CN110848922A - Air conditioner and self-cleaning control method and device thereof - Google Patents
Air conditioner and self-cleaning control method and device thereof Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CN110848922A CN110848922A CN201911206770.0A CN201911206770A CN110848922A CN 110848922 A CN110848922 A CN 110848922A CN 201911206770 A CN201911206770 A CN 201911206770A CN 110848922 A CN110848922 A CN 110848922A
- Authority
- CN
- China
- Prior art keywords
- air conditioner
- self
- fan
- cleaning
- stage
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Images
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F11/00—Control or safety arrangements
- F24F11/62—Control or safety arrangements characterised by the type of control or by internal processing, e.g. using fuzzy logic, adaptive control or estimation of values
- F24F11/63—Electronic processing
- F24F11/65—Electronic processing for selecting an operating mode
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
- F24F1/0007—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units
- F24F1/0018—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units characterised by fans
- F24F1/0033—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units characterised by fans having two or more fans
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F1/00—Room units for air-conditioning, e.g. separate or self-contained units or units receiving primary air from a central station
- F24F1/0007—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units
- F24F1/0043—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units characterised by mounting arrangements
- F24F1/005—Indoor units, e.g. fan coil units characterised by mounting arrangements mounted on the floor; standing on the floor
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F11/00—Control or safety arrangements
- F24F11/30—Control or safety arrangements for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
- F24F11/41—Defrosting; Preventing freezing
- F24F11/43—Defrosting; Preventing freezing of indoor units
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F11/00—Control or safety arrangements
- F24F11/50—Control or safety arrangements characterised by user interfaces or communication
- F24F11/61—Control or safety arrangements characterised by user interfaces or communication using timers
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F2110/00—Control inputs relating to air properties
- F24F2110/20—Humidity
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24F—AIR-CONDITIONING; AIR-HUMIDIFICATION; VENTILATION; USE OF AIR CURRENTS FOR SCREENING
- F24F2221/00—Details or features not otherwise provided for
- F24F2221/22—Cleaning ducts or apparatus
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Fuzzy Systems (AREA)
- Mathematical Physics (AREA)
- Air Conditioning Control Device (AREA)
Abstract
The invention provides an air conditioner and a self-cleaning control method and a self-cleaning control device thereof, wherein the method comprises the following steps: after the air conditioner enters a self-cleaning mode, determining the current self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner, wherein the self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner comprises a frost stage; and when the air conditioner is in a frost stage, controlling the air conditioner to keep refrigerating operation, wherein the first fan is controlled to stop running, and the second fan is controlled to run at a preset rotating speed. Therefore, the problem of overhigh system pressure caused by the fact that the first fan and the second fan are both closed in the frost stage can be effectively avoided.
Description
Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of household appliance technologies, and in particular, to a self-cleaning control method for an air conditioner, a self-cleaning control device for an air conditioner, and a computer-readable storage medium.
Background
The air conditioner can have a large amount of deposition when not using for a long time, and impurity deposits such as dust can cause the heat exchanger dirty stifled on the heat exchanger to lead to heat transfer volume to reduce, the heat transfer performance of air conditioner descends by a wide margin, influences the user and uses experience.
In the related art, the heat exchanger is cleaned by operating the air conditioner in a cooling mode to frost the surface of the heat exchanger. However, the related art has problems in that the cleaning is not thorough, the cooling time is not reasonable, and the system pressure is easily out of the limit in the frosting stage of the evaporator.
Disclosure of Invention
The present invention is directed to solving, at least to some extent, one of the technical problems in the related art.
Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to provide a self-cleaning control method for an air conditioner, which has a significant self-cleaning effect and effectively avoids the problem of over-high system pressure caused by the complete shut-down of a first fan and a second fan during a frost period.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a self-cleaning control apparatus for an air conditioner.
A third object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner.
A fourth object of the invention is to propose a computer-readable storage medium.
In order to achieve the above object, an embodiment of a first aspect of the present invention provides a self-cleaning control method for an air conditioner, where an indoor unit of the air conditioner includes an indoor heat exchanger, a first fan and a second fan, the first fan is disposed opposite to an upper portion of the indoor heat exchanger, and the second fan is disposed opposite to a lower portion of the indoor heat exchanger, the method includes the following steps: after the air conditioner enters a self-cleaning mode, determining a self-cleaning stage where the air conditioner is currently located, wherein the self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner comprises a frost stage; and when the air conditioner is in the frost stage, controlling the air conditioner to keep refrigerating operation, wherein the first fan is controlled to stop running, and the second fan is controlled to run at a preset rotating speed.
According to the self-cleaning control method of the air conditioner, after the air conditioner enters the self-cleaning mode, the current self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner is determined, when the air conditioner is in the frost stage, the air conditioner is controlled to keep refrigerating operation, wherein the first fan is controlled to stop operating, and the second fan is controlled to operate at the preset rotating speed. Therefore, the self-cleaning control method of the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the invention has an obvious self-cleaning effect, and effectively avoids the problem of overhigh system pressure caused by the fact that the first fan and the second fan are completely closed in the frost stage.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the preset rotation speed is determined based on a pressure parameter within the air conditioner.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the preset rotation speed is greater than a first rotation speed threshold value and less than or equal to a second rotation speed threshold value, wherein the first rotation speed threshold value is obtained through experiments.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner further includes a condensing stage before the defrosting stage, and the method further includes: and when the air conditioner is in the condensation stage, controlling the air conditioner to perform refrigeration operation, wherein the first fan and the second fan are controlled to operate.
