Refrigerator and odor purification method thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a refrigerator and an odor purification method thereof. An odor purification device is installed in a storage compartment to purify odor gas in the refrigerator. In the process, different odor levels correspond to different operation modes of the odor purification device, and the corresponding odor purification mode can be adopted according to the odor concentration of the storage compartment, so that a good odor purification effect is achieved. In addition, food types are divided into odor recognizable food and odor unrecognizable food. A database of the odor recognizable food and the odor unrecognizable food is established in advance, and different operation modes of the odor purification device are adopted according to the food type of the food stored in the refrigerator, so that the technical risk caused by the development defects of the gas sensor technology is reduced, and a better odor purification effect is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refrigerator technology, and more particularly to a refrigerator and a method for purifying its odors. Background Technology

[0002] With the improvement of living standards, the variety of food stored in refrigerators is increasing, and food emits various odors. Currently, odor problems in refrigerators have become one of the main pain points for refrigerator users. Many refrigerator manufacturers on the market now equip their refrigerators with gas sensors and deodorizing modules. These sensors monitor odors in real time and trigger ozone or ion generators to remove them, achieving intelligent odor removal. However, current limitations in gas sensor technology and the complexity of odor components emitted by food mean that gas sensors sometimes fail to identify the types of odor gases, leading to incorrect judgments about the odor situation and incorrect activation of the deodorizing devices (ion or ozone generators). This results in the deodorizing devices operating too little or not at all, leading to unsatisfactory purification effects. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a refrigerator and its odor purification method, which reduces the technical risks caused by the defects in the development of gas sensor technology and achieves better odor removal effect.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, embodiments of the present invention provide a refrigerator, comprising:

[0005] A box, in which a storage room is formed, the storage room including at least a cold storage room;

[0006] A gas sensor, installed in the storage room, is used to detect the concentration of odorous gases in the storage room. The gas sensor has a pre-established database of odor-identifiable and odor-indistinguishable food ingredients.

[0007] An odor purification device is installed in the storage room to purify odorous gases in the storage room.

[0008] A camera device is installed in the storage room to capture images of the food stored in the storage room;

[0009] A weight sensor is installed at the bottom of the storage compartment to detect the real-time weight of the food stored in the storage compartment.

[0010] The controller is configured as follows:

[0011] In response to a food identification command, the device acquires food images captured by the camera and identifies the food images.

[0012] When it is detected that all the food items in the storage room are odor-identifiable, the real-time odor gas concentration in the storage room is obtained from the gas sensor; wherein, the food items include odor-identifiable and odorless food items;

[0013] The target operating mode of the odor purification device is obtained based on the real-time odor gas concentration, and the operation of the odor purification device is controlled according to the target operating mode.

[0014] As an improvement to the above solution, obtaining the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the real-time odor gas concentration includes:

[0015] The system searches for the corresponding target odor level among several preset odor levels based on the real-time odor gas concentration, and obtains the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the target odor level; wherein each odor level corresponds to an operating mode of the odor purification device.

[0016] As an improvement to the above solution, the controller is further configured to:

[0017] When it is detected that all the food items in the storage room are food items with unidentifiable odors, the first real-time weight of all the food items in the storage room is obtained as detected by the weight sensor.

[0018] The target operating mode of the odor purification device is obtained based on the first real-time weight, and the operation of the odor purification device is controlled according to the target operating mode.

[0019] As an improvement to the above solution, the target operating mode of the odor purification device is obtained based on the first real-time weight, including:

[0020] Based on the first real-time weight, the corresponding target weight range is found among several preset weight ranges, and the target operating mode of the odor purification device is obtained based on the target weight range; wherein, each weight range corresponds to an operating mode of the odor purification device.

[0021] As an improvement to the above solution, the controller is further configured to:

[0022] When the types of food in the storage room are detected to include odor-identifiable food and odor-indistinguishable food, the second real-time weight of all odor-indistinguishable food in the storage room is obtained as detected by the weight sensor.

[0023] The target weight range is searched among several preset weight ranges based on the second real-time weight, and the target operating logic of the odor purification device is obtained based on the target weight range; wherein, each weight range corresponds to an operating logic of the odor purification device, and each operating logic includes several operating modes corresponding to different odor levels.

