JP2013087953A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air conditioner that includes a function of temporarily canceling inhibition of reception of a key operation and allowing a normal operation on the air conditioner during management on inhibition of reception of a key operation by a child safety lock function, and a remote controller that can perform the normal operation without turning off the child safety lock function.SOLUTION: When detecting a key operation for canceling the child safety lock function while executing the child safety lock function according to a schedule in each time zone, a wireless remote controller receives and processes operations of all keys only for a predetermined certain cancel time. Further, when long depression of a key other than a child safety lock key is detected during the execution of the child safety lock function, the detected key is received and processed.

Description

  The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and more particularly to a child lock function of a remote controller that operates the air conditioner.

Conventionally, an operation unit of an electronic device has been provided with a child lock function for restricting key operations in order to prevent mischief operation of children. For example, you can turn this function on and off by pressing and holding the “Child Lock Key”. However, in this method, when the user tries to perform a normal operation when the child lock is on, it is necessary to perform a key operation to turn off the child lock function prior to the normal operation. Later, in order to return to the original state, it was necessary to perform a key operation to turn on the child lock function, and the user operation was complicated. In addition, there is a case where the on operation of this function is forgotten.
For this reason, there has been proposed a television with a viewing restriction function that automatically turns on / off the child lock function of the remote control according to time (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  On the other hand, in an air conditioner, there are a plurality of humans with different abilities to operate, such as a plurality of families, for example, infants and their parents, elderly people who are unaccustomed to living together, and infants who should not be operated. There are cases where the air conditioner is shared and operated by one remote controller.

  For example, in the case of an infant, the remote controller is handled as a toy, and there are cases where incorrect driving is performed by various key operations. In the case of an infrared remote controller that has been used in the past, it is necessary to operate toward the indoor unit, and the infrared signal due to the mischief operation does not necessarily reach the indoor unit. There is no relation to the direction of the remote control. For this reason, a child lock function is provided to prevent an unintended operation of the air conditioner due to a mischief operation.

However, if the child lock function is simply turned on / off, the normal driving operation is complicated as described above.
For this reason, in the operation of the air conditioner, when the prohibition management of key operation is performed with the child lock function during the predetermined schedule time period, the prohibition of reception is temporarily canceled and the normal operation operation is performed. There has been a demand for a function that can perform normal operation without turning off the child lock function when the key lock is prohibited by the child lock function.

JP 2000-354209 A (page 4-5, FIG. 3)

  The present invention solves the above-described problems and temporarily cancels the reception prohibition when the operation prohibition management of the key operation is performed by the child lock function in the air conditioner operation. An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner equipped with a remote control capable of performing normal operations without turning off the child lock function and the child lock function.

In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention described in claim 1 of the present invention includes an indoor unit and a remote controller including a key used for driving instruction operation to the indoor unit,
The remote control includes a key input unit that detects an operated key, a time measuring unit that measures time, and an operation key reception table that stores, for each time period, whether or not a process corresponding to the key detected by the key input unit can be received. And a remote control unit for controlling these,
When the remote control unit detects an operation of the key that cannot be received in the time zone of the operation key reception table corresponding to the current time input from the time measuring means, the reception of the key While do not
When a key operation for canceling the child lock function instructing acceptance of all the keys is detected, reception of the key operated within a predetermined release time immediately after detecting the key operation is executed. Features.

The invention according to claim 2 of the present invention includes an indoor unit and a key used for a driving instruction operation to the indoor unit, and whether or not to accept a process corresponding to the operation of the key by operating the specific key With a remote control with a child lock function
The remote control includes a key input unit that detects the operated key, and a remote control unit that controls the key input unit.
The remote control unit is a long-pressed key that keeps the key pressed down for a predetermined time or more when the remote control is in an unacceptable state by the child lock function, and other than the specific key When the key is detected, reception of the detected key is executed.

  By using the above means, according to the air conditioner of the present invention, when the child lock function is executed according to the schedule, when the key operation for turning off the child lock function is performed in advance, Since all keys operated for a predetermined fixed release time are received, a plurality of key operations can be performed continuously, and the operability for the user can be improved. Further, since the original child lock state is automatically returned, an operation to turn on the child lock function again is unnecessary, and an operation to turn on the child lock function is not forgotten.

