Deslagging cleaning control method and device of coffee machine and electronic equipment

Abstract

The invention relates to a deslagging cleaning control method and device of a coffee machine and electronic equipment. The method can comprise the steps that a target deslagging mode and a target cleaning mode are obtained; according to the target residue discharging mode, an upper piston or a lower piston is controlled to discharge the coffee residues out of the brewing cylinder; and under the condition that the coffee grounds are discharged out of the brewing cylinder, the brewing cylinder is cleaned by using an upper piston or a lower piston for discharging the coffee grounds out of the brewing cylinder according to the target cleaning mode. According to the technical scheme provided by the invention, not only are the cleaning efficiency and the residue removal rate improved, but also the automation and intelligence level of the coffee machine is greatly improved, the sanitation of long-term use and the extraction consistency are effectively guaranteed, the user experience is improved, and the service life of the coffee machine is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of coffee machine control technology, and in particular to a method, device and electronic equipment for controlling the removal and cleaning of coffee machine residue. Background Technology

[0002] As consumers' demands for coffee quality and user experience continue to rise, fully automatic coffee machines have become widely used in both home and commercial settings. After coffee extraction, coffee grounds with a certain density and adhesion form inside the brewing chamber. The physical properties of these coffee grounds, such as hardness, structural integrity, and adhesion to the cylinder walls, are affected by various factors, including the degree of roasting of the coffee beans, grind size, amount of coffee, and tamping pressure. Therefore, the state of the coffee cake formed after each brewing may vary significantly.

[0003] Currently, most fully automatic coffee machines rely on a preset, fixed program for their grounds removal system. Specifically, the system uses a piston rod to push coffee grounds out of the brewing cylinder with a fixed stroke. While this fixed-program design simplifies the control logic, it cannot sense or respond to the state of the coffee grounds, leading to several problems in practical applications. On the one hand, when encountering hard, highly adhesive coffee grounds, the fixed pusher force may not be sufficient to completely peel and expel them. This can cause the coffee grounds to break and remain in the brewing chamber, not only contaminating the flavor of subsequent coffees, but also, over time, breeding bacteria, clogging the grounds discharge line, and even causing machine malfunctions such as piston jamming or seal failure.

[0004] On the other hand, for loose, easily expelled coffee grounds, a fixed, powerful removal program designed to handle severe conditions can lead to excessive energy consumption, unnecessary wear and tear on mechanical parts, and unnecessary noise. Furthermore, incomplete removal of grounds can frequently trigger manual intervention by the user, significantly reducing the automation and intelligence level of the coffee machine and the user experience. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a method, apparatus, and electronic device for controlling the cleaning of coffee machine residue discharge, to at least solve problems in related technologies such as how to improve the cleaning efficiency and intelligence level of coffee machine residue discharge. The technical solution of this application is as follows: According to a first aspect of the embodiments of this application, a method for controlling the removal and cleaning of coffee maker residues is provided, comprising: Obtain the target slag discharge mode and the target cleaning mode; According to the target ash removal mode, control the upper piston or the lower piston to discharge the coffee grounds from the brewing tank; When the coffee grounds are discharged from the brewing tank, the brewing tank is cleaned using the upper piston or the lower piston that discharges the coffee grounds, according to the target cleaning mode.

[0006] According to a second aspect of the embodiments of this application, a coffee machine's waste removal and cleaning control device is provided, comprising: The pattern acquisition module is used to acquire the target slag discharge pattern and the target cleaning pattern; The slag removal module is used to control the upper piston or the lower piston to discharge the coffee grounds from the brewing tank according to the target slag removal mode; The cleaning module is used to clean the brewing tank by using an upper or lower piston that discharges coffee grounds, according to the target cleaning mode, when the coffee grounds are discharged from the brewing tank.

[0007] According to a third aspect of the embodiments of this application, an electronic device is provided, comprising: a processor; a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to implement the method as described in any one of the first aspects above.

[0008] According to a fourth aspect of the present application, a computer-readable storage medium is provided, wherein when the instructions in the computer-readable storage medium are executed by a processor of an electronic device, the electronic device is enabled to perform any of the methods described in the first aspect of the present application.

[0009] According to a fifth aspect of the embodiments of this application, a computer program product is provided, including computer instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a computer to perform the method described in any one of the first aspects of the embodiments of this application.

[0010] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this application.

[0011] The technical solutions provided by the embodiments of this application bring at least the following beneficial effects: By acquiring the status information of the brewing tank after coffee brewing and extraction, the physical state of coffee grounds can be fully and accurately perceived, significantly improving the accuracy of subsequent grounds removal and cleaning decisions. Furthermore, based on the brewing tank status information, the target slag removal and cleaning mode is determined from the preset slag removal mode library. Slag removal actions and cleaning strategies can be executed as needed, avoiding resource waste caused by traditional fixed procedures and significantly saving water and electricity. Furthermore, according to the target ash removal mode, the coffee grounds are discharged from the brewing tank; and when the coffee grounds are discharged from the brewing tank, the brewing tank is cleaned according to the target cleaning mode. This not only improves cleaning efficiency and residue removal rate, but also significantly enhances the automation and intelligence level of the coffee machine, effectively ensuring hygiene and extraction consistency for long-term use, improving user experience and extending the service life of the coffee machine.

[0012] Other features and aspects of this application will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions and advantages in the embodiments or prior art of this specification, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this specification. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0014] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a coffee machine's waste removal and cleaning control method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0015] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a slag removal, cleaning, and sorting method according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a lower piston slag discharge device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an upper piston slag discharge device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0018] Figure 5 This is a block diagram of a coffee machine's waste removal and cleaning control device according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0019] Figure 6 This is a block diagram of an electronic device for controlling the cleaning and discharging of coffee maker according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 1 .

