Method for adjusting the height of the air inlet of a range hood, range hood and program product

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application provide a method of adjusting the height of an air inlet of an extractor hood, the method comprising the steps of: identifying S1 a firing state of a hob (2); detecting S2 a pan height of a pan (3) on the hob (2); determining S3 a desired height of an air inlet (12) of the extractor hood (1) depending on at least the firing state and the pan height; and adjusting S4 the air inlet (12) to the desired height. Furthermore, the present application provides a corresponding extractor hood and computer program product. According to embodiments of the present application, the air inlet of an extractor hood can be automatically adjusted to a height that matches the firing state and the pan height.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of household appliances, and in particular to a method for adjusting the height of the air inlet of a range hood, a range hood, and a computer program product. Background Technology

[0002] In existing technology, most range hoods have fixed air inlets with non-adjustable positions. Although some range hoods are known to have liftable air inlets, these still have some shortcomings.

[0003] For example, in some range hoods, the air inlet can lower to a preset position when the range hood is working, but it cannot be dynamically adjusted according to the actual cooking scenario. Some range hoods have height-adjustable air inlets, but usually the air inlet still needs to be manually adjusted by the user to the desired height.

[0004] Existing range hoods fail to fully consider the complex and ever-changing needs of cooking, making it difficult for them to achieve efficient smoke extraction and causing inconvenience to users.

[0005] Therefore, existing technologies need improvement in terms of adjusting the height of the air inlet of range hoods. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of embodiments of the present invention is to provide an improved method for adjusting the height of the air inlet of a range hood, as well as a corresponding range hood and computer program product, so as to at least partially overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, embodiments of the present invention provide a method for adjusting the height of the air inlet of a range hood. The method includes the following steps: identification step S1, identifying the ignition state of the stove; detection step S2, detecting the height of the pot on the stove; determination step S3, determining the desired height of the air inlet of the range hood based at least on the ignition state and the height of the pot; and adjustment step S4, adjusting the air inlet to the desired height.

[0008] Therefore, the air inlet can be automatically adjusted to match the height of the ignition status and the cookware. By automatically adjusting the height of the air inlet according to at least the ignition status and the height of the cookware, the air inlet can better adapt to the current cooking scenario and extraction needs. As a result, the range hood is more convenient to use and has a better extraction effect.

[0009] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in the identification step S1, the first ignition state of the first burner of the stove and the second ignition state of the second burner of the stove are identified. The first ignition state and the second ignition state are used to determine the correlation between the pot height on the first burner and the effective pot height used to determine the desired height in the determination step S3. This allows for more accurate adjustment of the air inlet height to suit the current cooking scenario and suction requirements.

[0010] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in the detection step S2, the cookware height is detected based on the first ignition state and the second ignition state. Specifically, the cookware height on the ignited burner of the first and second burners is detected only, and used as the effective cookware height for determining the desired height in the determination step S3. This simplifies the operation and improves efficiency.

[0011] Optionally, in step S3, if only one of the first and second ignition states indicates that the pot has been ignited, the pot height on the ignited burner of the first and second burners is selected as the effective pot height for determining the desired height. This further helps to more accurately adjust the height of the air inlet to suit the current cooking scenario and suction requirements.

[0012] Optionally, in step S3, if both the first ignition state and the second ignition state indicate that ignition has been achieved, the larger of the first pot height on the first burner of the stove and the second pot height on the second burner of the stove is selected as the effective pot height for determining the desired height. This prevents the inability to effectively extract fumes escaping from taller pots due to the air inlet being lower than the pot's rim. Furthermore, it also prevents the range hood from colliding with the pots.

[0013] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in the determining step S3, if both the first ignition state and the second ignition state indicate that ignition has occurred, the average of the first pot height of the first pot on the first burner of the stove and the second pot height of the second pot on the second burner of the stove is taken as the effective pot height for determining the desired height. This helps to adjust the air inlet to accommodate the heights of both the first and second pots, thereby further improving the overall suction effect. Here, "average value" may include an arithmetic mean or a weighted average.

[0014] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in the identification step S1, the ignition status of the stove is identified by receiving ignition information from the stove through the receiving device of the range hood.

[0015] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in the determination step S3, the pot height is compared with a height threshold, and only pot heights greater than the height threshold can be used as valid pot heights for determining the desired height. By comparing the pot height with the height threshold, it is possible to identify situations where no pot is placed on the stovetop without the need for additional sensors to detect the presence of a pot.

[0016] Alternatively or additionally, in step S3, the stable maintenance time of the cookware height can be compared with a time threshold. Only cookware heights with a stable maintenance time greater than the time threshold can be used as valid cookware heights for determining the desired height. This avoids frequent changes in the height of the air inlet due to cookware movement.

[0017] Alternatively or additionally, in step S3, the change in the current pot height relative to the previous pot height can be determined, and step S4 is only executed if the change is above a threshold value. This helps prevent frequent and minor changes to the air inlet height. In practice, frequent and minor changes to the air inlet height not only fail to improve the suction effect and lead to energy waste, but may also cause user dissatisfaction.

[0018] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in the determination step S3, the desired height is determined using a plurality of pre-set cookware height ranges and the height of the air inlet corresponding to the cookware height range, wherein the height of the air inlet corresponding to the cookware height range to which the cookware height belongs is taken as the desired height. This adjustment method can adapt to various common cookware types and can prevent frequent and minor changes in the height of the air inlet.

