KR101010695B1 - Air-conditioner and the control method - Google Patents

Abstract

The air conditioner according to the present invention and a control method thereof are provided so that the air conditioning air reaches a circumferential region around a location area where a heat source is located. A control unit configured to calculate a location area in which the heat source is located based on detection means for outputting one detection signal and the at least one detection signal, and to control the air conditioning air to reach a peripheral area except the location area; It provides an air conditioner comprising.

Position area, perimeter area, thermopile

Description

Air conditioner and its control method

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a control method thereof, and more particularly, to an air conditioner for discharging air conditioning air to a circumferential region around a location area where a heat source is located and a control method thereof.

In general, an air conditioner is a home appliance for maintaining indoor air in a state most suitable for use and purpose. For example, in summer, the room is cooled to a cool state, in winter, the room is heated to a warm state, and also the humidity of the room, and the air in the room to a clean state of clean. As life convenience products such as air conditioners are gradually expanded and used, consumers are demanding high energy use efficiency, performance improvement and convenience products.

Such an air conditioner includes a separate air conditioner in which an indoor unit and an outdoor unit are separately separated, an integrated air conditioner in which the indoor unit and the outdoor unit are combined into one device, a wall-mounted air conditioner and a frame type air conditioner configured to be mounted on a wall, and a living room. A slim air conditioner configured to stand up, a single air conditioner configured to be used in a small place such as a home, and a capacity that can drive a single indoor unit, and a medium to large size composed of a very large capacity for use in a company or a restaurant. It is divided into an air conditioner and a multi type air conditioner having a capacity capable of sufficiently driving a plurality of indoor units.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner for discharging air conditioning air to a circumferential region around a position region where a heat source is located and a control method thereof.

An air conditioner according to the present invention includes a main body for discharging the air after inhaling and air conditioning; An adjusting unit installed at the main body to adjust wind direction and air velocity of air conditioning air; Sensing means installed in the main body and outputting a sensing signal for sensing a heat source; And a control unit configured to calculate a location area in which the heat source is located based on the at least one detection signal, and control the control unit to reach the air conditioning air to a circumferential area except the location area. And a plurality of thermopiles installed in the sensing unit and outputting the sensing signal, wherein the control unit is configured to have an angle between the height and the ground of the thermopile outputting a sensing signal having a high signal strength among the sensing signals output from the plurality of thermopile. The location area is calculated accordingly.

In addition, the control method of the air conditioner according to the present invention includes the steps of outputting a detection signal for the heat source detection by a plurality of thermopile; Calculating a location area in which the heat source is located according to a detection signal having a high signal strength among the detection signals of the plurality of thermopiles; And discharging air-conditioning air to a peripheral area except the location area, and calculating the location area comprises an angle formed with a height and a ground on which a thermopile for outputting a detection signal having a high signal strength among the detection signals is installed. The location area is calculated accordingly.

The air conditioner and the control method according to the present invention, by calculating the location area of the occupant in accordance with the detection signal sensing the movement and temperature of the occupant, by controlling the air conditioning air to reach the surrounding area around the calculated position area In addition, the air-conditioning air indirectly reaches the occupants so that the occupants can feel comfortable, thereby improving the convenience, practicality and productability of the product.

An embodiment of the air conditioner and control method thereof according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a perspective view when the air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention is stopped, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view when the air conditioner shown in FIG. 1 is in operation.

1 and 2, the air conditioner of the present invention is provided with air inlets 4 and 6 through which air in the room is sucked, and air sucked through the air inlets 4 and 6. Air discharge ports 8 and 10 through which air-conditioned air, such as heated, cooled, or purified, are discharged inside the main body 2 are formed.

The main body 2 may be applied to any case such as a stand-type air conditioner, a wall-mounted air conditioner, or a ceiling-type air conditioner, but will be described below by taking a stand-type air conditioner as an example.

Hereinafter, the main body 2 has air inlets 4 and 6 formed at a lower portion thereof, and air discharge holes 8 and 10 formed at an upper portion thereof. And a flow path through which air is discharged through the air discharge portions 8 and 10.

The body 2 includes a base 12, a cabinet 20, and a lower and upper panel (not shown).

The base 12 forms an outer appearance of the bottom of the main body 2 and supports the cabinet 20 and the lower panel.

The cabinet 20 forms an exterior of the rear part of the main body 2 and is installed to be located above the rear part of the base 12.