  In the invention according to claim 2, when a key operation by a long press other than the child lock key is detected while the child lock function is being executed, the detected key is accepted and processed, so that the child lock function is not turned on / off. One operation can be accepted and processed. For this reason, user operability can be improved.

It is a perspective view which shows the air conditioner by this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the Example of the remote control by this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the Example of the remote control by this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the principle of the restriction | limiting of the operation key by this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the key operation reception table which manages the restriction | limiting of the key operation by this invention. It is a flowchart which shows the process of the remote control part by this invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail as examples based on the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an air conditioner according to the present invention. As an air conditioner, an indoor unit 2, a wireless remote controller 1, and an outdoor unit (not shown) are provided.
The indoor unit 2 includes a front panel 11, a grill 12 that supports the front panel 11, a right side cover 14 that is disposed on the right of the grill 12, and a left side cover 15 that is disposed on the left of the grill 12. The upper suction grill 13 is provided above the right side cover 14 and the left side cover 15.

  The upper suction grill 13 is provided with holes partitioned by a plurality of lattices, and this is an upper suction port 35a for taking in air. Similarly, a plurality of holes (not shown) are arranged in the grill 12 to form a front suction port 35b, which together constitute the suction port 35. When the indoor unit 2 is operated, the front panel 11 is rotated forward, and air is also taken in from the grill 12 side. A wireless communication unit 16 that communicates with the wireless remote controller 1 is provided inside the lower right side of the front surface of the grill 12. On the other hand, the indoor unit 2 receives radio waves from the wireless remote controller 1 and performs air conditioning operation.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the wireless remote controller 1 according to the present invention. The wireless remote controller 1 includes a key input unit 22 that inputs a state of a key operated by a user, and a wireless communication unit that transmits instruction data to the indoor unit 2 via radio waves and receives communication data from the indoor unit 2 26, a display unit 21, a storage unit 23 for storing data, a clock unit 24 that measures time, and a remote controller control unit 25 including a microcomputer that stores a program for controlling these. Yes. The clock unit 24 may be replaced with a timer built in the microcomputer.

  Note that the storage unit 23 stores an operation key reception table for managing the reception prohibition / permission of keys specified for each time period specified by the user, and the remote control unit 25 stores the current time from the clock unit 24. The data is read and compared with the time zone of this table. When the time zone is instructed, the reception of the key stored in this table is prohibited / permitted. The key reception is a process corresponding to the key operation detected by the key input unit 22, for example, a process of transmitting operation start or operation stop instruction data to the indoor unit 2 when an operation key described later is pressed. Is to do.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment of a wireless remote controller according to the present invention. FIG. 3A is a front view of the wireless remote controller 1, and FIGS. 3B and 3C show examples of display contents of the display unit 21. In the following description, in the case of expressions such as “all key operations are invalid”, it is assumed that the child lock key long press operation is excluded. The long press of the child lock key is always effective regardless of the state of the child lock function, and can be accepted in any state.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the wireless remote controller 1 includes a display unit 21 having a liquid crystal panel at an upper part thereof and a key input unit 22 having a plurality of keys for receiving key operations at a lower part thereof. . As shown in FIGS. 3 (B) and 3 (C), various operation information is displayed on the display unit 21, and an “operating” mark indicating that the air conditioner is operating, Is displayed, the operation mode such as cooling / heating, and the set temperature value.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3A, the key input unit 22 includes an operation key 22b for instructing start / stop of operation, a temperature key 22c for raising and lowering the set temperature, and a child lock key 22a for turning on / off the child lock function. Various operation keys such as an operation switching key for switching the operation mode and a nighttime timer operation key are arranged. Note that the temperature key 22c has two upper and lower keys. The upper key instructs to increase the temperature by 1 degree, and the lower key instructs to decrease the temperature by 1 degree.

  The child lock function can be turned on / off by pressing and holding the child lock key 22a for 3 seconds. When the child lock function is on, the child lock mark is lit as shown in FIG. 3 (B), and when the child lock function is off, the child lock mark is displayed as shown in FIG. 3 (C). Off.

  As will be described later, when the operation key 22b, the temperature key 22c, and other keys are individually prohibited, correspondingly to this, as shown in FIG. The operation prohibition, “temperature”, and “other” reception prohibition key types are displayed. When this display is performed, acceptance is refused even if the corresponding key is operated.

