Water drinking device and refrigerator

Abstract

The invention discloses a water drinking device and a refrigerator, and the water drinking device comprises a water outlet part which is provided with a water outlet; the water receiving table is used for placing a water cup; the scanning module is used for collecting scanning parameters between the water outlet and the water receiving table; the controller is electrically connected with the scanning module, and the controller is configured to execute the following steps that according to scanning parameters collected by the scanning module, the cup edge contour of a water cup placed on the water receiving table is determined; according to the cup edge contour of the water cup, determining a cup rim hollow contour of the water cup, and according to the cup rim hollow contour, determining an effective water receiving area of the water cup; according to the position relation between the effective water receiving area and a preset water flow area, the placement position of the water cup is judged, and water outlet control is executed on the water outlet according to the judgment result. The situation that water splashes outside when the water drinking device receives water can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of refrigerator manufacturing, and more particularly to a drinking water device and a refrigerator. Background Technology

[0002] A refrigerator with a built-in water dispenser is a household appliance that integrates the functions of a refrigerator and a water dispenser. In addition to the refrigeration and freezing functions of a regular refrigerator, this type of refrigerator also has a built-in water dispenser system that can draw water directly from the refrigerator for cooling.

[0003] In the use of water dispensers in related technologies, users need to manually place the water cup at the water outlet. While filling the cup, users need to constantly monitor the water level and rely on their eyes to judge the water flow. They also need to manually control the water flow and stop the flow by pressing buttons. At the same time, when placing the water cup, users need to observe whether the cup is below the water outlet. If the cup is not below the water outlet, users need to manually adjust the position of the cup.

[0004] However, in actual use, especially for children or the elderly, it is difficult to accurately place the water cup below the spout, which can easily cause water to splash outside the cup. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of this application provide a drinking water device and a refrigerator.

[0006] Some embodiments of this application provide a drinking device, including: a water outlet with a water outlet; a water receiving platform for placing a water cup; a scanning module for collecting scanning parameters between the water outlet and the water receiving platform; and a controller electrically connected to the scanning module, the controller being configured to perform the following steps: determining the rim profile of the water cup placed on the water receiving platform based on the scanning parameters collected by the scanning module; determining the cup rim profile based on the cup rim profile, and determining the effective water receiving area of ​​the water cup based on the cup rim profile; determining the placement position of the water cup based on the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and a preset water flow area, and performing water dispensing control on the water outlet based on the determination result.

[0007] In the above embodiment, the scanning module collects the scanning parameters between the water outlet and the water receiving platform. Based on the scanning parameters, the outline of the cup rim of the water cup placed on the water receiving platform is determined, and the hollow outline of the cup mouth of the water cup is determined based on the cup rim outline. The effective water receiving area of ​​the water cup is determined within the determined hollow outline of the cup mouth, and the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the preset water flow area is determined. The water outlet is controlled by the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the water flow area. After the user places the water cup below the water outlet, the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the water flow area is used as the water outlet condition to control the water outlet, thereby reducing the situation where water splashes outside the water cup.

[0008] In some embodiments of this application, determining the cup mouth hollow profile based on the cup rim profile of the cup includes: determining the outer edge profile of the cup in the cup rim profile; and determining the cup rim profile located inside the outer edge profile as the cup mouth hollow profile.

[0009] In the above embodiments, when determining the hollowed-out contour of the cup rim, the outer edge contour of the cup is used as a reference, and the cup rim contour inside the outer edge contour is used as the hollowed-out contour of the cup rim. This makes the hollowed-out contour of the cup rim easier to identify, thereby facilitating the quick location of the hollowed-out contour of the cup rim and improving the execution efficiency of the controller.

[0010] In some embodiments of this application, determining the effective water-receiving area of ​​the cup based on the hollowed-out outline of the cup rim includes: obtaining the outlet area of ​​the water outlet; calculating the hollowed-out area of ​​the hollowed-out outline of the cup rim based on the coordinate information of the hollowed-out outline of the cup rim; and determining the area enclosed by the hollowed-out outline of the cup rim as the effective water-receiving area when the hollowed-out area is greater than or equal to the outlet area.

[0011] In the above embodiments, the effective water receiving area is determined by the size of the outlet area of ​​the water outlet. When the hollow area of ​​the cup mouth is greater than or equal to the outlet area of ​​the water outlet, it indicates that the water column flowing out of the water outlet can enter the water cup through the area enclosed by the cup mouth hollow outline. The area enclosed by the cup mouth hollow outline is thus determined as the effective water receiving area, ensuring that the water column flowing out of the water outlet does not contact the cup body and can flow into the cup body. At the same time, using the outlet area of ​​the water outlet as a reference for determining the effective water receiving area facilitates the quick location of the effective water receiving area and improves the execution efficiency of the controller.

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, determining the placement position of the water cup based on the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the preset water flow area includes: generating a first contour map corresponding to the effective water receiving area and a second contour map corresponding to the water flow area based on the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area; and determining the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area based on the first contour map and the second contour map.

