Self-cleaning control method and device of cleaning equipment and cleaning equipment

Abstract

The invention provides a self-cleaning control method and device of cleaning equipment and the cleaning equipment, and relates to the technical field of cleaning equipment, the cleaning equipment comprises a clear water tank, a first light conduction structure and a first optical sensor, the first light conduction structure is fixedly arranged in the clear water tank, and the first optical sensor comprises a first transmitting end and a first receiving end; the first transmitting end is used for transmitting an optical signal into the first optical conduction structure, and the first receiving end is used for receiving the optical signal emitted by the first optical conduction structure; the method comprises the following steps: in response to a self-cleaning instruction, determining a first liquid level height in a clear water tank based on a first optical sensor and a first light conduction structure; under the condition that the first liquid level height is smaller than or equal to a first threshold value, water level early warning information is generated. According to the method, a traditional passive interruption mechanism is replaced with water level early warning, it is ensured that the self-cleaning task can be smoothly completed under the condition that the self-cleaning task is not interrupted, and smooth and coherent automatic cleaning experience is provided.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of cleaning equipment, in particular to a self-cleaning control method and device of a cleaning equipment and the cleaning equipment. BACKGROUND

[0002] In modern household cleaning, the scrubber with self-cleaning function greatly improves the user experience. The main principle is that the cleaning equipment returns to the cleaning base station after completing the cleaning of the surface to be cleaned and starts the self-cleaning task. At this time, the clean water in the water tank is sprayed to the roller brush, and the roller brush rotates at high speed, and cooperates with the scraper and suction force to recover the washed sewage to the sewage tank to realize the self-cleaning of the roller brush.

[0003] In the related art, when the scrubber performs the self-cleaning task, it needs to rely on the clean water tank to provide clean water. When the self-cleaning task is started, the control system can continuously detect the liquid level in the clean water tank.

[0004] However, if the water in the clean water tank is consumed during the self-cleaning process, the self-cleaning task will be forced to be interrupted, and the user needs to intervene. At this time, after the clean water tank is refilled, the remaining self-cleaning task can be restarted and completed. This non-intelligent interruption seriously affects the continuity of the automatic experience and brings inconvenience to the user. SUMMARY

[0005] The present application provides a self-cleaning control method and device of a cleaning equipment and the cleaning equipment. By setting a first light transmission structure inside the clean water tank, the first liquid level height of the clean water tank body is sensed in real time based on the first optical sensor to determine the liquid level, so that the risk of insufficient water is identified before the self-cleaning task starts, and the problem that the self-cleaning task is forced to be interrupted due to insufficient water in the prior art is solved.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present application provides a self-cleaning control method of a cleaning equipment. The cleaning equipment includes a clean water tank, a first light transmission structure and a first optical sensor. The first light transmission structure is fixedly arranged in the clean water tank and extends along the height direction of the clean water tank. The first optical sensor includes a first emitting end and a first receiving end. The first emitting end is used to emit a light signal to the inside of the first light transmission structure, and the first receiving end is used to receive the light signal emitted by the first light transmission structure. The method comprises:

[0007] In response to a self-cleaning instruction, the first liquid level height in the clean water tank is determined based on the first optical sensor and the first light transmission structure.

[0008] If the first liquid level height is less than or equal to a first threshold, a water level warning information is generated.

[0009] Compared with the prior art, the first light transmission structure is directly arranged in the clean water tank, and the first liquid level height in the clean water tank is directly detected by the first optical sensor and the first light transmission structure. That is, the difference in light reflection and light refraction caused by "water" and "air" is used to directly convert the physical quantity of the first liquid level height into the change quantity of the light signal intensity for real-time detection. The water quantity in the clean water tank is judged before the self-cleaning task starts, and the water level warning information is sent in advance when the first liquid level height in the clean water tank is less than or equal to the first threshold value, that is, when the remaining water quantity is insufficient, so as to avoid the interruption of the self-cleaning task during execution. Moreover, the intervention opportunity is changed from passive response after task interruption to active preparation before task start, that is, the water is replenished in advance according to the water level warning information, which simplifies the operation process and eliminates the cumbersome process of stopping the cleaning device suddenly during self-cleaning, then waiting for water replenishment and restarting. Because of the above control logic based on the application, the self-cleaning task can be continuously and uninterruptedly completed under the premise of sufficient water quantity once it starts, thereby providing a smooth automatic experience.

[0010] In addition, by generating the water level warning information, the user can be timely informed to replenish water, so that the user does not need to replenish water and restart the self-cleaning during the self-cleaning, thereby improving the user experience.

[0011] Optionally, the first liquid level height in the clean water tank is determined based on the first optical sensor and the first light transmission structure, and the method comprises the following steps.

[0012] The first light signal information of the first receiving end is determined, and the first light signal information comprises the received light signal reflected by the first light transmission structure and the non-received light signal reflected by the first light transmission structure.

[0013] The first liquid level height in the clean water tank is determined based on the first light signal information.

[0014] In this way, the application can detect the water level based on whether the light signal is received by the first receiving end, thereby avoiding the problem that the analog signal measurement is easily disturbed and enhancing the robustness of detection. Moreover, the above detection method can be realized by the first light transmission structure and the first optical sensor, without complex mechanical moving parts or precise measurement circuits. The entire detection unit has a compact structure and is easy to install and integrate in the small space of the clean water tank, thereby improving the use convenience. In addition, the above detection method detects the water level based on physical optical phenomena, can realize real-time liquid level state detection, and greatly improves the response speed of detection.

[0015] Optionally, the first light signal information of the first receiving end is determined, and the method comprises the following steps.

[0016] When a first medium is provided around the first optical transmission structure, the first optical signal information is determined to be the optical signal reflected by the first optical transmission structure received by the first receiving end.

[0017] When a second medium surrounds the first optical transmission structure, the first optical signal information is determined to be an optical signal that the first receiving end did not receive reflected by the first optical transmission structure; wherein, the refractive index of the first medium is less than the refractive index of the second medium, and the refractive indices of both the first medium and the second medium are less than the refractive index of the first optical transmission structure.

[0018] Understandably, the above detection method determines the occurrence or disappearance of total internal reflection by detecting changes in the medium surrounding the first light-conducting structure, thereby detecting the liquid level. Therefore, this detection method is based on stable optical physics principles and is unaffected by scale, liquid color, bubbles, or temperature changes, resulting in highly reliable detection results and extremely high reliability and anti-interference capabilities. Furthermore, the change in the medium's refractive index is instantaneous, making liquid level detection virtually delay-free and enabling real-time response to changes in liquid level, significantly improving the detection rate.

[0019] Optionally, the cleaning device further includes a second optical sensor, which is vertically positioned above the first optical sensor. The second optical sensor includes a second transmitting end and a second receiving end. The second transmitting end is used to transmit light signals into the interior of the first light-conducting structure, and the second receiving end is used to receive light signals emitted from the first light-conducting structure. The method further includes:

[0020] During the process of replenishing the clean water tank, the second liquid level height inside the clean water tank is determined based on the second optical sensor and the first light transmission structure;

[0021] If the second liquid level is greater than or equal to the second threshold, a water full alarm is generated and water replenishment to the clean water tank is stopped; the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

[0022] In this way, this application transforms the water tank replenishment process from user-based addition to automatic control by the cleaning equipment to a safe water level, preventing water tank overflow due to overfilling, which could damage the internal circuitry or cause leaks. Furthermore, users no longer need to monitor the equipment or worry about overfilling. The cleaning equipment automatically stops and notifies the user when the tank is full, achieving a complete automated closed loop of "water addition-full-automatic stop-notification." This effectively prevents water waste and the risk of equipment malfunction due to water immersion, greatly enhancing the product's convenience and intelligence. In addition, the second sensor reuses the existing first optical transmission structure, eliminating the need for a new, complex structure for water level detection. This effectively controls hardware cost increases while adding full-water detection functionality.

[0023] As can be seen from the above embodiments, compared with the existing detection scheme that uses a Hall sensor and a magnetic float, which leads to detection point drift and inaccurate water replenishment control, this application precisely installs the second optical sensor in the vertical direction directly opposite the top of the first light transmission structure. When the water level is not full, the top of the first light transmission structure is in contact with the air, satisfying the condition of total internal reflection, and the second receiver can receive the light signal; when the water level rises to just submerge the top of the first light transmission structure, the light is refracted, and the light signal received by the second receiver is rapidly attenuated or disappears. Furthermore, during the water replenishment process, once the second liquid level height is detected to be greater than or equal to the second threshold, a full water alarm is immediately generated, and the water replenishment valve is instantly closed.

[0024] Optionally, the top of the first light-conducting structure contacts the top cover of the water tank, and the second receiving end is able to receive the light signal reflected from the top of the first light-conducting structure. The method includes:

[0025] When the liquid in the clear water tank reaches the top of the first light transmission structure, the second liquid level height is determined to be equal to the second threshold.

[0026] Therefore, by using the top of the first optical transmission structure as the detection area, the second threshold is linked to the physical maximum capacity of the clean water tank. This eliminates uncertainties caused by the installation tolerance or calibration error of the second optical sensor, achieving accurate and reliable full-water detection. Furthermore, since the detection area is located at the highest possible water level, it immediately responds and stops replenishing water when the second liquid level reaches the top of the clean water tank, effectively preventing equipment damage or malfunctions caused by liquid overflow and ensuring that the cleaning equipment operates within its safe capacity range.

[0027] Furthermore, the design of having the top of the first light-conducting structure in contact with the top cover of the clean water tank eliminates the need to separately determine and calibrate a detection height for the second threshold during the production process of the cleaning equipment, as it is determined by the physical top height of the first light-conducting structure itself, thus improving product consistency.

[0028] Optionally, the method also includes:

[0029] Before performing the water replenishment task on the clean water tank, confirm the location information of the clean water tank;

[0030] When the presence information indicates that the clean water tank is in place, the control executes the water replenishment task.

