JPH02197999A - Electric equipment annunciating device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent an annunciating sound from being a noise for neighbors, etc., and to attain sure annunciation by providing an annunciator which annunciates an operation completion, abnormality detection, etc., a human being sensor, and an annunciator driving control means which drives the annunciator based on the detection of a human being when an annunciating command is generated. CONSTITUTION:An annunciator 12 to annunciate the operation completion, the abnormality detection, etc., a human being sensor 21, and an annunciator driving control means 20 which drives the annuciator 12 based on the detection of the human being by means of the human being sensor 21 when the annunciating command is generated are provided. When the annunciating command is generated, the annunciator driving control means 20 drives the annuciator 12 based on the detection of the human being by means of the human being sensor 21. Thus when a user is near electric equipment, since the annunciating sound is outputted, the user can recognize the annunciating sound. When the user is not near it since the annunciating sound is not imputted, the annunciating sound is not made into the noise for the neighbors, etc.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a notification device for electrical equipment that is equipped with a human sensor and controls the drive of an alarm.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, electrical equipment such as washing machines have been designed to sound a buzzer as an alarm when the washing operation is completed or when an abnormality such as imbalance or drainage abnormality is detected and the operation is stopped. ing. In this case, there are two types: one in which the buzzer is driven to sound at a fixed time limit, and the other in which the buzzer continues to sound in a continuous mode or an intermittent mode until the user resets it.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the case of a device that sounds a buzzer at a fixed time limit, if the user misses the notification sound during the fixed time limit, it is difficult for the user to notice that the operation has ended or that an abnormality has been detected. I may be late. In addition, in the case of a device in which the buzzer sounds until the user resets it, the buzzer continues to ring indefinitely unless the user is near the electrical device, so there is a problem that the notification sound becomes a noise to neighbors and the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to relate to a notification device for electrical equipment that can make a user recognize notification sounds for notifying the end of operation or notifying abnormality detection without continuously outputting the notification sounds.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention includes an alarm for notifying the end of driving, abnormality detection, etc., a human sensor, and a human sensor that detects a human when an alarm command is issued. and an alarm drive control means for driving the alarm based on the alarm.

(Operation) When a notification command is generated, the notification device drive control means drives the notification device based on the detection of a person by the human sensor. As a result, if the user is near the electrical equipment, the user can recognize the notification sound because the notification sound is output. Furthermore, since the notification sound is not output in a situation where no user is present, the notification sound will not become noise from neighbors or the like.

(Example) An example in which the present invention is applied to a washing machine will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, the general configuration of the washing machine will be described. In Fig. 3, 1 is a water tank provided in the outer box 2, 3 is a rotating tank provided in the water tank 1, 4 is an agitator provided in the rotating tank 3, and 5 is outside the water tank 1. A washing machine motor is provided at the bottom together with a mechanism part 6, and 7 is a drain valve. 8 is a lid provided on the upper cover 9; 10 is a power switch provided on the rear of the upper cover 9; 11 is a control section provided on the front of the upper cover 9; 12 is a control section provided on the control section 11. An example of an alarm is a buzzer.

Next, in FIG. 2 showing the electrical configuration, 13 is the lid 9.
14 is an abnormal rocking detection device that detects abnormal rocking of the rotating tank 3 during dehydration, and 15 is a rotation Ill! a water level sensor for detecting the water level within 13, 16;
1 is a switch input section configured with a well-known start switch, course changeover switch, etc.; 17 is a display; 1
8 is an electromagnet for driving the drain valve 9 and the brake, etc.;
19 is an electromagnetically driven water supply valve.

20 is an operation control circuit consisting of a microcomputer, which controls the washing machine motor 6, electromagnet 18, . The water supply valve 19 is driven and controlled to control the washing operation. The operation control circuit 20 generates a notification command when the washing operation is completed and when an abnormality is detected and the operation is stopped. The types of abnormalities that should be detected in this washing machine include abnormal shaking of the rotary tub 3 during spin-drying (this is detected by the detection result of the abnormal shaking device 14), and abnormal drainage due to forgetting to turn down the drain hose, etc. This is detected by the detection result of the water level sensor 15). Note that this notification command is canceled when the next notification cancellation operation is performed. That is, if there is a switch input from the switch input section 16 after the washing operation is completed ('I-
operation is stopped due to the detection of an abnormality such as abnormal rocking, if there is an input from the lid switch 10 due to the opening operation of the lid 8, or operation is stopped due to the detection of other abnormalities. After that, the power switch 10 is turned off and on.