According to one embodiment of the invention, during the condensation phase, the first fan operation is controlled at a first target speed and the second fan operation is controlled at a second target speed, wherein the first and second target speeds are determined based on the indoor ambient temperature and humidity.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, after the defrosting stage, the self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner further includes a defrosting drying stage, and the method further includes: and when the air conditioner is in the defrosting and drying stage, controlling the air conditioner to perform heating operation, wherein the first fan and the second fan are controlled to operate.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, in the defrosting and drying stage, the first fan is controlled to operate at a third target rotation speed, and the second fan is controlled to operate at a fourth target rotation speed, wherein the third target rotation speed is less than the first target rotation speed, and the fourth target rotation speed is less than the second target rotation speed.
According to an embodiment of the invention, when the time of the air conditioner in the condensation stage for cooling operation reaches a first operation length, the air conditioner is controlled to enter the frost stage; when the time for the air conditioner to perform refrigerating operation in the defrosting stage reaches a second operation time, controlling the air conditioner to enter the defrosting and drying stage, wherein the first operation time is shorter than the second operation time; and when the time for the air conditioner to perform heating operation in the defrosting and drying stage reaches a third operation time, controlling the air conditioner to exit the self-cleaning mode.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner further includes: acquiring indoor environment temperature and humidity; determining the first operation duration according to the indoor environment temperature and humidity and through a target mapping relation; and determining the third operation time according to the indoor environment humidity.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner further includes: sending out reminding information when the condition of the air conditioner is determined to meet the self-cleaning condition; receiving a self-cleaning instruction input by a user; and controlling the air conditioner to enter the self-cleaning mode according to the self-cleaning instruction.
In order to achieve the above object, a second aspect of the present invention provides a self-cleaning control device for an air conditioner, an indoor unit of the air conditioner including an indoor heat exchanger, the device including: the first fan is arranged relative to the upper part of the indoor heat exchanger, and the second fan is arranged relative to the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger; the control module is used for determining the current self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner after the air conditioner enters a self-cleaning mode, wherein the self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner comprises a frost stage, and when the air conditioner is in the frost stage, the air conditioner is controlled to keep refrigerating operation, wherein the first fan is controlled to stop running, and the second fan is controlled to run at a preset rotating speed.
According to the self-cleaning control device of the air conditioner, the first fan is arranged relative to the upper portion of the indoor heat exchanger, the second fan is arranged relative to the lower portion of the indoor heat exchanger, the control module determines the current self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner after the air conditioner enters the self-cleaning mode, and controls the air conditioner to keep refrigerating operation when the air conditioner is in the frost stage, wherein the first fan is controlled to stop operating, and the second fan is controlled to operate at the preset rotating speed. Therefore, the self-cleaning control device of the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the invention has an obvious self-cleaning effect, and effectively avoids the problem of overhigh system pressure caused by the fact that the first fan and the second fan are completely closed in the frost stage.
To achieve the above object, an embodiment of a third aspect of the present invention provides an air conditioner including the self-cleaning control device of the air conditioner according to the embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention.
According to the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the invention, the self-cleaning control device of the air conditioner can achieve a better self-cleaning effect, and the problem of overhigh system pressure caused by the fact that the first fan and the second fan are completely closed in the frost stage is effectively avoided.
In order to achieve the above object, a fourth aspect of the present invention provides a computer-readable storage medium having a self-cleaning control program of an air conditioner stored thereon, the program, when executed by a processor, implementing the self-cleaning control method of the air conditioner according to the first aspect of the present invention.
Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
Drawings
The foregoing and/or additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:
fig. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;
fig. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;
fig. 3 is a partial structural view of an air conditioner in a self-cleaning control method of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;
fig. 4 is a sectional view of an indoor unit of an air conditioner in a self-cleaning control method of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;
fig. 5 is a schematic view illustrating an air outlet of an air conditioner in a self-cleaning control method of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention;
fig. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a self-cleaning control apparatus of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Detailed Description
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like or similar reference numerals refer to the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar function throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the drawings are illustrative and intended to be illustrative of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.
An air conditioner and a self-cleaning control method and apparatus thereof according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First, the structure and operation of the indoor unit of the air conditioner will be briefly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
As shown in fig. 3 to 5, the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner includes an indoor heat exchanger B, a first fan D disposed at an upper portion of the indoor heat exchanger B, and a second fan E disposed at a lower portion of the indoor heat exchanger B.
In addition, an air inlet mesh enclosure M is arranged at the rear side of the indoor heat exchanger B, and an air outlet mesh enclosure L covers the front ends of the first air outlet a21 and the second air outlet a22 and is connected to the front air outlet a 2. The first air outlet A21 is communicated with the air inlet A1, a first fan D is arranged in a first air channel A4 formed by communication, the second air outlet A22 is communicated with the air inlet A1, a second fan E is arranged in a second air channel A5 formed by communication, and the first fan D and the second fan E are respectively and independently controlled. It should be noted that the first fan D may be an axial flow fan, and the second fan E may be a centrifugal fan.
