Refrigeration appliance and method for controlling refrigeration appliance

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a refrigerating appliance which comprises a body, a refrigerating device and a control device. The indicator lamp is arranged on the body of the refrigeration appliance and comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements; and the controller is configured to control the indicating lamp to present different dynamic lamp effects according to different function scenes of the refrigeration appliance. The invention further provides a method for controlling the refrigeration appliance and a machine readable storage medium. According to some embodiments of the invention, the indicating lamp is controlled to present different dynamic visual effects, so that a user can more intuitively and easily distinguish various complex function scenes of the refrigeration appliance, and the practicability is enhanced while the sense of science and technology is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of household appliances, and in particular to a refrigeration appliance, a method for controlling a refrigeration appliance and a machine-readable storage medium. Background Art

[0002] With the advancement of intelligent technology, users' demands for refrigeration appliances are no longer limited to the size of storage space and basic refrigeration functions. Nowadays, people pay more attention to the visual sense of technology and the user experience of refrigeration appliances.

[0003] At present, users can only understand the functional status of refrigeration appliances through text prompts on the control panel of refrigeration appliances, which requires users to get as close to the refrigeration appliances as possible and read the information carefully. In addition, in order to meet users' demand for high-end smart home appliances, some products with atmosphere lights or breathing lights on the doors of refrigeration appliances have appeared on the market. However, such lighting only serves a decorative purpose, or can only provide a relatively simple indication effect, has no practical value, and has a poor experience.

[0004] In this context, it is expected to provide an improved intelligent lighting control solution to increase visual aesthetics while reducing the difficulty for users to understand the various complex functions of refrigeration appliances and improve the emotional quality and satisfaction of users. Summary of the invention

[0005] An object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a refrigeration appliance, a method for controlling a refrigeration appliance and a machine-readable storage medium, so as to at least solve some of the problems in the prior art.

[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a refrigeration appliance is provided, wherein the refrigeration appliance comprises:

[0007] ontology;

[0008] an indicator light, which is arranged on the body of the refrigeration appliance and includes a plurality of light-emitting elements; and

[0009] The controller is configured to control the indicator light to present different dynamic lighting effects according to different functional scenes of the refrigeration appliance.

[0010] The present invention particularly includes the following technical concepts: by combining a variety of dynamic lighting effects with different functional scenes of refrigeration appliances, the indicator lights are not only used as decorations, but also become machine language, and the semantic information corresponding to the specific functional scenes is graphically expressed in a dynamic way. As a result, users can understand the working status of the machine more quickly without having to read control prompts or memorize the logic of the light group indications. In addition, different dynamic visual effects also allow users to more intuitively and easily distinguish various complex functional scenes of refrigeration appliances, which enhances the sense of technology and enhances practicality.

[0011] Optionally, the controller is configured to control at least two dynamic lighting effects presented by the indicator light to match the working state of the refrigeration appliance in the corresponding functional scene and / or the emotional feelings to be conveyed by the corresponding functional scene. In this way, the lighting effect not only has an indicative function, but is also associated with the emotional feelings corresponding to each functional scene, conveying more emotional value to the user. Through this ingenious fusion of vision and the machine function itself, the user can naturally directly associate the dynamic lighting effect with the corresponding function without reading the text prompts or referring to the corresponding relationship between the lighting logic and the functional scene recorded in the operating manual, which greatly simplifies the functional prompts and enriches the experience.

[0012] Optionally, the functional scene includes an interactive scene, a working scene and / or a decorative scene, wherein: the interactive scene is triggered by the user's interactive action with the refrigeration appliance; the working scene is triggered in response to the refrigeration appliance starting to perform a certain function and / or the refrigeration appliance reaching a preset state; and / or the decorative scene is triggered by a decorative mode set by the user. Thus, the user's understanding and control needs for multiple functional scenes can be flexibly met without increasing the cost, giving the product more additional value.

[0013] Optionally, the refrigeration appliance includes at least two independent working modules, the working modules include a thawing module, a sterilization module, an ice-making module and / or a quick cooling module, wherein: the controller is configured to: in the working scene, the control indicator light indicates the working status of the at least two independent working modules through different dynamic lighting effects. Thus, the status of each special working module can be significantly distinguished through the lighting effect design, making the information transmission more intuitive and easy to understand.

[0014] Optionally, the body of the refrigeration appliance comprises: a box body, which defines a storage space of the refrigeration appliance; and a door body, which is installed at the box body to open or close the storage space; wherein the indicator light is arranged along at least one edge of the door body, so that the dynamic lighting effect presented by the indicator light changes dynamically along the height and / or width direction of the door body. In this way, the indicator light is better integrated with the appearance of the refrigeration appliance, the abruptness of the lighting effect is reduced, and it is more harmonious and beautiful visually.

[0015] Optionally, the controller is configured to make the indicator light present different dynamic lighting effects by changing the lighting / extinguishing order, lighting / extinguishing direction, lighting duration, lighting color, lighting frequency, lighting position and / or lighting brightness of a certain number of light-emitting elements of the indicator light. Thus, overall diversified dynamic effects can be achieved by combined control of multiple light-emitting elements, reducing control difficulty and hardware cost.

[0016] Optionally, the controller is configured to simulate the operation category performed by the refrigeration appliance in the corresponding functional scene by controlling the indicator light to form an animated pattern in the dynamic lighting effect. This facilitates the user's understanding and familiarity with the various functions of the refrigeration appliance and improves the intelligence of the lighting control method.

[0017] Optionally, the controller is configured to: control the indicator light to form an animated pattern in the dynamic lighting effect to indicate the time progress of the refrigeration appliance in completing the task in the corresponding functional scene, thereby facilitating the user to timely grasp the completion progress and duration of each function of the refrigeration appliance.

[0018] Optionally, the controller is configured to indicate the cold and warm feeling brought by the corresponding functional scene and / or the fault abnormality occurred in the corresponding functional scene by controlling the lighting color involved in the dynamic lighting effect of the indicator light. In this way, the common meaning of the color itself is fully utilized and the information prompt method is enriched.

