Refrigerating and freezing device and control method thereof

Abstract

The present application relates to a household refrigeration device, in particular to a refrigerating and freezing device and a control method thereof. An aging space is formed in the refrigerating and freezing device. The control method comprises: obtaining attribute information of food in the aging space; determining an aging degree of the food according to the attribute information of the food; and outputting prompt information containing the aging degree of the food. Based on the method provided by the present application, the refrigerating and freezing device of the present application can automatically determine the aging degree of the food, so as to help the user accurately control the aging period, improve the intelligent level, and to some extent, avoid the problem of poor user experience caused by the difficulty in distinguishing the aging degree.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to household refrigeration equipment, and more particularly to refrigeration and freezing devices and their control methods. Background Technology

[0002] Maturation refers to the process of placing food under suitable temperature and humidity conditions to allow it to ferment slowly and naturally, thereby producing a better flavor. The typical maturation period is 20-40 days, while some foods require maturation periods of up to 100-200 days.

[0003] However, the inventors recognized that it is difficult to distinguish the degree of ripeness of food during the long ripening process. If users cannot obtain the degree of ripeness of food in a timely manner, it will be difficult to control the ripening cycle, and may even cause them to miss the best time to eat the ripened food, thus reducing the user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above problems, a refrigeration and freezing device and its control method are proposed.

[0005] One objective of this invention is to enable refrigeration and freezing devices to automatically determine the degree of ripeness of food during the ripening process, so that users can accurately control the ripening cycle.

[0006] A further objective of this invention is to combine multiple attribute information of food to determine the degree of ripeness, thereby improving the accuracy of the degree of ripeness.

[0007] Another further objective of this invention is to promptly notify the user once the ripened food has reached its optimal ripening level, so as to avoid missing the best time to consume it.

[0008] In particular, according to one aspect of the present invention, a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus is provided, wherein a curing space is formed inside the refrigeration and freezing apparatus; and the control method includes:

[0009] Obtain the attribute information of food within the maturation space;

[0010] Determine the degree of ripeness of food based on its properties;

[0011] Output a message indicating the degree of doneness of the food.

[0012] Optionally, the food's attribute information includes the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food, the food's appearance, and the rate of weight change of the food; and

[0013] The steps for determining the degree of ripeness of food based on its properties include:

[0014] The degree of ripeness of food is determined based on one or more of the following: the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food, the appearance of the food, and the rate of change of the food's weight.

[0015] Optionally, the step of determining the degree of ripeness of food based on the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food includes:

[0016] The concentration of flavor compounds is compared with a preset concentration threshold range, where different concentration threshold ranges are set according to the amount of flavor compounds released under different degrees of food ripening.

[0017] The degree of maturity of food is defined as the degree of maturity corresponding to the concentration threshold range to which the flavor compounds belong.

[0018] Optionally, the step of determining the degree of ripeness of food based on the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food includes:

[0019] The maturation time is started from the moment when the concentration of flavor compounds exceeds the first concentration threshold;

[0020] The degree of ripeness of food is determined by the cumulative duration of ripening time.

[0021] Optionally, the step of determining the degree of ripeness of food based on its appearance includes:

[0022] Image feature analysis is performed on images of the food's appearance to obtain the color and wrinkle features of the food's surface;

[0023] The color and wrinkle characteristics of the food surface were compared with the surface characteristics of the same type of food at different ripening levels collected in advance.

[0024] The degree of ripeness of a food is defined as the degree of ripeness corresponding to the surface characteristics of the same type of food that have the highest similarity to the color and wrinkle characteristics of the food surface.

[0025] Optionally, the step of determining the degree of ripeness of food based on the rate of change in food weight includes:

[0026] The weight change rate of food is compared with the preset change rate threshold range, where different change rate threshold ranges are set according to the internal moisture evaporation rate of the same type of food under different degrees of ripeness.

[0027] The degree of ripeness of a food is defined as the degree of ripeness corresponding to the threshold range of the rate of change of its weight.