[0019] According to an optional embodiment of the invention, in detection step S2, the pot opening diameter and / or upper edge position of the cookware are additionally detected so that in determination step S3, the desired height of the air inlet is additionally correlated with the pot opening diameter and / or upper edge position of the cookware. The upper edge position refers to the horizontal position of the upper edge of the cookware. This helps to further improve the suction effect.

[0020] For example, in step S3, the desired height can be negatively correlated with the pot's opening diameter. Therefore, for pots with a larger opening diameter, the air inlet can be closer to the pot, thus improving the suction effect and preventing the escape of cooking fumes.

[0021] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in the determining step S3, after determining the desired height of the range hood's air inlet based at least on the ignition state and the height of the cookware, the determined desired height is adjusted according to the cookware's opening diameter in a manner negatively correlated with the cookware's opening diameter.

[0022] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, step S3 further includes verifying the desired height using the pot's opening diameter and / or the position of its upper edge to prevent the range hood from colliding with the pot when the air inlet is at the desired height. This is particularly important for pots with large opening diameters or pots positioned close to the air inlet horizontally; if the pot's height is large and the desired height of the air inlet is small, the range hood may collide with the pot. Verifying the desired height using the detected pot opening diameter and / or upper edge position prevents collisions.

[0023] Optionally, the verification may include: if the height of one of the first and second cookware is used as the effective cookware height for determining the desired height, and if the diameter and / or upper edge position of the other cookware meets predetermined conditions, then the height of the other cookware is compared with the desired height. Some users are accustomed to cooking on only one burner while placing items on or next to the other burner. The above verification of the desired height effectively prevents the range hood from colliding with these items.

[0024] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, detection step S2 includes: sub-step S21, detecting the cookware using a distance sensor of the range hood to obtain a detection result; and sub-step S22, determining the height of the cookware based on the detection result of the distance sensor. This helps prevent fumes or moisture from affecting the detection result.

[0025] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in sub-step S21, the detection range of the distance sensor is divided into multiple sub-regions, and multiple distance values ​​corresponding to each sub-region are determined by the distance sensor. In sub-step S22, a smaller short distance value can be selected from the multiple distance values ​​according to a predetermined screening criterion, and the height of the cookware is determined based on the short distance value.

[0026] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, detection step S2 may further include sub-step S23. In sub-step S23, the pot opening diameter can be determined based on the detection result of the distance sensor.

[0027] Alternatively or additionally, detection step S2 may also include sub-step S24. In sub-step S24, the position of the upper edge of the cookware may be determined based on the detection results of the distance sensor.

[0028] In addition to the height of the cookware, the diameter of the cookware opening and / or the position of the upper edge can also be detected using a distance sensor.

[0029] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, in sub-step S21, the detection range of the distance sensor is divided into multiple sub-regions, and multiple distance values ​​corresponding to each sub-region are determined by the distance sensor.

[0030] Optionally, in sub-step S23, a smaller short distance value is selected from the plurality of distance values ​​according to a predetermined screening criterion, and the pot rim diameter is determined based on the distribution location of the sub-regions corresponding to the short distance values. This allows the pot rim diameter to be determined with less computation. This helps reduce costs and improve response speed.

[0031] Optionally, in sub-step S24, a smaller short distance value is selected from the plurality of distance values ​​according to a predetermined screening criterion, and the upper edge position of the cookware is determined based on the distribution position of the sub-regions corresponding to the short distance value. This allows the upper edge position to be determined with less computation. This helps reduce costs and improve response speed.

[0032] According to a second aspect of the present invention, an embodiment of the present invention provides a range hood, wherein the range hood includes: a main body; an air inlet through which cooking fumes can enter the range hood, the air inlet being configured to be movable relative to the main body in a vertical direction; a lifting mechanism configured to adjust the height of the air inlet; a detection device configured to detect the height of a pot on a cooktop; and a control device connected to the detection device and the lifting mechanism, the control device being configured to perform a method for adjusting the height of the air inlet of the range hood according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0033] According to an optional embodiment of the present invention, the range hood further includes a receiving device configured to receive ignition information from the cooktop. The receiving device can be connected to a control device, enabling the control device to identify the cooking status of the cooktop based on the ignition information.

[0034] According to a third aspect of the present invention, embodiments of the present invention provide a computer program product comprising computer program instructions, wherein, when executed by one or more processors, the computer program instructions enable the one or more processors to perform a method for adjusting the height of the air inlet of a range hood according to exemplary embodiments of the present application. Attached Figure Description

[0035] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which will provide a better understanding of its principles, features, and advantages. The drawings include:

[0036] Figure 1 A range hood according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated schematically;

[0037] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a method for adjusting the height of the air inlet of a range hood according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown schematically.

[0038] Figure 3 A range hood according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated schematically;

[0039] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating the detection step S2 of a method for adjusting the height of the air inlet of a range hood according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown schematically.

[0040] Figure 5 The diagram schematically illustrates that the detection range of the distance sensor is divided into multiple sub-regions; and

[0041] Figure 6 A range hood according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated schematically.

