JP2010065883A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air conditioner for making operational contents of a remote controller side agree with display contents of an air conditioner body, and easily confirming the present state information. <P>SOLUTION: The air conditioner includes a receiving section for receiving an instruction signal from the remote controller including a setting condition, an operation control section for continuing the present operation control until a prescribed time is passed after receiving the instruction signal, and performing the operation control by changing the setting condition on the basis of the instruction signal when the receiving section does not receive the next instruction signal even after the lapse of the prescribed time, a display section for displaying the present setting condition and the state information relating to the operating state, and a display control section for displaying the received display pattern on the display section when the receiving section receives the instruction signal, displaying a standby display pattern on the display section until the receiving section receives the next instruction signal, or the prescribed time has passed, and displaying an instruction final display pattern on the display section after the lapse of the prescribed time. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioner that performs operation control based on set conditions and supplies adjusted air to a room.

  In order to enable remote control, there is an air conditioner that receives an instruction signal from a wireless remote controller and performs operation control based on setting conditions included in the instruction signal.

  A wireless remote controller for remotely controlling an air conditioner has an operation unit for inputting setting conditions and a display unit for displaying setting conditions set by operating the operation unit, and is displayed on the display unit. The instruction signal can be transmitted while confirming the set conditions.

  After the instruction signal including the setting condition is transmitted from the remote control, when the current operation state is displayed on the display unit of the remote control, the setting condition transmitted immediately before is displayed.

  However, when the instruction signal from the remote controller is not normally received by the air conditioner body, this is not fed back to the remote controller, causing a problem that the current operating state of the body does not match the display on the remote controller.

  In general, on the air conditioner body side, a plurality of LEDs are provided on the front of the housing as a display to display the operating status, and LEDs corresponding to the current operating status such as automatic, cooling, heating, dehumidification, etc. It is done to light up. When an instruction signal from the remote controller is received, if there is an operation switching instruction as a setting condition included in the instruction signal, the LED to be lit is changed correspondingly. In this case, since there is a limit in the display mode, it is difficult to perform a display that can confirm the reception state of the instruction signal from the remote controller.

For this reason, it has been proposed to provide means for notifying information such as the current operating state on the air conditioner body side by voice, and performing voice notification when receiving an instruction signal from a remote control (for example, a patent) Reference 1).
JP 2007-40644 A

  The discrepancy between the remote control operation and the display on the air conditioner main unit is not solved even if a voice notification means is provided. The discrepancy between the air conditioner main unit display and audio, the air conditioner main unit The discrepancy between the display on the side and the display on the remote control is still not resolved. In addition, there are few variations in the display of status information such as setting conditions and operation status on the air conditioner main body side, and when the instruction signal from the remote control is transmitted, whether the instruction signal is reliably received on the air conditioner main body side Alternatively, it is difficult to grasp what processing the air conditioner body is performing based on the received instruction signal.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner in which the operation content on the remote control side and the display content of the air conditioner main body are matched, and the current state information can be easily confirmed.

  An air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention is an air conditioner that performs operation control based on a set condition and supplies adjusted air to the room, and receives an instruction signal from a remote control that includes the set condition. And the current operation control is continued until a predetermined time elapses after the reception of the instruction signal by the reception unit, and the reception unit receives the next instruction signal even if the predetermined time elapses after the reception of the instruction signal by the reception unit If not, an operation control unit that performs operation control by changing the setting conditions based on the instruction signal, a display unit that displays state information related to the current setting conditions and the operation state, and an instruction from the reception unit When a signal is received, the reception display pattern is displayed on the display unit, and after the instruction signal is received by the reception unit, the reception unit waits for the next instruction signal or until a predetermined time elapses. Display pattern It is displayed, and a display control unit for displaying an instruction determined display pattern on the display unit after a predetermined time after reception has passed the instruction signal by the receiving unit.

  Here, the display unit can be composed of a plurality of display elements arranged in a matrix form.

  Further, the display unit can be constituted by a liquid crystal display panel.

  Furthermore, the display control unit can be configured to display the reception display pattern, the standby display pattern, and the instruction confirmation display pattern on the display unit as dynamic display patterns.

  Moreover, it can be set as the structure further provided with the display pattern memory | storage part which stores the display pattern containing a received display pattern, a standby display pattern, and an instruction fixed display pattern.

