EP4010637B1

EP4010637B1 - Conditioning apparatus and method to regulate it

Info

Publication number: EP4010637B1
Application number: EP20761915.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Raffaele Longo; Roshanak MIRMIRAN; Mauro FACCO
Original assignee: De Longhi Appliances SRL
Current assignee: De Longhi Appliances SRL
Priority date: 2019-08-05
Filing date: 2020-08-04
Publication date: 2023-09-13
Anticipated expiration: 2040-08-04
Also published as: US20220299228A1; CN114402170B; WO2021024287A1; AU2020326586A1; CN114402170A; EP4010637A1; IT201900013962A1

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention concern a conditioning apparatus preferably, but not necessarily portable, that can be installed inside an environment, such as a room, or a bedroom, and is suitable to dynamically condition the environment to provide optimum comfort levels for a user.
The present invention also concerns a method to regulate a conditioning apparatus, which is able to dynamically condition the functioning of a conditioning apparatus in relation to the environmental conditions and/or the user's requirements, guaranteeing on every occasion that environmental parameters are obtained, in particular temperature and humidity, comfortable for the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conditioning apparatuses configured to dynamically condition an internal environment in relation to the requirements of a user are known.
By internal environment we mean, for example, a room, or a space delimited with respect to an external environment by means of walls possibly provided with windows and/or doors.
Different types of conditioning apparatuses are known, for example of the fixed type, which are installed immovably on a wall of the room to be conditioned, and of the portable type, that is, which can be moved inside the room or zone to be conditioned, for example by moving them nearer to/away from a user.
In both cases, known conditioning apparatuses are generally positioned in such a way as to emit a conditioned flow of air toward a determinate zone where it is assumed that the user will be positioned.
The user, however, can move around inside the room, and it may therefore happen that he/she moves away from the determinate zone.
In order to try to at least partly obviate this problem, conditioning apparatuses are known that are provided with a portable detection unit, which can be positioned near a user, which comprises one or more sensors suitable to detect at least the temperature of a room and transmit the relative data to a control unit of the conditioning apparatus, which regulates the functioning of the latter in such a way as to obtain desired temperature values in the zone where the portable detection unit is positioned.
Document JP-A-2018 169070 describes an air conditioner and a corresponding regulation method which provides to detect the temperature in a detection zone by means of a portable device and to regulate the direction of the flow of air emitted in relation to the position of the portable device.
These known solutions of conditioning apparatuses and corresponding regulation methods do not allow a versatile regulation of the conditioning apparatus according to the requirements and position of the user, therefore they do not allow to obtain optimal environmental conditions in the room to guarantee ideal comfort for the user.
Moreover, these known conditioning apparatuses, portable or not, require an active intervention by the user in choosing the optimal environmental conditions in the room, which entails a lack of dynamism in the regulation of the environmental conditions inside the room, which can also lead to high energy consumption.
Therefore, there is a need to perfect a conditioning method for a conditioning apparatus and a corresponding conditioning apparatus which can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.
In particular, one purpose of the present invention is to perfect a conditioning method which allows to dynamically regulate and optimize the environmental conditions in a detection zone, in particular in a zone surrounding the position of a user.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a conditioning apparatus which is suitable to optimize the environmental conditions in the detection zone, providing high levels of comfort to a user in any circumstance and irrespective of the environmental conditions.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a portable conditioning apparatus that is automated and efficient and can provide the user with useful information for its optimal use.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a conditioning apparatus and a method to regulate a conditioning apparatus which is particularly effective in providing the environmental conditions required.
Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a regulation method and a corresponding conditioning apparatus able to optimize the energy consumption of the conditioning apparatus itself.
The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.
In accordance with the above purposes, the present invention concerns an apparatus for conditioning an environment and a method to regulate a conditioning apparatus, which overcome the limits of the state of the art and eliminate the defects present therein.
With the terms "conditioning" and "condition" here and hereafter we generally mean those actions suitable to cool, heat or ventilate an environment, or a combination of the above.
The air conditioning apparatus according to the invention can be used in indoor environments such as rooms, bedrooms, or suchlike, to ventilate air at room temperature, or to provide cooling, heating, thermoventilation, dehumidification, or purification of the air.
The conditioning apparatus generally comprises a conditioning body inside which conditioning means and devices are disposed, which are suitable to modify the state of a flow of air in order to cause a determinate effect on the surrounding environment.
With the expression "modify the state of a flow of air" here and hereafter in the description we mean the modification of one or more characteristics of the flow, including, for example, flow rate, direction, temperature, humidity, possible concentrations of CO2, or impurities, and possibly also the shape of the flow emitted.
The apparatus according to the invention also comprises a control and command unit disposed in the conditioning body and configured to regulate the functioning of the conditioning means and devices in order to regulate, on each occasion, at least the flow rate and/or the thermo-hygrometric characteristics of the flow of air delivered to the environment to be conditioned as a function of determinate target parameters to be reached.
According to one aspect of the invention, the conditioning apparatus also comprises at least one portable remote detection unit comprising one or more detection devices configured to detect one or more environmental parameters in a zone surrounding its position, and communication devices suitable to communicate with the control and command unit at least in order to transmit the parameters detected.
Advantageously, the remote detection unit, since it is portable and mobile, can be carried by hand by the user who moves within the environment to be conditioned, or it can also be positioned on the user.
By way of a non-limiting example, the remote detection unit can have shapes and sizes such that it can be positioned in a pocket of a garment of the user and, possibly, be removed from the pocket at the point where the detection is to be performed.
Consequently, this remote detection unit allows to provide the environmental parameters at the point where it is located, allowing the command and control unit to modulate, regulate and command the conditioning means in order to obtain the best comfort for the user exactly within the zone where he/she is located.
Thanks to the remote detection unit it is therefore possible to obtain a particularly effective and "intelligent" regulation of the conditioning apparatus, which allows to quickly and effectively make the values of the actual environmental parameters converge with the values of the target parameters, in particular in the zone surrounding the user.
According to one aspect of the invention, the conditioning apparatus also comprises a spatial detection device configured to detect at least the distance between the remote detection unit and the conditioning body, and communicate it to the control and command unit.
According to one aspect of the invention, the control and command unit is configured to regulate the functioning of the conditioning means at least as a function of commands received from the user through a user interface and of the distance detected by the spatial detection device.
This solution allows to obtain an automated, efficient and versatile conditioning apparatus, which can be applied in different indoor environments and suitable to guarantee a feeling of comfort for the user in any situation whatsoever.
This solution, in fact, allows to obtain a measurement at least of temperature and humidity parameters, and possibly control of the speed of the air as an indirect measurement as a function of distance, in a detection zone close to the user, in order to control the functionality of the machine within a range associated with a better sensation for the user.
In particular, the control and command unit as a function of the distance detected can be configured to verify whether the remote detection unit is within a predefined area of optimal functioning for the conditioning apparatus.
According to some embodiments, in the event that the remote detection unit is located outside the predefined area, the control and command unit can provide a signal to the user.
For example, the control and command unit can provide an acoustic or visual signal to inform the user of a possible condition of difficulty in reaching the target parameters in the zone where the remote detection unit is located, and, if necessary, prompt him/her to reduce/increase the reciprocal distance between the remote detection unit and the conditioning body.
According to some embodiments, the remote detection unit and the control and command unit communicate by means of communication devices based on Bluetooth protocol, which allow to estimate the distance between them, also integrating the spatial detection functions in a single device.
According to further embodiments, the conditioning apparatus comprises a fixed detection unit, installed on the conditioning body, suitable to detect one or more environmental parameters in a detection zone surrounding its position, and the control and command unit can selectively receive the data of the parameters detected by one or the other detection unit as a function of the distance detected.
Embodiments described here also concern a method to regulate a conditioning apparatus comprising a conditioning body inside which conditioning means and devices are disposed, which are suitable to modify the state of a flow of air in order to cause a determinate effect in the surrounding environment, wherein the method comprises:

receiving an indication of values of target environmental parameters to be reached in the environment to be conditioned;
detecting the current environmental parameters in the environment to be conditioned;
detecting a distance between the conditioning body and a portable remote detection unit comprising one or more detection devices configured to detect one or more environmental parameters in a zone surrounding its position;
regulating the functioning of the conditioning means by means of a control and command unit communicating with the portable remote detection unit in order to regulate, on each occasion, the flow rate and/or the thermo-hygrometric characteristics of the flow of air to be delivered into the environment to be conditioned as a function of the distance detected, so as to align the environmental parameters detected with the target environmental parameters.

By thermo-hygrometric characteristics of the flow of air we mean characteristics relating at least to the temperature and humidity of the flow of air, which strongly affect the level of comfort and well-being of a user.
According to some embodiments, the target parameters can be set directly by a user, for example through a suitable interface, or be automatically selected by the control and command unit on the basis of a map or a predefined algorithm.
According to some embodiments, the method provides to store in the control and command unit values of thresholds of minimum and maximum distance with respect to the conditioning body, defining a predefined area of optimal functioning for the conditioning apparatus.
According to some embodiments, the method provides to verify, as a function of the distance detected, whether the portable remote detection unit is inside or outside the area of optimal functioning and, if this is not the case, provide a signal to the user to inform him/her of a possible condition of difficulty in reaching the target parameters in the remote detection zone and, if necessary, prompt him/her to approach or move away from the conditioning body.
This is particularly useful in the case of conditioning apparatuses of the portable type, generally suitable to provide a localized conditioning, since their performance is strongly affected by their distance with respect to the user.
If the user is too far away, it can happen that the zone surrounding the user does not reach the desired temperature and/or humidity values, even regulating both the conditioning devices and also the ventilation devices to the maximum, leading to a not very comfortable conditioning for the user and high energy consumption.
According to further embodiments, as a function of the distance between the remote detection unit and the conditioning body, the command and control unit can decide which environmental parameters to use among those detected by the remote detection unit and those detected by a detection unit associated with the conditioning body, to regulate the functioning of the conditioning means in order to provide optimum comfort performance to the user.
Consequently, this solution allows to optimize the overall performance of the conditioning apparatus.
In particular, this solution is particularly effective in reaching the target environmental parameters in correspondence with the detection zone associated with the remote detection unit in the proximity of a user when it is within the area of optimal functioning, but allows in any case to obtain comfortable environmental parameters for the user within the environment to be conditioned.
Furthermore, this solution can allow to reduce the energy consumptions of the apparatus itself, at least under certain conditions, guaranteeing high versatility when conditioning an internal environment as a function of the optimum comfort for a user, that is, a comfortable sensation perceived by the user, correlated to the temperature and humidity values, and possibly speed of the air near him/her.
According to further embodiments, the values of target environmental parameter to be reached can be defined automatically by the control and command unit as a function of a specific functioning mode selected by the user, for example by means of optimum comfort algorithms.
According to further embodiments, the method comprises transmitting the current environmental parameters detected and the distance detected to the command and control unit by means of a Bluetooth wireless communication protocol. In this way, the conditioning of the internal environment is more optimized, automated and easy to use for a user.

