Apparatus and Method for Controlling IoT Electric Mat Based on Voice Recognition

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electric mat control device and a control method that integrate voice recognition and IoT communication functions. The electric mat control device according to the present invention includes a voice recognition module that receives a user's voice and recognizes control commands regarding a wake word, power, temperature level, usage time, heating zone, etc.; a control circuit that verifies a predefined safety rule based on the temperature, continuous usage time, and current status acquired from a sensor unit, and controls the output of a heating element only when the safety rule is satisfied; and a wireless communication circuit that transmits and receives electric mat status information to and from an external terminal or server and updates firmware and safety rules via an OTA method. Accordingly, the user can conveniently control the electric mat using only voice commands and efficiently prevent safety accidents caused by overheating, exceeding the continuous usage time, overcurrent, etc.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to control technology for electric mats (including sheet-type heating devices such as electric heating pads, electric blankets, and hot water mats), and more specifically, to a voice recognition-based IoT electric mat control device and a control method that integrate voice recognition functions and Internet of Things (IoT) communication functions to control the power, temperature, usage time, and operating mode of the electric mat according to a user's voice command, and perform a safety interlock function that responds to overheating, overcurrent, and exceeding continuous usage time by verifying safety rules based on sensor data. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, electric mats control the temperature by controlling the power applied to the electric heating element, and conventionally, methods of setting the power on / off and temperature levels through a wired remote control or physical buttons formed on a control panel integrated with the mat have been mainly used.

[0004] Recently, with the development of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, products are being proposed that allow electric mats to be linked with a smartphone application (hereinafter referred to as an “app”) to remotely set the temperature and usage time via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, or to check the power status from the outside.

[0005] However, the conventional technology has the following problems.

[0006] First, the operation method using physical buttons causes significant inconvenience for those sleeping, the elderly, or those with joint diseases, as it requires the user to move near the control panel to press the button directly. If the control panel is located under the mat or on the side of the bed, it is difficult to see the controls, making operation errors likely.

[0007] Second, app-based control methods require complex procedures such as launching the app, connecting the device, and navigating menus, which reduces accessibility for users unfamiliar with using smart devices, particularly the elderly and the visually impaired. This becomes a limiting factor in terms of safety and convenience for daily life.

[0008] Third, while some conventional electric mats are equipped with basic safety features such as temperature fuses for overheating prevention and timer functions, they do not sufficiently implement an active safety interlock structure that comprehensively verifies the set temperature, continuous usage time, and current status before a user's control command is executed to determine whether predefined safety rules are satisfied, and restricts or blocks the command itself if violations occur. Consequently, risks such as low-temperature burns caused by careless high-temperature settings or prolonged use, overheating of the heating element, and fires caused by overcurrent still exist.

[0009] Fourth, in terms of integration with smart home platforms, a significant portion of conventional technologies remain at the level of simple remote on / off, and have structural problems in that they cannot support complex command integration with external voice platforms such as Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, or remote updates of safety rule tables and firmware via OTA (Over-The-Air).

[0010] Accordingly, a new electric mat control technology is required that integrates an intuitive voice recognition-based user interface with IoT communication-based status monitoring and safety rule update functions, while simultaneously preventing electrical and thermal hazards in advance through safety interlock logic. Prior art literature

[0011] Republic of Korea Published Patent Application No. 10-2014-0119591 (Published Oct. 10, 2014) Republic of Korea Published Patent Application No. 10-2014-0047932 (Published Apr. 23, 2014) The problem to be solved

[0012] The present invention has been devised to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and its main objectives are as follows.

[0013] First, it provides a voice-based user interface that allows users to intuitively control the power, temperature level, usage time, heating zone, and operating mode of the electric mat using only voice commands, without the need for physical buttons or app operation.

[0014] Second, the goal is to implement a highly accessible electric mat control environment centered on voice recognition and voice feedback, so that the elderly, the visually impaired, and users unfamiliar with using smart devices can use it easily.

