A washing machine

Abstract

This application discloses a washing machine. In the washing machine, by obtaining the historical clothing information of each target drum within a preset historical time period, recommended clothing information is determined from the historical clothing information and then output. This ensures that the user can put in clothes that match the historical clothing information according to the output recommended clothing information, and will not put in clothes that were not detected in the target drum in the historical clothing information. Thus, the user is prompted with the washing habits of each target drum before putting in clothes, preventing cross-washing caused by different users not knowing the washing habits of clothes in each target drum, and facilitating hygiene isolation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to home appliance technology, including but not limited to a washing machine. Background Technology

[0002] The original design intent of multi-drum washing machines was to allow users to separate and wash multiple items of clothing, such as washing underwear in one drum and outerwear in another. The optimal washing method would be to assign different drums to different users or to different types of clothing. However, the users of multi-drum washing machines may not be consistent. For example, user A might use the left drum to wash underwear and the right drum to wash socks. But user B, unaware of user A's habits, might use the left drum to wash socks, potentially contaminating the left drum with bacteria, affecting its hygiene and hindering the washing effect. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the washing machine provided in this application embodiment can remind the user of the washing habits of each drum, which is convenient for hygienic isolation.

[0004] An embodiment of this application provides a washing machine, comprising:

[0005] The enclosure includes:

[0006] The front panel has at least two openings, which are spaced apart.

[0007] At least two cylindrical bodies are disposed inside a box, each cylindrical body having a cylinder opening, and the at least two cylinder openings are respectively connected to at least two openings;

[0008] Each cylinder includes:

[0009] The outer cylinder has a receiving cavity;

[0010] The inner cylinder is located within the receiving cavity of the outer cylinder;

[0011] The controller is used to control the operating status of each cylinder.

[0012] The controller is configured as follows:

[0013] Obtain historical clothing information for each target tube within a preset historical time period, wherein the target tube is one of the at least two tubes;

[0014] Based on the historical clothing information of the target tube, the recommended clothing information for the target tube is obtained;

[0015] If at least one target sleeve is detected to be in standby mode, recommended clothing information for the at least one target sleeve is output.

[0016] In the aforementioned washing machine, by obtaining historical clothing information for each target drum within a preset historical time period, recommended clothing information is determined from the historical clothing information and then output. This ensures that users can place clothes that match the historical clothing information according to the output recommended clothing information, and will not place clothes that were not detected in the target drum in the historical clothing information. Thus, the washing machine prompts the user with the washing habits of each target drum before the user puts in the clothes, preventing cross-washing caused by different users not knowing the washing habits of each target drum, and facilitating hygiene isolation.

[0017] In one embodiment, the controller obtains recommended clothing information based on the historical clothing information of the target tube, including:

[0018] The clothing information that appears most frequently in the historical clothing information is identified as the recommended clothing information.

[0019] It is understandable that since the clothing information that appears most frequently in the historical clothing information can represent the clothes that users usually wash for the target drum, determining the clothing information that appears most frequently in the historical clothing information as the recommended clothing information can reduce the occurrence of cross-washing.

[0020] In one embodiment, the controller is further configured to:

[0021] Obtain the target clothing information inside the target cylinder;

[0022] If the target clothing information and the recommended clothing information do not match, a prompt message will be output.

[0023] Understandably, if the target clothing information in the target drum does not match the recommended clothing information, it means that the clothing represented by the target clothing is not the commonly used laundry clothing in the target drum. Therefore, by outputting prompt information, cross-washing can be reduced.

[0024] In one embodiment, the controller acquires target clothing information currently inside the target cylinder, including:

[0025] When the controller detects that the user has triggered the target tube to operate in a preset operating mode, it obtains the clothing information corresponding to the preset operating mode.

[0026] The clothing information corresponding to the preset operating mode is determined as the target clothing information.

[0027] Understandably, if the user specifies a preset operating mode when triggering the target cylinder to work, the clothing information corresponding to the preset operating mode can be obtained by querying, and then the preset clothing information can be identified as the target clothing information for comparison, thereby improving the accuracy of the identification of the target clothing information.

[0028] In one embodiment, the washing machine includes an image sensor, and the controller acquires target clothing information currently inside the target drum, including:

[0029] The image sensor acquires a target image inside the inner cylinder;

[0030] The target image is identified to obtain information about the target clothing.

[0031] It is understandable that by analyzing and recognizing the target image acquired by the image sensor, the accuracy of the target clothing information can be improved.

[0032] In one embodiment, the washing machine includes a water level sensor and a water inlet, and the controller acquires target clothing information currently inside the target drum, including:

[0033] Control the opening of the water inlet to inject water into the inner cylinder through the water inlet;

[0034] When the water injection time reaches the preset time, the water inlet is closed and the current first water level is collected by the water level sensor.

[0035] The setting program is executed to allow the clothes in the inner drum to fully absorb water, and the second water level after the clothes absorb water is collected by the water level sensor.

[0036] The target clothing information is obtained based on the water level difference between the first water level and the second water level, as well as the preset correspondence between clothing information and water level difference.

[0037] Understandably, by analyzing the difference in water level inside the target garment before and after water absorption, and thus obtaining information about the target garment, the accuracy of identifying the target garment information can be improved.

[0038] In one embodiment, the target clothing information includes at least one of clothing category information and clothing gender information.

[0039] It is understandable that the target clothing information can be enriched by refining it to include at least one of clothing category information and clothing gender information.

[0040] In one embodiment, the controller is further configured to:

[0041] The historical operating modes of each target drum within a preset historical time period are obtained. Different operating modes correspond to different clothing information and the values ​​of washing parameters are at least partially different.

