Air drying control method of intelligent electric appliance and intelligent electric appliance

Abstract

The application relates to a method for air-drying control of an intelligent electric appliance and the intelligent electric appliance, and is applied to the field of intelligent electric appliances. The method for air-drying control of the intelligent electric appliance comprises the following steps: air-drying a to-be-air-dried food material according to a preset air-drying curve, and acquiring the real-time quality of the to-be-air-dried food material in the air-drying process in real time; the preset air-drying curve is used for representing the rule that the standard drying rate of the to-be-air-dried food material changes with time in an ideal air-drying process; the real-time drying rate of the to-be-air-dried food material is determined according to the change of the real-time quality of the to-be-air-dried food material with time; the deviation result between the real-time drying rate and the ideal drying rate is determined, and the power of a microwave generator and a heater in the intelligent electric appliance is controlled according to the deviation result. Through the application, the air-drying effect of the food material is realized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of smart appliances, and in particular to a drying control method for a smart appliance and the smart appliance itself. Background Technology

[0002] With the improvement of people's living standards and the promotion and popularization of technologies such as the Internet, big data, artificial intelligence, and voice interaction, more and more traditional lifestyles are gradually changing, and the use of home appliances is gradually moving towards intelligence. While bringing more convenience to users, the functions of various home appliances are also becoming more diversified. The drying function of a steam oven typically works by using heating elements to heat food to evaporate moisture.

[0003] Existing smart steam ovens use temperature and humidity sensors to open the exhaust ducts when humidity exceeds a threshold, thus intervening in the drying environment. However, because different foods have different moisture removal patterns during the actual drying process, relying solely on a single temperature and humidity control strategy cannot solve the uncontrollable situation in the current drying process, resulting in poor drying effects.

[0004] There is currently no effective solution to the problem that existing air-drying technologies can lead to poor drying results. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This embodiment provides a method for controlling the air drying of a smart appliance and the smart appliance itself, in order to improve the air drying effect of food.

[0006] Firstly, this embodiment provides a method for controlling the drying of a smart appliance, wherein the smart appliance is equipped with a microwave generator and a heater, the microwave generator being used to achieve internal heating at the molecular level of the food; the method includes:

[0007] The ingredients to be dried are air-dried according to a preset air-drying curve, and the real-time quality of the ingredients to be dried is obtained in real time during the air-drying process; the preset air-drying curve is used to characterize the law of change of the standard drying rate of the ingredients to be dried over time in an ideal air-drying process.

[0008] The real-time drying rate of the food to be air-dried is determined based on the real-time mass change of the food to be air-dried over time.

[0009] The deviation between the real-time drying rate and the ideal drying rate is determined, and the power of the microwave generator and heater in the smart appliance is controlled according to the deviation.

[0010] Through the above steps, the food to be dried is dried according to the preset drying curve, and the real-time quality of the food to be dried is obtained in real time. The real-time drying rate of the food to be dried is determined based on the real-time quality. Then, based on the deviation between the real-time drying rate and the standard drying rate, the power of the microwave generator and heater is increased or decreased accordingly. This achieves targeted control of the drying process and is beneficial to improving the drying effect of the food.

[0011] In some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0012] Based on the deviation results, the fan speed and damper opening angle of the intelligent electrical appliance are controlled.

[0013] Through the above steps, in addition to controlling the power of the heater and microwave generator based on the deviation of the food quality, the fan speed and damper opening angle can also be controlled to achieve different drying control methods for different drying conditions, which is conducive to further improving the efficiency and accuracy of achieving the drying effect.

[0014] In some embodiments, controlling the power of the microwave generator and heater in the smart appliance based on the deviation result includes:

[0015] If the deviation result indicates that the real-time drying rate does not exceed the standard drying rate, the power of the heater is reduced, the fan speed is increased, and the damper opening angle is increased; at the same time, the power of the microwave generator is increased.

[0016] Through the above steps, the heating control situation where the real-time drying rate is lower than the standard drying rate indicates that the food is drying slowly and needs to be accelerated. Simultaneously, since the heater is mainly used for surface heating and moisture evaporation, while the microwave generator is mainly used for internal heating and moisture evaporation, the first consideration here is to reduce the heater power to decrease the surface drying rate, while increasing the microwave generator power to accelerate the internal drying rate. This aims to achieve a balanced drying effect for the food, preventing the surface from becoming too dry while the interior remains too moist. Furthermore, combining this with increased fan speed and a wider damper opening angle further accelerates the dissipation of moisture generated after drying.

