Control Method, Device and Litter Box for a Litter Box

Abstract

The present application provides a control method, device and litter box for a litter box, relating to the field of intelligent control technology. The method includes: when it is detected that a pet leaves the litter box, acquiring an image of the surface of the litter tray collected by an imaging device; based on the image of the surface of the litter tray, determining relative position data of an object to be cleaned, which represents excrement, on the litter tray; based on the relative position data, generating a corresponding rotation strategy, and controlling the rotation of the roller according to the rotation strategy so that the object to be cleaned is covered by cat litter, wherein the rotation strategy includes at least one of a rotation direction, a rotation angle and an alternating rotation strategy, and the alternating rotation strategy is used to indicate controlling the roller to perform alternating rotation. The present application improves the cleaning efficiency of the litter box.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of intelligent control technology, and in particular to a control method, device and litter box for a litter box. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid development of the pet economy and the increasing attention of people to the quality of life of pets, the demand for intelligent and convenient pet supplies is growing continuously. In the field of litter boxes, traditional open litter boxes are gradually being replaced by more advanced flip-type litter boxes due to problems such as inconvenient cleaning and odor diffusion. The flip-type litter box can effectively reduce the workload of manual cleaning by users and improve the convenience and hygiene level through automated design, so it has been widely favored by the market.

[0003] The core advantage of the flip-type litter box lies in its automated cleaning function. That is, through an internal mechanical structure (such as a roller or a flipping mechanism), the litter box can automatically flip after the cat uses it, separate the excrement from the clean litter, and collect the excrement into a dedicated sealed container. This design not only reduces the trouble of manual feces cleaning by users, but also effectively controls the spread of odors and improves the indoor environmental hygiene. In addition, the flip-type litter box is usually equipped with intelligent sensors that can detect the usage situation of the cat and automatically start the cleaning program after the cat leaves, further enhancing the user experience.

[0004] However, existing flip-type litter boxes usually adopt a fixed flip control strategy, that is, after detecting that the cat has left, the flip program is automatically executed according to a preset time or number of times. This fixed strategy may cause large-scale flipping when the feces are not completely covered by the litter, easily causing the feces to adhere to the inner wall of the roller, resulting in incomplete cleaning and hygiene problems, which obviously increases the cleaning intensity. In fact, according to statistics, existing flip-type litter boxes need to be cleaned at most once every 15 days, which obviously goes against the original design intention of the flip-type litter box.

[0005] Therefore, the cleaning efficiency of existing flip-type litter boxes is relatively low. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To solve the above problems of the prior art, the present invention provides a control method, device and litter box for a litter box, which are used to solve the problem of relatively low cleaning efficiency of existing flip-type litter boxes.

[0007] In a first aspect, the present application provides a control method for a litter box, which is applicable to a litter box configured with a camera device and a roller. A litter tray is provided inside the roller. The method includes:

[0008] When it is detected that a pet leaves the litter box, obtain the surface image of the litter tray collected by the camera device;

[0009] Based on the surface image of the litter box, determine the relative position data of the object to be cleaned, which represents excrement, on the litter box;

[0010] Based on the relative position data, generate a corresponding rotation strategy, and control the rotation of the roller according to the rotation strategy, so that the object to be cleaned is covered by cat litter. Wherein, the rotation strategy includes at least one of a rotation direction, a rotation angle, and an alternating rotation strategy, and the alternating rotation strategy is used to indicate controlling the roller to perform alternating rotation.

[0011] In a possible implementation, the relative position data includes a first distance value from the left side of the litter box and a second distance value from the right side of the litter box. The left side and the right side are respectively parallel to the horizontal center line of the litter box, and the horizontal center line is perpendicular to the rotation plane corresponding to the roller; the generating a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data includes:

[0012] Based on the comparison result of the first distance value and the second distance value, detect whether the object to be cleaned is in a first area or a second area. Wherein, the first area is located on the left side of the horizontal center line of the litter box, and the second area is located on the right side of the horizontal center line of the litter box;

[0013] When it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area, take the first direction as the rotation direction and determine the rotation angle based on the second distance value;

[0014] When it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the second area, take the second direction as the rotation direction and determine the rotation angle based on the first distance value;

[0015] Wherein, the first direction is used to indicate the clockwise direction, and the second direction is used to indicate the counterclockwise direction.

[0016] In a possible implementation, the generating a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data includes:

[0017] When it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area or the second area, and a third distance value between the object to be cleaned and the edge of the litter box is less than a preset edge distance threshold, determine the rotation angle and the number of alternating rotations according to the third distance value, and generate an alternating rotation strategy according to the rotation angle and the number of alternating rotations;

[0018] Generate a rotation strategy based on the rotation direction corresponding to the area where the object to be cleaned is located and the alternating rotation strategy.

[0019] In a possible implementation, the method further includes:

[0020] Obtain the cat litter depth data collected by the imaging device, where the imaging device includes a depth camera, and the cat litter depth data includes first depth data and second depth data. The first depth data is used to characterize the depth of the cat litter on the first area, and the second depth data is used to characterize the depth of the cat litter on the second area;

[0021] When it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area but the second depth data is less than the first depth data, or the object to be cleaned is in the second area but the first depth data is less than the second depth data, then determine the rotation strategy according to the distance difference and the depth difference, where the distance difference is the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value, and the depth difference is the difference between the first depth data and the second depth data.

[0022] In a possible implementation manner, the determining the rotation strategy according to the distance difference and the depth difference includes:

[0023] When it is detected that the distance difference is within a preset first difference interval but the depth difference is not within a preset second difference interval, then determine the rotation angle according to the depth difference, and judge the magnitude of the first depth data and the second depth data;

[0024] When the first depth data is greater than the second depth data, then determine the rotation direction according to the second direction;

[0025] Or, when the second depth data is greater than the first depth data, then determine the rotation direction according to the first direction.

