A control method, control device, control system, and storage medium for an air conditioner

Abstract

The application provides a control method, a control device, a control system and a storage medium of an air conditioner. The control method comprises the following steps: obtaining device information of a user terminal; obtaining target device information in a running area of the air conditioner according to the device information; and regulating and controlling the air conditioner according to the target device information. With the progress of science and technology, people's life and work are more and more inseparable from mobile phones, and the mobile phones also become the daily life of people's personal carrying articles. The application regulates and controls the air conditioner based on the device information of the user terminal, and the user terminal comprises a mobile phone of a user. The application obtains the device information of the user terminal, and then obtains the target device information in the running area of the air conditioner according to the device information, so that the accuracy of the air conditioner control method is increased. The information of the user change in the running area of the air conditioner can be recognized in time according to the device information of the user terminal, intelligent control of the air conditioner is formed, and the purpose of energy saving is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of air conditioning technology, and more specifically, to an air conditioning control method, control device, control system, and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Air conditioners, as appliances that provide comfort, are widely used in daily life. However, in actual use, users often forget to turn off the air conditioner after leaving the air-conditioned room, which can spoil their trip and cause some unnecessary losses, such as energy waste, increased burden on the air conditioner, and shorten its lifespan. Summary of the Invention

[0003] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides an air conditioner control method, control device, control system, and storage medium. Based on the device information of the user terminal, it can identify changes in user activity within the air conditioner's operating area, thereby enabling intelligent control of the air conditioner and achieving energy conservation.

[0004] Therefore, the first objective of this invention is to provide a method for controlling an air conditioner.

[0005] A second objective of this invention is to provide a control device for an air conditioner.

[0006] A third objective of this invention is to provide a control system for an air conditioner.

[0007] A fourth objective of this invention is to provide a readable storage medium.

[0008] To achieve the first objective of this invention, embodiments of this invention provide an air conditioner control method, the control method comprising: acquiring device information of a user terminal; obtaining target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the device information; and adjusting the air conditioner based on the target device information.

[0009] Compared with existing technologies, the technical effects achieved by this solution are as follows: With the advancement of technology, people's lives and work are increasingly inseparable from mobile phones, which have become indispensable items in daily life. This invention regulates air conditioning based on device information from user terminals, including the user's mobile phone. By acquiring device information from the user terminal and then obtaining target device information within the air conditioner's operating area based on that information, the accuracy of the air conditioning control method is increased. Based on the device information from the user terminal, it can promptly identify changes in user activity within the air conditioner's operating area, enabling intelligent control of the air conditioner and achieving energy savings.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the control method further includes: storing and resetting the fixed equipment in the operating area of ​​the air conditioner so as to exclude the fixed equipment when acquiring equipment information.

[0011] Compared with existing technologies, the technical effects achieved by this technical solution are as follows: In air conditioning application scenarios, there may be some fixed devices in the air conditioning operating area, which also have the same device information as the user terminal. In order to avoid the air conditioning control system from having the illusion that the user is always present because these fixed devices are always present in the air conditioning operating area, this invention sets up a storage reset function, which can store and reset the fixed devices in the air conditioning operating area, so as to exclude the fixed devices when acquiring device information, thereby increasing the accuracy of the air conditioning control method.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the device information includes: a MAC address; obtaining the target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the device information includes: obtaining the IP address based on the MAC address; determining whether an actual device exists in the ARP cache table based on the IP address; and obtaining the target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the result of whether an actual device exists; wherein, the ARP cache table is used to cache MAC addresses and the IP addresses corresponding to the MAC addresses.

[0013] Compared with existing technologies, the technical effects achieved by this solution are as follows: In related technologies, the ARP cache table is used to cache the mapping relationship between MAC addresses and IP addresses. When the device information obtained by the air conditioner control method is the MAC address, the IP address obtained from the MAC address can be used to determine whether the target device information exists in the air conditioner's operating area, and the air conditioner can be adjusted accordingly. The control method is simple and accurate.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, determining whether an actual device exists in the ARP cache table based on the IP address includes: when the IP address corresponding to the MAC address does not exist in the ARP cache table, sending a broadcast message; obtaining the updated MAC address and IP address based on the broadcast message; and determining whether an actual device exists at the IP address based on the updated MAC address and IP address.