[0028] Optionally, the steps for determining the degree of ripeness of food based on multiple factors, including the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food, the appearance of the food, and the rate of weight change of the food, include:

[0029] Food is considered fully mature when all of the following conditions are met:

[0030] The appearance of the food is matched with the surface characteristics of the same type of food in a pre-collected, fully ripened state;

[0031] The concentration of flavor compounds released by the food stabilizes at the second concentration threshold; and

[0032] The rate of change in food weight decreased to the first rate of change threshold.

[0033] Optionally, the control method further includes:

[0034] If the appearance of the food matches the surface characteristics of the same type of food in a pre-collected fully matured state, and the concentration of flavor substances released by the food is stable at the second concentration threshold, but the weight change rate of the food is still greater than the first change rate threshold, then the operating parameters of the fan of the refrigeration and freezing device are adjusted to reduce the rate of moisture evaporation inside the food.

[0035] Optionally, after the step of outputting a prompt message indicating the degree of doneness of the food, the control method further includes:

[0036] Adjust the operating status of the refrigeration and freezing unit according to the operating parameters corresponding to the degree of food maturation, so that the maturation space enters the operating state corresponding to the degree of food maturation;

[0037] When the food has finished cooking, a completion signal is issued.

[0038] According to another aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration and freezing apparatus is also provided, comprising: a maturation space disposed inside the refrigeration and freezing apparatus;

[0039] Information acquisition device, used to collect attribute information of food within the maturation space; and

[0040] The system includes a processing module and a storage module. The storage module stores a machine-executable program. When the machine-executable program is executed by the processing module, it is used to implement any of the control methods mentioned above.

[0041] The refrigeration and freezing apparatus and its control method of the present invention can automatically acquire the attribute information of food in the maturation space and determine the degree of maturation of food based on the attribute information. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus can automatically detect and output the degree of maturation of food, which makes it easier for users to accurately control the maturation cycle and improves the level of intelligence.

[0042] Furthermore, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus and its control method of the present invention, because the refrigeration and freezing apparatus can acquire multiple attribute information of food and combine multiple of the above-mentioned attribute information to determine the degree of ripeness of food, enable the refrigeration and freezing apparatus of the present invention to more accurately determine the degree of ripeness of food and improve the user experience.

[0043] Furthermore, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus and its control method of the present invention can issue a prompt signal when it is determined that the food has completed cooking, which can promptly remind the user to take out and eat the cooked food to avoid missing the best time to eat the food.

[0044] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0045] The following sections will describe some specific embodiments of the invention in detail by way of example and not limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote the same or similar parts or portions. Those skilled in the art should understand that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the drawings:

[0046] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the aging chamber of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 3 It is along the aging compartment of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 A sectional view cut by section line AA in the diagram;

[0049] Figure 4 This is a schematic block diagram of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to yet another embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] Figure 8This is a schematic diagram of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] Figure 9 This is a control flowchart of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0055] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 of the present invention generally includes a housing 110. (As...) Figure 1 As shown, the interior of the box 110 has a storage compartment 111.

[0056] In this embodiment, the interior of the housing 110 may form multiple storage compartments 111, such as a refrigeration compartment, a freezing compartment, and a aging compartment 112. The aging compartment 112 contains an aging space 113 for aging food. In some specific embodiments, the housing 110 also includes a cooling duct that provides cooling airflow to the aging compartment 112, thereby delivering cooling airflow at a specified temperature to the aging compartment 112 and regulating the temperature within it, for example, controlling the temperature of the aging compartment 112 between 0-4°C.

[0057] The refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 of this invention provides a maturation environment for food maturation by setting up a maturation chamber 112, which defines a maturation space 113, thus enabling homemade maturated food. The structure of the maturation chamber 112 will be described in detail below.

[0058] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the aging compartment 112 of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 It is along the aging compartment of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 The cross-sectional view is taken by section line AA. In some embodiments, the curing compartment 112 may include a curing container 114, and the curing space 113 may refer to the internal space of the curing container 114. For example, the curing container 114 may include a storage drawer.

[0059] like Figure 2 As shown, the aging chamber 112 may also include a fan 115 for promoting airflow circulation within the aging space 113. For example... Figure 3As shown, the aging chamber 112 may also include an air outlet 116 and a return air outlet 117. After the fan 115 is started, it can cause the airflow in the aging space 113 to be dispersed from the return air outlet 117 to the outside of the aging container 114, and under the flow promotion of the fan 115, it is blown into the aging space 113 through the return air duct and the air outlet 116, thus completing the airflow circulation in the aging space 113.