ILLUSTRATION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

fig. 1 is a lateral schematic view of an internal environment to be conditioned in which a conditioning apparatus in accordance with the present invention is provided;
fig. 2 is a schematic top view of an internal environment in which the conditioning apparatus of fig. 1 is positioned;
fig. 3 is an example schematic representation of a two-dimensional map, as a function of temperature and relative humidity, of the optimal functioning of a conditioning apparatus, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, for cooling an environment.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

We will now refer in detail to the various embodiments of the invention, of which one or more examples are shown in the attached drawings. Each example is supplied by way of illustration of the invention and shall not be understood as a limitation thereof. For example, the characteristics shown or described insomuch as they are part of one embodiment can be adopted on, or in association with, other embodiments to produce another embodiment. It is understood that the present invention shall include all such modifications and variants.
Embodiments described here with reference to figs. 1 and 2 concern a conditioning apparatus 10 that can be installed in an internal environment 11, distinct from an external environment 12, and able to condition the environmental parameters on each occasion.
This conditioning apparatus 10 can be configured to cool, dehumidify, heat or ventilate the internal environment 11, or a combination of the above, in order to suitably condition the internal environment 11.
The internal environment 11 can be defined by a plurality of walls 20 along which doors and/or windows can be present.
Although in the description we will refer to a conditioner of the portable type, also called PAC - Portable Air Conditioner in the sector, it is understood that the present invention can also be applied to conditioners of the fixed type, such as heat pumps, dehumidifiers, or suchlike.
According to one embodiment, a conditioning apparatus 10 comprises a conditioning body 13 defining a housing compartment suitable to contain conditioning means 16 suitable to modify the state of a flow of air W in order to cause a determinate effect in the surrounding environment 11.
This conditioning body 13 also comprises means 14 for drawing air and means 15 for delivering air.
According to some embodiments, the conditioning means 16 comprise at least one ventilation device 17, for example a fan, an impeller, or other device suitable to move and deliver a flow of air, configured to cooperate with the delivery means 15 in order to deliver a conditioned flow of air.
In particular, the ventilation device 17 can be of the adjustable type and be configured to deliver air with different speeds and different flow rates.
According to some embodiments, the conditioning means 16 comprise at least one conditioning device 18 able to modify the state of the flow of air W in order to cause a determinate effect inside the internal environment 11 in which it is emitted.
For example, the conditioning device 18 can cause a heating, a cooling, or a dehumidification of the flow of air, or even a combination thereof in the case of a conditioning apparatus 10 designed to perform different functions according to requirements.
The conditioning apparatus 10 also comprises a user interface 28 by means of which the user can command its functioning.
According to some embodiments, by means of the user interface 28 the user can set determinate temperature and/or humidity values, or can choose an automatic functioning mode for the conditioning apparatus 10.
According to some embodiments, the user interface 28 can be integrated in the conditioning body 13, or be separate from it.
According to some embodiments, the conditioning apparatus 10 comprises a control and command unit 26 provided in the conditioning body 13 and configured to regulate the functioning of the conditioning means 16 in order to obtain a suitable conditioned flow of air W as a function of a command received by the user.
According to one embodiment, the conditioning apparatus 10 comprises at least one remote detection unit 19 to detect environmental parameters, which is mobile and separate from the conditioning body 13.
According to some embodiments, the user interface 28 and the remote detection unit 19 can be integrated in a single command device.
According to possible variants, the user interface 28 and the remote detection unit 19 can be two distinct devices.
With reference to fig. 1, the remote detection unit 19 is portable so that it can be easily handled and transported by a user 22. In this way, the remote detection unit 19 will detect the environmental parameters wherever the user 22 takes it and places it inside the internal environment 11.
The remote detection unit 19 can be configured so that it can be attached to the user 22.
The remote detection unit 19 can have a pocket format.
According to one embodiment, the remote detection unit 19 is provided with one or more detection devices 23 for detecting environmental parameters in the point or in the zone where the remote detection unit 19 is located.
According to some embodiments, the detection devices 23 are configured to detect at least the temperature and humidity.
The detection devices 23 can comprise temperature sensors, humidity sensors, combined sensors, or other sensors capable of measuring other physical environmental quantities of the internal environment 11 in a detection zone Z1 in which the remote detection unit 19 is placed.
According to one embodiment, the remote detection unit 19 comprises wireless communication devices 27 configured to communicate with the control and command unit 26 at least in order to transmit the environmental parameters detected to the latter.
According to some embodiments, the remote detection unit 19 and the control and command unit 26 are provided with mating communication devices 27, for example comprising respective emitters/receivers.
According to some embodiments, the communication devices 27 can be configured to communicate with the control and command unit 26 by means of Bluetooth communication protocol, so as to not interfere with other electrical or electronic devices possibly present in the internal environment 11.
Bluetooth technology also allows communication between the control and command unit 26 and the remote detection unit 19 in any orientation whatsoever, so that the remote detection unit 19 can also be positioned laterally or to the rear with respect to the conditioning body 13.
This solution also allows to obtain a mapping of the room, that is, of the internal environment 11 in which the conditioning body 13 is located, for example by positioning the remote detection unit 19 on it in position P0 and in every corner of the room P1-P4, so as to estimate the reciprocal distances and calculate the shape and general size of the internal environment 11.
According to variant embodiments, the communication devices 27 can communicate by means of Wi-Fi connection, infrared connection, remote communication or near field communication (NFC) systems, beacon or other.
