A refrigerator and a method for deodorizing and controlling odors.

Abstract

This application discloses a refrigerator and an odor-removing control method. The method includes: acquiring historical refrigerator opening data from a user; predicting the refrigerator opening probability for each time interval based on the historical opening data; determining a target time interval based on the refrigerator opening probability; determining the start time corresponding to the target time interval; correcting the start time corresponding to the target time interval based on the refrigerator opening probabilities of adjacent time intervals; and activating the odor purification device when the current time reaches the corrected start time. According to this application, the start time can adaptively follow the daily fluctuations in the user's refrigerator door opening time, making the start time of the odor purification device more closely match the user's actual usage habits. This ensures that the odor purification device operates during times when the user does not open the refrigerator, guaranteeing the odor removal effect while avoiding energy waste caused by ineffective starts.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of refrigerator technology, and more particularly to a refrigerator and a method for odor control. Background Technology

[0002] An odor purifier is a functional module or system installed inside a refrigerator to remove odors and inhibit bacterial growth. Its core function is to eliminate odorous gases (such as ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and methanethiol) produced by food storage inside the refrigerator, while killing or inhibiting common foodborne pathogens (such as Listeria, Salmonella, and Escherichia coli).

[0003] Currently, most refrigerator odor purification devices operate on a fixed start-stop cycle. However, these devices generate ozone during operation. If users open the refrigerator during periods of high ozone concentration, they may smell unpleasant odors, leading to a poor user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a refrigerator and an odor control method that can reduce the probability of users smelling ozone odor when opening the refrigerator, achieve better odor removal effect, and improve user experience.

[0005] In a first aspect, a refrigerator is provided, comprising: a cabinet in which a storage compartment is formed;

[0006] Odor purification device, installed in the storage room, is used to purify odorous gases in the storage room;

[0007] The controller connected to the odor purification device is configured as follows:

[0008] Obtain the user's historical refrigerator opening data;

[0009] Based on historical opening data, predict the probability of the refrigerator being opened for each time interval. The time interval is the time period obtained by discretizing a preset period.

[0010] Based on the probability of the refrigerator being opened, a target time interval is determined, where the target time interval is the predicted time interval during which the refrigerator will be opened;

[0011] Determine the start time corresponding to the target time interval, where the start time is the time obtained by subtracting the target duration from the start time of the target time interval;

[0012] Based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected. The adjacent time intervals include the first time interval and the second time interval. The first time interval is the time interval before the target time interval, and the second time interval is the time interval after the target time interval.

[0013] When the corrected start-up time is reached at the current moment, the odor purification device will be activated.

[0014] In some embodiments, when predicting the refrigerator opening probability for each time interval based on historical opening data, the controller is specifically configured as follows:

[0015] The first cumulative number of times the refrigerator is opened is calculated for each time interval, wherein the first cumulative number of times the refrigerator door is opened is the sum of the number of times the refrigerator door is opened within the corresponding time interval;

[0016] For each time interval, divide the corresponding first cumulative number of times the refrigerator is opened by the number of statistical days corresponding to the historical opening data to obtain the corresponding refrigerator opening probability.

[0017] Alternatively, count the second cumulative number of times the refrigerator was opened for each time interval across all workdays;

[0018] For each time interval, divide the corresponding second cumulative number of openings by the total number of working days within the statistical period corresponding to the historical opening data to obtain the corresponding refrigerator opening probability.

[0019] In some embodiments, when the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, the controller is specifically configured as follows:

[0020] If the probability of opening the refrigerator in the first time interval is less than the probability of opening the refrigerator in the target time interval, and the probability of opening the refrigerator in the second time interval is less than the probability of opening the refrigerator in the target time interval, the start time remains unchanged.

[0021] In some embodiments, when the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, the controller is specifically configured as follows:

[0022] If the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the first time interval is greater than or equal to the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the target time interval, and the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the second time interval is less than the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the target time interval, the start time will be shifted forward.

[0023] In some embodiments, when the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, the controller is specifically configured as follows:

[0024] If the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the first time interval is less than the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the target time interval, and the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the second time interval is greater than or equal to the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the target time interval, the start time will be shifted backward so that the odor purification device starts after the start time of the target time interval.

[0025] In some embodiments, when the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, the controller is specifically configured as follows:

[0026] If the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the first time interval is greater than or equal to the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the target time interval, and the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the second time interval is greater than or equal to the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the target time interval, the start time will be shifted forward.

[0027] In some embodiments, the refrigerator further includes a gas sensor disposed in the storage compartment for detecting the concentration of odor gas in the storage compartment, wherein the concentration of odor gas is positively correlated with the target duration.

[0028] In some embodiments, the probability of the refrigerator being opened corresponding to the target time interval is greater than or equal to a preset probability threshold, and different preset probability thresholds correspond to different gear levels.

[0029] Secondly, a method for controlling odor removal is provided, including: acquiring historical opening data of the refrigerator by the user within a preset statistical period;

[0030] Based on historical opening data, predict the probability of the refrigerator being opened for each time interval. The time interval is the time period obtained by discretizing a preset period.

