Washing machine

Abstract

An embodiment of this application provides a washing machine, including: a cabinet; a drum disposed within the cabinet; the drum being used for washing clothes; a motor for providing rotational power to the drum; a water level sensor for detecting the water level within the drum; a water inlet valve for controlling the flow of water into the drum; and a controller electrically connected to the motor, water level sensor, and water inlet valve. The controller is configured to: in response to a preset water consumption calculation command, acquire the water inlet time for the washing machine to fill with water to a preset target water level, the opening time of the water inlet valve, and compensation parameters characterizing the absorbency of clothes; acquire the water inlet rate based on the water inlet time and the preset target water inlet volume; acquire alternative water consumption of the washing machine based on the opening time and the water inlet rate; and compensate the alternative water consumption based on the compensation parameters to obtain the target water consumption. Thus, by using compensation parameters characterizing the absorbency of clothes to compensate for the alternative water consumption of the washing machine, the compensated target water consumption becomes more accurate.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of washing machine technology, and more particularly to a washing machine. Background Technology

[0002] Washing machines are household appliances used to wash and spin-dry clothes. Washing clothes in a washing machine consumes a significant amount of water. To achieve more precise resource management, many users want their washing machines to seamlessly integrate with other smart devices and utilize smart applications installed on these devices to obtain the water consumption for each wash cycle, enabling real-time water consumption monitoring and facilitating water planning and conservation.

[0003] In related technologies, the water inlet rate is calculated after excluding the influence of water absorption by the clothing, and the water consumption is calculated based on the water inlet rate and the water inlet time. For example, the water inlet rate in the current program is obtained based on the amount of water entering from the first water level to the second water level and the time it takes for the water to enter from the first water level to the second water level, and the water consumption is calculated based on the water inlet rate and the water inlet time. Both the first and second water levels are either higher than the location of the clothing or both are lower than the location of the clothing.

[0004] However, in the above method, when both the first and second water levels are higher than the clothes, if there are many clothes or the clothes are too fluffy, even the highest water level set by the washing machine can only just submerge the clothes, not completely cover them. In this case, the water inlet rate cannot be calculated, and therefore the water consumption of the washing machine cannot be calculated. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the water inlet rate when both the first and second water levels are lower than the clothes. However, since the water inlet of most washing machines is located above the inner drum, when the washing machine is filling with water, the water flows from high to low. Therefore, the water flow will pass through the clothes, and some water will be absorbed by the clothes, which reduces the calculated water inlet rate and thus reduces the accuracy of the water consumption calculation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of this application provide a washing machine.

[0006] The purpose of this application is to improve the accuracy of water consumption calculation for washing machines.

[0007] The problems addressed in this application are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned problems can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0008] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, an embodiment of this application provides a washing machine, including: a cabinet; a drum disposed within the cabinet; the drum being used for washing clothes; a motor for providing rotational power to the drum; a water level sensor for detecting the water level within the drum; a water inlet valve for controlling the inflow of water into the drum; and a controller electrically connected to the motor, the water level sensor, and the water inlet valve, the controller being configured to perform the following steps: in response to a preset water consumption calculation instruction, acquiring the water inlet time for the washing machine to fill with water to a preset target water level, the opening time of the water inlet valve, and compensation parameters for characterizing the water absorption of clothes; acquiring the water inlet rate based on the water inlet time and the preset target water inlet amount; acquiring alternative water consumption of the washing machine based on the opening time and the water inlet rate; and compensating the alternative water consumption based on the compensation parameters to obtain the target water consumption.

[0009] In the above embodiments, in response to a preset water consumption calculation command, the water inlet rate is obtained using the water inlet time from the washing machine to the preset target water level and the preset target water inlet volume. Then, the alternative water consumption of the washing machine is obtained based on the opening time of the water inlet valve and the water inlet rate. Finally, the alternative water consumption is compensated according to compensation parameters to obtain the target water consumption. Compared with the prior art, which directly obtains the water inlet rate in the current program based on the water volume from the first water level to the second water level and the time it takes for the water to enter from the first water level to the second water level, and then calculates the water consumption based on the water inlet rate and water inlet time, this application uses compensation parameters characterizing the water absorption of clothes to compensate the alternative water consumption of the washing machine. This makes the compensated target water consumption include not only the water volume in the washing machine but also the water volume absorbed by the clothes, thus making the compensated target water consumption more closely match the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of the washing machine water consumption calculation.

[0010] In one embodiment of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the step of obtaining the water inlet rate according to the water inlet duration and the preset target water inlet volume includes: obtaining the quotient between the target water inlet volume and the water inlet duration; and determining the quotient as the water inlet rate.

[0011] In the above embodiments, due to differences in water pressure in different regions or on different floors within the same region, the water inlet rate of the washing machine varies. Compared to the prior art that directly uses a preset water inlet rate to calculate water consumption, this application determines the water inlet rate for this wash by setting the quotient between the target water inlet volume and the water inlet duration as the water inlet rate for that wash. This enables real-time calculation of the water inlet rate, making the calculated water inlet rate more closely match the actual water inlet rate and improving the accuracy of the obtained water inlet rate.

[0012] In one embodiment of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, obtaining the alternative water consumption of the washing machine according to the start-up time and the water inlet rate includes: obtaining the product of the start-up time and the water inlet rate; and determining the product as the alternative water consumption.

[0013] In the above embodiments, the product of the opening time and the water inlet rate is determined as the alternative water consumption, so that the alternative water consumption can be compensated by the compensation parameter used to characterize the water absorption of clothes, so that the compensated target water consumption is closer to the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of the washing machine water consumption calculation.

[0014] In one embodiment of this application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the compensation parameter includes the fabric material; obtaining the compensation parameter includes: obtaining the interval between the first moment when the washing machine finishes filling with water and the second moment when it first replenishes water, as well as the number of times the washing machine replenishes water; and determining the fabric material based on the interval and the number of times water is replenished.

[0015] In the above embodiments, the different materials of the clothing result in varying water absorption, leading to differences in the interval between the first moment the washing machine completes water intake and the second moment of the first water replenishment, as well as the number of water replenishments required. This application accurately determines the clothing material by measuring the interval between the first moment the washing machine completes water intake and the second moment of the first water replenishment, and by considering the number of water replenishments. This allows for the use of the clothing material to compensate for alternative water consumption, making the compensated target water consumption more closely match the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of washing machine water consumption calculation.

[0016] In one embodiment of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, determining the clothing material according to the interval duration and the number of times water is replenished includes: determining the clothing material as a preset first material when the interval duration is below a preset first reference duration and the number of times water is replenished is below a preset reference number; determining the clothing material as a preset second material when the interval duration is above a preset first reference duration and the interval duration is below a preset second reference duration, and the number of times water is replenished is below a preset reference number; determining the clothing material as a preset second material when the interval duration is below a preset second reference duration and the number of times water is replenished is above a preset reference number; and determining the clothing material as a preset third material when the interval duration is above a preset second reference duration and the number of times water is replenished is above a preset reference number.

[0017] In the above embodiments, the clothing material is divided into a first material, a second material, and a third material by the relationship between the interval between the first moment when the washing machine completes water intake and the second moment when it first replenishes water, and the first reference duration and the second reference duration, as well as the relationship between the number of times the washing machine replenishes water and the reference duration. This allows the clothing material to be used to compensate for the alternative water consumption, making the compensated target water consumption more closely match the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of the washing machine water consumption calculation.

