A method and apparatus for detecting and cleaning dust from a projector

Abstract

The application discloses a dust detection and cleaning method and device for a projector, and the method comprises the following steps: acquiring a first temperature T a at a starting time of the projector and a second temperature T b at a thermal equilibrium time; if a difference Δt between the thermal equilibrium time and the starting time satisfies a first condition and a difference ΔT between the second temperature T b and the first temperature T a satisfies a second condition, then the fan rotating speed is adjusted according to a preset rule. The application has the beneficial effect that, during the operation of the projector, whether dust blockage exists at the air inlet of the projector is detected in real time through temperature parameters and time parameters, and the fan rotating speed is automatically adjusted according to the preset rule to blow out the dust, the detection process is intelligent and convenient, and the use experience of a user is not affected at all, and the dust can be cleaned in time after the detection, so that the heat dissipation effect of the projector is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of projector technology, and specifically to a method and apparatus for detecting and cleaning dust in projectors. Background Technology

[0002] A projector is a device that projects digital images onto a screen. With the continuous development of projector technology (mainly in terms of resolution, brightness, and ease of use), people are becoming more and more accepting of projectors, and their application areas are becoming wider and wider. We can see projectors everywhere, from homes to various public places.

[0003] Projectors generate heat when their internal components, such as light sources, power supplies, and circuits, are in operation. This requires a fan to draw outside air into the projector for heat dissipation. However, over time, dust, hair, and other impurities in the air gradually accumulate at the projector's air intake, causing blockages. This results in less air entering the projector, leading to poorer heat dissipation, which in turn affects the projector's performance and may even damage the projector, posing a safety hazard. Summary of the Invention

[0004] Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is how to determine whether the air inlet is blocked based on the projector temperature, so as to avoid the accumulation of dust in the air inlet from affecting the heat dissipation performance of the projector, thereby providing a method for dust detection and cleaning of projectors.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the present invention discloses at least one method and apparatus for detecting and cleaning dust in a projector.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention discloses a method for detecting and cleaning dust in a projector, comprising the following steps:

[0007] Obtain the first temperature T at the moment the projector is powered on. a and the second temperature T at the moment of thermal equilibrium b ;

[0008] If the difference Δt between the thermal equilibrium time and the start-up time satisfies the first condition and the second temperature T b With the first temperature T a If the difference ΔT satisfies the second condition, the fan speed will be adjusted according to the preset rules.

[0009] Preferably, the first temperature T is obtained using a temperature sensor. a and the second temperature T b The temperature sensor is located inside the projector housing.

[0010] Preferably, the first temperature T a For: T a = (Ta1 +T a2 +T a3 ) / 3; where T a1 T a2 T a3 These are the projector temperatures measured every second after the projector is turned on.

[0011] Preferably, the second temperature T b For: T b = (T b1 +T b2 +T b3 ) / 3; where T b1 T b2 T b3 These are the projector temperatures measured every 20 seconds after the projector reaches thermal equilibrium.

[0012] Preferably, if Δt is greater than or equal to the first time t0, then the difference Δt between the time of reaching thermal equilibrium and the time of power-on satisfies the first condition.

[0013] Preferably, if ΔT is greater than or equal to the third temperature T c Then the second temperature T b With the first temperature T a The difference ΔT satisfies the second condition.

[0014] Preferably, the first time t0 is 20 minutes.

[0015] Preferably, the third temperature T c =-0.5*T a +40.

[0016] Preferably, the preset rule is: r = r0 + (|T3 - T2| / T3) * 100; where r is the fan duty cycle, and 0 ≤ r ≤ 100, and r0 is the original fan duty cycle.

[0017] Secondly, the present invention also provides a projector device, comprising: an optical engine, a motherboard, a CPU, a fan, a motor, a heat sink, a housing, a temperature sensor, an air inlet, and an air outlet. When the projector device is in operation, it performs the steps of any of the possible implementations in the first aspect described above.

[0018] The technical solution provided by the embodiments of the present invention has the following beneficial effects: During the operation of the projector, temperature and time parameters are obtained through the temperature sensor inside the projector, and the projector's air inlet is detected in real time according to the calculation formula to see if there is dust blockage. If there is dust blockage, the motor drive is controlled and the fan speed is adjusted according to the preset rules to blow out the dust. The detection process is intelligent and convenient and does not affect the user experience at all. After the detection is completed, the dust can be cleaned in time, thereby ensuring the heat dissipation effect of the projector, avoiding damage to the projector, and eliminating safety hazards.

