Interconnection control method and device of air conditioner and sweeper and air conditioner

Abstract

The present application relates to an air conditioner and a method and device for interconnected control of the air conditioner and a sweeper, and the air conditioner. The air conditioner comprises an indoor unit casing and a water storage tank. A cavity is formed in the indoor unit casing, and an entrance is formed in the indoor unit casing to allow the sweeper to enter and exit the cavity. The water storage tank is movably arranged in the indoor unit casing and has a first state of being supported in the indoor unit casing and separated from the sweeper and a second state of being supported on the sweeper to move synchronously with the sweeper. The method for interconnected control comprises receiving a water shortage alarm signal, the water shortage alarm signal being generated when the water level in the water storage tank is lower than a preset water level value, adjusting the water storage tank to the second state when the sweeper is in the cavity to support the water storage tank on the sweeper, and controlling the sweeper to move out of the cavity together with the water storage tank to the outside of the indoor unit casing to facilitate the user to directly add water to the water storage tank and improve the convenience of adding water to the water storage tank.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of intelligent control, in particular to an air conditioner and a robot vacuum cleaner interconnection control method and device and an air conditioner. BACKGROUND

[0002] With the increasing demand for the quality of life, more and more families will have both air conditioners and robot vacuum cleaners. The air conditioner is mainly used for adjusting the indoor temperature and humidity, and the robot vacuum cleaner is mainly used for cleaning the ground, thereby improving the comfort of life.

[0003] Most of the existing air conditioners and robot vacuum cleaners have no connection. Even some existing technologies save indoor space by providing a space for the robot vacuum cleaner inside the air conditioner as a base station. However, this is only a simple combination of the air conditioner and the robot vacuum cleaner in the space structure, and there is no intersection in function. It can be said that the existing air conditioner and robot vacuum cleaner cannot be effectively interconnected, cannot be intelligently adjusted according to the actual needs of the user, and the user experience is poor in terms of intelligence. SUMMARY

[0004] One purpose of the first aspect of the present application is to overcome at least one defect of the prior art, and to provide an air conditioner and a robot vacuum cleaner interconnection control method to improve the convenience of water filling in the water storage tank.

[0005] A further purpose of the first aspect of the present application is to intelligently fill water in the water storage tank of the air conditioner.

[0006] The purpose of the second aspect of the present application is to provide an air conditioner and a robot vacuum cleaner interconnection control device to improve the convenience of water filling in the water storage tank.

[0007] The purpose of the third aspect of the present application is to provide an air conditioner with the above interconnection control device.

[0008] According to the first aspect of the present application, the present application provides an air conditioner and a robot vacuum cleaner interconnection control method, wherein

[0009] The air conditioner includes an indoor unit housing and a water storage tank arranged in the indoor unit housing and used for storing water; a cavity is formed at the lower end of the indoor unit housing, and an entrance and exit is provided on the indoor unit housing and communicates with the cavity to allow the robot vacuum cleaner to enter and exit the cavity through the entrance and exit; the water storage tank is configured to be movably arranged in the indoor unit housing and has a first state of being supported inside the indoor unit housing and separated from the robot vacuum cleaner and a second state of being supported on the robot vacuum cleaner to move synchronously with the robot vacuum cleaner; and

[0010] The interconnection control method comprises:

[0011] receiving a water shortage alarm signal; the water shortage alarm signal is generated when the water level in the water storage tank is lower than a preset water level value;

[0012] adjusting the water storage tank to the second state to support the water storage tank on the sweeper when the sweeper is in the cavity; and

[0013] controlling the sweeper to carry the water storage tank out of the cavity to the indoor unit shell.

[0014] Optionally, after receiving the water shortage alarm signal, the interconnection control method further comprises:

[0015] judging whether the sweeper is in the cavity;

[0016] if yes, directly controlling the water storage tank to move to the second state; and

[0017] if no, controlling the sweeper to enter the cavity and then controlling the water storage tank to move to the second state.

[0018] Optionally, after receiving the water shortage alarm signal, the interconnection control method further comprises:

[0019] judging whether the sweeper is in the cavity;

[0020] if yes, directly controlling the water storage tank to move to the second state;

[0021] if no, judging whether the sweeper is in a running state;

[0022] if the sweeper is in the running state, controlling the sweeper to enter the cavity after the running of the sweeper is completed, and then controlling the water storage tank to move to the second state after the sweeper enters the cavity;

[0023] if the sweeper is in an idle state, directly controlling the sweeper to enter the cavity, and then controlling the water storage tank to move to the second state after the sweeper enters the cavity.