Further, when the child lock mark is lit and these three reception prohibition key types are turned off, it indicates that reception of all keys is prohibited. Further, as described later, when the child lock function is performed according to the schedule, the child lock mark automatically blinks in the designated time zone, and key acceptance is restricted. As described above, when the child lock function is executed according to the schedule, the child lock mark blinks and is notified.
Note that a key for turning on / off the child lock function, such as the child lock key 22a, is referred to as a specific key, as distinguished from other restricted keys.

  FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the principle of operation key reception restriction according to the present invention. Fig. 4 (1) shows the life patterns of multiple users when the wireless remote controller 1 is used, Fig. 4 (2) shows the on / off state of the child lock function, and Fig. 4 (3) shows the state of key operations by the user. Respectively. Note that a) to c) in FIG. 4 (2) show a state where the operation key, temperature key, and other keys are set to accept / not accept, respectively. It is set for each band. On the other hand, the horizontal axis indicates time. By setting a) to c) in FIG. 4 (2) for each time zone, the key reception restriction corresponding to the time is automatically performed. ing.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a key operation reception table for automatically performing this key reception restriction. This table is divided into time zones every hour from 0:00 to 23:00 in the vertical direction, and in the horizontal direction, operation keys, temperature keys, and other keys (operation All key groups except key and temperature key are lined up. The key that is subject to reception management is called a predetermined key.
Each predetermined key stores “○” acceptable or “×” unacceptable for each time period. These are determined in advance by the user and stored in the wireless remote controller 1. A predetermined key that can be accepted on the table is referred to as a valid key, and a predetermined key that cannot be accepted is referred to as an invalid key.

For example, all keys can be accepted in the time zone from 0 o'clock to 7 o'clock (○), and only the operation key can be accepted in the time zone from 8 o'clock to 9 o'clock. All keys cannot be accepted in the time zone up to 11:00, only the temperature key can be accepted in the time zone from 12:00 to 20:00, and all keys are accepted in the time zone after 21:00. It is possible. In this key operation acceptance table, all keys can be accepted as the initial value of the product, and if the user cannot accept a key even at one location, the key operation acceptance table will be changed according to this table and the current time. Reception restriction (child lock function) is executed.
In the example of FIG. 5, the child lock function that is subject to some key acceptance restrictions from 8:00 to 20:00 is on.

  FIG. 4 shows a state in which the reception restriction described in FIG. 5 is automatically performed. In the life pattern of FIG. 4 (1), parents and grandfathers are at home and infants are sleeping at home during the time period from 0 to 7 o'clock, and either of the parents can operate the wireless remote controller 1. Since all keys are set as valid keys, the remote controller 25 receives all keys according to the operation key reception table.

  However, as shown in FIG. 4 (3), when the child lock key is pressed for a long time from 0 o'clock to 7 o'clock, the remote control unit 25 controls all keys in the same way as the conventional child lock function. Make it unacceptable. When the child lock key is pressed again for a long time, the remote controller control unit 25 makes all keys ready for reception. This is effective when an infant gets up early and wants to lock it temporarily.

  On the other hand, after 8:00, as shown in FIG. 4 (1), the father goes to work, and the mother, the infant, and the grandfather are at home. For example, in summer, the air conditioner may start to operate as the outside air temperature rises. Therefore, only the driving key is accepted so that the grandfather can start driving freely, and other keys are used to prevent mischief of infants. Therefore, it is set to be unacceptable.

On the other hand, for example, when the outside temperature suddenly rises and the mother lowers the set temperature by 1 degree, as shown in FIG. 4 (3), the lower key of the temperature key is pressed (for example, 3 seconds or more).
The remote controller 25 does not accept the temperature key in the management based on the schedule, that is, even when the child lock function is in the on state, only one operation is accepted when the lower key of the temperature key is held down. (1 operation accepting function) This is the same for other keys, and a long-pressed key is accepted only at that time.

  On the other hand, after 10:00, the mother goes out for shopping and only the grandfather and the infant are at home. In this case, since the supervision of the infant is neglected, for example, an automatic operation of the air conditioner is in advance, and all key reception is prohibited during the mother's outing period. In the schedule, the mother's return home is 12:00, but it may not be possible to return home by this time. Therefore, when the infant has mischieved the wireless remote controller 1 before the transition to the next schedule, if the key acceptance restriction is canceled in the next schedule, the mischief operation after 12:00 will be accepted. There is a fear.

