Bean lack detection method and device for beverage equipment, beverage equipment and storage medium

Abstract

The invention relates to a bean lack detection method and device for beverage equipment, the beverage equipment and a storage medium. In response to a beverage making instruction, a correlation signal is detected, the state of a bean grinder is detected at the same time, in any bean grinding period, if the correlation signal is not detected and it is determined that the bean grinder does not have an empty grinding state, a powder pressing link after grinding is executed, and the thickness of pressed powder is obtained; under the condition that the thickness of the pressed powder is smaller than the thickness threshold value, a first bean lack prompt signal is sent out. Whether beans exist in a bean storage bin or not is judged by detecting correlation signals at the beginning of bean grinding or in the bean grinding process, so that the situation that no beans exist in the bean storage bin can be found in time, the number of rotation turns of the bean grinder is dynamically monitored in the bean grinding stage, and bean lack detection is achieved in combination with a dual verification mechanism for monitoring the thickness of pressed powder in the powder pressing stage; the problem of misjudgment caused by detection only through correlation signals can be avoided, and the accuracy and robustness of bean lack detection are remarkably improved.

Description

Methods and devices for detecting missing beans in beverage equipment; beverage equipment and storage media. Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of coffee grinder technology, and in particular to a method, apparatus, beverage equipment, computer-readable storage medium, and computer program product for detecting insufficient coffee beans in a beverage device. Background Technology

[0002] In fully automatic coffee machines and other smart beverage making equipment, to ensure beverage quality and user experience, a bean storage hopper (or bean box) is usually provided to store coffee beans. The coffee beans are then ground into powder by a grinding device before extraction. To prevent the extraction process from being accidentally started when there are no beans and only water is output, traditional equipment generally uses photoelectric through-beam sensors to detect whether there are coffee beans in the bean storage hopper.

[0003] The traditional detection method involves installing a pair of infrared transmitting and receiving sensors on the side wall of the bean storage bin or at the bean inlet. When there are beans in the storage bin, the beans will block the light path, and the receiver will not receive the signal, thus the system determines that "beans are present"; conversely, if the light path is unobstructed, it determines that "no beans are present", thereby prohibiting the start of the grinding and extraction process.

[0004] However, in actual use, the aforementioned traditional methods for detecting insufficient coffee beans have problems with misjudgment and lack of reliability. For example, when the bean storage bin is actually empty, but residual coffee bean debris or bean oils adhering to the sensor window continue to block the light path, the system will still incorrectly determine that "beans are present"; or when there are actually beans in the bean storage bin, but due to the structural design of the bean storage bin (such as insufficient slope), beans may not fall smoothly into the grinder, and the light will report "beans are present" because it is blocked by the beans piled up above, but the actual amount of beans entering the grinder is very small or even zero, resulting in no effective coffee powder participating in the extraction process and affecting the taste. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a method, apparatus, beverage equipment, computer-readable storage medium, and computer program product for detecting missing beans in beverage equipment, which can improve the detection accuracy and timeliness of the above-mentioned technical problems.

[0006] In a first aspect, this application provides a method for detecting a lack of beans in a beverage device. The method includes: responding to a beverage preparation command, detecting a through-beam signal from a sensor installed in the bean storage compartment of the beverage device; periodically sampling the number of rotations of a grinder in the beverage device at a preset sampling period to obtain the periodic sampling number of the grinder; in any grinding cycle corresponding to the beverage preparation command, if the through-beam signal indicates that there are no beans missing, and if the periodic sampling number of the grinder indicates that the grinder is not in an empty grinding state, performing a tamping step after grinding to obtain the thickness of the tamped powder cake; if the thickness of the tamped powder cake is determined to be less than a thickness threshold, issuing a first lack of beans warning signal, the first lack of beans warning signal being used to characterize an abnormal tamped powder cake thickness to alert the bean storage compartment corresponding to the grinder of an abnormal bean drop.

[0007] In one embodiment, the method further includes: during any grinding cycle, if it is determined that the grinder is in an empty grinding state based on the number of periodic sampling cycles of the grinder, controlling the grinder to stop grinding and issuing a second bean shortage warning signal, the second bean shortage warning signal being used to indicate that the grinder is grinding empty, so as to remind the bean storage bin corresponding to the grinder of an abnormal bean drop.

[0008] In one embodiment, after controlling the grinder to stop grinding, the method further includes: executing a non-extraction operation mode, which is used to wet press and remove residue from the ground powder.

[0009] In one embodiment, the method further includes: during any grinding cycle, if the beam signal indicates a lack of beans, issuing a third bean shortage warning signal and completing the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle, wherein the third bean shortage warning signal is used to indicate that the bean storage bin is short of beans.

[0010] In one embodiment, after obtaining the periodic sampling number of the coffee grinder, the method further includes: using a set number of sampling cycles as an evaluation period, obtaining the average sampling number of the coffee grinder within the evaluation period; in any given grinding cycle, real-time detecting the first average sampling number of the coffee grinder in the current evaluation period, and the second average sampling number of historical evaluation cycles prior to the current evaluation period and spaced apart by a set evaluation period; obtaining the difference in number of cycles between the first average sampling number and the second average sampling number; if all the differences in number of cycles are less than a number of cycles threshold in any given grinding cycle, determining that the coffee grinder is not in an empty grinding state; if there is a case in any given grinding cycle where the difference in number of cycles is greater than or equal to the number of cycles threshold, determining that the coffee grinder is in an empty grinding state.

[0011] In one embodiment, obtaining the average number of sampling cycles of the coffee grinder within the evaluation period, with a set number of sampling cycles as the evaluation period, includes: obtaining the sum of the number of sampling cycles of the coffee grinder within the set number of sampling cycles based on the set number of sampling cycles; calculating the quotient of the sum of the number of sampling cycles and the set number of sampling cycles, wherein the quotient is used to characterize the average number of sampling cycles of the coffee grinder within the evaluation period.

[0012] In one embodiment, the method further includes: if the thickness of the powder cake is determined to be greater than or equal to the thickness threshold, performing an extraction step after pressing the powder to complete the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle.

[0013] In one embodiment, the method further includes: when it is determined that the thickness of the powder cake is less than a thickness threshold, executing a non-extraction operation mode, wherein the non-extraction operation mode is used to perform wet pressing and slag removal treatment on the pressed powder cake.

[0014] In one embodiment, the thickness threshold is the thickness of the powder cake measured when the beverage device makes a beverage with the minimum grinding amount, the coarsest grinding setting, and the maximum tamping force.

[0015] In one embodiment, the step of pressing powder after grinding to obtain the thickness of the powder cake after pressing includes: determining a basic pressing stroke according to the beverage preparation instruction, the basic pressing stroke being used to characterize the stroke of the pressing execution component from the pressing ready position to the pressing end position; performing the pressing powder after grinding to obtain the actual pressing stroke during the pressing process, the actual pressing stroke being used to characterize the stroke of the pressing execution component from the pressing ready position to the pressing completed position; and obtaining a first stroke difference between the basic pressing stroke and the actual pressing stroke, the first stroke difference being used to characterize the thickness of the powder cake after pressing.

[0016] In one embodiment, determining the basic tamping stroke according to the beverage preparation instruction includes: determining the basic tamping stroke from configuration parameters according to the beverage preparation instruction; or, controlling the tamping execution component to enter a self-testing phase according to the beverage preparation instruction, and obtaining the basic tamping stroke detected by the tamping execution component based on the self-testing phase.