[0024] Optionally, after controlling the sweeper to carry the water storage tank out of the cavity to the indoor unit shell, the interconnection control method further comprises:

[0025] prompting a user in an indoor environment space where the air conditioner and the sweeper are located to add water to the water storage tank;

[0026] if the weight in the water storage tank no longer changes after the first preset time period, controlling the sweeper to return to the cavity; and

[0027] adjusting the water storage tank to the first state.

[0028] Optionally, the step of prompting a user in an indoor environment space where the air conditioner and the sweeper are located to add water to the water storage tank comprises:

[0029] acquiring a position where a target human body in the indoor environment space where the air conditioner and the sweeper are located is located; and

[0030] controlling the sweeper to stop moving after moving to the position where the target human body is located, so as to prompt the user to add water to the water storage tank.

[0031] Optionally, the step of prompting a user in an indoor environment space where the air conditioner and the sweeper are located to add water to the water storage tank comprises:

[0032] controlling the sweeper to stop moving after moving to a preset target position in the indoor environment space; and

[0033] sending a water adding prompt signal to a terminal device interconnected with the air conditioner and / or the sweeper, so as to prompt the user to move to the preset target position and add water to the water storage tank.

[0034] Optionally, a humidifying air duct above the cavity is formed in the indoor unit housing; and

[0035] the water storage tank is configured to move in the up-down direction under control, so as to be in the first state when moving upward into the humidifying air duct and in the second state when moving downward onto the sweeper.

[0036] Optionally, a trigger switch is provided on the sweeper, and a motion stop signal for indicating the water storage tank to stop moving downward is generated when the bottom of the water storage tank touches the trigger switch.

[0037] Optionally, a guide plate is provided at the entrance and exit, and the guide plate is configured to control the entrance and exit to be opened when the sweeper enters and exits the cavity.

[0038] According to a second aspect of the present application, the present application further provides an interconnected control device of an air conditioner and a sweeper, comprising:

[0039] a processor and a memory, the memory storing a machine executable program, and the machine executable program is executed by the processor to implement the interconnected control method of any one of the above-mentioned schemes.

[0040] According to a third aspect of the present application, the present application further provides an air conditioner comprising:

[0041] an indoor unit housing, a cavity being formed in the indoor unit housing at a lower end thereof, and an access opening being formed in the indoor unit housing and communicating with the cavity to allow the robot cleaner to enter and exit the cavity through the access opening;

[0042] a water storage tank, configured to be movably arranged in the indoor unit housing and having a first state of being supported in the indoor unit housing and separated from the robot cleaner and a second state of being supported on the robot cleaner to move synchronously with the robot cleaner; and

[0043] the interconnection control device according to any one of the above solutions.

[0044] The interconnection control method of the air conditioner and the robot cleaner provided by the present application is designed on the basis of an air conditioner with a special structure. The indoor unit housing of the air conditioner is provided with a cavity, and an access opening is formed in the indoor unit housing to allow the robot cleaner to enter and exit the cavity through the access opening. In addition, a movable water storage tank is also arranged in the indoor unit housing, and the water storage tank has a first state of being separated from the robot cleaner and a second state of being able to move synchronously with the robot cleaner. When receiving a water shortage alarm signal for indicating that the water storage tank is short of water, the interconnection control method of the present application does not prompt the user to manually add water as in the prior art, but first adjusts the water storage tank to its second state when the robot cleaner is in the cavity, so that the water storage tank is supported on the robot cleaner. Then the robot cleaner carrying the water storage tank is controlled to move out of the cavity to the outside of the indoor unit housing, which ingeniously uses the moving function of the robot cleaner to automatically take the water storage tank out of the indoor unit housing, exposes the water storage tank to the outside, and facilitates the user to directly add water to the water storage tank, thereby improving the convenience of adding water to the water storage tank. In addition, the present application does not need to provide a complex water adding pipeline on the indoor unit housing, and the user does not need to manually take out the water storage tank, which not only simplifies the structure, but also simplifies the water adding operation of the user and improves the user experience.

[0045] Further, after the robot cleaner carrying the water storage tank moves out of the indoor unit housing, the interconnection control method of the present application further prompts the user to add water to the water storage tank, and controls the robot cleaner to return to the cavity after a period of time when the weight in the water storage tank no longer changes, uses the robot cleaner to send the water storage tank back to the indoor unit housing, and restores the water storage tank to the first state. During the entire water adding process of the water storage tank, the user only needs to perform a simple water adding operation, and does not need to worry about the taking-out, resetting and other position changing processes of the water storage tank, and the intelligent degree is high. The present application realizes the intelligentization of the water adding of the water storage tank by using the interconnection of the air conditioner and the robot cleaner, provides a scene of the interconnection of intelligent home appliances, and has a high intelligent degree.