[0013] In the above embodiments, a first contour map and a second contour map are generated based on the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area, respectively. The positional relationship between the first contour map and the second contour map is compared based on the coordinate information of the first contour map and the second contour map to determine the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area. Judging the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area by using coordinate information can improve the convenience and reliability of the judgment result of the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area.

[0014] In some embodiments of this application, generating a first contour map corresponding to the effective water receiving area and a second contour map corresponding to the water flow area based on the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area includes: generating a first contour map on a plane perpendicular to the water outlet direction based on the cup mouth hollow contour corresponding to the effective water receiving area, and generating a second contour map based on the contour corresponding to the water flow area.

[0015] In the above embodiments, a first contour map and a second contour map are generated based on the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area, respectively. The first contour map and the second contour map are represented on the same plane. The positional relationship between the first contour map and the second contour map is compared based on the coordinate information of the first contour map and the second contour map to determine the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area. Thus, the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area can be judged through coordinate information, thereby improving the convenience and reliability of the judgment result of the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, determining the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area based on the first contour map and the second contour map includes: if the second contour map is located within the first contour map, then the water flow area is determined to be located inside the effective water receiving area; if a portion of the second contour map is located within the first contour map, then a portion of the water flow area is determined to be located inside the effective water receiving area; if the second contour map is located outside the first contour map, then the water flow area is determined to be located outside the effective water receiving area.

[0017] In the above embodiments, based on the coordinate information corresponding to the first contour map and the coordinate information corresponding to the second contour map, the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area is determined by the inclusion relationship between all coordinate values ​​corresponding to the second contour map and the coordinate values ​​within the area enclosed by the first contour map, thereby improving the execution efficiency of the controller.

[0018] In some embodiments of this application, determining the placement position of the water cup based on the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the preset water flow area includes: if the water flow area is located inside the effective water receiving area, then the placement position of the water cup is determined to be normal; if a portion of the water flow area is located inside the effective water receiving area, then the placement position of the water cup is determined to be abnormal; if the water flow area is located outside the effective water receiving area, then the placement position of the water cup is determined to be abnormal.

[0019] In the above embodiments, it is determined that the placement of the water cup is not abnormal based on the water flow area being located inside the effective water receiving area, and it is determined that the placement of the water cup is abnormal based on a part of the water flow area being located inside the effective water receiving area and the water flow area being located outside the effective water receiving area. The abnormal placement of the water cup is identified based on clear judgment conditions, thereby improving the control efficiency of the controller.

[0020] In some embodiments of this application, the step of controlling the water outlet based on the judgment result includes: if the judgment result of the placement position of the water cup is that there is no abnormality, then controlling the water outlet to dispense water; otherwise, controlling the water outlet not to dispense water.

[0021] In the above embodiments, when the placement of the water cup is not abnormal, the water outlet can be controlled to dispense water according to the water receiving command. However, when the placement of the water cup is abnormal, even if a water receiving command is received, the controller will also control the water outlet to prevent water from dispensing, thereby reducing the probability of water splashing out.

[0022] In some embodiments of this application, the drinking device further includes a prompting module, which is electrically connected to the controller; the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: if the result of the water cup placement determination is that there is an abnormality, then control the prompting module to perform an alarm prompt; otherwise, control the prompting module to perform a water dispensing prompt.

[0023] In the above embodiment, when the result of judging the placement of the water cup is abnormal, the prompting module will promptly remind the user so that the user can adjust the position of the water cup in time.

[0024] Some embodiments of this application provide a refrigerator, including: a water drinking device as described above; and a refrigeration assembly for cooling drinking water, wherein the cooled drinking water flows out through the water outlet of the water drinking device.

[0025] In the above embodiments, by combining the water drinking device with a refrigerator, the drinking water can be rapidly cooled based on the refrigerator's cooling function while reducing space occupation.

[0026] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this application. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a refrigerator, illustrating an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the execution steps of a control program in a controller, as shown in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0029] Figure 3 A top view of the mouth structure of a water cup, illustrating an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 4 This is a top view of the mouth structure of a water cup, as shown in another exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 5 This is a top view of the mouth structure of a water cup, as shown in yet another exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0032] Figure 6 A diagram showing the positional relationship between a first contour map and a second contour map, illustrating an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 7 The flowchart illustrates the execution steps of the control program in a controller, which is another exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a refrigerator, which is another exemplary embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To make the objectives and implementation methods of this application clearer, the exemplary implementation methods of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the exemplary embodiments of this application. Obviously, the exemplary embodiments described are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0036] It should be noted that the brief descriptions of terms in this application are only for the convenience of understanding the embodiments described below, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application. Unless otherwise stated, these terms should be understood in their ordinary and common meaning.

[0037] The terms "first," "second," "third," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar or related objects or entities, and do not necessarily imply a specific order or sequence, unless otherwise specified. It should be understood that such terms are interchangeable where appropriate.

[0038] The terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, are intended to cover but not exclude inclusion, for example, a product or device that includes a range of components is not necessarily limited to all of the components that are clearly listed, but may include other components that are not clearly listed or that are inherent to such product or device.

[0039] It should be noted that "multiple" in this article refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "or" relationship.