[0024] The system acquires the real-time odor gas concentration in the storage room detected by the gas sensor, determines the corresponding odor level based on the real-time odor gas concentration, and acquires the corresponding target operating mode in the target operating logic based on the odor level, so as to control the operation of the odor purification device according to the target operating mode.

[0025] As an improvement to the above solution, the parameters in the operating mode include operating rules, operating cycle, and idle time. The operating rules include the start-up time and shutdown time of the odor purification device within one operating cycle. After completing one operating cycle, the odor purification device will enter an idle state. When the idle state duration reaches the idle state, the odor purification device will enter the next operating cycle.

[0026] As an improvement to the above solution, the odor level includes at least two levels, the odor level is directly proportional to the odor concentration, the operating cycle is directly proportional to the odor level, and the idle time is inversely proportional to the odor level.

[0027] As an improvement to the above solution, the odor purification device is an ion generator.

[0028] To achieve the above objectives, this invention also provides a refrigerator odor purification method. The refrigerator includes an odor purification device for purifying odor gases in the storage compartment, a gas sensor for detecting the concentration of odor gases in the storage compartment, a camera device for capturing images of food stored in the storage compartment, and a weight sensor for detecting the real-time weight of the food stored in the storage compartment. Therefore, the refrigerator odor purification method includes:

[0029] In response to a food identification command, the device acquires food images captured by the camera and identifies the food images.

[0030] When it is detected that all the food items in the storage room are odor-identifiable, the real-time odor gas concentration in the storage room is obtained from the gas sensor; wherein, the food items include odor-identifiable and odorless food items;

[0031] The target operating mode of the odor purification device is obtained based on the real-time odor gas concentration, and the operation of the odor purification device is controlled according to the target operating mode.

[0032] As an improvement to the above solution, obtaining the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the real-time odor gas concentration includes:

[0033] The system searches for the corresponding target odor level among several preset odor levels based on the real-time odor gas concentration, and obtains the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the target odor level; wherein each odor level corresponds to an operating mode of the odor purification device.

[0034] Compared to existing technologies, the refrigerator and its odor purification method disclosed in this invention install an odor purification device in the storage compartment to purify odor gases. During this process, different odor levels correspond to different operating modes of the odor purification device, allowing for targeted odor purification based on the odor concentration in the storage compartment, achieving excellent odor purification results. Furthermore, by categorizing food types into odor-identifiable and odor-unidentifiable foods and establishing a pre-built database of these categories, different operating modes of the odor purification device are applied to the types of food stored in the refrigerator. This reduces the technical risks arising from the limitations of gas sensor technology and achieves superior odor removal. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of the refrigerator when the door is closed, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the storage compartment structure of the refrigerator when the door is open, provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the air duct of the refrigerator compartment provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration system in a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 5 This is a first working flowchart of the controller in a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 6 This is a second working flowchart of the controller in a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 7 This is a third workflow diagram of the controller in a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 8 This is the fourth workflow diagram of the controller in the refrigerator provided in this embodiment of the invention;

[0043] Figure 9 This is the fifth workflow diagram of the controller in the refrigerator provided in this embodiment of the invention;

[0044] Figure 10 This is a flowchart of a refrigerator odor purification method provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Among them, 100 is the refrigerator; 10 is the refrigerator compartment; 20 is the freezer compartment; 11 is the gas sensor; 12 is the odor purification device; 13 is the refrigerator fan; 101 is the refrigerator air duct; 1 is the compressor; 2 is the evaporator; 3 is the capillary tube; and 4 is the condenser. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0047] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0048] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more.

[0049] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0050] See Figures 1-2 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a refrigerator 100 provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator 100 in this embodiment has an approximately rectangular shape. The refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a storage space and multiple doors located at the opening of the cabinet. Each door includes a door shell located outside the cabinet, a door inner liner located inside the cabinet, an upper cover, a lower cover, and an insulation layer located between the door shell, door inner liner, upper cover, and lower cover; typically, the insulation layer is filled with foam material. The cabinet has chambers, including component storage chambers for placing refrigerator components, such as a compressor compartment, and storage spaces for storing food, etc. The storage spaces can be divided into multiple storage compartments, which, depending on their purpose, can be configured as a refrigerator compartment 10 and a freezer compartment 20, and may also include a variable temperature compartment, a vacuum drawer, a humidifier drawer, etc. Each storage compartment corresponds to one or more doors, for example, in... Figure 1 The upper storage compartment features double doors. These doors can be pivotally mounted at the opening of the cabinet or can open like drawers for drawer-style storage.