[0015] Third, before a voice command or external control command is executed, it provides an active safety interlock function that can prevent safety accidents such as overheating, low-temperature burns, and fires caused by electrical abnormalities by verifying conditions such as temperature, continuous usage time, and overcurrent / leakage current according to safety rules, and by restricting or blocking commands in the event of a violation of safety rules.

[0016] Fourth, by enabling remote monitoring of electric mat status information, integration with smart home platforms, and OTA updates of firmware and safety rule tables through Wi-Fi and / or BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy)-based IoT communication, it provides a structure that can continuously improve safety and convenience even after product launch.

[0017] Fifth, it supports multi-zone (left / right, up / down, etc.) heating element control, infant mode, elderly / visually impaired mode, and absence detection-based away mode, thereby providing customized safety and convenience features optimized for the user type and usage environment.

[0018] The technical problems of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned technical problems will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description below. means of solving the problem

[0019] A voice recognition-based IoT electric mat control device according to one embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above objective is an electric mat control device that supplies and controls power to a heating element of an electric mat, wherein

[0020] The electric mat includes a power driving unit (70) for controlling power applied to a heating element (11) of the electric mat, a voice recognition module (20) including a microphone (21) embedded in the control device for receiving a user's voice, a voice recognition circuit (22) for detecting a wake word from a voice received through the voice recognition module (20) and recognizing control commands regarding power, temperature level, usage time, and heating zone, etc., a control circuit unit (30) for controlling the heating element (11) of the electric mat based on the recognition result of the voice recognition circuit (22) and sensor data from the sensor unit (50), and a wireless communication module (40) for transmitting and receiving status information of the electric mat to an external terminal (80) or server (90) under the control of the control circuit unit (30).

[0021] The control circuit unit (30) may be configured to determine whether the control command can be executed by referring to a pre-stored safety rule table based on information regarding the temperature, continuous usage time, and current status of the heating element (11) collected from the sensor unit (50) before the control command is executed, and to restrict or block the execution of the control command if it violates the safety rule.

[0022] Additionally, the sensor unit (50) may include one or more temperature sensors (51) disposed on the upper surface of the heating element (11) or electric mat, a current sensor (52) for detecting the current of the power driving unit (70), and a human body detection sensor (53) for detecting the presence of a user as needed, and the wireless communication module (40) may include at least one of a Wi-Fi module (41) and a BLE module (42).

[0023] In another embodiment, the control circuit (30) may set at least one of an infant mode and an elderly / visually impaired mode, and may include safety rules that set the temperature upper limit, continuous usage time upper limit, and allowable command set differently from the general mode.

[0024] In another embodiment, the wireless communication module (40) may include a function to update at least one of the firmware, the voice recognition model, and the safety rule table via an OTA method. Effects of the invention

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

[0026] First, since hands-free control based on a wake word is possible using a voice recognition module, the power, temperature, and usage time of the electric mat can be easily controlled even when the user is sleeping or using both hands, significantly improving user convenience.

[0027] Second, since key functions can be controlled and verified through voice commands and voice feedback without relying on a visual UI (User Interface), accessibility is improved for the elderly, the visually impaired, and users unfamiliar with using digital devices.

[0028] Third, the control circuit performs an active safety interlock function that verifies safety rules based on sensor data before executing voice commands and limits or blocks command execution in the event of a rule violation, thereby effectively preventing safety accidents such as fire and low-temperature burns caused by overheating, exceeding continuous usage time, overcurrent, and leakage current.

[0029] Fourth, through the IoT communication module, status information can be shared in real time with smartphone apps and smart home platforms, and firmware and safety rules can be updated remotely, making it easy to strengthen safety standards and add new service features even after product launch.

[0030] Fifth, by supporting various driving scenarios such as multi-zone heating element control, infant mode, elderly / visually impaired mode, and absence detection-based away mode, customized control optimized for user types and usage environments is possible.