[0042] List of reference numerals

[0043] 1. Range hood

[0044] 11 Main Body

[0045] 12 air inlets

[0046] 13 Lifting mechanism

[0047] 14. Detection device

[0048] 15. Control device

[0049] 16 Receiving device

[0050] 2. Stoves

[0051] 21 First Furnace

[0052] 22 Second Furnace

[0053] 3. Cookware

[0054] 31 First pot

[0055] 32 Second pot Detailed Implementation

[0056] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial technical effects of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and several exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this invention.

[0057] To better understand the present invention, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0058] Before we begin the detailed description, it should be noted that the directional terms used in the description refer to the normal usage of the range hood for ease of description, and should not be understood as absolute limitations on the corresponding characteristics.

[0059] Figure 1 A range hood 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically. Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a method for adjusting the height of the air inlet 12 of a range hood 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of this application is shown schematically.

[0060] like Figure 1 As shown, the range hood 1 includes: a main body 11; an air inlet 12 through which cooking fumes can enter the range hood 1, the air inlet 12 being movable relative to the main body 11 in the height direction; a lifting mechanism 13 configured to adjust the height of the air inlet 12; a detection device 14 configured to detect the height of the cookware 3 on the cooktop 2; and a control device 15 connected to the detection device 14 and the lifting mechanism 13. The control device 15 is configured to perform a method for adjusting the height of the air inlet 12 of the range hood 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0061] See Figure 2 The method may include: identification step S1, detection step S2, determination step S3, and adjustment step S4.

[0062] In the identification step S1, the ignition status of the stove 2 is identified.

[0063] In detection step S2, the height of the pot 3 on the stove 2 is detected.

[0064] In step S3, the desired height of the air inlet 12 of the range hood 1 is determined based at least on the ignition status and the height of the cookware.

[0065] In adjustment step S4, the air inlet 12 is positioned at the desired height.

[0066] Therefore, the air inlet 12 can be automatically adjusted to a height that matches the ignition status and the height of the cookware. By automatically adjusting the height of the air inlet 12 according to at least the ignition status and the height of the cookware, the air inlet 12 can better adapt to the current cooking scenario and extraction needs. As a result, the range hood 1 is more convenient to use and has a better extraction effect.

[0067] As described above, the method for adjusting the height of the air inlet 12 of the range hood 1 can be performed by the control device 15. The control device 15 may include a memory and a processor, the memory storing computer program instructions, which, when executed by the processor, enable the processor to perform the method according to the exemplary embodiments of this application.

[0068] Processors may include, for example, central processing units, general-purpose processors, network processors, microcontrollers, and / or application-specific integrated circuits, etc.

[0069] The memory may include, for example, random access memory, read-only memory, erasable programmable read-only memory and / or portable read-only memory, etc.

[0070] The main body 11 of the range hood 1 may be provided with an additional air inlet, the position of which is, for example, non-adjustable during the operation of the range hood 1.

[0071] See Figure 1 The range hood 1 may further include a receiving device 16, which is configured to receive ignition information from the cooktop 2. The receiving device 16 can be connected to a control device 15, enabling the control device 15 to identify the ignition status of the cooktop 2 based on the ignition information. The receiving device 16 can, for example, connect to the transmitting device of the cooktop 2 via Bluetooth communication to receive ignition information from the cooktop 2. The receiving device 16 can also connect to the transmitting device of the cooktop 2 via other communication methods, such as Wi-Fi communication, ZigBee communication, or 2.4G communication. The receiving device 16 may, for example, be integrated with the control device 15.

[0072] In the identification step S1, the ignition status of the stove 2 can be identified by receiving ignition information from the stove 2 through the receiving device 16 of the range hood 1.

[0073] The ignition status of the cooktop 2 can also be identified by other means. For example, the range hood 1 can be equipped with a temperature sensor, which can detect the ignition status of the cooktop 2. The temperature sensor, for example, is an infrared temperature sensor configured to detect the amount of heat radiation in the area below the range hood 1. This heat radiation can come from the burning flame, the heated cookware 3, and heat radiated from the surface of the cooktop 2. An infrared temperature sensor is a non-contact temperature measurement device that measures the surface temperature of an object by detecting the infrared radiation emitted by the object.

[0074] like Figure 1 As shown, the stove 2 can have multiple burners. Figure 1 The stove 2 is shown exemplarily with two burners, including a first burner 21 and a second burner 22. In other embodiments, the stove 2 may also have only one burner or have three or more burners.

[0075] The ignition state may include the first ignition state of the first burner 21 and the second ignition state of the second burner 22.

[0076] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, in the identification step S1, the first ignition state of the first burner 21 of the stove 2 and the second ignition state of the second burner 22 of the stove 2 can be identified. The first and second ignition states can be used to determine the correlation between the pot height of the cookware 3 on the first burner 21 and the second burner 22 and the effective cookware height used to determine the desired height in the determination step S3. This allows for more accurate adjustment of the height of the air inlet 12.

[0077] For example, in the detection step S2, the height of the cookware can be detected based on the first ignition state and the second ignition state. Specifically, the height of the cookware 3 on the ignited burner of the first burner 21 and the second burner 22 is detected only, and used as the effective cookware height for determining the desired height in the determination step S3.

