KR102094221B1 - Air-conditioner and Contral Method - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a control method thereof, by taking an image of an indoor space, extracting a shape for the indoor space and an installation location of the main body from the image, setting airflow, and corresponding to airflow setting , By opening and closing the discharge port, and controlling the opening and closing degree of the wind direction control means installed in the discharge port to limit the discharge direction of the wind, the shape of the indoor space and the installation position of the air conditioner can be easily and accurately determined. Even when the structure of the space is changed, the airflow can be controlled by re-recognizing, and the direction of the set temperature is shortened by controlling the discharge direction of the airflow according to the installation position, and energy efficiency is improved.

Description

Air conditioner and its control method {Air-conditioner and Contral Method}

The present invention relates to an air conditioner and a control method therefor, and to an air conditioner for controlling airflow according to the shape of the space and a control method thereof.

The air conditioner is installed to provide a more comfortable indoor environment to human beings by discharging cold and warm air into the room to create a comfortable indoor environment, adjusting the indoor temperature, and purifying the indoor air. In general, an air conditioner includes an indoor unit installed inside a heat exchanger, and an outdoor unit configured with a compressor and a heat exchanger to supply refrigerant to the indoor unit.

The air conditioner is separated and controlled by an indoor unit composed of a heat exchanger, and an outdoor unit composed of a compressor and a heat exchanger, and the outdoor unit and the indoor unit are connected to a refrigerant pipe, and the refrigerant compressed from the compressor of the outdoor unit is supplied to the heat exchanger of the indoor unit through the refrigerant pipe. The refrigerant exchanged in the heat exchanger of the indoor unit flows back into the compressor of the outdoor unit through the refrigerant pipe. Accordingly, the indoor unit discharges cold and hot air into the room through heat exchange using a refrigerant.

The air conditioner may adjust the direction of airflow according to the position of the discharge port provided in the indoor unit, and the direction of the vane or looper provided in the discharge port. The indoor unit controls the opening and closing of the discharge port and the angle of the vane to allow airflow to reach a specific area or evenly to the space.

 However, depending on the installation location of the indoor unit or the type of space in which the indoor unit is installed, there is a case where airflow is unnecessarily discharged.

That is, when the indoor unit is installed close to the wall surface, in the case of a discharge port adjacent to the wall surface, a case in which airflow is discharged toward the wall surface occurs. In addition, depending on the arrangement of the space, airflow may also be discharged to an area that the occupants cannot access.

Therefore, a method for controlling airflow more effectively is required.

An object of the present invention relates to an air conditioner and a method for controlling the air conditioner for controlling airflow according to an indoor space or an installation position, and a control method for the air conditioner.

The air conditioner according to the present invention includes at least one camera, a vision module for photographing an image of an indoor space, a discharge port through which heat-exchanged air is discharged, a shape for the indoor space from the image taken from the vision module, and A control unit that extracts the installation position of the main body to set the air flow, and a driving unit that opens and closes the discharge port and controls the degree of opening and closing of the wind direction control means installed at the discharge port in response to the air flow setting of the control unit to limit the air discharge direction. It includes.

In addition, the present invention further includes a memory in which ceiling data for a plurality of ceiling shapes is stored, and the controller extracts features of the ceiling shape and retrieves ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling shape from the memory. do.

In the case where the ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling shape does not exist, the controller is characterized in that the installation position is manually set in response to the input of the operation unit. In addition, when the ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling shape does not exist, the controller receives ceiling data from an external server and updates the data in the memory.

The present invention includes the steps of photographing an image of an indoor space, extracting a ceiling shape by analyzing the image, searching for ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling shape, and determining an installation location of the main body from the ceiling data. And, setting airflow for the direction of air discharge in response to the installation position and discharging wind in response to airflow setting.

The step of extracting the ceiling shape is characterized by setting a center point at the center of the upper end of the image, and extracting the ceiling shape by detecting line segments located in each direction from the center point.

The feature of the ceiling is extracted, and ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling is searched.

The present invention further includes updating memory by receiving new ceiling data from a server.

The air conditioner and the control method according to the present invention configured as described above can easily and accurately determine the shape of the indoor space and the installation position of the air conditioner based on the indoor image.

The present invention can recognize the shape of the indoor space without setting by the user, and can recognize and control the discharge of airflow by re-recognizing even when the installation location or the structure of the indoor space is changed.

The present invention can reduce the time to reach the set temperature by controlling the discharge direction of the air flow according to the shape and installation position of the indoor space.

According to the present invention, energy efficiency is improved and a comfortable indoor environment can be provided by preventing unnecessary air flow.