[0020] Figure 7 This is a block diagram of an electronic device for controlling the cleaning and discharging of coffee maker according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 2 . Detailed Implementation

[0021] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions of the present invention, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments in the specification, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this specification, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this invention are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or server that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0023] Various exemplary embodiments, features, and aspects of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings denote elements that have the same or similar functions. Although various aspects of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, they are not necessarily drawn to scale unless specifically indicated otherwise.

[0024] The term "exemplary" as used herein means "serving as an example, embodiment, or illustration." Any embodiment illustrated herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as superior to or better than other embodiments. The term "and / or" in this document is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships may exist, for example, A and / or B, which can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Furthermore, the term "at least one" in this document means any combination of at least two of any one or more of a plurality, for example, including at least one of A, B, and C, which can represent including any one or more elements selected from the set consisting of A, B, and C.

[0025] Unless otherwise specified, the directions in this article should be understood as follows: the direction closer to the user is forward, and the direction farther from the user is backward.

[0026] Furthermore, to better illustrate the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in the following detailed embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be practiced without certain specific details. In some instances, methods, means, elements, and circuits well known to those skilled in the art have not been described in detail in order to highlight the spirit of the invention.

[0027] It should be noted that the following diagram shows one possible sequence of steps, and it is not strictly necessary to follow this order. Some steps can be executed in parallel without interdependence.

[0028] Before introducing the method embodiments provided by the present invention, a brief introduction will be given on the application scenarios, related terms or nouns that may be involved in the method embodiments of the present invention, so as to facilitate the understanding of those skilled in the art.

[0029] Currently, the main coffee machine grounds removal methods in related technologies use a fixed removal program, directly expelling coffee grounds from the machine with a fixed pushing force. This method cannot sense the actual state of the coffee grounds, easily leading to incomplete removal due to insufficient pushing force, or wasting resources and increasing wear on parts due to excessive operation. When the coffee grounds do not fall smoothly, residue may remain, which can breed bacteria and damage the corresponding parts, thus affecting the lifespan of the coffee machine.

[0030] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application provides a method, apparatus, and electronic device for controlling the grounds removal and cleaning of a coffee machine. This method, apparatus, and electronic device can, according to a target grounds removal and cleaning mode, perform corresponding grounds removal and cleaning of the brewing tank, ensuring the cleanliness of the brewing tank and improving the intelligence level of the coffee machine. Simultaneously, it can also guarantee the hygiene of the coffee machine for long-term use, enhance the user experience, and extend the service life of the coffee machine.

[0031] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating a coffee machine's grounds removal and cleaning control method according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 1 As shown, the steps may include the following.

[0032] In step S101, the target slag discharge mode and the target cleaning mode are obtained.

[0033] In one possible implementation, after coffee brewing and extraction are completed, the coffee puck is pressed to obtain coffee pressing pressure displacement information and brewing tank visual monitoring information; the coffee pressing pressure displacement information and the brewing tank visual monitoring information are then subjected to feature fusion processing to determine the brewing tank status information.

[0034] In the embodiments of this specification, coffee brewing and extraction refers to brewing and extracting coffee liquid from coffee grounds. The brewing tank state information is used to characterize the state of the coffee grounds within the brewing tank, that is, a comprehensive quantification of the physical properties of the coffee grounds within the brewing tank, which may include, but is not limited to, grounds density, brewing tank adhesion strength, and grounds hardness. Specifically, the grounds density index characterizes the compactness of the grounds particle packing. The brewing tank adhesion strength index characterizes the degree of adhesion between the grounds and the inner wall of the brewing tank. The grounds hardness index characterizes the deformation or recovery ability of the coffee grounds.

[0035] Coffee press pressure-displacement information refers to data collected during the coffee press stage, specifically the process where the piston applies pressure to the coffee puck to form coffee grounds. This data can be acquired by pressure sensors and displacement sensors or displacement encoders. Coffee press pressure-displacement information can include piston pressure information and piston displacement distance information. Piston pressure information can refer to the real-time pressure value applied by the piston to the coffee puck. Piston displacement distance information can refer to the axial distance moved by the upper or lower piston relative to its initial position as it presses the coffee puck.

[0036] Visual monitoring information of the brewing tank can refer to the image or video data of the coffee grounds and the brewing tank obtained before or during the discharging process by a miniature camera or optical sensor installed on the side wall or top of the brewing tank. This data is used to analyze the appearance and morphological characteristics of the coffee grounds in the brewing tank, such as outline, color, surface cracks, edge collapse, and gap with the tank wall. This application does not limit this.

[0037] For example, after the coffee machine completes the brewing and extraction of the coffee puck, the system immediately enters the acquisition stage to acquire the coffee grounds pressure and displacement information. Specifically, the maximum pressure during the pressing process is recorded by a pressure sensor, for example, 80 kgf, and the piston pressure information is determined to be 80 kgf. The displacement sensor or displacement encoder simultaneously monitors that the final downward stroke of the upper or lower piston is 22 mm, and the rebound after depressurization is 0.3 mm. Based on the above distance, the piston displacement distance information can be determined. This application does not limit this aspect.

[0038] After pressing, a miniature camera, which may be equipped with supplementary lighting, is installed inside the brewing tank to capture a complete image or video of the brewing tank, including coffee grounds and coffee ground residue on the inner wall of the brewing tank. This application does not limit this.

[0039] In one possible implementation, time-domain analysis is performed on the coffee grounds pressing pressure and displacement information to extract piston pressure and piston displacement distance information during the pressing process; based on the piston pressure and piston displacement distance information, a first state feature of the coffee grounds is determined; image recognition processing is performed on the visual monitoring information of the brewing tank to identify the outline information of the brewing tank; based on the outline information of the brewing tank, a second state feature is determined; the first state feature and the second state feature are fused to generate the brewing tank state information.