[0017] In some embodiments, controlling the power of the microwave generator and heater in the smart appliance based on the deviation result includes:

[0018] If the deviation result indicates that the real-time drying rate exceeds the standard drying rate, the fan speed is reduced and the power of the microwave generator is reduced.

[0019] Through the above steps, the heating control situation where the real-time drying rate exceeds the standard drying rate indicates that the food is drying too quickly and needs to be reduced. At the same time, since the heater is mainly used for heating the surface of the food and evaporating moisture, while the microwave generator is mainly used for heating the internal structure of the food and evaporating moisture, the first consideration here is to reduce the power of the microwave generator, thereby reducing the internal drying rate of the food, so as to reduce the overall drying effect of the food to be dried and avoid damaging the heat-sensitive nutrients of the food due to excessively fast drying.

[0020] In some embodiments, the smart appliance is equipped with a dehumidification valve for removing condensate from the cavity of the smart appliance, and the method further includes:

[0021] If the deviation result indicates that the real-time drying rate exceeds the standard drying rate, the dehumidification valve is opened.

[0022] Through the above steps, if the heating control condition where the real-time drying rate exceeds the standard drying rate indicates that the food is drying faster and the humidity in the cavity of the smart appliance containing the food is high, it is necessary to control and open the dehumidification valve to ensure the humidity of the environment where the food is located and further improve the drying effect.

[0023] In some embodiments, controlling the power of the microwave generator and heater in the smart appliance based on the deviation result includes:

[0024] When the deviation result indicates that the real-time drying rate is equal to the standard drying rate, the food to be dried is dried using the power of the microwave generator and heater in the preset air-drying curve.

[0025] Through the above steps, when the real-time drying rate is equal to the standard drying rate, it means that the food to be dried according to the preset drying curve is in the standard drying process. At this time, it is only necessary to maintain the power of the microwave generator and heater in the preset drying curve to achieve the standard drying effect.

[0026] In some embodiments, the method further includes:

[0027] When the real-time drying rate reaches the preset drying rate and the real-time quality of the food to be dried reaches the preset final quality, the output power of the microwave generator and the heating tube is stopped.

[0028] Through the above steps, when the real-time drying rate approaches the preset drying rate, such as zero, and the current real-time quality of the food has reached the preset final quality, it is determined that the drying process of the food to be dried has ended, and all heating is automatically stopped to complete the drying process of the food to be dried.

[0029] In some embodiments, determining the real-time drying rate of the food to be dried based on the real-time mass change of the food over time includes:

[0030] The first real-time mass of the food to be air-dried is obtained at a first time, and the second real-time mass of the food to be air-dried is obtained at a second time.

[0031] Determine the quality difference between the first real-time quality and the second real-time quality, and the time difference between the first time and the second time;

[0032] The real-time drying rate of the food to be air-dried is determined based on the ratio of the mass difference to the time difference.

[0033] By taking the above steps and obtaining the ratio of intelligent difference to time difference, the instantaneous drying speed of the food to be air-dried can be characterized, which is helpful in guiding the subsequent efficient and stable completion of the air-drying process.

[0034] Secondly, this embodiment provides a smart appliance that uses the air-drying control method of the smart appliance as described in the first aspect to air-dry the food to be air-dried; the smart appliance is one of a steam oven or a steamer.

[0035] Thirdly, this embodiment provides a storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the air-drying control method for the intelligent electrical appliance described in the first aspect.

[0036] Compared with related technologies, the air-drying control method and intelligent appliance provided in this embodiment dry the food to be dried according to a preset air-drying curve, obtain the real-time quality of the food to be dried, determine the real-time drying rate of the food to be dried based on the real-time quality, and then control the increase / decrease of the power of the microwave generator and heater according to the deviation between the real-time drying rate and the standard drying rate. This method achieves targeted control of the drying process and is beneficial to improving the air-drying effect of the food.