[0031] Therefore, by obtaining the location information of the clean water tank before it is replenished, it can be determined whether the tank is in place. This effectively prevents water from being added if the tank is not properly installed, thus avoiding water directly entering the cleaning equipment and causing short circuits, component damage, or other safety hazards. Furthermore, performing a location check before replenishment can also prevent malfunctions caused by user negligence, such as starting water replenishment before the tank is properly installed, thereby improving the overall reliability and safety of the cleaning equipment.

[0032] Optionally, the cleaning device also includes a second light transmission structure and a third optical sensor. The second light transmission structure is disposed inside the clean water tank and extends along the height of the clean water tank. A hollow layer is provided on the outer side of the light emitting surface of the second light transmission structure. The third optical sensor includes a third transmitting end and a third receiving end. The third transmitting end is used to transmit light signals to the second light transmission structure, and the third receiving end is used to receive the light signals emitted by the second light transmission structure. Determining the presence information of the clean water tank includes:

[0033] Determine the second optical signal information of the third receiving end, which includes the optical signal received from the second optical transmission structure and the optical signal not received from the second optical transmission structure;

[0034] When the third receiving end receives the light signal reflected by the second optical transmission structure, it is determined that the water tank is in place.

[0035] Therefore, by setting the outer side of the second light transmission structure as a hollow layer, the problem of poor accuracy in in-situ detection by a single-layer light emitting surface can be effectively avoided. This is because the presence or absence of liquid in the water tank does not affect the determination of the water tank's in-situ status. In contrast, a single-layer light emitting surface is prone to misjudging that the water tank is in-situ even when there is no liquid inside. Thus, this application, through the setting of a hollow layer, allows the determination of whether the water tank is in-situ to be directly correlated with whether a reflected light signal is received. The logic is clear and simple, greatly reducing the risk of misjudgment and significantly improving the anti-interference capability and reliability of the detection.

[0036] Optionally, the cleaning device further includes a fourth optical sensor, positioned lower than the first optical sensor. The fourth optical sensor includes a fourth transmitter and a fourth receiver. The fourth transmitter emits light signals into the interior of the first light-conducting structure, and the fourth receiver receives light signals emitted from the first light-conducting structure. The method further includes:

[0037] In response to the self-cleaning command, the third liquid level height in the clean water tank is determined based on the fourth optical sensor and the first light transmission structure;

[0038] A water shortage alarm is generated when the third liquid level is less than or equal to the third threshold; the third threshold is less than the first threshold.

[0039] Thus, this application adds a fourth optical sensor located at a lower position, based on the first and second optical sensors. These three optical sensors, in conjunction with the first light transmission structure, divide the water tank level from an "unknown" state into several identifiable states, such as "high water level full alarm state," "intermediate water level warning state," and "low water level shortage alarm state," achieving quantification and status perception of water volume. Furthermore, because the fourth optical sensor is positioned lower than the first optical sensor that triggers the water level warning, the cleaning equipment can promptly generate a water shortage alarm by determining whether the third water level in the tank has dropped to less than or equal to a third threshold. This prevents damage to the equipment caused by the water pump running dry, allowing users to intervene in advance and improving operational safety.

[0040] In addition, by generating water shortage alarm messages, users can be promptly notified that water needs to be added, preventing them from discovering the problem only after the cleaning equipment has completely stopped, thereby improving the user experience.

[0041] Optionally, if the first liquid level is less than or equal to a first threshold, a water level warning message is generated, including:

[0042] Determine the duration during which the first liquid level height is less than or equal to the first threshold.

[0043] If the duration exceeds a preset duration threshold, a water level warning will be generated.

[0044] Since the cleaning equipment may be briefly tilted, shaken, or experience momentary fluctuations in the liquid level after being placed in the cleaning base station, resulting in the instantaneous detection of a low water level, this application, by performing multiple tests and adding a delay judgment when starting self-cleaning, can effectively filter out transient interference signals. It only issues an alarm when it confirms a continuous and genuine low water level state, greatly improving the accuracy and reliability of the warning, thereby effectively preventing false alarms, reducing interference to users, and enhancing the user experience.

[0045] Optionally, the cleaning equipment also includes a display interface for displaying the liquid level information in the clean water tank; the method further includes:

[0046] During the self-cleaning process of the cleaning equipment, at least the first liquid level height detected by the first optical sensor is visualized on the display interface.

[0047] In this way, users no longer need to guess how much water is left in the clean water tank; they can directly obtain clear liquid level information through the display interface. This allows users to easily understand the status of the cleaning equipment and the remaining water volume at any time, increasing their peace of mind during operation. Furthermore, this visual display method provides a more intuitive human-computer interaction, making the product appear more intelligent and significantly enhancing the user experience.

[0048] Optionally, the cleaning device further includes a fifth optical sensor. A hollow layer is provided on the outer side of the light-emitting surface of the middle portion of the first light-conducting structure. The fifth optical sensor includes a fifth transmitting end and a fifth receiving end. The fifth transmitting end is used to transmit light signals to the first light-conducting structure, and the fifth receiving end is used to receive the light signals emitted from the first light-conducting structure. The method further includes:

[0049] The presence information of the clear water tank is determined based on the fifth optical sensor and the first light transmission structure;

[0050] When the presence information indicates that the clean water tank is in place, the cleaning equipment is controlled to perform self-cleaning.

[0051] In this way, by reusing the first optical transmission structure used for liquid level detection to achieve in-situ detection of the water tank, there is no need to introduce a separate second optical transmission structure and a third optical sensor as in the above schemes, which significantly simplifies the structure and saves space and material costs. Moreover, the hollow layer structure design on the outer side of the light emitting surface in the middle section of the first optical transmission structure ensures that the reflected light signal can only be accurately received when the clear water tank is fully installed, thus improving the detection accuracy.

[0052] Secondly, this application provides a self-cleaning control device for a cleaning equipment. The cleaning equipment includes a clean water tank, a first light transmission structure, and a first optical sensor. The first light transmission structure is fixedly disposed inside the clean water tank and extends along the height direction of the clean water tank. The first optical sensor includes a first transmitting end and a first receiving end. The first transmitting end is used to transmit light signals into the interior of the first light transmission structure, and the first receiving end is used to receive light signals emitted from the first light transmission structure. The device includes:

[0053] A determination module is used to determine the first liquid level height in the clean water tank based on the first optical sensor and the first light transmission structure in response to a self-cleaning command;

[0054] The generation module is used to generate water level warning information when the first liquid level height is less than or equal to the first threshold.

[0055] Thirdly, this application provides a cleaning device, which includes a clean water tank, a first light transmission structure, a first optical sensor, and a controller. The first light transmission structure is fixedly installed in the clean water tank in a vertical direction and extends along the height direction of the clean water tank. The first optical sensor includes a first transmitting end and a first receiving end. The first transmitting end is used to transmit light signals into the interior of the first light transmission structure, and the first receiving end is used to receive light signals emitted from the first light transmission structure.

[0056] A first optical sensor is used to determine the first liquid level height in the clean water tank based on a first light transmission structure in response to a self-cleaning command.

[0057] The controller is used to generate a water level warning message when the first liquid level is less than or equal to a first threshold.

[0058] It should be noted that the second and third aspects of this application correspond to the technical solutions of the first aspect of this application, and the beneficial effects achieved by each aspect and the corresponding feasible implementation are similar, and will not be repeated here.

[0059] The self-cleaning control method, apparatus, and cleaning equipment provided in this application utilize a first light transmission structure fixedly installed inside the clean water tank of the cleaning equipment. This first light transmission structure extends along the height of the clean water tank, and a first optical sensor is installed on the outside of the clean water tank at a position corresponding to a specific surface of the first light transmission structure. The first optical sensor includes a first transmitter and a first receiver. Thus, after the cleaning equipment responds to a self-cleaning command, the first transmitter continuously or intermittently emits light signals into the interior of the first light transmission structure, and the first receiver detects the light signals emitted back from the first light transmission structure in real time. By utilizing the differences in refraction and reflection of light in different media (air / water), the real-time first liquid level height in the clean water tank can be accurately determined. Furthermore, the first liquid level height is compared with a first threshold, which represents the minimum safe water volume required to successfully complete one self-cleaning task. If the current first liquid level height is determined to be less than or equal to the first threshold, it means that the remaining water volume is insufficient to support the completion of the entire self-cleaning process, and a water level warning message is immediately generated to prompt the user to add water in advance to avoid interruption of the task. Therefore, this application replaces the traditional passive interruption mechanism with an early water level warning, ensuring that the self-cleaning task can be completed smoothly without interruption, without requiring user intervention during the self-cleaning task, thus providing a smooth and continuous automated cleaning experience, fundamentally avoiding the problem of forced interruption and user waiting caused by water depletion. Attached Figure Description

[0060] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0061] Figure 1 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a cleaning device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0062] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a clean water tank provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0063] Figure 3 A schematic diagram illustrating the principle of an optical sensor provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0064] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided by an embodiment of this application;

[0065] Figure 5 A schematic flowchart illustrating a self-cleaning control method for a cleaning device provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0066] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a self-cleaning control device for a cleaning equipment provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0067] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0068] The accompanying drawings illustrate specific embodiments of this application, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concept of this application to those skilled in the art through reference to particular embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0069] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.

[0070] To facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used in the embodiments of this application to distinguish identical or similar items with essentially the same function and effect. For example, the terms "first optical transmission structure" and "second optical transmission structure" are merely used to distinguish different optical transmission structures and do not limit their order. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first" and "second" do not limit the quantity or execution order, and the terms "first" and "second" are not necessarily different.

[0071] It should be noted that, in this application, the terms "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is being described as an example, illustration, or illustration. Any embodiment or design described as "exemplary" or "for example" in this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design solutions. Specifically, the use of terms such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner.