[0046] The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present application will become more apparent from the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0047] Some specific embodiments of the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same or like components have the same reference numerals. It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In the drawings:

[0048] Figure 1 and Figure 2 are schematic structural diagrams of an indoor unit of an air conditioner in different states according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Figure 3 is a schematic flow chart of an interconnection control method of an air conditioner and a sweeper according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Figure 4 is a schematic flow chart of an interconnection control method of an air conditioner and a sweeper according to another embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Figure 5 is a schematic structural block diagram of an interconnection control device according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0052] Figure 6 is a schematic structural block diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] The present application first provides an interconnection control method of an air conditioner and a sweeper, which can realize intelligent interconnection of the air conditioner and the sweeper, provide a smart home appliance interconnection scene, and effectively improve the intelligent degree.

[0054] Specifically, the sweeper and the air conditioner are in the same indoor environment space, so as to facilitate cooperative work of the air conditioner and the sweeper, thereby improving the intelligent experience of a user in the indoor environment space.

[0055] It should be noted that the methods of the following embodiments of the present application are described from the side of an interconnection control device of the air conditioner and the sweeper, i.e., the control device executes the related steps. Moreover, the premise of implementing the following embodiments of the present application is that the air conditioner and the sweeper are interconnected. Specifically, the interconnection control device of the air conditioner and the sweeper can be arranged between the air conditioner and the sweeper, the control device can receive signals sent by the air conditioner and the sweeper, and can send signals to the air conditioner and the sweeper. The control device can be additionally and independently arranged, or arranged in the air conditioner.

[0056] The sweeper in the embodiment has the intelligent feature, which is due to the fact that it can send signals to the control device and receive signals issued by the control device. Specifically, the function can be realized by arranging a controller on the sweeper. Similarly, the air conditioner can also be provided with a controller, so that it can send signals to the control device and receive signals issued by the control device.

[0057] The interconnection control method of the air conditioner and the sweeper provided by the application is designed on the basis of the air conditioner with the special structure.

[0058] Figure 1 and Figure 2 are schematic structural diagrams of the indoor unit of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the application in different states, for the convenience of understanding, Figure 1 and Figure 2 The sweeper 2 is also shown in

[0059] The air conditioner comprises an indoor unit housing 10 and a water storage tank 30 arranged in the indoor unit housing 10 and used for storing water. The indoor unit housing 10 is formed with a cavity 12 at a lower end thereof, and the indoor unit housing 10 is provided with an entrance 13 communicating with the cavity 12, so as to allow the sweeper 2 to enter and exit the cavity 12 through the entrance 13. The water storage tank 30 is arranged to be movably arranged in the indoor unit housing 10 and has a first state (see Figure 1 ) of being supported in the indoor unit housing 10 and separated from the sweeper 2 and a second state (see Figure 2 ) of being supported on the sweeper 2 to move synchronously with the sweeper 2.

[0060] That is, when the water storage tank 30 is in the first state, the water storage tank 30 and the sweeper 2 do not affect each other, and when the water storage tank 30 is in the second state, the water storage tank 30 can move synchronously with the sweeper 2.

[0061] The interconnection control method of the air conditioner and the sweeper of the application is designed on the basis of the air conditioner with the above structure.

[0062] Figure 3 is a schematic flowchart of the interconnection control method of the air conditioner and the sweeper according to an embodiment of the application. Specifically, referring to Figure 3 , the interconnection control method of the application comprises:

[0063] Step S10, receiving a water shortage alarm signal; the water shortage alarm signal is generated when the water level in the water storage tank 30 is lower than a preset water level value;

[0064] Step S20, when the sweeper 2 is in the cavity 12, adjusting the water storage tank 30 to the second state, so that the water storage tank 30 is supported on the sweeper 2; and

[0065] Step S30, control the water storage tank 30 to move out of the cavity 12 to the outside of the indoor unit shell 10 together with the sweeper 2.

[0066] The interconnection control method of the present application, when receiving the water shortage alarm signal for indicating that the water storage tank 30 is short of water, does not prompt the user to manually add water as in the prior art, but first adjusts the water storage tank 30 to its second state when the sweeper 2 is in the cavity 12, so that the water storage tank 30 is supported on the sweeper 2; then controls the sweeper 2 to move out of the cavity 12 to the outside of the indoor unit shell 10 together with the water storage tank 30, cleverly uses the moving function of the sweeper 2 to automatically take the water storage tank 30 out of the indoor unit shell 10, exposes the water storage tank 30 to the outside, and facilitates the user to directly add water to the water storage tank 30, thereby improving the convenience of adding water to the water storage tank 30. Moreover, the present application does not need to set a complex water adding pipeline on the indoor unit shell 10, and does not need the user to manually take out the water storage tank 30, not only simplifies the structure, but also simplifies the water adding operation of the user, and improves the user experience.