[0026] In a possible implementation manner, the determining the rotation strategy according to the distance difference and the depth difference further includes:

[0027] When it is detected that the depth difference is within the second difference interval but the distance difference is not within the first difference interval, then generate a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data of the object to be cleaned.

[0028] In a possible implementation manner, the generating a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data further includes:

[0029] When it is detected by the first distance value and the second distance value that the object to be cleaned is located on the horizontal center line of the cat litter tray, then determine the corresponding rotation direction according to the larger value of the first depth data and the second depth data, and determine the rotation angle according to the depth difference.

[0030] In one possible implementation, the method further includes:

[0031] After executing the rotation strategy, obtain the surface image of the litter box currently captured by the imaging device;

[0032] When it is detected from the current surface image of the litter box that the object to be cleaned is covered with cat litter, trigger the execution of a dumping operation on the object to be cleaned, where the dumping operation is used to instruct the object to be cleaned wrapped with cat litter to be separated from other cat litter;

[0033] When it is detected from the current surface image of the litter box that the object to be cleaned is not covered with cat litter, update the rotation direction in a third direction opposite to the rotation direction in the executed rotation strategy, and / or update the rotation angle in the executed rotation strategy based on a third distance value indicated by the current surface image of the litter box, so as to update the rotation strategy.

[0034] In a second aspect, the present application provides a control device for a litter box, applicable to a litter box configured with an imaging device and a drum, where a litter box is provided inside the drum. The device includes:

[0035] An image acquisition module, configured to obtain the surface image of the litter box captured by the imaging device when it is detected that a pet leaves the litter box;

[0036] An image recognition module, configured to determine relative position data of an object to be cleaned representing excrement on the litter box based on the surface image of the litter box;

[0037] A strategy generation module, configured to generate a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data, and control the rotation of the drum according to the rotation strategy so that the object to be cleaned is covered with cat litter, where the rotation strategy includes at least one of a rotation direction, a rotation angle, and an alternating rotation strategy, and the alternating rotation strategy is used to instruct to control the drum to perform alternating rotation.

[0038] In a third aspect, the present application provides a litter box, including: an imaging device, a drum, and a control device. A litter box is provided inside the drum. The imaging device and the drum are both connected to the control device, and the control device executes the control method of the litter box according to the first aspect or any possible implementation manner of the first aspect.

[0039] The control method, device and litter box provided by this application obtain the surface image of the litter tray through a camera device, identify the relative position data of the object to be cleaned in the litter box, and generate and execute a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data. The rotation strategy includes at least one of the rotation direction, rotation angle and alternating rotation strategy, so as to control the rotation of the roller to cover the object to be cleaned with litter. In this way, it is possible to dynamically adjust the rotation strategy according to the relative position of the object to be cleaned, improve the possibility of the excrement being wrapped by litter, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency of the litter box, maintaining the coverage of the litter and the cleanliness inside the box, and solving the problem of low cleaning efficiency of the existing flip-type litter box. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] Figure 1 It is a schematic flowchart of a control method for a litter box provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of a control device for a litter box provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of a litter box provided by an embodiment of this application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0043] Next, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all of the embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 1 It is a schematic flowchart of a control method for a litter box provided by an embodiment of this application, which is applicable to a litter box configured with a camera device and a roller. A litter tray is provided inside the roller. The control method of this litter box includes steps S101 to S103.

[0045] S101. When it is detected that the pet leaves the litter box, obtain the surface image of the litter tray collected by the camera device.

[0046] It should be noted that in the litter box, the part of the roller for screening clean litter and clumped waste (such as excrement wrapped with litter), that is, when the pet uses it, the litter will clump. When the roller rotates, the clumped waste will be separated by the filtering structure and then fall into the feces collection box at the bottom, while the clean litter is retained for continued use.

[0047] In the present application, the cat litter box is further equipped with a camera device. The camera device can be a rotatable camera that captures images (i.e., the surface image of the cat litter tray). The imaging range of the rotatable camera is the cat litter tray. Then, the relative position data of the object to be cleaned (i.e., excrement) on the cat litter tray is obtained to generate a corresponding rotation strategy. The camera device can also be a depth camera. A depth camera is a camera device capable of obtaining the depth information of an object. It measures the light reflected by the object (usually infrared light) to accurately measure the depth of the object. Then, the cat litter coverage state of the cat litter tray is obtained to generate a corresponding rotation strategy. Optionally, the camera device includes a rotatable camera and a depth camera. Then, a corresponding rotation strategy is generated based on the relative position data of the object to be cleaned on the cat litter tray and the cat litter coverage state of the cat litter tray.

[0048] In an alternative embodiment, the cat litter box is further equipped with a weight sensor. The weight sensor is disposed inside the drum. The weight sensor is used to monitor the weight of the cat litter in the drum and to monitor whether a pet is inside the cat litter box. Therefore, in the present application, the weight sensor is used to detect whether the pet has left the cat litter box, and then trigger the acquisition of the surface image of the cat litter tray from the camera device after detecting that the pet has left the cat litter box.

[0049] S102. Based on the surface image of the cat litter tray, determine the relative position data of the object to be cleaned, which represents excrement, on the cat litter tray.

[0050] In the present application, the surface image of the cat litter tray is an image showing the surface of the cat litter tray. Optionally, in combination with image recognition, the object to be cleaned and the cat litter are distinguished based on color and shape, and the relative position of the object to be cleaned in the cat litter tray is determined. It should be noted that image recognition refers to the process of using computer technology to understand, analyze, and classify information such as objects, scenes, and features in an image. It is a practical application of applying deep learning algorithms. Through specific algorithms and models, the content in the image is recognized, such as identifying people, animals, objects, text, etc. in the image, and determining their categories, positions, postures, and other related information.