[0072] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can mean: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0073] In related technologies, the floor scrubber relies on a clean water tank to provide clean water when performing the self-cleaning task. Once the self-cleaning task is started, its control system can continuously monitor the liquid level in the clean water tank.

[0074] However, if the water in the clean water tank runs out during the self-cleaning process, the self-cleaning task will be forced to stop, awaiting user intervention. At this point, it is necessary to wait for the water tank to be refilled before the self-cleaning task can be restarted and completed. This non-intelligent interruption severely affects the continuity of the automation experience and causes inconvenience to users.

[0075] To address the aforementioned problems, this application provides a self-cleaning control method for a cleaning device. A first light-conducting structure is fixedly installed inside the clean water tank of the cleaning device, extending along the height of the tank. A first optical sensor is installed on the outside of the tank at a position corresponding to a specific surface of the light-conducting structure. The first optical sensor includes a first transmitter and a first receiver. After the cleaning device responds to a self-cleaning command, the first transmitter continuously or intermittently emits light signals into the first light-conducting structure. The first receiver detects the light signals emitted back from the first light-conducting structure in real time. By utilizing the differences in refraction and reflection of light in different media (air / water), the real-time first liquid level height in the clean water tank can be accurately determined. Furthermore, the first liquid level height is compared with a first threshold, which represents the minimum safe water volume required to successfully complete one self-cleaning task. If the current first liquid level height is determined to be less than or equal to the first threshold, it means that the remaining water volume is insufficient to support the completion of the entire self-cleaning process. Therefore, a water level warning message is immediately generated to prompt the user to add water in advance to avoid interruption of the task. Therefore, this application replaces the traditional passive interruption mechanism with an early water level warning, ensuring that the self-cleaning task can be completed smoothly without interruption, without requiring user intervention during the self-cleaning task, thus providing a smooth and continuous automated cleaning experience, fundamentally avoiding the problem of forced interruption and user waiting caused by water depletion.

[0076] Optionally, the self-cleaning control method for cleaning equipment provided in this application is applied to cleaning equipment, for example, Figure 1 This is a partial structural diagram of a cleaning device provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a clean water tank provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the cleaning device 100 includes: a clean water tank 101, a first light transmission structure 102, and a first optical sensor 103. The first light transmission structure 102 extends along the height direction of the clean water tank 101 and is fixedly installed inside the clean water tank 101. The first optical sensor 103 includes a first transmitting end and a first receiving end. The first transmitting end is used to transmit light signals into the interior of the first light transmission structure 102, and the first receiving end is used to receive the light signals emitted from the first light transmission structure 102.

[0077] The vertical direction along the height of the clean water tank 101 can be understood as the vertical direction. That is, when the clean water tank 101 is installed on the cleaning equipment 100, such as on a floor scrubber, the direction away from the surface to be cleaned is the vertical direction of the clean water tank 101.

[0078] It should be noted that the first light transmission structure 102, as an optical prism, has a triangular prism structure with a triangular cross-section in the horizontal direction. Its core principle is the refraction and total internal reflection phenomena that occur at the interface of different media. When light travels from an optically denser medium (such as a triangular prism made of acrylic) to an optically less dense medium (such as air), total internal reflection will occur if the angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle. However, if the optically less dense medium is replaced by water, the condition for total internal reflection will be broken, and the light will be refracted into the water.

[0079] It should also be noted that the first receiving end is used to receive the optical signal emitted by the first optical transmission structure 102, which may refer to receiving the optical signal reflected by the first optical transmission structure 102 or the optical signal refracted by the first optical transmission structure 102.

[0080] Since the first light transmission structure 102 is fixed inside the clean water tank 101, it is equivalent to establishing a stable optical scale on the liquid level detection path. The propagation path of light inside the first light transmission structure 102 is fixed, and its reflection or refraction state is determined only by the medium (liquid or air) in contact with the outer surface of the first light transmission structure 102.

[0081] For example, Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the principle of an optical sensor provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 3 As shown, the optical sensor includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter is used to transmit light signals to the light transmission structure. When there is no liquid in the outer area of ​​the light transmission structure, the light signals are all reflected and the receiver receives the corresponding light signals. However, when there is liquid in the outer area of ​​the light transmission structure, the light signals are refracted and refracted into the liquid, and the receiver does not receive the corresponding light signals.

[0082] The bottom of the optical transmission structure is one side, which is parallel to the optical sensor.

[0083] Optionally, the critical angles for the light signal from the light transmission structure to the air or liquid are 41.8 degrees and 62.6 degrees, respectively, and the incident angle is set to 45 degrees.

[0084] Optionally, if the transmitter and receiver of the optical sensor are set separately, that is, the transmitter is used to transmit light signals to the light transmission structure, but the receiver is not... Figure 3 Instead of the location shown, the receiver is positioned to receive light signals refracted into the liquid. Therefore, when there is no liquid outside the light transmission structure, the receiver will not receive the corresponding light signal; conversely, when there is liquid outside the light transmission structure, the receiver will receive the corresponding light signal. Similarly, this logic can be used to determine the liquid level in the clear water tank.

[0085] It should be noted that the principles between the first light transmission structure 102 and the first optical sensor 103, the second optical sensor, the fourth optical sensor, and the fifth optical sensor in the embodiments of this application, as well as the principle between the second light transmission structure and the third optical sensor, are the same as those described above. The following embodiments will not be described in detail.

[0086] Optionally, the first optical sensor 103, the second optical sensor, the fourth optical sensor, and the fifth optical sensor are respectively mounted vertically on a circuit board, which is assembled on the floor brush body of the cleaning equipment. Taking the first optical sensor as an example, ... Figure 2 As shown, the first optical sensor 103 is mounted on the circuit board 105.

[0087] The second light transmission structure and the first light transmission structure are different light transmission structures, but they have the same triangular prism shape. Therefore, the third optical sensor corresponding to the second light transmission structure can be set on a separate circuit board.

[0088] Optionally, the first and second light transmission structures can be designed directly into the clean water tank and integrally formed with the mold of the clean water tank.

[0089] Optionally, the second light transmission structure is disposed inside the water tank 101 along its height, with the side of the second light transmission structure closest to the third optical sensor as its bottom surface, and the other two sides of the second light transmission structure as inclined surfaces. These inclined surfaces are the light emission surfaces of the second light transmission structure, and a hollow layer is provided on the outer side of these inclined surfaces. The emission surface can be understood as a surface where light signals can be both reflected and refracted.

[0090] The hollow layer can be filled with gas, such as air, and is designed to utilize the principle of total internal reflection. When light travels from a high-refractive-index prism material (such as transparent plastic) to a low-refractive-index air layer, at a specific angle of incidence, the light will be completely reflected back into the prism and will not be refracted.

[0091] Thus, when the clean water tank 101 is correctly installed, the light signal emitted by the third optical sensor undergoes total internal reflection on the inclined surface and is successfully received by the third receiving end, thereby determining that the clean water tank 101 is in the correct position. Conversely, when the clean water tank 101 is not installed, the third receiving end of the third optical sensor cannot receive the light signal, thereby determining that the clean water tank 101 is out of the correct position.

[0092] Optionally, a hollow layer is provided on the outer side of the light emitting surface in the middle part of the first light transmission structure. The principle and effect of this hollow layer are similar to those of the hollow layer on the outer side of the light emitting surface of the second light transmission structure, and will not be repeated here. For details, please refer to the description of the second light transmission structure.

[0093] In this application, the outer side of the light-emitting surface of the middle portion of the first light-conducting structure is set as a hollow layer. For example, it is located in the horizontal direction corresponding to any position between the second and fourth optical sensors, or in the horizontal direction corresponding to any position between the first and second optical sensors. This saves on raw materials, mold costs, and related parts management costs required for manufacturing the second light-conducting structure compared to setting a separate second light-conducting structure. Moreover, there is no need to design and reserve a separate installation position, slot, and optical path channel for the second light-conducting structure on the water tank 101, thereby saving internal structural space.

[0094] In this application embodiment, the length and position of the light emitting surface, which is set as a hollow layer in the first light transmission structure, are not specifically limited, as long as they do not affect the operation of other optical sensors.

[0095] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the sensor types corresponding to the first, second, third, fourth and fifth optical sensors. They can be used to emit light signals into the light transmission structure and receive light signals reflected by the light transmission structure. For example, the sensor type can be an infrared light sensor, a time-of-flight (TOF) sensor, etc.

[0096] Optionally, multiple sets of optical sensors can be installed on the circuit board, not limited to the five optical sensors described above. Multiple sets of optical sensors can be installed at different height positions on the circuit board to realize multi-level detection in the clean water tank.

[0097] Optionally, multiple sets of optical sensors can be mounted on the brush base and are detachable, so that if one optical sensor fails, the corresponding optical sensor can be replaced.

[0098] Optional, such as Figure 1 As shown, the cleaning device 100 may also include a controller 104, wherein a first optical sensor 103 is used to determine a first liquid level height in the clean water tank 101 based on a first light transmission structure 102 in response to a self-cleaning command.

[0099] The controller 104 is used to generate water level warning information when the first liquid level height is less than or equal to the first threshold.

[0100] For example, Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an application scenario provided in an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 4As shown, this application scenario can be applied to home scenarios. Taking the cleaning device 100 as a floor scrubber as an example, after the floor scrubber completes the cleaning task, it returns autonomously or is manually placed on the cleaning base station 200 by the user. After the cleaning base station 200 detects that the floor scrubber has returned to its original position, or after the user presses the "self-cleaning" button, it sends a self-cleaning command to the floor scrubber.

[0101] Furthermore, in response to the self-cleaning command, the floor scrubber initiates a pre-check process and activates the first optical sensor 103. That is, the first transmitting end emits a light signal into the first light transmission structure 102. Then, the controller 104 determines the first liquid level height in the clean water tank 101 based on whether the first receiving end receives the light signal reflected back from the first light transmission structure 102.