[0051] See Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the air duct of the refrigerator compartment 10 in the refrigerator 100 provided in this embodiment of the invention. A gas sensor 11 is installed in the refrigerator compartment 10 to detect the concentration of odor gases flowing into the compartment. An odor purification device 12 is installed in the refrigerator compartment 10. The odor purification device 12 is an ion generator, used to generate ozone to purify the odor gases in the refrigerator compartment. An ion generator is a common air purification device that purifies the air by generating negative and positive ions. A large number of ions exist in the natural atmosphere. The ion generator generates ionized gas through electrostatic interaction, adding a large number of negative and positive ions to the air, thus purifying it. A fan 13 is installed in the refrigerator air duct 101 to circulate the gas within the refrigerator air duct and the refrigerator compartment 10.

[0052] Furthermore, the refrigerator described in this embodiment of the invention also includes a camera device (not shown in the figure) and a weight sensor (not shown in the figure). The camera device is located in the storage compartment and is used to capture images of food stored in the storage compartment. The weight sensor is located at the bottom of the storage compartment and is used to detect the real-time weight of the food stored in the storage compartment.

[0053] See Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the refrigeration system in a single-system refrigerator provided in an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigeration system includes a compressor 1, an evaporator 2, a dryer filter (not shown in the figure), a capillary tube 3, a condenser 4, and a gas-liquid separator (not shown in the figure). The working process of the refrigeration system includes a compression process, a condensation process, a throttling process, and an evaporation process. The compression process is as follows: when the refrigerator power cord is plugged in and the thermostat contacts are closed, the compressor 1 starts working. Low-temperature, low-pressure refrigerant is drawn into the compressor 1 and compressed into high-temperature, high-pressure superheated gas in the cylinder of the compressor 1 before being discharged into the condenser 4. The condensation process is as follows: the high-temperature, high-pressure refrigerant gas dissipates heat through the condenser 4, and the temperature continuously decreases, gradually cooling into room-temperature, high-pressure saturated vapor, and further cooling into saturated liquid. The temperature no longer decreases; this temperature is called the condensation temperature. The pressure of the refrigerant remains almost constant throughout the condensation process. The throttling process... The process is as follows: After condensation, the saturated liquid refrigerant flows into capillary tube 3 after being filtered to remove moisture and impurities through a dryer filter. Through capillary tube 3, the refrigerant is throttled and depressurized, turning into room temperature, low pressure wet vapor. The evaporation process is as follows: The room temperature, low pressure wet vapor begins to absorb heat and vaporize in evaporator 2, which not only lowers the temperature of evaporator 2 and its surroundings, but also turns the refrigerant into a low temperature, low pressure gas. The refrigerant coming out of evaporator 2 passes through a gas-liquid separator and returns to compressor 1. The above process is repeated to transfer the heat inside the refrigerator to the outside air, thus achieving the purpose of refrigeration.

[0054] Specifically, the controller in the refrigerator is configured to: in response to a food identification command, acquire food images captured by the camera device and identify the food images; when it is detected that all food types in the storage compartment are odor-identifiable, acquire the real-time odor gas concentration in the storage compartment detected by the gas sensor; wherein, the food types include odor-identifiable food and odorless food; and acquire the target operating mode of the corresponding odor purification device based on the real-time odor gas concentration, so as to control the operation of the odor purification device according to the target operating mode.