[0019] Optionally, the controller is configured to indicate the intensity of the warning and / or the intensity of the emotion to be conveyed by the corresponding functional scene by controlling the rhythm involved in the dynamic lighting effect of the indicator light. Thus, information content of different levels or importance can be conveyed by changing the rhythm, which not only attracts more attention from users, but also increases the fun.

[0020] Optionally, the functional scene includes an interactive scene, and the controller is configured to: in the interactive scene, indicate the proximity of the user to the refrigeration appliance, the contact position, and / or the audio characteristics of the voice command issued by the user by controlling the lighting position change and / or brightness change involved in the dynamic lighting effect of the indicator light. In this way, the dynamic lighting effect can be combined with the user's action, thereby enhancing the interactivity between the user and the refrigeration appliance.

[0021] Optionally, the functional scene includes a decorative scene, and the controller is configured to: in the decorative scene, control the indicator lights to form animated patterns in the dynamic lighting effects to simulate weather conditions, seasonal scenery and / or holiday decorations. Thus, the indicator lights can present different atmospheres according to user preferences or various environmental factors, and additional visual effects can be used to meet more psychological needs of users.

[0022] Optionally, each dynamic lighting effect includes at least one or more of a flow effect, a breathing effect, and a flickering effect, wherein: the indicator light is controlled to present a flow effect in the following manner: a certain number of light-emitting elements in the indicator light are controlled to be illuminated, gradually illuminated, extinguished, and / or gradually extinguished asynchronously in a determined order or direction, and / or the position of the light-emitting element that is illuminated or brightest in the indicator light is changed in a determined order or direction; the indicator light is controlled to present a breathing effect in the following manner: the brightness of a certain number of light-emitting elements in the indicator light is controlled to change gradually between a first limit value and a second limit value, and the first limit value is different from the second limit value; and / or the indicator light is controlled to present a flickering effect in the following manner: the brightness of a certain number of light-emitting elements in the indicator light is controlled to switch between a first limit value and a second limit value, and the first limit value is different from the second limit value. Thus, a variety of dynamic lighting effects can be realized by simply combining or superimposing several basic control logics, meeting the visual effect requirements of different functional scenarios and reducing related hardware costs.

[0023] Optionally, when the indicator light presents a flowing effect by changing the position of the brightest light-emitting element in the indicator light, the position of the brightest light-emitting element in the entire indicator light is taken as the center, and the light-emitting elements around the center have a brightness that gradually decreases as the distance from the center increases. In this way, the halo transformation effect when the light flows can be simulated, making the movement of the light more natural and soft, reducing the visual abruptness, and giving the user a more comfortable visual experience.

[0024] Optionally, the refrigeration appliance further comprises a speaker, and the controller is further configured to control the indicator light to present a dynamic lighting effect in a certain functional scenario while controlling the speaker to output a prompt sound effect. Thus, a more obvious prompt effect can be achieved through a multi-sensory superposition prompt method, which can attract the user's attention more strongly in critical or important functional scenarios.

[0025] Optionally, the refrigeration appliance further comprises a user input unit, which is configured to receive customized information input by a user, wherein the customized information comprises a setting value for duration, color, enablement, disablement and / or decoration mode of the dynamic lighting effect; the controller is further configured to control the indicator light to present a dynamic effect according to the customized information. Thus, the visual effect of the indicator light can be customized according to user preferences, meeting the different needs of different user groups in terms of energy-saving intensity, visual aesthetics, functional simplicity, etc., and improving user satisfaction.

[0026] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for controlling a refrigeration appliance is provided, the method being performed by means of the refrigeration appliance according to the first aspect of the present invention, the method comprising the following steps:

[0027] Obtaining the functional scenario of the refrigeration appliance; and

[0028] The indicator lights are controlled to present different dynamic lighting effects according to different functional scenarios of the refrigeration appliance.

[0029] According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a machine-readable storage medium, on which a computer program is stored, wherein the computer program is used to execute the method according to the second aspect of the present invention when executed on a computer. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, so that the principles, features and advantages of the present invention can be better understood. The accompanying drawings include:

[0031] Figure 1A A schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0032] Figure 1B Shows Figure 1A The structural schematic diagram of the indicator light shown;

[0033] Figure 2 A control block diagram of a refrigeration appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0034] Figure 3 A flow chart of a method for controlling a refrigeration appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0035] Figure 4A , Figure 4B , Figure 4C , Figure 4D and Figure 4E A schematic diagram showing implementation methods of three basic dynamic lighting effects of an indicator light according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C A schematic diagram showing controlling an indicator light to present a dynamic lighting effect in an exemplary interactive scenario; and

[0037] Fig. 6A and Figure 6B A schematic diagram showing controlling an indicator light to present a dynamic lighting effect in an exemplary working scenario is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial technical effects to be solved by the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and multiple exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention, rather than to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0039] Before starting the detailed description, it should be pointed out that the directional terms used in the description process refer to the normal use state of the refrigeration appliance for the purpose of facilitating the description and should not be understood as an absolute limitation on the corresponding features.

[0040] Figure 1A A schematic structural diagram of a refrigeration appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0041] like Figure 1A As shown, the refrigeration appliance 1 includes a body 2. The body 2 includes a box body 30 and door bodies 31, 32, 33 that define a storage space. The door bodies 31, 32, 33 are pivotally connected to the box body 30, so that the storage space located inside the box body 30 can be opened or closed by rotation. The number of door bodies 31, 32, 33 can be set to one or more as required. Here, each storage space enclosed by the door bodies 31, 32, 33 and the box body 30 can be set to a refrigeration room, a freezing room and a temperature-changing room, for example, according to the specific type of the refrigeration appliance 1. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention is applicable to various types of refrigeration appliances 1, such as refrigerators, wine cabinets, separate refrigerators or freezers, etc.