[0040] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a refrigerator, illustrating an exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 1 As shown, the refrigerator includes a cabinet 100, a water dispensing device can be installed on one side of the cabinet, and a refrigeration unit can be installed inside the cabinet.

[0041] The drinking water device may include a water outlet 110, which has a water outlet.

[0042] The refrigeration component is used to cool the drinking water, and the cooled drinking water flows out through the water outlet 110 of the drinking water device.

[0043] By combining the water dispenser with a refrigerator, the drinking water can be quickly cooled using the refrigerator's cooling function, while reducing space usage.

[0044] In some embodiments of this application, the water outlet 110 of the drinking device may be provided with a housing, which may be integrally formed with the refrigerator body 100, and the housing may also be independent, so that the housing may be fixedly connected to or detachably connected to the refrigerator body 100.

[0045] In some embodiments of this application, a water storage structure, such as a water storage tank, can be provided inside the refrigerator, and the water outlet on the drinking device can be connected to the water storage tank. In use, the drinking water in the water storage tank can be cooled by the refrigeration components inside the refrigerator, and the cooled drinking water can be dispensed through the water outlet on the drinking device.

[0046] In some embodiments of this application, the refrigerator may be equipped with a water pumping device. A refrigeration pipe may be installed inside the refrigerator. The inlet end of the refrigeration pipe is connected to the water pumping device, and the outlet end of the refrigeration pipe is connected to the outlet of a water dispenser. In use, the water pumping device can be connected to a water tank outside the refrigerator via a water pipe. The water pumping device draws drinking water from the water tank and delivers it to the refrigeration pipe inside the refrigerator. The refrigeration components then cool the drinking water in the refrigeration pipe, and finally, the cooled drinking water is released through the outlet of the water dispenser.

[0047] Based on the above embodiments, the refrigerator may also be without a water pump. Only a cooling pipe is installed inside the refrigerator. A water tank connection structure is installed on the top of the refrigerator, connecting to a water tank. Based on the gravity effect of the drinking water, the water is transported to the cooling pipe inside the refrigerator. The cooling components then cool the drinking water in the cooling pipe, and finally, the cooled drinking water is released through the outlet on the water dispenser.

[0048] The water outlet section 110 of the drinking water device may also be equipped with a control panel 120. The water outlet section 110 may also be equipped with a water outlet control switch. The control panel 120 is used to input control commands for the water outlet control switch, which can open and close the water outlet according to the user-input control commands.

[0049] The drinking device may also include a water receiving platform 130, the top of which is provided with a support platform for placing a water cup.

[0050] In some embodiments of this application, the water outlet on the water outlet faces the support platform on top of the water receiving platform, so that the drinking water flowing out of the water outlet can be collected by a water cup placed on the water receiving platform.

[0051] In some embodiments of this application, the water receiving platform of the drinking device may also be provided with a housing, which is the same as the housing of the water outlet. The housing of the water receiving platform may be integrally formed with the cabinet or may be independent, so that the housing of the water receiving platform may also be fixedly connected to or detachably connected to the cabinet of the refrigerator.

[0052] The drinking water device may also include a scanning module for collecting scanning parameters between the water outlet and the water receiving platform.

[0053] In some embodiments of this application, the scanning module may be a distance sensor. A distance sensor can be used to measure and sense the distance between an object and the sensor. Based on this principle, distance sensors can be used in more complex scanning applications. For example, multiple distance sensors (or a single movable distance sensor) can be used to scan the surface of an object to obtain its three-dimensional shape or contour. This scanning method may not be as accurate as methods such as laser scanning or structured light scanning, but it provides a fast and low-cost way to obtain basic shape information of an object.

[0054] Based on this, the distance sensor can be used to scan the water cup in this application, and the distance between each position on the water cup and the distance sensor can be collected by one or more distance sensors between the water outlet and the water receiving platform, so as to represent the three-dimensional coordinate model established by the distance sensor scanning area of ​​each position of the water cup.

[0055] It should be noted that the distance sensor in this application can be of various types, such as optical distance sensors, infrared distance sensors, and ultrasonic distance sensors. These sensors all use some form of energy (such as light, infrared radiation, or ultrasound) to measure the distance to an object.

[0056] In some embodiments of this application, the scanning module may also be a camera, a pushbroom imager, or the like. Such sensors can instantly form a line image or a two-dimensional image on the image plane, and then scan the image plane along a direction perpendicular to the satellite's orbital direction.

[0057] In some embodiments of this application, the scanning module may also be an infrared scanner, a multispectral scanner, an imaging spectrometer, etc. Such scanning sensors can scan and image the ground along a direction perpendicular to the satellite's orbital direction. The size of the ground coverage area is related to the swing angle of the CCD (Charge-coupled Device) element and the scanning unit.

[0058] In some embodiments of this application, as exemplarily described, the scanning module may include a scanning unit. The scanning unit may be positioned close to the water outlet to scan water cups placed on the water platform. For example, in some usage scenarios, when the scanned water cups are all regular-shaped, the identification of the water cups can be completed by setting up a single scanning unit.