1 is a view showing the configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram briefly showing a control configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a processor for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is an exemplary view referred to for explaining an installation position of an air conditioner and a shape of an indoor space according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram illustrating an example of recognizing an indoor space of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a view referred to for describing a process of determining the shape of the indoor space of FIG. 5.
7 is a view referred to for explaining a method of classifying the shape of an indoor space of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a diagram illustrating another example of recognizing an indoor space of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 is an exemplary view of an installation position of an air conditioner according to a shape of an indoor space according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a view referred to for explaining a process of recognizing a shape of an air conditioner in an indoor space according to an embodiment of the present invention.
11 is a view referred to for explaining the airflow discharge direction of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
12 is a flowchart illustrating a control method of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods for achieving them will be clarified with reference to embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments allow the disclosure of the present invention to be complete, and common knowledge in the art to which the present invention pertains It is provided to completely inform the person having the scope of the invention, and the present invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. The same reference numerals refer to the same components throughout the specification. In addition, it is stated that the configuration of the control unit and other parts included in the present invention may be implemented by one or more processors, and may be implemented by a hardware device.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 is a view showing the configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the air conditioner includes an indoor unit 20 and an outdoor unit 10. In addition, the air conditioner may further include a controller (not shown) and a remote controller (not shown) for monitoring and controlling the outdoor unit and the indoor unit.

Hereinafter, the indoor unit 20 and the outdoor unit 10 may be provided in plural, and the number, type, and connection between units are specified in the drawings. In addition, the indoor unit is described as an example of a stand type, but a ceiling type or a wall-mounted type can also be used.

The indoor unit 20 is connected to the outdoor unit 10 by a refrigerant pipe. The outdoor unit 10 may be changed in capacity according to the number of indoor units to be connected. The outdoor unit 10 may be connected through a separate communication line to communicate with the indoor unit through a wired communication method, and may also communicate with wireless communication.

The indoor unit 20 is provided with a discharge port 9 on the front surface, and air is sucked through the air intake port, and then discharged through the air discharge port. An auxiliary discharge port may be provided on the side or top of the main body.

The indoor unit 20 receives refrigerant from the outdoor unit 10 to discharge cold air. The indoor unit 20 includes an indoor heat exchanger (not shown), an indoor fan (not shown), an expansion valve (not shown) in which the supplied refrigerant is expanded, and a plurality of sensors (not shown).

In addition, the indoor unit 20 sucks indoor air through a suction port (not shown) provided on a side or rear surface of the main body, and discharges cold and hot air exchanged through the discharge port 9. A filter unit (not shown) is provided to filter out foreign substances such as dust contained in the intake air. In addition, a cleaning module (not shown) for cleaning the filter unit is installed in the main body.

The discharge port 9 may be composed of a left discharge port and a right discharge port on the front surface of the main body. Each discharge port can operate independently to discharge airflow.

The discharge port 9 is provided with a wind direction control means (not shown). Wind direction control means may be used to control the direction of the air flow louver (not shown) or vane (not shown). In addition, the wind direction control means may include a discharge unit that controls the degree of opening and closing and the direction of the wind by rotation. The discharge unit is installed in the discharge port and rotates within a predetermined angle range to change the discharge direction of the wind according to the rotation angle.

The main body is provided with a display module (not shown) on the front, and a vision module (not shown) including at least one image acquisition unit is installed on the top. In addition, the front panel 11 may be provided with a proximity sensor (not shown), an audio input unit (not shown), and an audio output unit (not shown).

An operation unit (not shown) composed of at least one input means of a switch, a button, or a touch pad may be provided on the front surface of the main body. Also, the display module (not shown) may be configured as a touch screen with a touch pad layered thereon.

The display module displays operation status and setting information, and a touch pad is layered to receive user commands. The display module may further include lighting. In addition, a proximity sensor (not shown) and a remote control receiver (not shown) may be provided on one side of the display module.

The outdoor unit 10 is a compressor (not shown) that receives and compresses refrigerant, an outdoor heat exchanger (not shown) that exchanges heat between the refrigerant and outdoor air, and an accumulator (not shown) that extracts gas refrigerant from the supplied refrigerant and supplies it to the compressor. City), and a four-way valve (not shown) for selecting a flow path of the refrigerant according to the heating operation. In addition, a plurality of sensors, valves, and an oil recovery device are further included, but a description of the configuration will be omitted below.

The outdoor unit 10 supplies a refrigerant to the indoor unit 20 by compressing or heat-exchanging the refrigerant according to a setting by operating a provided compressor and an outdoor heat exchanger.