[0017] In one embodiment, obtaining the basic tamping stroke detected by the tamping execution component based on the self-test step includes: obtaining the full stroke and tamping-ready stroke of the tamping execution component collected by the tamping execution component based on the self-test step, wherein the full tamping stroke is used to characterize the stroke of the tamping execution component from the starting position to the ending position; the tamping-ready stroke is used to characterize the stroke of the tamping execution component from the starting position to the tamping-ready position; and obtaining a second stroke difference between the full stroke and the tamping-ready stroke, wherein the second stroke difference is used to characterize the basic tamping stroke.

[0018] In one embodiment, the powder pressing actuation component is a brewer chamber or a moving piston that cooperates with the brewer chamber to perform powder pressing.

[0019] Secondly, this application also provides a bean shortage detection device for beverage equipment. The device includes: a detection module configured to, in response to a beverage preparation command, detect a through-beam signal from a sensor installed in the bean storage compartment of the beverage equipment; and periodically sample the number of rotations of the grinder in the beverage equipment at a preset sampling period to obtain the periodic sampling number of the grinder; a cake thickness acquisition module configured to, within any grinding cycle corresponding to the beverage preparation command, if the through-beam signal indicates no bean shortage and the periodic sampling number of the grinder indicates that the grinder is not in an empty grinding state, perform a tamping step after grinding to obtain the cake thickness after tamping; and a prompting module configured to, upon determining... If the thickness of the coffee puff is less than a thickness threshold, a first low-bean-powder warning signal is issued, which indicates an abnormal coffee puff thickness; or, if, during any grinding cycle, the grinder is found to be grinding idly based on the number of periodic sampling cycles, the grinder is controlled to stop grinding and a second low-bean-powder warning signal is issued, indicating that the grinder is grinding idly and alerting the corresponding bean storage bin to an abnormal bean drop; or, if, during any grinding cycle, the grinder detects a low-bean-powder signal, a third low-bean-powder warning signal is issued and the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle is completed, indicating a low-bean-powder condition in the bean storage bin.

[0020] Thirdly, this application also provides a beverage device, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps of the above-described method.

[0021] Fourthly, this application also provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the above-described method.

[0022] Fifthly, this application also provides a computer program product, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the above-described method.

[0023] The aforementioned beverage equipment includes a method, apparatus, beverage equipment, computer-readable storage medium, and computer program product for detecting insufficient beans. The beverage equipment, in response to a beverage preparation command, detects the through-beam signal from a sensor installed in the bean storage hopper. Simultaneously, it periodically samples the number of rotations of the grinder within the beverage equipment at a preset sampling period, obtaining the periodic sampling number of the grinder. Within any grinding cycle corresponding to the beverage preparation command, if the through-beam signal indicates no insufficient beans, and if the periodic sampling number of the grinder confirms that the grinder is not in an empty grinding state, the equipment performs the tamping step after grinding, obtaining the thickness of the tamped coffee cake. If the thickness of the tamped coffee cake is determined to be less than a thickness threshold, a first insufficient bean warning signal is issued to alert the bean storage hopper corresponding to the grinder of an abnormal bean drop. It detects whether there are beans in the storage bin by detecting the photoelectric signal at the beginning or during the grinding process, thus enabling timely detection of empty storage bins. Furthermore, it achieves missing bean detection through a dual verification mechanism that dynamically monitors the number of rotations of the grinder during the grinding stage and monitors the thickness of the coffee puck during the tamping stage. This avoids the misjudgment problem of relying solely on photoelectric signals for detection, significantly improving the accuracy and robustness of missing bean detection. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or related technologies, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this application or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for detecting insufficient beans in a beverage device according to one embodiment; Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a step for determining the empty grinding state according to one embodiment; Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating a step for obtaining the thickness of the powder cake according to one embodiment; Figure 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating obtaining the thickness of the powder cake according to another embodiment; Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for detecting insufficient beans in a beverage device according to another embodiment; Figure 6 is a structural block diagram of a device for detecting insufficient beans in a beverage device according to one embodiment; Figure 7 is an internal structural diagram of a beverage device according to one embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0027] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., used in this application can be used to describe various elements, but these elements are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish the first element from the second element. The terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, used in this application, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The term "multiple" used in this application refers to two or more. The term "and / or" used in this application refers to one of the embodiments, or any combination of multiple embodiments.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, a method for detecting insufficient coffee beans in a beverage device is provided. This method is applied to a beverage device, which can be a coffee machine or other multi-functional beverage machine with a coffee grinding function. The method may include the following steps: Step 102, in response to a beverage preparation command, detecting the through-beam signal from a through-beam sensor located in the coffee bean storage compartment of the beverage device; and periodically sampling the number of rotations of the coffee grinder in the beverage device at a preset sampling period to obtain the periodic sampling number of the coffee grinder.

[0029] The beverage preparation instruction can be a command or instruction used to control the beverage equipment to prepare a beverage. For example, taking a coffee machine as an example, the beverage preparation instruction can be a command given to the coffee machine to make coffee, which may specifically include the corresponding flavor, such as "Italian Dark Roast" or "Latte". This instruction can be issued through the control buttons on the coffee machine, through the touch screen on the coffee machine, or through a voice assistant; this embodiment does not limit this.

[0030] Through-beam sensors can be photoelectric, ultrasonic, or laser types. They are typically installed in pairs within the bean storage compartment of a beverage device to periodically detect the presence of raw materials. For example, when there are raw materials like coffee beans in the compartment, the beans block the light path, preventing the receiver from receiving the transmitting signal (the through-beam signal). Based on this, it is preliminarily determined that there are beans in the compartment, indicating no shortage. Conversely, when there are no raw materials like coffee beans, the light path is unobstructed, allowing the receiver to receive the transmitting signal (the through-beam signal). Therefore, it is determined that there are no beans in the compartment, indicating a shortage. Thus, the presence of raw materials in the bean storage compartment can be determined by detecting the through-beam signal from the sensors installed within it.

[0031] A coffee grinder is a component in beverage equipment used to grind raw materials such as coffee beans. The coffee grinder is equipped with a bean storage bin that is connected to it, which is used to store the raw materials to be ground, such as coffee beans.

[0032] For example, when a user has a beverage preparation request, they can send a beverage preparation command to the beverage device. The beverage device then responds to the command and controls the bean storage compartment to dispense coffee beans into the grinder. The grinder then starts grinding the corresponding raw material, such as coffee beans, to a set particle size for subsequent brewing and extraction to complete the beverage preparation.

[0033] To prevent the coffee grinder from grinding dry due to an empty bean storage bin or poor bean feeding, resulting in insufficient powder for brewing and extraction, and thus abnormal beverages, this embodiment of the beverage equipment can also detect the through-bean signal of a sensor installed in the bean storage bin at the start or during grinding to determine if there is a shortage of beans in the storage bin. Simultaneously, during normal grinding (such as the stabilization period 1 second after the grinder starts), the number of rotations of the grinder is periodically sampled at a preset sampling period to obtain the periodic sampling number of the grinder, and this data is used to determine whether the grinder is grinding dry.

[0034] The preset sampling period can be a pre-set time period for sampling the number of revolutions of the coffee grinder. Specifically, it can be set based on the power of the coffee grinder. For example, when the coffee grinder has higher power, the preset sampling period can be set shorter, and when the coffee grinder has lower power, the preset sampling period can be set longer. For instance, the preset sampling period can be set to 300ms, 400ms, or 500ms, etc., but this embodiment does not limit it to this.

