Indication control method of refrigeration device, refrigeration device

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of indication control method of refrigeration equipment, refrigeration equipment.The indication control method includes the following steps: after obtaining the article selection instruction of user, it is judged whether the position of illumination device and target article corresponds;Otherwise control illumination device moves a distance along predetermined path and then rejudge whether the position of illumination device and target article corresponds;Yes, control illumination device projects light on target article to indicate the position where target article is located.By making the position of illumination device and target article correspond, and by illuminating target article with illumination device, the position of target article is indicated after the user opens the door body, the time required by the user to find target article is reduced, the time of door body opening is shortened, the loss of cold energy is reduced, and the energy consumption of refrigeration equipment is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of refrigeration equipment, and in particular to an indication and control method for refrigeration equipment and refrigeration equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Refrigeration equipment such as refrigerators and freezers typically consists of a cabinet, a door mounted on the cabinet for opening and closing, and compartments inside for storing items. When a user needs to retrieve an item from a compartment, they must open the door, locate the item inside, remove it, and close the door. After opening the door, it is generally difficult to locate the item quickly and efficiently, leading to a loss of cooling capacity, increased compartment temperature, and increased energy consumption. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method for indicating and controlling a refrigeration device and a refrigeration device, so as to indicate the location of a target item to the user, thereby reducing the time required for the user to find the target item.

[0004] To achieve one of the above-mentioned objectives, one embodiment of the present invention provides an indication and control method for a refrigeration device, comprising the following steps:

[0005] After obtaining the user's item selection instruction, determine whether the position of the lighting device corresponds to the position of the target item;

[0006] Otherwise, after controlling the lighting device to move a certain distance along the predetermined path, re-evaluate whether the position of the lighting device corresponds to the position of the target object;

[0007] This controls the lighting device to project light onto the target object to indicate the user's location of the target object.

[0008] As a further improvement to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of "determining whether the position of the lighting device corresponds to the position of the target item after obtaining the user's item selection instruction" is further included:

[0009] Acquire interior images of the room;

[0010] Identify interior items of a room through image recognition;

[0011] Display item information on a touchscreen or send item information to a mobile device.

[0012] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the item information is an item image or an item type.

[0013] As a further improvement to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of "determining whether the position of the lighting device corresponds to that of the target object" specifically means:

[0014] Obtain the location of the center of the target object and the location of the center of the lighting device;

[0015] If the horizontal distance between the center of the target item and the center of the lighting device is less than or equal to a preset deviation distance, the position of the lighting device corresponds to that of the target item; if the horizontal distance between the center of the target item and the center of the lighting device is greater than the preset deviation distance, the position of the lighting device does not correspond to that of the target item.

[0016] As a further improvement to one embodiment of the present invention, the step of "determining whether the position of the lighting device corresponds to that of the target object" specifically means:

[0017] Turn on the lights;

[0018] Obtain the ratio of the area of ​​the target object illuminated by the lighting device to the total area of ​​the target object;

[0019] If the ratio is greater than the preset minimum illumination ratio, the position of the lighting device corresponds to the position of the target object; if the ratio is less than or equal to the preset minimum illumination ratio, the position of the lighting device does not correspond to the position of the target object.

[0020] As a further improvement to one embodiment of the present invention, the "controlling the lighting device to project light onto the target object" specifically means:

[0021] Obtain user facial image;

[0022] User emotions can be identified using the user's facial image;

[0023] The lighting device is controlled to project light onto a target object, wherein the color of the light is determined according to the user's mood.

[0024] As a further improvement to one embodiment of the present invention, the "controlling the lighting device to project light onto the target object" specifically means:

[0025] Get the shape of the target item;

[0026] The lighting device controls the projection of light onto a target object to form a light spot of a predetermined shape on the surface of the target object, wherein the shape of the light spot is determined according to the shape of the target object.

[0027] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, if the target item is circular or rectangular with an aspect ratio of less than 2, the shape of the light spot is dot-shaped, and the number of the light spots is multiple.

[0028] If the target object is a rectangle with an aspect ratio greater than 2, the shape of the light spot is elongated.

[0029] If the target object is not rectangular, the shape of the light spot is circular or annular.

[0030] As a further improvement to one embodiment of the present invention, after the step of "controlling the lighting device to project light onto the target object", the following is also included:

[0031] Determine if the user has touched the door handle;

[0032] The brightness of the lighting device is then controlled according to the opening angle of the door.

[0033] Otherwise, after controlling the door opener to open the door to the preset opening angle, the brightness of the lighting device is controlled according to the opening angle of the door.