[0040] In the embodiments of this specification, the first state feature may refer to the physical property index corresponding to the coffee grounds calculated based on mechanical signals, namely pressure and displacement information. The brewing tank contour information may refer to the geometric features of the coffee grounds in the brewing tank obtained through image recognition, such as the integrity of the shape, the number and distribution of surface cracks, and whether there is collapse, etc., which are not limited in this application. The second state feature may refer to the structural property index of the coffee grounds obtained based on visual image analysis.

[0041] For example, after the coffee machine completes the pressing task, the system automatically enters the coffee grounds state evaluation and analysis stage. First, based on the coffee grounds pressing pressure displacement information, i.e., the piston pressure is 85 kgf, the time taken to increase the pressure from 0 kgf to 85 kgf is 0.28 seconds, the total piston compression stroke is 23 mm, and the rebound displacement after depressurization is 0.25 mm, the system can then perform feature extraction and quantitative analysis. It determines that the density index of the first coffee cake is 4.6, indicating high pressure and short pressurization time, suggesting rapid compaction and high resistance, corresponding to high density. The hardness index of the first coffee cake is 2.4, indicating minimal piston rebound displacement, representing weak elastic recovery and a soft structure. The adhesion strength index of the first brewing cylinder is 2.6, meaning that combined with the high density and low rebound characteristics, it is inferred that the coffee cake is in close contact with the cylinder wall and is not easily detached, indicating that the coffee grounds are soft and easily adhere to the inner wall of the brewing cylinder. Furthermore, the density index of the first coffee grounds (4.6), the hardness index of the first coffee grounds (2.4), and the adhesion strength index of the first brewing tank (2.6) are fused together to form the first state characteristics of the coffee grounds, which is not limited in this application.

[0042] Accordingly, the system acquires images of the brewing cylinder's interior using miniature cameras mounted on the sidewall or top of the brewing chamber, obtaining visual monitoring information of the brewing cylinder. Further, the visual monitoring information of the brewing cylinder is preprocessed, such as through noise reduction, contrast enhancement, and edge detection, to improve the accuracy of subsequent recognition; this application does not limit the specific methods used. Subsequently, an image recognition algorithm is used to analyze the preprocessed image to extract the contour information of the coffee grounds. The image recognition algorithm may include a deep learning-based image segmentation model (such as U-Net, Mask R-CNN, etc.) for pixel-level segmentation of the coffee grounds region; or, traditional computer vision methods, such as Canny edge detection combined with Hough transform or contour fitting algorithms, to identify the outer boundary of the coffee grounds; this application does not limit the image recognition algorithm used.

[0043] Based on the image contour information, the density, hardness, and adhesion strength of the second brewing cylinder can be analyzed. Specifically, the density of the second coffee grounds is calculated based on the surface porosity, texture uniformity, and contour closure of the coffee grounds in the image contour information. The hardness of the second coffee grounds is determined by analyzing whether there are microcracks, edge sharpness, and overall deformation stability. The adhesion strength of the second brewing cylinder is determined based on the tightness of the adhesion between the coffee grounds edge and the inner wall of the brewing cylinder, the presence of local gaps, and the residue on the inner wall of the brewing cylinder.

[0044] Furthermore, based on the density index of the second slag cake, the hardness index of the second slag cake, and the adhesion strength index of the second brewing cylinder, feature fusion is performed to construct the second state feature.

[0045] Before fusing the first and second state features, error analysis is performed on the state features.

[0046] For example, the three indications of the first state feature are compared with the three indexes of the second state feature. For instance, whether the difference between the second slag cake density index and the first density information is within a preset density difference range, such as ±0.5; whether the difference between the second slag cake hardness index and the first slag cake hardness index is within a preset hardness difference range, such as ±0.6; and whether the difference between the second brewing cylinder adhesion strength index and the first brewing cylinder adhesion strength index is within a preset adhesion strength difference range, such as ±0.7. If all three conditions are met simultaneously, it is determined that the first state feature and the second state feature are consistent, and all sensors are in normal operating condition. The first state feature and the second state feature can then be directly fused. Furthermore, the three indications in the first state feature are weighted and fused with the three indications in the second state feature to obtain the fused indications corresponding to each of the three indications, i.e., the brewing cylinder state information, including the slag cake density index, the brewing cylinder adhesion strength index, and the slag cake hardness index. This application does not limit the fusion enhancement method.

[0047] If any of the three differences mentioned above exceeds the corresponding range, an error is determined to exist in the detection, possibly due to sensor malfunction, and the system will activate an anomaly handling mechanism. For example, abnormal indicators may be downweighted or removed, and mode decisions may be made solely based on reliable features; auxiliary verification processes may be triggered, such as re-acquiring image information or pressure and piston displacement information; a conservative slag discharge and cleaning mode may be used by default to ensure safe equipment operation. This application does not limit the anomaly handling mechanism. Through the above anomaly handling mechanism, misjudgments caused by single sensor drift, lens contamination, or signal interference can be effectively avoided, significantly improving the robustness of slag cake state identification and the overall reliability of the system.

[0048] In one possible implementation, the density index of the slag cake, the adhesion strength index of the brewing tank, and the hardness index of the slag cake are compared with their respective corresponding index thresholds in the preset state information to determine the index comparison results; based on the index comparison results, the slag cake type information corresponding to the slag cake is determined; based on the slag cake type information, the target slag discharge cleaning mode is determined from the slag discharge mode library.