[0051] S103. Based on the relative position data, generate a corresponding rotation strategy, and control the rotation of the drum according to the rotation strategy so that the object to be cleaned is covered by the cat litter. Among them, the rotation strategy includes at least one of a rotation direction, a rotation angle, and an alternating rotation strategy. The alternating rotation strategy is used to indicate controlling the drum to perform alternating rotation.

[0052] It should be noted that in the prior art, an automatic litter box usually pushes the clumped excrement into the collection container in a fixed direction. As a result, when the feces are not fully covered by the cat litter due to rotation in a single fixed direction, a large - scale flip occurs, which easily causes the feces to adhere to the inner wall of the drum, resulting in low cleaning efficiency and unable to ensure the sanitary condition inside the litter box.

[0053] In the present application, the rotation direction includes the clockwise direction and the counter - clockwise direction, which is determined by the relative position of the object to be cleaned on the litter tray, that is, the relative position data. By controlling the rotation direction in the rotation strategy, the object to be cleaned may roll as it rotates, so that the object to be cleaned can be covered by the cat litter, increasing the possibility of the excrement being covered by the cat litter.

[0054] In the present application, the rotation angle in the rotation strategy is determined based on the relative position data. It should be noted that the maximum value of this rotation angle is such that the cat litter will not fall into the bottom feces collection box through the filtering structure adjacent to the litter tray. For example, the rotation angle is 30°, which can be changed according to different hardware settings of the litter box. Therefore, by controlling the rotation angle in the rotation strategy, the object to be cleaned is made to roll or the cat litter falls on the object to be cleaned as it rotates, increasing the coverage rate of the excrement and improving the cleaning efficiency of the litter box.

[0055] For the alternating rotation strategy, the alternating rotation strategy includes the number of alternating rotations of the alternating rotation. The drum is controlled to perform alternating rotations (such as swinging left and right) according to the alternating rotation strategy. This alternating rotation includes clockwise rotation and counter - clockwise rotation. By controlling the alternating rotation of the drum and the number of alternating rotations (such as the number of swings), the cat litter can fully cover the object to be cleaned, improving the cleaning efficiency.

[0056] Therefore, in the present application, by adjusting at least one of the rotation direction, rotation angle, and alternating rotation strategy according to the relative position of the object to be cleaned on the litter tray, a corresponding rotation strategy is generated. Then, according to this rotation strategy, the drum is controlled to rotate, and the litter tray rotates accordingly, so that the object to be cleaned on the litter tray is covered by the cat litter, which can improve the efficiency of the excrement being covered by the cat litter, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency of the litter box.

[0057] The control method of the litter box provided in this embodiment obtains the surface image of the litter tray through a camera device, identifies the relative position data of the object to be cleaned in the litter tray, and generates and executes a corresponding rotation strategy based on this relative position data. The rotation strategy includes at least one of the rotation direction, rotation angle, and alternating rotation strategy, realizing the control of the drum rotation to cover the object to be cleaned with the cat litter. In this way, it can dynamically adjust the rotation strategy according to the relative position of the object to be cleaned, increasing the possibility of the excrement being covered by the cat litter, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency of the litter box, maintaining the coverage of the cat litter and the cleanliness inside the box, and solving the problem of low cleaning efficiency of the existing flip - type litter box.

[0058] In some embodiments, the relative position data includes a first distance value from the left side of the litter box and a second distance value from the right side of the litter box. The left side and the right side are respectively parallel to the horizontal midline of the litter box, and the horizontal midline is perpendicular to the rotation plane corresponding to the roller. Generating a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data includes:

[0059] Based on the comparison result of the first distance value and the second distance value, detecting that the object to be cleaned is in a first area or a second area, where the first area is located on the left side of the horizontal midline of the litter box, and the second area is located on the right side of the horizontal midline of the litter box;

[0060] When it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area, use the first direction as the rotation direction and determine the rotation angle based on the second distance value;

[0061] When it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the second area, use the second direction as the rotation direction and determine the rotation angle based on the first distance value;

[0062] Wherein, the first direction is used to indicate the clockwise direction, and the second direction is used to indicate the counterclockwise direction.

[0063] In this embodiment, the relative position data includes a first distance value from the left side of the litter box and a second distance value from the right side of the litter box. Exemplarily, the width between the left side and the right side of the litter box is 20 cm, the horizontal midline is located at a position 10 cm wide on the litter box, the first distance value represents the distance value of the object to be cleaned from the left side of the litter box, such as the first distance value is 6 cm, and the second distance value represents the distance value of the object to be cleaned from the right side of the litter box, such as the second distance value is 14 cm.

[0064] Subsequently, optionally, compare the magnitudes of the first distance value and the second distance value. When the first distance value and the second distance value are consistent, it is determined that the object to be cleaned is on the horizontal midline of the litter box. When the first distance value is less than the second distance value, it is determined that the object to be cleaned is on the left side of the horizontal midline (i.e., the first area). When the first distance value is greater than the second distance value, it is determined that the object to be cleaned is on the right side of the horizontal midline (i.e., the second area).

[0065] Further, optionally, when it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area, the first direction is used as the rotation direction, that is, the roller is controlled to rotate in the clockwise direction. As the litter box rotates, the object to be cleaned on the first area rolls, or the litter falls on the object to be cleaned as it rotates, so that the object to be cleaned is fully covered with litter. Secondly, the rotation angle is determined based on the second distance value between the object to be cleaned and the right side. While improving the coverage rate of the object to be cleaned during the rotation of the roller, it is ensured that the object to be cleaned and the litter do not enter the filtering structure as they rotate, avoiding the excrement that is not fully wrapped with litter from affecting the sanitary state in the litter box and improving the rotation efficiency. Furthermore, according to the first direction and the currently determined rotation angle, a corresponding rotation strategy is generated to control the rotation of the roller according to the rotation strategy.