[0067] In some embodiments, after receiving the water shortage alarm signal, the interconnection control method of the present application further comprises:

[0068] judging whether the sweeper 2 is in the cavity 12;

[0069] if yes, directly controlling the water storage tank 30 to move to the second state; and

[0070] if no, controlling the sweeper 2 to enter the cavity 12 and then controlling the water storage tank 30 to move to the second state.

[0071] After receiving the water shortage alarm signal, the sweeper 2 can be in the cavity 12 or outside the cavity 12. Therefore, the position of the sweeper 2 needs to be detected and judged. If the sweeper 2 is in the cavity 12, the state of the water storage tank 30 can be directly adjusted; if the sweeper 2 is outside the cavity 12, the sweeper 2 needs to be first prompted to enter the cavity 12 and then the state of the water storage tank 30 is adjusted, so as to ensure that the water storage tank 30 can be stably supported on the sweeper 2.

[0072] In other embodiments, after receiving the water shortage alarm signal, the interconnection control method of the present application further comprises:

[0073] judging whether the sweeper 2 is in the cavity 12;

[0074] if yes, directly controlling the water storage tank 30 to move to the second state;

[0075] if no, judging whether the sweeper 2 is in the running state;

[0076] If the sweeper 2 is in the running state, the sweeper 2 is controlled to enter the cavity 12 after the running of the sweeper 2 is completed, and the water storage tank 30 is controlled to move to the second state after the sweeper 2 enters the cavity 12.

[0077] If the sweeper 2 is in the idle state, the sweeper 2 is directly controlled to enter the cavity 12, and the water storage tank 30 is controlled to move to the second state after the sweeper 2 enters the cavity 12.

[0078] Different from the previous embodiment, when the sweeper 2 is outside the cavity 12, the state of the sweeper 2 needs to be further judged. The sweeper 2 is outside the cavity 12, which can be in the running state of executing a cleaning task or other tasks, or in the idle state of not executing any task. If the sweeper 2 is in the running state, the sweeper 2 is controlled to enter the cavity 12 after the running of the sweeper 2 is completed, so as to ensure the priority execution of the sweeper 2 itself. If the sweeper 2 is in the idle state, the sweeper 2 is directly controlled to enter the cavity 12.

[0079] In some embodiments, after the sweeper 2 carrying the water storage tank 30 is controlled to move out of the cavity 12 to the outside of the indoor unit shell 10, the interconnection control method of the present application further comprises:

[0080] prompting a user in an indoor environment space where the air conditioner and the sweeper 2 are located to add water to the water storage tank 30;

[0081] if the weight in the water storage tank 30 does not change any more after a first preset time period, the sweeper 2 is controlled to return to the cavity 12; and

[0082] adjusting the water storage tank 30 to the first state thereof.

[0083] After the sweeper 2 carrying the water storage tank 30 moves out of the indoor unit shell 10, the interconnection control method of the present application further prompts the user to add water to the water storage tank 30, and controls the sweeper 2 to return to the cavity 12 when the weight in the water storage tank 30 does not change any more after a period of time, so as to send the water storage tank 30 back to the indoor unit shell 10 by the sweeper 2, and restore the water storage tank 30 to the first state. In the whole process of adding water to the water storage tank 30, only the user needs to perform the simple operation of adding water, and does not need to worry about the position change process of taking out and resetting the water storage tank 30, so that the intelligent degree is high.

[0084] The present application realizes the intelligentization of adding water to the water storage tank 30 by the interconnection of the air conditioner and the sweeper 2, provides a scene of interconnection of intelligent household appliances, and has a high intelligent degree.

[0085] Figure 4 is a schematic flow chart of the interconnection control method of the air conditioner and the sweeper according to another embodiment of the present application. In particular, referring to Figure 4 , the interconnection control method of the present application comprises:

[0086] Step S10, receiving a water shortage alarm signal; the water shortage alarm signal is generated when the water level in the water storage tank 30 is lower than a preset water level value;

[0087] Step S20, adjusting the water storage tank 30 to the second state when the sweeper 2 is in the cavity 12, so that the water storage tank 30 is supported on the sweeper 2;

[0088] Step S30, controlling the sweeper 2 to carry the water storage tank 30 out of the cavity 12 to the outside of the indoor unit shell 10;

[0089] Step S40, prompting a user in an indoor environment space where the air conditioner and the sweeper 2 are located to add water to the water storage tank 30;

[0090] Step S50, determining whether the weight in the water storage tank 30 changes after a first preset time period; if not, proceeding to step S60;

[0091] Step S60, controlling the sweeper 2 to return to the cavity 12; and

[0092] Step S70, adjusting the water storage tank 30 to the first state thereof.

