Indicating when operating head needs to be replaced
By monitoring and filtering the operating parameters of personal care devices and calculating the cumulative usage time, the problem of inaccurate replacement of the operating head caused by different hair types of users has been solved, thus improving the lifespan of the cutter and the user experience.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-15
AI Technical Summary
Existing technology makes it difficult to accurately determine when the operating head of a personal care device needs to be replaced, especially since different users have different hair types, which leads to different wear rates of the cutter, making it difficult for users to determine when to replace it.
By monitoring the sensors of personal care devices to sense operating parameters, parameters below a threshold are discarded, while parameters above or equal to the threshold are retained. The cumulative usage time is calculated, and based on the cumulative usage time, it is determined that the operating head needs to be replaced, and a replacement signal is sent.
It enables more accurate determination of when the operating head needs to be replaced, reduces the decrease in cutting efficiency due to wear, and improves the user experience.
Smart Images
Figure CN122055679A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The subject matter of this disclosure relates to computer-implemented methods for instructing when the operating head of a personal care device needs to be replaced, transient or non-transitory computer-readable media, and personal care devices. Background Technology
[0002] Personal care devices, such as hair trimming equipment, typically include a cutter. When the cutter is first installed on a personal care device, it is sharp and can cut or shave hair well. However, over time, the cutter or shaving device becomes duller and needs to be replaced.
[0003] Generating replacement signals for users can be difficult because different users have different hair types. For example, one user might have a thick, coarse beard, while another might have a sparse, fine beard. The former will dull the cutter more quickly than the latter.
[0004] The purpose of this disclosure is to improve existing technology.
[0005] US2023 / 034605A1 relates to a hair removal device, such as an electric shaver or epilator. The hair removal device includes a hair cutting unit, a motor, a measuring unit, a cutting activity determiner, and an abrasion determiner.
[0006] US2018 / 126571A1 discloses an oral care and cosmetic device. The device includes a head section and a body, wherein the head section is connected to a detachable oral care head or a detachable cosmetic head.
[0007] US2020 / 029680A1 discloses a method and system for identifying attachments to personal care devices. Summary of the Invention
[0008] According to a first aspect of the invention, a computer-implemented method is provided for indicating when an operating head of a personal care device needs to be replaced. The computer-implemented method includes: monitoring operating parameters sensed by sensors of the personal care device, the operating parameters being associated with operating the operating head; discarding any values of the operating parameters below a threshold and retaining any values of the operating parameters greater than or equal to the threshold; calculating cumulative usage time based on the retained values of the operating parameters; determining that the operating head needs to be replaced based on the cumulative usage time; and, in response to determining that the operating head needs to be replaced, sending a signal indicating that the operating head needs to be replaced.
[0009] According to a second aspect, a computer-implemented method is provided for indicating when an operating head of a personal care device needs to be replaced, the personal care device including a motor for operating the operating head. The computer-implemented method includes: monitoring operating parameters of the personal care device, the operating parameters being associated with the motor operating the operating head; discarding any values of the operating parameters below a threshold; and retaining any values of the operating parameters greater than or equal to the threshold, wherein the threshold is defined by an idle value of the operating parameters of the motor; calculating a cumulative usage time based on the retained values of the operating parameters; determining, based on the cumulative usage time, that the operating head needs to be replaced; and, in response to determining that the operating head needs to be replaced, sending a signal indicating that the operating head needs to be replaced.
[0010] The motor can be considered unloaded when the manipulator is not applied to an object to provide personal care (such as hair trimming).
[0011] The no-load values of the motor's operating parameters refer to the motor's operating parameters when the motor operates the operating head, but when the operating head is not applied to an object to provide personal care (such as hair trimming).
[0012] The threshold can be a static threshold that does not change over time, such as over the entire duration of shaving. In other words, the threshold can be a time-invariant value, and values of operating parameters below this value can be discarded. In an alternative embodiment, the threshold can be a time-varying dynamic threshold, such as over the entire duration of shaving. That is, the threshold can be a time-varying time-invariant value, such as a real-time time-invariant value measured in real time during operation of the operating head. In such embodiments, values of operating parameters below this real-time time-invariant value can be discarded.
[0013] By filtering operational data in this way, it is possible to more accurately determine whether the operating head of a personal care device needs to be replaced. In other words, by filtering the values of operating parameters using a threshold defined by the no-load value of the motor's operating parameters, values of operating parameters that are unlikely to affect the lifespan of the operating head (such as values unrelated to hair cutting) can be excluded from the determination.