[0060] Figure 4 This is a schematic block diagram of a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 of the present invention includes a aging space 113, an information acquisition device 120, a processing module 130, and a storage module 140. The information acquisition device 120 is used to acquire attribute information of food placed in the aging space 113. The attribute information of the food may include the concentration of flavor substances released by the food, the appearance of the food, and the weight change rate of the food. In this embodiment, the information acquisition device 120 may include a flavor substance acquisition module 121, an image acquisition module 122, and a weight acquisition module 123. The flavor substance acquisition module 121 is used to acquire the concentration of flavor substances released by the food, the image acquisition module 122 is used to acquire the appearance of the food, and the weight acquisition module 123 is used to acquire the weight change rate of the food.

[0061] In some specific embodiments, the flavor substance collection module 121 can be disposed within the airflow circulation path of the aging chamber 112, for example, it can be disposed within the indoor air outlet path of the aging chamber 112, or within the return air path of the aging chamber 112. In some more specific embodiments, such as Figure 2 As shown, the flavor substance acquisition module 121 can be positioned near the fan 115 below the return air vent 117, ensuring that the core acquisition component of the flavor substance acquisition module 121 faces the return air direction. Specifically, the flavor substance acquisition module 121 is preferably a sensor capable of identifying flavor substances such as 3-hydroxy-2-butanone, 2,3-butanedione, and 1-butanol. This sensor is positioned perpendicular to the return air direction of the maturation chamber 112 and includes a selective filter membrane and a core processing unit, enabling the establishment of spectra and databases for flavor substances. When the aforementioned flavor substances are generated in the maturation space 113, their concentration can be identified and determined. In this embodiment, the flavor substance acquisition module 121 is positioned within the airflow circulation path of the maturation chamber 112, improving the accuracy of flavor substance concentration acquisition.

[0062] In some specific embodiments, the image acquisition module 122 can be positioned in a location capable of fully monitoring the appearance of the food within the maturation space 113, such as... Figure 3As shown, the image acquisition module 122 can be located in the upper region of the rear of the aging container 114. The image acquisition module 122 may include a camera and an image processor. The camera periodically captures images of the food, and the image processor saves the captured images and performs image feature analysis on the appearance images of the food to obtain the color features and wrinkle features of the food surface. The color features and wrinkle features of the food surface are then compared with a pre-established database of surface features of the same type of food at different aging levels.

[0063] In some specific embodiments, the weight acquisition module 123 may include a weight sensor disposed at the bottom of the curing space 113. For example, a tray 118 may be disposed at the bottom of the curing space 113, and the weight sensor may be disposed at the bottom of the tray 118.

[0064] Storage module 140 and processing module 130 can form part of the main control board of the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100. Processing module 130 can be a central processing unit (CPU) or a digital processing unit (DSP), etc. Storage module 140 is used to store programs executed by processing module 130. Storage module 140 stores machine-executable program 141, which, when executed by processing module 130, is used to implement the control method of refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 according to any of the following embodiments.

[0065] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control method generally includes:

[0066] Step S502: Obtain the attribute information of the food in the maturation space 113, such as the concentration of flavor substances released by the food, the appearance of the food, and the rate of change of the food's weight.

[0067] Step S504: Determine the degree of ripeness of the food based on its attribute information. The attribute information of the same type of food varies depending on its degree of ripeness. For example, during ripening, the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food gradually increases, the appearance of the food shows a gradual increase in wrinkles and a gradual darkening of color, and the rate of weight change of the food gradually decreases. Therefore, by comparing the attribute information of the food with the attribute information of the same type of food at different ripening levels collected beforehand, the degree of ripeness of the food can be determined.

[0068] Step S506: Output a prompt message containing the degree of ripeness of the food. The prompt message can be automatically detected and displayed in real time by the refrigeration and freezing device 100 or sent to the user, or it can be displayed or sent to the user only when the user wants to check the degree of ripeness.