The remote controller communicates with the indoor unit 20 through a wired communication method or a wireless communication method, transmits data input from a user to the indoor unit, and displays an operation state of the air conditioner. The indoor unit and the remote control can be unidirectional or bidirectional depending on the communication method.

The controller is connected to the outdoor unit 10 and the indoor unit 20 to monitor and control its operation. The controller can set the schedule as well as the reservation operation of the indoor unit, and create a group consisting of at least one to control in group units.

The air conditioner can communicate with a terminal (not shown) and communicate with a plurality of devices connected to the network by forming a predetermined network with other devices within a predetermined distance, for example, an air conditioner network, a building network, or a home network. You can. In addition, the air conditioner may communicate with an external server or other home appliance through the Internet.

In addition, the air conditioner may further include at least one of an outdoor unit and an indoor unit, a ventilation device (not shown), an air cleaning device (not shown), a humidifying device (not shown), and a heater (not shown), and a security device, It can operate in conjunction with lighting devices.

2 is a block diagram briefly showing a control configuration of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2, the indoor unit 20 includes a sensor unit 215, a power supply unit 299, a driving unit 280, an operation unit 230, a display module 292, a memory 256, a communication unit 270, It includes an audio output unit 291, an audio input unit 220, a vision module 210, a cleaning module 400, a humidification module 300, and a control unit 240 for controlling the overall operation.

The power supply 299 supplies operating power to the main body. The power supply unit 299 rectifies and smooths the commercial power to be connected, and generates and supplies the voltage required by each unit. The power supply unit 299 prevents an inrush current and generates a constant voltage. Further, the power supply unit 299 may supply operating power to an outdoor unit (not shown). In some cases, the power supply unit may be connected to the outdoor unit to receive an operation power of a predetermined size from the outdoor unit.

The manipulation unit 230 includes at least one of a button, a switch, and a touch input means, and inputs a user command or predetermined data into the indoor unit.

The operation unit 230 may be disposed on the front surface of the main body. If necessary, a part of the operation unit 230 may be disposed on the side surface of the main body.

The display module 292 is composed of display means such as LCD, LED, and OLED, and may include a touch screen layered with a touch pad. The display module 292 displays the operation setting or operation information of the indoor unit in a combination of at least one of letters, images, special characters, symbols, emoticons, and icons. In addition, the display unit may further include a lighting unit that outputs an operating state according to whether it is lit, lighting color, or blinking.

The display module 292 may be disposed on the front of the main body.

The audio output unit 291 outputs voice guidance, predetermined warning sounds, and effect sounds. The audio output unit 291 includes a buzzer or speaker.

The audio input unit 220 receives and recognizes a user's voice, and inputs a command for it to the control unit 240. The audio input unit 220 includes at least one microphone.

The memory 256 includes control data for controlling the operation of the indoor unit, data for an operation mode, data sensed by the sensor unit 215, data transmitted and received through the communication unit, data input by the operation unit 230, and output data , Data for determining whether an operation is abnormal is stored.

Also, data for image analysis and ceiling data for a ceiling shape are stored in the memory 256. The control unit 240 may receive data from the outside through the communication unit 270 to update the ceiling data of the memory 256.

The memory 256 stores data that can be read by a microprocessor, and includes a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state disk (SSD), a silicon disk drive (SDD), ROM, RAM, and CD-ROM. , Magnetic tape, floppy disk, and optical data storage device.

The communication unit 270 includes at least one communication module to transmit and receive data in a wired or wireless communication method.

The communication unit 270 transmits and receives data to and from an outdoor unit (not shown), and receives data from a remote control (not shown). In addition, the communication unit 270 may be connected to a predetermined network to communicate with an external server or terminal. The communication unit 270 transmits and receives data including communication modules such as Wi-Fi and WiBro as well as short-range wireless communication such as Zigbee, Bluetooth, and infrared.

The sensor unit 215 inputs measured data including a plurality of sensors to the control unit 240. The sensor unit 215 includes a proximity sensor 17, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, and a humidity sensor, and includes a water bottle sensing unit.

The proximity sensor 17 detects a person or object approaching within a predetermined distance. The proximity sensor 17 may be installed at a lower portion of the main body or at a front portion of the base, and may also be installed adjacent to the display module 292. The proximity sensor inputs an access signal to the controller 240 when a predetermined object or person approaches within a predetermined distance.

A temperature sensor is installed in the suction port to measure the indoor temperature, installed inside the body to measure the heat exchange temperature, and installed at one side of the discharge port to measure the temperature of the discharged air, and installed in the refrigerant pipe to measure the refrigerant temperature. can do. The humidity sensor measures humidity against indoor air.

