Apparatus for artificial intelligence controlling water purifier, artificial intelligence water purifier and method for controlling thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11345610-B2
Application number	US-201715712784-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2017
Priority date	Oct 17, 2016
Publication date	May 31, 2022
Grant date	May 31, 2022

Abstract

A control apparatus for an artificial intelligence water purifier includes a storage device and a control unit. The storage device is configured to store discharge information that includes an amount of beverage discharged from the water purifier in a time slot of a predetermined period of time. The control unit is configured to analyze the discharge information, set the time slot in a power-saving schedule based on analysis of the discharge information, and control the water purifier to perform a power-saving operation based on determining that an operation time is within the time slot set in the power-saving schedule.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control apparatus comprising:
a storage device configured to store discharge information that includes a cumulative discharge amount of beverage discharged from a water purifier in a time slot among a predetermined plurality of time slots of a day; and
a control unit configured to:
analyze the discharge information,
based on analysis of the discharge information, set the time slot in a power-saving schedule that includes information about whether to perform a power-saving operation at one or more time slots among the predetermined plurality of time slots, and
based on determining that an operation time is within the time slot set in the power-saving schedule, control the water purifier to perform the power-saving operation,

wherein the discharge information further includes a plurality of cumulative discharge amounts of beverage discharged from the water purifier during the predetermined plurality of times slots, respectively, in certain days of at least two weeks,
wherein the control unit is further configured to:
based on the discharge information, determine a usage pattern by the time slot,
based on the usage pattern, set the time slot of the certain days in the power-saving schedule,
compare the cumulative discharge amount of beverage discharged in the time slot with a threshold discharge amount,
determine that the cumulative discharge amount of beverage discharged in the time slot is greater than or equal to the threshold discharge amount,
based on determining that the cumulative discharge amount of beverage discharged in the time slot is greater than or equal to the threshold discharge amount, determine the time slot as a normal use time slot,
count the normal use time slot in the certain days of at least two weeks,
based on a number of normal use time slots being two or more, set the time slot to a normal operation time slot in the usage pattern, and
based on the number of normal use time slots being less than two, set the time slot to a power-saving operation time slot in the usage pattern.

2. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to, based on the water purifier performing the power-saving operation, control the water purifier to discharge to discharge the beverage based on preset discharge criteria.

3. The control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the preset discharge criteria include a preset discharge amount of the beverage, and
wherein the control unit is further configured to, based on the water purifier performing the power-saving operation, control the water purifier to discharge the beverage to the preset discharge amount.

4. The control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the preset discharge criteria include a preset discharge temperature, and
wherein the control unit is further configured to, based on the water purifier performing the power-saving operation, control the water purifier to discharge the beverage at a temperature less than the preset discharge temperature.

5. The control apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the preset discharge criteria include a preset discharge amount of the beverage and a preset discharge temperature, and
wherein the control unit is further configured to, based on the water purifier performing the power-saving operation, control the water purifier to discharge the beverage to the preset discharge amount at a temperature less than the preset discharge temperature.

6. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the water purifier includes a discharge temperature regulator that is configured to regulate a temperature of the beverage, and
wherein the control unit is further configured to, based on the water purifier performing the power-saving operation, control the water purifier by regulating a temperature control range.

7. The control apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the discharge temperature regulator includes a cooling device that is configured to regulate a temperature of cold water that is to be discharged from the water purifier, and
wherein the control unit is further configured to, based on the water purifier performing the power-saving operation, increase an upper limit of the temperature control range.

8. The control apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the cooling device comprises:
a cooling unit including coolant and being configured to cool the cold water; and
a compressor configured to control a temperature of the coolant, and
wherein the temperature control range is a temperature range of the coolant.

9. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to:
based on the time slot having been set to the power-saving operation, determine that the time slot is followed by a second time slot that is set to a normal operation; and
based on determining that the time slot is followed by the second time slot that is set to the normal operation, control the water purifier to switch from the power-saving operation to the normal operation at a preset time before the second time slot.

10. The control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is further configured to, based on the water purifier performing the power-saving operation:
determine a number of times that the beverage has been discharged in the time slot; and
based on the number of times exceeding a threshold number of times, control the water purifier to switch the power-saving operation to a normal operation.

11. A control method for a water purifier that is configured to discharge beverage, the water purifier including a cooling device that is configured to regulate a temperature of the beverage, the control method comprising:
analyzing discharge information that includes a cumulative discharge amount of the beverage discharged from the water purifier in a time slot among a predetermined plurality of time slots of a day;
based on analysis of the discharge information, setting the time slot in a power-saving schedule that includes information about whether to perform a power-saving operation at one or more time slots among the predetermined plurality of time slots; and
based on the power-saving schedule, controlling the water purifier to perform a normal operation or the power-saving operation,
wherein controlling the water purifier to perform the power-saving operation includes at least one of controlling the water purifier to discharge the beverage based on preset discharge criteria or controlling the water purifier by increasing an upper limit of a temperature control range of the cooling device,
wherein the discharge information further includes a plurality of cumulative discharge amounts of the beverage discharged from the from the water purifier during the predetermined plurality of time slots, respectively, in certain days of at least two weeks,
wherein analyzing the discharge information comprises determining a usage pattern by the time slot based on the discharge information,
wherein setting the time slot in the power-saving schedule comprises setting the time slot of the certain days in the power-saving schedule based on the usage pattern, and
wherein determining the usage pattern comprises:
comparing the cumulative discharge amount of the beverage discharged in the time slot with a threshold discharge amount,
determining that the cumulative discharge amount of the beverage discharged in the time slot is greater than or equal to the threshold discharge amount,
determining the time slot as a normal use time slot based on determining that the cumulative discharge amount of the beverage discharged in the time slot is greater than or equal to the threshold discharge amount,
counting the normal use time slot in the certain days of at least tw

Assignees

• Lg Electronics Inc

Inventors

• Yu Kiwon
• Park Jongho

Classifications

• B01D37/043

  by flow measuring · CPC title

• C02F2209/40

  Liquid flow rate · CPC title

• C02F1/001

  Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance (C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00) · CPC title

• C02F1/008 Primary

  Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F · CPC title

• B01D37/048

  by temperature measuring · CPC title