[0031] Based on the probability of the refrigerator being opened, a target time interval is determined, where the target time interval is the predicted time interval during which the refrigerator will be opened;

[0032] Determine the start time corresponding to the target time interval, where the start time is the time obtained by subtracting the target duration from the start time of the target time interval;

[0033] Based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected. The adjacent time intervals include the first time interval and the second time interval. The first time interval is the time interval before the target time interval, and the second time interval is the time interval after the target time interval.

[0034] When the corrected start-up time is reached at the current moment, the odor purification device will be activated.

[0035] In the above embodiments, this method can predict the target time interval during which the refrigerator will be opened based on the user's refrigerator usage habits, and then determine the start time of the odor purification device based on the start time of the target time interval. This ensures that the odor purification device operates during the time interval when the user does not open the refrigerator, thereby reducing the probability of the user smelling ozone odor when opening the refrigerator, achieving a better odor removal effect, and improving the user experience. Furthermore, this method fully considers the normal fluctuations in the time users open the refrigerator during daily use. Based on a preset probability threshold to determine the target time interval, it further dynamically corrects the start time of the purification device based on the refrigerator door opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals. The reason for choosing adjacent time intervals as the correction basis is that user door-opening behavior has continuity and gradual change over time. That is, if a user frequently opens the refrigerator door during a certain time interval, the user's daily refrigerator door-opening time is likely to fluctuate within adjacent time intervals, rather than suddenly jumping to other time intervals far away from the target time interval. Therefore, the refrigerator opening probability within adjacent time intervals can effectively reflect the natural fluctuation trend of actual door opening time. By introducing the refrigerator opening probabilities of the preceding and following time intervals, the start-up time can be corrected. This allows the start-up time to adaptively follow the daily fluctuations in the user's refrigerator opening time, making the start-up time of the odor purification device more aligned with the user's actual usage habits, ensuring odor removal effectiveness while avoiding energy waste caused by ineffective starts. The method includes: acquiring historical refrigerator opening data from the user; predicting the refrigerator opening probability for each time interval based on the historical opening data; determining the target time interval based on the refrigerator opening probability; determining the start-up time corresponding to the target time interval, where the start-up time is the time obtained by subtracting the target duration from the start time of the target time interval; correcting the start-up time corresponding to the target time interval based on the refrigerator opening probabilities of adjacent time intervals, where adjacent time intervals include a first time interval and a second time interval, the first time interval being the time interval preceding the target time interval and the second time interval being the time interval following the target time interval; and activating the odor purification device when the current time reaches the corrected start-up time. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 2 This is another external structural diagram of the refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the air duct in the refrigerator compartment provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0039] Figure 4This is a block diagram of the internal structure of a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0040] Figure 5 This is a structural block diagram of a controller provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0041] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of an odor control method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0042] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating an example of odor control provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 8 This is a comparison diagram of the odor removal effect in a conventional mode and an adaptive mode provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To make the objectives and implementation methods of this application clearer, the exemplary implementation methods of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the exemplary embodiments of this application. Obviously, the exemplary embodiments described are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0045] It should be noted that the brief descriptions of terms in this application are only for the convenience of understanding the embodiments described below, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application. Unless otherwise stated, these terms should be understood in their ordinary and common meaning.

[0046] The terms "first," "second," "third," etc., used in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar or related objects or entities, and do not necessarily imply a specific order or sequence, unless otherwise specified. It should be understood that such terms are interchangeable where appropriate.

[0047] The terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, are intended to cover but not exclude inclusion, for example, a product or device that includes a range of components is not necessarily limited to all of the components that are clearly listed, but may include other components that are not clearly listed or that are inherent to such product or device.

[0048] To maintain a fresh odor inside refrigerators, the industry currently primarily uses ion technology, catalytic technology, and electric field-assisted catalytic technology for sterilization and odor removal. Among these, ion technology involves releasing positive and negative ions and strong oxidizing substances from the odor purification device to oxidize odor molecules, thereby mineralizing the odor molecules and achieving effective odor removal.

[0049] Currently, there are two main operating modes for odor purification devices. One is a fixed operating logic, where the odor purification device is activated periodically to remove odors. When the refrigerator is first powered on, the default operating logic for the odor purification device is user mode. After the user closes the refrigerator door, the odor purification device begins to operate periodically, with a working period of t1 and a short idle period of t2. After running for M cycles, there is an idle period of T (long idle period). After the idle period ends, the above process is repeated. In other words, the operation of the odor purification device includes three parts: the working period (t1), the short idle period (t2), and the long idle period (T). The values ​​of t1, t2, and T are fixed during the operation of the odor purification device. The other mode uses a gas sensor to control the start and stop of the odor purification device based on the gas sensor's detection results. Both of these operating modes have their shortcomings. For the periodic start-up mode, the fixed start-up and stop times and operating cycle make it impossible to adjust according to actual user needs. Furthermore, due to the diffusion of ions and other active species and ozone concentration limitations during operation, the odor purification device experiences short periods of idle time for ion diffusion and long periods of idle time for ozone decomposition. If the user opens the refrigerator during a long idle period, they may smell an ozone odor, leading to a poor user experience. For the latter, false alarms from the gas sensor or its failure to respond to certain odor gases can also affect the odor removal effect, resulting in situations where the user perceives an odor but the odor purification device does not respond, or vice versa. Therefore, this application provides a refrigerator and an odor control method.

