你如何通过php引用mongodb中的空集({})值字段? [重复]

I have the following code which works fine in my mongodb client:-

 db.whatevercollection.update({id:999999,external_ids:{}},
    {$unset: { "external_ids": true}})

How do I reference this empty set in php so that the external_ids field is completely removed? Using this:-

array('id' =>  $id,'external_ids'=>array())

Doesn't work...

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