A control method, apparatus, device, and computer readable storage medium

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application disclose a control method, device, equipment and computer readable storage medium. The method comprises: in response to a start instruction for a household appliance, controlling a steam generating device to enter a preheating stage, injecting a preset water quantity into the steam generating device, the preset water quantity being less than a prewarning water quantity of the steam generating device; controlling the steam generating device to heat at a first power, determining that a preheating duration reaches a first duration threshold, and injecting water into the steam generating device according to a first preset flow rate; obtaining first temperature information of the steam generating device, determining that the steam generating device is in a dry burning state based on the first temperature information, and controlling the steam generating device to stop heating. In this way, by heating the steam generating device at the first power and stopping heating the steam generating device when it is determined that the steam generating device is in a dry burning state based on the first temperature information of the steam generating device, the normal operation of the steam generating device is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of steam generator technology, and more particularly to a control method, apparatus, device, and computer-readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of steam generator technology, steam generators are being used more and more in household appliances (such as food processors, steam irons, etc.). Steam generators use the thermal energy of other energy sources to heat water into hot water or steam, ensuring the normal operation of various household appliances.

[0003] However, during the use of a steam generator, the water level in the steam generator is an important monitoring data. When the water level in the steam generator is insufficient, the steam generator is prone to dry burning or high temperature. For steam generators with extremely low thermal inertia, such as thick film steam generators, dry burning can easily cause damage or even burn out the steam generator. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application aims to provide a control method, apparatus, device, and computer-readable storage medium that can effectively determine the dry-burning state of a steam generator and ensure its normal operation.

[0005] The technical solution of this application is implemented as follows:

[0006] This application provides a control method applied to household appliances with a steam generator, including:

[0007] In response to a start command for the home appliance, the steam generator is controlled to enter the preheating stage, and a preset amount of water is injected into the steam generator, the preset amount of water being less than the warning amount of water in the steam generator;

[0008] The steam generator is controlled to heat at a first power, and the preheating time is determined to reach a first time threshold. Water is injected into the steam generator according to a first preset flow rate. The first power is less than the working power of the steam generator.

[0009] The first temperature information of the steam generator is obtained, and based on the first temperature information, it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, and the steam generator is controlled to stop heating.

[0010] This application provides a control device for use in household appliances with a steam generator, comprising:

[0011] The preheating control module is used to respond to the start command of the home appliance, control the steam generator to enter the preheating stage, and inject a preset amount of water into the steam generator, wherein the preset amount of water is less than the warning amount of water in the steam generator;

[0012] The heating control module is used to control the steam generator to heat at a first power, determine that the preheating time reaches a first time threshold, and inject water into the steam generator according to a first preset flow rate, wherein the first power is less than the working power of the steam generator.

[0013] The information acquisition module is used to acquire the first temperature information of the steam generator, determine that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state based on the first temperature information, and control the steam generator to stop heating.

[0014] This application provides a control device for household appliances with a steam generator, comprising:

[0015] Memory, used to store executable control instructions;

[0016] The processor is configured to implement the control method provided in the embodiments of this application when executing executable control instructions stored in the memory.

[0017] This application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing executable control instructions, which, when executed by a processor, implement the control method provided in this application.

[0018] This application provides a control method, apparatus, device, and computer-readable storage medium. Using this technical solution, firstly, in response to a start command for a household appliance, a steam generator is controlled to enter a preheating stage. A preset amount of water is injected into the steam generator, which is less than the warning water volume of the steam generator to prevent it from immediately drying out after preheating. Then, the steam generator is controlled to heat at a first power. Once the preheating time reaches a first time threshold, water is injected into the steam generator according to a first preset flow rate, where the first power is less than the operating power of the steam generator. Next, first temperature information of the steam generator is acquired. Based on this first temperature information, it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, and the steam generator is controlled to stop heating. Thus, by heating the steam generator at a first power and stopping heating when the steam generator is determined to be in a dry-burning state based on its first temperature information, the normal operation of the steam generator is ensured. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating another implementation flow of the control method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0021] Figure 3 A flowchart illustrating a method for determining the actual heating rate of a steam generator provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0022] Figure 4 A schematic flowchart of a method for obtaining the heating rate threshold of a steam generator provided in this application embodiment;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining dry burning of a steam generator according to an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the control device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0025] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments should not be regarded as limitations on this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0027] In the following description, references to “some embodiments” or “other embodiments” describe a subset of all possible embodiments. However, it is understood that “some embodiments” or “other embodiments” may be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments and may be combined with each other without conflict.

[0028] In the following description, the terms "first" and "second" are used merely to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of objects. It is understood that "first" and "second" may be interchanged in a specific order or sequence where permitted, so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. The terminology used in this application is for the purpose of describing embodiments of this application only and is not intended to be limiting of this application.

[0030] Steam generators are used in many home appliances, such as food processors, steam irons, and dishwashers. These generators use electrical energy to heat water into hot water or steam, allowing the appliances to operate. For example, steam irons use the steam generated by the generator to iron clothes. Maintaining a balanced or stable water level in the generator during the heating process ensures its continuous and stable operation, guaranteeing the proper functioning of the appliance.

[0031] In related technologies, some steam generators, such as post-film steam generators or steam generators made of stainless steel, have very low thermal inertia. If full-power heating is used in the preheating stage, the temperature can be rapidly raised to 100 degrees Celsius in a very short time. At the same time, such steam generators have high requirements for the temperature sampling speed of the controller and high sensitivity of the temperature sensing element. It is difficult for general controllers to detect the preheating status of the steam generator in real time. Therefore, it is easy for the steam generator to have an excessively high temperature in the preheating stage. If the water volume is too low, the steam generator is prone to dry burning.

[0032] This application provides a control method that can effectively determine the dry-burning state of a steam generator and ensure its normal operation.