[0018] In one embodiment of this application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the compensation parameter includes the clothing material; the step of compensating the alternative water consumption according to the compensation parameter to obtain the target water consumption includes: obtaining the material parameter corresponding to the clothing material; and using the material parameter to compensate the alternative water consumption to obtain the target water consumption.

[0019] In the above embodiments, since different clothing materials result in different water absorption properties, which in turn affects the amount of water absorbed by the clothing, the alternative water consumption is compensated by the material parameters corresponding to the clothing material, so that the compensated target water consumption is more in line with the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of the washing machine water consumption calculation.

[0020] In one embodiment of this application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the compensation parameter includes the number of times the washing machine replenishes water; the step of compensating the alternative water consumption according to the compensation parameter to obtain the target water consumption includes: compensating the alternative water consumption using the number of times the washing machine replenishes water to obtain the target water consumption.

[0021] In the above embodiments, since the number of times the washing machine replenishes water can reflect the strength of the water absorption of the clothes, this application uses the number of times the water is replenished to compensate for the alternative water consumption, so that the compensated target water consumption is more in line with the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of the washing machine water consumption calculation.

[0022] In one embodiment of this application, based on the aforementioned scheme, the compensation parameters include the clothing material and the number of times the washing machine replenishes water; the step of compensating the alternative water consumption according to the compensation parameters to obtain the target water consumption includes: obtaining the material parameters corresponding to the clothing material; and using the material parameters and the number of times the washing machine replenishes water to compensate the alternative water consumption to obtain the target water consumption.

[0023] In the above embodiments, due to differences in clothing materials and their varying water absorption rates, the number of times the washing machine needs to replenish water varies. This application combines the number of water replenishments with the material parameters corresponding to the clothing materials to compensate for the alternative water consumption, making the compensated target water consumption more closely match the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of the washing machine's water consumption calculation.

[0024] In one embodiment of this application, based on the foregoing scheme, the controller is further configured to perform the following steps: in response to a preset power consumption calculation instruction, obtain the power of each power-consuming component of the washing machine and the running time corresponding to each power-consuming component; obtain the power consumption of the washing machine based on the power and the running time.

[0025] In the above embodiments, since the power consumption of the device can be obtained through its power and running time, this application can reflect the power consumption of each power-consuming component by the power of each power-consuming component and the running time corresponding to each power-consuming component, thereby accurately obtaining the power consumption of the washing machine.

[0026] In one embodiment of this application, based on the foregoing solution, the washing machine further includes: a drain pump for controlling the discharge of water from the drum; a heating element for heating the water in the drum; and the power-consuming components include the water inlet valve, the drain pump, the heating element, and the motor.

[0027] In the above embodiments, since the water inlet valve, drain pump, heating element, and motor are the main power-consuming components of the washing machine, the power consumption of the water inlet valve, drain pump, heating element, and motor can be accurately obtained by measuring their power and operating time. This allows for accurate acquisition of the washing machine's power consumption, improving the accuracy of the obtained power consumption.

[0028] 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. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application. It is obvious that the drawings described below are merely some embodiments of this application, and those skilled in the art can obtain other drawings based on these drawings without any inventive effort. In the drawings:

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a washing machine shown in an exemplary embodiment of this application;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the circuit connection principle of a washing machine, as shown in an exemplary embodiment of this application;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a scenario in which the controller of a washing machine obtains a preset water consumption calculation instruction, provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0033] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a scenario in which the controller of a washing machine obtains a preset water consumption calculation instruction, provided in another exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0034] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a controller in a washing machine obtaining the water inlet rate, provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0035] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary embodiment of the present application showing the steps of a controller in a washing machine determining the material of clothing based on the interval duration and the number of water replenishments;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of a controller in a washing machine to obtain a target water consumption, as shown in an exemplary embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0037] Exemplary embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these exemplary embodiments can be implemented in many forms and should not be construed as limited to the examples set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided to make this application more comprehensive and complete, and to fully convey the concept of the exemplary embodiments to those skilled in the art.

[0038] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided in the following description to give a thorough understanding of embodiments of this application. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technical solutions of this application can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or other methods, components, apparatuses, steps, etc., can be employed. In other instances, well-known methods, apparatuses, implementations, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring various aspects of this application.

[0039] The block diagrams shown in the accompanying drawings are merely functional entities and do not necessarily correspond to physically independent entities. That is, these functional entities can be implemented in software, in one or more hardware modules or integrated circuits, or in different network and processor devices and microcontroller devices.

[0040] The flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings are merely illustrative and do not necessarily include all content and operations / steps, nor do they necessarily have to be performed in the described order. For example, some operations / steps can be broken down, while others can be combined or partially combined; therefore, the actual execution order may change depending on the specific circumstances.

[0041] It should be noted that "multiple" in this article refers to two or more. "And" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three relationships. For example, A and B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, or B alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects have an "OR" relationship.

[0042] Currently, washing machines calculate the water intake rate after excluding the effect of water absorption by the clothes, and then calculate water consumption based on the water intake rate and the water intake time. For example, the water intake rate in the current program is obtained based on the amount of water entering from the first water level to the second water level and the time it takes for the water to enter from the first water level to the second water level. Water consumption is then calculated based on the water intake rate and the water intake time. The first and second water levels are either both higher than the location of the clothes or both lower than the location of the clothes.

[0043] However, in the above method, when both the first and second water levels are higher than the clothes, if there are many clothes or the clothes are too fluffy, even the highest water level set by the washing machine can only just submerge the clothes, not completely cover them. In this case, the water inlet rate cannot be calculated, and therefore the water consumption of the washing machine cannot be calculated. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the water inlet rate when both the first and second water levels are lower than the clothes. However, since the water inlet of most washing machines is located above the inner drum, when the washing machine is filling with water, the water flows from high to low. Therefore, the water flow will pass through the clothes, and some water will be absorbed by the clothes, which reduces the calculated water inlet rate and thus reduces the accuracy of the water consumption calculation.

[0044] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application proposes a washing machine.

[0045] Specifically, the washing machine can be either a front-loading washing machine or a top-loading washing machine; this application makes no restrictions. The following text uses a front-loading washing machine as an example.

[0046] For details, please refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a washing machine provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the circuit connection principle of a washing machine provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, the washing machine 10 may include a housing 11. The housing 11 is the external structure of the washing machine 10, and is generally rectangular in shape with a hollow interior to facilitate the fixing and protection of the internal components of the washing machine.

[0048] The cabinet 11 is usually made of metal, plastic, imitation porcelain material or glass; the cabinet 11 is usually also equipped with a door, which allows users to put in or take out clothes to be dried.

[0049] The washing machine 10 may include a drum. The drum is disposed inside the housing 11.

[0050] The cylinder is usually made of metal or plastic.

[0051] The surface of the cylinder can be covered with steel plates or plastic plates to enhance the structural strength and noise reduction effect of the cylinder.

[0052] Specifically, the cylinder includes an inner cylinder 12 and an outer cylinder 13.

