DE102019004832A1 - Monitoring system for an electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

A monitoring system for an electronic household appliance (10) contains at least one sound generator (12, 12 ') in or on the device (10) and at least one sound sensor (14) for detecting the sound emitted by the sound generator (12, 12') and by an object (20) Noises reflected outside the device (21). A control unit (16) detects the presence of an object (20) outside the device (10) based on the recorded sound signals (15). In this way, for example, deposits on the device or blockages in device openings can be detected, which impede the proper or operation of the household device.

Description

The present invention relates to a monitoring system for an electronic device, in particular an electronic household device.

Depending on the type of electronic device, deposits such as plants, ice, snow, etc. on the device or blockages in device openings or unfavorable positioning of the device can hinder the correct or efficient operation of the device.

In commercial applications such as supermarkets, the detection of people in the vicinity of the device can be used to monitor device usage.

The object of the invention is to create a monitoring system for electronic devices that can detect objects on the device or in the vicinity of the object with a simple structure.

This object is achieved by a monitoring system having the features of claim 1. Particularly advantageous configurations and developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

The monitoring system according to the invention for an electronic device has: at least one noise generator in or on the device for generating noises; at least one sound sensor for detecting noises which have been emitted by the at least one sound generator and reflected from an object outside the device; and a control unit which is connected to the at least one sound sensor and is configured to detect the presence of an object outside the device based on the sound signals detected by the at least one sound sensor.

The monitoring system according to the invention uses the knowledge that objects such as objects, deposits, people, etc. on the device or in the vicinity of the device generally reflect noises, so that such objects can be easily detected by means of sound sensors without special sensors. The control unit preferably analyzes the signal curves, signal amplitudes, phase shifts and the like of the recorded sound signals. Noise generators are already present in most devices as devices that generate noise during operation (e.g. motors, pumps, compressors, etc.) and can also be used for the monitoring system according to the invention.

For example, heat pumps can be blocked in the course of time by plant growth, ice, snow, etc., which can be detected efficiently and at an early stage by the monitoring system according to the invention. Inadequate installation or positioning of heat pumps and placing objects around heat pumps can also lead to energy losses and higher operating costs, which can be detected efficiently and at an early stage by the monitoring system according to the invention.

For example, people in the vicinity of refrigerators or freezers can be detected with the monitoring system according to the invention in supermarkets, which can be used as a basis for a further analysis of the number of customers in the supermarket, customer use of the refrigerator or freezer and the like.

In one embodiment of the invention, the control unit is also designed to recognize an object type of an object present outside the device based on the sound signals detected by the at least one sound sensor.

In one embodiment of the invention, at least two noise generators and / or at least two sound sensors are provided in the monitoring system and the control unit is also designed to recognize a position of an object outside the device based on the sound signals detected by the at least one sound sensor. The position detection can for example take place according to the principle of triangulation.

In one embodiment of the invention, the at least one noise generator has at least one inverter-operated unit of the electronic device that generates noises during operation. Depending on the type of electronic device, the inverter-operated unit is, for example, a motor, a compressor, a pump or the like.

Alternatively or additionally, the at least one noise generator can have at least one loudspeaker.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the control unit is also designed to generate a noise control signal for modulating or changing the noises generated by the at least one noise generator. This configuration is particularly advantageous when using an inverter-operated unit as a noise generator for the monitoring system. By modulating (e.g. frequency modulation) or changing (e.g. by changing the engine speed) the noises also change the noises reflected by objects, so that the evaluation of the sound signals by the control unit can be carried out more reliably and in a more object-specific manner.

The control unit is preferably provided with an internal memory and / or connected to an external memory in which sound signal patterns are stored. In this case, the control unit is preferably designed to compare the sound signals detected by the at least one sound sensor with the sound signal patterns stored in the memory. Several signal patterns for various circumstances such as object types, object positions, object distances to the device, operating states of the device, noise levels, noise frequencies, noise modulations, etc. are preferably stored in the internal / external memory.

In one embodiment of the invention, the monitoring system furthermore has at least one environmental parameter sensor for detecting at least one parameter of a device environment that can influence noise and / or noise reflections, such as temperature, air pressure and the like, and the control unit is connected to the at least one environmental parameter sensor and further configured to take into account the at least one parameter detected by the at least one environmental parameter sensor when evaluating the sound signals detected by the at least one sound sensor. In this embodiment, several signal patterns for different environmental parameters are preferably also stored in the internal / external memory

In a further embodiment of the invention, the monitoring system furthermore has at least one display device connected to the control unit for the optical and / or acoustic display of the evaluation results achieved by the control unit. The display device can display specific evaluation results or error signals or warning signals, for example. The display device can preferably be combined with the operating device of the electronic device or be provided by this.