[0033] The control method provided in the embodiments of this application will be described below. This method is applied to household appliances with steam generating devices, such as food processors, dishwashers, steam irons, etc. See also Figure 1 , Figure 1 A flowchart illustrating a control method provided for implementation of this application, the method comprising the following steps:

[0034] S101. In response to the start command for the household appliance, control the steam generator to enter the preheating stage and inject a preset amount of water into the steam generator.

[0035] It should be noted that the start command can be a user's instruction to activate a home appliance with a steam generator according to their personal needs, indicating that the appliance needs to enter working mode. The user can activate the appliance remotely via smart home control or directly by connecting it to a power source. The preheating phase refers to the period after the appliance is started, during which the steam generator begins heating at a lower power level.

[0036] In some embodiments, the preset water volume is less than the warning water volume of the steam generator. The warning water volume can be the water volume that can be contained at the highest water level in the steam generator as measured by relevant personnel or technicians when the steam generator is working normally. The preset water volume can be any mass of water that is set in advance, such as 50 grams, 85 grams, 90 grams, etc.

[0037] For example, the preset water volume can be set to 1 / 10 of the warning water volume. If the mass of the warning water volume is 500 grams, the mass of the preset water volume can be set to 50 grams. Of course, this is just an example. This application does not make specific limitations on the ratio between the preset water volume and the warning water volume, or on the size of the preset water volume.

[0038] It is understandable that setting a preheating stage and injecting a preset amount of water into the steam generator can allow the water in the steam generator to heat up slowly during the preheating stage, preventing the steam generator from directly entering the heating stage when the home appliance is started and there is no water in the steam generator, which would immediately put the steam generator into a high-temperature or dry-burning state.

[0039] S102. Control the steam generator to heat at the first power, determine the preheating time to reach the first time threshold, and inject water into the steam generator according to the first preset flow rate.

[0040] It should be noted that the first power is less than the operating power of the steam generator. The operating power can be the total power or rated power of the steam generator. For example, the first power can be 1 / 3, 5 / 12, 1 / 2, etc., of the total power of the steam generator. The first time threshold can be any time length in the preheating stage, such as 12 seconds. The first preset flow rate can be a preset water flow rate supplied to the steam generator, such as 10 grams per minute (g / min). The method of injecting water into the steam generator can be by installing a water pump in the water tank, and the water in the tank is input into the steam generator by the action of the water pump.

[0041] Understandably, after starting the appliance, heating is applied to the steam generator at a first power level, rather than using the total power of the steam generator, reducing the possibility of the steam generator burning dry. Simultaneously, once the heating time reaches a first time threshold, water is injected into the steam generator at a first preset flow rate, rather than immediately after the appliance is started. This ensures that the preset water level in the steam generator continuously rises in temperature, reducing the preheating time of the steam generator.

[0042] S103. Obtain the first temperature information of the steam generator.

[0043] S104. Based on the first temperature information, determine that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, and control the steam generator to stop heating.

[0044] It should be noted that the first temperature information can be temperature information related to the steam generator, and can be a single temperature value or multiple temperature values. In some embodiments, the determination of whether the steam generator is in a dry-burning state can be made by judging the first temperature information. When the first temperature information is a single temperature value, the single temperature value is compared with a temperature threshold to determine whether the steam generator is in a dry-burning state. When the first temperature information is multiple temperature values, the temperature change rate can be determined based on the multiple temperature values, and then the temperature change rate is compared with a heating rate threshold to determine whether the steam generator is in a dry-burning state. When it is determined by judging the first temperature information that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, heating of the steam generator needs to be stopped.

[0045] In this embodiment, in response to a start command for a household appliance, the steam generator is controlled to enter a preheating stage. A preset amount of water is injected into the steam generator, which is less than the warning water volume of the steam generator, preventing the steam generator from immediately drying out after start-up preheating. The steam generator is controlled to heat at a first power. Once the preheating time reaches a first time threshold, water is injected into the steam generator according to a first preset flow rate, where the first power is less than the operating power of the steam generator. First temperature information of the steam generator is acquired. Based on the first temperature information, it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, and the steam generator is controlled to stop heating. Thus, by heating the steam generator at a first power and stopping heating the steam generator when it is determined to be in a dry-burning state based on the first temperature information of the steam generator, the normal operation of the steam generator is ensured.

[0046] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another implementation flow of the control method provided in the embodiments of this application. The "acquiring the first temperature information of the steam generator" in step S103 above can be achieved through... Figure 2 The step S1031 shown is implemented, and steps S201 to S204 can be executed after step S103 to determine whether the steam generator is in a dry-burning state. The following is combined with Figure 2 The implementation process of the control method provided in the embodiments of this application will be described.

[0047] S1031. Obtain N temperature values ​​of the steam generator based on a preset cycle.

[0048] It should be noted that the preset period can be any pre-set positive integer. For example, the preset period can be in the range of [100, 500] milliseconds. When the preset period is in the range of [100, 500], the preset period can be 100 milliseconds, 500 milliseconds, 300 milliseconds, or any integer value within this range. Of course, the preset period is only illustrative and not specifically limited. N can represent the number of temperature values ​​obtained from the steam generator. N can be any positive integer. For example, the range of N can be [10, 20]. In this case, N can be 10, 20, 15, or any integer within this range.

[0049] In some embodiments, the preset period is used to determine the sampling interval when sampling the temperature value of the steam generator. For example, when the preset period is 250 milliseconds, the temperature value of the steam generator is sampled once every 250 milliseconds. If N is 10, then it is necessary to sample 10 times within 10 preset periods (2500 milliseconds).

[0050] S201. In response to the received function selection instruction, obtain the selected target function and the target temperature corresponding to the target function, and determine the target temperature range based on the target temperature.