[0037] Details of one or more embodiments of this application are set forth in the following drawings and description to make other features, objects and advantages of this application more readily apparent. Attached Figure Description

[0038] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0039] Figure 1This is a hardware structure block diagram of the smart appliance for the air drying control method of the smart appliance provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the smart appliance provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the air-drying control method for intelligent electrical appliances provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the intelligent air-drying control method provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0043] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the intelligent air-drying control method for a steam oven with microwave-assisted function provided in this specific embodiment. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To better understand the purpose, technical solution, and advantages of this application, the application is described and illustrated below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0045] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used in this application shall have the general meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains. Words such as “a,” “an,” “an,” “the,” “the,” and “these” used in this application do not indicate quantitative limitation and may be singular or plural. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and any variations thereof used in this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or device that comprises a series of steps or modules (units) is not limited to the listed steps or modules (units) but may include steps or modules (units) not listed, or may include other steps or modules (units) inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices. Words such as “connected,” “linked,” and “coupled” used in this application are not limited to physical or mechanical connections but may include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. “Multiple” used in this application refers to two or more. “And / or” describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships may exist; for example, “A and / or B” can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone. Normally, the character " / " indicates that the objects before and after it are in an "or" relationship. The terms "first," "second," "third," etc., used in this application are merely to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific order of objects.

[0046] The method embodiments provided in this example can be executed on a terminal, computer, or similar computing device. For example, they can run on a smart appliance. Figure 1This is a hardware structure block diagram of the smart appliance for the air-drying control method of the smart appliance provided in the embodiments of this application. For example... Figure 1 As shown, smart appliances may include one or more ( Figure 1 Only one is shown in the diagram. A processor 102 and a memory 104 for storing data are also included. The processor 102 may be, but is not limited to, a microprocessor (MCU) or a programmable logic device (FPGA). The aforementioned smart appliance may also include a transmission device 106 for communication functions and an input / output device 108. Those skilled in the art will understand that… Figure 1 The structure shown is for illustrative purposes only and does not limit the structure of the aforementioned smart appliances. For example, smart appliances may also include components that are more... Figure 1 The more or fewer components shown, or having the same Figure 1 The different configurations shown are illustrated.

[0047] The memory 104 can be used to store computer programs, such as application software programs and modules, like the computer program corresponding to the air-drying control method of the smart appliance in this embodiment. The processor 102 executes various functional applications and data processing by running the computer program stored in the memory 104, thereby implementing the above-described method. The memory 104 may include high-speed random access memory, and may also include non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic storage devices, flash memory, or other non-volatile solid-state memory. In some instances, the memory 104 may further include memory remotely located relative to the processor 102, and these remote memories can be connected to the smart appliance via a network. Examples of such networks include, but are not limited to, the Internet, corporate intranets, local area networks, mobile communication networks, and combinations thereof.

[0048] The transmission device 106 is used to receive or send data via a network. This network includes a wireless network provided by the communication provider of the smart appliance. In one example, the transmission device 106 includes a Network Interface Controller (NIC), which can connect to other network devices via a base station to communicate with the Internet. In another example, the transmission device 106 can be a Radio Frequency (RF) module for wireless communication with the Internet.

[0049] During the cooking process, the drying / air drying function of a steam oven is generally used to process the food, specifically by using heating elements to heat the food to evaporate its moisture.

[0050] Existing technologies include solutions that use temperature and humidity sensors and rely on a fixed temperature curve to open the exhaust duct to remove moisture when the humidity exceeds a threshold, thus controlling the drying process in a steam oven. However, these solutions primarily focus on passive dehumidification, meaning they only intervene when the internal environment exceeds the acceptable level.

[0051] However, in actual air-drying processes, especially for different ingredients such as meat and fruits and vegetables, the moisture removal patterns, i.e., the drying rate curves, are different. If only a fixed temperature curve or a single humidity threshold is relied upon for control, the following problems can easily occur:

[0052] 1. Hardened surface: Rapid heating in the early stages causes the surface moisture of the food to evaporate quickly, forming a hard film that prevents internal moisture from diffusing outward, resulting in a "dry outside and wet inside" condition.

[0053] 2. Nutritional loss: Prolonged high-temperature baking destroys heat-sensitive nutrients.

[0054] 3. Low efficiency: The air speed and temperature are not dynamically adjusted according to the drying stage, resulting in an excessively long drying cycle and high energy consumption.

[0055] To address the problem of poor drying results in current air-drying technologies, this embodiment provides an air-drying control method for smart appliances, which is applied in smart appliances. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the smart appliance provided in the embodiments of this application, for reference. Figure 2 The smart appliance is equipped with a microwave generator and a heater. The microwave generator is used to heat the food at the molecular level, while the heater is used to evaporate the surface of the food during hot air drying. The smart appliance is used to execute the air-drying control method to air-dry the food. The smart appliance can be a steam oven, a steam box, or any appliance that requires air-drying and heating of food; the type of smart appliance is not limited here.