[0102] The controller 104 can compare the detected first liquid level height with a preset first threshold. This first threshold is the minimum water volume required to successfully complete one self-cleaning process. If the first liquid level height is determined to be less than or equal to the first threshold, it is determined that the water volume in the clean water tank 101 is insufficient. Continuing to perform self-cleaning may lead to problems such as water shortage, incomplete cleaning, or damage to the cleaning equipment's water pump due to dry running. In this case, a water level warning message can be generated.

[0103] Optionally, water level warning information can be communicated to the user in one or more of the following ways: sound and light alarms, voice prompts, or any other method to alert the user. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the execution method of the water level warning information. For example, the indicator light on the floor scrubber flashes a specific color. The floor scrubber or cleaning base station 200 issues a prompt tone or voice broadcast, pushing a notification to the user's terminal device's application (App): "The water tank is low on water and cannot complete self-cleaning; please add water promptly."

[0104] Furthermore, after seeing the water level warning information, the user can remove the clean water tank 101 to replenish the water, and then put it back into the floor scrubber to restart the self-cleaning process. Alternatively, the cleaning base station 200 may automatically interrupt the self-cleaning process and automatically replenish the water at the same time as issuing the water level warning information. This application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0105] It should be noted that the specific application scenarios of the cleaning equipment 100 in this application embodiment are not limited, and it can also be applied to shopping mall scenarios, school scenarios, and office scenarios. The above are just examples.

[0106] Optionally, the cleaning device 100 can be a floor scrubber, a sweeper and mop combo, a handheld cleaning machine, etc. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the type of cleaning device 100, which can be any smart mobile device with cleaning function.

[0107] The technical solution of this application and how the technical solution of this application solves the above-mentioned technical problems are described in detail below with specific embodiments. These specific embodiments can be combined with each other, and the same or similar concepts or processes may not be described again in some embodiments. The embodiments of this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0108] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a self-cleaning control method for a cleaning device provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 5 As shown, the self-cleaning control method for cleaning equipment is applied to the cleaning equipment; the self-cleaning control method for cleaning equipment includes the following steps:

[0109] S501, in response to the self-cleaning command, determines the first liquid level height in the clean water tank based on the first optical sensor and the first light transmission structure.

[0110] It should be noted that this step is the triggering and detection phase of the water level warning. When the cleaning equipment receives the self-cleaning command, the controller does not immediately start self-cleaning, but instead initiates a pre-inspection process to detect the liquid level in the clean water tank.

[0111] For example, with Figure 3 Taking the structure of the optical sensor shown as an example, the first emitting end of the first optical sensor emits a beam of infrared light into the interior of the first light-conducting structure. This beam of infrared light propagates inside the triangular prism. When it reaches the contact surface between the first light-conducting structure and the medium inside the water tank, an optical phenomenon occurs: when there is liquid outside the first light-conducting structure, the light is refracted into the water. When there is no liquid outside the first light-conducting structure, the light undergoes total internal reflection at the interface, and the light is reflected back into the interior of the first light-conducting structure and effectively received by the first receiving end.

[0112] In this way, the first receiving end of the first optical sensor can detect in real time whether a light signal is emitted back from the first light transmission structure, and further determine the first liquid level height in the clear water tank.

[0113] The liquid can be clean water or a mixture of clean water and cleaning solution. This application does not specifically limit the type or composition of the liquid.

[0114] Understandably, if the water level is determined by whether the first receiving end can receive the light signal emitted from the first light transmission structure, then the incident angle of the light to the first light transmission structure and the position of the first light transmission structure need to be set to satisfy Snell's law.

[0115] Optionally, since the optical properties of light differ in different media, the liquid level height can also be determined by the intensity of the light signal received by the first receiving end.

[0116] S502. If the first liquid level is less than or equal to the first threshold, generate a water level warning message.

[0117] In this embodiment, the first threshold can refer to a preset, fixed liquid level height value. It represents the minimum safe water volume required in the clean water tank of the cleaning equipment to successfully complete a full self-cleaning process. For example, the first threshold is 70% of the clean water tank capacity. This embodiment does not specifically limit the size of the first threshold.

[0118] Optionally, water level warning information can be delivered to the user through different execution methods, such as sound prompts, light prompts, and display prompts. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the execution method of water level warning information.

[0119] For example, the cleaning equipment can emit beeping sounds or voice prompts, or it can display flashing indicator lights or specific patterns, such as a water level warning icon or text message on the screen. Notifications can also be pushed to the user's mobile app.

[0120] Compared to existing self-cleaning methods that are forced to interrupt due to water depletion, this application places the first light transmission structure directly inside the clean water tank and uses a first optical sensor and the first light transmission structure to directly detect the first liquid level height in the clean water tank. Specifically, it utilizes the difference in light reflection and refraction caused by "water" and "air" to directly convert the physical quantity of the first liquid level height into a change in light signal intensity for real-time detection. Before the self-cleaning task begins, it judges the water level in the clean water tank and issues a water level warning if the first liquid level is less than or equal to a first threshold, indicating insufficient water. This prevents the self-cleaning task from being interrupted. Furthermore, this application shifts the intervention time from a passive response after task interruption to proactive preparation before task resumption, i.e., replenishing water in advance based on the water level warning information. This simplifies the operation process, eliminating the cumbersome process of users facing sudden equipment stoppage during self-cleaning, waiting for water replenishment, and then restarting. Because of the control logic described above in this application, it can be ensured that once the self-cleaning task starts, it can be completed continuously and without interruption provided that there is sufficient water, thus providing a smooth automated experience.

[0121] In addition, by generating water level warning information, users can be promptly notified to replenish water without having to do so during the self-cleaning process and restart the self-cleaning process, thus improving the user experience.

[0122] Optionally, determining the first liquid level height in the clear water tank based on the first optical sensor and the first light transmission structure includes:

[0123] Determine the first optical signal information of the first receiving end, the first optical signal information including the optical signal received from the first optical transmission structure and the optical signal not received from the first optical transmission structure;

[0124] The first liquid level in the clear water tank is determined based on the first optical signal information.

[0125] In some embodiments, determining the first optical signal information of the first receiver includes:

[0126] When a first medium is provided around the first optical transmission structure, the first optical signal information is determined to be the optical signal reflected by the first optical transmission structure received by the first receiving end.

[0127] When a second medium surrounds the first optical transmission structure, the first optical signal information is determined to be an optical signal that the first receiving end did not receive reflected by the first optical transmission structure; wherein, the refractive index of the first medium is less than the refractive index of the second medium, and the refractive indices of both the first medium and the second medium are less than the refractive index of the first optical transmission structure.

[0128] The first optical transmission structure is surrounded by a first medium, indicating that the first medium surrounds and covers the first optical transmission structure. The first optical transmission structure is surrounded by a second medium, indicating that the second medium surrounds and covers the first optical transmission structure.

[0129] In this embodiment, the first medium is an optically less dense medium with a low refractive index, which can form a refractive index difference with the light transmission structure to maintain the total internal reflection condition. For example, the first medium is air. The second medium is an optically dense medium with a refractive index higher than the first medium but lower than the first light transmission structure, which can disrupt the original total internal reflection condition. For example, the second medium is a liquid.

[0130] The refractive index refers to the ratio of the speed of light in a vacuum to the speed of light in the medium.

[0131] For example, when air surrounds and covers the first light-conducting structure, the refractive index of air is much smaller than that of the first light-conducting structure, satisfying the condition for total internal reflection. Therefore, the light signal emitted by the first transmitter undergoes total internal reflection inside the first light-conducting structure and is successfully received by the first receiver. This indicates a low remaining water level. When the liquid level rises and the liquid in the clear water tank surrounds and covers the first light-conducting structure, the refractive index of the liquid is closer to that of the first light-conducting structure, breaking the condition for total internal reflection. The light rays refract into the liquid, causing the first receiver to be unable to receive the reflected light signal, thus indicating a high liquid level.

[0132] This can also be understood as follows: when there is no liquid in the area where the first light-conducting structure is located, the first receiving end receives the light signal reflected by the first light-conducting structure; when there is liquid in the area where the first light-conducting structure is located, the first receiving end does not receive the light signal.

[0133] In this application, when the external detection area of ​​the first light-conducting structure comes into contact with air, the total internal reflection condition is satisfied due to the large difference in refractive index between the prism material of the first light-conducting structure and air. Therefore, the light signal emitted by the first transmitter undergoes total internal reflection inside the prism and is successfully received by the first receiver. When the liquid level in the water tank rises and submerges the detection area of ​​the first light-conducting structure, the refractive index of the prism material and water becomes closer, breaking the total internal reflection condition. The light refracts into the water, causing the first receiver to be unable to receive the light signal.

[0134] Therefore, the controller of the cleaning equipment can directly determine whether the current first liquid level is above or below a specific detection point by judging whether the first receiver can receive light signals or not. This specific detection point is set as the detection point corresponding to a first threshold. If the first receiver does not receive light signals, it means that the current first liquid level is above the first threshold; once the state switches to receiving light signals, it immediately indicates that the current first liquid level has dropped to or below the first threshold, thus triggering a water level warning and generating water level warning information.

[0135] Understandably, the above detection method determines the occurrence or disappearance of total internal reflection by detecting changes in the medium surrounding the first light-conducting structure, thereby detecting the liquid level. Therefore, this detection method is based on stable optical physics principles and is unaffected by scale, liquid color, bubbles, or temperature changes, resulting in highly reliable detection results and extremely high reliability and anti-interference capabilities. Furthermore, the change in the medium's refractive index is instantaneous, making liquid level detection virtually delay-free and enabling real-time response to changes in liquid level, significantly improving the detection rate.