[0031] The above effects are merely exemplary, and other effects that a person skilled in the art can readily understand from the embodiments of the present invention are also included within the scope of the present invention.

[0033] The effects of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other unmentioned effects will be clearly understood by a person skilled in the art from the description below. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0034] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the overall configuration of a voice recognition-based IoT electric mat control device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart for setting upper temperature limits and upper usage time limits for each user mode according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a voice command processing and safety rule verification flow according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of automatic blocking and warning operation for continuous usage time according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a child lock operation according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the arrangement of heating elements and sensors of a multi-zone electric mat according to the present invention. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0035] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. The features and advantages of the present invention and the means for achieving them will become clearer through the following embodiments. However, the embodiments described below are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to these embodiments.

[0036] Furthermore, wherever any part is described throughout this specification as “comprising,” “equipped,” etc., other parts, this should be interpreted to mean that additional components may be included unless specifically stated otherwise, and does not imply the exclusion of other components.

[0037] Furthermore, where in this specification, if a component is described as being “connected” or “connected” to another component, this should be understood to include not only cases where other components may be interposed between them, but also all cases where they may be directly connected or connected.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the overall configuration of a voice recognition-based IoT electric mat control device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart for setting upper temperature limits and upper usage time limits for each user mode according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a voice command processing and safety rule verification flow according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of automatic continuous usage time cutoff and warning operation according to the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of child lock operation according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating the arrangement of heating elements and sensors of a multi-zone electric mat according to the present invention.

[0041] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0042] First, the overall system configuration is as follows.

[0043] Referring to FIG. 1, a voice recognition-based IoT electric mat control device (indicated as 100 overall) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include an electric mat (10) including a heating element (11), a power driving unit (70) for controlling power applied to the heating element (11), a control circuit unit (30) for controlling the power driving unit (70), a voice recognition module (20) for receiving and recognizing a user's voice, a sensor unit (50) for measuring the state information of the electric mat, a display / voice output unit (60) for providing the state and warning to the user, and a wireless communication module (40) for communicating with an external terminal (80), such as a smartphone, and a server (90).

[0044] The electric mat (10) includes an electric heating element (11) and can be divided into multiple heating zones, such as a left zone (12) and a right zone (13), as needed. An independent temperature sensor (51), a current sensor (52), and a human body detection sensor (53) may be placed in each heating zone, and the control circuit (30) independently controls the temperature and power output for each zone and whether a human body is detected.

[0045] The power driving unit (70) receives AC power and controls the active power supplied to the heating element (11) through a switching element (71) (e.g., SCR, SSR, relay, etc.). The power driving unit (70) may be equipped with a detection circuit (72) that detects overcurrent and leakage current, and the detection result is transmitted to the control circuit unit (30).

[0046] The control circuit unit (30) includes a microcontroller (MCU) and a memory (31), and controls the power driving unit (70) by integrating commands from the voice recognition module (20), sensor data from the sensor unit (50), and control signals from the wireless communication module (40), and performs safety interlock logic according to a safety rule table.

[0047] The voice recognition module (20) includes a microphone (21) and a voice recognition circuit (22), the microphone (21) receives the user's voice as an analog voice signal, and the voice recognition circuit (22) performs wake word detection and command recognition by analog / digital conversion and digital signal processing. In some embodiments, the voice recognition circuit (22) performs only local command recognition, and natural language-based complex commands may be transmitted to a server (90) via a wireless communication module (40) for processing.

[0048] The sensor unit (50) includes a temperature sensor (51), a current sensor (52), and optionally a human body detection sensor (53) placed on the surface or inside of the electric mat. The human body detection sensor (53) may be composed of a pressure sensor, an infrared sensor, a motion sensor, etc., and detects whether a user is on the electric mat.

