KR102373652B1 - Method for operating artificial intelligenc air conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of operating an artificial intelligence air conditioner by collecting indoor environment information and external environment information, and outputting a voice guidance message for actively guiding a recommended driving mode based on the collected environment information, Even unskilled users can conveniently use the optimal driving mode and functions, thereby increasing user convenience.

Description

Operation method of artificial intelligence air conditioner {Method for operating artificial intelligenc air conditioner}

The present invention relates to an air conditioner and an operating method thereof, and more particularly, to an air conditioner capable of being controlled according to a user's natural language voice command and providing recommended voice guidance according to a situation, and an operating method thereof will be.

An air conditioner is a device that sucks in air, changes temperature, humidity, and cleanliness, and then discharges it to the outside. An air conditioner is a device for heating and cooling an indoor space, comprising a compressor for compressing refrigerant, a condenser for condensing the compressed refrigerant, an expansion valve for expanding the condensed refrigerant, and an evaporator for heat-exchanging the expanded refrigerant with indoor air. It performs the function of adjusting the temperature.

The air conditioner may be composed of an air conditioner or heater that changes indoor temperature, a humidifier or dehumidifier that changes indoor humidity, and an air purifier that changes indoor cleanliness.

Although air conditioners provide various functions such as cooling, heating, humidification, dehumidification, and air purification, it was difficult for unskilled users to freely use the functions that the air conditioner can provide.

Accordingly, various methods for increasing the user's convenience in using the air conditioner can be conveniently controlled and by minimizing the user's manipulation are being studied.

Recently, research on a method of controlling an air conditioner using a voice recognition technology is increasing.

Using voice recognition technology, there is a need for a way to set the air conditioner in the optimal driving mode even if the user inputs a voice according to his or her usual language habit without special manipulation or prior knowledge.

In addition, there is a need for a method in which non-skilled users can freely and conveniently use the functions of the air conditioner by providing recommended voice guidance according to the user's situation.

An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner capable of increasing user convenience by actively providing voice guidance so that even unskilled users can conveniently use it, and an operating method thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an air conditioner capable of performing customized environmental control using collected environmental information and an operating method thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide an air conditioner capable of efficiently recognizing and processing natural language and an operating method thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide a voice recognition method and system capable of controlling an air conditioner by recognizing a user's voice command.

In order to achieve the above or other object, a method of operating an air conditioner according to an aspect of the present invention provides a voice for actively guiding a recommended driving mode based on the collected environmental information by collecting indoor environment information and external environment information. By outputting the guide message, even unskilled users can conveniently use the optimal driving mode and function, thereby increasing user convenience.

According to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, since the air conditioner operates according to a voice input, the user does not need to operate the remote control, thereby increasing user convenience.

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, by recognizing the voice input received through the air conditioner in the voice recognition server system, it is possible to efficiently recognize and process natural language.

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, by guiding the optimal driving mode based on the obtained environmental information, even unskilled users can conveniently use the optimal driving mode and functions, so that the user's convenience can increase

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, environment-customized control is possible using the collected environment information.

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, by setting the driving mode through voice input, the user's manipulation during the driving mode selection process can be minimized, thereby increasing user convenience.

On the other hand, various other effects will be disclosed directly or implicitly in the detailed description according to the embodiment of the present invention to be described later.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a smart home system including a voice recognition server system and a home appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a front view of an embodiment of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an internal block diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a diagram illustrating another example of an internal block diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is an example of a voice recognition server system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is an example of a voice recognition server system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
9 to 12 are diagrams referenced in the description of the operating method of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and may be modified in various forms.

In the drawings, in order to clearly and briefly describe the present invention, the illustration of parts irrelevant to the description is omitted, and the same reference numerals are used for the same or extremely similar parts throughout the specification.

On the other hand, the suffixes "module" and "part" for the components used in the following description are given simply in consideration of the ease of writing the present specification, and do not give a particularly important meaning or role by themselves. Accordingly, the terms “module” and “unit” may be used interchangeably.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a smart home system including a voice recognition server system and a home appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , a smart home system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a home appliance 200 having a communication module (not shown) capable of communicating with other devices or accessing a network; It may be configured to include a voice recognition server system 1100 including a plurality of servers for voice recognition and home appliance control.

The home appliance 200 may include an air conditioner having a communication module, a robot cleaner, a refrigerator, a washing machine, a cooking appliance, and the like.

In addition, the smart home system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a mobile terminal (not shown) such as a smart phone, a tablet PC, or the like.

The home appliance 200 may have a communication module therein to communicate with electronic devices inside/outside the smart home system 10 .

The smart home system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include an access point (AP) device 300 , and the home appliance 200 is wireless Internet through the access point device 300 . You can connect to the network and communicate with other devices.

The access point device 300 may allocate a wireless channel according to a predetermined communication method to electronic devices in the smart home system 10 and perform wireless data communication through the corresponding channel.

Here, the predetermined communication method may be a Wi-Fi communication method. Correspondingly, the communication module provided in the home appliance 200 may be a Wi-Fi communication module, but the present invention is not limited to the communication method.

Alternatively, the home appliance 200 may include different types of communication modules or a plurality of communication modules. For example, the home appliance 200 may include an NFC module, a Zigbee communication module, a Bluetooth™ communication module, and the like.

The home appliance 200 can be connected to a server included in the voice recognition server system 1100 or an external predetermined server, a user's mobile terminal, etc. through a Wi-Fi communication module, etc., and is smart such as remote monitoring and remote control. function can be supported.

The user may check information on the home appliance 200 in the smart home system 10 or control the home appliance 200 through the mobile terminal.

Meanwhile, even when a user wants to control the home appliance 200 or check predetermined information in the home, it may be inconvenient to have to use the mobile terminal.

For example, if the user does not know the current location of the mobile terminal or is in another location, it is more efficient to have a means for controlling the home appliance 200 in a different way.

The home appliance 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention may receive a user's voice input, and the voice recognition server system 1100 may control the home appliance 200 by recognizing and analyzing the user's voice input. there is.

Accordingly, the user can control the home appliance 200 without operating the mobile terminal or the remote control device.

On the other hand, at least some of the servers included in the voice recognition server system 1100 may be a server operated by a home appliance manufacturing company or a sales company, or a server operated by a manufacturing company or a company entrusted with a service by the sales company. .

2 is a front view of an embodiment of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the air conditioner 1 includes a pair of discharge units 2 and 3 , a display assembly 10A positioned between the pair of discharge units 2 and 3 , and the display assembly 10A. It may include a center panel assembly 10B that is positioned below the , and in which one or more microphone holes 75 are formed.

In addition, the air conditioner 1 may further include a discharge unit holder (not shown) for supporting the pair of discharge units 2 and 3 to be spaced apart from each other. The discharge unit holder may include a top cover 140 positioned above the pair of discharge units 2 and 3 .

The pair of discharging units 2 and 3 may be disposed to be horizontally spaced apart by the discharging unit holder, and the display assembly 10A may be disposed elongated in the vertical direction between the pair of discharging units 2 and 3 can The display assembly 10A may cover the gap between the pair of discharge units 2 and 3 invisibly from the front of the air conditioner 1 .