[0066] Optionally, when it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the second area, the second direction is used as the rotation direction, that is, the roller is controlled to rotate in the counterclockwise direction. As the litter box rotates, the object to be cleaned on the second area rolls, or the litter falls on the object to be cleaned as it rotates, so that the object to be cleaned is fully covered with litter. Secondly, the rotation angle is determined based on the first distance value between the object to be cleaned and the left side. While improving the coverage rate of the object to be cleaned during the rotation of the roller, it is ensured that the object to be cleaned and the litter do not enter the filtering structure as they rotate, avoiding the excrement that is not fully wrapped with litter from affecting the sanitary state in the litter box. Furthermore, according to the second direction and the currently determined rotation angle, a corresponding rotation strategy is generated to control the rotation of the roller according to the rotation strategy.

[0067] It should be noted that the rotation strategy can also include the rotational angular velocity. That is, when it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area, the rotational angular velocity is determined based on the first distance value and / or the second distance value. When it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the second area, the rotational angular velocity is determined based on the first distance value and / or the second distance value, which can improve the cleaning efficiency and the coverage rate of the excrement.

[0068] Therefore, in this embodiment, based on the relative position of the object to be cleaned on the litter box, the roller is controlled to rotate in the corresponding rotation direction and rotation angle, realizing the dynamic adjustment of the rotation strategy according to the relative position data of the object to be cleaned, improving the flexibility of rotation, meeting the actual cleaning requirements, being able to improve the coverage rate of the excrement, thereby improving the cleaning efficiency and ensuring the sanitary state of the litter box.

[0069] In an optional embodiment, when it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area, based on the first distance value and the corresponding rotation angle, the rotation angle and the number of alternating rotations in the alternating rotation strategy are determined, and a corresponding rotation strategy is generated by combining the first direction and the alternating rotation strategy to control the rotation of the roller.

[0070] When it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the second area, based on the second distance value and the corresponding rotation angle, determine the rotation angle and the number of alternating rotations in the alternating rotation strategy, and generate a corresponding rotation strategy in combination with the second direction and the alternating rotation strategy to control the rotation of the drum.

[0071] In this embodiment, an alternating rotation strategy is generated based on the rotation direction and the rotation angle, and a corresponding rotation strategy is generated therefrom, so that the object to be cleaned can be fully covered, further improving the cleaning efficiency.

[0072] In some embodiments, step S103 includes:

[0073] When it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area or the second area, and the third distance value between the object to be cleaned and the edge of the litter box is less than a preset edge distance threshold, determine the rotation angle and the number of alternating rotations according to the third distance value, and generate an alternating rotation strategy according to the rotation angle and the number of alternating rotations;

[0074] Generate a rotation strategy based on the rotation direction corresponding to the area where the object to be cleaned is located and the alternating rotation strategy.

[0075] In this embodiment, when it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area or the second area and the third distance value between the object to be cleaned and the edge of the litter box is small, it can be considered that the object to be cleaned is close to the edge of the litter box or located in the corner of the litter box. At this time, the possibility that the object to be cleaned is completely covered during the rotation of the drum is low. Then, in this embodiment, the rotation angle and the number of alternating rotations in the alternating rotation strategy are determined by the third distance value, so that the object to be cleaned can be covered, reducing the visibility of excrement residue.

[0076] It should be noted that the alternating rotation strategy also includes the rotation angular velocity, which can improve the cleaning efficiency.

[0077] Furthermore, after executing the alternating rotation strategy, control the rotation of the drum according to the rotation direction corresponding to the area where it is located, so that the object to be cleaned is fully covered.

[0078] Therefore, in this embodiment, for the object to be cleaned near the edge or corner, by generating the alternating rotation strategy and the rotation direction, a corresponding rotation strategy is generated, improving the coverage rate of the object to be cleaned and further improving the cleaning efficiency.

[0079] In some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0080] Obtain the cat litter depth data collected by the imaging device, where the imaging device includes a depth camera, and the cat litter depth data includes first depth data and second depth data. The first depth data is used to represent the depth of the cat litter in the first area, and the second depth data is used to represent the depth of the cat litter in the second area;

[0081] When it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area but the second depth data is less than the first depth data, or the object to be cleaned is in the second area but the first depth data is less than the second depth data, then determine the rotation strategy according to the distance difference and the depth difference, where the distance difference is the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value, and the depth difference is the difference between the first depth data and the second depth data.

[0082] In this embodiment, the imaging device further includes a depth camera, which is used to obtain the depth information of the cat litter on the cat litter tray. Then, combining the cat litter coverage state of the cat litter tray and the relative position of the object to be cleaned on the cat litter tray, a corresponding rotation strategy is generated, which improves the flexibility of the rotation strategy and further improves the cleaning efficiency.

[0083] On the one hand, when it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area (i.e., the left side of the horizontal center line), the rotation direction in the rotation strategy is the clockwise direction, so that the object to be cleaned in the first area rolls along with the rotation and is covered by the cat litter. At this time, if the second depth data in the second area is greater than the first depth data in the first area, it is considered that the object to be cleaned in the first area can be fully covered by the cat litter with the rotation and rolling, and the rotation direction in the rotation strategy is maintained as the clockwise direction. If the second depth data is less than the first depth data, it triggers the determination of the rotation strategy according to the distance difference and the depth difference.

[0084] Similarly, when it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the second area (i.e., the right side of the horizontal center line), the rotation direction in the rotation strategy is the counterclockwise direction, so that the object to be cleaned in the second area rolls along with the rotation and is covered by the cat litter. At this time, if the first depth data is greater than the second depth data, it is considered that the object to be cleaned in the second area can be fully covered by the cat litter with the rotation and rolling, and the rotation direction in the rotation strategy is maintained as the counterclockwise direction. If the first depth data is less than the second depth data, it triggers the determination of the rotation strategy according to the distance difference and the depth difference.

[0085] Therefore, in this embodiment, combining the cat litter coverage state on the cat litter tray and the relative position of the object to be cleaned on the cat litter tray, the rotation strategy is dynamically updated, which improves the flexibility of the rotation strategy, further improves the efficiency of the object to be cleaned being covered, and improves the cleaning efficiency.