In some embodiments of the present invention, after the air enters the indoor unit 100 from the air inlet mesh enclosure M, a part of the air is formed by heat exchange by the indoor heat exchanger B and flows out from the front air outlet a2 of the front panel A8 and the air outlet mesh enclosure L, and another part of the air flows out through the third air outlet A3. Specifically, the first fan D drives air to flow from the air inlet a1 to the front air outlet a2, that is, the air sent by the air inlet a1 can be driven by the first fan D and guided out from the front air outlet a2, and the second fan E drives air to flow from the air inlet a1 to the front air outlet a2 or the third air outlet A3.
Fig. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 1, the self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention includes the steps of:
and S1, after the air conditioner enters the self-cleaning mode, determining the current self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner, wherein the self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner comprises a frost stage.
And S2, when the air conditioner is in a frost stage, controlling the air conditioner to keep refrigerating operation, wherein the first fan is controlled to stop running, and the second fan is controlled to run at a preset rotating speed n.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the preset rotation speed n is determined based on a pressure parameter in the air conditioner.
It should be noted that the preset rotation speed n is determined based on parameters of pressure in the air conditioner, such as compressor discharge pressure and return air pressure.
Further in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the preset rotation speed N is greater than a first rotation speed threshold N0And is less than or equal to a second rotating speed threshold value N0+ K, wherein the first rotational speed threshold N0Obtained through experiments.
It can be understood that when the air conditioner is in a frost stage, the air conditioner is controlled to keep a cooling operation, wherein the first fan is controlled to stop operating, so that the upper part of the corresponding indoor heat exchanger is frosted quickly, and the second fan is controlled to operate at a preset rotating speed n. When the first fan is controlled to stop operating, and the second fan is controlled to rotate at a preset rotation speed N ═ N0When the air conditioner runs, the pressure in the air conditioner can not exceed the maximum pressure born by the coil pipe in the air conditioner and the maximum pressure born by the compressor, and the second fan is controlled to rotate at a preset speed N which is less than or equal to N0+ K operation is performed to ensure a certain frost formation at the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger.
Therefore, in the frost stage, the first fan is controlled to stop running, and the second fan is controlled to run at the preset rotating speed, so that the problem of overhigh system pressure caused by the fact that the two fans are completely closed can be effectively avoided.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner further includes a condensing stage before the defrosting stage, and the method further includes: and when the air conditioner is in a condensation stage, controlling the air conditioner to perform refrigeration operation, wherein the first fan and the second fan are controlled to operate.
Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in the condensation phase, the first fan operation is controlled at a first target rotation speed, and the second fan operation is controlled at a second target rotation speed, wherein the first target rotation speed and the second target rotation speed are determined based on the indoor ambient temperature and humidity.
It can be understood that, after the air conditioner enters the self-cleaning mode, the indoor ambient temperature and humidity are first detected, and the target rotation speeds of the first and second fans, i.e., the first and second target rotation speeds, are determined according to the indoor ambient temperature and humidity. And the air conditioner enters a condensation stage, and the air conditioner is controlled to perform refrigeration operation, wherein the compressor is controlled to operate at the highest frequency, the first fan is controlled to operate at a first target rotating speed, and the second fan is controlled to operate at a second target rotating speed.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, after the defrosting stage, the self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner further includes a defrosting drying stage, and the method further includes: when the air conditioner is in a defrosting and drying stage, the air conditioner is controlled to perform heating operation, wherein the first fan and the second fan are controlled to operate.
For example, when the air conditioner is in a defrosting and drying stage, the first fan and the second fan can be controlled to operate simultaneously, so as to ensure that the pressure in the air conditioner is not too high.
Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, in the defrosting and drying stage, the first fan is controlled to operate at a third target rotation speed, and the second fan is controlled to operate at a fourth target rotation speed, wherein the third target rotation speed is less than the first target rotation speed, and the fourth target rotation speed is less than the second target rotation speed.
It can be understood that after the defrosting stage is finished, the air conditioner enters a defrosting and drying stage, at this time, the air conditioner is controlled to perform heating operation to defrost and dry the indoor heat exchanger, the first fan is controlled to operate at a third target rotation speed, and the second fan is controlled to operate at a fourth target rotation speed, where the third target rotation speed may be equal to the fourth target rotation speed.
In addition, it should be noted that, when the air conditioner is in the defrosting and drying stage, the rotation speeds of the first fan and the second fan are in positive correlation with the outdoor temperature, that is, the higher the outdoor temperature is, the higher the rotation speeds of the first fan and the second fan are correspondingly increased, so as to reduce the pressure in the air conditioner.
In the defrosting process of the indoor heat exchanger, the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger can be cleaned by condensed water formed by defrosting the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger, and a large amount of condensed water formed by defrosting the upper part of the indoor heat exchanger washes the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger downwards due to the action of gravity, so that the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger can be cleaned for the second time.