  Further, a display control unit displays a speaker that outputs voice data, and a reception voice pattern, standby voice pattern, and instruction confirmation voice pattern corresponding to at least the reception display pattern, standby display pattern, and instruction confirmation display pattern displayed on the display unit, respectively. And a voice output control unit that outputs the voice data to the speaker in synchronization with the control by the control.

  Moreover, it can be set as the structure further equipped with the audio | voice pattern memory | storage part which stores the audio | voice pattern containing a received audio | voice pattern, a standby audio | voice pattern, and an instruction | indication confirmation audio | voice pattern.

  In the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioner in which the operation content on the remote control side and the display content of the air conditioner main body are matched, and the current state information can be easily confirmed.

  As an embodiment of the present invention, a separate type air conditioner (air conditioner) including a wall-mounted indoor unit will be described as an example. The present invention is not limited to a separate type air conditioner provided with a wall-mounted indoor unit as will be described below, but is applied to an air conditioner provided with a ceiling embedded type, a wall embedded type or a floor mounted type indoor unit. Is possible. Further, the present invention can be applied to an air conditioner having only an indoor unit such as an integrated air conditioner, air purifier, humidifier, and dehumidifier.

[Appearance structure]
FIG. 1 shows the appearance of an air conditioner in which one embodiment of the present invention is employed.

  The air conditioner 10 includes an indoor air conditioning unit 20 attached to an indoor wall surface and the like, and an outdoor air conditioning unit 30 installed outside the room.

  The indoor air conditioning unit 20 houses an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor fan that introduces indoor air and generates an air flow for heat exchange with the refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger. . The indoor air conditioning unit 20 includes a receiving unit 22 that receives an instruction signal from a remote controller and a first display unit 23 that displays status information regarding current setting conditions and operating states on the front surface of the housing.

  In the outdoor air conditioning unit 30, an outdoor refrigerant circuit including a compressor, an outdoor heat exchanger, a decompression circuit, a four-way switching valve, and the like is configured, and takes in outdoor air and passes through the outdoor heat exchanger. The outdoor fan etc. which produce | generate the air flow for performing heat exchange with a refrigerant | coolant are accommodated.

  A refrigerant pipe 50 is disposed between the indoor air conditioning unit 20 and the outdoor air conditioning unit 30, and a refrigerant circuit is configured by connecting the indoor heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger with this refrigerant pipe. .

  The air conditioner 10 also includes a wireless remote controller 40 for transmitting an instruction signal including setting conditions to the indoor air conditioning unit 20.

  FIG. 2 is a perspective view when the front panel of the indoor air conditioning unit 20 is opened.

  The indoor air conditioning unit 20 includes a housing 21 that contains an indoor heat exchanger, an indoor fan, an indoor control unit that controls each part, and the like, and a front panel 24 that can be opened and closed with respect to the housing 21. ing.

  In the lower part of the front surface of the housing 21, there is formed a blowout port 25 for blowing the adjusted air after heat exchange with the refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger into the room.

  In addition, it is located in the lower front part of the housing 21 and receives a command signal transmitted from the remote control 40, and a plurality of LEDs for displaying the operation status such as automatic operation / cooling / heating / dehumidification. A second display unit 26 configured and a speaker 27 for outputting audio data are provided.

  The first display unit 23 may have a configuration in which a plurality of LEDs are arranged in a matrix form so as to be able to display state information related to setting conditions and operating states. The first display unit 23 is a display device in which a large number of dots are arranged in a matrix form so that numerical values and characters can be displayed, and dynamic display associated with the display change can be performed. The single-color LEDs can be arranged in a matrix form of horizontal m × vertical n. Further, it is also possible to configure so that color display is possible by arranging LEDs of three colors of red, green and blue for each dot. Furthermore, it is possible to arrange a plurality of display elements for one character arranged in a matrix of horizontal m × vertical n and display control so that the display of each display element is linked.

  The first display unit 23 can use a liquid crystal display panel or an organic EL (Organic Electro-Luminescence) instead of the LEDs arranged in a matrix form. In the case where the first display unit 23 is configured by a liquid crystal display panel, a reflection type liquid crystal panel that performs image display by reflecting external light incident from the display surface side on the back side of the liquid crystal layer and using this as a light source, a liquid crystal layer Any of a transmissive liquid crystal panel that displays an image by providing a backlight on the back side thereof and a transflective liquid crystal panel that combines a reflective type and a transmissive type can be employed.