[0093] In some embodiments, the step S40 of prompting the user in the indoor environment space where the air conditioner and the sweeper 2 are located to add water to the water storage tank 30 can specifically include:

[0094] acquiring a position where a target human body in the indoor environment space is located; and

[0095] controlling the sweeper 2 to stop moving after moving to the position where the target human body is located, so as to prompt the user to add water to the water storage tank 30.

[0096] That is, when there is a target human body in the indoor environment space, the position of the target human body can be acquired, and the sweeper 2 can be moved to the position of the target human body to remind the target human body to add water to the water storage tank 30. This prompting method is more humanized, more direct, and better for user experience.

[0097] Specifically, the target human body is a preset user with specific identity characteristics, for example, the target human body can be an adult, so as to exclude other users such as children, the elderly, etc. who cannot understand the intention of the sweeper 2 or cannot independently perform the water adding operation.

[0098] In some other embodiments, the step S40 of prompting the user in the indoor environment space where the air conditioner and the sweeper 2 are located to add water to the water storage tank 30 can specifically include:

[0099] controlling the sweeper 2 to stop moving after moving to a preset target position in the indoor environment space; and

[0100] The water adding prompt signal is sent to the terminal device connected with the air conditioner and / or the sweeper 2 to prompt the user to move to the preset target position and add water to the water storage tank 30.

[0101] That is, in other embodiments, the preset target position can be set in advance in the indoor environment space, which can be selected as a position with a water source or close to a water source, such as a kitchen, a washstand, a bathroom, etc., so as to facilitate the user to perform the water adding operation.

[0102] The sweeper 2 directly moves to the preset target position and stops, waiting for the user to come and add water. In order to facilitate the user to know as soon as possible, the application further sends a water adding prompt signal to the terminal device, so as to facilitate the user to move to the preset target position to add water to the water storage tank 30 as soon as possible, avoiding the user from not knowing, causing the sweeper 2 to wait for a long time or the water storage tank 30 to return to the indoor unit housing 10 without successfully adding water.

[0103] It can be understood that the above two prompt methods can be used alternatively or in combination. For example, a priority order can be set in advance and executed according to the priority order. For example, it can be executed alternately. Of course, it can also be used in combination according to other ways.

[0104] Preferably, in a specific embodiment, if a target human body is identified in the indoor environment space where the air conditioner and the sweeper 2 are located, the target human body is prompted to add water to the water storage tank 30 according to the first method; if no target human body is identified, the corresponding user is prompted to add water to the water storage tank 30 according to the second method.

[0105] In some embodiments, the indoor unit housing 10 is formed with a humidification air duct 11 above the cavity 12. The water storage tank 30 is configured to move in the up-down direction under control, so as to be in a first state when it moves upward into the humidification air duct 11 and in a second state when it moves downward onto the sweeper 2. That is, the water storage tank 30 only needs to move linearly up and down to realize the mutual switching between the first state and the second state, and the movement mode is simple and easy to realize.

[0106] Specifically, when the water storage tank 30 is in the first state, the humidification air duct 11 can be provided with water for humidification.

[0107] Further, the air conditioner further comprises a humidification device 20, which is configured to use the water in the water storage tank 30 to humidify the airflow flowing through the humidification air duct 11. Specifically, the specific structure of the humidification device 20 and the humidification method can be any one in the prior art, which will not be described here.

[0108] In some embodiments, the sweeper 2 is provided with a trigger switch 201, and when the bottom of the water storage tank 30 touches the trigger switch 201, a motion stop signal for indicating the water storage tank 30 to stop moving downward is generated, so as to prevent the water storage tank 30 from still having the power and tendency to continue moving downward after being supported on the sweeper 2, and thus pressing or even damaging the sweeper 2.

[0109] In some embodiments, the entrance and exit 13 is provided with a guide plate 14, which is configured to controllably open the entrance and exit 13 when the sweeper 2 enters or exits the cavity 12, so as to ensure the sweeper 2 to smoothly enter or exit the indoor unit casing 10, and also ensure the indoor unit casing 10 to have a relatively complete appearance when the sweeper 2 does not pass through the entrance and exit 13, and thus improving the aesthetic effect.