According to an embodiment of the invention, when the time for the air conditioner to perform the cooling operation in the condensation stage reaches the first operation time period t1, the air conditioner is controlled to enter the frost stage; when the time of the air conditioner for refrigerating operation in the defrosting stage reaches a second operation time period t2, controlling the air conditioner to enter a defrosting and drying stage, wherein the first operation time period t1 is less than the second operation time period t 2; and when the time for the air conditioner to perform heating operation in the defrosting and drying stage reaches a third operation time period t3, controlling the air conditioner to exit the self-cleaning mode. The second operation time period t2 may be 10min, and may be specifically determined according to the type of the air conditioner.
It can be understood that when the time for the air conditioner to perform the heating operation in the defrosting and drying stage reaches the third operation time period t3, the air conditioner is controlled to exit the self-cleaning mode, and at this time, the air conditioner is restarted to enter the working mode set by the user.
Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner further includes: acquiring indoor environment temperature and humidity; determining a first operation time t1 according to the indoor environment temperature and humidity and through a target mapping relation; the third operating time period t3 is determined based on the indoor ambient humidity.
It can be understood that the first operation time period t1 is smaller when the indoor ambient humidity is larger and the difference between the indoor ambient temperature and the indoor evaporator temperature is larger at a certain amount of the condensed water; the smaller the indoor ambient humidity is and the smaller the difference between the indoor ambient temperature and the indoor evaporator temperature is, the larger the first operation time period t1 is. Therefore, after the air conditioner enters the self-cleaning mode, the indoor environment temperature and humidity are detected firstly, the mapping relation between the amount of condensed water and the first operation time period t1 is established according to the indoor environment temperature and humidity, and the first operation time period t1 can be determined according to the mapping relation between the amount of condensed water and the first operation time period t 1. And determining a third operation time period t3 according to the indoor environment humidity, wherein the third operation time period t3 and the indoor environment humidity form a positive correlation relationship, that is, the larger the indoor environment humidity is, the larger the third operation time period t3 is, the smaller the indoor environment humidity is, and the smaller the third operation time period t3 is.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner further includes: sending out reminding information when the condition of the air conditioner is determined to meet the self-cleaning condition; receiving a self-cleaning instruction input by a user; and controlling the air conditioner to enter a self-cleaning mode according to the self-cleaning instruction.
It can be understood that after the air conditioner is started, the air conditioner firstly calculates a time interval t from the last self-cleaning mode, and judges whether the indoor heat exchanger needs to be cleaned according to the time interval t, namely, whether the state of the air conditioner meets the self-cleaning condition is judged, specifically, when the time interval t is greater than or equal to the preset time t', the state of the air conditioner is determined to meet the self-cleaning condition, and at the moment, a user can be reminded of cleaning the indoor heat exchanger in a voice or display mode.
When a user needs to select the self-cleaning function, a self-cleaning instruction can be input through an air conditioner remote controller, and the control device controls the air conditioner to enter the self-cleaning mode when receiving the self-cleaning instruction of the user. If the user does not need to select the self-cleaning function, the control device controls the air conditioner to enter the working mode set by the user.
As described above, in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in fig. 2, the self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner of the present invention includes the steps of:
s101, judging whether the state of the air conditioner meets a self-cleaning condition or not.
If yes, continuing to execute the step S102; if not, step S109 is performed.
And S102, sending out reminding information.
S103, judging whether the user selects to enter a self-cleaning mode.
If yes, continuing to execute the step S104; if not, step S109 is performed.
S104, obtaining the indoor environment temperature and humidity, determining a first operation time t1 according to the indoor environment temperature and humidity and through a target mapping relation, determining a third operation time t3 according to the indoor environment humidity, and determining target rotating speeds of the first fan and the second fan according to the indoor environment temperature and humidity, namely a first target rotating speed and a second target rotating speed.
And S105, the air conditioner enters a condensation stage, the air conditioner is controlled to perform refrigerating operation, the operation time is a first operation time period t1, the first fan is controlled to operate at a first target rotation speed, and the second fan is controlled to operate at a second target rotation speed.
And S106, the air conditioner enters a frost stage, the air conditioner is controlled to keep refrigerating operation, the operation time is a second operation time period t2, the first fan is controlled to stop operating, and the second fan is controlled to operate at a preset rotating speed n.
And S107, the air conditioner enters a defrosting and drying stage, the air conditioner is controlled to perform heating operation, the operation time is a third operation time t3, the first fan is controlled to operate at a third target rotating speed, and the second fan is controlled to operate at a fourth target rotating speed.
And S108, controlling the air conditioner to exit the self-cleaning mode.
And S109, controlling the air conditioner to operate according to the mode set by the user.
In summary, according to the self-cleaning control method of the air conditioner in the embodiment of the present invention, after the air conditioner enters the self-cleaning mode, the current self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner is determined, and when the air conditioner is in the frost stage, the air conditioner is controlled to keep the cooling operation, wherein the first fan is controlled to stop operating, and the second fan is controlled to operate at the preset rotation speed. Therefore, the self-cleaning control method of the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the invention has an obvious self-cleaning effect, and effectively avoids the problem of overhigh system pressure caused by the fact that the first fan and the second fan are completely closed in the frost stage.