[0049] The display / voice output unit (60) includes an LED (61) and a speaker (62) to provide visual and auditory guidance to the user regarding the current temperature level, usage time, and whether a safety warning has occurred. In particular, in the elderly and visually impaired mode, the frequency and content of the voice guidance can be expanded.

[0050] The wireless communication module (40) includes at least one of a Wi-Fi module (41) and a BLE module (42) and performs data transmission and reception with an external terminal (80) or server (90), OTA updates, smart home platform integration, etc.

[0052] Next, the voice command processing and safety rule verification flow will be explained below.

[0053] First, referring to FIG. 2, various information is received through an application related to the system of the present invention installed on an external terminal (80) owned by the user and an input interface, which is a voice recognition module (20). Using the input data, the control circuit unit (30) sets the information required for the voice recognition-based IoT electric mat control device according to the present invention. For example, a specific mode among three modes—infant mode, elderly / visually impaired mode, and general mode—is identified, and related setting values, such as maximum usage time (Tmax_use), warning time for usage time (Twarn), and maximum set temperature (Tmax), are received or already input data can be used. Here, depending on the mode, the maximum usage time (Tmax_use), maximum set temperature (Tmax), etc., input into the memory (31) of the control circuit unit (30) have different values ​​in general mode, elderly / visually impaired mode, and infant mode. For example, as shown in Figure 2, in the case of infant mode, it is desirable for Tmax and Tmax_use to have lower or shorter values ​​than in general mode or elderly / visually impaired mode, and in the case of elderly / visually impaired mode, it is desirable to set the guidance frequency high.

[0054] A voice command processing and safety rule verification flow according to one embodiment of the present invention is performed as follows with reference to FIG. 3.

[0055] (1) Wake Word detection step (S10):

[0056] The voice recognition module (20) monitors the input of the microphone (21) in a low-power mode at all times, and switches to a command recognition mode when a wake word such as “Mat-ya” or “Heater-ya” is detected.

[0057] (2) Command recognition and parsing step (S20):

[0058] By analyzing the utterance after the wake word, commands related to power on / off, temperature level up / down, usage time setting / off, heating zone designation, and setting general mode / infant mode / elderly mode are recognized. At this time, the recognized commands are transmitted to the control circuit unit (30) in the form of function type, target zone, setting value, etc.

[0059] (3) 1st validation step (S30):

[0060] The control circuit (30) checks whether the recognized setting value is outside a predefined allowable range (e.g., temperature steps 1 to 9, usage time 0.5 to 12 hours). If it is outside the allowable range, it outputs an error guidance voice through the speaker (62) without executing a command and terminates the flow.

[0061] (4) Safety rule verification step (S40):

[0062] The control circuit unit (30) obtains the current temperature, continuous usage time, and current status from the sensor unit (50), and determines whether the safety rule is satisfied when executing the corresponding command by referring to the safety rule table stored in the memory (31).

[0063] For example, based on the current temperature and the requested temperature setting, it is determined whether the temperature upper limit Tmax (variable depending on the usage mode and environment) is exceeded, whether the accumulated usage time exceeds the maximum continuous usage time (Tmax_use), and whether there is an overcurrent or leakage current based on the measurements of the current sensor (52) and the detection circuit (72).

[0064] (5) Command execution step (S50):

[0065] When it is determined that safety rules are satisfied, the control circuit (30) outputs a control signal to the power drive unit (70) to adjust the heating output for the corresponding heating zones (12, 13) of the electric mat (10) and updates status information such as the temperature level, remaining usage time, and operating mode. At the same time, the updated status information is transmitted to an external terminal (80) and a server (90) via a wireless communication module (40).

[0066] (6) Safety violation handling step (S60):

[0067] If it is determined that safety rules are not met, the control circuit (30) restricts or blocks command execution and outputs safety warning voices through the speaker (62), such as “The current temperature is too high and cannot be raised further,” or “The setting cannot be changed because it has already been in use for a long time.” Additionally, if necessary, a push notification can be sent to an external terminal (80).