[0078] In such Figure 1 In the operating state shown, the first burner 21 is ignited, while the second burner 22 is not ignited. Therefore, in the identification step S1, the first ignition state can be identified as ignited, and the second ignition state as not ignited. Accordingly, in the detection step S2, only the height of the cookware 3 on the first burner 21 can be detected to serve as the effective cookware height for determining the desired height in the determination step S3. Since the second burner 22 is not ignited, there is no need to detect the height of the cookware 3 on the second burner 22. This simplifies the operation and improves efficiency.

[0079] Alternatively or additionally, in determining step S3, if only one of the first ignition state and the second ignition state indicates that it has been ignited, the pot height of the pot 3 on the ignited burner of the first burner 21 and the second burner 22 is selected as the effective pot height for determining the desired height.

[0080] In other words, when the first burner 21 is ignited but the second burner 22 is not ignited, in detection step S2, the cookware 3 on both the first burner 21 and the second burner 22 can be detected, and the heights of the first and second cookwares can be obtained accordingly. Then, in determination step S3, the height of the first cookware can be selected as the effective cookware height for determining the desired height based on the ignition status.

[0081] Figure 3 A range hood 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown schematically. Figure 3 The image shows that both the first burner 21 and the second burner 22 of the stove 2 have been ignited.

[0082] exist Figure 3 In the case shown, in the identification step S1, the ignition information from the stove 2 can be received by the receiving device 16 of the range hood 1, thereby identifying that both the first ignition state and the second ignition state are ignited.

[0083] Then, in the detection step S2, the first pot 31 and the second pot 32 can be detected by means of the detection device 14 to determine the height of the first pot and the height of the second pot.

[0084] The detection device 14 may include, in particular, a distance sensor. The distance sensor may include, for example, an infrared distance sensor, an ultrasonic distance sensor, or a laser distance sensor. Based on the detection results from the distance sensor, the height of the cookware can be determined. This helps prevent oil fumes or moisture from affecting the detection results.

[0085] In step S3, the height of the first cookware and the height of the second cookware can be compared, and the larger of the two heights is selected as the effective cookware height for determining the desired height. This prevents the inability to effectively extract fumes escaping from the higher cookware 3 due to the air inlet 12 being lower than the rim of the higher cookware 3. Furthermore, it also prevents the range hood 1 from colliding with the cookware 3.

[0086] exist Figure 3 In the case shown, the height of the first pot is greater than the height of the second pot. Therefore, the height of the first pot can be selected as the effective pot height.

[0087] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, in the determination step S3, the pot height can be compared with a height threshold. Only pot heights greater than the height threshold can be used as valid pot heights for determining the desired height. By comparing the pot height with the height threshold, it is possible to identify situations where no pot 3 is placed on the stovetop, without the need for additional sensors to detect the presence of the pot 3.

[0088] For example in Figure 3 In the case shown, the first cookware height, which is considered as the effective cookware height, can be compared with the height threshold to confirm its effectiveness.

[0089] Optionally, in step S3, the stable maintenance time of the cookware height is compared with a time threshold. Only cookware heights with a stable maintenance time greater than the time threshold can be used as valid cookware heights for determining the desired height. This avoids frequent changes in the height of the air inlet 12 due to movement of the cookware 3. For example, a user may shake or toss the cookware 3 while cooking, causing frequent changes in the detected cookware height. However, such changes in cookware height do not indicate that the cookware 3 has been replaced. In this case, there is no need to change the height of the air inlet 12.

[0090] Alternatively or additionally, in step S3, the change in the current cookware height relative to the previous state can be determined, and step S4 is only executed if the change is above a threshold. This helps prevent frequent and minor changes to the height of the air inlet 12. In practice, frequent and minor changes to the height of the air inlet 12 not only fail to improve the suction effect and lead to energy waste, but may also cause user dissatisfaction. It should be understood that "previous state" refers to the state of the cookware 3 upon which the current height of the air inlet 12 is based.

[0091] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, in the determination step S3, if both the first ignition state and the second ignition state indicate that ignition has been achieved, the average of the first pot height of the first pot 31 on the first burner 21 of the stove 2 and the second pot height of the second pot 32 on the second burner 22 of the stove 2 is taken as the effective pot height for determining the desired height.

[0092] This helps to adjust the air inlet 12 to a height that can accommodate both the first cookware 31 and the second cookware 32, thereby further improving the overall suction effect. This is particularly suitable for range hoods 1 where the horizontal position of the air inlet 12 is relatively far from the user and / or the air inlet 12 is open in the direction towards the user (not vertically downward).

[0093] See Figure 3 With both the first burner 21 and the second burner 22 ignited, the arithmetic mean of the heights of the first and second cookware can be used as the effective cookware height. Compared to using the height of the first cookware as the effective cookware height, this method takes into account both the first cookware 31 and the second cookware 32, allowing the air inlet 12 to be lower, thereby efficiently extracting the fumes escaping from both cookware 31 and the second cookware 32.

[0094] Optionally, in step S3, if both the first burner 21 and the second burner 22 are ignited, the weighted average of the first cookware height and the second cookware height can be used as the effective cookware height, where the weight is related to the cookware diameter. For example, the larger the cookware diameter, the greater the weight of the cookware height in the effective cookware height.

[0095] After determining the effective cookware height, the desired height of the air inlet 12 can be determined based on the effective cookware height.