[0055] For example, see Figure 5 , Figure 5This is a first working flowchart of the controller in the refrigerator provided in this embodiment of the invention. The controller is configured to execute steps S11 to S15. The gas sensor, through preliminary testing, establishes a database of odor-identifiable and odor-inidentifiable ingredients, and imports the database into the refrigerator system. Odor-identifiable ingredients refer to ingredients whose odor can be detected by the gas sensor. This can be obtained by conducting multi-ingredient odor tests on the gas sensor applied in the refrigerator (the gas sensor cannot detect the odor of all ingredients). The remaining ingredients whose odor cannot be detected are collectively referred to as odor-inidentifiable ingredients. The ingredient identification command can be triggered by the user or automatically by the refrigerator. When the user triggers the ingredient identification command, they can use the refrigerator's display screen to communicate with the refrigerator to inform it that an ingredient identification operation is needed. When the refrigerator automatically triggers the ingredient identification command, it closes the refrigerator door after detecting it is open, and triggers the ingredient identification command at the moment of closing. At this time, it can be assumed that the user may have placed new ingredients in the refrigerator, and it can be determined whether the operating mode of the odor purification device needs to be changed.

[0056] Upon receiving a food identification command, the camera device is controlled to begin operation, acquiring images of the food captured by the camera. The images are then processed to identify the names of the food currently stored in the storage room, thereby distinguishing the food type. It is worth noting that identifying the food type based on image recognition can be achieved by pre-training a neural network model on a training set labeled with several food features. The specific process of training the food identification model and performing image recognition to obtain the food name can be found in existing technologies and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0057] After obtaining the food type, if all the food types in the storage room are odor-identifiable, it means that the odors emitted by the food currently stored in the storage room are detectable by the gas sensor. The operation of the odor purification device can be controlled according to the detected real-time odor gas concentration. At this time, the real-time odor gas concentration of the current storage room is obtained. Specifically, obtaining the target operating mode of the odor purification device according to the real-time odor gas concentration includes: searching for the corresponding target odor level among a number of preset odor levels according to the real-time odor gas concentration, and obtaining the target operating mode of the odor purification device according to the target odor level; wherein, each odor level corresponds to an operating mode of the odor purification device, and the parameters in the operating mode include operating rules, operating cycle, and idle time. The operating rules include the on-time and off-time of the odor purification device within an operating cycle. The odor level includes at least two levels. The odor level is directly proportional to the odor concentration, the operating cycle is directly proportional to the odor level, and the idle time is inversely proportional to the odor level.

[0058] For example, see Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a second working flowchart of the controller in the refrigerator provided in this embodiment of the invention. Step S15 specifically includes steps S151 to S153. The odor level is divided into low odor level, medium odor level and high odor level according to the concentration from low to high. By studying the response of gas sensors to the odors of different foods and human sensory research, the odor is divided into three different odor levels according to the output signal of the gas sensors. For example, 1 to X1 is the low odor level, represented by odor level A, and the corresponding operating mode of the odor odor device is operating mode a; X1 to X2 is the medium odor level, represented by odor level B, and the corresponding operating mode of the odor odor device is operating mode b; X2 to X3 is the high odor level, represented by odor level C, and the corresponding operating mode of the odor odor device is operating mode c. Among them, level A is basically no odor, level B is a slight odor, and level C is a noticeable odor.

[0059] Specifically, the odor purification device will enter an idle state after completing one operating cycle. When the idle state duration reaches the idle state time, the odor purification device will enter the next operating cycle.

[0060] Exemplary, exemplary, see Figure 7 , Figure 7 This is a third working flowchart of the controller in the refrigerator provided in this embodiment of the invention. The gas sensor detects the odor in the storage compartment in real time. The controller controls the odor purification device to operate according to the operating mode in Table 1 below based on the odor level detected by the gas sensor (the ion generator easily produces ozone, which has a good odor removal effect, but ozone is harmful to the human body, so control rules are needed). The operating time is directly proportional to the odor level; as the odor level increases, the operating time in the operating cycle increases. The shutdown time is inversely proportional to the odor level; as the odor level increases, the shutdown time decreases. Wherein: t1 < t2 < t3; T1 < T2 < T3; K3 < K2 < K1. When the sensor determines that the odor level is A, the odor purification device is controlled to operate according to the rules of operating mode a. After completing cycle T1, it enters idle mode. If the sensor detects odor B or C during this period, the odor purification device is immediately controlled to operate according to the rules of operating mode b or operating mode c. The three processes corresponding to operating modes a to c share the same cycle count. When an odor level changes, as long as the cumulative cycle count is greater than or equal to the cycle count requirement of the process corresponding to the current odor level, the system immediately enters the idle state corresponding to the current odor level, and the cumulative total cycle count is reset to zero. It is worth noting that the values ​​of operating cycle, start-up time, stop time, and idle time in Table 1 can be preset by experience and are not specifically limited here.