The pair of discharge units 2 and 3, the discharge unit holder, and the display assembly 10A may constitute the discharge assembly D for discharging the air conditioned in the air conditioner to the outside.

The discharge assembly D may be installed in an air purifier having a blower (not shown) and a purification unit (not shown), and the air purified by the purification unit is discharged to the outside through a pair of discharge units 2 and 3 . It can be dispersedly discharged. In this case, the air conditioner 1 may be an air purifier that purifies indoor air. Here, the purification unit includes a filter that filters out foreign substances in the air, an electric dust collector that charges and collects foreign substances such as dust using electricity, a humidifying filter that absorbs moisture and foreign substances as air passes through, and ions into the air. It may be an ion generator that generates

The discharge assembly D may be installed in an air conditioner, a heater, or a dehumidifier having a blower (not shown) and a heat exchanger (not shown), and the air heat-exchanged with the heat exchanger is externally passed through a pair of discharge units 2 and 3 . can be dispersedly discharged. In this case, the air conditioner 1 may be an air conditioner, a heater, or a dehumidifier that changes the temperature or humidity of the room.

The air conditioner (1) includes a body unit, a discharge assembly (D), and a connection duct connecting the body unit and the discharge assembly (D), wherein at least one of a heat exchanger and a purification unit and a blower are installed in the body unit it is possible In this case, the discharge assembly (D) may be installed to be spaced apart from the body unit, and air supplied from the body unit to the connection duct flows from the connection duct to the pair of discharge units 2 and 3, and the pair of discharge units (2,3) It can be distributed and discharged to the outside.

The pair of discharging units 2 and 3 are for guiding the discharging of the air blown by the blower to the outside, and in a state in which they are arranged parallel to each other by the discharging unit holder, the air blown by the blower can be dispersedly discharged to the outside.

The pair of discharging units 2 and 3 may have the same structure and may have different positions. Each of the pair of discharging units 2 and 3 may have an inlet through which air is introduced. Each of the pair of discharge units 2 and 3 may have an air discharge port through which air is discharged. An internal flow path for guiding the air introduced into the suction port to the air discharge port may be formed inside each of the pair of discharge units 2 and 3 .

Each of the pair of discharge units 2 and 3 may have an air discharge port formed in a portion of the circumference of the upper and lower portions and the circumference. Each of the pair of discharging units 2 and 3 may have a suction port through which air is introduced into any one of the upper part, the lower part, and the periphery.

When the suction port is formed in the lower part of each of the pair of discharge units (2, 3), the air blown by the blower can be introduced into the internal flow path through the lower part of each of the pair of discharge units (2, 3), The pair of discharge units (2, 3) may be discharged to the outside through the air outlet formed in a portion of the peripheral portion of each.

When the suction port is formed at the upper portion of each of the pair of discharge units (2, 3), the air blown by the blower may be introduced into the internal flow path through the upper portion of each of the pair of discharge units (2, 3), The pair of discharge units (2, 3) may be discharged to the outside through the air outlet formed in a portion of the peripheral portion of each.

When the suction port is formed on the periphery of each of the pair of discharging units 2 and 3, the suction port may be formed at a portion spaced apart from the air discharging port of the periphery. In this case, the pair of discharging units 2 and 3 may have a shape in which an upper surface and a lower surface are blocked, respectively. The air blown by the blower 5 may be introduced into the internal flow path through an inlet formed on the circumference of each of the pair of discharge units 2 and 3, and the circumference of each of the pair of discharge units 2 and 3 It can be discharged to the outside through the air outlet formed in the.

Any one of the pair of discharging units 2 and 3 may be a left discharging unit located on the left with respect to the center line F of the air conditioner, and the other of the pair of discharging units 2 and 3 may be It may be a right discharge unit located on the right side with respect to the center line (F) of the air conditioner.

The left discharge unit may discharge air from the left direction of the air conditioner to the front direction of the air conditioner, and the right discharge unit may discharge air from the right direction of the air conditioner to the front direction of the air conditioner.

The left air discharge unit and the right air discharge unit may discharge air in opposite directions. The left discharge unit may discharge air in a left direction of the air conditioner, and the right discharge unit may discharge air in a right direction of the air conditioner.

The left discharge unit may discharge air in a first inclined direction in front of the left side of the air conditioner, and the right discharge unit may discharge air in a second inclined direction in the right front of the air conditioner.

Also, the left discharge unit may discharge air in a forward direction of the air conditioner, and the right discharge unit may discharge air in a forward direction of the air conditioner. In this case, the left air discharge unit and the right air discharge unit may discharge air in parallel directions, and two front airflows may be formed in front of the air conditioner.

The air conditioner 1 may further include a casing 4 forming an exterior. The air conditioner 1 may further include a blower (not shown) for blowing air to the pair of discharge units 2 and 3 .

The air conditioner 1 may be configured as a stand-type air conditioner installed on the floor of a room, or may be configured as a wall-mounted air conditioner installed on a wall. Hereinafter, a stand-type air conditioner will be described as an example.

The casing 4 may include a base assembly 11 . The base assembly 11 may have a three-dimensional shape with open front and upper surfaces.

The casing 4 may further include a front cover 15 . The front cover 15 may be installed to cover the front of the blower. The lower end of the front cover 15 may be mounted on a lower frame (not shown) of the base assembly 11 . The front cover 15 may be installed on the lower frame to shield a part of the lower frame.

Various parts such as a blower, a heat exchanger, and a circuit part may be disposed inside the casing 4 .

On the other hand, any one (2) of the pair of discharge units (2, 3) has a first suction port (not shown) through which the air blown from the blower is introduced, and a first internal flow path through which the air passing through the first suction port is guided. (not shown) and a first air outlet 43 through which the air guided to the first internal flow path is discharged to the outside, a first suction port, a first internal flow path, and a first air discharge port 43 may constitute the first discharge passage of any one (2) of the pair of discharge units (2, 3).

A first wind direction control vane for controlling a wind direction of air passing through the first discharge passage may be disposed on any one (2) of the pair of discharge units 2 and 3 . The first wind direction control vane may be rotatably disposed inside any one of the pair of discharge units 2 and 3 .

The other one (3) of the pair of discharge units (2, 3) has a second suction port (not shown) through which air blown from the blower is introduced, and a second internal flow path (not shown) through which the air passing through the second suction port is guided. time) and a second air outlet 53 through which the air guided to the second internal flow path is discharged to the outside, and the second suction port, the second internal flow path, and the second air outlet 53 are one The second discharge flow path of the other one (3) of the pair of discharge units (2, 3) may be configured.

A second wind direction control vane (not shown) for controlling the wind direction of the air passing through the second discharge passage may be disposed on the other one 3 among the pair of discharge units 2 and 3 . The second wind direction control vane may be rotatably disposed inside the other one (3) of the pair of discharge units (2, 3).

The air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a center panel assembly 10B disposed below the display assembly 10A.

The center panel assembly 10B is positioned between the left and right front covers 15 and has the same width as the display assembly 10A, thereby forming a consistent aesthetic feeling with the display assembly 10A.

One or more microphone holes 75 may be formed in the center panel assembly 10B.

