Washing apparatus, and washing agent dispensing method, device and storage medium therefor

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of washing device and its washing agent delivery method, equipment and storage medium.The method includes: based on the matching washing parameter of washing agent, preset delivery amount is matched;Carry out washing process, obtain the foam amount in washing process;According to foam amount, judge whether foam is excessive;If foam is excessive, then reduce the preset delivery amount corresponding to washing parameter.Compared with prior art, the present application combines the washing use environment of user itself, by obtaining the foam amount in washing barrel of washing device in executing washing process;And according to foam amount, judge whether foam is excessive, if foam is excessive, then reduce the preset delivery amount corresponding to washing parameter, so as to reduce the waste of water resources while reducing the time of laundry rinsing in the same washing scenario next time, both improve washing efficiency, also reduce the probability of laundry because of cleaning wear;In addition, it also avoids generating a large amount of foam to bring safety guarantee to user use.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of washing equipment technology, and in particular to a washing device and its detergent dispensing method, equipment and storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Excessive foam during the washing process not only affects the washing effect but also poses safety issues due to foam overflow. To improve the user's laundry experience, washing machines on the market utilize various control systems to enhance their intelligence. For example, some washing machines have an automatic detergent dispensing function, which automatically adds detergent to the washing tub without requiring manual addition by the user. However, dispensing the correct amount of detergent has always been a technical challenge in the industry for washing machines with automatic detergent dispensing functions.

[0003] In this regard, Chinese Patent Publication No. CN111074481A discloses a detergent dispensing method for a washing machine. The method includes the following steps: obtaining a preset detergent dispensing threshold when the washing machine ran a washing program last time; obtaining the amount of foam in the washing tub when the washing machine ran a washing program last time; obtaining the turbidity of the washing water when the washing machine ran a washing program last time; and determining the amount of detergent to be dispensed when the washing machine runs a washing program again based on the preset dispensing threshold, the amount of foam, and the turbidity.

[0004] The invention determines the amount of detergent to be added when the washing equipment runs the washing program again based on a preset dosage threshold, the amount of foam, and turbidity. However, the method does not take into account the influence of factors such as water quality and water temperature on the foaming ability of the detergent. Therefore, when switching between different washing scenarios, the amount of detergent added may deviate. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives and other advantages of the present invention, a first objective of the present invention is to provide a detergent dispensing method for use in a washing apparatus, characterized by comprising the following steps:

[0006] The preset dosage of detergent is matched based on the washing parameters;

[0007] Execute the washing process and obtain the amount of foam during the washing process;

[0008] Determine if there is excessive foam based on the amount of foam.

[0009] If there is excessive foam, reduce the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters.

[0010] Furthermore, before the step of "matching the preset dosage of detergent based on washing parameters", the following step is also included:

[0011] Obtain washing parameters; wherein, the washing parameters include at least one of the following: garment weight, washing water temperature, garment material, and water intake.

[0012] Furthermore, the step of "obtaining the amount of foam during the washing process" specifically includes the following steps:

[0013] Obtain the water inflow rate;

[0014] Detect the current foam level inside the washing tub;

[0015] The amount of foam in the washing tub is calculated by the amount of water entering the tub and the current height of the foam.

[0016] Furthermore, the step of "detecting the current height of foam in the washing tub" specifically includes the following steps:

[0017] Check for foam inside the washing tub;

[0018] When foam is detected in the washing tub, the current height of the foam inside the washing tub is measured.

[0019] Furthermore, visual sensors are used to detect the presence of foam inside the washing tub.

[0020] Furthermore, the height of the foam inside the washing tub is detected by at least one of a distance sensor and a vision sensor.

[0021] Furthermore, the height of the foam inside the washing tub is detected by a distance sensor.

[0022] Furthermore, the step of "judging whether there is excessive foam based on the amount of foam" specifically includes the following steps:

[0023] Determine whether the current amount of foam exceeds the excessive foam threshold;

[0024] If the current amount of foam exceeds the excessive foam threshold, then it is determined that there is excessive foam.

[0025] If the current foam level does not exceed the excessive foam threshold, the foam level during the washing process will continue to be acquired.

[0026] Furthermore, it also includes the following steps:

[0027] If overflow of foam is detected in the washing tub, it is determined that there is excessive foam.

[0028] Furthermore, the extent of foam overflow is determined by detecting the amount of foam in the drying channel of the washing device.

[0029] Furthermore, the step of "reducing the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters" specifically includes the following steps:

[0030] Determine the reduction coefficient of the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters based on the current amount of foam in the washing tub;

[0031] Adjust the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters based on the reduction coefficient.

[0032] Furthermore, after the step of "reducing the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters", the following steps are also included:

[0033] Remove the foam from the washing tub and change the washing water;

[0034] Add detergent to the preset dosage and execute the washing process.

[0035] A second objective of this invention is to provide a washing apparatus that applies the aforementioned detergent dispensing method, comprising a washing drum and a detergent dispensing assembly, wherein the detergent dispensing assembly is used to store detergent and is capable of dispensing detergent into the washing drum.