[0053] The inner tub 12 is located inside the housing 11. The inner tub 12 is typically made of stainless steel and is used to hold and wash / spin-dry clothes.

[0054] The outer drum 13 is the external container of the inner drum 12, used to hold water to ensure that water inside the washing machine does not enter other parts of the washing machine.

[0055] It should be noted that the inner drum 12 and outer drum 13 are nested within the housing 11, with the inner drum 12 located inside the outer drum 13. The inner drum 12 and outer drum 13 work together during the washing process to clean and dehydrate the clothes. The inner drum 12 is responsible for tumbling, rolling, and kneading the clothes, while the outer drum 13 provides stable support and protection, ensuring the stability and safety of the washing machine during high-speed operation. Simultaneously, the inner drum 12 and outer drum 13, in conjunction with water flow, detergent, and other elements, achieve comprehensive washing and dehydration of the clothes.

[0056] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the washing machine 10 may include a motor 14. The motor 14 is connected to the inner drum via a transmission structure. The motor 14 is used to provide rotational power to the inner drum.

[0057] The washing machine 10 may include a transmission structure. The transmission structure is used to transmit the kinetic energy of the motor to the inner drum to drive the inner drum to rotate.

[0058] In some alternative embodiments, the transmission structure can be a belt drive structure. The belt drive structure includes a belt and pulleys disposed on the motor 14 and the inner cylinder 12. The belt passes over the pulleys of the motor and the inner cylinder. When the motor starts, the belt begins to rotate under the drive of the motor, and the rotation of the belt drives the pulleys of the inner cylinder to rotate, thereby driving the inner cylinder to rotate.

[0059] In some alternative embodiments, the transmission structure can be a direct drive transmission structure. The direct drive transmission structure includes a rotating shaft. A motor is connected to the washing machine drum via the rotating shaft. When the motor starts, it drives the rotating shaft to rotate, thereby causing the drum to rotate.

[0060] The washing machine 10 may include a water level sensor 15. The displacement sensor 15 is used to detect the water level inside the drum.

[0061] The washing machine 10 may include a water inlet valve 16. The water inlet valve 16 is used to control the flow of water into the drum.

[0062] Specifically, when the washing machine needs water, the inlet valve 15 opens, connecting the water inlet channel and allowing water to flow into the drum. When the washing machine does not need water, the inlet valve 15 closes, disconnecting the water inlet channel and preventing water from flowing into the drum.

[0063] In some embodiments, the inlet valve 16 may include a main inlet valve and a pre-inlet valve.

[0064] The main water inlet valve is the main water inlet component of the washing machine, used to provide an appropriate amount of washing water during the washing stage of the washing machine.

[0065] Pre-inlet valves are typically used in washing machines with a pre-wash function. During the pre-wash stage, the pre-inlet valve opens first, introducing a certain amount of water into the washing machine. This water mixes with the pre-added laundry detergent or washing powder, providing a preliminary soaking and washing of the clothes. This allows the clothes to be soaked and pre-washed more thoroughly before the main wash, making it easier to remove stubborn stains.

[0066] The washing machine 10 may include a drain pump 17. The drain pump 17 may be located at the bottom of the washing machine and is used to control the drainage of water from the drum.

[0067] In some embodiments, after the washing machine finishes washing, the drain pump is turned on to drain the water from the drum, ensuring that the washing machine can proceed with the next washing cycle or spin-drying process normally.

[0068] The washing machine 10 may include a heating element 18, such as an electric heating wire.

[0069] Heating element 18 is used to heat the water inside the drum to improve the washing effect.

[0070] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the washing machine 10 may include a controller 19.

[0071] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 As shown, in the washing machine 10, the controller 19 can be electrically connected to the motor 14. The controller 19 can control the motor 14 to rotate, so as to provide rotational power to the drum.

[0072] The controller 19 can be electrically connected to the water level sensor 15. The controller 19 can acquire the water level in the inner cylinder detected by the water level sensor.

[0073] The controller 19 can be electrically connected to the inlet valve 16. The controller 19 can control the opening and closing of the inlet valve 16 to control the flow of water into the cylinder.

[0074] The controller 19 can be electrically connected to the drain pump 17. The controller 19 can control the start and stop of the drain pump 17 to control the discharge of water from the cylinder.

[0075] The controller 19 can be electrically connected to the heating element 18. The controller 19 can control the heating element 18 to heat the water inside the cylinder.

[0076] In an optional embodiment, the controller can be configured to perform the following steps:

[0077] In response to the preset water consumption calculation command, the system obtains the water inlet time for the washing machine to reach the preset target water level, the opening time of the water inlet valve, and compensation parameters used to characterize the water absorption of clothes.

[0078] The water inflow rate is obtained based on the water inflow duration and the preset target water inflow volume;

[0079] The alternative water consumption of the washing machine is obtained based on the operating time and water inlet rate;

[0080] The target water consumption is obtained by compensating the alternative water consumption based on the compensation parameters.

[0081] In this embodiment, in response to a preset water consumption calculation command, the water inlet rate is obtained using the water inlet time from the washing machine to the preset target water level and the preset target water inlet volume. Then, the alternative water consumption of the washing machine is obtained based on the opening time of the water inlet valve and the water inlet rate. Finally, the alternative water consumption is compensated according to compensation parameters to obtain the target water consumption. Compared with the prior art, which directly obtains the water inlet rate in the current program based on the water volume from the first water level to the second water level and the time it takes for the water to enter from the first water level to the second water level, and then calculates the water consumption based on the water inlet rate and water inlet time, this application uses compensation parameters characterizing the water absorption of clothes to compensate the alternative water consumption of the washing machine. This makes the compensated target water consumption include not only the water volume in the washing machine but also the water volume absorbed by the clothes, thus making the compensated target water consumption more closely match the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of the washing machine water consumption calculation.

[0082] It should be noted that the preset water consumption calculation command is the control command for the washing machine to calculate water consumption.

[0083] In some embodiments, the water consumption calculation instruction can be built into the washing instructions of the washing machine. This way, the washing machine calculates the water consumption used for each wash cycle, enabling real-time water consumption calculation.

[0084] Water consumption calculation instructions can also be sent by the user to the washing machine controller through the washing machine's control panel or a terminal device with the corresponding application installed, independent of the washing machine's washing instructions.

[0085] For example, please see Figure 3 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a scenario in an exemplary embodiment of this application where the controller of a washing machine obtains a preset water consumption calculation instruction. For example... Figure 3 As shown, the water consumption calculation command can be generated by the control panel and sent to the controller. For example, after user 31 puts the clothes to be washed into the drum, they click the button for starting the water consumption calculation on the control panel 32 of the washing machine 10 and start the wash cycle. In this process, it can be regarded as the user sending a washing command to the washing machine to control the washing machine to wash clothes and a water consumption calculation command to control the washing machine to calculate water consumption through the control panel. The controller of the washing machine responds to the washing command and washes the clothes. In response to the water consumption calculation command, it obtains the water inlet time to the preset target water level, the opening time of the water inlet valve, and compensation parameters; obtains the water inlet rate based on the water inlet time and the preset target water inlet volume; obtains the alternative water consumption of the washing machine based on the opening time and the water inlet rate; and compensates the alternative water consumption according to the compensation parameters to obtain the target water consumption.