On the other hand, 21 is a human sensor, which, as shown in FIG. The circuit 25 includes a comparator 26 that compares the output (voltage value) from the filter 24 and the reference voltage generated by the reference voltage generation circuit 25. As shown in FIG. 3, the infrared detection element 22 is provided so as to face the outside through the front window 1a of the outer box 1, and when the human sensor 21 detects a person, the comparator 26 detects the person. A signal is output and given to the operation control circuit 2. The operation control circuit 20 also controls the drive of the buzzer 12, that is, it also functions as an alarm drive control means.

The operation of the above configuration, including the function of the operation control circuit 2o as an alarm drive control means, will be explained with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 1. The first flowchart starts with the generation of the above-mentioned notification command. Now, when a notification command is issued, the buzzer 12 is driven for a certain period of time from this point on (step Sl). The operation control circuit 20 is configured to change the lower output mode so that a notification sound for notifying the end of driving and a notification sound for notifying an abnormality can be distinguished. If a user is present at this point, he or she will recognize the notification sound, and will perform an operation to cancel the notification upon knowing that the cleaning operation has ended or an abnormality has been detected. When a notification cancellation command is generated by this notification cancellation operation (determined in step S2), this notification control ends.

Here, if the user is not present, or if the user misses the notification sound even if there is a user, the above-mentioned notification cancellation operation is not performed even after a certain period of time has passed, so the operation control circuit 20 cancels the notification command in a predetermined manner. It is determined that the time has passed (step S2.3). Thereafter, it is determined whether or not there is a human power to detect a person from the human sensor 21 (step S4), and if there is no person, this person detection operation is continued. In this case, no notification sound is output. Therefore, when the user approaches the washing machine, the human sensor 21 detects this.

The operation control circuit 20 then drives the buzzer 12 for a certain period of time (step S5). As a result, buzzer 12
Since the system outputs a notification sound, even if the user is not present or misses the first notification sound, the user can immediately end the operation or detect an abnormality. Furthermore, in this case, since the notification sound is output after detecting the presence of the user, the notification sound is not continuously sounded, and therefore the notification sound does not cause noise to neighbors or the like. Note that after this, if the user performs a notification cancellation operation (step S
6), this notification control is ended.

In the above embodiment, the purpose of driving the buzzer 12 for a certain period of time before controlling the driving of the buzzer 12 by the human sensor 21 and expecting to input a notification cancellation command at a certain period of time is that the notification command is When a problem occurs, a buzzer 12 is activated, and when the user performs an operation to cancel the notification, the system attempts to prevent the buzzer 12 from sounding for a certain period of time. However, such control may be performed as necessary.

Further, in the above embodiments, a buzzer is used as an example of an alarm, but this is not limited to a buzzer, and may be an audio output device or the like.

Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the present invention is applied to a washing machine, but it can be widely applied to all electrical equipment that is designed to notify the end of operation or abnormality detection. It is effective when applied to washing machines, dryers, etc. that are frequently left unattended.

[Effects of the Invention] As is clear from the above description, the present invention includes an alarm for notifying the end of driving, abnormality detection, etc., a human sensor, and a human sensor for detecting a human by the input sensor when an alarm command is issued. and an alarm drive control means for driving the alarm based on the above, and thereby, without continuously outputting a notification sound for notifying the end of operation or notifying abnormality detection, This notification sound can be recognized by the user, and as a result, it is possible to provide reliable notification while preventing the notification sound from becoming a noise to neighbors and the like.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a flowchart showing the content of notification control, Fig. 2 is a block diagram of the electrical configuration, Fig. 3 is a vertical side view of the washing machine, and Fig. 4 is a human sensor. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the electrical configuration of FIG. In the figure, 12 is a buzzer (alarm), 20 is an operation control circuit (
21 is a human sensor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An alarm for notifying the end of operation, abnormality detection, etc.
What is claimed is: 1. A notification device for electrical equipment, comprising: a human sensor; and an alarm drive control means for driving the alarm based on human detection by the human sensor when a notification command is generated.