Based on the self-cleaning control method of the air conditioner in the embodiment, the embodiment of the invention also provides a self-cleaning control device of the air conditioner.
Fig. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a self-cleaning control apparatus of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in fig. 3 to 5, the indoor unit 100 of the air conditioner includes an indoor heat exchanger B. As shown in fig. 6, the self-cleaning control device of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first fan D, a second fan E, and a control module 10.
The first fan D is arranged relative to the upper part of the indoor heat exchanger B, and the second fan E is arranged relative to the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger B; the control module 10 is connected to the first fan D and the second fan E, and the control module 10 is configured to determine a current self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner after the air conditioner enters a self-cleaning mode, where the self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner includes a frost stage, and control the air conditioner to keep cooling operation when the air conditioner is in the frost stage, where the first fan D is controlled to stop operating, and the second fan E is controlled to operate at a preset rotation speed n.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the preset rotation speed n is determined based on a pressure parameter in the air conditioner.
Further in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the preset rotation speed N is greater than a first rotation speed threshold N0And is less than or equal to a second rotating speed threshold value N0+ K, wherein the first rotational speed threshold N0Obtained through experiments.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, before the frost phase, the self-cleaning phase of the air conditioner further includes a condensation phase, and the control module 10 is configured to control the air conditioner to perform a cooling operation when the air conditioner is in the condensation phase, wherein the first fan D and the second fan E are both controlled to perform operations.
Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the control module 10 is configured to control the first fan D to operate at a first target speed and the second fan E to operate at a second target speed during the condensation phase, wherein the first target speed and the second target speed are determined based on the indoor ambient temperature and humidity.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, after the defrosting stage, the self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner further includes a defrosting and drying stage, and the control module 10 is configured to control the air conditioner to perform a heating operation when the air conditioner is in the defrosting and drying stage, wherein the first fan D and the second fan E are both controlled to operate.
Further, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the control module 10 is configured to control the first fan D to operate at a third target speed and control the second fan E to operate at a fourth target speed in the defrosting and drying stage, where the third target speed is less than the first target speed and the fourth target speed is less than the second target speed.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the control module 10 is configured to control the air conditioner to enter the defrosting stage when the time for the air conditioner to perform the cooling operation in the condensing stage reaches a first operation time period t 1; when the time of refrigerating operation of the air conditioner in the defrosting stage reaches a second operation time period t2, controlling the air conditioner to enter a defrosting and drying stage, wherein the first operation time period is shorter than the second operation time period; and when the time for the air conditioner to perform heating operation in the defrosting and drying stage reaches a third operation time period t3, controlling the air conditioner to exit the self-cleaning mode.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control module 10 is further configured to obtain an indoor ambient temperature and humidity, and determine a first operation time t1 according to the indoor ambient temperature and humidity and through a target mapping relationship; and determines a third operation time period t3 according to the indoor ambient humidity.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the control module 10 is further configured to send a reminding message when it is determined that the state of the air conditioner satisfies the self-cleaning condition, receive a self-cleaning command input by a user, and control the air conditioner to enter the self-cleaning mode according to the self-cleaning command.
It should be noted that the foregoing explanation of the embodiment of the self-cleaning control method of the air conditioner is also applicable to the self-cleaning control device of the air conditioner in the embodiment of the present invention, and is not repeated herein.
In summary, according to the self-cleaning control device of the air conditioner in the embodiment of the present invention, the first fan is disposed opposite to the upper portion of the indoor heat exchanger, the second fan is disposed opposite to the lower portion of the indoor heat exchanger, and the control module determines the current self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner after the air conditioner enters the self-cleaning mode, and controls the air conditioner to keep cooling operation when the air conditioner is in the frost stage, wherein the first fan is controlled to stop operating, and the second fan is controlled to operate at the preset rotation speed. Therefore, the self-cleaning control device of the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the invention has an obvious self-cleaning effect, and effectively avoids the problem of overhigh system pressure caused by the fact that the first fan and the second fan are completely closed in the frost stage.
Based on the self-cleaning control device of the air conditioner in the embodiment, the embodiment of the invention also provides the air conditioner, which comprises the self-cleaning control device of the air conditioner.
According to the air conditioner provided by the embodiment of the invention, the self-cleaning control device of the air conditioner can achieve a better self-cleaning effect, and the problem of overhigh system pressure caused by the fact that the first fan and the second fan are completely closed in the frost stage is effectively avoided.
Based on the self-cleaning control method of the air conditioner in the above embodiment, an embodiment of the present invention further provides a computer readable storage medium, on which a self-cleaning control program of the air conditioner is stored, and the program, when executed by a processor, implements the self-cleaning control method of the air conditioner.
In the description herein, references to the description of the term "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "an example," "a specific example," or "some examples," etc., mean that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of the invention. In this specification, the schematic representations of the terms used above are not necessarily intended to refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in any one or more embodiments or examples. Furthermore, various embodiments or examples and features of different embodiments or examples described in this specification can be combined and combined by one skilled in the art without contradiction.
Furthermore, the terms "first", "second" and "first" are used for descriptive purposes only and are not to be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one such feature. In the description of the present invention, "a plurality" means at least two, e.g., two, three, etc., unless specifically limited otherwise.