[0049] In the embodiments of this specification, the preset ash removal mode library can refer to the set of ash removal and cleaning strategies stored in the coffee machine control system. The target ash removal and cleaning mode can refer to the optimal ash removal and cleaning strategy corresponding to the brewing tank status information. The target ash removal and cleaning mode includes a target ash removal mode and a target cleaning mode.

[0050] The threshold values ​​include the density threshold, the adhesion threshold, and the cake hardness threshold.

[0051] In one example, the system analysis determined that the brewing tank status information included a cake density index of 4.7, a brewing tank adhesion strength index of 4.3, and a cake hardness index of 2.1. These were then compared with the corresponding preset index thresholds to obtain the density comparison results, adhesion strength comparison results, and hardness comparison results.

[0052] In one possible implementation, if the index comparison results indicate that the slag cake density index is greater than a preset density index threshold, the brewing cylinder adhesion strength index is greater than a preset adhesion strength index threshold, and the slag cake hardness index is less than a preset hardness index threshold, then the slag cake type information is determined to be the first slag cake type.

[0053] In the embodiments of this specification, the preset index thresholds include preset density index thresholds, preset adhesion strength index thresholds, and preset hardness index thresholds.

[0054] Figure 2 This is a flowchart illustrating a slag removal, cleaning, and sorting method according to an exemplary embodiment. For example... Figure 2 As shown, when the coffee cake density index of 4.7 is greater than the preset adhesion strength index threshold of 4.0, the density comparison result is determined to be high density; when the brewing tank adhesion strength index of 4.3 is greater than the adhesion index threshold of 3.5, the adhesion strength comparison result is determined to be high adhesion; when the coffee cake hardness index of 2.1 is less than the preset hardness index threshold of 3.0, the hardness comparison result is determined to be low hardness. When all three comparison conditions are met simultaneously, the coffee cake type information can be identified as high density, high adhesion, and low hardness based on the above index comparison results, i.e., the coffee cake type information is determined to be the first coffee cake type.

[0055] Furthermore, if the coffee cake type information indicates the first type of coffee cake, the upper piston cleaning mode is selected from the preset coffee cake removal mode library as the target cleaning mode. This application does not limit this selection. Because coffee grounds are highly dense, highly adhesive, and have low hardness, they easily leave a continuous and stubborn thin layer of residue at the bottom and lower inner wall of the brewing tank after removal. Traditional fixed procedures are difficult to remove this residue, and long-term accumulation can lead to odors, blockages, and even piston jamming. Therefore, the upper piston is used, extending through the entire height of the brewing tank. Its movement path can reach the bottom coffee cake outlet directly from the top, scraping the entire inner wall surface. Although the low-hardness coffee cake is soft, it is sticky and requires stable and continuous shearing force rather than impact force. The uniform axial movement of the upper piston provides a uniform scraping force, preventing the soft grounds from deforming and jamming due to localized stress concentration when the lower piston is pushed out.

[0056] In another possible implementation, if the index comparison result indicates that the slag cake density index is less than a preset density index threshold, the brewing cylinder adhesion strength index is less than a preset adhesion strength index threshold, and the slag cake hardness index is greater than a preset hardness index threshold, then the slag cake type information is determined to be the second slag cake type.

[0057] Given the brewing tank status information including a cake density index of 3.2, a brewing tank adhesion strength index of 2.8, and a cake hardness index of 3.6, an index comparison is performed. The comparison results indicate that the cake density index of 3.2 is less than the preset adhesion strength index threshold of 4.0, thus determining the density comparison result as low density; the brewing tank adhesion strength index of 2.8 is greater than the adhesion index threshold of 3.5, thus determining the adhesion strength comparison result as low adhesion strength; and the cake hardness index of 3.6 is greater than the preset hardness index threshold of 3.0, thus determining the hardness comparison result as high hardness.

[0058] If at least one of the above three comparison criteria is met, the system determines the slag cake type as the second slag cake type. Even if only one criterion is met, for example, if the slag cake density index is 4.5 (high density), the brewing tank adhesion strength index is 4.2 (high adhesion strength), but the slag cake hardness index is 3.8 (high hardness), the system will still forcibly classify the slag cake type as the second slag cake type due to its brittle and hard texture and the tendency to generate dust residue.

[0059] Coffee grounds in the second type of coffee cake may have a porous surface and slightly collapsed edges as shown in visual images, and the pressure curve shows a slow rise and obvious rebound, which is consistent with the characteristics of loose, low adhesion and brittle hardness.

[0060] If the coffee cake type is determined to be the second type, the bottom piston cleaning mode is selected from the preset coffee cake removal mode library as the target cleaning mode. Coffee grounds in the second type generally have characteristics such as low density, weak adhesion, and high hardness. These coffee cakes are usually loosely structured, fragile, or have poor adhesion to the cylinder wall, and do not require forceful removal. Using a gentle bottom piston to push out the coffee cake effectively removes the grounds while avoiding dust dispersion, seal wear, or unnecessary energy consumption caused by excessive mechanical action, thus achieving efficient, energy-saving, and low-noise adaptive cleaning.

[0061] In step S103, the upper or lower piston is controlled to discharge coffee grounds from the brewing tank according to the target grounds discharge mode.

[0062] In the embodiments of this specification, the target slag discharge and cleaning mode includes a target slag discharge mode and a target cleaning mode. Specifically, the target slag discharge and cleaning mode includes an upper piston slag discharge and cleaning mode and a lower piston slag discharge and cleaning mode. The upper piston slag discharge and cleaning mode includes both upper piston slag discharge and upper piston cleaning modes. The lower piston slag discharge and cleaning mode includes both lower piston slag discharge and lower piston cleaning modes.

[0063] The coffee grounds cleaning control system includes a brewing tank with an opening that can be opened at at least one end; an upper piston and a lower piston that are movably disposed within the brewing tank, at least one of the upper piston and the lower piston being detached from the brewing tank to form an opening, thereby pushing the coffee grounds toward the opening until the coffee grounds are pushed out of the opening.