[0051] A function selection command can be sent by the function selection module within a home appliance after it is started, instructing the user to select the corresponding function of that appliance. The target function can be the function selected by the user based on their needs, and the target temperature can be the temperature required for the appliance to achieve that target function.

[0052] In some embodiments, after a user selects a function, the temperature corresponding to that function can be determined. For example, a household dishwasher has functions such as washing, disinfecting, and drying. After the user selects any one of these functions, such as drying, as the target function, the temperature corresponding to the drying function can be determined accordingly. Furthermore, the target temperature may differ for different target functions. For example, the target temperature for the dishwasher's disinfection function may be 100 degrees Celsius, while the target temperature for the drying function may be 80 degrees Celsius.

[0053] The target temperature range can be determined by the allowable range of variation of the target temperature while ensuring that the corresponding target function of the home appliance can be achieved. For example, if the target temperature corresponding to the target function is 100 degrees, and it is found during the testing of the home appliance that the target function can still be achieved when the target temperature fluctuates by 5 degrees, then the target temperature range determined based on this target temperature is [95, 105].

[0054] S202, Obtain the heating rate threshold of the steam generator.

[0055] The heating rate threshold can be determined based on the temperature value measured in the steam generator when there is no water in it. The heating rate can be the rate of temperature change, indicating how fast the temperature changes. The heating rate threshold can be the rate of change of multiple temperature values ​​of the steam generator measured when there is no water in it, i.e., it is in a dry-burning state.

[0056] S203. Determine the actual heating rate of the steam generator during the preheating stage based on N temperature values.

[0057] It should be noted that the actual heating rate can be determined by the rate of temperature change of N temperature values ​​obtained by the steam generator during the preheating stage, and can represent how fast the temperature of the steam generator changes during the preheating stage.

[0058] In some embodiments, the number of temperature values ​​N can be 1 or a positive integer greater than 1. When the number of temperature values ​​N is 1, that is, when only one temperature value is obtained by sampling once based on a preset period, the corresponding heating rate threshold can be the temperature threshold. When determining whether the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, the temperature value can be directly compared with the temperature threshold. When the number of temperature values ​​N is a positive integer greater than 1, when determining whether the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, the temperature change rate determined by the multiple temperature values ​​can be compared with the heating rate threshold.

[0059] S204. Determine whether the Nth temperature value is less than the minimum value of the target temperature range.

[0060] The minimum value of the target temperature range can be used to determine whether the preheating of the steam generator is complete. In this embodiment, since the steam generator is continuously heated using the first power during the preheating stage, the obtained N temperature values ​​are sequentially increasing. Therefore, the Nth temperature value can be compared with the minimum value in the target temperature range to determine whether the preheating is complete. When it is determined that the Nth temperature value is less than the minimum value of the target temperature range, the process proceeds to step S205 to further determine whether the actual heating rate has reached the heating rate threshold. In this embodiment, if it is determined that the Nth temperature value is greater than or equal to the minimum value of the target temperature range, the process proceeds to step S208.

[0061] S205. Determine whether the actual heating rate has reached the heating rate threshold.

[0062] The heating rate threshold can be used to determine whether the steam generator is in a dry-burning state. When the Nth temperature value is determined to be less than the minimum value of the target temperature range and the actual heating rate reaches the heating rate threshold, it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, and the process proceeds to step S104; when the Nth temperature value is determined to be less than the minimum value of the target temperature range and the actual heating rate does not reach the heating rate threshold, the process proceeds to step S206.

[0063] S206. Determine that the steam generator is not in a dry-burning state and has not reached the end conditions of the preheating stage.

[0064] If the Nth temperature value of the steam generator obtained by sampling is less than the minimum value in the target temperature range, it is determined that it is in the preheating stage. At the same time, if the actual heating rate is less than the heating rate threshold, it is determined that the steam generator is not dry-burning in the preheating stage.

[0065] S207. Control the steam generator to continue preheating at the first power.

[0066] Once it is confirmed that the steam generator has not been dry-burned and is still in the preheating stage, the steam generator can continue to be heated based on the first power.

[0067] S208. Determine whether the actual heating rate has reached the heating rate threshold.

[0068] If it is determined that the Nth temperature value is greater than the minimum value of the target temperature range and the actual heating rate has not reached the heating rate threshold, proceed to step S210; if it is determined that the Nth temperature value is greater than the minimum value of the target temperature range and the actual heating rate has reached the heating rate threshold, proceed to step S209.

[0069] S209. Determine that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, and control the steam generator to stop heating.

[0070] S210. Determine that the steam generator is not in a dry-burning state and that the preheating stage has reached its end conditions.

[0071] When the Nth temperature value is determined to be greater than the minimum value in the target temperature range, it is determined that the steam generator has reached the target temperature, and the preheating of the steam generator is completed. At the same time, if it is determined that the actual heating rate at this time is less than the heating rate threshold, it is determined that the steam generator is not dry-burning.

[0072] S211. Water is injected into the steam generator based on the second preset flow rate.

[0073] It should be noted that the second preset flow rate can be a pre-set water flow rate. The second preset flow rate is greater than the first preset flow rate. When it is determined that the preheating of the steam generator is completed and the temperature of the steam generator reaches the temperature within the target temperature range, water is injected into the steam generator at the second preset flow rate.

[0074] It is understandable that after the steam generator has finished preheating, the temperature of the steam generator is already high, exceeding the temperature values ​​during the preheating stage. If the first preset flow rate is used to supply water at this time, the steam generator may become dry-burning over time. Therefore, selecting a water flow rate higher than the first preset flow rate to supply water to the steam generator can prevent the steam generator from becoming dry-burning.

[0075] S212. Control the steam generator to heat with a second power, so that when the steam generator is heated based on the second power, the temperature value of the steam generator is within the target temperature range.

