A laundry treating apparatus water consumption statistics method, electronic device and laundry treating apparatus

Abstract

This invention belongs to the technical field of water consumption detection for clothing processing equipment, specifically involving a method for statistically analyzing water consumption in clothing processing equipment, electronic equipment, and clothing processing equipment. The method includes: collecting the current load weight and the actual water inlet time to reach the set water level; determining the load level based on the load weight; reading the set water level; and using a correlation model between water level characteristic parameters and water inlet time under different inlet water pressures and load levels to determine the current inlet water pressure range. Based on the current inlet water pressure range, the method uses a database of inlet flow rates for each inlet valve under different inlet water pressures to determine the estimated inlet flow rate for each inlet valve. Then, the water consumption is calculated based on the estimated inlet flow rate and valve opening time of each inlet valve. The total water consumption is obtained by summing the water consumption of each inlet valve. This invention achieves high-precision statistics of water consumption throughout the entire washing cycle without the need for a flow meter, effectively eliminating calculation errors caused by water pressure fluctuations, load differences, and parallel inlet of multiple valves.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of water consumption detection technology for clothing processing equipment, specifically relating to a method for statistical analysis of water consumption in clothing processing equipment, electronic equipment, and clothing processing equipment. Background Technology

[0002] With the iteration of smart home technology and the widespread adoption of energy-saving and environmental protection concepts, washing machines and washer-dryer combos have become core household clothing processing devices. Users' demands for water-saving performance and energy consumption visualization are constantly increasing. However, in actual use, most users lack an intuitive understanding of the device's water consumption, unable to clearly see the actual water consumption under different washing modes and different loads of clothing. This makes it difficult to select water-saving washing solutions, often resulting in water waste due to improper mode selection. This not only affects the user experience but also hinders the promotion and application of water-saving technologies in home appliances. Therefore, achieving accurate and stable water consumption statistics and visualization for washing machines under all operating conditions is an important development direction for the current intelligent and energy-saving upgrades of these devices.

[0003] Currently, the mainstream method for high-precision water consumption statistics in the industry is to install flow meters. By installing flow meters in the inlet pipe to monitor water flow in real time, the washing water consumption can be accurately calculated. This solution is mostly used in high-end smart laundry equipment. However, flow meters are precision components and have obvious application limitations, preventing their widespread adoption: First, installing flow meters and supporting acquisition circuits significantly increases the hardware cost of the equipment, making it unsuitable for mainstream mid-to-low-end models; second, the sediment and impurities in tap water can easily cause flow meter blockage and wear, leading to measurement deviations and detection failures after long-term use, resulting in poor equipment reliability; third, flow meter failures require professional disassembly, replacement, and calibration, significantly increasing user costs and after-sales maintenance pressure.

[0004] For mid-to-low-end washing machines without flow meters, the industry generally adopts a water control and water volume statistics scheme that presets a fixed water volume and timed water intake duration. This scheme is simple in structure, low in cost, and compatible with most affordable models. However, this statistical method has weak anti-interference capabilities and poor accuracy, and is greatly affected by actual operating conditions. On the one hand, the water pressure of domestic tap water fluctuates dynamically, and the water intake flow cannot remain constant. The actual water intake corresponding to the same water intake duration varies significantly, directly causing water volume statistics errors. On the other hand, there are individual differences in the weight of the clothes and the water absorption of the fabric. The drying of clothes will cause the water level in the drum to drop, triggering the equipment to dynamically replenish water multiple times. Traditional timed and fixed water volume schemes cannot adapt to this dynamic operating condition, making it difficult to accurately calculate the actual water consumption of the entire machine. The statistical stability and accuracy cannot meet the usage requirements.

[0005] Furthermore, compared to regular washing machines, washer-dryer combos present greater challenges in water consumption measurement. These devices typically feature four independent inlet valves: a main wash valve, a filter flushing valve, an evaporator flushing valve, and a pre-cooling valve. During operation, these valves operate under complex conditions, with some opening independently and others simultaneously. Moreover, the flow rate is limited by the tap water flow, preventing the water from being superimposed and further complicating water consumption measurement. Traditional flow meter-less measurement solutions are ill-suited to these complex inlet conditions, leading to increased measurement errors. Meanwhile, flow meter hardware solutions are limited by cost and reliability, hindering widespread adoption. Consequently, the challenge of accurately measuring the water consumption of washer-dryer combos has remained unresolved for a long time.

[0006] In summary, existing water consumption statistics technologies for garment processing equipment have significant shortcomings. Flow meter solutions are costly, prone to damage, and cumbersome to maintain, while traditional flow meter-less solutions suffer from low accuracy and weak anti-interference capabilities. Furthermore, neither type of solution can adapt to the complex operating conditions of washer-dryer combos with multi-valve linkages, flow-limited water supply, and dynamic water replenishment. This makes it difficult for mainstream mid-to-low-end laundry equipment on the market to achieve accurate water consumption statistics and visualization, hindering the optimization of water-saving performance and intelligent upgrades. Currently, the industry lacks a low-cost, high-precision water consumption statistics solution that does not rely on flow meters, can adapt to water pressure fluctuations and load differences, and can handle complex multi-valve inlet conditions. Therefore, developing a new method for water consumption statistics in garment processing equipment has extremely high industry application value and market promotion significance. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention aims to provide a low-cost, high-precision method for water consumption statistics of clothing processing equipment that does not rely on flow meters, can adapt to water pressure fluctuations and load differences, and can adapt to complex water inlet conditions with multiple valves, so as to achieve accurate and stable water consumption statistics and visualization display of clothing processing equipment under all operating conditions.