[0035] The periodic sampling number is the number of rotations in each sampling period, obtained by sampling the number of rotations of the coffee grinder based on a preset sampling period. This number of rotations can be calculated from the pulse signal output by the encoder mounted on the grinder motor shaft. For example, taking a preset sampling period of 400ms as an example, the first sampling period is 0-400ms, and the number of rotations of the coffee grinder in this period is sampled to obtain the number of rotations of the coffee grinder in this period, which is the periodic sampling number A1; the second sampling period is 401-800ms, and the number of rotations of the coffee grinder in this period is sampled to obtain the number of rotations of the coffee grinder in this period, which is the periodic sampling number A2; the third sampling period is 801-1200ms, and the number of rotations of the coffee grinder in this period is sampled to obtain the number of rotations of the coffee grinder in this period, which is the periodic sampling number A3. Similarly, within any grinding cycle corresponding to the beverage preparation instruction, the number of rotations of the grinder can be periodically sampled based on a preset sampling period to obtain the number of periodic sampling rotations of the grinder in each sampling cycle.

[0036] It's understandable that one grinding cycle refers to the complete grinding cycle corresponding to the preparation of one beverage. The beverage preparation instruction can be based on the preparation of a single beverage or on the preparation of multiple beverages. Typically, under a beverage preparation instruction based on multiple beverages, the beverage equipment can control the operation of each component in a cycle to prepare the corresponding beverage one by one, thus each beverage preparation corresponds to one grinding cycle.

[0037] Step 104: In any grinding cycle corresponding to the beverage preparation instruction, if the bean beam signal indicates that there are no beans missing, and if the number of periodic sampling cycles of the grinder determines that the grinder is not in an empty grinding state, the tamping step after grinding is performed to obtain the thickness of the tamped powder.

[0038] The "no bean shortage" indicator means there are beans in the storage bin, and beverage preparation can proceed normally. "Empty grinder" refers to a situation where the grinder runs without raw materials due to an empty storage bin or obstructed bean flow, causing it to grind without any raw materials.

[0039] Typically, during stable grinding, the number of revolutions of a coffee grinder within each sampling cycle is relatively stable. When there are raw materials being ground, the amount of coffee grounds produced is positively correlated with the number of revolutions; that is, the amount of coffee grounds produced per revolution is relatively stable. However, when the grinder transitions from grinding with raw materials to grinding without them, the resistance it experiences decreases, causing the grinder to rotate faster. Consequently, the number of revolutions within the corresponding sampling cycle also increases. This trend can be detected to determine if the grinder is grinding without coffee. Based on this, within each grinding cycle, the beverage equipment can detect the beam signal from the beam sensor in the coffee storage hopper. Simultaneously, based on the periodic sampling cycle number of the grinder, it determines whether the grinder is grinding without coffee. If the beam signal indicates there are enough coffee beans and the grinder is not grinding without coffee, the equipment performs the tamping process after grinding and obtains the thickness of the tamped coffee puck.

[0040] Step 106: If the thickness of the powder is determined to be less than the thickness threshold, a first insufficient powder warning signal is issued.

[0041] The thickness threshold can be the thickness after grinding and tamping the minimum amount of raw materials required for the flavor specified in the beverage preparation instruction. For example, to avoid false alarms about abnormal powder thickness during normal beverage preparation when the threshold is set too high, the thickness threshold can be the powder thickness measured after grinding the minimum amount of raw materials required for the flavor specified in the beverage preparation instruction (i.e., the minimum grinding amount) at the coarsest grinding setting (i.e., the coarsest powder particles produced at that setting) and tamping with the maximum tamping force (i.e., the maximum tamping force applied during the tamping process), depending on the beverage equipment. This thickness is understood to be the minimum thickness required for normal beverage preparation under the corresponding flavor. Therefore, different thickness thresholds can be configured based on different beverage equipment and beverage flavors.

[0042] In this embodiment, after grinding and tamping, the beverage equipment can determine whether the cake thickness is abnormal based on the relationship between the tamped cake thickness and the corresponding thickness threshold. For example, if the cake thickness is less than the thickness threshold for the corresponding flavor, it indicates an abnormal cake thickness, and the beverage equipment can issue a first low-bean warning signal to alert the coffee storage bin corresponding to the grinder of any abnormal bean dispensing, such as insufficient bean dispensing, poor slope, or partial blockage, allowing staff to promptly investigate. Since the low-bean state is not detected by the photoelectric sensor in the coffee storage bin at this time, it is highly likely that the sensor's detection window is covered with residual coffee bean debris or bean oil adhering to the sensor window. Therefore, the first low-bean warning signal can also be used to remind staff to clean the photoelectric sensor to improve its detection accuracy in subsequent operations.

[0043] In the aforementioned method for detecting a lack of beans in beverage equipment, the beverage equipment, in response to a beverage preparation command, detects the through-beam signal from a sensor installed in the bean storage compartment. Simultaneously, it periodically samples the number of rotations of the grinder in the beverage equipment at a preset sampling period to obtain the periodic sampling number of the grinder. Within any grinding cycle corresponding to the beverage preparation command, if the through-beam signal indicates that there are no beans missing, and if the periodic sampling number of the grinder confirms that the grinder is not in an empty grinding state, the equipment performs the tamping step after grinding, obtains the thickness of the tamped coffee cake, and if it is determined that the thickness of the tamped coffee cake is less than a thickness threshold, a first bean shortage warning signal is issued to alert the bean storage compartment corresponding to the grinder of an abnormal bean drop. It detects whether there are beans in the storage bin by detecting the photoelectric signal at the beginning or during the grinding process, thus enabling timely detection of empty storage bins. Furthermore, it achieves missing bean detection through a dual verification mechanism that dynamically monitors the number of rotations of the grinder during the grinding stage and monitors the thickness of the coffee puck during the tamping stage. This avoids the misjudgment problem of relying solely on photoelectric signals for detection, significantly improving the accuracy and robustness of missing bean detection.

[0044] In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG2, after obtaining the periodic sampling number of the coffee grinder in step 102, the above method may further include the following steps: Step 202, with the set sampling number as the evaluation period, obtain the average sampling number of the coffee grinder within the evaluation period.

[0045] The evaluation period is the time interval used to assess whether the coffee grinder is in an empty grinding state. The set sampling number is a pre-defined number of times the grinder's rotation count will be periodically sampled. Since the periodic sampling of the grinder's rotation count is based on the preset sampling period, one sampling period corresponds to one sample. For example, if the sampling number is set to N times, the corresponding evaluation period is N sampling periods. The average number of rotations sampled is the average of the number of rotations obtained from the grinder within the evaluation period, i.e., the N sampling periods.

[0046] For example, based on a set number of sampling times, the sum of the number of sampling revolutions of the coffee grinder within the set number of sampling times can be obtained, and the quotient of the sum of the sampling revolutions and the set number of sampling times can be calculated. This quotient represents the average number of sampling revolutions of the coffee grinder within the evaluation period. For example, if the set number of sampling times is 3, the corresponding evaluation period is 3 sampling periods. For each sampling period, the number of rotations of the coffee grinder in the corresponding sampling period can be obtained, i.e., the periodic sampling revolutions. By calculating the sum of the number of rotations of the coffee grinder in the 3 sampling periods and calculating its average value, the average number of sampling revolutions of the coffee grinder within the evaluation period can be obtained.

