US-20260125841-A1 - DETERMINATION METHOD, RECORDING MEDIUM, DETERMINATION SYSTEM, AND INFORMATION TERMINAL

US20260125841A1US 20260125841 A1US20260125841 A1US 20260125841A1US-20260125841-A1

Abstract

A determination method includes: a first process of rotating a washing tub in a washing machine without laundry; a second process of increasing a rotation speed of the washing tub from a first rotation speed to a second rotation speed in a predetermined time period; a third process of obtaining acceleration data in each of three axial directions in the predetermined time period from an acceleration sensor; a fourth process of calculating determination data including amplitude data in each of the three axial directions based on the acceleration data in each of the three axial directions; a fifth process of determining whether the washing machine is in a lifted state in which one or more feet are separated from an installation surface of the washing machine using the determination data and a determination condition; and a sixth process of outputting a determination result.

Inventors

Shinji Takeda
Masao Nonaka

Assignees

PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20230907
Priority Date: 20221018

Claims (11)

1 - 8 . (canceled)
9 . A determination method comprising: a first process of rotating a washing tub in a washing machine including a plurality of feet, in an empty state without containing laundry; a second process of increasing a rotation speed of the washing tub from a first rotation speed to a second rotation speed, during execution of the first process; a third process of obtaining, from an acceleration sensor attached to the washing tub, acceleration data of the washing tub in each of three axial directions perpendicular to each other in a time period during which the rotation speed increases from the first rotation speed to the second rotation speed; a fourth process of calculating determination data including amplitude data in each of the three axial directions, based on the acceleration data in each of the three axial directions obtained; a fifth process of determining whether the washing machine is in a lifted state in which one or more feet out of the plurality of feet are separated from an installation surface of the washing machine, using the determination data calculated and a determination condition set in advance; and a sixth process of outputting a determination result in the fifth process.
10 . The determination method according to claim 9 , wherein in the fourth process, the determination data including maximum amplitude data for each predetermined time in each of the three axial directions is calculated.
11 . The determination method according to claim 10 , wherein the fourth process includes: calculating a mean value and a variance of the maximum amplitude data in each of the three axial directions; calculating, for each of three combinations of two axial directions selected from the three axial directions, a ratio of mean values and a ratio of variances of the maximum amplitude data in the two axial directions; and setting the mean value and the variance in each of the three axial directions and the ratio of the mean values and the ratio of the variances for each of the three combinations, as the determination data.
12 . The determination method according to claim 11 , wherein the determination condition set in advance includes a first main condition including a plurality of first sub conditions that are each defined by a first determination formula using at least two items of the determination data, and a second main condition including a plurality of second sub conditions that are each defined by a second determination formula using at least two items of the determination data, and the fifth process includes: determining that the first main condition is satisfied if any of the plurality of first sub conditions is satisfied; when the first main condition is satisfied, determining that the second main condition is satisfied if any of the plurality of second sub conditions is satisfied; and when the second main condition is satisfied, determining that the washing machine is in the lifted state.
13 . The determination method according to claim 9 , wherein the determination condition is set using a trained machine learning model, and the trained machine learning model has been trained to output the determination condition using, as training data, the determination data obtained by executing the first process, the second process, the third process, and the fourth process on the washing machine that is in the lifted state.
14 . The determination method according to claim 9 , wherein at least part of the fourth process, the fifth process, and the sixth process are executed in an information terminal external to the washing machine.
15 . The determination method according to claim 9 , wherein the washing machine is installed on a floor via an installation stand, and the installation surface is one surface of the installation stand.
16 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing one or more processors to execute the determination method according to claim 9 .
17 . A determination system comprising: a controller that rotates a washing tub in a washing machine including a plurality of feet in an empty state without containing laundry, and increases a rotation speed of the washing tub from a first rotation speed to a second rotation speed during operation of the washing tub; an obtainer that obtains, from an acceleration sensor attached to the washing tub, acceleration data of the washing tub in each of three axial directions perpendicular to each other in a time period during which the rotation speed increases from the first rotation speed to the second rotation speed; a calculator that calculates determination data including amplitude data in each of the three axial directions, based on the acceleration data in each of the three axial directions obtained; a determiner that determines whether the washing machine is in a lifted state in which one or more feet out of the plurality of feet are separated from an installation surface of the washing machine, using the determination data calculated and a determination condition set in advance; and an outputter that outputs a determination result in the determiner.