[0008] In view of this, the present invention provides a method for calculating the water consumption of a clothing processing device, the clothing processing device comprising: An outer cylinder assembly, wherein a water level sensor is installed inside the outer cylinder assembly; And, the water inlet valve assembly used to control the opening and closing of the water inlet passage of the whole machine; The method for calculating the water consumption of the garment processing equipment includes: Collect the current load weight and the actual water inlet time to reach the set water level, determine the load level based on the load weight, read the set water level, and call the correlation model between the water level characteristic parameter x and the water inlet time y under different water inlet pressures and load levels to determine the current water inlet pressure range. Based on the current inlet water pressure range, the inlet flow rate database of each inlet valve under different inlet water pressures is called to determine the estimated inlet flow rate of each inlet valve. Then, the water consumption is calculated based on the estimated inlet flow rate of each inlet valve and the valve opening time. The total water consumption is obtained by summing the water consumption of each inlet valve.

[0009] Furthermore, the process of establishing the correlation model between the water level characteristic parameter x and the inflow time y under different inflow pressures and load levels is as follows: First, multiple inlet water pressures and multiple load levels were selected for cross-washing tests. Under different inlet water pressures and load levels, multiple sets of water level characteristic parameters x and water inlet time y corresponding to different set water levels were collected. By fitting multiple sets of water level characteristic parameters x and influent time y data respectively, a regression equation is established to establish the relationship between influent time y and water level characteristic parameters x under different influent water pressure and load levels.

[0010] Furthermore, the regression equation relating the water level characteristic parameter x to the inflow time y is a univariate linear regression equation.

[0011] Furthermore, the water level characteristic parameter x is the water level height inside the outer cylinder or other characteristic parameters that can indirectly characterize the water level height inside the outer cylinder.

[0012] Furthermore, the water level characteristic parameter x is obtained by converting the oscillation frequency output by the LC oscillation circuit inside the water level sensor as a reference parameter through a fixed coefficient.

[0013] Furthermore, the regression equation relating the water level characteristic parameter x to the inflow time y is as follows: y ji =A ji -B ji *x; where j corresponds to different inlet water pressures, i corresponds to different load levels, and A ji and B ji It is a constant.

[0014] Furthermore, the process of establishing a database of inlet flow rates for each inlet valve under different inlet water pressures includes: Test the opening time of the inlet valve from empty cylinder to set water level under different inlet water pressures; The water inflow rate corresponding to the opening duration of each inlet valve is obtained based on the relationship between the water level characteristic parameter x and the total water volume in the cylinder. The inlet flow rate of each valve under the current water pressure is calculated based on the formula: inlet flow rate = inlet volume / opening time.

[0015] Furthermore, the process of determining the current inlet water pressure range based on the current load level and the actual inlet water time t to reach the set water level is as follows: The user starts the program, weighs the load to obtain the current load weight, and determines the load level; The actual water inlet time t from the opening of the inlet valve to the water level reaching the set level is collected; Read the water level characteristic parameter x corresponding to the current set water level, and calculate the water level characteristic parameter x and the water inlet time y corresponding to different water inlet pressures under the current load level based on the correlation model between the water level characteristic parameter x and the water inlet time y; The current water pressure range is determined based on the relative magnitude of the actual water inlet time t and the water inlet time y corresponding to multiple different water inlet pressures.

[0016] Furthermore, the process of determining the current inlet water pressure range is as follows: First, the calculated inlet times y corresponding to multiple different inlet water pressures are arranged in order of gradually increasing or decreasing inlet water pressure. Then, two adjacent inlet times y constitute an inlet time interval, and each inlet time interval has its corresponding inlet water pressure interval. If the actual water inflow time t falls within the water inflow time interval, then the current water inflow pressure is located in the water inflow pressure interval corresponding to that water inflow time interval.

[0017] Furthermore, the process of determining the estimated inlet flow rate of each inlet valve based on the current inlet water pressure range is as follows: Read the pre-determined current inlet water pressure range and the inlet flow rate of each inlet valve corresponding to the two boundary values ​​of the inlet water pressure range; The average inlet flow rate of the two inlet valves corresponding to the two boundary values ​​is used as the estimated inlet flow rate of the inlet valve.

[0018] Furthermore, the calculation process for total water consumption is as follows: Collect the individual opening time of each inlet valve and the simultaneous opening time of any two or three valves; Calculate the product of the estimated inlet flow rate and the opening time for each valve to be opened individually and for multiple valves to be opened in combination, and obtain the inlet flow rate for each valve to be opened individually and for multiple valves to be opened in combination; sum all of them to obtain the total water consumption of the clothing processing equipment during this program operation.

[0019] The total water inflow under each valve condition is calculated as the total water consumption of the laundry processing equipment.

[0020] Furthermore, after the equipment has finished operating, the water consumption for this cycle is determined according to the above-mentioned method for calculating the water consumption of clothing processing equipment. The water consumption for this cycle is sent to the display panel of the clothing processing equipment and / or to the user via an app on the smart terminal.

[0021] A second objective of this invention is to provide an electronic device comprising: A memory for storing one or more computer instructions; The processor is used to call and execute computer instructions stored in the memory to implement the above-mentioned method for calculating the water consumption of the clothing processing equipment.

[0022] The third objective of this invention is to provide a clothing processing device that uses the aforementioned method for calculating water consumption in clothing processing devices.

[0023] Compared with existing technologies, the water consumption statistics method, electronic equipment, and clothing processing equipment of the present invention have the following advantages: This invention relies on equipment calibration test data to construct a mathematical model relating water level characteristic parameters and water inlet time under different inlet water pressures and different load levels of clothing. It also introduces a database of inlet flow rates for each inlet valve under different inlet water pressures, as well as a mixed flow calculation strategy for multi-valve simultaneous operation, accurately adapting to complex scenarios involving multi-valve flow restriction and dynamic water inlet. Without requiring a hardware flow meter, it achieves high-precision statistics of water consumption throughout the washing and drying cycle, effectively eliminating calculation errors caused by water pressure fluctuations, load differences, and parallel inlet water from multiple valves. This significantly improves the accuracy and stability of equipment water consumption statistics, ensuring the authenticity and reliability of product energy-saving assessment data and enhancing the credibility of product energy-saving certification and water consumption assessment. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the water consumption statistics method for the clothing processing equipment described in this invention. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the implementation process of the water consumption statistics method for the clothing processing equipment described in this invention during the calibration and modeling stage and the user usage stage, respectively. Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the specific implementation process of the water consumption statistics method for the clothing processing equipment described in this invention during the user usage phase. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0026] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0027] A first aspect of the present invention provides a method for calculating the water consumption of a garment processing device, the garment processing device comprising: An outer cylinder assembly, wherein a water level sensor is installed inside the outer cylinder assembly; And, the water inlet valve assembly used to control the opening and closing of the water inlet passage of the whole machine.