  In the illustrated example, the first display unit 23 is configured to be positioned inside the front panel 24 when the front panel 24 is closed during normal use. The front panel 24 is opaque so that the internal structure cannot be seen. The front panel 24 is made of a material having translucency so that the display content of the first display unit 23 can be identified through the front panel 24. In this case, an integrated appearance by the front panel 24 can be obtained, and the aesthetic appearance is not impaired. Of course, it is also possible to configure the shape of the front panel 24 and the arrangement of the first display unit 23 so that the first display unit 23 is exposed with the front panel 24 closed.

  The speaker 27 outputs a voice notification or an alarm sound as necessary with respect to the current operating state. For example, when an instruction signal is received from the remote control 40, a voice notification or setting indicating that the speaker 27 has been received. Voice notifications accompanying changes in conditions, changes in operating conditions, etc.

[Control block]
A control block diagram of the indoor air conditioning unit 20 and the outdoor air conditioning unit 30 is shown in FIG.

  The indoor air conditioning unit 20 includes an indoor unit controller 201 including a microprocessor, ROM, RAM, various interfaces, and the like.

  The indoor unit control unit 201 is connected to various sensors 202, an indoor fan motor 203, a display unit 204, a receiving unit 22, a speaker 27, other operating units 207, and the like.

  Various sensors 202 include an indoor heat exchange thermistor, a room temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and the like in the refrigerant circuit, and transmit detection signals to the indoor unit control unit 201.

  The indoor fan motor 203 is for driving an indoor fan provided in the indoor air conditioning unit 20, and introduced indoor air into the housing and exchanged heat with the refrigerant passing through the indoor heat exchanger. Thereafter, in order to generate an air flow for supplying the regulated air into the room, the indoor unit control unit 201 controls the air based on the setting conditions and the environment information.

  The display unit 204 includes the first display unit 23 and the second display unit 26 shown in FIG. 2, and includes state information such as setting conditions and current operation state, indoor temperature, outdoor temperature, humidity, power consumption, and the like. It is possible to display environmental information such as

  The receiving unit 22 is for receiving an instruction signal transmitted from the remote controller 40. For example, the receiver 22 can be an infrared port capable of infrared communication with the remote controller 40 according to the IrDA (Infrared Data Association) standard. . When transmitting the current condition information managed by the indoor air-conditioning unit 20 such as the current condition information such as the operating condition and the environment information obtained from the various sensors 202 to the remote controller 40, the receiver 22 also serves as the transmitter. It can be a transmission / reception unit.

  The other operation unit 207 includes a flap (vertical wind direction adjusting blade) operating motor, a louver (left and right air direction adjusting blade) operating motor, and the like, and is driven by the indoor unit control unit 201 according to the current setting state and operating state. Be controlled.

  The indoor unit control unit 201 includes a microprocessor, a ROM, a RAM, various interfaces, and the like. Based on a program stored in the ROM, a display control for the operation control unit 208 and the display unit 204 for controlling each unit related to the air conditioning operation The display control unit 209 that performs the above and the audio output control unit 210 that performs the output control of the audio data to the speaker 27 are configured.

  The operation control unit 208 communicates with the outdoor unit control unit 301 via a communication unit (not shown), transmits and receives environmental information based on control signals and detection signals of various sensors, state information related to the operation state, and the like. The indoor fan motor 203, other operating unit 207, and the like are controlled based on conditions and current environmental information, and a control signal is transmitted to the outdoor unit 301 side.

  The display control unit 209 performs display control on the display unit 204, and performs control related to the current operation state, set temperature, indoor temperature, outdoor temperature, humidity, and other displays. As described above, the display unit 204 includes the first display unit 23 and the second display unit 26, and whether the current operation state is automatic, cooling, heating, or dehumidification is determined by the second display unit 26. It is comprised so that it can recognize at a glance by display of. The second display unit 23 is configured so that a plurality of display elements arranged in a matrix form are arranged and a plurality of characters can be displayed simultaneously. As a result, when an instruction signal is received from the remote controller 40, the fact that the signal has been received is dynamically displayed on the first display unit 23, or a character, symbol, or picture is displayed. It can be displayed so that changes, changes in operating conditions, environmental information changes, etc. can be easily recognized.

  The outdoor air conditioning unit 30 includes an outdoor unit controller 301 including a microprocessor, ROM, RAM, various interfaces, and the like.