[0110] Further, the guide plate 14 is pivotally connected with the casing 10. The pivot shaft 15 between the guide plate 14 and the casing 10 is located at the bottom of the entrance and exit 13, that is, the guide plate 14 is pivoted up and down on the pivot shaft 15, the bottom of the guide plate 14 in the state of blocking the entrance and exit 13 forms a fixed end connected with the pivot shaft 15, and the top of the guide plate 14 in the state of blocking the entrance and exit 13 forms a movable pivoting end. The height of the pivot shaft 15 is higher than the height of the bottom of the casing 10, so that the guide plate 14 is obliquely supported on the ground when the guide plate 14 opens the entrance and exit 13, and thus the sweeper robot 2 can enter or exit the cavity 12 along the guide plate 14.

[0111] That is, the opening and closing mode of the guide plate 14 is reasonably designed, so that the guide plate 14 not only forms a cover plate for opening or blocking the entrance and exit 13, but also can guide the sweeper 2 to smoothly pass through the entrance and exit 13 to enter or exit the casing 10 when the guide plate 14 opens the entrance and exit 13, and thus plays a better guiding role.

[0112] The present application also provides an interconnection control device of an air conditioner and a sweeper. Figure 5 is a schematic structural block diagram of the interconnection control device according to an embodiment of the present application. The interconnection control device 50 of the present application includes a processor 51 and a memory 52, the memory 52 stores a machine executable program 53, and the machine executable program 53 is executed by the processor 51 to implement the interconnection control method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0113] In particular, the processor 51 can be a central processing unit (CPU) or a digital processing unit, etc. The processor 51 transmits and receives data through a communication interface. The memory 52 is used to store programs executed by the processor 51. The memory 52 is any medium capable of carrying or storing desired program codes in the form of instructions or data structures and capable of being accessed by a computer, and can also be a combination of multiple memories. The above machine executable programs 53 can be downloaded from a computer readable storage medium to a corresponding computing / processing device or to a computer or an external storage device via a network (such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network).

[0114] As mentioned above, the interconnection control method of the air conditioner and the sweeper of any of the above embodiments is described from the side of the interconnection control device 50, i.e. the relevant steps are performed by the interconnection control device 50. In a specific embodiment, the interconnection control device 50 is in data connection with the air conditioner and the sweeper, which can be arranged as a server, a cloud, or a network side device, obtains various data of the set space through the network, and realizes the relevant adjustment by remotely sending instructions to the air conditioner and the sweeper.

[0115] The interconnection control device 50 can also be various centralized control devices arranged in the set space and controlling the air conditioner and the sweeper. The data connection mode of the interconnection control device 50 with the air conditioner and the sweeper includes but is not limited to wireless transmission, infrared transmission, ultrasonic transmission, etc.

[0116] In some embodiments, the interconnection control device 50 can also be part of the air conditioner, arranged inside the air conditioner and in data connection with the self-controller of the air conditioner, for example, a dedicated interconnection control device is arranged inside the air conditioner and cooperates with the controller specially used for executing component control.

[0117] The application also provides an air conditioner, Figure 6 is a schematic structural block diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the application. The air conditioner 1 of the application includes an indoor unit housing 10, a water storage tank 30, and the interconnection control device 50 described in any of the above embodiments.

[0118] The indoor unit housing 10 is formed with a cavity 12 at a lower end thereof, and the indoor unit housing 10 is provided with an entrance 13 in communication with the cavity 12 to allow the sweeper 2 to enter and exit the cavity 12 through the entrance 13.

[0119] The water storage tank 30 is configured to be movably arranged in the indoor unit housing 10 and has a first state of being supported inside the indoor unit housing 10 and separated from the sweeper 2 and a second state of being supported on the sweeper 2 to move synchronously with the sweeper 2.

[0120] In some embodiments, the air conditioner 1 further comprises a water tank driving device 40 configured to drive the water storage tank 30 to move up and down in a controlled manner, so as to automatically adjust the state of the water storage tank 30 by the water tank driving device 40, facilitating intelligent control.

[0121] Specifically, the water tank driving device 40 is configured to drive the water storage tank 30 to move linearly in the up-down direction in a controlled manner, so as to simplify the structure of the water tank driving device 40.

[0122] In some embodiments, the water tank driving device 40 comprises a first driving motor 41, a first gear transmission mechanism 42 and a rack 43 connected in sequence.

[0123] The rack 43 is formed on or fixed to the outer side wall of the water storage tank 30 to move synchronously with the water storage tank 30. Moreover, the rack 43 extends in the up-down direction to drive the water storage tank 30 to move up and down when the rack 43 moves up and down.

[0124] The first gear transmission mechanism 42 is configured to transmit the driving force generated by the first driving motor 41 to the rack 43, so as to drive the rack 43 to drive the water storage tank 30 to move up and down.