The driving unit 280 provides a driving force for the indoor fan (not shown) to rotate. The driving unit 280 may provide power to the driving means for adjusting the opening and closing angle of the vane or louver of the discharge port through which airflow is discharged from the indoor fan. In addition, the driving unit 280 controls opening and closing of the valve installed therein. If necessary, the driving unit 280 may be divided into an indoor fan driving unit, a vane driving unit, and a valve control unit.

The driving unit 280 may include a fan driving unit (not shown), a valve control unit (not shown), and a vane driving unit (not shown).

The fan driving unit controls the driving of the motor provided in the indoor fan (not shown) in response to the control command of the control unit 240, so that the indoor fan rotates. The fan driving unit controls to rotate at a set rotational speed by supplying operating power to the indoor fan.

The indoor fan is provided in the indoor heat exchanger. If necessary, the indoor fan may be provided on the front of the main body. The indoor fan sucks indoor air and supplies the sucked indoor air to a heat exchanger. For the indoor fan, an inverter fan that can adjust the rotation speed can be used. The indoor fan is composed of a motor and a fan, and the fan rotates as the motor operates under control of the fan driving unit.

The vision module 210 photographs an indoor environment including at least one image acquisition unit and detects a user's location. In addition, the vision module may detect indoor intrusion according to the operation mode. The vision module 210 may be installed on the front of the main body, and in some cases, may be installed on the upper panel of the main body.

The cleaning module 400 is installed in the filter unit to clean foreign matter in the filter unit. The cleaning module includes a cleaning robot (not shown). As the cleaning robot moves along the surface of the filter part, it sucks foreign matter from the filter part. In addition, the cleaning robot may sterilize the filter unit using a sterilization lamp while cleaning the filter unit. The cleaning module 400 may further include a position sensor that detects the position of the robot cleaner.

The humidification module 300 provides humidified air by heating or dissolving water in a water bottle (not shown). The humidifying module 300 generates steam to humidify the air, and allows the humidified air to be discharged into the room through the discharge port together with the air-conditioned air. The humidifying module 300 may be a vibrating type using a vibration, a heating type, or a spraying method for spraying water, and various other humidifying methods may be used.

The control unit 240 processes input / output data, stores data in the memory 256, and sets the air conditioner to operate according to the setting input through the operation unit. The control unit 240 monitors the operation status of each module, and outputs the operation status through the display module 292 according to the applied data.

The control unit 110 communicates with the outdoor unit 10 at predetermined time intervals through the communication unit 150 to transmit data of the indoor unit to the outdoor unit, receive data, and transmit data according to requests from other devices such as a controller. You can.

The control unit 240 determines the state of the refrigerant, the indoor fan, and the room in response to data input from a plurality of sensors of the sensor unit 140, generates a control command correspondingly, and applies it to the driving unit 280, and the outdoor unit The driving unit 280 is controlled to transmit and receive data to and from the air cooled and cooled by the refrigerant supplied from the outdoor unit to be discharged into the room.

The control unit 240 corresponds to data set by the operation mode or the sensor unit 215, the humidifying module 300 operates to discharge the humidified air, and detects occupants through the vision module 210, In addition, the cleaning module 400 is controlled so that the filter is cleaned.

The controller 240 may determine the shape of the indoor space and the installation location of the main body based on the indoor image photographed through the vision module 210.

The control unit 240 applies a control command to the driving unit 280 to change the airflow discharged in correspondence to the shape and installation position of the indoor space.

The control unit 240 may set the maximum opening angle of the discharge unit or vane to limit airflow from being discharged in a designated direction. In addition, the control unit 240 may set any vane not to be opened.

Accordingly, the driving unit 280 may control a vane or a louver so that airflow is not discharged in a specific direction in response to the shape and installation position of the indoor space. In addition, even if the swing is set so that the air flow reaches the entire area, the drive part prevents air flow from being discharged in the designated direction.

When the wind direction is set through the operation unit for a designated direction so that the wind is not exposed, the control unit 240 may generate a warning accordingly and output it through the display module 292 or the audio output unit. In addition, the control unit 240 may limit the input so that the specified direction cannot be set through the operation unit with respect to the setting for limiting air flow.

In addition, the control unit may reset the air flow by analyzing the image when the image of the indoor space photographed through the vision module is changed, that is, when the installation location is changed or the structure of the indoor space is changed.

3 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a processor for controlling an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The control unit 240 may include one or more microprocessors.

The control unit 240 includes a main control unit 241, a vision module control unit 242, a power supply control unit 243, a lighting control unit 244, a display module control unit 245, a humidification module control unit 246, and a cleaning module according to functions. It includes a control unit 247.