[0086] Based on the above embodiments, in some embodiments, determining the rotation strategy according to the distance difference and the depth difference includes:

[0087] When it is detected that the distance difference is within a preset first difference interval, but the depth difference is not within a preset second difference interval, the rotation angle is determined based on the depth difference, and the magnitudes of the first depth data and the second depth data are judged;

[0088] When the first depth data is greater than the second depth data, the rotation direction is determined in the second direction;

[0089] Or, when the second depth data is greater than the first depth data, the rotation direction is determined in the first direction.

[0090] In this embodiment, it is judged whether the distance difference is within the first difference interval and whether the depth difference is within the second difference interval. If the distance difference is within the first difference interval, it is considered that the distance from the object to be cleaned to the left side is relatively close to the distance from the object to be cleaned to the right side, that is, the object to be cleaned is close to the horizontal center line. If the depth difference is within the second difference interval, it is considered that the difference in the depth of the cat litter in the first area and the depth of the cat litter in the second area is small.

[0091] Therefore, when the distance difference is within the first difference interval, but the depth difference is not within the second difference interval, it is considered that the distance difference is small, the object to be cleaned is close to the horizontal center line, while the depth difference is large, with a larger depth on one side and a smaller depth on the other side. At this time, it can be considered that the influence degree of the cat litter depth data on the cat litter pan on the rotation effect is greater than the influence degree of the relative position data of the object to be cleaned on the cat litter pan on the rotation effect. The rotation effect can be the coverage rate and coverage effect of the object to be cleaned, the cleaning efficiency, etc. Then, in this embodiment, a corresponding rotation strategy is generated based on the factor with a greater influence degree (in this case, the cat litter depth data).

[0092] Specifically, first, the corresponding rotation angle is determined according to the depth difference and / or the distance difference. Then, when the first depth data is greater than the second depth data, it is considered that the depth of the first area is larger and the depth of the second area is smaller. Then, the rotation direction in the rotation strategy is determined in the counterclockwise direction (i.e., the second direction), so that the object to be cleaned rolls in the area with more cat litter, so that the object to be cleaned is fully covered. More specifically, when the object to be cleaned is located in the first area, but the first depth data of the first area is greater than the second depth data of the second area and the depth difference is large, the cat litter depth data is considered, and the counterclockwise direction is used as the rotation direction.

[0093] When the second depth data is greater than the first depth data, it is considered that the depth of the second area is larger and the depth of the first area is smaller. Then, the rotation direction in the rotation strategy is updated in the clockwise direction (i.e., the first direction), so that the object to be cleaned rolls in the area with more cat litter, and thus the object to be cleaned is fully covered. More specifically, when the object to be cleaned is located in the second area, but the second depth data of the second area is greater than the first depth data of the first area and the depth difference is large, the cat litter depth data is considered, and the clockwise direction is used as the rotation direction.

[0094] Optionally, based on the above discussion, after determining the rotation direction, the rotation angle is determined according to the first distance value / second distance value, the first depth data, and the second depth data of the object to be cleaned. In addition, an alternating rotation strategy can also be determined therefrom to determine the rotation strategy.

[0095] Therefore, in this embodiment, when it is determined that the influence degree of the cat litter depth data on the rotation effect is large, the rotation direction in the rotation strategy is adjusted according to the cat litter depth data, so that the cat litter on the deeper side covers the object to be cleaned, realizing flexible adjustment of the rotation direction and improving the coverage efficiency of the object to be cleaned.

[0096] Based on the above embodiments, in some embodiments, the determining the rotation strategy according to the distance difference and the depth difference further includes:

[0097] When it is detected that the depth difference is within the second difference interval, but the distance difference is not within the first difference interval, a corresponding rotation strategy is generated based on the relative position data of the object to be cleaned.

[0098] In this embodiment, when the depth difference is within the second difference interval, but the distance difference is not within the first difference interval, it is considered that the depth difference is small, the cat litter depths of the first area and the second area are relatively close, and the object to be cleaned is not near the horizontal midline or even far from the horizontal midline. At this time, it can be considered that the influence degree of the relative position of the object to be cleaned on the turntable on the rotation effect is greater than the influence degree of the cat litter depth data on the turntable on the rotation effect. Then, in this embodiment, a corresponding rotation strategy is generated based on the factor with a greater influence degree (in this case, the relative position data of the object to be cleaned on the turntable).

[0099] Specifically, when the object to be cleaned is located in the first area, the first depth data of the first area is greater than the second depth data of the second area, but the distance difference is large, the relative position data is considered, and the clockwise direction (i.e., the first direction) is used as the rotation direction. When the object to be cleaned is located in the second area, the second depth data of the second area is greater than the first depth data of the first area, but the distance difference is large, the relative position data is considered, and the counterclockwise direction (i.e., the second direction) is used as the rotation direction.

[0100] Optionally, the rotation angle in the rotation strategy is updated according to the depth difference and / or the distance difference, improving the control efficiency.

[0101] Therefore, when it is determined in this embodiment that the influence degree of the relative position data on the rotation effect is relatively large, a corresponding rotation strategy is generated based on the relative position data of the object to be cleaned, improving the control efficiency and flexibility.

[0102] In some embodiments, the generating a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data further includes:

[0103] When it is detected by the first distance value and the second distance value that the object to be cleaned is located on the horizontal center line of the litter box, the corresponding rotation direction is determined according to the larger value of the first depth data and the second depth data, and the rotation angle is determined by the depth difference.