Meanwhile, the air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include one or more microphones (not shown) for receiving a voice input through the microphone hole 75 .

The microphone may be attached to the inner surface of the center panel assembly 10B and may be disposed in contact with or adjacent to the microphone hole 75 .

Meanwhile, the air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may further include a speaker (not shown) for outputting an audio signal, and the speaker may output various sound effects and voice guidance messages.

In some embodiments, the microphone and the speaker may be configured as an integrated module.

3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an internal block diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a sensor unit 215 including one or more sensors for sensing various data, and an audio input unit 220 for receiving a user's voice command. ), a memory 250 for storing various data, a communication unit 270 for wireless communication with other electronic devices, a display 292 for displaying predetermined information as an image, an audio output unit 291 for outputting predetermined information as audio, And, the control unit 240 for controlling the overall operation, and, according to the control of the control unit 240, the driving unit 280 for controlling the operation of the indoor fan, heat exchanger, valve, wind direction control means, etc. provided in the main body according to the control. may include

The audio input unit 220 may receive an external audio signal or a user voice command. To this end, the audio input unit 220 may include one or more microphones (MIC). Also, in order to more accurately receive a user's voice command, the audio input unit 220 may include a plurality of microphones 221 and 222 . The plurality of microphones 221 and 222 may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other, and may obtain an external audio signal and process it as an electrical signal.

Although FIG. 3 illustrates an example in which the audio input unit 220 includes two microphones, a first microphone 221 and a second microphone 222 , the present invention is not limited thereto.

The audio input unit 220 may include a processing unit that converts analog sound into digital data or may be connected to the processing unit to convert a user input voice command into data so that the control unit 240 or a predetermined server can recognize it.

Meanwhile, the audio input unit 220 may use various noise removal algorithms for removing noise generated in the process of receiving a user's voice command.

In addition, the audio input unit 220 may include components for processing audio signals, such as a filter for removing noise from the audio signal received from the microphones 221 and 222 , and an amplifier for amplifying and outputting a signal output from the filter. .

The memory 250 records various types of information necessary for the operation of the air conditioner 1 , and may include a volatile or nonvolatile recording medium. A recording medium stores data that can be read by a microprocessor, such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive), SSD (Solid State Disk), SDD (Silicon Disk Drive), ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic may include tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and the like.

According to an embodiment, a sound source file of a voice command input by a user may be stored in the memory 250 , and the stored sound source file may be transmitted to the voice recognition server system through the communication unit 270 . In addition, the stored sound source file may be deleted after a preset time elapses or a preset operation is performed.

Meanwhile, data for voice recognition may be stored in the memory 250 , and the controller 240 may process a user's voice input signal received through the audio input unit 220 and perform a voice recognition process.

Alternatively, according to an embodiment, the air conditioner 1 may include a voice recognition module (not shown), and the voice recognition module may perform simple voice recognition such as call word recognition. An embodiment including the voice recognition module will be described later in detail with reference to FIG. 15 .

Also, a calling word determination algorithm for determining whether the voice signal includes a calling word may be stored in the memory 250 .

The control unit 240 and the voice recognition module may determine whether the call word is included in the voice signal based on the call word determination algorithm.

On the other hand, simple voice recognition may be performed by the air conditioner 1, and high-level voice recognition such as natural language processing may be performed by a voice recognition server system.

For example, when a wake up voice signal including a preset call word is received, the air conditioner 1 may be switched to a state for receiving a voice command. In this case, the air conditioner 1 may only perform a voice recognition process up to whether or not the call word is inputted, and subsequent voice recognition for the user's voice input may be performed through the voice recognition server system.

Since system resources of the air conditioner 1 are limited, complex natural language recognition and processing may be performed through a voice recognition server system.

Alternatively, the determination of whether a call word is inputted may be performed dually in the air conditioner 1 and the voice recognition server system. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce erroneous recognition of the calling word voice input determination and increase the recognition rate.

Limited data may be stored in the memory 250 . For example, data for recognizing a wake up voice signal including a preset call word may be stored in the memory 250 . In this case, the controller 240 may recognize a wake up voice signal including a preset call word from the user's voice input signal received through the audio input unit 220 .

Meanwhile, the call word may be set by the manufacturer. For example, "LG Whisen" may be set as the calling word. In addition, the setting of the call word can be changed by the user.

The controller 240 may control to transmit a user's voice command input after recognition of a wake up voice signal to the voice recognition server system through the communication unit 270 .

The communication unit 270 may include one or more communication modules, perform wireless communication with other electronic devices according to a predetermined communication method, and transmit/receive various signals.

Here, the predetermined communication method may be a Wi-Fi communication method. Correspondingly, the communication module provided in the air conditioner 1 may be a Wi-Fi communication module, but the present invention is not limited to the communication method.

Alternatively, the air conditioner 1 may include different types of communication modules or a plurality of communication modules. For example, the air conditioner 1 may include an NFC module, a Zigbee communication module, a Bluetooth™ communication module, and the like.

The air conditioner 1 can be connected to a server included in the voice recognition server system or an external predetermined server, a user's mobile terminal, etc. through a Wi-Fi communication module, etc., and provides smart functions such as remote monitoring and remote control. can support

The user may check information about the air conditioner 1 or control the air conditioner 1 through the portable terminal.

Also, the communication unit 270 may communicate with an access point (AP) device and communicate with other devices by accessing a wireless Internet network through the access point device.

In addition, the control unit 240 may transmit the state information of the air conditioner 1, the user's voice command, etc. to the voice recognition server system, etc. through the communication unit 270 .

Also, the control unit 240 may receive external environment information such as weather information from a voice recognition server system or other servers through the communication unit 270 .

Meanwhile, when a control signal is received through the communication unit 270 , the control unit 240 may control the air conditioner 1 to operate according to the received control signal.

The display 292 may display information corresponding to a user's command input, a processing result corresponding to the user's command input, an operation mode, an operation state, an error state, and the like as an image.

According to an embodiment, the display 292 may be configured as a touch screen by forming a layer structure with the touch pad. In this case, the display 292 may be used as an input device capable of inputting information by a user's touch in addition to an output device.

In addition, the audio output unit 291, according to the control of the control unit 240, a notification message such as a warning sound, an operation mode, an operation state, an error state, information corresponding to the user's command input, processing corresponding to the user's command input Results can be output as audio.

Meanwhile, the audio output unit 291 may convert the electrical signal from the control unit 240 into an audio signal and output it. To this end, a speaker or the like may be provided.

The control unit 240 controls the audio output unit 291 and the display 292 to provide predetermined information to the user through visual/auditory means in response to each step of the voice recognition process and the air conditioner 1 control process. can

The driving unit 280 controls the amount of air discharged into the room by controlling the rotation of the motor connected to the indoor fan. In addition, the driving unit 280 controls the operation of the heat exchanger so that the refrigerant supplied to the heat exchanger is evaporated or condensed to exchange heat with the surrounding air.

The driving unit 280 is a device for adjusting the direction of the air discharged into the room in response to the control command of the control unit 240 , and allows the air discharged when the discharge port is opened to change up, down, left and right.

The driving unit 280 may include a vane driving unit for driving a vane under the control of the controller 240 , a fan driving unit for driving a fan, and the like.