[0061] Table 1. Operating modes of the odor purification device

[0062]

[0063] Specifically, the controller is further configured to: when it is detected that all the food items in the storage room are odorless, acquire the first real-time weight of all the food items in the storage room detected by the weight sensor; acquire the target operating mode of the odor purification device according to the first real-time weight, and control the operation of the odor purification device according to the target operating mode.

[0064] For example, see Figure 8 , Figure 8 This is a fourth workflow diagram of the controller in a refrigerator provided in this embodiment of the invention. The controller is further configured to execute steps S21 to S24. The step of obtaining the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the first real-time weight includes: searching for a corresponding target weight range among several preset weight ranges based on the first real-time weight, and obtaining the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the target weight range; wherein each weight range corresponds to an operating mode of the odor purification device. The weight ranges include: m < H1, H1 ≤ m < H2, H2 ≤ m < H3, H3 ≤ m ≤ H4; where m is the first real-time weight, and H1 to H4 are preset weight thresholds used to divide the weight ranges. Then, when the first real-time weight satisfies: m < H1, its corresponding target operating mode is: start for t0 seconds, stop for (60-t0) seconds, the operating cycle is T0, and it starts again every K0 time interval (where t0 < t1, T0 < T1, K0 < K1); when the first real-time weight satisfies: Hi ≤ m < H2, its corresponding target operating mode is: mode a; when the first real-time weight satisfies: H2 ≤ m < H3, its corresponding target operating mode is: mode b; when the first real-time weight satisfies: H3 ≤ m ≤ H4, its corresponding target operating mode is: mode c.

[0065] In this embodiment of the invention, when the food stored in the refrigerator is all food whose odor cannot be detected by the gas sensor, in order to avoid the odor purification device not working because the gas sensor cannot accurately detect the odor in the refrigerator, the control logic of the odor purification device adopts food weight control. When the food weight is too heavy, it indicates that the odor is also obvious. As the weight of the first real-time food increases, its corresponding operating cycle also increases, thereby achieving the ideal effect of purifying the food odor.

[0066] Specifically, the controller is further configured to: when it is detected that the types of food materials in the storage compartment include odor-recognizable food materials and odor-unrecognizable food materials, obtain the second real-time weight of all the odor-unrecognizable food materials in the storage compartment detected by the weight sensor; search for the corresponding target weight range in a plurality of preset weight ranges according to the second real-time weight, and obtain the target operation logic of the odor purification device according to the target weight range; wherein each of the weight ranges corresponds to an operation logic of the odor purification device, and each operation logic includes operation modes corresponding to several different odor levels; obtain the real-time odor gas concentration of the current storage compartment detected by the gas sensor, determine the corresponding odor level according to the real-time odor gas concentration, and obtain the corresponding target operation mode in the target operation logic according to the odor level, so as to control the operation of the odor purification device according to the target operation mode.

[0067] Exemplarily, referring to Figure 9 , Figure 9 FIG. 5 is the fifth working flow chart of the controller in the refrigerator provided by the embodiment of the present invention. The controller is further configured to execute steps S31 to S34. At this time, the second real-time weight detected by the weight sensor and the real-time odor gas concentration are combined as factors for controlling the odor purification device. At this time, first determine the corresponding target weight range according to the second real-time weight, and determine the corresponding target control logic based on the target weight range, and then determine the corresponding target operation mode in the target control logic according to the real-time odor gas concentration. There are the following 4 cases:

[0068] 1. When the second real-time weight satisfies: m < H1, the corresponding target operation logic is shown in Table 2.

[0069] Table 2 Corresponding target operation logic when m < H1

[0070] A Start for t1+t0 seconds, then stop for (60-t1-t0) seconds. T1 K1 B Start for t2+t0 seconds, then stop for (60-t2-t0) seconds. T2 K2 C Start for t3+t0 seconds, then stop for (60-t3-t0) seconds. T3 K3

[0071] 2. When the second real-time weight satisfies: H1 ≤ m < H2, the corresponding target operation logic is shown in Table 3.