[0076] After the preheating stage, the steam generator is heated using a second power source, which keeps its temperature within the target temperature range. Since a stable steam supply is now in place, adjusting the heating power of the steam generator ensures its temperature remains within the target range, thus guaranteeing that the appliance performs its intended function.

[0077] In some embodiments, the second power is greater than the first power. The second power can be the power of the steam generator adjusted based on the proportional integral derivative (PID) control algorithm, so that the temperature of the steam generator is within the target temperature range.

[0078] It is understandable that controlling the steam generator to heat at a second power, which is greater than the first power, can enable the steam generator to have a higher temperature and ensure that the temperature of the steam generator is stable within the target temperature range, thus providing conditions for the normal operation of the household appliances.

[0079] S213. Obtain the second temperature information of the steam generator and determine that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state based on the second temperature information.

[0080] S214. Control the steam generator to stop heating.

[0081] The second temperature information can be obtained based on the temperature of the steam generator after the preheating stage is completed. The second temperature information may include temperature, temperature change rate, etc. In some embodiments, the steam generator can be determined to be in a dry-burning state by judging the second temperature information. When it is determined by judging the second temperature information that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, heating of the steam generator needs to be stopped.

[0082] Understandably, in this embodiment, N temperature values ​​of the steam generator are acquired based on a preset cycle, and the actual heating rate is determined based on these N temperature values. By comparing the actual heating rate with a heating rate threshold, an effective determination is made as to whether the steam generator is in a dry-burning state. Simultaneously, the Nth temperature value of the steam generator is compared with the minimum value of the target temperature range to determine whether the preheating stage has ended. If it is determined that the preheating stage has not ended, the steam generator continues to be heated at the first power. If it is determined that the preheating has ended, water is injected into the steam generator at a second preset flow rate, and the steam generator is heated at the second power to ensure that the temperature of the steam generator is within the target temperature range. Second temperature information of the steam generator is acquired. If it is determined based on the second temperature information that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, heating of the steam generator is stopped, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the steam generator.

[0083] like Figure 3 The diagram shown is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining the actual heating rate of a steam generator according to an embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, step S203, "determining the actual heating rate of the steam generator in the preheating stage based on N temperature values," can be implemented by steps S2031 to S2033 as described below. Each step is explained below.

[0084] S2031. Sort the N temperature values ​​in chronological order to obtain the first sorting result.

[0085] It should be noted that the sorting of N temperature values ​​by time can be determined based on the order in which they are sampled in a preset period. For example, the first temperature value is obtained in the first preset period, the second temperature value is obtained in the second preset period, and so on. The Nth temperature value is obtained in the Nth preset period. Then the first temperature value, the second temperature value, ..., the Nth temperature value constitute the first sorting result.

[0086] In some embodiments, the value of N can be 1, that is, only one temperature value is obtained based on a preset period. In this case, it is not necessary to obtain the actual heating rate, and step S204 is executed directly. S2032: Obtain the differences between two adjacent temperature values ​​in the first sorting result, and determine the heating rate corresponding to each preset period based on each difference.

[0087] In some embodiments, the difference between two adjacent temperature values ​​can be the difference between the second and first temperature values ​​in the first sorting result, or it can be the absolute value of the difference between two adjacent temperature values. In practice, it is necessary to calculate the differences between all adjacent temperature values ​​in the first sorting result to obtain multiple differences. For example, when the number of temperature values ​​N is 5, the first sorting result is: A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, then the calculated differences are as follows: .

[0088] Determining the heating rate corresponding to each preset period based on each difference can be achieved by obtaining the differences and then calculating the rate of change between all adjacent temperature values ​​within the preset period. For example, the difference between two adjacent temperature values ​​A1 and A2 is... If the preset period is T, then the corresponding heating rate is: .

[0089] S2033. Determine the actual heating rate based on the heating rate corresponding to each preset cycle.

[0090] It should be noted that after obtaining each heating rate, the actual heating rate can be obtained by summing the individual heating rates, or by taking an arithmetic average or a weighted average of the individual heating rates.

[0091] In some embodiments, the above step S213, "obtaining the second temperature information of the steam generator and determining that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state based on the second temperature information", can be implemented by the following steps S2131 to S2133, and each step is described below.

[0092] S2131. Obtain N temperature values ​​of the steam generator within the target temperature range based on a preset cycle.

[0093] The method of acquiring N temperature values ​​of the steam generator based on a preset cycle can be to collect the temperature value of the steam generator once every preset cycle until N temperature values ​​are acquired. Because the temperature of the steam generator is within the target temperature range when the second power is used to heat the steam generator after the preheating stage, the acquired N temperature values ​​are also within the target temperature range.

[0094] S2132. Determine the second actual heating rate of the steam generator during the steady-state phase based on N temperature values ​​within the target temperature range.

[0095] In some embodiments, the stabilization phase begins after the preheating phase ends, when the Nth temperature value of the steam generator reaches the minimum value in the target temperature range. The second actual heating rate can be the rate of temperature change determined by the N temperature values ​​obtained by the steam generator in the stabilization phase. The method for obtaining the second actual heating rate is similar to the method for obtaining the actual heating rate of the steam generator in the preheating phase, and can also be implemented through steps S2031 to S2033.

[0096] S2133. Determine that the second actual heating rate reaches the heating rate threshold, and determine that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state.

[0097] When the second actual heating rate obtained in step S2132 is greater than or equal to the heating rate threshold, it can be determined that the steam generator has been dry-burning in the stable phase. At this time, heating of the steam generator can be stopped.

[0098] It is understandable that when the heating process of the steam generator enters a stable stage, N temperature values ​​of the steam generator are acquired, the second actual heating rate of the steam generator is determined based on the acquired temperature values, and the relationship between the second actual heating rate and the heating rate threshold is used to determine whether the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, thus realizing an effective judgment on whether the steam generator is dry-burning in the stable stage.