[0042] The refrigeration appliance 1 further includes an indicator light 50, which is in the shape of a strip and is arranged on a side of the left door 31 away from the pivot axis, and is then arranged close to the left end of the right door 32, 33 and along the edge of the left door 31 opposite thereto in the closed state. Figure 1A As shown in the example, the indicator light 50 is embedded in the handle 40 of the left door body 31 so that the light-emitting surface is flush with the outer surface of the handle, so that the light emitted by it can be observed from the front of the refrigeration appliance 1. In the scheme of this embodiment, when the indicator light 50 is working, the dynamic lighting effect presented by it can change dynamically along the height direction of the door body 31. In an embodiment not shown, the indicator light 50 can also be arranged along the upper and lower edges of the door body 31, so that the lighting effect presented by it can change dynamically along the width direction of the door body 31. In addition, it is also expected that the indicator light 50 has other shapes as a whole (for example, "L-shaped" or "circumferential"), and is not integrated with the handle 40 or handle of the door body 31, but is directly arranged in the front panel of the door body 31.

[0043] The refrigeration appliance 1 also includes a controller 10, which can be directly configured on the main body 2, but can also be set separately from the main body 2 as an independent component (for example, as a remote controller). The controller 10 is connected to the indicator light 50 in communication so that the indicator light 50 can be controlled to present different dynamic lighting effects according to different functional scenes of the refrigeration appliance 1. In addition, although not specifically shown, the controller 10 can also be connected to one or more sensors (such as temperature sensors, odor sensors, bacteria sensors, air pressure sensors, humidity sensors and / or human activity sensors, etc.) of the refrigeration appliance 1. Thus, the controller 10 can also identify the functional scene of the refrigeration appliance 1 based on the detection results of each sensor.

[0044] Figure 1B Shows Figure 1A Schematic diagram of the structure of the indicator light shown.

[0045] exist Figure 1B In the horizontal direction, Figure 1A The length of the indicator light 50 in FIG. Figure 1B As shown, the indicator light 50 includes a substrate 50A and a plurality of light-emitting elements 51, 52, 53 arranged in sequence on the substrate 50A. These light-emitting elements 51, 52, 53 are connected in parallel to each other so that the light-emitting state can be independently controlled. The light-emitting elements 51, 52, 53 are configured as LED (light-emitting diode) lamp bodies, for example. Of course, in addition to LED lamp bodies, incandescent lamps, halogen lamps, fluorescent lamps, etc. can also be used as light-emitting elements 51, 52, 53. In addition, the plurality of light-emitting elements 51, 52, 53 can be configured as Figure 1B As shown, they are arranged closely to each other, but they can also be arranged at a certain interval on the substrate 50A.

[0046] In one embodiment, the plurality of light emitting elements 51, 52, 53 respectively generate the same hue. In another embodiment, the plurality of light emitting elements 51, 52, 53 respectively generate different hues. In addition, the plurality of light emitting elements 51, 52, 53 may also change the hue emitted by the controller 10 under the control of the controller 10.

[0047] It should be noted that Figure 1B The structure of the indicator light 50 shown is only exemplary, and the number and arrangement of the light emitting elements 51, 52, 53 included therein can be arbitrarily selected according to actual needs.

[0048] Figure 2 A control block diagram of a refrigeration appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0049] exist Figure 2 In the illustrated embodiment, the refrigeration appliance 1 includes a controller 10 , a sensor 20 , a working module 60 , an indicator light 50 , a user input unit 70 and a speaker 80 .

[0050] The controller 10 can be connected to a plurality of sensors 20 of the refrigeration appliance, for example, so as to identify the functional scene of the refrigeration appliance 1 according to the detection results of the plurality of sensors 20. Then, the controller 10 can control 50 the indicator light to present different dynamic lighting effects according to different functional scenes of the refrigeration appliance 1. In one embodiment, the functional scene of the refrigeration appliance 1 includes an interactive scene, a working scene and / or a decorative scene.

[0051] The interaction scenarios of the refrigeration appliance 1 may be triggered, for example, by interaction actions between the user and the refrigeration appliance 1 , and include: human approach / distance sensing scenarios, human contact scenarios, voice control scenarios and / or door opening / closing scenarios.

[0052] like Figure 2 As shown, the controller 10 can be connected to a human proximity sensor 21, a voice recognition sensor 22, a human contact sensor 23 and a door state sensor 24, so as to determine whether the refrigeration appliance 1 is in an interactive scene according to the detection results of these sensors 21, 22, 23, and 24, and can also identify the specific category of the interactive scene accordingly. When the human proximity sensor 21 detects human activity within a certain range around the refrigeration appliance 1, a human activity signal can be sent to the controller 10. When the voice recognition sensor 22 detects a voice command issued by a user, the voice command can be sent to the controller 10. When the human contact sensor 23 detects a capacitance change caused by human contact, such a capacitance change signal can be sent to the controller 10. When the door state sensor 24 detects a change in the opening and closing state of at least one door, the door state signal can also be sent to the controller 10. In response to receiving signals from these sensors 21, 22, 23, and 24 or by appropriately analyzing these signals, the controller 10 can determine whether the refrigeration appliance 1 is in an interactive scene. Once it is determined that the refrigeration appliance 1 is in an interactive scene, the dynamic lighting effects presented by the control indicator 50 can be used to indicate the proximity of the user to the refrigeration appliance 1, the contact position, the audio characteristics of the voice command issued by the user, and the open or closed state of the door. This will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0053] The working scene can be triggered, for example, in response to the refrigeration appliance 1 starting to perform a certain function and / or the refrigeration appliance 1 reaching a preset state, and includes: thawing scene, quick cooling / quick freezing scene, over-temperature alarm scene, sterilization scene, ice making scene and / or WIFI connection scene, etc.