[0072] Table 3 Corresponding target operation logic when H1 ≤ m < H2

[0073]

[0074]

[0075] 3. When the second real-time weight satisfies: H2 ≤ m < H3, the corresponding target operation logic is shown in Table 4.

[0076] Table 4 Corresponding target operation logic when H2 ≤ m < H3

[0077] A Start for t1+t2 seconds, then stop for (60-t1-t2) seconds. T1 K1 B Start for 2t2 seconds, stop for (60-2t2) seconds T2 K2 C Start for t3+t2 seconds, then stop for (60-t3-t2) seconds. T3 K3

[0078] 4. When the second real-time weight satisfies: H3≤m≤H4, the corresponding target operation logic is shown in Table 5.

[0079] Table 5. Target execution logic when H3≤m≤H4

[0080] A Start for t1+t3 seconds, then stop for (60-t1-t3) seconds. T1 K1 B Start for t2+t3 seconds, then stop for (60-t2-t3) seconds. T2 K2 C Start for 2t3 seconds, stop for (60-2t3) seconds T3 K3

[0081] In this embodiment of the invention, when the food stored in the refrigerator includes both food whose odor cannot be detected by the gas sensor and food whose odor can be detected, in order to avoid the odor purification device having an insignificant purification effect because the gas sensor cannot accurately detect the odor and therefore cannot identify the food, the control logic of the odor purification device adopts dual control of food weight and odor gas concentration, thereby achieving the ideal effect of purifying food odor.

[0082] Compared to existing technologies, the refrigerator disclosed in this invention incorporates an odor purification device in the storage compartment to purify odorous gases. During this process, different odor levels correspond to different operating modes of the odor purification device, allowing for targeted odor purification based on the odor concentration in the storage compartment, achieving excellent odor removal results. Furthermore, food types are categorized into odor-identifiable and odor-unidentifiable foods. By pre-establishing a database of these categories, different operating modes of the odor purification device are applied to the types of food stored in the refrigerator, reducing the technical risks associated with limitations in gas sensor technology and achieving superior odor removal.

[0083] See Figure 10 , Figure 10 This is a flowchart of a refrigerator odor purification method provided by an embodiment of the present invention. The refrigerator is equipped with an odor purification device for purifying odor gases in the storage compartment, a gas sensor for detecting the concentration of odor gases in the storage compartment, a camera device for capturing images of food stored in the storage compartment, and a weight sensor for detecting the real-time weight of the food stored in the storage compartment. Therefore, the refrigerator odor purification method includes:

[0084] S1. In response to the food identification command, acquire the food image captured by the camera device and identify the food image;

[0085] S2. When it is detected that all the food items in the storage room are odor-identifiable, the real-time odor gas concentration in the storage room is obtained from the gas sensor; wherein, the food items include odor-identifiable and odor-unidentifiable food items;

[0086] S3. Obtain the target operating mode of the odor purification device according to the real-time odor gas concentration, and control the operation of the odor purification device according to the target operating mode.

[0087] For example, the gas sensor establishes a database of odor-identifiable and odor-inidentifiable ingredients through preliminary testing, and imports the database into the refrigerator system. Odor-identifiable ingredients refer to ingredients whose odor can be detected by the gas sensor. This can be obtained by conducting multi-ingredient odor tests on the gas sensor applied in the refrigerator (the gas sensor cannot detect the odor of all ingredients). The remaining ingredients whose odor cannot be detected are collectively referred to as odor-inidentifiable ingredients. The ingredient identification command can be triggered by the user or automatically by the refrigerator. When the user triggers the ingredient identification command, they can use the display screen in the refrigerator to communicate with the refrigerator to inform it that an ingredient identification operation is required. When the refrigerator automatically triggers the ingredient identification command, it closes the refrigerator door after detecting that it has been opened, and triggers the ingredient identification command at the moment of closing. At this time, it can be assumed that the user may have placed new ingredients in the refrigerator, and it can be determined whether the operating mode of the odor purification device needs to be changed.

[0088] Specifically, obtaining the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the real-time odor gas concentration includes: searching for the corresponding target odor level among a preset number of odor levels based on the real-time odor gas concentration, and obtaining the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the target odor level; wherein, each odor level corresponds to an operating mode of the odor purification device.