[0036] Furthermore, the washing device is also equipped with a distance sensor to detect the height of the foam inside the washing tub.

[0037] Furthermore, the washing device is also equipped with a visual sensor to detect the presence of foam inside the washing tub.

[0038] A third objective of the present invention is to provide an electronic device, including a memory and a processor; wherein the memory is used to store one or more computer instructions, wherein the one or more computer instructions are executed by the processor to implement the above-described detergent dispensing method.

[0039] A fourth objective of the present invention is to provide a computer storage medium storing computer instructions thereon; wherein, when the computer instructions are executed by a processor, the above-described detergent dispensing method is implemented.

[0040] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0041] This invention provides a washing device and its detergent dispensing method, equipment, and storage medium. This invention, considering the user's washing environment, obtains the amount of foam in the washing tub during the washing process and determines whether there is excessive foam. If there is excessive foam, the preset dispensing amount corresponding to the washing parameters is reduced. This reduces water waste and rinsing time for clothes in the same washing scenario, improving washing efficiency and reducing the probability of clothes being damaged during washing. Furthermore, it avoids generating excessive foam, ensuring user safety.

[0042] The above description is merely an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to better understand the technical means of the present invention and to implement it according to the contents of the specification, the preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specific embodiments of the present invention are given in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Attached Figure Description

[0043] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the detergent dispensing method applied to the washing device in Example 1;

[0044] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of obtaining the amount of foam during the washing process in Example 1;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a vision sensor provided in Example 1;

[0046] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a distance sensor provided in Example 1;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a vision sensor and a distance sensor provided in Example 1;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of calculating the height of foam inside the washing tub in Example 1.

[0049] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of calculating the amount of foam in the washing tub in Example 1;

[0050] Figure 8 This is a flowchart from Example 1 showing how to determine if there is excessive foam based on the amount of foam.

[0051] Figure 9 This is a flowchart of the preset dosage corresponding to the reduction of washing parameters in Example 1;

[0052] Figure 10 This is a flowchart of the post-processing steps for reducing the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters in Example 1;

[0053] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of a washing device in Example 2;

[0054] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of an electronic device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention;

[0055] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of a computer storage medium according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0056] The present invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. It should be noted that, without conflict, the various embodiments or technical features described below can be arbitrarily combined to form new embodiments.

[0057] Based on the embodiments of this invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0058] The drawing numbers in this application are only used to distinguish the steps in the scheme and are not used to limit the execution order of the steps. The specific execution order is as described in the specification.

[0059] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention.

[0060] To address the issue that existing washing devices with automatic detergent dispensing functions may experience deviations in detergent dosage depending on the washing scenario, resulting in excessive foam during the washing process, which affects the washing effect and poses safety risks due to foam overflow, Embodiment 1 of the present invention provides a detergent dispensing method for washing devices.

[0061] The washing device can be configured as a washing machine, a washer-dryer combo, or other clothing washing device with washing function. The washing device should have an automatic detergent dispensing function. For ease of description, this invention uses a drum washing machine as an example for illustration, and should not be construed as a limitation on the type of clothing processing equipment.

[0062] This method can be executed by the main control unit of the washing device, which can be implemented in the form of software and / or hardware, and is generally integrated into any electronic device with network communication capabilities, such as a mobile terminal, PC, or server.

[0063] Example 1

[0064] According to one aspect of the present invention, this embodiment provides a detergent dispensing method applied to a washing device, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes the following steps:

[0065] S2. Match the preset dosage of detergent based on washing parameters;

[0066] In some embodiments, before the step of "matching the preset dosage of detergent based on washing parameters", the method further includes the step of:

[0067] S1. Obtain washing parameters; wherein, the washing parameters include at least one of the following: garment weight, washing water temperature, garment material, and water intake.

[0068] Washing parameters are parameters that affect the preset dosage of detergent. These parameters can be set by the user or detected by sensors in the washing device. These washing parameters include one or more of the following: garment weight, washing water temperature, garment material, and water volume. For example, garment weight can be detected by a weighing sensor, washing water temperature can be detected by a temperature sensor or obtained from a user-preset washing program, and garment material can be detected by an image sensor. Taking garment weight as an example, the heavier the garment, the more detergent is required to wash it, and the higher the target detergent dosage. It should be understood that the detergent in this embodiment refers to a detergent with garment cleaning function, and the type of detergent includes, but is not limited to, liquid laundry detergent, laundry powder, single-purpose laundry pods, and multi-purpose laundry pods.

[0069] The washing machine stores the correspondence between washing parameters and preset detergent dosages. The washing machine matches the corresponding preset detergent dosage to different washing parameters.

[0070] In one specific embodiment, the step of "matching the preset dosage of detergent based on washing parameters" specifically includes the following steps:

[0071] S21. Obtain the first dosing table that represents the mapping relationship between washing parameters and preset dosing amount of detergent;

[0072] S22. Obtain the corresponding preset dosage from the first dosage table based on the current washing parameters.