The lower panel includes a left lower panel (not shown) having a left air inlet 4 and a right lower panel (not shown) having a right air inlet 6.

The left lower panel is disposed to be disposed above the left side of the front portion of the base 12, which is a lower front position of the cabinet 20, and the left air inlet 4 is formed to be open in the left and right directions or open in the left front direction.

The right lower panel is disposed to be disposed on the right side of the front portion of the base 12, which is a lower front position of the cabinet 20, and the right air inlet 8 is formed to be open in the left and right directions or open in the right front direction.

The upper panel is disposed above the front of the cabinet 20, and the left air discharge port 8 is formed in the left discharge part (not shown) in the left and right directions or is formed in the left front direction.

Here, the left discharge part is recessed in the inner direction of the main body 2 so that the left wind direction adjusting part 24 provided to protrude on the left vane 22 is inserted and received when the left vane 22 is closed.

In addition, the upper panel has a right discharge part (not shown), and the right air discharge port 10 is formed in the right discharge part in the left-right direction or is formed in the right front direction.

Here, the right discharge part is formed to be recessed inwardly of the main body 2 so that the right wind direction adjusting part 28 provided to protrude in the right vane 26 is inserted and received when the right vane 26 is closed.

In addition, the front panel 30 is connected to the front of the main body 2 to be rotated to the center to one side of the left and right.

 The front panel 30 forms a front side appearance of the air conditioner, and may be fixedly mounted to at least one of the base 12, the left lower panel, the right lower panel and the upper panel, and the left side The base 12 and the left lower panel and the right lower panel and the upper panel may be rotatably connected to one of the left and right sides so as to open and close a space between the lower panel and the lower right panel. Of course.

And inside the main body 2, a blower (not shown) for generating a blowing force to suck the air in the room into the main body 2 and to be discharged to the outside of the main body 2, and the air blown from the blower And a heat exchanger (not shown) for heat exchange with the refrigerant.

On the other hand, the main body 2 is provided with vanes 22 and 26 for guiding air while opening and closing at least one of the air intake ports 4 and 6 and the air discharge ports 8 and 10.

Hereinafter, the vanes 22 and 26 simultaneously open and close the air intake ports 4 and 6 and the air discharge ports 8 and 10 together to guide both the intake air and the discharge air, and are formed to be long in the vertical direction as a whole.

The main body 2 is formed with a discharge port unit 40 having an air discharge port 42 formed therein, and the discharge port unit 40 is lifted above the main body 2 at the inner upper portion of the main body 2 and the main body from above the main body 2. It has a discharge part structure descending inward of (2).

Here, the main body 2 has an opening surface whose entire upper surface is opened in the up and down direction, or an opening is formed in the upper surface and opened in the vertical direction, and the discharge port unit 40 is used to Driven up and down.

The main body 2 is equipped with a sensing means 100 on the upper part of the discharge port unit 40 to detect the infrared rays emitted from the heat source during operation of the air conditioner.

In the present embodiment, the sensing means 100 is described as being formed on the upper portion of the discharge port unit 40, but may be formed on one side of the air discharge port 42, and may be formed on another portion of the main body 2.

3 is a functional block diagram showing a sensing means according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

In the present invention, the sensing means may be any one of a pyroelectric sensor, a thermopile, and a thermal imaging camera. In the present embodiment, the sensing means includes a thermopile.

Referring to FIG. 3, the sensing means 100 is installed in the main body 2 and detects infrared rays emitted from a heat source in a plurality of areas to output at least one sensing signal.

Here, the sensing means 100 detects the infrared rays emitted from the heat source in the plurality of regions and outputs at least one thermopile 110 and a plurality of thermopile 110 for outputting at least one sensing signal. And a circuit unit 120 for outputting the detection signal from which noise (noise) is removed through amplification and filtering of the detection signal.

In the present invention, the plurality of thermopiles 110 are described as four, and may be formed in more than two, preferably two to four.

The plurality of thermopiles 110 are formed in layers so that angles formed with the main body 2 and the ground are different from each other.

That is, the plurality of thermopiles 110 may include a first thermopile 112 inclined at a first angle, a second thermopile 114 inclined at a second angle, and a third thermopile inclined at a third angle 116. ) And a fourth thermopile 118 inclined at a fourth angle.

Here, the first, second, third, and fourth thermopiles 112, 114, 116, and 118 have different angles at which the first, second, third, and fourth angles are formed between the main body 2 and the ground, respectively. It is formed to achieve.