[0015] Compared with existing technologies, the technical effects achieved by this solution are as follows: Generally speaking, the MAC addresses and IP addresses cached in the ARP cache table are frequently used user terminal device information. When the IP address corresponding to the MAC address does not exist in the ARP cache table, that is, the user device information address is unfamiliar, this invention updates the ARP cache table by sending broadcast information, and then determines whether there is an actual device at the IP address based on the updated MAC address and IP address before controlling the air conditioner, thereby increasing the accuracy of the control method.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, controlling the air conditioner according to the target device information includes: turning off the air conditioner when the target device information meets the requirement to perform the action of turning off the air conditioner.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the technical effects achieved by adopting this technical solution are as follows: The present invention obtains target device information through acquired device information. When the target device information meets the action of turning off the air conditioner, the air conditioner is turned off, thus avoiding unnecessary losses caused by users forgetting to turn off the air conditioner when leaving the air-conditioned area, which would affect the user's mood and bring a bad experience.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, the device information includes: device identifier and signal strength; obtaining target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the device information includes: obtaining user quantity information based on the device identifier; obtaining average signal strength based on the signal strength; and obtaining target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the user quantity information and the average signal strength.

[0019] Compared with existing technologies, the technical effects achieved by this solution are as follows: The device information obtained by this invention includes device identifiers and signal strength. Based on the device identifiers and signal strength, the number of users and average signal strength can be obtained. Furthermore, based on the number of users and average signal strength, the target device information within the air conditioner's operating area can be obtained, and the air conditioner can be adjusted accordingly. This avoids information errors caused by the inability to obtain IP addresses, which could lead to incorrect air conditioner control.

[0020] In one embodiment of the present invention, regulating the air conditioner according to the target device information includes: turning off the air conditioner when the target device information meets the requirements for performing the action of turning off the air conditioner; and determining whether to perform the action of limiting the power of the air conditioner based on the average signal strength when the target device information does not meet the requirements for performing the action of turning off the air conditioner.

[0021] Compared with existing technologies, the technical effects achieved by this technical solution are as follows: The air conditioning control methods of this invention include: turning off the air conditioner and implementing air conditioner power limiting actions. Typically, in the actual air conditioning operating area, the number of users and their distance from the air conditioner have a significant impact on user control of the air conditioner. In actual use, air conditioning control usually lags behind changes in the number of users and their distance from the air conditioner within the operating area. This results in the air conditioner having sufficient power when there are many users or when users are far from the air conditioner, but when the number of users has decreased or users are closer to the air conditioner, the air conditioner continues to operate at its original power, leading to reduced comfort and significant energy waste.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, determining whether to perform the power limiting action of the air conditioner based on the average signal strength includes: obtaining the power limiting power based on the average signal strength; and performing the power limiting action of the air conditioner based on the power limiting power.

[0023] Compared with existing technologies, the technical effects achieved by this solution are as follows: This invention can determine the distance between the user and the air conditioner, and whether to implement power limiting actions, based on the average signal strength. Specifically, it determines the power limiting based on the average signal strength and then executes the power limiting action based on the power limiting. This enables precise control of the air conditioning system, effectively improving user comfort.

[0024] To achieve the second objective of this invention, an embodiment of this invention provides an air conditioner control device, comprising: a device information acquisition module for acquiring device information, the device information being sent through a device used by a user; a target device information acquisition module for obtaining target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the device information; and a control module for controlling the air conditioner based on the target device information.

[0025] The control device of the present invention implements the steps of the control method of any embodiment of the present invention, and therefore has all the beneficial effects of the control method of any embodiment of the present invention, which will not be repeated here.

[0026] To achieve the third objective of the present invention, an embodiment of the present invention provides an air conditioning control system, the control system comprising: a processor, a memory, and a program or instructions stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein when the program or instructions are executed by the processor, the steps of the control method as described in any embodiment of the present invention are implemented.

[0027] The control system of this invention implements the steps of the control method as described in any embodiment of this invention, and therefore has all the beneficial effects of the control method as described in any embodiment of this invention, which will not be repeated here.

[0028] To achieve the fourth objective of the present invention, embodiments of the present invention provide a readable storage medium on which a program or instructions are stored, and when the program or instructions are executed by a processor, the steps of the control method as described in any embodiment of the present invention are implemented.

[0029] The readable storage medium of this invention implements the steps of the control method as described in any embodiment of this invention, and thus has all the beneficial effects of the control method as described in any embodiment of this invention, which will not be repeated here. Attached Figure Description

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the control method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the control device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0032] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention; however, the present invention may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0033] The following reference Figures 1 to 2 The technical solutions of some embodiments of the present invention are described below.

[0034] An embodiment of the present invention provides an air conditioner control method, the control method comprising: acquiring device information of a user terminal; obtaining target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the device information; and adjusting the air conditioner based on the target device information.