[0073] The aforementioned first dispensing table is an array of one or more data dimensions used to store the preset dispensing amount data. The data dimensions are set according to the washing parameter dimensions. When the washing device runs the washing program, the corresponding preset dispensing amount is matched with the washing parameters in the first dispensing table, and the corresponding amount of detergent is dispensed according to the preset dispensing amount before the main washing program is executed.

[0074] In an exemplary embodiment, the washing parameter of the first dispensing table is the weight of the clothes, as shown in Table 1. Different weights of clothes correspond to different preset dispensing amounts. For example, when the weight of the clothes is greater than 2kg, the value stored at position 1 x 04 in the first dispensing table is called and set as the preset dispensing amount.

[0075] Table 1

[0076] Clothing weight (kg) 0.5 1 1.5 2 >2 Preset delivery volume lx00 lx01 lx02 lx03 lx04

[0077] It should be understood that the above-mentioned clothing weight is the weight of the clothing before it is soaked, detected by a weighing sensor, and the clothing weight is divided into segments of 0.5kg. The 0.5kg in the first distribution table represents the weight segment of 0.5kg, and does not just mean that the weight of the clothing is 0.5kg. It includes 0.5kg itself and the weight of dry clothes below 0.5kg. Similarly, the 1kg weight segment means that the dry clothes weigh more than 0.5kg and 1kg (including 1kg).

[0078] In an exemplary embodiment, since the parameters of water hardness and detergent type have a certain inertia and do not change easily, the washing parameters of the first dosage table are the weight of the clothes and the washing water temperature, as shown in Table 2. The horizontal axis of the first dosage table represents different weights of clothes, and the vertical axis represents different washing water temperatures. A preset dosage can be set according to the weight of the clothes and the washing water temperature. For example, when the weight of the clothes is greater than 2kg and the washing water temperature is room temperature, the value stored at position 1 x 04 in the first dosage table is retrieved and set as the preset dosage.

[0079] Table 2

[0080] 0.5kg 1kg 1.5kg 2kg >2kg normal temperature lx00 lx01 lx02 lx03 lx04 20℃ lx10 lx11 lx12 lx13 lx14 30℃ lx20 lx21 lx22 lx23 lx24 40℃ lx30 lx31 lx32 lx33 lx34 60℃ lx40 lx41 lx42 lx43 lx44 95℃ lx50 lx51 lx52 lx53 lx54

[0081] It should be understood that the above-mentioned clothing weight is the weight of the clothing before it is soaked, detected by a weighing sensor, and the clothing weight is segmented in 0.5kg increments. It should be understood that 0.5kg in the first loading table represents the weight segment of 0.5kg, and not just the weight of the clothing itself, but includes the weight of the clothes itself and the weight of dry clothes below 0.5kg; similarly, the 1kg weight segment represents dry clothes weighing more than 0.5kg and up to 1kg (including 1kg); the washing water temperature is obtained according to the user's preset washing program, for example, if the user sets the washing program to regular wash, the corresponding washing water temperature for regular wash is room temperature.

[0082] S4. Execute the washing process and obtain the amount of foam during the washing process;

[0083] A typical washing program usually includes a main wash stage and a rinsing stage. During the main wash stage, a detergent with cleaning properties is added to clean the clothes. In this embodiment, the amount of foam obtained during the washing process refers to the amount of foam obtained during the main wash stage. Detergents with cleaning properties typically have the characteristic of producing foam. Foaming power is usually used to represent the ease of foam formation and the amount of foam generated. The standard method for measuring foaming power in the laboratory is the Roche method. During the main wash stage, foaming power is related to multiple factors, such as the hardness of the washing water, the washing water temperature, the weight of the clothes, the type of detergent, and the amount of detergent used. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately measure foaming power through laboratory methods. Thus, this embodiment characterizes foaming power by obtaining the amount of foam during the washing process.

[0084] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, step S4, "obtaining the amount of foam during the washing process," specifically includes the following steps:

[0085] S41. Obtain the water inflow.

[0086] The water intake volume can be a user-defined volume or a volume determined by the weight of the clothing detected by a weighing sensor. The water intake volume can be represented by the water level.

[0087] In this field, water level is more commonly used and more intuitive than water volume, and most other methods for determining the presence of foam also use water level as one of the criteria for judgment, in order to facilitate cross-sectional comparison of data.

[0088] In some embodiments, the water intake is calculated by measuring the water level in the washing tub using a water level sensor. It should be noted that the water level sensor is usually a pressure sensor, which outputs a corresponding frequency signal based on the pressure inside the tub. The magnitude of the signal reflects different pressures. Ideally, the higher the pressure, the lower the water level frequency; the lower the pressure, the higher the water level frequency.

[0089] In general, the water level frequency is inversely proportional to the monitored pressure. The water level height value is a numerical value obtained by mathematically calculating the water level frequency value. The calculation formula is: water level height L1 = (default water level frequency value F1 of empty cylinder – current water level frequency value F2) / 2.2, and the unit of water level height L1 is mm.