According to one embodiment, the conditioning apparatus 10 is provided with at least one spatial detection device 24 configured to detect at least the distance D between the remote detection unit 19 and the conditioning body 13 and, therefore, between the user 22 and conditioning body 13.
According to a preferred embodiment, the communication devices 27 and the spatial detection device 24 which care based on Bluetooth protocol are integrated in a single device suitable to perform both the functions of data transmission and also distance detection with respect to the conditioning body 13. Furthermore, these devices have the advantage that it is not necessary to provide a line of sight (LOF) without obstacles in order to allow communication between them.
According to possible variants, the spatial detection device 24 can also be selected from devices suitable to detect a distance by means of ultrasonic or optical sensors, for example of the infrared type.
According to possible variants, for example shown with dashed lines in fig. 1, the spatial detection device 24 can comprise an emitter 24a associated with the conditioning body 13 and connected to the control and command unit 26, and a receiver 24b disposed on the remote detection unit 19, which are in reciprocal connection by means of wireless communication protocols.
According to some embodiments, the distance between the conditioning body 13 and the remote detection unit 19 can be detected directly, as a function of the intensity of the respective signal between the emitter 24a and the receiver 24b of the Bluetooth communication devices.
According to one embodiment, the control and command unit 26 is configured to regulate the functioning of the conditioning means 16, and in particular of the ventilation device 17 and of the conditioning device 18, in order to confer different comfort performances depending on the distance from the remote detection unit 19 and therefore from the user 22.
According to one embodiment, the conditioning apparatus 10 also comprises a detection unit 25, which is fixed and integral with the conditioning body 13, configured to detect one or more environmental parameters in a second detection zone Z2 close to the conditioning body 13.
According to some embodiments, the fixed detection unit 25 comprises one or more sensors suitable to detect at least the temperature and humidity in a surrounding zone.
According to these embodiments, the control and command unit 26 can receive information on the actual environmental parameters from one or the other of the remote detection unit 19 or the fixed detection unit 25, as a function of the distance detected by the spatial detection device 24.
In particular, the control and command unit 26 can receive information on the actual environmental parameters detected in the detection zone Z1 by the remote detection unit 19 or in the second detection zone Z2 by the fixed detection unit 25, as a function of the distance detected by the spatial detection device 24 between the remote detection unit 19 and the conditioning body 13.
According to some embodiments, in the control and command unit 26 it is possible to store threshold values of minimum distance D 1 and maximum distance D2 with respect to the conditioning body 13, defining a predefined area R of optimal functioning for the conditioning apparatus 10 (fig. 2).
According to one embodiment, the control and command unit 26 is configured to consider the parameters detected by the fixed detection unit 25 and not those detected by the remote detection unit 19 when the latter is outside the predefined area R. This occurs when the distance D detected by the spatial detection device 24 is smaller than the minimum distance D1, or greater than the maximum distance D2.
In other words, as long as the remote detection unit 19 remains within the predefined area R, the control and command unit 26 regulates the functioning of the conditioning means 16 as a function of the parameters detected by the latter, so that in an area surrounding its position the environmental parameters reach the desired temperature and humidity values. This regulation, therefore, allows to obtain pre-determined values of temperature and humidity of the air that are comfortable for the user 22 in the detection zone Z1 where the remote detection unit 19, and therefore the user 22 him/herself, is located.
In this way, the control and command unit 26 advantageously selects the most correct environmental parameters to be detected in order to obtain the best comfort performance within the internal environment 11.
This solution allows to dynamically regulate the environmental parameters of the internal environment 11, adapting the energy consumption and the performance of the conditioning apparatus 10 itself in relation to the environmental conditions detected in the proximity of the user 22 by means of the remote detection unit 19 when the latter is located in the predefined area R, or by means of the fixed detection unit 25 integral with the conditioning body 13.
According to one possible embodiment, the conditioning apparatus 10 can comprise a plurality of remote detection units 19 to detect environmental parameters which are separate from the conditioning body 13 and can be positioned in different points of the internal environment 11, each provided with communication devices 27 of the Bluetooth type.
In the case of an air conditioning apparatus 10 with a conditioning body 13 of the portable type, by positioning each remote detection unit 19 in a different room, it is possible to obtain an indication of the temperature in each room in order to evaluate the best positioning for the conditioning body 13.
According to further embodiments, it can be provided that the remote detection unit(s) 19 is/are provided with motion sensors suitable to recognize and record the presence of a user close to it/them, so as to be able to provide an indication of the best positioning of the conditioning body 13 in order to obtain the optimal conditioning of the internal environment 11, also as a function of the positions usually assumed by the user.
According to some embodiments, the control and command unit 26 comprises an internal memory 29 in which tables, maps and/or predefined functioning algorithms for the conditioning means 16 can be stored in order to provide thermal comfort for the user.
According to some embodiments, in the internal memory 29 there can be stored, for example, a two-dimensional map of the type shown in fig. 3, which identifies different areas of thermal comfort for the user, defined by pairs of temperature and humidity values, with which different functioning modes of the conditioning means 16 are associated, suitable to obtain, in the detection zone Z1 of the actual environmental parameters, pairs of temperature and humidity values that fall within a range of values associated with a better sensation, which provide a feeling of comfort to the user.
Embodiments of the present invention also concern a method to regulate a conditioning apparatus 10 which comprises:

receiving an indication of values of target environmental parameters to be reached in the environment to be conditioned as a function of a command given by a user by means of a user interface 28;
detecting the current environmental parameters in the internal environment 11 to be conditioned;
detecting a distance D between the conditioning body 13 and the portable remote detection unit 19 comprising one or more sensors configured to detect one or more environmental parameters in a zone surrounding its position;
regulating the functioning of conditioning means 16 by means of a control and command unit 26 communicating with the remote detection unit 19 in order to regulate, on each occasion, the flow rate and/or the temperature of the flow of air to be delivered to the environment to be conditioned as a function of the distance detected, so as to align the environmental parameters detected with the target environmental parameters.

According to some embodiments, the method provides to verify, as a function of the distance D detected, whether the portable remote detection unit 19 is inside or outside the predefined area R of optimal functioning and, if it is outside the predefined area R, provide a signal to the user, for example by means of the user interface 28.
By way of example, it can be provided that the control and command unit 26 can provide a signal to the user, for example of the sound or acoustic type, in order to inform him/her of a possible condition of difficulty in reaching the target parameters in the detection zone Z1 of the remote detection unit 19. The control and command unit 26 can also provide a signal to prompt the user to approach or move away from the conditioning body 13, or to move the conditioning body 13 away or closer, if mobile.
The user interface 28 can provide light and/or acoustic signals in order to indicate to the user 22 when an optimal position has been reached.
According to one embodiment, the thresholds of minimum distance D1 and maximum distance D2 between the remote detection unit 19 and the conditioning body 13 are pre-stored in the internal memory 29 based on the type of conditioning body 13 and its parameters of use.
According to a further embodiment, the thresholds of minimum distance D1 and maximum distance D2 are calculated on each occasion by the control and command unit 26 as a function of the life status of the conditioning means 16, of the environmental parameters of the external environment 12 possibly measured with external sensors (not shown) connected to the control and command unit 26, and of the size of the internal environment 11.
According to one possible embodiment, the thresholds of minimum distance D1 and maximum distance D2 can be pre-set by the user 22 by means of the user interface 28.
According to some embodiments, a step of setting the conditioning apparatus 10 can also be provided, in which the remote detection unit 19 is positioned in a plurality of points P0-P4 in order to estimate the shape and size of the internal environment 11, and the control and command unit 26 can possibly estimate the minimum distance D1 and maximum distance D2 on the basis of the estimated data.
According to one embodiment, the threshold of minimum distance D1 can be comprised between 0.5 m and 1.5 m.
According to one embodiment, the threshold of maximum distance D2 can be comprised between 3 m and 5 m.
According to one embodiment, the actual distance D between the remote detection unit 19 and the conditioning body 13 can be detected by means of wireless communication protocols, for example by means of Bluetooth.
According to one embodiment, if the actual distance D detected is comprised between the thresholds of minimum distance D1 and maximum distance D2, the method provides to detect the current environmental parameters by means of the remote detection unit 19. Otherwise, the method provides to detect the current environmental parameters by means of the fixed detection unit 25 associated with the conditioning body 13.
According to some embodiments, in the event the user selects an automatic functioning mode of the conditioning apparatus 10, the target environmental parameters for the optimal conditioning of the internal environment 11 are automatically extracted and defined by a comfort algorithm pre-stored in the internal memory 29.
This comfort algorithm can provide a map for the functioning of the conditioning apparatus 10 as a function of the actual environmental parameters detected in the internal environment 11.
Advantageously, the algorithm as above allows to obtain pairs of temperature and humidity values in correspondence with the detection zone, suitable to provide a feeling of comfort for the user at least within the area R of optimal functioning of the conditioning means 16.
In particular, with reference by way of example to fig. 3, the comfort algorithm can provide a two-dimensional map for the functioning of the conditioning apparatus 10 as a function of the temperature and relative humidity values detected in the internal environment 11 in which the correct functioning of the conditioning means 16 is indicated, in order to obtain a comfortable sensation for a user 22 in correspondence with the detection zone Z1, that is, pairs of temperature and humidity values defining the target environmental parameters.
More comfort algorithms can be provided depending on the type of application of the conditioning apparatus 10, that is, the type of conditioning to be carried out, for example heating, cooling, dehumidification.
According to some embodiments, the comfort algorithms can be predefined, for example stored in the internal memory 29 during the step of producing or programming the apparatus 10.