[0014] Operating parameters can be sensed by sensors in the personal care device. Alternatively or additionally, operating parameters can be measured directly, for example, directly from the motor.
[0015] In examples related to the first or second aspect, monitoring operating parameters sensed by sensors of a personal care device includes measuring real-time values of the operating parameters using sensors, and subtracting the idle value of the operating parameters from the real-time values of the operating parameters.
[0016] Monitoring operating parameters can include measuring the real-time value of the operating parameter, and subtracting the no-load value of the operating parameter from the real-time value to obtain the value of the operating parameter.
[0017] In examples related to the first or second aspect, subtracting the idle value of the operating parameter from the real-time value of the operating parameter includes monitoring the real-time idle value of the operating parameter and subtracting the real-time idle value of the operating parameter from the real-time value of the operating parameter over time to obtain the value of the operating parameter.
[0018] In examples related to the first or second aspect, monitoring the real-time idle value of the operating parameter includes determining the real-time idle value of the operating parameter by: applying a low-pass filter to the real-time value of the operating parameter to discard values above a filter threshold, and / or calculating the minimum shift from the real-time value of the operating parameter, and / or calculating the nth percentile value of the shift from the real-time value of the operating parameter.
[0019] In an example related to the first or second aspect, before calculating the cumulative usage time based on the retained values of the operating parameters, the computer-implemented method further includes assigning each value of the monitored operating parameters to a bucket based on the values of the monitored operating parameters, and for each value, multiplying the time associated with that value by the weight associated with the bucket to which that value has already been assigned to obtain a weighted time.
[0020] In such examples, bins can be categorized as follows: high-wear bins, normal-wear bins, and low-wear bins.
[0021] In examples related to the first or second aspect, calculating the cumulative usage time based on the retained values of the operating parameters involves adding the weighted time of each value to the time of all previous values to obtain the cumulative usage time.
[0022] In one example, the high-wear bucket has a higher weight than the normal-wear bucket, and the normal-wear bucket has a higher weight than the low-wear bucket.
[0023] In an example where the personal care appliance includes a motor for operating the operating head, the operating parameters may include the power and / or current of the motor when operating the operating head. Therefore, the no-load value of the operating parameters may include the power and / or current of the motor associated with its no-load operation.
[0024] In examples related to the first or second aspect, the personal care appliance is a trimmer and the operating head is a cutter, wherein each use is a shave.
[0025] In examples related to the first or second aspect, when it is determined that the operating head needs to be replaced, sending a signal indicating that the operating head needs to be replaced includes sending a signal to the display device to display a notification to the user that the operating head needs to be replaced.
[0026] In such examples, the display device is a remote device or a display device installed on a personal care appliance.
[0027] According to a third aspect of the invention, a transient or non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to perform the aforementioned computer-implemented method according to the first or second aspect.
[0028] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, a personal care device is provided, the personal care device comprising a handle; a sensor coupled to the handle; an attachment for attaching an operating head to the handle; and a controller having a processor and a memory, wherein the memory has instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the aforementioned computer-implemented method.
[0029] According to a fifth aspect, a personal care device is provided, the personal care device including a handle; a motor for operating an operating head; an attachment for attaching the operating head to the handle; and a controller having a processor and a memory, wherein the memory has instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the aforementioned computer-implemented method.
[0030] These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent and be elucidated with reference to one or more embodiments described below. Attached Figure Description
[0031] The embodiments of the invention can be best understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0032] Figure 1 A block diagram of a personal care appliance according to one or more embodiments is shown;
[0033] Figure 2 This shows a series of parameter values captured over time for the corresponding new and worn operating heads of personal care appliances;
[0034] Figure 3 A graph is shown showing the difference between the real-time value of the operating parameter and the real-time no-load value of the operating parameter, according to one or more embodiments.