  The outdoor unit control unit 301 is connected to various sensors 302, a compressor 303, a four-way switching valve 304, an electric valve 305, an outdoor fan motor 306, other operating units 307, and the like.

  The various sensors 302 include various sensors such as a discharge pipe thermistor, an outdoor air thermistor, an outdoor heat exchange thermistor, a discharge-side pressure protection switch, and the like, and transmit detection signals to the outdoor unit control unit 301, respectively.

  The compressor 303, the four-way switching valve 304, and the motor-operated valve 305 are arranged in the outdoor air conditioning unit 30 and constitute a part of the outdoor refrigerant circuit. The outdoor fan motor 306 drives an outdoor fan for introducing the outside air into the outdoor air conditioning unit 30 and discharging the air after exchanging heat with the outdoor heat exchanger. The compressor 303, the four-way selector valve 304, the motor operated valve 305, and the outdoor fan motor 306 are controlled by the outdoor unit control unit 301 so as to be in the optimum operating state at that time based on current setting conditions and environmental information. The

〔Remote controller〕
Details of the wireless remote controller 40 are shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the remote controller 40 includes a remote controller body 401, an output port 402, a liquid crystal screen 403, and an operation unit 404.

  The output port 402 is provided at the upper end of the remote control main body 401 and transmits an instruction signal to the receiving unit 22 of the indoor air conditioning unit 20.

  The liquid crystal screen 403 is provided on the front surface of the remote control main body 401 and displays various information such as a display screen of operation contents, a set temperature, a set humidity, an air flow setting, a current indoor temperature, an outdoor temperature, power consumption, and the like. A display screen is provided.

  The operation unit 404 is provided on the front surface of the remote control main body 401 and below the liquid crystal screen 403. The operation unit 404 includes an operation / stop button 407, a cooling button 408, a heating button 409, a humidifying button 410, a dehumidifying button 411, an arrow button 412,413, an off timer button 405, an information display button 406, and the like. When the operation state is switched, the operation signal is operated by operating the operation / stop button 407, the cooling button 408, the heating button 409, the humidifying button 410, the dehumidifying button 411, the off timer button 405, etc. It is transmitted to the air conditioning unit 20. Further, when it is desired to change the set temperature, set humidity, or the like, an instruction signal can be transmitted to the indoor air conditioning unit 20 by pressing the arrow buttons 412 and 413 up or down. Furthermore, by operating the information display button 406, various information such as the current indoor temperature, outdoor temperature, humidity, and power consumption can be displayed. In this case, when the information display button 406 is operated, various information request signals are transmitted to the indoor air conditioning unit 20 side, and the information transmitted from the indoor air conditioning unit 20 is displayed on the liquid crystal provided on the front surface of the remote control body 401. It can be configured to be displayed on the screen 403.

  For example, it is assumed that a set temperature and a set humidity are displayed on the liquid crystal screen 403 in a normal operation state. When the information display button 406 is operated, the indoor air conditioning unit 20 side is requested to request the current indoor temperature and indoor humidity data, and the current indoor temperature and indoors are displayed on the liquid crystal screen 403 based on the data received from the indoor air conditioning unit 20. Can be configured to display humidity. Thereafter, each time the information display button 406 is operated, various data such as the current outdoor temperature, outdoor humidity, and power consumption can be acquired from the indoor air conditioning unit 20 and displayed on the liquid crystal screen 403.

(Operation control)
When the instruction signal including the setting condition is received from the remote controller 40, the operation control unit 208 of the indoor unit control unit 201 continues the current operation control until a predetermined time elapses after the instruction signal is received. Even if the next instruction signal is not received, the operation control is performed by changing the setting condition based on the instruction signal.

  Such operation control by the operation control unit 208 will be described based on the flowchart shown in FIG.

  When the power is turned on, the operation control unit 208 performs initial setting in step S501. The operation control unit 208 specifies various setting values required for operation from various parameters stored in the ROM and environmental information obtained from detection signals from the various sensors 202 and 302 as necessary, and controls the outdoor unit. Necessary data and control signals are transmitted to unit 301.

  In step S502, the operation control unit 208 executes operation control of each unit using various set values necessary for the operation as setting conditions. At this time, the indoor unit control unit 201 controls the indoor fan motor 203 and other operating units 207, and the outdoor unit control unit 301 includes a compressor 303, a four-way switching valve 304, an electric valve 305, an outdoor fan motor 306, and the like. And corresponding operation control is executed.