[0042] Based on the historical operating modes of the target cylinder, a recommended operating mode for the at least one target cylinder is obtained;

[0043] Control the at least one target cylinder to operate in the corresponding recommended operating mode.

[0044] Understandably, by determining the recommended operating mode from historical operating patterns and then controlling the washing machine to operate according to the recommended operating mode, the number of steps required for the user to select the operating mode can be reduced, thereby improving washing efficiency.

[0045] In one embodiment, the controller obtains a recommended operating mode based on the historical operating modes of the target cylinder, including:

[0046] The operating mode that appears most frequently in the historical operating modes within the preset historical time period is determined as the recommended operating mode.

[0047] Understandably, selecting the most frequently occurring operating mode from historical operating patterns as the recommended operating mode can directly extract the user's commonly used operating modes, thereby meeting the user's washing needs and improving washing efficiency.

[0048] In one embodiment, the number of target cylinders is at least two, and the controller controls the at least one target cylinder to operate in the corresponding recommended operating mode, including:

[0049] The controller obtains the working time periods of at least two target cylinders based on the recommended operating modes of at least two target cylinders, and the working time periods of the at least two target cylinders do not overlap at least partially;

[0050] The controller controls the at least two target cylinders to operate according to the corresponding recommended operating mode based on the working time period of the at least two target cylinders.

[0051] Understandably, if a user triggers two or more drums to perform their tasks, the working time period for each target drum can be determined based on the recommended operating mode for each target drum, thereby automatically allocating the washing process of the target drums on demand and achieving intelligent operation. Attached Figure Description

[0052] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the specification, serve to explain the technical solutions of this application.

[0053] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a washing machine provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0054] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a washing machine provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0055] Figure 3 A schematic flowchart illustrating the washing method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0056] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the output of recommended clothing information provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0057] Figure 5A A schematic diagram illustrating the simultaneous display of recommended clothing information for at least one target garment via a display screen, as provided in this application embodiment;

[0058] Figure 5B This is a schematic diagram illustrating the display of recommended clothing information for at least one target garment via a page-by-page display screen, as provided in this embodiment of the application.

[0059] Figure 6 A schematic flowchart illustrating the washing method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0060] Figure 7 A schematic flowchart illustrating the washing method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0061] Figure 8 This is a schematic flowchart of the washing method provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0062] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the specific technical solutions of this application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of this application. The following embodiments are used to illustrate this application, but are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0063] 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 application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing embodiments of this application only and is not intended to limit this application.

[0064] In the following description, references are made to “some embodiments,” which describe a subset of all possible embodiments. However, it is understood that “some embodiments” may be the same subset or different subsets of all possible embodiments and may be combined with each other without conflict.

[0065] It should be noted that the terms "first, second, third" used in the embodiments of this application are used to distinguish similar or different objects and do not represent a specific order of objects. It can be understood that "first, second, third" can be interchanged in a specific order or sequence where permitted, so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in an order other than that illustrated or described herein.

[0066] This application provides a washing machine, which includes a housing 1 and at least two drums 2. Each drum 2 includes an outer drum, which is fixedly supported inside the housing 1. The outer drum has a cavity for accommodating an inner drum. The cavity has an inter-drum connecting wall, which divides the cavity into multiple receiving cavities. Each receiving cavity has an inner drum unit installed in it. The inner drum unit is rotatably disposed in the receiving cavity.

[0067] The housing 1 includes a front panel with at least two openings spaced apart. Different openings correspond to different cylinders 2, thus forming a clothing inlet. Users can put clothes into the inner cylinder through the clothing inlet.

[0068] The interval between any two of the at least two openings can be the same or different, depending on the size of the front panel and the height for convenient user placement. This application embodiment does not impose any restrictions.

[0069] Each drum body 2 has an outer drum with a cavity for accommodating the inner drum; the inner drum is rotatably mounted within the outer drum unit. A rotating shaft is located on the axis of the outer drum unit, passing through the bottom of the outer drum unit and connecting to the inner drum. Multiple drum bodies 2 are provided to allow for zoned washing and care, meeting the user's categorized washing needs.

[0070] This embodiment uses two drums 2 as an example for illustration. This application is not limited to two drums 2, but is also applicable to multi-drum single-unit washing machines with two or more drums 2, or multi-drum split-type washing machines.

[0071] The cylinder 2 includes a first cylinder and a second cylinder; the outer cylinder of the first cylinder has a first receiving cavity inside; the outer cylinder of the second cylinder has a second receiving cavity inside; and a rotatable first inner cylinder unit and a second inner cylinder unit are sequentially installed in the first receiving cavity and the second receiving cavity.

[0072] Both the first and second receiving cavities can be cylindrical; and the central axis of the first receiving cavity is parallel to the central axis of the second receiving cavity (i.e., the rotation axis of the first inner cylinder is parallel to the rotation axis of the second inner cylinder). A connecting plate is provided between the first and second cylinders, and the connecting plate connects the opening of the first receiving cavity to the opening of the second receiving cavity.

[0073] The first end of the first cylinder is provided with a first drain outlet; the first end of the second cylinder is provided with a second drain outlet. The drain outlets, drain valves and their connecting components on cylinder 2 are each independently set. The above structural arrangement can achieve completely independent operation of the two inner cylinders without interfering with each other for zoned washing and maintenance, while also achieving static and dynamic balance in operation through mutual combination.

[0074] Similarly, the second end of the first cylinder 2 is provided with a first water inlet; the second end of the second cylinder 2 is provided with a second water inlet. The water inlets, water inlet valves and their connecting components on the cylinder 2 are each independently set. The above structural arrangement can achieve completely independent operation of the two inner cylinders without interfering with each other for zoned washing and maintenance, while also achieving static and dynamic balance in operation through mutual combination.