[0099] like Figure 4 The diagram shown is a flowchart of a method for obtaining the heating rate threshold of a steam generator according to an embodiment of this application. In some embodiments, step S202, "obtaining the heating rate threshold of the steam generator", can be achieved by the following steps S2021 to S2024. Each step is described below.

[0100] S2021. When it is determined that there is no water in the steam generator, the steam generator is heated based on the first power.

[0101] In some embodiments, the timing for obtaining the heating rate threshold may be before injecting a preset amount of water into the steam generator, testing information such as the temperature and temperature change rate of the steam generator in a dry-burning state. At this time, no water has been injected into the steam generator, and the steam generator is directly heated. The heating power can be set to the first power used in the preheating stage.

[0102] S2022. Obtain N dry-burning temperature values ​​of the steam generator based on a preset cycle, and sort the N dry-burning temperature values ​​in chronological order to obtain a second sorting result.

[0103] It should be noted that the dry-burning temperature value can be the temperature value obtained after sampling N times at a preset period when there is no water in the steam generator and it is heated at the first power. Sorting the N dry-burning temperature values ​​in chronological order can be the sorting result determined according to the sampling order of the N dry-burning temperature values, that is, the second sorting result.

[0104] In some embodiments, the value of N can be 1, meaning that only one dry-burning temperature value is obtained based on a preset period. In this case, it is not necessary to obtain the heating rate threshold. The dry-burning temperature value is directly used as the temperature threshold, and the process proceeds to step S203. Based on the case where N is 1, a temperature value of the steam generator during the preheating stage is obtained. When making the judgment in S205 or S208, this temperature value is directly compared with the temperature threshold, rather than comparing the actual heating rate with the heating rate threshold, to determine whether the steam generator is dry-burning. S2023: Obtain the dry-burning differences between two adjacent dry-burning temperature values ​​in the second sorting result, and determine the dry-burning heating rate corresponding to each preset period based on each dry-burning difference.

[0105] In some embodiments, the difference between two adjacent dry-burning temperature values ​​can be the difference between the latter and former temperature values ​​within the second sorting result, or it can be the absolute value of the difference between two adjacent temperature values. In actual implementation, it is necessary to calculate the differences between all adjacent pairs of dry-burning temperature values ​​in the second sorting result, obtaining multiple dry-burning differences. The second sorting result composed of N dry-burning temperature values ​​can be obtained as follows: The difference between dry burning values.

[0106] It should be noted that the dry-burning heating rate can be the rate of change of the dry-burning temperature value determined based on N obtained dry-burning temperature values. Determining the dry-burning heating rate corresponding to each preset period based on each dry-burning difference can be the rate of change between all two adjacent dry-burning temperature values ​​within the preset period after obtaining each dry-burning difference. For example, if the difference between two adjacent dry-burning temperature values ​​B1 and B2 is... If the preset period is T, then the corresponding dry-burning heating rate is: .

[0107] S2024. Based on the dry-burning heating rate corresponding to each preset cycle, obtain the heating rate threshold.

[0108] After obtaining the various dry-burning heating rates, the heating rate threshold can be obtained by directly summing the various dry-burning heating rates, by calculating the arithmetic mean of the various dry-burning heating rates, or by calculating the weighted average of the various dry-burning heating rates.

[0109] In some embodiments, after determining that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state based on the first temperature information and controlling the steam generator to stop heating, i.e., step S104, the following steps S301 to S303 may also be included.

[0110] S301. When it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, a dry-burning alarm message is generated, and the current water volume and actual water flow rate in the water pump are obtained.

[0111] In some embodiments, the steam generator may dry-burn during the preheating stage or during the stabilization stage. During the preheating stage, the steam generator is determined to be in a dry-burning state based on the relationship between the actual heating rate and the heating rate threshold. Alternatively, during the stabilization stage, the steam generator is determined to be in a dry-burning state based on the relationship between the second actual heating rate and the heating rate threshold. In either case, a dry-burning alarm message can be generated. The dry-burning alarm message can be text or voice information.

[0112] It should be noted that after confirming that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, the water volume in the water pump and the water flow rate used to inject water into the steam generator can be obtained. The water pump is used to inject water into the steam generator, and water from the water tank can be injected into the steam generator through a water pipe connected to the pump. The water volume in the pump can be the water volume stored in the pump, and the actual water flow rate can be the water flow rate injected into the steam generator when it is in a dry-burning state. In practice, the actual water flow rate may be the same as the first preset flow rate or the second preset flow rate.

[0113] S302. Based on the current water volume and actual water flow rate, determine the cause information that leads to the steam generator being in a dry-burning state.

[0114] In some embodiments, when the current water volume in the water pump is low or there is no water in the water pump, it can be determined that the cause of the steam generator being in a dry-burning state may be that there is no water in the water tank; when it is determined that the water volume in the water pump is high, but the actual water flow rate is different from the first preset flow rate or the second preset flow rate, or the actual water flow rate is much lower than the first preset flow rate, it can be determined that the cause of the steam generator being in a dry-burning state may be that the water pump cannot supply water, or the water pump cannot supply water to the steam generator at a continuous low flow rate. Further, relevant technicians or staff will conduct corresponding inspections on the water pump to further confirm the cause of the water pump not working properly. Of course, the determination of the cause of the steam generator being in a dry-burning state based on the current water volume and the actual water flow rate is only an exemplary illustration, and this application does not make any specific limitations on it.

[0115] S303 outputs dry burning alarm information and cause information.

[0116] In some embodiments, a display module is provided in the household appliance corresponding to the steam generator. For example, the display module can be a display screen. When the dry burning alarm information is text information, the alarm information can be displayed on the display screen to remind relevant technicians or users that the steam generator is in a dry burning state.

