US-12618182-B2 - Apparatus including actuator and/or heater and method for controlling said apparatus

US12618182B2US 12618182 B2US12618182 B2US 12618182B2US-12618182-B2

Abstract

An apparatus includes at least one of an actuator or a heater, and a controller that controls the at least one of the actuator or the heater. The controller: obtains an application defined by a plurality of blocks that drive the at least one of the actuator or the heater, each of the plurality of blocks including a parameter for driving the at least one of the actuator or the heater; consults a first rule that defines a first parameter range within which the at least one of the actuator or the heater is not permitted to be driven, and modifies the application by changing at least one block included in the plurality of blocks, the at least one block including a parameter included in the first parameter range; and drives the at least one of the actuator or the heater based on the modified application.

Inventors

SATOSHI SUEMASU
Tatsuhiro KISHI
KENTA MURAKAMI
Kazuki Sakamoto
Hayato NARUSE

Assignees

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20241022
Priority Date: 20200619

Claims (19)

1 . An apparatus comprising: at least one of an actuator or a heater; and a controller that controls the at least one of the actuator or the heater, wherein the controller: obtains an application defined by a plurality of blocks that drive the at least one of the actuator or the heater, each of the plurality of blocks including a parameter for driving the at least one of the actuator or the heater, the plurality of blocks including a first block and a second block executed after the first block; consults a first rule that defines a first parameter range within which the at least one of the actuator or the heater is not permitted to be driven, and modifies the application by changing a parameter of the first block so as to satisfy a start condition of the second block; and drives the at least one of the actuator or the heater based on the application modified.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller consults the first rule, and when the parameter of the first block is included in the first parameter range, modifies the application by changing the parameter of the first block to a parameter included in a range within which the at least one of the actuator or the heater is permitted to be driven so as to satisfy the start condition of the second block.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller consults the first rule, and when the parameter of the first block is included in the first parameter range, modifies the application by changing the parameter of the first block to a parameter included in a range within which the at least one of the actuator or the heater is permitted to be driven so as to satisfy the start condition of the second block, and adding a new block to the plurality of blocks.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of blocks further include a third block including a parameter included in the first parameter range, and the controller further removes the third block.
5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller: consults the first rule and determines whether the parameter of the first block is included in the first parameter range; and when the parameter of the first block is determined to be included in the first parameter range, changes the parameter of the first block so as to satisfy the start condition of the second block.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the application includes information on an order in which each of the plurality of blocks is executed and information on timing of execution of each of the plurality of blocks.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first parameter range is a range of parameters that allow the at least one of the actuator or the heater to reach a maximum withstand temperature.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: an enclosure including an interior space, wherein the first parameter range is a range of parameters that allow the interior space to reach a maximum withstand temperature.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the controller: obtains degradation information indicating whether the at least one of the actuator or the heater has degraded; when the degradation information indicates that the at least one of the actuator or the heater has not degraded, consults the first rule and modifies the application by changing the parameter of the first block so as to satisfy the start condition of the second block; when the degradation information indicates that the at least one of the actuator or the heater has degraded, consults a second rule that defines a second parameter range within which the at least one of the actuator or the heater is not permitted to be driven, and modifies the application by changing the parameter of the first block so as to satisfy the start condition of the second block.
10 . A method for controlling an apparatus including at least one of an actuator or a heater, the method comprising: obtaining an application defined by a plurality of blocks that drive the at least one of the actuator or the heater, each of the plurality of blocks including a parameter for driving the at least one of the actuator or the heater, the plurality of blocks including a first block and a second block executed after the first block; consulting a first rule that defines a first parameter range within which the at least one of the actuator or the heater is not permitted to be driven, and modifying the application by changing a parameter of the first block so as to satisfy a start condition of the second block; and driving the at least one of the actuator or the heater based on the application modified.
11 . An apparatus comprising: at least one of an actuator or a heater; and a controller that controls the at least one of the actuator or the heater, wherein the controller: obtains an application defined by a plurality of blocks that drive the at least one of the actuator or the heater, each of the plurality of blocks including a parameter for driving the at least one of the actuator or the heater, the plurality of blocks including a first block and a second block executed after the first block; determines, based on an end condition of the first block, a first rule that defines a first parameter range, of the second block, within which the at least one of the actuator or the heater is permitted to be driven, consults the first rule determined and modifies the application by changing the second block; and drives the at least one of the actuator or the heater based on the application modified.
12 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the controller consults the first rule determined, and when a parameter of the second block is not included in the first parameter range, modifies the application by changing the parameter of the second block to a parameter included in the first parameter range.
13 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the controller consults the first rule determined, and when a parameter of the second block is not included in the first parameter range, modifies the application by changing the parameter of the second block to a parameter included in the first parameter range, and adds a new block to the plurality of blocks.