[0028] Specifically, the clothing processing equipment described in this invention can be a top-loading washing machine, a front-loading washing machine, a washer-dryer combo, etc.

[0029] As some examples of the present invention, when the clothing processing equipment is a washer-dryer combo with drying function, in addition to the main washing valve, it is usually equipped with valves such as a filter rinsing valve, an evaporator rinsing valve, and a pre-cooling valve.

[0030] As some examples of the present invention, the water level sensor may be an electronic LC oscillating water level sensor, a digital pressure sensor, a mechanical pressure switch, or other types of water level sensor.

[0031] The water consumption statistics method for clothing processing equipment according to the present invention includes the following steps S100, S200, S300 and S400: First, in the calibration and modeling phase, steps S100 and S200 are executed, specifically: Step S100: Establish a correlation model between the water level characteristic parameter x and the water inlet time y under different inlet water pressure and load levels; Step S200: Establish a database of inlet flow rates for each inlet valve under different inlet water pressures; During the user usage phase, steps S300 and S400 are executed, specifically: Step S300: Collect the current load weight and the actual water inlet time to reach the set water level, determine the load level based on the load weight, read the set water level, and call the correlation model between the water level characteristic parameter x and the water inlet time y under different water inlet pressures and load levels to determine the current water inlet pressure range. Step S400: Based on the current inlet water pressure range, call the inlet flow database of each inlet valve under different inlet water pressures to determine the estimated inlet flow of each inlet valve. Then, calculate the water consumption based on the estimated inlet flow of each inlet valve and the valve opening time, and sum the water consumption of each inlet valve to obtain the total water consumption.

[0032] As specific examples of the present invention, the correlation model and inlet flow database between the water level characteristic parameter x and the water inlet time y mentioned in steps S100 and S200 can be established at an appropriate stage in the equipment development and production process. For example, during the product development and finalization stage, after the details of the equipment's overall structure, tank volume, inlet valve flow rate, water level sensor, and washing program have been finalized, a mathematical model of the correlation between the water level characteristic parameter x and the water inlet time y and an inlet flow database can be established through calibration tests on a test bench. Then, during the electronic control software development stage, the mathematical model and database calibrated during the product development and finalization stage can be converted into code / constant arrays that can be recognized by a microcontroller and stored locally or in the cloud for runtime use. Alternatively, during the after-sales upgrade stage, the original water consumption calculation model can be replaced / optimized through OTA electronic control upgrades and after-sales computer program flashing to solve the problem of water consumption calculation deviation in batch models.

[0033] As several preferred embodiments of the present invention, the mathematical model relating water level characteristic parameter x and water inflow duration y involved in steps S100 and S200, and the water inflow database, can be persistently deployed using two types of storage architectures: local hardware storage and cloud server storage.

[0034] For the local hardware storage solution, the associated mathematical model and water flow database can be locally stored using the built-in flash memory of the main control microcontroller (MCU). This type of non-volatile storage medium has the characteristic of not losing data when power is off. During the operation of the main control program of the equipment, the model and database parameters in the storage area can be directly read to complete the calculation of water consumption of the clothing processing equipment in real time.

[0035] For cloud server storage solutions, a dedicated model resource library for each model can be built in the cloud service database. This library centrally stores the correlation model of water level characteristic parameters x-inlet time y under different inlet water pressures and load levels for each model of equipment, as well as the inlet flow database of each inlet valve under different inlet water pressures. When the equipment needs to call the corresponding model resources, it pulls the model and database files of the target model from the cloud through the over-the-air (OTA) download channel and burns them to the local Flash media of the equipment for subsequent local calculations.

[0036] As some specific examples of the present invention, in step S100, the process of establishing the correlation model between the water level characteristic parameter x and the water inlet time y under different inlet water pressures and load levels is as follows: First, multiple inlet water pressures and multiple load levels were selected to conduct cross-washing program water inlet stage tests. Under different inlet water pressures and load levels, multiple sets of water level characteristic parameters x and water inlet time y corresponding to different set water levels were collected. By fitting multiple sets of water level characteristic parameters x and influent time y data respectively, a regression equation is established to establish the relationship between influent time y and water level characteristic parameters x under different influent water pressure and load levels.

[0037] Specifically, as some examples of the present invention, in step S100, multiple equally spaced inlet water pressure values ​​can be selected using an arithmetic sequence. For example, the selected multiple inlet water pressures can be P1 (0.24MPa), P2 (0.20MPa), P3 (0.16MPa), P4 (0.12MPa), P5 (0.08MPa), and P6 (0.04MPa).

[0038] As a preferred example of the present invention, the maximum and minimum values ​​of the inlet water pressure can be obtained through experimental monitoring, and a plurality of equally spaced inlet water pressure values ​​can be set as an arithmetic sequence covering the maximum and minimum values ​​of the monitored inlet water pressure. Here, "covering" means that the maximum value among the selected inlet water pressure values ​​is greater than or equal to the maximum value of the monitored inlet water pressure, and the minimum value among the selected inlet water pressure values ​​is less than or equal to the minimum value of the monitored inlet water pressure.

[0039] Similarly, as some examples of the present invention, in step S100, multiple equally spaced load levels can be selected for testing using an arithmetic sequence.