Meanwhile, the driving unit 280 may include a motor driving unit, and may include an inverter or the like to drive the motor.

Meanwhile, the air conditioner 1 may further include a manipulation unit 230 for user input and a camera 210 capable of photographing a predetermined range around the air conditioner 1 .

The manipulation unit 230 may include a plurality of manipulation buttons to transmit a signal corresponding to the input button to the control unit 240 .

The camera 210 is to photograph the surroundings of the air conditioner 1, the external environment, etc., and several such cameras may be installed for each part for photographing efficiency.

For example, the camera 210 includes at least one optical lens and an image sensor (for example, CMOS image sensor) and a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to form an image based on signals output from the photodiodes. The digital signal processor may generate a still image as well as a moving picture composed of frames composed of still images.

Meanwhile, an image obtained by photographing by the camera 210 may be stored in the memory 250 .

The air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a sensor unit 215 including one or more sensors.

For example, the sensor unit 215 may include one or more temperature sensors for sensing indoor and outdoor temperature, a humidity sensor for sensing humidity, a dust sensor for sensing air quality, and the like.

Also, the controller 240 may control the operation of the air conditioner 1 based on the data sensed by the sensor unit 215 .

4 is a diagram illustrating another example of an internal block diagram of an air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the air conditioner 1 includes a camera 210 , a sensor unit 215 for sensing various data, an audio input unit 220 for receiving a user's voice command, an operation unit 230 , and various data A memory 250 for storing, a communication unit 270 for wireless communication with other electronic devices, a driving unit 280 for performing an operation implemented in the air conditioner 1, a display 292 for displaying predetermined information as an image, It may include an audio output unit 291 for outputting predetermined information as audio, and a controller 240 and a processor 260 for controlling overall operations.

An internal block diagram of the air conditioner 1 of FIG. 4 is similar to that of FIG. 3 , but a processor 260 is further provided, and an audio input unit 220 , an audio output unit 291 , a communication unit 270 , and a camera ( 210 ) and the processor 260 are provided in one single module, the voice recognition module 205 .

According to an embodiment, the voice recognition module 205 may include a communication unit 270 and a processor 260 , and the audio input unit 220 and the audio output unit 291 are separate integrated modules. can be configured.

For example, the voice recognition module 205 may be an integrated module including the audio input unit 220 and the audio output unit 291 . In this case, the audio input unit 220 may include microphones 221 and 222 , and the audio output unit 291 may include a speaker (not shown).

Meanwhile, the processor 260 may control the audio input unit 220 , the audio output unit 291 , the communication unit 270 , the camera 210 , and the like.

Hereinafter, the difference from FIG. 3 will be mainly described.

The processor 260 may process a user's voice input signal received through the audio input unit 220 and perform a voice recognition process.

For example, when a wake up voice signal including a preset call word is received, the processor 260 may be switched to a state for receiving a voice command. In this case, the processor 260 may only perform a voice recognition process up to whether or not the calling word is inputted, and subsequent voice recognition for the user's voice input may be performed through the voice recognition server system.

The processor 260 may control a user's voice command input after recognition of a wake up voice signal to be transmitted to the voice recognition server system through the communication unit 270 .

In addition, the processor 260 may transmit state information of the air conditioner 1, a user's voice command, and the like, to a voice recognition server system or the like through the communication unit 270 .

Meanwhile, when a control signal is received through the communication unit 270 , the processor 260 transmits the control signal to the control unit 240 , and the control unit 240 operates the air conditioner 1 to operate according to the received control signal. can be controlled

As a result, through the voice recognition module 205 , it is possible to obtain voice data, communicate with the server system 100 , and output a corresponding sound.

Meanwhile, the voice recognition module 205 may be attached to various electronic devices in addition to the air conditioner 1 . Alternatively, it may be used as a separate device without being attached to another electronic device.

The air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may receive a user's voice input, and the voice recognition server system may control the air conditioner 1 by recognizing and analyzing the user's voice input. .

Accordingly, the user can control the air conditioner 1 without operating the portable terminal or the remote control device.

Meanwhile, at least some of the servers included in the voice recognition server system may be a server operated by a home appliance manufacturing company or a sales company, or a server operated by a company entrusted with a service by the manufacturing company or the sales company.

5 is an example of a voice recognition server system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the voice recognition server system according to an embodiment of the present invention receives voice data from the air conditioner 1 and analyzes the received voice data to determine a voice command. A voice server 1100 . may include

The voice server 1100 may receive voice data from the air conditioner 1 , convert the received voice data into text data, and analyze the text data to determine a voice command.

Also, the voice server 1100 may transmit a signal corresponding to the determined voice command to a predetermined server.

For example, the voice recognition server system according to an embodiment of the present invention receives a signal corresponding to the determined voice command from the voice server 1100 and generates a request signal corresponding to the determined voice command. The cooperative service server 1120 and the home appliance control server 1130 for transmitting a control signal based on a request signal received from the cooperative service server 1120 to the air conditioner 1 may include.

The air conditioner 1 may receive a voice command input uttered by a user and transmit voice data based on the received voice command input to the voice server 1100 .

The voice server 1100 receives voice data from the air conditioner 1 and converts the received voice data into text data. An Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) server 1111, the Natural language for receiving the text data from the automatic voice recognition server 1111, analyzing the received text data to determine a voice command, and transmitting a response signal based on the determined voice command to the air conditioner 1 Receives a signal including text corresponding to the response signal from a Natural Language Processing (NLP) server 1112 and the air conditioner 1 , and converts text included in the received signal into voice data and a text-to-speech (TTS) server 1113 for transmitting to the air conditioner 1 .

The automatic voice recognition server 1111 may perform voice recognition on the voice data received from the air conditioner 1 to generate text data and transmit it to the natural language processing server 1112 .

The natural language processing server 1112 may analyze the text data received from the automatic speech recognition server 1111 according to a natural language processing algorithm to determine a voice command.

The natural language processing server 1112 may process a natural language, which is a language used by humans on a daily basis, according to a natural language processing algorithm, and may analyze a user's intent. The natural language processing server 1112 may perform natural language processing on the text data received from the automatic speech recognition server 1111 to determine a voice command that meets the user's intention.

Accordingly, the natural language processing server 1112 may determine a voice command that meets the user's intention even if the user inputs a voice command in a language used in daily life.

The natural language processing server 1112 may transmit a signal corresponding to the natural language processing result, that is, a signal corresponding to the determined voice command to the linked service server 1120 .

The linked service server 1120 may receive a signal corresponding to the determined voice command from the natural language processing server 1112 .

If the determined voice command is related to the air conditioner 1, the linked service server 1120 may communicate with the home appliance control server 1130 to perform a corresponding operation.

Alternatively, if the determined voice command is not related to the air conditioner 1, the linked service server 1120 may communicate with an external external service 1121 to perform a corresponding operation.

For example, if the determined voice command is a command for requesting information such as weather, stocks, news, etc., the linked service server 1120 may request and receive the information from a server that provides a service corresponding to the requested information. can

In addition, the linked service server 1120 may transmit the received information to the voice server 1100 , and the natural language processing server 1112 may transmit the received information to the air conditioner 1 .