[0136] In other embodiments, if the first receiving end is used to receive light signals refracted into the liquid, then when the first light transmission structure is surrounded by a first medium, the first light signal information is determined to be light signals that the first receiving end cannot receive refracted by the first light transmission structure; when the first light transmission structure is surrounded by a second medium, the first light signal information is determined to be light signals that the first receiving end receives refracted by the first light transmission structure.

[0137] Similarly, the controller of the cleaning equipment can determine whether the current first liquid level is lower or higher than a specific detection point by judging whether the first receiving end is in a state where it can receive light signals or not.

[0138] In this way, this application can detect water level based on whether the optical signal is received by the first receiving end, avoiding the problem of interference in analog signal measurement and enhancing the robustness of the detection. Furthermore, the above detection method can be implemented mainly through the first optical transmission structure and the first optical sensor, without the need for complex mechanical moving parts or precision measurement circuits. The entire detection unit has a compact structure, making it easy to install and integrate in the confined space of a clean water tank, thus improving ease of use. In addition, the above detection method is based on physical optical phenomena for water level detection, enabling real-time liquid level status detection and greatly improving the detection response speed.

[0139] Existing automatic water supply stations use a Hall effect sensor and magnetic float to replenish the clean water tank, determining whether it's full based on the float's position. However, inconsistencies or instability in the magnetic field strength (magnetic flux) generated by the magnetic float can cause the Hall effect sensor to fail to reliably trigger a signal at the preset "full" position, leading to water level detection failure. This results in significant deviations in the replenishment rate, potentially falling below 85% and causing insufficient water, or excessive replenishment causing water to overflow from the tank's vent, affecting normal equipment operation and user experience.

[0140] Optionally, the cleaning device further includes a second optical sensor, which is vertically positioned above the first optical sensor. The second optical sensor includes a second transmitting end and a second receiving end. The second transmitting end is used to transmit light signals into the interior of the first light-conducting structure, and the second receiving end is used to receive light signals emitted from the first light-conducting structure. The method further includes:

[0141] During the process of replenishing the clean water tank, the second liquid level height inside the clean water tank is determined based on the second optical sensor and the first light transmission structure;

[0142] If the second liquid level is greater than or equal to the second threshold, a water full alarm is generated and water replenishment to the clean water tank is stopped; the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

[0143] It is understood that since the second optical sensor is mounted above the first optical sensor, it shares the same first light transmission structure as the optical medium with the first optical sensor. However, its detection point (i.e., the intersection of its optical path and the first light transmission structure) is located at a higher position, namely the detection point position corresponding to the second threshold. Furthermore, the working principle of the second optical sensor is exactly the same as that of the first optical sensor, and will not be repeated here in the embodiments of this application.

[0144] The second threshold can be understood as the highest safe water level, used to prevent water overflow. The second threshold can be determined by the installation height of the first light transmission structure, and the second optical sensor is precisely fixed at the horizontal position corresponding to that installation height.

[0145] It should be noted that the embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the size of the second threshold. The setting value of the second threshold can be set below the limit water level that the physical structure of the clean water tank can withstand, so as to leave a safety margin to prevent overflow caused by fluctuations or errors.

[0146] For example, when a user or an automatic water filling device begins to replenish the clean water tank, the controller can acquire the second liquid level status in the clean water tank in real time based on the second optical sensor and the first light transmission structure. Once it is determined that the second liquid level in the clean water tank is greater than or equal to the second threshold, a full water alarm is generated to notify the user that the water tank is full, and the inlet valve is automatically closed or the water pump is stopped to prevent water from overflowing.

[0147] It should be noted that the execution method of the water full alarm information is similar to that of the water level warning information, except that different display methods, sound reminder methods, or light reminder methods need to be set to distinguish them. This application embodiment does not limit the specific execution method of the water full alarm information.

[0148] In this way, this application transforms the water tank replenishment process from user-based addition to automatic control by the cleaning equipment to a safe water level, preventing water tank overflow due to overfilling, which could damage the internal circuitry or cause leaks. Furthermore, users no longer need to monitor the equipment or worry about overfilling. The cleaning equipment automatically stops and notifies the user when the tank is full, achieving a complete automated closed loop of "water addition-full-automatic stop-notification." This effectively prevents water waste and the risk of equipment malfunction due to water immersion, greatly enhancing the product's convenience and intelligence. In addition, the second sensor reuses the existing first optical transmission structure, eliminating the need for a new, complex structure for water level detection. This effectively controls hardware cost increases while adding full-water detection functionality.

[0149] As can be seen from the above embodiments, compared with the existing detection scheme that uses a Hall sensor and a magnetic float, which leads to detection point drift and inaccurate water replenishment control, this application precisely installs the second optical sensor in the vertical direction directly opposite the top of the first light transmission structure. When the water level is not full, the top of the first light transmission structure is in contact with the air, satisfying the condition of total internal reflection, and the second receiver can receive the light signal; when the water level rises to just submerge the top of the first light transmission structure, the light is refracted, and the light signal received by the second receiver is rapidly attenuated or disappears. Furthermore, during the water replenishment process, once the second liquid level height is detected to be greater than or equal to the second threshold, a full water alarm is immediately generated, and the water replenishment valve is instantly closed.

[0150] The aforementioned detection solution, based on reliable optical principles and mechanical benchmarks, ensures high water replenishment accuracy and consistency, resolving the issues of existing solutions where the water replenishment rate is below 85% or overflows due to overfilling. Furthermore, this solution eliminates moving mechanical parts (such as floats) and contact points, avoiding problems like jamming, wear, magnet demagnetization, and oxidation corrosion. Its lifespan far exceeds that of solutions using Hall effect sensors and magnetic floats, maintaining high detection accuracy throughout the entire product lifecycle. Moreover, the rapid and accurate detection allows for water shut-off before the water tank reaches its physical limit, significantly improving product safety and user experience, and preventing users from dealing with water tank overflow issues.

[0151] Optionally, the top of the first light-conducting structure contacts the top cover of the water tank, and the second receiving end is able to receive the light signal reflected from the top of the first light-conducting structure. The method includes:

[0152] When the liquid in the clear water tank reaches the top of the first light transmission structure, the second liquid level height is determined to be equal to the second threshold.

[0153] Since the top of the first light-conducting structure is in direct contact with the top cover of the water tank, it indicates that the top of the first light-conducting structure is the highest point inside the water tank. Optionally, if the top of the first light-conducting structure is set at a preset distance from the top cover of the water tank, it means that the first light-conducting structure is still a preset distance from the highest point inside the water tank. Therefore, when the liquid in the water tank reaches the top of the first light-conducting structure, it is necessary to determine that the second liquid level height in the water tank is greater than the second threshold before generating a full water alarm.

[0154] It should be noted that the present application does not specifically limit the size of the preset distance, but the size of the preset distance should not be set too large, because the position limited by the preset distance is used for the water tank full detection, so the preset distance is a distance close to the top cover of the water tank.

[0155] For example, the optical path of the second optical sensor is configured to reach and receive the light signal reflected from the interface corresponding to the top of the first optical transmission structure. Therefore, when the second liquid level in the water tank has not reached the top of the tank, the top interface is in contact with the air, and the light signal undergoes total internal reflection at the top interface, allowing the second receiver to receive the light signal. When the second liquid level in the water tank rises and reaches the top, the top interface is submerged in water, the total internal reflection condition is broken, and the light signal is refracted into the water, causing the second receiver to not receive the light signal. At this time, the controller determines that the second liquid level in the water tank is equal to the second threshold, thereby generating a full water alarm message.

[0156] Therefore, by using the top of the first optical transmission structure as the detection area, the second threshold is linked to the physical maximum capacity of the clean water tank. This eliminates uncertainties caused by the installation tolerance or calibration error of the second optical sensor, achieving accurate and reliable full-water detection. Furthermore, since the detection area is located at the highest possible water level, it immediately responds and stops replenishing water when the second liquid level reaches the top of the clean water tank, effectively preventing equipment damage or malfunctions caused by liquid overflow and ensuring that the cleaning equipment operates within its safe capacity range.

[0157] Furthermore, the design of having the top of the first light-conducting structure in contact with the top cover of the clean water tank eliminates the need to separately determine and calibrate a detection height for the second threshold during the production process of the cleaning equipment, as it is determined by the physical top height of the first light-conducting structure itself, thus improving product consistency.

[0158] Optionally, the method also includes:

[0159] Before performing the water replenishment task on the clean water tank, confirm the location information of the clean water tank;

[0160] When the presence information indicates that the clean water tank is in place, the control executes the water replenishment task.

[0161] In this embodiment, "in-place information" refers to electrical signals or data generated by sensors to indicate whether the clean water tank is correctly connected and installed to the main body of the equipment. "In-place status" means that the clean water tank is correctly and completely installed on the cleaning equipment base, such as on the base of a floor scrubber's brush. Optionally, the sensor can be a mechanical microswitch, Hall effect sensor, optical sensor, etc. This embodiment does not specifically limit the type of sensor.

[0162] It should be noted that before the clean water tank is ready to perform or is permitted to perform a water replenishment task, a detection mechanism can be used to obtain the location information of the clean water tank to prevent the risk of misoperation and leakage caused by the clean water tank not being in the correct position.

[0163] Optionally, the detection mechanism can be achieved through a mechanical microswitch, a reed switch, or a contact sensor, or it can utilize the same principle as the optical sensor and light transmission structure described above for in-situ detection. This application does not limit the specific detection mechanism.

[0164] Therefore, by obtaining the location information of the clean water tank before it is replenished, it can be determined whether the tank is in place. This effectively prevents water from being added if the tank is not properly installed, thus avoiding water directly entering the cleaning equipment and causing short circuits, component damage, or other safety hazards. Furthermore, performing a location check before replenishment can also prevent malfunctions caused by user negligence, such as starting water replenishment before the tank is properly installed, thereby improving the overall reliability and safety of the cleaning equipment.