[0056] In addition, smart appliances also include sensors such as processors, weight sensors, temperature and humidity sensors, and microwave power meters that collect real-time data on the drying status.

[0057] The system includes a weight sensor to obtain the current weight of the food in real time and calculate the rate of water loss. A temperature and humidity sensor is used to obtain the temperature and humidity inside the cavity of the smart appliance in real time. A microwave power meter is used to monitor the forward power output from the microwave generator and the reflected power reflected back from the cavity in real time.

[0058] The processor is used to receive air-drying status data collected by the above-mentioned multiple sensors, judge the drying deviation results, and then adjust the power of the microwave generator and heater according to the deviation results.

[0059] Figure 3This is a flowchart of the air-drying control method for intelligent electrical appliances provided in the embodiments of this application, such as... Figure 3 As shown, the process includes the following steps:

[0060] Step S310: Dry the food to be dried according to the preset drying curve, and obtain the real-time quality of the food to be dried during the drying process.

[0061] The preset air-drying curve is used to characterize the change of the standard drying rate of the food to be air-dried over time during an ideal air-drying process. In addition to the standard drying rate, the preset air-drying curve also includes the standard weight of the food to be air-dried at the end of each drying stage, the output power of the microwave generator at each drying stage, the output power of the heater, and the fan speed.

[0062] In addition to collecting real-time quality data of the food during the drying process, the temperature and humidity inside the cavity can also be obtained, as well as the forward power output by the microwave generator and the reflected power reflected back from the smart appliance cavity can be detected. Through these parameters, real-time monitoring and adjustment of the food drying process can be achieved.

[0063] Step S320: Determine the real-time drying rate of the food to be dried based on the real-time change in the mass of the food over time.

[0064] Specifically, the process involves acquiring the first real-time mass of the food to be air-dried at a first time and the second real-time mass at a second time; determining the mass difference between the first and second real-time masses and the time difference between the first and second times; and determining the real-time drying rate of the food to be air-dried based on the ratio of the mass difference to the time difference.

[0065] By obtaining the ratio of intelligent difference to time difference, the instantaneous drying speed of the food to be air-dried can be characterized, which is helpful in guiding the subsequent efficient and stable completion of the air-drying process.

[0066] Step S330: Determine the deviation between the real-time drying rate and the ideal drying rate, and control the power of the microwave generator and heater in the smart appliance according to the deviation result.

[0067] In this process, after determining the real-time drying rate of the food to be dried, the deviation between the real-time drying rate and the ideal drying rate can be determined. This allows us to determine whether there is a deviation in the drying process of the food. Based on the deviation, the power of the microwave generator and heater can be adjusted in real time during the drying process to improve the drying effect of the food.

[0068] Through the above steps, the food to be dried is dried according to the preset drying curve, and the real-time quality of the food to be dried is obtained in real time. The real-time drying rate of the food to be dried is determined based on the real-time quality. Then, based on the deviation between the real-time drying rate and the standard drying rate, the power of the microwave generator and heater is increased or decreased accordingly. This achieves targeted control of the drying process and is beneficial to improving the drying effect of the food.

[0069] In some embodiments, the air-drying control method of the smart appliance further includes: controlling the fan speed and damper opening angle of the smart appliance based on the deviation results.

[0070] Increasing the fan speed here is to speed up the drying of the food surface by the heater, and vice versa to reduce the drying speed.

[0071] Through the above steps, in addition to controlling the power of the heater and microwave generator based on the deviation of the food quality, the fan speed and damper opening angle can also be controlled to achieve different drying control methods for different drying conditions, which is conducive to further improving the efficiency and accuracy of achieving the drying effect.

[0072] In some of these embodiments, different air-drying deviations are characterized by the deviations between different real-time drying rates and standard drying rates, thus requiring adaptive adjustments to accommodate these different air-drying deviations. Figure 4 This is a flowchart of the intelligent air-drying control method provided in the embodiments of this application, see reference. Figure 4 The method includes:

[0073] Controlling the power of the microwave generator and heater in the intelligent appliance based on the deviation results includes:

[0074] In step S410, if the deviation result indicates that the real-time drying rate does not exceed the standard drying rate, control the reduction of the heater power, control the increase of the fan speed and the increase of the damper opening angle; at the same time, control the increase of the microwave generator power.