[0069] Using the above method, since the refrigeration and freezing device 100 can automatically acquire the attribute information of the food in the maturation space 113 and output prompt information containing the degree of maturation of the food based on the determined degree of maturation, the refrigeration and freezing device 100 can automatically detect the degree of maturation of the food, which is beneficial for users to control the maturation cycle and improves the level of intelligence.

[0070] Step S504 above may include determining the degree of ripeness of the food based on one or more of the following: the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food, the appearance of the food, and the rate of weight change of the food. That is, the degree of ripeness of the food can be determined based on any one of the following: the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food, the appearance of the food, and the rate of weight change of the food. This can be combined with a comprehensive consideration and selection of factors such as cost control, accuracy requirements, and user needs. Alternatively, the degree of ripeness of the food can be determined based on multiple factors, including the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food, the appearance of the food, and the rate of weight change of the food. Only when the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food, the appearance of the food, and the rate of weight change of the food all meet the preset requirements for a certain degree of ripeness can the degree of ripeness of the food be determined, thereby improving accuracy. The following will describe the control methods for determining the degree of ripeness of the food based on any one of the following: the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food, the appearance of the food, and the rate of weight change of the food, and for determining the degree of ripeness based on multiple factors, including the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food, the appearance of the food, and the rate of weight change of the food.

[0071] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention. This control method determines the degree of ripeness of food based on the concentration of flavor substances released from the food, and generally includes:

[0072] Step S602: Obtain the concentration of flavor substances released by the food in the maturation space 113.

[0073] Step S604: Compare the concentration of flavor compounds with preset concentration threshold ranges. Different concentration threshold ranges are set according to the release amount of flavor compounds at different stages of food ripening.

[0074] Step S606: The degree of maturity corresponding to the concentration threshold range to which the concentration of the flavor substance belongs is taken as the degree of maturity of the food.

[0075] Step S608: Output a prompt message containing the degree of ripeness of the food.

[0076] In step S604, the maturation cycle can be pre-divided into four stages: early maturation, middle maturation, late maturation, and completion of maturation. During maturation, the amount of flavor compounds released by the food gradually increases, and the concentration of these compounds naturally varies at different maturation stages. Therefore, a first preset concentration threshold range, a second preset concentration threshold range, and a third preset concentration threshold range are pre-defined. Based on this, the absence of detectable flavor compounds indicates early maturation; detection of flavor compounds within the first preset concentration threshold range indicates middle maturation; detection of flavor compounds within the second preset concentration threshold range indicates late maturation; and detection of flavor compounds within the third preset concentration threshold range indicates late maturation. In some more specific embodiments, the upper limit of the first preset concentration threshold range is equal to that of the second preset concentration threshold range, denoted as α; the upper limit of the second preset concentration threshold range is equal to the lower limit of the third preset concentration threshold range, denoted as β; and the upper limit of the third preset concentration threshold range is denoted as γ. Specifically, α can be the lowest concentration value detectable by the flavor compound acquisition module 121, where 30ppb < β < 70ppb, and 80ppb < γ < 120ppb. For example, β=50ppb, γ=100ppb.

[0077] Of course, the maturation cycle can be further subdivided into more maturation levels as needed, and concentration threshold ranges corresponding to these more maturation levels can be set. This invention does not limit the number of maturation levels; the principle for determining the maturation level is the same as before and will not be repeated here.

[0078] Using the above method, the refrigeration and freezing device 100 can automatically compare the concentration of flavor substances released by the detected food with a preset concentration threshold range, and obtain the degree of maturity corresponding to the concentration threshold range to which the concentration of the flavor substance belongs as the degree of maturity of the food.