[0117] In other embodiments, the household appliances corresponding to the steam generator are equipped with a voice module, such as a buzzer. When the dry burning alarm is a voice message, the buzzer can be used to emit a sound message to remind the user that the steam generator is in a dry burning state.

[0118] It should be noted that the cause information can be the specific reason for the steam generator to be in a dry-burning state, determined based on the current water volume and actual water flow in the water pump. For example, the water pump may not be able to supply water, or there may be no water in the water tank, or the water pump may not be able to supply water at a continuous low flow rate. The cause information can be fed back to the background through the processing module and communication module in the home appliance, thereby realizing the output of the cause information.

[0119] Understandably, once it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, an alarm message is output to notify the user or technician that the setting is in a dry-burning state, so that the user or technician can take appropriate measures to prevent the steam generator from burning out. At the same time, based on the current water volume and actual water flow in the water pump, the cause of the steam generator's dry-burning can be determined, and the cause can be fed back to the relevant technicians, providing a reference for them to conduct timely maintenance on the relevant equipment.

[0120] The implementation process of the application embodiments in practical application scenarios is described below.

[0121] In some embodiments, such as Figure 5 The diagram shown is a flowchart illustrating a method for determining the dry burning of a steam generator according to an embodiment of this application. The method for determining the dry burning of a steam generator according to an embodiment of this application can be implemented through the following steps S401 to S404. Each step will be described in detail below.

[0122] S401. Inject a preset amount of water into the steam generator (steam generating device) and preheat the steam generator with the first power (control the steam generating device to heat with the first power).

[0123] During the preheating stage of the steam generator, the water pump is first controlled to inject a preset amount of water into the steam generator (controlling the steam generator to enter the preheating stage by injecting a preset amount of water into the steam generator), for example, injecting M grams of water, to ensure that there is a small amount of water in the steam generator and prevent the steam generator from immediately burning dry during the start-up preheating stage. The first power can be 1 / 3, 1 / 2, etc. of the total power of the steam generator. Heating the steam generator with the first power, rather than the total power of the steam generator, allows the preset amount of water injected into the steam generator to heat up slowly, preventing the steam generator from burning dry.

[0124] S402. After the first preheating time (first time threshold), water is supplied to the steam generator at the first flow rate (first preset flow rate).

[0125] After the steam generator has been preheated for a period of time, i.e., the first time duration t1, the water pump is controlled to supply water to the steam generator at a smaller flow rate, i.e., the first flow rate (after determining that the preheating time has reached the first time threshold, water is injected into the steam generator according to the first preset flow rate). At this time, the first power is still used for heating, which can be a smaller power P1. If the total power of the steam generator is P, then the first power P1 can be any value in [1 / 3P-1 / 2P].

[0126] S403. Obtain N temperature values ​​of the steam generator based on a preset cycle.

[0127] For example, if the preset period is T1, then a temperature value is sampled every T1 time and the collected temperature value is stored, for example, in an array A[n]. After sampling N times, N temperature values ​​of the steam generator can be obtained (N temperature values ​​of the steam generator are obtained based on the preset period).

[0128] S404. Determine the heating rate (actual heating rate) based on N temperature values, and determine whether the steam generator is in a dry-burning state based on the relationship between the heating rate and the dry-burning threshold (heating rate threshold).

[0129] In some embodiments, after obtaining N temperature values ​​of the steam generator, the difference between all adjacent temperature values ​​in array A[n] can be calculated sequentially to obtain... Each difference is used to calculate the temperature change rate corresponding to each difference within a preset period, resulting in multiple temperature change rates (obtaining each difference between two adjacent temperature values ​​in the first sorting result, and determining the heating rate corresponding to each preset period based on each difference).

[0130] In practice, it is determined by two adjacent temperature values. and The corresponding determined rate of temperature change After obtaining the temperature change rate corresponding to each difference, the summation of all temperature change rates is performed (based on the heating rate corresponding to each preset cycle, the actual heating rate is determined), i.e., the heating speed. Compare the heating rate S with the dry-burning threshold F. If If the steam generator is dry-burning, the steam generator heating is immediately stopped (based on the first temperature information, it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, and the steam generator is controlled to stop heating).

[0131] In some embodiments, after the preheating of the steam generator is completed and a stable steam supply stage (stable stage) is reached, a PID control algorithm is used to adjust the power of the steam generator in real time to ensure that the temperature of the steam generator is within the target temperature range (controlling the steam generator to heat with a second power so that when the steam generator is heated based on the second power, the temperature value of the steam generator is within the target temperature range). Similarly, based on the relationship between the heating rate and the dry burning threshold in the stable stage, it is determined whether the steam generator is dry burning in this stage (determining that the second actual heating rate reaches the heating rate threshold, determining that the steam generator is in a dry burning state).

[0132] It is understood that, in this embodiment of the application, by injecting a preset amount of water into the steam generator, dry burning will not occur immediately when the steam generator is heated during the preheating stage. At this time, the preset amount of water is heated with a first power, so that the preset amount of water has already heated up before being supplied to the steam generator at a first flow rate, thereby shortening the heating time of the preheating stage. In addition, after obtaining multiple temperature values, the heating rate is obtained based on the obtained multiple temperature values, and based on the relationship between the heating rate and the dry burning threshold, it can be effectively determined whether the steam generating device is in a dry burning state.

[0133] This application also provides a control device for use in household appliances with a steam generator. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the control device provided in the embodiments of this application, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the control device 1 includes:

[0134] The preheating control module 11 is used to respond to the start command for the home appliance, control the steam generator to enter the preheating stage, and inject a preset amount of water into the steam generator, wherein the preset amount of water is less than the warning amount of water in the steam generator;

[0135] Heating control module 12 is used to control the steam generator to heat with a first power, determine that the preheating time reaches a first time threshold, and inject water into the steam generator according to a first preset flow rate, wherein the first power is less than the working power of the steam generator;

[0136] The information acquisition module 13 is used to acquire the first temperature information of the steam generator, determine that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state based on the first temperature information, and control the steam generator to stop heating.