[0054] like Figure 2As shown, the refrigeration appliance 1 includes a plurality of independent working modules 60, which include, for example, a thawing module 61, a sterilization module 62, an ice-making module 63 and / or a quick cooling module 64. The thawing module 61 is used to quickly thaw frozen food so that the food becomes edible or can be further processed in a short time. The sterilization module 62 can, for example, use electrostatic atomization, photocatalyst and other means to remove odors in the box or inhibit bacterial growth in the box to achieve antibacterial and cleaning effects. The ice-making module 63 can automatically make edible ice cubes using drinking water added to the refrigeration appliance 1. The quick cooling module 64 is used to quickly cool the stored food through a rapid cooling process in a short time. The controller 10 is connected to these working modules 60 respectively, so that the controller 10 can understand when the refrigeration appliance 1 starts to perform which functions. In addition, the controller 10 can also be configured as follows: in the working scene, the control indicator light 50 indicates the working status of at least two independent working modules 61, 62, 63, 64 through different dynamic lighting effects.

[0055] In addition, the refrigeration appliance 1 includes Figure 2 The various sensors 21, 22, 23, 24 for detecting human activities shown may also include various environmental sensors, such as temperature sensors, humidity sensors, odor sensors and / or air pressure sensors, so that the controller 10 may also determine whether the refrigeration appliance 1 has reached a preset state based on the detection results of these environmental sensors. Here, the "preset state" may, for example, refer to the temperature of the freezer compartment of the refrigeration appliance 1 exceeding a predetermined temperature, so there is a risk of melting. Based on this, the controller 10 may determine that the over-temperature alarm scene of the refrigeration appliance 1 is triggered. For another example, the "preset state" may also include that the bacteria level or humidity level in the cold storage compartment of the refrigeration appliance 1 exceeds a specified value. At this time, the controller 10 may correspondingly determine that the sterilization scene of the refrigeration appliance 1 is triggered.

[0056] In one embodiment, the controller 10 can control the indicator light 50 in a time-sharing manner so that the indicator light 50 indicates the working status of the first working module (for example, the thawing module 61) through dynamic lighting effects in the first time period, and indicates the working status of the second working module (for example, the sterilization module 62) through dynamic lighting effects in the second time period.

[0057] In another embodiment, the light emitting elements 51, 52, 53 of the indicator light 50 may be divided into a plurality of units, each unit including a certain number of light emitting elements 51, 52, 53, so that the controller 10 may control the indicating effect of the indicator light 50 in a partitioned manner. For example, the controller 10 may enable one of the units of the indicator light 50 to indicate the working state of the first working module (e.g., the thawing module 61) through a local dynamic lighting effect, and synchronously or alternately, may also enable another unit to indicate the working state of the second working module (e.g., the sterilization module 62) through a local dynamic lighting effect.

[0058] The decoration scene can be triggered, for example, by the decoration mode set by the user, and includes: atmosphere decoration scene, weather display scene and season display scene, etc. The atmosphere decoration scene can be triggered, for example, by the atmosphere decoration mode (such as party mode, soothing mode, soft mode, jumping mode, festival and / or celebration mode) input by the user, and the weather display scene and season display scene can be triggered by the weather decoration mode (such as real-time weather display mode, weather forecast mode, temperature display mode) and season decoration mode input by the user.

[0059] Depend on Figure 2 It can be seen that the controller 10 is connected to the plurality of light emitting elements 51, 52, 53 of the indicator light 50, and is configured to be able to individually control each light emitting element 51, 52, 53. For example, the controller 10 can change the lighting / extinguishing order, lighting / extinguishing direction, lighting duration, lighting color, lighting frequency, lighting position and / or lighting brightness of a certain number of light emitting elements 51, 52, 53, so that the indicator light 50 presents different dynamic lighting effects as a whole.

[0060] In addition, if Figure 2 As shown, the controller 10 is also connected to a speaker 80. The speaker 80 can output, for example, voice prompts, buzzer alarm sounds, countdown broadcast sound effects, music beat sound effects, etc. Thus, the controller 10 can also control the indicator light 50 to present a dynamic light effect in a determined functional scene, while controlling the speaker 80 to output a prompt sound effect. For example, in the over-temperature alarm scene of the refrigeration appliance 1, the controller 10 can make the indicator light 50 present a breathing lighting effect, and at the same time, in order to attract the user's attention, the speaker 80 can also emit a "drip-drip-drip" alarm sound. For another example, in the door opening scene of the refrigeration appliance 1, if the door body is opened for more than a predetermined time, the controller 10 can not only urge the user to close the door as soon as possible by changing the breathing lighting frequency of the indicator light 50, but also control the speaker 80 to issue a voice prompt of "please close the door in time".

[0061] In addition, if Figure 2As shown, the controller 10 is also connected to a user input unit 70 of the refrigeration appliance 1. The user input unit 70 can be configured as, for example, a touch screen, a knob, a button, a voice input unit, etc. With the user input unit 70, the user can input customized information, which includes, for example, the duration, color, enablement, disablement, and / or setting values ​​of the decoration mode of the refrigeration appliance 1 for the dynamic lighting effect of the indicator light 50. Accordingly, the controller 10 can control the dynamic effect of the indicator light 50 according to the customized information input by the user.

[0062] In one embodiment, the user may input "activate celebration decoration mode", so the controller 10 may place the refrigeration appliance 1 in an atmosphere decoration scene, and control the indicator light 50 to form an animated pattern to simulate holiday decorations such as fireworks, bubbles, and flashing lights, so as to create a warm festival or party atmosphere. For another example, the user may also input "activate weather display mode" or "activate season display mode", so the controller 10 may also place the refrigeration appliance 1 in a decoration scene, and cause the indicator light 50 to form an animated pattern in a dynamic lighting effect to simulate weather conditions (such as lightning, rain, etc.) or seasonal scenery (such as fallen leaves, snowflakes, etc.).

[0063] In another embodiment, the user may also input "activate celebration decoration mode" and "activate for 2 hours". Then, the controller 10 may control the indicator light 50 to present a corresponding dynamic lighting effect in the atmosphere decoration scene, and display the dynamic lighting effect for 2 hours.