  In order to prevent this, the remote control unit 25 accepts a predetermined time before the time to shift to the next schedule, that is, a predetermined time before the end time of the current schedule, for example, 30 minutes before the end time of the current schedule. If an impossible key operation (key operation prohibited from being accepted) is performed, it is determined that the user does not have the ability to operate the wireless remote controller 1, and the start time of the next schedule (the end of the current schedule) Time) is decremented by a predetermined extension time, for example, 30 minutes. (Schedule extension function) Specifically, the original schedule up to 12:00 is extended by 30 minutes, and continuation management is performed until 12:00. Note that this extension is repeatedly extended until a predetermined time elapses when no invalid key operation is performed. In addition, although it transfers to the next time zone management by a schedule after predetermined time, you may make it transfer to the next time zone management immediately by performing special operation.

  On the other hand, if the schedule is as scheduled, the mother returns home from shopping at 12:00 and the mother, infant, and grandfather are at home. Since it seems that the outside temperature will rise in the afternoon, only the temperature key is set to be accepted, and otherwise it is set to be prohibited. As described above, when there is a key that is prohibited from being accepted in the schedule, that is, when the child lock key is pressed for a long time when the child lock function is on, the remote control control unit 25 sets the child to the temporary release time, for example, 1 minute. Turn off the lock function and temporarily enable all key reception. (Temporary lock release function) A key for temporarily turning off the child lock function when the child lock function is on is called a specific key.

  This is effective when a plurality of operations are continuously performed, and a plurality of operations such as a temperature key operation, an air volume key operation, and a wind direction key operation can be continuously performed after long-pressing the child lock key. If the key operation is continued within 1 minute, the temporary release time is automatically extended. That is, when one minute has passed since the last key operation, the management automatically returns to the original schedule.

On the other hand, at 21:00, the infant goes to bed and the parents operate the wireless remote controller 1, so the child lock is released and all key operations are accepted.
In this way, the burden on the user can be reduced by managing the child lock function according to the lifestyle pattern of each household.

  As described above, when a key operation for turning off the child lock function is performed while the child lock function is being executed according to the schedule, all the keys operated for a predetermined fixed release time are accepted. The user operability can be improved. Further, since the original child lock state is automatically returned, an operation to turn on the child lock function again is unnecessary, and an operation to turn on the child lock function is not forgotten.

  In addition, if a key operation by long pressing other than the child lock key is detected while the child lock function is being executed, the detected key is accepted and processed, so one operation can be accepted without turning the child lock function on / off. Can be processed. For this reason, user operability can be improved.

  Next, the processing operation of the wireless remote controller 1 according to the present invention will be described using the flowchart of the remote controller controller 25 shown in FIG. Note that ST shown in FIG. 6 represents a step, numbers following the ST represent a step number, Y represents Yes, and N represents No. As a precondition, it is assumed that the contents of the operation key reception table in FIG.

  First, the remote control unit 25 checks whether there is a key operation via the key input unit 22 (ST1). When there is no key operation (ST1-N), an unacceptable key corresponding to the current time in the key operation acceptance table is extracted and stored, and the extracted unacceptable key is displayed as an acceptance prohibited key type of the display unit. (ST14). Then jump to ST1.

  On the other hand, if there is a key operation (ST1-Y), it is confirmed whether key reception restriction management is being performed according to the schedule (ST2). This indicates a case where there is a key that cannot be received in the time zone of the key operation reception table corresponding to the current time. When the key reception restriction management based on the schedule is not being performed (ST2-N), that is, when there is no key whose reception is restricted in the current time zone in the key operation reception table, it is confirmed whether the operated key is a long press of the child lock key. (ST12).

  When the operated key is a long-press of the child lock key (ST12-Y), the child lock function is turned on when the child lock function is off, and the child lock function is turned off when the child lock function is already on. The child lock mark is turned on on the display unit 21 (ST13). Then jump to ST1. If the operated key is not a long press of the child lock key (ST12-N), it is confirmed whether the child lock function is on (ST15). If the child lock function is on (ST15-Y), the process jumps to ST1 to ignore all keys. When the child lock function is not in the on state (ST15-N), the operated key is received and the corresponding process is executed (ST9). Then jump to ST1.

