A method is provided for monitoring a supply of a cleaning agent. The method includes performing a check of whether the supply of the cleaning agent is likely to be used up. The check is based, at least in part, on quantity information which is representative of an amount of the cleaning agent in a user's supply and on consumption information which is indicative of the user's expected consumption behavior with respect to the cleaning agent. Further, a device is provided for performing the method for monitoring the supply of the cleaning agent.

The disclosure relates to a method including capturing and/or obtaining a reservoir information item at a dispensing module for a detergent and/or cleaning agent, with the reservoir information item representative of at least one property of a reservoir for the detergent and/or cleaning agent, an application specification for the detergent and/or cleaning agent contained in the reservoir, and/or a property of the detergent and/or cleaning agent contained in the reservoir, and the reservoir is connected or connectable to the dispensing module. The method further includes determining and/or causing the determination of a dispensing control information item depending at least in part on the reservoir information item, with the dispensing control information item configured to at least partly control the dispensing of the detergent and/or cleaning agent by the dispensing module.

A clothing treatment apparatus including a refresher having a third case disposed at least on one side of a washing machine and a dryer and having an inner space for receiving laundry, and a third door for opening and closing the third case, in which a display is disposed on a front surface of the third door, and displays an operation screen having a plurality of menu buttons for operating the washing machine, the dryer, and the refresher, and arrangement positions of the plurality of menu buttons on the operation screen vary according to a physical arrangement of the washing machine, the dryer and the refresher.

Disclosed is an artificial intelligence (AI) apparatus comprising: a short-range communication module configured for sensing a plurality of laundry treatment apparatuses positioned around the AI apparatus; and a processor configured for: acquiring laundry information about laundry and characteristic information of each of the detected laundry treatment apparatuses; determining a laundry group corresponding to the laundry, based on the acquired laundry information; comparing characteristic information of the determined laundry group and characteristic information of each of the plurality of laundry treatment apparatuses with each other; and determining a laundry treatment apparatus for washing the laundry among the plurality of laundry treatment apparatuses based on the comparison result.

Disclosed herein is an artificial intelligence-based laundry treating apparatus. The artificial intelligence-based laundry treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention receives big data about information of an external environment capable of affecting laundry and life log data including activity information of a user wearing the laundry and automatically sets an optimal laundry management course for the laundry based on input factors including the big data and the life log data. Further, the artificial intelligence-based laundry treating apparatus may operate based on the optimal laundry management course to clean the laundry. A washing machine of the present invention may be associated with an artificial intelligence module, a drone (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, UAV), a robot, an augmented reality (AR) device, a virtual reality (VR) device, a device related to a 5G service, and the like.

A clothes care apparatus includes a chamber, an upper fan provided above the chamber and configured to move air to a lower side of the chamber, and a lower fan provided under the chamber and configured to move air to an upper side of the chamber. A first motor is configured to rotate the lower fan and a steam generating device is configured to generate steam by heating water. A controller is configured to control on-off states of the steam generating device and the first motor, configured to turn on the steam generating device in a first period for supplying the generated steam to the chamber, and configured to turn on the first motor in a second period for allowing the steam to be dispersed by air moving to the chamber.

The present disclosure relates to a washing machine and a control method of the same. The washing machine includes: a detergent supply device which supplies a liquid additive to the tub; and a controller which controls the operation of the detergent supply device. The detergent supply device includes: a plurality of cartridges which contain the additive respectively; an electrode sensor which detects conductivity of the additive contained in the plurality of cartridges; and a pump which extracts the additive contained in the cartridge. The controller determines a type of additive contained in the cartridge based on a detection value of the electrode sensor.

Provided is a method for preventing an accident related to children or pets that may occur by a home appliance using artificial intelligence. According to the present disclosure, the method for preventing the accident comprises comparing a distance between the home appliance and a generation position of the voice signal and a reference distance when the generation position of the voice signal is outside of the home appliance. Then, the present disclosure enables switching a door of the home appliance to a lock state when a distance between the home appliance and the generation position of the voice signal is less than the reference distance. Thus, the present disclosure may enable controlling the home appliance to prevent children or pets from entering an inside of the home appliance.

A light sensor device is disclosed for installation in a heat-using domestic electrical appliance such as, for example, a washing machine or a dishwasher and permits the implementation of a touch-free operating function, for example an automatic door opening function. The light sensor device includes in some embodiments: a window element which is formed of light-permeable material and is arranged with space on a first window side for hand movements; a first light source arrangement arranged to radiate visible light into the window element; a second light source arrangement which is arranged to radiate infrared light through the window element from a second window side opposite the first window side; and a photodetector arrangement which is sensitive to infrared light of the second light source arrangement and is arranged on the second window side, for detecting infrared light which strikes the photodetector arrangement from the window element.

A method for controlling a washing machine includes: detecting a first sensor value by a first set of electrode sensors and a second sensor value by a second set of electrode sensors having at least one electrode sensor which is placed vertically higher than the first set of electrode sensors, the first and second set of electrode sensors comprising at least three electrode sensors which are located at least one of cartridges and configured to detect an amount of detergent contained in the at least one the cartridges; comparing the first sensor value and the second sensor value with a first predetermined value, respectively; passing a predetermined time; redetecting the first sensor value and the second sensor value and calculating a difference sensor value; and determining that the detergent is filling to a height between the first set of electrode sensors and the second set of electrode sensors.