[0079] In another specific embodiment, steps S604 and S606 can be replaced by: starting the aging timer from the moment the concentration of flavor substances exceeds a first concentration threshold; and determining the degree of maturity of the food based on the cumulative duration of the aging timer. The first concentration threshold can be set as the lowest concentration detectable by the flavor substance acquisition module 121. Data on the duration of different maturation levels after the detection of flavor substances for the same type of food is collected in advance, and the collected data is statistically analyzed to obtain the normal duration of different maturation levels for that type of food from the detection of flavor substances. Based on this, the specific steps for determining the degree of maturity of the food based on the cumulative duration of the aging timer can include: if the cumulative duration of the aging timer reaches a first preset duration, determining that the food is in the late stage of maturation; if the cumulative duration of the aging timer reaches a second preset duration, determining that the food has completed maturation. More specifically, the first preset duration is in the range of 8 to 12 days, and the second preset duration is in the range of 15 to 25 days. For example, the first preset duration is 10 days, and the second preset duration is 20 days. That is, if the cumulative duration of the maturation time reaches 10 days, the food is determined to be in the late stage of maturation, and if the cumulative duration of the maturation time reaches 20 days, the food is determined to be fully matured.

[0080] Using the above method, the refrigeration and freezing device 100 can determine the degree of food maturity based on the cumulative duration during which the concentration of flavor substances exceeds a first concentration threshold, thereby avoiding repeated detection of the concentration of flavor substances, reducing the difficulty of detection, and simplifying the execution process.

[0081] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention. This control method determines the degree of ripeness of food based on its appearance and generally includes:

[0082] Step S702: Obtain the appearance status of the food in the maturation space 113, for example, periodically turn on the image acquisition module 122 to acquire images of the food's appearance.

[0083] Step S704: Perform image feature analysis on the appearance image of the food to obtain the color features and wrinkle features of the food surface.

[0084] Step S706: Compare the color and wrinkle features of the food surface with the surface features of the same type of food at different ripening levels collected in advance.

[0085] Step S708: The degree of ripeness corresponding to the surface characteristics of the same type of food that have the highest similarity to the color and wrinkle characteristics of the food surface is taken as the degree of ripeness of the food.

[0086] Step S710: Output a prompt message containing the degree of ripeness of the food.

[0087] In step S706, the surface features of the same type of food under different ripening conditions are obtained through the following steps: collecting appearance images of the same type of food under different ripening conditions; performing image feature analysis on the collected appearance images to obtain the surface features of the food under different ripening conditions, wherein the surface features include color features and wrinkle features.

[0088] Using the above method, the refrigeration and freezing device 100 can automatically acquire the appearance of the food and compare the color and wrinkle features of the food surface obtained from the analysis of the appearance with the surface features of the same type of food at different ripening levels collected in advance, so as to obtain the surface feature data that is closest to the color and wrinkle features of the food surface. Then, the ripening level corresponding to the closest surface feature data is used as the ripening level of the food, thereby realizing accurate and intelligent determination of the ripening level of the food and facilitating the control of the ripening cycle.

[0089] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 according to another embodiment of the present invention. This control method determines the degree of ripeness of food based on the rate of weight change of the food, and generally includes:

[0090] Step S802: Obtain the weight change rate of the food in the maturation space 113, for example, periodically turn on the weight acquisition module 123 to collect the weight change rate of the food.

[0091] Step S804: Compare the weight change rate of the food with a preset change rate threshold range. Different change rate threshold ranges are set according to the internal moisture evaporation rate of the same type of food at different maturation levels.

[0092] Step S806: The degree of ripeness corresponding to the threshold range of the rate of change of the food's weight change rate is taken as the degree of ripeness of the food.

[0093] Step S808: Output a prompt message containing the degree of ripeness of the food.

[0094] In step S806, the step of obtaining the weight change rate of the food includes: after detecting that food has been placed into the aging space, periodically detecting and saving the quality of the food; dividing the ratio of the difference in the quality of the food detected before and after two detections to the initial quality value of the food by the interval between the two detections to obtain the weight change rate of the food.

[0095] In step S806, since the rate of evaporation of internal moisture in the food gradually decreases during the maturation process, the weight change rate detected at different maturation levels naturally differs. Therefore, a first preset change rate threshold range, a second preset change rate threshold range, and a third preset change rate threshold range can be pre-set. Based on this, a weight change rate within the first preset change rate threshold range indicates early maturation, a weight change rate within the second preset change rate threshold range indicates mid-maturation, and a weight change rate within the third preset change rate threshold range indicates completion of maturation. In some more specific embodiments, the lower limit of the first preset change rate threshold range and the upper limit of the second preset change rate threshold range are equal, denoted as θ; the lower limit of the second preset change rate threshold range and the upper limit of the third preset change rate threshold range are equal, denoted as ω. Specifically, 0.8% / day < θ < 5% / day, 0.1% / day < ω < 0.5% / day. For example, θ is 1% / day, and ω is 0.3% / day.