[0047] Step 204: In any grinding cycle, the first average number of sampling cycles of the grinder in the current evaluation cycle and the second average number of sampling cycles in the historical evaluation cycles before the current evaluation cycle and at intervals of set evaluation cycles are detected in real time.

[0048] Typically, a single grinding cycle for making a beverage can include multiple evaluation cycles. Among these, historical evaluation cycles are those that precede the current evaluation cycle in terms of time.

[0049] In this embodiment, within any grinding cycle, the beverage device can periodically sample the number of revolutions of the grinder based on a preset sampling period, and calculate the average number of sampling revolutions of the grinder in each evaluation period, using a set number of sampling times as the evaluation period. For example, the first average number of sampling revolutions of the grinder in the current evaluation period and the second average number of sampling revolutions in historical evaluation periods prior to the current evaluation period and spaced apart by a set evaluation period can be detected in real time. The set evaluation period can be a pre-defined period interval between the current evaluation period and historical evaluation periods for comparison, and this period interval is at least 1. That is, there is at least one evaluation period between the current evaluation period and the historical evaluation period.

[0050] Step 206: Obtain the difference in the number of laps between the first average sampling laps and the second average sampling laps.

[0051] For example, if the first average number of sampling cycles in the current evaluation period is M, and the second average number of sampling cycles in the historical evaluation period before the current evaluation period and at intervals of set evaluation periods is L, then the difference in the number of cycles is |ML| (i.e., the absolute value of the difference between M and L).

[0052] Step 208: If, within any grinding cycle, the difference in the number of all revolutions is less than the revolution threshold, it is determined that the grinder is not in an empty grinding state.

[0053] The number of revolutions threshold can be a pre-set reference value used to judge the empty grinding state of the coffee grinder. This number of revolutions threshold can be obtained based on experimental testing. For example, the number of revolutions threshold can be 3 revolutions.

[0054] In this embodiment, if the difference in the number of revolutions is less than the revolutions threshold in any grinding cycle, it means that the speed of the grinder is always stable in that grinding cycle. Therefore, it can be preliminarily determined that the grinder does not have an empty grinding state in that grinding cycle, that is, there are beans in the bean storage bin and the beans are falling normally.

[0055] For example, the tamping process is only performed after the grinder has been confirmed to have no empty grinding state throughout a grinding cycle. This process obtains the thickness of the tamped coffee pouch, and the pouch thickness is then monitored to detect missing beans. This avoids missed missing bean detection due to grinder status detection failure, thus improving the accuracy of missing bean detection.

[0056] Step 210: If, during any grinding cycle, there is a situation where the difference in the number of revolutions is greater than or equal to the number of revolutions threshold, it is determined that the grinder is in an empty grinding state.

[0057] For example, if, within any grinding cycle, the difference in the number of revolutions is greater than or equal to a revolutions threshold, it indicates a significant change in the grinder's speed within that cycle. Therefore, it can be preliminarily determined that the grinder is in an empty grinding state within that cycle, and the grinder should be stopped. Since an empty grinding state occurs when the grinder runs without grinding raw materials or due to insufficient raw materials, if an empty grinding state is detected within a grinding cycle, it indicates a change from a state with beans to a state lacking beans. Therefore, the subsequent puck thickness detection step can be skipped, and a second low-bean warning signal can be issued directly. For example, the user interface can be used to alert the grinder to the empty grinding state, prompting staff to address the low-bean issue promptly.

[0058] For example, taking a sampling frequency of 3 times as an example, three consecutive samplings constitute an evaluation cycle. The number of sampling cycles within each evaluation cycle is summed and divided by 3 to obtain the average number of sampling cycles for the corresponding evaluation cycle. Then, within any grinding cycle, the first average number of sampling cycles for the current evaluation cycle is calculated in real time, and the second average number of sampling cycles for the historical evaluation cycles prior to the current evaluation cycle and at intervals of a set evaluation cycle (e.g., 1 evaluation cycle) is obtained. The difference between the two is calculated as ΔR = |first average number of sampling cycles -second average number of sampling cycles|. If, within any grinding cycle, ΔR ≥ the preset number of cycles threshold (e.g., 3 cycles), the grinder is determined to be in an empty grinding state (i.e., no beans or poor bean feeding causing abnormally high speed), and the subsequent puck thickness detection step is not required; conversely, if all ΔR values ​​are < the number of cycles threshold, it is determined that there is no empty grinding state, and the subsequent process continues.

[0059] In the above embodiments, based on the set number of samplings as the evaluation period, the average number of sampling cycles of the grinder within the evaluation period is obtained. Within a grinding cycle, the first average number of sampling cycles of the grinder in the current evaluation period and the second average number of sampling cycles in historical evaluation periods before the current evaluation period and at intervals of the set evaluation period are detected in real time. Based on the relationship between the difference in the number of cycles of the two and the number of cycles threshold, it is determined whether the grinder is in an empty grinding state in the current grinding cycle, so as to improve the accuracy of detecting the empty grinding state of the grinder.

[0060] In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include: during any grinding cycle, if it is determined that the grinder is in an empty grinding state based on the periodic sampling number of the grinder, then the grinder is controlled to stop grinding and a second bean shortage warning signal is issued. The second bean shortage warning signal indicates that the grinder is grinding empty, thus alerting the corresponding bean storage bin to abnormal bean drop. Since an empty grinding state is when the grinder runs without grinding raw materials, indicating that there are no beans or abnormal bean drop in the corresponding bean storage bin, the beverage equipment can control the grinder to stop grinding in this scenario to reduce ineffective grinding and motor overheating caused by empty grinding, while simultaneously issuing the second bean shortage warning signal to remind staff to check promptly. Furthermore, since the bean shortage state is not detected by the through-beam sensor in the bean storage bin, it is highly likely that the sensor's detection window is covered with coffee bean debris or bean oil adhering to the sensor window. Therefore, the second bean shortage warning signal can also be used to remind staff to clean the through-beam sensor to improve its detection accuracy in subsequent operations.

[0061] In an exemplary embodiment, after controlling the coffee grinder to stop grinding, the method may further include: executing a non-extraction operation mode. This non-extraction operation mode is used for wet pressing and residue removal of the ground powder. Since the coffee grinder is triggered by a lack of beans and stopped during a grinding cycle due to an empty grinding state, meaning the grinder has not yet completed a full grinding cycle, the amount of ground powder is insufficient to meet the needs of beverage preparation. Therefore, to maintain the consistency of mechanical operation and not affect subsequent beverage preparation, the ground powder needs to be removed. Specifically, the beverage equipment can be controlled to execute a non-extraction operation mode to wet press and remove residue from the ground powder. This involves controlling the beverage equipment to wet and press the ground powder into cakes, skipping the cake thickness detection and extraction stages, and directly driving the residue-scraping mechanism to scrape the residue into the residue box, thereby improving the reliability of the beverage equipment.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include: during any grinding cycle, if a beam sensor indicates a shortage of beans, issuing a third bean shortage warning signal and completing the beverage preparation corresponding to that grinding cycle. The third bean shortage warning signal indicates a shortage in the bean storage bin, prompting staff to investigate. Specifically, if a beam sensor indicates a shortage of beans during any grinding cycle, it means a shortage in the bean storage bin has been detected. Therefore, there is no need to perform further steps such as detecting the number of grinder rotations and subsequent cake thickness checks; instead, the third bean shortage warning signal is issued directly. For example, a user interface can be used to alert staff to the shortage in the bean storage bin, prompting them to address the issue promptly. Furthermore, since the beam sensor detects the shortage by a beam sensor located within the bean storage bin, a shortage indicates a lack of raw materials in the storage bin, while there is still a certain amount of raw material remaining in the bean feeding channel, sufficient to support the beverage preparation for that grinding cycle. Therefore, when the beverage equipment detects a bean shortage indication via a photoelectric signal, it issues a third bean shortage warning signal and continues to complete the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle, i.e., completing the grinding, tamping, and extraction normally. This allows for early warning of bean availability in the storage bin without shutting down the machine, avoiding the inefficiency caused by relying solely on the number of grinder rotations and puck thickness to detect a completely empty bean state and causing shutdowns.