  On the other hand, if key reception restriction management is being performed according to a schedule (ST2-Y), that is, if there is even one key that is restricted in reception in the current time zone in the key operation reception table, is the operated key pressed long? Confirm (ST3). If the operated key is a long press (ST3-Y), it is confirmed whether the operated key is a child lock key (ST10).

  If the operated key is not a child lock key (ST10-N), the process jumps to ST9 to accept the key operation. This is key reception in the one operation reception function. That is, a long press key that is not a child lock key performs reception processing. When the operated key is a child lock key (ST10-Y), a temporary release timer (1 minute) is started to execute the temporary lock release function (ST11). Then jump to ST1.

  On the other hand, if the operated key is not a long press (ST3-N), it is confirmed whether the next operated key is an unacceptable key (ST4). In ST4, since the unacceptable key corresponding to the current time is always extracted and stored, this can be determined by comparing the stored unacceptable key type with the operated key type. If the operated key is not an unacceptable key (ST4-N), the process jumps to ST9 to accept the key.

  If the operated key is an unacceptable key (ST4-Y), it is next checked whether the temporary release timer is activated (ST5). If the temporary release timer is activated (ST5-Y), the temporary lock release function is being executed. Therefore, even after the temporary release timer is restarted (ST8), the key jumps to ST9 and cannot be accepted. All reception processing is performed.

  On the other hand, if the temporary release timer is not activated (ST5-N), it is confirmed whether the current time zone end time is less than 30 minutes (ST6). The current time zone end time is the time when the current key operation acceptance / non-permission state changes in the operation key acceptance table. For example, in FIG. 5, the key operation acceptability / impossibility state of each key changes from 12:00 until 12:00. Therefore, if the current time is 11:45 minutes, the current time zone is 11:00 and the current time zone end time is 12:00.

  When the current time zone end time is less than 30 minutes (ST6-Y), the current time zone end time is extended by 30 minutes (ST7). Therefore, the next time zone start time in the operation key reception table is rewritten to a value delayed by 30 minutes from the original schedule. Specifically, if the current time is 11:45 minutes, 12:00, which is the start time of the next time zone, is changed, so that 12:30 is written instead. Then jump to ST1. Although not shown in the flowchart, the time of the changed operation key reception table is set back to 24:00. On the other hand, if it is 30 minutes or more until the next time zone (ST6-N), the process jumps to ST1 and does not accept this key operation.

In this embodiment, an example in which a wireless remote controller is used as a remote controller is described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an infrared remote controller or the like may be used. Further, the remote controller may be a remote controller used for a video-related device or other home electronic device, instead of a remote controller for an air conditioner.
In this embodiment, the predetermined keys that are restricted in reception are managed by dividing them into operation keys, temperature keys, and other keys. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and management of acceptance / impossibility of each individual key is possible. May be performed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wireless remote control 2 Indoor unit 11 Front panel 12 Grill 13 Upper suction grill 14 Right side cover 15 Left side cover 16 Wireless communication part 21 Display part 22 Key input part 22a Child lock key 22b Operation key 22c Temperature key 23 Storage part 24 Clock part (Time measuring means)
25 Remote control unit 26 Wireless communication unit 35 Suction port 35a Upper suction port 35b Front suction port

Claims (2)

An indoor unit, and a remote controller with a key used for operation instruction operation to the indoor unit,
The remote control includes a key input unit that detects an operated key, a time measuring unit that measures time, and an operation key reception table that stores, for each time period, whether or not a process corresponding to the key detected by the key input unit can be received. And a remote control unit for controlling these,
When the remote control unit detects an operation of the key that cannot be received in the time zone of the operation key reception table corresponding to the current time input from the time measuring means, the reception of the key While do not
When a key operation for canceling the child lock function instructing acceptance of all the keys is detected, reception of the key operated within a predetermined release time immediately after detecting the key operation is executed. A featured air conditioner. An indoor unit, and a remote controller that includes a key that is used for a driving instruction operation to the indoor unit, and that has a child lock function that accepts or rejects processing corresponding to the key operation by operating the specific key. ,
The remote control includes a key input unit that detects the operated key, and a remote control unit that controls the key input unit.
The remote control unit is a long-pressed key that keeps the key pressed down for a predetermined time or more when the remote control is in an unacceptable state by the child lock function, and other than the specific key When the key is detected, reception of the detected key is executed.

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