[0096] Of course, the maturation cycle can be further subdivided into more maturation levels as needed, and corresponding change rate thresholds can be set to obtain change rate threshold ranges corresponding to more maturation levels. This invention does not limit the number of maturation levels; the principle for determining the maturation level is the same as before and will not be repeated here.

[0097] Using the above method, the refrigeration and freezing device 100 can automatically compare the detected rate of change of food weight with a preset rate of change threshold range, and obtain the degree of maturity corresponding to the rate of change threshold range to which the rate of change of weight belongs as the degree of maturity of the food.

[0098] In some embodiments, the step of determining the degree of ripeness of food based on multiple factors including the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food, the appearance of the food, and the rate of change of the food's weight includes: determining that the food has completed ripening when the following conditions are met simultaneously: the appearance of the food matches the surface characteristics of a pre-collected food of the same type in a fully ripened state; the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food is stable at a second concentration threshold; and the rate of change of the food's weight decreases to a first rate of change threshold.

[0099] Using the above method, the refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 can determine the degree of ripening of food by combining various food attribute information, including the concentration of flavor substances released by the food in the ripening space 113, the appearance of the food, and the rate of weight change of the food. Food is determined to be ripe only if the following conditions are met simultaneously: the appearance of the food matches the surface characteristics of the same type of food in a pre-collected ripened state; the concentration of flavor substances released by the food stabilizes at a second concentration threshold; and the rate of weight change of the food decreases to a first rate of change threshold. This embodiment can comprehensively assess whether food has completed ripening, improving the accuracy of the assessment results.

[0100] Figure 9 This is a control flowchart of a control method for a refrigeration and freezing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The control flow generally includes:

[0101] Step S902: Obtain the attribute information of the food within the maturation space 113. The attribute information of the food includes the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food, the appearance of the food, and the rate of weight change of the food.

[0102] Step S904: Determine the degree of ripeness of the food based on its attribute information. The specific implementation scheme for determining the degree of ripeness based on the food's attribute information can refer to the specific implementation scheme in any of the above embodiments.

[0103] Step S906: Output a prompt message containing the degree of ripeness of the food.

[0104] In step S908, the operating state of the refrigeration and freezing device 100 is adjusted according to the operating parameters corresponding to the degree of ripening of the food, so that the ripening space 113 enters the operating state corresponding to the degree of ripening of the food.

[0105] Step S910: If the appearance of the food matches the surface characteristics of the same type of food in the pre-collected fully ripened state, and the concentration of flavor compounds released by the food remains stable at a second concentration threshold, determine whether the weight change rate of the food has decreased to a first change rate threshold. The first change rate threshold refers to the weight change rate of the same type of food in the ripened state. If yes, proceed to step S912; otherwise, proceed to step S914.

[0106] Step S912: Confirm that the food is ready and issue a completion prompt signal.

[0107] Step S914: Adjust the fan operating parameters of the refrigeration and freezing device 100 to reduce the rate of moisture evaporation inside the food.

[0108] Using the above method, the refrigeration and freezing device 100 can issue a completion prompt signal when it determines that the food has completed cooking. In other words, when the food has completed cooking, the refrigeration and freezing device 100 can automatically remind the user to remove and consume the cooked food in a timely manner, avoiding the problem of poor user experience caused by missing the optimal consumption time of cooked food. The completion prompt signal can be in any form, such as text information like "Cooked Completed." The refrigeration and freezing device 100 can have a display module, and the processing module 130 can generate a completion prompt signal and output it to the display module after determining that the food has completed cooking.

[0109] Furthermore, after determining the degree of ripening of the food, the refrigeration and freezing unit 100 can automatically modify its operating parameters, which helps to improve the automation level of the refrigeration and freezing unit 100 and optimize the ripening / preservation effect of the food while reducing the user's workload. The operating parameters may refer to at least one of parameters such as ripening temperature, ripening humidity, and ripening airflow.