[0063] In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG3, in step 104, the grinding and pressing process is performed to obtain the thickness of the powder cake after pressing. Specifically, it may include the following steps: Step 302, determining the basic pressing stroke according to the beverage preparation instruction.

[0064] The basic tamping stroke characterizes the travel distance of the tamping actuator from the tamping-ready position to the tamping-end position. The tamping-ready position is the coffee-receiving position in the brewer chamber, such as the "ready" position, after each beverage is made and the brewer discharges the grounds, it returns to the "ready" position to prepare for the next coffee grinding. The tamping-end position refers to the endpoint of the maximum travel distance that the tamping actuator can extend.

[0065] For example, the beverage equipment can determine the basic tamping stroke from the configuration parameters based on the beverage preparation instruction. The basic tamping stroke refers to the travel distance of the tamping actuator from the tamping-ready position to the end position, where the end position is the endpoint of the maximum travel distance the tamping actuator can make. This position is fixed when there is no coffee grounds in the brewer chamber; the tamping-ready position, which is the coffee-receiving position in the brewer chamber when preparing to grind coffee (e.g., the "ready" position), is also fixed. Therefore, the travel distance from the tamping-ready position to the end position, i.e., the basic tamping stroke, is also fixed. Based on this, to improve the processing efficiency of the beverage equipment, the basic tamping stroke can be pre-stored in the configuration parameters. Then, after the beverage equipment receives the beverage preparation instruction, it can directly determine the basic tamping stroke from the configuration parameters for subsequent calculation of the coffee pouch thickness, thereby improving calculation speed.

[0066] In one scenario, the beverage equipment can also control the tamping component to enter a self-test phase based on the beverage preparation instructions. This allows the tamping component to obtain a basic tamping stroke based on real-time detection during the self-test. This avoids stroke errors caused by long-term use of the tamping component and improves the accuracy of subsequent calculations of the powder thickness.

[0067] Step 304: Perform the grinding and pressing process to obtain the actual pressing stroke during the pressing process.

[0068] The actual pressing stroke characterizes the distance traveled by the pressing actuator from the pressing-ready position to the pressing-complete position, i.e., the distance the pressing actuator moves in its direction of motion during the pressing process. Typically, the pressing actuator is equipped with an encoder to record the number of rotations of its screw during its movement. In this embodiment, the number of screw rotations during the pressing process, from the pressing-ready position to the pressing-complete position, represents the actual pressing stroke. Since the distance traveled per screw rotation is fixed, the number of screw rotations can be converted into a travel distance.

[0069] Step 306: Obtain the first stroke difference between the basic tamping stroke and the actual tamping stroke. This first stroke difference is used to characterize the thickness of the powder cake after tamping.

[0070] Specifically, a first stroke difference is obtained by calculating the difference between the basic tamping stroke and the actual tamping stroke, and this first stroke difference is used to characterize the thickness of the powder cake after tamping.

[0071] In an exemplary embodiment, the acquisition of the basic tamping stroke of the tamping execution component based on the self-test step may specifically include: acquiring the full stroke and tamping-ready stroke of the tamping execution component collected during the self-test step, and acquiring a second stroke difference between the full stroke and the tamping-ready stroke, which is used to characterize the basic tamping stroke. The full stroke characterizes the stroke of the tamping execution component from the starting position to the ending position. Since there is no powder in the brewer chamber during the self-test, the full stroke is the maximum stroke that the tamping execution component can move. The tamping-ready stroke characterizes the stroke of the tamping execution component from the starting position to the tamping-ready position.

[0072] For example, the tamping actuation component may be a brewer chamber or a moving piston that works in conjunction with the brewer chamber to perform tamping, depending on the specific beverage equipment.

[0073] In one scenario, as shown in Figure 4, for a beverage device where the powder-pressing component is a brewer chamber, a fixed piston 40 is fixedly installed at one end of its full stroke. During powder pressing, the brewer chamber 41 moves towards the fixed piston to press the powder. Since there is no powder in the brewer chamber 41 at the initial stage, the fixed piston 40 is in contact with the bottom of the brewer chamber 41. If the contact point, h1, is taken as the endpoint (in this embodiment, the endpoint is determined based on the direction of movement during powder pressing), then during the self-testing phase, the beverage device can control the brewer chamber 41 to move from the endpoint h1 to the starting point h2 (this position is the endpoint of the maximum stroke that the brewer chamber 41 can move) to perform a self-test, and based on this, determine the full stroke S1 of the brewer chamber 41, that is, the stroke from h1 to h2.

[0074] The tamping-ready position, or "ready" position, is typically located between the start and end points of the entire tamping stroke. If the tamping-ready position is set at h3, the beverage equipment can control the brewing chamber 41 to move from the start position h2 to the tamping-ready position h3 for self-checking and determine the tamping-ready stroke S2, which is the stroke from h2 to h3. By calculating the difference (S1-S2) between the full stroke S1 and the tamping-ready stroke S2, the basic tamping stroke S3 can be obtained, i.e., S3 = S1-S2. This stroke is the stroke from the tamping-ready position h3 to the end position h1.

[0075] At this point, the brewer chamber 41 is located at the powder-ready position h3. When powder is received and powder is pressed, the brewer chamber 41 moves towards the fixed piston 40, allowing the fixed piston 40 to contact the powder in the brewer chamber 41 and press it. Since the fixed piston 40 is fixed, the upward movement of the brewer chamber 41 until it contacts the fixed piston 40 differs depending on whether there is powder in the chamber or not. If there is no powder, the brewer chamber 41 can continue to the end position h1, while if there is powder, the thickness of the powder prevents the brewer chamber 41 from reaching the end position h1. Therefore, if the brewer chamber 41 is located at h4 when powder pressing is completed, and its actual pressing stroke is S4, this stroke is the stroke between the powder-ready position h3 and the position h4 after pressing is completed. Based on this, the thickness S5 of the pressed powder can be obtained as the difference between the base pressing stroke S3 and the actual pressing stroke S4, i.e., S5 = S3 - S4.

[0076] In one scenario, the pressing component can also be a moving piston that cooperates with the brewer chamber to press the powder. In this scenario, during the pressing process, the brewer chamber only oscillates and does not move up and down, while the moving piston moves into the brewer chamber to press the powder. It is understood that the calculation of the powder thickness in this scenario is similar to that in the embodiment shown in Figure 4, and this embodiment does not limit it.

[0077] In one exemplary embodiment, the method may further include: if the thickness of the coffee pouch is determined to be greater than or equal to a thickness threshold, performing an extraction step after tamping to complete the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle. That is, beverage preparation is completed normally when the amount of coffee grounds is normal.