[0075] The aforementioned multiple drums 2 can be rigidly connected into a single integrated drum 2, integrating multiple drums 2 into one unit. This ensures that each drum 2 operates independently without interfering with others while retaining its individual functions. Alternatively, some drums 2 can be encapsulated in one sub-box, and other drums 2 can be encapsulated in another sub-box. These two sub-boxes can then be assembled into a main unit 1, achieving independent encapsulation between different drums 2. Connecting multiple drums 2 with identical structures together as a single component maximizes the saving of materials, components, and space in multi-drum washing machines, reduces costs, and ensures dynamic and static balance during operation.

[0076] If at least two cylinders 2 are separate structures, then when assembling at least two cylinders 2 together, any two cylinders 2 can be detachably connected by connectors or fixedly connected by rigid fasteners.

[0077] For example, if at least two cylinders 2 are an integral structure, such as Figure 1 As shown, at least two cylinders 2 are disposed within the receiving cavity of the box 1, and at least two cylinders 2 are connected by rigid connectors.

[0078] For example, if at least two cylinders 2 are separate structures, such as Figure 2 As shown, the housing 1 includes a first sub-housing 111 and a second sub-housing 112. The interiors of the first sub-housing 111 and the second sub-housing 112 are independent spaces. The first sub-housing 111 and the second sub-housing 112 are connected by a detachable connector 13. The first part of at least two cylindrical bodies 2 is located inside the first sub-housing 111, and the second part of at least two cylindrical bodies 2 is located inside the second sub-housing 112.

[0079] The above structural design is currently applicable to drum washing machines, but is not limited to drum washing machines. The integrated outer drum structure of this invention can be adopted according to the actual setting requirements of the washing machine.

[0080] In some embodiments, the washing machine may include various sensors, cameras, or microphones to collect sensor information, voice data, and image data. Furthermore, the controller of the washing machine may directly process or manipulate the collected information or data for a desired purpose, thereby driving the drum to perform the washing operation.

[0081] At this time, the washing machine's sensors may include short-range sensors, illuminance sensors, infrared sensors, ultraviolet sensors, visible light sensors, etc.

[0082] At this point, the sensor information, voice data, or image data collected from the washing machine can be used to obtain information such as whether an object is approaching, the laundry being washed, and user identification information.

[0083] For example, by analyzing voice data, it is possible to analyze the meaning of a user's voice, identify the current user's gender, and even identify the current user by recognizing multiple users.

[0084] Multi-drum washing machines typically have at least two drums, allowing users to separate and wash multiple items of clothing. For example, underwear can be washed in one drum, while outerwear can be washed in another. The optimal washing method would be to assign different drums to different users, or to wash different types of clothing in different drums. However, since there are multiple family members in a household, the users of a multi-drum washing machine may not be fixed. For instance, user A might use the left drum to wash underwear and the right drum to wash socks. But user B, unaware of user A's habits, might use the left drum to wash socks, potentially contaminating the left drum with bacteria, affecting its hygiene and hindering the washing effect.

[0085] In view of the above problems, this application provides a washing method applicable to the washing machine described above. By obtaining historical clothing information of each target drum within a preset historical time period, recommended clothing information is determined from the historical clothing information and then output. This ensures that the user can place clothes that match the historical clothing information according to the output recommended clothing information, and will not place clothes that were not detected in the target drum in the historical clothing information. Thus, the user is prompted with the washing habits of each target drum before placing clothes, preventing cross-washing caused by different users not knowing the washing habits of clothes in each target drum, and facilitating hygiene isolation.

[0086] Figure 3 This is a schematic flowchart illustrating the washing method provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 3 As shown, the washing method may include the following steps:

[0087] Step S101: Obtain historical clothing information for each target tube within a preset historical time period, wherein the target tube is one of at least two tubes 2;

[0088] Step S102: Obtain recommended clothing information for the target tube based on the historical clothing information of the target tube;

[0089] Step S103: If at least one target tube is detected to be in standby mode, output recommended clothing information for at least one target tube.

[0090] In this embodiment, the controller can automatically acquire historical clothing information for each target drum, and then output recommended clothing information based on the historical clothing information. Users do not need to know the frequently washed clothes for each target drum in advance. They can put clothes into each target drum based on the output recommended clothing information for each target drum. This makes it easy and simple to accurately put clothes into the drum, preventing cross-washing caused by users forgetting the clothing information put into each target drum in the historical time period. This greatly improves the efficiency and convenience of the washing machine.

[0091] The controller provides users with accurate clothing information. Each drum can match and push clothing based on its historical washing data, ensuring that different types of clothing are washed in the appropriate drum. This optimized matching process handles different types of clothing more effectively, preventing damage to clothes due to improper operation and improving the user experience. Furthermore, multiple drums increase the efficiency of the multi-drum washing machine, balancing the workload of each drum and extending its lifespan.

[0092] Standby mode refers to the washing machine's main functions (such as washing, rinsing, and spin-drying) being suspended, with the washing machine only maintaining basic circuit connections and the standby function of the control panel.

[0093] Working status refers to the washing machine performing corresponding washing, rinsing, and spin-drying operations according to preset operating programs (such as standard wash, quick wash, rinsing, spin-drying, etc.).

[0094] In this embodiment, the recommended clothing information can be acquired either when the target drum is in the working state or when the target drum is in the standby state. Both scenarios are feasible. Acquiring the recommended clothing information when the target drum is in the working state allows the recommended clothing information to be output directly before the washing machine executes the next washing program, saving the controller's information processing time. Acquiring the recommended clothing information when the target drum is in the standby state avoids the situation where the controller fails to update historical clothing information in a timely manner when the washing machine is in the working state, thus improving the stability of the output recommended clothing information.