Any process or method descriptions in flow charts or otherwise described herein may be understood as representing modules, segments, or portions of code which include one or more executable instructions for implementing steps of a custom logic function or process, and alternate implementations are included within the scope of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in which functions may be executed out of order from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrently or in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as would be understood by those reasonably skilled in the art of the present invention.
The logic and/or steps represented in the flowcharts or otherwise described herein, e.g., an ordered listing of executable instructions that can be considered to implement logical functions, can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, or other system that can fetch the instructions from the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. For the purposes of this description, a "computer-readable medium" can be any means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection (electronic device) having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette (magnetic device), a Random Access Memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), an optical fiber device, and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CDROM). Additionally, the computer-readable medium could even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program is printed, as the program can be electronically captured, via for instance optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled, interpreted or otherwise processed in a suitable manner if necessary, and then stored in a computer memory.
It should be understood that portions of the present invention may be implemented in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. In the above embodiments, the various steps or methods may be implemented in software or firmware stored in memory and executed by a suitable instruction execution system. If implemented in hardware, as in another embodiment, any one or combination of the following techniques, which are known in the art, may be used: a discrete logic circuit having a logic gate circuit for implementing a logic function on a data signal, an application specific integrated circuit having an appropriate combinational logic gate circuit, a Programmable Gate Array (PGA), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), or the like.
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that all or part of the steps carried by the method for implementing the above embodiments may be implemented by hardware related to instructions of a program, which may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, and when the program is executed, the program includes one or a combination of the steps of the method embodiments.
In addition, functional units in the embodiments of the present invention may be integrated into one processing module, or each unit may exist alone physically, or two or more units are integrated into one module. The integrated module can be realized in a hardware mode, and can also be realized in a software functional module mode. The integrated module, if implemented in the form of a software functional module and sold or used as a stand-alone product, may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium.
The storage medium mentioned above may be a read-only memory, a magnetic or optical disk, etc. Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention, and that variations, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to the above embodiments by those of ordinary skill in the art within the scope of the present invention.
Claims (13)
1. A self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner is characterized in that an indoor unit of the air conditioner comprises an indoor heat exchanger, a first fan and a second fan, the first fan is arranged opposite to the upper part of the indoor heat exchanger, the second fan is arranged opposite to the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger, and the method comprises the following steps:
after the air conditioner enters a self-cleaning mode, determining a self-cleaning stage where the air conditioner is currently located, wherein the self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner comprises a frost stage;
and when the air conditioner is in the frost stage, controlling the air conditioner to keep refrigerating operation, wherein the first fan is controlled to stop running, and the second fan is controlled to run at a preset rotating speed.
2. The self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the preset rotation speed is determined based on a pressure parameter in the air conditioner.
3. The self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the preset rotation speed is greater than a first rotation speed threshold value and equal to or less than a second rotation speed threshold value, wherein the first rotation speed threshold value is obtained through experiments.
4. The self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner further includes a condensing stage before the frost stage, the method further comprising:
and when the air conditioner is in the condensation stage, controlling the air conditioner to perform refrigeration operation, wherein the first fan and the second fan are controlled to operate.
5. The self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner according to claim 4, wherein in the condensing stage, the first fan is controlled to operate at a first target speed, and the second fan is controlled to operate at a second target speed;
wherein the first target rotational speed and the second target rotational speed are determined based on an indoor ambient temperature and humidity.
6. The self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner according to claim 5, wherein the self-cleaning phase of the air conditioner further includes a defrosting and drying phase after the defrosting phase, the method further comprising:
and when the air conditioner is in the defrosting and drying stage, controlling the air conditioner to perform heating operation, wherein the first fan and the second fan are controlled to operate.
7. The self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein in the condensing stage, the first fan is controlled to operate at a third target rotation speed, and the second fan is controlled to operate at a fourth target rotation speed;
wherein the third target rotation speed is less than the first target rotation speed, and the fourth target rotation speed is less than the second target rotation speed.
8. The self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner according to claim 6, wherein,
when the time of the air conditioner for refrigerating operation in the condensation stage reaches a first operation length, controlling the air conditioner to enter the frost stage;
when the time for the air conditioner to perform refrigerating operation in the defrosting stage reaches a second operation time, controlling the air conditioner to enter the defrosting and drying stage, wherein the first preset time is shorter than the second operation time;
and when the time for the air conditioner to perform heating operation in the defrosting and drying stage reaches a third operation time, controlling the air conditioner to exit the self-cleaning mode.
9. The self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner according to claim 8, further comprising:
acquiring indoor environment temperature and humidity;
determining the first operation duration according to the indoor environment temperature and humidity and through a target mapping relation;
and determining the third operation time according to the indoor environment humidity.
10. The self-cleaning control method of an air conditioner according to claim 1, further comprising:
sending out reminding information when the condition of the air conditioner is determined to meet the self-cleaning condition;
receiving a self-cleaning instruction input by a user;
and controlling the air conditioner to enter the self-cleaning mode according to the self-cleaning instruction.