[0075] Through the above steps, the heating control situation where the real-time drying rate is lower than the standard drying rate indicates that the food is drying slowly and needs to be accelerated. Simultaneously, since the heater is mainly used for surface heating and moisture evaporation, while the microwave generator is mainly used for internal heating and moisture evaporation, the first consideration here is to reduce the heater power to decrease the surface drying rate, while increasing the microwave generator power to accelerate the internal drying rate. This aims to achieve a balanced drying effect for the food, preventing the surface from becoming too dry while the interior remains too moist. Furthermore, combining this with increased fan speed and a wider damper opening angle further accelerates the dissipation of moisture generated after drying.

[0076] In step S420, if the deviation result indicates that the real-time drying rate exceeds the standard drying rate, the fan speed is reduced and the power of the microwave generator is reduced.

[0077] Through the above steps, the heating control situation where the real-time drying rate exceeds the standard drying rate indicates that the food is drying too quickly and needs to be reduced. At the same time, since the heater is mainly used for heating the surface of the food and evaporating moisture, while the microwave generator is mainly used for heating the internal structure of the food and evaporating moisture, the first consideration here is to reduce the power of the microwave generator, thereby reducing the internal drying rate of the food, so as to reduce the overall drying effect of the food to be dried and avoid damaging the heat-sensitive nutrients of the food due to excessively fast drying.

[0078] Furthermore, the smart appliance is also equipped with a dehumidification valve to remove condensate from the appliance's cavity. The dehumidification valve is activated when the real-time drying rate, as indicated by the deviation results, exceeds the standard drying rate.

[0079] Through the above steps, if the heating control condition where the real-time drying rate exceeds the standard drying rate indicates that the food is drying faster and the humidity in the cavity of the smart appliance containing the food is high, it is necessary to control and open the dehumidification valve to ensure the humidity of the environment where the food is located and further improve the drying effect.

[0080] Step S430: If the deviation result indicates that the real-time drying rate is equal to the standard drying rate, the food to be dried is dried using the power of the microwave generator and heater in the preset drying curve.

[0081] Through the above steps, when the real-time drying rate is equal to the standard drying rate, it means that the food to be dried according to the preset drying curve is in the standard drying process. At this time, it is only necessary to maintain the power of the microwave generator and heater in the preset drying curve to achieve the standard drying effect.

[0082] In some of these embodiments, the microwave generator and heating element output power are stopped when the real-time drying rate reaches the preset drying rate and the real-time quality of the food to be dried reaches the preset final quality.

[0083] Specifically, when the real-time drying rate approaches the preset drying rate, such as zero, and the current real-time quality of the food has reached the preset final quality, the drying process for the food to be dried is determined to be over, and all heating is automatically stopped to complete the drying process for the food to be dried.

[0084] In some embodiments, the reflected power of the microwave generator is detected in real time. If the reflected power increases abnormally, it indicates that the load state inside the cavity of the smart appliance has changed or a local hot spot has been generated. Protective actions need to be performed, such as reducing the output power (i.e., forward power) of the microwave generator or suspending the output of the microwave generator.

[0085] While current microwave-assisted drying technology possesses the characteristic of "volume heating," enabling simultaneous heating of the material's interior and exterior and effectively accelerating internal moisture migration, microwave drying also suffers from problems such as uneven heating and susceptibility to localized overheating. This embodiment, however, organically combines the surface evaporation advantages of hot air drying with the internal heating advantages of microwave drying, achieving synergistic control. This approach helps address deviations during different drying processes, facilitating timely correction and ultimately achieving the desired food drying effect.

[0086] The present embodiment will be described and explained below through specific examples.

[0087] To improve the drying effect of food, this specific embodiment provides an intelligent drying control method for a steam oven with microwave-assisted function. This method solves the problem of uncontrollable drying process and difficulty in achieving both efficiency and quality in the prior art by introducing microwave-assisted heating and combining it with closed-loop feedback control of the food drying rate.

[0088] Figure 5 This is a flowchart of the intelligent air-drying control method for a steam oven with microwave-assisted function provided in this specific embodiment. (Reference) Figure 5 This method, applied to the processor in a steam oven, includes the following steps:

[0089] Step S510: Initialize and obtain the preset target air-drying curve.

[0090] Specifically, when a user needs to air-dry food, the processor responds to the user's selected air-drying menu and retrieves the preset target air-drying curve corresponding to that menu from the smart appliance's storage area, i.e., the preset air-drying curve in the aforementioned embodiment. This curve is a core technology data model, which includes at least: a standard drying rate curve, a target moisture content for the drying stage, and a hot air-microwave power ratio.