[0035] Figure 4A A time series plot of real-time values during the use of personal care devices is shown;
[0036] Figure 4B The real-time values above the threshold are shown. Figure 4A Time series plot;
[0037] Figure 4C Showing from Figure 4B The time series plot after discarding values below the threshold and retaining only values greater than or equal to the threshold;
[0038] Figure 5 Showing from Figure 4C The time series diagram includes bucketed data; and
[0039] Figure 6 A flowchart is shown that summarizes a computer-implemented method for indicating when the operating head of a personal care device needs to be replaced. Detailed Implementation
[0040] At least some of the example embodiments described herein can be constructed, in whole or in part, using dedicated hardware. Terms such as “component,” “module,” or “unit” as used herein can include, but are not limited to, hardware devices that perform certain tasks or provide associated functionality, such as circuit devices in the form of discrete or integrated components, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs). In some embodiments, the described elements can be configured to reside on a tangible, persistent, addressable storage medium and can be configured to execute on one or more processors. In some embodiments, these functional elements can include (by way of example) components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components and task components, processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, program code segments, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuit devices, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. Although example embodiments have been described with reference to the components, modules, and units discussed herein, these functional elements can be combined into fewer elements or separated into additional elements. Various combinations of optional features have been described herein, and it should be understood that the described features can be combined in any suitable combination. In particular, features of any example embodiment may be combined with features of any other embodiment where appropriate, unless such combinations are mutually exclusive. Throughout this specification, the terms "comprising" or "comprises" mean to include the specified components (one or more), but do not exclude the presence of other components.
[0041] refer to Figure 1 Personal care appliance 100 according to one or more embodiments includes a handle 102, an attachment 104, an operating head 106, a power supply 108, a controller 110, a motor 112, a sensor 114, and a display 116.
[0042] Personal care device 100 can be a hair removal device, such as a trimmer or razor. Operating head 106 is a device for performing operations such as hair removal. The operating head can be a trimmer. A trimmer includes a protective shield and a cutter. The cutter and the protective shield each include teeth that cut hair between them as the cutter reciprocates over the protective shield. Each use of the operating head can be considered as a shave.
[0043] The attachment 104 attaches the operating head 106 to the handle 102.
[0044] The power source 108 can be a battery, such as a secondary battery or a rechargeable battery.
[0045] Controller 110 may include memory and one or more processors. The memory includes electronic data in the form of instructions. When executed by one or more processors, these instructions can cause the one or more processors to perform the computer-implemented methods described herein. In this way, the memory can be a non-transitory computer-readable medium. When provided as a download to be stored on the memory, the instructions can also be provided as a transient computer-readable medium.
[0046] Motor 112 can consume energy from power source 108 during operation. This energy can be sensed by sensor 114. The sensor senses operating parameters associated with operating the operating head. The operating parameters are current or power.
[0047] The display 116 can be mounted on the outer surface of the handle 102 and communicatively linked to the controller to display instructions generated by the controller.
[0048] refer to Figure 2 Both graphs show operating parameter values cycling between values associated with hair cutting and values associated with an idle motor. The idle motor value is associated with a trough 202, and the hair cutting value is associated with a peak 204. Each graph also shows an average line 206, a value of average plus 10% 208, and a value of average minus 10% 210. The upper graph is associated with a brand new cutter. The lower graph is associated with a worn cutter. It can be seen that the amplitude between the value associated with hair cutting and the value associated with an idle motor is larger for a worn cutting element, and therefore the +10% lines 208 and 210 are farther apart.
[0049] Therefore, it can be seen that the operating parameter values can be used to determine when the operating head needs to be replaced, because there is a difference between a worn cutter and a brand new cutter.
[0050] An embodiment provides a computer-implemented method for indicating when the operating head of a personal care device needs to be replaced, addressing this need. The method includes monitoring operating parameters sensed by sensors of the personal care device, the operating parameters being associated with operating the operating head; discarding any values of the operating parameters below a threshold and retaining any values of the operating parameters greater than or equal to the threshold; calculating cumulative usage time based on the retained values of the operating parameters; determining that the operating head needs to be replaced based on the cumulative usage time; and, in response to determining that the operating head needs to be replaced, sending a signal indicating that the operating head needs to be replaced.
[0051] refer to Figure 3 Monitoring the operating parameters sensed by the sensors of the personal care device may include measuring the real-time value 304 of the operating parameter using the sensors; and subtracting the idle value of the operating parameter from the real-time value 304 of the operating parameter.
[0052] Subtracting the idle value of the operating parameter from its real-time value can include: monitoring the real-time idle value 302 of the operating parameter; and subtracting the real-time idle value 302 of the operating parameter from its real-time value 304 over time. The result of the subtraction is a real-time value 306, such as the value of the operating parameter. Using this method to obtain the value of the operating parameter is more accurate because the idle values 302 are real-time, meaning they are continuously updated, rather than assuming, for example, that the idle value is constant.