[0086] For example, please see Figure 4 , Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a scenario where the controller in a washing machine obtains a preset water consumption calculation instruction, as provided in another exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 4 As shown, the water consumption calculation command can be sent from the user terminal to the controller. For example, after user 41 puts the clothes to be washed into the drum, the user sends a washing command to the washing machine 10 via the washing machine's corresponding application on the user terminal 42, such as a mobile phone, tablet, or smartwatch, to control the washing machine to wash the clothes, and a water consumption calculation command to control the washing machine to calculate the water consumption. The washing machine responds to the washing command, washes the clothes, and responds to the water consumption calculation command to obtain the water inlet time to the preset target water level, the opening time of the water inlet valve, and compensation parameters; obtains the water inlet rate based on the water inlet time and the preset target water inlet volume; obtains the alternative water consumption of the washing machine based on the opening time and the water inlet rate; and compensates for the alternative water consumption based on the compensation parameters to obtain the target water consumption.

[0087] Furthermore, the process of obtaining the water intake time for the washing machine to reach the preset target water level includes: starting a timer when the washing machine begins to fill with water; acquiring the water level detected by the water level sensor in real time; and ending the timer when the water level is greater than or equal to the preset target water level, thus obtaining the water intake time for the washing machine to reach the preset target water level.

[0088] In some embodiments, if there is residual water in the washing machine before water intake, the water intake time to the preset target water level will be shorter, resulting in a lower accuracy of the obtained water intake rate. Therefore, the water intake time to the preset target water level is best obtained during the first water intake.

[0089] A washing machine's washing process can include a main wash, a rinse, and a spin-dry. Both the main wash and rinse stages require water intake. The time it takes for the washing machine to fill with water to the preset target water level is determined during the main wash stage.

[0090] A washing machine's washing process can include a pre-wash stage, a main wash stage, a rinsing stage, and a spin-drying stage. Water needs to be filled in during the main wash, rinsing, and pre-wash stages. The time it takes for the washing machine to fill with water to the preset target water level is primarily determined during the pre-wash stage.

[0091] Specifically, the opening duration of the water inlet valve can be the total opening duration of the water inlet valve throughout the entire washing process. In some embodiments, the opening duration of the water inlet valve is the sum of the total opening duration of the main water inlet valve and the total opening duration of the pre-water inlet valve throughout the entire washing process.

[0092] Furthermore, the water inlet rate is obtained based on the water inlet duration and the preset target water inlet volume, including: obtaining the quotient between the target water inlet volume and the water inlet duration; and determining the quotient as the water inlet rate. Thus, due to differences in water pressure in different regions or different floors within the same region, the water inlet rate of the washing machine will vary. Compared to existing technologies that directly use a preset water inlet rate to calculate water consumption, this application determines the water inlet rate for this wash cycle by using the quotient between the target water inlet volume and the water inlet duration as the water inlet rate, achieving real-time calculation of the water inlet rate. This makes the calculated water inlet rate more closely match the actual water inlet rate and improves the accuracy of the obtained water inlet rate.

[0093] Specifically, the quotient between the target inflow rate and the inflow duration, i.e., the inflow rate, is obtained by calculating P = V / T. Here, P is the inflow rate; V is the preset target inflow rate; and T is the inflow duration.

[0094] It should be noted that the preset target water intake is the average water intake required for the washing machine to reach the preset target water level.

[0095] Furthermore, the target water intake volume is obtained by the following method: obtaining the actual water intake volume required to reach the preset target water level when the washing machine is loaded with different loads of clothes; obtaining the average value of each actual water intake volume; and determining the average value as the target water intake volume.

[0096] In some embodiments, the preset target water level is 40,000 ml. Different weights, types, and materials of clothing are placed in the washing machine, and the actual water intake for each clothing load is obtained, resulting in an example table of actual water intake for different clothing loads, as shown in Table 1. Here, "mixed load" represents a clothing load with multiple types and / or materials, such as: down + silk clothing load; cotton / linen + blanket clothing load; blanket + towel clothing load. The specific quantity and mixing method are not limited here.

[0097]

[0098] Table 1

[0099] As shown in Table 1, when the actual water intake was first measured, the washing machine contained a 3.35kg mixed load, and the actual water intake required to reach the preset target water level was 5.33L; when the actual water intake was measured for the second time, the washing machine contained a 2.995kg mixed load, and the actual water intake required to reach the preset target water level was 5.07L; when the actual water intake was measured for the third time, the washing machine contained a 2.6kg towel, and the actual water intake required to reach the preset target water level was 5.97L; when the actual water intake was measured for the fourth time... When the water volume was measured for the first time, the washing machine contained a 3.1kg mixed load, and the actual water intake required to reach the preset target water level was 4.39L. On the fifth measurement, the washing machine contained a 3.00kg mixed load, and the actual water intake required to reach the preset target water level was 4.46L. On the sixth measurement, the washing machine contained a 3.20kg towel, and the actual water intake required to reach the preset target water level was 4.48L. On the seventh measurement, the washing machine contained a 4.05kg mixed load... Under the same load, the actual water intake required for the washing machine to reach the preset target water level was 4.49L. During the eighth water intake measurement, with a 3.2kg towel inside, the actual water intake required to reach the preset target water level was 6.21L. During the ninth water intake measurement, with a 3.75kg mixed load inside, the actual water intake required to reach the preset target water level was 4.42L. During the tenth water intake measurement, with a 3.35kg mixed load inside, the actual water intake required to reach the preset target water level was... The required actual water intake was 4.73L; when the actual water intake was measured for the eleventh time, there were 2.68kg of towels in the washing machine, and the actual water intake required to reach the preset target water level was 6.15L; when the actual water intake was measured for the twelfth time, there were 3.05kg of mixed loads in the washing machine, and the actual water intake required to reach the preset target water level was 4.04L; when the actual water intake was measured for the thirteenth time, there were 4.26kg of mixed loads in the washing machine, and the actual water intake required to reach the preset target water level was 5.56L.

[0100] By calculating the average of the actual inflow volumes, i.e., (5.33+5.07+5.97+4.39+4.46+4.48+4.49+6.21+4.42+4.73+6.15+4.04+5.56) / 13 = 5.02L, the target inflow volume is 5.02L when the target water level is 40000ml.

[0101] It should be noted that after the target water intake volume is acquired, it is stored in the washing machine's memory. Subsequently, whenever water consumption needs to be calculated, the controller retrieves the target water intake volume from the memory to calculate the water intake rate, and then calculates the water consumption.

[0102] For details, please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating how a controller in a washing machine acquires the water inlet rate, provided as another exemplary embodiment of this application. (See diagram below.) Figure 5 As shown, the washing machine drum includes an outer drum 13 and an inner drum 12. Figure 5 The shaded area represents the water inside the drum. When the water level inside the drum reaches the target level, the target water intake is 5.02L, or 5020ml. The controller determines that the water intake time required for the washing machine to reach the target level is 51s. The water intake rate is the quotient between the target water intake and the water intake time. For ease of calculation, this quotient is rounded to two decimal places: 5020 ÷ 51 ≈ 98.43ml / s. Therefore, the water intake rate obtained by the controller is 98.43ml / s.