According to possible variants, it can also be provided that the comfort algorithms can be modified or adapted as a function of the preferences of a user, for example on the basis of information and/or feedback provided by the latter by means of the user interface 28.
According to other variants, it can also be provided that the control and command unit 26 is configured to process and/or modify comfort algorithms on the basis of the settings and commands provided by the user, for example as a function the most frequently selected target environmental parameters.
Fig. 3 shows, by way of a non-limiting example, a two-dimensional map for the functioning of a conditioning apparatus 10 for cooling the internal environment 11, in which the conditioning means 16 comprise a ventilation device 17 and a compressor 18 as conditioning device.
It is understood that, in the case of conditioning apparatuses 10 of a different type, for example in which the conditioning device comprises a resistance, or an oil exchanger, maps and algorithms can be provided on each occasion which regulate the functioning thereof for heating an environment as a function of pairs of temperature/humidity values.
Referring by way of example to fig. 3, it is possible to identify areas of different functioning of the conditioning means 16, depending on the temperature and relative humidity detected by the remote detection unit 19 in the detection zone Z1.
As a function of the pairs of temperature and humidity values, zones with different levels of comfort for the user are defined.
For example, zone A, delimited by a line L1 passing through pairs of temperature/humidity values (T/HR) comprising (16°C, 75%), (22°C, 60%), (27°C, 50 %), defines the zone of optimum comfort for the user.
Zone B, delimited at the lower part by the line L1 and at the upper part by a line L2 passing through pairs of temperature/humidity values (T/HR) comprising (16°C, 90%), (22°C, 80%), (27°C, 70%), defines a zone of average comfort.
Zone C, delimited at the lower part by line L2, indicates a zone with thermal conditions not very favorable for the user, in which both the relative humidity values and also the temperature values are particularly high.
Zone D is defined by a line L3 with a constant temperature T, for example lower than or equal to 15.5°C, while zone E is defined by a line L4 with a constant temperature T, for example lower than or equal to 32.5°C, that is, temperature values that cause sensations of excessive cold and heat.
In automatic functioning mode, the control and command unit 26 commands the conditioning means 16 in a differentiated manner, as a function of where the pair of actual environmental parameters detected on each occasion is positioned on the map, in order to obtain, in the detection zone Z1, environmental parameters with pairs of T-HR values within the optimum zone A.
In particular, zone D and zone E provide a functioning of the conditioning means 16 that is independent of the humidity detected, that is, temperature thresholds are identified beyond which the conditioning means 16 are regulated independently of the humidity detected.
For example, below 15-16°C (zone D), neither the ventilation device 17 nor the conditioning device 18 are activated, regardless of the humidity detected, since it is not necessary to cool the internal environment 11.
According to some embodiments, the method can provide that, above 32-33°C (zone E), the ventilation device 17 and the conditioning device 18 are activated at maximum power in order to quickly cool the internal environment 11 regardless of the relative humidity detected.
In the case of a comfort algorithm suitable to heat the internal environment 11, in the case of pairs of detected values belonging to zone D, it could be provided to activate the ventilation device 17 and to set the conditioning device 18 to heating mode, in order to heat the internal environment 11, so as to bring the actual thermal parameters back into zone A so as to create a comfort zone around the user, while in zone E it may not be necessary to activate the conditioning means 16.
According to some embodiments, if the environmental parameters detected are comprised in zone B, since the temperatures are generally contained, the regulation method could provide to only activate the ventilation device 17, possibly at variable powers depending on the humidity and temperature detected, while the conditioning device 18 could be deactivated.
In the case of zone B and zone C, in the case of cooling, the ventilation device 17 could provide higher ventilation speeds as the temperature and humidity detected increase, and the conditioning device 18 could cool the air drawn by the drawing means 14 with increasing speed, in order to guarantee the conditions of optimum comfort.
Similarly, it is possible to think of an algorithm for the case of heating an internal environment 11. In this case, as the temperature and relative humidity increase, the ventilation device 17 could provide higher ventilation speeds while the conditioning device 18 would gradually be turned off. This solution would allow to guarantee a ventilated environment, even in the case of temperatures above 25°C, without necessarily heating the air by means of the conditioning device 18.
According to some embodiments, the comfort algorithm can provide to use a three-dimensional map for the functioning of the conditioning apparatus 10, which provides differentiated functioning modes of the conditioning means 16 as a function of both the temperature and relative humidity values detected in the internal environment 11, and also the distance detected between the conditioning body 13 and the remote detection unit 19.