[0035] With the advancement of technology, people's lives and work are increasingly inseparable from mobile phones, which have become indispensable everyday items. This invention regulates air conditioning based on device information from user terminals, including the user's mobile phone. By acquiring device information from the user terminal and then using that information to obtain target device information within the air conditioner's operating area, this invention increases the accuracy of the air conditioning control method. It can promptly identify changes in user activity within the air conditioner's operating area based on the user terminal's device information, enabling intelligent control of the air conditioner and achieving energy savings.

[0036] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, the control method further includes: storing and resetting the fixed equipment in the operating area of ​​the air conditioner so as to exclude the fixed equipment when acquiring equipment information.

[0037] For example, when the reset button on the remote control is pressed, the air conditioner will automatically scan the MAC addresses of the devices currently connected to the router and store them as fixed devices in the air conditioner's operating area. When obtaining device information later, fixed devices will be excluded.

[0038] For example, if you press the reset button on the remote control, the air conditioner will automatically scan for nearby devices connected via Bluetooth and store them as fixed devices within the air conditioner's operating area. When obtaining device information later, these fixed devices will be excluded.

[0039] In air conditioning applications, there may be some fixed devices in the air conditioning operating area that have the same device information as the user terminal. In order to avoid the air conditioning control system from having the illusion that the user is always present because these fixed devices are always in the air conditioning operating area, this invention sets up a storage reset function, which can store and reset the fixed devices in the air conditioning operating area, so as to exclude the fixed devices when acquiring device information, thereby increasing the accuracy of the air conditioning control method.

[0040] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, the device information includes: the device information includes: MAC address; obtaining the target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the device information includes: obtaining the IP address based on the MAC address; determining whether there is an actual device in the ARP cache table based on the IP address; obtaining the target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the result of whether there is an actual device; wherein, the ARP cache table is used to cache MAC addresses and the IP addresses corresponding to the MAC addresses.

[0041] In related technologies, ARP cache tables are used to cache the mapping between MAC addresses and IP addresses. When the device information obtained by the air conditioner control method is the MAC address, the IP address obtained from the MAC address can be used to determine whether the target device information exists in the air conditioner's operating area, and the air conditioner can be adjusted accordingly. The control method is simple and accurate.

[0042] Specifically, in embodiments of the present invention, determining whether an actual device exists in the ARP cache table based on an IP address includes: when the IP address corresponding to the MAC address does not exist in the ARP cache table, sending a broadcast message; obtaining the updated MAC address and IP address based on the broadcast message; and determining whether an actual device exists at the IP address based on the updated MAC address and IP address.

[0043] For example, the air conditioner's MAC address is 192.168.1.5; the router's MAC address is 192.168.1.1; and the user terminal's MAC address is 192.168.1.2. The air conditioner obtains the user terminal's MAC address and searches its ARP cache for the target IP address. If the ARP cache contains the IP address corresponding to the MAC address, it determines that the IP address corresponds to a real device. If the ARP cache does not contain the target IP address, the air conditioner will broadcast the message "The air conditioner's MAC address is 192.168.1.5". Upon receiving the broadcast message, the user terminal will respond with "The user terminal's MAC address is 192.168.1.2". At this point, the air conditioner has obtained the user terminal's MAC address and can also obtain the updated MAC address and IP address based on the broadcast message, thus determining that the IP address corresponds to a real device.

[0044] Generally, the MAC addresses and IP addresses cached in the ARP cache table are frequently used user terminal device information. When the IP address corresponding to a MAC address does not exist in the ARP cache table, that is, the user device information address is unfamiliar, this invention updates the ARP cache table by sending broadcast information, and then determines whether there is an actual device at the IP address based on the updated MAC address and IP address before adjusting the air conditioner, thereby increasing the accuracy of the control method.

[0045] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, controlling the air conditioner according to the target device information includes: turning off the air conditioner when the target device information meets the requirements for performing the action of turning off the air conditioner.

[0046] This invention obtains target device information through acquired device information. When the target device information meets the criteria for performing the action of turning off the air conditioner, the air conditioner is turned off to avoid unnecessary losses caused by users forgetting to turn off the air conditioner when leaving the air-conditioned area, thus affecting the user's mood and causing a bad experience.

[0047] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, the device information includes: device identifier and signal strength; obtaining the target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the device information includes: obtaining the number of users based on the device identifier; obtaining the average signal strength based on the signal strength; and obtaining the target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the number of users and the average signal strength.