[0034] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the refrigeration device includes two doors distributed on the left and right sides;

[0035] The phrase "controlling the door opener to open the door to a preset opening angle" specifically means controlling the door opener to open the door to a preset opening angle corresponding to the target item in the left-right direction.

[0036] As a further improvement to one embodiment of the present invention, the following is included before the step of "controlling the door opener to open the door to a preset opening angle":

[0037] Determine if the distance between the user and the door is less than the preset holding distance;

[0038] If so, the voice control module will issue a prompt and then re-evaluate whether the distance between the user and the door is less than the preset holding distance;

[0039] Otherwise, execute the command "control the door opener to open the door to the preset opening angle".

[0040] As a further improvement of one embodiment of the present invention, the predetermined path is an S-shape extending in the horizontal direction.

[0041] To achieve one of the above-mentioned objectives, one embodiment of the present invention provides a refrigeration device, including a housing having a compartment, a door mounted on the housing to open or close the compartment, an image acquisition device for acquiring an image of the interior of the compartment, an illumination device for projecting light onto a target object to indicate the location of the target object to a user, and a control device. The control device includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores a computer program that can run on the processor. When the processor executes the program, it implements the steps of the indication and control method of the refrigeration device.

[0042] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: by aligning the lighting device with the position of the target item and illuminating the target item with the lighting device, the location of the target item is indicated after the user opens the door, thereby reducing the time required for the user to find the target item, shortening the door opening time, reducing the loss of cold energy, and reducing the energy consumption of the refrigeration equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a refrigeration device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the top wall structure of a compartment according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of an indication and control method for a refrigeration device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of some steps of the indication and control method for a refrigeration device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of some steps of the indication and control method for a refrigeration device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of some steps of the indication and control method for a refrigeration device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Among them, 10 is the cabinet; 20 is the door; 30 is the image acquisition device; 40 is the lighting device; 50 is the guide rail; 60 is the motion drive element; 70 is the facial camera; and 80 is the touch screen. Detailed Implementation

[0050] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, these embodiments do not limit the present invention, and any structural, methodological, or functional modifications made by those skilled in the art based on these embodiments are included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0051] In the various illustrations of this invention, for ease of illustration, certain dimensions of structures or parts may be enlarged relative to other structures or parts; therefore, only the basic structure of the subject matter of this invention is used to illustrate the invention.

[0052] This invention provides a refrigeration device, which is a refrigerator, freezer, wine cabinet, or other device used for refrigerating or freezing items.

[0053] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the refrigeration equipment includes a housing 10, a door 20, an image acquisition device 30, a lighting device 40, a control device, a guide rail 50, and a motion drive element 60.

[0054] The cabinet 10 has a compartment inside for storing items. A door 20 is installed on the cabinet 10 to open or close the compartment. The image acquisition device 30 and the lighting device 40 are both located inside the compartment.

[0055] The image acquisition device 30 is used to acquire images of the interior of the room. To ensure that the image acquisition device 30 can acquire images of all items in the room, the image acquisition device 30 has at least one wide-angle camera, or the image acquisition device 30 has at least one camera and a camera drive motor for driving the camera to rotate.

[0056] The lighting device 40 is used to project light onto a target object to indicate the location of the target object to the user. The lighting device 40 has a plurality of lamp beads for projecting light.

[0057] The guide rail 50 is fixedly installed on the ceiling wall of the room, the lighting device 40 is slidably mounted on the guide drive element, and the moving drive element 60 is mounted on the lighting device 40. When the moving drive element 60 is working, it drives the lighting device 40 to slide along the guide rail 50. Specifically, the moving drive element 60 is a motor, the base of which is mounted on the lighting device 40, and the outer periphery of the output shaft of the moving drive element 60 abuts against the top or bottom of the guide rail 50. When the moving drive element 60 is working, the output shaft rotates, and the friction between the output shaft and the guide rail 50 drives the lighting device 40 to slide.

[0058] The control device is electrically connected to the image acquisition device 30, the lighting device 40, and the motion drive element 60. The control device can control the image acquisition device 30, the lighting device 40, and the motion drive element 60 to turn on or off. The control device includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores a computer program that can run on the processor. When the processor executes the program, it implements the steps of the instruction control method for the refrigeration equipment.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the refrigeration device further includes a touch screen 80 mounted on the door 20. The touch screen 80 can display images of the interior of the room acquired by the image acquisition device 30, or item information, and the user can select a target item on the touch screen 80.

[0060] The present invention also provides an indication and control method for a refrigeration device, used to indicate the location of a target item to a user.