[0096] Optionally, in step S3, the desired height is determined using multiple pre-set cookware height ranges and the air inlet heights corresponding to each cookware height range. For example, the air inlet height corresponding to the cookware height range to which the cookware height belongs can be used as the desired height. The multiple cookware height ranges can correspond to various common cookware types.

[0097] As an example, three cookware height ranges can be preset. The first cookware height range can be between 40mm and 100mm. The second cookware height range can be between 100mm and 160mm. The third cookware height range can be between 160mm and 220mm. The first cookware height range corresponds to a frying pan and a frying pan. The second cookware height range corresponds to a saucepan. The third cookware height range corresponds to a tall steamer.

[0098] Each cookware height range can be set to correspond to the height of the air inlet 12. For example, the first cookware height range, the second cookware height range, and the third cookware height range can correspond to the heights of the first air inlet, the second air inlet, and the third air inlet, respectively.

[0099] If the effective cookware height falls within a certain cookware height range, then the air inlet height corresponding to that cookware height range can be taken as the desired height.

[0100] This adjustment method can adapt to various common cookware types and prevents frequent and minor changes in the height of the air inlet 12.

[0101] The air inlet 12 can then be positioned at the desired height using a lifting mechanism 13. The lifting mechanism 13 may include, for example, a drive unit, a transmission assembly, and a guide structure. The drive unit may include, for example, a stepper motor for providing driving force. The transmission assembly may include a rack and pinion assembly, a lead screw drive assembly, or a chain drive assembly. The transmission assembly converts rotational motion into linear motion of the air inlet 12. The guide structure may include guide rails and sliders to guide the air inlet 12 to rise and fall stably in a straight line.

[0102] Figure 4 A flowchart illustrating the detection step S2 of a method for adjusting the height of the air inlet 12 of a range hood 1 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present application is shown.

[0103] like Figure 4 As shown, detection step S2 may include at least sub-step S21 and sub-step S22.

[0104] In sub-step S21, the cookware 3 is detected using a distance sensor on the range hood 1 to obtain a detection result. The distance sensor is, for example, an infrared distance sensor, which has advantages such as fast response speed and strong anti-interference capability.

[0105] In sub-step S22, the height of the cookware is determined based on the detection results from the distance sensor.

[0106] Optionally, in sub-step S21, the detection range of the distance sensor can be divided into multiple sub-regions, and multiple distance values ​​corresponding to each sub-region can be determined by the distance sensor.

[0107] In sub-step S22, a smaller short distance value can be selected from the plurality of distance values ​​according to a predetermined screening criterion, and the cookware height can be determined based on the short distance value. Here, "smaller short distance value" means a relatively small distance value that meets the predetermined screening criterion among the plurality of distance values.

[0108] Figure 5 The diagram schematically illustrates that the detection range of a distance sensor is divided into multiple sub-regions. Multiple distance values ​​measured by the distance sensor, corresponding to each sub-region, can be stored in a distance value matrix. An 8x8 matrix is ​​used as an example here. Each element in the distance value matrix D represents the distance value of a sub-region:

[0109]

[0110] The following table shows the elements d in the distance value matrix. i,j An example.

[0111]

[0112] Based on the predetermined screening criteria, smaller short distance values ​​can be selected from the elements of the distance value matrix, and the height of the cookware can be determined based on the short distance values.

[0113] In one example, for each element in each row of the distance value matrix, the change of that element relative to the previous element can be calculated. Elements whose change exceeds a predetermined threshold, or their preceding element, can be identified as edge elements. The predetermined threshold can be set, for example, to 30 mm.

[0114] For a certain element d in the i-th row i,j Its change v i,j =d i,j -d i,j-1 The change v of the first element in each row i,1 It can be set to 0.

[0115] The following table shows the changes v of each element in the distance value matrix. i,j An example.

[0116]

[0117] If |v i,j |>30mm, then element d i,j and d i,j-1 One of them can be identified as an edge element or a candidate element. From the candidate elements, edge elements can be further filtered out. According to v i,j The symbol can be obtained from element d. i,j and d i,j-1Choose one from the options as the edge element. Specifically, if v i,j >0, then d i,j-1 It can be identified as an edge element or a candidate element, and v will be... i,j-1 and v i,j The one with the larger absolute value is taken as the new v i,j-1 If v i,j <0, then d i,j It can be identified as an edge element or a candidate element.

[0118] Optionally, the first and last candidate elements can be selected as edge elements from the candidate elements in each row.

[0119] Furthermore, edge element verification can be performed on the first and last candidate elements. For example, during edge element verification, the signs of the first and last candidate elements can be compared. Verification will only pass if the signs of the first and last candidate elements are opposite. Additionally, during edge element verification, the absolute values ​​of the first and last candidate elements can be compared. Verification will only pass if the difference between the absolute values ​​of the first and last candidate elements is less than a certain threshold (e.g., 5 mm).

[0120] If the first and last candidate elements pass the edge element validation, they can continue to be considered as edge elements. Conversely, if the first and last candidate elements fail the edge element validation, the candidate element with the largest absolute value of change in that row can be considered as the edge element.

[0121] The above filtering method can accurately identify edge elements with minimal computation. These edge elements have small distance values ​​and can represent the edges of the cookware 3. This filtering method can eliminate interference from various factors, such as whether the pot is covered or whether the cookware 3 is tilted.