[0064] In another embodiment, the user may also input "disable dynamic lighting effects in thawing scenes and human approach scenes" as customization information. This indicates that, for example, for energy saving considerations, the user does not want to enable the dynamic lighting effects of the indicator light 50 in all functional scenes of the refrigeration appliance 1, but rather only enables the dynamic lighting effects in some important scenes. In this case, the controller 10 may respond to the customization information input by the user, and not control the indicator light 50 to present dynamic lighting effects in thawing scenes and human approach scenes, but keep the indicator light 50 off or in other default states in these functional scenes.

[0065] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a flow chart of a method for controlling a refrigeration appliance according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The method exemplarily comprises steps S1-S2, and can be used, for example, to control a refrigeration appliance. Figure 2 The controller 10 shown is implemented in the context of FIG.

[0066] In step S1, the functional scene of the refrigeration appliance is obtained.

[0067] In one embodiment, detection results may be received from one or more sensors of the refrigeration appliance, so as to identify the functional scenario of the refrigeration appliance according to the detection results of each sensor. For example, if human activities around the refrigeration appliance are detected by means of a human proximity sensor, the refrigeration appliance is determined to be in a human proximity scenario. For another example, if an abnormal increase or abnormal fluctuation in temperature in the freezer compartment of the refrigeration appliance is detected by means of a temperature sensor, the refrigeration appliance is determined to be in an over-temperature alarm scenario.

[0068] In another embodiment, working state signals may also be received from various working modules (e.g., thawing module, sterilization module, etc.) of the refrigeration appliance, so as to directly derive the functional scene that the refrigeration appliance is in. For example, if the thawing module is enabled and the thawing procedure is being executed, it may be determined that the refrigeration appliance is in the thawing scene.

[0069] In another embodiment, the user input unit of the refrigeration appliance may receive customized information set by the user, so as to determine the functional scene of the refrigeration appliance according to the customized information. For example, if the user inputs an instruction of "activate celebration decoration mode", it is determined that the refrigeration appliance is in the atmosphere decoration scene.

[0070] In step S2, the indicator light is controlled to present different dynamic lighting effects according to different functional scenes of the refrigeration appliance.

[0071] In the sense of the present invention, “different functional scenarios” means that the refrigeration appliance includes at least two functional scenarios, and the two functional scenarios are different at least in terms of the type of operation performed by the refrigeration appliance, the interaction method with the user and / or the prompt content conveyed to the user.

[0072] Generally, modern refrigeration appliances are equipped with a large number of different functional scenes, which are of different categories and numerous. For users, it is difficult to quickly grasp these complex functional scenes or distinguish them without carefully reading the text prompts or operating instructions on the control panel. In order to simplify the user's understanding and identification process of the functional scenes of refrigeration appliances, the working status of the machine can be visualized through the special design of dynamic lighting effects.

[0073] In one embodiment, at least two dynamic lighting effects presented by the indicator light can be controlled to match the working state of the refrigeration appliance in the corresponding functional scene and / or the emotional feelings to be conveyed by the corresponding functional scene. This means that not only can different functional scenes be distinguished by different lighting logics of the indicator light, but more importantly, the visual perception brought by the dynamic lighting effect is associated with the essential characteristics of the functional scene in a specific functional scene. As a result, the user can directly perceive the semantic information conveyed by a dynamic lighting effect and associate it with the corresponding functional scene as soon as he sees a dynamic lighting effect without reading the text prompts or referring to the corresponding relationship between the lighting logic and the functional scene recorded in the operating manual. This will be further explained in conjunction with the specific embodiments below.

[0074] In this step, the three basic dynamic lighting effects of the indicator light can be formed by controlling the lighting rules of the light-emitting elements of the indicator light, namely, the flow effect, the breathing effect and the flashing effect. On this basis, in specific functional scenarios, various dynamic lighting effects can be achieved by adjusting, superimposing and / or combining these three basic dynamic lighting effects. Figure 4A-4E The implementation methods and control logic of these three dynamic lighting effects are explained in detail.

[0075] Figure 4A , Figure 4B and Figure 4C The method of realizing the flow effect of the indicator light is shown.

[0076] like Figure 4A As shown, the indicator light 50 can be controlled to present a flow effect in the following manner: a certain number of light-emitting elements in the indicator light 50 are controlled to light up asynchronously in a certain order or direction. It can be seen that in this embodiment, the first light-emitting element at the top of the indicator light 50 is firstly lit, and then after a very short interval (for example, a few milliseconds), the second and third light-emitting elements are then lit, while the lighting state of the first light-emitting element is maintained. By analogy, more and more light-emitting elements can be lit in a top-to-bottom order or direction, thereby presenting a flow effect in which the indicator light is gradually lit from top to bottom as a whole. In addition, in other embodiments not shown, a similar flow effect can also be presented by controlling a certain number of light-emitting elements in the indicator light 50 to gradually light up, extinguish, and / or gradually extinguish asynchronously in a certain order or direction.

[0077] Figure 4BAnother implementation of the flow effect is shown. In this embodiment, the indicator light can be controlled to present a flow effect in the following manner: the position of the light-emitting elements that are lit in the indicator light 50 is changed in a determined order or direction. For example, first, only the first light-emitting element 51 at the top of the indicator light 50 can be lit, and then the position of the light-emitting element that is lit in the indicator light 50 is moved downward, that is, the first light-emitting element 51 is controlled to be extinguished and the second light-emitting element 52 located below the first light-emitting element 51 is lit at the same time. And so on, after a period of time, the light-emitting element 55 that is further down is lit. As a result, the position of the light-emitting element that is lit in the indicator light 50 continues to move downward, so that the indicator light 50 can also present a light flow effect as a whole.

[0078] Figure 4C Another implementation of the flow effect is shown. In this embodiment, there is no longer only one light-emitting element that is lit, but there are multiple light-emitting elements that are lit at the same time, but they have different brightness. Here, the flow effect can be presented by changing the position of the brightest light-emitting element in the indicator light 50. For example, the brightness of the first light-emitting element 51 at the top of the indicator light 50 can be controlled to be the brightest, and then the position of the brightest light-emitting element in the entire indicator light 50 can be used as the center, so that the light-emitting elements around the center have a brightness that gradually decreases as the distance from the center increases. Figure 4C As shown in the figure, as the position of the brightest light-emitting element in the indicator light gradually moves downward, the "gradient halo effect" centered on the brightest point also changes position. As a result, not only does it present the overall effect of the brightest light point flowing downward, but it also simulates a softer halo change effect, making the position change of light more natural and soft, reducing the visual abruptness.