  In step S503, the operation control unit 208 determines whether or not the receiving unit 22 has received an instruction signal. The operation control unit 208 continues the current operation control when determining that the receiving unit 22 has not received the instruction signal, and proceeds to step S504 when determining that the receiving unit 22 has received the instruction signal. .

  In step S504, the operation control unit 208 resets the timer T1 for measuring the elapsed time after receiving the instruction signal by the receiving unit 22, and starts measuring the elapsed time after receiving the instruction signal. .

  In step S505, the operation control unit 208 determines whether or not an elapsed time after receiving the instruction signal by the receiving unit 22 exceeds a predetermined time. When the operation control unit 208 determines that the value of the timer T1 does not exceed the predetermined time, the operation control unit 208 proceeds to step S506, and when it determines that the value of the timer T1 exceeds the predetermined time, the operation control unit 208 proceeds to step S507. Here, the predetermined time serving as the threshold value of the timer T1 can be set to a time obtained by adding a predetermined margin to the operation interval when the user continuously operates the remote controller 40, for example, about 3 to 5 seconds. Can be set.

  In step S506, the operation control unit 208 determines whether or not the receiving unit 22 has received an instruction signal. Operation control unit 208 proceeds to step S505 when it is determined that reception unit 22 has not received the instruction signal, and proceeds to step S504 when it is determined that reception unit 22 has received the instruction signal.

  In step S507, the operation control unit 208 determines whether or not an instruction to end the operation is included in the received instruction signal. When the operation control unit 208 determines that the operation end instruction is not included in the instruction signal received by the reception unit 22, the operation control unit 208 proceeds to step S508 and determines that the operation end instruction is included Then, the process proceeds to step S509.

  In step S508, the operation control unit 208 performs operation control by changing the current setting condition based on the setting condition included in the last received instruction signal. For example, when there is an instruction to lower the set temperature once in the received instruction signal, the indoor unit control unit 201 and the outdoor unit control unit 301 change the set value according to this setting condition, and Based on this, the indoor fan motor 203, other operating unit 207, compressor 303, four-way switching valve 304, electric valve 305, outdoor fan motor 306, and the like are controlled. Thereafter, the operation control unit 208 proceeds to step S503, and continues the operation control based on the current setting conditions until the receiving unit 22 receives the instruction signal.

  In step S509, the operation control unit 208 stores necessary parameters in the memory that is backed up by the power supply, and outputs a control signal for stopping each unit to execute a termination process.

  With such a configuration, after receiving an instruction signal from the remote controller 40, the system waits until a predetermined time elapses, thereby enabling reliable control operation.

〔Display control〕
When the instruction signal including the setting condition is received from the remote controller 40, the display control unit 209 of the indoor unit control unit 201 interlocks with the operation control by the operation control unit 208 in the current operation state and the reception state of the instruction signal from the remote control. Display control for performing display corresponding to the above on the display unit 204 is executed. Such display control by the display control unit 209 will be described based on a flowchart shown in FIG.

  When the receiving unit 22 receives the instruction signal in step S601, the display control unit 209 of the indoor unit control unit 201 performs display control so that the received display pattern is displayed on the first display unit 23 in step S602. The reception display pattern can be configured to be stored in a storage means such as a ROM. When the reception unit 22 receives an instruction signal, the display control unit 209 reads the reception display pattern from a predetermined area of the ROM, and first The display unit 23 can be configured to display this.

  FIG. 7 shows a case in which LEDs are arranged in a 3 × 5 matrix form to form a display element for one character, and four such display elements are arranged to form the first display unit 23. A display example is shown. As shown in FIG. 7, the first display unit 23 includes first display elements 701 to fourth display elements 704, and each display element 701 to 704 is arranged in a 3 × 5 matrix form. It has an LED.

  In the reception display pattern, for example, some of the LEDs in each display element are lit so that the “◯” shape or the “◇” shape is displayed using the second display element 702 and the third display element 703. This reception display pattern can clearly indicate that the instruction signal from the remote controller has been received by displaying the reception unit 22 until the reception unit 22 receives the instruction signal and a predetermined time elapses.