[0122] Combination Figure 5 Using the above method, in sub-step S22, the following elements can be selected as edge elements (those with smaller distance values): d 23 d 26 d 32 d 37 d 42 d 47 d 52 d 57 d 62 d 67 d 72 d77 d 84 d 85 .

[0123] Optionally, the distance between the upper edge of the cookware 3 and the distance sensor can be determined by averaging all edge elements. This allows the determination of the cookware height. For example, in this case, the cookware height is calculated to be 49 mm.

[0124] In other embodiments according to this application, the smaller short distance value can also be selected from the plurality of distance values ​​according to a predetermined screening criterion in other ways.

[0125] The selection criteria could be, for example, that the difference between the shortest distance value and the smallest measured distance value does not exceed a distance threshold. This distance threshold could be set, for example, to 20mm or 10mm. Alternatively, the distance threshold could be set to 10% of the smallest distance value.

[0126] Furthermore, clustering algorithms (such as K-means) can be used to classify the multiple distance values ​​into two or three clusters, minimizing the variance of the distance values ​​within each cluster. Then, the cluster with the smallest mean can be selected, and the distance values ​​assigned to this cluster can be chosen as smaller, shorter distance values. Combined with... Figure 5 In this way, in sub-step S22, the following elements can be selected as edge elements: d 23 d 24 d 25 d 26 d 32 d 37 d 42 d 47 d 52 d 57 d 62 d 67 d 72 d 77 d 84 d 85 .

[0127] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, in the detection step S2, the pot opening diameter and / or upper edge position of the cookware 3 may be additionally detected so that in the determination step S3, the desired height of the air inlet 12 is additionally associated with the pot opening diameter and / or upper edge position of the cookware 3. The upper edge position refers to the horizontal position of the upper edge of the cookware 3.

[0128] See Figure 4 The detection step S2 may also include a sub-step S23. In sub-step S23, the pot opening diameter of the pot 3 can be determined based on the detection results of the distance sensor.

[0129] For example, in sub-step S23, a smaller short distance value can be selected from the plurality of distance values ​​according to a predetermined screening criterion, and the pot diameter of cookware 3 can be determined based on the distribution location of the sub-regions corresponding to the short distance values. This allows the pot diameter to be determined with less computation. This helps reduce costs and improve response speed. In sub-step S23, the smaller short distance value selected in sub-step S22 can be directly used without re-screening.

[0130] In one example, the pot diameter of pot 3 can be estimated using the indices of the edge elements in the distance value matrix.

[0131] As described above, if the following elements are selected as edge elements in sub-step S22: d23, d26, d32, d37, d42, d47, d52, d57, d62, d67, d72, d77, d84, d85, then the differences between the indices of the edge elements in the same row of the distance value matrix can be determined. The largest difference among these differences can be used to characterize the pot's diameter. For example, in this example, the differences between the indices of the edge elements in rows 2-8 of the distance value matrix are distributed as 3, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5, 1, where the largest difference is 5. By multiplying the largest difference by a predetermined coefficient, the corresponding pot's diameter can be obtained. The predetermined coefficient is related to the sub-region division accuracy.

[0132] Alternatively, it is also feasible to directly use the maximum difference to represent the pot's diameter for subsequent steps.

[0133] In step S3, the desired height of the air inlet 12 can be additionally correlated with the pot opening diameter of the cookware 3. In particular, the desired height can be negatively correlated with the pot opening diameter.

[0134] Optionally, after determining the desired height of the air inlet 12 of the range hood 1 based at least on the ignition state and the height of the cookware, the determined desired height can be adjusted according to the diameter of the cookware 3 in a manner negatively correlated with the diameter of the cookware.

[0135] For example, if the detected effective cookware height is 49mm, it can be determined that the effective cookware height is within the first cookware height range (e.g., 40mm to 100mm). The desired height can be initially determined as the first air inlet height. Then, based on the diameter of the cookware 3, the desired height can be further adjusted, especially fine-tuned within a smaller range. If the cookware diameter is large, the desired height can be reduced so that it is less than the first air inlet height. Therefore, for cookware 3 with similar heights but different diameters, different desired heights can be set for the air inlet 12 of the range hood 1. For example, the heights of a frying pan and a wok are similar and both fall within the first cookware height range, but the diameter of the frying pan is 18cm, while the diameter of the wok is 30cm. For the frying pan, the desired height of the air inlet 12 can be set relatively high; for the wok, the desired height of the air inlet 12 can be set relatively low.

[0136] Therefore, for cookware 3 with a large opening diameter, the air inlet 12 can be closer to the cookware 3, thereby improving the suction effect and preventing the escape of oil fumes.

[0137] According to one embodiment of this application, in step S3, when both the first burner 21 and the second burner 22 are ignited, the weighted average of the first cookware height and the second cookware height can be used as the effective cookware height, wherein the weight is related to the cookware diameter. For example, the larger the cookware diameter, the greater the weight of the cookware height in the effective cookware height. Furthermore, the desired height is determined based on the effective cookware height, such that the desired height of the air inlet 12 is additionally related to the cookware diameter of the cookware 3.