[0089] Specifically, the method further includes: when it is detected that all the food items in the storage room are odorless, acquiring the first real-time weight of all the food items in the storage room as detected by the weight sensor; acquiring the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the first real-time weight, and controlling the operation of the odor purification device according to the target operating mode.

[0090] Specifically, obtaining the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the first real-time weight includes:

[0091] Based on the first real-time weight, the corresponding target weight range is found among several preset weight ranges, and the target operating mode of the odor purification device is obtained based on the target weight range; wherein, each weight range corresponds to an operating mode of the odor purification device.

[0092] In this embodiment of the invention, when the food stored in the refrigerator is all food whose odor cannot be detected by the gas sensor, in order to avoid the odor purification device not working because the gas sensor cannot accurately detect the odor in the refrigerator, the control logic of the odor purification device adopts food weight control. When the food weight is too heavy, it indicates that the odor is also obvious. As the weight of the first real-time food increases, its corresponding operating cycle also increases, thereby achieving the ideal effect of purifying the food odor.

[0093] Specifically, the method further includes: when the types of food in the storage room are detected to include odor-identifiable food and odor-indistinguishable food, acquiring the second real-time weight of all odor-indistinguishable food in the storage room detected by the weight sensor; searching for a corresponding target weight range among several preset weight ranges based on the second real-time weight, and acquiring the target operating logic of the odor purification device based on the target weight range; wherein each weight range corresponds to an operating logic of the odor purification device, and each operating logic includes several operating modes corresponding to different odor levels; acquiring the real-time odor gas concentration of the current storage room detected by the gas sensor, determining the corresponding odor level based on the real-time odor gas concentration, and acquiring the corresponding target operating mode in the target operating logic based on the odor level, so as to control the operation of the odor purification device according to the target operating mode.

[0094] Specifically, the parameters in the operating mode include operating rules, operating cycle, and idle time. The operating rules include the start-up time and shutdown time of the odor purification device within one operating cycle. After completing one operating cycle, the odor purification device will enter an idle state. When the idle state duration reaches the idle state, the odor purification device will enter the next operating cycle.

[0095] Specifically, the odor level includes at least two levels, the odor level is directly proportional to the odor concentration, the operating cycle is directly proportional to the odor level, and the idle time is inversely proportional to the odor level.

[0096] Specifically, the odor purification device is an ion generator.

[0097] It is worth noting that the working process of the refrigerator odor purification method described in the embodiments of the present invention can refer to the working process of the controller in the refrigerator described in the above embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0098] In this embodiment of the invention, when the food stored in the refrigerator includes both food whose odor cannot be detected by the gas sensor and food whose odor can be detected, in order to avoid the odor purification device having an insignificant purification effect because the gas sensor cannot accurately detect the odor and therefore cannot identify the food, the control logic of the odor purification device adopts dual control of food weight and odor gas concentration, thereby achieving the ideal effect of purifying food odor.

[0099] Compared to existing technologies, the refrigerator odor purification method disclosed in this invention involves installing an odor purification device in the storage compartment to purify odor gases. During this process, different odor levels correspond to different operating modes of the odor purification device, allowing for targeted odor purification based on the odor concentration in the storage compartment, achieving excellent odor purification results. Furthermore, by categorizing food types into odor-identifiable and odor-unidentifiable foods and establishing a pre-built database of these categories, different operating modes of the odor purification device are applied to the types of food stored in the refrigerator. This reduces the technical risks arising from limitations in gas sensor technology development, achieving superior odor removal results.