11. A self-cleaning control device of an air conditioner, characterized in that an indoor unit of the air conditioner includes an indoor heat exchanger, the device comprising:
the first fan is arranged relative to the upper part of the indoor heat exchanger, and the second fan is arranged relative to the lower part of the indoor heat exchanger;
the control module is used for determining the current self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner after the air conditioner enters a self-cleaning mode, wherein the self-cleaning stage of the air conditioner comprises a frost stage, and when the air conditioner is in the frost stage, the air conditioner is controlled to keep refrigerating operation, wherein the first fan is controlled to stop running, and the second fan is controlled to run at a preset rotating speed.
12. An air conditioner characterized by comprising the self-cleaning control device of the air conditioner according to claim 11.
13. A computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon a self-cleaning control program of an air conditioner, which when executed by a processor, implements the self-cleaning control method of the air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 10.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN201911206770.0A CN110848922B (en) | 2019-11-29 | 2019-11-29 | Air conditioner and self-cleaning control method and device thereof |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN201911206770.0A CN110848922B (en) | 2019-11-29 | 2019-11-29 | Air conditioner and self-cleaning control method and device thereof |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CN110848922A true CN110848922A (en) | 2020-02-28 |
| CN110848922B CN110848922B (en) | 2021-11-19 |
Family
ID=69606837
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN201911206770.0A Active CN110848922B (en) | 2019-11-29 | 2019-11-29 | Air conditioner and self-cleaning control method and device thereof |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CN (1) | CN110848922B (en) |
Citations (19)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KR20110075634A (en) * | 2009-12-28 | 2011-07-06 | 콘티넨탈 오토모티브 일렉트로닉스 유한회사 | Side mirror cleaning device |
| CN105944466A (en) * | 2016-05-06 | 2016-09-21 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Air conditioner and cleaning control method thereof |
| CN106322658A (en) * | 2016-08-23 | 2017-01-11 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Cleaning control method and device for heat exchanger of air conditioner |
| CN106322660A (en) * | 2016-08-23 | 2017-01-11 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Self-cleaning control method and device for evaporator of air conditioner |
| CN106352634A (en) * | 2016-08-31 | 2017-01-25 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Method and system for detecting filth blockage of air-conditioner heat exchanger based on fan power and air conditioner |
| CN106545975A (en) * | 2016-12-08 | 2017-03-29 | 美的集团武汉制冷设备有限公司 | The heat exchanger cleaning control method of air-conditioner and device |
| CN106556110A (en) * | 2016-11-18 | 2017-04-05 | 江苏新科电器有限公司 | A kind of method that indoor apparatus of air conditioner is cleaned automatically |
| KR20170075385A (en) * | 2015-12-23 | 2017-07-03 | 주식회사 경동나비엔 | Heat exchange type ventilator having bypass and recirculation function |
| CN107894185A (en) * | 2017-10-10 | 2018-04-10 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | The self cleaning method and air conditioner of heat exchanger of air conditioner |
| US20180180304A1 (en) * | 2014-08-01 | 2018-06-28 | Ove Arup & Partners International Limited | Air conditioning unit |
| CN108386907A (en) * | 2018-01-09 | 2018-08-10 | 青岛海尔空调器有限总公司 | Wall-hanging air conditioner and its automatically cleaning control method |
| CN108397818A (en) * | 2018-01-09 | 2018-08-14 | 青岛海尔空调器有限总公司 | Wall-hanging air conditioner and its automatically cleaning control method |
| CN207763094U (en) * | 2018-01-17 | 2018-08-24 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Cabinet air-conditioner and air conditioner |
| CN109340912A (en) * | 2018-12-05 | 2019-02-15 | 珠海格力电器股份有限公司 | Air conditioner and self-cleaning method thereof |
| CN109737558A (en) * | 2018-12-29 | 2019-05-10 | 合肥美的暖通设备有限公司 | Air conditioner, defrosting control method and computer readable storage medium |
| CN110017543A (en) * | 2019-04-17 | 2019-07-16 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Air conditioner, cleaning control method and computer readable storage medium |
| CN110173826A (en) * | 2019-05-29 | 2019-08-27 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | The self cleaning method and computer readable storage medium of air conditioner, indoor heat exchanger |
| CN110173846A (en) * | 2019-05-29 | 2019-08-27 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | The self cleaning method and computer readable storage medium of air conditioner, indoor heat exchanger |
| CN110207313A (en) * | 2019-06-26 | 2019-09-06 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Air conditioner and its air conditioning control method, control device and readable storage medium storing program for executing |
-
2019
- 2019-11-29 CN CN201911206770.0A patent/CN110848922B/en active Active
Patent Citations (19)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KR20110075634A (en) * | 2009-12-28 | 2011-07-06 | 콘티넨탈 오토모티브 일렉트로닉스 유한회사 | Side mirror cleaning device |
| US20180180304A1 (en) * | 2014-08-01 | 2018-06-28 | Ove Arup & Partners International Limited | Air conditioning unit |
| KR20170075385A (en) * | 2015-12-23 | 2017-07-03 | 주식회사 경동나비엔 | Heat exchange type ventilator having bypass and recirculation function |