[0078] In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include: executing a non-extraction operation mode when the thickness of the powder cake is determined to be less than a thickness threshold. The non-extraction operation mode is used for wet pressing and slag removal of the pressed powder cake. That is, beverage preparation is not performed when the powder quantity is abnormal, thereby improving the reliability of the beverage equipment.

[0079] In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG5, the following further describes the method for detecting missing beans in the beverage equipment, which may specifically include the following steps: Step 502, in response to the beverage making instruction, the through-beam signal is detected and the number of rotations of the grinder in the beverage equipment is periodically sampled at a preset sampling period to obtain the periodic sampling number of the grinder.

[0080] For details, please refer to step 102 shown in Figure 1. This embodiment will not elaborate on this step.

[0081] Step 504: Identify whether the beam signal indicates a lack of beans.

[0082] Specifically, if the signal indicates that there are no beans, step 506 is executed; if the signal indicates that there are no beans, step 518 is executed.

[0083] Step 506: During any grinding cycle, determine whether the grinder is in an empty grinding state based on the number of periodic sampling cycles of the grinder.

[0084] For a specific determination of whether an empty grinding state exists, please refer to the embodiment shown in Figure 2. This embodiment will not elaborate on this further.

[0085] If it is determined that there is no empty grinding state, then proceed to step 508; if it is determined that there is an empty grinding state, then proceed to step 516.

[0086] Step 508: Perform the pressing process after grinding to obtain the thickness of the pressed powder.

[0087] Specifically, if it is determined in step 506 that the grinder is not in an empty grinding state, the dry coffee powder that has been ground and entered the brewer chamber is subjected to a tamping process to obtain the thickness of the tamped coffee pouch, and the thickness of the coffee pouch is used to further detect whether there are missing beans.

[0088] The process of obtaining the thickness of the powder compact can be referred to in the embodiments shown in Figures 3 and 4, and will not be described in detail in this embodiment.

[0089] Step 510: Determine whether the thickness of the pressed powder is less than the thickness threshold.

[0090] Specifically, if it is determined that the thickness of the pressed powder is greater than or equal to the thickness threshold, step 512 is executed; if it is determined that the thickness of the pressed powder is less than the thickness threshold, step 514 is executed.

[0091] Step 512: Perform the extraction process after tamping the beans to complete the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle.

[0092] Specifically, if the thickness of the powder cake is determined to be greater than or equal to the thickness threshold based on step 510, normal extraction is performed to complete the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle.

[0093] Step 514: Issue the first bean shortage warning signal.

[0094] Specifically, if step 510 determines that the coffee puck thickness is less than a thickness threshold, a first low-bean warning signal is issued. This signal indicates an abnormal coffee puck thickness, alerting the coffee bean storage hopper to an abnormal bean drop. Step 520 then executes the no-extraction operation mode. Since the low-bean state is not detected by the through-bean sensor in the storage hopper, it is highly likely that the sensor's detection window is covered with coffee bean debris or bean oils. Therefore, the first low-bean warning signal can also remind staff to clean the through-bean sensor promptly, improving its detection accuracy in subsequent operations.

[0095] Step 516: Control the grinder to stop grinding beans and issue a second bean shortage warning signal.

[0096] Specifically, if step 506 determines that the coffee grinder is in an empty grinding state, the grinder is controlled to stop grinding and a second low-bean warning signal is issued. This second low-bean warning signal is used to indicate that the grinder is empty, thus alerting the corresponding bean storage bin to abnormal bean drop. Step 520, the no-extraction operation mode, is then executed. It can be understood that since the grinder being empty indicates a low bean count, steps 508 and 510 are unnecessary for monitoring and judging the cake thickness; a low bean count can be directly determined. Furthermore, since this low-bean state is not detected by the photoelectric sensor in the bean storage bin, the sensor's detection window is likely covered with coffee bean debris or bean oils. Therefore, the second low-bean warning signal can also be used to remind staff to clean the photoelectric sensor, improving its detection accuracy in subsequent operations.

[0097] Step 518: Issue the third insufficient bean warning signal and complete the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle.

[0098] Specifically, if the bean storage bin is low on beans as indicated by the photoelectric signal detected in step 504, it means there are still some raw materials in the bean feeding channel, enough to support the beverage preparation for the current grinding cycle. Therefore, when the beverage equipment detects the bean shortage signal, it issues a third bean shortage warning signal and continues to complete the beverage preparation for the current grinding cycle, i.e., it completes the grinding, tamping, and extraction normally. This allows for early warning of bean availability in the storage bin without stopping the machine, avoiding the problem of stopping the beverage equipment due to a complete bean shortage caused by relying solely on the number of grinder rotations and puck thickness.

[0099] Step 520: Execute the no-extraction operation mode.

[0100] If the cake thickness is determined to be less than a thickness threshold, a no-extraction operation mode is executed to perform wet pressing and residue removal on the pressed cake. Similarly, after the grinder stops grinding, a no-extraction operation mode is executed to perform wet pressing and residue removal on the ground powder.

[0101] The above method detects the presence of beans in the storage bin by monitoring the photoelectric signal at the start or during grinding. This provides early warning of bean availability, allowing users to add beans in advance. This avoids the problem of the beverage equipment being completely empty and its efficiency being affected by relying solely on the number of grinder rotations and puck thickness to determine a bean shortage. Furthermore, by dynamically monitoring the grinder's rotation during the grinding process, the grinding status is determined. If the grinder is found to be empty during any grinding cycle, a bean shortage is detected, triggering a warning signal to remind the operator to clean the photoelectric sensor. The method then executes a non-extraction operation mode for wet pressing and puck removal after grinding, eliminating the need for puck thickness checks. During any grinding cycle, if the photoelectric sensor indicates no bean shortage and the grinder is not running empty, the system monitors the cake thickness during the tamping stage to detect a bean shortage. If the cake thickness is less than a threshold, a warning signal is issued to alert the operator to the shortage and to clean the photoelectric sensor. The system then executes a no-extraction mode for wet tamping and cake removal. Only when the cake thickness is greater than or equal to the threshold will the system proceed to the normal extraction stage to complete the beverage preparation for that grinding cycle. This three-level detection mechanism avoids the misjudgment problems associated with relying solely on photoelectric sensors and the lag issues inherent in relying solely on grinder rotation counts and cake thickness measurements, significantly improving the accuracy and robustness of bean shortage detection.

