Method for controlling air conditioner, air conditioner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Individuals with visual impairments face difficulties in controlling smart home appliances, such as air conditioners, due to the reliance on visual cues and lack of voice-based feedback, making it inconvenient for them to operate these devices compared to those with normal vision.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that uses a control device to collect indoor image data and operation status diagrams of an air conditioner, which are input into a training model to generate answers to user questions, with the answers being converted into voice information for playback, allowing users to interact with the air conditioner through voice commands.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If visual display screens are used to show operation status and prompt information, then information can be displayed to users, but people with visual impairment cannot access this information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a camera as an intermediary device to capture the display screen content, and an image recognition model as a mediator to convert visual information into accessible formats. The camera captures the display screen, the recognition model processes the image to extract text and status information, and then outputs this information in a format accessible to visually impaired users through audio or other non-visual channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the direct visual mechanical system (human eye viewing display screen) with an automated optical recognition system. Instead of relying on human visual perception, the system uses a camera to capture images and an AI recognition model to process and interpret the visual information, substituting the biological visual mechanism with an automated optical-electronic system that can provide alternative output formats.
2Measurement precision
If smart home control relies on visual scanning and checking, then operation accuracy can be maintained, but operation time increases significantly for people with visual impairment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having the system proactively capture images of the display screen and pre-process them through the recognition model before the user needs the information. The system automatically updates and maintains an accessible version of the operation status, so when a visually impaired user requests information, it is already prepared and can be quickly delivered without requiring the user to spend time visually scanning or checking each parameter.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically monitoring its own operation status, capturing display information, and generating accessible output formats without requiring user intervention for each check. The air conditioner system serves itself by autonomously providing accessible information about its own status to users with visual impairments, eliminating the need for these users to manually verify each parameter.
3Ease of operation
If traditional control methods are used, then device complexity remains low, but ease of operation deteriorates for people with visual impairment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a control system that serves multiple user groups simultaneously. The same air conditioner system with integrated camera and image recognition capabilities can serve both visually impaired users (through automated image recognition and alternative output formats) and users with normal vision (through the existing display screen). This multi-functional design improves ease of operation for visually impaired users without requiring separate dedicated devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges previously separate functions into a unified system. The air conditioner is combined with a camera module and an image recognition processing system, creating an integrated device that performs both traditional temperature control functions and automated visual information conversion. This merging allows the system to provide enhanced accessibility features while maintaining a single unified interface that all users can interact with.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed in the present disclosure are a method and system for controlling an air conditioner, the air conditioner, and a household appliance. The method comprises: data collected by a control device during an operation of the air conditioner is received, wherein the data comprises question information, and at least one of indoor image data and an operation status diagram of the air conditioner located indoors; the collected data is input to a training model to obtain an answer that corresponds to the question information; and the answer is played.