[0019] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0020] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0021] Figure 1 A flowchart of a projector air outlet direction control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0022] Figure 2 The diagram shows the structure and airflow direction of a projection device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] 1-Optical engine; 2-Motherboard; 3-CPU; 4-Fan;

[0024] 5-Motor; 6-Radiator; 7-Housing;

[0025] 8-Temperature sensor; 9-Air inlet; 10-Air outlet. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with the present invention. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of the invention as detailed in the appended claims.

[0027] Example 1

[0028] Reference Figure 1The present invention discloses an embodiment of a method for controlling the airflow direction of a projector, comprising the following steps:

[0029] S101: Obtain the first temperature T at the moment the projector is powered on. a and the second temperature T at the moment of thermal equilibrium b ;

[0030] S102: If the difference Δt between the time of reaching thermal equilibrium and the time of power-on satisfies the first condition and the second temperature T b With the first temperature T a If the difference ΔT satisfies the second condition, the fan speed will be adjusted according to the preset rules.

[0031] Specifically, during the use of a projector, the airflow will carry a certain amount of dust. When the airflow enters the projector, a large portion of the dust will be adsorbed at the air inlet, and a small portion will be adsorbed on other internal structures, such as the optical engine, motherboard, or other components. This invention mainly addresses the problem of dust blockage at the air inlet.

[0032] In step S101, the first temperature T is obtained using temperature sensor 8. a and the second temperature T b In a preferred embodiment, the temperature sensor 8 is disposed inside the projector housing 7. In practical applications, multiple temperature sensors 8 can be configured to collect different temperature data in order to measure multiple sets of different temperature data. In some preferred embodiments, the placement of the temperature sensor 8 can be further defined.

[0033] Specifically, existing LED projectors use red, green, and blue LEDs as internal light sources, laser projectors use LED chips, and LCD projectors use bulbs. This invention uses an LED projector as an example to illustrate the embodiments. Because the red LED is highly sensitive to temperature, its temperature is often used as a reference value in actual testing.

[0034] During use, after turning on the projector and displaying the projected image for 3 seconds, the temperature sensor 8 continuously reads the temperature data of the projector's red light every second. The resulting set of temperature data is recorded as T. a1 T a2 and T a3 Next, after the projector has run for a period of time and reached thermal equilibrium, the temperature sensor 8 is controlled to continuously read the red light temperature every 20 seconds, obtaining a set of temperature data, which is recorded as: T b1 T b2 and T b3 .

[0035] Then, the first temperature T is calculated using formulas (1) and (2). a Second temperature T b :

[0036] T a = (T a1 +T a2 +T a3 ) / 3 (1)

[0037] T b = (T b1 +T b2 +T b3 ) / 3 (2)

[0038] Thermal equilibrium refers to the state where the internal temperature of an object in contact with its surroundings is uniform and equal to the external temperature. At thermal equilibrium, there is no heat exchange between the different parts of the object or between the object and its surroundings. In thermodynamics and chemistry, an object is also said to be in thermal equilibrium when the heat absorbed and released by it within the same time period exactly cancels each other out. In a projector, reaching thermal equilibrium means that the temperature reaches a certain value and then remains essentially stable, with no further large-scale temperature increases, only small-scale temperature fluctuations. In this invention, the standard for determining whether thermal equilibrium has been reached is to continuously read temperature data every 20 seconds. When the difference between the maximum and minimum temperatures of three consecutive measurements is ≤0.5℃, the projector is considered to have reached thermal equilibrium.

[0039] In step S102 above, after obtaining the above two sets of temperature data and calculating the first temperature and the second temperature according to formulas (1) and (2), the time difference and temperature difference between the two sets of temperature data are judged to detect whether there is dust blockage in the air inlet.

[0040] Specifically, when the time difference Δt between reaching thermal equilibrium and the start-up time is greater than 20 minutes, the second temperature T is further determined. b With the first temperature T a Is the difference ΔT greater than or equal to the third temperature T? c When both conditions are met, the fan speed is increased according to preset rules, strengthening the airflow to exceed the dust's adsorption capacity, thereby blowing the dust away. In some alternative embodiments, when the projector detects the presence of dust, manual cleaning can be performed.

