance that controls the light source so that an image having a brightness of a ninth brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is equal to or higher than the second reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is equal to or higher than the second brightness.

11. In paragraph 1, Further comprising an input unit for receiving user input; The above control unit, An electrical appliance that controls the light source so that light of a color set by the user is projected onto the projection surface through the input unit.

12. A method for controlling a home appliance, comprising: a display device that projects an image displaying status information of the home appliance; Detecting the reflectivity of the projection surface on which the above image is projected; Detects the brightness around the above home appliance; Determine the minimum brightness of an image projected on the projection surface based on the reflectivity of the projection surface and the brightness around the home appliance; A method for controlling a home appliance, comprising: controlling a light source so that an image having a brightness greater than the determined minimum value is projected on the projection surface.

13. In paragraph 12, Controlling the above light source is: A method for controlling a home appliance, comprising: controlling the light source so that an image having a brightness higher than the first brightness is projected on the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is less than the first ambient brightness.

14. In paragraph 12, Controlling the above light source is: A method for controlling a home appliance, comprising: controlling the light source so that an image having a brightness higher than or equal to the second brightness is projected on the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is higher than or equal to the first ambient brightness and lower than the second ambient brightness.

15. In paragraph 12, Controlling the above light source is: A method for controlling a home appliance, comprising: controlling the light source so that an image having a brightness of a third brightness or higher is projected onto the projection surface when the reflectivity of the projection surface is less than the first reflectivity and the brightness around the home appliance is greater than or equal to the second brightness.

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