[0095] The controller updates historical clothing information promptly after the washing machine finishes its washing cycle, thereby updating sample data for recommended clothing information in real time and improving the certainty of clothing recommendations.

[0096] In some embodiments, the standby state of the target drum can be triggered by a user. The user can trigger the standby state of at least one target drum via a user input unit. The user input unit may include mechanical input methods (or mechanical keys, such as buttons, membrane switches, rollers, contact switches, etc.) on the front panel of the washing machine, as well as touch input methods. The touch input methods may consist of virtual keys, soft keys, or visual keys displayed on a touchscreen via software processing, or they may consist of touch keys located outside the touchscreen.

[0097] For example, when a user needs to wash clothes, the user can touch a mechanical button or touchscreen on the washing machine to start the machine, such as the power button or control panel, so that all target drums of the washing machine are in standby mode. Then, the controller obtains corresponding recommended clothing information based on the historical clothing information of each target drum. For example, the recommended clothing information can be output through the washing machine's display screen. Figure 4 As shown, after the user presses the power button on the washing machine, the controller will display on the washing machine's screen that drum A recommends washing underwear and drum B recommends washing tops. The user can then load the clothes according to the recommended clothing information.

[0098] In some embodiments, the user input unit may include one or more of a smart terminal APP and a voice input device. Users can choose a suitable interaction method according to their habits and preferences, and operate according to different situations and needs, improving the convenience and accuracy of operation, increasing the flexibility of use, and enhancing the accessibility and universality of the product. Specifically, the smart terminal APP allows users to view recommended clothing information for different target sleeves remotely, enabling them to categorize clothing in advance, thus facilitating user use; the voice input / output device allows direct interaction via voice, providing users with a faster and more convenient interactive experience, which is more user-friendly for elderly people, visually impaired users, or users with limited hand mobility who have difficulty using smart terminals.

[0099] For example, when a user needs to wash clothes, the user can give a voice wake-up command such as "start washing" to the washing machine. After receiving the voice wake-up command, the washing machine controls the target drum to enter standby mode.

[0100] In some embodiments, the user can select one of at least two drums 2 as the target drum to enter standby mode via a user input unit. For example, the washing machine includes at least two power buttons, with different drums corresponding to different power buttons. The user can trigger different power buttons to put different drums into standby mode. Alternatively, the user can issue a voice wake-up command to "turn on both drums," and upon receiving the voice wake-up command, the washing machine will control drums A and B to enter standby mode. This increases the diversity of target drum selection and adapts to different washing scenarios.

[0101] In some embodiments, the user can specify which drum sections to enter standby mode via a user input section. That is, the controller can receive a trigger command including information about the target drum section through the user input section, and then control the target drum to enter standby mode according to the trigger command. For example, the user can issue a voice wake-up command to "turn on drums A and B," and after receiving the voice wake-up command, the washing machine will control drums A and B to enter standby mode. This increases the diversity of target drum selection and adapts to different washing scenarios.

[0102] In other embodiments, the standby state of the target drum can be automatically triggered after the completion of the previous washing operation. For example, after the washing machine completes the previous washing operation, the controller will automatically control the target drum to enter a standby state, and then output the recommended clothing information for the target drum again. This enables the washing machine to work continuously and improves washing efficiency.

[0103] In some embodiments, since the output involves recommended clothing information for one or more target drums, the information output unit of the washing machine can automatically switch the display on the user input unit at regular intervals when outputting the recommended clothing information. The information output unit includes one or more of the following: a smart terminal APP, the washing machine's touch screen, and a voice output device. By automatically switching the display at regular intervals, user operations are reduced, making it easier to use. Users can continuously observe the changes in the recommended clothing information on the user input unit. Furthermore, because the automatic switching at regular intervals will pause for a period of time after outputting the recommended clothing information for a single target drum, users can add clothing during the pause. The timed switching time can be set, and users can modify the switching interval according to their viewing preferences, which helps to improve the user experience.

[0104] In some embodiments, when the information output unit outputs recommended clothing information, it can output recommended clothing information for multiple target tubes simultaneously. That is, the recommended clothing information for multiple target tubes can be displayed on the same display interface. Users can quickly understand the recommended clothing information for multiple target tubes at the same time and select to view the recommended clothing information according to their needs.

[0105] For example, taking the display screen of a washing machine as the information output unit, a single display page of the screen can display recommended clothing information for multiple target drums. If the washing machine includes drum A, drum B, and drum C, then when displaying recommended clothing information for multiple target drums on the screen, the recommended clothing information corresponding to drum A, drum B, and drum C will be displayed simultaneously. For example, Figure 5A As shown, if the recommended clothing information obtained by the controller indicates that the recommended clothing information for cylinder A is underwear, the recommended clothing information for cylinder B is tops and bottoms, and the recommended clothing information for cylinder C is socks, then the display screen will show that cylinder A recommends underwear, cylinder B recommends tops and bottoms, and cylinder C recommends socks.

[0106] Due to the limitations of the display size on the display interface, if all the recommended clothing information cannot be displayed on one display interface of the information output unit, a page switching control can be added or a timed switching can be set to display the information. Users can switch between recommended clothing information for different target sleeves by triggering the page switching control, or view recommended clothing information for different target sleeves through the timed switching display page, which enhances the sense of information hierarchy and the flexibility of display.