[0102] It should be understood that although the steps in the flowcharts of the embodiments described above 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 flowcharts of the embodiments described above may include multiple steps or multiple stages. These steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times. The execution order of these steps or stages is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with other steps or at least some of the steps or stages in other steps. It is understood that the steps in different embodiments can be freely combined as needed, and all non-contradictory solutions formed by such combinations are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0103] Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a bean shortage detection device for implementing the bean shortage detection method for beverage equipment as described above. The solution provided by this device is similar to the implementation described in the above method; therefore, the specific limitations of one or more bean shortage detection device embodiments for beverage equipment provided below can be found in the limitations of the bean shortage detection method for beverage equipment described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0104] In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG6, a bean shortage detection device for a beverage equipment is provided, comprising: a detection module 602, a powder cake thickness acquisition module 604, and a prompting module 606, wherein: the detection module 602 is configured to, in response to a beverage preparation command, detect the through-beam signal of a through-beam sensor installed in the bean storage compartment of the beverage equipment; and periodically sample the number of rotations of the grinder in the beverage equipment at a preset sampling period to obtain the periodic sampling number of the grinder; the powder cake thickness acquisition module 604 is configured to, in any grinding cycle corresponding to the beverage preparation command, if no through-beam signal is detected, and if it is determined from the periodic sampling number of the grinder that the grinder is not in an empty grinding state, perform a tamping step after grinding, and obtain the powder cake thickness after tamping. The thickness of the coffee grounds; the prompting module 606 is configured to, when it is determined that the thickness of the coffee grounds is less than a thickness threshold, issue a first short-bean prompt signal, the first short-bean prompt signal being used to indicate an abnormal thickness of the coffee grounds; or, configured to, during any grinding cycle, if it is determined that the coffee grinder is in an empty grinding state based on the periodic sampling cycle of the coffee grinder, control the coffee grinder to stop grinding and issue a second short-bean prompt signal, the second short-bean prompt signal being used to indicate that the coffee grinder is grinding empty, to remind the coffee storage bin corresponding to the coffee grinder of an abnormal coffee drop; or, configured to, during any grinding cycle, if the through-bean signal is detected, issue a third short-bean prompt signal and complete the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle, the third short-bean prompt signal being used to indicate that the coffee storage bin is short of coffee.

[0105] In an exemplary embodiment, the prompting module is further configured to perform the following: during any grinding cycle, if it is determined that the grinder is in an empty grinding state based on the number of periodic sampling cycles of the grinder, control the grinder to stop grinding and issue a second bean shortage prompt signal. The second bean shortage prompt signal is used to indicate that the grinder is grinding empty, so as to remind the bean storage bin corresponding to the grinder of an abnormal bean drop.

[0106] In one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus further includes an execution module configured to execute a non-extraction operation mode after controlling the grinder to stop grinding, the non-extraction operation mode being used for wet pressing and slag removal of the ground powder.

[0107] In an exemplary embodiment, the prompting module is further configured to: during any grinding cycle, if the through-beam signal is detected, issue a third bean shortage prompt signal and complete the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle, wherein the third bean shortage prompt signal is used to indicate that the bean storage bin is short of beans.

[0108] In an exemplary embodiment, the device further includes a state determination module configured to, after obtaining the periodic sampling number of the coffee grinder, acquire the average sampling number of the coffee grinder within the evaluation period, with a set number of sampling cycles as the evaluation period; within any given grinding cycle, detect in real time the first average sampling number of the coffee grinder in the current evaluation period, and the second average sampling number of historical evaluation periods prior to the current evaluation period and spaced apart by a set evaluation period; acquire the difference in the number of cycles between the first average sampling number and the second average sampling number; if, within any given grinding cycle, all differences in the number of cycles are less than a number of cycles threshold, determine that the coffee grinder is not in an empty grinding state; if, within any given grinding cycle, there is a case where the difference in the number of cycles is greater than or equal to the number of cycles threshold, determine that the coffee grinder is in an empty grinding state.

[0109] In an exemplary embodiment, the state determination module is further configured to perform: based on the set number of sampling cycles, obtain the sum of the number of sampling cycles of the coffee grinder within the set number of sampling cycles; calculate the quotient of the sum of the number of sampling cycles and the set number of sampling cycles, the quotient being used to characterize the average number of sampling cycles of the coffee grinder within the evaluation period.

[0110] In an exemplary embodiment, the execution module is further configured to perform: if it is determined that the thickness of the powder cake is greater than or equal to the thickness threshold, to perform the extraction step after pressing the powder, thereby completing the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle.

[0111] In an exemplary embodiment, the execution module is further configured to perform: upon determining that the thickness of the powder cake is less than a thickness threshold, to execute a non-extraction operation mode, the non-extraction operation mode being used for wet pressing and slag removal of the pressed powder cake.

[0112] In one exemplary embodiment, the thickness threshold is the thickness of the powder cake measured when the beverage device makes a beverage with the minimum grinding amount, the coarsest grinding setting, and the maximum tamping force.

[0113] In an exemplary embodiment, the powder thickness acquisition module is further configured to perform: determining a basic tamping stroke according to the beverage preparation instruction, the basic tamping stroke being used to characterize the stroke of the tamping execution component from the tamping ready position to the end position; performing the tamping step after grinding, acquiring the actual tamping stroke during the tamping process, the actual tamping stroke being used to characterize the stroke of the tamping execution component from the tamping ready position to the tamping completed position; and acquiring a first stroke difference between the basic tamping stroke and the actual tamping stroke, the first stroke difference being used to characterize the powder thickness after tamping.

[0114] In an exemplary embodiment, the powder thickness acquisition module is further configured to: determine the basic tamping stroke from configuration parameters according to the beverage preparation instruction; or, control the tamping execution component to enter a self-testing phase according to the beverage preparation instruction, and acquire the basic tamping stroke detected by the tamping execution component based on the self-testing phase.

[0115] In an exemplary embodiment, the powder thickness acquisition module is further configured to perform: acquiring the full travel and ready travel of the powder pressing execution component based on the self-test step, wherein the full travel is used to characterize the travel of the powder pressing execution component from the starting position to the ending position; the ready travel is used to characterize the travel of the powder pressing execution component from the starting position to the ready position; and acquiring a second travel difference between the full travel and the ready travel, wherein the second travel difference is used to characterize the basic powder pressing travel.

[0116] In one exemplary embodiment, the powder pressing actuation component is a brewer chamber or a moving piston that cooperates with the brewer chamber to perform powder pressing.

[0117] The modules in the aforementioned beverage equipment's bean shortage detection device can be implemented entirely or partially through software, hardware, or a combination thereof. These modules can be embedded in the processor of a computer device in hardware form or independent of it, or stored in the memory of a computer device in software form, so that the processor can call and execute the corresponding operations of each module.

[0118] In an exemplary embodiment, a beverage device is provided, the internal structure of which can be shown in Figure 7. It includes a processor, memory, input / output interface, communication interface, display unit, and input device. The processor, memory, and input / output interface are connected via a system bus, and the communication interface, display unit, and input device are also connected to the system bus via the input / output interface. The processor of the beverage device provides computing and control capabilities. The memory of the beverage device includes a non-volatile storage medium and internal memory. The non-volatile storage medium stores an operating system and computer programs. The internal memory provides an environment for the operation of the operating system and computer programs in the non-volatile storage medium. The input / output interface of the beverage device is used for exchanging information between the processor and external devices. The communication interface of the beverage device is used for wired or wireless communication with external terminals; wireless communication can be achieved through Wi-Fi, mobile cellular networks, Near Field Communication (NFC), or other technologies. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements a method for detecting missing beans in the beverage device. The display unit of the beverage device is used to form a visually visible image and can be a display screen, a projection device, or a virtual reality imaging device. The display screen can be an LCD screen or an e-ink screen. The input device of the beverage device can be a touch layer covering the display screen, or buttons, trackballs, or touchpads set on the outer shell of the beverage device, or an external keyboard, touchpad, or mouse, etc.

[0119] Those skilled in the art will understand that the structure shown in Figure 7 is merely a block diagram of a portion of the structure related to the present application and does not constitute a limitation on the beverage equipment to which the present application is applied. Specific beverage equipment may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0120] In one exemplary embodiment, a beverage device is provided, including a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor executes the computer program to implement the steps in the above-described method embodiments.

[0121] In one embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium is provided having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the steps in the above method embodiments.