[0091] The standard drying rate curve describes the change in drying rate over time during an ideal drying process. The target moisture content for each stage corresponds to the expected weight at the end of each drying stage. The hot air-microwave power ratio is used to recommend the combination of fan speed and microwave output power for each stage.

[0092] Step S520: Real-time acquisition of multi-source data.

[0093] Specifically, during the air-drying process, the air-drying status data is collected in real time through weight sensors, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, and microwave power meters in the steam oven.

[0094] The system includes a weight sensor to obtain the current weight of the food in real time, which is used to calculate the rate of water loss. Temperature and humidity sensors are used to obtain the temperature and humidity inside the cavity in real time, respectively. A microwave power meter is used to monitor the forward power output from the microwave generator and the reflected power reflected back from the cavity in real time.

[0095] Step S530: Calculation and comparison of drying rates.

[0096] Specifically, the processor calculates the current drying rate of the food in real time based on the time difference of the weight sensor data, i.e., the real-time drying rate in the aforementioned embodiment. This real-time drying rate is then compared with the standard drying rate at the corresponding moment in the preset target air-drying curve to obtain the deviation result.

[0097] Step S540: Hot air-microwave coordinated dynamic adjustment.

[0098] Specifically, based on the deviation between the current drying rate and the standard drying rate, the following collaborative control logic is executed to dynamically correct the deviation:

[0099] If the current drying rate is lower than the standard drying rate, it means that the food is drying too slowly. In this case, it is determined that the internal moisture migration of the food is hindered, which may pose a risk of surface hardening.

[0100] The hot air actions to be performed at this time are: appropriately reduce the power of the heating element and increase the hot air circulation flow (such as increasing the fan speed and opening the inlet / outlet dampers) to prevent further drying on the surface and enhance surface evaporation.

[0101] The micro-fluidity required at this point is to: activate or increase the microwave output power, utilizing the microwave's volumetric heating effect to "pump" moisture from the inside to the food surface, providing moisture for the next step of surface evaporation.

[0102] If the current drying rate is higher than the standard drying rate, it means that the food is drying too fast. At this time, it is determined that the surface evaporation is too intense, which may lead to nutrient loss or surface scorching.

[0103] The necessary actions to take at this point are: reduce the hot air flow (e.g., reduce the fan speed) or open the dehumidification valve for intermittent dehumidification. When the dehumidification valve is closed, the humidity inside the cavity increases, which can effectively inhibit surface moisture evaporation and allow internal moisture to diffuse out.

[0104] The necessary micro-fluctuation action at this point is to reduce or turn off the microwave output power to prevent continued internal heating and localized overheating in the absence of surface moisture.

[0105] Furthermore, real-time overheat protection is also required for the steam oven. For example, if an abnormal increase in microwave reflection power is detected, it indicates a change in the load state inside the steam oven cavity or the generation of local hot spots. At this time, the processor will immediately execute a protection action to further reduce the power of the microwave generator or suspend the output of the microwave generator.

[0106] If the current drying rate is comparable to the standard drying rate, it indicates that the food drying rate is normal and the current hot air and microwave synergy parameters need to be maintained.

[0107] Step S550: Determine the drying endpoint.

[0108] Specifically, when the real-time drying rate approaches zero and the current quality of the food has reached the final quality corresponding to the target moisture content of the stage, the drying process is determined to be over, all heating is automatically stopped, and a prompt is sent to the user.

[0109] Through the above steps, with "real-time drying rate" as the core feedback, precise and dynamic adjustment of the air-drying process is achieved, avoiding the uncertainties of traditional open-loop control. Furthermore, by pre-setting differentiated drying curves and collaborative strategies for different ingredients, intelligent control tailored to individual needs is realized, maximizing the preservation of the ingredients' original nutrients and flavor. Simultaneously, precise process control and instant endpoint determination avoid ineffective prolonged heating, effectively saving energy.

[0110] In addition, during the drying process, if the microwave power meter detects that the reflected power exceeds a preset threshold (for example, due to a decrease in coupling efficiency caused by changes in the shape of the food), the controller immediately reduces the output power of the microwave generator by 50% or suspends the output. After the reflected power returns to the normal threshold, the power is gradually restored to the target value, thereby effectively preventing scorching caused by local overheating and ensuring that microwave heating is always in a highly efficient and safe coupling state.