That is, the first, second, third, and fourth thermopiles 112, 114, 116, and 118 are sequentially layered from the first thermopile 112 to the fourth thermopile 118 from the bottom to the top.

Accordingly, it can be seen that the first, second, third, and fourth angles have the smallest first angle and the fourth largest angle.

The circuit unit 120 may include an amplifier 122 that amplifies the at least one sensing signal detected from the first, second, third, and fourth thermopiles 112, 114, 116, and 118, and samples the amplified sensed signal. And a filtering unit 124 for filtering and outputting the detection signal from which the noise is removed.

4 is a vertical sectional view and a plan view showing a plurality of regions detected by the sensing means shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 4, the present sensing means 100 is described as being located at the upper end of the main body 2.

The sensing means 100 may be inclined at a first angle A1 to detect a first area S1 of the ground, and may be inclined at a second angle A2. The second thermopile 114 for detecting S2, the third angle A3 is inclined to the third thermopile 116 and the fourth angle A4 for detecting the third area S3 And a fourth thermopile 118 that detects the fourth region S4.

That is, the sensing means 100 has a rectangular area formed by a rectangular angle A0 that the first thermopile 112 cannot detect, and the rectangular area has an air discharge port 42 having upper and lower vanes (not shown) formed therein. ) Is the area where air cannot be discharged.

The first thermopile 112 detects infrared rays emitted from the heat source by rotationally scanning the first region S1 at the first angle A1.

The second, third, and fourth thermopiles 114, 116, and 118 rotate scan the second, third, and fourth regions S2, S3, and S4 to the second, third, and fourth angles A2, A3, and A4, respectively. Detect the infrared rays.

5 is a functional block diagram showing an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the air conditioner includes a sensing means 100, an adjusting unit 130, a display unit 140, a control unit 150, and an input unit 160.

5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

The sensing means 100 diverges from the heat source in the first, second, third and fourth areas S1, S2, S3 and S4 via the first, second, third and fourth thermopiles 112, 114, 116 and 118. Infrared rays are detected and output first, second, third and fourth detection signals, respectively.

That is, the first, second, third, and fourth thermopiles 112, 114, 116, and 118 are inclined at the first, second, third, and fourth angles A1, A2, A3, and A4, respectively. In the four regions S1, S2, S3, and S4, the infrared rays are detected and transmitted to the circuit unit 120.

The circuit unit 120 has a weak signal as at least one of the first, second, third, and fourth sensing signals is output from the first, second, third, and fourth thermopiles 112, 114, 116, and 118. And includes the noise, and outputs the first, second, third and fourth sensed signals that have been amplified and filtered.

That is, the circuit unit 120 may include an amplifying unit 122 and amplifying the first, second, third, and fourth sensing signals detected by the first, second, third, and fourth thermopiles 112, 114, 116, and 118, respectively. And a filtering unit 124 for sampling and filtering the first, second, third and fourth sense signals amplified by the unit 122 to output the first, second, third and fourth sense signals from which noise is removed.

The adjusting unit 130 includes a vane adjusting unit 132 for adjusting the vane angle of the air discharge port 42 for determining the discharge direction of the air, that is, the wind direction, and an opening degree adjusting unit 134 for adjusting the air volume of the air conditioning air; It includes a fan control unit 136 for adjusting the wind speed of the air conditioning air.

The display unit 140 displays the location area where the heat source is calculated, the peripheral area around the location area, and the wind direction, the wind speed, and the air volume of the air conditioning air calculated by the controller 150.

In addition, the display unit 140 may be formed on the front surface of the main body 2.

In addition, the input unit 160 inputs a selection command so that the air conditioning air is discharged to the peripheral area.

The controller 150 calculates a location area in which the heat source is located according to the first, second, third, and fourth detection signals, and controls the controller 130 to discharge the air conditioning air to a peripheral area adjacent to the location area. .

Here, the location area is determined according to the distance and direction with respect to the main body 2 in accordance with at least one detection signal of the first, second, third, fourth detection signal.

That is, the controller 150 calculates the location area based on a detection signal having a high signal strength among the first, second, third, and fourth detection signals, and controls the air conditioning air to be discharged to the peripheral area.

Therefore, the controller 150 determines the wind direction, the wind speed, and the air volume according to the distance and the direction of the main body 2 with respect to the circumferential area corresponding to the location area to control the controller 130.

