JPH06257820A - Air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To check which operation mode is executed during the time when automated operation is performed, by a user at all times. CONSTITUTION:An operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 is provided in a remote control circuit 54 not on the side of an indoor machine but on the side of a wireless remote controller 1. Once a user puahes an operation/ interruption button 4, the circuit 10 selects an optimum operation mode among a cooling mode, a heating mode, and a drying mode on the basis of a detection signal from sensors 51, 52. The designation of a selected mode is displayed on a screen of a display part 3, and an operation command of that mode is transmitted from a transmission part 2 to the indoor machine.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner having an automatic operation function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recent air conditioners are required to have various functions from the viewpoint of pursuing comfortable air conditioning.
The automatic operation function is one of such functions, and the air conditioner automatically selects the operation mode based on the indoor environment, and is added for the purpose of simplifying the operation.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing the appearance of a wireless remote controller of an air conditioner having such an automatic driving function and the construction of an indoor unit. In this figure, the wireless remote controller 1 has a transmitter 2 at the tip of the main body, and a display unit 3, a run / stop button 4, a temperature setting button 5, and a driving mode setting button 6 are provided on the operation surface. Has been.

A user who is in the room presses the operation / stop button 4 and then presses the operation mode setting button 6 a predetermined number of times while looking at the display section 3 to set the automatic operation mode, the cooling mode,
A desired mode can be selected and set from a heating mode, a dry mode, and the like. In this case, the set mode name is displayed in a frame as shown in the figure. The command signal for the set mode is sent from the transmitter 2 to the receiver 8 of the indoor unit 7, and the indoor control circuit 9 executes control for the set operation mode.

An operating mode automatic selection circuit 10 is provided in the indoor control circuit 9 described above. When the user in the room sets the automatic operation mode, the command signal is output to the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 via the transmitter 2 and the receiver 8 of the indoor unit 7. When the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 receives this automatic operation command signal,
The optimum operation mode is selected from the automatic operation mode, the cooling mode, the heating mode, the dry mode, etc. based on the values of the indoor detected temperature, the indoor set temperature, the indoor detected humidity, and the like. The indoor control circuit 9 is adapted to execute control for this selected operation mode.

[0006]

By the way, in the case of the wireless remote controller type air conditioner as described above, the indoor unit 7 has a function of transmitting a signal from the wireless remote controller 1 side to the indoor unit 7 side. It is usually not provided with a function of transmitting a signal from the side to the wireless remote controller 1 side.

[0007] Therefore, the user who is in the room can see the display unit 3
The only thing that can be confirmed by is that the automatic operation mode is set.
It was not possible to confirm which of the heating mode and the dry mode was being executed.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides an air conditioner in which a user can confirm the specific contents of a mode being executed while the automatic operation mode is being executed. With the goal.

[0009]

As a means for solving the above problems, the present invention receives an operation mode signal from a wireless remote controller, and based on this signal, air that can be operated in at least a cooling mode and other modes. In a harmony machine, the wireless remote controller has an environmental condition detecting means for detecting an indoor environment, and an operation mode automatic selecting means for automatically selecting the cooling mode and other modes according to a detection result of the environmental condition detecting means. And a transmission means for transmitting the operation mode signal selected by the operation mode automatic selection means, and a display means for displaying the operation mode selected by the operation mode automatic selection means. is there.

[0010]

In the above structure, the operation mode automatic selection means automatically selects the operation mode according to the detection result of the environmental state detection means. Therefore, the number of operations of the wireless remote controller to be performed by the user is extremely small, and the operation is simplified. Further, since the environmental condition detecting means is provided on the wireless remote controller side, it is possible to detect the indoor environment in the space closer to the user.

The operation mode automatic selection means is provided not on the indoor unit side but on the wireless remote control side. Therefore, the contents of the operation mode selected by the operation mode automatic selection means can be displayed as they are on the display means without using the transmission section and the reception section as in the conventional case.