[0069] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the automatic blocking and warning operation for continuous usage time will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

[0070] (1) Example of automatic blocking of continuous usage time

[0071] For example, Tmax_use is set to 10 hours and Twarn to 9.5 hours for explanation. The control circuit (30) calculates the cumulative usage time (t_use) from the time (S100) when power is applied to the electric mat (10) (S110), determines whether the cumulative usage time reaches the set warning time (Twarn), for example, 9.5 hours (S120), and if the cumulative usage time (t_use) reaches the set warning time (Twarn) (for example, 9.5 hours), outputs a voice warning saying “The power will be automatically turned off after 30 minutes” (S130). Afterwards, it determines whether the cumulative usage time (t_use) exceeds the maximum continuous usage time (Tmax_use) (S140), and if it exceeds it, for example at the 10-hour mark, controls the power drive unit (70) to cut off the power supply to the heating element (11) (S150).

[0072] (2) Infant Mode Example

[0073] When the infant mode is entered, it is desirable for the control circuit (30) to set the temperature upper limit (Tmax) to a lower level than the normal mode (e.g., 4 levels or less) and to set the maximum continuous use time (Tmax_use) to be shorter than the normal mode. When a high temperature setting command is entered while the infant mode is set, the control circuit (30) may not execute the command and may provide a voice guidance saying, “In infant mode, you cannot set it higher than the current level.” It is desirable to ensure that the infant mode is deactivated by app authentication or specific device operation (e.g., long-pressing of a physical button) so that a child cannot deactivate it arbitrarily.

[0074] (3) Elderly / Visually Impaired Mode and Child Lock Example

[0075] In the elderly / visually impaired mode, it is advisable to limit allowed commands to simplified expressions such as “warmer,” “a little more,” and “a little less,” and to periodically provide voice guidance for all key statuses.

[0076] Meanwhile, the voice recognition-based IoT electric mat control device according to the present invention may be equipped with a child lock function (a function that detects a malfunction by children in advance and prevents it from operating) to prevent fire or overheating caused by a malfunction by children when necessary. FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an example of child lock operation according to the present invention. For example, when a command input by an input interface (voice input module (20) or an application of a terminal) is determined to be input data requesting a high temperature setting or requesting long-term use (M10), the control circuit unit (30) checks whether the child lock is activated (M20), and if the child lock is activated, performs a process of allowing the command (M50) by having the user enter an app PIN number or a password (M30) and having the user enter a password, and if authentication is successful, rejects the command or outputs (M60) that the child lock is engaged through the display / voice output unit (60).

[0077] (4) Example of an absence detection-based outing mode

[0078] If the human body detection sensor (53) of the sensor unit (50) does not detect a user for a long time (e.g., 30 minutes or more), the control circuit unit (30) outputs a notice through the display / voice output unit (60) saying, “No user detected. Lower the temperature after a certain period of time.” and if no user is detected thereafter, it is desirable to automatically lower the temperature level or shorten the usage time.

[0080] As another embodiment, an example of multi-zone heating element control is described.

[0081] Referring to FIG. 6, the electric mat (10) includes a left heating zone (12) and a right heating zone (13), and it is desirable to install sensors in each zone by dividing them into specific sections (upper, middle, and lower) as needed. In the drawing, the upper, middle, and lower sections are divided into a, b, and c, and the left and right sections are indicated as L and R. For example, the temperature sensor (51) installed in the middle (b) of the right (R) heating zone is indicated by the reference numeral 51b_R for convenience, and the heating element (11) is also indicated by the reference numeral 11b_R. An independent temperature sensor (51) is placed in each zone. The voice recognition module (20) can recognize zone-specific control commands such as “set the left side to level 3” or “turn off the right side,” and the control circuit unit (30) can independently apply safety rules to each zone. For example, if the area with an infant is operated in infant mode and the area with a guardian is operated in normal mode, the temperature upper limit (Tmax) and maximum continuous usage time (Tmax_use) can be applied differently.