[0040] Preferably, the multiple equally spaced load levels can be set starting from a load of 0, i.e., an empty drum state, and sequentially increasing to the maximum load capacity of the garment processing equipment. For example, for a 10kg garment processing equipment, the load levels can be set as: M1 (0kg), M2 (2kg), M3 (4kg), M4 (6kg), M5 (8kg), and M6 (10kg).

[0041] Of course, the inlet water pressure and load level can also be set as a set of values ​​that are not an arithmetic sequence. For example, for a 10kg clothing processing device, the load level can be set as: M1 (0kg), M2 (1kg), M3 (3kg), M4 (5kg), M5 (7kg), M6 (10kg).

[0042] Furthermore, the water level characteristic parameter x mentioned in this invention can be the water level height inside the outer cylinder, but it can also be other characteristic parameters that can indirectly characterize the water level height inside the outer cylinder. Specifically, the water level characteristic parameter x can be the water level height inside the outer cylinder, the oscillation frequency signal output by the electronic LC oscillation water level sensor, the air pressure value in the sealed air chamber of the digital pressure sensor, etc.

[0043] As some examples of the present invention, when the water level sensor is the electronic LC oscillating water level sensor, the water level characteristic parameter x can be determined by using the oscillation frequency signal f (kHz) output by the LC oscillation circuit inside the water level sensor as a reference parameter. Preferably, the water level characteristic parameter x = 100 * f. The electronic LC oscillating water level sensor relies on this frequency value f to determine the water level inside the outer cylinder. Generally, the higher the water level inside the cylinder, the lower the value of the oscillation frequency signal f, and the two are negatively correlated. Correspondingly, the lower the value of the oscillation frequency signal f, the longer the water inlet time y, and the two are negatively correlated. As some specific examples of the present invention, when the oscillation frequency signal f = 39.00 kHz, the water level characteristic parameter x = 3900.

[0044] Digital pressure sensors rely on detecting the air pressure in a sealed chamber to reflect the water level inside the tank. The higher the water level, the greater the air pressure in the sealed chamber, and the air pressure value is directly proportional to the water level. In this case, the water level frequency x can be determined using the air pressure value of the sealed chamber as a reference parameter. For example, the water level frequency x = maximum air pressure value - k * air pressure value, where k is a fixed adjustment coefficient, and the maximum air pressure value is the maximum achievable air pressure value in the sealed chamber, the specific value of which can be obtained experimentally. Thus, the higher the water level inside the tank, the smaller the value of the water level characteristic parameter x, and the longer the water inlet time y, the more negatively correlated the water level characteristic parameter x is with the water inlet time y.

[0045] This invention is not limited to using the actual water level as the sole fitting reference parameter. Instead, it selects multiple characteristic parameters that can indirectly and accurately characterize the actual water level state inside the container. Then, based on test conditions with different inlet water pressures and different clothing load levels, it collects multiple sets of inlet times (y) and corresponding water level characteristic parameters (x) during the empty container's water filling process under each condition as sample data. This data fitting modeling constructs a linear correlation model between the inlet time (y) and various water level characteristic parameters (x). This modeling method overcomes the limitations of fitting a single water level parameter, adapts to different types of water level sensors, and allows for flexible selection of corresponding water level characteristic parameters (x) based on the device's hardware configuration. This effectively improves the model's versatility and adaptability, further ensuring the accuracy of water consumption statistics under flow meter-less conditions.

[0046] As some examples of the present invention, the water level characteristic parameters x corresponding to the multiple sets of different set water levels and the water inlet time y used to bring water to the set water level required in step S100 can be obtained by performing multiple washing tests at different set water levels, such as performing 10 tests at 10 different set water levels.

[0047] As a preferred example of the present invention, when conducting a test during the water intake phase of the washing program, the "mixed wash" program can be selected for testing.

[0048] It should be noted that in step S100, the water inlet time y is the total cumulative time during the water inlet phase test of the washing program when the valve body is open.

[0049] The following uses an electronic LC oscillating water level sensor as an example to explain the specific process of step S100 in detail. For other types of water level sensors, the same procedure can be followed, and examples will not be provided one by one.

[0050] As specific examples of the present invention, with six inlet water pressures set: P1 (0.24MPa), P2 (0.20MPa), P3 (0.16MPa), P4 (0.12MPa), P5 (0.08MPa), and P6 (0.04MPa), and six load levels set: M1 (0kg), M2 (1kg), M3 (3kg), M4 (5kg), M5 (7kg), and M6 (10kg), the test process for the water inlet stage of the sequential cross-washing program is as follows: First, select water pressure P1 and load according to load level M1. Then select the "mixed wash" program and start it. Each group of tests under different inlet water pressure and load level is conducted 10 times at different set water levels. During each test, the water level characteristic parameter x corresponding to the set water level, the water inlet time y from empty tank to set water level, and the opening time of each inlet valve must be collected. Then, multiple sets of water level characteristic parameters x and water inlet time y data obtained during the washing test under the same inlet water pressure and load level were fitted to establish multiple regression equations relating water inlet time y and water level characteristic parameters x under different inlet water pressure and load levels. Preferably, the linear relationship between water inlet time y and water level characteristic parameters x under different inlet water pressure and load levels is a univariate linear regression equation. When the water level characteristic parameter x is obtained by converting the oscillation frequency output by the LC oscillation circuit inside the water level sensor through a fixed coefficient, the regression equation relating the water level characteristic parameter x and water inlet time y is as follows: y ji =A ji -B ji*x; where j corresponds to different inlet water pressures (j takes values ​​from 1 to 6), i corresponds to different load levels (i takes values ​​from 1 to 6), A ji and B ji The values ​​are constants; for example, when the water pressure during the test is P1 and the load is M2, j=1 and i=2; when the water pressure during the test is P2 and the load is M4, j=2 and i=4.

[0051] Furthermore, when the water pressure during the test is P1 and the load is M1, the fitted relationship is expressed as: y 11 =A 11 -B 11 *x.

