Laundry treatment apparatus

1. A laundry treatment apparatus comprising:

a first washing unit which performs washing;

a second washing unit which has a washing space independent of the first washing unit and performs washing;

an input unit which receives a dual washing command;

a first control unit which, when the dual washing command is inputted through the input unit, controls the first washing unit to perform washing according to a dual washing course which is set such that the first washing unit and the second washing unit perform washing simultaneously, and outputs a dual control signal corresponding to the dual washing course; and

a second control unit which controls, in response to the dual control signal outputted by the first control unit, the second washing unit to perform washing according to the dual washing course.

2. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dual washing course is a washing course which is set such that the first washing unit and the second washing unit start washing simultaneously.

3. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dual washing course is a washing course which is set such that the first washing unit and the second washing unit finish washing simultaneously.

4. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dual washing course is a washing course comprising a plurality of preset processes performed by the first washing unit and a plurality of preset processes performed by the second washing unit.

5. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dual washing course is a washing course which is set such that a process of the first washing unit and a process of the second washing unit are not simultaneously performed.

6. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dual washing course is a washing course which is set such that a spin-dry process, a drying process, or a heating process of any one of the first washing unit and the second washing unit is not performed simultaneously with a spin-dry process, a drying process, or a heating process of the other washing unit.

7. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a memory which stores at least one dual washing course,

wherein, when one of at least one dual washing course stored in the memory is selected through the input unit, the first control unit controls the first washing unit to perform washing according to the selected dual washing course,

wherein the second control unit controls the second washing unit to perform washing according to the selected dual washing course.

8. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a display unit,

wherein the first control unit displays at least one dual washing course stored in the memory on the display unit, and, when one dual washing course is selected through the input unit, displays the selected dual washing course on the display unit.

9. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising a communication unit for performing communication with a preset network;

wherein the first control unit downloads the dual washing course from the preset network through the communication unit, and stores the downloaded dual washing course in the memory.

10. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a display unit; and

a memory which stores at least one dual washing course,

wherein the first control unit displays at least one selectable first washing unit course on the display unit, and, when one first washing unit course is selected through the input unit, displays at least one second washing unit course that can be combined with the selected first washing unit course based on at least one dual washing course stored in the memory on the display unit.

11. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first control unit, when one second washing unit course is selected through the input unit among at least one second washing unit course displayed on the display unit, controls the first washing unit to perform washing according to a dual washing course composed of the selected second washing unit course and the selected first washing unit course among at least one dual washing course stored in the memory,

wherein the second control unit controls the second washing unit to perform washing according to the dual washing course.

12. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a memory which stores at least one dual washing course,

wherein the input unit comprises:

a first input unit for receiving a first washing unit course; and a second input unit for receiving a second washing unit course,

wherein, when a first washing unit course is inputted through the first input unit, when a second washing unit course is inputted through the second input unit, and when a dual washing course composed of the inputted first washing unit course and the inputted second washing unit course exists in the memory, the first control unit controls the first washing unit to perform washing according to the dual washing course, and outputs a dual control signal corresponding to the dual washing course.

13. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, when an interval between a time when the first washing unit course is inputted and a time when the second washing unit course is inputted is equal to or shorter than a set time interval, and when a dual washing unit course composed of the inputted first washing unit course and the inputted second washing unit course exists in the memory,

the first control unit controls the first washing unit to perform washing according to the dual washing course, and outputs a dual control signal corresponding to the dual washing course.

14. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, before completing a water supply process after the first washing unit starts washing as the first washing unit course is inputted, when the second washing unit course is inputted through the second input unit, and when a dual washing course composed of the first washing unit course and the second washing unit course exists in the memory, the first control unit controls the first washing unit to perform washing according to the dual washing course, and outputs a dual control signal corresponding to the dual washing course.

15. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 12 , wherein, when a dual washing course composed of the inputted first washing unit course and the inputted second washing unit course exists in the memory, and when a dual washing command for the dual washing course is inputted through the input unit, the first control unit controls the first washing unit to perform washing according to the dual washing course, and outputs a dual control signal corresponding to the dual washing course.

16. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, when the first and second control units control the first and second washing units to perform washing, the first and second control units control a supply of liquid to first and second washing tubs, respectively, and spin the washing tubs.

17. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a first memory which stores at least one dual washing course and a first washing unit course; and

a second memory which stores at least one dual washing course and a second washing unit course.

18. The laundry treatment apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of preset processes performed by the first washing unit are different from the plurality of preset processes performed by the second washing unit.

19. A laundry machine, comprising:

a first laundry unit;

a second laundry unit;

a user interface configured to receive a user selection of a dual laundry course among a plurality of dual laundry courses in a menu;

a first controller configured to control an overall operation of the first laundry unit and to transmit a signal; and

a second controller configured to control an overall operation of the second laundry unit and to receive the transmitted signal from the first controller, wherein the dual laundry course includes a set of first commands for the first laundry unit and a set of second commands for the second laundry unit, and when the dual laundry course is selected, the dual laundry course is performed such that, during performance of the dual laundry course:

the first controller sends the signal and controls the first laundry unit according to the set of first commands,

the second controller receives the signal and controls the second laundry unit according to the set of second commands, and

a timing of the first and second set of commands is such that at least one of:

the first and second set of commands begin at a same start time,

the first and second set of commands end at a same end time, or

spin-drying commands of the first and second set of commands are not performed during a same time interval.

20. The laundry machine of claim 19 , wherein the menu includes at least one first laundry course and at least one second laundry course, and wherein:

when the user selects a first laundry course which has the set of first commands and selects a second laundry course which has the set of second commands during a predetermined time period, the dual laundry course is performed; and

when the user selects the first laundry course and does not select the second laundry course within the predetermined time period, the first controller controls the first laundry unit according to the set of first commands, and

if the user selects the second laundry course after the predetermined time period, the second controller controls the second laundry unit according to the set of second commands and independently of the first controller controlling the first laundry unit according to the set of first commands.