When the determined voice command relates to the air conditioner 1 , the linked service server 1120 may generate a request signal corresponding to the determined voice command and transmit it to the home appliance control server 1130 .

The home appliance control server 1130 may transmit a control signal based on a request signal received from the linked service server 1120 to the air conditioner 1 .

For example, when a request for changing the set temperature of the air conditioner 1 is received, the home appliance control server 1130 may transmit a control signal for changing the set temperature to the air conditioner 1 .

Meanwhile, the air conditioner 1 may perform a corresponding operation according to a control signal received from the home appliance control server 1130 .

In addition, the air conditioner 1 may transmit a signal indicating that the operation has been performed after performing the requested operation to the home appliance control server 1130 .

In addition, the home appliance control server 1130 receives a response signal to the control signal from the air conditioner 1, and transmits processing result information corresponding to the response signal to the linked service server 1120. can

The voice server 1100 may transmit a response signal including the processing result information to the air conditioner 1 .

In addition, the voice server 1100 receives a signal including an output text text corresponding to the processing result information from the air conditioner 1, converts the received output text text into voice data, It can be transmitted to the conditioner (1).

In this case, the response signal based on the determined voice command transmitted from the natural language processing server 1112 to the air conditioner 1 may include the processing result information.

Meanwhile, the air conditioner 1 may receive a response signal based on the determined voice command from the natural language processing server 1112 . Here, the response signal may include text data of a response corresponding to the determined voice command.

For example, when the user inputs a voice command for changing the set temperature of the air conditioner, the response signal may include text data indicating that the set temperature has been changed.

Meanwhile, the air conditioner 1 may transmit a signal including text corresponding to the received response signal to the text-to-speech conversion server 1113 . Here, the signal including the text corresponding to the response signal may include the output phrase text corresponding to the processing result information.

Meanwhile, the text-to-speech server 1113 may convert text included in the received signal into voice data and transmit it to the air conditioner 1 . Here, the converted voice data may include a sound source file.

The air conditioner 1 may output a voice guidance message based on voice data received through a speaker.

On the other hand, the linked service server 1120 requests the status information of the air conditioner 1 to the home appliance control server 1130 based on a signal corresponding to the determined voice command, and the home appliance control server ( 1130 , the state information of the air conditioner 1 may be transmitted to the linked service server 1120 . When the state information of the air conditioner 1 is not secured, the home appliance control server 1130 may request and receive the state information from the air conditioner 1 .

On the other hand, the linked service server 1120, if it is possible to support the voice command determined based on the state information of the air conditioner 1, the home appliance control server 1130 to the determined voice command A corresponding request signal may be transmitted.

Alternatively, the linked service server 1120 is, when it is impossible to support the voice command determined based on the state information of the air conditioner 1, the natural language processing server 1112 is not supported in the current state. It can transmit a signal indicating that it is a function.

Even in this case, the air conditioner 1 may request and receive voice data from the text-to-speech server 1113 and output a voice guidance message indicating that the function is not supported in the current state.

According to an embodiment, the voice server 1100 may determine whether the determined voice command can be supported. For example, the natural language processing server 1112 analyzing the intention of the user's voice command may determine whether the determined voice command can be supported.

In this case, when the determined voice command includes a command that cannot be supported, a response signal based on the determined voice command transmitted by the natural language processing server 1112 is that the determined voice command is the air conditioner. (1) may be a signal indicating that the function is not supported.

The voice server 1100 and the voice recognition server system including the same according to an embodiment of the present invention can be used by organically connecting servers that play various roles for natural language voice processing.

The air conditioner 1 may perform operations up to reception and pre-processing of a voice command, and transmission to a server, and the voice server 1100 may perform natural language processing such as voice/text conversion, intention analysis, and command identification.

Since the voice server 1100 performs natural language processing, it is possible to reduce the load on the CPU and memory of the embedded module inside the home appliance.

Meanwhile, the linked service server 1120 may communicate with the external service and home appliance control server 1130 to perform an operation based on a user's voice command.

Meanwhile, the air conditioner 1 may receive voice data including a sound source file from the voice server 1100 and output a voice guidance message as audio, thereby responding to the user's voice input with auditory feedback.

The air conditioner 1 may receive a voice file from the voice server 1100 as streaming and reproduce and output a voice guidance message to the user. Accordingly, the air conditioner 1 does not need to store various sound source files.

Meanwhile, through the linked service server 1120, it is possible to link with various external services without colliding with other servers. In addition, it is possible to increase the success rate of intention analysis by reflecting external information during intention analysis through an external service interworking server.

The voice recognition server system according to an embodiment of the present invention secures compatibility and connectivity through a plurality of servers, and the final control command utilizes the home appliance control server 1130, so that the voice recognition process and the home appliance control server 1130 are used. ), it is possible to prevent a collision between controlling home appliances using Wi-Fi communication and a collision between controlling home appliances through a mobile terminal and controlling home appliances by voice input through the air conditioner 1 .

The voice recognition server system according to an embodiment of the present invention can reduce the load on a specific server depending on one server through an organic connection between the servers, and the role of each server is different, so there is a problem in the specific server If there is a problem, it is possible to easily respond by linking with other servers that play the same role.

In addition, a plurality of servers can be independently updated frequently, which is advantageous for performance improvement.

6 is an example of a voice recognition server system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The voice recognition server system illustrated in FIG. 6 improves the process in which the voice recognition server system illustrated in FIG. 5 transmits voice data for outputting a voice guidance message to the air conditioner 1 to improve the voice control response time. will be.

Accordingly, the voice recognition server system illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 may perform substantially the same operations except for the above differences, and the same parts will be briefly described below.

Referring to FIG. 6 , the voice recognition server system according to an embodiment of the present invention receives voice data from the air conditioner 1 and analyzes the received voice data to determine a voice command voice server 1100 may include

In addition, the voice recognition server system according to an embodiment of the present invention receives a signal corresponding to the determined voice command from the voice server 1100, and generates a request signal corresponding to the determined voice command. It may further include a home appliance control server 1130 that transmits a control signal based on a request signal received from the service server 1120 and the linked service server 1120 to the air conditioner 1 .

In the voice recognition server system illustrated in FIG. 6 , the voice server 1100 transmits voice data including processing result information based on the voice command to the air conditioner 1 without a request from the air conditioner 1 . can be sent to

The voice server 1100 includes an automatic voice recognition server 1111 that receives voice data from the air conditioner 1 and converts the received voice data into text data, the automatic voice recognition server 1111 A natural language processing server 1112 that receives the text data from and analyzes the received text data to determine a voice command, and the air conditioner 1 by converting a response signal based on the voice command into voice data It may include a text-to-speech server 1113 to transmit to.

Also in this embodiment, the home appliance control server 1130 receives a response signal to the control signal from the air conditioner 1, and transmits processing result information corresponding to the response signal to the linked service server 1120 can be sent to

The linked service server 1120 may transmit the processing result information to the voice server 1100 , more specifically, the natural language processing server 1112 .

In this case, the voice data transmitted by the text-to-speech server 1113 to the air conditioner 1 may include the processing result information.