[0064] In one possible implementation, the upper piston is controlled to retract from the brewing cylinder, forming an upper opening; With the upper opening formed, the lower piston is controlled to move upward relative to the brewing cylinder so that the coffee grounds are discharged from the upper opening; then the brewing cylinder is controlled to rotate or the scraper is driven to discharge the coffee grounds.

[0065] Specifically, according to the lower piston churn mode, the upper piston is controlled to retract from the brewing cylinder, forming an upper opening; with the upper opening formed, the lower piston is controlled to move upward at a first preset ejection speed to allow coffee grounds to be discharged from the upper opening; during the upward movement of the lower piston, the brewing cylinder is controlled to rotate, or the scraper inside the brewing cylinder is driven to discharge the coffee grounds, so that the coffee grounds are detached from the cylinder wall; when the lower piston reaches the upper opening position, the lower piston is controlled to return to the initial ejection position of the lower piston, and the ejection movement is repeated at least once at the first preset ejection speed to allow the coffee grounds to be discharged from the brewing cylinder; the distance from the initial ejection position of the lower piston to the upper opening position is greater than the thickness of the coffee grounds.

[0066] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a lower piston slag discharge device according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 3As shown, the system includes an upper piston, a lower piston, and a brewing cylinder. When the target churn removal mode is the lower piston churn removal mode, the position corresponding to the upper piston is designated as the upper opening, i.e., the churn outlet. Furthermore, the system drives the upper piston upwards to form the upper opening, for example, at the upper limit of the upper piston's stroke, creating top space for the lower piston to push the coffee grounds upwards, preventing the upper piston's corresponding components from interfering with the churn removal. After confirming that the upper piston has completely exited the brewing cylinder to form the upper opening, the lower piston is activated to move upwards at a first preset pushing speed (e.g., 3 mm / s). Due to the loose structure of the coffee cake and its weak adhesion to the cylinder wall, this low-speed pushing is sufficient to detach the entire coffee cake from the bottom support surface and move it towards the top of the brewing cylinder. During the upward movement of the lower piston, the control system simultaneously drives the brewing cylinder to rotate clockwise around its axis at a low speed (e.g., 30 rpm). The micro-centrifugal force and shearing action generated by the rotation effectively weaken the residual adhesion between the coffee cake and the cylinder wall, causing the coffee cake to naturally detach from the inner wall during its ascent, preventing local jamming or debris residue. When the displacement sensor detects that the lower piston has reached the first preset ejection endpoint position, for example, 25mm from the bottom of the cylinder, the corresponding coffee grounds have been completely removed from the sealed area and exposed to the top discharge port, thereby discharging the coffee grounds from the brewing cylinder. Then, after the coffee grounds are discharged from the brewing cylinder, the lower piston is controlled to return to the initial ejection position of the upper piston, and the ejection motion is repeated at least once at the first preset ejection speed, so that the coffee grounds are completely discharged from the brewing cylinder.

[0067] After the system determines that the coffee grounds have been successfully discharged from the brewing chamber, the lower piston stops moving and the brewing cylinder stops rotating, preparing to clean the brewing cylinder according to the lower piston cleaning mode.

[0068] In another possible implementation, according to the upper piston churn mode, the lower piston is controlled to exit the brewing tank to form a lower opening; the upper piston is controlled to move downward so that the coffee grounds are discharged from the lower opening.

[0069] Specifically, according to the upper piston ash discharge mode, the lower piston is controlled to retract from the brewing cylinder, forming a lower opening; when the lower opening is formed, the upper piston is controlled to move downward at a second preset push speed to discharge coffee grounds from the lower opening; when the upper piston reaches the lower opening position, the upper piston is controlled to return to the initial push position and repeat the push movement at least once at the second preset push speed to discharge coffee grounds from the brewing cylinder; the distance from the initial push position of the upper piston to the lower opening position is greater than the thickness of the coffee grounds.

[0070] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of an upper piston slag discharge device according to an exemplary embodiment. Figure 4 As shown, this includes an upper piston, a lower piston, and a brewing cylinder. When the target slag discharge mode is determined to be the upper piston slag discharge mode, the following slag discharge operation is performed.

[0071] The system drives the lower piston to retract completely from the bottom of the brewing cylinder to the lower open position, such as the lower limit of the lower piston's stroke, to make room for the upper piston to push the slag cake downwards, thus creating space in the bottom slag discharge channel and avoiding mechanical collisions or obstruction of slag discharge.

[0072] After confirming that the lower piston has been pushed out to the lower opening position, the upper piston is activated to move downwards axially at a second preset pushing speed, for example, 5 mm / s. Due to the dense structure of the coffee grounds and their high adhesion to the cylinder wall, this stable thrust can push them out as a whole from the bottom of the brewing cylinder's discharge port, preventing deformation, tearing, or partial residue of the soft coffee grounds due to sudden changes in thrust. When the displacement sensor or encoder detects that the upper piston has reached the second preset pushing endpoint position, i.e., the lower opening position, for example, 28 mm from the top of the cylinder, the coffee grounds have completely passed through the sealed area and fallen into the grounds box. Further, when the upper piston is detected to have reached the lower opening position, it is determined that the coffee grounds have been pushed out of the brewing cylinder. At this time, the upper piston is controlled to return to its initial pushing position, and correspondingly, the pushing motion is repeated at least once at the second preset pushing speed to completely push the coffee grounds out of the brewing chamber.

[0073] After the system determines that the coffee grounds have been successfully discharged from the brewing chamber, the upper piston stops moving and prepares to clean the brewing tank according to the lower piston cleaning mode.