[0079] Generally speaking, if the purpose is to indicate the operation category of the refrigeration appliance in the functional scenario through the dynamic lighting effects of the indicator light, or if it is necessary to indicate the user's regular interaction operations with the refrigeration appliance through dynamic lighting effects, a peaceful visual perception can be created through the clever use of flowing lighting effects.

[0080] In addition to the single-point flow effect introduced above, in actual applications, combined with specific functional scenarios, the indicator lights can also be controlled to achieve multi-point flow and multi-directional flow dynamic lighting effects. In addition, the flow rate of light can also be adjusted according to actual needs to adapt to different visual perception requirements.

[0081] Figure 4D 1 shows a method for implementing the flashing effect of the indicator light. In this embodiment, the indicator light 50 can be controlled to present the flashing effect in the following manner: the brightness of a certain number of light emitting elements in the indicator light 50 is controlled to switch between a first limit value and a second limit value, wherein the first limit value is different from the second limit value. Figure 4DAs shown, a certain number of light-emitting elements in the indicator light 50 can be controlled to light up synchronously and then extinguish synchronously, in an alternating cycle, thereby presenting a flashing effect as a whole. This effect has a greater visual impact due to the large brightness contrast change or color difference change, and is therefore usually used in functional scenarios that need to convey a strong emotional effect or output important prompts (such as decorative scenarios that convey a warm atmosphere, over-temperature alarm scenarios, fault prompt scenarios, etc.).

[0082] Figure 4E FIG. 5 shows a method for implementing the breathing effect of the indicator light. In this embodiment, the indicator light 50 can be controlled to present the breathing effect in the following manner: the brightness of a certain number of light-emitting elements in the indicator light 50 is controlled to change gradually between a first limit value and a second limit value, and the first limit value is different from the second limit value. Figure 4D Different from the flickering effect shown, when the indicator light 50 presents a breathing effect, the plurality of light-emitting elements do not rapidly alternate between two extreme values, but there are a plurality of transition brightness states between the two brightness extreme values. In addition, the duration experienced from one extreme value to another is also correspondingly longer, so as to weaken the visual impact, so as to create a peaceful atmosphere in most functional scenes of the refrigeration appliance. For example, a flickering effect can be presented by controlling a certain number of light-emitting elements in the indicator light 50 to switch from the brightest to the darkest within 0.5 milliseconds. In contrast, a breathing effect can be presented by controlling a certain number of light-emitting elements in the indicator light 50 to gradually change from the brightest to the darkest through a plurality of transition brightnesses within 1500 milliseconds.

[0083] It should be noted that the process of changing the indicator light from one brightness to another brightness at one time can be referred to as completing a flickering effect or a breathing effect. However, in practical applications, the indicator light can also be controlled to switch back and forth between one brightness and another brightness, and this process can also be understood as a flickering effect or a breathing effect in the sense of the present invention.

[0084] Figure 5A , Figure 5B and Figure 5C A schematic diagram showing controlling an indicator light to present a dynamic lighting effect in an exemplary interactive scenario is shown.

[0085] exist Figure 5A In the illustrated embodiment, electrostatic capacitive contact sensors (not explicitly shown for simplicity) are arranged in parallel at a position of the door of the refrigeration appliance opposite to the indicator light (e.g., at the handle). These contact sensors are respectively configured to detect changes in electrostatic capacitance caused by a user's contact with the door, and send a contact detection signal to the controller.

[0086] For example, when the user intends to open or close the door, he or she will touch the handle area of ​​the door body with his or her hand, and manipulate the door body to perform corresponding actions in the contact state. At this time, the contact sensor will detect the change in electrostatic capacitance and send the signal generated by the contact to the controller according to the contact position. Thus, the controller can determine that the refrigeration appliance is in a "human contact scene" and determine the contact position accordingly. In this interactive scene, the controller can indicate the contact position between the user and the refrigeration appliance by changing the lighting position of the light-emitting element in the indicator light 50. Thus, the dynamic lighting effect of the indicator light is cleverly associated with the functional scene, which not only has a certain lighting effect in a dim environment, facilitates the user to identify the handle position of the door body, but also increases the fun.

[0087] exist Figure 5B In the illustrated embodiment, the human activities within a certain range around the refrigerating appliance can be detected by a proximity sensor arranged on the refrigerating appliance. When it is detected that the user enters the certain range around the refrigerating appliance, the "human body approach scene" of the refrigerating appliance is automatically triggered. In this interactive scene, the brightness of a certain number of light-emitting elements in the indicator light 50 can be changed continuously with the distance between the human body and the refrigerating appliance. For example, when the distance between the user 5 and the refrigerating appliance is far, the indicator light 50 can be controlled to present a weaker brightness as a whole, and when the user 5 approaches the direction of the refrigerating appliance, the brightness of the indicator light 50 can be controlled to gradually increase. Thus, the proximity of the user 5 to the refrigerating appliance can be indicated by the brightness change of the indicator light 50. Similarly, in the voice control scene, the audio characteristics of the voice command issued by the user 5 can also be indicated by the lighting position change and / or brightness change involved in the dynamic lighting effect of the control indicator light 50 (for example, the tone and timbre change of the sound wave simulated by the light effect).