[0137] In some embodiments of this application, the information acquisition module 13 is further configured to acquire N temperature values ​​of the steam generator based on a preset period; correspondingly, in response to a received function selection instruction, acquire the selected target function and the target temperature corresponding to the target function, and determine a target temperature range based on the target temperature; acquire a heating rate threshold of the steam generator; determine the actual heating rate of the steam generator in the preheating stage based on the N temperature values; determine whether the Nth temperature value is less than the minimum value of the target temperature range, and determine whether the actual heating rate reaches the heating rate threshold; wherein, if it is determined that the Nth temperature value is less than the minimum value of the target temperature range and the actual heating rate reaches the heating rate threshold, it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state.

[0138] In some embodiments of this application, the information acquisition module 13 is further configured to sort the N temperature values ​​in chronological order to obtain a first sorting result; acquire each difference between two adjacent temperature values ​​in the first sorting result, and determine the heating rate corresponding to each preset period based on each difference; and determine the actual heating rate based on the heating rate corresponding to each preset period.

[0139] In some embodiments of this application, the information acquisition module 13 is further configured to determine that the Nth temperature value is less than the minimum value of the target temperature range and the actual heating rate has not reached the heating rate threshold, determine that the steam generator is not in a dry-burning state and has not reached the end condition of the preheating stage; and control the steam generator to continue preheating at the first power.

[0140] In some embodiments of this application, the information acquisition module 13 is further configured to: determine that the Nth temperature value is greater than the minimum value of the target temperature range and the actual heating rate has not reached the heating rate threshold; determine that the steam generator is not in a dry-burning state and that the preheating stage has reached its end condition; inject water into the steam generator based on a second preset flow rate, wherein the second preset flow rate is greater than the first preset flow rate; control the steam generator to heat with a second power, such that when the steam generator is heated based on the second power, the temperature value of the steam generator is within the target temperature range and the second power is greater than the first power; acquire second temperature information of the steam generator; determine that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state based on the second temperature information; and control the steam generator to stop heating.

[0141] In some embodiments of this application, the information acquisition module 13 is further configured to acquire N temperature values ​​of the steam generator within the target temperature range based on the preset period; determine the second actual heating rate of the steam generator in the stable phase based on the N temperature values ​​within the target temperature range, wherein the stable phase is after the preheating phase ends; determine that the second actual heating rate reaches the heating rate threshold, and determine that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state.

[0142] In some embodiments of this application, the information acquisition module 13 is further configured to: heat the steam generator based on the first power when it is determined that there is no water in the steam generator; acquire N dry-burning temperature values ​​of the steam generator based on the preset period, and sort the N dry-burning temperature values ​​in chronological order to obtain a second sorting result; acquire each dry-burning difference value between two adjacent dry-burning temperature values ​​in the second sorting result, and determine the dry-burning heating rate corresponding to each preset period based on each dry-burning difference value; and acquire the heating rate threshold based on the dry-burning heating rate corresponding to each preset period.

[0143] In some embodiments of this application, the control device 1 further includes: a dry-burning information output module 14, used to generate a dry-burning alarm message when it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, and to obtain the current water volume and actual water flow rate in the water pump, the water pump being used to inject water into the steam generator; based on the current water volume and actual water flow rate, to determine the cause information that causes the steam generator to be in a dry-burning state; and to output the dry-burning alarm message and the cause information.

[0144] This application also provides a control device. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a control device provided in an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the control device 2 includes: a memory 21 for storing executable control instructions; and a processor 22 for implementing the method provided in the embodiments of this application when executing the executable control instructions stored in the memory, for example, implementing the executable control method provided in the embodiments of this application. In some embodiments, the control device 2 may further include a communication interface 23 and a bus 24 for connecting the memory 21, the processor 22, and the communication interface 23.

[0145] In the embodiments of this application, the processor 22 can be at least one of the following: Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), Digital Signal Processor (DSP), Digital Signal Processing Device (DSPD), Programmable Logic Device (PLD), Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), Central Processing Unit (CPU), Controller, Microcontroller, and Microprocessor. It is understood that for different devices, the electronic device used to implement the above-mentioned processor function can also be other types, and the embodiments of this application do not specifically limit this.

[0146] In this embodiment, bus 24 is used to connect communication interface 23, processor 21 and memory 22 and the mutual communication between these devices.

[0147] In this embodiment, the processor 21 is configured to, in response to a start command for a household appliance, control the steam generator to enter a preheating stage, inject a preset amount of water into the steam generator (the preset amount of water is less than the warning amount of the steam generator); control the steam generator to heat at a first power, determine that the preheating time has reached a first time threshold, inject water into the steam generator according to a first preset flow rate (the first power is less than the operating power of the steam generator); acquire first temperature information of the steam generator, determine that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state based on the first temperature information, and control the steam generator to stop heating.

[0148] In control device 2, memory 22 can be connected to processor 21. Memory 22 is used to store executable program code and data, including computer operation instructions. Memory 22 may contain high-speed RAM or non-volatile memory, such as at least two disk drives. In practical applications, memory 22 can be volatile memory, such as random-access memory (RAM); or non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, hard disk drive (HDD), or solid-state drive (SSD); or a combination of the above types of memory, providing instructions and data to processor 21.

[0149] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing control instructions for inducing processor 22 to execute and implement the methods provided in this application, such as the executable control method provided in this application. For example, the control method instructions in this embodiment can be stored on storage media such as optical discs, hard disks, and USB flash drives. When the program instructions corresponding to a control method in the storage medium are read or executed by an electronic device, the control method described in any of the above embodiments can be implemented.