[0061] like Figure 3 As shown, the indication control method includes the following steps:

[0062] S10: Provide item information to the user;

[0063] S20: Obtain the user's item selection command;

[0064] S30: Determine whether the position of the lighting device 40 corresponds to the position of the target item;

[0065] If the result of S30 is otherwise, proceed to S40: control the lighting device 40 to move a certain distance along a predetermined path; then return to re-execute step S30.

[0066] If the judgment result of S30 is yes, then execute S50: control the lighting device 40 to project light onto the target object to indicate the location of the target object to the user;

[0067] S60, Perform the door opening operation.

[0068] The refrigeration equipment uses image recognition, barcode scanning, and other methods to send specific information about the items inside to a user-accessible device such as a touchscreen 80 or a mobile terminal. The user then selects the desired item on the touchscreen 80 or mobile terminal based on this information, generating an item selection command and confirming the target item. The refrigeration equipment then illuminates the target item by aligning its lighting with the location of the illuminated item. This indicates the location of the target item after the user opens the door 20, reducing the time required for the user to find the item, shortening the door opening time, minimizing cold air loss, and reducing the energy consumption of the refrigeration equipment.

[0069] Furthermore, the predetermined path is an S-shape extending horizontally. Specifically, the guide rail 50 extends in an S-shape, which restricts the movement path of the lighting device 40. The S-shaped movement path allows the lighting device 40 to illuminate objects at any location, preventing some target objects from being inaccurately indicated.

[0070] In addition, the refrigeration equipment also includes a voice module. The voice module emits a sound to remind the user that the lighting device 40 is moving during the movement of the lighting device 40, or emits a sound to remind the user that the lighting device 40 has arrived at the target item after the lighting device 40 has moved to the position corresponding to the target item, thereby preventing the user from opening the door in advance and causing serious cold leakage of the refrigeration equipment.

[0071] like Figure 4 As shown, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, step S10 is performed before step S20, and step S10 includes the following steps:

[0072] S11: Acquire interior images of the room;

[0073] S12: Identify interior items of a room through image recognition;

[0074] S13: Display item information on touchscreen 80 or send item information to mobile terminal.

[0075] Specifically, the item information is an item image or an item type.

[0076] The refrigeration equipment acquires images of the interior of the room through the image acquisition device 30. Then, the control device obtains specific information about the items inside the room through image recognition, making it easier for the user to identify the target item on the touch screen 80 or a mobile terminal. The item recognition method can be achieved by constructing a model using existing deep learning techniques. This model then processes the images acquired by the image acquisition device 30 to output the specific information about the item.

[0077] In one embodiment of the present invention, S30: determining whether the position of the lighting device 40 corresponds to the position of the target item, specifically includes:

[0078] Obtain the position of the center of the target item and the position of the center of the lighting device 40;

[0079] If the horizontal distance between the center of the target item and the center of the lighting device 40 is less than or equal to a preset deviation distance, then the position of the lighting device 40 corresponds to the position of the target item; if the horizontal distance between the center of the target item and the center of the lighting device 40 is greater than the preset deviation distance, then the position of the lighting device 40 does not correspond to the position of the target item.

[0080] The position of the center of the target object can be confirmed by the image acquired by the image acquisition device 30. At least two coordinate sensors are installed on the lighting device, and the position of the center of the lighting device is obtained through these sensors. The horizontal distance between the center of the target object and the center of the lighting device specifically means the straight-line distance between the projection of the center of the lighting device onto the horizontal plane where the target object is located and the center of the lighting device.

[0081] In another embodiment of the present invention, S30: determining whether the position of the lighting device 40 corresponds to the position of the target item, specifically includes:

[0082] Turn on the lighting device 40;

[0083] Obtain the ratio of the area of ​​the target object illuminated by the lighting device 40 to the total area of ​​the target object;

[0084] If the ratio is greater than the preset minimum illumination ratio, the position of the lighting device 40 corresponds to the position of the target item; if the ratio is less than or equal to the preset minimum illumination ratio, the position of the lighting device 40 does not correspond to the position of the target item.

[0085] Specifically, the ratio of the area of ​​the target object illuminated by the lighting device to the total area of ​​the target object can be determined by comparing the area occupied by the region of greater brightness of the target object after the image acquisition device acquires an image of the target object after it is illuminated.

[0086] Specifically, the minimum irradiation ratio is 60%.