[0088] exist Figure 5CIn the illustrated embodiment, the door state sensor can be used to detect the open and closed state of the door body 32 of the refrigeration appliance 1, so as to determine whether the refrigeration appliance 1 is in the door opening / closing scene. In addition, a timing module can be set in the controller to detect the opening duration of the door body 32, and then the dynamic lighting effect of the indicator light 50 can be controlled according to the detected opening duration. For example, a first time threshold (e.g., 15 seconds) can be pre-set, and when it is determined that the opening duration of the door body 32 exceeds the first time threshold, the indicator light 50 is controlled to present a breathing effect at a first rhythmic frequency (respiratory frequency). Under the first rhythmic frequency, the indicator light 50, for example, gradually reaches the brightest state from the extinguished state within a first duration T1 (e.g., 2000 milliseconds), or gradually reaches the extinguished state from the brightest state, and so on. In addition, a second time threshold (e.g., 60 seconds) can also be pre-set, and when it is determined that the opening duration of the door body 32 exceeds the second time threshold, the indicator light 50 is controlled to present a breathing effect at a second rhythmic frequency faster than the first rhythmic frequency, accompanied by a prompt sound effect. At the second rhythmic frequency, the indicator light 50 gradually changes from the off state to the brightest state, or gradually changes from the brightest state to the off state, for example, within a second duration T2 (eg, 1000 milliseconds), and repeats this cycle.

[0089] It can be seen that the breathing dynamic lighting effect can not only give the machine a sense of life to remind the user that the refrigeration appliance 1 is in the door opening scene, but also convey more emotional value. In addition, the door opening duration exceeds the specified time by accelerating the rhythmic rhythm, so as to convey a stronger warning intensity with the help of the rapid visual effect, thereby urging the user to close the door as soon as possible.

[0090] In other embodiments not shown, for example, in an over-temperature alarm scene or a fault prompt scene of a refrigeration appliance, the severity of the fault of the refrigeration appliance can be conveyed by controlling the rhythm of flashing or breathing to attract the user's full attention. Alternatively, in a decoration scene of a refrigeration appliance, a warm or peaceful atmosphere can be created by the fast or slow rhythm of the indicator light 50.

[0091] Fig. 6A and Figure 6B A schematic diagram showing controlling an indicator light to present a dynamic lighting effect in an exemplary working scenario is shown.

[0092] exist Fig. 6A In the illustrated embodiment, the refrigeration appliance is in a WIFI connection scenario. In this working scenario, the controller can control the indicator light to indicate the working status of the gateway module of the refrigeration appliance through dynamic lighting effects. Fig. 6AAs shown, the indicator light 50 is controlled to form an animated pattern of an antenna emitting a network signal in a dynamic lighting effect, so as to simulate the operation category of the refrigeration appliance "establishing a network connection" in a WIFI connection scenario. Based on the user's life experience and common sense, when seeing this animated pattern, the user will immediately associate it with the process of establishing a network connection, and thus quickly realize that the refrigeration appliance is in a WIFI connection scenario.

[0093] In another embodiment not shown, the refrigeration appliance is in a sterilization scene. In this working scene, the controller can control the indicator light 50 to indicate the working state of the sterilization module of the refrigeration appliance through a dynamic lighting effect. For example, the indicator light can be controlled to form a "scanning" flow effect in the dynamic lighting effect, so that the user can quickly associate it with the cleaning operation of the refrigeration appliance in the sterilization scene.

[0094] In another embodiment not shown, the refrigeration appliance is in an initialization scene. In this working scene, the controller can control the indicator light to light up from top to bottom in sequence through dynamic lighting effects, and finally to be fully lit, thereby simulating the power-on operation of the entire refrigeration appliance through animation effects.

[0095] exist Figure 6B In the illustrated embodiment, the refrigeration appliance is in a defrosting scene. In this working scene, the controller can control the indicator light to form an "hourglass" animation pattern in the dynamic lighting effect to indicate the time progress of the defrosting task of the refrigeration appliance.

[0096] In one embodiment, the tasks performed by the refrigeration appliance in different working scenarios can be classified according to "measurable duration" and "unmeasurable duration". For the task category with "measurable duration", the task duration can be accurately estimated, or the user needs to know the duration or completion progress of the task. Such task categories may be, for example, "defrosting", "automatic ice making", etc. In this case, the dynamic lighting effect of the indicator light 50 can accurately reflect the remaining time of the task, so the "hourglass" or "progress bar" animation effect presented has a clear corresponding relationship with the time or task progress. For the task category with "unmeasurable duration", the task completion time is mostly not fixed or difficult to estimate, or the user does not care about the completion progress and the remaining duration, so only the "countdown" animation effect can be displayed to the user or the "task is in progress" can be presented through the dynamic lighting effect, but the animation effect itself does not have a clear corresponding relationship with the time. Such task categories may be, for example, "sterilization", "strong rapid cooling / freezing", etc.

[0097] In an embodiment not shown, the warm and cold feeling brought by the corresponding functional scene and / or the fault anomaly occurring in the corresponding functional scene can also be indicated by controlling the lighting color involved in the dynamic lighting effect of the indicator light. For example, in the thawing scene, the indicator light can be made to present a dynamic lighting effect in warm tones such as "orange" and "yellow", thereby conveying to the user the heating properties related to the "thawing operation". For another example, in the rapid cooling / quick freezing scene, the indicator light can be changed from a conventional color (such as light blue) to "dark blue" or "dark purple" in the dynamic lighting effect, so as to give people a "cold" visual perception, so that the user can easily associate it with the rapid cooling / quick freezing scene involving a rapid cooling process. For another example, in the over-temperature alarm scene, the indicator light can be controlled to be red as a whole and to show a breathing light effect at a faster rhythm, thereby conveying a higher level of warning to the user to attract the user's attention.

[0098] According to another embodiment of the present disclosure, a machine-readable storage medium is provided, such as a CD-ROM, which includes a computer program, which, when executed, causes a computer or a processor to perform a method according to each embodiment of the present disclosure. The machine-readable storage medium is, for example, an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium supplied together with other hardware or as part of other hardware.

[0099] If an embodiment includes an “and / or” relationship between a first feature and a second feature, it should be interpreted as follows: according to one embodiment, the embodiment has both the first feature and the second feature, and according to another embodiment, the embodiment has either only the first feature or only the second feature.

