Appliance Door Movement Detection Using Integrated Image Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing household appliances face challenges in accurately detecting the movement of movable components, such as doors or drawers, without the need for separate sensors, which can be costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A sensor unit, such as a camera or time-of-flight (TOF) sensor, is integrated into the movable component to capture images at different times, comparing them to a reference image to detect displacement and movement, eliminating the need for separate sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a separate sensor is used to detect movement of a movable component, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sensor unit with the movable component itself, making the component both the object to be detected and the detection device. The sensor unit is integrated into the movable component (e.g., door or drawer), eliminating the need for separate sensors on the appliance body. This integration reduces the total number of sensors while maintaining accurate movement detection through image comparison between different positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor unit serves multiple functions: it detects the position of the movable component, captures images for image analysis, and provides data for determining opening angles. By making the sensor unit part of the movable component, it universally handles both the sensing and the movement functions, eliminating the need for separate dedicated sensors.
2Reliability
If multiple sensors are installed to detect component movement, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the sensor unit with the movable component, reducing the total component count and simplifying manufacturing. Instead of installing multiple separate sensors on the appliance body, the sensor unit is integrated into the movable component itself, reducing assembly steps and manufacturing costs while maintaining reliable movement detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses image capture and comparison as a method to detect movement, essentially creating a visual copy of the environment at different positions. By comparing images captured at different times and positions, the system reliably determines movement without needing multiple physical sensors, reducing cost while maintaining reliability.
3Measurement precision
If image analysis is used to detect displacement, then measurement precision is improved, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the image processing task by focusing on specific features or regions of interest rather than analyzing entire images. The sensor unit captures images and the control unit compares them to detect displacement of the movable component. By segmenting the analysis to focus on relevant changes (such as edge detection or feature point matching), the system achieves accurate displacement measurement while reducing overall processing time.
Data Source
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Figure 3
AI summary
A method for operating a household appliance (100) comprises reading a reference image (200) depicting the environment of the household appliance (100) by a sensor unit (130) arranged on a moving component (120) of the household appliance (100) and a further image (210) depicting the environment of the household appliance (100) by the sensor unit (130) arranged on the moving component (120) of the household appliance (100), as well as comparing the reference image (200) with the further image (210) in order to determine a displacement of the further image (210) relative to the reference image (200), and detecting a movement of the moving component (120) of the household appliance (100) when the displacement is determined.