[0104] In this embodiment, when it is detected that the first distance value is consistent with the second distance value, it is determined that the object to be cleaned is located on the horizontal center line of the litter box. Optionally, the corresponding rotation direction is determined according to the larger value of the first depth data and the second depth data, aiming to make the object to be cleaned roll on the litter on the side with the larger depth, improving the coverage efficiency. Specifically, when the first depth data is greater than the second depth data, the counterclockwise direction (i.e., the second direction) is used as the rotation direction, so that the litter in the first area with the larger depth covers the object to be cleaned. When the second depth data is greater than the first depth data, the clockwise direction (i.e., the first direction) is used as the rotation direction, so that the litter in the second area with the larger depth covers the object to be cleaned. In addition, the rotation angle is determined based on the depth difference between the first area and the second area, and a corresponding rotation strategy is generated according to the determined rotation direction and rotation angle, improving the flexibility and efficiency of rotation.

[0105] Optionally, when the object to be cleaned falls on the horizontal center line, a rotation strategy is generated with a specified direction and a specified angle. Or, a rotation strategy is generated with a specified alternating rotation strategy, and the specified alternating rotation strategy includes a specified rotation angle and the number of alternating rotations.

[0106] Therefore, in this embodiment, by generating a corresponding rotation strategy for the object to be cleaned located on the horizontal center line, the flexibility and efficiency of the rotation strategy can be improved by combining the litter depth data or specified rotation parameters.

[0107] In an optional embodiment, the corresponding rotation direction, rotation angle and alternating rotation strategy are determined according to the relative position data and the litter depth data, and the rotation strategy generated thereby controls the rotation of the roller, improving the cleaning efficiency.

[0108] In some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0109] After executing the rotation strategy, obtain the surface image of the litter box currently captured by the imaging device;

[0110] When it is detected from the current surface image of the litter box that the object to be cleaned is covered with cat litter, trigger the execution of a dumping operation on the object to be cleaned, and the dumping operation is used to indicate to separate the object to be cleaned wrapped with cat litter from other cat litter;

[0111] When it is detected from the current surface image of the litter box that the object to be cleaned is not covered with cat litter, update the rotation direction in a third direction opposite to the rotation direction in the executed rotation strategy, and / or update the rotation angle in the executed rotation strategy based on a third distance value indicated by the current surface image of the litter box to update the rotation strategy.

[0112] In this embodiment, the rotation strategy is used to fully cover the object to be cleaned. Then, after executing the rotation strategy, trigger the imaging device to capture the current surface image of the litter box. Subsequently, combined with image recognition, detect whether the object to be cleaned is covered with cat litter based on color and shape. Optionally, when it is detected that the object to be cleaned is covered with cat litter, then execute the dumping operation.

[0113] Exemplarily, the dumping operation can be: controlling the roller to rotate 40 - 90 degrees in one direction and pause for 1 s, so that the object to be cleaned wrapped with cat litter rolls from the litter box to the strainer (i.e., the filtering structure) and is separated on the strainer, while the clean cat litter leaks through the strainer, realizing the separation of the object to be cleaned wrapped with cat litter from other cat litter. Subsequently, reverse reset, that is, rotate 10 - 20 degrees in the reverse direction and then rotate 10 - 20 degrees in the forward direction to ensure that all the clean cat litter can leak through the strainer, and then rotate 60 - 120 degrees in the forward direction so that the object to be cleaned wrapped with cat litter falls into the closed container, thus realizing the distinction between the object to be cleaned and the cat litter.

[0114] Optionally, when it is detected that the object to be cleaned is not completely covered with cat litter, the rotation direction in the previously executed rotation strategy can be changed. For example, if the rotation direction in the previous rotation strategy is the clockwise direction, the rotation direction in the current rotation strategy is updated to the counterclockwise direction. It is also possible to re - determine the rotation angle in the rotation strategy according to the third distance value between the current object to be cleaned and the edge of the litter box. For example, increase the rotation angle. Among them, the larger the rotation angle, the larger the movement path of the cat litter, and the probability of being covered with cat litter will increase accordingly. However, the rotation angle determined in this embodiment needs to ensure that the object to be cleaned does not roll to the inner side wall of the roller during the rotation process.

[0115] Optionally, adjust the alternating rotation strategy according to the third distance value indicated by the surface image of the litter box, and control the rotation of the drum according to the alternating rotation strategy. Alternatively, adjust the rotation direction, rotation angle, and alternating rotation strategy in the rotation strategy according to the distance value and the litter depth data.

[0116] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the object to be cleaned is completely covered, the dumping operation is performed. When the object to be cleaned is not covered, the rotation direction, rotation angle, and alternating rotation strategy are adjusted by combining the third distance value indicating the distance from the edge of the litter box in the surface image of the litter box and / or the litter depth data, improving the flexibility of the rotation strategy and further enhancing the cleaning efficiency of the litter box.

[0117] In some embodiments, the litter box is equipped with an entrance sensor at the pet entrance. The entrance sensor can be a camera or an ultrasonic sensor. The entrance sensor detects the approach of a pet by obtaining sensing data. When a pet approaches, the rotation of the drum is controlled to stop. Similarly, when it is detected that a pet enters the interior of the litter box, the rotation of the drum is also controlled to stop. Therefore, in this embodiment, by configuring the entrance sensor, safety is ensured.

[0118] Figure 2 The following is a schematic structural diagram of a control device for a litter box provided by an embodiment of the present application, which is applicable to a litter box equipped with a camera device and a drum. There is a litter box inside the drum. The control device 200 of the litter box includes:

[0119] An image acquisition module 201, configured to obtain the surface image of the litter box collected by the camera device when it is detected that a pet leaves the litter box;

[0120] An image recognition module 202, configured to determine the relative position data of the object to be cleaned, which represents excrement, on the litter box based on the surface image of the litter box;

[0121] A strategy generation module 203, configured to generate a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data, and control the rotation of the drum according to the rotation strategy so that the object to be cleaned is covered by litter. Among them, the rotation strategy includes at least one of a rotation direction, a rotation angle, and an alternating rotation strategy, and the alternating rotation strategy is used to indicate controlling the drum to rotate alternately.