[0090] In some embodiments, taking into account the influence of clothing on the water level L1 in the washing water, the volume of the clothing is estimated by a weighing sensor, and the water level L1 is corrected based on the volume of the clothing.

[0091] S42. Detect the current foam height in the washing tub.

[0092] During the main wash stage, the foam from the laundry floats on the surface of the wash water and is continuously generated. In this embodiment, the current height of the foam in the washing tub refers to the height of the foam on the upper surface of the washing tub, not the thickness of the foam.

[0093] Because the water level sensor obtains the water level height based on water pressure, and the generation of foam does not significantly change the water pressure inside the washing tub, it is impossible to measure the current foam height inside the washing tub using this water level sensor.

[0094] In an exemplary embodiment, step S42 specifically includes the following steps:

[0095] S421. Check for foam inside the washing tub;

[0096] S422. When foam is detected in the washing tub, the height of the foam in the washing tub is detected.

[0097] In some embodiments, a visual sensor is used to detect the presence of foam inside the washing tub.

[0098] Specifically, the vision sensor is used to acquire one or more images of the washing tub, which can be a coherent sequence of images. There are no limitations on the number, frequency, angle, resolution, or detail of the images acquired by the vision sensor. For example, a single image can be used to perform an aspect of this subject matter. In contrast, aspects of this subject matter can also be performed using multiple images taken from different angles, at different times, or at different frequencies. Furthermore, these images can be acquired before, during, or after any suitable operating cycle. For example, the one or more images can be acquired while the washing tub is stationary or rotating, or during or after a washing cycle. Additionally, in an exemplary embodiment, the vision sensor is also configured with an illumination device to provide illumination for the vision sensor, preventing images from being too dim to detect the presence of foam in the washing tub.

[0099] The visual sensor analyzes the acquired images using a pre-trained image recognition model to determine whether foam exists inside the washing tub. The image recognition model can be any of the following networks: Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (R-CNN), and Deep Neural Network (DNN). Other suitable image recognition processes, neural network processes, artificial intelligence analysis techniques, and combinations of the above or other known methods can be used, while remaining within the scope of this subject matter.

[0100] In this embodiment, the image recognition model is trained by using one or more networks, such as Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (R-CNN), and Deep Neural Network (DNN), based on several images of washing tubs labeled "whether foam is present".

[0101] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, the vision sensor can be fixedly installed at an angle to collect images of area A1. When foam is detected within the image range of area A1, it indicates that there is foam in the washing tub.

[0102] In some embodiments, the height of foam inside the washing tub can also be detected by a visual sensor.

[0103] Specifically, the visual sensor, such as Figure 3 As shown, the visual sensor analyzes the acquired images using a pre-trained image recognition model to identify the height of the foam inside the tub. The image recognition model is trained using one or more networks selected from several images of the washing tub labeled with "foam height," including Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Region-based Convolutional Neural Networks (R-CNN), and Deep Neural Networks (DNN).

[0104] In some embodiments, the height of the foam inside the washing tub is detected by a distance sensor.

[0105] Specifically, this distance sensor is a single-point Time-of-Flight (TOF) sensor. A TOF sensor works by continuously sending modulated light sources or pulses to a target object, then receiving the light reflected back from the target object. The distance to the target object is obtained by calculating the round-trip time of the modulated light source or probe light pulse. In this embodiment, the TOF sensor's light source module includes a structured light emitter and a laser emitter, which can simultaneously emit structured light and modulated laser light, which are then received by the TOF sensor to calculate the depth data. Chinese Patent Publication No. CN109889809A describes the structure of this TOF sensor in detail.

[0106] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the distance sensor is installed on the door glass of the washing machine. The light source module of the single-point TOF (Time of Flight) sensor emits light beams (Y1, Y2, Y3…Yn) from different angles, with the included angle of the emitted light beams being γ. The straight-line distance d from the light source module to the foam surface can be measured. Figure 6 As shown, the height of the foam in the washing tub can be calculated as L2 by using the cosine formula to measure the angle γ and the distance d.

[0107] L2=C-dcosγ

[0108] The distance between the light source module and the bottom of the washing tub is set to C.

[0109] In one exemplary embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, the distance sensor and the vision sensor are installed on the door glass of the washing device. When the vision sensor detects the presence of foam in the washing tub, the distance sensor emits light beams (Y1, Y2, Y3...Yn) from different angles through its light source module to measure the height of the foam in the washing tub.

[0110] Specifically, when the visual sensor detects the presence of foam in area A1, a single-point TOF (Time of Light) sensor is activated to emit light beams (Y1, Y2, Y3...Yn) from different angles to detect the current height of the foam in the washing tub as L2.

[0111] In some embodiments, considering that foam gradually increases during the main wash stage of the clothes, step S42 is detected at fixed time intervals during the main wash process performed by the washing equipment, for example, once every 5 minutes.