[0082] The above embodiments are merely examples to aid in understanding the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, if the heating element (11) is a hot water circulation structure rather than an electric heating wire, the configuration of the sensor unit (50) may be modified to be applied to a hot water mat, and an AI recommendation mode based on user usage patterns may be added using a cloud server (90). In addition, a variation is possible in which both voice recognition and safety logic are installed locally so that essential commands and safety rules operate offline even when the network environment is unstable.

[0083] In addition, each component mentioned in the above description may be combined in various combinations within the same embodiment or between different embodiments unless otherwise noted, and all such variations and modifications are included within the scope of the present invention.

[0084] In other words, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments and descriptions described above, and any person skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can make various modifications without departing from the essence of the invention as claimed in the claims, and such modifications fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0085] 10 : Electric mat 11: Heating element 12: Left heating zone 13: Right heating zone 20: Speech recognition module 21: Microphone 22: Voice recognition circuit 30: Control circuit section 31 : Memory 40: Wireless communication module 41: Wi-Fi module 42: BLE module 50 : Sensor section 51: Temperature sensor 52: Current sensor 53: Human body detection sensor 60 : Display / Voice Output Section 61 : LED 62 : Speaker 70: Power drive unit 71: Switching element 72: Overcurrent / leakage current detection circuit 80 : External terminal 90 : Server 100: Voice Recognition-Based IoT Electric Mat Control Device

Claims

Claim 1 An electric mat control device for supplying power to and controlling a heating element of an electric mat, comprising: a voice recognition module including a microphone for receiving a user voice and a voice recognition circuit for detecting a wake word from the received voice and recognizing a control command regarding at least one of power, temperature level, usage time, and / or heating zone; a control circuit for controlling the output of the heating element according to the control command; and a wireless communication circuit for transmitting and receiving status information of the control device to and from an external terminal or server, wherein the control circuit is configured to verify safety rules regarding the temperature, continuous usage time, and current status of the heating element before the control command is executed, and to restrict or block the execution of the control command if the safety rules are violated, and wherein the voice recognition circuit performs a keyword parsing function that processes simple control commands regarding the wake word, power, temperature level, and usage time locally, and transmits complex natural language commands to a cloud server via the wireless communication circuit for processing. Claim 2 A voice recognition-based IoT electric mat control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the safety rule includes at least one of whether the upper limit of the heating element surface temperature is exceeded, whether the set maximum continuous usage time is exceeded, and whether an overcurrent or leakage current occurs in the power driving unit. Claim 3 delete Claim 4 A voice recognition-based IoT electric mat control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the control circuit includes logic that outputs a voice warning to a user when the continuous usage time reaches a preset warning time based on the result of the safety rule verification, and automatically cuts off the power supply to the heating element when the accumulated usage time exceeds the maximum continuous usage time. Claim 5 A voice recognition-based IoT electric mat control device according to claim 1, wherein the electric mat comprises a plurality of heating zones, the voice recognition circuit recognizes control commands designated for each zone, and the control circuit performs independent safety rule verification and output control for each heating zone. Claim 6 A voice recognition-based IoT electric mat control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the wireless communication circuit supports an Over-The-Air (OTA) update function for wirelessly updating at least one of firmware, a voice model of the voice recognition circuit, and a safety rule table in which safety rules are stored. Claim 7 A voice recognition-based IoT electric mat control device according to claim 1, wherein the control circuit can set at least one of an infant mode and an elderly / visually impaired mode, and includes a child lock function that limits the temperature upper limit to be lower than that of a normal mode when the infant mode is set, and allows a temperature setting command to exceed the limited temperature upper limit only when authentication is performed via an app PIN number or a voice password. Claim 8 delete Claim 9 delete Claim 10 delete

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