[0100] The above description represents the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: A box, in which a storage room is formed, the storage room including at least a cold storage room; A gas sensor, installed in the storage room, is used to detect the concentration of odorous gases in the storage room. The gas sensor is pre-linked with a database of odor-identifiable and odor-unidentifiable food ingredients. An odor purification device is installed in the storage room to purify odorous gases in the storage room. A camera device is installed in the storage room to capture images of the food stored in the storage room; A weight sensor is installed at the bottom of the storage compartment to detect the real-time weight of the food stored in the storage compartment. The controller is configured as follows: In response to a food identification command, the device acquires food images captured by the camera and identifies the food images. When it is detected that all the food types in the storage room are odor-identifiable, the real-time odor gas concentration in the storage room is obtained as detected by the gas sensor; wherein, the food types include odor-identifiable food and odor-unidentifiable food, the odor-identifiable food refers to the food whose odor can be detected by the gas sensor, and the remaining food whose odor cannot be detected is odor-unidentifiable food. The target operating mode of the odor purification device is obtained based on the real-time odor gas concentration, and the operation of the odor purification device is controlled according to the target operating mode. When it is detected that all the food items in the storage room are food items with unidentifiable odors, the first real-time weight of all the food items in the storage room is obtained as detected by the weight sensor. The target operating mode of the odor purification device is obtained based on the first real-time weight, and the operation of the odor purification device is controlled according to the target operating mode.

2. The refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the real-time odor gas concentration includes: The system searches for the corresponding target odor level among several preset odor levels based on the real-time odor gas concentration, and obtains the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the target odor level; wherein each odor level corresponds to an operating mode of the odor purification device.

3. The refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the first real-time weight, the target operating mode of the odor purification device is obtained, including: Based on the first real-time weight, the corresponding target weight range is found among several preset weight ranges, and the target operating mode of the odor purification device is obtained based on the target weight range; wherein, each weight range corresponds to an operating mode of the odor purification device.

4. The refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to: When the types of food in the storage room are detected to include odor-identifiable food and odor-indistinguishable food, the second real-time weight of all odor-indistinguishable food in the storage room is obtained as detected by the weight sensor. The target weight range is searched among several preset weight ranges based on the second real-time weight, and the target operating logic of the odor purification device is obtained based on the target weight range; wherein, each weight range corresponds to an operating logic of the odor purification device, and each operating logic includes several operating modes corresponding to different odor levels. The system acquires the real-time odor gas concentration in the storage room detected by the gas sensor, determines the corresponding odor level based on the real-time odor gas concentration, and acquires the corresponding target operating mode in the target operating logic based on the odor level, so as to control the operation of the odor purification device according to the target operating mode.

5. The refrigerator as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The parameters in the operating mode include operating rules, operating cycle, and idle time. The operating rules include the start-up time and shutdown time of the odor purification device within one operating cycle. After completing one operating cycle, the odor purification device will enter an idle state. When the idle state duration reaches the idle state, the odor purification device will enter the next operating cycle.

6. The refrigerator as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The odor level includes at least two levels, the odor level is directly proportional to the odor concentration, the operating cycle is directly proportional to the odor level, and the idle time is inversely proportional to the odor level.

7. The refrigerator as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The odor purification device is an ion generator.

8. A method for purifying refrigerator odors, characterized in that, The refrigerator is equipped with an odor purification device for purifying odor gases in the storage compartment, a gas sensor for detecting the concentration of odor gases in the storage compartment, a camera device for capturing images of food stored in the storage compartment, and a weight sensor for detecting the real-time weight of the food stored in the storage compartment; therefore, the refrigerator odor purification method includes: In response to a food identification command, the device acquires food images captured by the camera and identifies the food images. When it is detected that all the food types in the storage room are odor-identifiable, the real-time odor gas concentration in the storage room is obtained as detected by the gas sensor; wherein, the food types include odor-identifiable food and odor-unidentifiable food, the odor-identifiable food refers to the food whose odor can be detected by the gas sensor, and the remaining food whose odor cannot be detected is odor-unidentifiable food. The target operating mode of the odor purification device is obtained based on the real-time odor gas concentration, and the operation of the odor purification device is controlled according to the target operating mode. When it is detected that all the food items in the storage room are food items with unidentifiable odors, the first real-time weight of all the food items in the storage room is obtained as detected by the weight sensor. The target operating mode of the odor purification device is obtained based on the first real-time weight, and the operation of the odor purification device is controlled according to the target operating mode.

9. The refrigerator odor purification method as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the real-time odor gas concentration includes: The system searches for the corresponding target odor level among several preset odor levels based on the real-time odor gas concentration, and obtains the target operating mode of the odor purification device based on the target odor level; wherein each odor level corresponds to an operating mode of the odor purification device.

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