[0074] In step S105, when the coffee grounds are discharged from the brewing tank, the brewing tank is cleaned using the upper piston or the lower piston that discharges the coffee grounds, according to the target cleaning mode. In one possible implementation, the upper piston is controlled to perform at least one axial reciprocating motion within the brewing tank to scrape away any remaining coffee grounds from the inner wall and bottom of the brewing tank.

[0075] Specifically, when the coffee grounds are discharged from the lower open end, according to the upper piston cleaning mode, the upper piston is controlled to perform at least one axial reciprocating motion in the brewing cylinder to scrape off the coffee grounds residue on the inner wall and bottom of the brewing cylinder, and the spray device is activated to rinse the inner wall of the brewing cylinder during or after the reciprocating motion.

[0076] For example, after confirming that the coffee grounds have been completely discharged, the brewing tank is cleaned according to the upper piston cleaning mode in the upper piston grounds discharge cleaning mode. The upper piston is controlled to continue to perform at least one axial reciprocating motion within the brewing tank. For example, the upper piston first descends from the top to near the bottom grounds discharge port at a speed of 5 mm / s, and then returns to its original position at a speed of 8 mm / s. This reciprocating motion utilizes the food-grade silicone sealing ring or special scraper on the edge of the upper piston to mechanically scrape against the tank wall, effectively removing stubborn residue layers adhering to the inner wall and bottom.

[0077] During or after the reciprocating motion, the spraying device is activated, such as a micro-nozzle integrated into the side wall of the brewing tank, to spray clean water onto the tank wall at a pressure of 0.25–0.35 MPa. The water flow direction can be circular or spiral, which, together with the disturbance generated by the piston scraping, washes the detached residue to the bottom slag discharge port and discharges it, avoiding secondary sedimentation.

[0078] In another possible implementation, the lower piston is controlled to perform at least one axial reciprocating motion within the brewing tank to scrape away any remaining coffee grounds from the inner wall and top of the brewing tank.

[0079] Specifically, when the coffee grounds discharge opening is open, according to the lower piston cleaning mode, the lower piston is controlled to perform at least one axial reciprocating motion within the brewing cylinder to scrape away the coffee grounds residue on the inner wall and top of the brewing cylinder; during the reciprocating motion of the lower piston, the brewing cylinder is controlled to rotate, and / or the spray device is simultaneously activated to rinse the inner wall of the brewing cylinder.

[0080] For example, after confirming that the coffee grounds have been completely discharged, i.e., the coffee grounds are discharged from the top opening, the brewing tank is then cleaned according to the lower piston cleaning mode in the lower piston grounds discharge cleaning mode. The lower piston is controlled to continue performing at least one axial reciprocating motion within the brewing tank. For example, the lower piston moves upward from the initial position at the bottom at a speed of 3 mm / s to a preset high position, such as 15 mm from the bottom of the tank, and then slowly descends to return to its original position. This action utilizes the flexible scraper or sealing structure on the top edge of the lower piston to specifically scrape away loose residue in the upper and top areas of the inner wall of the brewing tank, areas that may have slight adhesion due to grounds cake breakage or dust flying during the lower piston's pushing and discharging process.

[0081] During the reciprocating motion of the lower piston, the system may select any one or a combination of the following methods to enhance the cleaning effect: control the brewing tank to rotate at a low speed around its axis, such as 20-40 rpm, to use centrifugal effect to detach loose particles from the tank wall; or simultaneously start the spray device to spray cleaning water onto the tank wall at a low pressure, such as 0.10-0.15 MPa, to flush the scraped residue to the bottom slag discharge port. This application does not limit this.

[0082] In one possible implementation, after the brewing tank is cleaned by removing coffee grounds, the interior of the brewing tank can be further monitored using a miniature camera to obtain a cleaning verification image. Subsequently, the cleaning verification image is analyzed to determine if any residue remains in the tank. If the cleaning verification image indicates that there is no visible coffee grounds residue in the brewing tank, the inner wall surface has uniform reflectivity, and there are no attached patches or particle aggregations, then the cleaning is considered successful, and the system enters standby or preparation state for the next brewing cycle. If the cleaning verification image shows local residual areas, the cleaning is determined to be incomplete. The system can automatically trigger a supplementary cleaning process, such as extending the number of scrapings of the current piston, increasing the spray pressure, or increasing the rinsing time. This application does not limit this.

[0083] Figure 5 This is a block diagram of a coffee machine's waste removal and cleaning control device according to an exemplary embodiment. (Refer to...) Figure 5 The device may include: The mode acquisition module 501 is used to acquire the target slag discharge mode and the target cleaning mode.

[0084] In one possible implementation, the pattern acquisition module 501 includes: The brewing information determination unit is used to press the coffee puck after the coffee brewing and extraction process is completed, and to obtain coffee pressing pressure displacement information and brewing tank visual monitoring information. The brewing tank status information determination unit is used to perform feature fusion processing on the coffee pressing pressure displacement information and the brewing tank visual monitoring information to determine the brewing tank status information.

[0085] In one possible implementation, the pattern acquisition module 501 includes: The time-domain analysis unit is used to perform time-domain analysis on the coffee pressing pressure and displacement information, and extract piston pressure information and piston displacement distance information during the pressing process. The first state feature unit is used to determine the first state feature of the coffee grounds based on the piston pressure information and the piston displacement distance information. The outline information recognition unit is used to perform image recognition processing on the visual monitoring information of the brewing tank to identify the outline information of the brewing tank. The second state feature unit is used to determine the second state feature based on the outline information of the brewing tank; The brewing tank state information generation unit is used to fuse the first state feature and the second state feature to generate the brewing tank state information.