  This reception display pattern can be a dynamic display pattern. For example, the display pattern as shown in FIG. 7 is set as the first reception display pattern, the display pattern as shown in FIG. 8 is set as the second reception display pattern, and the first reception display pattern and the second reception display pattern are set every predetermined time. By alternately repeating, the animation display in which the “◯” shape or the “◇” shape greatly expands can be obtained.

  Such a reception display pattern can use various forms, and is not particularly limited. A reception display pattern that can image that the instruction signal from the remote control 40 has reached the indoor air conditioning unit 20 is adopted. can do.

  In step S603, the display control unit 209 resets the timer T2 for measuring the elapsed time after receiving the instruction signal by the receiving unit 22, and starts measuring the elapsed time after receiving the instruction signal. .

  In step S604, the display control unit 209 performs display control so that the standby display pattern is displayed on the first display unit 23. The standby display pattern can be configured to be stored in a storage means such as a ROM, and when the display of the reception display pattern for a predetermined time is finished, the display control unit 209 reads the standby display pattern from the predetermined area of the ROM, The first display unit 23 can be configured to display this.

  As described above, when the LEDs are arranged in a 3 × 5 matrix, a display element for one character is configured, and the first display unit 23 is configured by arranging four such display elements. A display example of the standby display pattern is shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 9, by using the first display element 701 to the third display element 703 of the first display unit 23 to display a right-pointing triangular shape, a standby display pattern can be obtained. In addition to the pattern shown in FIG. 9, a pattern that displays a right-pointing triangle shape is prepared in addition to any one of the first display element 701 to the third display element 703, and these are sequentially displayed for a certain period of time. By displaying them one by one, it is possible to perform an animation display in which a triangular shape flows to the right. Such a standby display pattern is merely an example of display, and a standby display pattern that can image a standby state can be employed.

  In step S605, the display control unit 209 determines whether or not an elapsed time after receiving the instruction signal by the receiving unit 22 exceeds a predetermined time. If the display control unit 209 determines that the value of the timer T2 does not exceed the predetermined time, the display control unit 209 proceeds to step S606. If the display control unit 209 determines that the value of the timer T2 exceeds the predetermined time, the display control unit 209 proceeds to step S607. Here, the predetermined time serving as the threshold value of the timer T2 may be set to a time obtained by adding a predetermined margin to the operation interval when the user continuously operates the remote controller 40, similarly to the threshold value of the timer T1 described above. For example, it can be set to about 3 to 5 seconds. In addition, the above-described operation control unit 208 and display control unit 209 can be configured to refer to the same timer value.

  In step S606, the display control unit 209 determines whether or not the receiving unit 22 has received the instruction signal. If the display control unit 209 determines that the reception unit 22 has not received the instruction signal, the display control unit 209 proceeds to step S604, and if the reception unit 22 determines that the instruction signal has been received, the display control unit 209 proceeds to step S602.

  In step S607, the display control unit 209 performs display control so that the instruction confirmation display pattern is displayed on the first display unit 23, and changes the display of the second display unit 26 as necessary. The instruction confirmation display pattern can be configured to be stored in a storage means such as a ROM, and the display control unit 209 determines the setting condition included in the instruction signal received from the remote controller 40, and the determined setting condition is The instruction confirmation display pattern based on the display is displayed.

  As described above, when the LEDs are arranged in a 3 × 5 matrix, a display element for one character is configured, and the first display unit 23 is configured by arranging four such display elements. Display examples of the instruction confirmation display pattern are shown in FIGS.

  It is assumed that the set temperature before receiving the instruction signal by the receiving unit 22 is 25 degrees, and the instruction signal includes a setting condition that increases the current set temperature by 2 degrees. When the value of the timer T2 exceeds the predetermined time, the setting condition included in the instruction signal is determined, and first, the set temperature before receiving the instruction signal is displayed on the first display unit 23 as shown in FIG. To do.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the display unit 23 uses the display elements 701 to 704 to display that the set temperature is “25 ° C.”. Next, in order to indicate that the set temperature displayed on the display unit 23 has been changed from “25 ° C.” to “27 ° C.”, display patterns as shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. . In this case, dynamic display is performed by displaying an animation that makes it appear that “5”, which is the one-digit number of the set temperature, moves upward and “7”, which is changed, rises from below. The change from “25 ° C.” to “27 ° C.” can be expressed. The display patterns of FIGS. 10 to 12 can be configured to be displayed continuously a plurality of times, and the number of times can be appropriately set. It is also possible to use expressions that move numbers from top to bottom, expressions that flow in the right or left direction, and expressions that rotate numbers and characters.