Referring to the plan view and the vertical cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 4, the first, second, third, and fourth regions S1, S2, S3, and S4 have the first, second, third, and fourth angles A1, A2, A3, and A4, respectively. Since the angle at which the first angle A1 faces the main body 2 and the ground is the smallest, the first area S1 immediately after exiting the case 56 is relatively small. The angles will be sequentially increased to the second, third, and fourth angles A2, A3, and A4, and thus the second, third, and fourth regions S2, S3, and S4 will also be widened sequentially.

For example, assuming that the heat source is located in the second region S3, it will be described as follows.

The sensing means 100 emits infrared rays emitted from a heat source in the first, second, third, and fourth areas S1, S2, S3, and S4 to the first, second, third, and fourth thermopiles 112, 114, 116, and 118. The first, second, third, and fourth detection signals sensed by using the reference signal are transmitted to the controller 150.

The controller 150 calculates a location area where the heat source is located by using a detection signal having the largest signal strength among the first, second, third, and fourth detection signals.

That is, the location area is determined by the separation distance between the main body 2 and the heat source and the direction detected by the sensing means 100.

Here, the controller 150 detects the infrared rays emitted by the second detection signal from the heat source so that the signal strength is the highest, and the height and the second region S2 of the set second thermopile 114 are determined. Using the range, the second angle A2, the location area where the heat source is located is determined.

The controller 150 controls the wind direction, the wind speed, and the air volume through the adjusting unit 130 so that the air conditioning air reaches the set circumferential area around the location area, and displays the wind direction, the wind speed, and the air volume on the display unit 140. To control.

6 is a screen diagram according to the first embodiment shown in the display unit of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a screen diagram according to the second embodiment shown in the display unit of FIG. 5.

The display unit 140 displays room temperature, time, humidity, wind direction, wind speed, a location area where a heat source is located, a circumference area, and driving information, but is not limited thereto.

The display unit 140 of the first and second embodiments briefly shows the wind direction of the switching region, the peripheral region, and air conditioning air.

That is, the display unit 140 shows the main body 2 and the plurality of regions P including the position region P1 and the peripheral region P2.

Here, the plurality of areas P is an area included in the plurality of areas including the first, second, third, and fourth areas S1 to S4 detected by the plurality of thermopiles 112, 114, 116, and 118. This is set in the control unit 150 and displayed on the display unit 140 so that the heat source is easily understood.

First, in FIG. 6, the main body 2 is positioned at the center of the upper end, and a plurality of left and right lines L1 to L4 and upper and lower lines M1 to M8 formed in an ellipse shape on the horizontal axis L0 of the main body 2 are formed. Thus, a plurality of regions P are formed.

In this case, the display unit 140 displays the position area P1 where the heat source A is located by the controller 150 so as to be easily understood.

Here, the display unit 140 displays the wind direction of the air-conditioning air transmitted by the controller 150 to the circumferential region P2 of the location region P1 where the heat source A is located, as an arrow B1.

In the present invention, since the control unit 150 delivers the air conditioning air to at least one of the peripheral areas P2 surrounding the location area P1, the air direction of the air conditioning air shown in FIG. 5 may be two, but is not limited thereto. Do not put

In addition, the display unit 150 indicates the wind speed in the size of the arrow (B1) to be easy to understand from the outside.

FIG. 7 briefly describes or omits parts overlapping with those described in FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 7, the display unit 140 indicates that the air direction of the air conditioning air delivered to the peripheral area P2 of the location area P1 where the heat source A is located is adjusted in real time.

That is, the display unit 140 indicates the swing of the predetermined range of the left and right circumferential regions P2 of the position region P1 under the control of the controller 150 as indicated by arrows B2.

6 and 7 are embodiments of the present invention and may be displayed differently.

In addition, even when the heat source A is moved, air conditioning air is discharged to the circumferential region according to the movement of the heat source A according to FIGS. 6 and 7.

8 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of the air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, the air conditioner detects infrared rays emitted from a heat source in the plurality of regions S1 to S4 through the sensing means 100 and outputs at least one sensing signal (S100).

That is, the sensing means 100 diverges from the heat source through the first, second, third, and fourth thermopiles 112, 114, 116, and 118 for sensing each of the first, second, third, and fourth regions S1 through S4. Sensing infrared rays, the first, second, third, and fourth detection signals are output to the controller 150.