[0107] For example, taking the information output unit as a display screen, a single display page cannot show the recommended clothing information for all target bedding types. In this case, a page switching function key can be added to the display page to generate multiple pages. This allows the recommended clothing information for some target bedding types to be displayed on a single page, and the user can then switch to another page by clicking the page switching function key to view the recommended clothing information for other target bedding types. Figure 5B As shown, if the recommended clothing information obtained by the controller indicates that the recommended clothing information corresponding to cylinder A is underwear, the recommended clothing information corresponding to cylinder B is tops and bottoms, and the recommended clothing information corresponding to cylinder C is socks, the recommended clothing information corresponding to cylinder A and cylinder B is displayed on the first page, and the recommended clothing information corresponding to cylinder C is displayed on the second page. The user can switch pages by clicking the corresponding page number.

[0108] The target drum's historical clothing information includes information on the clothes washed within a historical time period. This historical clothing information can include one or more of the following: clothing type and gender, clothing material, and clothing brand. Clothing types include, for example, underwear, socks, tops, and bottoms; clothing genders include, for example, children's, women's, and men's. Correspondingly, the recommended clothing information can also include one or more of the following: clothing type and gender, clothing material, and clothing brand.

[0109] It should be understood that recommended clothing information and historical clothing information contain the same content; that is, when historical clothing information includes clothing type, recommended clothing information also includes clothing type; when historical clothing information includes clothing gender, recommended clothing information also includes clothing gender. However, historical clothing information includes clothing information from multiple washing processes, while recommended clothing information is just one piece of clothing information from multiple washing processes.

[0110] In some embodiments, if the washing machine is being used for the first time, the controller cannot obtain historical clothing information for the target drum. In this case, it may not output recommended clothing information, allowing the user to freely add clothes to start the washing process. Alternatively, the user may input clothing information corresponding to each target drum, and then use the user-input clothing information as the recommended clothing information for the corresponding target drum. This covers all usage scenarios of the washing machine.

[0111] In some embodiments, the controller may obtain recommended clothing information from historical clothing information in one or a combination of the following ways:

[0112] Method 1: Select the clothing items that appear most frequently in the historical clothing information as recommended clothing items.

[0113] It should be understood that historical clothing information includes clothing information from multiple washing processes. Therefore, the clothing information that appears most frequently in the historical clothing information can, to some extent, represent the frequently washed clothes in the target drum. Thus, directly determining the clothing information that appears most frequently as the recommended clothing information can avoid the impact of cross-use by different users on the hygiene of the drum by unifying the clothing information washed by different users.

[0114] Method 2: Select clothing information from the last washing process in the historical clothing information as recommended clothing information.

[0115] Since users may change their washing habits at any time, but the controller cannot know when the user will change their washing habits, the clothing information from the last washing process is set as the recommended clothing information, which can easily adapt to changes in the user's washing habits.

[0116] In one embodiment, such as Figure 6 As shown, the above method may further include the following steps:

[0117] Step S104: Obtain the target clothing information inside the current target cylinder;

[0118] Step S105: If the target clothing information and the recommended clothing information do not match, output a prompt message.

[0119] In this embodiment, after the controller outputs recommended clothing information to the user, if it detects a discrepancy between the target clothing information inside the target bin and the recommended clothing information, it reminds the user to confirm whether the wrong clothing has been placed. Reminding the user to confirm whether the wrong clothing has been placed ensures that the clothing placed into the target bin matches the recommended clothing, guiding the user to select and operate the target bin more carefully, improving operational accuracy, simplifying use, avoiding poor clothing processing results due to misoperation, and improving the user experience. The information output unit can use display prompts or sound prompts to remind the user to confirm whether the wrong clothing has been placed.

[0120] The execution time of the above step S104 can be either when the target cylinder door is detected to be open, or when the target cylinder door is detected to be switched from the open state to the closed state. The specific time can be set by those skilled in the art according to the actual situation, and this application embodiment does not impose any restrictions.

[0121] The controller's ability to obtain the target clothing information inside the target cylinder indicates that the user has completed the clothing delivery. After obtaining the target clothing information, the controller determines whether the target clothing information is the recommended clothing information. If it is, it means that the user has correctly delivered clothing that matches the recommended clothing information. If not, it means that the user has incorrectly delivered clothing that does not match the recommended clothing information. In this case, a prompt message needs to be output to remind the user to confirm whether the delivery was incorrect.

[0122] Understandably, if the target clothing information in the target drum does not match the recommended clothing information, it means that the clothing represented by the target clothing is not the commonly used laundry clothing in the target drum. Therefore, by outputting prompt information, cross-washing can be reduced.

[0123] In one embodiment, the controller may acquire target clothing information within the current target cylinder in one or a combination of the following methods:

[0124] Method 1 is for situations where the user has predetermined the operating mode of the target cylinder.

[0125] When the controller detects that the user has triggered the target cylinder to operate in a preset operating mode, it obtains the clothing information corresponding to the preset operating mode and determines the clothing information corresponding to the preset operating mode as the target clothing information.

[0126] In this embodiment, the washing machine pre-stores the correspondence between operating modes and clothing information. Since the user has determined the operating mode of the target drum in advance, the controller needs to consider the operating mode of the target drum set by the user when determining the recommended clothing information, that is, obtain the clothing information corresponding to the preset operating mode, and determine the clothing information as the recommended clothing information.

[0127] For example, if the user determines in advance that tube A needs to be performed in gentle mode, and gentle mode corresponds to underwear, then when the controller determines the recommended clothing information for tube A, it will set underwear as the recommended clothing information for tube A and output it.

[0128] The controller can obtain recommended clothing information corresponding to a preset operating mode from the correspondence between operating modes and clothing information. This correspondence can be derived from commonly used operating modes for washing different types of clothing, or it can be preset by the user. Alternatively, operating modes can directly correspond to preset clothing information, such as underwear washing modes and sock washing modes. When a user selects an operating mode, and this selected mode is set as the preset operating mode, the corresponding clothing information can be obtained. The specific method of obtaining clothing information can be set by those skilled in the art according to actual circumstances; this application embodiment does not impose any limitations.