[0165] Optionally, the cleaning device further includes a second light transmission structure and a third optical sensor. The second light transmission structure is vertically arranged inside the clean water tank and extends along the height of the clean water tank. A hollow layer is provided on the outer side of the light emitting surface of the second light transmission structure. The third optical sensor includes a third transmitting end and a third receiving end. The third transmitting end is used to transmit light signals to the second light transmission structure, and the third receiving end is used to receive the light signals emitted by the second light transmission structure. Determining the location information of the clean water tank includes:

[0166] Determine the second optical signal information of the third receiving end, which includes the optical signal received from the second optical transmission structure and the optical signal not received from the second optical transmission structure;

[0167] When the third receiving end receives the light signal reflected by the second optical transmission structure, it is determined that the water tank is in place.

[0168] In this embodiment, the outer side of the light-emitting surface of the second light-conducting structure is configured as a hollow layer. This ensures that when there is no external medium interference, the light signal can undergo stable total internal reflection inside the light-conducting structure. The second light-conducting structure is precisely placed at the corresponding position of the third optical sensor.

[0169] For example, the third optical sensor emits a light signal into the interior of the second light transmission structure. When the water tank is correctly installed, the hollow layer outside the light-emitting surface of the second light transmission structure causes total internal reflection of the light signal within the prism, and the third receiver can receive the reflected light signal. However, when the water tank is not installed or is not installed correctly, there is no second light transmission structure in front of the third optical sensor, or its positional deviation causes the light path to be misaligned. Therefore, the emitted light signal cannot form an effective reflection path, and the third receiver cannot receive the light signal. Thus, the controller directly determines whether the water tank is in position by judging whether the third receiver can receive the light signal (second light signal information). That is, receiving the light signal indicates that the tank is in position, and not receiving it indicates that the tank is not in position.

[0170] Therefore, by setting the outer side of the second light transmission structure as a hollow layer, the problem of poor accuracy in in-situ detection by a single-layer light emitting surface can be effectively avoided. This is because the presence or absence of liquid in the water tank does not affect the determination of the water tank's in-situ status. In contrast, a single-layer light emitting surface is prone to misjudging that the water tank is in-situ even when there is no liquid inside. Thus, this application, through the setting of a hollow layer, allows the determination of whether the water tank is in-situ to be directly correlated with whether a reflected light signal is received. The logic is clear and simple, greatly reducing the risk of misjudgment and significantly improving the anti-interference capability and reliability of the detection.

[0171] Optionally, the cleaning device further includes a fourth optical sensor, positioned lower than the first optical sensor. The fourth optical sensor includes a fourth transmitter and a fourth receiver. The fourth transmitter emits light signals into the interior of the first light-conducting structure, and the fourth receiver receives light signals emitted from the first light-conducting structure. The method further includes:

[0172] In response to the self-cleaning command, the third liquid level height in the clean water tank is determined based on the fourth optical sensor and the first light transmission structure;

[0173] A water shortage alarm is generated when the third liquid level is less than or equal to the third threshold; the third threshold is less than the first threshold.

[0174] In this embodiment, the third threshold can be understood as the minimum safe water level, that is, a reliable warning height provided before the clean water tank is truly low on water. This height allows sufficient time and water buffering for the cleaning equipment's response, such as alarms or stopping self-cleaning. This embodiment does not specifically limit the value of the third threshold; it can be designed based on the clean water tank's volume or product performance. The third threshold is a liquid level height lower than the first threshold.

[0175] In this application, the fourth optical sensor is also vertically positioned below the first optical sensor, but its position is lower than that of the first optical sensor used for water level warning. It can also reuse the first light transmission structure.

[0176] The execution methods of water shortage alarm information and water level warning information are similar, except that different display methods, sound reminder methods or light reminder methods need to be set to distinguish them. This application embodiment does not limit the specific execution method of water shortage alarm information.

[0177] In some embodiments, the first light-conducting structure is fixedly connected to the bottom of the clear water tank, and the fourth optical sensor emits a light signal toward the first light-conducting structure along a first direction. Accordingly, the fourth optical sensor overlaps with the bottom region of the first light-conducting structure along the first direction, enabling the fourth optical sensor to detect changes in the liquid level corresponding to the bottom of the first light-conducting structure; thus, it can provide timely warnings when the water level in the clear water tank reaches the bottom of the clear water tank.

[0178] For example, in response to a self-cleaning command, the liquid level in the clean water tank can be determined simultaneously or sequentially based on the first optical sensor, the second optical sensor, and the fourth optical sensor. When the controller determines, based on the second optical sensor and the first light transmission structure, that the second liquid level in the clean water tank is greater than the second threshold, it determines that the clean water tank is full. At this point, there is no need to add water for self-cleaning, and the self-cleaning process can be started directly. When the controller determines, based on the first optical sensor and the first light transmission structure, that the first liquid level in the clean water tank is greater than the third threshold but less than the first threshold, a water level warning message can be generated to remind the user of the current water level information, avoiding the inconvenience of suddenly pausing the self-cleaning task. When the controller determines, based on the fourth optical sensor and the first light transmission structure, that the third liquid level in the clean water tank is less than or equal to the third threshold, it indicates that the water level is at an extremely low dangerous level. At this point, a higher-level water shortage alarm message is generated to remind the user to add water in time, avoiding potential damage to the cleaning equipment caused by waterless self-cleaning.

[0179] Thus, this application adds a fourth optical sensor located at a lower position, based on the first and second optical sensors. These three optical sensors, in conjunction with the first light transmission structure, divide the water tank level from an "unknown" state into several identifiable states, such as "high water level full alarm state," "intermediate water level warning state," and "low water level shortage alarm state," achieving quantification and status perception of water volume. Furthermore, because the fourth optical sensor is positioned lower than the first optical sensor that triggers the water level warning, the cleaning equipment can promptly generate a water shortage alarm by determining whether the third water level in the tank has dropped to less than or equal to a third threshold. This prevents damage to the equipment caused by the water pump running dry, allowing users to intervene in advance and improving operational safety.

[0180] In addition, by generating water shortage alarm messages, users can be promptly notified that water needs to be added, preventing them from discovering the problem only after the cleaning equipment has completely stopped, thereby improving the user experience.

[0181] Optionally, if the first liquid level is less than or equal to a first threshold, a water level warning message is generated, including:

[0182] Determine the duration during which the first liquid level height is less than or equal to the first threshold.

[0183] If the duration exceeds a preset duration threshold, a water level warning will be generated.

[0184] In this embodiment of the application, the duration can refer to the cumulative time during which the first liquid level in the clear water tank remains at a state less than or equal to the first threshold. The preset duration threshold is a pre-set minimum waiting time required to accurately determine that the first liquid level in the clear water tank is in a low liquid level state.

[0185] The preset time threshold can be determined through experiments or product performance parameters. In this application embodiment, the size of the preset time threshold is not specifically limited. For example, the preset time threshold needs to be longer than the maximum liquid surface sloshing or fluctuation time that may occur during the normal self-cleaning process of the cleaning equipment.

[0186] For example, when the cleaning device detects that the first liquid level in the clean water tank is less than or equal to a first threshold, it does not immediately issue an alert. Instead, it starts a timer to determine and continuously monitor the duration of this state, comparing the duration with a preset duration threshold. Only when the duration of the low water level state exceeds the preset duration threshold will the controller generate a water level alert. If the first liquid level recovers to above the first threshold within this time (e.g., the user adds water midway), the timer will reset.

[0187] Since the cleaning equipment may be briefly tilted, shaken, or experience momentary fluctuations in the liquid level after being placed in the cleaning base station, resulting in the instantaneous detection of a low water level, this application, by performing multiple tests and adding a delay judgment when starting self-cleaning, can effectively filter out transient interference signals. It only issues an alarm when it confirms a continuous and genuine low water level state, greatly improving the accuracy and reliability of the warning, thereby effectively preventing false alarms, reducing interference to users, and enhancing the user experience.

[0188] Optionally, the cleaning equipment also includes a display interface for displaying the liquid level information in the clean water tank; the method further includes:

[0189] During the self-cleaning process of the cleaning equipment, at least the first liquid level height detected by the first optical sensor is visualized on the display interface.

[0190] Optionally, the display interface can be a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, a light-emitting diode (LED) light strip, or a digital tube, etc. The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit the form of the display interface.

[0191] For example, the cleaning equipment will continuously acquire first liquid level height data from at least the first optical sensor and display it to the user in real time and dynamically on the display interface in the form of graphics, numbers or lights.

[0192] Optionally, during the self-cleaning process of the cleaning equipment, the second and third liquid level heights detected by the second and fourth optical sensors, as well as the in-situ status detected by the third and fifth optical sensors, can be visualized on the display interface.

[0193] Optionally, there are various ways to visualize the display, such as digital display, graphical level bar, multi-level indicator light, icon animation, etc. This application embodiment does not specifically limit the way of visualization.

[0194] Numerical displays show the current liquid level as a percentage (e.g., 65%) or a specific volume (e.g., 300ml). Graphical liquid level bars simulate traditional water tanks, using a filled bar graph to dynamically represent the liquid level.

[0195] Multi-level indicator lights use multiple LEDs of different colors (such as green, yellow, and red) to represent different states such as "full water", "water level warning", and "low water". Icon animation uses a water tank icon with a fill animation or a water droplet animation to indicate changes in liquid level.

[0196] In this way, users no longer need to guess how much water is left in the clean water tank; they can directly obtain clear liquid level information through the display interface. This allows users to easily understand the status of the cleaning equipment and the remaining water volume at any time, increasing their peace of mind during operation. Furthermore, this visual display method provides a more intuitive human-computer interaction, making the product appear more intelligent and significantly enhancing the user experience.