For example, it can be provided that the ventilation device 17 and the conditioning device 18 can be made to function at a plurality of intermediate levels, as a function of the distance between the conditioning body 13 and the remote detection unit 19, so as to reach values of environmental parameters belonging to zone A as quickly possible.
According to further embodiments, it can be provided that the conditioning apparatus 10 has flow delivery means 15 of the adjustable type, for example in order to modify at least one of either the inclination, the amplitude and/or the direction of the flow of air emitted.
For example, such delivery means 15 can comprise one or more exit holes with adjustable aperture and/or a grid, associated with the exit holes, which can be inclined, rotated or deformed in order to confer a desired shape upon the flow of air at exit.
By way of a non-limiting example, for increasing distances D between the conditioning body 13 and the remote detection unit 19, the method can provide that the control and command unit 26 commands the gradual increase of the ventilation speed of the ventilation device 17 in order to reach ever greater distances within the threshold of maximum distance D2. Vice versa, the opposite occurs for decreasing distances detected.
In fact, at a distance D close to the maximum distance D2, it is possible to deliver a flow of air at a high flow rate, that is, drive the ventilation device 17 at maximum speed, without the risk of creating discomfort for the user, while at a relatively small distance, close to the minimum distance D1, a high flow of air could be uncomfortable.
Furthermore, for gradually increasing distances D, the control and command unit 26 can command a gradual increase, by means of the conditioning device 18, of the heating and/or cooling of the air to be introduced into the internal environment 11, depending on the type of conditioning to be carried out.
In particular, this gradual increase can follow a temperature and/or humidity trend that is pre-stored in the internal memory 29 as a function of the actual distance D detected, so as to guarantee that a suitable comfort value is reached for each of the actual distances detected within the predefined area R.
This trend could be a curve that gradually tends to the target temperature and/or humidity value within the internal environment 11.
According to one possible embodiment, for each humidity and temperature value detected, the control and command unit 26 can communicate to a user 22, by means of the user interface 28, the optimal position of the conditioning body 13 with respect to the remote detection unit 19, and therefore to the user 22, in order to obtain optimal conditioning levels in the proximity of the area in which the user 22 is located.
According to one possible embodiment, the three-dimensional algorithm provides that below the threshold of minimum distance D1 and above the threshold of maximum distance D2, that is, outside the area R, the functioning of the conditioning apparatus 10 is independent of the temperature and relative humidity measured by the remote detection unit 19. In this case, the remote detection unit 19 will no longer be used to detect the environmental parameters, but rather the fixed detection unit 25 provided on the conditioning body 13.
According to one possible embodiment, the spatial detection device 24 can be configured to detect the sizes of the internal environment 11 and to communicate them via Bluetooth or other similar technology to the control and command unit 26. In this way, the conditioning apparatus 10 can also regulate the environmental parameters as a function of the size of the room or internal environment 11 to be conditioned.
According to one embodiment, based on the size of the room, the control and command unit 26 re-elaborates the comfort algorithm so as to obtain a versatile conditioning apparatus 10 that can be used in different types of internal environments 11.
According to one embodiment, if the actual distance D detected is not comprised between the thresholds of minimum distance D1 and maximum distance D2, the automatic functioning mode can be deactivated, and the values set by the user 22 by means of the user interface 28 can be considered as target environmental parameters.
According to one embodiment, the internal memory 29 can be configured to save and store the environmental parameters requested on each occasion by the user, creating a history of environmental parameters preferred by the user from which to extrapolate the target environmental parameters.
According to one embodiment, if the actual distance D detected is not comprised between the thresholds of minimum distance D1 and maximum distance D2, the target environmental parameters for the optimal conditioning of the internal environment 11 can be extracted from the history of environmental parameters preferred by the user, processed by the internal memory 29.
In this way, the target parameters will be extracted by the comfort algorithm without the need for the user 22 to enter the desired environmental parameters, guaranteeing, at the same time, a continuous and dynamic conditioning of the internal environment 11 in order to obtain the optimum comfort for the user 22.
It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts or steps may be made to the conditioning apparatus 10 and to the regulation method as described heretofore, without departing from the scope of the present invention which is solely defined by the appended claims.
It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of conditioning apparatus and regulation method, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the scope of protection defined thereby.