[0129] Understandably, if the user specifies a preset operating mode when triggering the target cylinder to work, the clothing information corresponding to the preset operating mode can be obtained by querying, and then the preset clothing information can be identified as the target clothing information for comparison, thereby improving the accuracy of the identification of the target clothing information.

[0130] Method 2: Acquired through the image sensor of the washing machine.

[0131] The controller acquires target images inside the inner drum through an image sensor; then it identifies the target images to obtain information about the target clothing.

[0132] Because different types of clothing have different shapes, sizes, materials, colors and brands, image recognition can be performed on the target image after image acquisition to accurately obtain the clothing information inside the target tube.

[0133] It is understandable that by analyzing and recognizing the target image acquired by the image sensor, the accuracy of the target clothing information can be improved.

[0134] Method 3: The water absorption rate of the clothes inside the target tube is calculated and then retrieved.

[0135] The controller opens the washing machine's water inlet to fill the inner drum with water. When the water filling time reaches the preset duration, it closes the water inlet and collects the current first water level through a water level sensor. It then executes a setting program to ensure that the clothes in the inner drum fully absorb water and collects the second water level after the clothes have absorbed water through the water level sensor. Based on the water level difference between the first and second water levels, and the preset correspondence between clothing information and water level differences, it obtains the target clothing information.

[0136] Different fabric materials have different water absorption capacities. For example, cotton fabrics are highly absorbent, while silk and wool are relatively less absorbent. The washing machine fills the target drum with a set amount of water and records the initial water level. Then, it executes a program to allow the fabric to fully absorb water, recording the second water level after absorption, and calculates the difference between the two levels. Based on this difference, the material type of the fabric being tested is determined from a database storing the water level differences corresponding to different fabric types.

[0137] This method is simple and easy to implement, requires no complicated equipment, and is low in cost; however, it may lead to misjudgment for materials with similar water absorption capacity.

[0138] Understandably, by analyzing the difference in water level inside the target garment before and after water absorption, and thus obtaining information about the target garment, the accuracy of identifying the target garment information can be improved.

[0139] In addition to outputting recommended clothing information, the controller can also obtain recommended operating modes, so that users do not need to understand the execution mode of each target cylinder, and can easily and simply complete the clothing processing, so that the clothing is properly processed, reducing the learning cost for users before use and lowering the difficulty of use.

[0140] That is, in one embodiment, such as Figure 7 As shown, the above method may further include the following steps:

[0141] Step S106: Obtain the historical operating mode of each target drum within a preset historical time period. Different operating modes correspond to different clothing information and the values ​​of washing parameters are at least partially different.

[0142] Step S107: Based on the historical operating modes of the target cylinder, obtain at least one recommended operating mode for the target cylinder;

[0143] Step S108: Control at least one target cylinder to operate in the corresponding recommended operating mode.

[0144] Washing machines can be configured with various operating modes based on different washing parameters. For example, if the operating modes include gentle mode, powerful cleaning mode, and quick wash mode, the inner drum rotates at a lower speed and the washing time is longer in gentle mode; the inner drum rotates at a higher speed and the washing time is longer in powerful cleaning mode; and the inner drum rotates at a lower speed and the washing time is shorter in quick wash mode. Technicians can classify different operating modes based on the different values ​​of each washing parameter. The specific classification results are set by those skilled in the art according to actual conditions, and this application does not impose any limitations.

[0145] In some embodiments, the aforementioned historical operating modes and historical clothing information can be stored simultaneously in the washing machine's memory. Each time the washing machine performs a washing operation, the controller records the current clothing information and operating mode in the memory. Then, after at least one target drum enters the standby state, the controller reads the historical clothing information and historical operating modes from the memory, thereby completing the acquisition of historical operating modes and historical clothing information.

[0146] In some embodiments, the memory storing historical clothing information and the memory storing historical operating modes can be the same or different. When the controller stores historical operating modes and historical clothing information in a single memory, it can store historical operating modes in the first space of the memory and historical clothing information in the second space of the memory, thereby facilitating the controller to distinguish between operating modes and clothing information.

[0147] In this embodiment, the controller can provide users with targeted operating modes. Each target cylinder can be optimized and matched according to its characteristics. The intelligent matching ensures that the clothes are processed under the best conditions, optimizes the processing effect of the clothes, and can more effectively process different types of clothes according to the targeted operating modes. It can effectively prevent damage to clothes caused by improper operation by users and improve the user experience.

[0148] In this application, steps S106 and S101 can be executed simultaneously or sequentially according to a preset order. The specific settings can be made by those skilled in the art based on the actual situation, and this application does not impose any restrictions.

[0149] Understandably, by determining the recommended operating mode from historical operating patterns and then controlling the washing machine to operate according to the recommended operating mode, the number of steps required for the user to select the operating mode can be reduced, thereby improving washing efficiency.

[0150] In one embodiment, the controller may obtain the recommended operating mode in one or a combination of the following ways:

[0151] Method 1: The operating mode that appears most frequently in the historical operating modes within a preset historical time period is determined as the recommended operating mode.

[0152] Since the operating mode during a single wash cycle is mostly determined by the type of clothing, for example, socks or underwear, due to their lightweight material, require a gentle mode to prevent deformation; while pants or shirts, stained with sweat or other dirt, require a powerful mode. Therefore, users tend to choose relatively fixed operating modes when washing different types of clothing—those that appear most frequently in their washing history. These historical operating modes include modes from multiple wash cycles, and the most frequently occurring mode can be considered a common mode used by the drum. Therefore, directly determining the most frequently occurring mode as the recommended operating mode reduces the user's selection steps and improves washing efficiency.