[0050] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 2 This is another external structural diagram of the refrigerator provided in this application embodiment, see below. Figures 1-2 The refrigerator 100 of this embodiment has an approximately rectangular shape. The refrigerator includes a cabinet defining a storage space and multiple doors located at the opening of the cabinet. Each door includes a door shell located outside the cabinet, a door inner liner located inside the cabinet, an upper cover, a lower cover, and an insulation layer located between the door shell, door inner liner, upper cover, and lower cover; typically, the insulation layer is filled with foam material. The cabinet has chambers, including component storage chambers for placing refrigerator components, such as a compressor compartment, and storage spaces for storing food, etc. These storage spaces can be divided into multiple storage compartments, which, depending on their purpose, can be configured as a refrigerator compartment 10 and a freezer compartment 20, and may also include a variable temperature compartment, a vacuum drawer, a humidifier drawer, etc. Each storage compartment corresponds to one or more doors, for example, in... Figure 1 The upper storage compartment features double doors. These doors can be pivotally mounted at the opening of the cabinet or can open like drawers for drawer-style storage.

[0051] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the air duct in the refrigerator compartment provided in an embodiment of this application. See also... Figure 3 A gas sensor 11 is installed inside the refrigerator compartment 10 to detect the concentration of odorous gases flowing into the compartment. An odor purification device 12 is installed inside the refrigerator compartment 10 to purify the odors in the compartment. The odor purification device 12 can be, for example, an ion generator, which purifies the air by generating negative and positive ions. A fan 13 is installed inside the refrigerator air duct 101 to circulate the gas within the refrigerator air duct and the refrigerator compartment 10.

[0052] Figure 4 This is a block diagram of the internal structure of a refrigerator provided in an embodiment of this application. See also... Figure 4 The refrigerator also includes a controller 14 and a door status monitoring device 15. The controller 14 is connected to the gas sensor 11, the odor purification device 12, and the door status monitoring device 15, respectively. The controller 14 receives the concentration of odor gas in the storage compartment detected by the gas sensor 11 and receives the door opening / closing status signal detected by the door status monitoring device 15. The controller 14 can also control the start and stop of the odor purification device 12.

[0053] Figure 5 This is a structural block diagram of a controller provided in an embodiment of this application. See also... Figure 5The controller 14 includes a processor 141 and a memory 142 storing computer program instructions. The processor 141 may include a central processing unit (CPU), an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement embodiments of this disclosure. The memory 142 may include a mass storage device for information or instructions. For example, and not limitingly, the memory 142 may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a floppy disk drive, flash memory, an optical disk drive, a magneto-optical disk drive, magnetic tape, or a Universal Serial Bus (USB) drive, or a combination of two or more of these. Where appropriate, the memory 142 may include removable or non-removable (or fixed) media. Where appropriate, the memory 142 may be internal or external to the integrated gateway device. In a particular embodiment, the memory 142 is a non-volatile solid-state memory. In a particular embodiment, the memory 142 includes read-only memory (ROM). Where appropriate, the ROM may be a mask-programmed ROM, a programmable ROM (PROM), an erasable PROM (Electrically Programmable ROM, EPROM), an electrically erasable PROM (EEPROM), an electrically alterable ROM (EAROM), or flash memory, or a combination of two or more of these. The processor 141 executes the steps of the control method for the refrigerator 100 provided in this disclosure by reading and executing computer program instructions stored in the memory 142. In one example, the controller 14 may further include a transceiver 143 and a bus 144. As shown in the figures, the processor 141, the memory 142, and the communication interface are connected via the bus 144 and communicate with each other. The communication interface can be used to communicate with other devices or communication networks (such as Ethernet, radio access network (RAN), wireless local area networks (WLAN), etc.). The communication interface can be a module, circuit, transceiver, or any device capable of communication. Bus 144 includes peripheral component interconnect (PCI) lines or extended industry standard architecture (EISA) buses, etc.Bus 144 can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc.

[0054] In some embodiments, the controller is configured to acquire historical data of the user opening the refrigerator;

[0055] Based on historical opening data, predict the probability of the refrigerator being opened for each time interval. The time interval is the time period obtained by discretizing a preset period.

[0056] Based on the probability of the refrigerator being opened, a target time interval is determined, where the target time interval is the predicted time interval during which the refrigerator will be opened;

[0057] Determine the start time corresponding to the target time interval, where the start time is the time obtained by subtracting the target duration from the start time of the target time interval;

[0058] Based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected. The adjacent time intervals include the first time interval and the second time interval. The first time interval is the time interval before the target time interval, and the second time interval is the time interval after the target time interval.

[0059] When the corrected start-up time is reached at the current moment, the odor purification device will be activated.

[0060] In some embodiments, when predicting the refrigerator opening probability for each time interval based on historical opening data, the controller is specifically configured as follows:

[0061] Count the first cumulative number of times the refrigerator was opened for each time interval;

[0062] For each time interval, divide the corresponding first cumulative number of times the refrigerator is opened by the number of statistical days corresponding to the historical opening data to obtain the corresponding refrigerator opening probability.