[0086] In one possible implementation, the pattern acquisition module 501 includes: The index comparison unit is used to compare the slag cake density index, the brewing cylinder adhesion strength index, and the slag cake hardness index with their respective preset index thresholds in the preset state information, and determine the index comparison results. The coffee grounds type determination unit is used to determine the coffee grounds type information based on the index comparison results. The target slag discharge cleaning mode determination unit is used to determine the target slag discharge cleaning mode from the preset slag discharge mode library based on the slag cake type information.

[0087] In one possible implementation, the pattern acquisition module 501 includes: The first slag cake type determination unit is used to determine the slag cake type information as the first slag cake type when the index comparison results indicate that the slag cake density index is greater than a preset density index threshold, the brewing cylinder adhesion strength index is greater than a preset adhesion strength index threshold, and the slag cake hardness index is less than a preset hardness index threshold.

[0088] In another possible implementation, the pattern acquisition module 501 includes: The second slag cake type determination unit is used to determine the slag cake type information as the second slag cake type when the index comparison results indicate that the slag cake density index is greater than a preset density index threshold, the brewing cylinder adhesion strength index is greater than a preset adhesion strength index threshold, and the slag cake hardness index is less than a preset hardness index threshold.

[0089] The slag removal module 503 is used to control the upper piston or the lower piston to discharge the coffee grounds from the brewing tank according to the target slag removal mode. In one possible implementation, the slag removal module 503 includes: An upper opening forming unit is used to control the upper piston to retract from the brewing cylinder to form an upper opening; The lower piston movement unit is used to control the lower piston to move upward relative to the brewing cylinder when the upper opening is formed, so that the coffee grounds are discharged from the upper opening; The first cleaning unit is used to subsequently control the brewing cylinder to rotate or drive the scraper to discharge coffee grounds.

[0090] In another possible implementation, the slag removal module 503 includes: The lower opening forming unit is used to control the lower piston to retract from the brewing cylinder to form the lower opening; The upper piston movement unit controls the upper piston to move downwards so that the coffee grounds are discharged from the lower opening.

[0091] The cleaning module 505 is used to clean the brewing tank by using the upper piston or the lower piston that discharges the coffee grounds, according to the target cleaning mode, when the coffee grounds are discharged from the brewing tank.

[0092] In one possible implementation, the cleaning module 505 includes: The first reciprocating motion unit is used to control the upper piston to perform at least one axial reciprocating motion in the brewing cylinder to scrape away the coffee grounds residue on the inner wall and bottom of the brewing cylinder.

[0093] In one possible implementation, the cleaning module 505 includes: The second reciprocating motion unit is used to control the lower piston to perform at least one axial reciprocating motion in the brewing cylinder to scrape away the coffee grounds residue on the inner wall and top of the brewing cylinder.

[0094] Regarding the apparatus in the above embodiments, the specific manner in which each module performs its operation has been described in detail in the embodiments related to the method, and will not be elaborated upon here.

[0095] Figure 6 This is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device for controlling the removal and cleaning of coffee maker's coffee maker according to an exemplary embodiment. The electronic device may be a terminal, and its internal structure diagram may be as follows: Figure 6 As shown, the electronic device includes a processor, memory, network interface, display screen, and input devices connected via a system bus. The processor provides computing and control capabilities. The memory includes a non-volatile storage medium and internal memory. The non-volatile storage medium stores the 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 network interface is used to communicate with external terminals via a network connection. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements a method for controlling the removal and cleaning of coffee maker residue. The display screen can be an LCD screen or an e-ink screen. The input devices can be a touch layer covering the display screen, buttons, a trackball, or a touchpad on the device's casing, or an external keyboard, touchpad, or mouse.

[0096] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 6 The structure shown is merely a block diagram of a portion of the structure related to the present application and does not constitute a limitation on the electronic device to which the present application is applied. The specific electronic device may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0097] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device for controlling the cleaning and discharging of coffee maker according to an exemplary embodiment. The electronic device may be a server, and its internal structure diagram may be as follows: Figure 7As shown, the electronic device includes a processor, memory, and a network interface connected via a system bus. The processor provides computing and control capabilities. The memory includes a non-volatile storage medium and internal memory. The non-volatile storage medium stores the 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 network interface is used to communicate with external terminals via a network connection. When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements a method for controlling the removal and cleaning of coffee maker residue.

[0098] Those skilled in the art will understand that Figure 7 The structure shown is merely a block diagram of a portion of the structure related to the present application and does not constitute a limitation on the electronic device to which the present application is applied. The specific electronic device may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0099] In an exemplary embodiment, an electronic device is also provided, including: a processor; and a memory for storing processor-executable instructions; wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to implement the coffee machine's dregs cleaning control method as described in the embodiments of this application.

[0100] In an exemplary embodiment, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, which, when executed by a processor of an electronic device, enables the electronic device to perform the coffee machine's dredging and cleaning control method according to the embodiments of this application. The computer-readable storage medium may be a ROM, random access memory (RAM), CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, or optical data storage device, etc.

[0101] In an exemplary embodiment, a computer program product containing instructions is also provided, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the coffee machine's dregs removal and cleaning control method according to the embodiments of this application.

[0102] 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. This computer program can be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium. When executed, the computer program can include the processes of the embodiments of the above methods. Any references to memory, storage, databases, or other media used in the embodiments provided in this application can include non-volatile and / or volatile memory. Non-volatile memory can include read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), electrically programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), or flash memory. Volatile memory can include random access memory (RAM) or external cache memory. By way of illustration and not limitation, RAM is available in various forms, such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), dual data rate SDRAM (DDRSDRAM), enhanced SDRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous link DRAM (SLDRAM), RAMbus direct RAM (RDRAM), direct memory bus dynamic RAM (DRDRAM), and RAMbus dynamic RAM (RDRAM), etc.