[0103] Furthermore, the alternative water consumption of the washing machine is obtained based on the operating time and water inlet rate, including: obtaining the product of the operating time and the water inlet rate; and determining this product as the alternative water consumption. In this way, by determining the alternative water consumption as the product of the operating time and the water inlet rate, compensation parameters characterizing the water absorption of clothes can be used to compensate for this alternative water consumption, making the compensated target water consumption more closely match the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of the washing machine's water consumption calculation.

[0104] Specifically, by calculating L = t * P, the product of the opening duration and the inlet water rate is obtained, which is the alternative water consumption. Here, L is the alternative water consumption; t is the opening duration of the inlet valve.

[0105] In some embodiments, Table 2 is used as an example table of the error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine. Here, "laundry load" represents the amount of clothing placed in the washing machine; "mode" represents the washing mode of the washing machine; "water inlet rate" represents the water inlet rate of the washing machine; "alternative water consumption" is the alternative water consumption for the entire washing process calculated using the above method; "actual water consumption" represents the actual water consumption for the entire washing process; and "first error" represents the error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine.

[0106]

[0107]

[0108] Table 2

[0109] As shown in Table 2, when the load of clothes placed in the washing machine is a mixed load of 2.6kg and the washing mode is mixed wash, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 30ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 53.4L, and the actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 53.7L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 0.56%.

[0110] With a mixed load of 3.15kg of clothes placed in the washing machine and the washing mode set to rinse-spray, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 24ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 32.6L. The actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 40.68L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 19.86%.

[0111] With a mixed load of 3.4kg of clothes placed in the washing machine and the washing mode set to quick wash, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 29ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 35L. The actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 35.68L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 1.91%.

[0112] With a mixed load of 3.35kg of clothes placed in the washing machine and the washing mode set to color protection wash, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 27ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 49L. The actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 52.93L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 7.42%.

[0113] With a mixed load of 2kg clothes placed in the washing machine and the washing mode set to quick wash, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 23.7ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 26L. The actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 32.5L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 20.00%.

[0114] With a 3.3kg load of laundry inside the washing machine (including plush clothes underneath and other clothes on top), and the washing machine set to mixed wash mode, the washing machine's water inlet rate is 37ml / s. Based on this water inlet rate, the alternative water consumption is calculated to be 75.7L. The actual water consumption for the entire washing process is 59.73L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 26.74%.

[0115] With a 1.2kg load of pillowcases placed in the washing machine and the washing mode set to quick wash, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 32.5ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 34.9L, while the actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 31.96L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 9.20%.

[0116] With a 2kg towel load placed in the washing machine and the washing mode set to rinse-spin, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 25.7ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 28.6L. The actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 32.84L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 12.91%.

[0117] With a summer mixed laundry load of 1kg placed in the washing machine and the washing mode set to smart wash, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 30.5ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 32.2L, while the actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 30.82L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 4.48%.

[0118] With a load of 0.9kg of sweaters, thermal underwear, and plush clothes placed in the washing machine, and the washing mode set to mixed wash, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 32.8ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 52L. The actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 46.42L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 12.02%.

[0119] With a load of 2kg of towels and bath towels placed in the washing machine and the washing mode set to mixed wash, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 24.2ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 38.4L, while the actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 46.37L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 17.19%.

[0120] With a load of 3kg of towels and bath towels placed in the washing machine and the washing mode set to mixed wash, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 111.88ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 55.6L, while the actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 65.74L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 15.42%.

[0121] With a mixed load of 3kg clothes placed in the washing machine and the washing mode set to mixed wash, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 141.76ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 70.5L. The actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 65.84L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 7.08%.

[0122] With a mixed load of 5kg clothes placed in the washing machine and the washing mode set to mixed wash, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 138.61ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 79.7L, and the actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 75.63L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 5.38%.

[0123] With a load of 3kg of towels and bath towels placed in the washing machine and the washing mode set to mixed wash, the water inlet rate of the washing machine is 131.31ml / s. The alternative water consumption calculated based on this water inlet rate is 65.5L, and the actual water consumption of the entire washing process is 67.15L. The first error between the alternative water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine is 2.46%.

[0124] As shown in Table 2, the first error between the candidate water consumption and the actual water consumption of the washing machine ranges from a minimum of 0.56% to a maximum of 20.00%. This indicates that the first error between the candidate water consumption obtained through the above method and the actual water consumption of the washing machine fluctuates significantly; that is, the accuracy of the candidate water consumption is sometimes high and sometimes low.

[0125] Therefore, in order to improve the accuracy of the obtained water consumption, it is necessary to compensate for the alternative water consumption.

[0126] Optionally, the compensation parameters include the clothing material; obtaining the compensation parameters includes receiving material information sent by the control panel or terminal device. This material information includes the clothing material.

[0127] It should be noted that the better the absorbency of the clothes, the more water they absorb when the washing machine fills the machine, resulting in a longer water intake time to reach the preset target water level. This leads to a lower accuracy in calculating the target water consumption. Therefore, it is necessary to use compensation parameters that characterize the absorbency of the clothes to compensate for the alternative water consumption obtained by the washing machine's operating time and water intake rate, in order to reduce the error between the compensated target water consumption and the actual water consumption.

[0128] Specifically, the absorbency of clothing is closely related to its material. Different materials have different absorbencies due to differences in the chemical composition, molecular structure, and fabric structure of their fibers. Therefore, the material of clothing can be used as a compensating parameter to characterize its absorbency.

[0129] In some embodiments, when washing clothes, the user can select the fabric type of the clothes to be washed on the control panel or a terminal device with the corresponding application installed on the washing machine. The control panel or terminal device generates material information based on the fabric type and sends the material information to the controller, so that the controller can receive the material information and extract the fabric type from it.

[0130] Optionally, the compensation parameters include the fabric material; obtaining the compensation parameters includes: obtaining the interval between the first moment the washing machine completes water intake and the second moment of the first water replenishment, as well as the number of times the washing machine replenishes water; determining the fabric material based on the interval and the number of times the washing machine replenishes water. Thus, because different fabric materials result in different water absorption rates, the interval between the first moment the washing machine completes water intake and the second moment of the first water replenishment, as well as the number of times the washing machine replenishes water, will vary. This application can accurately determine the fabric material by using the interval between the first moment the washing machine completes water intake and the second moment of the first water replenishment, as well as the number of times the washing machine replenishes water. This allows for compensation of alternative water consumption based on the fabric material, making the compensated target water consumption more closely match the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of washing machine water consumption calculation.

[0131] It's important to note that the washing machine completes water intake the moment it reaches the preset washing water level. This level is either user-set or the washing machine's default water level. Because clothes are absorbent, they will continue to absorb water after intake, causing the water level in the drum to drop. Therefore, to complete the wash, water needs to be added until the water level stabilizes at the washing water level.

[0132] It's important to note that the absorbency of laundry varies depending on the fabric. Furthermore, the absorbency of clothing changes as it absorbs water. For example, cotton and linen fabrics initially absorb more water, causing the water level in the drum to drop quickly, resulting in a shorter interval between water intake and the first water replenishment. As cotton and linen absorb more water, their absorbency decreases, requiring less water and fewer replenishments. Conversely, fleece or down fabrics initially absorb less water, causing the water level to drop slowly and resulting in a longer interval between water intake and the first water replenishment. As cotton and linen absorb more water, their absorbency improves, requiring more frequent replenishments.