Each control unit may be composed of one microprocessor, and may be installed in each module. For example, the vision module 210, the cleaning module 400, and the humidifying module may be controlled through one microprocessor. In addition, a microprocessor is installed in each module, a vision module control unit 242 is provided in the vision module 210, and a humidifying module control unit is provided in the humidifying module to control its operation.

The main control unit 241 applies control commands to each control unit, and receives and processes data from each control unit. The main control unit and each control unit are connected in the form of a bus (BUS) to transmit and receive data.

4 is an exemplary view referred to for explaining an installation position of an air conditioner and a shape of an indoor space according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4, the main body 21 of the indoor unit 20 is installed in the indoor space. The indoor unit is described as an example of a stand type, but may be applied to a wall-mounted or ceiling-type.

As shown in (a) of FIG. 4, the indoor unit 20 may be installed at a corner of one side of the indoor space, adjacent to the wall surface, and a first point P1. A plurality of lights 115 may be installed on the ceiling 111, and furniture or the like may be arranged on the floor surface 114.

In the position (a) of FIG. 4, the indoor unit 20 has a first wall surface 112 facing the rear surface of the main body, and while being level with the front panel provided on the front surface of the main body, the front panel has a second wall surface 113. It can be installed to be perpendicular to.

When discharging heat-exchanged air, the indoor unit 20 may be limited by the second wall surface 113 adjacent to the left side. That is, the discharged airflow may be discharged in an undesired direction by hitting the wall surface, and may also affect airflow in other directions. Accordingly, the indoor unit 20 may limit the airflow discharged to the left.

In addition, the indoor unit 20 may be installed at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the first wall and the second wall.

As illustrated in FIG. 4B, the indoor unit 20 may be installed at a second point P2 where the main body is the center of one side of the indoor space. A plurality of lights 105 are installed on the ceiling 101, furniture and the like may be arranged on the floor surface 104, and the interior space may have a polygonal shape.

The indoor unit 20 may discharge airflow to the center of the indoor space. In addition, the indoor unit 20 may discharge airflow to the left and right sides of the indoor space, respectively. The indoor unit may further include a central main discharge port and left and right auxiliary discharge ports. In addition, the direction of the discharge airflow of the central main discharge port can be adjusted.

Each of the vision modules 210 may photograph an indoor space at a position where the main body of the indoor unit 20 is installed.

The control unit 240 may analyze the captured image and detect the occupant. In addition, the shape of the indoor space can be detected by analyzing the captured image.

The control unit 240 determines the shape of the indoor space and the installation position of the main body, changes the setting for the discharge port, and applies a control command thereto to the driving unit 280. Accordingly, the driving unit controls the wind direction adjusting means of the discharge port so that airflow is not discharged in a designated direction in which the discharge of wind is restricted. Accordingly, by controlling the operation of the discharge unit of the discharge port or the vane / lure, the wind is discharged in the remaining direction except for the designated direction.

Therefore, the indoor unit 20 can control the airflow in response to the shape of the indoor space and the installation position (installation direction).

5 is a diagram illustrating an example of recognizing an indoor space of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

When the main body is installed at the first point P1 as shown in FIG. 4A, the image is captured through the vision module.

The image captured through the vision module includes the shape of the indoor area and the shape of the occupant or furniture located in the indoor space.

For example, in the image, as shown in FIG. 5 (a), the ceiling 121, the lighting 124, the floor, the left and right wall surfaces 122 and 125, the front wall surface, and furniture located in the indoor space (126, 127) and the like can be photographed. Also, occupants may be photographed.

In order to extract the shape of the ceiling, the control unit 240 sets one center point P11 of the upper center portion of the captured image. The control unit 240 extracts line segments 128 and 129 located around the center point P11. For example, the control unit 240 may extract line segments 128 and 129 for corners where the ceiling and the wall meet.

In the case of the ceiling, the control unit 240 may classify and exclude the shape of the lighting as the lighting is installed.

The controller 240 extracts the shape of the ceiling by interconnecting the extracted line segments as shown in FIG. 5 (c). The control unit 240 may extract an edge through image processing to extract a line segment corresponding to the edge.

The control unit 240 may analyze the shape of the first shape 131 for the extracted ceiling to determine the shape of the indoor space from the shape of the ceiling, and also determine the installation location of the indoor unit.

6 is a view referred to for explaining a process of determining the shape of the indoor space of FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a diagram referred to for explaining a method of classifying the shape of the indoor space of the air conditioner according to an embodiment to be.

As described above, the controller 240 may extract the shape of the ceiling of the indoor space from the image of the indoor space.