  With this configuration, the mismatch between the setting condition included in the instruction signal from the remote control 40 and the first display unit 23 on the indoor air conditioning unit 20 side is eliminated, and the display on the remote control 40 side and the indoor air conditioning unit 20 side are eliminated. Can be matched. In addition, the display on the first display unit 23 makes it possible to reliably grasp information such as reception of an instruction signal from the remote controller 40, standby, and instruction confirmation. In particular, each display pattern displayed on the first display unit 23 is a dynamic display such as an animation display, whereby the state can be confirmed more reliably.

[Linkage between operation control and display control]
The display control by the display control unit 209 as described above can be configured to be synchronized with the operation control by the operation control unit 208. Such display control by the display control unit 209 is shown in FIG.

  When receiving the instruction signal including the setting condition from the remote controller 40, the display control unit 209 receives a notification that the instruction signal has been received from the operation control unit 208 (step S1301), and performs display control of the received display pattern (step S1301). S1302). The display control of the reception display pattern is the same as in the above example.

  The display control unit 209 executes display control of the standby display pattern when the reception display pattern for a predetermined time is completed (step S1303). The display control of this standby display pattern is the same as in the above-described example, and detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  When the operation control unit 208 determines that a predetermined time has elapsed after receiving the instruction signal by the receiving unit 22, the operation control unit 208 transmits an instruction confirmation signal to the display control unit 209 to the effect that the instruction has been confirmed. The display control unit 209 executes display control of the instruction confirmation display pattern based on the instruction confirmation signal received from the operation control unit 208 (step S1304). In step S1304, display control of the standby display pattern in step S1303 is continued until an instruction confirmation signal is received from the operation control unit 208. If an instruction confirmation signal is received, the process proceeds to step S1305.

  The display control unit 209 executes display control of the confirmed display pattern based on the instruction confirmation signal from the operation control unit 208 (step S1305). The display control of the instruction confirmation display pattern is the same as in the above-described example, and detailed description thereof is omitted here.

  In the case of such a configuration, the display control in the display control unit 209 can be synchronized with the operation control in the operation control unit 208. Further, the timer T2 in display control can be omitted.

[Voice answer back]
It is also possible to employ a configuration in which voice notification is performed through the speaker 27 simultaneously with the display control as shown in FIG.

  When an instruction signal including setting conditions is received from the remote controller 40, the display control unit 209 performs display control on the first display unit 23, and at the same time, the audio output control unit 210 outputs sound through the speaker 27. Such audio output control by the audio output control unit 210 will be described with reference to FIG.

  When the reception unit 22 receives the instruction signal in step S1401, the audio output control unit 210 of the indoor unit control unit 201 performs audio output control so that the reception audio pattern is output to the speaker 27 in step S1402. The received voice pattern can be configured to be stored in a storage means such as a ROM. When the receiving unit 22 receives the instruction signal, the voice output control unit 210 reads the received voice pattern from a predetermined area of the ROM, and the speaker. This is output to 27. As the received sound pattern, for example, a buzzer sound such as “beep, beep, beep” can be used, and sound data such as “signal received” can be output.

  In step S1403, the audio output control unit 210 resets the timer T3 for measuring the elapsed time after receiving the instruction signal by the receiving unit 22, and starts measuring the elapsed time after receiving the instruction signal. To do. The timer T3 can be shared with the timer T1 referred to by the operation control unit 208 and the timer T2 referred to by the display control unit 209.

  In step S1404, the audio output control unit 210 outputs a standby audio pattern to the speaker. The standby voice pattern can be configured to be stored in a storage means such as a ROM. When the reception voice pattern is output for a predetermined time, the voice output control unit 210 reads the standby voice pattern from a predetermined area of the ROM. The speaker 27 can be configured to display this. The standby sound pattern can be silenced as necessary, and can be set to music or a buzzer sound indicating standby.

  In step S1405, the audio output control unit 210 determines whether or not an elapsed time after receiving the instruction signal by the receiving unit 22 exceeds a predetermined time. If the audio output control unit 210 determines that the value of the timer T3 does not exceed the predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S1406. If the audio output control unit 210 determines that the value of the timer T3 exceeds the predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S1407. . Here, the predetermined time serving as the threshold value of the timer T3 is set to a time obtained by adding a predetermined margin to the operation interval when the user continuously operates the remote controller 40, similarly to the threshold values of the timers T1 and T2 described above. For example, it can be set to about 3 to 5 seconds. It is also possible to configure the audio output control unit 210 to refer to the same timer value as the timer referred to by the operation control unit 208 and the display control unit 209 described above.