[0111] By monitoring microwave reflection power in real time, an overheat protection mechanism was constructed, solving the industry problem of localized overheating in microwave drying and greatly improving the practicality and safety of the equipment.

[0112] In one specific embodiment, taking dried apples as an example, the user first selects the "dried apples" menu, and the processor of the steam oven calls the preset target drying curve for fruits and vegetables. The highest temperature within the preset target drying curve does not exceed 60°C.

[0113] In the early stage of drying apples, the real-time drying rate is within the normal range. At this time, the heating tube (i.e., the heater in the aforementioned embodiment) is controlled to maintain hot air at 55°C and medium wind speed, and low-power microwave (90W-180W) is turned on to accelerate the migration of moisture from the inside of the food to the outside.

[0114] During the middle stage of drying apples, the real-time drying rate began to fall below the standard drying rate, indicating that the migration of moisture inside the food was hindered. The fan speed was then increased from 2000 rpm to 3000 rpm, the air inlet damper was slightly opened, and the microwave generator power was increased to medium (240W-360W). The real-time drying rate subsequently returned to the standard drying range.

[0115] In the later stages of drying apples, when the food weight decreases by about 80% and the real-time drying rate approaches zero, the steam oven automatically stops.

[0116] In summary, the air-drying of fruits and vegetables adopts a strategy of "low-temperature protection and intermittent microwave drying". In the initial stage, the temperature is strictly controlled (e.g., not exceeding 40℃), with microwave generators as the main aid and low-temperature hot air as a supplement; in the middle stage, intermittent microwave drying is used in combination with hot air to prevent local overheating; in the later stage, low-temperature hot air is used to complete the final drying.

[0117] In another specific embodiment, taking beef jerky as an example of the food to be air-dried, the user first selects the "Five-Spice Beef Jerky" menu, at which point the processor calls the meat air-drying curve.

[0118] In the early stages of drying beef jerky production, the heating element operates at 65°C hot air and medium speed, while low-power microwave assistance is activated for cooking and shaping.

[0119] During the middle stage of drying the beef jerky, the real-time drying rate was detected to be much higher than the standard drying rate, posing a risk of surface crust formation. At this point, the processor implemented a "humidification slow-speed" strategy, which involved closing the dehumidification valve, injecting water into the evaporation plate to generate a small amount of steam to increase the humidity inside the cavity, and simultaneously reducing the microwave power to standby mode. Once the real-time drying rate returned to normal, dehumidification and microwave assistance were resumed.

[0120] In the later stages of drying the beef jerky, specifically the final drying phase, the low-power microwave generator is restarted to accelerate the removal of residual moisture. The machine is then stopped once the target weight is reached.

[0121] In summary, the strategy for air-drying meat is "early shaping, mid-stage acceleration, and late-stage crack prevention." In the early stage, hot air is used as the main method, supplemented by low-power microwaves, to slowly denature and shape the proteins. In the mid-stage, the proportion of microwave power is increased to accelerate the migration of internal moisture. In the late stage, if the rate is too fast, a small amount of humidification is implemented to prevent surface cracking.

[0122] The intelligent air-drying control method for a steam oven with microwave-assisted function provided in this application leverages the advantages of hot air in efficiently evaporating surface moisture and the characteristics of microwaves in accelerating internal moisture migration through dynamic synergy between hot air and microwaves. This effectively avoids the problems of surface hardening and incomplete internal drying, significantly shortens drying time, and improves the quality of the finished product.

[0123] It should be noted that the modules in the aforementioned smart appliances can be either functional modules or program modules, and can be implemented through either software or hardware. For modules implemented through hardware, these modules can reside in the same processor; alternatively, they can be located in different processors in any combination.

[0124] This embodiment also provides an electronic device including a memory and a processor, the memory storing a computer program and the processor being configured to run the computer program to perform the steps in any of the above method embodiments.

[0125] Optionally, the electronic device may further include a transmission device and an input / output device, wherein the transmission device is connected to the processor and the input / output device is connected to the processor.

[0126] Optionally, in this embodiment, the processor can be configured to perform the following steps via a computer program:

[0127] S1, air-dry the food to be air-dried according to the preset air-drying curve, and obtain the real-time quality of the food to be air-dried during the air-drying process; the preset air-drying curve is used to characterize the law of change of the standard drying rate of the food to be air-dried over time in the ideal air-drying process.

[0128] S2, determine the real-time drying rate of the food to be dried based on the real-time change in the mass of the food over time.