[0112] In some embodiments, based on the progress of the main wash process executed by the washing equipment, the height of the foam in the washing tub is measured in step S412. The timing of step S42 is such that the foaming volume in the main wash stage has reached a stable or maximum level. For example, the height of the foam in the washing tub is detected when the execution time of the main wash process reaches 1 / 3 of the total execution time. For instance, if the total execution time of the main wash process is 24 minutes, the height of the foam in the washing tub is detected by a sensor when 8 minutes (1 / 3 of 24 minutes) have been completed.

[0113] S43. Calculate the amount of foam in the washing tub by using the water intake and the current foam height.

[0114] The aforementioned foam quantity can be any suitable representation of the amount of foam in the washing drum, foam height, or foam level. It should be understood that the foam level can be an approximation or best fit of the amount of foam on or around the load of clothes in the washing drum. For example, the foam level can also be measured as no foam, low foam, medium foam, or high foam, or it can be quantified as a percentage of the maximum foam level, such as 10% foam, 25% foam, or 50% foam, or it can be a specific volumetric characteristic of the foam.

[0115] In an exemplary embodiment, the foam amount is represented by the difference ΔL between the current foam height L2 and the water level L1 in the washing tub, where ΔL = L2 - L1. The magnitude of ΔL characterizes the current foam amount in the washing tub.

[0116] In one exemplary embodiment, the internal space of the washing tub is cylindrical, such as... Figure 7 The diagram shows a side cross-section of the washing tub. The side cross-section of the washing tub is a circle with a radius of length R. This circle is located at point O. The width of the washing tub is W. The volume of foam V in the washing tub can be calculated by the water level height L1, which is represented by the water inflow, and the current foam height L2. That is, the amount of foam in the washing tub is represented by the volume of foam.

[0117] The formula for calculating the foam volume V inside the washing tub is:

[0118]

[0119] Where α1 is the angle formed by the intersection of the chord corresponding to the water level height L1 on the side cross-section circle of the washing tub and the two intersection points on the edge of the circle, and the circle; where α2 is the angle formed by the intersection of the chord corresponding to the current foam height L2 in the washing tub and the two intersection points on the side cross-section circle of the washing tub, and the circle.

[0120] Specifically, the formulas for calculating α1 and α2 are as follows:

[0121]

[0122] S6. Determine whether there is excessive foam based on the amount of foam.

[0123] like Figure 8 As shown, in some embodiments, step S6, "determining whether there is excessive foam based on the amount of foam," specifically includes the following steps:

[0124] S61. Determine whether the current amount of foam exceeds the excessive foam threshold;

[0125] S62. If the current amount of foam exceeds the foam excess threshold, then it is determined that there is excessive foam.

[0126] S63. If the current foam amount does not exceed the foam overload threshold, the foam amount during the washing process will be continuously acquired.

[0127] Based on the description of the above embodiments, the current foam amount can be the volume of the foam. The foam excess threshold is a foam excess threshold obtained by combining laboratory data. If the foam amount measured at a fixed progress during the main wash stage exceeds the foam excess threshold, or if the foam amount measured at any time exceeds the foam excess threshold, it indicates that the current foam amount detection result shows that the detergent added according to the preset dosage has generated a large amount of foam, the detergent dosage is too large, and it is necessary to reduce the amount of detergent to reduce the amount of foam.

[0128] If the current foam level does not exceed the excessive foam threshold and the main wash cycle has not yet ended, the sensor will be used to obtain the current foam height in the washing tub to measure the amount of foam in the tub.

[0129] In some embodiments, before step S6 "determining whether there is excessive foam based on the amount of foam", the following step is also included:

[0130] S5. If foam overflow is detected in the washing tub, it is determined that there is excessive foam.

[0131] When the foam in the washing tub reaches an overflowing state, it may cause safety issues. Therefore, it is not necessary to measure the specific amount of foam to indicate that the current amount of foam is seriously excessive.

[0132] In one embodiment, foam overflow is determined by detecting the amount of foam within the drying channel of the washing unit. A temperature measuring device is installed within the drying channel to measure its temperature parameters. It should be understood that these temperature parameters are continuously measured during the washing cycle of the garment handling unit. When foam overflows into the drying channel, the rate of temperature change within the channel changes. For example, when the drying channel is cooling, if foam below the internal temperature of the drying channel appears, the cooling rate will increase. Based on this characteristic, the occurrence and overflow of foam within the washing tub can be detected.

[0133] S8. If there is excessive foam, reduce the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters.

[0134] Based on the description of the above embodiments, the initial preset dosage Q1 is obtained by matching the first dosage table. When excessive foam occurs, the reduced preset dosage Q2 will cover the initial value Q1 of the corresponding washing parameter in the first dosage table. Taking the embodiment corresponding to Table 2 above as an example, when the weight of the clothes is greater than 2kg and the washing water temperature is room temperature, the initial preset dosage Q1 is obtained by calling the value stored at position l x 04 in the first dosage table. When excessive foam occurs, the value stored at position l x 04 is modified to reduce the preset dosage Q2 corresponding to the washing parameter.