[0048] For example, an air conditioner obtains device identifiers and signal strengths from a Wi-Fi network signal interference map, and then uses the device identifiers to determine the number of users on the corresponding channel. For instance, channel 1 has 2 devices with a signal strength of -39 dBM; channel 4 has 4 devices with a signal strength of -35 dBM; and channel 6 has 4 devices with a signal strength of -37 dBM. In related technologies, dBM is a unit of wireless signal strength, commonly used to represent the magnitude of wireless signal strength. Wireless signal strength typically ranges from -30 dBM to -120 dBM. Selecting -30dBm as the relative origin, and excluding fixed devices, the difference between the signal strength of each device and the signal strength of the distant point is labeled as Q1, Q2, ..., Qn. The channel strength corresponding to each sampling point is recorded as V1, V2, ..., Vn, and the number of devices per channel is C1, C2, ..., Cn. The weight of each sampling point is calculated based on the channel strength: Wn = 1 / Qn. The weighted average is calculated as follows: for the value V to be calculated, a weighted average is performed based on the weight of each sampling point, resulting in V = 45.45. Therefore, a total of 11 devices are connected to the router with good signal strength, thus obtaining the target device information within the air conditioner's operating area.

[0049] For example, an air conditioner uses Bluetooth scanning to obtain device identifiers and signal strength, thereby determining the number of current users. For instance, it might obtain four device models: aux-DA36 (DA:36), unknown (24:E1), unknown (93:70), and unknown (3F:03); with signal strengths of -54dBM, -65dBM, and -68dBM respectively. Typically, Bluetooth signal strength ranges from -50dBM to -85dBM. Selecting -50dBm as the relative origin, and excluding fixed devices, the difference between the signal strength of each device and the signal strength of the distant point is labeled as Q1, Q2, ..., Qn. The channel strength corresponding to each sampling point is recorded as V1, V2, ..., Vn. The number of devices per channel is C1, C2, ..., Cn. The weight of each sampling point is calculated based on the channel strength: Wn = 1 / Qn. The weighted average is calculated as follows: for the value V to be calculated, a weighted average is performed based on the weight of each sampling point, resulting in V = 60.23. Therefore, there are a total of 4 devices connected to the router with good signal strength, thus obtaining the target device information within the air conditioner's operating area.

[0050] The device information obtained by this invention includes: device identifier and signal strength. Based on the device identifier and signal strength, the number of users and average signal strength can be obtained, and the target device information within the air conditioner's operating area can be obtained based on the number of users and average signal strength, allowing for air conditioner regulation. This avoids information errors caused by the inability to obtain IP addresses, which could lead to incorrect air conditioner control.

[0051] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, controlling the air conditioner according to the target device information includes: when the target device information meets the requirements for performing the action of turning off the air conditioner, turning off the air conditioner; when the target device information does not meet the requirements for performing the action of turning off the air conditioner, determining whether to perform the action of limiting the power of the air conditioner based on the average signal strength.

[0052] For example, the air conditioner samples every 5 minutes. If the target device information obtained from the MAC address obtained through 3 samplings all match the action of turning off the air conditioner, then the action of turning off the air conditioner is performed.

[0053] For example, when the air conditioner obtains the target device information by acquiring the device identifier and signal strength, and the information matches the action of turning off the air conditioner, the air conditioner will turn off.

[0054] For example, when the air conditioner obtains the target device information by acquiring the MAC address, device identifier, and signal strength, and the information matches the action of turning off the air conditioner, it will turn off the air conditioner.

[0055] For example, if the target device information obtained by the air conditioner through the acquired device identifier and signal strength does not meet the requirements for executing the action of turning off the air conditioner, the air conditioner determines whether to execute the action of limiting the power of the air conditioner based on the average signal strength.

[0056] This invention provides control methods for air conditioning, including turning off the air conditioner and implementing power limiting actions. Typically, in the actual air-conditioned operating area, the number of users and their distance from the air conditioner have a significant impact on user control. In actual use, air conditioner control usually lags behind changes in the number of users and their distance from the air conditioner. This results in the air conditioner having sufficient power when there are many users or when users are far from the air conditioner, but maintaining its original power level when the number of users has decreased or users are closer to the air conditioner, leading to reduced comfort and significant energy waste.

[0057] Specifically, in the embodiments of the present invention, determining whether to perform the power limiting action of the air conditioner based on the average signal strength includes: obtaining the power limiting power based on the average signal strength; and performing the power limiting action of the air conditioner based on the power limiting power.