[0063] Alternatively, count the second cumulative number of times the refrigerator was opened for each time interval across all workdays;

[0064] For each time interval, divide the corresponding second cumulative number of openings by the total number of working days within the statistical period corresponding to the historical opening data to obtain the corresponding refrigerator opening probability.

[0065] In some embodiments, when the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, the controller is specifically configured as follows:

[0066] If the probability of opening the refrigerator in the first time interval is less than the probability of opening the refrigerator in the target time interval, and the probability of opening the refrigerator in the second time interval is less than the probability of opening the refrigerator in the target time interval, the start time remains unchanged.

[0067] In some embodiments, when the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, the controller is specifically configured as follows:

[0068] If the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the first time interval is greater than or equal to the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the target time interval, and the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the second time interval is less than the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the target time interval, the start time will be shifted forward.

[0069] In some embodiments, when the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, the controller is specifically configured as follows:

[0070] If the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the first time interval is less than the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the target time interval, and the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the second time interval is greater than or equal to the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the target time interval, the start time will be shifted backward so that the odor purification device starts after the start time of the target time interval.

[0071] In some embodiments, when the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, the controller is specifically configured as follows:

[0072] If the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the first time interval is greater than or equal to the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the target time interval, and the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the second time interval is greater than or equal to the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the target time interval, the start time will be shifted forward.

[0073] In some embodiments, the refrigerator further includes a gas sensor disposed in the storage compartment for detecting the concentration of odor gas in the storage compartment, wherein the concentration of odor gas is positively correlated with the target duration.

[0074] In some embodiments, the probability of the refrigerator being opened corresponding to the target time interval is greater than or equal to a preset probability threshold, and different preset probability thresholds correspond to different gear levels.

[0075] Figure 6 This is a flowchart of an odor control method provided in an embodiment of this application. See also... Figure 6 The method includes:

[0076] S610: Obtain historical data of the user opening the refrigerator.

[0077] Specifically, historical opening data refers to relevant data collected within a preset statistical period that reflects when the refrigerator door is opened.

[0078] Specifically, the preset statistical period refers to the pre-set time length used to collect historical opening data of the refrigerator. For example, the preset statistical period can be any value between 25 and 40 days. When the preset statistical period is 30 days, the preset statistical period is a time window that moves forward 30 days from the preset reference time point. The preset reference time point can include at least one of the following: the current time, midnight of the current day, midnight of the 1st of the month to which the current time belongs, midnight of the Monday of the week to which the current time belongs, a fixed date (such as the 15th of each month), the end of a quarter (such as March 31, June 30, etc.), or a time point actively set by the user (the user can customize the endpoint through the refrigerator control panel or mobile APP), but it is not limited to these.

[0079] In some examples, historical opening data is collected in real time by a door status monitoring device. Each time the device detects a change in the refrigerator door's position from closed to open, it records an opening event and generates corresponding historical opening data. This data includes, for example, at least the date (e.g., a specific month and day) and time interval (e.g., a specific hour of the day) of each opening. In other examples, historical opening data can be obtained from user logs (when connected to the network). These logs include refrigerator opening status for each time interval of the day (open is recorded as 1, closed as 0). For example, if a user opens the refrigerator at 00:30 on the first day of a preset statistical period, the opening status for the first time interval (00:00-01:00) is recorded as 1. If the user does not open the refrigerator on the first day (01:00-02:00), the opening status for the second time interval (01:00-02:00) is recorded as 0, and so on, recording 30 days of historical opening data. To facilitate calculations by the controller, a structured data format can be used, employing a 30×24 matrix for data recording, where rows represent days (1-30) and columns represent 24 time intervals. However, this is not a limitation.

[0080] S620. Based on historical opening data, predict the probability of the refrigerator being opened for each time interval, where the time interval is the time period obtained by discretizing a preset period.

[0081] Specifically, a preset period refers to a pre-defined basic time span used to divide time intervals. A preset period may include, for example, a day or a week, but is not limited to these.

[0082] Specifically, a time interval refers to N consecutive, non-overlapping time periods divided according to preset rules within a preset period. In some examples, the preset period can be divided into N time intervals at equal intervals. For instance, a 24-hour day can be divided into N time intervals at equal intervals, with each time interval corresponding to a one-hour period. The first time interval corresponds to 00:00-01:00, the second time interval corresponds to 01:00-02:00, and so on. In other examples, the preset period can be divided into N time intervals at unequal intervals. For instance, a 24-hour day can be divided into N time intervals at unequal intervals, meaning the lengths of the time intervals are not entirely equal. For example, based on historical door opening data, high-frequency periods (door opening frequency greater than a preset frequency threshold) and low-frequency periods (door opening frequency less than or equal to a preset frequency threshold) can be identified. A first duration is used as the time interval length for high-frequency periods, and a second duration is used for low-frequency periods, with the first duration being shorter than the second duration. However, this is not the only possible approach.

[0083] Specifically, the refrigerator opening probability refers to the likelihood that a user will open the refrigerator door within a given time interval, expressed as a probability value between 0 and 1. The closer the probability value is to 1, the more consistent the user's habit of opening the refrigerator is within that time interval, and the higher the probability of opening the refrigerator within that time interval; the closer the probability value is to 0, the less consistent the user's habit of opening the refrigerator is within that time interval, and the lower the probability of opening the refrigerator within that time interval.