14 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the controller consults the first rule determined, and when a parameter of the second block is not included in the first parameter range, modifies the application by removing the second block.
15 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the controller: consults the first rule determined, and determines whether a parameter of the second block is included in the first parameter range; and when the parameter of the second block is determined to be not included in the first parameter range, changes the second block.
16 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the application includes information on an order in which each of the plurality of blocks is executed and information on timing of execution of each of the plurality of blocks.
17 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the first parameter range is a range of parameters that do not allow the at least one of the actuator or the heater to reach a maximum withstand temperature.
18 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , further comprising: an enclosure including an interior space, wherein the first parameter range is a range of parameters that do not allow the interior space to reach a maximum withstand temperature.
19 . The apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the controller: obtains degradation information indicating whether the at least one of the actuator or the heater has degraded; when the degradation information indicates that the at least one of the actuator or the heater has not degraded: determines the first rule based on the end condition of the first block; and consults the first rule determined and modifies the application by changing the second block; and when the degradation information indicates that the at least one of the actuator or the heater has degraded: determines, based on the end condition of the first block, a second rule that defines a second parameter range within which the at least one of the actuator or the heater is permitted to be driven; and consults the second rule determined and modifies the application by changing the second block.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/070,796, filed Nov. 29, 2022, which is a continuation application of PCT International Application No. PCT/JP2021/022825 filed on Jun. 16, 2021, designating the United States of America, which is based on and claims priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-106607 filed on Jun. 19, 2020. The entire disclosures of the above-identified applications, including the specifications, drawings, and claims are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. FIELD The present disclosure relates to an apparatus including an actuator and/or a heater and a method for controlling said apparatus. BACKGROUND Conventionally, home appliances and housing equipment are controlled according to operating conditions (a control program) prepared in advance by, for example, the manufacturer. Patent literature (PTL) 1 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2003-284889) discloses a washing machine that allows the user to set operating conditions for a washing operation that he/she wishes to perform. SUMMARY Technical Problem Unfortunately, with the conventional technology described above, the control program must be developed in advance by the product manufacturer and stored in the product in advance, making it difficult to customize and update the control program to meet the desires of various users. In view of this, the present disclosure provides an apparatus and a method that can more easily and safely execute a wide variety of control programs. Solution to Problem An apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes: at least one of an actuator or a heater; and a controller that controls the at least one of the actuator or the heater. The controller: obtains an application defined by a plurality of blocks that drive the at least one of the actuator or the heater, each of the plurality of blocks including a parameter for driving the at least one of the actuator or the heater; consults a first rule that defines a first parameter range within which the at least one of the actuator or the heater is not permitted to be driven, and modifies the application by changing at least one block included in the plurality of blocks, the at least one block including a parameter included in the first parameter range; and drives the at least one of the actuator or the heater based on the application modified. General or specific aspects of the present disclosure may be realized as a system, a method, an integrated circuit, a computer program, a computer readable medium such as a CD-ROM, or any given combination thereof. Further benefits and advantages provided by the disclosed embodiments will be apparent from the specification and drawings. These benefits and advantages may be provided individually by the various embodiments and features of the specification and drawings; not all of the benefits and advantages necessarily need to be provided in order to obtain one or more benefits or advantages. Advantageous Effects An apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure can more easily and safely execute a wide variety of control programs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS These and other objects, advantages and features of the disclosure will become apparent from the following description thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that illustrate a specific embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 1 illustrates the hardware configuration of a system according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2A illustrates the hardware configuration of a cloud server according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2B illustrates the hardware configuration of an apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2C illustrates the hardware configuration of a terminal according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 illustrates the functional configuration of a system according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 illustrates one example of a block that defines an application according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 5 illustrates a plurality of blocks for a washing machine according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 6 illustrates a plurality of blocks for a microwave oven according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 7 illustrates a plurality of blocks for a rice cooker according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 8 is a sequence diagram of a system according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 9 illustrates one example of a device database according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 10 illustrates one example of an execution content declaration according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 11 illustrates a flowchart of a pre-execution check process according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 12 illustrates one example of a rule database according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 13 illustrates one example of changing the order of blocks according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 14 illustrates one example of changing a block according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 15A illustrates a sequence diagram for a system according to Variation 1 of Embodiment 1. FIG. 15B illustrates a sequence diagram