  In step S1406, the audio output control unit 210 determines whether or not the receiving unit 22 has received an instruction signal. If the audio output control unit 210 determines that the reception unit 22 has not received the instruction signal, the process proceeds to step S1404. If the reception unit 22 determines that the instruction signal has been received, the process proceeds to step S1402.

  In step S1407, the audio output control unit 210 outputs an instruction confirmed audio pattern to the speaker. The instruction confirmation voice pattern can be configured to be stored in a storage means such as a ROM, and the voice output control unit 210 determines the setting condition included in the instruction signal received from the remote controller 40, and this determined setting condition The instruction confirmation voice pattern based on the is output. The instruction confirmation voice pattern can be configured to output the changed setting condition by voice, and can be output by music, buzzer sound, or the like as necessary.

  With this configuration, it is possible to eliminate a mismatch between the setting condition included in the instruction signal from the remote controller 40 and the voice answerback on the indoor air conditioning unit 20 side, and the user can easily confirm the transmission of the instruction signal by the remote controller 40. can do.

  The present invention is applied to an air conditioner including a ceiling-embedded type, a wall-embedded type, or a floor-mounted type indoor unit in addition to a separate type air conditioner (air conditioner) including the wall-mounted indoor unit exemplified in the embodiment. Further, the present invention can be applied to an air conditioner having only an indoor unit such as an integrated air conditioner, an air purifier, a humidifier, and a dehumidifier.

  By applying the present invention to such an air conditioner, it is possible to make the operation content on the remote control side coincide with the display content of the air conditioner body and to easily check the current state information.

1 is an external view of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of an indoor air conditioning unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a control block diagram by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the remote control by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a control flowchart by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a control flowchart by one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the display pattern by one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the display pattern by one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the display pattern by one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the display pattern by one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the display pattern by one Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the display pattern by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a control flowchart by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a control flowchart by one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Air conditioner 20 Indoor air conditioning unit 22 Reception part 23 1st display part 27 Speaker 30 Outdoor air conditioning unit 40 Remote control 201 Indoor unit control part 208 Operation control part 209 Display control part 210 Audio | voice output control part 301 Outdoor unit control part

Claims (7)

An air conditioner that performs operation control based on setting conditions and supplies adjusted air to a room,
A receiving unit for receiving an instruction signal from a remote control including the setting condition;
The current operation control is continued until a predetermined time elapses after reception of the instruction signal by the reception unit, and the reception unit displays the next instruction signal even if the predetermined time elapses after reception of the instruction signal by the reception unit. If not received, an operation control unit that performs operation control by changing the setting condition based on the instruction signal;
A display for displaying status information related to the current setting conditions and operating conditions;
When an instruction signal is received by the receiving unit, a display display pattern is displayed on the display unit, and after receiving the instruction signal by the receiving unit, the receiving unit receives the next instruction signal or the predetermined time A display control unit that displays a standby display pattern on the display unit until the time elapses, and displays an instruction confirmation display pattern on the display unit after the predetermined time has elapsed after reception of the instruction signal by the reception unit;
Air conditioner equipped with.   The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a plurality of display elements arranged in a matrix form.   The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a liquid crystal display panel.   The air conditioning according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the display control unit causes the display unit to display the reception display pattern, the standby display pattern, and the instruction determination display pattern as a dynamic display pattern using the plurality of display elements. Machine.   The air conditioner according to claim 4, further comprising a display pattern storage unit that stores display patterns including the reception display pattern, the standby display pattern, and the instruction confirmation display pattern. A speaker for outputting audio data;
At least the reception voice pattern, standby voice pattern, and instruction confirmation voice pattern corresponding to the reception display pattern, standby display pattern, and instruction confirmation display pattern displayed on the display unit are synchronized with the control by the display control unit. An audio output control unit for outputting to the speaker as
The air conditioner according to claim 4 or 5, further comprising:   The air conditioner according to claim 6, further comprising a voice pattern storage unit that stores voice patterns including the received voice pattern, the standby voice pattern, and the instruction confirmation voice pattern.

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