The invention also relates to an electronic household appliance with a monitoring system of the invention described above. The household appliance is, for example, a refrigerator and / or freezer, a laundry treatment appliance, a dishwasher, an extractor hood, an air conditioning system, a heating system or the like. The household appliance can also be a household appliance for private use, gastronomic use or commercial use (e.g. supermarket).

• 1 ein Gerät mit einem Überwachungssystem gemäß einem ersten Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung; und
• 2 ein Gerät mit einem Überwachungssystem gemäß einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung.

The above and further features and advantages of the invention can be better understood from the following description of preferred, non-limiting exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Most of them show schematically:

• 1 an apparatus having a monitoring system according to a first embodiment of the present invention; and
• 2 a device with a monitoring system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

1 shows a first embodiment of an electronic device with a monitoring system according to the invention.

The device's monitoring system 10 has one (in this embodiment) in the device 10 arranged sound generator 12 and one inside or outside the device 10 arranged sound sensor 14th . The sound generator 12 and the sound sensor 14th are with a control unit 16 connected, for example in the device control 18th of the device 10 can be integrated or combined with this. The control unit 16 controls the sound generator 12 with a noise control signal 13 on and the sound sensor 14th sends the sound signals recorded by airborne and / or structure-borne noise 15th to the control unit 16 .

The one from the sound generator 12 Noises emitted are made in the presence of an object 20th outside the device 10 from this object 20th reflected, so the sound sensor 14th also from the object 20th reflected sounds 21st recorded and the recorded sound signals 15th on the presence of the object 20th depend. At the object 20th it is, for example, an object next to the device or a deposit on the device 10 , a blockage in a device opening, a person near the device 10 , Etc.

The control unit 16 evaluates the sound sensor 14th received sound signals 15th out to the presence of an object 20th outside the device 10 capture. The control unit 16 has an internal memory for this purpose 17th , in which several signal patterns for different situations / circumstances with and without an object are stored. Alternatively or additionally, the control unit 16 also with an external memory 24 (e.g. cloud). When evaluating the sound signals 15th compares the control unit 16 the sound signals 15th of the sound sensor 14th with those in memory 17th , 24 stored signal patterns in order to analyze the current situation / circumstance. The control unit recognizes through the comparison 16 a presence or absence of an object 20th and optionally also the object type of an existing object. The more signal patterns for different situations / circumstances in memory 17th , 24 are stored, the more precise, reliable and object-specific the evaluation of the sound signals can be 15th through the control unit 16 respectively. By evaluating phase shifts in the reflected sounds 21st in the sound signals 15th can the control unit 16 also to a distance of an existing object 20th to the device 10 shut down.

In 1 are only the sound emitted by the sound generator 12 to the object 20th and the reflection of the sounds 21st from the object 20th to the sound sensor 14th illustrated. The sound sensor 14th but usually also records other noises, for example those from the noise generator 12 sent out and within the device 10 be reflected. In this case too, however, the sound signals differ 15th in the presence or absence of an object 20th outside the device and are in memory 17th , 24 corresponding signal pattern is stored.

In the embodiment of 1 is used as a sound generator 12 an inverter-operated aggregate of the device is used, for example a compressor in the case of a heat pump. The aggregate 12 is controlled by the device 18th controlled and generates noises in normal operation. These noises can be used and detected by the sound sensor 14th from the control unit 16 be evaluated. Preferably causes the noise control signal 13 the control unit 16 a change in the noises generated by the unit, for example by changing a speed of the unit, so that different operating states can be generated and the corresponding sound signals can be compared with different signal patterns, thereby reducing the quality of the analysis of the control unit 16 can be improved. To further improve the analysis quality of the control unit 16 can the noise control signal 13 the inverter operation of the genset 12 provided with one or more different modulations to the corresponding sound signals 15th then with corresponding signal patterns from the memory 17th , 24 to compare.

As in 1 shown, the monitoring system further comprises a display device 22nd for visual and / or acoustic display of the monitoring results of the control unit 16 on. The display device 22nd is for example with an operating device of the device 10 combined and formed by this. The monitoring results can be displayed, for example, as error or warning signals or as a concrete description of the detected object situation.

As in 1 As shown, the monitoring system optionally further includes one or more environmental parameter sensors 26th . The environmental parameter sensors 26th record parameters such as temperature, air pressure and humidity in the vicinity of the device 10 which can influence sound propagation and sound reflection. The environmental parameter sensors 26th transmit the recorded parameter values to the control unit 16 that this when evaluating the sound signals 15th from the sound sensor 14th taken into account. In the storage room 17th , 24 different signal patterns are preferably also stored for different parameter values.