[0084] In some embodiments, S620 includes: counting the first cumulative number of times the refrigerator is opened for each time interval; for each time interval, dividing the first cumulative number of times the refrigerator is opened by the number of days corresponding to the historical opening data to obtain the refrigerator opening probability.

[0085] Specifically, the first cumulative number of times the refrigerator is opened is counted for each time interval within the preset statistical period. For each time interval, the first cumulative number of times it is opened is divided by the total number of days in the preset statistical period to obtain the corresponding refrigerator opening probability.

[0086] Specifically, for the i-th time interval, the formula for calculating the probability of the refrigerator being opened is as follows:

[0087]

[0088] in, Let be the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the i-th time interval. This is the total number of times the refrigerator door was opened within the i-th time interval during the preset statistical period (if the door is opened multiple times in the i-th time interval on a certain day, it is counted as once). The total number of days in the preset statistical period.

[0089] Understandably, calculating the refrigerator opening probability for each time interval in this way can make full use of all historical opening data, obtain stable and reliable user habits, and is suitable for user groups whose work and rest patterns do not change with the workday. Moreover, the algorithm is simple and consumes low computing resources.

[0090] In other embodiments, S620 includes: counting the second cumulative number of times the refrigerator is opened for each time interval across all working days; for each time interval, dividing the corresponding second cumulative number of times the refrigerator is opened by the total number of working days within the statistical period corresponding to the historical opening data to obtain the corresponding refrigerator opening probability.

[0091] Specifically, the second cumulative number of times the refrigerator is opened is counted for each time interval in all working days within the preset statistical period. For each time interval, the second cumulative number of times it is opened is divided by the total number of working days in the preset statistical period to obtain the corresponding refrigerator opening probability.

[0092] Specifically, for the i-th time interval, the formula for calculating the probability of the refrigerator being opened is as follows:

[0093]

[0094] in, Let be the probability of the refrigerator being opened in the i-th time interval. This is the total number of times the refrigerator door is opened during the i-th time interval on a workday (if the door is opened multiple times during the i-th time interval on a certain day, it is counted as one time). This represents the total number of working days within a preset statistical period.

[0095] Understandably, calculating the probability of a refrigerator being opened in this way for each time interval can accurately match users' cyclical work and rest patterns on weekdays, eliminate interference from weekend data, and improve the accuracy of predicting the probability of a refrigerator being opened on weekdays.

[0096] Optionally, following S620, the system also includes acquiring the user's alarm clock data and bedtime data; determining the user's bedtime based on the alarm clock data and the user's departure time based on travel data; and correcting the probability of the refrigerator being opened to 0 for one or more time intervals corresponding to the bedtime and departure times. This avoids ineffective activation of the odor purification device and achieves energy-saving effects.

[0097] S630. Determine the target time interval based on the probability of the refrigerator being opened, where the target time interval is the time interval during which the refrigerator is predicted to be opened.

[0098] Specifically, the probability of the refrigerator being opened within the target time interval is greater than or equal to a preset probability threshold.

[0099] In some embodiments, the preset probability threshold is fixed (e.g., 70%).

[0100] In other embodiments, the preset probability threshold is adjusted based on external factors such as season and / or dynamics of food inventory. For example, in summer, when temperatures are high and food is easily perishable, the preset probability threshold is appropriately lowered (e.g., from 70% to 60%) to increase the activation frequency of the odor purification device; in winter, when temperatures are low and bacteria grow slowly, the preset probability threshold is appropriately increased (e.g., from 70% to 80%) to reduce unnecessary activation of the odor purification device.

[0101] In other embodiments, the preset probability threshold includes multiple selectable levels, with different levels corresponding to different preset probability thresholds, allowing users to adjust the activation frequency of the odor purification device according to their needs. Alternatively, the preset probability threshold can be automatically fine-tuned based on seasonal changes, incorporating the user's selected level: in summer, the preset adjustment value is automatically reduced (e.g., 5%) based on the preset probability threshold corresponding to the user's selected level, and in winter, the preset adjustment value is automatically increased (e.g., 5%).

[0102] Specifically, the preset probability threshold is a crucial parameter for the intelligent control of odor purification devices, directly determining their automatic activation frequency. To meet the individual needs of different refrigerator users, the preset probability threshold can be set in stages, such as high, medium, and low. The activation frequency of the odor purification device gradually decreases based on user habits across these three levels. High level: The preset probability threshold is set to 85%. When the percentage is ≥85%, it indicates a high frequency of refrigerator opening during that time period, making it worthwhile to activate the odor purification device. When the probability is less than 85%, it indicates that the refrigerator is opened infrequently during that time period, and the odor purification device does not need to be activated; Medium setting: The preset probability threshold is set to 75%. When the odor removal rate is ≥75%, it indicates a high frequency of refrigerator opening during that time period, making it worthwhile to activate the odor purification device. When the percentage is less than 75%, it indicates that the refrigerator is opened less frequently during this time period, and the odor purification device does not need to be activated; Low setting: The preset probability threshold is set to 60%. When the percentage is ≥60%, it indicates a high frequency of refrigerator opening during that time period, making it worthwhile to activate the odor purification device. If the percentage is less than 60%, it means that the refrigerator is opened less frequently during that time period, and there is no need to activate the odor purification device.