[0153] Understandably, selecting the most frequently occurring operating mode from historical operating patterns as the recommended operating mode can directly extract the user's commonly used operating modes, thereby meeting the user's washing needs and improving washing efficiency.

[0154] Method 2: Determine the operating mode from the previous washing process in the historical operating modes as the recommended operating mode.

[0155] Since users may change their washing habits at any time, but the controller cannot know when the user will change their washing habits, the operating mode of the last washing process is set as the recommended operating mode, which can easily adapt to changes in the user's washing habits.

[0156] Multi-drum washing machines may operate in different modes in each drum, resulting in varying program execution times. While they can start running simultaneously, they cannot finish at the same time. The difference in finishing times between different drums undoubtedly consumes more of the user's waiting time and patience.

[0157] Therefore, in one embodiment, such as Figure 8 As shown, for washing machines with two or more target drums, the process by which the controller controls at least two target drums to operate in the corresponding recommended operating mode may include:

[0158] Step S1081: The controller obtains the working time periods of at least two target cylinders based on the recommended operating modes of at least two target cylinders, and the working time periods of at least two target cylinders do not overlap at least partially;

[0159] In step S1082, the controller controls at least two target cylinders to operate according to the corresponding recommended operating mode based on the working time periods of at least two target cylinders.

[0160] Because different operating modes have different washing parameters with varying values, the runtime will also differ. Therefore, the controller can determine the runtime required for each target drum to complete the washing program based on its operating mode, and then allocate working periods for at least two drums 2 according to the runtime. In some embodiments, the washing program may include some or all of the washing, spin-drying, and drying programs.

[0161] At least two target drums are powered by the same power source, and the target drum with higher washing parameters consumes more power. Therefore, the target drum with higher washing parameters will affect the operation of other target drums. However, the national standard stipulates that the power consumption of the washing machine at the same time cannot exceed the preset value. Therefore, when at least two target drums are running at the same time, it is necessary to avoid the target drum with higher washing parameters affecting the operation of other target drums.

[0162] That is, the process by which the controller obtains the working time of at least two target cylinders may include:

[0163] Obtain the values ​​of washing parameters in the recommended operating modes of at least two target drums. The washing parameters include washing duration, washing intensity, and washing water temperature.

[0164] Check whether the sum of the washing parameters of at least two target drums meets the standard threshold;

[0165] If the conditions are met, the recommended operating mode for at least two target cylinders will be executed simultaneously.

[0166] If the conditions are not met, the working time period of the first drum is set as the first time period, and the working time period of the second drum is set as the second time period. The first time period and the second time period do not overlap at least partially. The first drum is the target drum with a higher washing parameter value, and the second drum is any other drum among at least two target drums except the first drum.

[0167] The phrase "at least partially non-overlapping" means that there may be overlap between the working periods of at least two target cylinders, but not all of the working periods overlap.

[0168] In some embodiments, since the highest power consumption of the target drum during the washing program is only during certain periods, if the controller estimates that the peak power consumption times of at least two target drums overlap, it can control some target drums to pause operation and then control the paused target drums to start operation again after the peak power consumption times of other target drums have finished. This prevents the peak value of the superimposed peak power consumption of at least two target drums from exceeding the specified standard and reducing the operational stability of the washing machine.

[0169] In some embodiments, when executing the recommended operating mode of at least two target cylinders simultaneously, the start time of the operation of at least two target cylinders may be set to the same time, or it may be set at a certain interval. The specific settings can be made by those skilled in the art according to the actual situation, and the embodiments of this application do not impose any restrictions.

[0170] Understandably, if a user triggers two or more drums to perform their tasks, the working time period for each target drum can be determined based on the recommended operating mode for each target drum, thereby automatically allocating the washing process of the target drums on demand and achieving intelligent operation.

[0171] Since users need to air out or store the clothes in at least one target drum after the washing cycle is completed, if the washing cycles of at least one target drum cannot end within the same time period, then users will have to wait for a period of time after airing or storing the clothes in one target drum before the washing cycle of the next target drum is completed. This process may take a long time, which undoubtedly reduces the user experience.

[0172] Therefore, the controller can also adjust the operating mode of at least one target cylinder when at least one target cylinder is in operation, so that the end times of at least one target cylinder are within the same time period. That is, the above method can also include:

[0173] Step S109: When an instruction is received that at least one target cylinder needs to be washed simultaneously, the controller determines whether the recommended operating mode of at least one target cylinder can be performed simultaneously.

[0174] Step S110: If the working time of at least one target cylinder can be carried out simultaneously, then the recommended operating mode of at least one target cylinder shall be executed simultaneously.

[0175] Step S111: If the recommended operating modes of at least one target drum of a multi-drum washing machine cannot be performed simultaneously, the priority of the recommended operating modes of at least one target drum is adjusted in reverse order of remaining time, from shortest to longest. For example, if there are 3 target drums and the remaining time is ordered as: drum 1 < drum 2 < drum 3, then the priority order is adjusted to: drum 3 < drum 2 < drum 1, and then the recommended operating modes of at least one target drum are executed in the adjusted order.

[0176] The priority adjustment time calculation method may include: when priority needs to be adjusted, calculating the overlap duration between the working periods of at least one target cylinder; subtracting the overlap duration from the running duration of the target cylinder with the longest running duration, and adding the overlap duration to the running duration of the target cylinder with the shortest running duration to obtain the adjustment time.