[0041] The third temperature T is calculated using formula (3). c :

[0042] T c =-0.5*T a +40 (3)

[0043] Specifically, the third temperature T c The calculation formula is derived from the sum of the first temperature detection data and the actual temperature difference data of the projector. For example, please refer to Table 1 for details.

[0044] The preset rules for adjusting fan speed are as follows:

[0045] r=r0+(|T3-T2| / T3)*100 (4)

[0046] Where r is the fan duty cycle, and 0 ≤ r ≤ 100, and r0 is the original fan duty cycle. In a preferred embodiment, the fan running time can be further limited, for example, 3 minutes, or other suitable time, to ensure that the dust can be cleaned thoroughly.

[0047] Table 1 Third Temperature T c Formula calculation process

[0048]

[0049] In some preferred embodiments, when dust blockage is detected in the projector, the message "The machine is currently dusty. Do you want to start the dust cleaning program?" can be displayed on the projected screen for the user to choose. If the user chooses yes, the fan speed is increased according to preset rules; otherwise, the message is displayed again at another time or the test is performed again the next time the machine is turned on.

[0050] The projector dust detection and cleaning method of this embodiment has the following technical effects: During the operation of the projector, the air inlet of the projector is detected in real time by temperature and time parameters to detect whether there is dust blockage, and the fan speed is automatically adjusted according to preset rules to blow out the dust. The detection process is intelligent and convenient and does not affect the user experience at all. After the detection is completed, the dust can be cleaned in time, thereby ensuring the heat dissipation effect of the projector, avoiding damage to the projector, and eliminating safety hazards.

[0051] Example 2

[0052] Reference Figure 2 This invention discloses a projector device, comprising: an optical engine 1, a motherboard 2, a CPU 3, a fan 4, a motor 5, a heat sink 6, a housing 7, a temperature sensor 8, an air inlet 9, and an air outlet 10.

[0053] After the projector is powered on, wait for the projected image to appear for 3 seconds. Then, temperature sensor 8 will collect the temperature data of the projector's red light every second. The collected temperature data will be recorded as T. a1 T a2 and T a3Next, after the projector has run for a period of time and reached thermal equilibrium, the temperature sensor reads the red light temperature every 20 seconds, obtaining a set of temperature data, denoted as: T. b1 T b2 and T b3 The first temperature T is obtained according to formula (1). a :

[0054] T a = (T a1 +T a2 +T a3 ) / 3 (1)

[0055] Next, after the projector has run for a period of time and reached thermal equilibrium, the temperature sensor reads the red light temperature every 20 seconds, obtaining a set of temperature data, which is recorded as: T b1 T b2 and T b3 The first temperature T is obtained according to formula (2). b :

[0056] T b = (T b1 +T b2 +T b3 ) / 3 (2)

[0057] Next, determine whether the difference Δt between the time of reaching thermal equilibrium and the time of power-on satisfies the first condition and the second temperature T. b With the first temperature T a Does the difference ΔT satisfy the second condition? If both conditions are satisfied, then control motor 5 to adjust the speed of fan 4 according to formula (4):

[0058] r=r0+(|T3-T2| / T3)*100 (4)

[0059] Where r is the fan duty cycle, and 0 ≤ r ≤ 100, and r0 is the original fan duty cycle. In a preferred embodiment, the fan running time can be further limited, for example, 3 minutes, or other suitable time, to ensure that the dust can be cleaned thoroughly.

[0060] Reference Figure 2 The diagram further illustrates the airflow direction inside the projector. The airflow carrying dust flows into the projector from the air inlet 9. As the dust passes through the entire projector, most of it will be adsorbed at the air inlet, and a small portion will be adsorbed on other internal structures, such as the optical engine, motherboard, or other components. When the internal temperature and time parameters of the projector are detected to meet the preset conditions, the motor 5 is driven to increase the speed of the fan 4, so that the airflow is greater than the dust adsorption capacity, thereby allowing the airflow to flow out from the air outlet 10 and carry away the dust.

[0061] In some preferred embodiments, when dust blockage is detected in the projector, the message "The machine is currently dusty. Do you want to start the dust cleaning program?" can be displayed on the projected screen for the user to choose. If the user chooses yes, the fan speed is increased according to preset rules; otherwise, the message is displayed again at another time or the test is performed again the next time the machine is turned on.