[0087] like Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, S50: controlling the lighting device 40 to project light onto the target object, specifically:

[0088] S51: Obtain user's facial image;

[0089] S52: Recognize the user's emotions through the user's facial image;

[0090] S53: Obtain the shape of the target item;

[0091] S54: The lighting device 40 is controlled to project light onto a target object to form a light spot of a predetermined shape on the surface of the target object, wherein the color of the light is determined according to the user's mood, and the shape of the light spot is determined according to the shape of the target object.

[0092] A facial camera 70 is installed on the front of the cooling equipment's casing 10 to acquire images of the user's face, and then the user's emotion is identified using existing emotion recognition methods. These emotion recognition methods are existing technology and will not be described in detail here. If the user is happy, the light color is blue; if the user is calm, the light color is yellow; and if the user is sad, the light color is white. This embodiment enhances the user experience by adapting the light color to the user's mood.

[0093] Furthermore, this embodiment matches the shape of the light spot to the shape of the target, which allows the light to better cover the target object, making it easier for the user to observe the overall shape of the target object and thus making it easier for the user to grasp the object.

[0094] Specifically, if the target item is circular or rectangular with an aspect ratio less than 2, the shape of the light spot is dot-shaped, and the number of light spots is multiple;

[0095] If the target object is a rectangle with an aspect ratio greater than 2, the shape of the light spot is elongated.

[0096] If the target item is not rectangular, the shape of the light spot is circular or annular. For circular or irregular items that are not rectangular, the circular or annular light spot can better cover the target item because it has a larger coverage area.

[0097] Specifically, the above-described embodiments control the shape of the light spot by selectively turning on the lamp beads of the lighting device.

[0098] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the refrigeration equipment further includes a door opener. A groove is provided on the side of the housing 10 facing the door. The door opener is an electric push rod at least partially installed in the groove, with the push rod portion facing the door 20. The door opener moves the push rod portion towards the door 20 to rotate the door 20 by a certain angle, thereby opening the door. The user can then manually pull the door 20 to fully open it. Due to factors such as internal and external pressure differences, the force required by the user to open the door 20 is often the greatest at the moment of opening. By having the door opener first move the door 20 from completely closed to slightly open, and then allowing the user to fully open the door 20, the difficulty of opening the door can be greatly reduced, thereby improving the user experience.

[0099] S60 follows S50, as follows Figure 6 As shown, S60 includes the following steps:

[0100] S61: Determine if the user is touching the door handle;

[0101] If the judgment result of S61 is yes, then execute S62: control the brightness of the lighting device 40 according to the opening angle of the door 20;

[0102] If the result of S61 is otherwise, proceed to S63: determine whether the distance between the user and the door 20 is less than the preset holding distance;

[0103] If the judgment result of S63 is yes, then execute S64: control the voice module to issue a prompt; then return to execute S63 until it is confirmed that the distance between the user and the door 20 is greater than the holding distance, and then terminate the loop.

[0104] If the result of S63 is otherwise, execute S65: control the door opener to open the door 20 to the preset opening angle; then execute S62: control the brightness of the lighting device 40 according to the opening angle of the door 20.

[0105] In this embodiment, a pressure sensor is installed on the door handle. The pressure sensor detects whether the user touches the door handle, thereby determining whether the door needs to be opened by the door opener.

[0106] The refrigeration equipment also includes an angle sensor for acquiring the rotation angle of the door 20, or a distance sensor for acquiring the distance between the door 20 and the cabinet 10. The rotation angle of the door is calculated using the distance between the door 20 and the cabinet 10 and the distance between the distance sensor and the door's rotation axis. Before the door 20 is fully opened, the user does not need to observe the items. In step S62, the brightness of the lighting device 40 is controlled by the door opening angle. The larger the door opening angle, the brighter the lighting device 40. Before the door 20 is fully opened, the brightness of the lighting device 40 will not reach its maximum value, thus saving power consumption. Furthermore, the lighting device 40 is turned on during the opening of the door 20, making it easier for the user to see the target items when observing the interior of the room before the door 20 is fully opened.

[0107] To prevent the door 20 from colliding with the user and causing a safety hazard during the opening process, the door opener will only open the door 20 after confirming in steps S63 and S64 that the distance between the user and the door 20 is greater than the maintenance distance. Specifically, a laser sensor is installed on the door 20 to detect the distance between the user and the door 20. After the door opener opens the door 20 to a certain opening angle, the user can directly pull the door 20 to fully open it.

[0108] In one embodiment of the present invention, the refrigeration device includes two doors 20 distributed on the left and right sides.

[0109] The phrase "controlling the door opener to open the door 20 to a preset opening angle" specifically means controlling the door opener to open the door 20, which corresponds to the target item in the left-right direction, to a preset opening angle.