[0197] Optionally, the cleaning device further includes a fifth optical sensor. A hollow layer is provided on the outer side of the light-emitting surface of the middle portion of the first light-conducting structure. The fifth optical sensor includes a fifth transmitting end and a fifth receiving end. The fifth transmitting end is used to transmit light signals to the first light-conducting structure, and the fifth receiving end is used to receive the light signals emitted from the first light-conducting structure. The method further includes:

[0198] The presence information of the clear water tank is obtained based on the fifth optical sensor and the first light transmission structure;

[0199] When the presence information indicates that the clean water tank is in place, the cleaning equipment is controlled to perform self-cleaning.

[0200] It should be noted that the in-situ detection using the fifth optical sensor and the first light transmission structure can be performed either before or during the self-cleaning process of the cleaning equipment. This application does not specifically limit the timing of in-situ detection of the cleaning equipment.

[0201] Optionally, the in-situ detection method using the fifth optical sensor and the first light transmission structure can be performed simultaneously with the in-situ detection method using the third optical sensor and the second light transmission structure to improve the accuracy of in-situ detection.

[0202] It should be noted that the hollow layer disposed on the outer side of the light emitting surface in the middle part of the first light transmission structure is similar in principle and process to that of the second light transmission structure. For details, please refer to the description of the above embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0203] For example, the fifth optical sensor emits a light signal into a specific hollow area of ​​the first light-conducting structure. When the water tank is correctly installed, this specific hollow area of ​​the first light-conducting structure causes total internal reflection of the light signal within the prism, and the first receiving end can receive the reflected light signal. However, when the water tank is not installed or is not installed correctly, there is no first light-conducting structure in front of the first optical sensor, or its positional deviation causes the light path to be misaligned. Therefore, the emitted light signal cannot form an effective reflection path, and the first receiving end cannot receive the light signal. Thus, the controller directly determines whether the water tank is in position by judging whether the first receiving end can receive the light signal. That is, receiving the light signal indicates that the tank is in position, and not receiving it indicates that the tank is not in position.

[0204] In this way, by reusing the first optical transmission structure used for liquid level detection to achieve in-situ detection of the water tank, there is no need to introduce a separate second optical transmission structure and a third optical sensor as in the above schemes, which significantly simplifies the structure and saves space and material costs. Moreover, the hollow layer structure design on the outer side of the light emitting surface in the middle section of the first optical transmission structure ensures that the reflected light signal can only be accurately received when the clear water tank is fully installed, thus improving the detection accuracy.

[0205] Optionally, the method also includes:

[0206] If, before or during the self-cleaning process, the cleaning equipment detects identical sensor information from at least one optical sensor, it is determined that the clean water tank is not in position, and a position alarm is generated. This sensor information includes both light signals received from the light transmission structure and light signals not received from the light transmission structure.

[0207] Understandably, when the water tank is correctly installed, optical sensors at different heights will operate in different states. For example, a sensor at a lower position might be submerged in water (the receiver won't receive a light signal), while a sensor at a higher position might be exposed to air (the receiver will receive a light signal). In this case, the "sensor information" of each sensor will be different. However, when the water tank is not in place, the detection environment of all optical sensors becomes completely consistent, meaning the light transmission structure is exposed to air. Therefore, the receivers of all sensors will stably receive reflected light signals, and their sensor information will become identical.

[0208] Therefore, this application can utilize this consistency of state as a criterion. Once all sensor readings are found to be consistent, the conclusion that the water tank is not in place can be inferred with extremely high reliability. This judgment logic based on the disappearance of differences does not require a complex optical transmission structure design, thereby greatly simplifying the mechanical structure and reducing manufacturing costs.

[0209] This ensures that self-cleaning or water replenishment tasks are initiated only when the clean water tank is correctly installed. It prevents the cleaning equipment from running dry or leaking due to overfilling after the user presses the start button, guaranteeing the effectiveness of each task. Furthermore, it generates a clear location alarm when the clean water tank is detected as not in place. This allows users to immediately identify the problem and quickly take corrective action, reducing troubleshooting time.

[0210] In the foregoing embodiments, the self-cleaning control method of the cleaning equipment provided in this application has been described. To achieve the functions of the methods provided in the embodiments of this application, the cleaning equipment, as the executing entity, may include hardware structures and / or software modules, implementing the above functions in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or a combination of hardware structures and software modules. Whether a particular function is executed in the form of hardware structures, software modules, or a combination of hardware structures and software modules depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution.

[0211] For example, Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a self-cleaning control device for a cleaning equipment provided in an embodiment of this application, as shown below. Figure 6 As shown, a self-cleaning control device 600 for a cleaning device is applied to the cleaning device. The cleaning device includes a clean water tank, a first light transmission structure, and a first optical sensor. The first light transmission structure is fixedly installed inside the clean water tank and extends along the height direction of the clean water tank. The first optical sensor includes a first transmitting end and a first receiving end. The first transmitting end is used to transmit light signals into the interior of the first light transmission structure, and the first receiving end is used to receive light signals emitted from the first light transmission structure. The self-cleaning control device 600 for the cleaning device includes:

[0212] The determination module 601 is used to determine the first liquid level height in the clean water tank based on the first optical sensor and the first light transmission structure in response to the self-cleaning command;

[0213] The generation module 602 is used to generate water level warning information when the first liquid level height is less than or equal to the first threshold.

[0214] Optionally, module 601 is determined, specifically for:

[0215] Determine the first optical signal information of the first receiving end, the first optical signal information including the optical signal received from the first optical transmission structure and the optical signal not received from the first optical transmission structure;

[0216] The first liquid level in the clear water tank is determined based on the first optical signal information.

[0217] Optionally, the determining module 601 includes a first determining unit, which is used for:

[0218] When a first medium is provided around the first optical transmission structure, the first optical signal information is determined to be the optical signal reflected by the first optical transmission structure received by the first receiving end.

[0219] When a second medium surrounds the first optical transmission structure, the first optical signal information is determined to be an optical signal that the first receiving end did not receive reflected by the first optical transmission structure; wherein, the refractive index of the first medium is less than the refractive index of the second medium, and the refractive indices of both the first medium and the second medium are less than the refractive index of the first optical transmission structure.

[0220] Optionally, the cleaning device further includes a second optical sensor, which is vertically positioned above the first optical sensor. The second optical sensor includes a second transmitting end and a second receiving end. The second transmitting end is used to emit light signals into the interior of the first light-conducting structure, and the second receiving end is used to receive light signals emitted from the first light-conducting structure. The self-cleaning control device 600 of the cleaning device further includes a first determining module, which is used for:

[0221] During the process of replenishing the clean water tank, the second liquid level height inside the clean water tank is determined based on the second optical sensor and the first light transmission structure;

[0222] If the second liquid level in the clean water tank is greater than or equal to the second threshold, a full water alarm is generated, and water replenishment to the clean water tank is stopped; the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

[0223] Optionally, the top of the first light-conducting structure contacts the top cover of the clean water tank, and the second receiving end is able to receive the light signal reflected from the top of the first light-conducting structure. The self-cleaning control device 600 of the cleaning equipment also includes a second determining module, which is used for:

[0224] When the liquid in the clear water tank reaches the top of the first light transmission structure, the second liquid level height in the clear water tank is determined to be equal to the second threshold.

[0225] Optionally, the self-cleaning control device 600 of the cleaning equipment further includes a second determining unit, which is used for:

[0226] Before performing the water replenishment task on the clean water tank, confirm the location information of the clean water tank;

[0227] When the presence information indicates that the clean water tank is in place, the control executes the water replenishment task.

[0228] Optionally, the cleaning equipment further includes a second light transmission structure and a third optical sensor. The second light transmission structure is disposed inside the clean water tank and extends along the height direction of the clean water tank. A hollow layer is provided on the outer side of the light emitting surface of the second light transmission structure. The third optical sensor includes a third transmitting end and a third receiving end. The third transmitting end is used to transmit light signals to the second light transmission structure, and the third receiving end is used to receive the light signals emitted by the second light transmission structure. The second determining unit is specifically used for:

[0229] Determine the second optical signal information of the third receiving end, which includes the optical signal received from the second optical transmission structure and the optical signal not received from the second optical transmission structure;

[0230] When the third receiving end receives the light signal reflected by the second optical transmission structure, it is determined that the water tank is in place.

[0231] Optionally, the cleaning device further includes a fourth optical sensor, which is positioned lower than the first optical sensor. The fourth optical sensor includes a fourth transmitter and a fourth receiver. The fourth transmitter emits light signals into the interior of the first light-conducting structure, and the fourth receiver receives light signals emitted from the first light-conducting structure. The self-cleaning control device 600 of the cleaning device also includes a third determining module, which is used for:

[0232] In response to the self-cleaning command, the third liquid level height in the clean water tank is determined based on the fourth optical sensor and the first light transmission structure;

[0233] A water shortage alarm is generated when the third liquid level is less than or equal to the third threshold; the third threshold is less than the first threshold.

[0234] Optionally, module 602 is used specifically for:

[0235] Determine the duration during which the first liquid level height is less than or equal to the first threshold.

[0236] If the duration exceeds a preset duration threshold, a water level warning will be generated.

[0237] Optionally, the cleaning equipment also includes a display interface for displaying the liquid level information in the clean water tank; the self-cleaning control device 600 of the cleaning equipment also includes a display module for:

[0238] During the self-cleaning process of the cleaning equipment, at least the first liquid level height detected by the first optical sensor is visualized on the display interface.

[0239] Optionally, the cleaning device also includes a fifth optical sensor. A hollow layer is provided on the outer side of the light-emitting surface of the middle portion of the first light-conducting structure. The fifth optical sensor includes a fifth transmitting end and a fifth receiving end. The fifth transmitting end is used to emit light signals to the first light-conducting structure, and the fifth receiving end is used to receive the light signals emitted from the first light-conducting structure. The self-cleaning control device 600 of the cleaning device also includes a control module, which is used for:

[0240] The presence information of the clear water tank is determined based on the fifth optical sensor and the first light transmission structure;

[0241] When the presence information indicates that the clean water tank is in place, the cleaning equipment is controlled to perform self-cleaning.