| CN105944466A (en) * | 2016-05-06 | 2016-09-21 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Air conditioner and cleaning control method thereof |
| CN106322658A (en) * | 2016-08-23 | 2017-01-11 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Cleaning control method and device for heat exchanger of air conditioner |
| CN106322660A (en) * | 2016-08-23 | 2017-01-11 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Self-cleaning control method and device for evaporator of air conditioner |
| CN106352634A (en) * | 2016-08-31 | 2017-01-25 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Method and system for detecting filth blockage of air-conditioner heat exchanger based on fan power and air conditioner |
| CN106556110A (en) * | 2016-11-18 | 2017-04-05 | 江苏新科电器有限公司 | A kind of method that indoor apparatus of air conditioner is cleaned automatically |
| CN106545975A (en) * | 2016-12-08 | 2017-03-29 | 美的集团武汉制冷设备有限公司 | The heat exchanger cleaning control method of air-conditioner and device |
| CN107894185A (en) * | 2017-10-10 | 2018-04-10 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | The self cleaning method and air conditioner of heat exchanger of air conditioner |
| CN108386907A (en) * | 2018-01-09 | 2018-08-10 | 青岛海尔空调器有限总公司 | Wall-hanging air conditioner and its automatically cleaning control method |
| CN108397818A (en) * | 2018-01-09 | 2018-08-14 | 青岛海尔空调器有限总公司 | Wall-hanging air conditioner and its automatically cleaning control method |
| CN207763094U (en) * | 2018-01-17 | 2018-08-24 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Cabinet air-conditioner and air conditioner |
| CN109340912A (en) * | 2018-12-05 | 2019-02-15 | 珠海格力电器股份有限公司 | Air conditioner and self-cleaning method thereof |
| CN109737558A (en) * | 2018-12-29 | 2019-05-10 | 合肥美的暖通设备有限公司 | Air conditioner, defrosting control method and computer readable storage medium |
| CN110017543A (en) * | 2019-04-17 | 2019-07-16 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Air conditioner, cleaning control method and computer readable storage medium |
| CN110173826A (en) * | 2019-05-29 | 2019-08-27 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | The self cleaning method and computer readable storage medium of air conditioner, indoor heat exchanger |
| CN110173846A (en) * | 2019-05-29 | 2019-08-27 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | The self cleaning method and computer readable storage medium of air conditioner, indoor heat exchanger |
| CN110207313A (en) * | 2019-06-26 | 2019-09-06 | 广东美的制冷设备有限公司 | Air conditioner and its air conditioning control method, control device and readable storage medium storing program for executing |
Non-Patent Citations (2)
| Title |
|---|
| 张忱; 李延炜; 秦泽波: "风冷式空调冷凝器翅片清洁方法的探讨", 《信息系统工程》 * |
| 石文星，王宝龙，邵双全: "《小型空调热泵装置设计》", 31 October 2013 * |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CN110848922B (en) | 2021-11-19 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| CN110848882B (en) | Air conditioner and self-cleaning control method and device thereof | |
| CN110848878B (en) | Air conditioner and self-cleaning control method and device thereof | |
| CN111356881B (en) | Air conditioner and control method thereof | |
| CN109855191B (en) | Multi-split air conditioner and control method thereof | |
| JP6349013B1 (en) | Air conditioner | |
| CN110230857B (en) | One-driving-multiple air conditioner and self-cleaning control method thereof | |
| CN104654531B (en) | Air conditioner and its control method of outer machine dedusting | |
| CN111426017B (en) | Self-cleaning control method for outdoor heat exchanger of air conditioner, air conditioner and computer readable storage medium | |
| CN110848881B (en) | Air conditioner and self-cleaning control method and device thereof | |
| CN110500701A (en) | Self-cleaning method and device, storage medium and air conditioner | |
| CN110207313A (en) | Air conditioner and its air conditioning control method, control device and readable storage medium storing program for executing | |
| CN111503832B (en) | Method for controlling self-cleaning drying of air conditioner, air conditioner indoor unit and storage medium | |
| CN110848920A (en) | Air conditioner and self-cleaning control method and device thereof | |
| WO2019148973A1 (en) | Method performing automatic cleaning operation to prevent generation of condensate water, and air conditioner | |
| CN111156648B (en) | Cleaning control method of air conditioner and air conditioner | |
| JP2020051666A (en) | Air conditioner | |
| CN110822636B (en) | Air conditioner, self-cleaning control method and device thereof and storage medium | |
| CN110986256A (en) | Self-cleaning control method and device of air conditioner, air conditioner and storage medium | |
| CN111811198A (en) | Defrosting control method and device and electric equipment | |
| CN113803848A (en) | Self-cleaning control method, device and equipment and air conditioning system | |
| CN110848879A (en) | Air conditioner and self-cleaning control method and device thereof | |
| CN110848880B (en) | Air conditioner and self-cleaning control method and device thereof | |
| CN110848922B (en) | Air conditioner and self-cleaning control method and device thereof | |
| CN110822632B (en) | Air conditioner and control method and device thereof | |
| CN110848921B (en) | Air conditioner and self-cleaning control method and device thereof |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PB01 | Publication | ||
| PB01 | Publication | ||
| SE01 | Entry into force of request for substantive examination | ||
| SE01 | Entry into force of request for substantive examination | ||
| GR01 | Patent grant | ||
| GR01 | Patent grant |