[0133] In some embodiments, the correspondence between clothing material, the interval between the first moment and the second moment of the first water replenishment, and the number of water replenishments can be referred to in Table 3. Table 3 is an example table showing the relationship between clothing material, interval, and number of water replenishments. The interval is the time between the first moment the washing machine finishes filling with water and the second moment of the first water replenishment.

[0134] Clothing material Interval duration (s) Number of times to replenish water Fleece + Cotton Linen 43 13 synthetic fibers 13 10 Synthetic fiber + cotton and linen 9 12 plush 25 18 cotton and linen 10 10 fleece 29 18

[0135] Table 3

[0136] As shown in Table 3, when the clothing material includes fleece and cotton / linen, the interval between the first water intake and the second water replenishment in the washing machine is 43 seconds, and the washing machine replenishes water 13 times. When the clothing material includes synthetic fibers, the interval is 13 seconds, and the washing machine replenishes water 10 times. When the clothing material includes both synthetic fibers and cotton / linen, the interval is 9 seconds, and the washing machine replenishes water 12 times. When the clothing material includes plush, the interval is 25 seconds, and the washing machine replenishes water 18 times. When the clothing material includes cotton / linen, the interval is 10 seconds, and the washing machine replenishes water 10 times. When the clothing material includes fleece, the interval between the first moment the washing machine finishes filling with water and the second moment of the first water replenishment is 29 seconds, and the washing machine replenishes water 18 times.

[0137] Because of differences in the weight and degree of soiling of clothes, even if the fabric is the same, the interval between the first water intake and the second water replenishment in the washing machine, as well as the number of water replenishments, will vary. However, the interval and number of water replenishments will remain within a certain range. Therefore, the fabric of the clothes can be determined by observing this interval and the number of water replenishments.

[0138] Furthermore, the clothing material is determined based on the interval duration and the number of times it is rehydrated, including: if the interval duration is less than or equal to a preset first reference duration and the number of times it is rehydrated is less than or equal to a preset reference number, the clothing material is determined to be a preset first material; if the interval duration is greater than or equal to a preset first reference duration and the number of times it is rehydrated is less than or equal to a preset reference number, the clothing material is determined to be a preset second material; if the interval duration is less than or equal to a preset second reference duration and the number of times it is rehydrated is greater than or equal to a preset reference number, the clothing material is determined to be a preset third material. In this way, by comparing the interval between the first moment when the washing machine completes water intake and the second moment when it first replenishes water with the first reference time and the second reference time, as well as the relationship between the number of times the washing machine replenishes water and the reference number, the clothing material is divided into first material, second material and third material. This allows the clothing material to be used to compensate for the alternative water consumption, making the compensated target water consumption more closely match the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of the washing machine water consumption calculation.

[0139] In some embodiments, the clothing material is determined based on the interval duration and the number of times it is rehydrated. Specifically, if the interval duration is less than or equal to a preset first reference duration and the number of times it is rehydrated is less than or equal to a preset reference number, the clothing material is determined to be a preset first material. If the interval duration is greater than the preset first reference duration and the number of times it is rehydrated is less than or equal to the preset reference number, the clothing material is determined to be a preset second material. If the interval duration is less than or equal to the preset second reference duration and the number of times it is rehydrated is greater than the preset reference number, the clothing material is determined to be a preset second material. If the interval duration is greater than the preset second reference duration and the number of times it is rehydrated is greater than the preset reference number, the clothing material is determined to be a preset third material.

[0140] In other embodiments, the clothing material is determined based on the interval duration and the number of times water is replenished. Specifically, if the interval duration is less than a preset first reference duration and the number of times water is replenished is less than a preset reference number, the clothing material is determined to be a preset first material; if the interval duration is greater than or equal to the preset first reference duration and the number of times water is replenished is less than a preset reference number, the clothing material is determined to be a preset second material; if the interval duration is less than or equal to the preset second reference duration and the number of times water is replenished is greater than or equal to a preset reference number, the clothing material is determined to be a preset second material; and if the interval duration is greater than or equal to the preset second reference duration and the number of times water is replenished is greater than or equal to a preset reference number, the clothing material is determined to be a preset third material.

[0141] It should be noted that the absorbency of the preset third material clothing can be greater than that of the preset second material clothing. The absorbency of the preset second material clothing can be greater than that of the preset first material clothing.

[0142] Specifically, the first preset material represents clothing materials with low water absorption, such as cotton and linen; the second preset material represents clothing materials with moderate water absorption, such as synthetic fibers; and the third preset material represents clothing materials with high water absorption, such as fleece.

[0143] The preset first reference duration is shorter than the preset second reference duration. For example, the preset first reference duration can be 15 seconds; the preset second reference duration can be 33 seconds.

[0144] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating the steps of a controller in a washing machine, as provided in this application embodiment, to determine the material of clothing based on the interval duration and the number of water replenishments. Figure 6 Some steps in the process can be arbitrarily combined, and / or the order of some operations can be arbitrarily changed.

[0145] like Figure 6 As shown, in order to determine the material of clothing, the controller can be configured to perform the following steps:

[0146] Step S601: Determine whether the interval duration is less than or equal to a preset first reference duration. If yes, proceed to step S602. If no, proceed to step S604.

[0147] Step S602: Determine whether the number of water replenishments is less than or equal to the preset reference number. If yes, proceed to step S603. If no, proceed to step S606.

[0148] Step S603: Determine that the clothing material is the preset first material.

[0149] Step S604: Determine whether the interval duration is less than or equal to the preset second reference duration. If yes, proceed to step S606. If no, proceed to step S605.

[0150] Step S605: Determine whether the number of water replenishments is less than or equal to the preset reference number. If yes, proceed to step S606. If no, proceed to step S607.

[0151] Step S606: Determine that the clothing material is the preset second material.

[0152] Step S607: Determine that the clothing material is the preset third material.

[0153] In this embodiment, the material of the clothing is determined by sequentially judging the relationship between the interval between the first moment when the washing machine finishes water intake and the second moment when it first replenishes water, and the first reference time; the relationship between the number of times the washing machine replenishes water and the reference number; and the relationship between the interval between the first moment when the washing machine finishes water intake and the second moment when it first replenishes water, and the second reference time. This allows the material of the clothing to be used to compensate for the alternative water consumption, making the compensated target water consumption more closely match the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of the washing machine water consumption calculation.

[0154] Optionally, the compensation parameters include the fabric material. The compensation parameters are used to compensate for alternative water consumption to obtain the target water consumption. This includes: obtaining the material parameters corresponding to the fabric material; and using the material parameters to compensate for the alternative water consumption to obtain the target water consumption. In this way, since different fabric materials result in different water absorption rates, which in turn affect the amount of water absorbed by the fabric, using the material parameters corresponding to the fabric material to compensate for the alternative water consumption makes the compensated target water consumption more closely match the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of the washing machine's water consumption calculation.

[0155] It should be noted that, in order to facilitate the compensation of alternative water consumption based on clothing material, the clothing material needs to be quantified. Specifically, each clothing material corresponds to a material parameter. This material parameter characterizes the water absorption capacity of the clothing material.