[0059] The scanning module of this application may also include multiple sensing units. These multiple scanning units may be arranged around the water receiving platform. Alternatively, the multiple scanning units may be arranged separately near the water outlet and near the water receiving platform. This is for scanning water cups placed on the water receiving platform. For example, in some usage scenarios, when frequently scanning irregularly shaped water cups, it is necessary to identify the cups from multiple angles.

[0060] In some usage scenarios of the aforementioned water dispensers, if the user is a child or elderly person, they may not be able to accurately align the water inlet of the cup with the water outlet on the dispenser, causing water to splash outside the cup when filling. In another scenario, if the water from the outlet splashes onto the ground, it may cause the ground to become slippery, making it easy for children or the elderly to slip and fall, thus posing a certain safety hazard.

[0061] Therefore, in order to reduce the aforementioned safety hazards, this application... Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating the execution steps of a control program in a controller, as shown in an exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 2 As shown, the controller of the drinking water device can be configured to perform at least the following steps:

[0062] Based on the scanning parameters collected by the scanning module, the outline of the rim of the water cup placed on the water receiving platform is determined;

[0063] Based on the outline of the cup rim, determine the outline of the cup mouth cutout, and then determine the effective water-receiving area of ​​the cup based on the outline of the cup mouth cutout.

[0064] Based on the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the preset water flow area, the placement position of the water cup is determined, and water flow control is implemented at the water outlet according to the determination result.

[0065] Specifically, the scanning parameters collected by the scanning module can be the coordinate parameters of the object between the water outlet and the water receiving platform in a three-dimensional coordinate system. Taking a distance sensor as an example, the scanning module scans the area of ​​the water receiving platform and simultaneously feeds back the identified coordinate information. This coordinate information can be represented as a spatial rectangular coordinate system (X, Y, Z) with the lower left corner of the water receiving platform as the origin. Here, X represents the X-axis, Y represents the Y-axis, and Z represents the Z-axis. Of course, the origin of the spatial rectangular coordinate system can also be any position between the water receiving platform and the water outlet.

[0066] To facilitate calculation, this application uses a direct coordinate system with the lower left corner of the water receiving platform as the origin, so that the three-dimensional space between the water outlet and the water receiving platform is located on the positive half-axis of the X-axis, the positive half-axis of the Y-axis, and the positive half-axis of the Z-axis.

[0067] After scanning the object between the water outlet and the water receiving platform using the scanning module, the object between the water outlet and the water receiving platform is represented by a coordinate model formed by a spatial rectangular coordinate system, wherein the plane formed by the X-axis and the Y-axis is used to represent the upper surface of the water receiving platform.

[0068] When determining the outline of the rim of a water cup placed on a water receiving platform, the coordinates of the cup's mouth can be determined in a spatial rectangular coordinate system. This can be done by taking the set of coordinates corresponding to the largest Z-axis coordinate value on the cup body and retaining the corresponding X-axis and Y-axis coordinate values, thus obtaining the set of coordinates corresponding to the outline of the rim of the water cup placed on the water receiving platform.

[0069] It should be noted that, due to the thickness of the cup's walls and the possibility of a covering at the rim, one or more perforated holes may be present at the rim of the cup.

[0070] Figure 3 This is a top view of the mouth structure of a water cup, illustrating an exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 3 As shown, the mouth of the water cup includes a water inlet 300 and a drinking spout 310. Both the water inlet 300 and the drinking spout 310 represent the hollow outline of the cup mouth. When determining the hollow outline of the cup mouth based on the outline of the cup rim, the determined hollow outline includes the annular outline corresponding to the water inlet 300 and the annular outline corresponding to the drinking spout 310. Simultaneously, since the drinking spout 310 is smaller than the water outlet, it cannot meet the water intake requirements of the water outlet; conversely, the water inlet 300 is larger than the water outlet and can meet the water intake requirements of the water outlet. Therefore, the hollow outline of the cup mouth corresponding to the water inlet 300 is defined as the effective water intake area of ​​the water cup.

[0071] In some embodiments of this application, Figure 4 This is a top view of the mouth structure of a water cup, illustrating another exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 4 As shown, if the cup body has only one rim cutout outline 400, it means that the rim outline of the cup includes both the outer and inner wall outlines. In this case, the inner wall outline is directly used as the rim cutout outline 400, and the area enclosed by this rim cutout outline 400 is defined as the effective water-receiving area of ​​the cup. Of course, the number of rim cutout outlines 400 is not limited to one or two; it depends on the specific usage scenario. Figure 5 This is a top view of the mouth structure of a water cup, illustrating yet another exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 5 As shown, the cup rim's openwork profile can include various combinations such as the water inlet 500, the straw inlet 510, and the filter inlet 520. The effective water-receiving area of ​​the cup is determined by the cup rim's openwork profile, which accommodates the size of the water outlet.