[0053] The real-time no-load value 302 can be obtained in various ways. For example, the real-time no-load value 302 of the operating parameter can be determined by using a low-pass filter on the real-time value 304 of the operating parameter to discard values higher than a threshold. For example, the threshold can be set to a known no-load value of the motor. Another way is to calculate the minimum movement value from the real-time value 304 of the operating parameter. The minimum movement value uses a time window that moves over time. The minimum real-time value 304 in the window is obtained and used as the real-time no-load value 302. Another method is to calculate the nth percentile value of the movement from the real-time value of the operating parameter. For example, the nth percentile could be the 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd percentile, although other percentiles can also be used.
[0054] refer to Figure 4A Time series graph 402 shows the values of operating parameters for a single use of a personal care device obtained by monitoring operating parameters.
[0055] refer to Figure 4B The time series plot 404 shows values compared to a threshold 406. Any values of the operating parameter below the threshold are discarded. Any values of the operating parameter greater than or equal to the threshold are retained.
[0056] refer to Figure 4CThe time series plot 408 is compressed. In other words, the time series plot only shows values that are equal to or higher than the threshold, with no intervals in between.
[0057] refer to Figure 5 Before calculating the cumulative usage time based on the retained values of the operating parameters, the computer-implemented method may further include assigning each value of the monitored operating parameters to a bucket based on the values of the monitored operating parameters. Where appropriate, a bucket can be considered a set of operating parameter data points between specific values.
[0058] Here, the bucket can be one of a high-wear bucket 502, a normal-wear bucket 504, and a low-wear bucket 506. These buckets can be separated by bucket thresholds. The bucket thresholds can include two bucket thresholds. The two bucket thresholds can include a normal-wear bucket threshold 508 and a high-wear bucket threshold 510. Each bucket threshold can correspond to a value of an operating parameter. The high-wear bucket threshold 510 can be associated with a value of an operating parameter that is higher than the normal-wear bucket threshold 508.
[0059] When the real-time value of the operating parameter is less than the normal wear threshold 508, the real-time value is assigned to the low wear bin 502. When the real-time value of the operating parameter is greater than the normal wear threshold 508 but less than the high wear bin threshold 510, the real-time value is assigned to the normal wear bin 504. When the real-time value of the operating parameter is greater than the high wear bin threshold 510, the real-time value is assigned to the high wear bin. It should be noted that each value is obtained from a sample obtained while monitoring the operating parameter. The duration of this value can be the time between samples. Therefore, it is possible to determine the amount of time within each bin.
[0060] For each value, the time associated with that value can be multiplied by the weight associated with the bucket to which that value has been assigned to obtain a weighted time. In other words, there can be a high wear weight associated with a high wear bucket. There can be a normal wear weight associated with a normal wear bucket. There can be a low wear weight associated with a low wear bucket. The weight of a high wear bucket can be higher than the weight of a normal wear bucket. The weight of a normal wear bucket can be higher than the weight of a low wear bucket. For example, the weight of a low wear bucket can be 1, the weight of a normal wear bucket can be 1.5, and the weight of a high wear bucket can be 2. These values are provided for illustrative purposes, as these values can be different in other embodiments. For example, the weight of a low wear bucket can be 0.5, the weight of a normal wear bucket can be 1, and the weight of a high wear bucket can be 1.5.
[0061] The step of calculating cumulative usage time based on the retained values of the operating parameters may include adding the time period associated with a value (such as the time between values or samples) to the time of all previous values. When using a bucketing approach, this can be changed to adding the weighted time of each value to the time of all previous values or a weighted time.
[0062] This is important because high wear values dull the cutter much faster than normal or low wear values. Therefore, whenever a high wear value is calculated, the time to reach the threshold is effectively reduced. It should be understood that these values may shift to higher wear levels as the cutter is used. This is because the motor needs to work harder when using a dull cutter compared to a sharp one.
[0063] Finally, when it is determined that the operating head needs to be replaced, the sensing signal indicating that the operating head needs to be replaced includes a signal to the display 116 ( Figure 1 It sends a signal to notify the user of the need to change the operating head. Figure 1 The monitor in this context is a monitor that is installed on a personal care device, but it can also be a monitor for a remote device.