[0100] Although specific embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, even when only a single embodiment is described with respect to specific features. The feature examples provided in the present disclosure are intended to be illustrative, not limiting, unless otherwise stated. In specific implementations, multiple features may be combined with each other as required and as technically feasible. Various substitutions, changes, and modifications may also be conceived without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A refrigeration appliance (1), wherein: The refrigeration appliance (1) comprises: Ontology(2); An indicator light (50) which is arranged on the body (2) of the refrigeration appliance (1) and comprises a plurality of light-emitting elements (51); and The controller (10) is configured to control the indicator light (50) to present different dynamic lighting effects according to different functional scenes of the refrigeration appliance (1).

2. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 1, wherein: The controller (10) is configured to: The at least two dynamic lighting effects presented by the control indicator light (50) respectively match the working state of the refrigeration appliance (1) in the corresponding functional scene and / or the emotional feelings to be conveyed by the corresponding functional scene.

3. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The functional scenes include interactive scenes, working scenes and / or decorative scenes, wherein: The interactive scene is triggered by an interactive action between the user (5) and the refrigeration appliance (1); The working scene is triggered in response to the refrigeration appliance (1) starting to perform a certain function and / or the refrigeration appliance (1) reaching a preset state; and / or The decoration scene is triggered by the decoration mode set by the user (5).

4. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 3, wherein: The refrigeration appliance (1) comprises at least two working modules (60) which are independent in operation, wherein the working modules (60) comprise a thawing module (61), a sterilization module (62), an ice-making module (63) and / or a quick cooling module (64), wherein: The controller (10) is configured such that, in a working scene, the control indicator light (50) indicates the working status of at least two working independent working modules (60) through different dynamic lighting effects.

5. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: The main body (2) of the refrigeration appliance (1) comprises: A box body (30) which defines a storage space for the refrigeration appliance (1); and A door body (31) is installed on the box body (30) so as to be able to open or close the storage space; The indicator light (50) is arranged along at least one edge of the door body (31), so that the dynamic lighting effect presented by the indicator light (50) changes dynamically along the height and / or width direction of the door body (31).

6. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: The controller (10) is configured to: By changing the lighting / extinguishing order, lighting / extinguishing direction, lighting duration, lighting color, lighting frequency, lighting position and / or lighting brightness of a certain number of light-emitting elements (51) of the indicator light (50), the indicator light (50) can present different dynamic lighting effects.

7. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The controller (10) is configured to: The indicator light (50) is controlled to form an animated pattern in a dynamic lighting effect to simulate the type of operation performed by the refrigeration appliance (1) in a corresponding functional scene.

8. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The controller (10) is configured to: The indicator light (50) is controlled to form an animated pattern in the dynamic lighting effect to indicate the time progress of the refrigeration appliance (1) completing a task in a corresponding functional scene.

9. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: The controller (10) is configured to: By controlling the lighting color involved in the dynamic lighting effect of the indicator light (50), the cold and warm feelings brought about by the corresponding functional scene and / or the fault anomaly occurring in the corresponding functional scene are indicated.

10. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The controller (10) is configured to: The intensity of the warning and / or the intensity of the emotion to be conveyed by the corresponding functional scene is indicated by controlling the rhythmic rhythm involved in the dynamic lighting effect of the indicator light (50).

11. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The functional scenario includes an interactive scenario, and the controller (10) is configured to: In an interactive scene, the proximity of a user (5) to the refrigeration appliance (1), the contact position, and / or the audio characteristics of a voice command issued by the user (5) are indicated by controlling the lighting position change and / or brightness change involved in the dynamic lighting effect of the indicator light (50).

12. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein: The functional scene includes a decoration scene, and the controller (10) is configured as follows: In a decoration scene, the indicator light (50) is controlled to form an animated pattern in a dynamic lighting effect to simulate weather conditions, seasonal scenes and / or holiday decorations.

13. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein: Each dynamic lighting effect includes at least one or more of a flow effect, a breathing effect, and a flashing effect, wherein: The indicator light (50) is controlled to present a flow effect in the following manner: a certain number of light emitting elements (51) in the indicator light (50) are controlled to be illuminated, gradually illuminated, extinguished and / or gradually extinguished asynchronously in a certain order or direction, and / or the position of the light emitting element (51) that is illuminated or is the brightest in the indicator light (50) is changed in a certain order or direction; The indicator light (50) is controlled to present a breathing effect in the following manner: the brightness of a certain number of light-emitting elements (51) in the indicator light (50) is controlled to change gradually between a first limit value and a second limit value, the first limit value being different from the second limit value; and / or The indicator light (50) is controlled to present a flashing effect in the following manner: the brightness of a certain number of light emitting elements (51) in the indicator light (50) is controlled to switch between a first limit value and a second limit value, wherein the first limit value is different from the second limit value.

14. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to claim 13, wherein: When the indicator light (50) presents a flow effect by changing the position of the brightest light-emitting element (51) in the indicator light (50), the position of the brightest light-emitting element (51) in the entire indicator light (50) is taken as the center, and the light-emitting elements (51) around the center have a brightness that gradually decreases as the distance from the center increases.

15. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein: The refrigeration appliance (1) further comprises a speaker (80), and the controller (10) is further configured to control the indicator light (50) to present a dynamic lighting effect in a determined functional scene, while controlling the speaker (80) to output a prompt sound effect.

16. The refrigeration appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein: The refrigeration appliance (1) further comprises a user input unit (70) configured to receive customized information input by a user (5), wherein the customized information comprises setting values ​​for duration, color, enabling, disabling and / or decoration mode of the dynamic lighting effect; The controller (10) is also configured to control the indicator light (50) to present a dynamic effect according to the customized information.

17. A method for controlling a refrigeration appliance (1), the method being intended to be performed by means of the refrigeration appliance (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 16, the method comprising the following steps: Obtaining the functional scene of the refrigeration appliance (1); as well as The indicator light (50) is controlled to present different dynamic lighting effects according to different functional scenes of the refrigeration appliance (1).

18. A machine-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, the computer program being configured to execute the method according to claim 17 when executed on a computer.

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