[0177] Specifically, based on the remaining time, the priority is adjusted to prioritize the target cylinders with longer running times. This way, when at least one target cylinder reaches a process that cannot run simultaneously, the higher priority cylinder runs first, reducing waiting time, while the lower priority cylinder must wait for the higher priority cylinder to finish before it can continue running. This time difference is used to minimize the gap between the end times of the target cylinders, thereby achieving simultaneous termination, or ensuring that the end times of at least one target cylinder are within the same time period.

[0178] In some embodiments, when a user triggers an instruction that at least one target cylinder needs to be washed simultaneously, the controller can first obtain the remaining runtime of each target cylinder to determine whether the remaining runtimes of at least one target cylinder are similar. If the controller determines that the remaining runtimes of at least one target cylinder are similar, it means that the controller does not need to adjust the execution priority of at least one target cylinder to achieve simultaneous washing of at least one target cylinder. If it is determined that the remaining runtimes of at least one target cylinder differ significantly, steps S110 to S111 are executed to complete the adjustment of the execution priority of at least one target cylinder.

[0179] It should be understood that the phrases "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "some embodiments" mentioned throughout the specification mean that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic related to an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this application. Therefore, "in one embodiment," "in one embodiment," or "in some embodiments" appearing throughout the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, these specific features, structures, or characteristics can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the sequence numbers of the above-described processes do not imply a sequential order of execution; the execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application. The sequence numbers of the above-described embodiments are merely for descriptive purposes and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments. The descriptions of the various embodiments above tend to emphasize the differences between the various embodiments; their similarities or commonalities can be referred to mutually, and for the sake of brevity, they will not be repeated here.

[0180] In this article, the term "and / or" is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that there can be three kinds of relationships. For example, object A and / or object B can represent three situations: object A exists alone, object A and object B exist simultaneously, and object B exists alone.

[0181] It should be noted that, in this document, 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. Unless otherwise specified, 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 that element.

[0182] The modules described above as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as modules may or may not be physical modules. They may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network terminals. Some or all of the modules may be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0183] In addition, each functional module in the various embodiments of this application can be fully integrated into one processing terminal, or each module can be a separate terminal, or two or more modules can be integrated into one terminal; the integrated modules can be implemented in hardware or in the form of hardware plus software functional terminals.

[0184] The features disclosed in the several product embodiments provided in this application can be arbitrarily combined without conflict to obtain new product embodiments.

[0185] The above description is merely an embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A washing machine, characterized in that, The washing machine includes: The enclosure includes a front panel, which has at least two openings spaced apart. At least two cylindrical bodies are disposed inside the box, each cylindrical body having a cylinder opening, and the at least two cylinder openings are respectively connected to at least two openings; Each cylinder includes: The outer cylinder has a receiving cavity; The inner cylinder is located within the receiving cavity of the outer cylinder; The controller is used to control the operating status of each cylinder. The controller is configured as follows: Obtain historical clothing information for each target tube within a preset historical time period, wherein the target tube is one of the at least two tubes; Based on the historical clothing information of the target tube, the recommended clothing information for the target tube is obtained; If at least one target sleeve is detected to be in standby mode, recommended clothing information for the at least one target sleeve is output.

2. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller obtains recommended clothing information based on the historical clothing information of the target tube, including: The clothing information that appears most frequently in the historical clothing information is identified as the recommended clothing information.

3. The washing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to: Obtain the target clothing information inside the target cylinder; If the target clothing information and the recommended clothing information do not match, a prompt message will be output.

4. The washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The controller acquires information about the target clothing inside the target cylinder, including: When the controller detects that the user has triggered the target tube to operate in a preset operating mode, it obtains the clothing information corresponding to the preset operating mode. The clothing information corresponding to the preset operating mode is determined as the target clothing information.

5. The washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The washing machine includes an image sensor, and the controller acquires information about the target clothing currently inside the target drum, including: The image sensor acquires a target image inside the inner cylinder; The target image is identified to obtain information about the target clothing.

6. The washing machine according to claim 3, characterized in that, The washing machine includes a water level sensor and a water inlet. The controller acquires information about the target clothing currently inside the target drum, including: Control the opening of the water inlet to inject water into the inner cylinder through the water inlet; When the water injection time reaches the preset time, the water inlet is closed and the current first water level is collected by the water level sensor. The setting program is executed to allow the clothes in the inner drum to fully absorb water, and the second water level after the clothes absorb water is collected by the water level sensor. The target clothing information is obtained based on the water level difference between the first water level and the second water level, as well as the preset correspondence between clothing information and water level difference.

7. The washing machine according to any one of claims 3-6, characterized in that, The target clothing information includes at least one of clothing category information and clothing gender information.

8. The washing machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The controller is also configured to: The historical operating modes of each target drum within a preset historical time period are obtained. Different operating modes correspond to different clothing information and the values ​​of washing parameters are at least partially different. Based on the historical operating modes of the target cylinder, a recommended operating mode for the at least one target cylinder is obtained; Control the at least one target cylinder to operate in the corresponding recommended operating mode.

9. The washing machine according to claim 8, characterized in that, The controller obtains a recommended operating mode based on the historical operating modes of the target cylinder, including: The operating mode that appears most frequently in the historical operating modes within the preset historical time period is determined as the recommended operating mode.

10. The washing machine as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The number of target cylinders is at least two, and the controller controls the at least one target cylinder to operate in the corresponding recommended operating mode, including: The controller obtains the working time periods of at least two target cylinders based on the recommended operating modes of at least two target cylinders, and the working time periods of the at least two target cylinders do not overlap at least partially; The controller controls the at least two target cylinders to operate according to the corresponding recommended operating mode based on the working time period of the at least two target cylinders.

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