[0129] S3 determines the deviation between the real-time drying rate and the ideal drying rate, and controls the power of the microwave generator and heater in the smart appliance based on the deviation.

[0130] It should be noted that the specific examples in this embodiment can refer to the examples described in the above embodiments and optional implementations, and will not be repeated in this embodiment.

[0131] Furthermore, in conjunction with the air-drying control method for intelligent appliances provided in the above embodiments, this embodiment can also provide a storage medium for implementation. The storage medium stores a computer program; when executed by a processor, the computer program implements any of the air-drying control methods for intelligent appliances described in the above embodiments.

[0132] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the application and not intended to limit it. All other embodiments derived by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments provided in this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0133] Obviously, the accompanying drawings are merely some examples or embodiments of this application. Those skilled in the art can apply this application to other similar situations based on these drawings without any creative effort. Furthermore, it is understood that although the work done in this development process may be complex and lengthy, for those skilled in the art, certain design, manufacturing, or production modifications made based on the technical content disclosed in this application are merely conventional technical means and should not be considered as insufficient disclosure of this application.

[0134] The term "embodiment" in this application refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment that may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily imply the same embodiment, nor does it imply that it is mutually exclusive with or independent of other embodiments. It will be clearly or implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application may be combined with other embodiments without conflict.

[0135] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of patent protection. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for controlling the air drying of a smart appliance, characterized in that, The smart appliance includes a microwave generator and a heater; the microwave generator is used to achieve internal heating at the molecular level of the food; the method includes: The ingredients to be dried are air-dried according to a preset air-drying curve, and the real-time quality of the ingredients to be dried is obtained in real time during the air-drying process; the preset air-drying curve is used to characterize the law of change of the standard drying rate of the ingredients to be dried over time in an ideal air-drying process. The real-time drying rate of the food to be air-dried is determined based on the real-time mass change of the food to be air-dried over time. The deviation between the real-time drying rate and the ideal drying rate is determined, and the power of the microwave generator and heater in the smart appliance is controlled according to the deviation.

2. The air-drying control method for intelligent electrical appliances according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: Based on the deviation results, the fan speed and damper opening angle of the intelligent electrical appliance are controlled.

3. The air-drying control method for intelligent electrical appliances according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of controlling the power of the microwave generator and heater in the smart appliance based on the deviation result includes: If the deviation result indicates that the real-time drying rate does not exceed the standard drying rate, the power of the heater is reduced, the fan speed is increased, and the damper opening angle is increased; at the same time, the power of the microwave generator is increased.

4. The air-drying control method for intelligent electrical appliances according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of controlling the power of the microwave generator and heater in the smart appliance based on the deviation result includes: If the deviation result indicates that the real-time drying rate exceeds the standard drying rate, the fan speed is reduced and the power of the microwave generator is reduced.

5. The air-drying control method for intelligent electrical appliances according to claim 4, characterized in that, The smart appliance is equipped with a dehumidification valve for removing condensate from the cavity of the smart appliance. The method further includes: If the deviation result indicates that the real-time drying rate exceeds the standard drying rate, the dehumidification valve is opened.

6. The air-drying control method for intelligent electrical appliances according to claim 2, characterized in that, The step of controlling the power of the microwave generator and heater in the smart appliance based on the deviation result includes: When the deviation result indicates that the real-time drying rate is equal to the standard drying rate, the food to be dried is dried using the power of the microwave generator and heater in the preset air-drying curve.

7. The air-drying control method for intelligent electrical appliances according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The method further includes: When the real-time drying rate reaches the preset drying rate and the real-time quality of the food to be dried reaches the preset final quality, the output power of the microwave generator and the heating tube is stopped.

8. The air-drying control method for intelligent electrical appliances according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of determining the real-time drying rate of the food to be dried based on the real-time mass change of the food over time includes: The first real-time mass of the food to be air-dried is obtained at a first time, and the second real-time mass of the food to be air-dried is obtained at a second time. Determine the quality difference between the first real-time quality and the second real-time quality, and the time difference between the first time and the second time; The real-time drying rate of the food to be air-dried is determined based on the ratio of the mass difference to the time difference.

9. A smart appliance, characterized in that, The drying control method of the intelligent appliance as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 is used to dry the food to be dried; the intelligent appliance is one of a steam oven or a steam box.

10. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the steps of the air-drying control method for the intelligent electrical appliance according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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