[0103] Understandably, different users have varying levels of concern regarding odor removal effectiveness and energy consumption. By offering multiple settings, users can flexibly choose different settings according to their own preferences and usage habits, thus enabling the same refrigerator to suit a wider range of consumers. This eliminates the need to develop multiple versions for different markets, reducing research and development and production costs.

[0104] Specifically, if there is no target time interval, it means that the user's daily refrigerator usage habits are extremely inconsistent. In this case, the odor purification device can still be controlled to start and stop according to a fixed operating logic throughout the day, or the odor purification device can be controlled to start and stop through the gas sensor detection results.

[0105] S640. Determine the start time corresponding to the target time interval, wherein the start time is the time obtained by subtracting the target duration from the start time of the target time interval.

[0106] Specifically, for each target time interval, the start time corresponding to the target time interval is determined, where the start time is the time obtained by subtracting the target duration from the start time of the target time interval.

[0107] Specifically, the target duration represents the time interval between the start time of the odor purification device and the start time of the target time interval, and the target duration is a positive number.

[0108] In some examples, the target duration is a fixed value, such as a fixed duration set by the factory or manually set by the user. For example, it can be any value between 25 and 35 minutes. According to tests, 30 minutes is the optimal value, which can ensure the purification effect while also saving energy.

[0109] In other examples, the target duration is not less than "the time required for the odor purification device to achieve the preset purification effect + the time required for ozone decomposition". Optionally, the concentration of the odor gas is positively correlated with the target duration. For example, the concentration of odor gas in the storage room detected by a gas sensor is obtained, and the time required for the odor purification device to achieve the preset purification effect (such as reducing the odor gas concentration to a preset concentration threshold) and the time required for ozone decomposition are determined based on the concentration of the odor gas in the storage room. This time is then used as the target duration.

[0110] S650. Based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, correct the start time corresponding to the target time interval, wherein the adjacent time intervals include a first time interval and a second time interval, the first time interval is the time interval preceding the target time interval, and the second time interval is the time interval following the target time interval.

[0111] In some embodiments, the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, including: if the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is less than the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is less than the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, the start time is kept unchanged.

[0112] Specifically, if the j-th time interval is the target time interval, and , If the value indicates that the user is less likely to open the refrigerator door early or less likely to open it late, then the start-up time remains unchanged.

[0113] Furthermore, if the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is less than the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is less than the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, the target duration is kept unchanged, including: if the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is less than the first probability threshold, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is less than the first probability threshold, the start time is kept unchanged, wherein the first probability threshold is greater than the preset probability threshold.

[0114] In other embodiments, the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, including: if the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is greater than or equal to the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is less than the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, the start time is shifted forward.

[0115] Specifically, if the j-th time interval is the target time interval, and , This indicates that users are more likely to open the refrigerator door earlier than they are less likely to open it later. Therefore, the odor purification device should be activated earlier, and the activation time can be shifted forward.

[0116] In some examples, the forward offset of the startup time is a fixed value, such as a fixed forward offset set by the factory or manually set by the user. It can take any value between 25 and 35 minutes, such as 25 minutes, 28 minutes, 30 minutes, 32 minutes, or 35 minutes, but is not limited to this.

[0117] In other examples, considering that the higher the probability of the refrigerator door being opened in the first time interval, the greater the likelihood that the user will open the door earlier, the forward offset should be larger. For example, the forward offset is calculated by multiplying the probability difference (probability of the refrigerator door being opened in the first time interval – preset probability threshold) with a preset compensation coefficient k, where the preset compensation coefficient k can be between 30 and 120, and the unit is minutes / percentage.

[0118] Furthermore, if the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is greater than or equal to the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is less than the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, the target duration is increased, including: if the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is greater than or equal to the first probability threshold, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is less than the first probability threshold, the start time is shifted forward.

[0119] In some other embodiments, the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval. This includes: if the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is less than the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is greater than or equal to the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, the start time is shifted backward so that the odor purification device starts after the start time of the target time interval.

[0120] Specifically, if the j-th time interval is the target time interval, and , This indicates that the user is more likely to delay opening the refrigerator door, so the odor purification device should be started later. Therefore, the start time can be shifted later so that the odor purification device starts after the start time of the target time interval.

[0121] In some examples, the backward offset of the target duration is a fixed value, such as a fixed backward offset set by the factory or manually set by the user. It can take any value between 25 and 35 minutes, such as 25 minutes, 28 minutes, 30 minutes, 32 minutes, or 35 minutes, but is not limited to this.

[0122] In other examples, considering that the higher the probability of the refrigerator door being opened in the second time interval, the greater the likelihood that the user will open the door later, the larger the backward offset should be. For example, the backward offset is calculated by multiplying the probability difference (probability of the refrigerator door being opened in the second time interval – preset probability threshold) with a preset compensation coefficient k, where the preset compensation coefficient k can be between 30 and 120, and the unit is minutes / percentage.