In addition, the linked service server 1120 requests the status information of the air conditioner 1 to the home appliance control server based on a signal corresponding to the determined voice command, and the home appliance control server The state information of the harmonizer 1 may be transmitted to the linked service server 1120 .

In addition, the linked service server 1120 responds to the determined voice command with the home appliance control server 1130 when support of the determined voice command is possible based on the state information of the air conditioner 1 . A corresponding request signal may be transmitted.

Alternatively, when the linked service server 1120 cannot support the voice command determined based on the state information of the air conditioner 1, the function not supported in the current state as the voice server 1100 It is possible to transmit a signal indicating that

For example, the linked service server 1120 may transmit a signal indicating that the function is not supported in the current state to the natural language processing server 1112 .

In addition, the natural language processing server 1112 transmits a signal notifying that the function is not supported in the current state to the text-to-speech conversion server 1113, and the text-to-speech server 1113 generates corresponding voice data It can transmit to the harmonizer (1).

The air conditioner 1 may receive voice data from the text-to-speech server 1113 and output a voice guidance message indicating that the function is not supported in the current state.

According to an embodiment, the voice server 1100 may determine whether the determined voice command can be supported. For example, the natural language processing server 1112 analyzing the intention of the user's voice command may determine whether the determined voice command can be supported.

In this case, when the determined voice command includes a command that cannot be supported, a response signal based on the determined voice command transmitted by the natural language processing server 1112 is that the determined voice command is the air conditioner. (1) may be a signal indicating that the function is not supported.

After the air conditioner 1 operates, when a text-to-speech conversion server 1113 for voice guidance finally requests a guide for the corresponding operation, a time difference may occur between the operation and the guide.

However, according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the intention analysis is completed and the operation request is transmitted from the natural language processing server 1112 , information may be provided to the text-to-speech conversion server 1113 at the same time.

In addition, it is possible to provide a guide from the text-to-speech server 1113 to the air conditioner 1 according to the time when the home appliance control server 1130 gives a control command to the air conditioner 1 .

Accordingly, the guidance message may be ignited simultaneously with or immediately after the operation of the air conditioner 1 .

According to this embodiment, by directly connecting the natural language processing server 1112 and the text-to-speech server 1113, it is possible to minimize the time difference between the control command and the announcement through the home appliance control server 1130.

Meanwhile, according to one side of the present invention, unlike FIGS. 16 and 17 , the automatic voice recognition server 1111 , the natural language processing server 1112 , and the text-to-speech server 1113 for voice recognition and processing are integrated into one It can be configured as a server.

In addition, depending on the embodiment, the linked service server 1120 and the home appliance control server 1130 may be configured as one integrated server.

According to the present invention, since the air conditioner 1 operates according to a voice input, the user does not need to operate a remote control device such as a remote control, a portable terminal, etc., and thus user convenience can be increased.

In addition, as described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 , the present invention uses a plurality of servers to recognize a user's natural language voice command and perform a corresponding control operation, thereby making home appliances such as the air conditioner 1 , it is not limited to the system resources of each server and can efficiently recognize and process natural language.

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

Referring to FIG. 7 , the air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may collect indoor environment information through the sensor unit 215 including a plurality of sensors ( S710 ).

For example, the sensor unit 215 may include one or more temperature sensors for sensing indoor and outdoor temperature, a humidity sensor for sensing humidity, a dust sensor for sensing air quality, and the like.

The sensor unit 215 may sense temperature and humidity data of an indoor environment in which the air conditioner 1 is installed.

In addition, the sensor unit 215 may sense the air quality, such as the amount of carbon dioxide and the amount of fine dust in the indoor environment in which the air conditioner 1 is installed.

The sensor unit 215 may continuously collect data on temperature, humidity, and air quality. Alternatively, the sensor unit 215 may collect data on temperature, humidity, and air quality at a predetermined period of time.

The air conditioner 1 may receive external environment information from an external server through the communication unit 270 (S720).

The air conditioner 1 may receive external environment information such as weather information from a predetermined server or other servers in the voice recognition server system.

In order to provide a comfortable indoor environment, the air conditioner 1 may improve and manage air quality with a temperature control function, humidity control function with humidification and dehumidification function, and an air purification function, in order to provide a comfortable indoor environment.

In many cases, indoor temperature, humidity, and air quality are related to the external environment. For example, when the outdoor temperature and humidity are high, the indoor temperature and humidity are also high in many cases. In addition, if the external air quality is poor, ventilation is difficult, and the indoor air quality without ventilation is highly likely to deteriorate.

Accordingly, it may be effective to control the operation of the air conditioner in association with an external environment such as weather.

Many people directly check the news, etc. to obtain external environment information such as weather information. However, according to the present invention, the air conditioner 1 that manages temperature, humidity, and air quality may automatically receive external environmental information such as weather from a voice recognition server system or a related predetermined server or electronic device.

Meanwhile, the air conditioner 1 may receive the external environment information when a preset event occurs or at a predetermined time period.

For example, the air conditioner 1 requests external environment information such as weather information from a predetermined server when power is on, when a user is detected in a predetermined space, when the user commands a specific driving, and , it is possible to receive the response external environment information.

Alternatively, the air conditioner 1 may receive external environment information at a predetermined period of time.

The external environment information may include weather information of a region in which the air conditioner 1 operates.

For example, the external environment information may include forecast status information related to the current temperature, current humidity, current air quality, snow, rain, wind, etc. of the region in which the air conditioner 1 operates. In addition, the external environment information may include weather information for each time zone, weather information for a day, and weather information for a week of the region in which the air conditioner 1 operates.

Meanwhile, the control unit 240 may determine a recommended driving mode based on the indoor environment information and the external environment information ( S740 ), and may control to output a voice guidance message guiding the determined recommended driving mode. (S750).

For example, when the indoor humidity is high, the controller 240 may determine the dehumidification operation as the recommended driving mode, and may control to output a voice guidance message recommending the dehumidification operation through the audio output unit 291 .

On the other hand, when there is no voice data for outputting the voice guidance message, the control unit 240 transmits a signal corresponding to a recommended driving mode based on the indoor environment information and the external environment information to the voice recognition server system, It is possible to control to receive a sound source file corresponding to a voice guidance message for guiding the recommended driving mode from the voice recognition server system.

In this case, the audio output unit 291 may output a voice guidance message based on the received sound source file.

Meanwhile, when the air conditioner 1 is not being driven, the voice guidance message may include a message suggesting to drive the air conditioner 1 in the recommended driving mode.

For example, if the humidity is high even when the air conditioner 1 is not being driven, the control unit 240 may control so that a voice guidance message recommending an active dehumidification operation is output through the audio output unit 291 . there is.

Also, when the air conditioner 1 is being driven in a predetermined driving mode, the voice guidance message may include a message suggesting to additionally operate a function corresponding to the recommended driving mode.

For example, if the air conditioner 1 is in cooling operation and the humidity is high, the control unit 240 controls so that a voice guidance message recommending an active dehumidification function to be additionally operated is output through the audio output unit 291 . can

Even if the air conditioner 1 is used, if the air quality is not good due to a lot of fine dust in the room, it may be recommended to use the air cleaning function at the same time.