[0138] See you again Figure 4 The detection step S2 may also include a sub-step S24. In sub-step S24, the position of the upper edge of the cookware 3 can be determined based on the detection results of the distance sensor.

[0139] Optionally, in sub-step S24, a smaller short distance value is selected from the plurality of distance values ​​measured in sub-step S21 according to a predetermined screening criterion, and the upper edge position of the cookware 3 is determined according to the distribution position of the sub-regions corresponding to the short distance values.

[0140] See Figure 5 If, according to predetermined screening criteria, the smaller short distance value selected from distance values ​​d11-d88 is: d 23 d 24 d 25 d 26 d 32 d 37 d 42 d 47 d 52 d57 d 62 d 67 d 72 d 77 d 84 d 85 The position of the upper edge of the cookware 3 can be determined based on the distribution of the sub-regions corresponding to these short distance values. Alternatively, the position of the upper edge of the cookware 3 can also be estimated using the indices of the elements in the distance value matrix for these short distance values.

[0141] According to an exemplary embodiment of this application, the determination step S3 may further include verifying the desired height using the pot opening diameter and / or the position of its upper edge to prevent the range hood 1 from colliding with the pot 3 when the air inlet 12 is at the desired height. Particularly for pots 3 with a large opening diameter or those positioned horizontally close to the air inlet 12, if the pot height of the pot 3 is large and the desired height of the air inlet 12 is small, the range hood 1 may collide with the pot 3. Utilizing the detected pot opening diameter and / or upper edge position can prevent collisions.

[0142] This verification may include, in particular, comparing the cookware height of the other of the first cookware 31 and the second cookware 32 with the desired height if the cookware diameter and / or upper edge position of the other of the first cookware 31 and the second cookware 32 meet predetermined conditions, when the cookware height of the other of the first cookware 31 and the second cookware 32 is used as the effective cookware height for determining the desired height.

[0143] See Figure 6 Below the range hood 1, the first pot 31 is placed on the first burner 21 of the stove 2, and the second pot 32 is placed on the second burner 22 of the stove 2. The first burner 21 is not lit, while the second burner 22 is lit.

[0144] In the identification step S1, it can be identified that the first burner 21 is not ignited and the second burner 22 is ignited.

[0145] In the detection step S2, the height, diameter and upper edge position of the first pot 31 and the second pot 32 can be detected.

[0146] In step S3, taking into account the ignition state, the height of the second cookware 32 can be used as the effective cookware height. Then, the desired height of the air inlet 12 of the range hood 1 can be determined based on the effective cookware height.

[0147] In step S3, the desired height can also be verified using the pot diameter and / or upper edge position of the cookware 3. If the pot diameter and / or upper edge position of the first cookware 31 meet predetermined conditions, the height of the first cookware is compared with the desired height. The predetermined conditions may include, for example, at least one of the following: the pot diameter is greater than a predetermined diameter threshold; the upper edge position is within a predetermined range; the horizontal distance between the upper edge and the air inlet 12 is less than a predetermined horizontal distance threshold. The predetermined diameter threshold and / or predetermined range and / or predetermined horizontal distance threshold are associated with the structure and installation position of the range hood 1.

[0148] For example, if the diameter of the first cookware 31 is larger than a predetermined diameter threshold, and the height of the first cookware is greater than the expected height, then the expected height cannot pass the verification. In the event of verification failure, the expected height can be re-determined based on the height of the first cookware.

[0149] Some users are accustomed to cooking on only one burner while placing items on or next to the other burner. The above verification of the desired height effectively prevents the range hood 1 from colliding with these items.

[0150] According to this application, the method for adjusting the height of the air inlet 12 of the range hood 1 can be achieved by software or by a combination of software and hardware.

[0151] This application also relates to a computer program product comprising computer program instructions, wherein the computer program instructions, when executed by one or more processors, enable the one or more processors to perform the method according to an exemplary embodiment of this application.

[0152] The computer program product may be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Such a medium may include, for example, various media capable of storing program code, such as read-only memory, random access memory, hard disk, magnetic disk, or optical disk.

[0153] Although specific embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, even when only a single embodiment is described with respect to a particular feature. The feature examples provided in this disclosure are intended to be illustrative and not limiting, unless otherwise stated. In practice, multiple features may be combined with each other as needed and where technically feasible. In particular, features from different embodiments may also be combined with each other. Various substitutions, changes, and modifications are conceived without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting the height of the air inlet of a range hood, wherein, The method includes the following steps: In step S1, the ignition status of the stove (2) is identified. In step S2, the height of the pot (3) on the stove (2) is detected. In step S3, the desired height of the air inlet (12) of the range hood (1) is determined based at least on the ignition status and the height of the cookware; and Adjustment step S4 to bring the air inlet (12) to the desired height.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, In the identification step S1, the first ignition state of the first burner (21) of the stove (2) and the second ignition state of the second burner (22) of the stove (2) are identified. The first ignition state and the second ignition state are used to determine the relationship between the pot height of the pot (3) on the first burner (21) and the second burner (22) and the effective pot height used to determine the desired height in the determination step S3.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein, In detection step S2, the cookware height is detected based on the first ignition state and the second ignition state. Specifically, the cookware height of the cookware (3) on the ignited burner of the first burner (21) and the second burner (22) is detected only, and used as the effective cookware height for determining the desired height in determination step S3; and / or In step S3, if only one of the first ignition state and the second ignition state indicates that ignition has occurred, the pot height of the pot (3) on the ignited burner of the first burner (21) and the second burner (22) is selected as the effective pot height for determining the desired height; and / or In step S3, if both the first ignition state and the second ignition state indicate that the stove (2) has been ignited, the larger of the first pot height of the first pot (31) on the first burner (21) of the stove (2) and the second pot height of the second pot (32) on the second burner (22) of the stove (2) is selected as the effective pot height for determining the desired height.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein, In step S3, if both the first ignition state and the second ignition state indicate that the stove (2) has been ignited, the average of the height of the first pot (31) on the first burner (21) of the stove (2) and the height of the second pot (32) on the second burner (22) of the stove (2) is taken as the effective pot height for determining the desired height.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein, In the identification step S1, the ignition status of the stove (2) is identified by receiving ignition information from the stove (2) through the receiving device (16) of the range hood (1).

6. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, In step S3, the cookware height is compared with a height threshold; only cookware heights greater than the height threshold can be used as valid cookware heights for determining the desired height; and / or In step S3, the stable maintenance time of the cookware height is compared with a time threshold. Only cookware heights with a stable maintenance time greater than the time threshold can be used as valid cookware heights for determining the desired height; and / or In step S3, the change in the current pot height relative to the previous pot height is determined, and step S4 is executed only if the change is above the change threshold.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, In step S3, the desired height is determined by using a number of pre-set cookware height ranges and the height of the air inlet (12) corresponding to the cookware height range, wherein the height of the air inlet (12) corresponding to the cookware height range to which the cookware height belongs is taken as the desired height.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein, In detection step S2, the pot opening diameter and / or upper edge position of the cookware (3) are additionally detected so that in determination step S3, the desired height of the air inlet (12) is additionally associated with the pot opening diameter and / or upper edge position of the cookware (3), wherein the upper edge position represents the horizontal position of the upper edge of the cookware (3).

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, In step S3, the desired height is made negatively correlated with the pot's diameter.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein, In step S3, after determining the desired height of the air inlet (12) of the range hood (1) based at least on the ignition state and the height of the cookware, the determined desired height is adjusted according to the diameter of the cookware (3) in a manner negatively correlated with the diameter of the cookware.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8-10, wherein, The determination step S3 also includes verifying the desired height using the pot opening diameter and / or the position of the upper edge of the pot (3) to prevent the range hood (1) from colliding with the pot (3) when the air inlet (12) is at the desired height.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The verification includes: if the height of one of the first cookware (31) and the second cookware (32) is used as the effective cookware height for determining the desired height, then if the pot diameter and / or upper edge position of the other of the first cookware (31) and the second cookware (32) meet predetermined conditions, then the height of the other of the first cookware (31) and the second cookware (32) is compared with the desired height.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1-12, wherein, Detection step S2 includes the following sub-steps: S21, the cookware (3) is detected by the distance sensor of the range hood (1) to obtain the detection result; S22, determine the height of the cookware based on the detection results of the distance sensor.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, In sub-step S21, the detection range of the distance sensor is divided into multiple sub-regions, and multiple distance values ​​corresponding to each sub-region are determined by the distance sensor. In sub-step S22, the smaller short distance value is selected from the plurality of distance values ​​according to a predetermined screening criterion, and the pot height is determined based on the short distance value.

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein, Detection step S2 also includes the following sub-steps: S23, determine the pot opening diameter of the cookware (3) based on the detection results of the distance sensor; and / or S24, the position of the upper edge of the cookware (3) is determined based on the detection results of the distance sensor.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein, In sub-step S21, the detection range of the distance sensor is divided into multiple sub-regions, and multiple distance values ​​corresponding to each sub-region are determined by the distance sensor. as well as In sub-step S23, according to predetermined screening criteria, the smaller short distance value is selected from the plurality of distance values, and the pot opening diameter of the cookware (3) is determined according to the distribution location of the sub-regions corresponding to the short distance values; and / or In sub-step S24, a smaller short distance value is selected from the plurality of distance values ​​according to a predetermined screening criterion, and the upper edge position of the cookware (3) is determined according to the distribution position of the sub-regions corresponding to the short distance value.

17. A range hood, wherein, The range hood (1) includes: Main body (11); An air inlet (12) allows oil fumes to enter the range hood (1), and the air inlet (12) is configured to move relative to the main body (11) in the height direction; The lifting mechanism (13) is configured to adjust the height of the air inlet (12); The detection device (14) is configured to detect the height of the pot (3) on the stove (2); and A control device (15) connected to a detection device (14) and a lifting mechanism (13) is configured to perform a method for adjusting the height of the air inlet (12) of the range hood (1) according to any one of claims 1-16.

18. The range hood according to claim 17, wherein, The range hood (1) also includes a receiving device (16) configured to receive ignition information from the stove (2), wherein the receiving device (16) is connected to a control device (15) so that the control device (15) can identify the ignition status of the stove (2) based on the ignition information.

19. A computer program product comprising computer program instructions, wherein, When the computer program instructions are executed by one or more processors, the one or more processors are able to perform a method for adjusting the height of the air inlet (12) of the range hood (1) according to any one of claims 1-16.

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