Referring to (a) of FIG. 6, the first shape 131 extracted from the image has a shape connected by a straight line and a curve. In some cases, when an edge of an image is not accurately extracted, or when a certain type of structure is present on the ceiling, the shape of the ceiling may be a distorted degree of freedom.

The control unit 240 converts the extracted first shape 131 into a second shape 132 having a polygonal shape as shown in FIG. 6 (b).

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the control unit 240 extracts features by analyzing the shape of the degree of freedom.

The controller 240 extracts the linear components 153 to 156 by dividing the degree of freedom 151 into a plurality of parts. In addition, the control unit 240 extracts the center of gravity 152 of the freedom type 151.

The controller 240 may estimate a portion in which the line is bent at a certain angle or more as a vertex in the shape of the degrees of freedom 151 and extract linear components 153 to 156 connecting each vertex.

The controller 240 extracts a straight line for each part based on a vertex, and then connects each straight line to generate a polygonal ceiling shape.

The controller 240 may form a polygon by making each of the extracted linear components form a side of each figure. Each of the first to fourth linear components 153 to 156 becomes a side of the polygon, and the first shape may be converted into a polygonal shape.

Accordingly, as described above, the controller 240 extracts the second shape 132 by converting the ceiling shape into a polygonal shape as shown in FIG. 6B.

The control unit 240 may determine the shape and installation location of the indoor area based on the shape of the ceiling.

8 is a diagram illustrating another example of recognizing an indoor space of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

8, the vision module 210 photographs an image of an indoor space. The photographed image includes a ceiling 141, a light 142 installed on the ceiling, a wall surface 134, a floor 145, and a occupant 146.

The vision module 210 may detect the occupant from the captured image, and the controller 240 may control the driver to discharge airflow based on the occupant's location.

As described above, the controller 240 analyzes the image, sets a center point at the upper end of the image, and extracts the surrounding line components based on the center point. The control unit 240 extracts the third shape 133 for the ceiling by interconnecting the extracted line components.

As described above, the control unit 240 may extract a linear component from the third shape 133 which is a free-form shape, and convert linear components to a fourth shape (not shown) of polygons corresponding to the free-form shape. have.

If necessary, the shape can be changed by user input.

For example, when the image is blurred or the surrounding ceiling or the structure of the ceiling is different due to surrounding obstacles or the structure of the ceiling, the shape may be corrected by input of the manipulation unit.

The shape can be modified by a user's key input or touch input through the operation unit. As described above, when each line segment of the degree of freedom is extracted, when one of the extracted line segments is long-touched or double-touched, the shape of the ceiling can be changed by moving in a dragging direction after touching. In addition, when any one of the corner vertices is touched long or double touched, the shape of the ceiling can be changed by moving in a dragging direction.

In some cases, the ceiling shape may be modified by a terminal (not shown) connected through the indoor unit and the network.

9 is an exemplary view of an installation position of an air conditioner according to a shape of an indoor space according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As illustrated in (a) of FIG. 9, data on the shape of the ceiling for distinguishing the shape of the indoor space is stored in the memory 256. A separate database (DB) may be provided. In some cases, ceiling data can be downloaded from an external server connected through a network.

The control unit 240 analyzes the ceiling shape of the extracted indoor space based on the previously stored ceiling data.

The control unit 240 may analyze the ceiling shape by extracting characteristics of the center of gravity, the length of each side, and the corner angle of the extracted ceiling shape.

The control unit 240 may distinguish between the long horizontal shapes 161 to 163 and the long vertical shapes 164 to 166 according to the position of the center of gravity.

The controller 240 may classify a shape by distinguishing a case in which the length of the ceiling to the center of gravity 152 of a polygon is greater than or equal to a predetermined length based on one side of the polygon. For example, it may be based on any one side of the polygon, or the side with the longest length.

In addition, the control unit 240 may distinguish the ceiling shape based on an angle formed by one side, a slope formed by the other side, and two sides. In addition, the ceiling shape can be distinguished based on the length of each side.

For example, after converting the first shape into a polygon of the second shape, the control unit 240 determines that it is the sixth ceiling data 166, and, for the third shape, the second ceiling data 162. You can judge that.

In addition, when there is no data corresponding to the ceiling shape among the previously stored ceiling data, the control unit 240 adds a new ceiling shape. At this time, the control unit 240 may be manually set through the operation unit with respect to the wind discharge direction.

The control unit 240 determines an installation location corresponding to the ceiling data.

Meanwhile, when there is no ceiling data corresponding to the shape of the ceiling, the control unit 240 may manually set the installation location according to a user input through the manipulation unit. The control unit 240 may transmit data on the ceiling shape and its installation location to the server through the communication unit 270 to register new ceiling data, and receive new ceiling data from the server to update data in the memory. Can be.