[0072] Once the effective water receiving area is determined, the placement of the water cup is determined based on the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the preset water flow area. Specifically, the preset water flow area represents the area of ​​the water column corresponding to the water outlet. Since the position of the water outlet relative to the position of the water receiving platform is fixed, the water flow area can be preset in the controller's control program. At the same time, since the position of the scanning module is fixed, the relative position represented by the coordinate model generated based on the spatial rectangular coordinate system is also fixed, and the relative position of the water flow area in the coordinate model is also relatively fixed.

[0073] After the water cup is placed on the water receiving platform, the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the water flow area of ​​the water cup is obtained by scanning. It is determined whether the water flow area is inside the effective water receiving area. If it is, the water outlet is controlled to dispense water; otherwise, the water outlet is controlled not to dispense water.

[0074] Through the above implementation method, the scanning module collects the scanning parameters between the water outlet and the water receiving platform. Based on the scanning parameters, the outline of the cup rim of the water cup placed on the water receiving platform is determined, and the hollow outline of the cup mouth of the water cup is determined based on the cup rim outline. The effective water receiving area of ​​the water cup is determined within the determined hollow outline of the cup mouth, and then the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the preset water flow area is determined. The water outlet is controlled by the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the water flow area. After the user places the water cup below the water outlet, the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the water flow area is used as the water outlet condition to control the water outlet, thereby reducing the situation where water splashes outside the water cup when the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the water flow area does not meet the water outlet condition.

[0075] It should be noted that, in order to execute the preset control program on the controller in the above embodiments, the controller of this application is equipped with a storage module for storing the control program. The storage module may include a built-in memory and an external memory. The built-in memory is located inside the controller, and the external memory is electrically connected to the controller. The external and built-in memories are used for writing and reading the control program, as well as storing execution parameters. For example, the built-in memory is generally directly connected to the CPU (Central Processing Unit) corresponding to the controller. Its storage capacity is generally small, but because it is directly connected to the CPU, its speed is relatively fast. In this application, the built-in memory is used to store the instructions and data of the currently running program and directly exchange information with the CPU. The built-in memory consists of many storage units, each capable of storing a binary number or an instruction represented by binary code. The internal memory is composed of random access memory and read-only memory. External memory refers to memory other than the memory configured in the controller and the CPU cache. Such memory can generally retain data even after power failure, such as hard disks, floppy disks, optical disks, and USB flash drives.

[0076] In some embodiments of this application, determining the cup rim profile based on the cup rim profile of the cup, according to the above embodiments, may further include at least the following steps:

[0077] Determine the outer edge contour of the water glass based on the rim contour of the glass;

[0078] The cup rim contour located inside the outer edge contour is defined as the cup mouth hollow contour.

[0079] Specifically, at the rim of the water cup, the scanned outline is segmented based on the cup's structure. For example, the cup's wall thickness. Other examples include decorative elements attached to the cup, the lid, or the filter plate.

[0080] It should be noted that the outermost contour of the cup rim is the outer rim contour of the cup, while the cup rim contour located inside the outer rim contour is represented by the cup mouth hollow contour, which connects the outside and inside of the cup.

[0081] Through the above implementation method, when determining the hollow outline of the cup mouth, the outer edge outline of the cup is used as a reference, and the cup rim outline inside the outer edge outline is used as the hollow outline of the cup mouth, making the hollow outline of the cup mouth easier to identify, thereby facilitating the quick location of the hollow outline of the cup mouth and improving the execution efficiency of the controller.

[0082] In some embodiments of this application, determining the effective water-receiving area of ​​the cup based on the hollowed-out contour of the cup rim, as described in the above embodiments, may further include at least the following steps:

[0083] Obtain the outlet area of ​​the water outlet;

[0084] Calculate the area of ​​the hollowed-out outline of the cup rim based on the coordinate information of the hollowed-out outline.

[0085] When the hollowed-out area is greater than or equal to the outlet area, the area enclosed by the hollowed-out outline of the cup mouth is determined as the effective water receiving area.

[0086] To illustrate, consider a water glass with three rim contours, one outer rim contour, and two openwork contours at the rim's opening. One openwork contour encloses a drinking spout, while the other encloses a receiving spout. If the area corresponding to the drinking spout is smaller than the outlet area of ​​the receiving spout, the water stream cannot completely pass through the area enclosed by the openwork contour to enter the glass. Conversely, if the area corresponding to the receiving spout is greater than or equal to the outlet area, the water stream can completely pass through the area enclosed by the openwork contour to enter the glass. In this case, the area enclosed by the openwork contour corresponding to the drinking spout is an invalid receiving area, while the area enclosed by the openwork contour corresponding to the receiving spout is a valid receiving area.

[0087] It should be noted that if multiple cup rim outlines have a cutout area greater than or equal to the outlet area, then the area enclosed by each cup rim outline is an effective water receiving area. This indicates that the water column flowing out of the outlet can enter the cup through the area enclosed by the cup rim outline.

[0088] Through the above implementation method, the effective water receiving area is determined by the size of the outlet area of ​​the water outlet. When the hollow area of ​​the cup mouth is greater than or equal to the outlet area of ​​the water outlet, it indicates that the water column flowing out of the water outlet can enter the water cup through the area enclosed by the cup mouth hollow outline. The area enclosed by the cup mouth hollow outline is thus determined as the effective water receiving area, ensuring that the water column flowing out of the water outlet does not contact the cup body and can flow into the cup body. At the same time, using the outlet area of ​​the water outlet as a reference for determining the effective water receiving area makes it easier to quickly find the effective water receiving area and improves the execution efficiency of the controller.