[0123] Furthermore, if the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is less than the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is greater than or equal to the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, the target duration is reduced so that the odor purification device starts after the start time of the target time interval. This includes: if the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is less than the first probability threshold, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is greater than or equal to the first probability threshold, the start time is shifted backward so that the odor purification device starts after the start time of the target time interval.

[0124] In some other embodiments, the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, including: if the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is greater than or equal to the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is greater than or equal to the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, the start time is shifted forward.

[0125] Specifically, if the j-th time interval is the target time interval, and , This indicates that the user is more likely to open the refrigerator door earlier or later. Therefore, the odor purification device should be activated even earlier. The activation time can be shifted forward. Please refer to the previous text for the amount of forward shift; it will not be repeated here.

[0126] Furthermore, if the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is greater than or equal to the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is greater than or equal to the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, the target duration is increased, and the increased preset baseline duration is used as the target duration. This includes: if the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is greater than or equal to the first probability threshold, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is greater than or equal to the first probability threshold, the start time is shifted forward.

[0127] For example, in the high-end segment: the preset probability threshold is 85%, the first probability threshold is 90%, and the j-th time interval is the target time interval. ≥85%, then if ≥90% of users may open the refrigerator door prematurely. ≥90% of users may delay opening the refrigerator door. Specifically, if ≥85%, and <90%, If <90%, the odor purification device will start 30 minutes before the start time of the j-th time interval; if ≥85%, and ≥90%, If the odor purification device starts 1 hour earlier than the start time of the j-th time interval, and the odor is less than 90%, then the odor purification device will start. ≥85%, and ≥90%, If the odor purification device starts 30 minutes later than the start time of the j-th time interval, and the odor is less than 90%, then the odor purification device will start 30 minutes later than the start time of the j-th time interval. ≥85%, and ≥90%, and If the odor purification device starts 1 hour earlier than the start time of the j-th time interval, the odor purification device will be activated if the odor purification device is ≥90%.

[0128] Medium range: The preset probability threshold is 75%, the first probability threshold is 80%, and the j-th time interval is the target time interval. ≥75%, if ≥80% of users may open the refrigerator door prematurely. ≥80% of users may delay opening the refrigerator door. Specifically, if ≥75%, and <80%, If <80%, the odor purification device will start 30 minutes earlier than the start time of the j-th time interval; if ≥75%, and ≥80%, If the odor purification device starts 1 hour earlier than the start time of the j-th time interval, and the odor is less than 80%, then the odor purification device will start. ≥75%, and ≥80%, If the odor purification device starts 30 minutes later than the start time of the j-th time interval, and the odor is less than 80%, then the odor purification device will start 30 minutes later than the start time of the j-th time interval. ≥75%, and ≥80%, and If the odor purification device starts 1 hour earlier than the start time of the j-th time interval, the odor purification device will be activated if the odor purification rate is ≥80%.

[0129] Low-end setting: The preset probability threshold is 60%, the first probability threshold is 65%, and the j-th time interval is the target time interval. ≥60%, if If the refrigerator door is ≥65% open, the user may open it prematurely. ≥65% of users may delay opening the refrigerator door. Specifically, if ≥60%, and <65%, If the odor purification device starts 30 minutes before the start time of the j-th time interval, and the odor is less than 65%, then the odor purification device will start. ≥60%, and ≥65%, If the odor purification device starts 1 hour earlier than the start time of the j-th time interval, and the odor is less than 65%, then the odor purification device will start. ≥60%, and ≥65%, If the odor purification device starts 30 minutes later than the start time of the j-th time interval, and the odor is less than 65%, then the odor purification device will start 30 minutes later than the start time of the j-th time interval. ≥60%, and ≥65%, and If the odor purification device is ≥65%, it will start 1 hour earlier than the start time of the j-th time interval.

[0130] S660. When the current time reaches the corrected start time, start the odor purification device.

[0131] Specifically, starting the odor purification device means controlling the odor purification device to start operation. After the odor purification device starts operation, it can operate periodically according to the start t1 (working period) and stop t2 (small idle period) until the concentration of odor gas decreases to the preset concentration threshold and then the operation ends. Alternatively, it can continue to operate after starting until the concentration of odor gas decreases to the preset concentration threshold and then the operation ends. Or it can operate periodically according to the start t1 (working period) and stop t2 (small idle period) for M cycles and then end operation. This application does not limit this.

[0132] Understandably, this application fully considers the normal fluctuations in the time users open the refrigerator door during daily use. Based on the target time interval determined by the preset probability threshold, the start time of the purification device is further dynamically corrected according to the refrigerator door opening probability corresponding to the adjacent time intervals of the target time interval. This allows the start time to adapt to the daily fluctuations in the time users open the refrigerator door during daily use, making the start time of the odor purification device more in line with the user's actual usage habits. This ensures the odor removal effect while avoiding energy waste caused by ineffective startup.