[0064] refer to Figure 6 A computer-implemented method for indicating when the operating head of a personal care device needs to be replaced can be summarized as follows: 602 monitoring operating parameters sensed by sensors of the personal care device, which are associated with operating the operating head; 604 discarding any values of the operating parameters below a threshold and retaining any values of the operating parameters greater than or equal to the threshold; 606 calculating the cumulative usage time based on the retained values of the operating parameters; 608 determining that the operating head needs to be replaced based on the cumulative usage time; and 610 sending a signal indicating that the operating head needs to be replaced in response to determining that the operating head needs to be replaced.
[0065] The following embodiments are also disclosed:
[0066] 1. A computer-implemented method for indicating when the operating head of a personal care device needs to be replaced, the computer-implemented method comprising:
[0067] Monitoring (602) the operating parameters sensed by the sensors of the personal care device, which are associated with operating the operating head;
[0068] Discard (604) any values of the operation parameter that are below the threshold, and retain any values of the operation parameter that are greater than or equal to the threshold;
[0069] The cumulative usage time is calculated based on the retained values of the operating parameters (606);
[0070] Based on the cumulative usage time, it was determined that the (608) operating head needed to be replaced; and
[0071] In response to determining that the operating head needs to be replaced, a signal (610) indicating that the operating head needs to be replaced is sent.
[0072] 2. The computer-implemented method according to Example 1, wherein monitoring operating parameters sensed by sensors of the personal care device includes:
[0073] The real-time values of the operating parameters are measured using sensors (404); and
[0074] Subtract the no-load value (402) of the operating parameters from the real-time value of the operating parameters.
[0075] 3. The computer-implemented method according to Embodiment 2, wherein subtracting the idle value of the operating parameter from the real-time value of the operating parameter includes:
[0076] Monitor the real-time no-load values of operating parameters; and
[0077] The real-time no-load value of the operating parameters is subtracted from the real-time value of the operating parameters over time.
[0078] 4. The computer-implemented method according to Example 3, wherein monitoring the real-time idle value of the operating parameters includes determining the real-time idle value of the operating parameters by:
[0079] A low-pass filter is used on the real-time values of the operating parameters to discard values above the filter threshold; and / or
[0080] Calculate the minimum move value from the real-time values of the operating parameters; and / or
[0081] The nth percentile value of the shift is calculated from the real-time value of the operating parameters.
[0082] 5. The computer-implemented method according to any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein before calculating the cumulative usage time based on the retained values of the operating parameters, the computer-implemented method further comprises:
[0083] Based on the values of the monitored operational parameters, each value of the monitored operational parameter is assigned to a sub-bucket; and
[0084] For each value, the time associated with that value is multiplied by the weight associated with the bucket to which that value has been assigned, to obtain a weighted time.
[0085] 6. The computer-implemented method according to Embodiment 5, wherein the bins are classified into one of the following: high-wear bins, normal-wear bins, and low-wear bins.
[0086] 7. The computer-implemented method according to Embodiment 5 or Embodiment 6, wherein calculating the cumulative usage time based on the retained values of the operating parameters includes:
[0087] The weighted time of each value is added to the time of all previous values.
[0088] 8. The computer-implemented method according to Embodiment 6 or Embodiment 7, wherein the weight of the high-wear bin is higher than the weight of the normal-wear bin, and the weight of the normal-wear bin is higher than the weight of the low-wear bin.
[0089] 9. A computer-implemented method according to any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the personal care appliance includes a motor (112) for operating the operating head, and wherein operating parameters include the power or current of the motor when operating the operating head.
[0090] 10. A computer-implemented method according to any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein the personal care appliance is a trimmer and the operating head is a cutter, wherein each use is a shave.
[0091] 11. A computer-implemented method according to any of the foregoing embodiments, wherein when it is determined that the operating head needs to be replaced, sending a signal indicating that the operating head needs to be replaced includes sending a signal to a display device (116) to display a notification to the user that the operating head needs to be replaced.
[0092] 12. The computer-implemented method according to embodiment 11, wherein the display device is a remote device or a display device installed on a personal care appliance.
[0093] 13. A transient or non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more processors to perform a computer-implemented method of any of the foregoing embodiments.