On the other hand, the transmitting means of the wireless remote controller is
The command signal of the mode selected by the operation mode automatic selection means is transmitted to the indoor unit. Then, in the indoor unit, the receiving unit receives this command signal, and the indoor control circuit executes control for the commanded operation mode.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. However, the same components as those in FIG. 6 are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate description will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory view showing the appearance of the wireless remote controller of the air conditioner according to this embodiment and the structure of the indoor unit. 1 is different from FIG. 6 in that the operation mode setting button 6 in FIG. 6 is omitted on the wireless remote controller 1 side, and the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 in FIG. 6 is omitted on the indoor unit 7 side. Is. The omitted operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 is built in the wireless remote controller 1.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the wireless remote controller 1 of FIG. 1 near the tip thereof. As shown in this figure, a temperature sensor 51 and a humidity sensor 5 as indoor environment detecting means are provided in a recess 56 formed at the tip.
2, and a transmission LED 53 that forms part of the transmission means
Is provided.

Conventionally, the temperature sensor, the humidity sensor, etc. were usually mounted on the indoor unit side, but if the structure is mounted on the remote controller side as in this embodiment, in a space closer to the user. Indoor temperature and indoor humidity can be detected. Therefore, the configuration is also preferable from the viewpoint of comfortable air conditioning.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the wireless remote controller 1 in this embodiment. The remote controller control circuit 54 includes a temperature sensor 51, a humidity sensor 52, a temperature sensor 51, a display unit 3, a start / stop button 4, and a temperature setting button 5.
The power supply unit 55 is connected. Further, in the remote controller control circuit 54, the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 which is conventionally provided on the indoor unit 7 side is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the wireless remote controller 1 of this embodiment is not provided with the operation mode setting button 6 shown in FIG. That is, in the present embodiment, when the user presses the start / stop button 4 to start the operation, the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 immediately operates to select the optimum operation mode, so that the user himself sets the operation mode. No need. Therefore, the wireless remote controller 1 is very easy to operate, and is a model suitable for operation by a woman, an elderly person, a child, or the like who is not good at handling electrical equipment.

FIG. 4 is a control characteristic diagram used when the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 selects an operation mode, and is divided into a cooling operation area, a heating operation area, a dry operation area, and a monitoring area. The operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 stores the contents of this characteristic diagram in its own memory and determines the operation mode based on the input of the detection signals from the temperature sensor 51 and the humidity sensor 52.

The monitoring area is an area in which changes in room temperature and room humidity are only monitored without operation. Then, when the positions of the indoor temperature and the indoor humidity shift from this monitoring region to another region, the operation mode of the region is selected and executed from the time of the shift.

Next, the operation of the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 in this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

The operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 first determines whether or not the operation / stop button 4 has been pressed (step 1). When it is determined that the button has been pressed,
It is determined whether or not the vehicle is currently in operation (step 2). If the user is driving, it is determined that the user has pressed the run / stop button 4 as a stop button, and a stop command is output to the indoor unit 7 side via the transmitter 2 (step 3). On the other hand, if the user is not driving, it is determined that the user has pressed the driving / stop button 4 as the driving start button, and the process proceeds to the next step.

Next, the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10
The room detection temperature Ta, the room setting temperature Ts, and the room detection humidity Ha are read from the temperature sensor 51, the temperature setting button 5, and the humidity sensor 52, respectively (step 4).

Regarding the indoor detected humidity Ha, Ha
It is determined whether or not ≧ 60% is established (step 5), and if so, it is further determined whether or not (Ta−Ts) ≧ 2 ° C. is established for the deviation (Ta−Ts). (Step 6).

Assuming that (Ta-Ts) ≧ 2 ° C. is satisfied, the region where Ha ≧ 60% and (Ta-Ts) ≧ 2 ° C. is the cooling operation region as is apparent from FIG. Therefore, the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 selects the cooling mode, and the characters "cooling" are displayed in a frame on the screen of the display unit 3 (step 7). Then, the operation command for the cooling mode is transmitted from the transmitter 2 to the indoor unit 7 side (step 8).

In step 6, (Ta-Ts) ≧ 2 ° C.
Is not satisfied, (Ta−Ts) ≦ −2
It is determined whether or not the temperature is satisfied (step 9). (Ta
If −Ts) ≦ −2 ° C. is not satisfied, Ha ≧ 6
The region of 0% and −2 ° C. <(Ta−Ts) <2 ° C. is the dry operation region, as is clear from FIG. Therefore, the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 selects the dry mode, and the characters "dry" are displayed in a frame on the screen of the display unit 3 (step 10). Then, the transmission command of the dry mode is transmitted from the transmitter 2 to the indoor unit 7 side (step 8).