[0150] Those skilled in the art will understand that embodiments of this application can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, this application can take the form of hardware embodiments, software embodiments, or embodiments combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, this application can take the form of a computer program product implemented on one or more computer-usable storage media (including but not limited to disk storage and optical storage) containing computer-usable program code.

[0151] This application is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this application. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, generate instructions for implementing the flowchart... Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0152] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0153] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable equipment to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable equipment for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0154] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A control method applied to household appliances with a steam generator, characterized in that, The method includes: In response to a start command for the home appliance, the steam generator is controlled to enter the preheating stage, and a preset amount of water is injected into the steam generator, the preset amount of water being less than the warning amount of water in the steam generator; The steam generator is controlled to heat at a first power, and the preheating time is determined to reach a first time threshold. Water is injected into the steam generator according to a first preset flow rate. The first power is less than the working power of the steam generator. Obtain the first temperature information of the steam generator; Based on the first temperature information, it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, and the steam generator is controlled to stop heating; The step of obtaining the first temperature information of the steam generator includes: N temperature values ​​of the steam generator are acquired based on a preset period; the preset period is used to determine the sampling interval when sampling the temperature values ​​of the steam generator. Correspondingly, the method further includes: In response to a received function selection command, the selected target function and the target temperature corresponding to the target function are obtained, and the target temperature range is determined based on the target temperature; Obtain the heating rate threshold of the steam generator; The actual heating rate of the steam generator during the preheating stage is determined based on the N temperature values. Determine whether the Nth temperature value is less than the minimum value of the target temperature range, and determine whether the actual heating rate reaches the heating rate threshold; wherein, if the Nth temperature value is determined to be less than the minimum value of the target temperature range and the actual heating rate reaches the heating rate threshold, it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the actual temperature rise rate of the steam generator during the preheating stage based on the N temperature values ​​includes: The N temperature values ​​are sorted in chronological order to obtain the first sorting result; Obtain the differences between two adjacent temperature values ​​in the first sorting result, and determine the heating rate corresponding to each preset cycle based on the differences. The actual heating rate is determined based on the heating rate corresponding to each preset cycle.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the Nth temperature value is determined to be less than the minimum value of the target temperature range and the actual heating rate has not reached the heating rate threshold, it is determined that the steam generator is not in a dry-burning state and the preheating stage has not been terminated. The steam generator is controlled to continue preheating at the first power.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: If the Nth temperature value is determined to be greater than the minimum value of the target temperature range and the actual heating rate has not reached the heating rate threshold, it is determined that the steam generator is not in a dry-burning state and the preheating stage ends. Water is injected into the steam generator based on a second preset flow rate, where the second preset flow rate is greater than the first preset flow rate. The steam generator is controlled to heat at a second power, such that when the steam generator is heated based on the second power, the temperature value of the steam generator is within the target temperature range, and the second power is greater than the first power; The second temperature information of the steam generator is obtained, and based on the second temperature information, it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, and the steam generator is controlled to stop heating.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the second temperature information of the steam generator and determining that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state based on the second temperature information includes: Based on the preset period, N temperature values ​​of the steam generator within the target temperature range are obtained; The second actual heating rate of the steam generator in the stabilization phase is determined based on N temperature values ​​within the target temperature range, the stabilization phase being after the end of the preheating phase; Once the second actual heating rate is determined to reach the heating rate threshold, it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the heating rate threshold of the steam generator includes: When it is determined that there is no water in the steam generator, the steam generator is heated based on the first power. Based on the preset period, N dry-burning temperature values ​​of the steam generator are obtained, and the N dry-burning temperature values ​​are sorted in chronological order to obtain a second sorting result; Obtain the dry burning difference values ​​between two adjacent dry burning temperature values ​​in the second sorting result, and determine the dry burning heating rate corresponding to each preset cycle based on the dry burning difference values. The heating rate threshold is obtained based on the dry-burning heating rate corresponding to each preset cycle.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The method further includes: When it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state, a dry-burning alarm message is generated, and the current water volume and actual water flow rate in the water pump are obtained. The water pump is used to inject water into the steam generator. Based on the current water volume and actual water flow rate, determine the cause information that leads to the steam generator being in a dry-burning state; Output the dry burning alarm information and the cause information.

8. A control device for use in household appliances with a steam generator, characterized in that, include: The preheating control module is used to respond to the start command of the home appliance, control the steam generator to enter the preheating stage, and inject a preset amount of water into the steam generator, wherein the preset amount of water is less than the warning amount of water in the steam generator; The heating control module is used to control the steam generator to heat at a first power, determine that the preheating time reaches a first time threshold, and inject water into the steam generator according to a first preset flow rate, wherein the first power is less than the working power of the steam generator. The information acquisition module is used to acquire the first temperature information of the steam generator, determine that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state based on the first temperature information, and control the steam generator to stop heating. The information acquisition module is also used to acquire N temperature values ​​of the steam generator based on a preset period; the preset period is used to determine the sampling interval time when sampling the temperature values ​​of the steam generator. Correspondingly, in response to the received function selection instruction, the selected target function and the target temperature corresponding to the target function are obtained, and a target temperature range is determined based on the target temperature; the heating rate threshold of the steam generator is obtained; the actual heating rate of the steam generator in the preheating stage is determined based on the N temperature values; it is determined whether the Nth temperature value is less than the minimum value of the target temperature range, and whether the actual heating rate reaches the heating rate threshold; wherein, if it is determined that the Nth temperature value is less than the minimum value of the target temperature range and the actual heating rate reaches the heating rate threshold, it is determined that the steam generator is in a dry-burning state.

9. A control device for use in household appliances with a steam generator, characterized in that, include: Memory, used to store executable control instructions; A processor, when executing executable control instructions stored in the memory, implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The device stores executable control instructions for inducing the processor to execute the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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