9 (b), the first ceiling data 161 corresponds to the left installation position 171 of the horizontal type, and the second ceiling data 162 is the central installation position 172 of the horizontal type. And the third ceiling data 163 corresponds to the right installation position 173 of the horizontal type.

In addition, the fourth ceiling data 164 corresponds to the left installation position 174 of the vertical type, the fifth ceiling data 165 corresponds to the central installation position 175 of the vertical type, and the sixth ceiling data 166 ) May correspond to the right installation position 176 of the vertical type.

Accordingly, the control unit 240 may determine the installation position of the main body.

In the drawing, the ceiling data is described as an example of classifying into six types, but it can be determined by subdividing it according to the installation location or the shape of the indoor space.

The controller may update the ceiling data for the ceiling shape by accessing an external server or the like through the communication unit. In addition, when there is no ceiling data corresponding to the extracted ceiling shape, the control unit 240 may access the external server through the communication unit 270 and request ceiling data.

In addition, when the ceiling shape is modified by a user input through the operation unit, the control unit 240 may request ceiling data for the modified ceiling shape.

In addition, the control unit 240 may determine the installation location by classifying the ceiling data even when the shape of the indoor public security is circular, triangular rather than square.

10 is a view referred to for explaining a process of recognizing a shape of an air conditioner in an indoor space according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 10 (a), the ceiling shape is extracted from the captured image, and as shown in FIG. 10 (b), the ceiling-shaped features are extracted and the ceiling of a similar shape from the previously stored ceiling data. Search for a shape.

As shown in FIG. 10 (c), it is possible to determine the installation position of the indoor unit in the indoor space based on the ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling shape.

For example, the control unit 240 may determine the installation position as the main body is located on the right side of any one of the vertical indoor spaces from the first shape, and also, from the third shape, the main body may be located on any one side of the horizontal indoor space. The installation position can be determined by being located at the center of the.

11 is a view referred to for explaining the airflow discharge direction of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 11, the control unit 240 controls the discharge direction of the airflow through the discharge port by determining the installation position of the main body in the indoor space by extracting the ceiling shape from the captured image.

When dividing A1 to A9 in the airflow discharge direction of the discharge port, the control unit 240 may limit the discharge of airflow in a designated direction according to the installation position of the main body.

As described above, with respect to the first shape, if it is determined that the main body is installed on the right side of any one side of the vertical type, the control unit 240 may limit air flow discharge to the right side as the wall surface is located on the right side.

For example, the control unit 240 may set the air flow to A1 or A1 to A3 so as not to be discharged. When the air flow discharge direction is set, the driving unit 280 controls the direction of the discharge port.

The driving unit 280 prevents air flow from being discharged to A1 to A3 according to the setting of the control unit, and discharges only the air flow to A4 to A9. Even if the wind direction is set to discharge airflow in all directions, for example, even if a swing mode is set, the driving unit 280 controls the airflow to reach A4 to A9.

In addition, even if the wind direction is changed through the operation unit 230, the control unit 240 may limit the wind direction to be not set in the designated direction.

If necessary, if the wind direction is set in a limited direction, guidance on airflow limitation may be output as a guide through the display module 292, and audio guidance according to airflow limitation may be output through the audio output unit 291. Can be.

At this time, when two discharge ports are provided, the left discharge port can discharge airflow to the front and the left, and the right discharge port can discharge airflow to the front.

On the other hand, when the ceiling shape of the third shape is extracted, the control unit 240 determines that the main body is installed at the center of one side of the horizontal type from the second ceiling data.

Accordingly, the control unit 240 may be set to discharge airflow in all directions.

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

As illustrated in FIG. 12, the indoor unit 20 photographs the indoor image through the provided vision module 210 (S310).

The control unit 240 analyzes the captured image and extracts the shape of the ceiling (S320). As described above, the control unit 240 sets a center point in the center of the upper end of the captured image, extracts a line segment positioned based on the center point, and extracts the shape of the ceiling.

Also, the controller 240 analyzes the shape of the extracted ceiling and extracts a polygonal ceiling shape.

The controller 240 extracts features by analyzing the ceiling shape (S330).

The controller 240 may extract the features of the length of each side of the ceiling shape, the angle formed by each side, and the center of gravity of the ceiling shape to determine the shape of the indoor space.

The controller 240 retrieves ceiling data based on the extracted characteristics (S340).

The controller 240 may search for ceiling data having a shape similar to a ceiling based on each feature. For example, the horizontal type and the vertical type can be distinguished based on the center of gravity, and the shape inclined to the left or right can be determined based on the angle of both sides and the length of each side based on the longest side.