[0242] It should be noted that the specific implementation principle and effect of the self-cleaning control device 600 of the above-mentioned cleaning equipment can be found in the relevant descriptions and effects of the above embodiments, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0243] This application also provides an electronic device. Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the electronic device may include: a processor 701 and a memory 702 communicatively connected to the processor 701; the memory 702 stores a computer program; the processor 701 executes the computer program stored in the memory 702, causing the processor 701 to perform the method described in any of the above embodiments.

[0244] The memory 702 and the processor 701 can be connected via bus 703.

[0245] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, are used to implement the methods described in any of the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0246] This application also provides a chip for executing instructions, which is used to perform the methods described in any of the foregoing embodiments executed by an electronic device as described in any of the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0247] This application also provides a computer program product, which includes a computer program that, when executed by a processor, can implement the methods described in any of the foregoing embodiments executed by an electronic device as described in any of the foregoing embodiments of this application.

[0248] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed apparatus and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of modules is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple modules or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or modules may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0249] The modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as modules may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules can be selected to implement the solution of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0250] Furthermore, the functional modules in the various embodiments of this application can be integrated into one processing unit, or each module can exist physically separately, or two or more modules can be integrated into one unit. The unit composed of the above modules can be implemented in hardware or in the form of hardware plus software functional units.

[0251] The integrated modules implemented as software functional modules described above can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. These software functional modules, stored in a storage medium, include several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) or processor to execute some steps of the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0252] It should be understood that the aforementioned processor can be a Central Processing Unit (CPU), or other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. A general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor. The steps of the method disclosed in the application can be directly manifested as being executed by a hardware processor, or executed by a combination of hardware and software modules within the processor.

[0253] The memory may include high-speed random access memory (RAM) and may also include non-volatile memory (NVM), such as at least one disk storage device, and may also be a USB flash drive, external hard drive, read-only memory, disk or optical disc, etc.

[0254] The bus can be an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus, or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. Buses can be categorized as address buses, data buses, control buses, etc. For ease of illustration, the buses shown in the accompanying drawings are not limited to a single bus or a single type of bus.

[0255] The aforementioned storage media can be implemented from any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof, such as Static Random-Access Memory (SRAM), Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EPROM), Programmable Read-Only Memory (PROM), Read-Only Memory (ROM), magnetic storage, flash memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk. The storage media can be any available medium accessible to general-purpose or special-purpose computers.

[0256] An exemplary storage medium is coupled to a processor, enabling the processor to read information from and write information to the storage medium. Alternatively, the storage medium can be an integral part of the processor. Both the processor and the storage medium can reside in application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Alternatively, the processor and storage medium can exist as discrete components in an electronic device or host device.

[0257] It should be noted that, for the sake of simplicity, the foregoing method embodiments are all described as a series of actions. However, those skilled in the art should understand that this application is not limited to the described order of actions, as some steps may be performed in other orders or simultaneously according to this application. Furthermore, those skilled in the art should also understand that the embodiments described in the specification are all optional embodiments, and the actions and modules involved are not necessarily essential to this application.

[0258] It should be further noted that although the steps in the flowchart are shown sequentially according to the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some steps in the flowchart may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages. These sub-steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times. The execution order of these sub-steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.

[0259] In the above embodiments, the descriptions of each embodiment have their own emphasis. For parts not described in detail in a certain embodiment, please refer to the relevant descriptions of other embodiments. The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as the combination of these technical features does not contradict each other, it should be considered within the scope of this specification.

[0260] Other embodiments of this application will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this application are indicated by the claims.

[0261] The above are merely specific embodiments of this application, but the protection scope of this application is not limited thereto. Any changes or substitutions within the technical scope disclosed in this application should be covered within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A self-cleaning control method for cleaning equipment, characterized in that, The cleaning device includes a clean water tank, a first light transmission structure, and a first optical sensor. The first light transmission structure is fixedly disposed inside the clean water tank and extends along the height direction of the clean water tank. The first optical sensor includes a first transmitting end and a first receiving end. The first transmitting end is used to transmit light signals into the first light transmission structure, and the first receiving end is used to receive light signals emitted from the first light transmission structure. The method includes: In response to the self-cleaning command, the first liquid level height in the clean water tank is determined based on the first optical sensor and the first light transmission structure; If the first liquid level is less than or equal to the first threshold, a water level warning message is generated.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The determination of the first liquid level height in the clear water tank based on the first optical sensor and the first light transmission structure includes: Determine the first optical signal information of the first receiving end, the first optical signal information including the optical signal received from the first optical transmission structure and the optical signal not received from the first optical transmission structure; The first liquid level height in the clear water tank is determined based on the first optical signal information.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Determining the first optical signal information of the first receiving end includes: When the first optical transmission structure is surrounded by a first medium, the first optical signal information is determined to be the optical signal reflected by the first optical transmission structure received by the first receiving end; When the first optical transmission structure is surrounded by a second medium, the first optical signal information is determined to be an optical signal that the first receiving end did not receive reflected by the first optical transmission structure; wherein, the refractive index of the first medium is less than the refractive index of the second medium, and the refractive indices of both the first medium and the second medium are less than the refractive index of the first optical transmission structure.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning device further includes a second optical sensor, which is located vertically above the first optical sensor. The second optical sensor includes a second transmitting end and a second receiving end. The second transmitting end is used to transmit light signals into the interior of the first light transmission structure, and the second receiving end is used to receive light signals emitted from the first light transmission structure. The method further includes: During the process of replenishing the water tank, the second liquid level height in the water tank is determined based on the second optical sensor and the first light transmission structure; If the second liquid level is greater than or equal to the second threshold, a full water alarm is generated, and water replenishment to the clean water tank is stopped; the second threshold is greater than the first threshold.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The top of the first light-conducting structure contacts the top cover of the water tank, and the second receiving end can receive the light signal reflected from the top of the first light-conducting structure. The method further includes: When the liquid in the water tank reaches the top of the first light-conducting structure, the second liquid level height is determined to be equal to the second threshold.

6. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The method further includes: Before performing the water replenishment task on the clean water tank, determine the location information of the clean water tank; When the presence information indicates that the water tank is in a present state, the water replenishment task is executed.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The cleaning equipment further includes a second light transmission structure and a third optical sensor. The second light transmission structure is disposed inside the clean water tank and extends along the height direction of the clean water tank. A hollow layer is provided on the outer side of the light emitting surface of the second light transmission structure. The third optical sensor includes a third transmitting end and a third receiving end. The third transmitting end is used to transmit light signals to the second light transmission structure, and the third receiving end is used to receive the light signals emitted by the second light transmission structure. Determining the location information of the clean water tank includes: Determine the second optical signal information of the third receiving end, the second optical signal information including the optical signal received from the second optical transmission structure and the optical signal not received from the second optical transmission structure; When the second optical signal information indicates that the third receiving end has received the optical signal reflected by the second optical transmission structure, it is determined that the water tank is in place.

8. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The cleaning device further includes a fourth optical sensor, which is positioned lower than the first optical sensor. The fourth optical sensor includes a fourth transmitter and a fourth receiver. The fourth transmitter is used to emit light signals into the interior of the first light-conducting structure, and the fourth receiver is used to receive light signals emitted from the first light-conducting structure. The method further includes: In response to the self-cleaning command, the third liquid level height in the clean water tank is determined based on the fourth optical sensor and the first light transmission structure; If the third liquid level is less than or equal to the third threshold, a water shortage alarm is generated; the third threshold is less than the first threshold.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of generating a water level warning when the first liquid level is less than or equal to a first threshold includes: Determine the duration during which the first liquid level height is less than or equal to the first threshold; If the duration exceeds a preset duration threshold, a water level warning message is generated.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The cleaning device further includes a display interface for displaying the liquid level information in the clean water tank; the method further includes: During the self-cleaning process of the cleaning device, at least the first liquid level height detected by the first optical sensor is visualized on the display interface.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The cleaning device also includes a fifth optical sensor. A hollow layer is provided on the outer side of the light emitting surface of the middle part of the first light transmission structure. The fifth optical sensor includes a fifth transmitting end and a fifth receiving end. The fifth transmitting end is used to transmit light signals to the first light transmission structure, and the fifth receiving end is used to receive light signals emitted from the first light transmission structure. The method further includes: The location information of the water tank is determined based on the fifth optical sensor and the first light transmission structure; When the presence information indicates that the clean water tank is in a present state, the cleaning equipment is controlled to perform self-cleaning.

12. A self-cleaning control device for cleaning equipment, characterized in that, The cleaning equipment includes a clean water tank, a first light transmission structure, and a first optical sensor. The first light transmission structure is fixedly disposed inside the clean water tank and extends along the height direction of the clean water tank. The first optical sensor includes a first transmitting end and a first receiving end. The first transmitting end is used to transmit light signals into the first light transmission structure, and the first receiving end is used to receive light signals emitted from the first light transmission structure. The device includes: A determining module is configured to, in response to a self-cleaning command, determine a first liquid level height in the clean water tank based on the first optical sensor and the first light transmission structure; The generation module is used to generate water level warning information when the first liquid level height is less than or equal to the first threshold.

13. A cleaning device, characterized in that, The cleaning device includes a clean water tank, a first light transmission structure, a first optical sensor, and a controller. The first light transmission structure is fixedly installed inside the clean water tank and extends along the height direction of the clean water tank. The first optical sensor includes a first transmitting end and a first receiving end. The first transmitting end is used to transmit light signals into the interior of the first light transmission structure, and the first receiving end is used to receive light signals emitted from the first light transmission structure. The first optical sensor is used to determine the first liquid level height in the clean water tank based on the first light transmission structure in response to a self-cleaning command. The controller is used to generate water level warning information when the first liquid level is less than or equal to a first threshold.

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