[0110] Specifically, the image recognition device can identify which door 20 corresponds to the target item. For example, if the image recognition device identifies that the target item is located in the left area of ​​the room, the door opener will be controlled to open the left door 20.

[0111] The detailed descriptions listed above are merely specific descriptions of feasible embodiments of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent embodiments or modifications made without departing from the spirit of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for indicating and controlling a refrigeration device, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: After obtaining the user's item selection instruction, determine whether the position of the lighting device corresponds to the position of the target item; Otherwise, after controlling the lighting device to move a certain distance along the predetermined path, re-evaluate whether the position of the lighting device corresponds to the position of the target object; This controls the lighting device to project light onto the target object to indicate the user's location of the target object.

2. The indication and control method for refrigeration equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before the step of "after obtaining the user's item selection instruction, determining whether the position of the lighting device corresponds to the position of the target item", the following is also included: Acquire interior images of the room; Identify interior items of a room through image recognition; Display item information on a touchscreen or send item information to a mobile device.

3. The indication and control method for refrigeration equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The item information is either an item image or an item type.

4. The indication and control method for refrigeration equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The specific meaning of "determining whether the position of the lighting device corresponds to the position of the target object" is as follows: Obtain the location of the center of the target object and the location of the center of the lighting device; If the horizontal distance between the center of the target item and the center of the lighting device is less than or equal to a preset deviation distance, the position of the lighting device corresponds to that of the target item; if the horizontal distance between the center of the target item and the center of the lighting device is greater than the preset deviation distance, the position of the lighting device does not correspond to that of the target item.

5. The indication and control method for a refrigeration device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The specific meaning of "determining whether the position of the lighting device corresponds to the position of the target object" is as follows: Turn on the lights; Obtain the ratio of the area of ​​the target object illuminated by the lighting device to the total area of ​​the target object; If the ratio is greater than the preset minimum illumination ratio, the position of the lighting device corresponds to the position of the target object; if the ratio is less than or equal to the preset minimum illumination ratio, the position of the lighting device does not correspond to the position of the target object.

6. The indication and control method for a refrigeration device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The phrase "controlling the lighting device to project light onto the target object" specifically refers to: Obtain user facial image; User emotions can be identified using the user's facial image; The lighting device is controlled to project light onto a target object, wherein the color of the light is determined according to the user's mood.

7. The indication and control method for a refrigeration device according to any one of claims 1-6, characterized in that, The phrase "controlling the lighting device to project light onto the target object" specifically refers to: Get the shape of the target item; The lighting device controls the projection of light onto a target object to form a light spot of a predetermined shape on the surface of the target object, wherein the shape of the light spot is determined according to the shape of the target object.

8. The indication and control method for a refrigeration device according to claim 7, characterized in that, If the target object is circular or rectangular with an aspect ratio less than 2, the shape of the light spot is dot-shaped, and the number of light spots is multiple. If the target object is a rectangle with an aspect ratio greater than 2, the shape of the light spot is elongated. If the target object is not rectangular, the shape of the light spot is circular or annular.

9. The indication and control method for a refrigeration device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Following the phrase "controlling the lighting device to project light onto the target object", the following is also included: Determine if the user has touched the door handle; The brightness of the lighting device is then controlled according to the opening angle of the door. Otherwise, after controlling the door opener to open the door to the preset opening angle, the brightness of the lighting device is controlled according to the opening angle of the door.

10. The indication and control method for a refrigeration device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The refrigeration equipment includes two doors distributed on the left and right sides; The phrase "controlling the door opener to open the door to a preset opening angle" specifically means controlling the door opener to open the door to a preset opening angle corresponding to the target item in the left-right direction.

11. The indication and control method for a refrigeration device according to claim 9, characterized in that, The following is included before the phrase "controlling the door opener to open the door to a preset opening angle": Determine if the distance between the user and the door is less than the preset holding distance; If so, the voice control module will issue a prompt and then re-evaluate whether the distance between the user and the door is less than the preset holding distance; Otherwise, execute the command "control the door opener to open the door to the preset opening angle".

12. The indication and control method for a refrigeration device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The predetermined path is an S-shape extending in the horizontal direction.

13. A refrigeration device, characterized in that, The device includes a housing with a compartment, a door mounted on the housing to open or close the compartment, an image acquisition device for acquiring an image of the interior of the compartment, an illumination device for projecting light onto a target object to indicate the location of the target object to a user, and a control device, the control device including a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program executable on the processor, the processor executing the program to implement the steps of the indication and control method for the refrigeration equipment according to any one of claims 1-12.

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