[0122] In some embodiments, the relative position data includes a first distance value from the left side of the litter box and a second distance value from the right side of the litter box. The left side and the right side are respectively parallel to the horizontal center line of the litter box, and the horizontal center line is perpendicular to the rotation plane corresponding to the drum; the strategy generation module 203 includes:

[0123] An area determination unit, configured to detect that the object to be cleaned is in a first area or a second area based on a comparison result between the first distance value and the second distance value, where the first area is located on the left side of the horizontal center line of the litter box, and the second area is located on the right side of the horizontal center line of the litter box;

[0124] A first strategy generation unit, configured to use a first direction as the rotation direction and determine the rotation angle based on the second distance value when it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area;

[0125] A second strategy generation unit, configured to use a second direction as the rotation direction and determine the rotation angle based on the first distance value when it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the second area;

[0126] Wherein, the first direction is used to indicate the clockwise direction, and the second direction is used to indicate the counterclockwise direction.

[0127] In some embodiments, the strategy generation module 203 includes:

[0128] An alternating rotation strategy generation unit, configured to determine the rotation angle and the number of alternating rotations based on the third distance value and generate an alternating rotation strategy according to the rotation angle and the number of alternating rotations when it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area or the second area and a third distance value between the object to be cleaned and an edge of the litter box is less than a preset edge distance threshold;

[0129] A third strategy generation unit, configured to generate a rotation strategy based on the rotation direction corresponding to the area where the object to be cleaned is located and the alternating rotation strategy.

[0130] In some embodiments, the apparatus 200 further includes:

[0131] A depth data acquisition unit, configured to acquire litter depth data collected by the imaging device, the imaging device including a depth camera, the litter depth data including first depth data and second depth data, the first depth data being used to characterize the depth of the litter in the first area, and the second depth data being used to characterize the depth of the litter in the second area;

[0132] The first strategy adjustment unit is configured to determine the rotation strategy based on the distance difference and the depth difference when it is detected that the object to be cleaned is within the first area but the second depth data is less than the first depth data, or the object to be cleaned is within the second area but the first depth data is less than the second depth data, where the distance difference is the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value, and the depth difference is the difference between the first depth data and the second depth data.

[0133] In some embodiments, the first strategy adjustment unit includes:

[0134] A judgment unit, configured to determine the rotation angle based on the depth difference and judge the magnitude relationship between the first depth data and the second depth data when it is detected that the distance difference is within a preset first difference range but the depth difference is not within a preset second difference range;

[0135] The first rotation direction update unit is configured to determine the rotation direction in the second direction when the first depth data is greater than the second depth data;

[0136] The second rotation direction update unit is configured to determine the rotation direction in the first direction when the second depth data is greater than the first depth data.

[0137] In some embodiments, the first strategy adjustment unit includes:

[0138] A strategy maintaining unit, configured to generate a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data of the object to be cleaned when it is detected that the depth difference is within the second difference range but the distance difference is not within the first difference range.

[0139] In some embodiments, the strategy generation module 203 further includes:

[0140] The fourth strategy generation unit is configured to determine the corresponding rotation direction based on the larger value of the first depth data and the second depth data and determine the rotation angle based on the depth difference when it is detected by the first distance value and the second distance value that the object to be cleaned is located on the horizontal center line of the litter box.

[0141] In some embodiments, the apparatus 200 further includes:

[0142] A litter box surface image acquisition unit, configured to acquire the current litter box surface image collected by the imaging device after executing the rotation strategy;

[0143] A dumping operation triggering unit, configured to trigger the execution of a dumping operation on the object to be cleaned when it is detected from the current surface image of the litter box that the object to be cleaned is covered with litter, where the dumping operation is used to indicate separating the object to be cleaned wrapped with litter from other litter;

[0144] A second strategy adjustment unit, configured to update the rotation direction in a third direction opposite to the rotation direction in the executed rotation strategy and / or update the rotation angle in the executed rotation strategy based on a third distance value indicated by the current surface image of the litter box when it is detected from the current surface image of the litter box that the object to be cleaned is not covered with litter, so as to update the rotation strategy.

[0145] The device according to the embodiment of the present application can execute the method provided by the embodiment of the present application, and the implementation principle is similar. The actions executed by each module in the device according to the embodiments of the present application correspond to the steps in the method according to the embodiments of the present application. For the detailed function description of each module of the device, reference may specifically be made to the description in the corresponding method shown above, and details are not described herein again.

[0146] Figure 3 A structural schematic diagram of a litter box provided by an embodiment of the present application. The present application also provides a litter box 300, including: a camera device 301, a drum 302, and a control device 303. A litter box is arranged inside the drum. The camera device 301 and the drum 302 are both connected to the control device 303, and the control device executes the above-mentioned control method for the litter box.

[0147] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "center", "top", "bottom", "top part", "bottom part", "inner", "outer", "inner side", "outer side", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention. Among them, the "inner side" refers to the internal or enclosed area or space. The "periphery" refers to the area around a specific component or a specific area.

[0148] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, the terms "first", "second", "third", and "fourth" are only used for descriptive purposes, and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first", "second", "third", and "fourth" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the meaning of "a plurality" is two or more.

[0149] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, the term "and / or" herein is merely an association relationship describing associated objects, indicating that three relationships may exist. For example, A and / or B may represent: the sole existence of A, the simultaneous existence of A and B, and the sole existence of B. Additionally, the character " / " herein generally indicates that the associated objects before and after are in an "or" relationship.