[0156] In some embodiments, for a first material characterized by weak water absorption, the corresponding material parameter is a preset first parameter, for example, 1. For a second material characterized by moderate water absorption, the corresponding material parameter is a preset second parameter, for example, 2. For a third material characterized by strong water absorption, the corresponding material parameter is a preset third parameter, for example, 3.

[0157] Furthermore, the target water consumption is obtained by compensating for the alternative water consumption using material parameters, including: calculating L0 = L × (b1 × A + b2) to obtain the target water consumption. Where L0 is the target water consumption; L is the alternative water consumption; A is the material parameter; b1 is the preset first compensation parameter; and b2 is the preset second compensation parameter.

[0158] It should be noted that before the washing machine leaves the factory, the specific values ​​of the first compensation parameter and the second compensation parameter can be obtained by fitting the real-time water consumption of the washing machine, the calculated alternative water consumption, and the material parameters.

[0159] Optionally, the compensation parameters include the number of times the washing machine replenishes water; compensating for alternative water consumption based on the compensation parameters to obtain the target water consumption includes: compensating for alternative water consumption using the number of times the washing machine replenishes water to obtain the target water consumption. Thus, since the number of times the washing machine replenishes water reflects the absorbency of the clothes, this application uses this number of times to compensate for the alternative water consumption, making the compensated target water consumption more closely match the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of the washing machine water consumption calculation.

[0160] It's worth noting that the absorbency of clothes can also be reflected in the number of times the washing machine needs to replenish water. Specifically, the better the absorbency, the more times the washing machine needs to replenish water.

[0161] Furthermore, the target water consumption is obtained by compensating for the alternative water consumption using the number of water replenishments, including: calculating L0 = L × (b3 × C + b4) to obtain the target water consumption. Wherein, L0 is the target water consumption; L is the alternative water consumption; C is the number of water replenishments; b3 is the preset third compensation parameter; and b4 is the preset fourth compensation parameter.

[0162] It should be noted that before the washing machine leaves the factory, the specific values ​​of the third and fourth compensation parameters can be obtained by fitting the real-time water consumption of the washing machine, the calculated alternative water consumption, and the number of water replenishments.

[0163] Optionally, the compensation parameters include the fabric material and the number of times the washing machine replenishes water. The compensation parameters are used to compensate for alternative water consumption to obtain the target water consumption, including: obtaining the material parameters corresponding to the fabric material; and using the material parameters and the number of times the washing machine replenishes water to compensate for the alternative water consumption to obtain the target water consumption. Thus, because different fabric materials have different water absorption rates, the number of times the washing machine replenishes water varies. This application combines the number of times the washing machine replenishes water with the material parameters corresponding to the fabric material to compensate for alternative water consumption, making the compensated target water consumption more closely match the actual water consumption of the washing machine, thereby improving the accuracy of the washing machine water consumption calculation.

[0164] Furthermore, the target water consumption is obtained by compensating for the alternative water consumption using the number of water replenishments, including: calculating L0 = L × (b5 × A + b6 × C + b7) to obtain the target water consumption. Where L0 is the target water consumption; L is the alternative water consumption; A is the material parameter; C is the number of water replenishments; b5 is the preset fifth compensation parameter; b6 is the preset sixth compensation parameter; and b7 is the preset seventh compensation parameter.

[0165] It should be noted that before the washing machine leaves the factory, the specific values ​​of the fifth, sixth, and seventh compensation parameters can be obtained by fitting the washing machine's real-time water consumption, calculated alternative water consumption, number of water replenishment cycles, and material parameters. For example, the fifth compensation parameter can be -0.12162; the sixth compensation parameter can be 0.020421; and the seventh compensation parameter can be 1.138357.

[0166] In some embodiments, as shown in Table 4, which is an example table comparing water consumption before and after compensation, the interval time is the time between the first moment when the washing machine finishes filling with water and the second moment when the first water replenishment is performed; the alternative water consumption is the water consumption before compensation; the first error is the error between the water consumption before compensation and the actual water consumption; the target water consumption is the water consumption after compensation; and the second error is the error between the water consumption after compensation and the actual water consumption.

[0167]

[0168]

[0169] Table 4

[0170] As shown in Table 4, when the error was first obtained, the material parameter of the clothing was 1, the interval between the first moment when the washing machine finished filling with water and the second moment when it first replenished water was 14 seconds, the number of water replenishments was 9, the actual water consumption was 71.5L, the alternative water consumption, that is, the water consumption before compensation was 54.8L, the first error, that is, the error between the water consumption before compensation and the actual water consumption was 23.36%, the target water consumption, that is, the water consumption after compensation was 65.78882L, and the second error, that is, the error between the water consumption after compensation and the actual water consumption was 7.99%.

[0171] As shown in Table 4, the error can reach up to 23.36% when water consumption is not compensated. After compensation, the error is significantly reduced and can be controlled to within 10%, which greatly improves the accuracy of water consumption acquisition.

[0172] For details, please refer to Figure 7 , Figure 7A flowchart illustrating the steps of a controller in a washing machine to obtain a target water consumption, as provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 7 Some steps in the process can be arbitrarily combined, and / or the order of some operations can be arbitrarily changed.

[0173] like Figure 7 As shown, in order to obtain the target water consumption, the controller can be configured to perform the following steps:

[0174] Step S701: In response to a preset water consumption calculation command, obtain the water inlet time for the washing machine to reach a preset target water level, the opening time of the water inlet valve, and compensation parameters used to characterize the water absorption of the clothes. The compensation parameters may include the fabric type of the clothes and / or the number of water replenishment cycles.

[0175] Step S702: Obtain the quotient between the target water inflow volume and the water inflow duration.

[0176] Step S703: Determine the quotient as the influent rate.

[0177] Step S704: Obtain the product of the opening duration and the water inflow rate.

[0178] Step S705: Determine the product as the alternative water consumption.

[0179] Step S706: Determine whether the compensation parameters only include clothing material. If yes, proceed to step S707. If no, proceed to step S709.

[0180] Step S707: Obtain the material parameters corresponding to the clothing material.

[0181] Step S708: Compensate for the alternative water consumption using material parameters to obtain the target water consumption. Then proceed to step S713.

[0182] Step S709: Determine whether the compensation parameter only includes the number of water replenishments. If yes, proceed to step S710. If no, proceed to step S711.

[0183] Step S710: Compensate the alternative water consumption using the number of water replenishments to obtain the target water consumption. Then proceed to step S713.

[0184] Step S711: Obtain the material parameters corresponding to the clothing material.

[0185] Step S712: Compensate for the alternative water consumption using material parameters and the number of water replenishments to obtain the target water consumption.

[0186] Step S713, End.

[0187] In this embodiment, in response to a preset water consumption calculation command, the quotient between the preset target water intake and the water intake time from the washing machine to the preset target water level is determined as the water intake rate. The product of this water intake rate and the opening time of the water inlet valve is then determined as the alternative water consumption. The alternative water consumption is then compensated using material parameters corresponding to the clothing material and / or the number of water replenishments to obtain the target water consumption. Compared to the prior art, which directly obtains the water intake rate in the current program based on the water volume from the first water level to the second water level and the time taken to reach the second water level, and then calculates the water consumption based on the water intake rate and water intake time, this application uses compensation parameters representing the water absorption of clothing—clothing material and / or the number of water replenishments—to compensate for the alternative water consumption of the washing machine. This ensures that the compensated target water consumption includes not only the water volume inside the washing machine but also the water absorbed by the clothing, thus making the compensated target water consumption more closely match the actual water consumption of the washing machine and improving the accuracy of the washing machine's water consumption calculation.