If (Ta-Ts) ≤-2 ° C. is satisfied in step 9, Ha≥60% and (Ta-Ts) ≤-2.
The temperature range is a heating operation range, as is clear from FIG. Therefore, the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 selects the heating mode, and the characters "heating" are displayed in a frame on the screen of the display unit 3 (step 11). Then, the operation command for the heating mode is transmitted from the transmitter 2 to the indoor unit 7 side (step 8).

If Ha ≧ 60% is not satisfied in step 6, it is further determined whether (Ta-Ts) ≧ 1 ° C. is satisfied (step 12). (Ta-Ts) ≧ 1
Assuming that ℃ holds, Ha <60% and (Ta
Since the region of −Ts) ≧ 1 ° C. is the cooling operation region, the operation of step 7 is performed.

When (Ta-Ts) ≧ 1 ° C. is not satisfied in step 12, it is further determined whether (Ta-Ts) ≦ −1 ° C. is satisfied (step 13). (Ta-T
s) ≦ −1 ° C., Ha <60%
And a region of -1 ° C <(Ta-Ts) <1 ° C is a monitoring region. Therefore, the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 selects monitoring, and the characters "monitor" are displayed in a frame on the screen of the display unit 3 (step 14). Then, the monitoring command is transmitted from the transmission unit 2 toward the indoor unit 7 side (step 15).

If (Ta-Ts) ≤-1 ° C. is satisfied in step 13, Ha <60% and (Ta-Ts) ≤-
Since the region of 1 ° C. is the heating operation region, the operation of step 11 is performed.

As described above, in this embodiment, the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 is provided not on the indoor unit 7 side but on the wireless remote control 1 side, so that the user selects the operation mode currently being executed. Therefore, it can be confirmed on the display unit 3 at all times, and unnecessary operation is not performed.

Further, since the operation mode setting button 6 provided in the conventional example is omitted, the operation is very simple, and the appearance of the wireless remote controller 1 is simple and excellent in design. It has become a thing.

Then, the temperature sensor 51 and the humidity sensor 5
Since 2 is also provided on the wireless remote control 1 side, the state of the atmosphere close to the user can be detected, which is preferable from the viewpoint of comfortable air conditioning.

In the above embodiment, the conventional operation mode setting button 6 is omitted. However, the operation mode setting button 6 may be left without being omitted. In this case, the display state on the display unit 3 is "automatic" as shown in FIG. 6 without deleting the character "automatic" as shown in FIG.
The letter "" shall be retained. Then, when the automatic operation is being performed, both the characters "automatic" and the characters indicating the name of the selected mode are displayed in a frame.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, the operation mode automatic selection circuit is provided not on the indoor unit side but on the wireless remote control side, so that the user can perform automatic operation. While operating, it is possible to always confirm which operation mode is being executed, and it is possible to eliminate unnecessary operation.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an internal structure in the vicinity of a tip portion of the wireless remote controller 1 in FIG.

3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a wireless remote controller 1 in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a control characteristic diagram used when the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 in FIG. 3 selects an operation mode.

5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the operation mode automatic selection circuit 10 in FIG.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wireless remote control 2 Transmission means 3 Display means 7 Indoor unit 10 Automatic operation mode selection means 51 Temperature sensor (environmental state detection means) 52 Humidity sensor (environmental state detection means)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An air conditioner capable of receiving an operation mode signal from a wireless remote controller and operating in at least a cooling mode and other modes based on the signal, wherein the wireless remote controller detects an indoor environment. Means, an operation mode automatic selection means for automatically selecting the cooling mode and other modes according to the detection result of the environmental state detection means, and an operation mode signal selected by the operation mode automatic selection means An air conditioner, comprising: a transmission unit for controlling the operation mode and a display unit for displaying the operation mode selected by the operation mode automatic selection unit. 2. The air conditioner according to claim 1, wherein the environmental condition detecting means has a room temperature sensor and a humidity sensor.