According to an embodiment, when the air conditioner 1 is in operation, according to the user's prior consent, the air cleaning function is automatically performed according to the indoor condition during cooling, and then after operation for a certain period of time, the air is automatically cleaned You can also just disable the function.

The controller 240 may control to output a voice guidance message for guiding a recommended driving mode including a dehumidifying function when the indoor humidity sensed through the sensor unit 215 is equal to or greater than a reference value.

Also, when the indoor temperature sensed through the sensor unit 215 is equal to or greater than a reference value, the controller 240 may control to output a voice guidance message for guiding a recommended driving mode including a cooling function.

Also, when the amount of dust detected through the sensor unit 215 is equal to or greater than a reference value, the controller 240 may control to output a voice guidance message for guiding a recommended driving mode including an air cleaning function.

According to an embodiment, while the audio output unit 291 is outputting a voice guidance message, the controller 240 emits light on the display 292 or other lamp to inform that the voice guidance message is currently being output, or a user can help you focus on the voice prompts.

The controller 240 may control to display information corresponding to the recommended driving mode through the display 292 .

That is, the air conditioner 1 may not only notify the recommended driving mode by voice, but also inform the recommended driving mode through visual information through the display 292 .

Meanwhile, the voice guidance message may include weather information of a region in which the air conditioner 1 operates. Accordingly, the user can receive the weather information through the air conditioner 1 without special effort to find the weather information.

Meanwhile, in the recommended driving mode, a recommended function may be determined based on the indoor environment information, and a set value of the recommended function may be determined based on the indoor environment information and the external environment information.

The control unit 240 may prioritize indoor environment information to determine recommended functions such as cooling, heating, air cleaning, dehumidification, and humidification.

In addition, the controller 240 may determine the final recommended driving mode by determining the level (intensity) of cooling, heating, air cleaning, dehumidification, and humidification by referring to the external environment information.

For example, the control unit 240 selects the cooling function when the indoor temperature is high, and sets the cooling set temperature set value lower as the temperature difference between the indoor temperature and the outdoor temperature is large, so that cooling can be performed at a faster speed. Thus, it is possible to determine the recommended driving mode.

Alternatively, the controller 240 may set a cooling set temperature set value during the cooling operation so that the temperature difference between the indoor temperature and the outdoor temperature is maintained at a constant level.

Accordingly, it is possible to prevent inefficient operation in terms of power consumption, cooling efficiency, and user's sensible satisfaction that may occur when a predetermined function such as a cooling function operates regardless of indoor and outdoor temperatures.

On the other hand, it is inefficient to provide voice guidance even when the user is not in a predetermined space in which the air conditioner 1 is disposed.

Accordingly, the air conditioner 1 may detect a occupant through a human body detection sensor that the camera 1 or the sensor unit 215 may include ( S730 ).

The controller 240 may control to output the voice guidance message only when the camera 1 or the sensor unit 215 detects the occupant.

Inducing the operation of the air conditioner 1 by first talking to the user can be set to be operable only after the user is detected, because there is a possibility that a malfunction (misrecognition) may occur due to external noise, etc. when the user is not present.

Meanwhile, when receiving a user response to the output of the voice guide message, the controller 240 may operate in response to the received response.

After outputting the voice guidance message (S750), the air conditioner 1 may receive a voice command through one or more microphones 221 and 222.

The controller 240 may control the communication unit 270 to transmit voice data including the received voice command to the voice recognition server system.

When the communication unit 270 receives a control signal based on the voice command from the voice recognition server system, the control unit 240 may control to operate in response to the received control signal.

For example, when the user utters a positive voice for the recommended driving mode, the air conditioner 1 may start driving in the recommended driving mode according to transmission of voice data and reception of a signal corresponding thereto.

Meanwhile, when the communication unit 270 receives a response signal based on the voice command from the voice recognition server system, it may output a voice guidance message corresponding to the received response signal. The voice guidance message corresponding to the received response signal may be content to guide starting driving according to the recommended driving mode.

The current air conditioner 1 has a basic cooling function, and an air cleaning function, a dehumidifying operation function, and a power saving function are implemented. However, most users use only the cooling function and use the air conditioner 1 without knowing what state the room is in.

Accordingly, the air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention can be recommended to the user so that the environment-customized control can be performed by using information on the indoor environment and the external environment.

In addition, the air conditioner 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention can be controlled through voice recognition for the user's voice response while providing voice guidance.

Through this, it is possible to realize efficient driving and power-saving driving while making the indoor environment optimal. In addition, by allowing unskilled users to fully use the functions of the air conditioner 1 , satisfaction with the performance of the air conditioner 1 can be further increased.

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

Referring to FIG. 8 , the air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention analyzes indoor conditions at regular time intervals ( S810 ), and receives weather information from an external weather server to analyze outdoor environment conditions ( S810 ). S820) may be performed.

The air conditioner 1 may perform an analysis of an indoor state (S810) and an analysis of an outdoor environment state (S820) in a state where a voice input is always on standby.

Meanwhile, when a person is detected, the air conditioner 1 may recognize an indoor environment state (S830), and recommend a control for maintaining an optimal indoor state to the detected person (S850).

For example, the air conditioner 1 may include a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and an air quality sensor to determine the state of an indoor space, and information periodically checked from the sensors and information linked to an external weather service can be used to provide optimal control methods to customers.

In the air conditioner 1, when a person is detected (S830) and it is determined that the indoor condition is bad, such as when the temperature and humidity of the indoor space need to be adjusted or the air quality is bad (S840), the indoor space is in an optimal state It is possible to guide the recommended driving mode set to be possible by voice (S850).

When the person responds to the voice guidance (S860), the air conditioner 1 may recognize the user's voice input through the voice recognition server system (S870), and may be controlled in response to the recognized result ( S880).

If the indoor condition is good, the air conditioner 1 will recognize in response to the user's separate voice input (S860) without uttering the voice guidance (S870), and will be controlled (S880).

9 to 12 are diagrams referenced in the description of the operating method of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Since many users do not know exactly the air quality such as humidity and fine dust in the room, the air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention notifies the current indoor state when there is a user around, and provides a dehumidification function, An air cleaning function can be recommended.

Referring to FIG. 9 , one or more users 901 and 902 may not think of operating the dehumidifying function of the air conditioner 1 even though the indoor air condition is very humid.

In this case, the air conditioner 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may output a voice guidance message for guiding the recommended driving mode when the users 901 and 902 are detected. That is, the air conditioner 1 may actively talk to the users 901 and 902 first, so that the dehumidification function or the like is operated and recommended.

The user can easily operate a specific function by uttering a response to the voice guidance message by voice.

10 illustrates a user response process after the air conditioner 1 recommends a dehumidifying function.

Referring to FIG. 10 , as the user utters a preset call word such as “LG Whisen” (S1010), the air conditioner 1 may enter a command standby mode. Thereafter, the user may input a response to the voice guidance message in a natural language such as “yes” (S1020).

According to an embodiment, after outputting the voice guidance message, the voice recognition process may be performed without input of a call word.