2 shows a second embodiment of an electronic device with a monitoring system according to the invention. Identical or analogous components are identified with the same reference numbers as in the first exemplary embodiment.

The monitoring system of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it has a larger number of noise generators and sound sensors. As in 2 shown, the monitoring system has two sound sensors 14th at different positions in / on the device 10 on, both of one object 20th reflected sounds 21st can capture and appropriate sound signals 15th to the control unit 16 send. The control unit 16 evaluates the sound signals 15th of the two sound sensors 14th analogous to the first embodiment. By using two sound sensors 14th can also have two or more objects 20th can be recorded simultaneously and in a differentiated manner. There is also the possibility that the control unit 16 a position of an existing object using a triangulation method, for example 20th outside the device 10 can recognize.

The number of sound sensors 14th for the monitoring system according to the invention is not limited to two. Multiple sound sensors 14th can in particular also be used around objects 20th on different sides of the device 10 to be able to capture.

In addition, the monitoring system of 2 in addition to the inverter-operated unit 20th of the device 10 a loudspeaker 21 'as a second sound generator. The loudspeaker 21 'is controlled by the control unit 16 controlled. In another embodiment of the invention, the monitoring system can be used instead of the loudspeaker 12 ' also a second unit 12 of the device 10 use as a sound generator.

The number of sound generators 12 , 12 ' for the monitoring system according to the invention is not limited to two. Several sound generators 12 , 12 ' can in particular also be used around objects 20th on different sides of the device 10 to be able to capture.

While in the embodiment of 2 the monitoring system has two sound generators 12 , 12 ' and two sound sensors 14th contains, the monitoring system according to the invention can also only have a sound generator 12 , 12 ' in combination with two or more sound sensors 14th have or just a sound sensor 14th in combination with two or more sound generators 12 , 12 ' exhibit.

Otherwise, the second embodiment corresponds to FIG 2 the first embodiment of 1 .

List of reference symbols

10

Electronic device

12

Inverter-operated unit as a noise generator

12 '

Loudspeakers as a sound generator

13

Noise control signal

14th

Sound sensor

15th

Sound signals

16

Control unit

17th

Storage

18th

Device control

20th

object

21st

Noise reflected from the object

22nd

Display device

24

external storage, e.g. cloud

26th

Environmental parameter sensor

Claims (10)

Monitoring system for an electronic device (10), comprising: at least one sound generator (12, 12 ') in or on the device (10) for generating noises; at least one sound sensor (14) for detecting noises (21) which have been emitted by the at least one noise generator (12, 12 ') and reflected from an object (20) outside the device (10); and a control unit (16) which is connected to the at least one sound sensor (14) and is designed to detect the presence of an object (20) outside the device (10) based on the sound signals (15) detected by the at least one sound sensor (14) ) capture. Surveillance system according to Claim 1 , in which the control unit (16) is further configured to recognize an object type of an object (20) outside the device (10) based on the sound signals (15) detected by the at least one sound sensor (14). Surveillance system according to Claim 1 or 2 , in which at least two sound generators (12, 12 ') and / or at least two sound sensors (14) are provided; and the control unit (16) is further configured to recognize a position of an object (20) present outside the device (10) based on the sound signals (15) detected by the at least one sound sensor (14). Monitoring system according to one of the preceding claims, in which the at least one noise generator (12, 12 ') has at least one inverter-operated unit (12) of the electronic device (10) which generates noises during operation. Monitoring system according to one of the preceding claims, in which the at least one noise generator (12, 12 ') has at least one loudspeaker (12'). Monitoring system according to one of the preceding claims, in which the control unit (16) is further designed to generate a noise control signal (13) for modulating or changing the noise generated by the at least one noise generator (12, 12 '). Monitoring system according to one of the preceding claims, in which the control unit (16) has an internal memory (17) and / or is connected to an external memory (24) in which sound signal patterns are stored; and the control unit (16) is configured to control the to compare the at least one sound sensor (14) detected sound signals (15) with the sound signal patterns stored in the memory (17, 24). Monitoring system according to one of the preceding claims, in which the monitoring system furthermore has at least one environmental parameter sensor (26) for detecting at least one parameter of a device environment that can influence noise and / or noise reflections; and the control unit (16) is connected to the at least one environmental parameter sensor (26) and is further configured to measure the at least one parameter detected by the at least one environmental parameter sensor (26) when evaluating the sound signals (15) detected by the at least one sound sensor (14) ) must be taken into account. Monitoring system according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising: at least one display device (22) connected to the control unit (16) for optical and / or acoustic display of the evaluation results achieved by the control unit (16). Electronic household appliance (10) having a monitoring system according to one of the preceding claims.

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