18 . An information terminal capable of communicating with a washing machine that includes: a plurality of feet; a driver that rotates a washing tub in the washing machine in an empty state without containing laundry; and a controller that increases a rotation speed of the washing tub from a first rotation speed to a second rotation speed during operation of the washing tub, the information terminal comprising: a calculator that calculates, based on acceleration data of the washing tub in each of three axial directions perpendicular to each other in a time period during which the rotation speed increases from the first rotation speed to the second rotation speed, determination data including amplitude data in each of the three axial directions, the acceleration data being obtained from an acceleration sensor attached to the washing tub; a determiner that determines whether the washing machine is in a lifted state in which one or more feet out of the plurality of feet are separated from an installation surface of the washing machine, using the determination data calculated and a determination condition set in advance; and an outputter that outputs a determination result in the determiner.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a determination method, etc. for determining the state of a washing machine. BACKGROUND ART For example, Patent Literature (PTL) 1 discloses a fully automatic washer dryer. The fully automatic washer dryer includes: a housing; an outer tub elastically supported within the housing; a washing and spin-drying tub rotatably placed within the outer tub to contain laundry; a drive unit that rotates the washing and spin-drying tub; an acceleration sensor capable of detecting vibration that tilts the housing when the washing and spin-drying tub rotates, which is caused due to the installation state of the fully automatic washer dryer; a controller; and a buzzer. The controller causes the drive unit to rotate the washing and spin-drying tub, and causes the buzzer to issue an alarm when the vibration that tilts the housing exceeds an allowable magnitude. CITATION LIST Patent Literature [PTL 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2020-069260 SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem The present disclosure provides a determination method, etc. that ease understanding of the installation environment of a washing machine. Solution to Problem A determination method according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a first process, a second process, a third process, a fourth process, a fifth process, and a sixth process. In the first process, a washing tub in a washing machine including a plurality of feet is rotated without containing laundry. In the second process, a rotation speed of the washing tub is increased from a first rotation speed to a second rotation speed in a predetermined time period during execution of the first process. In the third process, acceleration data of the washing tub in each of three axial directions perpendicular to each other in the predetermined time period is obtained from an acceleration sensor attached to the washing tub. In the fourth process, determination data including amplitude data in each of the three axial directions is calculated based on the acceleration data in each of the three axial directions obtained. In the fifth process, whether the washing machine is in a lifted state in which one or more feet out of the plurality of feet are separated from an installation surface of the washing machine is determined using the determination data calculated and a determination condition set in advance. In the sixth process, a determination result in the fifth process is output. A program according to an aspect of the present disclosure causes one or more processors to execute the above-described determination method. A determination system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a controller, an obtainer, a calculator, a determiner, and an outputter. The controller rotates a washing tub in a washing machine including a plurality of feet without containing laundry, and increases a rotation speed of the washing tub from a first rotation speed to a second rotation speed in a predetermined time period during operation of the washing tub. The obtainer obtains, from an acceleration sensor attached to the washing tub, acceleration data of the washing tub in each of three axial directions perpendicular to each other in the predetermined time period. The calculator calculates determination data including amplitude data in each of the three axial directions, based on the acceleration data in each of the three axial directions obtained. The determiner determines whether the washing machine is in a lifted state in which one or more feet out of the plurality of feet are separated from an installation surface of the washing machine, using the determination data calculated and a determination condition set in advance. The outputter outputs a determination result in the determiner. An information terminal according to an aspect of the present disclosure is an information terminal capable of communicating with a washing machine that includes: a plurality of feet; a driver that rotates a washing tub in the washing machine without containing laundry; and a controller that increases a rotation speed of the washing tub from a first rotation speed to a second rotation speed in a predetermined time period during operation of the washing tub. The information terminal includes a calculator, a determiner, and an outputter. The calculator calculates, based on acceleration data of the washing tub in each of three axial directions perpendicular to each other in the predetermined time period, determination data including amplitude data in each of the three axial directions, the acceleration data being obtained from an acceleration sensor attached to the washing tub. The determiner determines whether the washing machine is in a lifted state in which one or more feet out of the plurality of feet are separated from an installation surface of the washing machine, using the determination data calculated and a determination condition