[0094] 14. A personal care appliance (100) comprising:
[0095] Handle (102);
[0096] Sensor (114), which is coupled to the handle;
[0097] Attachment (104) for attaching the operating head (106) to the handle; and
[0098] A controller (110) has a processor and a memory, wherein the memory has instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a computer-implemented method of any of the embodiments 1 to 12.
[0099] Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail in the accompanying drawings and the foregoing description, such descriptions and illustrations are to be regarded as illustrative or exemplary, and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.
[0100] By studying the accompanying drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims, those skilled in the art can understand and implement other variations of the disclosed embodiments in practicing the claimed invention. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite articles "a" or "an" do not exclude multiple. A single processor or other unit can perform the functions of several items recited in the claims. The fact that certain measures are recited in dissimilar dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used advantageously. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope.
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method for indicating when the operating head of a personal care device needs to be replaced, the personal care device including a motor (112) for operating the operating head, the computer-implemented method comprising: Monitor (602) the operating parameters of the personal care device, the operating parameters being associated with the motor that operates the operating head; Discard (604) any value of the operating parameter that is below a threshold and retain any value of the operating parameter that is greater than or equal to the threshold, wherein the threshold is defined by the no-load value of the operating parameter of the motor; (606) Calculate the cumulative usage time based on the retained values of the operating parameters; Based on the accumulated usage time, it is determined (608) that the operating head needs to be replaced; as well as In response to determining that the operating head needs to be replaced, a signal (610) indicating that the operating head needs to be replaced is sent.
2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein monitoring operating parameters includes: Measure the real-time value of the operating parameter (304); as well as The value of the operating parameter is obtained by subtracting the idle value of the operating parameter from the real-time value (304) of the operating parameter.
3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2, wherein subtracting the idle value of the operating parameter from the real-time value (304) of the operating parameter comprises: Monitor the real-time no-load value of the operating parameters (302); as well as The value of the operation parameter is obtained by subtracting the real-time idle value (302) of the operation parameter from the real-time value (304) of the operation parameter over time.
4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 3, wherein monitoring the real-time idle value (302) of the operating parameter comprises determining the real-time idle value (302) of the operating parameter by: A low-pass filter is applied to the real-time value (304) of the operating parameter to discard values higher than the filter threshold; and / or Calculate the minimum movement value from the real-time value (304) of the operating parameters; and / or The nth percentile value of the movement is calculated from the real-time value (304) of the operating parameter.
5. The computer-implemented method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein before calculating the cumulative usage time based on the retained values of the operating parameters, the computer-implemented method further comprises: Based on the monitored values of the operating parameters, each value of the monitored operating parameters is assigned to a sub-bucket; as well as For each value, the time associated with the value is multiplied by the weight associated with the bucket to which the value has been assigned, to obtain a weighted time.
6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5, wherein the bins are classified into one of the following: high-wear bins, normal-wear bins, and low-wear bins.
7. The computer-implemented method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein calculating the cumulative usage time based on the retained value of the operating parameters comprises: The weighted time for each value is added to the time of all previous values to obtain the cumulative usage time.
8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the weight of the high-wear bin is higher than the weight of the normal-wear bin, and the weight of the normal-wear bin is higher than the weight of the low-wear bin.
9. A computer-implemented method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating parameters include the power or current of the motor when operating the operating head.
10. A computer-implemented method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the personal care appliance is a trimmer and the operating head is a cutter, wherein each use is a shave.
11. A computer-implemented method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein when it is determined that the operating head needs to be replaced, sending a signal indicating that the operating head needs to be replaced includes sending a signal to a display device (116) to display a notification to the user that the operating head needs to be replaced.
12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the display device is a remote device or a display device installed on the personal care appliance.
13. A computer-implemented method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein monitoring (602) the operating parameters of the personal care device includes, or is monitoring, the operating parameters of the personal care device sensed by a sensor.
14. The computer-implemented method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the threshold is a static threshold that does not change over time.
15. A transient or non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a computer-implemented method according to any one of the preceding claims.
16. A personal care appliance (100), comprising: Handle (102); Motor (112), the motor being used to operate the operating head; Attachment (104) for attaching the operating head (106) to the handle; and A controller (110) having a processor and a memory, wherein the memory has instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a computer-implemented method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.
17. The personal care appliance (100) of claim 16, wherein the personal care appliance further comprises a sensor (114) coupled to the handle.