[0133] To illustrate the odor control method provided in this application's embodiments in detail, a specific example is given below. See [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 7After the refrigerator is powered on, if adaptive mode is enabled, it will first force an odor removal process, and then enter a 30-day (or one-month) user habit learning phase. A day is divided into 24 time intervals (0:00-1:00, 1:00-2:00, …, 23:00-24:00). By statistically analyzing the refrigerator's opening activity within each time interval over 30 days (or one month), the probability of the refrigerator being opened in each time interval for the next 30 days (or one month) is determined. The target time interval is determined by comparing the refrigerator opening probability in each time interval with the preset refrigerator probability corresponding to the user's selected setting, and then the activation time of the odor removal device is adjusted based on adjacent time intervals. In full-time mode, the odor removal device is activated daily according to the determined activation time; in non-full-time mode, the odor removal device is activated only on weekdays according to the determined activation time, and the regular logic is called on non-weekdays. Furthermore, a new round of historical opening data recording is initiated for continuous optimization. Testing revealed [details omitted]. Figure 8 After enabling the adaptive mode, the odor removal effect was significantly improved, among which, Figure 8 The vertical axis represents the evaluation value, and the description of the odor removal effect corresponding to the evaluation value is shown in Table 1. It can be seen that the odor removal control method provided in this application can dynamically predict the start time of the odor purification device based on user habits by predicting the refrigerator opening probability and correcting for adjacent time intervals. This improves the refrigerator's odor removal experience while reducing the ineffective operating time of the odor removal system and lowering energy consumption.

[0134] Table 1

[0135]

[0136] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some or all of the technical features therein. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0137] For ease of explanation, the above description has been provided in conjunction with specific embodiments. However, the above exemplary discussion is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the specific forms disclosed above. Various modifications and variations can be obtained based on the above teachings. The selection and description of the above embodiments are for the purpose of better explaining the principles and practical applications, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better utilize the described embodiments and various different variations of embodiments suitable for specific use considerations.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, characterized in that, include: The box contains a storage compartment. An odor purification device is installed in the storage room to purify odorous gases in the storage room. The controller connected to the odor purification device is configured as follows: Obtain the user's historical opening data of the refrigerator; Based on the historical opening data, the probability of the refrigerator being opened in each time interval is predicted, wherein the time interval is a time period obtained by discretizing a preset period. Based on the refrigerator opening probability, a target time interval is determined, wherein the target time interval is the time interval during which the refrigerator is predicted to be opened; Determine the start time corresponding to the target time interval, wherein the start time is the time obtained by subtracting the target duration from the start time of the target time interval; Based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected. The adjacent time intervals include a first time interval and a second time interval, where the first time interval is the time interval preceding the target time interval and the second time interval is the time interval following the target time interval. When the corrected start time is reached at the current time, the odor purification device is activated.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the historical opening data, when predicting the refrigerator opening probability for each time interval, the controller is specifically configured as follows: The first cumulative number of times the refrigerator is opened is counted for each time interval, wherein the first cumulative number of times the refrigerator door is opened is the sum of the number of times the refrigerator door is opened within the corresponding time interval; For each time interval, the first cumulative number of times the refrigerator is opened is divided by the number of statistical days corresponding to the historical opening data to obtain the refrigerator opening probability. Alternatively, count the second cumulative number of times the refrigerator was opened for each of the aforementioned time intervals across all workdays; For each time interval, the corresponding second cumulative number of openings is divided by the total number of working days within the statistical period corresponding to the historical opening data to obtain the corresponding refrigerator opening probability.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, when correcting the start time corresponding to the target time interval, the controller is specifically configured as follows: If the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is less than the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is less than the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, the start time remains unchanged.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, when correcting the start time corresponding to the target time interval, the controller is specifically configured as follows: If the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is greater than or equal to the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is less than the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, the start time is shifted forward.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, when correcting the start time corresponding to the target time interval, the controller is specifically configured as follows: If the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is less than the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is greater than or equal to the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, the start time is shifted backward so that the odor purification device starts after the start time of the target time interval.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, when correcting the start time corresponding to the target time interval, the controller is specifically configured as follows: If the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the first time interval is greater than or equal to the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, and the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the second time interval is greater than or equal to the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the target time interval, the start time is shifted forward.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refrigerator also includes: A gas sensor, installed in the storage room, is used to detect the concentration of odorous gas in the storage room, wherein the concentration of the odorous gas is positively correlated with the target duration.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The probability of the refrigerator being opened during the target time interval is greater than or equal to a preset probability threshold, and different preset probability thresholds correspond to different gear levels.

9. A method for controlling odor removal, characterized in that, include: Obtain historical data on how users opened the refrigerator within a preset statistical period; Based on the historical opening data, the probability of the refrigerator being opened in each time interval is predicted, wherein the time interval is a time period obtained by discretizing a preset period. Based on the refrigerator opening probability, a target time interval is determined, wherein the target time interval is the time interval during which the refrigerator is predicted to be opened; Determine the start time corresponding to the target time interval, wherein the start time is the time obtained by subtracting the target duration from the start time of the target time interval; Based on the refrigerator opening probability corresponding to the adjacent time intervals of the target time interval, the start time corresponding to the target time interval is corrected. The adjacent time intervals include a first time interval and a second time interval, where the first time interval is the time interval preceding the target time interval and the second time interval is the time interval following the target time interval. When the corrected start-up time is reached at the current moment, the odor purification device will be activated.

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