[0135] In a specific embodiment, such as Figure 9 As shown, step S8, "reducing the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters," specifically includes the following steps:

[0136] S81. Determine the reduction coefficient of the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters based on the current amount of foam in the washing tub;

[0137] S82. Adjust the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters according to the reduction coefficient.

[0138] In a specific embodiment, step S81, "determining the reduction coefficient of the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters based on the current amount of foam in the washing tub," specifically includes the following steps:

[0139] S811. Obtain a second dosing table that represents the mapping relationship between the amount of foam in the washing tub and the reduction coefficient of the preset dosing amount;

[0140] S812. Based on the current amount of foam in the washing tub, obtain the corresponding reduction ratio of the preset dosage from the second dosage table.

[0141] In an exemplary embodiment, the relationship between the amount of foam in the washing tub of the second dispensing table and the reduction coefficient of the preset dispensing amount is shown in Table 2. Here, M is the foam excess threshold in the above embodiment, and the foam amount is segmented with values ​​in increments of 0.2M. It should be understood that 1.2M in the second dispensing table represents a magnitude of foam amount, not just a foam amount of 1.2M, including 1.2M itself and foam amounts below 1.2M. >1.6M refers to the situation where the foam amount exceeds 1.6M to detect foam overflow. The relationship between the initial preset dispensing amount Q1, the reduced preset dispensing amount Q2, and the reduction coefficient b of the preset dispensing amount is Q2 = Q1 × b. For example, an initial preset dispensing amount Q1 is obtained by calling the stored value at position l x 04 in the first dispensing table. The initial value at position l x 04 is 20 (representing 20ml), i.e., the value of Q1 is 20. When the measured foam amount is 1.6M, the reduction coefficient b of the preset dispensing amount obtained through the second dispensing table is 0.85, and the calculated value of Q2 is 17. The calculated Q2 value is stored at position l x 04 in the first dosage table. When the preset dosage at position l x 04 is called again with the same washing parameters, the amount of detergent added after the washing program is 17 ml.

[0142] Table 3

[0143]

[0144] In some embodiments, such as Figure 10 As shown, the step "reduce the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters" also includes the following steps:

[0145] S91. Remove the foam from the washing tub and replace the washing water;

[0146] S92. Add detergent to reach the current preset dosage and execute the washing process.

[0147] In a specific embodiment, step S91 is performed as follows:

[0148] S911. Rinse the inner tub for 3 minutes by simultaneously opening the inlet valve and the outlet valve to remove foam;

[0149] S912: The washing tub operates at a speed of 80 rpm / minute, with a cycle of 25 seconds on and 5 seconds off for 2 minutes; a total of 3 cycles are performed.

[0150] Remove the foam from the washing tub and replace the washing water using the steps described above.

[0151] After S91 is completed, the main wash program is not finished. At this time, the clothes are not completely washed, so step S92 needs to be executed to wash the clothes again. When step S91 is completed, the clothes in the washing tub are wet, so the weight of the dry clothes cannot be obtained by the weight sensor. Therefore, the value stored in the same position as the first dosing table in the previous main wash process is directly called as the preset dosing amount, and detergent is added. At this time, the preset detergent dosage is the reduced preset dosing amount Q2.

[0152] In one specific embodiment, when performing step S92, the amount of foam in the washing tub is continuously detected by the method of this embodiment, and the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters is reduced according to the actual amount of foam by the method of steps S6-8 above, until the main washing process ends. When the main washing process ends, the preset dosage of detergent matching the washing parameters is no longer adjusted. At this time, under the same conditions as the current tap water hardness, washing water temperature, weight of clothes and type of detergent, the amount of laundry detergent is adjusted to achieve the optimal dosage.

[0153] In this embodiment, the present invention provides a detergent dispensing method for a washing device. This embodiment combines the user's own washing environment, obtains the amount of foam in the washing tub during the washing process, and determines whether there is excessive foam based on the amount of foam. If there is excessive foam, the preset dispensing amount corresponding to the washing parameters is reduced, so that when washing in the same washing scenario next time, water waste is reduced and the rinsing time of clothes is reduced, which not only improves washing efficiency, but also reduces the probability of clothes being worn due to washing; in addition, it avoids the generation of a large amount of foam, which brings safety assurance to the user.

[0154] Example 2

[0155] A washing device 10 is provided, which applies the method described in the above embodiments. For a detailed description of the method, please refer to the corresponding descriptions in the above method embodiments, which will not be repeated here. In some embodiments, the washing device may be a washing machine; in other embodiments, it may be a washer-dryer combo; and it may also be any other clothing washing device with a washing function. For ease of description, this invention uses a drum-type washing machine as an example for illustration, and should not be construed as a limitation on the type of clothing processing equipment.

[0156] like Figure 11 As shown, the washing device 10 of this embodiment includes a washing drum 11 and a detergent dispensing assembly 14. The detergent dispensing assembly is used to store detergent and can dispense detergent into the washing drum. The detergent dispensing assembly is equipped with a metering dispensing device 141, which can dispense a metered amount of detergent according to washing needs.