[0103] Other embodiments of this application will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this application that follow the general principles of this application and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this application are indicated by the following claims.

[0104] It should be understood that this application is not limited to the precise structure described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this application is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the removal and cleaning of coffee maker residues, applied to a residue removal and cleaning control system, the residue removal and cleaning control system comprising a brewing cylinder having an opening at least one end that can be opened; an upper piston and a lower piston movably disposed within the brewing cylinder, at least one of the upper piston and the lower piston being detachable from the brewing cylinder to form the opening, characterized in that, include: Obtain the target slag discharge mode and the target cleaning mode; According to the target ash removal mode, control the upper piston or the lower piston to discharge the coffee grounds from the brewing tank; When the coffee grounds are discharged from the brewing tank, the brewing tank is cleaned using the upper piston or the lower piston that discharges the coffee grounds, according to the target cleaning mode.

2. The coffee machine's grounds removal and cleaning control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The target slag discharge mode is the lower piston slag discharge mode, which controls the upper piston to exit the brewing cylinder to form an upper opening; With the upper opening formed, the lower piston is controlled to move upward relative to the brewing cylinder so that the coffee grounds are discharged from the upper opening; The brewing tank is then controlled to rotate or the scraper is driven to remove the coffee grounds.

3. The coffee machine's waste removal and cleaning control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The target slag discharge mode is the upper piston slag discharge mode, which controls the lower piston to exit the brewing cylinder to form a lower opening; The upper piston is controlled to move downwards so that the coffee grounds are discharged from the lower opening.

4. The coffee machine's grounds removal and cleaning control method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The target cleaning mode includes an upper piston cleaning mode. When coffee grounds are discharged from the brewing tank, the brewing tank is cleaned using an upper or lower piston that discharges coffee grounds, according to the target cleaning mode. This includes: The upper piston is controlled to perform at least one axial reciprocating motion within the brewing cylinder to scrape away any remaining coffee grounds from the inner wall and bottom of the brewing cylinder.

5. The coffee machine's grounds removal and cleaning control method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The target cleaning mode includes a lower piston cleaning mode. When coffee grounds are discharged from the brewing tank, the upper or lower piston, which discharges coffee grounds from the brewing tank, is used to clean the brewing tank according to the target cleaning mode, including: The lower piston is controlled to perform at least one axial reciprocating motion within the brewing cylinder to scrape away any remaining coffee grounds from the inner wall and top of the brewing cylinder.

6. The coffee machine's grounds removal and cleaning control method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: After coffee brewing and extraction are completed, the coffee puck is pressed to obtain coffee pressing pressure displacement information and brewing tank visual monitoring information. The coffee pressing pressure displacement information and the brewing tank visual monitoring information are subjected to feature fusion processing to determine the brewing tank status information.

7. The coffee machine's grounds removal and cleaning control method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The step of performing feature fusion processing on the coffee grounds pressure displacement information and the brewing tank visual monitoring information to determine the brewing tank status information includes: Time-domain analysis was performed on the coffee pressing pressure and displacement information to extract piston pressure and piston displacement distance information during the pressing process; Based on the piston pressure information and the piston displacement distance information, the first state characteristics of the coffee grounds are determined; Image recognition processing is performed on the visual monitoring information of the brewing tank to obtain the outline information of the brewing tank; Based on the outline information of the brewing tank, the second state feature is determined; The first state feature and the second state feature are fused together to generate the brewing tank state information.

8. The coffee machine's grounds removal and cleaning control method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The brewing tank status information includes the residue cake density index, the brewing tank adhesion strength index, and the residue cake hardness index, and also includes: The density index of the slag cake, the adhesion strength index of the brewing cylinder, and the hardness index of the slag cake are compared with their respective preset index thresholds in the preset state information to determine the index comparison results. Based on the comparison results of the indicators, the coffee grounds cake type information corresponding to the coffee grounds is determined; Based on the slag cake type information, the target slag cleaning mode is determined from the preset slag discharge mode library.

9. The coffee machine's grounds removal and cleaning control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The coffee grounds type information includes a first coffee grounds type. Determining the coffee grounds type information corresponding to the coffee grounds based on the index comparison results includes: If the index comparison results indicate that the density index of the slag cake is greater than the preset density index threshold, the adhesion strength index of the brewing cylinder is greater than the preset adhesion strength index threshold, and the hardness index of the slag cake is less than the preset hardness index threshold, then the slag cake type information is determined to be the first slag cake type.

10. The coffee machine's grounds removal and cleaning control method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The coffee grounds type information includes a second coffee grounds type; determining the coffee grounds type information corresponding to the coffee grounds based on the index comparison results includes: If the index comparison results indicate that the density index of the slag cake is greater than the preset density index threshold, the adhesion strength index of the brewing cylinder is greater than the preset adhesion strength index threshold, and the hardness index of the slag cake is less than the preset hardness index threshold, then the slag cake type information is determined to be the second slag cake type.

11. A coffee machine's waste removal and cleaning control device, characterized in that, include: The pattern acquisition module is used to acquire the target slag discharge pattern and the target cleaning pattern; The slag removal module is used to control the upper piston or the lower piston to discharge the coffee grounds from the brewing tank according to the target slag removal mode; The cleaning module is used to clean the brewing tank using the upper piston or the lower piston that discharges the coffee grounds, according to the target cleaning mode, when the coffee grounds are discharged from the brewing tank.

12. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: processor; Memory used to store the processor's executable instructions; The processor is configured to execute the instructions to implement the coffee machine's dregs cleaning control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

13. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, When the instructions in the computer-readable storage medium are executed by the processor of the electronic device, the electronic device is able to perform the coffee machine's dregs cleaning control method as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

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