In this case, the first, second, third, and fourth thermopiles 112, 114, 116, and 118 have first, second, third, and fourth regions S1 having different first, second, third, and fourth angles A1 to A4. To S4) by rotating scanning to detect infrared rays emitted from the heat source.

A location area corresponding to the location of the heat source and a circumference area around the location area are calculated according to the at least one detection signal (S102).

That is, the controller 150 calculates the location area where the heat source is located and the circumferential area based on the detection signal having the largest signal strength among the first, second, third, and fourth detection signals.

At this time, the control unit 150 is a distance between the heat source and the distance according to the detection signal having the largest signal strength of the first, 2, 3, 4 detection signal, the height, angle and area of the thermopile detected the detection signal and Calculate the wind direction and wind speed.

The wind speed of the air conditioning air is adjusted according to the circumferential region (S104), the vane angle of the vane is adjusted according to the wind direction of the air conditioning air (S106), and the air conditioning air is discharged to the circumferential region (S108).

That is, the controller 150 controls the fan control unit 136 to increase or decrease the wind speed of the air conditioning air delivered to the circumferential region according to the calculated distance from the heat source, and adjust the air volume of the air conditioning air. By controlling the opening degree adjusting unit 134, and adjusts the vane angle of each of the upper and lower vanes and the left and right vanes 22 and 26 included in the air discharge port 142 according to the wind direction of the air conditioning air, the air conditioning in the direction of the circumferential region The vane adjusting unit 132 is controlled to discharge air.

The wind speed, the air volume and the wind direction of the air conditioning air are shown (S110).

That is, the controller 150 controls the display unit 140 to display the wind direction, the air volume and the wind speed, the location area and the circumferential area of the air conditioning air.

The air conditioner and control method of the present invention detects a heat source, calculates a location area in which the heat source is located, and discharges air conditioning air to a circumferential area surrounding the location area, thereby preventing the air conditioner air from being directly transmitted to the heat source. Therefore, there is an advantage that the heat source can always maintain comfort.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make various modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. It will be appreciated that modifications or variations may be made. Accordingly, modifications of the embodiments of the present invention will not depart from the scope of the present invention.

1 is a perspective view when the air conditioner according to the first embodiment of the present invention is stopped.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view when the air conditioner shown in FIG. 1 is in operation. FIG.

3 is a functional block diagram illustrating a sensor module according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a vertical cross-sectional view and a plan view illustrating a plurality of regions detected by the sensor module illustrated in FIG. 3.

5 is a functional block diagram showing an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a screen diagram according to a first exemplary embodiment shown in the display unit of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a screen diagram according to a second embodiment of the present invention shown in a display unit of FIG. 5.

8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of controlling an air conditioner according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (15)

A main body for discharging and air-conditioning the indoor air; An adjusting unit installed at the main body to adjust wind direction and air velocity of air conditioning air; Sensing means installed in the main body and outputting a sensing signal for sensing a heat source; And A control unit configured to calculate a location area in which the heat source is located based on the at least one detection signal, and control the control unit to reach the air conditioning air to a peripheral area except the location area; The sensing means includes a plurality of thermopiles installed in the main body to output the sensing signal, The control unit calculates the location area according to the height of the thermopile for outputting a detection signal having a high signal strength among the sensing signals output from the plurality of thermopile and the angle to the ground. The method of claim 1, And an input unit for selecting to instruct the air conditioning air to reach the circumferential region. The method of claim 1, And a display unit for displaying at least one of the location area and the peripheral area, the air direction of the air conditioning air, and the wind speed. delete delete The method of claim 1, wherein the control unit, A vane control unit for adjusting the wind direction; An air conditioner including a fan control unit for adjusting the wind speed. delete The method of claim 1, The plurality of thermopile is installed on the upper portion of the air conditioner. delete Outputting a detection signal for heat source detection by a plurality of thermopiles; Calculating a location area in which the heat source is located according to a detection signal having a high signal strength among the detection signals of the plurality of thermopiles; And Discharging air-conditioning air to the peripheral region except for the location region; The calculating of the location area may include calculating the location area according to an angle formed with a height and a ground on which a thermopile for outputting a detection signal having a high signal strength is installed. The method of claim 10, And controlling the air conditioner to be discharged to the circumferential region before the sensing signal outputting step. The method of claim 10, And after the discharging step, displaying at least one of the wind direction, the wind speed, the location area, and the circumferential area of the air conditioning air. delete delete delete

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