[0122] In one embodiment, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps in the above method embodiments.

[0123] It should be noted that the user information (including but not limited to user device information, user personal information, etc.) and data (including but not limited to data used for analysis, data stored, data displayed, etc.) involved in this application are all information and data authorized by the user or fully authorized by all parties, and the collection, use and processing of the relevant data must comply with relevant regulations.

[0124] Those skilled in the art will understand that all or part of the processes in the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by a computer program instructing related hardware. The computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium, and when executed, it can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. Any references to memory, databases, or other media used in the embodiments provided in this application can include at least one of non-volatile memory and volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), magnetic tape, floppy disk, flash memory, optical memory, high-density embedded non-volatile memory, resistive random access memory (ReRAM), magnetic random access memory (MRAM), ferroelectric random access memory (FRAM), phase change memory (PCM), graphene memory, etc. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory, etc. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM can take many forms, such as Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) or Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). The databases involved in the embodiments provided in this application may include at least one type of relational database and non-relational database. Non-relational databases may include, but are not limited to, blockchain-based distributed databases. The processors involved in the embodiments provided in this application may be general-purpose processors, central processing units, graphics processing units, digital signal processors, programmable logic devices, quantum computing-based data processing logic devices, artificial intelligence (AI) processors, etc., and are not limited to these.

[0125] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this application.

[0126] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of this patent application. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for detecting missing beans in a beverage equipment, characterized in that, The method includes: responding to a beverage preparation command, detecting a through-beam signal from a sensor installed in the bean storage compartment of the beverage equipment; periodically sampling the number of rotations of the grinder in the beverage equipment at a preset sampling period to obtain the periodic sampling number of the grinder; within any grinding cycle corresponding to the beverage preparation command, if the through-beam signal indicates that there are no beans missing, and if the periodic sampling number of the grinder indicates that the grinder is not in an empty grinding state, performing a tamping step after grinding to obtain the thickness of the tamped powder cake; if the thickness of the tamped powder cake is determined to be less than a thickness threshold, issuing a first bean shortage warning signal, the first bean shortage warning signal being used to characterize an abnormal tamped powder cake thickness to alert the bean storage compartment corresponding to the grinder of an abnormal bean drop.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: during any grinding cycle, if the grinding machine is found to be in an empty grinding state based on the periodic sampling number of the grinding machine, controlling the grinding machine to stop grinding and issuing a second bean shortage warning signal, the second bean shortage warning signal is used to indicate that the grinding machine is empty, so as to remind the bean storage bin corresponding to the grinding machine of abnormal bean drop; executing a non-extraction operation mode, the non-extraction operation mode is used to perform wet pressing and slag removal treatment on the ground powder.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: during any grinding cycle, if the beam signal indicates a lack of beans, issuing a third bean shortage warning signal and completing the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle, wherein the third bean shortage warning signal is used to indicate that the bean storage bin is short of beans.

4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, After obtaining the periodic sampling number of the coffee grinder, the method further includes: using a set number of sampling cycles as the evaluation period, obtaining the average sampling number of the coffee grinder within the evaluation period; in any given grinding cycle, real-time detecting the first average sampling number of the coffee grinder in the current evaluation period, and the second average sampling number of historical evaluation cycles prior to the current evaluation period and spaced apart by a set evaluation period; obtaining the difference in the number of cycles between the first average sampling number and the second average sampling number; if all the differences in the number of cycles are less than a certain threshold in any given grinding cycle, determining that the coffee grinder is not in an empty grinding state; if there is a case in any given grinding cycle where the difference in the number of cycles is greater than or equal to the threshold, determining that the coffee grinder is in an empty grinding state.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the average number of sampling cycles of the coffee grinder within the evaluation period, using a set number of sampling cycles as the evaluation period, includes: obtaining the sum of the number of sampling cycles of the coffee grinder within the set number of sampling cycles based on the set number of sampling cycles; calculating the quotient of the sum of the number of sampling cycles and the set number of sampling cycles, wherein the quotient is used to characterize the average number of sampling cycles of the coffee grinder within the evaluation period.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: if the thickness of the powder cake is determined to be greater than or equal to the thickness threshold, performing an extraction step after pressing the powder to complete the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle; or, if the thickness of the powder cake is determined to be less than the thickness threshold, performing a non-extraction operation mode, wherein the non-extraction operation mode is used to perform wet pressing and slag removal treatment on the pressed powder cake.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The thickness threshold is the thickness of the powder cake measured when the beverage equipment makes beverages with the minimum grinding amount, the coarsest grinding setting, and the maximum pressing force.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The step of pressing powder after grinding, and obtaining the thickness of the powder cake after pressing, includes: determining a basic pressing stroke according to the beverage preparation instruction, wherein the basic pressing stroke is used to characterize the stroke of the pressing component from the pressing ready position to the pressing end position; obtaining the actual pressing stroke during the pressing process, wherein the actual pressing stroke is used to characterize the stroke of the pressing component from the pressing ready position to the pressing end position; and obtaining a first stroke difference between the basic pressing stroke and the actual pressing stroke, wherein the first stroke difference is used to characterize the thickness of the powder cake after pressing.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The step of determining the basic tamping stroke according to the beverage preparation instruction includes: determining the basic tamping stroke from the configuration parameters according to the beverage preparation instruction; or, controlling the tamping execution component to enter the self-testing stage according to the beverage preparation instruction, and obtaining the basic tamping stroke detected by the tamping execution component based on the self-testing stage.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the basic tamping stroke of the tamping execution component based on the self-test step includes: obtaining the full stroke and tamping-ready stroke of the tamping execution component collected by the tamping execution component based on the self-test step, wherein the full tamping stroke is used to characterize the stroke of the tamping execution component from the starting position to the ending position; the tamping-ready stroke is used to characterize the stroke of the tamping execution component from the starting position to the tamping-ready position; and obtaining a second stroke difference between the full stroke and the tamping-ready stroke, wherein the second stroke difference is used to characterize the basic tamping stroke.

11. A bean shortage detection device for beverage equipment, characterized in that, The device includes: a detection module configured to, in response to a beverage preparation command, detect a through-beam signal from a sensor located in the bean storage compartment of the beverage equipment; and periodically sample the number of rotations of the grinder in the beverage equipment at a preset sampling period to obtain the periodic sampling number of the grinder; a cake thickness acquisition module configured to, within any grinding cycle corresponding to the beverage preparation command, if the through-beam signal indicates that there are no beans missing, and if the periodic sampling number of the grinder determines that the grinder is not in an empty grinding state, perform a tamping step after grinding to obtain the cake thickness after tamping; and a notification module configured to, upon determining that the cake thickness is less than a thickness threshold... In any given situation, a first low-bean warning signal is issued, which indicates an abnormal thickness of the coffee puck; or, it is configured to, within any grinding cycle, if the number of periodic sampling cycles of the grinder indicates that the grinder is in an empty grinding state, control the grinder to stop grinding and issue a second low-bean warning signal, which indicates that the grinder is grinding empty, to remind the bean storage bin corresponding to the grinder of an abnormal bean drop; or, it is configured to, within any grinding cycle, if the beam signal indicating a low bean state is detected, issue a third low-bean warning signal and complete the beverage preparation corresponding to the current grinding cycle, which indicates that the bean storage bin is low on beans.

12. A beverage device, comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores a computer program, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

13. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

14. A computer program product, comprising a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by a processor, it implements the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

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