Control method and apparatus for laundry device, and laundry device and storage medium

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Solution Overview

Problem

Intelligent washing machines face challenges with user interfaces that are not intuitive or cost-effective, as buttons and knobs are complex, while touch screens are expensive to manufacture.

Innovation Solution

A control method and apparatus utilizing a touch bar and non-touch screen to visualize operations, allowing single taps, double taps, and sliding gestures for simple and cost-effective user interaction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If touch screens are used to control the washing machine, then the user interface becomes intuitive and operations can be visualized, but the manufacturing cost and expenses increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser interface intuitivenessVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The control interface is segmented into two distinct parts: a touch bar for receiving user inputs and a non-touch screen for displaying information. This segmentation allows the system to provide intuitive visual feedback without the high costs associated with full touch screen implementation, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and manufacturing cost.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The non-touch screen acts as an intermediary between the touch bar and the user. It provides visual feedback and displays operation information, making the touch bar's responses intuitive and understandable without requiring the expensive capacitive or resistive touch screen technology.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If buttons and knobs are used to control the washing machine, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the user interface becomes less intuitive and operations cannot be directly visualized

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing costVSAvoiduser interface intuitiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The mechanical buttons and knobs are replaced with an electronic touch bar that detects touch operations through capacitance changes. This substitution maintains low manufacturing costs while enabling more intuitive touch-based interaction and visual feedback through the non-touch screen.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements immediate visual feedback through the non-touch screen that displays the operation content corresponding to each touch bar input. This feedback mechanism makes the operation interface intuitive by directly visualizing the user's actions, something that traditional buttons and knobs cannot provide.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables intuitive and cost-effective operation of laundry devices by visualizing user interactions through a touch bar and non-touch screen, enhancing user experience while reducing manufacturing costs.

Implementation Method 1

In response to sensing a touch operation of a user through the touch bar

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapacitive sensing: Capacitance

Data Source

PatentEP4696827A1Control method and apparatus for laundry device, and laundry device and storage medium
Publication Date: 2026.02.18 HEFEI HAIER WASHING MACHINE
  • EP4696827A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4696827A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4696827A1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A control method and apparatus for a laundry device, a laundry device and a storage medium. The method includes: in response to sensing a touch operation of a user through a touch bar, sending an operation type corresponding to the touch operation to a controller, where the operation type includes: a single tap, a double tap, and sliding; determining a touch instruction corresponding to the operation type through the controller; determining current operation content of the user according to the touch instruction, and displaying the current operation content of the user on a non-touch screen; and in response to the current operation content being target operation content of the user, controlling a laundry device to process a cloth according to the target operation content. Sensing an operation of a user through a touch bar and presenting the operation of the user through a non-touch screen enable the user to control a laundry device in a simple and convenient way through the touch bar, thereby achieving low manufacturing costs and improving the user experience.