[0157] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the washing device is also equipped with a door 12, and a distance sensor 122 is installed on the inside of the door 12. The distance sensor 122 can obtain the distance value between any point inside the washing tub 11 and the sensing device through the sensing device, and can be used to detect the height of the foam inside the washing tub.

[0158] Specifically, such as Figure 4 and Figure 6 As shown, the distance sensor 122 continuously sends a series of modulated light sources or pulses (Y1, Y2, Y3…Yn) into the cylinder. Then, the distance sensor 122 receives the light returning from the inner cylinder. By measuring the round-trip time of the modulated light sources or probe light pulses, the distance to the foam inside the cylinder is obtained, thus acquiring the distance value d. Since the distance sensor 122 is fixedly installed inside the door, its spatial position is fixed, and the detection space is also fixed, ensuring the validity of the data collected by the sensor.

[0159] The sensing device in this embodiment is a Time-of-Flight (TOF) sensor, which can be used to measure distance and obtain a distance value. The light source integrated into the TOF sensor emits light pulses that illuminate the object. The object reflects the light pulses back to the camera. Based on the time required for the light pulses to travel, the distance between the object and the camera is determined, thereby obtaining the distance value.

[0160] When using a Time-of-Flight (TOF) sensor for data acquisition, up to 9 million distance measurements can be performed per second with millimeter-level accuracy. Compared to other sensing devices, TOF sensors are more economical, compact, and simple, allowing for easy installation and integration.

[0161] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3As shown, a vision sensor 121 is installed inside the door 12. This vision sensor 121 acquires one or more images of the washing tub, and the multiple images can be a coherent image sequence. There are no limitations on the number, frequency, angle, resolution, or detail of the images from the vision sensor 121. For example, a single image can be used to perform an aspect of this subject matter. In contrast, aspects of this subject matter can also be performed using multiple images taken from different angles, at different times, or at different frequencies. Furthermore, these images can be acquired before, during, or after any suitable operating cycle. For example, the one or more images can be acquired while the washing tub is stationary or rotating, or during or after a washing cycle. Additionally, in an exemplary embodiment, the vision sensor is also equipped with an illumination device to provide illumination for the vision sensor, preventing images from being too dim to detect the presence of foam in the washing tub.

[0162] Specifically, such as Figure 3 As shown, the vision sensor can be fixedly installed at an angle to collect images of area A1. When foam is detected within the image range of area A1, it indicates that there is foam in the washing tub.

[0163] The visual sensor analyzes the acquired images using a pre-trained image recognition model to determine whether foam exists inside the washing tub. The image recognition model can be any of the following networks: Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (R-CNN), and Deep Neural Network (DNN). Other suitable image recognition processes, neural network processes, artificial intelligence analysis techniques, and combinations of the above or other known methods can be used, while remaining within the scope of this subject matter.

[0164] In this embodiment, an image recognition model is trained using one or more networks, such as Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (R-CNN), and Deep Neural Network (DNN), by taking several images labeled with "whether foam is present" or foam height. This image recognition model can be used to identify whether foam is present in the washing tub or the height of the foam in the washing tub.

[0165] In a specific embodiment, such as Figure 5 As shown, the distance sensor 122 and the vision sensor 121 are installed on the door glass of the washing device. When the vision sensor 121 detects that there is foam in the washing tub, the light source module of the distance sensor 122 emits light beams from different angles to measure the height of the foam in the washing tub.

[0166] Specifically, when the visual sensor 121 detects foam in area A1, the single-point TOF (Time of Flight) sensor 122 is activated to emit light beams (Y1 to Yn, a total of n beams) from different angles to detect the current height of foam in the washing tub as L2.

[0167] Example 3

[0168] According to another aspect of the present invention, an electronic device 20 is also provided, such as... Figure 12 As shown, it includes: a processor 21; a memory 22 for storing processor-executable instructions; wherein the processor is configured to perform any of the methods described above. For a detailed description of the method, please refer to the corresponding description in the above method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0169] Example 4

[0170] According to another aspect of the present invention, a storage medium 30 is also provided, such as... Figure 13 As shown, the storage medium includes a stored program, wherein, when the program is executed, it controls the device containing the computer-readable storage medium to perform any of the methods described above. For a detailed description of the method, please refer to the corresponding description in the above method embodiments, which will not be repeated here.

[0171] The number of devices and processing scale described herein are for the purpose of simplifying the description of the invention. Applications, modifications, and variations of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0172] Although embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed above, they are not limited to the applications listed in the specification and embodiments. They can be applied to various fields suitable for the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other modifications can be easily made. Therefore, without departing from the general concept defined by the claims and their equivalents, the present invention is not limited to the specific details and illustrations shown and described herein.

[0173] The apparatus, electronic device, and non-volatile computer storage medium and method provided in the embodiments of this specification are corresponding. Therefore, the apparatus, electronic device, and non-volatile computer storage medium also have similar beneficial technical effects as the corresponding method. Since the beneficial technical effects of the method have been described in detail above, the beneficial technical effects of the corresponding apparatus, electronic device, and non-volatile computer storage medium will not be repeated here.