[0062] The projector device of this embodiment has the following technical effects: During the operation of the projector, temperature and time parameters are obtained through the temperature sensor inside the projector, and the air inlet of the projector is detected in real time according to the calculation formula to see if there is dust blockage. If there is dust blockage, the motor drive is controlled and the fan speed is adjusted according to the preset rules to blow out the dust. The detection process is intelligent and convenient and does not affect the user experience at all. After the detection is completed, the dust can be cleaned in time, thereby ensuring the heat dissipation effect of the projector, avoiding damage to the projector, and eliminating safety hazards.

[0063] It is understood that the same or similar parts in the above embodiments can be referred to each other, and the contents not described in detail in some embodiments can be referred to the same or similar contents in other embodiments.

[0064] It should be noted that in the description of this invention, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Furthermore, in the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means at least two.

[0065] Any process or method description in the flowchart or otherwise herein can be understood as representing a module, segment, or portion of code comprising one or more executable instructions for implementing a particular logical function or process, and the scope of the preferred embodiments of the invention includes additional implementations in which functions may be performed not in the order shown or discussed, including substantially simultaneously or in reverse order depending on the functions involved, as will be understood by those skilled in the art to which embodiments of the invention pertain.

[0066] It should be understood that various parts of the present invention can be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above embodiments, multiple steps or methods can be implemented in software or firmware stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. For example, if implemented in hardware, as in another embodiment, it can be implemented using any one or a combination of the following techniques known in the art: discrete logic circuits having logic gates for implementing logical functions on data signals, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) having suitable combinational logic gates, programmable gate arrays (PGAs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.

[0067] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the steps of the methods in the above embodiments can be implemented by a program instructing related hardware. The program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, the program includes one or a combination of the steps of the method embodiments.

[0068] Furthermore, the functional units in the various embodiments of the present invention can be integrated into a processing module, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into a module. The integrated module can be implemented in hardware or as a software functional module. If the integrated module is implemented as a software functional module and sold or used as an independent product, it can also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium.

[0069] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0070] Finally, it should be noted that the above-described embodiments are merely specific implementations of the present invention, used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit it. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that any person skilled in the art can still modify or easily conceive of changes to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments within the technical scope disclosed in the present invention, or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features; and these modifications, changes, or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention. All should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A method for detecting and cleaning dust in a projector, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Obtain the first temperature T at the moment the projector is powered on. a and the second temperature T at which thermal equilibrium is reached. b ; If the difference Δt between the thermal equilibrium time and the start-up time satisfies the first condition and the second temperature T b With the first temperature T a If the difference ΔT satisfies the second condition, the fan speed will be adjusted according to the preset rules. Wherein, the first temperature T a For: T a = (T a1 +T a2 +T a3 ) / 3; where, T a1 T a2 T a3 These are the projector temperatures measured every second after the projector is powered on; the second temperature T b For: T2 = (T b1 +T b2 +T b3 ) / 3; where, T b1 T b2 T b3 These are the projector temperatures measured every 20 seconds after the projector reaches thermal equilibrium. Wherein, if Δt is greater than or equal to the first time t0, then the difference Δt between the time of reaching thermal equilibrium and the time of power-on satisfies the first condition; if ΔT is greater than or equal to the third temperature T c Then the second temperature T b With the first temperature T a The difference ΔT satisfies the second condition; The preset rule is: r = r0 + (|T) c -T b | / T c )*100; where r is the fan duty cycle, and 0≤r≤100, and r0 is the original fan duty cycle.

2. The method for detecting and cleaning dust in a projector according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first temperature T is obtained using a temperature sensor. a and the second temperature T b The temperature sensor is located inside the projector housing.

3. The method for detecting and cleaning dust in a projector according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first time t0 is 20 minutes.

4. The method for detecting and cleaning dust in a projector according to claim 3, characterized in that, The third temperature T c =-0.5*T1+40.

5. A projector device, characterized in that, include: The projector device comprises an optical engine, a motherboard, a CPU, a fan, a motor, a heat sink, a housing, a temperature sensor, an air inlet, and an air outlet. When the projector device is in operation, it performs the method as described in any one of claims 1-4.

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