[0052] Similarly, keeping the water pressure constant at P1, loads of different weights M2, M3, M4, M5, and M6 are loaded sequentially, and the following fitting equation is obtained: y 12 =A 12 -B 12 *x; y 13 =A 13 -B 13 *x; y 14 =A 14 -B 14 *x; y 15 =A 15 -B 15 *x; y 16 =A 16 -B 16 *x; Similarly, changing the inlet water pressure P j The following fitting formula can be obtained: y 1i =A 1i -B 1i *x; y 2i =A 2i -B 2i *x; y 3i =A 3i -B 3i *x; y 4i =A 4i -B 4i *x; y 5i =A 5i -B 5i *x; y 6i =A6i -B 6i *x; Where i = 1~6.

[0053] Furthermore, in step S200, the process of establishing the database of inlet flow rates for each inlet valve under different inlet water pressures includes: Step S201: Test different inlet water pressures P respectively. j Below, the opening time required for each inlet valve to reach the set water level from the empty cylinder is denoted by ΔS. jn The water inflow rate of each inlet valve is represented by ΔW. jn The inlet flow rate of each inlet valve is expressed in L. jn The following represents the inlet water pressure: j = 1, 2, 3, ..., and n = Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, ... Step S202: Based on the correspondence between the water level characteristic parameter x and the total water volume W in the cylinder, obtain the opening duration ΔS of each inlet valve. jn Corresponding water inflow △W jn ; Step S203, based on the inflow rate ΔW jn and the duration of operation △S jn Calculate the inlet flow rate L of each valve under the current water pressure. jn , where L jn =△W jn / △S jn .

[0054] As a specific example of the present invention, a washer-dryer combo with four inlet valves is taken as an example, wherein the main inlet valve is numbered I, the filter flushing valve is numbered II, the evaporator flushing valve is numbered III, the precooling valve is numbered IV, and the valve numbering when any two or three valves are open simultaneously is V. Then, △S 1Ⅰ This represents the opening duration of the main inlet valve I under water pressure P1, and ΔW. 1Ⅰ Represents the inlet water flow rate (L) of main inlet valve I. 1Ⅰ This represents the inlet flow rate of the main inlet valve I.

[0055] As a preferred example of the present invention, in order to avoid the influence of equipment load and load water absorption, all tests in step S200 are carried out in an empty drum state, and it is ensured that the outer drum is free of water and the inner drum is free of clothing before the test.

[0056] Furthermore, regarding the situation where two or three valves are open simultaneously during the washing process, this invention considers that the valves that may be opened during the washing process are all commonly used inlet valves with a maximum flow rate of 8.5 L / min. Since the maximum inlet flow rate of the faucet is limited, the water supply bottleneck is not the solenoid valve, but the front-end tap. Therefore, it can be assumed that the flow rate of any two or three valves opened simultaneously under the same inlet water pressure reaches the flow rate of the faucet under that water pressure. Similarly, the inlet flow rate when any two or three valves are opened simultaneously can be calculated as: the inlet water volume when the corresponding combination of two or three valves is opened / the opening time, i.e., L. 1Ⅴ =ΔW 1Ⅴ / ΔS 1Ⅴ .

[0057] As some specific examples of the present invention, in step S200, the inlet water pressure P is changed step by step. j Different inlet water pressures P can be obtained. j The inlet flow rates of each inlet valve are shown in Table 1 below: Table 1 Different inlet water pressures P j Inlet flow rate of each inlet valve

[0058] It should be noted that, comparing the tests in steps S100 and S200, it is evident that the test in step S200 may be included in step S100. That is, the same test under the same conditions has already been performed in step S100. In this case, it is only necessary to simultaneously acquire the opening duration of each inlet valve during the water inlet test of this washing program with a load level of 0 and different inlet water pressures during step S100, for use in step S200 to calculate the inlet water flow rate. Alternatively, a separate test with different inlet water pressures and a load level of 0 can be performed for step S200, also using a mixed wash program.

[0059] It should be noted that there is a known direct or indirect stable correspondence between the water level characteristic parameter x and the water level height inside the outer drum. Therefore, the real-time water level height inside the outer drum can be accurately calculated by collecting the water level characteristic parameter x. Based on this, combined with the fixed cross-sectional area of ​​the washing outer drum, and according to the water level height change during the water inlet process, the water volume change of the inner and outer drums during the opening period of each inlet valve can be accurately calculated, and finally the actual water inlet volume corresponding to the opening duration of each inlet valve can be obtained.

[0060] By conducting cross-washing tests on different inlet water pressures and load levels and collecting test data, we can fit a regression equation relating the water level characteristic parameter x to the inlet water time y under different inlet water pressures and load levels. Then, in step S300, during user operation, the user can determine the load level by weighing the load and back-calculate the current water pressure range based on the actual time taken for the inlet valve to open until the set inlet water level is reached.

[0061] As some examples of the present invention, the specific process of determining the current inlet water pressure range based on the current load level and the actual inlet water time t to reach the set water level in step S300 is as follows: Step S301: The user starts the program, weighs the current load to obtain the weight, and determines the load level M. i ; Step S302: Collect the actual water inlet time t from the opening of the water inlet valve to the water inlet reaching the set water level; Step S303: Read the water level characteristic parameter x corresponding to the current set water level, and calculate the relationship between the water level characteristic parameter x and the current load level M based on the correlation model between the water level characteristic parameter x and the water inlet time y under different inlet water pressures and load levels. i The water inlet time y corresponding to different water inlet pressures; Step S304: Determine the current water pressure range based on the relative magnitude of the actual water inlet time t and the water inlet time y corresponding to multiple different water inlet pressures calculated in step S303.

[0062] As some examples of the present invention, the load level closest to the current load can be selected as the current load level.