[0174] Those skilled in the art will also know that, besides implementing the controller in the form of purely computer-readable program code, the same functions can be achieved by logically programming the method steps, making the controller take the form of logic gates, switches, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), and embedded microcontrollers. Therefore, such a controller can be considered a hardware component, and the devices included within it for implementing various functions can also be considered structures within that hardware component. Alternatively, the devices for implementing various functions can be considered as both software units implementing the method and structures within a hardware component.

[0175] The systems, apparatuses, or units described in the above embodiments can be implemented by computer chips or physical entities, or by products with certain functions. For ease of description, the above apparatuses are described separately as various units based on their functions. Of course, when implementing one or more embodiments of this specification, the functions of each unit can be implemented in one or more software and / or hardware.

[0176] Those skilled in the art will understand that the embodiments of this specification can be provided as methods, systems, or computer program products. Therefore, the embodiments of this specification can take the form of a completely hardware embodiment, a completely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects. Furthermore, the embodiments of this specification can take the form of a computer program product implemented on one or more computer-usable storage media (including, but not limited to, disk storage, CD-ROM, optical storage, etc.) containing computer-usable program code.

[0177] This specification is described with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of this specification. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, embedded processor, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create a machine for implementing the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 A device that provides the functions specified in one or more boxes.

[0178] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing device to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable storage medium produce an article of manufacture including instruction means, which are implemented in a process Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The function specified in one or more boxes.

[0179] These computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing equipment to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable equipment to produce a computer-implemented process, thereby providing instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable equipment for implementing the process. Figure 1 One or more processes and / or boxes Figure 1 The steps of the function specified in one or more boxes.

[0180] It should also be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0181] This specification may be described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program units, that are executed by a computer. Generally, program units include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform a specific task or implement a specific abstract data type. This specification may also be practiced in distributed computing environments, where tasks are performed by remote processing devices connected via a communication network. In distributed computing environments, program units may reside in local and remote computer storage media, including storage devices.

[0182] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to interchangeably. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the system embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments.

[0183] The above description is merely an embodiment of this specification and is not intended to limit the scope of one or more embodiments of this specification. Various modifications and variations can be made to one or more embodiments of this specification by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principle of one or more embodiments of this specification should be included within the scope of the claims of one or more embodiments of this specification.

Claims

1. A detergent dispensing method for use in a washing device, characterized in that, Including the following steps: The preset dosage of detergent is matched based on the washing parameters; Execute the washing process and obtain the amount of foam during the washing process; Determine whether there is excessive foam based on the amount of foam mentioned; If there is excessive foam, reduce the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before the step of "matching the preset dosage of detergent based on washing parameters", the following step is also included: Obtain washing parameters; wherein the washing parameters include at least one of the following: garment weight, washing water temperature, garment material, and water intake.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of "obtaining the amount of foam during the washing process" specifically includes the following steps: Obtain the water inflow rate; Detect the current foam level inside the washing tub; The amount of foam in the washing tub is calculated based on the water inflow and the current foam height.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The step of "detecting the current foam height in the washing tub" specifically includes the following steps: Check for foam inside the washing tub; When foam is detected in the washing tub, the current height of the foam inside the washing tub is measured.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The presence of foam inside the washing tub is detected using a visual sensor.

6. The method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, The height of the foam inside the washing tub is detected by at least one of a distance sensor and a vision sensor.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of "determining whether there is excessive foam based on the amount of foam" specifically includes the following steps: Determine whether the current amount of foam exceeds the excessive foam threshold; If the current amount of foam exceeds the excessive foam threshold, then it is determined that there is excessive foam. If the current foam level does not exceed the excessive foam threshold, the foam level during the washing process will continue to be acquired.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes the following steps: If overflow of foam is detected in the washing tub, it is determined that there is excessive foam.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The extent of foam overflow is determined by detecting the amount of foam in the drying channel of the washing device.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of "reducing the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters" specifically includes the following steps: The reduction coefficient of the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters is determined based on the current amount of foam in the washing tub. The preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters is adjusted according to the reduction coefficient.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Following the step of "reducing the preset dosage corresponding to the washing parameters", the method further includes the following step: Remove the foam from the washing tub and change the washing water; Add detergent to the preset dosage and perform the washing process.

12. A washing device, characterized in that, The method according to any one of claims 1-11 includes a washing tub and a detergent dispensing assembly, wherein the detergent dispensing assembly is used to store detergent and is capable of dispensing the detergent into the washing tub.

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that, The washing device is also equipped with a distance sensor for detecting the height of the foam inside the washing tub.

14. The method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that, The washing device is also equipped with a visual sensor for detecting whether there is foam inside the washing tub.

15. An electronic device, characterized in that, The method includes a memory and a processor; wherein the memory is used to store one or more computer instructions, wherein the one or more computer instructions are executed by the processor to implement the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1-11.

16. A storage medium, characterized in that, It stores computer instructions; wherein, when executed by a processor, the computer instructions implement the steps of the method described in any one of claims 1-11.

Images