[0089] In some embodiments of this application, based on the above embodiments and the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the preset water flow area, determining the placement position of the water cup may further include at least the following steps:

[0090] Based on the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area, a first contour map corresponding to the effective water receiving area and a second contour map corresponding to the water flow area are generated.

[0091] Based on the first and second contour maps, determine the positional relationship between the water flow zone and the effective water receiving zone.

[0092] Specifically, in the above embodiments, a spatial rectangular coordinate system is established by scanning parameters obtained by the scanning module, and the outline information of the cup is represented in the form of coordinate points based on the spatial rectangular coordinate system. In this way, the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area can be obtained.

[0093] The coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area are explained by way of example. For the first contour map corresponding to the effective water receiving area, it can be formed by extracting the X-axis coordinate value and Y-axis coordinate value from the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area, representing all the extracted X-axis coordinate value and Y-axis coordinate value through a plane rectangular coordinate system, and connecting all the coordinate points formed by the X-axis coordinate value and Y-axis coordinate value.

[0094] Similarly, the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area are explained by way of example. For the second contour map corresponding to the water flow area, it can be formed by extracting the X-axis coordinate value and Y-axis coordinate value from the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area, representing all the extracted X-axis coordinate value and Y-axis coordinate value through a plane rectangular coordinate system, and connecting all the coordinate points formed by the X-axis coordinate value and Y-axis coordinate value.

[0095] Based on the formation of the first and second contour maps, the coordinate information corresponding to the first and second contour maps is represented by the same Cartesian coordinate system. The coordinate information corresponding to the first and second contour maps is compared with the coordinate information corresponding to the second contour map to determine the positional relationship between the flow zone and the effective water receiving zone.

[0096] Through the above implementation method, a first contour map and a second contour map are generated based on the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area, respectively. The positional relationship between the first contour map and the second contour map is compared based on the coordinate information of the first contour map and the second contour map to determine the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area. By judging the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area through coordinate information, the convenience and reliability of the judgment result of the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area can be improved.

[0097] In some embodiments of this application, generating a first contour map of the effective water receiving area and a second contour map of the water flow area based on the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area in the above embodiments may further include at least the following steps:

[0098] On a plane perpendicular to the water outlet direction, a first contour map is generated based on the hollowed-out contour of the cup mouth corresponding to the effective water receiving area, and a second contour map is generated based on the contour corresponding to the water flow area.

[0099] As an example, in the above embodiment, a spatial rectangular coordinate system is established by the scanning parameters obtained by the scanning module, and the outline information of the cup is represented in the form of coordinate points based on the spatial rectangular coordinate system. In this way, the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area can be obtained.

[0100] For the second contour diagram corresponding to the water flow area, the Z-axis coordinate value in the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area can be determined as an arbitrary value. For example, the Z-axis coordinate value corresponding to the origin. Another example is the Z-axis coordinate value corresponding to the highest point of the cup, and so on.

[0101] Similarly, for the first contour map corresponding to the effective water-receiving area, the Z-axis coordinate value in the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water-receiving area can be determined as an arbitrary value. For example, the Z-axis coordinate value corresponding to the origin. Another example is the Z-axis coordinate value corresponding to the highest point of the cup, and so on.

[0102] In this context, the Z-axis coordinate value in the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow zone and the Z-axis coordinate value in the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving zone are selected to be the same value. Based on this, the coordinate information corresponding to the first contour map and the coordinate information corresponding to the second contour map can be represented on the same plane in the spatial rectangular coordinate system. Based on the coordinate information corresponding to the first contour map and the coordinate information corresponding to the second contour map, the coordinate information corresponding to the first contour map and the coordinate information corresponding to the second contour map are compared to determine the positional relationship between the water flow zone and the effective water receiving zone.

[0103] Through the above implementation method, a first contour map and a second contour map are generated based on the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area, respectively. The first contour map and the second contour map are represented on the same plane. The positional relationship between the first contour map and the second contour map is compared based on the coordinate information of the first contour map and the second contour map to determine the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area. Thus, the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area can be judged through coordinate information, thereby improving the convenience and reliability of the judgment result of the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area.

[0104] In some embodiments of this application, Figure 6 This is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the first contour map 600 and the second contour map 610, as shown in an exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 6 As shown, in the above embodiment, determining the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area based on the first contour map 600 and the second contour map 610 may further include at least the following steps:

[0105] If the second contour map 610 is located within the first contour map, then the water flow area is determined to be located inside the effective water receiving area;

[0106] If a portion of the second contour map 610 is located within the first contour map, then a portion of the water flow area is determined to be located inside the effective water receiving area;

[0107] If the second contour 610 is located outside the first contour, then the water flow area is determined to be located outside the effective water receiving area.