[0058] For example, if the air conditioner obtains the target device information based on the device identifier and signal strength and fails to execute the action of turning off the air conditioner, the distance to the air conditioner is determined based on the average signal strength. The higher the average signal strength, the closer the target device is to the air conditioner. A normal signal strength range of -50dBM to -85dBM is selected. The power limiting factor is calculated as: current signal strength - 50dBM / (-50dBM - 85dBM) * power limiting attenuation factor 0.5 (determined experimentally). If there is no Bluetooth information, power limiting is not enabled. For example, if the current average signal strength is -60dBM, the power limiting factor is (60-50) / 35 * 0.5 = 0.14, indicating that the current power limiting is 86%.

[0059] This invention can determine the distance between the user and the air conditioner, and whether to implement power limiting actions, based on the average signal strength. Specifically, it calculates the power limiting based on the average signal strength and then executes the power limiting action based on the power limiting. This achieves precise control of the air conditioning system, effectively improving user comfort.

[0060] In some embodiments of this application, an air conditioner control device is provided. The control device includes: a device information acquisition module, which is used to acquire device information, which is sent through a device used by a user; a target device information acquisition module, which is used to obtain target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the device information; and a control module, which is used to control the air conditioner based on the target device information.

[0061] The control device of the present invention implements the steps of the control method of any embodiment of the present invention, and therefore has all the beneficial effects of the control method of any embodiment of the present invention, which will not be repeated here.

[0062] In some embodiments of this application, an air conditioning control system is provided. The control system includes: a processor, a memory, and a program or instructions stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the program or instructions are executed by the processor, they implement the steps of the control method as described in any embodiment of the present invention.

[0063] The control system of this invention implements the steps of the control method of any embodiment of this invention, and therefore has all the beneficial effects of the control method of any embodiment of this invention, which will not be repeated here.

[0064] In some embodiments of this application, a readable storage medium is provided, on which a program or instructions are stored, which, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the control method as described in any embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] The readable storage medium of the present invention implements the steps of the control method as described in any embodiment of the present invention, and thus has all the beneficial effects of the control method as described in any embodiment of the present invention, which will not be repeated here.

[0066] In the description of this specification, the terms "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "specific embodiment," etc., refer to a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example, which is included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0067] While the present invention has been disclosed above, it is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention; therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention should be determined by the scope defined in the claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an air conditioner, characterized in that, The control method includes: Obtain device information from the user terminal; Based on the equipment information, the target equipment information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner is obtained; The air conditioner is adjusted according to the target device information; The control method further includes: The fixed equipment within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner is stored and reset so as to exclude the fixed equipment when acquiring the device information of the user terminal; The device information includes: MAC address; The step of obtaining the target equipment information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the equipment information includes: The IP address is obtained from the MAC address; Determine whether the actual device exists in the ARP cache table based on the IP address; Based on the result of whether or not actual equipment exists, the target equipment information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner is obtained; The ARP cache table is used to cache the MAC address and the IP address corresponding to the MAC address.

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether an actual device exists in the ARP cache table based on the IP address includes: If the IP address corresponding to the MAC address does not exist in the ARP cache table, a broadcast message is sent; the updated MAC address and IP address are obtained based on the broadcast message. Based on the updated MAC address and IP address, it is determined that the IP address has an actual device.

3. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the air conditioner according to the target device information includes: When the target device information meets the criteria for performing the action of turning off the air conditioner, the air conditioner is turned off.

4. The control method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The device information includes: device identifier and signal strength; The step of obtaining the target equipment information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the equipment information includes: The number of users is obtained based on the device identifier; The average signal strength is obtained based on the stated signal strength. The target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner is obtained based on the number of users and the average signal strength.

5. The control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step of adjusting the air conditioner according to the target device information includes: When the target device information meets the criteria for performing the action of turning off the air conditioner, the air conditioner is turned off; When the target device information does not meet the requirements for executing the action of turning off the air conditioner, the power limiting action of the air conditioner is determined based on the average signal strength.

6. The control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The step of determining whether to implement the power limiting action of the air conditioner based on the average signal strength includes: The power limiting power is obtained based on the average signal strength. The power limiting action of the air conditioner is performed according to the power limiting power.

7. A control device for an air conditioner, characterized in that, The control device implements the steps of the control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, and the control device comprises: A device information acquisition module, which is used to acquire device information, which is sent through the device used by the user; A target device information acquisition module, which is used to obtain target device information within the operating area of ​​the air conditioner based on the device information; A control module is used to control the air conditioner according to the target device information.

8. A control system for an air conditioner, characterized in that, The control system includes: A processor, a memory, and a program or instructions stored in the memory and capable of running on the processor, wherein the program or instructions, when executed by the processor, implement the steps of the control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. A readable storage medium, characterized in that, The readable storage medium stores a program or instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement the steps of the control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images