[0063] It should be noted that the actual water inlet time t is the cumulative time during which valves are open in the equipment. Furthermore, under the same load, based on the physical relationship between water inlet time and water inlet pressure, it can be seen that under the same load level, the magnitude of the water inlet time y decreases as the water inlet pressure gradually increases. Therefore, in step S303, as the water inlet pressure gradually decreases, the calculated water inlet time y corresponding to a series of different water inlet pressures will show a gradually increasing trend. At this time, arranging the calculated water inlet time y corresponding to a series of different water inlet pressures in the order of gradually decreasing water inlet pressure will yield a set of gradually increasing data. A set of corresponding water inlet pressure intervals can naturally be formed between two adjacent water inlet times y. Then, by comparing which two adjacent water inlet times y the actual water inlet time t falls into, the water inlet pressure interval to which the current water inlet pressure belongs can be determined.

[0064] Specifically, in step S304, the process of determining the current inlet water pressure range is as follows: First, the water inlet time y corresponding to multiple different water inlet pressures calculated in step S303 is... ji Arranged according to the order of gradually increasing or decreasing inlet water pressure, then the inlet times y of two adjacent inlet times are... ji With y j（i+1） It can form a water inlet time interval, and each water inlet time interval has a corresponding water inlet pressure interval; Determine the water inlet time interval into which the actual water inlet time t falls, and the corresponding water pressure interval for that water inlet time interval, then the current water pressure p j The water pressure range corresponding to the water inlet time interval.

[0065] As some specific examples of the present invention, in step S400, L is used n估 This represents the estimated inlet flow rate of each inlet valve, where n represents the valve number (n=Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, ...); the estimated inlet flow rate L of each inlet valve is determined based on the current inlet water pressure range. n估 The method is as follows: Read the current inlet water pressure range determined in step S300, and the inlet flow rate of each inlet valve corresponding to the two boundary values ​​of the inlet water pressure range in step S200; The average inlet flow rate of the two inlet valves corresponding to the two boundary values ​​is taken as the estimated inlet flow rate L of that inlet valve. n估 .

[0066] As some specific examples of the present invention, the estimated inlet flow rate L of each inlet valve is determined based on the current inlet water pressure range. n估 The process is shown in Table 2 below: Table 2 Estimated influent flow rate L n估 Calculation

[0067] In Table 2 above, L ⅠMAX For the maximum flow rate of inlet valve I, L ⅡMAX For the maximum flow rate of inlet valve II, L ⅤMAX This is the maximum flow rate when two or three valves are open simultaneously; its value can be determined through testing and is preset in the equipment before delivery. Furthermore, for (0, y... 1i For this interval, it is assumed that the inlet flow rate of the inlet valve corresponding to the boundary value 0 is extremely large within this inlet time interval. Therefore, when t∈(0,y) 1i At that time, L Ⅰ估 =(L 1Ⅰ+ L ⅠMAX ) / 2.

[0068] Furthermore, after the user starts the program, the program selected by the user is checked. If the program skips the initial water intake stage, the estimated water flow rate L of inlet valve I is adjusted. Ⅰ估 The calibrated flow rate of inlet valve I is set, and similarly, the estimated inlet flow rate L of inlet valve II is calculated. Ⅱ估 The flow rate is set to the rated flow rate of inlet valve II, ..., the flow rate L when two or three valves are open simultaneously. Ⅴ估 Set to L ⅤMAX This refers to the maximum flow rate when two or three valves are open simultaneously. It should be noted that the initial water intake stage described in this invention refers to the first preset water intake process in the program sequence. This is the initial water intake stage where the water inlet valve is opened for the first time during the washing cycle to inject water into the outer tub. This is distinct from all subsequent water intake processes such as wash replenishment, rinsing water intake, and soaking water intake. In programs such as drum self-cleaning and spin-drying, the system skips the initial water intake stage. Furthermore, the calibrated flow rate described in this invention is the rated flow rate, which is the stable outflow rate measured when the water inlet valve is fully open and the water path is not restricted by the upstream pipeline under a specified standard water pressure, with only this valve body being activated.

[0069] Furthermore, in step S400, the calculation process for the total water consumption is as follows: Collect the individual opening time of each inlet valve and the simultaneous opening time of any two or three valves; Calculate the product of the estimated inlet flow rate and the opening time for each valve to be opened individually and for multiple valves to be opened in combination, and obtain the inlet flow rate for each valve to be opened individually and for multiple valves to be opened in combination; sum all of them to obtain the total water consumption of the clothing processing equipment during this program operation.

[0070] As some specific examples of the present invention, the process of calculating the total water consumption based on the opening time and flow rate of each inlet valve is as follows: In this embodiment, the clothing processing equipment is specifically a washer-dryer combo, which has four water inlet valves: main wash valve I, filter flushing valve II, evaporator flushing valve III, pre-cooling valve IV, and valve V when any two or three valves are open simultaneously; wherein, the simultaneous opening of any two or three valves specifically refers to any two or three valves among the main wash valve, filter flushing valve, and evaporator flushing valve, excluding the pre-cooling valve.

[0071] Operating Condition 1: The washer-dryer combo operates in a washing + drying cycle. Total water consumption = Main wash valve I alone opening time * L Ⅰ估 +Filter flushing valve II independent opening time*L Ⅱ估 +Evaporator flushing valve III independent opening time*L Ⅲ估 +Precooling valve Ⅳ independent opening time*L Ⅳ估 +Time for any two or three valves to open simultaneously*L Ⅴ估 ; Operating Condition 2: The washer-dryer combo is only running in the drying program, and the filter flushing valve and evaporator flushing valve are not opened during the drying process. The total water consumption = the time when the precooling valve IV is opened alone * the rated flow rate of the precooling valve IV. Operating Condition 3: The washer-dryer combo operates only in the drying program, and the filter screen is rinsed during the drying process. The total water consumption = the opening time of the pre-cooling valve IV alone * the rated flow rate of the pre-cooling valve IV + the opening time of the filter screen rinsing valve II alone * the rated flow rate of the filter screen rinsing valve II. Operating Condition 4: The washer-dryer combo is running in the air wash program. At this time, the system only opens the evaporator flushing valve III. The total water consumption = the time that the evaporator flushing valve III is open alone * the rated flow rate of the evaporator flushing valve III.