[0150] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, those of ordinary skill in the art can understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A control method for a cat litter box, characterized in that Applicable to a cat litter box configured with a camera device and a roller, wherein a cat litter tray is provided inside the roller, the method comprising: When it is detected that a pet leaves the cat litter box, obtaining a surface image of the cat litter tray collected by the camera device, and obtaining cat litter depth data collected by the camera device, the cat litter depth data including first depth data and second depth data, the first depth data being used to characterize the depth of the cat litter in a first area, the second depth data being used to characterize the depth of the cat litter in a second area, the first area being located on the left side of the horizontal midline of the cat litter tray, and the second area being located on the right side of the horizontal midline of the cat litter tray; Based on the surface image of the cat litter tray, determining relative position data of a cleaning target representing excrement on the cat litter tray, the relative position data including a first distance value from the left side of the cat litter tray and a second distance value from the right side of the cat litter tray; Based on the relative position data, generating a corresponding rotation strategy, and controlling the rotation of the roller according to the rotation strategy so that the cleaning target is covered by the cat litter, wherein the rotation strategy includes at least one of a rotation direction, a rotation angle, and an alternating rotation strategy, and the alternating rotation strategy is used to instruct to control the roller to perform alternating rotation, including: determining the rotation strategy according to a distance difference and a depth difference, the distance difference being the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value, and the depth difference being the difference between the first depth data and the second depth data.

2. The control method of the litter box according to claim 1, characterized in that, The left side and the right side are respectively parallel to the horizontal midline of the cat litter tray, and the horizontal midline is perpendicular to the rotation plane corresponding to the roller; the generating a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data includes: Based on the comparison result of the first distance value and the second distance value, detecting whether the cleaning target is in the first area or the second area; When it is detected that the cleaning target is in the first area, taking the first direction as the rotation direction and determining the rotation angle based on the second distance value; When it is detected that the cleaning target is in the second area, taking the second direction as the rotation direction and determining the rotation angle based on the first distance value; Wherein, the first direction is used to indicate the clockwise direction, and the second direction is used to indicate the counterclockwise direction.

3. The control method of the litter box according to claim 2, characterized in that, The generating a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data includes: When it is detected that the cleaning target is in the first area or the second area, and a third distance value between the cleaning target and the edge of the cat litter tray is less than a preset edge distance threshold, determining a rotation angle and an alternating rotation number according to the third distance value, and generating an alternating rotation strategy according to the rotation angle and the alternating rotation number; Generating a rotation strategy based on the rotation direction corresponding to the area where the cleaning target is located and the alternating rotation strategy.

4. The control method of the cat litter box according to claim 3, wherein, The camera device includes a depth camera, and the method further includes: When it is detected that the object to be cleaned is in the first area but the second depth data is less than the first depth data, or the object to be cleaned is in the second area but the first depth data is less than the second depth data, the rotation strategy is determined based on the distance difference and the depth difference.

5. The control method of the litter box according to claim 4, wherein, The determining the rotation strategy based on the distance difference and the depth difference includes: When it is detected that the distance difference is within a preset first difference interval but the depth difference is not within a preset second difference interval, the rotation angle is determined based on the depth difference, and the magnitudes of the first depth data and the second depth data are judged. When the first depth data is greater than the second depth data, the rotation direction is determined in the second direction. Or, when the second depth data is greater than the first depth data, the rotation direction is determined in the first direction.

6. The control method of the cat litter box according to claim 5, wherein The determining the rotation strategy based on the distance difference and the depth difference further includes: When it is detected that the depth difference is within the second difference interval but the distance difference is not within the first difference interval, a corresponding rotation strategy is generated based on the relative position data of the object to be cleaned.

7. The control method of the litter box according to claim 6, wherein The generating a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data further includes: When it is detected from the first distance value and the second distance value that the object to be cleaned is located on the horizontal midline of the litter box, the corresponding rotation direction is determined based on the larger value of the first depth data and the second depth data, and the rotation angle is determined based on the depth difference.

8. The control method of the cat litter box according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The method further includes: After executing the rotation strategy, obtaining the surface image of the litter box currently collected by the imaging device; When it is detected from the current surface image of the litter box that the object to be cleaned is covered with litter, triggering the execution of the dumping operation on the object to be cleaned, and the dumping operation is used to indicate separating the object to be cleaned wrapped with litter from other litter. When it is detected from the current surface image of the litter box that the object to be cleaned is not covered with litter, the rotation direction is updated in a third direction opposite to the rotation direction in the executed rotation strategy, and / or, based on the third distance value indicated by the current surface image of the litter box, the rotation angle in the executed rotation strategy is updated to update the rotation strategy.

9. A control device for a cat litter box, characterized in that, Applicable to a litter box configured with an imaging device and a roller, and a litter box is provided inside the roller, the device includes: An image acquisition module, configured to obtain the surface image of the litter box collected by the imaging device and obtain the litter depth data collected by the imaging device when it is detected that the pet leaves the litter box, where the litter depth data includes first depth data and second depth data, the first depth data is used to represent the depth of the litter in the first area, the second depth data is used to represent the depth of the litter in the second area, the first area is located on the left side of the horizontal midline of the litter box, and the second area is located on the right side of the horizontal midline of the litter box; An image recognition module, configured to determine relative position data of an object to be cleaned, which represents excrement, on the cat litter tray based on the surface image of the cat litter tray, where the relative position data includes a first distance value from the left side of the cat litter tray and a second distance value from the right side of the cat litter tray; A strategy generation module, configured to generate a corresponding rotation strategy based on the relative position data, and control the rotation of the roller according to the rotation strategy, so that the object to be cleaned is covered by cat litter. The rotation strategy includes at least one of a rotation direction, a rotation angle, and an alternating rotation strategy. The alternating rotation strategy is used to indicate controlling the roller to perform alternating rotation, including: determining the rotation strategy according to a distance difference and a depth difference, where the distance difference is the difference between the first distance value and the second distance value, and the depth difference is the difference between the first depth data and the second depth data.

10. A cat litter box, characterized in that, Including: A camera device, a roller, and a control device. A cat litter tray is provided inside the roller. The camera device and the roller are both connected to the control device. The control device executes the steps of the control method of the cat litter box according to any one of claims 1-8.

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