The controller 240 extracts the shape of the indoor space and the installation location in the indoor space based on the ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling shape (S350, S360). As described above, when the ceiling shape corresponds to the sixth ceiling data, it may be determined that the main body of the indoor unit is installed on the right side of the wall surface based on the vertical type indoor space.

In addition, when there is no data corresponding to the ceiling shape among the previously stored ceiling data, the control unit 240 adds a new ceiling shape. In some cases, ceiling data can be downloaded from an external server connected through a network.

The control unit 240 sets the airflow of the discharge port according to the installation position (S370).

According to the setting of the control unit of the driving unit 280, the airflow discharge direction of the discharge port is controlled. The driving unit 280 may control opening / closing and rotation angle of the vane or louver to prevent airflow from being discharged in a designated direction. The driving unit 280 controls the wind discharge direction with respect to the up, down, left, and right directions.

Although all components constituting the embodiments of the present invention have been described as being combined and operated, the present invention is not necessarily limited to these embodiments. If within the scope of the object of the present invention, depending on the embodiment, all the components may be operated by selectively combining one or more.

The above description is merely illustrative of the technical idea of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains may make various modifications and variations without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention.

10: outdoor unit 20: indoor unit
210: vision module 230: operation unit
240: control unit 270: communication unit
280: drive unit

Claims (18)

A vision module including at least one camera, for capturing an image of an indoor space;
A discharge port through which the heat-exchanged air is discharged;
A control unit for extracting a shape for the indoor space and an installation location of the main body from the image photographed from the vision module to set airflow;
A memory in which ceiling data for a plurality of ceiling shapes is stored;
A driving unit that opens and closes the discharge port and controls the opening and closing degree of the wind direction control means installed at the discharge port to limit the discharge direction of the wind in response to the air flow setting of the control unit; Including,
The control unit sets a center point at the center of the upper end of the image, detects line segments in each direction located around the center point, excludes the shape of the lighting, and connects the extracted line segments to the interior space. Extract the ceiling shape for Korea, retrieve the ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling shape from the memory based on the characteristics of the ceiling shape, and install the shape of the indoor space and the body from the ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling shape Air conditioner characterized by extracting the location. delete delete According to claim 1,
The controller is to divide the ceiling shape into a plurality of parts to extract a linear component, and the air conditioner characterized in that it extracts the center of gravity of the ceiling shape, the length of each side, the angle formed by each side. delete According to claim 1,
The control unit, in response to the installation position, air conditioner, characterized in that for setting the air flow so that the wind is not discharged in a predetermined direction. The method of claim 6,
The control unit in response to the installation position, characterized in that the air conditioner to limit the airflow so that the wind is not discharged in the direction located on the wall or obstacle. According to claim 1,
The driving unit, in response to the air flow setting, air conditioner characterized in that to set the opening and closing angle or rotation angle of the wind direction control means of the discharge port so as not to discharge the wind in a specified direction. According to claim 1,
The control unit outputs a warning when the wind direction is set for a designated direction so that wind is not discharged through the operation unit, the air conditioner, characterized in that. According to claim 1,
The control unit, in response to the input of the operation unit, the air conditioner, characterized in that to correct the ceiling shape by moving the position of the corner of the corner or the line segment according to the touch and drag direction. According to claim 1,
The control unit manually sets the installation position in response to the input of the operation unit when there is no ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling shape. According to claim 1,
The control unit receives the ceiling data from an external server when there is no ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling shape, the air conditioner, characterized in that to update the data in the memory. Photographing an image of the indoor space;
Analyzing the image and setting a center point in the center of the upper end of the image;
Detecting a line segment in each direction located around the center point;
Extracting the ceiling shape by connecting the extracted line segments after separating and excluding the shape of the lighting;
Extracting features of the ceiling shape and searching for ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling shape;
Determining the shape of the indoor space and the installation location of the main body from the ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling shape;
Setting an airflow for a discharge direction of the wind corresponding to the installation position; And
Control method of the air conditioner comprising the step of discharging the wind in response to the air flow setting. delete delete The method of claim 13,
Dividing the ceiling shape into a plurality of parts to extract linear components,
The method of controlling the air conditioner further comprising the step of extracting the ceiling center of gravity, the length of each side, and the angle formed by each side. The method of claim 13,
According to the ceiling data corresponding to the ceiling shape, the type of the indoor space of the horizontal type and vertical type is determined, and the control method of the air conditioner, characterized in that extracting the installation position of the main body in the indoor space. The method of claim 13,
In response to the installation position, the control method of the air conditioner, characterized in that to set so that the wind is not discharged in the direction of the wall or the obstacle is located.

Images