[0125] Specifically, the first gear transmission mechanism 42 can comprise at least one gear.

[0126] Specifically, the first driving motor 41 and the first gear transmission mechanism 42 can be arranged inside the casing 10 and outside the water storage tank 30.

[0127] In some embodiments, the air conditioner 1 further comprises a humidifying device 20 comprising a humidifying roller 21 configured to rotate in the water storage tank 30 in a controlled manner when the water storage tank 30 is in the first state, and to bring out water in the water storage tank 30 when it rotates, so as to use the water brought out to humidify the airflow flowing through the humidifying roller 21 in the humidifying air duct 11.

[0128] Further, the top of the water storage tank 30 is open, and when the airflow in the humidifying air duct 11 flows through the humidifying roller 21 rotating in the water storage tank 30, it will contact the water brought out by the humidifying roller 21. The flowing airflow carries away part of the water, the humidity increases, forming the humidified airflow. Moreover, the flowing airflow can contain dust and other impurities, when the airflow contacts the water, the dust and other impurities are at least partially dissolved in the water, the water not carried away by the airflow returns to the water storage tank 30 again, achieving the purpose of purifying the airflow.

[0129] For the humidifying device 20 utilizing the humidifying roller, the humidifying roller 21 does not have the water storage capability, therefore, the water storage tank 30 not only provides the water source for the humidifying, but also forms an indispensable part for the humidifying device 20 to realize the humidifying function. That is, when the humidifying device 20 is utilized to humidify the airflow in the humidifying air duct 11, the water storage tank 30 must be in the first state located in the humidifying air duct 11.

[0130] It can be understood that the humidifying roller 21 can move synchronously with the water storage tank 30, or can not move with the water storage tank 30.

[0131] In some embodiments, the humidifying device 20 further comprises a second driving motor 22 and a second gear transmission mechanism 23.

[0132] The second driving motor 22 is fixedly arranged in the casing 10. That is, the second driving motor 22 will not move with the movement of the water storage tank 30, so as to arrange the electric connection line and avoid the electric connection line being in disorder.

[0133] The second gear transmission mechanism 23 is in transmission connection with the second driving motor 22, so as to transmit the driving force generated by the second driving motor 22. The second gear transmission mechanism 23 always maintains the transmission connection relationship with the second driving motor 22, therefore, the second gear transmission mechanism 23 will not move with the movement of the water storage tank 30.

[0134] The humidifying roller 21 is arranged in the interior of the water storage tank 30 and moves synchronously with the water storage tank 30, so as to make the humidifying roller 21 in transmission connection with the second gear transmission mechanism 23 when the water storage tank 30 moves to the first state, and make the humidifying roller 21 separate from the second gear transmission mechanism 23 when the water storage tank 30 moves to the second state.

[0135] Specifically, the humidifying roller 21 is rotatably supported in the interior of the water storage tank 30, and the box wall of the water storage tank 30 provides support for the humidifying roller 21, therefore, the humidifying roller 21 can move synchronously with the movement of the water storage tank 30. When the water storage tank 30 moves to the first state, the humidifying roller 21 is in transmission connection with the second gear transmission mechanism 23, and the driving force transmitted by the second driving motor 22 is transmitted to the humidifying roller 21 through the second gear transmission mechanism 23, so as to drive the humidifying roller 21 to rotate. When the water storage tank 30 moves to the second state, the humidifying roller 21 separates from the second gear transmission mechanism 23, and the humidifying roller 21 does not rotate any more because of the lack of driving force.

[0136] In some alternative embodiments, the humidifying roller 21 can also not move synchronously with the water storage tank 30. In this case, the humidifying roller 21 can be supported by a support structure outside the water storage tank 30. When the water storage tank 30 moves to its first state, the humidifying roller 21 is accommodated therein, and when the second driving motor 22 is started to drive the humidifying roller 21 to rotate, water in the water storage tank 30 can be brought out. When the water storage tank 30 moves to its second state, the humidifying roller 21 is outside the water storage tank 30, and even if the humidifying roller 21 rotates, water in the water storage tank 30 will not be brought out, and no humidification is performed. Therefore, the second driving motor 22 is not started at this time.

[0137] In the description of the present embodiments, the description of the terms "one embodiment", "some embodiments", "exemplary embodiment", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or example are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In the present specification, the exemplary description of the above terms does not necessarily mean the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner.

[0138] Those skilled in the art should also understand that the terms "up", "down", "front", "back", "top", "bottom", etc. used in the embodiments of the present application to indicate the orientation or positional relationship are based on the actual use state of the air conditioner 1, and these terms are only for the convenience of describing and understanding the technical solutions of the present application, and do not indicate or imply that the device must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation of the present application.