[0072] In this invention, by selecting multiple inlet water pressures and multiple load levels for cross-testing, it can cover a variety of usage scenarios for clothing processing equipment, adapt to different loads and inlet water pressures of clothing processing equipment, greatly reduce the interference of load and inlet water pressure on water consumption calculation, and improve the accuracy of calculation.

[0073] Accordingly, in conjunction with the above solutions, the present invention also provides an electronic device, including a memory and a processor. The memory is used to store one or more computer instructions; the processor is used to call and execute the computer instructions stored in the memory, thereby realizing the water consumption statistics method for clothing processing equipment provided in the above embodiments.

[0074] The memory includes, but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, disk storage, optical disk storage, and portable storage media. It can also be a storage medium with data read and write capabilities, such as a remote network server or cloud storage device. The processor can be a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller unit (MCU), or a control chip with computing capabilities, such as a graphics processing unit (GPU) or an embedded processor.

[0075] As a preferred example of the present invention, the garment processing equipment has the functions of cloud uploading of water consumption data and visualization display via mobile APP. Users can view the water consumption of a single washing, washing and drying, drying, and air washing cycle in real time through the mobile APP. The entire equipment adopts a layered data transmission architecture, with the water consumption data reporting link sequentially consisting of the motherboard, display board, WiFi board, cloud server, and mobile APP terminal. The specific data transmission process is as follows: when the equipment completes a full washing cycle and shuts down normally, or when it is shut down midway through operation, the motherboard completes the water consumption statistics and calculation for this operating cycle and sends the final water consumption data to the display board; after receiving the data, the display board forwards it to the WiFi communication module, which then uploads the data to the cloud server, and finally the server pushes it to the user's mobile APP to realize the visualization display of water consumption data.

[0076] This invention features comprehensive calculation, settlement, and reset logic for water consumption statistics in a single operating cycle. It can adapt to various complex operating conditions such as equipment pause, power outage, restart, program change, and malfunction shutdown, providing accurate statistical results that closely reflect actual water usage. Specific statistical rules are as follows: If the equipment is paused and restarted midway through a washing cycle, or experiences an unexpected power outage and subsequent power restoration, the system will continue to accumulate and calculate the water consumption data from the unfinished cycle without resetting it to zero, ensuring the continuity of water consumption statistics for each washing cycle.

[0077] When the equipment completes its full cycle or is manually shut down midway, the system automatically calculates all water consumption data for that complete cycle and uploads the data. Upon restarting the equipment, the water consumption data from the previous cycle is automatically cleared, and a new cycle begins. If the washing cycle is not completed normally, due to interruptions such as pauses to change washing programs, equipment malfunctions, or manual shutdowns, the system will calculate and record the cumulative water consumption from the initial program startup to the shutdown interruption. This ensures complete traceability and accurate statistics of water consumption data under any operating condition, effectively improving the completeness and reliability of water consumption statistics and providing users with accurate water usage data for reference, facilitating the selection of water-saving washing modes.

[0078] Accordingly, in conjunction with the above solutions, the present invention also provides a clothing processing device, which uses the water consumption statistics method for clothing processing devices provided in the above embodiments to accurately obtain the water consumption of clothing processing devices without relying on a flow meter.

[0079] The various embodiments of the systems and technical solutions described in this application can be implemented by digital electronic circuits, integrated circuits, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), application-specific standard products (ASSPs), system-on-a-chip (SoCs), complex programmable logic devices (CPLDs), computer hardware, firmware, software, and any combination thereof.

[0080] These various implementations may include: being implemented in one or more computer programs that can be executed and / or interpreted on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be a dedicated or general-purpose programmable processor, the processor receiving data and instructions from a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device, and transmitting data and instructions to the storage system, the at least one input device, and the at least one output device.

[0081] The program code used to implement the methods of this disclosure may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages. This program code may be provided to a processor or controller of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus, such that when executed by the processor or controller, the program code causes the functions / operations specified in the flowcharts and / or block diagrams to be implemented. The program code may be executed entirely on a machine, partially on a machine, as a standalone software package partially on a machine and partially on a remote machine, or entirely on a remote machine or server.

[0082] To provide interaction with a user, the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented on a computer having: a display device for displaying information to the user (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor); and a keyboard and pointing device (e.g., a mouse or trackball) through which the user provides input to the computer. Other types of devices can also be used to provide interaction with the user; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form (including sound input, voice input, or tactile input).

[0083] The systems and technologies described herein can be implemented in computing systems that include backend components (e.g., as a data server), or computing systems that include middleware components (e.g., an application server), or computing systems that include frontend components (e.g., a user computer with a graphical user interface or web browser through which a user can interact with implementations of the systems and technologies described herein), or any combination of such backend, middleware, or frontend components. The components of the system can be interconnected via digital data communication of any form or medium (e.g., a communication network). Examples of communication networks include local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), and the Internet.

[0084] Computer systems can include clients and servers. Clients and servers are generally located far apart and typically interact via communication networks. Client-server relationships are created by computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship with each other. Servers can be cloud servers, servers in distributed systems, or servers incorporating blockchain technology.

[0085] It should be understood that the various forms of processes shown above can be used to rearrange, add, or delete steps. For example, the steps described in this disclosure can be executed in parallel, sequentially, or in different orders, as long as the desired result of the technical solution disclosed in this disclosure can be achieved, and this is not limited herein.