[0108] To illustrate by example, in one scenario, based on the coordinate information corresponding to the first contour map 600 and the coordinate information corresponding to the second contour map 610, if all the coordinate values ​​corresponding to the second contour map 610 belong to the coordinate values ​​within the area enclosed by the first contour map 600, it indicates that the water flow area is located inside the effective water receiving area.

[0109] In another scenario, based on the coordinate information corresponding to the first contour map 600 and the coordinate information corresponding to the second contour map, if a portion of the coordinate values ​​corresponding to the second contour map 610 belong to the coordinate values ​​within the area enclosed by the first contour map 600, and another portion of the coordinate values ​​corresponding to the second contour map 610 belong to the coordinate values ​​outside the area enclosed by the first contour map 600, then it indicates that a portion of the water flow zone is located inside the effective water receiving zone.

[0110] In another scenario, based on the coordinate information corresponding to the first contour map 600 and the coordinate information corresponding to the second contour map 610, if all the coordinate values ​​corresponding to the second contour map 610 belong to the coordinate values ​​outside the area enclosed by the first contour map 600, it indicates that the water flow area is located outside the effective water receiving area.

[0111] Through the above implementation method, based on the coordinate information corresponding to the first contour map and the coordinate information corresponding to the second contour map, the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area is determined by the inclusion relationship between all coordinate values ​​corresponding to the second contour map and the coordinate values ​​within the area enclosed by the first contour map, thereby improving the execution efficiency of the controller.

[0112] In some embodiments of this application, determining the placement of the water cup based on the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the preset water flow area in the above embodiments may further include at least the following steps:

[0113] If the water flow area is located inside the effective water receiving area, then the placement of the water cup is determined to be normal.

[0114] If part of the water flow area is located inside the effective water receiving area, the placement of the water cup is considered abnormal.

[0115] If the water flow area is located outside the effective water receiving area, it is determined that the placement of the water cup is abnormal.

[0116] Specifically, if the water flow area is located inside the effective water receiving area, it means that the water column formed by the water outlet can completely pass through the effective water receiving area and enter the water cup. Therefore, water will not splash outside during the water receiving process, and it is determined that the placement of the water cup is not abnormal.

[0117] Furthermore, if a portion of the water flow area is located inside the effective water receiving area, it means that only a portion of the water column formed by the water outlet can enter the water cup through the effective water receiving area. Therefore, water will splash outside during the water receiving process, indicating that the placement of the water cup is abnormal.

[0118] If the water flow area is located outside the effective water receiving area, it means that the water column formed by the water outlet cannot enter the water cup through the effective water receiving area. Therefore, water will splash outside during the water receiving process, indicating that the placement of the water cup is abnormal.

[0119] Through the above implementation method, it is determined that the placement of the water cup is not abnormal based on the water flow area being located inside the effective water receiving area, and it is determined that the placement of the water cup is abnormal based on a part of the water flow area being located inside the effective water receiving area and the water flow area being located outside the effective water receiving area. Based on clear judgment conditions, the abnormal state of the water cup placement is identified, thereby improving the control efficiency of the controller.

[0120] In some embodiments of this application, Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the execution steps of a control program in a controller, as shown in another exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 7 As shown, in the above embodiments, the water outlet control based on the judgment result may further include at least the following steps:

[0121] If the water cup's placement is determined to be normal, the water outlet will dispense water; otherwise, the water outlet will not dispense water.

[0122] To illustrate, when it is determined that the placement of the water cup is not abnormal, the water flow area is aligned with the effective water receiving area, preventing water from splashing out during the water receiving process. Therefore, the water outlet of the drinking device can control the water outlet to dispense water based on the received water receiving command. This water receiving command can be triggered via the control panel on the drinking device.

[0123] When it is determined that the water cup is not placed in an abnormal position, the water flow area is not aligned with the effective water receiving area, which may cause water to splash out during the water receiving process. Therefore, the water outlet of the water dispenser controls the water outlet to prevent water from flowing out based on the water receiving command received.

[0124] Through the above implementation method, when the water cup is not in an abnormal position, the present application can control the water outlet to dispense water according to the water receiving command. However, when the water cup is in an abnormal position, even if a water receiving command is received, the controller will also control the water outlet to prevent water from dispensing, thereby reducing the probability of water splashing out.

[0125] In some embodiments of this application, the drinking device may further include a prompting module, which is electrically connected to the controller. The controller may also be configured to perform the following steps:

[0126] If the water cup placement is determined to be abnormal, the control prompt module will issue an alarm; otherwise, it will issue a water dispensing prompt.

[0127] It should be noted that the notification module of this application can notify the user of abnormal situations through various means such as sound, light, and vibration.

[0128] For example, the prompting module can be a sound-emitting component, which emits a sound to prompt the user when the result of judging the placement of the water cup is abnormal.

[0129] For example, the prompt module can be a light-emitting component, which can emit a flash to prompt the user when the result of the water cup placement judgment is abnormal.

[0130] For example, the notification module can be a vibration component, which can vibrate to alert the user when the placement of the water cup is determined to be abnormal.