[0139] So far, those skilled in the art should realize that although the present application has been shown and described in detail in the above embodiments, many other variants or modifications in accordance with the principles of the present application can be directly determined or deduced from the disclosure of the present application without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application. Therefore, the scope of the present application should be understood and recognized as covering all these other variants or modifications.

Claims

1. An interconnection control method of an air conditioner and a sweeper, characterized in that, the air conditioner comprises an indoor unit housing and a water storage tank arranged in the indoor unit housing and used for storing water; a cavity is formed in the indoor unit housing at a lower end thereof, and an access opening is formed in the indoor unit housing and communicates with the cavity to allow the sweeper to enter and exit the cavity through the access opening; the water storage tank is configured to be movably arranged in the indoor unit housing and has a first state of being supported in the indoor unit housing and separated from the sweeper and a second state of being supported on the sweeper to move synchronously with the sweeper; and the interconnection control method comprises: receiving a water shortage alarm signal; the water shortage alarm signal is generated when a water level in the water storage tank is lower than a preset water level value; when the sweeper is in the cavity, adjusting the water storage tank to the second state so that the water storage tank is supported on the sweeper; and controlling the sweeper to carry the water storage tank to move out of the cavity to outside of the indoor unit housing.

2. The interconnection control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, after receiving the water shortage alarm signal, the interconnection control method further comprises: judging whether the sweeper is in the cavity; if yes, directly controlling the water storage tank to move to the second state; and if no, controlling the sweeper to enter the cavity and then controlling the water storage tank to move to the second state.

3. The interconnection control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, after receiving the water shortage alarm signal, the interconnection control method further comprises: judging whether the sweeper is in the cavity; if yes, directly controlling the water storage tank to move to the second state; if no, judging whether the sweeper is in a running state; if the sweeper is in the running state, controlling the sweeper to enter the cavity after the running of the sweeper is completed, and then controlling the water storage tank to move to the second state after the sweeper enters the cavity; if the sweeper is in an idle state, directly controlling the sweeper to enter the cavity, and then controlling the water storage tank to move to the second state after the sweeper enters the cavity.

4. The interconnection control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, after controlling the sweeper to carry the water storage tank to move out of the cavity to outside of the indoor unit housing, the interconnection control method further comprises: prompting a user in an indoor environment space where the air conditioner and the sweeper are located to add water to the water storage tank; if a weight in the water storage tank no longer changes after a first preset time period, controlling the sweeper to return to the cavity; and adjusting the water storage tank to the first state.

5. The interconnection control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, the step of prompting the user in the indoor environment space where the air conditioner and the sweeper are located to add water to the water storage tank comprises: obtaining a position where a target human body in the indoor environment space where the air conditioner and the sweeper are located is located; and prompting the user to add water to the water storage tank at the position. controlling the sweeper to stop moving after moving to the position where the target human body is located, to prompt the user to add water to the water storage tank.

6. The interconnection control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, the step of prompting the user in the indoor environment space where the air conditioner and the sweeper are located to add water to the water storage tank comprises: controlling the sweeper to stop moving after moving to a preset target position in the indoor environment space; and sending a water adding prompt signal to a terminal device interconnected with the air conditioner and / or the sweeper, to prompt the user to move to the preset target position and add water to the water storage tank.

7. The interconnection control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, a humidifying air duct above the cavity is formed in the indoor unit housing; and the water storage tank is configured to move in the up-down direction under control, to be in the first state when moving upward into the humidifying air duct, and to be in the second state when moving downward onto the sweeper.

8. The interconnection control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, a trigger switch is provided on the sweeper, and a motion stop signal for indicating the water storage tank to stop moving downward is generated when the bottom of the water storage tank touches the trigger switch.

9. The interconnection control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, a guide plate is provided at the entrance and exit, and the guide plate is configured to controllably open the entrance and exit when the sweeper enters and exits the cavity.

10. An interworking control device of an air conditioner and a sweeper, characterized by, comprising: a processor and a memory, the memory storing a machine executable program, and the machine executable program being executed by the processor to implement the interconnection control method according to any one of claims 1-9.

11. An air conditioner characterized by comprising: comprising: an indoor unit housing, a cavity being formed at a lower end of the indoor unit housing, and an entrance and exit being provided on the indoor unit housing and communicating with the cavity to allow a sweeper to enter and exit the cavity through the entrance and exit; a water storage tank, configured to be movably arranged in the indoor unit housing, and having a first state of being supported in the indoor unit housing and separated from the sweeper, and a second state of being supported on the sweeper to move synchronously with the sweeper; and the interconnection control device according to claim 10.

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