[0086] This invention relies on equipment calibration and modeling test data to construct a mathematical model relating water level characteristic parameters and water inlet time under different inlet water pressures and different load levels of clothing. It also introduces a database of inlet flow rates for each inlet valve under different inlet water pressures, as well as a mixed flow calculation strategy for multi-valve simultaneous operation, accurately adapting to complex scenarios involving multi-valve flow restriction and dynamic water inlet. Without requiring a hardware flow meter, it achieves high-precision statistics of water consumption throughout the entire washing cycle, effectively eliminating calculation errors caused by water pressure fluctuations, load differences, and parallel inlet water from multiple valves. This significantly improves the accuracy and stability of equipment water consumption statistics, ensuring the authenticity and reliability of product energy-saving assessment data and enhancing the credibility of product energy-saving certification and water consumption assessment.

[0087] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other. This application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for calculating the water consumption of a clothing processing device, characterized in that, The garment processing equipment includes: An outer cylinder assembly, wherein a water level sensor is installed inside the outer cylinder assembly; And, an inlet valve assembly for controlling the opening and closing of the water inlet passage of the whole machine; The method for calculating the water consumption of the clothing processing equipment includes: Collect the current load weight and the actual water inlet time to reach the set water level, determine the load level based on the load weight, read the set water level, and call the correlation model between the water level characteristic parameter x and the water inlet time y under different water inlet pressures and load levels to determine the current water inlet pressure range. Based on the current inlet water pressure range, the inlet flow rate database of each inlet valve under different inlet water pressures is called to determine the estimated inlet flow rate of each inlet valve. Then, the water consumption is calculated based on the estimated inlet flow rate of each inlet valve and the valve opening time. The total water consumption is obtained by summing the water consumption of each inlet valve.

2. The method for calculating water consumption of clothing processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of establishing the correlation model between the water level characteristic parameter x and the inflow time y under different inflow pressures and load levels is as follows: First, multiple inlet water pressures and multiple load levels were selected for cross-washing tests. Under different inlet water pressures and load levels, multiple sets of water level characteristic parameters x and water inlet time y corresponding to different set water levels were collected. By fitting multiple sets of water level characteristic parameters x and water inlet time y data respectively, a regression equation is established to establish the relationship between water inlet time y and water level characteristic parameters x under different water inlet pressure and load levels. Wherein, the water level characteristic parameter x is the water level height inside the outer cylinder or other characteristic parameters that can indirectly characterize the water level height inside the outer cylinder.

3. The method for calculating water consumption of clothing processing equipment according to claim 2, characterized in that, The water level characteristic parameter x is obtained by converting the oscillation frequency output by the LC oscillation circuit inside the water level sensor as a reference parameter through a fixed coefficient.

4. The method for calculating water consumption of clothing processing equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that, The regression equation relating the water level characteristic parameter x to the inflow time y is: y ji =A ji -B ji *x; where j corresponds to different inlet water pressures, i corresponds to different load levels, and A ji and B ji It is a constant.

5. The method for calculating water consumption of clothing processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of establishing a database of inlet flow rates for each inlet valve under different inlet water pressures includes: Test the opening time of the inlet valve from empty cylinder to set water level under different inlet water pressures; The water inflow rate corresponding to the opening duration of each inlet valve is obtained based on the relationship between the water level characteristic parameter x and the total water volume in the cylinder. The inlet flow rate of each valve under the current water pressure is calculated based on the formula: inlet flow rate = inlet volume / opening time.

6. The method for calculating water consumption of clothing processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The process of determining the current inlet water pressure range based on the current load level and the actual inlet water time t to reach the set water level is as follows: The user starts the program, weighs the load to obtain the current load weight, and determines the load level; The actual water inlet time t from the opening of the inlet valve to the water level reaching the set level is collected; Read the water level characteristic parameter x corresponding to the current set water level, and calculate the water level characteristic parameter x and the water inlet time y corresponding to different water inlet pressures under the current load level based on the correlation model between the water level characteristic parameter x and the water inlet time y; The current water pressure range is determined based on the relative magnitude of the actual water inlet time t and the water inlet time y corresponding to multiple different water inlet pressures.

7. The method for calculating water consumption of clothing processing equipment according to claim 6, characterized in that, The process of determining the current inlet water pressure range is as follows: First, the calculated inlet times y corresponding to multiple different inlet water pressures are arranged in order of gradually increasing or decreasing inlet water pressure. Then, two adjacent inlet times y constitute an inlet time interval, and each inlet time interval has its corresponding inlet water pressure interval. If the actual water inflow time t falls within the water inflow time interval, then the current water inflow pressure is located in the water inflow pressure interval corresponding to that water inflow time interval.

8. The method for calculating water consumption of clothing processing equipment according to claim 7, characterized in that, The process of determining the estimated inlet flow rate of each inlet valve based on the current inlet water pressure range is as follows: Read the pre-determined current inlet water pressure range and the inlet flow rate of each inlet valve corresponding to the two boundary values ​​of the inlet water pressure range; The average inlet flow rate of the two inlet valves corresponding to the two boundary values ​​is used as the estimated inlet flow rate of the inlet valve.

9. The method for calculating water consumption of clothing processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, The calculation process for total water consumption is as follows: Collect the individual opening time of each inlet valve and the simultaneous opening time of any two or three valves; Calculate the product of the estimated inlet flow rate and the opening time for each valve to be opened individually and for multiple valves to be opened in combination, and obtain the inlet flow rate for each valve to be opened individually and for multiple valves to be opened in combination; sum all of them to obtain the total water consumption of the clothing processing equipment during this program operation.

10. The method for calculating water consumption of clothing processing equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that, After the equipment has finished operating, the water consumption for this cycle shall be determined according to the water consumption statistics method for the clothing processing equipment described in any one of claims 1 to 9. The water consumption for this cycle is sent to the display panel of the clothing processing equipment and / or to the user via an app on the smart terminal.

11. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: A memory for storing one or more computer instructions; A processor, wherein the processor is configured to call and execute computer instructions stored in the memory to implement the method for calculating water consumption of a clothing processing device according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A garment processing device, characterized in that, The clothing processing equipment uses the water consumption statistics method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 to perform water consumption statistics.

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