[0131] For example, Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of a refrigerator, illustrating another exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 8 As shown, the prompt module can be a display component. When the result of the water cup placement judgment is abnormal, the display component can display preset prompt content to prompt the user. At the same time, the color of the display content can be set, such as red or yellow, to make the display content more eye-catching and thus enhance the prompt effect.

[0132] Of course, no specific restrictions are placed on the specific structure of the prompt module in this application; it is only provided as an example.

[0133] Through the above implementation method, when the result of judging the placement of the water cup is abnormal, the prompt module will promptly remind the user so that the user can adjust the position of the water cup in time.

[0134] Regarding the accompanying drawings of the various embodiments of this application, it should be noted that the flowcharts and block diagrams in the drawings illustrate the architecture, functions, and operations of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of this application. Each block in a flowchart or block diagram may represent a module, program segment, or part of code, which includes one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions marked in the blocks may occur in a different order than that shown in the drawings. For example, two consecutively indicated blocks may actually be executed substantially in parallel, and they may sometimes be executed in reverse order, depending on the functions involved. It should also be noted that each block in a block diagram or flowchart, and combinations of blocks in a block diagram or flowchart, can be implemented using a dedicated hardware-based system that performs the specified function or operation, or using a combination of dedicated hardware and computer instructions.

[0135] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0136] For ease of explanation, the above description has been provided in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, the above exemplary discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the specific forms disclosed above. Various modifications and variations can be obtained based on the above teachings. The selection and description of the above embodiments are for the purpose of better explaining the principles and practical applications, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better utilize the described embodiments and various different variations of embodiments suitable for specific use considerations.

Claims

1. A drinking water device, characterized in that, include: The water outlet section is equipped with a water outlet. A water tray for placing water cups; The scanning module is used to collect scanning parameters between the water outlet and the water receiving platform; A controller, electrically connected to the scanning module, is configured to perform the following steps: Based on the scanning parameters collected by the scanning module, the outline of the rim of the water cup placed on the water receiving platform is determined; Based on the outline of the cup rim, the outline of the cup mouth is determined, and the effective water-receiving area of ​​the cup is determined based on the outline of the cup mouth. Based on the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the preset water flow area, the placement position of the water cup is determined, and water flow control is performed on the water outlet according to the determination result.

2. The drinking water device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the cutout outline of the cup mouth based on the outline of the cup rim includes: The outer edge contour of the water cup is determined from the rim contour of the water cup; The cup rim profile located inside the outer edge profile is defined as the cup mouth hollow profile.

3. The drinking water device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the effective water-receiving area of ​​the cup based on the hollowed-out contour of the cup rim includes: Obtain the outlet area of ​​the water outlet; Calculate the hollow area of ​​the cup rim hollow outline based on the coordinate information of the hollow outline; When the hollow area is greater than or equal to the outlet area, the area enclosed by the hollow outline of the cup mouth is determined as the effective water receiving area.

4. The drinking water device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining the placement position of the water cup based on the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the preset water flow area includes: Based on the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area, a first contour map corresponding to the effective water receiving area and a second contour map corresponding to the water flow area are generated. Based on the first contour map and the second contour map, the positional relationship between the water flow area and the effective water receiving area is determined.

5. The drinking water device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step of generating a first contour map of the effective water receiving area and a second contour map of the water flow area based on the coordinate information corresponding to the effective water receiving area and the coordinate information corresponding to the water flow area includes: On a plane perpendicular to the water outlet direction, a first contour map is generated based on the cup opening hollow contour corresponding to the effective water receiving area, and a second contour map is generated based on the contour corresponding to the water flow area.

6. The drinking water device according to claim 4, characterized in that, Determining the positional relationship between the water flow zone and the effective water receiving zone based on the first contour map and the second contour map includes: If the second contour map is located within the first contour map, then the water flow area is determined to be located inside the effective water receiving area; If a portion of the second contour map is located within the first contour map, then it is determined that a portion of the water flow area is located inside the effective water receiving area; If the second contour map is located outside the first contour map, then the water flow area is determined to be located outside the effective water receiving area.

7. The drinking water device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The step of determining the placement position of the water cup based on the positional relationship between the effective water receiving area and the preset water flow area includes: If the water flow area is located inside the effective water receiving area, it is determined that the placement of the water cup is not abnormal; If a portion of the water flow area is located inside the effective water receiving area, it is determined that the placement of the water cup is abnormal. If the water flow area is located outside the effective water receiving area, it is determined that the placement of the water cup is abnormal.

8. The drinking water device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of controlling the water flow from the outlet based on the judgment result includes: If the water cup's placement is determined to be normal, the water outlet will dispense water; otherwise, the water outlet will not dispense water.

9. The drinking water device according to any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, The drinking device also includes a prompting module, which is electrically connected to the controller; the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: If the placement of the water cup is determined to be abnormal, the prompting module is controlled to issue an alarm; otherwise, the prompting module is controlled to issue a water dispensing prompt.

10. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: The drinking water device as described in any one of claims 1-9; A refrigeration component is used to cool drinking water, and the cooled drinking water flows out through the water outlet of the drinking device.

Images