According to the present invention, since the air conditioner 1 outputs a voice guidance message for a recommended driving mode to a user that is actively detected, in order to receive the user's voice response, the air conditioner 1 outputs the voice guidance message After that, it can enter the command standby mode automatically for a predetermined time.

The air conditioner 1 receiving the user's response through the microphones 221 and 222 may transmit voice data including the user's response to the voice recognition server system 1100 (S1030).

The voice recognition server system 1100 may analyze the received voice data to determine the user's intention for the recommended dehumidifying function. Accordingly, the voice recognition server system 1100 may transmit a control signal S1040 for driving the dehumidification function to the air conditioner 1 and a response signal S1045 corresponding to the corresponding operation.

The air conditioner 1 may drive the dehumidification function and output a voice guidance message such as "starting the dehumidification operation" (S1050).

11 and 12 illustrate a case in which an air cleaning function is recommended according to the air quality sensed by the sensor unit 215 of the air conditioner 1, and the user responds thereto.

Referring to FIG. 11 , when deterioration of air quality is detected through the sensor unit 215 , the control unit 240 may determine that the air cleaning function is driven as the recommended driving mode.

Also, through the camera 210 or the sensor unit 215 . When a user is detected, the controller 240 may control the audio output unit 291 to output a voice guidance message recommending that the air cleaning function be operated (S1130).

If there is no voice data for outputting a voice guidance message recommending driving the air cleaning function, the air conditioner 1 may request voice data for outputting the voice guidance message from the voice recognition server system 1110. (S1110).

The communication unit 270 may receive voice data from the voice recognition server system 1110 ( S1120 ), and the audio output unit 291 may output a voice guidance message recommending driving the air cleaning function ( S1130 ).

Referring to FIG. 12 , as the user utters a preset call word such as “LG Whisen” (S1210), the air conditioner 1 may enter a command standby mode. Thereafter, the user may input a response to the voice guidance message in a natural language such as "Yes" (S1220).

Even in this embodiment, the air conditioner 1 automatically enters the command standby mode for a predetermined time after outputting the voice guidance message without inputting a call word, so that the voice recognition process can be performed.

The air conditioner 1 receiving the user's response through the microphones 221 and 222 may transmit voice data including the user's response to the voice recognition server system 1100 (S1230).

The voice recognition server system 1100 may analyze the received voice data to determine the user's intention for the recommended air cleaning function. Accordingly, the voice recognition server system 1100 may transmit a control signal S1240 for driving the air cleaning function to the air conditioner 1 and a response signal S1245 corresponding to the corresponding operation.

The air conditioner 1 may drive the air cleaning function and output a voice guidance message such as "The air cleaning function is driven" (S1250).

According to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, since the air conditioner operates according to a voice input, the user does not need to operate the remote control, thereby increasing user convenience.

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, by recognizing the voice input received through the air conditioner in the voice recognition server system, it is possible to efficiently recognize and process natural language.

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, by guiding the optimal driving mode based on the obtained environmental information, even unskilled users can conveniently use the optimal driving mode and functions, so that the user's convenience can be increased

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, environment-customized control is possible using the collected environment information.

In addition, according to at least one of the embodiments of the present invention, by setting the driving mode through voice input, the user's manipulation during the driving mode selection process can be minimized, thereby increasing user convenience.

In the voice server, voice recognition server system and air conditioner according to the present invention, the configuration and method of the embodiments described above are not limitedly applicable, but the embodiments are the examples of each embodiment so that various modifications can be made. All or a part may be selectively combined and configured.

Meanwhile, the voice recognition method, the voice server, the voice recognition server system, and the operating method of the air conditioner according to an embodiment of the present invention can be implemented as processor-readable codes on a processor-readable recording medium. The processor-readable recording medium includes all types of recording devices in which data readable by the processor is stored. Examples of the processor-readable recording medium include ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tape, floppy disk, optical data storage device, etc., and also includes those implemented in the form of carrier waves such as transmission over the Internet. . In addition, the processor-readable recording medium is distributed in a computer system connected through a network, so that the processor-readable code can be stored and executed in a distributed manner.

In addition, although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and the technical field to which the present invention belongs without departing from the gist of the present invention as claimed in the claims Various modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art, and these modifications should not be individually understood from the technical spirit or perspective of the present invention.

Air conditioner: 1
Speech Recognition Server System: 1100
Voice Server: 1110
ASR Server: 1111
NLP Server: 1112
TTS Server: 1113
Link service server: 1120
Appliance Control Server: 1130

Claims (15)

collecting indoor environment information through a sensor unit including a plurality of sensors;
receiving external environment information from an external server through a communication unit;
outputting, by an audio output unit, a voice guidance message for guiding a recommended driving mode based on the indoor environment information and the external environment information;
transmitting a signal corresponding to a recommended driving mode based on the indoor environment information and the external environment information to a voice recognition server system; and
Receiving a sound source file corresponding to a voice guidance message for guiding the recommended driving mode from the voice recognition server system; further comprising,
The method of operating the air conditioner, wherein the sound source file is a voice file that can be output by the audio output unit. delete According to claim 1,
Further comprising; detecting a occupant through a camera or a human body detection sensor;
The outputting of the voice guidance message comprises outputting the voice guidance message when the camera or the human body detection sensor detects the occupant. According to claim 1,
The collecting of the indoor environment information comprises continuously collecting data on temperature, humidity, and air quality or collecting data at a predetermined time period. According to claim 1,
The receiving of the external environment information comprises receiving the external environment information when a predetermined event occurs or at a predetermined time period. According to claim 1,
When the air conditioner is not being driven, the voice guidance message includes a message suggesting to drive the air conditioner in the recommended driving mode. According to claim 1,
When the air conditioner is being driven in a predetermined driving mode, the voice guidance message includes a message suggesting to additionally operate a function corresponding to the recommended driving mode. According to claim 1,
The method of operating the air conditioner, characterized in that the voice guidance message includes weather information of a region in which the air conditioner operates. According to claim 1,
In the recommended driving mode, a recommended function is determined based on the indoor environment information, and a set value of the recommended function is determined based on the indoor environment information and the external environment information. . The method of claim 1,
The step of outputting the voice guidance message may include outputting a voice guidance message for guiding a recommended driving mode including a dehumidification function when the indoor humidity sensed through the sensor unit is equal to or greater than a reference value. method. According to claim 1,
The outputting of the voice guidance message may include outputting a voice guidance message for guiding a recommended driving mode including a cooling function when the indoor temperature sensed through the sensor unit is equal to or greater than a reference value. method. The method of claim 1,
The outputting of the voice guidance message may include outputting a voice guidance message for guiding a recommended driving mode including an air cleaning function when the amount of dust detected through the sensor unit is equal to or greater than a reference value. method. According to claim 1,
Receiving a voice command through one or more microphones (MIC);
transmitting voice data including the received voice command to a voice recognition server system; and,
When receiving a control signal based on the voice command from the voice recognition server system, operating in response to the received control signal; Operating method of the air conditioner further comprising a. 14. The method of claim 13,
and outputting a voice guide message corresponding to the received response signal when receiving a response signal based on the voice command from the voice recognition server system. According to claim 1,
Displaying information corresponding to the recommended driving mode through a display; operating method of the air conditioner further comprising a.

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