Claims

Method to regulate a conditioning apparatus (10) comprising a conditioning body (13) inside which conditioning means (16) are disposed, suitable to modify the state of a flow of air (W) to cause a determinate effect in an internal environment (11), wherein the method comprises:
- receiving an indication of values of target environmental parameters to be reached in said internal environment (11);

- detecting the current environmental parameters in the internal environment (11) to be conditioned in correspondence with a detection zone (Z1; Z2), characterized in that the method provides to:
- detect a distance (D) between the conditioning body (13) and a portable remote detection unit (19) comprising one or more detection devices (23) configured to detect one or more environmental parameters in a detection zone (Z1) surrounding the position thereof;

- regulate the functioning of the conditioning means (16) by means of a control and command unit (26) communicating with said portable remote detection unit (19) to regulate on each occasion the flow rate and/or the thermo-hygrometric characteristics of a conditioned flow of air (W) to be delivered in said internal environment (11) as a function of said distance (D) detected so as to align said detected environmental parameters with said target environmental parameters.
Method as in claim 1, characterized in that it provides to store, in said control and command unit (26), threshold values of minimum distance (D1) and maximum distance (D2) with respect to said conditioning body (13), defining a predefined zone (R) of optimal functioning for said conditioning apparatus (10).
Method as in claim 2, characterized in that, if said actual distance (D) detected is comprised between said thresholds of minimum distance (D1) and maximum distance (D2), the method provides to detect said current environmental parameters in said first detection zone (Z1) by means of said remote detection unit (19).
Method as in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that, if the actual distance (D) detected is not comprised between said thresholds of minimum distance (D1) and maximum distance (D2), the method provides to detect said current environmental parameters by means of a fixed detection unit (25) associated with the conditioning body (13) and configured to detect one or more environmental parameters in a second detection zone (Z2) close to said conditioning body (13).
Method as in any claim from 2 to 4, characterized in that it provides to verify, as a function of said distance (D) detected, whether the portable remote detection unit (19) is inside or outside said predefined zone (R) of optimal functioning and, if this is not the case, provide a signal to the user, by means of a user interface (28), to inform him/her of a possible condition of non-optimal functioning and/or invite him/her to approach or move away from said conditioning body (13) in order to return within said predefined zone (R).
Method as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that the values of the target environmental parameters to be reached are defined automatically by said control and command unit (26) as a function of a specific functioning mode selected by the user in which the target environmental parameters are extracted and defined automatically by a comfort algorithm stored in an internal memory (29) provided in said control and command unit (26).
Method as in claim 6, characterized in that said comfort algorithm comprises a two-dimensional map for the functioning of said conditioning apparatus (10) which reports, as a function of pairs of temperature and relative humidity values, determinate functioning parameters for said conditioning means (16) suitable to obtain in said detection zone (Z1) pairs of temperature and humidity values corresponding to an optimum comfort zone (A) and said control and command unit (26) commands said conditioning means (16) based on said functioning parameters.
Method as in claim 6 or 7, characterized in that said comfort algorithm provides to use a three-dimensional map for the functioning of the conditioning apparatus (10), which provides different functioning modes of the conditioning means (16) as a function of both said temperature and relative humidity values detected in the internal environment (11), and also of said distance (D) detected.
Method as in any claim from 6 to 8, characterized in that, if said actual distance (D) detected is not comprised between said thresholds of minimum distance (D1) and maximum distance (D2), the method provides to deactivate said specific functioning mode and to consider as target environmental parameters the values set by the user (22) by means of a user interface (28).
Method as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it provides to use devices based on Bluetooth communication protocol, both to transmit the environmental parameters detected in said detection zone (Z1) to said control and command unit (26), and also to detect said distance (D) between said remote detection unit (19) and said conditioning body (13).
Conditioning apparatus comprising:
- a conditioning body (13) inside which conditioning means (16) are disposed, suitable to modify the state of a flow of air (W) to cause a determinate effect in the surrounding environment;

- a control and command unit (26) disposed in the conditioning body (13) and configured to regulate the functioning of the conditioning means (16);

- at least one portable remote detection unit (19) comprising one or more detection devices (23) configured to detect one or more environmental parameters in a detection zone (Z1) surrounding the position thereof and communication devices (27) suitable to communicate with the control and command unit (26) at least in order to transmit the environmental parameters detected, characterized in that said apparatus comprises:
- a spatial detection device (24) configured to detect at least the distance (D) between the remote detection unit (19) and the conditioning body (13) and communicate it to the control and command unit (26);
wherein said control and command unit (26) is configured to regulate and adapt the functioning of said conditioning means (16) in order to modify the state of a conditioned flow of air (W) to be delivered in the environment to be conditioned at least as a function of commands received from the user through a user interface (28), of the distance (D) detected between said remote detection unit (19) and said conditioning body (13) so as to align said environmental parameters detected with determinate target environmental parameters.
Conditioning apparatus as in claim 11, characterized in that said communication devices (27) and said spatial detection device (24) are integrated in a single device that uses a Bluetooth communication protocol and is configured to perform both data transmission and also detection of said distance (D) functions.