[0110] Furthermore, the control method of the refrigeration and freezing device 100 in this embodiment also includes the following steps: if the appearance of the food matches the surface characteristics of the same type of food in the pre-collected matured state, and the concentration of flavor substances released by the food is stable at a second concentration threshold, but the weight change rate of the food is still greater than a first change rate threshold, then the fan operating parameters of the refrigeration and freezing device are adjusted to reduce the rate of evaporation of moisture inside the food, thereby reducing the weight change rate of the food, and reducing the weight change rate of the food to the first change rate threshold as soon as possible, thereby completing the maturation.

[0111] Therefore, those skilled in the art should recognize that although numerous exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications conforming to the principles of the present invention can be directly determined or derived from the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention should be understood and construed as covering all such other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A control method of a refrigerating-freezing appliance, an inside of the refrigerating-freezing appliance forming a ripening space. And the control method comprises: Obtaining attribute information of the food in the aging space, wherein the attribute information of the food comprises a concentration of flavor substances released by the food, an appearance state of the food, and a weight change rate of the food; Determining the aging degree of the food according to the attribute information of the food; Outputting prompt information containing the aging degree of the food; Adjusting the operating state of the refrigeration and freezing device according to the operating parameters corresponding to the aging degree of the food, so that the aging space enters an operating state corresponding to the aging degree of the food; If the appearance state of the food matches the surface features of the same kind of food in the completed aging state collected in advance, and the concentration of the flavor substances released by the food is stable at the second concentration threshold, but the weight change rate of the food is still greater than the first change rate threshold, the fan operating parameters of the refrigeration and freezing device are adjusted to reduce the water evaporation speed inside the food.

2. The control method of claim 1, wherein The step of determining the aging degree of the food according to the concentration of the flavor substances released by the food comprises: Comparing the concentration of the flavor substances with a preset concentration threshold interval, wherein different concentration threshold intervals are set according to the release amount of flavor substances at different aging degrees of the food; The aging degree corresponding to the concentration threshold interval to which the concentration of the flavor substances belongs is taken as the aging degree of the food.

3. The control method of claim 1, wherein The step of determining the aging degree of the food according to the concentration of the flavor substances released by the food comprises: Starting aging timing from the moment when the concentration of the flavor substances exceeds the first concentration threshold; The aging degree of the food is determined according to the cumulative length of the aging timing.

4. The control method of claim 1, wherein The step of determining the aging degree of the food according to the appearance state of the food comprises: Performing image feature analysis on the appearance image of the food to obtain the color and luster features and wrinkle features of the surface of the food; Comparing the color and luster features and wrinkle features of the surface of the food with the surface features of the same kind of food at different aging degrees collected in advance respectively; The aging degree corresponding to the surface features of the same kind of food with the highest similarity degree to the color and luster features and wrinkle features of the surface of the food is taken as the aging degree of the food.

5. The control method of claim 1, wherein The step of determining the aging degree of the food according to the weight change rate of the food comprises: Comparing the weight change rate of the food with a preset change rate threshold interval, wherein different change rate threshold intervals are set according to the internal water evaporation speed of the same kind of food at different aging degrees; The aging degree corresponding to the change rate threshold interval to which the weight change rate of the food belongs is taken as the aging degree of the food.

6. The control method of claim 1, wherein The step of determining the ripening degree of the food based on a plurality of the concentration of flavoring substances released by the food, the appearance state of the food, and the weight change rate of the food includes: The food is determined to be fully ripened when the following conditions are met simultaneously: The appearance state of the food matches the surface features of the same kind of food in a pre-acquired fully ripened state; The concentration of flavoring substances released by the food stabilizes at a second concentration threshold; and The weight change rate of the food decreases to a first change rate threshold.

7. The control method according to claim 1, further comprising, after the step of outputting the prompt information containing the ripening degree of the food: When the food is fully ripened, a completion prompt signal is issued.

8. A refrigeration and freezing device, comprising: a ripening space arranged inside the refrigeration and freezing device; an information acquisition device for acquiring attribute information of a food in the ripening space; and a processing module and a storage module, the storage module storing a machine executable program, the machine executable program being executed by the processing module to implement the control method according to any one of claims 1-7. ​

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