[0188] Furthermore, the controller is configured to perform the following steps: in response to a preset power consumption calculation instruction, obtain the power of each power-consuming component of the washing machine and the corresponding operating time of each power-consuming component; obtain the power consumption of the washing machine based on the power and operating time. Thus, since the power consumption of the device can be obtained through its power and operating time, this application can reflect the power consumption of each power-consuming component by using its power and the corresponding operating time, thereby accurately obtaining the power consumption of the washing machine.

[0189] It should be noted that the various power-consuming components of the washing machine are the components that consume the most electricity.

[0190] It should be noted that the power-consuming components include the water inlet valve, drain pump, heating element, and motor. The water inlet valve can include a main wash valve and a pre-wash valve. Since the water inlet valve, drain pump, heating element, and motor are the main power-consuming components of the washing machine, the power consumption of the water inlet valve, drain pump, heating element, and motor can be accurately obtained by monitoring their power and operating time. This allows for accurate determination of the washing machine's power consumption, improving the accuracy of the obtained power consumption data.

[0191] Optionally, the power consumption of the washing machine can be obtained based on its power and operating time, including: calculating Etotal = (Wmain × t1 + Wpre-inlet × t2 + Wdrain × t3 + Wheat × t4 + Welectric × t5) / 3600 / 1000. Wherein, Etotal is the power consumption of the washing machine, in kWh; Wmain is the power of the main inlet valve, in watts (W); t1 is the operating time of the main inlet valve, in seconds; Wpre-inlet is the power of the pre-inlet valve, in watts (W); t2 is the operating time of the pre-inlet valve, in seconds; Wdrain is the power of the drain pump, in watts (W); t3 is the operating time of the drain pump, in seconds; Wheat is the power of the heating element, in watts (W); t4 is the operating time of the heating element, in seconds; Welectric is the power of the motor, in watts (W); and t5 is the operating time of the motor, in seconds.

[0192] It should be noted that the operating time of inlet valves, drain pumps, and heating components is their on-time.

[0193] Optionally, the power consumption of the washing machine is obtained based on power and operating time, including: by calculation Obtain the power consumption of the washing machine. Where Etotal is the power consumption of the washing machine, in kWh; Wmain is the power of the main inlet valve, in watts (W); t1 is the running time of the main inlet valve, in seconds; Wpre-inlet is the power of the pre-inlet valve, in watts (W); t2 is the running time of the pre-inlet valve, in seconds; Wdrain is the power of the drain pump, in watts (W); t3 is the running time of the drain pump, in seconds; Wheat is the power of the heating element, in watts (W); t4 is the running time of the heating element, in seconds; Welectric is the power of the motor, in watts (W); ts represents the total running time of the motor, in seconds; dt5 represents the derivative of the motor's running time t5. Since the motor's power is not constant due to its starting and stopping, the motor's power consumption can be accurately obtained by calculus over its operating time. The power consumption of the washing machine can then be obtained from the motor's power consumption obtained by calculus, reducing the error in the washing machine's power consumption from 20% to 5%, thereby improving the accuracy of the obtained power consumption of the washing machine.

[0194] Other embodiments of this application will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the embodiments 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.

[0195] It should be understood that the above content is only a preferred exemplary embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can easily make corresponding modifications or alterations based on the main concept and spirit of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of protection claimed in the claims.

Claims

1. A laundry machine characterized by, include: Box 2 A drum body, located inside the box, is used for washing clothes. An electric motor is used to provide rotational power to the cylinder. A water level sensor is used to detect the water level inside the cylinder. The inlet valve is used to control the flow of water into the cylinder. The controller, electrically connected to the motor, the water level sensor, and the inlet valve, is configured to perform the following steps: In response to a preset water consumption calculation command, the system obtains the water inlet time for the washing machine to reach a preset target water level, the opening time of the water inlet valve, and a compensation parameter 2 used to characterize the water absorption of the clothes. The water inflow rate is obtained based on the water inflow duration and the preset target water inflow volume. The alternative water consumption of the washing machine is obtained based on the start-up duration and the water inlet rate. The alternative water consumption is compensated according to the compensation parameters to obtain the target water consumption.

2. A laundry washing machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that The step of obtaining the water inflow rate based on the water inflow duration and the preset target water inflow volume includes: Obtain the quotient between the target water inflow volume and the water inflow duration. The quotient is determined as the water inflow rate.

3. A laundry washing machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that The step of obtaining the alternative water consumption of the washing machine based on the start-up duration and the water inlet rate includes: Obtain the product of the opening duration and the water inflow rate. The product is determined as the alternative water consumption.

4. A laundry washing machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that The compensation parameters include the compensation parameters obtained from the second aspect of clothing material, including: The time interval between the moment the washing machine completes water intake and the moment the first water replenishment occurs, and the number of times the washing machine replenishes water, are obtained. The material of the clothing is determined based on the interval duration and the number of times it is rehydrated.

5. The laundry machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, Determining the clothing material based on the interval and the number of times water is replenished includes: If the interval duration is less than or equal to a preset first reference duration, and the number of times the water is replenished is less than or equal to a preset reference number, then the clothing material is determined to be a preset first material two. If the interval duration reaches or exceeds a preset first reference duration, and the interval duration falls below a preset second reference duration, and the number of times the clothing is rehydrated falls below a preset reference number, then the clothing material is determined to be a preset second material. If the interval duration is less than or equal to a preset second reference duration, and the number of times the water is replenished is greater than or equal to a preset reference number, then the clothing material is determined to be a preset second material. If the interval duration reaches or exceeds a preset second reference duration, and the number of times the water is replenished reaches or exceeds a preset reference number, the clothing material is determined to be a preset third material.

6. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The compensation parameters include the clothing material. The process of compensating the alternative water consumption based on these parameters to obtain the target water consumption includes: Obtain the material parameter 2 corresponding to the clothing material. The target water consumption is obtained by compensating the alternative water consumption using the material parameters.

7. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The compensation parameters include the number of times the washing machine replenishes water. The process of compensating the alternative water consumption based on these parameters to obtain the target water consumption includes: The target water consumption is obtained by compensating the alternative water consumption using the number of water replenishments.

8. A laundry washing machine according to Claim 1, characterized in that The compensation parameters include the fabric type of the clothing and the number of times the washing machine replenishes water. The process of compensating the alternative water consumption based on these parameters to obtain the target water consumption includes: Obtain the material parameter 2 corresponding to the clothing material. The target water consumption is obtained by compensating the alternative water consumption using the material parameters and the number of water replenishments.

9. A laundry washing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to perform the following steps: In response to a preset power consumption calculation command, the power consumption of each power-consuming component of the washing machine and the corresponding operating time of each power-consuming component are obtained. The power consumption of the washing machine is obtained based on the power and the running time.

10. A laundry washing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The washing machine also includes: A drain pump is used to control the discharge of water from the cylinder. Heating components are used to heat the water inside the cylinder. The power-consuming components include the water inlet valve, the drain pump, the heating component, and the motor.

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